Defenders Ov The Faith: Celestial Bloodshed

*to be published in Hails & Horns Magazine
Kim Kelly 2008


“They will drown in the blood from their own....” – W.

Black metal is in a state of constant flux nowadays. You can scarcely turn around without tripping over yet another bunch of longhaired upstarts that Pitchfork is touting as the “next big thing” in BM. The evolutions and trends have come, gone, and mutated into even newer sounds; psychedelia, punk rock, folk, rock’n’roll, ambient, classical, noise and hardcore have all crept into the once-hallowed halls of grimness and left their indelible marks on the genre. What would Euronymous think of “black metalcore”? Would Quorthon be down with Nachtmystium’s acid-trip aesthetics? What (if anything coherent) could Varg possibly think of all this?
For those of us still stubbornly clinging to the traditions laid down by those immortal names above, there is some hope. There are a number of black metal bands out there who have managed to more or less ignore the past decade (and the musical/technical progressions that have come with it) and continue to create pure, raw, unadulterated BM with no frills, no experimentation, and for the love of Lucifer, no ProTools!
So what can you expect to find on such an album? Chainsaw guitars, sepulchral rasps, grating shrieks, pummeling blastbeats, and more visceral hatred than you can shake a stick at. Keyboards? None. Emperor got away with it, but half the band was wanted for murder and arson at one point – I think we can let them slide. Orchestral arrangements? No fucking way. Dimmu Borgir uses them, but drop that name in front of any true black metal warrior and see how fast it takes ‘em to split your poser skull. Breakdowns? Get the fuck outta here.
As might be expected, those bands take themselves and their mission very, very seriously. Just how seriously, you might ask? Read the following conversation I had with elite black metal horde Celestian Bloodshed’s W. and see for yourself.


-Can you give some band history for those who haven't yet heard of Celestial
Bloodshsed - when and where was the band formed, who are the members, and why
was this band brought into being?

W:The shadows called out and Celestial Bloodshed was spawned at the dawn of
the new millennium with the aim to perform the dark arts of Black Metal. After
the recording of the demo in 01' we went through different problems such as
dealing with undedicated people, imprisonment, finding a steady vocalist/
rehearsal place, etc. The usual shit.
In year four, we found a worthy throat to handle the vocals and around the
same time a founding member decided to escape into the world of humanity as we
continued to go deeper into darkness. That darkness that manifested itself in the
form of a 7" EP in year six, and now in the form of a full-length album on
Debemur-Morti Productions.
The cursed are: S.v.F: Serpent's tongue, W: Strings, T: Hellhammers and K:
strings.

-You hail from Norway, black metal's storied homeland. What is it about the
place that conjures up so many black metal, and extreme metal in general,
bands? Is it the society, the natural world, or some unknown factor?

W: I have no idea. Bad taste maybe, because 98% of the bands from Norway are
shit nowadays.

-How did you first come upon the perfect musical formula for this band - the
one that made you say, "Yes, THIS is Celestial Bloodshed"?

W: It was a feeling, the surroundings got darker and we just knew...

-How did your recent partnership with Moribund come about?

W: Debemur Morti Productions who released our album here in Europe set it up.

-Tell me about Cursed, Scarred, and Forever Possessed, your new album.

W: Cursed, Scarred and Forever Possessed contains 7 hymns that deals with
Darkness, Death, Hate, Blasphemy, depression, madness, pain and worship. This
is presented in the form of mostly cold and aggressive songs, but with some
slower parts to bring forth the madness and frustration that surrounds us at
times.

-What is your writing/recording process like? Who handled production duties
on the record?

W: Ideas are born through experiences and thoughts and brought forth before
the band and then we work from that in different ways, not very interesting to
read about anyway. Same goes for the recording process. H.Dalen from Brygga
studios helped us with the recording and Tore Stjerna mastered it.

-Production on Cursed... is definitely very raw and "orthodox"-sounding, by
black metal standards at least. Why do you choose to record your music in such
a manner when there are a variety of modern techniques available that some say
render low-fi recording more or less obsolete? I personally prefer the more DIY
approach, as do many fans of this style, but I'm curious as to your reasoning
behind using it.

W: We wanted a sound that suited the songs and feelings behind them, to
create a atmosphere of....darkness.

-What sort of topics do you discuss in your lyrics? What is the underlying
shared philosophy of the band, be it Satanic, pagan, atheistic, or something
else?

W: The lyrics deals with subjects as: Death, Hate, Blasphemy, depression,
madness, pain and worship. We have chosen the left hand path and struggle
onwards.
Vi är en manifestasjon mot det kristna samhället och männskligheten i sin
helhet!!

-With a name like 'Celestial Bloodshed,' one would not be hesitant to assume
that the band is anti-Christian. What turned you against Christianity and
organized religion? If you could send one message to the "believers" of the
world, what would it be?

W: Where to start…their lies and false morals? They make weak sheep out of
proud lions? Slaves out of kings? They are blind people who refuse to seek
further than to their "god", refuse to look into the abyss. They hide behind
their "god", book and holiness! And I can see traces of them everywhere and it
disgusts me!
The message? "No matter how your paradise is shaped, there will always be a
certain snake" (not my words but the best I could think of right now that
didn't involve Fuck, Kill, Die, Perish, Flames, Hate or off.)

-Without whom would Celestial Bloodshed not exist i.e. which bands,
artists, and elements have influenced you in terms of this project

W: Us and the call to do this.

-Who would you consider to be your musical peers? Do you follow the modern
black metal scene at all? If so, what are your thoughts on its progression and
adaptation of other musical styles over the past few years?

W: I don't spend my time thinking about such things. The only scene I
follow closely is within our own Nidrosian circle, as there are too many bands
and releases nowadays and very few good ones.

-What's next for the band after the release of Cursed...?

W: We will release a 7"ep called The Serpent's Kiss through Apocalyptic
Empire Records and Terratur Possessions in near future and we are now working
on a mini lp that will be out when the time is right. Also we hope to do more
live rituals in the future.

Malum Ex Archicathedra Nigra Nidrosiensis

"Dude, They Sharpied My Dick Black" : Keepin’ It Real With THE FACELESS

*to be published in Hails & Horns Magazine
Kim Kelly 2008

Doing interviews with great bands is awesome. Preparing for interviews, however, sucks. Unless you’re an insane superfan who knows everything possible about your favorite band – including sisters’ names and shoe sizes – there’s bound to be a fair amount of research put into preparing your questions. Interviewing your heroes is hard; not only do you usually have an immense back catalog and tour history to wade through, it’s really fucking scary to talk to people who have changed your life – for example, I was literally shaking when I first spoke to Jimmy Bower and Brian Patton from Eyehategod, only to discover that they’re two of the nicest Southern gentleman you could ever hope to meet.
It’s even harder when you’re due to chat up that hot new band that everybody and their mother is covering and you can’t for the life of you think of anything remotely interesting to ask that they haven’t already rattled off an answer to earlier that week. On top of that, think of the poor band themselves! They don’t want to talk about their writing process, they don’t want to fend off questions about why their last drummer left, and they really don’t want to talk about genre tags. Really, all band dudes want to do is to go play the rad new songs they just recorded and hang out with their fans.
Keeping that in mind, I decided to take it easy on The Faceless, and show some mercy to one of the most uncompromising and bright new stars in the death metal galaxy. Instead of asking them the same boring questions that they get in every interview about their influences and gear and whatnot, I figured I’d branch out a bit and try to have some fun...then, you know, ask about their influences…

So, you guys are from LA. And DON’T play thrash metal? How does that work? Nowadays it seems like every kid in the state is issued a Flying V, a denim vest, and Bonded by Blood upon his graduation from sixth grade, then promptly offered a record deal. How does a band like The Faceless fit into the L.A. scene?

A: Well quite frankly we don't fit into the L.A scene, I suppose. Although there is a big fan base for death metal here, there's not really any successful death metal bands that I can think of from LA. In regards to the whole sudden uprising of bands composed of 18 year old kids pretending to be 80's thrashers, I find it rather strange. Maybe the next thing will be dressing up in bell bottoms and playing disco. We'll see.

What are your thoughts on NorCal? From what I observed during my time out in Cali, it seems like two different worlds – the south digs thrash and death, the north is all about black metal and depressive shit, and the middle – is there one, even? I’m an East Coast gal, so your great state is a damn near mystery to me.

A: I love NorCal. There's an amazing tech-death scene developing there with bands like Anamolous, Vile, Decrepit Birth, Odious Mortem, Severed Savior, etc. You're certainly right about the popularity of black metal and darker shit as well though. As for Central California, our singer Derek actually reps that region. He's from Santa Cruz.

How’s life under the Governator? On a more serious note, are you guys politically active at all, or has the American legal system beat you into apathy yet? And the ever-present question: who’s getting your vote for President?

A: You know, I think Arnie has done a lot of good for our state, even though Californians aren't too happy with him these days. We're a very politically opinionated group of people. We are all scared as hell of the insane people running our country and world for insane reasons. I voted for Ron Paul in the primaries, but I plan to vote for Obama.

You’ve toured extensively over the past few years, and I’m sure you’ve collected plenty of battle scars and epic tales by now. What’s the hands-down creepiest (or coolest) thing you’ve ever encountered on the road? Did you ever get a trucker to honk his horn for you or pick up any hitchhikers? I’ve never been on tour, myself, so I like to imagine that it’s just like all the road trip/horror flicks I’ve ever seen (except with blastbeats).

