INFOS : webzine@femmemetalwebzine.net
Webzine dedicated to the metal band fronted by girls. We also like ambient,darkwave,rock & electronic music.
INFOS : webzine@femmemetalwebzine.net
Webzine dedicated to the metal band fronted by girls. We also like ambient,darkwave,rock & electronic music.
Label : Poets Labyrinth Productions
Review by Tony Cannella
Even though Christmas just passed, it is never too late for some quality holiday music. That brings us to the new single by Pennsylvania based singer/songwriter Tiffany Apan in collaboration with Chuck Owston as they present their version of the 16th century English Folk classic “Greensleeves”. I have to admit that I have always loved this song and found it deeply moving; it always seems to lend itself well to a rock setting or classical backdrop. The version that Tiffany Apan and Chuck Owston has presented us with is a more traditional, mournful rendition of the song. Right off-the-bat, Tiffany Apan has a phenomenal classically trained voice as she is accompanied by Chuck Owston on mandolins. “Greensleeves” is a perfect treat for the holiday season, but it is not just Christmas music.This is a timeless classic that Tiffany Apan and Chuck Owston has injected their heart and soul into and should be enjoyed year ‘round.
Rating - 85/100
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Label : GMR Music Group
Review by Tony Cannella
Ever since they burst onto the metal scene in 2005 with their excellent debut “In Distortion We Trust”, the Swedish all female metal band Crucified Barbara has become one of the best and most successful bands of the femme metal genre. There is a definite feeling of knowing what you are going to get with Crucified Barbara – let’s face it, they’re not trying to re-invent the wheel or heavy metal for that matter and that is always re-assuring to their fan base. They just continue to churn out high energy, raw and powerful metal with plenty of attitude. Why should their 3rd – and latest – album “The Midnight Chase” be any different? It is a new Crucified Barbara album but features the same intensity and enthusiasm as their previous two. The frenzied drum intro lead us into the opening tune “The Crucifier” and this is classic Crucified Barbara. It has almost a Motorhead feel to it and I picture this song opening their live shows on their upcoming tour. The whole album has a live feel to it and no shortage of energy and enthusiasm. Next is the powerhouse riffing that opens up the confrontational “Shut Your Mouth”. Lead vocalist Mia Coldheart is at her raspy voiced best. “Into the Fire” is next and another straight-ahead exorcise in heavy rock. “Rules and Bones” became one of my favorites and I found myself singing the chorus ‘rules and bones were made to be broken’ long afterwards – this is just an excellent song. “If I Hide” has great potential as a single if the band chose to release it as one. While still being heavy this is a really cool mid-tempo track. “Count Me In” is an acoustic ballad that has a cool melancholic and mournful vibe to it and is packed with emotion and heart. This is one of the few times that you will hear the tender side of Crucified Barbara. Other highlights include: “Everything We Need”, “The Midnight Chase” and “Rock Me Like the Devil”. “The Midnight Chase” is one of those albums that is not very hard to like. Sure, Crucified Barbara continues to follow the same musical path as their previous two, but what is wrong with that? “The Midnight Chase” should satisfy longtime fans as well as (hopefully) see the band gain more. I can’t really say if “The Midnight Chase” is better or worse than its predecessors, it is just a band that sounds like they are having fun and continues to maintain a high level of consistency. That is not a bad place to be.
