Saturday, August 20, 2011

Preview #10: Across The Obsession


Album: TBA
Year: 2011
Origin: Russia
Genre: Post-Hardcore/Instrumental/Metal 

Across The Obsession, is different.
This is a statement, that fits to the most.
ATO play heavy and fresh music.
Technical, progressive, experimental...
These guys were going over everything that has been heard before, to create something new.
So new, that you must have checked them out.

There is actually no band, that can be compared or even set equal with them.
No band!
Across The Obsession, just is different, and this is cool!

Actually, ATO entered their homestudio months ago and worked out something great.
They have been unexperienced yet, but their time will come. Their music is so much addictive!

Finally they posted, that their records are already done.

Here is a little preview to one of their older instrumental songs.
Now they have added vocals and written a lot of new stuff!

Across The Obsession - Eternally To Wait 

Read my interview with them, and downlaod their recent stuff here!

Seriously give these guys a chance. it'll change your mind!

~Hendrik.

Download - Sea Smile - Nossos Planos [EP]

(no artwork available!)

Album: Nossos Planos [EP]
Artist: Sea Smile
Year: 2011
Origin: São Paulo/Brazil
Genre: Metalcore/Post-Hardcore

Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. Bem-Vindos
3. Nossos Planos
4. Sem Saída
5. Interlude
6. Eu Não Irei Fugir Da Guerra 

>>Download<< 

Sea Smile are fucking awesome. Not more to say here!
Great vocals, great instrumental work!
Period.

Just check them out and give them a chance. They are much more then worth it! 

Interview #15: All For Nothing


I finally got a new interview for you guys!
This time i hooked up one of my favorite Hardcore bands, since i visited the "Ultimate Summerblast Festival" in Trier/Germany. This was the first time i heard of them, sadly. But i totally fall in love with these guys.

So here we go, an interview with ALL FOR NOTHING!

How came the idea to start a hardcore band?
Mid puberty when everything sucked, school was a drag, girls unreachable and disco for assholes. We had a lot of questions just like everybody growing up and playing music/ hardcore provided us with a healthy outlet for frustration, anger etc. Cindy joined us in 2005, before that Ernst did the vocals and played guitar. We’ve been in this line up since late 2007.

You guys actually play a mixture of hardcore, flavored by metal and punk, does it has any reason for it?
Our band consists our of five people. Who have five different views en preferences for music. We all love hardcore in the first place, but we also bring in some other music styles.
We don’t want to commit to just one style.

Are there any bands that influenced your sound?
The are so many bands that inspired us in general. Even non-hardcore bands. When it comes to hardcore bands, we love the Bad Brains, Black Flag, Cro-mags, Warzone, Madball, Sick of it All and many many more.

What does the name "All For Nothing" stand for?
The name came up when we were brainstorming on a name to pick. It’s also a song by the bands Run Devil Run and DRI. It has no special meaning.


Which message do you guys spread with your music?
We write songs about thing we experience in our lives. No matter how deep you can fall, we always believe in the positive side of life and the strenght that lies within. We want people to think about certain subjects but we don’t want to force our opinions. We believe in an world for everyone without fascism, ssexism and discrimination.

Do you guys listen to your own music?
Not that much, only when we write new songs.

Tell us what Hardcore exactly means to you.
In the first place it’s about the music and the message. Hardcore to us is friendship, a way to meet different people around the globe, hear different stories and see many great places.

Which bands are your personal favorites?
In the van we have an Cassette tape that goes into stereo, it has a Ipod Connector at the end. Our Ipods make turns. What you can expect ( Next to the “usual” hardcore): Pantera, Mastodon, Social Distortion, Johnny Cash, Distillers, Rancid, Foo Fighters, Wu-tang-Clan, Janis Joplin, Henry Rollins spokenword session and some chill out tunes. The Odd thing may be Julee Cruise and Frank Zappa.


