Gothic Metal

Holy Water – Holy Water

Holy Water – Holy Water
Self-Released
Release Date: 03/02/23
Running Time: 34:00
Review by Paul Hutchings
6/10

It’s certainly an album outside of the normal fare that arrives in the inbox. “Holy Water” introduces the debut album from Jasper den Hartigh, former member of Heat Dust, a Post-Punk New Orleans based outfit.

“Holy Water” is an interesting, alternative, and arty release that over its 34 minutes weaves a Gothic, Doom-laden spell that incorporates everything from Depeche Mode to Killing Joke in a swirling mass of short, deftly crafted songs. There are many additional styles that are melded into this record, with touches of Metalgaze, Folk and Proto-Industrial sounds that combine across the eleven tracks.

Whilst there is no doubting the quality on display, it’s not the most dynamic of albums. Within a few songs, the repetitive nature of the songs does wear. Yes, it’s the type of Doom induced tunnage expected but it lacks the immediacy. Very much in the Post-Punk camp, it’s the type of jangling guitar work that rarely excites me and I’m afraid that this is reverting to type.

Putting aside personal preferences, “Holy Water” can maintain some semblance of interest. There are big, crunching riffs in parts, plenty of riffing and an overall dark vibe that allows it to feel both sinister and comforting at the same time. The dark foreboding ‘Burning Handle’ introduces you to the album, its droning style combining with deep, fuzzed up riffs and the despairing vocals of den Hartigh.

It continues in much the same vein throughout. ‘Sky-Flayer’ resonates with jarring, angular moments that are designed to provoke and challenge. It’s an uncomfortable listen, much more confrontational than the earlier songs. The use of Contey’s vocals adds depth to the monotone style of den Hartigh. ‘Sit Down, Restless’ is one such example, where the stormy musical elements need Contey’s contribution to add a layer to a dark and threatening composition.

It’s unsurprising that much of the album carries an edginess. References to Dutch fairy tales blend with personal input. Dark, sinister and with tempo changes galore, “Holy Water” isn’t a bad listen. For those who like their music with ambience, this should be ideal. Try it for yourself, you might just like it.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Burning Handle
02. Waterest Him With Tears
03. Break My Back
04. Sky-Flayer
05. With Hoarse Note
06. Persistent Dream
07. Water Rotted
08. Latter End More Than The Beginning
09. Sit Down, Restless
10. Struggle into Life
11. There Was No Lock

LINE-UP:
Jasper den Hartigh – Vocals/ Guitar
Andrew Stevens – Drums
Ben Krause – Guitar
Sarah Contey – Vocals

LINKS:

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Paul Hutchings and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

Katatonia – Sky Void Of Stars

Katatonia – Sky Void Of Stars
Napalm Records
Release Date: 20/01/23
Running Time: 50:34
Review by Laura Barnes
9/10

Katatonia are a fascinating band. They are perhaps one of the few bands within Metal that have successfully transitioned their sound into a softer, more accessible style without alienating their original fanbase. This would seem like a nigh impossible feat, but after a single listen of their latest album, “Sky Void Of Stars” it becomes clear how Katatonia have amassed such a dedicated and loyal fanbase. Modern day Katatonia has a softer sound, certainly, but do not mistake softer for simplistic. Katatonia’s music is just as complex and fun as it was back in 1996.

“A Sky Void Of Stars” explodes into life with chugging guitars and moody vocals courtesy of frontman Jonas Renske. ‘Austerity’ is our thunderous welcome into Katatonia’s new album, and the track reminds us of what they do best: choruses. The chorus on this song is phenomenal: anthemic, dark, and glittery. The track also features a guitar solo with a nice classic Metal touch. Already, it is clear that “Sky Void Of Stars” sees Katatonia at the top of their game. They start as they mean to go on: absolutely killing it.

Soon after ‘Austerity’, there is ‘Birds’, a song many long-term Katatonia fans will find particularly striking. ‘Birds’ sounds like it could have been taken straight from “The Great Cold Distance”. It is perhaps the liveliest track from the album and has a beautiful, soaring riff that gives me a warm sense of nostalgia. Following this, Katatonia hit the breaks in order to tell a tale of dark romance on ‘Drab Moon’. Steeped in atmosphere, this track is full of unexpected twists and turns. It truly is a mark of great song writing for a band to be able to divert quite significantly from traditional formulas without things feeling unnatural or forced – ‘Drab Moons’ creative use of autotune on this track would normally stick out like a sore thumb on the hands of a lesser band, but in Katatonia’s capable hands this technique is subtlety and successfully integrated, enhancing an already powerful track.

Normally, the middle of the album is where my attention begins to dwindle (you COULD argue that this is because of, like, these darn kids and their darn phones and their darn lack of attention spans, but really, I think it has more to do with that fact that it’s much easier to hide the filler in middle), but “Sky Void Of Stars” manages to keep the momentum going. ‘Impermanence’ has some fantastic vocals and melodies reminiscent of System of a Down, and although ‘Sclera’ does seem to meander a little more than I would have liked, I did get a kick out of the lyrics – ‘You fit spikes around my mind’ is a metaphor that I really wish that I had written (and also makes me imagine Pinhead / The Priest from Hellraiser headbanging along to this song, which should arguably be the goal of every metal song). ‘Atrium’ sets things firmly back – it has the same fist-pumping, throat-destroying energy as ‘Birds’, and will no doubt be a future favourite at live shows.