A: Okay, I've got a great one. Last tour our merch guy got wasted on Black Dahlia Murder's bus and ended up blacking out in their lounge. They drew all over his entire body and filmed the whole thing. He calls me in the morning to tell me this and we all had a laugh about it, but then the best part hits. 2 hours later I get a text message from him while we're all eating at a pizza hut buffet somewhere in South Carolina. "Dude. They sharpied my dick black" Apparently he didn't realize that part until he went to take a piss. When he finally met back up with us a few hours later we had to take pictures of the ridiculous spectacle.

Best story ever. I wonder how long it took him to get the Sharpie off? That's a brutal mental picture right there. Oh, and speaking of horror flicks… a few moments spent reading your lyrics conjure up some pretty frightening fare. They’re less of the zombie-gore-naked chicks variety than of the psychologically brutal, with hints of an almost classical (mythologically-speaking) epicness. Who writes the lyrics? From whence does he draw his inspiration? They’re very poetic, in a dark sort of way. “Its white skin is illuminated under pale moonlight Reminiscent of fresh snowfall The patterns formed by shadows and its hair make each square inch unique My lips still burn from the last time that I uttered its proper name Those thin wrists seem to melt in my hands My flesh on its flesh with gravity on my side I should, but won't, tread lightly on it…” (Chris Barnes, eat your heart out.)

A: There were 3 lyrical contributors to our album. Myself, Derek and our former drummer Nick Pierce. I think sometimes it's good to get your sick side out in something relatively healthy like song lyrics, so that you can function as a normal human being. The lyrics on Akeldama cover everything from the sick psychotic things you keep hidden in your head, to religion and it's horrible affects on society.

Right on. So, according to the all-knowing internet overlord that is Wikipedia, you guys are associated with Animosity, As Blood Runs Black, Brain Drill, Job for a Cowboy, Vile, and Vital Remains. Assuming that Wiki’s correct (which is a fifty-fifty chance), how does it happen that The Faceless has enlisted such a veritable who’s who of modern technical death metal/deathcore drummers over the past three years? Would you say that the current lineup is stable/permanent?

A: Well, I don't think we had any connection to As Blood Runs Black, but all the others are correct. Since the recording of our album, we've been searching for a permanent drummer. Which turned out to be quite the undertaking. We had fill ins on several tours, but I think we've finally found the drummer that we're happy with and want to keep around. Our new drummer Lyle Cooper is working out very well for us. I think at last, The Faceless can finally say that we have a stable line up.

If you had to pick a genre tag (and I know bands HATE doing this) what would you label yourselves? Now, how do you feel you transcend that label? A: Progressive death metal. Progressive can leave a lot of room for experimentation and diversity, which is something that I feel we explore. Even more so on our new material. Part of the objective of our band is to be a band that is remembered for having a unique sound that didn't fit in to this or that. Maybe they'll create some micro-sub-genre of metal for what we do some day. Haha! So, uh…what are your influences? (Told ya it was comin’!)

A: We listen to a wide variety of music. Our biggest influences would be Cynic, Spawn of Possession, Allan Holdsworth, Extol and Nile. Anything with a lot of thought put into it. However, on any given day you might find me listening to anything from Akercocke or Emperor to Steely Dan or Billy Joel.

How did you first get into heavy music? What is it that you love about it?

A: When I was a kid my older brothers and cousin listened to stuff like Sepultura, Slayer, and Deicide. I remember getting into Cannibal Corpse at a really young age and just thinking it was the most bad ass thing I'd ever heard. Now-a-days, the thing I love about metal is the freedom. You can explore any musical concept or lyrical topic for that matter.

How has your music progressed since the band’s inception? How has your sound grown, changed, and evolved since then?

A: When we formed the band, we were all in high school. I think back then we just wanted to play metal that seemed impressive and memorable to people. I think we focus a lot more on making thought provoking music now. We have much more of a focused goal for our music these days and we drop every ounce of effort and musical integrity into it we can.

What was the writing process like for your next upcoming LP, Planetary Duality? How does it differ from your last release, Akeldama?

A: Akeldama was written over the course of 3 years. Some songs being from when we were in high school and others being written right before the cd was recorded. So the new material is much more focused and matured. It involved a lot of nights in my studio just experimenting with riffs and licks. I wanted to make a record that I've always wanted to hear, but never have. I think we did a pretty good job of that. I'm really happy with it.

What’s next for you dudes? You just got back from Summer Slaughter, right?

A: We'll be doing a headline tour this October and November in which we'll be taking out Neuraxis, Veil of Maya, Decrepit Birth and Abigail Williams. From there, we're hitting the rest of the world and supporting our new record across the globe for a bit.

Any parting shots, messages, advice or threats?

A: Everything is only what your evolving consciousness allows to create as your reality. Therefore, my only advice is to not listen to anything anyone ever tells you....ever...including me. Oh, and buy our new CD. Thanks for a cool interview!

Beyond the Black: The Fall and Rise of Metal Church

*to be published in Hails & Horns Magazine
Kim Kelly 2008


So, here’s a brand-new interview with a dude named Kurdt from Aberdeen, Washington.

Now that all the closet Nirvana fans reading this have collectively shat themselves, allow me to thoroughly rain on their parade and introduce Metal Church’s Kurdt Vanderhoof, the OTHER super-influential musician to surface from beneath Washington State’s nigh impenetrable stormclouds. Metal Church were one of the first American thrash bands; their tried’n’true balls-out heavy metal thunder was a definite precursor to the hellish cacophony that was to come shredding through several years later.
In 1981, Kurdt, Mike Murphy, Kirk Arrington, Craig Wells, and Kirk Arrington started a band that they dubbed Shrapnel. Along the way, Shrapnel shed their moniker for the way-cooler tag of METAL CHURCH, covered a Deep Purple song that wasn’t “Smoke on the Water,” toured with Metallica, went through a score of lineup changes, broke up, reformed, and through it all, stayed true to themselves and the thrashy heavy metal that made them every 80’s-era hesher’s favorite band. Now it’s 2008, and the band they created is still alive and kicking ass. It’s been a long hard road, but as they say, heavy metal never dies. With a highly-anticipated new album due out any day now and the most solid lineup they’ve had in years, Metal Church are poised to reclaim their past glories and show the new generation how it’s done!
Kurdt Vanderhoof was kind enough to spare a few minutes to answer some questions and share the remarkable story of Metal Church. He’s a man of few words, but really, his music speaks for itself.


Can you shed some light on the band’s history and briefly summarize the saga of Metal Church for those who are not yet familiar with the band?

25 yrs and counting A few line-up changes and one death.

Who is currently part of the Metal Church lineup?

Ronny Munroe Vocals
Steve Unger bass
Jeff Plate Drums
Rick Van Zandt guitars
Kurdt Vanderhoof guitars

You have a brand-new record, This Present Wasteland, coming out next month. What can you tell me about its creation – writing, recording, and how you managed to capture that old-school Metal Church vibe in 2008?

The approach was pretty much the same and steering away from trends keeps us consistent in what Metal Church is known for.

What kind of expectations did you have for the album when you first started writing new material? How do you feel about the record now that it’s done, pressed, and soon to be unleashed upon the masses?

No real expectations, I have learned that it’s not a good idea these days to have to many of those. I’m quite proud of it actually , I think it has some good Metal tunes on it and I think it will please the Metal Church fans.

How do you feel it fits in with the rest of your catalogue?

I do think it’s one of the better records of the last few years. I think it will be a good statement to where Metal Church is now.

Metal Church has always been a very positive sort of band – no Satan, no gore, no inverted crosses, just pure heavy metal. What sort of lyrical subjects come up on the new record?
The lyrics have a slight theme running through it this time. It deals with the state of the music industry and the current state of people in America.



Will you be touring to promote This Present Wasteland?

We are going to try.

Metal Church has long been hailed as one of the forefathers of thrash metal, and a knowledgeable ear can pick out traces of the MC sound stamped all over the genre. What do you think of the current thrash metal revival?

I like it - as long as they have a good singer, who actually can sing!

You’ve been involved in heavy metal for over two decades now, if not more. How have you personally seen it change and grow over the years? The ‘80s put metal on the map, the ‘90s tried to kill it off, and nowadays it seems as though heavy metal is finally coming back into the limelight and getting some of the respect it deserves.

I think it is too, I don’t think it can ever truly die.

How did you get into heavy metal in the first place? What drew you to it, and why do you still love it so much?

It first appealed to the aggression of the typical teenager. And unlike the Punk movement it had a lot more musicality and skill.

How does it feel to be the only other famous band to come out of Aberdeen, Washington? I can imagine how sick of hearing about Kurt Cobain and grunge you must be by now!

Well, if you knew what type of town Aberdeen is then its quite remarkable that it had any musicians that went national to come out of it. In that respect, I’m quite proud.
And yeah, to a point I guess I am, but, Nirvana really changed things and I have to respect them for that.

Can you tell me a bit about Vanderhood and Presto Ballet? What’s going on with those projects now that Metal Church is keeping you so busy?

Vanderhoof morphed into Presto Ballet. I just released the 2nd Presto Ballet album called “The Lost Art Of Time Travel” and we are playing the Calprog festival this October.
Presto is a labor of love for me.

It’s been quite a wild ride for you guys, but through all the lineup changes, solo projects, and heartbreaks, you’ve stayed strong and true to your roots. What is it that has kept this band going? What has caused you to continue the fight and not give up on Metal Church? What inspires you to continue?

