Will Not be Posting This Weekend

We will not be posting this weekend. Hopfuly we will be able to post on Monday. If you wish to contact us then please still do and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you!

David Russ

Dying Fetus Announce Two Select Shows in American

Dying Fetus to play two select shows in American this September. One in Clitfon, NJ at the Dingbatz on September 6th and the second in Amityville, NY at Revolution on September 7th. These shows will serve as the bands warm up shows for their upcoming European tour, 'The Womb to Waste'.


Original Site: http://www.thegauntlet.com/article/504/25926/DYING-FETUS-Announce-Select-North-East-Dates

Vision Divine set to Release New Album in Fall

The Progressive Power Metal band Vision Divine announce to release there new album, titled Destination Set to Nowhere, is to be released on September 18, 2012 by Eagle Rock imprint Armoury Records. The album will feature 11 Tracks:

1. S´io fosse foco
2. The Dream Maker
3. Beyond The Sun And Far Away
4. The Ark
5. Mermaids From Their Moons
6. The Lighthouse
7. Message To Home
8. The House Of The Angels
9. The Sin Is You
10. Here We Die
11. Destination Set To Nowhere

Original Site: http://www.thegauntlet.com/article/80569/25929/VISION-DIVINE-To-Release-New-Studio-Album-This-Fall

Interview: Henri Otto and Sami from Ever Circling Wolves

Band: Ever Circling Wolves

Genre: Doom Metal

Year Formed: 2007

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Members: Otto Forsberg - guitar

Henri Harell - guitar, vocals

Niko Karjalainen - drums

Sami Nevala - bass

Website

Interview Though Email with: Henri (guitar, vocals), Otto (guitar) and Sami (bass) while also finding that perfect bass guitar tone with Sami's new Rickenbacker.

Why start a Doom Metal band? 
     Henri: ""Why not?" as Sami put it so well.
I started writing songs for my solo project, and they turned out doom. Then,
when I had some songs ready, they were so good that I wanted to play them with
a band. After a while, I found some like-minded people to complete the line-up."

What was the game plan going to record "The Silence from Your Room"? Because it was suppose to be an EP what made you
guys know that it was going to be a full-length album? 
     Henri: "We thought we had less material than we eventually
did. After the recording clocked more than 40 minutes, we decided to call it a
full-length."

     Otto: "After all it isn't that hard to write enough
material for a full-length when you play doom metal. I guess it's harder to do
an EP if you want it to include more than two songs."

What is the overall sound of "Chapter III: in which the protagonist finds himself at the bottom of the ocean as well as
in a petrified forest"? 
     Otto: "Deep and watery. And we wanted to have more
dynamics and progression in our songs after our full-length, which was probably
a bit too straightforward - focusing mainly on crushing distortion. That isn't
bad per se, but when album clocks somewhere around 40 minutes, it can get a bit
monotonous."

     Henri: "There's an old song and a newer one, with 3
years between them. I think we managed to make them sound coherent together
even so. Go and listen for yourself, though. The tracks are available for
pay-what-you-want at our bandcamp page (along with the full-length),
http://ecwdoom.bandcamp.com"

How has the band improved since they first started?
     Otto: "Quite a lot, actually, because the first EP
was completely written by Henri, and even though the full-length was recorded
with a full band, most of its material was Henri's handwriting too - the rest
of us just added little tidbits of our own here and there. The more recent material has a lot
more joint songwriting; you can hear influences from all of us.Sami: In other
words, we've managed to focus our vision better and incorporated more
experimental ideas in our music now."

      Henri: "Not like we ever had that verse/chorus/verse
thing going. Now it's just more organic, a swearword though that may be to
some. Also, on a personal level, our musical tastes have expanded, bringing
even more varied influences to the table. And we've tried to overcome limitations
of the genre, even if we skirt the border of several of those. I think there's
a basis of doom, sludge and death in our sound, and then the experimentation."

     Otto: "Exactly. Originally we had a pretty strong
foothold on death/doom and sludge, whereas now we're trying to broaden our
sound in several interesting directions while still keeping one foot steady on
that base of doomy sludge. I hope our listeners will be as excited about it as
we are."

