Alex Rudinger is one of those drummers that managed to shock and awe before being with any big time bands. I personally discovered him through his Youtube channel of dead on, seemingly effortless drum covers back when Ordinance was his main project. I became a fan of his work in about 10 seconds...
I remember when The HAARP Machine debut came out last year. It was well hyped but when I discovered Alex Rudinger was the drummer, my interest tripled. Great album full of great musicianship. He left the band since...
...And he wound up in The Faceless. Talk about making big leaps. This is the kind of prestigious band worthy of Alex's skill. Looking forward to what the future brings.
Speaking of his extreme skill, I've assorted just a few of his plentiful play throughs for all the drum heads out there to enjoy. So get on it!
The Sumerian invasion is here! On the way, they conquered Italy with an amazing line up. This was one of the most anticipated shows of the season, boasting big names like Born Of Osiris, After The Burial, Monuments, and The HAARP Machine!
The night was warmed up by a local band named Observe which was forced to play almost immediatly when the doors opened. So they only got to perform in front of approximately 40-50 people as the rest audience slowly trickled into the venue. The performance of these young guys was pretty good regardless, even though they still need to work on their artistic and live attitude. They have an EP coming out in spring 2013, so if you're curious you can take a look to their Facebook page.
As more and more people kept entering the venue and empty spaces filled, Chris Barretto was the first member of The HAARP Machine to take the stage. After 3 out of 4 members left the band a couple months ago, Al Mu'min had to build a completely new line up and he found a perfect singer in Chris (former Periphery and Friend For A Foe, now vocalist of Ever Forthright). He also brought on Ever Forthright's lead guitarist, Nick Llerandi. The performance was definitely appreciable considering these guys had only a few weeks to prepare it. Al Mu'min's performance was clean and precise but the most remarkable performance was delivered by the amazing live presence of Chris Barretto. First off, he's an amazing singer and his vocals fit perfectly with The HAARP Machine's songs, and second he is an amazing front man and he definitely owns the stage. He was able to captivate the audience and make the show really enjoyable even for those who didn't know the band. They played 5 songs, opening with "Esoteric Agenda", continuing with "Pleiadian Keys", "Disclosure", "Extension To One", and closing with "The Escapist Notion". The new line up looked / sounded really solid. Guess we'll see if they'll be confirmed as the new, official The HAARP Machine line up.
Then came Monuments turn! This was the second time I've seen them. Actually, they were the only band of the night I already had the chance to catch live. And I must confess, I had a lot more fun this time. The last time they came to Milan was for the Euroblast tour with Jeff Loomis, Vildhjarta, and Stealing Axiom, but there were just a few people who came to see their set which meant the crowd was pretty lame. But this time the Century Media moguls played in front a much larger audience. The mosh pit exploded almost immediately and they kept the crowd jumping for the whole set, especially on songs like "Doxa" and "Degenerate". The audiences response was also good on songs like "Empty Vessels Make The Most Noise", "Blue Sky Thinking", and "Regenerate" which ultimately closed out their set. They also played a new song called "The Oppressor" which sounded kinda badass too! You can find some live footage of this song searching on Youtube. Expect huge stuff from these guys in the following years. Monuments' performance was intense and funny as the band got its largely deserved recognition from the audience.
After Monuments left the stage, I went to the merch store to speak with Matt Rose (all the members from all the bands that night spent a lot of time speaking with the fans at the merch tables and they were all really kind) and after some chatting, he strongly recommended After The Burial's set. And he was fucking right. I've been a fan of After The Burial for a long time now but I never had the chance to actually see them. And I must confess, I didn't expect them to be such an amazing live band. It turned out being one of the most impressive live metal performances I've ever witnessed (...and I've seen quite a lot). Their music was recreated perfectly as a flawless, clear, yet sharp and crushing performance which made their sound even more powerful and exciting. The crowd responded with continuous jumping, unstoppable moshing, and heavy headbangings. They started off with "Cursing Akhenaten", followed by "My Frailty", supported by a serious number of people crowd-surfing, then "Berzerker" triggered an insane circle pit. Maybe this was a bit too intense for starters...I was exhausted after only 3 songs! Then they played their new song, "A Wolf Amongst Ravens", which features grooooooovin guitar riffs that kept me and the crowd jumping and screaming. They claimed to have finished writing their new album and said they'll start tracking it after the end of the tour! But they also announced that they recently re-recorded their debut classic "Forging a Future Self", and the new version should be available soon! After that they immediatly played "A Steady Decline", "Aspiration", and the heavy as hell finisher "Your Troubles Will Cease and Fortune Will Smile Upon You" (cool wall of death here!). It was an incredibly intense set...too bad it only lasted for 7 songs. I hope they'll be back soon for a headlining show and melt my face off again.