I think it’s the fact that there is nothing more important to me than music. And as long as somebody is enjoying what I’m doing then that in itself is its own reward.

What is next for Metal Church?
Well, after the 1st of the year we hope to do some shows but it’s really hard to say at this point. I hope we can get out and play a bit. I will be working in the studio and trying to put together a Live album and hopefully release the Metal Church remasters next year.

Any parting words or thoughts you’d like to share?

Thanks to everybody for all the long years of support. It means a lot to us!

Sex, Drugs, & Rock'n'Roll Blasphemy: CHROME DIVISION

*to be published in Hails & Horns Magazine
Kim Kelly 2008


Rock’n’roll was never meant to be serious. Sure, its bastard offspring in metal, punk, and hardcore have been known to take their music very seriously indeed (deadly serious, as any extreme metal historian will tell you) but the spring from which those myriad rivers flow is another story entirely. Rock music wants to stay out all night, slug down its weight in whiskey, and maybe pick up a hooker or two, not stay home and mope about the human condition! Sure, it takes its music seriously, and it always there to lend a hand to a buddy in need, but as Bjorn Luna of unholy rollers Chrome Division will tell you, when it comes down to it, rock’n’roll really is all about the booze, the broads, and Ol’ Nick himself…


Cheers! The new record’s a killer; what can you tell me about the rock’n’roll behemoth that is Booze, Broads, and Beezlebub?
- Cheers. It’s our second album. We’re very proud of it right now. It’s like your new born baby, only this is a hell of a lot cooler!! With this album I think the band has established a style and a sound that is ours. We have grown stronger as a unit and conjured up some classic Rock songs.

How did you split up the writing process between such a talented, larger-than-life group of musicians (they don’t call it a ‘supergroup’’ for nothing!)
- Well, it’s pretty much guitar-based music, so it’s natural that our guitarists are credited for the writing. The arrangements and the final compositions are made quite democratically at rehearsals. We’re jamming most of the riffs, and mold them into songs.

The idea of Chrome Division has been floating around since 1999, but you guys didn’t really start revving the engine ‘til 2004. What inspired you guys to start doing this project in earnest?
- Like most bands, it all starts with an idea with people with common interests. So this was something that Shagrath and I had talked about for a while, but Dimmu Borgir took all of his time. Fortunately Dimmu decided to take a year off, and then finally there were room for trying this out. What inspired this idea I believe comes from the old feeling of excitement over bands that we listened to growing up. You know, the classic Rock / Metal bands like Motörhead, Iron Maiden, Kiss etc. So I say we pay tribute to this classic Rock and we try to develop a modern touch to this kind of music, and finally release it to the kids of today who’s seemingly engrossed by boring happy post-punk music.

You and the other members of Chrome Division come from a more extreme metal background, and yet you’re seemingly having the time of your lives playing in this badass hard rock band. Do you think you will end up incorporating more of those extreme elements into Chrome Division’s sound over time, or are you happy with it as it is?
- No. I believe it’s important to cultivate the genre. I know we’ve incorporated some more stuff this time around, like a bit more Metal parts, some Punk stuff, but it never gets out of proportions. It’s all within the frames of what we think has a clear expression of Heavy Rock. It gets more focused and strong that way. If the expression gets too wide, it kinda falls between two chairs, if you get my drift…

That ZZ Top cover kicked some major ass. Why did you pick that song to cover, and how do you think that that Southern rock swagger fits into Chrome Division’s sound?
- I think it fits perfectly, even though the original song is 20+ years old! You know, the album “Eliminator” was in fact a bit cheesy soundwise, but the songs were great (and still are). Picking this song was my idea actually. I’ve been a fan of ZZ Top and a lot of Southern Rock bands since forever. In addition, Chrome Division has a strong biker Rock image which also fits to this kind of music. Not that we’re converting to this in the future or anything, but it’s cool to pick a cover that initially seems quite different then turn it into your own song.

As you mentioned, Chrome Division relies heavily on biker iconography and a hard partyin’ image to back up their sleazy balls-to-the-wall rock songs. What goes on behind the booze and the flame stencils - meaning, how seriously do you guy take this project? Is it a main priority for any of you or just a way to blow off steam between working with your other projects?
- It got serious pretty fast. It was just the first few weeks from we’d started that we were unsure of the outcome of the project. But as we soon found out that it worked out very well and the songwriting went swimmingly, we considered it as a real band. For me personally, I have Chrome Division as first priority. In fact, it’s just Shagrath who has to prioritize Dimmu, but you know, there’s a major difference in size here.

How did you first become interested in this type of music? How old were you when you first heard gritty raw rock’n’roll, and what is it about this style of music that you love so much?
- You know, it’s often that the music you hear when you’re, say twelve or thirteen years old ends up with the one you’ll cherish most the rest of your life. Music (and really, all kinds of stuff) has a huge impact on you when you’re at that age. To me, it all started with Kiss in the late seventies. Back then it was almost more important with the image rather than the music. But after a while I discovered that the world had a lot more to offer with great Rock bands. I think I was thirteen when I started to collect records. My first real hard Rock album was “Ace of Spades” by Motörhead. I loved it then and I love it now. It’s the energy and the strong rebellious expression that attracts me to this style of music.

Do you think the world really needs another hard rock band? What do you think Chrome Division has to offer that hasn’t been done before – something that really sets you apart from the pack?
- Well, I have to be honest here and say that we don’t really offer anything new, and that’s not the intention either. It’s more like taking a well-known style and trying to bring forth the strongest of it, and make the best music you can out of that. We’re working hard on making our songs memorable and interesting without necessarily doing anything really special.

Booze, Broads and Beelzebub might just be the most honest title I’ve ever come across; I mean, really, isn’t that what heavy metal’s all about? How did you guys decide that that was the perfect title?
- The title has in fact stayed with us almost from the beginning. It was intentional for the debut. However, we called that “Doomsday Rock ‘n Roll”, to in a way describe our style to the new audience. So when we made songs for this second album we made a song with that phrase and then it was obvious what we should call it. The idea came from the old phrase “Sex, drugs and Rock and Roll”. It’s our way of rephrasing it, and of course it suits our lyrics very well. We never really sing about anything else.

Who writes the lyrics? Are they as important as the music itself, or would you say they serve as more of a complement – the icing on the cake, so to speak.
- It’s our singer, Eddie Guz, who writes most of the lyrics. He writes for entertainment only. No politics and no moral preaching, so the importance is limited. When a song is made, it’s always the music first, then the lyrics are put in in the end. However, a cool song has to have cool lyrics. I think he succeeds in that.

How is this album different from Doomsday Rock’n’Roll?
- There’s no huge differences, but the variation is more evident. We’ve incorporated a little bit more Punk and good doze of Metal in addition to our Rock ‘n’ Roll basis. The songs are stronger and more instantly catchy. Also this time the production is better. It sounds more powerful due to a good and expensive studio. “Doomsday” was a very spontaneous album, “Booze” is more worked through.

How do you feel about the album, now that it’s been set loose into the world?
- You know, that’s a bit strange because we recorded this as early as January this year. So we’ve been living with the album for a long time now. Suddenly there are a lot of people showing interest. The cool thing is that, in spite of the time, the album still sounds really cool and I don’t get tired of it.

How did you guys end up on Nuclear Blast? Do you feel like the label is a good fit for you?
- We already had the connection through Dimmu, but it wasn’t until after we’ve recorded the debut the actual contract was written. It’s a really good label with a huge net of connections. The only thing is that Nuclear Blast is a pure Metal label, and I think we’re the only ones who play Rock ‘n’ Roll. But it seems that the Metal audience has no problems of accepting this.

What’s going on with your other project, Ashes to Ashes, while you’re away doing Chrome Division stuff? Is the band on hiatus or are you doing a juggling act between the two?
- Well, actually Ashes to Ashes is put on ice. So Chrome Division is my full time band now. The third album of Ashes to Ashes is recorded and it only missing some mixing and stuff, but the process is put on hold for indefinite time.

I’ve noticed that you’ve got some pretty sick Evil Dead tattoos; I guess it’d be safe to call you a horror fan, eh? What would you say has been the best and has been the most disappointing horror films of the last couple years? Do you take any inspiration for your musical endeavors from horror movies, or are they just an interest?
- Yeah, the Evil Dead piece is my last one. I’ve got tattoos with elements from “The Exorcist”, “The Omen”, “The Thing”, “Hellraiser”, “Alien” etc. My horror enthusiasm comes really across on my body now. To Chrome Division it wouldn’t fit with a strong horror image. But bands like Necrophagia succeeds in the combination of Metal and horror. When it comes to late flicks, I can’t think of any. I’m a fan of movies between the 60’s and the 80’s. After that it’s become rare to find some real scary ones. The J-Horror movement was a breath of fresh air, and then came all the American remakes which are shit.

What do you do when you’re not rocking out onstage or in the studio? Do you have a “day job”?
- Yeah. I work at a printing place, making T-shirts and stuff. It’s a really cool place were we can play loud Rock music and get rowdy. He he! I don’t think I would manage to work at a quiet place behind a desk.

Does Chrome Division have any plans to tour in support of the new record?
- Yeah, but little is confirmed. There have been some rumors about a small USA-tour in November, and we’re going to Germany in February, but first we’ll play some shows here in Norway.

What’s next for you guys?
- Just rehearsing a real killer live set, and putting it out to people whenever we have the chance. Soon we will continue writing for our third album.

