We had to wait a decade but Goth’n’Roll Helsinki Vampires The 69 Eyes have finally returned to the United States on the ‘Back From The Grave!’ tour as they are ready to celebrate the band’s 30th anniversary this year as well as a brand new album due to be released in September via Nuclear Blast. At the show at The Forge in Joliet The 69 Eyes received a warm welcome from the fans, some of them have never had a chance to see them live while others perfectly remembered their previous US tour back in 2009. For the setlist The 69 Eyes chose many beloved unforgettable songs from their extensive discography opening the show with the anthemic “Devils” followed by “Don’t Turn Your Back On Fear”, “Perfect Skin”, the sultry “Dance d’Amour”, “Feel Berlin”, the iconic “Gothic Girl” and many other favorites. As always vocalist Jyrki 69 proved to be one of the most charismatic rockers in modern times and the band’s chemistry was simply perfect so we really hope to see The 69 Eyes touring again in the United States!
Canadian metallers Arrival Of Autumn proudly presents to the world their debut full length “Harbinger” offering an intense mixture of groovy moments and bleak apocalyptic soundscapes.
On “Hurricane On The Horizon” there is a cool blend of polished somber melodies featuring interesting guitar progressions and insanely heavy patterns amplified by enraged vocals as the overall energy is fueled by the evident metalcore attitude.
“End Of Existence” follows a similar groovy music pathway as guitars naturally shift from explosive riffs marching through intriguing rhythmic variations to smooth melodic textures and wild soloing.
On “Witness” brutal guitar driven grooves continue to feel fundamental within the song’s structure leading to steady metalcore dynamics and angered screams yet leaving some space for calmer pensive moments enhanced by hazy atmospheres and clean vocals.
Undoubtedly “Better Off Without” stands out for the charismatic guitar solos and the creepy atmospheric tapestries that evoke the album’s apocalyptic themes just like the grim guitar tonalities and the contemplative clean vocals in contrast with a consistent series of aggressive rhythmic segments enhanced by the ferocious vocal delivery and the crunchy riffage.
While “The Endless” is clearly characterized by a fierce heavy & fast rhythmic core the song benefits greatly from the intricate melodic waves carefully crafted by the impressive lead guitar work and the melancholic atmospheres plus the extra catchy chorus will get stuck in your head.
The album’s grand finale comes with the dismal melodic guitars of “Apocalyptic” that still offers many raw energetic grooves dictated by the belligerent drum blasts but often slows down to rightfully emphasize the dramatic atmospheric textures and the darkened harmonies.
For a young emerging band like Arrival Of Autumn the main goal is to attract an audience in the chaotic metal scene and the fiery yet approachable soundscapes of “Harbinger” will certainly give them a chance to get noticed.
Back in 2017 Cellar Darling shared their powerful music vision with the debut album “This Is The Sound” and now the time has come to embark on a new journey symbolized by the sophomore full length “The Spell” which is also a dark fairytale telling the story of an unnamed girl who falls in love with death.
The album opener “Pain” aptly puts a spell on you with the magical folk arrangements and hurdy-gurdy melodies accompanied by the elegant vocal delivery leading to peaceful feelings in contrast with the heavier rhythmic momentum fully expressed by the crunchy guitar riffs.
While on “Death” guitars can often acquire heavy darkened tonalities the compelling melodic depth comes from the otherworldly flute melodies and the lavish multifaceted vocal harmonies that shift from the catchy delivery of the chorus to the softer introspective delivery.
The title track features immensely melancholic soundscapes as the whole melodic ensemble craft intricate instrumental passages that benefit from the mixture of daydreaming folk nuances and somber guitar work while Anna’s simply spellbinding vocals render this track particularly sophisticated.
On “Burn” guitars have a delicious edgy rock mood that leads to heavy and utterly eerie grooves following bold rhythmic dynamics but there are also dramatic moments enhanced by the darkly heartfelt melodies and dreamlike atmospheric arrangements.
