The generous folks at Cruz Del Sur Music along with Clawhammer PR have decided that 3 lucky readers of Teeth of the Divine.com should get a copy of Pharaoh’s latest opus of awesome American power metal, Bury the Light. The band’s critically acclaimed fourth effort sees Pharaoh remain atop American heavy metal pantheons and deliver their heaviest and most raw album yet.
Arguably the best of the upcoming traditional metal bands in the United States today is Pharaoh. Bury the Light, their impending full-length on Cruz Del Sur Music, serves to further illustrate this point with even more depth and innovative craftsmanship than displayed with 2008’s Be Gone. Guitar aficionado and former Metal Maniacs scribe Matt Johnsen recently spoke to Teeth of the Divine about the coming to fruition of Bury the Light and all that is Pharaoh.
If you’re into mind-blowing, metallically forceful instrumental acrobatics then you damn sure better check out Blotted Science, the trio led by master mind/master musician Ron Jarzombek (Spastic Ink, WatchTower). Debut full-length The Machinations of Dementia was released in 2007 and had fans of progressive, technically insane, and undeniably heavy instrumental metal music sitting in a pool of their own drool with heads spinning. New EP The Animation of Entomology is even better, owing in part to a broader array of atmospherics and sounds to go with the ridiculously complex playing of guitarist Jarzombek, Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster, and Obscura drummer Hannes Grossman. Quite a lineup, wouldn’t you say? Oh, and the album concept is 100 percent bug-related and insect centric in a film score kind of way. You’re scratching your head and wrinkling your forehead, aren’t you? Just read on. It’ll make more sense once you read Jarzombek’s explanations.
The times I don’t mind the tedious process of transcription is when it pertains to an interview with a member of one of my favorite bands. That was without question the case with this recent telephone conservation with UFO drummer Andy Parker, my second with the British rock veteran, Texas resident, and all around affable fellow. Four decades strong and UFO sounds as great now they’ve ever sounded. The names occasionally change and there is a more pronounced blues streak on albums released this century, but more than anything else UFO continues to churn out intelligently written and memorable hard rock. New album Seven Deadly is another notch in the belt of that proud legacy. Along with Parker (a founding member) and guitarist/keyboardist/songwriter Paul Raymond, Phil Mogg (the other remaining founding member) leads the effort with an emotive, soulful voice that is one of the most unique and recognizable in rock, while guitarist Vinnie Moore shreds and blisters with some of the best chops in the business. Quite simply, UFO was, is, and always will be one of the best, most influential bands in hard rock and heavy metal. Period!
This one took a little while to complete, but it’s finally done. I found myself rather smitten with Cerebral Bore’s 2011 Earache debut Maniacal Miscreation, an album self-released by the Glasgow unit a year earlier. It punched and kicked in all the right brutal death metal places, offered just the right amount of groove and technicality, and left a memorable impression owing to some pretty darn effective arranging. Hard workers these Scots and it seems to finally be paying dividends, a case in point the band’s North American tour later this month with Goatwhore and Hate Eternal. Now all that’s left for you to do is read this Q&A session with founder/guitarist Paul McGuire, which will in all likelihood send you scrambling to find the link for Earache’s on-line store so that you may purchase Maniacal Miscreation with the money you’d set aside for self-help books and green tea.
After a decade of being in a state of half-life or half-death, the sadistic jokers in us all thought that San Diego’s premier metalcore outfit, As I Lay Dying, might have gotten so weak that they will finally fulfill the prophecy of their ill-fated name and, well, kick the musical bucket. Contrarily, the famed Christcore group are not only still alive and well, but have been consistent in the quality of their work by meeting expectations with flying colors (again) on 2010’s chart topper, The Powerless Rise. Being one of the rare few metalcore acts around that don’t attract an ammo-truckload of explosive hate, As I Lay Dying are still going strong ten years on, thriving on the positive attention of music fans instead of feeding off the negative attention generated by perennial controversies surrounding the –core sub-genres—a banal and verbally-abusive phenomenon that plagues many of their contemporary counterparts to no end. Having decided to take it easy this year and celebrate their tenth year anniversary, the group recently released their second and latest compilation album, Decas. From his San Diego dwelling (and a few weeks before Decas was released), frontman Tim Lambesis elaborates on various aspects pertaining to the new compilation, what a physically active person he is during his spare time, and gives an update on his Arnie-themed spoof project.
