DISTORTED SOUND ISSUE 4 by Distorted Sound Magazine

IRON MAIDEN THE GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY NILE A TRIBUTE TO JUSTIN LOWE MUCH, MUCH MORE...

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Editors Note. Amorphis have always been one of those consistent bands. Well let me tell you that the new record, Under The Red Cloud is absolutely incredible! We disect the new album and get to the roots of why the band are so popular. It just seems 2015 is the year to be a metalhead, there have been so many quality records released and we are only in August! We at Distorted Sound cannot wait for what is still to come and give it to you the reader! As my colleague, Jim, mentioned in Issue 3 we have undergone a massive redevelopment and Issue 4 is bigger and better than ever! Absolutely jam-packed full of great stuff. From the historical driven Nile, to the gruesome Cattle Decapitation and a whole stack of records reviewed by the team. So enjoy!

James Weaver

facebook.com/distortedsoundmag www.distortedsoundmag.com

Staff. Jim Forsyth

Becky Callaghan

Katie Louise Needham

Alex Piercy

Jessica Howkins

Laura McCarthy

Jack Fermor-Worrell

Neale McGeever

Alison Pitcairn David Creamer Robert Bieganski Tim Redman

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Distorted Sound Issue 4

6 - Choice Cuts 8 - INTRODUCING: Dark Sermon 9 - INTRODUCING: Headpress 10 - Ghostfest Preview 14-15 - The Ghostriders In The Sky 18-21 - Amorphis 24-25 - A Tribute to Justin Lowe 26-29 - Nile 32-36 - THROUGH THE AGESIRON MAIDEN 37 - COMIC 38 - Amorphis Album Review 39 - Cattle Decapitation Album Review 40 - Fear Factory Album Review 41 - Kataklysm Album Review 42-45 - Album Filler Reviews 48- Soulfly Live Review 49 - Vital Remains Live Review 05

CHOICE CUTS

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whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Distorted Sound crew been listening to this month?

Katie Needham (Photographer)

Jess Howkins (Review Editor)

Jack Fermor-Worrell (Review Editor)

Jim Forsyth (Designer)

Lamb of God Sturm Und Drang

QOTSA Like Clockwork

David Creamer (Writer)

Alison Pitcairn (Writer)

Tim Redman (Writer)

Laura McCarthy (Writer)

High On Fire Luminferous

Aborted Sabbat The Necrotic History of a Time Manifesto to Come James Weaver (Editor) After The Burial - Wolves Within

Machine Head Bloodstone & Diamonds

INTRODUCING

American death metallers Dark Sermon provide a fresh and new take on the death metal formula. The five piece originate from Tampa, Florida, the spirtual home of death metal. Taking influence from classic bands such as Death and Morbid Angel but applying that modern touch from the likes of Allegaeon and The Faceless, Dark Sermon have a unique blend of melody and brutality. Currently, the band are preparing to unleash their brand new studio record, The Oracle, later this month but their debut, 2013â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s In Tongues, injected fresh life into the rather stagnated death metal scene. Jam-packed full of crushing riffs, mesmerising vocals and a belting performance

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from lead vocalist Johnny Crowder, In Tongues is one of death metalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most exciting records in recent years. Whilst Dark Sermon have yet to grace our shores, the band have frequently toured their home nation of the United States. Currently, the band are preparing to tour with death grind titans Cattle Decapitation throughout September in support of their new album. If riffs that ooze groove, frantic drumwork, mesmerising solos and guttural vocals tickle your fancy then Dark Sermon are definitely worth an addition to your music library. WORDS: James Weaver

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INTRODUCING

To say that Stoke-on-Trent’s metal scene is in dire need of revival is an understatement. With the extreme metal scene more or less non existent, Headpress inject fresh energy into a area that craves for extreme metal.

Headpress have the potential to make their name in the UK extreme scene, with performances at Bloodstock Festival’s Metal To The Masses and frequent appearances at The Sugarmill generating a warm reception.

The four piece have been active since 1999, yet it may appear surprising to some that they have only released one EP to date. Whilst the band have never focused too much on the recording side of things, 2014’s Image of Artocity clearly demonstrates the sheer talent at the band’s disposal.

If Image of Artocity is anything to go by, then Headpress are on their way to making a mark on a scene that demands fresh talent. If the band can keep the momentum flowing then surely the Stoke-on-Trent savages will be a force to be reckonded with.

Riffs ooze influence from At The Gates, drumwork is fast and ferocious, emulating Cannibal Corpse and vocal work is brutal. The band have taken their biggest influences and channeled it into four tracks of sheer chaos.

WORDS: James Weaver

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Celebrating their ten year anniversary, the decision to move the annual Ghostfest to September turned a few heads. By having the festival in September and covering both the north and south of the UK, the organisers claimed that it would allow for an unprecedented lineup. Thankfully, the organiser have kept true to their claims and Ghostfest 2015 bolsters an impressive lineup catering for those with an appreciation for hardcore and deathcore. Serving as headliners for the festival, hardcore behemoths HATEBREED contain all characteristics of what Ghostfest has to offer; massive riffs, unfathomable breakdowns and a live energy that is absolutely mesmerising. With a back catalogue of eight records, there is more than enough material for HATEBREED to lay waste to the eager crowds. Whilst they may be somewhat of a marmite band in the extreme community, EMMURE have the potential to deliver one of the most memorable performances of the day. There is no doubting the charisma of frontman Frankie Palmeri but the question remains on whether EMMURE can silence the critics. Another stellar band joining the lineup is technical deathcore act BORN OF OSIRIS who are eagerly awaited at this year’s edition of the festival. DESPISED ICON have enjoyed a period of resurgence recently, with their comeback at 2014’s Impericon Festival reinjecting life into one of deathcore’s most successful acts. Their slot high on the main stage at Ghostfest 2015 aims to continue the Canadian’s comeback. Expect brutality and an abundance of pig squeals. On the flip side, England’s HEART OF A COWARD seem to be going from the strength in recent years. The English five piece are set to continue their barrage of riffs and breakdowns and their return to Ghostfest will only bolster the band’s popularity in the underground scene.

