40 WATT SUN THE OBSESSED NEUROSIS

THE SKYS THE LIMIT

REFORMED & RESTORED

WE THRIVE UNDER STRESS

#275

OPETH

WE GET A LOT OF SHIT

FOR THE WRONG REASONS

BRANT BJORK

STONED FOR LIFE

WRETCH

DOOMED FOR ALL TIME

TRAP THEM RED FANG OKKULTOKRATI INSOMNIUM BENIGHTED

OATHBREAKER EPICA HALSHUG THY CATAFALQUE & MORE

ISSUE 275 OCT 2016 4.99

ONLINE SHOP, BAND INFOS AND MORE:

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EDITORIAL
#275 OCT 2016

$TK.TK

DARK ARTS LTD

48 Leigh Road, Leigh on Sea, Essex
SS9 1LF, UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7729 7666

LIFE OF MY OWN

PUBLISHER / MANAGING EDITOR

Miranda Yardley miranda@darkartsltd.com
By Harley Flanagan

CONSULTANT EDITOR
Kez Whelan kez@darkartsltd.com

DESIGN

PA TO MY

WRETCHED SPAWN
Rhiannon Yardley

HARLEY FLANAGAN

INTRODUCTION BY STEVEN BLUSH

Harley Flanagan

HARLEY FLANAGANs incredible story is not just the history of New York
hardcore, of which he is a founding father, but a history of New York itself.
steve@darkartsltd.com
Its allSteve
here, an Newman
amazing series
of unlikely coincidences, catastrophes, accomplishments and associations. chances are if it happened in New York and it
was important and interesting? Harley Flanagan was somewhere in the room.
If you care anything about music history, punk rock, hardcore or just a ripping
Clare Shoesmith clare@darkartsltd.com
good story, this is the punch in the face you want and need.
Anthony Bourdain

Cover Pic: ESTER SEGARRA

PRODUCTION
LIFE &OFREVIEWS
MY OWNEDITOR

Introduction by Steven Blush

Life of My Own

Darren Sadler darren@darkartsltd.com

WRECKING CREW

Beth Avison, Olivier Zoltar Badin, Ross Baker, Adrien

Begrand, J. Bennett, Steve Bidmead, Alex Boniwell, Dean
Brown, Louise Brown, Ed Chapman, Serena Cherry,
feralhouse.com
Faye
Coulman, Robyn Doreian, Chris 'Frenchie' French,
Noel Gardner, Ian Glasper, Benj Golanski, Tim Horrocks,
Rod Hunt, Steve Jones, Mike Kemp, Jim Martin, Andy
McDonald, John Mincemoyer, Mrat, John Muskett, Jos
Carlos Santos, Rob Sayce, Joshua Sindell, Kevin StewartPanko, Guy Strachan, Rich Taylor, Andy Walmsley

SNAPPERS
Dan Fellowes, Steve Gerrard, Dan Gray, Kane Hibberd, Rod Hunt,
Zen Inoya, Gobinder Jhitta, Marie Korner, Mark Latham,
Enda Madden, Al Overdrive, Al Pulford, Andre Purvis,
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
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PRINTING
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The views represented in this magazine are not necessarily those
of Dark Arts Ltd. Best endeavours have been taken in all cases to
represent faithfully the views of all contributors and interviewees.
The publisher accepts no responsibility for errors, omissions or the
consequences thereof.

2016 DARK ARTS LTD.

Terrorizer is published every four weeks. No part of this magazine
may be reproduced without the prior consent of the publisher. The
publisher cannot accept responsibility for the advertisements in
this publication.
TERRORIZER, ISSN 135-0677, is published Monthly by Dark Arts
Limited, 48 Leigh Road, Leigh on Sea, Essex SS9 1LF, UK
The 2011 US annual subscription price is 100.00. Airfreight and
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This book is the punch in the face you want and need.
Anthony Bourdain
FERAL
HOUSE

ts always a pleasure to feature Darkthrone on the cover

of Terrorizer. They are a truly reliable band that not only
continue to deliver utterly awesome songs, but fly the
flag for the metal underground. New album Artic Thunder
doesnt disappoint and we hope youll enjoy our cover
feature as much as I enjoyed reading it when it landed in
my inbox.
September is always a time when the music industry
recovers from the summer festivals and starts to look
forward to closure on the year, and believe it or not, start to
think about 2017 and next years releases. On the horizon
theres new albums from a newly reformed The Obsessed
and Obituary just to whet your appetite already. Next year
marks the 30th anniversary of Celtic Frosts Into The
Pandemonium, so I hope to see some kind of reissue. Noise/
Tom G if youre reading! In the meantime, the rest of the
year will see an awesome line-up at this years Damnation
Festival in Leeds and a fuck load more releases to look
forward to including amazing albums by Venom Prison, 40
Watt Sun, Lucifers Chalice and The Dillinger Escape Plan, to
name just a few. Ive also just finished reading former CroMags bassist Harley Flanagans biography which is utterly
fantastic. Its out at the end of this month, well be bringing
you an interview next issue and if you only buy one book this
year make sure its Harleys!
See you next month!
Darren Sadler

WHAT TEAM TERRORIZER HAVE BEEN SCARING

THE NEIGHBOURS WITH THIS MONTH
MIRANDA YARDLEY
(PUBLISHER)

HELEN MONEY
'BECOME ZERO'
(THRILL JOCKEY)

DARREN SADLER
(CONSULTANT EDITOR)

BRANT BJORK

TAO OF THE DEVIL

(NAPALM)

KEZ WHELAN

(PRODUCTION/REVIEWS EDITOR)

URFAUST

EMPTY SPACE MEDITATION

(VN)

JOSCARLOS SANTOS
SENIOR WRITER

NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS

'SKELETON TREE'
(BAD SEED LTD.)

The paper used in this publication is from a mill that carries chain
of custody and is from sustainable forests.

AWARDS
Print Media Management
Innovation in Publishing' Award 2005 - Highly Commended
ACE Press Awards
'Circulation Excellence and Endeavour' - Gold, 2008

ISSUE 276 IS ONSALE 27th OCTOBER

TERRORIZER #275

p74

MASTODON

FEATURES
14. DARKTHRONE

Metals most influential duo talk us through the darker, more

introspective territory explored on seventeenth album Arctic Thunder

20. RED FANG

We talk science, booze and nu-metal with the Portland riff-mongers

22. LET IT DIE

One of the UKs finest, most fiercely independent hardcore acts are
finally ready to unleash their debut album

24. NEUROSIS

Scott Kelly talks us through new album Fires Within Fires and
performing in a new version of Shakespeares Hamlet

28. OPETH

The Swedes evolution continues with dazzling new opus Sorceress

p28

OPETH

32. WRETCH

From the ashes of The Gates Of Slumber, Wretch have risen to be of the
years best new doom acts

34. BRANT BJORK

REGULARS
4. FRONTLINE
Wino gives us an update on The Obsesseds comeback
record, and Insomnium explain their epic new 40-minute
song

6. STUDIO REPORT
Benighted give us a little teaser on their forthcoming slab
of brutality

8. FEAR CANDY
Everything you need to know about this months artists who
are featured on this months slab of heaviness

10. CHOICE CUTS

Monoliths, Gatecreeper, Lucifers Hammer, Endless Swarm,
Mortichnia, Silverchild and many more prime cuts of
extremity are featured this month

The ex-Kyuss drummer kicks back to talk name changes and the
growing acceptance of marijuana

36. GOAT
72. DARK RECOLLECTIONS
The mighty Cirith Ungol remember the turbulent
times that produced their final album, the oft
overlooked Paradise Lost

74. LIVES
We report back from Bloodstock, Portugals
Amplifest and Blackpools Rebellion Festival

80. MIX TAPE

Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastards Jessica Ball
compiles some of her favourite tunes for us

p56

42. 40 WATT SUN

After years trapped in legal hell, 40 Watt Suns stunning second album
is finally here Patrick Walker reveals all

44. EPICA

The Dutch power metallers on space exploration and Dio holograms

46. HALSHUG

The Norwegians explain their mental new album and getting drunk in
the night time

50. OATHBREAKER

The Belgians third album is their most accomplished and ambitious

yet, but it wasnt an easy ride

56. SELECTED & DISSECTED

TERRORIZER #275

Sounding meaner than ever, Trap Them are feeling rejuvenated

48. OKKULTOKRATI

Olivier Zoltar Badin plunges into the murky depths of the

worlds death metal scene

38. TRAP THEM

Southern Lords latest crusty trio discuss d-beats, depression

and Denmark

54. INTO THE GRAVE

New albums from Meshuggah, Opeth, Asphyx, Testament, 40

Watt Sun, Oathbreaker, Alcest, Suicidal Tendencies and more
coming under scrutiny this month

We talk myths and misdirection with the mysterious psychedelic

collective

52. THY CATAFALQUE

The Hungarian avant-garde mastermind has no time for generic

conventions

FAITH NO MORE

PIC: LEIGH A. VAN DER BYL

CONTENTS

EZ WHELAN
EDITED BY K

D
E
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S
E
S
B
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H
T
O TELLS
IN
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D
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R
C
A
S
M
U
ITH NEW ALB
W
K
C
A
B
E
R
A
NOW
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IM
S
H
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P
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THE OBSE
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IN
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TERRORIZER WHY N

Words: Ross Baker

hese songs deserve to be on an Obsessed

album. When our drummer Brian
[Constantino] came on board I saw the light.
The Obsessed deserves more than a handful of one off
shows.
Reformed doom legends The Obsessed have completed

TERRORIZER #275

work on their new album Sacred, and Scott Wino

Weinrich cant wait to get it out there. Recorded with
producer Frank Marchand at Waterford Digital Studio, the
album is scheduled for an early 2017 release via Relapse.
Scott is animated and passionate when it comes to
why he elected to reform doom legends The Obsessed, the
group he cut his teeth with in the late 70s before going
on to join the equally lauded Saint Vitus in the mid-80s,
then returning to the group four years later to soldier on
until the mid-90s. Over twenty years after The Obsessed
released their final studio album The Church Within, Wino
has resurrected the group with the help of Spirit Caravan
bass player Dave Sherman and new drummer Brian
Constantino.
Its like a combination of Lunar Womb, Mother,
Teacher, Destroyer by The Hidden Hand and The Church

Within, he says. One thing that happened was I took

a track that was going to be on my next acoustic record.
Frank Marchand, our producer, has all this amazing
vintage gear. I am surrounded by amps and pedals. Dave
and Brian chip in ideas and we will split the profits of
the record three ways. The Obsessed were always about
diversity, we have some Hammond organ and some crazy
fucking vintage pedals there. We have fourteen songs and
two covers one is Crossroader by the band Mountain. All
the tunes have their own flavour.
To hear Wino sounding so enthused is greatly inspiring
considering the events of November 2014, when Wino was
deported from Norway having been caught in possession of
eleven grams of methamphetamines.
I had to be really loaded to do Saint Vitus, Wino
notes gravely. The arrest was my bad. Im out of the band
by mutual consent but it was my choice. Dave Chandler

BULLET POINTS
Blzer have announced
that their highly anticipated
debut full-length will be entitled
Hero. Its not due out until
November 25th, but if you head
over to their Soundcloud page,
you can check out a brand new
ten minute song called I Am III.

www.Soundcloud.com/Bolzer/iam-iii
Dutch black metallers Urfaust will
release Empty Space Meditation next
month, their first full-length since 2010s
acclaimed Der Freiwillige Bettler and
fourth album overall.

said he thinks being

around me will put
him at risk. I am not
using anymore but if
I was around those
guys 24/7 I probably
would be. That new live
record theyre bringing
out has me on it and I
never okayed it. I dont
even know what songs
are on it. Its the same
old bullshit.
Determined to
put all the negativity
behind him, Wino was
not short of lyrical
inspiration and feels
The Obsessed have
finally found a good
home in new record
label Relapse.
Theres one
down and dirty tune called The Perseverance Of
Futility. It touches on what some people would
say is conspiracy shit. All the videos people were
afraid to post of 9/11 are coming out. All the
data from the firemans communication devices
were recorded. Now you can see that there were
bombs in parts of the buildings and it was
a staged thing! Relapse initially passed on
signing The Hidden Hand when I pitched them
Mother, Teacher, Destroyer but these days they
have a lot of new people working there and a
lot of them are Obsessed fans. When I heard
Relapse were interested I was psyched.
At 55 years old with such a storied
discography behind him, Wino is under no illusion
that its make or break time where The Obsessed are
concerned.
Ive had a lot of chances in my career and I know
I want to make the most of this. Maybe one day The
Obsessed can play in front of 2,000 people rather than
200. This band deserves it.
Sacred will be released in February 2017 via
Relapse
www.Facebook.com/TheObsessedOfficial

IVE HAD A LOT OF

CHANCES IN MY CAREER
AND I KNOW I WANT TO
MAKE THE MOST OF THIS

www.Facebook.com/UrfaustOfficial
Enslaved have just unveiled The
Sleeping Gods Thorn, a compilation
consisting of two EPs they released in 2010
and 2011 respectively. These songs were
recorded both in Solslottet Studio in Bergen,
as well as the band members own studios and

partly in the deep woods of Valevaag on the

South Western Coast of Norway, and is some
of the bands most experimental material.
The compilation is due this November on By
Norse Music, and comes complete with liner
notes from vocalist/bassist Grutle Kjellson
and artwork from Costin Chioreanu.
www.ByNorse.com

INSOMNIUM

innish melodic metal luminaries Insomnium

are poised to drop their seventh studio opus,
Winters Gate via Century Media later this month.
Comprised of a single 40-minute track that follows an
epic Viking fantasy saga penned by none other than
visionary frontman Niilo Sevnen, the ambitious project
takes notable inspiration from Edge Of Sanitys 1995
classic, Crimson.
This is really taking things to the next level for us,
reports Sevnen. That a heavy metal band releases a
short story in the form of an album, book and audiobook.
Its truly like a multidimensional work of art. Everybody
Ive been talking to has been really enthusiastic about the
idea and luckily no one so far has accused us of trying
to be too artistic or difficult, the vocalist laughs. With
Edge Of Sanity legend Dan Swan handling mixing and
mastering duties, the studio veteran warmly praised the
forthcoming epic as a a progressive masterpiece made
from the ashes of all the albums I mixed in the 90s.

Together with increasing moves toward a fittingly

frostbitten black metal influence in the vein of such
genre-defining classics as Emperor, Sevnen comments
of this vintage feel, I think it somehow just crept in
there quite subconsciously. As soon as we had the
story, we all had the same kind of inner feeling about
this and, as we started writing the riffs and putting
them together, we quickly realised that we were all on
the same page. Totally the same kind of melodies and
atmosphere that really resembles a lot of stuff that we
were releasing in the 90s. Its a dark and dreary story
and the music absolutely had to fit that. A very winter is
coming kind of feeling.
Set to be debuted live in the UK in its epic entirety
in January 2017, Sevnen and co. have confirmed that
plans for Insomniums upcoming touring cycle are
already underway. Brace yourselves!
www.Insomnium.net

ITS TRULY A MULTIDIMENSIONAL

WORK OF ART

For daily updates check www.Terrorizer.com

TERRORIZER #275

Artist: Benighted
Title: Necrobreed
Studio: Kohlekeller studio, Seeheim,
Germany
Producers: Kristian Kohlmannslehner &
Benighted
Release date: February 2017
Label: Season Of Mist
eleven tracks. He already had what youd call that
Benighted touch, that mix of death and grind
with black elements so it felt pretty natural. Overall,
Id say the new one is more death metal and less
hardcore sounding than Carnivore Sublime.

Romain made a name for himself with his

fast beats. We bet he didnt slow things
down

Interview: Olivier Zoltar Badin

Far from it! Especially since Emmanuel loves to

play fast tempos, so yes, its very fast! Its also
pretty vicious with very bleak parts and dirty
samples that go hand in hand with the whole
concept.

ITS PRETTY VICIOUS WITH VERY

BLEAK PARTS AND DIRTY SAMPLES
A lot of things happened since the
release of your previous album Carnivore
Sublime, including an almost complete
overhaul of your line-up since youve lost
three members out of five
Julien Truchan (vocals): Indeed! The first blow was
when out of the blue right after Hellfest, both our
latest bass player and second guitarist announced
to us they were leaving. They both had a pop band
on the side and next thing we knew, they were
pressured by their manager to focus on their pop
future and drop that stupid metal thing. So they
basically left without warning, leaving us with only
one month to find two replacements before our
next gig. It turned out for the best as we replaced
them with guitarist Emmanuel Dalle who is a
phenomenal musician and former Aabsinthe bass
player Pierre Arnoux who also does great backing
vocals. The craziest part is that Dalles first gig with
us was at the Sylak Open Air in August 2014 in
front of thousands of people and where we shot
our first DVD!

my closest friends. But whereas in the rest of the

band we all have day jobs and family, hes always
been the one whos wanted to become a fulltime
musician. Thats why hes been doing so much
session work and was always on the hunt for a
big band. So when he got the gig with Abbath
we werent supposed to talk about it then we
really encouraged him to take his chance. But on
the other hand, we told him that we werent his
backup plan and that if he was leaving Benighted,
it was for good, even if it didnt work out with
the Norwegians and he totally got that. It was
actually Romain Goulon from Necrophagist who
got in touch with us. We had thought about him
before but we believed that he was too busy and
that we were too underground for him. But he
told us that he didnt care about the money and
that Necrophagist wasnt going anywhere since
their guitarist/vocalist Muhammed was such a
perfectionist that hes been scrapping everything
he writes ever since 2004s Epitaph and that they
havent played live in years anyway.

Then your close friend and drummer

Kevin Foley left

So the new boys were pretty involved in

the new albums songwriting?

Its a different story: Kevin was and still is one of

Mostly Emmanuel as hes written nine of the

TERRORIZER #275

Youve been working with Kristian since

2004s Insane Cephalic Production so
we guess you have your own routine by
now?
Totally. As we speak, the rest of the band are
recording all the music, then Ill go there and do
my vocals alone with Kristian in about three days,
thats usually what it takes and Ive done a lot of
pre-production so Im well prepared.

As a nurse working in psychiatric

hospital, youve done pretty fucked-up
concepts for the band before. Is that
once again the case then?
Oh yes. This time, the whole album is centered
around one schizophrenic persons obsession with
maternity after a childhood trauma. So he picks
up roadkill and then sews them on his body. The
ensuing infection raises the temperature of his
body and he starts to believe that those animals
are actually alive and that he somehow resurrected
them and so on. Its pretty fucked up!

Have recorded anything extra, for a

limited edition for instance?
Yes, we actually recorded two covers as well. I
wont tell you of which songs but lets say that
one is very old-school and the second one is from
the black metal realm. I think its going to surprise
many people
www.Facebook.com/BrutalBenighted

Artwork: KEN COLEMAN (WWW.ARTOFKENCOLEMAN.COM)

All the best things come in pairs, and our Fear

Candy CDs are no exception. Heres the first of
this months terrible twosome, eighteen prime
cuts of sonic savagery...
TerrorizerFearCandy.Bandcamp.com
1. WORMROT

'Fallen Into Disuse' from the Earache album

'Voices'
This one minute twenty seconds of pure aural
disharmony is taken from the Singapore grindsters face-ripping third album Voices.
Facebook.com/Wormrot

2. ((RSJ))

'Hit The Road Jack' from the Three Sixty Music

album 'Giant Glenn'
This eruption of ugliness and rage will certainly
make you shut up and listen. 'Giant Glenn'
features guest vocals from Raging Speedhorn's
John Loughlin and The Qemistss Olly Simmons.
Nasty, Naughty and downright noisy.
Facebook.com/RSJBand

3. STILL FALLING

'Observ' from the self-released album 'Free

of Avidya'
This Greek five piece produce a perfect balance
between brutal riffage, multifarious vocals
and scene-setting melodies in this track which
showcases the bands potential.
Facebook.com/StillFallingBand

4. OUTRIGHT RESISTANCE

'Gee, Dysphoria' from the self-released EP

'Me Vs. I'
Outright Resistance have been getting
around, with their heavy gigging
schedule including UK and European
tours, and a recent slot at Bloodstock.
These fast rising Herts groovers convey
positive messages and ridiculously heavy
grooves.
Facebook.com/
OutrightResistanceBand

5. OPEN SURGERY

'Certain Death By Radiation' from

the forthcoming album 'Post Mortem
Mutilation'
Hailing from Finspng in Sweden, Open
Surgery formed in 2012 and play precision surgical death metal.
Facebook.com/OpenSurgery

6. INDOMINUS

'Legion Within' from the Legion Within EP

'Legion Within'
Indominus is a five piece death metal
band from Northern Ireland, forming from
the still twitching carcass of another
band, they released their debut EP
September 2016.
Facebook.com/IndominusNI

7. WHERES MY BIBLE

'Last Passage' from the self-released EP

'The Beginning'
These Finnish metalhead friends started
a metal band with rocknroll flavour and
the metallic taste of energetic Mosh
and Roll.
Facebook.com/WheresMyBible

8. MERCYLESS

'My Name Is Legion' from the Kaotoxin

Records album 'Pathetic Divinity'
Genuine old-school unholy death metal
veterans Mercyless go back to their roots,
somewhere between their two cult 90s
albums Abject Offerings and Coloured
Funeral. Their sixth studio full-length
Pathetic Divinity a full-on aural assault
against everything deemed holy and the
one nailed to the cross.
Bit.ly/Mercyless_Shop

9. CALLIDICE

'Scarlet' from the self-released EP 'Scarlet'

Callidice was formed in the winter of 2014 in the
middle of cold and snowy Finland. Scarlet offers
fine melodic tunes and true Finnish melancholy,
spiced up with heavy growls and intensive playing.
Facebook.com/Callidice

Facebook.com/GrandMassive

Facebook.com/FreezesDeyna

11. THE BLACK HOUNDS

16. KLONQUE

'Gallows' from the Twisted ninja EP 'Gallows'

From the birthplace of heavy metal come
The Black Hounds, with powerhouse vocals,
thunderous basslines, searing riffs and
chest pounding drums. Dark, powerful and
ball-achingly intense.
www.TheBlackHounds.com

12. NEBULAE COME SWEET

'Le N' from the Ghastly Music/Miner Records
album 'It Is Not The Night That Covers You'
This metal trio from the Belarusian marshy
plains drifts through your earphones with
sweet and heavy tunes of melancholy and the
mysteries of night...

'Demonized' from the Ghastly Music/Miner

Records album 'Ternion Demonarchy'
This Serbian death metal division delivers
the ABC of death metal, heavily rooted in
early 90s style and wrapped in the modern
sound of Stefano Morabito and the16th Cellar
Studio. A.gressive, B.rutal, C.atchy D.eath
metal.
Facebook.com/SacramentalBlood

14. MYTH OF A LIFE

TERRORIZER #275

15. FREEZES DEYNA

'Deliver Me' from the Metalville/Flying Dolphin

album 'III'
Germany's massive metal squad is back with
their third album of heavy, doom-loaded riffs
and headcrushing grooves.

13. SACRAMENTAL BLOOD

Facebook.com/MythOfALife

'Only Fucking Human' the Sixteentimes Music

single
Only Fucking Human is our first glimpse of
the bands yet unnamed upcoming album.
Freezes Deyna reanimate the corpse of
crossover and throw it right back in your
face, fresher than ever.

10. GRAND MASSIVE

Facebook.com/NebulaeComeSweet

KLONQUE

a continuation on the themes Myth of Life

set with their 'Erinyes' EP, melodic death
metal with a lot of thrash metal, metalcore
and straight up death metal parts.

'Waiting Die' from the Sleaszy Rider Records

album 'She Who Invites'
The full-length 'She Who Invites' is essentially

'You Think You Know' from the 623950

Records DK EP 'Burn Particularly'
Burn Particularly is a wild mixture of death
metal, thrash, heavy groove and furious guitar work and two singers roar their against
the politics of Nazi fucktards. Klonque is the
new band from Peter and Thomas of Germany
s own thrash pioneers Holy Moses.
Facebook.com/Klonque

17. REDEYE REVIVAL

'Party Food' from the self-released EP 'Raise

Hell, No Regrets'
The spirit of gonzoid party thrash is alive and
well with Redeye Revival, the speed metal
maniacs have a raging crossover sound
that is custom designed to cause absolute
bedlam.
Facebook.com/RedEyeRevival

18. STONEHEAD

'Mama Always Told Me' from the Kick the

Flame album 'Inner Demons'
Stonehead combine highly energetic
rocknroll with stoner and psychedelic elements as well as dashes of blues. The band
is the brainchild of four long-time friends
from Dresden, Germany, who play the music
they love and feel, irrespective of genre
conventions and boundaries.
Facebook.com/StoneheadRocks

Artwork: KEN COLEMAN (WWW.ARTOFKENCOLEMAN.COM)

Its been a couple of years since we scoped the

music from the other side of the world, here is the
result, fourteen tearaway tracks of Australian
antipodean anarchy...
TerrorizerFearCandy.Bandcamp.com
1. GODS OF EDEN

'Beyond The Persian Veil' from the selfreleased album 'From The End Of Heaven'
Sydneys Gods Of Eden push the limits of
creativity and technical ability. Utilising
acoustic guitars, orchestras, and electronic
soundscapes to give enormous depth to their
sound, their epic arrangements are full of
nuance, layers and richness. Lyrically they
explore concepts and alternate theories of the
truths that lie behind the veil of our modern
existence and dystopia.
Facebook.com/GodsOfEden

2. JACK THE STRIPPER

'Nibiru' from the self-released album 'Raw

Nerve'
Melbournes Jack The Stripper play a fierce and
innovative brand of chaotic hardcore. They
have a relentless work ethic and an atypical,
ferocious on-stage prowess resulting in one
of the most incredibly intense live shows you
will ever experience: boundary pushing, totally
sensory-inclusive and an interactive extreme
experience.
www.JackTheStripper.com.au

3. DAEMON PYRE

'Misanthropic Parallels' from the New Justice

Records album 'Daemon Pyre'
In only two years, Daemon Pyre have set world
of death metal ablaze with their juxtaposed
fusion of Gothenburg melodies and caustic
brutality. Sharing stages with The Haunted,
Insomnium, Goatwhore, Psycroptic and King
Parrot, their live show has been praised for its
furore. Feel the fury of justice!
Facebook.com/DaemonPyre

4. ENVENOMED

'Reckoning' from the self-released EP 'Evil

Unseen'
Influenced by the melody of Iron Maiden
and Symphony X and the thrash and groove
of Megadeth, Metallica and Testament,
Melbournes Envenomed combine these styles
while still retaining the hooks of traditional
heavy metal and world-class musicianship.
Facebook.com/EnvenomedOfficial

5. APPARITIONS OF
NULL

'Kaleidoscopes Pt 1 - Grounded Names'

from the self-released EP 'Kaleidoscopes'
Sydneys Apparitions of Null are a
progressive metal band with a passion
for extended, titanic compositions that
commonly exceed 25 minutes in length.
Facebook.com/ApparitionsOfNull

6. DARKER HALF

'Nemesis' from the self-released album

'Never Surrender'
Darker Half are a melodic metal band
from Sydney. Their melodic, soaring
choruses, positive lyrical themes and old
school us against them thrash vibe is
like Children Of Bodom meets Rust In
Peace-era Megadeth. Plenty of double
kick fury, galloping riffs and urgency
abound!

9. TABERAH

'Necromancer' from the self-released EP 'Welcome

To The Crypt'
Tasmanias Taberah are one of Australia's fastest
growing names. The band mixes the traditional
heavy metal of Maiden and Sabbath, the swagger
of AC/DC and Thin Lizzy, the theatrics of Queen and
The Darkness, and the aggression of Motrhead
and Metallica, all done with a slightly modern and
original twist.
Facebook.com/Taberah.tas

10. LAGERSTEIN

'Land Of Bundy' from the self-released album 'All For

Rum & Rum For All'
Lagerstein are the seven-piece all drinking, all
rocking, all pirating rock/folk/metal powerhouse
from Brisbane. They have released their latest
collection of eleven sea shanties in the shape of All
For Rum & Rum For All, continuing on their journey
as Australias kings of pirate-metal.

www.DarkerHalf.com

Facebook.com/Lagerstein

7. BLACK RHENO

11. HAZMAT

'No Time For Numb Nuts' from the selfreleased EP 'Let's Start a Cult'
Sydneys Northern Beaches are the perfect
location to discover the mixed up stylings
of Black Rheno. Mixing stoner, sludge,
grind and straight-up heavy metal, their
emphasis is on a heavy groove that gets
your body moving and your mind melting,
meshing it all into one epic crazy style of
dirty rock n roll.