A quick break to the toilette and Born Of Osiris is already on stage for their headlining performance. They immediately started off with "Empires Erased" and "Rosecrance" off their debut "The New Reign", followed by 3 songs off "The Discovery" - "Ascension", "Follow The Sings", and "Two Worlds Of Design". Even though their performance was really intense and established on a high level, the crowd looked a bit tired after all the previous bands, especially after just experiencing After The Burial's crushing performance. But a lot of people in the crowd went on moshing and jumping until the end creating some really enjoyable and memorable moments. They finished the show with incredibly heavy, technical, well-performed songs like "Open Arms To Damnation", "Bow Down", "Singularity", and "Recreate". After that, they came back for a final encore with the song "Now Arise" which gave the audience one last, well-exploited chance to have a really good time.
This was definitely a night to remember: good people, good music, good moshing, and good times. That's the perfect formula! But afterwards, I couldn't wait to get out and refresh myself and my sweaty Monuments t-shirt under Milan's acid rain.
Rumors have
been confirmed. After all members except for guitarist Al Mu'min
left the band last month, The |HAARP| Machine will be touring Europe
with Born Of Osiris, After The Burial, and Monuments with a new line up.
It must have been really hard to replace an incredible vocalist like
Mike Semesky, and two amazing musicians like Ollie Rooney (Bass) and
Alex Rudinger (Drums), but it seems like Al Mu'min has found a way to
build a new line up in the end.
Chris Barretto (Ex-Periphery, Ever
Forthright, Friend For A Foe) decided to give up Friend for a Foe, one
of his present projects, to join The |HAARP| Machine for their
forthcoming European tour. Ever Forthright guitarist Nick Llerandi will
also join The |HAARP| Machine for these shows. Neither have been
confirmed as an official new member of the band. So we can't say if they will ever
work together again after the tour, but Barretto's vocals will probably fit
very well with the songs of "Disclosure".
You can check out the tour preview here with the flyer, tour dates, etc. We should be posting a report for one of the European tour dates next month. So stay tuned because we'll let
you know if it actually works! In the mean time check out the trailer for the new The |HAARP| Machine line up and jam their music below \m/
Also, Mike Semesky and Alex Rudinger are
currently bringing back the band Ordinance, so check them out
on their facebook page if you miss 'em.
It's finally here. These are our top 10 albums of 2012. It's been one helluva year for the heavy music community and now it's time to celebrate the cream of the crop. Here are the top 10 albums of
2012, no shits given about whiny elitist opinions. Also check out our
top 10 of 2009, 2010, and 2011.
1 PERIPHERY - PERIPHERY II: THIS TIME IT'S PERSONAL
This wasn't just an album, it was an event. The anticipation was so high for this record you could have cut it with a chainsaw. And when it hit, it hit hard. There's division amongst the metal community, but it's hard to deny the musical excellence without being an elitist (refer to the intro of the segment). "Periphery II: This Time It's Personal" was damn near perfect. Every virtuosic member of this band progressed significantly, making serious contributions to form a masterpiece. Intelligently crafted and executed, every track offers something unique and awe-inspiring. "Periphery II" deserves album of the year. Easy.
From the very first time Sumerian Records announced The HAARP Machine, it was evident they would become a metal juggernaut. But at the time, there was no way of telling just how amazing they would be. "Disclosure" is everything you could hope for and some. Providing a cutting edge Progressive sound and a serious, shred heavy Technical approach along with Mike Semesky's amazing vocal work, Abdullah Al Mu'min and crew created one of the best albums to come out in 2012. This is a masterpiece through and through. This is evinced by tracks like "Pleiadian Keys", "The Escapist Notion", "Disclosure", and "Esoteric Agenda".
3 SKYHARBOR - BLINDING WHITE NOISE: ILLUSION & CHAOS
Coming out of India, Skyharbor made a huge debut. Featuring the flawless voice of Daniel Tompkins (ex-Tesseract) and boasting massive guest spots from Marty Friedmen (ex-Megadeth) among others, they formed a masterpiece. Actually it wouldn't be a stretch to call Skyharbor's debut, "Blinding White Noise", music of the gods with it's ethereal beauty and unique approach of songwriting. Split into two parts, "Illusion" for beauty and "Chaos" for heaviness, this album is so unlike what you've heard before. It's encouraged you give it a listen or seven. You'll thank us after hearing songs like "Dots", "Maeva", "Aurora" and "Celestial".
