Psycho Mad Sally

Sasha Nevskaya (a.k.a. Psycho Mad Sally) sounds like the long lost younger and angrier sister of Lemmy Kilmister. It’s aggressive, heavy and distinct, so you’d better keep your eye on the ball when dealing with Psycho Mad Sally, she bows to no one! - The Scene Magazine

After you’ve done this a while, you start to get very jaded about all the solicitations for coverage that come along with it. One one hand, technology has made the music world a little better, opening the door for bands that may never have been heard in the old world. On the other, anyone with an instrument, a basic recorder and a basement can make a record, and so much of the stuff that gets thrown your way is, honestly, not very good.

I try to sit down about once a week and sort through my inbox. After an hour or so of opening e-mails from people who play types of music I have little interest in or sampling music that sounds like it was recorded in said basement by people who are just learning to play their instruments, you start to wonder why you bother. Then you find something pretty cool.

I’m not going to say that Psycho Mad Sally is the best band that I’ve discovered recently, but they are interesting, and that can be a sadly rare commodity these days.

The band presents itself as punk gypsy grunge metal, and that’s actually not a bad description of what they do.

I’ll start with the track that I’ve been playing pretty regularly, “Detox.” The tune opens with a catchy bass line from Shane Neptune, then guitarist Andrei Sin comes in, layering a crunchy riff over the top. It’s all accentuated by Andrzej Stopyra’s violin — which alone piques my interest. It’s an unusual instrument for a hard rock/metal band, and Stopyra doesn’t play the instrument in a style that you typically hear in the metal where it is used. He takes a more folk approach. Finally, vocalist Sasha Nevskaya comes roaring in with a hardcore snarl. The pace gets picked up for a punk-style chorus complete with shouts of “hey, hey, hey.” Unlike most punk bands who eschew virtuosity, though, Sin lays down a pretty good guitar solo after the first chorus. The result is a really good song that I can’t seem to get out of my head.

The other seven tracks on How II Survive don’t quite reach the level of enjoyment I get from “Detox,” but they all have something to offer. Album opener “Marion Sims” begins with a Metallica-worthy thrash riff before dropping into a groove riff that’s one of Sin’s best here. No one is likely to confuse Nevskaya with Cristina Scabbia, but she delivers a pretty catch vocal melody in her growl. After a few minutes of metal, they end the song on a punk note. There’s an appropriately Eastern European flavor to the song, and How II Survive as a whole, which is another thing you don’t often hear in metal.

“My Case” leans more toward the punk side of the band, but delivers a very catchy chorus and more nice flavor moments. “World Fits the Kitchen” opens with a ska feel before launching into a full punk attack for the chorus. “Tennessee” brings the record back to the metal side with almost a 1980s feel in places.

“Danger Danger” opens with pounding drums from So Kemumaki (one of four drummers on the album) and another cool bass line, this time from Pierluigi Laurano. It’s one of the more interesting tracks on the record, a bit alternative rock, a wee bit proggy in a way, and with plenty of that aforementioned Eastern European flavor. I’m kind of put in mind of Sisters of Mercy on the chorus. Sin breaks out of the song for a soaring metal guitar solo.

“Silencium GAG” is a raging, rollicking punk rocker with Nevskaya spitting her lyrics with venom. Finally, they close the album in gypsy mode with “Johnny’s Symptom,” which has some traditional Russian sounds, mixed with a bit of ska perhaps. It’s probably my least favorite tune on the album, but there’s a nice moment in the middle where the song slows down and things are more subdued.

For the most part, Psycho Mad Sally keeps things short and sweet in punk fashion. “Johnny’s Symptom,” checking in at a hair over four minutes, hangs around the longest, but most clock in around the three minute mark or less. Nevskaya’s lyrics aren’t always the best, but she always delivers them with feeling, and musically, I’ve got no complaints. Aside from Nevskaya, Sin and Stopyra, How II Survive does seem to have featured a revolving door of musicians on bass and drums, but that trio is obviously a good core to build on. Nevskaya has the energy, Sin has the licks and Stopyra brings the X-Factor to the table with his violin.

