INFOS : webzine@femmemetalwebzine.net

Webzine dedicated to the metal band fronted by girls. We also like ambient,darkwave,rock & electronic music.

Femme Metal Webzine
posted 10 months ago

Interview by Tony Cannella


In the past 30-years trends have come and gone in the fickle music industry, yet German thrash metal legends Holy Moses remain. They may not be the biggest band in the world or have achieved a huge worldwide fan base, but for over 30-years they have remained true to themselves and their core audience, and whatever you think of the band, they deserve respect. Recently Holy Moses issued a 2-disc compilation to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the band. Lead vocalist Sabina Classen and bass player Olli Jaath were kind enough to talk to us about it and other things involving Holy Moses.

First of all, congratulations on 30 years in existence for Holy Moses. Please tell us about the recently released 2-disc compilation.

Olli : Many thanks. We sat together in the Absurd Studio in Hamburg and listened to all records except the latest one (“Agony of Death”). We looked for the songs which the fans want to hear and those which are great but not so common. Additionally we checked our fan club network. I think we found a good balance. It´s great to have the old tracks now in a great sound robe. All of them sound much heavier and better than on the old records.

Are you doing anything else to commemorate such a milestone?

Olli: Well. Not really. We are looking forward to playing our next shows. We already started the songwriting for the next studio record. So we are busy to do our next step.

How do you feel about the 30th anniversary? Do you ever get a chance to reflect on the past 30 years?

Sabina : I feel wonderful with the 30th anniversary. I am reflecting a lot of times about the past 30 years. Especially when we recorded the album, a lot of memories came back into my mind. I remembered names and situations with the band and I was laughing a lot of the time to myself because we did so many things without knowing anything about promotion, marketing and management. I did the things like I was feeling, sometimes really naïve. But I think this keeps us still working on. I think this is the wonderful thing with Holy Moses; we only do what we love to do.

How did you both come to join Holy Moses?

Sabina : It is a real true and funny story. My boyfriend Andy was playing in our school band Holy MosesAndy Classen – and I was sitting in the rehearsal room and listening to them. One day, bandleader and boss Ramon Bruessler (bass) fired the singer and so Ramon said to me – “Hey Sabina, you are sitting here, doing nothing, go to the microphone and sing”. I answered to him “I can’t sing”, but he gave to me the microphone and I had no other choice and I did a deep growl, I was wondering to myself what came out of me, and I thought, now they know, Sabina can’t sing. Ramon got a big smile on his face and responds to me – “do it again”, I did it again, and he said “Sabina, you are the new singer of Holy Moses”. I thought, this guy is kidding me, but it was true. It was the date, 3rd December 1981, and since this date I am the singer of Holy Moses.

Olli : Sabina and I have known each other since 2000 and I joined Holy Moses in 2006. Sabina asked me to help them out for some gigs as a bass player. Normally I play guitar. Besides Holy Moses I play the guitar for my other band Reckless Tide. After Thomas entered the band I switched from bass to guitar.

How do you feel Holy Moses has changed and evolved in the last 30 years?

Sabina : I think we did always what we were feeling. I have many sides in myself, and the most important fact is I am not thinking about it, I just do what I like to do and feel.

Olli: Holy Moses went through many musical changes. Heavy Metal, thrash metal, death metal, Punk, Hardcore but the thrash factor was always the dominant part. Nowadays I would say that Holy Moses stands for a more complex kind of thrash metal with a heavier weighting on hook lines and melodies.

Can we expect new material from Holy Moses soon?

Sabina : My guys in the band are working already on new material, and I am always writing lyrics. So I can work on my daily impressions about life.

Olli: Yes, we are already collecting ideas and riffs for the next record coming out 2013. So don’t worry.

When Holy Moses first got together, who would you site as your influences?

Sabina : I really don’t know. At the time I just loved Black Sabbath, AC/DC. I did not have so many albums, and I was not listening so much to music. I think my life influenced me always, and this is still going on, all that I am doing is coming deep from my soul.