What is the future of this band?

     Henri: "Bright, I hope. We're currently recording our second full-length album, which will display our new, more varied sound."

     Otto: "Some of our focal points for this new album have been increased dynamics - meaning that this time there will be quieter and calmer sections that emphasize those heavier, crushing sections and just to make it sound more interesting; pushing our songwriting further - so that we don't take the most obvious ideas, but make it sound fresh and new, not just the old and same; and have it all sound good and coherent, not just a bunch of wild ideas that don't sit well together."

     Henri: "We'd like to play gigs for audiences who are interested in what we offer, starting here in the gloomy and frosbitten mountains of necroyeti bobsledders in our native Finland and hopefully also eventually abroad (book us, you sumbitch, we're good!) We will also continue to drink good and interesting beers and worship vibrations."

      Otto: "Word."

MASTODON Continues To Celebrate Record Store Day With A Digital Only Release

Can someone please explain this to me. Record Store Day was created to get music fans into the record stores. A lot of record labels and bands offer special pressings or artwork for vinyl releases on this day. I realize the first pressing sold out in 3 seconds, but it was a special Record Store Day release. Why sell it months later as digital only. This release was initially intended to bolster indie store sales and was a huge hit. But to then re-release it months later as digital only is going to cause more harm to the indie stores than good.

Mastodon and Feist are pleased to announce that they will release a digital version of their popular 7" vinyl single, "A Commotion" / "Black Tongue," today - Tuesday, July 31st via Warner Bros. Records and Cherrytree/Interscope Records. The tracks will be available at all participating digital retailers.

Isn't that basically a slap in the collective face of all indie record store owners? On their special day that was setup to help them, the largest label is promoting something to help put that final nail in the coffin. The press release goes on:

This highly sought after release will also include a special Interactive "A Commotion" music video directed by Vice Cooler, and will also premiere today on www.listentofeist.com and www.mastodonrocks.com. The video is launched by an HTML5 "Feistodon" video app that allows users to crossfade between Feist and Mastodon's versions of the "A Commotion" to make their own unique versions.

The "Feistodon" split-single was one of the most in-demand exclusives during Record Store Day this past April 21st. It features Mastodon covering the Feist song "A Commotion," from her current highly acclaimed current album "Metals" (Interscope) while Feist covers Mastodon's "Black Tongue" - a track from the Atlanta rock band's critically lauded present album The Hunter. Only 5000 color vinyl 7" singles were pressed up and sold out instantly.

Mastodon and Leslie Feist met while appearing on the same episode of UK talk show Later... with Jools Holland last October. They were both so impressed with each other's performances that they decided to work together.

Mastodon recently wrapped up a European tour supporting The Hunter. The band will return to England in August to perform at the Reading and Leeds festivals:

Sat Aug 25 Reading Festival Reading, UK
Sun Aug 26 Leeds Festival Leeds, UK

Original Site: http://www.thegauntlet.com/article/585/25920/MASTODON-Continues-To-Celebrate-Record-Store-Day-With-A-Digital-Only-Release

Graveyard - Announce New Album Title And Set Release Date

Swedish bluesy rockers Graveyard have set Lights Out as the title for the group's next album, which is set to be released in Europe on October 26th and in North America on November 6th via Nuclear Blast, just one year after they released the trippy Hisingen Blues. Drummer Axel Sjöberg commented about the album title: "The title Lights Out sums up the feeling of the new album, and a feeling that we have. That these times that we live in are strange times, where no one really sees anything straight/the way they are." About the cover of the upcoming third album, Sjöberg added: "We all know that both we and pretty much everyone was really excited about the cover of Hisingen Blues. So we had to come up with a really strong idea to match the strength of that cover. It's just about finished now, but even without having seen the final version, we are convinced that no one will be disappointed by the cover to Lights Out. We've worked with several people that all added their part, and as the saying goes in Sweden: the sum of the parts is bigger than the parts alone. So sharpen your raven's hatches and get ready for Lights Out." Original Site: http://www.metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=17462

Interview: Federico Gutierrez from Corpse Garden

Band: Corpse Garden

Genre: Death Metal

Year Formed: 2008

Location: Heredia, Costa Rica

Members: Christopher de Haan: Vocals
 Luis Cambronero: Guitar
 Federico Gutierrez: Guitar
 Esteban Solano: Bass Guitar
 Erick Mejia: Drums

Website: http://www.thecorpsegarden.com

Interview Though Email with:  Federico Gutierrez

How did the band come up with the band's name?

