Roadburn Festival Part II – Various Venues, Tilburg

Posted on April 22, 2015 by News Team

Saturday, April 11^th

My impression of Acid Witch is that Heavy Metal has found an answer to drugs, and that answer is “Hell Yes!” This band is majestic mayhem on a stage, and their horror film inspired songs are a true pleasure to behold. Referencing Paul Verhoeven’s Robocop (set in their hometown of Detroit) for Metal Movie Marijuhana Massacre Meltdown, the bass player cheerfully yells out all of the song titles and their meanings. He also dedicates ‘Rabid Werewitch’ to all the ugly ladies. Besides the heavy grunting, the vocalist also has the best manic cackle I have ever heard. Despite having some technical difficulties leaving them occasionally unable to hear each other play, they really rocked their set and seemed to enjoy every moment of their performance. The audience sure enjoyed it, as the Patronaat was filled to the brim with head banging and swaying people.

Fields of the Nephilim, by Susanne A. Maathuis

Saturday saw the return of Fields of the Nephilim to the main stage of the 013, and the hall was almost as crowded as it was at their first set on Friday. With charismatic frontman Carl McCoy, this band is possibly the purest embodiment of Goth in existence. With a career of an astounding thirty years, they had no problem filling out two long sets with their soothing tones and hard edges.

Roadburn Audience, by Susanne A. Maathuis.

Taking the slot of a band who regretfully had to cancel their performance at Roadburn this year, Urfaust were perfectly suitable for Roadburn. Having performed at this festival before, it was no wonder they had the audience trying to cram themselves into the Green Room to witness their spectacular music. Comprised of only a drummer and guitarist/vocalist, Urfaust manage to make a spectacular amount of noise. As usual, you only miss the absence of a bass for about half a song, until you find the bass sound in the guitar. I have heard the vocals described as the cries of a baby seal in the process of being clubbed, and I must admit that this seems, at times, an apt description of the exclamations heard. It was such a shame that the show was cut just a little short by the unfortunate breaking of a guitar string. Since they were close to time anyway, there was no chance to restring the bugger and finish the show in style, and as much as the audience regretted it, the musicians themselves seemed devastated to have to leave us in such a way. Alas, such things do happen, and even the mighty Roadburn is not impervious to technical issues. The upside of the problems is that we have seen truly passionate people work their way around every obstacle, both from the bands dealing with the hurdles as the amazing crew bending over backwards to solve every problem as quickly and effectively as possible.

Sunday, April 12^th, the Afterburner.

The afterburner is the final day of Roadburn, and it always has a unique atmosphere due to the composition of the audience, which is either completely mellowed out by the onslaught of the previous three days, or fresh-faced and new looking for a taste of the festival. It is a great day for people who have never been to the festival and want to sample the atmosphere before committing to the entire thing. The only open venues are the Main Stage, Green Room, and Cul de Sac.

While White Hills heated up the Main Stage, I headed over to the Green Room to get my socks rocked thoroughly off by Argus. They play Heavy Power Metal with a touch of Doom, and this blend has a very smooth sound. Their bass player has stunning stage presence, and plays superfast fingered bass that was almost as impressive to watch as it was to hear. The music is heavy and catchy as hell, and is performed with enough power to illuminate a small country. There were a lot of fans and enthusiasts in the audience, happily banging away.

Anathema, by Susanne A. Maathuis.

Possibly the most anticipated show of the Afterburner was the one performed by Anathema, who performed the “Resonance” set that they are currently touring. Resonance is a show that spans their entire oeuvre, named after the compilation albums that appeared in 2001 and 2002. With their ten albums, their music embodies a diverse reach of genres, and has had a number of changes in band composition. Two of the former band members, Darren White and Duncan Patterson, join the current iteration of Anathema on stage tonight in their respective eras.

The show is divided into three sections, and the songs are played in reverse chronological order. This means that it started off with the atmospheric and melodious style that we know today, and ended with the Doom that they started with, fronted by Darren White. In between sets there were a few minutes break to give the band the chance to prepare and make the necessary line-up changes.

