Shadowmarch (ROI) | ‘Carnival Massacre’
More low brow riff metal. It’s as if there isnt much else going on down the south of the country at the moment. There seems to be something of a paucity of ideas, and one can only rely on the certainty that these things go in cycles.
Shadowmarch cite several thrash bands as key influences, but there’s precious little in the music that really backs that up. It’s simplistic, in need of a great deal of development, and not even really all that tight. The vocals show caveman tendencies, and all in all its the sound of a bunch of guys in their first band, even if it point of fact it isnt.
The guitar solos are tortuous. They sound like a stray cat being assaulted. They dont fit the music, and leave the bass to plod about on its own with neither direction nor presence. In terms of riffing, it’s generic and basic. That would be ok if the songs were possessed of any kind of rock ‘n’ roll fire, but they arent.
Are there any plus points? Well there are one or two. The artwork they’ve gotten done seems excellent - good proper paintwork, and to be commended. ‘Let It Rain’, which is slower and moodier, shows a different direction in which they could do better. Deliberately looser and slightly more vintage sounding, it also allows them to tighten the screws when moving to faster tempos. Why wasnt every track like this?
Oh - because there’s nine of them. It goes without saying that that’s six tracks too many. At this stage of the game they’re a garage band, and it’s as simple as that. Time has to be taken to properly hone what they do, figure out who they are, then record it all properly. This huge splurge of tracks is just too much too soon.
More gigging and a bit more musical nous needed.
Ciaran Tracey ::: 10/11/09
Thumped
Metal Ireland
Fastfude
November 11th, 2009 at 1:35 am
Cheers for the review dude, your comments shall be taken on board. Prob shouldn’t have recorded so many tracks but sure, live and learn. Anyway, free copies at gigs or by post, just send a mail to: shadowmarch.music@gmail.com
November 11th, 2009 at 11:03 am
“It’s as if there isnt much else going on down the south of the country at the moment.”
Explain
November 11th, 2009 at 11:15 am
The last three consecutive demos I’ve gotten from the south have been what I’d call ‘boring riff metal’, and hence I’ve concluded that at the moment, regarding demo releases, there’s not much else going on in stylistic terms.
November 11th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Hmmmm,
I don’t know Ciaran, pretty weak.
There’s plenty going on down the south at the moment. I wouldn’t generalise based on some demos of bands most people haven’t heard of yet.
November 17th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
I think CT is right, it’s like bands down south and in the midlands dont give a bollix about production on their demos/ep’s…
They take the easy option all the time when it comes to recording. Now obviously their are exceptions, but the newer bands are all sound pretty terrible. But of course they wont learn because they record with friends, get reviewed by friends and give their Cd’s to friends and its doing nothing but putting a false sence of achivement into the bands minds.
Castero been the big example hear… among others from down that way. They’ll get pasted over for festival slots and big support slots and wonder why?? and its because outside their little group of drinking buddies people with cop on think there shite, simple.
I suggest something with the experience and know how draw up a document on ”how to be in a band” and sent it to these bands…
November 17th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
haha Jack the lad, i think we`ve met before
if you need a hand drawing up that document give me a shout!! me and my little group of drinking buddies will give you a hand.
hows your band coming on these days?? haha
November 17th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Ah don’t be getting sore over what i said. It’s just my opinion!!
Instead of releasing poor demo after demo, would you not be better off spending some proper money on a recording that does you’s justice and spend even more on promoting it properly?? Just a thought… a real promoter won’t even consider working with with you’s (not just your band, but others who take this cheap option) because ye have a clear lack of professionalism. Listening to these bands on myspace etc. gives me the opinion and i wouldnt even consider taken a free demo of the bands because there that poor. Also if you’re releasing an EP/LP, spend money on getting proper artwork done coz this cheap ms paint job is really an eye sore.
i hope ive en-lighted you and maybe when you chill out and relise im not putting you down, maybe yourselves and others can starting releasing proper products that are worth paying for.
