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čtvrtek 25. dubna 2024

Recenze/review - COMPRESS - The Final Level of Consciousness (2024)


COMPRESS - The Final Level of Consciousness (2024)
CD 2024, Eternal Death

for english please scroll down

Už dávno jsi ztratil víru v lidský rod. Všude je jenom nenávist, bolest a utrpení. Připadáš si jako stín, jako neviditelný. Raději mizíš mezi stíny, do lesa, do starých katakomb. V chladu a tmě čekáš na jedinou spravedlivou věc na světě, na smrt. Jenže ta nepřichází. Modlíš se k vesmíru, vzýváš přírodní živly a posloucháš black metal. Dostalo se mi do rukou debutové EP maniaků COMPRESSMassachusetts. Je po okraj narvané špínou, hnisem, misantropií a nihilismem.

Dlouhé, naléhavé a drásají skladby působí jako ozvěny z jiného světa. Občas bývám neklidný. Štve mě všechno kolem a utíkám pryč. Procházím se po lesních pěšinách, obdivuji mrtvé oči obětí, které hnijí na mýtinách. Stávám se pomalu součástí věčnosti, rozpadám se v prach. Nové EP je velmi dobře napsané, ihned se mi dostalo do krve. 


Členové kapely patří mezi zkušené muzikanty. Třeba vokalista Connor Dooley působil již ve smečkách jako Morgirion, Lustrum, Misanthropos. Můžete si tak být absolutně jisti, že o kvalitu je zde postaráno. Zvuk, produkce, obal, vše sedí perfektně na svých místech a doplňuje nápady, kterých je na EP velké množství. Stačí se jen soustředit. Základem je klasický, tradiční black metal, který je dále rozvíjen, kořeněn. Přiznám se, že jsem si nahrávku dával do uší převážně ráno, když ještě mrzlo. Ulice byly prázdné a já našlapoval do rytmu. Moje kroky vedly vždy ven, do lesů, na jeden dávno opuštěný hřbitov. Hlavou mi létaly jen samé, do černé zbarvené myšlenky. Myslím, že každý, kdo má tenhle styl rád, měl by z "The Final Level of Consciousness" ochutnat. Někdy i cesta, plná bolesti a utrpení, může být nakonec cílem. Tohle je muzika pro fanoušky, kteří u ní rádi přemýšlejí, kteří se nechávají s chutí rozdrásat do krve. Vše působí velmi tajemně, uhrančivě, syrově. Jako bych se stal svým vlastním stínem. S úsměvem sleduji své konání, ale dávno jsem již v jiné dimenzi. Tak to vidíte, některá hudba ve mě dokáže probudit různé a do pestrých odstínů šedé utkané obrazce. Představte si obrovský trychtýř, který vám někdo zatluče do hlavy. Bude vám proudit do mozku obrovské množství temné energie odněkud z vesmíru. Tak přesně takhle na mě působí i nová deska těchto tmářů. Už dávno jsi ztratil víru v lidský rod. Všude je jenom nenávist, bolest a utrpení. Připadáš si jako stín, jako neviditelný. Raději mizíš mezi stíny, do lesa, do starých katakomb. V chladu a tmě čekáš na jedinou spravedlivou věc na světě, na smrt. Jenže ta nepřichází. Temný, naléhavý, nervy drásající black metal! Těžké ozvěny vlastní existence!


Asphyx says:

You lost faith in the human race a long time ago. There is only hatred, pain and suffering everywhere. You feel like a shadow, invisible. You'd rather disappear into the shadows, into the forest, into the old catacombs. In the cold and dark, you wait for the only just thing in the world, death. But it doesn't come. You pray to the universe, invoke the elements and listen to black metal. I got my hands on the debut EP from Massachusetts maniacs COMPRESS. It's filled to the brim with filth, pus, misanthropy and nihilism.

The long, urgent and gut-wrenching tracks feel like echoes from another world. Sometimes I get restless. I'm annoyed by everything around me and I run away. I walk the forest paths, admiring the dead eyes of the victims rotting in the clearings. I'm slowly becoming part of eternity, crumbling into dust. The new EP is very well written, it immediately got into my blood. 


