Nu-Metal

Seething Akira – Nozomi

Seething Akira – Nozomi
FiXT Music
Release Date: 11/11/22
Review by Dark Juan
Running Time: 38:40
7/10

Rather annoyingly, Shell Energy Broadband has more dropouts than the cast of an American high school slasher and it has been presenting me with difficulties with uploading fantastic new reviews for you, the beautiful people out there, to happily peruse. Combined with the bout of COVID bastardness which is still affecting your good correspondent with extreme fatigue and a work schedule that has been somewhat punishing, even the good work of keeping the world in touch with the Metal underground has been too challenging recently and I was forced to take a break from writing while I reclaimed enough energy to write again. However, I have sufficiently pissed myself and Mrs Dark Juan off by doing nothing to clamp on the cans and tackle the increasingly extensive review list I have.

Today, we are remaining in jolly old Blighty and revelling in the stylings of a band from the (shudder) South of England, specifically Portsmouth. There’s a Portsmouth in West Yorkshire too, on the way to Burnley, but I can’t for the life of me understand why it is called Portsmouth because it IS NOT NEAR ANY FUCKING PORTS, and this fact pisses me off more than I can hope to explain to you. Nevertheless, I have now conquered my ire and I am ready to share views and opinions about talented people and their art again…

Seething Akira are a band of diverse and wide-ranging influences and it is important to note this from the beginning as they frequently take their music down unusual and challenging paths – these British bruisers gleefully smash Nu-Metal, Metalcore, Electronic Dance Music, Industrial, Emo and Drum and Bass together, shock it back to life with egregious amounts of amplification, set it loose upon unsuspecting record reviewers and sit there giggling like schoolgirls as said record reviewer tries desperately to make some sense of their day-glo painted Frankenstinian horror.

There’s a perfectly charming thirty-odd second opener that’s all synthwavey and gorgeous with female choral singing, and then the band crash into ‘Never Permanent’, keyboards chopping from left to right in my headphones and then…. Electric alchemy. Guitars slam into the back brain, and a very Emo vocal gives way to a (very Southern England-accented) Hardcore shouty bit, and then a staccato keyboard break links into a lighters-aloft chorus. It’s very glossy, highly polished stuff that will appeal greatly to any baby goths or Emos and people who also appreciate their Metal being a little different from the norm. This sad old goff is quite enjoying himself with Seething Akira’s music. It offers dimensions that Metal sometimes doesn’t. ‘Metaphors’ amply displays this – with a kawaii female vocal sample giving way to a punishing tempo and some fucking angry shouting and some pretty fucking stellar guitar work. The sample comes back in the break and forms the backbone to a pretty awesome Drum and Bass based (see what I did there?) second movement in the song. Also, absolutely COLOSSAL break with Star Wars laser noises and all sorts. This song is the highlight of the album, being bouncy and joyous and yet still possessing a spine of steel.

“Fuck it, let’s take the risk!” is a lyric from the aforementioned song and it could be Seething Akira’s motto as they ride wildly over genre and type and do donuts over the remains of them. However, next comes a bit of a weak point in ‘Lost At Sea’ where the guys channel their inner Britpop mop-tops for the chorus and verse and the noisier shouty bits feel a bit… Contrived really, but the keyboard work on this tune is fucking epic.

‘Internal Antagonist’ resets the balance though, with a meaty-as-fuck Metalcore / Nu-Metal stomper that should see pit virgins worrying for their personal safety, and with a massive chorus and absolutely slamming Drum and Bass break to boot that is melded seamlessly into the Metal to finish the song off.

I ended that last paragraph having written exactly six hundred and sixty-six words, which was incredibly pleasing.

This is a very intriguing album indeed, sonically, too. The production is some of the best work I have ever heard clarity-wise with every instrument perfectly placed in the mix and the vocals also forward, but not overpoweringly so, in the final work. Keyboard breaks and Drum and Bass sections join perfectly into the overall sound and the drums themselves (can’t tell whether they are sequenced or not – possibly they are) and the writing of the music is pretty fucking awesome as it melds influences that really shouldn’t work together but do – ‘Something In The Water’ transitions from Drum and Bass into an oh-so-very-Metal guitar solo and just works. The problem is that there is very little soul in the sound of the album – it is too clean and polished and there is a bit of a lack of quality control – ‘Frequencies’ is a pretty generic sounding Rap Metal shoutalong with added electronic wibbly bits and the chorus is rather bland and uninteresting.

Otherwise, it’s pretty good fun – the joining of Metal and Drum and Bass is an awesome sounding combo and reminds me somewhat of Cubanate and their attempted fusing of Metal and Techno, but I feel Seething Akira have tried to market to a more mainstream Metal crowd. And that might be their problem – the mainstream Metal audience is notoriously conservative and Seething Akira’s sound might prove too challenging for the bullet belt and black jeans brigade. If you’re willing to take a risk, though, Seething Akira are pretty fucking good technicolour, day-glo fun. You can dance and mosh – frequently in the same song.