“Insomnia” shines for the heavier prog influences of the galloping guitar riffs and the eclectic rhythmic variations without sacrificing the inner pensive melodic nature that once again is intensely emphasized by the impeccable warm vocals and the ethereal piano passages.
“Drown” can feel like an immersive sonic experience as well as a dreamy ballad with subtle atmospheric accents and the calming sound of the sea but also features profoundly darkened themes amplified by the gritty guitar riffage in the background while the hurdy-gurdy obviously adds a graceful folk aura.
On “Death Pt. II” emotions become an essential part of the song that inevitably acquires a profoundly melancholic mood allowing Anna’s voice to take the spotlight with a particularly moving performance accompanied by the sheer beauty of enchanting piano melodies.
In just few years Cellar Darling have already developed a unique music style that becomes even more fascinating and complex blending edgy prog elements and magical folk themes on “The Spell” which ultimately confirms that the band has great potential to stand out in the current metal scene.
Fronted by mastermind Peter Tägtgren Hypocrisy finally return to North America co-headlining the successful “Death …Is Just The Beginning” tour with label mates Fleshgod Apocalypse. It all started back in 1992 and certainly Hypocrisy still hold an influential status in the current metal scene so it was not surprising to see such a large crowd of loyal fans at Bottom Lounge in Chicago. Hypocrisy chose a setlist that definitely represents their signature blend of fast & heavy death metal grooves and darkly melodic depth ranging from the classic tracks “Fractured Millennium”, “The Final Chapter” and “Into The Abyss” to the most recent “End Of Disclosure”.
It’s an exciting time for Italian orchestral death metal masters Fleshgod Apocalypse as the highly anticipated 5th album “Veleno” will be released on May 24th via Nuclear Blast and they are currently co-headlining the massive “Death …Is Just The Beginning” North American Tour with legendary Hypocrisy. Fleshgod Apocalypse undoubtedly have already a huge fanbase in North America as proved by the love and appreciation that the crowd expressed during their memorable live performance at Bottom Lounge in Chicago. With a charismatic stage presence Fleshgod Apocalypse chose an eclectic & energetic setlist that included “The Violation” and “The Forsaking” from the 2011 release “Agony”, “Cold As Perfection”, “Healing Through War” and “The Fool” from the acclaimed album “King” while the new single “Sugar” that definitely marked another intense moment. Watching Fleshgod Apocalypse live it becomes evident that besides the darkened & crushing death metal elements, the enticing detailed orchestral arrangements and the operatic grandeur demonstrate why the band’s unique music style is bound to stand out in the crowded metal scene.
Following the release of the sophomore album “Dreamcatcher” via Nuclear Blast, Aenimus are currently spreading their technical prog death metal music style across North America on tour with Hypocrisy and Fleshgod Apocalypse.
The release of the album “Peace” last year represented a great return for Swedish rockers Graveyard and the ‘Peace Across The Wasteland’ tour co-headlining with Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats has been another successful experience packing venues all over North America. It wasn’t surprising to see that Graveyard show at the Metro in Chicago was sold out as their intense music style continues to garner new acolytes in North America. While there is certainly a renaissance of vintage rock and stoner style, Graveyard’s sound always stands out for the hypnotic psychedelic grooves and the gorgeous understated melodies. For the setlist Graveyard chose many songs from the latest full length “Peace” including “Walk On”, “The Fox” and “It Ain’t Over Yet” which definitely sounded even more enthralling during this vibrant live performance and it was also nice to hear several songs from the older acclaimed album “Hisingen Blues” such as the title track, “Uncomfortably Numb” and “The Siren”.
Finish icons Children Of Bodom just released the long awaited album “Hexed”, available via Nuclear Blast, and the fans have a chance to hear live the new songs “Under Grass And Clover”, “This Road” and “Platitudes And Barren Words” as the band is currently touring in North America. During the energetic performance at House of Blues in Chicago Children Of Bodom started with the classic track “Are You Dead Yet?” which instantly triggered massive mosh pit and crowd surfing that basically went on for the entire concert.
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