For you, what has been the highlight so far?

Sabina : My highlight is that I am doing Holy Moses since 30 fucking years, so my highlight is really to do all these years. I was able to visit so many countries and getting in contact with so many people around nearly the whole world. I think getting in contact with so many cultures is the biggest highlight you can get in your life.

Olli: My personal highlight was our tour through Japan in 2009. It was our first time and it was very great to meet all the people, discover the country and play all the shows over there. I hope we can come back very soon.

Any low points?

Sabina : Yes, like life can be, but each low point lets me get more energy and experience for my life. I think everything in your life is something you have to do, to get into the next level of your life..

Olli: Yep, our tour with Benediction in 2008. This tour, thanks to our former booking agency MAD, was horrible and done without any organization. The tour bus broke several times including a fire, venues didn´t know that we are coming, no advertising, etc. Everything bad you could imagine happened. The cool thing was the great relationship between the guys from Benediction and us.

Sabina, You were one of the – if not the – first women in extreme metal. Do you feel like an influence or inspiration to others who have followed?

Sabina: Yes, I really know now, that I was the very first growling and extreme music woman in metal. And I think this is also a milestone and something real special. I feel great with it, if anybody - male or female - got from my music and my strength power and energy to do also steps in his life, to be happy.

Sabina, I read somewhere that you are also involved in managing bands.  Can you please tell us how you got into that and are there any bands we should be on the lookout for?

Sabina I did some years, a kind of helping hand for some younger bands. But I stopped with it, because I love to have my music as a kind of hobby, to work on myself. In my other life, I am working as a natural humanistic psychotherapist and this is what I love to do for my profession.

Which do you prefer, the management or performance end of things?

Sabina : The only thing is to perform on stage in metal – and doing management is nothing for me anymore. I am not a really good manager, because I do not like to be in stressful situations with people, so I do not like to make hard business decisions.

You also joined Doro on stage for her 25th anniversary. What was that experience like?

Sabina: Yes, I joined Doro on stage – often times – she is a really good friend of mine since the 80s, and every time when we have the chance to sing together, we always do. To be on stage with her on her 25th anniversary was a really great moment, Doro is a great woman.

Obviously the music industry has changed since Holy Moses first began. What do you feel has been the biggest difference and most positive development in music over the past 30 years?

Sabina : Ha ha ha, yes so many things have changed, but not Holy Moses – and one thing of the wonderful new world is the internet, so I can be in contact with our friends all the time. About the bad things I do not want to think about it, I take the development like it is and a try to always make the most positive out of it.

Who are some current bands that you like?

Sabina : I still love all the stuff like Ozzy Osbourne, but also I like my mates from Kreator, Destruction, Sodom, Tankard and Doro, Slayer, Tom Gabriel Warrior and still Venom and Possessed – but I am listening mostly in my silent moments to world music.

Olli : I am still a fan of the bay area thrash metal. Bands like Exodus, Testament and Anthrax influenced my play. I still like the last outputs of these bands. To mention newer bands I can say Havoc and Warbringer.

Sabina, in the mid to late 90s you also fronted a band called Temple of the Absurd and released two albums.  What is your opinion of those albums today and do you think they might ever get re-issued?

Sabina : It was a great time with Temple of the Absurd and I learned a lot of things for my life. It was really a time of a Rock’n’Roll life, and I think I will have this always in my soul and mind. I do not know yet, if we will re-issue these albums.

At that point, why did you opt to form a new band and put Holy Moses on hold?

Sabina : At that point, some things changed in my life in private ways and so I had to do a new step in my life and I was feeling that I had to have some experiences, and like my motto – Just do what you feel.

What can we expect from Holy Moses in the future?

Sabina : Holy Moses

Olli : A new record and hopefully many live shows.

Thank you Sabina and Olli for taking the time to answer these questions and congratulations on 30 years, here’s to 30 more. In conclusion, is there anything you would like to add to this interview or say to the fans?

