27 February 2014

HOLY MOSES "Redefined Mayhem"

Cult German thrashers HOLY MOSES reveal artwork and tracklist from the new album "Redefined Mayhem" out on 28 April 2014 (Germany: 25 April 2014; US: 29 April 2014). There will be two different artworks for the CD and LP Version. TRACK LISTING CD Version
01 Hellhound
02 Triggered
03 Undead Dogs
04 Into The Dark
05 Sacred Sorrows
06 Process Of Projection
07 Fading Realities
08 Liars
09 Redemption Of The Shattered
10 Whet The Knife
11 Delusion
12 One Step Ahead Of Death
13 This Dirt

TRACKLISING Vinyl Version
LP 1A
1. Hellhound
2. Undead Dogs
3. Sacred Sorrows
LP 1B
1. Triggered
2. Into the Dark
3. Process of Projection
LP 2A
1. Delusion
2. Fading Realities
3. Liars
4. Entering The Now (Bonus Track)
LP 2B
1. Whet the Knife
2. Redemption of the Shattered
3. One Step ahead of Death
4. This Dirt


IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM TOM G. WARRIOR!

The next statement is from TRIPTYKON´s Official Facebook page :
A personal message from Tom Gabriel Warrior: "The box set with extra items, limited to an edition of 2000, contains the mediabook edition of the album. It is not a Triptykon product, however, but a Century Media idea (much like the 10" box is a Nuclear Blast-only edition). I strongly dislike the CM box, and it is my personal recommendation to Triptykon's fans not to purchase it."

"CM have licensed the rights for the album and can thus market it as they wish, but that doesn't mean there are merits in such a limited edition venture. I personally feel it is in bad taste and does not represent Triptykon. All items which are officially issued by Triptykon (i.e., the mediabook CD, the pendant, and the tote bag) will be available separately through the usual outlets, so there is no need to support such a cheap and ill-fitting marekting venture."

I just wanted to share this becasue in my opinion it´s great to read an Honest statement like this from a musician"

22 February 2014

AUTOPSY New Album!

Cult Death Metal act AUTOPSY will release a new album this April.
"Tourniquets, Hacksaws and Graves" is due to be released on April 21st through Peaceville Records.

19 February 2014

INTERVIEW with VAMPIRE

MOST OF YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS SWEDISH CREATURE. AFTER A KILLER AND SUCCESSFUL DEMO, LATER RELEASED AS A 7",  VAMPIRE ARE ABOUT TO RELEASE THEIR DEBUT LP THROUGH CENTURY MEDIA.  BLACK STRING [GUITARS] ANSWERED THIS INTERVIEW AND NOW YOU CAN [YOU MUST!] READ THE RESULT. 
MORTALS,  OPEN THE COFFIN AND MEET...VAMPIRE 