'Sold' from the self-released album 'Atonement'

Hazmat hail from Sydney. They fuse elements of
speed and traditional metal to produce their own
breed of blistering thrash metal and have just
released their second album Atonement, a major
step up in songwriting, musicianship and production
for the band it forges an uncompromising ten track
slab of heavy metal.

12. DIMINISH THE GODS

'Shadow Of The Adversary' from the self-released

album 'Diminish The Gods'
Diminish The Gods are a five piece technical/
progressive death metal from Sydney who have
forged a sound of their own. Technical melodic
patterns intertwine in chaotic progression before
plunging into brutal rhythm structures and
breakdowns.
Facebook.com/DiminishTheGods

13. TEMPEST RISING

'A Part Of Me' the self-released single

Perths Tempest Rising like contrast; the vocals
range from high falsettos and operatic power to
deep guttural growls and piercing screams. Their
guitars mix up old school thrash with groove,
core and semi progressive leanings, while the
bass can either do the driving or set the pace
with funk.
Facebook.com/TempestRisingOfficial

14. OUR LAST ENEMY

'Wolves Of Perigord' from the Eclipse Records

album 'Pariah'
Sydneys Our Last Enemy arent just an industrial
metal band; their music is akin to a mix-tape
designed for surviving and navigating an apocalyptic wasteland with machine-like grinding
guitars, shrieking synth lines, pounding rhythms
and big production. Its a horror movie on CD.
Facebook.com/OurLastEnemy

www.HazmatMetal.com

www.BlackRheno.com

8. DEADSPACE

'Life' from the self-released EP 'Gravity'

Deadspace are an ambient post rock/
black metal band from Perth. Combining
a smorgasbord of misery drenched vocals,
treacherously uplifting melodies, driving
percussive integrity and dramatic mood
swings, their music drags you beneath the
surface of the darkest waters, savagely
tossing you around and slowly tearing you
to pieces.
Facebook.com/
DeadSpaceCollective

DEADSPACE
FRIA LOUCA

TERRORIZER #275

Pic: Richard Culm

MONOLITHS

I WAS HATING SOCIETY AND PLAYING A LOT OF

GUITAR TO FIND SOLACE

was hating society and playing a lot

of guitar to find solace and mental
space away from its destructive and
brainwashing stranglehold on the mind,
begins guitarist David Tobin, who those of
you in tune with this little islands drone/
doom scene will recognise as being one half
of Ommadon. Some of the riffs were written
in Glasgow, a city that could be beautiful
but is run by corrupt and small-minded men,
some were written years earlier in rmchi,
a city under martial law run by even more
corrupt and small-minded men. I had a lot of
riffs together which were written during those
moments that were slightly more energetic
and less morose than the soporific nature of
Ommadon. Me, Tanya [Byrne, of Bismuth,
Megalodoom, ex-Diet Pills] and Henry [Davies,
of Moloch, ex-Army Of Flying Robots] had
been friends through music for a long time
and I thought, who is my favourite bass player
and favourite drummer in the UK (that Im not
already in a band with!) and they were both
into it. Im lucky.

10

TERRORIZER #275

Ommadon are one of my favourite bands,

and I love the way Tobin plays, so when
Tobin asked me, it made sense to me that
we should play some riffs together, Tanya
continues. It can be pretty tricky to find time
for everything, but I also think that if you are
into making something, you reserve time for
it, even if that time is short. You just have to
be more focused! Playing in a three-piece is
a different dynamic then playing in a twopiece or a four-piece, which is part about
what makes Monoliths enjoyable for me. This
band gives freedom that perhaps you dont
get playing as a two-piece. With Bismuth,
Im constantly worrying that I cover all the
frequencies I want to, but with this band, I
know that Tobin has got my back.
We didnt have a plan at all, says David.
I just wanted to play these riffs. And I
wanted Tanya and Henry to both play the
way they wanted to because I love the way
they play. Heavy but raw and aggressive. Id
say me and Tanyas playing slotted together
pretty seamlessly and it felt quite droney even

though it was riffy. Henrys drumming then

made the band feel the way it feels. Through
jamming, he built the dynamics of the songs
and the drums set the lengths of the riffs
through the way the rhythms build and flow.
His drumming tells a story and hes got a bit
of the Bill Ward about him (I hate playing
beats. Im an orchestration drummer)! We
didnt really talk about it though and we just
kept playing until it felt right.
The trio have just released their selftitled debut (which Tobin describes as two
songs, seventeen minutes each, riffs), and
there are plenty more riffs where that came
from! Were obviously juggling Ommadon,
Bismuth, and Moloch (amongst other things)
and jobs but were playing Nottingham,
Glasgow, and Newcastle at the start of
September. Were up for more and for
touring too. Get in touch.
KEZ WHELAN
Monoliths is out now on Dry Cough
www.Facebook.com/MonolithsDoom

THE END

WE CANT WAIT TO DOMINATE

THE WORLD

n 2014, less than six months after the

release of their long-awaited proper
second album Back From Beyond,

legendary death-metal act Massacre threw in

the towel for the third, and most probably, last
time. Their latest line-up split in half, with bass

player Terry Butler and vocalist Ed Webb forming

Hideous on one side and on the other, drummer
Mike Mazzonetto and guitarist Rick Rozz starting
The End.
While Hideous have just wrapped up their first
proper recording, The End shot first with the
Crawling Back To Life demo last January. Now
properly mixed and mastered, those two tracks
(plus two more) have just been released officially
as Age Of Apocalypse, an EP that can be
perceived more and less as a direct continuation
of Back From Beyond since Rozz confesses
that two of its tracks were originally written for
Massacre and that the moniker The End was
chosen as some kind of ironic reference to what
had just happened.
Mazz and I we knew right away we would
continue making music together, all we had
to do was to find the proper singer/bassist to
complete the trio, he explains. Enter Michael
Grim from Panama Citys Death Before Dying,
whom Rozz has known for a few years.
Age Of Apocalypse was what was shopped to
labels to get a new contract but the six-stringer
assures us that theres plenty of music, believe
me, and that he cant wait to record our fulllength and dominate the world! Only time
will tell if thats enough to replace Massacres
1991 debut From Beyond in the collective
consciousness
OLIVIER ZOLTAR BADIN
Age Of Apocalypse is out now on FDA Rekotz
www.Facebook.com/TheEndFlorida

PIC: Lewis Maxwell

ts got loads of sass, edible guitar tones and heaps

of groove, says Silverchild vocalist Alex Hiley, on
the Stoke-On-Trent based quartets swaggering
debut EP Red Desert. Its sleazy and fun, like straight up
hard rock should be. The band have already made quite
a name for themselves with their high octane live shows
up and down the country. We always get feedback about
70s and 80s movies, like You remind me of Waynes
World, rather than people likening us to other bands.
Which is totally cool, I like that people get that vibe from
us and that we dont sound just like anyone else, Alex
smiles. Our best moment to date has gotta be doing an
impromptu second set after Mars Red Sky at Rebellion
Manchester. Nobody was ready to finish partying and so
it was a total stage invasion, I couldnt see the rest of the
band for people falling off the stage but it was the best
fun ever, to share that kind of moment with friends and
music junkies alike is what its all about! [KW]
www.Facebook.com/SilverchildBand

GATECREEPER

lthough theyve been dubbed as Entombedcore

by some meaning theyre mixing the fat-asfuck-downtuned six-string sound first tested by
Nihilist in the late 80s with the in-your-face approach
of classic hardcore Gatecreeper are actually not from
Stockholm Sweden but Arizona, a place namechecked
in their first albums title Sonoran Depravation, the
Sonoran desert being one of the largest and hottest
deserted place in the States. Hot on the heels of three
splits in twelve months, their debut was mixed by Kurt
Ballou from Converge who knows a thing or two about
this kind of greasy assault after working with Vallenfyre
and All Pigs Must Die, so he has that sound dialled in,
confirms their singer Chase. Very few people know how
to harness the power of the chainsaw guitar tone like he
does! He says they arent using the famous HM-2 pedal
but a contemporary model called Left Hand Wrath,
basically an updated version of the HM-2. [OZB]
www.Facebook.com/Gatecreeper

MORTICHNIA

heres more to Irish black metal than just Altar

Of Plagues, yknow; a case in point, Dublins
Mortichnia have just released their incredible
debut Heir To Scoria And Ash on Apocalyptic
Witchcraft, a harrowing fusion of screeching black
metal intensity with the forlorn atmospherics of doom
metal. Its a very personal record, the writing process
took a number of years and writing music has always
been a cathartic process for me so its a culmination
of all the negativity, anxiety, self-doubt and disgust
Ive experienced in that time. Lyrically the album is
self reflective, a criticism of personal failings and an
exploration on the consequence of action. Despite their
slow, meticulous writing process (if its not sending
shivers up my spine when we play it, its not fit for
public consumption), the quartet are already working
on a follow-up, but will be taking a break to tour with
From The Bogs Of Aughiska this November. [KW]
www.Facebook.com/MortichniaBand

TERRORIZER #275

Words: Olivier Zoltar Badin, Kez Whelan

SILVERCHILD

11

LUCIFERS HAMMER

IT SEEMED TO US AS A POTENT NAME FOR A HEAVY

METAL BAND

oming across like a hungry young

version of Iron Maiden, complete with
all those sing-along guitar harmonies
and galloping parts yet with a foot firmly
set in the occult and armed with the kind
of creepy tales King Diamond mused about
in Mercyful Fate, Lucifers Hammer follow
the dark heavy metal trail of fire left by
the too ephemeral Metal Grave. After a first
demo (Night Sacrifice) released in the fall
of 2013 only six months after they had
initially formed in Santiago, the initial pair
of Titan (drums) and Hades (guitar, vocals)
enlisted the service of Hypnos (bass, guitar)
just in time to commit to tape their debut
album Beyond The Omens.
The basic idea was to play traditional
70s and 80s metal confirms Hades. We
are also really fond of the NWOBHM, 70s
bands and the American speed metal scene,
as well as progressive bands such as Camel
but its hard to limit our influences to
specific styles or scenes. Prior to Lucifers
Hammer, we had a speed/thrash band called

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TERRORIZER #275

Demolition Steel, with whom we recorded

a demo, but it quickly ran into the sand
for various reasons beyond our control.
We took the name from a book by Larry
Niven and Jerry Pournelle, a science fiction
disaster novel first published in 1977. At
the beginning it seemed to us as a potent
name for a heavy metal band but we never
thought about it in a satanic way, of course
people can think whatever they want.
As most classic heavy metal records go,
the albums hand drawn artwork illustrates
the albums red thread.
The story behind the artwork and
concept of the album is one of a medieval
warrior and his three guardian wolves.
Chosen through a dream by ancient
prophecies, he knows hes got to fight to
reconquer his land and bring back joy to
his oppressed people. But after a terrible
battle, he dies on the battlefield, yet
knowing that he has defeated tyranny and
that his spirit and legacy will live on long
after his death.

While theyve just completed work on

a four track EP, theyve already started
working on their next album, to strike while
the iron is still hot. And it doesnt seem
to matter to them that even though lately
Chile has become synonymous with great
bands, most of them are death metal to
the bone and not very likely to be mistaken
with a lost Neat Records act
Im just happy that my country has
shown a great variety of bands lately. This
being said, its not hard to pick up a guitar
and start making music. The real problem
here is to find a proper studio to record
your stuffs in. Ironically, we seem to get
more support from abroad than from our
own people but its still very encouraging
to see foreign record labels showing their
interest in our part of the world.
OLIVIER ZOLTAR BADIN
Beyond The Omens is out now on Shadow
Kingdom
www.Facebook.com/LucifersHammerBand

ENDLESS SWARM
WE GET TO WORK WITH INCREDIBLE BANDS
FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD

(ahem) of splits since their first demo back in

2013.
Splits are great! Half the cost, double

GARGANJUA

HERIOT

aging Edinburgh grind outfit Endless

Swarm are a hardworking bunch, having
put out a seemingly endless swarm

rom humble sludge roots, Leicesters Garganjua

have grown into a more dynamic and emotive
sound on their debut full-length A Voyage
In Solitude, not a million miles away from the likes
of Pallbearer or Warning. I guess the first EP was
stereotypical stoner sounding as it was a bit rushed and
those types of songs came a little easier, but once we
had done that EP and knew that we wanted to carry on,
I really started thinking about exploring my other doom
fuelled influences. I wanted more melody and more
epicness, laughs guitarist/vocalist Scott Taylor (also
of Beholder). Its sort of a concept album that deals
with life, death and the meaninglessness of it all really.
Lyrically, it was a chance to express the darker elements
of the human thought process. Musically, it was about
creating a sort of journey for the listener. With this one
in the bag, now the plan is to gig as much as possible
and hit the studio in May to record album two! [KW]
Garganjua.Bandcamp.com

windon hardcore outfit Heriot mean

business with new single China Lake.
Its named after the grenade launcher.
China Lake is primarily about being sent to war,
about the decisions being made by leaders and
how it destroys the lives of the less fortunate.
Taken from their upcoming EP World Collapse,
the band has added some doom elements to their
sound. Our new record is a lot darker and a lot
slower than our previous material. Theres a lot
in doom that weve left behind though, theres
no ten minute songs on this record, all our tracks
can still get radio play. Both genres have very
different fan bases and were pretty confident
that we can please both! The three piece are
currently booking a run of release shows for the
record, having recently played the Hobgoblin
New Blood Stage at Bloodstock. [JH]
www.Facebook.com/HeriotUK

DEMON BITCH

ith such a moniker and OTT pose, plus the

almost nave artwork designed by their own
shrieking vocalist Logon, you know right
away that these traditionalists dont want anybody
to fuck with their heavy metal, with a sound overall
more akin to traditional US power metal or just plain
obscure heavy metal, explains Logon. Their debut
album Hellfriends was produced by former Borrowed
Time guitarist Matt Preston and includes seven tracks
influenced by old fantasy and sci-fi novels, plus
Michael Moorcocks Elric saga. But songs like Beneath
The Ice Caves or Microdome are actually based on an
unpublished (and unfinished) short sword-and-sorcery
type story that I wrote, not sure if itll ever see the
light of day, time will tell I suppose. You might suggest
Robert E. Howard too, but if Demon Bitch is ever to
write a song based on a book, it will be Edgar Rice
Burroughs A Princess Of Mars! [OZB]
DemonBitch.Bandcamp.com

TERRORIZER #275

Words: Olivier Zoltar Badin, Jamie Hampshire, Kez Whelan

PIC: Positive Cacophony

the promotion is the best way to describe

them, says vocalist Graham Caldwell. It also
means we get to work with incredible bands
from the other side of the world. Our entire
US tour is being booked using contacts weve
made through splits with two US based bands.
We currently have two more splits planned,
the Gets Worse split 7, then we have a split
7 coming out with Disparo from Australia
which we aim to record in November. Their
recent split with Leeds fastcore darlings
Lugubrious Children finds them laying down a
furious cover of Terrorizers Storm Of Stress,
a band were pretty big fans of here if you
hadnt already guessed.
Were all heavily influenced by early
grindcore bands like Terrorizer, Brutal Truth,
ENT and Napalm Death and we thought
we could make quite an interesting cover
of a Terrorizer song giving it more of a
powerviolence twist. Im really happy with
how it turned out as it does sound like an
Endless Swarm track rather than a straight
copy of a Terrorizer one At least I hope so!
The band are just about to hit Europe with
Groak ahead of that aforementioned US tour,
and theyre making plans to tour South East
Asia in 2018. Release-wise we have plans to do
a few more splits and a 10/12 of all Endless
Swarm material!
KEZ WHELAN
The Endless Swarm/Tools Of The Trade Split is
out now on Mind Ripper Collective/Kusottare
www.Facebook.com/EndlessSwarm

13

DARKTHRONE
14

TERRORIZER #275

Fans

crashed their website when

Thunder

Norways

such was the excitement that

and we understand why completely!

most revered metal duo posted a pre-order up for

DARKTHRONEs

TERRORIZER

NOCTURNO CULTO SKJELLUM

Artic

new album was finally being unleashed,

spoke to

GYLVE FENRIZ NAGELL

and

TED

about the creation of album number seventeen

Words: Jos Carlos Santos Photos: Ester Segarra

ont you wish there were more bands like

Darkthrone? Seriously, think about it,
even if youre one of those still pining for
another blaze in the northern sky, put that aside
for a second and think about what the duo of
Gylve Fenriz Nagell and Ted Nocturno Culto
Skjellum really mean to metal. If a band was ever
true to metal, to extreme music as a whole, that
band is Darkthrone. Completely, unashamedly free,
they do what they want, how they want, when they
want, and have never, ever cracked beneath any
pressure, expectation or fan entitlement syndrome,
a condition they have experienced probably more
than any other metal band of our time. These two
men have real character, it shines through in the
music they do together, keeping their individuality
while at the same time creating a unique fusion of
very different personalities. The hyper-opinionated,
super enthusiastic complete music freak who knows
every demo from every obscure metal band of
the 80s, and the quieter, seemingly impenetrable
iceman who is the only person alive capable of
out-Frosting Tom G. himself how can you beat
that? You cant make that shit up even if you tried.
And we are privileged to live in a time when weve
witnessed this band put out seventeen (count them
and include Goatlord, because Fenriz does: We
always count it, we worked damn hard on it!) fulllength records, among them some of the best black
metal albums ever, and some of the best death
metal albums ever some of the best metal albums
ever, full stop. Come on, admit it, how many other
bands do you know that would still get you all
excited for the release of their seventeeth studio
album?
Thats what Arctic Thunder is, and while it
follows a recent lineage of boisterous, almost
celebratory albums, it seems to be the one that
breaks the streak, and which consequently inspires
fewer words from its creators.
Its always difficult to say something about
our albums, but one thing that is pretty obvious is
that this one is more sinister than the last ones,
Ted ventures, to start off. Its darker, and also for

the first time in many years Im doing all the vocals

on the entire album. When I became aware that I
was going to do all the vocals, I thought that I had
to do a lot of things right in the sense of having
to go all in, to adjust to the darker, more black
metal kind of vibe. But then again, you can always
ask what is black metal, so he trails off and
everybody lets out a groany laugh, signalling that
weve all been down that road too many times and
wed all rather not do it again.
So Fenriz picks up on this initial Arctic
Thunder description talk.
I wanted us to go into a more introvert style,
he says. Weve been doing freestyle wildly and
celebratorily, even, I feel, in the last albums. We
were particularly happy with the last one and we
thought we couldnt top it continuing in that
style, so I thought wed go in a direction that
is a bit different. But thats all in my mind! I
communicate some of my thoughts to Ted, but of
course I have no control of what he does, he does
what he wants. Im the only who usually changes
stuff up, and I think his style is more or less like
the usual and my style is slow I was trying to
make slow heavy metal, mostly. But then again,
what is my thought before I start making music
turns into something else. I cant just make slow
heavy metal, I made one totalitarian album, which
was Transilvanian Hunger, and that was the only
Darkthrone record that was done all in the same
style.

o once more there is some variation, and

while a couple of listens will indeed make
clear to any long time Darkthrone fans which
four songs are Teds and which four songs are
Fenriz, the clash is much, much less noticeable this
time than it has been in the past few records, and
its not all due to the unity provided by the vocals.
In the last few years Ive become more and
more of a music journalist. More and more Ive
gone into the promo circles that we take part of,
and Im always seeing bands trying to find their
style, for lack of a better term, but we will just

continue to be Tedthrone and Fenrizthrone, I think.

Weve never tried to make varied records, but
thats what it always ends up being, Fenriz muses,
but Ted agrees on the hardened consistency of
this new collection of songs. He got the idea
that it would be more consistent to have just one
vocalist, and in the end it just happened. I think it
suits our music this time. Its not so nice. Hah, no,
we wouldnt use nice to describe any part of this
record, no no no.
If everyone thinks that, then I think its okay,
Fenriz proceeds. The songwriting has been divided
for a long time now, and it was one of my plans
to sort of mess with that somehow. Since I had
problems overcoming the last album, I tried to do
something else instead, and bringing Teds vocals
to all the songs does indeed help in making it feel
like more of one piece. One piece Adidas tracksuit!
he laughs, and as usual makes everyone laugh too.
Also I had like four albums in my mind for my
direction. For instance, one of the four was the
first Candlemass, but then when I sort of shook my
head, after everything was recorded and made and
I could finally listen to what we did, the first thing
Im hearing is, where the hell did this Candlemass
inspiration go? I cant find it at all. Usually I have
something in mind, but that doesnt mean Ill sit
down and write a similar riff. Its something foggy,
I know the album so well and I need some guiding
light, but thats it. Then when Im done making
the riffs and songs and I can hear it, its time to sit
down and actually, like a journalist, review what
it sounds like. I have done that for that first song
that was premiered, I spoke some words so I can
just guide everyone through what I feel it is. I cant
of course do it for Teds tracks, because he doesnt
tell me anything, never talks about it to me even,
he doesnt have any guiding lights at all. He just
sits down and makes the riffs, and it doesnt really
work that way for me. He doesnt talk about his
stuff at all I think all the journalists should go
up to his house and stand outside and have a
demonstration. We want you to do interviews too!
Its always me and I can only talk about my stuff.

WE BELIEVE IN MISTAKES, AND KEEPING THEM

TERRORIZER #275

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TERRORIZER #275

17

DARKTHRONE

ITS A BIG, NEW WORLD NOW, AND PEOPLE ARE

MORE LIKE REAL MUSIC FREAKS

ruined by bad sound, and especially bad drum

sound! So yeah, I heard the new song, I get what
they want to do, and I wish them all the best.

o, one more for that growing shelf. Its

now seventeen full-length records, plus
all the other different releases, not to
mention the non-Darkthrone stuff each of the
two have been involved in. Their lifes work, as
one usually says. Is it, though?
Im very happy with everything, Ted states,
without a hint of doubt. Im proud of every
record. We set out as a young band, trying
to be the best we can with our instruments,
and that probably shows on Soulside Journey
and Goatlord and stuff like that. The first
thing a band wants is to release an album, and
we did it with Soulside Journey, and it was
awesome! Back then there were no CD burners
or anything like that, so when you put the CD
in the player youd only see track 1, and it was
our track. What a feeling. It was really nice, and
I think that after that there have been so many
things going on, both in our personal lives and
also in the way we have agreed with each other
in Darkthrone. Already in 1994, it was only
the two of us left in the band, and its been
really easy. Fenriz and I have always agreed on
each direction weve wanted to take the band,
and weve played together for so many years
that there are no misunderstandings any more.
Looking back at everything, I think we can call

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TERRORIZER #275

Darkthrone our life project. Its been a long time, I

was only sixteen when I joined the band, and its
meant the world to me. Its my artistic output. Its
what Ive always wanted to do since I first realised
that I could make my own songs. The first thing
I wrote before Darkthrone was probably extremely
shit, but from there, it could only get better. The
first song you make will have a lot of flaws, so
youll keep trying to do better and better. Still
today, I think our songwriting, or at least my
songwriting, is based on a general feeling coming
from inside. Im not really specifically inspired
by anything. This is a shocker I dont listen
to music very much, especially not in the past
few years. I like the silence. I do have my record
collection still, of course, and I try to check out
bands here and there. I think both Fenriz and
me are intelligent enough to realise that if we
dont have anything good to come up with, well
see that before anybody else. But while we have
this understanding of the band, and we feel that
we can play around with music and make good
music, theres no reason to quit.
Maybe if we just quit and I have a whole
different life, Fenriz continues, then maybe
Ill feel more proud [about Darkthrone], because
now its something thats constantly with me, Im
working on it and have to talk about it all the
time, referencing my person within these works.
Sometimes its impossible to distance yourself
from it, its a kind of a trap too. Being just two
people, weve made a hell of a lot of songs

and Im pretty pleased with most of it. For me,

personally, its the result of everything Ive heard,
everything Ive disliked and everything Ive really
liked. Thats my legacy. Im not that experienced
when it comes to playing guitar, bass, drums or
singing, but my ears and my brain have a lot of
experience, and thats what the songs are a result
of, I think. Its personal taste, but shaped by
me working really hard to be interested in a lot
of bands. Im thinking maybe thats one of the
reasons why it seems hard for Metallica to write
nowadays, maybe theyre not completely immersed
in listening to new stuff all the time. A lot of
bands that started in this century, it seems that
when theyre taking off in their careers, its not
like it was in the 80s. Back then, when a band
took off and got a record deal and worldwide
distribution, it seems they stopped listening to
other bands, but with the bands from the last
fifteen years, its been so normal to listen to music
all the time even though you break through. Its
a big, new world now, and people are more like
real music freaks. 2015 was a really great year for
metal and hard rock. I made a lot of radio shows
and I ended up buying 45 albums that came out
that year on vinyl.
One important flaw though 2015 didnt have
a Darkthrone record. 2016 just fixed that.
Arctic Thunder is out now on Peaceville
www.Facebook.com/pages/
Darkthrone/101075189934422

RED FANG

Quirky stoner rock crew

RED FANG and nu metal
guru Ross Robinson
may seem like strange
bedfellows, but as bassist/

AARON BEAM
TERRORIZER,

vocalist
tells

hooking up with the

producer has produced
some interesting results
Words: Ross Baker

come from a scientific background with a

degree in biology so Im pretty sceptical
regarding anything supposedly supernatural.
I believe that ultimately even when you have a
scientific explanation for something, it doesnt reduce
the mystery of how the universe works, Red Fang
singer/bassist Aaron relates. Only Ghosts is about
the personal insecurities that people have forced upon
them. I dont believe in ghosts; why do we let things
torment us so much? Science doesnt have to be
clinical. I dont believe in ghosts because I dont believe
theres a rational explanation for them. The world is a
magical place without ghosts or any supernatural stuff.
Its crazy that some people put so much stock into
something that isnt even real! The band is going great
and we arent in a dark place in our lives, but there are
still things that piss us off!
Gaining a reputation for a ferocious work ethic
touring with acts like The Dillinger Escape Plan and
Mastodon, Red Fang have hardened into a watertight

20

TERRORIZER #265

live unit. Aaron points out that finding a producer

who could capture the essence of the band live was
important, yet the acquisition of nu metal producer
Ross Robinson might seem a strange choice for the fun
loving stoner rockers.
Hes like a coach for bands, Aaron says. He spent
a lot of time in the world of motorcycle racing so hes
very competitive. We heard some stories about the
crazy methods he uses in the studio to get the most
out of his bands, but he worked with our friends in
Cancer Bats and they had nothing but good things to
say. He needs to know what all your songs are about so
he can get the emotional truth of who you are. For
the vocals we would spend as long as an hour talking
about the subject matter of the song. It got pretty
intense sometimes. Just before
I was about to record hed scream a word at me
that connected with the lyrics of that song. It was
distracting, but it took you out of yourself and allowed
you to focus on the emotion of the song. He challenges

you every time but he does it with love. Its not like
come on assholes, play that shit better!. There were
a couple of times when I was playing a bass part and
he didnt feel I was engaged enough and wanted me
to play harder. I was concentrating too hard in staying
on the beat and not just playing with feeling so he
started grabbing my strings and pushing me while I was
playing. It changes your energy as you have to start
fighting him hes unorthodox but effective!
Taking the direct approach sonically was
invigorating for Aaron; something which is reflected in
the artwork for Only Ghosts.
John [Sherman, drums] is obsessed with geometric
patterns and simplicity. Our artwork has always been so
involved and complex and we wanted something more
stripped down. Its a reflection on the record because
there are no real overdubs. Its got a real live feel.
Only Ghosts is certainly darker lyrically, but Aaron
denies that the band have lost their fun loving side,
famed for silly music videos like Blood Like Cream,

FORCING YOURSELF TO SMILE DOES

MAKE YOU FEEL HAPPIER

which sees beer loving zombies drinking a small town

dry.
We like to have fun with the videos. We have
something special in mind for Not For You which will
be out soon. We cant promise there will be anyone
famous like Brian Posehn or Fred Armisen this time but
how knows? Were not goth teenagers were guys
in our forties. There are lots of dark things in life but
its important not to get mired in negativity. Its your
attitude to life that affects the way your life is. You can
still joke even in the darkest of times.

hile Aaron doesnt believe in the

supernatural, it appears superstition is
not something Red Fang are immune
to. The Red Fang pre-show handshake ritual is an
omnipresent event which takes place before each
of their performances. However, even this is rooted
in scientific theory and helped the group overcome
bouts of stage fright, including one prior to an

important television appearance.

