Baton Rogue Morgue
Helsinki, Central Finland, Finland
Music
Press
Bashing their way out of Finland, these five guys might have a name and song titles that lean slightly towards the macabre, but the music owes a lot to early 1980s Euro metalheads such as Acid, Accept, Killer and Baron Rojo. In other words, this could easily be a Finnish entry in the New Wave Of Traditional Metal stakes.
Despite having been together only four years, this is the band's fifth self-released album, and comes laced with liberal doses of confident chugging riffs and Lee Angel Morgue's gruffly dynamic vocals. It says a lot for the quality of this band, that most of the 11 tracks work well. There's a pounding, punching style that means each song kicks neatly and with real verve. But where the band really hit paydirt is on Massacre Of St. Valentines Day, Dead Man's Eyes and Lid Nailed Down - all humming with real bite and purpose, matching anything you've heard from NWOTM bands this year.
The Morgue have enough enjoyable traditional metal hokum to appeal to anyone who misses the old days. But this isn't a retro package - it belongs to the modern era.
Malcolm Dome - Metal Hammer
Discography
The Funeral, 2005 (sold out)
Drowning in Blood, 2006 (sold out)
Expect No Mercy, 2007 (sold out)
Let the Suckers Bleed, 2008 (sold out)
High End of the Season, 2009
Photos
Bio
BACKGROUND
Baton Rogue Morgue is a heavy metal/biker metal band from southern Finland and it was founded in 2005 by guitarist Domino De La Rogue. The first 3 years the band played in small clubs in Finland and had some line up changes, but when the three original members, vocalist Lee Angel Morgue, bass player Timothy Baton and Domino, found Karda and Francesco "Gasoline" Mattei, the final line up was complete.
When Karda joined on drums the band had just released their fourth album "Let the Suckers Bleed" in 2008. At the same time, Gasoline had moved from his home country Italy to Helsinki for one reason only, to find a metal band to play in. Gasoline has a masters degree in music from the academic music school in Rome, and as an extremely talented person he had no problem passing the first audition with BRM.
All the band members soon realised they had something very unique and special going on, the way that they sounded and played was different from other bands. But not only that, the visual aspect of the band clearly sets them apart from the most bands.
BIGGER GIGS, PROMOTIONAL DEALS AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION
In 2009 things started happening. First the band went to Italy to headline the outdoor Metal Massacre Festival. Back in Finland BRM played bigger shows and got more attention and signed a promotional deal with the Italian Lamborghini Corporation to promote the Lamborghini Energy Drink in Finland.
The band went back to the studio to record their brilliant brand new cd/dvd "High End of the Season", which contains also a video "Hellride". Music from the song "Hellride" is featured on the Lamborghini Energy Drink commercial, which will be shown on national Finnish TV during the Ice Hockey World Championships 2010.
"High End of the Season" album got an outstanding review by Malcolm Dome in the world famous Metal Hammer Magazine. "It says a lot for the quality of this band, that most of the 11 tracks work well. There's a pounding, punching style that means each song kicks neatly and with real verve. But where the band really hit paydirt is on Massacre Of St. Valentines Day, Dead Man's Eyes and Lid Nailed Down - all humming with real bite and purpose, matching anything you've heard from NWOTM bands this year. The Morgue have enough enjoyable traditional metal hokum to appeal to anyone who misses the old days. But this isn't a retro package - it belongs to the modern era."
NEXT BIG THING
BRM then went on signing two more promotional deals, one with the Italian EG Management and one with Noisy Promotion in Finland. The band has just returned from headlining an outdoor biker and music festival in Croatia with over 10 000 people screaming for more after the almost 2 hour set.
The future is clear, the band will explode to become the next big thing within heavy metal music.
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