Friday, June 29, 2012

The Prophecy 23/Green Machine Laser Beam/Massacre Records/2012 CD Review


  The  Prophecy  23  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  I  would  describe  as  being  skater  thrash  with  a  blackened  and  death  metal  edge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Green  Machine  Laser  Beam"  which  was  released  by  Massacre  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  good  amount  of  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  skater  thrash  riffs  that  combine  influences  from  black  and  death  metal  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  in  addition  there  is  a  brief  use  of  surf  music  style  riffs,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads  when  they  are  utilized,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  full chords  to  add  a  sense  of  humor  to  the  music

  Vocals range  from  80's  style  thrash  vocals  mixed  in  with  some  deep  death  metal  growls  and  high pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts,  clean singing  power/thrash  vocals and  pig  sequels,  while  the  lyrics  cover  everyday themes,  drinking  thrashing  and  moshing,  as  for the  production  it has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  recording  from  The  Prophecy  23  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  this band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dont  Step  Back" "Green  Machine  Laser  Beam"  "No  Beer-What  A  Mess"  and  "Princess  Of  Gorleben".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Friday, June 8, 2012

Livarkahil/Wrath Of God/2012 EP Review


  Livarkahil  are  a  band  from  France  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  I  would  describe  as  being  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2012  ep  "Wrath  Of  God".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  great  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound to  them,  as  for  the  synths  they  are  only  utilized  briefly  on  the  last  song  and  bring  a  symphonic  black  metal  sound  to  the  music.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  blackened  death  metal  riffs  that  utilize  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  some  metalcore  style  breakdowns  with  the  riffing  having  more  black  metal  influences  than  the  previous  recordings  in  addition  there  is  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  being  utilized  on  the  last  song,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  and technical  sounding  blackened  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  blackened  death  metal  screams  and  growls  along  with  some  deep  death  metal  growls  and  clean  singing,  while  the  lyrics  cover  hateful  and  anti  christian  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  recording  from  Livarkahil  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  their  previous  effoets,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Eternal  Sun"  and  "Wrath  Of  God".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

www.livarkahil.com

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Chaos Inception Interview


1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
Hi. First off, thanks for taking an interest in our work and granting this interview. These days we are excited to work with Lavadome on the release of The Abrogation. It's great to have someone to handle promotion, artwork, inlays and such at the level of Jan Fastner. He's the best. This allows us to focus only on our music when it comes to the band. We are currently rehearsing for live shows as well as writing new material for a future album.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from the previous one?
Collision with Oblivion was a fine first album for us. Often the first album will have the best riffs because it is the result of a lifetime of riffing. So in hindsight, the album has good riffs, though perhaps some mistakes were made in the arrangements, lyrics, solos, and overall sound. I made a few discoveries myself prior to recording The Abrogation: First, most albums have a good song for an introduction and a second good one, then some filler, and where side B would be on a cassette there is another good one, then the rest is crap. Of course, these are usually the fastest songs, and that's what we're into. So I thought, why not write every song as if it could be an album opener. With one exception, I think we acheived that. So personally, I don't feel the need to skip tracks on this CD.
Another thing I figured out, was the importance of improvization in the studio. Every note on Collision was planned and written on paper before recording. This album had a few spots in solos left open for improv. I realized that this is how some of the most effective death metal solos are written, like it or not. The solos are like an orgasm - I think every good solo in metal or rock is orgasmic in some sense. And it requires you to let go of your body. When I hear a solo I like it feels like I am floating on the notes and it brings tears to my eyes. I don't know what the deal is with that - it's uncontrollable. I guess that's why I play music - it is the great mystery.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release?
The lyrics are intended to be an evocation of something in the listener. I like to keep it vague and general, as you can see. Let's say you are listening to an old Krisiun album, and trying to decipher the lyrics. It may be a product of English as their second language but there are not a lot of fully completed thoughts or sense to what is going on. But whatever it is, it is some heavy shit. It's armageddon. So interpretation be damned, we want to recreate such feeling. We touch on the usual themes for our genre - war, armageddon, blood lust, and demonic possession. I tend to write a lot about demonic possession because whether you're religious or not, someday you will know someone who utterly changes before your eyes, and becomes a monster, and you might have no way to come to terms with it other than by the 'myth' of demonic possession. It may be a chemical change in the brain, or a neuron misfiring, but it is beyond our control and understanding. The thing you call "I" is utterly fragile, and could vanish at any moment. What is it that usurps it then? That is what Becoming Adversary is about off the first album. I wrote that after I read about those D.C. Snipers a few years back.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
This takes a little band history to explain. When I first moved to Alabama I did so to join Temple of Blood. Jim Mullis and I were friends from earlier on and I thought it was time to do a serious band. Anyways, we always played with another local band called Convergence from Within. That band was David Teal, Wally Schulte, Matt Odom, and Gary White. That is my favorite live band ever. This was the Chaos I wanted to create. I wanted to finance a live recording from them at one point, because the label mixed their full length CD and ruined it. Their performances could cause me to get into that trance-like state, and David Teal was a commanding frontman. But the blast beat was the key to it all, so I pestered Gary for years either to let me join them or form a new project. Finally I got a chance by joining Fleshtized. I wasn't happy with Fleshtized because it had a legacy all it's own, and it was a separate thing from Convergence from Within. I wasn't writing from the heart there so we dissolved that and formed Chaos Inception. I think the band name came from Gary and Cam. Gary had a band called Chaos Symphony and that didn't pan out, so he wanted to keep the Chaos part. I believe Cam added Inception. Honestly, I didn't put much thought into it because I figured as long as it sounds like a death metal band name it would be fine. No band is made or broken based on the name, except maybe for Hawaii.  

