Saturday, April 26, 2014
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Featured December Interview with Hannu Lepisto
Hannu Lepisto is his name and he comes back with his debut full length album entitled "Have A Beautiful Life". The highly anticipated album was released on the Tuesday 10th of December with the single 'I Wanna Walk All Night' being release weeks before the album dropped.
Since his EP back March 2011 "Run Away With Me" he's generated a lot of buzz with the style of his music and lyrical content. And with the single from that EP 'Run Away With Me' he has clearly caught the attention of some well know music producers as well as gaining a growing fan base outside of Helsinki, Finland. With the latest release of "Have A Beautiful Life" you will not be disappointed, you will hear in this album a very true and more confident Hannu as he sings about life, love and over coming hardships of many kinds. Also it is proof that not only can you compare him to other influential musicians of the same genre but that it is also safe to say that the very name Hannu Lepsito can stand in its own right among such talents as Finnish rock band HIM, Leonard Chen, Steve Earle and Bruce Springsteen, just to name a few.
The Interview:
December 2013
Ava/Invaders Asylum: First off I would like to say Hello. And to also congratulate you on your newest album "Have A Beautiful Life" and for breaking records on iTunes and Reverbnation.
Hannu Lepisto: Ava!!! *hugs* and thank you! And thanks for wanting to do an interview, a true pleasure to talk with you again! And thank you for congrats - yeah it was kind of a surprise and a little shock that ”Have A Beautiful Life” broke into top-ten in Finnish iTunes Album charts and went straight to number one on Finnish iTunes Alternative Album charts on the release date! And it feels great, as well, that fans didn't abandon me on Reverbnation while I was fully concentrated on working on album. Big thanks to Victorian Underground Music and Homeward Records, Oy - they got my back. And thanks to my online Street Team for support! :-)
Ava/IA: So, what have you been doing since your last EP "Run Away with Me" and recording this new full -length album "Have A Beautiful Life" ?
Hannu: Well, after the EP - I started to write new material and play-around with some "old" half-recorded songs and I ended up working as the main producer, plus mixing, and as recording engineer; a little over two years went quite quickly rocking by, working on ”Have A Beautiful Life”. As a perfectionist, it was hard to let go of the album and release it. But finally I realized that I can’t make anything any better and that the songs were ready because colleagues kept repeating to me to release it. (I listened to the material in several different good studios asked opinions from colleagues and from co-producer Aqualyra) - Then it was time to pick the best mastering engineer for the job: Matthew Agoglia (James Taylor, Emmy Lou-Harris…). And he was very enthusiastic to be working with me again. It was my dream that he would master the release because he is so awesome. I knew just what to expect 'cos had worked with him before. He had worked with Howie Weinberg on mastering my EP, ”Run Away With Me”, at Masterdisk Studios, NYC. But now he has his own mastering studio. So ”Have A Beautiful Life” was mastered there, at The Ranch Mastering Studios, in Hudson Valley, New York.
Ava/IA: I must say with this new album I get a sense of not only musical progression but also but a personal one. Any new milestone within your career as a musician and or personal life that has garnered this fresh new amazing sound?
Hannu: Oh, thank You for the great compliment! Yes, hard work (playing, singing, writing, rehearsing, arranging…) progresses in music. But I am very glad here that You noticed something else has happened as well. :) Being the album's producer (and all that is happening in my personal life) has directed me to a path where I ”accept” myself more and understand myself much better. Still, I’m an existentialist to death. Don’t wanna say I've grown up...Lol. But I can stand straight better about what -and who- I am; and I'm more confident of what I do when facing difficulties and hard times. Now feeling a lot more capable dealing with them.
Ava/IA: For the first single off of "Have A Beautiful Life" titled 'I Wanna Walk All Night' you did an awesome music video of just you basically holding a video recorder walking around town in Helsinki, Finland. Who's idea was it to do this?
