Metal Bulletin Zine #56 www.metalbulletin.blogspot.com Sept. 23, 2015 www.twitter.com/MetalBulletinZn www.fuglymaniacs.com (issues online, videos, …)

four bands from Washington state, U.S.: Black Breath Addaura Tygerrs Lair Ghostblood

Warkvlt Melted Space Horrendous Hibria

Amorphis Insanity Satan

and Dark Delirium, Blood free metal music

Sanhedrin, Winter Blood, Fornicus, Eternal Forest, Psyclopus, Dispellment

(continuation of the interview with) AXEMASTER

— Metal Bulletin Zine P.O. Box 1339 Lake Stevens WA 98258 USA www.facebook.com/pages/The-Metal-Bulletin-paper-zine Metal Bulletin Zine #1-20: (2006-2009): Wisconsin #21-26: (2009-2010): Texas #27(2010)--now; Washington state All album reviews, news, updates below are by MMB, unless stated otherwise. -— metal programs (these are Pacific Times) Mosh Pit (Madison, WI): Monday night 9:30pm-12am WORT 89.9 fm www.wortfm.org Sweet Nightmares (Houston, TX): Thursday night 9pm-12am KPFT 90.1 fm www.kpft.org Excuse All the Blood (Olympia, WA): Friday night 11pm-1am www.kaosradio.org Metal Shop (Seattle, WA): Saturday 11pm-3am KISW 99.9fm www.kisw.com — bands from Washington state Black Breath: Slaves Beyond Death (Southern Lord Recordings) In my opinion, Black Breath has broken away from the overcrowded field of death metal in a major way and has delivered a top quality album that picky listeners should consider if said public is searching for bands that have something special to offer. I think it is good that they are pushing themselves to higher standards. They are demonstrating that they have the songs, the knowledge, the skills, the confidence and the quality to stand out amongst death metal bands. Black Breath formed in 2006 and this 2015 album is their third. The music is a bit reminiscent of Stockholm-style old death metal of the late 80s/early 90s. The drumming is direct, steady and decidedly the opposite

of tech-death drumming. The guitar tone, naturally, is similar to the classic/famous Sunlight Studio death metal sound, and the band utilizes a sense of well-timed melodies and catchy parts. The vocals are expressive, almost intelligible, not monotonous growling, not microphone cupping nor one-tone low growling. To me, the most impressive aspect of the album is that the band has melody, catchy riffs and songs that connect with the listener that wants to remember the songs. If anything, the band is still a bit too shy to show off how good they really are because they save some of the best material for last. The last song “Chains of the Afterlife” is an instrumental piece and the band really shines on this number, unafraid to bring out the melodies.

The important thing is that they have asked themselves how to make memorable songs, how to make them interesting to themselves as musicians. The band is becoming braver and braver by adding melody, in the way that the classic, late 80s bands had melody, whether it was Sepultura, Death, Entombed, Dismember, Morbid Angel, Obituary, Pestilence, Carcass, so on and so forth. Looking for classic-style death metal with songs that you can remember? Searching for death metal that is confident enough to play

3

a variety of tempos and incorporate melody? This is it right here. Black Breath. www.blackbreath.com www.blackbreathsl.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/BLACKBREATH.MUSIC www.southernlord.bandcamp.com Addaura Addaura is melodic/atmospheric/symphonic black metal. They have a new EP in 2015. The band’s discography is as follows: Demo 2010 Demo 2010 Burning for the Ancient full-length 2012 ... and the Lamps Expire EP 2015 The band started in 2008 and Facebook gives this lineup: Ryan – vocals, guitars, keys Brandon - bass Jesse - guitar Brandon - drums You can listen to the new music at the band’s Bandcamp page, which also has the 2012 album. In terms of the music itself, it is remarkable how well the band’s black metal has been received. There is no question that the 2012 album “Burning for the Ancient” carries an undeniable charm. Addaura’s music is structured to run smoothly through the tempo changes. It is interesting that people say that Addaura is “repetitive” and when they say that, they say it as a positive comment, as a compliment. Why? Because the songs flow so smoothly that some listeners view the album as one long composition. Just to clarify, the album is not one song. It is: 1.City Light (In Still Dark Forenoon Silence) 10:25 2.The Muses Thro' Their Bowers 14:24 3.The Baring Admission of Weakness 13:46

4.Solace Beneath a Greying Sky 13:36 total time 52:11 Yet, the songs appear connected in such a way that it does sound like one big song, in the sense that people listen to the album, and just ride out the songs. Is it the simplicity of the music? Calling “simple” seems incorrect because this is not two-chord, monotonous music. Rather, it could be the fundamental principle of transitioning smoothly from one segment to the next in such a way that people do not even notice.

Now, the 2015 recording ”... and the Lamps Expire” continues the aesthetics upon which the band is building a reputation. The new music establishes that the band is well on its way in terms of identity. If anything, this 2015 EP leaves the listener wanting more. Perhaps the band had sensed that the time gap between the previous album and the new EP was getting too long. They may be working on a much bigger project. Regardless, the EP is a satisfying listen and it’s good to hear that the spirit is still there. The thing now is that listeners around this region have their sights set on the band delivering an epic album. We’ll have to wait a bit longer for that. Meanwhile, the EP is available at Bandcamp for the 1 dollar

4

starting price, which is a good reason to check it out and to begin the process of communicating with the band and asking about that full-length album! That’s the hope that the EP has revived, that the follow-up to 2012’s “Burning for the Ancient” is indeed being planned. If you have an interest in black metal, and atmospheric black metal in particular, spend some time with Addaura today. Get in contact with the band. www.addaura.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/pages/Addaura/117676111578266 Tygerrs Lair On the ReverbNation site the band says that they sound like “Bullet for My Valentine, All That Remains, Kiss, Metallica, Dream Theater.” I have heard the songs on ReverbNation, and from the sounds of it, I would say that they play modern metal, with some traits of more traditional metal, like melodic singing and soloing. The singer Tygerr sings the melodic, more traditional style, while the songs get backup with more aggro screaming in the background, a bit of gang shouts. Online the band says that they are preparing their debut full-length album “De-Volution” for the fall of 2015. The band’s contemporary, modern metal should appeal to a wide range of the metal public because they put effort into making catchy songs, and the combination of aggro/melody. On the band’s website there is an interesting history of the band. The bio states that the singer “Tygerr has also played in several bands some of which opened for acts such as Alice Cooper, David Lee Roth and Stryper in the 80’s.” The bio continues: “In 1996, Las Vegas sensation Tygerrs Lair was formed with Tygerr and Richie Scarlet, from the Ace Frehley band. They were based in Las