Similar to HEART OF A COWARD, MARTYR DEFILED are another rising band in the British deathcore scene and due to their popularity their performance at Ghostfest will surely be one not to miss. Ghostfest have always had a tradition of welcoming bands to the lineup that have not performed at the prestigious festival before and 2015’s edition of the festival continues this tradition. RISE OF THE NORTHSTAR, OCEANO, OATHBREAKER, TURNSTILLE and ANGEL DU$T are all set to make their debuts at this year’s festival. What is perhaps interesting and a tad confusing to some is that for the ten year celebrations, Ghostfest have included for the first time, acoustic artists join a lineup that is packed with brutality. current SLAVES and former EMAROSA / DANCE GAVIN DANCE vocalist Jonny Craig and the UK’s own SEAFOAL are set to make history by being the first acoustic bands to play a festival that has always catered for the heavier side of music. Returning fan favourites such as BROKEN TEETH, MALEVOLENCE and DESOLATED return to lay waste to the stage. Ghostfest bolsters an incredible lineup that caters for all aspects of the deathcore and hardcore movements and both the Leeds and Bristol dates will be one that surely cannot be missed showcasing that the festival still has a chokehold in alternative one-day music festivals. Ghostfest takes place on September 5th at the University Union in Leeds and September 6th at the Motion in Bristol. ghostfest.seetickets.com/tour/ghostfest WORDS: James Weaver

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When Steph Carter left Watford punk band GALLOWS in 2013, few could predict the drastic change his next project would bring. Described as a “BritishAmericana hybrid” by the guitarist, THE GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY is certainly a far cry from the angst-ridden fury that brought him to fame, instead taking a much calmer and laid-back tone. “Ghost Riders actually started in 2007”, says Carter, “I was on tour with GALLOWS and we were in the process of starting to write the second album ‘Grey Britain’ and I was writing loads of stuff. Basically, everything I was writing sounded nothing like GALLOWS - I was listening to, like, JOHNNY CASH. I basically had written an entire folk album and I didn’t know what to do with it so I just kept going and piled up all these demos on my computer.” These demos would eventually form the basis of the first GHOST RIDERS

releases as Steph eventually teamed up with drummer Kris Banks, bassist Jason Green, guitarist Paul Taylor and his wife Gillian Carter. Their first EP, The Death Of Everything New set the template for everything to come, and things were looking good – until the band hit a snag. “We released the EP, did some shows and it was cool, but then Gillian had to go back to the States so we could pursue the visa and the band were pretty much on-hold for a year whilst we were waiting for that to come through”, Steph explains, “We got the visa back through and Gillian’s now all sorted and legit as of January this year.” That freedom brought a new lease of life to the band – their latest single Wastelands is a bright sounding tune with shimmering acoustic guitar that gives way to an electric stomp and beautiful harmonized vocals between Steph and Gillian. It’s also the first taste of their upcoming debut album, which is

due to be released later this year. “Eight years after it started, it will definitely be out this year” Carter emphasizes. As has been the case with many bands recently, THE GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY have taken to crowd-funding website PledgeMusic to fund their releases. Their debut EP was entirely funded via the site and released via their own label, “Everything New Records”, whereas the band are taking a slightly different approach for the album – using it as a pre-order tool for the already complete record. Going the selfproduced route gave the band an enormous amount of much needed freedom according to Carter:

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“This time, any expenses that have come for the album have come out of my pocket and we’ve just done it all. I’ve recorded it, engineered it, one of my very close friends is now helping mix it - so we’ve done it on our own budget, in our own time and taken as long as we wanted.” “The way we’ve kinda seen [PledgeMusic] now is we use it as a pre-order and we do a real limited run and a whole host of different physical releases, so that the physical will exist but only if you buy it from Pledge and then as soon as that’s over they will never be made again. And then the digital, like I wanted, can be given to everyone. My big thing is, regardless of whether or not the campaign works: the album is done, people will get it. And that’s it - it’s not “if we don’t hit a target, you won’t get it”. Everyone will get it” Exactly what their new album will sound like is anyone’s guess at this moment, as Carter refuses to give too much away.“What I’ve done when anyone asks, I’ve said that Ghost Riders is a British-Americana band - which is a whole load of bullshit really, because one just completely contradicts the other and vice-versa. However

that’s the closest thing we’ve got to it - the band, it sounds like old Americana music but it’s also got a very prominent British Indie feel to it. For me it’s a rock & roll band really, with British influences, with Americana influences, with folk influences, with whatever funny genres you want to throw around it. For me, it’s just music that I hope people like”. Steph remains adamant though that this new endeavor is a complete stylistic departure from his punk-rock past. “It’s a weird one - it’s heavy on your soul, it’s not heavy on your ears. That’s what I wanted it to be - for my life I’ve always wanted to write music that gives people goosebumps when they listen to it, and I think there’s spots on this album that are going to do that. It does for me when we play it, so if it doesn’t for anyone else it’s alright”. THE GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY’S asyet-untitled debut album is due for release later this year via PledgeMusic. For more information, see https://www.facebook.com/ theghostridersinthesky

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“Tales from the Thousand Lakes is the MOST IMPORTANT album for this band!” Words: James Weaver

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Amorphis have been at the summit of melodic death metal for years now. Despite the band’s early years being firmly rooted in death metal, 2001’s Am Universum saw the band explore a more progressive and melodic approach. 14 years following the departure, the band are ready to unleash album number 12, Under The Red Cloud. For frontman and vocal wizard, Tomi Joutsen, there is a fair share of excitement for the new record. “I am so excited as I haven’t listened to much of the new album and over the summer we have been playing The Tales from the Thousand Lakes shows so we haven’t played any songs from the new album. I think it is good to have a bit of distance from the new record and when we start to tour in support of this album it will be a fresh experience for me. I am really looking forward to it.” Every band has their landmark record. For Amorphis, that particular record is 1994’s Tales from the Thousand Lakes, a record that is

revered within the band’s swelling fanbase. As the record turned 20 last year, the band have spent this summer performing the record in its entirety at various European festivals. Tomi admits that performing this classic has been an exhilarating experience. “We played six shows and people loved it! I think it was great timing for us because it has been 20 years since the album was released and of course I wasn’t the singer back then but I really love the album” explains Tomi. “I’ve played the songs on stage before but it was the first time we played the whole album and for me it was a great honour. I think most people are really happy that we are playing this album in full and for the new fans I think it is a great chance to know the roots of Amorphis. There are a bunch of albums before me and there are really important songs and Tales from the Thousand Lakes is the most important album for this band.” The band may be celebrating their roots but the focus still lies firmly with the upcoming new

DISTORTED SOUND MAG. record. Continuing the band’s melodic death metal style, Under The Red Cloud is a record of melody and brutality. Similar to the band’s extensive back catalogue, Under The Red Cloud has a wide variety of musical elements and Tomi reveals how whilst slightly different, the new record still carries the sound of Amorphis. “With this new album you can hear that it is Amorphis, all of the well-known elements are there, the oriental notes, focused developments and melodies. There are a lot of different ideas on this album and I really hope that people can hear it. There was a lot of new arrangements and we worked with new tempos a little bit, so the new album is a little bit different. When I listen to it, I think it is very solid and it is quite straightforward, if I was to compare it to Circle, I would say this new one is quite heavier.” Perhaps the most interesting out of the varying musical characteristics is the contributions of several guest musicians. Ex-Opeth drummer Martin Lopez and Chrigel Glanzmann of

