Witchsorrow - God Curse Us (Cd Review)

01.Aurora Atra
02.God Curse Us
03.Masters Of Nothing
04.AB Antiquo
05.Megiddo
06.Breaking The Lore
07.Den Of Serpents

Necroskull (Guitar/Vocals)
Emily Witch (Bass)
David Wilbrahammer (Drums)

Formed in Hampshire in 2005 Witchsorrow are purveyers of Doom, ladend with slow pounding chords which blast from the Gibson SG, backed by powerfull bass and drumming!

Each song just builds up the tension in typical fashion, then with 'AB Antiquo' you get an atmosphereic couple of minutes before launching into the haunting 10 minute masterpiece 'Megiddo' which has a Triptykon edge about it.

Perhaps somewhat expected the Judas Priest mis-titled 'Breaking The Lore' is a fast paced metal tune.

Finally 12 minutes (Yes!!!!) of excellent Doom, just scream it out loud "DOOM!" awesome stuff PLAY FUCKING LOUD!

Rating 10/10

For Fans Of : Cathedral, Serpent Venom, Triptykon, Electric Wizard

Cauldron - Tomorrows Lost (Cd Review)

01.End of Time
02.Born To Struggle
03.Nitebreaker
04.Summoned To Succumb
05.Burning Fortune
06.Endless Ways
07.Relentless Temptress
08.Fight For Day
09.Tomorrows Lost (Sun Will Fail)

Cauldron the Canadian heavy metal band formed in 2006 in Toronto, take their influence from the NWOBHM scene of the early 1980's.
They were formed following the breakup of Goat Horn, with guitarist Brandon Wars leaving to form a new band, Zuku. Cauldron consists of Jason Decay on vocals and bass and Ian Chains on guitar.
Since forming, Cauldron has toured both North America and Europe, including a performance at the Keep It True Festival in Germany. In early 2007, they released a four-song EP, Into The Cauldron. It was composed of material originally intended for the next Goat Horn album.
Cauldron's song "Restless" is featured in a DC Shoes video of professional skateboarder Danny Way.
Drummer Al Chambers left the band in 2008 to join Relapse Records' Toxic Holocaust, and the position was filled briefly by Steelrider, the original drummer of Goat Horn. He was then replaced by Kill Cheerleader/Zuku/Crystal Castles drummer, Chris Rites. After Rites' departure from the band in 2009, Chris Steve of Canadian band Aggressor took over the role of drummer until December 2011. Chris Rites temporarily returned for the recording of Tomorrow's Lost.
In July 2012 Cauldron announced Myles Deck as their new drummer.

Tomorrow’s Lost was recorded in Spring 2012 with producer Jameson Elliott. Despite stating that it’s not a concept album as such, Cauldron guitarist Ian Chains explains: “As an album title it refers to varying degrees of hopelessness that we can somehow relate to.  It means striving hard to achieve something that may never see the light of day, or making poor decisions that come back to ruin everything for you.” Despite the bleak sounding influences, the nine album tracks pulsate with classic heavy metal licks and urge you to fist-pump with NWOBHM-inspired vocals.

Cauldron are a band who remain true to their heavy metal roots, and yet have the unique ability to span genres, continents and cliques with their irrepressible enthusiasm and style. Counting the likes of Alice Glass (Crystal Castles) and Lady Gaga’s best friend and DJ Lady Starlight among their high profile fans, Cauldron have a universal charm that has seen their legions of fans swell with every tour and record.

Cauldron’s anthemic songs really come to life on Tomorrow’s Lost; dripping with attitude and soaked in melody. Deliberately shunning modern production values, and transcending scenes and fads, Cauldron take you on a gloriously retro ride through the annals of heavy metal, inviting you to join them in believing that true heavy metal is more than a passing movement; it is a way of life.

Easily their best album to date, this tribute to NWOBHM is well executed, oh wait its not a tribute??? Damn i could have sworn that this was for Angelwitch and Witchfynde fans!