Vegas where they recorded our 6-song demo that garnered the immediate attention of Sony Records.” However, according to the bio, very serious health problems prevented that incarnation of the band to come to full fruition at the time. Later on, Tygerr, now in Seattle, begins the band again in 2007. The bio lists the band’s accomplishments thus far, and states they are working on an album that will be out soon. For more information, check out the pages below. The band lists Seattle as its hometown and the Facebook page says the current members of the band are: Tygerr--Vocals Cody Nash--Guitars/ Vocals Max Jordan--Drums Nick Smith--Guitars www.reverbnation.com/tygerrslair1 www.tygerrslair.com www.facebook.com/tygerrslair Ghostblood: Blood from beyond the Grave

The day that the three thrashing mutants of Ghostblood run into the Dream Theater guys at a Starbucks in Seattle, the Ghostblood thrashers will steal Dream Theater’s lunch money, throw a hot cup of dirty coffee at James whatshisname’s shiny shoes, and these mutants will proceed to pelt that John nerd and that Jordan egghead with day-old stiff

5

muffins until those prog dorks run away … to a different Starbucks. “All gore, no core” is the slogan of the band. They play sewer death punk thrash with mutant melodies, which is a new genre that is taking Seattle by storm. My grandmother and I really love this hot new style of music. You, too, will either love them, or hate them, or think they are ok. Young metal whippersnappers today just don’t give a flip about categories. Imagine the jerks from D.R.I. and Municipal Waste jamming with the scumbags of Six Feet Under for some Sex Pistols covers of Celtic Frost versions of Kiss and Motorhead classics played by a joint project of Venom and S.O.D. paying tribute to Autopsy interpreting At the Gates drunk. WTF?! Why The Face, right?! You know what?! It sounds just as lovely as I describe it. No, it’s lovely and neat, in a sick and disgusting way that is endearing, like a zombie hanging out with you at your birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Well, more like, my birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. Forget your stupid birthday party. I’m not going to yours. This brand new album is released officially on Friday the 18th of September in the year 2015, A.D, not B.C. Today I have been listening to this album because I have never heard this band before. They claim that they started in 2013, but I was not there, so this piece of information can only be an unsubstantiated rumor at this point. They also claim that they are handsome, and after seeing some sexy pictures of them at Ashley Madison dot com, I have to agree, and I will start accounts for all three musicians at Harmony dot com so that they can find true love. Because their good looks should not go to waste. These are the songs that comprise this hot new album that will sell by the millions. This album is so hot right now.

“Blood from beyond the Grave” 1.Blood From Beyond the Grave 00:54 2.Dungeon Ripper 03:06 3.Red Snow 02:45 4.Cleaver Fever 03:17 5.Bloodstormer 03:09 6.Haunting the Swamp 02:35 7.Beast of the Darkest Woods 02:47 8.Recapitator 03:07 9.Disasteroid 03:00 10.Open the Grave 03:06 11.Smash and Burn 02:24 total time ….?! I am unable to tell you the total time of the album. Hey, what do you expect, I’m not a wizard of mathematics to calculate the total running time. However, I am, in fact, very able to tell you that this is an album of dirty thrash made for you to bang your head. This band writes songs about resolving the pressing problems of the world (like red snow) that you and your whole family can enjoy together, and discuss at the dinner table. Just this evening my grandmother and I had a very nice dinner and we talked about the merits of the mutant thrash of Ghostblood. After the discussion, I gave my grandmother a nice big hug and we said our long goodbyes. After that, I came down to the basement where I’m staying with her temporarily for the last 14 years, while I get my life in order. I have been listening to Ghostblood the whole day today. The whole day. Because I am an overachiever. I’m not a quitter. Don’t be a loser. Listen to Ghostblood right now. Right now! Or maybe tomorrow when you have more time. www.ghostbloodmetal.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/ghostbloodmetal www.twitter.com/GHOSTBLOODMETAL phone: 206 948 8393 email: ghostbloodmetal@gmail.com

6

Warkvlt (Indonesia) In a world where traditional-necro black metal needs zealot-fanatical bands to defend it, the time for Warkvlt is right to deliver 100 percent grim black metal as true as they possibly can. discography: Warkvlt Full-length 2013 In nomine odium Single 2013 Blasphemous Alliance Split 2014 Maju, Serbu, Serang, Hancurkan !!! EP 2014 Merdeka Single 2015 Merdeka Full-length 2015 Serangan Umum 8 Maret (Live) 2015 On Bandcamp you can hear the 2015 album “Merdeka,” a raw black metal work of speed, guitar rifforama and necrovocal intensity. Warkvlt is for those whose idea of black metal is early Bathory and necro Darkthrone. The band is new only in a technical sense because the band’s forerunner was Impish, a black metal band that began in 2010 (and which according to Metal Archives, continues today). Really, the history goes even back further because, for instance, Metal Archives lists many bands for guitarist Abah “Desecrator” Supriyanto, bands such as Crusade, Dismaster, Hallucination, Hellgods and Neurotic of Gods. Some of those bands’ origins go back to the early 90s, actually, so there is a lot experience consolidated in Warkvlt. This wide knowledge of metal music gives this band a great, vibing feel when you listen to the music. The guitar work demonstrates how to make fast black metal while still injecting necromelody to make the songs memorable. The album sounds great for the style and for the supporters of the genre. Personally, I believe that the earlier recording “In Nomine Odium” (2013) also represents the band’s black metal identity and allegiance very well. I like the drum sound on that earlier recording better, as it does not sound so

programmed as on “Merdeka.” In conclusion, in terms of this style and execution of the songs, Warkvlt is worthy of your time if you desire to find true black metal from Indonesia in 2015.

www.warkvlt.bandcamp.com www.twitter.com/warkvltlegion www.facebook.com/WarkvltLegion www.reverbnation.com/warkvltlegion Melted Space: The Great Lie (Sensory Records) Melted Space is a metal opera, with traditional and extreme metal vocals. The music is, overall, more on the side of traditional prog and heavy metal, with some extreme metal influences. If in your music collection you already own metal operas and you treasure them, then Melted Space is for you. On the other hand, if you have not heard a metal opera and you are wondering what it is, Melted Space features a great amount of work for the self-respecting, open-minded all-metal public that appreciates music that is a bit more intellectual and elegant. This album utilizes a wide variety of singing and vocal styles that deserves to be mentioned: David Vincent (Morbid Angel), Attila Csihar (Sunn O))), Mayhem), Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity), Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon), Ailyn Gimenéz (Sirenia), Kobi Fahri (Orphaned Land), Mariangela Demurtas (Tristania), Guillaume Bideau (Mnemic), Niklas

7

Kvarforth (Shining), Sylvain Coudret (Soilwork), Adrien Grousset (Hacride), Christine Rhoades (Jeff Loomis), Manuel Munoz (The Old Dead Tree), Arnaud Strobl (Carnival In Coal), Clémentine Delauney (Visions Of Atlantis), Virginie Goncalves (Kells), in addition to the work of The City of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra.

