Sad news: The music world mourns the loss of Ray Manzarek (74), founding Member and keyboarder of The Doors, White Zombie drummer Phil Buerstatte (44) and Uriah Heep bassist Trevor Bolder (63). R.I.P.!
German Hardrockers BERSERKER will donate 18.000€ to the Berlin cancer charity for children on May 25. November 2011 BERSERKER front man Schröder was diagnosed with cancer, now he is cancer-free. In 2012 the band collected money for this charity at their concerts and will also continue to do so in the future. Slayer´s Jeff Hanneman is dead: he passed away at about 11AM on May 2nd near his Southern California home because of liver failure due to an infection after a spider bite. R.I.P. Jeff!
The Siberian Jay music video "I´m Holding" featuring Mikko Sirén from Apocalyptica on drums - we reported about the videoshoot in our "1h with" Special - can be watched here: http://youtu.be/C-hSNurZVcs
News from the East! A big gun from the Ukraine: SVYATOGOR fire with progressive black metal. It detonates exciting as hell. Except for the vocal part, which fits most of the usual genre "pagan black metal style" in the form of constant growls that sound like an aggressive blower from the devil, vicious, but a little monotonous. The good news: you get used to it after a while that there is no change in singing. In addition, one gets not into the temptation to understand the Russian, Ukrainian, English and French lyrics, which - so the label - are about i.a. structures of the universe and the macrocosm. Anyone who wishes can read these in pagan trimmed booklet.
On everything else you don´t get used to so quickly, because there's plenty unusual. Interesting ideas, variety and a comprehensive mix out of the pots of heavy to death metal and additions of hard and art rock. And even a saxophone is on board ... So this might be called "progressive", because SVYATOGOR have some great tunes in their program, what makes it different to others. May be, not in an experimental way, but in a complex.
It starts in a more used Pagan style, rough and snotty, but right from the outset we are confronted with frequent tempo and style changes. Brutal battle scenes are interspersed with the rest after or before the storm. Furious death metal drumming alternate with relaxed, melodic phases. The drummer valiantly does fantastic on this CD, but dominating are the two electric guitars, well supported by an adaptive bass. Small, playful soundtrack sequences season the roast. No synths dilutes the effect of the straight and clear sounds, presented by real experts on their instruments.
Although the vocal part is varied sometimes by a recitation or whispering, the raspy, angry toilet flushing could be expanded. The variations and ideas - from the sophisticated instruments perfectly served - are answered by the voice in an one-dimensional kind; simply too less vocal evolution. Otherwise, the album makes a lot of fun and requires careful listening. Tricky played and equipped with various sound games. Really strong, how the saxophone in the title track "Doctor Veritas" interferes in the action. This album offers in all its diversity and turmoil a beautiful complex homogeneity.
Very well, incidentally, the quality of sound and mix, full and transparent, good space, not over perfected, but with the necessary spontaneity. Chic piece.
Tracklist: 1. In Memory Of Fallen Heroes
2. Word hard. Eat. Watch.
3. The Manifesto
4. Doctor Veritas
5. Nor Fire, Nor Sword...
6. AWOKE / INCOMING (Antarctic solitude)
7. Spit And Forget
8. Inevitability
9. La concupiscence [Lust]
10. Reincarnation Of Thoughts
