Shield Of Wings - Unfinished (2022)

 Post #395

It's been a while since I reviewed Shield of Wings on this blog. Their first recording, the EP Solarium, was released in 2011. I reviewed a concert they played in August of that year, and have been following them since then. 

I was pleasantly surprised to hear their announcement of a new, full-length album, Unfinished. I was instantly curious to hear how they sound on this new material. Guitarist and main songwriter, James Gregor, and fellow founding member Patrick Eulitz (drums), have recruited a new lineup, featuring Aliyah Daye on keyboards and backing vocals, Alex Luke on bass guitar, and Lara Mordian on lead vocals. My first exposure to any of the new music was their music video for the first single, "Wetland". After that experience, I was eager to hear more. Their overall sound and style of symphonic metal sounds complete, fresh, and epic! Beyond that, the recording reverberates with top-notch production. Every instrument can be heard crisp and clear.

To reference a couple established bands in the symphonic metal genre, I'd compare Lara's vocal style to Epica's Simone Simons. Lara uses a smooth blending of head-voice and chest-voice throughout most songs. Aliyah adds backing vocals in styles ranging from melodic harmonies to death growls. While this may seem stylistically similar to Epica as well, Shield of Wings doesn't implement the harsher vocal style as prominently. Theirs is a primarily melodic, operatic style of vocals with a small peppering of death growls, and only in a fraction of their songs.

Musically their formula sounds close to mid-era Nightwish, as they use heavy guitars, and synthesized symphonic and folk elements to navigate the mood of each piece. Patrick Eulitz could practically be channeling Nightwish's Jukka Nevalainen, he's so precise with the rapid, double-bass drums, and keeping a tight and powerful rhythm through the heavy moments of the music. Nearly every track incorporates multiple elements, with segments that shift from dark heavy tones, to light operatic phrases and back again. Tempos ramp up to furious paces, only to calm again and build the contrast further. Yet every transition flows so seamlessly, they sound like they've been in this field for years, if not decades.

On the track "Cedar", they introduce elements of folk and Celtic music, with a wide array of instruments to match. Heavy guitars and symphonic elements join in, and make this song an immersing musical experience. It's one of my favorite track on the album.

The closing track, "The Scarred Clay Reshaping" is the crowning jewel. The longest track at seven and a half minutes, and lyrics that bring the album full circle, even referencing their early EP in the chorus: "Unfinished solarium, one more cut of the seeker's tongue." Themes of life, struggle, despair and rebirth abound throughout the album, but culminate in the closing lyric: "Ode to the scarred clay reshaping, ode to the ever-flowing river!"

Prepare to be transfixed... Here is the video for "Wetland":

The overall lyrical composition of this album is truly soul-searching, with themes about attainment on levels both personal and existential. Every element of this album, from the music, instrumentation, lyrics, direction, production, mixing, and performance is truly top-notch. Unfinished is, without question, my favorite symphonic metal album since Nightwish's masterpiece Once. If you have even the slightest appreciation for the symphonic metal genre, you owe it to yourself to listen to these songs. Blending beauty and aggression so seamlessly, I feel Shield Of Wings have a bright future ahead. 

Recommended tracks from Unfinished:

-Crushing Hail (another incredible music video, with lyrics as as well!)

-Frozen Harbor (favorite lyric: "Too old to write of innocence, too young to write of wisdom.")

-Cedar (as mentioned previously, this is the 'folk-symphonic-metal' track!)

-Wetland

-Mind of Myth (A favorite lyric from this one: "If I do Not Die How Will I be Reborn?")

-The Scarred Clay Reshaping

(advance digital review copy provided by James Gregor and Shield of Wings)

Shield of Wings' music is available on several platforms, such as...

Bandcamp

Amazon Music

Spotify

Stream, Download, or Order a CD copy today!

*Unfinished is scheduled for release on February 11th, 2022.

Tetrarch- The Will to Fight and Relentless (EP's 2011, 2013)

Post #392

Tetrarch first came on my radar in 2011. I was on the lookout for independent bands to feature in my annual reader's poll contest for Independent Band of the Year, and somewhere, somehow I had heard their track 'We are the Hunters', and it blew me away. This was around the time I was diving deep into melodic metalcore bands like Trivium, All That Remains, Atreyu, and Killswitch Engage. Tetrarch reminded me of all of those bands, but also with more thrash metal influences. Riffs that will pummel your ears, and tempo that is... well... relentless, and powerful vocals that blend screams with melodies. And a singer who has drawn comparisons to both Corey Taylor and the late Chester Bennington. Needless to say, this review is long overdue, and more reviews of their recent work will be coming soon!

This song turned out to be from their debut EP, The Will to Fight. I loved every track on this EP, and I became an instant fan. These guys fit right in with all the newer bands of metalcore I had just been discovering. While these recording may no longer be available for direct download, I believe you can still find them on youtube, so I'll embed the links to those songs for your enjoyment here. Happy Headbanging!

Though it may no longer be available through iTunes, you can find the complete album on youtube to stream. Every track is worth recommending.
The song titles are:
We are the Hunters

The Will to Fight

Set to Flames

Sons of the Sea

Two years later they released a 2nd EP entitled Relentless, and it was every bit as awesome as the first.

This EP may also be unavailable on iTunes. Still, you can try youtube for tracking these gems down...

