Initial fears that Gojira could venture towards a more widespread and mainstream path given the immeasurable success obtained by “From Mars to Sirius” and the high-profiled collaboration of guitarist and vocalist Joe Duplantier with the Cavalera brothers in The Cavalera Conspiracy project reveal to be unfounded upon listening to their newest work “The Way of All Flesh”. There are no attempts to leap over the Killswitch Engage bandwagon with the integration of clean vocal choruses or to ditch their intriguing and complex riffing in favour of a more immediate and straightforward approach ala Soulfly.
“The Way of All Flesh” is basically a natural progression from “From Mars to Sirius”, though first impressions may suggest that it’s not quite as smacking as its predecessor was. Yet following several spins it’s clear the French group continue to reveal a masterful knack for intriguing dynamics, challenging riffs and hypnotic rhythms and the results are undeniably compelling. Their fourth full-length work sounds a like a well-oiled, highly focused and cruel machine capable of keeping the listener fully entangled in its labyrinthine structures.
The spiralling chord progressions of opener “Oroborus” is a great example of such ingenious song writing skills and a good introduction to the diversity displayed in “The Way of All Flesh”. Its mid-tempo pace and melodic groove contrasts nicely with the pummelling intensity of the following track “Toxic Garbage Island” coiling up in a similar fashion to Meshuggah. Meanwhile, third theme “A Sight To Behold” is a complete left turn from the previous two with the Frenchman stepping over a more Industrial territory with a synthesiser-based sound and robotic-type vocals.
“The Way of All Flesh” is a truly impressive and diverse album, full of different textures, moods and ambiences that will surely cement Gojira as one of the most interesting and stimulating Metal bands of today. (7.5/10)

Band info: www.gojira-music.com
Label info: www.listenable.net

Originally hailing from Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, yet currently residing in Germany Darkestrah is a five-piece group labeled as Shamanic Pagan Black-Metal that recurs to the Pagan themes of their homeland as main source of inspiration. Or at least that’s what the press-release of Paragon Records states about their fourth full-length work “The Great Silk Road”, a conceptual and spiritual journey to the band’s Shaman roots.
Although Darkestrah utilizes some traditional Kyrgyz instruments like the Temir-Komuz which could be indentified as a jaws harp, a string instrument known as Mandola, acoustic guitars and cello to convey a certain folk element into their sonority, “The Great Silk Road” is essential a traditional Black-Metal record with minimalist, repetitive and dissonant riffs and raspy and grim vocals occasionally tempered with small portions of Folk music. It’s stylistically close to bands like Kawir, Kampfar and Negura Bunget, yet the lack of some of truly memorable songs prevents the group from ascending to same levels of the aforementioned bands. Nevertheless, it’s a release worth checking out for its inspirational and original values. (6/10)

Band info: www.darkestrah.vze.com
Label info: www.paragonrecords.org

Norway’s contribution to the metal world doesn’t cease to amaze! Not only is their scene renowned for being extremely prolific, it’s also becoming incredibly diverse and bewitching with likes of Audrey Horne, Sahg, Trinacria and some others orbiting outside the common Black-Metal sphere joining the already widely known forces as Enslaved, Ulver, Red Harvest, Madder Mortem and so on.
Olso’s Stonegard is another surprising addition to such interminable current that have been garnering a big exposure throughout Scandinavia in the last few years, but elsewhere have remained fairly unknown. A scenario that will likely change now with Indie Recordings picking up their second album for a worldwide release.
Originally issued by Scandinavian label Bells Go Clang in 2006, “From Dusk Till Doom” has been revamped with a new recording and mixing and stands out for comprising a wide variety of styles ranging from Stoner Rock, Thrash-Metal and Progressive-Rock into a meaty, cohesive and striking whole.
There’s a multitude of influences crawling into “From Dusk Till Doom”, from the frantic and Thrash-Metal drive of the opening title-theme leanings towards groups like Testament and Metallica to slower and more emotional moments like “Morpheon” that hints at Alice in Chains on some occasions with Torgrim Torve delivering a invigorating and warmth vocal performance. The presence of Doom-Metal and Stoner-Rock can also be felt throughout the album with just a smidgen of Candlemass tossed in to create a desolate mood in “Crooked Feathers” and “S&C” sounding like a galvanized Kyuss/Hermano hybrid with Torgrim Torve adopting a dirty rock snarl close to John Garcia.
Stonegard strike an admirable balance between thunderous and heavy songs and softer and melodic moments in their second full-length work, all performed with a blistering energy and sheer finesse. An incredible nice surprise indeed! (7/10)

