by Matt Smith
Not many vocalists in death metal have a distinct voice you can name on the spot, but none is as unmistakable as Martin van Drunen. Even back in his days in Pestilence I knew he was an originator in the genre. His latest project, Hail of Bullets, consists of ex-Houwitser bass player Theo van Eekelen, Gorefest drummer Ed Warby and Thanatos guitarists Paul Baayens and Stephan Gebédi. In May they released a full length CD on Metal Blade records entitled ...Of Frost And War and if you haven't heard it yet you are missing out on some classic old school death metal churned out by men who know what the fuck they're doing! I spoke with Martin himself to get the low down on the concept behind the new disc and share our thoughts about how true death metal can sound in the hands of the right people!
by Matt Smith
Lair of the Minotaur, the name conjures up all kinds of images that would be common in a Dungeons and Dragons Fantasy book for role playing geeks, but it's also the name of a powerful metal band from Chicago. Out on the road in support of their third Southern Lord release, War Metal Battle Master I caught them live at Church in Boston and got to witness the fury that is Lair of the Minotaur first hand! I was also able to interview Steve Rathbone (guitar & vocals) and DJ (aka Donald James Barraca, bass) after their smoking set that night opening for The Ocean's first US tour. Here's how the more-than-slightly buzzed tale unfolded...
|
by Adam Kohrman
I’m a young guy. I didn’t grow up and watch metal grow into its myriad of subgenres. At the tender age of 13, while on vacation in the Grand Canyon, our hotel’s chef overheard me raving about the brutality and heaviness of Pantera. Disgusted, he confronted me and mentioned dozens of bands that would resurface in my CD collection years later. Immortal, Dissection, Morbid Angel, and the band he referred to as “the best in the world,” Emperor.
...
My Emperor journey came full circle when earlier this summer, I was privileged enough to interview the man behind the brilliance, Ihsahn. Hearing his Norwegian accent on the other end of my landline phone was surreal. He was as down to earth as I had imagined, and eager to talk about whatever I threw at him...
by Matt Coe
I'm pleased to present to the readers an act I've followed through the Powermad festival years (1997-2001), when guitarist Matt Johnsen would present select journalists demos of songs he and his bandmates in Pharaoh were crafting in hopes of putting out a debut album. Granted it took a few years for After The Fire to hit the streets in 2003, but these guys certainly made the wait worthwhile as they conjure up the glory days of stirring guitar melodies, harmonies abound and a killer set of pipes fronting the band with former Control Denied vocalist Tim Aymar. Following their debut live performance in Germany at the Keep It True festival, I got the chance to email Matt Johnsen a series of questions about their last two albums on Italy's Cruz del Sur Music, 2006's The Longest Night as well as an early contender for my album of the year playlist in the newest Be Gone.
|
LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR 
PHARAOH