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
Our best shows have been right here in Huntsville, probably when we've played with bands like Origin, Diabolic, Epoch of Unlight and Abominant. We always have a good time playing, but we like to challenge ourselves with the task of opening for a pro band like Origin, and seeing that we don't get our asses completely blown off the stage. We are great friends with those guys, but with all bands we play with, there is an element of competition in that sense. We don't play live to a click, as we do in the studio, so all our live shows are faster and more chaotic. I'd say our stage performance is typical, in that we have 3 long haired guys and one shaved head guy grimacing and headbanging (by the way, those grimaces are caused by pain in the muscles from playing like this). We don't have gimmicks or anything like costumes or fake blood. I'm not strongly against that, but it's just not necessary. That authenticity is the legacy of thrash and crossover - no image, and no gimmicks, besides the jeans, shirt, and long hair. 
I try to hear the band in a new way at the shows, and I usually close my eyes as much as possible to hear the tone and overall sound. Sometimes, a gig will be my farewell show to an amp or a guitar that let's me down that night. I've probably been through 15 seven string guitars, and 20 amps in this band (thanks also to Ebay).
My favorite comment after a live show was a guy who came up and said he felt like he had just been washed in pure evil and filth. Thanks dude! Right on.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?
We would like to support Chaos Inception as much as possible, however, it is just not the right time to do an extended tour. As I mentioned, the band is not our livelihood, and we aren't kids anymore. Self-promoted, underground blasting death metal US tours are a lot of fun, but they can't pay the bills. In fact, I think I'll go ahead and announce this: the next gig I play where I load up my gear at 6, get paid $5, have a bar tab of $40, load my gear back at 3 am, and some douche bag at the show says, "Hey brah, can I get one of those shirts or CDs? All I gots is one dollar though, yo." I'm punching that mutherfucker straight in the face.
I am currently playing in Monstrosity, and I have touring obligations with them. That is on such a level that it is legit, and I take off whatever time from my day job that I can for that. The reality is, if I took any more time from that off my day job I'd lose it. So, no extended tours, but we are available to do festivals and one-off shows.

7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by brutal death metal fans?
When we have found reviews for the first CD they have been positive. When anyone writes to our Facebook page and says, "Holy shit! Where have you guys been hiding?" that is positive. We sometimes wonder if anyone knows about our first album. But this has changed a lot since we hooked up with Lavadome. I think better days are ahead. Also, here's a thought on the current situation for underground death metal fans: There are nearly 10 billion human beings on earth. There is the internet to connect with any one of them, cheap. Now how is it that a band like Unleashed could've sold thousands of copies of their demo tape back in the day, and most underground bands now can't move 500 copies of their CDs. I can't figure that one out. You read any of these histories of death metal, and you'll see bands like Asphyx selling thousands of demos out of their mom's basement. Not that they got rich, or were underserving, but what is wrong with things when the standard for a new metal band is 1000 CDs and you'll still have stock for years? Hopefully the fans realize that if you buy a CD or shirt from Chaos Inception, you are not making us rich, but are merely adding a donation to our coffers, that probably doesn't cover .01% of our expenses. We do it regardless of sales, but hopefully if someone is downloading our CD they'll give this a thought. There is a breaking point where we wouldn't be able to keep it going.
8. What is going on with the other band projects these days?
I'm currently writing and rehearsing with Monstrosity for an upcoming album and tour. Chris is writing for a new project of his, and there have been rumors of another Blood Stained Dusk tour. Cam also plays guitar and he's been writing for a project of his that he might undertake. We have all done things on and off with other local metal musicians because there aren't many musicians in the area to have a full band without a little bit of incestuousness. Any time I play with another band, I make sure it is different from what I'd do in Chaos Inception. Chaos Inception flows naturally from me, where other projects require a different approach, one that doesn't stray from the intentions of the leaders of those projects. 

