INTERVIEWS:
BATHORY "Jubileum Volume 1" (Black Mark Records)
Ah, what a compilation! Karl at Cargo informs me that there will be a volume 2 released sometime this year, and I can't wait! This compilation CD spans the multitude of albums Bathory has recorded over the years, everything from "Bathory" and "The Return" to "Twilight of the Gods" and "Blood, Fire, Death." There are even some surprises, the 3 tracks Rider at the Gate of Dawn, Crawl to Your Cross, and You Don't Move Me, which were never before released, and the track Sacrifice, a quite brutal tune, which was released on a compilation album, "Scandinavian Metal Attack" back in '84. This is brilliant stuff, most notably showing Quorthon's power and aggressiveness on the tracks that made Bathory famous like War, Sadist, Equimanthorn, and even Enter the Eternal Fire (my favorite!) from the "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" album. Personally, I enjoy the melodious parts of Bathory, evident on such tracks as Oden's Ride Over Nordland, A Fine Day to Die, and Under the Runes. To me, the old Bathory stuff sounds crude and primitive compared to the most recent albums, but for those who never got a chance to hear classic Bathory, this is an example of a long forgotten era! Some of most beautiful work, combined with some of his most vicious tunes, this is a very well done compilation. I look forward to Quorthon's next album, and look forward to hearing the next volume of Bathory's works! Stay tuned!
(THIS JUST IN!) Straight from Black Mark Records, I have just received the complete track by track listing for Bathory's Jubileum Volume 2! I'll post it up later on in this issue!
BEYOND REASON "Beast of Change" (demo)
This 4 piece comes to us from Eastchester, NY, and it's not quite bad for the band's second effort. The songs are quite intelligent and well written, and the instrumentation is quite adept, though there's nothing here that pushes them over the top in a big way. I do have a problem with the vocals at times; while this is not a thrash effort, it can be a bit soulful at times with a harder edge than your average metal band. Sometimes the high notes just don't sound right in places. Some of the choruses as well need work, but basically this is a slightly above average demo. The four songs presented here are Empty Cups, Fine Line, Beast of Change, and Ill God. They DO seem to have a certain level of maturity not found in other bands, but they DO still need a bit of work to effectively "polish" their sound. Altogether, though, it's still a bit enjoyable.
BRAINCHILD "Mindwarp" (R.E.X. Records)
Geez! No sooner did I finish up the Soulstorm review, in comes a package from R.E.X. Records! And I say, "If Soulstorm is a mountain, then Brainchild is a planet!" I thought Soulstorm was good, this techno/thrash band is extremely heavy! Pulling some good thrash heavy riffs mixed in with techno sounding beats and samples taken from everything from the president's voice to various noises and sound effects! They throw the whole book in there! The voice is strong but not harsh or grating like on some other death/techno albums, and they even throw out the rules of techno (usually associated with fast, dance-y type beats) on the track Prayers of a Deadman, with some slow, grinding lead riffs. All the choruses are cool to sing along with, and, oh! Did I mention that this is probably the FIRST Christian techno band? That's right, but don't let that stop you from getting this one, cause they don't rock like anyone else in this genre! Probably THE heaviest techno/thrash band I've heard yet, I'd say GET IT OR ELSE!!
DISINCARNATE "Dreams of the Carrion Kind" (Roadrunner)
James Murphy. That one word says it all. The original guitarist for the band that started it all for death metal, Death. Since a guitarist for such bands as Obituary, Cancer, and as a guest musician for many death metal bands, he has finally come up with his own band. Interestingly enough, he played almost all the guitars on this album, even playing bass as well! This album is brilliant. It showcases some of Murphy's finest work ever, and proving once again that whether fast, slow, or even acoustically(!) he can hold his own. His band, however, is nothing short of remarkable. New member Bryan Cogon is quite a powerful vocalist, evident by his range and aggression. Lyric wise, another brutal mass of twisted visions, yet there's plenty of room for thought and insight into life and it's hereafter. Check out the interview we did with James this issue!
LAST TRIBE "Substance and Soul" (Energy Records)
You know, there hasn't been an artist on this label yet that I haven't enjoyed since they started. Last Tribe truly lives up to their "Substance and Soul" tag, as this is truly an innovative band! A somewhat mellow alternative band, with a soulful, yet funky type of sound, evident in tracks like Let's Ride, Final Offering, and Wither in Fascination. On some tracks, heck, on most tracks, they start out kinda funky, but they usually have many mellow pieces strung throughout. This work, lyrically and musically, evokes some very strong feelings and emotions. The vocalist is quite good, or should I say vocalists, as they seem to use two vocalists on their work. The bass is clearly evident as well, it can be heard and doesn't get lost in the mix, which I might add was very nicely done. They are very accessible to the rest of the community, which means that a lot of radio stations will be picking up on this, they have already released a 7 inch to various radio stations, and they plan on doing work with MTV sometime soon. Very catchy, funky, upbeat, and soothing all at the same time, this is definitely a band to watch for! All original, they sound like no-one else on the scene today. Check 'em out! (Also see the interview we did with 'em this issue! Ed.)
