GET TO THE POINT: PAOLO GIRARDI

 Eye-Catchers, Interviews  12 Responses »
Aug 172015
 

Paolo Girardi & Manilla Road
Paolo and Manilla Road

(KevinP brings us another installment in his ongoing series of short interviews, talking this time with one of our favorite metal artists, Italy’s Paolo Girardi.)

K:  So how did you get your start being one of the “go to” guys for metal album covers?

P:  I already had done some local metal demo and CD covers here in my small town and villages around the ’90s and early 2000s.  But then my friends Blasphemophagher wanted something for their first album, then second, then third and the most recent one.  This gave me more popularity in metal.  After that I did Diocletian, Tyrants Blood, In League with Satan, etc.

Three years ago (almost four maybe), I reached the point when I could live by painting alone, working all over the world. No more need to work in country, as frescos restorer, carpenter, or other occasional work. I was so glad ’cause I’ve never quit painting, even when I had to work 11 hours per day.  After that, my daily wrestling training, then painting ’til after midnight.  I’ve always believed at every cost.  Obsession, passion, love, stubbornness, madness.  Now, I still work hard to do my best for my respectful clients, bands, and labels. Continue reading »

KEVINP’S ALBUMS OF THE MONTH — JULY 2015

 Listmania  15 Responses »
Jul 292015
 

gatefold

 

(Another month is in the history books, and so it’s time for KevinP to name the releases from last month that most impressed him.)

As I prepared to write this month’s column, my initial thought was:  the lack of releases in July as compared to the rest of the year.  I quickly realized that I had listened to 30 albums, and what a ridculous notion that was.  If I “only” listened to 30 per month (normally it’s somewhere in the 40+ range), that would equate to 340 per year, which is borderline insane.  Ok, on with the festivities…. Continue reading »

KEVINP’S ALBUMS OF THE MONTH — JUNE 2015

 Listmania  12 Responses »
Jul 012015
 

 

(Another month is in the history books, and so it’s time for KevinP to name the releases from last month that most impressed him.)

Half the year has come and gone.  Yeah, it’s beyond cliche to say “that was fast”, so I won’t.  But what got me thinking was how people like to compare different years and judge which ones were better for metal releases.  Since 2012 I’ve been doing Best Of lists here at NCS and I’ve been very happy each year with the plethora of releases I’ve been fortunate to hear.  I can’t really say any one year has been “off” or “poor” for metal.   Nor can I say one year was better than the next.  So on that token, here’s 5 more great albums of 2015. Continue reading »

GET TO THE POINT: SERGIO PONTI (SUNSET IN THE 12TH HOUSE, DORDEDUH)

 Interviews  1 Response »
Jun 152015
 

(KevinP brings us another installment in his ongoing series of short interviews, talking this time with drummer Sergio Ponti of and Dordeduh and Sunset In the 12th House, whose debut album was released earlier this month.)

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K:  With everyone else in the band from/living in Romania, how did you hook up with them?

S:  In the spring of 2007 I was on tour with Ephel Duath.  We played about 12 gigs in the UK with Negura Bunget opening all of those gigs for us. We didn’t get to share too much time together back then, but we remained in contact.  They invited me to Timisoara, Romania, in the fall of 2009.

I was initially asked to be part of Dordeduh, but scheduling conflicts on my side made it impossible. I did record the drums for the debut EP Valea Omului though.  We started collaborating soon after on Sunset in the 12th House around 2011.  Then in 2013, I was asked again to be in Dordeduh and circumstances made it possible for me to join full time. Continue reading »

MADDER MORTEM: “RED IN TOOTH AND CLAW” TEASER

 Exceptions to the Rule, Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  5 Responses »
Jun 112015
 

 

(KevinP wrote this introduction to a teaser of new music from Norway’s Madder Mortem.)

There’s nothing more enjoyable than when Islander gets his panties so deeply in a bind over a NO HARSH SINGING band, that it takes the skills of SurgicalBrute to remove them.  And as much as I relish his temporary misery, I am grateful that he essentially gives me free reign to talk about what I want (and feel is warranted).  Which brings us to perhaps the most important musical thing for me this year, new MADDER MORTEM music.

It’s been 6 years since their last album, Eight Ways, and while the wait has been semi-agonizing, it also makes the heart grow fonder.  The band released a 3-minute teaser last week with samples of 3 songs to their forthcoming sixth full length album, Red in Tooth and Claw.  Even though it’s only a teaser, it’s enough to get me very very excited, maybe almost too excited. Continue reading »

GET TO THE POINT: BLOOD MUSIC EDITION (GOST, CORPO MENTE, ÖXXÖ XÖÖX)

 Interviews  3 Responses »
Jun 082015
 

 

(In this new installment of KevinP’s short-interview series, he beings us a trio of conversations with three bands on the Blood Music label.)

