“Despite the
bands hiatus, Doomsayer had continued to write new material, carrying Beyond Mortal Death into its next
incarnation. Finally, in 2010, after much rehearsing, Doomsayer had found a new
drummer in Maleficus. The pair had begun work on their next deathly slab, a 4
track E.P intended for release mid to late 2011. With Doomsayer taking on the
bass duties as well as guitar/vocals/synth keys, Beyond Mortal Dreams comes full circle and begins again as a
recording band only, with new material under construction, keeping true to the
original vision of dark, brutal death metal!
It’s 2012 and Beyond Mortal Dreams latest E.P ‘Dreaming Death’ has been unleashed to
crush the senses of the metal hordes at large! Writing is currently underway
for a new full length album, to be recorded during 2013.
Stay tuned for
studio updates, and look out soon for some new Beyond Mortal Dreams death metal!!!”
Beyond Mortal Dreams have listed
their influences as thunder lightning earthquakes and planetary disasters, so
be prepared for the ride – it may get a bit rough!
Feast of
Carrion
Bulging and
rippling riffs a plenty with a huge scornful vocal damming and intense that
niggle at the ear lobes and then take a head long dive into the cavities and
explode! Hammering and punchy pounding of the skins at a very fast paced with a
guitar that is equally as fast and powerful – phew how do they do this? A very
creative piece of writing and playing with excellent production with superb
melodic swagger! – Awesome!
The Filth of
their God
Highly intense
with good delivery of skill, magnified by a glorious venomous growl straight
from the bowel of deepest hell. A barrage of scathing beats rain down amid a
series of screeching guitar and thunderous bass. If you stripped it of its layers of
interwoven chaos it would still be chaotic and take you a very long time to
separate! A satisfying contrast of dark energy and melody played brutally.
Dreaming Death
Atmospheric
slightly doom infested begin the bands third track and the black metal side of
things come to the forefront, demonic and eager with a symphonic feel of slower
riffs and beats that balance out superbly well. The build-up is fantastic with
its harmonic qualities. The vocals are deep, slow and raw and reminds me of a
disembodied Satan. The guitar is immense reaching a solid peak of fiery riffs to
yet more enchanting harmonies offering a busy array of macabre goings on that
really whets the appetite and will no doubt command your soul on listening!
Beast of
Damnation
This track will
smother you in ferociousness and put a bony hand around your throat and
throttle you senseless! Deep vengeful growling takes over amid a flurry of
blasphemous beats and raucous rhythms. It would be fair to say that the quality
and contrasts on this E.P are simply breath taking.
To sum up:
Inspiring and
haunting, it possesses both death and black metal in equal amounts so is a
great balance.The faster moments will make your head spin whilst the more
atmospheric track will leave you with that unsettled feeling of foreboding. A
truly heartfelt and passionate quality E.P that more than satisfies the raging
hunger for metal! - Sleep with one eye open - Beyond Mortal Dreams are here!
“NWOB Heavy
Metal....Pittsburgh style. Female fronted, five piece awesomeness. Priest and
Maiden influenced”
Lady Beast
Torpedoed into
oblivion this track is crafted to perfection and very metal! There’s no
sleeping here it’s a metal party all the way, with twisting tempered rhythms
that flourish with energy and ignites the spark that makes you want to bang
your head furiously to its mesmerising beats. Superb!
Metal
Rules
Intriguing build-up
of familiar old school rhythms that take hold with immediate effect. Check out
the shredding its immense shit! I bet the blood flies at one of their gigs!
Wholly contagious listen with fiery attitude! Metal rules – Hell yeah!
The Lost
Boys
Another finger
blistering track from Lady Beast!
Hitting all the right spots and ticking all the right boxes. Good melodic vocal that compliments the
chugging rhythms. This has an expanding seduction that carries it to new levels
of ferocity – and loving the ending – really great! Loving it!
Armor
Really great
skilled track with bruising tempos and more blistering riffs – I bet the
guitarists are playing on bone now – no flesh on those fingers. Strong enthralling vocal and a bass hook that
would catch a lot of fish enticing you to feed upon its bait! Plenty of melodic
sway and intense rhythms. Extremely catchy! With great lyrics.
Birthrite
Brutal chugger
that smacks of sheer pleasure with unrestrained melodies and building twisting
rhythms that are really enthralling. More ferocious shredding ensues with a
mighty power of ruggedness. Not for the faint of heart!
When Desire is
Stronger than Fear
Slightly
similar to the last track but the fire and ferocity is still welcome. It
manages to capture the imagination and strikes the light that fuels the
explosion with a strong velocity of magnitude.
