Tag Archives: Manowar

Various Artists – British Steel: The Rising Force Of British Heavy Metal

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In those glorious/hideous (delete as applicable) years before the inexorable rise of the internet, compilation albums used to be the staple of many record buyers collections. Those of a certain age might remember such collections as Masters of Metal (K-Tel), the superb (and newly reinvigorated) Speed Kills (Music For Nations) series, the Metal Killers Kollection (Castle Communications) series, Axe Attack (K-Tel), Time To Rock (WEA), and the magnificently titled Metal Treasures and Vinyl Heavies (Action Replay).Continue reading →


Dream Evil – Six

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Do you like traditional Heavy Metal with the cheese turned up to life threatening proportions? Then may I recommend Dream Evil. These Judas Priest loving Swedes were formed in 1999 by metal producer Fredrik Nordstrom,  who has worked with Bring Me The Horizon, Architects and Opeth amongst others. New album Six, released on Century Media, is funnily enough their sixth album and continues their corny, solo-laden Heavy Metal.Continue reading →


Battle Beast – Bringer Of Pain

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When Battle Beast guitarist and co-founder Anton Kabanen left the band in 2015 shortly after their third album Unholy Savior (Nuclear Blast) had topped the charts in their native Finland, it left the remaining members somewhat unsure of their future.Continue reading →


Ross The Boss Announces His New Lineup And Tour Plans

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Ross The Boss, the band led by former Manowar and current Death Dealer guitarist Ross “The Boss” Friedman, will perform with their new lineup at the Hall Of Heavy Metal History induction ceremony on Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at the Anaheim Expo Center in California. Continue reading →


Sabaton – The Last Stand

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Sabaton The Last Stand album cover ghostcultmag

This is another of those reviews where readers with only a passing interest in the featured band will get to the end with a mild shrug and say something like, “yeah, sounds about right”, whereas loyal fans will skip straight to the bottom, take the disappointingly low rating as a personal insult to their musical taste, and march angrily towards the Caps Lock button, teeth clenched and fingers ready to wage bloody internet warfare.

The sad fact though, Sabaton fans, is that you’ve heard all of this from them before. And better. Basically just a rhyming version of historical Wikipedia entries, The Last Stand (Nuclear Blast) is where the band’s particular creative well appears to have, at least temporarily, dried up.

Opening track ‘Sparta’ stumbles out of the blocks first. Fueled initially by typical bombast and big drums, it’s almost instantly ruined by a comical “Ooh Arr!” gang vocal which sounds like English “Scrumpy and Western” band, The Wurzels. Things pick up briefly with the ’80s vibe of ‘Last Dying Breath’, but then swiftly plummet to an all time low with the frankly embarrassing ‘Blood of Bannockburn’. We all know Sabaton serve their metal with a large side order of cheese, and that’s perfectly fine, but this is just a terrible, terrible song from bagpipe to end.

‘Diary of an Unknown Soldier’ serves as the introduction to ‘The Lost Batallion’, a plodding track, but one with a great chorus clearly designed for live shows and the best song so far. ‘Rorke’s Drift’ is fast but forgettable, and the title track is solid and definitely one of the album’s better tracks, but file ‘Hill 3234” in the same drawer as ‘Rorke’s Drift’.

Even the weakest albums can throw up the odd moment of genuine quality, and although it does nothing even remotely new, and happily continues the Sabaton trend of borrowing entries like “dawn”, “fight”, “battle”, “stand”, “surrender”, and “warrior” from Manowar‘s Big Book of Metal Words, ‘Shiroyama’ is ridiculously catchy and is easily the best song on the record. ‘Winged Hussars’ follows, but you probably won’t care about that because you’ll have either gone straight back to ‘Shiroyama’, or skipped it after a couple of minutes. Finally, ‘The Last Battle’ closes proceedings in inevitably predictable style.