Another quick note about this album: it’s consistent. Not just in terms of quality, but also in mood and tone. As suggested by the title, “Sky Void Of Stars” is packed with celestial imagery. There’s also a bittersweet element of nostalgia running through this album: whether it be ‘city lights from 1998’ or memories of hotel rooms in Marriot, New York, there is a persistent theme of the past haunting the present. I’ve said it a million times before, but I really do love albums like this, albums that were clearly written in a specific headspace, or a specific time in a band’s life. It’s the kind of album that, if I listened to it twenty years in the future, would instantly transport me back to this period of my life.

I can say with confidence that Katatonia are one of the most influential bands out there, both for me on a personal level and within the wider Metal scene. “Sky Void Of Stars” is a phenomenal contribution to their already enduring legacy.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Austerity
02. Colossal Shade
03. Opaline
04. Birds
05. Drab Moon
06. Author
07. Impermanence
08. Sclera
09. Atrium
10. No Beacon To Illuminate
11. Absconder

LINE-UP:
Jonas Renske – Vocals
Anders Nyström – Guitars
Roger Öjersson – Guitars
Niklas Sandin – Bass
Daniel Moilanen – Drums

LINKS:

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Laura Barnes and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

Gothminister – Pandemonium

Gothminister – Pandemonium
AFM Records
Release Date: 21.10.22
Running Time: 33:42
Review by Dark Juan
9/10

As I maintain my watch over the horrors of the world outside, I sometimes ruminate about the lives of the people who wander past the window of Dark Juan Terrace. I sometimes find it incredible to think that those (to me, I’m sure their families and significant others love them very much) unimportant collections of cells have lives as richly varied and complex as my own. Anyway, I was surprised to discover that there actually is a word for it – this noun is “Sonder”, and it is apparently a particular and peculiar kind of sorrow. You are all aware that I am a sufferer of mental health issues that compromise my ability to see others as people and make my mixing with others quite troublesome and difficult to cope with, which is why I tend to restrict myself and remain indoors. Granted, sometimes I wish I could be more outgoing and social, but it is something I have come to terms with a long time ago and it no longer gives me the same sadness. I have everything I need, and I am content. I have Mrs Dark Juan until she gets bored of me or gets an improved offer, employment, a home and all the music I can shake a forest of sticks at, and some good friends in the Ever-Metal.com team and the music world at large and I am well-fed and watered and safe and in no danger of dying of COVID anytime soon thanks to vaccinations, which means I should be pretty fucking grateful really…

One thing I am very grateful for is Gothminister, of whom I have been a fan since 2003’s “Gothic Electronic Anthems”, and their spasmodic and batshit insane mix of Electronic Body Music, Industrial, Goth and Metal is still just as mouthwatering now as it was then. The title track of this new offering, “Pandemonium” is as gloriously out to lunch as anything that Gothminister have ever released, as the band gleefully twist and break joints and change articulations and sew music into horrific new shapes and then spray it with glitter paint and send it off to terrify the neighbours. It is a dangerously sparking, jerky, spasmodic thing that is overloading on every single influence it can drag into its capacious, stainless-steel toothed maw.

Utilising a method of song-writing that appears to be forcibly artificially inseminating Deathstars with the seed of Static-X, Funker Vogt, Ministry, Suicide Commando and Type O Negative and then training the resultant offspring to perform in a perverse, skin-tight PVC-clad circus of horrors, Gothminister occupy a very niche…. niche in music. The man himself, Gothminister (Bjørn Alexander Brem) is in possession of a remarkable set of pipes that can encompass Hard Rock pathos, Metal aggression, bass crooning designed specifically to relieve goth girls of their underwear in short order and furious roaring, leaving the slightly confused listener just which persona is going to make an appearance next.

The music is just as unusual – shiny American style polished Industrial Metal is violently mated with Gothic choirs, squealing guitars, binkly-twonk keyboards, rampaging Electronic lines, overtly sexual crooning and the fucking kitchen sink and the entire contents of the pantry and the whole thing is an over-produced, gloriously pompous and overblown epic that somehow just WORKS and is utterly and absolutely insane despite the fact it should be a slimy, shuddering, many-tentacled thing that needs to be shot to be put out of its painful, misshapen misery.

‘Run Faster’ chucks the entire record on its head after I have written the above, however, and what with the band previously busily bludgeoning what’s left of your synapses with hypergothic electronic based anthems, this song offers a speedy, stripped back deathride, with some finger-flaying riffing and only a bit of overcooked pomposity in the middle eight and break, otherwise only using a bit of stabby Terror EBM keyboard in the background, and this streamlined song only goes to underline just what kind of moodily-lit vampire-obsessed underworld Gothminister normally inhabits. Contrast this with the likes of ‘This Is Your Darkness’ with its underpinning of Gothic Futurepop Electronica and a mid-paced, downtuned guitar riff that successfully melds Metal and EBM without being as utterly, all-consumingly batshit as the first half of the album, which really does have to be heard to be fucking believed as it really does defy all description.

I have been seated here for a good twenty minutes, in absolute silence, trying to come up with ways to describe the indescribable madness that is a Gothminister album. Purists will fucking hate the band, as they don’t easily sit in any one camp. However, if you are intrepid and willing to let yourself be sucked into lushly produced, blood slick hellmouths masquerading as records, then you might well be impressed and beguiled, if not enchanted at the splattered, crimson splendour of it all. A Gothminister album is an experience not unlike being torn to pieces by a bunch of Cenobites who appreciate aesthetics – they might be industriously flaying the skin from your face while you scream, but then they will stop and regard some kind of exquisite stone scrollwork and pause in what they are doing and discuss the quality of the craftsmanship with you, before sighing in appreciation of the work and returning to vigorously vivisecting your visage.

