Interview #21 - Human Improvement Provess

First of all, i'm really sorry, for being so quiet the whole last month. My computer broke and the motherfuckers, who repaired it, where slow as fuck.

So for now, i'll be posting a lot more!

The next interview was also a long time ago, but this time it's really really interesting i think, because these guys from Italy really founded a new kind or dimension of modern extreme music.

Comparing these guys with "The Browning", who are actually pretty hip, these guys will speak a lot to fans of this kind of music.

For all those who chill their lives to Dubstep instead of Trance, or also like both and off course are open minded to new stuff and love Death Metal, will find a new favorite band in these guys...

So here's my interview with 

Human Improvement Process!

Hello, thank you for taking the time to answer these questions for my site,
first of all, tell us who you are and where you're from.

Fabio:
Hello Hendrik, we're from Modena (Italy). Maybe someone knows our hometown because of tortellini, Lasagne and Ferrari ahahah =)

Where does your band name come from?

Fabio:
Finding a cool name was really hard before starting this project; I don't remember very well but I guess
that someone told "hey guys, how about Human Improvement Process?"...heey that's awesome.
That's all =)

You guys have kinda rare sound, combining Death Metal, Dubstep and many more kinds of modern heavy music.
What moved you guys to the conclusion of as i would call it "Melodic Death Metal-Dubstepcore"?

Fabio:
Is quite simple, because we love death metal and we enjoy electronic music =)
We have a huge musical background; we listen to every kind of metal since we were 10/11 years old, and
this obviously have a strong influence on our composition.

Lately we discovered a lot of interesting sounds in electronic music, so we think our sound is
just the merging of all the music we've listened to!

Also how would you guys define the music you are playing? Maybe you have a special name for this sick mixture?

Fabio:
Giving labels to music is quite useless I think, we just do what we love to do =)

How would you explain your sound?

Fabio:
Early 2000s Death Metal with Melodic stuff and Dubstep, maybe could fits XD

What music or which bands are the members listening to? Any favorite bands?

Fabio:
Personally I'm listening to an awesome italian band in these days "The Secret"; I'm also listening to
Hundredth, The Ghost Inside, Viatrophy, We came as romans, Motionless in White (talking about "Deathcore" bands), Dissection,
Slayer, The Legion...
We listen to a lot of Death Metal bands like Suffocation, Inveracity, Dying Fetus, Decapitated, Vader, Death and many more.

Do you guys know a band called "The Browning"?
These guys are became a really famous band recently, for mixing Death Metal with Trance, what do you think about their music?
Just interested in how you think about bands that play a similar type of music to you.

Fabio:
Sincerely I don't like this band, but it's just a personal opinion and if I have no good things to say I think it's better saying nothing =)

What inspires you, to write such a great music? Are you guys knowing what the listeners want, i mean you combine two really popular genres?

Fabio:
As I told you before we just write the music we love to play, nothing more =)

Coming to your live shows. How do you manage the Dubstep sound on stage, do you have a hidden 6th member?

Fabio:
No unfortunately it's impossible at the moment.
Right now our drummer Luca is playing live shows with an Ableton live project which send click and guitars to his
headphones and electronic stuff to the mixer.

What was your sickest show and was you funniest/favorite moment behind the stage?

Fabio:
Our sickest show ever was definitely at XO club in Moscow, I think THIS video speaks by itself ahahah =)
More or less all the moments on tour were amazing, from getting drunk with Russian vodka to sign autographs (!!!!!!! incredible xD) and shoot
pictures with maaaany fans everyday; was totally insane.

Which bands would you like to tour with and why?

Fabio:
Touring with Born Of Osiris would be awesome.

What things are coming up from you guys? You guys already said to me, you currently finished writing your debut album, so when do you think it'll be released?
Also keep a physical copy for me haha ;)

Fabio:
ahahah of course we'll do.
I hope we'll able to release our full length on April/May 2012 =)

Any other things in the works? Probably new Merch coming?

Fabio:
We've a couple of gigs in Italy and then I think we're touring again Russia in may!

Any words you want to say to your fans, friends or families?

Fabio:
We will be more extreme than "In Crystalline Worlds Beyond", we won't never sell our asses shooting a video of a famous cover, we'll stay true.
Cheers guys!

Weblinks:

FACEBOOK
Eye Of Illusions on BlankTV
Purchase "In Crystalline Worlds Beyond":
BANDCAMP
OFFICIAL MYSPACE

MERCHSTORE
 VKONTAKTE
 OFFICIAL WEBSITE
TWITTER
 YOUTUBE
BAND CONTACT
  info@hipband.net

A big thanks to Fabio, for taking the time for this. Also i'm very sorry for the long delay!

