Label: P3lican Partisans Band: Vėlių Namai Origin: Lithuania
Ambient music is like most electronic music genres quite a thing in the Baltics. It’s fairly easy to acquire the means to make it and I suppose it fits in the nouveau hip state of the countries, which you find in the capitals mostly. Still, ambient can also turn back and look at the past or nature, which is exactly what Vėlių Namai is doing on this record ‘Laumių Šokis’.
This one man project is done by Julius Mité, who is a Lithuanian that appears to travel a lot. Still, his music or art (I feel that ambient often drifts in that direction more) is firmly rooted in his motherland. The album is dedicated to Laima, the goddess of earth and pictures of him in ethnic clothing can be found on the Facebook page. This immediately draws me even closer to the music, having just undergone a Romuva wedding in Lithuania myself, this feels close to the heart (yes, my own wedding indeed).
‘Migla’ sounds like what it means, misty with drops falling and gentle piano play piercing the hazy air. It feels a little like some of the ’90s postrock bands. The sound shifts after a good 7 minutes when we shift into ‘Prabundu’ (I’m waking up). The music is introverted, maximizing only the elements it needs to achieve its purpose. Carefully crafted drones fill the lower sound regions and convey the voice of the earthy, while the cobwebs are still lingering in the fuzzy sounds.
The music lends itself for silent contemplation and introspection, it’s slow progressions and eerie soundscapes seem to be of the darker sort, but so is the mind. The listener is suddenly awoken from those thoughts by the vocals on ‘Mudu du, pilkume’ (us, in grey), by Hannah Knowles. Easy going, it breaks the solitude of the songs and breaks the cycle for the listener. After this we get back tot the solemnnity of the drones, synths and rare guitar line, as we find on ‘Laumių šokis (The dance of laumės). The record is not a very open one, the sounds are cavernous even and therefor the earth feels like the surrounding element.
Also there’s a sense of feeling forlorn, drifting through this undeground world and its wide expanses by yourself, weightless with just the mesmerizing drones accompanying you and painting the sight that fails in darkness. Slowly buts surely, all the other stuff falls away and just the elements remain on a minimal song with lamenting tones like ‘Vėlių takais visi mes eisim (The home beyond)’. Graceful and with a natural beauty.
This album is an experience, possibly best enjoyed with the Baltic landscape in view. Get closer to the essence and to the self and this is your soundtrack.
I have a profound love for the Baltics. The rugged land, the history, the people and the beautiful culture. Like the culture of the bards in Russia, the Balts have their own style of singer-songwritership that holds close ties to poetry and ethnic culture, but I digress. I’ve been listening to the music of Imants Daksis for years and though the words and language are something I struggle with, I love his unique sound. It feels completely honest, in addition to having an urgency to it that feels very personal.
Think neofolk, maybe even a bit of the martial stuff and we’re getting towards the sound of Imants Daksis. Ethnic instruments are present, the words are abstract and thought provoking. The voice can be shouting, whispering and everything in between. Daksis is a creative sould of 33 years old. He always appears to be exploring and expressing new forms of art. I don’t know enough about the Latvian music world to say much more.
The title ‘Mūžīgā ģeogrāfa piedzīvojumi’ translates as Eternal Geographical Travels and on it Daksis is, like Rainis and Dostojevski as he writes he writes. As an artist he is trying to make sense of the world. The jangling, slightly dissonant guitar on opener ‘Ir baigi apjaust, ka esi šeit’ is accompanied by the foreboding vocals of Daksis. Never are they polished completely. They always retain a bit of their natural force and roar. The voice is the main instrument for Daksis and therefor always used in exactly the way its intended. Though the sound is essentially Baltic in origin, in addition one can detect various influences. Therefore the music takes on a universal feel and that fits very well into the concept.
The slow trickling ‘Jūdas dziesma’ deals with the forlorn deserts of the land of Judah and the wars that rage there and the meaningless of it all. It sounds so mellow, but haunting as well and slowly grips you. Sometimes playful, always a bit raw on the edges and never overly complicated. Daksis likes to keep things simple and accesible for the listeners. Personal favorite is probably ‘Rudens sapņi’, where in an almost 9 minutes lasting track all the best features of Daksis’ music pass by. The contained energy and expressive voice are captivating and enthrall the listener.
The great charm of Imants Daksis is not merely the force of the music. It’s the subtleties and poetic aspects of the tunes and words, which are utterly brilliant. It’s never giving more than needed, yet neither less. Dream away to a time before the modern age with this album, you’ll enjoy it.
Continuing on the topic of audio expressions of Lovecraftian lore, love and random fandom, I would like to take you down to a more serious form of expression, that is more Roadburny in nature.
The Doom that came over Lovecraft
To me, ever since Thergothron, doom is the ultimate music for reading Lovecraft. There’s been some great stuff on that, so I’m now venturing into personal recommendations. It’s something about that heavy pummeling, the anticipation and the cosmic stand still. In Lovecraft’s work, humans are the most puny, insignificant things. The slow pace of doom feels remniscent of that, so that’s the core of what I was looking for and I found kindred sounds.