Production-wise, this record hits all the right notes. If you like extremely over-produced, highly polished music. Everything site perfectly in the mix, including the voice of Gothminister himself, which is unsurprisingly quite forward in the mix but not to the detriment of everything else, like, say, the absolute arse clenching horror that is a Warrior Soul production job that is all Kory fucking Clarke and very little else. There are the odd bits of arrangement that jar a little, and the drums sound totally artificial although there is a human drummer called Chris Dead (possibly not his real name) credited on the record. The guitars are pin sharp, and their tone is produced to within an inch of its life and then a bit more just to make sure, but this is all part of the aesthetic. It has to have a kind of artificial quality for it all to work – a kind of surreal, manufactured, Industrial black netherworld where demons are fused with battle machines and hell is an endless line of humans heading for the meat grinder, looked down upon from a gloriously appointed, luxurious, dark-panelled office where the overseer wants for nothing, where delicious viands are piled carelessly upon a groaning trestle table and rich, claret wine is there for the quaffing…

I’m running away with myself again, aren’t I? Let me drag myself back to reality and get the Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System (det patenterte Dark Juan-systemet for blodsprut) to score this motherfucker, eh? 9/10 for another brilliantly executed mindfuck from the Gothminister and his minions.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Abgrund (Abyss)
02. Pandemonium
03. Demons
04. Star
05. Sinister
06. Kingdoms Rise
07. Bloodride
08. Norge
09. Run Faster
10. This Is Your Darkness
11. Mastodon

LINE-UP:
Bjørn Alexander Brem (“Gothminister”) – Vocals
Eirik “Blodøks” Øien – Bass
Glenn “Icarus” Nilsen – Guitars
Ketil “Turbo Natas” Eggum – Guitars
Christian Svendsen (“Chris Dead”) – Drums

LINKS:

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Dark Juan and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

Black Widows – Among The Brave Ones

Black Widows – Among The Brave Ones
Inverse Records
Release Date: 21/10/22
Running Time: 48:48
Review By Laura Barnes
7/10

We’re seeing a lot of reboots nowadays. Michael Myers and Jamie Lee Curtis are beefing once again. Dinosaur-themed adventure parks are still not up to the desired health and safety standards. Bruce Wayne continues to take an unorthodox approach to grief. Sometimes, these reboots are unnecessary, a cheap way to cash in on misplaced nostalgia. Other times, these reboots give us the opportunity to reflect on how much we have changed, both as a culture and as individuals.

I say this because we might consider Black Widows’ latest album, “Among The Brave Ones”, something of a reboot. Their last album, “Sweet… The Hell” came out twenty years ago. To really put this in perspective: their last album came out when I was 2. I have changed a lot since then (eating solid foods, talking in full sentences, etcetera) and so has the Metal scene. An all-female metal band might have raised some (misogynistic) eyebrows back in the mid-nineties when Black Widows were formed, but now that bands like Venom Prison and Butcher Babies rule the roost, the time is ripe for Black Widows to make their return.

Of course, a reboot would be boring if everything stayed exactly the same. “Among The Brave Ones” keeps the Symphonic influences and Gothic atmosphere that lay at the heart of Black Widows, but brings in a fiercer, harsher edge. The production and mixing are more modern, adding a certain level of richness and refinement to the album. Metaphorically speaking, “Sweet… The Hell” is like your local graveyard, or empty castle ruins, and “Among The Brave Ones” is like the edgy inner city goth nightclub. It is eclectic and unpredictable – this spider bite now comes with beer-soaked fangs!

The menacing ‘I’m A Monster’ is a prime example of Black Widows’ new take-no-prisoners philosophy, with Death Metal infused verses that you simply cannot resist headbanging to. Those who prefer the slightly more melodic touch of Black Widows’ earlier work will enjoy tracks like ‘Dead Heaven’s Vibe’. Vocalist (and only remaining original member) Rute Fevereiro really shows off her range in this song, and the result is a song that is haunting and cinematic.

The real difficulty Black Widows face on “Among The Brave Ones” is merging these two styles together. ‘Schizo’ is a song that I deeply want to love, because it’s positively bursting with brilliant concepts and techniques. That build-up? Hair-raising. That gentle bridge? Beautiful. And that solo? That FUCKING SOLO?! Praise be to guitarist Íris Prado, because that was a hoot and a half! The only issue is that these great moments work individually, but struggle to create the cohesive atmosphere and tone that would really make the song feel whole. However, the blending of old and new Black Widows is possible, and very impressive when done right. ‘Forgive To Forget’ sees distant and ethereal clean vocals laid atop powerful harsh vocals in a way that beautifully captures the struggle of forgiveness – AND there’s ANOTHER great solo! Absolutely superb stuff.

All in all, “Among The Brave Ones” is an album that is jam-packed with ideas and passion. It is a pleasure and a privilege to review such an exciting album from an all-female metal band. Black Widows’ comeback is an impressive and unique one. In case you were wondering what exactly Michael Myers and Black Widows had in common at the start of this review, I’ll tell you: they’ve both stood the test of time.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Black Orchid
02. Schizo
03. Among The Brave Ones
04. Philosophy of Fools
05. Electrify Me
06. I’m A Monster
07. Drowning
08. Dead Heaven’s Vibe
09. Forgive To Forget
10. Eden Denied

LINE-UP:
Rute Fevereiro – Vocals and Guitar
Solange Campos – Bass
Íris Prado – Guitar
Mónica Rodrigues – Keyboards
Marta Brissos – Drums

LINKS:

Lindsay Schoolcraft – Rushing Through The Sky – 10th Anniversary Edition

Rushing Through The Sky – 10th Anniversary Edition Album Cover Art

Lindsay Schoolcraft – Rushing Through The Sky – 10^th Anniversary Edition
Cyber Proxy Records
Release Date: 30/09/22
Running Time: 28:16
Review by Dark Juan
9/10

Alreet, me old muck spreaders? I am Dark Juan and I am from Yorkshire. This has nothing to do with anything, but I have to start somewhere, and I have been silently sitting in front of my computer screen for a significant amount of time trying to cudgel my poor, overused, abused and very tired brain into some form of meaningful synaptic activity before I lapse into the inky dark of unconsciousness. I need to write, though. It’s a compulsion, a drive I have to share what passes for actual thoughts in my head with you, the faceless masses, out there wherever you are in the world, who are unaccountably entertained by an old man ranting in a terrifying fashion and randomly insulting Warrior Soul just for the hell of it. They suck so much arse that Gemma Collins is thinking of booking them for a liposuction session.

