01. Veins of Sand Pt. 1
02. Veins of Sand Pt. 2
03. Bloodwaters
04. Feeders, aka Heterotrophy / Saprotrophy
05. Leda and the Swan Pt. 1
06. Leda and the Swan Pt. 2
07. Wolf of the Gods
08. Somebody Super Like You
09. Benighted & Begotten
10. Spiderqueen
11. Flocks
12. Halkyónē's Legacy, aka The Song of Empty Heavens
Formed in 2011 as a solo project, Martyr Lucifer teamed up with some Hortus Animae members, the Ukrainian artist Leìt and international artists like Adrian Erlandsson (At the Gates, Paradise Lost) and Vrolok (ex-Nokturnal Mortum, Ygg) to form an alternative rock music project with echoes of wave and goth and the subsequent worldwide release of his first output as solo artist, “Farewell to Graveland”, via Buil2Kill Records.
In 2013 he released his second set of recordings, “Martyr Lucifer's Shards” (Outline Rekordz) a collection of three previously unreleased EP's which started showing a stronger presence of Leìt's role, and featured, among others, Simone Mularoni (DGM, empYrios) on guitars and bass, Antarktica (Darkend) on the strings' section, Dario Ciccioni (empYrios) & Adrian Erlandsson returning on drums.
2017 – A new band, a new sound. Martyr Lucifer recruited drummer Fox (ex-Educis Nubila, Zachary) and guitarist Alexios (Deadly Carnage) to prepare live dates and new album. In the meantime, a new digital single “Lady Bird”, a retro/future take of a Nancy Sinatra classic, is released.
Bringing us right up to date and Martyr Lucifer signs a deal with Seahorse Recordings, an Italian label which is flag-bearer in the alternative/indie scene. This contract leads to the worldwide release of the “Gazing at the Flocks” album in two different editions: Digipack CD and 2CD Slipcase, the latter to contain the bonus disc “The Oniric Session”, recorded live at Domination Studio and featuring a selection of new and old songs.
Returning to the studio once again is Adrian Erlandsson.
Loaded this one into the player and was struck almost immediately by the quality of the music, ‘Veins of the Sand Pt1 & Pt2’ has this wonderful retro gothic metal sound, powerful drumming (as to be expected), great riffs and an interesting vocal delivery, at times spoken and then some impressive harmonies.
This moody and melodic style continues until we come to ‘Leda and the Swans Pt 1 & Pt2’ very different sound, more electro pop and with some neat little synth pulses added in. Really great duet between male and female vocals. Then some pounding doom guitar and drums to end!
‘Wolf of the Gods’ could almost be an early Sisters of Mercy song, but I think I detect a hint of ‘Deathstars’ (a band that Mr Erlandsson also worked with).
Next really stand out song is ‘Benighted & Begotten’ a six minute slow and atmospheric piece that starts off with quiet vocals over a simple guitar sound, as the song progresses it just builds, becoming more aggressive whilst the vocal remains at the same slow and dark pace, brilliant and once again benefits from the added female vocal.
‘Flocks’ is a strange one, full on death metal drumming with a harmonic dual vocal and keyboard work, then it just stops and turns into a gothic ballad.
Last up is ‘Halkyónē's Legacy, aka The Song of Empty Heavens’ , this one offers much more, blending as it does, slow piano and superb female vocal with a neo prog/acid-folk composition, its melancholic tones come through the speakers as if floating on clouds, a pure joy to listen to.
Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Deathstars, Sisters Of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, Tiamat. Paradise Lost.
Track List:
01. The Centre
02. Supernatural Alliance
03. Slave & Master
04. Strike (While The Iron Is Hot)
05. Child Of Destiny (Inaugural Trilogy, Part 3)
06. The Unknown
07. Sword & The Stone
08. All The Love (Fleetwood Mac)
09. Black Dynamite
10. Dragonhead
Masha Marjieh (Vocals)
J Frezzato (Guitar)
Matt O’Brien (Bass)
Chuck Burns(Drums)
Adam Cox (keyboards)
Detroit rock band formed in 2008 by guitarist J Frezzato (ex-Electric Six) and vocalist Masha Marjieh. Drawing on inspiration from the book ‘The Octopus’ by Kenn Thomas and Jim Keith (so not the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League then) the duo set about writing songs and putting together a band.