The band members are experienced musicians. For example, vocalist Connor Dooley has been in bands like Morgirion, Lustrum, Misanthropos. So you can be absolutely sure that the quality is taken care of here. The sound, the production, the cover art, everything fits perfectly in place and complements the ideas that abound on the EP. All you have to do is concentrate. The foundation is classic, traditional black metal, which is further developed, spiced up. I admit that I put the record in my ears mostly in the morning when it was still freezing. The streets were empty and I was pedaling to the beat. My steps always led outside, into the woods, to a long-abandoned cemetery. Only thoughts flew through my head, all black in colour. I think anyone who likes this style should sample "The Final Level of Consciousness". Sometimes even a journey full of pain and suffering can be a destination in the end. This is music for fans who like to think, who like to be ripped to shreds. Everything is very mysterious, mesmerizing, raw. It's like I've become my own shadow. I watch my actions with a smile, but I've been in another dimension for a long time. So you see, some music can awaken different patterns woven into colourful shades of grey. Imagine a huge funnel being slammed into your head. A huge amount of dark energy will flow into your brain from somewhere in the universe. That's exactly how the new record by these darkies strikes me. You lost faith in the human race a long time ago. There's nothing but hate, pain and suffering everywhere. You feel like a shadow, invisible. You'd rather disappear into the shadows, into the forest, into the old catacombs. In the cold and dark, you wait for the only just thing in the world, death. But it doesn't come. Dark, urgent, nerve-wracking black metal! Heavy echoes of your own existence!


tracklist:
1. Fissured Cosmos
2. The Final Level of Consciousness
3. Formosus
4. Damnatio Memoriae

band:
Dave Willoughby - Bass
Zack Birmingham - Drums
Matt McGrath - Guitar
Connor Dooley - Vocals, Keyboards



středa 13. března 2024

Recenze/review - WITCHORIOUS - Witchorious (2024)


WITCHORIOUS - Witchorious
CD 2024, Argonauta Records

for english please scroll down

Někdy na tebe padne těžký splín a hledáš inspiraci v temnotě. Čekáš až se setmí, abys mohl vyrazit do ulic. Sleduješ tváře démonů a pokaždé skončíš hluboko pod zemí. Kdysi dávno jsem navštívil Paříž a její katakomby. Dodnes si nesu tento tajemný a magický zážitek v sobě. Doomová kapela WITCHORIOUS je z Paříže. A předkládá smutný, bolestivý zážitek způsobem, že jsem si na nekonečné chodby podsvětí zase vzpomněl. Pánové a dáma hrají tak, že jsem si připadal rozdrásaný do krve.

Jedná se o dlouhohrající debut kapely, který si ale v ničem nezadá s o hodně slavnějšími kapelami. Nejsou to ale jenom formální věci,  jako skvělý zvuk (Studio Sainte-Marthe by Francis Caste), starodávný obal a perfektní produkce, ale hlavně pochmurné nálady, které se vznáší kolem jako můry kolem lampy. Je to hodně návykový materiál, u kterého jsem se pokaždé zastavil a moje myšlenky byly smutné. 


