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The Secret: Channeling Frustration Into Fury

Most of our lyrics are a reflection of the times and the country we’re living in. I think that the main lyrical concept of the record is the loss of faith in pretty much everything. Politics, religion, media. Playing is a very cathartic experience, so it’s something we’re doing mostly for ourselves. The band is pretty much an outlet for our negative sides.”

Keith Carman interviews Michael Bertoldini of THE SECRET about their new album Solve Et Coagula, the band’s debut album for Southern Lord.

Zodiac Mindwarp: The Hellbound Interview, Part 1

“Touring is the greatest fun in the world for me! I love being out on the road, but I wish I could see some of the cities! Rome? Yeah, it was great! It was a black room with amplifiers and another room on the side with cocks drawn all over the wall…oh and Paris was like that as well, wasn’t it? And Greece was like that with a hangover on the airplane! I’m well traveled!”

Jason Wellwood interviews shock rock vocalist ZODIAC MINDWARP about the release of his new album We Are Volsung.

Raven / Entropia / Magnus Rising / Striker @ The Red Room, Vancouver BC, Oct 2, 2010

“Raven hit the stage like an atom bomb about 9:30 and proceeded to remind the crowd that, even 35 years into their career, trial and tragedy besides, they still bring the athletic rock like nobody’s business. When I stopped to remind myself that Raven, alongside perhaps only Motörhead, pretty much invented the genre that became known as speed metal, and later thrash, this was special to see indeed.”

Kyle Harcott reviews the recent Vancouver appearance of legendary metallers, RAVEN.

Hellbound Horror: Frozen

“While Frozen isn’t your typical modern horror movie, having a void of an abundance of gore (although there is some, and it’s very well done), an evil antagonist or supernatural entities, it’s the lack of these elements that really add to what makes the film special. Instead, it uses a scenario that is familiar to most people, and adds a terrifying, yet very realistic, “what if?” situation.”

Adam Wills discusses the isolation horror movie, FROZEN, out now on DVD and Blu-Ray through Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Rockstar Uproar Festival @ Credit Union Centre, Saskatoon SK, September 30, 2010

“It wasn’t the most cutting-edge collection of bands, but with a media pass easy to secure and nothing better to do on a Thursday night, why not head out to the Rockstar Uproar Festival? With an open mind, a perpetual caffeine buzz thanks to that drink they keep flogging, and no ticket buyer’s remorse, who knows what pleasant surprises one might come across? ”

Hellbound’s Adrien Begrand visited Saskatoon’s Rockstar Uproar festival, featuring Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Stone Sour, Hellyeah and more…

Postcards From Natalie Zed, Part 5

Hellbound readers, we’re sure that by now you are all familiar with our Natalie Zed, right? Natalie was our big grand prize winner way back in January, taking home more than 50 CDs + and shortly after she received her huge box ‘o CDs, Ms. Zed asked us over at Hellbound HQ if we’d be interested in running reviews of her winnings if she did postcard sized reviews of the albums. How could we say no?

So, after a really, really long layoff (sorry NZ!), here is Natalie’s fifth installment (reviews #41 – 48 for those keeping stats at home) in what Hellbound likes to refer to as “Postcards From Natalie Zed”…

Leaves’ Eyes / Blackguard / Borealis @ The Opera House, Toronto ON, September 19 2010

“Arriving at the Opera House a little late (missing Unleash the Archers for the TIFF presentation of Takashi Miike’s 13 Assassins) we walked into a friendly greeting from Leaves’ Eyes growler Alex Krull. That second or two was characteristic of the relaxed and intimate vibe that held for the rest of the night. With Kamelot off the line-up, the Leaves’ Eyes / Blackguard billing drew a smaller crowd, making it easy to get close to the stage and giving the in-between-song banter a more conversational tone. The casual atmosphere made me a little more forgiving of the often muddy mix for all three bands that blurred some of what, on record, comes across fairly clean and precise.”

Scott Kelly of Neurosis: The Hellbound Interview

“We were still trying to come of age. I was 25 and trying to find my way in the world. I think we all were. We had started to find our sound and were able to express ourselves in a way we had been trying for a long time. Souls At Zero (1992) was a step in that direction. When I listen to it I find songs where we were tapping into it. But it was hit or miss, especially with keyboards and different textures. We had to get more proficient at our instruments to pull the things in our heads out. Enemy was a bold step in that direction.”

Justin M. Norton sits down with metal pioneer Scott Kelly of Neurosis to discuss the re-issue of 1993’s critically acclaimed “Enemy of the Sun”, psychedelic cyborgs, and the band’s live experience.

Raven / Cauldron / Skullfist @ The Wreckroom, Toronto ON, September 16th, 2010

“Raven stormed the stage last, serving as both main course and dessert for this particular metal buffet. It was fascinating to watch this legendary NWOBHM band perform after Cauldron and Skullfist had already worked the audience over. The only word to appropriately describe the experience is “educational.” This is the aesthetic that the younger bands are going for; this is the original template they’re paying homage to.”

Natalie Zed shares her evening with original and modern classic heavy metallers, Skullfist, Cauldron, and the legendary Raven. Photos by Albert Mansour.

In Conversation With… Kataklysm’s J-F Dagenais

“When I think about us being four young guys who started a band in high school and now we’re sharing a stage with Ozzy Osbourne and Motley Crue, I think that’s pretty crazy! We look at each other and think, ‘man, that’s pretty awesome!’ compared to where we came from. Every year it seemed like it grew a little bigger and it took a little while for us to become serious about playing music. We started Kataklysm more as a hobby, we wanted just to have fun, hang out, to tour and see the world and party with a lot of people. After awhile you see that your career is doing better and you realize that ‘wow, this can be your daily job’ and that’s how it’s been for the last 8 years or so.”

Jason Wellwood in conversation with KATAKLYSM’s J-F Dagenais