Unleashing truths: an interview with Merc from The Karma Party

With a snarl and biting attitude which is spawn by and reflects the state of broken Britain, UK band The Karma Party has emerged as a compelling and inventive force with a musical craft and imagination as potent as the uncompromising yet thoughtful lyrical thoughts and often venom they wield. The quartet brews up a unique and irresistible fusion of hardcore, punk and dub-step with flames of electronica which come together for a fiery storm of thrilling and explosive invention. Their recently released Dark Matters EP has caused a fury of acclaim and attention their way and not wanted to be left in the wake we had the pleasure of talking to vocalist Merc about the outstanding release, the band itself, and what inspires the rage and enterprise which drives them.

Hi Merc, many thanks for taking time out to talk with us here.

No problem, thanks for having us!

For all those new to The Karma Party please introduce the band.

Hello! We are The Karma Party from the derelict holiday resort of Blackpool, nice to make your acquaintance.

How did you all meet and how did the band begin?

Me (Merc) and Luke used to be in another band with James who is now in Sonic Boom Six.

For one reason or another that band fell to pieces, after which James helped me formulate ideas and then bit by bit we assembled what is now The Karma Party.

You hail from Blackpool; is the place as run down and far from its former glory as the media portrays?

It’s worse! I mean, I watched 999 What’s Your Emergency? They went easy on the place. A lot of people come to Blackpool as tourists, which is mind boggling enough. They come to see the lights and drive down the prom unaware that one street away people are living in abject poverty. You can see the weight of the place in people’s faces as you walk around. There is a massive problem with violence and drugs and the only the thing the local authorities want to do is to make it more attractive to the booze tourists and hen nights to bring more revenue into the area, which only perpetuates the substance abuse issues.  Most people in Blackpool don’t care about anything anymore; they have become resigned to that lifestyle and believe it is the norm everywhere. I don’t think there is anywhere else in the country like it. Maybe Morecambe…

…And a place to inspire dissent, anger, and lyrical potency for songs?

It’s impossible not to be inspired in a place like that as there is so much material on your doorstep.

I think Blackpool is like a microcosm for the whole country containing every issue the country has, so definitely a main source for the lyrics.

You create a striking and passion inciting sound from blending punk, dubstep, hardcore, electronica, and more. A fascinatingly eclectic brew brought with passion and attitude I think it is fair to say. How would you describe your sound and what are the major influences musically which have had an effect on your ideas and music?

Thank you! We’re not very good with labels but we’ve been called Punk Step and Punk n Bass which kind of sums up a lot of what we do. There is such a massive eclectic taste amongst the band which allows us to see the similarities between the genres. I don’t think it would work as well if we were all into the same music. We love to watch bands utilising electronics properly as it brings another dynamic to the show. It would be impossible for us not to cite Enter Shikari as an influence and one of our favourite bands. Other artists would include: Bad Brains, Gallows, Mike Patton, Squarepusher, Venetian Snares, Reprazent, The King Blues, Sonic Boom Six, Mouthwash, Skindred, London Electricity, Nero, Rusko, Eminem, Lowkey, Clint Mansell, Danny Elfman, Capdown, NOFX and Chris Murray….I could carry on.

Do you see yourselves as a political band using anthemic music for weaponry or a band creating individual and stirring music which just happens to be inspired lyrically by the injustices of the day?

One of the main things we agreed on when we started this project was to keep it as real and true as possible. The public have a way of sniffing out lies and if you pretend to be something you’re not, I believe that they can tell. Although I can’t speak for the rest of the band (as it’s not something we talk about) I’ve never been to a protest or voted, I doubt I ever will as I don’t think either makes a difference as all aspects of the game are rigged. I do want to spend the rest of my life trying to make a difference but I think change has to come from the people. They are the ones who are keeping this system in place. We are a tiny part of a massive universe, there is  no past or future, no good or bad and we could change the world in a heartbeat if we so wished. I want people to know they are not insignificant and they are loved…..including politicians.

If everything was perfect, yes a far-fetched possibility ha-ha, would The Karma Party exist?

If everything was perfect I don’t think I would have ever picked up an instrument or have the mind-set that I do now. The famous quote by Victor Hugo springs to mind; Adversity makes men, and prosperity makes monsters. It’s so true in my case.

You have just released your debut EP, the excellent Dark Matters EP. It is for us a five track eclectic feast of sound and invention not forgetting being greedily infectious. I imagine the songs on the release all find an enthusiastic reaction in your live shows such the impact they make on the EP.

Again thanks for your nice words. We’ve just finished the Dark Matters Tour which was our first time on the road and the response has been overwhelming. The shows have been mental, something we didn’t expect first time out. We’ve put a lot of work in making the live show stand up to the recording and from the reaction it seems to have worked. It was crazy to have people singing the words back at us on our first tour something we didn’t see coming and I’ve been humbled by almost everyone we’ve met.

How has Dark Matters been received so far, especially critically?

From our perspective it was such a personal recording that we couldn’t tell if it was good or bad anymore. We were so involved in it that we’d lost all perspective. It has been received better than we ever expected with mainstream press like Kerrang! and Rock Sound giving us great reviews and blogs and websites all over picking it up.

