RAMzine 27 | Avatar, Festival Flashbacks, Sister Shotgun
Usually, at this time of year, our pages are stacked with content from Download, Bloodstock, and Ramblin Man Fair. Most have that one unique story that wouldn’t make sense in any other setting other than a festival. Whilst longing to be in that festival atmosphere once again, watching bands perform the new music they’ve unleashed this year, we took some time to speak with some fans about their memorable moments. Chloe Ozwell frontwoman of rockers Sister Shotgun gives her guide to musicians keeping busy in lockdown; and we take a look back at Funeral Friends 2003 album which we have now dubbed a classic. We also catch up with frontman Johannes Eckerström of theatrical, modern metal band Avatar as they are set to release new album Hunter Gatherer which he says is the bands “heaviest most aggressive album in quite some time”. We discuss the red thread running throughout the album, which ties the tracks together.
Usually, at this time of year, our pages are stacked with content from Download, Bloodstock, and Ramblin Man Fair. Most have that one unique story that wouldn’t make sense in any other setting other than a festival. Whilst longing to be in that festival atmosphere once again, watching bands perform the new music they’ve unleashed this year, we took some time to speak with some fans about their memorable moments.
Chloe Ozwell frontwoman of rockers Sister Shotgun gives her guide to musicians keeping busy in lockdown; and we take a look back at Funeral Friends 2003 album which we have now dubbed a classic.
We also catch up with frontman Johannes Eckerström of theatrical, modern metal band Avatar as they are set to release new album Hunter Gatherer which he says is the bands “heaviest most aggressive album in quite some time”. We discuss the red thread running throughout the album, which ties the tracks together.
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COMANIAC<br />
HOLODOX<br />
THE NATURAL DISASTERS<br />
TORMENTA<br />
CENTRE EXCUSE<br />
FAVOURITE SOUL<br />
Swiss thrash metal outfit, Cromaniac,<br />
delivers a solid thrash metal that feels<br />
reminiscent of the glory days of the<br />
big four of Teutonic thrash. The record<br />
delivers grandiose harmonised thrash<br />
guitar riffs and breakneck double bass<br />
drumming, as you’d expect from this<br />
kind of record but is somewhat interesting<br />
in the vocal department as they<br />
can best be described as “an acquired<br />
taste”. Holodox boasts a great deal of<br />
variety and is recommended for fans<br />
of Sodom, Destruction, Kreator and<br />
Suicidal Angels.<br />
Review by Dale Unsworth<br />
Despite being heavily associated with the<br />
tone that is black, as a music subgenre<br />
goth is a bit of a grey area. Copenhagen<br />
based band The Natural Disasters fuse all<br />
sides of the coin on their new album Tormenta.<br />
This is a project by multi-instrumentalist<br />
Alioscha Brito-Egana, with guest<br />
vocalists. Although there is some great<br />
musicianship on this album, all the tracks<br />
seem to blur into one. There’s a good song<br />
in there, just spread out over eight tracks.<br />
Some good ideas but it could have been<br />
slimmed down to a short EP. Tormenta<br />
will be released August 2020.<br />
Review by Neale McGeever<br />
Somewhat like what the New Romantics<br />
and New Wave bands ala Depeche Mode,<br />
New Order, and <strong>Sister</strong>s of Mercy were<br />
doing, Centre Excuse dabble in synthpop/<br />
electro rock with Gothic undertones to it.<br />
Well-crafted, nicely arranged, and suitably<br />
melancholic, Favourite Soul is definitely<br />
competent, but it does not offer any<br />
surprises as such. ‘Moon, Sky and Stars’<br />
and ‘Joy Joy Joy’ are wonderfully anthemic<br />
pieces that will go down a storm in a<br />
future live setting, and despite a few fillers<br />
this is a satisfying listen. Out now via their<br />
own label, New Motion Records.<br />
Review by Jens Nepper<br />
HÄXAN<br />
WHITE NOISE<br />
Häxan are a UK (not US) classic rock trio but<br />
with a metallic bite and new album, White<br />
Noise, is a varied, accessible and bloody<br />
good album. The three cat loving girls supply<br />
heavy, melodic and original rock but with the<br />
sound of a band of five. ‘Nine Lives’ illustrates<br />
the power and melodies that fill the album<br />
with a helluva guitar solo too; see their video<br />
featuring a post-apocalyptic demolition derby<br />
Single ‘Skeletons’ has a great comic style video<br />
to back the intelligent rock that pervades. A<br />
special debut that needs a listen. White Noise<br />
is out now, go grab a copy!<br />
Review by Tom Dixon<br />
29
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