Remember how I said ‘Metaphors’ was the highlight of the album? It shares that honour with ‘Dioxide’ that chucks an absolutely fucking slamming Drum and Bass keyboard bit into the mix that the guitar follows, and the result is something so breathtakingly bludgeoning that it has immediately found its way into Dark Juan’s favourite songs. But this is also the problem with quality control rearing its head again – if the band are capable of this absolute supremacy, why are they also writing heavier Britpop songs? And the terribly self-serving rap on ‘Reason To Breathe’ just sets this reviewer’s teeth on edge, even if it is about a baby girl. In fact, the whole song is tawdry Emo bollocks. Bleurgh.

The Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System awards Seething Akira 7/10 for a record of extreme peaks and troughs. When it is great its fucking sublime, and when the quality drops it is frankly horrible. Thankfully the good outweighs the bad.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Never Permanent (Intro)
02. Never Permanent
03. Metaphors
04. Lost At Sea
05. Internal Antagonist
06. Something In The Water (Intro)
07. Something In The Water
08. Frequencies
09. Punishment Instructions
10. Dioxide
11. Reason To Breathe
12. Stars

LINE-UP:
Kit Conrad – Vocals
Charlie Bowes – Vocals
Richard Ellis – Bass
Simon Williams – Guitar
John Corney – Guitar

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.

EMQ’s With Pistacia

EMQ’s With Pistacia

Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with USA Nu-Metal band, Pistacia. Huge thanks to their Vocalist, Vic, 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 Vic and I am the vocalist of Pistacia. I met the guys in college, and we decided to take a class together. This particular class was basically a cover band for a grade. I liked working with them so much that I asked them to join me in Pistacia.

How did you come up with your band name?

I am very into Ancient Egyptian culture as well as death in general. Pistacia is a type of tree and the Egyptians used the resin from these trees. They poured it into cavities in the skull to prevent it from collapsing during the mummification process.

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

We are based in Boston and New England in general has a wonderful metal scene. There are so many Death Metal, Deathcore, Metalcore, Hardcore, and Punk bands here each with their prospective scenes. Now and then there will be some subgenre overlap at shows which I think is sick. Overall amazing people and I have had very few problems with my scene.

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

Our latest release was ‘It Was the Cat’. It was a single and it is now available on all streaming platforms plus the video was released on Circle Pit.

Music Video – It Was The Cat

Who have been your greatest influences?

My personal influences are Lady Gaga, Pierce the Veil, and My Chemical Romance.

What first got you into music?

My mother would play music in the house all day every day. Cleaning, cooking, laundry, and taking care of the dog. There isn’t anything she did not do without music. Since it was always on in the house, I ended up singing along to some songs and was encouraged to do so growing up.

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

I would collaborate with Pierce the Veil or Ice Nine Kills. Their sound is great, and I feel like we can do a vocal swap or something.

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

Maryland Death Fest. We are so far from being a death metal band that I think it would be funny.

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

I haven’t received anything weird from a fan just yet besides some interesting comments.

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

Gift me more weird things!

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

I would bring back Amy Winehouse. I know she did not make rock music but she sure as hell was a rock star. I admire her no-fear attitude while being a sweet and sensitive soul at the same time. She was so genuine, and nothing beats that.

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

I love making people happy. I love being the reason why someone has fun even if it’s for 4 minutes. Music is an escape and to be someone else’s is an honour. What I hate is unwarranted advice. Being a woman in the industry oftentimes people try to give me screaming lessons upon introducing themselves. I get so many “you should try this” or “dude you are too this” when I never asked in the first place. I just want to scream my feelings and shake my ass. Perfect or not.

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

The misogyny in general. I could go off about how women are compared to one another even if they don’t make sense. I was called the “Wal-Mart Ash Costello” once. We don’t even make the same music, but our hair is the same colour and some guy ran with it. Media outlets do the same thing.

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

“A Flair for the Dramatic” is a perfect album. It’s Pierce the Veil’s first album and every single track is beautiful, and you can feel the raw emotion.

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

Want me to give you my honest answer or the one Grind fans will applaud me for? So as most people know by now artists make basically no money from streaming services. The beauty of downloads is they can make money off of individual songs. What matters most to me, is accessibility. Music should be accessible, and downloads seem to be the best option for that. All that aside, cassettes are sick as fuck.

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

The best gig we have played is by far the “Filthy No Bummer Summer” in New Hampshire. Every year a buddy of ours, Rob Kulingoski, throws a local festival in his backyard. The scene is so close, and everyone is family there. I wouldn’t trade that comfort and warmth for anything.

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

Before I decided to pursue music, I wanted to become an orthopaedic surgeon. Medicine fascinates me and I used to love studying anatomy. In my free time, I study the history of medicine and human experimentation so my love for art never left.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

Oh I’d have to say, Jenny Slate, Kristen Schaal, Tim Robinson, Jack Black, and Lady Gaga. I love comedy and cartoons just as much as I love music.

What’s next for the band?

We have an EP coming out this fall called “Edgy” and it is literally that: edgy as fuck.

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

Pistacia Website
Pistacia Instagram
Pistacia Linktree
Pistacia Twitter
Pistacia Facebook
Pistacia YouTube
Pistacia Spotify

Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?

I’m gonna go with bap?

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

Nothing but thank you so much for the chance to talk about Pistacia!

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.