As I am fatigued from wrangling my young gentleman at work and I have been tending towards the more extreme end of the underground recently, with a sudden and violent re-awakened interest in Djent and Drone, I decided to not go to the sharp end again, and instead apply my intellect (what’s left of it – 48 hours of constant Drill Rap will do that to a man) and keen insight to Canada’s most famous Gothic export, Ms. Lindsay Schoolcraft, as she celebrates the tenth anniversary of the release of her debut solo work, with this remastered and expanded edition of “Rushing Through The Sky”.

Now, most of you will remember that Lindsay was the keyboard player in the ever-revolving circus that surrounds miniature, priapic howler monkey and serial band rearranger Dani Filth in Cradle Of Filth and somehow survived long enough to quit before getting fired or falling out with him, so she’s resilient as fuck. She’s also a vastly experienced musician and has lent her considerable talents to the likes of Cancer Bats, Motionless In White and Myrkur.

Now that we have finished slagging off people vastly more talented than Dark Juan, I shall tell you about this record. First things first, if you’re expecting and wanting to hear Metal, forget it. You’re going to be experiencing a lush, spine-caressing descent into Gothic splendour, underpinned by the mellifluous alto of Lindsay Schoolcraft throughout, as she laments and sighs her way through a kind of dark fairy aether that has little flashes of light in it, represented by the piano and harp she also plays, rather superbly.

‘Into The Night’ opens the album with a repeating piano line before Lindsay employs “the” voice, and instantly the jaded fake Metal journo writing this nonsense listening to it is charmed and thinking about how effortlessly elegant the song is, the arrangement adding strings to the central piano line and Lindsay utilising a cleaner, more discernible, less operatic style than she did for the backing vocals in Cradle Of Filth.

I don’t know what to do with myself. This music is too relaxing! The album has such a pin-sharp, pure production it makes my heart hurt. It is rich and full and voluptuous and offers caresses and provides gentleness rather than the sustained violence I normally subject my poor head to. The vocal harmonies on ‘Your Mind’ are particularly goosebump-inducing as they are so lush and rich, soaring effortlessly over piano and sombre cello. ‘December Rain’ whooshes and sweeps over ice-covered forests and warps and wefts around broken turrets of a ruined castle as the protagonist laments and yearns for a lost love who died centuries ago, her sadness only growing as time passes slowly by…

‘You Forever’ also features a surfeit of mournful cellos on the intro and verse with a delicately picked harp dancing below them before picking up the pace a little with some subtle drumming and a surprisingly descant piano line as Lindsay remembers the person she’s singing about with a kind of mournful joy, leading into ‘Masquerade’, which is quite upbeat as it switches in and out of waltz time and cudgels the listener’s imagination to picture a formal dance, with frock coats and cravats and cummerbunds on the gentlemen and gorgeous, lush taffeta and silk dresses and extravagant coifs on the ladies as they pirouette around each other in a formal dance held in a grand hall as Lindsay tells the mystery protagonist that she will “Give you everything but not the last of me”.

‘Darkness Falls’ is just harp and voice as a relationship ends (or someone is dying) and the frosty calm that the protagonists have managed with each other finally starts to crack and warmth and lifeblood starts to leak through again as they realise that their time has come and it is time to leave, with all the sadness, sorrow and recrimination that comes with it but with the promise of a new, happy future ahead. It is a haunting, simple thing with what is perilously close to a cello solo in the middle part of the song.

The bonus item on this reissue is an instrumental version of ‘December Rain’ which makes you realise just how talented an arranger and composer Lindsay Schoolcraft is. It is a quite complex piece of several different elements all operating contrapuntally and it is rich, vibrant and luxurious throughout, like sitting in a black silk chair to sip a fine claret from an exquisite crystal glass. It is actually my favourite part of the album, this instrumental piece, because I get to hear all the glorious little flourishes that I didn’t hear on the version with vocals.

So, if you wish to be beguiled and entranced by sorrow in equal measure, Lindsay Schoolcraft has you covered in splendid and voluptuous luxury, but if you’re expecting full on Operatic Goth you aren’t getting it. Instead, you’re getting a kind of highly polished North American style of Gothic music, like the glittering bastards in the vampire thing everyone went crazy about, where a two-hundred-year-old bloodsucking sex pest bothered the teenage girl who secretly fancied a magnificently chiselled, yet utterly brain-dead dog-man numpty, so they had a war about it while Kristen Stewart moped and wept her way through basically being groomed and emotionally abused by a vampire and a werewolf. What was it called? Twilight! That’s the bastard.

Where was I?

Yes, polished North American Gothic music for people who wish to be charmed beyond measure. Lacking the acerbic wit of the likes of The Sisters Of Mercy, it is a much more emotional listen, dealing with affairs of the heart rather than “Getting your flowers pressed” or being a “Kino runner for the DDR”.

