POWERLINE A.D.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
Guitarist Glenn Tipton of Judas Priest

Glenn Tipton (above, far right) has witnessed it all. All = Heavy Metal. He has witnessed the full evolution of the Metal genre — thirty-something years after his band helped initiate it.

Now, Judas Priest will present an important part of Heavy Metal history by performing their classic LP British Steel in its entirety all across North America. 

Tipton seems as excited about showcasing the 30th-anniversary of British Steel as most of his fans.

Poweline A.D.: In the documentary Heavy: The Story of Metal, Scott Ian of Anthrax said that British Steel was the album that defined heavy metal at that time. You think it opened up opportunities not just for Judas Priest but for heavy metal bands in general?
Glenn Tipton: I think in the sense that, you know, not just British Steel but a lot of Priest albums, really. You've always tried to push the margins wider apart on what people considered to be heavy metal. You don't feel like there have been any rules, or if there are rules, they're rules that can be broken ... you know, to give a greater strength of character to metal and to give everybody more room to maneuver and that's what we've always tried to do — and particularly (with) British Steel.

Poweline A.D.: You think many memories of the original British Steel tour in 1980 will come rushing back as you're playing the album in its entirety now?
Glenn Tipton: Yeah, I think that's the idea, you know. The idea is to recreate the 80s and to go out there and do very nostalgic concerts for everyone to get involved.

Poweline A.D.: Do you remember the set list from the original British Steel tour?
Glenn Tipton: Not really (laughs). 

Poweline A.D.: It was quite the killer set list. It was kind of like an updated version of Unleashed in The East with an introduction to the new British Steel songs. It had "Genocide" and "Tyrant" back-to-back with songs like "Steeler"... I know you are going to play some classics along with the entire British Steel album. What should be expected?
Glenn Tipton: Anything's possible. We haven't finalized the exact set list yet. There's been talk of "Freewheel Burning" ... we're certainly going to play "Rock Hard Ride Free." It will all be from that era.

Poweline A.D.: Have you played "Steeler" or "Rapid Fire" since?
Glenn Tipton: I don't think so, no, and we certainly haven't played "The Rage" in the longest time so I'm looking forward to that one in particular. I like that song.

Poweline A.D.: Well, as a fan, I've waited a long time just to hear "Dissident Aggressor" live — all through the 80s it was a dream of mine to hear that song live, and out of nowhere you guys just picked it for last tour. So I'm trying to envision some songs like that for this tour as well ..whenever I've seen Priest tour, the band always had a strict set list that was played from. Night after night the band never strayed from that set list. Besides the entirety of British Steel, is the band going to mix up the choice of songs a little on this tour?
Glenn Tipton: We usually stick pretty much to our set because the production size of things, you know. We've been doing this for thirty to forty years, but guys on the crew haven't, so... when you do production of a Priest show you got to think about safety ... and there are places you shouldn't be at certain points during the set, and once you start mixing things up it's a recipe for disaster. We've had a few bike accidents in the past so... once we decide on a set, we pretty much tend to keep it the same. With the odd exception. There are nights when we play extra long encores, or we might throw a different song in for a special occasion.

Poweline A.D.: Why British Steel now? Was it just the anniversary of it or ...?
Glenn Tipton: More or less, yeah ... we wanted a great album to perform and we wanted to do it from start to finish.

Poweline A.D.: Or, I was wondering, if there was some more relevance to it? I have a quote here from Rob (Halford), that Priest had a desire "to relive songs of the past since they are still potent and valued all these years later."
Glenn Tipton: Yeah, I think that sums it up. 

Poweline A.D.: I heard there will be a replica of the British Steel stage from the 1980 tour?
Glenn Tipton: It will be very reminiscent of the 80s. That's the whole point. To capture the nostalgia. To just recreate that era. (pause) I got my red trousers back (laughs).

Poweline A.D.: You know, I was just going to ask that question — If we would see the Glenn Tipton of that era: the black leather motorcycle jacket with the red lapels, and the blonde streak in the hair...
Glenn Tipton: (laughs) I don't know about the blonde streak. We'll get the red leather trousers back.

Poweline A.D.: The leather became a standard by the time British Steel came around, didn't it?
Glenn Tipton: That's right. At that point, the leather and studs had kicked in, yeah. 

Poweline A.D.: I had these group photos of Priest on my wall — pre-British Steel — when I was kid and the only guy not wearing the leather was your old drummer Les Binks. He would have on some cowboy shirt instead.
Glenn Tipton: (laughs) We had a job convincing him.

Poweline A.D.: What happened to Binks? Is he still playing?
Glenn Tipton: He's still playing, yeah. I haven't heard from him in years but he's still around. He's a great drummer.

Poweline A.D.: It seemed drummer Dave Holland was more of a match for the British Steel sound?
Glenn Tipton: Yeah, we had many drummers. Scott (Travis) is the young guy and yet Scott's been with us for twenty years now.

Powerline A.D.: I had read that during the original British Steel tour, Rob came out with a fake machine gun and pretended to riddle the crowd with bullets?
Glenn Tipton: Yeah, I think he did used to do that but I don't think it's wise in this day and age.

Powerline A.D.: I heard it was controversial back then.
Glenn Tipton: Yeah, well, it certainly would be now.

Powerline A.D.: So, no appearance of the machine gun?
Glenn Tipton: No, I don't think so.

Powerline A.D.: In a way, British Steel was kind of my gateway drug into metal. But it also introduced me to your albums made in the 70s. Something that the band should be extremely proud of. Albums like Sin After Sin are some of the best albums ever produced, not only in metal but in rock music in general. Will there be any chance of an album like that being done on stage in its entirety?
Glenn Tipton: You never know. We don't know what's around the corner. We haven't planned our next project or album. We always finish the tour, have a break, and then sit down and what will be, will be, you know. You never know what's around the corner. But that's a good idea.

Powerline A.D.: That album, like British Steel, still stands up strong after all these years, and that says a lot.
Glenn Tipton: Yeah, I was just saying in another interview that the thing about Priest songs is that they are relatively timeless, and they are still valued today, and that is something we are very proud of. 

Powerline A.D.: And it's weird for some of us Priest fans. We were never old enough to experience those old classic Priest albums live. I think that's what makes the idea of playing an album like British Steel in its entirety, on-stage, so popular. A lot of fans missed out on a lot of that great stuff.
Glenn Tipton: Yeah, every tour has its own character. Every album has its own character with Priest, that it's unmistakably Priest. And that's what is so magical about the band. There's this character in the band that emerges no matter what we do — whether we change with each album. We always thought each album was another chapter in the book of Judas Priest. I think the same can be said for a tour. Each tour's going to have its own character and you'll lean on different eras and songs, and it's what makes it all magical about Priest, really, that we are able to do that.

Powerline A.D.: Do you have a live album planned for this   British Steel Anniversary tour?
Glenn Tipton: We haven't got one planned but usually along the way we do record it so that's a strong possibility, yeah.

Powerline A.D.: Do you think you'll ever get sick of touring? Glenn Tipton: You get sick of the travel and airports and all that sort of thing but when you set foot on stage everything's forgotten. It's just great to get on stage and play Priest music, so from the point of view of performances and audiences — and being one with the audience — we never get fed up with that.  

Powerline A.D.: Do you envision Judas Priest being in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame one day?.
Glenn Tipton: Everybody keeps asking that. It's not up to us. I know the one who votes you in has the answer to that but I don't know who votes you in. I would think we deserve it after all these years but...

Powerline A.D.: Actually there is a petition online to get Judas Priest into the Hall of Fame.
Glenn Tipton: Really? Good men ... and women! 

Powerline A.D.: Well, you meet the criteria.
Glenn Tipton: I look forward to that.

Powerline A.D.: Will you continue to release any solo stuff in the years to come?
Glenn Tipton:  I did the solo albums (Baptizm of Fire and Edge of the World) when there was no active Judas Priest. I mean, it was a great experience. It was fantastic to work with Cozy (Powell) and John (Entwistle), and of course Billy Sheehan and all the guys, all the young guns from the States, were fantastic to work with and so talented. And I never would have gotten to do that if Priest hadn't split up so ... And also it's great to do solo stuff, because you get music off your chest that isn't totally appropriate for Priest. It turned out for the best in a way, and I'm proud of those albums. And in some point in the future, who knows ... I've got one or two more solo albums in me, I don't know. I'm sure there will be more. But, of course, my priority and first love will always be Judas Priest.

Powerline A.D.: You think you will sit down one day and write a biography on your life with Judas Priest?
Glenn Tipton: Nah, not really. Who's interested in me (laughs).

Powerline A.D.: Oh c'mon. You've heard that Al Atkins (first Judas Priest vocalist) came out with a biography ...
Glenn Tipton: No, I've not read that book.
Powerline A.D.: I just think that there are quite a bit of us that want to know more about Priest through the years.
Glenn Tipton: I actually update my webpage and there's quite a bit in there, some early stories and some new stories. But I don't think there's enough to fill a book. And my memories not real good, I never had a good memory. I forgot probably the best things we ever did, and the worst. (laughs)

Powerline A.D.: Well, maybe it will all come flooding back to you once you start a tour like this one.
Glenn Tipton: Maybe.

 
Interview by Patrick Prince

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
John Gallagher of Raven

It's hard to ever forget Raven. Even if you haven't listened to them in years. The NWOFBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) band leaves such an impression on the listener. In the early 80s, they single-handedly defined their own style of metal into what was called Athletic Rock: fast-paced, aggressive, and sweaty. The Raven sound mixed the general attitude and spontaneity of punk with the power and heaviness of metal with such a natural ease. It was beautifully authentic.

A major record deal with Atlantic Records somewhat sidetracked the band until the 90s, but, years later, the brothers Gallagher (John, above, bass/vocals, and Mark, guitar) came back to recapture the mojo that made them who and what they are.

Their newest release, Walk Through Fire, is currently available as a Japanese import.

POWERLINE: I've seen videos of some of your recent gigs on YouTube. Sure, the band is older now, but it seems like you haven't missed a beat. At first glance it could have been the band in 1984. You feel like you got some of that mojo back?
JOHN GALLAGHER: Actually, we never lost it. It just gets stronger! Mark, of course is lucky just to be walking, never mind thrashing around on stage [note: discussed further down], so we are just more aware of how much fun we have, and how lucky we are.
 
POWERLINE: In your opinion, what makes this new album, Walk Through Fire, different from the others?
JOHN: We took a lot longer to get this one done... and usually after you record an album, you mix it quick and its done. We had the chance to sit with it and tweak it, if needed. I don't think we have ever had that luxury before, so it's got the good songs that were worked on over years in some cases — but recorded in a burst of lunacy — and then listened to and polished to a fierce shine. This album just rocks from start to finish and sounds and feels fresh — it's the real deal. It's varied but it's all 100% Raven!

POWERLINE: Right now the new album has only been released in Japan. Are there distribution deals for North America and Europe in the works?
JOHN: Yeah, working on it  — the record biz as you know is not what it was — but we should have this sussed shortly.

POWERLINE: And there seems to be a high percentage of Raven Lunatics in Japan, no?
JOHN: Yes!! And so far the reaction has been great to the new album...

POWERLINE: Are you excited about going to Japan in June to support the album?
JOHN: Yeah — this will be great as its been a long time since we were over there. It was quite amazing last time, doing the Destroy All Monsters live album..this time looks like an old friend, Marty Friedman, may get up and  jam with us in Tokyo!

POWERLINE: Montrose's "Space Station #5" is a great pick for a cover? Why that song for that album?
JOHN: We used to do it back in the clubs in the northeast of England. It seems we always come up with a fun cover and this one was cool to do. The middle part is nuts with the crime jazz/surf guitar and fretless bass, but overall its pretty brutal.

POWERLINE: Raven has always done well with covers, which is not an easy task. "Born To Be Wild" w/UDO was always a favorite of mine. Do you think it is because covers take a life of their own when translated into Raven's own unique sound?
JOHN: Yes, you have to do it a little different or its pointless. Slade's version was (is) a big favorite of ours for years, so we just wanted to rev it up even more.

POWERLINE: I read a great story on your MySpace page about "Born To Wild" and bikers... no wonder you mastered that song into your own. The song had its own Raven history.
JOHN: That's one of those war stories ... our old drummer Mike Kenworthy (back in 1977) got us a gig for the Hells Angels. When I say "gig" it was out in a field in the middle of nowhere. We set up and started to play and it started to rain, and after the 5th version of "Born to be Wild," Mark faked an electric shock so we could get the hell outta there!

POWERLINE: I've heard over the years that Neat was a mess of a record company. Was that true in your experience with them? How does it compare with your experiences with other indie labels you have been on?
JOHN: It was basically a one man organization. Dave Wood had been in the business for many years, doing records for local club acts, comedians, and all of a sudden came the NWOBHM and Neat was THE label. We got our start there but got fed up of no gigs, no money, and the primitive studio.

POWERLINE: At the time I really hated Atlantic Records for making you put on that futuristic gear (astronaut suits?), and embrace a more commercial sound to boot. As a fan, I didn't think it was the true Raven. But, like you said, that was 25 years ago. Do you feel like some of those Atlantic albums got a bad rap?
JOHN: Yes and no. Stay Hard was pretty good...The Pack is Back sounded great but it was our "Turbo," no doubt. Rob (Hunter) insisted on playing drums to a click track. The lyrics were cheese and a few of the songs were good... the rest?? Ugh! Life's a Bitch,
however is a great record - we were pissed off and it showed!

POWERLINE: Let's talk about your classics? Is it true you were not happy with the outcome of Wiped Out? It was so raw, I loved it. Personally, that was one of my favorite metal albums of all time. I think a lot of your fans share that same feeling.
JOHN: It was just that the final mix was never used. The vocals are not loud enough...but it is crazy and raw. That album and the crash bang wallop songs were all done in one week...some of the songs were written on the spot ("To the Limit" for one). The energy was just ... out there!! The most fun we had was doing All For One ... in a real studio with a real producer (Mike Wagener) and just taking our game to the next level.

POWERLINE: What album do you want Raven to be remembered by?
JOHN: The current one! Hey, we've done some good work over the years, and there's plenty more in us to come.

POWERLINE: You have been referred to as the Godfathers of Thrash. Do you like being known as the Godfathers of Thrash? Didn't you feel out-of-place touring with the likes of Slayer and Exodus? I know other bands have.
JOHN: They can call us what they want. We never felt out of place with those bands, but they did their thing, and we did ours.
When touring with Slayer, their front row fans would flip us off, throw batteries at us, etc. Our opening number had a short gap about one minute in. We'd stop dead, climb over the barrier and shout: "You wanna fight? Who's first?" That would throw them every time!!! They'd back off as we were obviously nuts.

POWERLINE: To be honest, I would never try to pretend to classify Raven's sound. It is so unique. And that's such a rarity. Isn't there some punk influence in Raven's music as well as hard rock and metal?
JOHN: Only in the attitude, back then we did not like punk. It's a big blend of all the bands we liked, stuck in a blender and sped up to 11...bands like Slade, Sweet, Status Quo, Purple, Sabbath, Priest, Budgie, Heep, etc. We are proud of the fact we do have our own sound.

POWERLINE: Maybe Athletic Rock is the perfect way to describe your sound. How did that come up? And do you still like using that term today or are you sick of it?
JOHN: We never used it — it was Neat Records. Again, I don't care what you call us as long as you like it!

POWERLINE: I once heard your vocal style was really influenced by Rob Halford?
JOHN: Sure, Rob's a killer singer. I was influenced by Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes, Rob Halford, David Byron... its sad that so few metal bands have singers these days. It's all this Cookie Monster crap.

POWERLINE: Off the top of our your head: favorite album growing up?
JOHN: Made in Japan — Deep Purple. It does not get any better.