It was great to hear so many of their heavier songs performed live, and I really do hope they will play a few of them on their regular shows from now on, as they have an amazing amount of energy.

There is so much to see and discover at Roadburn, that there are likely to have been people at the festival who have seen none of the bands I saw or described here. You have to make hard choices between awesome bands, but no matter what you choose, in the end it is always going to have been worth it, because Roadburn is a festival that gets into your blood.

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WORDS BY LORRAINE LYSEN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUSANNE A. MAATHUIS

Stream Peaceville Days Podcast With Dave Pybus (Cradle of Filth, Anathema)

Posted on March 23, 2015 by newsteam

The new Peaceville podcast series features former Peaceville Records employee Dave Pybus, who was responsible for the layout and design of many classic titles, and later better known for his time in Anathema and Cradle of Filth. He discusses his days at the company at the start of the 1990s, and speaks with some of the bands and artists from those days. In this first episode of his ‘Peaceville Days’ podcast, Pybus talks with Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride about the early visions of the band, plus techniques of constructing artwork in the early 90s, along with some of the tribulations involved in the pre-Photoshop era. Also joining the trip down memory lane is a conversation with artist Dave McKean, himself responsible for some of the early iconic My Dying Bride artwork.

Stream the episode below:

Peaceville Records on Facebook

Collapse And Crush – Vincent of Anathema Discusses the Music Industry

Posted on February 20, 2015 by News Team

Anathema, photo by Scarlet Page

Editor’s Note: As often as we can we here at Ghost Cult, we like to bring you guest editorials, unique stories, and mini-topic interviews from people in the world of heavy music. Band members and musicians with varying interests to share, delving deep into influence outside the musical, industry honchos breaking down what the numbers mean, or perhaps a music journalist with a new perspective.

Last year when Vincent Cavanagh of Anathema chatted with Ghost Cult’s Susanne A. Maathuis, he had some definite feelings about the current state of the music business and the viability of an artists to succeed and make a living, or not in these times.

“Yeah it’s the DIY model, isn’t it? If you’re not getting up every single day and captaining your own ship, then you’re just drifting. You’re not gonna go anywhere. You’ve got to put the fucking hours in every single day. And play live. Play live as much as you can, be the best fucking live band in your town, and then in your country and then wherever. Just stick at it and get better at what you do. It will pay off eventually if you’ve got the tunes. These days there is so much saturation around and the industry doesn’t give a fuck about you. It’s really, really difficult. I think Tommy (Thom, of Radiohead) Yorke said something like this, I’m paraphrasing here, he said “it’s like throwing pebbles into a waterfall.” It’s just… The all-over deals are fucked too. I went to a seminar on Copyright back in 2001 or 2002. This guy, this twat of a professor, it was in the university, was talking about copyright saying “okay I think all music should be free. I think it should be given away. I don’t think bands should be remunerated for their art.” Well I had a fucking big argument with the guy, you know. I mean I get by these days, but those days I was fucked. I was skinned completely. How fucking dare you! Do you get paid for this you’re doing today? Do you expect to walk into cinema as well, and get those for free? This is like at the dawning of when people realized they could steal music. He was talking about a different thing; he said it should just be free. He was basically saying I don’t believe in copyright. Okay so how many songs have you fucking written, how many books have you written, how many movies have you ever made? You know fuck off. How dare you stand up in front of a bunch of impressionable fucking students and tell them this bullshit?”

“I think a lot of people do want to buy music and they do want to buy art, and they want to reward their favorite artists. They understand that life isn’t easy and especially if you’ve chosen to dedicate yourself to something that’s not fucking a regular life, then you know. You’ve got to be prepared to being on the poverty line for a very long time. Also people recognize that they want to buy something special, like a special package. Artwork has come back so much, the package that you buy these days. Vinyl has made resurgence because of that. I think it’s a reaction to the download culture and the disposable nature of music. Why you listen to mp3’s that are heavily compressed, and then recompressed when they’re uploaded to YouTube. That’s how most people listen to music. There’s a reaction against that, and people’s vinyl collections are growing. And artists themselves are finding new ways to make beautiful special edition packages. I think there’s some encouraging signs, it’s definitely still finding it’s feet.”