Eluveitie all lent their talents to add an extra level of depth to Under The Red Cloud and for Tomi he firmly believes these additions give the new record real character. “I think it is something special for the fans, if there are some ideas to use flutes for example, it is great that it is a real person playing that instead of using sound banks or something like that. It gives that added sound to the album and I am really honoured that Chrigel was available and he has done a great job!” Melodic death metal champions a combination of both growls and clean vocals throughout. Amorphis are one of the countless bands in the genre that enforce this musical characteristic. Whilst it may appear to the fans that it is a difficult process to create in a studio environment, Tomi reveals that the process of recording in Amorphis’ case, can be somewhat simplistic. “I think for us it is quite easy to record new albums because we have a whole bunch of songs, this time we had like 20 songs so there was like a lot of different ideas” says Tomi. “For us, we

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just need to compose melodies and sometimes as a singer I think there are too many melodies because with the guitars and keyboards playing at the same time it is almost impossible to create great vocals. For this album, it was easier because there are a lot of growls so it gives space to the melodies. For me personally with the growls I really like it. I think it is a very powerful way to express yourself, but some people absolutely hate death metal. But for me, I really like this style, I like clean vocals also but the growls add that space for the music. You can hear it on Tales from the Thousand Lakes, there are a lot of growls that don’t hind behind the melodies.” With the new record set to drop early in September, Amorphis are gearing up for a huge tour in support of Under The Red Cloud, acting as support alongside Arch Enemy for

fellow Finnish countrymen Nightwish. The tour across Europe features massive venues, including Wembley Stadium and for Tomi, he admits the upcoming tour poses as a huge challenge not only for himself, but for the band as a whole. “It is going to be a huge challenge of course but it is going to be great! We have played in big venues before but we only have 40 minutes and we have to promote the new album. So we have to play at least three from the new album and then three from Tales, so it is going to be really difficult to pick the songs” explains Tomi. “We have many albums and only 40 minutes on stage so it is going to be a big challenge, I don’t know what will happen on this tour but we just have to play our best and maybe gain some new fans as well!” Under The Red Cloud is set for release on September 4th

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A Tribute to Justin Lowe Words: James Weaver

On Wednesday July 22nd, Justin Lowe of After The Burial was found dead after he was reported missing several days earlier. Justin had been suffering with mental health issues prior to his death yet he will not be remembered in this manner, Justin Lowe will be remembered as one of deathcore’s leading guitar players and one of the nicest people within the alternative community. After The Burial was formed in 2004 and had released four studio records prior to Justin’s death, debut Forging A Future Self, 2008’s Rareform, 2010’s In Dreams and most recent Wolves Within. Throughout each studio record, the guitar playing of Justin Lowe was sensational. From the intricate introduciton to Pendulum to the chaotic riffs of Berzerker, Justin’s guitar playing shaped the sound of the band. Whilst it is important to note that the other members of After The Burial had a monumental musical impact to the development of each record, Justin’s sound and all round playing made After The Burial stand out in a stagnated scene. It was this guitar tone that would make After The Burial’s fanbase swell in recent year. Technical music is always respected but to capture an essence of it that is both impressive yet intoxicating is a challenging feat indeed. Justin not only achieved this but captured the momentum of the increasing popularity of the djent movement. That low tone that was so enjoyable to listen to would form the mould of After The Burial’s sound. In the immediate years following their emergance, After The burial toured relentlessly around their home nation of the United States and frequently around Europe. Supporting bands like Suicide Silence, Winds of Plague and Born Of Osiris to name but a few helped After The Burial expand their fanbase and connect with people around the globe. In the immediate impact following Justin Lowe’s death becoming public knowledge it was incredibly touching to see so many bands extend their support and condolences to Justin and the

rest of the band. This alone proves the impact Justin had on people, his warm and welcoming personality had an impact on every person he interacted with; both on stage and off. It would be easy for me to just sit here and pretend that I knew Justin as a friend, I did not. I can only imagine the friendship people have had with him. Yet I was fortunate enough to have met Justin and from the short space of time I had speaking to him, I immediately felt the warm compassion so many have expressed since he sadly passed. At the time, I was just starting to branch out as a music journalist, I had completed my second year at university studying music journalism and I was reaching out to publications to gain experience. Before Distorted Sound was even a pipe dream in my mind, I had started to work for a website called Mutiny Press. Through that I obtained passes for the Born of Osiris UK tour in which After The Burial were main support. I met Justin to conduct the interview and immediately he started conversing with me, checking that I had made it to the venue okay and if I wanted a cold drink (it was a boiling day in Manchester). As we conducted the interview over a duration of 15 minutes I got an insight into Justin Lowe. He was overwhelmed with happiness to be here in the UK performing with his band and had so many dreams for the near future. From that one interview, I knew just how friendly Justin was and how respected he is in the alternative community. Sadly, the dreams and ambitions that Justin revealed to me will never be fulfilled. His death marked the end of a tragic battle with mental health issues that claimed his life. It’s a cruel reminder that mental health is still a massive issue to the human race. It is important that Justin isn’t remembered as someone who tragically suffered with such a horrible illness but be remembered as someone who wore his heart on his sleeve, someone who excelled in his respective field

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as a guitar player in a heavy metal band and someone who touched the lives of thousands, both through his music and his warm and welcoming personality. In the immediate aftermath of his death, After The Burial cancelled their upcoming performances at the Summer Slaughter tour in the United States. But the band have vowed to continue and that is the ultimate tribute to Justin. He may no longer be with the band but it is so important that is memory lives on through the band, through the songs he wrote and the lives he shaped through his music. We at Distorted Sound send our absolute condolences to Justin Loweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family, bandmates and friends in this difficult time. RIP Justin Lowe

