INTRODUCING: Sometime In February

Guitar-driven progressive instrumental music has come a long way since the heyday of shredders like JOE SATRIANI and STEVE VAI. Whilst the technical virtuosity continues to escalate, modern bands in the scene place ever more importance on the quality of songwriting and the shape of the sound beyond the guitar. Bringing their take to the scene are North Carolina outfit SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY, fronted by Tristan Auman, who moonlights as a touring guitarist for progressive metal legends BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME. The band shall release their major label debut, Where Mountains Hide, this year – an exciting blast of guitar wizardry, riffs and breakdowns living comfortably alongside earworm melodies.



Auman kicked off SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY in 2020 with some solo demos before recruiting Scott Barber to record a first EP in 2021. The addition of Morgan Johnson on bass solidified the band as a trio, playing local shows in and around North Carolina and recording their self-released debut album in 2023. However, the prog sound wasn’t always Auman‘s intention. “At the time, I wasn’t even listening to much heavy music or progressive, technical stuff,” he shares, rattling off shoegaze, emo and post-rock as his main genre listening habits at the band’s inception. “But I always would go back to the more technical stuff. I kind of figured out that was my roots. I felt my baseline was progressive rock, progressive metal at its core.”



The primary influence on Auman was DREAM THEATER, serving as a branching-off point for djent bands like PERIPHERY, modern prog bands HAKEN, and instrumental acts like INTERVALS. But it’s clear that PLINI is a key influence, as well. “He’s a great songwriter and not just a wonderful guitar player,” eulogises Auman. “It’s very singable, discernible melodies in his songs. Of course, he shreds, but it’s all in service to the song itself.” That philosophy, of the central importance of songwriting, permeates Auman‘s approach. “I definitely would prefer to be known as a songwriter than a guitarist, because that’s my voice, essentially. Playing really fast on a guitar is the tool that I use to do that. I would much rather be a unique writer than the best guitarist on the planet.”


The new album Where Mountains Hide shows that focus on strong songwriting. It packs in tons of fiddly riffs and memorable hooks in a blazing, frenetic package. The writing process is, in Auman‘s words, “vibes-based” – sometimes drawing on personal meanings, but focused more on evocation of feelings than any direct storytelling. More than anything else, the album is infused with a sense of fun and light-heartedness, even in its heaviest moments. This stemmed from the first writing session for the lead single, Palantir. The band embraced its upbeat melodies, carrying that vibe throughout the writing process. “Overall, it’s more light-hearted than I was expecting,” says Auman. “I love writing angry stuff. I love writing sad stuff as well. [But] It’s kind of refreshing to have written a positive album. I’m not mad about it!”

Auman‘s time touring with BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME has also had an impact. Despite their legendary status in the North Carolina heavy music scene, he was a late convert. The relationship with the band began when Auman worked with BTBAM lead guitarist Paul Waggoner in a coffee shop. Joining them on tour has encouraged Auman to up his game with SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY. “I don’t want to come home from tour with BTBAM and then play music that I don’t feel would be up to a certain standard, like theirs.” As well as encouraging higher standards, some more direct influences are evident – in particular, some rapid, attention-deficit switch-ups in style and mood. “There’s definitely some moments on this album where you can tell – it’s a bit more riffy, a bit chunkier, a bit heavier, and that’s where you can kind of see that influence,” says Auman.



The focus on songwriting & sound craft and a growing professional ethos led to SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY calling on several collaborators. As well as a featured solo from Waggoner, BTBAM bassist Dan Briggs made several musical contributions. “There’s a lot of subtle things that Dan did. It’s not limited to one particular instrument. If you hear something in the background but can’t quite decipher what it is, it’s probably Dan getting up to something. Which was perfect!” The band also recruited Eric Guenther from THE CONTORTIONIST to support on sound design. “He really did level up this record, and we were very happy with the results.” Both contributions show an intent from the band to elevate their work beyond the guitar hero realm into something greater.