It seemed that the band had no overall style or direction; this allowed them to create music without any need for a “label”.
What is perhaps the most surprising thing here is that this is in fact their debut release and on the highly respected Rise Above Records.
Opening with ‘Beyond The Centre’, we are instantly treated to a classic keyboard driven piece reminiscent of Uriah Heep.
From that point onwards it really is the early 70’s that dominates, until that is we come to ‘The Unknown’ a solid five minutes of slow and inspired proto doom with some soaring and haunting vocals.
After some rock & roll comes the even more haunting ‘Fleetwood Mac’, should perhaps point out that this has little to do with the legendary blues rockers turned west coast superstars,
I would say that this has more in common with a late 60’s occult rock vibe mixed with some jazz rock and a vocal along the lines of Black Sabbath’s ‘Planet Caravan’.
This octopus is in danger of being overlooked, do not make that mistake, this is quite simply a classic rock album that deserves attention!
Rating 9/10
For Fans Of: Purson, Uriah Heep, (Early) Black Sabbath, Coven, Jefferson Airplane
In other news the band have been playing a number of gigs in Europe and next week they will have copies of the album to sign at the Launch Party gig held at The Cavern in Raynes Park.
Originally a side project for Cathedral in 1994 as a low-key
chance to play with some Discharge style punk/metal as opposed to the Doom
laden sounds that Dorrian & Co mixed up with some added Psych and prog.
Septic Tank’s original line-up featured Dorrian &
Jennings from Cathedral with drummer Barry Stern (ex-Trouble) and Repulsion’s
Scott Carlson on bass.
“We talked about doing it again many times, but it took us
20 years to make a record,” Lee Dorrian explains. “As you know, Scott re-joined
Cathedral for the last few gigs and the last album. We were recording (final
Cathedral record) The Last Spire at the end of 2012 and we’d done all we needed
to do and had some spare time in the studio. So we revived the Septic Tank idea
and literally bashed out an entire EP, writing and recording, in an afternoon,
in just six hours.”
The result of this brief resurgence was 2013’s self-titled
seven-inch EP, released only in Japan and limited to 900 copies.
With Lee, Gaz and Scott now joined by drummer (and legendary
producer) Jamie ‘Gomez’ Arellano it seemed only a matter of time before
something new happened, so after 20 years they finally recorded an album in
just five days.
“It’s quite mad that we’re finally releasing an album,” Lee
concludes. “I don’t think most people know that this band exists! But you never
lose your passion for this stuff. It’s just in our DNA and our veins, really.
Like with most things, we’ll put it out there and see what happens, but we’d
like to do more records and I’m sure there’ll be more shows too. We’re chuffed
to be doing it!”
So take the opening track and it’s a full on assault of
super fuzzed out hardcore death metal, yep you can see the punk influence and
even dare I say harking back to those early Napalm Death days, yet even in this
opening number there is a hint of doom lurking!
Next couple of tracks do the same thing really, then up
comes ‘Social Media Whore’, now this one has a definite Hellhammer meets
Discharge feel, great bit of noise really.
‘Divide & Conk Out’ sounds like Tank and Motorhead, neat
little guitar solo thrown in just to top it off.
Great doom intro to ‘Death Vase’ and have to say Mr. Dorrian
does a great impression of Tom Warrior! Fucking awesome crushing, slow and
pounding, definitely my favourite track thus far.
Then with ‘You Want Some’ some proper old school skuzzy punk
metal, this style continues on for the next few tracks until we arrive at some
proto thrash punk with ‘Never Never Land’ and right to the last song continues
in this vein.
