Kumi666com
To all guys from my fave metal bands
To all guys from my fave metal bands,
Though it has been told many times and many ways already, this year became incredibly difficult for everyone in the whole world because of the pandemic. Sadly, this tough moment disclosed there are many selfish humans in every society... sigh. On the other hand, it revealed there are such many unsung heroes in the world! I'm not only talking about health-care related workers, but also about artists!!!
Every beautiful art could be a powerful healer and cheerleader for many people, you know. And, for me, it's mainly metal music (especially death metal), of course! Your fantastic music gives me a huge strength and happiness 24/7 seriously and I wouldn't survive without it. So, I just wanted to shout out loud about my honest thankful feelings towards you guys for your endless efforts for the amazingly beautiful music! This year must be really cruel for you as restless musicians, but many of you guys didn't give in under such cirecumstance and kept creating your new music. You guys are truly mighty heroes!!! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.
BTW, I'm so sorry that I couldn't work a lot as a metal supporter via www.kumi666.com this year due to the pandemic, my super busy regular job and an illness. Things have been total hectic these years and I only managed a couple of reviews, interviews and a distribution, and I even had to give up a metal-give-away action this year. What a shame...
I'll be total busy-bee for the support stuff next year hopefully!
Thanks a lot again. I love you all!
Top Albums in 2018 by Kumi666
It was a fabulous metal year again. Personally, there were lots of problems and struggles this year but metal saved my life over again. Thank you so much for every single genius metal musician who released amazing music this year. You guys really rule! Well, as I mentioned over again, I couldn't make up my mind for which album is appropriate for my number one this year cos several albums are almost equivalent as my most played album of the year. So, let me show you my most played 5 albums this year plus following 9, and if you got some interest about those bands, please check their sites, buy their music and support them!
MOST PLAYED 5 ALBUMS IN 2018!
(in random order)
Reanimation - Bloodshot Dawn
Dead And Alive - Parasite Inc.
Dawn Of The Five Suns - Kambrium
Aenigmata - Darkest Horizon
Of Origins Unearthed - Leviathan(Living Abyss)
NEXT 9 ALBUMS IN 2018
(in random order)
Revenant - Inferi
Into The Pitch Black - Mors Subita
Immersion - Irreversible Mechanism
Malady X - Nothgard
Liberticidal - Burn Down Eden
Land Of The Ending Time - Suotana
Palo - Kalmah
Into Zero - Rise To Fall
Fck Vlk - Myra
THE MOST PLAYED SINGLE IN 2018
Destroy / Rebuild - Sunless Rise
Thanks a lot to metal bands and metal ppl! Have a great new year!
2018 New Year’s Greetings from the bands! – www.kumi666.com
Happy New Year everybody! Here's the first post on 2018. To come straight to the point, I asked two simple questions to the band on kumi666com: 1) What was your biggest highlight of 2017? and 2) What is your New Year's resolution? So, my big thankfulness goes to the following bands with their exciting answers!
Bloodshot Dawn, Sunless Rise, Black Therapy, Parasite Inc., Meadows End, Kambrium, Soulbound, Leviathan, Bloodspot, Sight Of Emptiness, Sapiency, All Will Know, Irreversible Mechanism, Ravenpath and Burn Down Eden!!!
Bloodshot Dawn
"The highlight of our year was hearing the final mix of Reanimation our new record! Over the whole of 2017 we have been shaping the sound and music from writing to recording and also writing the lyrics! With all the changes in the line up it has been a fresh challenge that we have embraced and enjoyed! To hear Per Nilsson's final efforts and the way he helped expand our sound was nothing short of a dream. The fact that me and Morgan are huge fanboys for his work in Scar Symmetry it made it all that more special.
Our New Years resolution is to play in new territories around the world to try and bring our music further field! Naturally we plan to visit our faithful fans as always to. Also we plan to blow crowds away with our updated set and live show so keep your eyes peeled for live devastation!!
Happy new year to all our friends in Japan!"
/ Bloodshot Dawn Go to Bloodshot Dawn Page
Sunless Rise
"For our band the highlight of the year was presenting our new track during Japan tour. The journey itself was something of landmark nature to us. It was our first live experience outside Russia. And it was so amazing. Events like these fill us with energy and make us keep going.
In 2018 we're planning to fully concentrate on making our new concept full-length album. Can't predict to release date, not even approximately - because there's tons of work to do and the whole idea is pretty monumental."
/ Sunless Rise Go To Sunless Rise Page
Black Therapy
"Our biggest highlights of 2017 was the European tour with Wintersun and Whispered. We had a lot of fun, met a lot of people and made great memories. For New Years... we have something big in the works, so we are keeping our fingers crossed on that!"
/ Black Therapy Go To Black Therapy Page
Parasite Inc.
"Highlight 2017: New rehearsal room + finally back in songwriting and recording. Resolution 2018: Give 100% for the upcoming album + play as much shows as possible!"
/ Parasite Inc. Go To Parasite Inc. Page
Meadows End
"2017 has mostly been about recording our fourth full length album. We've worked hard and spent most of our time in the studio or in the rehearsal room and we can close 2017 with safisfaction. The biggest highlight of 2017 though must be the signing of a record deal together with Black Lion Records for the album to come! We can easily say 2018 will be an exciting year!
