Dead Animal Assembly Plant - All My Heroes Are Dead

Dead Animal Assembly Plant - All My Heroes Are Dead (2012)

Genre: industrial, experimental
Rating: 3/4

01. Then There Was Silence [04:12]
02. Brumal [05:30]
03. In Furnace [01:41]
04. All My Heroes Are Dead [05:12]
05. Monster [05:00]
06. Fumes [04:15]
07. Tragedy For One [04:53]
08. Rust Jesus [04:31]
09. A Capella Medication [04:50]
10. Deeper [04:08]
11. Surrogate (bonus track) [05:32]

"In 1915 tragedy struck the small town he called home when all the livestock took some unexplained fatal disease. The ever resourceful Schröder turned to the only available meat. The townsfolk."

Portland, Oregon seems to be fertile ground for industrial, goth and electronic music to manifest. Several well known industrial bands originate throughout the pacific northwest of the United States and Canada. Dead Animal Assembly Plant (DAAP) is a collaboration of musicians from Bound In Oblivion (Johnathan Case, Zach Wager), NVEiN (Eric Bergen), Particle Son (Vex March) and Travis Geny.

Dead Animal Assembly Plant is inspired by a fictional horror story set up in the XIX century about a once successful German butcher who had gone bankrupt by the name of Wilhelm Schröder.

The musicians who comprise DAAP wear the ominous clothes of a butcher with bloody meat-esque painted faces and prosthetic torso coverings which make their live shows quite a disturbing experience. In fact, this kind of music demands visual aesthetics such as costumes or additional short films to enhance the live performance at their shows.

Two years after releasing their debut Niblets 'N' Giblets / Strip Off Your Skin EP, DAAP comes back with music and stories that the fans of ohGr or Skinny Puppy should dig right away. There's no doubt the band has earned their place to be labeled as 'industrial', where the link has been made not only by the use of synths, samplers and cold mechanical auras, but also by instruments such as the musical saw (idiophone). Moreover, Zach's vocals may recall a listener to the implicative articulation of the demonic Pinhead from Hellraiser. This horror movie character has been as attractive and inspiring for the electro/industrial music scene as radioactive contamination.

The opening track entitled "Then There Was Silence" gives a pre-taste of what sort of atmospheres will surround the listener over the course of the following 50 minutes. Noisy electronic and somewhat echoing vocals supported by clear, phat, yet terrorizing beats may very well drill into one's skull.

On the other hand, "Brumal" sounds more organic thanks to the distorted guitars as well as repetitive and syncopated vocals. The third track on the album called "In Furnace" includes many more experimental tunes as well as effects and quite sado-masochistic moods. The song lasts no longer than two minutes, but it could have sounded even more disturbing if it were to continue further.

If you've ever listened to the music of Bound in Oblivion, you will find this connection in "All My Heroes Are Dead" as well. Shattering and repetitive rhythms are enriched by synths reminiscent of Pretty Hate Machine, NIN era song techniques that give the overall track quite a danceable spin.

"Monster" may either be called the best or the most confusing song on this album since it sounds as if there are three compositions in one. The arrangements are based on the rhythm, however they are spiced up with a dense layer of vocals as well as a variety of environmentally placed tunes.

The song "Fumes" may truly bring up mind-alarming pictures. This track would be a perfect fit to movies such as Saw, Silent Hill, The Human Centipede or Hostel, where the negative character in the minds of the killers were soaked with the sickest, most sadistic, yet extremely surreal ideas. Moreover, it's the perfect composition in which to use the musical saw I mentioned above, due to complex arrangements that puzzle the listener from the very beginning.

"Tragedy For One" sounds arrhythmic at first, then turns into a rhythmic drive still filled with crazy sounding samples and suggestive, Nivek Ogre-esque vocals. Normally it would be a danceable track, but due to a variation of sporadic noises and labyrinthian structures - it is not. Similarly, "Rust Jesus" recalls of early Skinny Puppy music with its scary vocals combined with electronic and rhythmical tunes. Surely, you will feel the power of 90's era industrial, however well modernized here.

The following track called "A Capella Medication" stands out as far too electro with its frequent oontz beats. It's a basic song that includes an electro/rave party setlist, but it becomes less valuable when held in comparison to songs such as "Monster" and "Rust Jesus". On the other hand, "Deeper" turns out to be non-standard. This is a song rich in experimental arrangements and distracting samples that make it feel cold and mechanical with the vocals additionally whispered in like a madman's poetry.

The last song on the tracklist entitled "Surrogate" sounds emotional. These noisy sounds will attack your ears with a variety of effects because there's a lot of things going on at the same time. They match the entire composition, although they stay far from harmony and balance even though the rhythm appears in following segments of the song. "Surrogate" is only available on the free version of this album (to download at DAAP official website at the moment), but not on the CD.

The music on All My Heroes Are Dead needs specifically crafted minds to dig it. These compositions are based on sonic contrasts as well as arrhythmic and disharmonious arrangements so they can turn out raw and difficult. The song titles definitely represent messaging, but the album should be listened to a few times to understand the entire picture properly. Musical inspirations seem to flow from experimental works by Foetus and Nivek Ogre, but also modern industrial, beat-driven arrangements. DAAP mentions Nine Inch Nails, Raymond Watts (Pig) and Tom Waits amongst their influences, but the new self-released album brings dark energy with strong references to to the sound of Skinny Puppy, Hilt and classic Front Line Assembly.

The bands stage image combined with their theatrical performances and high quality music production will draw the attention of a specific demographic of targeted listeners. DAAP was also recently invited to take part in an interview for a documentary about the horror subculture in 2012. This should explain their ideas and the overall interests drawn towards the band pretty well.

To sum up, if you're into experimental industrial music with a horror feel to it, you'll love this release. However, if you prefer solid verse-chorus-verse structured songs, this release will make your mind totally exhausted. All My Heroes Are Dead is not what the industry would consider to be categorized as having the usual hit potential, but the scary audio-visual and art-related experiences this band defines are sure to find their mark.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, July 31th, 2012)

http://www.deadanimalassemblyplant.com
http://www.facebook.com/DeadAnimalAssemblyPlant
http://www.myspace.com/deadanimalassemblyplant
http://www.reverbnation.com/deadanimalassemblyplant
http://www.twitter.com/officialDAAP
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Dead+Animal+Assembly+Plant

Download for free from the band or buy a CD: see: official website.

This review on Fabryka Magazine http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=438

Testimonials:

We at D.A.A.P are thoroughly pleased with the professional and completely objective album review done by Fabryka Industrial Rock Magazine. The meticulously detailed review truly peeled apart the thematic layers of the album to reveal the meaty core. We can't wait to have future albums reviewed and would recommend it to musicians of all ilk.
Z.Wager | 10.08.2012 |

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BELT - Cause & Infect

BELT - Cause & Infect (song review) |self-released, Cause & Infect, 2011| 4/5 industrial

Industrial rock music has faded in and out since the late 80s. However, every decade has brought several famous names, first to the mainstream, then to the ever green underground. The 90s has seen dominant names like Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Marilyn Manson, Filter or Stabbing Westward supported by labels and MTV who have not only influenced listeners, but other musicians as well.