A bit different for starters than, Nikoletta from Arizona makes Stars Eat Worlds, which she dubs surfer metal. Though this is just a demo, it shows a lot of promise. If the surf can take over a bit, it might become something grand to listen to. The songs now sometimes end up just being barrages of noise, lacking the atmospheric.
Now, I know I’m pushing this even further, but Mr. Zoth and the Werespiders produce a drone like music, infected with dungeon synth and ambient elements, to create a harrowing, nerve wracking sound effect, great for your Lovecraftian moments. More cool, these guys are designing games too.
If you can get into it, some really good, blistering noise could be working in your favor. Xothun does a great job in creating eerie soundscapes of crackling distortion and screams. Might be too much again, but I must say I dig it.
Again more ambient/drone, but with a name like Erich Zann Chamber Orchestra we can hardly ignore this Polish contribution to the sonic pantheon of Lovecraftian idolatry, right?
Time to get serious, with no other than Obed Marsh. This Perth, Australia originated group of doomsters makes the sounds of uncanny sludge and heavy proportions. This is the soundtrack to which the nameless ones rise from the deep and sing their unholy songs to ancient Cthulhu. This is indeed exactly what I ment, talking about doom.
I got to see Arkham Witch play live in Malta, where they did songs from their old band The Lamp Of Thoth. The old school heavy metal mixed with doom is catchy and just in a very simple way cool. I think they’re a nice listen during the enjoyment of a good New England story.
My personal favorite and I think one of the most awesome bands out there is The Great Old Ones. Already having an awesome bandname, their sound is monolythic, grand and full of the looming danger that is represented by the great old gods. This is the right atmospheric tune for your moment of immersing into the cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft.
A bit more theatrical, but also dirty and grimey is the Dutch collective Swampcult, who pay homage to the master of the cosmic horror with their recent album. The album is a version of the Lovecraft story ‘The Festival’, in its entirety and it’s one gloomy immersion that you’re facing here.
Enjoy these bands, they’re really cool but also channeling their very own experiences and feelings with the stories of Lovecraft into music. That in itself is a great thing. Listening to these bands might allow you to explore new flavors and colour to the timeless works of Lovecraft.
In this 20th edition of books that I read, which is quite a few over time, I’m discussing Dayal Patterson, R.A. Salvatore (again), Gene Simmons and Marco Martens, who all wrote cool books that I enjoyed.
Dayal patterson – Black Metal: Into The Abyss Cult Never Dies Productions
source: Goodreads.com
I’m a huge fan of the work by Dayal Patterson, who manages to captivate the black metal scene in his own unique way. Name it scholarly or even ethnographic at times, the man lives and breathes black metal and manages to track down the most reclusive strangers for brilliant interviews. It sometimes seems that the weirder you think they are, the more normal they seem in retrospect. In this edition of the series, Dayal digs up some old bones in Poland for example, finding the roots of that strange black metal scene and continues to search for answers.
I’ve mentioned part of the Polish scene that gets attention in this book, but more or less the outsiders like Stigmata, Furia and others. Another element are the Norwegian bands of the latter generation, that return to a more purist approach, like 1349 and One Tail, One Head. The best part is how open Patterson gets to talk to some of these artists, of which some never did an interview before. It opens up a scene that has been shrouded in mystery and trust me… It doesn’t take away any of the magic.
Gene Simmons – KISS and Make up Crown Publishing
goodreads.com
Gene Simmons is an enigma, a character larger than life and hated and reviled as much as he is loved and praised. Gene is a straight shooter and always speaks the truth. No surprise then, that his book details his humble beginnings with as much detail as his later sexual adventures, poverty, riches and glamour. It also features a lot of history of Kiss that before was hidden behind the paint and more or less a mystery. We’ve moved on to a time where things have aged enough for some of the truth to come out. After the accusing books by Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, the book of Simmons feels much less cool and more raw and honest.
Why does that matter? Because for example Frehley, whose book I read, is glorifying his own behavior most of the time and rarely speaks with any warmth of the bandmembers he shared the stage with. Specially Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are depicted as money grubbing monsters, regardles of the fact that Gene Simmons saved his life. Simmons seems to lament the path of the others and speaks as candidly about his own failings and shortcomings, even insecurities and such as about others. This is a book of a sober man, who is honest, but that’s my opinion. It also is a really kick ass story, isn’t it?
R.A. Salvatore – The Sellswords (Servant of the Shard, Promise of the Witch King, Road of the Patriarch)
source: Goodreads.com
It’s surprisingly nice sometimes to take a side step in a long series, and so it is with the Forgotten Realms ‘Legend Of Drizzt’. In the short series titled ‘The Sellswords’ we focus on the characters of Artemis Entreri and Jarlaxle. Two oppertunists, who venture to a new land to reap the fruits of whoevers labour after daring conflicts with the mercenary bands Bregan D’arte. It’s a great bit of reading and a completely different kind of adventure with more depth and knowledge about the characters you might loathe or secretly love already by this point and will get to know and understand much better by the time you finish.
