Interview:Redouane Aouameur of Lelahell

Lelahell, Aouameur center

It's been nearly five years since we've had a proper album from Lelahell make its way onto our shores here in the  United States.

Their last record was an absolute beast of a death metal pummeling, or something to that effect.

Right now, they've just released the follow up, Alif, which you can order here on BANDCAMP.

While you're waiting for it to download, check out what Redouane Aouameur had to say about Algeria, Lelahell, and all things metal.

Glacially Musical: Thank you for taking some time to speak to us today.

 Lelahell: Thanks for that interview, it is always a pleasure!

Film School with LORD

Lord, of Virginia, is gearing up to release their seventh record, Desperation Finds Hunger In All Men.

They play a variety of sludge metal that borders on some serious death stuff, but featuring some odd vocal stylings...

In the meantime, let's find out more about them and their new record by talking about what kinds of movies they dig.

Glacially Musical:  What's the first movie you remember seeing as a child?

LP Review: "Fredagsmys" by Vanhelga

Fredagsmys

Recently I was told that I must not really enjoy any new music because I said that it's better to not hear things I've heard before.

Simply put this guy thinks that there's no new music, nothing original anymore. It's probably best for me to point him towards Vanhelga.

It's a Doom Metal band with some black metal leanings all wrapped up in Swedish Pop Music Box.

It makes a lot more sense to just think that than it does to type it admittedly...

Fredagsmys does something many albums fail to do, but so many movies and hockey games succeed at so admirably. This album is an emotional roller coaster from first not to last.

Is it strange for doom metal records to have uplifting sections? Because this one has it. I probably should've put SPOILER ALERT there, but I didn't.

The morose arpeggios and the thick power chords intermingle with the vocal stylings that are seemingly ever evolving. From each song to the next, it was hard to know what to expect..and that's what grabs me so hard.

06/29/18 Osmose Productions FACEBOOK ORDER

Vinyl Review: "Avantist" by Avantist

Avantist

Can I give you some real talk right now?

Every so often there's some big talk about our global reach and offices in other nations, but you know that's not real right? Glacially Musical is a one man operation and I work my butt off in order to bring new music to the people. (GOOD new music.)

So right now, this post, along with two other vinyl reviews, is late. My turntable is up in my sitting room. For those of you who watch the unboxing videos, you'll see that I listen to these records in our second living room.

Well, presently, we are doing more than painting, but less than remodeling it so, it's not fit to sit in. Again, I cannot sit in my sitting room. As of this writing, I'm drinking a beer and working on this post with  my computer on a lapdesk whilst I lay down in my bed.

So big apologies to Avantist and No Trend Records. You should have already read this post, but my real life got in the way....

Foods We Love with Hollow Leg

Hollow Leg

Coming all the way out of Jacksonville, FL, we have Hollow Leg.

You might recall their Murder EP.

They're currently putting the finishing touches on an LP due out this fall, but in the mean time, let's see what they're stuffing into their hollow leg...

1. For me, lunch is usually the meal where I don't have to deal with the Napoleon of Food. So it's my favorite meal. What's your best meal of the day? 

Probably breakfast, especially if the hangover situation is real! But the breakfast foods are some of the most comforting

Video: "Game Over Now" by Protovulcan

You've probably never heard this from me, but I'm kind of magical. On Thursday, walking up the stairs to the sitting room...well to look at it anyway... I thought about Protovulcan.

Then on Friday morning, they email me! Protovulcan is back!

It's about a damned time too. It's been far too long since anyone's heard any Instrumental Industrial Acid Rock played on synthesizers.

So, let's sit back and enjoy their dulcet tones...that don't feature any vocals at all.

Hmm.... Check it out...those might be words I'm hearing in the background.

They took me all Fresh Prince on this, flipped turned upside down.

Anyway, enjoy it!

"And All Will Be Desolation" by Allfather

And All Will Be Desolation

When a band you love goes underground for awhile, it can be a little bit sad. Long goodbyes are awkward, but they can lead to spectacular reunions.

That's what this is like, man.

Allfather, well, how have you been? It's been so long since we've seen you. No tour dates in the States huh? That's unfortunate, because you know Cousin Hagrid in Columbia, MO was really hoping to see you.

