Chris Dick

What do members of Napalm Death, DragonForce, and Hate Eternal have in common? Normally, we’d have no fucking clue, but today the members premiere a new song from the Mitch Harris-led Menace. Now, most Decibel readers know Mitch Harris. He of Napalm Death. One of the fastest grind guitarists around. But he’s not shredding bar…

With pseudonyms like Hand of Doom, Black String and Command, Sweden’s Vampire immediately evoke early ’80s heavy metal and early mid-’90s black metal. A non-coincidence, really. Vampire’s eponymous debut is the nexus of heavy metal and black metal, where Destruction and Motörhead meets Unanimated and Bewitched. Vampire, however, make the cross-generational/genre melange unique, menacing in…

Monday night. Hours after a severe weather incident. In most cases, a metal show in Philadelphia on such a weeknight after such a crippling storm would’ve kept longhairs and horn throwers home. A venue vacant, save its sadluck staff. Tonight, however, Philadelphians surprised. They came out in droves not just for the headliner, Amon Amarth,…

The last time death metal legends Massacre released an album, France was testing its last atomic bomb. Pretty amazing, to think of it. Fast forward a few years, and Rick Rozz (ex-Death), Terry Butler (ex-Death), Mike Mazzonetto (Pain Principle) and Edwin Webb (ex-Diabolic) emerge from the limestone graves of central Florida to release Back from…

Symphonic death has enjoyed a fair bit of popularity over the years—largely in Europe—but Fleshgod Apocalypse might be one of the best bands of the style. Formed in 2007, the Italians have spent the last seven years refining bombast, adding bombast, and making bombast more, well, bombastic. The group’s latest long-player, Labyrinth, featured Fleshgod Apocalypse…

** We interviewed Alcest frontman Neige for the March 2014 issue of Decibel [HERE]. The magazine interview focuses on Neige’s childhood influences, working with Slowdive’s Neil Halstead, and how the sea became central to the Frenchman’s inner and outer calm. The remains of that interview are below. You’re kind of seen as the ex-black metaller….

What does the word “Hark” mean? It means to “pay attention to”. Who said Decibel never educates? Truth be told, whenever I hear the word “Hark” I immediately think of the song, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing“. But there might be some deep-seated issues with church choir with that one. For the band Hark, the…

The last time lead Nocturnal Breed headman Kenneth Svartalv (aka S.A. Destroyer) ushered his forces into war was back in 2007, just as world financial systems were crumbling under their own gluttonous weight. Now, some seven long-ass years later, S.A. Destroyer returns with the Breed in tow and V. Fineideath replacing A. E. Rattlehead on…

Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister is a living legend. An untouchable icon. But Lemmy and his Motörheads didn’t always have ace albums. In fact, across Motörhead’s storied–we’re talking almost four decades–career, the monoliths of metal have had some real stinkers. While we implore you to check out Lemmy in our February 2014 issue (click HERE) we’re also…

The Unguided’s previous album, Hell Frost, was the product of ex-Sonic Syndicate members Richard and Roger Sjunnesson venturing away from the sway of record companies and their malignant henchmen. Meeting favorable reviews–largely in Europe–The Unguided took off, pulling the sounds of Soilwork, Killswitch Engage, and Scar Symmetry and making them distinct and memorable. Some three…

Charmand Grimloch (aka Joachim Rygg) was, at one time, black metal’s preeminent keyboard player. His stints with Emperor as a session player propelled him to heights unknown. Well, his black metal solo project Tartaros produced notoriety, but nothing on the scale of what he accomplished by coat tailing Ihsahn and the boys. After Tartaros went…

For years, Opeth toiled in relative obscurity. Caged to Candlelight Records for three fantastic albums and Peaceville for one stupendous full-length, the Stockholmites’ import-only status could’ve continued had Opeth’s new home, Music for Nations, not been a label proper.

** Every year we do it. Decibel assembles a list of killer albums based on a secret algorithm. This year, I wanted to add to our Top 40 list (as published HERE). Albums I felt were overlooked on our list. The artists and albums reflect my opinion only and weren’t subject to the secret algorithm….

