Noisecreep

Conan, 'Horseback Battle Hammer' -- New Album

Lane Soderberg — 2010-05-13T20:00:00+00:00

After hearing the debut album from Conan, 'Horseback Battle Hammer,' we can't help but wonder if the recent spate of earthquakes plaguing the globe might have been caused by the reverberations emanating from Conan's U.K.-based practice space. Tuned impossibly low, they make even SunnO))) sound like the Chipmunks. If doom metal were a competition, Conan win ... seriously massive riffs, walloping drums and perfectly placed vocals that sound as if they were sung from a mountaintop, echoing down like battle commands to a waiting army below.

The band eschew any promo photos of themselves, yet their MySpace page has no shortage of images of their various amps and pedal boards, perhaps an indication that Conan know all too well that they themselves play only a small part in the gargantuan sound they create. Noisecreep caught up with guitarist Jon Davis to talk about the sound of doom Conan is redefining.

Hooded Menace's Lasse Pyykko Suffers for His Art

Lane Soderberg — 2010-03-25T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

The latest release from Finland's Hooded Menace, 'Never Cross the Dead,' is for lack of a better term ... brutal. Not surprising, considering multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Lasse Pyykko has been putting out brutal underground death metal for years now, whether it be with such acts as Phlegethon, Claws or Vacant Coffin. But it's the old-school guttural death doom of Hooded Menace that has garnered the most attention. So where does Pyykko rank Hooded Menace amongst his vast catalog? Does he consider it his best work?

"In fact I do. I've never been happier with any band that I have been in," Pyykko told Noisecreep. "I also rank my early work with Phlegethon pretty high. As a teenager I worked my ass off for those Phlegethon songs, and I still like them. Especially the ones on the 'Neutral Forest' demo from 1990. It´s just the bad production and crappy performance that totally ruin them. People might have a hard time figuring out how good the song material is because of this lousy production and performance. If you can see beyond that you might be impressed. We were too young and too unaware to record them properly back then. But well, that´s about the past. I'm taking care of not repeating that mistake with Hooded Menace or with any of my newer bands."

Worm Ouroboros Find Plenty of Inspiration Around San Francisco

Lane Soderberg — 2010-03-08T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia

Hailing from San Francisco, the music of Worm Ouroboros is not unlike the music of Norwegian black metal bands. If you close your eyes while listening to it, it kind of takes you somewhere -- specifically to the forest.

But unlike the frozen forests of Scandinavia where Norse gods wreak havoc, the forest Worm Ouroborus conjure is much more peaceful and inviting. Clean vocals and guitars meld seamlessly with carefully constructed doom-laden riffs. So where do Worm Ouroboros find their inspiration while living in a metropolis like San Francisco?

Worm Ouroboros Dig Deep for Influences

Lane Soderberg — 2010-03-07T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia

Worm Ouroboros use a different formula than most metal bands. Being fronted by two females, whose vocals are more akin to the singing sirens of Homer's 'Odyssey' than they are the Cookie Monster, is not exactly typical. Throw in the occasional flute over clean guitars and the somewhat odd band name and it's clear that Worm Ouroboros dig deep for their influences.

So let's start with the name. Where did that come from? Turns out it was a from a book written in 1922 by E.R. Eddison.

Droids Attack Don't Care About Standards and Metal Conventions

Lane Soderberg — 2010-02-03T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Metal Minutia

Perhaps it's because they base themselves out of the relatively low-key music scene of Madison, Wisc., but Droids Attack don't seem too concerned with adhering to any sort of standard that their more famous peers may have established. While their music is seriously crushing, as demonstrated on their new album 'Must Destroy,' they don't take themselves all too seriously -- evidenced be their droid mascot (aka Robo) or song titles such as 'Great Wall of Gina.'

"I think what it boils down to is that some people expect a band that sounds like us to portray ourselves a certain way, and that's fine, but we get compared to bands like High on Fire and Kyuss a lot. And it's weird, because I don't listen to those guys," guitarist/vocalist Brad Van told Noisecreep.

