RAMzine 26 | Trivium, Danny Wright, Isolation Diaries

rock & metal ISSUE #26 WWW.RAMZINE.CO.UK

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#FESTIVALFLASHBACK

Music photographer Ashley Crowson looks back through the past four years for some festival favourite photos.

Lindsay Teske Assistant Editor assitant.editor@ramzine.co.uk

Support Emerging Artists 2

Our current climate has disproportionately impacted emerging and/ or independent artists and their ability to sustain their careers.

However, outlined here are some simple steps you can take to continue to support them during this time. Right now, music discovery is absolutely paramount.

Think of the last few

gigs you went to and look up who the openers were on those evenings. Chances are,

this will lead you to discovering newer talent whose sound you very

well may take a linking to. Moreover, checking out artists on the roster of a local independent label near you can serve as another means through which to accomplish this as well. With that said, if you do hear something you like from one of these artists, tell someone about it! Word of mouth is still one of the most

powerful marketing tools at our disposal.

Lastly, if you’re able to provide monetary supportvia merchandise or music purchases, doing so could help to supplement the loss in revenue many artists are currently facing from no longer being able to perform live during at least the early onset of the summer.

rock & metal WWW.RAMZINE.CO.UK Amid Global Crisis The Rock and Metal Community Remain Strong!

Megadeth at Bloodstock ‘17

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RAMzine Classic

In this issue’s RAMzine Classic we take a look back at T.Rex’s 1972 classic The Slider.

Words by Tom Dixon.

Neale McGeever

Jay Brown

Senior Contributor

Senior Contributor

Assistant Editor

ash@ramzine.co.uk

neale@ramzine.co.uk

assitant.editor@ramzine.co.uk

Guitarist, photographer, geek, gamer, full on metalhead and allround barfly.

An entertainment writer from the North East. I’m also big in to movies & video games.

Raised on motown and rock, now with a deep love for all things metal and heavy rock.

Ashley Crowson

We are amidst a global crisis, at the time of writing there have been Victoria Purcell Editor over 16,000 deaths vicky@ramzine.co.uk in the UK and over 160,000 worldwide. Our generation, not even our parents have ever experienced a global crisis like this. The last global pandemic was just after the first world war with the Spanish Flu which killed 250,000 people in the UK. So what’s life like right now? Well most countries are ‘locked down’ - this means various things in different places but essentially we can’t leave the house unless it’s for an essential reason such as to buy food. There are those who are taking the pandemic seriously and keeping to social distancing guidelines and there are those who seem to be clueless, or a non-believer, ignoring rules in supermarkets and continuing to sun bave and even attempting to go on holiday..

To which they receive a fine from the police.

Gigs and festivals across the globe have been cancelled and right now we don’t know when they are going to be allowed to go ahead. For me, and thousands of others this will be our first years of missing Download Festival since we were in our teens!. For many our routines have been turned upside down, being put on furlough or losing jobs. Our country has shown great community spirit by clapping for NHS staff and key works every Thursday night. This reminds me of the spirit of the rock and metal community at festivals and gigs. We are a community of music lovers and when someone falls (in the pit or elsewhere) you pick them up! There’s so much new music and livestream performances coming out now, and we’ve got time to check it out!

Although right now the future is unclear (we don’t know what will happen with the economy, our jobs, our health) one thing is certain and that’s that things will start to look up, festivals and gigs will reschedule, and it’s going to be one hell of a party when we finally get to hear some live music with our mates over a pint! #StayHome 3

drink responsibly!

You may have heard of bands releasing their own beer, whiskey, even gin. Well, Welsh rockers Bullet For My Valentine has taken it a step further and commissioned their own honey mead - Walking The Demon. This is made by Lyme Bay Winery, and described as “Sweet and moreish, with rich, deep honey flavours”, this is celebrating a drink that the band love and feel their fans will too. Mead is the oldest recorded alcoholic drink surrounded by myth and legend. This is 14.5% in volume so drink responsibly. You can order a bottle from Lyme Bay’s website, where you can also get a t-shirt. Waking The Demon is also available on Amazon.

American metal legends Lamb Of God have collaborated with Scottish craft beer giants Brewdog, the brewers behind Punk IPA and Elvis Juice. The difference with this beer, named Ghost Walker, is it appeals to non-drinkers. Making this the first collaborative non-alcoholic beer. This was planned to be launched at the beginning of Lamb Of God’s spring tour, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic - dates have been canceled. Instead, this co-insides with the launch of the video of the same name, ‘Ghost Walker’. The beer was inspired by vocalist Randy Blythe being blown away by Brewdog AF (alcohol-free) beer. The beer is availableto pre-order at the below link. https://shopusa.brewdog.com/products/lamb-of-god-ghost-walker

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Billy Talent have been releasing videos on their YouTube channel as part of their ‘Forgiveness’ series. Once you get into this little action/adventure video series you become curious about where the story line is going next, it’s exciting! The footage is beautifully shot by award-winning Canadian director Michael Maxxis, in New Mexico. The series is groundbreakingly bold and an ambitious thing for a band to put together. These videos are all in aid of the bands new album which they are still recording. The band have also recently released a new song ‘I Beg to Differ (This Will Get Better)’ which is a track that fully encapsulates what we are going through during the global crisis.

