Excess All Areas: Bands, Bands, Bands

HOME

FEATURES

NEWS

Search Loading

HOW TO MAKE A DONATION TO THE RONNIE JAMES DIO STAND UP AND SHOUT CANCER FUND

Click here for details...

THREE EXCLUSIVE MetalTalk.net COMPETITIONS

Win I AM I tickets, Guns N' Roses tickets and the new Saxon DVD...

FEATURE OF THE DAY

U.D.O.: 'Celebrator', album review by Phil Kane

DUTCH MICHAELS' GIG OF THE WEEK

No Dice, Dingwalls, Camden Lock, London, Wednesday 16th May 2012

ROADFILTH INCORPORATED by NOEL WYATT S.O.C. AKA 'RATTY' - CHAPTER TEN

Exclusive serialisation of a journey through the music business...

MetalTalk.net LOOKING FOR NEW COLUMNISTS, GIG REVIEWERS AND ALBUM REVIEWERS

Click here for more details...

TONY MOTTRAM'S SHOT OF THE MONTH

May 2012: Mayday Mayday!

CHRIS DALE'S METAL MELTDOWN

May 2012: Managers v Producers

EXCESS ALL AREAS: BANDS, BANDS, BANDS
24th August 2011
Pippa Lang

Share |

Excess all areas! A multitude of magnificent Metal lurking in every nook and cranny of Metaldom. Bands bands bands! PIPPA LANG rounds up the latest batch.

***************

Hahaha! Gotta start with these guys. Sod worshipping the Devil, Canadian 'Symphonic Celtic Death Metallers' BOLERO worship the Pint! They've just released their debut video single, 'Pints Held High', which does exactly what it says on the tin - folk-influenced Death Metal with a large tongue embedded firmly in cheek.

Article continues below...

Okay, they're not Evil Scarecrow, but still, Spinal Tap eat your heart out. I will emphasise, though, that Bolero play devilishly well. The Canadians' recently-released debut album, 'Voyage From Vinland', is also available online, but check this out first. On tour in native Canada at the moment, let's hope Bolero come over and entertain us soon. Make sure you've got a pint in your hand, but don't spill it when you attempt the Death Metal Celtic jig!:

Brazilian metallers SHADOWSIDE have blown this particular scribe away, not just for some stunningly infectious hooks and passionate powerplay, but for their philanthropism! The band are donating part of the money raised from their forthcoming album, 'Inner Monster Out', to the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Shadowside are fronted by female singer Dani Nolden, but you really wouldn't suss that listening to her dynamic, compelling vocals. Shadowside are also releasing samples of this, their third album, on www.myspace.com/shadowsideband, Reverbnation, Facebook and PledgeMusic.com before its official release on 30th August. Pre-sales are available at www.pledgemusic.com/projects/shadow-side. Metaltalk.net album review on its way by our very own Brasileiro, Fernando Souza.

Another female-fronted band, Swedish/Danish melodic metallers AMARANTHE, are having a busy year. Following their Bloodstock 2011 appearance, they're heading out on tour with HAMMERFALL in November and then play their own headline show at London's Borderline on 12th December. Meanwhile, their eponymously-titled debut album, released via Spinefarm Records in April, has already spawned two singles, 'Hunger' and 'Rain', with a third, 'Amaranthine', to follow. Tickets for the Borderline gig are on sale now at £10 each. Visit: www.myspace.com/amaranthemetal.

RAVEN LORD have added Jamie Mallender, erstwhile bassist for the TONY MARTIN BAND, to their line-up, and are in the studio recording a new album as we speak. Raven Lord have been likened to Dio, Yngwie Malmsteen and Judas Priest. You can see where the comparisons derive if you check out two of their You Tube vids, 'End Of The World' and 'Saints And Sinners'. The band will be touring in 2012.

Welsh hardcore lads CONTINENTS released their debut single and accompanying video, 'Trials', on 23rd August. Henry Rollins started it, Pantera magnified it, Continents have grabbed the hardcore mantel and ripped it to shreds. These boys from the valleys should go places by rights! The single is available now from I-Tunes. For more info, go to: www.continentsband.com. Now check out the video:

Belfast melodic power rockers AJENDA, who've already supported FM, Ricky Warwick and Pat McManus, are about to launch their debut EP, 'The Suomi Sessions'. Their songs are impressive, upbeat rockers – particularly the horrendously catchy 'Drinking Games' - with female vocals as powerful as those of Pat Benatar or Lynne Jackaman. Go to www.myspace.com/ajendamusic and prepare to press the replay button over and over again.

Old-school Swedish thrashers ENTRENCH's album, 'Inevitable Decay', is about to be released through Abyss Records. Entrench remind today's thrash scene of the aggression and brutality of thrash pioneers like Slayer and Kreator. Go to: www.myspace.com/entrench for a bad case of whiplash.

Texan progressive stoner rockers ENORMICON have made their six-track 'Storm Of Swords' EP available on I-Tunes and CD Baby this week. Complex, thought-provoking Metal with progrock overtones, 'Storm Of Swords' is available at: www.enormiconmetal.com.

Extraordinarily talented seven-string female guitarist THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF has just released her debut single, an adrenalin-fuelled virtuosic reworking of 'Paranoid', as a free download at: www.thecommanderinchief.net. The Nordic beauty is causing quite a stir with her skills, not least of all with Pantera's producer Sterling Winfield, who produced 'Paranoid'. She's already clinched endorsements from Ibanez, Seymour Duncan and Ernie Ball, no mean feat. If the single's anything to go by, can't wait for the album. Wonder how many fingers she's got?!

commander in chief

Much-touted UK hardcore death metallers HURON have just released their second album, 'Mary Celeste', through Casket Records, and have some festival dates lined up. Counting amongst their fans Mr Bruce Dickinson, Huron have toured the UK extensively, including playing Hammerfest II last year with the likes of Suicidal Tendencies and Orange Goblin. 'Mary Celeste' bludgeons the soul and shreds it with unrivalled venom. Huron play the Hangover V Festival on 16th October, Hard Rock Hell 1st-4th December and the Metal Gods Festival 10th December. Go to: www.huronuk.com.

Dark, melodic metallers OBSEQUIAE, from Minneapolis, have just released their debut album, 'Suspended In The Brume Of Eos', through Bindrune Recordings. The two-piece have been around in various shapes and forms (including Autumnal Winds) for fourteen years, and the experience shows. There are plenty of album tasters on You Tube, but to buy the album, go to Bindrune Recordings' webshop.

Geordie hardcore metallers ARCITE release their new five-track EP, 'We Lie Awake', on 29th August. Arcite have the bit between their teeth and, judging by 'We Lie Awake', seem intent on shaking it around mercilessly – a quickfire assault on the senses! www.myspace.com/arciteuk.

The artfully-named ALL PIGS MUST DIE release their debut album, 'God Is War', through Southern Lord on 5th September. Although APMD are, theoretically, a new band, their pedigree is undeniable. Deriving from hardcorists The Hope Conspiracy, Converge and Bloodhorse, the collaborative effect is more, in their own words, 'crust punk/d-beat-driven aggression'. Go to: www.southernlord.com/store.php.

Click here for Excess All Areas index...