     "Well, at that time we wanted a name that would stand for what we all believe in and see things, so 'Corpse Garden' is actually that, our way of seeing the world. We are all corpses lying next to each others in a Garden, sharing space and feelings and interacting with each others"

Why did you start a Death Metal band?

     "Because that was the type of music we all liked: extreme metal, agressivity and technicallity."

You shared the stage with Morbid Angle, What did the mean for the band and how was your expirence?

     "Sharing that stage with them was a big mix of emotions some of happines, pride and reward for making things right. Also, Morbid Angel is one of our influences so it was really nice to be able to be their opening act."

 What should some one expect your deput album "Burnt by the Lights" sound like?

     "I cannot really put it in words but if you are into Death Metal you wont be dissapointed."

Where can some one pick up your music?

     "It can be found physically and digital on Amazon.com and CD Baby and on iTunes as well but just digital."

Can you give a short history of the band?

     "Corpse Garden was founded in 2008 but really started working on october 2010, in 2011 we recorded our debut album and released independently on January 2012 and  we won the Central american MB for WOA and we will be perfoming on WOA 2012"

Interview: Guyome from Pulmonary Fibrosis

Band: Pulmonary Fibrosis

Genre: Nasal Nauseous Vomit Liquid Goregrind

Year Formed: 1998

Members: Yanosh - Guitar

Adrien - Vox 

 Renaud - Bass

Guyome - Drums/vox/guitar

Website: http://pulmonaryfibrosis.free.fr/

Interview Though Email with: Guyome

Why start a Grindcore band?
      "Well , I started PxFx around 1998 as a thrash metal band like the old Sepultura , few months later we turned into something shorter & easier to play , the first demo “Songs of pathological experience” was recorded . The reason is just we love fast & heavy music , grindcore is the best music ever to spread what we feel." 
How did you pick this name for the band?
     "In those glorious years of the Czech grind scene at the end of the 90’s , came too many awesome bands with one of the best recordings ever , Malignant Tumour was my favourite band at that time & I just found Pulmonary Fibrosis in their lyrics on their split cd with the almighty Squash Bowels."

Your first album "Organ Maggots" was recorded in 2005 and released in 2007, Why the long wait to release it?
     "If I remember well , the label took a lot of time to release it." 

How do you feel about that album?

     "I’m disappointed about how my drum sounds , also that our lazy guitarist didn’t record the basslines & as well about the missing part of the booklet . But the performance of Pascal was incredible."

Do you have a favorite track of the album?
     "All of them are pretty good , but for sure “Hacked the human flesh” & “Turn water to pus” are my favourite ones & they was also great to play." 

How does your 2nd album "Interstitial Lung Disease" differ from your first album?
     "That’s a real back to the roots , totally the way I started PxFx with gory influence & that’s grind , not a mix of all kind of music as we did in “Organ Maggots” . As well we are better musicians right now , the actual line-up is really good , old good friends playing sick grind , that’s our best effort ever . We also got a nice booklet with a great draw by my old friend Luisma from Haemorrhage."

Can you give a short history of the band?     "Wowww , I can’t really tell you something short , we still try touring all around the world , so you can expect lots of story & many bands know how it is . But I can tell you one who’s another story from all we had on our south american tour in September/October 2011 , where we spend almost 2 months . Well , we started as two pieces in Brazil (Yanosh & I) , we ended the tour in Brazil as well , but the last show in Brazil from the first part was in Florianopolis in the south of Brazil , we had to play in Argentina few days after , so we took a bus from Florianopolis till Buenos Aires & it took around 24 hours . That was a good experience héhé , but this tour was full of great time & story , like the others we made , maybe we could write a book , [..]"

