After doing the laundry, I decided it was time for a quick blast of the punk rockin’ before bed. Making my way to YouTube I browsed through a handful of demos and eventually I came to NÃO – DEMO! The punk rocking is pretty standard but man is this blasting! The German vocals and the greasy production make for a spectacular and “spectacularly brief” onslaught of old-school hardcore!
Six short tracks pulse forward on this. It is hard to pick a favorite as each song holds about the same amount of heaviness and forward crunch! I don’t know much about this band but this demo was released on a label from Argentina. Whether you snag the physical or listen to it on YouTube like I did I’d suggest giving this group your time!
I won’t give you any more word vomit. Just listen to NÃO now! -Devin J. Meaney
Coming from Tucson, Arizona, how is The Crown Syndicate developing a unique rock sound setting them apart from other rock bands? How do you incorporate different subgenres?
Rey Vasquez (guitars, vocals): What sets us apart from past rock bands is that we are a democratic band. Although there is a de facto leader, every member of the group brings their voice to each song. We all come from different backgrounds and genres and we bring those to our writing. I, the guitarist, bring a vocabulary stemming from listening to my heroes such as Eddie Van Halen, Ace Frehley, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Vai and Prince. Toni, the drummer, brings his jazz background and his love of Metal to the mix. Jeff brings his vast experience playing with New Wave groups in the 80’s and his Blues expertise to create compelling parts to each song. Toby was a theater kid and his vast knowledge of great frontmen in history, is a natural entertainer but it is his thoughtful lyrics reminiscent of Sting and Jeff Buckley, and drawing from personal life experiences that brings the audience into the show. The sum of the parts is greater than the individual in The Crown Syndicate. Subtract any member, and it won’t be the same. I believe that strongly and it is what sets us apart from everyone else.
Do your different backgrounds include different levels of music education and different bands you played in before forming The Crown Syndicate?
Jeff Masterson (bass, vocals): Though we don't have drastically different levels of music education, no degrees in music or anything, we do range from playing completely by ear to years of private lessons and training. But we write and play more from the heart than the brain. Previous bands can't help but have an influence but what's unique with us is age/experience range we have, from eighteen year old drummer Antonio with limited previous band experience to bassist Jeff who is, um, older with decades of playing in bands. That combination gives us a solid foundation but with some really fresh ideas and attitude.
Are you looking for a common denominator in all of the music you listen to when composing, or do you arrange the music so your influences fit in specific places? How does the band go about completing the process?
Toby Plowden (vocals): We have a pretty simple work flow. Having said that, it may not work for everyone. I’ll flesh out ideas first. Riffs first, then if a particular one seems interesting then I’ll start building, identifying verses, pre-choruses, choruses, bridges, middle 8’s and so on. Toni and I will jam out the idea and tweak the arrangement if needed. We'll then record a blueprint and save it on a shared drive with Jeff and Toby. Toby will then write lyrics and record a base vocal while Jeff writes his parts. At rehearsal we’ll run through the song several times then track the basic live. It’s usually one or two takes. The questions we strive to answer are: Does the riff serve for the purpose of the song? Do the lyrics match the music? Does the solo? What do they say? Is there a “Swing” in the song?
Is it easy for people to recognize your songwriting and musicianship idiosyncrasies when they hear your material? Considering your influences, is the band appealing to a broad audience?
Toby: I really think that it is. From a vocal perspective, I use a lot of three to four part harmonies, I change phrasing and timing throughout a single song, and the lyrics all have very clear narratives addressing relationship or societal issues. Not very typical for a band that plays motherfucking rock and roll! From an instrumentation perspective, you're never going to find a better rhythm section than Jeff and Tono. Tono is always in the pocket and just kinda swings every tune, but then you take Jeff's blues and new wave influences and apply them to hard rock?! That's why every song has this unique groove! Unmistakable. And, of course, there's Rey. His sound is singular. There is no other guitarist that sounds like Rey. He takes all these diverse influences and all of his musical theory knowledge and creates melodic tapestries. You know a song is by The Crown Syndicate because it doesn't sound like anyone else, it's unique.
Our varied influences and creative arrangements are exactly why we have broad appeal. Our music just “feels” familiar, without sounding like a reproduction of any other band. Within one song you're going to have strong harmonies and a chorus with three overlapping lines and three different phrasing structures, which appeals to a pop crowd, you have a solid groove that's both funky and drives the song to appeals to blues, jazz, rock, and then you have these heavy guitar riffs, barn-burning solos, and mind blowing drum fills that just scream hard rock and metal. Within one song, everyone can find something they connect with.
Generally, how long does it take the band to construct a song, from figuring out vocal harmonies to combining rock, new wave, blues, and groove, arranging everything so they fit together?
Toni Vasquez (drums, percussion): It doesn’t take long at all really. It starts out with me and my dad in our living room just messing around see what works and not. Then there’s always one groove that works and we just expand on that idea further. We record it on our phone then send it off to the guys. Toby records a simple vocal track of his ideas and if we like them we start recording. We start out with just drums and scratch guitar. Later we over dub the guitar and record our bass and Toby records his vocals at home. I then get all the tracks and mix and master them. One song may take three or four months to finish but we’re all just working off our own clocks no set deadlines which makes it stress free. Nevertheless, we work on two or three songs at a time.
From progressive rock to thrash and death metal to black n roll, bands have fused rock and metal in one form or another since the mid 1990s. Before the band began, in what places did you see rock and metal harmonizing?
Rey: Rock and metal have always been synonymous, one cannot exist without the other. Although there are the gatekeepers who only listen to one or the other, there are bands who proudly listen to everything. Antonio and I are and have always been huge fans of metal from thrash to death and black and have used aspects of the genres in our music from movements to aesthetic to production. And just like we are fans of all things metal, we also look towards Pop and Latin to influence our music, especially in the songwriting and arrangements. The fusion of all of these elements and genres is in the DNA of The Crown Syndicate. We’re not a one trick pony, haha.
Bands like Sepultura incorporated Latin music into their material when thrash and death metal expanded their boundaries. What was their role in bridging those styles in the following years?