In all honesty we couldn’t have hoped for a better reaction.

You have released it as a free download opportunity for fans, any particular reason for that?

We want everyone to be able to listen to our music whether you can afford a CD or not. In the band we are shameless streamers, torrenters and file sharers, so for us to be precious over our record when we have “stolen” so many other peoples music would be very hypocritical.

How do songs emerge within the band generally?

It’s a varied process, usually we demo and produce a lot of stuff in our bedrooms and over the internet and then take the ideas into the practice room for fine tuning.

Do lyrics spark songs or musical ideas, or is it a mix?

Tricky question…Musical ideas definitely inspire the lyrics in the demo process and then later the track is re-worked around the lyrics. So I guess it would be a mix.

The release contains your two singles Collapse and This Is Britain, both seemingly gained the tag infamous from a great many. Tell us about both of the powerful and lyrically volatile songs.

This is Britain – You’ve got to laugh at what Britain has become. I find it almost impossible to relate to any facet of mainstream culture. So this is our way of poking fun at what seems to be a ridiculous way of life. From the Royal Family to Ant and Dec, from our drinking culture to gossip magazines and from politicians and police to orange girls with Sharpie eyebrows, I don’t fit in anywhere. I didn’t want to whinge about all this so I tried to put myself in the mind-set of someone who loves modern Britain. It’s so sarcastic we were worried people might take it literally.

Collapse – Collapse is almost like the serious brother of This Is Britain. We wanted to talk about the poverty we see in the country. This recession and depression has been brought on by the government and they continue to shift the blame and show us statistics that say everything is ok but you only need to go out in the street to see how bad it’s getting. We want people to know they are the real power in this country and globally and politicians are counting on you to do nothing about it. Your country needs you and it needs you now.

Would you say This Is Britain has become already your musical calling card, the song people instantly refer to in relation to the band?

I really hope so, I think it’s a fine example of what we want to say and do musically. I think we’ll be playing that track for years to come.

Both songs have impressive videos, with the one for This is Britain like the song especially potent. Who did you record them with?

Thanks! Videos are a massive part of what we want to do. James Kennedy from Trifecta Films in Manchester did the This Is Britain video. We brought him to Blackpool for two days. We shot in our local and took him and his team on a sightseeing tour of the grimiest places in town. We had really good fun.

Some bands find it hard to create contagious songs without diluting the message or impact of the lyrics whilst others just concuss with noise to empower their impacting words. On the evidence of Dark Matters you have found the perfect balance. How much effort goes into your balance of both aspects or is it something which is just instinctive for you?

The rest of the band act as editors for the lyrics so when I’m pushing a point too much or what I’m doing lyrically is impacting on the aesthetics of the track they let me know. It’s sometimes hard for me to hear anything but the lyrics so it helps to have a team who know a good track when they hear it. There is definitely a group editing process.

How much impact do you believe artists and music can truly make on people in regard to social and world issues?

Art in general has the ability to change the world forever; it connects more people than Facebook and brings us together in ways we still don’t properly understand. A lot of people would call me naïve but I think doing nothing, putting your faith in political systems and hoping for the best is naïve.

What is next for The Karma Party?

Touring in April, May and June with Random Hand and Anti Vigilante. Playing Rebellion festival in August and we will have more new material / videos out later in the year!

Once more big thanks for chatting with us, any last thoughts for the readers and fans?

No worries thanks for the great questions. The only thing we want to say is a massive thanks to anyone who has given us a listen or come to show you are the reason we do this.

Grab the Dark Matters EP for free @ http://thekarmaparty.co.uk

Read the Dark Matters EP review @ http://ringmasterreviewintroduces.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/the-karma-party-dark-matters-ep/

The RingMaster Review 28/03/2013

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

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II II II : A Conundrum On My Coffee Table

Something wicked this way comes, an exceptional experiment of sonics, sounds and adventurous sensibilities to engineer the deepest ardour. Plenty of releases excite and thrill the senses but just a few ignite a fire of passion and deeply rooted rapture for the sounds they offer. One such rarity has just been unleashed into the world by II II II. The project from former Mishkin vocalist Ben Davy is sensational and its debut release without doubt one of the most enthralling and intoxicating pleasures of 2012. The A Conundrum On My Coffee Table EP captures the imagination in every aspect, its innovative weaves and inventive teasing an invigorating breath of fresh air which like the band name inspires thought, intrigue, and a hungry anticipation which is quenched with staggering ease.

Being a massive fan of the now deceased Leeds band Mishkin, the excitement of hearing from Davy with the EP was immense and

Ben Davy

arguably placed higher expectations on the impending release than any other new record might have to prove itself against. It was child’s play for the release though, its six tracks leaving hopes as just inadequate musings when placed before their creative triumphs and exhilarating sounds. Fusing  blend of mathcore, metal, jazz, and rock, the release is an experimental tempest which offers essences of Faith No More, Mishkin, 6:33, Mike Patton, Dog Fashion Disco and much more, all honed into a unique and compelling encounter. The tracks are slight sonic swipes, colourful aural blades which barely worry a third minute but are rigidly magnetic in the time they take to transform the emotions into a compliant subservient.

