This band from Macedonia has been out there on the scene quite a while creating a name for themselves with their melodic post punk with engaged often very political lyrics. This is their fifth full length record that came out on Canadian label Ill In The Head Records.
The album consists of nine songs being the previous unreleased tracks, music for theatres and remixes. The band changed their sound slightly on the previous album because they changed the real drummer and now they operate with drum machine and they changed their sound in more electronic way now sounding like a modern version of the 80-ies electro pop acts. The lyrics are in Macedonian language and as before, pretty politically engaged and straightforward. The overall feeling that I get while listening to the record is very dark although the music flows relatively light with nice melodic vocals and electronic rythms varying from Depeche Mode-styled stuff to more pop and light song structures. My personal favourite on this record is “Koga e dovolno” which I listened for a few times in a row.
This is a music that can be a perfect soundtrack for political uprising but it can also be the music for dancing at home while having a party. I really enjoyed this one and I recommend it to all those who love to listen stuff like this. Now I know why this band became one of the more respected ex Yugoslavia bands. Check it out and also check out other Ill In The Head releases. Bero now operates from Canada where he lives and he does a great job in the scene.
This is the autobiography book by Adam Darski, better known as Nergal, frontman of one of the most successfull Polish extreme metal bands, namely Behemoth. Of course, as those more celebrity folks do, this book is done by the help of Mark Eglington, Krzysztof Azarewicz and Piotr Weltrowski.
The book is very interesting and it is done in the form of an interview. It gets better and better when you start reading it, and I just found myself reading it in three days because I couldnt let it go from my hands.
The chapters or interviews if you want, are divided in some kind of chronological order, starting with Nergal growing up as a kid in his hometown Gdansk, Poland, under socialist pro Soviet regime. The story revolves around relationship with mother, father and older brother, getting his first guitar, starting learning to play and enjoying the metal bands discovering more and more extreme bands and music.
Then it goes further about the forming of Behemoth, early days of first gigs, becoming one of the most successfull metal musicians coming from Poland and after Nergals relationship with his girlfriends, religion, and finally, the painful part describing the war with bad illness, leaukemia. The book is great read, I never considered myself a fan of Behemoth before reading this book, but now I learned to understand and respect this man very much. There is also the great foreword written by Randy Blythe of Lamb of God fame.This is English translation so get the book and read it, you wont regret it!
This is the second e.p. by the German one man band formed in 2015. The ep contains 5 songs of metal bordering between more extreme black/death with some thrash and classic influences. The opener “Riptide” with its rolling drum mid tempo rythm reminded me much on Celtic Frost and weird, but its only me, Obituary songs. Vocals are harsh and more black metalish done, but you can at the same time understand the shouted lyrics, so that is one more plus. The second song “Stab by Stab” is like the band says inspired by some Bram Stoker stuff, but I had a problem that it was too similar to the first opening song of the e.p. That feeling held me almost to the end of the song. “Six Sec Sex” is a cover song originally by Illwill. I havent heard the original before, but the song is in that for me almost nostalgic 80-ies horror metal way that just really doesnt exist nowadays anymore.
The fourth song of the e.p., namely “Bloodlust” which speaks about vampires and has the same vibe as the first two tracks, and I had hard time remembering it to like it so much that I would remember it later with fondness. Dont get me wrong, I love generic albums that have similar songs like in early Norwegian black metal and I am not some progressive freak that keeps finding flaws in the bands that are not inventive for my opinion, but this one just didnt work so much for me. The last song “Loose Ends” had a nice hommage to Judas Priest in the song and speaks about problems that many not only metal musicians have, how to finish songs and then the album. Damn, when I was in a band we always had that problem. Despite that it did not work so much for me, this is a fine effort, so listen to the e.p., drop some line to the man so he will appreciate some support from you and I am sure that the next release will be even better.
The new album by Trapped Under Ice is out! These guys released the new album almost six years after they released their last material. Some of the guys also play in Turnstile and Angel Dust, so I guess they just didnt have time to do the record with this band. This Baltimore based hardcore band plays some of the most atypical hardcore that I have listened lately. The album contains 11 songs that close on in about 14 minutes, so there is the whole album. The songs are different, quite original modern hardcore with jumping grooves but there is also some punkish speedy drumming and some mathcore plus samples thrown in for good measure. There is also some guitar solos like in “Throw It Away”. The singing varies from typical hardcore shouting to more melodic singing. I would like to see and hear this band live, because I am sure that they are fun as hell to see live. While listening to this album, although it was in fact short, I somehow came under impression that the album is much longer than it really is. I am more a sucker for classic street oi influenced hardcore but this one is actually good and diverse album. Check it out!