Look at how you have grown!

Still Metal, Beards, Fuck You! I see. That's fine, those beards, like those big ol'riffs suit you, but you seem different, a bit more mature?

It would be nice to hear from you more often, but this phone call is lovely. It's much better to get a phone call than the postcard you sent us a couple Christmases ago.

If you're looking for some big thickness, this is one to pick up.

Interview with The Dark Red Seed

The Dark Red Seed

From the Westernlands of Seattle, Washington, comes The Dark Red Seed, the side project of King Dude's guitarist, Tosten Larson.

In 2017 The Dark Red Seed emerged onto the scene with the EP, Stands With Death. Just last month, their full length debut was unleashed by Prophecy Productions.

Check out Becomes Awake now!

While you're checking that out, find out what they were willing to tell me....

Glacially Musical: Now, the question that'll annoy you, describe your music for someone who's never heard you.

DR:  Incomplete evolving intentional improvisational spirit channeling for outsiders and the masses 

GM: Does the song, The Mouth of God involve bacon in any way, shape, or form?DR:  Obviously?

VRSA Streaming Superluminal

Have you ever been to Connecticut? If we're being honest with each other, I never have.

It's a state, that in my ignorant opinion, is like an afterthought. It's where New Yorkers go to not live in New York.

What kind of music scene would emerge from that sort of an environment? Apparently, bands like VRSA can come out of there. Listen to this track.

It's similar and distant. The cover of their upcoming album, Cvlt of Machina kind of tells the entire story of what you're going to hear.

It's easy to see what the picture is made out of...we all know what rubber and plastic tubes look like, but have you ever seen them this way?

They'll surprise you. Check it out below.

Our Favorite Things with Her Despair

Her Despair

Have you checked in lately?

You know the deal, fall in right?

Let's all check in together with England's Her Despair. They're a dark metal band from somewhere in England.

Normally, when we get to these favorites, one person in the band will tell the story, but here we have the favorite things from all five members of the band.

Just a reminder...

Beer/Spirit/Etc? Video Game? Ethnic Food? Music delivery device? Literature?

James (vocals)

"Daño Colateral" by Centauro

Daño Colateral

Metal has always been a bit rundown in the vocals department. How many times have you heard people say that they can't understand the words?

Well, Centauro is fun for me because it's in Spanish.

Unlike most Americans, I speak Spanish alongside my English, though English is my mother tongue and Spanish is not.

But I can understand parts of it here and there. There's more to love about this record than simply the language though.

This is an indie thrash record. If you're looking for some Pantera/White Zombie inspired grooves, this isn't it.

Metallica style progressiveness, keep walking. But if you're looking for a record that's going to kick ass six ways till Sunday, these are the droids you're looking for.

That goes double if you like music that surprises you. Check it out.

6/30/18  |  Independent  | Facebook  |  Bandcamp

Our Favorite Things... Gramma Vedetta

Gramma Vedetta

Let's get to know someone again. It's important know that a band is more than just their bio.

To that end, here's Gramma Vedetta's Bio...

In late 2016, Dan (former Bones & Comfort), Marco and Val (former Black Juju Infection of Heaven) started having fun jamming together at Pirate Studios in South London. After a couple of rehearsals, they realized they were onto something good...

 

A frontman/guitarist with heavy rock-blues influences, a funk-rock bass player with a love for electronic music and a metal-head drummer with Stoner Rock influences make up the formula for Gramma Vedetta’s music.

 

You can jump, you can head-bang but overall you will get lost in space where a fuzzy guitar leaves the galaxy, pushed by roaring bass and rocksteady drums.

 

Goddess of Fate's Favorite Things

Goddess of Fate

What do you think of these favorites? To me, they're a cool insight into bands you might not know or want to know more about.

Today, we're talking to Goddess of Fate. They are the first band from Indonesia to be featured on Glacially Musical. 

They're a progressive death metal band from Yogyacarta, Indonesia if you're not into the whole brevity thing.

If you ask me, that's totally cool.

They just put out an LP, Spiral Orchard pt. 1. You can check that out HERE, but right now, let's get inside some noggins.

