Contents Featured 04 Hammerfest review 08 dani filth - cof
Dani tells us about his inspirations, and opinions on the music industry.
Interview 14 Ashestoangels In the past 12 months ‘New Grave’ masters Ashestoangels have toured relentlessly.
E! WELCOM
INTRODUCING 12 Anti-clone The genre is nu-metal and the band are four-piece Anti-Clone.
If anyone ever tells you that making a zine is easy, they are lying! Maybe I’m not meant to admit that. I feel the need to say it, as I am just so impressed with all the contributions to this issue knowing all the hard work and different elements that have gone into it. This is our most jam-packed issue yet! We traveled to Wales quite a few times in the last month for the HRH events. I interviewed Dani Filth, we spoke about the state of the music industry, which is something that I have spoke to a lot of bands about over the last year on our YouTube Channel. Contributing Editor Neale had a chat with new-gravers AshesToAngels, and he spoke to one of the most up and coming bands around at the moment, Anti-Clone. In this issue we have expanded our reviews section, and as always covered a wide range of bands and genres. We don’t judge bands by record labels or genres here at RAMzine - we like to mix it up! Enjoy!
- Victoria Purcell Edi tor-In-Ch eif
03 HRH PROG REVIEW 10 HRH AOR REVIEW
Head to RAMzine.co.uk to see our live coverage!
17 Reviews - Purson - Good Tiger - Scar Of The Sun - Beholder - Spell - Pensevor - Wo Fat Candlebox - False Gods - Moralist - Belvedere Diamond Head - Haken - Deftones - Colt 45 - Dead Register - The Alchemy - Patriot Rebel - Sixx AM - The Decoys -AshesToAngels - The Dead XIII - Jaded Heart -
Contributors Cover design: Gaz Jackson www.sinisterarts.com
Neil Mach !
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RAMzine Senior Writer -HRH Prog Review -HRH AOR Review -Purson & Haken Reviews
On the cover: Dani Filth of Cradel of Filth, and Zetro of Exodus by Chris James Ryan. Edited by Marcus Wheeler, Neale McGeever & Victoria Purcell. Contributing Photograhers:
Lisa Billingham, Neale McGeever, Neil Mach, Chris James Ryan. Hammerfest Review by Jade Holland. Reviews by: Neil Mach, Jay Russell, Ash Crowson, Pagan Hel, Carl Chat win, Stuart Iversen, Jules Burnan,Claudia Mancino, Neale McGeever.
Neale McGee ver! Contributing Editor -Introducing AntiClone -Inter view with AshesToAngels
HRH prog “an astonishing & unforgettable weekend”
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Once more a mass of resolute prog-rock followers foregathered in Pwllheli, North Wales for the prominent 3 day progressive music event known as HRH PROG. We arrived on a sparkling bright Thursday, and after completing formalities [for example, turning up the heating in our caravan to HOT and then buying beverages and snacks from the on-site shop] we headed straight to the “Bonga Wonga Show Room” for the classic rock outfit HAMMERHEAD from Workington — who kicked off the festival with a boisterous set that could certainly be described as powerful dynamically, though not necessarily progressive. Yet these guys harnessed the potential of the fevered audience and got things really moving. Then it was up to the technically outrageous OKTOPUS to make things more, well, “proggy” I suppose. And the Birmingham trio seemed up for it. They bestowed upon us a nervy mix of sexy jazz-funk and accomplished intellectual creativity. We were reminded of the seventies folk-mixers Spirogyra. The unrestrained ARTHUR BROWN along with the deft QUADRANT THIRD paved the way for the substance of the weekend ... it was manifestly clear that this was to be a celebration of the survival of the fittest … It seemed that we were gathered here — in the Kingdom of Gwynedd — to toast champions who had — somehow — defied the ravages of time. Wales was ultra-sunny as we headed into the “Bonga Wonga” on Friday. We were missing the rays ... but the FIERCE AND THE DEAD were playing songs from their newly released album. And neither could we miss SEPTEMBER CODE. This exceptional Greek band, singing in English, played a sequence of compositions that were not only beautifully crafted and exquisitely sung, but also contained traditional characteristics. Slightly hallucinogenic, The EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND had always been a controversial outfit in the late 1960s. But “EDGAR” BROUGHTON is a lot calmer these days. His solo acoustic set at PROG 4 was flecked with interesting anecdotes from a musical life. Glasgow’s ABEL GANZ have also been around (since the 1980s.) Yet they too seemed flush and reinvigorated. Curved Air had to pull out of the weekend because of family difficulties, but PURSON slotted into their slot. PURSON founder and lead singer Rosalie Cunningham reminded us very much of Sonja Kristina. Their new release “Desire of the Magic Theatre” is highly desirable. Their show at HRH was a psychedelic cloud of experimentalism and trippy hipness. The psychedelic Canterbury rock and jazz scene
Hammerh ead!
was represented by SOFT MACHINE and CARAVAN. The essential album from that period was “In The Land Of Grey And Pink” and it was released 45 years ago. Yet, despite the death of drummer Richard Coughlan in December 2013, CARAVAN still remain active and creative. The original 1966 line up of SOFT MACHINE has long since gone. But the “new” members have been playing together since the 1970’s. So that was more evidence, if any was needed, of the longevity and endurance of these bands. The sun hid behind the mountain cloud on Saturday... So, after we had watched the excellent EMPTY YARD EXPERIMENT ( they had travelled all the way from Dubai) who performed an amazing unplugged session in the VIP bar — we went up to see the weird and wonderful conventioneers who had gathered for the Seventh Sci-Fi Weekender. (Happening on the main stages at Haven.) After taking in those silvery sights, we went back to watch THE ENID perform. Their DUST tour has been an amazing success and the HRH show was to be only one of a handful of shows to include Robert John Godfrey before he retires gracefully (from live rock) in April. He hands over the keys of the kingdom to vocalist Joe Payne. The audience in North Wales were evidently transported and overawed by the incredible passion of Joe’s vocal performance. For those who had not seen this band before, it was an moving experience. Next was FOCUS. The Dutch band that was formed by yodelling flautist and keyboard hotshot — Thijs van Leer. Their extended version of “Hocus Pocus” was a sensation, but the crowd went even more nuts for the 1973 single “Sylvia” played early on in the set — many commentators later suggested that FOCUS put on the best show of the weekend. Perhaps there was too much flute in IAN ANDERSON’S headlining performance.The “Tull” show was a collection of recognizable songs but seemed shored up by jazz interludes. The fantastic 3-day event ended in style with the fabulous VON HERTZEN BROTHERS, who come from Helsinki in Finland. They created some strong and fast prog-pop fancies. It was the kind of fizzy restoration we needed before we dared venture back to our icy caravans. Credit must go to the organizers and artists for creating such an astonishing and unforgettable weekend. Special thanks, also, to the staff atten-
Ian Anders on!
Purson!
Hammerh ead!
Th e Enid!
ding the tables at the Mash and Barrel... They served a voracious and unquenchable multitude of misfit nonconformists and madcap monsters all weekend... Many of them worse for wear. Thank you for being so patient. Next year the event will be “stand-alone” at Hafan Y Mor —16-19 March 2017. Words & Photos by Neil Mach.
Cradel Of Filth
Cra shgat e!
Oa f! Tragedy!
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Stone Ghost!