Dog’s Lost His Bone swaggers in with sultry melodies and bruising basslines over firm rhythmic slaps to immediately pull all focus in its direction. A tempest of delicious enterprise and aggressive sinews the track is a storm of scattergun like energies and sounds honed into deliberate patterns and senses manipulating structures. It is glorious, an evolving beast of sound which ignites every corner of mind and heart. The track reminds of Guano Padano at times especially their recent collaboration with Mike Patton, whilst offering the ever shifting weaves which marked Mishkin and the technical mesmerism of a Karnivool.

From there things just venture into arguably further elevated areas of psyched investigation and musical excellence. Firstly the psychotic HITPTYGWYDIYL exposes the nerve endings with its wanton melodic caresses and scything rhythmic malevolence, the track a piece of aural sculpture which teeters on insanity. It like the first song is just irresistible, a brief unpredictable expanse of taunting and challenges bringing the richest of rewards. If the likes of Polkadot Cadaver give you a buzz, this track as the release will have you feeling like a teenager on your first sexual quest.

No Condition and Memories follow with their own individual ingenuity, the first a tirade of white hot sonics and argumentative riffs with a smouldering seductive centre and expressive challenging gest, and the second a flash of thought exploiting invention which leaves nothing less than heightened pleasure in its wake. In addition to the previous mentioned references the release inspires there is a sense of the maniacal mischief of 12 Stone Toddler to this pair of songs bringing yet another refreshing and inspirational flavour to the whole experience.

The release is completed by the ravenous craft of The Key To Denial and the serpentine Shingles. The former is a sizzling encounter, a face to face with the devil in aural form, its sonic tongue licking over the senses with insidious sexual greed to leave you tingling whilst grinning in sheer pleasure. Like all the songs it caresses and investigates the body like an insatiable lover whilst all the time stretching and twisting their prey with their venomous desires.  The latter is even more dangerous behind its jazz lined melodic brilliance, the passage of almost corruptive challenges and dazzling invention just breath-taking and magically intrusive.

A Conundrum On My Coffee Table is pure excellence, a release coming in the closing days of December which sets the highest standard for 2013. The EP is an essential investigation and a must get with its name your own price offer on the II II II Bandcamp Page… so go on off you go.

http://ii-ii-ii.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/II-II-II/100277240054308

RingMaster 30/12/2012

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

The Fat Dukes Of Fuck: Honey From The Lips Of An Angel

The creators of new album Honey From The Lips Of An Angel is a band revelling in subtlety and warm tender moments to fill the heart with emotion and reassurance… yeah and we always wear pink tutus and Doc Martens when reviewing music. Well the latter might have some truth to its but one thing you can never accuse The Fat Dukes Of Fuck of being is sensitive or worried about appearing PC. You can though throw accusations of creating riotously fun, fully infectious, quality dirty rock n roll at the band and they will stick firmly.  Honey From The Lips Of An Angel is a glorious and irreverent slap around the senses brought with mightily addictive sounds and a mischievousness which only pulls one willingly and eagerly into its heart.

The album is an aggressive crash upon the senses brought through an excellent brew of punk, metal, and filth lined rock n roll. The tracks rampage through and toy with the ear like a riot instigated by the combined aural profanity of Suicidal Tendencies, Trucker Diablo, The Damned, Clutch, ZZ Top and the Melvins. You can add some early Beastie Boys and Sabbath too, their sound expansive in invention and contagious in its recognisable seeds and maniacal interpretation. The Fat Dukes Of Fuck is a band where having fun and taking the piss is instinct ran wild but musically they leave nothing floundering in mediocrity or flabby imagination, these guys know how to brew impressive and inciteful rock n roll to recruit the passions.

Consisting of founders vocalist Brent Lynch and guitarist Jarrod Miller alongside bassist Jason Lamb and drummer Jeremy Brenton (also in doom metalers Demon Lung), the Vegas based quartet immediately drop a cluster bomb of funk dripping grooves and punked up energy upon the ear through opener The Mighty Bulge. The vocals are caustically twisting whilst the guitar splices the air with scorched and venomous mischief. Hyperactive and brilliantly impossible to guess its next move, the track easily fires up the strongest greedy reactions, the blatant lyrical content as sure to open ear to ear grins as the sounds, especially the hungry bass gnawing, are going to trigger open adoration.

   Sorry About Your Dick with its taunting groove and vocal pointing lifts the senses even higher, a blistering onslaught of ravenous energy and spiralling vocals with that mentioned tightly wound groove a wanton hussy, which ignites even bigger flames of pleasure. Uncomplicated, to the point, and the instigator of primal lustful intentions, the song and album are aural locker-room pornography and insatiably pleasing.

With Oral Agenda stepping up next one could almost assume it was turning into a concept album of sorts, but the fiery track is just the step to greater sins and delights starting with the Prelude to the Greatest Night of Your Life, a heavy rub upon the ear with sonic vocal squalls and bridging melodic incursions from within the steady nibbling riffing. It has a classic rock breath to its restrained stomp which is linked to further funk swaggering, imagine early Red Hot Chili Peppers in a bruising encounter with Red Fang and Melvins and you get a taste of the sonic tonguing in the ear going on.

