HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I know I haven't made a lot of posts as of late for the proudest horn wielding blog in Edmonton (arguably Canada). However, I am always on the lookout for smaller less publicized acts so if you know someone who knows someone who knows a guitar tech whos knows a roadie who knows a band. LET THE FORGE KNOW! Don't be shy just Email me at theforgeofheavymetal@gmail.com

Aside from that, today is in fact my birthday, not a huge deal because hey I am not that special but in tribute to those who share this day as their day of birth (CHRIS ADLER-LAMB OF GOD), I give you this classic from Dethklok.

FUNNY HA HA? OR FUNNY HELL YEAH!: PART THREE

That's right Forge fans, it's back and funnier than Elmer Fudd doing Cannibal Corpse,

Is it Funny Ha Ha?

Or Funny Hell Yeah?

You be the Judge, and may your judgement be righteous and oh so very METAL! (not to mention in the comments section)

Hate Bret Micheals of Poison? Me, too watch him
eat a stage piece like it's a 60km/h C**K


Because Ronald McDonald wasn't scary before,
Here he is taking on Dimmu's Sacrilegious Scorn


Hitler demo's Master of Puppets

Makin fun of Hitler is always fun. What's he gonna do?

Come back to life as a retarded zombie

and start having a co-dependant relationship with

Varg Vikernes in a little wooden house in the Swiss Alps?

NO, because he's dead and all his skin head worshippers can

go ahead and follow his example.

Racism is like a drag queens crotch

Dress it up however you like,

in the end you're still just a dick.

Dr. Who? What? Where? and Metal?

...And now time for something completely different in the words of the Monty Python comedy troop.

Heavy Metal finds its roots partly from the English (that's Great Britain for you confused uneducated tossers and wanker out there!) scene of the 1970's.

Nothing says England quite like the show Dr. Who, a Sci-Fi show that is actually the longest running of its kind in history, it started on my birthday in 1963 (bonus points if you can figure out my birthday, little hint Kennedy's assassination anniversary is the day before) and has had 10 incarnations of the character known as "The Doctor" thus far.

The basic premise is this, um...freaking watch it then you'll know won't you.

Dr. Who is so ingrained in the public consciousness now, particularily in Britain that it does in fact bleed over into Heavy Metal somewhat, for example Dani Filth collects the signature antagonist's of the show the Daleks. (the pepper shaker blokes shown above below the logo)

As any community would, we in the Heavy Metal Horns Held High community better known as the association of guys you don't sit next to on the bus because we will eat your face, have taken it upon themselves to make Dr. Who's main theme that much more METAL!

I have chosen the two best candidates I could find courtesy of YouTube, both are great but only one should prevail, so make your pick and post it in the comments. Until then keep the horns high and EXTERMINATE! (Dr. Who fans will get that one)

Dr. Who Heavy Metal Theme #1


Dr. Who Heavy Metal Theme #2

METAL ON METAL ACTION ON THE FORGE-TUBE

You, Oh faithful followers of the Forge know that a Forge is nothing without an Anvil, and so you now can watch the landmark documentary Anvil: The Story of Anvil on the ForgeTube, just click the link in the sidebar and you are there.

Keep the Horns Held High and I'll keep hammering away at the Forge and try to bring you quality content from the underground.

TRUE HEAVY METAL "TIL THEY DIE"

As the FolkFest carried on this past weekend in our city of Edmonton, revellers of another kind gathered at Starlite Room Friday and Saturday night like a storm of steel bristling with bolts and lightning waiting to crack! The tumultuous, apocalyptic storm was called MetalFest and you best take heed lest it cross your path.

MetalFest '09 was a two day smorgasbord of destructive intensity featuring Alberta based bands from all over. Among the scores of talented acts in Friday night's installment such as Dead Jesus, Order Of Chaos, and We Found the Body, enter Calgarian five piece, KILYAKAI.

Birthed in the Alberta Heavy Metal scene in 2006, this formidable group have done nothing short of blitz every gig that the west had to offer. They have opened for the likes of Iced Earth and Zimmer's Hole and rightly so, if there ever was an example of pure metal that can make the masses move, this group is it.

Their Friday night set was a spectacular example of what this band is truly capable of. Explosive vocal deliveries both clean and dirty by lead singer Wes DeLeeuw combined with solid, polished, technical riffing, by guitarists Mike Porteous, and Adam "Vegas" Vagacs. All the while, the low end masterfully manipulated by bassist Nate Reno synergized well with the seemingly effortless but nonetheless difficult percussive beats of drummer Ryan Boyko. All this equalled a performance by a band that renewed your faith in the Heavy Metal genre's continuance into the future without losing itself along the way.

Songs like "Slaughterhouse", "Infidel", and what tongue-in-cheek they dub their ballad "Tracks of Red" (inspired by the movie Requiem for a Dream) made the once paltry crowd gather and bask in the fiery glow of Kilyakai's performance. Of the eight bands that played Friday night, this group was the only one heard receiving a chant as they played.

Just shortly after their explosive set, The Forge of Heavy Metal had an opportunity to speak with not one, but all of the guys of this fast becoming staple group of the Calgary/Edmonton metal scene.

THE FORGE: What are some of your influences as a band?

KILYAKAI: Black Dahlia Murder, Red Chord, and Pantera among others.

The Pantera influence comes as no shock due to a certain Phil Anselmo nuance to lead singer Wes DeLeeuw's voice during his performances.

THE FORGE: Where did you get the name and what does it mean?

DELEEUW: It comes from the Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were, it is described as a wizened tribesmen who resemble pygmy forest demons who supposedly steal small children and use them to reproduce more of themselves, it's the perfect metaphor for music.

Despite the insightful nature of their name, it's originality and its easy to remember tri-syllabic composition (a must have according to bassist Nate Reno), it has been associated with a few misnomers. Much to their credit, the band doesn't get upset about it, they see an opportunity to have some fun with it.

RENO: We are creating our own spicy teriyaki sauce, called "Kilyaki"

As comical as it sounds, they stand by it and apparently will release this condiment as just one of the many things they intend to do over their careers as musicians. The conversation then turns to marketing, and mainstream music such as the likes of Nickelback which frontman DeLeeuw can only say "didn't kill music, but gave it herpes", to which I couldn't agree more. (Think we're being too hard on Nickelback, check out this link, then think again.)

