Firebrand After Dark Issue 4 -October by Firebrand's Rock&Metal Express

Issue 4 - October 2013

Napalm Death Rivers Of Nihil Dark Matter Entrails. Gargantuan RSJ Mortal Decay Trivium Inferno Children Of Bodom

10 14 20 24 26 30 34 38 42 54 56

- Fleshgod Apocalypse - Svart Crown - Onslaught - RSJ - Dark Design - Eternal Fear - In Solitude - Entrails - Rivers Of Nihil - Napalm Death - Incantation

04 06 07 17 46

- News - Twitter Top 10 - Unearthing The Underground - Live Review â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Children Of Bodom - Dark Side Of The Emerald - Interview with Gargantuan - Interview with Dark Matter - Review of Sonus Mortis

59 - Top 5 Videos 60 - Games Dungeon

67 - Inferno - Symphony Of Pain 68 - Trivium - Hanzel Und Gretyl 69 - Circles - Mortal Decay 70 - RSJ - Soul Remnants

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Editor In Chief Rick Palin Senior Media Consultant Rachel Whiston So another month flys by in this crazy world of Firebrand land where there seems to be ever fewer hours in the day to fit everything in. Joining us this month we have our normal collection of interviews including ones with the likes of Onslaught, Napalm Death, Fleshgod Apocalypse, those crazy lycra loving guys RSJ and many more bands as well as a scattering of news, reviews and features. One of the things we have always said about the magazine is that it is put together to meet your needs and requests and so joining the ever growing list of features this month we have a section dedicated solely to bringing you the latest gaming news and as releases start to come through, we hope to bring you reviews and previews from the latest releases to hit the hit the shelves. If anything else springs to mind that you would like to see featured feel free to drop us a line via email or Facebook and we will see what we can do.

Editor Lee Walker Reviews Team Heather Blewett Stoodge McNulty Graham Pritchard Jon Seymour Contributing Writers Chris Nelson Download Content Team Rick Palin Judith Fisher Content Download sales@fbrr2010.com Advertising Enquiries sales@fbrr2010.com Review Requests afterdark@fbrr2010.com

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Contact Telephone +44(0)1244 940961

NEWS Down at Bloodstock Festival 2014

This year, over 1.2 million fans from across the world logged on to watch the bands on the Here at Bloodstock HQ we are is thrilled to BLOODSTOCK main stage, via the Daily Motion reveal that New Orleans sludgemeisters Down live link. 2013 was Bloodstock’s biggest ever are to headline the Friday night at Bloodstock Open Air 2014. The show will be a UK exclusive. attendance at just shy of 14,000 and with a site licence of 15,000 we are expecting the 2014 2014 also sees the pencilled release of ‘DownIV: Part 2’, the second in the band’s series event to sell out in advance, so don’t wait too long to get your tickets! of EPs. The opus follows in the footsteps of Already announced as Saturday night ‘Down IV: Part 1 - The Purple EP’, which hit headliners are black metal overlords, Emperor, stores last winter to a flurry of critical who are only playing a very select number of acclaim. The band have been hard at work in shows in 2014. Bloodstock is to be their only UK recent weeks demo’ing material at frontman, performance and Emperor's only other currently Philip Anselmo’s infamous ‘Nodferatu’s Lair’ announced 2014 show at Germany's Wacken studio, outside of New Orleans, LA. Check out Festival is already sold out. the video for Part 1’s lead track, ‘Witchtripper’ here:

Nightwish announce two new band members and live DVD details

Arguably one of the finest metal frontmen of his generation, Philip Anselmo is looking forward to setting foot on Bloodstock’s hallowed soil, stating: “We are more than elated to be a part of Bloodstock Festival this coming year! This should be a blast, and I hope everyone shows up to support this great event!" Bassist, Pat Bruders adds: “I’m looking forward to another great time at Bloodstock Festival ! When I was there two years ago with Crowbar, it was a blast! Down is getting ready to tear it up at Bloodstock in 2014, so get ready people! Let’s BRING IT!!!!!" Tickets for 2014's event are already on sale at ‘early bird’ prices, a bargainous £115 for a 4-day weekend ticket with camping. Don't delay, as once the limited ‘early bird’ allocation is gone, it's gone, and tickets revert to full price. Pick up your discounted tickets now at http:// bloodstock.seetickets.com/.

Finnish symphonic metal act NIGHTWISH has made the following announcement: “Ms. Floor Jansen is a keeper. Also, we will be a six-piece band from now on, as Mr. Troy Donockley (uilleann pipes, low whistles, vocals) will become a full-time member of Nightwish. Originally we were going to wait until 2014 to make a decision about the future line-up of the band, but the past year has clearly shown us that Floor and Troy are perfect matching pieces to our puzzle, and we are really grateful of the bond that has grown between all of us. We love you guys. Tuomas, Marco, Jukka, Emppu” Commented vocalist Floor Jansen: "Words cannot describe what I feel! This union is beyond everything and I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to continue this amazing journey with my new brothers! Once I had a dream…and this is it!!!" Vocalist & pipe player Troy Donockley adds: "`Imaginaerum World Tour´was a revelation to me and in that time, I became aware of a growing unity and then, finally, a transcendence of all the usual nonsense that affects bands. A beautiful process. And since the idea, the musical dream that is Nightwish has been a part of me since before I was born, I am delighted to officially sail into uncharted waters with my brothers and sister. Wondrous scenes

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Ahoy!" Directed by Ville Lipiäinen (30 SECONDS TO MARS, HIM) and shot with seventeen cameras at this year’s Wacken Open Air Festival in front of 85,000 fans, NIGHTWISH’s live DVD & tour documentary Showtime, Storytime will contain the band’s full live set + a 2-hour documentary that includes “Please Learn The Setlist In 48 Hours.” Showtime, Storytime will be released in North America on December 10th in the following formats: • 2-disc Blu-ray + 2 CDs • 2-disc DVD + 2 CDs • 2-disc jewelcase CD

The Smashing Pumpkins release groundbreaking 3D concert ‘Oceania: Live in NYC’ is out now. The audio-visual release was captured at the December 2012 Barclays Center show in Brooklyn, New York. Last year for Halloween, THE SMASHING PUMPKINS were set to perform in New York at Brooklyn’s new Barclays Center, but due to the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the show had to be rescheduled (Monday, December 10). The band’s powerful performance was captured for an audio-visual experience titled OCEANIA: LIVE IN NYC which is out now via Universal Music Enterprises. The package is available in four formats: a standard Amaray DVD, a 3D Blu-ray DVD, a Deluxe 2CD+DVD set and digital long form. The DVD and Blu-ray components both feature the full show, along with interviews with Sean Evans, the lighting director and stage producer, plus a photo gallery, both with5.1 and stereo audio.

Leaves’ Eyes announce Uk Tour in January 2014 Leaves’ Eyes have announced the UK leg of their world tour with supports from Pythia and Atrocity. Leaves’ Eyes will release their new album 'Symphonies of the Night' on Napalm Records on November 18, 2013 in the UK. Expect this album to be the heaviest and most epic Leaves’ Eyes experience to date: it will haunt you, even in your dreams.

Testament New trailer and release dates posted online Bay Area Thrash Veterans TESTAMENT have posted a new trailer for their upcoming DVD Dark Roots Of Thrash here:

The DVD/2CD release documenting TESTAMENT’s sold-out headlining performance at the Paramount in Huntington, NY this past February, will now be made available on October 18 (Europe), October 21 (UK) and October 29 (North America) via Nuclear Blast. In the meantime, you can also check out the performance of “Rise Up” taken from the upcoming DVD here:

Dark Roots Of Thrash was produced by Get Hammered Productions, directed by Tommy Jones (Death Angel, Kataklysm, Soilwork) and mixed by Juan Urteaga (Vile, Exodus, Sadus, Machine Head). It captures a total of 19 live tracks with countless cams onstage and high above the audience, plus a special moshpit cam that makes you feel like you’re a part of the show! Vocalist Chuck Billy added: "For all you die hard metal heads out there Dark Roots Of Thrash is a must have for your collection. This live DVD and CD is something you can put in you player and crank up for the feeling of a live Teastament performance! You will get 18 songs from the early days of thrash metal to where we are today. Heavy metal forever!" Darks Roots Of Thrash will be made available in a variety of different formats including the standard DVD+2CD and 2CD versions. A limited Bluray+2CD (Europe only), LP (Europe only), as well as Nuclear Blast mail-order only items (LP colored in gatefold, DVD+2CD DIGI + tourpass and limited BlueRay+2CD DIGI + tourpass) will also be for sale via http:// shop.nuclearblast.com.

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We do work extremely hard each and every month to bring you Firebrand After Dark magazine, although when we do decide to take a few minutes respite we check out how things are going with our readers and followers on Twitter.

TOP 10

Here is a selection of some of the crazy, brainsick and awesome tweets you dudes and dudettes have posted over the past four weeks. Want to get us on Twitter? Follow @fbadmag if you dare!!!!

@CuteMetalGirl1 I wish I could get all my followers and go to a bad ass Metal show and make the biggest mosh pit ever! @CMJDeathmachine I get unfollowed everytime I mention weed, it says 'SEX, DRUGS AND HEAVY FUCKING METAL' in my bio, what did you expect? @lizardoffire Peter Cushing the greatest horror actor ever!! @Mystical_Beard Just remembered that Entombed are releasing a new album this year. I think, unless I imagined it. But yes, a happy thought. @Vryohpah Have Ayreon stuck in my head, but have listened to soooo much Ayreon lately. So I guess it's Star One time! @CamJadeRose Teenagers growing out of metal at 20...You don't grow out of it, it lives with you forever. This just means ou were never into it. @Squirrel_fight Walking the waterfront cranking extreme metal at high volume to fully revel in the awesomeness of storm gales. Simply awesome! #weathertweet @OceanOfSorrow I know why your prayers will never be answered: GOD HATES US ALL!!!

@farah_kamel Don't use the horns unless you are a metalhead.

@THE_Breecher Metal = real fucking music!

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Due to poor tickets sales Northern Darkness Festival has been cancelled. For the event due to take place on 8th December 2013 only 15% of allocated tickets have been sold. With bands confirmed to play including At The Gates, Napalm Death and Decapitated it seems that the UK public just aren't ready for another Metal Festival. Fans of Septicflesh will be ecstatic to hear the band have recently entered the studio to record their new as of yet untitled album. Producing the album is former Machine Head Guitarist Logan Mader and the record will be out on Prosthetic Records sometime in early 2014. Swedish black/death metal band Necrophbic will release their seventh full-length album entitled 'Womb Of Lilithu' on October 29 via Season Of Mist. A track from the new album "Splendour Nigri Solis" is available to stream right now on Spotify.

November 19th. Chicago band Relentless will release their debut album 'Souls of Charon' on November 10th. The record will be released on Chicago based label Do Or Die Records. Gringo are set to release their debut album 'The Cold Burn' on Catabomb Records on November 12th. The band are desrcibe themselves as the twisted end result of a combination of influences ranging from Iommi to Einstein. Tridroid Records have announced they will be releasing the last two Iron Kingdom albums 'Curse of The Voodoo Queen' and 'Gates of Eternity' on cassette.

Norwegian Black Metallars Ragnorak will be on tour in central Europe supporting US Death Metal legends Incantation in November. The tour labelled 'Crusade of Vengeance' will stretch for 16 Ebonillumini the very much experimental avant shows and begins at the Aalborg, Metal Fest in garde band based in England, Norway and Canada Denmark on November 8th. have recently released their first full length. The debut album tells of a dark voyage across the Death Metal maniacs HARM will release their long Pacific ocean starting in Antarctica & ending in awaited debut album on October 25th. Taking their Mexico, while telling the macabre tales of each influences from the like of Pungent Stench and location. Autopsy the album will be released on FDA Rekotz. Legends of Colombian Metal Under Threat have a new album coming out on. The record is titled 'The North Dakota's blackened thrash unit Frosthelm Manifested Void' and will be the bands 4th album have recruited Avenger Of Blood's drummer and release. have added a second guitarist from Fargo's Imperion. Tracks from the bands current EP 'The US Doomsters COVEN 13 will release their new Northwinds Rend Flesh' are available on their album on Shadow Kingdom Records. The album reverbnation page. entitled 'Destiny of The Gods' will be out on

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Stoodge Mc Nulty interviews Tomasso Riccardi Of

Metal might not be the biggest export from Italy but Fleshgod Apocalypse are certainly trying to change that. Having recently finished a North American tour with Wintersun on the back of the release their epic new album 'Labyrinth' Tomasso Riccardi tells Firebrand After Dark about the endless work and exertion that goes on in the Fleshgod substratum.

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Not only did your new album 'Labyrinth' recently come out but you guys recently played a couple shows in Austria and Switzerland and then you were off on tour of North America with Wintersun last month, how's the busy life treating you? Yeah we are not long back from our North American tour with Wintersun, Arsis and Srarkill. It was great to get over there a play those shows. This last year has really been non-stop working for us between composition, recordings and all the rest, but the results are amazing in my opinion. The album is receiving great critiques and this first promotional tour turned out great for Fleshgod from every point of view. We are growing fast.

So when they started working on Labyrinth they had a very clear vision of what to do and how, compared to 'Agony' that was the very first album on which they were working together. After this first part, we move to the studio, where we start working all together on the recordings and many little things are adjusted as we go through the process, while some others are sometimes written and arranged during the recordings.

