From the get go this album crushes. Under Attack’s title track is vicious and point blank, and there’s no stopping on this German speed metal train. For 47 minutes you are locked in with the masters of three decades of aggression hammering into your spine. The new Destruction will make your ears bleed bullets.
Destruction have never been shy about expressing their vehemence toward a decaying society. With corruption and madness unleashed all among us, the band are in a better position than ever to furiously attack the senses.
Destruction fans should be familiar with the melodic overkill of these Teutonic titans, but those just stepping into the master’s den should expect nothing short of the best hooks, and some of the cruelest riffs in the arena of thrash. Schmier’s vocals are an unforgiving hail storm of lyrics that revolve around a tornado of guitarist Mike Sifringer’s shredding chops. That’s two tornados, because Schmier’s bass is a bodacious twisting killer along with every lick. Everything is excellent here, and Vaaver (drummer) may be strongest of all. The third piece of this band is as essential as the classic downstage pair.
This album does not fall short. Buy it, play it, and mosh.
The new Candlemass is a promising offering from the crypts of antediluvian Swedish doom metal. While doom metal has certainly changed throughout the years, and seen many trends and trendies crowding in its shadow, one band remains an unchanged monolithic apex for the genre. Candlemass are the forebearers, and this heavy metal stallion still rides through the cryptic nights.
While I’m loath to consider that Death Thy Lover is anything in the ballpark of my good friends Epicus Doomicus Metallicus and Ancient Dreams (and they truly are good friends who have spent many nights in my company), their newly released EP is still something to be immensely grateful for. In fact it’s a step up from Psalms For The Dead. Production wise there is a lot more strength in this EP compared to Psalms. The music sounds eerier, and the guitar solos are quite haunting. Also the songwriting is a lot better. It feels like some vitality has been kicked into the band.
From the first track “Death Thy Lover,” the heart pounding intro will hook you in, and then the power of the riff takes hold. Lars Johansson and Mats Bjorkman are exceptional hard rock machines. As lead and rhythm guitar players respectively, they weave in and out of each other throughout Mats Leven’s captivating lyrical spell song, evoking crushing fantasies and fears. Such is the craft of ancient Candlemass, mighty and immortal are they in the halls of doom. At points the songs feel like a melodic rock album, but I don’t think these strange sections which repeat through the EP should steal from the brilliance of this doom metal offering.
Interview with vocalist/guitarist Samy Elbanna | By Nicholas Pendergast
(Photo: Ville Juurikkala)
1986 was a big year for thrash metal. To its credit, it saw the release of quintessential albums like Metallica’s Master of Puppets, Megadeth’s Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?, and Slayer’s Reign in Blood, three albums that established the genre for the 30 years that followed after, leading to today. In 2016, that thrash metal calling is still hammering away into eardrums around the world. Along with contemporaries like Bio-Cancer, Warbringer, and Dr. Living Dead, Finland’s Lost Society are tearing up show after show, paving their way and paying their dues. Lost Society are a fierce force in the New Wave of Thrash Metal, and they should be expected to shred for some time to come. In the grand tradition of thrash metal, their focus is on speed and energy, but also on substance.
Lost Society are amped about their third full-length, Braindead. Expect a ton of riffs and solos that will cut you in half.
“The songwriting period started pretty much in the end of 2014 when our shows were done for the year,” vocalist and guitarist Samy Elbanna says of Braindead’s origins. “We’ve always wrote all of the material together at the rehearsal place, because that way, all of us get to throw around cool ideas with our own style into the songs to make them even more dynamic and interesting. One of the cool things we did did a bit differently this time around was that, after writing all of the songs, we went through them one at a time just to see if there was anything we could add or take out. Basically, we produced the songs in some way before we hit the studio.”
When asked what it is about the ‘80s thrash metal scene that makes it so influential, even for the younger generations of fans who weren’t around when the music first blew up, Elbanna says, “I’d have to say that the raw aggression in the music is the biggest reason—for me, at least.” He adds that there was a genuine passion behind the music, noting, “It’s just one of those genres of music where no one is faking anything, everything comes straight from the heart, and it’s all about the music and no bullshit. Also, the fact that the live shows are out of this world, with so much energy and passion, that makes the genre so special.”
Lost Society have been able to distinguish themselves from their peers in the thrash metal community partly because of their fantastic songwriting and guitar work. The Finnish rager, Elbanna, concludes that he and fellow guitarist Arttu Lesonen came through with the best solos of their careers on Braindead. “During the time after the release of 2014’s Terror Hungry and the recording sessions of Braindead, we’ve been practicing a lot,” he emphasizes. “We’ve practiced not only individually, but together too, which has made it really easy for us to make the harmony solos, and I think you can hear from the album that me and Arttu just work really well together on the solo parts.”
Check out Braindead—and its cover art by Jan Meininghaus, which Elbanna says fits the album perfectly—especially “I Am The Antidote,” “Riot,” and “Only (My) Death is Certain,” which Elbanna calls his favorite tracks on the album. Make sure to crank those up and blast out those apocalyptic feels. Time to riot!
It has often
been said that Dave Mustaine wrote all ofMetallica'sriffs onKill 'Em All, but that's simply
not true.
Brian Tatler
did.
At the very
least, Tatler and his band must be respected for really formulating the
groundbreaking speed metal hooks that would set off an iconic undertaking that
changed music forever.
It’s been
nearly a decade since the band released material, but a decade is merely a
fraction of what this band has been writing solid music for.Diamond Headmay be recognizable to you for the
very simple fact that they inspired nearly every first wave thrash metal band
out there.Metallica'scover of their song “Am I Evil?”
has been played on radio stations all over the world, much to the delight ofDiamond Head'spublicity. With the albumsBorrowed TimeandLightning to
The Nations,Diamond Headestablished themselves to a point
where they would never need to write an album again.
Despite
releasing two of the most important metal albums ever written, a problem with
line-up changes during the recording of their third album Canterbury stalled
the album’s release, and by then momentum was shifting away from most NWOBHM
bands to the new scenes emerging in California.Diamond Headstruggled to find relevance and faded
into obscurity all together until calling it quits soon after Caterbury, only
to reunite again for a short lived second run in the mid-‘90s. It’s a shame
that a band so good with so many great hooks would have to suffer such a fate,
but in the metal world there’s no shortage of chances, and especially not for a
band as recognizable and important asDiamond Head.
The
self-titled album shows signs of that special something that ignited a movement
thirty five years ago, which the first two albums had. The new album sounds
really fresh and young, and the recent addition of Rasmus Von Anderson as the
vocalist surely delivers a whopping punch. Of course Tatler’s powerful solos,
and riffs are a part of the repertoire. As far as I am concernedDiamond Headdelivers a fine rock album with this
release. Okay, you may not get screaming legions of fans to pump their fists to
“Our Time Is Now,” or “Wizard Sleeve,” as easily as you would “The Prince” or
“Love Suck,” but those aren’t reasons to turn your head away from this
legendary band.
GiveDiamond Head’snew album a try, and you may also be
blown away. Brian Tatler is still the mastermind behind bluesy solos and speed
metal riffs to hook you in. GiveDiamond Heada chance to wear on in you, because
this gem is worth it. The album comes out on April 22nd.
PS: I know Brian Tatler did not write a single note on Kill 'Em All. It's a joke. Please do not swing me upside down from a tree.
