Indighost - Torn

Indighost - Torn (song review) (self-released, single, 2012) 5/5

Indighost was formed at the Guitar Institute in West London, UK in 2006. They independently released The Yang Collection EP in 2009 with 5 songs on the tracklist, however the line-up of the band has changed over the course of the past few years. "Torn" is a more recently recorded track that is a strong candidate to be featured on their next album.

The song brings with it an emotional feel. According to Indighost, "Torn" was inspired by the romantic tension between the main characters on the television series Doctor Who. The video for this track is also comprised from a montage of several scenes from the series. One thing worth mentioning is that "Torn" emulates the Doctor's impending doom, hence the running feel of the rhythm that sounds as if it is catching up with Doctor Who as he tries to escape it. Rummy Keshet makes good use of his 5-string bass while drum tracks by Martin Griffith intertwine with various intriguing percussive elements.

Melodic lines are strong in this track and are present not only in the choruses, but in the verses as well. Matt Simon (vocals) is a classically trained musician who received his degree from the British music college mentioned above. He admits that he is inspired by the works of Sting as well as Megadeth, Dream Theater and Def Leppard. He also enjoys combining these inspirations with occasional funk music and jazz influences. While the entire song expresses key features of both the metal and rock genres, Matt's vocals touch upon the boundaries of progressive rock too. He utilizes his baritone voice with light constraint, which is quite typical for modern progressive bands.

The two guitar players (Matt Simon and James Hewitt) cooperate in harmony by using chords, scales and modes in a truly fantastic manner. An epic unison of each instrument takes place in the central point of the song which is then followed by smooth virtuoso guitar solos that seem to possibly be inspired by the styles of Steve Vai or Joe Satriani. These riffs continue spicing up the song all the way towards the end.

"Torn" is a great, ear-friendly song that is suitable for a commercial jingle, motion picture soundtrack or radio airplay. This is a solid composition that is enriched with vivid, almost visual arrangements that make the song memorable. It should also be noted that these musicians make and sell custom guitars that are decorated and painted by hand. Check out their official website for all accessible instrument models.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, August 28th, 2012)

This review on Fabryka Magazine http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=446

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Yesterday's Saints - Gates Of Valhalla

Yesterday's Saints - Gates Of Valhalla (song review) |self-released, Yesterday's Saints EP, 2011| 5/5

If you're hungry for intense thrash metal music, here's an indie band with all the features necessary to become your next favorite rockstars. Yesterday's Saints gain their influences from a long list of amazing, yet highly ranked bands that include classics such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Manowar, Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Testament as well as music by Vital Remains, Obituary, Pantera, Chiamara, Iced Earth, Arch Enemy and Lamb of God. This degree of heavy influences will undoubtedly draw the interest of many heavy metal listeners. But wait, there's more... the band has also been recently promoted through the live circuit, opening shows in support of Sepultura, Death Angel, Korpiklaani and Moonsorrow.

Yesterday's Saints are originally from Washington DC. Established in 2008, they released a two-track demo one year later. A heavy metal CD collection with tracks compiled by Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed, Kingdom of Sorrow) helped the band reach out towards a broader number of heavy music listeners throughout 2010. Their self-titled EP is their latest release which contains five songs on the tracklist.

"Gates Of Valhalla" is the first track on this EP and indeed, it's an in-your-face opening to the album! There are no mystical intro's or outro's. The song starts and ends with rhythmic riffs and concrete drum beats. This intense, raging and precise composition will make you headbang right away.

Professional vocals are at times shouted then growled within a range of over three octaves. The song contains lyrics that are masterfully mixed with spinning and chunky guitar riffs that stitch the song structures together like an overlock. Non-pushy percussive elements of the drums never predominate the other instruments, which may be a golden ratio for an intelligent form of metal music.

Finally, great bass lines stand strong to solidify the drums and accentuate the overall orchestration.

All of these elements are utilized in synchronicity to create a foundation for the song where the compositional aspect is complete and the arrangements don't miss a thing. These songwriting techniques are repetitive, thus you can spot some heavy metal melodies within, but they don't become at all boring. Additionally, these arrangements have been preventatively enriched with various matching and powerful segments which turn the listener's attention to the brute force of the music in an instant.

“Gates of Valhalla” was performed by Matt Rice (vocals), Albert Born (drums), Witt Black (guitar) and Phil D’Arcangelis (bass) who was replaced by Nick Gosseaux in 2012. The band has been currently working on a full length release intent on bringing more of a dark melodic feel that is based on death, thrash and power metal sub-genres.

Since words are limited and they can't perfectly express every single tune, you just need to listen to the music of Yesterday's Saints on your own. The best time would be during one of their live shows.