There's so much to say about this album. The Safety Fire made one of the strongest debuts all year with their full-length, "Grind The Ocean". Years in the making, they have managed to create a stand out masterpiece. Bringing next level creativity and writing some of the best riffs known to man, this UK musical unit is easily one of the most promising bands out there. "Grind The Ocean" covered so much ground both musically and thematically, making for an abundance of classics on this record. "Huge Hammers", "Circassian Beauties", "Floods of Colour", and the rehashed versions of "Sections" and "DMP (FDP)" are just a few greats among many.
Aliens, man.... aliens. Rings of Saturn write some of the sharpest, most technically proficient Death Metal that will ever bless your ears (...or shred them). "Dingir" is absolute brutal chaos from start to finish. This band shreds like no other \m/ Plain and simple. Actually they do it so well we're convinced they aren't human beings. Thus aliencore. Songs like "Objective To Harvest", "Faces Imploding", "Peeling Arteries", and "Hyperforms" should be locked up in Area 51. You can actually stream the ENTIRE album below and see why. This is definitely recommended if you have forty minutes to kill (bad Death Metal pun intended).
6 BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME - THE PARALLAX II: FUTURE SEQUENCE
Between The Buried And Me always seem to expand and improve with every release. Which is saying a lot considering they're practically gods of Progressive Metal already. This is true as ever with their epic full-length "The Parallax II: Future Sequence". The band's sixth studio album is also the second part of the band's interstellar space saga. And it's safe to say it expands upon the concept of the original EP brilliantly. The release is teeming with master level classics. "Astral Body", "Telos", "Goodbye To Everything", and "Extremophile Elite" are just a few examples of the absolute greatness on "The Parallax II". Welcome to hyperspace.
The Contortionist are certainly standing out as one of the premiere bands of the metal underground. They have expanded and grown much since their debut, moving away from their Deathcore roots in favor of a Progressive approach and pure creativity. Not to say there isn't extreme heaviness to be found on "Intrinsic", just twice as much genius. This album is mind-blowing on so many levels (more puns). "Intrinsic" is a high-octane adventure through the inner workings of the human consciousness, providing captivating soundscapes for brains to explore. "A secret dimension of noise" - That lyric pretty much sums it up.
The masters of Math Metal never seem to disappoint. We're actually fairly convinced Meshuggah are robots, void of humanity, designed by the Swedish government to decimate the eardrums of metal listeners worldwide. Listening to Meshuggah is like receiving a heavy brain massage. Listening to "Koloss" is like having your brain massaged by a robotic titan. Expect massive grooves, mechanical technicality, and unparalleled polyrhythms. This is a prime example of Meshuggah doing what they do best. They crank out goods like "Do Not Look Down", "Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion", and "Demiurge" for this colossal experience.
The Faceless came back as strong and creative as ever with their third full-length "Autotheism". This album seemingly took forever to be released, but was well worth the wait when it hit. There were serious line up changes, but The Keene Machine raised the bar with Evan Brewer and Wes Hauch in the mix. In many ways, this is really a side step for the band. "Autotheism" is an unexpected treat to listen to with an increased focus on melody and a theatrical approach. It opens up with singing for christ sake. Who honestly expected that? When all the factors are added up, it makes for a phenomenal listening experience.
Deftones has been in the business of making awesome music for over two decades and they haven't even come close to losing their spark. Their tenth studio album, "Koi No Yokan", is perfect evidence of that. This record delivers in all the ways that matter. It is the complete package from flying through the air with "Swerve City" to the genius, floaty closer "What Happened To You?". All the songs in between are outstanding as well. "Leathers", "Tempest", and "Entombed" just to name a few. This album is just plain amazing. It's recommended you give it a good listen but watch out... you may end up falling in love after listening (get it?).
The word "HUGE" might not even do it justice. This tour is gonna be FUCKING COLOSSAL. Seriously, Europe always gets the best shows and it makes me want to move. Born of Osiris will trekking across several countries with other big names such as After The Burial, Monuments, and The HAARP Machine early next year! It's not safe to have so much talent under one roof. Venues will cease to exist after these shows! We have the flyer with dates and music from all of the above, below. Go forth and MOSH!
The Faceless, Revocation, and The HAARP Machine... Is it even safe to have so much talent under one roof? They will be wrecking venues together beginning late November on the Deconsecrate The Nation Tour. Check out the dates on the flyer below and we'll see you in the circle pit! We also have some great music from all three bands. Blast that shit!