Teenage drummer Maren Alford is just 14 years old and is part of pop punk girl band Not Ur Girlfrenz who have already played Warped Tour, played many shows in the USA and supported Bowling For Soup on tour in the UK… twice! Maren first covered SlipKnot’s ‘Unsainted’ to which Maren told us “I had made the video just for fun, to push myself as I had never learned any songs like that before...

Jay (SlipKnot Drummer) really loved it which is really all that matters to me because he is a really big idol for me”.

Back by popular demand Maren has now covered SlipKnot’s ‘All Out Life’ which Jay has already commented on saying “Killing It”. Not Ur Girlfrenz recently released new single ‘Game Over’ which you can find the video for on YouTube or listen to on all the usual streaming platforms.

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D

ubbed “The Prince of Pop Punk” by the BBC, London based solo artist Danny Wright has been working on new music following on from his debut EP Breath in 2019.

Danny is a supporter of how the misunderstood youth can seek to find their way through the way the world now works, being understanding of this era’s common feelings such as anxiety and depression. He is a positive voice in the fight against “breaking away from the conformities of the older generations”.

In this interview we discuss recent single ‘I Hate Everything’ and the message behind it. New single ‘Broken Youth’ is set for release on 8th May 2020 via all streaming platforms.

Hi Danny, how’s it going? Are you currently isolating and how are you dealing with the way things are during this global pandemic?

I’m good thank you. I am self-isolating, it is a very strange time but I’m trying to keep myself active with music and I’m also using the time to educate myself a bit more with music production; which is something that I have always wanted to get better at.

Do you have any tips for people who are struggling with isolation?

This time right now is going to go down in history and spoken about for

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Interview by Victoria Purcell years to come, so I think people should try to make positive memories - so when they think back to this time it will bring some joy out of the significant moment in history. Maybe learn a new skill, or start that hobby you always wanted to do, a lot of people talk about not having the time to do what they really want. There is a lot of time now as the world has slowed down.

Create some positive memories.

Tell us about your background in music and how you got to the point you are at now?

I have been obsessed with music since a little kid and I have followed that obsession for years, I taught myself guitar playing along to my favourite bands such as Blink 182 and Green Day. I started bands in school, covering my favourite bands, and then later started my first band called DissolvedIn; writing my own original songs

which went on to tour all over Europe playing festivals and supporting some of our favourite bands at the time.

After the band journey ended, there was a period where I wasn’t doing music as an artist anymore and was more of a ‘session player’, working on shows like The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent. Fast forward a few years and I started the journey of being a solo artist, which was quite a big transition for me, having grown up listening to ‘band’ music, being in bands and always visioning myself in a band setting. This was quite a slow transition for me that started in 2017, which has led me here today. I’ve put out a bunch of solo music now and I am well into my solo career, playing shows, writing songs and building a community which I am truly grateful for.

You’ve openly spoken about metal health on social media and we at RAMzine agree that it’s really important to speak about it. What advice do you have for those who are struggling?

My advice will always be, to not be ashamed or embarrassed talking about it, especially men. You don’t have to act like you have got all your shit together just to appear strong or desirable. There is strength in vulnerability. The more you talk about what you’re struggling with the easier it will

be to look at and tackle. Whether it’s talking to a professional in the field or a trusted friend or family member, talking is good!

In the UK we tend to have a culture of feeling that our issues are not as important as the next persons, and we are cautious of not ‘wasting people’s time’ or we feel like it would be easier to just deal with things alone.

However, it seems all too common that this culture / upbringing encourages people to be reluctant about accepting help. How do you believe the UK can tackle this?

It’s definitely a pride and ego thing that is stopping us being more open about it. I think we need to break the stigma around the conversation of mental health and seeking help. It’s nothing to be ashamed of and its for the benefit of your wellbeing. I think the UK media can tackle this by promoting it as a ‘good for you lifestyle’ topic.

Just like health and fitness which has been a hugely popular topic in the last few years through media, I think mental health should be the same!

It would make it seem less daunting and super private, and would help normalise it. There are a few pockets

of communities who talk very openly about mental health and seeking help with no shame attached to it. I think this needs to be everywhere. We are slowly getting there.

We’ve been listening to ‘I Hate Everything’, what was this song written about?

This song is about those days when you don’t really like yourself, you hate everything in your wardrobe or you just can’t get your hair to look the way you want. The song was written with a sarcastic tone to laugh off those feelings of insecurity. The ultimate message of the song is to embrace all of yourself and to not let those passing feelings of insecurity dictate your day, or even your life. I had a lot of input from fans on this track, they shared

their experiences with me on the topic.

Who would be your dream line-up to tour with?

Blink 182, Senses Fail, The Used, Machine Gun Kelly - that would be a pretty sick line up!

What are your plans in terms of writing and releasing new music?

I have new music to release very soon.

I have written and recorded a bunch of new stuff, which I think is some of my best and most honest work. Musically some of it has gone back to some of the artists I love from that early 00’s era. Lyrically it’s very insightful and exposing of some of my experiences as an adult.

Thank for speaking to us and are looking forward to hearing your new stuff!

If anyone reading this is looking to seek help with mental health try to speak with a family member or friend. Or speak to your GP or a charity such as Mind who can point you in the right direction and give you some advice. www.mind.org.uk.

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By Tom Dixon

I

f you think only of feather boas, sparkly make-up and platform boots when discussing Marc Bolan and T. Rex, then think again. Yes, he was all of those but, importantly, behind it all he was a fierce talent; an exceptional guitar player and composer.

