Tag Archives: Melodic Metal

Trivium – Heart Of A Coward – As Lions – UEA, Norwich (UK)

Posted on by

Trivium-2016-UK-Tour-600-full ghostcultmag

There’s a different feeling about a Trivium show these days. Packed to the rafters with a second generation of fans picked up since their refinement and reinvention on In Waves and the successful follow-ups Vengeance Falls and latest opus Silence In The Snow (all Roadrunner), the Floridian thrashers seem very comfortable in their skin. And with good reason, as since entering the second phase of their evolution they have found themselves, no longer chasing the ephemeral but secure with their sound and who they are.

And it is with this calm confidence and assurance that Matt Heafy addresses the throng, self-deprecating tongue never far from cheek. He gently chides the crowd for being passive between songs despite their enthusiasm during tracks, indulges in classic metal encouragement getting everyone to “sing the guitar part, like Iron Maiden” on a flawless ‘Strife’ (and everyone does), addresses theSpinal Tap-esque number of drummers they go through and mocks his own appearance around the Shogun era.

A secure leader, equally his vocals have never sounder better, as he delivers note perfect cleans across the board, while still dipping into some welcome aggressive harsher tones on the older material. Corey Beaulieu is clearly enjoying connecting with a happy crowd while ripping out a slew of metal hits,Paolo Gregoletto is a head-bobbing pocket-dynamo, chipping in with some great harmonies and a ruthless pounding undertone, and new sticksman Paul “Wanky” Wandtke brings the beat, looking every inch a Steel Panther, adding showmanship, power and humour from behind the kit.

 

And it’s the set that makes you realize just how many great tunes Trivium have under their belt at this stage of their career. Whether it’s the more vocal-led ‘Silence In The Snow’, or the machine gun ‘Rain’, the, um, anthemic ‘Anthem (We Are The Fire)’ or the mix of it all in mid-set highlights ‘Through Blood And Dirt And Bone’ and ‘Ghost That’s Haunting You’, they’ve now reached a consistent, slick and career-high level of performance in the live arena. Flanked by huge white skulls with glowing laser eyes, by embracing their classic heavy metal roots, by the time a bowel-punching ‘In Waves’, complete with every voice bellowing the title closes things up, Trivium have calmly proven they are what we always thought they’d be; an excellent heavy metal band.

Their supports are still in the process of finding their places in the world, with Jamie Graham clearly hungry to bully and cajole every youthful face in the venue to join their cause. Backed by mammoth slabs of head-punching excellence, like ‘Hollow’, ‘Turmoil I’ and ‘Turmoil II’, it’s a successful venture as Heart of a Coward prove last year’s stunning Deliverance (Century Media) belongs in larger venues. Meanwhile, As Lions deliver plenty of promise in an engaging and triumphant opener slot that sees a band with only one song in the public domain convert new recruits by their hundreds; Austin Dickinson a strong presence with a versatile and dominant voice backed by hooks, riffs and people waiting to lap them up.

The next time each and every one of these three bands heads anywhere near you, do yourself a favour and indulge in their quality live fare, you won’t be disappointed.
STEVE TOVEY

[amazon asin=B012JM10OG&template=iframe image1]


Megadeth – Dystopia

Posted on by

megadethdystopiawithtitle

For many years now, Megadeth has been a beast of two heads. The first, basically just a dripping, cavernous maw filled with razor sharp knives, was born in 1983 and would attack anything that moved with unnatural speed, venomous aggression, and of course, biting sarcasm. Then, a few albums down the road, a second head began to form alongside it’s bitter, hateful brother. Although still not the friendliest of things, this second head possessed a more laid back personality, preferring melody, patience and a more commercial approach to music.

Since the early nineties, these two distinctly different personalities have sat, occasionally uncomfortably, side by side on the same body, one continually attempting to become the dominant force over the other. When the original, Thrashier head gains control, we get albums like Endgame (Roadrunner), but when its more easygoing counterpart takes the helm, records like Cryptic Writings (Capitol) or the much maligned Risk (Capitol) are the results. Every now and again though, the two set aside their differences and actually co-operate, working together to try and achieve great things. Other times, it all goes horrifyingly wrong and things like Super Collider (Universal/Tradecraft) happen.

On new album, Dystopia (Universal/Tradecraft), the balance between the two is as good as it’s ever been. Just pretend Super Collider didn’t happen. Scrub it from your mind because the turnaround from 2013 to 2016 is unbelievable. While people have been happily writing Megadeth off as a spent force, frontman Dave Mustaine does what he always does with his back against the wall – digs in belligerently and refuses to go down without a fight.