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With American Death Metallers NILE ready to release their eighth studio album, What Should Not Be Unearthed, Distorted Sound sat and chatted with frontman Karl Sanders about the record. It was established through the record announcement that this album would be something new for the band and Karl Sanders wasted no time in declaring this once more. “I think this is a fun record to listen to because we built it that way” explains Karl. “We Strove to make the songs memorable and catchy so it’s actually a fun record to listen to.” Whilst previous NILE records are much loved by fans of the band, this is a record that has been promised to have been recorded with them in mind. With What Should Not Be Unearthed following suit with its predecessors, focusing on historical events from ancient Egypt, Karl mentioned that whilst sometimes having the ability to teach NILE

listeners can be great, it has its downsides too. “If people learn something from what we’re doing then okay that’s great, that’s cool but this isn’t school hour, it’s metal hour, it’s time to bang your head.” The statement shows exactly just how much having the fun they have injected into the latest record is so important. Karl spoke about how in previous works by NILE, it sounds like they weren’t having much fun and described being able to incorporate it into this record as ‘incredible’. “You know when I listen to these tracks it actually sounds like we were having fun, I think that is an incredible thing for the kind of music that we play.” For most parts, Karl puts it down to the way the album was recorded, for What Should Not Be Unearthed, NILE recorded the entire album in their own facilities, admitting that a lot of pressure and stress about time and money was

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taken off of their shoulders. “There’s just a certain thing about when you’re working in your own facility, you have all the time that you want and you don’t have to watch the clock. If you go to somebody else’s studio, you’re paying by the hour, so that little thing right there is enough to colour every moment of why you’re trying to work on your music.” Whilst NILE have also been a big piece of the death metal puzzle for 22 years, it also took until now making this album of their own accord to be the most fun that they had ever had making a record. Karl spoke honestly about how whilst the band have been good at teamwork before, What Should Not Be Unearthed and its recording process brought the entire band to work together even closer, stating that often team work on a record is a challenge for other bands. “I thought there was a lot of team work on this

record, certainly that is a challenge for bands and often making a record can bring out the best and worst in people. This time around it worked in our favour and I was real happy about that, there was a point when me and Dallas were tracking guitars that this was the most fun we had ever had making a record.” If anything, What Should Not Be Unearthed is a very special record for NILE indeed due to the fact of how close it has brought the members together and how the fans will be able to listen to the record the way they do. It is important for the band to love their album as much as their fans and that is something Karl has expressed heavily. Despite the musicianship not being the main focus for the record, it certainly still shows that it will always be what makes the real focus stick together for the band. Away from all of the praise Karl Sanders has for

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the record due to the teamwork and musicianship, that heaviness and fun that was incorporated to the focus was solely on ‘brutally heavy metal riffing give the fans the best experience live possible. and songwriting’. Discovering the history of Egypt will never be lost Speaking out in the reveal for the album, Karl so far as NILE are around and with the enthusiasm mentioned that they want What Should Not Be that Karl displays in his voice about What Should Unearthed to achieve ‘maximum destructive Not Be Unearthed, it is clear they won’t leave their impact’. fans without either. “Our last record, At The Gates of Sethu, was super surgically clean and very musicianship orientated whereas the new disc is a polar opposite; Unearthed is aimed straight at the utter metal heaviness and memorable songwriting. Although Unearthed is still full of the kind of undeniable musicianship people have come to expect from NILE over the years, it’s the songs themselves that will hit listeners over the head this time around.” With this in mind, NILE believe that their technical side is now properly harnessed with the focus being on the songs and that the technique is ‘invisible’. Now that their technical side is harnessed on the new record, it means that NILE have achieved what they wanted too, by creating one of their heaviest records but also that they can focus on

What Should Not Be Unearthed will be available via Nuclear Blast August 28 and will be followed with by a UK and North American tour.

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THROUGH THE AGES

Words: Jessica Howkins Leyton found Iron Maiden will be celebrating their 40th anniversary this Christmas and on top of that, they are releasing their sixteenth studio album, The Book of Souls. Distorted Sound take a look back into rise of one of the world’s biggest bands. As the new wave of British heavy metal took over in the late 1970’s, it was anyone’s guess who would get to the top and stay there, there was one man however who was determined to be there, bassist Steve Harris.

Whilst the band have reached the very top and refused to come back down, there was a time in their early days where the world could have potentially never had the greats we do now. Harris disbanded Maiden in 1976 before thankfully reforming soon after with Dave Murray as the sole guitarist. Since then, Steve Harris and Dave Murray have been the longest standing members and have performed on all releases.

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After various line-up changes and disputes, Iron Maiden decided to record their very first EP, The Soundhouse Tapes on New Year’s Eve 1978 in a bid that it might have helped them get more gig offers, unknown to them at the time that it would become a valuable collector’s item 36 years later. The Soundhouse Tapes was also the record that helped them seal a deal with one of the biggest record labels in the world, EMI and secured band manager, Rod Smallwood, who of course still manages them. After rising in popularity, Iron Maiden recorded their first debut album, Iron Maiden, January 1980 and released in April that same year. With yet

another line-up change, this record would see the start of the success of the young band, reaching No. 4 in the UK charts. In October 1980, Iron Maiden decided to dismiss guitarist Dennis Stratton and replace him with Adrian Smith, another member who is still a longstanding member of the band (despite taking a few years away later on). In 1981, Iron Maiden released their second release with their newest member, Killers. Most of the material on the record had been written prior to Iron Maiden’s debut album apart from two tracks, Prodigal Son and Murders in the Rue Morgue. Unsatisfied with the production of their debut album, Iron

Maiden also went on to hire veteran producer, Martin Birch, who worked with them until his retirement in 1992. The album was followed by their first world tour and debut performance in the United States opening for Black Country band, Judas Priest. Killers was also the last album to feature vocalist Paul Di’Anno who was immediately dismissed from the band after the Killer World Tour for self-destructive behaviour including drugs. At this time in Iron Maiden’s career, they had already had a replacement for Paul, the frontman who is still standing in front of us today (once again, bar a little break) Bruce Dickinson.

DISTORTED SOUND MAG. In 1982 The Number of the Beast was released, the album was the first to feature Bruce and the last to feature late drummer, Clive Burr. It was the first release from Iron Maiden to become No.1 in the UK album charts and the first to have received as much criticism as success.

one of the most feared records into one of the most loved.

After The Number of the Beast’s release, Iron Maiden were deemed as Satanists and many of the records were burnt and even smashed with hammers because the public didn’t want to inhale the ‘satanic fumes.’ Comical how time can turn

1983 saw the release of Piece of Mind, this would be the band’s debut album in North America. Shortly after the success of Piece of Mind, Iron Maiden released their fifth studio album, Powerslave, yet again just one year along.

In December 1982, Clive Burr was dismissed and in came Nicko McBrain, making Iron Maiden five out of the six members that we have today.

