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.
Last call for the industrial lovers (for today at least), attached you see a nice review of the latest release by Belgium dark electro/EBM act Psy’Aviah called “Introspection/Extropection” that was released via Alfa Matrix on 2011. This CD totally mesmerized Luisa, in particular Shakira’s “Timor” cover and about this she says : “The original electro-pop becomes a trance-techno mix, making the song quite unrecognizable”. If you love this genre, you don’t miss this release. More @ (via Psy’Aviah – “Introspection/Extropection” (2011) « Femme Metal Webzine)
Finally is out!! The indie rock Canadian duo Tegan and Saranew album “Heartthrob” is out TODAY via Warner Bros. Records, in exclusive you can check out the review in the link below but before a little preview from Luisa’s review : “As far as I know previous records leaned more on the alternative rock side, but definetely this last records is more electro.-pop rock oriented and heavily influenced by synths and ’80s music”. So do you want to take a break from headbanging your head? Check out this release, totally! Read here (via Tegan and Sara – “Hearttrob” (2013) « Femme Metal Webzine)
Interview by Ed MacLaren
After an extended hiatus, Erben der Schöpfung has returned with the excellent “Narben der Ziet”. The new music seamlessly combines metal and electronica in an industrial cloak of dark melancholy. Femme Metal gets personal with vocalist Dina Falk about the making of “Narben der Ziet” and her approach to music.
“Narben der Zeit” is finally out and it’s definitely worth the wait. How has the response been to the CD so far?
Since we’ve still been fighting for the rights to finally release it – even if we got the rights to do so – we did not reach as many people as we could have. The response of those who we’ve reached is actually very good and we are happy about it.
It’s been eight years since “Twilight” but many could say this is a new band. How did you and the rest of the new members get involved? Is Oliver still the creative center?
On “Narben der Zeit”, he still composed all of the songs but with a little help on the ballad “Homeless” which I personally wanted to get done and on the album. On everything else, he did the structuring and composing and we just put our stuff on top. So it’s still his project but with a band around him that is helping out on some stuff.
The current band has been together now since 2005. When starting “Narben der Zeit” was there a conscious attempt to start in a new direction or to continue Oliver’s original concept of the band? How did “Narben der Zeit” evolve during that time until now?
We just started without any plan but knowing that we would be a little metal, a little electro and dark. That was it. We can’t force the project towards a particular direction. We just start working and watch the results. One of the things we also knew was that we are getting away of this symphonic-female-metal image that a lot of people still put us in.
“Narben der Zeit” (or “Scars of Time”) is an interesting title considering the tumultuous history of the band. Time heals all wounds but you still can bear the scars of the past - looking forward to the future while remembering past lessons. Is there an autobiographical reference within “Narben der Zeit”?
The album title has nothing to do with the band’s history but with any lifetime. I guess that everybody has his wounds and scars of time and I guess this will keep on going like this for a lifetime. We chose this title because everybody has got his own and personal scars.
“Narben der Zeit” has evolved the Erben der Schöpfung sound considerably since “Twilight”. The metal sections are heavier, the EBM sections are more danceable and the overall feel of the CD is much darker. How did the music for “Narben der Zeit” develop?
This is just a natural development of Erben der Schöpfung through changing members, through Oliver’s personal development and through time. We didn’t force anything because we think that forcing development does not work. Development is something working independently and in need of time and different phases. You need to develop yourself too otherwise your project is standing still as well.
