Alkira are an Australian Thrash Metal band. This is their début album.
The album starts off unexpectedly, with a 2 minute instrumental that gently builds and sounds more in-line with a Progressive Metal band. The next song brings the Thrash so hard and heavy though it’s straight into the meat of things.
Taking their cues from the harsher side of Thrash, there’s no retro, humorous nonsense here; this is Thrash Metal to kill to.
If you’re a fan of Kreator, Slayer and Sepultura’s brand of Thrash, (and who isn’t?), then Alkira should scratch that itch for you.
Sharp riffs and jagged guitars infest the songs. Old-School Thrash Metal has rarely sounded so barbed. A meaty production rounds off the package.
The songs are well written and the longer nature of some of the tracks allows the band to fully explore their chosen style. Tasty solos, solid drumming and vocals that sound like lacerations make for an engaging listen.
There are 11 tracks, including a good Sepultura cover. All in all, 57 minutes of Metal. I can imagine this band being amazing live.
If you’re tired of bands taking the stupid route to this style of music and yearn for some good, old-fashioned, honest, killer-Thrash; look no further than Alkira.
Sarpedon have just released their début album Anomic Nation, an album that takes Progressive Metal and drapes it in Extreme Metal influences with dramatic, powerful vocals. Definitely a band to watch out for. I wanted to find out a bit more about this impressive band…
Give us a bit of background to Sarpedon
Carl, Eirik, and myself started the band a few years back, to be honest I don’t remember exactly but I think it was in 2006. The line-up was a bit of a mess at times but we released two demos and were gigging quite frequently around Norway, and began eventually recording what would later be “Anomic Nation” around 2009-2010. However, due to several fuckups with former members, different priorities, other bands, day jobs etc., things stalled “a bit” (several years, to be honest) – but in 2013 we together with Børge Finstad finally managed to get the mixing done, and after the mastering from Peter in de Betou was finished it didn’t take too long before the deal with Inverse was in place.
What are your influences?
For songwriting – Savatage, Nevermore, Queen, Rainbow, Blind Guardian, Symphony X, Emperor. For guitar playing – Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Brian May, Nuno Bettencourt, Ritchie Blackmore, Criss Oliva, Eric Johnson, Andy Timmons, Jeff Loomis, Dimebag Darrell, André Olbrich (etc etc etc).
What are you listening to at the moment that you would like to recommend?
The new Blind Guardian album (and very much so) – other than that I’ve had a Swedish kick lately with Lefay and Tad Morose, Extreme due to Nuno being in Oslo for the Nobel Prize concert. It’s a shame he only did “More than Words” on that occasion, but I don’t think Malala would appreciate “He Man Woman Hater” or “Mutha (I don’t wanna go to school today).
What did you want to achieve with Anomic Nation?
Lifetime sponsorship for Burgundy red wine and maple syrup pancakes! No seriously, it’s actually a slight sense of relief to finally have the album out, due to former frustrations and the way too long time it took. The reception has been very good, and hopefully we’ll be able to continue in a more constructive manner this time around, have a bit of fun, do some gigs, and eventually make a new album.
Are you happy with how it turned out?
YES! 🙂 Haha, no but we are. The songs had been with us for so long so we had almost lost the ability to hear if the music was actually any good at all – but the response has been so good that it gave us back the belief in what we are doing. Even when we got the record deal and decided to release the album the plan was basically to release it, do a gig or two and then call it a day. But now we will make (at least) one more album, do as many gigs as possible and really have some fun with it all.
What can you tell us about the lyrics?
There are different subjects, but also some recurring themes. A few songs are about specific incidents – “Dead Birds”, for example, is about a horrific series of suicides in a certain area of Wales a few years ago. The number “17”, which is sung several times, is the number of young people that had committed suicide in Bridgend in Wales at the time of recording, the number has increased since. “Lusk Letter” deals with the Jack the Ripper mystery, which has always fascinated me – George Lusk was the man who received the infamous “From Hell” letter in October 1888. One recurring theme is the little man against the big society – “Anomic Nation”, “The Claustrophober”, “My Mysteries…” 1 and 2.
Give us a bit of information on the songwriting process.