Sa vage Messiah !
were welcomed with sunshine and metalheads everywhere! We were eager to get settled in as we knew that in a few short hours the bands would be starting. It wasn’t long before we found ourselves with a nice cold beer enjoying the atmosphere. CRASH GATE were the first band to open the festival. Despite technical difficulties and an absent band member, they still managed to kick ass! Their high energy performance really set the tone for the rest of the festival. Even when the lead singer Craig Sheridan’s mic decided to pack in they carried on regardless. The sound crew managed to rectify the issue while Sheridan held the crowd with his powerful voice and somehow they managed to maintain their epic heavy sound! While playing one of their better know songs, ‘Whiskey Makes Me Frisky’, they handed out a couple of bottles of whiskey, with cups, which the crowd very much appreciated. Even though there wasn’t a huge turn out, it was a great way to start the festival! I was really looking forward to RAIN OF FURY and I wasn’t disappointed! They threw us straight into ‘the heavy’ with fast, sexy riffs and fist pumping beats - these Midlands metallers are shit hot! If you haven’t already, you should check them out! Their old school thrash metal brought the mood back up and they drew quite a big crowd. From the moment they started playing, everyone was head banging and rocking out. They had a fantastic set with such songs as ‘Faustian Mastery’, ‘Hypnotise the Masses’, ‘Psycho Intentions’, ‘Gates of Sanity’ and ‘World Detonation’. I can’t wait to see this band again! ONE FOR SORROW were the first band of the festival to play heavy, sludgy groove-metal, and they nailed it. Lead singer, Joe Thompson, had a great stage presence and good interac-
Hammerfest Cradel of filth turisas - exodus lawnmower deth Located in Hafan Y Mor Holiday Park, Pwllheli, Wales, Hammerfest, now in its eighth year, had sold out yet again. It offers a very fun, clean and comfy way to get your metal fix, with chalets and caravans that meet everybody’s needs. Unlike camping festivals, you can shower as soon as you get up, as you have your own bathroom in your accomadation. You also have your day to day working appliances such as a cookers, microwaves, fridge and kettle for all your home-away-from-home needs. There is a shop located on site and many eateries such as Burger King, Papa John’s and a chippy. You also get a real sense of community at this festival and an added bonus of a beautiful beach which is only a five minute walk from the accommodation.
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THURSDAY: The day we were all looking forward to had finally arrived; we started on our long journey to HAMMERFEST. It took us roughly six hours to get to Hafan Y Mor but we
tion with the crowd! DRUGANAUT really caught my attention with their sexy, sludgy riffs and high energy, stoner rock sound. A very fun band to watch. With songs such as ‘Old Red’ , ‘Top Bunk Hunk’ , ‘Shipwrecked’ , ‘Bum’s Rush’ and ‘Sober Again’, these guys delivered a kick ass performance that had the crowd wanting more! BULL RIFF STAMPEDE were brutal! One of the best bands of the weekend. Not only did they blow the crowd away with their heavy thrash sound, they managed to pack the venue with one of the biggest crowds all weekend. For reasons unknown to us, Bull Riff ’s drummer didn’t play, which left the space open for Ringmaster Monty Blitzfist from EVIL SCARECROW to step in and play. He did an amazing job and the gig went off without a hitch. They played songs such as ‘Thrashing Machine’, ‘Ten’, ‘Pieces of Hate’ and ‘Raze’. I was also delighted that they played their latest track from their debut album ‘Enraging the Beast’ which you can now pre-order on April 4th which I highly recommend you do, as these guys are epic! TRAGEDY: All Metal Tribute To The Bee Gees & Beyond are a glam parody disco metal band probably the only of it’s kind! With their glittery spandex, big hair and heavy black eye liner, this band was seriously something else! These guys were funny with their very own brand of cheesy comedy! It was very entertaining. They certainly brought a silly, fun edge to the end of the night. By singing songs everyone knows such as ‘You’re the One That I Want’, ‘It’s Raining Men/Raining Blood’, and ‘Stayin’ Alive’, they had the crowd singing and cheering along with them till the end of their set.
FRIDAY: The festival didn’t actually start until two, which gave us a chance to check out what the site had to offer food wise and ended up eating in the Mash and Barrel, which on the whole was okay, the food was nice. It was a good atmosphere and you could literally be sat next to some of your favourite band members which was also very cool. We ended up being sat across from Turisas! Kicking off the day was STONE BROKEN and, considering they where the first band on, they had quite a good turn out. They got the crowd riled and dancing with their light-hearted, upbeat metal. These guys are definitely one for the ‘ladies who like to shake it’. With songs like ‘Let Me Go’ and ‘Better’, it was great start to the day. When I first heard that XERATH are orchestral groove-metal, I didn’t know what to expect but they blew me away! I didn’t think they would sound as good as they did, and in my opinion
they should have been further up the bill. They pulled a huge crowd which was well deserved! With old school black-metal riffs and heavy-metal vocals, it really works. You could tell the crowd love them and you could see they had a real passion for the music that they play. They are currently on tour with other legends FLESH GOD APOCALYPSE, and both bands are certainly worth a watch! DEF-CON-ONE are angry, loud and in your face, I loved them. Every song is like an attack or a wake up call. They had everyone chanting and played Sex Pistols number, ‘Anarchy In The UK’. I look forward to seeing these guys again. BATTLE BEAST are a Finnish band with very high energy. Female lead vocalists are still a minority, so I was pleasantly surprised when Noora Louhimo came on s t a g e . Her style was big hair and big make up; she looked amazing which also went with the fact she had such a big voice! They jumped straight into their first song, ‘Far Far Away’. Louhimo’s vocal range is crazy, with her high screams and strong choruses, she had everyone singing along with her. They brought a different element to the festival, which I really enjoyed. ACID REIGN sadly couldn’t make the festival due to an accident on the motorway. A great shame as this thrash metal band packs quite a punch! The band put out the following statement via Facebook: ‘It is with great sadness that we have to announce that we have been told by Hammerfest organisers to turn around as they cannot find a slot for us despite their best efforts. We left London at 10am and we’ve been on the road for the last seven hours. We will be on the road for another three hours to get home. To say we are unhappy would be an understatement but in the grand scheme of things. It could be worse… Have a good one everyone, stay safe and hopefully we’ll see you next year!’ TURISAS. Now this is a band that can really take charge of a crowd. Their fist-pumping, high-energy performance was battle-metal at its finest! A lot of fans showed their support by dressing up in warrior/Viking attire and painting their faces in the traditional red and black war paint. They looked like a tribe of warriors ready to go out and fight! They played songs such as ‘We Ride Together’ and ‘Stand Up And Fight’, but the real crowd pleaser was ‘Raspu
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gave it their eenall though. Thirt
Stars!
SATURDAY started with a comical set from
Battle Bea st!
tin’, which had the crowd singing, dancing and chanting – it really put the crowd in high spirits! FLESH GOD APOCALYPSE totally stole the show and were my favourite band of the weekend with their heavy,
OAF, which was more like a stand up act featuring a couple of songs. The two man band, Dom Lawson (‘He Who Strums and Shouts’) and James Rayment (‘He Who Hits Things’), were an amazing duo which had the crowd in stitches with their ‘fuck you all in a nice way’ attitude. They were a definite crowd pleaser! With top banter with the crowd and songs about hating seagulls, they were well worth a watch! I felt STONE GHOST didn’t really get the crowd they deserved. After Oaf, many seemed to disappear, which was a shame; I guess people were still nursing their hangovers and were not quite ower Lawnm ready for the roar that was Stone
Turisa s! Exodus!
dark, classical sound of symphonic extreme metal. They have definitely given death-metal a new, unique edge with their own style and gothic, dead look on stage. They recently released their new album, King. They blew away the crowd and even with technical difficulties they were brilliant. CRADLE OF FILTH are a band I have seen many times in the past; they performed a flawless set as always. It was said by people backstage that COF belived they should have been on a bigger stage as they felt they didn’t have the room to perform like they normally do. It lacked the pyrotechnics that I had seen in other performances. They played such songs as ‘Born In A Burial Gown’, ‘Nyphetamine’ and, my favourite, ‘Her Ghost In The Fog’. Many people came out to see them but I felt they didn’t get the crowd participation they deserved. Dani did try to get the crowd riled but it fell on deaf ears as the crowd didn’t seem that interested. The hard core fans really
Ra nger!