Pelican Drummer Discusses Vocals, Negative Reviews

Lane Soderberg — 2010-01-18T20:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News

As is often the case with any band that switches formulas from record to record, Pelican is either doing everything right or everything wrong. Having gone from the sludgy heaviness of their earlier records to the multi-textured layers of their more recent efforts, the band has clearly evolved. On their latest release, 'What We All Come to Need,' the band that had been instrumental to to that point surprised fans by closing the album with a track that included vocals (supplied by the Life and Times frontman Allen Epley, who Noisecreep recently spoke to about his involvement). While most longtime fans had no problem with the song, some found it on par with Slayer doing a ballad.

In a recent interview, drummer Larry Herwig discussed the bands flirtation with vocals, saying, "There are people who think it's awesome and people who don't. It's still pretty early to say, but I'm definitely not opposed to it and I like how it came out."

Cobalt Vocalist Interviewed by Fox News -- Video

Lane Soderberg — 2010-01-15T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, Video

Fox News is probably the last place on Earth you would expect to see an interview with a metal band, unless it's Bill O'Reilly blaming Marylin Manson for corrupting our children and turning them into satanists. But if you are a singer in a metal band and also a sergeant in the Army, as is the case with Phil McSorley of Cobalt, apparently Fox News takes notice.

McSorley was recently interviewed on 'Red Eye With Greg Gutfeld.' Sure it aired at a time slot typically reserved for insomniacs, but you can't expect a band as fierce and abrasive as Cobalt to air in prime time. Regardless, Gutfeld seemed genuinely impressed with the music of Cobalt (his co-hosts not so much), and it was a good interview. However, McSorley saying "I've never considered myself to be the most patriotic person out there" and mentioning Christian-bashing philosopher Nietszche as an influence might not have been exactly what the Fox gang was looking for.

Junius Think Big With 'The Martyrdom of a Catastrophist'

Lane Soderberg — 2010-01-04T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

The latest album from Boston's Junius, 'The Martyrdom of a Catastrophist,' is a colossal affair. Musically speaking, the layered tones and textures create a vast soundscape that is as much Isis as it is the Cure. Artistically, both the vinyl and CD versions are packaged in what could literally pass as a coffee table book. Conceptually, Junius looked to the broad mind of controversial scholar and author Immanuel Velikovsky, whose unconventional theories made him a pariah among the twentieth-century scientific community.

"When we first started writing this album, we were looking for a concept to give us direction," vocalist/guitarist Joseph E. Martinez explained to Noisecreep. "Around this time, I was reading some essays on various esoteric subjects and came across one about Immanuel Velikovsky. I knew immediately that it was what we were looking for. I definitely think there is some truth to his theories, but the album really is about his personal life and the struggle he went through trying to get those theories out to the world. The struggle is far more relatable to us than the science."

Junius Offer Advice for Touring Newbies

Lane Soderberg — 2009-12-31T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Tours

When a band gets together and writes a few songs, records a demo and plays some local shows, they are typically pretty eager to move on to the next step, like buying a van and heading out on the road. While the allure of quitting your day job and being a full-time musician may sound pretty appealing, you might want to put a little more thought into it before telling your boss to get bent so you can go be a rock star. Noisecreep spoke to the seasoned road dogs of Junius about their experiences and when they think it's right for a band to start touring.

"That kind of depends on what the band wants to get out of it. I almost feel silly giving advice like this since, really, everyone needs to have their own experiences, and what has worked -- or hasn't worked -- for us might not apply at all to anyone else," guitarist Micheal Repasch-Nieves explained. "For example, what worked for Dischord Records 25 years ago might not work for Equal Vision now."

