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.
Interview by Roberta Ilaria Rossi
With a new member inside the project, Nucleus Torn comes back with a new album, called “Golden Age”. We’ve met Fredy Schnyder, the main composer, which told us something about this latest album and some revelations about Anna Murphy!
Hi Fredy, welcome to Femme Metal.net. After 15 years of the creation of your own band, what’s new for Nucleus Torn?
On “Golden Age”, we’ve significantly expanded our line-up. Whereas we had seven musicians on the first three “real” albums, we now have thirteen. Some instruments have been forced a little bit into the background, others come to the fore more often than before. Most importantly, the album focuses on the vocals, we’ve worked a lot on that part of our sound. In the past, we treated vocals as another instrument, on “Golden Age”, they clearly lead the songs.
What are the main influences of the band? Did you take inspiration from any band in particular?
Nucleus Torn has many influences; so many, that it is impossible to single out any of these. We are fascinated by all kinds of music, and you can obviously find traces of all of them on our records. Progressive rock, jazz, metal, folk, pop, classical music (from the Medieval ages to the present) – you name it. On “Golden Age”, the focus is primarily on progressive rock, I decided to explore this area of interest to a further degree.
Between the creation of the band and the release of the very first album, “Nihil”, released in 2006, many years have gone. What was the reason of this long wait?
We (I) did a couple of EPs, I also worked with other groups at that time. When I’d finally figured out that I couldn’t work with other bands, I decided to focus on Nucleus Torn for good and accepted that I needed (and wanted) to do the majority of the work myself – songwriting, performance, recording/engineering, layout, packaging, releasing, advertising. That’s when things started to work out and NT could attract other talented musicians willing to share in my adventure.
You’re the main person who most works on this project. How do you manage the entire work you have to do in the studio?
I like to work.
Before the release of “Golden Age”, Nucleus Torn released the last chapter of the trilogy who ends up in “Andromeda Awaiting”. Why have you choosen to complete with this album?
Interestingly enough, “Golden Age” is part of that collection of albums, too. “Golden Age” is a prequel to the other three albums, that makes it a tetralogy. I needed to find the roots to the story we told on “Nihil”, “Knell” and “Andromeda Awaiting” in the present, in our own society and culture, and deal with them on an artistic level.
Recently, you’ve taken part as guest musician in the forthcoming Eluveitie album: how was working with those guys? If I’m not mistaken, you had already worked for some instrumental track in “Evocation – part I”…
Yes, you’re right. It’s always a pleasure working with them. First, Chrigel engineered my sessions for “Evocation I”, then I engineered Meri’s violin recordings for “Everything Remains”, now Anna engineered my session for “Helvetios”, which was pure joy. Ivo was kind enough to give me a lot of advice on how to record metal guitars… Last but not least, I joined the band to perform “Meet the Enemy” live in Zurich a few weeks ago. So I got to know the band pretty well, we get along on a personal and professional level. As I said, it’s always a pleasure.
How many musicians/artists/bands you’ve worked with so far? Which is the artist/which is the band that gave you the most at a personal and artistic level?
Oh God, so many I’ve lost count (but certainly not track). It’s not possible for me to decide on one particular person/performance. It’s a big puzzle and everyone I’ve worked with has contributed a share to it.
What have you learned from them?
New sounds, new ways to work, new ways to arrange, new ways to record/mix/master, sometimes new ways to look at music/art and its place in life.
Recently, Anna Murphy joined the band. What could you tell us about it? What were the reasons about this choice?
I like her voice, her songwriting skills, her wonderful vocal lines, she plays several instruments, she’s going to be an amazing engineer one day… Well, she’s got an exceptional talent. Plus: we seem to understand one another pretty well. She’s one of the very few people that I will be able to write with.
What are the goals that you’re going to ask yourself a few years from now? What, however, will be the future projects?
We’ll find out. “Golden Age” was the end of the first professional phase of Nucleus Torn. I spent more or less every single musical idea I’d had and absolutely had to take a break from writing, which lasted for almost two years, in which I completed “Andromeda Awaiting”, the compilation “Travellers” and “Golden Age”. I needed to shut down and restart. As for the present, all I can say is that we are working. As usual.
Are you going to tour Europe very soon?
We’ll see. Having a new singer and multi-instrumentalist on board, there are new options. Time will tell.
Is there any artist or band you would like to cooperate with in a nearest future?
I’m quite sure that there will be fascinating things in store for me, there always have been. I don’t think that this will necessarily mean that I’m going to work with/for some of my “idols”, after all, there’s no guarantee that we would actually enjoy this and create something of exceptional value.
Thanks so much for the time you’ve given us. Is there something you would like to tell to Nucleus fans?
Thank you for your continuing support, enjoy our music.
Links
Label : Ascendance Records
Review by Tony Cannella
The French outfit Pin-Up Went Down is nearly impossible to describe. Their debut album, “2 Unlimited” was a wonderfully bizarre piece of art, that saw the band mixing multi influences ranging from metal to funk, to alternative and whatever else they could come up with and now the band is a back with their brand of avant-garde metal on their new release, “342”. “Diapositive” is the opening track. A disarmingly serene intro gets things rolling. The female vocals of Asphodel begin this track, before the song develops into a heavy groove-filled opener that sees multi-instrumentalist Alexis Damien joining in with his Death Metal style vocals. The song is literally all over the place and adds funk elements to the mix. The next track, “Escargot” is completely different from the previous track; this song is just Asphodel performing a cappella style. This was the highlight for me, just a beautiful song that makes the most of its two and a half minutes. “Porcelain Hours” is next and one of the more mainstream sounding tracks. Other highlights include: “Essence of I”, “Pictures to Speak to” and “Aquarium”. Fans of their debut will undoubtedly come to appreciate what Pin-Up Went Down has up their sleeves on “342”. Pin-Up Went Down is a band with no inhibitions and absolutely no limits. “342” is further proof of this fact. Adding this many influences and nuances, it would be easy for an album such as this to be a disjointed mess, but the opposite holds true on “342”. Pin-Up Went Down, somehow manage to create a coherent album that is every bit as good and interesting as their debut.