I have always wanted to use that line in my writing. Next, I will be shoehorning “Seen the way that careful lingers undecided by the door” into some kind of sentence.

Come here, I think you’re beautiful.

The Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System awards Lindsay Schoolcraft an exquisitely carved and finished and French polished 9/10 for making the sad old goff writing this feel all introspective and sigh for a past and wasted youth that will never be reclaimed.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Into The Night
02. Your Mind
03. December Rain
04. You Forever
05. Masquerade
06. Darkness Falls
07. December Rain (Instrumental)

LINE-UP:
Lindsay Schoolcraft – Vocals, Piano, Harp

LINKS:

GLDN – First Blood EP

GLDN – First Blood EP
Self-Released
Release Date: 22/07/22
Running Time: 15:52
Review by Dark Juan
5/10

Well, today has been a right day of ups and downs, and it’s only 12:48 at the time of me settling to write some stuff that literally one person in Somalia reads. I will not be sated and will keep doing this until the mighty Ever-Metal.com juggernaut has conquered North Korea and the righteous power of metal topples the Kim dynasty and Juche communism is brought to an end, and the victory parades will celebrate the day a better world was won. Yes, that was a VNV Nation lyric I managed to shoehorn into a metal record review. Anyway, since I have got home from wrangling young gentlemen, I have had to take to task a fucking gammon dickhead for having a bash at my friend Sarah as she has an Eastern European surname, discovered that the biggest joke I have ever heard or seen is my current bank balance, had to warn a teenager about the dangers of sending unsolicited dick pics and the fact it will be all over social media in a day or two, and when the inevitable fallout happens it will be HIS OWN FAULT, and have had to make coffee in an effort to stimulate my poorly abused brain cells into some spasmodic form of life in order to provide you with concise and precise information about the Brooklyn, NY based GLDN and their latest EP, “First Blood”.

GLDN are the brainchild of one Nicholas Golden, who appears to be another of those really irritating bastards who can play everything and sing as well, and “First Blood” is the debut record from him. The blurb states that GLDN is, “An unnerving and rage filled world [of GLDN] where boundaries are pushed and your comfort is NOT paramount! Daring and transgressive, GLDN cannot be contained, nor put into a single musical category – with elements of industrial, metal, and crust punk with passionate and furious vocals.”

This is all well and good, but GLDN’s world actually appears to be tinkly-bwomp NIN-esque squelches with a Marilyn Manson aping baritone and a very similar sounding scratchy howl. It is neither daring nor transgressive. Daring and transgressive would be recording heavy metal records with hurdy-gurdies, and getting Katy Perry and one of these drill stars who wear sunglasses over balaclavas, and look fucking ridiculous, think they are dangerous when really they are a spotty teenager from rural Buckinghamshire with arms and legs like pipecleaners, and basically fuck about near a hired Lamborghini in their videos, which all seem to be filmed on the same street in Tower Hamlets [without actually touching it because just out of shot is an aggressive and angry owner with a baseball bat who has warned the youths to not touch it] while rapping about how shit their life has been and how they are scared they are going to get stabbed, and calling it Drill Metal and expecting the leather and denim and New Rock clad hordes to accept it without question.

Pardon me. I have digressed. Indeed, a number of the songs being offered on “First Blood” sound like “Antichrist Superstar” era Brian Warner bumping uglies with “The Downward Spiral” version of Trent Reznor.

Let us dwell upon that mental image for a moment or two.

Horrifying, isn’t it? Or possibly one for the wank bank, depending on your point of view.

The sound of GLDN is somewhat enhanced by some tasty, buzzing guitar, but too often this is cut up and the loud-quiet-loud dynamic sometimes wrecks some promising brutality by slowing everything down, so Nicholas can do his best Trent Reznor crooning over a bit of dissonant piano, or electronic wooshing. There’s no boundaries being pushed here. This EP sounds like the year 1996.

Opening offering ‘Gravedigger’ kicks off with an electronic beat and bassline before metallic guitar cuts in for 12 beats and the faux-emotional crooning starts, extremely reminiscent of the delivery of Filter’s Richard Patrick, and the chorus sounds like it could have been written by Deftones. The middle of the song has some throat mangling howling a la the God Of Fuck. In fact, the whole song sounds like “Title Of Record” era Filter. Not a bad influence to have, but it borders on copyism.

This continues on the title track. Pure Marilyn Manson, but a mix of Spooky Kids era Mazza and “Antichrist Superstar” including a lyric that could have been written by the man himself – “They always look so pretty when they’re on their knees.” It’s all overblown and perverse sexuality, wild gyrating, demented roaring, sequenced, layered and multi-tracked guitars and not very much substance. ‘Ripe’ is more of the same – dissonance, baritone rumbling, a simple bassline, lyrics about hypocrisy and lots of downtuned guitar and roaring on the chorus, before going to a swooping, gothic-tinged middle eight on the synth, and then a heavily-produced solo that’s just a load of drawn out notes rather than fretboard gymnastics that segues neatly back into the chorus. So far, so still Mazza Manson.

‘(harmful if swallowed)’ (sic) is a bit more interesting, with a piano playing a wrong note deliberately that increases the sense of menace in the music nicely, but it’s just a bridging piece, and that makes me fucking furious because the music and that harsh, dissonant piano could have been turned into something magnificent, and it has just been wasted.