The song titles are:
Final Words

Leave Me Alone

Relentless

Take Your Best Shot

Watch for reviews of their newer albums Freak and Unstable, coming soon!

A Sound Of Thunder-Parallel Eternity (10-Year Anniversary Album- 2020)

 Post #390

    A Sound of Thunder are an independent band from the Washington, D.C. area that have been creating their own brand of powerful heavy metal since 2010. I was lucky enough to discover them in July of 2011 at Dame Nation 3 in Chicago, IL. I chatted with the band briefly after their set and at the merch booth. We connected on social media and I've followed them closely ever since.

Fast forward 8 years, 5 albums, 4 EPs, and numerous Kickstarter campaigns, and we arrive at 2020, a year that marks the 10th anniversary for this band. With most of the world's activities put on hold or derailed due to the COVID 19 pandemic, A Sound of Thunder found themselves in a relatively lucky place as they had just completed the recording of their 10th anniversary album- Parallel Eternity. This was an ambitious project from the start that kept getting boosted to higher tiers as their Kickstarter goals kept getting exceeded. So the final product is a deservedly grand and over-the-top celebration of the band's whole career and then some!

In a nutshell- this is a 'Best Of' collection with new orchestral arrangements of each track, a bonus disc of covers and alternate mixes, plus a new recording, "Explorer", which has been in the works since the band's conception. This track was meant for this album- it is a 13 minute+ epic, prog-metal masterpiece that just wouldn't be the same without the orchestral elements. It reminds me very much of Iron Maiden's recent prog sound, or perhaps Dream Theater. And with the melodic vocals by Nina Osegueda, a comparison to Nightwish isn't out of the question either! But again, the orchestration brings it to another level. This track alone is worth the $13 for a digital download of the album, but if you're a true music collector, they have different bundles in CD or Vinyl formats that include the deluxe, 72-page booklet and a few bonus items.

As a compilation, this album totally delivers for the long-time fans as well as newcomers, as each of their releases has at least one track represented. Let me reiterate: each and every track gets the upgrade of new, orchestral arrangements! So, even if you've been following this band for years, as I have, you still get something totally new!

Disc 2 starts off where disc 1 left off, with an orchestral arrangement of "Elijah", a 9+ minute epic track from their Lesser Key of Solomon album. Then it starts to mix things up (pun intended!) There is an acoustic cover of Black Sabbath's "Too Late" (From the Dio-era Dehumanizer album). After a live version of "La Preso Del Rei De Franca" they have 3 tracks with a classical mix (orchestral instruments without the guitars and drums), 3 tracks with dubstep remix, and 3 tracks with different world-music remixes. It is quite a listening experience! 

Overall Parallel Eternity is a compilation I can't get enough of. I love the symphonic-metal arrangements of this band's greatest hits. For the absolute best of this Best-Of, I would recommend you at least hear the following tracks:

-A Sound of Thunder

-Explorer

-Walls

-Queen of Hell

-Udoroth

-Els Segadors (this is the band's rendition of the Catalonia national anthem, a song that brought them international attention in 2017.)

Here is the official video of their live performance of Els Segadors in 2017:

Dear Deadly-It's Not Over Yet (2017)

Post #387

Dead Deadly are a melodic metal band from the greater Chicago area of Illinois. I happened to catch them live in concert in the Spring of last year- a concert I reviewed in Post #375. In the fall of 2019 they won this blog's annual Independent Band of the Year reader's poll. They are hard at work on a full length album coming soon. For this post I'll take a close look at their 2017 EP It's Not Over Yet.

It's Not Over Yet is a tight, yet diverse collection of 6 original heavy metal songs. At times you could call it hard rock, or post-grunge, or nu-metal, or alternative metal, and you wouldn't be wrong. Consistent throughout is their melodic vocals, sharp and crisp guitar tones, tight rhythm section and high production quality. Many lead guitar solos are highlights of several songs. Lyrics are delivered with vocal strength and control to evoke many emotions form one track to the next.

The best part of following this band online is the fact that they've produced music videos, or lyric videos, for almost every track on this EP. I will embed or link to most of them below. If you like what you hear and see, then take a minute to follow them, download a track or the whole EP, and stream their songs and videos!

As the 2020 Spring and early Summer season of concerts and tours have been canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems unlikely that I'll be able to promote any shows for them in the near future, but I'll be sure to do so once these events resume. In the meantime I'll try to think of other ways to promote them and their music in the months ahead. Follow this blog or HappyHeadbanger on Facebook for future content.

Visit Dear Deadly's Facebook page to follow their activity
Visit Dear Deadly on Instagram.

Songs from It's Not Over Yet
-Very Wicked Things


-Deviant (My top pick! The lyric video follows a vampire theme, but they also have an official video that's entirely footage of motorcycle stunts!)


-The Devil You Know (An original! Not a cover of the Anthrax song of a similar name!)


-Conviction (A teaser clip-guitar solo only, but still awesome!)


-I Tried (Showing a slightly softer side, this especially melodic song is a mellow self-reflective type of song)

-The Hopeless (A great song with social-political themes, and the inspiration behind their promotional bumper stickers!)