Rey: Sepultura were born in Brazil and their incorporation of Brazilian themes, musically and thematically, automatically made them different. From their socially conscious lyrics to the swing and percussion that are not typically found in metal. They were intriguing.
Considering there are as many preachers as there are gatekeepers, how do you tell when bands genuinely fuse metal and rock by writing what they feel? Would you consider expanding into other genres, for example techno, synthpop, or Celtic music?
Rey: I enjoy when bands take risks in music. There is a sort of punk ethos to it in that it is a thumbing of the nose to the gatekeepers. Having said that, there has to be an authenticity to the risk and when there isn’t, the failure of the product is apparent. As fans of many genres, there is a chance that we may delve into any of them. We have written a death metal album based on a short story as well as a blues album because we started as a blues band.
Can you provide readers with any information about the death metal and blues albums you wrote?
Rey: The death metal album we have on deck is based on a dream that one of my sons would have as he was battling cancer. Thankfully he’s pulled through but the story was compelling and we had to put it to music.
It is the age old tale of good vs. evil and how a person can be pushed to the extreme by everyone in their lives. We’ll be working on it this summer and ready for release in the fall. As for the Blues album, we started out as a blues band and played in bars for two decades honing our craft and playing the standards as well as writing our own. Once in a while we pull out one of those old tunes to great effect.
When you practice in your living room, how do you usually find an inkling that a riff you play would work?
Rey: Sometimes the best and most memorable riffs are the catalysts for great songs. They lend themselves to become vehicles for Toby to write to. If the riff sounds and feels good, it is good.
How are people responding to the effort you put into your songwriting and song structure? Do you see your listeners becoming receptive to other genres as a result of your music?
Toby: I've been really surprised at the overwhelmingly positive response we've received for our songs! I think the big reason behind this is our approach to writing each individual song, from first recorded note to final master. We don't write our music to fit a specific genre or sound, we're writing songs that we'd want to hear, music that we would be fans of, and every decision made is what is best for this specific song. I know how arrogant it sounds, but I listen to our music all the time! It's the dynamics of the song, the harmonies that are fun to pick out and sing along with, the signature guitar solos that make you want to play air-guitar at 75 mph driving down the freeway (not that I would suggest doing that), and banging along to the drums on your steering wheel! Personally, I'm always laying down some air-bass when I'm listening, trying to keep up with Jeff but despite my intimidating air-bass skills there is no keeping up with Jeff... only listen and learn from the master.
We also write with each other in mind. When we were rehearsing “Love Wrong”, one day Rey starts doing a different chord progression on the last chorus, so we go over it a few times to tighten it up. Once we're there, I turn to Rey and ask “Is that new chorus progression for me?” Rey laughed and said “Yeah man, figure out something cool to do.” When we listen to the rough recording in control room, Rey and I were humming these different melody lines over the last chorus, and I ended up using both! I think this type of effort really shows in the final product, and is a main driving force in the positive responses we've seen.
Not only are our listeners receptive to other genres, but we'll direct them to some of our influences. You like Never Enough? I was listening to a lot of Chris Stapleton when I wrote that, you should check him out! Cloud Nine is your favorite? You better add some Prince to your playlist! You're blown away by our self-titled Black album?! Listen to some Extreme, Motley Crue, Scorpions, David Bowie, Jack White, and probably a dozen others! Good music is good music, doesn't matter the genre. Our audience gets that.
Among the songs on your self-titled EP, which go over the most among fans when you perform live? Can you tell me about the subject matter of those songs? Are the lyrics written in a manner that people can relate to?
Toby: “Machine” goes over very well every time we play it. The unmistakable groove and the sing along lyrics provide a great opportunity for the audience to sing along. It’s such a high to hear the crowd sing along to it. “Machine” describes the reliance on cell phones in our lives. We, as a society, commit seem to do anything without this little “machine” dictating everything we do.
Another song that goes over really well is “Aesteracae”. Its subject matter of good vs. evil and hook laden chorus really grabs the attention of the audience. When writing that song, we had been listening to early Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Dio and tasked ourselves to write in that vein. People hear the familiarity and love the song along chorus.
As “Scratch” sounds like a live setting, it leads into “Love Wrong”, which has a theatrical feel. The songs have a raw quality, with a grunge theme in “Asteraceae” and a Led Zeppelin vibe in “Machine”.
Antonio: When tracking this album. I had been listening to a lot of pop albums such as Maroon 5 and Dua Lipa as well as Slipknot and Ghost. The thing that these artists have in common is their production qualities, very live and in your face. There is a certain clarity to recordings that I felt fit well in the direction these songs were headed.
This collection of songs were recorded live in the studio for the basic tracks. Everything in one giant room, playing together. Most tracks were 1 or 2 takes with overdubs tracked later. Overall, it was a fun experience and we’re really happy with the end result.
When it comes to publicity and distribution, how has Self Made Records been able to assist the band since you signed with them?
Rey: Self Made has been really helpful in providing us an opportunity to get our music to a larger audience through introduction to playlists as well as various publications. Eric has also been a valuable resource in navigating the ins and outs of this industry. With Self Made Records’ affiliation with Earache Records has allowed our music to be digitally distributed to various outlets. We believe that’s been advantageous to our music. Under the prestigious Earache Records label, there is a certain legitimacy to the music that we probably wouldn’t have without the support.
If you have had the opportunity to write any new material or new riffs, how would you imagine your next recording will sound like? Are you playing it by ear at this point? What kind of impact do you hope to have on music in general?
Antonio: The sound of new recordings are usually dictated by the sound of the first few rehearsals. What is the vibe we are setting? What music are we listening to at the time? What is inspiring the writing of these songs? It all depends on those very important factors that go into the DNA of the new batch of songs. For example, our new single, “Honest”, that’s coming out in a few weeks, is very much inspired by conversations held with people who know what type of person they are but put on a charade for everyone. Rey and I were listening to a lot of music from the band, Extreme, when the music was written. There is a certain swing to the song that is appealing to a lot of crowds at shows and the interplay between the guitar and the drums is very reminiscent of Extreme and Van Halen.
Completely randomly my brain just screamed “Machine Head”! As it is my favorite Machine Head album, I instantly went to Youtube and searched up “Burn My Eyes”. This is the debut studio album from MH and IMO it is the hardest hitting. There are a handful of other albums from these guys that are just as good though—in their own way!
