Let’s start with a curiosity about the title : “The explanation of this name is the release’s date: 10/10/10. It was a Sunday, an unusual day to release an album”. The Italian Industrial Metal DyNAbyte in 2011 has released thru WormHoleDeath - Dreamcell 11 their second album “2KX” and it’s a release multi-layered and “you’ll be overwhelmed by songs with a strong impact”. Add also the vocals “versatility of Cadaveria” and you’ll have an explosive mix of emotions - as Davide asserts “Sometimes there is the risk of being hypnotized or to be paralyzed by fear” or to “being overwhelmed by a chaos of sounds”.

(via DyNAbyte – “2KX” (2011) « Femme Metal Webzine)

(@lisahband) Who loves the folk music mixed with pop influenced should check out the second album by the Irish singer-songwriterLisa Hannigan“Passengers”. Previously known for being the partner in crime (both in public and private life) of Blur’s Damien Rice, after seven years “the singer decided to start her own solo career and” in 2008 she’s released “Sea Sew”. “Passengers”, her follow up, although “it is a classic record, there is no very much innovation, it shows how emotional Lisa can be and her elegance in choosing arrangements”. Waiting for the next album we simply recommend this “soulful record for your quieter moments”.

(via Lisa Hannigan – “Passengers” (2011) « Femme Metal Webzine)

(@wearebigdeal) All was born thanks to “the mother of Alice Costelloe [that] asked [to] KC Underwood to teach her to play guitar”. See what the strange meetings can do. Well, I’m talking about London based indie duo BIG DEAL whose debut album “Lights Out” was released in 2011 via Mute Records. Luisa has simply defined this album “very fresh, erotic, sweet, melancholic sometimes”. And our reviewer has only high praises for this band admitting without doubts that “I think it is one of the best debut in indie scene in 2011 and given the young age of the members we can only expect major improvements in the future”. Yes, keep your eyes open because on May the new album “June Gloom” will be out and Femme Metal Webzine won’t miss the chance to review it!

(via Big Deal – “Lights Out” (2011) « Femme Metal Webzine)

While we wait to review Ann-Mari Thim’s latest release from her project Angelic Foe (not to forget that she’s also the singer of Swedish neoclassical/ambient legends Arcana [Arcana - A Peter Bjärgö project (Official)]) we gladly publish this review from Seventh Harmonic that feature her “skilled and talented” vocals (sadly I’ve to add that she’s no more part of the band). Well, despite this sad news, we’re in front of “a very delicate album” which all the lyrics “are related to the Pagan world and Pagan festivities”. “The vocals of Ann-Mari” are “perfect”. So, are you coming home after a stressful day and are you looking forward to relax? So, put in your player Seventh Harmonic’s “Garden of Dilmun” and just “sit” and let the music “flow through you”.

(via Seventh Harmonic – “Garden of Dilmun” (2011) « Femme Metal Webzine)

US Drone/Doom Metal legends SUNN O))) in 2011 thru Southern Lord Recordings has re-released “with a different and evocative cover artwork” their debut album “ØØ Void”, that in the meantime , this platter “has acquired the status of “cult album””. “ØØ Void” sees the collaboration of “Stuart Dahlquist (Goatsnake, Burning Witch), Petra Haden (Official Petra Haden fan page) (violin, vocals) and Pete Stahl”. Luisa “ended being fascinated by them” ‘cause “is a very different musical experience” as she states - Listening SUNN O))) means going “beyond all the boundaries of what we usually call “music”” and our editor can only advice to “try by yourself to really understand what SUNN O))) are about”. 

(via SUNN O))) – “ØØ Void” REISSUE (2011) « Femme Metal Webzine)

From Italy now we jump towards Norway with the art-rock/progressive band White Willow and its sixth album “Terminal Twilight”. For being his first time that Tony has listened to them, he remained surprisingly astonished by their capacity to merge different type of music such “as Jazz-fusion, electronica, orchestral, 70s style prog rock and topping it off with a bit of the avant-garde”. Also Tony is not afraid to define White Willow’s music “a cross between the great fellow Norwegian band The 3rd and the Mortal and Pink Floyd”. Do you want to revere “one of the more unique albums and bands I have heard in quite some time” as Tony has stated? 

 (via White Willow – “Terminal Twilight” (2011) « Femme Metal Webzine)

I admit that this release is ONLY for a fine (prog) palate, only for true connoisseur ‘cause we’re in front of a legendary Italian prog rock band that whose albums are now considered some rare and true musical gems. And we’re talking about”Saint Just” that it has “already released two albums back in the ’70s creating an unique mix, loved by Italian and foreign prog fans”. The reason of this comeback is to point at its leader - Jenny Sorrenti - that she “felt the need to go back to her roots and creating new music with her first musical project”. In “Prog Explosion” you’ll listen simply traditional Italian prog rock music and Luisa is not afraid to state that ““Prog Explosion” is one of the best examples of reunion; the real deal for all classic progrock lovers!”.  

(via Saint Just Again (di Jenny Sorrenti) – “Prog Explosion” (2011) « Femme Metal Webzine)

Our mini-trip into the Dutch underground bands panorama continues with the melodic metal band Only Fate Remains that has published “three demos” under the Trisomy moniker “before changing their name to their current one”. What this band proposes is simply “high quality melodic metal that has drawn favorable comparisons to such bands as Evanescence, Lacuna Coil and The Gathering”. Instead to use “grunt vocals, orchestras and operatic vocals” as Tony states, “they opt for a more organic sound that emphasizes the heavy guitars and Eva Kokken’s excellent, clean vocals”.  (via Only Fate Remains – “Breathe” (2011) « Femme Metal Webzine)

While we wait the “Rushing Through The Sky” EP’s review, I offer you the review of the debut SINGLE “Your Mind” by Schoolcraft, the solo project of the singer/instrumentalist (and now Cradle of Filth touring member too) Lindz Riot, that also she’s the singer of the Canadian gothic rock band Mary and the Black Lamb. Although this single contains only 2 songs, Lindz, with her vocals and skills, was able to positively impress our reviewer Luisa : “If this is just an appetizer of the album that will come, I will be really glad to listen to it! These two tracks sound really promising and diverse, so I am eager to listen to what she can do on her own!”.

(via Schoolcraft – “Your Mind” SINGLE (2011) « Femme Metal Webzine)

We realize that it’s quite late to publish this interview but the meantime that UK progressive rock band Touchstone is recording the fourth album, it’s the right moment to delve into Tocuhstone and their last album “The City Sleeps”. As singer Kim Seviour states this album is not a concept but “behind the album as a whole some stories have been continued from different albums and we wanted to carry those on. When “Shadows Fall” carries on from “Shadow” from our first full-length album “Discordant Dreams” and “The City Sleeps” follows on from “Wintercoast”. There’s not only space for serious stuff, Kim doesn’t hide the fact that she “would love to work with Peter Gabriel”. Well, we’re at the end of this special feature about this promising band that it has only a (brilliant) future that we’re looking forward to follow closely.

(via Kim Seviour – Touchstone « Femme Metal Webzine)