2019 Independent Band of the Year: Dear Deadly!

Post #381

Congratulations to Dear Deadly, the 2019 Independent Band of the Year! This year's reader's poll was competitive, and had several lead-changes during the polling period. It is also notable that it was the first time all 7 bands' vote totals reached double-digits. Dear Deadly took the lead about halfway through, and while other bands closed the gap, Dear Deadly managed to hang on to enough of a lead to finish in 1st place with 140 votes. Watch for a review of their music, promos for their live shows, and other content for the 2020 calendar year.

Thank you as well to all the other bands that made 2019 a memorable contest:
So Called Saints
Dismalimerence
Sons of Ra
Molder
Foredooomed
and Toxic Ruin


Happy Headbanging!

Independent Band of the Year Reader's Poll 2019

Post #377

Welcome to the 2019 Independent Band of the Year readers poll! This year marks the 11th annual contest for HappyHeadbanger.com. I want to thank all the bands participating this year for agreeing to be part of this contest. Please, after previewing music from the bands that interest you, click the link above (or at the end of this post) to cast your votes! Without further delay, let me introduce this year's contestants and give you a brief description and some song suggestions for each of them...

So Called Saints (Rockford, IL)
(Hardcore Metal)

So Called Saints are a hardcore metal band form Rockford, IL. They fuse heavy riffs, rich bass tones, electronic elements, and a show-no-mercy hardcore scream into a powerful, bone crushing sound sure to make metal heads mosh. Serving up brutality with a full-spectrum sonic production quality rarely heard of, this band will get your head banging and your ears bleeding!

Check out their songs:

-Seven Deadly (youtube)

-Monsters N Madmen (youtube-lyric)

Dismalimerance (Chicago, IL)
(Black Metal)

Dismalimerence are a black metal band form Chicago, IL. They give you the expected black metal shrieked vocals, yes. They deliver blistering tempos that would challenge any drumsticks’ integrity, true. However they also give you melodic breakdowns with acoustic guitars and clean melodic transitions. They build back up to their expected intensity, seamlessly blending progressive elements into their dark and haunting sound.

Check out their song:

-Sequestered Hearts (youtube)

-Sequestered Hearts (bandcamp audio)

Sons of Ra (Chicago, IL)
(Prog-Jazz-Metal)

Sons of Ra are a progressive rock/jazz fusion metal band from Chicago, IL. They embrace the free and open jazz structure and blend the guitar soloing, heavy riffs and jazz beats into instrumental jams that satiate the cerebral music lover, and give the emotional outlet that metal heads crave. To get a taste of their esoteric formula there’s just one thing you need to do...
Check out their songs:
-AntiFragile (youtube)
-Persona Non Grata (bandcamp audio)

Molder (Joliet, IL)
(Death Metal)

Molder are a death metal band form Joliet, IL. They actually describe their genre as “pus-riddled death metal” to be accurate, and the description holds up to their sound! If you like your death metal filled with picturesque visions of gore and horror, then Molder is the band for you! They have harsh, mid-range guttural vocals, heavily distorted guitars (of course), but do utilize a variety of tempos to grind your guts out quickly or slowly.

Check out their songs:

-Condemned to the Catafalque (youtube)

-Necrobiome (bandcamp audio)

Foredoomed (Joensuu, Finland)
(Melodic Death Metal)

Foredoomed are a melodic death metal band from Joensuu, Finland. They really pack a versatile formula into a 3-piece act. Deep, dark, disturbing death metal vocals- check. Heavy guitars- check. Soaring symphonic keyboards, and melodic vocals to match- check. Clean guitar riffs, full fret-board guitar solos- check. To hear how they blend all these elements together you should probably...

Check out their songs:

-Blood Red Sun (youtube)

-Dead Candles (bandcamp audio)

Toxic Ruin (Sheboygan, WI)
(Thrash)

Toxic Ruin are a thrash metal band form Sheboygan, WI. They don’t kid around, keeping the riffs heavy, the pace break-neck, the vocals screamed out with fervor. Very technical riffing and blast beat drumming galore. If you utilize metal music for emotional venting, or workout pacing, or just glorious head banging, then Toxic Ruin is your band of choice.

Check out their songs:

-Mental Atrophy (bandcamp audio)

-Insolent Obsession (youtube)

Dear Deadly (Willowbrook, IL)
(Alternative Metal)

Dear Deadly are an alternative metal band form the Chicago suburb of Willowbrook. Fast and catchy riffs permeate their formula. Guitar solos showcase their talent and a scratchy melodic voice delivers their edgy yet beautiful metal music. This band has a fast and heavy sound with hooks around every corner. To hear their grit and grace in harmonious action...

Check out their songs:

-Deviant (youtube)

-Very Wicked Things (bandcamp audio)

Please click this link to cast your vote:

2019 Independent Band Poll

(previewing songs or videos DO NOT COUNT AS VOTES!)

The poll closes at midnight on Sunday, November 17th, 2019!

Happy headbanging!

Act of Destruction-Beyond Eternity (2019)

Post #376

Act Of Destruction have returned with their 2nd independent release, Beyond Eternity. Roughly 4 years have passed since their debut Extinction, which I reviewed previously. In that time the band has seen some changes. One change was the addition of David Kraus on guitars and backing vocals. Kraus is also guitarist and lead vocalist from Scars of Armageddon (another former winner of my Independent Band of the Year poll), so if you're familiar with their sound, then the backing vocals should sound familiar!