An American multi-instrumentalist performing under the BELT moniker is one musician who decided to make industrial music on his own terms. "Cause & Infect" has a song structure that is simple along with moods that are classically brooding. The verses are based on a repetitive beat and this technique may make the composition memorable. At the same time, theatrically articulated and screaming vocals bring to mind the picture of half-Joker/half-demon singer. BELT's voice matches all sorts of dark music very well, so it fits this song properly. There are samples and synths in use that help to create a specific atmosphere. When the choruses come in, the bass and guitar fuse together and tear the beat to shreds. Matching guitar riffs as well as bass lines make these segments of the song sound very aggressive.

When you listen to "Cause & Infect" you will be able to tell whom inspired BELT the most... Marilyn Manson, who scared and offended as many people as he mirrored in the world through the "Antichrist Superstar" track. This song was supported by a unique video that must have had an artistic impact on BELT's "Cause & Infect". It can also be proven by watching this video single (YouTube) where the vocalist with the painted zombie-like face wears a pope robe and acts like a psychotic preacher. Musically, BELT as well as Manson operate within the method of a strong beat where the vocals can be heard without any additional background present.

As for the less positive impressions, the intro of the song is quite long. Secondly, an automated and basic cymbal beat appears throughout the entire song with hardly any variation. The beat seems to be missing the greater vibrancy and depth that could really make the track much more powerful. This usually happens in black metal music too, where great riffs miss a bit a percussive excitement that could really make them stand out. Last, the mastering doesn't underline or emphasize any of the instruments or vocals during any moment. The combined tracks sound as if they were equalized at the same level.

It should be noted however that BELT did everything from A to Z on this track. He arranged, composed, recorded, mixed, mastered, produced then drafted a screenplay as well as performed in his video. As an indie artist he may be currently crafting his skill level on everything, but he's definitely driven by passion and this is something that you can't buy or learn without fighting for. Moreover, industrial musicians usually claim to release frustration and anger though their music or visuals. These negative, yet powerful emotions feel reliable to fans who seem to both savor as well as identify with the tunes that reflect their own opinions or problems. As does "Cause & Infect" by BELT.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, August 3rd, 2012)

http://www.beltsmusiccircus.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/belt2020/videos
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Belt/218893031480342
http://www.myspace.com/564632891
 

Buy on:
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/belt22/from/fabryka
http://www.amazon.com/Cause-Infect-Belt/dp/B005GPFF7W
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/cause-infect/id455448304

Video single: http://youtu.be/dnDyjGpyczw

 

 

Testimonials:
Your the first professional to give me a review and I love it. Yes everything is correct. Reading it fills me with hope and is a real confidence booster. (...) You've been a big help (...) Thank you for what you said about my video, because I straight up did the filming and the editing by myself and it was the first time I had done anything like that.
Belt | 07.08.2012 |
This review on Fabryka Magazine:  http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=414

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Electric Moon - Thunderclap

Electric Moon - Thunderclap (song review) |self-released, Oleander EP, 2012| 5/5 progrock classic rock

This four piece band was established in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in late 2010 by experienced musicians who have not only played music for a majority of their lifetime, but who are well trained in graphic design and have an understanding of history and world affairs relevant to the decade of war in Iraq. Their debut EP brings four sonically diversified songs with "Thunderclap" ending the tracklist.

“Thunderclap” is an instrumental song - a fusion of many genres ranging from traditional rock, through progressive rock to nostalgic jazz, blues and classical music where accents are laid on the guitars, drums and piano the most. While the first two instruments along with the bass represent the rock connection, the piano makes a traditional approach into this composition.
Various artist such as Queen or Deep Purple are evident influences on this track which is over 6 minutes long. The song is rich in moods, however there's always one solid, rhythmic vibe brought upon by the percussion and individual soloing that stands out to draw the ear. The arrangements seem to be orchestrated since they tactfully repeat.

This is a song which could perfectly illustrate a short movie. “Thunderclap” includes a variety
of contrasting elements which solidify it's impact on the listener. Brian Ritchie on bass along with drums by Michael Ryce build solid, non-detachable structures for all parts of this composition. Notable guitar riffs by Jake Gordin recall the styles of Hendrix as they scream and cry in high octaves. Lastly, Stuart Parker utilizes piano pirouettes like a ballet dancer on top of them all.
When it comes to the arrangements, silence plays an important part in this composition as well since it has been an extremely meaningful element for music through the centuries. Classical music is a prime example of how silence can craft moods and underline specific moments a listener should focus on.

These four musicians definitely know how to score professional music and should feel proud of their skills. "Thunderclap" is a song recommended to fans of classic and progressive rock who additionally look beyond these genres.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, July 23th, 2012)

https://www.facebook.com/electricmoonmusic
http://www.last.fm/music/Electric+Moon
http://twitter.com/ElectricMoon
https://mog.com/albums/mn63801193/electric-moon/oleander
http://www.youtube.com/user/ElectricMoonLive

Buy on:
http://electricmoon.bandcamp.com
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/electricmoon/from/fabryka
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/oleander-ep/id498139202
http://www.amazon.com/Oleander/dp/B00721MGI4
http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/163324286-electric-moon

On Fabryka Magazine: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=437

Testimonials:
I think it's very flattering, and we're very happy to have it. Thanks again for your time and effort. I look forward to working with you again soon.
Jake Gordin | 30.07.2012 |

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GODCOMPLEX - Life's Deception

GODCOMPLEX - Life's Deception (song review) |self-released, 2012| 4/4

"Life's Deception" is a brand new song that is to be released on the Hymns for the Faithless album which is scheduled for August 2012.

This highly dynamic track has been written, recorded and performed by only two musicians, which you may find surprising in terms of the overall powerful vibes of their music. Moreover, John Spangler (lead guitar, bass, production) and Rod Pagel (lyrics, vocals, rhythm guitar, drum programming) who comprise the line-up of the band, also played together in a thrash metal/punk band called Maniacal Genocide that was founded in 1987. They now collaborate on-line due to the fact that they live in different states. All the music was composed by John and the vocals were written by Rod.

The song starts directly with guitar, bass and drums in unison, followed by very synchronized and cleverly matching vocals. Chunky guitar riffs do not overlay the entire composition, but add an edgy rhythm in the background. The bass lines and drum beats will make you think faster. Rod's voice holds a characteristic tune, yet sounds understandable. This aspect is very important since the voice is realistically an instrument in the context of a musical composition. At the same time, Rod sounds angry and rebellious which almost automatically draws the attention of rock and metal listeners.

"Life's Deception" contains pure sparkling vitality that is reminiscent to the music of bands such as The Union Underground, Powerman 5000 and Monster Magnet. Last but not least, it sounds like a man's song, so it must be a testosterone driven thing which glues these bands together with self-confidence, motion and power.Spinning, syncopated dynamics, simple yet wise arrangements as well as a straight-forward vibe should make this track famous. Godcomplex should keep submitting "Life's Deception" for all sorts of opportunities such as compilations, movie placement, college radio playlists and especially, perform it live during rock & metal festivals. They may also consider incorporating at least two or more musicians for live shows for this reason as well.