When they're not spending time creating condiments, the band has worked non-stop practically since their 2007 self title EP release on their latest album.

THE FORGE: You have a new album coming soon, what is it called and what's it all about?

KILYAKAI: It's called Devastate Insisted Existence or DIE for short. It's about the end of humanity, fighting the expectations that you are supposed to get married, produce a bunch of kids...

RENO: ...It's a demolition of the ego

DELEEUW: We are trying to bastardize that idea, the idea of the white picket fence and this little perfect existence that they say you should have, everyone do as your told...

THE FORGE: Like the Japanese level of conformity?

DELEEUW: Yes, that sort of thing. We're trying to put out a record that others arent doing, to stick out like a sore dink!

THE FORGE: So, that being said, what do you feel is the primary difference if any, between the early work like your EP and this new album?

KILYAKAI: Better written, with more collaboration

VEGAS: Collaboration for sure, sometimes I would just come to these guys with just a simple *motions as if playing a riff* and these guys just add and...

DELEEUW: ...We tear it apart and build it back up again, we've discarded enough to make another album right now we probably won't though just because we are constantly changing.

THE FORGE: When is the new album coming out?

KILYAKAI: In October.

RENO: October 2nd we have a single launch at the Distillery in Calgary, with a bunch of other bands but people told us that we should have our bash, our own night for our album, so we are working on doing it at SAIT for the 23rd of October, its all but finalized, after that its just lots and lots of touring. Definitely up to Edmonton because we fuckin love this town man, we really do!

With that said, the band leaves the sanctity of their DIY tour van, and our curbside interview, beers in hand celebrating not only one of their best shows but one of the best local metal shows Edmonton has produced this year. As for KILYAKAI, I have a feeling, you will be hearing about them in the metal scene " 'til You Die"

For more information and some songs from their debut EP click their logo below

*photos courtesy of Pamela Porosky

WARBRINGER: THRASH METAL'S NEW HOPE

After a recent powerfully executed performance in Edmonton not too long ago, Ventura California's own thrash metallers WARBRINGER, or namely their front man John Kevill chatted with the Forge of Heavy Metal about band life and what really is at the core of his group.

FORGE: Originally you were called Onslaught, but were forced to change it to Warbringer, what is the story behind the name, if any?

KEVILL: John Laux and I were 2 kids who were just getting into metal when we started the band. We were trying to think of a name, before we had a full lineup or anything, and we thought that sounded cool. Within about a month we had found the UK band Onslaught, and decided that we needed a different name. Warbringer came up during a brainstorm session and we stuck with it. We have only ever recorded or performed under the name Warbringer.

FORGE: What are your influences from both metal and non metal music and what of them influenced you?

KEVILL: We listen to all kinds of stuff, but our music is influenced by things like Slayer, Kreator, Sacrifice, Demolition Hammer, Judas Priest, Exodus, Autopsy, Malevolent Creation, Morbid Saint, Vio-lence, etc.

FORGE: How do you feel about being an influence on other bands and metal fans?

KEVILL: Not sure about that, never thought of it. We try to play heavy thrash metal and we are always working on trying to make our own style using the old ways. None of us ever thought about influencing anyone, we just play the music we want to play.

FORGE: Any advice you have for new bands?

KEVILL: Do what you do and work on your own vision of your music, don't compromise, and always find a way to sharpen yourselves. Play a lot of shows and rock the fuck out when you play.

FORGE: Who contributes lyrically to your group and where do they derive their inspiration?

KEVILL: I write most of the lyrics, here and there there's an idea or contribution from one of the other members, usually John Laux. Usually there's riffs first and then words will come into shape once I'm familiar with the song. I try to make all the lyrics pretty violent or demoralizing, and also have a bit of that '80s action movie badassery to them. And I always try to make sure that a lot of it is memorable.

FORGE: What is one place/venue you have always wanted to play a show at?

KEVILL: South America and Mexico. All the fans down there seem completely die-hard and crazy. I would also love to play in Japan, just to see it.

FORGE: If you could tour with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

KEVILL: Tough question. Since you said alive or dead, how about fucking Thin Lizzy? I'd do it just to see them every night.

FORGE: When you aren't playing, what do you like to do in your downtime?

KEVILL: We have no downtime! I haven't been off the road for over 2 months straight now so I am starting to forget what home is like. The last few times I've been home I've been waiting to leave on the next tour.

FORGE: Do you have any significant others back home and if so, how do they feel about tours, you guys being gone for so long?

KEVILL: I do, I'm the only one right now. She supports what I'm doing, being a musician herself. But it's definitely tricky being gone for so long. Just gotta tough it out!

FORGE: Warbringer uses symbols like the pentagram and iron cross among others, these symbols are synonymous with Heavy Metal but, is there any reason Warbringer uses them other than that?

KEVILL: Don't need any other reason! Warbringer is a heavy metal band through and through and we are proud of it. We want our imagery to look either militaristic or fucking evil.

CONCERT REVIEW: LAMB OF GOD with AS I LAY DYING, CHILDREN OF BODOM, GOD FORBID and MUNICIPAL WASTE

It was Good Friday, a day of worship for the Christian masses, however Edmonton metalheads were gathered at the Shaw Conference Centre for a different Lamb of God, one that is leading what is called in the scene as the “New Wave of American Heavy Metal”.

Accompanied by what can only be said as the best supporting lineup of the season, the Richmond Virginia metal giants brought a show that felt like attending a holy event, a Sabbath day for Edmonton heavy metal fans.

The event itself was well organized, with its usual compliment of security, EMT’s and of course “just in case” Edmonton police officers. The officers I spoke to when asked if they get a lot of trouble at metal shows because of the rumoured aggressive nature of the music’s fans had only one thing to say.

EPS: “We don’t see a lot of trouble, I mean anywhere alcohol is a factor you get the occasional rowdies, but we see more at say, an Oilers game.”

FORGE: “So, you find that the aggression and trouble making isn’t as prevalent at these events as it is at an Oilers game? Do you think it’s because they take out any sort of frustration in there? (pointing referencing the moshpit)

EPS: “Yeah, there is still a few, but once again that’s more the alcohol, most of them are pretty okay, too tired from being in there.”