Ghost! SAVAGE MESSIAH were epic! They pulled a huge crowd, with their heavy, fast riffs and heavier drum beats. It was about time the crowd woke up! Savage Messiah ripped through their set and it was immense. Everyone was head banging and finally some mosh pits broke out. Savage Messiah owned the stage; their performance left me thinking they should have been further up the bill. RANGER are a loud, heavy, speed metal band from Finland. They were really fun to watch but sadly yet another band that had hardly anyone stick around to watch. If you like fast in your your face metal you should check
De th !
Words by Jade Holland - photos by Chris James Ryan.
these guys out. EVILE were excellent! They sounded flawless with their tight set and got the crowd riled and warmed up ready for Exodus. By far the best band of the weekend, with their hour and a half set, thrash legends, EXODUS, were worth the wait. They had the biggest mosh pits of the weekend and they were incredible! Even if you’d never seen this band before, you would have been fist pumping and cheering along with these crazy shenanigans!! They played us a thrash-metal medley of epic songs such as ‘Black 13’, ‘Blood In, Blood Out’, ‘Salt The Wound’, ‘Black List’ and many more! They also saluted Lemmy in true metal fashion by telling us they wouldn’t be the metal band they are without him or Motörhead. LAWNMOWER DEATH are just bat shit crazy! I’d never seen them before so I didn’t know what to expect; they chatted so much crap with their funny non-stop banter – they even got a bloke who was dressed up as Jesus to start the conga line around the venue, that hundreds of people joined in with. The conga came to an end as Jesus led everyone to a waist-high fence that those hundred of people then started climbing over to get back into the crowd. They gave us a really random, light-hearted end to a really fun festival. They had huge blown up balls flying all over the crowd and were stealing people’s phones to take selfies. Everyone really enjoyed themselves. Lawnmower Deth commically left the stage saying it was for the encore, and of course the crowd scream for more. It was really fun end to a great festival. Next years Hammerfest takes place as part of HRH United on 23 - 26th March 2017. If you are looking to attend you will need to book tickets quickly, as this is an event that sells out.
Fleshgod Apocalypse!
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Cradel Of Filth !
E vile!
Interview with Dani Filth By Victoria Purcell Cradle of Filth have been on a North American tour. The band arrive at Hammerfest straight from the airport. They take some time to check out their chalet, then they are straight the press area and Dani filth is sent over to RAMzine, for his and our first interview of the festival. Hi Dani, how are you today? Good, yeah. The drive was okay, we came straight from the airport, we were in New York two days ago. I heard that you had to cancel a few dates, what happened there? We cancelled four shows, usual visa rubbish with America. There is a campaign going online at the present because Americans pay $30 per person. For our band and crew it’s $5000, and they misplaced my visa, I had to go for a medical and they misplaced my medical results. So we ended up cancelling four shows, which is probably worth about 60-70 thousand dollars without any merch profits or anything like that. But what can you do. But the tour was amazing! It was absolutely phenomenal, we had Butcher Babies and Ne Obliviscaris with us. It went so well that we are looking at possibly a second leg later on in the year. To play the shows that you missed out on?
Yes, and others. It wouldn’t be worth just doing four shows, but it was great. We also did the 7000 Tons of Metal cruise. Ah yes, we have heard lots about 7000 Tons of Metal, what was it like? It was absolutely astounding, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The ship is literally the size of a small city. You have cabins overlooking the sea and you can just wonder around going from gig to gig, you know most of the bands as well. That wasn’t the cruise that got lost a sea, was it? We didn’t get lost at sea, but there was a massive storm on the way back and therefore some bands were forced to cancel their set as one of the venues is on the top deck. They give you a card as well, like a credit card, all the food is free, you can eat as much as you like. Not with drinks though, you put them on the credit card, and when I went to pay mine I thought «uh oh, I’m going to be thousands of dollars in debt,» but it wasn’t quite so bad. That sounds quite fun; I’ve always wanted to go on a rock cruise, it’s nice to be at a beach, however, here we are at Hammerfest, in Wales in March which is a completely different scene. Comfortable, nonetheless. You were here with your band Devilment last year... Yeah! Devilment have just gone into the studio in my absence, to record the second album. Okay, so you are just going to jump in at some point to do vocals? Well, I’m going to have some bloody time off first!
Victoria Purcell in t er views Dani Filth ! 8
Yeah, you have been busy! How do you like Hammerfest? It’s cool yeah, a little bit disorganised at first, but it’s good. They have given us a fantastic chalet, it’s awesome, it’s overlooking the sea. I want to move in, I’m not going to do the tour; I just want to stay here. Yeah, just stay here for a bit, have a rest, and then record your bits with Devilment. Haha!
Hammerfest is good, though; it’s quite an eclectic mix of bands. You would expect to see caravans up turned and on fire most of the time, but actually the clientele that come here are very well behaved. I know that because last time I hung around until about four in the morning, I went between all the different stages, met up with some great people; it was a lot of good fun. People like their beer here, but everyone is very respectful, it’s quite nice to not be in a tent at a festival. It’s nice to have a bit of luxury. Oh yeah, luxury is nice. Last night I was mingling with the Hammerfest crowd and I was asking people what they would ask you, if they could ask anything. Everyone had such a random thing, and it made me wonder if a lot of it is just rumors? Or perhaps random things just seem to happen to you a lot. One person said to me, ‘‘Ask him about the time he got hit with a chair on stage,’’ another person said ‘‘ask him is it true that he got arrested because he was covered in blood,’’ and another person said ‘‘tell him sorry my band stole his meat.’’ I don’t know about any of those. I haven’t been hit by a chair on stage; I have been hit by other things though... I have been arrested, but not covered in blood. So they are all in fact rumors, this is what I suspected. Do you find that a lot of people make up rumors about you? Well, the truth of most of them is that there are a lot more that are worse and true, some of them just get a little bit misconstrued. I was arrested in France, and the police did beat me up. I wasn’t covered in blood, but I had quite a lot of bruises. Whats the most random thing you have read about yourself in the press? That we all had a gay orgy on the tour bus there’s been millions of things. Too numerous to go into really. A lot of them are based on fact, apart from the gay orgy, because we have got up to quite a lot of mischief. We are much more well behaved now. Well... less badly behaved.
“I lived in a house that was frequented by the original witch finder general, Matthew Hopkins & the whole village was kinda steeped in occult law and witchcraft” I’m noticing that a lot of bands who have been around for quite a long time tend to say «It used to be all sex, drugs, rock n roll, but now we are behaved», do you think it’s the generation? I think people grow up a little bit, but I also believe that people don’t tend to smash things up anymore because you have to pay for it. We had to pay for it back in the day, but we all had a bit more money then. The music industry in general had more money, so people could get away with great excesses. Yeah, absolutely! I have been asking a lot of people over the past year about the music industry, and I feel it’s really sad when people say «it’s doomed.» Obviously it’s changed a lot; what are your thoughts on the state of the music industry? Music-wise, album sales are literally dreadful. I think it’s looking for another kinda world leader, another Metallica. But I don’t know if you would even get another attempt at that, people selling that many records. But there is hope in the fact that Russia and China are opening up now. We did a massive tour in Russia a few years ago, we are only doing eight dates this time, but before we did nineteen shows. Bands will migrate from Europe to the states, they will also be able to do Russia and China; I think that will bring a lot more possibilities. The money now is really in the live market. Yeah I notice that metal seems to be doing better in Europe over the UK, there just seems to be more of a market for it. Illegal downloads has been a huge thing... The majority of metal fans are very loyal, in the respect that if they love a band they will buy
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their products and support them in that way. But I still think that the problem lies in the fact that it’s too accessible, and I think it cheapens music as well when people illegally download - it dosent have any value to them. They only listen to one or two songs and just move on to the next. When I was young I would go and buy albums, and sometimes I would take a punt on an album because it had a good album cover, and I’d listen to it over and over again to make sure that I really didn’t like it. People don’t always listen to albums all the way through anymore, they just choose what song they want on their iPod, and then skip to the next. Yeah, it’s all a bit throw-away now, when I was young we had Betamax, VHS, cassettes and albums. We didn’t have the internet, so kids went out and climbed trees, rode bikes. I think now people are a little bit mollycoddled, there is too much access to everything all at once, it’s a bit overwhelming. I thought it essential to ask you, although you probably get asked this a lot... with every album, you come up with these stories, obviously they are all a bit on the dark side. Where does your passion for that come from? Well, I grew up in a village in Suffolk, in fact, I lived in a house near my wife that was frequented by the original witch finder general, Matthew Hopkins, and the whole village was kinda steeped in occult law and witchcraft, and the burning of protestants and catholics. It all just kind of rubbed off on me, and when I discovered horror movies and heavy metal, it all
sort of just collided. That’s where Cradle of Filth stems from: a love of horror movies, the occult, history, heavy metal. Cradle Of Filth came up very quickly at a time when the second wave of black metal was starting. Dark Throne, Immortal and that sort of thing. Also, at the same time, the British doom scene was formulating, which was like Anathema, My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, so I guess it’s an amalgam of all those things. Do you find more influence as time goes on? I take more influence from history and the occult, I think as time goes on subject matters kind of diluted. We have done several concept albums but the one on Elizabeth Báthory has been replicated a few times since then. Everything kinda gets done to death, I suppose. I remember seeing Cradle of Filth a few years ago at Download Festival, and that set always sticks in my mind as one of the most theatrical that I have seen. Is that something that you like to keep alive in your performance? We try to, when we can. We wanted to have a whole load of pyro and C02 for Hammerfest, but we can’t use it. I’m not sure if we can use our fire-breathers either. America was a bit stripped down as well, as they won’t take pyro - you’d have to pay thousands and thousands for the fire department to give you any blessing in that respect. But we try our best as much as possible. We are a really theatrical band anyway, it’s always nice to bolster that with good music and a good visual performance, whereby people will look at it and think ‘‘that looks great’’.
