This is just a short post to awake your doomed soul about the existence of a new band named THE DISEASE CONCEPT, a kind of side-project of presitigious guys, consisting in no more than :
David Szulkin from BLOOD FARMERS (guitars)
Tommy Southard from SOLACE (guitars)
Jesse Kling from SOLLUBI (vocals)
Corey Bing from FISTULA (drums)
Chris Griffith from SOLLUBI (bass)
Doesn"t the fact of having the guitarists of BLOOD FARMERS and SOLACE in the same band sound awesome ? surely YES !!!
Here's the first song just puted on line (this is a rough-mix), from the forthcoming ep "Liquor Bottle and Broken Steel" which is actually being mixed and mastered and will be limited release of 200 cassette tapes and then on vynil on PATAC rds... Of course I could not go in details with just one song, all I can say is that THE DISEASE CONCEPT sound is extremely raw, heavy, thick and groovy, listen "Black Cocaine" and enjoy yet this first song before some more pretty soon !
I'm particularly honoured to have the opportunity to feature this interview from Résistance vocalist Nathaniel Colas, conducted by Simon from THE LAMP OF THOTH... Of course, cause I like very much this french METAL band that mixes awesomely heavy and thrash with a very lyrical emphasis, leaded by the powerful and charismatic Nathaniel , but also because there's more than a palpable deep respect and complicity between both guys, which make some moments damned interesting.
Not so surprising when considering the top notch appearance of Simon on the 2nd album of Nathaniel's band and the originality that their bands display, in what we can just simply call METAL with guts, sensibility and a real sense of originality through very personnal artistic choices.
My first interview here last Spring was with Nathaniel, it was in french and my first like I said... ! So, this cool one definitely does him justice and gives you a great opportunity, if not done yet, to discover their excellent sophomore album "a tale of decadence" that has been recently finally released on vynil... If you like your Metal to be heavy, powerful and kinda weirdly epic, check outRésistance...
Hi Nathaniel, and Viva la Resistance!
N: Hey Simon! We love the Lamp! haha
Nathaniel, what is your history in the heavy metal music scene in general, and in Strasbourg and France. How did Resistance come about?
N: Wow, this is going to take hours to answer this one already. Well, being 13 years old in 1993, I of course got attacked by the metal virus with the bigger acts of the scene like IRON MAIDEN, S.O.D, SLAYER, CARCASS, DEICIDE, and BLACK SABBATH. Only later on I discovered that a thing such as the “underground” existed and then started to dive with my whole passion into it. As a student in Strasbourg I connected with other people and started to contribute with interviews and sometimes very harsh reviews in SKULL FUCKED zine. But this was too modern death metal and grind oriented for my tastes. I then started my own fanzine called MUTILATING PROCESS (whose name obviously stems from the excellent ASPHYX ep) and simultaneously I also did some interviews for the almighty VOICES FROM THE DARKSIDE (online version), NIHILISTIC HOLOCAUST, BRUTALISM. It was between 2002 and 2004. A time when I also played some bass and sang with the French death metal horde BLOODY SIGN (recently laid to rest).
I also happened to do some drawings for bands like NECROVATION, RADEMASSAKER, BLASPHEMOPHAGHER.
In 2005 I joined the Strasbourg based headbanging machine called RéSISTANCE, after an attempt to joina doom metal band that in the end went nowhere. RESISTANCE existed since a couple of years already but never had a steady line up and nothing recorded yet. Obviously Florian (bass) and Joël (guitar) were first and foremost good friends. And as I joined the band, we started to mix our different influences in a big bowl and there it was, our sound was born (yet to be perfected, but still!). So we recorded our first demo, quite inexperienced, and to this day we try to get better and better on each new release. We stick to our guns as what fuels the band is our will to play the music that we enjoy, and we do not fear to change and progress, while incorporating some elements that might as well not be strictly metal, yet while keeping a strong metallic root!
Why did you choose the name? Is it an homage to the French resistance of WW2? Or are you just adversaries?!
N: Haha! Naaaah, that’s the question we get the most! Originally it comes from the French heavy/speed metal band KILLERS which recorded a track called “resistances”. There’s not such a historical link to our name. Obviously we’re not the only ones with this name, but we like it and think it represents well our way of thinking. We resist against clueless music and plastic people.
Introduce us to the decadent souls that make up your band!
N: Joël Bigeard: Six six six strings of depravation.
Florian Jougneau: Thundering frequencies and raspy backing vocal noise.
Marti Ilmar Uibo: Percussive torture, stone bashing and eerie voice of the dead.
Nathaniel Colas: Roaring decadence and lustful shrieks.
What I like about your first two albums is the seamless integrations of heavy metal styles, from the doom, to the metal, to the thrash – (and even some punk I think!) is this a deliberate mixture or a natural cohesion of your influences? Is their anything musically you would distance yourself from? I noticed your use of a hurdy-gurdy!
N: Actually, I’d say that it’s not totally deliberate. But we happen to discuss a lot about music and how we see it. I think that it is important to have a vision for the band. Even if that vision might not be totally clear. At least we know what we don’t want and we don’t fear to proceed to some experimentation. What we don’t want is something that might sound too sterile or calculated. We don’t want to stay trapped in the same formula over and over. I guess it’s not the safest way to play music, but at the same time, that’s what exciting in our eyes and ears.
Since the demo we use to include acoustic passages. On the first album Kalevi from BLOODY SIGN played some parts with his lute. On “a tale of decadence” we got Dimitar from BOYA/ LES VIOLONS BARBARES who put his gadulka (a traditional violin from Bulgaria) on an instrumental track. We definitely intend to keep these small instrumental pieces that add some instruments coming out of the pure metal world. We even used a Hammond organ on the last album… We don’t want to set any limits to our music, but it always has to sound strong, energetic and powerful, otherwise it wouldn’t be us.