Rating - 93/100
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Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
Loneload is the post-grunge, power pop, metal centric project of the multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist Laura Liparulo. On her debut CD she presents 10-songs and 30-minutes worth of music that incorporates a wide range of musical influences. Laura has an interesting singing style, which at times reminded me of Courtney Love. Musically she does the bulk of the work on “Love Would Never Work”. The songs are pretty much straight-forward and remain in the same tempo throughout the CD. Songs like “Einstein Master”, “Bad Kitchen” and “Sick of the Scene” all deliver some fairly strong moments. “Rotten Lone” has an opening reminiscent of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses. I don’t know if that was intended, but the similarities are undeniable, this also happens to be my favorite song. Obviously Laura put in a lot of hard work on this project and that is to be commended. “Love Would Never Work” is an album that should fit in well with today’s rock and metal landscape. “Love Would Never Work” is currently a free download on the official Loneload web site.
Rating – 73/100
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Independent Release
Review by Tony Cannella
From New Jersey comes the symphonic metal duo Infinitus Mortus. Judging by the sounds coming from their debut “2012”, it is hard to believe that there are only two members in the band. The lead vocalist is Tara and she is joined by the multi-instrumentalist Steve who pretty much does everything else. As you could probably decipher given the album’s title, “2012” is an ambitious concept album, based around the Mayan prophecy that the world will end in 2012. Dark, Epic and Melodic are three good words to describe “2012”. In front Lady Tara, you have a truly talented vocalist with an expressive operatic style. Steve completes the dark vision with his many talents. The intro “The Dark Rift” gives way to the rapid fire riffing of “The Next Atlantis”. “Worst Plague Of All… Love” begins with some nice piano and then settles nicely into a mid-tempo, heavy, melodic groove. My only complaint – and it is a small one – is that perhaps Tara’s vocals are a little low in the mix. Besides that minor complaint, “2012” is really loaded with good metal riffs and songs. Highlights include: “Blood Lust”, the symphonic ally beautiful ballad “My Apocalypse”, “The 10th Planet” and the albums closer “A Golden Age”. For those who love conceptual metal, then Infinitus Mortus is a band well worth checking out and “2012” I’m sure is only the beginning for this Jersey band.
Rating – 88/100
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Label : Napalm Records
Review By Tony Cannella
It is hard to believe that the long running Austrian Symphonic Power Metal Band Edenbridge, released their debut album way back in 2000. Now, 10-years later they are back with their 7th studio album, “Solitaire”. Edenbridge has certainly managed to evolve and progress throughout their career and with “Solitaire”, Lanvall, Sabine Edelsbacher and crew continue to move forward, while still maintaining all of the elements that has garnered the band such a loyal following over the years. Beginning with the ultra-symphonic intro, “Entrée Unique”, Edenbridge proves that they are in fine form as“Solitaire” kicks in. The first single/video (you can view it at their official YouTube) is “Higher” and it was a solid choice of songs to make a video for. “Skyline’s End” is perhaps my favorite song on this CD and would make a great choice for a second video. The band do a fantastic job of mixing their symphonic style with heavy and powerful guitar riffs, a perfect example of this the fast tempo track, “Further Afield”. Other highlights include: “Bon Voyage Vagabond”, “Come Undone” and “A Virtual Dream”, a fast paced track that is driven by the always stellar guitar/vocal combination of Lanvall and Sabine Edelsbacher. With “Solitaire”, Edenbridge have released an album is quite possibly the finest and most consistent of their already impressive career. To say something is the best is simply subjective, but I am quite confident that fans of this Austrian band will love “Solitaire”.
Rating – 90/100
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Label : Abstraktsens Productions
Review By Tony Cannella
The style of the French duo known as Life’s Decay is difficult to put a finger on. They play an eclectic mix of Dark Wave, Ambient, with one or two other influences thrown in to create an interesting sound. The band is made up of two members: Alea is the vocalist and Lykwasst does everything else. In listening to their new Cd “Dysrieuses” it is difficult to believe that there are only two members involved, but that is exactly the case. In researching this band, I was very surprised to learn that they have been in existence since 2003 and “Dysrieuses” is actually Life’s Decay’s sixth full-length release. Talk about being under the radar. The 12-songs and 45-minutes worth of music on “Dysrieuses” have a very avant-garde feel to them and I am not sure if I have ever heard a band/project such as them before. The majority of the lyrics (which are also written by Alea) are sung in French and the band incorporate some non traditional metal instruments such as accordian and trumpet, which adds to the different feeling you get on this CD. I was really interested in the melancholic nature of some of the songs, such as: “Viversie” (my favorite track), “Eabelia” and “Ambrause”.Life’s Decay are a band will be impossible to nail to one genre or one sub-genre. Even if you are not necessarily a fan of music such as this, you still have to give them their due. “Dysrieuses” can be a challenging CD to listen to at times, but this band is multi-talented and multi-faceted and if given the chance “Dysrieuses” is a Cd that can quite possibly grow on the listener.
Rating - 75/100
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