"Witchorious" je album, které je volně inspirováno kapelami jako BLACK SABBATH, ELECTRIC WIZARD, v intenzivnějších pasážích potom třeba MASTODON, AMENRA. To ale není zase tolik důležité, každý posluchač si stejně udělá nejlepší představu, když si poslechne ukázky. Slova nikdy nedokáží přesně vyjádřit veškeré emoce a sílu, které deska přináší. Líbí se mi, že je nahrávka velmi pestrou záležitostí. Dostanete nejen starou atmosféru, u které ucítíte v kostech chlad, ale také spoustu modernějších prvků. Album je tak nebývale pestré, skvěle napsané. Je to vlastně zvláštní a zároveň podivně krásné, když sedím ve svém pokoji a dívám se na usínající město. Šedivé ulice čekají na první přízraky, mraky jsou černé a skoro se dotýkají země. Píšu to často, doom metal je styl, který musí být zahraný od srdce, uvěřitelně. A to se povedlo Francouzům na výbornou. Naléhavé vokály, magické, záhadné melodie, pocit zmaru a beznaděje. Tohle vše zde najdete a ještě něco navíc. Mám rád staré hřbitovy, s chutí se procházím mezi náhrobky. Čtu si jména a přemýšlím, jaký asi měli život, kolik zažili dobrého i zlého. Ukrývám se ve stínu, navštěvuji podzemní chrámy a poslouchám u toho tuhle desku. Vám nelze jinak, než doporučit. Pokud máte tenhle styl rádi, neváhejte ani chvilku. Dostanete poctivě zahranou porci rozervaných skladeb, které vás časem zcela pohltí. Mě se to stalo. Padl na mě těžký splín a hledal jsem inspiraci v temnotě. Čekal jsem až se setmí, abych mohl vyrazit do ulic. Sledoval jsem tváře démonů a pokaždé skončil hluboko pod zemí. Drásavě bolestivý, pochmurně smutný doom metal, který vás uvrhne do temnoty vlastní duše! Smutná krása lidské existence!


Asphyx says:

Sometimes a heavy full moon falls on you and you look for inspiration in the darkness. Waiting for darkness to fall so you can hit the streets. You watch the faces of demons and each time you end up deep underground. Once upon a time, I visited Paris and its catacombs. I still carry that mysterious and magical experience with me. The doom band WITCHORIOUS is from Paris. And it presents a sad, painful experience in a way that made me think of the endless corridors of the underworld again. Gentlemen and lady play in a way that made me feel like I was being ripped to shreds.

This is the band's full-length debut, but it's no match for much more famous bands. But it's not just the formal stuff, like the great sound (Studio Sainte-Marthe by Francis Caste), the vintage cover art and the perfect production, it's the sombre moods that hover around like moths around a lamp. It's very addictive stuff, and I found myself stopping and my thoughts were sad every time.



"Witchorious" is an album that is loosely inspired by bands like BLACK SABBATH, ELECTRIC WIZARD, and in more intense passages by MASTODON, AMENRA. But that's not so important, every listener will get the best idea anyway when listening to the samples. Words can never accurately express all the emotions and power that the album brings. I like that the record is a very varied affair. Not only do you get the old school vibe where you can feel the chill in your bones, but you also get a lot of more modern elements. The album is so unprecedentedly varied, brilliantly written. It's actually strange and strangely beautiful at the same time, sitting in my room looking out over the city falling asleep. The grey streets are waiting for the first ghosts, the clouds are black and almost touching the ground. I write it often, doom metal is a style that has to be played from the heart, believably. And the French have done that to perfection. Urgent vocals, magical, mysterious melodies, a feeling of despair and hopelessness. You will find all that here and more. I like old cemeteries, I enjoy walking among the tombstones. I read the names and wonder what their lives were like, how much good and bad they experienced. I hide in the shadows, visit underground temples and listen to this record. I cannot but recommend it to you. If you like this style, don't hesitate a moment. You'll get an honestly played portion of ripping tracks that will completely consume you over time. It happened to me. A heavy full moon fell upon me and I sought inspiration in the darkness. I waited until it was dark to hit the streets. I watched the faces of the demons and each time ended up deep underground. Poignantly painful, bleakly sad doom metal that will plunge you into the darkness of your own soul! The sad beauty of human existence!



tracklist:
Monster
Catharsis
The Witch
Blood
Eternal Night
Sanctuaire
Amnesia
Watch Me Die
To The Grave
Why

band:
Guitar/vocals: Antoine
Bass: Lucie
Drums: Paul



A few questions - interview with doom metal band from France - WITCHORIOUS.


A few questions - interview with doom metal band from France - WITCHORIOUS.

Answered Antoine (guitars, vocals), thank you!

Ave, can you introduce your band to our readers? – When was it founded and what style of music do you play etc.?