Foods We Love with Traced By Enemies

Traced By Enemies

Is there anything in this world about crossing the Rhine or is it just what Slayer said....deep in the Rhine?

That doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense to me, but either way, let's head over to the Rhine River Valley...or not really anywhere near it with Traced By Enemies.

Well, recently these German fellows released a new EP, Where The Sun Turns Grey, and you can find out all about the rest of the things they do on Facebook.

Now, let's see what foods they eat!

1. For me, lunch is usually the meal where I don't have to deal with the Napoleon of Food. So it's my favorite meal. What's your best meal of the day?

- Well, I eat like the whole time. So every meal is my favorite meal.

2. What's your most important meal of the day?

- Every. Meal.

Video: "Paramnesia" by Lelahell

There are certain bands in this world that I want to see succeed, not just because I dig them, but because their story compels me.

One of those bands is Algeria's Lelahell. They've faced every kind of oppression you can think of, including a manager being murdered.

Their newest album, Alif, is out now and can be purchased HERE.

If you're still unsure, watch this video and get ready to click it.

Vinyloscopy with The Rare Occasions

The Rare Occasions have recently released their debut album, Into The Shallows. As a band they've been putting out music since 2013, but it took them a full five years to put out a full length record.

Let's not be too hard on them for taking this long to get that full length out because there's several other releases to choose from too.

They're a garage rock band that'll make you want to dance the night away.

They've even got a slight electronic tinge to them, but really we wanna know more about how they feel about records...check that out here....

Video: "The Age of Giant Monsters" by Stagnant Project

Sometimes I get to things too late. Being a guy who's attempting to be an equal partner in a household with a kid who plays hockey and that full time job thing, sometimes we're a bit late to the party.

This time, we're definitely late.

It's easy to feel like you've got a great handle on putting metal bands into a subgenre after you've made over 1300 posts...and most of them being about metal...but Stagnant Project has me a bit flummoxed like a lummox.

There's big riffin', a bit of crab dancin', keyboards, grindcoreish vocals, and some bitchin' leads.

But I'll let you find that giant monster. Anyway, you can find them on Facebook and if you dig this track, there's always the whole rest of the ALBUM too.

Moloch: Something New and Retro At The Same Time

Way over there on the side of the world, there's an artist by the name of Moloch.

He's from Opole, Poland.

Moloch is an electronic black metal band. His works are inspired from a variety of sources, but mostly from Science Fiction and Horror.

On April 30, Via Nocturna released his latest album, The Other Side.

There were many different things to ask and we did just that.

Check it out below.

Glacially Musical: Thank you for taking a little time for us today.

Moloch: The pleasure is all mine, thanks for having me.

GM: On my site, mostly what we covered is some sort of metal. It's not uncommon to blur the lines, but tell me what synthwave is.

"Graveyard of the Gulf" by Deadgaard and Orchid's Curse (SPLIT)

Graveyard of the Gulf

As someone who loves extreme metal and the Maritime Provinces of Canada, Graveyard of the Gulf was tailor made for me!

To put it simply, this split LP is a cracker from front to back. All the best things about death metal are all here.

You want blast beats? Guitar solos? Angry vocals?

How about a title named after a gulf in Canada that was the site of over THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SHIPWRECKS?

Well, Graveyard of the Gulf has all of that and more.

Deadgaard takes side one and once they were done with me, it was hard to think that Orchid's Curse was going to be able to keep this going.

This is a great split because the bands are similar enough to make it seem like you're listening to a single album and different enough that you'll notice. Dargaard is a bit more death metal and Orchid's Curse are a bit more grindcore.

But variety is what makes this world fun.

7/7/18 Independent ORCHID'S CURSE DEADGAARD

Vinyloscopy with Avantist

Awhile back, I shared with you the video fro Red Bible from Chicago's Avantist. If you didn't before, head over there and check out that video.

It's a bit on the strange side, so if you're reading this site, you'll probably love it.

The post-rock band is from a set of four brothers from the south side of Chicago. Their debut album was released by No Trend Records and they apparently weren't satisfied with just an LP this year, so they and Avantist have agreed to release an EP later this month as well.

No rest is the best kind right? I mean, if you just keep moving, you don't need to rest.

