"Blood Will Flow!" - Amped & Doomed with Simone Bertozzi (Arcana 13)

By: Aaron Pickford

Today I speak with Arcana 13, a band who do not sound track Disney, but instead embrace two things that I hold dear, old horror movies, specifically the visionary directors of Italia Cult Horror, Lucio Fulci and Darion Argento, and heavy metal music.   Arcana 13 have taken the imagery of Italian Horror and infused these influences with their love of heavy music, and in the process of have released one of best occult infused doom album so far this year, in the form of “Danza Macabra”. 

Not only have they released one of the best sounding records, “Danza Macabra” is also one of the best looking, due in no small part to the artwork for the album, which was created by legendary artist Enzo Sciotti, who during his 50 year career has illustrated more than 3000 movie posters, including cult horror masterpieces like Lucio Fulci’s death trilogy “The Beyond”, “City of the Living Dead” and “The House by the Cemetery”; Dario Argento’s “Phenomena”; Sam Raimi’s “Army of Darkness” and “Evil Dead”; Joe D’Amato’s “Antropophagus”; Lamberto Bava’s “Demoni”; Stephen King’s “Maximum Overdrive”. 

So, please welcome Simone Bertozzi from Arcana 13, who was kind enough to talk to us about the inception of the band, the magic of the “Suspiria” sound track, his inspirations as an aspiring guitarist and everything else in between, oh and let us not forget, nerding the fuck out about gear.  Check it out.

SL) Can you give us a brief history of your playing career?

Simone: Have you ever wondered how could have been a Lucio Fulci cult movie with a Black Sabbath soundtrack? This is Arcana 13.

The band was summoned in the winter of 2013, as a bunch of good old friends jamming on Black Sabbath tunes in a stinking rehearsal room, cracking beers open and busting the amps at ear-shattering volumes. Here and there we were laying down some new riffs and recording some stuff on a tape recorder like it was 1974 again. However the magic started when I started to improvise the theme from Goblin’s “Suspiria” in the rehearsals… Being fanatics of the legendary Italian Horror movies of Argento, Fulci, Bava as much as we’re addicted to Black Sabbath and Pentagram the step was really short.

From that “Suspiria” cover we couldn’t help ourselves, we put an old TV screen with a rusty VHS player in the rehearsals and basically jammed while watching those Horror masterpieces, such crazy fun times. Sometimes a specific scene inspired us riffs some others we had a specific atmosphere in mind from a song and we searched for the best film to picture it.

SL) Can you remember who or what inspired you to pick up the guitar? Are there any bands, guitarists, currently on the scene that continue to inspire you and push you to try new things?

Simone: I can honestly tell you that my very first inspiration to play guitar was George Harrison, my dad has always been a Beatles fanatic and used to play me all those legendary tunes I’ve grown so fond of. From then on my tastes turned into the heavy side: Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth and Pantera were the driving force to get better at the instrument.

Things went totally upside down when the “Lord of Riff” shed light on me: Tony Iommi. I understood that heaviness is not in shred playing, quite the opposite. Iommi knows and will tell you everything about it, even with two fingers less. When I jam onto those classic Black Sabbath tunes I always find some new nuances in the way he plays a riff, the fingering, the resonating strings, the placement on the neck, its magic!

Speaking of contemporary guitar players, one that absolutely changed the game for me is without doubt Mikael Åkerfeldt from Opeth. His melodic playing and progressive-laden riffs are top notch, and he got unbelievable pipes as well making him close to god-like.

SL) Whilst we’re on the subject of inspiration or heroes for example, do you have 5 records that stand out as favourites, what influence did they have upon you and what is it about those record that particular resonates amongst others? 

Simone: Hardest question ever. Let’s go, in random order, first three classics:

• Black Sabbath – “Master Of Reality”
None heavier. 34 minutes of madness that revolutionized heavy metal as we know it. Riffs, riffs, riffs, riffs and more riffs. Tune down, bust up, sabb off!

• Pantera – “Vulgar Display Of Power”
None tighter. There won’t be another guitar god like Dimebag, shred chops from the heart you can singalong with.

• Opeth – “Blackwater Park”
Finest extreme metal prog ever, I have many favourite Opeth albums but this is the one that sparked the plug.