His early, acoustic work as Tyrannosaurus Rex was complex and a bit ‘folky and trippy’ but still had a touch of genius behind it. Then he shortened the name to T.Rex and began to make waves with the first eponymous album and then the even better Electric Warrior. However, in my mind, he came of electric age with the rounded, skilful quality of the 1972 release, The Slider. If I was in any doubts, then when I saw him in concert in 1973 at Newcastle City Hall, they were well and truly quashed. Bolan commanded the stage and, even above the hoards of screaming teeny-boppers, his guitar prowess in the solos shone through. (An interesting aside – I only got the tickets when a close friend (Brian Ross, who later became lead singer (and still is) for Blitzkrieg split from his girlfriend and asked me along instead.)

This album was a natural progression and, like Sweet, displayed a true rock side over and above the glam singles.

The singles will be familiar: ‘Metal Guru’ and ‘Telegram Sam’ have the trademark heavy riff to back the glam verses and choruses and, as always they’re full of lyrical twists

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and turns that are either very clever or just plain unfathomable. I never worked out what a “silver studded sabre-toothed dream” was. However, it is the album-only tracks that deserve a closer listen. ‘Mystic Lady’ brings back Bolan’s acoustic skills but with electric backing, its lilt and complexity is entrancing as well as damnably catchy. I defy you not to join in the “baby, baby, bop-a-da-da-da”. ‘Rock On’ has another catchy, heavy riff behind the orchestration and needs close listening to appreciate all of the many nuances; especially the very good lead burst and backing piano. ‘The Slider’ is slow and heavy blues-rock with a brilliant riff and percussion that quickly becomes what some call an ear-worm. I prefer the term “aural sex” as worms suggest something less edifying! ‘Baby Boomerang’ is pure fun with the rock again defying the glam label and the lyrics tying the tongue and brain in knots as you try to sing along and understand what the hell he is going on about… love it! ‘Spaceball Ricochet’ is back to electric and acoustic with sweeping and clever phrasing on the guitar and a cracking bass behind it all. It has purity and innocence too as you can hear the pick on the strings as he paradoxically sings about his Les Paul on an acoustic track. ‘Buick McKane’ has the best riff of all and one that has been copied by quite a few bands since. It is truly heavy and listen out for the genius guitar work in the extended riff repeat: it shows how good he is, even if the album was a little light

on extended soloing. ‘Rabbit Fighter’ is an orchestrated, acoustic/electric ballad that many a band would be proud of… even if I don’t think being a rabbit fighter is such a feat! The electric guitar throughout is simple and very clever as it plays around with the melodies and makes this a memorable song on many levels. ‘Baby Strange’ is yet another rock based, catchy as hell song hiding in plain sight behind the glam. ‘Ballrooms Of Mars’ is a slow, almost bluesy, rock ballad that has so much behind the vocals to listen too and yet, Bolan never over complicated or overfilled the backing… and producer Tony Visconti seemed to always know how to get the best out of the whole band. The multi-tracked guitar solos on are stunning and illustrate the whole point of revisiting this classic album; even it is woefully short for me. ‘Chariot Choogle’ (no, me neither) is back to rock with touches of glam and another infectious riff. The phased guitar solo is genius too. The final track, ‘Main Man’, is a simple structure that, on first listen, seems repetitive and heading toward boring - but a few listens in and we’re back into the world of aural sex… especially with the quality bass line.

So, forget the labels; do yourself a favour and listen to the man behind the glam and treat yourself to some quality rock. It may not be heavy, heavy, but it has weight and skill and those great riffs that have inspired so many. This is quality, real rock by any measure.

By Tom Dixon

The 60s was the decade that formulated and forged the music we loved through all subsequent decades. There are, of course, the obvious trailblazers: The Shadows (sans Cliff), The Kinks, The Troggs, Cream, The Yardbirds, Hendrix, Sabbath etc. However I thought it better to draw your attention to the lesser known but equally seminal pioneers of heavy rock, even if it wasn’t called that quite yet. So, let me introduce you to the six best songs of the 60s that deserve to be as lauded as their contemporaries, because they certainly influenced many of the artists that followed.

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SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON (II)

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JOHN LEE HOOKER

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13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS

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HEAVY JELLY

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THE GODS

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MAN

The first half of the decade saw the blues resurgence as US artists began touring over here; Sister Rosetta Tharpe and her white SG guitar for example. It was new to the UK players like Sonny Boy Williamson (II) who are undoubtedly responsible for the birth of blues-rock - if you listen to him on the album Nine Below Zero and especially on the superb ‘Bring It On Home’ from 1963 you will see where it all began. You’ll hear the inspiration for certain artists who eventually acknowledged the originator.

Self proclaimed Boogie Man, John Lee Hooker also moved the towards rock with his guitar style and attack. ‘One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer’ shows how it was all beginning to develop into riff based blues-rock. This style began to develop into true rock as bands began to use those templates and expand them into uncharted territory.

13th Floor Elevators were as radical as any of their contemporaries and the ’67 Easter Everywhere album showed an inherent feel for weighty pop/rock with a variety and depth many attempted and failed however these guys didn’t and ‘Pictures (Leave Your Body Behind)’ is a perfect illustration.

Heavy Jelly didn’t make waves (or wobbles) despite being on the fledgling Island label but their eight minute slice of class, ‘I Keep Singing That Same Old Song’ from ’68 has it all - heavy rock that predicted what was soon to come.