"Life's Deception" is a guitar driven and catchy song that has instant hit potential, while repetitive lyrics make it very memorable.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, June 29th, 2012)

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Phobos Corp. - Felicity EP

Phobos Corp. - Felicity EP |self-released, 2012| 4/4

1. One Eternal (Felicity's Song), 2. Conceived Fate, 3. This Divine Tragedy, 4. Angels in Despair (Instr.)

Whenever you enjoy a movie it's because of the plot, editing, syncing, aesthetics, wardrobe, actors, screenplay, special effects, camera filters and other technical solutions. However, any movie can fall flat without a soundtrack.
Phobos Corp. has released a true concept EP entitled Felicity, with content that perfectly illustrates drama, science fiction or fantasy movies as well as atmospheric video games. A fictional character named Felicity is the focal point of this EP. She was once killed, but now returns as a ghost to tell the story of her tragic love through four symphonic metal songs.

"One Eternal (Felicity's Song)" opens the tracklist with the sound of a piano echoing a light rainfall. This aspect brings a sort of theatrical tension which is usually utilized in dramatic movies. The action begins right after the intro, along with synth tracks that seem to be programmed to sound like violins. Repetitive choral voices make this song sound epic. The contrast between high and low tones result in creating the counterpoint behind the atmosphere of this song, which carries with it the effect of stealing a listeners attention right away. Orchestral arrangements last until they are met with symphonic metal drums, guitars and keyboards. The initial piano parts continue in the background, leaving space for female vocals and guitar riffs which come in next. The voice of Tara Louise reminds me of popular and inspirational female metal genre vocalists such as Tarja Turunen (Nightwish), Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation) or Simone Simons (Epica).
A trumpet is not an instrument utilized very often in metal music and thus, it may sound surprising when it comes into the mix right after such metal-orientated arrangements. However, it does work well with the initial piano score when combined with the symphonic metal sections of the song.

Large choirs begin the track "Conceived Fate" and are followed by a rhythmic set of guitars, drums and Tara's vocals. In fact, the guitars will make you want to headbang, but after such a symphonically orchestrated intro you may anticipate these elements of the tune to return once again. Indeed, the smartly composed orchestral parts appear in the middle of the track. This contrast hits incredibly hard with its beauty after such a storm of previous metal arrangements. The following conversion is a fully symphonic arrangement that may give you ideas that consist of sonic illustrations and mental images such as discovering treasure in the depths of the sea, entering a secret cavern while a beautiful sorceress awaits or crossing through the gate of a mystic temple. Everything seems to be meaningful, sublime, mysterious and glittering like ice crystals or precious gems. However, this part of the track is kept in a serious, indifferent, not happy, yet non-depressive mood.
Later, previously heard metal arrangements return to lead the listener towards the end of the song.

"This Divine Tragedy" is song number 3 on the tracklist. It begins with an instrumental introduction that would perfectly match an RPG fantasy video game such as Skyrim, Witcher or World of Warcraft. After such a magical beginning, the composition brings angelic female voices and chunky guitars that are accompanied by bass and drums. The track also includes a guitar solo near the end of the song while keyboards and a violin occasionally interlace with the arrangements. We're not talking about songwriting aspects that comprise the fury of a storm here, but compositional structures that are built in a safe way that avoids deviation.

The choirs return on "Angels in Despair", then the atmospheres grow even more expansive thanks to rhythmic guitars and drums in unison that are joined by keyboards next. If there is ever a need to replace the keyboards, a real violin could make this track sound even more epic, but on the other hand, trumpets or a brass section may bring an experimental jazz vibe into the mix (like the trumpet did for "One Eternal (Felicity's Song)"). Moreover, the song is short enough to become an intro or outro on a full album, possibly released by Phobos Corp. sometime in the future. "Angels in Despair" seems as if it could be a fitting ending for the part of a movie where the credits scroll up as well.

Phobos Corp. was founded in Greece in 1995, then relocated to Germany. They belong to a collective of bands creating both music and stories which give their songs additional meaning.
Felicity was written by Spyros Papadakis (keyboards) and recorded with the help of soundtrack composers such as Jon Ong & Zach Lemmon (orchestral arrangements), Shoi Sen (guitar), Mark Jones (guitar, bass), Chris Sutherland (drums) as well as a professional female vocalist named Tara Louise. The EP was mixed & mastered by British producer Dave Chang who worked with artists such as Orange Goblin, Dagoba, Earthtone9 and Stampin' Ground.

Spyros should seek the attention of high budget movie and video game industries as well as big multimedia orchestral performances which would allow his musical and visual concepts to go viral. It would be great if Phobos Corp. could get a full symphonic orchestra to perform the Felicity EP live.

(Katarzyna NINa Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, June 20th, 2012)

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on Fabryka Magazine

Mike Drazka - Songs from the Asylum

Mike Drazka - Songs from the Asylum |self-released, 2012| 4/4

01. The Awakening , 02. Angels Of War, 03. The Nightmare, 04. Black River, 05. Sucker Punch, 06. Crown Of Thorns, 07. Path of Destruction

Mike Drazka is an American songwriter and self taught multi-instrumentalist who has already placed his music into various forms of visual media such as TV, radio and internet multimedia sources including Oxygen Network, News12 Networks, MSG Networks and The Motion Picture Association of America with the award winning documentary Flight 587. His Songs from the Asylum album brings seven instrumental tracks that could be easily utilized in action video games as well as movies.

The album begins with "The Awakening" which brings orchestrated rock sounds spiced up with electronica. It would be perfect if Mike hired a metal genre female singer to add vocals to it. The compositional aspects of the song are built on verses and choruses with cumulative moments and spots where a listener's brain can relax as well. Arrangements which have been written for guitars, bass, drums and keyboards have resulted in a cool rock track that has a chance for hit potential despite missing vocals.

"Angels of War" is a heavy track due to its looped guitar riffs and sampling. Atmospheric parts in the background based on angel-esque voices and violins are interlaced with the main theme.
On the other hand, "The Nightmare" has an intro that consist of brooding metal bass lines and drums which are joined by noisy guitars and cut with a synthesizer sometimes too. This would be also a perfect song to have male rock vocals added that could intensify the track and add a remarkable aspect. Overall, the dark and heavy moods sound as if they smuggled a nightmare into an asylum.

Creative noise opens the fourth song on the tracklist called "Black River", which I personally find one of the best compositions on this album along with "Crown of Thorns" and "Sucker Punch".
"Black River" sounds powerful due to chunky guitars joined by keyboards while the drum beat builds the structure of the song. An unforgettable and ear-friendly guitar motif that appears in segments of the song may also steal your heart. Moreover, the guitar tracks act as a surrogate to vocal parts which makes a listener take no notice that the song is missing a vocalist. The composition flows quite stable and the arrangements match one another well. "Black River" is as full of dynamics as it is memorable, this is thanks to Mike's great songwriting and sound design skills.

Mike Drazka wrote and played each instrument on every song except for two. You can hear very heavy metal, yet distorted riffs played by American guitarist Frank Guertin as well as the drum beats by Russ Miller in "Sucker Punch" and "Crown of Thorns".
The first of the two, “Sucker Punch”, is a track where heavy metal collides with electronica. Hardcore riffs lead the song over backgrounds which feature drums, bass and rhythm guitars, but electronic effects and sampling appear in some spots too. This track would be a great fit to an action movie trailer since it can underline specific scenes and moods very well.
"Crown of Thorns" turns out quite short (less than 3 minutes), though it is fully dominated by deep tribal drum beats. The initial mixture of Mike's concept of synths and silence gave me a flashback of Harold Faltermeyer's compositions. The intro may be a bit too long, but the track continuously evolves. However, if the purpose of the song was to be background music for a presentation or a video game with a few images slid into the beginning, the length of the intro would make a perfect sense.