Junius Record Guerrilla Style, Get Bumped by Akon and Springsteen

Lane Soderberg — 2009-12-29T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

When Junius set out to record their latest opus, 'The Martyrdom of a Catastrophist,' they went to one of the finest studios in Hollywood and got busy -- guerrilla style. Guitarist Michael Repasch-Nieves told Noisecreep, "We had this amazing opportunity to record the album at Henson Studios, which used to be A&M Records Studios, where some of the most legendary albums in rock music were recorded. We were able to record for free, but we could only use the studio when it was available."

So how did a band like Junius get to record -- for free, mind you -- in the same studio that had once been used by such familiar names as the Police and Janet Jackson? "That's actually a cute little story," Rapasch-Nieves explained. "We were playing a show in Los Angeles at a pretty seedy club called the Lava Lounge almost five years ago, right up the street from Henson Studios. Tom Syrowski and Gina Brucato, who both work at Henson, had just gotten off work and happened to be walking by while we were playing. Apparently, they were curious about what they heard and came in to watch the rest of our set."

Pelican 'Vocalist' Discusses His Involvement on 'What We All Come to Need'

Lane Soderberg — 2009-11-20T10:00:00+00:00

Over the span of four albums, as well as various EPs and splits, Pelican have established themselves as the forerunner of instrumental metal bands, but longtime fans will be surprised to hear vocals -- gasp! -- on their latest record, 'What We All Come to Need.' Though they appear on only one track ('Final Breath,' the album's closer), it is still a bit of a departure coming from a band that has thus far shunned any sort of oral instrumentation.

So, who has the honor of being Pelican's vocalist? None other than Mr. Allen Epley, who has made a name for himself fronting indie rock favorites the Life and Times, as well as his previous band Shiner (which also featured Every Time I Die bassist Josh Newton on guitar). Noisecreep caught up with Epley to talk about his involvement with Pelican.

Nightstalker Vocalist's 'Favorite Vegetable' Is Marijuana

Lane Soderberg — 2009-11-05T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

The stoner rock label might be one of the corniest in all of metal. But let's face it, there are some records that are so thick with infectiously fuzzed-out grooves and spacey melodies that you can practically see a smoky haze billowing from your speakers. Case in point would be the latest offering from Nightstalker, 'Superfreak.'

Nightstalker don't specifically care for the stoner rock label, nor do they reject it. "We don't reject anything," vocalist Argy told Noisecreep. "You can call us whatever you like, but I have a feeling we play Nightstalker music. We do all the spectrum of rock."

But surely a little reefer has found its way into the music of Nightstalker, right? "Of course, marijuana is my favorite vegetable!" Argy laughed. "In many of my lyrics I have references to the plant."

Hailing from Athens, Greece, Nightstalker have released three previous full-length albums and one EP since forming in the early '90s, and through those releases, they have garnered a strong cult following. But with 'Superfreak,' they have their first release on a stateside label (Meteor City) and an album that is likely to perk the ears of more metal fans than just those with a persistent case of the munchies.

Crucifist Offer Thoughts on Mainstream Metal

Lane Soderberg — 2009-11-02T10:30:00+00:00

"It's all gay, man, especially the breakdowns and band names like 'All That's Left ... Remains.' F--- indie wannabes who act like they're into real metal, too," Crucifist guitarist John Gallo told Noisecreep, offering his thoughts on the current state of mainstream metal. "Long live Cirith Ungol, Saint Vitus and Bulldozer!"

Based on that comment, it goes without saying that Crucifist's brand of metal isn't the type played by the typical suburban kids who get sleeve tattoos, learn a few technical death metal riffs and spend more than a few hours in the mirror trying to look tough. If Crucifist's debut album, 'Demon Haunted World,' isn't enough to separate the men from the boys (which it is), then one needs only to look at their pedigree. Gallo and drummer Mike Waske moonlight in the popular underground doom band Orodruin, and bassist Dan Lilker has more than earned his stripes playing in such bands as Brutal Truth, Nuclear Assault, and Stormtroopers of Death (AKA S.O.D.), amongt others. Vocalist Ron Blackwell does a daily metal radio show/podcast called Sudden Death Overtime, which showcases only the purest of metal. "I get flooded with garbage promos every week, and I just ignore most of it," he explained. "In general, if it's mainstream it's not even on my radar."