Sabina : So many thanks for supporting us over all these years – and being behind us, and giving us the chance to go on with something we love to do.

Olli : Many thanks for all the support over all these years. We will see you on tour. Thrash on!!

Links

MySpace * ReverbNation * Facebook * Site

posted 10 months ago

 Interview by Robin Stryker 


It was my profound pleasure to interview Charlotte Wessels and Martijn Westerholt, the vocalist and founder/keyboardist of Dutch symphonic metal band, Delain. Happily for me, the band was in my hometown of Atlanta for their U.S. debut at ProgPower USA. After fortifying ourselves with some Italian food, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work.

Charlotte and Martijn, of course, did all the work – even taking turns later in the night interviewing each other, whilst I sat back and giggled. (I swear it was their idea). Read on to find out what happens when band members, who are good friends in real life and extremely funny in person, get to turn the microphone on each other. 

Hello Charlotte and Martijn! Last time Femme Metal talked with Delain in late 2009, you had recently headlined at Metal Female Voices Festival and were starting your tour with Sonata Arctica. Since then, you have released “April Rain” in the U.K., done headlining tours and have just performed at Wacken Open Air. How was Wacken?

Charlotte: It was awesome. Yeah, it was really great. We played at the Party Stage and there were lots of people there all cheering. 

Martijn: And it was a PARTY! We were very surprised the party stage was called the “Party Stage”. It was amazing.

And that was just one of a lot of festivals that Delain was at this year, right?

Charlotte: We also did Sonisphere in the UK, which was REALLY amazing. I guess that was one of my favourites as well, next to Wacken. 

Martijn: Mine too, absolutely.

Now, having sampled festivals all over the world, what has been the one where you thought everything just came together – the fans were on, the equipment was working, everything was perfect? 

Martijn: We never had that. (laughs)

Charlotte: No, we’re still waiting for it. I mean, it’s taking FOREVER.

Martijn: (laughs) I’m just kidding, of course.

Charlotte: I guess Lowlands in 2009, which was really awesome. It’s a Dutch festival and I’ve been going there every since my parents allowed me to go to festivals, basically. Then, finally to be up on the stage there. And it was a good show, too!

Martijn: It was a really big festival with something like more than 50.000 people.

Charlotte: I think even 60.000.

Martijn: I think it’s one of the biggest in Holland. So, everything went perfect, and it was a really, really good show.

I understand that after ProgPower, Delain will make its first appearance in Mexico and Brazil. Do you have anything special planned for those shows?Charlotte: The fact that we will be there is kind of special. The special thing for us about Brazil and Mexico is that they were one of the first countries who had a really loyal and active fan-base. A few of the first fan-sites that popped up were the South American ones. And then you hear all the stories from other bands that it is crazy and wild over there. So I think we are as much looking forward to how they are going to be, as they are looking forward to how we are going to be. 

Martijn: Yeah, absolutely! And of course, you’re going to hear Charlotte talking Portuguese and Spanish.Charlotte, have you memorized some phrases and basic greetings? 

Charlotte:
I actually contacted some fans … like “Oh, it would be so nice if I could say something!” … and sent them some stuff that I would like to say. I’m going to practice with them. I’m always trying to do that. And if I don’t get to memorize it, then I’ll just secretly write it on my hand. (Oh no, I’m telling my secret!)Martijn, how about you, or are you going to phone it in?

Martijn:
Yeah well, I don’t look forward to it. I think it is an average tour.Charlotte: Just another day at the office for Martijn.

Martijn: But TOTALLY the other way around. It’s already great tour right now. We didn’t even play yet and it is already great being here in the States. I’m really looking forward to South America. As Charlotte said, we heard a lot of positive, crazy stuff from other bands there. And it is also always a really good sign if you have already developed a fan base and you didn’t even release anything yet or play there. So they deserve having us there, and we are really looking forward to it. 