Die-hard Sabaton fans will undoubtedly lap this up, and it’ll still probably sell like hot camouflage trousers, but there’s no getting around that the band have missed an opportunity here.

5.0/10

GARY ALCOCK

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Grave Digger – Exhumation

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I have to admit, bands re-recording their old material isn’t an exercise I feel is altogether necessary. The odd track here and there is fine; some songs do occasionally require a spot of post-release tinkering. But recording an entire album a second time, decades later? Unless it’s being released as a bonus disc to accompany a new record, or there’s a clear intention to bring something new to the table, then it all seems a bit pointless.

When most bands guilty of this fairly recent phenomenon first started out, they were driven by fierce determination. Their music spoke with a belligerent snarl and classics were created because of it. They were young bands out to prove a point and if they made mistakes during the process, who cared? If the songs were good then they grabbed you by the throat, and technicalities like bum notes and poor timing would eventually work themselves out somewhere else, further down the line.

No matter how improved these musicians (the remaining ones at least) may have become, and despite how hard they might try, the sound, enthusiasm and feeling captured back then can never be replicated. Some bands, like Exodus and Let there Be Blood (Megaforce) come close, some miss the mark by trying to fix things which weren’t broken in the first place (Megadeth – all of those “remasters”), and some, Manowar – Kings of Metal MMXIV (Magic Circle) I’m looking at you, are just horrifying abominations.

Thankfully, by taking their cue from Testament‘s First Strike Still Deadly (Spitfire) and choosing to re-record an assortment of songs rather than a complete album, German band Grave Digger have at least spared themselves some of that unwanted baggage. Unfortunately, there’s not an awful lot else to say in favour of 35 Year anniversary (is that even a thing?) album Exhumation (Napalm).

As it turns out, Exhumation is the perfect title for this well performed, but ultimately lifeless collection. When Grave Digger belted out tunes like ‘Witch Hunter’ or ‘Headbanging Man’ back in the day, there was scant regard for precision riffing and metronomic timing. It was all about flailing hair, ragged guitars, and flying fingers. Singer Chris Boltendahl sounded like a barefoot Udo Dirkschneider standing on a lego brick, the drums were all over the place, and it sounded fantastic.

These new versions just sound far too neat and tidy. Controlled playing rather than speed-driven chaos, it’s the sound of mature musicians performing within themselves to avoid making any of those youthful mistakes. On top of that, the band have also changed the title of ‘Playin’ Fools’ to ‘Playing Fools’. So, not content with trying to improve their old songs, it seems they’re trying to improve their old grammar too.

With Exhumation, Grave Digger (remember that ill-advised, but thankfully brief spell where they were known only as Digger?) have tried to make brilliantly flawed songs sound better by tightening things up, but seem to have forgotten that playing fast and loose while casually ripping off Iron Maiden, Scorpions and Accept was a big part of their original charm. I’m sure they’ll get back on track soon enough, but for now, I’m afraid the Heavy Metal Breakdown has temporarily, er… broken down.

 

5.0/10

 

GARY ALCOCK


Kitchen Kvlt Part II – Chef Heather Feher of Black Cat Culinary

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In Part II of our Q & A with Chef Heather Feher of Black Cat Culinary she detailed for us what she teaches in her private cooking classes, what she thinks of “celebrity chefs”, her food and travel experiences, and her dream gig:

You teach some specialized cooking classes. What does that entail for you and depending on the class, what can I expect to walk away with skills-wise?

My cooking classes are all over the place! It’s all about the group and what they want to learn. The two that I’ve taught the most are basic butchery… and vegan menus. Haha. I’ve taught scavenger hunts as team building activities and I’ve taught ultra modern techniques like sous vide and spherification. I’m doing a really fun combination class next month for a group I’ve taught before – after we learn how to debone chickens, I’m organizing a Chopped style mystery basket competition. Each team is going to get a bunch of ingredients from the farm we’re staying on and have to work together to make a side dish for the meal. I get to offer pointers and tips about their processes, and then judge the final products. One thing every class I teach includes is a basic lesson in knife handling and safety, because that’s really the most fundamental skill you need in any kitchen. My goal is that with whatever we’re focusing on in the class, everyone walks away feeling a little more confident than they did when they walked in.