So back to my original point, i agree with CT
November 17th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
ya fair points alright there man,
money is tight with bands all over and its also an underground scene that we`re involved with, no cash floating around anywhere, thats why bands like ourselves get things done the best way we can for the dosh that we have.
just a question back to you?
why do you come see bands like us and the likes and not stay in the mainstream where you can get the glossy artwork and expensive recordings you crave. i know the gigs that us bands play are usually free in and the so called big bands charge anything from 20 quid and upwards and also they dont throw out cds!!
Maybe you are skint like ourselves?
anyways cheers for the comments, they`ll be taken onboard man.
also hope you`ll fork out a fiver for our new Album in the summer and then you can just us on that
Sound.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Again man, you’re taken offence to what i’m saying…
I didnt mean to single you out either, it was just the first name that came to my head, their are others, Brigantia, Utopian Ruins for examples of poor releases, if ye even want to call them that.
Yeah money is tight, fair enough, but seriously if you’re gonna do it, do it right. Don’t mind the mainstream, that has nothing to do with what im saying. Why rush to release things that will be a poor product? To the people who do generally like your band and music, they deserve something better than a badly produced EP/LP packaged in cheap looking artwork? at the very least use a jewel case!!
You don’t need thousands to make a quality Ep, there are some great studios in Ireland that if you took the time to save up money you can book into, work with an experienced engineer who will get the best possible sound on the Cd. And for the love of god please spend money on getting it mastered. These are the simple things to having a quality release and be taken seriously.
In regards to your album remark, i take it your recording with the same chap that done your demos correct?? So it will sound like it was recorded in a shed… no offence, its just my opinion. Now thats not directed at you personally, but all bands that record with friends in order to save a few quid.
So my advice is… wise up. Get educated on the matter, look at the more established/successful bands (that are going years, not a local band that get a buzz going about and then break a year and a half leter) in the country and learn from the way they do things.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Good stuff. If you can afford to do these things then by all means go ahead. The problem with recording in Ireland is the lack of experienced producers. A hell of a lot of metal bands end up sounding the same because engineers are also producing these recordings and are using the same old settings on the same old amps driving the same old guitar models. Its gone a little bit to far.On another point, I think you’ll find that Brigantia just played support for Pentagram and have been gigging heavily, Castero have played just about everywhere over the last couple of months and opened for ODS in Limerick and Utopian Ruins were due to play @ a major festival in Germany the last I heard.
Sure you could go the whole way and get a manager,agent,stylist etc, but for me playin music is about having fun. Most of us realise that making money in this genre is about as likely as falling into a barrel of tits and have given up notions of world domination. With relation to the education remark, to what exactly do you refer? I’ve spent a good few years as a professional musician within other genres and used to make enough to just about get by.Due family and personal commitments this changed and I had to leave the scene. Nowadays I play purely for pleasure,to listen to some great music and meet some genuine people.Spending money on a piece of plastic that in most cases hides/masks a bands true ability is pretty pointless IMHO.
I know the points you’ve expressed are your personal opinions and in no way do I mean to insult or sound ignorant to said points but what difference do these low quality recordings make to you personally. If you like a genre a music then surely you will listen to it from a fans point of view and not that of a music critic. Surely you know of and have heard the earliest Sepultura recordings, fairly poor quality but still effective in terms of aggression and power.Just an eg. of a reason not to go overboard on the recording front.
Anyways, as I mentioned earlier, spending whatever sum money on an album or demo should be down to those in the band IMO and should not be used as the only reference when expressing an opinion.
With regards,
Bob.(Bassist w/ Castero)
November 17th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Ok once again you seem to be taking me up wrong and taken what im saying the wrong way.