With the new album ready to go, the band are eager to push forward, particularly with live shows and touring. Auman is particularly keen to get out on the road supporting bands that SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY look up to, to continue learning and absorbing. A first-ever international appearance is scheduled in the UK this August as the band play ArcTanGent Festival. “We’re stoked!” Grins Auman. Though his touring commitments with BTBAM means it’ll be a busy weekend, playing three sets in two days. Given the talent and quality on show, this will hopefully be the first of many opportunities to experience this exciting young band play here. SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY bring both virtuosity and fun back into instrumental progressive music; expect to see much more from them in the future.

Where Mountains Hide is out now via InsideOut Music. View this interview, alongside dozens of other killer bands, in glorious print magazine fashion in DS119 here:
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ALBUM REVIEW: The Shit Ov God – Behemoth

Right, let’s just get this out of the way right now; The Shit Ov God is a terrible, terrible name for an album. English might not be Nergal’s first language so we’ll give him some leeway there, but it is astonishing that no-one in the band or their immediate circle could convince him not to use it. Somewhat appropriately, the title track is also the most cringeworthy song on BEHEMOTH’s thirteenth studio album, starting with an embarrassingly awkward chant and never recovering. The band’s attempts at being provocative feels forced and childish, and if you’ve spent more than ten minutes in the extreme metal world, or had sexual intercourse before, it almost feels like the black metal equivalent of the crudest BLINK-182 song.



It’s a tremendous relief then that the rest of BEHEMOTH’s latest is actually really good. Nergal’s continuing feud with the Catholic Church and foot-in-mouth tendencies have been a major distraction in recent years, but BEHEMOTH are still a creative force capable of producing kick-ass metal. The Shit Ov God isn’t on the same level as their all-conquering 2014 masterpiece The Satanist, but it more than holds its own against other career highlights like 2004’s Demigod.


Opening track, The Shadow Elite for example is an instant hit. It’s fast, heavy, and has a sense of grandeur that a lot of their contemporaries can only dream of. BEHEMOTH aren’t a symphonic band, but this is rich, opulent, blackened death metal and a timely reminder that even the most brutal music can be irresistibly catchy. At the opposite end of the track list, the closing duo of O, Venvs Come and Avgvr (The Dread Vvltvre) are an epic finale. The former is a brooding and ominous slice of atmospheric damnation, while the latter is a fast and unrelenting neck-wrecker which ends things on an adrenaline-fuelled high. You know that bit in NOPE where all those innocent people get dragged into the UFO? That’s what this is like, except the Devil’s there too.

In BEHEMOTH’s favour, it’s also surprisingly accessible. They’ve got a keen understanding of dynamics that makes songs like Lvciferaeon very easy to get into, even as a storm of riffs and blast beats rains fire from the heavens. BEHEMOTH might be purveyors of extreme music, but they’re also a natural progression for any teenage headbangers who like MACHINE HEAD and LAMB OF GOD and are looking to graduate to something darker. Make no mistake, this music is as savage as a hyena with rabies tearing apart a tourist who got lost on a safari, but it wouldn’t be out of place in an arena.



So, while Nergal might be rapidly turning into a meme, BEHEMOTH are still a powerhouse who can create music that’s as engaging as it is dark matter heavy. It remains to be seen as to whether they’ll ever make anything as astonishing as The Satanist again, but they’ve got more than their fair share of Luciferian anthems left in the tank. Thank heavens though, we can now easily get albums online and don’t have to quietly ask an HMV employee if they’ve got any copies of The Shit Ov God in stock.

Rating: 8/10



The Shit Ov God is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.

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LIVE REVIEW: Vio-lence @ Slay, Glasgow

Easter Sunday is usually about Jesus, rabbits and chocolate eggs, but those festivities take a back seat when Bay Area thrash metal legends VIO-LENCE are in town. Seeing as seemingly every classic thrash act has reunited in this social media age, it seems obvious that VIO-LENCE would do so for more than a one-off show. In 2019, guitarist Phil Demmel and vocalist Sean Killian reactivated the West Coast thrashers. However, Demmel parted ways with the band last year, leaving Killian the sole member of the line-up. Is an older vocalist with the rest of the band composed of hired guns enough to maintain an exhilarating and enthused live show?

