English metallers IRON KNIGHTS have announced some UK tour dates for 2014, check them out below:
The band, with Metal Shock Finland‘s Larry Paterson on drums, are currently recording their new album, which will be released early 2014 and to promote the forthcoming album Iron Knights will be out on the road in February.
For more information visit www.ironknightsband.com
Review by Larry Paterson
Artist: DEF CON ONE
Album: Brute Force and Ignorance
Label: Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records
Release Date: 16 October 2013
Tracklist:
1. Brute Force And Ignorance
2. Caving In
3. Weapons Of War
4. No More Hate
DEF CON ONE have been around since 1998, albeit on hiatus for some of that time while lineups were finalised and band members busy elsewhere. Fortunately they have been hitting the live UK circuit for some time now and issued their debut album ‘Warface’ in 2012. Their blend of various shades of metal and hardcore hit the spot and saw the band playing the length and breadth of the UK. Now, while waiting for the arrival of their second album, we have been given a four track vinyl-only EP to fill the gap, which, in my opinion, shows the band improving on what was already a winning formula.
Title track ‘Brute Force And Ignorance’ opens fast, seeming to almost pick up where their debut album left off. Johnny’s guitar and Steve’s bass riffing lock in perfectly with Antton’s drums , both Johnny and Steve also providing genuinely meaty backing vocals on the chorus. Likewise, the downtuned guitar sounds so heavy it may well be tuned to ‘H’. After Davey pummels you with the first two verses it is the impeccably melodic vocal line that begins at 1:39 (and is repeated later)that not only sticks firmly in your head but provides a perfect counterpoint to the full-on aggression usually in the voice. It fits perfectly and showcases the evolutionary strides forward that DEF CON ONE are making after years of hard gigging.
‘Caving In’ follows with more solid guitar/bass riffing meshing perfectly with Antton’s kick drum driven groove. It actually stood out to me that Antton’s powerhouse drumming on this EP was rooted firmly around his kick drum and snare grooves, rather than using many tom rolls, which locks the rhythm of the tracks so tightly in place that you just know it is a result of the constant road work that the band have put in.
‘Weapons Of War’ clocks in at 6:10 and is the longest track on the EP, starting with a mid-paced riff that gets the head moving straight away. Yet again the trademark synchronisation of guitar, bass and drums gives Davey a chance to pour some killer vocals on top, backed by the ever mighty backing vocals of Johnny and Steve.
‘No More Hate’ rounds off the EP; a whispered intro leading into a savage pummeling of riffing and double bass drums. As much as I actually don’t like the term (it’s a personal thing – I’m sick of tiny nonsensical pigeon holes that people seem to want to stick every single metal band within), this is perhaps what people mean when they describe something as full on ‘groove metal’; this is the track that perhaps reminds me most of ‘Warface’.
Unfortunately this seems a slightly repetitious review – the same comments can apply to all the tracks: great ‘in your face’ vocals with melodic counterpoint; solid full-power drumming; tight and ‘hook-laden’ riffing; well constructed songs. But don’t let that fool you because fortunately, though the same points may apply to all, each track here has its own unique identity and ultimately they have added four more killer tunes to DEF CON ONE’s formidable reputation. The band has its own voice that sounds like no other – a genuine compliment in a metal world that sometimes thrives on rehashing what went 20 years before – and they are certainly a major force in UK metal. Having seen them live several times I can also safely say that as good as this EP is….wait until you hear this stuff on stage! Get hold of this EP now and support one of the UK’s finest.
Album Rating: 9/10
Band Members: Davey Meikle – vocals
Johnny Hunter – guitar
Steve Miller – bass
Antton Lant – drums
Band links:
http://www.facebook.com/defcononehq/
http://def-con-one.tripod.com/
Review by Larry Paterson
Artist: ASOMVEL
Album: Knuckle Duster
Label: Bad Omen Records
Release Date: 7 October 2013
Tracklist:
1. Dead Set On Livin’
2. Cash Whore
3. Sheep In Wolf’s Clothing
4. Trash Talker
5. Waster
6. Shoot Ya Down
7. Wrecking Ball
8. Knuckle Duster
9. Final Hour
10. Stranglehold
11. Hangman’s Rope
ASOMVEL. What does it mean? Whatever you want it to. Named years ago by a highly inebriated bass playing lead vocalist – the late Jay Jay Winter – ASOMVEL are indeed, as they say, ‘a dream to some…a nightmare to others’. A three piece heavy metal band from Yorkshire, they have been blitzing there way forward since 1993 when the aforementioned Jay Jay Winter and guitarist Lenny Robinson teamed up with ex-Acid Reign drummer Mark Wharton. Since then the band have had a long list of drummers come and go but the Winter-Robinson duo remained intact and admirably durable as they released the 10” ‘Full Moon Dog’ in 2007 and their debut full-length album ‘Kamikaze’ in 2009. However, on 18 October 2010 the unthinkable happened and Jay Jay was killed in a road accident. For many bands that would mean the end of everything; either splitting up or lapsing into a perhaps understandable – but destructive – backwards looking attitude that would also spell the end of the band as an ongoing unit. However, I am pleased to report, that is clearly not the fate of ASOMVEL.