LYRES "Happy Now" (Taang! Records)
When I first listened to this band, I felt like I was magically transported to the long forgotten era known as the 60's! (You know, tie-dyed T-shirts, hippies, Grateful Dead?) In fact, Grateful Dead is the first thing that came to mind when the vocals came in, sort of raspy on the first track, but quite melodious the rest of the way through. They use keyboards, tambourines and harmonicas on the album, and some tracks are quite a trip to listen to, especially if you liked the Masters of Reality idea. Some songs come off as a bit tired, but some songs definitely have their "trippy" edge. Having grown up on music from the 60's I can appreciate their efforts to a certain degree. I Ain't Goin' Nowhere is a bit more upbeat, while some may appreciate the humor behind Stoned and the other tracks. Nothing heavy here for you to bang your head to, but if you're a fan of the Grateful Dead you may appreciate the efforts of this band to create a unique, San Fransisco-Haight Ashbury theme.
PITCH SHIFTER "Industrial" (Grind Core)
In the same sort of style as Godflesh, this "Industrial" band is quite good, although there are some weak moments to this disc. Lots of the riffs are very brutal, especially in the tracks Eye, Brutal Cancroid, and Skin Grip. The vocals are standard death/thrash fare, and the lyrics aren't too bad either, save for the hatemonger style displayed in Landfill, but this four piece is definitely a band that has gotten raves and praises from lots of magazines. The problem is they tend to drag out some of their riffs and repeat sections of lyrics, but the intricate guitar work is VERY interesting, note the Arabian style effects of the lead guitar on Brutal Cancroid. Also, the track New Flesh is quite interesting, using samples from what I assume are interviews and news clips. As I said, they drag this out a bit long as well, but overall the disc is quite strong and powerful. I recommend it if you're into the industrial scene.
SAM BLACK CHURCH "Boston" (Taang!)
I'm just assuming "Boston" is the name of this debut from this band. It might be self titled, but let's examine what's inside! Quite a blistering, CRAZY mix of hardcore, riveting choruses, and God knows what else! This is an advance, the official release is due out June of 93. From what I can hear, this is definitely cool. 5 tracks here, Infernal Machine, Den of Iniquity, The Way We Were, Big Barbecue, and Disco Inferno. This sounds so bizarre it's hard to pinpoint accurately. The track Den of Iniquity, for example, starts out with a riveting scream that would par with most death bands, and there are touches of a Dead kennedys style singing, only to drop back into a rough hardcore voice once again! Also heard are reminiscing touches of Bad Brains in the track The Way We Were, it's as if this band has a hard time locking themselves onto one particular mode. All the voice portrayals are quite interesting to hear, one side note, though, which tends to detract from the rest of the album, is when they just blaze through a riff and push their vocals to a crazed peak, which tends to sound rather sophomoric. But, when the vocal screams are controlled with just the right amount of intensity and fury, it works rather well! Not a bad first effort, but if they can learn to control and focus more, they would be a force to be reconed with. This band still has a lot of growing to do, but for their first effort it sounds promising!
SOULSTORM "Darkness Visible" (Metal Blade)
This is awesome! "If Godflesh is a rock, Soulstorm is a mountain" says the bio from Metalblade. And I quite agree, though I think mountain is not descriptive enough! This band combines, as does Godflesh, death metal style vocals and slow crunching riffs with echo effects and techno themes, although this time around there are less of the techno themes here. The vocalist uses very interesting vocal effects to achieve his ends, using voice echo on some songs and on others achieving the effect of playing a record backwards! Quite brutal as well, the highlights of this disc are Endless Human Failure, Nothingness, and Degeneration Mode. There are interesting little effects thrown throughout the CD, but as I said before, this only enhances what is already a brutal and powerful release. There is even a song you can almost dance to, (Disruption) but this in no way detracts from the theme and style of the band. Also from Canada, they rank up there with another Canadian band known as Malhavoc! Get this one if you can, especially if you like Godflesh!
SUFFOCATION "Breeding the Spawn" (Roadrunner)
Roadrunner has a LOOONG history of working with death metal. The label is hailing this Quintet as "Gut wrenching sonic torment from the most EXTREME band in death metal today." Although I disagree with that (I still consider Deicide's first release as one of the tops, with Morgoth's debut a close second, but who knows what the future holds?) there are some good moments, though basically it's just an average death offering with some sick lyrics. The vocalist is quite good, but basically I'm not able to get into it much. Granted, the tracks Ornament of Decrepancy and Breeding the Spawn are quite brutal, but sometimes a bit TOO chaotic, and there's not enough here that makes them stand out. Although the drummer is quite a speed demon and very good, it is the slower parts of the songs, most notably on Ignorant Deprivation, that this band really shines on. Badically a below average effort, it still has some strong points that the band should capitalize on, like the sheer brutality of its slower riffs.