The album is the brainchild of mastermind Pierre le Pape, who does piano, keyboards and orchestration. He works with guitarist Adrien Grousset, bassist Brice Guillon and drummer Michael Saccoman. This album comes out on Sensory Records on October 16th, 2015. Due to the fact that the album has such an interesting cast, you might find it worthwhile to look into this album in more detail. The songs on the album are: 01 “Listen To The Song Of Despair” Featuring vocalists Ailyn Giménez, Arno Strobl, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier 02 “Called By The Queen” Featuring vocalists Guillaume Bideau, Christine Rhoades 03 “No Need To Fear” Featuring vocalists Mariangela Demurtas, Guillaume Bideau, Christine Rhoades, David

Vincent, Attila Csihar, Mikael Stanne, Arno Strobl, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier 04 “Terrible Fight” Featuring vocalists David Vincent, Guillaume Bideau, Manuel Munoz, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier, and guitar solo by Adrian Martinot 05 “A God Is Dead” Featuring vocalist Manuel Munoz 06 “Trust And Betrayal” Featuring vocalists Mikael Stanne, Guillaume Bideau 07 “Glass Castle's Beast” Featuring vocalists Kobi Farhi, Niklas Kvarforth, Guillaume Bideau, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier 08 “Hopeless Crime” Featuring vocalists Christine Rhoades, Mikael Stanne, Niklas Kvarforth, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier, and guitar solo by Adrian Martinot 09 “The One Who Lost The Faith” Featuring vocalists Niklas Kvarforth, Arno Strobl and guitar, synth and dulcimer solos by Arjen A Lucassen 10 “Titania” Featuring vocalists Ailyn Giménez, Guillaume Bideau, Mikael Stanne and guitar solo by Sylvain Coudret 11 “Lost Souls From The Other Side” Featuring vocalists Attila Csihar, David Vincent, Mikael Stanne, Ailyn Giménez, Guillaume Bideau, Maria,tea Demurtas, Manuel Munoz, Christine Rhoades, Clémentine Delauney, Virginie Goncalves, Lucie Blatrier

8

The excellent musicianship, the quality of the songwriting and the work that it has taken to put together this album speaks volumes about the high standards that Melted Space seeks. www.facebook.com/meltedspace www.lasersedgegroup.com/labels/sensory-records www.facebook.com/TheLasersEdge www.twitter.com/thelasersedge Horrendous (U.S.): Anareta (Dark Descent Records) Horrendous is a very restless form of death metal. I documented this trait about their previous album “Ecdysis” (2014), about which I pointed out: “Horrendous seems to get a kick out of tripping people’s expectations. Horrendous was known for playing ‘old school Swedish death metal’ when they formed in 2009, with their demo and with the 2012 album.” Then the 2014 album hit and some people found the combination of death metal and melody different from the usual sounds. I also wrote that: “This band might turn out to be as unpredictable as Sentenced was from 1990 to 1996, when they finally started to settle down into a predictable style. The next Horrendous album is going to have some people running down street all confused.” Well, here it is now. This is the new Horrendous in 2015. On the surface, this album walks and talks like death metal, but it is not as simple as that type of duck. The vocals are definitely death metal, a bit more Schuldinerian than ever before, to my ears. More expressive, more enunciated, more extended. After that, though, all bets are off. The old Opethian heavy prog riffing reveals, that, yes, this band is not happy unless they feel that they are moving and making changes to their sound.

The shiny guitar solos bring home the point that they have been thinking about the ever-changing sounds of the band. Melody is a big part of the Horrendous guitar aesthetics. The drumming changes from uptempo, to midtempo and to proggy all over the place. My impression is that the band is just very unhappy with the idea that the previous album should dictate where the new album goes.

I have previously stated that the band is unhappy to be trapped in a box and this is another step in the ongoing saga that is Horrendous. One day this band will totally shock its listeners. This album is a step in that direction, but the growled vocals serve to avoid giving people a heart attack. Just you wait. The big shocker is coming. Nobody knows where this band is going, not even the band. They are beginning to show their confidence to change a lot. That confidence will only grow with time and at some point in the future, Horrendous will manage to surprise themselves big time and its audience won’t even see it coming.

9

For now, forget the melancholic death metal from previous albums. Forget the classic Entombed/Dismember-like guitar tone, also. This new album is a different chapter. Join Horrendous for a brand new trip into the world of metal music, from their imagination to your mind. I hope that this band has a bright future. I hope that they don’t break up soon. I want to hear what will happen next. As for this album? Well, the sky’s the limit. Buckle up and put your helmet on. The new Horrendous is scheduled for October 30th, 2015. www.darkdescentrecords.com www.facebook.com/HorrendousDeathMetal Hibria (Brazil): Hibria (Test Your Metal Records) review by Jojo from Fuglymaniacs Hibria is back with a new release. It's a self- titled album even though it’s their fifth. The band feels they have reached a new level with the current line up, musically they all know each other's strengths making the creative process a lot stronger. Some will argue that this release is more "mature". Fuglymaniacs hates the word more "mature". It's usually "code" for slow and change of trajectory of the band's sound. Followed by an over produced and layered with high tech nonsense. Shit the band can't play live so it's pre-recorded. This release certainly contains those elements and arrangements. Keyboard and programming, Orchestral parts, sax, trumpets, hell even a choir. More success and bigger budgets bands usually do this and get carried away with this crap. It's called "evolution" we get it. Hibria has

sprinkle some new elements on previous albums but this time is obvious. A couple of songs, Pain and Ashamed, both include horns, saxophone and trumpet. Go figure… Fuglymaniacs does likes the new the sound and different elements. It's not overly done and they keep in check for the most part. The one constant is the level of skill involved on this release. The solos rage, the vocals deliver and all the tempo changes are fluid.