In a situation like this, one of the best ways to make positive steps forward is to return to the past. And while it’s sometimes difficult to know whether a band is harking back to former glories so fans can identify quicker with new material, or whether it’s just because it’s an easy option from a band out of ideas, the answer lies in the shape of a ginger frontman. Dave Mustaine may be guilty of many things, but he doesn’t do easy.

So, when opening track ‘The Threat is Real’ begins with it’s atmospheric Arabic maqam introduction, one of the first things that leaps to mind is ‘Holy Wars… The Punishment Due’ from 1990’s Rust in Peace (Capitol). Although not as good as that seasoned classic, ‘The Threat is Real’ is still a great way to start an album. Snappy lyrics, a chunky central riff and some sharp soloing courtesy of new boy Kiko Loureiro help this song become easily the best album opener since ‘Sleepwalker’ from 2007’s United Abominations (Roadrunner), even if it does sneakily try and fit an ever so slightly reworked ‘Five Magics’ riff in at the end.

The slightly downbeat, but still quite pacy title track follows next. Melodic riffs and catchy verses only let down by a slightly unimaginative chorus. However, it’s a more than worthy title track, and one with definite shades of ‘Hangar 18’ as the second half of the song becomes an entirely instrumental affair.

The already released ‘Fatal Illusion’ rumbles into view next, it’s discordant intro followed by a fast, smoothly played bassline from the always reliable David Ellefson. Some quick incisive riffing follows along with the first real signs that drummer Chris Adler, borrowed from Virginia’s Lamb of God, is seriously beginning to put his own individual stamp on the album. From then on though, it becomes a bit of a hotch-potch of other songs, with riffs and vocal patterns being casually lifted from the likes of ‘Devil’s Island’, ‘Black Friday’, and ‘Five Magics’ (again). Luckily, this is the only time the reliance on older material is so blatant, and with ‘Fatal Illusion’ being the song used to introduce people to the album in the first place, it was possibly even written that way with that in mind.

The album stalls briefly with the mid-paced and pretty forgettable ‘Death From Within’, which although isn’t awful or anything, is just sort of there. ‘Bullet to the Brain’, a song which on the face of it appears to be about a man lured into having an affair, but knowing Mustaine probably has some sort of deeper hidden political meaning, starts with a brief acoustic intro before turning on the heavy and delivering one of the catchiest choruses on the album. The brooding ‘Post-American World’ follows next, warning of future political dangers while tweaking the main riff to ‘Sweating Bullets’ to suit its purpose.

megadeth2015bandnewpromo2_638

Next up is ‘Poisonous Shadows’. Somewhat similar in tone to ‘A Tout Le Monde’ (albeit with different subject matter), its gentle, recurring backing vocals and quiet piano outro (played by Loureiro) give the song a distinct personality while Adler finally becomes the star of the show, his powerful drumming pushing the song forward with precise, interesting patterns.

‘Conquer or Die!’ is one of the better instrumentals in Megadeth’s arsenal. Beginning slowly, a uniquely Mustaine riff takes over, becoming heftier as the sound of bells toll ominously behind some fantastic solo work. Instrumentals have been known to sap the interest of some listeners, but any cobwebs which may have appeared during ‘Conquer or Die!’ are instantly blown away with the ferocious intensity of ‘Lying In State’. A bludgeoning riff kicks things off, Adler adds to the carnage and Mustaine spits out the words with sneering disdain as it builds towards a frantic and extremely satisfying conclusion.

After such an explosive climax to the previous song, ‘The Emperor’, with it’s uptempo punk meets Alice Cooper vibe, feels strangely out of place. Also, it’s “The Emperor has no clothes” chorus conjures up some very unwanted images of a naked Mustaine wandering around his bedroom in just a pair of socks. Forget the themes of war, deception, murder, and political subterfuge. That image alone is scarier than all of those put together.

A cover of ‘Foreign Policy’ by California’s Fear rounds things off. Nice and straightforward, Mustaine does a better job of evoking the spirit of punk in this than he did with ‘Anarchy in the UK’ back in 1988, even if it does feature a very un punk-like guitar solo. Truth be told, these last two tracks are good but fairly unnecessary additions. Just treat them like bonus tracks and convince yourself the album finishes with ‘Lying in State’.

 

Varied and entertaining, ‘Dystopia’ is Megadeth’s best album in years and everything that fans who recognise Mustaine’s youthful piss and vinegar has matured into something else could hope for. Super Collider, is but a distant memory so stick it back on the shelf to gather dust, grab this one instead and smile that blacktooth grin once more.