Once the crowd began to assemble up front, there was some debate over who would take the stage first, most assumed Municipal Waste would because to most of the fans there, they hadn’t heard of them before. So it came as a total shock to some that New Jersey’s God Forbid was the opening act.

That bewilderment subsided as they ignited the fans almost immediately, bringing on the blissful punishment of their older stuff and bathing us in “Earth’s Blood” their latest album. The crowd for GF was a bit like properly boiling a frog, starting slow with a heat that eventually culminated in the fans really tearing up the moshpit. Playing regrettably a short set, God Forbid still put the cherry on our steel sundae with their closing song “End of the World” from their 2005 album “IV: Constitution of Treason”. An incredible set, in the wake of the somewhat traumatic departure of original band member, and brother of guitarist Doc Coyle, fellow guitarist Dallas Coyle on March 31st. His replacement Kris Norris (Darkest Hour) did an outstanding job and some of the fans didn’t even notice the lineup change until it came to autograph signing time.

Following the formidable, albeit short performance of God Forbid, were the surprise act of the night, unapologetic uber-thrashers Municipal Waste. Like Lamb of God, they too hail from Richmond Virginia, and carry over the attitude that comes with it. Leading off with a pleasantly hook laden song “Sadistic Magician” they had the crowd’s attention straight off. One could flash back to the glory days of the 80’s thrash metal scene in California when you watched this band. Their song titles alone inspired such a comparison, with such gems as “The Thrashing of the Christ”, (appropriate for the day no?) and my personal favourite of the night, a song about a ‘big fucking shark’ rightly named “Terror Shark”.

Alongside the unapologetic party attitude of the band itself, exemplified by their slogan “Municipal Waste will Fuck You Up” the whole set was one fast paced, circle pit swirling, shred fest inspiring journey through the mind’s of these unbelievably talented performers. These guys have been compared to the old way of doing things, but I to do them more justice, you have to think of it this way, Municipal Waste is 80’s thrash for a new breed, not a revisit or a revival. A welcome bit of “Waste” washed in with the “New Wave of American Heavy Metal.”

It seemed barely conceivable as Municipal Waste departed from the stage that there were still three more bands to perform, so much had already happened in just the first two acts.

Well the crowd had plenty of room for the glut of heavy metal goodness that lay ahead.

Enter As I Lay Dying, the San Diego metalcore group that despite being comprised of five Christians, they have never considered themselves a Christian band just a band with the same problems and issues as everyone else, taken from the Christian perspective.

Vocally, lead man Tim Lambesis was weak in the beginning of the set but quickly warmed up and screamed his way through their whole performance, making a good connection with the crowd and melding well with his band’s live sound. Drummer Jordan Mancino’s violently fast and brutally accurate double bass technique danced with blinding spotlight flashes as they played “Confined”.

Ending their time on stage with the beautifully thrash inspired track “Within Destruction” from their most recent album “An Ocean Between Us”, As I Lay Dying solidifies itself once again as a reason for metal elitists to bother with anything that decides to tack the term “core” onto the end of their genre.

With a lot of tough acts to follow in the monolithic lineup, Finnish modern thrash legends, Children of Bodom walked out onto a stage they had graced just last year on the Gigantour. Always crowd favourites, they blitzed the crowd here in Edmonton (or as lead singer/guitarist Alexi Laiho says it in his Finnish accent, Ed-MUN-tun) with the ferocious precision, and lightning fast speed that we come to expect from them as a band. Their incredible set showcased some of their greatest tracks, really showing off the elements they are known for, screeching yet discernible vocals, ridiculously fast guitar playing and synth work usually with a keyboard. A triumphant melody in “Hate Me”, dynamic solos in “Living Dead Beat”, and mosh friendly “In Your Face” created a warzone of a moshpit, a virtual Valhalla for moshers, seeming to continue on for hours without rest. It was a good night to be in the pit, and the pandemonium hadn’t even truly begun.

Finally as the atmosphere in the Shaw Conference Centre became a haze of human sweat, smuggled in pot smoke and adrenaline, the “Wrath” of headliners Lamb of God descended on the crowd.

Emerging from the smoke of the stage, bathed in ambient blue stage lighting, Lamb of God came face to face with an Edmonton in need of their brand of music, hard, fast and unquestionably Heavy Metal.

Their opener of “The Passing” would send an epileptic into fits, with the light display and the percussive beats of distinctly bearded “skin-walker” drummer, Chris Adler.

Their whole set really demonstrated their evolution as a group musically. Songs from “Wrath” have a more raw sound, than previous installments. Peppered throughout their setlist were the offspring of “Wrath”, songs like “Dead Seeds”, “Set to Fail” and “In Your Words” all made their debut. (for a complete set list click HERE)

Lead vocalist Randall Blythe (pronounced Bly) was hitting his mark all night, the dark, throaty singer was lyrically very solid and even with the expulsion of so much energy using his voice alone he still was pacing the stage and showing animation of a vocalist 10 years his junior. Blythe’s onstage commentary, was at times touching with his tribute of “Now You’ve Got Something to Die For” to Canadian troops deployed overseas to the hilarious realization that so many shoes had been flung up on stage from crowd surfers that he remarked,

“This has to be, the most amount of shoes I’ve seen on tour!”

Leave it to Edmonton to be exceptional at pitching shoes on stage, (see Dave Mustaine, Gigantour 2008 on YouTube)

Finishing their night with “Black Label” a song from their second album “New American Gospel”, Lamb of God sent all the metalheads of Edmonton home on a heavy high note.

The whole experience in its entirety felt very much like the holiday it was overlapping in our city of champions, at first you are subjected to a brutal thrashing, then in the middle you feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven and then finally by the end, you feel resurrected, capable of anything. A bit dramatic I know, but it is highly unlikely for the remainder of this year we will see a purely metal lineup such as this come through town.

A few may find this comparison offensive or perhaps a little dramatic, but when it comes to Heavy Metal, it is like a religion, with a powerful message of independence, strength and ultimately belief in what makes you, you.

Until the next holy day of Heavy Metal Edmonton, keep those horns held high!