Photos by Lisa Billingham at Hammerfest 2016.
HRH AOR It is easy to overlook the fact that rock is a two-way process, but this thought prevailed during the lively and carefully polished show by Gilby Clarke at the tailend of a superlative weekend at HRH AOR 4 — a weekend that hosted some of the most incredible heritage bands we have ever seen. Most recently, Clarke formed a supergroup with members of Metallica and Mötley Crüe, but he is best known as the American musician and singer/songwriter who famously replaced Guns N ‘Roses guitarist, Izzy Stradlin, during the Use Your Illusion tour. He bears witness to the truth about reciprocal and mutual engagement: Only the truly talented performers will successfully use the motivating force of the crowd to bring about magic. Gilby Clarkes band brought us a lot of self-written numbers and some wisely chosen covers, which thrilled and tantalized the audience, creating a mystical vortex that went far beyond conventional scientific understanding. Other stand-out rock ‘n’ roll superstars at Camp HRH, Pwllheli, North Wales included Quiet Riot –still brisk and finefettled– and the dreamy band of gypsies known as The Quireboys, whose unfaltering and soulful glam-metal performance was a stand-out show of the weekend. We were tingle-thrilled to see top-notch Benedictum singer Veronica “The V” Freeman. She sounded like a cross between Freddie Mercury and DIO. Our other favourites included Captain Black Beard from Stockholm, who’s sounds had a country-swing to them and a bitter expression that flowed out like bleak rivers. Midlands UK rockers, Knock Out Kaine, also played some sparkling constructions, often with the intrusion of searing-hot guitars. Theirs was a winning set based around songs from a new EP, “Cruel Britannia”; not too flashy, but a show filled with harmony, expression and energy. Beautiful Strangers from Swansea played some torrid numbers from their wicked “Crash & Burn” LP. Their show was packed with flamboyant, vacillating slinking. Frontman and singer, Stu (Dade Davies), crept around the stage like a theatrical puma on the prowl. Russ Ballard was 45 minutes late coming to the stage (accusing highway hold-
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“filled with experts and the elite: The best of the best’’ ups) but the band played their Quie t full-set, which meant that those Rio t! hard rockers from New York, Tyketto, playing songs that don’t come easy, had to cut their set short by at least 15 minutes to accommodate – I know I would have preferred it if ‘Boss Ballard’ had kept to his stage times and Tyketto’s set had remained intact. Never mind. The crowd went crazy-nuts for the old-time hero’s songs and, let’s be fair, Russ wrote the theme tune for rock ‘n’ roll – “God Gave Rock and Roll to You” – so we should at least give him the benefit of the doubt. Friday night was completed with Rainbow singer and ‘Death Alley Driver’, Joe Lynn Turner, who played a hi-octane set, breaking dynamically into Deep Purple and Rainbow numbers that were familiar to many; unsurprisingly, the crowd yelled out for more. On Saturday Märvel’s Papa Bear singer going on the main stage for their fullwas, er, märvellous, as was his super-hea- electric show, which they would perform, ted guitar-play — in fact the musicality in their own words “with less clothes on...” of the entire band was sensational. It’s a [Note: Only the girls were, ahem, uncoshame their songs were not more inci- vered.] As suggested, their show was a sive, regulated, or fizzier. Most memo- lot raunchier than expected. Those harrable was their W.A.S.P. cover though — monies were just amazing though, with it was fantastic! crunching guitars and pounding beats Australians Radio Sun played us a warm to keep us hammering the air. and engaging short acoustic set in the We also looked in on the Sleaze Stage VIP lounge, followed by a splendid full- (opposite AOR) and we loved the idiotic electric show later in the day. Their sound rock ‘n’ roll band A Joker’s Rage. Captivawas elegant and exciting. ting high-jinks were in abundance and The Estrella Rock Warriors were out in their expressive musicianship and imagiforce for the heroes of Thurso, Estrella, nation shone through. who demonstrated how to Enthral a Special mention must go to Blackrain, showroom with rhythms that exploded the French rocker team that closed the and sound waves that shook us like Sleaze Stage on Saturday evening and unleashed powerlines of pure static, played such a glorious show. Their perand their choruses were as rampant as a formance was one of the highlights of bunch of sex-starved bull elephants. this super weekend. Those stellar musiIconic Eye also played a sweet unplug- cians played with noble intent and geged session in the VIP room before gi- nuine humility... we think they should ving a good performance on the main have been placed higher up on the bilstage. Their guitarist was super-fast and ling. very accomplished, but their vocalist, Yup! This year’s HRH AOR Festival in Tim, looked slightly out-of-it, bleary- North Wales was filled with experts and eyed and vacant. However, the thrusting the elite: The best of the best. Epic music, pace of their “Hidden In Plain Sight” kept a great party atmosphere and incredible things interesting. audiences. Adorable Welsh indie rock Kane’d, which boasts three beautiful sisters along with We cannot wait for the next episode, some jolly competent male musicians, it will be a standalone weekender on played an unplugged session before 9-12th March, 2017.
Words by Neil Mach - photos by Lisa Billingham of Billibee Creative Limited.
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Iconic Eye!
Kaned' !
Mar vel!
A Jokers Rage!
Introducing Classics!
Anti-Clone
By Neale McGee ver
H
ailing from Boston -in Lincolnshire, not the US - are a band who remember a time when white men with dreads, dogchains on your baggy 3/4 jeans and tribal tattoos were the coolest thing on planet rock. A band who feel the sound that captured the imagination of this time period needs to make a comeback. The genre is nu-metal and the band are four-piece AntiClone. Looking back the music was the best thing about the era spanning ‘96 to ‘02. SlipKnot and Linkin Park are two of the most successful metal bands of all time as a result of the movement. Upon the release of their first LP, The Root Of Man, we caught up with AntiClone’s guitarist Lam Richardson to find out more about the men behind the masks. In a nutshell - how would you describe Anti-Clone as a band? It’s a hard one, really. I would say we’re primarily a nu-metal band, but with some modern metal influences chucked in for good measure. We have quite a wide variety of music tastes within the band and I think that that comes across in both the music and in the live show too.