Any parting shots or final words?
- Thank you for supporting Chrome Division. It’s nice to get so much attention during the release. I hope a lot of you guys will buy our album and have a blast with it. Invite friends, serve beer and crank it up!

The immortal.

WINTERS IN OSAKA pair up with CATHARSIS PR

Imagine what would happen if you took the gentle Canadian hippies behind Nadja’s blissful ambient drone-pop, locked them in a room stocked with Merzbow records, three used copies of “Streetcleaner,” and a drum machine, pumped them full of angel dust, tossed in a rabid wolverine or two, then sat back to watch the fun.

Sounds pretty interesting, right? Well, now imagine the aural equivalent, and you’re pretty close to what WINTERS IN OSAKA may sound like on any given day. That is, unless they’ve decided to indulge their powerviolent grindcore roots that morning, or gotten caught up in a swamp’s worth of drone-heavy doom after their afternoon siesta; perhaps they’re in the mood to worship the Sunn0))) well into the night. No matter what genre these Chicagoan noiseniks choose to explore, it’s safe to say that they’re going to do it a hell of a lot of justice, and inject some fresh venom into any number of dead scenes.

CATHARSIS PR is pleased to announce that we’ll be working with WINTER IN OSAKA to promote their particular strain of powernoise terrorism; keep your eardrums peeled for an upcoming split with BONGRIPPER, as well as a full-length due out in the early days of 2009.

Sounds of the underground...

What follows are a bunch of band profiles I'm putting into Hails & Horns' new "Unsigned Bands" section. These bands RULE and are all great friends of mine, so you owe it to yourself, Denizen of the Interwebs, to check them all out!


The Atlas Moth

What’s What: New Orleans may be the spiritual home of dirty rockin’ sludge, but damned if the Windy City ain’t givin’ it a run for its money with doom-hungry scions The Atlas Moth. Equal parts crushing and heartbreakingly beautiful, their dynamic take on filthy Southern sludge comes with a psychedelic sheen. Since their inception in 2007, the ‘Moth have already toured the United States three times and released a 7” and an EP, as well as securing a spot on legendary doom merchants Trouble’s upcoming Canadian tour.
“We are offering nothing but honest music. There is no flash, there is just honesty. We don’t use triggers, we don’t fake our music. In the metal world everything is so processed and fake now. There is no soul left. Hopefully we are offering a little bit of realness and soul back into a genre where practically none exists, “explains guitarist/throat Steven Giannopoulos.

They are currently touring and recording their debut full-length for release in 2009. Worshippers of the almighty riff, look no further -The Atlas Moth are your new favorite band.

Location: Chicago, IL

Current Release: “Hope For Atlantis” 7” & “Pray For Tides” EP (myspace.com/theatlasmothband)

Rocks Like: Neurosis, Eyehategod, Deftones, Envy, Coalesce

Ossein

What’s What: Drawing from elements of black metal, post rock, Japanese-style electronics, industrial, visual art and experimental sound, New Jersey’s answer to Ulver came into being in 2006 as the solo venture of Nile Bowie. After the addition of Itay Keren & Mat Noojin to the lineup, Ossein made a name for themselves by following muse Trent Reznor’s example and offering all of their releases for free online. 2008 saw the eclectic black metal of first release “Declination” give way to the genre-bending soundscapes of “Osaka,” drawing attention for their pro-vegetarian, politically-liberal stance.
“The multi-disciplinary theme of my project may have the potential to turn people who may have enjoyed my black metal work into enjoying my cleaner acoustic material, and finding more new artists from there. The potential of opening other's minds is what fuels me to create so rapidly,” says Bowie.

Ossein are currently working on their next release, a double album entitled “Fuhrer.” You NEED to hear this band – mere words don’t do ‘em any justice.

Location: Jersey City, NJ

Current Release: “Osaka” full-length (myspace.com/ossein)

Rocks Like: Ulver, Boris, Burzum, Misanthropy Legion, Sigur Ros


Misanthropy Legion

What’s What: “I think hearing any of our new material (under ideal listening conditions) is like being trapped in an acid-rain storm with your legs knee deep in melted copies of old Immortal releases,” muses Joe “Wraith” Adversario, frontman for New Jersey black metal cult Misanthropy Legion. The Legion has been around since 2005, unleashing their own particular brand of extreme left-hand path black metal upon unsuspecting victims and building up a reputation as a devastating live band with a no-bullshit attitude. A string of releases, culminating with 2007’s “ALAL,” have seen the band expand both ideologically and musically to include elements of d-beat/80’s hardcore and refine their lyrical focus on the inner workings of our doomed species.

Misanthropy Legion = no corpse paint, no fashion, no goat’s heads, no pretension: just unmerciless, gutsfucking black metal. Jersey’s filthiest have just completed their second full-length, “Eidolon,” and plan to launch a live assault on the East Coast in the summer of ’09.

Location: Cranbury, NJ

Current Release: “Eidolon” full-length (myspace.com/misanthropylegion)

Rocks Like: Craft,, Iskra, Absu, Inquisition, Bahimiron

MUNICIPAL WASTE IS GONNA FUCK YOU UP!

MUNICIPAL WASTE (w/At the Gates, July 9/10)
Live @ Irving Plaza *for Metal Maniacs
Kim Kelly


After the balls-out blackened thrash attack that was Toxic Holcaust, a heaping shovelful of Municipal Waste was just what the doctor ordered. Opening up with the disgustingly-catchy “Headbanger Face Rip” (I totally see zombies in my head whenever that song comes on), Richmond’s favored sons proceeded to practice what they preach, shredding off faces left and right and kicking up one of the most joyously sloppy circle pits I’ve ever seen. Seriously, would it have killed the bouncers to throw down some paper towels? I almost decapitated myself while circling it up to “Unleash the Bastards,” and seeing kids careen across the slippery floor in time to Ryan Waste’s destructive thrash riffs was almost as much fun as watching Tony and Landphil’s onstage antics. The Inebriator was sadly absent, as were the boogie boards and wizard hats that make this band so much fun at smaller shows, but the ‘Waste still managed to bring their trademark manic, beer-fueled energy to the bigger stage. Perhaps as a token of respect for their esteemed stagemates, Municipal Waste stepped up their performance a notch (which was about what one might expect from the band who wrote “Guilty of Being Tight”), and ripped through a speedy set of favorites. “Sadistic Magician,” “Terror Shark,” “Beer Pressure,” and “Sweet Attack” all did their part to keep the crossover flag flying high. The crowd ate it up, especially the kids covered in D.R.I. patches and the two dudes who came all the way up from Miami for the show only to have their boogie boards confiscated at the door (sick burn!). Municipal Waste’s high-octane blend of thrash and crusty hardcore punk may have befuddled some of the older ‘heads, but goddamn did it get the crowd pumped up. The epic closer, “Born to Party,” tore the place to shreds as the now-famous chant of “Municipal Waste is gonna fuck – you- UP!!” rang loud and proud up to the rafters. And fuck us up, they did; I’ve still got bruises. Party squad, unite!

Desecrating The Unholy Dogma: Black Metal’s Vicious New Killers

Desecrating The Unholy Dogma: Black Metal’s Vicious New Killers
Kim Kelly
*to be published in Unrestrained! Magazine