April Art – Pokerface

April Art – Pokerface
Self-Released
Release Date: 30/09/22
Running Time: 43:00
Review by Paul Hutchings
6/10

Sometimes you get an album to review which sits far outside of your usual comfort zone. Such is the case with April Art. A quartet from Central Hesse, who have been active since 2014, their style of Nu Metal, Pop Punk and jangling aggression is highly produced, full of energy and sadly, does absolutely nothing for me. Now, that’s not to say that “Pokerface” is a bad album, but it just doesn’t resonate at all. The funked-up bass lines, the verbal interaction and the shiny, polished finish just don’t float my boat.

At times it’s like Linkin’ Park meets Paramore, at others more like Nightwish fused with Korn. If you like big, chunky riffs, staccato beats and generic songs that don’t really linger long in the memory banks, then this may be of interest. Lisa-Marie Watz sounds like a livewire, and the photos of the band on their website suggest they are a feisty option in the live arena.

It’s music that undoubtedly works better live, although I can see certain tracks (e.g., ‘My Way’) being ideal backing music for an energetic workout session. Although the band are from Germany, it’s a very American sounding record. The songs are short, sharp, snappy. They are also highly polished in the production stakes, with ample effects and additions included.

The songs tend to blend into each other at times, although that’s probably more about my elderly ears, for there is a definite distinction between the title track, the emotive ‘Warrior’ and the bounce of ‘See the Light’.

It’s probably not my best selection of the year, for “Pokerface” is undoubtedly a better album than I’m describing. The 15 songs that cascade over a frantic 43 minutes are short, immediate, and punchy. And if you like this band, I bet you love them, for they demand total engagement and commitment. It’s just not one that appeals to me. They have toured with Dark Tranquility and Enisferum in Europe this year, so there is something most definitely engaging about April Art. But I’m going to have to let you figure out what it is.

‘Try’ Official Video

TRACKLISTING:
01. Pokerface
02. Change
03. Interlude: Manifest
04. Rising High
05. Sky is the Limit
06. Warrior
07. My Way
08. Interlude: Leave it Behind
09. See the light
10. Start Over
11. Interlude: Letters
12. Superhero
13. Try
14. Leave it Behind
15. Headline

LINE-UP:
Lisa Marie Watz – Vocals
Chris Bunnell– Guitars
Julian Schuetze – Bass
Ben Juelg – Drums

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.

Anti-Clone – Human EP

Anti-Clone – Human EP
Self-Released
Release Date: 16/09/22
Running Time: 17:22
Review by Dark Juan
8/10

Good afternoon – I am still pet sitting and suffering from concussion, yet I continue to bring you Very Good Things from my bed of pain and suffering as Mrs Dark Juan creates some new and terrifying creatures in the kitchen. As I currently can’t see straight due to a blow to the head I gave myself, it has been decreed that I should not move much. As I am due to wrangle recalcitrant young gentlemen tomorrow, I disagreed and got what can only be described as a rather unpleasant telling off and instructed to remain on the sofa or my ankles will be “Miseryed”. Having remembered just what happens in that story, my arse hit the sofa faster than a hot dog disappears down a fat bastard’s throat and here I remain, at least more compos mentis that I was yesterday after twatting my own cranium, and therefore I have taken it upon myself to have a listen to a young British band and their latest release – these being Anti-Clone and the record is called “Human”, being a five track EP recorded in Manchester.

On the first play, the listener is grabbed by a rather huge production, with big, BIG guitars, a bottom end with more bottom end than a room full of cloned Gemma Collinses having all been at the dessert trolley and destructive, fucking loud drums. The sound is absolutely fucking colossal, lads, lasses and all other genders. The whole record is played with considerable verve and energy as well. There’s a clear sense of purpose running through the performances of the entire band and a rather needle sharp, cruel focus throughout each song. I’ll attempt to be brief, this time, rather than waxing lyrical as I do normally. Mainly because my head is fucking pounding right now but that’s just cranial trauma…

The record opens with ‘Human’ and it is a song about the horror of being human, how we all lie to each other and how entire populations can be deceived by their leaders, especially in wartime. It is a satisfyingly bludgeoning opener as well, vituperative and venomous with a chorus that would not be out of place in a Mudvayne (in their make-up and Math Metal years) or Powerman 5000 song. This is followed by ‘Punish Me’, and this rather masochistic song is about being unable to walk away from toxic or damaging situations in life. However, it does espouse the fact that sometimes the only thing to do is let go. Musically we delve into the realms of Emo, with a huge chorus that young boys with swoopy Adolf Hitler haircuts and more eyeliner than their stripy-trousered girlfriends will absolutely go gaga for, complete with mosh-worthy Korn-lite breakdown in the middle.

And so it continues – Math Metal meets Emo meets the kind of 90’s Alternative Metal of prime PM5K, Rob Zombie and Human Waste Project with added Korn and Adema for that bit of Nu-Metal bite. It’s actually a really intoxicating mix that works splendidly with the vocals of Peter “CLΩNE” Moore, a man who can ape the baritone of Marilyn Manson (‘End Of The World’ – loving the middle eight of this song though!) just as readily as the impassioned howl of Chino Moreno and the guttural roar of Jonathan Davis. This latter is eminently displayed on the closing song on the EP, a cover of batshit insane Icelandic murder pixie Björk’s ‘Army Of Me’. It’s a Nu-Metal classic twenty years too late, but it’s still fucking brilliant.

