z

Review: Coshish - 'Firdous'

Coshish is a four-piece Mumbai prog/alternative rock act. After playing at various stages, they've released their debut album named "Firdous". It has been made over the last two years. This album will stand up as a very good competitor for the best rock album of the year. The tracks incorporate some heavy metal elements. The base line is very distinct, and works out well with all the tracks and adds up to the atmosphere which the band has created.
First track on the record is 'Firdous' - steady and a melodious track. Soothing interlude. The vocals are fabulous, and the riffs and the drum patterns have not been made too complicated, sound very original and compatible with the instruments. The second track is named 'Raastey' - heavy intro, clean guitar parts, with bass accompanying perfectly. The backing vocals  is amazing, and compliment the lead vocals very well. The solo is very fine and is just what the song demands, neither complicated nor simple, an amazing piece. The song has a very smooth serene ending.The third track is called 'Coshish' - starts with a sample of a local railway station, which shows that someone's leaving for their destination. It has an effervescent feel to it. The drum work on this track is comparatively faster than the other tracks. The solo follows the bass-line to some extent but of course takes a different course in a few seconds. This song is very encouraging and gives a message of never losing hope and trying until one succeeds.The fourth track is titled 'Behti Boondein' - it has a slow melodious intro. Lead parts on this track sound like raindrops falling, matching the title of the song. The vocals again fabulous on this track. 
The next track is called 'Woh Kho Gaye'- this track, like a few others on this album, starts with a voice sample of someone calling out loud for somebody, as if lost somewhere. The solo is my personal favorite from this album, setting the course of the song perfectly. This track also features some alternative aspects, in the chorus. The vocals, again exuberant.
The sixth track on the record is 'Hum Hai Yahin' - it begins with a sound sample of a local household area where children are playing around. Intro is similar to that of Lamb of God’s vigil, but is obviously easily differentiable, since Vigil being a groove metal track and this one's an alternative/prog rock song. The drum work on this track is very subtle, not very complicated. The track ends with a sound sample of falling rain drops. It adds as another clue to the puzzle, which the band has created. The seventh track on the album is 'Maya" - illusion. It’s exactly what the atmosphere of the song has been made. Eerie and uncanny. This is a soft track, with some swift parts, and a sense of melancholy. The track ends with a clean guitar outro, perfectly diminishing the effect created by it. Another sound sample to the end, this one’s nothing but a hollow sound.
The 8th track on this album is 'Rehne Do' - it starts with a sound sample of a glass being broken. This song is about the frustration of solitude one seeks after he's lost everything. The bass-line of this track compliments the riffs very efficiently. There’s a very soothing part in the song which incorporates cymbals crashing and clean guitars. The vocals as always have done justice and couldn’t have been better. This track also features an ending pf a sound sample of children playing.
The second last track is titled 'Bhula Do Unhe' - starts with a sound sample of rain pouring. Intro consists of a clean guitar part with the bass line and 5-6 note drum pattern. This track is comparatively very slow to the others on the album. The track too, ends with a bass line and a sound sample of a local railway station.
The final track on the album is aptly named 'Mukti' - salvation. The track begins with clean guitar fills and a simple drum pattern. Then close to the 50 second mark, the distorted guitars make their way into the song. The heaviest, as well as the longest track on the album, it’s an instrumental number, and also includes a few polyrhythmic parts. This track also showcases the technical capabilities of the band. The track includes a breathtaking solo, the longest on the album. It satisfies a rocker's wish of a fast and technical solo.

The band has done a fabulous job on this album. The tracks though could've had a more technical aspect towards them, which would have made it an A+ piece of work. The band has created a puzzle within their tracks, which the listeners can crack with the help of the music videos. Like all perfect progressive albums, if place in a correct order, the tracks make a whole new gigantic track.

 Rating: 4.2/5 - ‎Review by Piyush Ojha - Edited by Navjot Kaur Gill - ‎Jan 30, 2014

NEWS: Randy Blythe Need to Step Away from Lamb of God



Randy is just saying he needs some time away from the band, which is completely
understandable. Blythe posted
the above photo to his Instagram along with the following text post, which details his need to step away form Lamb of God.

“And so another album cycle comes to an end. This has been a very eventful, at times VERY STRESSFUL, album cycle, & it’s been about three years since we started on this one in our practice space- I need a break. Tomorrow is a 19 hour flight back to the USA, & then another one home to RVA, & except for two festival shows in 2014, I will not be thinking about lamb of god, touring, playing heavy metal, writing new lamb of god material-NONE OF THAT STUFF-AT ALL- for a good long
while.


Time to do other things for a bit, & let my brain regroup, & be a somewhat normal human being. This has been a pretty wild ride though, & to end it in AFRICA of all places still amazes the crap outta me. So thanks Johannesburg for an awesome end to the Resolution tour cycle, & to all you other bands, hear this: the game has been stepped up, & the ante has risen.

You are not a REAL G until
you come to South Africa & your fans throw one of THESE to you on stage-a warthog skull. Takes the cake for the strangest thing throw at me on stage ever, & I’ve had some weird shit thrown at me- I named him Jeff. Jeff, the South African warthog. Top that, y’all. Don’t front like your ballin’ if you ain’t rockin’ that wart hog shizzy.


I figured I’d finish up the cycle with nice self-portrait. Me & Jeff are outty. Peace, & one love.- Randy“

NEWS: AT THE GATES To Release First New Album In 19 Years

Swedish melodeath legends At the Gates have announced a new album At War With Reality, scheduled to be released in late 2014. It will be the band's first album after releasing their classic Slaughter of the Soul. Marking the longest gap between two studio albums in their career, At War With Reality will be their first release on Century Media Records.

Interview with Anarchy


Anarchy is Thrash Metal outfit formed in 2013 hailing from Pune, India. Anarchy has been playing since sept 2013. The current line-up features Aditya Swaminathan (guitars), Ameet "Teema" Kulkarni (guitars), Harshvardhan Gore (drums), Tabish Khidir (vocals) and bassist Neeraj Diwan. Short while ago we caught up with guitarist Ameet "Teema" Kulkarni and vocalist Tabish Khidir and talked about bands inception, performances, upcoming EP, future plans and many general things.