We’re still forging our personality. I just hope we will never rehash what’s already been done. Yet the music has to always reflect what and who we are when we record it. It has to be sincere otherwise it cannot be. This is actually hard to describe with words. When we compose a song it involves a lot of “gut feeling” you know. It’s not like we already know how the final result is going to sound like. It’s a never ending quest.
Which are the most important French heavy metal bands historically, and why should we listen to them?
N: Well it’s not really heavy metal but more rock, still I definitely advise you to check out SOGGY, they were the French answer to MC5. An awesome forgotten jewel. The re-release is sadly sold out since a while, but it’s still possible to find some tracks on youtube.
The French progressive institution ANGE also was important in our not so rock’n’roll country. Their first albums released in the 70’s are pure gold. You should give a listen to “le cimetière des arlequins”! Insane!
Then when it comes to metal, one has to acknowledge that there was a boom with heavy metal bands in the 80’s. Often SORTILEGE, BLASPHEME, ADX, VULCAIN, DEMON EYES, SATAN JOKERS, etc are pretty much appreciated abroad (especially in Grece, Spain and Germany), but I think these bands can’t compete with H-BOMB. Now that was very good speed metal. Pretty brutal and “take no prisoners” attitude. Too bad they never really manage to make it. And of course KILLERS has released very good albums and still continues to do so.
About the more extreme fields of metal I’d recommend you the awesome
MUTILATOR (mid 80’s), that later turned into MUTILATED and then ABYSSALS. An essential band for every death metal fanatic. The MUTILATED demos were and still are considered as good as some early MORBID ANGEL stuff. Sadly no album was released.
Then MASSACRA (late 80’s) also used to play a very brutal style of thrashing death metal. Their three first albums are classics. Too bad they could not keep up the high level of sonic brutality on their following releases.
I also like CATACOMB (early 90’s stuff), with their very unique lovecraftian approach in the vein of early NOCTURNUS!
MERCYLESS (early 90’s stuff) also recorded some very good demos and 2 great albums before doing something completely different and not very interesting
From the more recent bands in the French metal scene, only a few are able to bring something unique and fresh on the table. I think of BLOODY SIGN’s “chaos echoes” third and last album that truly is pushing the envelope of a quite repetitive death metal scene.
RITUALIZATION is also definitely worth to check out with their bestial death/black metal. For the fans of ARCHGOAT, old INCANTATION
I’m not totally into their style but I have to recognize that DEATHSPELL OMEGA also manages to create a very unique brand of audio aggression.
For the traditionalist heavy metal fans I’d recommend LONEWOLF (in the RUNNING WILD vein) and HÜRLEMENT (screaming heavy metal).
Now about doom metal there’s RISING DUST (a good mix between CATHEDRAL, 70’s rock and PENTAGRAM), THE BOTTLE DOOM LAZY BAND (UFOMAMMUT meets SAINT VITUS) and OYABUN, as well as the more rock oriented SUN PREACHERS.
I hope it might help you to discover some cool frog eating stuff! Haha!
On your first album you presented us with a sterling cover version of Manilla Road’s ‘Necropolis’. You have also shared a stage with ‘The Shark’ himself! What are your views on covering other band’s work, and on meeting ones heroes?
N: Covering other band’s work is always interesting, because it is a new challenge. It forces you to think the music you play out of your ordinary way you compose within your band, if you see what I mean. For instance we like to cover “the uninvited guest” by MERCYFUL FATE, and it brings us a lot of inspiration because of its very rock oriented edge. Lately we toyed with pure rock stuff like JETHRO TULL’s “Aqualung”, SIR LORD BALTIMORE “kingdom come” and TASTE “what’s going on?”. To play these songs in the rehearsal room opened new doors to our approach of music. This helped us to sharpen our skills and sound. It was a needed step for us. Though we don’t consider playing these songs in the live sets of RESISTANCE, it’s more on a personal way to make our music evolve.
About MANILLA ROAD it was just amazing. I remember one day I told Joël (guitar) that we might have fun playing “Necropolis” in the rehearsal room, and we liked so much to play it that we put it on the album. Little did we know that one day we would share the stage with MANILLA ROAD, and that Mark Shelton in person would ask us if we would allow him to sing “necropolis” with us!!!!! We even befriended with the MANILLA dudes and so far have had the luck to do “necropolis” on stage with The Shark twice in our lives.
It feels good to meet your heroes when the heroes in question are nothing but passionate, dedicated and humble people. It makes you appreciate their music even more.
The only hero we know it is impossible to meet but that we feel the highest praise and esteem for is Rory Gallagher. RIP.
Your second album is a concept album based on Matthew Lewis’s The Monk. What attracted you to the ‘concept’ of a concept album, and why choose a minor classic of English Gothic literature, instead of one of the decadently spooky French classics such as Huysmans or Victor Hugo? Was it the Strasbourg connection?
N: The Strasbourg connection? What do you mean here?
Anyway. What attracted us to the “concept” of a concept album (haha) was the fact that I didn’t want to repeat myself with the lyrics. Plus we’re all fans of KING DIAMOND. So it felt natural to adapt such a theatrical piece like “the monk” in music. And actually it is not so far from the French literature. “The monk” by Lewis was indeed translated and adapted in French by the great Antonin Artaud which I admire quite a lot. He made some minor changes to the original English text and added more vice, more darkness to the whole.
What is the band’s approach to the song writing process – how did you manage to organise your ideas into the coherent whole the form of the concept album demands?