And that more or less sums up the sound of the EP. Anti-Clone wear their influences openly and honestly on their collective sleeves and the band and the record are all the better for it. There’s no pretending that they are trying to play something innovative and new (unlike GLDN, see my review on them and see just why it pissed me off) but what they do play, they do fucking WELL. And although these are new compositions, they manage to offer a warm sense of familiarity and of being in on the joke.

So if you are the kind of person who loves Powerman 5000, Korn, Human Waste Project and Mudvayne, Team Satan 666 ice hockey shirts and having make-up that has you looking like a melted panda, Anti-Clone have you splendidly covered. If you don’t, well, you’ve backed a loser here, but the sheer exuberance of the performance should win over a fan or two and as far as purchasing goes, it’s a bloody good British Metal record and worth a punt for anyone, even if it is faintly derivative along the way. I have heard megabucks bands with miles shittier songs and production jobs than this. I want to hear more Anti-Clone and I want it now!

The Patented Dark Juan Blood Splat Rating System awards Anti-Clone 8/10 for a fine EP that successfully manages to hark back to sounds that were popular in the near-past but drags them into the 21^st century. Marks are deducted for the release being an EP (not long enough) and for them skirting a little bit too close to Nu-Metal now and again. Otherwise, though, crushing and satisfyingly meaty.

TRACKLISTING:
01. Human
02. Punish Me
03. End Of The World
04. Spiteful
05. Army Of Me

LINE-UP:
Peter “CLΩNE” Moore – Vocals
William “26” Richardson – Guitar
Pat “KAKES” Godin – Bass
Drew “ALPHA” Moore – Drums

LINKS:

EMQ’s With Otherworldly Entity

EMQ’s With Otherworldly Entity

Hi Everyone. Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with New York, USA Nu-Metal band, Otherworldly Entity. Huge thanks to them 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?

We are Otherworldly Entity, and we’re a Nu-Metal / Alt Rock band from Central NY. We started playing together in 2018 as John Harris and the Otherworldly Entities, but changed the name when we started writing material specifically for the band in 2019.

How did you come up with your band name?

Zlatko and I went out to New Hampshire to see our friends in Enter the Haggis play, and as we were enjoying what would be an incredibly romantic trip in another context through the New England country side, we were discussing band names. Zlatko, being English as a second language, was not a fan of Otherworldly Entity at first. It was a reference to my experience as a paranormal investigator. But as the trip progressed, he started to like the name more and more.

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

We’re in Central NY, and while the Metal scene can be great at times, the music scene in general tends to be somewhat toxic here. But it forces us to branch out more, and we tend to play in Western NY more.

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

We recently released our new single and music video ‘Monster Inside You’. It’s a song about haters trying to bring you down, and the need to rise above it and be the bigger person.

Who have been your greatest influences?

We’ve been lucky enough to play with one of my favourite bands and biggest influences, Cold. They’ve become a big influence on the entire band. But we also have a lot of outside influence from Folk music to Pop.

What first got you into music?

I started playing guitar when I was 10 thanks to my guitar teacher Mike VanCott. But what really pushed me to become who I am today was the movie Queen of the Dammed. I would say that was the biggest influence on me at a young age.

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

Ice Nine Kills. They have this amazing theatrical ability.

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

Blue Ridge Rock Festival. Their line-up is always so good.

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

Polaroids of their cats. I love cats, so it was appreciated. But it was weird.

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

Keep being you! Seriously, the wide range of diversity we see in our fans is so incredible to me. I went to school for Anthropology, and seeing how many backgrounds and differences come together with our music, I appreciate it so much.

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

Chester Bennington. I don’t even need to delve into that answer.

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

I enjoy how much genuine human reaction our music brings out of people. I enjoy being in a room and feeling all of that energy that people feel during our sets. But I absolutely hate load-out when we’re done playing.

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

I feel like I don’t know enough to be able to say that. There’s so much more for me to learn.

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

Blue October’s “I Hope You’re Happy”. That whole album is just a masterpiece.

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

Personally, anything is better than silence

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

Last year we played with Cold at The Rapids Theater in Niagara Falls, NY. That was such an amazing experience to be playing in such a deeply historical and deeply haunted venue with legends like that. Last year, we also played Metal in the Mountains in Pipestem, WV. That was life-changing. If you like festivals, give that one a go.

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

I’m also a fashion and jewellery designer as well as a paranormal investigator. I feel like I would still be doing those things.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

I think there are so many possible answers to this, but if I’m being totally honest, it would probably be my bandmates and friends. Seriously. I’m so appreciative of the people in my life, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

What’s next for the band?

We’re going to be releasing a new EP this fall and I’m very excited for it. We have some big shows coming up as well.

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

www.OtherworldlyEntity.com
https://www.facebook.com/otherworldlyentity
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2WT5b8XUDgW76dI4YVOBsu

Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?

Biscuit. But that might be because I’m American and our cakes are large, diabetic disasters.

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

Make sure you check out the ‘Monster Inside You’ music video!