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“Nu-metal
never truly died” How did the idea to form a band come about? The band was formed by Mr. Clone and Drew back in 2011 as they simply wanted to write and play the music that they loved! After a little while Conor and I came into the fold and very recently Mike joined too. You have been quite vocal in ‘bringing back’ nu-metal, why do you want to revive the genre? It’s a genre of metal that we’re all quite passionate about. For most of us it was our first introduction to the world of metal. It was at its peak when we were at an age to first start taking an interest in music; that caused it to really stick
with us. I don’t think it ever truly died; its influence is pretty noticeable in recent releases from the likes of Bring Me The Horizon and Of Mice & Men. It continues to exist with bands like Slipknot, Korn and Limp Bizkit who are still at the forefront of metal even now. What are your best memories of nu metal? I guess it would be growing up and hearing songs like ‘Rollin’ by Limp Bizkit and ‘Alive’ by P.O.D on the radio and falling in love with the genre. It was amazing looking back how nu-metal was everywhere at the time. Another of my favourite memories of the genre was hearing ‘My Plague’ by Slipknot for the first time in the closing credits of the first Resident Evil film! That was my first proper introduction to their music and is still my favourite song of theirs. You recently supported your heroes Mushroomhead at a few dates recently, how did it feel to be chosen to do this? To summarise: it was incredible. Mushroomhead have always been at the forefront of the bands that we, as
“The album covers quite a few topics, from the abuse of power, the feeling of utter disdain towards the entire human race, and standing up for what you believe is right.” a group, have always been in to. Being able to share a stage with them on two of their tour dates was simply fantastic. Your image has changed a lot since your last release, why is this? Basically, we felt that with the way our sound has developed the album (The Root Of Man) was going to be a much darker affair than the EP (2014’s Hands Sewn Together) and to reflect this, an image change was needed. The masks and the attire suit the themes that the album addresses much better. Because of the masks, you often get compared to SlipKnot, Mushroomhead or Mudvayne - would you agree with this comparison? I think this is an interesting point, as any band that wear masks (regardless of sound) are going to get compared to either Slipknot or Mushroomhead. In terms of sound, I would say we have some similarities, but again I think that’s due to their influence as big players in the nu-metal scene. Do you feel image is important to a band? I do think image is a hugely important thing to a band. You need to be instantly recognisable, and finding the look that defines you is a very important thing to establish early on. If you had the chance to create an elaborate live stage show, what would it involve? Haha, I think the question should be ‘‘what wouldn’t it involve?!’’ We would love to incorporate a proper stage show element into the live performance one day. We’ve spoken about it for years now and I think we’ve thought of some pretty cool elements. Don’t want to ruin the surprise of what it could entail just yet though!
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Your videos are a big part of AntiClone. With the rise of social media, do you feel videos are more important than ever? Music videos are incredibly important to bands, as again it relates back to the topic of image. If you are a band like us who have a defined image then your videos should aim to build on this platform as much as possible. A really good music video is a fantastic tool to have in your arsenal. You have just released your new album ‘The Root Of Man’, what themes and influences are explored on this record? The album covers quite a few topics, from the abuse of power, the feeling of utter disdain towards the entire human race, and standing up for what you believe is right. Each song is markedly different, and I don’t want to spoil it for you before you listen to it! Do you feel it is harder for newer bands to get noticed these days? I think that is an interesting question,
really... I certainly think new bands have to work much harder to be noticed nowadays, as there are so many bands out there vying for their shot at the big time. It’s always sad to see a band who has real potential fall out of love with what they are doing as they aren’t reaching the heights that they are striving for. You just have to push on and just keep on grafting! What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a band? I would simply say: Be prepared to put everything into it. It’s a fantastic experience, but it truly takes a hell of a lot of work behind the scenes. What’s next for Anti-Clone? We want to play as many shows as we possibly can in support of the album! Hopefully we can throw a few surprises your way in the meantime too. We’ve got some stuff rumbling about behind the scenes that I can’t talk about yet, so watch this space...
Due to the band’s image, a lot of people compare Lincolnshire four-piece, Anti-Clone, to the likes of SlipKnot or Mushroomhead. Is this fair? Or is it just lazy criticism? A bit of both. The debut album from these nu-metallers, The Root Of Man, certainly shows clear influence from the masked legends before them. This is especially clear on tracks such as ‘SwitchBlade’ and ‘Mechanical Heart’, which also echo Rob Zombie and Cradle Of Filth; however, Anti-Clone are their own band and this album proves so.
By Neale McGee ver
didn’t even make it! Fortunately we brought along a second guitar player for the first time – which is incidentally Robbie [Creasey] from Farewell, My love – so our first time playing with him he was our only guitarist on that tour. I don’t think they were expecting a band like us on stage first. Falkor’s all right now, by the way. Did you get to meet the BVB guys? D We’ve W met them before and they are really cool guys. We’ve seen them at the Kerrang! Awards and things like that. Andy (Biersack, Black Veil Brides front man) was a cool guy and I think it was the last day of the tour. So we just hang out! In the past 12 months ‘New Grave’ masters Ashestoangels have toured relentlessly, supported Aiden on their farewell tour, and even opened for Black Veil Brides in LA. About to release their fourth album How To Bleed’ (and set off on yet ANOTHER nationwide tour) - we caught up with vocalist Crilly on their last tour to talk about working with their heroes, who the best Batman is, and DJ-ing goth festivals. What was it like being part of the ‘farewell tour’ for Aiden? Pretty good. None of the bad shit that happens on the first date happened so maybe [the second night] might suck! This tour has been in the making for a long time – I ended up booking it which is really good! I’ve known Will (Francis, Aiden frontman) so long but I’m still excited to work with Aiden. Even though he’s kind of my friend. If we did this tour three years ago we would just be standing there being amazed we are allowed near him. It’s weird we usually get asked who we would like to go on tour with all the time ... which is a complicated question, but I think Aiden would be my ultimate answer.
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So how did it feel to contribute vocals to the latest, and possibly last, album by Aiden? That was pretty good. It didn’t even sink in until I was flying to Seattle! I had just been on tour so my voice was knackered. Doesn’t sound glamorous but it’s something I definitely wanted to do with my life.
“This time we spent more time in the studio and wanted to write something ‘bigger’.” Earlier this year you supported Black Veil Brides in the US, do you feel you found a new audience? It was short because BVB pulled one of the shows, and because of complications with our passports and visas we didn’t land in LA until an hour before sound-check. Falkor [Ashes guitarist]
So what do you want to do next? We just recorded this album and we are figuring out what we want to do with it. It’s going to be released soon but we would like to do more tours, maybe more support slots. The DIY headline ones are great fun but so knackering. We love our own tours and we get to see our extended family of fans, plus it’s a steady process, but we like to support to bring it to a new audience. We had been offered something really sweet but couldn’t because we are doing the Aiden tour. The fact we are getting offers though is amazing at this stage. So what can we expect from your new album How To Bleed? I feel our last album was all pointing in the same direction, which is all right if you like punk – but this time we spent more time in the studio and wanted to write something ‘bigger’. There are punk songs on it but I’m still really happy with it. We didn’t want to do ‘Horror Cult part II’ but there are references to it which is a good starting point. A bit like saying ‘wait…there’s more!’ Like an info-mercial!
Interview Your fandom being called ‘Horror Cult’ - is this to do with your influences outside music?
Sort of like the ‘goth’ culture at Whitby Goth Weekend?
some guy kept asking for Sisters Of Mercy but he didn’t. They brought us and Fearless Vampire Killers there to appeal to a younger audience, where as you can listen to Sisters of Mercy at any goth club in the world. They try to diversify - they had Toyah head-lining one year. Funnily enough we got offered a show with her but we were way busy. I feel like when we get offered support with ‘legacy’ artists – their audiences are there to see THEM. I’d love to play with Misfits, but when I went to see them people were on their phones when Creeper were supporting them. Pay attention!
Sort of. But not the ‘serious goths’ they tend not to like us. I’m pretty sure we are the reason Whitby Goth Weekend has to have barriers now. Sorry about that! Nico was DJing there and
Do you feel over the past year of touring the world, the media attention, and working with some of your heroes: you are a different band to what you were?