Is recording and the production of a new album getting any easier for the band? Well, like every other thing, recordings and production improve during time. We had a much more clear idea of what we wanted, with Labyrinth, not only for which regards the The new album 'Labyrinth' is a concept composition, but even the production, we've album. Can you tell us about the story and been learning from past experiences. It's very the history behind it? important for us to have Stefano Morabito Of course. Labyrinth is a transposition of the working on this aspect since he's not just a great ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the labyrinth producer but also a friend who perfectly knows of Knossos, into a very personal experience that us and our music and knows how to translate our I believe everyone has to face sooner or later in requests into sound. Like in every aspect of our this life: the search for oneself. project, this is teamwork. The journey that Theseus intraprehends is actually a metaphor with this particular process There are a few guest contributions on the of knowing oneself and facing the bright as well album isn't there? as the dark side of our personality, and the Yes. We really like to bring other musicians into message is that we need to earn three things to our recordings to give something more to our win this fight for freedom. music. I think our music is really organic and we We need to recognize who we are and that really base a lot of it on the alternance of also means accepting our heritage with all its different timbers, vocals, instruments, etc.. imperfections; we need to face the deepest fears So this time we tried to bring even this and beat them in order to be ready to choose aspect to the next level, with some special what our hearts asks us, at the right moment. We guests, such as Marco Sensi (Classic Guitar on need to admit that we need the others, since "Prologue"), Riccardo Perugini (Orchestral nobody can live only on their own. I believe this snares), Luca Moretti (Cello solo on "Epilogue"), is the only way to free ourselves from and obviously Veronica Bordacchini that we self-judgement and move on to a true freedom to re-confirmed on Labyrinth after her good work on decide what to do with our time in this life. ‘Agony’, and that is now singing live with Fleshgod. Who's idea was it to do this kind of album and was the writing process different from So to your live shows, what will fans have in past FA releases? store when you are out performing this new The main composer behind Fleshgod's music is album? Francesco Paoli, that together with Ferrini, who As for every other aspect of our art, the visual mainly works side by side with him on the aspect is extremely important, and we invest orchestral arrangements, they work in the money and time in that. We believe that a show pre-production bringing about 90% of the music must be a show, and not just the band playing to the recording sessions. the songs. And for this reason we plan Since ‘Agony’ they've worked together, and everything when preparing it, and do our best to obviously as time passes they find a better improve all the time both musically and balance since they know each other much better theatrically. From this first promotional tour for and collect experience in musical composition Labyrinth, we introduce the use of the Piano and as single musicians. even in the American shows (we already did it in

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Europe) and, as I've said before we are bringing Veronica live.

How is the condition of Metal in Italy now, are there many bands breaking through? As I just said, the scene itself is not one of the You are yet to release a live DVD, with the best, but this is mainly a matter of mentality, but narrative of this new album could we maybe it's of course also due to the lack of proper see the experience of the stage show being structures and schools for modern music. put on DVD for release? But something is moving. The Internet era is That's one of those things that we obviously plan changing people's mentality and pushing them to to do, but being something that has to be done compare themselves with the rest of the world to perfectly, we are just waiting for the right moment reach high levels, and we have good examples of to do that. banda that are making it, such as Hour Of Penance, Eyeconoclast, The Modern Age What kind of reaction do you guys get from Slavery, Bloodtruthâ&#x20AC;Ś returning to play in your home country of Italy? You have already had a majorly busy 2013, Well, I have to say that Italy hasn't got biggest will you get much of a rest between now and metal scene out there, and at the beginning we the end of the year? received a lot of bad critics, mainly for the fact Probably, we will not be too busy (besides 4 or 5 that it seems hard for Italians, in general, to festivals in Europe) on the live show side in this believe that something coming from our country last part of the year. But we'll be working very can really work worldwide. But I have been hard since we are preparing many other songs stoked to see that things are changing pretty fast from Labyrinth to be brought live...even because I for us, and that we have many fans that really already know that we're gonna have an incredibly support Fleshgod now and are proud of our job. busy schedule from the beginning of 2014, That is a big satisfaction for us all. Needless to starting with the European tour with Kataklysm say but we are proud to be Italians. and Krisiun!

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So this is the second night of the tour, you played in London last night right? Yes. How did that go? It was fantastic, big house full of people and a great night, great gig, great response from the fans. So you had a good reception there? Yeah, London is always great. Have you played much in the UK before? Yeah, we did… The first time we played in the UK was 2010 with Shining at the Underworld club in London, and we did the festival Hammerfest 2011, and we did also four gigs last year with Ulcerate, we did London, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Birmingham. You’ve played with some great bands, Ulcerate and Shining being two of them. If you could tour with any band who would it be? Erm, for the moment I really love the new Gorgoroth album, and it’d be great to tour and mix together. You know when you’re touring with bands, some bigger bands can give you the opportunity to play in front of a lot of people so there is a lot of great bands, Morbid Angel, and of course Nile. Then there is top of the top, a band like Slayer, something like that would be amazing. I would also really love to do a tour with Gojira, they’re French too and really nice guys and I think it would be great to do something with them. Have you ever toured or met a band that you’ve been a massive fan of? I remember I was a massive fan of the first Shining album, so when we got on tour with them it was really cool, but for the moment every tour we’ve done I’ve been a fan of the music that’s been playing. We played with Septicflesh, I’m a big fan of ‘Communion’ and ‘The Great Mass’ also, so we did a French tour with them and they were nice people too. And of course Nile, the first time I listened to ‘In Their Darkened Shrine’ I was completely blown away, so it’s great to tour with them.

So your latest album ‘Profane’ was out earlier this year, how was it received? Yeah, so far so good. Especially in the UK and the US and in France, amazing. The press was very kind with us and the fans too. There’s a lot of black metal elements as well as death metal, was it intentional to merge both genres or did it just happen just way? always like to create something where you can combine many different genres and types of metal, I didn’t want to do a pure black metal band or pure death metal band, I just wanted to have one band where I can do what I want to do and I think it’s a perfect mix having death and black. On ‘Profane’ you have some thrashy stuff also, we are always listening to lots of different types of music and I think our tastes come across. Are you a big fan of black metal? Erm, I was. Now I’m quite lazy about black metal, in the last few years I’ve not listened to a band or an album that’s blown me away. I think maybe Craft’s latest album ‘Void’ was one of the last really great black metal albums I listened too. Same with death metal since the last Gorgoroth album there’s been nothing new I’ve really liked. Tell me about the lyrical themes and concepts that go into your music? Since the start of the band we’ve always been interested In the darkest part of the human race and on the ‘Witnessing The Fall’ album we were talking about the concept of the fall and on the new album it’s all about the sickness and it’s quite metaphorical and not really conceptual.

What has been the biggest achievement so far for the band? I think one of the biggest achievements for the band has been when we did Hellfest in 2011, yeah that was a good goal. And being French, Hellfest represents one of the biggest festivals in France and also Europe so it’s great to play there. I want there as a ‘festival-er’ in So you’ve mentioned Gojira, obviously a big French metal band, what is the French metal scene 2006 and I never thought that years later we’d get to play it. like? I’m really proud of all the French bands and how they are doing right now, for any subgenre of metal we have What are your aspirations for the future of the band? lots of great bands and since the last 5 or 6 years Next, it would be nice to tour outside of Europe, we are bands are starting to break abroad and are going to play new places. I mean for example there is technical trying to sort some opportunity to go back to the US, death metal band Gorod, they are touring everywhere and we want to got to Asia, Russia but you know it’s and in the States also we’ve got Benighted death grind complicated. So yeah that’s the main aim, to try and stuff who toured with Morbid Angel last year, and then play outside of Europe. we’ve got Gojira, but also bands who were touring with Get to some of the UK festivals next year! Gojira, Klone are Trepalium are French too they are great friends of ours and make amazing music. And in Yeah yeah, we didn’t tour the much over the summer the black metal there is Deathspell Omega and Glorior so it was difficult, so maybe next year. Belli.

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On a chilly piercing evening on the streets of Dublin and with the only missing characteristic of the weather being snow it was very appropriate that three of the four bands on the bill hail from Finland. Having missed the beginning of opening band Medeia I was still fortunate enough to catch the last four songs of their set. Bringing their own brand of Hardcore fused Death metal and keyboards to the Vicar Street stage was a fine stimulant for the people assembling at the front of the stage. The small crowd that had gathered at the front were mostly the younger ticket holders that were already getting themselves positioned for the oncoming Children Of Bodom incursion. I'm pretty sure I seen a few more Medeia t-shirts walking around post gig so it's safe to profess they left an impression with their lively set. I really enjoyed what I witnessed from these urchins from Tampere as they blasted their way through songs from their upcoming album Iconoclastic. In the weeks leading up to the gig I intentionally obstructed myself from hearing these guys, I enjoy having a little surprise awaiting for me at concerts. This wonderment did not leave me disappointed although I really do

regret missing the commencement of their display. One major factor in regards to the small crowds early on was the fact that this was an Over-14's gig, basically meaning that the bar area was separate from the stage hall. This certainly wasn't a popular choice amongst the people that like a sip on a pint whilst having a nosey at the bands. This choice of law in Vicar Street hugely penalised the supporting bands tonight as for the most part half of the audience were nipping out for a pint during sets or in alot of cases people stayed in the Bar area until the headliners came on stage. Now it's time for the nights second Finnish band Imsomnium who were playing their first show here in this country in seven years and they certainly made up for their absence. The venue began to fill up over the course of their set, whether this was down to people getting there late or people sacrificing their pints for some good old Metal I've no idea. What I do know though is no one that remained to the end of their set will have been disappointed at what they had seen.

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Dead Kennedy's track 'Nazi Punks Fuck Off' and performing a rarity live 'Low Point' along with the likes of 'Suffer The Children' 'Scum' and 'Pride Assassin' kept the devout Napalm heads bouncing around the floor. The sound could possibly have been better and Barneys mic did cut out near the end of the show but this will take nothing away from their performance. The nights final band and of course headliners Children Of Bodom need no introduction. If you've ever seen them before or spoke to a member of the Hate Crew you'll know about how good these gentlemen are on stage. Accompanied with a full stage show, it's hard to believe that Napalm The band live would remind you of Amon Amarth with their twinned guitars and the concordance with their headbanging. Drummer Markus Hirvonen did look slightly out of place due to his lack of hair but he can do his job pretty well. Hats off also to Guitarist Markus Vanhala who despite the infelicitous clapping from the crowd during the intro to 'Mortal Share' was unfazed was able to stay focused and play the song perfecly. The band managed to get most of the fan favourites into their set with 'The Killjoy' and 'On For Sorrow' really standing out. With the band currently writing their first album since 2009 this tour will do no harm in having new faces anticipating it's release. Grindcore pioneers Napalm Death took to the stage in what some people would think was an underwhelming introduction. No stage production, dry ice or pagaentry from these men but why would there be? Napalm Death do things on their terms and that's always been the case. If you go to a Napalm show expecting drum risers, fireworks and burning effigies then you are indeed in the wrong place. There was an awkward silence from the congregation as the men appeared on stage. Whether this was due to the mostly teenage crowd not knowing who they were or the audience were in awe anticipation of what they were about to witness, none the less it was strange. Barney was in great voice, not just during the songs but between them. Introducing two tracks from their latest album 'Ultilitarian' with the words "double bubble" isn't something you'd expect to hear whilst at this sort of gig but that's Barney for you. Bobbling around the stage like a Rabbit injected with PCP would be the easiest way to describe Barneys usual stage presence and he was indeed in top of his game here. Covering the

Death were performing on the same platform thirty minutes prior. Not only have Bodom got a fine repertoire of songs but they've a new album out 'Halo Of Blood' and we got a taste of that release with four tracks from their latest record. Along with the recent additions to their set the band took us through their back catalogue with tracks 'Six Pounder' Bloodrunk' and 'Everytime I Die' to the appreciating horde in attendance. We also got our first real circle pit of the evening about quarter way through the Finns set, to be honest it looked pretty nasty so I stayed away from it with those days being long gone for me..ahem. There are a small number of frontmen that can own a crowd like Alexi Laiho can, he's got that enchanted aura around him that makes it hard to take your eyes off him. He also possesses that pestiferious influence in which he could command Bodom fans into doing any proposal imaginable. On stage Alexi has a similar presence to Peter Tagtgren of Hypocrisy in that his small figure holds no limitation to the energy and power that he projects whilst performing. Janne Warman the bands keyboard player when not required at his station spent the evening drinking bottles of Corona and fixing a bra that had been tossed onstage around his keyboard stand. That says it all about tonights line up and action, I think everyone that was on that substratum tonight had a blast and I know everyone in attendance did. I in no way can confirm this but I've a feeling that some of the Hate Crew will have went home with a new favourite word tonight 'Scum', whilst followers of the Neo Grind Gods Napalm Death might be surfing the web lusting after some more Finnish Death Metal.

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Lee Walker Speaks to Nige Rockett Of

Hot on the heels of their latest release VI, caught up with founding member Nige Rockett recently rejuvenated thrash veterans Onslaughtt quick chat about the upcoming tour and the new 20

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Lee of for a album.

Onslaught as a band have been around in one format or another since the early 1980’s. How do you keep the band going for that length of time? In fairness we did have quite a long break from 1991 to 2005 actually, so this enabled us to keep things a little fresh having such a long layoff so we were only around eight years first time around and this times its been eight years again, so its been sixteen years active Have you noticed many differences in the music scene since you reformed? Not in terms of shows so much. The business side of things has changed radically with the internet as the main culprit I guess for want of a better word. It’s a double edged sword for us really with the downloading situation and that which has really hit the music industry and bands particularly hard. It’s very good for promotion but on the other hand its hit bands CD sales by 90 % since the mid 90s.

We have played a few of the venues before. I think the Bierkeller in Bristol. We haven’t played there since 1987 so that’s going to be weird going back there after all these years. There’s lots of nice places that we are playing – there’s a nice place in Lithuania that’s very cool. It’s like an old theatre place and we played there a few years back. It’s absolutely amazing. We are really looking forward to that one. You go in there and there is all these velvet curtains and velvet seats you’d never expect it to be a metal venue but it’s absolutely fantastic.