You’ve got very little time between ProgPower and Mexico, but have five days between Mexico and Brazil. Have you pencilled in some fun while you are there, maybe some sightseeing?Charlotte: We’ve had a lot of fun today!

Martijn: We’re taking the car from Mexico City to São Paulo, so we needed five days. (laughs) No, we’re not. We have a couple of days off and we are going to do some sightseeing in Brazil.Charlotte: Destroying some more pools on the way over there.

Martijn: Yeah, exactly!Charlotte: We’ll enjoy ourselves.

I was really interested to read on Delain’s website that October 29th is actually the last show in Holland before the new album. Where are you on the new album?Charlotte: We are writing it. We have some songs and ideas for songs and we are hoping to get into the studio and get on going with it really quickly.

Martijn: When we are back from this tour, actually the biggest part of the writing starts then. Then we really are planning to do a lot of stuff. Charlotte: We are going to lock ourselves in together.

Is that what it takes when you are writing? To just step out of your lives and hunker down to write?Charlotte: If you have unlimited time, I don’t think you would need it. But at this point, we want something to happen fast. So, it is just making the circumstances to write more optimal.

Martijn:
And it is also very easy if you sit together, to develop the style you want to do. Because you always want to innovate a little bit. When you are on your own, you cannot do that. So you need to be together for that. We have a lot of activities normally … without writing even … so it’s very important to really focus on it and don’t have any distractions. So we hired a small farm house in Holland and we are going to write and hope something good comes out of that.

Charlotte, when you first started with Delain, a lot of the material for “Lucidity” was already written and you were doing vocal lines. And then in “April Rain”, it was much more collaborative. Now that you have worked together on two albums and know each other’s style, what is the process like?  Charlotte: Actually, a lot of parts stay the same but some things change as well. I guess we are still working the same way. It is just that you get together earlier in the process, which makes it easier to respond to each other. At least for me, I like it better. I mean, the filling in the gaps on “Lucidity” was really cool but it’s richer to be there from the beginning and see how everything develops.

Martijn: But also from my side, it is better. Because if somebody is really into it, this music is like transporting your emotions … it’s like transporting feelings and atmosphere. And if you are totally into it, then it benefits, of course, the music.Charlotte: And you also see that it kind of gets together in an earlier stage. Where sometimes there would be a song and there would be a lyrical interpretation of that song. And I think those became closer to each other. You know?

Martijn: But also the other way around, especially with the songs I write. If Charlotte writes something with Guus, then I only hear it almost at the end.Charlotte: That’s true, yeah.

Martijn: Which I think we have to look into, if that is the most efficient way. But that is something for the future. Also still, the way of working is still moving. And that is good, because we are still exploring. 

Your bass player, Otto der Oije, is a VERY recent addition to Delain. Would you tell us a little about him?

Charlotte: He was with us for the first time at the headline tour in the U.K. earlier this year.

Martijn: This felt like … I don’t know if it is also an American saying, “a lot of the lottery”. Something like that. What is the American saying?

“Luck of the draw” is probably the comparable American saying. 

Charlotte: Luck of the draw, that’s it. 

Martijn: Exactly. It’s really great … really, really great with him.

How does it feel that Delain is now a band that other Delain are completely excited to play with? For example, Kingfisher Sky is tweeting about opening for Delain  at the Tivoli  show.
Charlotte: It feels great, of course! If you look, for example, at the other band that is opening, Stream of Passion is a band that I bought tickets to see. I bought tickets to see them in concert before I was in Delain, so it is kind of a turn-around. It is really cool, and we are really grateful for the things that we have achieved.

Martijn: Because you achieve it yourself. But you also achieve it because of the people who visit you and who buy your stuff. They also achieve it for you, and that is very important to keep in mind.

Speaking of that, you spend A LOT of time on social media … you tweet, you write tour blogs, you’re taking pictures and posting them. “Here is where we are, here is what we’re doing, here is my kitty, here is what is going on in my life”. How do you keep that up when you are on the road, recording, writing music  and living your lives?