So if you want an authentic taste of what used to rock the UK in the good old days then this is a pretty good one to add to the collection.

Rating : 9/10
For fans Of : Amulet, Angelwitch, Witchfynde, Witchfinder General

VOIVOD - signs with Century Media Records; European tour announced for October

VOIVOD Line-Up (from left to right on bandpic):
Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain - Guitar
Jean -Yves “Blacky” Theriault - Bass
Michel “Away” Langevin - Drums
Denis “Snake” Belanger - Voice


Century Media Records is proud to announce the worldwide signing of Quebecois progressive metal pioneers VOIVOD! To coincide with the band’s 30th Anniversary - the band was founded in late January, 1983 - VOIVOD’s own company, Iron Gang Factory, joins with global powerhouse Century Media Records to release Target Earth on January 21st, 2013 throughout Europe and the 22nd in North America.

The band comments: “Our goal has been to find a partner for Iron Gang Factory to help get new VOIVOD music to the world and Century Media, we are proud to say, is the right company to do so globally. We can't wait to release tour and promote Target Earth.”

VOIVOD’s career path has endured as many shifts and disturbances as the music itself. From major label deals and big-time tours to slogging it out in clubs while metal went through growing pains in the mid 1990’s; from high profile bass players to unknown substitutes, the Quebecois prog metal pioneers have persevered through thick and thin to arrive at a comfortable place in 2012 -- a place of rebirth, rejuvenation and respect.

VOIVOD’s 30th anniversary celebrates their career as one of metal’s most influential bands. The handful of live albums, reissues and DVDs that began to surface in the past ten years proved how beloved this band really is, and now comes another album of inspired fresh material that proves VOIVOD still have many new paths to travel. What band continues to redefine and reinvent themselves 13 studio albums and 30 years into their career? There is only one answer to that question: VOIVOD.


VOIVOD have just announced a next European tour for October 2012 including the following headlining dates, as well as support shows with new label mates Arch Enemy in Spain:

VOIVOD – European Tour 2012:
Wed 03.10.12   The Exchange - Bristol
Thu 04.10.12   NQ Live - Manchester
Fri 05.10.12   The Well - Leeds
Sat 06.10.12   The Village - Dublin
Sun 07.10.12   Garage - London

Mon 08.10.12    Magasin 4 - Brussels, Belgium
Tue 09.10.12    Doornroosje - Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Wed 10.10.12    Turock - Essen, Germany
Thu 11.10.12    Loppen - Copenhagen, Denmark
Fri 12.10.12    Betong - Oslo, Norway
Sat 13.10.12    Brew House - Gothenburg, Sweden
Sun 14.10.12    Hafenklang - Hamburg, Germany
Tue 16.10.12     Cassiopeia - Berlin, Germany
Wed 17.10.12   Progresja - Warsaw, Poland
Thu 18.10.12     HooDoo Club - Prague, Czech Republic
Fri 19.10.12      Dürer Kert - Budapest, Hungary Tickets
Sat 20.10.12     Bloom Club - Mezzago (Milan), Italy
Sun 21.10.12    Bad Bonn - Düdingen, Switzerland
Mon 22.10.12    Le Korigan, Luynes, France
Tue 23.10.12     Totem - Pamplona, Spain + Arch Enemy
Wed 24.10.12   Cine Teatro - Corroios, Portugal
Thu 25.10.12     Capitol - Santiago de Compostela, Spain + Arch Enemy
Fri 26.10.12      La Riviera - Madrid, Spain + Arch Enemy
Sat 27.10.12     Razzmatazz 2 - Barcelona, Spain + Arch Enemy
Tue 30.10.12     MILK Club - Moscow, Russia
Wed 31.10.12   Nosturi - Helsinki, Finland

Magica - Centre Of The Great Unknown (Cd Review)