To simply put it, if your happy to produce cheaply recorded Cd’s etc… well then thats fine, that is your decision. But then it shouldnt be sent anywhere for review etc, because your not gonna get good reviews fact. Like Shadowmarch here. Also you cant expect the bigger promoters in this country to deal with you. It is rarely that they deal with a band that has no sense of professionalism. Correct me if i’m wrong, but wasn’t the Pentagram gig put on by some un-trustworthy arsehole? Brigantia wouldnt of got a sniff if it was promoted by someone bigger, im fairly sure of that and Im curious also to know this ”Major” german festival? Cause i didnt see there name on any of the bills this year.
But again Brigantia and Utopian Ruins were used as an example of bands that recorded a cheap Cd, which is my original point. You said Sepultura’s earlier stuff… ok that was recorded back in the 80’s when studio time was at a huge expense. Bands starting out today have so much advantages than back then with the internet etc, home recording is also a big advantage today. You can demo your material at a fairly low cost also with some studios. And for the life of me i can’t understand why a band would put un-mixed, un-mastered versions of there songs up for internet streaming and ask people to check em out?? Why the rush?? Just wait until its ready!! and dont get me started on youtube videos.
Now what your saying about ”playing to have fun and you dont make money in this genre” is spot on. But there are bands that do get out of the underground and the way to do this is to run your band professionally and not to half-ass things (like cheap recordings). Primordial, Gama Bomb, even Waylander been the big examples here.
My education remark is simple, learn how the more established acts do things and do your best to follow suit. Even ask them, most bands are genuine people as you put it. I cant stress the point enough, Metal is an unforgiving musical genre and low budget recordings and cheap artwork on releases is just not on.
And finally your statment about in-experienced engineers in ireland and similar sounding Cd’s is simply bullshit man.
There are ton’s of fantastic studios that have produced some crackin cd’s. Check out Manor Park, Komodo, Silverline, Trackmix for of the top of my head examples. Many a great Irish demo, EP and album have come from these places and with that a raise in profile for the band followed. My opinions are from a music fans point of view, not a critic… Bottom line, don’t be cheap and do things right, no excuses!
November 18th, 2009 at 1:45 am
Hi again lad,
Firstly, I took no offense to any of your statments and do realise what you’re trying to get across. What I dont get is why you feel that only high polished recordings are acceptable? Its very possible to get good reviews with low cost recordings:
http://earthdogsvisionsofdoom.blogspot.com/2009/10/castero-sounds-like-plan.html
I don’t know the whole story on the Pentagram gig so I’m not going to pass a comment on that one. All I know is the gig went ahead and the guys got to share a bill with a band that influenced them which is sound.
As for the Utopian Ruins/festival thing, I didn’t get the name of it but I’m sure it would be on they’re .com. With respect to the bands that did get there, fair play to them.Its always good when a band makes it whatever they play. That was never in dispute.What I’m trying to put across is the fact that between raising a family, holding down a job getting a degree etc,for some the only option is the “half assed way” because its the only way thats economically viable.When i was playing pro I spent roughly 3,500 £IRL on my two main basses,Head cost 1,300£IRL and the numerous speaker cabs I’ve gone through would probably cost the same as a second hand car.That was all fine then when I was making a small return and had no major expenses bar rent and beer but alas its just not possible.Oh I’d love to get another warwick or vox but at the moment i’m using my old hohner to save my more expensive basses from getting knocked around.Thats not being half assed.
On the studio front, I’ll stand by what I said earlier.The last recording that i was impressed with was done in Ap studios. I dont have a notion who runs it or where it is but it had a dept that slowly seems to be disappearing from a lot of works lately.Maybe thats a personal thing,you may like a more smooth hifi sound maybe not. I find that even the highest quality digital gear kills dynamics.Nor do feel that digital can track and accurately reproduce the lower bass frequencies(Analog fan here!!) The best example I could mention is recordings of Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet.Take a listen to a digital recording and compare it to an analog recording.The difference in bottom end is astounding.Most people will know at least some of this ballet as it has been used lately in tv shows etc and I’m sure you could get free downloads on itunes if you dont like that genre.
All the best,
Bob