Hot
Pursuit
Lots of melodic
enterprise with its chugging qualities that are accelerated with more of Lady
Beast’s power! Provocative and emotive with lyrical passion. Offering in turn
an urgent feisty surge of metal prowess.
This is spectacular!
Go For the Bait
A deliciously flavoured
track that deserves to be savoured but not after sampling its rich deserts! More
shredding than a mad cat on speed! This really fires the excitement and
constantly delivers on every level!
Lady Beast
Ram It Down
(Judas Priest Cover - CD version only)
Judas Priest –
move over - you have now been outrun by Lady
Beast! More than just a merely satisfying listen this really grips with a
tight hold that never loosens for a second!
To sum up:
Thrilling and irresistible
you could do a lot worse than listen to Lady
Beast well worth wrapping yourself in their stupendous rhythms and catchy
melodies with tight melodic guitar that literally shreds like a beast! Wow I
just realised I haven’t taken a breath since listening to this album... now
gasping for air! It is mesmerizingly superb! If this don’t get you moving your
head then you are indeed lying on a slab in a mortuary somewhere! It will even
wake the dead, no mistake!
10/10
Track List:
Lady Beast
Metal Rules
The Lost Boys
Armor
Birthrite
When Desire is Stronger than Fear
Hot Pursuit
Go For the Bait
Ram It Down (Judas Priest Cover - CD version only)
Very little is
known of Elvenstorm so on with the
review...
Winds of War
With an ominous
trail of blazing guitar the track begins and this is thunderous playing I can’t
even type to the ferocity of this. The vocals are really inspiring and suits
the music really well, so a fantastic start. Melodically filled rhythms and
beats just never let up for a second, with aural intensity deepening a
tempestuous rage of shredding ensues – highly delicious track!
Rebirth
This band
certainly know how to hit the spot! Erupting damnation vocally as well as
musically, it powers into a swathe of plundering rhythms that constantly batter
the ailing ear drums with a rhythmic quality and superb hard bass hook with
piercing intensity.
Witchhammer
Dominating
guitar intensely fires and solidly blistering with a pounding of rhythmic
drums. Vocally swathed in a strong onslaught of melodic making this a great listen.
Possesses ground breaking qualities, leaving a fiery trail in its wake!
Struggle Within
Beautifully builds
with melodic swagger and intensely slow with hypnotic flavour. A straight
forward old school metal track with a rabid bite! And a great guitar solo that
gives depth to the track, with a really good melodic bounce.
Black Visions
Pummels the
senses with more fiery and ferocious riffs coupled with blinding rhythms that
will devour with a certain malevolence. Mighty brutal with clean but strong
vocal and immense intrusions that will make you sit up and take notice! Superb
track indeed with shredding galore it is bound to attract attention.
Kill the
Deceivers
A beautifully
crafted track that offers intense strings and quickly fires up to reveal an
intensity that quickens to a blistering onslaught of muscular riffing although
the vocals do sound slightly off in places.
Raven in a
Blackened Sky
Slower and
thicker rhythms come to the fore and offer a head banging chug encased in
superb melodies. Quickly builds to offer up a complete wall of sound bathed in
a clean vocal. Another spellbinding
track.
Stand Thy Fall
This will no
doubt make its way to an enthused crowd as it battles to the highest heights in
speed and creativity. Direct with a certain bite of ravenous metal, there’s no
creeping forward with Elvenstorm they
just take you by force, but you won’t complain.
Legions of
Steel
String and
deadly potent yet again another ‘chugger’ of fast and ferocious rhythms, will
smack you in the gut with a fiery intensity. This track is raw and shows brute
force with a great chant like vocal, also offering a terrific range of shrill
intensity – superb to the end.
To sum up:
The tracks on
this album are strong and vivacious offers brutally raw riffing and compelling
beats that will just leave you puzzling “How do they do this?” Vocally superb
with only a slight loss of concentration during “Kill the Deceivers” but
otherwise a flawless album of amazing mesmerizing splendour. And to think
this was made in 2011... Makes me wonder if they can actually create tracks
faster and more ferocious!
We are DamageScape - Founded by Gemma Fox,
featuring a body of material written over the years that has barely seen the
light of day! A collaboration with fellow Collibus and Out-Foxed band members,
Stephen Platt and Matthew Mills, plus the much welcome addition of Sarit Black
of David R Black. This is a project that has always been in the pipeline, but
never quite surfaced, until now. The music itself in its raw state oozes hard
rock in nature touching slightly on the edge of metal. The anthemic choruses
integrated with delicate verses and heartfelt subject matters echo the bands
collective influences such as acts like Alter Bridge, Ozzy Osbourne (solo
music), Stone Sour and Foo Fighters. Our aim is to compose great songs with a
little something for everyone! Our debut E.P 'Was It All Worth While?' is now
for sale at our live shows and our website.