Martijn: It is especially because of Charlotte, I think.

Charlotte: Actually, I went into the whole thing kicking and screaming, when they said, “Now you also have to do Twitter”. Of course, I liked the social networks and everything that is on there and it offers a lot of possibilities. But it wasn’t until the Twitter thing that I actually got really ADDICTED. But, it’s actually the most short and effective and fun way to get in touch with the people who like to follow you. Because, even if you are on MySpace and want to answer everybody, you can’t. With Twitter, it’s just 140 signs and you have a really short connection to everybody. It works, you know? You see that people actually FOLLOW you  and you get kind of a gratitude for letting people know what you are doing.

Martijn: It gives energy.

Charlotte: That makes me feel happy. It’s like kind of a confirmation that what you’re doing is cool. I mean, of course, you don’t need other people to say that, but the fact that they do is fun! My parents ask me when I’m on tour, “You’re going to tweet a lot, right? We want to know what you are doing”. Sometimes my parents are like, “Hey, I read on Twitter that you are eating healthy foods”. 

Martijn: It is also a blessing because I’m SO bad, I suck so much with this stuff. I want to get to answer but I sound so bad. It’s also a guy thing … I have a feeling that girls are better at this kind of stuff. Set aside that. I don’t want to blame it on the general male side and have to blame it on myself.

Charlotte: Actually, I never heard the thing that girls are more computer nerds than guys. I never heard that one before. (laughs)

Martijn: Not really computer nerds. I mean like being thoughtful about having good contacts. That’s what I mean. It’s good that Charlotte does that.

I’m curious about the extent to which the art history degree Charlotte is studying now colours your lyrics writing? The lyrics in “April Rain” have a very strong visual element.

Charlotte: When “Lucidity” was recorded, I wasn’t at university yet and was 17. So that wasn’t like an influence back then. The lyrics for “The Gathering” were written by Guus and there were some songs written by another guy who had some really poetic stuff on there, which was really cool. I kind of needed a dictionary for some it, though. They are not my words but I was in a band with him before and he really influenced me in the way you look at lyrics. Still, it is a very different kind of lyrics than ones that I would write.

Martijn: But also very complicated words sometimes.

Charlotte: They were REALLY good-sounding and with a really good metronome to it. They were really well thought over and excellent. But it is still different when it’s your own thoughts put to words. And from that, I think it has changed much from “Lucidity” to “April Rain”. I guess those are a little bit more personal. But on the other hand, when you are talking about really regular things — like things that happen to you in day-to-day life — it is interesting to put them in a different kind of form. If you look at the art history study, it helps to have a different way to say something. Like if you are looking at “Virtue and Vice”, it is about the virtues and the vices. You are talking about wanting to be something better and reaching out to them and saying, “I wish I was more like this virtue, or I wish I didn’t have so much of that vice in me”. It is just a more interesting way to say actually the things that I guess everyone thinks about every once in a while. So you keep them lyrically interesting but still comprehensible.

I’m feeling kind of lazy. So Charlotte, why don’t you ask Martijn some questions. And Martijn, what would you like to ask Charlotte? The ruder, the better actually … please do my job for me.  J 

Charlotte: (laughs) Martijn, what have you got in your suitcase right now at this tour that you are really ashamed about?

Martijn: That’s a good one! So, whatever I answer will be bad. I’m a totally boring guy if I have nothing and that’s not good. OR I have something really strange, which is also not good. So, I’m screwed both ways. Let me think, what do I have in my suitcase that I’m afraid might be found and am ashamed about?!? I think I’m a boring guy.

Charlotte: Not anything? Not even some dirty underwear?

Martijn: No, actually.

Charlotte: Ah right, it’s the first day of tour.

Martijn: I think I wipe my ass very well. You asked for it!!!

That is SO being published. 

