After the less-than-average “Storytelling”, Belle and Sebastian are firmly back in the driver’s seat with “Dear Catastrophe Waitress”. There’s a bit of everything in here, but overall it’s just a good, solid pop album, nothing more, nothing less. It seems a natural place to go for the band after their past releases and evolves on their previous sound, but Stu Murdoch & Co. keep from losing any of their charm in the process. There are still the same tragic fates, quirky real-world narratives and silly feel-good songs which fans of the group have come to love through the years. That is of course not to say that there’s nothing new on here though. “Dear Catastrophe Waitress” represents an evolution not a revolution, true, but there are songs like “Step Into My Office, Baby”, “Piazza, New York Catcher” and “Lord Anthony” which sound more fresh and clean than your other average B&S songs.

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“8 Soothing Songs for Rut” is just plain fun. Norwegian rockers Motorpsycho have since its release in 1992 moved to greener pastures, featuring a more pop-driven alternative rock sound, but on this album they retain their at-times eclectic rock style with touches of pop at all the right places. While a few of the songs drag on for a while and the smoked-out vocals of Bent S�ther get tedious a way into the record, there are good moments where Motorpsycho hint at what they would later become, namely one of the fieriest and most innovative bands on the Norwegian rock scene.

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Casket Lottery’s “Moving Mountains” album is quite simply ‘meh’. It’s not that it’s poorly executed - it’s actually quite well done on the technical side of things, but there’s really no artistic excitement, no ‘wow’ moment(um) of any kind. The vocalist is plain and uninteresting, yes, one might even say ‘boring’, and entirely lacking in texture to set him apart from all other wannabe rock-stars. The guitars and drums are well-done, but seem to be more of a testament to the musical technical abilities of the band members than their ability to create something innovative or even remotely original. In my opinion the latter should be primary, the former secondary.

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What the hell is this?! I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no electronica connosieur but the German quartet Jeans Team have even to my virgin ears unleashed a brilliantly simplistic four-track remix single entitled “Keine Melodien”. It features, in essence, the words “ein, zwei, drei, fier!” repeated over and over again against pulsing synthesiser sounds and thick drum beat loops. On the Peaches remix of the song, we get some thick bass-and-guitar loops backing up sweetly spoken “ein, zwei drei, fier!”, this time by Peaches vocalist (ah, love the poorly pronounced Deutsch!). Hypnotic Johannes Heil remix rocks off into the Amiga-synthesque final “Op. Bastards” remix. Beautiful electronic pulsation; absolutely ‘go crazy’.

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This charming little four-track EP showcases Belle and Sebastian at the height of their early years, released some six months after brilliant second full-length “If You’re Feeling Sinister”. Frontman Stuart Murdoch’s ability to create short/bittersweet, self-ironic narratives filled with tragically fated characters becomes evident throughout, particularly with the classic B&S confessional “The State I Am In”. Velvet Underground-reminiscent track “Belle & Sebastian” (although not in the bad sense of the comparison - without the chaotic fuzz spasms towards the end of the song, which seem to plague nearly every good VU song) makes for a delightful close to an entertaining disc full of great lyrics and loveable music. Even though the drums are a bit off on occasion and the guitar sound seems slightly off-key at times, this just adds to the “home-made” personal charm of Belle and Sebastian and their relaxed attitude to their listeners.

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Meow! It’s Isobel Campbell, the wonderfully naive once-member of Glaswegian “Chamber Pop”-rockers Belle and Sebastian. First things first: her voice oozes ‘beautiful’ like almost no other contemporary female artist. The pure innocence she radiates and the ability to spell-bind her listeners is what alone sets her apart from other artists in the same genre, and in “Amorino” we hear her develop her sound and identity to heightened levels. Shedding the name of former solo-career project “Gentle Waves”, Campbell has created a record that bears the mark of some sort of a pop soundtrack to 1960s France; mellow, smooth, enticing and honest, she hits the mark again and again with pearls like “Monologue For an Old Lover”, “Johnny Come Home” and title-track “Amorino”.

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This record’s pretty great. Despite Decemberists’ slightly nasal vocalist Colin Meloy, there isn’t much to say against the eleven tracks on the album “Her Majesty”. Meloy manages to weave words and images skillfully with all the careful craftsmanship of a talented songwriter in places like “Shany for Arethusa”, a paean to pirating and dreamy “I Was Meant for the Stage”, while still throwing in some good ol’ catchy pop-driven tunes like “Billy Liar” and “The Chimney Sweep”. There are even tidbits of urban utopia to be found on here; “Los Angeles, I’m Yours” will make even the lowliest country bumpkin want to go there and see what the fuss is about. Brilliant Meloy can even write and sing about love without getting soppy on his listeners, choosing to hail his woman’s greatness by focusing on something as truly bizarre as her “Red Right Ankle”.

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Sodom Interview
(Conducted by Georg Alexander)