Rating - 85/100
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Label : Curzweyhl
Review by Luisa Mercier
“Arcane” is the fourth Elane release and its music is inspired by the work of Kai Meyer, a German fantasy author that has published more than 50 books since ’90s. Elane and Kai met at a concert in 2006 and both agreed that their books and music could be perfect together, so “Arcane” is inspired by his novels and characters. The themes are present both in music and lyrics so let’s start this journey! “The Gift” is a short atmospheric intro, while in “Heart of the Desert” we get a taste of Joran’s powerful vocals: the production quality is very high; just listen to acoustic guitar, keyboards and percussions. “Samarkand” has a strong Middle - Eastern influence and it marks a new influence in Elane’s work, world music. In “Arcane Ride” you can hear all of the Elane influences combined together: folk and progressive mixed with Joran’s beautiful voice. The transition from a passage to another are smoothly arranged through the use of violin. Similar structure for “Magdalena”, with sultry strings arrangement and choir in the background, one of the highlights of the album. The band does write also in other languages than English and “Wasser und Fels” and “Die Geheime Melodie” are two short example of German-titled instrumentals with tin-whistles, strings and Joran’s vocalise. Cello makes its first appearance in “My Ivory Fairy”, slow folk ballad with rich strings arrangements in the chorus. “Abendruf” is a mysterious song sung in German, while reminiscent of the band old works is the acoustic “Lurlinnlight”. Enriched with flute it sounds sweet and delicate. Another folk-Celtic instrumental follows “Spinnerhaus”, and then the Latin “Deae Noctis” adds a different flavor to the album, being gloomier and heavier, though the strings and Elane typical arrangements are still present. “Dammertal” is another piece in the puzzle of beautiful instrumentals, “Masken” is the only track sung by male vocals. Last song is “Goddess of the Night”, more pop-oriented than the others, but equally good. “Arcane” is definetely a good album which can be enjoyed by folk lovers, but also by people with a different taste in music.
Rating - 85/100
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Label : OUTO Recordings/Scarlet Records
Review by Tony Cannella
I had given up all hope that this band even still existed. It has been seven long years since the Finnish hard rock band Lullacry released their last album “Vol. 4”. Now, finally the band returns with a new label (Scarlet Records) and a brand spankin’ new album called “Where Angels Fear”. Musically, not much has changed for Lullacry. They still play hard, straight-forward songs, mixing in hard rock riffs, bordering on metal with healthy doses of melody and attitude. “Antidote to You” gets things off on the right foot, and brings to mind what was always great about Lullacry. There is no major shift in musical style for this band, which is okay in my book. “Still an Angel” is next and speeds up the tempo with a monster guitar riff. Vocalist Tanja Lainio does a great job on the material as she delivers the lyrics with attitude and passion. She really has settled in nicely in the singers’ role for this band. “Thousand Suns” is next and slows the tempo down a bit, but it is still a heavy song and has a goth edge to it. Next is the excellent “Feel My Revenge”. This song features a pretty cool duet between Tanja and producer and ex-Misery Inc. vocalist Mikko Herranen. The following songs, “Bad Blood” (the first video track), “All Behind”, “Gone Are the Days” and “I Am” are all excellent tracks that moves things along at a steady pace. The final track “Stay” is a ballad that brings things to a conclusion on a serene note. Seven years is a long time to wait between albums, but Lullacry has put that time to good use by writing some killer songs for “Where Angels Fear”. Hopefully we will not have to wait another seven years between albums. ”Where Angels Fear” is like a visit from an old friend. Welcome back, guys and girl!
Rating - 85/100
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Label : Fono LTD
Review by Vard Aman
RabieS (the band… with a capital S – they asked me really nicely) comes from Magnitogorsk in the Chelyabinsk Region in Russia, at the extreme Southern end of the Ural Mountains. OK, that’s enough geography, onto a bit of science and etymology. Most people know rabies as the name of a disease, and it is one of the most unpleasant and fatal diseases known; but RabieS have taken their name not from the disease but rather from the origin of the word itself, which is Latin for “madness” or “fury” (the name of the disease obviously has the same origin). They formed in 2006, and “Kaplya v Beskonechnost” is their debut offering – and what a pleasant debut it is! RabieS play some highly accomplished and beautifully constructed Symphonic Operatic Metal – of the kind that is going to make musical comparisons with Tarja-era Nightwish, I’m afraid, inevitable. Comparisons in quality at least I think are fully justified; but RabieS comes from Magnitogorsk in Russia while Nightwish comes from the Metal Capital of the World and Nightwish are also one of the pioneers of this sound. (I do think though that RabieS has a better and prettier singer than Tarja-era Nightwish did. There! I said it! Bring on the hate mail!).
