Entrenched Interview

Today we have an interview with Charles Snyder of Entrenched. This New Jersey duo plays war themed death metal that destroys anything and everything in it's path. 

Foul Feast: Tell us a little about how Entrenched came to be.

Charles: Well me and Sean have been friends for about 7 or 8 years, we had been in a few bands on and off before but nothing ever too serious, but in the fall of 2009 he came to me with the idea to make an old school death metal band.  After a few weeks of talking about it we started to jam on some ideas and Entrenched was born.

FF: Is war a fascination of yours or is that just something you choose to use as a lyrical theme?

Charles: I'm probably fascinated more with it than I'd like to admit, if I was indifferent to it I wouldn't be able to really get behind it as the creative theme for the band.  Having some interest in it I think helps us to write more interesting lyrics.

FF: You are currently unsigned, have you been in contact with any labels since Preemptive Strike was made?

Charles: Nope we haven't talked to any thus far.  We're still waiting on that, hopefully some will like the album and give us a shout.

FF: You also have Michael Mullins on the album playing a few solos. How did he get involved with the project?

Charles: When we started laying down guitar solos we decided we wanted someone to play some more, I'm not sure how to say it, shred-esque solos on the album.  Mike is actually one of my friends who I've known for many years and I knew what he was capable of on guitar.  So we gave him a call to see if he'd be willing to lay down some tracks, he agreed, came in and proceeded to record some sick solos.

FF: Entrenced has been compared to greats like Bolt Thrower and Hail of Bullets, are you happy with how the response with the album has been so far?

Charles: Yeah that's an honor for us, to even be mentioned with such names is unbelievable.  I have to be honest its slightly surreal.  The album has been getting a lot of love which makes us happy you know.  That's really what it's all about, getting our music heard and enjoyed by others, its pretty awesome.

FF: Have you had the chance to play any shows yet?

Charles: Not yet because we're still only a two piece, we don't really wanna sell our live show short by playing without a bassist and only one guitar.  We've been on the lookout for members but have come up empty up to this point.  Down the road we may just get some session musicians if we really can't find anyone willing to play in a serious band.  We'll see what happens but we'd love to get out there soon.

FF: Were there any tracks that were recorded that didn't make the cut for the album?

Charles: No we decided to use all our material available.  The recording took quite some time, I think we spent so much time on it we felt we had to use everything.

FF: Have you planned anything for future releases or written any new material yet?

Charles: Yeah we started writing for an EP we plan to release in a few months time, a few songs in the works, nothing concrete yet.  Nothing usually gets finalized until its recorded so parts are always changing.  Should be good though, at least we hope so.

FF: How long did the writing process for Preemptive Strike last?

Charles: The writing process really only took a few months, maybe from September to November in 2009.  After that we had all the songs done, at least the basic skelaton of the songs.  Once we started recording, we'd find places we wanted leads or solos.  Actually the vocals weren't even discussed until everything else was done, we kind of filled in the vocals wherever we thought they'd sound good.

FF: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Charles: Thanks for the interview man we appreciate it.  Be on the lookout for some new merch, we're hoping to get some shirts and stickers to unleash upon the masses, stay informed and check us out at www.myspace.com/entrenchedusa and www.facebook.com/entrenchedband

Mammon- Demiurge

Mammon is a sludgy metal band from Canberra, Australia. When thinking of Australia slow, sludged out metal isn't exactly the first thing that comes to mind. Thankfully Mammon pull out all the stops in making this three track machine destroy as much as humanly possible. Prepare yourself for twenty minutes of home grown goodness.

The album opens with a clip of a man saying "I am a false prophet, God is a superstition" over and over again until the heavily distorted guitar creeps in and steals the show. The album consists of three tracks, simply titled I,II,III. These three tracks, when combined, come to a total of twenty minutes. During this twenty minutes Mammon made damn sure that they packed in some of the most harsh, angry, and epic music known to man. The riffs featured on the album are certainly a highlight. For the most part the guitar playing has a strong southern feel to it. In a few aspects it is reminiscent of Church Of Misery. Some people may be turned off by a sloppy note or two featured on the record but it really just adds to the natural feel in the end.