Raise the Red Lantern's Specialty Is 'Killing Time on the Road'

Lane Soderberg — 2009-10-27T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, Tours

Contrary to popular belief, playing in a touring rock band isn't all luxurious tour buses, free beer and crowded bars. For Chicago's Raise the Red Lantern, a tour bus isn't quite in the budget yet, which is not to say they aren't moving up to bigger and better. "[Our old van] is no longer with us. I had to lay her to rest a week before the tour started," vocalist/guitarist Kris told Noisecreep. "But she lived to the great old age of 316,000 miles. That's pretty unheard of. Therefore, now we are riding in luxury in a 2009 Ford Excursion. This thing has all the little tricks that a fine luxury car would have, which none of us would really know about. It's a rental, so we have to be fairly gentle with it. But there is no worry that it will leave us stranded, and that's half the battle."

If getting to the show is half the battle, the other half might be figuring out what to do when you arrive and realize you have several hours to kill before load in. Raise the Red Lantern have that one figured out, too. "Killing time on the road is our specialty on this current tour," explained Kris. "At home we are all part of bowling leagues and are all pretty avid bowlers, so we basically threw our bowling balls in the back of the tour vehicle and try to hit up as many old school bowling alleys around the country. It is a perfect way of killing a good amount of time before load in. Also, we like to stop and see the sights along our travels. It adds a new appreciation to the tour, being out in the thick of it."

Kongh Describe Their Visit From the Vetlanda Mental Institution

Lane Soderberg — 2009-10-07T14:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

For better or worse, every band remembers its first show. For the members of Kongh, their first show was one they will likely never forget. "This was back in 2005 when the band was just a two-piece, me and Tomas [Salonen]," vocalist/guitarist David Johansson told Noisecreep. "We had two songs at about 20 minutes each, and they were both instrumental. This girl we knew had a mother who worked with mentally challenged people, and they thought it would be a good idea to take them out on a field trip to see a rock band. She had no idea what kind of 'rock' we played though, so we were a bit doubtful, but stoked at the same time as it would be our first show ever.

"So one Saturday they showed up, 10 people of different kinds. Some were happy and talked like hell, while others looked strictly into the walls and sat by themselves. Anyway, they all settled in our rehearsal room and we started doing our stuff. Through the whole set they were watching us, very concentrated and focused the whole time. After we finished, they didn't react at all for the first 20 seconds or so, but then they all started to yell and clap their hands, so I guess they liked it after all! The hospital staff paid us with tobacco, and then they left. Nice day. Would do it again for sure!"

Hailing from small towns in the Småland province of southern Sweden, Kongh take their influences more from the "massive spruce forests" that surround them than the local music scene. Johansson told Noisecreep, "The musical climate here isn't very exciting. so we wouldn't consider that an influence. But the nature, with forests, lakes and mountains is very inspiring, and I would definitely consider it a part of our music."

Southern Metal Gets Its Due in 'Slow Southern Steel'

Lane Soderberg — 2009-09-18T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Video, Movies

They've always done things a little different in the South, and that could not be more true than with the sweat-stained and whiskey-soaked sludge bands that make up the heavy music scene south of the Mason-Dixon Line. It's nothing new really, EyeHateGod has been doing it since 1988. But since then, an army of bearded bands have taken their metal, dipped it in molasses, rolled it in weed and developed a style of music that is entirely its own beast. It's these bands that are showcased in the forthcoming documentary 'Slow Southern Steel.'

"Bands in the South treat each other more like family. There's a camaraderie between touring bands that is virtually non-existent in the North," executive producer Karim Khan told Noisecreep.

Directed by Rwake vocalist CT, the film has "absolutely" exceeded initial expectations, and features the likes of Jimmy Bower of the aformentioned EyeHateGod, as well as Bower's bandmate in the southern supergroup Down, Phil Anselmo -- not to mention a virtual A-Z of southern metal bands.