I do most of the music – although the only songs I’ve written entirely on my own and then presented to the band as complete pieces of music are “A Seed of Evil” and “My Mysteries Unwind Pt. 2”.The rest of the band are also heavily involved in the arrangements and also contribute both riffs and melodies for several of the songs, and of course Eirik comes up with most of the vocal stuff himself.
In my review I comment on the Black Metal influence on your sound. Can you expand on this?
There is definitely a black metal influence – Emperor is one of my favourite bands, and Carl and Andreas have basically only played in black and death metal bands until Sarpedon came about (and still do – Endezzma, Unspoken, and others). In a way Sarpedon is about incorporating all the different influences we have and musical styles we enjoy into one band, and it’s definitely refreshing for me as a guitar player and songwriter to be able to use riffs and harmonies which maybe belong more in other genres than in “traditional” prog/power metal.
How do you see your position in the wider Metal musical framework/genre?
It was Eirik who came up with the slogan “Declaring war on progressive metal as we know it”. And without trying to be overly arrogant or anything we try to create our own little twist on progressive metal – which is a genre which, inevitably, is not very progressive any more. We’re not the most technical band out there, but we try to put heavy riffs and drumming with both thrash and black metal influences, into a context with strong melodies which might hint at Broadway/West End influences, atmospheric synths and huge choirs.
How do you see your songs/direction developing in the future?
To quote one big hero of mine – “MORE IS MORE” 🙂 We will begin working on our next album next year, and I think we will use “Anomic Nation” as a starting point and then try to do a bit more of everything. The choirs will be (even) bigger, the riffs will be heavier, the melodies will be catchier, we will incorporate more dynamics –
What’s next for Sarpedon?
We have our release party in Oslo on February 14, celebrating Metal Express Radio’s 30th anniversary – then we’ll see what more gigs show up before we begin writing songs for the next album. It’s been a blast to finally hold a proper Sarpedon CD in our hands, and to hear that people actually enjoy what we have come up with. We’re really enjoying playing together, and hopefully there’s more fun to come in the upcoming months and years. And thanks to you Nigel for taking the time to do this interview and for the review you gave us – we sincerely appreciate it! 🙂
This is the third album from Black Metallers Posthum.
The album starts with an immediate display of emotive riffing and charismatic vocals. Okay, I’m hooked.
Blood-curdling screams are distinctly of the Black Metal style, but there’s something about them which gives them an edge; in the same way that when you’re listening to the singer of, say, Satyricon – there’s just something extra going on with his voice that allows him to stand apart from the hordes of other, similar Black Metal vocalists.
The riffs and dark melodies that Posthum use are a major highlight for me. There’s a lot of emotion and expressiveness going on here. You could almost class it as Post-Black Metal in this regard if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s just so damn evil. In a way the guitars share that similar something extra that the vocals have; they’re just plain better than most.
This extends to the songs themselves as well. The level of songwriting and riffcraft is extremely high. On first listen the tracks already feel intimate, but not in a bad way; not in the way that makes you think “I’ve heard all this before”. No, this is the intimacy of a familiar lover, just one that you’re meeting for the first time. It’s a slightly disconcerting feeling but a very welcome one. On subsequent listens whatever dark magics Posthum are party to worms their way into your brain even deeper and The Black Northern Ritual is a powerful beast indeed.
On the face of it Posthum do nothing different or new; this is Raw/Underground Black Metal. However, and this is where the magic lies; they play this well-worn style with some undefinable and special quality that just propels them onto a whole other level. It’s something about their songwriting that connects on a visceral level and reminds you of why you loved Black Metal all those years ago when you first heard it.
I pressed play on this album, expecting yet another decent but ultimately average Black Metal album. More fool me. What I got instead was the start of a Blackened love affair.
This is the début album from German Heavy Metal band Involution.
This is galloping Heavy Metal with a good production and a singer who knows who to use his voice.
As I’ve opined about before, the singer can so easily make or break a band like this for me; a bad/sub-standard voice can easily let down what might otherwise be good music. No worries here though.
The singer of Involution has a clear, strong voice that fits well with the music. It’s largely more Heavy Metal than Power Metal, although the band do stray into Power Metal territory on occasion.