Hi Jakub! We are Witchorious from Paris (France) and we were found in late 2019. The band is composed of Antoine Auclair (guitar / vocals), Lucie Gaget (bass / vocals / theremin), and her brother Paul Gaget (drums / percussions). We play doom metal, mixing traditional heavy doom riffs with more post-metal structures, and blending clean vocals and screams. We released our first two singles in 2020, and we just released our first album on Argonauta Records on February 16th 2024.

Where and under what conditions were you recording the new album? Who was in charge of sound, production and mastering?

We recorded our album in December 2022 at Studio Sainte-Marthe in Paris under the direction of Francis Caste (also producer for Hangman’s Chair, Necrowretch, My Diligence, etc.) It was a snowy winter in Paris, and we stayed locked up in the studio for around four weeks. It was a very cool experience, Francis had us try a lot of things for the sounds and arrangements. He also took care of the mixing and mastering, contributing so much to producing the occult atmosphere of the album.


How many copies were released and which medium was used for this new edition (CD, digital, vinyl, cassette)?

300 vinyl copies, 100 of them being label-edition, were released, and we also produced 200 CD copies on our own. Don’t wait to get yours!

Who is the author of the lyrics and how were they created and about what do the lyrics deal with?

Antoine writes most of the lyrics, although Lucie also wrote on song (“Eternal Night”). In general, lyrics are written when the first steps of a song are created, starting with riffs that we jam and intend to turn into a song. But it also happens that I write down so lyrics I have in my head, simple reflections, or sudden punchlines… Half of the songs on this album are very personal and deal with depression, mental health, and my questions around what are we doing here on this earth, towards what end… And the other half speak of society, the relationship between humans, how we are able to destroy everything that surrounds us for power, all this narrated with metaphors around the elements of occultism.

Who created the logo of the band, and who took care of the graphics and the website? What about you and social networks? Do you consider these things important?

Our logo was created by Vaderetro Studio. We asked them to create something dark and evil to represent our sound. We also asked them to work on a picture of a sick medieval town ruled by the forces of evil to summarise what we wanted to talk about in the album, and they came up with the amazing front artwork. The additional drawings were made by Headbang Design based

on the first works of Vaderetro, and they definitely added an important touch of occultism to our imagery. Antoine and Lucie take care of our social media, in which we try to reflect our universe and current projects. We try to be as present as possible on social media, we are on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and we think it is very important. First of all, we love these media and use them to discover a lot of bands and keep abreast of their new music. Then it is definitely a very strong means to stay connected with your fan base, and more than that, build solid relationships with other bands and fans. When we started, we sometimes struggled finding interesting content to broadcast in these media, so we tried to publish things just when we felt like it, and now that we have more things to share, this is so funny to let people know of our news and interact with us, like asking them what song they would like to hear at our next gig… It is very rewarding when people answer you and show how enthusiastic they are!


Which label did you choose for releasing your album and why this label? Are you satisfied by how your label represents you and takes care about you?

We have chosen to partner with Argonauta Records and we do not regret it! We really hoped they would want to work with us when we sent them our album, because a lot of bands that we liked already worked with them. And look at their roster, it is gold! So many great bands, really in the stoner / doom / post-metal niche… Their boss, Gero, is really passionate about what he is doing and has an incredible know-how. From the first discussions with him and from the word-of-mouth, we knew we could rely on him for all our questions on the release. He’s done that so many times, he can really provide the mentorship we were looking for, with brilliant tips. And benefiting from Argonauta’s visibility and their many followers were a key asset when releasing the album.

Which bands do you idolise and where do you get your inspiration?

Our main inspiration for this project, and in our playing in general, is Black Sabbath. They are really our gods in terms of songwriting and riff-making. On top that, we try to listen to as many bands as we can, and we are inspired by more modern doom bands like Electric Wizard, Monolord, or Lucifer, but also nu metal stuff like Korn and Deftones, metalcore bands like Parkway Drive and Jinjer… We try to incorporate elements from different genres to make our compositions richer. We are fascinated by bands who show an impressive mix of influences and sound both vintage and modern like Mastodon or Amenra.