Every track on this album is solid gold but my favorite song would need to be the entry track “Davidian”. The line “let freedom ring with a shotgun blast” to date is one of the heaviest written lines that I can think of!
Even though “Burn My Eyes” is my favorite—I’d certainly suggest checking out the other releases from Machine Head. Even one of their least popular albums “The Burning Red” is enjoyable IMO. So that shows that even when Machine Head are not at their best, they are certainly far from the worst. I will also add that I have probably written about this album in the past—but as it is just that good—I figured it was time to speak of it again!
Conclusion—just listen to Machine Head! -Devin J. Meaney
Wanting to amp up my reviewing game (Dave from Asphyxium has been a bit of a writing mentor so I don’t want to catch myself slacking too much) I hit up Youtube. I was feeling like some punk—and after scrolling through a few demos I landed on “Demo CS 2024” by Ultimate Disaster!
This is some standard raw and crusty D-beat. With that said—it is put together very well. I feel as if the production would sound great on a cassette or a 7” vinyl or something. As I found it on Youtube digital streaming will have to do…but it’s pretty damn rad overall none the less!
This demo is just under 7 minutes long so it is a short listen. Even though I could have done with a bit “more” I will for sure settle for this brief blast of raw and emotionally cathartic revelry. I listen to so much music that it is hard to keep track of it all. Keeping this in mind if I hear more from these guys I will try to not scroll over it. Again—this is pretty standard. But sometimes “meat and potatoes” is what you need and a quick jab to the eardrums is sometimes exactly what the doctor calls for at the end of the day! -Devin J. Meaney
Format: Digital album, digipack CD, standard black vinyl, opaque grey swirl vinyl
Label: Immortal Frost Productions
Release date: December 15, 2023
The surreal cover art for "Castle Inside the Eclipse" was created by Ronarg (Antzaat, Ars Veneficium), who is also the creative force behind Bloedmaan. It promises to take the listener on a journey into a world where vampires are the dominant species and humans enter at their own peril.
A grey landscape with a dark castle set against a blood moon and a blood red sky surrounded by dark clouds came to life much as the cover art for Satyricon's "Dark Medieval Times" and Dimmu Borgir's "For All Tid" had when I listened to those albums. A distinct feeling of a prodigious novel, written from the perspective of vampires, is evoked due to the imposing quality of the musicianship and the cursed sensibility of the vocals.
Ronarg has been sharpening his black metal sensitivities since working on the 2014 debut EP by Ars Veneficium “The Abyss”. As a result of years of methodical writing, Bloedmaan's debut appears to be longer in the tooth as a portrayal of vampire myth and legend. For a six track recording "Castle Inside the Eclipse" is as subtle and complex as the folk beliefs of these emblematic creatures across the world.
In his songwriting, he displays a growing mastery of balancing wall-of-sound rhythm guitar progressions with tremolo lead guitar embellishments somewhat comparable to early recordings by Satyricon, Ancient and Gehenna, only with melody and dynamics designed to depict ancient vampire narratives.
This is Ronarg’s first project in which he handles bass and drums as well as guitars, vocals and songwriting; he gives his dual guitar approach loads of room for magnification with the amount of time changes each of the five songs are composed with. This approach doesn’t deviate, but neither does it become stale or predictable. His bass tracks do things additional justice with the depth they add.
Creating all the music, he creates the mood he was seeking to incorporate the lyrics he penned with gothic and Lovecraftian themes. In "The Night of Blood", he welcomes you to his world in a manner reminiscent of a movie made in the 2000s, "30 Days of Night". There is the same sense of disquietude and unease as the sun sets over the horizon.
In "Haunted Melancholic Obsessions", "Winged Flight Under the Pale Moon" and "The Hunter's Dream", we experience the passion that would accompany being turned, leaving mortal existence behind and becoming one of the undead. Feeling the hunger for blood awakening within you, and the intensity of your desires for the first time. But once you’ve crossed over into that world, there’s no turning back. You’ve become one of the undead minions you’ve read about through these songs, and this is what makes "Castle Inside the Eclipse" a satisfying release. –Dave Wolff
It has been a long time since I really listened to Green Day. Don’t get me wrong—the odd time I hit up Youtube and listen to “Dookie”—mostly because it is a very nostalgic album for me as my cousin Jeff used to let me listen to his CD copy when I was a kid (He never did let me listen to NoFx’s “Pump up the Valium”).
On a weird topic for a music review my daughter is of the age where she has started dating. Her boyfriend is a big Green Day fan and while at the local Walmart I found a CD copy of “Insomniac” for ten dollars. Due to David’s inspiration I snagged the album and took it home.
I remember listening to Insomniac when I was younger, but it never was quite as home-hitting as “Dookie” for me. With that said, after listening to it again in my later years I can state that Insomniac is just as good of an album as “Dookie”—and one thing I can state is that I really dig the production. It is a short album, but it is just long enough to get the motors running!
Is Green Day my favorite band? No. But do I enjoy them? Yes. One might call me “faux punk” for writing this review but as an overweight 30 something man who lives with his mom and writes children’s books maybe “punk” isn’t the best way to describe me anyway. With that said, I’m still not a fan of the “newer” Green Day—that “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” crap just ain’t for me. There IS a lot of enjoyable Green Day though, with “Dookie” being my all time favorite followed by “Kerplunk”! and “Insomniac”. “Insomniac” is the main focus of this review though—so put your jaded notions aside and give it a solid listen!
P.S: I’m actually still punk as fawk. Just don’t tell my mother! -Devin J. Meaney
Executive Produced by Charley McDougall, Jamie McLeod-Ross and Peter Oxley
Released December 4, 2023 (USA)
Dark Temple Motion Pictures, Ace Entertainment Films
Distributed by Quiver Distribution (United States, 2024)
Not too long ago I watched the film “Gods of the Deep”. It was available on Tubi and the cover was appealing so I figured I would give it a go. At first it just appeared to be standard sci-fi but after a bit it changed to something that was creepy, weird, and leaning in the direction of psychological horror.