Then two newer ones:

• Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats – “Blood Lust”

Black Sabbath meets The Beatles and I’m sold. Hard to get off my stereo in 2011 and so forth, fantastic record!

• Witchcraft – “Legend”
This is the album that kicked Uncle Acid off the stereo the year after. I absolutely consumed it to the point I was getting nauseous. Magnus Pelander’s voice is legendary and the production of this record is simply amazing, modern and powerful yet organic.

SL) Can remember your first electric guitar, bass?  

Simone: Sure thing. It was a Ferrari red Japanese Fender Stratocaster my dad bought me when I was 12. Quite a lot of guitars followed, sold all of them ‘cause I don’t like stacking up guitars I don’t play, but this one is a keeper. Recently refurbished by my dad and I, changed to color to black with cream pickguard: Blackmore style!

SL) What guitar(s) bass (s) are you using today and how did you gravitate towards the guitar you currently use? 

Simone: I use a 2013 Gibson USA SG, ebony. ‘Cause Iommi rules. Don’t need anything else that this axe. I’ve looked for something else to spice up the sound but the SG is such a versatile and comfortable guitar to play with, it’s the DOOM machine.

SL) What do you like about the guitars you currently use and has there been any specific modifications to it? 

Simone: None, Gibson USA guitars comes from the factory ready to play and that’s the beauty of it.

SL) What amps and pedals do you currently use?  Do you use a combination of amps, or a full half stack? Talk us through your set up both in the studio and in the live environment? 

Simone: “Danza Macabra” was recorded with Andrea’s ’78 Orange Overdrive on a Orange 4x12, with a Maxon OD808 in front of it.

Although I love that vintage sound I recently got an Orange OR100 and I love it! Vintage style with modern features, so versatile: crunch channel is perfect as it is, clean channel has a lot of clarity and headroom, if you plug a fuzz onto it you’re in Electric Wizard territory with a blink of an eye and an hit from a bong haha!

SL) What one pedal could not live without and why? 

Simone: I couldn’t live without the OD808 but the Orange OR100 is so good sounding as it that I plug it just on solos, and the Proco Ratt for heavier fuzzy parts. So my pedal-to-die-for is the MXR Carbon Copy because it’s so organic, straightforward and cuts through the sound like heaven. You can go from spacey parts to bucket style havoc!

SL) What are your amp/ pedal settings?

Simone: I’d say pretty much flat eq, rolling down the highs and cranking up the bass, ‘cause doom you that’s why!

SL) What tunings do you use and why, and as a result is there a specific brand / gauge of string you prefer ?    

Simone: We tune to standard C# (“Master of Reality” anyone?) and drop B. For that I use D’Addario nickels 11-56. Recently I’ve been trying D’Addario NYXL, I dig the added clarity and brightness!

SL). Do you have any advice for up and coming guitars players, bands?

Simone: I’m the last in line but truth has to be told. Switch off those computers, build up your chops on those goddamn records and play as much as possible, focus on writing good songs for yourself to be happy and for the audience to entertain. Doesn’t matter if it’s gonna take one year or two, or three, you need to be 100% confident in it!

SL) Do feel there are deeply help misconceptions about being in a band? 

Simone: The biggest misconception is the amount of work involved beside writing and playing music. So much stuff to take care of and focus on to get your message through. But the feedback of your listeners will repay every second of it!

SL)  Moving on a little then,  what can you tell us about any of your current projects, tours, cds, etc you’re currently promoting, completed and anything else band related we should know about?

Simone: “Danza Macabra” is about the turn 3 months old, we already reprinted it once and this is huge for a small band like ourselves. We’re promoting it live as much as possible but we don’t want to oversaturate people that are already subjected to so many musical inputs nowadays and we’re also selecting the best venues to take our live show in.

Our “Danza Macabra” show is featuring all the Italian Horror movies used in the album, with visual videos put together by ourselves, it’s a tribute to the golden age of Italian cinematography, that goes so well with old school doom, innit?

Currently we’re working  an European tour for the next fall, can’t wait to take our doomy horror visions out there! Blood will flow.

