Thursday, January 26, 2012

Interview with Miri Milman from System Divide


My interview with the lovely Miri Milman from the metal band System Divide! ()_o \m/


Ty: What was it like growing up in Israel? 
Miri: Growing up here was great although when you are a kid you don’t really know life outside of your home. I did experience a war as a kid (the Gulf War) but rather than that I pretty much had a normal life here. I started doing music at a very early age so that’s basically what I did my whole life…

Ty: Speaking of your homeland, do people recognize you as a musician or do you have a certain degree of anonymity?

Miri: I think it all depends on what you intend on doing as a musician, if you try to get a job in the opera house or play in a band for a tv program or so then they will be surely asking for a degree because they hire people who truly know music and do it for a living. As for me, I don’t have a musical degree but I did study a few years of vocal training with several teachers and I had a few years of piano studies. I would have loved to have a musical degree but honestly I just don’t have the time to go to school and combine it with my touring life and family life.

Ty:Music projects both past and present that you've done have inspired people. Are there any bands that you especially enjoy or that inspire you and stimulate your creativity?
Miri: Through the years I got to know a lot of different bands, artists and musical genres and some of them truly influenced me as a person and as a musician.
Every period of time some other band/artist influenced me differently, depending on my mood of course. I think the main artists that engraved their signature in my soul were:
(in a chronological order)
Danny Elfman (the composer of Edward Scissorhands the movie) for his amazing creations in the movie that taught me how beautiful melody can take you other places in your head and stays with you forever. Beethoven for teaching me that music is timeless. James Hetfield because of his outstanding energy on stage I got into Metal music. Anneke Van Giersbergen (The Gathering) inspired me to sing in Metal bands and that metal is not only for men.
Christina Scabia (Lacuna Coil) inspired me that a woman can be beautiful but still kick ass on stage. Dolce Pontes - a Portuguese artist that inspired me the most and I never imagined that one can control all the vocals techniques in the world and makes it sound so easy!
Opeth for teaching me that Metal music doesn’t have to follow only one genre.
Beyonce – perhaps one of the few people that actually deserve all the fame and prize winning, she is without a doubt a gifted human being.

Ty: Your song "More than a Memory" is fantastic! Any chance you'll be putting out more solo stuff in the near future?
Miri: Well thank you very much sir! I’m actually working on a solo project these days, I still don’t know how it will sound like or what direction I will chose but I’m really digging out a lot from the darkest corners of my soul and putting together a very personal project that will discuss some private issues of my life. 

Ty: And speaking of new material, I hear System Divide's working on some ideas. How's that going?

Miri: We’re actually working on a new album as well these days, we got some solid ideas so far but we rather take our time and put out something that we will be absolutely complete with.

Ty: Working with your husband, does the writing and creativity process bring you guys closer together?
Miri: Hahaha, tricky question! Working with your partner is mostly a great thing, you get to share something you love doing with a person you love but again it depends on the current mood, some days things go smooth and we really enjoy it when our ideas flow together and some other days we have some conflicts but only because we’re very passionate with the ideas we have and we both try to voices our opinions, I think it’s normal just like every other issue we deal with J  
Ty: I really respect that you rely solely on your talent rather then run around half naked trying to sell yourself instead of the music. What advice would you give to others just starting in the music industry as far as image goes?

Miri: Thanks a lot, I grew up with an actual love for music and performing and I'm also kind of an old fashion type of gal, I don't feel comfortable or think it's necessary to get naked in order to make people listen to you. If you have a talent if you truly have the voice just use it and people will listen, there are still a lot of people out there that appreciate artists for their talent and not only for their good body features. It's true that a lot of people nowadays buy music with their eyes and not with their ears but this is just another phase of the music evolution.
My personal advice is just BE YOURSELF! Don’t try to imitate other artists, don’t do something that you’re not comfortable with, just go with what feels right for you!


Ty: One more and I'll leave you be. What are some of the pros and cons of working with all guys in System Divide?

Miri: The pros would be definitely the chance of working with professional musicians who breathe music their entire lives, also the privilege of doing music with my husband - that is the greatest pro for me!
The main con will be the distance, not be able to meet the band practice, having single shows or even just to hang out whenever we feel like, Every move we make cost a lot of money so we only meet them just before we go on tour then we have a few days of practice and off we go!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Lacuna Coil - "Dark Adrenaline"


    Italian gothic metalers Lacuna Coil return with their sixth full-length album, “Dark Adrenaline.” The band promised something new and harder then previous releases and has indeed kept to their word. Having been a fan of the band since their 1998 release “In a Reverie,” I always wait with high anticipation for anything the Italian grown band puts out. True to form each album is a new definition of who they are and this is no different. The songs are for the majority harder and more in your face then previous releases. Dual vocalists Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro play off one another extremely well, never missing a beat. There’s great musicianship and some awesome riffs and solos that add an extra boost of octane. 