"Path of Destruction" finishes the Songs from the Asylum album. It seems to utilize the same ideas as are found in "Crown of Thorns" (the length of intro) in the beginning, but the overall vibe is more electronic and noisy than in the previous songs. There are some guitar riffs involved, although it seems like they were processed through a digital sequencer.

Well designed music doubles the joy of playing video games as well as watching movies. Images and motion do speak directly, yet they become harsh without matching music. Some game designers and movie directors have awesome works in progress, but they are missing music that can emphasize their work to a maximum dynamic effect. Mike has an excellent set of songs which would match any type of 'action' motion picture or video game due to their climactic guitar driven instrumental themes. It would be great if Mike had a chance to collaborate with such professionals as mentioned above to utilize his music in their productions and allow for visually stunning multimedia. Hopefully some professionals who are in the gaming and film industries may find Mike Drazka thanks to this review and begin a creative and successful collaboration together.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, June 11th, 2012)

http://www.mikedrazkamusic.com | http://www.facebook.com/drazka

Buy this album on http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mikedrazka/from/fabryka
as well as iTunes, Deezer, Myspace Music, eMusic, Nokia, Last.fm, Simfy, Google Music Store and MediaNet.

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Phobos Corp. - This Divine Tragedy

Phobos Corp. - This Divine Tragedy (song review) |self-released, Felicity EP, 2012| 4/5

She was a young sensitive being who devoted herself to a man she literally loved to death. However, her jealous father couldn't stand the way his beautiful daughter was looking at her lover. He hated every minute she was spending with this stranger to a point where a horrific plan was born into his mind. Her father became convinced that he must stop their suffering.

The girl returned soon after this wicked revelation. A shaking shadow had been seen in the corner of the room where her father had been locking her up... and where he killed her. None of this could make her stop seeing her lover. She was shifting along with the warm summer air in the garden after dusk; where she kissed her man the very first time. A murky glance in his eyes had already told her there would be a dark secret to keep. She thought she could deal with it because the power of their love could protect them from any disaster.

The above script is a fictional story. When you look at the cover art of this release you'll see an exhausted young girl who's laying naked on the floor of an abandoned room. A dark image that illustrates the idea behind this concept EP very well. A fictional character named Felicity is the focal point of this album. She was once killed, but now returns as a ghost to tell the story of her tragic love through four symphonic metal songs.

"This Divine Tragedy" is song number 3 on the tracklist. It begins with an instrumental introduction that would perfectly match an RPG fantasy video game such as Skyrim, Witcher or World of Warcraft. Personally, I wouldn't mind if the entire song was a continuation of the intro.

After such a magical beginning, the composition brings angelic female voices and chunky guitars that are accompanied by bass and drums. The track also includes a guitar solo near the end of the song while keyboards and a violin occasionally interlace with the arrangements. We're not talking about songwriting aspects that comprise the fury of a storm here, but compositional structures that are built in a safe way that avoids deviation.

On the other hand, the song is surprisingly short and lasts less than 4 minutes. For such an orientation of orchestral arrangements, "This Divine Tragedy" could have been extended in a manner that would be fitting to tease with a listener's emotions. This could be done by building specific moods that rely on ascending peaks and descending hollows which lead to accumulative climaxes in certain segments. In fact, it would be great if Phobos Corp. could get a full symphonic orchestra to perform this track live.

Spyros Papadakis (keyboards) is the open minded leader behind Phobos Corp. He writes orchestral arrangements and mixes them with metal music. This genre has been the target of his interest since he was 12 years old, while his knowledge of compositional techniques applied to both styles of music allows him to experiment with the cross-over dynamics of the instruments. Technically speaking, he usually begins writing arrangements derived from melodies and chords, including orchestral scores for string instruments.

Spyros is a native of Greece, where he set up Phobos Corp. in 1995, but he continues to branch out to a worldwide audience in terms of musical cooperation as well as acquiring fans for support. Thus, Felicity was recorded with the help of soundtrack composers such as Jon Ong & Zach Lemmon (orchestral arrangements), Shoi Sen (guitar), Mark Jones (guitar, bass), Chris Sutherland (drums) and a professional female vocalist named Tara. The EP was mixed & mastered by British producer Dave Chang who worked with artists such as Orange Goblin, Dagoba, Earthtone9 and Stampin' Ground.

We've heard a lot about the economic disasters happening in Greece recently, so hopefully Spyros can make his ideas come to fruition while cooperating with a worldwide network. This may lead to his dream of scoring movies to come true. The band has not made plans to tour at this time since Spyros intends to release either a few more concept EPs or a full length album to have more songs for the purpose of live performances.

"This Divine Tragedy" has possible hit potential, though the best chance if the track is illustrated with a matching music video or finds it's way into distribution as a song from a movie soundtrack.

(Katarzyna NINa Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, May 31st, 2012)

http://www.phoboscorp.com

http://soundcloud.com/phoboscorp

http://www.youtube.com/phoboscorp

http://www.reverbnation/phoboscorp

http://www.last.fm/music/Phobos+Corp.

http://www.facebook.com/PhobosCorpOfficial

http://www.twitter.com/phoboscorp

Buy on

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/phoboscorp/from/fabryka

http://www.amazon.com/Felicity/dp/B0081X3IAM

http://phoboscorp.bandcamp.com

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Testimonials

I LOVE your review, it's so cool!!! Thank you very much for this. It was awesome to read it!!
Spyros Papadakis | 04.06.2012 |

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Punisher (Eric Broxton) - Shattered Reflections

Punisher (Eric Broxton) - Shattered Reflections (song review) |War Zone, self-released, 2012| 4/5 rock

Eric Broxton is a musician from South Carolina who performs under the moniker of Punisher. He is also a self taught guitar player who brings his own particular techniques. Most recently, Punisher released a song entitled "Shattered Reflections" that is intriguingly kept as a melodic rock tune with professional guitar solos that give the general impression of being inspired by Joe Satriani's virtuosity.

The primary guitar solo guitar appears in the beginning of the song and repeats throughout the entire track. Instrumental choruses come next in the song structure as the guitar takes a direction that is quite characteristic for 80's rock and metal hits. Eric uses ESP guitars and bass as well as Sonar Producer software to create his interesting compositions. The arrangements that are utilized in “Shattered Reflections” are based on additional rhythm guitars and drum loops that match the entirety of the song very well.

To make this song a full sounding composition, a melodic, yet not intrusive keyboard track could be added to counterpoint the background in the verses. This technique always adds more flavor to any song and has been utilized in music by bands such as Toto, Dire Straits and Journey. This little improvement may help in mixing separate arrangements while providing underlying harmonies of synth parts that could fill in the connections between choruses and verses. This would emphasize the score and steal the listener's attention, especially in spots where the drums intensify the sound of the song. Moreover, Eric says he loves 80's-90's styles of hard rock music. So in fact, this aspect may be a good match.