We were playing The David Letterman Show
and I was shitting myself as the show goes out live,
Aaron recalls. We had to load in at 6am, which is
seven hours before most of us are awake. Once the
show started I was in the green room and my nerves
we going crazy. We got together before we went
onstage and raised our arms in the air together.
Putting your body in certain positions helps
change your mood. It definitely worked that day.
The handshake thing comes from a psychological
study I read in The Economist which advised that
groups perform better when they have psychical
contact. There has been a strong correlation that
peoples performance is increased if they have some
physical contact like a hug or a handshake. We
drive ourselves on tour and we all have our preshow rituals. I go walking and Brian plays pinball.
We spend a couple of hours away from each other
and then we would get onstage and we would feel

disconnected from what we were doing for the first

few songs. I decided that we should start doing
the handshake to help us get motivated. Forcing
yourself to smile does make you feel happier. There
so much research that suggests your body effects
your emotions.
Red Fang have a reputation for being a beer
drinking party band, but for Aaron that part of
touring life is over.
I have an issue with yeast which means I cant
drink beer anymore. I loved the taste of beer but
now I have an exercise routine and changed my diet
Im so much healthier. I can still have fun on the
road with the guys whilst they drink. I still get to
enjoy playing the shows and travelling. This band
has never felt like drudgery. Fun is a big part of
what keeps Red Fang together.
Only Ghosts is out now on Relapse
www.RedFang.net

TERRORIZER #265

21

LET IT DIE
FIERCELY INDEPENDENT, UK HARDCORE TRIO LET IT DIE ARE CARVING THEIR OWN PATH
IN THE UNDERGROUND CIRCLES AND SHOWING THAT STICKING TO YOUR GUNS CAN
REALLY PAY OFF. ARE YOU READY TO CLIMB ON BOARD?
Words: Serena Cherry Photo: Grace Johnston
ts a tiresomely obvious clich, but sometimes its
simply fucking true. If you want something done
right, youve got to do it yourself. Especially when
it comes to smashing brutal grind together with
metallic hardcore a recipe concocted and perfected
by Kettering's very own Let It Die.
We record everything ourselves, we book our
own shows, we release our own stuff, and we
support our friends in their endeavors, proudly
notes Red Sismey, chief screamer of the bludgeoning
noisy trio. In my mind DIY isnt just literally doing
everything yourself though, its about keeping things
grassroots and involving friends who have labels
or businesses that do things for the passion and
creative satisfaction of being part of a scene. DIY
isnt diluted or controlled by monetary gain.
Its a labour of love indeed, one that comes with
a massive side benefit of endless creative freedom.
Not to be all super-rebel-cool-guy about it,
but as soon as I start thinking about relinquishing
control and creative decisions to someone other
than the band itself I feel a little sick. Its just
natural for us to be DIY, I guess, and it has brought
us some incredible friendships and experiences

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TERRORIZER #275

doing things this way. I dont think any of us would

change that.
And why would they, when the DIY scene offers
politically-minded bands a shred of respite from the
increasingly frustrating world that surrounds them.
It doesnt take much to get angry these days,
especially when you look around and see how
people are treating each other, Red sighs. It is
as much a disappointment as anything else and
cultivates a horrid uneasy feel about day-to-day
living that translates well to this type of music.
Like the Jedi of crushing hardcore, Let It Die
certainly know how to utilise their anger wisely.
Their long-awaited debut full-length The Liar And
The Saint, which took three years to finish, leaps
at every opportunity for pure thrash/grind catharsis.
Razor encrusted riffs and gut-punching drums
provide a blistering backdrop to lyrics concerning
the Rwandan genocide, and the unprecedented rise
of brutality and outright racism of various police
forces in the United States, explains Red. He is a
testament to the ways in which inspiration can come
from the most miserable times and darkest places.
During the writing for this LP I was not exactly

feeling my best and the lyrics just flowed. I was

hesitant to even use them to be honest, but they
became so connected to the instrumentals that I just
couldnt see any other way of doing it. Most of the
time I feel very lucky to have the opportunity for
catharsis through these words and the music they
are paired with, but occasionally I still make myself
uncomfortable too.
But of course discomfort occurs when you
are screaming directly from the heart. Its not
always easy, yet it is always honorable to speak
up and call people out when they say something
problematic, as Red implores. You see, when it
comes to the bullies of the world and fighting
the good fight, Let It Die vow never to let it die;
their mantra to eradicate misogyny, homophobia,
racism, and bigotry not only in heavy music but in
life as a whole. If you stay silent you side with the
oppressor.
Here is a band who dont just make a lot
of noise, but make a lot of sense too. All that
harrowing distorted racket is not for nothing. With
their commitments simply to keep releasing music
that retains integrity, play shows with good people
and eat lots of chips, its clear Let It Die are on
the right path the one they are carving out
themselves.
The Liar And The Saint is due out this
November
www.Facebook.com/LetItDie

Everything
is possible
if you have
the right
mindset

NEUROSIS

Not only are NEUROSIS celebrating their 30th anniversary, but they are
showing no signs of stopping with the release of formidable new album
Fires Within Fires. Mouthpieces SCOTT KELLY and STEVE VON TILL
discuss its creation and address the future
Words: Ross Baker Photos: Stefaan Temmerman

ew acts can lay claim to a legacy like the

one that Oakland luminaries Neurosis
boast. Prior to celebrating their 30th
anniversary with a glut of performances in the
US and Europe (including two historic and
unforgettable sets at Roadburn Festival in The
Netherlands), the quintet finished their twelfth
studio album, the mammoth and primal beast,
Fires Within Fires.
We got together in February 2015 for a
couple of weekends in a row, Steve Von Till
recalls in his warm, gruff tone. Normally we

24

TERRORIZER #275

start with a few ideas but this time we had

nothing. We put aside time outside of work
to generate a few ideas and by the end of the
following weekend we had the skeleton for
the entire record. Its never happened that fast.
We didnt have time to work again until that
November but we felt confident that we were
ready to book the studio with Steve Albini in
December. We all knew the material and worked
on our own parts, but the album almost presented
itself to us. We dont operate in a cerebral way.
Our music is very instinctive.

Its more direct for sure, echoes co-frontman

Scott Kelly. I think it also has the most delicate
things that we have done. I think if you question
what youre doing too much you lose the magic.
Fires Within Fires took time to conceive
but much of that delay can be attributed to
logistics. While Steve calls the rural countryside of
Coeur dAlene, Idaho home, Scott resides a twohour plane ride away in Medford, Oregon, with
remaining members Noah Landis, Dave Edwardson
and Jason Roeder based in California. While the
band members have never occupied the same
town since the Souls At Zero days, Steve and
Scott insist the lack of physical time together has
made Neurosis more productive in the long term.
Scott also cites producer Steve Albinis timely
approach to working in the studio as a factor.
We shouldnt confuse calendar time with
hours spent, Steve notes. Its not a cerebral
process for us. This album came together quickly
and effortlessly but that was because we let things

I THINK IF YOU QUESTION WHAT YOURE

DOING TOO MUCH YOU LOSE THE MAGIC

flow and were as productive as possible in the

short time we have. We dont waste our time
with anything frivolous. We surrender totally to
the music to ensure that its honest, original and
pure. We dont even need to speak about it. After
thirty years as a band you have to learn to trust
the process and the way every member works.
Weve never been content to sit on our laurels
and only rely on our strengths. We constantly
step into places that are uncomfortable and push
our personal and musical boundaries. There are
always new ways to be heavy and emotional.
Weve found a new approach to explore what
Neurosis is.
Were never going to be a band that wastes
time and money in the studio, Scott insists.
We write it and get it done. Having eight days
on this record is a luxury; typically we take
seven to record and mix. We thrive under stress.
Steve Albini has you recording in four hours. We
have grown to be friends and enjoy our time

with Steve. We started in

a warehouse much like the
studio he uses so it fits us
perfectly. I hope the day
never comes when we need
to use another producer.

lthough Fires Within

Fires came together
quickly in February
2015, tragedy struck Scott
only a month later when
his wife Sarah developed a
mystery illness. Waking on
the morning of March 24th
and finding herself unable
to walk or see, Sarah has
since been receiving constant
treatment. For Scott, it was
an unbelievably traumatic
time, putting both an

MEMORY LAPSE
Scott Kelly on forgetting lyrics
to Push Me Onto The Sun at
Roadburn Festival

hat was a funny situation.

There was no other way to
handle it. I was in deep shit. Ive never
asked someone in the audience for the
lyrics to one of my songs before. I had
to do it again when I got to the second
verse! If I forget a word with Neurosis
its easier to disguise. I wouldve been
fine if I hadnt forgotten my notebook
before I boarded that damn plane. The
lyric went out of my head. Im lucky that
fan was there for me! I was laughing
about it for quite a while. It was one of
my favourite shows Ive ever played!

emotional and financial strain

on the Kelly family, who accrued
thousands of dollars in medical
bills. Thankfully a family friend
set up a GoFundMe.com donation
page which saw fans and wellwishers donating in droves. Whilst
not fully cured, Sarah Kelly has
her sight back and her condition
has improved considerably.
Shes doing much better than
this time last year, Scott says.
Unfortunately we still dont have
any answers and she did receive
some permanent disabilities. Its
been hard but shes incredibly
tough and resilient. She blows me
away. I dont know what I would
have done if this had happened to
me. She never stopped fighting.
The doctors have been bullshit.

TERRORIZER #275

25

NEUROSIS

WE HAVE NO REGRETS BECAUSE EVEN THE BAD

DECISIONS WE MADE BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT
We havent had much luck with treatment and
healthcare is so expensive here. We still have
quite a bit of debt even after the GoFundMe
stuff, which was incredible. To have such a show
of love from people that I may never get to
thank in person is unbelievable. A friend of ours
set it up we were in the hospital, completely
unaware it was happening, but when we found
it was amazing. It helped enormously. We are
four hours from the nearest city so we had to
do a lot of driving back and forth to Portland to
get Sarah to see the doctors. We were going up
every three weeks all of last year. Its hard to get
perspective on this situation. Shes out camping
now with our littlest one Izzy. Theyre having
bonding time together. She loves the outdoors
and loves to be active. Shes made a huge
improvement. There are no words I can say other
than thank you. I wish we could get the chance
to thank everyone personally.

erforming not one but two landmark

sets at this years Roadburn Festival was
a highlight amongst many for Neurosis
and their fans. While delving into their back
catalogue to unearth some forgotten gems, they
elected to play what are in Steves words, some
songs we figured people would enjoy that we
wouldnt necessarily.
There are already plans to revisit more preThrough Silver In Blood material, with the
exception of the first two records Pain Of Mind
and The Word As Law.
We originally wanted to do US anniversary
shows in December when the band turned
thirty years old, Steve explains, but once we

spacious music on a better instrument. Its hard

realised the album would be ready, we decided
to have a relationship with some of it. I like some
that wed rather spend our anniversary holed up
primitive stuff but we hadnt learnt to surrender
in the studio in Chicago doing the record and
to what we have become. We pulled it off without
do the shows in March and April. We spent our
it feeling disingenuous, but there were some songs
time doing our favourite thing which is making
that we wont ever play again. Luckily 30 years is
a new record. It was an honour and privilege for
long enough that we only had room for a song
us to do that and were still surprised people give
or two per album each night. A couple of songs
a shit. Revisiting the old songs was interesting,
from Souls At Zero and Enemy Of The Sun will
but this band is about looking forward. The past
make appearances in upcoming sets alongside the
is very much dead. We also dont pander to an
new stuff, but nothing from the first two albums.
audience. We play what makes us feel inspired,
Theyre back in the mausoleum
not just what people want to
now.
hear. True fans will trust that
TO BE OR NOT TO BE
A law unto themselves
were playing what needs to be
for three decades, Neurosis
played and that we will deliver
Since June and until October 14,
have nurtured and inspired
it with the honesty and intensity
Scott is playing the role of the
the pioneering artists who
that the music deserves. The
gravedigger in a production of
have graced this publication.
30th anniversary was the one
Shakespeares Hamlet
Scott and Steve are quick to
time that we wanted to honour
he biggest repertory theatre
acknowledge that some bad
the people that have been with
in America happens to be
business decisions were made,
us throughout this journey.
right where I live. I was hired sixteen
but both are steadfastly
Some of the stuff is pretty
years ago as a stage hand and then
protective of their legacy, while
painful from the point of how
sound technician. Theyve been aware
emphasising that the future is
far we have moved on and how
of my music for some time, but this
all that interests them.
unevolved it is. We are proud of
year Paul James Prendergast, a sound
We have no regrets
all our history and what it took
designer, approached me about writing
because even the bad decisions
to get where we are but were
music for the production. The director
we made brought us to this
not 18, 22 or 27 anymore. The
wanted a much darker version of the
point, notes Scott. We will
nostalgia thing has its appeal
play focussing on the ghost story angle.
do Neurosis until it kills us. We
but were not natural performers.
He then had the idea that I could play
will do it until one or all of us
It is just a by-product of
the gravedigger in the play and be in
isnt here anymore.
creating this music which
character when I was playing the music.
demands to be shared. My hands
Were doing two shows a week, playing to
Fires Within Flames is out
dont move that fast playing
1200 people a night. My wife said I am
now on Neurot
buzz saw riffs on a shitty guitar
so much like the gravedigger its like I
www.Neurosis.com
is so different from playing epic,

wasnt even acting!

26

TERRORIZER #275

OPETH
28

TERRORIZER #275

Constantly
new album

evolving and growing bigger and bolder with every release,

Sorceress

Swedes continue to evolve, even if it was

constraints. MIKAEL KERFELDT reveals all

sees the

under extreme

OPETHs
written

Words: Jos Carlos Santos

emember, when a strange little band from

Sweden put out a record with a flower on
the cover and everybody spent a few weeks
trying to get their heads around that labyrinthine
death metal found within and trying not to utter
the word prog too often? You might not, if you
werent already old enough in 1995, but in any
case your first contact with Opeth must have been
a similarly startling revelation all the same. And
unless youve really just bumped into them in the
last couple of years (welcome to the ride, in that
case!), you probably also never thought this quirky
bunch of Swedes would be selling out Wembley
Arena a few years later. Even with a few drastic
line-up changes, even with the odd, sporadic low
point here and there, Opeth have grown larger than
any metalheads creative imagination ever thought
they would they have, in fact, transcended that
metalhead world from which they were spawned.
While still maintaining many followers from those
days here they are, signed to Nuclear Blast
and in fuckin Terrorizer still, right? they have
also become one of those bands that we have
reluctantly had to start sharing with a certain
section of the mainstream, and that transition is
something Mikael kerfeldt and the boys have
handled admirably. In fact, so unphased by the
big leagues the talented frontman is, that he still
handles his writing in the same razor edge way he
always has.
Yes, I really did start from nothing, he
confirms with a laugh, when we point out that the
press release for new album Sorceress mentions
these songs came up from nothing, from zero
inspiration. I work well under pressure, and
generally I dont really work unless I have to, if
I have a set date when I have to be done with
the music. So at one point I had a meeting with
our manager and he said that a good time for
us to record was May 2016, and this took place
already in December 2015. So that left me with
less than six months to write a record. I figured
that was maybe a little bit too short, but Id try,
and it worked. So I started out with nothing and
it turned out I can work great under pressure. Its
actually been like that for many years, I write from
set dates, a plan. I never write in between. The
only thing I used from old demos, from material
I already had, was a riff in the song Chrysalis. I

had it on a demo somewhere and it dates back

to the Ghost Reveries record. It doesnt sound
anything like it, but its from those sessions. Its
the first time ever that Ive used something old for
something new, actually.
It started taking shape pretty early on, he
continues. The first song I wrote was The Wilde
Flowers, which is a sort of a hard rock song,
or whatever you want to call it, even a little bit
progressive too. But it felt good, it kind of felt
fresh for me. The fact that it was a new Opeth
song shaping up helped, probably, but also the
fact that it felt like I was connecting to the kind
of stuff that I like to listen to, as a consumer of
music myself. It was connecting with my record
collection, with my taste, but it also sounded like
Opeth, and that was great. So I felt pretty secure
early on. Then I had the song Chrysalis after that,
and then I had a sort of a ballad which was quite
inspired by Jethro Tull, called Will O The Wisp.
Then I was on my way. Pretty early on I thought,
okay, its going to be an album. At the early stage,

when I have a song or a song and a half that I like,

I dont usually think oh, it feels like were going
to do a new record. At that stage I dont know if
its going to be a great record, or whatever its
going to be, if itll be a shit record, or anything.
Im thinking its going to be a record, at least, and
I got that feeling very early on this time.

f course, it helps that Mikael is an avid

record collector. Constantly listening to
music and seeking out all the unsung
gems from the murky past decades probably gives
you a special knack for knowing instinctively what
is good when it comes to writing your own. It
might not necessarily be a direct influence, but it
does shape your mind.
It doesnt show directly in a way that I pick
up a Slayer record and I immediately get inspired
to write a similar riff or a song, but its more that
I think I store all those influences in my head, or
wherever it is you store musical memories, Mikael
muses. But I think some part of my head is like a

HEAVY MUSIC IN PARTICULAR IS IN NEED

OF BANDS WHO WILL CHANGE THINGS
AND WHO WILL THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

TERRORIZER #275

29

OPETH

I THINK WERE A BIT OF AN UNFAIR TARGET

FOR HATE, WHEN ALL WERE TRYING TO DO IS
TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
well of inspiration that I top up, so to speak, every
time I listen to something. And when I write
people tend to ask me a lot, when the records
are done, so what were you listening to during
the writing process? Most of the time I dont
really know, its nothing in particular, just kind
of listening to everything, a lot. I build up a little
buffer of inspiration, I guess. When I write, of
course I can identify some parts sometimes like
something is a little Rainbow sounding, or a little
Priest sounding, or a bit Nick Drake sounding,
whatever it might be. Its all in there, and I hope
theres a big part of the influences in there that
also comes from me, as I write, something that is
my sound, as opposed to the bands and artists I
listen to. But generally I dont know, maybe the
mish-mash of all the different music I consume
has generated another style, and thats what were
doing.

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TERRORIZER #275

Actually he is more than right if there is a

band with its own sound, instantly recognisable
within a second or two, its Opeth. And its a sound
thats been honed and evolved over the course of
two decades so far, naturally gathering its share
of detractors along the way, but gaining so many
more supporters too.
Im hoping that we transcend to people that
are not necessarily just interested in one genre,
that like music as a whole, I hope we have a few
of those coming to the shows, but yeah, Ive seen a
change since the early days, of course, Mikael says.
In the beginning it was all guys, of a certain age
demographic, you know, guys my age or slightly
younger or older, and that was it. Its expanded a
lot, though there are still a few more long-haired
guys than at a Taylor Swift concert, he laughs. I
guess we get a lot of shit for the wrong reasons.
I can only speak from my own standpoint, but I
like bands and artists that try to do things
differently, they are the ones who make
the wheels turn and the ones who change
things. Heavy music in particular is in
need of bands who will change things and
who will think outside the box as opposed
to just churning out metal music, but
obviously a lot of the fans dont agree, a
lot of the fans just want that metal, that
stuff they can understand, so we got a lot
of shit for trying to be a little bit different
than some of the other bands around,
which I think is a bit unfair. Back in the

day when I was growing up, and Im going to be

very nostalgic about this, the bands that I was
listening to Scorpions, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden,
Deep Purple you wouldnt mix those bands
with each other, they each had their own specific
sound, and that has got lost to me. Theres a lot of
bands out there now that just go completely over
my head because they sound like a million other
bands. And even well-established bands, they sound
to me like wow, they dont have anything more
in them than that? Im used to getting a lot of flak
for being different, but I have to say it still bothers
me when people say that were not metal and Im
supposed to take it in a negative way. Which I
dont, really. Sure, okay, were not metal, but were
part of that scene anyway whether you like it or
not, because a big portion of our discography is
metal music. I think were a bit of an unfair target
for hate, when all were trying to do is to do
something different, were not forcing anyone to
listen to our band. It probably annoys people that
were getting so much recognition for it too, so
whatever the haters say, theres a lot more lovers
out there anyway, so he leaves the conclusion
of the sentence up in the air with a smile warm
enough to melt the heart of any hater. And then
those amazing songs on Sorceress will most likely
take care of the remaining ones.
Sorceress is out now on Nuclear Blast
www.Opeth.com

WRETCH

Rising from the ashes of Indianapolis doom crew The Gates Of Slumber, Wretchs
KARL SIMON talks to Terrorizer about the dissolving of his former band, his best
friends death and how hes still walking the metal path
Words: Jos Carlos Santos

First of all, tell us a little more about the origins of Wretch,

and the transition from The Gates Of Slumber to this band.
Karl Simon: I was angry at the beginning of
Wretch. I was angry at all the members of The Gates
Of Slumber. Wed had a really strong run and things
were poised to get better, but in spite of this we were
squandering it all acting like all we needed to do
is show up and be badass. That attitude is fucking
bullshit. The final blow was us not being able to
support Church Of Misery on their last US run. When
we got the offer I called a meeting and told the guys
that wed be practicing at a rehearsal spot here in
town, on my dime, and what set wed be playing.
No fucking around: hammer it for two and a half

32

TERRORIZER #275

hours and its done. They all agreed, and we went

to practice and no Jason [McCash, TGOS bassist].
Hed ODd that day and quit the band via Facebook
later. I broke my promise to him and called Reid
[Raley] from Rwake a few days later to see if hed fill
in, but he couldnt. And that same day Bob [Fouts,
TGOS drummer] said he wouldnt tour without Jason,
and I was done. The Gates Of Slumber ended there
and Wretch started. I called Chris [Gordon], whod
drummed on the second Gates demo and Suffer
No Guilt. Hes an old friend, and hes one of the
best drummers Ive ever played with. So we started
from there. Two of us in the The Gates Of Slumber
practice place hammering out Drown and jamming
on Winter, Snowblind, Behind The Wall Of Sleep,

and Electric Funeral just having fun and punishing

a few demons with volume.

Did you have any particular musical idea in mind for Wretch
besides it being a sort of continuation of Gates? How does the
writing in this band differ to how youve been writing songs
throughout your career?
Well, there were songs that had been written for
the next Gates full-length that I had been working
on for a long time. The idea was what it always had
been: to write the best songs we knew how to do.
With Wretch I wanted to open that up more to add in
influences that Jason didnt share and ways of writing
he didnt really want to mess with. I like to jam
he didnt: he was a writer, I was so envious of his

WRETCH IS WHAT
I ALWAYS WANTED
THE GATES OF
SLUMBER TO BE

ability to write these epic songs. With Wretch, we just

jammed the shit out, me and Chris at first and then
when Bryce [Clarke, bass] came on board he added
so much; changed the direction Wretch is what I
always wanted The Gates Of Slumber to be in that
respect, its a unit and it has a sound.

All of the songs on this record are about you and Jason,
and your memories of him and what you guys went through
together do you think it will be hard for you to play
these songs because of that?
It has happened really, mostly when Im away
from Indianapolis, thats when I can kind of let
it go. We play here in town and I see friends and
associations come to mind and it hurts, its small
here, so small everyone knows everyone bad things
happening here ripple across the whole scene. One
face gone is noticed, and Jason was my brother. As
far as the songs becoming just songs, really since
I got sick of singing about comic book stuff they
arent just songs anymore, even the trivial things

like a broken heart, are moments in my life; this

batch just has a lot of emotional baggage attached
to it. But every day things get easier. Moving ahead
instead of grinding my gears has been the best
medicine.

Even without all the background, for the listener, the album
is a harrowing listen, and a very touching one as well. How
do you expect people to react to it?
I think most people have had a positive reaction
to it. It is dark, all of it, so youre not going to walk
away from it up or high on life, but maybe itll
help the listener purge a bit of black bile? I hope
its cathartic for folks. Im sure there are going to
be those who are going to shit all over it too, and
thats just life. I do this because I love it. If other
people do too its great. If not, oh well.

What are the plans, if any, for the future of Wretch? Is this
a band that will continue on and make more records?
Id like to, but Im only one part of the band,

I dont want this to be like The Gates Of Slumber

was. If Wretch falls apart well. I have riffs and
riffs and riffs. Im 41 now, the last eighteen years
of doom metal and its related tendencies have been
the sum of my life. No wife, no kids, no career. Id
love to make music with these guys for the rest of
my time on earth, so if there is interest in us doing
more from people and the dudes in the band Im
down to keep doing this until I cant anymore. If
not, I have said it before: I dont need other people.
If no one cares enough to try, or no one cares
enough to go to the shows, I can sit alone in the
bunker and hammer this shit out for me, like I did
when no one remotely gave a fuck at all. Down
there with the rats and worms they stick with me
until the end.
Wretchs self-titled debut is out now on Bad
Omen
www.Facebook.com/
Wretch-469537983166326

TERRORIZER #275

33

BRANT BJORK

ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT ARTISTS IN THE STONER

ROCK SCENE, BRANT BJORK IS BACK WITH HIS LATEST
ALBUM TAO OF THE DEVIL. TERRORIZER WAFTED
THROUGH THE SMOKE TO GET THE SKINNY
WORDS: KEVIN STEWART-PANKO

rant Bjork has reason to be proud. Considered

a legend in stoner rock/metal circles for his
work in Kyuss, the band he formed with his
high school friends Josh Homme and John Garcia
back in 1987, Bjorks notoriety isnt limited to the four
bona fide classics that band released throughout the
first half of the 90s. Also propping up his impressive
discography are a host of recordings with Fu Manchu
and Mondo Generator, not to mention his solo albums
which, since 1999, have been weaved into a non-stop
flurry of activity and appeared under various monikers
including Brant Bjork And The Bros, Brant Bjork And
The Operators, Brant Bjork And The Low Desert Punk
Band and, of course, just plain old Brant Bjork.
Since the release of 2014s Black Power Flower by
The Low Desert Punk Band, Brants most recent solo
incarnation goes back to using his birth name for the
eleventh album under the Brant Bjork umbrella, Tao Of
The Devil. But being able to assemble yet another band
with yet another round of musicians while continuing
to carve out a career in music at a time when many
have succumbed to negative mantras about surviving
as an artist as the industry continues to be flensed by
the internet isnt whats being trumpeting from the
rooftops on this occasion. Today, our man is proudly
and happily waving the old-school banner.
Yeah, were old-school and when I say old-school
I mean we came up playing live music and come from
that school where if you want to be a good band, you
have to play together, he says. You have to get in a
room, spend a lot of time jamming, learning how to
improv together and feeling each other out. That takes
time; were not entertainers reading a script, were
playing music rooted in jazz, the blues and rock and
roll and you have to work together.
Its tough, he continues about balancing time
spent playing together between developing chemistry
and writing songs, and this is what you can look
at with any legendary band or artist. Youve got the
recording arts, where you go into a sterile environment
and try and create something thats going to move
someone, the performance art where you actually
perform as a band and then the art of song writing. Its
difficult to do and what separates the greats from the
ones no one talks about much. Its like weve all heard
Stairway To Heaven a million times but the bottom
line is that Led Zeppelin went into a studio, recorded
that song appropriately a great song in terms of

34

TERRORIZER #265

writing and arrangement and they performed it really

well. Thats not easy to do. Thats what every band in
the game is looking to achieve and its hard, especially
now with technology being what it is and people trying
to build chemistry thousands of miles apart.

s mentioned above, Brant has utilised a

number of monikers throughout his admittedly
confusing solo career (even the promo we
received for Tao Of The Devil was mislabelled as The
Low Desert Punk Band). This is not designed to create
mystique around man or his band, nor is it Brant taking
a stab at elitism and the idea that true fans will take
the time to track down and figure out whats what
whilst noses get turned up at those who just want
to rock. There is a method to the madness and, as
expected, it all starts with whos playing alongside the
guitarist/vocalist in the rehearsal room.
Being a musician and playing in bands most of my
life, Ive come to discover that youve got the fantasy
of a group of musicians united around a certain name
versus the reality of a group of human beings with their
own individual personalities and characters. Theres
a natural chemistry that comes from that collective
and thats usually the reality of that collective. Im
always in pursuit of having fun and part of that fun in
assembling a band is trying to name the character of
a musical collective. So, when people leave and come
in, it changes the chemistry. I try and stay on top of
that and Ive had some people in the business tell me
that my eccentric behaviour around that stuff can be
confusing for the marketplace. I totally understand that,
so for this particular record, I settled it down and just
called it Brant Bjork. The Low Desert Punk Band was
because I assembled a band whose collective touchstone
was that we all cut our teeth on punk rock. But our
new-old drummer [Ryan Gt] is jazz trained and that
changed the chemistry.
Im always in the pursuit of getting to the nature
of things and usually when I arrive at some kind of
understanding, there will be a name in the air I can
attach to that nature, he continues. So, like when I
assembled my first solo band, it was with good friends
so that became The Bros. When we pulled Ryan in a
year-and-a-half ago, I was looking for a drummer who
was swinging hard and had some jazz background.
Ryan didnt really grow up with any punk rock
influence, so we got back to celebrating a more organic,

more swinging, groovy kind of chemistry and The Low

Desert Punk Band didnt really apply.
Despite the fleeting nature of this approach, Tao Of
The Devil offers thematic and visual solidity. The album
brings together a close-knit group of musicians, a night
time photo of the bands Joshua Tree, CA home base
the area in which each of the members was born is
employed as cover art and topically, a good chunk of
the album plays to a topic thats been close to Brants
heart for the majority of his time on Gods green Earth.
The name explores the duality of things that go
beyond good and bad; things that are demonised but
have a place in this crazy world. Im directly or maybe
indirectly speaking about my beliefs about cannabis
and how its been demonised for so long and how I
think people need to start getting more educated about
how it can be good for modern culture.
Theres always a bitter sweet element to that, he
responds when asked if the growing acceptance towards
marijuana ever has him thinking, I told you so! That
particular phrase implies that it was a drag getting
to this particular place. I think its a really exciting
time and theres still a lot of work to be done. Ive
been smoking marijuana for most of my life and Ive
concluded that it serves a purpose and is important. I
really think it can only really serve the whole western
world economically, psychologically and spiritually. I
think we need it and I dont think its a coincidence
that marijuana is starting to be embraced on so many
levels at this point in time.
Tao Of The Devil is out now on Napalm
www.BrantBjork.com

I DONT THINK ITS A COINCIDENCE

THAT MARIJUANA IS STARTING TO
BE EMBRACED ON SO MANY LEVELS
AT THIS POINT IN TIME
TERRORIZER #265

35

GOAT

Mysterious Swedes GOAT may be a little aloof,

but well forgive them for creating exciting
albums like psychedelic newie Requiem
Words: Serena Cherry

ow for a little round of spot the difference.