This is the thing, we don’t want people to think we are some kind of cult. It’s just the kind of lifestyle. We are different ages to our fans but we all have similar tastes. For example they think Michael Keaton is the best Batman… and they’re right! I like all kinds of shit but you need to have that kind of gallant humour.
“we don’t want people to think we are some kind of cult. ‘Horror Cult’ is just the kind of lifestyle”
Like we have grown up? (laughs) I think we are more used to touring now. There’s so much more I’d like to do though. It’s never like ‘I’ve done this, but I want more’ its more like ‘I’ve got this…but I’d like to do more’. Ashestoangels’ new album How To Bleed is due for release on April 15th. You can catch the band on tour at the following dates: 21.04.16 Newcastle, Think Tank 22.04.16 Glasgow, The Garage Attic 23.04.16 Leeds, Key Club 25.04.16 Bristol, The Exchange 26.04.16 Manchester, Sound Control 27.04.16 Chester, Live Room 28.04.16 Birmingham, Rainbow Courtyard 30.04.16 London, The Borderline. You can check out what we thought of Aiden’s last gig in Newcastle on our website: RAMzine.co.uk The Aiden album is available to download for FREE, via www.aiden.org.
Reviews
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Purson
Good Tiger
Scar Of The Sun
Beholder
Desire’s Magic Theatre
A Head Full of Moonlight
In Flood
Reflections
Spinefarm Records Words: Neil Mach Starting with the muddy T-Rextasy boogie of the title track, then switching thrillingly to wiggle-bum sleaziness on ‘Electric Landlady’ — this is as sexy as you can imagine. Foxy bliss. Just when you thought it wasn’t a prog record, up pops up ‘The Window Cleaner’ with birdsong and Spanish guitar. The butter-organ gloops the astrological ‘Curved Air’ voice hangs like a ciggie ring. The disc closes with the pungent tragedy of ‘The Bitter Suite’ and assorted cabaret histrionics.
Metal Blade Records / Blacklight Media
Scarlet Records Words: Jay Russell Imagine a crazy concoction of In Flames, Dark Tranquillity and any other “modern metal” band out there today and that’s what you can imagine the sophomore effort from Scar Of The Sun to sound like. In reality, there’s nothing terribly new or interesting here sound wise but for what it’s worth the production gives In Flood a heavy punch that will please those who enjoy a more polished sound to their metal. Ok overall but could easily get lost in a very saturated metal genre if not given the push it needs.
Razorline Music Words: Ash Crowson Coming back with their most recent album, Reflections, Beholder seem to have a challenge to top their previous releases, which is no easy task to accomplish. That said, however, Reflections starts strong and brings a masterclass in fresh ideas with perfect execution. ‘Breathe in the Science’ is the ultimate stand-out track, instantly grabbing you with its genius musical form as though you had never heard music before. Reflections is an album every prog-metal fan should have in their collection.
Words: Jay Russell What happens when members of The Faceless, Tesseract & The Safety Fire join forces to create a monster super group? The answer is definitely not more tech/death metal. It’s hard to put a label on this somewhat confused sounding mashup of singing, screaming, crunchy guitars, soft guitars, fast & slow, technical and simple. It divide opinions with an album that is sure to be the music equivalent of Marmite. You’ll either love it or you’ll hate it. Don’t expect the obvious given the members of the band.
Spell
Pensevor
Wo Fat
Candlebox
For None and All
Klothod
Midnight Cometh
Disappearing in Airports
Bad Omen Records Words: Pagan Hel Rattling through their first track ‘Madam Psychosis’ I find the vocals are a bit too whiny. I don’t usually complain about much but somehow that whine just goes right through me. Maybe a more powerful voice is needed here to really complement the music. Musically it sounds edgy and unusual although there is a familiarity in there that I just can’t place. It does have its moments but nothing to get really worked up about and quite disappointing.
Hibernacula Records Words: Jay Russell One word. Doom. Pure, unadulterated Doom in many ways. This is the kind of unpolished, and raw doom that will have the underground drooling over themselves when it hits their eardrums. Currently participating in the Bloodstock Metal to The Masses competition, these guys are one to watch and can be expected to be part of the many festivals out there at the moment showcasing the doom & sludge genre. Wouldn’t be out of place at Temples, Desertfest or Doom Over London lineup!
Ripple Music Words: Jay Russell Many albums into their glorious doomy, sludgy, crusty, riff filled career, Wo Fat return with their follow up to 2014’s The Conjuring with a magnificent little record called Midnight Cometh which really feels like a fine old gathering of the best of the band’s best bits. There’s no showing off, there’s no showcasing of anything new or innovative as such but their beauty lies in their simplicity and what a wonderful musical journey it is. Be sure to check them out playing this year’s Desertfest in London!
Eternal Sound / Membran Words: Carl Chatwin Seattle’s one truly great band from its legendary grunge & alt scene which are little known in the UK. It’s their 6th album overall and 3rd since reforming after a hiatus in early to mid 00’s; there’s no attempt to reinvent the wheel here, which is fine as there’s no need to fix a formula that remains unbroken. It’s a mixture of modern punk with a pop edge and well thought out rock intended for careful listening, it’s a great record which requires the attention it rightfully deserves - it is definitely not designed to just be background music.
False Gods Wasteland
Self-Release Words: Ash Crowson
Living to their own standards,
they are self-professed in setting out to make sludgemetal great again and to keep the tradition alive. Wasteland is a flag planted strong in that field and they are certainly off to a good start. Wasteland brings five tracks to with which to destroy your eardrums and they’ve got something for any stoner/ doom/sludge fan covered. Mike Stack has a disgustingly distinct voice that bellows over the entire EP in a truly deafening fashion, while the music fuelling the fire holds strong and tight throughout. Soon after a couple of listens, you’ll be picking that out of False Gods without any second guesses thanks to their sound. ‘Despot’ opens the EP, drumming hard, before one of the best riffs of the EP kicks in. Starting strong, fully intent to destroy you, this kicks along at a steady pace like a tank with purpose. ‘Worship As Intellectual Tyranny’ carries you onwards in a groove laden Down style track, with Mike ripping his vocal chords all over it, making this very much their own sound with a crushing break down halfway through. Title track, ‘Wasteland’, takes centre stage as the halfway mark of the EP, slower and heavier than the previous two, this is pure filth at its finest. Mike’s vocal style takes a more musical shout throughout unlike the previous tracks, while Greg March and Bro Town lay down the dirty riffs all over the guitars and bass. Drudging along steadily, the small melodies that seep through the distortion stick in the mind easily and soon find themselves stuck there for a while. ‘Grant Me Revenge’ takes the pace and assault to the next level, with small breaks to slow it down and catch your breath before the breakneck attacks begin again, living up to their goals, indeed. Closing out with ‘I Can See You For What You Truly Are’ is a six minute beast. Carrying on with the might and speed of a giant, this bludgeoning track is as fitting as the rest of the EP; they have done exactly what they set out to do and have no issues with doing it.
Reviews
17
Moralist
Belvedere
Diamond Head
Haken
Deftones
Bitterness Lays In Wasted Times
The Revenge of The Fifth
Diamond Head
Affinity
Gore
Self-Release Words: Pagan Hel The words ‘melodic hardcore’ always spark a reaction from me as the swathes of beautiful brutalness come spewing forth taking you into another dimension. Feeling the burn as your senses succumb to the feverish riffery becomes apparent, washing over you in waves of sheer passion and unbridled fundamentals. The bands creativity flows like a molten lava trail gouging new paths for devout metal heads to follow. In very expressive tones they languish on thunderous melodies that shake the ground beneath your feet and exceed with an anthemic roar! It is deliciously gripping and antagonistic leaving an outpouring of modern metal in its wake! The imaginative twists and turns burn furiously into the psyche and envelop the senses with powerful groove and an element of hate. This is a highly enjoyable escapade through some turbulent landscapes that bring with it even more intense scenery and totally aggressive energy that bristles with a bold new backdrop, the results of which are death defying and riveting in every sense of the word. Taking the bull by the horns Moralist are scathing with shifting patterns that brutalise and ignite fulfilling the savage dream. Dynamic and raw Moralist have converged on the metal scene and are about to devour it whole! These four tracks will leave you salivating and gasping for breath, I am sure they have done this on purpose! The E.P shines with sheer brilliance and will certainly light the way for getting the band a stronger fan base which very surprisingly is only at 397 on Facebook! Making me think that melodic hard core is just an acquired taste by the hardy few, but this is unmistakably one remarkable E.P that in fact gives 100% and there is no letting up from such a strong band of brothers, who will no doubt go on to smash the scene and then some!