"Shattered Reflections" brings with it memorable choruses and positive moods. Although the track was composed without aggressive dynamics and shredding on guitar, this is a positive aspect towards the atmosphere of the song. This short and soothing composition may be enjoyed by those listeners who are already stable in life and don't feel any burning need to reflect their frustrations through very heavy and noisy styles of music.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, May 24th, 2012)

http://itunes.apple.com/album/shattered-reflections-single/id516959785
http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Reflections-Single/dp/B007RVR4G8
http://www.tunecore.com/music/punisher
http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/artist/-/13745678

This review on Fabryka Music Magazine
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Message To The Machine - Endlessly Copying Ourselves EP

Message To The Machine - Endlessly Copying Ourselves EP
Dark Feather Productions, 2012
Rating: 3/4

01. Psycho Bitch Commentary 03:12
02. The Engineer 02:54
03. The Long Face of Tarquin Pain 01:34
04. Endlessly Copying Ourselves 04:11
05. Your Words Make Me Sick 04:49
06. The XY Man 03:36
07. The Red Antelope 06:40

Message To The Machine is the brainchild of James Orez who established the band in England in 2009. So far it has been his solo project since he does all of the songwriting, programming, mixing and performance as well as the mastering and overall production. James is an artistically talented person who began writing poems and short stories when he was a teenager. The above experiences allowed him to utilize a variety of skills during the course of writing song lyrics when he finally organized and set up a band. Participating in a music technology course furthered his understanding of the mathematics best used to orchestrate electronic music and also trained him to recognize exceptional solutions for live studio recording techniques. Since releasing an 8 track album entitled Desensitised in 2010, he continued recording new music and eventually produced a brand new EP named Endlessly Copying Ourselves two years later.

The idea behind this release touches upon the topic of a modern human civilization, which seemingly cannot transcend itself with new ideas. This is based upon the concept that many common things we use daily, including art and music, have been long since invented and technologically improved upon to their maximum potential. Thus, human kind has begun repeating itself by re-manufacturing and copying everything like a machine programmed in a factory.

The above mentioned leitmotifs were written into the songs "Psycho Bitch Commentary" as well as "The Engineer". Both songs are noisy with distorted vocals that are interlaced with various samples and powered by mechanical rhythms. You can also hear the feel of what I would consider to be slightly 80's stylized cold wave music on this EP too. This was specifically evident in the song "Endlessly Copying Ourselves", where you can identify the melodies regardless of the integrated industrialized atmospheres. On the other hand, the title of the song "The XY Man" can be interpreted as if to emulate an anonymous John Doe as well as any random person with an unknown identity who is one of many in society, just like a cog in the machine.
The basis of this composition is rooted in a much slower tempo when held in comparison to previous songs.

This EP brings with it an experimental style of industrial music that is expressed through rather short, yet repetitive compositional aspects based on James' personal preference of samples and synthesizers. The moods of the songs are cold and dark, which may illustrate the way a machine or a cyborg could 'feel' if it were brought to life with the ability to do so. This set of songs would be a great choice for the soundtrack of a black and white animated movie that is about the life and times of a truly burnt out character.

Message To The Machine sounds like Joy Division decided to make industrial music. It's not anything that could be classified as 'easy listening' music either, but sonically it gives the listener a basic insight into the entire industrial music idea. This album appears emotional, yet dehumanized and quite depressive, although psychologically routine tasks may lead anyone into a depressed state of mind as well. If you live such a mechanized and multitasking lifestyle, it may be a good idea to listen to this EP and get the right perspective.
(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, +Fabryka Music Magazine, May 25, 2012)

http://messagetothemachine.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Message-To-The-Machine/131811503538389 http://www.reverbnation.com/messagetothemachine
http://soundcloud.com/message-to-the-machine
http://mog.com/albums/mn64486141/message-to-the-machine/endlessly-copying-ourselves
http://twitter.com/therapyhiccup
http://www.youtube.com/user/MessageToTheMachine

Buy this EP on:
http://itunes.apple.com/artist/message-to-the-machine/id503735830
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007CFTM0K/ref=dm_sp_alb
http://open.spotify.com/album/1WdugjbCMwdTrW8aDs0CRd
http://www.reverbnation.com/store/view_item_album/artist_2393308?item_id=1401974
http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/album/message-to-the-machine/endlessly-copying-ourselves/13173366/
http://us.7digital.com/artist/message-to-the-machine/release/endlessly-copying-ourselves

Desensitised (2010)
http://messagetothemachine.bandcamp.com/album/desensitised-v2

Mike Drazka - Angels Of War

Mike Drazka - Angels Of War (song review) |self-released, single, 2012| 5/5

Any music placed in video games or movies may have a better chance for exposure as well as recognition. It becomes memorable too, even though the composer stays in the shadows of the game at first. Similarly, music themes mixed with pictures and action bring far more vivid impressions in contrast to listening to a song without any additional multimedia content. Stunning, atmospheric music has enriched games such as Quake or Fallout which still inspire millions of gamers as well as fans of soundtracks, regardless of how old both of those games have become through time.

"Angels of War" is an instrumental song composed by American songwriter and self taught multi-instrumentalist Mike Drazka. He has already placed his music into various forms of visual media such as TV, radio and internet multimedia sources including Oxygen Network, News12 Networks, MSG Networks and The Motion Picture Association of America with the award winning documentary Flight 587. However, this list of successful achievements doesn't make him stop crafting the sound of his compositions even better.

This new song would be a good fit to an action movie trailer, TV series or advertisement, but placement in a video game would be an ideal match. First of all, Mike operates within several musical genres, from rock to metal through orchestral, acoustic and techno. "Angels of War" is a heavy track due to its looped guitar riffs and sampling, thus it tends to bring industrial rock and industrial metal music scenes into the limelight. Such heavy guitar driven music has been successfully utilized with a lot of video games because of fast rhythms and aggressive riffs that have the ability to change the rate of the human heartbeat so they become one with the sound (and action!). The same thing happens when music is designed to play a game of hide-and-seek with human brainwaves. For some this technique may work, for some it does not since we're talking about individual perceptions.
Additionally, the rhythm of "Angels of War" is dynamic, so it makes the song promising if geared for specific types of video games that include a lot of running and jumping or similar character action.

Secondly, the song has atmospheric parts in the background based on angel-esque voices and violins that are interlaced with the main theme. This makes the format not only accessible for use with PC, Mac, Xbox and mobile platforms, but even more types of multimedia.

Finally, the composition is short (lasts slightly over 2:30 minutes), sleek and tight, yet powerful at the same time which glues the guitar and drums together based on the overall arrangements. This molds the song into one wisely composed soundtrack.

If you are in search of hiring a sound designer to create some interesting themes for your documentaries, performances, presentations, computer or mobile video games, ads as well as multimedia website content, then you should contact Mike Drazka since his musical and technical skills seem to fit this position very well.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, May 15th, 2012)

Official | This song

Buy Songs from the Asylum album on CD Baby

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Brent Pearson - Evil Serpent

Brent Pearson - Evil Serpent |self-released, 2012| 4/5

Brent Pearson is a Canadian musician who has been writing guitar driven music for the past 21 years. His song "Evil Serpent" is an acoustic composition that would sound great played in an outdoor venue or utilized as part of a movie soundtrack. It is a good match to blues or even country genres which were inspirations to Brent since he grew up listening to these styles of music.