Exhorder live @ Slay, Glasgow. Photo Credit: Duncan McCall

Before the headliners can answer that, another 80s thrash metal icon hits the stage. EXHORDER reformed again in 2017, after ending their previous reunion in 2011 four years later. These Americans are widely credited as playing fellow Louisiana metallers PANTERA‘s style of heavy groove-laden thrashy assaults first, yet never secured the level of success or notoriety as the cowboys from hell (and there are very clear differences between the two). Vocalist Kyle Thomas has repeatedly stated that PANTERA worked harder than EXHORDER and they’re friends with no bad blood.

As soon as EXHORDER commence their set, a respectably-sized mosh pit kicks off and two crowd surfers rapidly put the security to work. The opening song is the rebellious My Time, a track from the band’s 2019 Mourn The Southern Skies album. Considering this release was EXHORDER‘s first in twenty years, it’s impressive that a younger tune can get the adrenaline flooding the venue like this. Slay‘s sound is slightly messy though; the drums overpower the other instruments but not to the point of sabotaging the listening experience. Thomas picked up the guitar in 2020 and tonight, he handles those duties as well as his vicious rasp-shouts. He performs solidly, although has to keep looking at the neck of his guitar during the classic Slaughter In The Vatican material. The other new guitarist is Pat O’Brien, formerly of CANNIBAL CORPSE, who joined the San Francisco thrashers’ ranks last year. A punter swoons to him “You’re a legend!”, which leaves the guitarist looking very pleased and thanking the fan.Exhorder live @ Slay, Glasgow. Photo Credit: Duncan McCall

Last year, EXHORDER rolled out their fourth album Defectum Ominum, and promote it now with the likes of Forever And Beyond Despair, The Tale Of Unsound Minds and Year Of The Goat. Thomas‘ stage banter is humorous, keen and very appreciative of playing live. The band’s dynamic energy transpires into the attendees, and the hyperactivity means mosh pits never really pause for long. Of course, the crowd gets most thrashing with the SLAUGHTER IN THE VATICAN anthems. Death in Vain and Legions Of Death go down as an unrelenting storm, while a bruising one-two closing combo of Desecrator and Exhorder rally the fanatics into their most frenzied pit of the night so far.

Rating: 9/10Vio-Lence live @ Slay, Glasgow. Photo Credit: Duncan McCall

VIO-LENCE really have a high bar set to meet to match the support’s performance. The Americans set alight to the venue with opener Liquid Courage from their 1990 Oppressing the Masses full-length. This begins a set containing light speed riffs, dark tunes without being devilish and unbridled aggression that will make you accidentally crash your car – this is 80s thrash metal in its purest ideological form. Sean Killian‘s vocals often divide opinions, sounding like a hybrid of Joey Belladona from ANTHRAX and Russ Anderson of FORBIDDEN but less accomplished and with a far narrower range. However, it suits the music, and he maintains it in the live environment while possessing a theatrical stage presence. His backing band is mostly a tide of headbanging long hair, striding across the stage knowingly putting on a hell of a show. The sound works out better for VIO-LENCE than the special guests, thankfully.

Most of the vintage Eternal Nightmare and Oppressing The Masses are aired out, satisfying the most ravenous of VIO-LENCE die-hards. Engulfed By Flames, Phobophobia, Serial Killer and Kill On Command hit like a tonne of bricks that the attendees won’t forget any time soon. A lot of the vocalist’s stage banter to introduce the songs sounds cheesy, but considering the immature lyrics that often get slammed for being too much in the 21st century, it’s understandable why he takes this approach. The undying mosh pits impressively swell to occupy most of Slay‘s floor for most of the set – a fitting tribute to the notoriously violent shows they put on back in their heyday. An hour and ten minutes later, Killian announces that their show is coming to an end soon. The sound of disappointment nearly strangles all of the oxygen in the room, but the congregation does get to enjoy World in a World to lay the night to rest.Vio-Lence live @ Slay, Glasgow. Photo Credit: Duncan McCall

