2012/11/30

You know you're doing something right when...

This week the Stagnant Waters album received a 9/10 at metalreview.com. The reviewer wrote: «Stagnant Waters is the single most experimental, inventive, and plainly thrilling album I’ve heard all year.»

A day later, I saw a tweet stating that the album had earned us the lowest rating ever (13/100) at the Dutch site zwaremetalen.com.

Just one of those small things that restores my confidence that we're actually onto something with this band.

And, by the way, here is an old Fleurety interview.


2012/10/14

Stagnant Waters album previews

Below is a short promo clip from the forthcoming album.


Also: This is the opening track of the album, «Algae»: http://soundcloud.com/hvnrecordings/stagnant-waters-algae-2012

WWW.ADVERSUM.NO

2012/09/10

Stagnant Waters debut album out Oct 29!!!

I am happy to announce that the debut album of Stagnant Waters will be released on October 29 by Adversum. Here is a taster:




2011/08/24

Panegyrism, I guess

It is happening again: The metal heads don't think it's metal, others think it's too metal.

Zweizz & Joey Hopkins "review" by Vital Weekly:

«While playing this record I was thinking which reviewer would fit this best, but found myself clueless. I never heard of Zweizz and Joey Hopkins, the latter who died late 2008 at the age of 26. The two met through myspace, exchanged musical material and following Hopkins' untimely death Zweizz completed this. Its music that we hardly review - and by that I don' mean popmusic (which we do, from time to time). I can relate to popmusic, but these two men operate with a kind of cyber metal music that is hardly my, nor my fellow reviewer's taste. But always keen to hear something new I played it with interest. I never liked much metal music and I must say I have some difficulty with this lot too, even when some of it is very digital in approach. Its perhaps too much 'boys' music, I think. Maybe also one of those reasons why I don't like metal music. I played it with interest, but I decided it just wasn't for me. (FdW)»

Another one, this one is from Bad Alchemy, rather confusing, but it seems he likes it. And, after all, who wouldn't want to be «das wohl durchgeknallteste Projekt des Satanicpornocultshopkunden»?

«Joseph Hopkins ist 2008 mit nur 26 Jahren gestorben. Dennoch hat sein norwegischer Partner, Svein Egil Hatlevik, eine der schillernden Gestalten der dortigen Metal-Szene, in der der bekennende masturbator, beard enthusiast, noise maker und elitäre Sozialdemokrat mit Dødheimsgard, Fleurety und Umoral die avancierten, extremen und schwarzen Felder beackert, ihre Zusammenarbeit zu einem guten Ende gebracht. Zweizz ist das wohl durchgeknallteste Projekt des Satanicpornocultshopkunden, geprägt von Sarkasmus und 'Eternal Puberty'. Den Ulver-Fans etwa hat er heuer (als 'Vorgruppe') ein Horn aufgesetzt und ihnen was geschissen, statt Andacht gabs erstmal Krach. Auch die Jesterei hier zeitigt hohe Ausschläge auf der Crazy-Skala. Beatgerammel in Gabber­tempo, Samplingorgien à la Sir Duperman, Schafgeblöke und Schweinsgalopp, dass die Schwarte kracht. Wo Frederik Thordendal's Special Defects, obwohl ähnlich durchgeknallt und sarkastisch, pathetisch blieb, sind Hatlevik & Hopkins seltsame Clowns, die einen mit Melodien betören, nur um einen vors Schienbein zu treten. Zu flink, um auch nur halbwegs zu verstehen, wie einem da geschieht, spielen sie einen Streich nach dem anderen. Mit eingemischt in den orchestralen Strudel mit hohem Rauschfaktor sind Gesänge bekannter Gestalten der Norge-Szene wie Carl-Michael Eide (Aura Noir, Dødheimsgard, Virus), Jester-Macher Kristoffer Rygg (Ulver) und der Trommlerin von Norma Sass sowie die Gitarren weiterer Semigrößen. Auffälliger als Gitarren sind aber Keyboards, Frickelbeats und Samples, die Amok laufen. Wobei jeder Wille zur Macht ('dWill 2 dPower') als kindisch hingestellt wird. Undeutliche Stimmen, verhuschte und verzerrte Gesänge, mehrfach auch aus Frauenkehlen, möchten den Untergang des Abendlandes ums Verrecken nicht verpassen. Wenn schon Apokalypse, dann als Hopsassa, im nacktärschigen Narrenkleid und mit melodiös flatternden Hemdzipfeln. Genre blending is so fucking nineties und out, schreibt Hatlevik in seinem 'A tiny avant-garde metal manifesto'. Ein Gesamtkunstwerk soll es werden, ein Gesamtkunstwerk muss es sein! [BA 70 rbd]»

2011/06/20

Torgny vs Zweizz

Just found this video of a show in february.