Lockjaw Records (UK) Words: Stuart Iversen
Dissonance Words: Ash Crowson
InsideOut Music Words: Neil Mach
Warner Bros. Records Words: Stuart Iversen
Belvedere are what you get when you take a band like Bad Religion and The Bouncing Souls and turn the little knob marked ‘speed’ up to eleven. The big melodies are still there, but everything is played at a breakneck pace that just amps the punk in skate punk up to levels that can only be a good thing. These Canadians may not have released an album in 12 years, but you certainly couldn’t figure that out by listening to The Revenge of the Fifth. Mainly because this album is imbued with such a frantic energy that it feels like the release of a much younger band. Tracks like ‘Hairlane’ leap out of their instruments and the band are playing just to keep up with it as it tumbles down a hill. However, in among this break neck playing they never lose that melody which makes this so infectious. It won’t take many listens to have most of these choruses weedle their way into your head and even on the first listen you’ll be bouncing along in appreciation. While the jabbing nature of the title track with its intricate playing proves that isn’t the kind of punk rock played by people who have just picked up their instruments. They play this fast because they’re damn good at it. The Revenge of the Fifth is twelve tracks of joyous punk rock. Whether you like things ramshackle and fast or with choruses big enough to headbutt a horse, this will cater to you. On ‘Generation Debt’ they even seem to take a few queues from Metallica of all people. Belvedere may now be at a stage in life where they are juggling raising families and working real jobs, but if this album is anything to go by, the more music we can get from these guys, the better.
Diamond Head are a band that need little to no introduction, without this band chances are we would have nothing that we know of thanks to their influence on bands such as the ‘Big Four’. So hearing of a new, selftitled studio release due out this year, the excite ment and anticipation began to swell. Opening up the 11-track release with ‘Bones’, you are instantly transported back in time with the classic rock/metal sound of the late 70s/early 80s. Tracks like ‘Shout at the Devil’ and ‘Set my Soul On Fire’ bring the heavy sound without the need for gimmicks, and the soaring vocals and classic tones are ever present; Diamond Head prove they still have it. The step up in pace for the rocking track ‘See You Rise’ is a perfect example of why the biggest bands in the world bow in the presence of this band. By ‘Our Time is Now’, you get the pleasure of the most dirty, rocking riff of the album playing with an awesome groove style, attacking like a crazed wasp, this will have your body involuntarily pumping your fist in the air, nodding along and soon shoving it on again! By the end of the album, you really wonder why on earth this band was never bigger than they were. Even after all these decades you will still find people clueless as to who they are when they really deserve to be recognised as rock royalty by all. All past achievements aside, this album is testament to their skills and talent. After all these decades, to still write and sound as good as they do is something very few bands will ever be able to pull off ; like mentioned earlier, they certainly do still have it!
The London based progressive/metal act Haken release their oddly retrogressive fourth studio album — Affinity — on April 29. It is the first since the departure of bassist MacLean (replaced, competently by Conner Green.) The album starts with the title-track and a little tittle-tattle trickery of sound perhaps inspired by the 1969 lunar missions. Then the ‘Initiate’ fires up in those rockets beneath the disc and the woozy vocal is clear-shot out of the atmopshere like a cane of pure light. This track is fastidious in its neat embroidery yet is still teeming with lifeaffirming buzziness. The thunder of drums and the back-play vocals are tremendous. I do not know what Haken were doing in 1985 (presumably they were bouncing on Mother’s knees) but that the knee must have been spirited into bobbing along to the Invisible Touch beat provided by Genesis. Yep! The Collins type drummery is here on the next track, the Rutherford and Banks control is evident too. And so are the Jan Hammer synths. (Yes, I know he was not in Genesis —you don’t need to write in.) ‘Bound By Gravity’ is rattle-some and as light as angel-cake. This song floats spirit-like in empty white space. The voices are perfect too, almost angelic. And the mists of sound rise like holy shrouds. This is a gloriously “classsic” prog-rock album. Full of light and dark edges. And lots of smart gaps... with many seriously anxious highs too.
A new Deftones album is always a time for excitement. They are a band who have the constant ability to transform. From huge rifftastic tracks like ‘Swerve City’ to the push and pull of White Pony. You can never be entirely sure what you are going to get, but you can almost guarantee it will at the very least be good. Which Gore certainly is. If you have faint memories of Deftones being lumped in with nu-metal, then this album might give you a shock. There are big riffs here, but they aren’t ones Fred Durst could rap over. It is music that is as beautiful as it is abrasive. Enough has been written about Chino Moreno’s voice that to add more to that conversation seems almost pointless. However, the man is a powerhouse of a vocalist. His ability to adapt his voice is incredible. You never have to actually listen to the words he is saying, you can tell exactly what he is trying to get across from the way he delivers them on tracks like ‘Doomed User’. He’s not the only member of Deftones on top form here, however. Despite Steph Carpenter’s wellpublicised statement about not being entirely happy about the direction his band has gone in, it doesn’t stop him making his mark. On ‘Doomed User’ the big wall cracking riff that makes up the centre of the song is pivotal to its dark and twisted feel. While Frank Delgado keyboards on the gentle intro to ‘Hearts/ Wires’ draw you into the atmosphere of this album and makes sure you are floating far away from your body as you listen to it. The fact of the matter is, Deftones are unique. There are a thousand bands out there trying to sound like this but none of whom who can get close to it.
Reviews Colt 45
Dead Register
The Alchemy
Patriot Rebel
Sixx AM
Absence
Fiber
Modern Age
Cynics Playground
Prayers For The Damned. Vol.1
Self-Release Words: Jules Burnan Colt 45, a rock trio from Cumbria are back! The latest EP, titled Snakes and Ladders is their first drop of new music since 2014. Timed at just over 15mins, we are treated to 6 gut busting, riff heavy, punk tracks. ‘I Can Forgive But I Won’t Forget’ the EP opener and track 2 ‘All Hell Broke Loose’ are the high points here and high praise must go to Neil Harpers rough punk vocals on this outing too. For fans of the band, it’s more of the same. New listeners will be left wanting more. Listen and enjoy!
AVR Records Words: Pagan Hel This is quite atmospheric from the off with powerful chords and staggered effects it puts you in the moment and intimidates vehemently! Badgering the senses in their unique style Dead Register have all the atmospheric gloom off to a T, however it encapsulates thunderously melodic gaits that simply cannot be ignored. There are some amazing features and characteristics here that just warrant attention, giving out some hazy doom laden tendrils that shuffle unreservedly into a new void.
Self-Release Words: Pagan Hel The Alchemy are soon to release their debut four track EP entitled Modern Age and it sure packs a punch! Sounding well within their comfort zone and very mainstream but nothing can deny their strength that emerges with quick fire precision. It lilts with superb catchiness and exceeds expectations with fresh lures and rapturous harmonies. Adding into their spectrum of jagged riffs and impressive vocal I can see these guys making it! It is an all-round sound that intrigues on all levels!
Self-release Words: Ash Crowson
Eleven Seven Music Words: Claudia Mancino This album is the perfect demonstration of how tight Sixx AM are. James Michael’s vocals blend beautifully with guitarist Dj Ashba, the song writing and basslines from Nikki Sixx mould the band into a continuation of their evolution that is this album. And this is just Volume 1. They have been together for seven years and the sound gets tighter and tighter. ‘Prayers For The Damned’ includes some of the heaviest songs this band ever released, musically and lyrically.