Canadian modern metal act Threat Signal are no strangers to the rough and merciless tides of the music industry. Having only been around for a mere 7 years, the band is already the billionth victim of the MLC (Multiple Line-up Changes) Syndrome, and is precariously close to losing its roots entirely with only singer Jon Howard left from the original roster. With that said however, the band as an entity itself has evolved a lot since its early days. For a recording project that was initially accomplished entirely on Jon’s home computer, it sure has paid off well by getting Jon on-board the world-renowned Nuclear Blast roster; a dream that motivates countless metal bands worldwide to pursue their chosen path diligently, but which is often dashed with the cruel flick/click of an uninterested finger. Teeth of the Divine speaks with Jon to discover what plagued the stability of Threat Signal’s line-up over the years, find out what the new record is all about, discuss what the big guy Zeuss brings to the production table, and how Threat Signal was probably “djent” before “djent” even got coined.
Well, another year. Another late year rush to get staff picks together, which is a lot like herding cats. Another year of rotating staff members. Another year of departed metal icons. But despite of all that, another year of seemingly endless awesome metal. Its seems like each year is always better than the last with a mix of old acts returning, newcomers bringing the thunder and of course the perennials and old reliables. Sit back and feast your eyes on this years cream of the crop according to the staff here at Teethofthedivine.com. And of course feel free discuss, dissect and discredit, but more importantly tell us your picks, good and bad of 2011.
Listen, do we really need another interview with Glen Benton ranting about how much he hates Christians as well as his ex-wife? Or Trey Azagthoth calling out fans that don’t like his music as fake fans? Well, how about a (first) interview with an independent, local (at least to me) artist who has released 5 albums in 2011 alone? A young man I decided to meet up with while on a business trip in his neck of the woods and interview him after hearing a number of his albums and being impressed by them. That man is Adam Kalmbach, the lone spirit behind Jute Gyte. And when I met Adam I was a little shocked when you consider the nasty and abrasive nature of albums like Old Ways, Verstiegenheit and his latest effort, Impermanance. Well, spoken, intelligent, unassuming and critically knowledgeable about music, I should be glad the racket he produces is so vitriolic as this Jekyll and Hyde effect would be a terrible thing if it manifested itself outside of his music. A one man black metal act that has Burzum, Leviathan and Xasthur level potential that you all should get to know… please meet Adan Kalmbach AKA Jute Gyte.
From Blabbermouth.net: David Gold, a founding member of the Ontario, Canada-based black and doom metal band WOODS OF YPRES, was killed last night (Thursday, December 22) in an accident near Barrie, Ontario. He was 31 years old. A memorial service is tentatively scheduled to be held in Gold‘s hometown of Sault Ste. Marie on December […]
With so many deathcore, melodic death metal and old school death metal bands releasing new records recently, it makes listening to a new, normal, straight-up extreme death metal record refreshing—which usually isn’t the case. Amidst the soulful and lush tunes of acts like Arch Enemy and Insomnium, the brutal breakdowns of Suicide Silence and All Shall Perish, and the traditional onslaughts of Vader and Decapitated, hearing some crushing and no-frills-yet-modern-sounding death metal from Swe—melo-death—den is truly surprising.Introducing: As You Drown. This death metal quintet may still be wet behind the ears, but they sure play fast and hard like Behemoth—minus the blasphemous lyrical theme, elaborate costumes and occasional illegal stage antics of course. As with many other bands, As You Drown don’t just look up to Behemoth. They worship the traditional death metal veterans as well (as you will see later on in this interview).It’s no wonder then that their music is a face-flaying aural concoction of mini-gun drumming, killer riffs and pissed off vokills. In my first feature for this site, I spoke with frontman Henrik Blomqvist to find out more about their latest giant-rodent-themed record, their tour experiences with legendary bands, and Ikea meatballs among other things.