In the mean time, we checked in to see what they think of vinyl.

Check it out below!

Concert: Un At The Sinkhole 6/13/18

Un @ The Sinkhole 6/13/18

St. Louis is a hot place and on June 13, 2018, it was no exception.

Just walking outside is enough to make you sweat. On that day, Un makes their way here to play their first show at the Sinkhole.

Coincidentally, it's my first time going to The Sinkhole as well. The Sinkhole is a stone's throw away from the Mississippi River in St. Louis's Carondelet Neighborhood.

I drove down South Broadway past corner bar after corner bar, in other words, through South St. Louis, MO. When showtime hit, I'd already downed a pint a Busch Bavarian Lager and purchased a shirt from Un.

The air was also nice enough to stop hurting and give way to a nice midsummer's evening, in very late spring.

Featured Think Piece:Metallica and Star Wars

After having seen Solo: A Star Wars Story and Episode VIII: The Last Jedi in the preceding months and Metallica being strongly in the news again with their excellent album and touring, something strange occurred to me.

Star Wars is the Metallica of Science Fiction and Metallica is the Star Wars of metal. Bear with me now...

If you follow the careers of Metallica and Lucas Films, there's a very serious parallel in the arc.


Star Wars (Later Episode IV: A New Hope) is a lot like Kill 'Em All... There's a lot of growing up to do, but you see promise.

There's great youthful exuberance here. After this, you want to see more and pray neither is a one and one. They're not a perfect example of the franchises in their primes, but you see where it all came from.

Vinyl Review: "Sealed Shut" by Haunting

Sealed Shut

There is one thing metal does better than most other genres of music...

Metal respects its ancestors like no other.

On the same shelf, you can find brand new modern metal sitting right next to, shall we say, vintage styled metal.

So, let's think back to the early 90's when extreme metal was still crawling out of the crypt before bands like Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, and Morbid Angel broke out of Tampa Bay.

In those days, there were scores of bands who deserved more but didn't make it. They didn't make it because they never had the money to promote, to record, etc. So, what ended up happening were EPs, Maxi-Singles, and rehearsal tapes.

In 2018, there are still those kinds of bands, but it's different now. In 1992, a black and white album cover wasn't the stylistic choice it is now, but a necessity.

What we have here is an interesting juxtaposition of both being modern, but also being extinct. Haunting existed for only a brief time and the only music they ever put to tape is this EP, Sealed Shut.

Foods We Love With Begat The Nephilim "Viva la whiskey!"

Begat The Nephilim

If you wanna get into subgenres that you can't say fast, check out New Hampshire's Begat The Nephilim, the American Blackened Melodic Death Metal band!

What you need to know right now is that Unholy Anarchy Records is on the verge of releasing their album Begat The Nephilim I: The Surreptitious Prophecy/Mother of the Blasphemy on CD. 

You can order that HERE. Also, they're on Facebook HERE.

What you don't need to know, necessarily, but I'm going to tell you about is how they eat. So check that down below.

There might also be more information at the end...(teaser!)

"Phenomenal Problems" by El Ten Eleven

Remember the episode of The Simpsons when they struck oil? Otto's request for the school from their newfound wealth was double guitars. That's something that's totally stuck with me.

Now, here we have a double guitarist who actually utilizes both necks, but it's a bit more strange, because it's a bass guitar and a lead guitar on one body. Check out this insane song by El Ten Eleven.

Through the magic of looping, he even plays them both simultaneously.

If you're new to the boys like myself, they're a post-rock duo from San Diego and Burbank, CA. They're on the cusp of releasing their tenth album, Banker's Hill on August via Top Shelf Records.

Check this tune out and see about a preorder HERE. Also FACEBOOK them.

Interview: Backwoods Payback

Backwoods Payback

When picking bands to write about or to review, it's a lot like flipping through the records at your local record store...(You still do that don't you?)

I've talked about, in the past, how much available content there is and what it's like choosing what to talk about. Well, my current mindset is...be unique, stand out, but do it for the right reasons.

Recently, I started receiving press mailings about Backwoods Payback. 

It would be near enough impossible to hear that name and it not make stop for a second. When they hit my inbox, my family and I were in Washington DC on vacation, but that email was read.