Martijn: No no no no, don’t publish that! Don’t put that on the record … “wipes his ass very well”. No, I really, honestly, cannot think of anything. Actually because my bag was stuffed with a lot of equipment.

Charlotte: That is true. We didn’t get to take a lot with us, so we didn’t get a chance.

Martijn: I have a book of Napoleon and some history. I’m a real history addict, so I know exactly who is there on the walls. (Points to pictures of monarchs and military figures in the restaurant.) But anyway, to answer your question, I’m boring.

Martijn, what embarrassing questions might you have for Charlotte?

Martijn: Actually, I’m even meaner. I want to know …

Charlotte: He’s going to ask something that he already knows, that is really embarrassing. And then he is going to ask it anyway.

Martijn: No no no. What question would you REALLY hate to get in an interview … where you think, “Oh no, not THAT question!”

Charlotte: “What’s your favourite colour?” 

Martijn: That’s a little bit disappointing. 

Charlotte: I was just trying to keep it safe.

Martijn: No, I mean like personal stuff.
Charlotte: Personal stuff. Ah, when people dig too deep about what stuff is about. I mean, if you give a general impression like, “This song is about that”. And some people keep going on about, “Then you said THIS word, and what does THAT mean?”

Martijn: Yeah, because she had her period back then, and she was very annoyed. This kind of stuff. 

Charlotte: Exactly, exactly. Probably those kind of things. Or people who ONLY ask things that are in our biography at the website. Because then you just know, you didn’t do your homework. That too.

Martijn: Okay, your turn I guess. If you have another.

Charlotte: My all-time favourite question, which I was asked once by a Japanese guy, and it is the weirdest question I ever got. If you were a fish, then what kind of fish would you want to be? They actually asked me this. I was like, “Salmon or tuna, salmon or tuna, salmon or tuna, salmon or tuna …?”

Martijn: I would like to be a dolphin.

That’s not a fish, dude. 

Martijn: That’s true, that’s true. It’s a mammal.

Charlotte: A starfish is cute, like a little starfish.

Martijn: A brown starfish. No, I’m more into lobsters, but that’s not a fish either.

Charlotte: Man, know your animals!

Charlotte: What about the Nemo fish. The Nemo fish is cute.

Martijn: That is gay. I think I would like to be a …

Charlotte: … you’d be an eel.

Martijn: An eel, yeah! Or a herring. 

Last question and then “goodbyes” to all.

Martijn: What do you like about the lyrics of “The Gathering”? (sinister laugh)

Charlotte: I like the fact that no one until today has really figured out what it is about. Yeah, that is what I like most about it, I guess. And the lyrical theme is quite cool.

(Martijn continues laughing)

Charlotte: Asshole. (laughs) 

Do you have any last profound and deep words for your friends, admirers and would-be stalkers at Femme Metal?

Charlotte: Please stalk us. We need the attention, especially Martijn.

Martijn: Don’t read this interview more than once.

Actually, read it again but backwards. It’s much more profound.

Charlotte: Yeah, there are hidden messages! 

Many thanks to Charlotte, Martijn and Delain’s tour manager Rik for being charming dinner companions and utterly gracious throughout. Our thanks also to Dave at EarsplitPR for arranging the interview.    