Band info: www.myspace.com/stonegard
Label info: www.myspace.com/indierecordings

There seems to be an increasing number of American bands stepping into the Norse-territory of Black-Metal in the past few years and bare a few notable exceptions (Wolves in the Throne Room and Natchmystium), I can’t say it’s a particularly enthralling movement considering most of them have failed to recapture that Norse coldness and dark quality of say Emperor or Immortal. Not to mention they shamefully lack an identity of their own.
Coming from the sunny California, Sothis is another American act looking across the ocean towards their Norwegian counterparts for guidance and inspiration and whose sonority could easily be mistaken for any other Norse Black-Metal band owning nothing but the works of Dimmu Borgir and Emperor in their record collection.
“De Oppresso Liber” is Sothis debut full-length album and displays a Symphonic Black-Metal sound that is heavily indebted to Norwegians Dimmu Borgir. The way the songs are condensed with loads of synthesizers between a furiously fast and thundering rhythmic section and a precise and robust riffing clearly brings to mind works like “Enthrone Darkness Triumphant” and “Spiritual Black Dimensions”.
Definitely not the most original or appealing Black-Metal work you’ll hear all year since there’s precious little here you haven’t heard before done in a much compelling way, yet “De Oppresso Liber” occasionally displays some enjoyable and well-crafted moments that could certainly be well digested by the more avid fans of Dimmu Borgir. (5/10)

Band info: www.myspace.com/sothis
Label info: www.candlelightrecords.co.uk

Hailing from Madrid, Spain’s Hybrid is a group that writes byzantine and demanding music that eschews traditional song structures and defies easy categorisation. Their indescribable sound is a puzzling agglomeration of a wide variety of influences and inspirations like Death-Metal, Grind, Math-core, Latin rhythms and free-style Jazz.
A song like “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” for example may require a few spins to fully absorb its blend of Cephalic Carnage’s technical and brutal Death-Metal with Yakuza’s jazzy quirkiness. Its weird time signatures showing brutal and complex riffs crossed with jazzy breaks and saxophone sections reveal a technical proficiency that not many bands can claim to possess.
Fans of The Dillinger Escape Plan for instance will certainly appreciate the intricacies and spastic movements of “Sleep of the Defeated”, which twists and sifts in so many ways with such a no-holds-barred aggression that is impossible to sustain without suffering some major blows.
There isn’t a dull moment to be found in this dynamic, impossible to be pigeonholed debut full-length work by this stunning Spanish act that simply deserves your utter attention! (7.5/10)

Band info: www.myspace.com/hybridmetal
Label info: www.eyesofsound.com

Spain’s Hybrid writes byzantine and demanding music that eschews traditional song structures and defies easy categorisation. Their indescribable sound is a puzzling agglomeration of a wide variety of influences and inspirations like Death-Metal, Grind, Math-core, Latin rhythms and free-styled Jazz. Picture if you can Cephalic Carnage trying to cover Naked City songs or Suffocation jamming with Yakuza and the end result isn’t too far removed from “The 8th Plague”, the band’s debut full-length.
Guess Hybrid don’t feel accomplished and fulfilled by merely writing straightforward and simpler songs, right?

“Yes, because there are a lot of bands doing straightforward songs and since the birth of Hybrid we wanted to create something personal and extreme away from the classic metal bands.” Answers Hybrid’s primal force and drummer Chus Maestro.

“We are very influenced by tech and experimental music, so for us the complex side of our music is something natural. And as we listen to a lot of music, we like to merge different influences from several styles just like you mentioned.”

How would you describe the usual writing process in the band?

“Our composing method is based on the improvisation and the creative freedom during the rehearsals, that’s the way to have the ideas flowing naturally without barriers. We usually play riffs, patterns or general ideas and begin decomposing it to create something different with odd time signatures, cuts and changes to keep the music unpredictable. But there is another work outside the rehearsals where we listen to all the ideas recorded trying to put it together and creating a good structure for the song.”

“The 8th Plague” was released two months ago, how are the responses so far?

“At the moment we are having an outstanding response with great reviews in the media and good commentaries from the fans which is very hopeful for us.”

I’ve read somewhere that you have conceived “The 8th Plague” entirely on your own, from the recording process to the final artwork, all was done without the support of a record label. Was this something the band idealized from the beginning in order to fetch a better record deal in the end?

“Exactly, we began recording without a label record deal, so we had to make the full process from recording to mastering in a do-it-yourself way, putting a lot of effort and financing all the costs by ourselves for getting a good record and to find a label for releasing it. When we started working on the artwork we finally found the support from English label Eyesofsound.”

So when did Eyes of Sound stepped in a leading position to secure Hybrid into their catalogue of artists?

“Someone from the band Akercocke told Eyesofsound label manager about us, and when he listened to the songs we had uploaded on our Myspace he wrote us saying he was impressed about our music and interested in signing the band. At that time we had other offers, but Eyesofsound showed us truly devotion and interest in the band, so we finally decided to sign with them. And we are very happy with the label, not only for their good catalogue of unique bands, but also for the pleasant treatment and the good working.”

Hybrid moves between genres like Death-Metal, Grind-Core and Jazz between others throughout the eight songs that constitute “The 8th Plague”, but if you had to pick one genre that had helped shape and mould your musical upbringing what would it be?

“We are basically and extreme and tech metal band, so that’s the point where everything starts in Hybrid. We all have a deep death metal background, but we are compulsive music listeners so we wanted from the beginning to melt other styles we liked such as you mentioned to keep our music interesting and unique.”

Apparently there’s a lyrical concept running through “The 8th Plague” that deals with the downwards spiral of the human race into self destruction and annihilation. Tells us a bit more about this interesting concept?

“Yes, “The 8th Plague” is a conceptual album about the human self-destruction. The eight songs represent these process symbolized trough the stages of an insect's complete metamorphosis, where each phase is a step toward the inevitable destruction. In this dystopic and apocalyptic lyrical concept, human race is the plague and the insects are only the symbol of the "human swarm" that is going to destroy the world.”

The artwork created by renowned artist Seldon Hunt, whose credits include Neurosis, Isis and Melvins seems to superbly illustrate the concept behind “The 8th Plague”. Did you tell Seldon Hunt how it should look like or did he just do what he wanted to after cues from the band?

“I’ve talked a lot with Seldon about the lyrical concept and the symbolism behind the album, and also about the visual idea I have about it (with all that post-apocalyptic devastated background and the insects); then Seldon created the artwork giving their own style, who increased the dark and oppressive feeling of both the music and the lyrics. He designed a powerful and symbolic cover which represents that moment of intense silence as the hive reaches into the sun cutting out the light as the fires of humanity burn across the sky, with the insects rising out of the gloom representing the fate awaiting us.”

The band has recently suffered some major blows in their line-up due to personal differences. Vocalist Albano Fortes, guitarists J. Oliver and Miguel and bassist Kike have decided to quit Hybrid leaving drummer Chus as the sole member that recorded “The 8th Plague” on his own. However new recruits have already been founded in the persons of Iván Durán (Guitar) and Iago Fuentes (Bass) from the extreme metal band Fragments and Rafa Fernández (Vocals) from One Last Word. How do you think this recent turmoil will affect the band’s sonority and future endeavours?

“The line-up change has been something inevitable because we reached a point where we didn’t have the same band goals and the other guys were also very busy with their other bands. I think the new members will bring new and fresh ideas to continue evolving and maturing Hybrid’s sound, because they are well talented musicians and they are very involved in the band.”

Band info: www.myspace.com/hybridmetal

Long running Gothic-Metal act Flowing Tears have been preparing the follow-up to their “Razorbliss” record for over four years now, suggesting that something very special and carefully crafted was to be expected. Indeed, “Thy Kingdom Gone” sounds well-written and refined, practically with no flaws or loose ends, yet it’s nothing to be stunned by either considering it’s all been done before.
Their fifth-full length work sees the Germans ditch the more electronic elements of “Razorbliss” in favour of a even more heavy and crisp approach and although they still touch some of most common clichés of Female-Fronted-Gothic-Metal throughout these twelve themes, “Thy Kingdom Gone” sounds fairly enjoyable and successfully dodges way from the usual comparisons since it is more in tow with the sounds of Madder Mortem, Moonspell and Paradise Lost than Nightwish, Tristania or Within Temptation.
Perhaps it is Helen Vogt’s warmth and singular voice that makes the difference, instead of warbling like an ear-slicing Valkyrie she sings in a deep, dark and rich timbre that is highly seductive and gels extremely well with the memorable and heavy framework provided by the remaining band.
Every theme is crammed with catchy, thick riffs and some truly contagious harmonies that nod at Paradise Lost on some occasions, “Words Before You Leave” for example owns a lot to their “One Second” days with a similar use of those weeping guitar lines and gentler melodies. Worthy of note is also the title-theme for featuring Samael’s Vorph as guest musician, singing a duet with Helen Vogt in a piece that wouldn’t sound out of place in an album like “Eternal”.
All in all, “Thy Kingdom Gone” is a fairly competent affair from a band that clearly made an effort to do something a lot more interesting than the usual glut of Gothic-Metal kitsch existing nowadays. (7/10)

Band info: www.flowingtears.de
Label info: www.ascendancerecords.com

It’s extremely hard to pin down in words why Burst’s “Lazarus Bird” is such an addictive, invigorating and rewarding listening. Perhaps it’s their persistent refusal to avoid tags and preconceptions by incorporating a wide variety of layers, styles and textures in such a compelling and exciting way that is impossible to remain indifferent. Or maybe it’s due to the pure strength of their mighty and creative riffs that cannot be confined to one particular genre. Or better yet, it’s probably thanks to their contemplative and dense ambiences interspersed between bursts of ravaging fury as if we were dealing with the symptoms of a schizophrenic patient. Whatever the nature of “Lazarus Bird” that forces such interminable submission, one thing is certain though, it’s easily one of the most demanding and delightful record that you’ll hear all year.
Every song is so complexly layered and well structured like for instance the opener “I Hold Vertigo” which shows more variation throughout its seven plus minutes than some groups display throughout a whole album. It starts with a Hardcore punch and immediacy but soon drifts into a Progressive-styled Rock akin to King Crimson, then towards its end evokes the intimate ambient of Neurosis elegiac moments. Despite its experimental vein, the following track retains an intriguing catchiness with its blend of Mastodon’s rhythmical shifts and twists with Tool-type crescendos. Both “We Are Dust” and “Momentum” start off with brooding ambient sections close to Neurosis before recapturing that claustrophobic intensity of their Hardcore origins.
“Cripple God” and “Nineteenhundred” are personal favourites, while the first theme displays a sludgy vibe with some truly dazzling and memorable leads, the strange coupling of groovy rhythms with jazzy quirkiness of the second one sound like Henry Rollins jamming with John Zorn’s Naked City.
Clocking nearly the ten minute mark, “(We Watched) The Silver Rain” is gem of epic proportions with Burst revealing a penchant for twin guitar lines more in tow with classic Heavy-Metal.
Bottom line, Burst’s “Lazarus Bird” is such an incredible record that will eventually force Mastodon to overhaul their upcoming record to prevent the risk of sounding dull in comparison because the Swedes have just upped the ante. (8.5/10)

Band info: www.burst.nu
Label info: www.relapse.com

Freshly signed to Metal Blade Records, Ohio’s The Crimson Armada stands out for carrying a positive and spiritual message through their lyrics that totally counterpoints their fierce and incredibly intense Death-Metal sonority. Although the group express their religious beliefs and a meaningful message through their songs, The Crimson Armada doesn’t quite fit the profile of a Christian Death-Metal act, the band’s message is far-more reaching than the concept of Christianity right?

“That is correct.” Answers guitarist Kyle Barrington, our interlocutor in agreement.

“We are not trying to reach out to one group or sect of people. We are trying to reach out to the world as a whole. Our message is not to force God, Positive lifestyle, or any of those things (and things relating to) on people. Our message is to show the world that WE as a group of friends and believers in God CAN play death-metal and still be considered religious and down to earth dudes. We want to reach out to those who have trouble in their lives and to those that are on a downward path looking for help. "God is the only one who chooses anything in this world, ultimately. You have free will and that was granted upon you, yet in the end it is Gods choice as to where each of us begins and where each of us ends".