The songs are solid slabs of Metal with plenty of good riffs, leads, solos and energy. The band play like they really feel it and the overall songwriting is of a high standard. This is a band that seem to peel off hooks and catchy melodies with ease.
Involution seem to have an Old-School base for their brand of Metal but still manage to come off relatively fresh and exciting at the same time.
A focus on classic songwriting and song structures means that Involution have all of their bases covered; everything shines brightly on this album and Evolution of Thoughts is a bit of a stormer.
I love it when you find a really decent Heavy/Power Metal band like this. Involution have quality written through them in large, metallic letters.
Astrakhan are from Canada and play Progressive Metal. This is their latest EP.
This is powerful music with plenty of dynamics and personality.
Think Progressive Metal with a modern edge; kind of in the vein of what Mastodon do but without really sounding like them too much. Couple this with elements of bands as diverse as Alice in Chains, High on Fire and Metallica…
Hard Rock mixes with a Sludge feel and strong clean vocals dominate everything. Stoner simplicity and technical complexity merge together. They are at once cohesive and divisive; multiple influences congeal into a coherent whole and result in four very impressive songs.
The sheer force of charisma generated by the singer is draw-dropping. To further muddy the waters of genre-definition, he sometimes sounds like he could easily front an Avant-Garde band like Arcturus or Manes with ease.
The distortion feels alive and the riffs have a vitality to them. Each of the songs flexes its musical muscles and exudes feelings that are both epic and emotive.
Their music is textured and rich with riffs that propel the songs onward with real passion and vigour.
Top quality. If they can translate their obvious talent into a full length album they’ll be on to a real winner.
Archagathus are from Canada and play Grindcore. This is their 4th album.
Mincecore. Move over Agathocles. Dirty. Horrible. Ugly.
Archagathus are here.
Punk vehemence with Grinding fury. 20 tracks in 21 minutes. Blunt and to the point, this is a release that vomits out of the speakers and into your home, befouling everything with its very existence before it even hits your tender ears.
The production is as grim as the riffs and the vocals are as putrid as a rotten beaver. In the context of Grindcore though this is all complimentary and Archagathus spend their time being energetic and vigorous.
These are lively tracks that have a certain character about them – this is not faceless Grind-by-numbers; this is Punk violence and realised extremity.
What can you say about an album like this? You either like this kind of stuff or you don’t.
Lae are from Canada and this is their début album. They play Post-Rock.
Okay, so I say Post-Rock, but not only is that incredibly vague but it also doesn’t really do the band justice, as Lae don’t really sound like you’d probably envisage when you think of Post-Rock. They have an unusual style that’s as enticing as it is seductive.
So, first off I should mention that the band have a very sexy production courtesy of Today is the Day frontman Steve Austin. Apparently he, understandably, became so enamoured with the band’s songs that he ended up providing lead vocals for the entire album. That album is Break the Clasp and the first thing you should know then is that his vocals are stunning.
Haunting cleans are layered together and occasionally enhanced by Austin’s trademark acidic screams to create a performance that’s like a demented lullaby. Breaking the Clasp gives Austin a true platform to demonstrate just how good a singer he actually is.
The music itself is a multi-textured and highly emotive smorgasbord of tasty treats and delights. It’s a hazy, psychedelic mix of Rock and Post-Rock that’s strictly non-conventional and features enough hypnotic melodies to capture your attention forever.
There’s a great variety of mood and feeling to be found here. Doubtless this is not the kind of album to appeal to everyone; it’s not an “instant hit” by any means. It doesn’t suffer from this though, as the songs here have a longevity to be expected of a band who have seemingly taken the best part of over a decade to release their début.
The songs strike a personal note with the listener, drilling down to the core of what’s important in great music; connection, passion and feeling.
Providing band references as comparisons is not easy. Hmm, certain aspects, (but not all by any means – the slower parts mainly), of bands like Today is the Day, Earth, Swans, Fantômas, Angels of Light, etc. are suitable starting points.
Break the Clasp is something of a revelation for me. Albums of this beauty and intrigue don’t come along very often. I’m floored. I love this.
As I write these words it’s nearing the end of 2014, and a lot of amazing album have been released this year. All I know is that Lae will be featuring very highly on my Best of 2014 list.