SUN RA "We Travel the Spaceways/Bad and Beautiful" (Evidence Music)
Part of a 5 CD set I recieved from Evidence Music (see Comprehensive Review below for more details) this contains recordings from two albums, both of which were originally issued on Satrun records between 1958-1961. Exact dates were unknown. There are 14 tracks on this CD, and while some of the songs are reminiscent of the 50's big band era, there are still many interesting and unusual tracks. There are vocals (vocals?) on tracks Interplanetary Music and We Travel the Spaceways, showing probably one of the first occurrences in which jazz has used vocals to back up the music. Some of the tracks are quite mellow, evident in the track Tapestry From an Asteroid, and the track New Horizons sounds like your typical jazz number but distorts the tone a bit by adding an off-key every 6th or 7th note. The piano arrangements are very nicely done, and the horn ensemble is sometimes the highlight of this disc. Like I said, it's jazz mostly, but there's so much variety and originality, it's hard to believe this was done in the late 50's/early 60's! 14 tracks here, there's something on this disc that will please everyone! If you're not a jazz fan, you might not appreciate this, but if you're open minded enough, you may enjoy Sun Ra. Other interesting tracks are the haunting arrangements on the track Ankh, and some rather unusual style bass on Search Light Blues. Discover for yourself an artist nearly forgotten!
ULTRA VIVID SCENE "Rev" (4AD/Chaos/Columbia)
An alternative band, a three piece, was among the first items I received from Columbia. Basically, I was quite impressed, though it's a bit more melodious than my usual blasts of sonic noise, by the way the instrumentation and the vocals blend together in a hypnotic, rhythmic sort of way. Most of the tracks are well written lyrically, the lyrics stating powerful emotions that are as moving as just listening to it, though I sensed a certain Violent Femmsish feel to the style they were trying to project, yet with more maturity. The guitars do strike an odd note here and there, and this will throw you a bit if you're looking for the perfect mood piece, and the Thief's Love Song gets a bit bizzare in places. Possibly the weakest link in the album, and only because it doesn't seem to match the mood of the entire album. If you're an alternative fan, you may enjoy this one, as the choruses are quite catchy and the mood is so dominant, even when starting with the track Mirror to Mirror they get more upbeat, as compared to the more mellow tracks found at the beginning of the disc, it all seems to flow together. A very good disc, hope to hear more from them soon!
VARIOUS ARTISTS "Touch of Death" (Black Mark Records)
Well, from the home of Bathory comes a surprising lineup of overseas "death" metal. 10 bands, 10 tracks. Each of these bands has something unique and innovative to add to the scene, showing a surprising breed of talent! The ten bands presented here are, with a few exceptions, quite a surprise; there's enough variety to keep you entertained long after the first few plays. The only tracks that didn't seem to do anything for me were the Agressor and the Bathory track for Blood and Iron. The reason being is not that the Bathory track isn't any good, it's just that this track didn't belong on a death metal compilation album. Also, I questioned the Rosicrucian track, which has quite a beautiful intro but sounds more like slow grinding hardcore than death metal, and also the Invocator track, which sounds VERY cool, crunching, yet somewhat of a thrash/hardcore mix. The Seance tune Who Will Not be Dead is probably the most vicious track on the entire compilation, as it is skull pounding from start to finish! As for the rest of the album Necrosanct's track Solace is quite a powerful tune in it's own right, very well controlled for the blazing fury and intense speed they display, very professional sounding and not just a chaotic fury of noise, whereas the Tribulation track Born Bizarre sounds like another fast hardcore band as well. Edge of Sanity uses some interesting guitar effects and rips right through from the opening note, only to slow it down with the vocalist actually SINGING behind a church organ! Very very strange, but it isn't that bad! Finally, the Bathory track opens with a nice acoustic number, before playing, not fast or death-y, but Bathory's style has QUITE changed since the old days of "Bathory" and "The Return" A very good CD all around, though I think they shoud have made this a showcase for new bands instead of labeling this a death metal compilation CD. And did I fail to mention the Cemetary track Where the Rivers of Madness Stream? Oh, well. Get the CD and hear it for yourself!
DISINCARNATE.
Interview with James Murphy.
VIBRATIONS: How about giving us a brief history of your musical endeavours, IE your first band, when you started playing, etc.
JAMES MURPHY: My first live experience was some friends of mine when I was a senior in high school, we played a variety show, then I moved to a band that played lots of cover songs, stuff like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, etc. My first professional gig, when I was 19, I got hired on as a touring musician for one tour with a band on COMBAT records known as Agent Steel, I wasn't a full fledged member, but we did a tour of Europe and it was very valuable experience for me. Death was the first band I was actually a member of, I played on the Spiritual Healing album, went on a US tour, about 30 shows, and then decided I couldn't get along with them. Next was Obituary, played on their second album and did three LONG tours. The bottom line with Obituary was that they weren't very receptive to my writing, they felt it didn't fit the Obituary style.
V: Speaking of Obituary, how did you handle the pressure of recording all the leads to their second album in two days?
JM: I had plenty of time, several hours each day, to work on them; I had the experience carried over from working on the Spiritual Healing album. There really wasn't a whole lot of pressure. I got sidetracked by several guest positions filling in on Cancer, doing session work with Gorguts, Malevolent Creations and Solstice. After Obituary was when I went to work on my own band.
V: What does Disincarnate represent to you name wise?