    Honey From The Lips Of An Angel is magnificent with its best moment coming in the outstanding Step Aside and Let That Fucker Dance. The track mesmerises and enchants whilst exposing our natural irreverence through simply hilarious lyrics and inspirational multi directional musical invention. Dancing through the ear like a dad at a wedding, coordination awry and discord deliciously toning every chant, the song is immensely contagious and sheer brilliance.

Tracks like the punk driven Cigarette, the rhythmically teasing I Killed a Small Child with its abrasive vaunt, and the southern fried melodic cruising Let My People Grow, just pile on more unbridled unruly behaviour and sounds to spawn only deeper need and satisfaction. The closing title track ensures a final slice of raucous provocation, its impure heart and carnivalesque stroll like dark music hall, well if created and produced by Mike Patton, The Cardiacs, and 6:33.

    Honey From The Lips Of An Angel is definitely one the best albums to emerge this year whilst The Fat Dukes Of Fuck isthat out of control, crude, irrepressibly funny, best friend you always wanted to riot with.

http://www.thefatdukesoffuck.com

RingMaster 24/09/2012

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

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Guano Padano: 2

Like a soundtrack to a disturbed world drawn from the imagination of Sergio Leone, David Lynch, and Robert Rodriguez, 2 the glorious new album from Italian band Guano Padano, lights up every aspect of the body. The release awakens the senses, incites thoughts and imagination whilst using feet like a puppeteer with their contagious heated sounds and rhythms. The album is outstanding, a release which fits nowhere but has a feast of delights for all.

The new album follows the 2009 self titled debut album from Guano Padano which had a limited release in Italy. Released through Ipecac Recordings, 2 gives the band a needed and deserved wider canvas to recruit from and it is hard to imagine their following not increasing dramatically as the album reaches many more ears. The trio of guitarist/multi-string instrumentalist Alessandro Stefana, Danilo Gallo bass/piano/organ and Zeno De Rossi on drums, unleash a series of cinematic instrumentals which evoke individual moments and lives within this golden world which dazzle and transport thoughts to new yet familiar soundscapes. Musically the band combines the fine flavours distilled from jazz, bluegrass, surf rock, country, folk, rock and more, to conjure a smouldering journey with a spaghetti western film noir breath. To be honest it is wonderfully hard to explain but very easy to immerse within and enjoy to the full.

The album opens with the short Last Night, a piece of music which is emotively elegant but comes with a blistered background and increasing intensity as it moves into the waiting heat of Zebulon. The second track gallops into view with an eager swagger and shimmering spaghetti western melodics. You can feel the heat sliding off the atmosphere which wraps the music and visualise sceneries of sand and bristling activity. There is also a slight surf spice to the composition which wakens the taste buds for the full flavour a little further on within Gran Bazaar.

The track is stunning, a sultry presence within the ear and a seductive temptation for the senses. With guitars either picking at notes to find their limits before snapping  or sending flames of sharp melodic  passion through the air, the track is an insatiable infection offering a fluid feast of Middle Eastern promise and surf romance within its mesmeric world. It is a near wanton tease which no one can or would refuse.

The album as each track passes into the imagination, shows fully eclectic sounds and ideas, the likes of the slow pacing Gumbo with its pulsating jazz whispers and evocative melodic showers, the excitable hoe down Bellavista, and Miss Chan with its hypnotic oriental kiss, all offering  new detours and experiences within the expansive journey. The last of the three starts off with a scratchy mesh of oriental radio voices and the plunking of traditional eastern strings before erupting into another sizzling fire of surf and Japanese sounds veined with acidic sonic guitar manipulations. As seemingly everywhere one is transported into an enveloping weave of picture telling emotion and sonic sights soundtracked by great provocative sounds.

2 is an album with every track leaving nothing but deep pleasure in their wake but as always personal tastes finds ones which stand out from the crowd and alongside Gran Bazaar there are two which ignite the fullest fires. Firstly there is Lynch, a track borne from the dark shadows and empty solitary street corners with just a lone jazz musician for a friend.  The track has a film noir breath but behind it there is a sinister and almost unworldly pulse, a hungry discord waiting to misdirect the melodic enterprise. It is glorious, arguably the most powerful of all the tracks and one which lingers in the mind well past its expiring notes.

As with their first album, the band brought in the talents of others on 2 letting the craft of the likes of Marc Ribot (John Zorn, Tom Waits), Chris Speed, and Paul Niehaus (Lambchop) grace the release. The other great highlight of the album Prairie Fire, the only track with vocals. It also features a guest, the inimitable Mike Patton. The track is brilliant, a song with the wicked grin of the devil and the mischief of, well Mike Patton. It is slightly schizophrenic with more than an air of a Gotham City villain to the vocal character. It is a rock n roll contagion of the purest sin brought with a wholly unique and inventive majesty to have one dribbling lust. If this song does not take Guano Padano in the ears and minds of the world nothing will.