Matt & Gemma
Ste
I liked Damagescape from the off! Their well
balanced, well-structured tracks are huge on melodic content and they did a
great set at Deathwave on Saturday.
You can't listen to "Damage" without a chill down the backbone!
I learnt from
speaking to the band and Sarit in particular that she also plays drums as her
Father did but prefers bass and says she still has not quite managed to get to grips with the 5
string as she usually plays 4 string with David
R Black – but she did a superb job last night.
Sarit
Steve Platt is
a truly accomplished guitarist who also does promotional videos for Laney as
well as play guitar for another band Collibus
– whilst Gemma the band’s vocalist and rhythm guitarist actually brainstormed Damagescape back in 2012 and Matthew
Mills as does Stephen Platt plays for another band called Out–Foxed. So with all this going on I am amazed they know what
they are playing and for which band.
A highly
impressive stage performance with lilting melodies, crunchy rhythms, drive and
plenty of energy DamageScape debuted
at The Lomax to very sadly and literally a dismal handful of on-lookers.
Matt
The last two
tracks “Refrain” and “Damage” I think personally are just superb. Wrapped in heavy crunches of rhythm and
swathed in a sumptuous melody and sung with conviction and passion. It had
really magnetic moments too like on “Final Tear” in fact most of the set held
some fantastic memorable moments Really
compelling to watch live! I was gutted when they finished, and feel they should
have gone on second rather than being the warm up band.
Ste - ohhh the hair!!
I really do
hope they come back and serenade us all again soon with their unique blend of
dark heavy riffs and scorching melodic touches of pure brilliance with rasping
guitars. DamageScape work well as a
band and really gave it 100% last night, despite Sarit saying they weren’t
happy with their set, but typical temperamental muso’s!! With only a slight loss
of vocal, but Gemma pulled it back and the band went on to deliver some
spellbinding tracks – It was superb! Looking forward to reviewing the 4 track
E.P next! Can’t wait!
Gemma
Remember the
name DamageScape - One to watch out
for! and check out Ste's hair!
“No Love Lost are proud to present their new
mcd "What's it like to be Awake?" released 1st August 2011. Following
two highly regarded demos (2006's "In the Darkest Hour" and 2009's
Submission & Seabound" a new line-up was found, joining Adam
Richardson (now on bass) was Laura Burton on Vocals, Shaun Watts on guitar and
Adam Kendrick also on guitar, sometime after drummer Kostas Kyriakidis was
added to the line-up”
Laura
Debuting were No Love Lost who put a restrained slant
on the evening’s events with their Gothic blend of doom. Laura’s voice was
tempered amid some heavy riffs but her constant turning her back on the
audience annoyed somewhat.
Their
performance really brought things to a serious level and not really my cup of
tea has to be said, finding the tracks to be very similar in content and very
bland so not sparking any real passion – but being Gothic Doom there was little
possibility of it being a fiery performance, however the band all played well,
could not fault their playing capabilities, but just did not quite ignite the passion
for me. So indeed No Love Lost here but no doubt will appeal to the more
Gothic/Doom laden fan.
6/10
Set List:
Sleep for a thousand years
Submission
Everlasting
Into the Dark
Living Memory
Return to the Void
Members:
Laura Burton – Vocals
Adam Richardson - Bass
Adam Kendrick - Guitar
Kostas Kyriakidis - Drums
Shaun Watts - Guitar
Epitaph –
Sheffield
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Epitaph2011
Genre: Heavy
Metal/Hard Rock
Jean-Luc - Azz and Tini
In the band’s
own words:
“Formed October
2011, Epitaph MMXI are a 4 piece metal band from Sheffield. Within a short time
of being together they have released their debut E.P, Judgement Day, entered and
won the Sheffield Corporation's 'Battle of the Bands' contest, supported established
artists such as Wolfsbane, Mask Of Judas and I AM GIANT and ran a steady stream
of shows, gathering a dedicated following. With hooks that'll be stuck in your
head for days, it's essential that you hear this band!”
Zak shredding to perfection!
Epitaph took over from Hanging Doll who could
not play the gig for some reason or other and to be perfectly honest I am glad
they didn’t as I would not have experienced this quartet of perfection!
Tini
On meeting the
band’s Manager Craig, he said “I did not think the band would be heavy enough
for you?” Well you could have knocked me down with a feather.. Yeah I love my
brutal shit who doesn't? But come on... EPITAPH
were monumentally brutal combining Old School with modern influences and
compelling to watch live too!