Please tell us how did the band started? What or who inspired you to create the band and play this style of music?
Vampire formed in 2011 when Hand of Doom suggested that he and I better start a filthy death/thrash metal band together. Command joined the ranks on bass guitar in the autumn of 2011 and Vampire was born. At the time I was in a period of heavy Slayer obsession, while Hand of Doom probably leaned more towards the early style of death metal found in bands like Necrophagia and Autopsy. The sound on the early Vampire compositions is probably a mixture between those two styles. 
Why did you name your  band Vampire? What things do you find appealing about vampirism? I`ll bet all my money that you don’t give a damn about all this Twilight shit, but what about classic or modern movies, and literature? 
I’d probably heard about the Twilight series and vampire trend when we took the band name, but as you say, those things didn’t interest me. I grew up listening to bands who used to feature the Vlad Tepes and Countess Bathory myths in their lyrics and imagery such as Marduk, Dissection, Ophthalamia, Tormentor and of course Bathory. Apart from that, having read the Bram Stoker roman and watched a few related movies, that’s about it with me and vampires. The idea to adapt Vampire as a band name came to me when Hand of Doom suggested the Romanian word strigoi (“undead” or “vampire”) for a band name.
Let´s talk about your Self titled debut LP, how would you describe the concept and the music ? 
The The album is an inferno of haunting and powerful energies. The album cover sums the whole concept up pretty well: autumn, soil and darkness.
How was the recording process and production?, how do you achieve that raw and creepy sound?
It wasn’t very complicated to achieve the production we aimed at. We knew what we wanted and it just demanded a few minor adjustments in the studio.
What can you tell about the artwork? It features the same “creature” or Character  used on the demo. Will you use it in all of your releases? Is it some kind of symbol like Motorhead´s Warpig or Iron Maiden´s Eddie?  
It’s a bit early to say if the reaper character will return on our next release. It is not unlikely that it will happen, but on the other hand I prefer variation before tradition from time to time.
Do you care about people labeling your style (Thrash, Black or Death Metal)? Do you feel
comfortable with the term “old school”?
 I don’t care much about that. There are so many concepts about what each and every of those styles represent and whatnot, so I try not to categorize Vampire’s music. I wouldn’t call our music old school, but maybe our music better carry that label just so people know in which box to place our albums.
Why did you decide to name the album Vampire, as you did with the demo and the 7”?
It was reason enough that Black Sabbath and Bathory did the same thing when baptizing their debut albums. Besides, we didn’t have any better title.
Regarding the demo and the 7”, both were sold out almost in no time? Did you expect that kind of response after you recorded your very first release?
The demo sold out within a week, roughly. It took some more time to sell the seven-inches, but they went fast too. We didn’t expect that kind of response at all.
Would you consider a re- release in a near future (even it was reissued by To The Death records some time ago)?
Not at the time being. Three out of four songs from the seven-inch are featured on the album in re-recorded but very slightly altered versions, so it would be a bit over the top to re-release those songs again.
How  the band reacted after knowing  that Century Media was interested in adding Vampire to their ranks?.  How did you get in contact with them?
We were in touch with quite a few record labels already when we got to know that Century Media’s people were impressed with our show at Live Evil in London. We quickly let Century Media know that we would be interested in signing with them and next thing that happened, the label came with an offer that was far better than the other deals we negotiated before. By that time our debut album was already recorded, so we were happy to get the dealing over with quickly.
What do your lyrics deal with? 
The lyrical themes vary, but in brief: life and death, psychology, obscure nature romanticism and nuclear holocaust.
Hand Of Doom was handling the drums until last year, now drummer Ratwing joined the band, why did you decide to incorporate a new drummer? Was it for improving live performances?
Ratwing initially joined us as a session drummer for live performances. Ratwing’s style of drumming made the band a lot more powerful and we quickly abandoned the idea of recording our album with the same line-up as for the demo.
How has your live experience been so far? With which bands you enjoyed most sharing the stage?We’ve had some really exciting live experiences so far. The bands I’ve gotten along well with personally are Repulsion, Antichrist and Verminous.
Tell about your all time fave bands and your fave ones from the current scene?
All time faves would be the bands that introduced me to the rock’ n roll and metal side of things and their classic albums: Metallica, Slayer, Guns n’ Roses and Iron Maiden. The first death metal band that I got into was Morbid Angel. I’ve mostly listened to the more epic sides of metal during the last fifteen years and previously to that I was mostly listening to black metal. I still remember when discovering bands like Burzum, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Dissection, Marduk, Tormentor and Nifelheim, those bands really changed my perspectives on extreme music. My current favorite bands are Tribulation, Antichrist and In Solitude. I’ve grown tired of most extreme music a long time ago, apart from the acts I mentioned and a few live shows here and there. I don’t have time or energy to check out new bands very often, so I might have missed out on a few current gems.
Let me know your opinion about the following albums...
Merciless “The Awakening”
DSP classic, an album which probably could’ve gained more attention if it had been released some years earlier.
Watain “The Wild Hunt”
 I haven’t listened to any Watain albums since “Rabid Death’s Curse”.
Necrophobic “The Nocturnal Silence”
An underrated milestone in Swedish death metal. It was one of the first death metal albums I listened to and got obsessed with it instantly.
Degial “Death´s Striking Wings”
I haven’t heard the album, but Degial is a great live band.
Bathory “Twilight of the Gods”
The album that defines the word “epic”. It would make a fine day to die.
What do you think about the comeback of cassettes and printed zines? Is there a back to the roots spirit in the scene? Is it just a trend, or has the attitude really changed compared to the last decade?