After checking out their upcoming release, Future Slum, it was clear that this is a band everybody needs to hear about.

For lack of a better way of putting it, they're a Stoner Rock band...but that doesn't really speak to the name or the cover of the album, so we talked to Mike Cummings to get the 411 on this trio.

Stream: "Spirit Song" by Brass Owl

If you're anything like me...it's middle afternoon, ya know, popsicle time, and there's a hankering going on in the cockles of your heart. What I need right now is a band that sounds like Creamed Conformity...meaning somewhere between Cream and Corrision of Conformity.

Well, have we got a band for you! Ohio's own, Brass Owl, has been compared to both of those acts. Right now, here on this here internet, you can hear their latest track, Spirit Song which sounds a bit more like Ralph Macchio's character from Crossroads playing Cream tunes.

There's nothin' better than cuttin' heads. Don't forget to poke them on FACEBOOK. They're self-releasing their debut EP on June 22nd. They'll likely keep you appraised of how to get that there on Facebook.

Interview: Moira Smiley

Moira Smiley

Recently, we were lucky enough to check out the vinyl version of Unzip The Horizon by Moira Smiley. If you haven't seen it, go check out the review HERE.

She's an artist who's been around the block more than once.

Her latest release is a beautiful piece of art. We talk about the album, vinyl, and artistry in general...

GM: First of all, thank you for letting me review your album on vinyl. It's my preferred method and it really allows the music to come alive for me. Why did you choose to release it on vinyl?

MS: Thanks for reviewing! Your ‘unboxing’ video made me laugh and wonder aloud, but the review was really fun - thank you so much for taking the time to do that, Nik.

Truly appreciated.

"Chimera" by ISA

Chimera

Music that's off the beaten path is something that really turns my crank. On a good day, that's something we've never heard before and on a bad day, it's just a mish mash of bones on top of dead squirrels.

So, there's a guy in New England that's put together a progressive psychedelic death metal album.

??

Gotta be honest, you really should be checking this record out. It's all of those things I just mentioned. In order to explain this monster to you, I'd have to be one of the musicians involved I think.

But, as I'm just a lowly blogger in a sea of screaming voices, it seems best to ask the man in charge about what in the world this thing is.

Foods We Love With Nomad

Feral

Well, in case you're not feeling hungry enough...

Let's check in with the good chaps from Nomad and see what they like to eat. In case you need an introduction..

They're a group of two bearded gentleman, one bald fellow, and a non-bearded lady .

Right now, their latest album Feral is out now.  You can get that here on digital, CD, or vinyl.

1. For me, lunch is usually the meal where I don't have to deal with the Napoleon of Food. 

So it's my favorite meal. What's your best meal of the day?

John Carberry (Bass): For me, lunch is usually the meal where I don't have to deal with the Napoleon of Food. So it's my favorite meal. Best meal of the day? Lunch, because it means break time at work.

Hayley McIntyre (drums): Lunch for sure, I love filling my fat face with as many pies as possible.

Drian Nash (vocals): I like not eating much during the day and then full on binging in the evening.

Lewis Atkinson (guitar) : All of them, because I'm greedy.

"Continuum" by Sons of Alpha Centauri

Continuum

It's been a little while, but Sons of Alpha Centauri have returned with their sophomore album, Continuum.

It's ambient, instrumental rock.

There are times when the record heads towards metal and others when it heads the other way towards chamber music.

This is an album that features a collection of songs and a collection of moods. What makes it a great album is that even though it lacks lyrics and vocals, there's no lacking of emotion.

Quality musicianship can convey the same amount of emotion as a vocalists talking about their feelings in a therapist's office.

Sons of Alpha Centauri (or SOAC) have that ability. Unlike some other instrumental bands out there, their songs run the gamut. The synthesizers and guitars work together, apart, and converse with beautiful melodies.

Out Now | Ambient | H42 Records | Facebook

Interview with Home Style Surgery

Home Style Surgery

Let's be nice and honest shall we? In the United States, we don't really think about Finland. Say what you want, but unless you're watching Olympic Hockey, you know what I'm saying is true...and Teemu Selanne isn't playing on that team, you probably don't watch it.

