Mark Brandt
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What happens when someone has a passion for words and talks too much about bands? He ends up in music journalism. After starting up a blog discussing different bands and scenes, I made the jump to writing for other webzines and websites, which is set to progress even further if my determination is anything to go by. There is very little in life that can get me talking as quickly as music, and it’s not an exaggeration that most of my waking life is spent with music playing. I didn’t arrive into the heavier end of the musical spectrum per se, more crash-landed rather spectacularly in a crumpled heap of Scandinavian bands, where my exploration began. Melodeath was my starting point, particularly the earlier works of Insomnium, before clambering into the heavier climes of death and black metal. A chance happening upon Kamelot and Blind Guardian was the perfect introduction to more symphonic territory, balancing out the heavy end. Subsequent discoveries of Anaal Nathrakh, Primordial, Orange Goblin and various grindcore bands have since rounded out my taste, and I’ve been filling in the gaps ever since. I also listen to a lot of stuff outside of metal, best to ask about that on my Twitter, which is @markangelbrandt.
Articles by Mark Brandt
“Whether it was intentional or not, my parents set me on a path of discovery”. Mark Angel Brandt talks about the musical education his parents (perhaps inadvertently) gave him, in the latest of our feature series
Temples Festival was another great success. We had a huge team present who got together to write a mammoth review. Read what Andrew, Kat, Mark, Richard, Ross and Steff thought about this year’s edition, which includes photos by Tamar Elderton.
Mick Kenney discusses the songwriting process in Anaal Nathrakh, the band’s love of electronic music, and his clothing brand Misanthropy Clothing. – By Mark Angel Brandt.
Chaos was on the cards for Anaal Nathrakh’s London show on Bonfire Night. – By Mark Angel Brandt.
When Swiss sludge metal band Kruger played in London recently, our man Mark Angel Brandt went along to have a great chat with Blaise Brechbühl and Renaud Meichtry of the band.
Mark Angel Brandt went to the Ouch My Generator! all dayer at the Underworld, where he saw some dynamic sets by Oathbreaker, Coilguns, Kruger, Bast and many more.
Sloths are rather unlike their animal namesake; they’re chaotic, a hybrid of genres, and very pissed off. – By Mark Angel Brandt.
Mark Angel Brandt talks to vocalist James Denton and guitarist Dan Thornton of tech metal band No Sin Evades His Gaze.
Origin have tweaked their formula, and the result is an album which is marginally easier to digest, but still just as extreme as the band we know and love. – By Mark Angel Brandt
French ‘ambient metal/postcore’ lot Memories Of A Dead Man put forth an intriguing melting pot in Ashes Of Joy. – By Mark Angel Brandt.
Proggy and techy madness went down in London with this three-band bill, headlined by apes. – By Mark Angel Brandt.
Mark Brandt had a chat with Ian Rockett, guitarist and founding member of Shattered Skies, to grill him on the band’s upcoming début album, his take on ‘djent’ and doing cover songs, and the band’s Five Year Plan.
The doomy filthwizards from Dorset have raised the bar with their EP Doom Hawk. – By Mark Angel Brandt