01.Center Of The Great Unknown

02.Masterspell

03.King Of The World

04.Open

05.The Earth Is Young

06.Step Into The Night

07.No Horizon

08.One Angry Gaia

09.Mark Of Cain

10.Under The Auroras

11.Daca 2012 

Ana Mladinovici (Vocals)

Bogdan Costea (Guitar)

Tibi Dutu (Bass)

Emilian Burcea (Guitar)

Sebastian Natas (Drums)

Founded in 2002 by guitarist Bodan Costea MAGICA shortly after recorded their debut album “The Scroll Of Stone”. After two months of hard work this concept album was ready to be released. Despite the lack of promotion the album got airplay on several big radio stations and also the print magazines showed huge interest in the band. Voted by readers of the “Heavy Metal Magazine” as “best newcomer of the year 2002” the band did not remain hidden from the international scene. The results were contract offers that also covered the French and South American territories, starting with “Lightseeker”, MAGICA´s second album from 2004. Then “Bittersweet Nightshade” became the band´s first video clip and the year 2006 saw them touring with After Forever and Nightmare. Several concerts with Leaves´ Eyes, Vanden Plas and Apocalyptica followed. A new video clip for the song “All Waters Have The Colour Of Drowning” has been unleashed in May 2007 and their first worldwide release “Hereafter” secured the international breakthrough for MAGICA.
Just ne and a half years later the fourth album “Wolves & Witches” received critical acclaim for being “the link between traditional teutonic Metal, female-fronted Metal and Symphonic Metal like Kamelot”. In 2010 MAGICA released “Dark Diary”, again praised by journalists and fans alike.

“The Center Of The Great Unknown” is a logical successor to MAGICA’s previous works, but even more fresh and with a better sound quality. The mixing was handled by Seeb Levermann (Orden Ogan). Tracks like “King Of The World”, “One Angry Gaia” or “No Horizon” show that MAGICA are a true constant when it comes to quality in this genre. Even more, they have developed their signature sound to a new level. And by the addition of a second guitarist (to replace the previous keyboard player), the new MAGICA is the most rocking ever

Bandleader Bogdan Coesta comments:
“The album’s concept is based on "The Diary of Admiral R. E. Byrd", "Godess of Atvatabar" by W. Bradshaw, "Beasts, Men and Gods" by F.A. Ossendowsky and a few more authors and adventurers.


Pretty much typical of the genre, euro power metal riffs in the style of Helloween, Ed Guy etc, female vocals in the style of Epica etc.

So not massivley original or outstanding, basically it does the job, so if this is your kind of music then its perfect for you.

Rating : 6/10

For Fans Of : Within Temptation, Epica, Achilla, Nightwish

MINDLESS SELF INDULGENCE UK SHOWS UPGRADED

The four-headed and many-limbed beast that is Mindless Self Indulgence has woken up after a three year slumber to ravage the UK with their ever unique brand of musical mayhem and stage-destroying live performances. MSI have confirmed that they will be returning to the UK in October 2012 for a run of headline dates to include shows in Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and London. 2 of those shows - Manchester and Birmingham - have already been upgraded to bigger venues due to a lot of demand for MSI tickets.

MSI have been whipping crowds into a furious riot in cities across America with their heart-pounding electro-punk earlier this year. With sold-out shows in New York City, Chicago, and Toronto, Canada, to name a few, it's clear that their absence from the world of music has only intensified the cries of fans eager for their return.

Watch out United Kingdom... Jimmy Urine warns to wreak havoc on the eardrums of the innocent - the singer comments: "as soon as we announced our American tour last March we were flooded with requests from UK fans asking begging and demanding that we come back to England …..Despite the fact that MSI have not been to the UK in over 3 years and that we have not had a new record out since 2008, we have already sold out the smaller rooms that promoters were doubtful we would fill. They had to move us to bigger rooms which are also almost sold out. We didn't forget how much we like the UK and it looks like they didn't forget us! Fucking brilliant see you bastards in October!"