SL) What springs to mind when you think about the completion of your new/current record and how is the mood in the camp at present?

Simone: The mood is obviously as high as the feedbacks we’re receiving so far, but we’re staying focused and also starting to make up our minds on the next steps. “Danza Macabra” took 3 years to be completed, ‘cause at the end of the day what matters the most is the record you’ll hold in your hands, that’s your legacy for the future generations. The bar has been set so high by all the bands before us; it’s our duty to deliver the best.

SL) What are your favourite songs to play live? What is it about them that makes them so good to play live, crowd reaction, etc?  Anything from your catalogue that you wouldn’t play and why? 

Simone: So far the “Danza Macabra” show is comprised of the whole album from start to finish, hard to pick one’s favorite but I’d say that my personal favorite remains ‘Hell Behind You’. It’s the song that closes the album and the show, it’s epic, moving and written on one of my favorite movie ever, ‘Inferno’ by Dario Argento, whose soundtrack was written by a musical genius that recently left: Keith Emerson. RIP.

SL) What can fans look forward to from you over the next 12 months? How is your schedule shaping up?

Simone: We’re gonna promote “Danza Macabra” throughout Italy for the whole summer then European tour next fall and we’ll see! Things develop fast in the Arcana 13 HQ.

SL) Finally, do you have any final comments/word of wisdom you’d like to bestow upon us?

Simone: Thanks for the nice interview, loved the gear part as every guitar nerd out there! For the readers: crank up “DANZA MACABRA” with a nice beer and some old school Italian horror on your TV and trip with our doom tunes! Hail horror, doom on!

Transmission Ends

The Sludgelord "Sour 16" for May 2016

B y: Aaron Pickford

Let it be known fellow Sludgelordians, as we enter meteorological summer the harsh reality is, the 2^nd  day of June is as bleak and it is cold, but fear not, The Sour 16 returns.  The Sludgelord presents the very best Diabolus in Musica to pour scorn on this desolate day and strike upon us the might of the riff, to inject our veins with sin and guide us on journey of subservice to doom, an act that goes against the very laws and teachings of populist culture, and for those that wish to come with us on our quest, kneel with me as we embrace the thunderous din that is, The Sour 16.

You should know the drill by now, each month, you the reader are unwittingly compiling a list of the top 16 records of the month, covering all genres of metal.  Is it not a chart, in which reviewers or contributors extol their opinion about their favourite music.  To put it simply, ‘The Sour 16’ are the records that have been trending the most at Sludgelord Headquarters.

The results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into the list below. So roll up, kick back, chug a beer and Hail the riff! All reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and we have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication are highlighted in red)

16). Kvelertak – “Nattesferd” (305)

There’s a lot to dig into with this new album, and plenty of ‘Nattesferd’ shows that Kvelertak can step outside of their normal comfort zone and the results have come up overwhelmingly positive. This album keeps the familiar, and adds new wrinkles throughout, to keep the album from feeling like a rerun. ‘Nattersferd’ is an album from a band still at a creative peak.

15). Deadsmoke - “Deadsmoke” (328)

With a metal buzz bordering upon scuzz, Deadsmoke comes crashing down like the heavens themselves have cracked, riffing with almost metronomic precision to let their sound boom down your ear canals.  This record is guaranteed to make your neighbors hate you.

14). Arcana 13 – “Danza Macabre” (330)

This album is all about the groove, mixing swampy simplicity with killer vocal hooks. The production is modern and clear, but without sounding overproduced. The guitars are nicely fuzzed out, the bass is growling, and the drums sound crisp and natural.  Creepy keyboards and psychedelic sound effects weave in the background, tying the album together and never letting you forget that these are songs inspired by one thing:  horror.  Overall I would go so far as to say “Danza Macabra” is a contender for the Sludgelord list of top Doom releases of 2016

13). Ommadon – “Ommadon” (369)

Events slowly unfold, occupying a compelling middle ground between the hypnotic amplifier worship of Sunn O))) and the barely-moving leaden doom of Monarch!. Riffs emerge from the gloom, shifting forms accented by gut-punching drums.  If immersion in deepest, darkest drone appeals, take a plunge in Ommadon’s well of despair.