I will also mention that with a title like “Gods of the Deep” I assumed it would be Lovecraft inspired, and I can say that my assumptions were correct. Unlike a lot of Lovecraft stuff this did have a modern twist, even if not paired with a shockingly high budget (I’d call this “B list but well done”).
As for the vibe of the movie I’d say it was “enjoyable and eerie” but personally I think it could have had a better ending. As to why, I’ll leave that for you to decide as I don’t wish to ruin the movie. Overall though I’d watch this again if I was looking for something spooky to watch with friends, and even as a B list film (I do have a bit of a love and lenience for B movies) this was far from terrible, and again, well worth the watch! -Devin J. Meaney
Format: Jewel case CD, standard black vinyl, opaque white/black splatter vinyl, digital
Label: Immortal Frost Productions (Brazil)
Release date: November 24, 2023
"Shrine of Black Fire" is a manifestation of the personal Luciferian, Gnostic and chaos magic embodied in Infernal Angels' writings. I'm unfamiliar with their previously released albums, but this one resonates strongly with a hidden esoteric knowledge that becomes a part of the musicianship.
A solitary practitioner of dark magic and his coven invoke the powers of darkness in an overcast woodland far from civilization, manifesting something vibrant, dangerous, and flourishing. Even though you may have visited this woodland several times, the unspeakable wisdom and enlightenment that has been revived reveals there's much more to discover beyond.
As the novitiate of unseemly arts invokes an essence in a bodiless voice during the darkest hour of the night, without moonlight, in "Abyss Oath", you feel frigid winds breathing down your neck. In taking possession of those gathered, it offers sageness setting them apart from other mortals. "In the Silence of Tehom" depicts Lucifer as showing existence through his eyes as a result of the summoning.
By the fire, Lucifer and his minions become one as the power invoked in the ritual grows. There is much more to it than that but you'll need to refer to the lyrics for an explanation of the epic conclusion to the ritual. There is an excoriated sound accompanying this call, similar to old Satyricon, Gorgoroth, and Taake. The Norwegian influence is conveyed using the sacred, regal mannerisms of Italian metal.
Throughout, acidulous, high frequency guitar, vibrating, semi-melodic bass, and a maddened blast give way to moderately paced, primeval percussive designs and a sardonic atmosphere. Among these sounds are detailed dissonant passages and a variety of voices that represent the possessed cover morphing into one entity with the fallen angel. Despite parts of the album possessing familiar characteristics, they are constructed in a way that carries traditional tales of black wizardry and revolt against the heavens to their logical denouement. –Dave Wolff
Lineup:
Xes: Vocals
Nekroshadow: Guitars
Apsychos: Guitars
Asdraeth: Bass
Postmortem: Drums
Track list:
1. Abyss Oath (feat. Michael W. Ford & Sara Ballini)
The surreal cover artwork of Trenchwar’s second full length “From The Earth To The Moon”, depicting a Baphomet like figure in a space suit, calls back to the proto-science fiction of the early twentieth century, with a mysterious theme of what to expect when journeying into space for the first time. In a way this fits considering how subtly they displays their myriad influences.
This is the band’s second album since 2020’s “Criminal Organizations” and there has been much evolution on their part since those days. At first I thought “From The Earth To The Moon” was conventional thrash, but as it grew on me I saw it’s a standalone album that shows Trenchwar as having an identity all their own. I discerned constituents of technical thrash, classic metal, brutal death metal, melodic death metal, hardcore and black metal vocals all rolled in an impenetrable package. This album has comparable song structure to old Metallica and enhances thrash’s roots in seventies rock. It contains the energy of a Testament show and buffets you like an Amon Amarth album.
Groove is written into the material with especial subtlety, accompanying stringent heaviness and dense production with streamlined vibrations. This technical skill is engrossing with little effort, giving the unceasing aggression and consistent time changes an instinctual ambiance. Trenchwar's songwriting provides as many melodic sections as shifts in velocity, with straightforward conveyance. The transfixing lead guitars are somewhere between the lead solos of Hank Sherman and Michael Denner (Mercyful Fate) and Eric and Brian Hoffman (old Deicide), resonating with an analgesic character.
Close attention is called to the inventive license the band took with their cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Communication Breakdown” and their tri-tone sampling of Black Sabbath’s “Black Sabbath” in “In the Grip of Cult” which serves as a fitting album closer. -Dave Wolff
Format: Digital album, CD, limited edition digipak CD
Label: Earth and Sky Productions
Release date: February 29, 2024
With kantele, bass kantele, strings and traditional instruments, Juha Jyrkäs' debut album “Sydämeni kuusipuulle” raised the question of whether it was metal, folk metal, pagan metal, or something far more worldly. Exploring previously unexplored territory, the album's extensive background in Finnish mythology, nature mysticism, and occultism placed it in league with any of these subjects. He appears to widen his perspective with the release of his second full-length “Väinämöinen”.
In the 90s, Viking metal bands such as Enslaved and Borknagar touched upon a musical expanse as vast as their unconventional guitar scales and chord progressions. Most of the pagan elements incorporated into the songs were surreptitious, but revealed elements that could go far beyond the irreverent themes of bands that preceded them. Throughout the evolution of extreme metal, those constituents became equally important to defining a band's sound as the traditional instruments were.
“Väinämöinen” adheres to the substance inaugurated into metal by bands like the ones I mentioned (as well as by bands like In Extremo). The shades of folk and Viking metal have become more prominent than before. The variety is expanding exponentially with massive advancements in innovation. With numerous variations on the kantele and the percussion, the songs personalize the mythical Finnish demigod Väinämöinen, and the lyrics are written in Kalevala-metre, a traditional Finnish meter.
There is more distinction between metal and folk, which refines the increased nuances on this album. Riffs written with bass kantele, along with guitar solos in “Äidinmaan puolustus” and “Metallikantele” and bass kantele solos in songs like “Syntysanat” and “Jo veri jokena juoksi”, Jyrkäs embellishes the material with more variety, maintaining a harmonic, cohesive feel. The contrast between harsh and melodic vocals heightens the album’s dramatic nature to the extent of a film soundtrack.
Building upon what was a relatively simplistic songwriting technique in the 90s, he has taken it to new imaginative heights. –Dave Wolff
Lineup:
Juha Jyrkäs: Vocals, bass kantele, percussion
Olga Kolari: Keyboards, concert kantele,15 stringed kantele, 16 stringed kantele, copper stringed kantele, viola, violin, jouhikko, concert harp
Janne Väätäinen: Drums
Henry Kolari: Soundscapes
Antti Röksä: Guitar solos
[More information at the Bandcamp link to “Väinämöinen” above]
Suffering have honed their ability to create a dichotomy between fantasy and reality since their 2017 full-length debut "11". While that album conveyed a sense of forbidden ritual with LaVeyan overtones, "Symphonies: Diabolis" feels like a manifestation of the reality summoned by those rituals after being long hidden from human view.
Throughout the material, the prophetic theme inspired by "The Omen" is a promise of something much more sinister to come, made all the more unnerving by the dialogue and the contrast between age-old scenery and the modern world. This transition from Suffering's first album to their latest appears to have been a long and meticulous process, undertaken with infinite patience that is now bearing fruit.
My impressions of the music recorded for this album: A quote from "The Omen" introduces the death march emerging with "Ave Satani". The repetitive rawness of "Symphonies: Diabolis" establishes the mood of the album by heralding an apocalyptic event already occurring. This track and the following ones take the listener on a journey through the wasteland, showing nothing but devastation up close and personal, with light having vanished and nothing but allegiance to darkness remaining.
As I envisioned eldritch horrors coming to life and slowly taking over the contemporary world for "11", I made comparisons to John Carpenter's film "In The Mouth Of Madness". The merging of normal and macabre also gives the songs a similar feeling to the second chapter of Carpenter's apocalypse trilogy, "Prince of Darkness", with possessed humans lurking everywhere you turn.
With gritty, caustic production, unvarnished, discordant guitars, vibrating bass, barbarous drumbeats, and vocals that threaten to break your sanity, the repetitive nature of the songs pushes the album toward a mechanically mind numbing plateau, until you finally appear to be one with the minions of the underworld preparing to bring Old Scratch himself from the shadows into our midst.
With two additional live tracks, you can’t go wrong with this release if you’re into raw, primeval black/doom metal with heavy occult connotations. –Dave Wolff
Interview with ARJ of Waste Disaster by Dave Wolff
Let's start with your August 2023 release "The Killer Pizza Delivery Man". When you recorded it, what kind of effect did you want? In the recording sessions, what kind of equipment was used?
The initial idea of Waste Disaster was to make a sound mixing Grindcore-Thrash-Noise with influences from bands like Unseen Terror, Masher, Lawnmower Deth, etc. Me and my friend Thon, who was also the drummer in my other band H.C.G., recorded the nine extremely short sounds from the album “The Killer Pizza Delivery Man” on an old portable recorder in his room. I recorded all the sounds with my Dolphin Thrash Superstrat guitar, and Thon used his old Peace drums. We wanted the loudest recording possible; everything was recorded live without overdubs, without mastering and without any effects or studios. Just an old recorder and us playing as fast and loud as possible, hahahaha. The concept behind the album revolves around our mascot Joe Violence doing absurd and insane things like blowing up a Greenpeace plane or being a serial killer who delivers pizza, hahahaha.
How long have you and Thon worked together, and have you always been a two-piece band?
In the band H.C.G. there were two more guys, the bassist Hiago and the vocalist DJ, We had a Death/Thrash band in a short period of time called Slaughter Hell. We played covers of Celtic Frost, Venom, Kreator, Exodus, Sepultura, Slayer etc. We only played one show with this band, there were some original songs but we didn't record anything, and the songs ended up being reformulated and used in H.C.G.
Waste Disaster sounds like an old school garage band mixed with early 90s death metal and grind. Did you intend to create this sound when you formed the band?
Initially yes, but after the first album we wanted to change the sound of Waste Disaster to something more Crossover Thrash style: Excel, S.O.D, D.R.I, but it ended up not happening.
What appeals to you about albums and EPs recorded loudly with inexpensive equipment? Do you strive to capture the raw sound of old school grind-noise bands?
What I admired was the simplicity of things, without all this shitty modernity that infests the world, things were more real. It was more organic, the rawness of the sound, it was all done for real. Nowadays I don't know what's real more, what was done by a human or a robot. It's difficult to say. I think we've reached the era of Skynet, hahahaha. That's for the worse unfortunately.
What was the inspiration behind choosing Joe Violence as the band's mascot? Does this character have any resemblance to characters in horror films or horror comedies?
Joe Violence was created by me, as Ted Dead mascot for the band H.C.G. was created by me. Both were inspired by characters from Trash Horror films from the 80s.
In fact, Joe Violence had already been created by me before the band. I write some horror stories and I had written a story about a serial killer pizza delivery man who was Joe, so when we created Waste Disaster I decided to use it as a mascot and theme.
Where did you find inspiration for Joe Violence and Ted Dead in 80s horror films? Upon viewing them, what appealed to you? Have directors today been able to capture the feel of those films?
In fact, Ted Dead was inspired by the mascots Eddie [Iron Maiden], Sgt D. [S.O.D.] and Big Ben from the film “House”. Joe Violence was inspired by Ash Williams from “The Evil Dead” and Rick Caldwell from “Silent Night, Deadly Night 2”. What I like most about these trash films is the 80s feel. It was a wonderful time for music, cinema, books, comics, sports, etc...
My favorite trash films are “Bad Taste”, “The Evil Dead”, “Night of the Creeps” and the aforementioned “Silent Night, Deadly Night 2 and “House”. Man there are so many I would stay here forever, hahahaha. What attracts me to these films, besides their being from the 80s and 90s, is the gore, the politically incorrect humor, the abusive deaths, the situations, my favorite directors in this style are Sam Raimi, Peter Jackson, Steve Miner, Lucio Fulci, Fred Dekker and Lloyd Kaufman. I don't think any director today has managed to reproduce what these guys did.
As a horror enthusiast, do you like "The Walking Dead", "Ash vs Evil Dead", and "Stranger Things"? How do you feel about the popularity of these shows?