Wayfarer are from the US and this is their début album. They play Atmospheric Black Metal/Post-Black Metal.
For fans of Enslaved, Cobalt, Wolves in the Throne Room, Altar of Plagues, Entropia and the like – Wayfarer are a band to add to the list of top quality, interesting Black Metal.
As soon as the record starts we’re treated to this quality; immediately we get emotive Black Metal with a Post-Metal-wall-of-guitars-style riff and sharp screams that can cut through steel.
The riffs and guitars are an instant hit with me; emotive and textured whilst still staying true to the Quintessential essence of Black Metal.
They certainly have a good Post-Black Metal element to their sound though as it’s not all darkness and icy guitars. Light and shade is used extensively; the songs contain rich textures and encompass a multitude of feelings.
There’s enough aggression here to satisfy fans who want a straightforward fix of the good stuff, but Wayfarer also include enough nuance and subtlety to draw the listener back into the fold and keep them engaged. This is music with depth and capability. They have a desire to rule, to rise above the mediocre and they don’t lack the ability to do so.
This album is full of wide, expansive music that seems to fill the horizon with its ambitions.
Children of the Iron Age is a stunning début. A definite one to get your hands on.
Primordial are from Ireland and this is their eighth album.
A new Primordial release is always a bit of an event to be greeted with great anticipation. They’re a band who have carved out their own niche in the world of Metal and can rightfully say they’ve achieved what they have through their own hard work and individuality.
The first thing that always comes to mind when thinking of Primordial is the talented and dramatic vocals of their singer. This is not to belittle the musical content in any way, but this has always been the focal point of the band for me.
On Where Greater Men Have Fallen he’s on top form as always; power and passion are the cornerstones of his delivery. His performance is first-rate and he still has a great turn of expression and a strong theatrical presence.
The music, as always, is bold and striking whilst simultaneously having nuance and depth. The driving riffs will be instantly familiar to Primordial fans and the colourful, emotive world the band exist in is welcoming from the get-go.
The songs cover upbeat charges and more atmospheric, considered parts. Primordial do both very well and both get equal consideration on the album.
Primordial’s Black Metal background has allowed the band to retain a certain edge to their songwriting, even though these days there’s only a few Black Metal traces left in their sound. For the most part this is roaring, passionate Heavy Metal through and through, but without a cliché in sight.
Nobody really sounds like Primordial, and Primoridal don’t really sound like anyone else. A lot of this is down to the singer, but musically this is true as well. When you hear them you just know who the band is.
This album is a jewel in the crown of Primordial’s considerable back catalogue. Their previous album, (Redemption at the Puritan’s Hand), was good but not quite up to the usual Primordial standard for some reason. With Where Greater Men Have Fallen they’ve corrected this slight dip in quality with an album that sits alongside the best of their work.
If you already know Primordial then you’ll need little convincing to get this album. If you’re new to the band then this is a perfect introduction.
Devil Sold His Soul are from the UK and this is their latest EP. They play Progressive/Post-Metal.
I’m a big fan of Devil Sold His Soul’s early work, but somehow I never kept up with them and this is my first exposure to them in a while. I was interested to hear this EP for this reason, especially as this is their first release with a new vocalist.
As always their music is impassioned, expansive and very heavy when it needs to be. Their songwriting has become even more developed than their older work, however.
It’s immediately apparent that their new vocalist fits the band like a glove. Scathing screams seem to spike painfully into your mind, but you like it anyway; soaring cleans rise gracefully from the emotive riffs whilst cascading leads swell up around them. Replacing a vocalist can be a very tricky thing to do successfully, but I’m immediately sold.
These tracks, (of which there are five), combine crushing guitars and soothing, sombre tones to create a collection of songs that pluck at the heartstrings as well as trying to pull them out.
The combined fiery melancholic nature of the guitars mix with vocals that veritably drip with emotion; these songs reveal a band that are at the height of their powers.
It’s like the power and passion of Year Of No Light, the dynamic energy of Deftones and the flawless delivery of Cult of Luna all rolled into one exciting package.
Alkira are an Australian Thrash Metal band. This is their début album.
Are you happy with how it turned out?
How do you see your position in the wider Metal musical framework/genre?
Wonderbox Metal 