9.0/10

GARY ALCOCK

[amazon asin=B015U2LLIW&template=iframe image]


The Art of Balance – Rob Martin of Bliksem

Posted on by

11707851_10153389738456187_6766363960315988418_n

Bliksem 2015. Photo Credit: Tim Tronchoe Photography

An established act in the Benelux area of central Europe, the Antwerp metal quintet released their second full length album ‘Gruesome Masterpiece’ via Iron Will earlier in the year. As they prepare to invade different countries with RAM and Evil Invaders, drummer Rob Martin gave Ghost Cult the low (countries) down on Bliksem

album_gruesome-masterpiece

Having laid down a marker two years ago with their debut album Face The Evil (Alone), the end of summer this year saw the Antwerp metal merchants in Bliksem release their second album. Martin is rightly enthusiastic about the progression in the band’s material, opining. “A key improvement is the more personal, eclectic and diverse approach in songwriting. We think we’ve matured and got closer to our own identity.” An identity, he believes, that is furthered by those they’ve allowed into their inner sanctum.

“We recorded with our live sound engineer, Martin Furia, who engineered, produced and mixed the album. He plays in a few bands himself and we all rehearse at Antwerp Music City – home of the Antwerp underground – so we’ve spent hours and hours talking, discussing, drinking, smoking and philosophizing together. He’s practically a sixth band member. We had a lot of trust in his studio skills as well, so we knew that he was the man for the job. This album was going to be us all the way.”
But just what is a Bliksem song… on Gruesome Masterpiece, they  go for the throat with the first two songs of the album, which, in particular showcase the thrashier side of the band,  but then as things progress there’s a movement through Heavy Metal, Doom, a couple of balladic moments…
“It’s what we like to hear and play ourselves”, begins the sticksman. “We like an album to have different kinds of songs. Albums should make you feel like you’re travelling, in a way. Things need to happen. Of course, there are artists that focus on one particular atmosphere or vibe, and explore that to the fullest – which can lead to great results. But that’s just not what suits us as a collective, at this point in time.”

A progressive and admirable mentality, but increasingly the listener of today is being brought up in a YouTube/Spotify/Playlist environment “I never really thought about it, honestly…” he muses. “I don’t know if this would hinder us. Much of our strength lies in this diversity. I think artists should find out what they’re good at, and we feel sure that we made a big step in the right direction with this album. A lot of listeners search up music by genre tag, so it could be, despite that demographic perhaps not being the bands target audience, that diversity serves to be a damaging factor…? “We’re not going to focus on any specific niche, like many retro speed/thrash bands do, for example. Not only would we bore ourselves by narrowing down our music to such a specific genre, we also wouldn’t get away with it. Because that’s not who we are.”

“We are five people, with a variety of influences” explains Martin, “who somehow ended up playing and writing metal songs together. There is no ‘man with a plan’.  We just try to write the best songs that we can, and we don’t know where this will lead us. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’d turn into a prog or stoner rock band in a few years, or maybe we’ll be playing weird Voivod-ish stuff…then again, we might’ve gone full-on Black Album or Cryptic Writings by that time, or maybe we’ll re-discover the really fast thrashing stuff? No idea!
“So I guess a Bliksem fan would be someone who, like ourselves, doesn’t cling to a particular genre but likes the heavy, melodic music that we like to play.”

Talking of diverse, the discussion turns to ‘Morphine Dreams’: it’s a bold move for anyone who plays a more straight ahead style of metal to put a 9 minute song in the middle of the album… “’Morphine Dreams’ is my personal favourite song on the album” is the proud response, and rightly so after the ambitious effort sees the light midway through Gruesome Masterpiece. “I had been thinking about doing a doom song for some time, because I thought it would really suit us as a band (and Peggy’s voice in particular). Apparently our guitar player Jeroen felt the same, as he already had some suitable riffs lying around.”
“The song has often been mentioned in reviews as being the highlight of the album, so I guess it did pay off. I just think it’s a really good song, (and) what I particularly like about this song is how well the lyrics blend with the music. The song deals with the story of late 19th century serial killer Jane Toppan, a nurse that killed over 30 of her patients. She is quoted as saying that her ambition was “to have killed more people — helpless people — than any other man or woman who ever lived…”

“Her preferred method was to use morphine (among other drug mixtures). When our singer Peggy wrote the lyrics to the melody, she approached the song as a lullaby, sung by Toppan to one of her dying victims.”

11800250_10153369786156187_1816668153446558338_n

Bliksem. Summer 2015. Photo Credit: Tim Tronchoe Photography

 

Having recently toured with Flotsam and Jetsam, and with more dates in the diary across Europe, and the promise of hitting some outdoor stages in the Summer of 2016 Rob is keen to assert that the live side of things is “definitely a very important focus. We are a live playing band, not a studio project.”

But perhaps most importantly is that Bliksem is evolving, and improving. Martin has the final word; “Something seems to click between the five of us. We are five strong personalities who have a lot of chemistry, and we took the time and effort to make it work. Writing the new album, we worked together a lot more closely and smoothly than before. If we can continue that evolution, the results should be accordingly. So I like to believe that the best is yet to come.”