DISTORTED SOUND MAG. It is the album that is noted for the first album to feature the same line-up as the previous and features the longest Iron Maiden track to date, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Once again, unknown to Iron Maiden at the time, that the track would become one of the most favoured in the bands career. The tour that supported the album was named The World Slavery Tour and it was the largest tour Iron Maiden had done to that date, playing to over 3,500,000 people and made their debut appearance co-headlining with Queen in South America at the Rock in Rio festival. Somewhere In Time was the first album to not be released back to back with another. The album was classed as experimental and received good criticism to which Iron Maiden continued with to their seventh album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. The album marked the first appearance of the progressive rock side to Iron Maiden, especially taking in that Seventh Son of a Seventh Son was the first concept album the band had ever done. It was the first album since The Number of the Beast to have reached No. 1 in the UK charts, however, it was the album and supporting tour was the last appearance of Adrian Smith before his return in 1999. In 1990, No Prayer for the Dying was released and was the first line-up change since 1983. Iron Maiden had hired guitarist Janick Gers, previously known for his work with Bruce Dickinson on his solo album and Ian Gillan. The album received very mixed views, especially as Iron Maiden decided to go in the opposite direction of its predecessor. Despite reaching No.2 in the UK charts, it was an album that even the band were not satisfied with. 1992 saw the release of Fear of the Dark, with the title track on the album becoming one of the most popular songs to date and becoming the bands third UK No.1 album release. During the supporting tour, Iron Maiden recorded their

second headlining performance at Donington Park, with a guest appearance from guitarist Adrian Smith. Of course, that wouldn’t be the last time Iron Maiden headlined the famous park that hosted Monsters of Rock and Download Festival. In 1993, Bruce Dickinson departed Iron Maiden in order to pursue a solo career and in 1994, Blaze Bayley was convinced by Steve Harris to join the band. In 1995, Iron Maiden released their tenth studio album The X-Factor and their first with their new vocalist. The big change to Iron Maiden impacted reviews and chart positions, leaving them with their lowest position since 1981. In 1998, Virtual XI was released and yet again the chart positions fell and so did the reviews, many fans of the band even now don’t look highly to the Blaze Bayley era and it appeared to be this way even then. In 1999, Blaze Bayley was dismissed for experiences with his vocals. In 1999, Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith rejoined Iron Maiden making them now a three guitar line-up and of course the line-up that we are left with now. 2000, Iron Maiden released the first album as the six-piece we love today, Brave New World, also the album that has been voted as Distorted Sound’s Fan Favourite. The world tour that followed was well over 100 dates and in 2001, Iron Maiden recorded their CD and DVD, Rock in Rio. During a short break from touring, Iron Maiden also received the news that past drummer Clive Burr had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and decided to play some shows for his charity, before his death in 2013. 2003 saw the release of Iron Maiden’s thirteenth studio album, Dance of Death. The album was met with great success and on the tour supporting the album, Death on the Road was recorded as a CD and DVD. Shortly following Dance of Death and Death on the Road, Iron Maiden released a DVD

DISTORTED SOUND MAG. documentary titled The History of Iron Maiden – Part 1: The Early Days. The DVD documented the beginnings of the band in London, right through the Piece of Mind album and tour. The DVD was met with great reviews, being labelled a masterpiece. Three years ahead of Dance of Death, A Matter of Life and Death was released. Whilst not being a concept album by the band and many lyrical subjects in each album, A Matter of Life and Death was met to be a very powerful war themed record. A tour was followed in which Iron Maiden played the record in its entirety, to which they had a mixed reception, despite this, the album won Album of the Year at Classic Rock’s Roll of Honour Award show in 2006. In 2007, Iron Maiden announced their Somewhere Back in Time world tour, which would see three legs of a tour. This tour would then be put onto a DVD entitled Flight 666 in 2009. The tour was incredibly special to the band and to fans as it seen Bruce Dickinson flying his band and crew on their own plane, Ed Force One across the world to countries which they had never been able to visit before. The setlist consisted of successes from the 1980’s and went back to the classic Powerslave theme. Flight 666 topped the music DVD charts in 22 countries after its release and Iron Maiden won the Best British Live Act Brit Award that same year. In 2010, Iron Maiden released their fifteenth studio album, The Final Frontier. The album is their most recent to date, until their latest is released. The Final Frontier gained the bands greatest success reaching No.1 in 28 countries. Iron Maiden released a DVD titled En Vivo that supported The Final Frontier tour. In 2012, Iron Maiden announced the Maiden England Tour 2012-14, the tour was named after their DVD in 1989 which was filmed in Birmingham UK on the Seventh Son of a Seventh Tour. The tour was also followed by festival performances at Download Festival 2013 and Knebworth’s Sonisphere 2014, where Bruce

Dickinson flew a spitfire over the crowd of one and created a First World War display at Sonisphere. Steve Harris was noted to have said that Iron Maiden would only release 15 studio albums, however, here we are now, one month to their sixteenth, The Book of Souls. During the recording of Iron Maiden’s latest record, vocalist Bruce Dickinson was treated for a cancerous tumour on the back of his tongue and despite the album being ready to go, the band had put it on hold until he had received the all clear and that they would not tour until 2016 in order for Bruce to recuperate properly. 15th May 2015, Bruce had received the all clear and the release date for The Book of Souls was set. The record is the first double CD record the band have released and closing track Empire of the Clouds smashes 1984’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner at an incredible 18 minutes long! Through all of the line-up changes and hard work, Iron Maiden never failed to set the bar even higher for themselves and well, it’s safe to say that nobody is upset that they have just gone back of their word of only 15 releases, let’s hope they don’t stop on 16 either! The Book of Souls will be released September 4 via Parlophone and Sanctuary Copyrights/BMG (US)

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Finnish metallers Amorphis have been fairly consistent over their 25 year career. Despite moving away from their death metal roots, the band have taken the melodic death metal world by storm. Two years on from the fantastic Circle, the band are back with album number 12, Under The Red Cloud. Does this new offering from Amorphis continue their chokehold on melodic death metal or does it fall short of the great expectations?

band working as an effective unit. For a band that has a complicated sound, it is incredibly satisfying that all the various instruments work exceedingly well. Jan Rechberger’s drumming is consistent and the guitar work of Esa Holopainen and Tomi Koivusaari keep the metal edge to Amorphis progressive sound whilst Santeri Kallio’s keyboard contributions provides both a progressive and melodic edge, expanding Amorphis’ sound beyond one sub-genre.

One thing is certain with Under The Red Cloud, this is a very dynamic record. With a whole host of varying instrumentation and pace, the entirety of the record makes for very pleasant listening indeed. Amorphis have always been a band that have experimented with their sound yet their identity is clear from the first note of the title track to the closing riffs of White Night. In fact, it is this variation of instruments that makes Under The Red Cloud such a fantastic record, there are spine tingling moments throughout. The reliance of a piano melody on Dark Path from keyboardist Santeri Kallio, the death metal driven riffs of Bad Blood and the soft and subtle use of the windpipes from guest musician Chrigel Glanzmann (ELUVEITIE) all raise the hairs on the back of the neck.