“I’m not sure at the moment how I feel about the whole streaming services. I don’t like the way that it’s basically the same as old major labels milking the bands. The overhead of something like Spotify are a fucking shitload less because everybody subscribes to it. They don’t have to do as much as old record labels had to do to break a band and promote them. “okay we’ll get a million subscribers on Spotify, and we’ll make ten million dollars… oh how much should be pay he artist? How about virtually nothing, because who are they anyway?” I don’t think that’s right. There’s got to be some kind of compromises on both sides. I just think the direct to fan method is the way to go really, especially for people starting up. The problem with that is you need the mechanisms of the industry to actually get you somewhere as well sometimes. It can be a double edged sword. It’s very tough these days it’s tougher than it’s ever been.”

AS TOLD TO SUSANNE A. MAATHUIS

Legendary Label Music For Nations Returns To Life

Posted on February 18, 2015 by News Team

Long revered at one of the preeminent music labels that helped put all sorts of metal bands on the map, Music For Nations, is returning to life in 2015 with a series of reissues and new music in the form of 7” and digital single releases from new bands too. Their first new release will be a massive box set of Anathema’s MFN catalog with a 3 CD/DVD package and limited edition vinyl of the album releases too. Other prominent upcoming releases from the label include MFN stalwarts such as Paradise Lost’s back catalog remastered. Opeth’s three seminal albums, Blackwater Park, Damnation & Deliverance special editions. Spiritual Beggar’s back catalog released on LP for the first time, as well as Cradle of Filth and other MFN artists to be confirmed shortly.

Anathema, photo by Scarlet Page

First time Digital Releases of MFN titles include:

Paradise Lost – One Second

Spiritual Beggars – Another Way to Shine

Spiritual Beggars – Mantra III

Spiritual Beggars – Ad Astra

Hardcore Superstar – Bad Sneakers and a Pina Colada

Hardcore Superstar – No Regrets

Hardcore Superstar – Thank you (For Letting us be Ourselves)

Firebird – Deluxe

Inme – Overgrown Eden

Sugarcoma – Becoming Something Else

Lost Horizon – Awakening The World

Lost Horizon – A Flame to the Ground Beneath

Elend – Umbersun

El Caco – Viva

Press Notes:

Music For Nations, the celebrated and legendary Heavy Metal, Rock and Prog record label has returned.

In a series of reissues, the label will be celebrating some of the most iconic records by some of the World’s most influential bands. As well as reissues, the label will be signing new artists for the first time in over a decade.

Music For Nations importance cannot be under estimated. Either signing, exclusively distributing or collaborating with artist including Metallica, Tool, Slayer, Opeth, Cradle of Filth, Anathema, Entombed, Poison, WASP, Frank Zappa. As well as licensing deals with some of the seminal labels including Metal Blade, Peaceville and Rise Above.

Ever headbanged?

Chances are it was to a track released on Music for Nations.

Music For Nations.

Old Label.

New Danger.

Music for Nations:
Official store: http://smarturl.it/MFN_Store
FaceBook: http://smarturl.it/MFN_FB
Twitter: http://smarturl.it/MFN_T
Instagram: http://smarturl.it/MFN_Insta
YouTube: http://smarturl.it/MFN_YT
Spotify: http://smarturl.it/MFN_Sp

Paradise Lost go back to their roots on new album

Posted on February 3, 2015 by Steve Tovey

That’s right… legendary British metallers Paradise Lost who, along with Anathema and My Dying Bride were known as the “Peaceville 3” who effectively launched the entire Gothic Metal sub-genre, will be returning to their deathly hallows on new album The Plague Within on Century Media.

The bands’ fourteenth studio album was produced by sound maestro Jaimie Gomez Arellano (Ghost, Ulver, Cathedral) at Orgone Studios in London has a planned release date of 1st June (UK & Europe) and 2nd June (US/Rest of World).

Nick Holmes comments: “We wanted to approach the new album differently this time by embracing the band’s VERY early days. We have written a very dark, yet melodic album, but this time many songs definitely have a death metal edge, which is something we haven’t done for a long long time in Paradise Lost.”

