Creature Feature Chamber

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I want to introduce to you Athena, the Crowgrrl!

She comes to The Chamber with a deep love for the hard, dark music so many of us love. Every two weeks she'll feature something new and special, so please come back on a regular basis. All titles are linked to Amazon.com where you can listen to clips and get great prices.

*Eluveitie (pronounced el-way-tea) weave a timeless spell that includes all the enchantment of traditional Celtic Paganism fused with the warrior’s soul of Melodic Death Metal. Named for the Etruscan word for the Helvetii tribe from what is now Switzerland, some of the spoken word parts in their album are scribed in the ancient Gaulish language. An excellent example of their unique style is evident on their third album, Slania (Nuclear Blast).

Check out the video for Inis Mona!

Hailing from Switzerland and blending traditional and modern instrumentation, Eluveitie are: Chrigel Glanzmann (violins, mandolin, acoustic guitar, tin and low whistles, uilleann pipes, gaita, bodhran), Meri Tadic (fiddle, vocals), Anna Murphy (hurdy-gurdy, vocals), Sevan Kirder (tin and low whistles, Irish flute, gaita,vocals), Rafi Kirder (bass, vocals), Ivo Henzi (guitar), Simeon Koch (guitar, vocals), and Merlin Sutter (drums).

The intro Samon starts with a woman talking in an ancient language over the crackle of a fire, then turns into an epic folk-metal instrumental that stirs the very soul. Primordial Breath celebrates both the beauty and the ferocity of Nature. Inis Mona bares the pain of raw agony. Grey Sublime Archon is an absolutely dangerous entity that fends off invading hordes.

The instrumental Anagantos is a mournful, violin-driven ballad. The pulverizing Bloodstained Ground follows a berserker warrior in the throes of battle. The primal The Somber Lay braces for winter’s icy grip. One can’t keep still to the Victorious Slanias Song, featuring wonderful vocal and musical counterbalances.

Another instrumental, Giamonios, is an excellent jig that you can either mosh to or do traditional Celtic dance “Threes and Sevens” (I did the latter). The timeless Tarvos follows the title character, a Divine Bull who is slain and reborn throughout eternity. The gentle jig at the beginning of Calling The Rain doesn’t prepare the listener to the violent storm that follows. Elembivos honors the Antlered God and the seasons. An unlisted, unnamed 13th track came through, a heart-stirring traditional Celtic instrumental.

I have an interview with Chrigel Glanzmann waiting for you down by The Moat!

You can learn more about Athena, the Crowgrrl at: MySpace!

*Every year, California is plagued by wildfires, an unstoppable force of nature. The same force and power is evident in the wonderful Power Metal of Greece’s Firewind – especially evident on their new The Premonition. (Century Media).

This is the second album featuring the distinct, soaring vocals of Apollo Papathasio, who joined guitarist Gus G. (ex Dream Evil, Nightrage, Arch Enemy), bassist Petros Christo, keyboardist Bob Katsionis, and drummer Mark Cross on the “Allegiance” album.

The subdued intro builds tension in Into The Fire – the song growing like sparks that eventually culminate in a bonfire. Catchy riffs abound in the ‘80’s flavored Head Held High, reminding listeners to be true to themselves. I love the vocal harmonies and fantastic musicianship in the Thin Lizzy-like Mercenary Man! Soaring keys are balanced by brutal crunches in the desperate Angels Forgive Me.

The ferocious Remembered exorcises demons of the past, refusing to let them gain another foothold. The bittersweet ballad My Loneliness embraces solitude. The feral, manic Circle of Life has a chillingly dark edge. The Silent Code is anything BUT, with a cool futuristic intro. Firewind heat up the intensity putting their own stamp on the cover of Maniac, the cover of the ‘80’s song by Michael Sembello. Life Foreclosed is permeated with a deadly atmosphere.

*When one hears mention of a Crimson Ghost, the first thing that comes to mind is the Misfit’s distinguished logo of that name. And although the humble beginning for Germany’s The Crimson Ghosts was indeed as a Misfits cover band, they’ve burst through the cemetery gates to take the world by storm in their own right!

The Crimson Ghosts – Vlad (howlings), Jackal (6-string violence and howlings), Monstro (subsonics), and Reverend (skin bashing) – deliver an absolutely infectious witches’ brew of Horror-Punk. This is clearly evident on their extremely fun third album, Dead Eyes Can See (Fiend Force Records) which immediately earned a slot in The Crowgrrl’s personal Heavy Rotation stack! This album’s more fun than an all-night Monster Movie Marathon at the few vintage Drive In Theaters around the country (like Bengie’s Drive In in Baltimore, MD). The musicianship and vocal harmonies are excellent throughout!

The spooky Dead Eyes Can See title track sets the Horror Movie atmosphere – violent percussion against haunting keys sending chills down the spine (this song would be perfectly at home as part of a horror movie soundtrack), with the spoken warning at the end that “Where you’re going, every day is Halloween!” An apt observation, as indeed Halloween like thrills and chills engulf the listener from that moment on!

Invade! goes straight for the jugular, bringing us alien invaders hell bent on the complete decimation of mankind. Zombie hordes – straight off the screen from Romero’s movies - show no mercy in their ravenous search for brains in Bloodred. The seductive vox in Nightbreed invites the listener to celebrate the night in Midian itself. (I’m sure Clive Barker would be proud!) Werewolves abound under a full moon in the feral To Hunt You Down.