To sum up I have to once again commend Mr Dorrian for his
talent, ability and knowledge of all things “Rock ‘N’ Roll” and finding the right musicians to be able to
take something that is essentially retro/old school and make it fresh, modern
and bloody enjoyable!
Steve Took has often been
consigned to a mere footnote in rock music’s illustrious and controversial
existence, this book finally elevates his status, and as you will read
deservedly so.
Firstly it deals with the
Marc Bolan and Tyrannosaurus Rex period with clarity and some honest talking,
“Tooky” was never the sidekick or just that “bloke” with Bolan, he was in fact
an equal partner and just as important to the sound and creation of the whole
bands concept.
Then it goes into the whole
crazy world of the underground scene taking in The Deviants, Pink Fairies, Hawkwind,
Motorhead, David Bowie, Syd Barrett and even the MC5.
In fact I have to say from my
own personal perspective that this is one of the most fascinating anecdotal
books written and compiled on the underground with comments and memories from a
host of respected writers and musicians including Mick Farren, Michael Moorcock,
Nik Turner, Lemmy, Larry Wallis and Russell Hunter.
Add to this highly
interesting and, at times perhaps controversial, comments from close family,
friends and collaborators, what we end up with is a detailed look into the
world of “Tooky” which also reflects the whole scene as it moved and changed
withy the times.
As if this wasn’t enough we
are treated to many previously unseen photographs, some fascinating press
cuttings, reprints of original interviews and some stunning illustrations.
Has to be said that even the
books design is a sight to behold, each section perfectly laid out in green,
red and black text, oh and a really nice touch is the ribbon bookmark attached
to the hardback.
Not since Jonathan Green’s
1988 book ‘Days in the Life: Voices from the English Underground, 1961-71’, has
so much amazing information been forthcoming from those who were there and nice
to hear it directly from them, they tell it as it was, sometimes that can be
uncomfortable, Lemmys son Paul Inder is a great example of words from the heart
with no agenda other than honesty.
Anyone who has more than a
passing interest in rock history would do well to purchase a copy, you may not
really know Steve Took at the beginning of the book but by the end you will
have a greater understanding of the contribution he made to music and the lives
of the people around him.
Books written with this much
dedication, love and attention to detail are few and far between, Fee Warner is
to be commended on producing one of the best music books I have ever read.
Steven C Davis (Additional Vocals) On ‘(We Stand) Behind
You’ and ‘End of the World’
Say Folk Music to most people and they will instantly think
of bearded men in Arran jumpers singing traditional songs about maidens, death
and ships sailing from port never to return, with one finger in their ear and
the other hand grasping a pint of some awful warm brown liquid that may have
some vague resemblance to a drinkable ale.
But this style of music that originated in the 19th
century has also evolved into sub genres that include progressive rock and even
some styles of extreme metal.
In the late 1960’s a style known as Acid-Folk emerged with
bands such as Comus, Saturnalia and Dulcimer.
Over the last decade this style has found a new generation
to mesmerize with artists as diverse as Galley Beggar, Circulus and Blood
Ceremony.
So now we turn to LM Cooke, one time violinist/ main
songwriter in Broadarrow Jack, then singer/ songwriter with the folk-rock band
Crimson Clocks.
Not only a superb songwriter but a much respected author of dark
fantasy/ science/ mythic fiction novels and short stories.
It now seems we must add multi talented instrumentalist, music
producer, mixer and engineer, as she makes her solo debut.
While there are indeed songs of ships and traditional songs
with new arrangements, there is a wealth of totally original songs with a dark
and twisted edge that mixes the various sub genres of folk to include gothic,
horror, psychedelic and acid in her own style.
We start with ‘Poor Jenny’ a ghost-ship song based on the
story of the English schooner, the Jenny which in 1823 became frozen in an ice
barrier complete with crew. This song was originally written when Miss Cooke
was with Broadarrow Jack.
This updated and rearranged version has some haunting dual
tracked vocals over a simple but highly atmospheric backing, the use of wind
and water samples adds to the overall feel as if you were listening to it by
the seashore.