Perseide – The Only Thing

Perseide – The Only Thing
Self-Released
Release Date: 17/12/21
Running Time: 39:31
Review by Simon Black
9/10

OK, so you know how the whole Nu-Metal / Alternative hybrid thing is dead, right? Well, maybe not…

Given that I spent most of the late 90’s and early noughties in mourning for my favourite musical genre, which seemed to be melting away in favour of a sub-genre that rarely got my attention, then those of you that know me would be quite justified in raising the odd eyebrow regarding why I chose this particular release to scrutinise. Whilst there is an argument that journalists often listen to things so you don’t have to, that’s not the way I work, and France’s Perseide crossed my desk quite willingly.

The reason for this is simple. Despite being in many ways a time capsule from the period when bands like Korn and Linkin Park were busy tearing the world a new stylistic asshole, this record doesn’t feel like it’s just some retro wannabe. This band have an energy, soul and persona as emphatic and stylistically appealing as the first time Chester Bennington’s angst ridden scream scored its way through my ear drums and made me think that there was something worth listening to in this nu-fangled sub-genre after all.

For a start there’s way more than Nu-Metal or Alternative in the mix. It’s as Modern as hell, as heavy as a concrete elephant and with some really technically impressive Progressive twists and flourishes that have moved this from raised eyebrows and straight into repeat playlist territory. ‘Skyfall’, despite being a much-used song title elsewhere, is a great example of this fusion of styles, but it pales into insignificance compared to the stand out tracks on here, like the hauntingly catchy ‘Sell Yourself’, or the brutally hard driven ‘Fade Away’. The Linkin vocal comparison above is relevant, as vocalist (and indeed guitarist) Julien Lanoiselèe has an incredibly gutsy and emotionally intense timbre when he lets rip, but scales so many stylistic notches between there and the cleaner style he equally effortlessly delivers along the way. It’s hard to take on board that not only is he doing it vocally alone, but he’s also playing an instrument to boot. Not that the rest of the band have any challenges in that department either, as the musicianship and song-writing on here is top notch, with a lavish and rich production sound that really emphasises the depth of their material, and really, really does not sound like a debut album finding their house sound.

Amazingly for a band that’s been around in one form or another since they were kids in 2001, this is in fact only their first full length album (although there have been a couple of EP’s along the way). I guess when you’ve had twenty years to get to this point, then the material is likely to have been well crafted and honed over time, so the real challenge will be if they can keep the quality up now that they are onto the treadmill of the album touring cycle, but I remain positive because the quality here really is exceptionally good. More please, and soon…

‘Siren In The Distance’ Official Video

TRACKLISTING:
01. Sell Yourself
02. Trick or Treat
03. The Getaway
04. Fade Away
05. Blackening Everything
06. Siren in the Distance
07. Skyfall
08. Asylum
09. Red Naomi
10. Don’t Let Me Go

LINE-UP:
Anthony Segarra – Drums
Guillaume Lafosse – Bass / Keyboards
Julien Lanoiselèe – Vocals / Guitar
Adrien Rossero – Guitar

LINKS:

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Simon Black 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.

NO:IR – Are We Really Alive? EP

NO:IR – Are We Really Alive? EP
Self-Released
Release Date: 18/06/2021
Running Time: 22:19
Review by Steven Hooke
7/10

We live in blessed times when we can look at a fresh-faced nu metal act like NO:IR and use the term “throwback”. The bastard child of groove metal, alt rock and hip hop simultaneously defined a generation, whilst aggravating another at the turn of the millennium as frosted tips, JNCO jeans, and Juggalo-adjacent face paint dominated the charts, both in the underground and in the mainstream.

There had been a steady revival in the early 2010’s with the likes of Emmure, Of Mice & Men, Cane Hill and Suicide Silence incorporating more nu metal into their sound, yet they would always shy away from the “nu metal” label, due to how “un-cool” it was still perceived. But then, Sheffield goliaths Bring Me the Horizon released “That’s The Spirit”, and 90’s kids rejoiced in now seeing nu metal in the main again, with Code Orange, Stray From the Path, Poppy and Vein among those making it officially “cool” again, allowing for a nu generation to break through.

Enter NO:IR, a Bristol-based five-piece who have cannonballed straight into the re-emerging scene with a steady stream of singles dating back to 2019. Combining nu metal with even more hip hop, some sprinklings of emo, and its old friend rap metal, NO:IR do indeed offer a throwback sound to the likes of Linkin Park, Incubus, Papa Roach and even some forgotten gems from the failed UK nu metal revival attempt in TRC and The One Hundred. In their attempts, they are able to bring back all the best parts of the soundtrack to my school runs, but also, several parts that brought down the genre in the first place.

Let’s start with the positives, this EP is crammed with excellent choruses. Harkening back to the likes of Linkin Park’s “Meteora”, vocalist Evvi Davies possesses the envy-inducing vocal prowess to hit powerful, yet melodic vocal melodies, whilst retaining the slightest of rasps that keeps the passages grounded in its rock/metal surroundings. ‘Phantom’ and ‘I Need U (Like I Need A Hole In My Head)’ are both notable examples of this and they do it in their own unique way. To go back to the “Meteora” example, ‘Phantom’ has an ‘Easier To Run’ feel, longer, more drawn-out notes to allow for a more dramatic and emotional performance, whilst ‘I Need U (Like I Need A Hole In My Head)’ has a more ‘Hit The Floor’ feel, with more energy and a higher intensity to shake up the listener (shoutout to drummer George Farley especially for his role in that).