The album ends with a cover of the Santo & Johnny track Sleep Walk, a song which has had numerous versions made of it and it has to be said Guano Padano do not do anything to make it their own. Against the excellence before it is just a pleasant kiss goodnight from the album to be honest and the only time the album drops its levels.

2 is a vibrant dream and escape rolled into one stirring and immersive journey. It gives only pleasure whilst inspiring thoughts to create their own landscape and companions for the trip alongside your aural tour guide Guano Padano.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/GUANO-PADANO/128526000583127

RingMaster 23/08/2012

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

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The Faceless: Autotheism

The first thought listening to Autotheism, the new and third album from tech death metalers The Faceless, is that the band must have great memories to play the ever shifting rapid fire torrent and maelstrom of sounds and ideas which comprise the songs on the album. It is a perpetually evolving seemingly restless storm of intensity, energy, and imagination. The Faceless has always been unprepared to stick to expectations and push their boundaries but now they have unleashed a whole horde of inventive demons.  The album is schizophrenic that is fair to say but with all aspects and identities in full control of their ingenuity and direction. The Faceless has returned to shock, surprise, intrigue and most of all impress.

With their 2006 debut Akeldama, the band stood apart from other technical death metal bands whilst its successor Planetary Duality two years later, took the band to higher plateaus and respect as they pushed their boundaries far beyond their introduction. Autotheism takes an even bigger leap forward as The Faceless emerges after four years with new rampant progressive and melodic endeavour to their sound. It is still as brutal and corruptive as ever but now is locked in a maniacal storm of progressive enterprise or insanity. Since the last album the band has under gone changes with departures and subsequent new members in the form of vocalist Geoffrey Ficco, guitarist Wes Hauch, and bassist Evan Brewer joining drummer Lyle Cooper and guitarist/vocalist Michael Keene.

Released through Sumerian Records the album immediately grabs attention with the introduction to first track Create, the cinematic and building climactic atmosphere leading into the heart of the song with power and compulsive intrigue. The track is the first part of an overall piece called Autotheist Movement and as it spreads its arms immediately hits with the first surprise. The clean and it has to be said impressive vocals of Keene which heat the air with expressive tones. He is prowled around by the hungry guttural growls of Ficco for a great contrast and union, the music complimenting with a predatory stalking through riffs and energy within a slow burning melodic flame. The track is unexpected bringing a sound which the likes of Tool or Deftones would not turn their nose up at and with an underlying menacing snarl to keep things on an edge. Long time fans of the band will possibly be split on the new directions within the album but already the opener offers even in its relatively straight forward guise something wholly unexpected yet impressive.

The track has an abrupt end but before you can think about a breath Emancipate explodes its venomous presence forcibly into the ear. Nightmarish and with a breath dripping hellish ambience the track crawls and festers within black corners and malevolent shadows before fusing in intricate progressive surges and melodic distractions. Once more the bile spewing growls of Ficco swap with the vocals of Keene this time backed by female vocals, they have not so much a duelling companionship but an exchange of extreme whispers. The guitar of Keene leave scorch marks across the sky of the song whilst Hauch blisters flesh with riffs as dehabilitating as the intensity spawn all backed by tight muscular rhythms from Brewer and Cooper.

Autotheist Movement is completed by Deconsecrate, a song which finds the equivalent of Mike Patton in an incestuous barbed bed with 6:33, Textures, and Between the Buried and Me. The track surges through death metal and progressive invention to jazz manipulations and metalcore fingering, the senses a playground for the consistently shifting and twisting imagination at large. The track caresses and serenades, but equally cripples and molests with barbaric force, something the whole album can be accused of and acclaimed for.

The likes of the stunning Accelerated Evolution and The Eidolon Reality, a track which sears itself into the ear with a sonic branding which leaves one breathless, throw further towering and aggressive turmoil upon the senses, majestic and vicious in equal measure and for the fullest satisfaction. As each song confronts more and more deviations of sound and ideas are unleashed to make every visit new and incendiary to the emotions. This vast diversity emerges with one negative aspect; the creativity within songs never allows a breath or real digestion of the immense sounds and invention at large so that no song leaves a clear impression of its shape and body. Yes certain elements stick like the metallic incision and orchestral synth weaves of Ten Billion for example or the melodic dark grace of In Solitude, but in hindsight it is hard to recollect complete individual identities. It is strange as the album is outstanding and every element only inspires full pleasure and satisfaction but within the unbridled tempest it is where everything stays.

    Autotheism is an excellent album which the term technical progressive death metal hardly covers. The Los Angeles based quintet has set a new bar for others to contemplate let alone emulate with an album sure to split views, then again The Faceless are probably used to that.

RingMaster 17/08/2012

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

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Ellis Ashbrook: Meridia

When an album leaves one feeling good inside you know it has to have something special about it. Such is the case with Meridia from US rock band Ellis Ashbrook. The release, the third album from the band, is a mesmeric collection of swirling and heated songs which captivate with ease and infectious imagination. It is an instant friend to the ear and an eager perpetrator of heartfelt delights with its irresistible weaves of invention and passionate melodic enterprise. A series of varied peaks without any lows in between Meridia is simply one enormous pleasure.