The songwriting aspect of "Evil Serpent" is peaceful, yet repetitive with occasional moments of silence between the choruses and verses. The counterpoint also matches the melodies very well.
When it comes to the arrangements, they have been written for acoustic guitar and vocals only. It seems that both male or female singers could perform this track either separately or as a duet without the complications that are typical when it comes to scales for different vocal ranges.

The atmosphere of the song carries loneliness, transcendence and reflection. An imaginative listener may imagine a sandy beach with a guitar player sitting there near a bonfire, surrounded by a circle of thoughtful friends spending a hot summer night together.

The composition lasts a bit over 4 minutes and seems to have been recorded live in real time without a lot of editing and mixing. Once the track is mastered and polished it may exhibit an additional depth that will make its natural beauty shine brighter. Moreover, human creativity should have no bounds, so Brent might consider experimenting with newer or older, better or even lesser known musical instruments. Additional woodwind or string type instruments could be used in this song to enrich its sound. A harmonica or tambourine would make the track sound more traditional, but on the contrary, any percussive tones added to the mix would bring more life into this track.

This song is recommended to those listeners who are not into headbanging all that much, but rather prefer to hear music for soothing their ears and souls. "Evil Serpent" it's Brent's first release to the public, but it is not yet available for purchase.
(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, May 2nd, 2012)

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Transparent - Bridges

Transparent - Bridges (song review) |self-released, single, 2011| 5/5

Transparent is a four-piece rock band established by relatively young musicians in New York in 2010.
“Bridges” is a single that was released in 2011 and you can tell that it is a very passionate track from the very first listen. The song which will be released on the Billboard of Pain album speaks for the musical skills of Transparent extremely well. It brings both rock, pop punk and nu metal vibes that are spiced up with professional guitar solos.
It's also always a good thing to have a skilled drummer (Jesse Sprinkle) who knows how to adjust the beat properly along with the songwriting without showing off his talents overly much. The bass lines played by James Wright are not intrusive. Rock vocals done by Matthew Sassano match this smooth composition perfectly and are very much in tune with rebellious moods. The repetitive choruses are catchy as a guitar driven rhythm (Bradley Meise, Quinten Olix) makes them memorable.

Thanks to the values I mentioned above, this is a listener-friendly track. "Bridges" sounds like it
has possible hit potential and may draw the interest of music fans who have been into bands such as Blink-182, Sum 41, Green Day, Good Charlotte, Linkin Park or The Offspring. “Bridges” is a safe track for radio stations because it's pleasant on the ears, that's for sure. This type of a song fits a mold that people have been familiar with for at least the past 8 years now. Thanks to that, it may be a welcome track on the Billboard charts someday. Additionally, a wisely made video would increase the songs popularity.
(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, April 26th, 2012)

song: http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_12449389
http://transparentrockband.com
http://www.facebook.com/transparentband
http://www.reverbnation.com/transparentnation

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The Seas - A Separation

The Seas - A Separation |self-released, 2011| 4/4

01. You're the one we've been waiting for..., 02. Judas, 03. Human Condition, 04. Lost at Sea, 05. The Great Wave, 06. A Separation, 07. United / Divided, 08. Paper Moon, 09. Paper Sky, 10. Meltdown

It's quite difficult to stay neutral when a concept album in the vein of A Separation is wrapped up with such a huge emotional charge. It comes like the attraction of a first love - it opens up, steals one's soul completely, then it leaves the fragile human dry, crying for more.
What's important, A Separation is The Seas debut album. Most bands usually shape their style with time to sound their best on their 2nd or 3rd releases (unless they've quit a previous project that has already released a debut album). When listeners come across The Seas music, they cannot say "I've heard that song before" or "What was that band name?" They will simply say it's The Seas and that the band is nothing but pure talent.

Regardless of their influences (such as Nine Inch Nails and Tool) whose music has been copied by many musicians, The Seas do have a distinct, particular sound of their own and they can remain confident about it. The influence of NIN can be heard throughout Logan Powell's guitar riffs ("The Great Wave", "Paper Moon") while Jeremy Williams' bass lines as well as Rich Sester's drum beats recall the groovy, yet dark moods of Tool songs ("Judas", "Human Condition", "The Great Wave", "A Separation"). However, the closest match to their music may be a band called f.e.v.e.r. from Portugal and the sound of their 4st - Fourst album. This is mainly due to some songwriting concepts and minor similarities when it comes to atmospheres.

If you must label music, then music by The Seas has been tagged as 'industrial rock'. It may draw the attention of many listeners, however it's not the pure industrial rock we've gotten used to. The band uses samplers programmed by Rich Sester to intensify the songs. Samples fill in the background of tracks like "You're The One We've Been Waiting For...", "Paper Moon", "Paper Sky", "Lost At Sea" or "United/Divided". This post-production technique deepens the impact of the music on the listener's perception. Thanks to atmospheric and melodic compositions, the music sounds closer to alternative rock than industrial rock, however the sampling makes the overall sound comply with the second above mentioned genre as well.

The vocals give A Separation unique character. Not only will Michael Sliter's (+Michael Sliter) voice steal your attention, but it may steal your heart too. The vocals release maximum emotional impact and are passionate, yet very far from falling into the abyss of hysteria. His voice operates within a wide vocal range so that he can sing in harmony ("Human Condition", "The Great Wave", "Meltdown") as well as scream low or snarl ("A Separation", "United/Divided", "Paper Sky"), but he doesn't sing out of tune in any case. His clear, distinctive, memorable, well controlled and professional voice gives the song additional significance. Michael accents every single word and verse of the lyrics on this album. This is what makes the meaning of the music even more powerful. When he's singing, the listeners body will respond and make them feel like they want to sing along with him. It's a huge advantage to have such a voice in a guitar driven band.

There's very good collaboration between the musicians and they avoid showing off their talents in an overbearing manner. The songwriting and compositional structures aren't complicated, however they are arranged extremely well. The tracks were specifically created with each instrument in mind as though they were created for a classical orchestra and set in a manner which would feature their sounds fully and thus let them build specific moods. The band efficiently operates within the confines of both sound and silence while utilizing techniques such as muting instruments in spots where other instruments come in to take part.

Listeners may remember an instrumental track entitled "Lost At Sea" very well. The sounds of digitalized dolphin-esque voices and mysterious whispers coming as if from the depths of the sea are interlaced with waves of guitars.
"A Separation" will open you up, tear you apart, then leave you dry. It comes in silently and pleasantly with a funny disco intro, then turns into a powerful rock'n'metal composition as intense as a hurricane ripping through your soul. It is a song certain to have a huge impact on sensitive ears and wandering souls thanks to both the attractive vocals, the song structures and an overall performance.
The song "You're The One We've Been Waiting For..." is an intro to "Judas", then "Paper Moon" makes an atmospheric space for "Paper Sky" to come along next. Both are connected and cross over extremely well. Additionally, in each intro the lyrics include a verse pertaining to the previous song title. "Paper Sky" is as meaningful and recognizable for the sound of The Seas as "A Separation", and both songs should be promoted as often as possible.
Fans of melodic, yet emotional tracks may also enjoy "Meltdown" which is the track that completes this album. The first quiet seconds of "You're The One We've Been Waiting For..." are mixed very well with the song. Techniques such as this provide the listener with the most impact from this album when played in rotation.

