Skin Drone - Evocation

Skin Drone are an extreme metal duo who incorporate elements of tech metal, industrial and avant garde. Sound scary yet? Well it is, like Freddy Krueger is scary, it's exhilarating, fascinating and scary. (Yes that's how I feel about Krueger, best monster ever, deal with it). 

This noise is created by Erik Martin (vocals and multi-instrumentalist) and Otto Kinzel (multi-instrumentalist and production). What is particularly impressive is that they create this whilst living very far apart, one in Boston MA and one in Hot Springs Arizona. They don't sit in a room together jamming this out, it's done cross country.

Evocation

Tracks such as Scarlet Road and God Complex don't hang about in telling us what this album is all about, with relentless double bass and technical heavy and in parts melodic guitar work.

Scarlet Road itself breaks down into a dark spoken interlude then it smacks you in the teeth again very quickly. Whilst extremely heavy the vocal is understandable, a great skill.  A second breakdown of ambience offset by the demonic vocal leads into my favourite heavy part of the track, which displays interchanging off riffs that are fat and heavy.

God Complex also has an atmospheric haunting section that leads into the best guitar riff of the track. Lyrically, to me, this track is interesting. My interpretation is that it is commenting on the tyranny and control of organised religion but it can just as easily be seen as addressing faceless corporations who control us through advertising and building a religion of consumerism. Deep I know, but I appreciate the way it gets you thinking, it's intelligently written.

Death Sentence whilst insanely heavy, is slightly more reserved and has elements that remind me of less underground acts such as Slipknot. Whilst Skin Drone would have the masked fellas running scared as a general rule, the riff work has its comparisons.

Shepard Of The Damned starts musically dark, moody and quiet with spoken vocal parts. It feels like mad ramblings and sounds in a murders mind. When I read the lyrics, it seems to portray a revenge killing, and this goes to show how well these guys paint a picture through music and vocal delivery. So far this is the most laid back track and it has a beautifully played guitar outro.

Ghost Reflection is a very nicely written airy light interlude, still slightly menacing but juxtaposed by the sounds of nature creating a relaxing feel, which is well timed on the so far intense offering.

But don't get too comfortable, City Lights opens up with a thrashy riff. This soon becomes and amalgamation of thrash and tech metal style guitar with the million mile and hour drum beats. Guitar wise some of the riff work is impressive on this track. A story of a man mutilating himself under the instruction of God reinforces the macabre subject matter throughout this album.

Witching Hour takes us back to the incredibly heavy side of life following the effective previous formula of including a breakdown, taking it a different direction within a breath.

Darkness Within throws in a nice surprise. It's a more straight industrial metal track in parts which holds back on the relentless drum speeds for the most part.

Salvation ends the album on an epic note weighing in at over 8 minutes. It is also by my favourite track. There is lots of elements on display, from magical programmed sounds, to straight heavy metal, to extreme metal. It also has my favourite drum work, with the bass drum having less speed and more form than in any other of the heavier tracks. This is a great way to see out the album.

Conclusion

This is one of the hardest albums I've had to give a score to, but I like a challenge.

At times the relentless heaviness of the bass drums was too much for me, especially when I heard the finesse of programming ability in tracks like Salvation. Having said that, for fans of extreme metal and/or industrial metal I don't believe it'd be a negative, and that is ultimately the target audience.

The album is well thought out in terms of track order, the softer tracks appear at the right time, to relieve some of the intensity. Whilst the tracks at times have a similar formula in terms of the mood driven spoken word break down but in terms of composition and delivery it has some incredible moments, I particularly enjoyed the sound scapes they create in some of the breakdowns which scope from sublime to sinister.

Finally the way the music supports the lyrical content in creating mental imagery is second to none.

This music is immensely heavy, busy, dark, tense, rage driven and almost psychotic. And this is exactly what fans of extreme metal want. So this is not a negative, in fact it delivers in droves.