In terms of the album have you been happy with the way it’s been received? Oh yes couldn’t be better really. You are always nervous when you are waiting for the first reviews to come in, but since the first review came in about three or four weeks ago we have been blown away with the response. I don’t think I have honestly seen one bad review. I think the lowest score that I have seen on a review was seven out of ten which is pretty amazing really. What prompted the reformation of the band? The response has been incredible so I just hope We had discover that a record label had released that the fans see it the same way as the our first two albums, which was something we journalists. knew nothing about, around 2002 or 2003 and we discovered it around 2005. A little bit of How have the fans taken to the new material? investigation discovered that that the records had We haven’t played any of the new songs live yet. been doing really well and selling lots of copies, We did a first leg of the tour before the albums so it was obvious that there was an interest in the was out and played about seven shows and band once again which kick started it really and because it was the first time we had played there things moved on from there and we have come a we were playing the older back catalogue rather long way since we got back together. than playing some new stuff, so we decided to leave that for the time being just to give the Yes I mean you have knocked out quite a few album time to breath over there and let people albums since then I think you have done a get to know the songs. I think on Wednesday live one and a couple of studio ones. I know night when the tour kicks off in Northumberland. you are about to start a UK tour to support It will be the first time we have played any of your latest album ‘VI’. What are you looking these new songs live. We have just come back forward to most on the tour? from rehearsal now so its going to be kind of All of it basically. We are going to be touring now nervous playing the few nights. I think we are for the next eighteen months. We like to get out still are a little bit unprepared but you never know there a lot. We just enjoy the whole touring I think the adrenalin will carry us through on the experience. We all get on really well in the and first night. so we are quite comfortable with each other’s company for long periods of time nowadays. It’s Continuing about the album a bit. How did just playing live and meeting the fans and seeing this album come together? Was it songs you all these great places you just can’t beat it. It’s had left around from your previous efforts or the kind of things which money can never buy was it something you wrote specifically to get you. The experience is great and I just love it and an album out? can’t wait to get out there. We never have any left-over material at all. Whatever we write we use. We are not a band to Do you have any favourite venues that you write fourteen or fifteen songs and choose eight are looking forward to playing on the route? or nine. That’s not the way we work. I don’t see

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the point of working like that. If it’s not good enough we throw it and that’s it. Everything is fresh every album is completely fresh and I think that’s the way to go about it, because I think if you start rehashing material and using stuff from previous sessions you tend to start sounding the same. One thing about Onslaught is that we like to keep the sound different on each album. Each of them has its own identity from the last one so we started afresh and I think it was a really easy album to write actually. I wrote all the music once again like I did with the last album. The process that we used to write the Sound Of Violence album put us in good stead to write this one as we really knew were we were going from day one and it was really enjoyable and really constructive making this record. Every session we did I think we created something really cool and I can never remember a day where we didn’t actually come out with anything. It was really easy and having Michael Hourihan on board he had a great input to the drumming side of things which was really cool as he had a lot of amazing ideas. It was a really nice album to write. Did you develop any favourite tracks on the album? It changes every day. I have got it in the car at the moment as we are learning stuff for live, so I put it in the car to constantly drum it into our head and every day there is a different one which is kind of cool. If there was one or two that I listened to everyday I would feel that there are some weak tracks on there which I don’t think there are in my opinion. I am particularly proud of Children of the Sand because it’s a little left field for Onslaught with a few different things thrown in there and it’s a little bit more experimental than what we usually do and Chaos In King I guess because its one of the most brutal and aggressive tracks that we have done and at the same time there is a lot of hooks in there with some catchy riffs and a lot of good vocals. We spent a lot of time on that track to make it flow as good as we could and I was really happy with the way that one turned out.

Onslaughts best album by a long way so its kind of justifying what I am saying hopefully. I think its definitely our strongest album to date. Its definitely our most aggressive for sure and I think it’s a big step forward for us. I know you mentioned that you are about to start this massive tour right now. Do you have any festival appearances lined up or any additional UK dates at any point? We are just starting to book the festivals up now we had our first one come in about a month ago, the Underwall Festival in Croatia which is a festival right on the coast, so that’s going to be really good. We are working on a lot of the other major festivals as well. With regards to any more UK dates, yes for sure we have only got four England only dates on this tour so obviously places like Scotland and Ireland and Southern Ireland are very important to us so we are going to look at coming back and doing another run around February or March time and we are planning on also going to the Southern parts of Europe visiting the likes of Spain, Portugal, Italy and France which are also not on the first leg so we are going to do a second run and combine all the places that we have missed. Final question are there any messages that you would like to pass on to the fans? I have got to thank you all so much for the support that you have given us from the first time around and again from 2005 onwards. The fan support has been amazing and if it wasn’t for those guys and the journalists we would never have been in a position to make the new album that we have and that is solely down to the fans. A massive thank you to you all it is so much appreciated and I hope that we repay the faith with the new album and hope that you enjoy it.

How do you think this release compares to your earlier albums such as ‘Power from Hell‘ ‘The Force’, In Search of Sanity’ and all that type of stuff? To be honest I think it stands head and shoulders above anything that we have ever done before, even The Sounds of Violence album. I know every band when they release a new album say yes, yes it’s the best thing we have ever done and nine out of ten times its not, but I think we have been backed up by the journalists with reviews this time around. Virtually every review you read says this is

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Heather Blewett Interviews Matthew Gamblin and Guff RSJ the metal five piece hailing from York are one of the hardest working bands around, with numerous festival appearances and tour dates this year as well as forthcoming album ‘Higgs Boson’ they sure have been busy. Bassist Matthew Gamblin and guitarist Guff talk to us about what they’ve been up to and future plans for RSJ.

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Thanks for the interview for Firebrand After Dark. Matt Gamblin: No bother... Guff: Fist puuummmp!!!

Another RSJ video well worth a watch is 'Collectively We Are Tall' (think a metal version of Eric Prydz 'Call On Me') Do you think your music videos has significantly helped to generate interest in the band? First off, what does RSJ stand for? Guff: Yeah absolutely but that was the intention. I mean, what's more appealing to look at than a bunch a hairy Guff: Good times, good friends, energy and maybe a slight bit of industrial deafness metallers exercising in lycra? MG: Yeah! Good times and loud noises MG: For sure, but like I always say to people when they ask why we did a spoof video like "Collectively..." that it You've had a pretty busy year playing festivals such was just a metal band from York who were attention seeking. It worked!! Besides which, metal bands are all as Hammerfest, Bloodstock, HRH Ibiza as well as doing the same thing nowadays with videos. Trying to recording new album Higgs Boson which will be released on 11th Nov. What has been the highlight of look butch and mean and to an extent. It's a very boring, stale way to promote yourself. 2013 thus far? MG: Bloodstock this year was a massive buzz. I was nervous and anxious as hell before we hit the stage but You've toured with some amazing bands, Amon by the time we were half way through our set I was like Amarth, Skindred, Asking Alexandria, Orange Goblin "Aw...I wanna do this again!". The praise we got after by to name a few. Who has been your favourite band people who'd just caught us purely by chance was you have toured with? amazing. MG: Supporting Will Haven on their only UK date in 2011 was a truly special moment for me. Vision of Disorder So the album Higgs Boson, is this the best thing RSJ and Earthtone9 also. I've grown up with those bands and was the reason I wanted to be in a band like RSJ. But have recorded to date? there have been so many bands we've toured with that Guff: Totally without doubt. We always put 100% into everything we do, but this album is a cut above that ... if it's hard to pick one. that's possible? We're already getting reviews back kinda confirming that so we couldn't be happier at the moment. Are you looking forward to the upcoming tour MG: By a country mile. We're all really proud of this American Head Charge? And do you find support record. I think this album shows off all of our influences slots on tours provide a good opportunity to recruit and in places reminds me of stuff that isn't metal/rock new fans? orientated. MG: All dates we do bring new fans. It's a nice feeling when people who haven't heard your stuff before tell you how blown away by it they were. It's very humbling. How was the recording process? What comes first music or lyrics? Guff: Normally itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the music first. We're very much a Your style of music isn't exactly defined to one 'live' band so we get together in a room with everything particular genre of metal, was this intentional? turned up to 11 and bang it out. Dan adds his lyrics later MG: I don't think it was intentional. Call it metal, call it and will sometimes (always!) changes the song hardcore, hell, call it rock if you have to. I always thought structures to fit. We used a studio ran by some good that bands needed "genre categorizing" so that their fans friends of ours, Joe and Sam Graves. So the whole could find them on the shelves of the local HMV. recording process was a real chilled out good laugh. Guff: We just do our own thing and write songs we'd like to listen too. With us all having such different influences, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably why it comes out sounding a bit between The video for 'Nice Day Out' has recently been released, how did the concept for that come about? the lines. MG: We wanted to continue along the "stupid video" path and we knew we were going to pick "Nice Day Out" What is next for RSJ? as the single. We basically wanted to make a video MG: More!! where we plan a nice day out where we planned things Guff: Other than touring the ass off Higgs Boson for the with good intentions but things go tits up. There are a lot foreseeable future, we're already half way into writing the of great tourist attractions around York so it was easy next album. Writing is something we do continuously so just to throw ideas around. It was the end product of a we're always ahead of the game. Possibly another video, shitload of stupid ideas we banded about. but we'll see about that. Oh and fitting my new kitchen.... that's rock and roll for ya! Guff: And we wanted a really obvious 'stunt double' dummy scene in a video.

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Stoodge Mc Nulty speaks to Ray Lewis and Andrew Bertrand Vocalist Andrew Bertrand and guitarist Ray Lewis from Olds Cool advocates Dark Design talk to Firebrand After Dark about their new album 'Prey For The Future' and give some background on the bands existence. 26

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'Dark Design' is one of those band names that stick in your memory, was this idea behind the name? Were you going for a name that was unique or a title that meant something to the band? RL - I actually threw the name out to the rest of the guys. The name represents to me, the behind the scenes plan to subdue mankind. You see in the news every day how the media is used to divide the masses to keep the public's attention off of what is really going on in the world. The leaders we see on tv are just tools for the ones that are really in control. Plus, I just thought the name sounded cool. Can you give us a recap on how you guys got together as a group? RL - The summer of 2008, I went to Mike's house to see him play with some guys. We started talking about guitar , scales, and music theory. The more we talked we started discussing putting a band together. So I called Robbie and asked him to come out and play and Mike asked the bassist he had jammed with to join. We all got together and started jamming cover songs. After a couple of sessions we started discussing original ideas. The bassist left the band after a couple of months, so we kept writing and now the search was on for a singer and bassist. We found a new bassist named Mark Whichard (who presently plays in the Raleigh based band Jonin). Mark learned the material quickly. Since Mark had recording equipment we began recording a two song demo. We figured a demo would help in finding a singer. After the drums and rhythm guitars were recorded Mark decided he didn't have time to be in the band. So we talked to Matt about filling in and playing on the demo until we found another bassist. Matt, after a few practices, decided to join the band full time. We finished recording the demo, but we were still looking for a singer. Andy answered an ad we placed in a forum on the internet. He came out to practice and the rest is history. What about the writing of your debut album 'Prey For the Future'? RL - The writing process starts with someone throwing out an idea at practice, and then everyone starts adding their ideas. So everyone in the band has a hand in the writing. It took almost three years to write the material because we had to keep looking for a bassist and a singer. Plus, I was working second shift and could only practice on Sundays for the first two

years. Once we found Andy and I started working first shift the writing process sped up. AB - The songs "Dark Design" & "Dragonmount" had already been demoed when I joined the band. ‘Meditations’, ‘Welcome To You're "DOOM"!’ & ‘Spiceworld’ had been written but not as arranged yet. The last song to be written was "No Death", which was the only song to go through extensive changes during the process. The guys would write the music, make a recording, then I'd bang out a set of lyrics in a couple hours before the next week's practice, tailoring them that day. What exactly does the records title refer to and is there an underlying story throughout the album? AB - Ray came up with the title. It's great because you can assign your own meaning. To me, it means we're going to die in the future, a fact. Our album's not a concept album but we do have a few songs that talk about control & resistance. RL - The album title is a throwback to the band name, or rather in relation to the band’s name. We all are "Prey" for the Dark Design. Using the word "Pray" would have offered a feeling of hope for the future, but the powers pulling the strings see us as "Prey", and if you're not part of the plan then you are of no use. Listening to and really enjoying your debut album I noticed you seem to amalgamate all your influences from all walks of Metal to achieve the powerhouse of what is your sound. How would you describe the band’s sound and what genre would you place the band into? RL - We have a lot of different influences. Everyone brings different aspects to the table because we all listen to different bands. However we all have enough similar likes to tie it all together. We also pick up ideas from other music besides metal. We play what sounds good to us and do not necessarily try to stick to a particular genre. We describe the sound as prog, power, and thrash mixed to give a broad description for people. However the genre we get stuck in will ultimately be decided by other people, so we don't concern ourselves with it too much. AB - Technical Power Thrash seems the most appropriate to me. We're progressive, but we like to look back a lot.

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Is it a safe assumption that you all come from Old School Metal backgrounds? RL - Matt, Robbie, and myself are definitely old school , we've been listening to metal and playing it since the mid/late 80's. Mike and Andy are old school also they just came on board a little later. We all listen to some modern stuff as well, but it always falls back to the old school bands we grew up with. AB - We're bonded by our love of classic metal, death metal & obscure thrash. Bands like Confessor, Death, Atheist, Watchtower, King D iamond, Ozzy, Dio, Riot, Steel Panther, and many others What about the cover of The Kansas Classic 'Dust in the Wind' as the albums closer, who's idea, was that? RL - Andy our singer suggested it at practice one day and Robbie immediately liked the idea. The rest of the band was apprehensive, but Andy was adamant about it, so we decided to do it. I started learning it in its original form and from there I modified it to metal. AB - I had tried to get a band I was in called BlackWatch to cover it back in 2006. We worked on it a few weeks and almost had it done. I had written an extended section for more soloing but the tune itself was very Helloweeninspired. BlackWatch had three guitarists & it was sounding pretty tits until one of our three very opinionated ax-men decided to come up with his own arrangement that none of us liked and we dropped the cover. I wasn't singing lead vocals on it back then and I don't remember which of the three guys was taking point on it (probably Mark Keith). When I joined DD, we discussed potential covers & I sold them on the idea. They took a single practice to make it their own.

Honestly what's your opinion on the reviews of the album and how it's been received? AB - Most have been very generous. I'm genuinely surprised some people like it as much as they do. One guy rated us his favorite album this year and he had some well known bands on his list. I'm more than pleased if not a bit humbled. I'm just happy we got our little piece of cult metalness. Ray Lewis: Most of the reviews have been very positive, while others have not. We appreciate both good and bad reviews. Criticism, even bad can cause positive results. If I'm chatting to you at this same time next year where will the Dark Design machine be? RL - Playing shows and writing songs for the next album. I hope by then we will be as big as Metallica. Actually we hope people continue to buy the album and enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it. AB - Hopefully demoing songs for the second album Dark Design II: Electric Boogaloo, riding the wave of notoriety from opening a ProgPower Festival How about European Festivals next summer, is this something that could happen? AB - It'd take some coordinating but we'd be honored to RL - That would be great. But chances are it is more likely for us to play the festivals in 2015, if we can arrange it. Playing the European festivals is something we've always wanted to do. It would definitely be a dream come true. We would love to bring our music to Europe in person.