12). Sunnata – “Zorya” (372)

It’s obvious from these five tracks that the Warsaw quartet are huge doom fans and wear their influences on their sleeve. “Beasts of Prey” is a monolithic blend of Sleep and Yob’s finest moments; heavy riffs and psychedelic passages flowing into one another seamlessly.  As “Zorya” progresses, the mood becomes heavier and darker as the tempo slows towards a hypnotic crawl,  a potent marriage of killer riffs and sky-scraping ambition. It may not be the most original release but few bands deliver heaviness on this sweeping scale.

11). Desolate Pathway – “"Valley of the King" & "Into The Realms" (380)

10). Battalions – “Nothing to Lose” (420)

Battalions laces up their good shit kickers on “Nothing to Lose”, ready to walk into a punk show, empty pool, construction site, whatever, and proceed to kick your collective teeth in and throw you into a handy wall until you buy a shirt or something, and rock the fuck out. This is heavy music, and QUALITY heavy music. These guys have crafted something that should get your soul to wake up and take notice. Get this album, and keep bands like this pumping up music to bother the neighbours with.

09). Wrong – “Wrong” (435)

From the first second to the last, Wrong maintain a constant flow of gold standard, armour-piercing riffage and somehow manage to maintain this onslaught of barely restrained energy with no let-up for 30 minutes, like The Melvins being forced into playing at double speed, with a cattle prod.  This is a flawless debut from Wrong, an addictive adrenaline rush that’ll be lodged in your brain for months to come.  When the tunes are this good there is no alternative but to surrender to the power of the riff.

08). King Buffalo - “Orion” (440)

King Buffalo’s music borrows as much vibe from All Them Witches as it does the headspace that Colour Haze finds themselves in. King Buffalo’s music is concise but it’s also psychedelic and free. Each note is hit with diligence, the builds take their time to unfold and every moment of these 45 minutes contributes something to the greater picture.  “Drinking from the River Rises” summarizes “Orion” neatly and therefore makes for a solid conclusion to this very impressive debut

07). Conjurer – “I” (496)

Captivating from start to finish, you will struggle to find a release this year that pertains such a crushing sound. Their heaviness seems to come out of your speakers and wrap itself around you. It tightens your chest and grips you, like a boa constrictor.

06). SUMAC – “What One Becomes” (551)

The fact is, this is a monolithic, multi-faceted, beast of an album.  Rigid Man” sees Sumac in familiar territory, relentless riffs raining down on the listener like an armour plated Shellac playing Isis’ “Celestial”.  The band weave seamlessly between periods of crushing heaviness, fragile calm, hypnotic repetition and mind-bending mathematical chaos and overall “What One Becomes” sees Sumac taking all of their previous achievements as a foundation and building something even bigger in their own unique vision. This album sees Sumac really find their voice and deserves to see them mentioned in the same breath as their forbears.

05). Victorian Whore Dogs - “Afternoonified” (552)

Victorian Whore Dogs are one of the more underrated and exciting live bands currently slogging away in the UK heavy music scene. They are an absolute delight to behold. Their DIY ethics (this was self produced/recorded and will be self released through their own Hibernacula Records) make other bands seem lazy and clueless by comparison and with songs about masturbation (Murder Boner), VWD deliver crushing grooves and swinging riffs with their tongues planted firmly in their cheeks courtesy of front man Danny Page's twisted sense of humour.

04). Sinister Haze – “Laid Low in the Dust of Death” (622)

“Laid Low in the Dust of Death” is a monster of flaming slag dripping from the fingers of one of the best bands going, they lay you low with riffs upon riffs, Brilliant vocal setups, and production that will just destroy you. Sinister Haze has nothing to be compared to, keeping it fresh and heavy no matter what they are doing, and this album should rank in the top 5 of any list out there.

03). Gozu – “Revival” (736)

At their core, Gozu is a bad ass American rock band. They’ve got heavy riffs in tow and bang out tunes loud enough to piss off the neighbors. But Gozu is more than this. Gozu is a songwriting machine, one that is able to churn out eight loud, hard hitting compositions without sacrificing the meaning behind the songs or the band.  Gozu’s “Revival” is gruff and dirty when it needs to be just as it’s swift and soulful when the time is right

02). Criminal - "Fear Itself" (1435)

Quite simply, this is the best thrash record I have heard yet this year and may well remain so. It edges towards death metal (in the same manner that the Seps' early work does) but this is just vicious stuff. This type of album is why I first started listening to thrash and extreme metal. The sound and the fury. Dios mio! What a fantastic album from a band playing with fire and passion.