This is their first album and they promise to get more complex and heavier! Now THAT I gotta see......


Highlights: God Complex, Salvation; Shepard Of The Damned

Score 3.8/5

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Writer: Jonny Radley

When Thieves Are About

So I'm sat in my local coffee shop with the strongest of dark lava after a pretty weird night soaking up all the boozy blues and I reach for my headphones. Nothing like some teenage angst Pop Punk anthems to put nautical stars in my eyes huh?!

I came across these guys in the same way as when you hook up with a hot girl and don't bag up ad then 9 months later you're being called daddy! and what a beautiful accident this was. A band that even though have a super following online were so humbled that I'd asked to cover them for my opener for this re branding. These guys deliver a new age tone to the 'Pop Punk scene' that would even keep the OG's at the back reminiscing about the 'good ol' days before arthritis kicked in.

Welcome to 'When Thieves Are About' 

Who are they? If you don't know then you soon will

When Thieves Are About are a quartet straight out of New Jersey and signed to label Manic Kat Records, they are; 

Alfredo Diaz (vocals/silky Rhythm master)

Ryan Struck (vocals/stringslapper)

Mike Green (fret fiddler)

Josh Smith (Skin destroyer)

Senescence

It's time to see what 'When Thieves Are About' are actually about. Starting with the 2014 E.P called Senescence which was recorded at Guerrilla Recording, Highland Lakes NJ. It sounds like a summer BBQ vacation location with kegs and bikinis and you know what? It doesn't disappoint!

It's got all the elements of a beautiful record with the opening track of Wasting All Our Time which has a Death Dab For Cutie vocal to get the party started that kicks in to a full vocal performance with harmonies all over the place that blend together like a perfectly formed banana smoothie. A bass line that is so dirty ripping over the top of the sharp distortion and I'm already pulling out my diary to write the latest entry. The balance of youth and maturity on this track is beautifully captured and the growl in the vocal smacks you around the chops like a dominatrix with no safe word.

Do You Belong To The Physics Club? is an absolute power horse of a track lasting as long as I do in the sack. It's 1:12 (don't be intimidated ladies) of a 'this is what we can do' musical timeline from straight up Punk to Emo to Pop Punk power. The perfect blend of musicianship.

30 Stones is is an absolute beauty of a track and Celtic New Year shows some maturity in both musicianship and lyrics. The fast upbeat tempo filling the air with fist pumps and banging heads, Mohawks waving back and forth and the smell of dreadlocks lightly grazing on your nostrils before the perfectly timed breakdown that brings you back to earth again.

I for one love how this band make me feel, they are honest, grafting and clearly talented musicians and that for me shows on each and every track on this EP! Passion for me wins every time but when that passion can pull you out of a hangover and carries you onto the next party you've genuinely found your sound.

Chicks will be getting 'WTAA' tattooed on their ass very soon, right next to my name

EP Rating 4/5

Track Listing;

Wasting All Our Time

Do You Belong to Physics Club?

30 Stones

Hangin' With Michael Keaton

Welcome To November

Celtic New Year.

Get this on Bandcamp (Name your price)

Single

Since releasing the EP  they have released the track Youth Decay and placed it into the ever growing world of digital download and let's not fuck about here it's beautiful. Imagine looking out o the window on an autumnal morning, Golden leaves on the ground, naked trees, a dampness that smells so sweet and a heartbreak that only YOU will understand.

The harmonies remind me of every NOFX track ever placed into our ears with a 'Taking Back Sunday' roar that rears its head on special occasions and a warmth of the Ataries and I won't lie I'm genuinely on my 20+ listen and I could keep going.

You'll find this on iTunes, Spotify and all over social media.

Rating 4/5

Interview

So before I introduced 'When Thieves are About' to my Mum I figured I should do a little bit of character referencing so I hit them with a Q&A session (Josh is now not allowed to meet my Mum) and this is what came back..........