 

 

WORDS BY STEVE TOVEY


Annihilator – Suicide Society

Posted on by

ob_5ea7a0_annihilator-suicidesociety-cover-300dp

Jeff Waters is one of life’s perennial nearly-men. From threatening success with their (his – I think everyone accepts by this point Annihilator is Waters, and Waters is Annihilator) revered début Alice In Hell (Roadrunner) through a career that has risen and fallen but never quite reached the commercial or critical heights of his first three releases, nonetheless, Jeff is a trier.

Left flying solo following a split with Dave Padden, Waters has, as he did for three albums in the 90’s, taken on the role of vocalist on the fifteenth album to bear the Annihilator moniker, Suicide Society (UDR). Vocally, there are nods to contemporaries and inspirations, most notably Dave Mustaine, but all in, it has to be said, Waters turns in a vast improvement on his previous outings on the mic with a decent performance.

While Suicide Society is not without its flaws, it is an album which wears a strong Megadeth influence on its sleeve and, conversely, it’s hard not to be drawn in by its charm. Were it not Annihilator there may be more winces, but as it is you find yourself glossing over the clichéd lyrics, the dime-a-dozen staccato groove riffs, the obvious hooks and the more-confusion-than-fusion clunky segues and break outs and instead nodding along with the cousin of Cryptic Writings (Capitol) ‘Creepin’ Again’, the melodic snap of, um, ‘Snap’ and shaking your head forgivingly at what is, quite brazenly, ‘Damage Inc’ glued to bits of ‘Metal Militia’ repackaged under the title ‘My Revenge’.  When Waters snarls “No Remorse!” in a track, ‘Break, Enter’ that looks once again to Kill ‘em All (Megaforce) you’re grinning with, rather than berating, him as you knowingly turn a blind eye because you know this is a guy who genuinely loves his craft and his metal. Interestingly though, it is the less thrashy, more melodic, tracks like ‘Snap’ and ‘The One You Serve’ that work best, and suit Waters’ better-voice-than-modern-day-Mustaine vocals, while balladic closer ‘Every Minute’ has some great sections.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying an album while acknowledging its several and obvious blemishes, and there’s nothing wrong with having a soft spot for Jeff Waters and Annihilator. Suicide Society indulges both.

 

6.0/10

 

STEVE TOVEY


Bliksem – Gruesome Masterpiece

Posted on by

album_gruesome-masterpiece

With their native mainland Western Europe falling under the spell of Belgian quintet Bliksem, their sophomore effort, Gruesome Masterpiece (Iron Will/Rough Trade) takes the rough and ready chugging metal sound of their debut and looks to expand, both musically and in terms of building a more international following.

Thrashing and flailing, ‘Crawling In The Dirt’ and ‘Kywas’ beckon, coyly curling a finger and inviting us to draw closer to an opening pair of swaggering, pounding, headbanging melodic thrash songs. Peggy Meeusen is a snarling asset, switching from throat savagery to melodic hooks in ‘Room Without A View’ and then vulnerable on ‘Mistress Of The Damned’. But, despite her barb and vigour, and the technical proficiency throughout, as the album progresses and the plat du jour is served, it becomes clear the majority of the album is mid-paced stodgy fodder.

While there’s nothing wrong with pub grub, Bliksem, slang for bastard or asshole, have little to establish themselves beyond being the sort of act you’d watch for a few songs at a festival, beer in hand, head nodding, thinking “Yeah, they’re alright” before wandering off to take in something more substantial, something more inviting, something less… meat and potatoes (with not enough gravy).

They do mix things up, and in ‘Morphine Dreams’ attempt a doomy, crashing nine minute epic, where, sadly ambition and execution, unlike dream and day, fail to unite. In our world of enthusings, ponderings and writings about metal marathons, usually calling a lengthy track “torturous” would be seen as an extremely positive attribute, and an achievement of an aim… in this case, it’s meant literally, as the album centrepiece drags monotonously on, boring you to death. Spiky ‘Twist The Knife’ hurtles in and attempts CPR with compressions that’d break your rib cage all Ripper era Judas Priest / Annihilator ground and pound, but going-nowhere ballad ‘Out Of The Darkness’ sees the last breath escape.

Meeusen’s voice aside, despite aptitude and, I’m sure, a love of all things melodic thrash, harder rock and heavy metal, there is little distinctive in the Bliksem wares. All in, despite promise, there are too many indistinct moments for Gruesome Masterpiece to be anything other than just  A.N.Other decent album.