The guitar work at times is also really special. When Sonny Gazzard and Alex Roberts delve into the heavy end of the spectrum – seen particularly in ‘Spineless’ – they do pull out some sharp riffs á la Twelve Foot Ninja, and then follow up nicely with the more melodic-but still crunchy chorus riffs spoken about previously in ‘Phantom’, probably the best written song on the release.

The band as a whole do a pretty decent job in writing a nu metal ballad in ‘Hollow’. Incorporating more dark pop and hip hop elements, that leads a steady progression into another brilliant chorus, the song is a far-cry from the standard fair of the song style set all those years ago (*cuts to ‘Nam flashbacks of ‘It’s Been A While’ by Staind*).

On the other side of the coin, NO:IR are almost too committed to bringing back the past as several of nu metal’s worst tropes can be seen and heard on “Are We Really Alive?”. ‘Demons’ opens with a near-monologue rap from Davies that lacks a natural flow and vocal stability to allow it to stand on its own. This is in fact made worse, when in the verses, he is able to nail a much more naturally-flowing-sounding rap that almost provides its own beat when isolated from the instrumentation. It’s frustrating hearing an idea like that to add a different dynamic to a release, used on perhaps the worst choice of lyric on the song.

This is also a nu-metal EP with barely a passing glimmer at a loud and proud bass guitar. Now this may come under the ‘modernisation’ of the genre, but outside a floaty bassline on ‘Phantom’, Jake Gazzard doesn’t really have the right kind of impact on a release of this ilk. There are some moments of pure metal stomp on the likes of ‘Hollow’, ‘Spineless’, ‘Phantom’, and even the ending breakdown of ‘I Need U (Like I Need a Hole in My Head)’, but no real satisfying *durnk* from a nu metal bass guitar.

And again, with this being a nu metal EP, it would be so easy to go two-footed on the lyrics (David Draiman should be arrested for his sins against the English language) but that is part of the fun of the genre. It’s often bloody bonkers. That being said, there’s a song called ‘I Need U (Like I Need A Hole In My Head)”. Just, no. To all of it.

Overall, at their first full attempt, NO:IR haven’t done a bad job at all, despite the criticisms. There’s plenty of ideas and techniques that they should lean on in the future, such as guitar work, general songwriting of the heavier parts, and genuinely creative ideas (but maybe just aimed in a different direction). They’ve got the chance to right some wrongs from their forefathers as a cross-generational, modernised nostalgia act going forward if they want to be. They’re still young, as is the revival they’re a part of.

Or they can continue what they’re doing and succeed in spite of me. More power to them.

TRACKLISTING:
01. If This Is Living…
02. Demons
03. Spineless
04. Phantom
05. I Need U (Like I Need A Hole In My Head)
06. Hollow

LINE-UP:
Evvi Davies – Vocals
Sonny Gazzard – Guitar
Alex Roberts – Guitar
Jake Gazzard – Bass
George Farley – Drums

LINKS:

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Steven Hooke 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 STEALTH

EMQ’s with STEALTH

Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Corridonia, Italy based Industrial/Nu-Metal band, Stealth. Huge thanks to guitarist, Lorenzo Pimpini, 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?

Hi Folks, my name is Lorenzo and I’m the guitar player of STEALTH. The band was founded in 1997 after the meeting between me, Ivan (vocals and rhythm guitar) and Daniele (Bass player). We started as a Metallica tribute band, but we immediately started producing our own music after some months.

How did you come up with your band name?

I’ve chosen that moniker! One of the reason was the name born from STEALTH fighter plane in 1997 during the war in Middle East. We liked this name ’cause that plane was struggled and incisive like our metal sound!

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

We come from Italy, more precisely from a little city in the centre east of the country called Corridonia. The Rock/Metal scene here was (and actually is) very poor with few venues to play. This is the reason why we played a lot abroad.

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

“Live For Your Faith” is our latest live album released on 31st December 2020. Together with the original album and the remix one is a special concept trilogy: Live from London and other foreign places, ‘disco-metal music’ remix album “Fight For Your Fate” released in 2018 and original album “Fight For Your Faith” released in 2014. Now we are working on a new single with 2 songs that we will release shortly.

‘Perpetual War’ (Official Video)

‘Inner Land’ (Official Video)

Who have been your greatest influences?

I think that the power of STEALTH arrived from different influences between us. I like prog metal and epic cinematic sound; Ivan likes industrial and nu-metal while Daniele is into prog metal and hard rock/old school stuff.

What first got you into music?

When I was 8 years old my mother brought me playing piano. I remember I learned fractional time (4/4, 6/8…) with my music teacher before learning that to school. It was amazing!

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

I really don’t know. I think that every band is special ’cause every band speaks its own language. This is the power of music!

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

I think that WACKEN OPEN AIR would be perfect for the style of music we play with STEALTH.