JM: The definition of the word is basically without a physical body, to exist only in a spirit form. There was no real reason behind the name, I mainly relate the title to a surrealistic dream type of atmosphere.
V: I noticed you did all the guitar work on the new album, titled Dreams of the Carrion Kind. How much input did the other members have over the writing and recording of album material?
JM: Well, I had the drummer do his drums and the singer performed his vocals, the other guitarist, even though he didn't perform on the album, he was a very integral part of the album, as he wrote a portion of 5 of the nine songs, he wrote music wise about 20% of the album. With the vocalist Brian, he helped me on the lyrics about 50/50, the drummer wrote his own parts, but everyone played an important part in the writing of the album.
V: How did you go about selecting Brian as your vocalist?
JM: He was the best person in Tampa that was available. I was really impressed by his ability to sing very very heavy, but still enunciate fairly clearly. Plus the fact that he was only 19 impressed me even more. But, whereas he may not be the most original vocalist, opinion on Brian is kind of split, some say he needs to develop his sense of dynamics and melody, but he's working on that. I think he did a brilliant job on his vocals. Others think he is one of the best death metal vocalists yet. He's getting better and better, I feel time will improve him, and I tend to pick people that I can grow with.
V: What other vocalists do you like in the death metal genre?
JM: I really love the guy from Paradise Lost, Aaron from My Dying Bride, Lee from Cathedral. I like singers that are willing to get melodic yet stay heavy.
V: What sort of influences do you draw upon when writing your songs?
JM: I don't think about them consciously, all the influences we use when writing are off the top of my head, so to speak. What we get when we write is a direct flow from just spontaneous writing. I could write totally different kinds of things outside of just death metal. The subconscious is something that cannot be accessed directly.
V: You've done a lot of work with Scott Burns in the past, why did you opt for Colin Richardson instead of Scott for the production of your first album?
JM: Well, you hit on one of the reasons right there, because I HAVE done a lot of work with him, I really wanted a change. I needed a break, unfortunately I think he took it kinda hard. The other reason is because we wanted to avoid the typical path of the typical death metal band, we don't look at ourselves as a "typical death metal band."
V: Have you made some touring plans yet?
JM: We had some touring plans with Benediction and Bolt Thrower, but Bolt Thrower cancelled so we're waiting for that to be rescheduled or we'll just find something else. We'll be playing with Suffocation soon.
V: Tell us about the three song demo you recorded.
JM: It was three songs that are on the album, but obviously it's different versions of them, Stench of Paradise Burning, Soul Erosion, and Confine of Shadows; we called it the Soul Erosion demo. It was recorded by me at home before I ever had any members. I did it at home with a drum machine and just rhythym guitars, no vocals and no bass. It was a homemade tape, and that was the original format of those three songs. (Look out Quorthon!) Somehow Monte Conner at Roadrunner got ahold of the tape and called me up and said he really liked the riffs and said if I put a band together, he thought people would like it. He offered to finance a demo recording, so we went for it. I hired Brian for vocals, Alex Markez from Malevolent Creations/Soulstice to do the drums as a guest, then we recorded the demo. Brian is still with us, whereas Alex went back to Malevolent.
V: What kind of equipment do you use to achieve to use your special effects?
JM: As far as albums go, it's all done with studio equipment, I record everything dry, no extra equipment, just distortion. I like to get a lot of the gain out of the head. For the album we used a Marshall head. I always add a little extra edge from an Ibanez Tube Screamer pedal because it's the best distortion box ever made. It's best for adding a little extra edge, not creating a total guitar sound. If you take a clean amp and try to get all your distortion out of a tube screamer pedal, you won't be satisfied. I use the Gibson flying V for rhythyms on the album, and for leads I use the Ibanez Saber, but now I have EMG's in my Ibanez. Jason has a flying V (the other guitarist) now and uses it.
(The album is already out, on Roadrunner, check it out, they'll be on the road fairly soon, and he is one hot guitarist WORTH catching a listen to!)
LAST TRIBE.
Interview with Rick Dobbelaer - Guitar, vocals.
VIBRATIONS: How did the deal with Energy records come about and why them as opposed to a major label?
RICK: We are basically a young, unknown act. We had a lot of major label interest, but they're only willing to go so far with an unknown act unless you have inside conncetions. Our manager started contacting producers and studios for a production deal, we had a gig in Ithaca New York, and Alex Perialas had a studio up there. So Alex heard us play up there, and we sent him our demo tape, he liked it and soon we started negotiating with Energy records.
V: What sort of influences do you draw from when writing songs, both from a lyrical and musical standpoint?
R: Bands that affect us over the years such as the Beatles, which I'm a big fan of, the Smiths, REM, U2, etc. John and I write most of the music and the words. We try to keep it intelligent musically and lyrically. I guess you could see us as more progressive.
V: Give us a brief track-by-track rundown of some of the songs.