 

6.0/10

 

STEVE TOVEY


Red Cloud Rising – Esa Holopainen of Amorphis (Part 1)

Posted on by

Amorphis2015e

Amorphis, photo credit by Ville Juurikkala

It has been twenty five years since guitarist Esa Holopainen and drummer Jan Rechberger (a)morphed their thrash metal band, Violent Solution with death metal act Abhorrence (featuring guitarist Tomi Koivusaari) to begin their new band Amorphis. In that twenty five years (save for a seven year spell around the turn of the millennium when Rechberger was absent) the trio have been the heartbeat of one of Finland’s most influential and admired acts.

For 2005’s Eclipse, the bands seventh album but first of a budding and fruitful relationship with Nuclear Blast, the band integrated vocalist Tomi Joutsen to produce an album that defined their sound from that point forth before 2013’s Circle saw the band experiment with a darker, more metallic Peter Tagtren produced album that reintroduced a heavier side to the band following the poppier, more melodic (but thoroughly brilliant) The Beginning Of Times.

Step forward Under The Red Cloud, the bands twelfth full length, and an undeniable return to form… and then some… with rising producer Jens Bogren (Soilwork, Moonspell) helping the band to find the ultimate, classic third era Amorphis sound. Taking a heavier turn, it is packed with powerful riffs and sweeping, epic melodies. “Yeah, …Red Cloud definitely follows where we were going with Circle, but production wise it’s way more dynamic” begins founding member Holopainen, expounding on the importance of working with a producer who is not only good at his craft, but also knows exactly what elements to draw out of a band.

“It’s the first album we’ve done with Jens as a producer and he wanted to take all the elements he likes about Amorphis and translate them into this album, and I’m so happy with the results. It’s got more growling vocals than any other album with Tomi, but not too much – it’s a good balance with the clean vocals.

“I think it’s the best one we have done with Tomi on vocals. I have a really, really positive feeling about this album.”

Amorphis2015d Photos by Ville Juurikkala

Amorphis, photo credit Ville Juurikkala

For a band with several distinct epochs, there has been a consistency of sound and style since Joutsen’s integration; a stronger, more uptempo metal presence than was evident in the Pasi Koskinen era. The appointment of Joutsen, and the carving out of their newer style, is seen as reinvigorating, and perhaps even saving Amorphis; a band whose critical star had shined so brightly on the legendary pairing of Tales From The Thousand Lakes (1994) and Elegy (1996), but who had strayed from the elements (uptempo, folk-infused melodic death metal) that many associated with them.

“He’s made a huge impact for us”, agrees Esa. “It was very, very motivating for the whole band when Tomi joined Amorphis. All that reflects in the music as well, and it’s been great fun writing music with him; a really talented guy and when you’re writing it gives us some extra things to the music as you know what he can do.” A multi-talented vocalist, Joutsen restored a mix of growled vocals, along with his hugely impressive, strong and distinctive cleans, to the Amorphis sound. “It was an easy switch when he joined, and he fit from the beginning. It’s a different era – you can easily compare the two, it’s like totally another band”, the mild mannered guitarist continues.

“The funny thing about Tomi is that he always surprises and feels like he’s gone one louder on this album with the vocals! He uses almost like a black metal vocal sometimes on this one, and he’s developed the contrasts with his growling stuff; it’s really strong.”

Had, by the time the band were releasing Far From The Sun (the bands last for Relapse) and Koskinen’s own motivation had waned, Amorphis strayed too far into progressive and rockier territories?

“In the past, after Elegy we did a couple of albums which were moving quite far away from the metal sound. But at that time, those albums were very important to do and from those albums we still have a lot of those elements in our sound with the more open guitars and more ambient sort of sound that we like to flavour our music with.

“With Jens coming in, he said he wanted to take everything that’s good about all of Amorphis, and I guess we are more influenced by the older sounds of the band again now than we were.”

 11392901_10155580751510276_6936271461885986015_n

Holopainen’s enthusiasm for …Red Cloud is apparent, and he is clearly feeling fired up by this albums’ amalgam of past and present. “This album doesn’t have any fillers, all of the songs on the album earned their place. It’s a very, very natural progression from Circle, where we started to allow the extreme influences back into the album, and I think this album takes that on, but stronger. Also we felt that nobody would be surprised if we went in a heavier direction after doing the Tales From The Thousand Lakes (20th anniversary) tour.”

Under The Red Cloud has a feeling of being a culmination of everything Amorphis has been before. While it was the previous album that was titled Circle, it is this one feels like the “circle” being closed, because it pulls together everything that is and has been Amorphis. In the accompanying press release Esa had stated that he sees Red Cloud in the top three Amorphis albums… and it’s easy to see that this is an album that can stand up to an impressive legacy.

“I surely hope so. It was a great feeling to get the final product in my hand and listen to the album through and I have a really good feeling about these songs.