I have to say it's a great rendition and you guys certainly add your own particulars to the track, is it a crowd favorite live? RL - Thanks we really appreciate that and are glad you like it. We also have read several reviews, where others agree with you and enjoy it a lot. Most shows were we play the song the crowd definitely reacts to it. You see many people singing along. It is a classic and it is one of the few songs in history that is universally known and loved by everyone. AB - After people who haven't seen us before get over the initial shock that we're actually playing it, they dig it.

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Mattias, Stefan and Matt Of

Speak to Firebrand After Dark regarding their recent tour of the UK and their latest album â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Eternal Damnationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 30

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How did the band originallystart off? Matt - I started play in the band that would become Eternal Fear in 1993. Daniel, Ove, Tommy and Taisto was already in and they needed a guitar player. I met Tommy and Daniel one night on local bar and they asked me to show up the other day for a rehearsal. I had just left a band some weeks earlier so I took the chance and I really enjoyed playing with these guys. In 1995 we named the band Eternal Fear and started to record demo tapes. How did the current lineup come together? Matt - We had some member changes on bass and drums over the years. In 2004 we went separate ways with Perra and Mattias who was in the band. Just around the release of Evil Deeds Jimmy who played drums on the ED recording left and Stefan replaced him. Ove knew both Mattias and Stefan as he had done vocals on a demo tape for their band Another Dawn. Mattias - There has been some changes through the years with Mattias, Daniel and Ove as the core that's always been there. Me (Matte) and Stefan played in another band together called Another Dawn and we had our rehearsal room next door to Eternal Fear. When they needed a bass player in 2004 I was there and Ove knew me so they asked me to do some rehearsals with them and here I am. And when we needed a drummer in 2007 Stefan joined to. Stefan - In 2006 the bass player quit Eternal Fear and Mattias Lövdel started and he was in a band called Another Dawn with Stefan Almqvist and Mattias Broder Andreas. When Jimmy Falin (who played the drums) quit in 2007 Mattias asked me if I wanted to try out and I said yes and I am still in the band. Has the band changed much since starting off? Mattias - Yes. It has changed with each album. Matt - The song writing have developed for every album we have done. If you should compare our first demo and the new album I think there is still some things about our style that we have not changed. How would you describe the band’s sound? Mattias - It's pure Heavy Metal with both thrash and doom elements. Stefan - Very old school with heavy guitars and Oves Halford style vocals. Matt - Downtuned classic Heavy Metal.

What would you say that the biggest problem that you would say you have come across as a band and how do you deal with it? Mattias - Getting good gigs and a contract with a label. Stefan - In my time in the band I don’t think we have any major problems. Matt - When we didn't have a drummer and Ove was away from the band for a long time because of bad health we came close to ending EF at the time but somehow we managed to keep up with song writing and sorted it out. Your fourth album ‘Eternal Damnation was recently given its worldwide release. Have you been happy with the way it’s been received? Mattias - I have only heard good about it so I'm happy. Stefan - Very happy. Matt - Yes very happy. The new album has been going really good all around and some of the songs from it seems to be the best we ever recorded. Can you tell the Firebrand readers a little about the album such as how it came together etc? Mattias - It came out through a LOT of rehearsal. Matt - The writing for Eternal Damnation started directly after the Embraced In Darkness release in 2010. We spent 6-7 months recording it. Drums and vocals were done in Studio Seven engineered by Ronny Milianowicz, bass and guitars was recorded in our own studio. Bass/ guitars was then reamped by Ronny in Studio Seven, also mixing and mastering. Do you have any your favourite tracks on the album? Mattias - Army From Hell. Stefan - Track 4 - King Of Sorrow. Matt - Final Stand and Army From Hell. How does this release compare to any of your earlier ones such as ‘Never Ending Existence’, ‘Evil Deeds’ or ‘Embraced In Darkness’? Mattias - We've reached out to a larger crowd with this release. Hopefully resulting in more gigs and some festival appearances. Stefan - This time have a label behind us so they did the most of the work with Eternal Damnation. When we were on Adder Records Daniel and Mattis Tomasen did all the work to get them out .

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Matt - We got signed by SlipTrickRecords just before the release and promoted it with a digital single and two videos which turned out good. The three earlier albums were promoted by us only so that was a big difference. We still have songs in our live set from Evil Deeds and Embraced In Darkness. You recently completed a short UK tour including playing at the Beermageddon Festival. How did the dates go? Mattias - Great. Stefan - It was so fun to play and we made a lot of friends on this mini tour and we hope to go to the UK again. Matt - The dates went better than our expectations, four shows in four days and it was so great. The people in UK were awesome and supported us so we felt like we have been there before. Do you have any plans to return to the UK? Mattias - Yes! We're back in October. Stefan - We have some plans with Steve Guard in October to return to UK.

Matt - Yes we are now represented in UK by Viper Music & Promotions run by Steve Guard. Steve has done a great job with the first August part and now the tour will continue with four new dates in October. So we soon return and we are really looking forward to it. What do you have planned for the rest of the year? Mattias - Finish our new material for the next album which will kick ass! Stefan - We are going to record a new album and we will thank all supports that Eternal Fear got on the UK tour. Matt - We will write new material for the 5th EF album. Final question are there any messages that you would like to pass on to your fans? Mattias - See you on tour! Cheers! Matt - A big hug to everyone worldwide that have bought our new album, to all our new friends and fans in UK see you soon cheers.

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Stoodge speaks to Pelle Ahman of

Following the release of their new album 'Sister' on Metal Blade Records Pelle Ahman from Swedenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horde In Solitude speaks to Stoodge about the new album and puts to rest the association with black magic and the occult that the band have.

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Hey Pelle, your latest and highly anticipated album 'Sister' was just unleashed on the World recently. Have you been kept busy surrounding it's release? We've all been collecting ourselves, in our own particular ways. At the moment we're preparing for our American tour together with Watain and Tribulation, to which we're leaving in a couple of days. It feels strange in general that the album is out now. The final results of music and artwork have been very present in our lives for quite some time now, and during that time I nearly forgot that it was supposed to be released. The new album 'Sister' was unleashed on the 1st October. For our readers that have yet to check it out, what can people expect from the record? That there's fruit in the ground when it's broken. On your inside, as well as under your feet and knees. Mine sure bleeds by now. But it's hard for me to say what it'll do to others. For us, it's been that sort of thing. Something shattering. Hopefully it'll have a similar affect on at least a few other people.

epic spur to your music, how does that aura on this album stand up against your first two albums? I'm not sure if "Sister" is particularly epic. I have a hard time in general when I try to put my finger on the essential things about the atmosphere of the album. I think it really speaks for itself. But there's something hostile about the atmosphere of this album that I don't find in the others. Like that of two persons pouring gasoline over each other before lighting matches. Something horribly beautiful. How about the production this time, was it any different from your last couple of trips nto the studio? The whole situation was very different this time around. I guess everyone was in an interesting and conclusive state in their respective personal lives at the time. Working with Konie was also very special and different from anyone else we've ever worked with in the past. I would say that we were in the right place at the right time. There's also a couple of guest musicians on this album, can you tell us about

these collaborations? Jarboe Living does a guest appearance on "Horses in the ground" where she accentuates Is the album what you were expecting it to be certain fundamental parts of the lyric very when entering the studio? strongly. Her presence in that song is Unlike the previous albums, there were still a lot unbelievably beautiful and terrifying, and it's an of things in the songs that weren't finished when honour to have her on the album. We also have we entered the studio. So there were a lot of Pelle Forsberg from Watain playing on a certain room for intuition and gut feeling in the writing repeating guitar part on "Inmost Nigredo" which process once we were in the studio. And that really required his personality and tone in order way of working changed things a lot and opened to work. a lot of doors for things to enter and take hold. I think we all expected it to be something very The lyrical content of In Solitude songs different. So in that respect, I guess it is. I mean, portray tales of sinister and ominous we were expecting something unexpected to experiences, from what dark crypt do these come out of that situation. lyrics actually come from? From walking far and wrong until the world is new You guys love to bring an atmospherically again.

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I've heard people describing you as an advertisement for the Occult and Black Magic, how associated with the supernatural are you guys? We are by no means whatsoever "an advertisement for the Occult and Black Magic". Everything about that sounds disgusting to me. Like I've said many times before, I write about the world as I see it, and my situation in it. This does in turn incorporate all of the above. You for sure have a dedicated fanbase. Have you ever had a Goat thrown up on Stage or had a sacrificial Virgin offer herself up to you? I cant think of anything particularly extreme. Apart from artwork and records, we've had dead things given to us after concerts. Which we've highly appreciated. For example, I remember being strip-searched at some festival one night and they found a flat dead hedgehog someone gave me and a bottle of liquor in my bag.

You have A North American tour with Watain and Tribulation throughout October. Are you planning on unleashing much of the new material to audiences on this tour? Definitely. Our sole interest at the moment is to play these songs. So we will play some of them throughout the tour. We actually played the whole album from beginning to end, apart from "He comes", in Stockholm a few days ago. It was a very strange and foreign feeling to play all those songs live. Things were not where you thought they would to be, which was a wonderful feeling. After North America has been cursed will you be coming back to Europe for an extensive tour? We will definitely do something like that, yes. But I don't have enough sustainable information to share here.

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Jimmy Lundqvist chats to Stoodge Mc Nulty

Having released their 4th full length 'Raging Death' earlier this year on Metal Blade Records, Swedens Entrails are back to reclaim their place as one of the top Swedish Death Metal bands. Founding member and guitarist Jimmy Lundqvist speaks to Stoodge about what's hapening with the band now.

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Hey Dudes, what have you been up to lately? Hello there, lately we have had it pretty calm, doing one show in Denmark and at Killtown Deathfest. Otherwise the summer had us take it easy instead of doing shows after the third release we had in May. Bands usually go on some kind of tour after a release but we didn’t..

wanted it. So when we did rehearsals we used a simple distorted sound and also on some other recordings, though the result was not good and the result was only for our owns ears. But by now its obvious that we will go for the Swedish sound as it’s the best sound without doubt. I can't find anything else that would suit Entrails.

How was your performance at the Killtown Deathfest? That was really cool. That’s a damn good underground festival with a really good crowd that holds this underground very close to their heart. I strongly recommend this festival. Its not big but it has this special soul and spirit deeply rooted in the walls.

If you had stayed together as a band how different would things be do you do think? I really think the band would have been really good. The drummer had in the end got it all under control and had his own great style of drumming. The bassplayer was also improving all the time, our second guitarist who was also getting really good, and if we had done one proper recording before some of them got tired or had to move I think things would have been different. But deep in the countryside outside any big city it was not easy to keep it solid… and nowadays its totally impossible..

Any reasons why you've not done much touring? Not really, we do the opposite way than it usually is when a band releases a album, many things came between any kind of touring and even planning one. So we ended up home and are for the moment working with others and also our own projects until there is some new official announcement in what will happen with Entrails.

In regards to writing material, is it all new stuff or is it music that was composed during the bands long hiatus? First album had 100% of the stuff I made in the 90´s, second one had 80% and third one like So you were actually formed in 1990 but 40%. There are some good stuff left to use but your first demo never surfaced until 2009. there are mostly riffs and cool parts, and it all Can you tell us about the demise and will be used on future stuff and in different resurrection of Entrails. songs, so finally I have to work to get more Now that's could take a while, your best way of songs made in present time and I would say that finding out is just by checking out our Facebook its no problems, with the tools I have nowadays page or the our page on the Metal Blade its actually really fun to make music, and the website. You can get all that right here. veins from the past isn’t easy to change so the www.metalblade.com/us/artists/entrails/ style wont change as long as I do the songs. How different was it getting back together in 2008 than to your original formation in 1990? Well. It was not that hard as in the end of Entrails in the 90´s I was all alone making tunes anyway. The rest had left the band at an early stage. And when I started in 2008 I was also alone. It was when I needed a singer the band I began bringing in new members. How about the bands sound now, in comparison to what your musical objective was in the early 90's? In the 90´s we were seeking the typical Swedish sound and we almost got it at one recording, but we also explored the sound and tried to have something even more brutal but unfortunately it didn’t become as I

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Do you often meet people who remember the first incarnation of Entrails? Sometimes I find some who knew us from back then. They aren’t many but there is some left. And its very fun to meet them and talk about the past. Do you often meet people who remember the first incarnation of Entrails? Sometimes I find some who knew us from back then. They aren’t many but there is some left. And its very fun to meet them and talk about the past. Would you ever consider a Documentary being made about the band? I mean it's a hell of a story to waste. That would have been something to do, but there is no memory clear enough to have that done, and definitely no time to do.. but it’s a good idea and would have been really fun to do if I had saved all the stuff and had a diary from the past..

gives me a kind of fuel to continue doing this, it's also proof that there is true metalheads out there. Then there are bad ones but I try not to take them for real and its obvious that those who didn't really have the chance to grow up in the 90´s just don't get the style. Also the passion and spirit that’s necessary in that kind of music, and all this shit talking about the similar logo and how similar our style is to that particular band. A true musician and a dude that have been following this style since the 90´s can without blink tell why the font is used and that we don’t sound in playingstyle as them. Its pretty annoying to read such crap. What's next for the immortal death metal powerhouse that is Entrails? What's up next for us is a that we will do some shows early next year, venues and stuff will be announced very soon. And if you want to follow what's being officially announced you better check us out on Facebook. www.facebook.com/ entrails666

How do you honestly feel about all the awesome reviews your latest album 'Raging Death' has been receiving? All the good ones feel just awesome to read.. that

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Currently on tour across North America with Beneath The Massacre and with their debut album 'The Conscious Seed Of Light' having just detonated Worldwide, Jon Kunz the bands Guitarist talks us through the creation, production and labour that went into the record.

