In which I will try to present you a Belgian metal band every week. Dyscordia is the first band I'd like to talk about. Having stumbled upon them at Frostrock a couple years back where they were the opening act, they were thé band that convinced me to return the next year, and again they did not disappoint. A band forged from the remains of several bands from West-Flanders, it's very difficult if not impossible to categorize their style as of yet. The vocals and guitars may contain parts reminiscent of Power or Prog Metal while the ultra-precise drums wouldn't sound bad if pasted a Thrash song, and this mingled sound is set in a somewhat Gothic atmosphere provided by singer Piet Overstijns' soaring, etheric vocals, which are backed by the excellent rough vocals that are slightly reminiscent of Fear Factory at times and provide the band with a solid modern touch. Though it is a very vague term, I must say the band member's experience rubs off on them, as they sound very mature already and not as if they are still searching: these guys know exactly what they want! Of course using such simple terms to describe Dyscordia's sound doesn't do them justice. At first the music may seem a little bit overwhelming, but it grows on the listener quickly. The band tends to go for rather unconventional, somewhat longer compositions and are full of smart hooks and catches while retaining a consistent tempo, but are no less memorable for it. I would describe them as heavy, but definitely quite accessible. The band plays really tight together, as you will notice from the first notes of the Empty Room (link below). It immediately struck me how well the guitars are attuned to the drums. Piet is one of the finest singers in Belgium I've heard. The band released their EP Reveries last year and is currently working on a full album. This is one of the bands I am very excited about because they really manage to bring an innovative sound that is not forced, and have the live capabilities to back it up, and I wonder where they'll take it. Hopefully the first full album with hit the shelves soon and we'll be able to enjoy this band for many years to come. Links Dyscordia - The Empty Room http://www.dyscordia.com/ - Official Website https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dyscordia/107071159350796
Totally forgot about this for a while. Derp. We continue with FireForce. This band is relatively new as well, their first album March On being from 2011, but again was formed by experienced musicians who had already played in bands like Double Diamond, Gwyllion and Grinning Ghoul. No doubt this mixture of bands and influences has helped FireForce create their sound, which is a nice blend of heavy power metal with thrash. Some songs, like the almost eponymous Firestorm even have a very classic hardrock approach. Despite various influences FireForce will sound more straightforward to people familiar with the genre than for instance Dyscordia - and this isn't necessarily a bad thing, for the music does not lack for spirit or inspiration. Listening to Firestorm you can clearly tell these guys are in it for the fun of writing and playing music, a statement that can also be supported by their tour schedule. They have already toured internationally with Australian band Pegazus but don't hesitate to play at smaller venues for the hell of it either. Some music takes prolonged listening and patience to get into, but in my opinion FireForce are pretty accessible and very listenable from the first go, and this does little to change the staying power their tracks have. The songs are perfect for shouting along with a raised fist. All in all, the overall sound reminds me mostly of Gamma Ray's No World Order! album, if I have to make a comparison. This is helped by singer Flype's voice which is somewhat reminiscent of Gamma Ray's Kai Hansen, although he commonly uses it in a deeper and more aggressive manner. The rhythm section is the band's strongest section, I think, as they support the vocals almost flawlessly and really put a driving force behind each song that pushes the song on and makes it stick in your head almost immediately. The one negative remark I have is that their lyrics do not seem particularly interesting or captivating, which I guess is a result of the band mostly trying to focus on the music and attempting to find lyrics that 'sing and stick' well rather than bear a much deeper meaning. Of course, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. FireForce is a perfect example to show off to people who stubbornly claim power metal isn't 'true metal' (whatever that is even supposed to be), for these guys are as true and real as it gets; Not only here to metal, but also to rock! Links Songs: Firestorm, The Only Way Myspace Facebook