“The Walking Dead” I only watched the first three seasons, then it got really boring. “Stranger Things” I watched the first episode, I thought it was pretty good. “Ash Vs Evil Dead” I never watched. These programs became popular more because of marketing than because of quality.
Have you ever published your story about a serial killer pizza delivery man, or did it just serve as inspiration for Waste Disaster's mascot?
It was published at the end of last year by the independent publisher Opera Editorial. In fact it was my first published book, which is an anthology of fifteen short stories, entitled “Historias Estranhas Para Pessoa Esquisitas”, with the free translation of Strange Stories for Strange People.
How many horror stories have you written in total? Would you consider publishing an anthology of them, either independently or through a small publishing house?
I have several horror stories written, at least thirty. I want to publish them soon but I want to publish them outside of Brazil, like in the United States or Europe because there are more outlets nowadays for these types of stories.
Is there any publishing company in Europe or the United States that you would be interested in contacting? Are you interested in publishing online?
I don't know yet, I have to start looking, I don't have much interest in publishing online, maybe after it comes out in a physical format.
Which of your fiction pieces has been published in "Historias Estranhas Para Pessoa Esquisitas"? Is it still possible to order copies online and how long has it been available? Are you working on any new horror fiction to keep with the others until they are published?
There are fifteen Strange Stories for Strange People. Here are the titles of the stories that appear in this book. “Eternal nightmare”, “Dead party”, “The shooter from apartment 15”, “A door to hell”, “The impaling janitor”, “Sewer massacre”, “What happened to Mr Chen?” “The killer pizza delivery man (Joe Violence!)”, “The taxi driver”, “The hourglass of the end times”, “The lightning”, “A toilet from the heavens”, “Knife duel in the alley”. “Hunting season is open!” and “15 minutes later”. It was released in December almost three months ago. Here is the link to purchase a copy of this book. However, it is only in Portuguese.
I have some ideas in mind, but I haven't written anything yet.
There have been many extreme death-grind-noise bands in the Brazilian underground for many years. How would you describe the current state of your local underground scene in terms of bands, zine publications, and venues?
The Brazilian underground scene was once very strong. Nowadays it has weakened a little more. You can find some people trying to keep it alive. Some independent labels are releasing a lot of things, and there are several shows taking place, but it's not like it was in the 80s, 90s, and even in the 2000s; it still resisted.
Please identify some of the labels that still support local bands. Do you know of any print or online zines from Brazil that are worth mentioning?
Zines I don't know, I haven't heard of any zine in a long time, but there are many record labels. Those that have released H.C.G. materials areDo Terceiro Mundo Caos, Tales From The Chaos Records, Two Beers Records, Heavy Metal Rock, are some that are always releasing material from new or old bands.
When do you have the opportunity to be interviewed for zines outside of Brazil? Tell us about some zines that you have been featured in recently.
No one has ever interviewed me, much less have I been featured, hahaha.
Is there any collaboration between labels to organize metal festivals in Brazil these days? Do you know of any venues that regularly host them or showcase individual bands?
There's the Kool Metal Fest and the Master Of Noise in Sao Paulo city, but I don't think they're made by collaborations with any label. These two events promote the underground well, especially Masters Of Noise, which promotes Grind/Noise Thrash bands, etc...
Give a brief description of the songs appearing on "The Killer Pizza Delivery Man" and explain how you came up with each scenario.
“Joe the Killer Pizza Delivery Man” - It's an instrumental intro sound, Joe's journey begins! “Joe Will Blow Your Brains Out With A Shotgun Blast!” - This song narrates when Joe goes to deliver a pizza and when the customer opens the door to receive the pizza he receives a shotgun blast to the brain! “Joe Attacks Killed a Hundred People with a Lawnmower” - This song is about when Joe killed a hundred people with a lawnmower in a party! It was inspired by the scene in the movie Braindead when the protagonist kills thousands of zombies with a lawnmower. “Joe Attacks in Delaware” - This is when Joe takes a vacation to Delaware! “Joe Goes to Disneyland” - Same thing as the previous one, but this time the bloody holidays are at Disney! “Joe Blew up a Greenpeace Plane” - Another instrumental narrating the situation when Joe blew up a green peace plane! It was just to make fun of these shitty hypocritical ecologists who don't even care about the planet. “Joe Will Deliver Pizza to Your Home, You're Dead!” - Same thing as the second song says, if you answer the door to receive your pizza and the delivery man is Joe Violence you will have your brain blown out by a shotgun blast or you will be stabbed to death, being decapitated by an axe, beaten by a baseball bat, etc... “Fast Shit Pizza!” - The lyrics are simply about fast shit pizza! It's just another fast, stupid, noisy sound I wrote hahaha. “Waste Disaster” - The last sound on the album, an instrument that bears the band's name, “Waste Disaster” is about a world after a nuclear war or nuclear disaster, would anyone be alive?
Could any of the songs be construed as social satire or are they simply intended to shock?
A little of both.
As of this writing, do you promote Waste Disaster and H.C.G. independently? Do you intend to continue promoting your work independently/DIY or do you intend to distribute your work through a local or larger independent label in the future?
The Waste Disaster album was released here in Brazil by my little label Ted Dead Records and was also released in Pro CD-R format in Poland by my friend Pawel's label called Undergrinder Records Limited. By the band H.C.G, most of the 56 releases that we have was from several independent record labels from various countries.
The Waste Disaster album was released in a limited way on physical CD media, but in the future I want to find other labels in other countries that are interested in releasing it in other physical formats.
Have you contacted Undergrinder Records Limited for the release of Waste Disaster? Have your bands received more attention since you began working with the label?
I've known Pawell, the owner of the label, for a few years now, he's a really cool guy and a fan of the bands I've played with. When Waste Disaster's first album was recorded, Undergrinder was the first label that came to mind to release it.
Are Ted Dead Records exclusively dedicated to the distribution of Waste Disaster, or do you also sign other local bands? Which is the most effective way to promote this label over there?
In fact I have two small record labels, Ted Dead Records and Death Prank Records. I created these labels just to release materials from my bands like Waste Disaster and H.C.G. I release ultra-limited editions on CD-R just to exist on physical media and distribute them between them. My local friends.