Many of you might have noticed—If you listen to radio that is, but that’s another blog entirely—on Black Friday many U.S. radio stations flipped from their respective formats to Holiday. All across this great (not so great if you follow Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity with any seriousness) land of ours Adult Contemporary and Pop…

By now, Scion A/V, the creative enterprise of Scion, which is a subsidiary of Toyota, is familiar to most metallers. Take it as a multinational sticking its cash-filled fingers into the underground’s bum or as an unlikely benefactor to artists like Immolation, Arsis, Enslaved, Primordial, and countless more, the company willing to throw multi-stage music…

** As a longtime Vader devotees, Decibel had no clue (OK, I didn’t) debut album, The Ultimate Incantation, was recorded with the legendary Tomas Skogsberg at Sunlight Studios first. The sessions were scrapped and Vader landed at Rhythm Studios with Paul Johnston (Benediction, Cerebral Fix). The rest is history, so it goes. We tracked down…

Israel and thrash metal. Not two things associated with one another. Now, Israel and black metal, well, that’s something more common. If only marginally. Turns out Hammercult, not to be confused with HammerFall, Hammer Fight, Hammer Horde, or Hammer Witch, is the latest sensation from the Levant. Where’s the Levant? Near Turkey. Near Iraq. Near…

The last time Portugal’s Malevolence released a full-length President Bill Clinton was still basking in acquittal glow for semenizing Monica Lewinsky. If Lewinsky (or the scandal name “Tailgate”) don’t ring a bell, well, you’re probably too young. Of course, we don’t expect you to recall Malevolence, whose Martyrialized full-length ultimately got lost in the melodic…

Grand Magus grand magister JB Christoffersson said to us recently: “Well, in heavy metal the drums are extremely important, maybe more important than many people realize. There has been a tendency in “modern” metal to focus too much on a fat guitar sound, resulting in really weak sounding or fake sounding drums. In my experience,…

** Alexander von Meilenwald, unlike almost every other solo act in metaldom, is intensely interesting, engaging, and deep with musical prowess. Decibel interviewed von Meilenwald in our December 2013 issue (available HERE), but we figured the German had a lot more to say regarding new album, Blood Vaults, and the creation process of said full-length….

It’s no secret, lists create controversy. Like our Top 100 Black Metal Albums of All Time Special Issue (available HERE just in time for Christmas). It’s also not a secret that metalheads are a contentious, shit-talking, and unnecessarily protective lot, claiming personal ownership of bands, albums, and, surprisingly enough, entire scenes when, in fact, they…

By Whores (and not the kind you’re thinking of, you perverted bastards!) 5. Fight Amp – “Bad Listener” We met Fight Amp through a local Atlanta promoter when we first started out, and they have since become practically part of our extended family. They are one of the best working bands today, and I’d rank…

Back in 1993, the least fashionable music—as far as extreme music is concerned—was heavy metal. Unless it was Iron Maiden, but they were also on the skids with Fear of the Dark. For Swedes Tad Morose, they had precious little chance of surviving the music climes of death metal, the nascent (and hyper-ascendant) black metal…

If the name Christophe Szpajdel doesn’t ring a bell you probably don’t own CDs or LPs (or, you’re new to underground metal; hey, we all start somewhere). ‘Tis the conundrum of being the product of a digital age. Liner notes, credits, lyrics, etc. often get pushed to some dark corner of a binary folder (or…

** Hard to believe Jungle Rot’s been kicking death metal’s can since 1994. With seven full-lengths in their body bag—the most recent of which is this year’s Terror Regime—the Cheese Staters have written the book on Midwest death. We sit down with founding member Dave Matrise via the wonders of technology (that’s the Internet for…

** Katatonia recently ventured through the U.S. with Cult of Luna, Intronaut, and Anciients. I sat down with old buds Jonas Renkse & Anders Nyström to have a laugh, chat, talk about old shit (not transcribed), and highlight “experiment” album, Dethroned and Uncrowned. Read on Katacolyts! What was the motivation behind Dethroned and Uncrowned? Anders…

For a band that “likes” Taco Bell (and White Castle), we’re pretty sure the dudes in Weekend Nachos have had their fair share of Nacho Bell Grandes. With a name such as Weekend Nachos, well, why wouldn’t they? Remember when Taco Bell used to put black olives and scallions on those things? Anyway, it’s not…

** Today, November 1st, 2013, is an auspicious day. Decibel’s 100th Issue Show: The Movie DVD is out today, exclusively through Decibel’s kick-ass webstore (click HERE). To celebrate we’ve nailed down Handshake, Inc. proprietor David Hall. Who is Mr. Hall? He and crew were responsible for lensing the entire 100th Issue Show. So, let’s get…

Limited edition records are kind of stupid. Every record, even Michael Jackson’s Thriller, are limited. At least, that’s what the late great Doug Earp (he of Wyatt Earp Records; Repulsion fans take note) said to me one day while I was buying a Cathedral Soul Sacrifice 12″. And he was absolutely right. Nevertheless, labels continue…

Michigan’s From Hell is the latest quality act from the Motor City. Self-described as d-beat meets thrash meets goth, From Hell’s Dischange-covering-Converge-with-Boss-HM-2s-hooked-up-for-maximum-effect is right down our proverbial plate. The group’s new full-length, Heresy, has been out since June, but From Hell are just now premiering—thanks to Paper+Plastick Records—the video for Heresy’s most intense track, “Holy…