R: I'll do the ones lyrically that I wrote. A lot of the songs are personal, and like Substance and Soul is written to try and let the people know that when they're feeling down about something, you can easily get pulled down by things like drugs and depression, basically it's saying don't let things get you down, don't run away from it, go forward with your life. Sundays in the Womb is kind of the same thing, feeling the weight of the world on you, and wanting to go back to being young when you don't have any responsibilities, such as paying bills, meeting deadlines and all the other crap you have to go through when you get older. Only I was written about my fiancee, it's not about her, but about her sister who was involved with this guy. He was self centered, a jerk basically, he's all about face value, there's no substance involved with this guy. It's kinda like jumping inside this guy's skin and seeing how he perceives things, how he thinks. Whores (which has nothing to do with the ACTUAL meaning - Ed.) I wrote about 2 years before we got signed, and it was kinda out of frustration, you try and do things that are respectable and are intelligent, you try to put some feeling into what you do. Then you turn on MTV and see these "hair" bands, bands with no talent and singing songs about going down to the corner store and getting some beer, partying, etc. It's more or less the relationship that most labels have with their bands, they "keep them pretty, keep them on the streets, etc."
V: How are the touring plans going?
R: We just did a showcase for four major booking agencies, ICM, QVQ which handles Metallica, William Morris, Premier and so forth. We're still talking to three of them, but it's tough getting on a tour. We're selling records in the places we've been, but it's like a catch 22, you can't sell a lot of records unless someone wants to put you out on the road, but they don't want to put you on the road unless you sell a lot of records. You have to do as much as you can on your own, and you need your record label to help out as much as you can.
V: As versatile as you are, don't you think you could get acceptance from a wider audience rather than just the college crowd?
R: I think the record company is trying to push us in a mainstream direction, which is not what we really expected. The first single we put out is Whores, which is basically going out to college radio, and this weekend we're making a video for It Will Find You, and that's more of a mainstream song, and I know they're making a push with AOR radio for that song because they think it can go over on major radio. Energy will go to MTV with the video when it's finished, and Energy has already had Pro-Pain on MTV.
V: What sort of bands do you see yourself touring with? It's probably hard as you might be touring with bands that have a totally different style from your own.
R: The album is somewhat tainted, the live shows are a lot more intense than the album, which is pretty laid back, pristine. The power is there but live it's a different story. Some of the bands I'd like to tour with are Smashing Pumpkins and such, but we still have to pay our dues. We've played shows with everyone from Meatloaf to Gene Loves Jezebel, some funk bands and some regional bands.
V: You mentioned in the bio that you had written like 60 or so songs. Are those songs available as earlier demo's or available to the public at all?
R: The earlier demos are homemade like on 6 or 8 track in the basement; they're good but not good quality for releasing. The other demo we did on a MIDI setup, the drummer was using pads and a sample, which doesn't represent us at all. We're constantly writing, and we'll be demoing some songs this week in a studio up here. Our next release will be just a demo, just to hold for material in case we need something we can shop to a label.
V: How did you come to Last Tribe as a name, and what is it's significance to you?
R: The name to me represents that we all come from the same area, we grew up in the same surroundings, being in a band is definitely a tribal experience. You're sharing responsibilities with a lot of people, not just the band, but with our managers, road crews, assistants, even our families are going through the same thing like we're always in the same boat. There's been a lot of "tribes" in music, we're hoping we're the last one to use the name and really go somewhere with the band and the music.
V: Finally, describe your sound to those who are unfamiliar with your music, what would be the best way to get the point across to them?
R: I saw an interview with a classical composer who basically said in the 60's there was a lot of mind music, and after the 60's were over everything started becoming "body" music, like dance/disco, and techno, all the MIDI stuff. We're trying to bring the mind music back, making people think about what we're doing. Everything's not so obvious as to what we're doing. It's not something you can just put on and start whistling to right away, it makes you think, it's intelligent and a good representation of where we're coming from.
(Look out for their single on the radio stations in your area, and be on the watch for MTV appearances and a video! Thes guys could revolutionize music of tomorrow! Well, maybe not, but they're very original and refreshing! - Ed.)
NOTEWORTHY ITEMS:
Well, as promised, here is the track by track listing for Bathory's "Jubileum Volume 2."
The Return of the Darkness and Evil (released on limited edition compilation album)
Burnin' Leather (Never before released)
One Rode to Asa Bay (released on "Hammerheart" album)
The Golden Walls of Heaven (released on "Blood, Fire, Death" album)
Call From the Grave (released on "Under the Sign of the Black Mark" album)
Die in Fire (4-track demo, never before released)
Shores in Flames (released on "Hammerheart" album)
Possessed (released on "The Return" album)
Raise the Dead (released on "Bathory" album)
Total Destruction (released on "The Return" album)
Bond of Blood (released on "Twilight of the Gods " album)
Twilight of the Gods (released on, what else? "Twilight of the Gods" album)
This should be out by the time you read this! Only from Black Mark Records, distributed in the States by Cargo Records.
Wrathchild America has left the Warner label and has signed with the newly formed Energy Records. The mixing of the album will be done at Electric Ladyland studios in New York (Famous for the recording of Hendrix's albums) and should be on the shelf sometime in Late July/early August.
ALSO coming out soon will be a band called Shining Time on Energy Records. they have been described as a Heavy Rock and Roll band sort of like a cross between Soundgarden and Lenny Kravitz. They enter the studio this month to recrd, and the album should hit the shores between September and October.