Did you send your record to some Labels - which are the labels? How was the response?

Yes we sent our record to around fifteen labels and we got answers from 5 of them, for 2 deal propositions. In the end I feel that we have gotten propositions from labels that were the most relevant for us, and knowing that we really hoped Argonauta would say yes, this was beyond expectations. We are incredibly grateful to Gero for trusting us.


How many gigs have you played? Which type of gigs do you prefer, whether it's (clubs or festivals) and which of your performances would you consider as the best?

So far, we have played 16 shows. We have been lucky enough to play clubs, one festival, and small pubs. I’d say that our favorite place to play is small concert houses, because it is still small enough to feel very close to the audience, but big enough to have all the professional equipment and crew, which is really luxury haha. I think that one of our best shows was at Les Cuizines in

Chelles (our hometown) back in November 2023, because we had just done a series of gigs in different towns and it was very cool to play again at home before our families and friends with our newly gained experience. In my opinion, our best gig was actually our last gig at Supersonic in Paris, because it was very challenging: I was sick and worried that I might not be able to sing, and it was important for us because it was the release party of our album, so we hoped people would come… But eventually the two other bands performing (Margarita and Brusque) killed it, the room was crowded as F, and we did a very good performance. We had so much fun, it was really like a birthday party, everybody was there, and we gave the best of ourselves, it was the best night.


What about your plans for the future? What do you want to achieve with the band?

For 2024, the target is really to play as many shows as possible. We want to meet people and present our album live. Then I would say that we are going to try to play bigger and bigger venues. We’ll start working on songs for a second album very soon. We would really love to become a permanently active band in the niche, but above all we want to do acts that we will be proud of: good albums and killer shows. So we will gain as much experience as we can, try to show ourselves everywhere, and hopefully this will lead us to cool adventures!

How and where can your fans contact you? Can you provide some contact information?

Sure, you can contact us anytime on Messenger (https://www.facebook.com/Witchorious), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/_witchorious_/), or TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@witchorious), or even send us an email directly (witchorious@gmail.com). You can also visit our Bandcamp (https://witchorious.bandcamp.com/album/witchorious-2) to contact us. And of course, if we are coming to your town, please come to our show and say hi at the merch, we are always so happy to meet people and have a chat :)

Thanx for the interview.

Thank you so much Jakub!

neděle 10. března 2024

Recenze/review - SHAARK - Hybrid War (2024)


SHAARK - Hybrid War
CD 2024, Smile Music Records

for english please scroll down

Mám k podobným kapelám velký respekt. Začínaly kdysi v devadesátých letech minulého století, v době, kdy bylo vše jiné. Neexistoval internet, sociální sítě, na koncertech bývalo plno. Thrash metal vládl světu a každá skupina si postupně budovala svoji fanouškovskou základnu. Vše bylo syrové, všichni měli spoustu energie, protože byli mladí. Thrash metal je styl, který by měli hrát lidé, kteří nejen, že jsou dobrými muzikanty, ale mají v sobě i kus rebelie, dokáží předat tolik potřebnou energii. Je skvělé, že tohle v sobě stále, i po všech těch letech i změnách v sestavě, SHAARK mají. Jasně, že hrají postaru, nikam se zbytečně nehrnou. Místo každodenních selfie z kapelního života do vás raději narvou pořádnou porci ostrých riffů.

Nevím, jestli za to může nostalgie (asi trošku ano), ale já mám slabost i pro jejich nové desky. Jsou totiž starosvětské a svěží zároveň. Nenudím se u nich a pokaždé dostanu to, co jako starý fanoušek požaduji - skvěle zahraný materiál, který nejen, že má svůj vlastní ksicht, ale taky poctivé metalové koule. Nelze jinak, než přidat hlasitost a rozpustit vlasy v headbangingu. 