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
The core of the band is my riffs, and Gary's blast beat. My job is to write what I want to hear over a blast beat, and somehow make it different from what's come before.  It doesn't have to be totally different - we're not Opeth or other such posers who just steal from other genres and call it unique metal. Bullshit. And we don't write for the critics. I imagine a listener, such as myself in my teenage years, and write what would empower that person to take over the world. But anyways, the songs always start with Gary and I, in a windowless metal building with no air conditioning, hammering the songs out. Gary is a bastard - and I say this lovingly - and he doesn't let any limp-dick riffs fly. He's ruthless. If I try to do a riff where I just hold out chords, he puts a foot in my ass.  So once we have it, we introduce it to Cam and Chris and they contribute. A lot of times the bass is locked in with the guitar but Cam always adds runs or other cool things to the songs. He brings in his own tunes as well. The same is true for Chris. There's always something you haven't thought of, or a new way of hearing something, and I like when each band member contributes rather than one person writing the parts for all instruments, though sometimes that is necessary. So back to the original question, future releases I think will become more intense and also more trance-inducing. I can listen to Von, or Krisiun, or Angel Corpse and kind of zone out, where the world starts spinning and I just drift away. I've always thought it was funny how most people listened to Pink Floyd for this effect, yet I had to listen to Angel Corpse! It's just soothing to me. So hopefully, future releases will explore this trance that can be induced by a distorted guitar picked as fast as possible, along with a blast beat. There is something unique there. I would also like to do an album without any pauses between tracks, using some sort of interludes - I guess like Blessed are the Sick, or one of it's better 'rip-offs', Testimony of the Ancients. I think pauses in between songs can take you out of the music, and you begin to imagine the band members in the studio, wiping the sweat off their brow between takes or something. I don't want an image of us wearing shorts and drinking coffee in the studio come to mind when someone listens to our music. This will take some more thought, because I don't want acoustic guitar interludes or any Lord of the Rings style medieval lute music on a Chaos Inception CD.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
The core for our death metal sound is the evil death metal genre. This genre consists of bands like Possessed, Massacra, Morbid Angel, Krisiun, Vader, Sarcofago, and more, and the goal is to put the sound of hell in this world with guitars, drums, and vocals. Morbid Angel is the most important band to play this style. Morbid Angel also writes good music, in fact, the best and most listenable songs ever written by a death metal band, in my opinion. I have a theory. To me there are about 3 styles of high speed, quality death metal: Morbid Angel, Death, Suffocation. They are the best at what they do, and in the case of Suffocation, they are the only band that plays in their style that is actually musical! When I say musical I mean it has progressions that resolve enharmonically. A lot of death metal is just a series of riffs without regard for anything, and I suppose there is a time and a place for that as well. But in my view, there is no Death Metal - there is Morbid Angel, Suffocation, and Death. So everyone is doing one of those bands, at the surface. Someone accused me of ripping off the Morbid Angel song off Covenant, "Pain Divine" for the riff in "Black Vapor of Corruption Rise". The first obvious difference - there are 4 different chords in the riff for Pain Divine that repeat in a fairly simple pattern; there are about 10 different chords in the riff for Black Vapor. Almost every note in a 12 tone scale is there. It changes as well. Not to say that the more notes a riff has, the better it is. But it has is the same 1-2-3, 1-2-3 pulse that is supposedly a Morbid Angel-ism. It's one thing to do a 1-2-3, 1-2-3 pulse on a blast beat and 'rip-off' Morbid Angel, and quite another to blatantly steal a riff and change one note or something. There's an Angel Corpse sounding riff on "Scald Command" with one obvious difference - it's in 7/8 time, and it covers the entire fretboard. I don't know why everyone always wants to put something in a category, it's like a contest to see who can be first to point out the influence. I for one a'm glad they do when it's accurate - I'll check out almost any new band that is said to sound like Morbid Angel. That's how I discovered Krisiun and Angel Corpse when they released their debut albums.
We check out new bands that get a lot of hype but mostly we are satisfied with listening to new albums from the established bands. I always check out what's going on in the underground war and bestial black metal scene. It's a challenge to incorporate some elements for that - mainly the feeling, the feeling that would make a normal person puke - but without writing garbage music. I like obscure South American bands too, such as Abhorrence and Quieron. I can't say that I've really fallen in love with a new band in death metal though. I know Cam is into Portal, and Chris is into Decapitated and some of the more tech bands. Gary follows the drummers so he's always listening to Nile and Hate Eternal. At this point, I try to be open to outside influences (I've been listening to a lot of Sonic Youth lately), but I'm not interested in expanding our sound beyond the scope of the roots of death metal.

