The Secret VI
We were recently put onto The Secret VI, a band from ‘the frozen wasteland hell’ of Anchorage, Alaska, described as the visions of Scotty CH’s demons he has with drug abuse, infidelity, depression and anger. Stating himself that he has ‘made some very bad choices in life that have ripped my heart apart. The only way I can get away from it is to create music and lose myself in it’ – showing the emotion behind what we’re about to witness. Having harnessed this energy and teamed up with Roy Z on production (Judas Priest, Bruce Dickinson, Sebastian Bach, Helloween and Sepultura), the guys entered the studio and churned out the three songs we see before us in two days, offering up three tracks that are ‘guaranteed to decapitate anyone that listens’. With this in mind, I figured the best way forwards was to crank the volume up, sit back, and prepare myself for what I was about to hear.
Launching into being with Krist Murder it’s clear that this is going to be some serious stuff, immediately launching us into a screaming melee of roaring vocal lines, hammering drum work, savage guitar work and rumbling bass, the whole mix setting out as heavy and not pulling back until the moment it comes to a close. Raw and powerful from the off, this is serious metal, the sort of thing that is going to ignite venues, get pits moving, and leave anyone who hears it a trembling mess in the corner. Clearly based on a lot of pent up anger and aggression, the opening moments here back up what was said before hand, showing the reasons behind the music and demonstrating how much of a release it truly can be – a solid start to things for sure.
Pulling back from the edge for the opening moments of Dying Revelation, the bass heavy intro that we’re greeted with almost suggests that they’re going to ease off a little, dropping some of the power initially to create a false sense of security – but not for long. Soon resuming the all out heavy approach that welcomed us into the record, the guttural vocal line which signals the start of the power penetrates deep into your soul, getting your attention once again and tossing you into a pit of all out insanity. Massively heavy whilst sticking to a slower and more accentuated beat, the agonised screams seem to echo out, tearing at your soul and giving you a taste of the pain that led to the creation of this track. Dark and haunting whilst phenomenally heavy throughout, this track is one which I know I’ll be coming back to time and time again, the sort of thing that’s going to get in your mind and stay there whether you’re ready or not – definitely a moment to make sure you check out.
Finishing their almighty onslaught with Eternity, the closing moments here once again refuse to follow convention and instead, launch us into a death metal inspired melee of rolling drum work, hammering bass lines, and distorted riffs designed to assault anyone who hears them. Raw and in your face from the word go, the final moments here are some of the most intricate on the record, presenting us with syncopated time signatures, differentiated guitar work and deep, guttural vocal lines. Doing what it sets out to do, the final moments here leave a lasting imprint on your mind, leaving you rocking back in forth in the corner, secure in the knowledge that you’ve witnessed perhaps the heaviest thing you’ve ever heard, but knowing that it was awesome from start to finish.
When this release from The Secret VI came in I had my doubts largely because of the three track length, but having listened to it they’ve managed to cram an entire albums worth of power and distortion into three tracks to nigh perfection. Don’t go into this thinking you’re going to be presented with just another metal band, go into this prepared to have your eyes opened to the true power of emotionally charged metal and you’ll discover something raw, heavy, powerful, and quite simply terrifying – yet oh so good.
To find out more about The Secret VI, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Launching into being with Krist Murder it’s clear that this is going to be some serious stuff, immediately launching us into a screaming melee of roaring vocal lines, hammering drum work, savage guitar work and rumbling bass, the whole mix setting out as heavy and not pulling back until the moment it comes to a close. Raw and powerful from the off, this is serious metal, the sort of thing that is going to ignite venues, get pits moving, and leave anyone who hears it a trembling mess in the corner. Clearly based on a lot of pent up anger and aggression, the opening moments here back up what was said before hand, showing the reasons behind the music and demonstrating how much of a release it truly can be – a solid start to things for sure.
Pulling back from the edge for the opening moments of Dying Revelation, the bass heavy intro that we’re greeted with almost suggests that they’re going to ease off a little, dropping some of the power initially to create a false sense of security – but not for long. Soon resuming the all out heavy approach that welcomed us into the record, the guttural vocal line which signals the start of the power penetrates deep into your soul, getting your attention once again and tossing you into a pit of all out insanity. Massively heavy whilst sticking to a slower and more accentuated beat, the agonised screams seem to echo out, tearing at your soul and giving you a taste of the pain that led to the creation of this track. Dark and haunting whilst phenomenally heavy throughout, this track is one which I know I’ll be coming back to time and time again, the sort of thing that’s going to get in your mind and stay there whether you’re ready or not – definitely a moment to make sure you check out.
Finishing their almighty onslaught with Eternity, the closing moments here once again refuse to follow convention and instead, launch us into a death metal inspired melee of rolling drum work, hammering bass lines, and distorted riffs designed to assault anyone who hears them. Raw and in your face from the word go, the final moments here are some of the most intricate on the record, presenting us with syncopated time signatures, differentiated guitar work and deep, guttural vocal lines. Doing what it sets out to do, the final moments here leave a lasting imprint on your mind, leaving you rocking back in forth in the corner, secure in the knowledge that you’ve witnessed perhaps the heaviest thing you’ve ever heard, but knowing that it was awesome from start to finish.
When this release from The Secret VI came in I had my doubts largely because of the three track length, but having listened to it they’ve managed to cram an entire albums worth of power and distortion into three tracks to nigh perfection. Don’t go into this thinking you’re going to be presented with just another metal band, go into this prepared to have your eyes opened to the true power of emotionally charged metal and you’ll discover something raw, heavy, powerful, and quite simply terrifying – yet oh so good.
To find out more about The Secret VI, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls