ALBUM REVIEW: Trollfest – Flamingo Overlord


If you’ve ever found yourself unable to sleep, deeply troubled by an almost primal need to comprehend the diverse sociopolitical ramifications of what would happen if a ruthless, semi-robotic and fully weaponized flamingo overlord was installed as the leader of a society of subservient worker flamingos, then seek immediate psychiatric help. Seriously, just leave and come back to this later. It can wait.Continue reading


Festival Preview: Brutal Assault 2016


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Tomorrow kicks off the 21st Brutal Assault Festival with Parkway Drive, Neurosis, Arch Enemy, Behemoth, Mastodon, Abbath, Devildriver, Exodus, Ministry, Nile, Obituary, Satyricon, Ihsahn, Dark Tranquility, Dying Fetus, Unearth, Conan, Voivod, Taake, Septic Flesh, Insomnium, Stuck Mojo, and Mono among others. Making the festival unique compared with other events are the art exhibition, horrror film festival, revolutionary Cashless/Access card system, and other features that have always made Brutal Asault the leaders in the festival going experience. Previously announced bands Electric Wizard (visas) and Terror (surgery for Scott Vogel) have cancelled and replaced with Uffommamut and Raised fist respectively.

BRENT HINDS of MASTODON

Mastodon, by Echoes In The Well Photography

Wednesday kicks off with bands like Abbath, Mastodon, Neurosis, Devildriver, Mutooid Man, Chelsea Wolfe, Tribulation, Conan, Vektor, Gruesome, Shining and more.

 

Gojira, Photo by Hillarie Jason

Thursday features Parkway Drive, Gojira, Ministry, Exodus, Ihsahn, Dark Tranquility, The Black Dahlia Murder, H20, Animals As Leaders, Immolation, Aborted, TesseracT, Obscura, and more.

Friday has Arch Enemy, Moonspell, Taake, Satyricon, Cattle Decapitation, Sigh, Coroner, Obituary, eptic Flesh, Voivod, Raised Fist, iron Reagan, In The Woods and others.

 

Arch Enemy, by Meg Loyal Photography

Arch Enemy, by Meg Loyal Photography

Saturday closes things out with headliners Behemoth, Agnostic Front, Insomnium, Moonsorrow, Destruction, MGLA, Venom INC, Archgoat, Stuck Mojo, Holy Moses, Stick To Your Guns, Lightening Bolt and more. Tickets are still avaialble at this link:

Behemoth, by Susanne A. Maathuis Photography

Behemoth, by Susanne A. Maathuis Photography


Mastodon, Ministry, Parkway Drive, Behemoth And More Booked For Brutal Assult 2016


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Long-running and legendary Brutal Assault Festival takes place again this year for their 21st edition. Taking place which takes place in a military fortress Jofesov in Jaromer, in the Chech Republic the four day festival runs from August 10-13th. In addition to headline acts Mastodon, Ministry, Parkway Drive, and Behemoth, the fest features names from across all genres of rock and metal such as Aborted, Agnostic Front, Angelcorpse, Animals As Leaders, The Algorithm, Archgoat, Birdflesh, Bury Tomorrow, Conan, Coroner, Dark Funeral, Dark Tranquility, Devildriver, Die Krupps, Disavowed, Destruction, Electric Wizard, Eskimo Callboy, Exodus, Eyehategod, Gruesome, Hypnose, Immolation, Insomnium, Iron Reagan, Jig-Ai, Knuckledust, Leprous, Mgla, Misery Loves Co., Mithras, Moonspell, Mono, Mutoid Man, Nile, Obituary, Omnium, Gatherum, Satyricon, Septicflesh, Shining, Sigh, Sikth, Slagmaur, Taake, Terror, Textures, The Black Dahlia Murder, Tribulation, Vektor, Valkyrja, Voivod, Whiplash and more. Tickets are on sale now with camping packages at this link:

 


Eskimo Callboy – Crystals


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Germany is renowned for its unique music scene, with bands such as Rammstein, We Butter The Bread With Butter and Caliban causing a storm in both the UK and US. Eskimo Callboy are no exception, and since their formation in 2010 they have amassed a loyal fan base, which consists of over 148,000 Facebook fans. As a metal music fan it would be easy to instantly dismiss Eskimo Callboy as just another scene kid ‘electrocore’ band, but if their popularity is something to go by, they are definitely doing something right.