The band Anacrusis' long awaited new release "Screams and Whispers" comes out in late spring. They have a new drummer in Paul Miles, and the following tracks will be on the album: Sound the Alarm, Sense of Will, Too Many Prophets, Release, Division, Tools of Separation, Grateful, A Screaming Breath, My Soul's Affection, Driven, Brotherhood, and Release (remix).
Panic will also have a new album out on Metal Blade, this one is being produced by Marc Senesac and will be titled Fact. Groove oriented thrash says the press sheet, some tracks include Rotator, Die Tryin', and Nonchalance.
Thought Industry are currently in the studio at Metal Blade with Dave Ogilvie to record the follow up to their debut album "Songs for Insects" and that album will be called "Mods Carve the Pig: Assassins, Toads, & God's Flesh" (I just write 'em folks, I don't make this stuff up! - Ed.) Cover artwork will come from none other than Salvador Dali!?
Well, finally, the Mercyful Fate album, titled "In the Shadows," is set for a June release. As reported last issue, this is the SAME band featuring original members King Diamond, Hank Shermann, Michael Denner, and Timi Hansen. See the contact ads & addresses for Metal Blade's address.
Okay, for those of you who asked, here's the lowdown on the Savannah band Dominion. They currently have a new lead singer named Mike, who has just started rehearsals with the band. Scott at Energy Records, although enjoying the band very much, was not interested in signing them. (Wasn't in line with their roster lineup.) BUT, they will be re-recording their first demo with the new singer, and will start playing gigs again. More on this as it becomes available. Copies of the 11/92 demo are still available, see contact ads and addresses section for more info.
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW: SUN-RA
Now, I know what you are saying: Sun-Ra? Who is he? Well, let me start by saying that what sort of music he plays is unimportant right now, although after a few listens you might get the feeling that his music is making a statement. What IS important is that A: His music has been around since the mid-to late 50's. B: He is considered somewhat of a rebel in his own musical field, simply because of his strange arrangement of songs and his interest in things "otherworldly" and finally C: his works could be considered in the "underground," since these re-issues have just recently come to light!
A brief history of this brilliant musician is in order. Okay, so he is loosely termed "a jazz artist." But most jazz purists and fans don't even consider Sun-Ra in their category, mainly because many of them have only vaguely heard of him. Also, he delves into the mysticism of Egyptian mythology and universal theories, dealing with everything from planets and constellations to the stars, evident in many of his song titles. He not only used vocals in some of his songs, something that was not very common in jazz, but he also pumped fresh blood into an otherwise dying scene. His use of elaborate costumes, gold sequinned skull caps, chants, dancing and singers was most refreshing and truly original. His Astro Infinity Archestra as well was no less than astounding. At times, Ra's music evokes the sounds of white noise, meteor showers, NASA test patterns, even a diswasher on the fritz. His music is sometimes strange, sometimes incomprehensible, yet at other times we can see his true genius shine through, where it is noted that he continually reshaped and restructured the whole society of jazz.
Lots of his early tunes were unstructured, especially evident in his early beginnings using a variety of musicians which he calls his arkestra. One of his group, an Art Hoyle, mentions: "His music was quite challenging. Whatever he played on the piano, he would write for the instruments, with big skips and things in the brass parts that you don't usually see. He would do something called 'space key,' in which there'd be no key signature - he'd tell you to play on a tune, and you'd say 'what key?,' and he'd say 'Space key.' He also was one of the first people to superimpose one chord over another - Miles would come to hear the band from time to time, and I remember he told Miles about using two chords at once." According to another member of his group, Jim Herndon, "Occasionally Ra played pieces with no fixed harmonic structure. He'd say 'I'm going to start out here - just follow me.' Then if it seemed to go pretty good, he would sketch it out and build it into a tune." Although it seemed like Sun Ra made all the important decisions, Sun Ra's soloists had liberty to develop their ideas.
In mid 1961 Sun Ra and the most loyal of his Arkestra musicians left Chicago to seek their fortunes in eastern America. Of the musicians on this CD who stayed here, most remain active in jazz, though it's a far cry from what has happened during the Sun Ra era. Using piano, elecrtic trombone, saxophones, flutes, space lutes, chinese gongs, Rhodesian bells, Egyptian sun bells, electric pianos and tons of other instruments one rarely sees, this band of jazz rebels has quite a refreshing, invigorating, and unusual sound that leaves ME asking myself, "Was this really only 30 or 40 years ago?" Below are the CD's which I received from Evidence.
"Sun Ra Visits Planet Earth/Interstellar Low Ways"
"We Travel the Spaceways/Bad and Beautiful"
"Other Planes of There"
"My Brother the Wind Volume II"
"Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy/Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow"
Briefly, these 5 CD's span Sun Ra's later recordings, and will be reviewed in this issue. Next issue, I hope to review the earlier 5 releases from Evidence, as well as go into a bit more detail on his history. IF you are open minded enough, I urge you to check out Sun Ra's recordings. All the CD's have beautiful pictures of Sun Ra, utilizing the picture disc idea to display multicolors in an almost psychedelic panorama. Inside and out, these CD's are well worth the price.