Pánové nijak neexperimentují. Jedou si dál tou svojí, kdysi vyšlapanou cestou. Skladby jsou úderné, mají parádní zvuk a produkci. Je to syrová válka s nebem i s lidskou hloupostí. Alespoň tak jsem já  tento styl vždycky vnímal. Kapela si dala do titulku alba název Hybridní válka. Jedná se vlastně o velmi aktuální věc, která se dotýká nás všech. Někdy bývám v šoku, čemu jsou lidé schopni věřit. SHAARK na to jdou ostře, příliš se nemění. Vyvíjejí se vlastně hlavně v rámci vlastních thrash metalových zákonů. A je to moc dobře. Mě se tenhle přístup líbí. Pokaždé, když budu stát před stěnou z CD a budu mít chuť na klasický thrash metal s moravskou melodikou, sáhnu po novince moc rád. To už vím teď, když album poslouchám několik týdnů. Přemýšlel jsem, jestli je něco, co bych kapele letos vytkl. Jenže mě nic nenapadlo. Možná jsou některé pasáže příliš dlouhé? Ale to mi také nijak nevadí. Zkrátka a dobře, SHAARK působí i po všech těch letech jako politi mrtvou vodou. Je slyšet, že je baví hrát, že jsou stále nadšení, mají touhu ničit hudbou. Když si vezmete, že tihle veteráni patří k nejdéle sloužícím kapelám v Čechách a na Moravě, tak vám nezbude nic jiného, než vyseknou poklonu. Abych to tedy shrnul. Máme tu veterány, kteří nahráli desku, která rozhodně stojí za to. Je po okraj narvaná divokými melodiemi a je ukována z velmi kvalitního železa. Svět je sice dávno jiný, než býval před lety, ale ještě existují jistoty, na které je spolehnutí. SHAARK patří mezi ně. Jejich nové album "Hybrid War" je toho jasným důkazem. Doporučuji otočit volume pořádně doprava. Pravý, ryzí thrash metal ohlodaný až na kost! Tohle album vás roztrhá na kusy!


Asphyx says:

I have a lot of respect for bands like that. They started back in the 1990s, when everything was different. There was no internet, no social networks, the gigs were packed. Thrash metal ruled the world and each band gradually built up their fan base. Everything was raw, everyone had a lot of energy because they were young. Thrash metal is a style that should be played by people who are not only good musicians, but also have a bit of rebellion in them, they can transmit the much needed energy. It's great that SHAARK still have that in them, even after all these years and line-up changes. Of course they play the old way, they don't go anywhere unnecessary. Instead of everyday selfies from band life, they'd rather shove a good portion of sharp riffs into you.

I don't know if it's nostalgia (probably a little bit), but I have a soft spot for their new records as well. They are old-world and fresh at the same time. I don't get bored with them and I always get what I demand as an old fan - well played material that not only has its own face, but also honest metal balls. I can't help but turn up the volume and let my hair down in headbanging.


The gentlemen are not experimenting. They go on their way, the way they once trod. The songs are punchy, have a great sound and production. It's a raw war with heaven and human stupidity. At least that's how I've always perceived this style. The band put the title Hybrid War in the album title. It's actually a very topical thing that affects us all. Sometimes I'm shocked at what people can believe. SHAARK go at it with a sharp edge, they don't change much. They are actually evolving within their own thrash metal laws. And it's very good. I like this approach. Every time I'm standing in front of a wall of CDs and I'm in the mood for some classic thrash metal with Moravian melodics, I'll reach for the new stuff very gladly. I know that now, after listening to the album for a few weeks. I was wondering if there was anything I could criticize the band for this year. I just couldn't think of anything. Maybe some passages are too long? But that doesn't bother me either. In short, SHAARK still feels like a dead water politician after all these years. You can hear that they enjoy playing, that they are still enthusiastic, that they have the desire to destroy with music. When you consider that these veterans are one of the longest serving bands in Bohemia and Moravia, you can't help but give them a shout-out. To sum up. Here we have veterans who have recorded a record that is definitely worth it. It is packed to the brim with wild melodies and forged from very high quality iron. The world may be a different place than it was years ago, but there are still certainties to fall back on. SHAARK is one of them. Their new album "Hybrid War" is a clear proof of that. I recommend turning the volume hard right. True, pure thrash metal, gnawed to the bone! This album will tear you to pieces!