Yet the real star of the show is the vocal work of Tomi Joutsen, who’s combination of growls and cleans have improved dramatically since Circle. The combination of harsh and soft vocals gives Under The Red Cloud the sound they have been building since 2006’s Eclipse.

Musically, Amorphis are tighter than ever with the

Whilst Under The Red Cloud still carries all the trademarks of the typical sound of Amorphis, this record isn’t just another one in the band’s extensive back catalogue. This is a record of true character and true musicianship; every song carries slight variations to the overall sound without being disjointed in the overall rhythm. Under The Red Cloud is a fantastic record and will make a fine addition to any metal fan’s musical library. Rating: 9/10 WORDS: James Weaver

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CATTLE DECAPITATION have made for themselves in the death metal scene cannot be taken away from them, nor can the fact they are one of the most brutal, hard-hitting bands around. The Anthropocene Extinction proves that as time goes on in the band’s career, they are only going to get heavier.From the second the album opens with the torturous Manufactured Extinct, it is clear that this album is going to be something that fans of the band can’t even begin to grumble at. If there is one way of knowing how CATTLE DECAPITATION have made a stunner of a record, it is that feeling of blood boiling quicker than your eggs in the morning. Evidently, The Anthropocene Extinction is heavier, faster and well, just more sinister. The band don’t mess around in getting stuck into what they do best, making some of the angriest music. With tracks such as The Prophets of Loss, the vocals of Travis Ryan dominate and control the sound with his monstrous abilities. Hints of black metal also take charge in direction the album takes, adding the sinister side to the pure aggression that seeps out of the cracks. Circo Inhumanitas and Not Suitable for Life are two fine examples of black metal influences CATTLE DECAPITATION have proudly incorporated,

once again controlled by the screeching tormented vocals of Ryan. Throughout the entirety of The Anthropocene Extinction, CATTLE DECAPITATION offer uniqueness to each track, Ave Exitium being the most notable. Through all of the aggression and brutality that takes hold of the record, this track in particular is hauntingly beautiful. With an oceanic atmosphere, it is a track that is highly unexpected. Leaving behind all of the fury that was in every other before it, the softness of Ave Exitium offers a different darkness to the album. The Anthropocene Extinction is possibly the finest record CATTLE DECAPITATION have put out. It holds everything that makes death metal an incredible genre of music. Heavy, aggressive and just plain twisted. The stunning creation from the San Diego based band is just a flawless representation of how you grow as a band. Over the years some bands just fall behind in the times and some just grow to be non-existent, CATTLE DECAPITATION have only shown the world that they are only going to get bigger and darker. Rating: 9/10 WORDS: Jessica Howkins

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It’s been three years since industrial metal titans FEAR FACTORY released their eighth studio album The Industrialist. Widely panned by critics, the record was essentially a two-man collaboration between vocalist Burton C. Bell and guitarist Dino Cazares. Whilst that album was panned by some critics for its use of a drum machine, Genexus looks to correct things with the addition of drummer Mike Heller. Opening with foreboding synthesisers and a robotic narration, Autonomous Combat System sets the tone quite well. Sounding like the musical equivalent of The Terminator, it’s essentially the template for the next hour or so to follow. Anodized manages to fuse the band’s standard industrial metal fare to a deceptively tuneful chorus. Utilising some rather nice harmonies, it’s a far cry from what you’d usually expect from FEAR FACTORY, but in a good way. Dielectric pretty much encapsulates the sound of the entire album. Orchestral-sounding synth once again gives way to a furious drumbeat and Bell’s iconic barked vocals. It’s a strong showing from the group, but ultimately is repeated to the point of ridiculousness as time goes on. Soul Hacker actually calms things down slightly, taking a much slower-paced approach to the

FEAR FACTORY sound. The riffs and drumming are far less frantic, and an impressively melodic solo make this a highly memorable track, and one that’s extremely enjoyable to listen to. Kicking off at a gallop, Protomech is easily one of the album’s strongest tracks. Relentless and wonderfully heavy it simply refuses to pause for breath at any point. The performances from each band member are all individually great here, and their chemistry is very apparent. Closer Expiration Date is undoubtedly the weakest point of the album. At almost nine minutes, it feels as though Bell and co have tried something a lot more progressive, but the end result is just not very good. Overly-long and uninteresting, it’s a disappointing way to end what should have been a far better album. Overall, Genexus has its moments of intrigue, however it simply falls short as a whole. Far too samey in most places, the album improves drastically on its predecessor but comes nowhere near to the band’s older material. Rating: 5/10 WORDS: Jack Fermor-Worrell

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KATAKLYSM’s Of Ghosts and Gods hits with immense sound, making it clear that after a successful tour with the last album, they are bigger and better than ever before.

right amount of everything that fans truly love about KATAKLYSM. Carrying Crosses is filled with more deep, dark inspiring melodies and aggressive rhythm.

The intro into the first track begins with a sound clip from the RIDLEY SCOTT film Exodus, with nicely sums up the overtones lyrically of this album. The rest of Breaching the Assylum is raw and heavy, and it’s doubtful any fans won’t be smiling as the guitar kicks in. Maurizio Iacono nails the vocals in this album, and the rhythm from Oli Beaudoin (drums) and Stephane Barbe (bass) and the melody from Jean-Francois Dagenais (guitar). Having being the most consistent member of the band in terms of his instrument and longevity in his role, it’s hugely impressive the originality of Dagenais’s playing on this twelfth studio album.

What’s so interesting about this record is that KATAKLYSM are undoubtedly in control of the feeling of the music, with each track clearly being unique to the band’s sound, and yet each song is utterly different. The experience of Of Ghosts and Gods as a whole is massively satisfying, with the urge to turn re-listen being almost instantaneous. However, there is no track that couldn’t stand and hold its own as a bold and masterful piece of musicianship.

The sixth track on Of Ghosts and Gods might have been in danger of becoming filler material or repetitive in the hands of lesser bands. This is most definitely not the case for KATAKLYSM with Soul Destroyer. Hard, fast, and yet again filled with awesome guitar riffs, it mixes just the

KATAKLYSM have always been a band of great notability, with a sound that is entirely their own, no member goes without their own mark being made in this record. Dexterous playing, powerful vocals and immeasurable playability, Of Ghosts and Gods is a huge contender for one of the top albums of this year. Rating: 9/10 Words: Laura McCarthy

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ALBUM FILLERS

Words - Jessica Howkins

Words - Jack Fermor-Worrell

Pop Evil – Up

POWERWOLF’s Blessed & Possessed may as well be Preachers of the Night II and people may complain for the lack of change in music, but it is there recognisable sound that makes the German quintet loved by many. POWERWOLF wanted to go and make a record that could be played beautifully live and with Blessed & Possessed, they have certainly hit the nail on the head. With stunning solos, riffs, vocals and theatricals pouring out at the seams, it is an album not to be missed out on. 7/10 Words - Laura McCarthy

Words - Jessica Howkins

With UP (7), it seems like POP EVIL have their best chance to date of making a real impact on these shores. Despite a couple of slip-ups, the band have managed to blend hard rock with the song-writing sensibilities of pop, and create a number of tracks that could easily be great radio singles. Only time will tell whether they can live up to that potential.