I’m having a tough time figuring out how to categorize your music for my iPod (which is a good thing in this case). Metal has progressed to a point where it incorporates many different genres to keep the music fresh and moving forward. I see Erben der Schöpfung as a metal band at the core but then again others might argue that you’re a very heavy EBM band. How do you view the band’s sound? This is difficult to answer. I’m not a friend of categorization and categorizing our own music is giving me a hard time! Well, I know that people need categories in their whole life to get a certain order to it but I like things that drop out of the usual schedule. Maybe Erben der Schöpfung is just something not fitting in anywhere or even better: fitting any mood. If you feel metal you’ll hear metal and if you feel EBM you’ll hear EBM. Having that inherent uniqueness in your music lets you stand out from other bands and helps you carve out your own niche. Musically, the rewards are many but are there any drawbacks to following a distinct musical vision? We don’t fit in anywhere! Of course, you’ll have a hard time doing something unique or new that people are not used to. There are some that just don’t understand our music and act very different because of that. The worst case is if they fit you in a certain category that we don’t fit in and then tell us that we’d done an awful job. Also, we are always kind of unsure – even if we are not up to fulfilling expectations – but doing something unusual is making us scan a lot of reactions. We have to find our place and maybe settle down or maybe not. While writing the lyrics to “Narben der Zeit”, I mostly wrote down the first thoughts that came upon my mind. I didn’t play a lot with words and I didn’t think about them for a long time so it’s just my first thoughts and feelings. That was a good way for me to write the first lyrics but they were also very open to attack and very personal. If I now look at the lyrics it is a lot about looking back and discharging childhood or a certain piece of my inner child. I would say that I’ve lost a lot of innocence in my childhood and early teens to twenties but I’m gaining it back now in a whole other quality. There was a lot of reformation and inner cleaning going on during the last two or three years and I guess that the lyrics to “Narben der Zeit” were doing their part.
Your ethereal and melancholy vocals are a perfect fit to the dark gothic mood of the music - it makes for a diverse listening experience with headphones in the dark. How did you develop your vocals when recording this CD?
Developing vocals was a similar process to writing lyrics for this album. I just sang whatever came upon my mind and it was fitting the mood; I came in listening to the plain composition, writing the lyrics and even now listening to the songs. It’s a strange mood but it was the only way for me to do the vocals on this album. Anything else just didn’t feel right.
What are your tour plans for supporting “Narben der Zeit”? Are there any international dates planned or touring overseas?
We definitely want to present “Narben der Zeit” live and play gigs but we don’t have any dates planned yet. Right now it’s very difficult to tour if you are starting or restarting a project and next to it three of our band members have to attend school so we do have to plan very tight. But we are working on it and hope to play live soon. Dates overseas are depending on how many people would like to see us playing and on getting in touch with a good fitting booking agency.
Hopefully, we won’t have to wait another eight years for new music from the band. Is there any new music in the works or a remix album?
I hope so too! We are working on new songs right now and for now it’s looking very good to record a new album soon. We are very productive and industrious since Christmas but a lot of work is still waiting to be done.
2009 is gone and we’re into 2010. Does the band have any musical New Year’s resolutions for the new decade?
We’ll see!
“Narben der Zeit” is rapidly becoming one of my favorite CDs of 2009. What were your top CDs this year and what made them standouts for you?
Ouph… Actually, I didn’t listen to a lot of music this year besides our songs…maybe Devil Driver’s “Pray for Villains” and Rabia Sorda’s “Noise Diary” but I’ve missed all the other good releases in 2009. I’ve rather been listening to old ones that year.
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Interview by Lindz Riot
An angelical voice by the name of Claudia Uhle was brave enough to take the reins on her own solo effort “Angelzoom” in 2004. Her style is very atmospheric and ambient and would appeal to many music fans, especially those of electro-pop, classical and movie soundtracks. From East Berlin to here at Femme Metal we got to meet with her via email to talk about her current life and hear her thoughts on her newest release “Nothing is Infinite”.
Welcome to Femme Metal Claudia! Thank you so much for taking the time to sit down and talk with us about your musician lifestyle and everything stemming from it ? So when did music start for you? How old were you when you started singing? Who inspired and influenced you to become a singer?
I grew up in a musical family. I was singing already all day long as a small child. I sang in different children’s choirs, among other things in the children’s choir of the State Opera. Later I had singing instructions that were at first classically and then pop/musical. I made my secondary school certificate on a music-focused High School and made a study for musical early education. To be a singer came from my innermost being.With Angelzoom you have a very creepy and mystical sound going on, what inspires you to write your music? What is it that you like to write about the most?
Everything around me in my life and my feelings are a big inspiration. When I hear a song from another band it motivates me to create an idea for my own songs. Sometimes I see pictures, which give me a certain feeling and I try to write that down. It’s difficult sometimes to translate that feeling in your head. Sometimes I write the lyrics in German first and then translate it but it sounds better in English.
What was the experience like recording “Nothing Is Infinite”? How was working with your producer and what is your favorite song from it? Also what is your favorite part about being in the studio?