The modestly named The Gods included a young, pre-Heep Ken Hensley and on the ’68 Genesis album showed how heavy proggy rock was soon to develop. The opening track, ‘Towards The Skies’ has it all - riff, brilliant guitar solo and Hensley’s familiar Hammond and harmonies.

I cannot leave out the formidable Man who went on to record so much excellent heavy rock.

Their early output deserves to be heard too. The marvelously named ‘Spunk Box’ from their second album of ’69 shows Deke Leonard at his most imperious (it was actually called ‘Spunk Rock’ but was mistitled by the record label).

So there are 6 - I could have listed 666 but I think these show how the decade was one of experimentation, diversity, and exploitation of emerging technology that the bands that followed owe such a debt. Seek them out and as Rod Evans sang in 1969, “So listen, so learn, so read on…”

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Interview by Ashley Crowson

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he year 2020, what a year it’s been already! We’ve had our festivals, gigs, pubs... (the list goes on) and about everything we take for granted taken away from us by the dreaded Covid-19. On the plus side, it has occurred in this day and age, fifteen or twenty years ago, things would be much worse! These days we have amazing internet connections to keep some sense of socialising, virtual pubs, virtual gigs, they aren’t the same, but they are something. One thing that it can’t replicate though, is the build up for tours and album releases. Trivium are releasing their ninth studio release What The Dead Men Say, and courtesy of the internet, we were able to catch up with guitarist Corey Beaulieu about it and the band. So have a read, stay indoors, stay safe, and with any luck, we will be back to getting outdoors and gigs sooner rather than later!

RAMzine: We’re close to the release of What the Dead Men Say, what can the fans expect from this release and what was your inspiration for it?

Corey: They’re gonna get a full on ripping Trivium album that contains everything they’ve come to expect from us. With the previous record The Sin and the Sentence (Sin) we really found and solidified the sound that we feel combines all the best things

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we’ve done as a band into the Trivium sound. On this album we wanted to continue to build off the foundation we set with Sin. The Sin and the Sentence saw a nomination for a Grammy. Does it bring any pressure to writing?

It was really cool to get the recognition with the Grammy nod but awards and stuff like that doesn’t add any pressure on us. We just like to write music and are always hungry to write the best possible material we can together.

What the Dead Man Say sounds like it had plenty of thought go into it as a title and like there is something behind it. What, if any proved to be the most challenging song on the album to write, and what has the biggest meaning behind it for you all?

The title ‘Paolo’ came across from a Philip K. Dick story, we thought the title

was cool and wrote it down! When we were jamming and writing the music for the song we all wrote the chorus on the spot and the title just worked out perfectly. With the four of us the creative chemistry is great and none of the songs were difficult to write, every song we put together in a few hours. When we get in a room together and start creating, the ideas just flow. We all spend lots of time writing and preparing song ideas and passing around demos so when we get to the jam phase we have lots of stuff to work off of.

How have you guys changed over the years in your approach to recording? Has the process changed much from your younger days?

The recording process hasn’t really changed - the big difference from going through making nine albums is that we know the process we like to follow in the writing, pre-production phases before recording. We’ve tried some different ways suggested by different producers and looking back we knew that’s not the way we like to work.

Trivium started to hit the mainstream just as the industry was close to changing in how we listen and buy music, while many seem to have struggled with that, Trivium have been one of those few that

have really pushed ahead and not seemed to have been hit by it. Is it a right place, right time sort of approach, or have you been able to embrace it easier because of your age at the time?

Growing up we all bought CDs but when Napster hit we were in high school - we all used it and discovered lots of new bands because of it and would then go buy those band’s albums. So we were introduced to the early version of what we have today in streaming services, which we all use as well. I think we just have always been supportive of new platforms and if that’s the way of the future, you need to embrace it and find the best way to take advantage of it .

You were always that band that was given the moniker of the next Metallica, how do you live up with that hanging over your head, and how does it feel to be in a position like you are today where to some bands, you are their Metallica?

Well when we first came out it certainly was a good marketing tool to get attention! We’ve always had big goals which were inspired by being fans of Metallica, now we’re older we just want to be the best Trivium we can. It’s

really cool and humbling to have newer bands who were inspired to pick up an instrument or start a band because of our music.

After nine albums, you haven’t strayed from your sound in the beginnings of your studio releases whilst still maturing in writing ability, during this time you’ve stood

your ground as trends seem to have come and gone, what has it been that has made you not change your style and stick to your guns?

We write the music we want to listen to as a metal fan and the style is just what comes out of us. We aren’t motivated by other factors in how we write music at the end of the day - the four of us have our name on that product and we have to stand behind our work and be proud of the music we put out, that will last forever.

Over the twenty or so years that you guys have been active as a band, you’ve gone through all the highs and lows you could expect from critics and fans alike - how do you deal with both sides of that coin, what sort of toll does that take? How do you handle the pressures of it now?

With the internet and social media, no matter who you are or what you put out there’re always gonna be negative comments - regardless if you put out your magnum opus album, haha. We 13

developed a thick skin early on, coming out in the spotlight being so young - so shit doesn’t phase us at all. We are all pretty chill dudes and don’t get worked up about stuff so that kind of pressure isn’t really an issue. We have confidence in our ability to write our kind of music and have a good bond as a band; no one is bearing the full weight of anything that we have to do.

We live in a day where mental health is often openly spoken about, and Trivium seemed to hit it big at a really young age before it was openly discussed - how do you deal with the fame and success like that at that age, and how has that affected you all later in life?