Hendrik.

Review #16: Hound Of Hades - Keeper Of The Gates

Album: Keeper Of The Gates

Artist: Hound Of Hades

Year: 2011

Origin: Arizona/USA

Genre: Death Metal, Melodic Deathcore

For fans of: The Black Dahlia Murder, Woe Of Tyrants, almost everything thats brutal and melodic.

Tracklist:

1. Galton's Theory

2. Mantracker
3. A Blessing, A Curse
4. Lens Of Truth
5. In Loving Memory
6. The Most Dangerous Game
7. Prophecies
8. Keeper Of The Gates

Review:

"Keeper Of The Gates" is a brew of 8 songs that could directly come from hell. 

As the cover speaks for itself, this album seems really much promising. This beast is unleashing hell!

Hound Of Hades' first release may just be a preview of what's coming in their future as band.

From the characteristics of the modern metal and core scene, this album would end really fast in the category Deathcore. But these guys are more then just Deathcore. 

The mixture of heavy breakdowns and mind blowing fast guitar solos makes this release a great modern Death Metal album!

As fast as a blastbeat ends in a breakdown, the breakdown already leads into a great harmonic solo.
Great sweeps and catchy ideas. The riffing is pretty fast, no songs has a slower passage, this album keeps smashing through the music player. 

Hound Of Hades come up with a lot of energy, which will be in evidence from the first song.

The vocals contain every type of brutal voices. Deep and long growls that wish to slit your throat, perverse and fucked up great screams in The Black Dahlia Murder style will also rip the listeners bodies apart. There should be something for everyone, though you're not a fag, because then this is a step to hard for you. So NO clean vocals, as expected. And this has to be!

 The instrumental work from the members is impressing and surprisingly pretty capable. For a first release these guys really show up enormous potential.

All songs are similar to each other. But a band should not change the style that often, and never within one release. Expanding their style and working on themselves, these guys can really grow big. And i wish it for them. For me this album is just a great release and the bands' effort paid itself. One of the less "Deathcore" albums, which is not breakdown-overloaded. I also wouldn't call this Deathcore. Maybe something between, Deathcore, Metalcore, Death Metal and Melodic. They have similarity to The Black Dahlia Murder, and since i have always been a big fan of them, i really dig these guys! Keep it going like this guys!

Support these guys and definitely check them out! ♥ 

  

Review #13: Regain The Legacy - When Rain Becomes Ashes [EP]

Album: When Rain Becomes Ashes [EP]

Artist: Regain The Legacy

Year: 2009

Origin: Russia

Genre: Metalcore/Deathcore/Melodic Death Metal

Tracklist:

1. Ashes Prelude

2. We Pay Our Price

3. The Protest In Failures

4. Traitor's Deadline

5. Destruction Through Scientific Progress

6. When Rain Becomes Ashes

7. New Reservation

Review:

Playing different genres on one cd and still sounding as one and the same band isn't possible?

"When Rain Becomes Ashes", the debut EP from "Regain The Legacy" offers kind of this mixed up cds.

Fast and aggressive, yet melodic seems to be their device.

The EP offers 7 Tracks, full of unexpected potential. 

Mainly the songs sound like a mixture of deathcore and melodic death metal, at which the deathcore part isn't surely deathcore. It leans to sound like modern metal screams, which might be compared with deathcore, though the screams of Regain The Legacy sound pretty skilled and the band surely don't wants to be called a deathcore outfit. These "screams" are adorned with deep growls, that actually bring Regain The Legacy a death metalish flair. The growls can also be compared with deathcore, but they also fit into a melodic death metal outfit.

Instrumental you will not find a lot of breakdowns. This band sets their sound with many attractive blastbeats.

The guitar work of the main riffs within most songs is kinda metalcore-ish, but as a real music adept knows, that metalcore riffs were created from melodic death metal riffing, as In Flames and Co. did. 

The riffs from song to song, sound pretty similar to each other, but as a real metal band these guys know, when it's time for changing the riffing into a great melody or a solo.

The absolute highlight is the 4th song "Traitor's Deadline". The mixture of clean voice and screams during the choruses is totally beautiful to listen to. Also this song included the catchiest solo within all 7 songs.

The cd is definitely made from masters hand. These russian dudes know what they can with their instruments and they show all their ability on thie EP.

Great modern melodic death metal influenced by metalcore and deathcore, probably to make it sound familar to everyone who listens to "core-genres"

The classy thing from this band is, that they don't turn into the djent genre, since many bands try to let their sounds being similar to Meshuggah. This means the new songs from this band.

Actually these guys are working on their new EP "Feed My Spite", which is going to be released this year!