Q: Now, could you tell us about the upcoming Sodom DVD release? What treasures should fans expect to find on the DVD?
A: The DVD release will be in the end of March. It will be a double DVD. The first is a 2 hours Concert movie, which we recorded live in Sofia. A couple of tracks where taken from some german festivals. The second one will be a “History” DVD. We try to put material from about 23 years together to make it complete. I think you will get a total running time about 4 hours SODOM!!!
Q: When is your next studio album coming, and what can listeners expect from Sodom this time around?
A: We go to studio in November and hope to release the new album in July next year. What can you expect? The best Sodom album ever, a really killer!
Q: What do you think about the state of today�s black metal scene?
A: Its getting more and more commercial. The scene is to big. Hundreds of new bands try to get into the music scene every month. There are just a few bands who try to keep the spirit of the 80th.
Q: More and more young fans are beginning to express their adoration for black metal. What do you personally think of twelve year old boys singing along to Sodomy and Lust?
A: Why not! But they have to try to find an own style, but I know they all are inspired by Sodoms music!
Q: You have only sold about one million records thus far, which really isn�t a lot for a band that has been in the music world for such a long time. Do you ever feel cheated in some way when looking at other bands, perhaps less worthy of their sales success and considering your own sales figures? Do the members of the band have jobs on the side of their work as musicians to support themselves financially?
A: No! I think that Sodom was successful all over the years and we are still alive. We are not pop Stars, we do the music for ourselves and for our fans. We don’t want to get commercial but if we will find more fans in the future it would be great. Sodom is the only Band worldwide who never chanced their style. It is very difficult to live from the music but its enough to me to give 100% to the music. The other guys still have jobs.
Q: Well, let�s change the subject and move over to your past. You and some other bands were starting a new scene in the beginning of the early 80s. What was your inspiration in terms of developing a new direction within the metal genre? Was it in any way related to the place you originated from (Gelsenkirchen, a town in the Ruhr area of Germany)?
A: When we founded the Band in 81-82 we just had one aim, to form the heaviest band in the world! Metal was (and is) the most important thing in our live. The whole metal scene was like a big family, there was a spirit that I can’t explain. But I coudn’t realize that the Band will get 23 years old! That�s unbelievable to me now. Just a handful bands started to change the music world, and we have done. If you grow up in a town like Gelsenkirchen or Essen you just can do Thrash Metal, there is no room for whimpy other styles.
Q: Many people feel that Sodom changed from being a black metal band in the early 80s to being a thrash metal band. Would you agree with that? If yes, why?
A: We just get better musicians and we changed the lyrics. After the release of the single “Expurse of Sodomy” I replaced Satanic songs by political themes based on historical facts, but tried to write it in a lyrically way.
Q: Could you tell us why the band changed line-ups so many times over the years?
A: Chris Witchhunter left the band, because he got to much personal problems, so he couldn’t give 100 % energy to the band. Frank Blackfire left the band 3 month brfore we started the already booked “Agent Orange Tour”, cause he found a new chance with Kreator for the US Tour. Michael Hofmann went to brazil, where he found his love! The other musicians gone in cause of to much personal and musicial differences. But the current line up is very strong so I hope we will stay together for the next ten years. But there is no guarantee!
Q: The cover of “Persecution Mania” looks quite similar to the cover of Metallica�s “Master of Puppets”. Were you trying to copy or imitate, like many other bands, Metallica at that point of your career?
A: No, we try to copy any other bands. The cover has nothing to do with Metallica’s Master.. we are always 100% original Sodom and never mind what other bands do.
Q: You�ve been touring your ass off during the last twenty years and many fans consider Sodom a brilliant live act, and yet you have only released one official live album. Why did this release come so late in your career?
A: No, that is not true! We relesed the first live album “Mortal way of live” in 88 and the second one in 93 called “Marooned”. It is a tradition to release a live album after the four Studio albums.
Q: Could you tell us about the craziest/strangest thing that has happened to you when touring?
A: Yes, there was something really strange that happened to me. Please try the get an old Copy of the german “Rock Hard” magazine (1990, Nr.43), let translate it, and enjoy. You coudn’t believe it. That was Rock’n'Roll ;-))
Q: What is the one question you have always wanted to be asked in an interview, and yet which no-one has posed?
A: My age…(41)
Q: In some of your songs you use both German and English lyrics, like in “Bombenhagel”. Is there any particular reason for this mix of languages?
A: Just the title is a german word! The lyrics are written in english. But we wrote a couple of other songs with german lyrics. Its always something special for the german fans, why not?
Q: Most people outside of Germany only consider one German Black Metal band and that is usually Sodom. Aren�t there any others worthy of mention beside the Sodom giant?
A: I don’t know, but we inspired so much Black Metal Bands and that makes me proud.
Q: A question to Tom: What is the Onkel Tom project all about? I was listening to a CD from it lately, but I couldn�t understand a word of the lyrics because they were in German.
A: It was founded in 1996 after the Sodom release “Masquerade in Blood”. After that I found enough time to create my first Solo Album (Ein sch�ner Tag) with session musicians. But it was getting pretty successful, so I got a deal for 3 fourthcoming Onkel Tom albums (G.U.N. Records). I think its not so important to understand the lyrics. Its just beerdrinking party music for beerdrinking Metal fans. The cast is Alex Kraft on Guitars (he is a band member from the beginning), Sascha Tilger an the drums (He is also playing in a band called “Tyrant eyes), and Sascha Sattler on the Bass.
Q: And our final question: How long will Sodom continue writing and putting out new material, touring, etc. in short, exist as a unified metal band?
A: I don�t know, but we give our best to stay healthy and doing this music for the next 20 years. We always have so many ideas for forthcoming albums and we love it to be on the stage and on tour

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Mortiis Interview
When I first heard news that the enigmatic Mortiis was coming to town I figured the chance to do an interview with him was too great an opportunity to miss, a chance to get behind his mask and to know the person capable of creating such Read the rest of this entry »

This interview was conducted with Peter Wichers (Lead, Rhythm Guitars) from the Swedish melodic death metal band Soilwork 13-02-2004. The interview took place in the band’s tour bus a few hours before their concert at Tribute (Sandnes, Norway), a show they did as part of their European tour with the Forsaken. In the interview which lasted for exactly one side of the Sony Microcasette we’d brought along with us, Peter spoke at length about the band, his own views as a musician and other choice behind-the-scenes tidbits about the group. TW = The Welkin, PW = Peter Wichers.

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