Vladislava has a beautiful and rich operatic soprano voice, and her vocals provide the highlight of this release… most of the time at least. At the middle and higher end of her range she is awesome (and even more so when she harmonizes… wow!) but on lower notes it sometimes sounds like she is straining just a little and in one or two places the result is that her normally beautifully flowing voice gives way to… I’m not sure what it’s called so I’m going to give it my own name – “alarmed hen syndrome”. She still hits the notes perfectly but something just doesn’t feel right. It might also be a consequence of an operatic style not being quite suited to that particular part of the song – perhaps in the parts in question, a normal singing style would have been better suited (and as a bonus might also have served to give the operatic parts more impact when they came in, especially when the operatic vocals are of such outstanding quality as Vladislava’s are). Still, those moments are few and far between, and most of the time her vocals are right up there among the most beautiful, flowing operatic vocals that I’ve heard from an operatic singer in Metal; and her voice suits the music perfectly. Turning our attention to the rest of the band and the production, the performance and the song writing is really good. The songs are not overly complex and succeed in creating the kinds of feelings and emotions through the sound and the melodies that they should. The songs are also catchy – 3 days after hearing the single “Vozvrascheniye” (and watching the video) for the first time I found myself humming the chorus to myself.
Occasional male vocals and growls are provided by the keyboardist Eduard. The kick drum could have used a little more low-end EQ (and/or a little less high-end EQ) in the mix, but that isn’t too much of an issue. The album is also quite short by today’s standards: 9 songs (including the bonus track) at just over 32 minutes but this is not a bad thing at all. The songs are all equally good, there are no fillers, and when the album ended I found myself feeling both very satisfied by what I had heard and wanting more at the same time. Bands that try to make long albums just for the sake of making a long album (““we have the time, let’s use it”) often fail to have this effect. Credit must go to RabieS for avoiding this temptation… although, that said, perhaps one or two more songs on this album certainly would not have hurt. Or you can just listen to the album again, like I did, and like I have done several times since and will do again. “Kaplya v Beskonechnost” is a good debut indeed, but there are a few minor creases that I think the band needs to iron out for the next one; and if they do, the next one should be even better. So, with that, I strongly recommend getting RabieS! I’ve got RabieS and I’m enjoying every minute of it!
Rating - 85/100
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Label : Out of Line Music
Review by Vard Aman
From 2004-2008, Dark Princess was a band that had perfected rather than pioneered the art of producing fairly mainstream Gothic Metal/Rock in a way that few of their counterparts had managed, including many of their more illustrious ones. They produced 3 full length albums and a compilation, which included some of the best songs the subgenre has ever had to offer; songs such as “Cry”, “My Fragile Winter Dream” and “Close to the Sky”; songs that I still listen to on a regular basis. So when I read that Dark Princess were about to release a new album I almost fell off my chair (in a good way). This is their first full length album since 2007, so the expectation was high. The brilliance of their lone single “We Can Not Fly So High” in 2009 elevated that expectation even further. Now that the wait is over and I have my promo copy of the “The World I’ve Lost” right here, it’s time to find out if the album lives up to those high expectations. I’ll need to give it a few more listens, and on more than one system and over a few days – as I usually do; once/one is never enough I find (old engineer/producer habits die hard). In the meantime, let me introduce you to someone by the name of Natalia Terekhova: Olga Romanova, who had become synonymous with Dark Princess, left the band in early 2008 due to personal reasons. She was replaced later that year by Natalia. A vocalist of the quality of Olga Romanova is hard to replace, so no doubt there must have been questions in the minds of fans along the lines of “Is she a worthy replacement and is she as good?”. Natalia answered all of those questions with a resounding “Yes!”. The single in 2009 was as good as anything Dark Princess had produced previously,and Natalia suited the role perfectly (and for those of you who are wondering if I have eyes in my head, yes, she is every bit as nice to look at as well – she is Russian after all…) Natalia Terekhova was already a name on the music scene, participating in several national and international singing competitions, TV shows and musicals (she’s a member of The Moscow Four).