ANTI | KF Sniklesning from Anti Design on Vimeo.

2011/05/04

Some reviews from the 2011 European tour

In all sorts of languages:Kobling
From London: http://www.metalteamuk.net/reviews10/review-ulver.htm

From London: http://projektfishtank.blogspot.com/2011/03/ulver-virus-zweizz-koko-club-22032011.html

From London: http://truecultheavymetal.com/blog6.php/2011/03/23/ulver-aamp-virus-koko-camden

From London: http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/Articles.aspx?id=5-1145

From Paris: http://www.u-zine.org/review.php?id=416

From Paris: http://www.soilchronicles.fr/reports/ulver-zweizz-paris-23-03-11

From Rotterdam: http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/showlivereview.php?id=1418

From Rotterdam: http://www.livexs.nl/2011/frontpage/19987/ulver-biedt-dynamisch-alternatief-voor-rotterdamse-koopzondag/

From Rotterdam: http://www.metalkrant.sp2o.org/?page=6&message=2842

From Bochum: http://www.nocturnalhall.com/livereviews/Ulver/Ulver2011/ulver2011_e.htm

From Pratteln: http://www.art-noir.ch/art-noir/ulver-zweizz-im-z7-%E2%80%93-ein-abend-der-wohl-keiner-so-schnell-vergessen-wird.htm

From Munich: http://www.metal1.info/konzertberichte/konzert.php?konzert_id=434

From Vienna: http://www.earshot.at/php/content/live_ok.php?action=show&idx=7491

From Poznan: http://szeptak.blogspot.com/2011/04/koncert-ulver-zweizz-eskulap-5042011.html

From Poznan: http://alternation.eu/ulver__zweizz,id,738,relacje.html

From Poznan: http://kawaipapierosy.pl/ulver-zweizz/

From Poznan: http://www.darkplanet.pl/Ulver-Zweizz-Eskulap-Pozna-5042011-42357.html

From Bratislava: http://thecave.abysszine.com/reporty/2011040009-ulver-zweizz/

From Bratislava: http://metalopolis.net/art_concerts.asp?id=5729

From Aschaffenburg: http://www.metal-aschaffenburg.de/?p=7193

2011/04/17

Reviews

Avant-garde metal reviews the Zweizz, Virus & Ulver show @ Koko, London.

AND

Avant-garde metal reviews the Zweizz & Joey Hopkins album.

2011/02/25

Zweizz & Joey Hopkins cover preview

Black Strobes

03 Black Strobes by zweizz


Zweizz & Joey Hopkins «Black Strobes»
Guests:
Vocals - Torgny Knutson Amdam
Guitars - Filip Roshauw
From the 2011 album «Zweizz & Joey Hopkins» released throug Jester Records / Neuropa

2010/12/11

Zweizz on tour with Ulver

Mar 22: Ulver, Virus & Zweizz, Koko London, UNITED KINGDOM
Mar 26: Trabendo Paris, FRANCE
Mar 27: Incorso Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS
Mar 29: Matrix Bochum-Langendreer, GERMANY
Mar 30: Substage Karlsruhe, Baden-Würt, GERMANY
Mar 31: Z7 Basel, SWITZERLAND
Apr 2: Madonna dell'Albero Ravenna, -, ITALY
Apr 3: Szene Vienna, AT
Apr 6: k17 Berlin, GERMANY
Apr 7: Majestic Bratislava, SLOVAKIA (Slovak Republic)
Apr 8: Beatpol Dresden, DEU
Apr 9: Biebob Antwerp, BELGIUM

2010/12/09

A tiny avant-garde metal manifesto

A tiny avant-garde metal manifesto – post the banalization of genre blending
(Version 1.0)



I. What the fuck is «avant-garde metal»? The term has been subject to much debate. Is it just another subgenre of metal? If so, «avant-garde metal» is a contradiction in terms. Tails are getting increasingly longer, and insufficient taxonomies do not serve our common understanding of the complexity of phenomena.


II. Avant-garde metal is a strategy. It stems from genuine love for metal music and culture. We who love metal, do not want our metal stale – bereft of vision, ambition, hope, reflection, craftsmanship and imagination. And we certainly do not want it to be impotent or infertile!