Though for a good portion of the record Mammon like to take it slow they still pack one hell of a punch. The intensity in some sections of these three tracks are off the charts. That being said there are some calm moments on the record but they don't stick around too long. The slow building section in "III" is surprisingly relaxing even with all the barbaric shrieks and shouts. That is what makes this release so excellent. Mammon never sacrifices one aspect of the music in order to fuel another. The album may be intense but they refuse to dumb down the writing just to sound heavy.

The vocals on the album consist of a wide variety of styles. Everything from growls, hardcore yells, and shrieks can be heard throughout the short runtime of Demiurge. The wide variety of vocals keep the listening experience fresh. Another thing that makes this aspect so enjoyable is the fact that these angry cries are convincing. So many bands just yell for the sake of being extreme but come out sounding uninspired, that is not the case here. I'm not going to act like I know the guy personally but based on this album I think it is safe to say that he was very pissed when recording this.

Overall Demiurge is definitely not a release that should be ignored. Mammon play a style of their own and can hold a listener's attention like no other. The band is versatile enough to appeal to a wide spectrum of metal and hardcore fans. So those of you in search of new music in the vein of Cower, Church Of Misery, or Bongzilla Mammon is without a doubt worth a look. If they ever decide to release a full-length big things could happen. The potential shown here is gigantic.

Email mammonband@hotmail.com with your address to get the demo delivered to you!

Entrenched- Preemptive Strike

Entrenched is a two piece death metal band from New Jersey. The band plays a filthy brand of war torn death metal that is sure to leave all the metalheads that stumble upon this in combat shock. The album opens with the sound of sirens going off and some riffs backed by gunfire that foreshadow the impending doom that will come in the next thirty minutes. The savage style you are hearing is Entrenched, get used to it.

Obviously the lyrical themes on Preemptive Strike focus on war. Many bands in the past have used this as a reoccurring theme in death metal. Whether this release is as good as classics by bands like Bolt Thrower or newer faces like Hail of Bullets is all a matter of opinion, but when listening it is more than clear that they can hold their own with a solid portion of the competition.

The guitar tone used here has that signature crunch that fits the style perfectly. After the first few notes the listener should be fully aware of what the next thirty or so minutes will be like, raw and unflinching would be the most fitting terms to describe it. The riffs here are reasonably simple but that doesn't lessen their impact in any way. For a good portion of the playtime they play a very thrash influenced style with a little groove thrown in every now and then. This style works well for the band but when they slow down and crush the listener into oblivion is when it works best. This can be heard on the track "Anesthetic Death" which is one of the best on the album. The sound explored on "Anesthetic Death" is that punishing and brutal style that we've all heard from bands like Asphyx.

The pace that is set for Preemptive Strike is full speed ahead. The album works as a blitzkrieg attack on all of the listener's senses. It comes in, fucks you up and then gets out quickly leaving a large trail of blood behind. There is absolutely no break from the heavy, nasty sound Entrenched puts out, from start to finish you are either caught in a vicious hail of bullets or simply being brutalized. In terms of vocal style there are a few evident influences. Carcass, Deicide, and Ghoul are the first names that come to mind when thinking of comparisons. The dual vocal attack works extremely well on this release and the vocal layering packs one hell of a punch. The growls are particularly barbaric and sound far from controlled, which in regards to this style fits flawlessly.

Overall Preemptive Strike is a stripped down, no holds barred death metal release. There are no frills to be found here, just an all out metal assault. This is surprisingly good for a debut and definitely has me keeping an eye on any future releases the band might put out. So for those of you who enjoy the darker side of death metal Preemptive Strike should be a fun ride. Those who have a morbid fascination with war may also have room for this in their collection. Get it, get destroyed.

Stilllife- Requiem

Stilllife is a four piece heavy metal band from Michigan. To sum up the music in layman's terms, this is music made perfect for headbanging. At times the band has a very old school sound but they almost always have something going on that keeps things fresh. The musical content here has a very heavy quality and in terms of instrumental work Stilllife manage to shine throughout the majority of this record. The album clocks in at around an hour and is very consistent for the most part with only a few slow moments peppered in the long playtime.

The guitar tone used here is very thick. When this beastly tone is mixed with the powerful riffs the band churns out the combination turns out quite deadly. In the riff department Stilllife clearly have solid ground to stand on. Most of the instrumental work on the album is excellent. The pace is always working at keeping things interesting and just when things seem to become dull everything gets switched up and restores your interest.