Interviewed by Stoodge Mc Nulty 42

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So Jon it's almost time for your debut full length to be released. How excited are you and the band at this point? Incredibly excited! It’s been so hard waiting for the album to come out. Everyday something new comes up with the release and it’s exciting, but adds further to that “ohh man, it really is coming out soon”. We’ve been a band for quite some time, but a lot of what we’re going through is completely new for us. One example is press and interviews. Never before have we done as much with press as we’re doing right now. We’re nervous, but not in a bad way, it’s just our first album. We’re excited but definitely nervous at the same time. I guess anxious would be a better word than nervous, but you get the idea.

as a band.

Was there much deliberation and consideration of re recording a few of the older tracks for the new album? Honestly no, there wasn’t much thought put into using any of the older tracks. “Human adaptation” was the very first song that was written for this band. I started writing those riffs in late 2008. It was an early favorite; we just got burned out on playing it. We all agreed if we recorded it for the album, it would be a way to put it to rest. It means a lot to that band, and we knew it deserved to be on the album. Consider it a “proper burial” if you will. The other song we re-recorded was “birth of the omnisavior”. That song is a bit older, but still one of our favorites to This is your first album but it's not your first play live. There’s a lot going on in that song, and release having already put out two EP's we knew it needed to go through the Rutan touch Hierarchy in 2010 and Temporality Unbound to have it fully realized. That middle break in 2011. How different was the experience of section is one of the best things we’ve ever recording a full length compared to the Ep's? written. Honestly, the biggest difference from the way we recorded the past 2 releases was the length in The album was recorded in Florida at Mana which we were in the studio. We spent almost Recording Studios and was produced by Erik the entire month of March at Mana, doing 12 to Rutan. How was it to work with Erik? 16 hour work days. That was a huge change Working with Erik is honestly a dream come true. from say our 8 to 12 hour days we took for either That guy is a legend in the death metal of the eps, which we finished in like 3 to 5 days community, no introduction is needed there. You max. “Hierarchy” was recorded in a legit studio simply say or hear “rutan” and you know instantly with a legit producer, with many of the modern what to expect. Not only has he done “tactics” used. It sounds killer for what it is, but tremendous work for death metal, he’s one of the very polished. “Temporality Unbound” was best and realest human beings we have ever recorded with a friend of ours in his house. We met. He may kick your ass in the studio, but you wanted to do something very natural. No bullshit, come out of that place with a whole new play it and go kinda deal. So we went through perspective on not only your playing, but music in both ways of recording an album, and I feel like general. He reached out to us shortly after we the full length is a perfect mixture of the old released “hierarchy”, and expressed great school production with a modern twist. It interest in recording us. You can only imagine definitely was recorded super old school. (Erik) how stoked we were when that happened. Rutan does not put up with any bullshit. You fuck Obviously we wouldn’t be able to make the trip to up, you play it again, and again, and again. Tampa by ourselves, so he was a very large force in getting us the record deal. Having Erik Was any of the album composed in the studio support us and on our side is truly an amazing or had you an idea of what you were planning thing. on doing before entering? The album was completely finished going into the Any casualties from being over worked or studio. The last song that was written for the stressed at being holed up in the studio? album was “airless”. Brody wrote that shortly I suppose our livers were the only true before we left to record, with many of us not even casualties. When we were each done with our really knowing it going into the studio, but it was parts, we hit the booze pretty hard. It was a call already done. The studio is already a stressful for celebration! The most stress and tension place, regardless of how prepared you are. I can really came from stuff beyond our control. For only imagine that added extra weight of needed example, tuning was a major issue when we more songs. Songs don’t come out like that, were doing the guitar tracks due to our low forced that is. At least that’s not the way we work tuning. We had everything setup and intonated

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perfectly, but the mother fuckers would not hold tuning. There'd be a slight drop or rise in pitch, and next thing you know you're doing the same basic riff for 3 hours. 'Soil and Seed' was one of the hardest songs to record due to this, regardless of it being the easiest song on the album to play. The main riff originally had octave chords rather than the power chords, but we had to change it because it would not hold tuning. If there's one thing Rutan has never done is put out an out of tune record, and we weren’t about to be the first even if it would've made things easier in the studio. Any amusing stories from your rendezvous at Mana Recording Studios? The first day at the studio, Erik pulled into the parking lot hauling ass in his huge sprinter van with the metal hands out of his window, honking the horn. We knew right away that it was going to be a fun time, and we hadn't even stepped foot into the studio yet.

day. Something that first stood out at me when finding out about the forthcoming album was the epic artwork. Who's responsible for that? The master of death metal album art, Mr. Dan Seagrave himself. We presented the idea we had for the art to a few different artists, and Dan was so down from the get go. I feel it represents the album perfectly. He hit the nail on the fucking head. If I would've been told Dan Seagrave would be doing album art for my band when I was younger, I would've probably laughed in your face. It's still unreal he did the art and is so into the concept.

You are pretty much on the road for the whole of October and early November in North America. How much are you looking forward to unleashing the new material on audiences? Personally, I love playing live and touring. I’ll take that over recording in the nicest studio in the world any day. We played nothing but new songs So back to the album now and the title is 'The on our tour with Wretched in August, and are Conscious Seed of Light' would you like to doing the same on the Beneath the Massacre shed some light on the light and its origins? tour right now. The material has been going over The name of the album came from a lyric in an incredibly well, both live and online, so it makes old song of ours, “arise in repeat”. While we everything that much better for us. The few days chose not to re-record the song for the album, we have off before we leave for the Dying Fetus the line “the conscious seed of light” stuck out tour are going to feel like months, we just want to when Biggs was brainstorming album name stay on the road. ideas. It goes along with the spring concept of the album, which is the first of 4 albums, with Well guys congratulations on a great album each one representing a different season. and best of luck on the tour. Maybe we'll have Besides the song not being on the album, I think you visit Europe next year for an extensive what makes it even more interesting is Jake tour? wrote the lyrics for “arise in repeat”, long before Thanks for the interview and kind words! We'd any of the concepts surfaced. It’s almost like it love to come to Europe. We recently got our was foreshadowing what was to come with the passports, so there is nothing holding us back. album. We'll have to grab a few pints when we get there. How deep do you go into this concept on the record? As stated before, the album is a “concept” album so to speak, but not in the truest sense of the word. It’s not some elaborate story, with each song linked to each other. We use the spring, and the feelings that typically go with that season, as a way to keep things cohesive if you will. One thing that we never want is the concept of the album to overshadow the music by any means. It’s there to keep things in order, but it is not the main point in what we’re trying to do. We don’t want to be taken as a “concept” band, even if we tend to gravitate towards that stuff at times. We’re just a death metal band at the end of the

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By Stoodge Mc Nulty

Being from the Emerald isle and writing for a magazine it's only a virtue to chronicle what's happening with the Metal scene over here. Starting from this month I'll be bringing you a new feature entitled 'Darkside Of The Emerald' in which I'll be interviewing, reviewing and bringing you readers news from the Metal circuit here in Ireland. To prove that we all don't only mass consume Guinness and Potatoes over here, in this issue I've done interviews with Enniskillens Death Metal mammoth Gargantuan and Limericks instrumental three piece Dark Matter. Aidy from Gargantuan talks to Stoodge and sheds light on the bands pursuit of global dominance.

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You gentlemen got together as a band in 2008. Yourself, your brother Rony, Chris and Craig. Obviously you grew up with Rony but did you know Chris and Craig well before forming the band? We knew them from being around the scene, and other bands, but it wasn't until we got together to form Gargantuan that we became really good friends. Around the time we formed Gargantuan, there was a really thriving metal scene in our small town. We had loads of bands in different genres including black, thrash, celtic etc, but no proper death metal bands. Stocky, Chris, Rony and I are death metal zealots, so we decided to get together and play some of our own.

they had mostly positive things to say about it haha. I'd have been surprised if they were saying we should be nominated for any awards like haha! Online sales through our bandcamp, and feedback from listeners has been really good too, and were all very happy with most of the elements of Declarations of Gore. If we ever remembered to bring the CD's to gigs, we might get rid of some more haha! It's our first proper production, and we are at the end of the day not a signed band, or super producers, so listening back on the EP now, there are definitely elements which we would do differently, but we'll chalk that up to experience and use it on the next production.

Did you have an objective on what you guys would sound like or was it a case of getting together to see what happens? We like a lot of the same death metal bands, so we were all coming from a similar point of view in what we wanted to achieve, but obviously there are bands which some of us listened to which the other guys didn't like, or had never heard. Firstly we said "no covers! We'll stand on our own feet from the offset." So we just started writing, sometimes as individuals, and sometimes as a group.The songs written individually have the all the hallmarks of the writer, like Rony writes quite techy, mad time signature stuff, and Chris writes really grooved out heavy stuff, but then when we all wrote as a group, you get a real maelstrom of each of the four different influences jammed into one song.

So how are things at the minute in regards to getting to practice and gig as a band? Do schedules with Work put a dampener much on the Gargantuan ajenda? There was a point there, where we were playing a hell of a lot of gigs inside a short period of time, and I've got to admit, that shit really takes it's tole on everyone. From having to practice twice a week, to maybe trying to get out of work early, or leave the gig early in order to get back in time for work in the morning and all this whilst paying for everything out of your own pocket. I think we all needed a well earned break from being flat out like that all the time, so for a while now we've not really been practicing as much as we usually do, in order to recharge the batteries a bit. Practice usually isn't a problem though, our work schedules usually allow us to practice twice a week when we want to, plus we've got an So you could say that your sound is an excellent facility out at The Oaks Recording amalgamation of all things Brutal in Metal? Studio to do it in, which really makes a big Haha, most of them anyway, and of course other difference. So all our practices run pretty elements which aren't so high up on the brutality smoothly most of the time, it's only when you add scale. it to the pile of gigging, family life etc. that things What's important for us is that our songs start to get a bit more hard to manage. are well structured and have a good flow. Songs that you can bang your head to, or knock the shit What has the rest of 2013 got in store for you out of someone in the pit at a gig, but then you guys? can listen to them more in depth and you'll pick We've got the Annihilation of Mortals tour coming up on some the more intelligent elements like up with Sphere, which starts on 18/10/2013 @ weird time signatures and little hooks etc. We'd 20:00 in The Bush Bar, Enniskillen, and finishes never put something in just for the sake of it you on 20/10/13 in Fibber Magee's, Dublin. Apart know? Like Incongruous brake-downs, or wanky from that, our official website solos. www.gargantuanbrutality.com is due for launch this week, we're gonna be getting the new EP out How has the response been to your latest EP there, and we've got a few other gigs in the 'Declarations Of Gore'? pipeline too, so check the events pages on our Response has been good, we've been reviewed website or fecesbook pages to find out if we're by a couple of different mags and ezines etc, and playing somewhere near you guys!

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Dave, Mike and Eoin from Limericks instrumental 3 piece act Dark Matter speak to Firebrand After Dark about how they perceive life as a band with no singer and give their opinions on the current condition of metal in Ireland. Firebrand After Dark 01

You guys are a 3 piece instrumental band, do you think in anyway it's harder for bands like yourselves to get out there and be heard by not having a vocalist? Eoin - In one sense it is, in that instrumental music is still pretty niche. Promoters don’t want to take too much of a risk potentially alienating a significant portion of the crowd by having something outside the norm on the bill. That being said, a vocalist is the first element that pigeon-holes or defines a band’s genre. If you’re singer growls you’re lumped into the death metal crowd and it’s very hard to get out of that, similarly with clean singing it totally rules you out of a death metal billing. Being instrumental, the music is the “frontman” and I think our style allows us to fit on a diverse range bills with a wide range of bands, some of whom, I would even say myself, we share little in common with. Mick - It’s definitely still a very untoward scene, this whole instrumental lark. Some would find it uncomfortable or just too different to listen to an entire album or an entire set without vocals. With that said, we do encompass quite a lot of influences and styles in our music, and it does seem to be ever-evolving – this in itself would attract people who would listen to varying sub-genres. Dave - I don't think it's any way harder to promote yourselves, I think the problem is with peoples perceptions. When people hear that there is an instrumental band on the bill some are curious, some are most certainly not! It's just the way some people’s heads are wired I guess There must be instances when you compose a song and think "dammit I wish we had someone to sing on this". Eoin - Certainly when we start a song together, the arrangement is always approached from an instrumental point of view. Your standard structure doesn’t even spring to mind anymore but I guess when you start out with a “verse” and a “chorus”, you kind of think, it’d be great to have duel male and female harmonies here or there. The problem is with that, and it’s something that crops up now and again, is that if too much emphasis is put on the vocals, we’d need singer A or B to be able to play all our gigs and I don’t think it’d be fair to have someone around like that for the sake of a song or two. Then you start thinking would you bring in a full-time singer but then you’re getting into a situation where it wouldn’t really be Dark_Matter. However, for the second album, personally I’m not going to rule out any potential surprises, which

may or may not come about when it’s all said and done. I just want to make each song as good as we can. If it requires elements we’ve deliberately eschewed so far, so be it. Mick - Adding vocals would always cross my mind during the writing phase, but so would adding any other instrument. I think once we’ve finished writing a new track, there’s no point where we would feel there’s something missing. We substitute vocals with other instruments and qualities on the majority of our songs – but that’s not to say we don’t plan on mixing things up in the future, or like we’ve done on a couple of our tracks already. We don’t approach writing with the idea that we’re strictly instrumental, it just so happens that we’re always happy with the final result without the need for vocals.. Dave - The song 'Remembrance' everything fell into place so well with that tune, from the simplified drums to the savage bass and I kept pushing and pushing for a vocal part to be added, a more subdued version of great gig in the sky or knife party. I think it works really well in the context of the finished song, and a big thanks to Aoife for that, she was an absolute legend What's the musical background of the bands members? Eoin - I played bass for a band for a couple of years in the late 90s. Then from about 2007/08 I started playing with a series of musicians culminating in what we have today. Mick - I started playing classical piano when I was a young lad, I was always interested in the more technical and creative aspects of music. When I started listening to heavier stuff, it just seemed to be a natural progression. I started playing guitar and played in a few bands in my teens, and then just stopped for a while. I picked up bass a few months before I joined Dark_Matter and I mainly focus on that now. I do play Guitar on a couple of other projects though and I still play the piano (albeit, a bit rusty now) Dave - I Grew up on a solid diet of 70s and 80s rock thanks to my Dad, then found funk rock and metal in my teens,,,then in College started exploring the likes of Pink Floyd and Dream Theater, amazed at the kind of soundscapes the former achieved...I think I try and push that here and there,,,getting as good a soundscape as possible full of little touches Regarding experience...I've been on a solid diet of hard rock, funk rock and metal for quite some time, but have recently started playing with a bluesy/funky band from Shannon, a real departure from what I am used to playing

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With your songs being so structured and full of intensity and does it take long for you to achieve the sound your are after? Eoin - A couple of the songs on A Place of ...... were written about 10 years ago so they didn’t need too much work to get them where they are now. That said, we spent a lot of time on other songs from back then that for some reason or another didn’t quite sound right or good enough. They’re in the “Work In Progress” file…some songs could be done, starting with guitars and finishing with keyboards, in a couple of weeks. Others need a lot of tinkering, that often spans the course of months. Mick - In the grand scheme of things, I feel it takes quite a long time to bring a song around to a level that we’re happy with. Some songs that we’ve worked on in the past which we may not have been happy with at the time would be left aside. This would eventually give us an almost “new set of eyes” when we focus on it again. We always make sure we’re 100% confident in our songs, there’s no excuse to releasing half-developed tracks. Dave - The first part is identifying which parts need to be layered more than others, to get that power into the track We've been sitting back a lot more and selecting sounds for new material more carefully as to not mimic that sound of the first record. The worst thing (in my opinion) that you can do is rush - we've experimented so much with different structures and sounds that it lengthens out the song writing quite a bit.