Hannu: Oh, thank you! Actually, it was my idea. My label went along with it - they got me this tiny Sony Action Cam with a head band and I walked etc. lol - and gathered material for over 16 hours and edited it down to 3 mins. And I’m not a video-editor in any case, for God's sake - but I think I got the song’s mood captured there. And learned a bit of Final Cut Pro and video editing, at the same time.
Ava/IA: Do you remember what the song writing process was like for this album in particular?
Hannu: I wanted to make a good album, concentrating on the "Have A Beautiful Life" concept-wise, but I didn’t do songwriting in a way that "now this needs this kind or that kind of song". I wrote a bunch of songs, a lot of good ones were dropped out from this album. But I wanted the album to be a rock’n’roll journey for the listener, with different moods to relate to, like all my favorite albums have done, but most of all I had to be satisfied with the album. So others could enjoy it, as well.
Ava/IA: How has the feedback been about the release of "Have A Beautiful Life"?
Hannu: There has been a lot of raving! And I feel very taken about that, and it makes me feel humble, and at the same time I feel that Team Hannu has succeeded.
Ava/IA: Finally, how do you feel about the comparisons that have been made about the style of music you've created? (For Example: Artists such as Steve Earle, Lou Reed, Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen and HIM.)
Hannu: I take that as a huge compliment. After all, these artists all are my influences so it feels great! But mostly it's important that everyone is saying my sound is unique and every one of those great songwriters has their own influences and uniqueness, as well. So continuing keeping doing my own thing is the most important for me, as a singer-songwriter and producer.
Ava/IA: Any tours that we should be made aware of, at home or abroad?
Hannu: No, not really. Yet. *laughing* But there are some shows scheduled, like Suomi Sound Fest in Poland next summer, but we are just getting there planning gigs… And we are planning this worldwide web online streaming gig on iBroadcast.tv - and I hope it will happen sometime in the near future.
Ava/IA: Any words for your fans that are scattered all over the world?
Hannu: I want to thank each and everyone for your amazing support and hope that you guys continue to share, stream and tell friends, and spread the word - and support by buying my music as well, so we get more options in releasing new material! BTW. I've started working on a new LP already. :) If people haven't gotten them yet there are some free downloads of songs on the website www.hannuofficial.info .
And thank You, Ava for this, always a pleasure! Take care everyone and greets from Helsinki!
Love,
Hannu
I Wanna Walk All Night (Music Video) \
YouTube (Slides version)-
Vimeo Version (Full Video)
Link Below-
https://vimeo.com/80969931
**To read the October 2012 Interview for Hannu Lepisto's EP "Run Away With Me" click HERE!
Hannu Lepisto
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Reverbnation
iTunes
Ava @ Invaders Asylum
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Since his EP back March 2011 "Run Away With Me" he's generated a lot of buzz with the style of his music and lyrical content. And with the single from that EP 'Run Away With Me' he has clearly caught the attention of some well know music producers as well as gaining a growing fan base outside of Helsinki, Finland. With the latest release of "Have A Beautiful Life" you will not be disappointed, you will hear in this album a very true and more confident Hannu as he sings about life, love and over coming hardships of many kinds. Also it is proof that not only can you compare him to other influential musicians of the same genre but that it is also safe to say that the very name Hannu Lepsito can stand in its own right among such talents as Finnish rock band HIM, Leonard Chen, Steve Earle and Bruce Springsteen, just to name a few.