Due for release in October 2013 ‘Knuckle Duster’ sees them still destroying speakers the way they started twenty years ago. The first thing that is apparent with ASOMVEL is that they are indeed familiar with the mighty Motörhead, something in the past that may have seen some people accuse them of being mere clones. Do they sound like them? Yes…and no. There is no doubt that they wear their affection for the ultimate heavy metal/rock and roll trio on their sleeves but what has always saved ASOMVEL from being a copy is that the similarity is based on pure honesty. Lenny Robinson is clearly influenced by the same rock and roll that pushed Lemmy and Fast Eddie to make some of the (in my opinion) greatest music of the 70s (yes…I speak as a HUGE Motörhead fan), so rather than copying Motörhead they share the same inspiration both musically and lyrically. Throw in Jay Jay’s Venom fixation and a desire to be a non-contrived, head-cracking metal band and you had the template ASOMVEL sound.
So that’s enough of the band’s history…how does the album sound? Well, I love it! In a way it’s exactly what I was expecting, but somehow bigger and better. The addition of Jason Hope on drums has kicked the music squarely in the ass and he does a great job of hammering his kit with just the right amount of finesse and balls. New vocalist/bassist Conan’s delivery and playing is eerily similar to Jay Jay, which actually works perfectly for ASOMVEL. It must be a difficult line to walk: paying homage to his predecessor, keeping the ASOMVEL vibe, while also stamping your own mark on a band. Thankfully, he walked the line perfectly.
The album is solid from beginning to end and if your taste in metal is for heads-down, headbanging and bruising, non-pretentious, no-bullshit tunage delivered as if the band were playing in your living room, then this is one for you. There are highlights aplenty: opener ‘Dead Set On Livin’’ has that annoying ability to stick in your head all day; ‘Trash Talker’ oozes the kind of attitude that will make it a perfect live song; ‘Hangman’s Rope’ swaggers its way to the album’s end. ‘Waster’ may well be my standout favourite, a slow bluesy cruise that smells of Special Brew and bourbon.
ASOMVEL have provided the antidote for the disease many bands seem to suffer from: an obsession for click tracks and autotune to polish everything until it is as bland as a slab of marble. Instead you have a tight band playing a style they clearly love and have also clearly mastered. ASOMVEL are what they are, and they fly in the face of whatever trend happens to be floating through the UK metal scene. I have a feeling they will always be a band people either love or hate, but to paraphrase Winston Churchill, at least that means they’ve stood up for something. Long may they continue to do so.
Album Rating 9/10
Band Members:
Conan – Bass/Vocals
Lenny Robinson – Guitar
Jason Hope – Drums
http://www.asomvel.com/
http://www.facebook.com/ASOMVEL
Review by Larry Paterson
Artist: FROSTTIDE
Album: Awakening
Label: NoiseArt Records
Release Date: 30 August 2013
Tracklist:
1. Winter’s Call
2. Awakening
3. Quest For Glory
4. No Turning Back
5. Dawn Of Despair
6. Siege
7. Ruins Of Defeat
8. Unwritten (Engraved In The Stars)
A four piece (they don’t appear to have a permanent bassist), FROSTTIDE hail from Jyväskylä, Finland and describe themselves as a Melodic/Folk Metal band. So, before I begin the review (my first for MSF as I am a new boy), I’d like to point out that I have no particular love for squeezing bands into tiny sub genres and generally I actually have no idea what the sub genre actually means. For me, I like metal….and as sacrilegious as that may seem to people that basically goes from AC/DC to Sepultura, stopping at all good points in between.
So what do we have here……
‘Winter’s Call’ opens the album; a truly beautiful piece of music that would not out of place on the big screen providing a soundtrack to imagery from Lord Of The Rings, or perhaps more appropriately, the viking film Pathfinder. Which makes the arrival of ‘Awakening’ all the more spectacular. Huge riffing from both guitars and bass, coupled with tight drumming to punctuate and accentuate every beat, kicks proceedings off. The keyboards sit in the background providing an orchestral vibe throughout the album, occasionally coming to the fore for some of the instrumental passages, but never overpowering the sound. Vocally, Joni Snoro has the kind of snarl that may not appeal to everybody, but fits the feel of this band perfectly and helps to keep the feel dark and intense. There is not huge variety in the vocal delivery, but with so much going on around them they never outstay their welcome and as they fit so well, they become a strong point of the band. Guitarist Juho Patinen provides backing vocals that match Joni’s and beef up proceedings here and there.
‘Awakening’ is well constructed and atmospheric and leads perfectly to ‘Quest For Glory’ which has a main riff that perhaps showcases the folk element of FROSTTIDE’s style. ‘No Turning Back’ follows with a small drum intro and at 2:44 has my favourite tempo break on the whole album. Yet again the riffing has perfect precision, the slower orchestral passages never outweighing the weight of the faster parts.