What is your inspiration to write?
     "First , we don’t have any lyrics , we sometimes use to say some words from the song’s name , but we are mostly focus on music & writing good guitar riffs . Our inspiration are come from what we listen , still the same old grind bands like Last Days of Humanity , Haemorrhage , Dead Infection , Regurgitate , C.B.T. & many more."



Metal Album Review: Dark Root of Earth by Testament

Band: Testament

Album: Dark Roots of Earth

Year Released: 2012, Out Now

Album Number: 10

Album Length: 50:48

Number of Tracks: 9

Favorite Tracks: Rise Up, Native Blood, Dark Roots Of Earth, True American Hate, Throne Of Thorns, Last Stand For Independence

Rating: 9.5/10

Thoughts: One of the best albums of the year!! Classic Testament. This album is one of the best Testament albums. Any Thrash Metal fans you need to get this album!

Buy NOW!!

Interview: B. Kottmann from Intractable

Band: Intactable

Genre: Thrash/Death Metal

Location: Switzerland

Members: B. Kottmann

M. Hospenthal

D. Meier

M. Schuler

Website: http://www.intractable.ch/

Interview Though Email with: Beni Kottmann

How did you come up with your name?
     ""Slayer" was allready used, so we've choosed "Intractable". No seriously, "Intractable" reflects our characters. For example, our drummers doctor told him"intractable" means in medical-terms "no chance for healing", [..]"

What bands influence your music?
     "hard to tell, we all listen to very different music. we're influenced by all kinds of good music."

How do you feel about your career so far?
     "career? did we missed the start? sriously. Till now we can't talk about a career. We hope to reach more people with our new CD. But at the moment, we're looking for a Label which help us to share our music arround the world!"

Can you give some history about the band?
     "In the year of 2006 Dominic Meier (Git) and Benjamin Kottmann founded INTRACTABLE in SURSEE/LU. After a while Michael Schuler (Bass) and Markus Hospenthal (Git) joined them to complete the band. INTRACTABLE  has been touring the stages of Switzerland since December 2009, from the small club shows up to bigger venues supporting such acts as: GURD, WARBRINGER; SKELLETON WITCH and many others. After the release of the first self-recorded Demo CD “First eruption” in spring 2010, which included 5 Songs, the band went into the studio to record our first album. With the 12 songs being mastered and the artwork in progress, the record is getting it’s finishing polish, to be released soon."


What should some one expect to here off your album "inner decay"?
     "honest metal music. Given the fact that we don’t focus exclusively on one metal genre, a Pantera fan can enjoy our sound as much as a death metal freak. But it’s always best if people build their own opinion on our sound by listening to it."



Interview: Vaginal Chicken

Band: Vaginal Chicken

Genre: Death Metal/Metal

Year Formed: 2005

Location: France

Members: Roots - vocals

 Loco - 7 strings from hell

GV - bass

Toma - drums

Website: http://www.vaginalchicken.com/

Interview Though Email

How did the band come up with the band name?
     "Ahaha, actually we were totally drunk during one of the first time we met each other and Remi, our guitar player thought about this name, Vaginal Chicken, and we were like "hey why not !", this name came with the stupidity and incomprehension of this world, what's better than that..."

How would you describe you album "Hangover Chicken"?
     "The album was the beginning of the good tunes we created, before that it was a little bit less inspirated. And for sure it was the first stuff we released with a real sound ! In there we made some real groovy tunes, others more brutal, it was the beginning of some serious stuffs we made, that ends with our best CD, the split with Defecal Of Gerbe and Bestial Devastation "Grind Your Life", a masterpiece!"

What is the message behind your music?
     "I wouldn't speak about a special message, everything in our lyrics is about the madness of the world, and the way that a lot of people become crazy, kill everybody, etc. It has always been something which inspired me for the lyrics, that's really a fascinating subject."

What makes your band different from all the other bands?
     "I don't know if we are really different from a lot bands, but maybe just in the way we always made our music, half serious, half fun, because i think that too many grindcore bands are just fun and others are really extreme, if i would choose of course i would be on the extreme side, but maybe more with a more modern approach of the grindcore music."