Getting to the vocals we reach what it is one of the biggest issues with the album. The vocals are simply to high in the mix. At times they overpower everything else and a good portion of the instrumental aspects of the album are lost in translation. This doesn't completely ruin the listening experience but without this problem the album would have been much easier to digest. Speaking of the vocal style used on Requiem, it is kind of a mixbag when it comes to quality. At times the style used is reminiscent of Dio and a few of the other greats but in certain sections it can begin to sound a tad uninspired.

Overall Requiem is an album that shows a large amount of potential. It is clear that there is talent within this band but unfortunately this isn't the best they can do. Hopefully with future releases Stilllife cut loose and release the amazing album that this could have been with a bit more soul poured into it. Fans of straight up heavy metal and power metal may get a kick out of this but it isn't something I would recommend everyone, but with that being said I will mention that you should keep an eye out for these guys because if the potential shown here is ever used to the fullest Stilllife will have one hell of an album on their hands. Until the next release we'll just have to wait and see what they do next.

Stoic Dissention- Senium

Stoic Dissention is a sludged out black metal band from the United States. The band churns out some of the most dense yet enchanting music that has been put out in quite some time. Incorporating enough twists and turns to hold the listeners attention the entire playtime Senium definitely proves to be a high quality release. This EP consists of 4 (actual) songs and clocks in at just under 40 minutes, within that time not a dull moment is brought to the surface.

The atmosphere throughout this release is very thick. The band utilizes the use of a slow, brooding pace and lets every note fully sink into the listener before moving on to the next. The previously mentioned vibe the music gives of is what really makes this album so brilliant. Stoic Dissention's music contorts into a wide variety of emotions but be warned that none of them are the good kind. Senium is an endless void of gloomy soundscapes that tries it's best to pull the listener in at any and all cost.

The vocal style used here is very wretched. It consists mostly of high pitched shrieks that match the dreadful atmosphere that is set with the instruments quite well. The guitar playing is crushing when it needs to be but also smooth and beautiful when it is called for. Unlike many bands that fall into the category of black metal Stoic Dissention isn't afraid to broaden their horizons and take risks when it comes to their musical output. The album has a fairly diverse selection of sounds throughout and it stays extremely entertaining from start to finish.

The long track lengths may turn certain people off. With that being said even those who aren't fans of 5+ minute tracks should give this a shot. Even the songs that break 9 minutes seem to fly by in no time. All of these good qualities can be lead back the well written music that this release is filled with. It seems the band has everything down perfectly, the tone, riffs, atmosphere, and rhythms all work together in making this release the best it can be.

Overall Stoic Dissention have created an excellent, haunting EP. There is a wide enough variety of styles mixed into the band's sound that many fans of all types of metal should be able to embrace. Senium gets inside your head and turns all good thoughts into fear and doubt. Highly recommended to all fans of black metal, doom metal, or anything post. After the first listen you'll find yourself coming back for more and more.

Troglodyte- Welcome To Boggy Creek

Troglodyte is a neandercore band that has been steadily slaying audiences since 2007. This is their first release since their debut demo which was put out in 2008. Surely everyone who has ever attended a Trog show has been awaiting the release of this album and I won't hesitate to say that it most definitely is not a letdown. If you are one of the people who automatically writes off the band due to there masks you are missing out on some of the heaviest, balls out death metal that has hit the scene in quite some time.

Given the band and album name and the appearance of the members it should not be hard to figure out what Trog is all about. Bigfoot and other big hairy creatures prove to be the main topic of the lyrics on Welcome To Boggy Creek. Those who say catchy death metal is no good should give this album a listen. At about the halfway point they will die a little inside as they realize just how wrong they were. Sission's vocals are delivered brutally and somehow remain fairly easy to decipher. The style used throughout consists of many variations of the elusive sasquatch grunt and it would be a drastic understatement to simply say it "fits the style well", because when laced with the all out instrumental assault it ends in the listener feeling as though they have been curbstomped by the bigfoot himself.