The first time I realized Finland was a thing was from the Monty Python song of the same name. It's nothing personal, but Sweden and Norway get all of the attention if we're being honest.

That's probably because Sweden has their death metal scene, and do we have to say anything about Norway's own scene? The one that sparked an international sensation? For clarity's sake, we'll say it: it's Bobbysocks!, naturally.

So, let's take a trip across the Atlantic Ocean, head a bit north, cross the fjords, and learn more about Finland's finest thrash metal band, Home Style Surgery. Jussi Keränen took some time with us and here's what we shook out of him....

"Maze of Madness" by Sinaya

Sinaya

Maze of Madness is one of those albums that doesn't stand on ceremony.

There's far too much of that in the world of metal already if you think about it.

The first track, Life Against Fate, is more than just an opening track. It's a manifesto, a warning, and a signpost.

It's a thick, thunderous, and progressive slab of death metal.

Formed in 2010, the wholly female death metal band is finally releasing their full length debut on August 10, 2018. When a band can come out of the gate this strongly, all we can do as listeners is just try to hold on tight.

It's rare to come across an extreme metal band that rocks this hard. Metallica didn't get this good until Master of Puppets and Slayer is still trying to get this good.

Sinaya's full length debut is one of the best albums of 2018.

Release 8/10/18 Genre Death Metal Label Brutal Records

Favorites with Eye of The Destroyer

Everybody out there on a record is more than just the sound you hear when the diamond rips the grooves. They're all real people, mostly, and it's time to learn more about them.

 As a nerd in the world, my list of favorite things is long and boring...so let's keep this a bit short.

Today we're hearing from Joe Randazza, Eye of the Destroyer's time keeper.

Eye of the Destroyer is a death metal outfit from the far away shores of New Jersey. The Garden State isn't as kind to them as they'd like, so they hit the road and have brought their brand of extreme metal all over the place.

Their latest EP, Violent By Design, drops on June 6th. Then they'll be taking out city by city, but until then, I'd like you to get to know them a little bit better.

Foods We Love With Snow Burial

Snow Burial

Snow Burial is a post-metal trio out of, what I assume to be the, South Side of Chicago, IL. They've got a split 7" coming out later this month with Aseethe.

You can order that HERE via Hand of Death Records on super sweet cassette.

They're a post metal lot hailing, from what I presume to be the South Side of Chicago. Right now, we're checking out their eating habits though...

1. For me, lunch is usually the meal where I don't have to deal with the Napoleon of Food. So it's my favorite meal. What's your best meal of the day?

Ben: My favorite daily meal is when I can have a quiet dinner with the wife after the two little ones are in bed.

2. What's your most important meal of the day?

Ben: The aforementioned dinner.

Al Ard's Selt Titled Debut

One of the things that will always turn this guy off is industrial, dubstep, etc.

But then there was this time when I decided to go ahead and listen to a black metal band that was both considered industrial and it has a little bit of that dubstep too.

Honestly, I'm not 100% sure what dubstep is, but...it doesn't sound very metal.

What I got was this album that makes Mr. Bungle sound like your standard 4/4 time 12 Bar Blues Record.

To say it's avant garde would be understating it a bit, and just in case you weren't paying attention, they also toss in a little bit of that traditional black metal.

Al Ard is completely ready to throw you for a loop every single chance they get.

LP Review: "...And You Will Obey Me" by Down Among The Dead Men

...And You Will Obey Me

Here we have a meeting of the minds.

David Ingram (Echelon) has joined forces with Rogga Johansson (Paganizer) to create a new and different band....Down Among The Dead Men.

What they've created is a Grindcore and Death Metal hybrid.

...And You Will Obey Me has an interesting mix of Napalm Death's straight ahead blasting, but with Slayer''s articulation and musical dynamics.

This is, and work with me here, a progressive grindcore album. Why there are even a few guitar solos here and there. Because, comparatively, they're lacking all over this record, their effect is greater.

This isn't one of those albums by bands like The Black Dahlia Murder where you're pounded by unyielding heaviness, but a series of songs featuring both light and dark...and intelligible growls throughout.

Release 6/15/18 Genre Grindcore/Death Metal Label Transcending Obscurity Facebook