POWERLINE: Your lyrics always seemed to be great fun to me. I used to get so sick of all the metal bands singing about end-of-days religious crap like Satan and God. To me that was merely the flip-side of Stryper... same biblical shit, and almost as annoying. You glad to have stayed away from that?
JOHN: Yeah, that's been done to death....it was overdone 25 years ago.

POWERLINE: Do you ever miss your old drummer, Rob "Wacko" Hunter? Does he regret leaving? Is there ever a chance of a reunion? Or is drummer Joe Hasselvander just as much of a piece of Raven as Wacko was?
JOHN: I don't know if he regrets leaving but its something he had to do — he wanted to be with his family and was not enjoying it anymore. He just upped and left, telling a roadie to tell the manager he'd quit. Never spoke to him after that until about 8 years later. Rob was with us 7 years, Joe's been with us 22 years. So he's certainly part of the furniture.

POWERLINE: Is it true that an Elektra A&R man confused you with Metallica? If so, that is a weird footnote in metal history.
JOHN: That's the story I've heard....Mike Alago (legendary 80s A&R guy) dragged his boss to the Roseland NYC show in 1984 which was us with Anthrax and Metallica opening. The boss loved us and was very drunk. All three bands got signed, but, supposedly, when the boss finally met Metallica he did a double take and said "I thought there was three of you?"  Ha!

POWERLINE: Has your brother, Mark, fully recovered from that serious accident a few years back?
JOHN: He was recovering from a car accident — some guy was driving with no lights in the dark and hit him at a T-junction. So Mark's head hit the side window...bruised up...so he goes to visit a friend at a construction site and its real windy — the wind blows his baseball cap off..he chases it..the wind blows again..he chases it further... then a 100 foot long 5 foot deep wall falls on him, crushing his legs, a piece of metal rebar goes through his calf. Both feet are dislocated and facing the wrong way. The other calf is disconnected from his leg... bad.

Its only because he was so fit and is such a stubborn bugger that he pulled through. Many would not have made it, never mind being able to walk. He's actually skiing again. We did not play for over 3 years and when we did, he was in a wheelchair.

POWERLINE: How do you personally envision Raven's future? Is it still going to be Rock Until You Drop?
JOHN: Of course!!! Kicking ass and taking names, mate!!!  Thanks to everyone out there for your support and check out the new album... cheers!

Contact: www.ravenlunatics.com

Interview by Pat Prince

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
Rob Thorne of Sacred Oath

Sacred Oath have come a long way since their debut album "A Crystal Vision" — some twenty plus years ago. Now, they have just released what many believe is their best recording to date, the self-titled Sacred Oath (see review at right); an indie release of old school metal with a great contemporary vibe.

PART ONE: THE NEW ALBUM

POWERLINE: Sacred Oath seems completely re-energized with this new release. The album being self-titled — as if it were a debut album —is almost fitting.
Rob Thorne: It’s a total rebirth for the band, and not in the sense that we’ve been revamped… we haven’t. But I really feel like we’ve been in a gestational underground for twenty years and all of a sudden we have been given this opportunity and privilege to be put in front of a bigger audience so in many ways it is really a rebirth for us.

POWERLINE: How did you keep your vocals in such good shape after all these years?
Rob Thorne: I never stopped singing. When Sacred Oath broke up, I went to college and majored in opera for four years…

POWERLINE: Ah, that explains a lot.
Rob Thorne: ... and then when I graduated college I started Soundscape and did that all through the 90s, and wrote a couple rock operas. I was as active as I am now, just not with Sacred Oath.

POWERLINE: You know, I never heard Soundscape.
Rob Thorne: Soundscape is sort of a prog rock/prog metal thing.

POWERLINE: Does it sound a little like Dream Theater type stuff?
Rob Thorne: A little more diverse. Dream Theater is a little straight up prog metal all the time. Soundscape is prog metal and then it goes off into a prog rock thing. You'll hear a lot of influences of Yes and Kansas.

POWERLINE: So, how's the response been for the new album?
Rob Thorne: I'm overwhelmed by it. I 'm doing these interviews and everyone says 'I love this album' and I'm like "wow, I'm so happy.' No really, we had just come off a European tour and we were on fire but we hadn't thought of starting the next record right away. And then we literally banged this album out in three months — from the first note we wrote to it being mastered. When you do something that quickly you hope that you aren't rushing but it didn't feel like we were. Sometimes the best things you do, happen that quickly.

POWERLINE: True, because it doesn't feel staged or contrived.
Rob Thorne: Not at all. It couldn't be because we didn't even rehearse (laughs).

POWERLINE: Maybe you can give Axl Rose some tips on recording quickly?
Rob Thorne: That's what starts to happen. You start thinking about stuff too much and you lose all of that original conviction that made you want to make it in the first place. And that's what metal's supposed to be about. If it doesn't have that spontaneous energy, then in my mind, it 's not really metal.

POWERLINE: And the song "Blood Storm" ...  I'll tell you, man, that song is great. Talk about energy. If that song were released in the 80s, it would have had its own colored-vinyl.
Rob Thorne: Yeah, Pat, but it's not the 80s (laughs).

POWERLINE: No, but you should release it as a single CD or something.
Rob Thorne: Well, Rhapsody just confirmed they are  going to do a feature on the band and include "Blood Storm" as an exclusive free download for a week or so to promote the new album, which will happen in May. And that's a modern day single feature, you know.

POWERLINE: The band must feel the same way about "Blood Storm," you've featured it as the main song on your site for awhile, even before the album was out.
Rob Thorne: Oh yeah, when I started sending early songs to people to test what we had, people latched onto "Blood Storm" right away. And the thing that's great about "Blood Storm" is that it's a very complete metal song. It's got a lot of the things that get you excited, and on top of it all it's catchy and memorable. It's just a well put together song and what excites me about it is the first collaboration between me and (drummer) Kenny (Evans) songwriting-wise.

POWERLINE: Actually my favorite songs on the album were written by you two.
Rob Thorne: And this is the first time we teamed up that way. It's awesome to hear that. "Caught in the Arc" has had a great response, too.

POWERLINE: Did you ever think about leading the album off with "Blood Storm"?
Rob Thorne: I never thought of leading the album off with "Blood Storm" because, right away, I like to have, in my mind, the second song on a record be the kick ass song that sort of lodges itself in your mind. I don't know why that is. I don't know if it's been ingrained in my mind from listening to a lot of Ozzy. You know, he always did that. It was always "Over the Mountain," then "Flying High Again." And when we were in the studio and putting "Paradise Lost" together (the opening song), I put the chant in the intro and it just became obvious that that would become a very cool dark serious way to start the record.

POWERLINE: I've heard the guitarist Bill Smith was a student of yours?
Rob Thorne: Yeah, I taught him from the age of 13. Can you believe that?  And he's 21 now. And when (original guitarist) Glen (Cruciani) said 'I can't go to Europe, I can't do the touring,'  we auditioned a bunch of guitar players and they were all great guitar players but just no personality and no fire. And I said 'Guys, I want my student Bill to come down and audition. ' And he lives eats-breathes-shits this kind of music. And that's what we needed, not just some guy looking for an opportunity. So Billy just came in and he's perfect. Now he's acclimated. He did a fantastic job on the album. I'm so proud of him. I almost have this fatherly feeling towards him.

POWERLINE: Did he have stage fright at first?
Rob Thorne: Oh my God, yeah, there were times when we'd be playing and Billy would be over to the side, hunched over his amp, and we'd be wondering what he was doing. And he was puking all over the place. It took him three of four shows to get him past puking on-stage. Now, usually, he's just right out front. He's just a great performer. He's dyed-deep into the fabric of Sacred Oath at this point.

POWERLINE: Is there a tour set up to support the new album?
Rob Thorne: We are in the process of putting that together now, and there are some things on the table, but we're not  committing to anything yet, because we're really waiting to see how this iTunes thing pans out.

POWERLINE: Explain the iTunes thing.
Rob Thorne: iTunes brought in someone at Apple to invigorate their metal department — Metal has statistically way underperformed at iTunes — and iTunes approached us because of the success that our live album (Till Death Do Us Part) had on iTunes — they featured the live album as one of their top live metal albums, next to Unleashed in The East and Live After Death. And now we will have this massive exclusive set up with iTunes in like a week and a half. The song "Counting Zeros" — off the album — will be the Discovery Download Pick of the Week. It's huge. It's a minimum of 300,000 downloads. To have that for a band like us, it's like a home run.

POWERLINE: Yep. I know. I sometimes download that stuff even if I'm skeptical, cause it's free.
Rob Thorne: I'm glad they picked the song that they did because I think a lot of people will download that song that don't really listen to metal. That song probably has the biggest cross-over appeal. Not only that but they are going to discount the album for five weeks at a $5.99 retail. You can't even buy lunch for that anymore and if you can get those people to come back after downloading "Counting Zeros" and pick up the album for $5.99, that would be great for us.

(Sacred Oath, the original line-up (above, left to right): Kenny Evans. Pete Altieri. Glen Cruciani. Rob Thorne)

PART TWO: THE HISTORY

POWERLINE: Sacred Oath's 2008 live album, Till Death Do Us Part, was a successful release for the band. It was a favorite metal pick on iTunes amongst classic live metal albums such as Unleashed in the East and Live After Death. Why did you pick Germany to record your live album?
Rob Thorne: We didn't pick Germany. We didn't even plan to do a live album. That is what's so beautiful about that album. This was the first time we've been on a European tour. We had been invited to the Keep It True Festival in Germany, in this hall full of crazy German metalheads, and it was a really peak experience for us. And at the end of the show I was walking by the soundboard and there was this guy with a laptop hooked up. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "Oh, I recorded the show." I asked, "Can I get the discs?" So he mailed the discs back to the States and I mixed it. Got a live album out of it and it's a damn good show.

POWERLINE: What's cool is that you didn't prepare to record a live album, so the outcome was all the more natural.
Rob Thorne: Oh yeah, that's what makes me laugh. When people review the live album it has been like 'Oh, it's like Unleashed in the East' and all this stuff and I'm like, 'Oh my God, we didn't even sound check.'

POWERLINE: And Judas Priest's Unleashed in the East is probably the best live metal album out there.
Rob Thorne: That's my favorite live album of all time! And with us — because we were at a festival — we literally jumped out there, plugged in, and ripped through our set ... and to have it come out the way that it did... I mean, Darkness Visible began this whole resurgence stuff for us, but the live album just put stuff totally over-the-top. And the funny thing about it all is everyone was like 'Don't put out a live album. No one's interested in a live album. Live album's don't sell and you're making a big mistake.' And that's when we pretty much separated from Sentinel Steel Records because they didn't want to do it. So I put it out (note: issued through Rob Thorne's own Angel Thorne label in 2008) and it just took off.

POWERLINE: Well, a lot of times, it feels as if bands put out live albums as filler, to take care of the quota from their record contract. And live albums tend to often feel that way... like an obligation.
Rob Thorne: Yeah, like you said, there can be bad feelings associated with it.
POWERLINE: But you can tell when the band and the audience are into it and something special happens. And Germany completely eats your kind of metal up ...
Rob Thorne: ... they totally do ...
POWERLINE: ... just classic power metal and old school stuff and they just love it over there. Some times I feel like America really never caught on to the power metal thing like it should have.
Rob Thorne: Well, you know, America is very fickle. We're constantly being bombarded with one fad after another. And it's really not like that in Europe. The metal fans are generational over there. You know, 'My father was a Maiden fan, and I'm a Maiden fan, and my son...' (laughs) it's crazy.

POWERLINE: I mean let's face it, too — American major record labels have ruined some great metal bands. There were all these bands that were good power metal, and then they put out their debut on a huge record label and it sounds like crap. Many bands loss what they originally had.
Rob Thorne: Well, Mercenary Records was completely to blame for the demise of Sacred Oath in the late 80s.

POWERLINE: What happened exactly?
Rob Thorne: The problem was, Mercenary — unbeknownst to us — was in all sorts of financial trouble. Then we saw our (debut) album release getting postponed, like, literally five or six times. And when you're 18 years old and you keep telling your fans your album's coming out soon and it doesn't ... well, that went on for over a year. Then the label wouldn't pay the studio, and the studio wouldn't release the master tapes. The studio calls and says they are going to bootleg the album so they can recoup their money. The whole thing turned into a giant clusterfuck.

Then you start you getting real agitated, and then when they (Mercenary) finally put out the album ... if you saw the original album cover of that record, you would freak out (see below). We were just horrified. They didn't even talk to us about it. And after all the postponing of the release and then they hand us that. It was demoralizing. It has since gone on to be a classic in its own way. And we are going to reissue the album with its original artwork, we think. It's taken on its own little level of appeal. At the time, we just wanted to burn Mercenary Records down.

Interview by Pat Prince

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
Dan Lorenzo

Dan Lorenzo has accomplished a lot over his 25-plus year career in music: the classic heavy metal band Hades, the alternative metal band Non-Fiction, the contemporary hard rock of The Cursed, solo albums, and a columnist for a popular new jersey weekly (Steppin' Out Magazine).

As a fan of Lorenzo's work, the biggest disappointment was the split-up of The Cursed. The Cursed was perhaps the finest band that Dan had formed. Partnering with Overkill vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth, the music was soulful, metal-edged hard rock that was very dynamic. Fate, however, dealt an unlucky blow to the project, and, as of this year, The Cursed is no more.

Here is a brief Q&A with Dan Lorenzo on what is happening in his life now.

POWERLINE A.D.: Whatever happened to vocalist Paul Smith?
Dan Lorenzo: One of my best friends, and my guitar tech, Dan Garber, encouraged me to get rid of Paul after Paul chose to go down the (New Jersey) shore with his girlfriend and miss a Hades show. Paul and I are still friends. He's been in the Army for years. He actually went to Kabul Afghanistan for seven months after 9/11...so he's braver than I am. Paul loved HADES and he and I see eye to eye on most things in life. He is a great guy.

POWERLINE A.D.: What do you consider Hades' first taste of success?
Dan Lorenzo: Selling out local clubs before we had a record deal. That was in like...1986. Just word of mouth. Alan and Jimmy and Scott were in the band. It was an exciting time.

POWERLINE A.D.:  I remember Hades being termed Speed Metal in the 80s. I considered the music more Power Metal because I don't think you ever wrote a Hades song with only speed in mind.
Dan Lorenzo: Well, I'll leave that for people like you to decide. I DID write the opening of Widows Mite, the "new" opening, with only speed in mind and that opening makes me cringe. You should ALWAYS just write from the heart.

POWERLINE A.D.: I was once told by a metal journalist that even though he liked Hades' music, he could not embrace it because it expressed religious fanaticism. Was it because of songs like "The Cross"? I don't know. I always found that to be a peculiar remark.
Dan Lorenzo: Religious fanaticism? Hmmm...I picture "religious" people flying planes into buildings, so we were pretty far from that. I believe in Jesus, I say my prayers, but I would never go to church. Religion is like baseball, a great idea, a beautiful thing, that money has corrupted and ruined. I would never pay to go to a sporting event and I LOVE the big 3 sports. I just don't condone celebrities. They seem to have a hard time with simple moral choices.

POWERLINE A.D.: Actually, I find "The Cross" to be one of Hades' finest moments. The religious subject matter should not matter to the secular listener because the song is simply amazing. I'm not a religious person at all but I also found it refreshing that Hades never wrote pro-satanic lyrics (which was an "in" thing at the time, and still is). And I think the 1985's  7" of "The Cross" was the superior version. Agree or disagree?
Dan Lorenzo: I like both of them, I also like the version John Collura sang. No...I don't have a copy. Some dude from Monster Records said he would release it years ago. It's never come out.