It’s a rainy night in Queens, and I’m standing on a dock overlooking the East River. The soft glow of the Manhattan skyline catches my gaze as the acrid scent of burning flesh wafts by, reminding me why I’m here. I turn to the vast abyss that looms behind me – an artist’s warehouse, hollow and empty save for boxes filled with wire and secrets, a smattering of solemn-faced people, and a fire pit, over which’s glowing embers two pigs are being roasted. An unlikely mélange of leather jackets, cheap beer, silver necklaces and ballerina flats populate this alien slice of the city; flanked by an upscale restaurant and a loading dock, this “venue” seems as out of place here as its temporary residents, and no one is quite certain of what to expect. Some of us – the longhairs and the bullet-belted - are here to see a metal show; others are drawn by their curiosity about this gathering of black-clad people, and about the spectacle to come. This city has a way of bringing strangers together in the strangest places, especially if the words “free” and “BYOB” happen to be involved.
As night fell, Krallice took the stage. If you haven’t yet heard about Brooklyn’s most talked-about black metal project, you’d fail to understand the sort of spell they cast over the audience, or how effortlessly they managed to fill that cavernous space up to its very rafters with a raging inferno of sound and chaos. Much like Wolves In The Throne Room or Watain, one must witness Krallice’s particular brand of BM live in order to fully appreciate it. There is no corpse paint, no inverted crosses or cow’s blood. There are no histrionics or posturing or pretensions towards grimness. The members of Krallice simply play their music with passion, with emotion, with determination and with feeling, and that is what makes it so compelling. They don’t need to invoke Satan or decorate their microphones stands with bones; as far as Krallice is concerned, the Devil’s in the details.
The band was formed in the summer of 2007 by Mick Barr and Colin Marston. According to guitarist Marston, Krallice was originally borne of a mutual desire to play together, bolstered by the rapport the two had built up over years of working in tandem on various musical endeavors. Barr had guested on several releases by Marston’s other bands, while in turn Marston has engineered several of Barr’s albums. Both of them boast extremely diverse, technical musical backgrounds, as Marston’s work in Dysrhythmia, Behold…The Arctopus, and Byla, and Barr’s participation/solo work (Othrelm, Ocrilim, Octis, and more) can attest. The lineup was rounded out by drummer LevWeinstein that fall, then solidified in April 2008 with the addition of bassist Nick McMaster. Krallice’s rhythm section are no slouches either. Weinstein pulls double-duty behind the kit in NYC avant-doom noiseniks Bloody Panda, and, in addition, McMaster holds down the low end in Astomatous, Sallah, and Hymn while Weinstein holds court behind the kit. With members that boast a veritable laundry list of projects under their collective belts yet participate in no black or even thrash metal bands to speak of, a throwaway description of Krallice as, “black metal played by non-black metal dudes” may indeed fit, if only on the most superficial of levels. As one might expect, Martson’s hackles raised a bit when faced with that particular analysis." If it means you have to be a Satanist and wear corpsepaint, then I suppose that statement is correct. But if you think that way, not only are you full of shit, you're just ignorant: Venom weren't Satanists, Enslaved never wore corpsepaint, and the list goes on.”
The man’s got a point. It’s 2008, not 1994, and the once colorless, grim face of black metal is changing, finally trying on new personas and expressions; it’s only fitting that the members of Krallice keep theirs bare. The widespread critical acclaim and mainstream (comparatively-speaking) acceptance of bands like Xasthur, Wolves in the Throne Room, Nachtmystium, and Withered has dragged the genre kicking and screaming out of its frozen lair and shone a spotlight on the emaciated corpses of Quorthon’s progeny. That doesn’t mean that they have to like it, though.
“To be fair, most of that sentiment probably comes from the fact that Mick and I are not known for making black metal, but believe it or not, it is possible for musicians to make different kinds of music throughout their lives (even multiple kinds at the same time!). Since this music is written by us, it's going to sound like us. If it didn't, it would be pretty false, right? I decided to play in a black metal band because it's a style that speaks to me and has for a long time. I've always been strongly attracted to music that appears to be cloaked or shrouded… music that suggests that there is more substance than may be immediately apparent or understandable. It is this attraction that has drawn me to very simplistic, noisy music as well as extremely complex composition.”
Substance is one thing that Krallice could never be accused of lacking; they manage to pack more riffs, ideas, and atmosphere into one song than many of their peers can manage to scrape together for an entire record. Graced by artwork from artist Karlynn Holland, their self-titled debut has racked up massive praise for its forward-thinking approach to the black metal aesthetic, and as has been mentioned previously, their live show seldom stops short of mesmerizing. Blackened drone passages recall a better-produced Xasthur or tranqued-out Deathspell Omega, with just enough menacing riffage to keep things at a steady death march. The dual guitarmonies of Barr and Marston lay a firm foundation of technical prowess, spiderwebbed by meandering pieces of ambience and viciously menacing hyperblasts (courtesy of the criminally-capable Weinstein). In short, it’s a hell of a record, one that would fit comfortably between “Dead As Dreams,” "Nattens Madrigal," “Diadem of the Twelve Stars,” and “The Eye of Every Storm” on your CD shelf (fitting, as Marston names Ulver, Weakling, and Neurosis amongst his main musical influences for Krallice).
Weakling worship and buzzsaws in the throne room characterize this new wave of American black metal, and with the release of their first longplayer, Krallice have already made their mark on the ever-evolving USBM scene. Recorded on 2” tape by Marston at his own Thousand Caves Studio in Brooklyn, the production is far from raw; rather, the instruments are given room to breathe, so that their individual sounds shine through the darkness. According to Marston, this was done intentionally. “We recorded every instrument separately. We tracked all the guitars next to the amps (for feedback and sustain), and I used distant mics (sometimes putting a mic in a, altogether different room from the sound source) on everything to give the record a cavernous depth. All the guitar parts were doubled or tripled with varying tones, again to thicken the texture. I refrained from using any simulated reverb, drum triggering, and hardly any compression to leave the band sounding open and organic. I also didn't master the album super loud for the same reason. People should learn how to operate a volume knob!”
As far as the end result goes, Martson is content. “I do feel like we achieved our goal of making an awesome record with a pretty unique voice. I also achieved a personal goal in terms of the production of the album. I've always wanted to make a record that sounds like this and was never allowed to (or it wasn't appropriate) in my other bands.”
Speaking of his “other bands,” one’s got to give it to Marston – he’s got a Ringling-worthy balancing act going on, and shows no signs of slowing down.
“We have a bunch of local shows scheduled, and maybe a tour if Fenriz decides to put together a live band and have us open for Isengard. Other than that we've been working on the next album since January whenever we have time. So far we have enough song structures for two new records, so we'll probably just pick around five of those for the next album and then have a jumpstart on the third.”
From his mouth to our ears. Planning three albums ahead ain’t nothin’ to musicians of this caliber; the hardest part will be waiting for the next breath of fresh, stagnant air that these black metal iconoclasts chose to unleash upon our sorry souls. You have been warned.

Copremesis "Muay Thai Ladyboys"

*to be published on About.com


Unlike some of the other new albums I’ve been spinning this month (I’m looking at you, Klabautamann), NY’s Copremesis are anything but difficult to describe. Let’s break it down.

1. They’re from New York.
2. They like uber-explicit sexually-oriented artwork (i.e. titties and she-males).
3. They play goregrind and undoubtedly felt very much at home sharing a bill with bands like Pyrexia, The Day Everything Became Nothing, and Malignancy.

Any questions?


To be fair, there is a bit more to Copremesis than that (but just barely). The vocalist is ridiculous, even by goregrind’s unintelligible standards. Stomach-churning lows spew forth like human waste from the soiled bowels of Bangkok’s most disease-infested slums, and ride the crimson wave above a stock set of genre-approved riffs, grooves, and techy bits. I’ll admit, the “Thai” vocal interlude in the title track caught me off guard, but that momentary gibbering racket is about the only thing that stood out about this release.

You can tell that these dudes know what they’re doing; moments of technical ability and songwriting prowess shine through the slime, but usually end up buried under genre clichés. I love goregrind as much as the next girl (well…make that “a whole lot more than” the next girl, realistically-speaking) but Muay Thai Ladyboys is lacking that vital ingredient the band needs to separate from their vast mob of filthy-minded peers. Here’s hoping that Copremesis focuses more on songwriting and less on tranny porn (buy the CD and you’ll see what I mean) on their next effort.

Kim Kelly 2008

Some album reviews and general misanthropy

Note: I love powerviolence/crust/grindcore/d-beat. I also love black metal. I HATE deathcore. Death metal rules.

I was talking to a friend of mine last night about how, in his opinion, it's unfair to hate on a band simply because they belong to a particular musical genre; he feels that one should give each individual group a chance and evaluate them based on their own merits (or lack thereof). I definitely see where he's coming from, but come on - I'm convinced there are some genres/subgenres/styles out there that deserve nothing but scorn. Case in point: nu-metal, female-fronted symphonic/gothic metal, and everyone's favorite whipping boy, deathcore.

I gave deathcore a chance back before its heroes' logos were splashed across every high school kid's emaciated chest and its particular brand of sonic insult was blasting through every pit ninja's Ipod. I still dig Devourment, and have always been more than okay with Dying Fetus & Suffo's breakdowns, but that's about as far as I can go. I don't understand the appeal. Breakdowns can be cool, but not when you base an entire fucking song around them. If you like death metal PARTS, why don't you just write death metal SONGS instead of cherry-picking the bits you like best and mashing them up into something so unnervingly generic I worry about our youth's cognitive skills? There's a lot more that can be said on the subject (and probably will) but I'll spare you any more of my vitriol for now.

Keeping that in mind, check out a couple new reviews I did for Hails & Horns.


ENEMY SOIL [[sidebar]]
“Casualties of Progress”

Powergrinding into oblivion

Richmond, VA’s drum-machine noiseterrorists Enemy Soil disbanded in 1999, and it’s a damn shame they did. The world could use another balls-out straight-up grindcore outfit around to show the influx of newjack irony-grinders out there how shit’s supposed to be done. Luckily, Relapse have continued with their spate of quality reissues by putting out Enemy Soil’s “Casualties of Progress” EP, complete with unreleased songs and a Napalm Death cover. Remastered by Scott Hull (whose project Agoraphobic Nosebleed once counted Enemy Soil mainman Robert Johnson amongst its members), the nine tracks on this album careen by at warp speed. In true fastcore fashion, the damn thing’s over in sixteen minutes. For those who aren’t familiar with Enemy Soil, shame on you – you call yourself a grindfreak? For those who are, you should know what you’re getting into here: viciously primitive, mercilessly fast, crusty, powerviolent grindcore with sociopolitical lyrics, backed by the drum machine from hell. An essential piece of extreme metal history from a band of innovators who freed the drum machine from the techno ghetto, and an absolute must-have for everyone who wishes Dropdead were still together. IN GRIND WE CRUST, motherfuckers! (Kim Kelly) (Relapse/www.relapse.com)


BLOODBATH [[sidebar]]
“Unblessing the Purity”

Everything Mikeal Akerfeldt touches turns to gold. Gory, blasphemous, Jesus-hatin’ gold.