 Check these guys out, comment them some greats and tell them, that i have send you ;)

They will really appreciate it!

Stay tuned! 

Review #10: World To Ashes - In Contemplation Of Death

Album: In Contemplation Of Death

Artist: World To Ashes (Facebook | Myspace)

Year: 2009

Origin: Germany

Genre: Melodic Death Metal/Metalcore

For fans of: In Flames, At The Gates, Fall Of Serenity, Heaven Shall Burn

Rating: 4/5

Tracklist:
1. Into The Abyss
 2. Beyond The Veil
 3. Pale Cold Water
 4. Tie Killer Hypocrites
 5. The Lucent Gate
 6. Vanity
 7. Path Of Uncertainty
 8. Yesterday Is Burning Black
 9. Riven
10. A Soul Divided
11. Facing Death

I've searched long enough in my collection, to show you guys another great release from a great band!
World To Ashes are a band from Germany, playing modern based Melodic Death Metal!

Review: In Contemplation Of Death

The debut album, titled "In Contemplation Of Death" was released in 2009 and contains 10 Tracks plus one 1 Intro, called "Into The Abyss". It remains a bit of the beginning of something evil/awful, kinda apocalyptic, great theme for the album and it fits well to the great album artwork. Followed after the intro the opener "Beyond The Veil" kicks in. Dark and fast riffs lead into the song. This is also the first song i've heard from them and probably my personal favorite! Typical riffing and harsh vocals, make this song really catchy. A good start into the cd and a song that can really be remembered!

Third song in the tracklist is called "Pale Cold Water". The song seems cold as the title. Slow guitars and smashing drums make this songs sound. The riffs are played a few times and then they get more melodic. Yet the song is a bit depressive and dark. The song also has a little solo.

Fourth song is called "Tie Killer Hypocrates" and contains a lot of typical metalcore riffing, also the riffs are repeated very often and after a while the song gets dreary. Yet the song has something catchy that gives the listener a will to hear the song to the end. And also the song has some sudden moments that can be unexpected. Good one!

The fifth song "The Lucent Gate" starts with a riff, where a wall of death could be started to. The song has great melodic riffs and as it gets calm it gets heavier and catchier. I pretty enjoyed this song.

The sixth song if called "Vanity" and seems to be a real melodic one. Cool riffing, leaning onto songs from At The Gates. I really like how the band changes the riffs in the moments, when the songs get monotone. A great intro, a typical song, well structured and a surprisingly nice riff in the end. Period.

  

Followed on the seventh place is the song "Path Of Uncertainty". Fast picking, but a really sustained song. Riffs are repeated very long time. But if you think back to other bands from this genre, you will see, that there are tons of sustained songs, that can be good as well! To the ending of this song comes a cool melody in. This is the best part in my opinion.

The eighth track titled "Yesterday Is Burning Black" is a calmer interlude. Brilliant arpeggios building up the next song and a solo melody as higlight. Excellent inerlude.

The next ninth song is called "Riven" and directly takes out the listener from his trip from the interlude and makes the head bang. Loud and fast, raw and dirty riffing and aggressive vocals. This song is varied with all those riff and tempo changes. Another highlight song on the cd!

The cd nearly reaches the end. Track ten "A Soul Divided" begins with a calm and slow melody. Around the song, the speed is held slower then in the songs before! This song does really remain to At The Gates. You can really see that this band influenced these guys positively. I love this song, hear it your self!

Last but not least, track eleven. The song is titled "Facing Death" 

Metalcore riffing mixed with classy lines. This song shows a lot modern melodic death metal potential. There are lots of great riffs in and again the band shows everything within just song!

Overall the vocals don't contain that much deep voice. Instead there are lots of well fitting screams. What i missed were some more or longer guitar solos, or some more soloish melodies. The album cover artwork looks sick, it does really say something about the whole album. 

Highlight songs for me are the opener Beyond The Veil, The Lucent Gate and Vanity.

I pretty love the style of this band and look forward to what coming up by them! 

Be sure to check them out, buy this cd, got to concers and support them! 

Hendrik. 

In Flames - Deliver Us (New Song 2011)

Album: Sounds Of A Playground Fading

Artist: In Flames

Year: 2011

Origin: Sweden
Genre: Melodic Death Metal 

Rating: 3/5

Complete different to their old works for sure and another difference to their previous album "A Sense Of Purpose". Yet this song is quite good, though not excellent and not better then their older stuff from "Clayman", "Soundtrack To Your Escape" or "Come Clarity", since i am a big fan of the old things from them.

The solo keeps the song ok, but i'm stoked for the rest of the album too, i hope to hear better songs then this.

In Flames We Trust \m/