These guys may be sharing stages with many of the best known metal acts very soon, so get ready.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, August 21st, 2012)

This review on Fabryka Magazine http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=445

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WUNTS & THE MMMPS - Are You A Girl Or A Boy? & PS!

WUNTS & THE MMMPS - Are You A Girl Or A Boy? & PS! (song review) (self-released, single, 2011) 4/5

This band originates from the United Kingdom - the land of major labels, where new born trends as well as the biggest music revolutions in history have undoubtedly made a world-wide impact. This has held true for artist from Great Britain for decades, although the United States had stolen the spotlight through grunge and nu metal during the 1990's and early turn of the century. Still, the U.K. music scene seems to be an affectionately small sized community that is thriving with well known musicians. These artist often cross paths, play in several bands, perform different styles of music, interchange line-ups, produce albums for their peers and integrate guest appearances for live shows as well.

The name WUNTS & THE MMMPS stands for Jimmy Wunts and his collaborators: three musicians named Mark Fletcher - drums, Mark Ramsden - saxophone and Mark Evans – bass, as well as Paul Harvey on guitar and Steve French on piano. Jimmy Wunts also plays in a band called French & Regal under the moniker of Gray Regal. Paul Harvey is known for performing with Then Jericho, who knew fame in the 1980's. Paul was also featured on Gary Numan's Outland album while supporting New Model Army during the mixing and engineering process for three of their songs in the 1990s.

The track "Are You A Girl Or A Boy? & PS!" emulates the feel of 1960's blues influenced rock 'n' roll through a wall of non-pushy and well crafted drums that are combined with a Leslie organ. Mark Ramsden is a virtuoso on the saxophone as he overlays the rhythmic counterpoint with strong jazz influences. The saxophone provides an identifiable, yet distracting melody that stands out to consume the listener. Moreover, the saxophone has historically been a predominant element in music of this nature, which most of us have heard utilized on many albums and movie soundtracks. It seems that the motion picture industry has an adoration for the saxophone since it brings vigorous, contrasting and experimental moods with it into the music.
The guitar offers a few solos that are underlined in the ending of the track which give the song a 1970's rock genre touch that encompass the spirit of famous guitar players from that era.

A comedic feel that is deeply rooted in the track "Are You A Girl Or A Boy? & PS!" is expressed though lyrics that are rhythmically spoken with a male voice saying: "I'm feeling pretty horny, wouldn't it be corny to find her cheek is thorny not smooooth." In addition, the band claims this to be a true story.

This song may be a perfect match for avant-garde motion pictures, but this is an overall evaluation that is not only due to the saxophone parts. If WUNTS & THE MMMPS is looking for exposure, I recommend they target the film industry first. Although the song may sound old-school to some younger listeners, it may be greatly appreciated by lovers of jazz as well as 1960's/1970's blues influenced rock 'n' roll. This music is timeless, as can be heard through some of 'the best of' music charts spanning the past several decades.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, August 16th, 2012)
This review on Fabryka Magazine http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=444


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Rosenedge - Brickwall

Rosenedge - Brickwall (song review) (self-released, Ashes, 2012) 4/5

Rosenedge is a band that Hails from Ashland, Ohio. They released their latest album entitled Ashes just a year after releasing their debut called Unknown. Vaughn Pokrzywa composed and performed the music on both albums, however a full line-up crystallized for the band at the time Ashes was near completion.
A mysterious and vibrating intro opens the track "Brickwall" which is the first song on the album. The opening prelude is followed by guitars, bass and drums which are utilized to structure the song arrangements with sounds that are repetitive and in tune with traditional rock and metal approaches. A moderate tempo makes this composition heavy, apart from the stylistic riffs.

Drummers play a very important role in rock and metal musical orchestration. The quality and frequency of the beat push the listener to decide if they find a song to be pleasant, invigorating or irritating since the pulse of the drumming influences one's heartbeat. "Brickwall" is based on simple, however non-intrusive beats that are laid out by Vaughn Pokrzywa. His playing is great since it allows the listener to focus on the guitar riffs as well as bass lines. Chunky riffs give the song a powerful rhythmic spin rather than soloing off into an oblivion of self-exposure.

Moreover, the synths are used very carefully. They don't predominate the other instruments, but rather help to build upon the atmosphere and contribute to the melodies laid behind this solid composition. Thus, listening to Vaughn's vocals are painless when heard over such a strong background of harmony. The vocalist doesn't scream or growl, but rather loudly utilizes intonation within the lyrical progression with a voice that sounds a bit harsh, although in melodic line with the music. The choruses are softer than the verses and very memorable thanks to repetitive and original songwriting techniques.