Our New Year's resolution must be to continue to work hard and have fun! To keep having a high rate of interaction with our fans and to make sure that our coming album becomes as great and widespread as the material and our fans deserve!
Happy New year Kumi and all readers! We wish you nothing but the best!
Thanks for your continous support of Meadows End! Devilspeed into 2018!"
/ Meadows End Go To Meadows End Page
Kambrium
"Hi everyone!
Our biggest highlight was meeting our fans at RockHarz Open Air 2017! Thanks for this great support!
Our New Year‘s resolution is to make our best album so far! And it looks already very good that we will do it! Get well into 2018!"
/ Kambrium Go To Kambrium Page
Soulbound
"For us 2017 was certainly again a fantastic year full of memorable events. A couple of weeks ago we started working hard on new songs and on bringing Soulbound to its next stage of evolution! Stay tuned! We promise you thrilling news for the next months! As well this years highlights were, of course, the shows and festivals we've played. For us the "Metal Christmas 2017 Festival" was one of our best shows with an awesome crowd and a lot familiar faces. We are very proud and thankful to see people being touched and inspired by our music and to see that the crowd of fans who are following us is growing bigger and bigger every year.
Beside the stage we are also happy being blessed with interesting talks and making new friends in music business. Those people are vital for our progress and as always the list of fellows that we feel thankful for is long. We are overwhelmed by the support and back-up we get. Additionally we are happy to welcome back Jonas on bass guitar after he spent a year abroad. At same moment we’d like to thank Johnny Ramirez for his incredible effort and devotion he put into our band while stepping in for Jonas on Bass.
Finally we want to thank our friends, families and fans for backing us up and giving us the opportunity to do what we love! Stay safe and healthy and have a splendid new year!"
/ Soulbound Go To Soulbound Page
Leviathan
"Our highlight this year was obviously to finally get back together after nearly four years apart and to start making music again. I guess we all didn't really notice before how much we missed each other and making music together, because no matter what we did on other project, it never was quite the same as with Leviathan.
Our biggest goal for 2018 is to get back on stage in March and to finish the new record in order to be able, to release it in early 2018. We can't wait to be out there again to play shows and create new music. It has been way too long since the last concert and the last album."
/ Leviathan Go To Leviathan Page
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YvJfQRZPfs
Bloodspot
"It might be a quite spontaneous christmas-show in Bielefeld with our friends of Soulbound and All Will Know.
There was plenty of sweat, blood and enthusiasm and it was the last show of a very exhausting year. More sweat and blood in our next shows! We intent to create new songs and a new record, but it will take as long, as it needs. So we still don´t know, when we will enter a studio... but that's an important topic these days.
c ya!"
/ Pete and BLOODSPOT Go To Bloodspot Page
Sight Of Emptiness
"I would say that actually was open for the mighty Slayer, share the stage with ...you know... one of the pioneers of metal, it's more than dream come true. You can't explain it with words. It's kinda like ascent in there where you feel actually to share the stage with people like that. I would say like that every single metal band in the world has been influenced by them. So, get to know them, share the stage with them. It was dream come true actually for Sight Of Emptiness. So, yeah: Slayer! 2017 highlight!
Well, to start recording the new album as soon as possible. That would be the first step. And then, with that, comes along on touring. So, obviously as every band in the world we want to promote the album as much as possible and go to places that we've never been before and we'd visit the places we've been before. You know, it's always good to get together with the old and new friends. So, yeah, that would it be for us: A new album and then touring."
/ Eduardo & Sight Of Emptiness Go To Sight Of Emptiness Page
Sapiency
"Our biggest highlight in 2017 was definitly our show last Friday in Frankfurt! It's our hometown and we had an awesome crowd at the 35th anniversary of our good friends Tankard!
Our new year's resolution: release our 3rd studio album and play some great shows!"
/ Sapiency Go To Sapiency Page
All Will Know
"Our 2017 highlight was releasing our new album Infinitas and well, new years resolution... maybe to play the new songs a lot live and show and celebrate them with as much people as possible! "
/ All Will Know Go To All Will Know Page
Irreversible Mechanism
"Our biggest highlight in this year of course that we’ve finished recording of our 2nd LP album.
We have a lot of suggestions to come and play shows in different part of the World, so our goal in next year will be finally come and play in all these places and countries, to meet lots of new people and have fun, and, of course, play music. Have a nice holidays and Happy New Year!!"
/ ur IM Go To Irreversible Mechanism Page
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmnuYZAT4rA
Ravenpath
"Our biggest Highlight in 2017 was the Gig at Rock unter den Eichen Festival (RUDE)
and for next year, we are going to record our 2nd Full Lenghth Album \m/"
/ Ravenpath Go To Ravenpath Page
Burn Down Eden
"I guess the biggest highlight of 2017 was the 10-day tour in summer. It was a great experience.
In 2018 we want to release the 2nd LP and play as much shows as possible... maybe another tour, too. We wish you great holidays, too. Greetings!"
/ Burn Down Eden Go To Burn Down Eden Page
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSrhmD6-oI8
TOP 10 ALBUMS 2017 on WWW.KUMI666.COM
Time flees away without delay. While I’ve been doing busy, 2017 is almost over now. I’m feeling there are too many good albums to pick only 10 this year. Anyway, I show you my current favorites from this year's releases and I shout this out loud that every single album from top 5 in the list is worth the number one. Plus, I mention Song Of The Year 2017 and some other good albums dropped from top 10 in the bottom. So, here we go.