Links

MySpace * Facebook * Twitter * Site

Latest Multimedia

posted 1 year ago

Independent Release

Review by Tony Cannella

The UK’s League of Lights is a Melodic Rock super group with a 80s pop rock influence. The self-titled debut showcases the outfit’s strong penchant for writing memorable songs with a positive, uplifting message in the lyrical department. League of Lights are fronted by Farrah West and Threshold keyboardist Richard West, they are joined by Within Temptation guitarist Ruud Jolie, ex-Fates Warning drummer Mark Zonder and bassist, with musicians this good how can you go wrong? From the excellent opening track “I’m Alive”, it is apparent that League of Lights offers something a little bit different than a lot of today’s female fronted metal bands; they are more hard rock than metal. The music features a lot of keyboards, which is a dirty word to some people, but on their debut League of Lights use them in a way to create atmosphere within the music, similar to a lot of progressive rock bands. Throughout the 41-minute disc, League of Lights utilize seriously rich harmonies that really makes the songs memorable, a perfect example of this is the second track “Cover Me Now”. Lead singer Farrah West adds a strong, likeable vocal style to the songs. “Last Sunset” is a nice piano rich, orchestral ballad. This actually became my favorite track, thanks to its great heartfelt melody. Among the 10-songs, other highlights include: “Half Light”, “Ambertown”, “Don’t Leave Me Behind” and “Heaven Sent a Star”. I will admit, that when I first heard ‘80s pop influence’, I thought ‘uh-oh’, but from the first song, League of Lights had me. The songs carry a great deal of substance, stellar musicianship and Farrah West’s impressive vocals. Sure, it’s not strictly a metal album, but who cares, good music is good music and League of Lights has delivered a fine debut.

Rating - 81/100

Tracklist

  1. I’m Alive
  2. Cover Me Now
  3. Last Sunset
  4. Half Light
  5. Ambertown
  6. You Light My Way
  7. Don’t Leave Me Behind
  8. Anime
  9. Cool of the Day
  10. Heaven Sent a Star

Line Up

  • Farrah West – Vocals
  • Ruud Jolie – Guitars
  • Richard West – Keyboards
  • Jerry Meehan – Bass
  • Mark Zonder – Drums

Links

MySpace * Facebook * Twitter * Site

 

posted 1 year ago

Independent Release

Review By Tony Cannella

The first thing about the U.K.’s CairnGorm is that they’re really – I mean really – young. The oldest member is bassist Arron Fletcher who is 19 and vocalist Heidi Marsden at only 17 is the youngest. In the grand scheme of things the age thing doesn’t really matter, what matters is the music, is it good or not. That is the question concerning the debut 5 song EP from this Metal combo. So is it good? Unequivocally yes. The debut EP from CairnGorm features five hard-charging, aggression fueled tracks with Death and Thrash Metal influences present. The vocalist Heidi Marsden sings in both clean vocals and growls. The CD features very few – if any – soft moments as it is full speed ahead throughout the course of the 22-minutes presented here. Songs like: “Undead”, “.45” and the closing track “Chains of Repression” are all well done and provide the CD with an aggressively confrontational vibe. Given their young age, CairnGorm has a lot of room to grow and progress and I am sure they have an excellent future in front of them. Currently, CairnGorm is in the process of recording tracks for another album that the band hopes to release in 2011. 

Rating - 76/100

Tracklist

  1. Intro
  2. Undead
  3. One Last Hour
  4. .45
  5. Chains of Repression 

Line Up

  • Heidi Marsden – Vocals, Growls
  • Henry Jewitt – Guitar
  • Joshua Cole – Guitar
  • Arron Fletcher – Bass
  • Stevie Hansell – Drums 

Links

MySpace Facebook

posted 1 year ago

Label: KE Records

Review By Tony Cannella

Now for something completely different. Kimberley Dahme is an American singer/songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. She plays a mix of rock, country and blues, okay she really is not metal at all, but her new CD (which is her sixth overall) titled “You Make Me Believe” really rocks. In addition to her solo career, Kimberley also serves as the bass player for legendary American AOR band Boston. In fact, two members of Boston appear on this CD as Gary Pihl and Jeff Neal both lend their immense talents and abilities.“Can’t a Girl Change Her Mind” is the bouncy country tinged opener, that sets the mood. “Rock You Like a Baby” follows that up and it is more of a laid back number, but one of the highlights on this 11-track 38-minute release. The next track “Lighthouse” slows things down even more with Kimberley sounding a bit like Johnette Napolitano (ex-Concrete Blonde vocalist). The biggest surprise on the CD is “No Question”, an acapella song that features some beautiful choir-like background vocals that give it a rich texture. Other highlights include: “You Make Me Believe”, “Jet Lag City”, the sax heavy “Something We Do” and the final track “With You”.I was a bit surprised when this CD came my way, since it is decidedly un-metal but “You Make Me Believe” is a good release, that offers something a little different than what the average metal head is accustomed to. Hey, you can’t bang your head all the time and besides no matter what genre of music you are a fan of, there is no denying the talent of Kimberley Dahme and the quality of the music on “You Make Me Believe”.