Bloodbath, everyone’s favorite Swedish death metal standard-bearers, are back with a four-song EP and a decimating live DVD (discussed elsewhere in the issue). I for one would rather that they stop futzing around and just put out another goddamn full-length already, but when even an EP knocks the wind out of 90% of the other death metal releases that came out this year, I’m almost afraid of what will happen when the Bloodbath gang get their shit together and unleash hell yet again. As per usual, this supergroup’s had a few lineup changes between this and the monstrous “Nightmares Made Flesh.” This time, Dan Swano jumped ship and was duly replaced by Per Eriksson, Mighty Mikeal’s back on vokills, and Peter Tatgren is but a distant memory. Musically, Unblessing the Purity” reeks of Entombed, Dismember, & pre-hippie Amorphis, just beefed up a bit with a greater emphasis on technicality, atmosphere, and more varied tempos. Akerfelt sounds positively demonic on “Blasting the Virginborn,” while “Weak Aside” is utterly owned by the sickest guitar solo this side of Stockholm. My only gripe is that this EP is slightly lacking in the catchiness department – the riffs stick in your head well enough, but this one’s sadly bereft of “Eaten Pt. II” (though I’ll keep on hoping!). You’ve got our attention, boys – now make with the full-length.


CATALEPSY
“Iniquity”

Abomination and desolation.

This band is fucking stupid. Deathcore-by-numbers from the kind of dudes who almost certainly describe what they play as “brutal technical death metal,” which means they really dug that Necrophagist guy’s record and think sweeps are awesome. Also, breakdowns. Lots and lots of breakdowns. This sort of shit makes me feel so old; when I was this band’s fans’ age, I was getting into Morbid Angel and Bathory, not Waking The Cadaver and Abigail Williams. I don’t understand the appeal of deathcore, but gosh darn does it sell. Catalepsy’s Stillborn debut opens with a weird industrialized-machinery-in-an-old-abandoned-factory-populated-by-Orcs intro that leads into a roar of “I will destroy,” then the inevitable breakdown. Then they do it again a bunch of times, except without the intro (except for the acoustic interlude on track six). That’s it. That’s the album. They don’t even have the requisite cred-giving, tortured-looking thrash/death metal longhair lurking in the background of their promo pics to metal ‘em up. Sorry to break it to you, kids, but you’re not destroying shit – just perpetuating it. (Kim Kelly) (Stillborn Records / www.stillbornrecords.com)


DESASTER
“Satan’s Soldiers Syndicate”

I’m a sucker for this kind of thing. Mid-to-fast-as-fuck-paced, fuzzy, Satan-fellating, Venom-worshipping, thrashy black metal is my shit, and Desaster fit that bill with relish. These guys are something of a hidden gem; they formed the same year I was born (1988, if you must know) and are about as old school as it gets, but oddly enough, it seems like no one’s ever heard of ‘em. Hopefully their latest opus will put ‘em back on the black metal map and rally the old guard who remember the demo days. This is essentially a straight-forward black/thrash assault, well-executed and honest. Standout track “Tyrannizer” made me fall in love with this kind of music all over again– a strong mid-paced melody marches grimly forward, tempered with the kind of vocals sure to make Tom G. Warrior long for his mascara-and-leather days and a menacing groove that will NOT be ignored. Fuck. This record rules. Thrash ‘til death! (Kim Kelly) (Metal Blade/www.metalblade.com)

NADJA Live Review

NADJA
Live Review for Metal Maniacs
7/08
Kim Kelly


New York City’s Knitting Factory isa great place to see live music, especially given the fact that at any time, there can be as many as three very different and wholly separate shows going on behind that unassuming brick façade. The real fun comes between sets, when the sweaty masses make a break for the smoking section outside and one is free to observe what happens when a bunch of hip hop fans, metalheads, hipsters and more are corralled behind a rope and forced to share the same six-foot stretch of concrete.
In more practical terms, its low lighting and hushed atmosphere lend themselves surprisingly well to performances by heavier bands. Tonight’s show was no exception. Experimental doom duo Nadja took the stage shortly after ten, and proceeded to woo the audience into a collective trance with their blissed-out drone-pop. Between poking fun at themselves (“Hey, we’re called Nadja and we’re from Canada…eh?) and fiddling with the pile of effects pedals that rested atop a small table onstage (effectively serving as the band’s third member), Nadja concerned themselves with spinning a sonic web of texture and hypnosis, ensnaring all who stood still to witness it. Layer after layer of fuzzed-out drone crashed over us like so many ocean waves, building in intensity over and over again only to break and drift back into ambient calm. They continued in this vein for the entirety of their set, which felt like it lasted a century even though the clock only counted out thirty minutes.
To be honest, this sort of music is always hit or miss in a live setting – sometimes it’s transcendent, sometimes it’s alright, and sometimes, well, it’s about as exciting as watching grass grow. As far as fans of the style are concerned, Nadja definitely falls into the former category, but by the end of their third and final song, I could see some members of the audience beginning to get a bit antsy. I’d been under the impression that Nadja were headlining, so imagine my surprise when Grails took the stage and kicked up the energy by about a half dozen notches with their Pitchfork-approved brand of eclectic instrumental jams. I wouldn’t call it metal by a long shot, and honestly, I still don’t see what all the buzz is about, but the kids seemed to be eating it up. More “world music meets post-doom” than anything else, Grails mix semi-exotic instrumentation (sitar, harpsichord) and plenty of Eastern influence with soft keys, violin, and harmonica, then inject it into psychedelic drone-rock. Adventurous to be sure, but I still think Nadja should have headlined.

Possessed live review

POSSESSED
Live Review for Metal Maniacs Magazine
Kim Kelly


So I just moved to Brooklyn, home of Malcolm X, “Brooklyn-style” pizza, and more skinny-jean-wearing hipsters than you can shake an ironically angled stick at. You’ll also find Europa, a Eurotrash dance club that moonlights as a metal Mecca, occupying a dingy block in this particular little slice of New Yawk. Every few weeks, an influx of black leather and long hair pours into the neighborhood, confounding tourists and, by now I’m sure, leaving the natives wholly unimpressed. Europa’s the kind of place that has curtains of beads separating the bar from the johns, with flashing blue lights, candlelit corners, and a reputation for hosting shows that carry on until the wee hours of the morning – a rep I was wholly unaware of when I decided to hit up a show there on a Sunday night. Not just any show, either; a nine-band thrash “fest” (meaning, “We booked too many bands, so we’re gonna charge you thirty bucks and you’re gonna like it”), featuring the “reunited” incarnation of Possessed.
The show started late, with Philly warlords Sacrificial Blood kicking off the festivities. Their basement-tested thrashitude kicked off the first (and last) circle pit of the evening, and led into a slew of similar, but slightly less-interesting nouveau thrash bands that probably tear shit up in their respective hometowns. Cleveland’s Midnight stood out, partially for their immensely-satisfying brew of thrashy black metal, but mainly because they insisted on wearing executioner-style hoods during their set (might explain why the drumming was so sloppy, eh?) and led up to the first “big band” of the night, Rumpelstiltskin Grinder. The Philly thrash brigaders tore through a couple new songs before they were unceremoniously cut off – turns out the show was running a bit later than anticipated. It’s a damn shame, as I’d say they’re one of the more underrated bands out there today. Blood Feast and Sadistic Intent served up some perfectly serviceable, if not damn good, vintage death/thrash but failed to get my neck snapping; one can only listen to the same riff so many times without wishing for some experimental free jazz or something to liven shit up (or at least some blastbeats).
Mortician are ridiculously heavy live, but I just could not take them seriously, what with Will Rahmer jerking around up on stage like a meticulously-groomed robot. The man’s a walking bicep. You’d think that playing bass in a uber-groovy death metal band would give the guy some rhythm, but sometimes…logic doesn’t work?
At War whipped the crowd into a frenzy, playing classic thrash that hasn’t aged a bit in their twenty years of boozin’ and ‘bangin and thoroughly proved that, to hell with trendy “retro” bands - the heart and soul of thrash metal lies within the old guard. There’s really nothing else like it.
Now, we all know that Possessed circa 2008 is not quite the Possessed of days of yore. An entirely different band plus one founding member does not a reunion make,
but try telling that to Jeff Becerra. Wheelchair be damned, he was still thrashing like it was 1985, and his voice - the guttural, throat-shredding rasp that launched a thousand death metal bands – was nastier than ever. Becerra and the Sadistic Intent boys tore through a full range of classics, including plenty off Seven Churches (“Evil Warriors” in particular slayed) and ending, of course, on the immortal “Death Metal.” He was more or less incoherent between songs, and was obviously far from sober, but whenever the music kicked back in he was right back there, screaming his heart out like only he can and, as is more than fitting, acting like a soul possessed. Bands become legends for a reason, and seeing Jeff Becerra that night was all the proof one could ever need that Possessed is one of those bands. Let him tour with whoever the fuck he wants; I don’t care if the next Possessed tour has David fucking Bowie on bass. I’ll still be there in the front row, banging my head, throwing the horns, and wishing I’d been born twenty years sooner.