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Thanks to the Cable and YouTube, there are a ton of cooking shows and “experts” out there who are not actually chefs. What is the biggest misconceptions about being a chef?

Oh my god – you’ve hit a nerve! Almost everything, seriously. My biggest annoyance with YouTube/TV “chefs” is that SO MANY of them do things so fundamentally wrong – how they hold a knife incorrectly or hack apart an onion, or their cutting boards are so cluttered and filthy – stuff like that. I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that it’s glamorous and we’re all making tons of money. HA. I wish! The hours are long, the pay absolutely sucks most times, and you miss out on most social events because you’re always working – and if you do get out with enough time to make a party or a show on a weekend night, you always end up showing up smelling like food, haha. With catering, there’s this weird ebb and flow of business where you’re either working 100 hours a week… or you’re practically unemployed. It’s anything but steady, so you have to be really good at budgeting. In a lot of ways, I work freelance. I am constantly trying to get my name out there, contacting every tour I hear about, trying to hopefully get the right person on the right day. In the mean time, I’m also looking for local work to sustain myself – dinner parties, classes, etc. There’s also this weird misconception that anyone who cooks professionally is a “chef”. It’s nitpicky, but it’s an annoyance across the industry – you are not a chef unless you are running a kitchen. Period. “Chef” is a title of respect that is earned after proving yourself for years and years, after being promoted, or after taking the leap and branching out on your own. If you have a boss that is not the owner, you are a cook. Just because you have a show on YouTube doesn’t mean you’re a chef. It’s really obnoxious. I run a company and I still feel kinda weird referring to myself as “a chef”. For me, the transition from “cook” to “chef” was really just a LOT of paperwork! I cannot tell you how much I now loathe emails. It’s making list after list – shopping, delivery, prep, food cost, scheduling, invoicing… it’s maddening. I actually do more paperwork than I do cooking at this point in my career! Our diets are also really fucked up. Most cooks don’t eat actual meals – we have bites here and there. I recently had to keep a food diary for my allergist and it was a nightmare – did I taste the aioli for seasoning 3 or 4 times? How many bites of that braise did I have while it was cooking? It’s absurd. Most of us develop a really weird association with food because actual meals are so few and far between.

 

Chef Heather Feher of Black Cat Culinary

Chef Heather Feher of Black Cat Culinary

I know one of your passions is travel, so what are some of the cool places you have been to and what locales do you favor for amazing food experiences?

I am borderline obsessed with the city of Montreal! Honestly I’ve considered living there so many times. It’s the greatest. The metal scene is amazing, they have the best drunk food in the universe (poutine, omg) and the people are just so NICE. I’ve been to Norway twice now, and I love it there too – the scenery is ridiculous. I’m not sold on their food though, to be honest – though maybe I just haven’t found the right places! As far as amazing food experiences, I am all about trying the weirdest stuff from the most hole-in-the-wall places. My rule is that I’ll try anything twice – even Icelandic hakarl (fermented shark), which is honestly the worst thing I have ever put in my mouth. It’s cliché, but I didn’t have a bad meal when I was in Paris – one of the most memorable moments was eating a fresh savory crêpe from a cart vendor while walking through the side streets of Montmartre. Really, I think I love any type of food that makes me feel a connection to the place I’m in. I lived in South America for almost a year and worked at some of the best restaurants there were – but my most memorable meals were eating ceviche from this totally illegal back alley mom and pop operation, and eating a whole roasted guinea pig with my hands in the middle of the main square during a street festival in Cusco. I remember the experiences I can’t replicate at home the most.

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You have some appearances coming soon up on some pretty cool shows, so by all means please plug those!