During the first part, Jarlaxle gets challenged for his leadership of Bregan D’Arte, so he has to flee with Entreri. During their flight they meet up with Cadderly (who has met Drizzt and company before, but is known from the Cleric Quartet). In the second part we fnd the duo in the Bloodstone lands, fighting with, alongside and against King Gareth Dragonsbane in an attempt to gain riches while doing rightious things (known from the Bloodstone Pass series from the eighties). In the final part we travel to Memnon with Artemis Entreri to find his past and illuminate the merciless killer he has become, where we will find something new and surprising in the character. A lovely journey for the reader.
Marco Martens – Rubberboot
It’s only a little booklet, but in it we find stories that are recognizable and funny, sometimes touching and familiar. Marco Martens used to be active in hiphop and now in a sort of spoken word setting. Poetry is also part of this short bundle. An enjoyable, though brief read that you can probably still pick up somewhere if you’re lucky. If not, than you don’t.
Marco Martens is a talented writer and story teller. This book is a small display of his talents, but I hope it won’t be his last endeavour in the written word. Like his record ‘Ieder Huis Is Uit Vertrekken Gebouwd’ (out on Bastaard Platen), his writing is a mixture of humor, nostalgia and grief, all packed up into a nice cocktail that sticks. You can read it here.
Label: Bad Omen Records Band: Wretch
Country: United States
Losing friends is a sad thing and sometimes it can be extremely hard to get over that. When you lose a friend who’s a band member, I can only imagine how much stronger that bond may be. Not to trivialise friendship, but band members share time together like no other. Jason McCash and Karl Simon shared that for a good decade in The Gates of Slumber. McCash left the band in 2013 and soon after passed away following a heroin overdose (according to metal archives).
So this album is catharsis, it’s grief in musical form. Gone are the stories of swords and sorcery, this is about the grim reality. It’s Karl Simon picking up the pieces and continuing down the road of amazing doom metal albums with this new outfit Wretch. The artwork instantly screams that old school doom vibe at you and that’s what you get.
Opener ‘Running Out of Days’ is a tribute to J. McCash and opens with those gargantuan Sabbath riffs, making you instantly get into the groove of this band and (if you like) bang your head to it. There’s something really down to earth to the sound of the band though. It’s not striving for grandeur, but for something real. Slowly the riffs roll by and a thundering rhythm section vigorously fills the void around the vocals of Simon, which are laden with emotion.
There’s something tormented to the way Simon delivers his vocals. After the initial venting on the first two tracks, the following seems to wind down and go into an almost psychedelic, spacy direction. Spiralling guitar parts and dreamy vocals form a much more convincing and warm sound from the group. There’s even an interesting instrumental track, titled ‘Grey Cast Mourning’, that surprises the listener with its gentle nature.
Closing the album, we return to the traditional doom roots. With its iconic cover and great tracks, this is one to stick with you. Hopefully Karl Simon feels like unleashing some more tunes on the world.
Recently you could already read my review of the Spaceslug record ‘Lemanis’ on this page, but now we managed to track down Bartosz from Spaceslug and ask him a few questions.
You can read the review here. The record stuck with me, because it was indeed spacy but still heavy, resonating in its own realm not sounding like any other band really. So I was keen to learn more about this Polish band.
How did you guys get started with Spaceslug?
B: I talked with drummer – Kamil around may 2015 if he wants to play some music with me. Little project, nothing special, just jammin
some jams with heavy riffs. Then he brought over bass player – Janek, who was also in his other band Palm Desert and we started.
What bands inspire you to make this music?
B: It’s hard to tell really. For me I love bands like Yob, Sleep, Neurosis, Black Sabbath, Subrosa, My Sleeping Karma and other generic heavy stoner/doom/name it stuff.
Guys like more ambitious music. But that’s why it was so well mixed in the process.
I was surprised to see that you guys hail from Wroclaw in Poland. Is there a big stoner scene there?
B: We have a good local scene that is growing. Try 71tonman for example.
Can you tell a bit about the writing and recording of this record?
B: I was bringing the riffs, and the rest of the band formed them and gives taste to it. It was that simple. What was really cool, that it was in fact really hard work. We played every rehearsal with heart, and passion.
Long play was recorded live in two days. Alot of fun, and experimenting with sounds.
Though the album is very heavy, i felt a strong connection to progrock of the 70’s and psych. What do you think about this?
B: Almost from the begining I wanted something heavy and cosmic. I like that kind of way, when something is heavy, but also
majestic. Probably you can tell that there is some vintage 70s vibe in our music, and it is not coincidence 😉
The cover and further artwork of Spaceslug reminds me of this comic book style/ science fiction posters stuff of a few decades ago. What is your inspiration for this part?
B: I love old S/F movie posters and vintage comic book arts in general. I was inspired by couple bands if we talk about style,
and couple old movies posters. Rest was just fantasy about what we are representing with our album. Cosmic slow heaviness.