Recenze/review - SHAARK - Deathonation (2020):


Tracklist:
1. Reaper´s Arrival (Intro)
2. The Emperor of Evil
3. Dorian
4. Love Your Tyrant
5. Governmental Chaos... Death Comes from Above
6. Twilight of Civilizations (Instrumental)
7. The Right to Kill
8. Soccer Swamp
9. Evil Servant
10. Gears of War
11. Apocrypha: 35 Years After


čtvrtek 7. března 2024

Info - Album MENTAL DECAY z roku 2017 od thrashových LAID TO WASTE vychází na vinylu!


for english please scroll down

Už dlouhých sedm let fanoušci netrpělivě čekají na nové album českých speed-thrasherů Laid To Waste. Na zpříjemnění té doby vydává Coffeegrinder vinylou edici alba Mental Decay z roku 2017. Ta je tak po CD (Support Underground) a kazetové (Tapes Of Terror Records) verzi kompletní. LP je ručně číslované a limitované počtem 150 kusů. Objednávejte na facebooku www.facebook.com/coffeegrinder.cz nebo na e-mailové adrese coffeegrinder.cz@gmail.com!


For seven long years now, fans have been waiting impatiently for a new album from Czech speed-thrashers Laid To Waste. To make that time more enjoyable, Coffeegrinder is releasing a vinyl edition of 2017's Mental Decay. It is now complete after the CD (Support Underground) and cassette (Tapes Of Terror Records) versions. The LP is hand-numbered and limited to 150 copies. Order on Facebook at www.facebook.com/coffeegrinder.cz or email coffeegrinder.cz@gmail.com!




about LAID TO WASTE on DEADLY STORM ZINE:





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Recenze/review - REFORE - Illusion of Existence (2024)


REFORE - Illusion of Existence
CD 2024, Smile Music Records

for english please scroll down\

Napil se piva, zamyšleně se podíval skrz sklo půllitru a světácky pronesl větu: "Dneska je všechna muzika retro". Potom pokračoval v dlouhé filozofické úvaze o tom, že už poslouchá jen staré kapely, že ty nové za nic nestojí a že dřív byla tráva zelenější, holky hezčí a pivo chutnější. Asi to bylo věkem, možná náturou, ale moje odpověď byla jednoduchá: "Nemyslím si to, stále je co objevovat". Potom jsem doplnil své kladné názory na parádní poslední desky EXORCIZPHOBIA, LAID TO WASTE a samozřejmě REFORE, kterým bych se chtěl v dnešní recenzi věnovat.

Jasně, že je to retro. Ale jaké! Skvěle zahrané, s přesvědčivým výrazem, s nápady, které sice nejsou zcela nové, ale perfektně odsýpají, mají v sobě drive a sílu. Nemění se tu sice hudební dějiny, ale to ani není účelem. Pokud máte rádi thrash metal, tak je pro vás nové album "Illusion of Existence" doslova povinností. Doporučuji poslouchat pořádně nahlas!