The foundation of Hibria's metal, is still present front and center. You'll still find the speed & a lil bit of thrashiness, melodies, lots of riffage and technical solos. More of this straight up power metal comes “Within Abyss,” “Tightrope,” and “Fame.” Bottom line....Hibria manages to pull this off and Fuglymaniacs approves. Where others have tried and failed Hibria stands tall and makes metalheads proud. Buy, support, ENJOY! www.facebook.com/HIBRIAOFFICIAL www.twitter.com/HIBRIA www.hibria.com.br/site

10

review by Matt Spall, Man of Much Metal Artist: Amorphis Album Title: Under The Red Cloud Label: Nuclear Blast Year Of Release: 2015 Throughout their career, Amorphis have been one of those bands that have achieved something rather special. Theirs is an approach and a sound that has evolved over the years from more of a dark/death metal blueprint, to the self-titled ‘melancholic rock’ that dominates their more current output. And yet, the evolution of the sextet has been entirely natural, extremely smooth and, in spite of a few surprises here and there along the way, the Finns have always created instantly recognisable music; there’s never any doubt when you listen to an Amorphis record, be it ‘Tales From A Thousand Lakes’ or ‘Am Universam’, that you’re listening to Amorphis. Personally-speaking, I’ve been a fan ever since I discovered their 1999 release, ‘Tuonela’. It wasn’t love at first listen but it has become a firm favourite within my collection. From the simple and effective artwork, right through to the dark, brooding and immensely powerful, folk-tinged musical output, it ticks almost all of the boxes for me. If truth be told, ‘Tuonela’ remains my favourite within the entire 11-disc back catalogue despite some real gems of songs found littered throughout their extensive discography. As an aside, I had the pleasure of meeting the band during my first ever press trip to the Nuclear Blast headquarters around the release of ‘Silent Waters’ in 2007. It was a weekend I’ll never forget, largely because the guys were so damn nice and also, in direct opposition to their generally dark musical output, very funny and light-hearted. But I

digress… I’m now presented with album number 12, the ominously-titled ‘Under The Red Cloud’ with its striking stylised front-cover artwork. And, in a year that has been dominated by bands releasing the strongest material of their careers, the trend arguably continues here. I mean, if this record isn’t their best, it’s very very close. As is the Amorphis way, the record is a little deceiving. Listen superficially and you’re confronted with ten tracks of well-crafted heavy rock/metal with big choruses, the gruff-meets-clean vocal approach of Tomi Joutsen and those archetypal folk-inspired embellishments. It’s a powerful set of melodic and instantly engaging heavy songs that delivers plenty of head-nodding fodder to get the blood really pumping. And, frankly, what’s not to like about that? However, if you’re prepared to listen more carefully, ‘Under The Red Cloud’ can be even more rewarding. Do so, and that initial simplicity and apparent economy of song writing within the compositions give way to something entirely different. Amorphis, comprised of vocalist Tomi Joutsen, guitarists Tomi Koivusaari and Esa Holopainen, keyboardist Santeri Kallio, bassist Niclas Etalövuori and drummer Jan Rechberger are a more complex band than many give them credit for and this record demonstrates this comprehensively. The title track opens the record in relatively quiet fashion with a piano melody that’s overlaid with some subtle and expressive guitar work. However, the track builds and it’s not long before it blasts into life and blossoms into a bona fide anthem. The chorus is huge and there’s a smattering of Joutsen’s gruff vocals in and amongst an otherwise clean,

11

vibrant and soulful delivery which is full of dynamism fitting the sonic landscapes perfectly.

The follow-up ‘The Four Wise Ones’, on the other hand, is a full-on metal behemoth. The vocals are exclusively gruff and the chunky riffing and dark overtones are a joy to listen to. In fact, the intensity of it sends shivers down my spine frequently, particularly the opening staccato riff and deep, almost inaudible growls that gives way to a chugging, stomping tempo. It’s during this track that the first big hints at Amorphis’ folk influences emerge too, acting as a lovely counterpoint to the metal onslaught elsewhere in the song. With an album as strong as this, it’s impossible to mention every composition individually. Suffice to say that every song has something within it to delight the listener. ‘Bad Blood’ features another immense chorus and some of Joutsen’s most passionate and expansive vocals on the record as well as some interesting guitar and keyboard effects that provide something a little different. ‘The Skull’ benefits from a simple but effective melody influenced by the Middle East, a chorus that has a waltz-like tempo and a quiet mid-section where the guitars sing and a beautifully-played piano adds further depth and sophistication.

The aforementioned Middle Eastern inspired melodies are taken up a level on one of the most prominent tracks, namely ‘Death Of A King’. A sitar adds authenticity and is a striking addition to the more standard metal instrumentation that accompanies it. This track also has more of a progressive feel to it by virtue of the way in which it flows from one idea to another, culminating in a sprawling chorus that is currently my favourite on the record, stopping me dead every time I hear it. Elsewhere, ‘Sacrifice’ is an up-tempo blood-pumping, catchy anthem that’s ubiquitous latter-day Amorphis. The moody ‘Dark Path’ displays more of an old-school Amorphis feel to it, toying as it does with hints of black metal in the verses. And ‘Enemy At The Gates’ pulls together the progressive elements, the folk influences and the hook-laden choruses, wrapping it up in a track that feels epic despite it’s relatively short five-minute length. ‘Tree Of Ages’ really goes to town with the folk melodies and authentic instrumentation and, in something of a twist, the album is closed by ‘White Night’ which features soft and breathy female vocals to great effect alongside another catchy uplifting chorus to send us on our way. Well, what do you know? As it turns out, mentioning every track wasn’t impossible! In fact, I found it more impossible to miss any out in this review, thereby further underlining the strength and consistency of the record. A review of an Amorphis record wouldn’t be complete without touching on the lyrics. I’m not in possession of them so I can’t comment with certainty, but it’s a safe bet that, in keeping with every record up until now, the lyrical content focuses upon the traditional Finnish epic story of Kalevala. If that’s indeed the case, then the folk embellishments fit the subject matter perfectly.

12

So, in summary, what is there left to say that hasn’t been said about ‘Under The Red Cloud’ already? It’s a near flawless record that does what great music should do – it transports me to another place away from the humdrum and the mundane, it envelops me in its warm embrace and it makes me smile, enriching my life every time I immerse myself in it. The Score Of Much Metal: 9.5 Read more of Matt Spall’s reviews and interviews at:

www.manofmuchmetal.wordpress.com Insanity (U.S.): Visions of Apocalypse (Unspeakable Axe / Dark Descent) Release date: 13 November 2015 Death metal band Insanity (California, U.S.), has a new album, but before talking about the album, it is good to see a bit of the history of the band. Long-championed by none other than Napalm Death, death metal band Insanity began in 1985. The band’s bio states about the early days: “INSANITY was formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area and unleashed some of the most fast & brutal death metal of that time. After being friends for years and going to see bands like Motorhead, Metallica & Slayer, Joe DeZuniga and Dave Gorsuch decided to form a death metal band in 1985. The

vocalist/guitarist Joe DeZuniga roared out some of the most brutal death metal vocals of that time. He was also one of the main songwriters and the artist that created the logo with the decapitated heads. The other guitarist/songwriter Dave Gorsuch seemed to push the style of guitar riffs to a more technical edge while mixing in stomping heavy parts. With Joe's style progressing in that direction as well, it proved to be a great partnership and the two would go on to collaborate on most of the early material. They tried to write songs that mixed in riffs that were technically intense and acheive a style that went beyond what was considered heavy and brutal. Dave's high school friend Keith Ellison played bass like a death metal version of Steve Harris and had been tring to start a band with Dave since 1984. When drummer Bud Mills joined the band in September of 1985 and played faster than the normal thrash beat most bands used, Insanity was pioneering new levels of speed and intensity in early death metal. The first show was played on Oct. 19th 1985 with Death and Sacrilege and the crowd maintained a frenzied pit which was admittedly short because the band only had five songs at the time. INSANITY then went on to play with many of the other great bands that played Ruthies Inn including the likes of Possessed.” Metal Archives gives the following discography, which I think in the case it is instructive to list it: Live Rehearsal Demo Demo 1985 85 Reh. Demo Demo 1986 Demo Demo 1989 Rehearsal Demo 1989 Demo 1989 Pre-Production Demo '94 Demo 1994 Death After Death Full-length 1994 Sacrefixion EP 2001 Ultimate Death - Rare Bits & Pieces of Unreleased