You’ve just signed with Two Eighty Five Bookings. I for one, can’t wait to hear ‘Lemanis’ live. What can people expect from Spaceslug live? (and when are you touring the Benelux)
B: Hard to tell about specific dates righ now, but for sure if you will come to our show we will take you with us to our
spacecraft and show you couple galactics.
What future plans do you guys have?
B: We are writing material for second release. We also want to tour here and there.
If Spaceslug was a dish, what dish would it be (and why?)?
B: For me – Big, fat, juicy steak, with fries and salad.
Because it’s good and fat!
Label: Graven Earth Records/Hellas Records Band: Black Tomb Origin: United States
Black Tomb is a rather new doom band that seems to favor a color scheme of black and orange on their outings, which results in an exquisite image. That’s the first thought I had, checking out their stuff. Little information is available about these guys, who sound like their experience extends beyond this self titled debut.
Self described as New England Doom, the band recalls the sound of something between Hooded Menace, ElectricWizard and Graves At Sea. It’s a bit like a swamp of tar, while the forest is burning brightly orangy around you and everything is turning to shit. I think that captivates the sound of Black Tomb pretty fittingly.
The sound of Black Tomb reminds me a lot as well of Black Tusk, the dirty, gritty fury and the rawness of it all. There’s little subtlety and it’s constantly in your face. These gentlemen lack the surging energy of the latter though, but every riff sounds like if you could touch it, you’d want to wash your hands after. Slow, sticky and oh so pitch black, this is not the record to listen to when you’re already down and depressed. The irony is that the band included knives in the special editions… so yeah.
The tormented vocals, for example on the harrowing ‘Eyes At Midnight’ are a ripping, crushing delivery of screams. It’s bleak and relentless, full of pummeling riffs, that surge like a muddy avalanche. Man, what a debut record. I love this stuff, with its vicious sound and heaviness that may not push the genre forwards, but unites the best bits!
It’s always keeping you on the balls of your feet, ready for anything with the heavy bass and tons of groove and fuzz. There’s a constant anticipation or even threatening note to the music, that never fully erupts but definitely places these guys in the heavy weight category.
Imagine this on a fuzzy tape, playing in the dark. Hell yeah!
Guyana is a place you glance over easily on a map. That’s not something I’m saying to diminish the place, but it’s really a tiny bit of the South-American continent on the north. Part of a few former French, English and Dutch colonies, and these young states have developed a culture of their own.
After a turbulent history as a Dutch colony, later as an English one, slavery and a serious influx of migrants from India, the country has become a nation on its own in 1966. The history of countries like Guyana and the neighbouring Suriname connect them to the old ‘motherland’ and make them a melting pot of cultures.
I e-mailed with Gavin Mendonca and Gavin Singh on behalf of Feed the Flames, a band from Georgetown. We talked about how they want to put heavy metal on the map in their country, punkrock, the Caribbean scene and Creole culture. Enjoy reading about this intriguing place where heavy metal is just gaining a foothold.
Hello, could you kindly introduce yourselves and the band?
Gavin Mendonca (GM): I am the bassist of Feed the Flames. Feed The Flames is a five piece Guyanese Heavy Metal Band, members are as follows:
Gavin Persaud: Vocals
Gavin Singh: Guitar
Gavin Mendonca: Bass
Emilio Martins: Guitar
Nicholas Chung: Drums
How did Feed The Flames get started?
GM: Feed The Flames was formed about 8 years ago. The founding members are Gavin Singh and Gavin Persaud, I joined the band about 5 years ago as bassist.
Gavin Sing (GS): FTF was founded by myself and former vocalist Gavin Lee Persaud (his work is on the recordings). We were close friends who just loved the music, and back then still learning; this was around early 2007. I remembered we were listening to a Black Sabbath album when the idea came up to start a band, however we had no musical skills with the exception of a bit of music theory I learnt in school. Sometime after that we both bought cheap acoustic guitars and started the journey, spending the next year learning to play and holding the strings.
In 2008 we met Persaud’s old school friend who had just returned from the USA and had vocal training, so we immediately appointed him as front man. Through some friends we also met Zaheer Imran Baksh (former guitarist) and Nicholas J. Chung (current Drummer). After all being acquainted the first full line up was formed and officially founded on the 26th May 2008, Guyana’s independence date. At that we had little or no music skills, and so the journey began to learn and grow.
How did you get to the name Feed the Flames? And how would you describe your particular style and themes?
GM: Gavin Singh will have to tell you about the origin of the name. Our style is very reminiscent of Thrash Metal… it’s our favourite type of metal so there’s a heavy influence there. Guyanese Thrash Metal! Main themes include rebellion, and fighting for what you believe in.
GS: The name was actually presented by the first vocalist, Persaud’s friend, Quacy Ayotek. It was supposed to represent the idea of keeping the passion of the music alive in your heart, hence feed the flames. The style and themes have somewhat changed over the years since for about half our age was just about learning. One thing is for sure – hard, in your face metal was and is what we strive for, not only for its composition but most importantly the message of truth.