FOR MORE INFO ON ANY AND ALL OF THE BANDS REVIEWED HERE, CLICK THEIR RESPECTIVE LOGOS BELOW

A TRUE PERFORMER IS HARD TO FIND

(Taken from the recent performance at Rexall, no joke)

Outside the metal box for you this morning (why does that make me think of the 3rd Terminator film?). Pop Princess and all around musical waste of time Britney Spears who has graced more tabloid covers (at least parts of her) than CD covers as of late, walked off stage in Vancouver just days after "performing" in Edmonton. Complaining that there was "too much smoke" in the venue, which made me think of a phrase I used as a bouncer working the bar many years ago when times got tough, "suck it up buttercup!"

Now, I am not advocating that smoking in a non smoking venue is acceptable, as a non-smoker myself, I find it can be pretty rough on the throat the next day, however, it HAPPENS! Nothing you can do but continue to perform, "the show must go on" as they say.

From what the reviews say about this lack luster bit of entertainment, the smoke had nothing to do with it, by the sounds of it, Britney needed to just go back to the gym and maybe the studio and actually WORK!!!

That is all I have to say on the matter of that fallacy of an artist, which is so full of manufactured ingredients that even 1970’s TAB soda and MSG would get together and say "that stuff will give you cancer."

The main reason I even bring up this topic at all is because metal has had some of these instances as well, some artists are even known for it. Whereas, one can see incredible performances time and time again, from bands like Iron Maiden, Metallica and even to a lesser extent AC/DC. Artists like Axl Rose of L.A. Glam-Metal band Guns N' Roses and Megadeth front man Dave Mustaine have been known to become angry, freak out at fans or just plain walk off stage for the sake of walking off stage. This infamy has prompted some to show up to the shows just to heckle and harass these artists hoping for some on stage drama to occur.

Don't get me wrong, no matter the band, a walk off can happen, sometimes for legitimate reasons, Nickelback back in 2002 played at a Portugese open air festival and had to leave the stage because they were reportedly "pelted with rocks and bottles to the point they couldn't safely continue" (can you blame them?). A little bit closer to home and at least involving real metal musicians, (Sorry Chad Kreuger, covering Metallica doesn't make you metal) Ex-patriated Metallican turned Lord of Megadeth, Dave Mustaine had quite a hissy fit at last years Edmonton stop of the Gigantour (the tour he founded might I add). Stand in a line for a concert in Edmonton these days and you will here one or two different tellings of this story, from guys that "were there, man".

(Do yourself a favour, make up your own mind, and take a look at the two clips below)


A short one, where Dave has just been hit by a shoe @ Edmonton GIGANTOUR '08

Fans rescue the performance from Mustaine haters @ Edmonton GIGANTOUR '08
>>

Thankfully, even though Megadeth walked off stage, they did return in full force, but this is not always the case, and the only ones who suffer are the fans. Artists do as well to a certain extent, but it's the people who pay money, sometimes a lot of money that ultimately get burned by a walk-off.

Musicians are people too, I get that and things do happen, I get that as well, but the main problem I have with most of these artists, not just in metal is that they don't fully understand the ramifications of their actions.

They forget their starting out days, when walking off was never an option, despite the jarring boo's and heckles of such helpful phrases as "get off the stage!" and "you suck!". They aren't reminded enough of how important their fan base is to their success. There are a lot of very talented artists, who play in subway stations because they lack a fan base.

Most of the time, artists do submit an apology in one way or another but it doesn't totally wipe away the acid reflux like sting of seeing your musical heroes and metal gods abandon the stage, leaving you in the kicked up dust and exhaust of their escape vehicle.

Artists are not totally to blame either, in many instances where a walk off occurred, a heckler who isn't even a fan most of the time will throw something at the stage causing the domino effect that eventually leads to a performer's departure and a lot of upset fans.

In conclusion my message is simple, artists and bands, when "it" hits the fan or even you, especially if you call yourself Metal, shrug it off and keep playing, hell, pull a DimeBag Darrell and turn the fans on the assailant (where do you think the Pantera song "Five Minutes Alone" came from? story here) Better yet, learn a martial art like Tool front man Maynard James Keenan and deal with bothersome people yourself (see below)


Fans, you see some guy messing with your band, tell him to shut up, make sure he "accidentally" catches an elbow in a moshpit, or just have security remove them, which leads to my next point.

Security, I have worked in your field, and I get it, you can't catch everyone, but come on! Stop worrying whether or not your crisp clean, Event Staff shirt is going to get rip or ruined and do your job, if some moron throws a shoe at you and almost ruins your house party, you'd throw him out!

I digress, life is too short to let the actions of one or two individuals ruin the finer things in life. I will see you all at the next concert, keep those horns high Edmonton, you are what metal is all about and most importantly.

NO WALK-OFFS FOR 2009 EDMONTON, MAKE IT HAPPEN!

CHRISTIAN: THE OTHER BLACK METAL?

Coming from a Christian background, I can understand how the positive messages can be very appealing and fulfilling for some people out there. Over the years, the words of the bible have had a wide variety of vehicles to convey their message.

One of the strangest vehicles for "the word" by far (not excluding those creepy Veggie-Tales) has got to be pro-Christian extreme metal offshoot, Un-Black Metal, sometimes referred to as Unholy Metal, White Metal or Christian Black Metal. Like its Scandinavian cousin, Black Metal, the Un-Black stuff features aggressive, screeching vocals, fast, partially distorted guitars with tremolo picking and dark ominous overtones.

The only exception is that Un-Black literally preaches a positive message incorporating Christian beliefs and messages. Some in the Black Metal community see this as an oxymoron, taking into consideration the blatantly anti-religious stance the music has had since its inception. On the British black metal documentary Murder Music: A History of Black Metal (Available on the Forge Tube), all interviewed musicians stated when asked about the matter that black metal cannot be Christian. The term "Christian black metal" drew confused replies from the black metal musicians, for example Martin Walkyier of the English metal band Sabbat commented: "'Christian black metal?' What do they do? Do they build churches? Do they repair them? (laughs)"

Others including members of Mayhem whom practically founded the very concept of Black Metal itself, have said that Black Metal was never meant to convey certain ideologies, neither Christian or even Satanic, as long as it's dark and powerful.