Azz
The band have,
since the release of their E.P changed vocalists but I think the set up the
guys have now is just perfection – they have it all and in abundance! The old
school look, the hair, music, everything just blended to perfection and played
superbly, triggering deep emotion and imagination, with pulsating ingredients
of metal madness – the way to this girl’s heart is through metal!
Zak and Azz
I had to check
Zak’s fingers after the gig because I could have sworn that by the way he was
shredding that guitar there should be blood dripping from his fingertips!
Bringing a new meaning to “Reign in Blood!” and talking of Slayer – Azz did a
nice dedication to Jeff Hanneman which was well received and rightly so.
Zak, Azz and Tini
From start to
finish these guys not only enthralled but compelled with their riveting array
of shreds, beats and rhythms. Their combination of old and new was impressive
and left the crowd ravenous.
Intimidating drumming
with snarling bass licks and caustic rhythms amid a good strong vocal who could
NOT love this? And all enriched in equal measure!
Azz
Although I am
not a big lover of covers, however, Seek and Destroy was played superbly well and
with good overall audience participation fueled by the ravenous drumming of
Jean-Luc, shredded to perfection by Zak, sung energetically by Azz and
pulverised by Tini.
A truly
murderous performance and one I hope the guys will come back and do all over
again – I can’t get enough!
10/10
Set List:
Vendetta,
Electric Throne (NEW),
Judgement Day,
Abomination Overdrive
Ascension,
Written In Stone,
Pilgrimage of Screams
Seek & Destroy (Metallica Cover)
Members:
Azz Grant - Lead Vocals, Rhythm & Lead Guitar
Rob 'Tini' Patterson - Bass Guitar
Jean-Luc Chavaudra - Drums & Percussion
Zak Glossop - Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Triaxis – South
Wales
Links:
http://www.facebook.com/Triaxis
Genre: Metal
In the bands
own words:
“Triaxis are a heavy metal band from South
Wales. Formed in 2006, they self-released their debut full-length album Key to
the Kingdom in 2009 to critical acclaim, including plaudits from Metal Hammer,
Terrorizer, Zero Tolerance as well as coverage and praise from many leading
music websites. They have also made numerous radio appearances, including
airplay on Bruce Dickinson's BBC Rock Show”
Also debuting
in Liverpool were “Triaxis” from South Wales. I could not say they did not play
extremely well or that Krissie has not got a good set of lungs on her, but there was
just something missing for me.
Krissie
The little
display of vocals in the women’s loos was entertaining to some degree but also
a little embarrassing – come on Krissie this is the Lomax – NOT Wembley Arena!
The band played
to the extreme maximum however and I was blown away with Glyn and CJ’s mesmerising
performances which were extremely intense, there was plenty of ear assault, high
octane levels of soaked rapturous rhythms, but again something just was not
quite right here and I still cannot put my finger on it. I suppose, for me Epitaph were on my mind and I was
wishing they were playing their set over again – so this could be the main
reason for being distracted during the evening.
8/10
Set List:
Intro
Sand and Silver
UBRS
Gates of Damnation
Sker Point
STAWDF
And Shadows Creep
Lies
Black Trinity
Members
Owen - Bass
Krissie - Vocals
Giles - Drums
CJ - Rhythm Guitar
Glyn - Lead Guitar
**Special
thanks to Andy Deathwave and Phil Vidamore for as ever a good night’s
entertainment. Tim for the sound, Gani for being my partner in crime.
Nice seeing Chris Simpson again,
supporting the event and to all the bands Triaxis, No Love Lost, Epitaph and DamageScape – the last two bands being my highlights of the
eventful evening.
FOOTNOTE:
I was extremely
disturbed to hear from Andy that on
visiting the Swan Pub – 93 metal heads were there and NOT at the Lomax supporting Deathwave
and on mentioning to them the price for the gig, just 5 quid – all said they
were not paying that amount, yet many of them most probably had already spent
50 quid on booze and shoving coins in the juke box!!!
Let me
reiterate here – Andy and Phil have done their utmost best to
make Deathwave bigger and better,
granted people can’t like everything they hear, but it is all about support –
without that support more promoters will get pissed off and not bother and if
they don’t bother – where will the true metal heads get their metal fix then?
Venues will go
under and soon there will be nothing left – so ignore this message if you like,
but if you do, you are NOT true metal heads – “you are
just lame alcoholics who don’t deserve to be called metal heads!” Pubs and bars
are probably where you belong with your juke box – or better still why not
visit Bargain Booze, get pissed at home and play your X-boxes? OK rant over...