She participated in the Russian qualifying finals for Eurovision in 2008 (Dima Bilan won – which he only did because he got rid of his mullet… well, OK, at least I like to imagine that was the reason) and again in 2010, this time with Dark Princess although she performed one of her own songs, called “Everything” (I forget who won that year, but I dare say it was probably someone not nearly as good). She also has a solo album out, called “The First Step”. She is a versatile and multitalented vocal powerhouse. And, above all, she is the new Dark Princess of Dark Princess! OK, on to “The World I’ve Lost”. The album starts off with “Fight With Myself”, which is an awesome track full of powerful guitar riffs, certainly one of the highlights off the album. Next comes the single “We Can Not Fly So High” and… things suddenly start to go a little wrong. The 2009 version of this song was better. My main reason for saying that arrives halfway through the song and is a problem that haunts the album in a few other places as well, particularly in the following 2 tracks; and that problem is the various synth sounds and electronic percussion. Half way though “We Can Not Fly So High” a synth that is often used in various kinds of Dance music comes in (there are several different kinds and variants of these synths out there so I can’t name the exact one used here). It sits just below the mix, not loud enough to be an integral part of the song but just loud enough to be a distraction and therefore really annoying. The next song, “Fields of Youth” has some percussion SFX that sounds like some sort of sucking sound; and the next, “The Key” has electronic percussion throughout. Why? They add nothing to the sound but instead provide a distraction from the excellent guitars and vocals that make these songs what they are, which therefore ends up taking something away.
What was the producer/band thinking? These songs would have been so much better without the synths and percussion SFX. I’ll finish off my list of beefs with the vocal effect on the sustained note at the end of the first chorus of “Fields of Youth” (again why?) and the male vocals later in the same song. Otherwise, both “Fields of Youth” and “The Key” are good songs with some beautiful and very catchy vocal melodies. Natalia saves the day! Things start improving (i.e. the distractions become less) from the next track onwards. “Everlasting Pain” is a good solid Rock/Metal song followed by “Paradise Land”, which is beautiful melodic ballad with folk influences and is another of the highlights off the album. Then comes “Point of No Return”, which is some more melodic Metal/Rock; and then a rock ballad called “The Temple of Darkness”. “The Temple of Darkness” comes with an interesting change at the end where Dark Princess start playing something in the vein of Doom Metal (and they’re as good at that as they are at everything else). “The Last Page” is more of a Gothic song, and is another of the highlights off the album. The synths and percussion SFX still turn up occasionally on the second half of the album, but in the second half they are used more appropriately and more sparingly so that they aren’t such an annoyance (it would still be better without them though). In the final song (on my promo version), “The Way of Passion”, the Rave synth is used again, but this time it is used in a way that really works and really adds something to the song. It is a poppy Rock/Metal song with a catchy, almost ABBA-esque chorus.
The track list that came with the press release lists another song afterwards, entitled “Caruso”, but it is not on my promo copy. “The World I’ve Lost” is Dark Princess’s most mainstream release to date. To people who follow the ideals of Manowar style metal-elitism or “Tr00 Kvlt”, don’t bother; to everyone else, if you like solid Gothic Metal/Rock, then this is a must have – it is full of great riffs, well written songs, very catchy melodies and, most of all, excellent vocals. So, to close off: - “Is Natalia as good as Olga?”- Yes, most definitely! - “Is it a good album?” - Yes, very! (Aside from the unnecessary SFX). - “Will fans of Dark Princess and of the subgenre in general like this?”- Yes, without a doubt! - “Is it accessible to fans of other types of Metal and/or to people who don’t like Metal?” - Yes, absolutely! - “Does it live up to the expectations?” Yes, to a point. - “Is it as good as old Dark Princess?”Hmm… - “…so close to the sky, the spirit of my sorrow…” - No, I personally don’t think so. But whether you agree with me on that opinion or not, one thing is for sure: Dark Princess is one of the best bands this subgenre has to offer. They have come far, and they’re going farther. Don’t miss out on this if you’re a fan of Gothic Metal. Actually, don’t miss out on this if you’re a fan of any kind of good solid Rock music. Actually, just don’t miss out on this, full stop.