In a move that follows Gregor Mackintosh rediscovering the vile in his side-project Vallenfyre and Nick Holmes seizing the Bloodbath cowl and mic stand, the band have been progressively returning to their traditional sound following their late 90’s/early 00’s dalliance with electronic music and minimal guitars, with 2012’s Tragic Idol reclaiming the hearts and minds of many of their old fans, while introducing the band to a newer audience.

Roadburn Festival 2015 Releases Schedules Of Lineup

Posted on December 9, 2014 by newsteam

Roadburn Festival 2015 has confirmed its lineup for each day of the event. The festival will run from Thursday, April 9, 2015 to Sunday, April 12, 2015 at the 013 venue in Tilberg, The Netherlands.

Curated by Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved) and Wardruna‘s Einar “Kvitrafn” Selvik, Roadburn Festival 2015 (including Fields of the Nephilim, Anathema, Skuggsjá, Enslaved, Wardruna, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin performing Dawn of The Dead and Susperia in its entirety, Zombi, Argus, Sólstafir, White Hills, Wovenhand, Russian Circles, Bongipper, Floor, Eyehategod and The Heads as Artist In Residence among others

Roadburn Festival on Facebook
Roadburn Festival on Twitter

The Official Ghost Cult Writers Albums of the Year Top 50: 30-21

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Steve Tovey

The countdown to the Official Ghost Cult Magazine Album of the Year for 2014 continues. Please consume and enjoy the results of our 2014 Writers’ Poll. We hope it will introduce you to some of the incredible works of art you may have missed that we have had the immense pleasure of listening to and writing about this year.

In our third installment we bring you albums 30 through to 21

30. CASUALTIES OF COOL – Casualties Of Cool (Pledge/HevyDevy)

“Casualties of Cool is an intriguing experiment from a man who excels in making left-field music. Go in expecting massive a prog-metal exercise will only lead to disappointment, but having an open mind will result in a rewarding experience” DAN SWINHOE 8/10 Full review here

29. ANATHEMA – Distant Satellites (KScope)

“One of our world’s most understated bands, despite the plaudits they get, Anathema have once again showcased their knack for penning both forward thinking and emotionally driven music which oozes real human character and sentimentality”. CHRIS TIPPELL 9/10 Full review here

28. DOWN – IV (Part II) (Down Records)

“When we look back on this part of their career, we will likely understand that these are less like regular EPs that other bands release, and much more like a mini-opus, in pieces. Down clearly realizes their collective vision, no matter who is in the lineup, every time”. KEITH ‘KEEFY’ CHACHKES 9.5/10 Full review here

27. VALLENFYRE – Splinters (Century Media)

“Sadistic and aggressive with endless moments of bleak reflection Splinters is a leviathan unleashed upon unsuspecting listeners and a release surely destined to grace many year end lists” ROSS BAKER 9/10 Full review here

26. AGALLOCH – “The Serpent and the Sphere” (Profound Lore)

Like a massive-antlered stag glimpsed amidst a wintry landscape, breathtaking, elusive and hard to pin down, The Serpent and the Sphere looks set to continue their elegant and ever-evolving legacy JAMES CONWAY 9/10 Full review here

25. THOU – Heathen (Gilead Media)

“A storm manifest as a piece of music, as devastating as it is awe-inspiring, Heathen is varied and compelling for the entire runtime”. TOM SAUNDERS 9/10 Full review here

24. septicflesh – Titan (Season of Mist)

“Sharp, buzzing riffs and symphonic keys, strength and brutality amongst moments of pomp and beauty, bloody entertaining and another show of form” PAUL QUINN 8.5/10 Full review here

23. PYRRHON – The Mother of Virtues (Relapse)

“The Mother Of Virtues doesn’t just challenge what is “extreme”, but calls into question whether some of what is produced is actually even music. Completely and utterly impenetrable, and exceptional with it”. STEVE TOVEY 9.5/10 Full review here