So, yeah, this is why you open all those e-mails and follow all those links. Every now and then you find a hidden gem, and Psycho Mad Sally’s How II Survive certainly qualifies to my ear. - Somethig Else Review

Psycho Mad Sally – “Marion Sims” {Gypsy Punk/Metal}

And just when we were starting to think that Gogol Bordello was the only gypsy punk band that would ever blow our minds, this Toronto-based group went ahead and Eugene Hütz-ed us with this wicked tune. This track is off their most recent release How II Survive which you can buy as a name-your-price download - Rex Manning Day Music Blog

The opening band for the night, Psycho Mad Sally, produced an electric sound combined with that of the violin. I found their music style to be a bit at odds with this combo, and the gruff female vox only added more chaos to the foray. I have to assume that is their intention given the band name. Their bold, wild child vocalist unleashed her antics on and off stage. Mad as a hatter I tell you. This band won a spot at the semi finals.

The second band Pariah settled us into a metal style that carried us on a wave of traditional, and familiar territory. They portrayed confidence during their set.

The next band Oneiromancy had much difficulty getting their set started as they encountered sound issues that seemed to require much tweaking. The crowd waited patiently, but unease was escalating as the delay continued. Finally the band stuck their first chords, and blasted us with hard hitting blackened death metal. This young band has certainly become stronger since the first time I witnessed them play at The 460 back in 2012. The fact they did not place a spot in the semi finals surprised me, but perhaps they lost points due to the long wait at the beginning of their set, which affected their time alottment.

Sovereign Council filled the stage with many bodies; among them were 2 vocalists. Initially I had thought the women on stage were meant to be eye candy for the lads but as it stands, one young lady played keyboards, while the other had dual and back vocal duties. I found their sound to be somewhat generic, with weak male vocals, while the female was able to sustain her notes with empasis. The dual vox tried to portray male and female rock opera characters, much like the show GLEE.

Finally the band The Parallax hit the stage with their technical, and progressive sound. Their stage presence was commanded purely by their musicanship, no gimmicks required. Serious tunes from serious dudes. They were one of the nights winners without a doubt.

PSYCHO MAD SALLY (9:15pm) *
www.facebook.com/psychomadsally?fref=ts

Setlist:
Marion Sims
Tennessee
Silencium GAG
World fits the kitchen
Detox
Katya


PARIAH (10:00pm)
www.pariah.co

Setlist:
Figure in Black
Disposable
Limb from limb
Knots of malice
Camouflage
Snake in the grass


ONEIROMANCY (10:45pm)
www.facebook.com/Oneiromancyband

Setlist:
Lucid Nightmare
When In Dreams Awake
Self-Fullfilled Prophecy
Intuitive Realization


SOVEREIGN COUNCIL (11:30pm)
www.facebook.com/SovereignCouncilpage

Setlist:
Introduction
Down The Rabbit Hole
Sweet Poison
Bring It Down
Fractured Dreams


THE PARALLAX (12:15am) *
www.theparallax.net

Setlist (Obliquity of the Ecliptic album tracks)
Summon the Tides
Seventeen
Obliquity of the Ecliptic
The Reformatting
The Wicked Shadows - Metal Master Kindom

Artist: Psycho Mad Sally
From: Toronto, ON, Canada
Album: How II Survive
Release Date: April 18, 2013
Genre: punk/metal/grunge-gypsy

Songs:
1. Marion Sims - 7/10
2. My Case - 7.5/10
3. World Fits the Kitchen - 9/10
4. Tennessee - 8/10
5. Danger Danger - 7/10
6. Silencium GAG - 8/10
7. Detox - 8/10
8. Johnny's Symptom - 8/10
Overall Score: 7.8

Thoughts:

Psycho Mad Sally's most current album, "How II Survive" is unlike any album I have ever listened to before. Multiple genres of music, like metal and folk for example, are integrated into one sound to make a unique sound, exclusively for this band. With rapid tempo changes, violin playing, and super-raspy vocals, courtesy of lead vocalist Sasha Nevskaya, common on this album (and previous album: 30 Days [To Pay the Rent]), Psycho Mad Sally has their own signature sound.