Well, I was on the Halloween episode of Guy’s Grocery Games – it was entertaining for sure. Catch it on the Food Network if you feel like seeing me cry about my cat. There is more stuff working, but I can’t actually discuss any of it right now – ask me again in a few months!

Chef Heather Feher of Black Cat Culinary

Chef Heather Feher of Black Cat Culinary

 

What is your dream music gig to cater for?

I don’t know if I actually have a dream gig – really I just want to work for bands I like, because there’s nothing better after finishing a long day of work than to turn the corner and be surrounded by amazing music. I actually really like the festival atmosphere – whether it’s just a weekend thing or a multi-city thing – the people really make the gig for me. Though if I had to pick one coming up, it’d totally be the Black Metal Warfare tour. Good cities, good bands, and in my opinion it’s the best time of the year to tour. I think I could have a lot of fun with menus on that tour. 

Have an event or occasion to book Black Cat Culinary? Contact her here:

KEITH CHACHKES

 


Kitchen Kvlt – Chef Heather Feher of Black Cat Culinary

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Chef Heather Feher has a passion for all things that involve fine food and grim music. She has catered tours and all kinds of music festivals and has channeled her love of these things into her growing business, Black Cat Culinary. We caught up with the entrepreneur and Food Network alumnus via email about her business and how the music she loves has shaped everything from her menus to her path.Continue reading →


Disturbed – Immortalized

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Disturbed-Immortalized

Disturbed’s quest to “Secure a legacy that will never die”, remorselessly exclaimed during the title track of their sixth album, has, surely, already been achieved over a fifteen year recording career that has seen them outsell all but a handful of their contemporaries, and with a stellar canon under their belt. But as they “feed on domination”, they’re back to prove that, despite a hiatus of five years, they’re still the top dogs.

No mistake is being made here: Immortalized (Warners/Reprise) further cements their status as pack masters of mainstream metal. There are few surprises, a tweaking and refinement here and there, an absence of “Wah-ah-ah-oh”’s, but Disturbed are back at bat and swinging for the fences with the same World Series winning technique and bluster they’ve always had, armed with a consistent and strong collection of anthems, an assembly that serves to showcase the best of everything they’ve had to offer throughout their career.

As cock-of-the-walk with inflated chest puffed out, assured, this is a release that shows strength in depth by having a tail that wags as strong as the top order hits and there is an excellence in simplistic execution prevalent throughout. Songs are punctuated by unashamed chugged fist-pump and head-bang inducing riffs, syncopated verses are rhythmically and melodically strong, bridges lift and escalate songs to powerfully delivered choruses that open out to epic anthems as, in a lot of ways, Disturbed call to mind Manowar in terms of style and structure. Tracks are based around the succinct pounding rhythmic guitaring of Dan Donegan with great vocals (and vocal lines) raising each track to the rafters. While the rhythm section may dependably underpin, once again, David Draiman is the star, his distinctive tones and melodies firing this album up.

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Whereas Asylum and especially Indestructible (both Reprise) had a tendency at times to sound a bit rote and by numbers, when the melodious ‘The Light’ rolls in, ‘Open Your Eyes’ – a festival anthem in the making, crafted for a sea of voices to join in as (ten thousand) fists fill the air – stirs, the dark metallic ‘Save Our Last Goodbye’ powers by, ‘What You Waiting For’ lurches and bounces, ‘Never Wrong’ gets down with The Sickness (Giant/Reprise) and the piano-led  inspired cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘The Sound of Silence’ brings gravitas and a change of emotion, all under the controlling voice of Draiman, this is an album with depth, angles and shades at each turn, all while remaining undeniably and unashamedly Disturbed.

And that’s without taking account of the more straight-forward stadium metal belters of ‘Who’, ‘The Vengeful One’ or the title track…

If they do indeed feed on domination, then there should be some full and sated bellies.

 

8.0/10

 

STEVE TOVEY