"Brickwall" has definite hit potential thanks to simple and heavy arrangements, but it should be promoted along with a matching video to achieve the best results. In addition, Rosenedge should not only play live as often as possible and send their music to DJ's, but they should also research and seek out compilation opportunities that are usually associated with periodical magazines or released in association with specific events.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, August 22nd, 2012)
This review on Fabryka Magazine http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=443


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Punch Drunk Monkey - Number 1 Killer

Punch Drunk Monkey - Number 1 Killer (song review) |self-released, Room 101, 2011| 4/5

Punch Drunk Monkey is a musical duo based in Brisbane, Australia. The band was established in 2001 by founding artist Candellan and Erszabetta. The song "Number 1 Killer" is the opening track to their new album Room 101 that was released in 2011.
An atmospheric intro based on an electronica stylized prelude may at first suggest it to be an ambient song, but make no mistake, this track soon evolves with a viral rhythm which continues throughout the end of this track. The mood of "Number 1 Killer" can be considered dark in some spots, however the entire track is rather easy listening and danceable due to its pulsating, syncopated vibes. A careful listener may catch the distorted guitar riffs that interlace the beats and make this composition sound a bit feisty as well. Stretched, modulated and repetitive synth parts diversify the solid, yet uncomplicated structures quite interestingly.

When it comes to the vocal tracks, the male segments are slightly digitized and repetitive. However, the song structures seem to fill in extremely well when combined with the radio-esque female reports. Also, this is a good technique to utilize so that the vocal tracks do not stand out in an overemphasized manner beyond the instrumental arrangements, but appear to be mixed somewhere in-between the predominant track levels, making this song less organic in contrast to i.e. traditional rock songs.

Candellan and Erszabetta admit that their artistic inspirations come from musical genres popularized in the 80's and 90's. Their influences include artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie, Depeche Mode, Fields of the Nephilim and Inkubus Sukkubus. In this track, a listener may find connections and similarities primarily to the music of Depeche Mode or Orgy, although Punch Drunk Monkey creates their own sound and individual identity.

"Number 1 Killer" becomes immediately memorable from the first listening due to its marching rhythm as well as contrasting, modulated synth effects. This track has possible hit potential for listeners and the dance floor if marketed through proper channels and targeted demographics.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, August 13th, 2012)
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Rusty Salvo - Rush Through Me

Rusty Salvo - Rush Through Me (song review) |self-released, single, 2012| 4/5

Rusty Salvo is a new American solo project. Founder Quinten Schmit played in a band 15 years ago in Seattle, but has spent almost 10 years on hiatus since that time. Quinten has now returned in 2012 with a brand new single called "Rush Through Me".

The song is catchy, memorable and short with hit potential. It may also be a great addition to targeted radio playlist as well. The track is characterized by a simple beat and traditional song structure where the arrangements are enriched with various effects. A programmed drumbeat provides the percussive spine of the composition since there is no live drummer currently in the band. If you listen to the song arrangements closely, you will hear some similarities to music by artists such as KMFDM, The Chemical Brothers as well as Peaches. You may also notice that this track carries many musical styles within - from soft digital hardcore through techno to pop and rock.

Guitar riffs appear within a few moments of the intro with pause for a breakbeat of audio effects similar to those commonly used in techno and rave. Since both techniques come from two different genres, they contrast with each other like two opposite moods. Such an unexpected link may turn out pretty confusing for music genre purist. On the other hand, this connection of musical structuring may sound very original for many listeners who dig more diversified sounds.

Quinten's vocals are very good and bring out his individual character. He uses little distortion and effects in this song. This makes his voice sound protagonistic and rebellious, similar to the styles of Atari Teenage Riot as well as Prodigy. Thus, already having this slightly British vibe, it may be a good idea to gain the interest of the UK music market first before reaching out to American listeners.

Rusty Salvo seems to be keen on electronic solutions - samplers, sequencers, effects and other devices. Quinten has high production skills that come with many years of experience. This should allow him for more musical experimentation. He also says he hopes to get his songs placed into commercials, video games or other performance media which actually may work out for him very well. I have no doubts that "Rush Through Me" will sound as good with proper visuals as it sounds alone with an active imagination.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, Fabryka Magazine, August 9th, 2012)
This review on Fabryka Magazine: http://industrialrock.net/php-files_en/articles.php?article_id=440

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Thanks for this. You are very thorough. I really appreciate the critique, especially the part about pursing the UK market first. This looks great to me. I say we run with it.Quinten Schmit | 13.08.2012 |

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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
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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

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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
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http://www.myspace.com/564632891
 

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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

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

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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

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

http://phoboscorp.bandcamp.com

This review on

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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

Buy on:
http://www.indieheaven.com/artist_main.php?id=91787
http://www.reverbnation.com/store/store/artist_2141036?item_type=music

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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

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