 Perhaps there is a bigger recognition of tape demos now than ten years ago, but cassettes and printed ‘zines never really ceased from the scene, did it? If there is a rise in popularity of printed ‘zines and cassettes nowadays, I guess it is just a reaction against the digital music consumption.
What is the strangest place and the most shocking one that you´ve been?
I went to Transnistria, a breakaway republic in eastern Moldova, six years ago. I would just call it a very interesting place in daylight, but it was a bit strange to find yourself in a dark bunker with several border guards asking all kinds of questions as I tried to leave the country to enter Ukraine in the evening. I finally got out of it and still have a small urge to go back some day. Another quite strange thing that happened to me in Moldova was when walking at a miserably maintained cemetery in the outskirts of the capital on a rainy day when suddenly a huge stray dog emerged out of a large hole beneath a tombstone. That was unexpected, but would have been scarier at night time. I wonder what that dog had dug up to gnaw at under that tombstone.
Tell me about your near future once the album is released
We are slowly but steadily writing new songs and we shall see what it turns out like.    
Thanks for your time,  last words are yours…
Thanks for the interview and greetings to the internet forum posers out there.

"...THE SICK CURSE IS ALIVE..."



TOTAL MAYHEM! Mayhem "Psywar" [Official Lyric Video]


THE TRUE MAYHEM returns with a new 7" single "Psywar", set to be released in April 25th [Eourope] and April 29th [North America]. The 7" featuring two tracks: "Psywar" and "Beyond Event Horizon" will be available Trhough Season Of Mist in different colored limited editions and featrues art from Zbigniew Bielak (Watain, Ghost, Behemoth) and Costin Chioreanu (Ulver, Vader, Ihsahn). Here is the Lyric video of Psywar...

17 February 2014

NECROMANTIA - Compilation of Rarities!


Cult band NECROMANTIA will release a double cd compilation of rarities from early works, demos, splits and also songs from Necromancy (pre-necromantia).
"Nekromanteion - A collection of Arcane Hexes" will be released next April and will include extensive booklet'.
Tracklist:
-Family of Dog (The Feast of Ghouls) 1990 -De Magia Veterum (The Dawn of Utter Darkness) 1990 -Faceless Gods 1990 -Evil Prayers 1990 -Lycanthropia 1990 -La Mort 1990 -Lord of the Abyss 1991 -The Feast of Ghouls 1991 -Evil Prayers 1991 -Lycanthropia 1991 -Spiritforms of The Psychomancer 1997 - My World, Your Hell 2001 - Death Rider (Omen cover) 2001 - The Number of the Beast (Iron Maiden cover) 2001 - The Demon's Whip (Manowar cover) 2001 - Mordor (Running Wild cover) 2001
NECROMANCY (Pre-Necromantia) - Visons of Lunacy demo 1989 -Thrashifixion - Shattered Bodies -Outbreak of Evil (Sodom cover) - Forbidden Rites -Nocturnal Cry

THE GALLERY...


Pollice Verso 
Jean-Léon Gérôme
1872 Oil on canvas
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, United States

15 February 2014

POSSESSION - Anneliese 7" extract


Listen to short extract of the tracks "Anneliese" and "Apparition" from the forthcoming POSSESSION 7" Anneliese.

NOCTURNAL BREED - "Napalm Nights"


NOCTURNAL BREDED will release their fifth full-lenght "Napalm Nights" through Agonia Records next March 11th in Europe and March 18th in North America. Here is one of the new songs " The Devil Swept The Ruins". the Album will be available as a digipack CD, limited double vinyl in gatefold sleeve including lyric sheet and A2 poster and digitally. Here is the tracklist:
The Devil Swept The Ruins
Speedkrieg
Cursed Beyond Recognition
The Bitch Of Buchenwald
Napalm Nights
Thrashiac
Dawn Campaign... Flamethrower Ridge
Under The Whip
Dragging The Priests
Krigshisser

12 February 2014

INTERVIEW with UPYR

UPYR FROM SOFIA BULGARIA, WERE FORMED IN 2012 AND LAST YEAR THEY RELEASED THEIR  DEBUT DEMO ALTARS/TUNNELS   A MAGNIFICENT WORK OF OBSCURE AND COLD DOOM METAL,  EVOKING DESOLATE LANDSCAPES AND GLOOMY MOODS.  BRODNIK [VOCALS] MORA [BASS] AND B.V. [DRUMS] SHED SOME `[CANDLE]LIGHT  ON THROUGH THE  SHADOWS OF...UPYR!

When and how was the formation of UPYR
Brodnik: The idea for Upyr haunted the air for a while and it was meant to happen rather sooner  than later because of our need to play doom metal and the deficit of such bands around here. We gathered in the autumn of 2012. For me, personally, the trigger has been a year in Prague, where dark things happened and I needed to release the gruesome energy when I came back in “cheery” Sofia.
Mora: That was a long-awaited event for me. As an introvert I found that is also a good method to work on my suppressed emotions and relate to other human beings.
V.B.: I’ve always wanted to have a band together with Brodnik and I’m proud to play with Upyr as a whole.