Next up is ‘Yellow Eyes’ a song about a wolf, or is it I ask
myself, “A wolf in your mind” as the lyric goes brings to mind a hint of Robert
Calvert’s musical interpretation of Hesse’s ‘Steppenwolf’.
Imagine if early Bauhaus had a female vocalist, if you can
then this would be the result, from its near proto industrial drum tracking to
gothic guitar and echo vocals this one blasts through the speakers and then
towards the end turns to pure acid folk. Stunning!
Time for a traditional murder ballad, ‘False Lamkin’, adapted
from the version from Cambridgeshire collected by Cecil Sharp. The song is
sometimes also known as False Lincoln or Long Lamkin, among other names, and
verses vary depending on the version. You may know this if you are a fan of
Steeleye Span, Shirley Collins or Fire+Ice.
Wow beautiful moody vocal over a harp like musical backing,
traditional in its execution yet the clever production makes it modern.
The interlude I shall leave to one side at the moment and
move on to ‘(We Stand) Behind You’. This is a dark and twisted nursery rhyme
warning that not everyone is who they seem. It may start off almost upbeat,
happy with cute sounding instruments but then as this song progresses it gets
darker, twisted, nightmarish, the vocal tracking becomes more unbalanced and
disturbed and the demonic laughs will make you look behind just to make sure
there is nobody standing there.
Maybe it’s just me I don’t think that the ‘Murder Song’ is
about crows, yes they are the lyrical theme but I sense a pagan witchcraft
influence with a group of girls out to lure some poor soul before the crow king
for sacrifice.
One that could be on the soundtrack of ‘Blood On Satan’s
Claw’ or even an outtake from the Comus album ‘First Utterance’, traditional in
delivery it maybe, but this has a catchy almost hypnotic vocal pattern and all
in all creates a creepy horror folk mini epic.
Following on from ‘Yellow Eyes’ is ‘I Know A Place’ it
continues that them of the inner wolf.
Showcasing an impressive vocal range and clever mixing and
production this sounds like a choral quartet, dark harmonies flow through the
speakers whilst the wolf listens intensely.
‘How Do I Know’ seems to be an anthem for the insecure, but
there is also a hidden depth here, after all what if the crazy are really the
sane ones? Is the reference to money really about money, the use of the
“Pounds, Shillings and Pence’ in the lyric could be a nod back to the mid
1960’s where bands like the Pretty Things used the £sd to refer to LSD.
The basic drum pattern follows a similar rhythmic madness of
the 1966 hit ‘They’re Coming To Take Me Away’ by Napoleon XIV. The vocals are
mad, the samples are madder and to cap it all off there is a great “Dr Phibes”
sounding organ.
‘Blackbird Pie’ is perhaps as you might expect a new take on
the 18th century nursery rhyme ‘Sing A Song Of Sixpence’. Miss Cooke
has replaced the naughty boys or the more common blackbirds’ version and then
added a beautiful element of plague and the black death! This is all wrapped up
in a rather pretty little folk tune.
Another interlude, so perhaps I shall take a moment here and
return to the first.
Thing is ‘Summer Is A Coming In’ at just under fifty five
seconds and ‘Winter Is A Coming In’ at just over one minute, for me don’t work
as separate pieces, I can’t help but feel that the opportunity to create one
entire song with the other two seasons added would have worked better with the
overall concept of the album being full songs.
Either that or the fact that both pieces have the same
rhythm, when placed together they flow perfectly.
Pure poetry, perhaps even the moonlit ghost of Jim Morrison?
“the rivers of moon light flow into lagoons
Who dares to impugn her white-faced mis-tune
No song of the spheres is more inopportune”
The ‘Moon Song’ blends classical and folk influences that
act as a perfect backdrop to, as I have already said, “Pure poetry”.