So called "purists" however, don't quite see it that way, slews of YouTube commentaries and internet forums and chat rooms are riddled with arguments stating that Black Metal is something of an anti-religious torch bearer, and in more extreme circles, a message of Satanism like in the case of extreme Black Metal band, Gorgoroth.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you believe is the message of Black Metal if there really even is one to begin with. Frankly, with respect to the pioneers of the subgenre, Black Metal now, as opposed to back in the days just before the church burnings and Varg Vikernes incidents, is a technique, like choosing to paint in abstract over pointillism.

Not to mention, it's about time the "bible thumpers" of whom I used to be a part of, had something better to listen to then Jars of Clay, something with some real meat and grit to it.

Don't take anyone else’s word for it, if metal has taught me anything, it is this, make up your own mind, do not let someone or something make up your mind for you. With that said my metalhead (and some non metalhead) readers I give you a selection of Un-Black, Christian Black, Sorrow, White, Unholy Black Metal or whatever it is you want to call it. You decide whether or not, it can even remotely be held to same standards as its Scandinavian un-Christian predecessors.

BAND NAME: HOLY BLOOD

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UKRAINE

SONG: THE PATRIOT

BAND NAME: FROST LIKE ASHES

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

SONG: LORD OF DARKNESS



BAND NAME: KEKAL

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: INDONESIA

SONG: BEHIND THOSE IMAGES



BAND NAME: SANCTIFICA

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: SWEDEN

SONG: THE DARK DESIRES



BAND NAME:VAAKEVANDRING

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: NORWAY

SONG: SOMEDAY

FORGE OF HEAVY METAL SPOTLIGHT: RUSSIA / РОССИЯ

Heavy Metal exists in countless different countries around the world. It is a cross culture phenomenon that allows some to deal with the hardships of being a teen or even in some places in this world, it allows one to vent the anger and sadness that comes from atrocities like war and oppression.

Russia or namely the Russian Federation can sympathize with these feelings. It is made up of countries that know what it is to be at war, be oppressed by Communism, ultimately restricting the rights of its peoples.

When the "Iron Curtain" came down, the Heavy Metal one went up, the freedom to express ones anger cathartically through music was made available to the masses without having to masquerade as a pro-Soviet band.

This Spotlight is dedicated to Russian Metal, the songs a new generation of Russians, free to embrace their artistic freedoms and in so doing, provide entertainment and catharsis to their countrymen. The country has much to offer so what is shown here is a mere sampling of what this Eastern bloc powerhouse has to offer. Спасибо моим друзьям, держать ваши рога высоко!


Band Name: ALKONOST / Алконост


Sound: DARK FOLK METAL / темно-фолк металл

Song Title: WAITING / Ожидание



Band Name: ARKONA / Аркона

Sound: PAGAN METAL / язычник металл

Song Title: RUS / Рус



Band Name: BLACK OBELISK / Черный Обелиск

Sound: THRASH METAL / треш металл

Song Title: STENA / СТЕНА

Band Name: DOMINIA / Доминиa

Sound: MELODIC DEATH METAL / мелодический Смерть металл

Song Title: BEHIND THE UNIVERSE / Позади Вселенная


Band Name: SLOT / Слот

Sound: NU-METAL / пУ-металл


Song Title: DEAD STARS / Мертвый Звезды

CONCERT REVIEW: DESTRUCTION with KRISIUN and MANTIC RITUAL (March 16 2009)

A sleepy Monday in mid-March dressed in a shroud of chilly, winter air could not hold back the feverous fanaticism of Edmonton's metal community.

It was an exceptional turnout for the Starlite Room in spite of the chilly pseudo-wintry weather and a sound check mishap that delayed the doors opening for almost an hour and a half.

What band could inspire such adamant dedication to a level that its followers would gladly become more frigid than an Amish singles night?

The answer my friend is Teutonic thrash legends, Destruction. The trio from Lorrach, Germany that have been making music as long as Metallica has, an original cog you could say, in the great Metal machine and a gem of the underground scene.

Joined by Brazilian all brother group Krisiun and Pittsburgh's 'steely' hopefuls Mantic Ritual, this seemingly manic Monday was about to summon forth a Saturday night feel with all the trimmings!

Firing the first shot in the thrash metal barrage were Mantic Ritual, the young Pennsylvania outfit who just recently graced the stage of Starlite back in January on their tour with Greek headliners, Rotting Christ.

It's surprising what a couple of months can do for a band, whereas their performance with RC was marginal at best, this time out, they really turned up their intensity. Debuting with their song "One by One" it was at first, lyrically very disappointing. Vocalist Dan Wetmore was accomplishing more bark than bite at first, however as their set progressed whatever it was that hindered Wetmore from really digging deep and unleashing hell was gone.

With a group like Mantic Ritual you get a pure experience, the business has yet to take its toll on these young guys, leaving them untainted in their performance, and you genuinely feel based on their actions on stage that they are out there giving it their all and are still having fun when they play.

The night's set list for MR was mostly comprised of songs from their newly released studio album "Executioner" with a well executed cover of Venom's classic track "Black Metal", thrown in for good measure, it was just the right sound for this band to tackle. Not to undersell their album's songs, catchy hook and riff laden song "Panic" got quite a positive response from the crowd.

Their performance ended on a high note and it seemed to be the general consensus of those in the crowd that Mantic Ritual given time could be a force to be reckoned with in the near future.

Where Mantic Ritual left off, Krisiun picked up and knocked out of the park. These three brothers invoked a spirit of Brazilian metal style in the same tradition as Sepultura, but with much more growl, due to Krisiun being a death metal group straight out of the abyss.

From the first chord played, a sensation danced down your spine like a spider as Krisiun ignited the crowd with fiery metal zeal. The bass lines and percussion ripped through you like automatic gun fire, coursing in the veins of every song, rattling your teeth with every tone. Songs like "Vicious Wrath", "Refusal", and "BloodCraft" from their 2006 album "AssassiNation" firmly demonstrated the ferocity of their death roars and the consistency of their technical skill and chummed the waters of the pit below, inciting a swirling rift of moshing metalheads.