Theyre Swedish, they are anonymous, they
wear freaky costumes and claim to have
risen from a commune village under the spell of a
voodoo curse. Tall tales indeed, the kind we would
expect from Ghost. But no, ladies and gentleman,
this is Goat. Whether Ghost and Goat have been
seen in the same room together remains a mystery,
as does the shrouded mastermind of this enigmatic
psychedelic outfit who refers to himself simply as
Mr. Goatman.
I am not sure if we confuse people. People
seem pretty confused already, notes the elusive
one. Yet with an aesthetic that apprehends the
Bathory typeface and ritualistic imagery, it seems
only understandable for some to mistake Goat for a
metal band at a glance. One listen to their raucous,
tribal world music will demonstrate otherwise.
While Mr. Goatman insists that they are not
deliberately trying to subvert expectations, as he
does not care about what other people expect,
it could be argued that creating such a striking
image is a lot of effort to go to for a band who
dont care what impression they make. Okay,

36

TERRORIZER #275

weve got it Mr. Goatman. Your favourite Obituary

song is probably Dont Care, too. But we suppose
anyone would be care free, had they spent years in
a voodoo commune twanging any exotic instrument
they could lay their hands on.
The result being Requiem, a vast sonic journey
around the world of non-Western pop, blended
together with fuzz and shimmery reverb. Despite its
title, not all the songs are about death, that would
be a bit tedious. Well, what are they all about
then? Mr. Goatman is keen to announce what Goat
are not, but remains tight lipped when it comes
to explaining the bands picknmix approach to
appropriating the philosophies of other cultures.
Their decision to name a track Ubuntu
after the South African philosophy of the interconnectivity of humanity was because our
manager is from Johannesburg and he introduced us
to this concept. Once again, permit Mr. Goatman
to shatter any illusion that a mystic song title would
omit a mystifying in-depth explanation. The bands
sunny, otherworldly musical output against the
dryness of Mr. Goatman himself is nothing short of
a jarring combination. If Disney World has taught us

anything, you cant just step into the costume; you

have to become the character to fully suspend the
disbelief of those around you.
I dont understand what you mean by costumes,
this is the way I dress and live, bites Mr Goatman,
playing at being shocked when accused of playing
at being a tribesman. We all wear our masks and
robes 24/7. In the commune everyone is anonymous
all the time which might sound confusing to an
outsider. But its the best way to live, trust me. Of
course when we have to go through airport security
it can be a real hassle. Other than that its just good
times!
Good times, or good marketing?
Our image is about delivering the finest
music we possibly can to anyone who might
be interested, he says. We do not care about
being famous. We care of the well-being of our
commune.
Their commune is located in Korpilombolo,
which has 529 inhabitants. Goat care so much for
this place that they have spelled the towns name
incorrectly on their website. To be honest, the
gimmick does nothing for Goat. But if you can
break through their preposterous back story, Goat
are more than capable of transporting listeners into
transcendental realms through music alone. Just
close your eyes and let them take you away.
Requiem is out now on Sub Pop
www.Facebook.com/GoatSweden

Everything
is possible
if you have
the right
mindset

TRAP THEM

Born out of a more intensive rehearsal schedule and regular live

shows, album number five sees crusty hardcore whirlwind TRAP THEM
sounding rejuvenated, as guitarist BRIAN IZZI tells TERRORIZER

Words: Kevin Stewart-Panko

rom the time they first formed as Trap

Them And Kill Them on the salty shores
of Massachusetts back in 2001, the band
that has come to be known as Trap Them
have always subverted extreme musics writing
process, what theyve chosen to write about
and how theyve gone about presenting it. The
bands first six releases both full-length and
EPs had vocalist Ryan McKenney making each

38

TERRORIZER #275

song topically pertain to day-by-day life in a

fictional town that rivalled Twin Peaks, Peyton
Place and Banshee for all-around surrealism,
apocalyptic weirdness and behind-closed-door
madness. After McKenney played the role of
omnipotent and destructive urban planner and
figuratively killed his creation on 2011s Darker
Handcraft, he found himself picking themes
and writing lyrics for songs that guitarist and

fellow founding member Brian Izzi would

mostly write in his head, even before picking
up his instrument. This oddball methodology
birthed their last record, 2014s Blissfucker. As
well, McKenneys creative tradition has typically
seen him, usually after piecing lyrics together
at the last minute in the basement of GodCity
Studio while tracking was being done above
him, offer three sets of lyrics per song: the full,
unabridged versions; the versions of songs he
would sing in the heat of the live show battle;
and the stream of consciousness, serial-killerscratching-on-the-wall versions printed as part of
the album art/CD booklet/vinyl gatefold layout
and design. Additionally, it should be noted
that Trap Them have been juggling great deals

of distance between its principle members since

the mid-aughts when McKenney moved 3000
miles west to Seattle. The vocalist has been
tele-and-aero commuting ever since in order to
keep the bands grinding HM-2 obsessions alive
and kicking. When it came to forthcoming fifth
album, Crown Feral, the creative process took
its unusual-but-usual, unexpected-but-expected
bent when, before any deliberate amount of
work had started, Ryan emailed Brian and the
guitarist found himself having to upend common
practice once again.
I got an email from Ryan on my birthday in
December, 2014, he recalls. It was a PDF with

the album title, every single song title and all

the lyrics. That was before I really had any music
together. So, I was able to look at the lyrics,
think about the titles and plan the writing based
on that. And ironically, the title is actually in the
gatefold of Blissfucker! So, its been kind of
known, but we never said thats what it was.
This was the first time I actually looked
at the lyrics and tried to get a type of stylistic
picture or an idea what I would write for those
titles and lyrics, he continues. What was
interesting was that when I sent the demos to
Ryan, I didnt say what song I wrote specifically
went with which song title. So, Id just wait for

him to come back and tell me what song it was.

It was pretty funny, but I liked it; it made things
end up a little more random.

hat helped Brian throughout this process

was having a solid line-up behind him.
Bassist Galen Baudhuin [also of Infera
Bruo] and drummer Brad Fickeisen [ex-The Red
Chord] have now been members since 2013.
Theyve played live and in the studio alongside
the founding duo and shared all the trials and
tribulations of doing so in the process. Whats
most advantageous about this recent version
of the band is the fact that Brian, Galen and

TERRORIZER #275

39

TRAP THEM
Brad all live within a mile of one another in
the Boston area, making it infinitely easier to
organise rehearsals and writing sessions so that
the resulting output becomes more than just
the Brian Izzi show, jokes the guitarist.
With the line-up weve had for the past
few years now, weve actually had rehearsals
every week, so its a little bit more normal. I
mean, I still bring most of the riffs, structures
and ideas to the other guys, but I really wanted
to involve Brad and Galen more on this album.
We played live and did a few weeks of shows
in 2015 and those guys have played drums and
bass for every song in our catalogue at this
point, so theyre better able to put things into
the context of what we do. Theres a better vibe
and understanding between each and everybody
that comes with having more time playing
together, so rather than writing everything in
my head or doing a demo and showing it to
everyone, I wanted to get everyones input. After
playing with these guys for a while, I got to
know their strengths and wanted to build off of
them to make sure this record is he explains,
followed by a pause. Blissfucker was kind of
long and epic and not all the songs could be
played live. This one has everything faster paced,
maybe a bit more like previous records and
builds off of what we have as a band and the
dynamic between everybody. The intent was to
make the songs leaner and meaner. Theyre all
intended to be live, like a set list thats meant
to be played from beginning to end. Its about
a 32 minute record and has all the peaks and
valleys of a good set and hits the marks of
what we personally think are the best aspects of

40

TERRORIZER #275

the band. Its hard to say how different things

would have been or sounded if we didnt do
it this way, but I think looking at the lyrics
definitely led to writing certain types of riffs
and definitely helped. Also, [on Blissfucker]
things were different because we hadnt played
live leading up to its recording. When you play
live, you play your songs and when you go to
write a new one, all the things that made up
that previous album are still fresh and with you;
you have a closer memory of those songs. So,
this album was built off of us playing live a bit
more, rehearsing regularly and having a solid
line-up whereas Blissfucker was built off of
three years of not really doing much. This one
definitely has more of a live feeling.

n that note, its a more than encouraging

sign that Trap Them are writing with the
live arena in mind. A hiatus from touring
followed the release of Darker Handcraft, as he
financial aspect of constant life on the road, the
then-instability of their line-up and McKenneys
ailing health and personal life put the kibosh
on the gung-ho touring schedule of the bands
early years. They found themselves being superselective, playing out at festivals, doing a mere
week or two here and there or just staying home
altogether. Following the release of Blissfucker,
they started hitting the live circuit once again;
maybe not with the same veracity and frequency
as the past, but there was a definite uptick
in the amount youd see their moniker listed
in tour listings and festival announcements.
With Crown Feral, the quartet is committed
to getting back in the van and crushing the

publics proverbial windpipe with their brand of

crusty, Swe-death-inspired calamity.
We definitely experienced a lot of bullshit in
the early years of touring and learned things the
hard way, but I feel that learning things like that
brought us to where we are. I wouldnt re-do
it, but well do it a new way that makes sense
now that were a little older. I think the problem
before is that we did it just to stay on the road
and tour as much as possible. It was fun, but
there were lessons learned. Taking a break after
all those years of touring was definitely key to
continuing the band.
Having the new line-up definitely helped,
he says about the decision to get back to
touring more regularly, with a full European
tour and a variety of North American jaunts in
the works at the time of writing. Everyone is
down, theres a good vibe. The break helped us
re-think how we do things and I think having
done this as long as we have now, were lucky
to have enough of a fanbase that were able to
go out and do things a little bit more skewed
towards how we feel more comfortable doing
them. Things have kind of worked out in our
favour in that respect. Its been a lot easier and
a little bit more fun doing the band over the
course of the last three or so years. We just
hung around and better opportunities presented
themselves and while it remains fun to do, well
keep doing it.
Crown Feral is out now on Prosthetic
www.ProstheticRecords.com
www.Facebook.com/TrapThem

TERRORIZER #274

23

40 WATT SUN
After

lengthy label upheavals,

40 WATT SUN are finally ready

to unleash their brand new album Wider Than The Sky and
PATRICK WALKER is ready to talk about it to TERRORIZER

t long last, five years after the sublime,

gut-wrenchingly beautiful The Inside
Room a record that is still very much
in our usual rotation was released, 40 Watt
Sun return with its successor. After a debut that
meant so much to so many people, and on top
of it from a band that appears to be a logical
continuation of the equally relevant Warning
(whose Watching From A Distance is just about
the best doom record of this century), it could
prove difficult to hit that soft spot of the heart
once more, but fear not. Wider Than The Sky
is everything any 40 Watt Sun fan has dreamed
it could be in these five years, and more besides.
The songs feel more daring and even more
vulnerable than before, while Patrick Walkers
impassioned singing is more dynamic and loose
whilst retaining all its emotional weight. And to
think all of it was almost scrapped
It was absolutely fucking draining, Patrick
says, recalling the period of delay due to well,
business complications lets call it that. What
happened was that I sent our label the songs
from the new record back at the beginning of
2015, he continues. They said they didnt like
them as we expected and they acknowledged
that they werent the right label to release the
album. But yet they werent willing to let us go
without getting something in return. And so there
we were in limbo for over a year while we tried to
buy ourselves out of our contract. I really wasnt
in the best mind to be dealing with the kind
of belligerent deal-mongering I was up against
and started to break down almost immediately
so William [Spong, bassist] and Becky Laverty,
who manages our PR, kindly took over from me
and eventually forged an agreement. Im really
indebted to them both. But it was a deeply
stressful and exhausting stretch of time and more
than once, yes, I absolutely felt like walking away
from it all. Im a chronic worrier. I make myself

42

TERRORIZER #275

Words: Jos Carlos Santos

sick with worry. In the meantime, some of

these six new songs were aired at a few sporadic
shows, but not even a bit more time to live with
them was enough to constitute a silver lining
for Patrick: No, nothing good came out of that
situation.
Fortunately its all behind us, and now we
have all the time in the world to enjoy Wider
Than The Sky. Still on those latest shows,
however, a few of them have been acoustic
shows, and one wonders whether that has any
kind of reflection on the writing itself?
I always write on the acoustic guitar, Patrick
reveals. Sometimes the songs are transposed to
electric; sometimes theyre not and they stay as
they are. An acoustic album would, for me, be
no different from recording any another album.
Its just down to whats right for the songs; what
feels right at the time. Theres nothing novelty
about it, no conscious difference. Just as
there is not much difference either between the
approach to the songs on both albums. I try to
not think about it, he shrugs. Its really not all
that different for me, I think. There was, again,
no conscious difference with how we went about
making this record or with how the songs came
into existence.

ne habitual misconception about 40

Watt Sun is the constant description of
their music as sad. Though obviously
no circus will ever send out its clowns to the
tune of Stages or Carry Me Home, sadness
isnt all there is to these songs. Alongside the
longing, there is a lot of love, and hope, and
beauty, because all of those things are a part of
everyones life.
I just write about whats important to me,
Patrick says about the lyrics with his habitually
disarming simplicity. Things that I think about
and care about I work hard at it its not an

easy thing. I struggle with that side of the writing

process. Its certainly not effortless. There are
certain experiences and times in our lives where
we cannot, and need not, distinguish between
those feelings of great pain or sadness and
those of love and peace and deep happiness. As
Hermann Hesse wrote, theyre all part and spirit
of the same great music.
Speaking of great music, Patrick is a man with
remarkable taste, though you have to nerd out
with him a little and dig deep to find it.
God, theres nothing more boring for people
than reading of a ream of somebody elses
favourite music, is there? he says with a laugh
at one point, but come on Patrick, we like that
kind of thing. Indulge us. Id say my music taste
has expanded not changed. I dont listen to
music when Im writing as I cant spoil whats in
my head, but I tend to read a lot. But anyone
who writes music is influenced by something
somewhere back down the line; that goes without
saying. Weve all got our roots somewhere. I
dont really look out for new artists; I regret
feeling that I dont have the time and energy to
invest myself in new music but in all honesty
it just doesnt really interest me. My favourite
artists remain pretty much the same as always:
June Tabor, Mark Eitzel, Marillion of course, Iris
Dement, Lal Waterson, Kris Kristofferson, Scott
Walker, Baby Dee
Thatll do, yes. So now its time to enjoy the
many rewards provided by Wider Than The Sky,
and hopefully the wait will be shorter for the next
one since the band are already playing new
songs live that arent on this latest effort, that
seems like a given. Relaxed as they might seem,
40 Watt Sun are always plugged in.
We rehearse only when were arranging new
songs or if were going on tour or something like
that. But I still live with it every day of my life,
Patrick states. Im always writing in some way.
Christian and William are also busy with other
projects of their own. You dont stop thinking
about it. Youre always being creative.
Wider Than The Sky is out now on Radiance
www.40WattSun.com

I ABSOLUTELY
FELT LIKE
WALKING AWAY
FROM IT ALL.
IM A CHRONIC
WORRIER

TERRORIZER #275

43

EPICA

We

are living in a world driven by technology, but for EPICA frontwoman

SIMONE SIMONS, its not all that its cracked up to be
Words: Louise Brown

or their eighth album, Dutch symphonic

powerhouse Epica have peered into a future
where virtual worlds collide with reality and
the space between is frighteningly blurred. Yet, in
the run-up to release of The Holographic Principle
we are suddenly coming to terms with technological
advances that allow the dear-departed Ronnie
James Dio to perform at Wacken in holographic
form. As we talk to Simone Simons, Epicas singer
and social media virago, we find ourselves in a
park, yet all around us passers-by are glued to their
phone screens on the hunt for a Psyduck. Is this
true progress or have we entered a new way to
experience a world indistinguishable from our own?
It is a beautiful thing and, at the same time,
an inhuman thing, laughs the softly-spoken
Simone. Were walking down the street and
everyone is walking like a zombie. Its called social
media but at the same time were not social. My
phone got stolen and then I had this wake up call,
time is so precious yet we are so busy seeing what
our neighbour is eating for dinner. Some people
are so hooked on social media and forgetting what
theyre doing with their own life. We were having
dinner, everyone had their phone out and at first I
was a little bit jealous, but then, all of a sudden, I
started to feel free. I had become addicted to it. It
felt very liberating after a couple of days, so I try
to sometimes leave my phone in a corner and not
touch it for half a day. A lot of people should try

44

TERRORIZER #275

that.
Simones new-found anti-tech policy may not
be in keeping with the technological utopia that
she and her band create through their music and
lyrics, but she is proud that Epica have kept an eye
on the future with this latest recording.
Things like The Oculus Rift are becoming so
realistic, you cannot really distinguish which reality
is the true reality anymore and thats the red line
going through all our lyrics, she says. Artificial
intelligence is, in the end, going to take control
over humanity. Thats what the cornerstones are
in the lyrics of The Holographic Principle. This
is actually based on real research, so its not just
a fantasy idea, its really being worked on as we
speak and we just take the information that we
have and are going to philosophise about that
topic. I think its becoming more realistic because
technology is improving at a rapid rate.
Simone is a fan, however, of some of the
technological revolutions and has her eye on which
ones she would like to harness for Epica.
Im sure that many bands are investing in
how to lift up the live show experience to the next
level where people can see the show through those
Oculus Rift glasses so Im pretty sure that will be
something that will happen soon, as technology
is always much further than we think. Its quite
scary but I think a lot of people will be interested
in trying it out. When I go to the cinema I prefer

to see the movie in 2D than 3D because I get overstimulated. Even though I like technology Im very
old school, I dont like video games that are very
realistic, I want to know that Im playing a video
game and not lose myself completely in it.
Following on from the Dio Disciples concert at
Wacken this past summer where the band played
with a holographic Ronnie James, is this something
Simone could see Epica using? In the same way we
dont have to leave the house to buy our favourite
bands new album anymore, maybe were reaching
a point where we dont have to leave the house
to see them live. Why not beam them into our
bedrooms?
A holographic Epica? Simone laughs. We
have done streaming of our anniversary show,
so that people could get a ticket and watch the
show via live streaming, but with holograms? That
would be cool. Unfortunately that technology is
so expensive and still not very accessible, but who
knows? We are still a growing band and that could
be something we could invest in, in the future. As
for my dream of the future? Weve done shows on
a boat, like the 70,000 Tons Of Metal cruise, so
maybe we could do a show in space, so all species
in the universe could enjoy our music.
The Holographic Principle is out now on
Nuclear Blast
www.Epica.nl

Academy Events present

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HALSHUG

HALSHUGs

new album is as bleak as the its title suggests. No surprises to

hear that it was inspired by even bleaker territories, as guitarist
MATHIUS SCHNBERG explains
Words: Serena Cherry

lack mind. Now theres a happy phrase. It

will come as no surprise that this is the literal
translation of Halshugs new album title Sort
Sind. From its stark, imposing cover alone, it seems as
though these Danish d-beat purists have developed a
bit of a penchant for misery.
This album was written in a state of unhappiness,
by generally unhappy people, reflects guitarist
Mathius Schnberg. Its angrier than [previous album]
Blodets Bnd [2015]. The lyrics are quite minimalist,
they are more just howls of pure emotion.
Considering their straightforward, purebred
approach to hardcore punk, Halshug werent
necessarily down with the strictness when it came to
writing this release.
The overall sound is hard as fuck, but youll
probably find that its not as traditional a Scandi
d-beat record as our previous releases. We allowed
ourselves to take a more liberal creative stand with
this record. Sort Sind has got some mid-tempo songs
on it, and the fast songs are a little bit more groovy
not as blazing.
If anything is going to set the somber tone of
Sort Sind, its the meaningful sample the band chose
to open the album with.
The intro is the sound of a person crying Av, mit

hjerte, mit hjerte gr ondt which translates to: aw,

my heart, my heart is hurting. This quote is from the
2013 Danish documentary film Blodets Bnd a film
that shares a title with our first album. This is not a
coincidence, that film left a huge mark on us, as it
portrayed an environment that was very recognisable
to us. It describes a lower income familys internal and
external conflicts and takes place in the same kind of
neglected back land of Denmark that we got to grow
up in.
This notion in itself is probably quite hard to
conceive. A bleak picture of neglected back lands
doesnt match the prominent portrayal of Denmark
as a serene land where the quality of life is high; yet
Halshug are set upon exposing the countrys dark
underbelly from within.
The quality of life rumour about Denmark stems
from some advertisement campaign that was launched
by a tourist agency years back, and the statistics of
happiness its built on dont seem very scientific.
Economic welfare and personal safety are not the only
factors necessary for happiness for everyone. Denmark
is a country with a very high suicide rate and almost
everyone is an alcoholic. A lot of people seem to go
through depression and there is a strong feeling of
alienation and detachment here.

We live in a suffocating national-conservative

nightmare that still prides itself with the history of
being one of the worlds first social democracies

46

TERRORIZER #275

We live in a suffocating national-conservative

nightmare that still prides itself with the history of
being one of the worlds first social democracies, he
continues. Denmark was almost a socialist country
in the last century, so you still get the claustrophobic
feeling that all of your life and labor belongs to the
State, but you currently live in a culture that has
totally stagnated in the existential vacuum of postmillennium consumerism and a total breakdown of
meaning. Spice that up with the guilt of being an
imperialist nation that has always refused to identify
itself that way, even though three generations of
people from Greenland are still drinking in the streets,
and hundreds of thousands of victims to our own
failed foreign politics are denied access to our borders.
Things may be looking alright specifically for someone
with Danish citizenship, but fuck. Fuck.
Sort Sind is out now on Southern Lord
www.Facebook.com/HalshugCPH

Everything
is possible
if you have
the right
mindset

OKKULTOKRATI

Somethings

you just love so much you never want them to change.

your favourite

TV

Your

favourite band,

show If only there were some way of preserving what makes them so

great whilst simultaneously embracing new things.

For Norways OKKULTOKRATI,

its the

beloved d-beat that drives their truck load of vicious sonic soundscapes

Words: Serena Cherry Photo: Marius Eriksen

ll of our new songs have the same

beat! proudly announces drummer
Lars Preus. Over and over. Thats a
point we are trying to make with this record, to
deliberately make it so repetitive. We discovered
that if you play d-beat slower, it starts to get this
big pulse with a lot more kick, and it takes on a
whole different energy. We know a lot of bands use
d-beat but we slowed it down, so its more thudding.
That way listeners get thrown into a void and are
staying down there a long time!
To evolve an entire album around one unchanging
drum beat is a simple yet effective method. Its a
tactic that enables the band to build layers of tranceinducing ideas into one swirling cloud of hypnotic
fury. So while the concept may appear rhythmically
tiresome, rest assured that the music doesnt get
boring because we change all the other parts as the

beat stays the same the whole time. If anything, its

a declaration of their fondness for psychedelia.
We have always enjoyed static, repetitive
elements in music. Our goal was to create this
psychedelic feeling that you can find in anything
from rock to electronic music, he says. And is there
anything more psychedelic than synths? Arguably not,
but that surprisingly isnt the reason why the band
have recruited a new member on keys.
Getting a synth player was very inspired by
Emperor, as we all have the same love for In The
Nightside Eclipse, says Lars, but we also love Primal
Scream. We are inspired by all these different bands,
but that doesnt mean we sound like any of them!
They may be about to release their third album on
Southern Lord, but Okkultokrati are keen as ever to
subvert preconceptions about their music.
When people ask what kind of music I play, I

always just say rock. I use such a general a term so

that people still dont know what to expect. But
thats how its supposed to be! Youre not supposed
to have all these presumptions about what youre
going to hear before you hear it, he says. When
you strip away everything in all these genres, its all
just rock songs beneath. When people describe us
as black sludge crust punk I just think whoa, that
sounds really awful!. If I read that description for
another band, I would think this is probably is shit,
Im not going to listen to it!. Using all these genres
to describe us is doing us a disfavour. You can class
your music with all these stupid labels, but really its
much easier to just be a rock n roll band.
And rock n roll they are, both musically and
existentially something that reflects in the bands
unsuspecting album title Raspberry Dawn.
Were just crazy, whacked-out musicians. Well
be drunk in the night, at night time when you
can do whatever the hell you like, but then the
beautiful morning always comes to wash it all away.
Thats what the album title means. Youve just been
committing sins and doing bad stuff in the night and
then theres the raspberry dawn. Its so purple and
pink and stunning. Plus, the beautiful raspberry dawn
is universal. Wherever you live, in the city or in the
woods, you will always have some connection to the
dawn.
Raspberry Dawn is out now on Southern
Lord
Okkultokrati.Blogspot.com

48

TERRORIZER #275

OATHBREAKER
50

TERRORIZER #275

When you think of

Belgium, crushing
blackened hardcore may
not be the first thing that
springs to mind.