Number 1 : "Tarot" - AETHER REALM
Number 2 : "Dead Shores Rising" - DESERTED FEAR
Number 3 : "Old Scars, New Wounds" - ACT OF DEFIANCE
Number 4 : "Heal" - BLOODRED HOURGLASS
Number 5 : "Mirror City" - SYMPULSE-E
Number 6 : "Phamtom Anthem" - AUGUST BURNS RED
Number 7 : "Will To Power" - ARCH ENEMY
Number 8 (1/2) : "Shadows Inside" - MISS MAY I
Number 8 (2/2) : "Infinitas" - ALL WILL KNOW
Number 9 : "Poetry of the III-Minded" - SHADE EMPIRE
Number 10 : "The Eclipse" - SERENITY IN MURDER
Next 12 albums as near to top 10
Song Of The Year: SUNLESS RISE - "Flywheel"
Happy New Year and Stay Metal!!!
Sunless Rise’s Brand New Single 2017 – “Flywheel”
Flywheel is the newest official release from Sunless Rise. It sounds just a typical SLR tune but you also can find something new. Musically, it’s built on a battle between brutality and sweetness, has fast fearless verses, relentless breakdown, philosophical catchy chorus and bridge, tasty solos and even some gang shouts! I love it! And the lyrics would tell about inertia, resignation, meaninglessness, awareness and rejection from damnation. Sunless Rise keep on evolving with their typical and new great music. Keep an eye on them!
Visit Sunless Rise Bandcamp and buy Flywheel as digital single. Pay for music, support Sunless Rise!
All about Sunless Rise on kumi666com here !
Flywheel lyrics
Hey! Just back off for a while.
Really think you can call it a move?
How does it feel to live in denial
Now hear the fucking truth!
Flywheel
Unbecome a flywheel
Flywheel
Make it stop
Hey! You're slowly dying!
Always busting your balls for some shady goals?
Slow it down, realize — there's only here and now!
Only here and now
It’s your life that you're wasting
Only here and now
You can finally change it
On the downward path
Ebbing with the flow
It’s your falling stream
On the downward path
Subsiding with the flow
Into the void
You tell me it’s alright?
You say there’s nothing to change?
Stop the presses: you’re decaying
Take a glance at yourself, you degenerate
Trying to hide in your rathole
You will rot there, there’s no escape
Fear
Penetrates
Seeps into your blood
Like a transfusion
Stop hallucinating
Out of bounds, let the image materialize
Stuck in between
Sad memories and dreams
Far from reality
Inside this nothingness
Choice is the last thing that you’ve got!
Stop pretending to be the person you’re not
Seeking for motivation
In race with obliteration
On the downward path
Ebbing with the flow
It’s your falling stream
On the downward path
Subsiding with the flow
Into the void
Burn down all that makes
You regret your past
Start it all over
Find a nerve to crush
These mental chains
To leave this deadly maze
Top 10 Albums 2016 on Kumi666.com
2015 was a year of Sunless Rise - Unrevealed as runaway leader.
Here we go with Top 10 Albums 2016 on Kumi666.com.
Shoutout two clear number ones of the year:
Heaven Shall Burn - Wanderer
Trick Or Treat - Rabbits' Hill pt.2
And the next nine albums are:
Allegaeon - Proponent For Sentience
Caliban - Gravity
Freedom Call - Master Of Light
Bloodspot - To The Marrow
Starkill - Shadow Sleep
Whitechapel - Mark Of The Blade
Kambrium - The Elders' Realm
Asenblut - Berserker
Burden Of Life - In Cycles
Other good ones: Breakdown Of Sanity(Coexistence), Nothgard(The Sinner's Sake), The Descent(The Coven Of Rats) and more...
Thank you so much for the great metal year!
Live Review – Trick Or Treat First Japan Tour day 2 @ Palooza
I still have no idea where I should start writing about the unforgettable evening with Trick Or Treat as my highlight of the year. That was just overwhelming with a huge fun of the show plus very nice talking with them about their brilliant music and funny cultural differences between Italy and Japan. Anyway, I'd love to tell you about their show, about their live performance and the audience at that night.
When I passed through the entrance of Palooza with the band, a Japanese support act was still playing there. I met up with a couple of my friends quickly and took up our stand in the pit when the setup for Trick Or Treat had started, but the hall was packed with the audience already and we couldn’t reach to the front row. Suddenly, the hall became dark and the people there started yelling eagerly to Trick Or Treat for their enter on stage. After the sound of rolling thunder broke the darkness, finally members of the band showed up on stage and the people became more crazy coz it was just Trick Or Treat's very first Japan Tour and all of us knew the first song of the show at that evening was Inlé (the black rabbit of death). It couldn't had been better than any other song for the opener of the show cos it’s the killer first track from their latest masterpiece “Rabbits’ Hill pt.2” and the brilliant album art was exuding its existence as a backdrop on the stage. I was singing the entire song together and was enjoying their passionate performance. I still have very special feelings for “Rabbits’ Hill pt.2”, so when Alle shouted out about the second song Cloudrider, I went hyper again… or I should say the audience went crazy for the hopeful song about Kehaar and the Watership rabbits. Such a positive song, such a brilliant band! My mind was already filled with joyful feelings at that moment.