Please tell more abound the meaning of the band name and why did you chose it.
Brodnik: Upyr, just like Brodnik comes from the Bulgarian folklore and represents it’s darkest corners. I was looking for something native and at the same time universal in meaning. Those forgotten Balkan lands are soaked with blood and mischief and there’s a great amount of pain and misery in the old tales of our people. Long time ago when one of the main habitants of our territories were the Slavs – the mighty Upyr used to be half of their view of life. It was the unholy arch spirit, the bringer of evil, the roots of darkness which withstands the favorable Beregins – the source of light. It’s also one of the main sources for the idea of the vampire was established later, long before the legend of Dracula and Bathory up north.
Mora:  As Upyr has it's roots in the slavic folklore, I find it a good way to be in touch with our cultural heritage. And with the dark nuances it carries it's just perfect for our concept. 
V.B.: The Upyr is the symbol of our times. The world’s going from bad to worse and society is dominated by the tyranny of the consumer. This is the era of Upyr!
Tell us about the recording of ALTARS/TUNNELS and how is the creative process of your material? Do all members take part when composing music and lyrics?
Brodnik: There’s equality in the process of creation. I personally am responsible for the concept of the band, the lyrics and the visual representation alongside the vocals. I believe that today those aspects of a band are as important as the music itself, especially in the underground scene, where people are looking for essence not just something to nod their heads to.
Mora: We recorded the instruments for  “Before the Altars of Necrotic Karma” and ”Into the Tunnels of my Sleep” live in a studio for about 4 hours, and then Brodnik added the vocals.  Hymn to Pan has been recorded separately and the bonus track on the tape is from an early rehearsal - just a magical moment of jamming in the studio.  The lyrics come straight from Brodnik’s tortured soul and are both personal and universal.
V.B.: There were no tricks in the studio and we tried to do it natural and raw as it can be. Normally I’m a perfectionist and I spend a lot of time in the mixing studio but this time there wasn’t too much to be done. It’s a DIY demo which Yanis Petras mixed better than we expected and deserves praise for his work. SPASM, our guitarist did the mastering.
Are you satisfied with the result regarding sound and production, was it the first time in the studio for all the band´s members?

Brodnik: We are all coming from different bands, some of which go two decades back in time. It was not our first recording at all. Although we intended to create a demo with low production costs so we recorded live all the instruments and I did my vocals later. It’s DIY release and there were adherents that helped us a lot.
Mora: For a demo recording I think we've reached a very good quality of the final material. We all have some previous experience in studio, so that helped us shape the release the way we felt it should be.
V.B.: If you are looking for flaws you can always find them but I’m very satisfied with the end result. It was important for us as a band to see where things went in the creation process and how we progressed in that first year.

Were you aiming at that obscure blend of Black and Doom Metal or did it just come out naturally when the band first started? Blackened doom metal is the best description for Upyr´s style?
Brodnik: I find your definition – obscure – as a prominent aspect of our music. What we were aiming for was doom metal with obscure presence but the style and the specific sound came by itself. I don’t think we have that much black metal in our music, but stylistically and conceptually there is a common ground with it for sure.
Mora:  We don’t believe we should indulge too much in following the already defined presets. All of us have different musical influences (of course, we share some too) and that is what creates our blend.
V.B.: The truth is it’s completely natural because we didn’t have an idea exactly what it’s going to be when we gathered for the first rehearsal.  
The demo got a very good response with stunning reviews from death/doom zines and magazines. did you expect that receivement?
Brodnik: Sincerely we didn’t. Most important for us is to create and share those energies but when people so dedicated in what they are doing find it good and worthwhile it gives our efforts much bigger meaning. It drags our music out of the isolation which is amazing.
Mora:  It was kind of shocking for me at first – such a flow of reviews! Though I'm somewhat a perfectionist, I come to believe that we deserve the positive feedback, so I'm really glad we've earned that with the first release.
V.B.: It’s all good and most importantly it shows that if you’re dedicated and you give enough efforts it always works.
Why the title Altars-tunnels?  What kind of themes influence the lyrics?
Brodnik: Because it’s obscure, fragmentary and at the same time central in the release. It represents the two main songs in the demo: “Before the Altars of Necrotic Karma” and “Into the Tunnels of my Sleep”. “Hymn to Pan” is more atmospheric and peripheral addition to the CD release and “Welcome to the Ritual” is a tribute to the people who grew up with the cassette movement which was extremely important in Bulgaria in the 80s and 90s.
The lyrics are personally endured, and most importantly survived!  Who reads them will find out what they meant. It’s crucial for me to feel those emotions when I sing so I try to be as sincere as I can. I’m more than glad that without instilling meanings I find people who experienced the same tough moments in their lives and the lyrics help them to get by.
Mora:  These two words combine very well, the title is simple and yet having the air of despair (at least for me) which the lyrics are full of.