POWERLINE A.D.: You recently told me there were no more Hades demos. Do they really not exist anymore? In a metal scene where fans traded demos in the 80s, Hades had some of the finest demos out there, (83-85) circulating. I think it would be kind of cool if you released these tracks on a CD (with out-of-print 7" singles like "The Cross"). Do you think it would be worth it? Especially if only nostalgic people like me would buy it.
Dan Lorenzo: Oh yeah Pat...I'm sure there is a LONG line of like -17 people who would want to buy that! (laughs)

POWERLINE A.D.: What happened on the European tour in 1989 that disbanded Hades?
Dan Lorenzo: Well, in four words IT STOPPED BEING FUN. Maybe I'm a pussy, but when ANYTHING stops being fun I walk away. You can say, "Well everything CAN'T be fun"...I ask, "Why not?". We were arguing about anything and every thing. I really wanted to tune down, but Ed and Jimmy thought their guitar necks would fall off or something. They both grew to love tuned down guitars but in 1988 they were NOT into tuning down even a little.

POWERLINE A.D.:Did you have a positive or negative experience being signed to Metal Blade records? I know a few bands that hated the experience of being signed to Slagel and his label.
Dan Lorenzo: I loved every second of being on Metal Blade until "DamNation" was released. The US office dropped the ball on that one. EJ was more concerned with starting his own label than promoting the HADES cd. Then they released a METAL BLADE 25th anniversary cd that had zero HADES songs and a bunch of Lizzy Borden songs. If they thought Lizzy Borden wrote better music than HADES...I had enough. The European Metal Blade office ruled. Michael and Andreas...are great guys.

POWERLINE A.D.: I always thought Hades album "Resisting Success had an anti-capitalist message at heart (as well as the title track having a giant fuck off to major label record companies). Was I misled?
Dan Lorenzo: Yes Pat! I am a capitalist. It was my way of saying, I'll never wear a suit to work or work a traditional 9-5 job. We won't write hair metal music to get a few more sales.

POWERLINE A.D.: Years later, on some songs on your solo discs, like "4 More Years" and "Clintonesque, you seem to show a more unapologetic right-wing message?
Dan Lorenzo: Well I always vote Republican because they are tougher on crime, but they are insane, too. Politicians are like celebrities, they think they are above the law. It's really sad. I don't know why people still choose to bring children into this world. The religious right scare me ALMOST as much as the ultra liberals. I've been told I'm more of a libertarian...but I'm too disinterested to look that up.

POWERLINE A.D.: Do you find rock music's stance too liberal nowadays? Let's face it, there aren't a lot of right-wing musicians out there, except maybe Ted Nugent.
Dan Lorenzo: If you're far left OR far right you're probably insane. Fuck Ted Nugent. He's released nothing but bad music after Scream Dream....and I USED to LOVE Ted Nugent. I probably even agree with his message but he comes off as obnoxious as Rush Limbaugh does...you know the anti-drug right wing asshole who got caught with illegal drugs? Fuck them all...all celebrities. I love when former drug addict musicians discuss politics. What a joke-you did drugs by choice-now tell me how I should live MY life. I'm a "pro-choice, legalize prostitution and marijuana but kill criminals conservative". It's this thing called "common sense". I'm super close to retarded, but I have common sense so I've always landed on my feet. Work hard, work smart and marry your best friend, and if you have your health, life will be great!

POWERLINE A.D.: To this day, there are a few Hades fan sites still active. Do you monitor these sites?
Dan Lorenzo: If by "monitoring" you mean masturbate to old photos of myself...then YES...I'm guilty as charged. No. I don't really. Are you just making this shit up?

POWERLINE A.D.: Non-Fiction was labeled alt-metal. But this kind of metal had been played for years before by bands like Watchtower. Isn't there a more appropriate term than adding the popular 90s term "alternative" in there?
Dan Lorenzo: NON-FICTION and WATCHTOWER in the same breath? Pat are you high? They were a super technical band...NON-FICTION was a "dumb it down" band. I fucking loved NON-FICTION.

POWERLINE A.D.: Why did you and Alan Tecchio switch gears from Non-Fiction back to Hades in the 90s?
Dan Lorenzo: Mostly because there has always been more interest in HADES. I prefer NON-FICTION, but HADES always had more passionate fans.

POWERLINE A.D.: A friend of mine told me that Hades did a radio interview in the 90s at Drexel University but as soon as Hades left, the radio guy started talking trash about how arrogant the band was. Do you remember this interview?  I never got the impression of Hades ever being arogant. The band was always accessible to fans, no?  
Dan Lorenzo: If by arrogant you mean-the dj's girlfriend gave us blow jobs after she met us... maybe! Seriously, I don't believe we EVER did an interview down there. I was sometimes rude to drunk male fans. I still am!

POWERLINE A.D.: How did the formation of The Cursed come about and, then, what happened?
Dan Lorenzo: Blitz and I were tight after Non-Fiction opened for Overkill in America and Europe in '93. He loved my first solo cd, then sung on my 2nd. He told me he wanted to do something with me, so I wrote the music for (The Cursed's) Room Full of Sinners. As soon as I heard the melodies he wrote to my riffs I thought, "this guy gets it". I LOVE what he did...I LOVE the cd...I wish more people bought it!

POWERLINE A.D.: As a musician who has been involved in many projects over the years, what are you most proud of (this can include collaborations as well)?
Dan Lorenzo: Hmm...I think THE CURSED cd then NON-FICTION's In The Know then HADES The Downside then my first and 3rd solo cds. In some ways I'm most proud of my solo stuff because it was all me pretty much.

POWERLINE A.D.: What group has the greatest chance of a reunion: Hades, Non-Fiction, or The Cursed? (I mean, a real reunion, not a one-off gig like Hades' gig at the Keep It True Festival in 2010)
Dan Lorenzo: Wow...umm...none of the above? It's almost time for warm weather in NJ which means I'll put down the guitar and start playing basketball. I play 3-5 days a week depending on the weather. Been playing for almost twelve years. It's fucking intense.

POWERLINE A.D.:What is your favorite solo disc, and why?
Dan Lorenzo: Probably "Cut From A Different Cloth". I love all of it except for "Two Timer" and the opening instrumental. I LOVE Jimmy Schulman's bass line on "Betty Last Night". "Cut" is sold out. I only printed 1,250 copies and they are all gone.

POWERLINE A.D.:When's the solo album F-Bombs coming out?
Dan Lorenzo: I wish I knew!

POWERLINE A.D.: Do you plan to ever tour to support your solo discs?
Dan Lorenzo: Yes, as opener for Metallica.

POWERLINE A.D.: Ha! Do you like touring then? After years of being a musician do you find it unbearable now?
Dan Lorenzo: No. Touring is fun if you're single. I could never tour now. I'm happily married so it makes no sense to me. I couldn't go a whole week without seeing my wife!

POWERLINE A.D.: Tell me more about this year's  release of the Hades DVD "Bootlegged in Boston 1988"
Dan Lorenzo: Well, it really is a bootleg, the show anyway. One of our best shows ever. The most fun part of the DVD is AFTER the show, the interviews and old footage.

POWERLINE A.D.:Do you enjoy having your own column now for a newspaper? A description for your column, 24 Seven, in Steppin' Out Magazine stated this: "He writes this column to piss you off." Trying to say you're opinionated, Dan?
Dan Lorenzo: Hey Pat...like I said, if it WASN'T fun I wouldn't do it.

POWERLINE A.D.: Are you a NEW JERSEY type of guy? The Bruce or Bon Jovi of Metal?
Dan Lorenzo: Yes...although I wish I lived in South Beach from November until April.

POWERLINE A.D.: Lastly, I love this statement on your website: "Even though I  love HEAVY songs first and foremost sometimes I have a different opinion of what's heavy. To me "Angie" by the Rolling Stones is heavy." As a Rolling Stones fan, I agree. but can you explain more?
Dan Lorenzo: Well when I first heard Angie it was when my mom was in the hospital. Bad. Ugly. Sad. Enough painful memories to last a lifetime and bring me to my knees whenever I hear that song.  

 
Thanks for your time, Dan. And for any of you hard rock fans out there who haven't heard The Cursed, go to Amazon and buy the one and only album, Room Full of Sinners. You won't be disappointed. I even voted best hard rock/metal album of 2007. That's how good it is.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
Stacey Quinealty of Carbon 9

Interview by Pat Prince

All it takes is a few minutes with vocalist and lead sequencer of Carbon 9, Stacey Quinealty, to realize the man's deep insight to the world around us. And the lyrics to to the band's music tell the same distinct story.

The music matches this with a thick blend of Nine Inch Nails' technical depth/aptitude and Queensryche overall slickness. It is a sound that will please both metalheads and alternative rockers alike. But the beauty of the band is that it is unlikely to be classified as either one.

The following is an interview with Stacey, a month before the new Carbon 9 album, The Bull, will be released. 

POWERLINE A.D.: Give a brief history of how the band got together.
Stacey Quinealty: Most of us all met at Universal Studios in Hollywood...

POWERLINE A.D.: How was that? Were you all working there?
Stacey Quinealty: Yeah, we were all performers there.

POWERLINE A.D.: Really?
Stacey Quinealty: Yeah, like Omar (Brancato), our bass player, was a performer in T2 Terminator live show ... they had a Beetlejuice Rockin Graveyard Review which did big theatrical productions... I played Frankenstein and Phantom in that show. We also had a drumming show, kind of like a STOMP knockoff kinda thing. I was in charge of that and met Matty (Milani), our drummer, that way. So we have been performing together for years in a bunch of different things.

POWERLINE A.D.: Were you guys ever aspiring actors, too?
Stacey Quinealty: Never, never. I despise that actually. I just don't understand that world. We just fell into theater, and I did because I'm a singer, really. It was a rock and roll show, so they needed some rock and roll singers. But it was fun. It was a blast... and here we are.

POWERLINE A.D.: This is a different route for an L.A. band to form. And strange thing is, I didn't think you guys look or sound like the average L.A. band? When I found out you were formed in L.A., it surprised me.
Stacey Quinealty: That's interesting, you know. That's interesting to hear you say that. We really pride ourselves on doing our own thing, and being very different from other bands out here, because you're right, you know, L.A. bands do have an L.A. sound.

POWERLINE A.D.: The cover of Danzig's "Mother" is an interesting choice for the new album. Were you heavily influenced by Danzig?
Stacey Quinealty: No, not really heavily influenced by Danzig. Although I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, and the song "Mother" just happened to be that one song that we could make our own style to without destroying his song. I was real adamant about not destroying someone's song. We went through thousands of songs over the past years and I just kept saying no... until "Mother, and we said, that's it. But still staying true to the original, which is tough to do.

POWERLINE A.D.: When you say "we went through thousands," do you mean testing many (cover) songs live?
Stacey Quinealty: No, just tossing them around. The band really wanted to do a cover because we never did a cover, not even live.

POWERLINE A.D.: When you decided to call the new album The Bull, did that comprise of a seize the day type of message, you know, take the bull by the horns... ?
Stacey Quinealty: I think most of our albums are about the struggle of life, and I think The Bull kind of sums it all up. The Bull, to me, is the hypothetical answer to all these questions or concerns that you may have in life. Which is really just saying you have to keep moving forward. You might get cut, you might get stabbed, you might fall, or whatever, but you have to keep moving forward. It's really a symbol more than a title. You have to be strong and move through these hard times. We often feel we are in the worst times in the history of the world and we're just not, you know. 

POWERLINE A.D.: You do have a positive way of looking at life. Even in hardship you feel the individual can overcome. In fact, I was reading a quote from you the other day where you said: "If you learn to accept yourself, you will learn to accept others. This in turn will disallow negative thoughts to exist and therefore you will live your life at Level C 9."*
Stacey Quinealty: We're so quick to bring negative connotations onto people, and talk negative about people, and find all the negative things about people, and we only do that to make ourselves feel better. And it is so temporary. If you just learn who you really are, you learn to accept yourself, then others, and that can be called some sort of enlightenment these days. The minute you start to accept yourself, and have peace with your inner self, everything kind of lightens up and that other negative stuff is just not that important anymore. If people could somehow collectively get on the same plane and see that life can be much better than all this negative energy that we are actually creating. We are actually creating this. It doesn't even exist.

We really play on the positive side of things, and not the negative side of things. It may seem dark at times but it really says if you can get past this (the negative), you can achieve something.

POWERLINE A.D.: With all the categories set in rock nowadays, you seem to push the boundaries in your music, past any set category...
Stacey Quinealty: We really — and I say this with 100% truth — just try to stay true to our selves. And that's it. The only person I really have to please — on a creative level — is my self. Nobody can tell me how to write songs.

POWERLINE A.D.:  Do you find Carbon 9 more of a performance band, than a studio band?
Stacey Quinealty: We are a live performance band, because we have a theatrical show. Our show is basically, bam, bam, bam, there's no talking or tuning guitars... And the basis of our show is about the advancement of technology bringing on the decline of humanity.

POWERLINE A.D.: A warning?
Stacey Quinealty: Yeah. It used to be if you stepped away and went to the grocery store, or the park, you were gone, unavailable; now, everybody's accessible 100% of the time, we have no inner peace. If someone wants to contact you, they can Google your name, they find you on Facebook...

POWERLINE A.D.: And there is now a push to put GPS systems in all cell phones. Then you can actually see on Facebook where your "friend" is at all times. Constantly wired into the grid.
Stacey Quinealty: And that's terrible. I'm going back to a pager if that's the case. I don't want everyone to know where I am all the time... Grant it, here I am, in a studio with three apple laptops, eight hard drives, all networked with my iPhone, but I feel like I have permission to say all this (criticism) because I am being tied in.

If my house were to burn down, I wouldn't grab a photo book anymore, I would grab a hard drive, and that's freaky. Because with a photo book I can look at it anywhere, right away. The hard drive, I might not be able to look at it for some time after a disaster. 

The contradictory thing of ours show is that the show has heavy technology... we use synchronized video, we use all these machines with live cameras and computers on-stage. Our message is, you have to use technology as a tool, but you can't open your heart to technology, it's not a soul. It's not a living breathing thing that people should give themselves to. And I feel a lot of these kids today are going to hate themselves in twenty years when they are trying to have a real life. We need to use technology to our advantage, not to run our lives.

* To live your life at the highest possible level.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
Sébastien Audet, vocalist and bassist for the Canadian Melodic Death metal band Archons

Marc Garrison: So let's get a little background on how you got into playing and writing music.
Sébastien Audet: I've started playing music pretty late in my life, i was already 18 when i bought my first guitar and began to play. I was a huge Megadeth's fan and this is what made me buy a guitar and play metal music. More precisely it was the song Holy Wars that hooked me up. I got my first band 4 years later which was Descend into Nothingness and i became the bassist for it since we were tired of looking for a bassman. I've played actively with them and i've wrote some stuff but i was not as implicated as i am now in Archons.

M: Archons recently released the debut album "The Consequences of Silence" through Cryogenic Records. Any insight into why you chose this particular label?
S: For our debut album album we wanted to have total control on how everything would start for us and gain experience as a band without having to meet some business objectives. Im the owner of Cryogenic Records so i told the guys that on my label we would have enough exposure to put our name on the map but stay in control. From now on we are ready for bigger opportunities and we will starting looking for major labels soon but if we dont get concrete deal we'll probably continue to manage ourself entirely through Cryogenic records.

M: Tell me about the experience of recording the band's first album.
S:  It has been an extremely long process but every step that forged our album has been exciting and we used the extra time to make sure every aspects of the album were like we expected. We had plenty of schedules difficulty related to our jobs and the fact that the studio where the recording was made was moving from one city to another didnt help. Luckily everything has been professional from the beggining to the end with the help of Yannick St-Amand from the Northern Studio (Beneath the massacre, Neuraxis, Despised Icon and more...) This guy knew what could be done with the musical material we brought to him and he pushed it to its maximum.

M: Any particularly memorable moments? Any low points?
S: I think the best moment was when we took the master cd, put it in the player and listened to it altogether for the first time. It makes you forget about all the steps behind it and you finally listen to the music and appreciate it without judging all the technicality of the recording. The only low point is the long recording process but the result worth it.