Where do you get your inspirations and ideas for your lyrics?
I write lyrics based on things I experience in my life, or see around me happen.

What are your interests beside the band?Do you guys just do the band or do you work/go to school/study?
We all work next to this band. Bas owns a driving school, Cindy works as a social worker, Ernst-Jan is a Graphic Designer, Ab is an Optometrist and Richard works as an IT specialist.

Do you guys have played in other bands before?
Yes, we all played in other bands.

What do you guys think about stereotype thinking / scenes?
It’s sad to see how some people claim to be really intelligent and have opinions about thing they know nothing about. Stop bitching and moaning, start being open minded and you will be surprised.

What do you think about underground bands?
Great, we love checking out new bands and get blown away.

What do you guys think about fans, that cover your songs on guitar, drums, vocals, etc?
It’s the biggest compliment we could get!


Are there any things coming up? News about new releases, new merch or planned tours?
We are currently looking for a new drummer. Richard decided to leave AFN in good terms. After we find a new drummer, we are going to record a new album and hopefully hit South East Asia.

Have you guys ever thought of going into hiatus?
No, we are young and we want to do this now.

Would you like to suggest me some bands i should check out?
Risk It, Go For It and Bitter Verses from Germany.

What was your sickest show?
Any show at the Sucks ‘n Summer fest.

Which bands would you like to tour with and how would your favorite tour look like?
We don’t really care, big or small bands as long as we have fun it’s cool.

Any messages left to fans, friends or family?
Please check us out when we come near your area! Thanks!

Regards, 
Cindy


A big thanks to Cindy, for taking the time for it and also for signing my merch!
You guys are awesome and you should never stop making music!

Download - Tomorrow We Hunt - Discography


Tomorrow We Hunt, a talented band from Croatia, hooked me up, to post their stuff!
And i find it's pretty much amazing. Also that this is a band, i've known before.
Thanks so much for sharing your music with us all guys!


Album: Rise [EP]
Year: 2010
Origin: Zagreb/Croatia
Genre: Melodic Hardcore/Progressive/Metal
For fans of: For The Fallen Dreams, After Me The Flood, Change Of Loyalty

Tracklist:
1. Survivor
2. Defeated
 3. Machines 

>> Download<< 

New Single (from their upcoming Album)
Lying Face

A short introduction to these guys:

Tomorrow We Hunt are a small band, yet soo much underrated, hailing from Croatias capital Zagreb.
These guys, play Melodic Hardcore, or Progressive Hardcore with metal influence,... however you want to call it.
And they do it fucking perfect. Vocals, Breakdowns and Tempo in the vein of the old For The Fallen Dreams stuff. Pretty good lows and so awesome melodic parts. This is what i love!

Listen to their whole EP here:

So again a big fucking THANK YOU! to the guys of Tomorrow We Hunt, who actually make so great tunes and give it away for free. This means so much to me and all others. My deepest respect to you guys! I'm looking forward to your new stuff!

~Hendrik ♥

Preview #9: Sea Smile


Album: TBA
Artist: Sea Smile
Year: 2011
Origin: São Paulo/Brazil 
Genre: Metalcore/Post-Hardcore

My friends Sea Smile, from Brazil finally announced to enter the studios, to record their first CD.
On their Facebook, they posted this:

"Sea Smile for us in the beginning, was just a simple project, without any hope. Today it has become great in our eyes and began to be a very important priority in our lives, bringing us the fun and joy of doing what we love is obviously music. Of course, with our effort and desire to be better each day, this "joke" became serious, with responsibilities and proportions'd find that they could never be achieved. Well, as everyone knows, our first EP, "Nossos Planos", was released on February 18, 2011, and with only seven months of EP, we are ready to enter the second time in the studio to record our first CD. Yeeeesss; a CD. What led us to this decision was a good public acceptance of our EP, which earned good reviews and a large mass of fans that follow the band. Regardless of friendship, people who care about our sound and come with the band, helping here and there, and listening every day, and with all the affection, the least we can do is thank you and do something much better. The other reason is: We love our music, it was a great job producing these six songs, but are not yet on a level of professional quality. Of course, no excuse, but this was the first time four of us went into a studio recording of this size (only Eric had already participated in other bands), then thought it was already full. Now connoisseurs, studies, research and a lot of training, we know what we really want this for our next work, focusing on quality and professionalism. We are not trying to be more than anyone but we want to overcome our increasing expectations, and that for now only depends on us, but we need everyone's help who really enjoy the band, helping in the dissemination and display of the band for the impact is greater. Day 24 September 2011 will begin recording our CD (yet unnamed) that will feature nine songs + 1 bonus track and with this CD, will lead automatically complete our material: Merch, photos promos, new layouts, wallpaper and if everything goes well, physical CDs. We do not have a date for the launch, because only when we feel it provides: "This is our evolution that everyone needs to see." On launch day we will announce another new development, which for us will be another step of this journey and we are sure of who you really expect all this, you will enjoy the novelty. Let all know by means of updates on youtube, so they can monitor this process. We apologize for at this moment no more than words, but soon it becomes something concrete, for those who believe without seeing, both because a tree does not spring from nothing, without first being a small seed. Sorry if qlqr error Portuguese or typing. Believe it, because you do not lose by waiting! "WE ARE THE SEA SMILE"

Erick Henrique, Leonardo, Emerson, Eric."

So be fucking stoked as i am!

~Hendrik. 

 

Promotion #21: Ages


Artist: Ages
Origin: Kansas/USA
Genre: Deathcore
For fans of: Suicide Silence, Carnifex,...

Ages are a much promising band from Wichita/Kanses and they play Deathcore
with smooth and groovy and also low and smashing breakdowns. Very high screams, for fans of the old Suicide Silence stuff, which i liked more. Pretty surprising to hear bands in the vein of Mitch Luckers old stuff.

So Deathcore fans. Be fucking open minded and check these guys out. 
Also download their song "Deflesher" on their bandpage!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Review #29: Fall City Fall - 1629

 

Album: 1629 
Year: 2010 
Origin: Canada
Genre: Hardcore
For fans of: La Dispute, Breakdowns

Tracklist:
1. The Gate
2. Dead Eyes
3. Blackout
4. Trodden Black
5. The Body Discourse
 6. From The Dust, To The Grave
 7. Still Life In Stop Motion
8. 1629

>> Download << 

 2 NEW TRACKS!
>> Download <<

DEMOS
>> Download << 

Review:
 Fall City Fall from Calgary, Canada are a band that quietly played themselves a quite big fan base over the 4 years of their being. Coming up with a solid sound, which i've never heard before, is this CD a masterpiece and a must have album for every Hardcore fan!

Fall City Fall, created a sound of melodic and aggressive Hardcore, layered with massive breakdowns and great melodic and fast riffing.
Their vocals are kind of special in their own way. Using low metal growls and well sounding Hardcore shouting and also a special way of clean vocals during the verses, that comes near to Jordan Dreyer's voice, from La Dispute.
This band shortly combines the dimensions of Hardcore, Metalcore and a unique and very well fitting Clean voice.
 "1629" offers 8 Tracks of Fall City Fall's ability. It offers great composed heaviness in all the songs, that force to listen to the end!

Check these guys out! 
Here a preview of their music! 

Fall City Fall - Dead Eyes 
  
 







Download - Treated - Discography


These guys are giving away there EPs for free. 
Pretty impressing Metalcore, tending to Hardcore in a pretty melodic and yet heavy way.
Unique and solid sound, and i'm pretty stoked on their upcoming Debut Album, which is currently in process.