01). Blood Ceremony – “Lord of Misrule” (3060)

If you are new to Blood Ceremony, this album is as fine a place to start as any. If you have heard any of their previous albums and enjoyed them, your enjoyment of this one is guaranteed. This is as good an example as any of a band looking to the past both in terms of musical and folklore tradition to create fantastical and occult inspired music.

A big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.  May’s “Sour 16” features reviews by, Chris Bull, Philip Weller, Richard Maw, Daniel Jackson, Victor Van Ommen, Charlie Butler, Doza Hawes and Hunter Young

Arcana 13 - "Danza Macabra" (Album Review)

By: Doza Hawes

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 11/03/2016

Label: Aural Music

This album is all about the groove, mixing swampy simplicity with killer vocal hooks. The production is modern and clear, but without sounding overproduced. The guitars are nicely fuzzed out, the bass is growling, and the drums sound crisp and natural.  Creepy keyboards and psychedelic sound effects weave in the background, tying the album together and never letting you forget that these are songs inspired by one thing:  horror.  Overall I would go so far as to say “Danza Macabra” is a contender for the Sludgelord list of top Doom releases of 2016

“Danza Macabra” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Dread Ritual

2. Arcane XIII

3. Land of Revenge

4. Oblivion Mushroom

5. Intermezzo (Bonus track for limited vinyl)

6. Suspiria (Goblin cover)

7. Blackmaster

8. The Holy Cult of Suicide

9. Hell Behind You

The Review:

When I heard about a new band from Italy that were inspired by classic Horror films and featured a Goblin cover on their debut album, I expected to hear creepy, all-instrumental progressive rock with insane technical wizardry, influenced by bands like classic Yes and King Crimson. I was wrong. Dead wrong. Instead, I got what could be a contender for the Sludgelord list of top Doom releases of 2016. Instead of proggy technical instrumentation, Arcana 13 delivers crushing riffs. Instead of the mind-bending arrangements and bizarre time signatures that we usually get with prog rock, Arcana 13 keeps it simple and brings us a classic Occult Doom album that is masterfully put together.

Titled “Danza Macabra”, the album is inspired by legendary horror classics by Dario Argento and Mario Bava (among others), such as “Inferno”, “Suspiria”, and “Mask of Satan”. Sealing the deal, they enlisted classic horror poster artist Enzo Sciotti to paint the album cover, of which he commented, “This is my masterpiece…perhaps the best horror ever!” It is truly a beautiful album cover.

What is interesting about this album is that, while paying tribute to the classic Doom masters such as Sabbath and Pentagram, the band have clearly been doing their homework and staying in touch with what is current in the Doom scene. I hear tributes to bands like Ghost, Sleep, Witchcraft, and Church of Misery, but without sounding like overt plagiarism, more like love and respect for these great bands. The vocals are clean with some fantastic harmonies; the only screaming you’ll hear is from the various horror movie samples that meander throughout the songs. The production is modern and clear, but without sounding overproduced. The guitars are nicely fuzzed out, the bass is growling, and the drums sound crisp and natural.  Creepy keyboards and psychedelic sound effects weave in the background, tying the album together and never letting you forget that these are songs inspired by one thing:  horror.

Their cover of Goblin’s Suspiria theme is a super cool rendition, taking the song in a groovy hard rock direction that is sure to make your head nod. If you’re looking for insane double bass blasts or technical guitar shred, you won’t get that here. This album is all about the groove, mixing swampy simplicity with killer vocal hooks. “Danza Macabra” is a great rock album, a great Doom album, and its infused with the band’s clear love for classic horror. Give Arcana 13 a listen and turn it way up. You might want to pick up one of their limited edition red blood spatter vinyls, if they haven’t already sold them all!

“Danza Macabra” is available here

Band info: bandcamp