M: Tell me about the creative process behind Archon's work. What kind of role does each member have in the writing process, lyrics, even image the band has created?
S: Every member of the band has participated in a way or another in the creation of the music, lyrics and concept. We are 3 main composer which are Francis*Guitar*, Simon*Guitar* and me*Bass/Vocal*, but we give the entire creation of the drums patterns to Christian so he's fully a part of what makes our songs what they are. It's the same for the lyrics, i try to do most of them since it's easier for me to really feel them while i sing but it's important for me that every member express themselves and feel tied to the message sent by Archons. That's why every member have wrote some parts of the first album lyrics and it will continue that way.

M: I have listened to the album many times over, and am consistently impressed with the production, song structure, technicality, but most importantly, the emotion. It is always difficult in the extreme metal genre to find that balance between brutality and memorable songwriting.
S: What you are describing here is the perfect blend that we're trying to reach. It's important for us that every parts of our songs have a purposes and helps create strong musical moments. We will not try to overdose the technicality of our playing and we will not sacrifice emotions at all cost. If we feel that a song require a very melodic and slow pace interlude we will just do it because too many bands wont do it just because they dont want to feel cheesy. Personally i think that to truly takes the listener from one point to another you have to vary in speed and in aggressiveness so that the music will not become linear.

M: The album seems extremely mature and professional for what many expect from a debut. Do you or many of the group's members have much experience in the recording process?
S: For Simon and me it wasnt our first recording, we both recorded our parts for the Descend into Nothingness album "Darkened Reality" and i recorded my parts for the MCD "Empowerment of the Oppressed". As for the entire band it's our second experience, we did a little promo CD in 2006 containing Plague of Corruption and Delusional Beliefs and even if we did it very fast and without big budget it gave us an idea of how we will approach the real recording.

M: Every band has its stylistic influences that they either draw from or are inspired by. Any particular genre or artist that influences the sound of Archons?
S: We have alot of influences from European melodic death metal bands but also from other bands from the Quebec province. Since we all participate in the songwriting we get all the influences of four musicians so i think some people will point some particulars riffs and compare them to this and that but i dont think that after listening to the entire album a couple of time they could be certain of what influences us.

M: The Canadian scene is enormous, with immense competition both on the musical and live front. Being a new band, are you satisfied with the exposure you have received so far? Any plans to branch outside of your native Canada?
S: Yes im truly satisfy, we had to chance to play in important gigs in the province and the critics are more than positive for us. I think that we will have great opportunities soon and we are looking forward to play outside the country. The only things that we are waiting for is some invitation to join some tours with big names. America, Europe..we are ready for you! 

M: I read that Archons is already hard at work on the follow up to "The Consequences of Silence." With the first record still fresh, are there plans to draw out the writing and recording process over a long period or do you guys plan on releasing a new album in the near future?
S: We are already in the writing process of the second album and we have plenty of material ready to be restuctured by the band. We never put an hold on the writing process and we never put an hold in doing shows etc. We just let things happens as they do and we'll see where it will lead us.

M: Any advice to up and coming bands that would make the road a little easier?
S: Give your best in everything and if you believe in your band dont hesitate to invest money in it, in your sound, your gear and your merchs. Too many bands seems to hopes for a label or a big record deal that will enable them to do big things but i really think that you have to prove that you believe enough in your band before others do.
 
M: Thanks a lot for your time and good luck with whatever new endeavors Archons may tackle next!

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Yngwie Malmsteen Interview

Interview by Pat Prince

Yngwie, most of your career, your music has been categorized as Heavy Metal. Do you personally like when your music’s defined as Heavy Metal?
Yngwie: Ah, it doesn’t matter. Call it punk-influenced jazz riffs (laughs). It’s in the metal section of most stores, so I guess it should be called heavy metal or hard rock. But it’s not very important to me, really.

Do you ever compare yourself — competitively — with some of the other contemporary guitarists out there?
Yngwie: Never. And it’s not because I’m arrogant. … It’s just that I wouldn’t go out and buy a record and listen to it. If I’m working on an album, I listen to that. The last thing I do is think about what other people do because I am so occupied with what I do. When I was a little kid I had my heroes that I listened to, and my biggest heroes are Bach, Vivaldi, and Paganini, but I don’t even listen to that anymore.

Well, you certainly had guitarists that influenced you, like Hendrix…
Yngwie: No. That’s not true.

No? I had read that you saw Hendrix on television when you were a kid and that’s what got you interested in guitar.
Yngwie: Yes, I was seven years old and I saw him on television. On the day he died they showed a video of him lighting his guitar on fire, and that made me want to start playing guitar. I didn’t hear any music. It was just a visual. That was the impact that made me want to play, but musically if you listen to my stuff, there’s no Hendrix in there. Maybe, maybe, some of the ballad stuff.

Never influenced by European guitarists like Schenker or Uli Roth?
Yngwie: When I was a little kid, really little, like seven to ten, it was Ritchie Blackmore. And there was no one else. And then after that, I stopped listening to guitar players all together.

Back in the 80s, when you first came to America to join Steeler, there was quite a buzz about you. It reminded me about what I used to read about Clapton in the 60s, when they used to spray paint “Clapton is God” across London. How have you dealt with such high expectations over the years?
Yngwie: I learned really early on that whether it’s praise or criticism, you have to take everything with a grain of salt. The one thing I know is that I’m my own worst critic anyway. No one criticizes me as hard as I do. I’m very picky and to this day, a perfectionist. And, of course, it's great that people dig what you do. All the praise is very nice and rewarding.

What do you think of the term "shredder"?
Yngwie: Well, you can shred cheese, you can shred carrots, you can shred a lot of things, and I suppose I shred notes. I guess it's just a word because when I first came to the States many years ago as a teenager, people would come up to me and say 'Hey, dude. You shred dude.' I didn't know what they were talking about at first but then, of course, I came to understand it. I don't mind it. It's all good.

I never thought of it as fitting your style.
Yngwie: I appreciate that, because there's definitely a big difference there, for sure.

Since being in the 80s bands Steeler and Alcatrazz, have you been asked to join any other established bands?
Yngwie: There have been some people that approached me but I had been in bands since I was ten years old in Sweden and I was always the leader. I was always the writer, the lead guitar player, the lead singer… I was always the guy, so when I came to America I knew I had to take the route and go through some bands til I became the leader again. When all of that was finished, I started off where I left off in Sweden, basically, with Rising Force. I’ve always made sure that I end up in a position where I have control, because to be happy in a sort of democracy, that doesn’t work for me. I’m definitely a dictator. It’s just the way I am with music. I guess I’m the same way a painter would be, except I’m doing this in a rock and roll fashion. A lot of people, you know, just don’t understand and sometimes I give up trying to explain it.

Some define it as ego.
Yngwie: Whatever. They can call it whatever they want. They can call Pablo Picasso an egomaniac as well, so… At the end of the day, that’s what I got to do.

But, say, someone like Axl Rose came up to you and asked you to join Guns N’ Roses — a real once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — would you do it?
Yngwie: Probably not. But as a guest spot, I’m always open to that. I’m always flexible to do that. When I do play on other people’s records, I’m theirs to command. I will do exactly what they want. That’s just being a professional. And I’ve done that quite a lot. But as a permanent thing, probably not. But, who knows. You never know.

The title of your new album, “Perpetual Flame,” is that a statement of some kind? Keith Richards once said that he will play guitar on-stage until he’s dead. Is this what the title “Perpetual Flame” reflects?
Yngwie: I really can’t see myself doing something different than that. That’s just the way it is.

You have made comments that your songs are like children. What did you mean by that?
Yngwie: That's what they are. When people ask what are your favorite songs, I say they are all my favorites, They are my children. I love them all.

It must make it harder to pick songs for a tour then?
Yngwie: That is a very tough thing to do. Every night I put a set list together, there are songs that I want to play and then there are songs that I think I have to do. It's very tricky. And I think each song can stand on its own but the combination is when it's at its best.

Speaking of songs standing on their own, some artists don't like iTunes, because they want their work to be sold as an album...
Yngwie: Oh yeah. That's for sure. For sure. That whole thing has just become out of line ... this is crazy. This new way of getting music is not the way you're supposed to get music. Plus the sound quality's shit.

Do you find it easier to write lyrics as you write the music?
Yngwie: It's not necessarily easier. For me, it's the whole picture. I'm able to paint the whole picture.

I have also heard you say that you regretted, in the past, having vocalists write the lyrics to your music?
Yngwie: That I have found was not a smart move for me. It was part being lazy, I guess. Then realizing later on that it was stupid to do because writing (lyrics) was my way of expressing also.

Well it seems your lyrics are more dark, whereas some vocalists only want to sing, as you put it, 'Cmon, baby, let's get it on.'
Yngwie: (Laughs) I definitely found that was not what I wanted, you know; and I don't want to do that again. I found that what you leave behind must be representative of who you really are.

(Vocalist) Ripper Owens is a good match to your music. Is there a commitment from him to keep on singing for Rising Force?
Yngwie: I hope so. I think, really, it is a match.

I recently read about your sobriety. Congratulations with that.
Yngwie:  That was the best thing I ever did.

And you know what? By seeing you live and hearing your music I could never detect anything. It never seemed like it (substance abuse) effected your playing.
Yngwie: Well, it wasn't so much that, it was just that it wasn't a complete existence, really, you know. You don't realize until you do have that complete existence, and then you go 'fuck, what was I doing?'

And there is a lot of temptation out on the road.
Yngwie: Not anymore. It doesn't tempt me at all. It's been five years.

Finally, what do you prefer: life on the road and playing live, or creating music in the studio?
Yngwie: Well, they're very very different things. I love playing live and the sound, when you're in a good hall, with the band just cranking it, it's just amazing. I try to get that sound in the studio. A lot of people try to recreate their albums on stage. I try to do it the other way around... that live feeling in the studio. But the studio is also a laboratory where you can be a crazy scientist forever, and change things around. Live, it's like a battlezone, like being dropped right in the warzone for battle. I really love both of it. It's a great contrast. Doing the same thing in such different environments is cool.

So you can't see yourself doing one without the other?
Yngwie: Of course not.

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SOUND AND FURY Interview

Interview by Pat Prince. Photos by Dustin Rabin

Vocalist Luke Metcalf wants Sound and Fury to be known as the ultimate party band. At the close of the following interview, Luke summed it up by stating, 'we are here to bring back the party.' He takes this as a life mission.

Splitting from his parents' home in Toronto, Luke honed his party experiences out west, in California. Unfortunately, he also had tough bouts of poverty and homelessness, too.  He finally came back to Toronto to release his creative urge, to tell his life story, and form the band Sound and Fury.

With Sound and Fury's self-titled, debut album out, Luke is now living his dream. He is living what he envisions as his ideal life.

How did someone who was basically homeless in California, with seemingly no prospects, end up leading a formidable rock and roll band in Toronto? That's a helluva story.
Luke Metcalf: After drifting around for about a year and a half (in California), I felt I had to put a band together and come back (home to Toronto). So, I worked on songs, recorded a whole bunch of rough demos by myself — playing drums, bass, rhythm guitar, writing lyrics and doing vocals and stuff. That took quite a while. Then I called my buddy Griffin (lead guitarist), from high school, to lay down some lead guitar solos. We started talking about putting a band together.

We auditioned Chris (Avalos, drums) and John (Kerns, bass), but we had a hard time finding a rhythm guitarist, so I asked our manager to put the word out. The first day we got over 200 email applications from all over the world. We took a look at a bunch of videos and there was this one guy (Darryl Coppins) who was kick ass from New Zealand. I called him up and said 'Hey, you want to come audition in Toronto, so he did, he traveled here and got the gig.

So you always had rock and roll songwriting in the back of your mind — even before you came back to Toronto?
Luke: Yeah, I started out as a drummer but I couldn't find any bands that played the kind of music that I wanted to play (in Toronto), so I finally realized I'd have to make the music myself.

Was the Canadian music scene kind of dead at that point?
Luke: No. It was just that no one — anywhere — was playing the kind of music that I wanted to play.

You mean a sort of throwback to the old metal/hard rock sound?
Luke: Right. At the beginning I wanted to create kind of a hybrid, with different types of music, which is hard rock and early metal mixed with 70s punk rock, and create a party album. And even now there's no one making good music to party to, like, at all. The only new band I found that does is Airbourne. They are making kick ass, balls-to-the-wall rock to party your ass off to. No one else is making good party music, man.

Sound and Fury reminds me a lot of AC/DC. And some people think they were the ultimate party band.
Luke: Well, that's my favorite band. I've got a DC tattoo actually. I live for the DC. It's like my objective was to take DC and Sabbath and combine them with the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, the Misfits ... and you get us, you know.

You don't mind if you're compared to Old School bands?
Luke: Depends on which bands. (laughs)

In the future, do you see the band experimenting with your musical style, or do you see the band sticking with what works?
We're gonna stick with it, but I mean there's a lot of room for movement within our style. If you look at the bands from the 70s, and early 80s, they cover everything from 70s punk to Zeppelin.

I have never seen Sound and Fury live, but by watching your concert videos, I would have to say that this is your greatest strength.
Luke: Our shows are a party. When we get out on the road, we don't just talk the talk, we party our asses off. We're living it and it's the most kickass thing ever: to be on the road as a rock and roll band. So we make the most of it. When we're on stage, people can see we are all the way into it. And it translates in the energy and the power of the performance, and that usually  gets people to come out to party. And with our music it gets them going big time.

I've had people tell me: 'You have to see Sound and Fury live.'
Luke: Yeah, to me, all the greatest bands are great live. You buy the album, and you think the album's great, and you go to the show and you are not disappointed.

You show that live energy in your video single, "18," too. Why did you pick "18" for the single?
Luke: It was really difficult because we make albums. We made an album. And, also, all the great bands made albums. They didn't make one song and a bunch of filler. It was really important for us to make an album where we treated every song as an important part.

Recording music as an album must be a hard thing to do, nowadays... with the popularity of iTunes. People can just buy their choice of songs per album release.
Luke: Yeah which is really, REALLY LAME. We're very focused on the album so it was really hard for us to pick a single because it really can be any song off the album.

 
My favorite song on the album is "Supercharged" ...
Luke: Nice.

... that would have been my vote for the first single.
Luke: That's actually going to be the lead single in our U.K. launch. We're definitely going to do something special for that one. That's actually the song we close our set with live.

You toured in England. What did you think of London?
Luke: Oh it's wicked. The English fans are just incredible. Manchester, too. Birmingham, also, Wales and Scotland. The fans there are rock and roll fanatics.

I agree. As an American, I must admit, visiting London ... I was jealous of the English scene. They are passionate about rock music, especially going out and seeing rock shows.
Luke: Yeah, they are some of the best fans in the world. Absolutely. We're going back to London in November, touring with Airbourne, through the UK and into Europe.

 
I think life on the road is where young bands find out if this is the life for them, because if you don't like life on the road, you might not make it as a rock musician.
Luke: Exactly. And luckily we all love it.

What is the average age of the band?
Luke: We are all in our mid-20s, pretty much.

I only ask because you seem to have written a lot of the album's material from your high school experiences.
Luke: It's all about my experiences in high school and right afterwards, but most of the most of the writing I did after high school, looking back at it all. And there were a lot of adventures after high school, too.

Do you see yourself doing this when you are 60-plus, like the Rolling Stones?
Luke: Oh, we'll just keep doing it, man.

Because Ronnie Wood's still out there partying and he's 63.
Luke: That's wicked.

The song, "High School Hotbox" ... Is that from a personal experience?
Luke: That's about a girl I was dating in high school, and, yeah, it kind of says it all. (laughs)

What I really wanted to ask you is: would you go for a high school hotbox now?
Luke:  (laughs) There are some classic lyrics in that, eh?

What is the main message you want to get out to your audience?
We just want to spread the word that we are here to bring back the party. That is what we are all about: bringing back the party.