As long as the structure is in place and the core instruments are done, I would be quite happy to sit on the track and see if anything else can be made of it over the course of a month or two...finding just the right lick to lift it up that little bit more. Being a 3 piece how much work goes into projecting your sound from record to a live audience? Eoin - We cheat. We record the keys/synths ourselves and put them on backing tracks. So much of our sound is based on them, that realistically we would need 2 keyboardists with looper and octave pedals to convey what they sound like on record. We haven’t been able to find one, and as I say, we would genuinely need a second. Then there’s the logistics of trying to get that many people in a room together for practice let alone trying to fit us and the gear into a car for gigs! Mick - While it does seem a little bit like cheating, I can’t help but noticing that using backing tracks is become more and more common recently. It’s simply not as feasible to be constantly active and gigging with a large line-up these days. With that said, we don’t feel like we’re “missing” anything live. We are very much focused on our live sound. Dave - Very little I think, as the core of bass, drums and guitar is always the first focus of a live performance for us. Once that is done, then we test the waters with the keys as are if they were on a record, then finally weighing down or lifting up certain synth lines as required.

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How do you think websites like Bandcamp have helped the band? You have your debut album 'A place of memories and ghosts' available on there right? Eoin - Yes, our album is available there. My views on Bandcamp etc are twofold really. People should be able to listen to music for free rather than the old days of going into a record shop and basing your purchase on the sleeve. However, anybody with a bit of software can upload an “album” so there’s a mountain of rubbish to trawl through. Music has becomedisposable and worthless to a lot of people as free downloading is rampant. People have a 1000 albums on their iPod yet how many of those albums have they really listened to? At least there was a bit of ceremony opening a CD/vinyl, looking at the artwork, reading the sleeve etc. The younger generation don’t appreciate this and what’s worse they don’t know what they’re missing. Mick - Bandcamp and the like really are excellent resources. It’s getting easier to discover new music and underground artists as a result. Based on that though, the industry does seem to be very much focused on digital distribution now and physical media is suffering badly – not just record stores, but the purchase of physical media online also. As awesome a feeling as it is to discover that “new favourite band” just by randomly browsing the internet, it just pales in comparison to finding the same by picking up an album in a store based on the artwork, the name, or word of mouth alone. Dave - I think it is a fantastic resource...if we were a band maybe 20 years ago or so I do not think we would have nearly as much exposure as we do now! Yes it is mainly an Irish following we have, but I have seen people from far and wide liking the pages and passing on the message! What's your opinions on the Metal scene at present here in Ireland, what direction do you think it's heading? Eoin - Metal in Ireland has never been better. The

older generation hark on about bands from the late 80s and 90s that were far superior than today but I totally disagree. One needs only look the bi-annual Siege of Limerick to see the depth of talent we have doing the rounds currently, 20+ Irish bands at each one, and not the same 20 either. Probably over 60 local bands that have played it over last 5 years, with the quality at each Siege always improving. As regards direction, Unfortunately at normal non-festival type shows, turnouts can be very hit and miss which is very sad. I genuinely think people will look back at this era and regret not making more of an effort. Granted, the recession and all that comes with that has played a hugely significant role. I’d like to see more of a shift towards all-ages gigs as the crowd here don’t mind going to a gig with no money or staying sober. This isn’t necessarily true for the older heads, myself included. Mick - There doesn’t seem to be any sign of the metal scene in Ireland slowing down or hitting a plateau. There seems to be an almost endless run of gigs across the country (almost too much even). As Eoin mentioned, regular gigs do suffer attendance-wise in comparison to Festivals, but for such a small country currently struck with recession, it is to be expected. Perhaps a little more planning wouldn’t go astray, but I don’t necessarily feel this impacts the scenes health anyway. As an aside – the festivals (such as the Siege Of Limerick) and larger gigs here are getting increasingly higher attendance over the last number of years, a sign of a decent scene. Now if we can just get the kids to listen to less of this pop-metal… Dave - It is very vibrant as compared with say 10 years ago - everyone seems to be in it together and it seems to be adopting the mentality from indie musicians - if we all support each other we will all help each other, the amount of gigs we have gotten from supporting other bands and networking is astounding. Things can only get better.

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Sonus Mortis Demo 2013 Label: Self Release Reviewer: Stoodge Mc Nulty

Released: 20 July 2013 Highlight: A Pale Reflection

Website: https://www.facebook.com/sonusmortisband

This is indeed a very interesting one, let me present to you a one man Black, Symphonic, Death Metal project from Dublin. Everything on offer here was written, composed and arranged by ex Valediction Synth and Bass player Kevin Byrne. This isn't a new release, it actually came out in July but with a possible tracklist being just confirmed for the debut full length album, now would be an opportune time to give my opinion on this EP. Consisting of only three tracks it's easy to forget that is just one guy as there is so much going on during the elapsement of the record. The exertion and innovation that is blatant throughout this 3 track right up to it's culmination is something that needs to be commended. The rudimentary track here 'Harbinger of Doom' is the most straight forward Black Metal esque offering out of the trilogy but even that has a sense of dissimilitude

in it's conception. The longest track on this EP is the second murky and chaotic passage entitled 'A Pale Reflection' that comes in roaring at eleven minutes. It's not even only the structure of the varying instruments that have constructed this into the marvel this it is but the vocals on here that are of conviction, suffering and befitting of the melancholic atmosphere created. The terminus of the overture is 'In The River Mist' which is the most melodic song musically and the unfathomable vocals of the demoniacal inventor continue to augment even more on the records concluding track. Sonus Mortis will have a full length album out sometime soon which promises to be as inflamed and turbulant as this, but until then go and get yourself on bandcamp where you can behold some of the EP in all it's majestic resplendence.

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Delaying Mark 'Barney' Greenway from finding a Vegan Restaurant in Dublin was something I thought I might regret before doing this interview. That fear didn't remain long though as on meeting Barney for the first time it wasn't long before realising that the aggressive, anarchist, punk we all know is that of the persona we see on stage. Away from the studio and stage Barney is a polite, modest and refined gentleman.

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So Barney You're on tour right now with Children Of Bodom and Insomnium. It's not the usual bill for a Napalm show, how's it going? Yeah it's good. We've only done two shows so far, this is the third here tonight. We're only doing like the UK and Ireland shows on the tour. So are you treating this mini tour as an extension to the 'Utilitarian' tour you did when the album came out last year? Yeah we're going to be touring and promoting that until......well our next album.

had a lot of stuff to do and they had a lot of things to do, but yeah once work started it was a pretty easy to complete. This current line up of Napalm Death have been together now for about 16 years? Yeah its even longer for me, I'm here 24 or 25 years now. Wow, what gives you that kick in the ass everyday that tells you to keep continuing? It still has to be fun and you still have to be into it. I'm trying not to sound to obvious there but there are a few bands out there that are clearly not into doing it still and I wouldn't want to get to that stage. I'd rather give up than get to a certain point where it becomes a grind , I'd rather not. The motions are just kind of hard to analyse, I still love the band, I still love playing live. I love the music and I love the fact that we've always done what we thought was the right think to do. That keeps me going and with the thought perspectively that we've got stuff still to do and it's going to be good in the future.

How's the fans reaction to the new songs from your latest album 'Utilitarian'? Yeah it's going alright. I mean it hasn't really pettered out for and we're still getting plenty of requests to play in different places. Those big tours, the six or seven weekers like the one that Children Of Bodom are doing right now....you don't do a lot of them these days. Because we don't get the requests to play within a concentrated time period and with the dates being scattered around the place throughout the year we tend to Have you any idea on when Napalm Death machine may stop grinding? drive or fly to places. I wouldn't even put an estimate on it because when you've been in a band for 24 years it's kind of hard to say "well Back to this tour now and with the line up consisting this is an end point" because if it didn't end before now of four dissimilar sounding metal bands, what's your then guessing a timeframe in the future is thoughts on multi genre bills? impossible. Ordinarily we don't play shows of this nature and this is With your own career and with you being in Napalm something that's quite unusual for us. Normally we're Death for 24 years, can you see yourself doing playing with bands that are has horrible and as noisy as anything else in the future? us and this is something really different. Sometimes it's good not to try and preach to the converted if you know Well I will be at some point and you've got to face up to what I mean. We've got the musical style that we've got, that. We as a band are doing better now than we ever our own ideas and stuff and sometimes you can go and have. present this to people and they already know. So surely What about the producing side of things in music? Is the whole idea is to spread it outwards a little bit. that something your interested in? Can you see Napalm making a few new younger fans Ah no. I've never been interested in that. The one thing by playing shows like this? you've got to remember about me specifically is that I I think so and I would really hope so. It's never always never had any agenda of being in a band when I joined guaranteed though because what you've got to Napalm Death. I had my other band aswell but it was remember about a tour like this is.....what we do is nothing that I was seriously doing. I was working full time completely brand new to some kids but it can be to also so I enjoy Napalm for being in Napalm. That's where intense, maybe too much for some. You can never me and Shane are different. Shane, he's very much a expect anybody to like what you do, that's never going to musician and he's a really creative guy, he's overthrown happen. with ideas. For me all my energies are geared into Napalm whereas he's guided towards Ex or side bands I saw on your Facebook page this week that you are and for me it's all about Napalm. Never say never if collecting ideas for your next album, how's the ideas another band ever came along but chances are I coming? wouldn't do it. There's some really positive things about Yeah well that's exactly where we are. We're still at the being in Napalm and there's also some negatives that ideas stage and nothing is concrete as of yet. would put me off sort of starting the process again. Your last release was actually a split EP with American Hardcore band 'Converge' how did this come about? Ah well basically they wanted to do it and we also wanted to do it. Shane (Embury) had a contact for them and it was Shane that really pushed the envelope with that and it got done. It was a real easy process, it wasn't difficult. It took a little while for it to come together as we

You have a one off show coming up in November where you're going to be blowing the stage up right? Yeah this is the rescheduled postponed show from earlier in the year. Basically we are recreating a really deprived area of Birmingham like a block of flats. We'll be building clay around the PA and stuff and exploding it.

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John and Kyle of Incantation talk about their tour, the band and their new album

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It always seems like a celebration when Incantation are coming back to Europe as the band doesn't play as often as some of their peers John - We like to make it an event every time go to Europe. A lot of bands like to play their every year even sometimes more than one time their and I think that is just too much. For us it's better just wait and do things the proper way to make sure we can get people quality show and a diverse set list. Kyle -We just like to make everytime we play really special and mean something so when we do play Europe we hope our fans realize this and make plans to make sure they come out to the gig . In this industry you never know if we're able to return to your town.

Kyle - Well we never give the set list away ahead of time, but I can tell you we discussed adding many songs to the set that we either never played live in Europe , and songs that are our personal favorites .Our goals was not only pick we enjoy,but some rarities that our longtime fans wouldn't expect and would enjoy . Of course we'll be palying a handfull of new tracks from 'Vanquished in Vengeance' everybody seems to really enjoy that records.

Some words have been spread you guys were already working on a new album that would crush it all John - Absolutely, we have been working on a bunch of new songs and were definitely really anxious to get into the recording studio as soon as possible at this moment it looks like January The line up for 'Vanquish in Vengeance' is or February next year. It's definitely some really probably the strongest in the band 's career, great stuff everyone has been contributing a lots you guys seem to have gathered as old of really interesting ideas along with keeping that friends and musicians with a unique common total crushing heavy death metal sound that it's goal so important to our sound. it's an honor to work John - Totally I feel the same way this line up with these three other guys in the band and I has just been awesome to work with and very look forward to another amazing album. creative. Were able to work towards one goal of Kyle - Yes, the four of us haven't stopped writing creating the darkest heaviest sickest music that since we started writting for'Vanquish'.We have a we've ever done. I think we all feel very fortunate good amount of new material that we plan to to have a strong line up and and we are all happy record asap after European tour. to get the opportunity to work with each other in this band. Incantation have a lot of die hard dedicated Kyle - Yes we all have the same feeling and fans over here in Europe, any words to the vision for what Incantationstyle Death Metal supporters of the motherfuckin goat ? should sound and feel like. And like you John - We just like to thank all you guys for your mentioned we are friends so it's more like a support over the years you guys totally sick. We band . When you were young and first starting look forward to seeing you out on the road. we out, then a just 4 guys up there playing because came up with 2 killer set for you guys, think you'll its a job . We really enjoy playing with each enjoy. We will be altering the set every other others, and it really shows through our material. night just to make things next or special people. Even the older songs never sounded and felt so Hail the goat! good. Kyle - Continue your unity supporting blasphemous Fucking Death Metal .You've been What is the track listing for these shows, any listening and enjoying our breed of metal for over old gems from the vaults ? 20 years,as long as you continue to blaspheme John - we don't like to give away our set list Christ , Worship the Goat and listen to our Death before the tour, we can reassure you that it's Fucking Metal ,we will keep writing and going to be an extremely diverse set. We will play playing !!! 666 a good amount if new material and a lot of extremely rare songs that we haven't played live for a long time and some songs we haven't played in Europe ever. We wanted to do something special for our longtime fans. I think this set will make all our fans from our 20 + year career extremely satisfied after leaving our concert.