Premonition from Rabbits’ Hill pt.1 was the third song they played. Everything of the enormous adventure started with the Fiver’s vision. My mind was floated between Sandleford Warren and the show, shouted the chorus part “Escape from here…” like the in-trance Fiver. Since their second full-length Tin Soldiers was their major debuted album in Japan, Loser Song they played as the fourth song at that night made us feeling great. And I already got Trick Or Treat are such brilliant live performers with the precise and energetic playing and the amazing vocals. The whole band looked joyful on stage and it made me happy enough to be a part of the unity for a big metal party. And I know I was not singing alone. (That's cord words for all Trick-nerds, haha)
A decade of my love for Trick Or Treat paid off with the next song – Evil Needs Candy Too. How could I imagine that the time for Trick Or Treat show in Japan come true until the couple of months ago? It was just fun to sing together the evil and funny chorus part with full force. I’m totally familiar to get some pain in my neck and body via metal shows but I found out that muscles of my face started weary already cos I was smiling all the time through the show so far. All hail happy metal.
Well, the next song was the band’s playtime pt.1 – Let It Go from the Disney movie “Frozen” but a metal version. I actually had some obvious feelings from two different aspects about it. It was simply fun to see how my beloved band arranged and played the world famous hit song for a joyful metal party. On the other hand (and it’s an important thing for me), it was very first time ToT Japan Tour, so the 60 minutes of their setlist was too short for me. I wanted to hear more songs from their fabulous albums. It's not murmur to the band. I have such a strong love for their original songs and a huge excitement for the first experience of their show :)
Leone’s bass solo refreshed my complicated feelings, and then the time for rabbits is back! Alle asked to a fan in the front row to get a rabbit beret for the next song - Rabbits’ Hill. The song is one of my 3-top-fave in the pt.1 (Wrong Turn and The Tale of Rowsby Woof are the rest of them), so I went crazy and of course the whole audience as well. I was singing the song along with the band and was closing my eyes for a while to feel the Watership breeze brought by the beloved guys with their killer performance. And, Alle’s vocals were just amazing!
The next one was their very early time’s song - Like Donald Duck. This cartoonish song was fun to hear in their show cos the whole members looked absolutely enjoyable. I didn’t miss that Alle dropped some lines from the song actually but that’s live. You should take it pleasure that you could experience many small differences as special memories at every single show. *grin*
Cartoon out, anime in, and it was time for boys. Alle asked to the audience for help for the next song - Saint Seiya’s theme. Our applause goes to Alle for his perfect singing with whole Japanese lyrics, and I was happy to see their love for Japan stuff, woot! Nuff said.
It’s time for a prison break, time for freedom! With the following song The Great Escape, I was really blissful and was singing the song along with the band again. I love guitar solos in the song. Guido and Luca have beautiful forms each other through their great guitar performance and it made me more into their show. All hail guitar heroes. Well, I’m very familiar with overwhelming drumming (I love blast beats) since I’m a big fan of extreme metal, but Luca’s drums were good enough to satisfy me at the show.
What a fancy evening. Michele Luppi from Secret Sphere joined on stage for the next song Take Your Chance. This is one of my fave in Tin Soldiers along with Freedom. It was kinda magic to be one of the witnesses for the original duet :D
Too sad to know the next song was the final song but United, hell yeah! Alle toled us Tony from Sonata Arctica was too busy to join the show tonight, so he needs to sing it alone, haha. His jokes made us smiling a lot and wiped out my gonna-miss feeling. Now we should be united for the finale of the big party. All of the audience there kept jumping with the band and was singing the epic chorus part. Trick Or Treat were Hazels and we were Bigwig, Fiver, Dandelion, Blackberry, Pipkin.... at that moment. “It’s the time for deliverance now! United we’ll be strong!”
The blissful time was over… all we could do was keep applauding and yelling to the band for the unforgettable time with their brilliant performance. That was a blast, real blast! I’ll never forget about the evening forever.
As far as I could see, there were a couple small sound problems attacked them but it could happen often at that class venues. So the blame should not go to the band, and who cares? That’s live. Spirit is the matter! Their energetic and happy performance covered all troubles at that evening!
After the show, I met up with Guido again and talked about the show, about their music and more. In our conversation, I confessed my dream to him: I’d love to see complete “Rabbits’ Hill pt1 & 2” show one day, using a big screen on the back on stage reflecting Alle’s art work and some scenes from Watership Down novel would be perfect. Adding choirs would be great too. It’s just a dream, but I don’t think it’s impossible. Like Alice says “The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it’s possible.”
I had a real blast at that evening, got unforgettable memories from the great Italian band! I can’t thank enough to these guys: Alle, Luca(V), Leone, Luca(S) and especially to Guido. We love you! Hope to see you guys very soon.
Until the next time... May the trick be with you!
Sorry for my blur live photos. I was busy myself to enjoy the show at that time :)
Kumi666com interview with Guido
Kumi666com album review for Rabbits' Hill pt.2
Trick Or Treat Official Homepage
Trick Or Treat Official Facebook
Beautiful picks: Luca's pick, Special pick for Japan, Guido's signed pick.
I gave them those El-ahrairah trophies as "Rabbits' Hill pt.2" album of the year + Inlé.
Trick Or Treat – “Rabbits’ Hill pt.II” – Insight of the concept
I’m an indie extreme metal supporter and my site stands just for it, but I’d love to write my feelings for the incredible concept album “Rabbits’ Hill pt.II” created by my favorite Italian power metal band Trick Or Treat.