Do you remember the first time you fell in love with music? 

Alfredo- Yes, I was about 6 years old and sitting in the car with my father. He pulled a tape out and said "do you want to hear the best band ever?" Popped in the tape and it was the Beatles- Come together. Moment I fell in love with my favorite band and music. 

Mike - "I've always hated music and continue to, to this day..."

Ryan – I remember really loving all kinds of music as a young kid, but when I heard Evil Empire by Rage Against the Machine, I knew I wanted to play bass.  When I heard Dookie by Green Day, I knew I wanted to play punk.

What do you think is the best song ever written and why?

Alfredo- God only Knows by The Beach Boys. Why? Because It just is  DAMNIT! lmao

Mike - "Music is subjective; it's dependent upon the experience and interpretation of it's listener. But, if I had to pick one, it would be Beethoven's fifth symphony. Does that count as a song?"

Ryan – I don’t know if it’s the “best song ever written,” but I firmly stand by Stone Temple Pilots’ “Interstate Love Song” as my favorite song ever.  Written in the best key for guitar (E Major, you can do so many fun things with open strings), the verses run down a chromatic scale from the minor key (one of my favorite things NOFX does in a lot of their songs as well), and it brings back such thick memories of being a happy kid in the town I grew up in.

If you could 'make love/fuck' any song what would it be and why?

Alfredo- The I love Lucy theme song on repeat because it's funny to me lol

Mike - "The Beltsville Crucible, by Thrice. It's just very self-aware. There is a lyric near the end, 'you've got to play it again,' which usually comes, right before, I play the song again. 

Ryan - It would most certainly be “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” by Ol’ Dirty Bastard.  Because I, too, like it raw.

What's your fondest childhood memory?

Alfredo- Winning tickets to see Blink 182/Alkaline Trio/Sum 41 off 92.3 k rock and while at the show I was all the way at the front and they had to pull me over the rail before the last song of blink because I was feeling sick. They pull me over the rail of the gate and started to puke. They took me to the back area to see how I'm doing and give me water. While waiting to be checked on, I met Tom Delong because he walked right up to me to see how I was feeling because he saw me puke Lololol. That rocked.

Mike - "I build a swing set myself, hung it from a tree in our front yard. Then my older sister cut it down. Too dangerous she said, seeming perturbed. She cared to ensure that I did not break my neck on the driveway! That was, so sweet, and unexpected."

Ryan– There are far too many.  I really enjoyed spending time with my grandparents.  My grandfather used to love listening to Sinatra and I just loved being with him listening to the music and being silly.  My grandmother used to let me stay up with her really really late, eating candy root beer barrels, as long as we watched stuff she liked, which was usually a medley of M*A*S*H, Murphy Brown, Cheers, and Golden Girls.

What would be your ultimate line up for a one night only gig Dead or Alive?

Alfredo- Wow... my dream would be to play with so many bands... would love to play with the Beatles of course also nirvana. Would love to play with Greenday, blink 182, NOFX, sum 41.

Mike - "There was a real show recently that came pretty close - The Descendants with Such Gold and Modern Baseball... Too bad it was one night only, and 3,000 miles away in San Francisco. I'd really like to bring back some dead metal musicians. I never got to see Pantera or Death, so both on the same show would be my pick." (Editor Jonny nods in approval). 

Ryan – I don’t care about any other band as long as Minor Threat is playing.  Or 1997 Wu-Tang.

Who gave you the best live experience?

Alfredo- To be honest, I've seen some great shows. It's Paul McCartney. His amazing at emotional level to me so that would be it, but Greenday is great, Leftover Crack is great too. Watching The Blood Brothers was an amazing time too. A Wilhelm Scream rules. Set your goals, Daggermouth, and Such Gold all great shows.

Mike - "Saturday night live."

Ryan – My first warped tour when I saw NOFX and they played “Reeko” amongst every other great song.