11. How would you describe your views on Occultism?
I'm sure every person in the band has a different take on this. When I was growing up I was into it. I also studied philosophy and history of science in college. I have come to believe that there is more benefit to studying philosophy and science than occultism. It makes for good fodder for death metal songs, and fantasy literature, but I think many people turn to something like spell casting because of their impotence in reality. This is true in my case anyways. I was a loser in high school and I thought I could have all my desires fulfilled if I pledged myself to the darkness and performed satanic rituals and spells from the Necronomicon. It didn't work out so well! Then I discovered the virtues of self-reliance, hard work, and standing up for yourself, and it has worked out much better. Music itself is a kind of spell, and to me it is more rewarding than the rest of it. Of course I don't regret those teenage years, because that's the guy who's still inside me and lets me know if my music is good.
I think someone's personal views on life after death or the meaning of life are their own business, and it's pointless to argue or disagree with them, unless they are in your face with it. I pretty much stay out of the fray, which may place me in the agnostic category, which is either an athiest of a theist, without balls. Maybe it's not the balls that are lacking as some say, but by the definition of the word it is knowledge that is lacking.

12.Outside of music what are some of your interests?
Outside of music, we are into horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, which is pretty much the norm for a metalhead. I've been watching a lot of Kolchak and Twilight Zone lately. We're into sports like football, MMA, and boxing. We've been known to imbibe a high gravity brew now and again. We have families and wives or girlfriends so that's a big part of our lives. But it's mostly just music. I collect CDs and books and everything having to do with metal. Chris owns and operates a video and memoribilia store called Video Underground. We all bust ass at our day jobs to be able to afford to keep the band going, and to make it as good as possible, with the best gear, recording equipment, rehearsal facilities, and all that.
13.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Thank you for the interview. This is our year - 2012 with The Abrogation on Lavadome Records. We hope the listeners will appreciate this contribution to the canon of evil death metal. Use our music to give you the strength to defeat your enemies and destroy any obstacle in your path. Onward to victory!

Scythe Interview


  Answer by: Rick Scythe
1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
RS: Right now we are planning a couple more shows for 2012 / early 2013. Some out of state shows and another Chicago gig. We are also writing new material and planning on recording some new tracks by the end of the year.
Besides that, we also parted ways with Tim, our drummer. No hard feelings, he's a great kid, but the guy was spreading himself a little thin. He's actually a guitarist first and foremost, and he has his own stuff he's working on that started sounding very similar to Scythe, which is sort of a conflict of interest with myself and Dan. We don't want to work on songs and concepts and then in turn have someone take the same basic ideas and re-use them again with his other project. Plus he's busy with his studio producing.
Bottom line is we need someone 100% dedicated to Scythe, who plays drums exclusively; where drums are his craft, not just another instrument someone dabbles with. So just to reiterate, we wish Tim the best, he's been a good friend and a great talent for Scythe, he is part of the Scythe family, but it was time to move on. I am pleased to announce, that we have a killer new drummer named Joey Contreras in the band now and we haven't lost a beat!
2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and what are some of the things you have accomplished with this recording that you where not able to do with the past bands?
RS: t is really a unique blend of thrash, speed, black and classic heavy metal with elements of hard rock, horror atmosphere, and rock n' roll attitude... way more original approach than some people in the press give us credit for... no one sounds like Scythe out there.  Every song is a head banging / fist banging metal anthem!

