The UK's Most Dedicated Metal Blog
Van Canto have shot to international attention producing not only one of metal’s most original performances, but in the bigger picture of music. We interview vocalists Stefan Schmidt and Ross Thompson from the world’s first metal acapella band to get an in depth look into the now 10 year career of Van Canto, and learn about their recent big production in ‘Voices of Fire‘.
Nemesea have been absent for a long time. Even in the last couple years, the band have been very quiet. Perhaps it was creative energy building up into a brand new classic? Well let’s find out…
It’s quite arguable that there is one man responsible for spawning absolute legions of symphonic metal – and we popped over to Paris to see him perform a rare live show.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks or so the saying goes. Almost being forty years into their career Discharge have become synonymous with the anarchic nature of Punk. Known for their abrasive sound, creating sandpaper style guitars asphalt laden vocals spitting out songs in their now coined D-Beat style you would be excused if after as many years as 1982’s eponymous Hear Nothing,See Nothing,Say Nothing the band had run out of steam. Yet now the band are on the cusp of their brand new album End of Days seeing them begin yet another bandfaced chapter in their history. Shortly before performing in Tottenham’s legendary T-Chances venue we were able to sit down with singer Jeff JJ Janiak and an impromptu appearance from none other than Tez himself. Delving into how the band encountered troubles with material, making a record in the day and age of 2016 and some unexpected Doctor Who fans.
Limitless in its possibility the ever changing entity that is music is made up of many different forms. From melodious ballads, heart wrenching choruses to the opposite end of the spectrum, absolute noise. Straight from the horses mouth we heard the eternal struggle Discharge are in with their strive against the all governing blues scale. In their ever optimistic outlook the band have come to release their latest visceral slab of aggression End of Days but have the band out flanked melody once more?
Soon to be a relic of the past, the eighties have always been the unsung heroes of the past decades. Depending on the era you were born in the children of the nineties will never quite be on the same plain as those who were born in the eighties. Era of the cult film, possibly the most lucrative music has been and of course Sci-Fi. With this in mind we delve into Haken’s Affinity, exploring the other dark side of the moon with some slightly different Brits. Hang onto something!
In the UK alone the rate for depression based suicide last year was at a staggering high. Often swept under the rug, depression can be one of the most serious mental illnesses out there. Not receiving the support needed people they are beginning to turn to other sources. Music has long since been a coping mechanism for many, emotions become more vivid, lyrics take on different meaning. Loosely based on the life and times of Silvia Plath and Virginia Woolf, Russian born Iamthemorning have created their latest masterpiece in the shape of Lighthouse. Acting as a beacon of hope for lost ships, the album is an emotional tour de force moving throughout the various planes of depression. We were very lucky to be able to be walked through Lighthouse by the band’s very own Marjana Semkina. Speaking about the imagery, metaphorical or otherwise, the singer illuminated the various different themes tackled on the conceptual story. Coupled with the album’s creative process and the band’s plans for the coming year. Join us as we take a stark and honest look into the world of Iamthemornings’s Lighthouse.
From across the pond, we check out the legendary crossover thrashers Corrosion of Conformity playing their second Brooklyn date…