I still remember when Sumerian Records first announced The HAARP Machine last year with the beastly Abdullah Al Mu'min doing a play through of "The Escapist Notion". I was instantly blown away and became a fan quickly. Ever since, a growing fan base has been waiting for the band's official debut. And it's been a long wait due to line up changes among other complications. But this UK Progressive Tech Metal juggernaut has finally found extremely talented new members in vocalist Mike Semesky (ex-Vestascension, Ordinance, Rest Among Ruins) and drummer Alex Rüdinger (ex-Threat Signal, Ordinance) to pick up where they left off. They completed their debut album "Disclosure" and it's finally out. I've been waiting to get my ears on this one for awhile now... But was it worth the wait?
Ohhh yeeaaaah. Several "Holy Shit..." moments on this one. "Disclosure" is an intellectually stimulating, awesome ride. Impressive as hell. You can tell they paid serious attention to detail while constructing these tracks. Incredible complexity runs throughout this whirlwind of a record. This band definitely brings a hard edge in their music, riffing like a crazy Tech Death band at times and slamming you with heavy breaks. But they also have a very melodic side with foreign flair. And with the virtuosic musicians backing the composition, it all comes together damn near perfectly. High level talent and extreme creativity drive this record. Some of these tracks are nothing short of genius.
There's definitely conspiracy theory inspiration here. The band's name is The HAARP Machine, so it makes sense. There's been a lot of albums coming out of late criticizing governmental powers and the general state of the world lately and there's a lot of truth to it. Well, maybe not the conspiracy bits from The HAARP Machine, but I haven't exactly read the lyrics.
"Esoteric Agenda" opens up the record with a sitar casting notes before the guitars hit with the backing rhythm to match. You'll quickly find that The HAARP Machine laces in sitar and piano segments throughout their music. I also believe there are appearances by the Japanese koto and another foreign instrument or two. They pull this off in such an awesome way. Very intelligent writing. The opener is definitely a stand out track, but every song on this album is next level stuff. Besides "Esoteric Agenda", my favorite tracks on The HAARP Machine's debut are "Lower The Populace", "Pleiadian Keys", "From Vanity to Utility", "Disclosure", "The Escapist Notion", "Extension to One", and "Machine Over". Damn.. named them all.... You get the picture. This isn't just music. This is a musical experience. Go experience it. Now.
I honestly have no real criticisms of this record. But I will criticize you if you've read this much of the review and aren't willing to give this band a serious listen.
To sum this review up, "Disclosure" is damn near flawless. A solid record from beginning to end. This was definitely worth the wait. Check out the band's single "Pleiadian Keys" and the full album sampler right here, right now! And if you like what you hear, go buy the record and some extra goods right here! I applaud every member of The HARRP Machine for an incredible first release. The possibilities for this group are endless. I cannot wait to see what they achieve in the future. But in the mean time I'll kick back and blast some "Disclosure" \m/
The HAARP Machine just released a new track from their upcoming and highly anticipated debut record "Disclosure". The song is just plain impressive. We highly recommend you give "Pleiadian Keys" a good listen or two. The video itself provides great eye candy. After that, you should go check out our full album preview for The HAARP Machine's "Disclosure". Pre-orders were also just put up. So if you want to buy the album, look no further. Mark my words, big things are on the horizon for this band. Stay metal my friends.
It's been a long wait, but news on The HAARP Machine has finally arrived. The UK band has found a new vocalist and drummer to pick up where they left off, finishing their debut album "Disclosure" to be released on Sumerian Records. The HAARP Machine is a progressive tech metal juggernaut in the making. This has been apparent ever since Sumerian seemingly picked them up out of the blue and showed us this track and play through in 2011:
The band just released a trailer detailing their upcoming album "Disclosure" and addressing lineup changes directly through samples from their new singer and drummer. You can find the trailer down there. It's all sounding great. I'm sure the anticipation has now doubled for some. I know it has for me. No pre-orders have been put up but rumor has they are coming very soon. Under the album trailer you can also find the "Disclosure" album artwork. And under that are the band's studio updates, which while not up to date (see what I did there?) with the current lineup, will give you a great idea of the band's unique sound. The HAARP Machine's "Disclosure" is slated for an October 15th release
in Europe, October 16th in the States, and October 19th in the rest of
the world. From everything I've seen and heard from this band, I'm sure The HAARP Machine's debut record will be well worth the wait.