13

Insanity Compilation 2004 From the Grave Compilation 2005 Demo 1985 Single 2006 Visions of Apocalypse Demo 2008 Chronicles of the Cursed Compilation 2009 Anyway, the band has not been lucky in life, and they obviously have not been “at the right place, at the right time” because they have had many problems, too numerous to explain. Suffice to say that the band has had many set backs, such as prison time, illness, death, long periods of inactivity and the like that have not helped them. That’s the bad news. Here’s the good news. The new album is the result of work that the band did years ago and now they have new album. All you have to do is listen to the first song to hear how this band knows how to write death metal. Given that there is such a long history and experience involved, the band does not mess around with tomfoolery. The growling has to be powerful, not just microphone cupping. The guitars have to have more than chugging, it has to be real riffs and the songs have to be the kind that you can remember. That’s the death metal that they have in mind. Speed, brutality, heaviness, yup, it’s all there, but that’s not the whole story. The real story is the songs. www.unspeakableaxerecords.com www.facebook.com/unspeakableaxerecords www.facebook.com/pages/INSANITY/57208433713

Satan (U.K.): Atom by Atom (Listenable Records) Satan is a cult legendary name amongst the fanatics of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Unfortunately, Satan has had a bunch of name changes: from Satan to Blind Fury, then back to Satan, then changed it to

Pariah. After Pariah ended, Satan’s Graeme English (bass) and Steve Ramsey (guitars) formed folk metal founding fathers Skyclad with vocalist Martin Walkyier (from U.K. thrashers Sabbat). Despite all these details, the discography of Satan-related bands is out of this world. To show you that this is not an exaggeration, look at this discography. SATAN The First Demo Demo 1981 Into the Fire Demo 1982 Kiss of Death Single 1982 Court in the Act Full-length 1983 Dirt Demo '86 Demo 1986 Into the Future EP 1986 Suspended Sentence Full-length 1987 Live in the Act Live album 2004 Into the Fire / Kiss of Death Compilation 2011 The Early Demos Compilation 2011 Life Sentence Full-length 2013 Trail of Fire: Live in North America 2014 Atom by Atom Full-length 2015 BLIND FURY Demo '84 Demo 1984 Out of Reach Full-length 1985 PARIAH The Kindred Full-length 1988 Blaze of Obscurity Full-length 1989 Unity Full-length 1997 SKYCLAD Lemming Project / Skyclad Split 1991 The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth 1991 Tracks from the Wilderness EP 1992 A Burnt Offering for the Bone Idol 1992 Thinking Allowed? Single 1993 Jonah's Ark Full-length 1993 Melodic Metal Strikes Back Split 1993 Prince of the Poverty Line Full-length 1994 The Silent Whales of Lunar Sea 1995 Irrational Anthems Full-length 1996 5 Oui Avant-garde á Chance Full-length 1996 Old Rope Compilation 1997 The Answer Machine? Full-length 1997 Outrageous Fourtunes EP 1998 Vintage Whine Full-length 1999 Massacre's Classix Shape Edition 1999 Folkémon Full-length 2000 Poetic Wisdom Compilation 2001

14

Another Fine Mess Live album 2001 Swords of a Thousand Men Single 2001 History Lessens: An Introduction to the Artist 2002 No Daylights nor Heeltaps Full-length 2002 Live at the Dynamo Live album 2002 A Semblance of Normality Full-length 2004 Platinum Edition Boxed set 2004 Jig-a-Jig EP 2006 In the... All Together Full-length 2009 Let me put it to you this way: According to Metal Archives, Graeme English (bass) and Steve Ramsey (guitars) have worked on all of the above recordings.

I have many of those recordings, but, I do not actually own all of the above titles, not even close. Having said all that, the important news is that Satan has a new album. The current lineup is: Steve Ramsey guitars (1979-1984, 1985-1988, 2004, 2011-present) (Skyclad, ex-Blind Fury, ex-Pariah) Russ Tippins guitars (1979-1984, 1985-1988, 2004, 2011-present) (ex-Blind Fury, ex-Pariah, The Russ Tippins Electric Band, ex-Tysondog) Graeme English bass (1980-1984, 1985-1988, 2004, 2011-present) (Skyclad, ex-Blind Fury, ex-Pariah) Sean Taylor drums (1983-1984, 1985-1988,

2011-present) (ex-Blind Fury, ex-Blitzkrieg, ex-Raven, ex-Warrior, ex-Pariah) Brian Ross vocals (1983-1984, 2004, 2011-present) (Blitzkrieg, ex-Lone Wolf, ex-Avenger, ex-Anvil, ex-Kashmir) Satan is known for a particular sound. Essentially, before thrash/speed metal became a thing, a genre, there were bands playing fast heavy metal. Satan is one of those bands. The band is also known for a tendency to write songs that sound like classic metal. Thus, it is no surprise that at this point in the history of this band and these musicians, it’s all killer, no filler, quality heavy metal. Highly recommended for those into classic heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. www.satanmusic.com www.facebook.com/officialsatanpage www.listenable.net www.facebook.com/listenablerecs Dark Delirium (Morocco) Instrumental, one–person project of “prog metal with Oriental influences.” Given that I know nothing about the music of Morocco, I am not qualified to say anything about the origins or influences of the melodies found on this recording. “Mediaeval Blood” 2015 recording 1.Mediaeval Blood 03:24 2.The Caliphate 03:07 3.Odium 04:03 4.The Individual Reaction 03:01 5.During the Inevitable Battle 02:41 6.From Ashes We Rise 03:28 7.Feral Burial 03:08 total time 22:52

15

However, if you are interested in hearing prog metal from Morocco, this could be something for you. It has those “Middle Eastern” melodies, as far as I can tell, which is not very far. Of course, this is not a full band, but a solo project. Don’t you just appreciate the stubbornness of this musician to keep making this music? It’s prog, it’s instrumental, it’s got to be a person with lots of willpower, right? Persevere. www.darkdelirium.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/Jamal.Coral Blood (Germany): Christbait (Vic Records) In 2015 Vic Records is re-releasing Blood’s 1992 album. Blood formed in 1986 and released a bunch of demos from 1986-1989. The early material is sloppy punk chaos. After the 1989 debut album “Impulse to Destroy,” the band continued releasing EPs in 1990 and 1991, all the while becoming better, so that by this 1992 album, the band sounds like a death metal/grind band, much tighter and skilled at extreme sounds.