Rating - 85/100
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Label : BadMoonBad Music/Solitude Productions
Review by Tony Cannella
It is odd when a band comes out with a 28-minute compilation EP. Such is the case with “Apple of Discord” by the Russian band Canonis. After a series of Demos – their first of which came out in 1995 – and a single, the band has compiled some of those moments on their new 7-song, 28-minute compilation. Musically Canonis began as Doom Metal band but has since evolved into playing ethereal, ambient music and that is the style that is showcased on “Apple of Discord”. On “Apple of Discord” the general tone is one of dark and beautiful music. Their Doom Metal period is clearly in the rear view mirror for Canonis as the songs display an ambience and ethereal splendor to them. There is also a bit of a Celtic, Folk flavor to some of the songs. Throughout “Apple of Discord” I was most certainly impressed with the overall presentation, sound and most of all songs from this talented Russian band. Hopefully a debut full-length from Canonis is not too far off.
Rating - 85/100
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Label : Ravenheart Records
Review by Tony Cannella
WitchcrafT is a dark, progressive metal band from Russia. They were formed in 2005 and released their debut “The Voice From Inside” in 2008. Their just released second album is titled “Ash”. Musically, WitchcrafT offers a classy style and the angelic vocals (no pun intended) of Angel. The band utilizes very prog-like keyboard passages that interplay nicely with the guitars. The intro “Memories” begins things and sorta reminded me a bit of Dream Theater when the keyboards kick in. That’s no surprise since DT is listed as one of the bands influences. After the intro, the band launches into the haunting title track “Ash”, tempo wise this song shifts gears from a slower style to faster and more bombastic, a cool guitar solo is also on display here. In addition to the beautiful vocals of Angel, some male vocals are also present throughout “Ash”. I apologize for not being able to provide who performed the male vocals, but I could not find them anywhere on-line. “Flaming Night” is next and is a melodic power metal type of song and also one of the heavier and more straight forward numbers include here. The male vocalist takes the lead on this one. The ballad “Frail Rime” slows the tempo down a down a few notches and delivers a stunning vocal performance from Angel.The use of violins on this track helps to make it a somber, melancholic track. Other highlights include: “Oblivion”, “Mist” and “Sleepy Hollow”. “Ash” is a very strong second release from WitchcrafT. It maintains a steady, consistent path musically throughout its 53-minute playing time. Fans who love Prog-metal with haunting and dark undercurrents should check out WitchcrafT.