8.25 Fri – Boston, MA Middle East
8.26 Sat – Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bazaar
8.27 Sun – Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts
8.28 Mon – Albany, NY Trickshots
8.29 Tue – Baltimore, MD The Windup Space
8.30 Wed – Fayetteville NC The Drunk Horse pub
8.31 Thur – Columbia SC New Brookland Tavern
9.1 Fri – Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
9.2 Sat – Richmond, VA The Warehouse
9.3 Sun – Washington, DC St. Stephen’s
9.22 fri – Dallas, TX Club Dada
9.23 sat – Houston, TX Walters
9.24 sun – Austin, TX Barracuda
Tenebrositas from Croatia is a black metal band, and when I say black metal, I mean the way it should be, raw, primitive, desolate but also melodic and emotional. The new album is in works, so it was about time to talk for my zine with the mastermind Kktz.
THERE WAS QUITE SOME TIME FROM YOUR LAST ALBUM. HOW WAS THE REACTION AND FEEDBACK TO THE ALBUM? WAS THERE A PHYSICAL COPY OR JUST DIGITAL ONE?
First, sorry for my bad English but I will try to answer all your questions. Ā āForever Nothingā was second full length album by Tenebrositas, digitally released on Bandcamp in 2015. Since then it was released on tape by Wulfrune Worxx in France, and as proCDr by my own label Olden Sonorities. Soon to be re-released on tape by Dark Ritual in Germany. I am really satisfied with reaction as this is completely underground Black Metal in the style that isnāt trendy or hyped.
WHY BLACK METAL? WHAT IS THE BEAUTY IN THIS MUSIC? IS BLACK METAL ELITIST MUSIC? IS IT CONSERVATIVE AND PURIST TOWARDS OTHER METAL AND OTHER UNDERGROUND GENRE?
Melancholy and aggression, as it was defined by second wave, the purity of BM. I also like first wave sound and other old school variations of the genre, but with Tenebrositas I concentrate on just BM. So yes, you can say it is conservative as I am not into modern styles. Elitist to some generic to others, I guess. I got nothing to prove, it is how it works for me.
HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR SONGS? DO YOU DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE BLEAKNESS OF SLAVONIA WASTELANDS OR FROM YOUR INNER BEING? DO YOU FIGHT YOUR INNER DEMONS IN THE LYRICS?
With all its natural resources Slavonia should be the rich and beautiful region, but now it is indeed very bleak, dying part of the Europe. Such reality for sure inspired malistic (malism – the doctrine that the world is evil) aesthetics of Tenebrositas. Visions of the forgotten world without any hope, which at the same time are bringing some sort of escapism, because after all it is the music I enjoy.
SINCE TENEBROSITAS IS A ONE MAN BAND DO YOU PREFER IT THAT WAY, SINCE YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU WANT AND DO NOT NEED TO COMPROMISE WITH OTHER BAND MEMBERS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY LIVE SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE WITH REAL SESSION MUSICIANS?
Let it be as it is, once recorded the songs are done, left as some sort of artifacts.
HOW IS THE PROGRESS GOING ON REGARDING THE NEW ALBUM? IS IT GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THE OLDER MATERIAL? WILL YOU USE KEYBOARDS OR MAYBE SAMPLES OR LOOPS?
Every new release is slightly different yet keeping the style of grim, second wave Black Metal. I donāt have a lot of free time, and thereās no need to hurry, but it is not far away from being finished. Just a little touch of electronic ambience, dead cold guitars with a poundingĀ beat and some slower parts is where I am now, vocals yet to be recorded. The album will be called āAutumnal Servitudeā. If someone is actually looking for something more dark ambient / dungeon synth please check my other project Talog.
WHAT KIND OF BLACK METAL DO YOU PREFER TO LISTEN TO? SYMPHONIC BLACK VS RAW BLACK METAL, NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL VS REST OF THE WORLD BLACK METAL?
As I mentioned it before, first wave and second wave are my fave. I like early symphonic black as much as raw black metal, both had very similar emotional and epic sound of 90ās BM, itās just that later symphonic black went into direction that I donāt like, losing the black roots for me. Old Norwegian Black Metal defines the genre for the reason, times when pure BM was ground breaking gave the best albums. But later most of them changed their sound and thatās where otherĀ countries gave their approach and continued with it, even when it was not in trend anymore, so I respect it too.