Who's your favourite Disney villain?

Alfredo- Captain Hook 

Mike - "KYLO REN LOL"

Ryan– I love Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.

Musical dream?

Alfredo-To make a living off of music.

Mike - "If one person's day is improved by hearing our music then that's good enough for me."

Ryan – It would be a dream to be able to make a living playing music every night without having to be away from my family for long periods of time.

Musical nightmare?

Alfredo- Losing the ability to play.

Mike - "My life."

Ryan – Being booked for a show with Leftover Crack on New Years Eve and showing up the jalopy they’re calling a “club,” only to find out that there, in fact, is no Leftover Crack playing.  Instead, you’ll be playing with a Hitler-youth band…and they bring 5 friends, the only 5 other people in the club….and they’re in the military, home on-leave….and when it’s finally your turn to play, you break a string.  The only other bassist in the building plays lefty, so he has to actually take his string off and lend it to you for the set.

What made you start a band, what was the driving force being it?

Alfredo- listening to the Beatles, Greenday, Blink182, nirvana were the driving forces that made me want to start this band. Also my family are really into music and that was a huge inspiration.

Mike - "I like playing music (which may be surprising given the last nine questions). My dad drives me, though. He wants to me to get "further" than he did musically -- whatever that means. It's not a dynamic I enjoy, but it does exist."

Ryan – I wanted to make the kinds of songs I liked listening to and spend time with my friends.  I also was 15 and really felt the need to wear all black and scream at the top of my lungs in front of people, as I was no longer a “happy kid in the town I grew up in.”

These guys have made a lasting impression on the Behind the Beat Team. Check them out....

Article by Jimmy Tinsley

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Olde - Heavier Than A Dead Elephant

Olde, a band from the greater Toronto area, have a mission statement to fill your soundscape with crushing Doom metal. They sent me a copy of their recently released EP, Shallow Graves for me to see precisely how crushing they are!

Shallow Graves

Absurd Conditions opens the EP and smacks you between the eyes with wrecking ball heavyness. You're introduced to Doug McLarty's vocal which is a controlled growl that's delivered so well. An enjoyable track, and just at the point when I thought, this either needs to end or go somehere else, we get a nice lead guitar line to see out the song. A good straight Doom track.

When I first heard the next track, Endless, I was just pulling away with my daughter from a kids party in my car. When the riff started I shouted "that's fucking brilliant" much to the bemusement of my daughter and the parents leaving the party with their kids. I don't use swears in front of my girls, but like the brown note that makes you shit yourself; this was a natural reaction caused by the deep heavy southern tinged brilliance of this track. If she repeats it in front of my wife I'm sending her Olde's way. Simply brilliant track.

Limb from Limb is a heavy bluesy, rock n rolling cover of Motorhead. Lemmy may have been quite impressed by the vocal delivery on this, with McLarty's bluesy growl, different in style but carrying a similar attitude and grit the world loved Lemmy for. A fine cover that captures the Rock 'n' Roll of Motorhead, but keeps a clear Olde identity.

Olde then use final track, The Turning, to show their diversity, and it's good. Again immensely heavy, but with that it is also thoughtfully composed with some great riff work and a standout strong drum performance. Along with the usual formative Doom style they add pace in parts and musical ambience in others.

Conclusion

In terms of their promise of delivering crushing Doom, Olde succeed on all counts. It's as heavy as a dead elephant carrying Bill Gates' wallet. But there is still an emphasis on delivering great, listenable music. The riffs stay in your head long after you stop listening and the rythm section is on point throughout.

This is a very enjoyable EP and for less than £3 on Bandcamp it's a great addition to any Doom collection and worth a spin for all metal fans. I'll be treating myself to the CD version of this one for sure.

Score 4.5/5

Olde are:

Ryan Aubin - Drums
Doug McLarty - Vocals
Chris Hughes - Guitar
Greg Dawson - Guitar
Cory McCallum - Bass

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Writer: Jonny Radley

Introducing.... Safeguard

Who the fuck are Safeguard?