Beyond Eternity starts off with Eternal Combustion. This song is sure to be a crowd pleaser to their established following. It has their classic formula of rapid-fire drumming, melodic-death/hardcore vocals by John Bravo III, intricate guitar riffs and unarguable talent with guitar soling. The production seems even crisper than their debut, which was already great! It's like a perfect hybrid between metalcore and melodic death metal.

Ascending Into Glory has an initial guitar riff that fades in. They slow the tempo down slightly, but otherwise is another great song, complete with a great guitar solo. This one seems to have some power metal influences outside of the vocals.

Spiritual Infinity is where Act of Destruction up the ante, and give us all a new twist to their formula. When the chorus comes around, Kraus' soaring melodic vocals blend in with John Bravo's harsher, death-metal growls. The resulting sound surprised me at first with its contrast in style, but it works! It will simultaneously quench your rage and pierce your eardrums. There is again fantastic riff work, and substantial guitar soloing- a true winner of a song!

The Source is a different combination again. With another display of slower-tempo riffs, Act of Destruction showcase their whole package here. The vocals are primarily John Bravo's hardcore growls, but the backing vocal formula includes both Kraus' melodic screams and Nigel Bravo's deeper, guttural death metal vocals are present as well. Then, we also get some spoken word passages by Nigel. The lyrics throughout this EP have been orbiting themes of philosophy, conservation and more esoteric concepts like religion and science fiction. This song is again like that, and has one of my favorite lyrics: "Your tears are the rain upon the blinding dust of the Earth."

Starkblast is a crowning jewel on this recording effort. Clocking in at over 7 minutes, it is the band's longest recording yet. It brings progressive metal elements into the fold more than they've done before. Again the vocal style is a 3-fold revolving door with the Bravo brothers providing the hardcore and death-metal growls, and Kraus the melodic elements. They also have guest vocals by Pindy of Armored Assault! Closing it off are more esoteric spoken word passages by Nigel Bravo, backed my Kraus' fading melodic screams.

Visit Act of Destruction's Bandcamp page for downloads, or find them in iTunes or on Spotify!

Midwest Springfest 2019 at Penny Road Pub

Post #375

On Saturday, April 20th, 2019, Penny Road Pub in Barrington, IL hosted a festival of rock and metal music known as Midwest Springfest. Starting mid-afternoon and running non-stop all through the afternoon and evening, no less than 14 bands got their turn to inundate our auditory senses and show off their variety of talent.

I unfortunately arrived too late to catch Mary Vaughn, Mudfish, and 20 Spot. I did arrive just in time to catch most of The Kringe's set, and then saw every band after that. The venue utilized both the main floor and basement stages, and set times were scheduled so that roughly as one band finished up their set, the next band was about to go on. So it was relatively easy to see every band.

The Kringe

The Kringe were a hard rock band- not aggressive enough to be called metal, but this fest was a broad spectrum 'rock' format, so it was a bit of 'anything goes'. The Kringe were an old-school rock band, and if I had to name their genre then and there I'd say they were 'sleazy blues-rock'. I could detect some influence from the likes of Ted Nugent, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Zeppelin.

GreyWall

Then it was upstairs to catch Greywall. Greywall were a hardcore, alt-rock band. Their vocals were harsh screams offset by scratchy melodic singing. They could be compared to Seether or Three Days Grace. Blend that with Nine Inch Nails and you may not be far off. They definitely had a gritty and raw sound. I was about to be lulled into their ambient dark mood when they hit overdrive and the guitars screamed heavy and distorted along with the vocals. The headbanging was quite enjoyable, and I knew this fest was going to have much variety in store.

Greywall's Set:
-Red Dahlia
-Bullfight
-Babies
-Wait
-Idle Wrist
-The Withering

Toxic Ruin

Toxic Ruin from Sheboygan, WI brought the intensity up a few notches. These guys are old-school thrash, and good at it! Fast and complex riffs, technical drumming and raspy growled vocals. They had the crazies headbanging in an instant and didn’t let up for their whole set. They even included a cover of 'Crystal Mountain' from Death’s iconic Symbolic album. My neck now thoroughly loosened up, I headed back upstairs to catch the next act.

Rachels Bully

Back up to the main floor and Rachel’s Bulky were set to go on. These guys were more old-school rock n roll. They were so intense the shorted out a part of the sound system on their 2nd song. After a short delay to repair the sound system, they were back at it, rocking out to the core. A few more songs into their set they switched it up with a ballad, but then returned to their comfort zone of hard rock with a sleazy edge. I'd recommend them to fans of Buckcherry or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Prison City Brigade

Prison city brigade, from Joliet, brought something new again, showing us a taste of hardcore punk! They had some crowd participation in their name sake song, as they had us chanting “We are! We are the brigade!!” The guitarist came into the audience and jammed one of their songs right there among the crowd. This band gave it their all and poured their hearts (and sweat) out on the stage.

Blacken the Day

Blacken the Day were fortunate to be able to play, as one of their guitarist was just released from the hospital the day before. They didn’t disappoint. Self-described ‘Jazz-metal’, they are the product of a jazz singer who joined a metal band, so both influences were apparent in their sound. Their riffs were heavy with an alt-metal vibe, their singer's vocals melodic and clean. This brought a nice contrast to their sound and delivery

Monroe

Monroe's sound was a welcomed mix of hard rock and alternative metal. They delivered a heavy, rocking set while keeping the crowd engaged. Their bassist was sporting a Genotype t-shirt, a hint that they also were representing the Rockford scene. Track for track, Monroe delivered a loud rocking performance and songs with catchy grooves.

