DISTANT SHOWS THEIR HERITAGE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: MARSWORTH

Brutal deathcore headbangers, Distant, are set to release their third full-length record under the name of Heritage via Century Media Records. The Netherlands and the Slovak Republic have produced some of the best and most notable death metal bands, and this is no exception. The group has been serving up pure metal to their loyal and trustworthy fans for nearly a decade and have no plans of stopping or slowing down. The band’s intensity travels through every word of their tracks to every one of their 266,000 Spotify listeners. Value of their music along with their listeners is truly unmatched and electrifying. Distant is fully prepared to show us their “Heritage” in the world in which they have single-handedly engineered.

Distant is:

Alan Grnja- Lead vocals

Elmer Maurits – Bass

Nouri Yetgin – Lead guitar

Vladimir Golic – Rhythm guitar

Jan Mato – Drums

Shall we talk about the elephant in the room? The band has broken standards and fought social norms by having a track with 16, you read that right SIXTEEN, guest vocalists. It’s absolutely unprecedented to have such a number of rockers on a track that isn’t charity related. Grnja said that the collaboration between the 16 singers was similar to the crossover between Spider-Man and the X-Men in the early 1990’s. Bringing such a fun anecdote to such a driven and virtuosic band makes the possible initial shock down a few notches to where it can be enjoyed by more than metal fans. In addition to such a powerful mid-record track, from track one all the way to twelve is such a journey in which no other downtempo band has done before and it feels monumental to be a part of history such as this. After having a whole pandemic to marinate in their tracks, the group had made their alterations until their masterpiece, Heritage, had wrapped production and is currently ready to hit the market in early February this year. Whilst using vivid imagery, the record comes to life before your very eyes which isn’t the easiest thing to master, but Distant makes it look easy.

The roar coming from Grnja is out of the world and gives me goosebumps every time I hear his voice come through my headphones. The genuine nature to the band as well as vocals is audible, especially embedded within this most recent record. Perhaps the heaviness behind the tracks goes to show the bona fide, unadulterated complexion of a world renowned metal group. The journey from “Acid Rain” to “Plaguebreeder” is a story in which will be put on stage in the coming months when they join Bodysnatcher, Angelmaker, and Paleface on tour. They all hope to see fellow metalheads throwin’ up their horns at a show near you!

MARSWORTH SAYS: 8/10

TRACK LIST:

1. Acid Rain
2. Paradigm Shift
3. Born Of Blood
4. The Grief Manifest
5. Exofilth
6. Argent Justice
7. The Gnostic Uprising
8. A Sentence To Suffer
9. Human Scum
10. Heritage
11. Orphan Of Blight
12. Plaguebreeder

1984 Year in Metal

Flashback to 1984

1984: Was More than just the title of George Orwell’s novel. The year was pivotal in the development of heavy metal, as both thrash and power metal became more than just a paradigm archetype. Meanwhile, the giants of the genre continued to grow bigger than ever, maximizing platinum sales, sold-out tours, and extensive airplay on radio and Music. Let’s take a look at this historical year in history and music!

Events involving music

Def Leppard’s drummer Rick Allen lost his left arm in a car accident on December 31.
Deep Purple reunites.
Hanoi Rocks drummer Razzle is killed in an automobile accident in early December. The driver of the car is Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe.
The debut albums of both Saint Vitus (Saint Vitus) and Trouble (Psalm 9) are released.
This is Spinal Tap, a cult mockumentary directed by Rob Reiner about the semi-fictional band Spinal Tap, is released.

The Top 10

10. Cirith Ungol – King of the Dead

9. Metallica – Ride the Lightning

8. Dio – The Last in Line

7. Bathory – Bathory

6. Deep Purple – Perfect Strangers

5. Metal Church – Metal Church

4. Iron Maiden – Powerslave

3. W.A.S.P. – W.A.S.P.

2. Judas Priest – Defenders of the Faith

1.Mercyful Fate – Don’t Break the Oath

You will not find a better combination of highly accomplished and highly inventive guitar wizardry than here. Some songs are packed with more killer riffs than some bands produce in their entire career. Incorporating more progressive rock ideas into song structure and performance the band effectively developed their sound and produced some of their best songs from “A Dangerous Meeting” to “Come to the Sabbath”. This is a great CD. A true cornerstone for heavy metal in general. Fronted by the infamous King Diamond, ‘Don’t Break the Oath’ is truly a haunting journey. Every fan of metal needs this album….

Track list

1. A Dangerous Meeting (5:10)
2. Nightmare (6:19)
3. Desecration of Souls (4:54)
4. Night of the Unborn (4:59)
5. The Oath (7:31)
6. Gypsy (3:08)
7. Welcome Princes of Hell (4:03)
8. To One Far Away (1:31)
9. Come to the Sabbath (5:19)
10. Death Kiss (demo)* (4:30)

Line-up/Musicians

– King Diamond / Vocals, Keyboards, Harpsichord
– Hank Shermann / Guitars
– Michael Denner / Guitars
– Timi “Grabber” Hansen / Bass
– Kim Ruzz / Drums

Historical Events of 1984

Jan 24 Apple Computer Inc unveils its revolutionary Macintosh personal computer
Feb 29 Pierre Trudeau announces he is stepping down after 15 years as Canadian Prime Minister
Apr 23 AIDS-virus identified as HTLV-III (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
Jun 5 Indira Gandhi orders an attack on Sikh’s holiest site, the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Dec 3 Bhopal disaster: Union Carbide pesticide plant leak 45 tons of methyl isocyanate and other toxic compounds in Bhopal, India, kills 2,259 (official figure) – other estimates as high as 16,000 (including later deaths) and over half a million injured
Dec 19 Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sign the Sino-British Joint Declaration to transfer Hong Kong back to China in 1997