Pyramaze Interviews

Jonah Weingarten, keyboardist of the the Danish/American Progressive Power Metal outfit Pyramaze, speaks on their upcoming third full-length album "Immortal," featuring Matthew Barlow of Iced Earth fame.

Interview by Marc Garrison 

Greetings Michael, this is Marc Garrison representing Powerline A.D, currently an internet based webzine and daily blog. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview, I’m certain you are very busy with the impending release of the third Pyramaze full length!

Marc: You are the guitarists/lyricist/general mastermind behind Pyramaze, the Danish/American Progressive-Power Metal band. Progressive-Power? Is this accurate?
Michael: Yeah, we have been labelled as a progressive/power metal band. But we also have other “names” going for us. We have a great blend of metal in our music, so I guess one could call us epic-dark-melodic-progressive-power metal ;-) But hey, that brand is way too long to be used commonly ha-ha.

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Prog Onward

The instrumental prog-metal band, Bushwhack, has been blessed with many things. They got wonderful production out of Jeff Cannata on their self-titled debut CD; had legendary music photographer, Mark Weiss, take all their band shots; had well-known hard rock artist Ioannis design their CD and website; and writer Martin Popoff set up their official bio. But most of all, the band — Jamie van Dyck - guitars; Frank Sacramone - keyboards; Brandon Green - bass; Ben Shanbrom - drums — has been blessed with youthful talent. The whole debut presentation looks and sounds like a major label release. It is that mature and professional. In fact, on stage the band sounds just as mature and professional. Bushwhack is at an exciting embryonic stage. The future, it seems, can be very promising.

POWERLINE A.D.: The rock artist, Ioannis, has done a lot of work for rock/metal art. He did a wonderful job on the conceptual art of your debut CD cover and the band's webpage. You must be pleased.
Jamie: Our album looks really good, we're really proud and happy with it.

PWL: Did you come up with that concept?
Jamie: No. It was all Ionnis and when we saw it, we were like 'Holy...'

PWL: How do you see it tied-in with the name of the band?
Frank: (Ionnis) said the art on the cover represented what Bushwhack meant to him. This huge elemental colossus of sound, sort of crashing down upon the listeners.
Jamie: The definition is ambush, assault and he viewed Bushwhack as an unstoppable force of nature.

PWL: My initial thought was that the name Bushwhack was politically motivated, as in anti-Bush.
Jamie: It was a little bit at first. I think all of us are leftward leaning. When we came up with the name we thought, 'well, we really don't like Bush..'
Frank: It's not what defines the band, though.
Jamie: There's this old song in our archives called Tribute to George W. Bush....
Brandon: It's this ridiculously heavy heavy metal song, no lyrics obviously.
Jamie: But it did start with "This is a tribute to our nobel caommander in chief and then it had this nice little patriotic horn thing, and then I yelled "Fuck You." And then we started playing ridiculously heavy. It has some good moments.
Brandon: We thought of doing stuff political but then we grew out of it, I guess,
Frank: It's also hard to be a political band when you're instrumental.

PWL: If you do decide to get a singer, maybe that singer's lyrics will be political?
Frank: No, definitely not. I wouldn't want our lyrics to be like 'Our President should be out of office,' I want the lyrics to be introspective and poetic and more original than that.
Jamie: I think the last few years, the climate's been so bad, it almost makes you feel apathetic.
When we first started maybe we did have a strong feeling about politics but there have been so many albums that have come out in the last few years that have been politically-oriented. And if it's become a cliche thing, it becomes a thing you don't want to get involved with. The norm is to now be anti-Bush — and political — so you can stand out by having absolutely nothing to do with it.

PWL: Have you actually written lyrics?
Ben: We have a couple songs in the works that have vocal melodies, and we have a lot of stuff that we are working on that can be a little more friendly for vocals — not necessarily for vocals, but maybe down the road... But as of now we aren't really sure if this is something we definitely want to do.

PWL: Did you have any auditions for vocalists?
Jamie: Yes. In our infancy we have. In our first 6 months. But if we can find a really dynamite vocalist, in our age group, that we could become best friends with... because this person would initially feel like the odd man out.

PWL: What kind of vocalist do you think would fit best? A Geoff Tate-style vocalist?
Ben: We aren't really looking for the huge operatic sort of thing. We really want someone to accent the music and really go along with it. Rather than singing over it, singing with the music.

PWL: So something that does not challenge the musicians?
Brandon: Right, something that fits in well, instead of go above.
Jamie: I mean, I don't know if we know exactly what we're looking for as far as a vocalist. I think we'll know if we hear it.

PWL: Are you comfortable in the instrumental genre? To the point where you feel you don't ever need a singer.  What feels more natural to you?
Jamie: I think it would be nice to have both. There are probably a few of our tracks that could benefit from vocals but others that are best left instrumental. A song like Future's Passed was almost built for a vocalist.

PWL: Do you follow any instrumental bands? Are you into the instrumental scene?
Ben: There's this one band called Isis. They have a little bit of singing but they are really at the core, instrumental. Even some of our favorite bands with vocalists, some of my favorite tracks are instrumental. Like my favorite Dream Theater song, for instance, is Stream Of Consciousness.
Jamie: I would assume that even if we did get a vocalist, with every record we'd put out there would be a good chunk of tunes that would be instrumental. If we do decide to go the vocalist route, to find a vocalist that plays guitar would be great. It would probably add to our sound and thicken it, too. And also when we do instrumentals, the singer wouldn't have to walk offstage or something. He can rock it with us and that would be ideal.

PWL: What do you think about the classification of prog-metal? Is that something you feel comfortable with?
Brandon: Not as much as you would think. I've been the most impartial to that classification. I feel we weren't really based on starting out as a metal band. We just came to play whatever it came out to be. We started on classical music and we have a lot (of influences) coming in from different directions and I almost feel like it's kind of limiting.
Ben: I feel like the stereotypical prog-metal genre that we all know and love just seems to have this limiting character to it.

PWL: It's no longer progressive. Progressive means going without boundaries.
Ben: And the stereotype of prog-metal these days doesn't really do much of that.

PWL: Well, the thing that probably drives your direction the most is the influence of classical, right?
Frank: Definitely. When I hear and write music I'm the opposite of minimalist. I have to have as many tracks and layers of instruments as possible. I have to hear that extra element. I need it. And the way I structure my melodies, it's more of something that would come out of a classical player. Classical is the biggest influence of my playing.

PWL: Are you constantly writing music? I noticed that you are all in college... in different colleges. Do you think it will be a detriment to the songwriting?
Brandon: We have already been doing it for awhile. All the songs that we have written recently have a method of all of us collaborating apart and together.

Interview conducted by Pat Prince, Swayingball, and Gary Fletcher 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
Turrigenous

Turrigenous: (left to right: Mark Dara, drums; Greg Giordano, vocals and guitars; Tony Caravella, bass; John Vullo, guitars)

Once you listen to the New York band Turrigenous, you will be impressed with their technical acuity as much as their heavy metal intensity. And their recently released EP, A Slight Amplification emphasizes the technical and thrash elements of the band perfectly.

The band is currently looking for a new bassist, as their bassist for many years, Tony Caravella, has left the band for personal reasons.

Powerline A.D. spoke to guitarist John Vullo and guitarist/vocalist Greg Giordano about the future of the band:

Powerline A.D.: How did you come about the name Turrigenous?
Greg: I wanted a band name that meant basically nothing except what it is — our band. I feel like it leaves a lot more to the imagination, and whatever the listener thinks of our sound can inform their impression of the name. If we were called "Dynamic Razor," people might end up thinking about their shaving routine or something.

Powerline A.D.: As a hard-working New York band, are you excited or disappointed with the NY music scene?
John: Both. It seems that most people have sort of 'given up' on local music which is a shame since there are some really great bands out there. Times are different from the 80s when going out and seeing new music was a thing to do. Now, its much more difficult, with so many more bands and the area being really over-saturated with venues to go to, but at the same time, with those number of bands, tells me that its still there and ready to break through, as long as its listeners are willing to give it a shot.
Greg: I agree, both. Some NYC bands we've played with like Hung and Martyrd are out there gigging with tons of heart and coming up with great material, and seeing those guys do it helps us keep going. But it's really hard to get any traction in New York. Also, there is a PAINFUL lack of all-ages venues, and you're lucky if you can even find an 18-and-over show.

Powerline A.D.: I've read that the band is known as very "technical," or called Gear heads, how do you describe that?
John: I wouldn't say our stuff is technical. Some parts are difficult but they're really just songs and progressions, and we don’t even write a lot of solos! There are some real awesome technical bands out there, like Necrophagist, who I love but think we sound almost nothing like. As for "Gear Heads", the drummer and I worked and met in a music store, so I think we just have a love and appreciation for good instruments when we see/play one.
Greg: We have some technical passages, but we try to always use them to a musical end. A lot of our music is actually story-driven, so the main focus is the overall impact, regardless of whether it's technical. And I'm not really a Gear Head, I just know what equipment I like.

Powerline A.D.: Recently, your bassist Tony Caravella notified the band that he will be leaving due to work-related issues. Can you explain?
Greg: Tony is incredibly talented and a great friend; we're sorry to lose him. He's been on the metal scene in NYC for a while, and his priorities have just shifted. Unfortunately at this point, playing metal doesn't offer the income and job security that we would love.

Powerline A.D.: How long will he remain with the band if you do not find a replacement right away?
John: We're not really sure. We're not booking many shows for now but he doesn't have a deadline or anything so we might have some shows lined up with him. So we're just trying to find someone so we can really continue.

Powerline A.D.: What are you looking for in a new bassist?
John: Just someone solid that can really groove with Mark. And they have to be like family. We're all very close. One’s talent doesn’t mean much to me if you have an ego.
Greg: But also ability to read music and backing vocals are a plus!

Powerline A.D.: Do you embrace the tag of Prog Metal? Would you rather be called Thrash Metal? Or do labels restrict a band's creativity?
John: Partially. It’s hard to say. The only time you really need a “label” is if someone asks you what your band sounds like, generally, if you don’t have anything to show them.
Greg: I can't speak for what genre-labeling does to other bands, but I don't care what people call us as long as they give our music a shot. We can be called funk/reggae if it will get people to listen and enjoy. People try to invent a new sub-genre to describe every metal band that comes out — if it's at all heavy I usually think of it as metal, and that's about it.

Powerline A.D.: Do you think Prog Rock and/or Prog Metal gets enough recognition? Is it too demanding for some listeners?
John: It’s not demanding for listeners if it’s done right, in my opinion. It CAN be. It’s a hard balance that I feel its one of our strong points. We can play all these crazy things and the average listener might not pick up, but still enjoy the song, regardless they know the key changes or the time signature goes from 6/8 to 7/8.
Greg: I think ALL of metal doesn't get enough recognition, especially in the US. For years all I caught in mass-media about metal consisted of caricatures of either 80s glam or how "evil" the more brutal stuff is. A huge percentage of people are left with no idea that metal offers such an incredible variety, both in tonality and in textures. And I’m sure I’m not the only metal fan out there that’s turned off radio and “music” on TV in favor of my CD player and iPod.

Powerline A.D.: On your bio you describe Turrigenous as striving "to give the listener something more; to express a range of human emotion through music that employs both abrasive dissonance and accessible consonance, which some describe as "dynamic" metal." What is the difference between Prog Metal and Dynamic Metal?
Greg: "Dynamic" means basically energetic, but in musical terms it refers to loudness or softness, and that relates to all the other aspects of musical expression. Music amazes me every day, and as a band we try to use everything we can to achieve a sound that both reaches people on an emotional level and gives them more than they may have expected. It's a lofty goal, and I don't have the perspective to know if we're even close to it, but that's the idea behind being "dynamic."

I think “Progressive” has unfortunately come to mean a really particular sound. If I mention 70s Prog Rock, that can be anything from bands like Yes and Rush to Jethro Tull to Gentle Giant to Genesis to Kansas, etc. John and I even consider the Beatles to be progressive in a very literal sense. Somewhere along the line in the insane push to create a sub-genre for everything, the word started referring to bands with a particular sound (I happen to love a few of those bands). But I think Opeth, Cacophony, and Tool are progressive even though they sound completely different from one another and lack keyboards and operatic vocals. Even a band like Nirvana is progressive in some ways.

Our aim in using “Dynamic” as opposed to “Progressive” isn’t to try and create a new genre, but to simply describe our own approach to metal.

Powerline A.D.: Your influences are vast... which is a healthy thing...
John: Unfortunately, I think most people today use the word influence instead of 'ripped off'. Anyway, I started playing guitar listening to the Beatles, who I still love. From there, it was Nirvana for a long time. I always seem to dig bands that were different, or did something first. Now, since I don't really contribute in writing, I wouldn't say there's anything that particularly influences me on my writing. But I really enjoy bands like Opeth, Meshuggah, Necrophagist, Cacophony, Megadeth. I don't lisen to much metal, or guitar players, and even with that I don't even know a lot of their songs, just their vibe and way to approach a solo. Guys like Frank Gambale, Shawn Lane, Allan Holdsworth, Marty Friedman, Jason Becker and others. Most of the time I just use my theory geekery to figure out what sounds cool (laughs). Greg has also turned me on to different bands I would have never gave a chance, like Angra/Kiko Loueiro, who really has got my respect. If you haven't heard of Kiko, and you're a guitar player, I STRONGLY suggest checking out No Gravity! Insane technique, phrasing and versitility in other genres, and I never would have known since I don't listen to "Power Metal".
Greg: Jethro Tull, Pain of Salvation, Angra, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Sonata Arctica, Queensryche, Darkane, and much more. Lots of 70s prog and 80s Thrash too. For vocals, definitely Ian Anderson. Also we feel a big part of our sound comes from the drums, so I think its real important to say that our drummer Mark, is very influenced by Dave Lombardo, Mike Portnoy, John Bonham, Nicko McBrain, and Steve Gadd primarily, as well as a whole bunch of other excellent drummers.

Powerline A.D.: What songs are you most proud of?
John: I would say “Emptiness, Darkness, Acceptance” connects more with people. It made ME join the band! But I would say for me, a new song called “For the Neverborn,” perhaps "Penance."
Greg: Actually, I'd also say I'm the proudest of “Emptiness, Darkness, Acceptance.” It's one of our songs that impacts a crowd the most – as we were playing it one night I could see all these people sitting around who'd never heard of us before getting totally absorbed and then actually moved to their feet by the end. But it's not my favorite song of ours - that one we have yet to perform or record.

Powerline A.D.: A Slight Amplification is a strong effort. Why an EP instead of a full length?
Greg: Thanks! A full length is coming, but we are at the moment unsigned. We're not sure if we want to put it out entirely ourselves or not, but most likely not.

Powerline A.D.: Do you constantly write new material?
John: I don’t write a lot, if at all. I feel much happier contributing parts here and there to help make the song unique, work more as a whole, or just working on parts given to me by Greg.
Greg: No way. I write music in violent, lurching fits and starts, but on a somewhat predictable cycle. I don't know how people constantly write music - they must be very balanced. I spend the interim learning more about music and the world, and hopefully becoming better at writing when I finally do it.

Powerline A.D.: When can fans expect a full-length now?
Greg: Sometime next year. The music is all written, we just need to decide exactly how we're going to go about doing this one. Until then, the only way to hear it is live. So far we've performed it in it's entirety from beginning to end twice, with no more scheduled at the moment but it will definitely happen again. It's called "The Dream & the Resonance."

Interview by Pat Prince

www.myspace.com/turrigenous

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Amorphis
"Skyforger"

Review by Marc Garrison

_________________________________

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
Nigel Rojas, guitarist/vocalist of
Orange Sky

Powerline A.D. spoke to Orange Sky guitarist/vocalist Nigel Rojas recently, while in the midst of their tour in America to support their new powerhouse album, Dat Iz Voodoo.

POWERLINE A.D.: The band has toured America before, right?
NIGEL ROJAS: Yes, actually, we got spoiled. Three years ago our first album (Upstairs in 2006) was released across the U.S. on another record label (Granite/Universal) and we went on tour with Yngwie Malmsteen.

But just as we started to get some momentum and getting a buzz going the record label called and said that they went bankrupt. So they sent us back to the island (Trinidad), feeling suicidal and all that. And we wrote Dat Iz Voodoo while we were home for two years. We recorded demos independently, until picked up by StarCity and released in the States in February this year.

POWERLINE A.D.: ...Voodoo is a powerful album. Do you think it got that edge from past disappointments?
NIGEL ROJAS: I'd say the album was definitely written in the midst of a third world adversity and strife, you know. But it's not just a political album. It's also an Orange Sky album. We deal with life and death, and we deal with all that romantic angst stuff as well.

POWERLINE A.D.: Has a single been chosen for the album yet?
NIGEL ROJAS:We've been getting a good response from a couple songs. We did a Scorpions cover song ("Is There Anybody There?") as a tribute. And that's been getting us some really good reviews.

POWERLINE A.D.: "Yesterdays and Tomorrows" also seems like a standout for me. And that deals with a lot of political strife.
NIGEL ROJAS: Yeah. It's about the socio-political stress of living in our country. It's a sort of paradox that we come from a beautiful carribean island called Trinidad and the backdrop to most people is blue skies and coconut trees and white sand beaches, which is true, but there's also a dark side as well. We have the highest kidnapping rate as well, in Trinidad. Even more than Columbia, you know. And we have a lot of crime. We have a few murders every day. There's a lot of poverty and strife as well, so we deal with a lot of the issues that come with that.

POWERLINE A.D.: And yet Trinidad is a big tourist destination, no?
NIGEL ROJAS: Yeah, it is. It's pretty heavy. Tourists come to Trinidad for Carnival every year, which is the same time as the Brazil carnival in February. And then we have a lot of people come for the beaches and that type of thing.

POWERLINE A.D.: Is there a music scene in Trinidad?
NIGEL ROJAS: Well, the music scene in Trinidad is primarily Calypso and reggae, as it is all over the Caribbean, you know.
POWERLINE A.D.: What about rock music?
NIGEL ROJAS: Well, rock is still a subculture but it is very popular to those who love it.

I started to get my first taste of rock when I was about nine years old.There was a DJ in Trinidad who had a radio program called Rock Concert every Thursday night from 11pm to 3am, religiously. And that would be in the Ozzy Osbourne era.

POWERLINE A.D.: Why did you choose a Scorpions song to cover?
NIGEL ROJAS: We love everyone from the 80s, even Dokken and Cinderella ... all that stuff as well.
POWERLINE A.D.: Why the song "Is There Anybody There?" though?
NIGEL: That song was actually a Scorpions hit from 1976, and it was popular on the radio in Trinidad at one point and I always found it to be great how they put a nice reggae vibe, a nice island vibe in there. I always thought that they wrote that song for us to cover, you know (laughs). So, it was a good chance for us to pay tribute to them and we didn't want to compromise the integrity of the original song.We didn't want to change it too much.

POWERLINE A.D.: Have you heard any feedback from the Scorpions on it?
NIGEL: Well ,we just opened for them in September last year in Trinidad, and about 15-18,000 people came out and we played the song then. And Klaus and the guys got to hear our version of it. And then we got permission to use it, so...

POWERLINE A.D.: I guess they liked it. NIGEL: Yes, I think they dug it very much.

POWERLINE A.D.: I read a quote where you say, "Our live show is sex for us." Can you explain?
NIGEL: Our show is the deepest connection that I think we can make with people. People can check out our MySpace or listen to our CD and that's all good but I think a real organic exchange, you know, the deepest exchange between us and people is when we perform live. The true Orange Sky experience, and that's what I mean by sex. I use sex as a metaphor for that.

POWERLINE A.D.: The intimacy of a live show, too, I guess?
NIGEL: Yeah, the intamacy, the closeness, the exchange... primal...
POWERLINE A.D.: Has it always been like that for Orange Sky?
NIGEL: Yeah, yeah, I would say so. We all love to play. We're all music fans, first and foremost. Our live show is exactly what we would want to experience if we went to a concert, you know.

POWERLINE A.D.: Are you a fan of reggae, too?
NIGEL: Yeah, man. Definitely. One of the best compliments we've had is that we sound as if Bob Marley and Ozzy had a baby. (laughs) I dig that. I dig that a lot.

POWERLINE A.D.: I can see the avid fan in you. You once said that you had penis envy while watching Yngwie Malmsteen play, while you were on tour with him?
NIGEL: Yeah, we've been very lucky. A lot of the bands we used to have on our walls, posters on our walls — and I can literally pick out a whole bunch we opened for and have a drink with. And Yngwie was definitely one of them. One of my guitar heroes from a long long time ago.

POWERLINE A.D.: How did you come up with the name Orange Sky, does it have any significance?
NIGEL: Not necessarily. Every dusk and dawn on our island the sky will change completely orange, even for a couple minutes. For me, that's what it represents ... the beginning and the end. Almost like an infinite type of vibe. 

POWERLINE A.D.: I have to say, that's a pretty cool name for a band. It's an original sounding name for a hard rock band.
NIGEL: It's not like we try to go for a hard rock thing. It all happened pretty naturally....

POWERLINE A.D.: Do you think the new album, Dat Iz Voodoo, is a magical sort of release for you guys? Do you feel it perfectly represents who Orange Sky are?
NIGEL: I think the new album is a step up from the last album. We have a sort of box of chocolates vibe going on there. Just like Forrest Gump would say. Every song is a different one and you never know which one you're gonna get. You know, we try to put a full range of emotions on there. The album can take you to a range of different feelings and vibes. Yeah, I think there's some magic there, I think there's some music magic. I think the Gods of rock would be happy.

POWERLINE A.D.: And the band has recently been chosen to tour with King's X on their U.S. tour from May 28th on.
NIGEL: We're very happy to be playing for their fans. And to try to turn their people into our people every night as well, respectfully so. We love to play, even of there are three people there we bring it. We bring it 100%, because we don't want one person to walk away. Not even one person to walk away from show saying "ah, it was alright' or 'I kinda got it.' So as long as we have electricity, we're gonna do it.

POWERLINE A.D.: Will you continue to write new music on the road?
NIGEL: Yeah, man. actually we just completed a song demo of what the next album will be like. 

POWERLINE A.D.: Does the new stuff branch out into a new direction?
NIGEL: I'll say the next album has a lot more... I hate using words like concept, but the new album has more of a concept to it. The main theme behind it is going to be crazy but it will still be 100% Orange Sky. It's a little more heavy, a little more progressive, but it's still Orange Sky.

POWERLINE A.D.: Well, the progressive sound is in right now.
NIGEL: I would say right now we have been listening to a lot of Mastodon, and we have been hanging out with them. We've been digging their stuff a lot for a while now, and I have to say that is probably the most amazing bands in the world right now. That's our new Pink Floyd right there, our new Yes, with a metal touch. So I like the idea of  progressive. To me that is progressive. They express and paint emotions with their chord changes and their phrasing and everything else.

www.theorangesky.com

Interview by Pat Prince

________________________________

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
Georg Neuhauser of Serenity

POWERLINE: So let's talk a bit about how you got into singing, the development of your style, and your influences.
GEORG: I started singing when I was a kid — I think I was 4 or something like that. My mother was quite famous in the local folk music scene so she sometimes took me with her and we were singing some folk stuff together at birthday parties or other events. When I was six I got Seventh Son of a Seventh Son from Iron Maiden as a birthday present from my sister! So from that time it was clear — I'll be a rock singer someday.

My really first love was Queen. I loved the choirs and the characteristics of Freddie's voice. I'm so sad that I never had the chance to see them in the original line-up. So when I was 18, I founded a cover band with my school friend Thomas Buchberger (now he's the SERENITY guitarist) and we naturally covered bands like Queen, and a bit of Europe, Van Halen or Toto. So that was the time when I learned most. I improved my voice and my stage acting

POWERLINE: Many of your influences, in addition to the music you rate very highly is of the newer generation of metal bands, like Symphony X, Kamelot,
Firewind and so forth. It's interesting to see this transition from responses that are more often than not Maiden, Sabbath, and Priest.
GEORG: I was born in 1982 and I really got into the "real" metal scene quite late in 1998 when I discovered Edguy and Hammerfall! Before I only knew Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, Scorpions, Queen but I was really impressed by the newer bands! And to be honest, my favorite band at that time was Rhapsody. I still love their first two album!. 

POWERLINE: As a vocalist, do you spend a lot of time training certain aspects of your voice, practicing scales and so on, or is it mostly just a singing in the shower kind of approach?
GEORG:  I don't practice that much because I'm still in this cover band and especially in winter we play many gigs and so my voice won't get cold. So I always try to do some work out, to eat quite healthy and sleep a lot. That's more important than practicing scales.

POWERLINE: How much are you involved in the writing process of Serenity? Do you focus predominantly on the vocals or have a hand in the creation of the music as well?
GEORG: The main song ideas come from our guitar player Thomas. He sends me the basics and then I create the vocal lines. So we both are the main songwriters at the moment. And Mario our keyboard player is responsible for nearly all lyrics. But Thomas and myself are the main characters behind SERENITY all in all.
 
POWERLINE: I see Serenity as firmly entrenched in the Progressive/Power metal genre, and yet your music has a definitive sound that is quite unique in an extremely overpopulated genre. Do you guys as a group actively pursue the idea of an individual sound, or does it simply come out that way?
GEORG: I think it simply came out that way! Naturally we are influenced by progressive and power metal bands but we have our own idea how our sound should sound like and it's a mixture from many different styles. Melodic death metal melodies, bombastic choirs, orchestration, clean vocals and lightly progressive parts.
 
POWERLINE: Your vocals on Fallen Sanctuary mark quite a departure from Words Untold and Dreams Unlived. In the debut, they seem quite a bit more reserved, whereas Fallen Sanctuary has an emotional depth and power that is quite a change. Was this a specific choice on your part or simply a bi-product of the newer material?
GEORG: Thanks. I mean on Fallen Sanctuary, I had more time to work on my vocals in the studio and my friend Lanvall from Edenbridge, who produced the vocal parts, really helped me to improve my emotional side. And I really have to add that the 3 tours in 2007 really helped me to improve my vocal style.  

POWERLINE: Speaking of the newer material, Fallen Sanctuary wins album of 2008 in my book. Tell me about some of the stylistic changes you guys pursued when writing and recording the new album.
GEORG: From the first second of the writing process for FS we wanted to add more bombastic elements. We all love Queen and Nightwish so it was clear: less progressive but more bombastic and with Oliver Phillips and Lanvall we found the best guys to help us with our plan. And once again - the tours showed us that the progressive parts are not the kind of music we wanna play live. It should rock!!

POWERLINE: You just returned from tour with Kamelot. Any high points?
GEORG: The tour started with a high point: 2400 crazy people in Tilburg and when we entered all of them were screaming. What a feeling!! We really got a big response everywhere and then came the worst thing that could happen. I got a inflammation of the middle ear and a heavy flu and we were forced to cancel the rest of the tour. But every band knows this feeling and can't do anything against it. So life really sucks sometimes! But the first leg of the tour was amazing!

POWERLINE: Serenity is your main musical focus at the moment, however you recently collaborated with a massive group of musicians on the newest Fairyland album. Having worked in the studio for both Serenity albums, what were some of the different experiences you had recording with Fairyland?
GEORG: The big difference between recording vocals for SERENITY or for another band is the fact that in SERENITY I write and sing the lines and for example in Fairyland Phil (the main man of Fairyland) explained to me what I should sing and I did it the way he wanted to. It was a great experience because singing a vocal line that another guy has composed for you is really interesting.

POWERLINE: Will we be seeing more of these extracurricular side projects in the
future?
GEORG: I don't think so. Perhaps if Tobias Sammet wants me for his Avantasia thing;) but all in all my voice belongs to SERENITY.

POWERLINE: How does far down the horizon until we see you guys in the states?
GEORG: Actually there are plans to tour in the states after our upcoming album next year! We really would love it - but it's very expensive to tour the States and you really need a big fanbase. BUT one day we'll make it for sure. Thanks for your support and cheers!

www.serenity-band.com/

www.myspace.com/serenitybandtyrol

Interview by Marc Garrison

________________________________

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
Roland Navratil of Dignity

Marc Garrison/POWERLINE: Many thanks to Roland Navratil (above), drummer for Dignity, ex-Sirenia (live session),  and ex-Edenbridge, for taking the time to chat with us today. 
Lets talk a bit about your musical background. Any classical music training or are you self taught?
ROLAND: Both. I took lessons here in Austria and it was at a lot of workshops, but was not a conservatory. I also watched a lot of drummers during their shows and spent a lot of time behind my drums. So I learned a lot.

POWERLINE: You have spent most of your music career playing with Austrian Symphonic band Edenbridge. Do you have any particular period with them that stands out the most?
ROLAND: Aside from the end it was in general a very cool time. It is hard to pick a single period, but I think that the Asia tours were very cool. But also Europe was fun all the time. So...no exact answer, hahaha!

POWERLINE: That's a hell of a commitment to put an end to. Aside from playing with Dignity, were there any additional reasons for leaving the group? I loved your stuff with them!
ROLAND: Yeah. There were a couple of reasons. It was like a marriage. It didn't work anymore, so the split was the logical consequence.We couldn´t and didn´t want to work together anymore.  Dignity was not a reason to leave them.

POWERLINE: Dignity is a bit of a departure from Edenbridge, replacing the huge, epic orchestrations with solid, thick heavy metal. What were you going for when you founded the group? 
ROLAND: Something with balls, haha. The only thing I was 100% sure about was that there would be a male singer. There was no "plan" for how Dignity really would have to sound like, as Franky and I started with the band. And with Jake E´s voice and melody lines they actually sounded a way we never thought they would.

POWERLINE: Does any particular member handle writing material for the group or is it fairly balanced?
ROLAND: Most of the music is done by Franky and me. Martin contributed music to one song (Icarus) and all of the lyrics have been written by Jake E. But whoever comes up with ideas for a song is welcome. Band members only, haha!

POWERLINE: How has the response been for Dignity's debut album "Project Destiny"? 
ROLAND: The response to "Project Destiny" was really good. Of course, not everybody liked it. But you never can satisfy everybody. The only sad thing was that a tour did not work out, but we hope that we will do that soon. So there are still targets for the next album, haha.

POWERLINE: You guys scored big time with Jake Eberg. What a fantastic vocalist. Most of the music was written prior to the hiring of a singer. Was it a difficult recruitment process?
ROLAND: Yeah. Actually, aside from guitar solos and a few keyboard lines, the whole album was written and recorded before we found Jake E. The recruitment was tricky because we knew what kind of singer we wanted to have, but didn't know where to find him. That was the reason why it took us longer to finish the CD. When we got in contact with Jake E we sent him the songs and he liked it, so he came to Vienna in the studio for a meet and greet and did some recordings. Everything was cool and we had a lot of fun. Well, the rest is history...

POWERLINE: Arrogance and Rapture is one monstrously CATCHY tune. I also really dig Icarus, it's got a very larger than life feel to it. Many songs on the album have ballad structures, with strong hooks, yet retain a pretty heavy feel. 
ROLAND: Arrogance and Icarus are the songs the fans mentioned most. I like them both very much, too.   It was very important to have great melodies on the album combined with heavy guitars. But you are the first one who said that the songs have ballad structure!

POWERLINE: I blame that on Jake. His voice is just so damned passionate anything would sound like a ballad!
Random tidbit: You did some work with a band called Stormwarning before joining Edenbridge?
ROLAND: Yes I did. How did you know??? We only did one demo "Let´s Get Started..." which was never released by a label and only played in Austria. The ex-Edenbridge guitar player Andi Eibler was also in this band. I don't even know if you find the demo on the internet. Guess so...