You mention you’re heavily inspired by various bands like Zeppelin, The Ramones and Megadeth and more. Which bands truly inspired you guys individually and what did you take from them? Also which ones got you into metal in the first place?
GM: For me, personally, my main influence as a Rock Musician is punk rock. The Ramones played a big part in me first picking up the guitar and learning to play. I was also the guitarist/bassist/vocalist of a local punk rock band which is now defunct.
I was never really a Heavy Metal guy, but after meeting the guys in FTF and being invited to join the band, I picked up the music and it has been a big part of my life since. My main Heavy Metal influences are Megadeth, Metallica, Iron Maiden and Lamb of God, Lamb of God especially, as our music is similar to theirs. The old school thrash bands are where most of our inspiration comes from, since we used so cover a lot of their music starting out.
GS: For myself, in the early days, the older bands really had me. Led Zeppelin really stood out to me mainly because of that unique tone/sound they had- you don’t hear anything like it anymore. I love what page did on II and III with the odd tunings, it was as though there were no rules but still sounds so great and gives me chills up to now. I guess I took that unorthodox approach to my writing. Metallica’s ‘Ride the Lightning’ was and still is one of my all-time favs. This really got me hooked and the list that follows is endless. I’ve listened to pretty much any style since. There were also a few modern bands at that time like Slipknot and Killswitch Engage. It was a combination of all these that got me into writing metal.
How did you get in touch with punkrock at the time?
GM: I got into punkrock after coming out of High School. I started to listen to rock music, and personally – I was very rebellious. I didn’t like being told what to do, I didn’t like being told that I Can’t do something, I didn’t like people telling me what to believe in, and I certainly didn’t like people telling me how to live my life.
So I don’t know if I found punkrock, or maybe punkrock found me. Because who I was, was punkrock. So I fell in love with the music, the fast drums, the noisy guitars, the shouting! Oi!
You guys are, according to your bio, currently working on a full length. Can you say a bit about that and what it’ll be like?
GM: We currently have 4 demo songs recorded, 2 more to go, for a total of 6 original songs. Here’s our most recent release, ‘ Firefight’, with a homemade video from our trip to Trinidad recently, where we performed with Lynchpin, winners of the first ever Wacken Metal Battle Caribbean.
GS: Well, it’s long overdue since some of these songs go back three or even four years. You will hear the evolution of this band on one album over five years.
What’s the writing and recording process like for Feed the Flames, what roles does every member have?
GM: The main composers are Gavin Singh and Emilio Martins. They come up with guitar riffs and patters and the general structure of the song… the drums and bass then add the glue. We all contribute to lyrics, and the overall structure of the songs.
Recording is fun. We do it ourselves in our band room. We invested in all the right software and equipment to be self-sufficient… a true ‘do it yourself’ band.
GS: Most of the composing or at least the concept comes from me. I usually would transcribe my ideas into Guitar Pro and then build on that idea from there. I would then play that to the guys and we’d start stripping away, adding or just doing it all over. Everyone has their own input and their own idea on songs. We just star with a concept and start jamming so the song finds its own identity through that.
I read that your music was featured in a film titled ‘A Bitter Lime’. How did that come about?
GS: A few years ago we were introduced through a sponsor to Max Orter, the producer/writer of the film. Gavin Mendonca remained close with him and even worked on the film itself. Earlier this year he came back to Guyana to do the finishing touches before its launch and needed a place to stay. He poured his money into the project and was low on cash, so we offered him to crash in the band room. In return he offered to add our music to the film.
GM: ‘A Bitter Lime’ is a neo-drama filmed shot mostly in Guyana, written and directed by Max Orter, a great friend of the band. Max was visiting Guyana often and we met him a few years ago and became great friends. I helped him on the set of the film while it was being shot in Guyana, as Production Assistant. He offered to have our song featured in the film, as a gesture of kind faith, to allow the band to get some global exposure by being featured in an international film. It is a huge opportunity that we are very grateful for… especially since it starts the infamous ‘Skin Diamond’!
I’ve noticed that you are, atleast Gavin Mendonca, interested to an extent into Guyanese music and folklore. Is that something you try to somehow put into Feed the Flames or do you save it for the Creole Rock project?
GM: I have a solo project aside from Feed the Flames. Creole Rock is my own style of music, where I have fused Guyanese Folk Music, our creole culture and dialect, with Punk Rock, creating a truly unique sound. Whenever I have to perform live, FTF would accompany me. We have a side project called Outta Box Experience for occasions like these, where it’s not all about Heavy Metal, but alternative forms of Rock n’ Roll at public forums.
Can you elaborate a little on that Creole identity, what it is and what it means to you?
GM: The Creole Identity, to me, is who we are as Guyanese people. It is our culture, our use of the English language, our traditions and practices. Most importantly, the way we speak. Creolese is our ‘Native Tongue’ here in Guyana. It is a broken down version of Standard English.