Ted Dead Records has released its material in how many formats to date? If you regularly release music in physical form, how much does it cost to print and advertise?
Only in CD-R format. The costs are very small, I make a maximum of five, ten copies of each release. As I said, it's more to have the physical material and give it as a gift to some friends, more for fun, when it's to be publicized. I always look for other labels to release my bands' materials.
What other labels have you contacted recently in order to cross-promote your work? Are there any potential collaborations in the works?
The releases from Undergrinder Records, despite being in limited editions, gave good recognition to H.C.G. and Waste Disaster, especially H.C.G.
Have you approached any labels to appear on a compilation release? What are the benefits of comps for unsigned bands who release their own material?
We have only appeared on two compilations, one made by Undergrinder Records which was recently released and another by the German label Rat Covenant which was released in a limited edition on tape, the benefits are that it helps to promote the bands' material a little.
If your bands release more material, would you like to expand Ted Dead Records and Death Prank Records so that more people become aware?
It would be a good idea to expand these labels, but I need time and money, things that are in short supply for me at the moment, hahaha...
Are there any ideas you have in mind for your next recording of Waste Disaster? When are you likely to start working on new songs for a new release? How about H.C.G.?
Waste Disaster is on hold, I don't know when I'm going to write something for this project, but I already have a lot of riffs, lyrics, and some songs already completed for H.C.G. I think next year we'll be back with lots of new things!
Interview with Elias Negrin of Under The Shadows by Dave Wolff
How did you develop your latest EP "I Before You" and promote and distribute it since its release? What do you believe are the most important things people should know about it?
Hello Dave, really happy to talk to you!
The drive for me since my school years is to make music, and this project is no exception! It developed really fast, within a few months actually, from inception to completion! I decided to undertake full production responsibility this time except for songwriting and arrangements, stretching myself a bit more but was fun too! Gained more confidence in the mixing-production part as well.
As far as line-up is concerned, I tried a different model too. Instead of trying to find permanent band members in a more traditional setup, I tried collaborations with musicians that I already know (have worked with them before) or by networking with new ones and seeing how it turns out. This also gives me more possibilities for the future. It did save a lot of time but brought more responsibility on me to explain properly what I want and still give musicians some freedom to express themselves within the boundaries of the songs. I am also very happy that my son Aris has helped with drums, this is absolutely cool and look forward to taking it further!
Distribution for now is only digital, started small and simple to test the waters a bit, EP can be found on all major digital platforms, Spotify, Youtube, Applemusic, Napster, Bandcamp etc. In the future I might press some vinyl and/or CDs. Promotion is done via an agency. I have worked with Kostas (Salomidis) before (with my other band Julian’s Lullaby) and I am happy to work with him again.
How does the name Under The Shadows represent your vision for the band and why was chosen in that regard?
I believe it encapsulates the general music direction of the band, a bit mysterious, somehow dark, not heavy metal exactly in a more traditional way but still a good fit, could make someone think and it creates a mood.
Who are the musicians you've collaborated with? Which of them appears on your EP? Provide a brief description of how the EP was recorded and mixed, as well as what songs are included.
I have collaborated with Eric Castiglia from Italy on vocals, he has quite an extensive experience and a number of releases in the melodic death/groove/gothic metal and related genres which makes him quite versatile as a singer. For lead guitars, I’ve worked with Dimitris Koskinas from Greece, an awesome player both in terms of musicianship and personality. We have worked together in my other band Julian’s Lullaby, which makes him a really credible and professional partner. On drums, as mentioned, my son Aris has contributed which is great of course but challenging as well since it takes a lot of effort to provide the necessary direction. Last but not least, Anna Spanogiorgou has contributed with her beautiful lyrics. We have a long lasting friendship and collaboration since 2009 if I recall correctly. I appreciate her both as a person and an artist, she is also a fantasy novels writer and definitely can get inspiration from her work.
Recordings and mixing-mastering were done at my home studio in the Netherlands, all collaborations were done by exchanging files online which makes it very convenient nowadays. It all worked quite well given I had the songs at a pretty much completed stage so I knew what I wanted more or less. Of course, while laying down the vocals and lead guitar parts we tried a few things and did a couple of revisions until we got the best possible version.
The tracklist of “I Before You” contains four songs; “Black Butterfly”, “7 (Sweet) Sins”, “The Emperor and The Nightingale” and “Blue Dragon”. The style of the songs is a mix of 90s metal with an in-your-face sound, short, tight compositions mixing some more modern metal elements. Lots of experimentation and things I didn’t try in the past. Future songs can be somewhat different; it's all based on the mood.
The process of finding musicians to work with seems to have been relatively straightforward. Initially, did you think it might be harder to track people down?
The process was indeed fast in terms of execution, I did flirt with the idea of finding long-term/permanent members but that would basically take a lot of time, tried with a couple of acquaintances and it didn’t work so quickly pivoted to finding professional musicians which is a general idea I have for many years now.
How does Eric Castiglia's training in vocals contribute to Under The Shadows' ability to expand their range?
Eric is a professional session singer, musician and songwriter with far too many collaborations under his belt to mention. Did approach him through a web portal after listening to some of his work and thought his style could match what I was looking for. We did the first song “The Emperor and the Nightingale”, it worked well and decided to move on with the rest of the material. I like the fact that his voice is versatile and can do both clean and brutal/growls.
How much experience does Anna Spanogiorgou have as a fantasy novelist? How does she obtain inspiration for characters and storylines, and how does it influence her lyrics? How does this affect the songs of the band?
Anna has already released a trilogy and she is very active in this community of writers, sharing her own reviews about other books, joining events and other activities. Fantasy and mysticism are the main sources of inspiration. Her lyrics though come from a different, earlier era where they more fit into dark and romantic fields I would say. I like both aspects a lot and I am glad we have this cooperation going on for many years.
How does Anna incorporate fantasy and mysticism into her recent trilogy? In what events does she share her work and her thoughts on other literary works?
The trilogy is a fantasy story where the protagonist is a girl called “Katia”, she possesses magical and mystical powers that she is not aware of and has a mission she doesn’t know anything about in the beginning. She lives a quiet, peaceful life and suddenly things turn upside down when she is dragged to an adventure beyond belief visiting imaginary places out of this world, places and people she never thought of or dreamed about.