It definitely was a whirlwind, to experience this big change and people picking apart your appearance and your music; we had to learn and adapt pretty quick. It definitely had an effect on the follow up, with The Crusade we weren’t working well as a band and some of the negative press stuff was bothering people because at that age it can feel very attacking when you just want to be accepted. We learned not to listen to the noise of people, in this career path everyone gets the positive/ negative thrown at you.

Obviously we’re now at a time when everything in all our lives is up in the air and we are stuck indoors, new music is a great release for our frustrations, but how has it affected the band as a whole to put in all this work and not be out to celebrate the release and support it?

We are all in good spirits and happy that when so much live music has been canceled/postponed, we can give everyone this album to enjoy when content and entertainment are in higher demand. We were looking forward to getting back on tour to promote the album but we know safety of our fans is more important than touring right now. We know we will be able to play for everyone again so we just have to be patient and make good use of the time! We’ve had to be creative in how we engage and promote our new album with everything 14

having to be done online. It’s different but we’re doing our best with the situation we’ve been dealt. We also have been writing new material so fans won’t have to wait so long for more new Trivium so I’m sure that will make some fans happy!

Matt is very active on Twitch and shares some of that on YouTube too with play throughs, gear talk, and general gaming and ramblings.

What impact does that bring to the band as a whole and connectivity

with the fan base as a whole?

Matt has been doing Twitch for a few years now and has really grown it.

He’s developed a really awesome community of fans and now Trivium is crossing over into the gaming world more and more after developing new friendships with people in that gaming world so it’s really exciting stuff. We played Dreamhack and were invited to Blizzcon and the recent unveiling of the Spawn character for Mortal Kombat for which our music was used. We look forward to having more

crossovers with different platforms in the future and growing, expanding Trivium’s reach!

What advice would you give someone wanting to start out playing, finding their first band or starting their first gig?

Just play what you love and enjoy being creative. Big thing is as soon as you can I’d find friends or other people that play an instrument and just play with those other people, that musical experience will help you develop and

make playing a lot of fun! Starting a band, there is no manual on how to do that - either you have like minded friends and go from there or find a group that’s looking for a member.

Finally, when you look back over your career so far, there must have been some really amazing highs and some tough lows to come through, are there any highlights and sobering lows that come to mind that you’d like to share of your journey?

Luckily we haven’t had any lows that go that low where you have a rock bottom moment. We enjoy what we do so much that the sheer fact we get to do this for a career makes the whole journey a high. Every time we make a record it is a milestone and playing historic venues, festivals, and performing and meeting bands we grew up idolizing makes it such an amazing experience being in this band!

What The Dead Men Say is out from April 24th via Roadrunner Records.

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Photos by Ashley Crowson

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Judas Priest Bloodstock 2018

By Ashley Crowson

Scorpions Stone Free 2018

By Ashley Crowson

Blind River Will at Bloodstock 2017 22By Ashley Crowson

AND THE SKY DARKENED BETWEEN GHOSTS

IRONSTONE PROPHECY

SERTRALINE

CLOUDED MINDS & SILVER

Metalcore outfit And the Sky Darkened are most easily comparable to BFMV & modern Trivium. This is due to their ability to combine complex, heavy riffing with grand arena-rock vocals and soaring harmonised guitar lines. For an upcoming band it boasts some strong riffs and instrumental performances. The EP shows off their ability to take from all of their influences, including Metallica and Alter Bridge, and blend it into something that has the potential to become a reputable name in the hard rock scene.

Review by Dale Unsworth

Ironstone are a metalcore band from Melbourne and on this, their debut EP, they give us six cuts to show what they’re capable of. They can certainly rock as they blitz their way through this EP but they also offer a varied mix of styles. They’re not all flat-out ‘going for the throat’ rock, they’re also subtle and their influences are more contemporary rather than copying seventies classic rock. This EP’s a good indication of what Ironstone have got to offer. They’re set to release debut EP Prophecy on the 29th of May 2020.

Review by Laurence Todd

Sertraline are one of those bands it’s hard to define in terms of genre with elements of easycore, djent, and straight-up hard rock.

That’s the best thing about them, you never know what you are going to get next. This EP is a testament to this. I still can’t wrap my head around how Lizzy Parry can do the crisp, clean vocals as well as the gritty guttural metal vocals. At only five tracks long, this is kind of an appetiser for something else much bigger. Clouded Minds & Silver Lines is the band’s follow up to 2017’s Guilty and will be released on the 15th of May 2020.

Review by Neale McGeever

DEIFIED ANTHROBSCENE Deified are set to release their forthcoming EP Anthrobscene. The album title is a perfect choice, a word that is a metaphor for the ‘geological epoch’ we find ourselves residing in.

Aside from its incredibly apt timing, the tracks within fully support that nihilistic view. Each of the eight tracks provide a dark fast-paced insight into humanity affects not only each other but the world in which we encompass, from politics, CEO’s and the systematic forced integration of AI into our lives. If you like your metal hard hitting, philosophical and rammed full of chugging riffs, then this is certainly a band worth checking out.

Review by Rich Broome 24

PATRÓN PATRÓN The album cover depicting a distressed woman with one nipple exposed sort of sets the tone for what the self-titled album from Patrón is like: a bit naughty (at least it tries to be). It sounds like they are trying to be like QOTSA from the start. Morover, there are elements of ner rock, country, and blues present. I think some members want to break out into a toned-down version of Rob Zombie or Wednesday 13, and I feel that would work better for Patrón. Patrón release their self-titled debut album via Klonosphere on 29th May 2020.

Review by Neale McGeever

SHAPE OF WATER GREAT ILLUSIONS

BENIGHTED OBSCENE REPRESSEDY

DIE EGO CULTO

A million miles from a stereotypical Manchester band (Happy Mondays, Oasis, etc) Italian duo Rox Capriotti and Luca De Falco have grafted their bones to create the artistic synth pop/ hard rock hybrid that is Great Illusions - which will be released by Eclipse Records on June 12th 2020. Think Depeche Mode meets 2020 hard rock.

The scene of 2008 will eat this up. Perfect festival music, lighters up! See the song that got them noticed, their cover of ‘Ultravox – Dancing With Tears In My Eyes’ on YouTube.

Review by Sophie Wegner

Obscene Repressed is the angry bastard follow up to the monster of a release Necrobleed from Frances Benighted. A veracious beating of death and grind metal that makes no apologies for itself, ear shattering insanity delivered at machine gun speed with no fear of experimentation.

Obscene Repressed sees Benighted continue with their A-game, even bringing in guests like hardcore legend Jamey Jasta and a bonus Slipknot cover could just be enough to entice those not so into the extreme heavy.

Review by Ashley Crowson

London metal crew Die Ego bring us their debut album. Bellowing guitar solos and addictive groove-metal melodies adorn this strong first effort.

‘Demons have Demons’ stands out with crushing drumming and ‘There Is No Tomorrow’ has strong live potential. Culto has everything fans want from a groove metal record, but offers things that more established acts have perhaps overlooked. This is pleasing, solid heavy metal for 2020; akin to Machine Head but more way more daring and diverse.

Review by Sean Rafferty 25

DEAD REYNOLDS FRONTIER

DALI VOL 1

THE WILD! STILL BELIEVE IN ROCK AND ROLL

The mature alt rock of Dead Reynolds is apparent on their second EP, Frontier. They maintain the Foos/Muse vibe but added infectiousness. ‘PS - I Loathe You’ blends the best of alt, riffiness with melody and structure.

‘Bright Lights’ adds weight without going too Sabbath. The single, ‘Lines’ wraps up the four tracks with Def Leppard-like chords but turned inside out and made alt and, did I say infectious? The album is different enough to warrant you seeking them out and following their improving skills.

Review by Tom Dixon

Southampton based Dali release their debut EP Vol 1, with four tracks of subtle and involving rock. ‘Borrowed Time’ moves from light to heavy and back with alt. riffs that engage. ‘You’re Not The One’ teases with a tasty solo. ‘Close’ is the Foos playing The Undertones with wheels fully down.

‘Wasteland’ has a superb bass pinning down a U2 feel, but more entertaining.

There’s also two radio edits - new tracks would’ve been better. Vol. 1 is a strong debut for alt rock lovers. Dali is a band worth seeking out.

Review by Tom Dixon

Canadian band The Wild! is a fascinating blend of Bon Scott era AC/DC and Hanoi Rocks, especially on opener ‘Bad News’.

The album follows that rock with attitude pattern and makes you Still Believe In Rock And Roll. Raucous but with skill, they are ones to watch. The title track is 70s rock that bites. ‘Playing With Fire’ has great riffs that may sound similar but isn’t; ‘Goin’ To Hell’ out - Aussies those other pretenders and has a brilliant solo to boot. The Wild! will release Still Believe In Rock And Roll on 1st May 2020 via One. Buy it and enjoy their whisky guzzling attitude.

Review by Tom Dixon

EVERYDAY HEROES A TALE OF SIN & SORROW If there is a better album to usher in the warmer weather this year then I am yet to hear it.

South Wales’ Everyday Heroes have put together a perfect soundtrack to a garden party or lazy warm day, drink in hand. Complete with blistering hot licks and southern tinged riffs A Tale of Sin and Sorrow is an album that’s good for the soul. It covers a lot of ground too, deep and moody to upbeat and vibrant, it’s all here.

Packed with heavyweight tunes, this album sounds like it’s just been blasted out of a sunbleached deserted and into this debut full length that is sure to set Everyday Heroes on a trajectory for success.

Review by Jay Brown 26

AWOLNATION ANGEL MINERS & THE LIGHTNING RIDERS Opener ‘The Best’ (one version has ‘No Roots’ electropopsinger, Alice Merton) is hallucinogenic and corruptible. The “heavy metal / hollow wood” concept is transmutable and, while simply europopical, this definitely makes an impact. ‘Slam (Angel Miners)’ appears to have psychogenic origins, with a buzzing not a million miles from what German band Trio was doing in 1982, (Da Da Da). Amazing Tijuana-style ‘Fiesta Fever’ with Magnetic Zeroist Ebert is sparklingly nurturing. Essentially, some sounds here are Crash Bandicoot, others are big cyclonic eruptions. Amazing.

Review by Neil Mach

DICTATOR SHIP YOUR FAVORITES

VORSTELLAN ENCEPHALON

VEGA GRIT YOUR TEETH

Sweden’s Dictator Ship manage to successfully combine 70s rock with punk, rock ‘n’ roll, and still sound modern. The seven tracks on Your Favorites will have you searching for where the riffs are grounded… Purple, Bad Company for example. Importantly they’re still original, energetic, and damn good. ‘Good Thing Gone Bad’ is punky rocky genius. ‘Just For Fun’ sounds like Wilko; ‘From The Womb To The Tomb’ has the best of the aforementioned genres in one song and it all just works. Give it a listen.

Review by Tom Dixon

Vorstellian are set to release Encephalon but it’s lacking a bit of spark, while the music is competent, it draws too heavily from the likes of Mallory Knox & feels a little lacklustre. There are jarring interludes based around a therapy session that are unnecessary.

This album struggles to hit second gear & if it does, it’s not for long. On future releases it would be great to hear the bands own identity, things ramped up & some risks taken that aren’t in the form of interludes, the music is solid. It will be interesting to see what they do next.

Review byJay Brown

British melodic rock has never been in a better state and title track of this 80s classic rock achievement has malcontent, sateeny riffs, a shellacking beat and jackfruits of rhythm that skip around like a plinth dancer. Def Leppardy numbers bring further heady experiences that will conjure-up splendid choruses in an arena setting. ‘Don’t Fool Yourself Again’ is propulsive and über-punchy while ‘Battles Ain’t A War’ is restrained, coroneted and rather princely. For fans of ‘Ready an’ Willing’ Whitesnake, this is a doozy-blast.

Review by Neil Mach 27

THE ALLIGATOR WINE DEMONS OF THE MIND Drenched in 60s psychedelia and filled with thick and groovy vibes emanating from the 70s, this ridiculously cool duo has spawned something that is as atmospheric as it is unique. The amazing thing is that it is devoid of guitars, which means that its surreal soundscapes are conjured up by analogue synthesizers, distorted organs, and superb vocals that walk that fine line between melancholy and darkness. If you want strangely timeless and eclectic rock music with an innovative twist to it, this one is it.

Demons Of The Mind is released Friday April 24th 2020 via Century Media Records Europe.

Review by Jens Nepper

28

CALLING ALL ASTRONAUTS #RESIST

DOHNY JEP L.U.S.T

KYROS CELEXA DREAMS

Made up of several different bands who have toured with all kinds of names, Calling All Astronauts are a new recipe of industrial rock. There’s equal measures of metal, pop and even hip hop there. I can’t put my finger on it but there’s something missing from this mix. There’s hints of Rammstein, Ministry, Killing Joke, and even The Prodigy. The goth community will love this, I’m not sure where else #Resist fits in though. It has it’s moments but generally feels like a demo.

Review by Neale McGeever

When you get past the silly name, you realise Dohny Jep is a pretty decent band. They’re one of those British heavy rock bands like Don Broco, Biffy Clyro or Twin Atlantic that aren’t heavy enough to be metal but heavier than plain old hard rock. That’s not a bad thing, Dohny Jep is certainly melodic and use enough tools to make them different from these bands.

Think Sempiternal era BMTH. If this is the sound of British rock in the 2020s, I can’t complain. L.U.S.T will be realeased 10th July 2020.

Review by Neale McGeever

On their third album, Kyros show themselves to be an interesting hybrid of influences, ranging from 1980’s electro pop to more contemporary prog bands. Tracks like ‘Rumours’ nod to bands such as Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, while ‘Ghost Kids’ evokes the Porcupine Tree. However, Celexa Dreams is clearly aimed at the present moment, being that it’s a fine collection of synth-rock songs, short stories underpinned with thought provoking lyrics, and one which takes the band in a fresh, new direction.

Review by Laurence Todd

DOUBLE EXPERIENCE ALIGNMENTS

THIRTEEN STARS

FINEST RAMSHACKLE JAM

THE SHRIEKS ODE TO JOE LINES

Canadians Double Experience pull their recent EPs onto the Alignments album. They bring a Foo Fighter-ish alt rock style to ‘Perish Song’. ‘New Me’ is more rock, rock with riff and melodies.

‘My List’ is what alt rock should be, complex and varied with class. ‘Your Biggest Fan’ has been getting the most attention and rightly so. ‘The Imp’ has a punk edge and closer ‘Alignments’ saves the best ’til last with the most accessible track. Give ‘em a try to hear premium, original alt rock. Alignments is out on 24th April 2020.

Review by Tom Dixon

Those dusty- rugged Cumbrian country-swing rockers Thirteen Stars have released a fine ramshackle jam. With Hoss’s sandpaper vocals (roadbed macadam) and the jangle from homesteader guitars, ‘Running So Long’ is more Tom Pettyish than a performance by Muddy Wilbury at a Mudcrutch gathering. The lamenting guitars fill this billycan with angst. ‘Mint Jelly’ is giddier, with a sordid beat reminiscent of ZZ Top’s depravity (albeit delivered with the heartsore raspiness you’d expect from Dylan on a more sniffly day.)

Jumentous moonshine? You betchya!

Review by Neil Mach

New Yorkers, The Shrieks, bring their blend of 70s rock, punk and 60s psych together to great effect on Ode To Joe. First track ‘T Rex’ is Iggy backed by Blue Cheer. Third track ‘Whistleblower’ has a bit of Bowie and REM. Fifth track ‘Ode To Joe’ is heavy blues and brilliant. Tenth track ‘Love Or Lust’ is as if the Sex Pistols learned slide guitar! Closing track, ‘Legs’ moves to Sabbath with punk threaded through. Difficult to explain, easy to love… give it a couple of listens and it will capture you. The Shrieks will release their new album Ode to Joe on May 8th 2020.

