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30 August, 2013

Edward Lafuentes - E Magic

Edward Lafuentes - E Magic |self-released, 2013| 4/5

01. C the Sun, 02. Breath of God, 03. Anu, 04. God of War, 05. Mission Ea, 06. On the Bar Rock Star, 07. Don't Wake the Dead, 08. King No Name, 09. Live For Ever, 10. Save Me, 11. N.Y.C.S, 12. Magic


Ed Lafuentes has been working as an engineer and producer at Demon Rose Studio in the Bronx, NYC. During this time, he had a chance to collaborate with a variety of artists such as Pantheon, The Cannibals, Laz Pina (Ill Nino, Shang Hi Fye, Broom Hellda) and Dennis Bell (U2, Lenny Kravitz). As a result, his debut album E Magic shows a heavy metal pedigree. Lafuentes' music has been inspired by Black Sabbath, Slayer, Venom, S.O.D., Candlemass, Alice Cooper or Celtic Frost albums. Still, there's additional sampling, better known to industrial music, mixed into the solid rock sound.

The opening instrumental track "C the Sun" brings a light leitmotif mixed with low tuned bass and slided guitar riffs both enriched with a variety of electronic add-ons. The bass sounds neat and groovy, while the guitars make for a nice contrast with both electronica and drums.
"Breath of God" brings vocals and catchy hooks interlaced with jagged, vibrating guitar riffs. The wall of sound on this track is a result of a skillful combining of guitars, bass and drums. The song is tight and includes memorable arrangements.
The composition of "Anu" leaves space for rhythmic vocals and distorted guitars. Groovy drum beats and bass solidify the track. Since it's quite a long song, the sets of arrangements vary and thus, "Anu" doesn't sound too monothematic. In fact, it sounds like there were at least three musical themes included, each one becoming better developed and more complex as the song progresses.

If you like the heavy and mechanical (yet melodic) vibe of Fear Factory songs with the infamous sound of a drum machine, then "God of War" may be your favourite. Memorable vocal parts and highly pitched, contrasty guitar riffs make it a good track for airplay as well. The vocals seem to be multiplied in a few spots. This technique gives the song an epic, powerful and war-like anthem feel as if the lyrics were sung by a choir of warriors.

"Mission Ea" easily embeds itself in your memory after the first listening. Advancing, pitched guitar riffs with a slightly sentimental vibe make the track sound lighter than it seems to be due to the low tuned, digitally processed arrangements. It's a great track for an action/racing video games since it's instrumental, groovy, hooky, energetic and attractively repetitive.
However, if you need a melodic song which doesn't lack a heavy vibe, then "On the Bar Rock Star" falls into this category. It begins with typical heavy metal riffs, followed by catchy verses almost falling into pop. Yet another wall of sound is supported by the recurring, noisy 'Rock star' vocal phrase. In addition, the truly rocking and fiery mid-part should move everybody, regardless of individual music preferences.

The longest song on the album, "Don't Wake the Dead", begins slowly with a soloing bass and noisy, vibrating guitars. Its mood recalls a lullaby, but not one you may want to sleep to, as the vibe is as haunting as in many Ozzy Osbourne tracks. It's additionally enriched with intriguing electronica and 'crying' guitar riffs.
"King No Name" brings a groovy vibe again, along with repeating, rhythmically spoken verses and screamed choruses. There are a few intriguing, very well composed moments appearing throughout, breaking its seemingly monotone tempo. Then "Live For Ever" comes as another potential hit thanks to the melodic, catchy choruses and tight composition powered by heavy, guitar-driven arrangements. Additional background vocals give it a pop-rock feel, making the song very radio-friendly.

"Save Me" is loaded with very cool beats and techno or even acid house dynamics, on par with the trademark sound of The Prodigy or The Young Gods. The track gets a slightly more lyrical feel later on, eventually returning to the initial dynamic rollercoaster. A hardcore vibe flows out of "N.Y.C.S" thanks to the fast-paced, aggressive drum beats and rapidly shouted lyrics. The bass simply vibrates in the background while the pitched guitar riff gives the song a very cold feel.

The last track, "Magic" seems to be Ed's personal reflection on the subject. It channels Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper's music through the vocals and recurring themes, but also its heavy sound mix of bass, drums and guitars. There are also haunting background samples, illustratively weaving the magical atmosphere throughout the track.