 Back in April I did mini reviews on three of Blood Music’s 2015 releases over at MetalBandcamp (here).  But I wanted to delve into more about each band and find out the “method behind the madness”, as you would say.  *Note*  All three releases are available for NAME YOUR OWN PRICE download.  Here is my conversation with each of the bands:

GosT

K:  So are you surprised at the interest from metal fans/websites in your horror synthcore?

G:  Being a metalhead myself, I feel like some of my tracks reflect that, so not totally surprised.  Also being associated with Blood Music helps. Continue reading »

GET TO THE POINT: WYATT H. (HELLEBORUS AND AKHENATEN)

 Interviews  No Responses »
Jun 052015
 

 

(KevinP brings us another short-but-sweet interview, this time with Wyatt H. of the Colorado bands Akhenaten and Helleborus — whose new song “Coils” we premiered earlier this year (here) with a free download.)

K:   So how does one go from brutal death metal [Execration] to Mesopotamian and psychedelic black metal?

W:  Helleborus and Akhenaten were in development during our time spent with Execration. Jerred  had already started developing sounds for what would be Akhenaten in 2010. Around the time I was asked to join Execration, we were already experimenting with the elements of Black Metal before we had formed a solid project. Execration already had two releases when I started rehearsing with them. The nature of the music never fit with me but I enjoyed the chaos and energy behind it. Jerred and I tried our best to put our soul into the project with the last release The Acceptance of Zero Existence. Even though we had great success with the album, it brought light to me, that my brother and I were putting too much energy into something that wasn’t ours and of our true nature. Continue reading »

MARYLAND DEATHFEST 2016: LET THE WISHLISTS BEGIN!

 Mosh Pit  73 Responses »
Jun 042015
 

 

(Maryland Deathfest 2015 is in the history books, but the organizers already lining up bands for next year’s edition of MDF. Here’s KevinP’s wishlist of bands for next year — and we want your ideas in the Comment section, too.)

 2015 is in the books and we have a date for next year already (May 26th-29th).  Bands usually start being announced in a month (or so), so let’s get the discussion going!  Who do you want to see and why?   For the sake of reasonableness, I’m keeping my list to 10, even though like many of you I could easily do 20+.  Also, a few rules I applied:  if a band played in 2014/2015, they won’t be playing next year, just accept that as near fact.  Even bands who played in 2013 seem far-fetched.  So no Bolt Thrower, Dark Angel, or Bloodbath.  The most recent year I’m pulling from is 2012.  So here we go with my list (in order of importance) along with my infallible logic.

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1. Hail Of Bullets – their last appearance was 2011.  I think a five-year gap is more than enough time.  Who doesn’t like this band?  If you don’t you should get your head examined (or you may be a Finnish guy named Markku).  I would like an Edison Lot show, though.  Since I would bring my 12-year-old daughter, who loves HOB, the shows end earlier and there’s more breathing room at the lot.  Would be awesome for her to finally meet Ed Warby and Martin van Drunen. Continue reading »

GET TO THE POINT: “M” (SULPHUR AEON)

 Interviews  10 Responses »
Jun 032015
 

 

(KevinP brings us this “Get To the Point” interview with “M”, vocalist of Germany’s Sulphur Aeon, whose new album Gateway To the Antisphere has been widely praised as one of the year’s best.)

K:  You kraut eaters have been at this for 5 years now and released 2 monstrous albums.  Do you feel people are finally starting to take notice?

M:  Ah well, I guess people already started to notice when Swallowed… came out. Now, with the release of Gateway…, it kind of got a little over the top… at least if we consider our understanding of “success”. We don’t need much and we don’t aim high, so what we have experienced in the last months may take a while to comprehend entirely. Continue reading »

GET TO THE POINT: MARCIN RADECKI (OUTRE)

 Interviews  3 Responses »
Jun 022015
 

 

(KevinP brings us this “Get To the Point” interview with Marcin Radecki, bass player for Outre from Kraków, Poland, whose new album Ghost Chants has made quite a splash.)

K:  How does it feel to have one of the, if not ‘THE’, best albums of the year (so far)?

M:  Nice to hear that someone uses such huge words to describe our album.  It definitely feels good but it also brings up a bigger challenge to keep such a level or even exceed it on future releases. Continue reading »

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