Metalhead Spotted: Greetings from Metalhead Spotted! How have you guys been lately?
Anarchy: Hello there! Greetings from Anarchy. We have been good and hope you're doing fine too.

Metalhead Spotted: Above all tell us how did you guys get started?
Anarchy: Our Guitarist Ameet "Teema" Kulkarni was trying to form Anarchy since April 2012. He met Tabish(vocalist) through some common friends and after a few talks around Dec 2012 they decided to do.something about forming a band. Serious talks happened around Feb-March 2013 and along with Aashish Kulkarni(ex-drummer for Gaia's Throne, Anarchy) and Neeraj Diwan (also bassist for Gaia's Throne) jams started around may 2013 and soon Ashish Gogte (rhythm guitarist) joined for a brief period. Aashish Kulkarni shifted to Mumbai and Ashish Gogte to Ahmedabad and we found brilliant replacements in
Harshvardhan Gore (drums) and Aditya Swaminathan (rhythm guitars) in Sept 2013 which completed Anarchy's final lineup.

Metalhead Spotted: Who have been your main influences? What inspires you to keep going on?
Anarchy: Everybody in the.band has different influences varying from Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Symphony X to Meshuggah, LoG etc. And talking specifically about Anarchy, bands like Kreator, Death, Megadeth, Sylosis, Iron Maiden, Coroner, Pantera, Testament, Grip Inc, etc. Also, to make good music that we love, to deliver a great show to the audience and our determination to succeed in what we are doing is what inspires us to keep going on.

Metalhead Spotted: How will you describe anarchy‘s sound to our readers?
Anarchy: Thrash metal with elements of other liked genres.

Metalhead Spotted: Well, Anarchy will be appearing soon at Stormfest 2. How do you feel to be a part of it!
Anarchy: It feels amazing to be a part of Stormfest 2. We are really excited to share the stage with bands like Noiseware ,Dark Helm, Consecration, Bleeding Edge, Adamantium. Cant wait for 9th feb!


Metalhead Spotted: How the dry run preparations are going on for Stormfest 2?
Anarchy: The preparations are going good.

Metalhead Spotted: Are there any new materials on the cards for Stormfest 2?
Anarchy: Yes. We have some new material as well as some surprises for the audience.

Metalhead Spotted: Can you tell us about some best gigs where you guys have played?
Anarchy: Stormfest is just our 2nd gig so the best gig we have played would be our debut gig at December Demolition. Which,truly speaking was one of the best gigs anyone could have ever asked for, for a debut show.

Metalhead Spotted: At December Demolition you guys were fine enough on your set. Can you shed light on some experiences regarding it?
Anarchy: Thank you. We think we were pretty good at December
Demolition. We played a short 15 min, set but the response from the crowd was amazing inspite of the bad sound. It was really great to see mosh pits and people headbanging to all the songs you play at your 1st gig. We had an amazing time on stage. We.enjoyed sharing the stage. With our friends from the scene. Also,We shared the stage with a big band like Albatross on our 1st gig and this time it will be Noiseware so everybody in the Anarchy camp is really stoked and excited to go back on stage and play again.

Metalhead Spotted: Where you think that the attitude of thrash metal came from?
Anarchy: The attitude of.thrash metal came from the very thought of breaking the restrictions that society or religion set for us.

Metalhead Spotted: What future holds for Anarchy? Are there any plans.for future recordings and new merchandise?
Anarchy: As of now our plan.is to play live as much as possible. Releases will happen with time. We do have some plans for releases and you'll get to know about them soon.

Metalhead Spotted: We thank you for taking the time out for this little interview Do you have anything to say for your fans?
Anarchy: A huge thank you from Anarchy to all its well wishers, friends and supporters..We are waiting for Stormfest 2 and Anarchy will not let you down. Fans keep the scene alive so keep showing up in numbers and keep supporting metal. See you all at the gig. Thrash em all and May the force be with you ! \m/

Catch them live on 9th February at Stormfest-II 

Interviewer: Akshay Gaikwad
Edited by: Mercy Thoras

Tony Iommi Comments on GRAMMY Win



Black Sabbath was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category at the 56th annual Grammy Awards.

Speaking to the press at backstage guitarist Tony Iommi said:
It's been a fantastic year for us. You couldn't wish for any better. It's been marvelous. We had a great time. We enjoyed doing everything — the tour, the album…and getting one of these [pointing to his Grammy award].

Review: The Down Troddence - 'How Are You? We Are Fine Thank You'


Formed in mid 2009 in Kannur Kerala, this Thrash/Groove/Folk metal band has spread its roots deep in the Indian scene, their debut album released on 1st January 2014 was highly anticipated after 2 singles and their latest music video release of single from the album, titled Shiva.
As simple as the name, 'How Are You? We Are Fine Thank You',  the album is a beautiful piece of work from the hard-working musicians.
With Munz on vocals, Advaith Mohan and Varun Raj on guitars, Sushin Shyam on keyboards, Neezer Ahemed on bass and Ganesh Radhakrishnan on drums, the record label is stated as DIY, while Keshav Dhar has done the production and mastering for the album.

First song on this 10-tracked album, A.V. is a perfectly composed intro for the beast that follows, melodious and staying close to its south Indian influences. The second track, Hell Within Hell, one of the most powerful tracks on this album, starts off with catchy intro and strong riff structure. Munz's vocals gives a feeling of listening to an 80's thrash band, along with some perfectly executed sampling bits.
The third song titled KFC starts of with some irrelevant sampling which throws the listener off track for what follows. Brilliant sampling and interludes, nifty song structure and strong lyrics throughout make this song damn enjoyable. Death Vanity, the fourth track, makes the listener headbang unconsciously as it breaks into catchy intros and lead to classic bass interludes. Use of alliteration and repetition in lyrics for the advantage of the vocalist is executed brilliantly. The fifth track, Nagavalli, shows the epitome of smooth production, especially at the fusion of twin vocal patterns running simultaneously. Strong yet melodious riffing closing off the song with a low mumbling of religious chanting fading out, serves as a cherry on top to this beautifully composed song"