22. EYEHATEGOD – EyeHateGod (Housecore/Century Media)

“Eyehategod continue to age like a good whiskey, seeming to improve as time goes by, but by no means losing their sting”. CHRIS TIPPELL 9/10 Full review here

21. ALCEST – Shelter (Prophecy)

“Shedding the last vestiges of metal, let-alone any lingering black metal leanings, a captivating and stunning piece of music poured straight from the heart”. JAMES CONWAY 9/10 Full review here

Ghost Cult Magazine Albums of the Year: 50-41

Ghost Cult Magazine Albums of the Year: 40-31

Primordial – Where Greater Men Have Fallen

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Steve Tovey

The toms stir, an introductory galloping battering, a rhythmic tribal call to arms, as the simple lead guitar line rides up and down the front of the horde, rousing, preparing, hinting at what is to come, as the opening track of Where Greater Men Have Fallen (Metal Blade) builds to kick into a timeless opening, an initiation where all the trademarks of the very best of Primordial are evident. Our title track erupts with ‘Hammerheart’ (Bathory) meets ‘Blood Of My Enemies’ (Manowar), driving, open, churning chords and Alan ‘Nemtheanga’ Averill’s distinctive, powerful vocals, preaching, imploring and then leading a stirring chorus to what is, unconditionally, one of the anthems of the year.

After a gap of three and a half years since the Redemption At The Puritan’s Hand this is a mighty return, with the weight of expectation not just shrugged off, but decimated by the pounding Pagan Metal delivered by the hands of the best in the business. For, at their peak, Primordial have no peers in the field of the epic.

Emote is what Primordial do best, and this is an album that drips with feelings of regret, reflection and, conversely, inspiration; Averill’s intelligent themes, authoritative words and voice enhance the profound interplay of Ciáran MacUiliam and Michael Ó Floinn’s guitars, whose interaction on tracks like ‘Come The Flood’ call to mind Anathema’s grandiose The Silent Enigma (Peaceville). ‘Born To Night’ gradually unfurls to reveal a ‘Battle Hymn’ most proud, while ‘The Seed of Tyrants’ releases the rage, nodding to a more extreme past, both musically and lyrically. While Primordial are oft mislabelled as a Black Metal band, ‘…Tyrants’ serves as a reminder from whence they came, but, as ever with those touches of class the band possess to enhance, colour and immerse.

Yet, this is not a flawless album, as with blood both stirred and pumping by our introduction, ‘Babel’s Tower’ and ‘The Alchemist’s Head’ are downers; decent if unspectacular down-shifts of pace, which, while still intrinsically “Primordial”, call to mind the unhurried moments of Imrama (Cacophonous), and despite Averill’s impassioned story-telling, neither grab or evoke like the opening track, or the crushingly pessimistic ‘Ghosts of the Charnel House’. That can be the problem when you start that strongly, as it is a high watermark for the rest of an album to live up to.

After establishing their sound on second album A Journey’s End (Misanthropy), it has been since their fifth album, The Gathering Wilderness (Metal Blade), that the band have truly matured and hit an exceptional run of form that takes them into Where Greater Men Have Fallen, their eighth full length, and its moving combination of classic Bathory inspired metal, doomier tropes and an unmistakable grasp of the epic, all draped in those characteristic Primordial effects.

Yet, are Primordial victims of their own success? The previous three albums are of such a high standard, and are pregnant with anthems that, like the title track or the exceptional closer ‘Wield Lightning To Split The Sun’ – murky, bleak, earnest, wringing with remorse and possibly the best piece of music the band has delivered over the course of their career – means that when Primordial deliver “good” it can, initially appear disappointing.

Bookended by two incredible tracks is a layered, powerful and impassioned album, resplendent with mood changes, from reflective, to angry, to moving – the leads that pull ‘Born To Night’ to its close soulfully uplifting – and to judge by the merits of others Where Greater Men Have Fallen stands tall. Yet measured by their own imperious canon, this latest release, while showcasing everything that is respected and esteemed of Primordial, is not first among equals.

Primordial are too proficient an outfit to release anything other than an excellent album. Just how excellent, when compared to their own standards, is the question at hand, but Where Greater Men Have Fallen is laden with dark anthems and fervent sincerity and, chest out, stands proudly as a laudable addition to a most impressive catalogue.