POWERLINE: In addition to the previously mentioned groups, you are currently doing session drums for Norwegian metal band Sirenia. How did this gig come to pass?
ROLAND: That is not 100% correct. I did session work for Sirenia in 2004/05 on a tour with Tiamat, Pain, and Theater Of Tragedy. Jonathan was not able to do this tour. I met Morten on a tour we did together (Edenbridge, Sirenia, Trail Of Tears) so he called me and asked me if I can help him. It was fun!

POWERLINE: Must have been an interesting change of pace.
ROLAND: It was fun and I like the band. It also was cool to do something else. I just love playing and being on stage.

POWERLINE: Any other projects in the works we'd be interested in hearing about?
ROLAND: I don't have any other projects yet. I focus on Dignity and it takes a lot of time. I hope that we will be able to tour soon. Check our websites to be up to date!

Interview by Marc Garrison

www.myspace.com/dignityband

_________________________________

CD REVIEWS

Hatebreed
"For the Lions"
(Epic)

Review by Ray Hogan

A cover songs project is almost always a sign that a band is either in a holding pattern or, even worse, creatively spent. For a band like Hatebreed, the normal rules don't apply.

The Connecticut group's members have always prided themselves as being active participants (and fans) of the scene they came out of. In doing so, Jamey Jasta and company sell themselves a little short: Hatebreed helped create a new scene by being integral in uniting the hardcore and heavy metal communities.

When a band like Hatebreed wears it influences so proudly, a disc like For
the Lions is inevitable. It's also payback to those influences, many of whom Hatebreed long ago eclipsed in popularity. There's 18 tracks on For
the Lions (Jasta has hinted at a second volume next year), with metal and
hardcore existing in near equal measure.

Hatebreed considers each of the bands it covers a giant (aka lion) of heavy music. One need not go beyond the liner notes to realize the personal relationships the band members have with these songs. In today's download age, the album concept doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Yet it makes perfect sense to have such in-depth liner notes for a project that pays tribute to the loud rock heavyweights of the 1980s and 1990s.
Old school to the end, vintage NYHC acts like Agnostic Front ("Your Mistake") and Madball  ("Set It Off") are naturals for Hatebreed's boot-to-the-head approach and propensity for chanted choruses.

The band, which has reunited with original guitarist Wayne Lozinak for this disc, brings the requisite enthusiasm and energy for tackling the Bad Brains and Cro-Mags, legends to those in the know. The hardcore stomp culminates on the closing version of "Boxed In" by Subzero, perhaps the least known band on the collection.

It's some of the early extreme metal bands that pose the bigger challenge to
Hatebreed¹s trademark (the naysayers might call it one-dimensional) sound.
Crowbar might not be much of a stretch (Jasta and Windstein were bandmates
in Kingdom of Sorrow) but Obituary? Sepultura?? Acquitted in both cases.
Slayer and Metallica are without question the two most popular acts in this collection. In an interview to preview a recent concert, Jasta said that the band knows that the fans of these two bands aren't just the most in number but also the most likely to be critical. With that in mind, Hatebreed
decided on older deep album tracks. Interestingly, Slayer's "Ghosts of War" (from Reign in Blood, 1988) kicks off the disc and Metallica's "Escape" (Ride the Lightning, 1984) appears three tracks in. The Slayer track is already being treated as a single and rightfully so; the band nails the aggression. They don't sound as assured on the Metallica track.
Stopgaps usually aren't this invigorating. Then again, most bands aren't as
proud of where they come as Hatebreed is. Bring on the second volume.

Grade: B+

---------------------------------------------

Cannibal Corpse
"Evisceration Plague"

Review by Marc Garrison

Cannibal Corpse stand as one of the few examples of a band that can persevere and continue to release quality material without any major changes to their signature, original sound. Many would consider this to be their downfall, but I have viewed this consistency as a defining characteristic for the band, and they have continued to impress me over the years. Their previous effort, 2006's Kill, experimented with slower tempos and a thinner production than usual (what I consider to be the worst aspect of an otherwise refreshing change of pace for the group), and while Evisceration Plague continues the experimentation with more mid-tempo, chugging tracks, the production on this album is by far the heaviest of any release in their career.

Each track, whether slow and pounding like the title track, or brutal and blasting ("Beheaded and Burning," "Shatter Their Bones"), seethes with murderous brutality, and one cannot help but grind their teeth for the entire listen. There is a marked increase in technicality across the board, with gorgeous, frenetic sweeping and frequent time changes, blasting percussion and, as always, mind boggling bass from Alex Webster. Fisher sounds a bit strained at many points throughout the album, and I would not be surprised to see a decline in his vocal quality over the next few releases, but he performs with the usual enthusiasm fans have come to expect.

The over-the- top-goredeath lyrics continue to amaze and amuse, with songs like "Evidence in the Furnace" and "Skewered from Ear to Ear" standing out. No one would consider this release to be a departure of any significance from their previous releases, but that has never been a problem. Evisceration Plague is yet another addition to a superb discography from this top-tiered Death Metal band.

The Bottom Line: Nothing new, but another killer entry by the world's most influential Death Metal band.

Songs to watch out for: "Carniverous Swarm," "Carrion Sculpted Entity," "Skewered From Ear to Ear"

---------------------------------------------

Lamb of God
"Wrath"
(Epic)

Review by Ray Hogan

Lamb of God have been the most consistent — if not the best — American metal band of the last decade. That's no small praise given the music's popularity and proliferation. New England metalcore seemed to be the biggest scene and story of the 2000s until too many of that style's bands made the same records over and over. Virginia's Lamb of God preferred to tag itself "Pure
American Metal." Not a handle one would argue with but one that undersells a crucial element. The band members' proximity to the DC punk/hardcore scene led to an influence by osmosis, most notably in the crazed vocal urgency of Randy Blythe.

"Set To Fail" and "Contractor," the two cuts made available prior to the disc's release, established that Lamb of God refuse to let up on the brutality. So how does "Wrath" differ from previous offerings? Tough to say if it really does. It's been easy to take drummer Chris Adler's breakneck precision and guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler's incessant supply of pummeling riffs for granted because they¹ve been among the band's trademarks since at least 2003's As The Palaces Burn. With the musicianship a given at this point, Wrath provides Blythe the opportunity  to step out. Wrath is his disc more than anyone's. It's politically pointed and he's established a scream/sing style that's a lot more original (not to mention tough) than so many other metal vocalists who try to do both. "Set to Fail" is probably his best showcase. Fittingly he is full throat on the brazen "Choke Sermon," a late disc standout.

All that said, it may be telling that most interesting moments on Wrath come in the melodic instrumental passages that bookend it. Because Lamb of God has been so consistently strong, it's easy to see the disc as ultimately a placeholder in the band's discography. Fortunately, the band's place right now is at the top of the heap.

GRADE: B.

---------------------------------------------

Sacred Oath
"Sacred Oath"
(Angel Thorne)

Review by Patrick Prince

OVERVIEW: It seems only fitting that Sacred Oath self-titled this recent release, as it's perfect for the branding. This should be the album they are best known for.

It is a surprise, however, that Sacred Oath chose not to open up the disc with their best song, "Blood Storm". Instead it comes second, sandwiched between two lesser songs ("Paradise Lost" and "Buried Alive"). When I say "lesser," I mean by a little bit. I still consider these songs to be very good, but "Blood Storm" is quite brilliant — an A+ in my metal grading book. Think perfect metal riffs, yes, but also a quality class vocal performance by Rob Thorne, certainly one of the best metal vocalists out there.

It doesn't seem to be a coincidence that the other Grade A songs were also written by the same songwriting duo of Thorne and (drummer Kenny) Evans. The to-the-jugular gem of "Caught in the Arc" and the slow, fierce mosh of "Wings of Salvation" are, quite simply, outstanding metal.

And, on the more melodic side, the Queensryche-like material of 
"Counting Zeros" will have any 'ryche fan take note. Rob Thorne has the lungs to match a Geoff Tate.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Overall, Sacred Oath is my kind of metal. The kind I grew up with. Not the intentional vocal growling (a prerequisite!) over full-tilt guitar onslaughts of today. Not taking anything away from those contemporary extremes — I can respect that OTT statement — but I have a preference and it's more a throwback. Otherwise, I probably would not be a metal listener anymore.

Judas Priest circa 74-79 is my favorite music of the genre that eventually became heavy metal. It is a certain blend of heaviness — classy, fiercely-cutting, intelligent, and refined; the sleek silver of a sharp razor. And, of course the high-quality, ear-piercing vocals, a must. This became a personal category for me when searching for new bands. I called it Classy Metal or Classic Metal.

All through the 80s I waited for a metal band to pick up the classy metal torch that Judas Priest somewhat abandoned to become more of an arena metal band. When Queensryche came out with their EP, I thought they were this band, but they drifted and turned out to be something else entirely. I had the same hopes for Malice, and then Surgical Steel, but one band was ruined by the Recording Industry, and the latter fell quickly into obscurity.

Twenty-something years later I think Sacred Oath now falls nicely into this category. And they do the category proud.

Grade: A —

-------------------------------------------- 

Saxon
"Into the Labyrinth"
(Steamhammer)

Review by Ray Hogan

The term "legendary" is not synonymous with "veteran." It's a distinction members of the latter group have trouble making. Maiden. Priest. Sabbath. These are metal legends that we are lucky to still have playing strongly some 25 years after they first rumbled.

Saxon aren't legends. This isn't said to begrudge the British band's place in hard rock history nor its right to continue on, but I'm not going revise
history either. Saxon was an original NWOBHM band but became wildly erratic trend followers. Now that heavy metal is again at a popularity peak, there's serious revisionist history going on.

With that out the way, "Into the Labyrinth," the group's 19th disc, is a
pretty good summation of what Saxon was and is. Namely, both the stoic
NWOBHM warriors and the sentimental — some might say cheesy — pop leaning rockers are on display in pretty equal measure. It's also a better disc than most of us would expect from a band that hit stride in 1981 with Denim and Leather. The diehards — and there are surely some, Saxon has never gone more than three years between releases — don't need reminding.

The opening tune is appropriately titled "Battalions of Steel" because it's
a clarion call of a power metal tune, complete with a galloping tempo,
non-intrusive keyboard stabs and Biff Byford's vocal call to arms. For older
metal screamers, place Byford's throat closer to Rob Halford's than Bruce
Dickinson's: It¹s still got strength but is starting to lose a bit to age.

Could a song with that title and released in 2009 but anything big and dumb? The opening blast is followed by some big-dumb arena rock of "Live to Rock." Never mind that Byford sounds like he's battle some serious phlegm in the chorus. From there, it¹s a pretty even ratio between the power metal and pop leaning hard rock with songs ranging in topic from Sweeney Todd (which impressively ups the speed level to an Accept-able levels) to "Slow Lane
Blues," which is as cliche-filled as its name suggests. Despite some of
these corny moments, Saxon shows a consistency of spirit and execution
that's hard to deny.

Say what you will about heavy metal. Both fans and bands have proven to be true believers and the genre boasts of a wealth of old bands that still soldier on with both pride and skill < even if true legendary status eludes them.

Grade: B —

-------------------------------------------- 

Sepultura
"A-Lex" 
(2009, SPV/Steamhammer)

Review by Ray Hogan 

It's pretty obvious Max Cavalera had a banner 2008. The Brazilian metal king
not only released his best Soulfly disc in ages but reunited with brother Iggor to form Cavalera Conspiracy, which was essentially treated as a Sepultura reunion by the headbanging community. Where does that leave the
musicians that are still carrying on as Sepultura? With the exit of Iggor, can guitarist Andreas Kisser and bassist Paulo Jr. still call the band Sepultura with any pride?

That question seems to weigh on the two and singer Derrick Green, who has
been with the band since mid-1990s. Sepultura¹s 2006 disc Dante XX1 was
based on the The Divine Comedy and now A-Lex finds its thematic inspiration in Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange. It appears Sepultura wants to be both heady and heavy. I guess the dystopian story of a disaffected youth is as appropriate fodder as any for a metal record. Even so, prior knowledge of the novel or Stanley Kubrick film isn't needed to get the effect of A-Lex, which isn't likely to advance or diminish the Brazilian metal titans' legacy, or one's opinion of the band without Max Cavalera.

With 18 tracks, A-Lex is meant to be a big statement. It more or less is. There¹s a handful of standout tracks, lots of crushing riffs and the requisite ferocity for any metal worth a damn. The title track is presented in four separate instrumental parts . "Moloko Mesto" is crushing and proves Green is a strong metal singer, he's got a powerhouse of a growl without
 esorting to any of the current trappings of so many new metal vocalists, whose attempts to sound demonic usually land on the side of either comical or moronic.  Listen to his sheer power on slow-building bruiser "We've Lost You." With a traditionally (not hardcore) chanted chorus, which Kisser drops sledgehammer riffs around, "Filthy Rot" is another standout.

The disc levels off after such a strong start. However, a surprise exists at
the end when instrumental classic interludes (the book's protagonist was a huge Beethoven fan, mind you) appears as the 16th track. Surprisingly, it¹s sound more honest than a lot of the neo-classical wankery of the guitar god
era. Why it¹s buried this deep in the disc is anyone's guess. A-Lex is a strong CD. As good as Cavalera Conspiracy's "Inflickted" or Soulfly's
"Conquer"? I want to say no but have to admit A-Lex is sounder better with
each subsequent listen.

GRADE: B

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Archons
"The Consequences of Silence" (2008)
Review by Marc Garrison

Every once in a while you come across an album that hits you in a way not many others have, or ever will. You don’t know why you know it, but you feel it with an absolute certainty. Archons, one of countless bands fighting for a place in the extremely crowded Canadian Death Metal scene, have created just one of those albums. With brutal competition from titans of the field such as Kataklysm, Quo Vadis,  Neuraxis and Cryptopsy, it is an absolutely mind blowing feat that not only has this brand new band made an album that can stand proud next to veterans such as these, but surpasses them in nearly every imaginable category. The Consequences of Silence is perhaps the best debut album in countless years.
    From the opening seconds of the first track, The Enigma of Torments, the pummeling intensity of the music takes the listener on a rollercoaster ride of high quality melodic death metal. One if the first aspects of this album that really catches the ear is the excellent, crystal clear production. The drums are blisteringly fast, and extremely technical, with magnificent footwork and a rapid fire precision that is just a marvel to behold. The bass is beautifully audible, a characteristic often lacking in the genre, and complements the rhythm section satisfactorily. The record truly really hits its mark with its gorgeous melodies and passionate leads guitars, expertly swirling in and out of the group’s inherently ferocious material with a definitive sense of emotion.
    Another important aspect to note is that the songs are expertly structured, each one individual, memorable, and maturely composed, a particularly impressive feat in their chosen style. One of the standout tracks, Plague of Corruption, really showcases the albums penchant for mixing up individual songs, with an intensely brutal first half that unexpectedly leaps head first into a soft interlude of melodic guitar work, only to swing back and conclude the piece in a most epic, powerful fashion.  The band executes the material with such confidence you would think they’d done this a thousand times before.    

The Bottom Line: One of the most astoundingly excellent debuts from any band… ever. If you are a fan of melodic death metal, or quality music period, you owe it to yourself to buy this album and support one of the most promising acts metal has to offer.

Songs to watch out for: "The Enigma of Torments,"  "Of Pride and Prejudice," "Plague of Corruption," "The Fall of a Dreamer"

________________________________

Before The Dawn Interview

The following is an interview with multi-instrumentalist, producer, and vocalist, Tuomas Saukkonen of Before The Dawn. Many thanks go to Tuomas for taking time out of his busy schedule to do this interview!