Yet

it is

here, between the lakes

Ghent that
OATHBREAKER dwell,

and castles of

and it is also here where

theyve learned to not
give a fuck about what
anyone else thinks of
them
Words: Serena Cherry

n Belgium, when we started nobody

cared. We would play hardcore shows
and we didnt fit in there, we would
play metal shows and not fit in there. For the
music we play, in Belgium the scene isnt very
alive. I like to think that we developed a tough
elephant skin over our eight years as a Belgian
band by doing all those shows. Weve never
had much local support so everywhere we go
we were very much on our own. I think that
actually helped a lot to get us to where we are
now, because we know we dont have to care
about anything or anyone. Its just the four
of us wanting to do something new. If you
are following the set path of one genre then
you have just settled for a comfortable way
of making music. Were trying to make every
record sound different, its not interesting to us
to repeat what has been done before. Whatever
the idea, if we like it, then we should do it,
explains bassist Gilles Demolder, his defiant
philosophy acting as some sort of psychological
life raft for the four piece, who waded deep
against their own self-doubts to produce their
refreshingly unpredictable new album Rheia.
I feel like this record is all the stuff I
wanted to do for a while, but I never really had
the balls to experiment this much before, he
continues. I had so many ideas running around
in my head, I kept thinking and thinking there
has to be a way to combine all these clean
vocals with the black metal riffs, but it took
us two years to figure out how to not make it
sound like a power metal record! We have done
so many demos trying out different stuff, trying
to find that line of where it starts to be cheesy.
We lived on the verge of a nervous breakdown
worrying is this good? Nobody in the band
really knew is this what we want to do, or
is this complete shit? I dont know! I felt very
doubtful because some of the sounds on this
record are so new for us. It took us a long time
to get our heads around what we were doing,
merging all those different ideas was a delicate
balancing act.
While they may not have felt entirely
confident during the writing process, vocalist
Caro Tanghe is quick to confirm now that the
exploration was definitely worth it. Arguably it
is better to wander through uncharted musical
territory without bullish self-assurance, even
if that results in Gilles freaking out for the
first couple of days of recording.Thankfully,
producer Jack Shirley (Deafheaven/Loma Prieta)
was on hand to quash their unfounded jitters.
Jack was the first person who assured us,
as soon as he heard the new tracks he said you
guys, this is actually really good!. We decided
to record with him because he gives each record
its own personality. He works in a completely
different way from how we have worked before,
using only analogue tape to record. Every little
thing that we thought was not played well, we
would want to get rid of these takes because
they are not polished; but Jack always says
you should go with this one! Learn to love it!.
When you dont record with a click track you

cant redo the small things, so it gives a lot more

character to the way you play. For the acoustic
song, we used the first take because that was the
one that had the most feeling. Recording Rheia
with Jack felt more organic and it changed my
approach to music. It taught me to just let every
idea go its way and see what happens, instead of
needing to have control over every aspect.

ts an admirable approach the band have

taken, confronting their creative insecurities
to produce an album so unapologetically
human and raw. The exploration was not solely
confined to the music either, with Caro adopting
a more bare-faced, candid approach towards the
lyric writing too.
My lyrics are not wrapped in dark pretty
language, they are really straight forward, an
accurate reflection of what I was thinking and
feeling at the time, she says. Its very scary to
expose yourself so plainly and I think I definitely
wasnt ready to do that before. But as we began
writing Rheia, the music sounded more naked
and it felt like we had finally allowed ourselves
to open up both musically and lyrically. Basically,
this record is really personal to me and all of the
lyrics are very self-reflective. I came to a point
in my life when we wrote this record where
I felt like we were running around in circles.
Everything I engaged in I returned to the same
point afterwards. I kept asking what the fuck
am I doing wrong, to keep arriving at the same
point again. I talked a lot to Gilles about my
childhood and how I form relationships with
people, then when I started writing the lyrics to
Rheia it was the first time I could channel those
feelings into words. The conclusion once we had
finished writing the record was that I tend to
take care of a lot of people besides myself, but I
dont really take care of myself a lot, and theres
not a lot of people that take care of me. This
is where we drew the album title Rheia, who
in Greek mythology is the mother of all Gods.
I identified with Rheia because she takes care
of everything but she doesnt take credit for it.
Shes not named a God herself, but she takes
care of all the Gods.
Rheia is out now on Deathwish
www.Facebook.com/TheOathbreakerReigns

It took us
two years to
figure out
how to not
make it sound
like a power
metal record!
TERRORIZER #275

51

THY CATAFALQUE

From

breakneck stints of frostbitten tremolo to sumptuous orchestral sections, it

seems theres no limit to the imagination of

TERRORIZER

THY CATAFALQUE

creator

TAMS KTAI.
Meta

unravels the complex dynamics of genre-defying latest

Words: Faye Coulman

would love to create an album with a constant mood but

its not easy for me because Im unconsciously drawn to very
diverse things, comments Thy Catafalque mastermind Tams
Ktai of the expansive but oftentimes unpredictable creative instincts
that have sustained this mind-boggling musical entity since its distant
beginnings as a black metal outfit back in 1999. As a classically trained
multi-instrumentalist who operates in genres as diverse as extreme metal,
traditional folk and chamber music, its no surprise that variety forms such
an integral feature of Tamss genre-crossing
compositional brain. But while the cold
and endlessly contorting strains of
2014s Sgrr may have dazzled
many a critic with its ingenious
melange of influences, the
painstaking making of this
lauded outing proved
to be anything but
seamless.
When I finished
with Sgrr, everything
was so much easier, the
composer reveals. I dont
know for what reason,
but it was a great relief to
finish and when I finally
did everything suddenly
went much smoother

with the new album, and personally I think its a lot better than Sgrr.
I dont really say this much because I dont usually like listening to my
own material, but when I finished that album I experienced new heights
of creativity and power. I dont know what was happening during Sgrr
but I was really suffering and the new one was so much easier to do by
comparison. Strangely, I dont recall any difficulties writing, recording and
playing this record.

ndeed, from the gargling vitriol and ink-black atmospheres of Urania

through Mezolits crushing, doomy contortions to the glimmering
melodic structures of Sirl, every dynamic in this collectively immense
mix abounds with seamlessly aligned fluidity. With the input of an equally
diverse host of guest musicians ensuring as fresh and expansive a range of
material as possible, the resulting record stemmed from a highly intuitive
and organic point of origin.
I dont usually have any big ideas or grand concepts in the
beginning, it just usually comes and builds itself during the process,
the composer explains. Probably the only thing I wanted was to aim
for a warmer and somehow deeper composition than Sgrr, with
more lows, bringing some warmth into the songs. Sgrr was an
exceptionally cold album and that was fine for that record but this
time I wanted something gentler. Out of all my albums I felt that
2009s Rka Hasa Radio was a particularly good starting point for the
writing process this time around. I didnt want to sound exactly like it,
but I love that album and often return to it for inspiration, although I
dont know if anyone else can hear that influence. Its probably just me.
While its creator may seem at something of a loss to define the
complex, compositional processes that would later culminate in Meta, its
intriguing lyrical content can be traced back to an altogether more
easily decipherable source. Rooted in the thought-provoking
theory of all lifeforms originating from the same basic
atomic blueprint, its Metas mind-bending central
concept that ultimately unites this diverse amalgam
of musical, lyrical and visual dynamics into a
seamlessly coherent experience.
The word Meta is a Greek expression
meaning through or via things. The idea is that
all life operates in a cycle. When we are in
this human form we are made up of particles,
atomic parts up until our death, which then
degenerate again into these atoms which will
eventually produce a variety of other lifeforms,
from the soil to the grass, the worms, the birds
etc. Its for this reason that, when you look
at the iconography of the cover art, youll see
the heads of the saints are replaced by those of
animals. This became an important thing as it
connects every aspect of the album from the
music and lyrics though to the artwork.
Meta is out now on Season Of Mist
www.ThyCatafalque.hu

52

TERRORIZER #275

Everything
is possible
if you have
the right
mindset

Time for another dollop of death metal delicacies, with

reunited black/death Swedes IN AETERNUM, South African
slam collective VULVODYNIA and French Canadians
PURGATOIRE
Words: Olivier Zoltar Badin

Of Death and that was so fun to do that thanks

to that, we are now back on track and hungry
for more. It must have felt pretty frustrating
for their latest bass player Claes Ramberg
(ex-Godhate) who joined only to see the band
going on hiatus after recording their Curse
Of Devastation EP. Well, he came onboard
in 2005 and toured with us on the Belphegor
and Arkhon Infaustus tour so he had been with
the band for over two years when we stopped.
But it was actually even more frustrating being
in than out of the band at the time. So if we
hadn't stopped we would have destroyed it for
good! Instead of coming up right away with
a new full-length, theyve decided to put out
another EP. Their first not recorded with Tommy
Tgtgren (Peters brother) in the producers
chair since 2000, it includes two new tracks
plus two remakes: one of an old classic of
theirs (Majesty Of Fire, opener of their debut
album) and one of Wars I Am Elite a superfast black metal super-group he was part of in
the late 90s, the latter as a tribute to his friend
David Blackmoon Parland (ex-Dark Funeral
and ex-Necrophobic) who was part of the gang.
Pumped by the arrival of former Degials Joel
Lindholm on lead guitar, theyve just played
three gigs, including one at the Metal Magic
festival in Copenhagen and are said to be
working on their next full-length, hopefully to
be recorded in 2017.

IN AETERNUM

ust like Dawn or Arckanum, In Aeternum

were one of the many Swedish bands
gathered around the Necropolis Records
banner in the late 90s, at a time when the
countrys classic death and black sounds had
started to merge and Peter Tgtgrens Abyss
studio was the go-to place to do albums when
you were speeding along the devils highway.
Alas, by the time the new century came around,
things had gone sour but, unlike others, In
Aeternum survived the blast, only to be plagued
by line-up changes and even more business
problems to the point where, without warning,
founding member David Larsson decided to

54

TERRORIZER #275

unexpectedly pull the plug in 2007 after four

albums. He now points his finger at those
greedy organizers who try to rip you off and
treat you like shit. I guess I simply lost interest
in being part of the scene. It even took me
a few years to start going to gigs again and
appreciate that. Yet, while their drummer Perra
Karlsson was still in Nominon and had joined
Destryer 666, they finally started talking at the
end of 2014 about a possible future. We had
tried once before but I wasnt comfortable with
it back then. What ultimately led me to come
back with In Aeternum was a recording I did
with a friend of mine in a project called Coven

hat if slam is getting a bad name

simply because it doesnt strive
on the traditional fertile grounds
regular death metal usually festers upon,
such as Sweden? Last year, China and Norway
had the best mosh parts and grooves with
The Dark Prison Massacre and Kraanium
respectively. In 2016, it seems you have to
look in Durban, South Africa to find the real
shit with Vulvodynia whose second album
Psychosadistic Design (Lacerated Enemy) is a
great example of slam even your average Bolt
Thrower fan can actually like. These three lads
(six when it comes to the live show) are young
(average age: in between 19 and 22), hate solos
to the point theyve decided not to include any
on their albums and are unapologetically proud
of their tag, as enthusiastically underlined by
their guitarist Byron. You can really get into
slam, he says. When done right it can really
have some heavy groove to it. Of course it takes
time to get into the whole scene and vibe but
it feels like it might become a more popular
genre in the near future. Hopefully someone
will come and make something unique out of
it. Their album almost feels like some kind of
gathering of the tribe, featuring no less than
nine guest singers, including Don Campan from
Waking The Cadaver (probably their biggest
influence), Jason Evans of Ingested and former
Cerebral Bore vocalist Simone Pluijmers. We
did a lot of passing around of suggestions.
Different band members are different fans of
certain vocalists and we would vote on who
we think would sound good on what song,
then proceed to reach out and see if they were

VULVODYNIA

available to lay down some vocals for us. It

ends up being good networking though and
has shown us that the community of extreme
underground metal is quite tight. The same
spirit seems to drive their unquenchable thirst
for side-projects, considering the insane number
theyre involved in. Our personal fave? Take a
deep breath: Acidic Vaginal Liquid Explosion
Generated By Mass Amounts Of Filthy Fecal
Fisting And Sadistic Septic Syphilic Sodomy
Inside The Infected Maggot Infested Womb Of
A Molested Nun Dying Under The Roof Of A
Burning Church While A Priest Watches And
Ejaculates In Immense Perverse Pleasure Over
His First Fresh Fetus. Yep, that was epic. But
their guitar player is adamant that Vulvodynia
remains their top priority. We keep churning
out more material, I know, he laughs. It
makes its way into side projects. We can explore
different ideas without the fear that it doesn't
sound like Vulvodynia holding us back. Also
the collaboration with other artists in the genre
tends to lead to more music making and side
projects, since everyone in the band can record
or has some knowledge on recording. But
you should really check out the South African
scene, its quite small yet close-knit with bands
like Bleeding Spawn, BloodBeast, Boargazm,
Zombies Ate My Girlfriend or The Overmind.
Duly noted, sir.

it. French is the language I was raised with

so it makes sense to me to use it and I dont
understand why there arent that many bands
thinking the same way I do. Plus its really
typical of people from Qubec: were very proud
of our cultural and linguistic heritage and the
language plays a huge part in it. But were far
from being the first to do that over here and
a band like Dmence really made an example
for us to follow as far back as 1996 with their
Total Dmembrement album. They wear their
home turf Rimouski proudly on their sleeve,

only the provinces twentieth largest city by

its population (50,000) yet one of the genres
biggest strongholds twenty years ago, with
shows that often attracted 800 to 1000 fans
with bands like Gorelust. Pass Dcompos,
Purgatoires first album is thus proudly rooted
in the classic sound of the mid-90s, with Flix
citing Suffocation, Gorguts, Obitiuary and
Baphomet as some of their main influences.
Were not that much into blastbeats, thats not
where we come from. Wed rather play a heavier
and more straight-forward form of music!

IT WAS ACTUALLY EVEN MORE

FRUSTRATING BEING IN THAN
OUT OF THE BAND AT THE TIME
PURGATOIRE

hile Frances mother tongue played

a huge part in its early 80s heavy
metal scene, since then it seems
the black metallers have taken some pride
in using it. Its quite ironic then that you
have to look across the Atlantic, all the way
to Qubec, to actually find a death metal
band like Purgatoire favoring it for their
gruesome stories about what happened to
the missionaries that first stepped into the
vast Canadian forest only to find suffering
and death, as their vocalist Flix gently puts

TERRORIZER #275

55

 10 PURE GENIUS
8-9 POT OF GOLD
6-7 PASSES THE TIME

4-5 PASS
2-3 PISS POOR
1 PILE OF SHITE

ALBUM OF THE MONTH

AIN'T NO SUNSHINE

40 WATT SUN
Wider Than The Sky
RADIANCE

ts been five years already since The Inside Room, and

thats a lot of time to wait when the hunger is so great.
One of the most unassumingly brilliant albums this side of
the 21st century, it captured the emotional weight and the
soft wall of sound perfected by Patrick Walkers previous
band, the equally amazing Warning, while mixing it with
other sensibilities, mainly a very pastoral, contemplative
feeling reminiscent of British folk music (one of the biggest
influences which is now much more noticeable) and the
quiet melancholy found in the very best singer/songwriters
of the 70s in particular. It was only five songs, but we
could have listened to them on loop forever if this follow-up
had never materialised and it very nearly didnt.
Music business stuff happened, and for over a year
now weve been listening to a few of the songs on this
album during the bands sporadic, but always remarkably
meaningful live appearances, longing for the eventual
record, as if there wasnt enough longing in the music
itself already. Our restless hearts can settle down now,
though. The opening line of If I was only wise enough / To
know everything sure and true about myself / You would
not be here is Patrick Walker through and through, and

56

TERRORIZER #275

the delivery is, though sober, so

filled with latent emotion as to
melt your heart straight away,
getting it ready for the puddle
it will be at the end. Thats
also when you first realise that
Patricks voice is much looser
and willing to go places it
didnt go before. Maybe confidence, maybe also following
the music, which is equally less constrained than it seemed
on The Inside Room. Silly but appropriate metaphor, it
really feels like the first album was music for that inside
room, introspective, pressured and contained, and that
this one brings it outside where it can move around and
expand. Its still a grey, cloudy day outside, but theres a
breeze and a bird here and there too. Despite the popular
misconception, 40 Watt Sun was never just about the
sadness its not jolly music by any means, but its cracks
are how the light gets in, paraphrasing master Cohen,
whose poetic shadow is also cast here and there throughout
these songs.
Theyre really songs, too, perhaps more fleshed out

and more perceptible than

The Inside Rooms five
movements, more than songs,
and despite a seemingly
lumbering six songs in 62
minutes, you barely notice the
time going by. Hell, opener
Stages alone is sixteen
minutes long, probably the most imperceptible quarter
of an hour youll have this year with any song, and that
feeling applies to the whole record too. Its more relaxed,
more uncluttered than the bands ever been, the flow and
interplay between acoustic and electric parts is masterfully
accomplished, and the melodies insinuate themselves so
naturally that it wont even feel like a catchy album until
you find yourself whistling all of the lyrics and guitar lines.
But now you dont see me trying, do you?, Patrick asks
during Stages, and no, we really dont. For most of its
duration, Wider Than The Sky seems like three guys sat
down and just started playing this stuff straight from
their hearts.
[9] JOS CARLOS SANTOS

EMBRACE
THE DEATH
MARTIN VAN DRUNEN
ON THE NEW ALBUMS
DEVASTATING TITLE TRACK

I
ASPHYX

Incoming Death
CENTURY MEDIA

ncoming Death was, music-wise,

composed in perhaps ten minutes when
Husky and Paul were checking the sound in the Perle
Am Rhein studio for the flexi recordings. When we all
freaked out on it, we knew we had the title track for
the album. Straight forward, no nonsense, three riff,
in-your-face death metal. Not that we were looking
for a title track that would be in the tradition of
Death The Brutal Way or Deathhammer it just
came out like this. Its a damn neckbreaker to raise
hell to when playing live and thats why the choice
for the track was only natural. So grab a beer, bang
that head and scream along. This is fuckin Asphyx
and we always deliver the goods!

t is rare, but they are death metal legends

for a reason: Asphyx, even with constant
lineup changes (the sole original member,
drummer Bob Bagchus, left amicably in
2014), have soldiered on, growing better
with time, and Incoming Death, their ninth
full-length release in their near 30-year
career emphatically proves this. The title
refers to WWI and the horror associated with
front-line infantry sitting in the trenches
awaiting impending bombardment. They

waste little time on opener Candiru; Paul

Baayens disemboweling guitar, Alwin Zuurs
bludgeoning bass, the skull-rattling war
drums courtesy of new basher, Stefan Husky
Hskens (Desaster) and Martin Van Durens
unmistakable death rattle immediately assault
the listener, effectively setting the stage for
the devastating ebb and flow that follows.
Division Brandenburg beautifully settles,
for lack of a better word, into their signature,
huge death/doom riff-oriented style with the
uncompromising Wardroid and fantastical,

ABIGAIL

ANATA

ANCIIENTS

ASATTA

NUCLEAR WAR NOW!

KAOSKVLT

SEASON OF MIST

BURNOUT PLANET

ts refreshing to have a
band remove the fucksgiven filter to extol good
ol sex, drugs and rock n
roll debauchery. That said
tongue-in-cheek homage is backed by inescapably
infectious blackened thrash of the filthiest order
makes signing any online petition to hang, draw
and castrate the loveable Yasuyuki Suzuki and
the Venom, Bulldozer, Motrhead and Sabbatworshipping trio he masterminds an internal
battle SJWs will agonise over. Does one maintain
the anally lodged stick and take to Facebook
to whine about Whiskey, Coke And Bitch, Sex
And Metal and Sweet Baby Metal Sluts despite
uncontrollably headbanging behind closed doors?
Regardless, well be here with our ids turned off,
raging like lunatics.
[8] KEVIN STEWART-PANKO

nata are one of the more

overlooked bands to
come out of the 90s Swedish
death metal scene. This
reissue of their 1998 debut
album has been remastered for the first time on
vinyl, boasting a very warm production. Anata
perfectly walk the tightrope between the fast
melodicism of their peers At The Gates, Arch
Enemy and In Flames, yet strive towards a more
technical style, almost reaching the complex
playing of Nile and Necrophagist. This debut
sits closer to the typical melodeath sound than
their following works. Ferocious and brutal,
yet at times beautiful, this album should be
mentioned amongst death metal classics.
Slain Upon His Altar in particular is truly
mesmerising.
[8.5] CHRIS FRENCHIE FRENCH

hile many are still

digesting their Heart
Of Oak debut, or at least
tripping over fresh discoveries
with each listen, here comes
the Vancouver-ites second offering of pitch-thick,
progressive metal density. Initial spins reveal that,
while the songs may be on average lengthier, the
compositions employ a stronger, more robust sense
of relatable riffiness, a trait appealling to those
more concerned with a songs impact instead of its
labyrinthine quality. Anciients continue to eschew
traditional structures, especially repeating choruses,
but they make it make more sense. The points of
comparison shift between older Mastodon and
Kylesa and newer Baroness and Opeth, providing
a combination of energetic extremity, down-home
soulfulness and thoughtful arrangements.
[8] KEVIN STEWART-PANKO

ow this title could

go one of two ways:
either a meditative
contemplation of the fate
that all awaits us, or a
kicking screaming monolith that aint going
nowhere without a fight. Asatta are the
latter, and yup, things are pretty desolate
on this debut release. Multi-tracked bellows
and chords that never seem to end are the
order of the (end) days here. Its absolutely
delightful when they get up to (what is to
them) a cantering speed and a teensy bit of
groove lumbers into the cosmic catastrophe,
before being brought down to funeral level
for She Died Long Ago and its somewhat
cleaner reverential tones. This lot are
definitely ones to watch.
[7] STEVE R. JONES

AGATUS

ANCIENT

ARX ATRATA

AUROCH

HELLS HEADBANGERS

SOULSELLER

SELF RELEASE

PROFOUND LORE

espite hailing from

Athens, the same place
that spawned such sinister
icons as Rotting Christ and
Septicflesh, Agatus own
plodding, traditionalist fare displays little
evidence of this grand Hellenic influence. With
much of this underwhelming impact owing to
production standards that contribute a subdued
and deflated finish to the Greeks heavily
NWOBHM-influenced riffing, the muscular
contortions and epic choral sections of Gods Of
Fire showcase no small amount of intelligently
penned complexity. However, for all its highlights,
The Eternalist is a long-player equally dogged by
dated and repetitious material whose churning,
mid-paced motions sorely lack the blistering
energy of their more innovative peers.
[5] FAYE COULMAN

s their name might

suggest, veteran black
metallers Ancient are a
traditional bunch, with latest
offering Back To The Land
Of The Dead sticking with the 90s template of
their formative years. Wherever the Land Of The
Dead might be, the path there has been welltrodden by the likes of Watain and Dark Funeral,
whose ilk set the stylistic parameters for this
release. Though far from trail-blazing, Ancient
wield genre conventions convincingly, with
rhythmic shifts, melodic twin-lead and the odd
symphonic flourish showing flair, particularly
on long-form closer Petrified By Their End. Not
one for those who enjoy black metal in its more
terrifying aspect, but a solid execution of the
style nevertheless.
[6] TIM HORROCKS

The Final Damnation

The Eternalist

The Infernal Depths Of Hatred

Back To The Land Of The Dead

murderous The Feeder following in quick

succession. It Came From The Skies subtly
nods to Bolt Thrower, the harrowing title track,
mirroring Candiru, gallops at full fury, and
Forerunners Of The Apocalypse and Wildland
Fire stand as prime examples of the sinister
groove they so readily command. All of this
is fine, great even, but where Incoming
Death truly makes a profound impression
are the sombre and contemplative The Grand
Denial, Subterra Incognita, and the chillinducing closer Death The Only Immortal,

Voice Of The Void

Spiritus In Terra

his blackened fortress is

manned by Nottingham
based Ben Sizer (also of
Twilights Embrace) and
they really caught our
attention with debut album Oblivion in 2013.
Consolidating on that and promising a full
line-up for live activities, this second album is
every bit as magnificent an example of frosty,
atmospheric black metal. The song-writing
is excellent, as is the melodic precision laid
out here, drawing the listener into a cold and
wintery canvas full of mystery and intrigue.
Tracks like Sherwood have you following the
composer deep into the forest and journeying
into the rich mythic history within and the epic
structures are an absolute delight to wander
through and completely lose yourself within.
[8.5] PETE WOODS

which contain a sense of gravity that most

contemporary death metal lacks. As a whole,
Asphyx has never sounded finer and Incoming
Death only adds to their legacy.
[8.5] JOHN MINCEMOYER

Spiralling Into Oblivion

Mute Books

hile sharing two

members and more
than a little sonic DNA with
blackened death dealers
Mitochondrion, Auroch are
their own unique beast, forsaking the sprawling
murk of their sister band in favour of a
predominantly fast and furious assault. Taking
cues from Canadian forerunners Cryptopsy and
Gorguts, the Vancouver trios third full-length
features plenty of dissonance and headspinning technicality, with hints of prime Morbid
Angel seeping into the mix during cuts like
Tipharethagirion and the savage He Wreaths
The Cross. Clocking in at a succinct 30 minutes,
Mute Books is entirely free of flab, yet for all
the bands brevity, it is also dense, complex and
steeped in otherworldly atmosphere.
[7.5] MIKE KEMP

TERRORIZER #275

57

RHYTHMS ROTATING
AT DIFFERENT RATES
LIKE DIFFERENT SIZED
GEARS
BRUJERIA
Pocho Aztlan
NUCLEAR BLAST

CHARRED WALLS OF
THE DAMNED

Creatures Watching Over The Dead

ixteen years have passed

since Brujerizmo, Brujerias
last full-length, and we know
now the story. The cartel, which
has added two new(ish) players,
El Clavador and Anton Reisenegger (Pentagram
Chile), respectively, has long since been exposed,
and although the original spirit remains to an extent,
the danger, mystery, and unhinged savagery defining
their earliest EPs and the palpably frightening
Mantando Geros is missing. Technically, Pocho
Aztlan sounds flawless, it actually holds a certain
distorted danceable quality, and that is the main
problem: the grainy snuff-film, drug-fueled, black
magic satanic ritual murder in a sweltering, normally
disused tin shed atmosphere is irrevocably lost.
Aztlan is a timely, politically-charged effort, but it
wants for a lack of true derangement.
[5] JOHN MINCEMOYER

METAL BLADE

CEREBRAL FIX

CHURCH OF THE
COSMIC SKULL

Disaster Of Reality
XTREEM

enerally more renowned

for whos been in the band
than exemplary accomplishments
(though Tower Of Spite is a
positive mark in crossover/thrash
history), Cerebral Fix may be a recognisable name,
but arent considered essential listening. Disater Of
Reality is the Birmingham bruisers first full-length
since reconvening a decade ago, though one spin will
have you wondering whats the fuss. Not that this
is absolutely devoid of merit the occasional riff is
reminiscent of Cryptic Slaughter or DRI but overall,
it lacks power, direction and conviction. Songs may
be only a couple minutes long, but lackluster riffs
too often tediously draw things out. With their thenand-now contemporaries in Napalm Death, Carcass,
Godflesh and even Sacrilege creating vital works today,
Cerebral Fix sound like a pub band in comparison.
[3] KEVIN STEWART-PANKO

ake three ex-members of

Iced Earth, multiply them
by prolific producer Jason
Suecof, and you know youre
getting some polished technical
ecstasy. Their powers combined ensure that this
third album sounds big and ballsy. Screeching vocal
hooks (ironically) breathe life into lead single The
Soulless, while tracks like Reach Into The Light
channel Judas Priest. Perhaps its unsurprising, as
the bands personnel comprises Tim Ripper Owens.
Theyre razor-sharp, but weep with a sense of forlorn
passion. That said, there is the odd forgettable
clunker and dragging pseudo-ballad in the mix here.
They walk the same path of anguished-yet-anthemic
metal as the likes of Scar Symmetry, but often sit
just on the cusp of having great songs.
[5.5] ANDY MCDONALD

Is Satan Real?

BILOCATION/KOZMIK ARTIFACTZ

his actually does live up to

that cover, believe it or not.
The Church is composed of seven
people, all with known activity
in other bands (Dystopian Future
Movies, Mammothwing, Pilgrim Fathers, Polymath
and many others), but here, they achieve a very
colourful and very festive rapture together as one.
Imagine that cult hymn feeling of the first Sabbath
Assembly mixed with the tongue-in-cheek ultra-catchy
poppiness of Ghost, all of it resting on a solid classic
prog foundation (think Magma, for instance), and
you might be imagining something close to Is Satan
Real?. Making it all sound like a proper, enjoyable
and even serious record, instead of a joke band, was
the biggest challenge before this idea, and theyve
nailed that too.
[8] JOS CARLOS SANTOS

PROPHECY

58

TERRORIZER #275

The Violent Sleep Of Reason

NUCLEAR BLAST

he sheer force of Meshuggahs music

shouldnt be inimitable in this day and
age, especially when young nerdy musicians
have all the effects and recording techniques
they could ever need at their disposal. Yet
for all the bands that mimic the complex,
churning sound of the Swedish greats, when
Meshuggah emerge from hiding with new
music, it instantly renders the sounds by
their acolytes as the work of rank amateurs.
Heaviness in metal isnt a formula or a
special combination of amplifier settings. Like
Neurosis, like YOB, Meshuggahs heaviness is
far less tangible, something captured by the
chemistry of the five individuals involved.
Also, and this is crucial as you hear their
masterful eighth album, Meshuggah have
been pushing themselves creatively from day
one. Yes, their signature sound is all over this
record complex, circular riffs and rhythms
rotating at different rates like different sized

on Kodama, but with most clocking in around

the eight minute mark theres plenty of time for
delicate riffs to flourish into waves of sorrowful
distortion, each seamless transition nothing
short of beautiful.
[8.5] SERENA CHERRY

gears, brute force offset by the delicate free

jazz solos of Fredrik Thordendal but like
every past album the formula is tinkered
with, to exacting detail and precision. While
2012s Koloss often revisited the speed and
ferocity of the bands thrash roots, The Violent
Sleep Of Reason slows things back down to
the pace of the bands 2002 high watermark
Nothing. As labyrinthine as the arrangements
seem, the space the live recordings allow for
the music to breathe lends such standouts
as Clockworks, Into Decay, and the title
track that power and heaviness that make
Meshuggah so unique, and which makes this
album so astonishing.
[8.5] ADRIEN BEGRAND

DEHUMANIZATION

DRUMMER TOMAS HAAKE ON RECORDING THE NEW ALBUM LIVE IN THE STUDIO

precise and meticulously worked through this one

doesnt really have that in the same sense. This one
is sloppier, for lack of a better word, but at the
same time theres an energy in the flaws and a
grittiness that comes through when theres a bit of
an audible humanity in there! I see no reason why
we shouldnt at least strive to record this way for
future albums. And if that doesnt work out, we can
always go back to doing it other ways too, its just a
more boring way of recording.