Zatímco je spousta nových desek starých veteránů slabých a bez energie, moravští maniaci jí mají na rozdávání. Osobně se mi asi nejvíc líbí, že se nejedná jenom o bohapustou rubanici, ale pánové se snaží každou skladbu napsat i tak, aby byla příběhem, aby se dobře poslouchala. Promo materiály hovoří o inspiraci kapelami jako SEPULTURA, MEGADETH, DEATH, JUDAS PRIEST, SLAYER, old school 80s thrash. Nelze jinak, než souhlasit. Pánové ale přidávají i něco dalšího, kus sebe samých, takovou tu zdravou naštvanost, kterou všichni potřebujeme, abychom se v současném podivném světě nezbláznili. Jen tak se kývat do rytmu, podupávat si nohou, popíjet pivo a dívat se, jak se před vámi točí circle pit. Pořád to má velkou sílu. Dokud budou hrát kapely jako REFORE, tak ano. To vám klidně podepíšu vlastní krví. Je sice pravdou, že mám poslední roky raději techničtější provedení tohoto stylu, ale jinak nemám žádných námitek. Zvuk, produkce (Martin Roženek), vše je v pořádku. Parádní je i obal, pod kterým je podepsán jako vždy skvělý Juanjo Castellano. V době, kdy spousta skupin volí raději motivy od umělé inteligence, je na jeho práci radost pohledět. Máte tak, jako ostatně u většiny dnešních kapel, dvě možnosti. Buď budete nadávat, jako můj kolega v úvodu dnešního článku nebo se necháte strnout do víru divokých melodií. Je to samozřejmě jen na vás. Za sebe považuji nové album za velmi dobrý stylový kus hudby, ke které se budu rád a často vracet. Pokaždé, když si budu potřebovat vyčistit hlavu od té spousty zbytečných informací, co na nás každý den útočí. Napil jsem se piva, zamyšleně se podíval skrz sklo půllitru a světácky pronesl větu: "Kurva dobrý!".  Divoká, zničující nahrávka, která se vám dostane pod kůži! Old school thrash metal až za hrob! 


Asphyx says:

He took a sip of beer, looked thoughtfully through the glass of his pint glass and said in a worldly tone, "All music is retro these days." Then he went on to reflect philosophically that he only listens to old bands anymore, that the new ones are worthless and that the grass used to be greener, the girls prettier and the beer tastier. Maybe it was age, maybe it was mood, but my answer was simple: 'I don't think so, there is still something to discover'. Then I added my positive opinions on the awesome last albums EXORCIZPHOBIA, LAID TO WASTE and of course REFORE, which I would like to discuss in today's review.

Sure, it's retro. But what a retro! Well played, with a convincing expression, with ideas that are not entirely new, but they flow perfectly, they have drive and power. It doesn't change musical history, but that's not the point. If you like thrash metal, the new album "Illusion of Existence" is literally a must for you. I recommend to listen really loud!


While a lot of new records by old veterans are weak and without energy, the Moravian maniacs have it to spare. Personally, what I like the most is that it is not just a god-awful rubanica, but the gentlemen try to write each song in such a way that it is a story, so that it is a good listen. The promo materials talk about inspiration from bands like SEPULTURA, MEGADETH, DEATH, JUDAS PRIEST, SLAYER, old school 80s thrash. I can't help but agree. But the gentlemen also add something else, a piece of themselves, the kind of healthy annoyance we all need to keep us from going crazy in the current weird world. Just sway to the beat, stomp your feet, sip your beer and watch the circle pit spin in front of you. It's still very powerful. As long as bands like REFORE keep playing, it will. I'll sign that in my own blood. Admittedly, I've preferred the more technical renditions of this style in recent years, but otherwise I have no objections. Sound, production (Martin Roženek), everything is fine. The cover is also great, underneath which is as always great Juanjo Castellano. At a time when many bands prefer themes from artificial intelligence, his work is a joy to behold. As with most bands today, you have two options. Either you swear, like my colleague in the introduction of today's article, or you let yourself get swept up in the whirlwind of wild melodies. It's up to you, of course. For my part, I find the new album to be a very good piece of music in style, and one that I will be returning to often. Every time I need to clear my head of the mass of useless information that assaults us every day. I took a sip of my beer, looked thoughtfully through the glass of my pint glass and mundanely uttered the phrase, "Fucking good!". A wild, devastating record that gets under your skin! Old school thrash metal to the grave!




about REFORE on DEADLY STORM ZINE:





Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. Illusion of Existence
3. Blind World
4. Imprisoned in Thoughts
5. Tormented
6. Confusion
7. Eternal Pain
8. Life Forgotten
9. Vicious Path

Refore is:
Frantisek Tkadlec - Lead Guitar/Lead Vocals
Dominik Suchma - Drums
Matej Fiser - Rhythm Guitars
Karel Chromacek - Bass/Backing Vocals



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