You can't go wrong with arrangements that are crafted so well and allow the songs to be so inspiring. Each musician works hard while collaborating with the lead singer's vocals. This is what makes the songs so memorable. These intelligent and very intense rock songs contain real spirit which even the best known top Billboard songs seemingly lack these days. Music by The Seas may turn out to be timeless, leaving their sound as intriguing in 2012 as it can become 15 years from now.

This sort of music however needs a closed venue for the purpose of live shows. It might require a high end sound system to make the most out of The Seas music in a live context. Their vibe is simple, yet rich in moods and thus the silence plays a huge role in the overall song structures. Any feedback caused in a live setting due to bad wiring or microphone setups could ruin the atmospheres of the songs.

The band has been working on a new EP, but it seems this should be no problem for them to make another release that is just as good as A Separation. They shouldn't hurry with their next release either. It takes years to make meaningful music. The entire process can be compared to writing a novel that withholds a tight yet unique storyline.
A Separation could be a life changing experience, but a spiritual catharsis is guaranteed. This band deserves a lot of exposure from the music press, TV, radio as well as possibly being featured on compilations and in movies as well. Many opportunities should start dropping like rain when The Seas music goes viral. Hopefully their songs will be purchased as often as listened to.
(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, +Fabryka Industrial Rock Magazine, April 17th, 2012)

This review on Fabryka Magazine: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=423

http://theseasmusic.com/
http://www.facebook.com/theseasmusic
http://www.youtube.com/theseasmusic
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Seas
http://www.reverbnation/theseasmusic

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http://theseas.bandcamp.com/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ODTYRI/

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NeverWhas - History

NeverWhas - History |self-released, History single, 2012| 5/5

Usually a rock or metal band line-up consist of three to five musicians who are strangers. They might have known each other for years, gone to the same schools, hung out in the same neighborhood or just got hired through classifieds. In the case of NeverWhas, three brothers and a good friend of theirs complete the band. It's pretty common that a family enterprise can be difficult to run. Sometimes this is due to their specific connections, however these four young musicians seem to get along with one another very well.

Since releasing their album Solid Will Into Sacrifice in 2011, they've been working on new songs.

A yet untitled tracklist for the album will include 11 songs and "History" is one of them.

The composition as well as the arrangements sound solid, simple, understandable and can be played in most locations without stirring bad blood. Along with quite rebellious moods, NeverWhas provides over six minutes of both rock and punk music.

After an atmospheric intro created with canting guitar riffs and matching cymbals the tempo speeds up. Chris on bass along with Rick on drums make a collaborative duo that pushes the song into a well planned direction. Moreover, they both control its borders, yet let the vibe of "History" flow in a dynamic way. Additionally, enjoyable and short drums appear just before the 4th minute of the song which may steal a listener's attention.

This song is built on a few arrangements that make a space for Nik's guitar solos. The guitar sounds quite noisy and garage-esque, so the sound would match an evergreen grunge style too.

Mike's voice is self-confident. He toys with the tones and moods like a serious actor on a theatre stage floor. In fact, the vocals and guitar riffs are predominantly exposed the most in this song.

If you're willing to own this track after reading this review or listening to an on-line preview, there's good news for you. "History" has already been released as a single and it's available on iTunes. More songs will come out this year. Keep an eye on these Chicagoans website and social profiles for any important updates.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, April 13^th, 2012)

http://www.neverwhas.com

http://facebook.com/pages/the-band-that-NeverWhas/42574784378

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/history-single/id518419188

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/neverwhas/from/fabryka

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Fall of Eden - Wargasm

Fall of Eden - Wargasm |Fall of Eden, The Warrior, 2012| 5/5

This Illinois based band was founded in 2003 and have opened live for a variety of well known artists so far such as Opeth, Devin Townsend, Devil Driver and many more. Oriented towards the European black metal scene, Viking-related legends and mysticism, Fall Of Eden recorded their newest album entitled The Warrior in 2012 and it has already been receiving a lot of positive feedback from both listeners and music journalists.

"Wargasm" is the third song on the tracklist. It begins with characteristic black metal atmospheres, these coincide with a wall of brutal speed metal drums that are accompanied by not much slower guitar riffs and a lead guitar melody all falling into singularity. After this intro, the listener is exposed to the growling vocals of Russ Knöbel, who sounds as vile as a lead singer of a metal band could ever be expected to. In the meantime, well controlled guitar riffs intertwine with the drums to keep pounding the listeners ears as though they were a hail storm that destroys everything during hot, steamy days.

After 2 minutes 30 seconds, the vocals leave more space for melodic, yet powerful riffs so that guitarists - Taylor Cooper and Steve Høwe as well as drummer Evan Howe can battle each other. The virtuoso riffs seem to be inspired by 80's hard rock & heavy metal music. A careful listener however may also catch progressive metal influences in both the lead guitar and bass tracks. Since Russ plays bass and performs vocals in the band, the song arrangements were tailor made so he can easily switch between performance duties. It might have otherwise been quite a complex task to play the bass while growling lyrics, especially live.

While the column of guitars grow, a solid conjunction of drums and bass doesn't let them fly too far. The vocals return shortly after approximately 2 minutes, however the moods (and the listener's attention) have already been stolen at this point by all the heavy, interlacing guitar riffs.
The song is very professionally articulated by the artist. A tightly filled and extended outro finishes "Wargasm" with a fade out, although listeners will still hear the remnants of the memorable lead guitar solos in their heads long after the song is over.

Indeed, the Vikings came to North America in the 10th century. Those no-compromise and stright-forward Nordic sailors went there to build settlements in Greenland and explore the ocean as well as near-by lands. Though, they didn't stay permanently in North America, perhaps due to unexpected encounters with Native Americans.
Europe, on the contrary, has been influenced by a Viking presence for many centuries. The traces of their heritage have been smuggled into our culture (gods, heroes, legends, poetry and fantasy literature), calendar (names of the days), science and travel (astronomy, navigation) as well as art (music, architecture, ornaments). There are still a variety of annual Viking (and Slavic) festivals in Europe where you can dress, eat, fight and talk like people did over a 1000 years ago.

It may be a good idea to bring these influences to the attention of American music fans again to entice another metal music subgenre since there's an open market for it. Hollywood has produced several high budget fantasy movies based on various, more or less credible stories that incorporate, for instance Viking fighting tactics, 'fashion' and jewelery (you've probably seen Conan the Barbarian,  13th Warrior or Pathfinder). Still, it seems that European and Russian bands comprise a majority of artist interested in this fashion of metal when it comes to including these themes of music-related patterns in their songs as opposed to many American artist.

"Wargasm" is a composition that dominates in mood. It is strongly animated and filled with heavy, rough, yet smooth virtuoso guitar riffs. Because of this, many fans of metal music will be convinced to reach out for The Warrior album, which is available at most major on-line stores.
(Katarzyna NINa Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, April 11th, 2012)

http://www.reverbnation.com/fallofeden
http://www.last.fm/music/Fall+of+Eden
http://www.myspace.com/fallofedenrock
http://www.facebook.com/theEpicFoE
http://www.purevolume.com/fallofeden
http://www.myspace.com/fallofedenrock
http://twitter.com/TheEpicFoE

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http://www.amazon.com/The-Warrior-Explicit/dp/B007IKW5GW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333329772&sr=8-1
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/fall-of-eden/id210616506
http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/fall-of-eden
http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/artist/fall-of-eden/11745174/

song: http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_12776926

This review on Google+ Music Reviews
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Sit Kitty Sit - My Beloved

Sit Kitty Sit - My Beloved (song review) |Gun Horse Records, Beautiful / Terrible, 2012| 5/5

Music like this cannot be given a low rating since it's true Music with a capital M. If you understand orchestration techniques more than the average listener you will find there is no need to read an artists' bio to realize when a musician is trained in composition, transposition and music theory.