Since the release of "Have A Beautiful Life" the album has soared to the Top Ten on iTunes for Finland and was the #1 downloaded iTunes Alternative genre album for Finland on December 10th and the 11th. And is ranked #1 on Reverbnation Finnish charts!
 |
| Hannu Lepisto Have A Beautiful Life December 2013 Finland |
The Interview:
December 2013
Hannu Lepisto: Ava!!! *hugs* and thank you! And thanks for wanting to do an interview, a true pleasure to talk with you again! And thank you for congrats - yeah it was kind of a surprise and a little shock that ”Have A Beautiful Life” broke into top-ten in Finnish iTunes Album charts and went straight to number one on Finnish iTunes Alternative Album charts on the release date! And it feels great, as well, that fans didn't abandon me on Reverbnation while I was fully concentrated on working on album. Big thanks to Victorian Underground Music and Homeward Records, Oy - they got my back. And thanks to my online Street Team for support! :-)
Hannu: Well, after the EP - I started to write new material and play-around with some "old" half-recorded songs and I ended up working as the main producer, plus mixing, and as recording engineer; a little over two years went quite quickly rocking by, working on ”Have A Beautiful Life”. As a perfectionist, it was hard to let go of the album and release it. But finally I realized that I can’t make anything any better and that the songs were ready because colleagues kept repeating to me to release it. (I listened to the material in several different good studios asked opinions from colleagues and from co-producer Aqualyra) - Then it was time to pick the best mastering engineer for the job: Matthew Agoglia (James Taylor, Emmy Lou-Harris…). And he was very enthusiastic to be working with me again. It was my dream that he would master the release because he is so awesome. I knew just what to expect 'cos had worked with him before. He had worked with Howie Weinberg on mastering my EP, ”Run Away With Me”, at Masterdisk Studios, NYC. But now he has his own mastering studio. So ”Have A Beautiful Life” was mastered there, at The Ranch Mastering Studios, in Hudson Valley, New York.
Ava/IA: I must say with this new album I get a sense of not only musical progression but also but a personal one. Any new milestone within your career as a musician and or personal life that has garnered this fresh new amazing sound?
Hannu: Oh, thank You for the great compliment! Yes, hard work (playing, singing, writing, rehearsing, arranging…) progresses in music. But I am very glad here that You noticed something else has happened as well. :) Being the album's producer (and all that is happening in my personal life) has directed me to a path where I ”accept” myself more and understand myself much better. Still, I’m an existentialist to death. Don’t wanna say I've grown up...Lol. But I can stand straight better about what -and who- I am; and I'm more confident of what I do when facing difficulties and hard times. Now feeling a lot more capable dealing with them.
Ava/IA: For the first single off of "Have A Beautiful Life" titled 'I Wanna Walk All Night' you did an awesome music video of just you basically holding a video recorder walking around town in Helsinki, Finland. Who's idea was it to do this?
Hannu: Oh, thank you! Actually, it was my idea. My label went along with it - they got me this tiny Sony Action Cam with a head band and I walked etc. lol - and gathered material for over 16 hours and edited it down to 3 mins. And I’m not a video-editor in any case, for God's sake - but I think I got the song’s mood captured there. And learned a bit of Final Cut Pro and video editing, at the same time.
Ava/IA: Do you remember what the song writing process was like for this album in particular?
Hannu: I wanted to make a good album, concentrating on the "Have A Beautiful Life" concept-wise, but I didn’t do songwriting in a way that "now this needs this kind or that kind of song". I wrote a bunch of songs, a lot of good ones were dropped out from this album. But I wanted the album to be a rock’n’roll journey for the listener, with different moods to relate to, like all my favorite albums have done, but most of all I had to be satisfied with the album. So others could enjoy it, as well.
Ava/IA: How has the feedback been about the release of "Have A Beautiful Life"?
Hannu: There has been a lot of raving! And I feel very taken about that, and it makes me feel humble, and at the same time I feel that Team Hannu has succeeded.
Ava/IA: Finally, how do you feel about the comparisons that have been made about the style of music you've created? (For Example: Artists such as Steve Earle, Lou Reed, Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen and HIM.)
Hannu: I take that as a huge compliment. After all, these artists all are my influences so it feels great! But mostly it's important that everyone is saying my sound is unique and every one of those great songwriters has their own influences and uniqueness, as well. So continuing keeping doing my own thing is the most important for me, as a singer-songwriter and producer.