Forgotten Martyrs, the sixth track, is the one that will be a treat for old-school fans, as Baiju Dharmajan is featured on this song. With topics like war, fall of soldiers and martyrs, may be quite cliched themes to bind lyrics to, but TDT does it with a complete different approach.
Next song on the album is cleverly titled 'Muck Fun Mohan', anybody with an IQ over 50 should be able to figure it out. Clearly, the sign is based on the political happenings and surely will tickle your humor bone. Bass interludes along with intricate riffing makes this one crazy as f&%*. 'Ortniavis' is an instrumental track, which contains great sampling work creating a pleasant atmosphere which serves as a silent prelude to 'Shiva'. Shiva breaks into action with a bass intro and three guitar solos follow, which at no point are repetitive or get the listener bored. That brings us to the last track on the CD, 'Chapilla', for which lyrics sheet was provided but I couldn't hear any words. On the second listen I heard the small girl whispers mumbling the lyrics in near-inaudible voice. The lyrics, followed by a great unexpected solo, are thought provoking to the point where your brain goes numb and are left with a strange void."

The Down Troddence is a great band, and this album is one of the most entertaining, engaging and enraging piece of music from India. A raw thrashy 80s feel, with south Indian influences, make this album a must buy for old-school thrash fans.

 Rating: 4/5 - ‎Review by Kaushik Joshi - ‎Edited by Navjot Kaur Gill- 26 Jan 2014

Blackhour - 'Salvation' (Radio Version)



Blackhour is one of the popular Heavy Metal band in Islamabad,Pakistan. With enough line up changes in early years, Black Hour finally got stable in 2009. Blackhour had just released a radio version of the second original from the début album Age Of War from their 2011 dominant record.  Moreover, their live performances are also available on their official YouTube channel.

Tayyab Rehman - Vocals
Hashim Mehmood - Guitars
Mubbashir Sheikh Mashoo - Guitars
Salman Afzal - Bass
Daim Mehmood - Drums

THIS IS CORE IS PROUD TO PRESENT NAMELESS: A NEW PRODUCTION FOR THE LABEL OF GENOA



Nameless are a new formed.band, coming from Imola and signed a contract for the promotion and distribution of the debut album Ossimori, recorded by Luke Lee Josh (Forgotten Tears) in his study.

Check below the tracklisting of Ossimori:
01. Intro
02. Prayer Don't Work
03. Image
04. Sympathetic
05. Souffle
06. Ossimori
07. Explosive Cocktail
08. Everybody

Their facebook page for now-- Nameless

NEWS: Motörhead Cancel European Tour Dates...AGAIN!



Last summer, Motörhead cancelled their European tour so that Lemmy could get better after his health issues . Well, the band rescheduled those dates for next month, but now that isn't happening either. Here's what the band posted on their Facebook page:

It is with great regret that Motörhead has to announce the cancellation of their European tour, scheduled to start February, 2014.

Many concerted, diligent and focused efforts were made by founding member, and international icon, Lemmy Kilmister to deal with a range of health issues relating to diabetes. While there has been undoubted progress, Lemmy and the band were advised by doctors that it was still too soon to resume full touring activities, and so for the good of the future, the band and Lemmy reluctantly agreed to
cancel.


No-one is hurting more over this than Lemmy, and he feels the aggravation and inconvenience of every ticket, and every method of transportation, already paid for by loyal fans in anticipation of the tour. Being a road warrior of over 50 dedicated, non-stop years, it is equally distressing for him to be unable to occupy the top lounge of the trusty tour bus (his spiritual home) but Lemmy recognizes that his long-term health must win. It goes without saying that Lemmy profusely apologizes for inconveniences caused, but he does want everyone to know that he is continuing on the road to a full recovery, and that the prognosis long-term is very good.

Fans have shown tremendous support for Lemmy, and it has meant so much to him. As he told Rolling Stone, “Oh, man, the fans were unbelievable when I got sick” he says. “No bitching. It was all ‘Take your time, get better. Don’t worry, we’ll wait for you. Get well.’” Rome was not built in a day…like Lemmy’s health. But there is some strong light at the end of the tunnel here…we thank you so very much for your continued love, support and understanding.

Review: Sceptre - 'Age Of Calamity'


Founded in Mumbai nearly 15 years ago, in 1998, Indian Thrash Metal jewel, Sceptre, After releasing their second full length album in 2013, entitled “Age of Calamity”, which will come out exclusively at the Thrashfest to be held on February 9, 2014 in a special 15th anniversary slipcase edition.

The album begins with “Solitude”, and  truly the title song says it all: a dark ambient with beautiful grim female vocals in the background, whereupon the song that hold the album’s name, “Age of Calamity” begins. Heavy and sharp riffs, harsh vocals and screams is what characterizes this song the most. The album gets heavier with every song, “Wrath of God” (the 3rd track) comes with a more interesting structure, with both slow and fast thrash tempos, while the vocals reach more violent levels. The riffs from “Prophesy Deceit” are somewhat similar to Dimebag’s genius, whereas the last and the bonus track, “Lest We Forget” escapes the Thrash sphere and shows some Metalcore features from the sound of the guitars, rhythm and vocals

I have to say that I’m impressed how vocalist Samron Jude adjusts his vocals so well. The riffs, although at some point a bit repetitive, have a pretty unique touch, indicating an interesting build-up of the album. A small minus from me when it comes to the drumming , although perfectly timed and greatly performed, it’s their low volume that bothers me - I honestly believe that a stronger sound from the drums would’ve given “Age of Calamity” a more solid output.

But nevertheless, “Age of Calamity” is a good album that brings back the heavy steam of Thrash Metal from the 80s-90s, wrapped with a modern touch, worth having it among your Thrash album collection.
 Rating: 4 - ‎Review by Kevin Junk Kidd - ‎Jan 24, 2014


Kirk Hammett talking about "Through the Never"



Kirk Hammett has been talking about Metallica's IMAX 3D concert film Through the Never. The guitarist notes that, while he thought the band made "a really, really great movie," the film was a failure at the box office because it didn't bring in casual moviegoers:

We put so much time and so much effort and made sure it was.exactly the way that we.envisioned it. Our fans definitely went to movie theaters and saw.the film, but the people that we were counting on to buy movie tickets — which was your casual.moviegoer - they weren't as.motivated to buy a ticket as our fans. For us, that was a big question mark. Why? We couldn't figure it out.

TRINERGIC official music video of "Rise of Xyrith"



IT'S FINALLY HERE!
New Trinergic, and it's awe-inspiring! A melodic death metal outfit from Mumbai, just relinquished music video for incipient single,Rise Of Xyrith; directed by Aditya Jarial and track mastered by Ashwin Shriyan. The video encloses the sound of the musical composition pretty well.

Members-

Rahul Nair: Vocals
Sharang Gaikwad: Guitars
Nikant Sharma: Guitars
Kishan Mulani: Bass
Emmanuel Paul: Drums

PANTERA: Far Beyond Driven 20th Anniversary Edition Details Revealed



Pantera‘s iconic opus Far Beyond Driven turns 20 this year, and a special edition release is on the way to celebrate.

The special edition also comes.with Far Beyond Bootleg – Live From Donington ’94 - a bonus live set featuring the Texans in their chest-beating prime.

Check out the tracklist for the
opus below:




Far Beyond Driven: 20th
Anniversary Edition Tracklist


Disc One – Original Album Remastered:
01. Strength Beyond Strength
02. Becoming
03. 5 Minutes Alone
04. I’m Broken
05. Good Friends And A Bottle Of Pills
06. Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks
07. Slaughtered
08. 25 Years
09. Shedding Skin
10. Use My Third Arm
11. Throes Of Rejection
12. Planet Caravan

Disc Two – “Far Beyond Bootleg – Live From Donington ’94″:
01. Use My Third Arm
02. Walk
03. Strength Beyond Strength
04. Domination/Hollow
05. Slaughtered
06. Fucking Hostile
07. This Love
08. Mouth For War
09. Cowboys From Hell

NEWS: Amy Lee Expecting First Child.



Congratulations to Evanescence singer Amy Lee, who has revealed that she’s pregnant with her first child!

Amy cleaned out news via her official Twitter account earlier this week. "Ok I can’t keep it a secret anymore — I’ve been working on a very special new project for 2014 — A BABY!," revealed the singer. "Josh and I are expecting! I’m so happy!"

MEMORIAL RECORDS SIGNS WARKNIFE: DETAILS ABOUT THE NEW ALBUM!



Italian Post-Hardcore band Warknife signed a deal with Memorial Records for the release of the new album entitled Amorphous, available from February 18th on all digital stores. The distribution of the physical version in Italy, UK and U.S.A. is planned for the next spring. Amorphous is a natural evolution for the band, a good mix between Post-Hardcore, Sludge and Death Metal. The first band feedback about Amorphous:
Amorphous is the end of a path and the beginning of a new one, it represents the start of something indefinite and indecipherable. Our music reflects the instability and the uncertainty we live in, the social changes make us unstable: we are on the verge of ruin and hoping for a better future is nothing more than a utopia.

Amorphous tracklist:
01.Shapeless Birth
02.The Infected Enigma
03.A Bleeding Sunset
04.Behold Regression
05.The Veil Fragments
06.Shape Shifting
07.Hateseed
08.III Becomes Order
09.Shining Phoenix
10.F.A.I.L.

Memorial Records: http://www.memorial-records.com

Warknife Facebook page for now: https://www.facebook.com/pages/WARKNIFE/286090129669

Dave Mustaine Thinks You Don't Like Super Collider Because You Only Listened To It Once!



In a new interview with Full Metal Jackie, Mustaine embellished that Megadeth's music is too convoluted for people to get in one listen, and once you hear Super Collider multiple times, you'll enjoy it:

Well, I think that with Megadeth's music, you've gotta remember the music industry right now has a lot of new writers that are in there and they don't know the history of the band. So they listen to Megadeth and they think it's, like, "These guys are older and I listened to the record and I don't get it.

[A] Megadeth [album] is not a record you can listen to and get everything in one listen. There's a,lot of moving parts. The lyrics are pretty provocative and pretty thought out; you can't just read through the lyrics and understand all the double entendres and all the hidden meanings. I consider myself, being a New York Times best-selling author, to have a pretty good grasp of The King's English, and I try and use that.

I mean, I think, over my whole career, with almost 200 songs, I've said "baby" in three songs maybe. And I don't think there's very many records out you can get through without hearing one song that doesn't have it. So I think that looking back at everything that we've done, it's all a cumulative effort with Super Collider, but that was also a turning point for us going back to a major label. And the love that we feel for Universal and their staff, everybody with our agency and all the people involved with us right now, we figured we're just gonna go back to what we do best and not try and write songs for radio. Because it's like trying to have a baby: it either happens, or it doesn't. It's fun to try, but a lot of people fail when they do that. And for us when we try to make songs, a lot of times they're good, but "Symphony Of Destruction" came out of nowhere, and so did "Peace Sells". And those are the songs that everyone says, "Well, write another 'Peace Sells'," or "Write another 'Symphony'."' You can't just write that stuff [whenever you want]; it's inside of you and it has to come out when it's ready.

Interview with Consecration



Consecration is Pune based Metal band formed in late 2011. Consecration have been playing at almost every gig in pune ever since. Their aim is to keep playing live. Recently we caught up with
drummer Akshay Nathwani for this little conversation regarding upcoming EP, their
music and many other general things.

Metalhead Spotted: Greetings from Metalhead Spotted! How you all have been doing in recent times?
Akshay: Greetings from Consecration it's good to hear from you Guys.We have been in the studio's recently.

Metalhead Spotted: When did you all came together? would you mind to spill a brief history of Consecration?
Akshay: It all started when our vocalist Adwitya wanted to start a metal project he met me and soon I was part of it. After same random jams with different guitarist we found Ronnie (guitarist) who had a song which everyone could work on which came out to be our first original (plunge) while improvising this song Siddhartha (guitarist) contacted us and became a part of the band,Avadhoot ( bassist) was an old friend of Adwitya who offered to fill in for Bass and we played for the first time in Worme fest in 2011.

Metalhead Spotted: How do you feel to be a part of Stormfest 2? Do you think it is one of the leading concerts in which consecration is set up on?
Akshay: Watching Stormfest 1 and seeing the massive lineup, we always wanted to be a part of this event. It is definitely one of the best upcoming gig this year and we are lucky to be a part of it.

Metalhead Spotted: Could we look forward to any new compositions from your side at stormfest 2?
Akshay: We have been working on some new material You can expect our whole set from our upcoming Ep and we also have something exclusive for our fans

Metalhead Spotted: What are some of your primary influences? Did you guys draw your influences from jazz and blues?
Akshay: We have been influenced by many bands such as LAMB OF GOD ,DREAM THREATRE,SLIPKNOT,GOJIRA, PORKUPINE TREE etc. Our songs have jazz and blues influences as our guitarist Ronnie is also a blues guitarist.

Metalhead Spotted: When it comes to lyrics, what are some of the specific themes that they cover?
Akshay: Our lyrics are based on the loop holes of the society which we question.

Metalhead Spotted: You guys will releasing new EP in few months. What will be the concept behind it?
Akshay: Yes we will be introducing the band through our EP in which we have taken.different aspects of the society and portrayed it through our music.

Metalhead Spotted: We had heard that the artwork on.upcoming EP is depicted by.guitarist Siddhartha Iyer..Could you tell us more about it?
Akshay: Yes Siddhartha had some ideas about the artwork which he is currently working on.The artwork introduces the band members and depicts the writing of our song influenced by different aspects of the society.

Metalhead Spotted: So, are there any confirmations for another concerts?
Akshay: We have some gigs lined up in pune and bombay dates are not confirmed.

Metalhead Spotted: What is your opinion about metal scene today?
Akshay: As of now the metal scene is expanding more bands have come up with their music, many venues have started playing metal and there is more exposure.

Metalhead Spotted: We thank you for your time. Is there any message you would like to leave for your fans?
Akshay: It was a pleasure.talking to you guys and i would like to say make sure you attend Stormfest 2 as it is a stepping stone for the band and as well for our fans.

Interviewer: Akshay Gaikwad
Edited by:   Mercy Thoras

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY: 'Catacombs Of The Black Vatican' Cover Art and Track Listing



The new BLACK LABEL SOCIETY studio album, "Catacombs Of The Black Vatican", will be released in Europe on April 7 via Mascot Label Group.

"Catacombs Of The Black Vatican" track listing:

01. Fields of Unforgiveness
02. My Dying Time
03. Believe
04. Angel of Mercy
05. Heart of Darkness
06. Beyond The Down
07. Scars
08. Damn The Flood
09. I've Gone Away
10. Empty Promises
11. Shades of Gray
12. Dark Side of The Sun (bonus track)
13. The Nomad (bonus track)

Check out the cover artwork below:

NEWS: GAMMA RAY Are Finishing a New Album



Germany's power metal titans, are currently putting the finishing touches on their 11th studio album Empire of the Undead. Keep in mind that the band's studio and rehearsal space, Hammer Studio, burned to the ground last year destroying virtually all of Gamma Ray's equipment.

Gamma Ray are in a new studio right now putting the finishing touches on the album. Regarding the fire, Gamma Ray mastermind Kai Hansen had this to say:

"If this could not stop us, nothing ever will. We got rid of a lot of shit that we gathered there. Unfortunately, a lot of good equipment as well. Anyhow, we look towards the future, we saved the production and we can continue now in this new place. By mid-January we should be done with the work on this album."

Review: Iced Earth - Plagues of Babylon



















No matter how hard I try some times, I can never get myself to dislike Iced Earth. "Why the hell would you TRY to dislike Iced Earth, Casper?!". Well, that is because just about every good song they have is written with a formula. For fun, try singing "I see the sadness in their eyes, melancholy in their cries" over just about any song they have and you'll notice how well it fits. This put aside though (even though it is yet again the case with Plagues of Babylon), this album is one of the first good albums released this year and the lads of Iced Earth have done their magic yet again.

The thing is that there is little to be said about Iced Earth that hasn't been clear already since 1990. If you've ever heard any Iced Earth track then Plagues of Babylon won't be anything new. Possibly being both the band's strength and weakness, their consistency is once again proven. I'm saying it like this because to me it's true. No matter how refreshing Iced Earth's personal style is, from album to album there's not much difference, and when tracks like The End? or Cthulhu are playing I almost feel like they're lost tracks from The Glorious Burden (or any other album if it wasn't for the recording quality). This is a weird aspect for a band that has had so many line up changes that by now they could start a complete orchestra of ex-members, but hey, I'm sure Jon Schaffer has picked all members for the specific reason of always sounding the same.

Something that stood out to me is how much Stu Block sounds like Barlow from time to time. This definitely contributes to that whole "lost tracks of The Glorious Burden" statement just now and I really did enjoy hearing him adapt to Iced Earth more and more (even though his own vocals as heard on Dystopia and the more clean-oriented songs are great as well)

Possibly the biggest disappointment on the album was the lack of aggression. The more aggressive songs like Resistance and Among The Living Dead are way too often intermittent by a moment of "slow the fuck down", something I guess I should be used to by now of Iced Earth, but still something I always keep hoping for. I'm just always hoping for a new Red Baron/Blue Max.

In short, if you've ever enjoyed any Iced Earth song, you'll definitely enjoy this album as well, but don't expect to be blown away with anything new. It's Iced Earth with the solid, safe quality it's always had.

 Rating: 3.7 - ‎Review by Casper Leijen - ‎Jan 20, 2014

Motörhead Manager Comments on Lemmy‘s Health



The Motörhead frontman’s health issues came up over and over during 2013. Motörhead manager Todd Singerman talked to Decibel Magazine about Lemmy’s status.

Singerman says the following on Lemmy’s health:

“[Lemmy's] been up and down. He’s got a really bad diabetic problem, and it changes on a daily basis. A lot of it is just fighting the bad habits, the things that he’s not supposed to do anymore. He’s stopped smoking, but he probably sneaks Jack and Coke here and there. He’d be lying to you if he said he stopped. He’s been trying to substitute it with wine, and I’m sure he’s slowed down on the speed. He thinks wine’s better than Jack, but it’s still got tons of sugar, you know? He doesn’t grasp that he’s just trading one demon for the other. That was the compromise with the doctors, by the way— trade the Jack for the wine. But he doesn’t tell them he’s drinking two fucking bottles, either. These are the battles we’re up against. Keep in mind, he’s been doing all this stuff on a daily basis since Hendrix. And it’s coming to roost. It’s sad for him, because he’s gotten away with this stuff for all this time.

“I made them cancel [the European tour], because Lemmy’s not ready. He didn’t wanna cancel. But what was gonna go down is what happened in Europe over the summer. See, he fucked up in Europe. He was supposed to rest for three months, and he refused. He ended up doing that show [Wacken Open Air in August], which he wasn’t supposed to do, and it ended up being 105 degrees out there. He’s playing direct in the fucking sun. The only thing I’m proud of him for is stopping when it didn’t feel good. That was smart of him. The bottom line is that he needs to find a balance and then live that balance for a few months. But we can’t find the balance yet. He has great days and then he fucks it up. And when you fuck up, you go backwards.”

GIG ALERT: STORMBRINGER PRESENTS STORMFEST 2!

THE STORMBRINGER has taken an intiative to revive Pune's live music scene. They have organized various Gigs in Pune including StormFest and Hindi-Fusion Revolution.The aim of the StormBringer is to increase the metal scene in Pune and also help upcoming bands by giving them a platform to perform.    

                                       STORMFEST 2 SPONSORED BY STORMBRINGER

On February 9th 2014, Pune's metal scene will be revived! Here's STORMFEST 2 to take that a notch up by sticking to the talent within the city limits yet keeping the same amount of brutal energy witnessed at the debut edition of this series.


                                                  

NOISEWARE, a Metalcore band from Pune will be the headlining act for the evening.Combining intricacy, technicality and groove with a visual experience unlike ever seen before, Noiseware is the vanguard of a new,young and thriving Indian Metal Landscape, constantly seeking to push the boundaries of possibility.


DARK HELM is a Pune based progressive deathcore band.The sound of Dark Helm is the musicalisation of the journey of an ancient warrior through the sands of Persia and his quest to defend his throne,by bending time and cheating death.It is an infusion of Ethnic character with Modern Metal.They're THE band for hardcore metal heads and have amazing fan following in Pune.


CONSECRATION try to describe their music mostly as just metal but bring in some influences from jazz and blues into the melodies.One of Pune's unique acts that play a blend of modern metal styles with the sensibilities of progressive masterminds like DreamTheater.Crushing, yet soulful,they are sure to get your fists up high as you mosh and airguitar to their music!They have a huge surprise in store for their fans so besure not to miss this one!


ADMANTIUM aka 'AMTM' is a Metal-core/Post-Hardcore band from Pune, formed in September 2008. The name of the band is inspired by the cult video fame, Final Fantasy, and signifies the band's indestructible love for Metal.Their influences are Parkaway Drive, Devil wears Prada, Miss May I,Bring Me The Horizon, Rashamba, As I lay Dying, Asking Alexandria.They will return to the StormFest for the second time by popular demand!


BLEEDING EDGE is a 4 piece metal band from Pune, India. Also returning for the second time at the StormFest by popular demand from their 60k fans that attended the earlier,they have a new sound that even we are eager to hear.Their sound is basically an amalgamation of thrash and groove with influences from progressive rock and death metal.Overall Bleeding Edge is a smooth blend of fast yet groovy riffs, blazing solos, aggresive vocals and chest thumping drums and bass.

ANARCHY is a Thrash Metal Band from Pune. It has been playing since september 2013 and recently had their debut gig at December Demolition Wakad. These guys had a very impressive debut as per any standards, their set at Demolition had a mosh pit on all their songs and the band's facebook page had over 300 likes within 48hrs of going live. Their sound encompasses the harshness of Motorhead and speed of Megadeth!This is one band to watch out for once they get set in the scene!

RSVP HERE

- Preview by Mercy Thoras      

Interview with Deadbolt



Deadbolt is a Thrash/Death metal band from Kolkata, India. They formed in 2013 when two pissed off guys met in a bar and figured out their similar influences and decide to jam. Deadbolt's music is a pure synthesis of accelerated tempos and bitty aggression. Recently we caught up with the band for this little conversation.

Metalhead Spotted: Greetings from Metalhead Spotted! When did things started
out to be serious for forming Deadbolt?
Deadbolt: Hello, thank you for spotting us! Mid 2013, when Nilabja and Rakesh were pretty pissed off, wanted to make
music, and had nothing better to
do! Soumick and Bob joined in soon after, and there you have it!

Metalhead Spotted: What kind of bands moved you recently in all the metal genres?
Deadbolt: Slayer! And umm, Slayer, yeah Slayer, that’s about it!

Metalhead Spotted: We believe that Thrashfest will
be your first appearance outside Kolkata. Can you share some excitable things regarding Thrashfest?
Deadbolt: We are stoked to be sharing stage with bands such as Chaos, Threinody, and
Albatross! Also looking forward to the journey with brothers from Armament!
And yeah our drummer Bob won’t be able to make it for this
one, so we’re gonna have an old friend joining us on stage.




Metalhead Spotted: On Thrashfest you are about to share stage with some indomitable acts.
Can you tell us about some emotional obstructions before you.
Deadbolt: This is our first gig outside and we are moving into hostile territories. We have.absolutely no clue as to how the crowd will react to Deadbolt. But we do believe in one thing, there can’t be a single metalhead out there who ain't gonna bang his/her head to a few ‘Tallica covers!

Metalhead Spotted: Well how are the jam sessions going over for Thrashfest?
Deadbolt: Pretty smooth. Not so sure about the setlist yet though!

Metalhead Spotted: So are there any new compositions coming up for Thrashfest?

Deadbolt: Oh yes! The lyrics and riffs are ready; we just need to sit down with the drums!

Metalhead Spotted: From where you guys frequently capture inspirations for writings?
Deadbolt: Every morning when we wake up and see the amount of shit this world is in, it inspires us a lot! Then there is our government, and the media, and people too blind to see.

Metalhead Spotted: What do you guys normally listen to in your spare time?
Deadbolt: Outside old school heavy/thrash/death, some blues, some country, a lil’ bit of rap, lots of things!