 I would say the difference between Scythe and Usurper is that Scythe is a bit more stripped down and over-the-top compared to the sleeker, more layered approach Usurper took.  It is very similar to Usurper in some ways due to the head-bangable riffs and old-school death grunts, but it is different too due to the more primitive, barbaric approach to delivering the molten metal!
Both bands are known for staying true to the real ways of Metal, both bands are known for rivet-headed, ironfisted riffing, but Usurper's attack had a bit more finesse, more like an Atomic Discombobulator and Scythe's attack is more like killing a fly with a sledgehammer!

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the album?
RS: Conspiratorial topics, end time prophecies, occult / paranormal topics, aliens / giants, occult science, and anthems about Heavy Metal!

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
RS: My name is Rick SCYTHE. I have been recording under the name Rick SCYTHE since 1993. I have used the Scythe name in the credits of every Usurper album and demo since 1994. I have been registered with BMI Music Publishing / Song Writer credits as SCYTHE for every Usurper album, and you will notice on all Usurper credits it always said "All songs written by SCYTHE".
So when it came time to do a new band, one that would have ties to Usurper, it felt only logical to call the band SCYTHE as an homage and link to my past with Usurper. It was a way for fans of Usurper to connect the name Scythe with Usurper and realize that they would be picking up an album by the guy responsible for creating the Usurper legacy.
I could have easily called this band Usurper since I own the name and wrote 95% of all Usurper material, but I decided not to. I know many bands do that type of thing where they have one original member and continue with the band anyway, but I really wanted to start over. I wanted to start over with something that was on one hand new and exciting, and on the other hand classic and consistent. Scythe was the ideal name. I was using the name Scythe to write, record and publish music since the early 90's and have had the name before any other bands who came later trying to use the name Scythe. I sometimes specify this band as Scythe (Chicago), just so people know they are getting the real thing!

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
RS: Scythe has only played 2 shows so far. We are not looking for quantity, but rather quality.  Our first show was opening up for Desaster (Germany). That was June 2011. We didn't play again until April 2012. This time we did things bigger. We played the entire "Beware The Scythe" LP front to back. We had a more elaborate light show and fog and went a bit more over the top. Our next show will have an even more elaborate stage show with pyro and more lights and more fog. We are only concerned with doing things big! Look at Venom in their prime, they played less than 30 shows for all those classic albums. I want a Scythe show to remain special and not typical. Let other bands become the local "bitch band" and open for every show every other week, we're Scythe, we don't do things that way.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release/
RS: No touring plans. We will hopefully perform overseas next year. We will do shows in different cities in the USA when the opportunities arise. Other than that we will continue writing and recording new material.

7. The new album came out on Primitive Reaction, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support that they have given you so far?
RS: An artist who has painted a few Usurper covers named Juha Vorma is from Finland. He became a pretty good friend of mine over the years and he was pretty good friends with Tuomas from Primitive Reaction. Back in 2007 Usurper was coming to an end. I wanted to re-issue our Threshold of the Usurper CD, but I wanted to include a couple bonus tracks to make it a full length album. I also wanted new cover art and full liner notes. I didn't have a label in mind so Juha suggested Primitive Reaction. They did such a great job with the Usurper CD and vinyl that I wanted to work with them again for the Scythe album.
Once again Juha painted the CD cover and Primitive Reaction delivered the goods. They are an underground label from Finland, but a totally kick ass label.  R.I.P. Records released Beware The Scythe in the states on vinyl, so I am very pleased with these 2 labels. I own the rights to distribute it digitally through iTunes and sites like that. We also have a great PR guy named Curt Dewar helping us with interviews and spreading the Scythe name. This is true underground metal, no fancy corporate machine, just a handfull of guys working together; more a labor of love than a business. Scythe is true Underground Metal for die-hards.

8. What is going on with the other band projects these days?
RS: No other projects these days. Scythe is my 100% priority. Perhaps somewhere down the line I might consider doing a Usurper reunion show or shows, but it would have to be the right time and right situation.  Even if that were ever to happen, Scythe will remain my main band for the foreseeable future. I don't believe in side projects. It's Scythe or bust!

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
RS: I think things will become more refined as we progress with our career. We are really just establishing our sound with this first album. This is a classic debut album: it's underground, it is the first exposure to Scythe and it is something to be proud of. 
I see the next album as being where we really refine our sound and perfect the bombastic Scythian Speed Metal Attack! Like all the great bands, the second album will take our sound from our first album, but really build into a unique slab of metal... raise the bar so to speak.
I see our 3rd album as the one that will firmly establish our identity and become our all time masterpiece! All great bands seem to follow this progression. If we are fortunate enough to go beyond a 3rd album, I see the next sequence of albums further establishing our legacy. I don't see this band falling prey to the dreaded 4th, 5th, 6th album cliches of many bands where they start selling out and fucking with their sound. Scythe will remain consistent and reliable.

10. What are  some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer material and also what are you listening to nowadays?
RS: I only am influenced by old metal and rock bands:
Venom, Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost, Black Sabbath, Ted Nugent, Bathory, Sodom, Blue Oyster Cult, Slayer, Witchfinder General, Manowar, Sodom.
Lately I have been listening to: Stone Magnum, Annihilation, Slaughter Messiah, Sabbat, Misfits "Devil's Rain", Death Wolf / Devil's Whorehouse.

11. How would you describe your views on Occultism?
RS: It is everywhere. Most people think of occultism as "Satanism", but it really means "secret/hidden knowledge". It has plagued mankind since man has first used words. The true occultists are the diabolical elite who rule this planet.  The illuminati, globalist bankers, elite wealthy bloodlines all control everything from the television you watch, to the rules that govern society, to the banks you put your money in, to the medicine you take, to the health care you receive, down to some mundane aspects of your life... and they DON'T have your best interest in mind.
People don't realize this but look at how banks, media companies, hospitals all use occult imagery and symbolism in their corporate logos. This is not a coincidence. These establishments are all guided by ancient deities. Their goal is to manipulate and enslave the human race, eliminate the majority of the population and create an immortal utopia for themselves. Reptilian bloodlines, Annunaki bloodlines, decedents of fallen angels are all part of this planets' history. 

12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
RS: I like to read a lot. I have a vast, growing collection of books. No novels, just true documented books ranging from cryptozoology, the paranormal, ancient civilizations, prophecies, conspiracies, and other occult topics.  I also like to go to the shooting range, I like to dabble in art, I listen to podcasts, I like to play pinball and shoot pool occasionally. I like to spend time alone and explore the night skies with my telescope. I don't go to many shows anymore and kind of distance myself from "the scene" unless Scythe is involved. I'm not always comfortable around a lot of people.

13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
RS: Thanks for supporting Scythe! Buy the CD, t-shirts, vinyl or digital downloads/iTunes version of "Beware The Scythe" and be sure to check out Scythe on the web:

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Ram-Page Interview


1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
- Our band exists until 2010, in 2011 we have released debut album “The Keeper Of Time”.
Now we have a more qualitative work “Blooming Rust”.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?
- Powerful, cast the rhythm section plus versatile guitar from acoustics to distortion and very powerful scream vocals.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
- In our creation we’re trying to affect themes of philosophy of the universe and the human soul as well as their relationship

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the band’s name?
- Name of the band means rage or exuberant, in the sense of bright and powerful feed of the band on a stage.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
- In 2010 at the festival "FMO-2" in Moscow we performed very bright and powerful & after this the first album of RAM-PAGE was released.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the new album?
- Nowadays there are plans only in our country and neighboring countries (Russia, Ukraine and Belarus) for a new album.
But when we’ll get the new proposals, then we surely will consider.

7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black, death and thrash metal?
- Fans of black metal are much liked screaming vocals and fans of thrash metal powerful guitar riffs.

8. Are there any other projects besides this band or is this full time line up?
- No, the members of the band are concentrated only on the Ram-Page, it’s the only way we can flash the integrity of our thoughts.

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
- In the future, we want to remain in our style, but complexity our material and technical performance.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
- Our musical preferences were influenced by such bands as: Kreator, Annihilator… Now we listen to different directions of metal and bands, some of them are: Death, Annihilator, Kreator, Napalm Death, Sodom, Dying Fetus, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Carcass.

11.Outside of music what are some of your interests?
- All our interests besides the band connection with our works: Privalov Vlad (vocal) works in the service of automation; Privalov Sergey (guitar) – studies for Manager; Dolgov Dmitry (bass) works in the service of relay protection; and drummer Valentov Alexey studies for the surgery.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
- We wish you all good luck and happiness!!!



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