N: Well, first I had to read the book two or three times. Then, I took notes on every chapter. After a while I could finally separate each small story from the main story, and in the end I had to reorganize the bits in order to summarize the different plots in 9 different tracks.
What was interesting is that we knew in advance what would be the song about before we compose it. Hence we had already ideas about the mood, the colours we wanted to put into the song.
Since “the monk” is very theatrical I decided to cut the action in 3 main parts/acts like in a classic theatre piece from the 18th Century (the time when the story of “the monk” is supposed to happen).
The first part deals with Ambrosio (the monk) and his relationship to the poor Agnes, as well as his fall into lust and decadence with the help of the witch Mathilda.
The second part deals with Ambrosio’s fascination for the young and beautiful Antonia, and the way herades with Lucifer and kills the girl’s mother to get her.
The third and last part is the final confrontation between Ambrosio and Lucifer that tells him the horrible truth before he kills him.
It was indeed a lot of work only for the lyrical side.
Then about the music, it was also a big challenge. We wrote and arranged the songs until one week before we enter the studio. And the song writing took almost 2 years… Every single detail is worked and thought. We wanted to go further with the use of each instrument. I mean the bass and guitar for instance; they rarely play exactly the same notes at the same time. We were looking for depth in the sound and it took a while to find the good riffs as well as to work on the right arrangements. There was a constant dialogue between the music and the lyrics.
We also had to think about which parts would be sung by our guest vocalist, namely you my dear Simon! And I must say you did a fantastic job. Thanks a lot again for your excellent writing on the black mass.
I can say we are quite proud of what we achieved, because in the end we think the result turns out pretty good. At least in our ears! Haha!
How are you going to translate the concept of A Tale of Decadence live? Are you going to try, or will you rely of the strength of the individual songs?
N: Actually the fact that we worked on such a book opened my eyes on one thing. I just love the theatrical/narrative touch in music. I guess that’s why I’m a fan of KING DIAMOND, SLOUGH FEG, JETHRO TULL or THE LAMP OF THOTH. So you bet that these bands inspire us to when it comes to the stage acting. We won’t use any disguises or make up though. It shall be us but with a theatrical touch as in the live appearances of Lee Dorrian with CATHEDRAL, if you know what I mean. This is definitely going to give us a more distinctive touch on stage.
What are the best gigs you have played and why?
N: The one when we opened for MANILLA ROAD. It was a very special event and the birth of a real friendship.
We also played a quite great gig in Denmark at the METAL MAGIC FESTIVAL 2 years ago. I mean, when we arrived there nobody knew us, and the band that played before us attracted maybe 10 people (with half of them falling asleep). Then it was our turn to go on stage. It took us 2 songs before we realize the room was packed and the audience went crazy! I can tell you that many beers where shared after that, and that we look forward to playing again in Denmark in July.
Also in Southern and northern France we have many friends who go crazy anytime we play. It’s always a pleasure to play for them.
I am a real fan of unusual and eccentric vocals, and, if you don’t mind me saying so Nathaniel, your vocals are uniquely evocative of some screw loosed Gaelic madman, whilst at the same time being very powerful! What is your approach to the music vocally, and which vocalists do you admire?
N: Well at first I was trying hard to sing like a heavy metal singer with a high pitched voice and I quickly realised that it was wrong. I had to find where I feel the most comfortable. That’s why it’s a bit weird from time to time on “bang your fucking skull”. I’m sometimes hitting the wrong note or I simply don’t control my voice as much as I would have liked to.
I decided to take a couple of singing lessons because I didn’t want to repeat the same mistakes on “a tale of decadence”. And finally I am happy with my singing now. I feel much more comfortable than before I can hit some notes I would think were impossible for me. I can control my growls in a much more efficient way. In the end it is also what gave quite a lot of variation to the album. Now I can sing on a couple of different ranges without too much risk, and this allows me to sing with even more power.
Singers that I admire and like are Robert Lowe (SOLITUDE AETURNUS/CANDLEMASS), Paul Di Anno, Lori Bravo (NUCLEAR DEATH, RAPED), Janis Joplin, King Diamond, Keith Deen (HOLY TERROR), Arthur Brown, The Overtly Melancholic Lord Strange (THE LAMP OF THOTH), Brian Ross (SATAN/BLITZKRIEG, etc), Jello Biafra… The list is long. Generally I like singers with a good dose of feeling and a strong personality.
What was the experience in the studio like, when you recorded your second album, and how did it compare to the first? Are there any new techniques or ways of recording that were different to your first opus? Or is there a secret Resistance way to recording an album?
N: The one and only good formula we know of before the recording of an album is to fry an octopus in a camp fire with incenses and myrrh while chanting incantations to the almighty Ancient Ones! Ryleh, phtagYog-Sothoth!!! Is that a lovecraftian enough answer?
Bang your fucking skull”, our first album, was recorded in a very small studio in Karlsruhe (Germany) with only analogic machinery and a lot of ignorance from our side. But the result turned out to be quite fresh and spontaneous. Though, the mixing lasted for a quite long period of time, and the mastering screwed up a bit.
For “a tale of decadence” we went to a professional studio in Strasbourg for the recording and we went to Triptis (Germany) to do the mix with Patrick Engel known as AOD from HATESPAWN. We were well rehearsed and things went ok during the recording sessions, even though some things could have gone better. Maybe we will record the instruments with everybody in the same room next time, so it gives more cohesion in the end, when the players can see and interact directly with each other.
The mixing part was a good learning process. Patrick Engel used to work with bands like BLOODY SIGN, HELLISH CROSSFIRE, KATHARSIS, EXCORIATE… His attitude is very professional and dedicated. He always looks for the right sound that fits to the band. He has not a trademark sound like some other producers or studios. He’s there to serve the music, not his wallet. Even at night when he went home he would listen to the mix again and again. In the end we have a sound that we really enjoy. And we know that we want to work again with him for the future. There’s no question about that. It’s important to have someone who understands what you want to achieve musically. Plus Patrick is definitely a music junkie like me and we spent some great moments singing some KING CRIMSON stuff completely drunk after a hard day of work! I turned him into SOGGY and FLOWER TRAVELLIN’ BAND, he got me into obscure metal from the DDR era. It was very enriching on the human and musical levels.
What’s next for your fine musical outfit? Any plans for the third album yet?
N: As we don’t like to repeat ourselves we will certainly not do another concept album. Next time there will be different kind of songs, but I think we will keep the narrative way of writing songs. But so far we have not composed any new music. We’ve just got one new riff. That’s it. It took us so much to compose and record the new album that we don’t want to rush things. Inspiration shall come back step by step.
Lately I’ve been interested in a story about the last man decapitated in public by the guillotine in France. It happened in 1939, and it appears that there was a riot around the beheaded body… The women felt like soaking their tissues into the fresh blood so that they were ensured to have a good fertility. Crazy or what? Haha!
I find interesting to see that in our society, not so long ago the simple vision of blood brought the people back to the primal beast slumbering in each of us.
I think of writing a song about a soldier in the trenches during World War I. He’s stressed and disgusted by what he has to endure and choses the self-mutilation to escape from the front. But in the end he’s condemned to the firing squad and dies anyway.
These are the 2 first ideas I have at the moment. I have to think of other grim and bewitching stories where the human decadence and debilitating behaviours shall be portrayed.
Strasbourg is the seat of the Court of Human Rights if Wikipedia is to be believed! What maxims would you extol for the Court of Metal Rights?
N: The Court of Metal Rights? Haha! What an idea… I don’t know. I don’t really wish to see the metal I like to belong to any kind of dogma or institution. It would kill the few hints of creativity that already lack too much in our modern and sterile age of mainstream metal for plastic people. Let’s keep the chaos, the dirt, the filth. Seeds grow on manure, so does real music (or whatever artistic expression).
Now, enough of this nonsense – let’s talk beer. Last night I had a lovely pint of Winter Solstice seasonal ale in The Cricketer’s Arms in Keighley. What beery beverage has been warming Resistance’s cockles in this dark and dreary wintertime? I must admit, I am partial to the Belgian stuff, but there in Strasbourg, being so close to Germany and Belgium you must be swimming in some lovely ales! Or are you too addicted to wine to care?! Also, do you think wine and metal can mix?! I can’t imagine myself down the front of a gig holding aloft a Château Margaux, but that’s just me. Do you think it is right to judge someone on their taste in booze – or music for that matter?!!!
N: HAHAHA! Yes that’s a great question indeed. But I think that you might be mistaken on one point. Indeed Strasbourg is close to Germany, but in no way our average beers can match the level of greatness of German Pils. Still we have some smaller independent (or let’s call them underground! Haha!) breweries that purvey some fine beverages. I hope that next time you want to come to my place you won’t suffer from a terrific flu. Then I can fuel your soon to be prominent beer belly with some delicacy from my surroundings.
Alcohol is very traditional in Alsace, be it on the beer or the wine side (mostly the white ones). So it all depends on what you want to eat.
Thanks Nathaniel! Traditionally, the end of a fanzine interview is the place for the interviewee to rant, to rage, or to wish plagues upon his enemies: to tell us of his own unique perception of the beauty of the world, or to soliloquise one or all of the many roles a man must play, whether lover, beggar, bastard, fool or king. All the word’s a stage my friend, and the written thoughts of artists, musicians and poets the stage door. Here is your opportunity to wrent our thoughts asunder with some nugget profound – the Truth Nathaniel! – We want the Truth in all its eternal abstract glory – not this cruel earth of the foul senses, wherein everyman is Satan, and his tongue a loosed serpent making a mockery of our lofty thoughts! It is only with our ears in our hearts and our eyes in our brains that we can see the eternal road to Valhalla; light it up for us with the glory of your own unique and fruitful etymologies! Speak my friend! Unsheathe thy tongue like a sword; spill thy runes across this page like bibliographic blood, and conquer the souls of those who would descry you with thine own peculiar wisdoms…
N: First I admire your incredible sense for emphasis and writing skills.
Second, I might sound like the poor Brian of the Monty Pythons excellent film “Life of Brian”, but I cannot speak the Truth, for it is of a complex nature and everyone might as well own a mere facet of this philosophical idea. You are your own master. I will not dare to tell you that my “truth” prevails over yours. Though there are things I take for granted:
- There’s no use to take oneself seriously, though it doesn’t diminish the dedication and the passion one has for music.
- Death is certain life is not.
- It is a shame not to have heard of THE AGE OF TAURUS demo.
I wholeheartedly thank you for this very amusing and thoughtful interview. I wish we can bring plaguviolence and especially devastation on my homemade schnaps collection once you’ve decided to move your Masonic bottom to my haunted mansion.
This is the 1st time a band from New-Zealand is featured here but holy shit that was worth waiting !!! It's been quite some months since a band blew me away with such heaviness and brutality perfectly blended... Their name could hardly let suppose such a deluge of hammering rythms, agonizing vocals and blackened perversity, I'm totally chuffed !
There's not so many bands that can eventually gather a great part of doomsters, death metal maniacs and Sludge fans...Autopsy, Eye Hate God, Winter, Disembowelment and a little few more, but I think that -from now on- the name of STONE ANGELS could be added to that prestigious list, cause this debut "within the witch" is really not your ordinary debut album from just another Doom band down at this end of the world !
I understand clearly that this 7 songs affair has been doing like a buzzy earthquake since it came out in their homecountry, this is so fucking MASSIVE and HEAVY, I'm sure that even their australian neighbours of THE NIHILISTIC FRONT have their ears whistling!!!
While having a real identity, I think there's two rather distinct type of influences (and then moods...) in their sound : AUTOPSY for the crushing heaviness and butchering mid-tempos ("coffin cross", "within the witch") + WINTER when it comes to some cold blackened slower parts... on the other side SLEEP and GOATSNAKE for the fuzzy and groovy guitars ("bleeding black", "withdrawing the Jinn"); seems a bit incredible, yes I agree, even in the fastest tempos this is never completely death metal, neither in the grooviest is this completely stoner, but all along this is completely DOOMED !
What makes this pretty homogeneous is that the music is always envelopped by a dark and sick approach, which gives in fact a Sludge touch, where vocals are generally brillantly harsh and possessed... A kind of malignant synthesis of down-tuned brutality with grooviness and (almost in evisceration) guts, all puted together.
This works out very very well and sound like a promising band to follow and suppor; moreover this album can be downloaded for free HERE, while hard copies of the album on CD can be purchased worldwide through paypal by emailing cage_of_nails@hotmail.com (this is the corresponding paypal account address as well.)
There are a lot of
amazing but unknown facts about Australia/Oceania and
one of them is the existence of SERIOUS BEAK. Seriously! In less than
forty
minutes, the quartet from Sydney provides a piece of art that is brutal
and
relentless both for the ears and the brains and also freakishly
beautiful.
Despite the fact that “Huxwhukw” is their debut album, it is completely
obvious
that these guys know what are they doing and how to do it
uncompromisingly
well. Comprised of Tim Brown and Lachlan Dale (guitars), Andrew
Mortensen
(bass) and Gene White (drums), all of them former and current members of
bands like SQUAT CLUB, ADRIFT
FOR DAYS, SLIMEY THINGS, BATTLE POPE, SQUID, EBOLIE, THE MABOBSto name
a few, SERIOUS BEAK gives us by
far one of the most interesting albums I have heard in a very very long
time.
“Huxwhukw” needs
full
concentration while listening so that one can discover and get the taste
of all
the shades and nuances of the
tunes. The playing is expert, there is no instrument that is lost
in the
mix or dominating over the others but I especially love the two
guitarists’
work - when they complement one another or
when the playing is more like dueling - it is sheer pleasure listening.
This
album is all about tamed and controlled chaos, fusion of styles and
tempos that
change more frequently and unexpectedly than the mind can follow.
Furious MATH
guitar attacks followed by EXPERIMENTAL and AMBIENT soundscapes followed
by
high class PROGRESSIVE METAL passages; pinches of THRASH and FUNK here
and
there, some accoustic guitars and …........oh, did I just hear a piano
for two
seconds?..........all this garnished with the haunting vocals of Brian
Campeau
in the track “Fljóta”..........If
everything I have said doesn’t make sense to
you just go to the Mecca of undiscovered gems Bandcamp and
decide for yourself.
“Huxwhukw” was released in November 2011 through the independent label ART AS CATHARSIS RECORDS and
is available for purchase on bandcamp as a limited edition digipack CD
and
digital download. I
think the album will appeal to fans of math, progressive and
avant-garde/ experimental
metal. Totally worth getting!
If there's a band to highlight when thinking about South American DOOM, it has necessarily to be PROCESSION from Chile... In no more than two (great) albums, they managed to establish their name in the yet very closed court of bands that count in the trad' Doom scene. With a nice emphasis for the authentic sound of the 80's, a very dedicated attitude towards their fans and the scene in general, an accomplished sophomore album "Destroyers of the Faith", plus finally -but not the less important-, a faculty to provide epic and memorable live sets, the band has gained a deep respect throughout the world but more especially in a great part of Europe. This is where Felipe is (partly) now living, in Sweden more exactly...
Thanx to common appearances in various festivals that created a true friendship between them, my great friend Nathaniel Colas (Underground activist and vocalist in Résistance ) interviewed a few months ago Felipe and asked him about his adaptation to this new life, the actual chilean scene and a few other interesting things...
Doom dancing greetings Felipe! Now that you have one foot in Chile and
the other one in Sweden; I’d like to know how you feel as a metal
wanderer. Any big cultural shocks? I mean, Chile is a country with
catholic background and Sweden is heading toward the protestant side.
How was it to adapt to another continent and country? Did you ever think
that one day you could befriend with Messiah Marcolin?
Felipe: Blue
Cheers Nathaniel! Well to be honest not “that” hard at all, as I guess
I´m still adaptable .... Mostly considering you don´t mess around with
too much people where I live, though I gotta confess I have become a
more isolated person since I moved. Almost only going out to get beer
and then straight back to the turntable hehe…Well the thing with Messiah
is no big deal, we made a gig for Candlemass in Chile back in 2006 and
we´ve been in contact since then, cool guy and always interested in
heavy metal!
It seems that you established connections pretty
quickly with the Swedish metal scene. Even though PROCESSION is
consisting of Chilean members you have the help of Scandinavian dudes
whenever you have to play a gig that the Chileans cannot play. Do you
intend then to record with a Swedish line up too? Are you also perhaps
interested in starting a new band or project with some Swedish bangers?
F:
Mmm, to be honest i´d always prefer to record in Chile, we know the
studio, we know the engineer, we know the surroundings…it feels like our
own environment, appropriate to just focus on the music you know. And
cheap as fuck! Compared to the budgets you manage here in Europe…but
anyway, “the unknown knows” so far, maybe for some splits we´ve planned I
end up recording with Uno and Jonas…but the next album is definitely
gonna be recorded in Chile next year. About new projects…i´ve been doing
some guests vocals here and there and now i´m collaborating with Jonas
and his project called VEIN…more news when it´s out and sounding!
About your last album I remember that the recording session was delayed
due to the quite terrible earthquake that took Chile by surprise. How
strong did this affect you and your relatives and friends? Did the DM6
studio suffer from it as well?
F: Well, it was a big one indeed,
mostly affecting the south of Chile. Personally, no things to mourn, I
just remember jumping off my bed and trying to take all my records and
guitars under the door frame, as they say it´s the only thing that
stands after everything crumbles down haha! The delay at the studio was
mostly because yes, there were some small things screwed by the shaking,
so they took the chance to remodel and that delayed us 1 month.
Chile’s metal underground is really doing well these days. Whenever one
feel like listening to good traditional heavy metal or the most extreme
forms of metal there’s always some jewels to be found in your country.
What do you think of people behind PONZONA zine, PROSELYTISM records,
KURAVILU prods, COMPILATION OF DEATH zine? It seems that the Chilean
scene is, like the Swedish one is very incestuous. Often the same people
in 3 or 4 bands. These people seem to be very much into a kind of
hermetic dogma about metal. What do you think about it? Are they in fact
more open-minded than what they pretend? Héhé
F: You´re right
there, I know all the ones you mention… and actually Gabriel (CoD Zine)
and Carlos (Kuravilu) are really close friends of mine. Daniel (Ponzoña
Zine) in the other hand, is an awesome graphic artist and has being
tattooing my arms too. There seems to be something historical on the
real underground southamerican scene since the 80´s/90´s you know, this
narrow minded hermetic attitude and feeling that you mention. Everyone
feels like having the right to comment negatively about anything if they
don´t agree…and sometimes that’s constructive, but most of the times
destructive for our own scene. But I understand it and respect it…as I
see a scene packed with backstabbers and double faced people, so the
only solution is doing things on your own or staying at home like a
hermit! But one thing is for sure: the reason why the southamerican
scene feels so attractive and unique to European bangers its definitely
related with that radical/extreme attitude. I think it´s good, metal is
supposed to be dangerous and a constant challenge…but more than with
others, with yourself.
I remember you told in an interview for
LORDS OF METAL zine (Netherlands) that PROCESSION was created almost out
of the blue. It was just the pleasure to play old fashioned doom metal.
Though I’d like to know why the alchemy wouldn’t last with the same
members until today. What do you feel you can bring to doom metal fans
with PROCESSION?
F: That´s true and the feeling stay the same my
friend. The alchemy got destroyed by lack of commitment and
irresponsibility of Daniel, the first bass player and who was the other
arm of Procession back then. At some point, after the first tour, I just
felt like I had to clean the shit and start, kinda again, with people I
could rely on, musically, personally and tactically, you know… What
we bring is our own vision of doom, I always say we´re heavy metal
people playing doom metal and that means we listen and collect loads of
different bands and genres as long as it sounds honest and heavy. What
we do in Procession is trying to take elements from all the genres we
like and blend them in a slow monster machine and I think we manage to
sound fresh after all because of the same.
Here’s a little
comment game. Feel free to tell whatever you think about these words.
-
Religion and doom metal:it works as with any other genre...as long as
it doesn´t sound pathetic as Place Of Skulls! - The “true/poser”
debate: a trend, but necessary. You know, in Chile some bangers tend to
refer and use the word “true” as something negative, against all this
narrow minded attitude, etc. I say it´s just about being honest,
consequent and mostly a believer in that there´s still spirit in metal,
it´s still worth it to have bands, zines, studios, collect records, go
to gigs, etc. Those who don´t see it that way it´s because they´ve just
become old and boring and simply never believed…self-exile call! -
COUNT RAVEN “Mammon’s war”: aaah, the perfect sequel for High on
Infinity! Massive all around…Though, didn´t like the lyrics too much,
you know, still pretty social and stuff…but missing some more straight
forward topics like in the past. Also, Fondelius is apparently in love
haha… - The raven of disease:that´s me on a Sunday morning after a
night of Guinness… - Metal in the next 10 years. A progression, a
regression or a stagnation?: There´s so much consumerism now, that it´s
gonna take a while to go down again, you see small labels getting
bigger, big labels getting huge again, festivals all around, etc…So
we´ll basically keep on progressing from the regression haha. -
What music gives you the thrills these days (not necessarily metal):
well I just received this LP from Anima Morte (Swe) which is inspired in
all this giallo soundtracks and horror inspired stuff like well done in
the past by legends like Goblin. That one spins here a lot when
hangover hehe…Also the (finally released) album of Quicksand Dream
(Swe), Asomvel (UK), your band Resistánce ( seriously!), everything from
Ascension (Ger) and the latest Urfaust (Hol) LP. - SOLSTICE,
you’re gonna sing in SOLSTICE!!! “You bastard” says Ozzy Osbourne:“Alright now…won´t you listen?”…yeah, it was just a guest appearance in
Greece for the last Up The Hammers festival, the guys are looking for a
stable vocalist now, but I stepped in so they could play that gig. It
was a great time, we only played songs from “New Dark Age”…good eh?!!?!
And fuck, it´s one of my favorite bands ever so I can´t say it was hard
haha. They have loads of new material, all bands are gonna quit when
they release the new album! ( but Procession, of course!)