At every opportunity they could, Krisiun showed their humility by thanking the fans for coming out to see them on a Monday, understanding and acknowledging the level of dedication and support fans give them. This being their first ever show in Edmonton in their nineteen year history as a literal "band of brothers" the thanks seemed very genuine and was reciprocated by the raised horns and hollers from the Edmonton crowd.

Ending their set with the song "Slaying Steel" from their most recent album "Southern Storm", Krisiun left the crowd like a school of hungry, heavy metal piranha, anxious for the next band to cross their path and sate their wanton mosh-lust.

The crowds thirst for thrash did not go unquenched as main act, Destruction took the stage. Like Krisiun, these veteran performers are a three man group that could compete if not destroy inferior thrash metal four, five and six pieces.

Erupting on stage blanketed in smoke and bathed in strobing light, all set between two giant standees of their bands logo, the onslaught began. Like a blitzkrieg of sonic chaos, front man Schmier unleashed powerful raw vocals while galloping percussion and incredible thrash riffs sent the crowd into overdrive.

It was one great song after another, as they took us through their twenty-eight year journey as a band. Album title tracks like "Devolution" and "Metal Discharge" melded harmoniously with mid-80's favourites like "Death Trap".

Schmier as a lead man hasn't lost the ability to keep a crowd pleased and stirred into frenzy, as he demonstrates with ease before leading into 1986 song "Life Without Sense". His counterpart and career long band mate Mark Sifringer did not slip one iota despite the intensity and speed of their bands playlist.

Continuing on with their set, songs like "The Butcher Strikes Back" and a cover of the Plasmatics song "The Damned" fed the fire and kept it hot, up until the encore.

After such a dynamite showing, one could not fathom what they would do for an encore or whether or not there would be one at all. Destruction did not disappoint making sure that any mosher standing wouldn't be after the they were through. Like their main set, it was a mix of everything, making your blood pump and burn with the fire that only true thrash metal can create. "Curse the Gods", followed by "Nailed to the Cross" and finally to finish a crowd weary with metal ecstasy, appropriately "Total Disaster" was chosen.

With a closing statement of true appreciation, the juggernauts that go by the name Destruction thanked Edmonton's metal community; because like Krisiun this was their first gig here in our city and in their own words they are "tired of the constant, boring cycle of Montreal, to Toronto, to Vancouver over and over again."

It seemed more than evident that with the showing of support Edmonton gave them, they will return sooner rather than later.

We'll be ready, for 100% pure thrash, ready for the next wave of Destruction and any who should choose to follow in their wake.

For more info on any of the bands showcased in the performance check out their websites below.

THE FORGE SUMMONS THE BEAST!

THE RECENTLY INSTALLED FLAGCOUNTER FOR THE FORGE OF HEAVY METAL OFFICIALLY REACHED THE 666 MARK TODAY COURTESY OF METALHEADS FROM CHILE, MAKING US OFFICAL WITH THE MAN DOWNSTAIRS. THAT IS, IF YOU EVEN SUBSCRIBE TO SUCH PRETENTIOUS DOGMA IN THE FIRST PLACE.

NEVERTHELESS, THIS DOES INDEED CALL FOR CELEBRATION AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE THAN WITH LUCIFER INSPIRED TUNES.

ALSO, IF I FORGET ANY OF THE TUNES YOU WOULD PICK (I AM SURE I WILL) SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS OR HIT ME @ TheForgeofHeavyMetal@Gmail.com

IRON MAIDEN-NUMBER OF THE BEAST



AVENGED SEVENFOLD- COVER DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA




TENACIOUS D-THE FINAL SHOWDOWN (BEEZLEBOSS)

VENOM-WELCOME TO HELL

GORGOROTH-INCIPIT SATAN

LORDI-DEVIL IS A LOSER

CONCERT REVIEW: SOILWORK with DARKANE, SWALLOW THE SUN, and WARBRINGER

Hundreds of Edmonton's wayward metal souls descended on the Starlite Room Friday, as Swedish metallers, Soilwork headlined a torrential lineup of bands on their North American tour.

Leading off the attack against the crowd was Finnish outfit, Swallow the Sun. Utilizing melodic, doom, and death metal elements this group was stylistically like a shot of Jack Daniels with a Vicodin chaser, it had just the right amount of sting but left you still pretty placid and calm. They seemed an odd fit for the line up but were nonetheless entertaining, having the feel, melody, and vocal style you come to expect from scandinavian groups like them. Lead vocalist, Mikko Kotamäki's screams were swallowed up by the overwhelming sound of his band, leaving little that was discernable or audible. Beyond this minor shortfall, the six piece still comes together well, with deep, penetrating, bass lines and guitar riffs that fostered synchronized headbanging, the sight of which strikes you as something you would see if Heavy Metal had its own mosques.

Following the performance of Swallow the Sun, Californian thrash metal pentacle Warbringer roared with fury onto the stage, despite the fact that behind the scenes they were all still battling a severe case of bronchitis, (especially front man John Kevill) and a back injury suffered by one of the guitarists. I never would have been able to tell at all based on their show, these thrash warriors delivered an onslaught of punishing screams, and Slayer-esque melodies mixed with an attitude and sound akin to the thrash metal coming out of California in the 80's.

On stage the five piece really come alive, whipping up a frenzy not only in and amongst themselves but in the crowd itself, lead vocalist John Kevill, demonstrates this mid-set as he skillfully stirs the crowd into a circular moshpit like he were stirring a cauldron of testosterone driven angst. Their songs display catchy hooks that draw you in with relative ease and kept up the momentum from start to finish.

The fans now at a rolling boil, lusted for more, longing for the next band to take the stage and keep this shred-fest going. While perhaps not meeting those expectations right away, Darkane, the third group in the night's lineup, started off well with some of their more melodic tracks. It wasn't long though before these metal magi brought it back home with more thrash infused songs, casting riffs and thumps from guitar and drum that should split your skull wide open. Even with the absence of one of their own guitarist who was called away to Sweden abruptly, Darkane still succeeds in tremendous solos with open notes that ring out and fill every chasm and crevice of the brain. Crowd favourite "Rape of Mankind" stirred up the frothing assembly just before the end of the set, finally culminating in one more song, where new addition and lead man Jens Broman left the exhilarated gathering before him to the mercy of a shredding thrash guitar firing squad.