No Clear Way

This band again brought something new to the mix. Heavy guitars, and a deep toned-bass groove set the foundation for their singer's post-grunge inspired vocal style. There was evident of the influences of Scott Weiland, Eddie Vedder and the like, but backed by a more metal style. Theirs was another engaging performance with more bands yet to come!

Genotype

With only a few bands left to perform, it was finally time to catch Genotype, the winner of my independent band poll last fall, in concert! I first reviewed them after they played Dame Nation back in 2013. Since then I had followed their social media, but never had another chance to see them live. Once they started playing it was obvious they were worth the wait! They opened with 'The Dream' from their latest album- Genotype III, and their intensity was at 11! They play a style of metalcore, mixed with electronic elements. Vocalist Kadie Kirby delivers both melodic and screamed vocal styles, with equal mastery of each style. Charles Esposito and Shaun Combee keep assaulting the audience with heavy riffs and killer solos. All the while drummer Remington Roberts keeps an intensely tight beat with rapid blast-beat drumming. I was especially blown away by the vocal range displayed in their track 'Drifting to the End'. They are an amazing band to see live. I'd try to catch their next show if I were you!
-The Dream
-Temple of Saturn
-Lysithia
-Energon
-Drifting to the End
-Silence

Dear Deadly

The Penultimate band was Dear Deadly, and they performed a more traditional style of metal. Sharp guitar tones, frequent solos and a scratchy but clean vocal style had me pegging them as power metal. Their vocal style was clean singing, but with a power and edge that it hovered at the bring of a scream for the majority of their set. For a comparison I might look to the early works of Bullet for My Valentine, or In Flames. Their songs had great hooks! At one point I thought I heard a guitar solo that mirrored the melody of  'La Vida Loca'. Check out their song 'Deviant' and see if you hear the same!

Setlist:
-Virus
-Face to Face
-Bad Habits
-Very Wicked Things
-Deviant
-The Devil You Know
-The Hopeless
-Papercut (Linkin Park cover)

Alethia

By this point of the show there had been so many great performances that I found it hard to believe the show organizers could have possibly saved the best for last, but then Alethia took the stage, and I was soon proven wrong. Alethia were a true metalcore band. Fast, technical, complex riffs, and a hardcore screamed vocal style, they pushed the adrenaline through the roof! Still, more than just the intense and heavy sound, they incorporated segments of melodic phrases and clean backing vocals the give their sound a sophisticated and professional delivery. I was banging my head as intensely as I had all night, and their musics power reminded me of the likes of Killswitch Engage, or August Burns Red.

At the end of this truly rewarding metal music fest I had definitely added many bands to my list for must-hear music. I have downloaded, or bought their CDs online, and highly recommend you do the same! Check your iTunes, Spotify, Bandcamp, Reverbnation, facebook, and Youtube for these bands, their catalog of albums or EPs, their most highly played songs, add them to your own playlists and spread the word to your own metalhead friends!

Thanks you for reading, and as always, Happy Headbanging!

Genotype: 2 upcoming shows for May, 2019

Post #374

Don't miss your next chances to see Genotype live in concert! Genotype have 2 upcoming shows in May.

First, the are Opening for Stitched Up Heart on Friday May 17th! This Friday night show is at the Apollo Theater in Belvidere, IL. Show goes on at 7pm! Tickets are $10.49 in advance, $20 at the door.

And on May 26th they are performing in McChesney Park, IL as part of A Family Fun Night of Metal. This Fun Night starts at 5pm.

Interview with Genotype on April 20th, 2019

Post #373

While attending Midwest Springfest 2019 at Penny Road Pub I managed to catch a few members of Genotype for a quick interview. Click the audio below and hear my discussion with Kadie, Shaun, and Remington about their inspiration, creative process within Genotype, and plans for the near future. (oh and there is a brief appearance of Justin, their bassist, at about minute 7:23 when he arrives and asks us for tips on where to park...)



After the interview, the band got back to preparing for their set, while I went back to listening to as many of the other performing bands as I could. Please follow this blog and I'll have a full review of Midwest Springfest 2019 up soon!

Catch Genotype at Midwest Springfest at Penny Road Pub on April 20th!

Post #372

2019 Independent Band of the Year, Genotype, will be performing this coming weekend on April 20th at Penny Road Pub's Midwest Springfest 2019!

Tickets are $10 in advance if purchased from the performing bands, $12 at the door. Doors open at 2:00pm, show starts at 2:30pm. 15 confirmed bands! 2 stages with alternating set-times so you'll be able to catch every single act! All-ages show until 8:00pm!!

Don't miss Happyheadbanger's reigning Independent Band of the Year, GENOTYPE, performing songs from their latest release, Genotype III and others.

For more information, click the image below to be directed to the facebook event page:

Happy Headbanging!!!