Kat Downs along with drummer Mike Thompson have an extensive musical background that comes from experience and dedication. Kat is a professionally trained pianist, composer and music teacher which means that symphonies, pit orchestras, choirs and proper counterpoint are nothing strange to her. She is also in a gothic rock band called Saints of Ruin that toured with industrial rockers Slick Idiot. Mike has played drums in several bands of different genres (for example Tokyo Raid or The Big Nasty) for over 20 years. Moreover, drumming is in his family heritage. This aspect combined with listening to many different styles of music let him explore avenues such as blues, jazz, punk, latin, classic rock and progressive rock.

Sit Kitty Sit is a pretty new and recent project that is inspired by a variety of vibes and influences. The band was established in San Francisco, CA in 2010. Since releasing their debut The Push EP (2010), they moved on to create a brand new album entitled Beautiful / Terrible in 2012 where the song "My Beloved" appears at the end of the tracklist.

The songwriting along with the compositional structure is solid yet open, leaving comfortable space for the vocals. Kat's voice is set between mezzo-soprano and alto which allows her to fluctuate between octaves with middle to low notes that are well controlled. The track is strong, direct and confident, yet sounds impatient and almost angry. When Kat sings you may find yourself wanting to stand up straight and wait for orders... or an encounter.
The rhythm section is based on both piano and drums which makes the sound twice as dynamic. There are no guitars or bass used in this song. The drums are punctual in the background, however no specific percussive solos outline the song, so the beats emphasize the piano along with Kat's vocals.

Since both of the artists have been researching many styles of music on daily basis, "My Beloved" is a mixture between pop, avant-garde and classical music. If you're a director looking for a good musical score or even searching a live band to make an appearance in your movie, consider Sit Kitty Sit as a strong candidate. This song would be a perfect fit for an action or crime movie like Sin City if it were set in a 1930's-1940's environment with gangsters in suits, fedoras and black 'n' white shoes listening to piano along with a female vocalist. It may also be a match to historically related screenplays or documentaries from the WWII era as well.

If a majority of people were to understand the beauty of classical music, Sit Kitty Sit could have been nominated for the most promising music discovery of 2012. However, since most music fans seem to enjoy bouncy pop, electronica or hip-hop music as opposed to something dynamic and intelligent, let us believe that serious music connoisseurs and audiophiles will truly support this ambitious project by purchasing their music and enjoying their live performances.

Sit Kitty Sit tours quite frequently and also recently played during the 2012 SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. They plan to take part in the BASK Music and Arts Festival in July of this year as well as go on an East Coast tour planned for this autumn that may also continue into the Midwest until sometime in early 2013.
(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, April 1st, 2012)

http://sitkittysit.com
http://katdowns.com
http://www.facebook.com/sitkittysit
http://www.reverbnation.com/sitkittysit
http://twitter.com/sitkittysitband
http://sitkittysit.bandcamp.com/

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http://gunhorse.com/blog/?page_id=781
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beautiful-terrible/id502191584
http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Terrible/dp/B0077ZP1EQ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1330708855&sr=8-8
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8708543

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Heresy23 - The Paradigm EP

Heresy23 - The Paradigm EP |self released, TBA 2012| 4/5

1. Distance;virtue, 2. Criminal Faith, 3. Broken Doll, 4. Weight of Motion

If you're into electronic or industrial music, seeing a name like "Heresy" will most probably appear as something linked to Nine Inch Nails in your mind and yes, you would be thinking in the proper direction. Heresy23 is the musical brainchild of Pete 'Sprog' Baughan who established the band in Portsmouth, UK in 2010. He admits NIN has been one of his major influences aside from Ministry, Filter and Stabbing Westward, however some specific examples from NIN songs can be heard here and there (in comparison to the content of Pretty Hate Machine and The Fragile). Some artists copy NIN directly to quickly receive the attention of their fans, although not everybody has Reznor's shrewd business sense. Artists like Pete utilize and extend the works of their idols in their own ways while learning something new and finding their own personal style for self-expression based upon their influences.

The first song on the tracklist titled "Distance;virtue" begins with an intriguing ambient intro, then turns into a dynamic song composed with samplers and computers. The vocals and bass dictate the rhythm as well as a melody accompanied by Gibson guitar riffs and beats. Then a piano comes in which gives the arrangement a subtle flavor with a fadeout and silence in the ending.

"Criminal Faith" sounds almost like a tribute to Nine Inch Nails, so fans of their music that was released after 2001 may enjoy the song. The bass line is reminiscent of songs by Joy Division. Pete toys with the bass and samplers a lot in this track. His vocals sound more affectionate which is a good thing. There is also an awesome vocal effect which Pete could have utilized in other tracks as well.

"Broken Doll" starts with a leveled piano which is then joined by vocals later into the progression. The entire song expands through great sampling and catchy, yet dark atmospheres. It could have been amplified to the decibel ratio of the sound of a tornado since the song has hit potential.

After such a tasty musical dish you're in for a glass of bubbly champagne next. "Weight of Motion" is as smooth and intriguing as NIN's "Just Like You Imagined". The song is led by piano, samplers and gentle beats that grow bigger and bigger in dynamic moods. This is an intriguing and catchy track that will allow one's imagination to sail freely across the boundaries of the mind. It's the best song on this EP.

Pete's programming skills are noticeable. You could possibly associate his tunes to the music of Gary Numan since the sound can be cold in moods and repetitive in nature. Some atmospheres are also reminiscent of those by Charlie Clouser thanks to rich arrangements that bring forth a variety of sorcerous dimensions. Typically the beginning and the end of songs are the most difficult parts of the composition to create, but Heresy23 has overcome this problem extremely well.

On the other hand, Pete should practice up on his aggressive vocals. All these songs hold clear and dominating vibes, however the vocals sound too affable at times and miss some rock wildness. He should try to express himself openly through shouting out loud, snarling and threatening to release his energy while letting the testosterone flow. Especially, since he admits to be driven by hate and rebellion. He could also mix his voice a bit below the layers of guitars and samples so his tracks would become better adjusted to his songwriting. This may allow him to get the necessary power of expression his music deserves to operate like a claw. Last but not least, he could always just opt to keep the songs instrumental.

The Paradigm album will be out in November 2012 followed by live shows in December. Make sure to check out Heresy23 music on-line, including many darker and heavier songs such as "The Paradigm", "Penitance", "Landslide" and also "This Corrosion" - an industrial cover of the Sisters of Mercy's anthem.
Heresy23 is not found on Last.fm for some reason, but hopefully this will be fixed upon the release of their new album so fans can scrobble these songs frequently which will give the band appropriate exposure.
(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, March 30th, 2012)

http://www.heresy23.com
http://www.myspace.com/heresytwentythree
http://www.reverbnation.com/heresy23
http://www.twitter.com/heresy_23
http://soundcloud.com/heresy23

Reviewed by Google+ Music Reviews