Shiori Vitus – Eleanor

Interview by Alessandra Cognetta

Here we are for another feature from overseas in our series of interviews with female-fronted Japanese bands. This time we move from Tokyo to the south of the country, specifically Osaka. Shiori is the lead singer of Eleanor, a gothic/melancholic metal band that will surely remind you of the Dutch act The Gathering. But there’s much more than that in their music and we had Shiori as our guide to get to know more about Eleanor and their latest release, “Breathe Life Into The Essence”, with in-depth analysis of the songs, the emotions the cultural influences and the people behind the music. You only have to scroll down and read!

Hello. I’m the singer of Eleanor, Shiori. Thank you for the opportunity, and I would like to express my feelings of honor at being interviewed. As for the new album, we have been introduced by magazine reviews, radio programs etc., and through various sources of media we have been receiving favorable receptions from not only our fans, but also listeners who have never heard of us before, and I feel very happy about this. It could be due to the fact that before the release we posted free test plays from the album, and made the PV accessible, so that as many people as possible would have the chance to know a little bit about us.

The making of the second album began from the act of first putting a stop to the currentof our activities, and taking a second look into ourselves. The songs on the second album I think have increased in scale, compared to before. We do call ourselves a melancholic gothic metal band, but many songs take a widely altered course from what would be expected from the gothic metal genre. If we had not stopped the flow after the release of the first, we most possibly might have ended up making an album on the same track as before. Continue reading »

Vandroya – “One” (2012)

Label : Inner Wound Recordings

Review by Tony Cannella

From Brazil, the band Vandroya has existed since 2001. They released their debut 2-song demo “Within Shadows” in 2005 and have finally returned with their power metal extravaganza of a debut full-length entitled, “One”. Lead vocalist Daisa Munhoz can already be heard on the last Soulspell offering “Hollow’s Gathering” and on “One” she proves to be one of the best voices in the power metal genre.

“All Becomes One” is the ominous intro track that leads us into power metal masterpiece “The Last Free Land”. The musicianship is up-tempo and lead vocalist Daisa Munhoz’s vocals are remarkable as they soar right along with the music. In an age when so many female fronted metal is dominated by operatic vocals and extreme vocals (not that there is anything wrong with that), it is refreshing to hear someone who just goes out there and sings in a power metal style. One of the songs that stood out for me is the stirring ballad “Why Should We Say Goodbye?” which is just phenomenal. Continue reading »

Soulspell – “Hollow’s Gathering” (2012)

Label : Inner Wound Recordings

Review by Tony Cannella

Soulspell is the all-star metal opera brainchild of Brazilian drummer Heleno Vale. The project got off the ground in 2007 with “Soulspell” an album that represented part I in the metal opera. It was soon after followed by Part II called “The Labyrinth of Truths”. Now this all star metal project is back with Part III “Hollow’s Gathering”.

First of all Heleno Vale has done a great job in assembling some hugely talented musicians for “Hollow’s Gathering” as he has on the previous albums. Next are the lyrics. You can check out the story on the official web site, but Heleno has written an incredibly detailed and complex story with each singer/musician playing a part. Third and most important is the songs. “Hollow’s Gathering” had me wanting to listen again and again. The songs are well written and range from pounding classic metal style numbers, prog, ballads, power metal and symphonic metal. Starting with the 9-minute title song, this really is an album that is unrelenting –several singers can be heard on this monstrous opener. Continue reading »

THE GATHERING @ P60, Amstelveen,THE NETHERLANDS, 18/01/2013

Live Report and Photos by Stefano Liuzzi

After the succesful 2012 tour, celebrating the 20 years release of the first album “Always”, the dutch band The Gathering is back on the road. The last CD “Disclosure” was released on September 2012 and due to Silje Wergeland‘s pregnancy (she had a baby girl in August), only now, beginning of 2013, the promoting tour can start. The P60 is a medium sized club near Amsterdam,these are the standards now for the band, not a sold out but a full crowded venue. Over the years The Gathering gained a serious reputation, first on metal scene, now as independent rock, integrity means everything, developing music despite of the golden rules of the music business, these are the trademarks of this band and the first show in Amstelveen makes no exception,o n the setlist no “classics” like “Saturnine” , “Travel” or “Eleanor” but almost the new album and few oldies unplayed since ages. This line up (Renè Rutten-guitars, Hans Rutten - drums, Frank Boeijen - keyboards, Marjolein Kooijman - bass and backing vocals, Silje Wergeland-vocals) had the last gig one year and half ago, but everything click on the first song “Paper Waves” (the opener of “Disclosure” too) then we have one of the most bizarre of TG recent history, “Meltdown” with Frank singing and the beautiful trumpet of Noel Hofman to add colors to this 8 minutes track. With “Green Ocean Road” even the sleepy Dutch audience got involved on this musical trip, then “Heroes for Ghosts” ,11 minutes track that had the premiere live 2 years ago on the same venue. When there’s big change in the line up of a band, then everything could collapse…this is not the case of TG.. “Heroes” is the highlights of Silje’s work so far, she never tried to fill Anneke’s shoes or tried to radically change the image and the philosophy of the band, we have to give her some serious credit for that. Continue reading »

Former THE GATHERING Singer Announces Two Exclusive U.S. Shows

Former THE GATHERING singer Anneke Van Giersbergen wil play two exclusive U.S. shows in Chicago at the end of March. Also appearing on the bill both nights are Anneke‘s “dear friends” NOVEMBERS DOOM.

The details are as follows:

March 23 – Reggies Rock Club – Chicago, IL (full band show)

March 24 – Ultra Lounge – Chicago, IL (acoustic solo set)