Review by Tom Dixon

THE OUTLAW ORCHESTRA PANTOMIME VILLAINS Cowtown America meets Sheffield steel on Pantomime Villains. ‘Chicken Fried Snake’ brings satisfying iniquity with a gratifying buzzsaw riff. This is a front-running number with expedited vocal dexterity and fluent prowess in the artistry. ‘Take A Bow’ is perspicuous, with pizzicato banjo and tin-plate rattle.

The vocal is rapid and corn-chowder homely with lots of clap and a slidy, copperhead guitar.

‘Voodoo Queen’ imparts the best gypsy dance and personifies back-room vaudeville. ‘Hanging Tree’ has a rockabilly beat, and a dexterous web of guitar. Released 29th May 2020 via Voodoo Queen Records.

Review by Neil Mach 29

KULT OF THE SKULL GOD THE GREAT MAGINI These Italian purveyors of dark and raw rock ‘n’ roll are about to unleash their musically cohesive debut offering and the result is a satisfying one. Owing as much to the Rolling Stones and swampy, voodoo-soaked blues rock as it does (early) Danzig and Black Sabbath, The Great Magini contains plenty of grooves and hooks, and one could easily see this one appealing to a wide variety of music fans and listeners out there. However, it is explosive and entertaining rather than truly remarkable, but it is definitely worth exploring.

Review by Jens Nepper

DEEPSHADE SOUL DIVIDER Deepshade embody a Goliathan-like elixir of electricity on new album, Soul Divider. Weaving a rich tapestry of musical nuance through the inclusion of snarling guitars, thunderous drums, organs, rich bass lines, and a bone-chilling vocal performance, Soul Divider presents an intoxicating listening experience that fully engages the ear from start to finish. They add their own sense of flair to the traditional classic rock sound, creating a modern twist on beloved sonic tropes - & most importantly, something that is entirely their own.

Review by Lindsay Teske 30

ABORTED LA GRANDE MASCARADE

THE MISER THE MISER

Oh, Aborted, you magnificent beast you! Released April 2020 comes La Grande Mascarade, a three song EP from Belgium’s finest grind/death metal outfit. Horror themes and sound bites still adorn the tracks, blast beats, insanely fast and technical riffs, and epic cluster bombs they all are.

Usually a sign of what to expect in the near future, this showcases their first outing with Harrison Patuto following the departure of Mendel Bij do Leij, and he fits the bill. The perfect EP to piss off the neighbourhood!

Review by Ashley Crowson

The Miser are a hard rock band from London set to release their self-titled EP. They satisfy your need for beefy bass lines and slick guitar hooks. I hear slight Mastodon tones in there and I’m digging it! But The Miser are very much their own sound which is hearty and fuel injected with well-rounded rhythms and addictive beats. You can feel the energy flowing through the EP, with a sound perfect for the live environment. We look forward to checking them out with a beer - once allowed outside!

Review by Victoria Purcell

TRIVIUM WHAT THE DEAD MEN SAY Mention the name Trivium to anyone, and they’ll have an opinion, some good, some bad, but nonetheless everyone has one. The odd thing about their opinion is that the band has had a career spanning 20 years, but their opinion will come back to just one single part of that period. It was Ascendancy that really thrust them unto the mainstream world, and with that came the double edge sword, massive praise, and love as the next band, but also the weight of that on their shoulders, which had many turn away from the band with their next releases.

Regardless, the band hasn’t stopped they’ve stuck to their guns, and their love for what they do is stronger than ever before, the last few albums have really showcased the levels to which they have dug in deep to strive and achieve greatness, and What the Dead Men Say fits the bill with maintaining that line. Start to end, this release plays as an album should, it flows fantasticallyfrom one song to the next and is put together in a way that

deserves to be enjoyed as such.

A mellow, dramatic and broody intro akin to the 80’s thrash era leads the way to the already familiar title track, which itself follows on with the album’s debut single ‘Catastrophist’.

As if that wasn’t enough, third and

most recent single ‘Amongst the Shadows & the Stones’ chases that up making the beginning of the album so familiar it’ll have you feeling like you’ve owned it for an age from the first play.

The explosive first half of the album throws plenty at you, aggressive, melodic and combustible in every way. The turns and approach on songwriting have them at their best in their career together. Borrowing and blending elements of styles into their sound, What the Dead Men Say has seen Trivium grown into a beast! ‘Bleed Into Me’ relaxes the tone for a more mellow breather before unleashing some mammoth monsters in ‘The Defiant’ and ‘Sickness Unto You’, the latter providing some of the finest leads that Trivium have probably written, period. The album as a whole has a darkened feel without losing much of an uplifting feel with album closer ‘The Ones We Leave Behind’ having probably the most positive sound musically on approach.

Vocally, Matt has really grown since the early days, and with the album being likened to Ascendancy, it shows how he has developed and matured in himself. To add to that, the album as a product is a masterclass of metal in this day and age, and that is boasted yet again with the addition of Josh Wilbur on the mix and production.

The only way you can find flaws is with some seriously critical searching, there might be some there, but if there is, you’d either need to be going into this with a chip on your shoulder, or stuck with that attitude and opinion like mentioned at the start of the review. It would come as no surprise to see this hitting more than a couple of albums of the year for people come the end of year.

What the Dead Men Say is out April 24th via Roadrunner Records read our interview with the band in this issue as they talk of the album, and the effect the current climate on the world; as well as the impact it has had on the band in regards to the release of the album and touring.

Review by Ashley Crowson 31