‘Dawn Of Despair’ provides an interlude of more atmospheric soundtrack style music, before ‘Siege’ kicks in with swelling riffs and solid double bass drums. Probably my favourite track on the album; tons of atmosphere and perfectly played. I also can’t claim to be able to follow the lyrics on all the tracks, but can hear them best here on ‘Siege’, bringing the album’s theme story to life more for me. The entire album is a concept piece, according to vocalist Joni, telling the story of a group of warriors who go to the aid of a village facing an enemy invasion (this is taken from the NoiseArt Records website). ‘Ruins Of Defeat’ comes next, with its stronger hints of folk in the main riff again. Love the riff/drum interplay that sit either side of the vocal passages. I’m guessing with a title like that, that things may not have gone so well for the group of warriors.
They save their longest track until the end, ‘Unwritten (Engraved In The Stars)’ clocking in at over 14 minutes (although the last minute appears to be silence…unless my battered hearing is missing something). Personally I am not always a fan of extremely long tracks unless they have something special to say. It seems that since the days of Metallica’s ‘Justice’ album many bands have felt the need to pad tracks out and make them longer when a more direct ‘trimmed’ version could work better. However….this one does indeed work. A song of many parts; blast beat drums alternate with tasty progressive bits of unusual time signatures, but all moving the song forward rather than feeling like an exercise in cleverness. Mass melodic vocals, tight and interesting riffs, time changes, orchestral keyboards, acoustic guitar, an achingly emotive piano piece….all combine to give a brilliant end to a great album.
FROSTTIDE formed in 2009 and released their first EP, ‘Dawn Of Frost’, the following year. ‘Awakening’ is their debut full length album and it bodes incredibly well for their future.
Rating 8/10
Band Members:
Joni Snoro (Vocals, Guitar)
Juho Patinen (Guitar, Backing vocals)
Joonas Nislin (Drums)
Felipe Munoz (Keyboards)
Lauri Myllylä (Bass player in Heidenfest 2013)
http://www.facebook.com/Frosttide
http://www.myspace.com/Frosttide
http://www.mikseri.net/Frosttide
http://www.youtube.com/user/Frosttide
http://www.soundcloud.com/Frosttide
Metal Shock Finland’s partners at ADL Management And Promotion, have issued as follows:
Metalkast co-host Larry Paterson has a break in touring and joins Paul “The Rog” Rogne for another fantastic episode of METALKAST. This episode features Tony Palermo of Papa Roach and Sixx AM plus single plays from Sixx AM, Texas Hippie Coalition, and Five Finger Death Punch.
Episode 145 is now live at this location.
Links:
Papa Roach:
http://www.paparoach.com
http://www.facebook.com/paparoach
Five Finger Death Punch:
http://www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com
SIxx AM:
http://www.sixxammusic.com
Texas Hippie Coalition:
http://www.thcoutlaw.com
Opening background music:
Purify The Horror
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Purify-The-Horror/160598863968342
Larry Paterson: http://www.lpdrums.net
Larry Paterson Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/larrymapex
Iron Knights: http://www.ironknightsband.com
Sabbath Judas Sabbath: http://www.facebook.com/sabbathjudassabbath
Please visit METALKAST at:
http://www.metalkast.com
http://www.facebook.com/metalkast
http://www.twitter.com/metalkast
http://www.myspace.com/metalkast
Subscribe through iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/metalkast-metalkast/id668002200?mt=2
Rog’s Talkin’ DrumZ
http://www.rogstalkindrumz.com
http://www.blip.tv/rtd
ADL Promotion:
http://www.adlmanagement.com
ROCK ‘N GROWL has issued the following:
Raven Lord has revealed that former Stuka Squadron (Blaze Bayley, Chokehold, Sinocence, Arbitrater) drummer Lawrence “Larry” Patersonjoining the band. Larry lives in UK and comes with tour experience. Larry will be handling the drum duties and completes Raven Lord’s line up.
The band has been often compared to sound like Dio, Yngwie Malmsteen, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. Preliminary work on a new album has already begun, with various songs at different stages of completion. Two new songs ‘End of World’ and ‘Saints & Sinners’ can be heard at www.myspace.com/raven-lord or www.facebook.com/ravenlordmusic.
Raven Lord’s line up is Csaba Zvekan (Killing Machine, Sardonyx, Emergency) – Vocals, Stefan Lindholm (Vindictiv) – Lead Guitar, Julian Barrett (Tarja Turunen, Barilari, Lorihen) – Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Jamie Mallender (Tony Martin Band, ex-Black Sabbath) – Bass Guitar and Lawrence “Larry” Paterson (Blaze Bayley, Stuka Squadron, Sinocence) – Drums. Larry’s bio: Lawrence ‘Larry’ Paterson was born in Matamata, New Zealand, drumming by the age of 15 influenced by the sounds of classic hard rock and heavy metal made by bands such as Motörhead, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and AC/DC. Several bands in New Zealand followed until by 1988 Lawrence relocated to the United Kingdom.
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 