The Brooklyn based quartet of John Barber (vocals, lead guitar), Natalie Lowe (vocals, keys), Jonathan Granoff (bass), and Alex Major (drums, electronic percussion), draw in influences across multi genres to create a rock sound rippling with diversity and shimmering beauty. It is feisty when it needs to be and as funky as your hips could dream of and the overall blend is a perpetually engaging and fresh pleasure for the senses. With two previously well received albums behind them in their self titled debut of 2006 and Assemblage in 2008, Ellis Ashbrook has taken their sound to a new level with their latest album to be reflected in the what one expects will be even greater acclaim going its way.

The album immediately infuses emotions with full enthusiasm through opening track Accelerator. With a dawning electronic breath the song unfolds its arms to envelope the senses with a mighty indie pop feast of elegance. From the initial voice of Lowe there is an immediate Blondie lilt to the song before it evolves into a more rock orientated flow as the vocals and excellent guitar of Barber join the party. Electronic bursts and spotlights of sound keep things wonderfully warm and casual alongside the firmer thrust of the song which by this point and as it approaches its climax ripples essences of Oingo Boingo.

Second song Slide takes no time in showing the variety of the album and music of Ellis Ashbrook in general.  A pacing melodic tease split with sharp guitar play and surges of muscle the song is a hypnotic fusion of Alice In Chains/Nirvana and classic rock brought with a breath of psychedelic warmth. Again vocally the song radiates infection and class whilst musically the band turns contagion into an art form.

As the album continues to envelope the senses songs like the jazz funk flight of magic which is Cat Song, the brilliant hypnotic tropical treat Peripheral Declination, and the crystalline shimmering No Please, Don’t Watch, leave the heart desperate for more. Peripheral Declination is especially irresistible and a rival to the opening pair for best song on the album, its magnetic Mike Patton crossed with Beck craft impossible to stay away from.

As mentioned there are varied heights of excellence on the album but there is never a time the album leaves one merely satisfied, songs like Climax, the folk rock gem Unbreakable, and the emotive Bottomfeeder, leading thoughts and emotions on a sensual experience as rewarding as the more boisterous and irrepressible tracks elsewhere. As Meridia progresses its air evolves from an urgent and energised beginning into a mellower and more passionate atmospheric ambience especially over the latter six or so tracks, though it still offers plenty of stirring bursts as in the closer 22 to compliment and invigorate the pulsating beauty and impressive songwriting.

Taking extras spices found in the likes of Talking Heads, Led Zeppelin, The Smashing Pumpkins, Ween, and Pink Floyd to name a few, Ellis Ashbrook manipulates them into their own unique sound to offer something which is as we said at the start rather special. Meridia is a gift for the ear, time to treat yourselves.

http://www.ellisashbrook.com/

Ringmaster 30/06/2012

Copyright RingMaster : myfreecopyright

 

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Interview with Stefan from Kontrust

One of the surprises and biggest finds  so far this year has come in the shape of Austrian metal band Kontrust, not that they are newcomers just that we have been blind to their impressive sounds until now. With release of their stunning new album Second Hand Wonderland, a deeply eclectic, wonderfully eccentric, and extremely brilliant release we are now enjoying the treats and pleasures the band brings with each and every song. We had the chance to find out more about the band and new album by having the pleasure of vocalist Stefan answering our eager questions.

Hello and many thanks for taking time to talk with us at The Ringmaster Review.

Firstly please just introduce Kontrust and its members.

Glad to have this interview. We’re a hard rocking 7 piece. There’s Agata, who does the vocals, not necessary the softer ones. Rhythm section is Roman on the drums and Manuel on the percussions. Those to supply the a** whooping beats. Gregor our bass player delivers the fat groove, while Robert and Mike kick in with the walls of guitars.

For those of us who have only just discovered you, yes we hold our shaking heads in shame, tell us when and how the band started.

We originally got together in 2001, released the first 2 EP’s and finally 4 years later in 2005 after a massive line up change, when Agata and Gregor joined in, our first long player We!come Home. That’s how it all began.

How has the band changed since those early days?

After the line up change we were a six-piece that started to be heard by an audience at clubs and festivals. We played tons of great shows and then in 2009 we put out a new album “Time To Tango” and then “Bomba” happened. Something we didn’t expect at all. It was our first big international breakthrough. We we’re really blown away. First high ranking chart positions in the Holland, then later in 2010 we received the AMADEUS Music Award in our home country of Austria.
The single and of course the album as well became really popular on the internet and received a substantial airplay on TV and radio. Things started to go really well. We got strong feedback from the international music press and a constant growing international fan base. In early 2011 we added our 7th member Mike (guitar) to the band. After massive touring we played Poland with our biggest show ever at the Prystanek Woodstock festival in front of over 300000 crazy Kontrust fans.
We spent over a year working on our new album “second hand wonderland” which is finally released.

With a sound that has diversity and flavour which encompasses all forms of rock, metal and distinct genres further afield what were and are the influences that helped and still add inspiration your inventiveness?

From Sepultura to Depeche Mode, from Iron Maiden to Bob Marley and so on. All kinds of musical styles from rock to jazz, to electronic music and experimental forms.