Which are your fave bands and your main musical influences?
Brodnik: As hard as it is to answer such a question I will try to approach is as a fan. My favorite bands are The Sisters of Mercy, Death in June, Danzig, My Dying Bride, Candlemass and Hellhammer/Celtic Frost. I think you can sense that easily in our music.
Mora: I have eclectic musical taste and I find it hard to determine my 'favorite' bands, so I'll mention Khanate as one of the important influences for me in the context of the dark side of the universe.
V.B.: As the oldest member of the band the list would be long… I’m a sprout of the punk, death rock scene but I find my roots in the 50’s blues and rock’n’roll and 60’s garage.  
What things outside music would you say that influences Upyr´s music?... landscapes, folklore…?
Brodnik: Mostly the transitivity of life itself and our predestined existence as a society. Culture in all of it’s aspects. The suffering as a way of life for those who question their purpose here on Earth.
Mora: Sofia city dismal landscapes provide a good inspiration for me and also the state of our society – disorientation in its values and alienation to the greatest extent. My personal battle to reach some peace with this world also influences me.
V.B.: Life happing is the main catalyst. You can add some mystics, philosophy and occult knowledge. I belive we can turn everything that happnes to us in our lives into creative energy.
How did you get in touch with Serpent eve records and what can you say about them?
Brodnik: Vladimir from Serpent Eve contacted us for the cassette release. He’s one of those people who are responsible for keeping the underground scene alive with his efforts and persistence if you know what I mean. I can say only positive stuff about our collaboration.
V.B.: The cassette played a main role into our growing as fans and musicians. We discussed with Brodnik that we would do it from the early days of the band. In times when people don’t seem to care enough about anything, let alone underground music,  Vladimir was upright and dedicated and that’s what matters.  
What´s your opinion about the doom metal scene? Personally I´m pleased by latest releases from bands such as Uncoffined, Solothus, …and what about the classics like Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus? Are any of those releases among your faves of the past year?
Brodnik: You sure have a taste in music then! Personally I listen to a lot of oldschool evil metal and neofolk these days. Windhand, Cough and Anhedonist releases were amazing when it comes to an original interpretation of the genre. And of course we bow down before the classic doom bands
Mora: The scene seems lively nowadays. Windhand's 'Soma', Ghost B.C. 'Infestissumam', Boris's 'Präparat', Dark Buddha Rising 'Dakhmandal' are among the albums that made an impression on me through 2013.
V.B.: No matter strong or weak, the doom scene has had it’s fingerprints in heavy music through the years. There’s definitely a revival and exitement right now which is a good surprise. I’m waiting for the new Electric Wizard and I can’t stop listening to Venomous Maximus.