POWERWOLF - BLESSED & POSSESSED

Ghost – Meliora Papa Emeritus III and the Nameless Ghouls, GHOST, have unveiled their third unholy record, Meliora (9). Following predecessors Papa I and II, III has decided to stick with tradition and keep the ghoulish and haunting sounds that make GHOST such an incredible band. As always, the hypnotic sound that the unknown faces of the band make is just as powerful in Meliora, capturing and holding the attention of the listener. Whilst the previous two releases from GHOST were stunning in their own sense, the band have perfected the sound they do so well on this one. Creating chills of the spine and a tranquil place for listeners, Meliora is not to be passed up on as an album nor as a stunning piece of art. For a band that should relate to Metal, the last thing you expect is something that offers serenity, relaxation and peace, with this, you can.

Krysthla – A War of Souls and Desires To get metaphorical, A War Of Souls And Desires (9) is like being pulled through a black hole; it’s dark, it’s crushingly heavy, and your head feels like it’s gonna burst into a bloody mess all over your living room; to be literal, it’s punishingly brutal and unrelenting; and to be honest, it’s as intensely close to a perfect extreme metal album as you’re going find. Cathartic is not really the word for KRYSTHLA, but it’s as close as you’ll get to explain the experience of this band. Essentially, you can bet your sorry ass you’re not going to come out the other side of A War Of Souls And Desires the same as you went in.

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ALBUM FILLERS Words - Jessica Howkins

Words - Jessica Howkins Arisen New Era (9) is undoubtedly one of the best albums to be released in 2015 by French Death Metallers KRONOS. Beholding everything you want and more in a Death Metal album, this is it. Every track has its quirk, every member gets to take the ‘limelight’ and with every second you endure of Arisen New Era, you will experience the finest and nothing that falls short of that.

Following the footsteps of classic hardcore and teenage angst bands, Norwegian band JACK DALTON have released their record, Past Swallows Love (9). It is no surprise that the band have made such an impact so early on their career on the hardcore scene in Norway and it will be no surprise when JACK DALTON impacts the hardcore scene worldwide too. Past Swallows Love oozes in pain, aggression and the band make sure of doing everything but fall short on delivering the emotion in this stunning record. Simplicity is the key that the band have used, giving that old school feel, there is no complicating and doing things over the top just to gain the listeners attention. A sincere heartfelt record, an uprising band who can only grow with the beauty of Past Swallows Love.

Words - Jessica Howkins

Jack Dalton – Past Swallows Love

Words - Jack Fermor-Worrell

Kronos - Arisen New Era

Feared - Synder FEARED are a band that seem to have been through some real growth over the past few years. This latest album, Synder (8) brings a darker edge and more flexability with the range of sounds the band produce. By Silent Screaming is probably the best track on the record, with the variety of the bands talents showing through as they change up the pacing throughout the song. All in all, FEARED have produced a solid album with Synder. It’s a very good output, and there’s a lot to enjoy here. A lot more depth than previous offerings, and a great testament to the bands consistent musicianship & range.

End of Daze - Ascension Releasing their debut record is young metal band, END OF DAZE, with their record Ascension(8). Fusing together the sounds of classic heavy metal with the more modern metalcore, the upcoming band from Weymouth, UK have clearly sat with pure dedication in their hearts. For a debut record, END OF DAZE have set themselves a high bar for anything in the future. From stunning solos, mind-blowing vocals and a fantastic feature from female vocalist Elona Holt, Ascension is one not to be missed.

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ALBUM FILLERS

Words - Jessica Howkins

Zygnema - What Makes Us Human Is Obsolete

Subterror – Antropomortum Brazilian death metal band SUBTERROR have unleashed a killer of a record with Antropomortum (7). Intertwining the taste of old school death with the crushing newer sounds, the trio are oozing with success of creating a bulldozer of a record. With an infused sound of punk and thrash, all Antropomortum creates is an attitude of crushing everything in its path and that’s the most satisfactory feeling that can ooze out of a memorable death metal record like this one.

Words - Jessica Howkins

Words - Alex Piercy

One of India’s finest metal bands, ZYGNEMA, have released their latest record What Makes Us Human Is Obsolete (7). The fury filled quartet have certainly hit a point of creating something they have not been afraid to experiment on and it has worked absolute wonders. All that seeps out of this record is aggression, creativity and the passion for the music that ZYGNEMA have made. To hear such passion for a bands work pour through each track is something incredible special and ZYGNEMA have done an excellent job on doing so.

Bullet for my Valentine – Venom Ironheart – Revolution Calls With their debut record, Revolution Calls (7), Belfast born metal band, IRONHEART have certainly released a classic heavy metal album that just screams out to fans of Judas Priest and Saxon. Party riffs and bellowing vocals, it’s no doubt if you want to turn this record up to 11. IRONHEART are definitely a band that brings back all the leathers, horns and proper head-banging. If you’re looking for a record to play loud and proud whilst pretending your broom is a guitar, then certainly yes, Revolution Calls is for you.

Will BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE’s latest record Venom (6) be seen as a return to form, or reflect a band who have run out of creativity? Hardcore fans who are eager to hear more of the bands earlier sound will be more than satisfied with the 11 tracks on offer here. Sadly for fans that have been on the fence since the release of 2013’s Temper Temper it will be hard not to be disappointed with BULLET’s latest offering. Sometimes choosing to play it safe doesn’t pay off, especially if you fail to take any risks whatsoever required to create diversity between your tracks and progress your sound. Either way you look at it, Venom is most easily described simply as The Poison.

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ALBUM FILLERS Words - Alison Pitcairn

Words - Tim Redman Shadow Flag – The White Grave

Do you like riffs? Enormous long slow pounding riffs that work their way inside your skull and hold you down until you drown in them. Riffs that conjure little more than a sense of haunting despair when you hear them. If so you’re no doubt already familiar with AHAB and the bands inescapable rise to the top of the funeral doom genre. With three masterful records already under their belts the pessimistic Germans have just put the finishing touches to their upcoming album The Boats of the Glen Carrig (9). Fans of the band know exactly what they can expect here. AHAB have yet again proven that they deserve their status as heavyweights with this album giving an air of inescapable despair that is hard to match musically.