The crowd bristled with excitement as the anticipated headliners Soilwork were next to hit the Starlite Room's stage. The return of Peter Wichers on guitar after his 2005 departure from the group is a great bonus, as most would say that Soilwork wouldn't be the same without his influence. The curtain remained drawn, for what seemed like an eternity, finally parted as a back track of "Baba O'Riley aka Teenage Wastleand" by The Who, summoned the beginning of Soilwork's performance. Cutting no corners the group immediately tapped into the ferocious sound that this band is known for. Incorporating the classic Gothenburg sound with their own musical influences, these Helsingborg swedes never let up, making moshing a necessity. Front man Bjorn "Speed" Strid adopts a Pantera-like twang to his singing but used more range, switching between melodic, guttural growl, and screaming vocal stylings.

The set list was as diverse as it was fast paced, with old songs making appearances as well as new ones like "20 More Miles" which was voted onto the tour's track list by way of a fan poll posted on Soilwork's main website. The encore did not disappoint whatsoever as it featured the 2002 single "As We Speak" and a modified Edmonton version of "The Pittsburgh Syndrome" in which lead vocalist Speed Strid changed Pittsburgh to Edmonton for our shows purposes. Eventhough their set almost lasted an hour and a half; you couldn't believe it was over; it went by so fast, as most pleasurable experiences do.

The city of Edmonton was once again graced with a great metal show, one in which sold out completely, which means more than likely we will be seeing more acts of this caliber roll through. With any luck one of those acts will once again be Soilwork, so that way those who missed out Friday can truly see what the "Edmonton Syndrome" is all about.

For more info on all of the bands that played Friday, try these links below.

SWALLOW THE SUN

WARBRINGER

DARKANE

SOILWORK

I SEE A "DEAD MOON" RISING: AN INTERVIEW WITH LUNA MORTIS' LEADING LADY, MARY ZIMMER

In a world where today's metal music is inundated with bands that sound relatively the same, have indiscernible vocals or have some sort of "core" assigned to them. It's rare to find a band you cannot assign any of the useless metal subgenre labels to, try as you might, you won't be able to label Madison Wisconsin five piece Luna Mortis with one hundred percent certainty.

With elements of melodic, thrash, and death metal in their instrumentals, combined with a vocal style that is equal parts Nightwish and Arch Enemy, this group is rapidly gaining ground with several different audiences. Nothing could be more evident of this fact then the roster of bands they have opened for in the past three years, the likes of which include Children of Bodom, Dream Theater, Nevermore and Megadeth. All this completed without even having their first full length album released themselves.

To learn anything about a band so new but yet so technically skilled you have to go to the source, the man at the top or in this case the woman. Lead singer, Mary Zimmer, who surprisingly is not only responsible for the clean vocals of the group but the aggressive, harsher ones as well is a force to be reckoned with serving a vital role that separates this group away from the pack.

How did such a talented young woman, let alone a technical and harmonious group come together to create such a distinctive sound?

The chanteuse had some interesting things to say on that, as well as life, death, the possibility of a Canadian tour, and most importantly, the release of their premier album "The Absence"

Surprisingly, this mid-western femme fatale is a relative newcomer to metal music itself. She laments, "Growing up I never really had that much exposure to that kind of music, and it wasn't until I was 18, in college that I started to see how much fit under the umbrella of heavy metal, listening to stuff like Nightwish, that's pretty much where I started with it.”

Some would say that Mary is quite attractive as female vocalists go; the metal scene has seen a spike in attractive female band members in recent years, most are talented, Zimmer feels that some however, are nothing more than a marketing tool. "Oh, it's totally a gimmick! It's really hard for a female musician when there is a whole bunch of girls out there just getting by on their looks. I am not going to mention names, but some bands are riding on the image of their one female member without actually being any good at playing music."

Not to say that Mary is entirely opposed to the idea of looking good as a female entertainer, "It's okay to be attractive, just not first before anything else."

The difficulty of being a female entertainer aside, Mary and the band has had their fair share of problems getting to the top; the group has used the term "clawing their way up" in the Wisconsin metal scene. Wisconsin being more notable for "cheese-heads" than metalheads, she justifies that, "There is lots of metal in Wisconsin, lots of Thrash, Black Metal, but it is mostly in Milwaukee where it all is, ironically there isn't much of a scene in Madison."

The band has covered most of their home territory during their DIY touring days, winning fans all over, including places like Des Moines, Iowa, home of fellow metal artists and Grammy winners, Slipknot. "Every band in Des Moines sounds like Slipknot; they are heavily influenced by them there, so when we come along it's a nice surprise for them." Zimmer says, "They are not sure what to do with us."

Des Moines may not be sure what to do, the industry certainly does though, as was mentioned earlier, Luna Mortis has already opened for some top talent in the genre. Mary's favourite band however? "After Forever, we had played with them before, when we weren't Luna Mortis yet, and built a relationship with them." She gushes, "They are the nicest Dutch people you'd ever meet, and she (Floor Jansen of AF) is the best female singer in metal." This answer clearly evoked feelings of pain in Mary, as just hours before our interview, After Forever announced they broke up as a band, with her personal connection you definitely got the sense that it wasn't just another band's dissolution to her.

Such is the way of the music industry, Luna Mortis understands this, and clearly so does Mary. She offers some advice to any new bands hoping to get their start in this notoriously tough business, "You really have to bust your ass, the one the label signs is the one who works the hardest for it, just having a MySpace page and doing a couple of gigs a year isn't going to do it."

Zimmer continues to say that "there is no such thing as being discovered anymore, it just doesn't happen, work as hard as you possibly can, put yourself out there."

This Do-it-Yourself attitude has carried the group far, as well as just sheer technical skill and talent. Mary herself is a classically trained singer, who came to harsher vocals after first hearing "Heartwork" by Carcass and At the Gates' "Slaughter of the Soul". She does remark that harsher vocals are the anti-thesis of classical training and although it helped her teach herself how to "growl" it's so different you almost have to relearn everything.