It was a long process. We started the work for the album in 2005 but then we had a big break because of my last album with my band X-Perience and the tour in 2007. The in April 2008 was the birth of my son William. In 2009 we started the intensive work for the album. Almost daily Bernd sent new song ideas to me. Very often when Berndplays a new theme I see pictures in my head and so I get new ideas for my texts. I wrote my lyrics down and sang it first in my home studio. When we had some good songs I took them down vocally in a Valicon Studio with Tommy Remm because Bernd had a lot other producer work at the time. Mostly I like the production and mixing work. Bernd has a fantastic feeling for harmony and sounds and he is able to create amazing ideas and likes always to test new things. I’ve know Bernd for many years. We worked together for the first and second X-perience album. He was one of the producers, I like his work. Together we had the idea to produce music, which sounds like a soundtrack to a film. He is the ideal partner for translating my feelings and thoughts. It is a beautiful work with him. Especially I like his harmonic understanding and his mood laden songs as well as the manner how he embeds my voice. On the new album there are instrumental pieces, which are based on a common idea. They express the internal rapture, which you can find in everyone. We called them “Battle Angel Chapters”. The majority of my lyrics I like to write myself. But also Nik Page has written two beautiful pieces on “Nothing Is Infinite”, which I liked to get to perform “Handsome World” and “Everyone Cares” (as Co-Writer). My favourite song on this release is “My Innermost”. It is about me and I like the sound and the whole feeling in it.
Do you feel you have evolved as an artist in “Nothing Is Infinite”? Do you think your sound has changed and you yourself have as a musician and singer?
I think I myself have evolved as a musician and singer, also since the birth of my son. Now I´m a mother and you can hear it in my music and my lyrics. I think more about the life and the future. “What will be when my son is 20 years old ?”, “Is every progressing positively ?”, “Are gene manipulations and clones good for us ?”. The album expresses more of my inner feeling and therefore the sound has developed. The evolving you can also hear in my voice as I tried to sing more extremely in the parts particularly with depth. “Nothing Is Infinite” is more personal and intensive.
Your first single “The Things You Said” is a wonderful twist on a Depeche Mode song, have they been a big influence on you? Who are some of your biggest influences?
I grew up with Depeche Mode. I like their music and the feeling in their songs. I like particularly the melancholy tendency in “The Things You Said”, the song fits me well.
I’m influenced also by bands like The Police, Pet Shop Boys, Camouflage and artists like Björk, Sting. Also soundtracks of films from composers like Hans Zimmer and Alan Silvestri. What was it like making your new music video for “The Things You Said”? Where was it filmed?
We recorded it in May in Ireland when it was really cold. It was my first time there and I like the landscape and the people. It was very wind then and in the video I wore two warm winter coats, warm trousers, a kilt, and boots but nothing on my head so it was frozen. We selected two little children from there to act in the video. They looked really Irish and it was funny to work with them. They pursued me, like little rumors. I was very scared ?
So what is the meaning of the name Angelzoom? How did you come up with the idea for this artist name?
The name was first used for a song on the first X-Perience album “Magic Fields”. I was the singer of this band from 1994-2007. This song was produced and written by Bernd Wendlandt, who is the same producer of Angelzoom and this song has the same atmospheric style like Angelzoom. The name also fits to my voice and the content of my music. Many people say I have an angelic voice, very clear and high. With my music I try to look deeper into things, what means I zoom through things closer to me.
In your past self titled release you had the chance to do a song with Apocalyptica, how was that experience? What was it like writing and recording with them?
The song “Turn the Sky” was written by my producer, the lyrics are from Nik Page. We send it to Apocalyptica and after the guys had listen to the song they signaled their eagerness and so we sent the song to Finland. There they completed the song with their string instruments and send it back to us and we mixed it in Berlin. When I was on Tour with them I had the chance to meet them personally. They are great musicians and very funny.How has your life changed now being a solo artist as apposed to being in a band? Do you enjoy the solo artist life more? Do you miss anything about being in a band?
To the public through media it seems as if you are alone but in reality many people are working around and with you. Only a good team makes that you look like a good solo artist. But the internal band communication is much easier? On tour I have a good group of musicians around me.
What is your background with vocal training? Do you study a lot of classical? Have you ever tried any other singing styles?