Rating - 78/100

Tracklist

  1. Can’t A Girl Change Her Mind
  2. Rock You Like a Baby
  3. Lighthouse
  4. You Make Me Believe
  5. Something We Do
  6. No Question
  7. Jet Lag City
  8. The Only Man
  9. Love Don’t Leave Me Now
  10. It Takes Two to Fall
  11. With You

Line Up

  • Kimberley Dahme – Vocals & Bass
  • Gary Pihl – Guitars
  • Jeff Neal – Drums 

Links

MySpace Site

posted 1 year ago

Label: Shark Records

Review by Tony Cannella

Germany’s Dawn of Destiny have previously released two full-length CDs. Their first was titled (appropriately enough) “Begins” and they followed that up with, “Rebellion in Heaven” in 2008. Now the band have returned with their third full-length, titled “Human Fragility” and it is packed some pretty relentless symphonic, power metal that should please fans of Helloween. What makes Dawn of Destiny a bit different than their contemporaries is the lyrical subject matter that can be found on “Human Fragility”. Rather than sing about fantasy themes (which is also cool), the band take on real subjects with their lyrics, such as human relationship, diseases, dreams and fears. On the lyric sheet main songwriter/bass player Jens Faber offers a bit of an explanation of what each individual song is about, another cool thing about the lyrics is that they have a hopefulness and optimistic quality about them, they don’t beat you over the head with the negative. That in and of itself is admirable. “Human Fragility” lasts for 15-songs and well over 60-minutes long, so you are definitely getting your money’s worth from Dawn of Destiny. The vocals Tanja Maul are another positive aspect of this CD, she has a good range that she utilizes to it’s fullest on “Human Fragility”. Two of the best songs on the CD are helped out by two guest stars: Axxis vocalist Bernhard Weiss shares vocal duties with Tanja Maul on “Unborn Child” and Elegy frontman Ian Parry joins in on the excellent title track. Other highlights include: “Destiny Unknown” (which has a “Keepers… era Helloween-ish chorus), “In a Heartless World” and the great melodic track “Learning to Fly”. In my opinion the main highlight comes with Egyptian themed “Ten Plagues of Egypt”. The band really flex their muscles on this one and the chant along chorus and the extreme male vocals add a nice touch to the song. One thing I have found in the time that I have been reviewing CDs is that there are a lot of good power metal bands from all over the world, and contrary to popular opinion a lot of them have something different and unique to offer the listener. Dawn of Destiny are one of the best, that I’ve heard in quite awhile. The songs are so wonderfully crafted, mixing crunchy metal riffs with the symphonic and melodic bombast of say and early Helloween or Savatage. This German band may have what it takes to break out from the crowded power metal pack and really make a name for themselves - if that doesn’t come to fruition, there is no denying the fact that they’ve made a great album..

Rating - 95/100


Tracklist

  1. Decadence of a Heart
  2. Silent Suffering
  3. Unborn Child
  4. In a Heartless World
  5. Learning to Fly
  6. A Better Time to Come
  7. Human Fragility
  8. Destiny Unknown
  9. Ten Plagues of Egypt
  10. Dying Alone
  11. End of Pain
  12. Blown Away
  13. One Heart
  14. Unchained Someday
  15. For Love

Line Up

  • Tanja Maul – Vocals
  • Veith Offenbächer– Guitars
  • André Reis – Guitars
  • Dirk Rackiewicz - Keyboards
  • Jens Faber – Bass 
  • Patrick Klose – Drums 

Links

MySpace * Facebook * Site