Mindless Self Indulgence UK dates are as follows:
Oct 25th - Manchester, Academy 2 ***upgraded***
Oct 26th - Glasgow, The Garage
Oct 27th - Birmingham, O2 Academy ***upgraded***

Oct 28th - London, HMV Forum

Tickets on sale now at Ticketmaster
http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/Mindless-Self-Indulgence-tickets/artist/717658

KORN - Live At The Holywod Palladium (CD Review)

 

01.Get Up!
02.Kill Mercy Within
03.Illuminati
04.Chaos Lives In Everything
05.My Wall
06.Way Too Far
07.Narcisstic Cannibal
08.Here To Stay
09.Freak On A Leash
10.Falling Away From Me
11.Predictable
12.Another Brick In The Wall
13.Shoots And Ladders
14.One
15.Got The Life
16.Blind

 KORN performs an exclusive live gig featuring songs from their new album "The Path Of Totality”, with special guest performances by some of the leading dubstep and electronic music producers in the world, including Skrillex, Excision, Datsik, Downlink, Kill the Noise, and 12th Planet. This exciting live event also features KORN playing all their classic hits too. The result is this once in a lifetime concert film, which is something completely new, yet utterly and definitively KORN!

 “Live At The Hollywood Palladium” was produced by Rock Fuel's Barry Summers. It captures KORN's unique live show on film like never before. The combination of art and science, technology, emotion, and explosive theatrics elevates this live concert to technological rock mastery!

Their debut album “Korn” was released in October 1994. The band followed up with their second piece of work, “Life Is Peachy”, two years later. “Follow The Leader” then became KORN's mainstream breakthrough, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200 in August 1998, along with the following album “Issues”, released in November 1999. The band released “Untouchables” in June 2002 and released “Take A Look In The Mirror” in November 2003.

Their first compilation album “Greatest Hits Vol. 1” was released in October 2004, concluding KORN's contract with Epic and Immortal Records. They signed to Virgin Records, releasing “See You on the Other Side” in December 2005, and an untitled album in July 2007. KORN's latest albums “Korn III: Remember Who You Are” and “The Path of Totality” were released in July 2010 and December 2011, respectively. To this day, KORN has sold 35 million albums worldwide and has earned two Grammy Awards out of seven nominations (for "Freak on a Leash" and "Here to Stay").

This is a dvd/cd set, but the record company only sent me the cd to review.

This concert encapsulates every element from Korns long and intresting career, the new stuff delivers better than its studio counterparts and the classics are performed to perfection.

STU

Rating 8/10

For Fans Of: Skrillex, Ministry, Rob Zombie, Slipknot

Rob Zombie - Mondo Sex Head (CD Review)

01.Thunder Kiss '65 (JDevil Number Of The Beast Remix)
02.Living Dead Girl (Photek Remix)
03.Let It All Bleed Out (Document One Remix)
04.Foxy Foxy (Ki Theory Remix)
05.More Human Than Human (Jack Dangers Remix)
06.Dragula (††† Remix)
07.Pussy Liquor (Ki_Theory Remix)
08.Lords of Salem (Das Kapital Remix)
09.Never Gonna Stop (Drumcorps Acid Remix)
10.Superbeast (Kraddy Remix)
11.Devil's Hole Girls (Tobias Enhus Remix) ft. The Jane Antonia Cornish String Quartet)
12.Burn (The Bloody Beetroots Motherfucker Remix)
13.Mars Needs Women (Griffin Boice Remix)

Back in 1999 Rob released 'American Music To Strip By' an all star remix album and now 13 years later comes a sort of volume 2 (containing new mixes of 3 songs that appeared on said release).There had also been a remix album 'Super Sexy Swining Sounds' in 1996 for White Zombie.
This collection features Rob's favourites Remixed By Some Of Today’s Groundbreaking Producers & DJs, including KoRn’s Jonathan “JDevil” Davis, Photek, the Bloody Beetroots, Drumcorps and Ki:Theory.
Mondo Sex Head was curated and executive produced by Jason Bentley, Music Director at L.A.’s influential KCRW and Electronic Dance Music expert. Richard Bishop, co-executive producer of RE:GENERATION music project and documentary film, supervised the project. Each track was hand selected by Rob Zombie who road-tested many of the songs in his car, driving the L.A. streets.