Are Aris's musical tastes similar to yours or do they differ? When working on material together, what is the process?
We share a lot of common tastes in music and go to concerts together, but he is also listening to a lot of modern stuff that I do not resonate with necessarily. Working together is great and challenging at the same time. Exchanging ideas is easy as we have all the equipment at home. The challenge comes in terms of organizing our time, difference in mindset (and age haha), managing expectations, things like that. In general we communicate quite well, and it is fun which is most important.
In terms of working together and exchanging ideas, how does having similar tastes in music benefit you? Are there any bands that you saw together that were inspirational to you?
Well, having some similar tastes or references when creating anything (music, or art) is always helpful in capturing the end result faster and with more accuracy. Imagine asking a jazz drummer (with no metal influences/ playing style) to record an extreme death metal piece! I recall for example Annette Olzon who had no metal experience before and she was not a good fit at the end when she replaced Tarja at Nightwish. Hm now that I mentioned Nightwish, I recall we had a very nice time actually at Sabaton and Nightwish shows some time ago in Amsterdam. And of course not to forget the all-time great Mr. Udo Dirkschneider having his son Sven on drums, how nice this is!
How much input did your band mates have during the production of "I Before You"? How many other musicians do you plan to collaborate with once your current release gets around? How do you hope working with different musicians will provide the band with a variety of musical styles?
Given that I have the overall idea and responsibility over the project, I provided the framework/concept/style I am looking for every song, then let them process it and give me their interpretation. This is the model I intend to follow for this project in general, work on my ideas as the songwriter and then based on the style I want for every song look for the right collaboration. Don’t have a pre-decided plan on how many musicians to use but definitely this model allows me to experiment with various sounds, styles and musicians.
Who is the promotion company that is helping you spread the word? Could they also promote the CD and vinyl versions of "I Before You"? Do they also promote Julian's Lullaby?
The promotion agency is called K.S. Music Promotion, it’s an independent P.R. and booking management and the plan is to work with them for all future versions of the EP. We have worked with Kostas via another agency to promote Julian’s Lullaby in the past, and possibly will work again in the future. Talking about Julian’s Lullaby, we have been working for our third album for some time now but personal and family situations have delayed the whole process considerably. Hope we can finish it this year.
In what circumstances did you first become aware of KS Music Promotion, and what events led you to partner with them to promote your music? How much effort do they put into promoting their bands?
As mentioned, I have known Kostas for a few years now and we have worked together through Julian’s Lullaby so I’m fully aware of their professionalism and effort they put in helping their bands. Communication and transparency is also something well appreciated. We are all grown-ups so no room for fuss and making things unnecessarily complicated.
How long has Julian's Lullaby been around, with whom are you working and how many releases have you made so far as a project?
Julian's Lullaby is a band I formed in 2006 while still living in Greece, we have released an EP and two full-length albums on CD format. We have changed a lot of members throughout the years but our line-up is more or less stable since 2012, currently it is myself, George and Anna on vocals and a couple of friends as session musicians on drums, bass and lead guitars plus some guests on piano and violins.
Musically and lyrically, how similar are Julian's Lullaby and Under The Shadows? What are the different ways in which these bands can be distinguished?
Hm, musically I wouldn’t say much, except for the fact that I am the main man in both! Although I would expect someone that likes one could also like the other. However this is not the idea. I also expect to attract new listeners who wouldn’t like Julian’s Lullaby per se. Lyrically you can find similarities of course, but the style of Under The Shadows is more aggressive and direct. Julian’s Lullaby is more melodic and romantic with lots of keyboards and symphonic elements. The vocals are also balanced between male and female, while with Under The Shadows things can be much more experimental. In the future though, I intend to try other things with Under The Shadows. I am not limiting my options.
Does Julian's Lullaby exchange files in the process of composing? What file sharing software is best suited for collaborating and assembling material? Are you in contact with the musicians with whom you are working online?
Since we live in different countries with most of the musicians I collaborate with, file exchange seems the way to go. The actual collaboration is online but not synchronous, if I get the question correctly. I send the file(s) using Wetransfer for example, explain what I need and then I get the file(s) back for review, asking for revisions until the result is the best possible.
As the new recording of Julian's Lullaby is completed, how do you anticipate it will sound? Is there a desire for you to continue to build on what they have created so far?
The Julian’s Lullaby material is done to a large extent already, so songs direction is known more or less. Vocals and guitar solos are still to be done but the overall sound is not much different from the previous album. As long as there is an appetite for doing more, then I can definitely build up. It is true that we haven’t been very active in the past years due to various, mostly personal and family reasons. Hope we can soon finish the album and be able to release it!
If you considered the differences between Julian's Lullaby and Under The Shadows, would you say working with them has a balancing effect on you as a musician?
Yes, this is a fair statement to make.
Back to "I Before You", could you describe what “Black Butterfly”, “7 (Sweet) Sins”, “The Emperor and The Nightingale” and “Blue Dragon” are about, and how much of Anna Spanogiorgou’s experiences are reflected in the lyrics?
I don’t personally know what every poem (they were initially written as poems) is talking about, but there is a common denominator in most of them. They are dark and romantic, for example “The Emperor and The Nightingale” is a fairytale if I recall correctly. Fairytales and imaginary places are all over the place, like in “Blue Dragon”. You can sense dark romance and melancholy in most of these songs’ lyrics and this brings a certain mood, character and personality to Anna’s writing. Sometimes, I add a few lines or change the words to fit the melody but the core concept stays mostly intact. These lyrics have been an inspiration to me. The idea is to use a variety of themes in the future but I must also admit that writing lyrics is not actually my cup of tea unless I have a topic I really like to write about. Writing music is my way of expression.
In what ways, if any, do you think "I Before You" will provide inspiration for the material you and Anna prepare for your next recording? Is it more likely that you will wipe the slate clean and begin anew? At this point, have any ideas been proposed?
I have some ideas already for new songs and plan to begin pre-production in the coming months. I have some lyrics from Anna still to use so I will see what works and if I need additional inspiration. “I Before You” is definitely a good baseline for the next release but like I said, I don't want to limit my options.