How is the metal scene in Bulgaria? Are there some cool bands to discover?
Brodnik: The metal scene in Bulgaria if there’s any is a bit chaotic and sporadic unfortunately. There are acts of class and originality but they don’t lead to one strong core. The positives of that are that most of the bands are quite indipendent. The audience here is intelignt and well educated because they got into what they like the hard way by collecting and digging into it.. They are demanding and most of all deserving. In the last year there is some reshuffling and I see more and more people longing for slow and heavy music and more and more bands trying to achieve that. The most important thing is that those bands try to support each other which is kind of new here. I can mention some of them: the oldschool doom visionaries Obsidian Sea, the dirty instrumental sludge brigade Muddy, the psychodelic trio Trysth, bounderless Murder of Crows and the pure evil thrashers Axecutor. 
Mora: In Bulgaria everything is small-scale so the support inside of the newly forming community of dark and slow bands is crucial. I'm optimistic, at last there is some movement and maybe we will even witness the formation of a 'scene' ... In the recent months the album of our  doom associates Obsidian Sea, 'Between Two Deserts' , haunts me every single day, you can hear two of the songs on bandcamp and see if you end up hooked.
V.B.: It’s one of a kind, the bulgarian scene. There are fans and interesting bands but it’s hard to be seriously involved in music as there are no labels eager to do some work and promote your music. Till 1989 it was hard because of the regime and the so called “Iron Wall”. Somehow music got into here, through mysterious ways, but there were no concerts and it was impossible to build a real scene of any kind. It started decades after it first happned in the west with the arrival of the 90s. Even now, 20 years later it’s still all DIY.
 How have been your gigs so far? I guess that you’re impatiently waiting for your 1st gigs abroad ? Is there something in the works for a tour ?
Brodnik: All our shows by now were quite full and well appreciated which is striking to me. There’s a specific atmosphere, especially when we play with Obsidian Sea. There’s the presence of doom in the venue which we were waiting for so long. We played with ISKRA (Canada) and in a few days we will share the scene with KYLESA(USA) and TURBOCHARGED(Sweden) which is flattering.
In April we maybe we will play in Serbia with one of the most extreme bands that I’ve come up to in a while – WHITEHORSE from Australia. Just a day after they will come and destroy Sofia alongside us, TRYSTH and may be MUDDY.
Mora:  I'm very pleased with our gigs so far.  We shared the stage with great bands. The proper atmosphere managed to emerge from the shadows of the subconscious and the audience was involved, so the experience was intense and rewarding. I expect the same from the upcoming shows.
V.B.: It’s unbelievable how things happened in our small “doom” community. There’s a lot of respect and support between us. As a band we’re trying to improve our live performances by adding something new each time we play in front of people. We want to back visualy our music and turn the songs into rituals of some kind. I’m personaly always up for touring and I’m sure it will happen soon.
Do you have some new songs written? Are there already any plans for a debut album?
Brodnik: It’s early for plans for a debut album but we’re definitely working on new songs. We already perform some of them live and I believe they are more complex but still as dark and heavy. What we’re planning for sure is a music video and may be a split with a fellow Bulgarian band.
Mora: We like to play with new ideas and see how they shape into new songs, so we already have some new material.  Now we are concentrated on getting in shape for our upcoming concerts, so the work on the new songs is a bit slowed down. But we are looking forward to recording again when the moment strikes.
How do you imagine the band in the future? What are your goals with Upyr?
Brodnik: The only goal we can set for ourselves is to continue creating what we love and spreading it to the people who know what they are looking for. Everything else is a bonus.
Mora: I don't involve myself making particular plans (what must happen will happen). The most rewarding thing is the act of creating, so I hope that we continue with the pouring of our music trough time and space.
V.B.: It would be foolish to use the momentum of the good feedback and just write and record some songs. Most important is that we put our souls into it and we won’t make any compromise and hurry too much with the album.
The most strange and shocking place?
Brodnik: Come and visit us, mate, it’s quite strange around here! No seriously, I think that the planet Earth is enough shocking and bizarre. We know so little about our own home.
Mora: The most horrific places are hidden in the depths of our minds.
V.B.: That has to be my head. Believe me you don’t want to get in there.
With your debut demo out there, which plans do you have for the near future?
Brodnik: Live performances, a video and a split.
 Ok, thanks for your time, anything you would like to add to end this interview? 
Brodnik: If you ever feel lost come with us. Most probably we won’t find the way but at least we will be together.
Mora: Morituri te salutant!
V.B.: Support your local scene as the cliché says! That’s what keep thing going on.
Keep Lucifer’s torch close to your hearts and search for the Truth! 

10 February 2014

THE GALLERY...


Saturn Devouring His Son
1636-1637 Peter Paul Rubens
Oil On Canvas
Museo del prado, Madrid, Spain


Saturno Devorando a un Hijo
1820-1823 Francisco de Goya
Oil on Canvas
Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

8 February 2014

INTERVIEW with DRACENA


DRACENA returns with a new opus since the release of the debut lp in 2006. The 4 track MCD Ravenous Bloodlust is the powerfull and inspired new release. We contacted the founder member and mastermind Mia to talk about this new dawn for the mighty Dracena.   The Dragon spread its wings...