1984 in Film & TV

Sep 20 “The Cosby Show” premieres on NBC-TV starring Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad
Oct 26 “The Terminator” directed by James Cameron, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton is released in the US
Nov 9 Wes Craven’s horror film “A Nightmare on Elm Street” premieres in the US

-Georgina Strilakos

DEAD CROSS II Album Review

Dead Cross presents: Reign of Error

Mike Patton, Dave Lombardo, Justin Pearson and Michael Crain are among the most highly respected musicians in the metal community and beyond. Their most recent release as Dead Cross is titled “Reign Of Error,” and it sets the bar higher with an uncompromising hardcore sound with elements of thrash. What makes this song quite special is the fact that it tips the hat off to the old-school days of the genre, without necessarily trying to cash in on the nostalgia aspect like so many other bands seem to be doing. On the one hand, the roots of the band are clear. On the other, Dead Cross continues to carve its own path, one blistering song after another. The track is executed at breakneck speed, and the guitar riffing cuts through beautifully, while still allowing the vocals to stand out. The song is feature on Dead Cross’ sophomore album, aptly titled “II.” While the 9 featured songs are excellent and relentless in their own right, “Reign Of Error” is an outstanding moment, as it captures the band’s angst at a particularly stressful time, as members where coping with illness and other personal issues. The fury of this song shows their willingness to overcome all challenges and continue to press on, pushing forward with as much energy as ever. While “Reign of Error” features elements of thrash and extreme metal, the band’s passion for old-school hardcore punk is quite a huge element of their sound. Fans of artists such as Black Flag, Circle Jerks and Minor Threat will immediately empathize with the sound of this release.”Reign of Error” is definitely one of the most shred-friendly songs on this release, but it still retains the immediacy and back-to-basics twist that makes the album so distinctive. -Georgina Strilakos

Find out more about Dead Cross and listen to the full “II” album on Spotify.

https://deadcross.bandcamp.com/album/ii

JINJER

MACRO

Jinjer is back with a new release: Macro

Jinjer is quickly becoming one of the most en-vogue bands on the scene. Its most recent release, Macro, available via Napalm Records, stays true to its title with a massive sound. This release sums up the ten years and counting of activity for the band, and the unique act they have been able to build over the past few years. Not only has Jinjer release amazing set of albums and songs, but the band has been playing live relentlessly, charming audiences and conquering new fans, one stage at a time.

Compared to some of the band’s previous work, this album has a more focused sound and a modern flair. Influences range from Djent to PostMetal and even modern hardcore and electronic incursions, anything goes. There is so much melody on the songs, and the vocals are on-point as usual. The fronting style of Tatiana definitely represents the band’s X factor, not to take anything away from the other talented musicians in the band! There is just so much excellence on this album, but the song “On the Top” is perhaps a prime example of the and at its absolute best. The guitars are throaty and huge, with a gnarly down-tuned pulse. Tatiana’s vocals are so broad and diverse, and there is something truly special about the
alternating of screamed and sung sections.

Songs such as “Pausing Death” or “The Prophecy” highlight the band’s ability to combine complexity with appeal in equal doeses. There is also room for a mind-boggling diverse array of influences, ranging from reggae to jazz and pretty much everything in between. “Macro” is a strong statement from Jinjer. It affirm’s the band’s willingness to keep embracing new challenges and make music that bridges the gaps
between complex sonic upholstery and intuitive rawness. The balance is not always easy to achieve, let alone on a stage, where the group really shines.

Review by Georgina Strilakos

OZZY OSBOURNE

Patient Number 9

Ozzy Osbourne is not just another heavy metal vocalist. If you ask most metal fans, they’ll tell you that he is a pioneer. In many ways, Black Sabbath is the archetype of what became the metal band, not only in terms of the hard-hitting sound, but also when it comes to the darker aesthetics and imagery around the music. Ozzy and his band took what Led Zeppelin started and took it to the extra mile, laying the foundation of modern metal. Even outside his work with Black Sabbath, Ozzy managed to stay relevant and make music that transcended eras and generations. He even collaborated with contemporary stars like Post Malone, showcasing his ability to have enduring appeal that transcended generation. His most recent studio work “Patient Number 9”, feels like a celebration of many decades of making music. The set-list has a star-studded cast of collaborators, including guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck, as well as heavy metal axemen Zakk Wylde. Black Sabbath fans will recognize a familiar name: Tony Iommi, joining Ozzy on this one for a few numbers. “Patient Number 9” features songs that are pure fun and energetic. The title track has a melody and a vibe that feels like it’s coming straight out of an 80s Bon Jovi record. On the other hand, “Immortal” (with Mike McCready) almost nods at bands such as Rush. One of the most high-profile collaborators on the album is probably Eric Clapton. The iconic British guitar legend appears on “One of The Days,” providing some juicy and highly recognizable blues rock licks. One of the album’s heavy hitters is perhaps “Degradation Rules,” a massive scorcher featuring Tommy Iommi’s fat riffs and droning guitars chords. One of the most unique songs on the record is perhaps “Darkside Blues.” This song has a truly interesting production: it feels like a delta blues record from the 30s being broadcasted from outer space. Ozzy’s cutting vocals are still highly recognizable even under the layers of lo-fi reverb and saturation.

All in all, this is a pure rock album with so many influences. It’s fun and vibrant, and it shows that Ozzy is still eager to make music that genuinely connects with the audience. Although there are many retro vibes and influences from various era of rock, the sound of the production is very modern, making for an excellent progression of the genre and showing that there is still a place for classic rock vibes in modern music. – Georgina Strilakos