New Jersey’s Symphony X have been churning out album after album of top-quality neoclassical prog metal for almost two decades. 2011’s Iconoclast, which takes on a heavier, grinding-gears mechanized theme, still sees Symphony X at the tip-top of their game. Guitar virtuoso Michael Romeo spoke to Teeth of the Divine recently about his role in constructing and molding the band’s most solid album to date.
Christmas (or other non denominational festival) is early here at Teeth of the Divine and playing the role of old Saint Nick is Germany’s own FDA Rekotz — home to the likes of German legends Blood and DEAD, as well as releasing the debut from Entrails. Through our divine holiday spirit, the label is offering 18, yes, 18 CDs to 3 lucky readers.
Having the utmost respect for what guitarist, keyboardist, and composer Nicolas van Dyk has done with Redemption since debuting with 2003’s self-titled album (followed by knocking one out of the prog metal park with 2005’s The Fullness of Time) and deep gratitude for what the music has meant to me personally, it was with great sadness that I heard the news of his cancer diagnoses a few years ago. At the time, the rare from form of blood cancer with which Nick had been diagnosed was said to be incurable. Fast forward to 2011 and Nick is a man renewed, having faced down his disease and for all intents and purposes conquered it with the help of a doctor in Bart Barlogie that took conventional wisdom and flushed it down the toilet. Van Dyk took the experience of that fierce, emotionally-draining fight and channeled it into his most powerful set of lyrics to go with what may be Redemption’s most aggressive and deeply emotional musical effort to date in This Mortal Coil. At once metaphorical and introspective, This Mortal Coil is musically complex and undeniably heavy, yet as melodically accessible as anything the group has ever released.
When it comes down to the new Megadeth album TH1RT3EN, there’s one thing people can agree on: At least it’s not ‘Lulu’. Click on to read our review of Mega Dave’s latest opus.
We here at Teeth of the Divine (dot com) love giving people stuff. Especially if its someone else’s stuff. Or Herpes. So, those fine folks and Listenable Records and Clawhammer PR have been kind enough to donate eight (8) CDs to two lucky winners. What CDs you ask? Well how about the latest albums from Listenable artists Sarah Jezebel Deva, Tornado, Tormented and Serpentcult??? Let’s rock’n’roll!
According to blabbermouth.net, veteran Swedish death metallers Dismember have called it a day in a statement issued by bassist Tobias Cristiansson; “After 23 years, DISMEMBER have now decided to quit. We wish to thank all our fans for your support.” Dismember, one of the founding fathers of the Swedish death metal scene, have been one […]
APMD (All Pigs Must Die) is a band committed to uncompromising sonic warfare. Its sound and lyrics assault the listener in a fury of blackened death filled anthems.” Yep, I lifted that straight from the band’s Facebook page, thinking it a perfectly apt description of the aural terror inflicted upon the listener by All Pigs Must Die. One of a growing number of bands that blend gnarly death, d-beaten crust, and vicious hardcore in a way that is somehow fresh and exciting, APMD swoops in like an elite commando unit, executing its mission with deadly efficiency, leaving as quickly as they arrived, and with not a soul left alive in its wake. That’s what is in store for you with each and every spin of Southern Lord full-length debut God is War. Featuring members of Bloodhorse, The Hope Conspiracy, and Converge, this is one band does not – in the most direct way I can put it – fuck around. Adam Wentworth provides the debriefing.