Rating - 85/100
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Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
VelvetSeal are a 4-piece female fronted band from Budapest, Hungary. Musically the band lies in the realm of Symphonic power metal, with some touches of classical, gothic and progressive metal thrown in as well. The 4-songs presented here are just a taste of what we can expect on the band’s forthcoming 9-song debut release, titled “Lend Me Your Wings”. The band are fronted by Gabriella Foti on vocals. The rest of the lineup goes like this: Csaba Ratz (guitars, orchstration, synths), David Kalmar (bass) and the quartet is completed by Balazs Hornyak on drums. The title track “Lend Me Your Wings” sets things in motion with a heavy guitar riff and some big sounding orchestration. The vocals of Gabriella are very strong and emotional. This is a solid opener with a huge chorus that is both catchy and dramatic. This was one of the definite highlights for me and at only 3-minutes long it is over too soon. Next is “The One”. This is another dramatic sounding number. It still maintains the heaviness of the previous song, but it is slower in tempo. The vocals on the chorus sound very cool, almost like a choir. It definitely provides great atmosphere and emotion to the song. The song keeps a steady pace throughout and never wavers. it is just a solid track. Next up is “Desperati”. This song begins with some eerie sounding intro music and then launches into a heavy riff accompanied by rhythmic chanting and the vocals of Gabriella Foti once again take center stage. I should also mention that the production is very good. They have obviously put a lot of effort into the overall presentation and that effort definitely pays off. The final track, “The Divine Comedy?” is a perfect way to end things and leave the listener hungry for more. This is an epic and dramatic sounding song and one that had me reaching for the play button once again. The only negative I can really say about this is that I wish it was longer than just the 4 songs. VelvetSeal are a great, talented, up-and-coming band, that I would suspect that we will hear more from in the months and years to come. I hope we do anyway. The 4-songs offered here are a perfect teaser for what it is to come. I am not too familiar with the Hungarian metal scene but I would describe the music contained here as just pure, classy metal. Excellent vocals, great musicianship and most importantly fantastic songs, what more can one ask for? If these songs are any indication of the future than I am eagerly awaiting the day that I get to hear the full version of “Lend Me Your Wings”. I’m sure it will be well worth the wait.
Rating - 85/100
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Review by Si Smith
“Fables of the Sleepless Empire” is the latest release from Canada’s Unexpect since 2006’s “In a Flesh Aquarium”, and this release is a bit more tuneful than the last offering, if not being just as confusing to the casual listener. Unexpect always live up to their name, as the music takes unexpected turns at unexpected intervals and they manage to combine almost every genre imaginable into a magical mixture of music and voice. To the uninitiated it can appear confusion; to the fan it is genius. First track “Unsolved Ideas of a Distorted Guest” begins with tales of hopping bunnies and calls to mind Alice in her twisted Wonderland, such are the warped yet delicate twistings of the band’s lyrics. We are to be taken on a journey through bizarre soundscapes and wordscapes, sometimes frightening but always exciting. Above it all Leïlindel’s vocals soar and are echoed by complimentary growls which usher in this unique experience. Intricate violins mix with keyboard parts in the centre of the song to lead into more growls from Syriak and Artagoth, and eventually all comes together for a unified ending. “Words” starts with some haunting violin lines over a wandering bass, then the vocals come in with a slightly more traditional sound. However being Unexpect the “traditional” quickly turns into black metal riffery and some space age wierdness - yes, this is another typical Unexpect song. “Orange Vigilantes” continues with dissonant chord-bursts and frantic piano melodies. Despite the chaos somehow there is still a sense of order and melody. “Mechanical Phoenix” slows things down briefly before returning to the riffage; there is enough black metal growling here to satisfy the black metal fan, before Leïlindel takes her turn with some jazzy vocal gymnastics that are at once sexy yet surreal. The second half of the CD continues much in the same vein as the first. “Unfed Pendulum” introduces some more sound effects and electronic musings, and seems to tell the tale of a strange machine gone haywire; but as always the lyrics are poetic and ponderous, never quite saying in clear plain English what is going on, but leaving the listener to make up their own mind (although we are given hints on the lyrics sheet). After a brief interlude about whales, “Silence This Parasite” concerns “the reign of an Anomaly that should not be” and is one of the more dramatic orchestral tracks on the CD, with less of the unexpected and slightly more of the straightforward. The final three tracks make up a “Wedding Trilogy for the Faints of Heart” concerning tales of Oz, magic carpets and zombie lovers - so if you like your music and your lyrics fantastical there is no better place to look than here! In all, this is an almost exhausting album to listen to as it takes you to so many different places along the journey. Yet for the more travelled musically it will be a masterpiece beyond compare. Unexpect have definitely produced a far more rounded and involved piece than the last album. A CD that will merit many returns to replay through the drama, noticing an elusive gasp here, a hidden orchestral blast there, a subtle nuance that maybe was not glanced on the last walkthrough. A remarkable achievement!!
Rating - 85/100
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