‘This Must Be The Place’ is just a slightly more electronic Marilyn Manson song. I know I keep coming back to him, but this is the overwhelming influence I hear. This particular song would not sound out of place on “Antichrist Superstar”, even the chorus sounds like it belongs on the title track of that august record and would fit the song quite seamlessly. I’m struggling to contain my disappointment here. Normally I would launch into some horrible bullshit and be mean to Nicholas, but I have become acutely aware lately that I am trashing the art of creators and they pour their heart and soul into it. All I do is tell them that they are either a) very good at it, b) average, c) rubbish or d) Warrior Soul. Mainly because I am a faile… RETIRED musician who was REALLY shit at playing music and if you can’t do it you write about it instead. Unless you’re EM’s Rory. He can do both, the annoying knobjockey.

DISCLAIMER: Rory isn’t an annoying knobjockey. He is a fine gentleman. Rob Sutton is, though! Wink, wink…

Last offering on this six-tracker is ‘Parasite’ and it is far and away the best song on the EP, where he leaves Mazza alone for a bit and combines an aggressive, angry howl with a creepy clean voice, punchy, speedy drumming, and full on metal guitar with extra fizz and fuzz, lushly produced and brimming with a life all its own.

The EP does benefit from a decent production, with no one thing overpowering the other, but it has a curiously lifeless and flat quality that is difficult to describe, and although GLDN promise much in their press release, claiming elements of metal, industrial and crust punk, all I have heard is mainstream 1990s gothic industrial metal that the emo teens of the day would have gone fucking gaga over, that instead offers this grizzled old metal bastard a curiously warm and nostalgic feeling, rather than slavering excitement. It’s all a bit uninspiring, to be honest. I haven’t even got my old baggy Menace jeans out to relive the 1990s vibe.

The Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System is disappointed. It was expecting something visceral, wild and incendiary and instead got the spavined love child of Trent Reznor and Marilyn Manson.

Which brings us back around neatly to that mental image we shared before.

You’re welcome.

5/10.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Gravedigger
02. First Blood
03. Ripe
04. (harmful if swallowed) – This is not me having some kind of seizure and losing command of English. This is how it is written. It is making my internal grammar Nazi fucking FURIOUS!
05. This Must Be The Place
06. Parasite

LINE-UP:
Nicholas Golden – Everything

LINKS:

EMQ’s with The Chapter

EMQ’s with The Chapter

Hi everyone. Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Portuguese Doom/Death/Gothic Metal band, The Chapter. Huge thanks to their Guitarist, Pedro Almeida, for taking part.

What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?

Hello Ever Metal! My name is Pedro Almeida and I play guitar at The Chapter.

So, the band started early 2004 by the hand of Pedro Antunes (drummer), who started to look for musicians to start a project. The band’s first line-up (Pedro Antunes, Gonçalo Carvalho, João Gomes, Pedro Almeida, Vasco Macau) had different origins inside the Metal scene from the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s. In 2006, the band released the first studio record, intitled “Into the Abyss” (EP) and around 2009 it followed a hiatus of several years. The band returned into the studio in 2015 with a new line-up, Pedro Rodrigues replaced Gonçalo Carvalho on vocals and Eurico Mealha replaced Vasco Macau on the bass. In 2017, the band released the full-length album intitled “Angels & Demons”. By the end of 2018, Tiago Oliveira replaced Pedro Rodrigues as vocalist. Currently the band is promoting the upcoming album entitled “Delusion of Consciousness”, to be released on April 22. So, stay tuned and don’t miss anything 🙂

How did you come up with your band name?

The band’s name didn’t come out quickly. It went through a kind of maturation process, several months I would say 🙂 Then I remember a friend very close to Vasco Macau, that one night come out with the name The Chapter. Other guys in the band could tell you another story, but I believe mine is closest to the truth.

What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?

The Chapter are from Lisbon area (Portugal) and currently the Metal / Rock scene is strong. Nowadays there are several Metal venues with Portuguese bands of great quality from different Metal / Rock genres. International bands also have Portugal on their radar, because the Portuguese audience is amazing. Since the pandemic started, some activities had to stop but we hope that everything comes to a point where all we can enjoy more concerts.

What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)

Our latest release is a video of the song taken from our upcoming album. Check out our YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChapterBand). The song is called ‘Delusion of Consciousness’ from the upcoming album with the same name.

Who have been your greatest influences?

As a band nowadays, certainly bands like Opeth, Katatonia, Swallow The Sun and Gojira.

What first got you into music?

Personally speaking. I was teenager, living in the northern suburbs of Lisbon and it’s when I remembered hearing bands like Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi, Nirvana, all bands followed by my closest friends at the time.

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?

This one is hard to answer, so many people to mention here and all with different styles. All of them contributed in different ways to the Metal scene as we know today.

If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

Resurrection Fest. No reason in particular. It’s a new fest (it has only a few editions) but it’s usually a 4 / 5 days festival covering both mainstream and more underground bands, which is awesome.

What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?

So far, no weird gifts.

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?

Our fans are people that know our music, our songs and our lyrics. They know what we would like to achieve as a band. It’s all about playing music with intensity, atmosphere and heavy! So, for our fans, we would say to stay with us on this journey because they are the source of all this energy that the band is carrying stage after stage, with sweat and sacrifices! And spread the band because the more we are, more powerful it will be.

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

It’s unfair to mention one person only! Sorry guys. Each one in their own style, contributed a lot to the Metal / Rock scene.

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?

As a musician I would say that the process to compose and play live it’s the funniest things I like. I hate to pay the bill… yes… That’s why we need you to grow up as a band quickly to spend more time composing new music for you.

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

The royalties attributed to the artists by labels and streaming platforms.

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

The question is a little bit personal. I must mention the Black Album by Metallica because in fact it was the first Metal album presented by a friend of mine and from there, I started to play guitar until nowadays.

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?

Cassettes.

What’s the best gig that you have played to date?