It was more than a decade ago when I was totally into “Watership Down” by Richard Adams for the first time. I read it as Japanese edition “ウォータシップダウンのウサギたち” at that time. Time passed by, Trick Or Treat pulled the trigger of my passion for the epic adventure again with their two concept albums.
So I finally read the book as the original English edition lately. The story never gets old and blew me away over again! And I also found out once again, such a talented band Trick Or Treat is. The tunes and lyrics perfectly describe the Watership Down universe in their way, that’s just incredible!
If you are a fan of both of Watership Down and metal, I bet you’ll never be disappointed with the album, so why don't you try it?
Trick Or Treat drew the first half of Watership Down in Rabbits’ Hill pt.I (covers “The Journey” and “On Watership Down” in the book) about 4 years ago and finally the second half of the story: Rabbits’ Hill pt.II (covers “Efrafa” and “Hazel-rah” in the book) came out this summer with more sophisticated sounds.
Here’s my very personal review for Rabbits’ Hill pt.II about the great collaboration between “Watership Down” and metal. I rarely write album reviews for my site cos everybody has different feelings and tastes about music and you can get what you feel only by listening to it with your own ears, not from other people’s words, never. You even can start it with YouTube. And if you feel good with it, you can buy it wherever as long as it’s a regal way and can support metal. I never want to act like a judge for any music, so this review covers some insight of the concept with my love for the story and the album without rating. I hope you enjoy it.
Note: It could be spoilers for the story of Watership Down. So if you don't know the story so far and want to read the book, please remember the following review could show you some detail of the story especially second half of it.
Watership Down is an enormous adventure about “fight for freedom” through a bunch of brave wild rabbits and the book contents stories from two different rabbit’s worlds. One of them is the main story drew up a chronology of events as adventures of the wild rabbits, and the other one stands as “traditional story” a kind of rabbit’s bible told by the rabbits and it often gives them some bravery and hits for how to cope with their struggles for life with their enemies. So, Trick Or Treat dealt with both of them in the album and the opener Inlé(the black rabbit of death) is just about the most dreadful existence(the black rabbit of Inlé) in the rabbits’ myth. As an extreme metal lover, I’m happy to hear some growl part in the song honestly. The word “Inlé” comes from the rabbits’s original language Lapine and it means literally “moon”, and second meaning of it is “darkness”, “fear” and “death”. So, it could be some death metal song, *grin*. Anyway, the song is edgy and aggressive, and it’s just appropriate for the opener of the album. Great piece! It’s a contrasting pair with Prince with a 1000 enemies the opening track of Rabbits’ Hill pt.I pointed the rabbit folk hero(in their myth) El-ahrairah. It’s just like darkness and light. You can find them in both of cover arts.
I also should mention the fact that all those fabulous arts through Rabbits’ Hill pt.I & II are done by Alessandro Conti the amazing singer of the band.
Well, in the ending of the first half of the story, Hazel (the protagonist rabbit) shot down by a farmer at Nuthanger Farm right after the raid for hutch-rabbits there in the name of freedom. Together Again is the song about Hazel’s return from his chasm of death (related songs: I’ll come back for you and Bright eyes from pt.I) and the reunion with his buddies especially his youngest brother Fiver who didn't give up his existence. The short, calm and gentle song gives a new hope for the story.
Cloudrider is a song about Kehaar the sea gull saved by the rabbits, and it’s definitely one of my favorite songs from the album. Like Bigwig (Thlayli) says “You know, he made me feel I could fly too. That Big Water! I wish I could see it.”, Kehaar is wings of hope for the rabbits, and Trick Or Treat is my Kehaar setting me free (at heart) like a bird in the blue sky. Such a brilliant song with full of positivity they created!
The Hazel’s give-and-take idea through the rescue of Kehaar and a mouse reminds me the famous quote from Confucius ‘the good you do for others is good you do yourself’, by the way.
The epic adventure heads toward the merciless rabbits empire - Efrafa with the almost impossible mission organized by Team Hazel-rah. The intro of Efrafa shows you a creepy and cruel mood enough already. It’s a song about Blackavar imprisoned by Efrafan officers because he tried to run away from Efrafa once before. No matter he is imprisoned in a dark hole or not, Efrafa itself is just a big prison for him and many simple rabbits there. The song starts with Blackavar’s grief but it leads to a light in the dark brought by Bigwig. I’m always moved by Bigwig’s everlasting strength built on friendship, charity and justice. The chorus part shows you there’s some hope for escape from the hell.
Never Say Goodbye is another song of hope between Bigwig and Hyzenthlay. It’s a song about Hyzenthlay‘s longing for freedom and Bigwig’s conviction for escape. With a relationship built on trust, freedom’s not a dream anymore. The mission-impossible of Team Hazel-rah stands on the brighter future of Watership Down warren. They made through the crisis of their home warren at Sandleford (related songs: Spring in the warren, Premonition and Wrong Turn from pt.I) and the sham nation of Cowslip’s warren (related songs: False paradise and Between anger and tears from pt.I) and finally found their new promised land Watership Down (related song: Rabbits’ hill from pt.I), but without female rabbits like Hyzenthlay, there’s no hope for their future. I always love the story of “freedom call” or “freedom fighters”. Sara Squadrani did a great job as Hyzenthlay to express her long time eagerness for freedom. It’s just soulful and beautiful.