“I do love Eclipse a lot because I have good memories of starting to work with Tomi, and it’s a strong album, and Elegy, for me, is my favourite album of the earlier Amorphis times, but when you do a good job you know it, and this is the best album we’ve done with Tomi.”

 

Under The Red Cloud is out on September 4th via Nuclear Blast. Order here. 

STEVE TOVEY


Symphony Of An Enchanted Mind (Part 2) – Luca Turilli of Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody

Posted on by

Luca Turilli Rhapsody

With his Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody project – now onto their second album Prometheus: Symphonia Ignis Divinus through Nuclear Blast – he is putting out some of the most daring, distinctive and emotionally resonant music to be released under the Power Metal label in years.

Luca Turilli’s music is passionate, powerful and filled with a sort of joyous open-mindedness, and even through the muddy and unreliable medium of an international Skype call it’s clear as Luca enthuses about music, spirituality and his work with the late Sir Christopher Lee that he possesses all of these qualities himself.

Do you think you might ever return to the kind of serial concept stories that you wrote with Rhapsody/Rhapsody Of Fire?

“I cannot guarantee anything, but I prefer writing about different things. There is a mini-concept across the last two albums – there are three titles on this album connected to four titles of the first album, and there will be three on the next album, for example the third part of ‘Michael The Archangel’. I like always to have connections between songs  – there is a mini-concept about spiritual evolution and the connection between the past and the future – but I don’t think I will ever release one album devoted to one unique concept only.”

luca-turilli-e1429908600652

Some internet fans have been calling quite vocally for a sequel to Prophet Of The Last Eclipse (Limb/SPV) to finish that album’s story.

“Oh no!  That was a trilogy of albums with one about the past, one about the present and one set in the future – the trilogy is finished, and now with Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody I can do whatever I want; it makes no sense for me to go back to a solo career.”

Some people might take this as an insult, but ever since Italy re-entered Eurovision I can’t help but think that you’d make a great Eurovision entry. Is that something you’d consider doing?

“No, although I think for me that music would be very easy to compose.  I started in the world of Heavy Metal, my influences were of course Helloween with Keeper 1 and 2 – incredible albums – bands like Crimson Glory, and guitars players like Yngwie Malmsteen, Marty Friedman, but my potential for composition expands all the time. 

“If tomorrow they would ask me to compose music for a musical, I could do it very easily, but for now I like to keep attached to the world of Heavy Metal.  It would be very easy for me to leave Rhapsody and focus entirely on music for the entertainment industry, but I would feel the loss of the second element of Rhapsody, this Melodic Metal. Equally, if you restrict me to compose a Heavy Metal song just for guitars, drums and voice I could not do it – for me the best music I can create, to express myself and to give my positive message the most impact is the combination of the cinematic music of the soundtrack and the melodic Metal that I like.”

Prometheus

I was fortunate enough to catch you live in London a few years ago, and one thing that stood out was the sheer joy that came from all of the musicians on the stage, yourself included.

This positivity often seems quite at odds with many other Metal bands, and is sometimes treated as something of a joke by journalists and other musicians.  How do you approach that?

“Let me say one thing – of course we transmit a positive message, our music wants to be a hymn to life, so we try to capture that live when we perform. But I must say that we’re really serious about the message, this is really something I don’t laugh about. It is part of my life, and I see it as sort of like a mission, you know? 

“Every artist has a responsibility, I think, to speak to the heart of the people. Emotion is a weapon, a weapon that you can use in a positive or negative way. As you speak to the younger people through your music, every artist has the responsibility to spread a positive message – that’s why I’m so against those bands who use the negativity to sell or to impose themselves in the market or whatever. When you move some steps in a spiritual direction you realise that values such as love and respect are the fundamental values on which mankind can have any hope for the future – all the rest leads to destruction.

“The message that I include in my songs, I like to be serious about it.  I’m not the typical Metal guy, drinking and smoking, you know – I practise yoga and meditation, I discovered a lot of things about the spiritual world by practicing on myself, not by reading books.  When you experiment with your own spirituality, you can really have a wider understanding of what life is all about.  There are too many people happy to live exclusively in a material perspective, they find the joy of life in satisfying their own ego, but there is a kind of universal law that means that for every joy you can get from the ego it comes with a negative consequence, but if you really go beyond the ego you reach a point where we are all connected.”


Rhapsody2015d

Is this purely a personal journey for you, or do you feel a connection to any formal spiritual or mystical traditions?

“There is a great teaching of the Tibetan monks – when you’re part of nothing, you are really part of everything.”

You’re referring to the Buddhist doctrine of Anatta or “not-self” – that the sense of personal consciousness is a conceit binding us to empty physical attachments.