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Metal vids to sink your teeth into There have been soo many great videos popup during the last month but after much debate here are the top 5 music videos currently doing the rounds in the After Dark dungeon. If you have any thoughts about these, feel free to get in touch at afterdark@fbrr2010.com

1 2 3 4 5

Ill Nino Forgive Me Father Kardashev The Chiliagon Mind Of Doll Dead A.M Beastmilk Love In A Cold World Negura Bunget Curgerea Muntelui Firebrand After Dark 01

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Grand Theft Auto Online: Half a Million GTA$ Stimulus Package this Month

Newswire when each deposit is made. - Each of the two GTA$250,000 deposits will be made by Rockstar and should automatically appear in the in-game GTA Online bank accounts of eligible players. Beyond downloading the forthcoming title update mentioned above, there should not be any additional special action Money in the Bank required by eligible players to redeem. Given some of the recent Borderlands 2: technical Game of the Year issues during these first days of GTA Online, Edition is and now that things are starting to look much shipping smoother (touch wood!), we are planning to The English version provide a special stimulus package for all who of Borderlands 2: have played or will play Grand Theft Auto Game of the Year Online this month. Edition for Mac is We will be dropping a cool half a million shipping. GTA$ in the GTA Online bank accounts of all Game of the Year Edition Borderlands 2 players this month, starting as early as next Game of the Year Edition offers more value than week. ever before - over $100 of content for just $59.99 ‘Don’t Spend It All in One Place!’ and includes: In order to keep the current worldwide in-game - Award winning title, Borderlands 2 economy balanced, we will be providing this - 4 Add-On Content Campaigns GTA$ to players via two deposits of $250,000. - Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty We will announce specific dates as soon as - Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage possible, but are currently hoping to be able to - Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt make the first deposit by the end of next week (after we’ve confirmed that issues causing game - Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep - 2 New Playable Characters: progress loss have been fixed) with the second Gaige, the Mechromancer instalment to happen by the end of the month. For players who experienced cloud server errors, - Krieg, the Psycho - First level cap increase connection issues, and lost game progress and characters in these first days of GTA Online, we - Plus new battle arenas, heads and skins, hope this GTA$ helps to facilitate a fresh start or golden keys and more! Play as one of four new vault hunters facing makes your continued life in Los Santos and off against a massive new world of creatures, Blaine County extra sweet. Below are a few more details on how it will psychos and the evil mastermind, Handsome Jack. Make new friends, arm them with a work. Stay tuned for tips on how to make the bazillion weapons and fight alongside them in 4 most of GTA$ cash, info on ways and places to player co-op or split-screen on a relentless quest earn more cash fast, as well as updates on all for revenge and redemption across the the new GTA Online content additions we’re undiscovered and unpredictable living planet. working on for this fall and beyond. Borderlands 2 follows the story of four new - You must play or have played Grand Theft Vault Hunters as they fight to free Pandora from Auto Online at any time during the month of the clutches of Handsome Jack, the brilliant, October 2013 in order to qualify for the charismatic, and utterly despicable CEO of the GTA$500,000 deposit in your in-game bank Hyperion Corporation. account. Players will fight across the whole of - Players will first have to install a Pandora to stop Jack from awakening an ancient forthcoming GTAV title update which we expect alien evil known only as "the Warrior." Their to happen next week. That title update (1.04) is expected to fix the remaining instances of issues quest will bring them into contact with some that have caused vehicle purchase loss and will familiar faces from the old game - most notably, also enable the functionality through which we’ll the original four Vault Hunters: Roland, Lilith, be providing this GTA$ stimulus cash to players. Brick and Mordecai. They, along with some brand new characters, will help players defeat - We will announce at the Rockstar

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Jack, destroy the Warrior, and save Pandora. Features: - All-New Characters and Classes: Choose from all new characters and classes including the Gunzerker, who can dual-wield any two weapons in the game. Dual machine guns? Cool. Dual rocket launchers? Of course! Dual Sniper Rifles? Sure, if that's your thing! More tactical perhaps? There are multiple classes to choose from! - Play Online with Friends: Share your adventures with friends on both Mac and PC through seamless system enabling you to drop in and drop out of campaign without ever having to restart the game. - World Connected Story: Left for dead in the frozen tundra of Pandora, begin your quest of revenge and redemption as the story drives you closer to the Hyperion Corporation and its evil founder, Handsome Jack. - New Badass Gun System: Millions upon millions of possible weapons means tons of new and innovative ways to engage foes on Pandora. Fire, electricity, corrosive acid, and more will all be a your disposal. - 87 Bazillion...Everything: It's not just guns on Pandora, you will lust after procedurally generated shields, grenades, alien artifacts, class mods and much, much more. - Brand new environments: From the arctic tundra, through the dangerous grasslands, past the mysterious corrosive caverns to beyond, discover more of the unpredictable world of Pandora at every turn! - Brand new enemies: Hulking, gorilla-like Bullymongs, vicious predatory Stalkers and the Hyperion mechanical army, run by Handsome Jack, are just some of the new enemies you will face.

recruiting three players. The final showdown will take place on 1 st November at the Paris Games Week show, after which each member of the winning team will win an Xbox One. The winning team will also have the privilege of presenting the CéKeDuBonheur Association a check for 5,000 euros. Each team has its own method of recruitment. The Sharks Team W9 with Kev Adams and MrLEV12, preselect nine soldiers who participate in "Challenge Team W9." ." The three players with the highest scores then join Team Sharks. More information on the official page of the Team Sharks. 's Team Panthers GAME ONE of the team that is specially trained professionals. Formed by Marcus, PhD video games, and WaRteK THE sniper Youtuber, the team organized a raffle among the best 30 players Domination available on the beta of Battlefield 4. More details on the official page of the Team Panthers. Diablox9 and PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu will be in the Eagles Team of jeuxvideo.com. 24 players shortlisted will rendezvous in the premises of LDLC to Paris for a giant LAN, and the top 3 will join the squad. All details are on the official page of the Eagles Team . Digidix Finally, Cedric or Momo Difool on Twitter will be theTeam Cobras. 3 recruits will be selected through a questionnaire and join the team Skyrock.com with Momo. They will face three other players who have been selected by Cedric the antenna to Twitter in the Radio Free. The duel against skyrock.com team Skyrock radio takes place this Friday, October 11.The winning team will go to the final at the Paris Games Week. Information is available on the official page of the Team Cobras . All teams will complete on October 18, and champion their cause on social networks while waiting to face the 1 st November at the Competition Returns Paris Games Week on the stand . Electronic ArtsFor more information on Battlefield 4, visit With The Battlefield Tournament the official website. For more information on CéKeDuBonheur association 4 All Stars www.cekedubonheur.fr Four teams compete on Battlefield 4 is poised to revolutionize the Battlefield 4 for a good genre of shooters in further reducing the cause throughout the month boundary between video games and action of October. EA France movies. With fully destructible environments, organizes its famous tournament Battlefield 4 All dynamic battles on land, at sea and in the air and Stars allows players to join a team and to its new vehicles, take part in clashes challenge them on Battlefield 4 to support incomparable intensity. Battlefield 4 will be CéKeDuBonheur association working for almost available on October 31 on Xbox 360, 10 years to improve the lives of hospitalized PlayStation 3 and PC. Battlefield 4 will be children. Each of the four prestigious media available November 22 on Xbox ® One and channels participant the event - W9, Game One, November 29 on PlayStation ® 4. Premium Twitter and jeuxvideo.com - is represented by a Battlefield 4 will be available for these pair of individuals who will be responsible for

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platforms. All owners of Battlefield 4 can transfer their game stats from their Xbox 360 console and Xbox One for PlayStation 3 system on the PlayStation 4 system. Subscribing to Premium Battlefield 4 will also be transferable. Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. Franchises of the company are distributed as packaged products and online services for game consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets connected to the Internet and on social networks. EA has more than 300 million registered players and operates in 75 countries. During fiscal 2013, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $ 3.8 billion. EA company, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is recognized for its high quality franchises and much appreciated, including The Sims, Madden NFL, FIFA, Need for Speed, Battlefield and Mass Effect.

conference please click here:http://youtu.be/ YlaDdR6-bzQ The official Union J to Union XY name change will happen today, the same day as Pokémon X and Pokémon Y releases exclusively on Nintendo 3DS. For further updates on Union XY take a look at their official Twitter site:@UnionJWorld For more information about Pokémon X and Pokémon Y for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, including new images and gameplay video, please visit Pokemon.co.uk/XY.

Media Alert: Union J become Union XY to celebrate Pokémon launch

Stain Though Austin, TX - October 11, 2013 – Independent developers RuneStorm (Viscera Clean-up Detail) and Flying Wild Hog (Shadow Warrior, Hard Reset) have been brought together via the Devolver Digital Cross Promotions Department to birth one of the more unique video game mash-ups ever – Viscera Clean-up Detail: Shadow Warrior. A free standalone mini-game, Viscera Clean-up Detail: Shadow Warrior takes place after Lo Wang’s first big katana battle against the yakuza in Shadow Warrior as a hapless janitor from Zilla Enterprises is tasked with cleaning up the bloody mess. “When our team first saw Viscera Clean-up Detail on Steam Greenlight we absolutely loved with the idea of a person out there that had to clean up after big battles in FPS or horror games,” said Michal Szustak, Studio Head at Flying Wild Hog. “RuneStorm has done a tremendous job in taking a key scene from Shadow Warrior and recreating its aftermath to form a fun and hilariously frustrating mini-game using the Viscera Clean-up Detail mechanics.” Budding viscera janitors will be able to use their custom mop, commercial grade plastic gloves, high tech viscera finder, and an industrial incinerator to clean up blood, guts, and the occasional dismembered arm. Plan your strategy wisely or risk tracking bloody footprints around your clean floors or knocking over a bucket of guts on what was previously a pristine flight of stairs! Perform your job skilfully and find yourself rewarded with two handsome achievements to hang in your locker.

Union J are today officially changing their name to Union XY – for one day only – to celebrate the launch of Pokémon and Pokémon Y which is out now (October 12th) on Nintendo 3DS. The band announced their intentions at a recent press conference during which they revealed that band member, George Shelley, a lifelong Pokémon fan had suggested the idea to the rest of the band. He was also instrumental in the design of the Union XY logo, which they created especially to mark the band’s renaming today. During the filming of the last season of X Factor the Union J boys were noted for passing the time by playing Pokémon: band member Josh was even known to hide in the little boys’ room to extend his playing time. “We all love Pokémon and are so excited that the wait for Pokémon X andPokémon Y is finally over: we’re going to spend a lot of time battling each other when we go on tour,” said band member, Jaymi. George added: “We wanted to do something awesome to celebrate the game’s launch today, and changing our name to Union XY for the day was the ultimate tribute.” To view the official video from the press

Viscera Cleanup Detail: Shadow Warrior Is Hre To Tidy Up Your Mess - That Blood Is Going to Leave a

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“This clear exploitation of two talented independent developers is really a landmark moment in my career and I can’t wait to see the immense amount of personal wealth I stand to gain from this financially driven marketing stunt,” said Devolver Digital CFO Fork Parker. “Oh, Viscera Clean-up Detail: Shadow Warrior is free? In that case you can all eat my butt. Eat it right up.” Viscera Clean-up Detail: Shadow Warrior is available now for free to all owners of Flying Wild Hog’s Shadow Warrior on Steam, GOG, Humble Store and other services. Shadow Warrior is available now through digital means of distribution at www.shadowwarrior.com.

unrivalled rock legends. Other previously revealed musical luminaries include Slash, Bootsy Collins, George Lynch, Zakk Wylde, and Five Finger Death Punch. Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and creative force behind the influential rock ‘n roll band Social Distortion, Mike Ness has brought roaring attitude and bar-brawling originality to the California punk scene since the late 1970s. Ness and Social Distortion deliver swagger and smoke to their audiences paired with a deep sense of lyrical and melodic melancholy, the kind that has elevated Ness’s songs into the ranks of those written by Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Bruce Springsteen. Seamlessly connecting real guitars, basses and microphones to game consoles, BandFuse: Punk Rock Legend Rock Legends empowers players to jam to a fully Mike Ness Takes Centre Stage As The unlocked library of hit songs from rock to metal and punk to funk, featuring 55 massive Nexi In-Game Mentor genre-jumping songs from Slash, Maroon 5, For Banfuse:Rock Rush, The Strokes, Heart, Pearl Jam and more. Legends BandFuse: Rock Legends is rated T for Teen by For more than 30 years, Mike Ness’ band Social the ESRB and will be published by Mastiff in Distortion has explored the common ground North America on November 19, 2013, and by between punk rock and American roots music. Hamster in Japan on December 19, 2013, on Today, Realta Entertainment is proud to reveal Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems. A release that Ness is the seventh legendary rocker date for Europe will be announced soon. To learn featured as an in-game mentor for BandFuse: more aboutBandFuse: Rock Legends, please Rock Legends, the music video game where visit www.bandfuse.com, ‘Like’ it on legendary rockers transform players into Facebook, and follow the game on Twitter for all real-world guitarists, bassists and vocalists. the latest updates and news. The newly announced BandFuse: Rock Legends trailer featuring Social Distortion’s gritty Air Dash Online rock anthem “Bad Luck” can be viewed HERE: Adding The Words

“Competitive” To The Smash Brothers Genre Professional Smash Brothers Players and Industry Professionals work together to bring a competitive Platform Fighter to Kickstarter. [Seattle, WA] – Traditionally, platform fighters have lured players in by being known as fun party games with established recognizable characters. Only small subsets of players have taken these games to advanced levels of play. “Knowing that Social Distortion is an JV5 Games is designing Air Dash Online (ADO) integral part of BandFuse is immensely satisfying,” said Mike Ness. “But being a serious against the grain with an emphasis on competitive play, enhanced movement options part of the on-going evolution of music games and an entirely original cast of characters. ADO and introducing our musical spirit to a new is being designed for and by professional Smash generation of guitar players is pretty much Brothers players. Included in the development mind-blowing.” Ness joins BandFuse: Rock Legend’s list of team is Robert, Wright Wobbles) which received

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2nd place at EVO 2013 for Super Smash Brothers (Melee, as well as, Jason Zimmer (Mew2King) which is known as a top contender for World Champion of Super Smash Brothers Melee and Super Smash Brothers Brawl. In addition to elite players, the JV5 Games development team includes industry professionals that have worked on the following titles: Skull Girls, Tony Hawk Series, Medal of Honor, Dance Central 3 and Star Wars: The Old Republic. With an all-star-cast, including youtube celebrity, Andrew Hales, JV5 Games is looking to raise $350,000 for ADO via Kickstarter. Mike Lau, Lead Game Designer and founder of JV5 Games admits “not everyone will love the idea of a Smash Brothers game with an emphasis on competitive, tournament level play, and that’s okay, but we will include 2v2 matches and free-for-all matches. We also believe there is a large enough fan base and interest in competitive fighting games to raise the money we need.” Mike adds “Smash Brothers Melee was the 2nd largest stream at EVO 2013 and the game is almost 12 years old. People tuned in to see it because there aren’t a lot of platform fighters and Smash Brothers Melee is an amazing game that people will continue to play for years to come. We plan to take the concepts that the competitive scene loves about Melee and simply take those ideas to the next logical step with the feedback we receive.” ADO is expecting competitive Smash Brothers Players to come out in droves to provide support and feedback for a game designed specifically for them. The Kickstarter page is live and available here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1289882404/ air-dash-online-the-competitive-platform-fighter

building sandbox games with the speed and competition of modern first-person shooters, Guncraft features gameplay that is instantly intuitive and addicting. Players can create arenas and levels based on anything they can think of, and once complete, utilize these stages for addictive fast-paced shooting action. With Steam Workshop integration, all the cool creation aspects can be instantly shared with the community – levels created from the ground up, completely unique guns, and nearly any type of character skin comes to life with just a few short clicks. To learn more about Guncraft, please visit www.exatogames.com/guncraft/, as well as ‘Like’ it on Facebook and follow the game @ExatoGames for all the latest developer updates and news.