It’s a shame that the show has to wrap up but, but the headliners demonstrate their sincerity for playing live by ensuring they take a few pictures of everyone in the crowd. It’s clear that VIO-LENCE takes a real pleasure from performing live, especially compared to most of the other classic 80s thrash titans. Perhaps it’s because they reactivated much later and therefore appreciate intercontinental tours more. No matter the cause, these veterans are certainly still worth catching live in 2025.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Glasgow from Duncan McCall here:

























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ALBUM REVIEW: the world is still here and so are we – mclusky

Welsh post-hardcore heroes MCLUSKY pick up exactly where they left over twenty years ago with the same hard-hitting riffs and cheeky humour they made their mark with back in the early 2000s. Despite being a band on and off for the last two decades after their initial break-up in 2005, Cardiff based trio MCLUSKY have retained their place at the forefront of the UK’s vibrant alternative scene, thanks in part to frontman Andy Falkous (or Falco)’s signature lyrical wit and demented vocal style. Now, with their first full length since Tony Blair was prime minister, the three-piece prove that they’re not just aging dinosaurs out for a quick nostalgia fuelled cash grab with their long-awaited fourth album the world is still here and so are we.



Although the lineup has changed, now featuring drummer Jack Egglestone and bassist Damien Sayell (who those in the know may recognise as the frontman of THE ST PIERRE SNAKE INVASION), the heart of MCLUSKY is still very much intact. Opening track and lead single unpopular parts of a pig reintroduces fans with open arms and a kick to the teeth with the exact same off-kilter humour and screeching start and stop pace that made them a name to watch back in their heyday but with a subtle modern sheen. unpopular parts of a pig is a thunderous stomping punk track that would’ve fit in perfectly on MCLUSKY’s earlier albums with just as many winking grins as unhinged screams.


Innovation may not be the main focus of the world is still here and so are we but that doesn’t mean MCLUSKY are simply retreading old ground, while long-time fans may be familiar with the broad strokes here there’s plenty of exciting new details and growth from the band. The track the battle of los anglesea swaps the band’s typical rapid pace for a steady stomp and replaces Falco’s frantic shouts for Sayell’s deep crooning while kafka-esque novelist franz kafka turns the dial all the way up in the opposite direction, building up around a galloping drum beat for an agitated punk feel. Over their years away MCLUSKY haven’t forgotten what made their earlier material so special but they have picked up a few tricks that keep their new album from sounding like a rehash of their hits.

MCLUSKY have always walked an extremely fine line between detached sarcasm and genuine openness in a way that’s difficult to tell which side they fall on, despite all the punny song titles and cocksure swaggering a hint of unironic depth manages to shine through. Tracks like people person and the surprisingly tender and extravagant album closer hate the polis give a rare glimpse under Falco’s mask with personal lyrics covering personal insecurities and political insights in between all the shouting and inside jokes. Rather than attempting to balance on the tightrope between their serious and silly sides MCLUSKY often say “screw it” and let themselves be sliced in half by it, leading to what could either be legitimate depth or a spiral of irony so deep that it’s impossible to distinguish from bona fide wisdom.



While other bands grow tamer and lazier with age MCLUSKY have matured like an expensive blue cheese, retaining what made them unique but becoming stranger and less appealing to those without taste. Old fans are sure to have a lot of fun with their favourite band’s return while newcomers can find plenty to love in MCLUSKY’s bizarre and ferocious mix of punk, post-hardcore and chaotic noise.

Rating: 7/10



the world is still here and so are we is out now via Ipecac Recordings.

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Alien Weaponry: The Rebirth Of Māori Metal

ALIEN WEAPONRY originally stormed their way out of New Zealand with their scintillating blend of Māori culture and a barrage of thrash riffs, and have shared stages with the likes of French titans GOJIRA in their career so far. Now coming into their third album Te Rā, with a second album that as they freely admit “didn’t quite hit where they wanted to”, we catch up with bassist Tūranga Porowini Morgan-Edmonds as they’re mid-tour to talk about how they’ve approached this new album and the changes they’ve seen in perception of the band and Māori people.