“When a person says “I am x”, “I am a Christian etc”, they are binding themselves into a single way, but there are lots of different ways of approaching this. I don’t like to limit myself. I came to my position after having some… supernatural experiences that inspired me. In England of course you have a long tradition of spiritualism and spirit mediums.”

Italy does too, but the spiritual or religious conversation in that country is often dominated by the Church. How do you feel that your own spiritual journey relates to your origins in a Catholic country?

“Well, I grew up with very Christian values. When people ask me about the connection with Rhapsody and religion, I always say that I respect the positive values of every religion when they intersect with the Universal values of love, but the problem is when they are in any way contaminated by the ego.  When they adapt themselves to the social view – that is something I don’t want to be a part of. 

“For me Jesus is one of the great characters of history, he expressed these values of love and respect, but I like to go directly to the primordial spiritual source, and scientists can help by revealing the details of the universe. There is a part where all religious traditions, all science, all metaphysical disciplines come together. In the end, life wins everything.”

 

RICHIE HR

 


Symphony Of An Enchanted Mind (Part 1) – Luca Turilli of Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody

Posted on by

Rhapsody2015f

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Luca Turilli has changed the face of Power Metal as a genre.

When Rhapsody’s debut Legendary Tales (Limb Music) burst onto the scene in 1997 amidst a shower of rainbows and unicorns it hit a moribund, tradition-bound genre like a glass of ice water to the face. Combining huge Power Metal choruses with the panoramic sweep of film soundtracks, a completely irony-free fantasy concept (complete with map) and the kind of genuine, unmodified joy that isn’t often heard in popular music of any kind, the band became genre-leaders overnight, and guitarist/composer Luca Turilli cemented his importance through a string of solo albums before branching off on his own. With his new Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody project – now onto their second album through Nuclear Blast – he’s putting out some of the most daring, distinctive and emotionally resonant music to be released under the Power Metal label in years.

Luca Turilli’s music is passionate, powerful and filled with a sort of joyous open-mindedness, and even through the muddy and unreliable medium of an international Skype call it’s clear as Luca enthuses about music, spirituality and his work with the late Sir Christopher Lee that he possesses all of these qualities himself.

Prometheus

One thing that seems really striking about the last two albums is how far they go beyond the traditional Heavy Metal influences, taking in not only the expected Classical and Soundtrack influences, but also Italian Pop. Did this feel like a risky move after leaving a band with such a clearly defined sound?

“Yes, absolutely – it’s always risky to do something like that, but when you are a composer you can’t just compose the same thing fifteen years after you started. I have such energy flowing in me every day – I put myself in front of the computer or the piano, or with the guitar to compose and I channel this into my music.  For Prometheus – Symphonia Ignis Divinus I wrote twenty songs in the first two-three months, then I had to select ten or eleven titles, which at 70 minutes is already the longest Rhapsody album.

“We have so many different styles – I really consider myself more of a composer than a guitar player or a piano player – I always have this variety between albums.  Especially now, since the split with Rhapsody – for the first ten albums everything, musically, lyrically was related with this saga I created, this kind of fantasy saga. After finishing that, I think the possibility of covering different themes, different topics – even though they’re all connected by this main theme of spiritual evolution – it means I can say different things, offer different styles and different colours, on the one album. I was really feeling the need for this, and I feel very proud of this new album. 

“It was very risky, of course – there were some people saying “What is this? What about Enchanted Lands? (Limb)” – this is a problem of illegal downloading, where people will just pick up the new one and say “what, you changed style?”. I’ve been doing this already! I also have a completely new audience, and it’s amazing for me to have this potential crossover – I can reach people who like soundtrack music from the cinema, people who like more opera – I think Rhapsody has always had this potential in some way, but with this new band I’m really free to reach anyone.”

Rhapsody2015e

Is this freedom something you’ve gained since leaving original Rhapsody/Rhapsody Of Fire? Do you feel more able to express yourself honestly with this new set-up?

“Many people ask me “Will you go on with your solo career now you have Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody?” and I always say no.  Why should I? If you look the solo albums I was composing when I was with Rhapsody or Rhapsody Of Fire, you will notice all of these sounds I could not use in Rhapsody because of this fantastic story connecting ten albums – I don’t know how many bands in the history of music have honestly done that, it was a real emotional journey for us, incredible – but in some ways it was missing something.  I am more of a composer than a player, for me it’s important to compose, and I like a lot of soundtrack styles – at that time it was the beginning of 2000, there were a lot of films like Lord Of The Rings, but there was also The Matrix Trilogy with this kind of soundtrack, very electronic.