Artist: Treated
Origin: Austria
Genre: Metalcore/Melodic Hardcore


Album: Atmospheres [EP]
Year: 2010

Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. Scattered Memories and Frozen Bones
3. Take Them Down
4. Atmospheres
5. Cleansing of What's Lost
6. The Great Divide
7. Still Awake
8. The Lighthouse
9. Guardian

>> Download << 



Album: Breather [EP]
Year: 2011

Tracklist:
1. Preload
2. Breather

>> Download << 


Seriously this is one of my favorite band from Austria. Way more attractive then The Sorrow, who are claimed to be the kings of metal from this country.



Promotion #20: Buried In Oblivion


Origin: Germany
Genre: Metalcore/Hardcore
For fans of: Enraged By Beauty, Misery Speaks, Forever It Shall Be, Bury My Sins 

Buried In Oblivion are one of my newest founds! A great and catchy bandname and a fucking unique and heavy sound!
Germany has some many great and unsigned bands in the Metalcore and Hardcore genre.
Also Germany's scene has grown into it's own variation of sound and this band fits really well into it!

Fucking mindcrushing fast Metalcore!

Check these guys out! My review of their EP is following the next days!
Check out the song that made me love their music!

Buried In Oblivion - Pigs Might Fly

Promotion #19: In Motions


Artist: In Motions
Origin: Australia
Genre: Melodic Hardcore

We all know what Australia's Hardcore scene offers to us all!
So many great bands, most of them unsigned.

In Motions are kind of a band, playing Melodic Hardcore, in a different style then UK or Germany has.
Australian stuff, impressing and differently great as usual!

Check out these awesome Dudes and buy their EP!

  In Motions - Enter The Cold

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Promotion #18: Welcome Karen


Origin: Germany
Genre: German Metalcore
For fans of: Narziss, meinestundenull

For those who don't understand the German language and yet like, Callejon or We Butter The Bread With Butter... Fucking check out these Dudes!

Welcome Karen are a german singing Metalcore band but they are coming up with a complete different and fresher sound than, many Metalcore bands have. These guys try to keep the good old Sound of the genre without coming from their path and vary it in their own way with their melodic and heavy touch!
Seriously worth a listen. 

This is what I personally call Germany's Finest Metal, or better Germany's Next Top Metalcore! 
 Over the years, listening to them, these guys randomly found my page on Facebook and hit me up! 

So check out my favorite songs by them, and like them on Facebook!

Welcome Karen - Suizid, taken from their Self Titled EP (2009)

Welcome Karen - Kurtisane, taken from their new EP "Existenz" (2011)

Welcome Karen - Dryade, taken from their first EP "Was es heißt unterzugehen" (2008)

Seriously check these guys out! ♥
Hendrik. 

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Promotion #17: Awakening The Revenant

Origin: West Virginia/USA
Genre: Deathcore

Yes, you might think "Oh no! Again a Deathcore band, that sounds like every one else, we only listen to Suicide Gaylence, don't stalk with this... blaah"
Buuut!
 Awakening The Revenant are equipped with a solid sound, that's not just Deathcore, yet it can be categorized for sure as it. For me they have kinda Black Metalish groove in their riffs, what gives them a tight ass sound.
Also they combine the typical Deathcore sound with clean vocals! Pretty fast and fat sound imo! 

Be sure to check out their Song "Conqueror" on their Facebook page. 
These guys are currently working on their EP, titled "The Procreated" and it will be out very soon! 
Tyler Bunting, the Drummer of Isla Sorna, which a pretty good friends of mine, has recently joined this band and is fulltime busy now haha.
Dude, show us what you can, we know you can do it and you'll make it! Looking forward to your up coming stuff of both bands! 

Review #28: Glorified! - Realisations


Album: Realisations
Artist: Glorified!
Year: 2011
Origin: Australia
Genre: Progressive Metalcore
For fans of: The Human Abstract, Textures, Aussie Metal 

Tracklist:
1. Beauty
2. Modern Fortress
3. Control
4. The Light
5. Darkness
6. Purity
7. Failure to Change
8. Realisations

Hit up the band on Facebook, to get the album!

