Martyr Lucifer – Gazing at the Flocks (CD Review)

Martyr Lucifer – Gazing at the Flocks

Martyr Lucifer (vocals, synth, programming)
Leìt – (Vocals)
Adrian Erlandsson (Drums)
Nagaarum  (Guitars)
Simone Mularoni (Bass)

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.

Mick Priestley - Green River Project (CD Review)

01.Dig Your Grave

02.No Return

03.Out Of The Dark Below

04.Flight Of The Bumblebee

05.Nowhere To Run

06.Summer-Presto

07.The Storm

Andy Law - Vocals

Mick Priestley - Guitar/Bass

Alex Martin - Drums

Guest Musicians:

Andy Brook - Keyboard Programming

Adrian Erlandsson - Drums (Dig Your Grave)

Starting off with a slow almost bluesy intro 'Dig Your Grave' then kicks into just about the best damn metal track you'll hear in a long time. Powerfull and anthemic with amazing guitar work that out does that cold lifeless Dragonforce stuff anyday, Mick plays with a real passion and a technical proficiency that is in a masterclass of its own.

Melody and power are the two keywords here for 'No Return', Law delivers an awesome vocal performance whilst the guitar prowess of Mick delivers note perfect with speed and precision unrivaled in british rock today. The song kicks like Motley Crue jamming with Rising Force!

'Out Of The Dark Below' has a slow haunting intro with a catchy little guitar riff mixed in with some vocal sampling. Coming over to my ears like a hybrid of Gothic Power metal, beautiful melodic guitarwork with a strong vocal and superb drumming. The sweeping solo is so fast sounds like mick has 7 fingers on his hand!

'Flight Of The Bumblebee' is an orchestral interlude written by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov for his opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan, composed in 1899. Mick gives it his own personal twist with a frantic pace played up to tempo, with nearly uninterrupted runs of chromatic sixteenth notes!

'Nowhere To Run' is catchy as hell with great vocals, reminding me of wednesday 13 on a tech metal trip!

'Summer Presto' is an instrumental which gives Mick another chance to show that he is one of this countrys best guitarists (Herman who??) but, and yes i say it again, with a real passion and understanding that technical ability is only worth listening to when played with passion and that passion comes through the speakers and is as smooth and deadly as a glass of absinthe laced with Laudanum.

The final track 'The Storm' has a classical styled intro with acoustic guitar and keyboard harmony. as to be expected (if not Demanded!) it moves into more energy fuelled fret work. This instrumental again serves as a testament to Micks unrivaled abilities as a true guitar hero.

Stu

Rating: 10/10 

For Fans Of: Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Dragonforce, Symphony X, Paul Gilbert.

Official Website:
www.mickpriestley.net

Paradise Lost - Draconian Times MMXI (CD Review)

01.Enchantment
02.Hallowed Land
03.The Last Time
04.Forever Failure
05.Once Solemn
06.Shadowkings
07.Elusive Cure
08.Yearn For Change
09.Shades Of God
10.Hands Of Reason
11.I See Your Face
12.Jaded
13.Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us
14.Rise Of Denial

Nick Holmes (Vocals)
Gregor Mackintosh (Guitar)
Aaron Aedy (Guitar)
Steve Edmondson (Bass)
Adrian Erlandsson (Drums)
Milly Evans (Keyboards/Backing Vocals)


Draconian Times was their fifth album released back in june 1995.
Often hailed as a true modern classic (Though i prefer 1991's Gothic) the Halifax based band have been producing gothic/death metal since 1988.
The original album produced two minor hit singles 'The Last Time' and 'Forever Failure', the latter gained controverasy for its inclusion of the voice of Charles Manson.

As has been the recent trend with bands to perform classic albums live in their entirety the band opted for this one.

This is a superb fan package available in numerous formats including a Limited Deluxe Edition comprising of 2 DVDs + CD + extended 32 page booklet including press clippings from the original release, and a vinyl 2 Lp set.

The 2009 album 'Faith Divides Us' (when Adrian joined on drums) provides the last two tracks.

Well it pretty much does what it set out to do, its an electric performance of the album, to be fair it sounds better than the original, live brings a "feeling" to the songs that the studio tends to smooth out.