Call Of Duty: Ghosts Takes The Critically-Acclaimed Franchise Into The Next Generation New world. New story. New, next-gen engine. Outnumbered and outgunned, but not outmatched. Welcome to Call of Duty®: Ghosts, an extraordinary step forward for one of the largest entertainment franchises of all-time. This new chapter in the Call of Duty® franchise features a fresh dynamic where players are on the side of a crippled nation fighting not for freedom, or liberty, but simply to survive. Fuelling this all new Call of Duty universe, the franchise's ambitious new, next-gen engine delivers stunning levels of immersion and Guncraft Marks Steam performance all while maintaining the speed and fluidity of 60 frames-per-second across all Workshop Success With A Team Fortress platforms. Ten years after a devastating mass event, 2 Map And Weapons the nation's borders and the balance of global With the launch of Steam power have been redrawn forever. As what's left Workshop for Guncraft less of the nation's Special Operations forces, a than two weeks ago, mysterious group known only as "Ghosts" leads worldwide fan response has the fight back against a newly emerged, generated more than 800 different pre-fabs, technologically-superior global power. weapons, skins, and levels created and shared Call of Duty: Ghosts will release on Xbox by Guncraft gamers. To thank this amazing “ 360® video game and entertainment system call-to-create-arms,” the Exato Game Studios from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer team is delighted to release today a free update entertainment system and PC on featuring the iconic “2Fort” level and new 5th November. Call of Duty: Ghosts will also be weapons from Team Fortress 2. available for next generation platforms. Marrying the addictive nature of block

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For any review requests please contact the Firebrand After Dark team on the email address below. afterdark@fbrr2010.com

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Inferno Omniabsence Filled By His Greatness Label: Agonia Records Reviewer: Stoodge McNulty

Released: 24 September 2013 Highlight: The Funeral Of Existence

Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inferno/322975231147644

Having had two separate visits north to the Necromorbus Studios in Sweden laying down the foundations of this album, Czech Republics Inferno have produced one hellish and mighty Black Metal record.

have created their own desultory realm of darkness within this record.

So often we hear bands with similar sounds in this genre and with no disrespect but innovation seems to be a trait a lot forget about. What Inferno have done This is their first studio album since their critically here is taken their early influences, wretchedly acclaimed 'Black Devotion' came out in 2009 and with obscured those with their own umbra and in doing that this advancement in the bands progression we can have created their very own incomparable discern how trenchant and fortified these nocturnal subterranean nightmare. creatures have become. The cover art of this album signifies that there is a With six tracks here coming in at a total of fifty sinister narrative awaiting within for anyone willing minutes, opener 'Pervasion' being the least in length and resolute enough to behold it. Having listened to simply serves as a calm prologue before this dark this a few times I'm still none the wiser on the beast recoils into operation. concept, this is fine though as I've enjoyed David Lynch movies in the past without any comprehension With an album so long despite having five tracks on what's going on in the story. So the moral of the included it would be easy to presume that what's on story is.........ah nevermind, just go and check this offer here would become tenuous, in truth Inferno album out.

Symphony Of Pain Hydeology Label: AFM Records Released: 28 October 2013 Reviewer: Lee Walker Highlight: For Now I Am Dead Website: http://www.symphonyofpain.co.uk/

While glancing through the review pile this month I couldn’t help but notice the artwork of a Slash style hat adorning a skull with crossed guitars below it reminding me of the traditional pirate flag which immediately had me thinking that ‘Symphony Of Pain’ was some sort of pirate metal band thankfully S.Y.P were far from it with opening track ‘Mister Hyde’ immediately establishing a dark, almost gothic feel to the album. As the album progresses you get to appreciate the classical instrumentation of Pam Chowhan (pianist to Julian Lloyd Webber) more as it merges seamlessly with the gothic ambiance

bringing the often dark vocals of the multi talented Tracie Law (ex Beki bondage and L.O Girls) to the forefront creating songs which are gothic in nature occasionally throwing Rob Zombie influenced curveballs such as ‘Am I Dreaming, or ‘For Now I’m Dead’ into the mix, creating an album which captures your attention throughout. I think its fair to say that with this release Symphony Of Pain will turn a few heads in the alt/gothic scenes and will leave you wondering how will they follow this release up.

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Trivium Vengeance Falls Label: Roadrunner Records Reviewer: Stoodge McNulty

Released: 15 October 2013 Highlight: Strife

Website: http://www.trivium.org/preorder

Here we have one of the most anticipated albums of the 'Strife' is the most melodic and catchy tune on the album year and upon hearing this effort for the first time it was and along with most of the tracks on offer here has all clear that all the expectancy was vindicated. the strength to be a fan favourite live whilst reinforcing the bands already commendable live reputation. This is the sixth studio release in a tenure of ten years from Orlando's new wave merchants and for a band David Draiman has done a masterful job on production that are often on the road, this shows how dedicated duty for this album and his methods in the studio have and consecrated the band are to their pursuit. certainly brought about a more creative and unblemished Trivium. 'Brave The Storm' instantaneously opens the floodgates on the tornado that is a continuous vortical throughout The trilogy of 'No Way to Heal' 'To Believe' and 'At The this record. Second on the album and title track End of This War' hurtle past as empowered and flawless 'Vengeance Falls' then proceeds to furthermore set the as the aforementioned tracks. persisting motion of this record, which in most parts is The final four tracks of the album are adequate rapid yet mercurial. inclusions to the record, although this does leave the One major and gratifying thing about the succession of album slightly unbalanced as the first half is abundantly records from these guys is that it's perceptible how the faultless. Besides this minor blip, what we have here is a bands musical influences seem to be dropping with conception and presentation of Trivium coming into their each release, in a way surrendering themselves up to own domain. the Trivium armour that is now well and truly indomitable.

Hanzel Und Gretyl Fur Immer Label: Metropolis Records Released: 7 October 2013 Reviewer: Lee Walker Highlight: IronStar Outlaws Website: http://www.hanzelundgretyl.com/

Kaizer von Loopy and Vas Kallas return with the second album from industrial alt rockers Hanzel und Gretyl in as many years.

of containing lyrics bring a wry smile to your face as they sink in, with the main difference between the two albums being that ‘Fur Immer’ is as close to being a pure ebm release as Hanzel und Gretyl will get, with ‘IronStar Outlaws’ acting as a total curveball song that is screaming to be picked up on by the alternative DJ scene with its wacky almost country and western take on the song.

Labelled as a ‘companion’ album to last years ‘Born To Be Heiled’ ‘Fur Immer’ was bound to cause some controversy, as it is by its very nature, a previously released album which has been remixed and re-released. That aside the remixes themselves have produced some interesting takes on the previously Overall ‘Fur Immer’ is most definitely an interesting released songs with the songs having a full makeover release and will help take the HUGs name over more courtesy of KyzrWölf (Kaizer’s electronic side project). of the alternative genres that they sometimes don’t quite fully connect with but a remix album is still a The tongue in cheek lyrics are still in there with titles remix album no matter how you dress it up so I for such as ‘Holy Shiza’, ‘More German Than German’ one will be interested in seeing how the long term and ‘Born to be Heiled’ continuing the HUGS tradition HUGs fans take to it.

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Circles Infinitas Label: Basick Records Reviewer: Lee Walker Website: http://www.circlesband.com

Aussie metalers Circles have surprisingly not been around too long in the scheme of things but in the short space of time that they have been they have set out to redesign and rebuild music as we know it by crisscrossing elements of a multitude of different genres and creating a sound which refuses to be pigeonholed into any specific box. Throughout this powerful beast of a debut album you find it impossible to guess what is coming next, with its unique twists and turns managing to throw something new at you every time you listen to it, be it the aggressive riffage, the djenstyle breakdowns or the mixing of clean

Released: 14 October 2013 Highlight: Responses

and harsh vocals and everything else in between with hints of all sorts of styles merged into one pulsating wave of sound redefining everything in its path. As an album goes Infinitas is set to push the boundaries further apart with its unpredictable experimental mix of sounds and styles but as with most experimental bands you will either love or hate this release.

Mortal Decay The Blueprint For Blood Splatter Label: Comatose Music Released: 26 November 2013 Reviewer: Stoodge McNulty Highlight: Mourning Euphoria Website: https://www.facebook.com/mortaldecayusa

With the closing words to the intro being â&#x20AC;&#x153;could this head belong to a young adult female?â&#x20AC;? ringing out as opener 'Anatomy Turned Chaotic Puzzle' breaks out the barb wire treatment, this record wastes no time in going headlong into a fatal pit of mutilation and torture. You would expect nothing less of these discourteous men from South Jersey, who now after over twenty years of producing their own Jazz Fusion Death Metal are back to reclaim their place following a studio absence of eight years. This is the first Mortal Decay release since 'Cadavar Art' in 2005 and is their 4th full length album to date, and if fasting from the studio has

done anything it's certainly made these splatter merchants ravenous. It's that very hunger that is abundant throughout this album with each members impetus into this creation being unflawed and noteworthy. Amalgamating groove laden basslines, visceral vocals, splitting guitars and Jazz drumming is no easy feat yet that is precisely what's executed here with authority and finesse. Tracks 'Chloroform Induced Trance' and 'Nocuous Compulsions' best illustrate the Jazz tag this band have and their dexterous capabilities as musicians. If Buddy Rich was still alive today then he'd be itching for a chance to perform in this band.

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RSJ Higgs Boson Label: Dead Rat Records Reviewer: Lee Walker

Released: 11 November 2013 Highlight: Nice Day Out

Website: http://www.rsj-noise.co.uk/

So the cunningly titled RSJ have been creating a lot of noise in recent years gaining slots on festivals such as Bloodstock, Hammerfest and Hard Rock Hell Ibiza not to mention touring with some seriously gnarly names. Finally RSJ are about to unleash their long await debut album ‘Higgs Boson’ and as anyone who has heard of these crazy bunch of nutters can attest to its going to be fucking loud. ‘Higgs Boson’ starts as it means to continue with its no nonsense balls out bursts of hardcore raining down on you as opening track ‘His Name Is Robert Paulson’ leads the way for the

pummelling breakdowns and gluteral hardcore vocals brutalising you, with the only respite being the occasional sound clip that is thrown in. The album powers on quickly with song after song being hammered home with the brutal aggression that this York based band have developed a reputation for producing leaving you bruised and scarred as the songs explode around you. Overall ‘Higgs Boson’ does exactly what you would expect from RSJ with the added bonus of not displaying the band in the lycra suits that they love to wear. Time to kiss your ear drums goodbye.

Soul Remnants Black and Blood Label: Horror Pain Gore Death Records Released: 31 October 2013 Reviewer: Stoodge McNulty Highlight: Dead Black (Heart Of Ice) Website: https://www.facebook.com/chopwork

This band may very well come from Littleton, Massachusetts but there is nothing little about their sound. I will be honest here and state that at this moment in time I don't know much about this band, I can only affirm that they have composed and recorded a towering and inordinate album right here with 'Black and Blood'.

album in repeat. You will hear shards of Carcass, At The Gates and even Falkenbach on this record but this is not the pith of the album as SR bring some bludgeoned implements of their own to the table. It's these bloody tools that give this release it's muscle and ironically it's vivification.

Lodging this embodiment into a single specific genre is an almost impossible task with it's sustained celerity and 'Cauldron of Blood' and 'Incinerator' lay out the unsettled procurement of all things brutal throughout. landscape of this release with their pulsating assaults and they bring a huge European Death Metal feel to the fore. From the the opening convulsion of this album what is discharged in the aftermath is as ruthless and as 'Dead Black (Heart of Ice)' is a doom toned black metal destructive as a troop of trigger happy Monkeys each with crusade with intense savage riffagery and this track that fully loaded M60's in a Cyclone. rolls in at over eight minutes is the midriff (mind the pun) of this record. First track 'Chopwork II' is reminisent to both Slayers Angel Of Death and Raining Blood, of course this is no All in all and despite some really obvious influences bad thing. Not being afraid to shy away from their coming through this is a decent album and due to it's influences is apparent on this record but I think that's why sufficient variance this may very well stand the test of time it's so interesting and leaves me begging to blast this in an otherwise saturated death metal genre.

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