-Raz- has written the following articles:
After all the problems that Craig Nicholls suffered, whether they be self-inflicted or totally out of his control, it would have been nice if this album had been The Vines' vindication. Instead, Vision Valley is 13 tracks of tepid dishwater rock: grey, dead, and soulless.»
This is the homecoming. Hundred Reasons are playing to the most people since their unceremonious departure from Columbia and they've worked damn hard to get back here. This is an all British lineup with 65daysofstatic and Keiko in support.»
Innocent man? You’re having a laugh, surely. Perhaps, but this is the true return of The Mack. The lead track off what is amazingly only his second album, is a hilarious tale about Mr Morrison’s time in county jail (you get them in the UK?) and how misunderstood he is. Like Pink!»
Oh god, not another bloody festival. But yes, Rite Of Spring has indeed sprung up in Reykjavik, Iceland and will be held over four nights between 27th and 30th April in the capital’s most popular nightclub, NASA. I’ve never been to Iceland before. It’s going to be dead good! Hooray!»
Nightmare Of You have arrived to spread themselves thinly but surely across every scene possible. While many of their emo peers cry out about how much they’ve been influenced by Joy Division / The Smiths / The Cure (delete as applicable) whilst merely sounding like a piss-poor version of AFI or Glassjaw, NOY actually do sound like those bands. Except nowhere near as eye-rollingly depressed. I mean, like, get over it...»
It’s 1989 and a couple of kids in an El Paso, Texas high school are creating some impressive Slayer-influenced thrash metal. They call themselves Torture and release a record, but only in Mexico and the UK. It becomes a cult classic in their homeland, taped and passed on while the duo go to college and watch the thrash scene succumb to more extreme tastes. Cut to 2006 and someone decides it is time to unleash Torture’s only record upon the world...»
Disgustingly young Californian quartet From First To Last have released a largely brilliant follow-up to 2004’s interesting, but horribly emo, Dear Diary, My Teenage Angst Has A Bodycount. This latest offering is harder, faster and more complex. It’s almost a total turnaround...»
Back in 2002 there was a band brewing in northern Sweden that had members who, despite being involved in other projects already, felt a pull towards this more socially aware and more highly politicised side project. They all felt that Khoma had become more than it was being allowed to be. This particular labour of love needed a fuller outlet. The possibilities for everyone enjoying some of this largely unobtrusive record are endless. The likelihood that nobody takes note at all, however, is very real.»
Idle hands beget the devil’s work. This is certainly true in the case of Trivium tonight. After touring their silver-selling Ascendancy album for over a year and a half now and a certain level of boredom is definitely showing. There are to be some testing times ahead for Trivium if they are to reach the high targets they’ve set themselves.»
Tonight sees a joint headlining show from two of heavy metal’s trailblazers in Sepultura and In Flames. While the Brazilians married thrash metal and roots music to lay claim as one of the frontrunners of the 1990s nu-metal scene, the Swedes are much, much more current. If the young pretenders are to be taken seriously as contenders to either crown then first they must all prove themselves at least worthy as these behemoths.»
Breaking through with some decidedly goth-influenced, OC metalcore roots in 2003 with the majestic Waking The Fallen, the muscle-bound Californians have seemingly turned a corner with their recent album City Of Evil resembling the sleazy, Hollywood hard rock of the 1980s. Make no bones about it, this was an odd career move...»
When it comes to classic trailblazers; true pioneers of a genre, the pool is small and the company few. Venom sits comfortably in the middle having inspired the mighty Metallica, Slayer and, of course, the majority of heavy Scandinavian metal. Somehow, ‘Metal Black’ seems like the best material Venom has produced for two decades.»
iLiKETRAiNS singer/guitarist David Martin was involved in a freak accident while closing his band's spectacular set at the Dublin Castle, Camden last night...»
Following on from their blistering debut album, This War Will Last Forever, Scottish metallers Mendeed are playing a single warm-up show in London, in preparation for their nationwide tour with the new darlings of modern metal, Trivium.»
Emerging from the same Sacramento, California scene that spawned Deftones, Will Haven remains as easily the most devastating live band I have ever experienced first hand. The reformation of this band, early last autumn was obviously one of the defining points of my 2005. With so many question marks looming, it was only natural that Raz reached up high to collar Mike Martin and Cayle Hunter to get me some answers and some reasons.»
Those mighty rockers, Winnebago Deal, are set to motor across the world during 2006 in support of a brand, spanking new album. They've got bags of songs ready and it's gonna be facking great. Trust.»
The pyrotechnics for which Rammstein are so well known can almost be seen through their songs, so strong is the association. ‘Mann Gegen Mann’ is yet another heady mix of angry whispered melodies and harshly grunted metal choruses all set to a backdrop of thundering metal riffs that almost marches through the speakers...»
They are undoubtedly one of British rock’s international success stories but Placebo seem to almost slip under the Cool Radar every single time they release a record. The London trio have achieved a notable and prolonged career by maintaining their ability to progress just enough from the last album, be it in style or quality, to keep their existing fanbase happy while still providing something a bit different.»
DiS brings you a UK exclusive: an interview with Australian punk rockers, The Scare. Raziq Rauf talks to bassist Wade Keighran about starting a new life on the other side of the world...»
By releasing the opening track off their major label debut, City Of Evil, Avenged Sevenfold are merely sending a curt reminder of their pseudo-goth bombast to their fans before embarking on a short UK tour.»
Temporary fashions in the music world can be so cruel. Caliban have returned with their fifth album, The Undying Darkness. Bar the occasional standout track, Caliban have delivered a remarkably average album. This release already looks slightly tired.»
DiS has brought you another interview with the cream of the European crop. This is Disco Ensemble. Hailing from Helsinki, Finland at a combined weight of four young men, this band are scheduled for success. Oh yes. Having caught up with the rocking Finns in Holland last month and failed to get even close to doing an interview, emails were duly sent and lively frontman Miikka Koivisto answered some quite ridiculous questions as appropriately as he could.»
There are those who follow, and there are those blaze the trails. In Flames are quite definitely the latter and they have returned with a stunning new album in Come Clarity. After a couple of below-par, more commercial albums that appeared watered down to appeal to the general public, Come Clarity will surely reclaim their mantle as one of the leading metal acts of our time.»
Many of the uninitiated will be claiming that Heavy Metal is making a comeback in the UK. Metal never went away. There are just fewer bands peddling the hackneyed fad of nu-metal in favour of the more musical approach that always distinguished the finest metal. I-(def)-I aren’t following any trends. The quartet aren’t going to be stuck in with the anythingcore labels. This is heavy metal, plain and simple.»
Buffalo, NY hardcore rockers Every Time I Die are set for a fresh headline jaunt across the UK this May.»
Devil Sold His Soul are the kind of band that relax me and make my ears bleed at the same time. Understandably, most people can only appreciate the latter part of their effect on me. DSHS play in vast swathes of atmospheric metal, accompanied by rapid-fire drumwork and harsh vocals. With a batch of clearly distinguisable songs with an unearthly pedigree, Devil Sold His Soul might be a band you hear a little bit more of in the future.»
Trust me, there won�t ever be a �new Metallica�. Foolish as those hyperbolic claims might be, it is important not to dismiss the clear talent held by these Floridians. Trivium are worth their salt. DiS doesn�t fly all the way to Florida to talk to youthfully exuberant bassist, Paolo Gregoletto. He�s only 20. Bless. »
On to the next young, British quintet who will play you Heavy Metal of a fine, fine quality. This is Mendeed. The meticulousness in the instrumentation of their debut record has no doubt come from playing over 200 shows since they signed to fledgling metal label, Rising Records. This is exactly the kind of band that we should be supporting: young, British and talented playing the right music in the right places. Their time is now.»
Recently indifference, indecision and derision have arisen from experiencing two of America�s latest major label exports: ultra-fashionable Chicagoan popcore purveyors Fall Out Boy and Washington�s, Deftones-collaborating, indie computer rockers, Idiot Pilot. Both bands have just toured the UK, selling out venues far and wide and having seen both bands now, I was left slightly puzzled when DJ Mike Diver asked me, �Hey Raz, do you think that Idiot Pilot album is any good?� I wasn�t entirely sure but then he said, �Oh, and I really like Fall Out Boy! What do you think?� There was only one feasible option to be taken here. I knew I had to figure out which band was better. I don�t know why that might possibly help, but I do know how. This is how.»
The Astoria is packed tonight. Since even before the acrimonious advent of Soulfly a decade ago, they have always demanded such ceremony. Now, touring their recent Dark Ages album, the quartet return to London with a renewed sense of urgency and vengeance. It would be unfair to say that Soulfly are now relying on their reputation and some gimmicks to liven up their shows but after such a long time at the top of the heavy metal tree, sometimes it really is just too difficult to keep pace.»