The band’s recently released "Behold the Architect" EP for example begins with a few verses from The Qur’an, the religious texts of Islam. So who or what exactly influences The Crimson Armada to write about spiritual beliefs and globally positive topics?

“God and everyday life. Much of our lyrics are written on topics of bad habits (greed, etc) and on topics of spirituality. It all boils down to God, personal experiences, and the life we see everyday from others.”

"Behold the Architect", their debut EP recorded by Bobby Leonard at Paper Tiger Studios has garnered some enthusiastic reactions over the U.S., even grabbing the attention of super-sized record label Metal Blade, who eventually offered them a multi-album worldwide deal. Were you surprised when the A&R of Metal Blade approached the band with a record contract?

“Haha yes we were actually VERY surprise when that happened. Me (Kyle), Saud and Dan were all working at a doctor’s office and just decided to check the E-Mail and MySpace. Saud kept telling us not to do it because, honestly, we weren't supposed to be using the computers at work, but anyways, we checked the MySpace and got a message from a blank page with the name "Michael". Subject said Metal Blade Records and inside it said "Send a phone number we would like to talk". So we sent a phone number and about 10 minutes later got a phone call and just about pee'd ourselves haha. That's pretty much how it went down. Funny thing is... it wasn't even an A&R who came to us haha... it was the president of Metal Blade himself Michael Faley.”

The band will soon be recording their debut full-length entitled "Guardians" with producer Joey Sturgis (The Devil Wears Prada, MyChildren MyBride, Burden of a Day, Take It Back). The record will feature all six songs of "Behold the Architect" EP, plus four new tracks. What can we expect from "Guardians", will the band alter any of the songs already available on the EP?

“You can expect a very spiritually influenced melodic, yet heavy record. It will be something different than what is in the metal of today and we are very happy with the way the music has turned out. The songs will be altered from BTA, yes. We will be making changes in each song from that EP that will blow "Behold the Architect" out of the water.”

What does the title of your upcoming album "Guardians" mean to The Crimson Armada from a spiritual point of view?

“The ones who protect us. The ones who keep us from getting into things that will ruin our lives. The ones who make us better as people and better as a society. The one who ultimately created us and the one who will end us. The believer, the follower, the wanderer, the ones looking for guidance. This record title is not just meant in a spiritual way... it is meant in a worldly way and can be related to anyone who has something or someone they know cares for them whether it be a mother, father, grandfather, God, brother, sister, and so on and so forth. It is meant for all of us.”

What are your expectations towards the future now that The Crimson Armada are signed to one of the biggest independent Metal labels capable of giving the band a widespread exposure and are set to release your debut full-length?

“We expect nothing. We hope and pray that this will be the right path for all of us, but if it isn't... so be it. If things happen in the future that benefit our career as musicians that would be absolutely amazing... and if they don't... well... that’s okay too. We are in this for the love of playing the music we create. We will never ever ever ever EVER stop doing what we are doing because of what is happening in music. We are who we are and who we always have been and we will continue to play the style of music we play, act the way we act, and be the people we are until the day music bids us farewell. We aren't fake. This is who we are. Our music is who we are. And our love for this is who we are.
Thank you so much for taking the time out to interview us and we want to give a special thanks to Metal Blade Records, Peavey Electronics, GHS Strings, and Saluda Cymbals for their continuous support of us. Also want to give a special thanks to everyone who supports us day in and day out and to everyone who has given us a chance. Our utmost thanks goes to our creator, God. Oh yeah... and to the haters out there!! You guys are awesome... seriously. God bless everyone!!”