The Decoys As The Crow Flies
“Swaggeringly hypnotic!” AshesToAngels How To Bleed
Self-Release What do you do if you are the top of your game, but have so much more to give? This is the current state of Bristol New Grave keepers AshesToAngels, who are now releasing their fourth full-length album. ‘How To Bleed’ shows a tangible transition from what they were to what they will become. The opener ‘Horror Cult’ is a loveletter to their previous album, and fanbase, which goes by the same name. This also mixes their signature style with new tricks of the trade passed on by their producer, mentor and friend William ‘Control’ Francis of Aiden.
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Self-Release Well here they are large as life with their rock n roll fun from Canada, and what a start. Those dirty licks and feel good grooves are just what’s needed to spice up a drooping day! With catchy head banging content, gritty vocal and in your face riffs one cannot be down when listening to this. The big drum sound connects with a feisty bass hook to bring you ‘Not Right Now’ which adds in a tambourine and huge sound that goes on giving. The thud of
Followed up with politically charged single ‘Not In My Name’ which is a dramatic gear change echoing Atreyu or BFMV rather than their usually influences (Aiden, Misfits). Even so this is still classic Crilly and co. ‘I Could Never Miss You’ is a goth/ punk ballad that wouldn’t go a miss on a Green Day or AFI album. The American sheen of the Seattle studios really shines brightest. Not the first time they have worked with Mr Control but this album feels like the perfect combination of the Aiden legacy and Ashes’ new-school sensibilities. Tracks like ‘I Remember When’ pulls them further in to the realms of Alkaline Trio and other acts which appeal to those in black eye-liner, as well as skater shoes.
With fresh blood and ideas above their station, Patriot Rebels selfreleased EP has managed to take the energy from the greatest of live performers and capture it perfectly in a studio format. With five tracks, each one as good as the last, Cynics Playground is an EP that makes even the largest of bands seem dull in comparison; this band is well worth keeping an eye on, offering all the energy and excitement your ears could need.
rhythms pound in a teasing vein and swamp the aural with pleasurable tones that you can swing your hips to as well, it’s just timeless music with a keen lure for throttling the senses and pleasurably offering an emotional barrage. ‘Wasting Your Time’ is a swaggering amble of distinctive captive melody and creative endeavour. The smooth enriching vocals curl like smoke toward the ears and embellishes them with devilish emotion, while the music swirls into an ambient haze of weaving textures – add in catchy and there you have it! Its rich flavour knows no bounds and tirelessly infects with each track that comes to light. ‘Crossed The
In terms of sound - this is the most ambitious album to date for the Bristol boys in black. The full transformation is almost tangible by the end of the album. ‘Ghost In The Machine’ could be Ashes’ defining career moment. A well-crafted track that could be to the Bristol gothpunks’ equivelant to Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’ ‘How To Bleed’ could easily be the their ‘Black Album’ – the one that grabs everyone’s attention. The past two years since their last album (Horror Cult) – through all the touring, festivals, collaborations, and support slots with their heroes like Black Veil Brides and Aiden - has felt like a build up to this record. So to answer my initial question: You change things up a bit.
Line’ is a really powerful track that enlightens with sharp rhythm and edgy riffs and a pleasure to immerse into. The sneaky licks and grooves simply haunt this album and makes one glad to be alive as it gives off super big vibrations that take one on a magnificent journey. The bands title track ‘In Our Blood’ introduces a harmonica which adds to its grand flavour and coaxes you to turn the volume up further in order to gather the inspiration and wrap it around yourself tenfold. This is once pleasurable romp through ten well put together tracks that lift the spirit and engage on all levels. Gratifying and very satisfying indeed! Pagan Hel
Neale McGeever
L i ve!
The Dead XIII Think Tank, Newcastle
The best thing about the current live scene is watching bands grow pretty quickly, and 2016 is the epitome of ‘right place, right time’ for independent bands. The Dead XIII are no exception to this. The Manchester men-in-make-up have built up somewhat of a reputation for great live shows - being their biggest tour to date, this gig is due to be an epic one. The openers, Strange Creatures, are a duo who mix influences from: The Cure, AFI, and a little bit of Aiden. All with the help of a keyboard, guitar and vintage mic. Following is a special gig by a band from just over the river - Masamune. Why is it special? This is their first live show with new vocalist Lauren Elise - bringing a new dynamic and style of sound to the band. The influence of Muse and Nirvana still remains, now with a hint of Marmozets to boot. Masamune are unique band on the North-East rock scene, who deserve all the attention they get in the coming months. Griever are best described as: metal-core from the darkside. Like The Dead XIII, the Bournemouth boys are a little too heavy to join the ‘new grave’ club, but have the monochrome faces to fit in. David Seymour and Co. pour a lot of passion via aggression into the gig. Similarly to their on-stage buddies, Griever are a hidden gem of a live band. Our head-liners, The Dead XIII, are welcomed to the stage by their army of fans. With belting anthems like ‘Frost
Bite’ and ‘Stage Fright’ it’s easy to see why they are so popular live. This is a band who believe live rock n roll should be an experience, rather than just hearing some songs being played. Vocalist Kurt Blackshard and guitarist Symon Strange have a great double-act style relationship onstage. Kind of like a horror version of Mick and Keith or Lennon and McCartney. Sounds like big shoes to fill, but The Dead XIII will just be as iconic in the coming years if this is the standard they are setting. Finishing off with signature tune ‘XIII’ this is surely a gig to remember. Expect TD13 (as the kids are calling them) to be climbing festival bills soon.
Pagan Hel
Pho tos & Re view By Neale McGee ver
Jaded Heart Guilty by Design
“Faultless!”
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Massacre Records Jaded Heart are a real double edged sword, being part German and part Swedish, the two most very impressive combinations of powerful and melodic colliding together on this amazing album. They sound dramatic and are a superbly well–oiled machine. The tenacious bristling of electric riffs infect the ears and produce a feisty harmony of gripping nostalgia, and quite a throwback to the grand 80’s era, when hard rock and metal were just in their infant stages. The vocal attack is gnarly and the rhythm section offers a seductive embrace of commanding awesomeness, with ultimately intriguing imagination of melodic harmonies that go a long way to ravage and coax with uplifting endeavour. Intrusive, extremely catchy with every note fuelled for aggression it tips the scales for being gripping and exciting. Enslaving the hearts of all who listens. The production of the album is unwavering and polished like some well-presented mascot. Delving into the past and presenting it to the present day Jaded Heart have scooped the prize and perfected the intensity, with infectious bait and thumping precision. Each track holds something for everyone, and all of it catchy and ravenous, striking
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with keen absorbing creativity, going to prove that German/Swedish really works as it is inspirational on every level. Bass hooks, savage riffs, caustic vocals and thunderous drumming are all part of the big plan and a memorable infusion of excitement from start to finish. It doesn’t let up either but gathering its strength from injecting more flavoursome rhythms and breeding magical resourcefulness into its well-crafted passages that are deep and ravishing. Adding in further rouse to the tracks are some emotive passages that sweep a ferocious heart that seems far from jaded, like on ‘Rescue Me’ which is not only powerful but urgent and involved with a biting rhythm that pleases from the off. This album just creates emotion and goes on an all-stirring cavalcade, captivating and reinforcing its stance, it is bountiful and perpetually increases the listening experience, involving atmospherics and an infectious flow of metal that languishes through its strong veins. The hardest part for me now is as this album finishes there is a great deal to enjoy and immerse the senses in. As each track plays out, it is a case of ‘was this my favourite?’ but the dilemma is that every track has its own character so it isn’t that easy to choose. With 14 tracks the decision is a lot harder too, as the contagious riffs rain down with formidable exposure.
t u o 9 e u s s I ! 6 1 0 2 e n u J