We have mention the last one. Assembleia do Metal, a Portuguese Metal Fest from Viseu county in Portugal. We played at Assembleia do Metal Fest last December and it was awesome.

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?

All the musicians from The Chapter, they have professional careers outside music industry. But our passion keeps us involved and motivated to continue working on new music, in anticipation that one day the band will be able to achieve other level inside music industry.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

All five from The Chapter because we deserve it.

What’s next for the band?

Currently we are promoting our upcoming album entitled “Delusion of Consciousness” to be released very soon, on April 22nd. So, stay tuned.

What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?

Currently the band has official accounts at Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Bandcamp.

Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?

Come on guys! Give us a stage, with a plenty of watts and drinks and we will do the rest 🙂 That’s all we know.

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

We would like to thank you to Ever Metal for the opportunity to share the band and our music.

To EVERYONE, please follow us and support us on the following links:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Thechaptermusic
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thechapterband
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChapterBand
Bandcamp – https://thechapterband.bandcamp.com/

Our upcoming album entitled “Delusion of Consciousness” is available for pre-order at Bandcamp, so don’t miss that and start now your pre-order.

Cheers!!!

Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

Carmeria – Advenae

Carmeria – Advenae
Self-Released
Release Date: 18/03/22
Running Time:
Review by Beth Jones
8/10

Well, it’s finally happened friends. I have been afflicted with the plague, after avoiding it for two solid years. But, it has afforded me the time to catch up with some stuff and get cracking on reviews. And today’s subject is the brand-new debut album from Australian Symphonic Gothic Metallers, Carmeria. Now, this is an album that’s been a while in the making and you can tell, because it is a quality product. It’s one for all of you who like a good film score, because it’s jam-packed full of cinematic elements and orchestration.

The album starts with a massive, ‘call to arms’ style overture, complete with timpani, strings, and pipe organ, giving it a very Gothic feel from the start. And the fast pace and frantic nature of the sound continues through the second track, ‘Morning Star’, which is littered with synth strings, guttural growls, and some superb operatic clean vocals from Jordan Von Grae.

This style continues for much of the album, which is littered with catchy choruses and hooks all over the place. The whole thing is also based in the minor key, which gives it a very mournful, melancholic feel. Perfect for a Gothic gathering!

Track 5, ‘Relinquished’, takes the pace down a little. It’s a beautiful ballad that starts with a solitary piano. And this track really displays the silky tones of Jordan’s voice off superbly. After the first verse, vocals, piano, and gentle bass and drums are joined by the full orchestrations, and distorted guitars, making it a much grander and fuller sound. This for me is one of my stand out tracks.

The brief lull in proceedings doesn’t last long, as ‘To Lead The Blind’ picks up the pace again. This uses dynamics brilliantly to build mystery and suspense. And there are some super vocal harmonies throughout. There’s a certain Progressive element here too, with some experimentation in rhythm, which again continues through to the next track.

Pretty much the only beef I can find with this album is the synth strings in track 8, ‘Solaris’. They almost cheapen the whole thing, because they sound too synthesized. I mean, I know that’s kind of the point of a synth, but I think a slightly better string sound would have been advisable.

The final track, ‘Eternity’ isn’t just epic in name. At nearly 12 minutes long it’s a heck of a way to finish an album. With punchy choral vocals and synth, and heavy guitar, sitting alongside those beautiful clean vocals and guttural roars, it makes for a very dramatic closing number.

This is a very accomplished debut from a band that have a very clear direction. I think these guys are seriously ones to watch. I love the album cover art, and the band have a definite ‘look’, too, which is pleasing, as it show’s they’ve thought about more than just the sound. And I get a sneaking suspicion there’s still more in the tank with them – this album is great, but I believe they will get even better. I look forward to finding that out in the future.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Advenae
02. Morning star
03. Carpe Noctem
04. En Rapture
05. Relinquished
06. To Lead the Blind
07. Celestia
08. Solaris
09. Starfall
10. Veil of Sanctitude
11. Halo
12. Eternity

LINE-UP:
Jordan Von Grae – Vocals
Jerry Zahija – Guitar
Mishka Bobrov – Keys
Emma Louise Nagy – Bass
Lachlan Blackwood – Drums

LINKS:

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Jones and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

EMQ’s With MALEDICTIS

EMQ’s With MALEDICTIS

Hi Everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Gothic Chamber Metal project, Maledictis. Huge thanks to main man John Marszalkowski for taking part.

What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?

My name is John Marszalkowski. I write the music and lyrics for Maledictis. I play rhythm guitar and also fill in where additional instruments and vocals are needed. Maledictis started out as a long-distance recording project, making Gothic Chamber Metal during the quarantine of 2020.

How did you come up with your band name?

I was inspired by a scene in the movie “Amadeus” where Mozart composes his requiem mass on his death bed. The part he’s writing in that scene is called “Confutatis Maledictis” which is Latin for “Doomed.”

What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?

I’m in Milwaukee, WI, USA, which is relatively close to Madison and Chicago. Between those 3 cities, there are some pretty awesome rock and metal bands.

What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)

We just released a single called ‘Delicta’ (feat. Mariangela Demurtas) earlier this month.

Who have been your greatest influences?

Tristania, Silverchair and J.S. Bach.

What first got you into music?

My family was very musical. My brother was a rock drummer, my parents were church choir singers, and my mother played trumpet. I started writing music after I got a guitar and learned a few Nirvana songs.

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?

I’d say Mariangela Demurtas of Tristania, but she has already sang on a couple Maledictis songs. Since my answer doesn’t have to be realistic, I’ll say the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

Maledictis doesn’t play shows.

What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?

A coupon for 30¢ off Shake n’ Bake.

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?