2018 Independent Band of the Year-Final Results

Post #368

Although the responses to the recent Independent Band of the Year readers poll are always viewable at the google form link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmAeWL6kccVt-pRC8yYUXk_FW-nA0KZg_l8b4Z8TBaMt7_Vg/viewanalytics

I did also want to post a graph of the final responses within this blog itself. I apologize for the delay.
Here are the final poll results:

Thank you again to all the bands for participating, all of the readers of this blog and fans of each individual band, past winners for you nominations, and anyone else who may have voted for any band in this contest. Congratulations to Genotype for their well-deserved victory.

 KEEP SUPPORTING LOCAL MUSIC!

Happy Headbanging!!! 

\m/

Genotype-Genotype III (2017)

Post #367

Genotype recently won our Independent Band of the Year reader's poll in late 2018. You can visit their main website by clicking their link in the sidebar. Today I'll be reviewing their latest independent recording, their 3rd full-length album: Genotype III.

Genotype are a melodic, hardcore metal band who incorporate some electronic elements into their sound. It gives their music a futuristic, post-apocalyptic ambiance. They've been promoting their music at various local venues between Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI since 2012.

Genotype III holds true to their established elements and shines as cohesive, consistent hardcore metal listening experience, with a top-notch production quality. It showcases the vocal range of Kadie Kirby as well as, if not better than, their previous release, Design Intent, reviewed here. Her aggressive screams are on par with those of Alexis Brown from Straight Line Stitch, but at times she also shows off her melodic side, giving Genotype's music even more dynamic qualities. Here are some thoughts on each track of Genotype III.

Antiquity-The album-opener wastes no time getting into the fast riffs, aggressive vocals and technical prowess this band has to offer. The moderately fast verses are broken up by double-time choruses, and melodic breakdowns alike!

Defiance-Another winner, this track switches the formula around slightly, opening with a melodic verse that gives way to hardcore choruses. Lead guitar solo is reminiscent of the late Oli Herbert from All That Remains. Well done!

Cyberfi-This track is a bit slower on the tempo, but maintains the band's heavy edge. Segments of the song are driven by the rhythm section as guitars cut in and out.

Silence-Perhaps my favorite track, and certainly the one I've heard most frequently- this song has a music video they filmed to promote it. It was also one of their featured tracks in the recent Independent Band competition. Very tight production, very heavy song, and as always, tremendous skill on display with every instrument and the vocal performance! Check it out for yourself:

Light Worker-Here is the true boundary-pusher for this album, but in the lighter direction. This one is entirely melodic in tone, slow and soft in delivery, but still a very enjoyable number. A track like this to break away from the band's typical formula may be taking a risk, but it's well worth it, and makes the album as a whole a better product.

The Dream- This song slowly fades in with some electronic elements, but then they hit you with the heavy, hardcore vocals again. A melodic chorus and elegant lead guitars layered on top the hook-laden riffs deliver us back around to another hardcore verse. A song that meanders through their repertoire in a good way!

Synastry- Another winner that opens with clean vocals over  heavy, pounding riffs, broken up by ambient melodic breaks, then a transition to powerful hardcore vocals, blast beats and killer riffs. Smooth transitions and a mood that flirts equally with uplifting and dark tones.

Darkstar (Afterglow, featuring Michelle Esposito)- Starts off with slower, heavy riffs with middle-range vocals. Nothing over the top tempo-wise but the guest vocals on this one bring a new dimension to the music. For the most part this song stays true to the melodic side of vocals, while the instruments ebb and flow between clean and heavy.

Lo_Drift-A steady heavy riff is perpetual in this song, while the vocal style switches things up between the screams and the melody.

Temple of Saturn- One of the darker, more aggressive songs on this album. This one will give metalheads a fulfilling headbanging experience.

Praeteritus- In a similar way to their previous Design Intent album, Genotype close the album with a more experimental, electronic-focused number. Segments of spoken phrases by Kadie send a take home message to the listener- live without regrets.

Don't forget to check out Genotype's Spotify page!

Breaking Down the Numbers-2018 Independent Band Poll

Post #366

While initially I was not pleased to have to use a different format to conduct my most recent poll for Independent Band of the Year, I did discover that the Google Form approach allowed me to customize the poll a little further. For those of you who voted, you probably noticed that I added an extra question this year, asking you to check the songs you previewed prior to casting your vote. That is, after all, the goal of this contest: to get more people to actually hear the music from these unsigned bands that deserve to be heard. I was very curious to see how many respondents actually were listening to the songs.

The point of the poll, as always, was to determine the most popular band, so the 'Favorite Band' question was required for the poll. The 'Songs Previewed' question was optional. Still, the majority opted to respond- less than 10% did not respond to the 'Songs Previewed' question. The results were interesting, following a slightly skewed Gaussian curve:

There were 125 total responses to this year's Independent Band of the Year poll. Nearly half of those responding (44%) previewed only tracks by the band they voted for. This was expected to a certain degree- I did encourage all contestants to share the contest among their fans and campaign for votes in any way they saw fit. I was encouraged to see that so many respondents took the time to listen to at least one other band, and a fair amount of respondents (almost 22%, more than 1 in 5) listened to at least 1 track from every contestant, if not every single recommended track. (each band except Mediums had 2 tracks featured in the contest.)

Here is a graph depicting how many plays each song received:

(Note: The bands Genotype and Guardsman requested one of their tracks to be changed after the contest was already underway. Hence you see 3 tracks for those bands, but they only had 2 tracks recommended at any given time.)