Riedel's playing featured on the album is mostly riff based. It is clear that he isn't going out of his way to blow your mind with an insane amount of technicality but he also isn't chugging from start to finish. When Trog slow things down the listening experience gets really interesting. The track "Hit By the Hendersons" includes some of the best riffs on the album during the slower sections. The tone used is thick and crushing but also very sharp and piercing when it is called for. Wilson's kit abuse adds an aggressive touch to the overall sound. When all is said and done this blend of downright sickening metal turns out to be the perfect soundtrack for the almighty bigfoot stocking his victim through the foggy landscape that he calls home.

Overall Troglodyte's debut full-length is sure to win over some new fans. They went into the studio with all cylinders firing and it clearly paid off in the long run. Though nothing is quite like being at a Troglodyte show this album gets about as close as possible to that level of quality. This twenty six minute tour of Boggy Creek is without a doubt an experience that is worth having multiple times, that is if you make it out alive your first visit. Fans of brutality and death metal look no further, the beating you are looking for is right here. The only complaint that could possibly be made is that the release ends too soon, but as they say, quality over quantity.

Sledgehammer

 "FLESH TEARS, BONES SHATTER, THE NIGHTMARE HAS JUST BEGUN"

Sledgehammer was one of the first shot on video slasher flicks to come out and it along with a few others set the trend for many of the gore infested cheesy movies we all know and love today. Fans of bottom of the barrel shot on video cheese will have a field day with this. Those unfamiliar with these types of films will most likely be left scratching their heads in disbelief (and hell even those familiar with the style most likely will) but regardless it would be difficult to deny the cult following this film has gained in the decades since it's original release. The prices the VHS copies of this film go for speak for themselves.

The film opens up with a young boy being thrown in the closet by a woman who then proceeds to have sex nearby. The boys mom and the man are soon killed. We then flash to present time and a group of rowdy young adults are staying in the house that all of these events took place in. Not long after the visitors get all the food fighting out of their system and settle into their new surroundings a man with a gigantic sledgehammer begins to terrorize them. This is when the movie really begins to pick up. Is the sledgehammer wielding maniac the kid? Or a towering adult? Where did he receive these supernatural powers? Why do all doors in this movie open in slow-mo? Sledgehammer will have you aching to find the answers to these questions and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

There are many factors in this movie that make it very surreal. One of which may be the excessive use of slow motion. This effect is most notable towards the beginning of the movie when one of the couples is walking playfully, that sounds like a pretty average scene when described briefly but when it is shown in extreme slow-mo the scene feels completely insane. Moments like this pop up a few times in the movie and they are so odd it is hard to believe they even exist. By reading this many of you may think this movie is horrendous, and sure, by some or most peoples standards it is, but for the fans of bogus amounts of cheese this movie is like a godsend. 

The movie can be slow at times (literally), but when it does pick up the amount of insanity that ensues is sure to make you forget about all the problems it has. Obviously Sledgehammer was made on a very low budget. Viewers who need a polished picture and star studded cast need to stay way the hell away from this. Considering this being Intervision's first official release though they did an exceptional job. The special features are plentiful and the picture quality isn't horrible either it is about equivalent in quality to a nice vhs. 

Overall it is hard to deny that with a couple of friends and some alcohol Sledgehammer is a blast. Even when you are not inebriated the movie is an unbelievable amount of fun. It is astounding that it took so long for this cheese encrusted gem to make it's way to dvd but I can speak for the entire horror community when I say it's about damn time! Hopefully if this release does well Intervision will continue releasing excellent horror. They certainly came out of the gate with a good one!

Gravehill- When All Roads Lead To Hell

"IF YOU WANT BLOOD, YOU GOT IT!!!"

Gravehill is a thrashy death metal band from California. Far from new to the scene they released their first EP way back in 2001. They broke up shortly after and didn't reform until 2007. This is their second full-length and fans of the first will not be let down. Prepare yourself for just under fifty minutes of unrelenting blasphemy. It is highly recommended to crank this at a high enough volume that the booming from your speakers will knock the crosses on your neighbors wall upside down.

When All Roads Lead To Hell begins with all cylinders firing and continues that way until it is over. Nothing fancy here just straight up, filthy, aggressive metal. On the occasion that the band does slow down the results are devastating. The slow epic sections of "Extinction" demolish everything within a fifty mile radius. Towards the second half of the album the listeners gets to hear the near "death n' roll" style that is brought forth quite a bit on this record. Aside from this there are a few heavy metal anthems spread throughout the album, and whether done on purpose or not almost everything featured on the record is ridiculously catchy.