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

Actually, was a gift…I did. It was an autograph on the tits of a wonderful girl! So maybe I gave her a weird gift…

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

We love you and I hope we’ll start to play live again and that we’ll hug together as soon as possible.

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

Randy Rhoads on guitar, Cliff Burton on bass, Vinnie Paul on drums and Ronnie James Dio on vocals. What an amazing band that could be!

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

We love creating something that lasts over time, something that creates an emotion. I don’t know if we can, but we try and we play, first of all, for us.

I hate the poor consideration of musicians in general.

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

The reality music show. Now your fame lasts as long as a song. There is no longer the desire to search for bands that last over time!

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

Dream Theater’s “Awake”.

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

Everything is cool! The most important thing is to pay even a little for these music ‘devices’ otherwise the music will die.

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

It was 11 years ago in Kiev, Ukraine at Route 66 pub. It’s been an unforgettable show.

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

Luckily, I am also a cardiologist!

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

It will be great to invite for a dinner party the other guys that played with us in the past and creating just for a night a great STEALTH band with 4 drummers and 3 guitar players!

What’s next for the band?

We are working on new material. We are gonna to release a new single with 2 new brand songs next spring.

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

We mostly use our official website www.stealthattack.it but we are also on all the other social media like Facebook, Instagram, You Tube…

www.facebook.com/stealthattack.it
www.youtube.com/user/stealthattack1997

Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?

I don’t know, I think it’s a cake cause the name sounds like it…???

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

Stay connected with us and I send a big hug to everyone out there. We’ll see you quickly!

EMQ’s with MINDWAKE

EMQ’s with MINDWAKE

Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Cagnes-sur-Mer, French Riviera based Nu-Metal/Hardcore band Mindwake. Huge thanks to guitarist Loïc Michel 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?

Hi, I’m Loïc, guitarist in Mindwake. Our Band is a Nu-Metalcore band, we’re doing violent riffs that remind of the nu metal era, but we added some modernity to it. Some parts are more hardcore/deathcore related than nu-metal and it’s something you definitely want to try.

How did you come up with your band name?

Someday we were at a party, and maybe we smoke too much weed, but we all agreed that the meaning of our song plus the chaotic/violent atmosphere could be something that could wake everyone’s minds.

What country are you from and what is the metal scene like there?

We’re from the South of France and here, the metal scene seems to be dying…a lot of friends and local bands stop doing music because here living off of music is something really hard and everyone has to pay their rent in the end, so they have no time to do this anymore. One of our songs is called ‘Dead Dreams’ which brings up this topic (in some ways).

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

We just released our first Album called “B-52”.

‘Concrete War’ (Audio)

Because of the COVID we can’t tour or really promote this album as we’d had loved to do…so we’re currently writing what’s coming next.

Who have been your greatest influences?

Speaking for the whole band, I have to say Slipknot and Korn are our best influences, we all listen to these bands even if everyone in the band came from different horizons.

What first got you into music?

My older sister brought me into metal when I was like 5 years old, I could discover things like Linkin Park, Marilyn Manson etc…and for the first time I could hear something different and I could feel some things that changed my life. Since then I’ve always wanted to do that in life.

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

For the moment I would love to collaborate with bands like Malevolence, While She Sleeps, Chelsea Grin or Emmure.

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

I would pick every festival in the world! It’s a very hard question you got there, we really love to play shows everywhere and at the moment we feel like little kids who just were grounded because of the virus.

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

One day someone gave me a cactus after a show, it was cool, weird but cool.

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

It would be: “we love you and stay tuned for the upcoming things!”

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

I must say Paul Gray from Slipknot. There’s a lot that I would love to bring back.

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

We love being musicians, being able to see different cities, different people from everywhere enjoying the same type of music, being with friends, partying a lot, expressing ourselves with the band. The only thing that I do not like but we have to do is fighting to get paid when we play sketchy venues…besides that, being a musician is THE dream.

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

If I could change something, it would probably be to remove all the people who profit of little bands to make money without doing anything really important in return…or maybe remove the commercial music that makes people more dumb and makes them think that money is all that matter these days.

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

Tough one aha…I’d say “Iowa” by Slipknot.

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

Downloads, because you can listen in high quality and if you love the band then you can support them by buying some Vinyl or merch, but you can’t listen to a Vinyl when you’re at work for example.

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

At the moment, it’s probably that one time we played with Smash Hit Combo, because this gig was so intense, everyone liked it, the sound was good, and some people still tell me things about this one.

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

If I wasn’t a musician, I would probably be a cat, more seriously, I don’t know…maybe I would be a tour manager or something like that, something still in the music business.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

If I had to choose only five people, I would choose the band and our merch guy aha but five is not enough.

What’s next for the band?

We are all busy making the next release and it will be more modern but a lot more violent and chaotic.

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

We are on every music streaming platform and if you wanna interact with us we’re on Facebook, Instagram etc…
www.facebook.com/mindwakeHxC
www.instagram.com/mindwakeband/
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1IBNUfe1FFZoPik_fDFFCIuyCrtQSWGS

Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?

It’s definitely the best munchie when you’re really high haha!