Thanks for your precious time and absolute dedication. To finish this
interview I’d like to know what you think of humor in metal music… Oh,
and you can obviously do some shameless self-promotion, of course! Héhé!
Cheerz. F: Humour is good in any aspect of life, as long as you
don´t make a clown of yourself…Damn man, you know what, Motörhead is
playing in Chile tonite. And i´m so far from it! There´s always a
special feeling with it, last time when they played there loads of
friends from the south came to the city and stuff, the concert was
amazing, the whole crowd went to the same bar afterwards hahaha… and I
got punched in the face on a stupidly massive moshpit! So to those good
times and good friends getting drunk and going crazy tonite, I´m
enjoying some Duvel and listening to my Motörhead vinyls until the sun
goes down…so what to say, had a great time answering your questions! Live
fast, play slow!
The most fresh news about PROCESSION concern the release of a TAPE version from the 2nd album, get all the infos here at their FB page or by writing at processiondoom@gmail.com... For any eventual latecomers, the album is still available through HIGH ROLLER (vynil) or DOOMENTIA (cd) ....
A very special THANX to Nathaniel, one of the most competent and dedicated french guy regarding UG METAL under all its forms and a damn fuckin good singer too !!! In fact he was supposed to start an old schoold zine with a friend of him but now the project can't see the light of day, so he kindly proposed me some fantastic stuff... Next week, we'll have the luck to read an interview from him as Résistancedone by Simon from THE LAMP OF THOTH / ARKHAM WITCH, soon followed by another interview from SLOUGH FEG... cool :)
Coming from Florida, JUNIOR BRUCE is a 5 piece formed in 2007 by Scott Angelacos who used to sing in the pretty wellknown BLOODLET (HC band which released 4 albums between 1995 and 2002)... This is of course not an immediate guarantee of quality but it helps and as his fellows show a very skilled musicianship, we've got here a real winner playing some utterly groovy STONER METAL with Sludgy overtones...
10 songs on this debut, there's no filler, no unnecessary intro or long arrangements, never on a really fast pace or at supreme technicality, but brillantly raw, straight, simple and homogeneous. By its very pronounced heaviness and the way of combining maliciously STONER, METAL and SLUDGE, JUNIOR BRUCE (by the way, this was one of the caracters in the movie DEATH RACE 2000) can suit to a wide range of heavy music fans from MASTODON, HIGH ON FIRE and their neighbours of HOLLOW LEG (without their infectious edge).
Obviously more varied than on his HC days but still massive and generously agressive, vocals by Scott A. are almost always understandable, catchy and screechy, often turning into harsh yells, but occasionally more deep and slightly melodic. While all musicians have their place and a distinct identity on the production side, I would particularly underline the magnificent work of the lead guitars, very melodic and often bringing a delicious little doomy and mesmerized edge...
My fave songs are "deafitist", "the headless king", "churchburner", "the serpant lives" and the wonderful closer "book of tyranny", but I'm sure some of the others could be yours, cause we really have here an album that will let a tangible mark on this new year... You've been warned, JUNIOR BRUCE is a serious new hope for the future of the STONER/METAL scene; so don't waste time, check "the headless king" now through A389 rds !
‘All Tomorrow’s Funerals’, is the latest chapter in the history of the
death metal legends. This monstrous release contains new studio tracks
recorded late 2011 - including a re-recorded version of classic oldie
'Mauled to Death' - plus all of Autopsy's past EP's & rarities which
have been specially remastered by the band themselves, totalling 22
tracks all together, resulting in over 73 minutes of sickness.
Everything from 'Retribution For The Dead' & 'Fiend for Blood', to
the now sold-out 'The Tomb Within' is present, including liner notes
from the band and new cover art from renowned artist Matt Cavotta (also
responsible for the 'The Tomb Within' cover).
This edition of 'All Tomorrow's Funerals' is presented on double
gatefold vinyl.
SIDE A
1. All tomorrow's funerals
2. Broken people
3. Mauled to death
4. Maggot holes
SIDE B
5. The tomb within
6. My corpse shall rise
7. Seven skulls
8. Human genocide
9. Mutant village
SIDE C
10. Horrific obsession
11. Feast of the graveworm
12. Funereality
13. Fiend for blood
14. Keeper of decay
15. Squeal like a pig
SIDE D
16. Ravenous freaks
17. A different kind of mindfuck
18. Dead hole
19. Retribution for the dead
20. Destined to fester
21. In the grip of winter
22. Sign of the corpse
and now what about viewing about 15 minutes from their latest live set available on youtube ? WUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HOTEL WRECKING CITY TRADERS are an instrumental duo who have been dislodging earwax, busting strings and sticks and blowing minds since 2007... Their album "Black Yolk" being so far their most consistent and interesting effort (among eps), this 12 inch vynil is the result of a very promising collaboration with Gary Arce (guitarist from YAWNING MAN) as a three piece and has been released last spring via Bro Fidelity records.
Just two long songs of about 10 minutes here and more than ever before, even if 1st one "coventina's cascade" starts in a pretty slow ethereal atmosphere, LOUD volumes, fuzziness and noisy PSYCHEDELISM prevail here. This band can easily suit to fans of OM, MONKEY 3 or CARLTON MELTON... If there's naturally a large place for dissonant and very powerful riffing, the shared pleasure of both guitarists to play together is really palpable and reinforces something yet constant in the band : the crunchy improvised-like guitar parts ! But what could surprise the most is the pretty outstanding drumming from Ben Wrecker with a very punchy style , especially those hammering bass-drums (it's obviously not a coincidence if Nick Oliveri invited him personnally for the Mondo Generator tour in the US back in 2010 !). Both songs are long OK but they're so great and catchy that we would expect more urgently and 2012 should satisfy this wish... Indeed HWCT is actually working on a US tour for mid 2012 (featuring Gary Arce on 2nd guitar), shows are yet confirmed with YAWNING MAN and FATSO JETSON, plus a recording session is due to take place in California with legendary producer Scott Reader; beautiful and exciting projects that should allow the band to reach an even more substantial audience... Waiting for this, you have got a few months to discover this crazy instrumental Australian band !