Hi Mia, Thanks for answering this questions, how are you? And how does it feel to have a new recording out since 2006?
Hi Chris! Thanks for the interview, I am doing fine. It feels great to have a new release out! It’s been waaaay too long!  Ravenous Bloodlust turned out to be so much better than I excpected! The sound we got from Sonic Train Studio fits so good with the songs, the cover art looks amazing and I have a full line-up again for the band. This is such a great start for the “new” Dracena and I feel  very positive for 2014 to be a great year for us!
What happened during that period?  What caused the waiting of 8 years to hear new songs from Dracena?
I’d started working with new material after I finished the recording of the Infernal Damnation album and recorded 2 new demo-tracks on request from a label but it never lead to anything. Then I have re-located a few times and basically been busy with my ordinary job for the last 5-6 years. Now when things finally slowed down a bit I decided to do a recording of some of the material I have created meanwhile. So early 2013 I was searching for a drummer and a friend of mine, the very same day, sent me a message to listen to his latest recording and asked if I needed a drummer. So we set a date for the studio and decided to record 4 songs to see what kind of reception it would receive before we’d go for a full length album.
Can you tell us about the new line up?
The new line-up is me on vocals/guitar, Piet the J (Savagery)-  guitar, K. - bass and F. - drums. The other guys are from the old death and black metal scene. During the studio session K. came over to hang out and contributed with some additional vocals on 2 of the tracks, Ravenous Bloodlust and Witching Hour. I asked him to join the band to handle the bass and he accepted. Piet joined a few weeks later and Dracena was again set with a new line-up. I think the new line-up works really well, great musicians and more importantly we also get along very well on a personal level. So let’s see what kind of material will be spawned fo r the next album…




























On your debut LP Infernal Damnation you did the vocals and played all the instruments except for the drums, is it the same this time?
Yes, I am again responsible for both the guitars and the bass, except for a guest solo on Crypt of Darkness which is played by Jimmy Hedlund from Falconer. He happened to be around the studio while we recorded and was asked to shred some hellfire on that particular song. The main vocals are also me with additional backing from  K. whom later became my new bass player. The drums are played by F.
On the way to the studio we listened to Slayer’s Show no Mercy album in the car and immediately decided to change a lot of the drums to a more old school “Slayer assault”.  It was a lot of fun to be back in the studio again and to hear how the recording turned out when it was finished.
How would you define the style on Ravenous, and what differences exist compared to Infernal…
The style of Ravenous Bloodlust is more towards Black Thrash Metal than the material  I have written before. I also want to try to get back more to the old style of metal as I grew up with and I would say that Ravenous Bloodlust is far more aggressive compared to Infernal Damnation. Both by the sound and by the material itself.  That was why I chose Sonic Train Studios, because we were very pleased with the “Demonic Women” demo we recorded with Andy La Rocque and I wanted Ravenous to have the best possible sound I could get. It’s very much a Dracena production but better than ever. All of the 4 songs are different and I’ve heard comparisions spanning from Bathory and Nifelheim to Running Wild and Helloween.
What´s your lyrical inspiration? Is there any lyric on Ravenous that you like specially?
I prefer to write lyrics with roots in supernatural and fantasy… like short stories. I try to write the lyrics so it reflects the music and write it in a way that will make the listener see and feel what I see and feel. My inspiration is mainly from books, movies or documentaries.
The lyrics on Ravenous Bloodlust is about 4 different individuals, creatures, and how they think and feel about killing their prey. For these lyrics I had a lot of inspiration from anime series like Trinity Blood, Hellsing and Black Butler to name a few. 
I do like all the lyrics on the album, can’t say I prefer any of them less.