Ava/IA: Any tours that we should be made aware of, at home or abroad?
Hannu: No, not really. Yet. *laughing* But there are some shows scheduled, like Suomi Sound Fest in Poland next summer, but we are just getting there planning gigs… And we are planning this worldwide web online streaming gig on iBroadcast.tv - and I hope it will happen sometime in the near future.
Ava/IA: Any words for your fans that are scattered all over the world?
Hannu: I want to thank each and everyone for your amazing support and hope that you guys continue to share, stream and tell friends, and spread the word - and support by buying my music as well, so we get more options in releasing new material! BTW. I've started working on a new LP already. :) If people haven't gotten them yet there are some free downloads of songs on the website www.hannuofficial.info .
And thank You, Ava for this, always a pleasure! Take care everyone and greets from Helsinki!
Love,
Hannu
I Wanna Walk All Night (Music Video) \
YouTube (Slides version)-
Vimeo Version (Full Video)
Link Below-
https://vimeo.com/80969931
**To read the October 2012 Interview for Hannu Lepisto's EP "Run Away With Me" click HERE!
Hannu Lepisto
Website
Reverbnation
iTunes
Ava @ Invaders Asylum
Website
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
New Metal Music Release for Tuesday, March 19th 2013
 |
| CANNIBAL CORPSE - Dead Human Collection: 25 Years of Death Metal Box Set (Metal Blade) |
Anthrax - Anthem EP (Megaforce)
Batillus - Concrete Sustain (Seventh Rule)
Black Crucifixion - Coronation of King Darkness (Spinefarm)
Call Of The Void - Dragged Down A Dead End Path (Relapse)
Cannibal Corpse - Dead Human Collection: 25 Years of Death Metal Box Set (Metal Blade)
Clutch - Earth Rocker (Weathermaker)
Davey Suicide - Davey Suicide (Standby)
Deathwolf - II: Black Armoured Death (Century Media)
Epicrenel - The Crystal Throne (Inverse)
The Eye - Supremacy Re-Release (Debemur Morti)
Globe and Beast - Grandfather's Axe (Melotov)
Goatcraft - All For Naught (Forbidden)
Thehappymask - Ruines (Domestic Genocide)
Hundredth - Revolt EP (Mediaskare)
Imperium Dekadenz - Meadows of Nostalgia (Season Of Mist)
Inter Arma - Sky Burial (Relapse)
Intronaut - Habitual Levitations (Instilling Words With Tones) (Century Media)
In Utero Canibalism - Sick (Sleaszy Rider)
Iron Reagan - Worse Than Dead (A389)
Jungle Rot - Terror Regime (Victory)
Ken Mode - Entrench (Season Of Mist)
Lecherous Nocturne - Behold Almighty Doctrine (Unique Leader)
The Lidocaine - On the Road to Miero (Inverse)
Lordi - To Beast Or Not To Beast (The End)
The Modern Day Slavery - Requiem For Us All (Pavement)
Nails - Abandon All Life (Southern Lord)
Nero Di Marte - Nero Di Marte (Prosthetic)
The New Black - III: Cut Loose (AFM)
October Falls - The Plague Of A Coming Age (Debemur Morti)
Ov Hollowness - The World Ends (Code666)
Panikk - Unbearable Conditions (Metal Tank)
Radiance - Undying Diabolyca (My Kingdom)
Reign Of Vengeance - The Final Solution; The Final Rebellion (Synister Empire)
Reign Supreme - Sky Burial (Mediaskare)
Resonance Room - Untouchable Failure (My Kingdom)
Satanic Threat - In To Hell (Hells Headbangers)
Seven Sisters Of Sleep - Opium Morals (A389)
Six Feet Under - Unborn (Metal Blade)
The Solemn Curse - Gateway to Eternity (Mordgrimm)
Tear Out The Heart - Violence (Victory)
Throw The Fight - The Vault EP (Bullet Tooth)
A Transylvanian Funeral - Gorgos Goetia (Forbidden)
Vanna - The Few And The Far Between (Artery)
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The Latest from: BAKERTEAM RECORDS - KRUNA & CARVED
Via - Scarlet Records (Italy).....