I mostly study with Pop and Musical teachers. The sound of my voice is very clear and bright but the style I sing is not classical like opera. I think, me and my voice do not fit to Rock Style singing. I sang some Jazz Songs but in my own interpretation of it.
Do you play any instruments? How long have you been playing them for?
I play the piano and the church organ. My first piano lessons I had when I was 8 years old. Later I had 3 years of lessons under an organist. Do you have a unique talent or hobby that isn’t musical you would like to share with the world?
I do not really have another big other hobby but I like to cook. I try to realize healthy food and to use products which are biologically produced and they taste much better.
What is the biggest achievement you have accomplished so far?
The birth of my son in April 2008 and the second are “Angelzoom” and my album “Nothing Is Infinite”.What are your hopes for the future?
More understanding for human nature. All together more understanding for the world and more tolerance of people and their mistakes. Only in a secure world my family can grow up reliably.
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Label : Wannasee Records
Review by Tony Cannella
My only knowledge of the German singer Claudia Uhle – otherwise known as Angelzoom – has been through various compilation albums. Her new album “Nothing Is Infinite” is out now and this is my first chance to sample an entire album from this talented singer. Musically, Angelzoom offers a wide scope of ambient, electro and gothic influences. “Nothing s Infinite” features 14-songs and 50-minutes worth of cohesive, innovative and atmospheric music. Some of the strongest tracks are: “The Things You Said”, “Runaway”, “My Innermost” and “Fragile”. The vocals of Claudia Uhle are on full display throughout the album and it helps to create an enjoyable listening experience. The music on “Nothing Is Infinite” is pretty laid back and at times relaxing to listen to. Angelzoom is a different kind of animal than what your average metal head might listen to but still it is cool to put on for a change of pace, besides you can’t bang your head all the time. Can you?
Rating - 75/100
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Label : Metal Mind Productions
Review by Tony Cannella
Germany’s Angelzoom is a non-metal project led by Claudia Uhle. In 2004, Claudia released her self-titled debut album under the Angelzoom banner and now that album has been re-issued via Metal Mind Productions out of Poland. Not only is the original album presented here but there is also some cool bonus material included on the re-issue. So fans of the band will have an added incentive to include this CD in their collection. First off, Claudia Uhle has got such an expressive voice and vocal style. The debut from Angelzoom is an albums worth of dreamy, soundscapes. This re-issue is filled to capacity with great music. Songs like “Turn the Sky”, “Back in the Moment” (which I believe she made a video out of), “Guardian Angel” and “Fairyland” all highlight the strong material contained within. Instead of playing Metal, Angelzoom offers a unique mixture of Classical, New Wave, Dark Wave, Gothic and Electro Pop. Whatever Genre, Angelzoom lies in; there is no denying that Claudia packs plenty of atmosphere into the songs on her debut.
Rating - 75/100
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Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
On their debut album “As the City Sleeps”, Canada’s Mary and the Black Lamb showcase their energetic, darkly romantic gothic hard rock/metal. Throughout the course of the 10-song, 33-minute CD, Mary and the Black Lamb take us through a multitude of emotions set to the soundtrack of razor sharp guitar riffs and instantly catchy and memorable songs. ead vocalist Lindz Riot, leads the charge with a vocal style that alternates between fiercely aggressive and sweet. The opening track “She Is” is a great melodic opening number that sets the tone. “Stay Away” and “Departed” continue on in a similar direction before the band slows down a bit with the great ballad “Gone”. This is a song that I could definitely see getting some radio airplay. The band switch things up again with the awesome, “Emily”. Lindz really stretches her vocals out on this one. Hands down, “Emily” is my favorite track on “As the City Sleeps”. The songs on “As the City Sleeps” really have the potential to reach a wide array of fans. Other highlights include: “The Price”, “Forget You Now” and “Silence”. I have to admit that Mary and the Black Lamb are a bit different than what I normally might listen to, but I found myself falling in love with “As the City Sleeps”.