More info: www.myspace.com/thecrimsonarmada

Recently snapped by Metal Blade Records, Ohio’s The Crimson Armada deftly engages in a cataclysmic Death-Metal somewhat similar to The Black Dahlia Murder throughout the six tracks that constitute their debut EP “Behold the Architect”.
After the intro theme, an atmospheric piece titled “Behold” showing a distant voice narrating verses from the Qur’an, “Desecrated” sets the frantic pace with a vicious Death-Metal played with an unrelenting fury that sounds as if Armageddon has descended upon us. Rabid rhythms, brutal riffs chopped at a breakneck speed and a schizophrenic vocal duality are traits that set them stylistically close to their now label mates. Vocalist Saud Ahmed can perfectly rival with Trevor Strnad in intensity stakes with his deep growls interspersed with high-pitched shrieks.
Sure, this isn’t the most original thing you’re likely to hear this year, but “Behold the Architect” shows a group with character and ambition so watch out for The Crimson Armada in the near future, because the best is yet to come. (6.5/10)

Band info: www.myspace/thecrimsonarmada
Label info: www.metalblade.com

The name of Poisonblack will always be inevitably associated with the now defunct Sentenced partly due to the fact the Finns were originally just a side-project of Sentenced’s charismatic singer Ville Laihiala, conceived to wipe the dust off his guitars, but greatly due to their willingness to pick up the torch buried by the Northern Killers three years ago and light it aflame with their odes to suicidal depression and misery.
Their latest work “A Dead Heavy Day” clearly sees them moving towards the ground where Sentenced was last seen standing and breathing, something that fans still morning the loss of the legendary Finnish band will highly appreciate. Scratch the Surface had the chance to learn a little more about “A Dead Heavy Day” from drummer Tarmo Kanerva.


"A Dead Heavy New Day" seems to have a dirtier and heavier edge in terms of sound, whereas previous work "Lust Stained Despair" was a bit more polished. Was it a conscious decision to try a different approach and make it a bit rougher and harder, like not to repeat yourselves?

“Yes, I would say it was intentional. When we started to rehearsal new songs, it soon became pretty obvious that the new material required a different sound. Therefore we already knew what we were after when we entered the studio.”

Those Gibson guitars sound particularly loud, groovy and crunchier!
"A Dead Heavy Day" is definitely a guitar oriented work that signals a departure from the more Gothic-influenced ambiences of previous releases right?

“Yes, you got that right! We definitely wanted to step out of that gothic image with this album. In my opinion we have moved into more "rocking" direction.”

"A Dead Heavy Day" could also be interpreted as Poisonblack’s most diverse and experimental work to date, a song like "X" for example has a somehow dark-bluesy vibe that wasn't seen on any of the two previous works right? I like the Hammond touch a lot!

“Thanks! Like I mentioned before, we noticed pretty soon that this time our new songs were quite different compared to our previous albums. We had a little conversation about this situation and we just decided that we are not gonna worry if a certain song fits into a certain genre or not. We simply wrote songs which felt good to us and if they still sounded good in our ears after we had rehearsed them for a while, we decided to use them on the album.”

Recorded at Soundmix Studio in Oulu with Kari Vähäkuopus and mixed by Aksu Hanttu at Grooveland Studio in Lahti, this time Poisonblack opted to conceive the new album in its entirety in Finland, whereas "Lust Stained Despair" was mixed by Tue Madsen at Antfarm studios in Denmark.
Do you feel more comfortable working this way close to home?

“Definitely! It’s always cool if you’re able to record an album in your hometown. This way you’re able to live as normal life as possible when you’re not recording your own parts in the studio. And you don’t have to worry about the accommodation, so it’s cheaper, too!”

What was like the atmosphere in the studio and how was like working with those guys? What did they bring to the table?

“I think the atmosphere was very relaxed and the whole recording process went really smoothly. Kari has also mixed our live shows, so he was already familiar with our sound and our style. We haven’t worked with Aksu before, but he understood completely what kind of sound we were looking for and needless to say we are really satisfied with the result.”

Do you see Poisonblack as perfectionists, constantly labouring over the music until its completion or is there room for improvisation when you walk into the studio?

“Usually there’s space for improvisation. Personally I usually have all the basic beats ready when we enter the studio, but quite often we try different kind of drum fills in the studio, for example. And most of Ville’s solos are entirely improvised, too. I think it’s safe to say that it’s pretty typical for us to have some kind of "skeleton" of the song finished when we start recording it, but there’s still lots of stuff which is improvised in the studio."

What made you guys decide on "Bear The Cross" as the first single and video?

“Well, I guess it was because this song has a catchy chorus and therefore we felt that it might be appropriate to be released as a single. Its running time is also ideal for the single release.”

From looking at the album title and some song titles there's obviously some pretty strong feelings about emotions and relationships reflected in the lyrical work of "A Dead Heavy Day".
What sort of place were you in emotionally when you made this album?