CONTACT ADS AND ADDRESSES:
If you're interested in Sun-Ra, the rebel jazz musician, Evidence Music is the place to go! For a free catalog, write to: Evidence Music, Inc. 1100 E. Hector St. Suite 392, Conshohocken, PA 19428. The following CD's are available:
ECD 22036 Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy/Art Forms of Dimensions Tomorrow
ECD 22037 Other Planes of There
ECD 22038 We Travel the Spaceways/Bad and Beautiful
ECD 22039 Sun Ra Visits Planet Earth/Interstellar Low Ways
ECD 22040 My Brother the Wind Vol. II
ECD 22011 Holiday For Soul Dance
ECD 22012 Jazz in Silhouette
ECD 22013 Monorails and Satellites
ECD 22014 Sound Sun Pleasure
ECD 22015 Supersonic Jazz
Guaranteed a mind blowing experience, these 10 CD's are guaranteed to be fresh and invigorating, whether you are into jazz or not, whether you have heard of Sun-Ra or not! Suggested price is $12 for each CD.
Beyond Reason's "Beast of Change" demo, a very good 4 song release, can be obtained by contacting Dave Kramer at 914-961-8929 or you can write directly to the band at Beyond Reason c/o Dave Kramer, 1255 California Road, Eastchester, NY 10709-1012.
Although I have cassette copies here, Taang! records has two releases set for June of '93, one being Sam Black Church (reviewed here) and Spore. For more information on Taang! records and artists, write to Taang! P.O. Box 51, Auburndale, MA 02166 or call 617-876-2411.
ALSO set for a June release is the one you've all been waiting for: Mercyful Fate's "In the Shadows" Contact Metal Blade Records at 2345 Erringer Rd. Suite 108, Simi Valley, CA 93065-2200.
Graveyard's "Slabfest" 4 song demo #1 1992. Only $5.00 USA, $6.00 World. For demo tape or band contact, send SASE to Bludgeoned Cat Fan Club c/o Custodian Killer, PO Box 960, Shoreham, NY 11786 USA.
Malediction "Weeping Tears" 4 track demo '92 available. Includes 2 killer new songs appearing on the forthcoming CD, plus live and rehearsal versions of two other tracks. Only 2.00 (UK pounds) $4 (Europe) $5 (World) from Malediction c/o Shaun, 40 Lancaster Terrace, Chester-le-Street, Co-Durham, DH3-3NP, ENGLAND.
Salem "Creating Our Sins" Original Death Metal from Israel!? Melodious but fast and brutal with political lyrics! MLP (included 3 songs - 22 min. playtime) 15 DM (Germany), 14 US$ (Europe) or 15 US$ (World) OR the CD version (included 3 songs + 12 bonus tracks! total 80 minutes playtime!) 22 DM (Germany), 16 US$ (Europe) or 18 US$ (World). Also ask for their Mailorder list and enclose stamp 1,- DM value (Germany), one I.R.C (Europe) or two I.R.C's (world) to Morbid Records PSF 3 .O - 7532 Drebkau, Germany. Also out Enslaved "Twisted Nature" second 7" EP.
Welp, RELAPSE/NUCLEAR BLAST has TONS of stuff out, like Dead World, Candiru, St. Vitus, Amorphis, Winter, Hypocrisy, and lots of other bands spanning the length of speed/thrash/death/black metal, alternative, techno/gothic and more! For a catalog write to RELAPSE/NUCLEAR BLAST, P.O. Box 251, Millersville, PA 17551 USA.
Once again Dominion can be reached by contacting James Sperl at (912)-234-6766 or Tony Richey (912)-234-6766.
FANZINES AND OTHER RAGS
Well, I gotta do this. I haven't had a chance to review any 'zines, but since mine is free, I feel that some should be mentioned. So here's a partial list of the many hundreds of zines that are actually made across the US and the world in general! Next issues I'll probably end up reviewing them, for now this is kinda like an ads section for 'zines!
The Fierce Extreme Terror Underground Sindrome (FETUS) issue #15 is out now, and includes Chilean death/thrash gods Criminal, Exciter/Salem, Gomorrah, The Reign, Decomposed (UK), and more! Plus live reports, columns, & album/demo reviews! U.S. readers can get the 'zine for $2 from Rage Records, P.O. Box 4441, New York, NY 10185-0038 USA. Everyone else in the world can get it for $4 from The Fetus International c/o Yohta Takahashi, 1-12-16, Towa, Adachi-Ku Tokyo 120 Japan.
Vital Wound is in its third issue, written in English, contains 40(A4) pages with professional layout, offset printed, clear photos and thick! Interviews with Entombed, Pestilence, Benediction, Bolt Thrower, Cannibal Corpse, My Dying Bride, also SO many many more! also lots of long and critical reviews of demos/7" EP's/albums plus scene reports from Malta, Poland and Singapore! Only $3 US (Europe) or $4 US (Elsewhere). Address is: Mindaugas Lapinskas, Zaibo 10-75, 2050 Vilnius, LITHUANIA.