Rating - 90/100
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Label : Metropolis Records/Repo Records
Review By Erwin Van Dijk
The Birthday Massacre is a band from Canada, the country that gave us Melissa auf der Maur, Poutine and the Wolverine (X Men).The Birthday Massacre is from Toronto, Canada. Combining their interests in various musical and artistic styles, the band has successfully accumulated an impressive international fan base, press accolades, and defied categorization with their unique sound and visuals. The Birthday Massacre operates in the dark shadows between pop, goth and hard rock. Like a spooky version of The Misfits with Kim Wilde on vocals. The first time I saw them was at the Summer Darkness festival in 2006 in an overcrowded Tivoli (the mayor venue of the city of Utrecht). Their show (they were booked between some electro goth bands lasted for about 50 minutes and after that I had lost my Birthday Massacre virginity. It was a very impressive energy packed show and each of the spooky members of TBM knew what to do.They did another gig at this year’s Summer Darkness and this show easily outclassed the Lacuna Coil gig (which was also very good). Live The Birthday Massacre is far more metal than on the studio albums. But for some reason this album has no real live feeling barely audience and guitars safely mixed in the background.The show was recorded in Hamburg, Germany (which is also the home country of their current record company). Yes, that’s right: no “I Think We’re Alone” now (as done by Tiffany in the eighties and not the Tommy James & The Shondells version) Live this song is one of the absolute highlights of any The Birthday Massacre gig and will crush any resistance left in the sceptical visitor. Too bad it is not featured on this album but I guess this is because of the copyright. In my opinion The Birthday Massacre could have better released a live DVD right now instead of waiting with the DVD release until the end of this year – that will catch the feel of their shows much better than this CD. But it is still a nice Greatest Hits album. If I’m brutal honest I think you can better wait and save your money for the DVD.
Rating -78/100
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Label : Danse Macabre Records
Review By Tony Cannella
From France comes Sub-Division. They play a unique mixture of Electro-Rock, Gothic and Industrial Metal. Their new album (and fourth overall) is titled, “Ten Years Before the Dream” and it features all of these styles and others to create a uniquely odd musical offering, so strap yourself in and get ready for “Ten Years Before the Dream”. “Ten Years Before the Dream” features 13-songs worth of Electro-Rock nirvana that fans of the genre will love and appreciate. The overall style of the band is unique, but it does bring to mind several bands in the genre, but perhaps the group they most remind me of are the last two albums that Theatre of Tragedy did with Liv Kristine, mainly because this band also employs two vocalists (a male and a female) and the male vocals have a bit of a robotic feel to them. I am no big authority on the Electro-Rock scene, but the songs on “Ten Years Before The Dream” has a commercial viability to them. The CD also has an ambient and ethereal vibe to it as the band plays with different nuances and emotions. Songs that really stood out, for me were: “Love Assassin”, “The Voice”, “Age of Machines” and “Next Level”. The two vocalists contributions are split pretty evenly. Obviously, Sub-Division are not a straight-out metal band, so metal fans be advised. This band should be a welcomed sight for fans of Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM and latter day Liv era Theatre of Tragedy.
Rating - 75/100
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Hailing from Lichtenstein Erben der Schöpfung have been in existence since 2000 and have just released their second full-length CD titled “Narben der Zeit” and it features 10-songs and 56-minutes worth of some pretty good goth/electronic metal with an emphasis on melody. Usually whenever this band is mentioned, it is in conjunction with fellow countrymen Elis, since Elis includes several former members of Erben der Schöpfung, but this band is good enough to stand on their own and the music contained on “Narben der Zeit” is a testament to that. “Frequency” is the first track and it combines the heaviness of metal with modern electronic sounds, it is a good opener that is very catchy. The band follow that up with the track “Jane Churm”, a good melodic track that sets the right tempo and is one of the absolute highlights. The third track “Homeless” slows things down a notch. It is a stirring ballad and the vocals of Dina Falk are nothing short of breathtaking on this one. The song also feature some nice orchestration and it has a different tone than the other songs on this CD, making it another track that definitely stands out. “Der Tote See” speeds things up a bit and brings back the electronic elements. Other highlights include: “Leaving”, “Locked”, “Your Lullabies” and “Twisted” closes the album. It’s amazing to me that Erben der Schöpfung have been around for as long as they have, yet still have gone relatively unnoticed. This band has a lot to offer the metal world and after listening to their newest output “Narben der Zeit” one can only hope that they get the attention and support that they so richly deserve.
Rating - 80/100
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