CROBOT

DEAD

NUCLEAR BLAST

WE EMPTY ROOMS

e have actually always wanted to record

this way but for different reasons we
had to settle for other ways of recording. Almost
all the metal bands/songs/albums that we loved
and that were crucial to the ideas and sounds that
shaped us into Meshuggah were all (or mostly)
recorded live in studio and so it has always also
seemed to us like the real way of recording, even
though weve been doing it kinda the opposite
way for a lot of years I think a lot of our fans
have come to expect our albums to sound very

Welcome To Fat City

ALCEST
Kodama
hen Alcest dropped their new song
Oiseaux De Proie, fans of the French
blackgaze duo collectively rejoiced. After the
overwhelming prettiness of 2014s dream
pop opus Shelter, it appears that Alcest
have returned to the dark side, the colossal
seven minute single from Kodama perfectly
showcasing the kind of gut wrenching screams
that we havent heard from Neige since 2010s
cailles De Lune. Yes, thats right the harsh
vocals are back, the blastbeats are back,
and its powerful stuff indeed. But to say that
Kodama is merely a return to form would be
a disservice to this poetic post-black magnum
opus. What we are witnessing with our ears
here is a transcendental blend between old
Alcest and new. There may be just six tracks

MESHUGGAH

eing a bastard
offspring of Led
Zeppelin and Troubles
more free-spirited
moments has served many
a band well, and this US outfit are the latest
to catapult their grit n groove onto wax with
their third album since forming in 2011.
Comparisons with Trouble are well-founded
especially in the vocal stakes, although
Crobots concerns are rather earthier, and
their guitar hero antics dont quite match
Troubles legendary duo. Nonetheless, theres
a hell of a lot of guts and blue collar pride
to their tunes like on the sky-scraping
Hold On For Dear Life and Temple In The
Sky that mark the Pennsylvanians as solid
adherents to the cause of hard riffage.
[6] STEVE R. JONES

Untitle

ead hail from the

Australian city of
Castlemaine like the beer,
as were sure they never tire of
confirming to people but their
Mecca is located in Americas Pacific Northwest.
A guitar-and-drums duo, boosted on this album
by guest parts from one BJ Morriszonkle, the five
longish songs on Untitle lay down sludgy riffs
at peculiar angles, lumbering yet minimal and
sounding so much like the Melvins, particularly on
Grizzly and Turning Screws, that you find yourself
feeling almost resentful. Dead seem like smart
cookies with interesting arrangements and finely
tuned production, and theyre squandering it trying
to be someone else, though nine-minute slowcoregone-metal closer Line Em All Up offers a slightly
fresher tweak to their approach.
[5.5] NOEL GARDNER

REINFORCES THEIR
IMPORTANCE AND
RELEVANCE
DEMONCY

EPICA

NUCLEAR WAR NOW

NUCLEAR BLAST

inisterly slithering
out the pit in the
early dawn of the USBM
movement, Demoncy
conjured up a ghastly aura
with demo Faustian Dawn in 1993. The
original sound may be polished, but is still
ridden with filth and grime and the songs
have a primitive, lo-fi barrage about them
similar to originators such as Profanatica and
Von. Its the occult sensibilities traversed by
founder Ixithra and his assorted ghouls that
make this particularly worth revisiting. Along
with whispered, rasping vocals and thick
cloying bass the fetid miasma really gets
beneath the skin and exudes a grim and foul
atmosphere as it rumbles out its thoroughly
unpleasant Satanic Psalms. Ugh!
[7] PETE WOODS

est assured, there will be

no surprises from Epica
this year. The Dutch symphonic
metallers have crafted yet another
grandiose record that combines
classically flourished riffs with lyrics straight out
of a sociology text book. With their penchant for one
overarching theme to each album, The Holographic
Principle explores the issue of reality becoming more
virtual and less, err real. And what a bombastic
journey this exploration is, from the obligatory
instrumental intro to the surprisingly heavy chugs of
Universal Death Squad its a valiant, if formulaic,
effort. Divide And Conquer provides the highlight
with its massive hooks, showcasing a more refined
balance of ideas. At times the album suffers from
a disjointed feel, but the moments where it all knits
together are enthrallingly redemptive.
[7] SERENA CHERRY

DPARTE

GATECREEPER

SEASON OF MIST

RELAPSE

Faustian Dawn

Failure, Subside

here must be something

in the water down under
(besides toothsome aquatic
killing machines, we mean),
as our Aussie metal brethren
have been absolutely on top of their game
recently. Tasmanian devils Dparte are the
latest to unleash their vicious wares on the
wider world with their new album, Failure,
Subside, seven tracks of dissonant, swirling
murk which amalgamate elements of black
metal, death metal, doom and even the darker
end of the ambient spectrum, into a morbid
tapestry of twisted auditory punishment and
crippling emotional anguish. Add some vocals
that run the gamut from harrowing howls to
dark, despairing melody and youve got one of
the most vicious and vital debuts of the year.
[8] ANDY WALMSLEY

The Holographic Principle

Sonoran Deprivation

fter a self-released EP,

several split EPs, and a fourway split with Homewrecker, Outer
Heaven and Scorched, Arizonabased five-piece Gatecreeper have
found a proper home in the ever-expanding Relapse
universe and now issue their debut full-length,
Sonoran Deprivation. Gatecreeper play lurching to
mid-paced death metal and do it exceedingly well.
Virulent strains from their Floridian and Swedish
Golden Age forebears crop up, so theyve done
their requisite homework, but Gatecreeper inject
enough stylistic nuance into the grim proceedings to
destroy any thoughts of blatant plagiarism. Sonoran
Deprivations production sounds full and exudes
ample crypt-defiling menace. Gatecreeper simply,
although adroitly, conjure palpable unease and an
eeriness worthy of their wonderfully evocative moniker.
[8] JOHN MINCEMOYER

Sorceress
NUCLEAR BLAST

ts so quaint how some longtime fans of

Opeth cling to the hope that someday Mikael
kerfeldt will return to the more extrememinded progressive metal that made the band
one of most innovative acts of the 1990s.
Three albums into the fascinating and utterly
spellbinding metamorphosis from extreme
metal stalwarts to progressive rock auteurs,
however, its clear that Opeth have no intention
of backtracking one single bit.
The stylistic shift that started with 2011s
Heritage through 2014s Pale Communion
and the brand new Sorceress is the best thing
kerfeldt and Opeth could have ever done.
Changing your musical approach while still
remaining true to the oeuvre youve created
is by no means easy, but kerfeldt has made
it seem effortless. That skill is on full display
on Sorceress, which sees the band making
subtle overtures toward their heavier side while
experimenting more and more.
Consider it moving forward by looking

DEATHWISH INC.

formula is a tried and tested one but Oathbreaker

make it their own, sounding fresh and vital.
Standout Immortals finds a perfect balance
between brutality and beauty. A deep, reflective
and breathtaking masterpiece.
[9] CHRIS FRENCHIE FRENCH

back. Ever the student of 1970s progressive

rock, kerfeldt has gone back to his biggest
influences Camel, Genesis, Jethro Tull and
has found a way to use those vintage sounds to
forge a subtler-sounding path. The sterling first
half of Sorceress plays into all Opeths many
strengths, juxtaposing darker, harsher moods
with introspective, folk-inspired fare, serving
as a precursor to a jazzier, more adventurous
second half, as Strange Brew and A Fleeting
Glance head in more abstract directions. The
discipline on display is a marvel to hear, and
Opeths continued mastery of the form only
reinforces their importance and relevance.
[8.5] ADRIEN BEGRAND

FAITH IN OTHERS

MIKAEL KERFELDT ON CREATING SORCERESS

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GOAT

HALSHUG

ROCKET

SOUTHERN LORD

Requiem

OATHBREAKER
Rheia
he third opus from Belgium's Oathbreaker
is their longest yet, running at over an hour.
Theyve used this extra space much to their
advantage, creating a journey full of atmosphere
and variety. Rheia uses more clean sections
and Caro Tanghes voice sounds better than ever,
especially on the surreal folk of Stay Here. They
weave in shoegaze moments sounding somewhere
between Cocteau Twins and Deafheaven, but the
ethereal gloom of Rolo Tomassis Grievances
also comes to mind. Headbangers neednt gasp
though, as the use of softer, quieter parts make
the transitions into full on hardcore intensity even
more stunning. The combined punch of opener
10:56 into Second Son Of R. is monumentally
crushing, with Tanghe screaming like shes
being murdered in the finale. The loudQUIETloud

OPETH

Sort Sind

hey may be Swedish and

have named themselves
after one of metals most
beloved furry animals, but
thats as far as it goes in
terms of links with, say, Bathory (well, that and
one of their early t-shirt designs!). Goat are
a polymorphic unit that perceives music as a
pan-cultural experience, with their afrobeat/
psych delirium destined to suggest trance and
a return to nature type of trip. After previous
album Commune took us on a trip around
the Middle East, Requiem takes us to where
humanity first originated, Africa, with a folksier
approach which actually enhances their hypnotic
approach instead of toning it down. Terrorizer
readers most inclined to travel inwards would be
most advised to check them out.
[7] OLIVIER ZOLTAR BADIN

openhagen trio Halshug

return with their second
album of blistering, bruising
raw punk and D-beat which
hits you from the first note
like an unapologetic fist in the face. These
Danes sound angry very angry and the
nine songs are mostly kept short, sharp and to
the point overall, the vocals are vitriolic and
venomous and the guitars distorted to the max
with the rhythm section furiously stomping
along. Sort Sind translates to Black Mind
and lyrically its a bleak affair, telling stories
of growing up in areas blighted with social
deprivation and neglect which compliments
the aggressive aural attack of the music. A
relentless, raw, ripping and raucous album of
potent pissed off punk.
[8.5] KAT GILLHAM

TERRORIZER #275

59

METAL AS ALL
FUCK
HEAVEN SHALL BURN
Wanderer

CENTURY MEDIA

HUNG ON HORNS
Slaves

SELF RELEASE

erman warriors Heaven

Shall Burn have been
fighting social and ecological
injustices with their
distinctive metalcore for two
decades, and their fight is stronger than ever
on eighth full-length attack Wanderer. Its epic
sonic power is thanks to their own Alexander
Dietz (guitar), with help from Maik Weichert
(guitar), and Tue Madsen mixing their production
to perfection. Making his debut is Christian Bass
on drums (not bass), who brings his A+ game
with the blastiest nastiness and the stompiest
half-time grooves. Heaven Shall Burn found their
niche a long time ago in their trademark brand
of metalcore that injects melody from the guitar,
not the vocals, and twenty years on they still
havent sold out.
[8] RAY HARMONY

Slaves, the debut from

Bournemoth based prog/
post-death trio Hung On
Horns features the polish,
execution and conviction
youd expect of a bands third release, not
their first. While their often frantic, usually
lumbering heavy riffs are solid, its when they
indulge in more melodious and gentler sounds
that things get really interesting. Black Flower
slowly blooms like its namesake, moody guitars
meandering among some excellent cymbal
work. Carnivora shifts its way through lockedin riffs worthy of Mastodon, whilst two-parter
Kings & Liars flows from stripped back shuffle
to towering prog majesty. They marry these
elements together effortlessly definitely ones
to watch.
[7] JAY HAMPSHIRE

HELEN MONEY

INSOMNIUM

Become Zero
THRILL JOCKEY

ven if her stage name

Helen Money isnt
familiar to you, chances are
youve heard some of Alison
Chesleys cello work on
records by the likes of Mono, Russian Circles,
Bob Mould and even Anthrax. With a full band
behind her, Chesley makes full use of the
cellos sonic range, from the mournful sweeping
notes of opener Every Confidence to the
cutting, sautill strokes of the title track, to the
all-encompassing doom chords of Radiate.
Evoking Vivaldi one moment, and Godspeed
and Sunn O))) the next, Chesley excellently
demonstrates the cellos emotional and aural
versatility. The fact that the album was written
in the wake of personal loss only serves to
deepen Become Zeros emotional impact.
[7.5] TOM MCKIBBIN

Winters Gate
CENTURY MEDIA

he Finns sound has

always belied their humble
level of fame and Winter's
Gate only serves to magnify
that, condensing this new
collection of ideas into one single, 40-minute
epic. Reimaginings of the Viking Sagas and
Norse mythology are nothing new in the scene
everyone from Enslaved to Turisas have long since
spun such a yarn but the world that Insomnium
bring to life through their kaleidoscopic,
progressive melodeath is one in which the
bittersweet, introspective guitar and piano
melodies come to be as evocatively crushing as
the inevitable, erupting distortion. Its ambitious,
and theres the risk of the listeners attention
wandering during the journey, but there are plenty
of ensnaring stops along the way.
[7] ANDY MCDONALD

ts been four years since Testaments last

studio album, the excellent Dark Roots Of
Earth, so fans have been getting impatient for
Brotherhood Of The Snake for quite a while now,
and expectations have been escalating. Given
the quality of their last two albums, its tribute
to the bands abilities and vision that they have
actually managed to top them and produce one
of the strongest, most consistent, offerings of
their career.
With everything apparently penned
by guitarist Eric Petersen, its no surprise
that theres a pleasingly old school vibe to
proceedings, with plenty of hard-hitting riffs
and thrashy tempos, and vocalist Chuck Billy
has stepped up and responded accordingly as
well. Songs like Seven Seals definitely hearken
back to his delivery on some of their classic early
albums, his massive voice alternately roaring like
an enraged grizzly or squeezing melodies out of
even the most brutal riffs.
And of course, with Alex Skolnik handling
lead guitar duties, Steve DiGiorgio on bass,
and Gene Hoglan on drums, the supporting

Suicidal back on track and doing what they do

best; Get Your Fight On! in particular could almost
be an outtake from the seminal How Will I Laugh
Tomorrow When I Cant Even Smile Today? album,
and no ones going to argue with that.
[7.5] IAN GLASPER

musicianship is incredible. Factor in Andy

Sneaps cast-iron production, ensuring that every
kick drum beat and chugging down-pick slams
into the ear drum with a tangible physicality, and
you have to wonder how they could possibly fail
to crush with such an all-star team onboard.
Centuries Of Suffering and CannaBusiness are some of the most focused and
intense thrash offerings from Testament since
Demonic, whilst those that love the stomping
mid-tempo Testament style will be bowled into
next week by the likes of Neptunes Spear, and
elsewhere you have the epically heavy yet melodic
Born In A Rut. Metal as all fuck then, and a
huge gauntlet thrown down for the new Metallica
record
[8] IAN GLASPER

THE BURNING TIMES

GUITARIST ERIC PETERSEN ON THE NEW ALBUM

his one is more thrash. I mean, this

has got some of the fastest stuff that
we have ever played. Usually, we have one or
two thrash songs, and then we have some midtempo, and then we have a slow, heavy one, and
then up-tempo kind of stuff. Half of the new
record is thrash, which weve never done before.

SOULSELLER

SUICIDAL

TERRORIZER #275

Edge Of The Abyss

World Gone Mad

60

NUCLEAR BLAST

JOHANSSON &
SPECKMANN

SUICIDAL
TENDENCIES
ver the years, Suicidal Tendencies have
undergone many transformations, and with
World Gone Mad, the evolution definitely continues
and even sees ex-Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo
joining their ranks. Unfortunately the album
opens with the weakest song of the collection,
the frantically quirky but throwaway Clap Like
Ozzy, but thankfully things rapidly improve from
thereon in, with The New Degeneration being as
heavy and moody as anything theyve recorded in
years, and Living For Life opening with a typically
menacing intro before exploding into some prime
hardcore thrash, Lombardos talents exploding
to the forefront in a flurry of incredible fills. The
band also have a new guitarist and bassist, who
both step up to the plate in fine fashion, and with
Mikes unmistakeable vocal delivery, this feels like

TESTAMENT
Brotherhood Of The Snake

merican death metal

pioneer Paul Speckmann
(of Master/Death Strike fame)
once again teams up with one
of the scenes most productive
musicians, Rogga Johansson (Paganizer,
Ribspreader etc), for a third collaboration and
the result is a fairly straight ahead death metal
affair which doesnt offer up any major surprises.
It should appeal to fans of their various individual
works as it basically sounds like a cross between
Master and Paganizer/Ribspreader but with more
melodious lead work. Speckmanns vocal delivery
is as you would expect: rough and ready, abrasive
and aggressive and he definitely hasnt lost any
of that raw vocal edge hes well known for. A solid
slab of punchy, energetic old schooldeath metal.
[7.5] KAT GILLHAM

Its kind of like Demonic and The Gathering, but

a little bit wiser. Chucks not singing so death. I
mean, he does some death stuff but hes singing
more like he did on the last record and then with
the craziness of The Gathering or even heavy stuff
like Demonic.

KHEMMIS

Hunted

20 BUCK SPIN

he sophomore album
from the melodic doom
quartet hailing from the
cold of Denver, Colorado,
Khemmis have gone for
an even more melodic sound than last years
debut Absolution, taking inspiration from
traditional doom with clean vocals. For the
most part, Hunted is a very warm sounding
album. There are so many epic melodic leads,
solos and harmonised guitars that you may
feel like youve just uncovered a long lost Thin
Lizzy album, but a few awkward moments like
on Three Gates and Beyond The Door, where
extreme growling vocals crop up almost at
random, sound really out of place. If you like
strong melodicism in doom, this an enjoyable
yet somewhat muddled effort.
[6] CHRIS FRENCHIE FRENCH

CONSUMED BY
THE BUCOLIC
GRANDIOSITY
KNIFE HITS
Eris

DEAD TANK/HYDROGEN MAN/GIVE PRAISE

KUOLEMANLAAKSO
M. Laakso Vol. 1:
The Gothic Tapes

nife Hits was made out

by their handlers as
comparable to those bands
from the 90s and beyond that
were classified as screamo.
Not the side-swept haircut shit, but the vastly
noisier, faster, grindier and absolutely filthier
(from all the time spent in sweaty, mouldy
basements, no doubt) sounds of Orchid, Pg.
99, Saetia, et al. The guitarists of this Orlando
quintet make cacophonous use of chords in
the upper register and riff on thinner gauged
strings, giving the impression a coiled snake
is ready to strike in economically deadly bursts
which turns Eris out to be more like the more
furious mood-spanning of the last handful of
Converge albums which absolutely can never
be a bad thing.
[7.5] KEVIN STEWART-PANKO

ith an opening track

entitled Children Of
The Night, these Finns better
be making sweet music!
Indeed they are, as Mikko
Kotamki of Swallow The Sun puts on his best
eldritch tones and takes things in a Gothic
direction on Kuolemanlaaksos third opus. The
death/doom inclinations are still apparent but
so too are tips of the top-hat towards Tiamat,
Nick Cave and, on stand-out stomper Where The
River Runs Red, prime-time Temple Of Love
era Sisters Of Mercy. Not so much a departure
from previous works but a welcome side-step,
this dark new chapter makes compulsive
listening and is evidently the work of a group
having fun getting their Goth on.
[8] PETE WOODS

KROH

LIES

Altars
DEVIZES

SVART

Abuse/Plague

liwia Sobieszek was

a key acquisition, her
soaring and passionate vocals
giving Kroh an edge above
many acts who place their
stock solely in molasses thick riffs. Mistress
man Paul Kenney has succeeded in creating
a work of devastating heaviness and ominous
gloom. Sonically, the band evoke occult acts
like Demon Lung but Oliwias siren tones are
far more upfront and particularly on Krzyu
wity, (Holy Cross) and Precious Stones
where the Polish vocalist truly makes her black
mark. Close your eyes, she croons seductively
on the latter, luring you into its murky depths.
Intertwining sparse clean sections with abrasive
onslaughts, Altars is a compelling work which
grants a brief glimpse of what Kroh has to offer.
[7] ROSS BAKER

SOUTHERN LORD

r, if youre an avowed
wax-snagger who thinks
CDs are lameoid technology
as outmoded as the spinning
jenny, just Plague the title
above refers to a compilation of these Bay Area
blisterers new one-sided twelve-inch (which
could easily fit on a seven-inch) and Abuse,
their 2014 debut EP. Together, these fifteen
songs clock in at a breathless twenty minutes,
and Lies play the kind of hardcore that makes a
virtue of its high-pressure compactness. Fastmoving, with metal-tipped guitar solos and a
bulldozing bass sound, they seem to draw on
Scandinavian crust as much as the misanthropic
mid-80s era of Poison Idea. Theres nothing you
could earnestly call progress between the two
EPs, but thats hardcore for ya.
[7] NOEL GARDNER

WINTERFYLLETH
The Dark Hereafter
CANDLELIGHT/SPINEFARM

ts been a constant climb for Winterfylleth, each

record always topping the one that came before
and raising that bar just a little bit higher at
each turn. Considering their path has been one
of refinement and perfecting of an established
sound, and this being the fifth album already, it
could have been time for hitting a creative wall,
but history has shown Winterfylleth to be too
determined and too focused to let that happen.
The Dark Hereafter does feature a couple of
micro-reinventions. It is by far the Mancunian
quartets shortest full-length, the first since
their debut to not break the hour mark, and
that matters, because it does seem like the very
essence of what makes this band is condensed,
tighter and punchier than ever before. The
opening title track is a four-minute Emperorlike burst of intensity, laying the foundation for
the two typical tremolo-led belters that follow,
bursting with longing, melancholy and ferocity.
Its the albums last twenty minutes, however,
that elevate it to that constantly sought toppingthe-predecessor status. Everyone will scream

DEFENDING THE REALM

CHRIS NAUGHTON ON THE DARK HEREAFTER AND TEN YEARS OF WINTERFYLLETH

fter two years away, we are really

pleased to share this new record
with you all. We thought a lot about making
it, what it has to say lyrically, what that
means and how we progress along with that
as a band approaching our tenth year of
existence. In recent years, it feels like weve

MAKE

Pilgrammage Of Loathing

WORMROT

DEVOUTER

Voices
EARACHE

ive years, the length since Singapores

triple-headed warp-speed grindcore machine
Wormrot last released a record, is a long time
to wait for 26 minutes of music. Not that
Voices, their third album, feels at all like short
change: heck, the second half of its twenty-track
duration contains songs nudging three and
even four minutes (Compassion Is Dead; the
closing Outworn). If youve ever seen Wormrot
live, youll have surely been left agape at how
atomic-clock tight and inhumanly fast they
are; they have a new drummer now (one Vijesh
Ghariwala), but the blastbeats on The Face
Of Disgrace and others confirm hes keeping
right up with his two bandmates across this
vicious return volley. Voices is a shade more
polished than Dirge, its 2011 predecessor, but

62

TERRORIZER #275

in essence is pretty much business as usual: Arif

Rots vocals switching between screeched and
guttural, the band blitzing away in the grand
no-bullshit spirit of Terrorizer, Brutal Truth and
Insect Warfare.
[7.5] NOEL GARDNER

Agalloch as they are consumed by the bucolic

grandiosity of its folky doom, but its nothing
more than Winterfylleth through and through still,
another expression of the same feelings, maybe
hinting at a possible future direction (the dark
hereafter, right?). Led Astray In The Forest Dark
wraps it up in spectacular style, ready to be the
definitive pagan folk hymn that every band of this
sort tried to do in the 90s (Agalloch included,
yes) but mostly failed to achieve the heights
Winterfylleth touch here. Ending on a high, and
then some.
[8] JOS CARLOS SANTOS

t has to be said, theres

something for everyone
on Makes latest release.
The three piece have proven
themselves adept on moving
between many abstractions of atmospheric
intensity on previous releases. Pilgrimage Of
Loathing doesnt buck that trend at all, and
when you are capable of alternating between
Neurosis and Godflesh while twisting Iggy &
The Stooges Dirt into painful new shapes, why
the fuck would you want to? Depending on your
point of view, shearing off their more ambient
contemplative moments either narrows their
scope, or focuses the agony of the emotional
sinkhole to the nth degree. Regardless, this
is still a well-worked voyage into the darker
reaches of the psyche.
[7.5] STEVE R. JONES

been living in an uncertain and unsettling world,

and on The Dark Hereafter we wanted to bring the
issues surrounding that uncertainty to life within
these new songs. They carry a lot of meaning and
sentiment for us, and we hope they will also have
that meaning for you. We look forward to seeing you
all along the way in 2016/17!