Metalhead Spotted: Are you going to release new EP or full-length in 2014? Any confirmations for another concert?
Deadbolt: We would love to, so if any record label guys are reading this, give us a deal motherfucker! As of now, no gigs after Thrashfest!

Metalhead Spotted: We thank you for your time. Do you have any words for your fans?
Deadbolt: Go out there and beat up the nearest politician you find! And burn the local police station!

Thank you for having us!


Interviewer : Akshay Gaikwad
Edited by   :  Mercy Thoras

INTERVIEW:With Daniel Rego on his Last show with 'Demonic Resurrection'

Demonic Resurrection are a blackened death metal band from Mumbai, India. Since their inception in the year 2000, their current line-up consists of Sahil "The Demonstealer" Makhija on vocals and rhythm guitars, Daniel Rego on lead guitars, Ashwin Shriyan on bass, Virendra "Viru" Kaith on drums and Mephisto on keyboards. Since its formation, the band has released 3 studio albums and 1 EP. We caught up with their lead guitarist Daniel Rego who is recently reported to be quitting Demonic Resurrection. After 5 years and 2 albums Daniel bids farewell to Demonic Resurrection.

Metalhead Spotted: Greetings to you from Metalhead Spotted, How are you doing?
Daniel: I'm doing very well, thank you.

Metalhead Spotted: As you were the guitarist for one of the most popular band of India, how does it feel?
Daniel: I don't know about most popular band, but my five years in Demonic Resurrection were some of the most memorable times of my life. Playing to so many appreciative and passionate people across so many cities and four countries, and meeting people who today are some of my closest friends - everyone in and closely associated with Demonic Resurrection, and other musicians I've toured and worked with. I'm very proud of the music the band has created as a collective, and the things it has achieved.

Metalhead Spotted: Why did you take the decision to leave the band, when it is the leading band of India?
Daniel: As a musician, there came a point where I began to feel that my personal development was moving in a very different direction, one that was obviously incompatible with my role in Demonic Resurrection, or rather, my role in this kind of music in general. While I still listen to metal when I am in the mood for that aesthetic and presentation, my primary musical interests now lie outside that sphere, and I felt it was time for me to move on and dedicate myself towards other musical idioms that fascinate me.

Metalhead Spotted: What are your future plans? Will you continue your interest in music or something else?
Daniel: Music is the absolute centre of my life. There's nothing else I have any intention of doing very seriously. I will just focus creatively on other kinds of music now, get working on some projects that I've been putting off for a while, and continue my role in other musical involvements I'm part of. One of them is a progressive Sufi/fusion band called Indicus. An album's worth of material is already recorded, and music should be publicly released very soon. There is a website (www.indicustheband) and a Facebook Band page (www.facebook.com/IndicusTheBand), both of which will be updated as things progress.
Besides this, working as a freelance/session musician is still my main occupation, and that will continue as usual. I might get down to seriously getting together bits and pieces of written material for some self-released music, too. I also have a blues/rock band in the works, and that will definitely receive more time and energy now. I have a Facebook Musician page at www.facebook.com/danielkennethrego, where I'll post updates on all my musical involvements and related developments, so watch that space and stay in touch!

Metalhead Spotted: What are you feeling about your last gig with Demonic Resurrection?
Daniel: I'm actually very excited about it, excited to meet people for whom my place in Demonic Resurrection was something of importance. It'll also be my last gig as a member of a band I've spent five memorable years with, both on and off stage, and it'll definitely be something difficult to leave behind. But it's in the best interests of both parties, and both the band and I can only move forward from here, so it's a positive situation.

Metalhead Spotted: As one of the best guitarists of India, would you like to share three things with the young guitarists what you think is the secret of your success?
Daniel: Thank you for the kind words, although I'd lay no claim to any such title. There are far too many amazingly talented guitarists and musicians in general, in India.

There is some advice that I'd like to share with other young guitarists and musicians in general. Educate yourself musically, strive to understand your instrument and how music works, and learn to love other forms of this art. Learning music is the best thing you can do for yourself. Pay attention to basics, regardless of what style you play, because those basics are equally applicable to all of them. It may not be as obvious with some styles as with others, but eventually, you'll hit a ceiling unless you stop and really take the time to understand and learn your craft. Don't just learn how to play things, but pay equal attention to how and why they work and sound good. That's what will empower you to create and develop. Also pay attention to tone, sound and expression, not merely from the perspective of acquiring better equipment, but understanding how much of it is in your own technique, performance, knowledge and intent.

Metalhead Spotted: Are you truly satisfied with your musical career with Demonic Resurrection?
Daniel: Yes, I'm proud of everything the band has achieved so far, including the two albums I've been involved in creating – 2010's The Return To Darkness, and the upcoming one, which I think contains the best music the band has ever made. Give it a listen when it's finally out!

Metalhead Spotted: Thank you very much for giving your valuable time to Metalhead spotted. Do you want to add anything?
Daniel: Thank you for the interview, and look out for new music coming your way!

Catch Demonic Resurrection live at Blue FROG in Mumbai - The Final Stand - As Daniel Kenneth Rego curates his last show with Demonic Resurrection. He will pick out his favourite DR songs to play. 
Halahkuh and Orion will be their special guests for this show.
RSVP Here


Interviewer : Rishi Raaj Sen
Edited by   :  Mercy Thoras

REVIEW: Asylum - "Inmate"


What better way do you have to make your debut into the metal scene than 'Asylum' : Asylum is a four-piece Mumbai based metal band, which, after playing at numerous venues, has finally kick-started the new year with their awe-spring EP 'Inmate', which is a perfect blend of grooviness and brutality.

The first track on the EP, Towards The Zero begins with a voice sample, a very uncommon piece found in Indian albums, which is followed by a totally insane riff. The vocals are guttural, which sound perfect with the music. The solo in this track is just what the audience wants, melodious as well as technically sound. The second track, 'The Devilish Lizard', features a thumping bass-line in the begging, with the same guitar riffs following it. Its has a sludgy tone to it, and sounds awesome. The drumwork on this track suits well to it. The third track, 'The Way He Lived', is an instrumental track, which balances the whole atmosphere created by the band on the EP, and also works as a platform for the band to show their technical aspects.