ARE YOU A SATANIST? DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE EXISTENCE OF SOME SO CALLED HIGHER BEING OR IS IT ONLY US AND HOW WE LIVE THIS LIFE THAT WE HAVE? ARE YOU MAYBE LAVEYAN SATANIST?
Being just myself is enough for me. When I was editor of Fecal Forces Zeen I traded with The Black Flame. LaVeyan perspective on rejecting cheap moralism was interesting but I am afraid hypocrisy is also in the human nature.
IS THE NATURE AND ITS BEAUTY ONE OF THE INSPIRATIONS FOR YOU? DO YOU GET PISSED OFF QUICKLY?
More harsh and depressive sides on nature are influencing Tenebrositas. Ā About second question, you should ask people around me.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN EYE FOR AN EYE OR STREET JUSTICE?
From what I have seen, I donāt believe in justice. Street justice may be the only justice in some cases, but it may be the way to even bigger corruption, too.
I ONCE HEARD THAT YOU GOT VERY DISAPPOINTED IN HARDCORE PUNK SCENE SO YOU LIKE MORE OR LESS SAID GOODBYE TO IT? IS IT TRUE? IS KKTZ 2017 A VERY DIFFERENT PERSON FROM LETS SAY KKTZ 1997?
I get into hardcore punk in mid 80ās and I am still playing it. If you are interested in old school hc/punk with some metal influences check my current one man band GutterSkull and our 3 piece band Nuclear Altar. I get tired of the preaching that sometimes comes with punk, on the other hand DIY aspect of it is what still defines me as person. Is hardcore punk 2017 a very different scene from say hardcore punk 1997? I think so. Everything changes in 20 years. Then again, someone may say that I am not changing at all, still doing interviews, etc.
THAT IS IT FOR THIS TIME. THANK YOU AND SAY SOMETHING FOR THE END THAT YOU WOULD MAYBE LOVE TO SAY.
“Part delta blues hymnal, part idyllic romp with a wedding big band, āCalling Outā features the vocalist gliding over Rosenbaumās characteristically floral arrangements. He hums for two sweet minutes before belting out some hair-raising lines about āhoney bees.ā This cut is free and breezy.” –Tiny Mix Tapes
Following up on the successful single āCredoā, which reached the BBC Radio 6 Music Recommends-playlist, the Danish composer & pianist August Rosenbaum reveals another gorgeous excerpt from his forthcoming album āVistaā, due for release on Nov 24, 2017. The new single is entitled āCalling Outā and it features vocalist Philip Owusu.
August Rosenbaum explains: āCalling Out features the unique talent of my favourite singer in Denmark, possibly in the whole world, Philip Owusu. I remember reading an interview with Pharrell Williams back when N.E.R.D. had their heyday. He quoted that one of the things he was listening to the most to at that time was this Danish soul duo, Owusu/Hannibal. I was 19. That was when I discovered Philip and Robinās album, and it sounded so fresh. Still does actually.
For some reason Philip Owusu is a hidden gem on the Danish scene today; which is why I was so honoured that he would collaborate with me on the song Calling Out. When I called him, we had already finished the instrumental, but it felt like something was missing. We had this idea together of a swarm of male voices doubling the harmonies, like on Stevie Wonderās āThey Wonāt Go When I Goā. Then Philip came up with these amazing top and counterpoint lines that made the whole thing vibrate. The lyrics have a kind of George Orwellās āAnimal Farmā fable theme to them, itās the story of the honeybees turning on the bee keeper.”
With Vista August Rosenbaum has created a fascinating album of evocative and soulful music that brings together his rich musical background in both jazz, classical music, film scoring and pop.
The album is written and produced in collaboration with Grammy-nominated producer Robin Hannibal whoāve worked with an impressive range of artists including Little Dragon, Chairlift and Kendrick Lamar.
As summer comes to a close, BROADSIDE are delivering another slice of paradise, the Morrissey-inspired song and new music video āI Love You, I Love You. Itās Disgusting.ā The bittersweet track is the closer on their latest album Paradise, and furthers BROADSIDEās abiding pledge to fearlessly expand their voice as leaders of the pop-punk crusade.
Directed by front-man Ollie Baxxter, he explains, “This is a song for romantics. When you’re in love, you feel consumed in its warmth. I’m happy knowing that I’ve contributed to a very long list of love songs. Also, how fucking cute do ukuleleās sound?!ā Guitarist Niles Gibbs adds, āWe are not afraid to try new things and that is apparent with this song.ā
Currently on tour in the UK, BROADSIDE return for a US tour this November and December, stay tuned for an official announcement.