I like your vocal work, which thankfully is not the trendy “Angela Gossow” guttural style. ( I also commented this on my interview with Körgull The Exterminator with singer Lilith) Which female and/or male singers have inspired you to sing this way?
This is just the way I turned out to “sing” when we started the band. Our first vocalist quit and no one else wanted to handle the vocals so it’s more of an accident that I became a vocalist at all. I like the Black Metal style vocals, not much the growls of Death Metal though, but I can’t say I have a particular “grunt” vocalist to refer to in this case. I do admire vocalists of more traditional metal like Blackie Lawless, Kai Hansen, Rob Halford, Doro Pesch… wish I could sing like one of them.
What can you tell about the cover artwork? I think it´s great and it has some kind of  80s style and feeling….
The artwork is so cool and I am really glad I decided to use a professional artist for this. It is painted by Mariusz Gandzel, a fantasy illustrator who creates such amazing artwork and he’s done a lot of covers for role-playing games. I got in contact with him through Bart Gabriel Management, in the very last minute. The album was already sent to pressing, so I had to stop the order to re-make the whole layout and it was just pure luck Mariusz had time to make me this cover artwork in such a short notice. I sent him the “Ravenous Bloodlust” track and gave him a few leads about what the lyrics were about and he made the cover from scratch to finish in just 4 days. Very impressive! I would love to have more of his illustrations on my future album covers.
What bands inspired you and influenced you when you formed the band?
My main influences, as I have mentioned earlier, hails from the 80’s, old heavy/thrash/speed metal. I listen to Bathory, Mötley Crüe, Annihilator, Kreator, Attacker, W.A.S.P, Metal Church, Testament etc. Those are the influences I try to recycle into my own music.
I know you have a good taste for 80s bands, but is there any “new” band that you discovered and listen to recently?
Hmm can’t say I have. But a lot of my old favorite bands are back and they have released some very cool and heavy new stuff! Like Kreator – Phantom Antichrist or Testament - Dark roots of Earth
Your second demo Demonic Women,  got a great impact in the scene when it was released, what memories do you have from the recording, and how do you see the demo in perspective nowadays?
I remember I was nervous about playing the guitar with Andy La Rocque sitting there watching, was a very scary moment of my life. One of the funniest moment which happened was when Pepa (Lord Belial/Vassago) came to the studio to record the solo to the Hounds of Hell track. He appears dressed in a suit, carrying his guitar case and he looks like some kind of mafia member on his way to a hit. He opens the case and plugs in the guitar and rips off this solo, puts the guitar back in the case and takes off again. Took like 5 minutes.
I still think the Demonic Women is the best of the 3 demos we recorded back in the days, both in material and sound. It received lot of attention and positive reviews and press. I often get requests about if there are still remaining copies available of the demo or the 7” which was pressed by Bloodstone Entertainment, but it’s sold out long time ago.
You recorded a cover of Wasp “Fuck Like a Beast”, (great choice!)  is there any other songs that you would like to cover?
It was a cool song for a W.A.S.P tribute but the main reason I decided to record that particular song was that it was one of the first metal songs I listened to. I got it on a cassette tape from a class mate along with tracks from Kiss and Twisted Sister and it just seemed like a great choice. I have plans to release it on a 7”vinyl split with another Swedish band but nothing is decided yet.
There are so many great songs to cover it’s really hard to choose. For live covers I would choose some classic (not too original though) tracks to speed up the audience a bit. 
Judas Priest – Leather Rebel, Mötley Crüe– Red Hot, Slayer – Antichrist

You have been involved in different projects such as Deathwitch and Pagan Rites, are you currently involved in any other projects besides Dracena?
No, nothing right now. I am more interested in focusing on Dracena for the coming year so maybe later or after the next full length is done
If I´m not wrong the EP is an independent/Self-release,  in your opinion which are the pros and cons of working this way?
Ravenous Bloodlust is completely self financed and released under my own Drac Productions, same as previous album Infernal Damnation.
Pros – the freedom of being in charge of everything and that I can decide anything without having to get permission from anyone else than band members.
The cons are the question of financing for example a studio, pressing the album, artwork, layouts etc. A professional recorded and pressed album cost money and a lot of time to prepare. Then there is also the time needed to take care about all the other activities happening meanwhile, website updates, making the music available online, press, requests for gigs , reviews, interviews… with a full time job on top of that there is not much time left over for other things.
Do you have plans for touring to support Ravenous? With which active and inactive bands would you like to play with?
We will probably do a few gigs here and there in Europe during the year, but there will not be any actual tour supporting this album. Right now we will focus more on writing the next album to get it recorded as soon as possible. It would be great to go on a tour and if we get an offer we will of course consider to accept it.
Active bands I’d like to support right now would be Kreator, Testament or perhaps Annihilator. Inactive bands – Heavy Load, Bathory, Mercyful Fate
What´s the strangest place and the most shocking place you have been?
I Can´t recall any such situation, guess I am just not too easily shocked :D
What are the next steps for Dracena and what do you expect for 2014!
Next step as already mentioned is to complete the upcoming full length and record it as soon as possible. It feels good to finally have a full line-up and I am certain that the new members will be a great addition in writing the new material and to the Dracena sound! If everything turns out well I hope Dracena will get a label to support the band. Also a tour by the end of 2014 would be really cool. I really hope that 2014 will be a good year for us, I will make sure of that.
Thanks for the interview, is there anything you would like to add?
Thanks Chris! You pretty much covered it all! Keep the blood running down the screams! !..!    


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