“It’s been a big change,” Tū explains of the change in writing style, “this is the first album that I’ve had a significant role in the writing of the album. There’s a good bulk of the songs that were written by me, so we’re curious to see how they’re received.” There shouldn’t be any danger in that; each single so far has been received warmly by fans. They’ve praised the band for recapturing the intensity that made them stand out originally as well as elevating the levels of groove, without sacrificing the technicality the trio have always enjoyed showcasing.



“When I started the process, since I’d never done it before, my goal was to not listen to other metal bands. I listened to ALIEN WEAPONRY to try and break down what it is that makes Lewis’ playing sound like ALIEN WEAPONRY,” he explains of settling into writing with the others for the first time. Take recent single 1000 Friends, which Tū wrote the music for, but guitarist and lead vocalist Lewis Raharuhi de Jong wrote the lyrics. Initially, the band thought it was a little too out of their wheelhouse during writing and even up to recording.

“My favourite band is TRIVIUM, and when we ran through the first demo we all said, ‘this is a little too much TRIVIUM for us!’ But it was the vocal melodies that brought it back, because the guitar part hasn’t really changed at all.” That bears out in that there’s much more of a groove influence to Te Rā than before; where their first two albums were thrashy, sometimes technically flashy affairs, Te Rā saw them take a deliberate decision to re-centre themselves on what fans had loved about them, without sacrificing their growth as musicians and people. It’s an approach that’s paid dividends, and it’s their most accomplished work yet.


It’s also, tonally, their most downcast and often negative. “That wasn’t conscious,” Tū begins, “it seems to take form when we were at home, and you’d think, ‘oh I want to write a song about that’… Lewis writes a lot of his songs about his mental health, the way he’s observing the world from his own mind and then his opinions on global issues. We didn’t decide collectively that there had to be an overarching theme, but it just sort of happened along the way because of the grim situation of the world right now.”

There’s the aforementioned 1000 Friends that criticises the impact of social media as it drives wedges between people while turning social interactions online into a pissing contest of likes and followers, while songs like Blackened Sky deal with the looming, seemingly constant threat of a global war. Elsewhere, there’s first single Mau Moko that takes in their cultural heritage. “I’m the band member with facial moko [traditional Māori tattoos] and that was about my experiences, what I noticed about the way my life changed since getting facial moko,” Tū explains, while its video also tackles the legacy of colonialism and its suppression of Māori culture and the head trade that colonial forces carried out. “There’s only one song that’s devoid of any deeper meaning,” he grins, “and that’s Ponaturi. It’s just a really fun song about killing sea demons!”



ALIEN WEAPONRY have become akin to ambassadors for Māori culture; while he notes originally in New Zealand, because of the history of colonialism it was difficult to find purchase in their home country, global adoration of their music and message has helped. There’s also been changing attitudes towards Māori people at home, with far more tolerance particularly amongst young people.

“The home reception has always been interesting,” he agrees, “the main one is that heavy metal isn’t a popular genre, and there’s an animosity towards Māori people that isn’t harboured elsewhere. Now, many years on, there’s a really awesome shift… a lot more people are proud to be Māori now, there’s a really great revival of cultural pride going on. We’re noticing people coming to our shows back home that don’t listen to metal, so they’re actually there to support the Maori side of what we do, which is really, really awesome. We played a festival back home last year, one of the only festivals that actually has a stage for rock and heavier music, and it was the first time we’d seen people complain that we were playing at the same time as a very popular R&B singer who was on a completely different stage!”

He recognises that there’s a certain amount of animosity still, but that it typically comes from an increasingly-maligned bigoted, far-right wing within the country, while most are embracing cultural pride, and by extension ALIEN WEAPONRY themselves. “There’s a lot of messaging and stories, metaphors to absorb” on the new album, but it’s safe to say, ALIEN WEAPONRY are back, and better than ever.

Te Rā is out now via Napalm Records. View this interview, alongside dozens of other killer bands, in glorious print magazine fashion in DS119 here:

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ICED EARTH MATT BARLOW ABRE O JOGO SOBRE VOLTAR AO ICED EARTH: “DEPENDE DE JON SCHAFER

Fãs do metal tradicional, segurem esse grito: Matt Barlow, eterno vocalista do Iced Earth, não descartou um possível retorno à banda que ajudou a definir o power/thrash americano. Em entrevista ao The Metal Voice, Barlow falou abertamente sobre a importância de The Dark Saga e a possibilidade de reviver os tempos áureos ao lado de Jon Schaffer — tudo depende do guitarrista e líder do IE.