The songs  bring so much ingenuity and as mentioned invention to their richness it is hard to imagine where you start when writing them so please give us some insight into the song writing process within Kontrust.

There are a lot of ideas! Then of course time for our ideas to develop and legal and illegal helpers!
We jam, we record, we re-write and so on. We enjoy working with other songwriters as well in order to get a different approach. Working with so much passion, love, frustration and aggression all put into the music we do, we try many different approaches when it comes to writing the songs and leave all the musical barriers behind. And it the end…it sounds like we do.

Listening to your music one also has the thought that songs almost shape themselves that they evolve on their own with the band the guide at times. Is that so?

That really depends on the songs, some go really easy and are done in just a couple of hours, others occupy you for several weeks or even months.

You are about/have just released your brand new album Second Hand Wonderland. Where does the release go or has brought from you as a band that is different from your previous and acclaimed release Time To Tango?

Well compared to all other previous releases, it’s a worldwide release. For the first time, our stuff will be available in every corner of the world. We’re looking forward to the fact, that a lot of new people, who aren’t aware of us yet, will hear us.

Admittedly as I ask this I have only heard the singles Bomba and The Smash Song from the previous album, something that will be remedied soon, but there feels a stronger intensity and dare one say aggressive streak to Second Hand Wonderland. Is that the reality?

The music itself evolved and we brought our songwriting to a new level. It’s definitely more playful, twisted and very hooky. We enjoy writing stuff, that actually touches you, whatever you mood may be, doesn’t matter if it’s in your face, bashing stuff or more melodic parts.

How long was Second Hand Wonderland in the making?

The entire process took over a year to produce, record and finish. The entire time span of finish to start was well over two years.

The album has a soundscape that is almost like an aural version of the South Korean movie The Happiness of the Katakuris and in some ways of the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit with its reality blended background of cartoon and reality. Do you understand what I mean and if so do you agree haha?

Well Roger Rabbit I know and it never crossed my mind till now, but yes it’s somewhere in that neighborhood. Crazy and wicked.

The vocal blend of Agata and yourself is as distinctive and contrasting as it is seamless and an obvious and perfect fit. Was this as natural from the start when Agata joined the band or was there work needed to done to make it as impressive as it is?

There was an instant chemistry that worked for everybody at that point in time. We evolved quite a bit since then, got more creative and approached a different musical level. We grew together and got better at what we do.

Agata is from Poland originally, how did you find her?

She found us after we put an ad into a local music-mag. Back then, that was way to do it. She already lived in Vienna several years before, so all of us were in one big town. Just a matter of time until we found each other.

It is impossible to choose a favourite song on the album, each song stating a firm and undeniable claim, but is there any particularly track or moment on Second Hand Wonderland you are most proud of or simply have a stronger pleasure from?

All the tracks! I love them all. I guess it depends on the mood I’m in. Each songs kick’s ass. Or gets you a speeding ticket, because you slammed the gas to hard, while listening to the tunes.

With an album so eclectic and at times wonderfully eccentric you will sadly but obviously find some people that will find it hard or unwilling to venture into your world of imagination. Do you ever think about that when writing or simply declare it their loss?

Obviously it’s an impossible task to satisfy everybody. I guess this album will polarize a lot more than all previous ones. You either love it or hate it.

For all the innovation and imagination you bring to your music has there been ideas or sounds that even you have found hard to immerse into your music or simply unable to work with?

There are a couple of tracks where we were not sure, if should put them on the album or not. But in the end we’re really glad we put them on there, just because of that reason. They color it, they make it different. We like!

You have a great reputation for your live shows making sure everyone has an experience to remember but for you the performance at the Przystanek Woodstock festival last year in front of over 300,000 people must have been a real highlight?

It was absolutely crazy. Insane! Totally overwhelming! We had an instant connection with the crowd and they gave everything back tenfold. So they fired us up really well and we returned the favour. It was an amazing show full of mosh pits and walls of death and bodies surfing everywhere. Flags waving from a crowd that cheered so strong we couldn’t hear ourselves on stage. Very intense. Timeless memories.

An event and success like that must have given the band a stronger hunger and heart for more of the same and inspired your creativity?

For certain! Events like that give you such an intense boost in great vibes and positive energy. It satisfies you. You get the feeling…ok, we must be doing something right. But the most important fact is, you know that you can be grateful. Grateful for being able to play such an event, because of the fans who supported us.

As much as the catchiness to the songs and the irresistible hooks and lures you lay upon us, a lot of the infectiousness comes from feeling and seeing the fun the band has making and bringing the music and how it equals ours receiving it. This is as important to you as musicians as much as the music itself, having fun?

Oh yes. Having fun was always the major part of being in this band. We really enjoy what we do.  Playing live, jamming, recording, writing music, all of it J

Second Hand Wonderland is released on Napalm Records, a surprising link up though we all know they know good music when they hear it. How did the union come about?

Well we were looking for a label and found one. The really treat us well and take good care of us. They have been in the industry for ages and always proved themselves as a great long term solution that makes everybody happy.

Have you shows or a tour lined up to support the album? …and possible festival appearances in the year ahead?