Nowadays the band is active and on their Facebook page they have some shows planned from now and until the end of the year. Blood has a storied discography, so don’t mistake them for a one-hit wonder grind band. This 1992 album has 20 songs and the music is as heavy as Incantation or Deicide, but it’s more direct, more grind that gets to the point quickly. If anything, Blood on this album has a sound in the general neighborhood of Napalm Death’s “Utopia Banished”: the guitar tone, vocals and vibe shares some similarities. According to Metal Archives, both albums came out the same year, actually. www.bloood.de www.vicrecords.com www.facebook.com/blood.de

FREE METAL MUSIC Sanhedrin (U.S.): Sanhedrin It is amazing how many New York bands that people call “metal” suck so bad! It’s all that worthless New York hardcore punk pollution that is to blame. Wouldn’t be nice to hear a new New York band play traditional metal with talent and with no core?!

16

Oh, if only it were possible! If only! Well, today is your lucky day, metalheads. Sanhedrin plays rocking heavy metal. They have actual guitar riffs, guitar solos (!), drums that sound very real (are they real live drums? I don’t know!) and they have a singer, yes, a singer, not some dumb dog hardcore screamo. This is the heavy metal that I want. This is so good that it had me cleaning my ears and doing double takes. That’s not all, their recording is available for free/name-your-price (when last I checked on September 21, 2015).

This is a new band formed in 2015. They are from Brooklyn, New York and they play traditional heavy metal. This is what Facebook says: Erica Stoltz - vocals, bass Jeremy Sosville - guitar, backing vocals Nathan Honor - drums “Following the dissolution of their previous band, drummer Nathan Honor (ex-Vermefug) and guitarist Jeremy Sosville (Black Anvil)

began jamming together for several months, molding a new sound and vision for a band. This vision came to life with the addition of the siren-voiced singer and bassist Erica Stoltz (ex-Lost Goat), and Sanhedrin was born. This completion of the trio resulted in a band rooted in classic heavy metal and hard rock, but unafraid to cross genre boundaries. Sanhedrin’s sound is familiar but not derivative. While their songwriting is clearly rooted in the classics, their take on rock and metal comes across as fresh and honest. Lyrically, Sanhedrin often forgoes the traditional fantasy-based themes found in much heavy metal in favor of more real-life themes of inner struggle and social commentary. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Sanhedrin’s sound is a combination of the toughness and beauty that their home borough embodies.” The recording is great stuff, and as you can tell, I’m excited about it. I have never heard of this band and I had no expectations, but this EP shows that they have some good things ahead of them. This band surprised me with the good songs from the first moment I heard it. It’s so nice to hear a band that has decided to make music in this style. The recording is simply titled “Sanhedrin.” 1.Riding on the Dawn 04:08 2.Saints and Sinners 04:57 3.A Funeral for the World 06:18 4.No Religion 07:00 total time 22:23 The first two songs are uptempo, traditional heavy metal bangers, while the last two are midtempo, and show that the band can do a variety of tempos, including a bit of the doomier sounds. If you support traditional heavy metal, you have no excuse now. Go here:

17

www.thesanhedrin.bandcamp.com/releases www.facebook.com/sanhedrinband Winter Blood I cannot give you much information about black metal entity Winter Blood, besides this: a multigenre black metal band from Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S., as it says on Bandcamp. On Facebook it says, “folk melodic classical black metal.” I would say that “traditional black metal” pretty much describes the music.

The free recording (I checked last on September 21, 2015) is called "Frost from Ashes" and it is the following songs: 1.Forest of Ashes 03:32 2.Enthroned 06:43 3.Seputus 06:43 4.Solitary Reaper 07:13 5.Revenant Diabolic 06:17 6.Enslaved 09:20 7.Red Pagan Moon 04:22 total time 44:10 Facebook lists: Manothanas - lead guitar & vocals Mordaine - rhythm guitar & vocals Mahimus - drums Gnarloc (…) – bass Regardless of the lack of information, I think

that the recording has so many positive elements: the symphonic vibe, the songwriting, the riffs and the melodies. What a strong showing this is for Winter Blood. The musicians have a very strong sense for writing songs that make an impression. Especially, if you want to hear black metal that stays with you, in your mind. The guitar work is crafted well, and there’s a certain skill and maturity that you can hear. I don’t know anything about Winter Blood’s personnel, so I cannot comment or reveal much on that score. I’m going just by the music. Basically, this is black metal in the style of the 1990s. You might here some elements of Emperor or Dissection here and there, depending on your opinion. Winter Blood has that “it” factor that I am looking for: the songs. Of course, the recording is not a big budget production. If you want it louder, you just turn up the volume! Good job, Winter Blood, whoever or wherever “they” are. Recommended for those searching for new black metal in the traditional forms. Go here: www.winterbloodmusic.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/Winter-Blood-1489180064729907 email: winterbloodmusic@gmail.com Fornicus Kentucky, U.S. black metal band Fornicus has a new free/name-your-price EP, called “Feast for Rats.” 1.Feast for Rats 02:22 2.Ancient Queen 03:29 3.Freezing Moon 06:35 Feast For Rats and Ancient Queen: recorded spring MMXV SB-guitar, voice CC-bass DS-drums Freezing Moon: recorded summer MMXV

18

SB-guitar, drums, voice CC-bass guest solo by Tim Ball of Abominant Ancient Queen originally by Emperor Freezing Moon originally by Mayhem The band’s bio says: “Birthed in the heart of America's bible belt in late 2012, Fornicus was conceived to cast darkness over the ignorant masses and their foolish dogmas. Blending qualities of black, thrash, and even a taste of death the band creates a vicious aural assault that will quench the listener’s thirst for all things metal. Throughout the first year of the band's existence the songs that would become their debut album were meticulously crafted by members Scott, Chris, and David and eventually were completed with the addition of Kelly at the beginning of 2014. The tracking began shortly thereafter in Scott's own Velocity Studios for the album that is now known as "Storming Heaven," a bold statement chastising Christ and his blind sheep for their "righteous" ways with the ultimate goal of destroying God's Kingdom. With live rituals now beginning and the album's release, the force that is Fornicus will strengthen to take its place as one of Kentucky's premier practitioners of metal.” The influences that the band lists are: Watain, Angelcorpse, Carpathian Forest, early Dimmu Borgir, Absu, Akercocke, 1349, Mayhem, Emperor, Dark Funeral, Goatwhore, Taake, Zyklon, etc. This EP is a good reminder that the band is still active. If you like traditional black metal, how can you reject this EP?! You can’t! The fact that they have Tim from the mighty death metal squadron Abominant (also from Kentucky, U.S.) is a very cool element. Abominant rules. Fornicus rules. This EP is still

available for free, as of September 21, 2015.