A poor soul is trapped in schizophrenia or dementia in the tormented Voices From The Inside. The robotic FX are fun in the intro of Armagetron – cold, heartless steel that conjures images of The Terminator. Forsaken (Requiem) has a mad scientist trying to reanimate a dead lover. The vicious yet tongue-in-cheek (and maybe brains, too) I 812 is another Zombie feeding-frenzy!

The Reek takes a cold, hard look at necrophilia. I absolutely LOVE Devil’s Night – which celebrates The Crow/Eric Draven! I Am Horror is a nightmare personified. We Stay Dark is a maniacal anthem.

* Scar Symmetry’s unique and addictive music is a yin/yang of both beauty and rawness reflected not only in the instrumentation but also in the vocal harmonies as well. The band’s name - thought into existence by drummer Henrik Ohlsson - denotes a peculiar balance. A combination of a hard word (scar), and a soft word (symmetry), it symbolizes the emotional scars everyone harvests from living a human life and the symmetry we share with each other as a result.

The vocals are the first thing that caught the Crowgrrl’s attention from the get-go – the balance between the two vocal styles (from harsh guttural growls to crystal clear soaring vox) is stunning! Even more so when you realize it’s one person - Christian Älvestam - doing both and not two separate singers working in harmony! Add to that the guitar artistry of Jonas Kjellgren and Per Nilsson and the rock solid foundations of bassist Kenneth Seil and the aforementioned skinsman Ohlsson.

These Swedes are back with a third release, Holographic Universe (Nuclear Blast), still with the signature sound and profound, futuristic lyrics but this time delivered with more maturity and a heavier edge.

I love the melodies and vocal harmonies in Morphogenesis, which ushers in a brave new post-apocalyptic world. The soul-stirring Timewave Zero sends signals to awaken the mind. The intense Quantumleaper is an unstoppable entity indeed. The simple yet idyllic violin that ushers in Artificial Sun Projection gives way to musical majesty as it tears down deceptions and illusions.

The blindingly fast The Missing Coordinates wages a psychic war, and features a surreal break and delightfully dark outro. The catchy Ghost Prototype I – Measurement of Thought takes us on a free flight of mind and spirit. The gripping Fear Catalyst warns of how some organized religions resort to fear tactics to control their flocks. The soaring Trapezoid severs strings that attempt to entrap the very soul.

The changing paradigms of Life itself are explored in Prism & Gate. The Holographic Universe title track is a chaotic view of the cosmos. The esoterically profound The Three Dimensional Shadow lyrically breaks out of everyday existence to find the deeper meaning of Life; and musically is the most complex track on the album – mostly brutal but with eloquent moments. I love the fretwork and the dreamlike break that picks back up from the intro in Ghost Prototype II – Deus Ex Machina which lyrically is a full scale rebellion that refuses to conform to any outside standard.

*Power Quest’s fourth album, Master Of Illusion (Napalm Records) casts a timeless epic Power Metal spell.

Hailing from the U.K., Power Quest – vocalist Alessio Garavello, keyboardist SteveWilliams, bassist Steve Scott (on the album; Jon Hoare is the bassist for live shows), guitarist Andrea Martongelli, and drummer Francesco Tresca – are joined by guest appearances from Firewind’s Bob Katsionis, Threshold’s Richard West, and Cellador/Coldera’s Bill Hudson (who has since joined the band).

Cemetery Gates – which is very reminiscent musically of Children of Bodom – is a heart-wrenching farewell to a loved one. I love the soaring keys set against bone-crunching foundations and guitar solo in Human Machine. Civilised? is a beautiful epic about building a better tomorrow. Kings Of Eternity is triumphant.

There is a futuristic/electronica flavor in the Master of Illusion title track, which bemoans people who refuse to face truth or take personal responsibility. The Vigil is a frantic search for Truth. The desperate Save The World is a call for the end to war.

Of Hearts And Voices is an anthemic cry for Unity. I Don’t Believe In Friends Forever bares raw agony. The powerful Never Again refuses to hide in shadows or take the easy solution over making the wrong things right.

*Warrel Dane’s emotionally charged solo debut, Praise To The War Machine (Century Media) is a wonderful treat indeed – excellent musicianship throughout behind Warrel’s distinct vocals and soul-baring lyrics. Teaming up with Warrel for this excellent disc is former Soilwork guitarist Peter Wichers, who in turn enlisted Soilwork skinsman Dirk Verbeuren for percussion.

When We Pray is a powerful plea to change the world for the better. The irate Messenger (which has a guest appearance from Nevermore guitarist Jeff Loomis) sends chills down the spine! Obey is absolutely ominous. Warrel definitely puts his own edgy stamp on the excellent cover of Sisters of Mercy’s classic Lucretia.

Let You Down (with Megadeth guitarist Chris Broderick) has a remorseful beauty. August – a Crowgrrl’s Favorite track – is melodically gorgeous! Your Chosen Misery is morose and melancholic. The Day The Rats Went To War (with a rare appearance by former Testament/Death guitarist James Murphy) is powerfully anthemic.

Brother is powerfully emotional and tormented. There’s also a tortured edge as Warrel makes Paul Simon’s “Patterns” his own. A bittersweet beauty permeates This Old Man. Another Crowgrrl Favorite is the fierce Equilibrium (which features Matt Wicklund from Himsa).

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