'Groove. Trip. Fall' is the next track on the record. Its a typical groove track with a crushing riff and good use of the double bass. A solo was missing, which would've completed the track in all aspects. The last track on this wonderfull EP is 'Agitate The Origin'. Its a great track, only second to the first track of the EP. Clean guitar intro and various sample clearly shows the bands approach for something new.
The production job on this EP is done by Arun Iyer of the well-know Death/Thrash metal band Devoid, and is done very well. The instruments' sound is clear and the mixing doesnt compromise on the overall tone of the tracks. The vocals on the EP sound similar to that of Nick Speleos of Dying Fetus or Niilo Sevanen of Insomnium, but surely have a distinct sound. The riffs and drum pattern can meet with some technicailty, but, overall, this is an amazing piece of work, and a glorious push for a promising future.

Current members:
Anubhav Rattan - Bass
Raghu Raj - Drums
Vivek Bhatt - Vocals
Angad Singh - Guitars

Asylum Will be launching their EP "INMATE" on 16th January
RSVP Here

 Rating: 4.2 - ‎Review by Piyush Ojha - ‎Jan 15, 2014

Interview with SystemHouse33



Systemhouse33 is an Experimental Thrash Metal band from Mumbai, India. SystemHouse33 is affirmed for playing interesting blend of Thrash and groove with extreme influences from different styles, including Death Metal, incorporating atmospheric parts and artistic rendering. We were able to catch up with vocalist Samron Jude for this little
conversation.

Metalhead Spotted: Greetings from Metalhead Spotted! Hope you guys are doing well. Could you please introduce SystemHouse 33 to our readers?
Samron: Hey there! Hows it going? Glad to be interviewed by Metalheadspotted.net SystemHouse33 (Sh33) was formed in the small town of Nagpur, right in the center of India on Sept 22, 2003 before shifting base to Mumbai. We were just kids who hung out a lot and got into metal when one college student gave us some metal cds and that was enough to start a brand new heavy metal chapter in our lives. \m/
                                            Remembering the legend - Dimebag Darrell.

Metalhead Spotted: How did you come up with the band's name? how did you guys come together as a band?
Samron: 33 is our favourite number and we listened to a lot of Firehouse when we were kids, hence the name. We all grew up in the same neighbourhood and it was natural for us to develop similar tastes in music. We always wanted to play our own music and growing up in Nagpur it was tough to get people to open up to accepting any form of Metal, let alone original music. But we didn't give up and that's when SystemHouse33 came into existence.


Metalhead Spotted: How did you tend to play thrash metal music? What are the lyrical themes you use in writings?

Samron: Samron Jude (vocals) was playing with Cornell (ex-bass) in another band early on. Later when Daniel (Guitars) and Shane (ex-drums and Cornell's twin brother) joined them to form SH33, the sound of the band veered towards the heavier side. With the addition of Leon Quadros (2008) and Amogh Sharma (2013) the sound of the band is progressively heavier. Our fourth album Depths of Despair talks about social evils and how we seem to have lost our
way on a whole.
Metalhead Spotted: When it comes to influence, what bands drew you to heavy metal? 
Samron: We were initially influenced by bands like Firehouse, Van Halen, Deep Purple, Extreme and others, introduced to us by our friend Basil Rocque who has helped us tremendously. The turning point came when we played at a college fest in Nagpur (illegally since we were still in school haha) and a student gave us a CD with bands like Pantera, Slayer, Metallica etc on it.

Metalhead Spotted: Well, having been around for about 10 years now, How has your sound grown?
Samron: We wanted to write original music from day one. In fact, before we played a cover we had two originals written down. We started out playing straight up Thrash with tracks like Scartation of our first release Discernment. Later with Join the System and Thrive Live, we got into a Thrash/Groove mode. Now with Depths of Despair, we are more Experimental Thrash with elements of Progressive and Technical metal.

Metalhead Spotted: Your latest dominant release Depths of Despair, received rightfully by fans. How do you feel about success it has in recent times?
Samron: It feels great! Depths of Despair is a an album that has changed the sound of the band. Daniel DSouza came back from Australia we started working on "Depths of Despair" for which we have also recently released a music video, which you will find on our YoutTube channel. So we have finally have our sound which is very unique and we are very proud of it.


Metalhead Spotted: We notice a strong Slayer and old school thrash influence on Depths of Despair, how will you illustrate your sound to the fans?
Samron: We started out playing thrash and grew up listening to such bands, who have influenced entire generations of Metal Heads. With this album, we are playing music that is more progressive and in the Experimental Thrash metal zone. There are atmospheric elements as well as some downright dirty grooves. Every track on this album has something new for the listener.

Metalhead Spotted: SystemHouse 33 is set to play at Thrashfest, sponsored by Transcending Obscurity; Are you excited about it?
Samron: We are thrilled! The lineup for Thrashfest is nothing short of brilliant and we are honoured to be part of this. Anyone who is into metal cannot miss this gig, Kunal has done a fantastic job yet again and we would like to thank him for having us on the bill. \m/

Metalhead Spotted: Is there anything you’re looking forward to doing on Thrashfest?
Samron: We are looking forward to playing our album "Depths of Despair" live. When played live, the songs take on new life and we are essentially a live band that has a blast on stage and we look forward to slamming the place on the 9th of Feb.

Metalhead Spotted: Can you tell us about some vocal techniques that are usually being used by you?
Samron: For our metal vocals, we make sure that the words can be heard clearly and its outright aggression added with a lot of different kinds of sounds and pitches, which makes it absolutely brutal!

Metalhead Spotted: What does the future hold for SystemHouse33? Is there any plans for new release?
Samron: We will be releasing another video within the next month or two from the current album and we are already putting down some tracks for our 5th album, which we hope to release by mid-late 2014.

Metalhead Spotted: I Thank you for your time. Is there any words for your fans and reader?
Samron: We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us over the last 10 years. It has not been easy, but its because of the support we receive from everyone that we have managed to keep going and we are not going to stop anytime soon! So check out our latest album 'Depths of Despair' and don't hesitate to catch us on our official website www.systemhouse33.com, Facebook, Youtube and of course on Feb 9, 2014 at the Thrashfest, sponsored by Transcending Obscurity.
Interviewer: Akshay Gaikwad

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More

 
Rock On