III. Blending genres is so fucking nineties. It takes a dimwit to be impressed today with the concept of mixing progressive rock, psychedelia, jazz and black metal. SERIOUSLY! Fleurety did that in 1995, and we were influenced by among others Celtic Frost's 1987 (!) album «Into the Pandemonium». (Note: This does not entail that those who mix progressive rock, psychedelia, jazz and black metal (or whatever) do not sometimes achieve stunning results even today. Examples abound.)


IV. Knowing that genre blending is the new mundane, we must search for other ways to implement our avant-garde metal strategies.


V. Metal – as all forms of music – is wrapped in plastic. That is the way we love it. Thus the physical format is a Gesamtkunstwerk spanning text, images, music, production, typography, design and most certainly many other branches of the arts. This is assumed to be taken as granted. We must therefore seek to holistically integrate every possible parameter in our artworks to make sure the total is qualified «avant-garde» – and that it may justly be categorized as such.


VI. Clearly the parameters in the most dire crisis with regards to metal today are text and visual presentation. The musical parameter is in a crisis too, but there appears to be little to be done with it. With no wars of relevance in our time, we are not able to reap the benefits of arms race. (Yes, I am talking about the amplification of the guitar and the propagation of tape recorders – to name just a few examples.) The technological progress in the field of sculpting new sounds is painstakingly slow, and we cannot allow ourselves to wait for researchers and venture capitalists to catch up with us.

VII: The so-called Web 2.0 has revealed a shocking lack of ambition among younger artists. We, the veterans, the adults, must take responsibility when the new generation fails our proud tradition of incessantly working for the vigour of (extreme) metal!


VIII: The new generation must strive to prove the falsity of point VII.


IX: We must look to reinvent what concepts may be expressed through metal. We must be willing to go to great lenghts to do so. We must be prepared to try every possible style, method and personal degradation to further the progress of the music we so deeply love. If admitting that Jesus Christ was a pretty awesome dude serves our purpose, we must never hesitate to do so.


X: A good manisto is always cocky and ballsy. Cock And Ball Torture is a mediocre grindcore band. Literal cock and ball worship, however, is the superhighway to the future.

2010/11/11

Fleurety «Evoco Bestias» out in December

The song Summon the Beasts off our upcoming 7" «Evoco Bestias» is streaming at the Fleurety Myspace page.

FLEURETY «EVOCO BESTIAS» 7" EP
Artist: Fleurety
Title: «Evoco Bestias»
Label: Aesthetic Death Records
Format: Vinyl 7"
Cat. No: ADEP 003

«Evoco Bestias» features the first new material by Fleurety since 1998. It will be released in December 2010 through Aesthetic Death Records.

Fleurety is a band from Ytre Enebakk, Norway. They have been hailed as one of the originators of the style that has lately come to be known as avant-garde metal, a status earned through their albums «Min Tid Skal Komme» (1995) and «Department of Apocalyptic Affairs» (2000) – plus the EP «Last-Minute Lies» (1997).

«Evoco Bestias» features two songs – Summon the Beasts and Animal of the City. Together they serve as a powerful evocation of the feral spirit in man.

As well as founding members Alexander Nordgaren (guitars, bass) and Svein Egil Hatlevik (vocals), the recording features Andreas Barsleth (drums) and Ayna B. Johansen (vocals).

«Evoco Bestias» was recorded at Crystal Canyon Studios, Oslo in 2008, with the assistance of Tore Ylwisaker.

«Evoco Bestias» is limited to 666 copies. The cover artwork has been made by Trine & Kim Design Studio. The record is pressed on heavy duty grey vinyl.

This release is the second in a series of new Fleurety recordings only available on vinyl. The next release «Et Spiritus Meus Semper Sub Sanguinantibus Stellis Habitabit» can be expected in 2011. The first record in the series, «Ingentes Atque Decorii Vexilliferi Apokalypsis», was released in 2009.

For more info, go to http://aestheticdeath.com/home.php

2010/08/25

Evoco Bestias


Fleurety «Evoco Bestias» 7" EP, featuring the first new material from Fleurety since 1998 will be released this autumn through Aesthetic Death Records.

More info to follow within short.

2010/07/16

the lyrics for "no clue" from zweizz & joe hopkins as sung by carl-michael eide

the lyrics for "no clue" from zweizz & joey hopkins as sung by carl-michael eide


No Clue

soft, strong, and disposable
two corpses, everything's fine
more fun than you can imagine
not sure when I started thinking this way
beating stars that nobody else wanted to illuminate

giver of breath and bread
the world is changed
Summer ends now; now, now
that taste of myself
sing a thing as everybody rings it, only louder
from the activity of the mind
whoever did this waited until the last second

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