If you threw a party and invited everyone you knew, you would see the biggest gift would be from me, and the card attached would say “thank you for being a friend.”

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

Freddie Mercury

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?

I love creating something that invokes emotion. I hate marketing.

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

It would be nice to rid the industry of all “isms” in the snap of a finger (sexism, ageism, racism, etc.).

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

The Crash Test Dummies “God Shuffeled His Feet.”

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs, or Downloads?

I’ll say Downloads just because it’s what’s best for the environment.

What’s the best gig that you have played to date?

Maledictis doesn’t play shows.

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?

I have a few published books. I’d probably write more books.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

I’d invite all the celebrities who I’ve sent fan mail to who never wrote back, because I know they’d never accept the invite. That way I can eat dinner alone with my pants off like usual.

What’s next for the band?

More singles to come!

What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?

All of them! www.Maledictis.net

Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?

That looks like a cookie to me.

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

If anyone wants to mail me some of those Jaffa Cakes, my address is: PO BOX 210454, Milwaukee, WI 53221-8008, USA.

EMQ’s With APOLINARA

EMQ’s With APOLINARA

Hello Everyone. Welcome to another EMQs, this time with Ukrainian Symphonic Gothic Metal project, Apolinara. Huge thanks to her for taking part.

What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?

I’m Apolinara – an independent Symphonic Gothic metal artist. I’m singer / songwriter and piano player. I started this solo journey in 2019. Since then, I found brilliant and experienced session musicians, arranged 11 tracks, and recorded the album ‘Shadows and Signs’. It will be out on February 22, 2022. You can listen to promo single ‘Shadows and Signs’ already on any streaming platforms along with other 2 songs ‘Slowly’ (demo version) and ‘Wonderful’. I’d like to name musicians who worked with me on the album:

Apolinara – lyrics, music, arrangements, lead and back vocals
Alexander Kasiarum – drums
Vyacheslav Khabarov – lead, rhythm and bass guitars
Tatyana Krasavina – cello
Julia Polishchuk – violin
Brien Engel – glass harp (Slowly (acoustic))
Fabian Morales – growls
Max Morton – mixing, mastering, sound production

How did you come up with your band name?

Apolinara is a creation of my imagination, kind of a variation of my own name – Polina. It’s a Slavic name as I was born and raised in Ukraine. It’s rooted to St. Apolonia and Apollo from Greek and Rome mythology.

What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?

I was born and raised in Ukraine but for the last 9 years I reside in the US. Due to my family situation, I’m moving quite often. My family is always “on the road” that’s why I can’t speak of some precise country or region. I think it’s fantastic that nowadays any band from any country can find the correct audience around the world. Social media is not always “evil” 😉

What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)

‘Shadows and Signs’ promo single was released in December 2021, and the full length album under the same name is coming on 22.02.2022!

Who have been your greatest influences?

I grew up listening a lot of classical music. My dad hooked me on Classic Rock and Heavy Metal – The Doors, Deep Purple, Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath. Later on I become a fan of Nightwish, Within Temptation, Evanescence and Lacrimosa.

What first got you into music?

It was my personal desire to start music lessons when I was 6. There are no musicians in my family. So I still don’t know how and why I was so motivated. I just always knew – I want to be a musician.

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?

I have a dream to collaborate with Swedish singer / songwriter Mattias Lindblom.

If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

Wacken Open Air! I don’t think any explanations needed…

What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?

Nothing weird so far, only nice ones. For example, last year I got wood burn artwork of my picture.

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?

Follow your Path to the Light through a Darkness.

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

Jim Morrison

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?

I love composing and recording. Also I truly enjoy teaching music. What do I hate? Honestly, I hate unreliable people…

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

I won’t, because as every other industry, the music industry is changing rapidly itself. We are living in a very “speedy time”. Sometimes it’s hard simply to keep up. So, I don’t want to change the industry, I would like to change the mind of most musicians to become more versatile and seize the opportunities of digital world and social media.

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

“Once” by Nightwish

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?

I don’t want to compare digital and physical music formats. They are serving different purposes. Digital downloads are bringing wide opportunities for artist to get discovered which is great! Physical vinyl, cassettes and CD’s are for collectors. Personally, I would choose CD.

What’s the best gig that you have played to date?

After starting Apolinara, I’ve done several online live streams on Facebook and Instagram. I played my songs and favourite covers. They went great and surprisingly warm.

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?

Only a musician. If I couldn’t compose and perform – I would focus on teaching.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

You know I live far from my parents and sister’s family. Last year my grandmother was 90 years old but because of coronavirus protective regulations we couldn’t have a proper party. I’m not dreaming to have a dinner party with celebrities, I want to gather my own whole relatives for dinner! Of course, as a big Nightwish fan, I’d love to have an opportunity to chat with Thomas and Floor about music someday.

What’s next for the band?

Album release on 22.02.2022 – “Shadows and Signs” – is the biggest step for Apolinara at this moment.

What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?

For free songs and other information I’m inviting you to visit my webpage. For physical CD’s, full album mp3 download and other merch we are opening the shop. Also Apolinara’s music is available on Bandcamp, Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music and any other streaming platform of your choice.
Website – https://www.apolinara.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/apolinaraofficial
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/apolinaraofficial/
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/0xnuO1CWHnawkUWxeenT0O
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/c/Apolinara
Bandcamp – https://apolinara.bandcamp.com/
Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/apolinara

Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?

Ha ha ha! I just googled it. Wiki says they are biscuit-sized cakes. Who am I to question this? But you can send me some for degustation.

Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Thank you for having me. Stay Metal, check out “Shadows and Signs” by Apolinara on February 22, 2022, and let’s Fire Up!