RATING ; 9/10
For Fans Of : My Dying Bride, Opeth, Anathema

VALLENFYRE - A Fragile King (CD Review)

01.All Will Suffer
02.Desecration
03.Ravenous Whore
04.Cathedrals Of Dread
05.As The World Collapses
06.A Thousand Martyrs
07.Seeds
08.Humanity Wept
09.My Black Siberia
10.The Divine Have Fled
11.The Grim Irony

Gregor Mackintosh (Vocals/Lead Guitar) (Paradise Lost)
Hamish Glencross (Rhythm/Lead Guitar) (My Dying Bride)
Mully (Rhythm Guitar)
Scoot (Bass) (Doom)
Adrian Erlandsson (Drums) (At The Gates, Brujeria, Paradise Lost, Nemhain)

There was a huge press release surrounding this project from Gregor Mackintosh, here is
the part explaining the musicians in the band :

"Adrian is already the drummer in Paradise Lost, and not only is he a great drummer and a
good friend, he also has a great pedigree and taste in music. He grew up in similar
musical circumstances to me in Gothenburg, Sweden. He started at a young age in At The
Gates and he was also in Skitsystem (who I think are a fantastic band). The Gothenburg
scene was a thriving scene for extreme music. I wrote to lots of people from Gothenburg
in the tape trading days (including Fredrik Wallenberg who went on to start Skitsystem
with Adrian). It was a small world indeed. Adrian thought it sounded like a lot of fun
and agreed. Hamish is a friend of many years. An all round lovely chap who grew up in my
home town of Halifax. Every time I go back to my home town I give Hamish a call to see if
he wants some ales in The Sportsman (one of the first pubs I ever went in and still the
same good old rock establishment today as it was then), to which he always says yes.
Again he has a good pedigree being the guitarist in My Dying Bride and a very good
knowledge of quality doom metal. I approached the subject of him playing with me on this
project during one of our hardcore drinking sessions in The Sportsman and in his usual
enthusiastic manner, he said he thought it was a bloody good idea. Scoot is the person
I've known the longest I think. Probably about 20 years ago I needed someone to rent a
room in my house and I was already an acquaintance of Scoot’s as we were both previously
part of the Halifax punks, so I asked if he wanted to move in, which he did. He was
playing in the band Doom (which he still does as well as a few others...Extinction of
Mankind, Alehammer) and was, and still is fanatical about underground crust, punk, metal
etc. I remember whilst living together I had to go and do a 7 week tour supporting
Sepultura in Europe [1993]. During that tour Max Cavalera never spoke one word to me.
Upon my return home I received a phone call and amazingly it was Max, but he didn't want
me. He wanted to talk to Scoot because he wanted him to play in his new band Nailbomb.
Typical. Scoot was interested in doing this VALLENFYRE project with me but wanted to hear
it so I had to knock together some demos. He is very specific in what he does and doesn’t
like so I was pleased when he said he loved the stuff. I was originally going to be
purely a guitarist for this project but because I didn't have any friends whose vocals I
thought fit the stuff, and because the lyrics were so personal I decided to handle them
myself and get another guitarist, so finally I asked Mully who is my friend from where I
live now. Every Thursday I go to his house and we have a few beers and listen to lots of
old school stuff as well as checking out newer underground stuff we've heard about.
Having only played in local bands previously, I assured him he would be among friends
playing the kind of music they love. He agreed".

On the recordings and name :

"The enthusiasm for the music from rest of the guys in the band convinced me to send a
demo to another friend called Jens Prueter who is head of A&R at Century Media Europe. I
didn't hear anything for a couple of weeks and then I got an email from Jens apologizing
for the late reply as he was on holiday, and that he was blown away by the demo and would
love to do something with it. This resulted in us recording a limited edition 7" [on
Imperium Productions] and an album between December 2010 and April 2011. Because we knew exactly how we wanted it to sound, we just needed someone we trusted to record it and mix it.
I asked another friend (and live sound engineer for Paradise Lost) James Dunkley to
record it for me and then it was mixed by Russ Russell at Parlour Studios [Napalm Death,
The Exploited, Dimmu Borgir, etc]. We are all really pleased with the result and look
forward to its release.
Oh and the name Vallenfyre came to me whilst reading a book on the old English language.
Vallen means "strong" and fyre means … “fire”. I just liked the sound of them together.
The album is called "A Fragile King" which is a reference to my fathers' battle with
cancer. The lyrics are predominantly about the same thing but also include gripes with
society, religion, politics and relationships as well. It's all pretty grim".

So that covers the history, lets move to the music.....

Both the album and single are nothing short of brain crunching Death/Doom of the highest quality.Growling vocals cut through an onslaught of drums and punchy guitar, extreme speed is often tempered with slow doom passages, constantly building mood and agression.
There are a couple of outstanding tracks to mind, firstly 'The Grim Irony', its slow, doomy, has great lyrics and superb guitarwork.
The second is the hyper speed punk sound of 'Humanity Wept' it is a very powerfull song.This stuff does not need to be talked about it just needs to be heard, this is without any doubt the best death metal album to come out of the UK for many years!.

RATING 10/10

For Fans Of : At The Gates, Paradise Lost, Napalm Death, My Dying Bride.


There is also a limited edition single

01.Desecration
02.Iconoclast

Iconoclast is not on the album, so you need to track this down as well.

Nemhain - Murder Mile EP (Review)

01.Natural Born Sinners
02.Seriously Ill
03.Love 4 Death
04.Bad Moon Rising


Amber Erlandsson (Vocals)
Adrian Erlandsson (Drums)
Lisa Dickinson (Bass)
Sam Astley (Guitar)
Lakis K (Guitar)


Some 20 months since the release of the debut album 'From The Ashes' comes this download only EP to co-inside with their Bloodstock appearence.

'Natural Born Sinners' opens the EP with typical style and swagger that you expect from a band of this high standard.
Catchy as flu and twice as deadly with an instantly sing-a-long-able chorus of "I Take You Down" all pulled into gear with some cool Motorhead vibe!

Without a doubt one of the best songs ever 'Seriously Ill' has taken their "Blues stained punk" to a new and darker level, this is a moody, dark and sleazy homage to booze.At times its almost doomy and reminds me of a Cathedral.
Everybody will soon be screaming "Hair Of The Dog", like i said one of the best songs from the band full stop.
Its also clear that from those early days they have continued to mature both musically and lyrically and that they are continuing to push themselves forward.

Fast paced punker 'Love 4 Death' is a nod back to the 'Blood Runs Free' era and serves as a reminder that after 5 years they can still be "In your face", love the ending line i wonder if that was planned??

Finally their version of CCR's 'Bad Moon Rising', once again making a cover very much their own (Their version of Die Die My Darling was to die for), turning the upbeat original into a dark downbeat blues nightmare, stunning vocals and superb arrangement.
Brilliant slide guitarwork, driving drum beat and punchy bass, all of which make this a version that Nick cave would kill for.

Serving as a taster for the new songs for the next album it leaves you hungry and
definatly wanting more, im still hoping for the promised acoustic EP and a full UK tour.


Rating: 10/10

For Fans Of: Danzig, Distillers, Catfight, Motorhead, Generation Graveyard

STU

DOWNLOAD EP HERE :

http://tiefdruck-musik.de/2011/08/11/nemhain-the-murder-mile-ep-free-download/

OFFICAL WEBSITES:

http://www.facebook.com/Nemhainband

http://nemhain.com/

NEMHAIN - FROM THE ASHES (Cd Review)

01.From The Ashes
02.Ana
03.Clear My Eyes
04.Second Skin
05.Girls Like Honey
06.Dirty Weekend
07.Jane Doe #1
08.Heroin Child
09.Mr Bronson
10.Babylonia
11.The Filth And The Fury
12.Speed Queen


Amber Erlandsson (Vocals)
Lakis K (Guitar)
Lisa Dickinson (Bass)
Adrian Erlandsson (Drums)
Sam Astley (Guitar)
Note : Sam does not play on the album.

Guest
Pete Dolving (Vocals)


Formed in may 2006 by Adrian and Amber, they have so far had 5 line up changes,
released one ep 'Blood Runs Free' and contributed to 3 compilation cd's, played gigs in
America and Holland, a couple of festivals and 50 uk gigs.

Last year they went to Sweden and recorded their debut album, originally due for
release late last year but postponed due to Adrians touring commitments with Paradise
Lost.

What we have here is 12 of the darkest, disturbing and at times twisted songs i have
ever heard, these songs of abuse, revenge, drugs and sex put people like Marilyn Manson
to shame, devistatingly brilliant.

Starting with 'From The Ashes' the song is punctuated by a great riff and there is no
question that it is drum driven as Adrian pounds the hell out of the poor kit.The song is clearly one of defiance, "Hate what you think i am, I'll use your hate to make you drown'.

So weird to hear 'Ana' re-recorded (it was on the 2006 ep), its a lot heavier than the
original, still has the nice guitar intro but then Amber screams 1,2,3,4 and it just blasts through the speakers, always loved this song about the beauty queen who wants to be a star but ends up dead after drug adiction.

A Sabbath/Zeppelin feel greets 'Clear My Eyes' this has that epic quality about it and
it lives up to that task with ease but being Nemhain it gets that blues stained punk
rock treatment.Amber's vocal is sultry, it has a kind of evil glamour about it.A brilliant song about a destructive relationship best summed up with the line "make me sick to look at you" great solo from Lakis as well.
Note to self its "wash your face in my abyss" not "my own piss" which is what ive been
singing along to all last year!!!!!!

The cover of the Gits 'Second Skin' was the idea of Lakis, and a great one, the song sits perfectly with the Nemhain ethos.The song features a guest vocal from The Haunted's Pete Dolving, and boy does this one rock.

The moody 'Girls Like Honey' is next, another dark and brilliantly written song about
an abuse victim turned prostitute, its heavy ballad quality moves superbley with those
lyrics, im mean this is serious stuff, "Daddy i want to hurt you, you fucked me in the
head, why did you go leaving me bleeding on the bed".