For example:
I Do not want to go there – Me nah wan go deh
Hey boy! How are you doing ? – Ayyy bai ! wuh goin on deh ?
My name is Gavin, and I am from Guyana – Me name Gavin, and me come from Guyana.
Our native tongue, and our Guyanese accent, I believe, is one of the most unique in the world. When we have a real conversation you will see what I’m talking about.
How important is the own identity for you as Guyanese musicians? I’m also looking at the radio show I’ve seen posts about Guyanese music.
GM: Guyanese Identity is very important. We are one of only two active rock bands here in Guyana. Our scene is very small. So to stand out in the larger Caribbean Rock Scene, and more so the international Rock Scene, we have to maintain the fact that we are GUYANESE HEAVY METAL MUSICIANS… That’s what makes us most unique.
What would you say is typical Guyanese music?
GM: Traditional Guyanese music, the folk music, would include our Creolese music, it’s part of our roots.
Modern Guyanese music borrows from mostly American and Jamaican pop culture.
If a Guyanese artist stays true to his or her culture, you will always hear that Creolese influence in there for sure. There may be even a hint of Indian or African drums, steel pan and lots of lyrics about ‘mashing down the road’.
So, would you guys like to say a bit about your concert in the national stadium? How significant is it for Guyanese metal?
GM: Our concert at the National Stadium was a milestone for the band, and for us as Musicians. We performed at a concert that was in celebration of our country’s 50th anniversary as an Independent Nation. We did not play ‘Heavy Metal’… it was more Creole Rock … but we played as Heavy as we possibly could. A huge accomplishment for a Rock band here in Guyana. We were well received by the mass audience.
GS: Although we didn’t get to go full metal for that gig, it was a huge step for Guyanese metal. No other rock band had ever performed there, so we achieved an exposure for the music and scene that no one else had done for a while. The thing is, it wasn’t like a rock party; there were hardly anyone that I knew there that even like rock, much less metal. But when they heard our set it really opened their minds and heart. I still can’t believe the reception we had; I even met people in the streets that came up to me excited asking for more. They didn’t appreciate it before but now they do!
Can you elaborate a bit on the history of metal in your country? What bands were significant and why?
GM: Heavy Metal was very popular in Guyana in the late 80’s and throughout the 90’s… The scene was thriving, with top local bands like Burning Bush, Pearls To Swine, Stone Blind, Struck Root, Et Tu Brutus – all who contributed to what Rock n’ Roll in Guyana is now. Most of the bands would have also ventured to Suriname, Trinidad and Brazil during their active years. Et Tu Brutus, the local veterans, have been active for almost 20 years now. The other bands have split over the years due to various reasons. Et Tu Brutus remains as the band that paved the way for FTF. Midnite Mars, a more recent band is currently building their rep here in Guyana.
GS: From what we’ve learnt from the older folks, metal has been around in Guyana since the 80’s. At one point our scene was even more vibrant than our neighbours (it’s the total opposite now). One of the biggest names to come out of that time was Pearls to Swines. I’d say that band made the most impact on the history of rock n’ roll in general for Guyana. I think its members still play in various bands around the world. This band is really important because they were A-class musicians and most bands that followed came around as an indirect or direct result of them.
There were a few other bands that weren’t so much metal that came out such as Burning Bush and Tech 21. However in the 90’s the first real heavy metal band came to being, and that was Et Tu Brutus. They paved the way for the younger bands which includes us. Still one of my own personal inspirations, this band still performs. They’re the veterans that kept the music alive in the country for a little over a decade, when no one else was doing it. Then we came along.
Did the music face any obstacles in your country? As in censorship on political or religious grounds?
GM: Rock Music is very underground in Guyana, and in this region. The airwaves are dominated by Soca, Chutney and Reggae … all which are Caribbean Music. Rock music is not very much accepted by the general public, as it is different in many ways.
It is hard to get airplay from just about all the radio stations and DJs… Because they believe it’s not what people want to hear… so… I create Radio Rock n’ Roll … so that Rock Music can be heard on Guyanese Radio every day.
Over the past year though, the public has been warming up to Feed the Flames, as we have been in the newspapers, and have made several public appearances recently. There is no moral war against Heavy Metal in Guyana. At least none that is stressed on. A few people might say things like it’s ‘devil music’ or that we’re destructive or something. But that hasn’t happened in a while, I don’t think it even happens any more.
GS: The typical Guyanese wouldn’t want to hear metal on the radio, hence that’s why Gavin Mendonca is the only radio-dj to do this. When we started as a band, even before Gavin M joined, we would try to record an original song and every studio turned us down or tried to rip us of. Just because of the stigma the music carries. Mainstream music here is really just Jamaican and American pop music.
In the 90’s a few students of the University of Guyana were accused of practicing witchcraft and satanic rituals. Some of these students of course were identified with the music and as such it caused a stigma. Also around that time, there was a popular rock club that got shut down after a patron got stabbed. This pretty much sealed the fate a rock and people’s perception of it. Literally killed it and kept it dead for years.