   This is one of those albums where if I could I would go on about for hours, it’s just that well done. This hour finds me especially favoring “My Spirit;” a darker and slower paced track that’s infused with new sound as well as a taste of their old style found on the album “Unleashed Memories.” Happily I can inform you it includes lyrics in their native tongue. The faster paced “I Don’t Believe in Tomorrow” lyrically gives the listener the impression of a breach of trust. Andi’s chorus sounds fantastic and adds a powerful blow with “I want to say it now, cuz I don’t believe in tomorrow. This storm is raging now, because I lost my faith in you.”
   The beautiful siren that is Cristina explores a new side to how she handles vocals in “Intoxicated.” The verses have her drawing out the lyrics and it really adds a lot of depth to the song.  ‘Soul Inmate” is a well-woven together piece that has plenty of their history as well as their present sound woven into it.
   Having proven that they can take one of the best songs out there and add their spin on it with Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” the band chose to do another cover. They’ve added their unique style to R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion.” Cristina handles the verses like a pro and the emotion in her voice is really something.. Andi covers the chorus and sounds phenomenal. It’s amazing how so many bands can cover this song and leave it dead in the water, but this goes right up there with the original for me.

   Fans of older material the band recorded will find “Dark Adrenaline” a harder form than their previous releases. There are a few songs with some of the rock flavoring, but as a whole it is a metal album. It may very well catch up with their (as well as their label’s) best selling “Comalies” in due time.  Lacuna Coil is back my friends, and harder then ever! Be sure to catch them on the GiganTour with Megadeath early 2

Anneke van Giersbergen - "Everything is Changing"


   Anneke van Giersbergen, the former lead singer of the Dutch progressive/alternative rock band The Gathering puts forth a wonderful solo album with “Everything is Changing.” Infusing her warm vocal styling with mostly upbeat rock sound and electronica, Anneke provides expansion to her sound.  There’s a clear progression from her musical melancholy roots and it really plays to her strengths.
   Opening the album is “Feel Alive,” a track that could easily fall into the pop genre. It’s upbeat and infections with its high tempo beat and piano work entwined with Anneke’s beautiful voice. “Take Me Home is more of a rock song opens with a piano and then leaps into faster paced vocals with a little bit of an electronic whine to give the song a boost.  It has all the elements to be a single off of the album and the energy to be a radio hit. With more of a darker rock melody to it is “Hope, Pray, Dance, Play.” It’s got some more aggressive guitar then the rest of the album that really adds an under layer of strength.  “Hope for me, pray for me one day I’ll be fine Dance with me, play with me I’ll never fall behind” offers up a steady chorus that adds to the meat of the song.
    “Everything is Changing” easily defies a single genre classification with its many diverse songs. It is in my opinion one of her best pieces of work and well worth looking into. The album proves easily that she can stand alone and make great music!

Ani DiFranco - “¿Which Side Are You On?”


   Singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco’s first studio album in more than three years “¿Which Side Are You On?” is here.  Known for her music as well as her poetry and feminist activism, Difranco has always been outspoken.  Her contemporary folk style is ever evolving and her career, spanning over twenty years long seems to be unstoppable.  The album takes a snapshot of DiFranco’s experiences as well as captures her clearly stated opinions of where the country stands politically. It leans far to the left, which might make some look the other way
   Title track “¿Which Side Are You On?” has a steady marching beat with horns and vocals lending their support to the political left, as well as the current Occupy Movement. With a line ''come on people of privilege... it's time to join the fight” she’s clearly reaching out and trying to make a statement. "Promiscuity" is a witty wordplay piece that shows her colorful adventures as a folk singer. “J” is well put together with sturdy strumming guitar and loops.  “Hearse” paints imagery with poetry of the happy time progressive life of a couple all the way to death and beyond.
   Chalk full of funky folk and contemporary rock the album is good effort.  However it does perhaps leave something to be desired in comparison to her previous works.  If you get past the over political tones of the album or lean to the far left you’ll have an appreciation for the album. If you dive deep into the right side of the fence then perhaps this isn’t for you.
 

Ceterum - "Fathom"


   Coming out swinging with their debut album, “Fathom” is Ceterum. These guys have fantastic progressive hard rock sound that to me seems honed. They easily work the fabric of sound with mild to heavy rhythmic guitar progressions, steady and well-placed percussion work and then the outstanding voice of Ty Jividen. The band’s influences from metal veterans Tool can be heard at times, while not taking away from the originality of the band.

   From the opening song “The Architect” a path is carved like water through dirt and rock, turning a plane into a canyon. It’s almost restrained at first, but then blooms into something that lets loose. Jividen’s vocals are harmoniously instep with the music and change up from holding to short breathed notes. “Paramnesia” is progressive and shows off layers of melody and long vocal notes, merging into new beats but at the same time holding its consistency.  The tile track “Fathom” has more of a hard rock beat and less of an experimental beat to it. It maintains the high caliber sound of the band while coming off as something that would do well as a single. It includes some screams that rather than taking away from the song, add to it. “End Transmission” is this hauntingly beautiful musical piece that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. It serves as sort of an intro piece to “Aurelia” which is a labyrinth of sound and melody.
      It’s a rare CD that takes several plays just to even comprehend the greatness of it and for certain “Fathom” fits that bill. It’s difficult to single out one song over another because every song is an individual work of art. This is one album that needs to be experienced this year for certain. It’s rare a band captivates the listener with this level of intensity.