Inspired by Helen Zahavi's disturbing book of revenge and murder by a woman in
Brighton, 'Dirty Weekend' is an upbeat rocker with a catchy chorus.

'Jane Doe #1' has a weird intro that sounds like some squeaky metal object with guitar
over it.I think we could be in serial killer or necrophillia territory here, or perhaps both,
"Im addicted, I'm afflicted, black hair, dead stare, masturbated, so wasted", whatever its about it's pretty fucked up.

My favourite Nemmers song is up next 'Heroin Child' this is a much more refined version
that first appeared back in 2006, its raw and alive, full of anger and energy, Amber's
voice is just perfect, the drums retain the backbone, the bass is punchy and the guitar
is screaming!
Every time i hear this i always feel like its my song, it resonates certain things inside me, sorry but this song is just fucking perfect and "I know how to shout and destroy everything".

Now the idea that Amber wrote a song about the headmaster from Tv's Grange Hill is not
very dark and disturbing but then this 'Mr Bronson' is indeed something far more dangerous and fun but the lyric reminds us "His price is as high as the price of your pain", just as JJ Cale wrote the anthem in the 70's, Nemhain have written it for this generation.

'Babylonia' is a completly new song written for the album, its a moody, brooding and
damn right evil, nasty as anything piece, some great slide guitar from lakis.Possibley the angriest song on the album "You paint your face with roses and vitriol" the song is definatley poetry with a knife, i think i know what this is about as well, but somethings are better left un-said.

Originally called the Hate Song the Motorhead like 'The Filth And The Fury' comes
hammering through my headphones, full volume of course, this songs pretty angry as well
and another dark tale of revenge and twisted love and violence involving a blow torch.

Finally that driving Motorhead vibe again for the classic 'Speed Queen' always a live
favourite and now finally on disc in perfect form (It was on the 2006 ep, but this version blows it away).Just ends the album so well now everybody after me..."Amphetamines are in my dreams,
dont need no sleep for this machine'.

The perfect album from the perfect band, no question at all that this should help them
gain recognition and respect that they deserve, now wheres that acoustic ep and second
album????

Rating 10/10

For fans of : Distillers, Motorhead, Chrome Division, Turbonegro

STU

NEMHAIN - SECOND SKIN (Video Single Review)

Amber (Vocals)

Adrian (Drums)

Lisa (Bass)

Lakis (Guitar)

Sam (Guitar)

01. Second Skin (Cover of The Gits song)

So here we are then the first single from the upcoming debut album "From The Ashes" and it's an absolute killer version of 'The Gits' Second Skin.

To accompany the single is their first promo video in 2 years.

Recorded in West London in January with Director Dr.Palser (My Dying Bride, Salvation & Immortal). It features Gramdrax of Ted Maul filling in for Peter Dolving of The Haunted, who duets with Morrigan on the track.

The video took me a number of watches to get into it, now thats not a bad thing, to be honest on the first watch i was'nt instantly blown away, with much of the original asylum idea being changed to this weirder and disturbing mix of madness.

It has some great graphics giving it an old fashioned quality and the miror bits are great, still not sure about the point of Gramdrax eating the chicken, but what the heck it dont matter do it??

I would have liked to have seen a bit more of the band though and the "signature" drum kit that took so long to create.

All in all its as stylish and impressive as the band themselves.

Rating 10/10

STU

And now the video itself..ENJOY!!

MICK PRIESTLEY - GREEN RIVER PROJECT DEMO (CD Review)

1.Dig Your Grave

2.Nowhere To Run

3.Summer-Presto

Andy Law - Vocals

Mick Priestley - Guitar/Bass

Andy Brook - Keyboards

Adrian Erlandsson - Drums

Starting off with a slow almost bluesy intro Dig Your Grave then kicks into just about the best damn metal track you'll hear in a long time.

Powerfull and anthemic with amazing guitar work that out does that cold lifeless Dragonforce stuff anyday, Mick plays with a real passion and that comes over on disc just as it did when he played live with Nothin To Lose.

Track two is more of the same and catchy as hell with great vocals, reminding me of wednesday 13, but then how can you go wrong when you have been working hard on something for so long and enlist Adrian to play drums for you?????

The last track is an instrumental which gives Mick another chance to show that he is one of this countrys best guitarists (Herman who??) but with soul.

Gigs, video and much more is lined up for 2009, you need to watch out for this.

To be honest the only thing i dont like about this is the name 'Green River Project' as it gives the impression its some kind of tribute to the pre Pearl Jam/Mudhoney grunge band, though i suspect that Mick may have gone for the serial killer connection, its still confusing and when it comes to promoting the band could cause problems.

STU

Rating - 10/10

Get This If You Like : Yngwie Malmsteen,Steve Vai,Dragonforce