Features

KEVI METAL’S RIMSHOTS V. 2 #4: MARYLAND DEATHFEST 2010 EDITION

Here’s the scene: Hellbound’s old man posse – myself, photographer/CD pillager Albert and our fearless leader Sean – have found ourselves in a Motel 6 in suburban Baltimore, our digs for the duration of our time at the Maryland Deathfest. That this joint looks like a cross between 1970s IKEA and the set of the first Alien movie, is of no bearing or consequence, but I it was bizarre and needed to be mentioned. One morning, Albert emerged sporting a long sleeve shirt of the old Sounds of Death magazine. SOD was known for a few things, the most conspicuous was editor David Horn’s enthusiastic reviews in which album were rated on a “skull scale” out of ten, with the most raging of records scoring a brutal “10 fucking skulls out of 10.”

So, without further distraction, here’s what I thought of the bands I saw at MDF, reviewed in classic SOD style.

Watain: The Hellbound Interview

This kind of music attracts people that want to explore the dark , the kinds of things within that want to have an outlet and want to be manifested in reality, in your life. Black metal is one way of letting this side manifest.

Justin M. Norton in conversation with Erik Danielsson of Watain on the eve of the release of their new album for Season of Mist, entitled Lawless Darkness.

Andrew Bonazelli: The Hellbound Interview

I have no idea if Andrew Bonazelli has ever picked up an instrument, let alone ever played in a band, but his position as the reviews and managing editor of the almighty Decibel Magazine and the fact that he’s just released his second book, A Regular, means there’s a connection to the world of extreme music and a reason to throw the hellbound.ca spotlight on the man for a while.

Kevin Stewart-Panko in conversation with Decibel managing editor Andrew Bonazelli about his newly published book A Regular.

Manitoba Metal Fest 2010: Part Two

For the next hour and half Brutal Truth kept going. They filled their set with gems from their back-catalogue and a heavy dose of tracks off Evolution Through Revolution. At one point in the set Kevin Sharp announced “I’m Henry Winkler and I need some booze goddamnit!” The crowd loved every minute of it. I don’t know if everyone there realized the significance of Brutal Truth playing their home town, but honestly, it doesn’t matter – the band was incredible.

Handshake Inc’s David Hall recaps their experience at this year’s Manitoba Metal Fest making an upcoming film on American grind gods Brutal Truth.

Manitoba Metal Fest 2010: Part One

I think it was about six or seven months ago that I saw “Brutal Truth to Play Manitoba Metal Fest,” come across the metal news ticker and I was immediately intrigued. I had never been to Winnipeg, but for some reason the thought of Brutal Truth playing there seemed epic and strange and film worthy: like “Iron Maiden: Behind the Iron Curtain,” or “Neil Young, Live at Massey Hall,” this concert struck me as an iconic event, and I immediately fired off an email to Rich Hoak, pleading with him to let me make a movie about the concert and about the band’s time in Winnipeg. Luckily he, and the rest of the band were into it.

Handshake Inc’s David Hall recaps their experience at this year’s Manitoba Metal Fest making an upcoming film on American grind gods Brutal Truth

Eugene S. Robinson: The Hellbound.ca Interview

Author, writer, singer, fighter, actor, father, Eugene S. Robinson is the inspirational everyman for those of us choosing to follow the loves of their life. He’s also a pretty good poster-boy for those for whom the notion of getting a full-time, square job makes their skin crawl and testicles and/or ovaries shrivel up and retreat into the adjacent nether regions.

Kevin Stewart-Panko speaks one-on-one with Eugene S. Robinson about his brand new crime novel A Long Slow Screw, his critically acclaimed writing career and his ongoing musical journey as front man of the experimental outfit Oxbow.

Orphaned Land: The Hellbound Interview

“Israel is not an easy place for a normal life, but OL’s music can emerge only from a place such as the Holy Land. The multi cultural life here, being a spiritual center, a center of religious wars and conflicts and even being a Jewish back to his homeland after 2,000 years. I’m in a heaven of inspiration.

Being an artist is always a struggle, especially in a country where the army is needed much more than art. Sometimes it’s very hard for us to get support or any attention to what we have to say. It’s a sacrifice and a choice we took, so we don’t complain. At the end of the day, I feel lucky to have a band and to give people some hope and moments of happiness.”

Adam Wills in conversation with Orphaned Land mastermind Kobi Farhi about their latest album, The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR.