Fistful of Metal # 11

Tracklist

Corbata – Corbata
Corbata – Alba
Smallpox Aroma – Torturous Hours
AtomicDeath – The Last Letter
Iron Curtain – Danger Zone
Ancestor – Bloody Repression
Haunt – Mind Freeze
Primitiv – Squishy & Spongy
Devoid – Drop Dead Gorgeous
Intronaut – Cubensis
Limit Zero – Gravestone Constellations
False Flag – Counterfeit
Heathen Beast – Ab Ki Baar Atyachaar
Pallbearer – I saw the End

Fistful of Metal # 10

Track list
Road rash – Burn out
Screamer – Out of the Dark
Megaton Sword – Born Beneath the Sword
SuidAkrA – Halls of Tales
Coilguns – Manicheans
Formless Master – First Strike
Formless Master – Fatal Impasse
Nile – Long Shadows of Dread
Nox Irae – All is Over
Abigail Williams – Ever so Bold
Chrome Waves – When the sun hits
Jakub Zytecki – Sunflower
November’s Doom – What we Become
Officium Triste – World in Flames

Horns Up Podcast: Episode 33

American act Haunt is at the forefront of the new wave of Traditional Heavy Metal. The band is bringing back the killer twin leads and harmonized vocals popularized by bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.

We spoke to the mastermind behind Haunt, Trevor William Church about starting a heavy metal band, putting Beastmaker to rest, upcoming tour, releases and more.

Horns Up Podcast: Episode 25

Andy Dowling, the bassist for Australia heavy metal act Lord. I had interview Andy for the blog in 2015. The band earlier this month released their first studio album in 6 years, Fallen Idols.

On the Horns Up Podcast, we discuss with Andy – Fallen Idols, the mix-tape nature of the album and unique release strategy that resulted in it finding a place on the ARIA Australian Artist Albums Chart and Australian Independent Music Charts.

Andy recommends bands from Australia that we should listen to and also some handy tips for bands on their social media presence.

Primitiv

Indian death/doom metal act Primitiv are a 5 piece band consisting of members of Albatross and Hellwind. The band released their album Immortal and Vile based on tales of early man via Transcending Obscurity Distribution in February 2016.

Primitiv are releasing a live video for the track Taurus today and I premiered it on The Metal Wanderlust. The video shot to mark 5 years of the band captures their bulldozing live act.

Check it out the video and short inteview with vocalist Nitin Rajan on The Metal Wanderlust.

Horns Up Podcast: Episode 15

The mighty Iron Maiden is the focus of this episode. Animesh and Peter are joined by The biggest Iron Maiden fan in India, Nolan Lewis (Kryptos) in a debate about the seminal band, specifically their 5th and 7th albums, Powerslave and Seventh Son of the Seventh Son.

Introducing “Versus”, where one album is pitted against the other. The basis of comparison isn’t just restricted to subjectiveness, the albums should have similarity i.e. same number of tracks, a common theme, artist etc.

So which album came out on top, Powerslave or Seventh Son of the Seventh Son? Hit Play and find out. Up the Irons!

Fistful of Metal #3

The 3rd episode of Fistful of metal on Boxout.fm. Tune in Below.

Tracklist
Straight and Narrow by Arch/Matheos
Callouses by Haunt
I’ve Found My way to die by Magic Circle
Write Across by Hoia
Quiet Eye by Kekal
The War on Intelligence by Hannes Grossman
Titan by Viroclac
Embrace these grim deicisions by Leather Glove
Total Destroy by Vltimas
Ineffable Tumult by Undeath
lascivious by Soen
Spirits will Collide by Devin Townsend

Haunt interview

Heavy metal act Haunt started out as the solo project of Beastmaker frontman Trevor William Church. It is a now a band with the addition of Daniel “Wolfy” Wilson, Taylor Hollman and John William Tucker.
If Icarus Could Fly, the second album from the band is out now. The album was one of the albums I was looking forward to from this year and it does not disappoint.

Haunt are currently on tour and I managed to get an interview done with Trevor William Church. Read it on The Metal Wanderlust

Fistful of Metal #2

The second episode of Fistful of Metal is now online on boxout.fm. The tracks I selected for this mix were ones that I was listening to the past few weeks, mainly releases from this year except for a few.

Tracklist
Usurper – Skull Splitter (Soulseller Records)
Chainbreaker – Born Loud (Hells Headbangers)
Hell Fire – Warpath (Riding Easy Records)
Minors – Consumed (Holy Roar Records)
Noisem – Downer Hound (20 Buck Spin)
KHNVM – Invocato (Testimony Records)
Misery Index – New Salem (Season of Mist)
Plague Throat – Primitive Defense Mechanism (Self-released
Krallice- wolf (Self-released)
1914 – Passchenhell (Redefining Darkness Records)
Astronoid – In Dreams I lie (Blood Music)
Private Government – Thermite (Self-released)
Chrome Waves – Past the Lights (Disorder Recordings)
Thrawsunblat – Via Canadensis (Ignifera Records)

Striker interview

Last week, I interviewed Skull Fist for The Metal Wanderlust; the band are currently touring Europe with another killer Canadian act Striker. Play to Win is their 6th album in a decade and is definitive release. I found the songs to be quite catchy, ‘The Front’ is one of my favourite along with the first single ‘Head First’.

I spoke to Guitarist Tim Brown about Play to Win, being an independent act and also his current playlist.

You recently wrapped up a North American tour with Unleash the Archers and Helion Prime. What was the highlight of the tour?

The whole tour was a highlight! Great package, great friends. We had a run of about 10 sold out shows on the east coast, plus a bunch of other sold out shows. The Canadian dates were also off the hook!

Play to Win is a classic heavy metal album. Do tell us more about it.

We wanted to experiment with some slower tempos and different sounds on this album. Even snuck in a ballad! We listen to so much music; we wanted to stretch our writing a bit. Try some new things, get weird with it.

What was the writing and recording process for the album?

We basically sit down and rank all our song ideas, and whatever comes out on top goes on an album. We recorded and produced everything ourselves at our home studio then sent it out for a mix/master by Henrik Udd. Super happy with the results, this album is easily our most monstrous!

Play to Win is your third release as an independent artist. Why you have chosen to stay independent and not sign up with any label?

Short answer: labels suck! They take everything and you get very little back. You aren’t in control. No one will work harder for you than you will. You are your best resource. Might as well do it yourself.

What’s currently on your playlist?

Myrone – drift stage volume 1
Toto – the seventh one
Unleash The Archers – follow me to apex
Skullfist – way of the road

What are your thoughts on the current state of heavy metal?

It’s good! Tons of new acts coming out. I think as soon as more bands realize they can do it themselves and don’t need labels, we will have a resurgence of metal. There are already tons of independent acts, but once it becomes the norm not the exception, I think music will be in a better place

Do recommend bands from that the readers should check out?

Skull Fist, Unleash the Archers, Dance With The Dead, tons of good stuff!

You have a European tour with Skull Fist coming up next month. What are you looking forward to at the shows?

Shredding with our European fans! And the beer

Thanks for answering all our questions. Do you have any final words?

Thanks for the support! Check out our website http://www.striker-metal.com for all your Striker needs

Cheers
Tim