“So I really felt the need to compose the soundtrack albums to include what I could not use in Rhapsody – not that I could not because Alex (Staropoli) wouldn’t let me – just because of what we were doing. So now, of course, there is no need for me to make any more solo albums because of what I can do with this new Rhapsody. I’m looking at lots of different opportunities to make music for movies, for video games, but Rhapsody will always be my top priority simply for one thing – I have complete freedom. With Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody band I have found the perfect equilibrium, total freedom and an amazing situation.”

rhapsody.prometheus

The symphonic and soundtrack elements have been present since the first Rhapsody album, of course, but with the last two albums you’ve become considerably more successful at realising them.

“Now, when I write orchestral parts, it is so much easier than it was with early Rhapsody. Now with computers, I have one of the most powerful systems for classical composition in Europe in my home. I really want to be able to compete with the great composers of soundtracks in the US and Hollywood, so I really need technological support. In the morning I have breakfast, then I have all of the sounds in the planet in front of me – my own creativity is the only limit!

“When we started Rhapsody in the 90’s with the aim of doing something new the support of the technology was not that great – we were typing note by note on a keyboard sequencer! The Korg 01/W Pro – I remember because it was our partner in the composition of the albums, and in some way of course that’s why it was taking so long.  Now it’s easier, and I can create a great orchestration in a shorter time. That’s also part of the freedom I talked about – just technically I can make music now that would have been impossible or taken too long in the beginning.”

 

Prometheus: Symphonia Ignis Divinus is available now via Nuclear Blast

RICHIE HR

 


Cradle Of Filth – Hammer Of The Witches

Posted on by

1000x1000

You’re wrong about Cradle Of Filth.

It’s not your fault – the prevailing consensus has been wrong about them for years now.  Metal fans pride ourselves on dedication and loyalty, but that comes with a price – we’re extremely quick to turn on any perceived betrayal, and few crimes are less forgivable than a bid for mainstream approval. It’s no exaggeration to state that Cradle of Filth went from darlings of the underground to hated pariahs in a very short period of time, and once that bridge had been burned its effects were projected backwards in time until the commonly accepted descriptions of them (they’re a pop band, they sound like Marilyn Manson, they ripped off bands who in truth were inspired by them) bear no resemblance to the reality. This was never more clear than when the debut by Old Corpse Road – a band unashamedly vocal about their debt to classic Cradle – was praised by the same people who had nothing good to say about the band that inspired them.

Unfortunately for those who still care about them, since 2003 the band have not exactly been making things easy for themselves.  Beginning with major-label debut Damnation Of A Day (Sony), their albums have all been plagued with the same flaws – too long, too many filler tracks and not enough of the razor-sharp song-writing that marked their early days. The latest in a long line of releases that promise a return-to-form but don’t quite pull it off, Hammer Of The Witches (Nuclear Blast) walks into all of these traps once again. It’s not a bad album – they’ve honestly never released a genuinely bad one – and it has its share of catchy riffs and passages, but once it’s over it proves itself entirely incapable of sticking in the mind. Compared to its predecessor The Manticore (Peaceville/Nuclear Blast) it’s either more classic or less ambitious, depending on how generous you feel, but the result is the same – an album that sounds like Cradle by numbers, that’s offers little reason to care if you don’t already, and not enough reward if you do.

Hammer Of The Witches is a competent enough album by a band who know exactly what they’re doing, and fans of their most recent material will find something worth listening to here, but those still waiting for a return to former glories may need to finally accept that we’re not going to get it, and decide whether we’re happy to settle for the next best thing. Anyone who wouldn’t understand why Metal fans would defend this band would be better advised to listen to any of their first three albums or the VEmpire EP (Cacophonous) with an open mind to hear what they’ve been missing.

 

6.0/10

 

RICHIE HR


Nightwish announce Wembley (UK) show for December

Posted on by

8531f3f3-e482-4a96-adcc-2f93af7c55e1

With their hotly anticipated eighth album Endless Forms Most Beautiful, the first to feature new vocalist Floor Jansen (ex-After Forever, ReVamp), due out on March 30 via Nuclear Blast, Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish have announced their most significant UK appearance to date, confirming they will be headlining a one-off exclusive show at the prestigious Wembley Arena on Saturday December 19.

The show sees the band become the first Finnish act to headline at the venue.

Mainman Tuomas Holopainen had this to say: “Who would have thought about headlining at Wembley Arena one day when we were starting our UK touring history from the downstairs of the legendary Astoria Club in London over ten years ago. This truly is a dream come true for us !”

Support comes from two big hitters in the form of Arch Enemy and fellow-Finns Amorphis.

 

Tickets go on sale this Friday 13th Feb at 10am and will be available here:
http://www.livenation.co.uk/artist/nightwish-tickets

 

Endless_Forms_Most_Beautiful

Endless Forms Most Beautiful can be pre-ordered via Nuclear Blast here.

 

 

Nightwish on Facebook