The album is packed with killer riffs that tear you limb from limb. The tone used here is very fairly standard for the style. Just enough distortion to pack a punch and a decent deep end. The solos melt face just as expected and fit every song they are put into perfectly. The vocals on When All Roads Lead To Hell work well. Though the music is more thrashy than anything else Abominator belts out some shrieks and croaks that would seem more fitting on a black metal album. The use of vocal layering on the album shows that this will prove to be great live material (with chanting galore).

The only complaint some may have about the album is that Gravehill rarely leave their comfort zone. Honestly playing the style they play whether this is really necessary or not is all up to the listener. Gravehill have their sound and they have their sound mastered and it is clear that you won't be hearing them playing any power ballads anytime soon.

Overall if you liked the band's first full-length plan on having a good time with this one. Though Gravehill's lyrical themes would leave you to believe otherwise these guys just want to pump out some fun, badass metal tunes, and with When All Roads Lead To Hell they did nothing short of that. Fans of any and all forms of extreme metal should check this out. There isn't a dull moment on this album. Get this.

Two Classic Tales Of Terror: The Tell-Tale Heart/The Oval Portrait

This dvd consist of two adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories. Edgar Allan Poe is a name that is frequently mentioned among fans of horror and the macabre and this doesn't come without reason. His tales bring the terror and stick in the back of your mind years after taking them in. Naturally, having such a notorious reputation as an author of the macabre his writings quite often get picked up by movie makers thinking they can properly put his ideas to film. Some are hits and some miss the mark by a long shot, luckily for this dvd the two films featured are fairly good representations of the stories of which they are based.

The Tell-Tale Heart (1960):

The first of the two films on this disc is The Tell-Tale Heart. Arguably one of Poe's most notorious stories and along with that one of his stories that is most often put to film. The film stars Laurence Payne and Adrienne Corri.The Tell-Tale Heart follows a man named Edgar who is quite pitiful around the ladies. He becomes obsessed over a woman who moves nearby him. Even with Edgar's obsession over Betty she hardly notices and goes for his good friend Carl. Carl being the great friend he is shrugs off Betty's advances for awhile but eventually can't help but fool around with her. Unfortunately for Carl Edgard was watching from his window and caught them in the act. Soon after Edgar beats Carl and hides him in the floor boards, but as time goes by the heartbeat he hears in his head robs him of his sanity.

This adaptation of the story adds a ton of new things to what was in the original short story. Considering how short the original story was this shouldn't be a surprise, creating a feature length film out of something so small would be quite the difficult task. Though it may not be a dead on retelling of the original story it still brings the same ideas and feelings that were originally intended. The elements that are added aren't necessarily the most original to ever grace the screen but in the end it still plays out to be a great film.

The Oval Portrait (1972):

The second section of this double feature is The Oval Portrait. This film is based of the story titled "Life in Death" (which is also known as The Oval Portrait). This, much like the previous movie was based off a short story. The Oval Portrait is the tale of a Confederate man who is injured in battle. He finds himself staying at a house owned by a Yankee after he is taken in by a beautiful woman. The soldier soon after falls in love with the owners daughter, Rebecca.

When Rebecca's father sees the beautiful portrait and discovers who had made it he breaks out in a fury and throws his daughter out of the house. In this fit of rage her father falls into a vegetable like state. Soon after a man who appears to be the soldier who painted his daughter returns to the home. With the completion of the portrait Rebecca loses her life. As the story unfolds this dark tale of romance is bound to be one you'll remember. Unfortunately The Oval Portrait is one of those Poe adaptations that tends to fade into obscurity. The story is compelling and even with some less than satisfying acting it still manages to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat up until the credits roll. This film has strange atmosphere throughout. It

Overall this dvd works as a great introduction to some of the Edgar Allan Poe adaptations of the era. In terms of picture quality it would be advised to not go into this expecting something crystal clear. The quality isn't bad but it may have some people who strive for the polished look a little bothered. All in all this comes out to be a pretty good set. The two films featured here aren't something you bump into that often. The disc is bare bones but it does come with some very insightful liner notes written by Tim Lucas. Highly recommended for fans of Edgar Allan Poe that are looking to get into some of the adaptations. Even if you have never read a page of Poe's work this will still prove to be an interesting viewing.