Overall, all twelve songs on this release bring a positive, sensual and nocturnal feel. Several instrumental arrangements (with bits of background vocals sampled here and there) could be instantly deployed in movie trailers, video games or advertisements.
Technically, the rhythm brought by a low tuned bass with noisy, wailing guitars seems to be the most recognizable, key trait of Lafuentes' work on the album. Ed definitely knows how to put his music ideas into conceptual compositions. He keeps the vibe heavy yet mechanical, almost like a Terminator or a tank rolling across the place. Monotony is skillfully avoided through tempo and arrangement changes, but the main theme remains solid in each of the songs. On the downside, a few songs sound too similar to each other. Breaking out of the scheme could bring a slightly fresher feel. Nevertheless, if you like heavy metal music coupled with a modern approach, E Magic will undoubtedly hit the spot for you.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, August 30th, 2013. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)




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Reviewed by Fabryka Music Magazine

26 August, 2013

13 Shadows - interview (2013)


NINa: For some singers, a clear and strong voice comes as a natural talent, but other people need to take a lot of lessons to train their voices well. What's your experience with singing?

Denise Donahue: I don't really see myself as a singer... more of a composer who happens to sing my own stuff. Singing actually comes with a lot of fear and loathing for me. I've never had any formal vocal training, or informal for that matter. I do the best I can with what I have. If I had any money I would be more than happy to take some lessons!... Hint, please help a poor tortured artist out and buy a song or two! I really focus a lot more on my instrumentation and composition. That's where I feel my strength truly is, and it's also what I most enjoy.

Read more at: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=496

Conducted by Fabryka Music Magazine

21 August, 2013

Xander Demos - interview (2013)


NINa: Guitar shredding has been used in many metal music subgenres, but it can be easily overdone. However, judging by your songs from Guitarcadia, it sounds like you've found the golden mean. What piece of advice could you give to other guitarists who lose themselves in either the technical details or too much passion?

Xander: Always remember that songs are the key in the music industry. Don’t lose sight of the melody and song structure. If you listen to my stuff, there are definite melodies and hooks. You can hum along in between bouts of shredding. The songs have definite verses, bridges, choruses, etc. So, it’s not just me going buck wild and masturbating all over the fretboard. That gets kind of boring. You want to have something that people can listen to and even if they aren’t a shred fan, they can hear the melodies.

Read full interview at http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=495

Conducted by Fabryka Music Magazine

10 August, 2013

Phenagen - Cannon Fodder

Phenagen - Cannon Fodder (song review) |Metastazis Records, Phenagen, 2012| 5/5

Established in 2010, Los Angeles based Phenagen is a project of Phil Glasses (vocals) mixing rock, metal and industrial.
"Cannon Fodder" ends the tracklist of the bands self-titled debut EP released in 2012. For the purpose of Phenagen, Phil completed an all star line-up. The song is supported by experienced guest musicians: Mike Clark (lead guitar, formerly in a famous crossover thrash band Suicidal Tendencies), Randy Bradbury of punk band Pennywise (bass) and Gary Ferguson (drums) who's better known from Geezer Butler's (GZR) & Gary Moore's bands.

This fruitful collaboration resulted in an excellent track for live performance. "Cannon Fodder" is both powerful and catchy, with groovy arrangements shared between guitar riffs, bass lines, vocals and drum beats. The repeating motifs and war-related lyrics fit perfectly into the linear structure of the song. Knowledgeable listeners will find the track a potential hit from the get-go.

Technically speaking, the composition is smooth and well developed, so it lacks any unexpected flaws. The rhythm is slow enough to make the sound heavy, solid and memorable. Nicely contrasting elements like a low tuned bass and alternatively high pitched and predatory sounding guitar riffs will certainly fill your ears with goodness. Both verses and choruses are unquestionably memorable, so it’s easy to imagine the live audience singing "Mother, I'm on the first line, Remember me forever, they'll turn off the light" along with the vocalist. Finally, Phil's voice is clearly recognizable with angry, dark and passionate tones, befitting hardcore as well as metal music.

Phil openly admits he draws influences from Killing Joke or Einstürzende Neubauten. Industrial samples carefully used in post-production give the song a mechanical, but not too experimental vibe. This sounds in line with the likes of Ministry, Skrew and other authentic industrial rock and industrial metal bands. Overdoing the 'industrial' layer would have killed the rock/metal spirit by limiting the range and impact of organic sounds brought forth by the guitars, bass and drums.

So far, Phenagen has been working on new material. Make sure you don’t miss their next release and live shows. Follow Phenagen on the social networks listed below to receive the newest updates.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Music Magazine, July 26th, 2013. Proofreading: Mike 'Vesper' Dziewoński)



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Reviewed by Fabryka Music Magazine