🗨️ “Se Jon quiser fazer turnês novamente e tocar essa música, estou de todo o coração ansioso por isso.”

A fala vem na esteira do anúncio da turnê comemorativa dos 30 anos de The Dark Saga na Europa em 2025, promovida pelo Ashes of Ares — banda de Barlow com Freddie Vidales, também ex-Iced Earth.

📀 The Dark Saga, lançado em 1996, marcou profundamente a história da banda ao trazer como tema o universo sombrio de Spawn, o anti-herói criado por Todd McFarlane. Com uma performance vocal profundamente emocional, Barlow ajudou a eternizar o álbum como um clássico cultuado — especialmente entre os fãs europeus.


🎙️ “Conseguimos fazer muito mais turnês com esse álbum, ganhamos reconhecimento. Era melódico, emocional e pesado. E me permitiu encontrar meu estilo de voz, com ajuda de um grande professor e do produtor Jim Morris. Foi um disco de crescimento pra mim e pra banda.”

Ainda assim, o vocalista faz questão de deixar claro que a celebração será feita com respeito. Apesar das polêmicas envolvendo Schaffer e os eventos do Capitólio dos EUA em 2021, a música fala mais alto:


🗨️ “Vou celebrar Jon e o que ele fez. Ele escreveu músicas incríveis. Não estamos falando de política — é por amor à música. Temos a bênção dele pra essa turnê. E se um dia ele quiser voltar a tocar isso no palco… eu estou pronto.”

Barlow também deixou claro que nunca rompeu os laços com o legado da banda:


🗨️ “Tenho orgulho do meu tempo no Iced Earth. E não tenho problema com comparações. Minha voz é minha voz, e vai sempre carregar essa conexão. Mas também quero que o Ashes of Ares tenha sua própria identidade.”

📌 Importante lembrar: Barlow, hoje tenente da polícia em Delaware (EUA), concilia sua vida na música com responsabilidades na força pública, o que limita sua agenda de shows. Mas isso não impediu a produção dos três álbuns do Ashes of Ares — o mais recente, Emperors and Fools, saiu em 2022.


“Estamos fazendo o que dá, com férias e agenda apertada. Mas é sempre por amor à música.”

E quanto ao Iced Earth, o futuro ainda é incerto, mas não impossível:


🗨️ “O Iced Earth é a banda do Jon, 100%. Se um dia ele quiser voltar com tudo, depende dele. Mas eu, como fã e parte disso, torço por esse retorno — comigo ou não.”

E aí… será que essa turnê comemorativa é o primeiro passo para um renascimento do Iced Earth com Barlow no vocal?
Se depender da paixão, o fogo ainda queima.

A experiência na prisão após o envolvimento nos acontecimentos de 6 de Janeiro de 2021 levou Jon Schaffer a uma profunda jornada espiritual, detalhada pelo próprio numa nova entrevista.

Jon Schaffer, guitarrista e fundador dos ICED EARTH, revelou ter-se convertido ao cristianismo após a sua prisão por envolvimento na invasão ao Capitólio dos Estados Unidos, a 6 de Janeiro de 2021, numa nova entrevista ao podcast Later Than You Think. O músico norte-americano detalhou o impacto que a experiência teve na sua vida e como encontrou a fé no meio do isolamento e das consequências que se sucederam ao evento.

De forma algo surpreedente, Schaffer explicou que o seu percurso espiritual até já estava em andamento antes dos acontecimentos de 6 de Janeiro, mas que o tempo que passou na prisão acabou por acelerar esse processo. “Eu já tinha começado a ler a Bíblia, mas ainda não estava realmente lá… Foi o início. Na verdade, nem foi o início, porque isto tem sido um processo lento, já que sou um indivíduo muito teimoso”, confessou o músico. “No entanto, foi quando comecei a minha jornada de fé. Estando em confinamento solitário, tive muito tempo para pensar e perceber o poder e o mal contra o qual estamos a lutar.”