8.5/10

Primordial on Facebook

STEVE TOVEY

Anathema To Play Special Set At Roadburn Festival

Posted on November 10, 2014 by News Team

As previously noted by Ghost Cult and hinted at by the band on their recent tour, Anathema is going to play Roadburn 2015. They are going to perform a special set Sunday night, that will likely be an outgrowth of their already announced “Cathedrals Tour” of Europe in next spring.

Official Press Release:

It is our honour to announce that Anathema will headline the Sunday date of the 20th edition of Roadburn Festival, at the 013 venue on April 12, 2015 in Tilburg, The Netherlands, with a special performance that will span the innovative British band’s 25-year career, and include special guest appearances by former bassist and songwriterDuncan Patterson and original singer Darren White. The Roadburn show will be one of just a few dates that will make up Anathema’s short 2015 ‘Resonance’ tour.

Anathema have steadily built a loyal following worldwide, and their career trajectory is unlike that of any other band in the last quarter century, and will be reflected and celebrated in reverse chronological order at Roadburn 2015. Starting with the anthemic progressive rock of their recent work (2012’s classic Weather Systems and 2010’sWe’re Here Because We’re Here), the performance will gradually move back in time through the more gothic-oriented material of 1998’s Alternative 4 and 1996’s Eternity, all the way back to the pioneering work of 1995’s The Silent Enigma and the 1993debut Serenades, with Patterson and White joining the band onstage for an historic reunion.

“Roadburn festival [is] a hugely respected institution and has to be the most fitting launch for the Anathema ‘Resonance’ tour, [It will be] a celebration of the band’s entire history, and to be joined by our old friends and comrades Duncan Patterson and Darren White for these exclusive shows will be a very special, potent and positive event for all of us. We hope you can join in this once in a lifetime celebration” – Danny Cavanagh.

This will be one of Roadburn 2015’s absolute highlights, and we can’t express how happy we are that the band has chosen Roadburn for such a once in a lifetime performance. Anathema‘s early albums – the lineups with Duncan Patterson andDarren White – as well as the Judgement album have been a huge influence on many bands that have played Roadburn over the years, and they they are a blueprint for the festival itself as well. We’ve been in love with this band since the beginning, and their headlining performance on Sunday is Roadburn’s own tribute to Anathema, a unique opportunity for fans to see the band perform with two crucial early members.

The 20th edition of Roadburn Festival runs from April 9 to 12, 2015 in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Tickets are still available: http://www.ticketmaster.nl/artist/roadburn-festival-tickets/875833

Curated by Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved) and Wardruna‘s Einar “Kvitrafn” Selvik, Roadburn Festival 2015 (including Fields of the Nephilim, Anathema, Skuggsjá, Enslaved, Wardruna, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin performing Dawn of The Dead and Susperia in its entirety, Zombi, Sólstafir, White Hills, Bongipper, Floor, Eyehategod and The Heads as Artist In Residence among others) will run for four days from Thursday, April 9 to Sunday, April 12 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, The Netherlands.

Ghost Cult #19 is Out Now! Featuring The Atlas Moth!

Posted on November 1, 2014 by News Team

The new issue of Ghost Cult’s digital magazine is out now! Ghost Cult #19 features an in-depth interview with The Atlas Moth’s Stavros Giannopoulos. The June release of The Old Believer (Profound Lore) was a previous Album of the Month for us. Other features include Arch Enemy, Anathema, EyeHateGod, Killer Be Killed, Tombs, Whitechapel, Cradle of Filth, Prong and Lionize. We also have special features such as Metal Book Reviews, a recap of Maynard James Keenan’s (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer) Birthday Celebration, Unsigned bands, album reviews and more. As we do every issue we present concert reviews from around the world from the likes of Neurosis and Ghost B.C., as well as metal festival reviews like Maryland Deathfest, Scion A/V Rockfest and the inaugural Temples Festival. Read it on our site and download it for your smartphone or tablet.

Read Ghost Cult #19 Now!

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