Well guess what you're gonna find out!

A cheeky 4 piece pop punk outfit from the mean streets of York, UK. They are made up of Declan Gough on vocals, Martyn Marsh and Richard White of guitars and Zak Lonsdale on Bass. They are currently without a drummer.

These dudes have released a little teaser track on Bandcamp just to get us all a bit moist and to be fair I've got a feeling I'm gonna have to grab a mop!

I put together a little 'getting to know you' Q&A with some very important questions regarding who the band are as humans and the answers were golden....

Do you remember the first time you fell in love with music?

Declan: I remember the first music video I ever saw as a kid was 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' by The Clash and just thought they were so goddamn cool, after that music became part of my life. Even from like 6 years old, I would always sing and would like tap my foot along to songs, sometimes without even realising.

Zak: When my Dad used to drive me back to my Mum's and he'd play the American Idiot and Motörhead CDs in the car.

Martyn: My mum was in a Brass band so had music in my life from a very early age.

What do you think is the best song ever written and why?

D: Bohemian Rhapsody, bit of a generic answer I know but Jesus, what a song. The song has no chorus and is still unbelievable.

Z: Gonna have to be generic as hell and say Bohemian Rhapsody, it's just a flawless song.

M: Konstantine by Something Corporate. The feels.

If you could 'make love/fuck' any song what would it be and why?

D: Probably something by Marvin Gaye or Barry White, those songs just ooze sex.

Z: Probably anything by Taylor Swift, guilty pleasure for days

M: Bad Touch by Bloodhound Gang

What's your fondest childhood memory?

D: Sitting around with absolutely no worries in the world stuffing my face watching Drake and Josh, Rugrats or Dexter's Laboratory, those were the days.

Z: My dad attempting to teach me guitar and losing interest after a week because I started very basic stuff on a terrible acoustic

What would be your ultimate line up for a one night only gig Dead or Alive?

D: Blink, Nirvana, Oasis.

Z: Blink 182 and Green Day circa 1999

M: Hit the Lights, Something Corporate and Blink 182 (with Tom)

Who gave you the best live experience?

D: Quite recently seeing Twenty One Pilots at Leeds Fest 2016, their live show literally blew me away.

Z: Red Hot Chilli Peppers

M: Weezer, Leeds fest 2010. Rivers Cuomo is a madhead.

Who's your favourite Disney villain?

D: Probably Scar from The Lion King.

Z: Sid from Toy story, he's my current hair inspiration

M: Randall off Monsters Inc. At first I thought it was John Cena because you cant see him.

Musical dream?

D: To be able to tour America with mates and amazing bands.

Z: Being massively recognised in the alt music scene

M: Play warped tour

Musical nightmare?

D: To never be able to tour America with mates and amazing bands.

Z: Being compared to 5SOS

M: Declan singing with an American accent.

What made you start a band, what was the driving force being it?

D: When I was a kid, I LOVED Busted and McFly (their songs were good ok). Listening to them and watching them play guitar and jump around made me want to learn guitar and be in bands. Then my first album I ever bought was Green Day's American Idiot and that was what got me into alternative music. My dad and cousins also played in live bands so I guess ever since I was young, I've wanted to be in a band.

Z: The want to have music I'd written and was proud of be recognised and enjoyed.

M: Doing something you love and sharing it with others who can take something from.

Finally we had to clear up the "Is a Jaffa Cake a biscuit or a cake?" debate. According to these guys the Jaffa cake is in fact a cake. Fuck the biscuit isle!

Check out Safeguard now. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter

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Article by James Tinsley

Flashback Live Review 06/06/2016 - Lacey supported by A Mouthful of Matches, Speaking In Shadows and Forty Four Hours

I always knew this was gonna be an easy gig to review, I've known Dave from Lacey for many, many years and when he gets his hands wrapped around those sticks magic just happens. The talented little fuck!