www.fornicus.bandcamp.com/album/feast-for-rats-ep email: fornicus666@gmail.com www.twitter.com/Fornicus666 www.facebook.com/fornicus666 Eternal Forest This free recording is traditional necro black metal from Poland. The band is: Terrorwielder: guitars, bass, drum programming (2014-present) Nemus: vocals (2014-present) The 2015 recording is called “Sickness Of Soul” and it is: 1.Eternal Death 03:33 2.Depths of Darkness 06:22 3.Sickness of Soul 03:24 4.Hate the Rotten Flesh of Christ 03:22 5.Screams of Night 04:30 6.Medieval Torture Art 04:09 7.Surrouded by Candles 04:21 total time 29:41 Not much information about Eternal Forest, but you can obtain the music for free/name-your-price on Bandcamp. The music goes at frenzied speeds, but also at slow tempos for atmosphere.

19

At the end of the day, it is the songs that matter, and Eternal Forest, which Metal Archives says formed in 2014, sounds knowledgeable and with a keen sense for traditional black metal. The guitar work is easily identifiable, creative and song-centered, and that makes all the difference. Is this just the beginning of Eternal Forest? Traditional black metal aficionados looking for a new band, this is Eternal Forest, stubbornly delivering black metal to the heart. The last time I checked on this recording, on September 21, 2015, it is available for free. www.eternalforestofficial.bandcamp.com/releases Psyclopus (China) The band’s 2015 free recording is called “Instrumental Demo.” I have no information about the band, besides that Bandcamp says that they are from China. There some photos on Bandcamp and it appears that they might have a vocalist, but it’s not totally clear from the photos. It is possible that this demo is just an introduction to the band for now. This is melodic folk metal and the band sounds very skilled at it. Surprisingly so, actually. This is very melodic and catchy. You’ll be surprised, too, I think. This recording is: 1.The Tavern of Stormstad 02:05 2.Beowulf's Sword 03:42

3.Glory of the Dead 05:56 4.Sky of the Northern Light 04:26 5.The Drunk's Song 03:29 6.Marching to Moscow (Dschinghis Khan Cover) 04:10 7.Dragon Slaughter 03:40 total time 27:28

On September 21, 2015 I last checked and the recording is still free/name-your-price. People into melodic folk metal would be the target audience for this band. It remains to be seen whether there is more information coming, but at least there’s a recording to go by. www.psyclopus.bandcamp.com/releases Dispellment (U.S.) This three-person black metal band is from Virginia, U.S. As of September 22, 2015, their album is available for free/name-your-price. I highly recommend this exciting album to true black metal maniacs. The vibe of the album is awesome and it is wonderful to hear a band that pledged allegiance to traditional black metal. Don’t assume that this is a garage demo. I have been listening to it on headphones and you can hear the instrumentation well. Expect a band that sounds experienced and aware of how to write a song that will make you bang your head. The band is: Ikonoklast - strings, voice, and scripture Æþelwulf - death rattles Sulfur - assault and battery Facebook says that they started in 2010 and this is their debut, according to Metal Archives. Well, it looks like they have been

20

practicing because this album rocks. The album is called “Atone.” "Atone" by Dispellment 1.Old Man Winter 03:27 2.Werwolfnacht 05:20 3.Long Ago... 04:20 4.Black Knights of the Snowbound Keep 04:03 5.Bone Dust Ritual 03:38 6.Ancient Ikonoklasts 05:45 7.Hearing the Master's Call 04:39 total time 31:12 I downloaded this sucker and gave the band a few bucks because I liked it so much! Do you want true black metal? Dispellment is exactly that, and they are really good at it, in my opinion.

www.dispellment.bandcamp.com www.facebook.com/dispellment Email dispellment@gmail.com (continuation of the interview with)

AXEMASTER Axemaster is traditional heavy metal from the state of Ohio, U.S. The band started in 1985, and has gone through lineup changes, including name changes, but lead guitarist

Joe Sims, the only remaining member from the old formation, continues to steer Axemaster today. In 2014, the band signed with Pure Steel Records (Germany), and Sims produced, mixed, and mastered the new album "Overture to Madness.” Pure Steel released "Overture to Madness" in 2015, an album which, according to the band, “helps to define Axemaster's overall general style as a combination of the dark riffs and feel of doom metal and the energy and aggression of non-speed thrash metal.” BAND MEMBERS Geoff McGraw - vocals/rhythm guitar Joe Sims - lead guitar Denny Archer - drums Jim Curtis - bass This segment continues the interview with the band. Previous segments of the interview were posted online and published in the zine, too. This interview seeks to be an in-depth look into the history of Axemaster. www.facebook.com/axemasterofficial Did Axemaster feel pressure to become more glam and radio friendly in the late 80s? JOE: Not in the 80s, it wasn't until the early 90s that there was any pressure to change our direction at all and that came to me from the other guys in the band, not from any outside people. The only thing there was any pressure to do in the 80s was to play more covers and less originals. That came from the local clubs and also some band members because back then around here it was tough to get decent shows being an original band. It seemed sometimes that all anybody wanted to see was a living, breathing jukebox! That's never been my gig. A lot of people like doing covers, and that's totally cool, it's just never been for me, not what I got into music to do.

21

It's fun to play a cool cover every now and then, but I get bored with them REAL fast and after all, I started Axemaster specifically to play my originals. So it got a little frustrating sometimes when I'd keep hearing shit about playing mostly covers since it's something I'll never do no matter what.

What are the changes in musical direction between Axemaster and The Awakening, the band that came after Axemaster with some different members in 1991. Why the change in name? JOE: That whole situation came from the guys in the band putting pressure on me to change the band name and musical direction somewhat, it's what I was talking about in my last answer. That was during the time that metal was starting to go downhill, and the guys bitched at me for probably a year to change the name and play stuff that was more commercial, thinking it would help get more shows and airplay. Unfortunately, I finally got sick of the bitching and gave in and did what they wanted. That's how The Awakening was born, which is one of my biggest regrets in my music career. Nothing against that band and what we did, the one album we put out

was a quality release. The tunes were good and the CD was well done, certainly nothing I'm embarrassed to have put out. It just wasn't ME, the style was a hell of a lot more mellow than anything I had ever done or ever wanted to do. The stuff's cool to listen to every once in a while, but I could never really get into it. Actually, right now we're re-doing my favorite and the heaviest song from that disc, but when we do the tune now it's like it's on cocaine and steroids, a whole lot more intense and aggressive!!!!!