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

Thank you, feel free to check out our album “B-52” and if you enjoyed it, you can let us know on social media, buy some merch and come party with us when we’ll come to play in your city. Have a good day.

EMQ’s with SPOILER

EMQ’s with SPOILER

Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Essex, UK based Nu-Metal/Metalcore band Spoiler. Huge thanks to guitarist Chris 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 Chris and I play guitar for Spoiler. The band has been in the works for nearly two years now and was initially formed from the ashes on my previous band, with myself, Jack (bass) and Danny (drums) having played together for many years before. Our last band called it a day, but we still had the fire in our bellies to start up something new, in a completely different genre. We met our other guitarist and band producer Will through a friend of a friend, got writing and forming the sound before meeting our vocalist Aaron – he was the final piece of the puzzle and everything after that come together very quickly. Spoiler is the culmination of our musical efforts. It’s been a strange time to start a band, but also a blessing as we’ve had the time to really nail our debut single.

How did you come up with your band name?

We went through a few different names before I suggested SPOILER, as in for something to be spoilt for someone or spoiler alert – it seems pretty apt for the year!

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

We’re all from Essex, UK. The scene used to be buzzing in Essex, but over the last few years or so has really died off. Obviously, the lockdown hasn’t helped the smaller venues in our area too, so It’s going to take a huge effort to get back to where we were. There are some great bands still though with a lot to prove, so hopefully once people can get back out to gigs the scene will ignite again.

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

We are set to release our debut single ‘Repress’, which will be available on all platforms from the 30^th October 2020. We’ll also be putting out a music video via Beheading the Traitors YouTube channel on the same day to accompany it, so check it out!

‘Repress’ (Official Video)

Who have been your greatest influences?

I’ve always had guitar heroes from a very young age, from rock guitarists like Angus Young and Kurt Cobain and also Kirk Hammett who had a big bearing on me growing up. Once I found the heavier side of music, Slipknots Jim Root and Lamb of God’s Mark Morton become a big influence in both my tastes and playing style. My generation is very much of the nu-metal era too, having lived through this time at school and friends all being so involved with it. It’s the same for a few of the guys in the band too, with the likes of Korn and Deftones being big influences on us. I think you can hear that at times with our own music.

What first got you into music?

My Dad had a huge influence on me with music – he was the first person to take me to a gig and the first person to buy me a guitar, so I was also destined to like guitar-based music. I would have heavy metal blasted at me from as young an age as I can remember. I became obsessed with music and bands, so always felt at home being in one myself.

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

I would love for the band to collaborate with Josh Middleton, guitarist of Architects – the guy is an awesome guitarist and a talented songwriter. It’s not exactly a fit with our music per se, but would be great, nevertheless.

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

100% Download Festival. I went to this festival every year, without fail, for at least ten years. I loved everything about it. To be able to play one of the stages there with SPOILER would be a dream come true.

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

I’ve never actually received a gift from a fan!

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

‘Repress’ is just a taste of what’s in store for the future, both in the sound and the plans we have for this band. Next year we are going all out and pushing everything to the max. It’s early days at the moment but we are buzzing for our new fans to go on this journey with us.

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

Would have to be Kurt Cobain. Aside from this, would have been interesting to see what Metallica would have gone on to do if Cliff hadn’t passed.

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

Having a creative outlet in my life where I can forgot about everything else that might be going on. Whether its day to day stress, work or just life getting you down – when we all get in a practise room or hit a stage, that all becomes irrelevant. Not only playing wise, thinking about the media side of the band is so interesting to me, whether it’s an artwork design for a single or getting involved in the music video process it’s great. I wouldn’t say I particularly hate anything, but the long drives on tour between shows can be hard going. Even then we’re in a van with our mates, so it’s still a positive.

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

Fairness for artists. Everything in the industry is based around digital content, whether it’s a band’s music on Spotify or YouTube because people just don’t buy CD’s anymore. The pay-out which artists get from these platforms is appalling. Artists put so much time, energy and money into creating music yet get very little reward from it. Because the few music platforms have cornered the market, they can dictate. There needs to be a fairer cut.

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

Metallica – “Master of Puppets”

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

For nostalgia reasons I would say CDs’. Nothing would be better than getting your favourite band’s new album and reading through the album booklet, dissecting the lyrics as you listen to the album.

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

Well in this band we are yet to play a gig due to the Covid situation. I did play some great shows in my previous band though. One that comes to mind was our album launch show at a venue called Chinnerys in Southend. We packed the place out and it was just a great show.

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

Something creative, most likely graphic design based.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

I would go with a nice mix of musicians, actors and knowledge so – Dave Grohl, Di Caprio, David Attenborough, Corey Taylor and Will Ferrell!

What’s next for the band?

We’re just about to shoot the music video for our next single, before entering the studio again to work on more material with an aim to get an EP out next year.

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

@wearesplr EVERYWHERE!
www.instagram.com/wearesplr/
www.facebook.com/wearesplr/
www.twitter.com/wearesplr

Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?

I associate a biscuit that has a crunch to it or can be dipped in tea, neither of those with a Jaffa. It’s a cake all day long!

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

The support we’ve had so far for this band has been incredible and this is only the start. It may sounds cliché, but expect big things from this band. Next year we’re taking it!