MERCYLESS

Pathetic Divinity
KAOTOXIN

hese French death metal

veterans return with
their sixth album and they
deliver a masterclass in solid
aggressive death, the old and
brutal way. From the opening double kick driven
salvo of Blood Of Lambs, they clearly mean
business. The vocals are low and growled, and
musically, they favour the heads-down, no-frills
approach and keep things pummelling and
rather basic and straight to the point, throwing
some great catchy hooks and lead breaks into
the mix. The production is weighty and powerful,
modern but not too polished and compliments
their musical approach. Theres also the added
bonus of three tracks from a 2015 split being
tagged onto the end. A mercyless assault on
the senses.
[8] KAT GILLHAM

SHORT & SAVAGE

EP ROUND-UP

MORROW

Covenant Of Teeth
HALO OF FLIES/ALERTA ANTIFASCISTA/CHAOS RURALE

Yes Sir, The Truth Of Revolution

ith members of
Archivist, Carnist and
Light Bearer in their fold,
Morrow could be called a
crust supergroup, but that
would belittle what they are up to. Crafting
four epic and sprawling songs exploring
language and sounds through somber folk
strumming to gargantuan, soaring doomed
riffs into full-on d-beat crust apocalypse,
Covenant Of Teeth is indeed an epic
sounding album. Its like Neurosis if they had
skipped the prog stuff after Souls At Zero,
kept the anger from The Word As Law and
distilled it all in a feral stew of Tragedy and
Fall Of Efrafa. Yes, it is that good, that dark,
that brooding and, above all, its still punk
as fuck.
[8] ALEX BONIWELL

COLD SPRING

oth advocates and sceptics

of Blackpools nostalgic
punk weekender Rebellion
would surely agree that its
not a noted haven for the
challenging or experimental. Still, if anyone was
going to fill their slot there (in 2014) with an hour
of boisterous jazz, anarchist poetry and sound art,
it was one-time Crass figurehead Penny Rimbaud.
Yes Sir, The Truth Of Revolution takes Crass 1983
album Yes Sir, I Will an epic post-Falklands
monstering set to abrasive improv and updates
it via passing references to 9/11 and selfies. Guest
vocals from fellow Crass member Eve Libertine,
still sounding as magnificently scornful as 35
years ago, are a repeated highlight of a release
thats most likely one for serious Crass heads only.
[6] NOEL GARDNER

OOZING WOUND

PICTURES OF PAIN

THRILL JOCKEY

PITCH BLACK

Whatever Forever

World Demise

ean spirits would

argue that these
Chicago wannabe hipsters
are just trying to desecrate
thrash like Deafhaven did
with black metal, but theyre more like that
weird sibling you have to invite at family
meetings but would rather leave in a corner
hoping he doesnt flip out. Yes, their sonic
aesthetics are all fucked-up (the bass almost
louder than the guitar, the shrieking, the
almost-on-the-verge-of-trailing-off drums,
the noise element) and theyre sometimes
too damn serious for their own good. But in
a world full of Kreator clones still recycling
Pleasure To Kill riffs in 2016, its good to
have a mad scientist at hand to shake things
up a bit.
[6.5] OLIVIER ZOLTAR BADIN

espite some undeniably

impressive instrumental
work, the second album by
Norways Pictures Of Pain is an
unfortunately uneven hour and
a quarter of expressive but overly ambitious prog
metal, hamstrung by an excess of meandering
songwriting. Were not at all against long songs
here at Terrorizer, but too many numbers on
World Demise spend far too long spinning their
wheels and generally outstaying their welcome.
However, when everything aligns properly the
bands sound referencing both latter-day Death
and classic Metallica in places, along with a
hefty helping of trad metal bombast is often
reminiscent of the highly under-appreciated
Sanctuary. Which is solid praise, even if the
album overall is still something of a mixed bag.
[5] ANDY WALMSLEY

PAIN

RED FANG

SAINT VITUS

SKULLHOG/VIOLATION WOUND

NUCLEAR BLAST

RELAPSE

SEASON OF MIST

FATASS

ey Peter Tgtgren, Rob

Zombie called, he wants
his guitar tone back. While Pain
may be just a funsolo project
for the Hypocrisy front man and
acclaimed producer, it has somehow, inexplicably,
dragged out into an eight-album spanning career.
Remember when David Vincent did industrial side
project Genitorturers and death metallers everywhere
collectively winced? Well, thats nothing compared to
the cringe factor of Coming Home. Call and response
style verses stomp along, toeing the line of lowest
common denominator in New Rock boots. If only there
were more guitar to muffle the idiotic lyrics Tgtgren
barks, concerning jiggling tits bigger than Africa.
Sounding a lot like Ministry without the vitriolic
bile, Coming Home with its space age artwork is
unfortunately one giant leap back for metalkind.
[2] SERENA CHERRY

ortlands Red Fang

unleash another flurry
of stoner rock riffage with
their fourth studio album,
Only Ghosts. After ten
plus years of nurturing a formidable back
catalogue and a ferocious live presence, are
the ten tracks here offering up anything new?
While opener Flies motors along nicely with
urgent, bluesy licks and tasty vocal interplay,
No Air and I Am A Ghost immediately grab
you with scuzzy bass hooks, and The Smell
Of The Sound adds a dash of the cosmic with
its psych-laden, reverb heavy sections, the
album as a whole is just a little too clean
(arguably nearing radio friendly territory) to
blast you with their usual desert grit. Good,
but not great.
[4.5] JAY HAMPSHIRE

Coming Home

64

PENNY RIMBAUDS
LACADMIE DES VANITS

bituary are back with two-track single Ten Thousand Ways To Die [7, Relapse],
their first new material since 2014s somewhat lacklustre Inked In Blood, and lo and
behold, theyre sounding rejuvenated. Loathe alternates between sickly, lurching doom
and that classic Obi bounce, whilst the title track offers up some particularly slimy lead guitar and
Tom G. aping riffery. Theyve even thrown in a whole host of live material as a bonus, of varying
degrees of sound quality. Its cool and all, but not exactly essential unlike the new Spectral
Voice/Phrenelith split [8.5, Iron Bonehead/Dark Descent]. Denvers Spectral
Voice nail that eerie Demigod-esque vibe perfectly before diving headlong into vast caverns of
demented Autopsy style death-doom, whilst Denmarks Phrenelith manage to summon an even
filthier sound, with their supremely guttural vocals and heavily detuned guitars recalling Pissgrave
or fellow countrymen Undergang.
Meanwhile, in the world of death metal demos, it seems the punks have beaten the longhairs
at their own game this month. Stateside, members of Iron Lung and Mind Eraser have clubbed
together to form Innumerable Forms and belch out the two track Promo 2016 [7, selfrelease], a lumbering and very primitive exercise in sheer brute force, whilst in the UK,
Savage Realm sees folk from Art Of Burning Water and Lich joining forces for Nocturnal
Savagery [9, self-release] one of the years gnarliest demo tapes so far. The vocals sound
genuinely evil, the guitar tone is amazing, the drums are totally ferocious, the four songs are
interestingly structured and the riff count is higher than a lot of full-lengths weve heard recently.
Seriously, just go buy it!
If its more blackened fare youre after, be sure to add Astrophoboss new EP Enthroned In
Flesh [7, Triumvirate] to your shopping list. The four melodic yet blisteringly furious tracks on
offer here feel even more refined and tightly honed than the competent Dissection worship of their
2014 debut album Remnants Of Forgotten Horrors and bode very well indeed for their next fulllength. Former Altar Of Plagues frontman James Kelly has a new release from his Wife project too,
though if youve been paying attention, you wont be expecting any black metal here. Wife allows
James to explore his love of electronic music, and though Standard Nature [7.5, Profound
Lore] feels a bit glitchier, chaotic and less song-based than his previous work under this name, the mixture of
James heavily processed vocals with stuttering staccato beats and futuristic synth sounds is still as thrilling
as ever.
Pallbearer also return with Fear And Fury [7, Profound Lore] this month, with one utterly
gorgeous original song providing all the beautiful vocal harmonies, devastatingly mournful riffs and heartfelt
songcraft weve come to expect from the band, and a pair of covers. Their version of Black Sabbaths Over
And Over is by far the more effective of the two, hinting at the vintage Ozzy sound more than the Dio-fronted
original, as their rendition of Type O Negatives Love You To Death falls flat, neither attaining the gothic
grandeur of the original or the bands own usual evocative atmosphere. Doom fiends should also be on the
lookout for Advorsus [8, Medusa Crush], the heroic debut EP from Sheffield trio Kurokuma. Three
tracks of uneasy psychedelic sludge with pulsing tribal rhythms, hoarse vocals, intricately layered and wildly
performed solos and massive Fleshpress-esque riffs, its heavy, fiercely unique stuff that will be enormously
refreshing if youre finding yourself burnt out on endless Eyehategod copycats.
Finally, if youre in the mood for something faster, Nepalese grinders Chepangs Lathi Charge [7.5,
Nerve Altar/Holy Goat/Cricket Cemetery] is lethal as fuck, dishing out a volley of abrasive,
dissonant grindcore faster than you can say Discordance Axis, with some punkier Wormrot style bits and a
delicious death-grind flavour la Assck on a couple of these tracks. If thats not enough to fulfil your craving
for blastbeats, Belgiums Reproach have you covered with Despair/Shittown [7.5, Crapoulet/
Awesome Vision], a vitriolic burst of crusty hardcore that isnt afraid to ramp up the tempo when it needs
to, kind of like The Exploited at twice the speed with more fastcore parts and Cro-Mags style mosh riffs. Yum!
WORDS: Kez Whelan

TERRORIZER #275

Only Ghosts

Live Vol. 2

ecorded in Europe in
2013, their second live
album presents Saint Vitus
in red-in-tooth-and-claw
style befitting of their punksteeped backstory. Without studio trickery, the
unadorned live mix leaves plenty of space for
Wino and Dave Chandler to battle it out in the
unmistakability stakes, with both sounding all
the better for the three decades of doom that
Live Vol. 2 draws from. Ditching the genres
more morbid affectations in favour of highenergy rocking, the vitality of their performance
has road-worn Born Too Late classics sounding
as fresh as newer material, with Dave Chandlers
psychedelic guitar whiteouts and Winos
commanding baritone levelling album chronology
for a consistently heavy Vitus experience.
[8] TIM HORROCKS

Split

hris Reiferts Violation

Wound return with five
more cuts of debauched n
deranged punk madness,
sitting somewhere in between
GG Allin and Motrhead. If Abscess felt like a
punkier Autopsy, then Violation Wound go one
step further and dispense with pretty much all
the death metal trappings closer Web Of Hate,
for instance, is a swampy and gleefully sinister
acoustic ditty. Dutch trio Skullhog fly the death
metal flag however, and whilst their sickeningly
heavy death/doom may nod towards Autopsy
pretty heavily, their own personality shines
through and makes them ideal split partners,
with vocals that sound like John Tardy morphing
into a werewolf, a guitar tone dirtier than raw
sewage and their furiously Neolithic riffing style.
[8] KEZ WHELAN

FROM THE DEPTHS:

DEATH METAL ROUND-UP

SOCKS FOR COCKS

THIS DYING HOUR

SELF RELEASE

SELF RELEASE

Fast Fun Punk

his review could have

easily been summed up
by the band name and album
title, but word counts and all
that Socks For Cocks is
the brainchild of Dimitry Rotten whose frantic,
cartoon vocal delivery is the driving force
throughout these 16 songs and 26 minutes of
super-fast melodic punk tunes. One wonders
which came first, the songs or the song titles
(samples include Back To RocknLOL and
Surgeons Bride Loved Goregrind, a song
which starts with the wedding march before
devolving into the aforementioned toxic slurry),
but you cant criticise a band for being silly
when they wear it as a badge of honour. Switch
off your brain for half an hour and you might
even smile.
[6] TOM MCKIBBIN

inding your own voice

in music is vitally
important. Unfortunately it
looks like no-one told This
Dying Hour, whose debut
album seems to be the result of the quintet
simply throwing bits and pieces of every band
they like into a blender, in lieu of actually
developing a sound or identity of their own.
Its obviously heartfelt, but also woefully
generic and lacklustre, and ultimately the
nine tracks which make up the bands debut
seem content to just mash together the most
familiar tropes and clichs of metalcore
and nu-metal into a flavourless stew of
musical dj vu, one thats simply too blandly
inoffensive and boring to make any real
impression. Must try harder.
[3] ANDY WALMSLEY

SONATA ARCTICA

THY CATAFALQUE

NUCLEAR BLAST

SEASON OF MIST

ith the release of

Pariahs Child in
2014, it was clear that
Sonata Arctica were still
able to draw from their
roots to create epic power metal anthems.
Naturally this meant that fans expected more
of the same from The Ninth Hour, but overall
they will be disappointed. Whilst the album
has a few standout moments (Life and We
Are What We Are), the best song by far is
the sequel to the much-loved White Pearl,
Black Oceans, an orchestral epic showing
off Tony Kakkos vocals in all their glory. This
reinforces the strength of the bands earlier
material; that familiar keyboard melody still
induces shivers, its just a shame the whole
album doesnt.
[6] BETH AVISON

ams Ktai is generally

(outside of certain
circles) something of an
underappreciated genius,
producing an absolute wealth
of distinctively avant-garde musical musings
over the years, with little to no regard for the
limitations of genre or style. But although his latest
release remains just as wilfully experimental and
unpredictably enjoyable as ever, it doesnt always
scale the same heights as his very best work.
Thats not for lack of trying however, and its clear
the mans creative wellspring is far from dry as
stunning album centrepiece Malmok Jrnak so
clearly attests but overall Meta just feels a little
too disjointed and unbalanced, and more like a
jumbled compilation of tracks than a truly holistic
composition.
[6] ANDY WALMSLEY

STEVE GRIMMETTS
GRIM REAPER

TRUCKFIGHTERS

TRUE WIDOW

WOVENWAR

CENTURY MEDIA

RELAPSE

METAL BLADE

DISSONANCE

ruckfighters (appropriately
titled) fifth studio album
V sees the Swedes at the
height of their fuzzy powers.
The seven tracks on offer are
heavier, more anthemic, and just plain bigger
than ever. Calm Before The Storm blends
infectious, thick grooves with lush, meandering
guitars and Ozos laid back, smoother-than-ever
vocals. Hawkshaw bursts at the seams with
ballsy bass hooks, bombastic psych touches
and just the right amount of cowbell, whilst
The 1 is absolute classic Truckfighters from
start to end and The Contract is all about slow
build, chunky riffs and a ripper of a climax. It
drives hard, is solidly written, and undeniably
triumphant V earns them a spot on the
desert rock pantheon.
[8] JAY HAMPSHIRE

rue Widows fourth album

and second on Relapse
Records is an assured
record, blending the woozy
atmospherics of shoegaze
with the hazy tones and gentle pace of the best
strains of stoner rock. Where so many stoner
bands allow the songwriting to be secondary to
the riff, theres an undeniable sense of craft to
the Dallas bands music and a strong sense of
melody. In this sense they share characteristics
with the likes of Baroness, label-mates Nothing
and even early Black Rebel Motorcycle Club,
particularly on The Trapper And The Trapped
where a hypnotic riff is offset by the dual
vocals. Simple, economical, elegant, Avvolgere
is one of the most effortlessly lovable albums
of the year.
[8] TOM MCKIBBIN

The Ninth Hour

Walking In The Shadows

eyond the fact that

this is the first original
material since 1987 from
Grim Reaper (now billed as
Steve Grimmetts) lies an
impressive work. Grimmetts voice has done the
aged-like-fine-wine thing and its not like Grim
Reaper ever offered progressive material. Its
always been about rock solid, four-on-the-floor
metal with anthemic, ale raising choruses and
Walking In The Shadows locks in with those
elements. Actually, its not a stretch to say this
picks up where their highly recognised 80s
albums left off; albeit with modern production and
an unblinking allegiance to the formula, which
might be where points are subtracted. But with
songs this powerful, who gives a flying fuck?
[7.5] KEVIN STEWART-PANKO

66

Resting Where No Shadows Fall

ike most current Chilean death metal bands, Exanimatvms debut

Dispersae Et Tormentvm [6.5, Dunkelheit] is pitch black with an
extremely guttural vocalist and murky vibe. Even if the limited production
means things get a bit blurry when it gets too fast, in their few doomier moments
they get excruciatingly heavy and decrepit, far beyond the usual Incantation cloning
too many of their fellow countrymen are stuck with. With a more precise sound and a
greater scope, this could become really killer.
They may be two non-Swedish disciples of the ancient Stockholm sound but
each has chosen a (left hand?) path on its own to follow: Californias Fatalist
may be more of a studio thing than anything else these days and A Bitter End
[7.5, FDA Rekotz) may have arrived almost ten years after their first demo,
but what really makes them stand out is how precise (typically US?) and tight their
approach is. Devoid of that usually more punkish (some would say sloppy) vibe and
with great solos by former Exhumed guitarist Wes Caley, with their future sadly now
in the balance, its a great way to bow out. Featuring two Neuropathia members,
The Dead Goats are as keen on the HM-2 effect pedal but would rather use it
for wandering alone at nights in a forgotten cemetery. Its actually in these vintage
keyboard moments or Necrophagia-like stomps that their second album All Them
Witches [6, Testimony] gets interesting, less when theyre driving the typical
Swedeath highway with a bored look on their face.
Infectology are your typical central American flag bearer, a relentless
death/grind assault with a drummer whose snare goes bong and barely ever stops.
But thats also the beauty, so to speak, of an album like Innards Of Misanthropic
Embodiment [6.5, Gore House] and why its 26 running time is, in the end,
perfect. For this kind of barbaric beating la Suppuration or Internal Suffering to
fulfil its mission, it has to be precise and unsubtle and thats exactly what those
Ecuadorians do here, so mission accomplished. Brazils Escarnium could have
easily used the same tactic and played their easily recognizable home turf speciality.
But while Interitus [8, Testimony] will get kudos from Angelcorpse and Morbid
Angel fans, it makes a (huge) difference by being grandiose. From the blasts to the
enlightening solos, everything here sounds bigger, meaner and of epic proportions.
Last year, Heaving Earth showed their masters Immolation how their art should
sound in 2015 and Escarnium might just have pulled the same trick. One of this
years most impressive death metal works, no less.
Its pretty obvious that Inanimate Existence are pretty ambitious too
but theyre dragged down by their own extra weight. Instead of choosing to go all
technical like Beyond Creation or all progressive like Fallujah, theyve tried to find a
middle ground on Calling From A Dream [4, Unique Leader] but no matter how metaphysical their
lyrics get or how weird it may feel to have a flute solo (!) over blastbeats, their melodic and most far out
parts are ruined by that pedestrian cookie monster voice and riffs that have no bite nor groove.
Spearheaded by two members of NYC experimentalists Pyrrhon, Seputus may sound at first a tad
more traditionalist in comparison, despite a drum machine that adds quite a discreet industrial layer
underneath it all. But give Man Does Not Give [7, PRC Music] more than one spin or two and youll
soon peel out its deviant nature, with its harsh mechanical nature inspired by their drummer and main
composers military service experience fully blossoming on such martial tracks like Two Great Pale Zeroes
where Gorguts or even Cryptopsy style fury is tamed by Godfleshs coldness. Give it a try.
WORDS: OLIVIER ZOLTAR BADIN

TERRORIZER #275

Meta

Avvolgere

Honor Is Dead

aving wrestled themselves

free from the shadow
of controversy from the Tim
Lambeisis murder case, As
I Lay Dying and Oh, Sleeper
alumni Wovenwar are one again able to focus
on making watertight metalcore.Like the debut,
tracks like Confession and notably Bloodletter
nod to Lambesis conviction for hiring a hitman
for the unsuccessful murder of his wife. The anger
and frustration comes from a very real place, yet
for such dark subject matter, the pretty choruses
that adorn Lines In The Sand seem inappropriate.
Wovenwar may have separated themselves from
As I Lay Dying sonically but their subject matter
is rooted in Lambesis disgraced legacy, and they
continue to soundtrack tragedy with average
material at best.
[5] ROSS BAKER

ZINE

DVDS

Whispering Eyes #3
ANDREW WALTER

IN FLAMES

Sounds From The Heart Of Gothenburg

NUCLEAR BLAST

s the name implies, this is London based

artist Andrew Walters third collection of
grisly death metal inspired artwork, and its a
corker. Citing bands like Undergang, Funebrarum
and Impetigo (amongst others) as influences
on the back page, its no surprise that Walters
morbid visions of hellish human production
lines, terminally ill patients, Lovecraftian horrors,
ravenous zombies and malevolent dinosaurs
favour the genres gorier, nastier and altogether
filthier aesthetic think Mark Riddick rather
than Dan Seagrave. Walter has a very individual
style, however, and whilst his artwork is very
much informed by that classic death metal style
that adorns most of your favourite album covers,
his city of residence also hangs heavily over
many of these pieces; both the pages depicting a
desolate, corpse-strewn wasteland surrounding
a giant, pulsating, electronically tendriled hivemind, and the guy gleefully stabbing himself in
the head whilst riding the tube to the dismay of
nearby onlookers, will surely strike a chord with
any metalheads whove spent prolonged periods of time in the countrys capital.
A fantastically gruesome portfolio of twisted and macabre apparitions, Whispering Eyes #3 makes for perfect
visual accompaniment next time youre blasting some blastbeats on the stereo, and at less than the price of a pint
from www.AndrewWalter.co.uk, its a chance to support an extremely talented young artist too.
[8] KEZ WHELAN

f youre something of a lapsed In Flames

fan (personally, theres merit in most
of their post-Clayman material, but the
painfully bland Siren Charms was simply
the straw that broke this particular camels
back), it would be all too easy (and wrong)
to judge the bands new DVD based purely
on its track list, which features a full seven
songs from their most recent effort, and
only one (Resin) from the pre-2000s. After all, despite referring to
songs like Trigger as old-school, its still a revealing snapshot
of a band who are clearly having a whale of a time doing exactly
what they want to do, and their transition towards arena-level
mainstream success hasnt stopped them from being a slick and
well-oiled live machine. The audience too, ranging from grizzled
lifers to starry-eyed teens (and everything in between), seem to
love it, singing along with heartfelt abandon to every shamelessly
melodramatic chorus. Its far from perfect of course some of the
new songs still feel oddly flat and emotionally shallow, and Fridens
vocals are occasionally suspiciously clean and prominent in the
mix but its still a solid enough release for fans, both old and
new, who havent yet written the band off.
[7] ANDY WALMSLEY

COIL/CURRENT 93/
FOETUS/TEST DEPT.
The Sound Of Progress
COLD SPRING

BOOK

To Live Is To Die:
The Life And Death Of
Metallicas Cliff Burton
JOEL MCIVER

JAWBONE PRESS

ts still hard to conceive that Cliff Burton was

only 21 when he recorded the jaw-dropping bass
solo Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) on Metallicas
Kill Em All debut album in 1983, such is the
raw musical virtuosity on display. Its also easy to
underestimate, or forget, given that thirty years
have now passed, his contribution to the Metallica
sound during their formative and classic period,
but one listen to his visionary playing on Ride The
Lightning and Master Of Puppets is all it takes
to remind you what a force of nature he was on
the bass guitar. And who knows what Metallica
would sound like now if he hadnt been tragically
killed in that bus accident in Sweden in 1986?
Joel McIver examines Cliffs life and death
in minute detail, and dissects his playing
on those first three Metallica albums in such
depth, hes discussing individual fills and runs.
Thankfully the nerdy bassist stuff only rears
its head occasionally, and the rest of the book
will fascinate Metallica and metal fans in general, with many loving tributes (including a new afterword by
Anthraxs Frank Bello) and insights from Cliffs peers bringing this poignant story to life.
[8] IAN GLASPER

riginally aired on Dutch TV back

in 1988 and bootlegged in various
forms online since, this 40 minute
documentary finally gets an official
remastered release through Cold Spring,
complete with DVD gallery and David
Keenan penned liner notes. Focussing on
several key figures from the experimental/
industrial scene that followed in the
wake of Throbbing Gristle in the late 80s (namely Coil, Current
93s David Tibet, Foetus J. G. Thirlwell and Test Dept.), director
Alexander Oey lets his subjects do the talking for the most part,
using candid interviews and live footage to tell the tale rather
than heavy-handed voiceover. The quality on this remastered
edition is a notable improvement from some of the less official
versions that have been doing the rounds, with only the odd
auditory glitch here and there, and the Test Dept. performance
in particular is enthralling. Time hasnt been quite so kind to
this particular Foetus show however, although Thirlwell is a
consistently entertaining and insightful interviewee, elucidating
on the documentarys overarching theme of the benefits of
subverting popular culture in typically evocative style the
segment where David Tibet explains his desire to escape western
civilisation contrasted with Thirlwells appreciation for the trash
of American culture is bound to raise a few smiles. Whilst its far
from a comprehensive documentation of this particular scene
(theres a glaring Steven Stapleton shaped hole in it, for a start),
its a very compelling snapshot of some of its most fascinating
provocateurs, and is highly recommended viewing for anyone
with an interest in this particular era of experimental music, and
obscure/esoteric music in general.
[8] KEZ WHELAN

68

TERRORIZER #275

ANAAL NATHRAKH
We ventured forth into
str ang er to T errori zer .
no
are
rs
nde
gri
ned
Birminghams finest blacke
Kenney the once-over
giv e D ave H unt and M ick
to
d
orl
rw
nde
U
he
T
of
the dar k cha mbe rs
Laverty & Miranda Yardley
Words: Miranda Yardley Pics: Becky
TREVOR JONES
& THE LONDON
PHILHARMONIC
ORCHESTRA
Theme From Excalibur FROM
Excalibur OST
(OLD WORLD, 1981)

tself taken from Siegfried's Funeral Music from Richard

Wagners Die Gtterdmmerung (Twilight Of The Gods),
this is the theme music to the Excalibur film which inspired
the name Anaal Nathrakh.
Mick [Kenny, guitar]: Is this the first song
Wagner?
Dave [Hunt, vocals]: No. Id say it sounds slightly
more Elgar or something like that.
Mick: Excalibur?
Yes! So why did we choose that?
Mick: Because thats where we get our name from, and its
fucking important!
Dave: I havent watched that film in ages. I need to watch
it again actually. Are we allowed to tell you just to keep
playing it because we want to hear it? Whens the best bit?
Mick: Well, you know this is the end of the movie when its
going off!

TORMENTOR
Heaven FROM Anno Domini
(SELF-RELEASE, 1989)

classic cut from Tormentors

second demo, Attila Csihars first

70

TERRORIZER #275

band. Will the thrakh recognise their buddy and Mayhem

vocalist?
Mick: Absu.
Dave: Doing a cover of Slayer.
Mick: Sounds like the guy from Absu
Theres a connection with Mayhem
Mick: Is that Maniac?
Dave: Not Skitliv or something like that, is it? No idea.
Its Tormentor.
Mick: Oh its Attila!
Dave: Oh right! Ive never heard of that before.

Dave: Yeah its wicked. You know, I do think there was

a sort of fallow period of wandering around like [1998s]
Words From The Exit Wound or something like that. I think
they were trying to figure out what to do themselves, but
then when you get to more recent stuff like [2000s] Enemy
Of The Music Business and afterwards
Mick: Its gone back to being what they wanted. And
Barney has got better as well.
Dave: Yeah, Barney is amazing nowadays, I think, far
better than he used to be. Theyre riding a career high thirty
odd years into their career.

NAPALM DEATH

MISTRESS

From Enslavement To

Why Dont You Just Fuck

Obliteration FROM From

Off? FROM In Disgust We

Enslavement To Obliteration

Trust

(EARACHE, 1988)

(EARACHE, 2005)

he first album from the first

stable lineup to crystallise
from the Birmingham collective known as Napalm Death,
following 1987s Scum. Kenney and Napalm Deaths Shane
Embury run FETO Records between them, named after this
album.
Mick: [instantly] Napalm Death. From Enslavement To
Obliteration.
Yes!
Mick: I got that in one second! Thats one of the best
albums of all time.
What do you think of the bands current output?
Mick: I reckon its all awesome.

he muchly missed Mistress

featured Mick and Dave as
well as long term collaborator Duncan Drunken Wilkins
and Kenneys brother Paul. Do they remember recording this
hidden track?
Dave: Have you spotted it?
Mick: Have you got it?
Dave: Yep.
Mick: Zeke?
Dave: Given that youve already heard both
of us
Mick: Is it us?
Dave: Its Mistress! It sounds like Zeke.

I CANT STAND BEING

SILLY IT JUST
IRRITATES ME!
Mick: Yeah, it does.
Dave: But dont you remember you had to play the riff
on it because it was too fast?
Mick: Oh yeah! What was the song called? Is it called
Right Fuck Up? Is the word fuck involved?
Dave: Its bound to have the word fuck in the title,
its a Mistress song!
Mick: I dont remember that track at all.
Dave: It was like a bonus track. I think there were like
loads of empty tracks or something and then that at the
end. It does sound exactly like Zeke
The track is Why Dont You Just Fuck Off?
Dave: Yeah its on In Disgust We Trust. Its basically
a rip off of I Dont Give A Fuck by Zeke.
Any plans to bring Mistress back?
Dave: Nope.
Weve got some great footage of that show you did at
Damnation in 2009.
Dave: The last show.
Mick: Oh I didnt play that show. Thats when I didnt
play the drums anymore.
Dave: Yeah, hed forgotten how to do the drums!
It was an amazing show. There were people throwing
themselves off the stage like lemmings.
Dave: Yeah it was good fun. Some guy broke his leg or
ankle or something there. It was great fun.
Mick: That was where somebody smashed up
Duncans guitar for him, but it was his good one that he
wanted to keep.

MOTIONLESS IN
WHITE
Synthetic Love FROM
Infamous
(FEARLESS, 2012)

ick Kenney co-wrote three

tracks on this album and
eight on the industrial metalcore bands follow-up
Reincarnate.
Mick: Thats Motionless In White. OK, give me a
second I wrote it!
Dave: I was gonna say, did you write it?
Mick Oh, its called Synthetic Love or something?
Yes! How did you get involved with Motionless In
White?
Mick: The singer of the band loves Bleeding Through,
his idol is [vocalist] Brandon Schieppati and I was in a
band with him and he heard that and was like thats
what I want my band to sound like, so he asked me to
write songs. Then I kinda told him that they shouldnt do
that, they should sound like this instead. So it was like
alright because they wanted to be more mainstream
and do stadium kind of stuff you gotta do more simple
beats and stuff, you know? Its cool that they listened to
me because it beat my album.
Dave: They are more popular now. Hes

BENEDICTION

just your mate as much as anything else though, isnt

he?
Mick: Yeah, yeah!

I Am The Disease
FROM Organised
Chaos

MORGUE ORGY
The Modern Prometheus
FROM Murders Most Foul
(FETO, 2011)

hese cheeky Birmingham

upstarts convinced Dave

Hunt to sing on their EP

Dave: Oh, I do know this.
Mick: I know what it is but Im not gonna tell you!
Dave: Oh its Morgue Orgy, innit?
Yes!
Dave: Curious that you should be playing us them
because it always seemed to me that they were on
the cusp of doing something a bit more than they had
previously done, and then they didnt and knocked it
on the head which I thought was a shame. I thought
they had potential they hardly ever played out of
Birmingham and I quite enjoyed them.
We once put them on in London. They went down really
well.
Dave: Yep, yeah. They were a really good band, I
thought, but I think they were kind of torn between being
silly and being serious. It depends who you are, which of
those works. I cant stand being silly it just irritates
me! [laughs] Its true! I dont like being silly, but when
they were being silly they were at their best. That was
them doing their thing.
They were called Morgue Orgy how the hell can you
take that seriously?
Dave: Well, yeah! Quite!
Mick: Didnt they change their name for a while to
something else?
Dave: Yeah, I think they were toying with being serious
or trying to be taken a bit more seriously. No, no, be idiots
if thats what works. Well, not idiots because they were
talented guys but I think they couldnt quite find the
answer to that and they went oh, you know, fuck it in
the end.