Most of you are certainly aware that 2 ex D.ISEMBOWELMENT members have formed D.USK about one year and a half ago and will play several dates in Europe this year -including ROADBURN, HELLFEST + one date in Finland and England... The guys have recently announced that these gigs will be their last as DUSK (which is a kind of tribute to their cult old band), but now the great news is that they have quite many new songs and will continue under the new name of INVERLOCH !!! The band INVERLOCH has been signed logically by RELAPSE and their debut mini-album "Dusk...Subside" will be released this spring on CD/LP/Digital format... watch out for it ! They will be headlining their debut performance at "Homage to Darkness" on February 11th at The Prague in Thornbury (Australia) with INTERNAL HARVEST, ALTAR OF SINS and CATACOMBS.
After the "earth" demo last Autumn, here's the new recording from Portland's trio DOOMSOWER, a band that delivers some rather Traditionnal Doom wih a very fuzzy and crushing approach.
"Beam machine" contains two new songs and is pretty much in the same vein, though the little psychedelic touch is not as present, "replaced" by a slight 80's Metal edge that is certainly accentuated by the type of sound...
This is indeed a very garage recording, kinda sounding like a rehearsal tape, which has the advantage to reinforce the authenticity and crushingness of their style but the inconvenient to limit the thickness of the fuzz... Songs are great and very personnal, but for those who don't know them yet, I would recommend to listen the "earth" demo first, to identify and enjoy the particular style of the band and then get into this new stuff more easily...
Now here's a few lines from Justin (guit/voc) about the band's actuality :
"What we have here is the 'Beam Machine' single. Two songs to keep your attention until we release more new tracks shortly. It features our new addition Leviticus Neptune on bass (he has one hell of a voice as well). Please contact us via our Facebook or bandcamp page (where you can also donwload it for a buck) if you'd like a hard copy of the single. 2012 is shaping up to be a great year for us. New recordings to be unleashed, new songs in the works, and some awesome shows in the Portland, Ore. area comin up. Keep an eye out for the "Ceremony of Sludge" that's happening here March 2nd-3rd. Showcasing us and other great up-and-coming heavy bands in the Portland area.
Thanks for checking us out and give us a shout on our facebook page. The cougar roars, get out of this joint!"
Coming from Reading (UK), DRONE/AMBIENT duo NYOGTHA released their sophomore album - origin of "I" - last Autumn... To be honest, I'm usually not particularly excited when talking about DRONE stuff, but this is more by lack of knowledge than anything else, cause little by little I am convinced that there's great gems to find in this style.. GREG(O)RIANS had recently helped me to open my ears to those obscure, mystic, noisy moods, but NYOGTHA is now a next important step in my Drone's taming !!!
Sure DRONE / AMBIENT stuff are not something easy to get into, this can be considered somewhat repetitive, noisy or soporific; I think this must be listened in different conditions than your usual Doom/Stoner stuff, alone with headphones, just enough stoned but not too much and not puting the sound too loud to catch all the sounds and enjoy a music that is more rich than what one could generally think...
Where GREG(O)RIANS had some true SLUDGE moments and an extremely massive and heavy approach of DRONE/NOISE, NYOGTHA is a lot more AMBIENT and I don't feel that they're noisy at all, even if of course this is not for sensitive ears ... This is very scary and morbid, completely doomed and mysticwith a deep ritualistic identity; vocals by Tanith Griffiths are alternatively plaintive, terrified as if death was chasing here, and sometimes sounding like mournful whispers which accentuates the ambient edge (and secondarily to realize we've got here female vocals !).
4 songs for about 70 minutes with a peak of 27 mns for "the birth of consciousness" that never lead to boredom or "grosse fatigue", always keeping you awaken in this very disturbing journey.
I'm not enough aware to eventually point notable influences, I can just cite bands they're into like SWANS, FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM, VON, SUNN O))), EARTH, THERGOTHON, SKEPTICISM... that should maybe help to draw the portrait !
If you're usually into DRONE, I'm almost sure that this band will retain your attention and if you're not, but like extremely Morbid ambiances, I advise you to test this album, you may be very pleasantly surprised...
The vinyl version of CULTURA
TRES sophomore album "El Mal Del Bien"
is now also up for grabs directly from the band on their bandcamp page.
For
the moment it is available at the special price of pay-what-you-want,
with a minimum of 5 Euros!!!
Originally, "El Mal
Del Bien" was released in South America on March 19, 2011 and
is still getting some pretty good glowing approval from fans and
underground media.
The
limited edition
of 1000 copies on black 180 grams vinyl is
released through CULTURA TRES own label Dead Plan Records.
It comes in a high-quality pack with original artwork by Jaap
"Mudgate" Melman and with immediate download of the album in format
of your choice. Take your copy now!
Enjoy this three songs demo from HYPNOTIST, a Russian band into Doomy HEAVY ROCK, deeply inspired by 70's stuff, starting by BLACK SABBATH...
3 songs for this first recording of about a dozen of minutes that makes you want to listen more urgently. Very groovy riffing here with amazing vocals.
Haven't had the chance yet to get an answer to my infos request, the bandcamp page just let suppose this is a duo, but still hope to feature them more in details pretty soon !