What’s this? A new giveaway? That’s right, folks and what a giveaway it is! We’ve got no other than one of rock and roll’s legends and shock rock originators on board: Mr. ALICE COOPER! The man of horror has just released his latest album ‘Welcome 2 My Nightmare’ and to celebrate the occasion—and the fact that it’s a great record—we’re giving away two copies of the album on CD format. But that’s not all as one of the copies is signed by Alice Cooper! So come on up and take part in Teeth of the Divine’s ALICE COOPER horror madness!
With album number 3, Maledictus Eris, Denmark’s Svartsot have continued their consistent enjoyable take on folk laced death metal. However, rather than frolicking synths and fruity jigs, Svartsot deliver folk metal with a bearded, burly presence that’s as much Amon Amarth than anything else. But what makes the consistency surprising is the band turn over and the fact that guitarist Cris Frederiksen is the only remaining member from the debut, Ravenes Saga. So I visited with Cris to get a little more insight in the band’s new line-up, as well as some details on the new album.
This year Tuska Open Air was relocated from the middle of Helsinki to a new location. Just a five minute ride away to former energy hub, Suvilahti. The scenery had shifted from a dusty city park to pure industrial concrete jungle. With scorching heat and some 30,000 metalheads crammed together, Tuska Open Air’s three-day metallic meal, headlined by Morbid Angel, Devin Townsend and Amon Amarth, could’ve been the onset of the apocalypse. Was it?
Goddammit! Yeah, the summer vacation is over and it’s time to return back to the routines; work, natural disasters, war, famine and whatever else plagues y/our mundane lives from 9 to 5. Luckily for you, Underworld Records have hooked us to provide you with an opportunity to make your fall play out on with a positive note: Three bands. Six CDs. Two lucky winners. We’ve got SLIME IN THE CURRENT, we’ve got KILLGASM and we’ve got EXCOMMUNICATED CDs ready to go.
I’m thinking this is the third interview I’ve done with Billy Nocera of Razorback records over a time span of what must be approaching 10 years, maybe eight. Heck, I don’t remember precisely, but I know that up until now I hadn’t interviewed him for Teeth of the Divine. Given some changes in Billy’s life on both the domestic and label fronts, it seemed a good time to check in with this long-time lurker of the underground. In this installment of the, uh, Razorback interview series Billy talks about the label’s doomier end, his marriage to Vanessa and their relocation to Kentucky, the world of underground distribution, and various other Boar-ing topics. If you’ve any interest in acts like Wooden Stake, Fester, Crypticus, Hooded Menace, Mausoleum, Church of Misery, Coffins, Blizaro, Revolting, Scaremaker, Mausoleum, Decrepitaph, and Fondlecorpse (to name a handful), then you should probably take the plunge and read on. Have horror will travel. Can you dig it? The grave I mean.
One of those “old and forgotten Eastern European jewels“ that I Hate Records has been mining as of late, the rediscovered, repackaged, and reissued Let Draka/Flight of the Dragon from the Czech Republic’s Drakar nearly defies classication. Progressive thrash? Sort of. Quirky metal? You’ve just gotten in warmer. Creative music? Let’s go with that one. Vocalist/guitarist, founder, and visionary Ivan Sekyra takes us back to beginning, moves us through the middle, fast forwards to 2011 and tells the tale of a small Swedish label reissuing a little known album – in two-disc format for English and Czech speakers alike – from a killer cult Czech band . Read on; you just might learn something.
That ominous rumble you’re hearing in the distance is not a thunderstorm forming somewhere in the east. It’s the sound of CIANIDE’s Gods of Death moving steadily toward you. If you’re a friend, chances are you’ll survive the arrival. Foe? Forget about it; assume the position and starting kissing your ass goodbye. The long-running Chicago outfit has been leaving bruises and abrasions with every release unleashed, but the ugly death marches and rotten speed-kills of Gods of Death (Hells Headbangers) will in all likelihood be the one to inflict the most damage on unsuspecting listeners, in some cases lethally. Vocalist/bassist Mike Perum offers some pointers that will help you prepare for the impending carnage. Pay attention; your life depends on it.