Can you give a short history of the band?
     "We began the band in 2005, and played with a lot of major bands like Inhumate, Debauchery, Total Fucking Destruction, Dead Infection, Extreme Noise Terror, Pungent Stench, Squash Bowels, etc. At the beginning we were 2 singers, there has been some changes, and at the end there was just me as singer (only on our last record, "Grind Your Life" split album). But for the others guys it has always been the same, with Thomas as drummer, Remi as guitar player and Guillaume as bass player. We made our last gig as Vaginal Chicken in 2009. Thomas moved in the south of France, so we putted the band in stand-by. We created MAAT, with a new drummer and second guitar player but we never released something with that band. Then Remi joined Carnal Lust and I created Beyond The Dust with some others guys. Now we are discussing about something new for Vaginal Chicken or for a new project with Remi."

Interview: Christopher Olsson from Dirty Passion

Band: Dirty Passion

Genre: Hard Rock

Year Formed: 2006

Location: Malmoe, Sweden

Members: Kriss Lohikoski Svensson - Vocals
Christopher Olsson - Guitar
Markus Winberg - Drums
Nasty Laine - Bass

Website: www.dirtypassion.com

Interview Though Email with: Christopher Olsson

You shared the stage with Y&T, how you expirence with that band?
     "Great! That was our first big-show in a big venue. We dident know anything about Y&T at that point, never really heard of them. But when we got the offer to be the support act we checked them out, and I was really surprised. They are one of my favorite bands now, they got so much. They have great metal-riffs in some songs, great ballads, amazing voice and every song is well written."

It also looks like you ha ve tour with a lot of famous bands, is there a band/bands that you had the best expirence with?
     "We did a tour with LA Guns (tracii guns) in March this year. That was one of my favorit tours. Everybody was just so relaxed. And I belive that the bookers/promoters and agencys that was involved in this tour was much more serious than some others we have experienced."

How do you feel about you deput album "Different Tomorrow"?
     "We got what we wanted. We wanted to record an album the way they did in the 70 & 80`s with alot of old analog studio gear, and we wanted to sound like they did in the 80`s too. We were really into all that stuff 2 years ago. But things have changed and we are writing much heavier songs now. Still with the "classic rock" sound but i think we have a much heavier sound for the next album, with a more modern touch."

Do you have a favorite song off the album?
     "I like them all, but Selling Your Soul has always been a favourite. "Without You" is also one of my favourite songs on that album."

What was your/the bands reaction when you saw that your album went to number 4 in category Hard Rock on the Swedish charts?
     "That was great! at that point we`d been on the charts for several weeks. some weeks we were nr6, nr9, 13 etc. One week we were nr 4, that was cool!"

As of right now you posted the band a currently working on their second album, how is that going as of right now?
     "We are currently putting the finishing touches on the last few songs. All the major parts are recorded and done so right now we are mostly getting ready for the photo and video shoot. If all goes to plan well have an early copy of the album by september and all fans can get their hands on it in october when it hits the stores."

What should the fans expect the album to sound like?
     "A more modern take on our original classic rock sound with a bigger production then on "Different Tomorrow". Also the song writing is more organic and "effortless" these days. Essentially its the sound produced when the four of us get together to play."





Dirty Passion to release their second album

Dirty Passion to release their second album "...In Wonderland" this october.

The hotly awaited 2nd album by Swedens hardest working band Dirty Passion has been confirmed for an October 2012 release. "Dirty Passion - In Wonderland" will be released world wide by "Denomination Records", a subsidiary of "Transubstans/Record Heaven". After 8 months of writing and playing the new material live, most notably on the Dirty Passion/L.A Guns Euro tour, The recording finally took place in july of 2012 and saw the band utilize 4 different studios including a return for the final mixing at the world-renowned "Roasting House Studios". After extensive radio play the critically acclaimed radio pre-single "When Darkness Falls" will also be included on the album as a speciall bonus track.

This time around the band has decided to move in a more modern direction without losing sight of the fundamentals of the Dirty Passion sound, the melodies and catchy choruses. With a heavier sound and better production as well as a more diverse song writing approach the final result is a modern mix of classic rock and youthfull playfulness that is sure to please both old and new fans alike.