Anyway, I should have just went with my instincts, stuck with my guns, and kept Axemaster alive through thick and thin, even if I had to replace all the band members. But hindsight is 20/20, and I'm really happy with where Axemaster and myself personally are at and what direction everything's going, so I guess everything happened for the best in the long run. Then, in the mid 90s The Awakening ends. What led to this? How was the Ohio metal scene in mid 90s? Were things so bad that you all decided to leave the music business altogether? JOE: Between what I said in my last answer, some issues with the band members, and them wanting to play more and more cover songs, I got sick of it all, said fuck the whole thing, and stopped the band. I was certainly frustrated with things, not even so much the music business because the problems I was having had less to do with the business and more to due with musicians I had worked with and that the metal scene had gone so far downhill in general (and was probably even worse around here).

I can't remember ever thinking of leaving the business or quitting being a musician for good or anything, I have always been too addicted to music to ever do that. I took a short time away from the band scene

22

and played on my own, but it wasn't more than 6-8 months before I was back in another band called Reign, which ended up being one hell of a great band!

Did some ten years go by with no band activity? Did you take time away from all the hassle and drama of being in a band? Did you raise kids during that time or take up other hobbies or obsessions?! JOE: Honestly, the answer to every one of those questions is a huge NO! Like I said in my last answer, after The Awakening it didn't take an awfully long time for me to help start another band called Reign. We put out one album that did OUTSTANDING for being an independent release, especially considering how far metal had gone down in popularity by the mid/late 90s which is when that disc came out. It did so good in fact that Divebomb Records just re-released it last year. The band also played some awesome shows, some of the coolest ones I've ever done. I was with Reign for 3 or 4 years, then some unusual circumstances led me to split with them which was a real shame because we had a TOTALLY killer thing going for a while.

After that I wrote a bunch of songs on my own that I wanted to turn into a solo album. That project didn't end up happening,

but from it came my next band which was called Dream or Nightmare. That lasted about 5 or 6 years. Also during that time I got together with Unisound Records to re-release most of the old Axemaster material on 2 different CDs. After the end of DorN, the original Axemaster lineup got back together briefly and got the deal with Burning Star Records to re-release the band's debut album. The reunion didn't last very long, but me and the drummer stayed together and put together a studio band that ended up being called Inner Terror. So I was really active in music the entire time between The Awakening and Inner Terror, I would have probably spent at least half those years in the nuthouse if I had not done music. What can you tell us about the band Inner Terror that you were in? JOE: What happened as to why Inner Terror came about was the reunion of the original Axemaster lineup only lasted a very short time for various reasons. So myself and the drummer got a different singer and bass player to do a studio album with a bunch of the new music I had written. Not only did that "band" not play any shows, but we never even rehearsed together, everything was totally done in the studio. Because it was pretty obvious that it was gonna be just a studio project, and the fact that I didn't think the material was totally representative of what I thought a new Axemaster release should be, we decided to go under the name Inner Terror.

Like I said earlier, there were several factors which made it pretty obvious that Inner Terror was gonna be just a project to record the "Behold the Inner Terror" CD. I don't want to get into the specific reasons, but believe me, there was really no doubt that the "band" wasn't gonna do anything beyond that one release. I never want to rip on

23

anyone in interviews, and a little bit that went down had to do with some issues I was going through at the time, but finishing that disc was a nightmare. I'd sure as hell never want to repeat the shit that went down through the whole project!!! The disc ended up coming out allright at least. There's some decent stuff on there, I like the CD as a whole, but if I was gonna play any of the tunes now with Axemaster I'd change them quite a bit. I think the stuff shows a lot of potential, some great riffs, and with a few changes I think some of the tunes would be TOTALLY kick ass which is why I wouldn't mind re-writing a couple of them now and making them sound more like "Axemaster". But I think it's a shame to have an album where a lot of the riffs are better than the songs as a whole; every time I listen to it I wish the songs had been done differently!!!!! They say that for underground metal musicians there is no money, generally speaking. They say that having a band is like being married to several people at the same time. There's also scene drama, club owners, managers, backstabbing, rumors, money issues, social media, so and so forth. Do you ever ask yourself if you are crazy to do this?! What would you say makes you do it?! JOE: That's a REALLY easy one, I do it because I love metal, love to play guitar, and especially love to write music. You're right, there's a LOT of bullshit from a lot of different sources that's associated with being in a band. The music business as a whole is definitely a real bitch a lot of the time, and dealing with band members can be anywhere from being a real challenge to a huge problem. This is the first lineup I've ever been a part of where someone (which 90% of the time was me) hasn't had to majorly play psychiatrist, father, mediator, and/or even baby sitter!

Anyway, it's also really expensive to

have and maintain pro gear and it takes a hell of a lot of time and effort for your work to be totally professional which has to be the case if you want real success. Through all that you have a lot of disappointments and are often kicked in the teeth. Basically, people in my position HAVE to love being a musician and the music they play to wade through all the shit and stick with it non-stop for as long as I have (over 30 years). Musicians who get involved in it for what I think are the wrong reasons, like just to show off or impress the ladies, usually give up playing before they've gotten anywhere near doing it for 30 years. Especially the ones who did original music since, unless you're pretty big, it's a lot harder to find decent paying gigs doing originals than it is if you're in a cover (especially a tribute) band and you obviously also deal more closely with people in the music business when you do originals, and that's usually never fun.

But even with all that, I NEVER ask myself if I'm crazy for having done this for so long and still going strong. The love that I have for creating and playing metal has made the music to be as important to me as breathing, I'd be so lost without it I don't know how I'd go on!!!!!! Then the cycle closes: Axemaster returns as Axemaster. Why the name change back to Axemaster? JOE: Well, like I mentioned before, I had some personal issues when I was doing the Inner Terror thing and not too long after that CD was released, I took a short time basically away from the scene to deal with some things. I didn't COMPLETELY take the time off, I still played some and wrote some stuff, but I backed off a lot until I got some things in my life straightened out. When I felt the time was right to get myself back into the band scene, I felt like the time had come to put every

24

ounce of energy I had into doing Axemaster again and make it the last full-time band I would ever be in. At that time I had and still have the proper frame of mind to make the kind of commitment necessary to make a HUGE push toward taking the next step of success that I have never quite been able to reach. I learned a lot about life and myself in the 5 or so years from the time that the original lineup briefly got together until I decided to bring Axemaster back to stay. I changed and grew a lot as a person and developed an attitude that allowed me to have a new focus and gave me the ability to do things in a way that I had never been able to do before. Bottom line, the time was right for me to do this the way it should be done. And hey, I'm far from old, but far from being a kid too, so it was time to stop fucking around and start doing what I truly always wanted to do and put everything I had into it!!! [This is the end of this segment of the interview with Axemaster.] THE END ** September 23, 2015