Review:

Australia, is praised with a lot of great Artists around the Metalcore and Hardcore scene, but Glorified! are definitely a few steps further then all of them, what is affected to the genre and the style of the band.
Most of the bands are Newcomers and this band sounds in their "early years" like a professional metal outfit.

Started playing shows in 2010 and released a debut album already on year later, lets us know, this band knows what they want and they do it fucking great!

Glorified!'s debut release is titled "Realisations" and offers the listener 8 pretty sweet composed tracks, that are completely unexpected. 
Using elements from Metalcore and Hardcore and taking a lot of progressions to it, refined with a lot of keys, that could just be a short introduction to the sound of this freshly recognized band.

Modern and classy chug riffs as know from too many bands, that try to sound like Messhuggah just to be "Djent" can be found on this release in a complete different dimension.
Smooth breakdowns followed by keyboard melodies or an progressive guitar lick - this is what you'll find very often, but they all sound different. Pretty rare stuff. The yelling screams and short growls of their signer fit very well, also to not forget the clean parts, that are pretty impressing and give the album kind of a mystic touch. 
The CD can be put into the midtempo section, yet there are many riffs that gain a pretty impressing fast speed.
This release should really be checked out be fans of progressive and many guitar solos, those who like it a bit more melodic, and also by all those fans of aussie metal(core)

Glorified are just at the beginning of their career and their future will be pretty huge!

Realisations is in my opinion a bringer of hope to the metal scene, because there are many ways to not just copy sounds. This band shows that creativity, the will to be different are the key to create an own and unique sound. And this one's solid also. These guys love music and exactly know what they want to do! 

Check out these Dudes!

Check out my favorite songs by them:

Glorified! - Darkness


Glorified! - Realisations

Also listen to their songs on Facebook!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Promotion #16: Playing For Keeps


Origin: Florida/USA
Genre: Metalcore/Hardcore

Playing For Keeps, are a newcomer band from the United States, who should get more Attention in future!
Though these guys aren't my kind of music i listen to, but i can definitely say and spread word for such a talented band within their genre!
There's never enough good newcomer bands, who actually play their music for the fans, and keep the band alive for the fans, so show these guys a bit of love and like them on facebook!

Here a little preview song by them. 

Playing For Keeps - Enlighten Me 


Credit to this post goes out to my dude "Heide" for showing me this band!
Thansk a lot pal! 

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Review #27: Constellations - Failure & Consequences [EP]


Album: Failure & Consequences [EP]
Year: 2011
Origin: Berlin/Germany
Genre: Progressive Metalcore/Hardcore

Tracklist:
1. Failure
2. Consequences
3. The Let-Down
4. For The Worse
5. Holding On

Buy here or in iTunes

Review:

Constellations, haling from Berlin, Germany's capital, are a massive addon into the big game called heavy music!
Their 5 track debut EP contains almost everything for a fan of modern progressive Metalcore!
Beginning at the various kind of guitar techniques that are used, such as a lot of fast and clever set sweep licks, between a big load of heavy breakdowns and also used within some catchy guitar solos that are played behind a  a structure of heavy riffs and also used the typical riffing for Metalcore is everything included. They built their songs in a great and catchy structure, what gives a fresh touch into their music!
 The drums are hold fast and contain a lot of double bass lines and short double bass parts to speed up the songs.

A well done opening with the intro song called "Failure" which is a 33 second acoustic riff leading into the opener "Consequences" which starts with a very fast sweep lick. This probably is one of the top notch moments on this sadly too short CD. But for a first release of the band this is an impressing start. Also who knows whats coming up from them, in my opinion these guys have what it takes to be an international act!

Weblinks:

Check out their opener and in my opinion the best song of the EP...

Constellations - Consequences

 Support these awesome Dudes! ♥