Do you have any real heavy metal gathering places, like venues, bars, record stores or rehearsal spaces? How readily available is any material and music to you guys?
GM: Unfortunately, we don’t have a place where usual gatherings happen. The only time a rock event/party/show/concert happens is when we decide to throw one ourselves. Back in the day, there was a place called Sidewalk Cafe, which was the CBGB’s of Guyana, but that eventually closed down. Live Rock n’ Roll happens as often as we perform.
GS: As the years go by the hanging spot changes. There a few pool bar that can be identified as rock bars. There is one in particular that everyone calls the rock bar ‘Nial’s bar’. The owner’s brother is also a musician and the owner himself is into the music, huge fan of it. So we do shows there every couple months. In terms of music material…internet. Everyone here downloads, for years it was the surest way. Either that or cheap bootleg and that’s if you’re lucky to find any type of rock. Nowadays though, people do order albums if we want the original.
What can you tell about the scene in Guyana? I suppose its similarly to the Suriname one very mixed. What sort of unity does it have?
GM: The scene in Guyana is very small… At the average gig, about 60 – 100 people would show up, sometimes less. At a big gig, for example when Lips Stick from Suriname came to perform, we had about 300 people. The diehard fans are always around to support. There is a small group of rock enthusiasts who are very close knitted and support the scene always.
GS: It’s pretty much the same in terms of people; spans across all class, race, age or creed. Although very small the folks of the scene are very friendly (for the most). It’s not as vibrant as su though. Moshing and so forth doesn’t really happen, unless it’s the musicians themselves.
You’ve taken part in the Wacken Metal Battle Caribbean, can you tell a bit about that experience?
GM: We had submitted our application for the event, but were not selected to compete. We still decided to drive to Suriname to attend the venue, and meet everyone and all the bands. Jerry Orie is a great friend of mine, and I support all of his shows as much as I could. I was lucky enough to serve as the first every Stage Hand for the Wacken Metal Battle Caribbean, alongside Jochen. An experience I am truly grateful for.
The overall experience was AWESOME. It probably was the biggest Rock event to happen in the Caribbean. We went there to network with the other bands, and two months later – we found ourselves in Trinidad performing with the winners, Lynchpin, and third place finalists – This Will Be No More from Aruba.
GS: Though we didn’t make it to the top five for the Caribbean to compete, it was a great experience. Some of us went to visit the event in Suriname, which was a wicked road trip by itself. The best of the Caribbean under one roof was an incredible experience, it’s the first time that happens and it was great to rub shoulders with some of the best n the world too. The band Taipan performed as well, who have worked with members from Megadeth and even Nine Inch Nails I think. It was one long, drunk weekend.
I understand from the chat with Luguber from Suriname that the metal battle is prompting more unity in the Caribbean scene. Do you guys feel that too and how does that work out?
GM: Luguber is AWESOME ! Shavero and I actually performed together in one-night band at one of Jerry Orie’s events – we formed a Punk Band called ‘Punk As Fuck!‘ for one night only, on the same stage as Disquiet. We have been developing a relationship with the Suriname Rock Scene since 2012, they are awesome and very friendly. A family. And we are happy to be a part of it. We have made great friends in the Surinamese Band – Morrighon, who performed in Guyana, and we performed with them in Suriname as well. We then made a huge link with Trinidad, where we have made new friends as well. Together we all are moving forward as ONE giant Caribbean Rock Scene.
GS: Ah It is! Back home people are stoked about this. It would be great if both bands travel forth and back to each other with fans and create a big network. I think it might be happening. We’ve also had the opportunity to perform in Trinidad a few weeks aback and it’s booked for next year April. We might be going to Suriname later this year as well and bands are willing to travel here. The Metal Battle surely has stirred the pot and turned heads.
Which bands from Guyana and around should people check out and why?
GM: Feed The Flames is the future of Heavy Metal in Guyana. I definitely would advise you to follow us closely, our YouTube page, our Instagram, everything. We plan to make huge waves across the Caribbean, then to the rest of the world.
Et Tu Brutus is an awesome Guyanese band, with a great group of guys. They will actually be performing in Brazil this August. Aeons of Disorder are a great band from French Guyana and we had the pleasure to play with them three times. There Will Be No More from Aruba is a great band that was in the finals of the Wacken Metal Battle Caribbean. We performed with them in Trinidad.
GS: Definitely Et Tu Brutus! Beside us, they are the only true metal band here. Also check out Pearl’s to swine, might be old but still awesome. Trinidad has some great bands to offer, like Lynchpin, who won the Wacken Metal Battle Caribbean. Anti-Everything is a great punk band and there’s much more going on there like Spectral Vibes, Orange Sky, Black Rose, Side Kick Envy, and much more.
If Feed the Flames was a dish, what would it be and why?
GM: We’d be Cook Up, with a side of Pepper-Pot. These are two Guyanese dishes that are legendary in Guyana, and truly represent the diversity and heritage of our culture.