Clearly the top 2 vote-getting bands, Genotype and Ditchwater, received slightly more song-plays. However, I was quite pleased to see that every band received a good balance of song-plays. 

I look forward to trying this approach again next year. Whether it will again be through Google Forms or some other format I can't say for sure.

Thank you to all who voted for any band in this year's contest. Watch this blog for a review of Genotype's album Genotype III coming very soon!

Happy Headbanging!

2018 Independent Band of the Year Readers' Poll

Post #364

It is again time for my annual contest for HappyHeadbanger's Independent Band of the Year. 7 talented, unsigned rock and metal bands. Here with samples of their music for you to stream, view, download, jam, and bang your head to! Check out each one, click on the link at the bottom to visit the Google Form to cast your vote! Then share this article with your metal-head friends. Keep checking back to see which band will end up with the most votes and become my featured artist for the 2019 calendar year!

Here are brief descriptions of each band. Click the images to visit each band's facebook page or website. Click on song titles to hear the music through either Youtube, Bandcamp or Spotify. Happy Headbanging!

Genotype (Rockford, IL Metalcore/Technical Hardcore)

Genotype are a metal band from Rockford, IL that fuse hardcore and melodic vocal elements with a technical metalcore guitar tone and some electronic elements. The result is music that is in one moment brutally heavy, the next a catchy melody, and then a dark ambiance. You won't want to miss this band's music!

Check Out:
Trine
Silence

Ditchwater (Chicago, IL Alt-Metal)

Ditchwater are a Chicago alternative rock/metal band that have been around since 1993! After some personnel changes, a creative core was established in 2002. After a 2016 full-length album, new music is again on the horizon for this band! For a heavy, post-grunge, alt rock experience give this band your attention!

Check out:
Broken Me
Heal Me

Guardsman (Chicago, IL Progressive Power Metal)

Guardsman are a Chicago-based power metal band with some progressive metal influence as well. Their vocalist reminds me of a deeper-voiced James Hetfield. That, combined with their prodigious guitar soloing, prompts me to describe them as a mash-up of Metallica and Iron Maiden. If you love both thrash metal and the NWOBHM, then this is the band for you!

Check Out:
Dark Days Ahead
One of the Missing

Silverside (Chicago, IL Alternative Rock)

Silverside are a Chicago hard rock band with catchy hooks and melodic vocals with just the right amount of grit. Some of their songs remind me of the Foo Fighters. If you're an alternative rock fan, check out this band!

Check Out:
Slowburn
Help is on the Way

Mediums (Chicago, IL Indie/Blues Rock)

Mediums are a blues-rock/indie-rock band from Chicago's north side. One of their first ever live-performances was actually at HappyHeadbanger Fest 2016! They're in the process of recording their first album, so a live youtube video is currently the only place to hear their music online. More coming from them soon!

Check Out:
Only in Moonlight

Shadowstrike (New York, NY Epic Power Metal)

Shadowstrike are a progressive power metal band out of New York. Their furiously fast guitar solos and uplifting fantasy and video game themed music makes it easy to compare them to the mighty DragonForce. If you like your metal fast, with soaring melodies, then this is the band for you!

Check Out:
Gales of Winter
Wind in the Sky

Living Terror (Plano, IL Speed/Thrash/Blackened Thrash)

Living Terror are a Speed Metal, or Blackened Thrash Metal band from Plano, IL. They've been playing gigs around Chicagoland for the last couple years and have a full-length album available. If you're a fan of Children of Bodom or Venom then maybe you'd do well to give these guys a listen!

Check Out:
Warfare
Chemical Holocaust

To vote YOU MUST VISIT THE FOLLOWING LINK, then enter your email address and cast your vote! 2018 Independent Band of the Year Readers Poll

Act of Destruction Podcast on TheMetalExperience - Tuesday, September 4th

Post #362

Haven't heard of TheMetalExperience.com? Then you could be missing out on some great podcasts. This site is a Chicagoland-based online podcast site dedicated to heavy metal music, unsigned local metal bands, both those local and from around the world. They've already interviewed numerous local bands from Chicago and its suburbs, but also from across the US and the world.

Coming up next week on Tuesday September 4th, The Metal Experience's featured guest will be none other than HappyHeadbanger's own 2017-18 Independent Band of the Year: Act of Destruction! The Band have shared the location and date on their facebook page and encourage their fans to drop in and hang with them before and after the interview.

The podcast will be taped at 119 N York St in Elmhurst, IL. Curious to learn more about Act of Destruction, the band members, their influences, their personalities? Then you should follow The Metal Experience and listen to this podcast.

So mark your calendar and get to hang with the band on September 4th, or follow www.TheMetalExperience.com to listen to the interview available after September 5th!

Act of Destruction with The Gory Details on June 29th

Post #361

On Friday, June 29th, 2018 HappyHeadbanger's Independent Band of the Year, Act of Destruction, return to performing live at Cheers Live Music Venue in Midlothian, IL! Alos on the bill that evening is The Gory Details.

Don't Miss this chance to catch Act of Destruction in action. And always remember to #GetDestroyed with some brutal thrash metal!!! Doors open at 8:00pm.

Foredoomed-Ordeal (2017)

Post #360

Foredoomed are a melodic death metal band from Joensuu, Finland. They have a very diverse style of death metal that incorporates elements of power metal, progressive rock, ambient rock, and symphonic metal to name just a couple. The best known band I can think to compare them to may be Amon Amarth, but they offer so much more.