SHADOW FLAG’s, The White Grave (7) offers a modern twist on black metal, allowing elements of doom and even thrash into the songs. The haunting, dry vocals of JJ Flames are coupled perfectly with the growling guitar sounds from Jake Doherty and booming bass sounds from Carps Carpenter. Although finishing some of the tracks may seem like a chore as the riff laden soundscapes they set out for you sometimes feel like an adventure already been, their poetic, smooth sound will mostly have you absorbed. Pieces of eerie and intense spoken word creep in between tracks and tell imaginary stories of children who have been abandoned and live on the streets, as do all 12 tracks, which make listening to the lyrics a story time of sorts, accompanied by a soothing, blackened soundtrack. SHADOW FLAG’s second offering is a worthy one and the UK based band will no doubt continue to conquer with their magical and dark sound.

Words - Jim Forsyth

Words - Jack Fermor-Worrell

Ahab – The Boats of Glen Carrig.

Shardborne – Living Bridges Collectively SHARDBORNE have created a solid album, Living Bridges (8) in no way suffers from a lack of vocals. If anything, this changes the pace, and gives you room to appreciate the music in its instrumental entirety, all of its complexities, to fall into the thickness of the softer moments, and to revel in the louder, more aggressive tones. This band should be on your playlist, and this album is pretty rewarding to listen to. While complicated and technically stunning, it does not alienate, but rather captures the attention, and leaves you wanting to listen again.

Northlane – Node Node (8) is a phenomenal display of NORTHLANE’S ability to restructure and rediscover, a solid album that is recommended for both prog and metalcore fans alike. Bridge has clearly melted into the boiling pot of talent that are NORTHLANE, stepped up to the plate and proven that he has what it takes to join such a wellestablished band.

DISTORTED SOUND MAG. Words: James Weaver Photos: Katie Needham Check out the full article at distortedsoundmag.com

CLUB ACADEMY MANCHESTER

One of the notable aspects of the bill was the supporting acts all fall under the category of local support, a nice touch from Max Cavalera and co. Opening the proceedings, Cheshire’s THIS IS TURIN embarked on a deathcore assault with massive riffs, breakdowns and a superb display from frontman Darryl Jones. With a large majority of the crowd sporting logos from metal’s more extreme end of the spectrum, it came as no surprise that THIS IS TURIN went down a treat to the Manchester masses. The intricacy of guitarists Davey Langford and Anthony Hayden demonstrated the band’s skill whilst bassist James Kinnear and drummer Edwin Jones kept the rhythm at a blistering pace. THIS IS TURIN’s performance demonstrated that the UK underground is stronger than ever. THE THREAT have experienced growing success over the last year or so, with a performance on the New Blood stage at last year’s Bloodstock Festival being a particular highlight. Yet the Manchester four piece failed to make as much of an impact as direct support to SOULFLY. Whilst riffs were solid from Sam Evans and Lewis Tyson and Chris Sellers’ guttural vocals packed an almighty punch, it certainly seemed that THE THREAT didn’t carry any threat at all. With the band utilising musical characteristics of progressive metal, death metal and jazz to create a unique sound that

sounds fantastic on record, in a live environment it just didn’t translate too well. It’s not that THE THREAT were an earache, they just failed to replicate their crushing studio sound. Max Cavalera has been active in metal for decades and now and judging by SOULFLY’s performance, he is showing no signs of slowing down. From start to finish, SOULFLY pummelled out riffs and huge choruses that covered all aspects of SOULFLY’s 18-year career. New track, We Sold Our Souls To Metal, from the upcoming Archangel sounded mincing in a live environment and fan favourites such as Tribe and Prophecy. With a nod to his earlier work in SEPULTURA, covers of Arise, Dead Embryonic Cells and Roots Bloody Roots sent the crowd into a frenzy demonstrating clearly how respected Max Cavalera is in the metal community. With a tight gelled band, SOUFLY’s sound was absolutely massive, Zyon and Igor Jr Cavalera both excelled in their respective fields of drums and bass, Marc Rizzo demonstrated technicality laced with brutality and Max Cavalera’s vocals roared over the assault. It led to one truly spectacular performance, showcasing that SOULFLY are still a force to be reckoned with. Rating: 9/10

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THE STAR AND GARTER

MANCHESTER First up were one of Manchester’s finest thrash outfits, INSURGENCY who took to the stage with no quarter and quickly began punishing their instruments to the please the eager crowd. Many a dedicated thrasher quickly sped right up to the stage and began the windmill violently to the audible violence. The drums were crisp and clear, cutting through the sound with great ease, and so too was the bass guitar. The guitar on the other hand was a buzzing mess of distortion, with no clear definition of the notes and swallowing up the sound of the other instruments. Making it very hard to discern some of the riffs being played. The vocal levels were also somewhat lacking, as they tried their hardest break through the mild confusion. Despite this, these fellows put on an impressive display and certainly got the crowd moving. Up next, another brilliant thrash metal band from Bristol, came

the boys in SEPREVATION who showed no mercy when it came to throwing down some blisteringly fast riffage. By the time they began their set, the sound quality had greatly improved from earlier, both Ian and Joss’s guitars pierced through the mix cleanly as well as the bass guitar, vocals and the drums all sharing an equal level of clarity in the overall mix. It is obvious from the get go that SEPREVATION are a very popular band amongst the crowd as quite a few people in the audience were jittering with excitement and already shouting out for song names. As soon as the music started, hair immediately went flying. Throwing in a cover of one of SLAYER’s classic songs The Antichrist into the set, these guys sure threw in tons of effort in thrashing the stage with their sweat laden instruments taking a proper beating. These guys are definitely a band you will want to keep on your radar, they certainly put on a massive show.

The death metal powerhouse that is VITAL REMAINS. As they took to the stage, they were greeted by a legion of crazed death metal fanatics ready to beat each other senseless. The sound was massive, every inch of the band’s sound was crisp and clear and thick, an extremely heavy onslaught. Not much of the crowd seemed to get involved, to which Brian employed an usual command to the crowd. A Tsunami of death, in which the moshers came to the front, and assaulted the crowd behind them. Many desperately sought refuge to the sides of the room, but the plan worked, and the whole room was turned into chaos. Ending an insanely chaotic performance with the classic Dechristianize, VITAL REMAINS came to give Manchester a proper good beating, and suffice it say they did just a little bit more than that for sure! Rating: 9/10

Words: David Creamer Photos: David Creamer Check out the full article at distortedsoundmag.com