Trick Or Treat is often described as Happy Metal. The Great Escape is just a party piece in that way. The story of the escape from Efrafa stands extremely critical but the song itself has very positive tones and that’s why I’m into the song. The lyrics start from the courageous determination between Bigwig and Efrafan folk rabbits right before the escape from Efrafa into the storm and it covers along the way towards Watership Down warren including the breathtaking scene with the rabbit’s trick: using a men’s boat arranged by Hazel and Blackberry. With the exhilarating chorus part, the song is filled with an exciting mood and positive energies. That’s just brilliant!
Here comes General Woundwort the fierce Efrafan emperor. The regime of terror is the the only way to rule the world for him and he got frantically mad with the bunch of death-defying prison-breakers leading by Bigwig. So They Must Die is very aggressive metal piece with the edgy sound and Tim Owens’s charismatic vocals. It describes very well about General Woundwort’s extreme ferocity and such a twisted obsessiveness.
Well, The tale of Rowsby Woof is one of my favorite songs in pt.I with some Celtic folk song atmosphere. It’s taken from rabbits’ myths with an El-ahrirar’s trick. It’s told by Dandelion as usual before the following Efrafans’ attack. So, in order of the book, the song should be stood between Beware The Train (instrumental) and United but as long as the tale could sync with Nuthanger Farm’s watchdog, I think the band found a good position for the song. So, United shows you the determination for being brave under the flag of brotherhood and freedom, and the preparation for the upcoming final battle. The song has a good vibe and stands as a booster for the following highlight: The Showdown.
Team Hazel-rah has been saved over again by Fiver’s visions, Bigwig’s strength and Hazel’s wisdom inspired by El-ahrirah’s tricks. The Showdown is a song about their showdown literally via the final battle at Watership Down warren and it’s my biggest favorite song in the album. The tunes and lyrics are absolutely brilliant and I almost forget about the fact it has 10:47 as running time. I want to shout this out that my hat goes off to genius Guido Benedetti for the full deck of amazing songs! In the middle of the song, once the hope almost dies down with the Bigwig’s defeat through the epic fight with General Woundwort, but Lord Frith didn’t reprobate Bigwig, Hazel and his all buddies and gave them another trick for the demise of the battle. I have huge goose-bumps every time with the epic final lines: “We see the rising sun, we feel the rising sun, WE ARE THE RISING SUN.” Such a perfect song ever!
The grand finale of their adventure is filled with hope and brighter future, but every life has its ending. Last Breath is the most beautiful and emotional song I’ve ever listened to in my whole metal life. It’s just like touching to the softest part of my heart and I can’t resist tears every time listening to the song. I really love the epilogue of the story and this amazing song as well cos both of them are extremely pure and peaceful. Now Hazel is going to accept his final journey towards another paradise in bliss with his body left behind. Alle’s vocals are just overwhelming and beyond perfect to describe that sensitive moment. With his final shout: “Farewell my land”, I even have to catch back a sob every time. I have to say any words can’t be enough to describe how fantastic this song is. All you can do is to experience it with your own heart and ears.
Trick Or Treat’s “Rabbits’ Hill pt.II” got an epic victory with their incredible songwriting ability and technical play, plus endless positive energies and passion for what they do. The album is definitely one of the best releases of the year for me.
Last of all...
I love readings. It’s much better than movies and TV programs in many ways. But I just shout this out MUSIC IS A MIRACLE! I’d love to pay my endless respects for all genius metal musicians. I just want to say thanks a lot to them from the bottom of my heart.
My thankfulness goes to every single reader of my blog as well.
To metal brothers and sisters united under the metal flag,
Pay for music, support metal bands!
Trick Or Treat Official Website
Trick Or Treat Official Facebook
Trick Or Treat are:
Alessandro
Guido Benedetti (Guitar)
Luca Venturelli
Leone Villani Conti (Bass)
Luca Setti (Drums)
Top 15 Extreme Metal Albums 2014 by Kumi666
Many brilliant metal albums had been released this year and I still have a wish list for "must buy albums". However, following 15 albums I named should be my unchangeable favorites in 2014.
"Demons" - the second full-length by the technical melodeath band from UK is more than incredible and it's one of the perfect masterpieces among the whole extreme metal records. Blast-beats, super fast killer bass lines, technical twin lead guitars with some melting melodies, overwhelming growl vocals... Every single track in the album is just brilliant, and you would be blown away entirely from the first few seconds of the opening track "Smoke and Mirrors". "Demons" is the clear number one album in 2014.
2. Whitechapel - "Our Endless War"
No matter what you think about their genre, no matter what they had been described before, I'd love to shout out "Our Endless War" is a pure fucking metal album! To each his own, but if you have a prejudice against their music without listening to the album, you would miss a great chance to meet a kick-ass American metal seriously.
3. Arch Enemy - "War Eternal"
The strong Arch Enemy style is back. I still love Angela Gossow as best but "War Eternal" would be added to their brilliant history for sure, especially the bitter-sweet extreme song "Time is Black" made me absolutely crazy with the great harmony between ferociousness and lyricism.