Oh it will be a busy year! We go on tour with “Die Apokalyptischen Reiter” in early may through Germany, Switzerland and Austria. We have many shows planned for the summer festival season throughout Europe. Check out our homepage for exact dates and where they’re happening.

Thank you for sparing time to talk with us would you like to leave with any last words or thoughts?

Thank you for the interview. Big thanks to all our fans out there who support us. Without you we would not be here. This new album is dedicated to you. See you out there on tour J

Finally in our review we referenced the likes of Skindred, Dub War, Djerv, Rammstein, Mike Patton, De Staat, Guano Apes, Yello, 12 Stone Toddler and Shaggy to name a few to give an idea of the music and songs within Second Hand Wonderland. Any there you agree with haha and any we may have missed?

Guano Apes… haha…haha…haha. Why is that? – Oh yes, probably you forgot Justin Bieber…

Read the Second Hand Wonderland review @ http://ringmasterreviewintroduces.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/kontrust-second-hand-wonderland/

The Ringmaster Review 25/04/2012

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Kontrust: Second Hand Wonderland

 

As much as music delights, surprises and fuels our lives it can frustrate just as it has with metalers Kontrust.  Frustrate in the fact they have somehow managed to evade our attention here until now. Deeply eclectic, wonderfully eccentric, and extremely brilliant, the Austrian sextet unveils their new album Second Hand Wonderland to set the predominately lacklustre world of rock music on a collision course with inspired ingenuity. The album is amazingly impressive, perfectly unpredictable, and most of all complete fun.

Kontrust are classed as a crossover band though that term can be applied to the majority of bands these days, the new breed openly taking influences and missing multiple genres in to their sounds. Kontrust just do it better and from the widest palette available to create sounds that light up every thought, sense and part of the body. They are an infection there is no cure for, a contagion that one only wants to be consumed by. So how can we describe them for others still not aware? For this album take a healthy chunk of Skindred/Dub War and boil it up with chunks of Djerv, spices of Rammstein, Mike Patton, and Guano Apes and then pipe some Yello, 12 Stone Toddler and Shaggy through it and you are on the right recipe at least.

Second Hand Wonderland is the follow up to the previous acclaimed 2009 album Time To Tango which gave the two singles The Smash Song and the Dutch chart hitting Bomba. In between that and this third release (their debut album Welcome Home coming in 2006) the band received an Amadeus Austrian Music Award in the Hard & Heavy category as well as playing numerous shows and events including the Przystanek Woodstock festival in front of a reported 300,000. Now with the new album one can only see and hope that they hit the largest and widest attention, music needs the likes of Kontrust, the world needs them.

From the moment the album opens and charms it flies like a wild exhilarating wind across the senses, the songs though not particularly brief simply breeze past with the most open of pleasure and fun. They say time flies when one is enjoying oneself and Second Hand Wonderland is the strongest proof. Led by the brilliant dual and contrasting vocals of Stefan and Agata who is Polish, the songs sizzle and stomp with each and every note. With music that rages and bruises through to hypnotising and serenading to sirenesque effect and brought by the rest of the band in guitarist Robert, bassist Gregor, drummer Roman, and percussionist Manuel, the album is a sonic festival that wraps its manic arms around the body whilst drizzling mouth watering invention and bedlam into every pore.

The first single from the album Sock ‘n’ Doll opens the unforgettable experience with initial vocal melodies from Agata before Stefan brings his best Benji Webbe impression.  Within a few eager breaths the track erupts with a deep predatory bass and crushing riffs led forth by thumping rhythms. From a Skindred/Djerv rampage the song suddenly steps aside into a beautiful melodic pop moment from the stunning voice of Agata backed with crystalline melodies. Glittering electro sounds then sweep over with an industrial nip to them and in a little over a minute we have been turned inside out magnificently. The song ripples and pulsates to its end continuing the interchanges and already the incisive hooks of the band are in and attached deeply especially from the explosive metal/ska lead into the climactic end.

Every song could be mentioned in immense detail but to save a review running into pages let us just say each and every song is as inspiring and majestic as they are wonderfully crafted and delivered. The likes of Falling with an metallic Animal Alpha like infusion, the De Staat toned electro pop addiction that is Monkey Boy, and the energised rap/melodic grooved U Say What simply leave one grinning from ear to ear whilst the magic engages fully. If you have not begun joining in by the fourth song a check of the pulse is needed.

The peaks of what is a constant elevated high include the songs The Butterfly Effect, Bad Betrayer, Raise Me Up…… ok basically everything. The Butterfly Effect is a definite highlight and a song that Bow Wow Wow might be making if the band was starting out now, its tribal instinctive rhythms and flow awash with warm and gracefully beckoning vocals from Agata. The wicked sinister stomp of Rasputin and the punk thrusting Adrenaline showing Agata can be as harsh vocally as stunning, not to forget the aggressive maelstrom of intensity Hey DJ! leave one just as desperate to dive back into their depths as those songs mentioned and those left for your investigation.

     Second Hand Wonderland released on Napalm Records (yes a surprise here too but they know great music) is easily one of if not the best album heard so far this year. It is magnificence at its most impressive and sets up Kontrust to be your new favourite band.

Ringmaster 10/04/2012

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