GS: Haha! From the top of my head I’d say a 7 curry, like what you might get at an Indian wedding. Mainly because of all the influences and different affinities that add up to make feed the flames.
What future plans does Feed the Flames have right now?
GM: We are finishing up the recording for our first album. We aim to get it released by the end of the year. We also plan on getting more gigs across the Caribbean so we can build our name even more. Then, Wacken Metal Battle Caribbean 2018. Winners. On to Germany from there.
GS: We’re aiming to write and record an entirely new album by mid next year. Also we host our own events in Guyana and one hope to bring the world here. Definitely writing and recording but also touring. We’ve never done that, so I suppose that’s the next big leap for us!
Label: Relapse Records Band: Myrkur Origin: Denmark
Myrkur may be an artist that caused more fuss in the black metal world than even Deafheaven in the past year. Her debut ‘M’ was a darn good record though and seeing her perform live was very special indeed. The beef with Myrkur is a bit vague to really pin down. Is it the fact that her music focusses on a specific aspect of black metal, the more ritualistic, folklore atmosphere? Is it that Amelie Bruun did pop music under her own name and with Ex Cops? Or maybe that she did hiphop with R.A. The Rugged Man?
Or is it the fact that she’s really quite attractive and has a fashion sense, which she displays in videos online? There’s many reasons to revile Amalie Bruun if your a stuck up black metal purist. If you manage to look pas that, you might be able to see that Amalie Bruun is talented, creative and daring to step out and do a black metal album. Having seen a show, I can also inform you that it is a great improvement to have women seeing the bands with you and not just the smell of basement, earth (I think) and sweat stains surrounding you. Get over yourself, please, and look at your black metal heroes who are now making wine, industrial music, classical stuff or weird racist role playing games.
If there’s one objection I’ve had agains the music of Myrkur, is that i’s so ridiculously dense. There’s so much happening, that it confuses me as a listener. No, it’s not like a crazy jazz record, but ‘Mausoleum’ offers what I would have liked from ‘M’. A dressed down, more pure performance of these highly atmospheric songs. The Danish singer can really demonstrate her skills here.
While retaining the essential atmosphere, the music becomes a sort of chamber music, with only guitar and piano supporting Bruun’s vocals. The ethereal, nymph like chants of Bruun evoke mythological images and dreamy nature landscapes. I had to think back to a book I once read, which involved a man ending up in a Mausoleum of his race, where his people where sleeping forever. In this tranquil silent place, he walked around for hours. This soundtrack would be the right one for that story.
The record was recorded live in Emanuel Vigeland Mausoleum, which through its natural reverb greatly supports that wavery sound of the record. The choir also helps to create that angelic aspect. Though I could go through every song, the album listens as a whole. If any deserves special attention though, it’s the Bathory cover ‘Song To Hall Up High’, which is majestic. Truth be told, I love the work of Amalie Bruun for what it is. If that is not worthy of the black metal label, than so be it.
Label: Rotting Throne Records Band: Allfather Origin: United Kingdom
If the motto of a band is ‘Beards. Metal. Fuck You’ , you know that this is something you want to play loud for a bit. The omnious reference to a Norse Ragnarok added to that makes it even sound more bad ass and that is pretty much the deal with this debut record by United Kingdom sludge metal brawlers Allfather. Can I add to my vote of sympathy that most of their Facebook timeline is filled with shout outs to other bands? That makes you even more of a cool band to me.
The four piece from Rochester have recorded their album in Son of Suns Studio of Jason Frye and Charlie Creese’s Magpie Studios. The mastering of the first five tracks was done by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege (known from Nails, Yob, Sleep etc.), so that’s bound to be good!
Opener ‘Raskolnikov’ shows instantly, that there’s space for the literary and complex with an obvious reference to the work of Dostojevski (Crime and Punishment) with a lyric that demonstrates the shizmatic nature of the protagonist Raskolnikov in a ranted monologue. Surrounding that is the pummeling rhythm section, not unlike some of the Bolt Thrower tank-track grooves. The vocals sound muddled and boiling up in anger. The whole sound is like an eruption.
If that isn’t enough to already be impressed by the group, you’ll be blown away by Sabbathy riffs and a punch to the jaw on ‘The Bloody Noose’ (wait for that rif for like 4 mins). The sound is not complex or unnecessarily frantic, but just good, groovy doom with an interesting amount of that old fashioned bluesy guitar sounds. Not that the band does anything simplistic, it’s just the sense of knowing what is enough for a good track I think.
A bit of biblical referencing on ‘Death, and Hell Followed With Him’ (Revelations 6:8) is also showing that more thought out element in the music. Clocking an epic 11+ minutes, this is the summit of the album (there’s a bonus track too) where Allfather takes the time to build up properly. There’s always something cathartic to their music and lyrics. Gritty, dirty and full of fat, greasy grooves, the band is like being dragged through the mud and feeling cleaner for it afterwards. And that goes on and on.
Good stuff!