4. Allegaeon - "Elements of the Infinite"
One of my all time favorite bands Allegaeon made another awesome job with the 3rd full-length after the real masterpiece "Formshifter"(of course I don't forget about the indiegogo EP "Preaching the Machine" though). You can hear their extremely uniqueness on the album but you can also see it in their music video "1.618" which is my music video of the year 2014. It's out of this world! Honestly, I could place the album on No.2, there's no gap from 2 to 4. In addition, the metal word of the year should be "crabcore". Can't stop loving the band.
5. Machine Head - "Bloodstone & Diamonds"
The passionate mega live force never makes us disappointed! The album is packed with kick-ass metal anthems, and as always, one of their great points is you can easy to imagine their overwhelming live performance from their every single song. Kings of metal.
6. Starkill - "Virus of the Mind"
Their 1st album as Starkill "Fires of Life" brought a big impact with the Finnish melodic-death style and overwhelming black-metalish blasts from the Massakren era + no-clean-singing which means my favorite type. So, the second full-length "Virus of the Mind" would make you slightly confused because of some obvious clean vocals. Anyway, the awesome stuff is just awesome. The album shows you enough development through sophisticated tunes. They are the brightest new hope together with Zonaria and The Last Hangmen in the blackened melodeath genre.
7. Sight Of Emptiness "Instincts"
I shouted out "Instincts" last year as well because they released the album only in their country Costa Rica in the end of 2013 and I had a chance to listen to it entirely at that time. Finally it's out worldwide this year and it never gets old, so I decided to place it in the list. The music video "Essence" from the album would give you some hint to get into the entire album. Awesome band!
8. Inferi - "The Path of Apotheosis"
The word "overwhelmingness" belongs to the technical and symphonic death metal album. The album art, the lyrics, dense sounds..., they built up their mythical universe in the perfect way. Every time you listen to the album, you would find some new piece and wouldn't get enough of it.
9. Mors Principium Est - "Dawn of the 5th Era"
One of the finest Finnish melodeath forces made another best shot. The band has a huge spell-binding power towards many melodeath fans for a long time with the strained tight play and lyrical melodies, and it's still glowing. "Dawn of the 5th Era" could be their best album. Finnish extreme metal scene would be still promised as long as this kind of bands keep doing its great job.
10. Meadows End - "The Sufferwell"
"The Sufferwell" which has a huge orchestration, icy tunes and convincing growl vocals is the most beautiful Swedish melodeath album I've ever listened to in 2014. I also shout out about the artwork for the album cover of the year. Looking forward to seeing their future records.
11. Deserted Fear - "Kingdom of Worms"
Between old-school death and thrash-death metal, "Kingdom of Worms" brings you a merciless metal storm without any sugar sprinkles but killer thrashing guitar riffs in each songs. They also released the first professional music video from the album. Check it out.
12. Equilibrium - "Erdentempel"
The epic folk metal force I loved for a long time transformed to beer-party metal with the album. Like the previous full-length "Rekreatur", the album has a great sound production and the overwhelming soundtrack atmosphere. So, how can you turn on your heel and walk away from them? Prost for the exhilarating extreme metal album.
13. Darkest Horizon - "The Grand Continuum"
Such a great melodic death metal year! The symphonic melodeath force from Germany put the cosmic conceptional album out into the world after two EPs. The philosophic one-of-a-kind universe they spread would soaks into you and melts you. Beautiful piece.
14. Insomnium - "Shadows of the Dying Sun"
When you talk about absolute Finnish metal, you can never ignore Insomnium. There are no overwhelming fast tracks in their universe as always but the extreme lyricism. They never lose their direction and keep doing a great job. They are still one and only best in the scene. Respect.
15. Unearth "Watchers of Rule"
After enough wavering between Job For A Cowboy "Sun Eater" and the album, I chose the one as No.15. Both of the albums are fabulous but "Watchers of Rule" is a great piece that can be favorably compared with their past releases with strong hooklines and stick-in-ear-melodies. That's the reason I placed it in the last of my list.
I talked about my bands support activity on Newcomer Szene.de
I got my first interview for Newcomer Szene (German Webzine) in the end of April, I talked about my bands support activity, about German metal scene from my sight. I'm usually very shy but was totally talkative through the interview with my endless passion for metal. Thank you so much Joerg Thoma for his efforts for the interview!
Well, I'm not a German speaker, so, I decided to release the original English version below.
Newcomer Szene (Germany) Interview
Newcomer Szene: Where are you from?
Konnichiwa! I’m an indie extreme metal supporter from Tokyo, Japan.
Newcomer Szene: How did you get that idea?
I had been using Myspace before for checking a lot of metal bands from all around the world. One day in 2009, some death metal band from Germany asked me if I would like to support the band. Since I liked their music, I had started supporting them with a light-hearted spirit. That was the trigger. I had no idea what I could do for them in the beginning, but I’m absolutely enthusiastic for everything especially for metal that I love. I had slowly started putting myself into my mission like a free distribution, an interview arrangement for a Japanese metal magazine (unfortunately, they don’t exist anymore), and then I opened my metal support sites on a full scale in 2011. I also support bands outside of Germany like from UK, US and Costa Rica. No matter which countries they are from, I support what I love in the name of metal. Well, I got a bunch of fantastic results with my spreading-the-word activity, so I’ve been doing very busy these few years.