Contudo, segundo Schaffer, a verdadeira viragem não aconteceu imediatamente na prisão, mas sim após uma ruptura significativa a nível familiar. “Tive um desentendimento muito feio com a minha filha, e isso foi terrível. Foi aí que percebi o quão desalinhado estava.” Após sair da prisão, Jon Schaffer encontrou então a igreja mais perto da sua casa na Flórida, e começou a sentir uma ligação mais profunda com a religião. O tempo permitiu-lhe experimentar diferentes congregações, até que uma delas teve um impacto decisivo na sua fé.

“Apaixonei-me completamente pelo lugar. Foi a Lakeview Church, em Tarpon Springs. Ia lá, ficava em casa de um amigo no Sábado à noite e, no Domingo, íamos juntos à igreja”, recordou Jon Schaffer. Apesar da distância, o líder dos ICED EARTH continuou a acompanhar os serviços da igreja online quando não podia estar presente fisicamente e, eventualmente, decidiu dar mais um passo e ser baptizado. “Eventualmente, pedi ao pastor Tim Miller para me baptizar. Fizemos isso na piscina da casa dele”, detalhou ele. No entanto, o músico admite que ainda não estava totalmente convencido. “Foi mais uma etapa do caminho”, conclui.


Na entrevista, que podes ver na íntegra em cima, Jon Schaffer também abordou a sua participação nos eventos de 6 de Janeiro, minimizando o carácter insurrecional do ataque ao Capitólio. “Considero que foi mais um protesto do que uma insurreição”, afirmou, mostrando que a sua forma de pensar não mudou no período em que esteve preso. “Estamos a falar dos cidadãos mais armados do planeta. E, de alguma forma, todos esses ‘insurrecionistas’ se esqueceram das suas armas em casa?! É quase como se essa nunca tivesse sido a intenção.”

Segundo Jon Schaffer, a multidão foi conduzida pela energia do momento após o discurso de Donald Trump e pelo facto de, ao chegarem ao edifício do Capitólio, alguns participantes terem sido ajudados pelos próprios agentes da polícia. “Eu não vi nenhuma entrada a ser arrombada. Só vi os mesmos vídeos que toda a gente viu”, explicou ele. “Havia raparigas a descer as escadas a chorar e a dizer que estavam a destruir coisas lá em cima. Esse não era o propósito daquele dia. Fiquei confuso e irritado, sem perceber bem o que estava a acontecer.”



Apesar das suas justificações, Schaffer assumiu um acordo judicial em Abril de 2021, admitindo culpa em duas acusações e concordando em colaborar com as autoridades. O futuro do músico na cena do metal continua incerto, uma vez que a sua relação com antigos colegas de banda e fãs sofreu um grande abalo após os acontecimentos de 6 de Janeiro. Questionado sobre os seus planos futuros no que diz respeito à música, Schaffer disse: “Há alguns lançamentos que tenho na manga e nos quais vamos trabalhar. Em termos de material novo, vou esperar mais tempo. Preciso de saber se há uma direcção artística clara e não algo que seja fabricado por mim.



Já fiz discos suficientes na minha carreira para saber que alguns foram encaixados em agendas, só porque tínhamos de fazer digressões… De certa forma, fomos forçados a escrever devido a pressões de agenda e outros compromissos. Por vezes, trabalhar sob pressão é muito bom e, outras vezes, estamos a fazer só o que é preciso. Portanto, o que quer que faça daqui para a frente, só quero que seja óptimo. Não quero que nada seja forçado. E quero que glorifique Deus. No meu fundo de catálogo há algumas coisas bíblicas, mas agora, do ponto de vista de um cristão, há muito mais inspiração que espero usar para ter um bom efeito nas pessoas. Espero que a inspiração volte… Mas, de momento, não sei como vai ser“.
#MattBarlow #IcedEarth #AshesOfAres #TheDarkSaga #JonSchaffer #Spawn #HeavyMetal #PowerMetal #MetalTradicional #MetalUSA #MetalNuncaMorra #MNDNews #MetalLegends #BarlowIsBack?