(NUCLEAR BLAST, 2001)

his was Dave

Hunts first
foray with the Birmingham death metallers
(notorious for their pre-show rider) but how
well does he recall it?
Mick: I recognise it again Oh! Its you,
isnt it?
Dave: Yeah its me. Its just its not one of
the ones I can particularly remember of the top
of my head. I havent heard that in years, you
get used to the ones that you do live cos thats
what you hear. Is it This Graveyard Earth?
No, but same album its I Am the Disease.
Dave. Oh, okay. I havent heard that since the
album came out and I played the album at home.

OBSIDIAN
KINGDOM
Away/Absent FROM A
Year With No Summer
(SEASON OF MIST,

2016)

rom the second album by the

darkwave/progressive Spaniards, this
track features both Attila Csihar and Ulvers
Kristoffer Rygg.
Dave: Hmm, means nothing to me so far.
Mick: And they are related to us?
Dave: Well, I havent got a clue.
Mick: No, I dont know what the fuck it is.
Its Obsidian Kingdom, the album itself has got
Atilla Csihar on it.
Mick: Oh! I was going to say him earlier but
it kept getting mixed in with the other one so I
wasnt sure.
www.Facebook.com/
AnaalNathrakhOfficial

73%
FINAL SCORE: have
been in

A good showing from two musicians who

dozens of bands, and seem to remember most of it!

DA RULES

Fifteen minutes, no limits. One point for each artist

and another for the song. No Arguments.

TERRORIZER #275

71

DARK RECOLLECTIONS

CIRITH UNGOL
Paradise Lost

CIRITH UNGOLs

first three albums are a vital part

of any metal record collection , but now it s time
for their forgotten fourth album to get some love ,
respect and vinyl reissuing and TERRORIZER is at the
forefront of the celebrations

Words: Olivier Zoltar Badin

isten, Cirith Ungol released four albums okay?

Not three. While Frost And Fire (1981), King
Of The Dead (1984) and One Foot In Hell
(1986) have indeed become iconic of arcane heavy
metal with their Michael Moorcock inspired covers,
banshee-like singer and scruffy riffing which took
inspiration from both the NWOBHM movement
and proto-doom sound of Black Sabbath, their
last studio offering to date Paradise Lost tends to
get overlooked, as if the difficult conditions under
which it was conceived (with their then label, lineup, producer and the whole damn world it seems)
and the regularly publicised negative feedback from
their drummer Robert Garven (who basically blamed
that whole experience for breaking the band up in
1992) had buried it on a distant island, never to be
unearthed ever again.
Except that Metal Blade just did, a quarter of a
century after its initial release on Restless Records
and just in time to coincide with the bands reunion
show in their hometown of Ventura on the second
weekend of October for the aptly titled Frost And
Fire Festival, set up by longtime fan and Night
Demon member Jarvis Leatherby. After years of

72

TERRORIZER #275

shabby bootlegs and so-called official reissues, the

German office of Metal Blade managed to secure
the rights from the German branch of Sony, who
owned Restless back catalogue and the whole thing
has been remastered, shining a new light on an
album that never deserved such a bad reputation
in the first place. Cold Lake it aint. And after
all those years spent dismissing it, even Robert
himself, to whom we talked to while he was at work
rehearsing for their upcoming return to the stage,
reassess its place in the Cirith Ungol cannon.
The problem has never been with the music, he
recalls. But if I quit the band, it was just because
I wasnt satisfied with the result and felt we were
treated horribly by our then label. But theres been
a lot of water under the bridge since then and Ive
come to realise theres some very good material on
there. Yes, I was the one who was caning it and
I apologise to everyone because now with a step

EDITED BY KEZ WHELAN

BEHEMOTH

ROTTING CHRIST

BLOODSTOCK
CATTON HALL

FRIDAY
Swansea sludge monsters Hark open proceedings
with big groovy riffs and plenty of bottom end. Brand new
number Disintegrate proves a very effective wake-up call in
the already blazing sunshine. Comedy hour comes courtesy
of Gloryhammer and Evil Scarecrow. Cue daft
costumes on and off stage as everyone loses themselves
in the midst of interstellar warfare, battling away with
everything from invading unicorns to giant crabs.

SATYRICON

74

TERRORIZER #275

On the Sophie Lancaster Stage, Wigan outfit Boss

Keloid have got people talking and the hype is more than
justified. Monstrous prog metal guitar riffs pummel the
audience whilst Alex Hurst channels the more demonic aspect
of Mike Pattons vocal work to seismic effect. Redundant nu
metal bozos Anti-Clone seem intent on pretending the last
eighteen years never happened with their sloppy downtuned
riffs and laughable gimp masks. Thankfully Meta-Stasis
galvanise things with their incendiary death metal attack.
Jeremy Gomez is masterful frontman, leading the troops
through nightmarish neo-industrial metal that peaks with a
guest appearance from Voices man Peter Benjamin.
The first very welcome revival of the weekend sees
Misery Loves Co kissing boots for the first time in
sixteen years. Those that remember revel in the Sonic Attack
and get suitably bruised by forthcoming album track Would
You; welcome back! Did Stuck Mojo really play Rape
Whistle one second and want to see tits the next? Talk about
a faux pas Still down south but with much more pride,
despite lost instruments and stand in drummer Corrosion
Of Conformity play a blistering set.

Back at the Sophie Stage, Foetal Juice dont fuck

about, unleashing an onslaught of feral grindcore. Stoner
metalheads XII Boar deliver greasy slabs of riffola that
resemble Scissorfight playing Motrhead songs. One for fans
of great whiskey, trucker caps and fantastic grooves.
Welcoming us to hell for the first time in a decade,
Venom are really on form and Cronos seems in his
element, asking for promoters to give them the opportunity
and no doubt the dosh to put on a full show in the dark.
After everyone sings along to Black Metal, its down to
Behemoth to bring serious brutality and atmosphere as
they unleash The Satanist in full blazing glory. Its a hellstorm of infernal diabolism, at one point black ticker tape
billowing off the stage like a swarm of rabid bats. The Kids
Are Back and for the very last time Twisted Sister play
it up like a bunch of teens despite having been at it for forty
years. Its almost impossible to believe we are never going
to be witnessing songs like Were Not Gonna Take It live
again but Snider makes it quite apparent this is indeed it. A
massive, jubilant and very sweary set proves their legacy as
the band bow out at the very top of their game.
Finally, Stourbridge veterans Diamond Head enter
with a swagger with new vocalist Rasmus Bom Andersen
cutting a far more imposing presence than his predecessor
Nick Tart. Numbers from recent self-titled opus are in step
with the kind of classic NWOBHM which made a young
Metallica take note, shredding the piss poor soft rock
trappings they have dabbled with. The colossal Am I Evil is
rapturously received, demonstrating the true power of one of
metals most underrated acts.

SATURDAY
With Mages steadily unfurling monolithic grooves
forming a suitably inert soundtrack to the various crippling
hangovers being valiantly suffered near the Sophie Stage this
morning, the crisp cleans and well-muscled chug of The
Raven Age make for pleasingly melodic, if rather generic
change of pace.
Performing double duty, Gregor Macintosh is a whirling
dervish, leading Vallenfyre through a titanic set of crusty
death metal. Intimate and devastating, the likes of Bereft
and Desecration hark back to the salad days of death metal
whilst pointing at its richly dystopian future. Akercocke
mount a triumphant comeback with Jason Mendona
especially looking revitalised from their sabbatical. Deftly
switching between brutal death blasts to intricate progressive
shapes, the main stage crowd lets the Londoners know how
dearly theyve been missed.

VENOM

Elsewhere, The King Is Blinds multiple layers

of scabrous tremolo, sinewy chug and grave-scented
atmospheres leave a bleary-eyed early crowd giddy with
morbid pleasure. From a vibrant altar bestrewn with goat
skulls and luminous shreds of hanging cloth, Voduns
greasepaint-smeared brew of mind-altering groove,
sumptuous lashings of soul and tribal blasts is lavishly
steeped in dusky accents of the occult.
Hellenic warriors Rotting Christ are on top form on
the main stage as Sakis leads his crack troops through a
crushing rendition of The Sign Of Evil Existence.Soldiering
on even though calling it quits might be
an idea, Fear Factory appear tired,
PARADISE LOST
delivering a lacklustre turn. The set hangs
heavily on the classic Demanufacture
opus but Burton C. Bell rasps and
struggles to hit the notes throughout
this disappointing performance. Thank
Satan for Paradise Lost, then. The
journeyman Yorkshire act have hit another
purple patch with last years The Plague
Within and Nick Holmes oozes confidence
from every pore.
London riffmasters One Machine
swagger and blast their way through an absurdly entertaining
exchange of sculpted technical detail and bone-splintering
intensity. With Shinings airy saxophone notes unravelling
in a howling crescendo, the Norwegians plunge listeners
headlong into thoroughly alien musical territories.
Riding high upon the success of Magma, Gojira are
a band on a mission. Joe Duplantier exudes confidence and
brother Mario has become one of the finest drummers of
his generation. Expansive and psychedelic, Mastodons
headline set is at times frustrating but the Atlanta mob
possess moments of genius. Sadly, heavier numbers such
as March Of The Fire Ants are largely omitted in favour of
the widescreen choruses of songs like High Road but the
almost telepathic relationship between the four members
shows theres more to this headline set than a garish light
show. Signing off with a victorious Blood And Thunder ends
the evening on a high, although Acid Reign still draw a
sizeable crowd with their richly nostalgic but rather derivative
Metallica-isms.

SUNDAY
The various caterwauling punters heard playfully
mimicking Ghostbaths trademark banshee shrieks here
this morning might suggest a division of popular opinion,
but with their exquisite layering of velvet-thick distortion,
delicately cascading piano notes and wintry lashings of
tremolo, theirs is a rare and richly absorbing talent. With
heavy overreliance on murkily primitive brutality, US metalcore
icons Unearth bludgeon the senses into submission via

SLAYER

an impenetrable, highly repetitious barrage of bass-laden

chug.
Its NOLA via Oxford on the Sophie Stage as Desert
Storm prove a swamp-laden start to the day and kick up the
dirt in style. Sanguine get pulses raised with steamy songs
about sex in Thailand and have everyone bouncing about to
the Senser etched stomper Pressure. Krysthla bring some
seriously intense savagery, delivering mass destruction on all
levels with their technical and precise
violence whereas Divine Chaos have
fans tearing round in a circle pit, their
uncontrolled deathly thrash certainly
having them half live up to their name.
Theres a tangible chill pervading
the balmy summer breeze as inimitable
Norsemen Satyricon loom ominously
into view. Its only Satyrs sobering
allusion to the very hard battle hes
been fighting of late that suggests any
trace of humanity apparent within the
coldly majestic horrors of Nemesis
Divina. Aired in its entirety, its with
viciously sculpted panache that this 1996 masterwork is
vividly made flesh in livid accents of sweat and scalding bile.
Sunday sermon has Witchsorrow bringing the doom
with a slow mass of crushing bass, with the occasional speedy
surge shaking the tent to the very foundations. Whispered
play the gimmick card delivering Bushido metal straight out
of Finland but relying on samples for any (ahem) Eastern
authenticity. Two words guys, Tengger Cavalry. Vektor
thrash it up like its the 80s again with everything about them
feeling authentic and old-school. Naturally, they go down a
storm. Event of the day however is demo band Memoriam
with members of Bolt Thrower, Benediction and Sacrilege
to their name. Driven by Karl Willetts weathered vocals,
their war-faring songs are volatile bombs of
doom-laden death and the odd cover song keeps
everyone at fever pitch. First encounter with new
Pythia singer Sophie Dorman proves more than
effective, her operatic and natural vocals hitting
the spot along with the bands burgeoning chops.
Swords are held aloft in salute every step of the
way during their passionate rousing performance.
Anthraxs practiced repertoire of grooving
leads and scissor-kicking stage antics makes
for an instant crowd pleaser, and by the time the
suspenseful strains of Slayers Repentless
implode in a blinding inferno of scorching
hell-fire, the night air is thick with electricity.
With the legendary collectives awe-inspiring

For More Live Reviews Visit www.Terrorizer.com

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY

presence being only slightly compromised by a glimpse of a

chuckling Tom Araya rubbing his nipples on an uncommonly
chilly August evening, guitar virtuoso Gary Holt reels off
countless layer upon layer of searing hooks, the guitar
writhing to a ripping, supersonic climax beneath his expert
grasp. Subsiding to a dusky purr beneath a bewildering flurry
of percussion that moments later ignites in the breakneck,
densely muscled contortions of Reigning Blood, the passage
of years have done nothing to dull the electrifying intensity
that makes Slayer such a relentlessly compelling live entity.

Words: Ross Baker, Faye Coulman, Pete Woods

Pics: Leigh A. Van Der Byl

ANTHRAX

TERRORIZER #275

75

ALUK TODOLO

NEUROSIS

AMPLIFEST
PORTO, PORTUGAL

FRIDAY
Amplifests sixth edition begins with bang, as the mighty
Aluk Todolo treat us to an extended set in the sweaty
basement of Cave 45, a great little venue just out of town.
The trio are often referred to as a black metal band, and
whilst there are elements of that aesthetic here, their improvheavy, krautrock inspired sound really has more in common
with the likes of Fushitsusha or old Skullflower than they do,
say, Burzum or Mayhem, and theyre in particularly tranceALTARAGE

inducing form tonight. Playing for over an hour and a half,

their jittery, paranoid bass lines, fluid, freewheeling guitar
lines and exhausting, tribal beats are allowed enough room to
blossom into a truly psychedelic experience, kickstarting the
festival in the same way that taking ayahuasca as a rite of
passage kickstarts adulthood.

SATURDAY
At the Hard Club, a large venue right in Portos centre,
Lisbon trio Redemptus open the festival proper
in style with a bleak, tumultuous barrage of crusty
atmospheric sludge, bassist/vocalist P.R. screaming his
guts out with a wild, untamed fervour. Arriving slightly
later than planned, Minsks hulking great post-metal
vistas sound suitably crushing over on the Hard Clubs
larger stage, but its Spains Altarage who provide
the first genuine holy fuck! moment of the day. Clad
in creepy black hoods, the quartet unleash all hell with
their murky, Portal style death metal, as disorientating
riffs collide with some truly inhuman blastbeats
(seriously, in this heat, and under those robes, their

drummer must be sweating buckets. What a trooper!). Its

played with a truly manic energy, and though it perhaps isnt the
tightest set of the weekend, its definitely the most evil.
Kowloon Walled City are on fine form back on the
larger stage, pounding out their muscular, sludgy rhythms with
the force of a bulldozer. Their stuttering, noise-rock influenced
riffs and frontman Scott Evans distinctive howled vocal style
really set the band apart from their peers, and today they sound
tighter and heavier than ever. Anna Von Hausswolff
provides a mesmerising change of pace, leading us through
a diverse set that takes in histrionic Kate Bush-isms, deep,
resonant drones and whimsical chamber pop. The Swedish
pianist has an incredible stage presence, casting an eerie,
furiously head-banging figure as she pounds away on her
keys, alternating between deranged shrieks, gentle croons
and spine-tinglingly emotive glissando, Lisa Gerrard style. Her
backing band are no slouches either, granting a luscious, full
sound and accompanying her through gorgeous pastoral folk
and harrowing, introspective dirges. Its powerful, visceral stuff,
and Kayo Dot struggle to follow it over on the smaller stage.
The bands current power-trio incarnation are tightly in tune
with one another and play this bizarre, technically challenging
music as if its mere childs play, but fail to attain that grand,
cinematic sound that typified 2014s Coffins On Io. Material
from latest opus Plastic House On Base Of Sky fares a little
better, emphasising the bands more chaotic tendencies as
drummer Keith Abrams fires off all manner of effortless, weirdly
timed blasts.
Back on the main stage, Japanese post-rock pioneers
Mono are captivating, and you can hear a pin drop as they
traverse through sparse, subtle passages, before erupting in
sublime, heart-stopping crescendos. The bands beautiful use
of space is unparalleled by most of the bands theyve inspired,
and tonight is a prime example of why theyre so revered, as the
room swells with appreciation.

SUNDAY
Latvias Tesa impress with their intricately crafted
post-metal, their dense, cyclical riffs possessing a highly
hypnotic quality. As drummer Jnis Burmeisters whips out some
gnarly screams whilst battering his kit, its not hard to see why
Neurosis picked these guys as support for this Euro tour. By
comparison, Ghent misery merchants The Black Heart

Words: Kez Whelan Pics: Lais Pereira

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ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF

OATHBREAKER

Rebellion seem dull, meandering and insincere, their

post-hardcore stylings heavy on the limp melodrama and
mawkish sentiment, and worryingly light on the riff front.
After a very illuminating discussion on the smaller stage
about Neurosis creative process with Scott Kelly, Steve Von
Till and our very own Jos Carlos Santos, Nvoas yearning,
Wolves In The Throne Room-esque black metal is bolstered
by the inclusion of bits of tree bark and bone as percussion,
Zero Kama style. Whilst it could definitely stand to be a
bit higher in the mix, the extra instrumentation is used
very tastefully indeed, lending the bands nature-inspired
sound an even more evocative quality. Australias Hope
Drone are of a similar style but even better, performing
their simultaneously aggressive and achingly beautiful black
metal with a ruthless efficiency that would make Weakling
proud.
To call Oathbreakers main stage set cathartic
would be a massive understatement; opening with 10:56
and Second Son Of R. from new album Rheia, Caro
Tanghes vocals range from a fragile, tortured whisper to
some of the most intense screams of the entire festival.

PRURIENT

Material from previous album Eros|Anteros

is utterly raging and whips the crowd up
into a frenzy, but during newer songs like
Needles In Your Skin, it really seems like
Oathbreaker have forged out a new, very
unique sound for themselves, blending
hardcore fury with black metal influences and an incredibly
powerful sense of melody in a way that no other band really
does. Performed with the utmost conviction, this band are really
on to something special here. Following that is no enviable
task, but Germanys Downfall Of Gaia certainly manage it,
battering the packed smaller stage with their ambitious crusty
post-black metal. If youre still gutted that Altar Of Plagues
split up and you dont know this band, youll want to rectify
that ASAP! Amenra vocalist Colin H van Eeckhouts ambient
side-project Chve provides a pleasant break for the ears before
tonights headliners, even though his steady drones arent really
as compelling as youd expect.
Theres such a thick air of anticipation as Neurosis
take to the stage for their first ever Portugal show that large
swathes of the crowd actively ssshhhh! each other as they
pick up their instruments. The band themselves seem as fired
up as the audience, too; yeah, yeah, we know Neurosis are one
of those bands that always makes critics gush like geysers,
but of the innumerable times this particular hack has seen
them, this performance felt the most special, the most personal
and the most goddamn heavy. Opening with a colossal Times

Of Grace sends the crowd haywire whilst the airing of two

new songs, Bending Light and Broken Ground, finds them
locked in a hushed reverie, but its older tracks like Locust
Star and Takeahnase that really see the fireworks flying, as
the band really cut loose, visibly moved by the reaction these
songs are granted. Keyboardist Noah Landis beats down on
his instrument like The Hulk, whilst bassist Dave Edwardson
seems to lose himself in a trance, belting out his awesome
caveman-style vocals with righteous anger. As they close
with an astonishing Stones From The Sky, the outpouring
of elation from the crowd make it clear weve all witnessed
something incredible tonight. A breathtaking finale, but, seeing
as Amplifest is the gift that keeps on giving, we get not one,
but two Prurient sets for good measure one abrasive,
confrontational noise set that sees Dominick Fernow attacking
swarms of invisible bees with his microphone, and one
dancefloor-friendly industrial/techno set right after. Nice!

MONDAY
Monday makes our transition back to reality a bit easier
with two fantastic performances at Passos Manuel, an old
cinema in the centre of town. The Leaving is Zatokrevs
Frederyk Rotters acoustic alter ego, and his gentle falsetto and
delicate finger-picked chords are worlds apart from his other
band, showcasing a whole new side to the musician. Tonight
is all about Steve Von Till though; still on a high from
yesterdays performance (last night was fucking awesome!
he beams at one point, to a roar of approval from the
crowd), he keeps the whole room rapt with several of his own
compositions and a beautiful version of Townes Van Zandts
Black Crow Blues, along with several anecdotes about the
meanings and origins of his songs. Its a fantastic, intimate
experience, and the perfect end to this extraordinary festival.

MINSK

TERRORIZER #265

77

DISCHARGE

REBELLION
FESTIVAL
WINTER GARDENS, BLACKPOOL
FRIDAY
The annual Rebellion Festival sees thousands of punks
from around the world converge on the cheese capital of the
Northwest (thats Blackpool, for the uninitiated), to chase around
four or five venues and see as many of the 150+ bands as they
can in four days.
Your reviewer arrives on the Friday evening, just in time
to see Discharge blowing away an expectant crowd on the
new open-air Tower Street stage, confirming they are back on
formidable form. The new album is plenty strong enough for
recently-penned songs to sit comfortably alongside the early
80s classics, but only a few were aired, the band preferring to
batter the crowd with relentlessly intense tracks from the first
LP, 12 and EPs.
In the more intimate setting of the Pavilion stage,
Paranoid Visions are their usual vitriolic self, and sound
great, ending with a rousing version of Ever Fallen In Love by
the Buzzcocks, Deko Dachau and Aoife Destruction both bringing
very different vibes to the vocal delivery that complement each
other wonderfully.
As usual, the UK Subs played to a full house on the Tower
stage, the crowd singing along to all the standards (Warhead in

particular an audience participation highlight), with new songs

from the basically brilliant latest album, Ziezo, sounding
as vibrant as the more traditional set choices.
The Exploited are on fine form, Wattie in (relatively)
decent health after his onstage scares of recent years, with his
band delivering old chestnuts like Dead Cities and Dogs Of
War with a youthful fervour and military precision. Again, these
songs are so embedded in the psyche of the gathered throng,
they have no choice but to lurch like Pavlovian dogs to their
dystopian call.
SATURDAY
Dick Lucas remains one of the most entertaining, energetic
front-men in punk and had all three of his bands playing the
festival, but thanks to the sucking pit that is the M6, your
reviewer missed the Subhumans, and then Citizen Fish clashed
with some other great bands, so it was left to Culture
Shock to make a lasting impression, which of course they did,
their intelligent lyrics and incredibly energetic choppy ska-punk
instantly getting the Tower Street yard hopping like loons.
GBH unleash one of their best sets of recent years and are
rewarded with a rabid response from the crowd. Opening with a

song off their last album, Perfume And Piss, they then proceed
to rattle through all of their seminal Leather, Bristles, Studs
And Acne 12 (plus most of their early singles and the best
tracks from their first two LPs!) as if their lives depended upon
it. MDC tear it up in the Pavilion stage, their chaotic hardcore
punk a diatribe against ignorance and oppression, whilst The
Ruts are stunning in the Opera House; now a three-piece, they
play a 50/50 set of their old punk classics and their latter period
dub reggae.
The Damned play to a rammed Tower stage, sounding
better than ever, even if they couldnt be seen because of the
burgeoning throng, so its back to the Pavilion to see Steve
Ignorant joining Paranoid Visions for an enjoyable set
mainly consisting of material from their collaborative When?
album, though the surprise Crass covers make for a fitting and
exhilarating climax.
SUNDAY
Police Bastard have the unenviable slot of opening up
the main stage on Sunday morning, but pull it off with aplomb,
and soon have the growing crowd moshing to their heaving
metallic punk, vocalist Johnny Doom dryly noting, This is not my
usual Sunday morning routine!
Ably representing Belfast as always, The Defects
and The Outcasts make a great pairing in the Empress
Ballroom, both bands rattling through some well-loved classics,
The Defects also showcasing some new material that sounded
convincingly moody and urgent. The Adolescents suffer
somewhat with the curse of bad sound that unfortunately
plagues the highly-ceilinged Empress Ballroom, but that doesnt
stop the energy of their exuberant SoCal punk infecting the room,
the massive singalong to Amoeba as enjoyable as expected.
Dag Nasty are great on the outdoor stage, despite the
drizzle and wind. After waiting thirty years to see them, this
was almost a religious experience for many, and they dont
disappoint, playing all their classics note-perfectly with a
likeable self-deprecating honesty. Shame they cock up their
cover of Staring At The Rude Boys, but after such a stunning
set, no one cares.
Not sure where Jello Biafra finds his energy, but every
time he tours here, he gets better, peppering rampant newer
material with Dead Kennedys chestnuts like Californian Uber
Alles, Nazi Punks (Fuck Off!) and Riot. We even get Forkboy
by Lard, and Jello has a manic flamboyant stage presence that
puts performers half his age to shame, stage-diving and miming
his way through an incendiary set both jaw-droppingly raging
and brutally politically relevant. A definite highlight of the whole
festival, and two fingers up to anyone who says Rebellion is
nothing but safe nostalgia.

DAG NASTY

Words: Ian Glasper Pics: Jana Chrov

78

TERRORIZER #275

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OLD EMPIRE AND TIDAL CONCERTS PROUDLY PRESENT

TUESDAY 6TH DECEMBER

ELECTRIC BRIXTON

Words: Tom Dare Pic: Dan Gray

TOWN

HALL PARADE LONDON SW2 1RJ INFO: 0207 274 2290

DOORS 6:00PM TICKETS 25.00 ADVANCE
WWW.TICKETWEB.CO.UK

album
only
after their
nine months
but Noeth
mighty fine de
Welsh
Ac Anoeth, rising
doom crew MAMMOTH

Releasing second
yll
Y Proffwyd Dw

FLOATING
POINTS

Kuiper FROM Kuiper

WEED WIZARD
as
BASTARD arent
riffs.
slow as their
BALL
Vocalist JESSICA
ts inspired
tells us wha

(PLUTO, 2016)

I only discovered him fairly

recently, the first time I heard
Kuiper I was converted. An eighteen-minute electronica/
jazz/classical epic, I saw it as something new and
refreshing. A mixed bag of heavy synths, classical
instruments and insane drumming whats not to like?

her the most

MELVINS

THIS SONG SENT MY

MUSICAL JOURNEY
DOWN A WHOLE NEW
PATH AND LIFTED
RESTRAINTS I DIDNT
KNOW WERE THERE
MASSIVE
ATTACK
MOGWAI

Batcat FROM The Hawk

Is Howling
(WALL OF SOUND, 2008)

That riff! This song opened

up the idea that even with an
unconventional drum beat, you can still pull off that raw
sound and feeling that we all love. Its like disciplined chaos.
Just an all-round tune from start to finish.

THE SWORD

Freya FROM Age Of

Winters
(KEMADO, 2006)

I think this one may speak for itself!

If youre a headbanger, this song
ticks all the boxes. Half and double time drum beats never go
wrong in a heavy song. Tried-and-tested riffing, clever starts,
stops and plenty riff drop-ins.

80

TERRORIZER #275

Dissolved Girl FROM

Mezzanine
(VIRGIN, 1998)

So sexy. Ilove how sinister it

starts and how the fluidity of the vocals slowly creep up on
you, almost without you realising. Lyrically, a woman
admitting her lack of sexual satisfaction. Not a topic
often covered in music or anywhere, which gives it a
whole new set of powers for me.

CAN

Mushroom FROM Tago

Mago
(UNITED ARTISTS, 1971)

My friend gave me the album Tago

Mago on a copied CD forgive
me when I was fifteen. It blew my mind. Mushroom was
the one that stood out for me, I almost obsessed over it. Id
never heard anything like it in my life. Went well with my
experimental stage of life too.

A History Of Bad
Men FROM A Senile
Animal
(IPECAC, 2006)

The sexiest riff ever known to

man. Squealing guitars, phat fuzz, two drum kits and a
powerful Buzz in all his glory. This song sent my musical
journey down a whole new path and lifted restraints I
didnt know were there.

SONIC YOUTH
Cross The Breeze
FROM Daydream
Nation
(ENIGMA, 1988)

Love Sonic Youth in general, its

grunge at its finest and obviously as a female musician,
Kim [Gordon] is a fine example of notgiving a shit and
getting on with it. Theres a part in this song that just
goes dead heavy out of nowhere, then goes back to classic
Youth. Love it.

UFOMAMMUT
Stigma FROM
Idolum

(SUPERNATRUAL CAT, 2008)

What a build-up and an ace

start to an album. That almost
lazy, behind the beat riff that slowly drags you through the
fuzz into an obscure drum beat. The drop into the verse
with the vocals trying to shout to you just underneath the
guitars is so heavy. And of course, synths!
Y Proffwyd Dwyll is out now on New
Heavy Sounds
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