However, I’m just a pure metal lover, so I work only for my favorite bands for showing my respect and gratitude for their amazing music. That’s the most important point for me. I’m a free metal supporter with full of pure passion for metal, so I’ve been trying to stay away from any music business. Don’t give a damn of money-money-money exploiters. I would love to raise a flag and shout out “ANTI INDUSTRY”. The metal scene could be more ebullient if pure metal fans buy music, merches and concert tickets from its favorite bands. You can’t save the whole world but probably you can save the metal scene.
Newcomer Szene: What excites you most of the German scene?
At least, everybody knows that Germany has the biggest metal scene in the world, right? Even it’s impossible to name all of my favorite metal bands from Germany, haha. In my opinion, metal scene in the huge metal country is unbreakable, never be swept up in the currents of the day. Actually, I always love extreme metal bands which are highly principled like Heaven Shall Burn. They are my most favorite band in the world. I think many metal bands in Germany have strong beliefs and stick by them. Respect!
In addition, some typical German metal like Helloween, Freedom Call, Blind Guardian, Accept, etc… built me up in my early era as metalhead. Anyway, most of my favorite bands in Germany nowadays are from the underground. “hungry spirits” and “aggression” are the keywords.
Newcomer Szene: Do you have personal contact with bands?
Since I’m not a person in the music business, I can say all of the bands I’m supporting are also good friends of mine. We are mostly connected via Facebook. Some of them send me some personal band shots from their show as greeting, talk some personal stuff or do some cultural exchange, etc. If there’s no friendship between those bands and me, it’s hard to continue my missions seriously. In fact, Parasite Inc. are the closest band of mine. I even had no idea how to manage and open my site without them. Especially, Kai the singer and lead guitarist from the band has been helping me so much with his professional skills of web arrangement. I think he is a quite talented artist and he also has such a wonderful personality. You can see his latest great job through Burden Of Life’s brand-new shirts.
Anyway, I just want to keep being their passionate supporter always but sometimes they are the greatest cheerleaders for me and I often get motivated by their positive yells seriously. We are all friends based on a relationship of mutual trust.
Newcomer Szene: If you have the choice and you could meet ... who would it be your favorite band?
Well… such a difficult question it is! As I told you, I only support my favorite bands, so I can name all of them. However, The Last Hangmen could be the one because I support them from their early era since I accidentally found them via Myspace and really loved their demo at once in 2010. They play just-my-type melodic extreme metal. Perfect. I also would love to shout out Parasite Inc.! And how about… oh wait, it doesn’t make sense at all, I can’t pick up one seriously, sorry. Anyway, I think you can understand my struggle about it if you visit my site www.kumi666.com and check all of my supported bands. They are just brilliant!
Newcomer Szene: Have you ever been in Germany?
No, I haven’t. Actually, I have only three time experiences for visiting outside of my country so far and all of them were US. My mom used to tell me how fabulous Germany is, because she visited Europe more than several times including Germany. That’s why I’m very familiar with the Grimm Fairy Tales, and Michael Ende is one of my most favorite authors since my childhood.
Newcomer Szene: Which city would you like to visit once?
Honestly, I have a long wish-list of cities and places that I would like to visit in Germany, so I decided to answer it simply as a metalhead. Dinkelsbühl is the one because of Summer Breeze, which is the most fantastic metal festival in the whole universe for me. I know it’s not the biggest festival in Germany, but size doesn’t matter. Every time I see its line-up, I make a yearning sigh. Especially, the line-up this year already became more than huge. That’s just tremendous!
In addition, some of my supported bands played at the fest in the past like Parasite Inc., Bleeding Red, Leviathan and Deserted Fear. So I can say that’s the awesome fest for local bands as well. I’m looking forward to checking new bands which play at the upcoming Summer Breeze. By the way, you can check some nice reports from the fest on my site, Kai from Parasite Inc. made it.
Newcomer Szene: What is the metal scene in Japan?
Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with metal bands from my country. The grass is always greener on the other side of the hill, haha. However there are some good bands here for sure, Serenity In Murder for example. If you are curious about them, visit my site and check it out with your own ears.
Anyway, the metal scene itself is active in Japan. We even have a consecutive metal festival here called Loud Park, but compared to Summer Breeze it’s only 1/3 of the size and the annual lineup is woefully short... sigh.
Newcomer Szene: What makes a good metal music for you?
I love blast beats, mind-blowing shouts, knife-edged riffs and a little bit of melting melodies… and the lyrical part is one of the most important points in metal, at least for me. Sometimes it could be the voice against the merciless society or the rotten political world, it could raise an alert for our selfish behavior towards the invaluable planet earth, and it could show some philosophical point of view. I love the moment it bursts out and explodes all together through overwhelming tunes. I think metal could be the greatest tool for releasing your anger in the healthy way and giving you a chance to stare at yourself.
Well, I often hear desperate moans from the people in bands how hopeless environment they are surrounded because of the internet. They say like an illegal download have become ordinary and no one pays for music anymore. To tell you the truth, I’m sick and tired of that kind of complaining. Instead of wasting time for depression, some of my supported bands made much more positive actions with crowdfunding campaigns and they have gained great results. It showed there’s a lot of “pure metal fan” who would like to spend his/her money for metal. That’s great to see “pure passion under the good metal music” could be motivational for both of bands and fans.
I hardly can imagine the world without heavy metal because it’s one of the biggest parts of my life. That’s why I put my efforts for supporting bands.
Anyway, if you like some energetic extreme metal, visit my site and check the bands. Don’t forget to buy their music if you find your favorite.
April - 2014
Kumi666