Adapted from the traditional nursery rhyme ‘The North Wind
Doth Blow’, simply titled ‘The North Wind’. Beautiful piano and violin again
give this a more classical feel and right at the end there is some
orchestration that fades away all too quickly, I could have done with another
two minutes of that before the fade out.
In 2010 Miss Cooke wrote a short story called Storm Watch A
Tale Of the Sea, this was published in ‘Tales From The Asylum’ from Last Line
Publishing House.
The song ‘Stormwatch’ is based on that story. As to be
expected this is a lyric heavy piece with a near symphonic accompaniment.
What better way to end than ‘End Of The World’ a perfect
apocalyptic tune, though I feel I should ask ‘Just wearing heels and vintage
pearls?’ but there again why not it is after all the end! With it’s overtones of Edith Piaf this
cabaret-esque finale is almost uplifting in delivery, one may almost think Miss
Cooke is quite looking forward to an impending apocalypse?
So aside from my ‘Interlude’ issue this is a brilliant
album, it draws on folk and classical influences, throws in some gothic
elements and creates an album full of atmosphere. Very well produced, clever
mixing and attention to detail a solo album of some magnitude.
So yes it has been awhile since the review was posted, but
there are very few bands in the world that can being me out of health forced
retirement and one of the most important to me is Weapon!
So let’s have a quick catch up and go back to 2014. They of
course released the stunning album 'Rising from the Ashes’ this was followed by
a brief UK tour. Towards the end of the year their drummer Ian Sweeting left
and was replaced by Darren Lee (Ex Midnight Messiah).
The following year was another packed diary of live dates in
the UK and an appearance at the Matarock festival in Barcelona, then another
European tour taking in Holland, Germany and Belgium.
After the tour bassist PJ Phillips decided to leave the
band.
In 2016 Angelwitch/Tytan bassist Kevin Riddles steps in to
help the band out whilst they continued to search for a permanent replacement.
In August saw the re-release/repackaged '35 Anniversary
Edition' of the 'Set The Stage Alight' album on Blood & Iron Records, which
contains all the bands material from 1980/1 plus two live tracks from their
appearance at The Headbangers-Open-Air Ball, Germany in 2005.
So at the beginning of this year a new bassist joined in the
shape of the very talented Tony Forsythe, a name I knew well as he had worked
with Gerry Laffy from Girl and had also played in a band with Rudi ‘The Boss’ Riviere
from Sapphire.
After rehearsals they set off for a series of Swedish dates
and not long afterwards entered the recording studio, which brings us right up
to date.
The Rocker.
Cover versions can at times be a dangerous choice. On the
one hand you have to capture the essence of the original and show total respect
and at the same time you have to add your own sound and vision.
This version of The Rocker fits both those criteria; firstly
they have bridged the original album version of 5 minutes and the single
version of just 2 ½ minutes and created a fresh and crisp production of 3
minutes of aural perfection.
Set The Stage Alight.
This could also be considered a dangerous choice. Bands can
often make the mistake of re-recording one of their own classic tracks and then
manage to ruin the song’s legacy.
I confess I was a little reticent at hitting play; my
original treasured vinyl copy still sits in my collection to this day and is
interconnected with my love and respect for the band.
Any doubts were blown away from the intro onwards, the power
of the original was not only respected but frankly updated to remind us that
maturity does not mean watering down or destroying a legacy but re-nailing to
the wall for all to see and hear.
Superb drumming and bass work power through the speakers,
the guitar sound is alive and furious, the vocals are even, well produced and
as soaring as the day the song was first conceived.
I have said this before and it still remains the case,
Weapon are not a band who bask in former glories of the NWOBHM era and attempt
to replicate a youthful sound, they are a band who never stood still or looked
backwards, this is a relevant now to today’s rock and metal music scene as it
has always been.
Let me put it this way; The Rocker is 44 years old, Set The
Stage Alight (like the band) is 37 years old. Yet this release has the punch of
a fresh faced teen heavy metal band! "
Rating: 10/10
The tracks will be digitally released on Thursday, 28th
September 2017.