KRUNA
Last Century
BakerTeam Records
Release Date: March 26 2013
Kruna made a big buzz on the net with their 2007 demo called 'Fragments Of Memories', mixing their early influences (Sepultura, Slayer, Black Sabbath) with the new sounds of bands such as The Black Dahila Murder, Soilwork and hatesphere among others. The band spent the last few years refining their songwriting skills and playing live incessantly and they are now ready to deliver their long-waited debut album, which stands as a true statement of Kruna's own vision of Metal, made of powerful guitar riffs, groovy rhythms and abrassive vocals linked by a natural and dynamic sound. Last Century was produced by Riccardo Pasini (Ephel Duath, Slowmotion Apocalypse, Extrema) and features a very special guest appearance by Alberto Zannier (Slowmotion Apocalypse) on the song 'Phoenix'.
CARVED
Dies Irae
Bakerteam Records
Release Date: March 26 2013
Carved. The name of the band is the best calling card for these six angry metal heads. Carving the emotions of their audience with the most violent performance they could possibly deliver is, as a matter of fact, their most notable trait.
The band made an impact with their 2010 three tracks EP, which was reviewed enthusiastically by many international extreme metal zines and attracted the interest of legendary black/thrashers Necrodeath, who consequently decided to take them on their 25th Anniversary European tour. Gigs with many others notable acts followed, cementing the band's reputation and leading them to some new musical ideas for their debut full lenght release, 'Dies Irae', Which was finally completed at the beginning of 2013. Recored and mixed in Italy and mastered at Chartmakers Studio (Rammstein, Volbeat, Apocalyptica), Finland, 'Dies Irae' mixes powerful guitar riffs, massive grooves and brutal vocals with beautiful melodies and refined classical passages. The album will be released March 26th 2013 on Bakerteam Records.
Friday, March 8, 2013
The Latest from: SCARLET RECORDS - KALEDON & EMPYRIOS
Via Scarlet Records (Italy)....
KALEDON
Altor: The King Blacksmith
Scarlet Records
Release Date: April 23 2013
Veteran Power Metallers Kaledon have announced their new studio album, the first following the celebrated 'Legend Of The Forgotten Reign' saga, which was introduced in the song 'Steel Maker', from the band's 2012 "best of" album 'Mightiest Hits. 'Altor: The King's Blacksmith' narrates the life of the man who forged the sword that killed Mozul, the evil creature that upset the peace and tranquility of the kingdom in the last chapter of the saga. With this new album, the seventh in their career, Kaledon deliver another power metal masterpiece, with plenty of Classic Metal influences and majestic Sypmhonic parts. The band have also announced a very special guest appearance by renowned singer Fabio Lione (Rhapsody Of Fire, Kamelot, Labyrinth, Vision Divine) in the song 'A Dark Prison'. Videos for the last song and the monumental 'Childhood' are also in the making.
EMPYRIOS
Zion
Scarlet Records
April 23 2013
"The World to Come is here, now. mankind awakes from a deep state of unconsciousness only to realize that the current age is cursed and it's time to move on. Belief is the original sin, the source of all evil, the force pulling us down a spiral of consternation. But just as the universe can slowly decrease its expansion speed and start contracting to finally collide in a Big Church, humans have to redeem and travel back to their origin. enter the realm of ZION."