Toxic Holocaust *cover story*

My first cover story :)
TOXIC HOLOCAUST for Resound Magazine
Kim Kelly

Thrash and black metal are like peanut butter and chocolate; as separate entities, they’re great. Combined, they’re an unparalleled symphony of perfection, and if ingested in unhealthy quantities…they’ll fuck your stomach to hell and back and leave you crying for Mama. It’s a delicate balance that must be struck; too much thrash, and you lose black metal’s menacing Satanic atmosphere, but if you throw too much of the black stuff into the mix, you lose the sense of urgency and circle-pitting fury that makes thrash so much fun. Many bands try to whip up that elusive recipe successfully, but most end up burning themselves pretty badly, or just falling flat. Luckily, the ones that get it, really get it.
Case in point – Seattle, Washington’s own Toxic Holocaust serve up a heaping helping of blackened thrash metal that’s sure to satisfy the hungriest thrashers and most ravenous black metal warriors alike. The man behind the bullet belt and shades, Joel Grind himself, took time out to answer a question or two about TH’s upcoming Relapse debut, An Overdose of Death, and shed some light on what keeps the toxic waste flowing.
Since the band’s inception in 1999, Grind has unleashed some nineteen splits, EPs, demos, and compilations upon the unsuspecting masses with Toxic Holocaust, as well as acting as a live/session member for a variety of other bands, including Gravewurm and Japanese legends Abigail. The new record will be Toxic Holocausts’s third full-length. Joel seems unperturbed by his superhuman productivity rate – when asked how he manages to find time for all of that thrash, his response was short and sweet: “Just loving doing it, ya know. I never looked at any of it as a chore, it was all fun and is continuing to be fun. Why do it if you don’t like it?”
As any hesher with internet access and a pair of reasonably-intact eardrums can tell, thrash metal is the new big thing to hit the metal scene. Well, sort of. Thrash has been around for decades now, with the late greats doing their best to stay true and its more valiant survivors holding strong to past glories, still making badass music and killing it live through thick and thin. Now, kids who were born the same year Bonded by Blood was released have grown up, donned the requisite white Reeboks and vintage Overkill shirts, and started up a new wave of “old school” thrash metal bands. Some of them are awful, some of them have potential, and some are actually pretty damn good. It’s a great and terrible time to put out a new thrash metal album; you could either sell a ton of records and ride the new wave, or get swallowed up in the masses of patched jackets and unwashed hair that’s been clogging up the market for the last year or so.
Luckily for Grind, Toxic Holocaust has an instantly-recognizable sound that sets the band apart from the legions of like-minded thrash outfits that are out now. His songs seem to draw equally from the first wave of black metal and the glory days of thrash metal - Bathory, Hellhammer, Sarcofago, Venom. You can hear all of these bands (especially Bathory, who Grind cites as his main musical influence) in TH’s sound, alongside the more “typical” thrash elements. “I play music that I like to hear, it has a lot of elements of those bands but also a lot of punk too. Toxic stuff is always simple to the point Metal.” When faced with the unavoidable question about the latest trend to hit the metal scene (you guessed it, “retro” thrash), Grind is ambivalent. “I have no idea if it’s back or whatever, I like the enthusiasm, I just hope that I don’t get lumped in with any kind of fad. I’ll still be here after it’s over.” So where did that toxic blend of black, thrash, and attitude come from? “Hanging out with kids in the neighborhood, skateboarding and getting tapes from their older brothers. Stuff like Megadeth, Nuclear Assault and D.R.I. were constant staples. I started this band because at the time, there weren’t many bands still playing music like this.”
TH has been largely a solo project since its inception, with the addition of live members for shows and tours and guest musicians on several releases. As of now, Grind has put together a full band, adding two former members of Rammer and setting his sights on a full-scale invasion of the US of A. His first victory? Securing a spot on the unbearably-highly anticipated At The Gates reunion show, playing alongside Darkest Hour and friends Municipal Waste, the latter of which he has to thank for that sweetest of sweet spots. “Me getting on that tour had all to do with the guys in Municipal Waste. ATG were looking for an opening band, and the Waste guys suggested us. Those guys have really looked out for us, and we love touring with them. We always get along well, and there’s always some sort of rude behavior going on.” Grind reveals that his next undertaking will be going out with Overkill, and then continuing to tour his balls off!
After releasing his past material on a number of smaller labels, it turns out that the road to Relapse was less long and hard than simple and direct. “I think what led me to working with Relapse was the demo I did in 2007, It had some of the tracks from the new record on it. Relapse has been great to work with, it seems like they are the same page as I am when it comes to where I want Toxic to go in.” Complemented by some sick-ass cover art, courtesy of an up-and-coming artist called Halsey, An Overdose of Death is due out this fall.

Arckanum feature

A Flaming Sword of Vengeance: Underground Black Metal’s Darkest Flame
Kim Kelly

“Black metal.”
There was once a time when those words had the power to strike genuine fear into a nation’s collective heart, to inspire sensational headlines, to garner hatred and deep mistrust. It was once downright feared, exactly as its practitioners intended it to be. This was before the music was tainted by commercial greed and transformed by outside influences, before the genre’s forefathers left this world or turned their backs on their musical roots, and before modern production techniques and Headbanger’s Ball made black metal “safe.”
Some say that things were better, more real, in those days, while others look to the future of black metal with great anticipation. Whatever your stance on the subject, know this: there are still some bands out there who adhere strictly to the old ways, who shun ProTools and worship the cosmic fury of a dark lord instead of the almighty dollar. There are still some who really MEAN what they kill their throats to say. Case in point: the Swedish necrowarfare of Arckanum, presided over by sole member Shaamatae. He was gracious enough to take time away from his latest opus, Antikosmos (Moribund) to answer some questions and cast a shadow over the methods behind the madness.

Kim Kelly:Tell me about Antikosmos, your new album. What significance does the title hold? Is there any sort of theme or unifying conceptual thread that ties the album together?

Shamaatae: ANTIKOSMOS represents my anti-cosmic worship of the dark gods and Chaos. It is a religion with a foundation in Chaos-Gnostic belief. I chose to work with the Old Norse giants and traditional praxis, and therefore I have written the full album in Runic Swedish, the mother language to ancient and modern Swedish. The album is a total dedication to the anti-cosmic essence which from Chaos intrudes the cosmos – to incinerate it! Hail Surtr – The Black One with the Flaming Sword of Vengeance!

I understand that Arckanum is currently a one-man project; is this by choice, by necessity, or for some other reason? Do you plan on expanding the lineup in the future, or you content with Arckanum as is?

I am alone in Arckanum because I am Arckanum. Any other influence would kill the atmosphere and sound of Arckanum. I need to be alone in this band to create this harsh and raw sound. There will never be any more members in Arckanum. The day I want members, I will end Arckanum and start a new band (kind of what I did with The Hearsemen!)

What is your writing/recording process like? Who handled production duties on the record?
Normally I write all guitar-riffs at home and at my rehearsal place, and improvise the drumming in the studio, but for the ANTIKOSMOS album I pre-recorded the guitar-tracks and used a metronome, to which I played drums while recording. The drumming was still improvised, but this time I had the guitar-arrangements pre-recorded to play to. It was kind of an experiment, and luckily it turned out to be smooth. I was the producer, and I always am. Tomas at Sunlight Studio just recorded the album.

The production on Antikosmos is definitely very raw and“orthodox”-sounding, by black metal standards at least. Why do you choose to record your music in such a manner when there are a variety of modern techniques available that some say render low-fi recording more or less obsolete? I personally prefer the more DIY approach, as do many fans of this style, but I’m curious as to your reasoning behind using it.

Black metal is supposed to be raw and harsh sounding, and for Arckanum, this is a very important elements. I want people to feel the hatred in my production, so I chose to let it be simple and raw.

The first track on Antikosmos, “Svarti,” is a very ritualistic-sounding, menacing wall of ambient sound, overlaid by the sound of a voice speaking. Several similar tracks can be found on the album, as well; what’s the story behind them?

The ambient tracks are my ritualistic songs on the album, as ANTIKOSMOS itself is a Chaos ritual; all songs are dedications to the dark gods. The introduction is the opening ritual, the “Blóta Loka” song is an anti-cosmic Loki ritual, and the outro is the closing ritual.

How important is this ritualistic element to your music?
Very important. The first thing I do on an album is write the lyrics/ ritualistic homage. Every single detail, from music to layout, is my devotions to the anti-cosmic Chaos gods. As a Satanist there is no other way.

What is the underlying purpose behind Arckanum?
- To plant Frǽ Hyrrokini!

What sort of topics do you discuss in your lyrics? As an English-speaking person, I’m incapable of understanding what you’re saying, but I know that you are known for your devotion to the pagan god Pan; is it safe to assume that much of your lyrical content focuses on this deity and your relationship therewith?

The ANTIKOSMOS album is a Chaos ritual; it praises the dark giants of the underworld to come and start war with the cosmos, to burn down all, and to free the true spirits.

What are your thoughts on Satanic black metal bands, and those who merely claim to be Satanic? How important is ideology to this sort of music, in your opinion? Could you respect a band that created absolutely mind-blowing, flawless music, but were Christian? How about it they were NS/racist/White Power?
Arckanum is purely Satanic and I think black metal should be hateful, an adversary. Christians have nothing to do in this scene; such an attempt would only be pathetic. What are they angry at? What do they hate? What do they sing about? To keep their pee-pee in their pants till they are married? Are they angry at all people that refuse to join their hypocrisy-parade? That Jews make more money than them? That Satan WILL burn their weak spirits?
The whole racist thing I don’t understand and defiantly don’t agree with.

Your vocal style is very extreme, even as far as black metal goes; how did you develop your voice, who inspired you to begin singing this way, and how do you maintain your health while singing in such a physically- taxing manner?

No-one, I just sang and this is how it came out, ha ha ha… I have never tried to form it or improve it. I sing till I spit blood (no exaggeration) and I can’t normally talk for a day or two after recording. Maintaining health, ha ha, are you kidding me? This is black metal, if it doesn’t hurt something’s wrong…

Without whom would Arckanum not exist – i.e. which bands, artists, and elements have influenced you in terms of this project?

Mid 80’s thrash and black metal. Satanism made me open my eyes to the more harsh music around the beginning of the 90’s. Old rehearsal tapes with Polish, Swedish, and Norwegian black metal fed my hungry flame when I started Arckanum. Hand-drawn hate with lousy recorded rehearsal songs! Fuck, that is inspiring, even today!