Black Cobra Get Trippy on Time Travel

Lane Soderberg — 2009-09-17T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview, New Music

The two-piece band concept seems to be gaining in popularity as of late, perhaps due to the success of such blues-based duos as the White Stripes and the Black Keys. In the heavy music realm, bands like Om and Eagle Twin typically rely on bass-heavy droning to make it work.

Such is not the case with San Francisco duo Black Cobra, where fast, metallic riffs are delivered with a punk rock intensity that is undeniably thick and heavy ... so much so, you will likely forget all this noise is being made by just two guys. Black Cobra intend to keep it that way.

"We prefer being a two-piece," drummer Rafael Martinez told Noisecreep. "It took us a long time to develop our sound. We tried different combinations of amps, pedals, tunings ... just trying to make sure we captured the sonic spectrum of a full band. We ended up using a combination of one bass amp and one guitar full stack. In the studio we try to recreate our live sound as close as possible. Sometimes there are guitar layers in the studio but we try to keep it quite minimal."

White Wizzard's Jon Leon Says '90s Metal Contained 'So Many Crappy Spin-Offs'

Lane Soderberg — 2009-07-29T16:00:00+00:00

You've got to hand it to White Wizzard bassist Jon Leon for staying true to his vision. Longing to bring metal back to its pre-'90s glory days of headbanging songs and good times, he formed White Wizzard in 2007 and quickly went into the studio to record a batch of songs. The result was the deeply infectious 'High Speed GTO' mini-album. But since then, things have drastically changed for White Wizzard. With the exception of Jon, they're an entirely new band.

Jon explained to Noisecreep, "As the band went on the road and the vision materialized, it was soon obvious that the other members wanted to do heavier music and that the work ethic and personal dynamics were not what I needed to see this through and have it succeed. Everyone had a lot of talent in that lineup but we were not on the same page in the end. It took Steve Harris 20 guys or so to get his lineup right in Iron Maiden, so sometimes if you believe in a vision you have to see it through, and sometimes you have to move on for it to grow or have a true chance to succeed. With that, I feel the new lineup is more what I had in mind and that the band is on a much higher plane now."

Bergraven Is Melancholy but Not Black Metal

Lane Soderberg — 2009-06-25T10:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview

Black metal has always been about individualism and not being "one of the sheep, " yet more and more albums seem to be coming out of the woodwork with the obligatory forest scene artwork, indecipherable band name, buzzing lo-fi guitars and tortured screams. Sweden's Bergraven -- aka sole band member and multi-instrumentalist Par Gustaffssons -- has shunned such cliches to make some of the most evolved, compelling and expressive extreme music we've heard in a while. In a sea of misanthropic music makers, Bergraven stands alone as a band that truly adheres to the black metal ideology. Ironically, Par rejects the black metal tag entirely.

"I consider black metal to be a Satanic musical expression and since I am not a Satanist I can't consider my music to be black metal. The feeling of a present evil and darkness is very inspirational to write about, but I see other things around me that make me feel a Satanic conviction is not right for me," Par told Noisecreep.

Nadja's Aiden Baker on Their New Album of Cover Songs

Lane Soderberg — 2009-06-08T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Interview

Drone/ambient/shoegazer metal is right up there with black metal on the gloom scale, where walls of feedback are seemingly in a constant battle to out-grim the last. But Aiden Baker and Leah Buckareff of Canadian, drone duo Nadja, are looking to change that with their latest release -- a collection of cover songs entitled 'When I See the Sun Always Shines on TV.'

Aiden told Noisecreep, "This genre, drone metal or whatever you want to call, isn't exactly the most light-hearted of genres, so we wanted to do something a little tongue-in-cheek to show that we do have a sense of humor about ourselves and the music. Also, we wanted to illustrate something of our musical background by choosing artists who were both a direct influence on our sound and those we just liked to listen to."