Founded by guitar virtuoso and acclaimed producer Simone Mularoni (DGM), Empyrios were able to push forward the boundaries of Progressive Metal with two critically acclaimed albums, '...And The Rest Is Silence', 2007, and 'The Glorious Sickness', 2008, built on extreme musicianship and strong feeling, mixing some of the heaviest riffs in Metal with refined guitar and keyboard solos and symphonic orchestra passages, 'The Glorious Sickness' granted the band a mention in Metal Hammer's "Best upcoming metal band of 2008" section and in the past few years every single member of Empyrios has been busy touring and making music around the globe. Simone Bertozzi joined the danish metal machine Mnemic for an extensive tour of Europe and Australia, Simone Mularoni packed his guitars and lead DGM through a European tour with Symphony X and Dario Ciccioni kept hitting the stage with Oliver Hartmann's solo project Hartmann. At the same time, countless guitar riffs and drum parts have been exchanged between home studios and dressing rooms to magnificently craft their unique blend of melody, rhythm and sound pressure into a new Empyrios masterpiece. Produced by Simone Mularoni himself at Domination Studios, 'Zion is the confirmed title for Empyrios long-awaited new album, an exciting chapter in the band's career, in which once again these four musicians put on tape their incredible technical abilities and impressive mix of melodic and brutal heavy metal, in the vein of bands such as Strapping Young Lad, Nevermore, Symphony X, Fear Factory, Yngwie Malmsteen and Mesguggah to name a few.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
New Metal Music Release for Tuesday, March 5th 2013
 |
| ROTTING CHRIST - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy (Seasons of Mist) |
Altaar - Altaar (Indie)
Coilguns - Commuter (Pelagic)
Enforcer - Death By Fire (Nuclear Blast)
Eremite - Dragonarious (Taxi Driver)
Hatchet - Dawn Of The End (The End)
Jolly - The Audio Guide To Happiness (Part 2) (InsideOut)
Kamala - Kamala Akka (Inverse)
Krokus - Dirty Dynamite (The End)
Lifeless - Godconstruct (FDA Rekotz)
Long Distance Calling - The Flood Inside (Superball)
Neaera - Ours Is The Storm (Metal Blade)
Okular - Sexforce (Self)
Omnium Gatherum - Beyond (Lifeforce)
Paganland - Wind Of Freedom (Svarga)
Pathogen - Miscreants of Bloodlusting Aberrations(Dunkelheit)
Pyro Ohio - Before The Sun Sets EP (At Your Command)
Rotting Christ - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy (Season Of Mist)
Shannon - Circus Of Lost Souls (Mad Association)
Soilwork - The Living Infinite (Nuclear Blast)
Upon Wings - Afterlife EP (Sword Of The Spirit)
Valor - The Yonder Answer (Pitch Black)
Vreid - Welcome Farewell (Indie)
White Widows - White Widows (Sacrament)
Friday, February 22, 2013
The Latest from: SCARLET RECORDS - GODYVA
GODYVA
Alien Heart
Southern Brigade Records
March 11 2013
Godyva was formed in Bari, Italy in January 2000. In September 2002 the band recorded their first EP 'Advent' and soon began performing numerous live shows in the South of Italy throughout 2002 and 2003, including festivals such as The God Bless the Metal Festival, Rock Targato Italia, Gothic Rave (with Theatres des Vampires and others) and Harder Fest (with Panic Cell and others).
In the summer of 2005, the American label Sorcery Studios/Razar Ice Records signed the band for a two album deal.
'In Good And Evil', Godyva's debut album, was released in 2006, giving the band a big exposure both in the press (with features in all the relevant metal magazines) and in terms of their live activity (including an appearance at Total Metal Festival with Dark Funeral and Rage among other).
With a renovated line-up, Godyva recorded their sophomore album 'Planetarium', which was released in 2008. More shows in Italy and many countries in Europe followed, including appearance at Prestenice Open Air Music Fest (with The Rasmus among others) and Metal Female Voices Fest in Belgium (with Arch Enemy, Tristania and Epica among others).
In June 2012 the band entered the studio to record the new album 'Alien Heart', which will be released March 11th 2013 on Southern Brigade Records and marked and distributed by Scarlet Records.
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