Opening track ‘Pitch Blease’ gives you an instant indication of their musical direction: their fusion of harsh vocals, singing and synths is easily reminiscent of the MySpace era. The lyrical content features themes such as getting drunk, partying and having sex, with the band themselves referring to their music as ‘porno metal’. If you are over the age of eighteen, listening to Eskimo Callboy will probably bring back cringe-inducing memories, such as having an emo fringe, wearing studded belts and plastic ‘shag band’ bracelets.

Musically, the screaming vocals are actually quite impressive. The fusion of screaming and clean vocals is nothing new, but Sushi and Kevin’s contrasting singing styles work well together. The main problem with Eskimo Callboy’s music is the disorientating and rushed synth-backing, which is especially apparent in ‘My Own Summer’. The repetitive “go, go, go” is easily reminiscent of tacky dance music remixes, and the constant synth beats are almost headache-inducing.

If you are looking for a new metal band to listen to, you should probably steer well clear of Eskimo Callboy – their music is definitely an acquired taste. However, if you are a fan of electronic/synth-based alternative music, then the German sextet will probably appeal to you.

Probably… Maybe?!

 

2.0/10

Eskimo Callboy on Facebook

JULIA CONOPO


Music Video + Tour: Eskimo Callboy – Crystals + June US Tour Dates Confirmed


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Eskimo Callboy is streaming the title track to their latest album Crystals, out June 23, 2015 in the US via Spinefarm Records. The band will be on a two week tour supporting Upon This Dawning, Outline in Color and Silence the Messenger in early June.

Jun 01: Vaudeville Mews – Des Moines, IA
Jun 02: Aftershock – Merriam, KS
Jun 04: The Conservatory – Oklahoma City, OK
Jun 05: Dirty Dog Bar – Austin, TX
Jun 06: Korova – San Antonio, TX
Jun 07: Crossroads Music Venue – Tyler, TX
Jun 09: The Rock – Tucson, AZ
Jun 11: Whiskey a Go Go – West Hollywood, CA
Jun 12: The Boardwalk – Orangevale, CA
Jun 14: Studio Seven – Seattle, WA

CRYSTALS TRACK LISTING:

“Pitch Please”
“Baby (T.U.M.H.)”
“My Own Summer”
“Kill Your Idols”
“Ritual”
“Monster”
“Best Day”
“2 Fat, 2 Furious”
“F.D.M.D.H.”
“Paradise in Hell”
“Crystals”
“Walk on the Thin Line”
“Closure”

Eskimo Callboy on Facebook
Eskimo Callboy on Twitter


Neberu – Impulsions


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In a pretty short space of time since their inception, German progressive metaller’s Neberu have achieved an envious amount already. Sharing the stage with likeminded peers such as Monuments and Eskimo Callboy, plus signing to Famined Records and a debut album expected early next year; all whilst maintaining their boyish looks… the swine! Revisiting their debut EP Impulsions (Famined), as imperfect as it may be it is clear how and why these youngsters have ascended so far already.

Touting themselves as an experimental entity with a vast array of influences; Impulsions doesn’t give this air of breaking the mold at first, seeming to fall into the echelons of djent/metalcore influenced bands out there – a huge bulk sees the transition between harsh and clean vocals and the use of breakdowns that has become generic staples in such climes.

Over time however their hints of diversity begin to shine through. ‘Autoconstant’, for example, drops its pace halfway through for a dreamy, atmospheric passage of subtle ambient electronica before it erupts once again, while EP highlight ‘Alleviate’ even veers into a brief jazz interlude towards the end.

These are flashes however and the majority is still styles and sounds we have heard many a time; even vocally it sounds reminiscent to hordes of acts out there. Still this is a very formidable EP for such a young entity in a very crowded field and by building further on their diverse influences this quintet can become a significant presence in tech metal’s slightly stagnating waters.

6.0/10

Neberu on Facebook

CHRIS TIPPELL