Throughout his career, iconic music artist and filmmaker Rob Zombie has continuously challenged audiences as he stretches the boundaries of music, film and publishing. Zombie, who has sold over fifteen million albums worldwide and has earned seven Grammy® nominations, is no stranger to repurposing his work, cross-fertilizing his fan base and generally pushing the limits of modern-day art. Over the years he has worked with outside DJs, remixers and producers starting with the 1992 remix of White Zombie’s first-ever, MTV-fueled hit, “Thunder Kiss ’65.”

“I like the idea of taking songs and reconfiguring them,” says Zombie about the album, who is taking an alternative approach in the digital retail space. The album will be preceded by two separate, digital-only EPs, with tracks taken from Mondo Sex Head and exclusive bonus tracks.

With dubstep and rock rapidly banging heads together, Spinefarm’s Mondo Sex Head couldn’t arrive at a better time, featuring remixes from all corners of dance music by the likes of KoRn’s Jonathan “JDevil” Davis (“Thunder Kiss ‘65”), Photek (“Living Dead Girl”), Document One (“Let It All Bleed Out”), Ki:Theory (“Foxy Foxy” & “Pussy Liquor”), Big Black Delta (“More Human Than Human”), ††† aka Chino of Deftones (“Dragula”), Das Kapital (“Lords of Salem”), Drumcorps (“Never Gonna Stop”), former Glitch Mob member Kraddy (“Superbeast”) and the Bloody Beetroots (“Burn”), among others. Zombie credits the idea for the album to a conversation with his manager, Andy Gould, who told him he was constantly hearing DJs incorporate samples of Zombie’s music into their performance sets.
Rob Zombie’s Mondo Sex Head finds its creator returning to claim his legacy in the burgeoning world of electronic dance music. By bringing together music and film, rock and dance, arena mosh pits and club dance floors, Rob Zombie is proving a cultural phenomenon, with a fan base that is constantly growing.

First up with 'Thunder Kiss 65' comes a bass heavy dancefloor killer! fuck seriously this is good!
Photek's 7 minute darkwave mix of 'Living Dead Girl' is just awesome, dark brroding and just plain evil like Kraftwerk jamming with the Sisters of Mercy.
Beautiful acoustic guitar intro to 'Let It All Bleed Out' before crashing into a Prodigy/Chase & Status crossover with ear destroying synth overkill.
The version of 'More Human Than Human' has that Goldfrapp drum pattern running through it, kinda cool :-)
A very bass heavy ambient feel to the remix of 'Dragula' sort of manages to totally reinvent the song (in a good way).
'Pussy Liquor' is a better mix than Ki Therorys other song 'Foxy Foxy', nice use of analogue synth.
If there was such a thing as "Extreme Death Rave" then this would be its signiture tune because its the only way i can describe this version of 'Lords Of salem' and 7 minutes of pure power!
Always one of my fave Rob tracks anyway and this version of 'Never Gonna Stop' is actually pretty near to the original just a bit darker with nasty synth work throughout.
Okay well 'Superbeast' is clearly the worst mix on this album, just does not work at all.
'Devils Hole Girls' gets things back on track with another dancefloor mash up.
The mix of 'Burn' is weird, got that dubstep feel with some strange mixes of 70's style guitar work and sampling.
The kinda bass sound that takes out your neighbours windows (if aimed just right, must try it sometime), 'Mars Needs Women' is definatley one to play loud.

So if there was a rave party in hell: THIS IS THE SOUNDTRACK!

STU

Rating 10/10

For fans Of: Ministry, Rammstein, Korn, Marilyn Manson, Kraftwerk.