As I walked in I saw a sea/lake of teenage starstruck eyes walking around with sharpies getting autographs and every single band member on the bill really taking the time to make it happen. Every single band just happy to be there and humble as fuck, each band supporting each other as they played to the heart-aching crowd.

After a few introductions I took to my usual spot and waited for the first band to grace the stage.

A Mouthful of Matches, Manchester

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A local band to Manchester I believe! It's a good start. Some atmospheric shit starts playing through the PA as the band start twiddling and soaking it all up. If I'm perfectly honest the vocalist didn't have the best vocal but fuck me he knew how to work a crowd and for the first band on that was amazing to witness! It takes a special kind of frontman to be able to do that. And then I noticed a female guitarist and a female bassist proving to the music industry that talent comes from both sexes in what appears to be an incredibly cock heavy industry!

I'm talking tasty licks you can only really get from a '99' and groves that the '70's' woulda got naked for.

Speaking In Shadows, Nuneaton

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On they come, another atmospheric sample as they get ready to go! Then holy shit did they go! These guys are so tight! I would love to see them on a much larger stage they were like caged animals making the best of the room they had. The vocals were unbelievable if you ever wondered what wanking off an angel would sound like then this is it! I heard on the grapevine that the lead guitarist was a new member, well what an awesome addition, it's been a long time since I've heard a lead not get all fret wanky but still be able to create the right tone! It's safe to say that big things are to come from these guys.

Genuinely 5 real talented guys, I mean I wouldn't recommend booking them for weddings but shit I'd watch these guys week in week out.

Forty Four Hours, Manchester

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I'm just gonna start with saying it really wasn't their night! Technical error after error, touring really did a number on their equipment! They still went for it regardless, every single person in the room helping them through the set. Energy levels and smiles still high and a performance was still provided.

I will be catching these guys again as I don't believe that was a true representation of what they can do.

Lacey, Nottingham

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Imagine if Brand New and Taking Back Sunday never had a fall out and they made love, well this is what would have been produced. Every inch of a rock and roll band. You've got your standard 5 guys, pretty as hell I swear they had to mop the front row!

Such a powerful opening but with a tenderness of the Incredible Hulk petting a butterfly without even damaging a wing. I hear they're gonna be featuring on the next big high school romcom 😉 this definitely has a feel of girl next door, heartbreak and teenage angst with a twist of adulthood. Song for song I honestly couldn't help smiling from ear to ear. This is what I wanted to hear, my expectations were met, and some!

I was stood there believing every word that was being sung, every note that was being played and every beat. A five piece so tight that if they were a female you'd wanna break the hymen.

Out comes the solo acoustic, spotlight comes on and he plays away in a very stereotypical way which is fully recognised by himself. He makes a few jibes at himself and then plays away. For about 3 and a half minutes the world stopped turning for every teenage girl across the globe and diaries were opened! No other word than beautiful would describe what had just happened.

It's no secret that I'm the biggest blink 182 fan on the planet and when I hear a cover of a blink track I shudder and feel embarrassed for them because it's something only they can do.......until now, a cover of dammit! Like you've never heard it before. It was mature, turned into their own with their own sound and style put into it and if they had released it I can honestly say the lads themselves would have wished they'd released it like that! But it wasn't and the original still stands as an anthem!

"We're Still Young Just Older Now" really stood out for me, I don't know if it's because I felt a personal connection to the lyrics or what but whilst we're on the subject of anthems, that's the big one for me!

So to sum it all up this was a very well balanced line up, everyone seemed to fit and genuinely support each other. Everyone was humble there's wasn't one arrogant 'I'm a rock star' cock floating around just 4 bands, mates, hanging out and doing their thing and having a real good time whilst doing it and that reflected off the stage like the fucking North Star.


Author: Jimmy Tinsley

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