Who would you consider to be your musical peers?

I would say Watain or Dissection – because anti-cosmic Satanism lures my spirit.

What type of non-metal bands do you enjoy listening to?

Wow, that is a lot. Good music is good music; I listen to a lot of 20-30´s jazz and dark Satanic ambient.

Where do you see yourself (and Arckanum) in ten years? In twenty?

My self will be much stronger and wiser, since I will have been drinking much of the black poisonous waters in the underworld.

What’s next for Arckanum after Antikosmos is released? Do you have any shows planned, or do you prefer to abstain from live performances?

No live, that’s how it is. Right now, I have no plans. You never know what Arckanum do next.

Any final thoughts or parting words?

Check out my other band www.thehearsemen.se, we have just recorded our debut album and we are looking for a good label! Also check out my books that I am writing: “PanParadox: Pan Towards Chaos”, “GullveigaRbók”, and “URAM”, read about my authorship on my website www.vexior.se. And always visit the Arckanum website www.arckanum.se and the Arckanum myspace www.myspace.com/officialarckanummyspace!

Abysmal Dawn feature

ABYSMAL DAWN
Feature for RESOUND Magazine
Kim Kelly


Since releasing their Relapse debut, Programmed to Consume, Abysmal Dawn have been turning heads and snapping necks with their dizzying blend of technicality and balls-out groove, redefining the definition of “modern death metal” and shredding the false as they go along. “Art always reflects our life and times, and I think this record depicts the desperate times we’re all in, “ says Charles Elliot, vocalist/guitarist of the LA death metallers. I managed to track down him down between the band’s recent West Coast run with Victimas and Fields of Elysium and their upcoming dates with Origin and Misery Index on the Relapse Contamination tour next month. Like they always say, there’s no rest for the wicked.

So, could you give me a brief history of the band, for those who are not yet familiar with Abysmal Dawn? I know that you guys formed around 2003, and after releasing your first demo, immediately began to attract attention.

The band was formed in November of 2003 by Jamie and Terry and I. I had played in another band called Inhuman Visions when I was still a teenager with Jamie. We went our separate ways for a while and them talked about getting that band back together. The founding guys weren’t really into the idea so Jamie and I formed our own thing. Terry was an old friend of Jamie’s and he knew a couple of Inhuman Visions songs. We tried him out and never looked back. At fist it was my intention to just be the guitar player and find a singer. We had one rehearsal with Dan from Crematorium on vocals but it soon came apparent that he didn’t have the time. In hindsight maybe he wouldn’t have been the best choice stylistically but we thought he was a great singer and could do a lot of different voices. By the time we did our fist demo in October of 2004 with our friend Sacha from Intronaut recording us, I was singing. In the end I think it was best because I always had an idea of what I wanted the band to be a about lyrically. In November of 2005 we recorded our first album “From Ashes,” which Crash Music licensed from us. We did an amazing tour with Six Feet Under, Krisiun and Decapitated and were lucky enough to play with reunited legends like Emperor and Immortal. That pretty much brings us to today. So far it’s been a great ride.

How does your history with Jamie Boulanger, with whom you’d previously played in Inhuman Visions, help contribute to the writing and guitar-playing in Abysmal Dawn?

We’ve been playing together for so long we just lock in together I think. We both listen to similar bands as well but maybe I have the more eccentric tastes. I write the vast majority of the music but Jamie writes as well. For his songs I usually end up arranging them mostly for vocals and adding a few riffs. I’m sure he hates me for it (laughs). Other than that I think our styles of lead playing have always complemented each other very nicely.

You guys are a fairly young band, yet with about five years under your belt, you’ve already played with the likes of Exodus, Incantation, Hate Eternal, Exhumed, and tons of other highly-respected, kickass bands. Abysmal Dawn’s rise to the top has been nothing short of meteoric; to what do you attribute your success?

I don’t know really, I think it’s just been a hard work ethic. I’ve always tried to push the band to do things in a timely manner and not just wait for things to happen. Both “From Ashes” and “Programmed to Consume” for example were both self-financed recordings. “From Ashes” was licensed to Crash Music and we had already started recording “Programmed…” when Relapse approached us. I think if you’re always looking forward and working hard, as long as you have some sort of talent good things will happen.

Your first album for Relapse has recently been unleashed upon the metal masses, and has already been making waves. How did you guys end up on Relapse in the first place?

Well we had just decided not to do our next record with Crash Music and to record the album ourselves, as I said. About half way through the recording process, while I was still finishing up lyrics, they hit us up. We were talking to a few other labels at the time but they were the ones that we were most hyped on and they seemed the most eager to work with us as well. It was somewhat of a surprise that they contacted us really. They’ve sort of shifted away from death metal over the years while still putting out great music. It’s just an honor to be on a label that has put out so many great death metal bands like Nile, Incantation, Origin, Dying Fetus, Misery Index, Morgion etc. over the years. I hear a lot of people say they think it’s really great that they still acknowledge those roots and signed a band like us too. So far being on the label has been really great.

What can you tell me about the album title, and overall concept behind the lyrics/music? “Programmed to Consume” is definitely not your run-of-the-mill blood, guts, and gutted girls death metal record!

I grew up listening to a lot of bands with gore and satanic themes but I always wanted to sort of stay away from that, at least in the traditional sense. We have a song like “Grotesque Modern Art” for example that deals with an artist that uses his death as his final masterpiece. The concept may be gruesome but it’s not especially graphic and it has more to say with the story rather than just being an attempt at shock. “Compulsory Resurrection” toys with the idea of cloning Jesus and the affect a man made deity would have on the Christian faith. In the song my conclusion is that a lot of people would lose faith when they see he’s just a man, but there will always be those fanatics who blindly hold on. Over all I think the lyrics deal with my misanthropic views and how we’re controlled by society. The title of the album not only make mention of how we’re brainwashed into becoming consumers but also how mankind consumes everything in it’s path. The idea that we’re a cancer without a cure runs throughout the lyrics. A lot of what I’m saying is really rooted in these dark times we’re in today.

What was the writing and recording process like for “Programmed to Consume”?

This record came together much quicker as opposed to “From Ashes.” That album was written over a period of a couple of years and actually had two songs on it from 2000/2001 that were intended for Inhuman Visions. After being on the road for almost a month and a half I personally felt very inspired to start writing another record. Coming back home after that tour was a bit rough as well. I had no job and a lot of personal problems. That dark period really brought out a lot out of me in a much shorter amount of time. Not being enslaved to the daily grind of a 9 to 5 allowed me a lot of time to think about things. By the time we actually got into the studio we were ready to make a much more pissed off record. Art always reflects our life and times and I think this record depicts the desperate times we’re all in.

In a way I think the studio vibe was a bit more laid back though. We recorded with John Haddad who had done the first one, but his new studio was based out of his house. There was more to do around his place when we weren’t recording and we had much more time for this record. “From Ashes” was actually recorded and mixed in only 10 days so we spent some pretty long days in the studio. This time I think we did about 16 8 hour days of tracking total. John did a little bit of mixing and editing while I took about a month to finish the lyrics as well. We also had time to add things like intros, keyboards and little effects that we didn’t have time to do before.

I have to say the first couple of days were rough though. John had a lot of problems with his new studio since no one had recorded there yet. We lost out on a few days for the drums, which would have been helpful. The first day we were supposed to start recording was the day that Vitek (Decapitated drummer) passed away. That was some pretty harsh news for us. We had gotten to know him pretty well on that tour and became good friends. Those guys even stayed at my house when they came through on the “Summer Slaughter” tour. That was the last time I saw him. He’ll be sorely missed. I really hope Covan gets better soon and they continue on because they’re a great band and group of people.

Abysmal Dawn plays death metal, but draw from a variety of influences, especially thrash and black metal. How long did it take you guys to hit upon this particular sound – what made you say “Yeah, that’s it, that’s Abysmal Dawn,” ?

It’s just something that sort of happened naturally. We never want to limit ourselves to one style in particular. We have a lot of different influences and we aren’t afraid of offending a few purists. To me, I just sort of see everything as extreme music and not so black and white. We hate grouping things into little categories.

What bands would you cite as your main influences or inspirations for this project?

I don’t know about the other guys but me personally some of my main early influences would probably be Death, Carcass, Nile, At the Gates, Testament, Metallica, Suffocation and Dissection. I could go on and on but I think those are the major ones. Those have sort of been absorbed as we’ve added other influences through out the years as well. I think bands like Morbid Angel, Deicide and Sepultura were big for Jamie as well. So if you ever came across some shitty ad in Craig’s list a few years back with those influences maybe it was us (laughs).

So what happened with the Grave/Monstrosity/Abysmal Dawn tour? Are you going to be hopping on another one and coming around to the East Coast according to the original plan?

It just fell apart but I just want to say that it was definitely not the fault of any of the bands involved. We’d love to jump on another full US tour sometime but I’m not sure when that will be just yet. If everything works out maybe in the Fall.

What’s next for Abysmal Dawn after the West Coast tour with Victimas/Fields of Elysium?

We’re going to be doing a three-week tour with Origin and Misery Index that will be mostly West Coast. It should be a great tour and we’re really excited to be touring with such killer bands. After that we hope to land a full US tour and maybe go to Europe sometime next year. If we can’t get over there it’s just more US touring, so hopefully everyone we’ll get a chance to see us at some point!