“I know that Ville gets his inspiration from real life. Like you said yourself, there truly are some quite dark and melancholic lyrics on this album, but I think on the other hand there are many songs which are written in a sort of "tongue-in-cheek" form. Tracks like "Human-compost" and "Lowlife", for example, are not meant to be taken dead-seriously.”

So the title of the new album could be interpreted as the all sort of adversities and misfortunes we eventually face on our daily lives?

"A Dead Heavy Day" means a day when everything goes wrong in your life. Your whole world falls apart, you know. It also has a little deeper meaning for us, but I don’t want to reveal too much. We want to leave room for listener’s imagination and give them a chance to make their own conclusions what the title is actually about.”

One a more personal note, what do you when you're at home taking a break from Poisonblack, do you have anything on the side like drum lessons?

“When Poisonblack is not active, I usually do something which doesn’t have anything to do with music. I have a daily job in a hotel and when I have a day-off I try to live as normal life as everyone else. Go out with friends and have a few beers, stay at home reading a book or something. The regular stuff, you know!”

What are your thoughts on the music industry right now? From your perspective do you think the current model of marketing and commercialize music is totally wrecked and condemned to a complete reinvention due to the illegal downloads and the choice of some bands like Radiohead for example to sell their own work directly to the public?

“Well, it’s really hard to say. Personally I prefer buying my music in a CD-format. If record labels want to survive, in my opinion it’s crucial for them to start making decisions which effect further in the future instead of just trying to fill their pockets with money today. But like I mentioned before, it’s really hard to foresee what will happen in the future of music industry.”

One of the albums that has been stirring some controversy dealing with illegal downloads is “Death Magnetic” by Metallica. Are you looking forward to hear the new Metallica album, have you already had the chance of listening to their first single?

“Nope, I haven’t heard their new single yet. I’d rather wait and listen to the whole album. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing it. Hopefully it will better than “St. Anger”!”

To end the interview, Poisonblack are well-known in Finland and already conquered a strong following in Europe, yet there are certain markets like the US where the band haven't had the same kind of recognition. Do you think the band is at a level where you most of you feel comfortable with?
Does it bother you the fact of not getting the same visibility and recognition in some countries?

“I wouldn’t say it’s bothering us, but of course it’s always nice to get new fans! We have intentionally concentrated on Europe first and tried to reach as many people as possible there. Naturally this doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t like to conquer new territories as well. Not just U.S., it would also be cool to play in places like Japan and South-America someday!”

More info at: www.poisonblack.com

What initially started as a side-project for Sentenced’s vocalist Ville Laihiala to rust-off his fingers on the fret-board had turned into his main occupation following the heavily mourned burial of Sentenced three years ago. It’s curious to find out that the Finns have been slowly distancing themselves from the Gothic-tinged sonority of their debut work “Escapextacy” and firmly stepping towards a direction that isn’t too far removed from the path Sentenced were exploring on their latest albums “Crimson” and “The Cold White Light”. Obviously there has been a natural inclination to compare both groups ever since Ville took over the vocals on their second full-length work “Lust Stained Despair” replacing Charon’s Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto, which sung on “Escapextacy”, but nonetheless along with the same charismatic and singular voice fronting both groups, Poisonblack also dwells on those catchy and rocking riffs and poignant melodies that were somewhat Sentenced’s calling cards.
Songs like “Diane”, “Left Behind” and “Bear the Cross” could certainly be featured on an album like “The Cold White Light” and we really wouldn’t notice that much a difference as they rock and crank out like the best tunes Sentenced ever wrote on their ending days. Its stripped-down, thundering riffs revealing a sense of looseness reminiscent of 70’s rock sounds are downright infectious and the raspy and melodic chorus Ville sings are heavily memorable.
These more up-tempo, rocking tunes contrast nicely with mellower and more morose songs like ballad-alike “The Days Between” and the melancholic and bluesy “X” making “A Dead Heavy Day” quite an enjoyable and enthralling listening.
Finally Poisonblack sound like the band they long threatened to become, a damn fine substitute for Sentenced and that won’t get any complaints from these shores. (7.5/10)

Band info: www.poisonblack.com
Label info: www.centurymedia.com