For all their hard work Luna Mortis is far from a break for a while, their roster is filled now, with their debut album "The Absence" hitting stores today. It's overall dark but empowering theme, the brainchild lyrically of guitarist and primary songwriter Brian Koenig, deals mostly with the hardships of life and the task of overcoming such bleak circumstances.

Mary's contributions lyrically to the album with "Never Give In" and "Embrace the End" fit it's overall tone, with one exception in the case of "Embrace the End", which is more about complete submission to death, with no room for a happy ending.

Another song from the album "Forevermore" is the bands first music video that will be shot sometime this month. As for touring, the band has some dates in the near future with Warbringer, nothing regrettably that will bring them out our way.

Zimmer is certainly not opposed to a Canadian tour herself she says "We'd love to! I have a grandfather in New Hamburg, Ontario and I always have wanted to reinstate my dual citizenship!"

"It's just a matter of getting on the right tour."


FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LUNA MORTIS AND TO LISTEN TO SOME OF THEIR NEW STUFF FROM "THE ABSENCE" simply click HERE

CONCERT REVIEW: CRADLE OF FILTH with SATYRICON and SEPTIC FLESH

For some metal fans, especially those supposedly of the "True Black" persuasion, Cradle of Filth inspires feelings akin to those felt when nails are raked across a chalkboard. If you happen to be one of those individuals, Saturday night's performance at the Edmonton Event Centre was not for you, and you probably should stop reading right now.

Those of you that are still here, good on you because Saturday nights performance by all three bands was incredible not just Cradle of Filth. With openers Septic Flesh and Satyricon, the crowd was frothing over with fury by the time Dani Filth and the rest of those whom rock Filth's Cradle took the stage.

Although never intended as a promotional tour for CoF's new concept album Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder, the show did feature some of the new songs like "Shat out of Hell", "Honey and Sulphur", and "13th Caesar". Fan favourite "Nymphetamine" also made the set list that night, the shorter "Fix" version though, not the nine minute long "Overdose" which was disheartening, but you have to make some compromises when you hammer off a list of tracks like they (CoF) did.

Here's the complete set list of the night:

1) Shat Out Of Hell
2) Guilded Cunt
3) ...Dusk and Her Embrace
4) 13th Caesar
5) Nymphetamine
6) Principle Of Evil Made Flesh
7) Honey and Sulphur
8) Under Huntress Moon

ENCORE

9) Cthulhu Dawn
10) Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids
11) Her Ghost In The Fog
12) From The Cradle To Enslaved

After seeing them live, it comes as no surprise whatsoever that Dani Filth and consequently his band's sound is influenced by Iron Maiden. Dani's exuberant on stage animation, constantly jumping from raised platform to center stage and back again was very reminiscent of Maiden's front man, Bruce Dickinson. His vocal range as well make Cradle of Filth stand out among throngs of deep guttural vocalists within their own genre. Rumoured to be able to achieve eight octaves with his voice, Dani Filth can go from a brutal dirty vocal to a screeching banshee seamlessly within seconds.

Combine that with his back up vocalist/keyboardist Rosie Smith's harmonious siren song, and the gothic cathedral-like orchestration and you can't help but feel not just hear the reason why this band, however controversial is so successful.

Feel free to call them Black Metal if you want but as far as CoF is concerned, they don't fit that title that well aside from their penchants for "corpse paint". Dani even joked once on a British quiz show that his music is "heavy funk". He prefers the simple title either the bands name or Heavy Metal as he should because the whole label thing is getting a little out of control honestly

Whatever you may call them, Edmonton was proud to support them January 31st, and likely will again.

In the meantime, study up on Gilles de Rais (the French serial killer Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder is based on), Get a controversial Jesus is a C**t band tee and we'll see you at the next live show.

Oh! and one more thing, Keep those horns high!

YOU REALLY SHOULD GET THAT LOOKED AT: An Interview with SEPTIC FLESH

It is starting to feel like Mount Olympus here in Edmonton with the amount of Greek Metal Gods that have graced our city in the past year, with such bands playing here as FireWind, Rotting Christ, and now Septic Flesh.

Relatively unknown to the mainstream, the group has been an entity in their native Greece since 1990. This semi-veteran level of talent, ability and skill really showed as they opened up for Cradle of Filth and Satyricon Saturday night at the Edmonton Event Center. Showcasing songs from their repertoire including some from their recent classically infused masterpiece album Communion, the depth of which is brought together nicely with the backtrack of an actual eighty piece orchestra they used while recording the album. Add in the ferocious vocal style and stage presence of lead singer/bassist Seth Siro Anton and you had an impressive showing by a band otherwise unknown to North American audiences.

This being the group's first time playing in Edmonton, not to mention doing a cross Canada tour, The Forge had the opportunity to find out what Septic Flesh (SF) thought of our city of champions.

Forge: How do you like being in Edmonton, and touring Canada?

SF: Honestly, it is probably one of the best shows we've had on the tour of North America, when the crowd did the wall of death* it was great!

Forge: You and Rotting Christ are both from Athens, any chance of you two touring together?

SF: Maybe, but not right now, they are great friends of ours, Christos (Guitar/Orchestral) has done some of the orchestral backtrack work on their album. With us still being at a different level than those guys, if we started touring with them, we wouldn't want people to think we got on the tour because we're friends. Someday we will tour, but not now. We are currently planning a tour that would include North America in the near future possibly with Behemoth, but that is still just talk. They are closer to our sound than the bands on this tour, these bands are not that different but they (Behemoth) are much closer.

(*a wall of death, is when the crowd splits and each side left and right come at each other, colliding with one another similar to a mosh pit)

A tour with Septic Flesh and Behemoth would be well received for sure, especially for Edmonton, a city that is constantly overlooked in favour of other cities in the eastern part of Canada or worse yet Calgary, just kidding Calgarians!

Bands like Septic Flesh, and their European counterparts unanimously agree that making the trip across is tough and when the rare tour including them on the bill crosses the pond, it is unfortunate that our city let alone the west gets left out of the party. We, the metal fans, need to show our support by going to these shows and who knows? Maybe we'll have a heavy metal version of the Calgary Stampede right here in our beautiful city of metal er, I mean champions, our own western Canadian version of Wacken.

Until that happens, keep the horns high Edmonton!

For more info about Septic Flesh check them out online@ http://www.septicflesh.net/