Interview by Marc Garrison 

To start us off why don’t you give us an idea of how you got into playing and writing music.
Tuomas: It all started when I was 9-years old and got my first cassette ("Dr Feelgood" by Mötley Crue). I played air guitar for couple of months while listening to the opening track and then my parents bought me a guitar. From that moment I have been into writing music. Never really had an interest learning songs made by others. It took guitar lessons for 1 year when I got the guitar and after first 6 months we all played a song that we had learned and I played my first own song. I think it is in my DNA.

Let's talk about the upcoming Before the Dawn album "Soundscape of Silence," due to be released October 29th through Stay Heavy Records. What can you tell us about the musical progression of this album since 2007’s “Deadlight”?
Tuomas: More varied. To me it is a "best of music" in way of that time with a lot of emotions and feeling so it is very hard for me to analyze or be musically critical.

Tell me about the recording process for the upcoming album. Any highlights or distinctly terrible moments?
Tuomas:  A terrible moment was when I realized that we need to record the whole album again. There was some problems with the drums and bass sound. We changed the drummer and I played the drum tracks again and got a new studio and a soundguy to mix the album. Needed to start from the clean table. A highlight was when the album was mixed and all the work (double amount) paid off. Me and Juho (solo guitarist in BTD and a sound engineer) have done 4 albums together so we have a very good routine and attitude and are a very well working team.

Before the Dawn is for all intents and purposes a solo project for you. How much of the ideas for the music do the members on any given album lineup contribute? Does being the primary songwriter for BTD present any particular difficulties?
Tuomas: There is very little influence from the other members. Clean vocals I do together with Lars after I have written and arranged the lyrics.
The instrumental parts are pretty much all from me but of course Lars has nowadays a big role in BTD's sound and he is extremely talented in his own field and it would be arrogant and stupid for me to step on his toes by writing his parts for him. He has a different kind of sense with melodies and that makes the songs more varied.

All musicians have people/ experiences/artists who influence their work to a certain degree. What are some of your sources of musical influence?
Tuomas: All the music in the world basically. I am a music lover and pretty much everything goes if it has a soul. There is dozens of artist that I am influenced by as a drummer, guitar player, singer and lyric writer. Would be impossible to start listing all of them.

While we touch on the subject of inspiration, BTD’s lyrics seem to deal with a lot of deeply personal emotions and thoughts. Do you have a primary source of inspiration for the songs you write?
Tuomas: The interior of my head. Like you just mentioned the lyrics deal with a lot deep emotions. Very personal stuff. To me it works as a diary so I pretty much have an endless source of lyrics. I am not a sad person but I am very emotional person so there will be a lot of stuff to write about in the future also.

Looking back, 4:17 A.M. was a very experimental album in the BTD discography. As a personal fan of your work, particularly BTD, I’ve always wondered if you would ever entertain the idea of doing an entirely acoustic, clean sung BTD album?
Tuomas: We actually played an acoustic gig (5 songs) and have "My Room" (4:17am) as an unplugged encore so the idea is already in the experiment level. Maybe some acoustic bonus stuff somewhere in the future but not a whole acoustic album. I have an idea about an instrumental acoustic album recorded in a cabin at Lappland, but don't have the time for it now.

You have a fairly large list of music projects behind your belt, including the excellent sister band Dawn of Solace, as well as several yet to be released projects. Will there be a second DOS album? What does the future hold for these projects?
Tuomas: DOS is on the hold for now but there will be a very heavy, doomy and melodic debut from Black Sun Aeon in the beginning of 2009. It will be the most majestic I have ever done. My death metal band The Final Harvest (drummer) will release a debut album within couple of days in Scandinavia and we have a tour in Finland together BTD/TFH. 2 gigs in one night is a bit too much but it was my idea so I shouldn't be complaining :) Then there is my pop/rock band Teargod and I will finish the debut album as soon as I find the time for it. Lastly there is also my newest vision of a viking/melodic black metal project and studios for that booked for January so there is no rest for the wicked.

Many artists will look back on their work and think of things they could have done better had circumstances been different. Is there anything in your work you wish had turned out differently?
Tuomas: No. All the albums are products of their time and have a certain mood and feeling. And I don't look back since there so much work ahead.

A must know: Is there a chance that BTD or any of your projects will make it to the U.S. to tour anytime soon?
Tuomas: Nothing would stop me coming there if somebody would just book BTD or any of my bands there. I really hope it would happen soon. I have played hundreds of gigs in Finland in over 20 bands so seen all that this country has to offer.

What albums are currently circulating in your device of choice?
Tuomas: I am constantly writing new music at the moment so I don't even have a CD player in my home. I have 25 songs in process in my head right now so no room for anything else. I can't read or write notes and I don't like to record any demos by myself. I store everything in my head so each album I write and produce means over 30 tracks each song and 10 pages of lyrics. There will be at least 3 full lengths ready before Christmas, which means over 30 songs for this year. Wouldn't be surprised if my head would explode some day.

Lastly, is there anything you wish to add/say to the fans and readers?
Tuomas: I am so bad with these. Peace and love!

_________________________________

NEW RELEASES

Bret Michaels
"Rock My World" 

OVERVIEW: This new release has been criticized in the press for a shameless self-promotion of the reality show Rock of Love (the album is even released on the VH1 Classics label), but screw that. This is the best thing Michales has done in years. Tie-in or not, the hard rock/glam quality is hard to ignore. No one does it better than Bret Michaels nowadays. He has proven that comebacks — even from the dreadul 80s — are possible.

Opener  "Go That Far" will find fans beyond the glam spectrum, with it's beefy guitars and spunk. While "Fallen" will keep the die-hards close to the heart with its put-your-lighter-in-the-air arena ballad perfection.

All I can say is, the boys from Poison may be a little worried that Bret can master music on his own. This is better than Poison right now.

DOWNSIDE: Many of the songs (even if they are good) are old material put on the album to grab new fans from Rock of Love.

And, let's face it, some of the lyrics are a little too playful. Not exactly Shakespeare here — or even Candace Bushnell.

Download: Go That Far, Menace To Society, Driven, Strange Sensation. 

Grade: B+

---------------------------------------------

Abigail Williams
"In the Shadow of a
Thousand Suns"
(2008)

It’s been an interesting road for New York based black metal outfit Abigail Williams. Originally formed after the split of melodic death metal band Vehemence, the band quickly made an impression through the enormously high traffic on their myspace, soon catching the attention of the revered Candlelight Records. The band released the excellent E.P. Legend, toured extensively, gathered momentum… and subsequently disbanded. After an brief silence, the group has reformed with a new lineup, and suffice to say, my excitement for this release has been building ever since.

When all is said and done, the most prominent response I can muster after my fifth spin of this hotly anticipated release is… What happened? The band’s earlier work was a largely black metal affair, with hints of modern metal core and exquisitely catchy hooks. Gone from this disc are the memorable leads, intricate drum work and even melodic bass lines in favor of a more “raw” black metal approach. By raw I mean nine tracks of generic, heartless swill. I can’t begin to imagine what rationale the band had for moving in this direction, and each track passes by with little or no reason to revisit.

It begins with a typical intro song, haunting and forgettable, and from the first full length track, it is drastically apparent the group has gone in a different direction. The structures of each track leave virtually no room for contemplation, and the endless blasting wall of percussion, which is disgustingly loud in the overall mix, is distracting and unimaginative. The vocals are consistent with the style, yet the rare clean passage leaves so much to be desired after the quality, ethereal delivery on their previous effort. The keyboards are indistinguishable from every other band in this field, but such is to be expected, and it does little to alter the course of this record. Each member plays their instrument competently, but there is a definitive sense of inexperience in the way the songs are contructed. It is a true disappointment to see a group with such potential squander their time, and equally importantly, their fan’s time, on this highly derivative release.

The bottom line: If you are desperate for a fix of mediocre but well played black metal, check it out. If you are looking for an engrossing black metal experience, look elsewhere.

Songs to watch out for: The World Beyond, Floods

Review by Marc Garrison

--------------------------------------------


Before the Dawn
"Soundscape of Silence"
(2008)

Finland’s Before the Dawn, brainchild of multi-instrumentalist, producer, and vocalist Tuomas Saukkonen, is a relatively new band, yet has made leaps and bounds in the melodic metal scene in their few short years of existence. It is predominantly a solo project of Saukkonen, with the more recent assistance of the well known Lars Eikind (Age of Silence, Winds), and various sessions musicians that change with each record. The band has released a staggering four full lengths and a DVD since 2003, and with their newest work “Soundscape of Silence,” they show no signs of letting up.
    The band’s sound can best be described as melodic metal, with influences that include the melancholy doom sounds of Katatonia,  Swedish melodic death metal, and the ever popular Finnish goth rock. The band never strays far into any particular category, instead preferring to ride the line of all three gracefully, with a surprising amount of originality that is difficult to find these days.
    When comparing it to their earlier works, Soundscape is more of the same affair, but seems significantly more balanced, with less filler, and careful attention to the relevance of each individual song. The production is top notch, if a bit strong on the bass. Every instrument is clear and avoids the tendency extreme metal has to fall into the wall of noise approach, and the entire package shines as a result.
    It begins with the somber yet powerful “Dying Sun“, one of the better tracks on the album, kicking off with a slow, steady build up into a catchy lead that soon transitions into a quiet, acoustic section highlighted by Eikind's distinctive clean vocals. Every song on the album features by the books harsh vocals by Saukkonen that serve as an aggressive contrast to the surprising accessibility of each song. It features throughout fairly similar song structures, each one accented and made distinct mainly by a memorable chorus, and a pleasant sense of consistency.   
    However, the album does end rather abruptly and disappointingly with the somewhat directionless “Last Song“, and the listener is left with a sense of wanting more, leading to the main issue this solid offering suffers from: it’s length. No matter what angle it is viewed from, be it individual tracks or in its entirety, Soundscape falls short. The ten tracks hardly breach the 35 minute mark, and it is hard not to wonder how much more the album could have offered with just a bit more bulk to each song.

The Bottom Line: The band’s best release yet, and while short, is worth every penny spent, as it is an emotional, deeply engrossing listen fans of melodic metal should not pass up.
Songs To Watch Out For: Dying Sun, Savior, Monsters

Review by Marc Garrison

--------------------------------------------

 

Metallica
"Death Magnetic" 
(2008)

OVERVIEW: I had lost my faith in Metallica a while back — perhaps just about the time Bob Rock arrived into their sound/scene. Well, Metaliica is back with Death Magnetic, sounding like the old familiar Metallica of my childhood. The Metallica I love to listen to. All the Hammett guitar leads are back again — fast and furious — and most of the songs have that Master of Puppets feel.

This is perhaps Metallica's best album since their 1991 self-titled album. The first three songs are speed and crunch bliss: "That Was Just Your Life," The End of the Line," "Broken, Beat & Scarred." Wow. Nothing can compare to the way I felt when I first heard Kill 'em All but this comes pretty close. As close as you'll be able to get for 2008.

And as far as the single, "The Day That Never Comes," is concerned, it starts off a little mainstream for my Metallica tastes but then grows on you as it progresses and changes the pattern up.

Most of the album is in the traditional snarling, thrashing territory to my delight, and, I'm sure, the delight of many Metallica fans.
Metallica are back!

DOWNSIDE: The big disappointment on the album is "The Unforgiven III." The first "Unforgiven" was enough for me. I'm a big fan of the James Hetfield snarl, not so much the Hetfield trying-to-carry-a-tune voice. There is just no need for this song on this album.

GRADE: A

Review by Pat Prince

--------------------------------------------


Swallow the Sun
"Plague of Butterflies" 
(2008)

Swallow the Sun is the brainchild of one Juha Raivio, formed in early 2000. Their sound of choice is distinctly doom metal, at times reaching the unbearably slow pace of funeral doom, traditionally one of my most reviled styles of metal. Yet, Swallow the Sun’s approach to the genre is definitively melodic, fusing the crushing heaviness of doom with the more modern melodic death metal sound. Throw in a sprinkle of black metal and you have a recipe for excellence, and Plague of Butterflies, the most recent release by these Finnish madmen, delivers!

Plague of Butterflies is a MCD that contains the mammoth 35 minute epic title track sandwiched between two new songs, in addition to the band’s original demo “Out Of This Gloomy Night.” Naturally the main draw of this release is the new material, and it does not disappoint. Beginning with ambient sounds of wind and nature, the title track takes the listener on a massive voyage that experiments with everything from the soft, melodious acoustic sounds the band has been known to delve into, to the brutal, dark, extremeness that characterizes the bulk of their sound. The song flows beautifully, no passage being merely transitional, every segment complete and individual, yet intrinsically linked to the what came before and what will come. Given the length of the song, the main downside to this release is the necessity of the listener to devote significant time to not only listen to, but to absorb the track in its entirety. There is a lot going on, and all of it is good. It is a rare an exciting achievement for a group to be able to construct a song of such porportions and retain the attention of the listener, much less keep them interested. Plague of Butterflies does this and more.

The second half of the CD is the band’s early works, and, unlike most releases of this nature, the demo is a killer listen, and it is easy to see how initial interest in the band came to be. Contrary to most groups, the early songs have a less raw sound to them and where the newer material embraces a darker, harsher sound, the production emphasizes the numerous clean melodies that run rampant through each track. A must listen for any fan of the band and Finnish doom in general.

The bottom line: An awesome release while we wait for the upcoming full length album. There is a lot of new material, and the bonus of the demo material makes this one a gem!

Songs to watch out for: Plague of Butterflies (of course!), Swallow

Review by Marc Garrison

-----------------------------------------


Scar Symmetry
"Holographic Universe" 
(2008)

    The field of Scandinavian death metal is, to say the very least, a crowded one. With a seemingly endless stream of bands wanting to jump on the “Maiden on steroids” bandwagon, it is difficult to filter the generic, overdone nonsense from the numerous quality bands that have come from this genre in recent years. Scar Symmetry, while still a young band in the grand scheme of the scene, have quickly risen to the top tier of the melodic death metal elite, easily standing proud beside forefathers At the Gates, In Flames, and so forth. With their third album “Holographic Universe,” they show no signs of letting up, and deliver an album of crushing brutality, enchanting beauty, and surprising originality.
    “Holographic Universe” has all of the trademark elements that have made this band such an instant success. The heavy guitars coupled with the speedy melodic shred characteristic of the genre are in full force, and the band actually manages to pull out distinctly unique and catchy melodies alongside well structured rhythm. The vocals consist of a wide range of styles, from deep, demonic growls, high shrieks, to  impressive and melodic clean vocals (shockingly soulful at times). Christian Akveston has an immensely powerful voice, and his ability to belt out quality choruses without sounding too singalong has solidified him as a voice in metal to keep watch on.
    The typical rhythm section accompanies the tracks, with no shortage of blasting double bass and the occasional strong progressive influence. The bass guitar does the job, although does not really stand out in any particular fashion, serving as more of a distant background noise rather than an integral part of the music.
    This album truly sets itself apart from their previous works, and more importantly, from many of the bands modern contemporaries, with their unique and effective incorporation of keyboards into the music. While this has always been a constant for the band, and certainly isn’t a new concept to the style, this particular record employs said keys in a most artistically impressive, fantastic way. The album’s themes revolve around space, interstellar travel, and the dark unknowns. These themes are poignantly conveyed through a massive array of samples, effects, and powerful passages. There is a fair amount of key/guitar dueling, which is always pleasant if not overdone in the pompous manner of many straight progressive bands.
    The band experiments a lot with their sound, and while the album is still firmly entrenched in the melodic death metal camp, it strives constantly to stretch beyond, keeping the listener guessing in the midst of impossible to subdue bursts of passionate headbanging. Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of this release is the ten minute epic title track. Suffice to say, after numerous spins, this track is without a doubt one of the best of their career, and will keep the listener entranced for a long time to come. These Swedish metalheads have done it again, and the future releases of 2008 (of which there are many) will be hard pressed to top this one.

Songs to watch out for: Quantum Leaper, Ghost Prototype (1 and 2) and of course the monster title track Holographic Universe.

 
Review by Marc Garrison