February
2015, 182/A4, printed, Polish, interviews: SANCTUARY, RIOT, OVERKILL, EXODUS,
TANKARD, SLAYER, VADER, FORCED ENTRY, ENFORCER, WOLF, STEELWING, BELOW,
PERSUADER, EVERGREY, MEMORY GARDEN, GRAND MAGUS, BLOODBOUND, PORTRAIT, AIR
RAID, LONEWOLF, BRAINSTORM, GRAVE DIGGER, SAVAGE MESSIAH, WALPYRGUS, NIGHT
VISION, WHILE HEAVEN WEPT, MIRAGE, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, CALLISTO, SACRO SANCTUS,
MŁOT NA CZAROWNICE, DJATRI, EXORCIST, REPULSOR, WAR MESSIAH, SCEPTIC,
ARMAGEDON, ARCH ENEMY, HOLY MOSES.
It’s hard
to believe it. Pure Metal is eleven years old! And what is more, I have been
following the path Tomek Woźniak had traced out since the very beginning, since
the first issue with James Rivera on the front. Therefore I was completely
shocked finding out the number 15 to be the last one due to the fact it was a
real metal fist into the mainstream shitty magazines. It was on June, 2008, there
were various reasons. Fortunately, Tomek is a true die-hard beast having never say die engraved deeply in his heart. In the meantime he
wrote a book about Nevermore, and finally, the December of 2012 was a date of
the second birth of his paper child. And it continues until present day. As
compared to the first period when Pure Metal was available in Empik (one of the
biggest selling market in Poland), now it can be ordered through the postal
office only. And like Herbert West, Tomek vitalized into the dead body. Even if
it wasn’t an easy labour, now I can face the infant prodigy. All for the glory
of pure fuckin’ metal!
This issue
looks really impressive: 182 pages with 91 reviews and 5 live reports. The main
dish is the return of Sanctuary with the album “The Year the Sun Died” after
twenty five years of musical silence. The whole exemplifies the Tomek’s work I
like the most: long introduction with band members statements and opinions, in
depth interview with the band (here with Lenny Rutledge and shorter one with Brad
Hull), sometimes it looks like an anatomization, a real review elaboration
(exceptionally supported by other two opinions) and even live Sanctuary report
from Seattle. It’s not a secret for a reader like me that Tomek built an altar
for Nevermore / Sanctuary in his house. You may even don’t like the band, but
nobody can contradict his knowledge and passion. Then, Pure Metal tries to
describe another phenomenon on the scene: New Wave of Swedish Heavy Metal in a
vast report. Yes, that’s true, Sweden spews many good crews all the time, yet
some answers from Enforcer, Steelwing, Below or Evergrey are very short and
laconic. In turn, the best chats and great reading moments I had with
aforementioned Lenny of Sanctuary, Riot, Exodus, Wolf, Lonewolf, Walpyrgus,
While Heaven Wept (really, really good one!), Wuthering Heights or Exorcist
with details on debut album recorded after almost 30 years. Of course, there is
a need to mention about (as always) chat with Blitz from mighty Overkill, as
they are still active unleashing its metal bane into the scene with ‘it’s not a
career – it’s a way of life’ motto. A complete novelty is a Hexx story written
by its guitarist Dan Watson. Very interesting, sometimes a bit scary (Keystone
gig), sometimes funny, describing hard moments and general difficulties in
band’s activity. For sure, not everyone can be Slayer or Metallica, right? Wait
a moment, Metallica? Yes, this band has several pages too. Tomek calls to
reader’s mind all band’s albums recorded after 1991. Really good reading in his
well-known manner, however it seems he tries to convince me to listen to it one
more time. No Tomek, I have to refuse you. In a wink I can give you billion
better slabs. Very similar to Sanctuary study are Wolf, Brainstorm and
HammerFall sections. Although the HammerFall music makes me sicken, I like a
lot such a writing work, as I still keep in my mind old numbers with Testament,
Overkill, Manilla Road, Helstar, Flotsam and Jetsam to name a few.
The salt of
each paper press are reviews. Pure Metal strikes my eyes maybe with not so many
of them, yet they’re rather long bringing detailed descriptions, sometimes song
by song. I think the best ones are written by Tomek and Michał ‘Moonfire’
Żarski, although I couldn’t find any poor text luckily. But I read pretty
controversial thing in Lonewolf and their new album “Cult of Steel” album.
Namely Marcin writes about some Islam concept on the next album. Marcin, do you
really believe that the Frenchmen will be able and brave enough to create any negative
word on it? Just see the opinions of other bands referring to evident process
of Islamization of our continent, they are very restrained, safety-first,
talking that they grew up in Christendom and considering the worshippers of the
Nazarene and his cult a main (armless!) enemy in the lyrics. At this juncture
Moonfire, in Primordial’s “When Greater Men Have Fallen” review, becomes a
clairvoyant throwing sinister visions and cutting the speculations off: by
twenty years some muezzin will be shouting from the masjid to attend the fervent
prayers somewhere in Asian Paris. Damn you, Moonfire! Don’t forget there are
many true warriors on our scene, we’re safe!!! Anyway, bringing to a close this
topic, it’s became visible that Tomek gave some reviews without the final mark
(Sanctuary, Exorcist, Hatriot, Holy Moses, Repulsor, Tankard), but I hope he
will come back from these weak moments.
Has Pure
Metal any drawbacks? I found several misprints but it is an unavoidable in such
wall of letters. Then I wonder if the story about Anneke van Giersbergen is
really necessary as the name of this fanzine sounds just Pure Metal. Tomek, if
you talk about something else than metal, it would be way better to write about
some hard rock band. Bashfully Europe comes into my mind, as my seven years old
son is torturing “The Final Countdown” album now and screaming “Rock the Rock
the Night” all the time! Next, the albums resumption of 2014. Being loyal Pure
Metal reader and knowing (I guess) all the tastes of editors, I find this offer
simply useless. Just like childish column with six titles worthy of often
listen. And the last thing, I’d like to point Persuader intie out. It seems to
be incomplete, I mean, there is a beginning, there is an end, however I arrive
at a conclusion it could be much longer and complex as Efraim Juntunen provided
rather long and interesting answers. And vice versa, reprinted Arch Enemy talk
with poor questions and answers is a totally waste of paper.
To cut the
thing short, I liked a lot this issue. It took me many hours and days in fruitful
reading and listening to the pure metal only. Yet it is very hard to declare if
this number is the best so far. For sure it’s the biggest one in Tomek’s
printed family, but the previous releases keep the high level still without any
doubt, even if some were made during editorial personal crisis. Now Tomek seems
to be at his best, he is still, first of all, a normal fan and supporter who
buys records. Yep, hard to believe while running a fanzine? The best example he
gave in the case of Sanctuary return album. Tomek is full of passion and
headstrongness, just like on the start, and still enamoured of Nevermore. He
proudly holds the oriflamme of his city as opposed to speedway riders and
footballers. Not only Bydgoszcz scene should be proud of his work though! I
hope he won’t give up as his work is unique here in Poland. And what about the
content of forthcoming issue? Writing about my beloved Savatage, Spanish Zarpa
or Mercyful Fate / King Diamond wouldn’t be a bad idea, I guess. Besides I’d
like to read something about exotic (here in Poland) bands like Japanese
Loudness, Tokyo Blade or 人間椅子. Anyway, there
are many bands to write about, so the future looks perfect for Tomek & the
crew. And as of now, I wait for number twenty-five.
Tomasz Woźniak
Podgórze 4/5
85-790 Bydgoszcz
Poland
9,6/10
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(written on March, 2015)