LIVE REVIEW: Employed To Serve @ Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff

Ahead of the release of their fifth album, Fallen Star, EMPLOYED TO SERVE have embarked on a small UK tour, and brought along some of the loudest names in underground metal today.

Burner live @ Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. Photo Credit: Stu Rowles

“You’re going to be hearing more from me tonight as Harry as been told he needs to be on vocal rest.” Tells guitarist Nathan Harlow before delivering a fiery set. Returning to the Welsh capital for the first time for almost a full year, BURNER have been on a hot streak since the release of their debut album It All Returns To Nothing. And with two newly released songs behind them, they take the stage as the band burst into The Night Does Not End. While Clwb Ifor Bach is a perfect sound for BURNER as they sound phenomenal, vocalist Harry Nott is on doctors’ orders to be on vocal rest, but you couldn’t tell as he’s up there thrashing around the stage with his barbed wire coated vocals cutting through the blaring drums of Jack Bryant. There’s almost zero crowd participation apart from a few heads nodding which is a shame for BURNER as they’re up there giving their all for the half empty room and people staggering in towards the end of their set. Still, it’s proven that even with a vocalist whose voice isn’t 100%, they make a statement about what they can do on stage.

Rating: 8/10Celestial Sanctuary live @ Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. Photo Credit: Stu Rowles

Going from the chaotic metal styling of BURNER, Celestial Sanctuary take the stage with their 90’s death metal edge. The slower pace on set opener Puddles Of You Reflect The Filth Within feels like the brakes are being slammed on in terms of song progression, as it’s a juxtaposition with the neck breaking pace of Glutted With Chunder, which wakes the crowd up a bit for a small circle pit, it does soon die down as they go back to their slower chugs, but the crowd seem uninterested for the most part, which is a shame as CELESTIAL SANCTUARY are up there shredding their souls out.

CELESTIAL SANCTUARY are great on record, but tonight it seems to be against them. The mix is muddy, which is not a fault of the band, but it makes it hard to pinpoint where one song ends and another starts as the buzz sawed guitars take charge over everything else. Unless vocalist/guitarist Thomas Cronin took time to talk to the crowd between violently shredding his throat, then it would feel like one long song. Don’t let it dilute your opinion of the band as they have some killer songs. It just seems that both the sound and crowd tonight are uninterested in playing ball.

Rating: 6/10 Employed To Serve live @ Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. Photo Credit: Stu Rowles

Since their debut album back in 2015, EMPLOYED TO SERVE have gained more and more traction in the metal landscape with each passing album leading to some high-profile support slots for the band. But for now, they’re enjoying their time in the smaller venues. And this tour was no different.

Emerging onto the stage whilst DIO’s Heaven & Hell plays, the band burst into lead single from Fallen Star, Atonement. And immediately the room erupts into chaos. The only safe space is toward the back as bodies are flailing in the pit as vocalist Justine Jones commands the crowd with her cheeky grin. “There’s the rowdy Welsh!” She chuckles before the band burst into Force Fed. And at the three song point they’ve got the crowd in their palms. Drummer Nathan Pryor however, has his hands full keeping the band in time whilst delivering a stellar performance behind the kit, never letting up for even a second. Guitarists Sammy Urwin & David Porter stand at each side of the stage as they both shred betwixt the booming bass from Casey McHale, who due to a cramped stage, is pushed toward the back but whose presence isn’t forgotten.Employed To Serve live @ Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff. Photo Credit: Stu Rowles

As the band move forward in their set the get tighter and more vicious, feeding off the crowd and giving it back with more bite. The newer material, which isn’t even released at the time of the concert, as the record was released the following day goes down as though it was released alongside anything else they’ve done in the past ten years. As we get toward the climax of the set, Party’s Over has made one thing abundantly clear. EMPLOYED TO SERVE aren’t showing signs of slowing down. In fact, it may be the turbo charged boost they’ve been slowly gaining to launch them into bigger stages not just across the UK, but the world.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Cardiff from Stu Rowles here:














































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PHOTO GALLERY: Lauran Hibberd @ Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff

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