Alcatraz Hard Rock & Metal Festival is now set for August 8-9, 2015 at Festival Area De Lange Munte in Kortrijk, Belgium. They have announced the first round of artists who are now confirmed to perform:
Nightwish
Behemoth
Accept
Overkill
Queensrÿche
Carcass
Annihilator
Powerwolf
Armored Saint
Death Angel
D-A-D
+ 8 more to be announced
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Babylon Whores are the single most underrated band of all time, and Cold Heaven (Misanthropy, though recently re-released on vinyl by Svart) is the greatest undiscovered gem of all albums, so it is with anticipation most foul that Sleep of Monsters’ debut Produces Reason (Svart) saunters into our musical consciousness, being as it is the new vehicle for the distinctive crushed velvet pipes of Ike Vil, former ‘Whores mainman.
It can often be unfair to compare a new venture to a participants old wares, but when the vocal cords are as instantly recognisable and perception shaping as Vil’s it’s hard not to. Accompanied by songwriter and guitarist Sami Hassinen (Blake) and former members of Waltari and HIM, Produces Reason kicks off with a pair of rockers, as if Ike’s former occult troupe had been polished by the HIM hit machine, ‘Nihil Nihil Nihil’ dark, catchy and understated, with a strong vocal chorus hook.
As the album unveils, the rock element is toned down and replaced by a more gothic, sedate feel, led by Vil’s characteristic delivery and melancholic lines, and flashes of Sisters of Mercy, Beastmilk and even Simple Minds decorate their Gothic rock. ‘Christsonday’ liberally dips its toe into Queensryche’s ‘Eyes Of A Stranger’ and emerges with the guitar motif intact, dropping the familiar lick over their death rock, while ‘Magick Without Tears’, the true closer for this album (additional track ‘I Am The Night, Colour Me Black’ is superfluous and dynamically doesn’t work) kneads in the vocal talents of the “Furies”, a trio of female vocalists whose harmonies proliferate the album at various points, over a Pink Floydian organ-led flick.
Managing to retain the core elements of its participants former endeavours, weaving and celebrating their individual talents and ideosyncracies, Sleep of Monsters have produced a credible dark pop debut, reflecting the pasts of its’ creators, and one that leaves the promise of something even more grandiose and fruitful in their future.
7.0/10
STEVE TOVEY
For a long time Queensryche was a band in steady decline. Pretty much all the post Promised Land releases suffered in quality, with Dedicated To Chaos being especially lacklustre. Last year things came ahead with singer and defacto bandleader Geoff Tate being fired by the rest of the band. The remaining members recruited a new singer and they decided to soldier on under the Queensryche banner. Ghost Cult spoke with drummer Scott Rockenfield who didn’t mince words and who seems to be on a personal crusade to get the band back in the spotlights again…Continue reading
These are confusing times for any Queensryche fan. Former QR singer Geoff Tate uses the name for his merry gang of hired guns and the remaining members recruited a new singer and decided to continue under, you guessed it, Queensryche. It’s a classical case of will the real QR please stand up…Continue reading
Suicidal Tendencies first album in thirteen years is the culmination of the legendary hardcore punk/crossover/thrash bands’ resurgence the last few years. The reason the band reached icon status in the first place was their ability to innovate and lead in the early days, change with the times and still be relevant years later. What separates ST from many bands of that era, is that now that they have finally delivered new music, it is as refreshing to hear as it is vital. That’s what makes 13 so very special.Continue reading