Symposium zine Issue #2 out soon, featuring Non-Fiction, Napalm Death, Sepultura, Melvins, Pungent Stench, Exit 13, Skrew, King Hell, Gruntruck, and Into Another. only 2 bucks to 4518 Hutchison #4, Ames, IA, USA 50010. Also distributed through Wild Rags Records 2207 West Wittier Blvd, Montebello, CA 90640-4014.
Metal Preachers 'zine. 8th issue available now. 34 pages (A4) written in English this issue features bands from 10 countries around the world. Interviews with Anacrusis, Cross Fade, Embrionic Death, Mortal Dread (USA), Deranged, Dark Tranquility, Inverted and Leukemia (Sweden) Desecrate (Holland), Extrema (Italy) and many more! Included also articles with DDT, Convent, Pandemonium (Poland), Moonspell, Radical Retard and Necrolatry. Plus news, Personal files, Lithuania scene report, soundattack and Danger Zone (Gives you a lot of demos and EP's presentation and classification.) The price? 4.00 US Dollars or 400 Escudos PORTUGAL. For info & orders write to: Henrique Peixoto, Paco da Comenda 116, 2300 Tomar PORTUGAL. Or Victor Macedo, Horta do Bardo, 4 2300 Tomar - PORTUGAL.
Emanzipation's second issue is out, featuring interviews with Obituary, Napalm Death, Confessor, Nocturnus, Dismember, Eucharist, Dark Millenium, & Funeral Feast. Also more than 100 reviews of demos, albums, etc. Also articles, a funny BEER-section, cool artwork and Polish scene report. All featured on 32 A4 ENGLISH written pages. Da Price? in Scandinavia, only Dkr. 10 or US $2, elsewhere only US $3. Write Emanzipation c/o Michael H. Andersen, Holbergsvej 137, 4700 Naestved DENMARK.
Nocturne Zine Issue #4 now out with 24 A4 pages. Interviews with Coroner, Gorefest, Rest in Peace, Depravity, Crucifer, Nomicon, Dominus, Uncanny, Megora, Agathocles, and more! also 50 reviews, a Polish scene report, and a BIG Hellwitch article/interview! Only $3 (Scandinavia), $4 (Europe), and $5 (Elsewhere). Write to: Nocturnus Zine, Jonas Breum, Loejpen 4, 7100 Vejle, DENMARK.
Bonebreaker magazine issue #2 is out. Features Incantation, Deceased, Exit-13, Dead Horse, Procreation, S.I.K., Witches, The Fury, Convulse, Nephrite, Malediction, Requested Sufferings, Asystole, and more! Plus the latest info about the winter season from Relapse Records, and only $4 in all the world! The magazine has over 40 pages. Write to Bonebreaker Magazine c/o Santiago Viera, A.A. 056.410 Medellin, COLOMBIA.
(Please note that some of these write ups were kinda old, so the issue numbers and the info inside may be a bit dated, but the 'zines should still be available. Ed.)
EDITORIAL NOTATIONS
Welp, here it is time to throw another issue of the zine yer way. Haven't really gotten as much support as I'd hoped for this time around. As usual, distribution is via the underground computer network, unless you happen to have other means of obtaining this thing.
Anyway, as far as touring info goes, Skrew and Chemlab hit the road together and their tour commences July 6th in New York. They hit Atlanta on July 26th, at Darkhorse, which will be my first chance to see them. Also commencing in mid-July is the Morbid Angel/Kreator/Paradise Lost tour. Also, the Swirlies Summer Vacation starts May 22nd and runs all the way up to July 3rd.
I'm looking for numerous things. Mainly, to complete my cassette collection, I'd like to get Zoetrope's "Amnesty" on COMBAT. I'd also like to get a good copy of Iron Angel's "Hellish Crossfire" on album or cassette, and I also need lyric sheets for the following albums:
Iron Angel "Hellish Crossfire"
Zoetrope "Amnesty"
Metal Church "Metal Church"
Agent Steel "Unstoppable Force"
Savatage "The Dungeons are Calling"
Onslaught "The Force"
Exorcist "Nightmare Theater"
Also I'm looking for some T-shirts released by various bands. Anyone who might have shirts by Agent Steel, Iron Angel, Candlemass (especially from Nightfall) Zoetrope, Liege Lord, Onslaught, or the old Alcohollica shirt from Metallica, lemme know. Write to me through the magazine address or call 912-352-8843.
Relapse records has got SO much stuff! I got a big package from them not too long ago, and for an indie label they really have lots of stuff! Candiru, Amorphis, Winter, St. Vitus (Yeah, wondering where these guys have been!), Dead World, and SO much more! I'm looking forward to hearing more from these guys.
We would have a letters page if people would write, but they haven't, so I guess I need to wait. As always, anything you want to see, drop me a note here at the address given above, and I'll print it! Got more stuff coming next issue, including album reviews of such bands as Winter, Psychosis, Amorphis, Leviathan, and others! And I'll try to get that Attic report in sometime next issue, didn't have all the info I wanted this time around! So write in, send us whatever you have to print, be it concert reviews, demo reviews, etc. Help us out here and we'll help you! Until next issue,
SLAYER
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