Ordeal is their debut album, and after listening to it all the way through, I am blown away by the quality of production and mixing that is evident on these tracks. Their intro track 'Origin' is a beautiful, symphonic metal track with melodic female vocals provided by a guest musician, Mia Rouvinen. Then they hit you with 'Ghost Recurrence', a more aggressive thrasher, and it changes the game as vocalist/guitarist Atte Kymalainen proceeds to show you what he can do. Death metal growls dominate for much of this song, but elegant melodic vocals come into play for the last minute or so of the song. By now the listener knows what the band is capable of, and the rest of the album explores each element further.

 I first tried to listen to Foredoomed as a death metal band that has incorporated melodic elements and styles of power metal and symphonic metal into their sound. The more I thought about it, however, that seemed like a lot of things to incorporate into a death metal pallet of sounds. Then I stepped back, reconsidered, and found that a better description is perhaps a progressive power metal band with a heavy infusion of death metal style vocals. I found this to be a more comfortable context to appreciate their musical diversity, so that is how I shall refer to them.

While the vocal are indeed mostly death metal growls and screams, with deep guttural tones and ear splitting shrieks, they do incorporate a significant amount of melodic, and operatic vocals too. The musical formula that drives the band's sound it truly melodic in focus. Don't get me wrong, they are still brutally heavy and have moments of pure death metal ferocity, but there are lead guitars overlaying melodic phrases every time you turn around. There is also a near-constant presence of keyboards and/or synthesizers that serve to fill the sound, even in moments when they may be so overpowered by the grinding riffs you hardly notice them.

Foredoomed are a truly talented melodic death metal band. They incorporate such a balanced and abundant amount of melodic, progressive, and ambient elements that I do argue they are more a power metal band that incorporates death metal elements than vice-versa. Ordeal as an album, is a masterpiece of this infusion of metal formulas. I can't get enough of it! If you are a fan of Amon Amarth or even more traditional European power metal bands like Sonata Arctica then you will find much to like with Foredoomed!

Recommended tracks from Ordeal:
-Ghost Recurrence
-Search for Tomorrow (My personal favorite! Love the lead guitar melody and theme that recurs throughout this song.)
-Dualism
-Shade of the Darker Sun

Follow Foredoomed on:
FACEBOOK
BANDCAMP
Official Website
Check out their lyric video for Dualism!

Proudest Angel- Fan Contest for Upcoming House of Blues Show.

Post #358

Proudest Angel are headling the House of Blues, Chicago on March 29th. They want you to know about it and share it! From now through this Saturday, March 17th anybody that uses #proudestangel on social media will be entered into a drawing for 2 tickets to the show, 2 shirts and downloads of both their albums.


-

-

So jump onto your facebooks, instagrams, and twitters and spread the word for #proudestangel and their House of Blues show on March 29th!!!

ACT OF DESTRUCTION-EXTINCTION (2015)

Post # 355

Act of Destruction are a thrash metal band from Chicago. They write aggressive songs with fast tempos, raw production, harsh vocals, intense guitar solos, and lyrics infused with political and religious criticism. Having recently won my Independent Band of the Year poll for 2017, here is my promised review of their 2015 release Extinction.

Extinction is a well-crafted, full-length debut album, with 12 tracks counting the instrumental intro. While they are firmly fixed in the aggressive side of thrash (they don't have any softer tracks that break from the aggressive pattern on this release), they do keep things interesting with top-notch lead guitars and plenty of solos. Extinction may not be a concept album, but it is a true listening experience.

Overture of Destruction is the instrumental track that serves as an intro to the album. It starts with thundering riffs that tease with bursts of power that are allowed to ring into one lull after another. Then they hit you between the eyes with Worldwide Hate- a furiously fast thrasher! "Now the fury is unleashed, Law and Order are deceased." the lyrics intone, and the atmosphere of chaos is set. Then, ascending guitar solos shred and the song's tone shifts to a breakdown. The intensity returns to close out the number, and you know you'll be banging your head.

That mood of chaos, darkness, and aggression holds throughout the album from one song to the next. While the riffs are constantly heavy and aggressive, there is always a lead guitar in the mix, often shredding intense leads. The soloing is frequent and extensive when it comes around. The lead guitars serve to maintain an element of  melody within songs. Often there are long stretches of guitar solos that bring new dimensions to the speed metal riffs.

The guitar tones remind me of Sepultura's early works, while the vocals seem to be comparable to Exodus. In both those comparisons the aggressive and relentless tempo also is an accurate benchmark. Lyrical themes range from political criticism to occult imagery. Though the vocal delivery may be one dimensional with the constant gritty screams, the lyrics still provide insightful debates on the subjects they choose to explore.

Overall, Extinction is a successful thrash metal effort. It harkens back to the early days of thrash, when it was truly synonymous with the term 'Speed Metal'. Aside from their obvious talent at maintaining lightning fast tempos, their is no talent lost in the area of lead guitars with this band.

Don't forget to stream or download Extinction through Act of Destruction's Bandcamp page!

Recommended tracks:

-Worldwide Hate

-Death Warriors

-Disciples of the Night

-Black Reality

-Corpses of the Dead (This one contains one of my favorite lines: 'The road to hell has become far too long'!)