The first song on the album, "Marion Sims," gives the listener a taste of the blending of multiple genres right off the bat when beginning to listen to the album. The violin is prevalent in this song, which gives it that folky quality. But, in stark contrast, the song shifts gears and with dark electric melodies played on the guitar, the song shifts to a more metal feel. At the end of the song when, "Paralyzed/Blacking out/Want to kill/ Want to die," is sung (very powerfully too), these dark lyrics are accompanied by fast paced heavy instrumentals. Personally, it reminds me of a Slayer meets Bob Dylan scenario.

In the song "My Case", especially, I find that Nevskaya's voice especially sounds like Distiller's vocalist Brody Dalle more than any other song. Both women share similar voices, which adds power and fascination to songs as its rawness draws the listener in. A distinct feature of this song is the double bass drum that sounds after the chorus. This really shows the metal side of Psycho Mad Sally.

Additionally, in "World Fits the Kitchen," Nevskaya features something interesting. In this song (one of my favourite songs of the album) there are vocals spoken in Russian, Nevskaya's, a part of her native heritage. This, along with a couple of other songs off the album featuring a tiny bit of Russian, (such as "Silencium GAG") adds a personal touch to the music since the listener gets a feeling of this members roots. Moreover, "World Fits the Kitchen" has a punk-feel. The song starts off at a moderate speed and eventually picks up to a rapid speed at the chorus. The tempo change keeps the song interesting and keeps the listener surprised when the change happens. The best metaphor for this is like being on a roller coaster blindfolded, with drops and changes happening unexpectedly, bringing the listener excitement and pleasure. Psycho Mad Sally has even made a music video for this song as well.

"Tennessee" and "Danger Danger" have a gothic touch. The violin is more prevalent in these songs, however, not played in a folk style. This really shows the diversity of the band and what the violin itself could to. In these songs, there is also a lack of pace change, but instead male back up vocals are added to "Danger Danger".

"Detox" features a lovely bass introduction and more noticeable violin. It's as if folk music were human and drank too much Monster energy drink - the fast and the folkiest. However, the word "folk" (well, gypsy) is being used very lightly as it is only an infusion rather than the overpowering sound in the genre.

Lastly, "Johnny's Symptom" is really neat in the way that the lyrics are a story of a bitter man named Johnny. It's rare for the majority of songs these days to have a specific storyline to them but this one broke the mold.

It seems that Psycho Mad Sally is breaking the mold of music in general with every song they play and release. In general, I was very satisfied with this band and am surprised they are not more widespread because they deserve it.


Click here to purchase "How II Survive": http://psychomadsally.bandcamp.com/
Check out the band's official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/psychomadsally?fref=ts


Posted by Alexia Kapralos at 14:01

- The Rock Spot http://kapralosmedia.blogspot.ca

Artist: Psycho Mad Sally
From: Toronto, ON, Canada
Album: How II Survive
Release Date: April 18, 2013
Genre: punk/metal/grunge-gypsy

Songs:
1. Marion Sims - 7/10
2. My Case - 7.5/10
3. World Fits the Kitchen - 9/10
4. Tennessee - 8/10
5. Danger Danger - 7/10
6. Silencium GAG - 8/10
7. Detox - 8/10
8. Johnny's Symptom - 8/10
Overall Score: 7.8

Thoughts:

Psycho Mad Sally's most current album, "How II Survive" is unlike any album I have ever listened to before. Multiple genres of music, like metal and folk for example, are integrated into one sound to make a unique sound, exclusively for this band. With rapid tempo changes, violin playing, and super-raspy vocals, courtesy of lead vocalist Sasha Nevskaya, common on this album (and previous album: 30 Days [To Pay the Rent]), Psycho Mad Sally has their own signature sound.

The first song on the album, "Marion Sims," gives the listener a taste of the blending of multiple genres right off the bat when beginning to listen to the album. The violin is prevalent in this song, which gives it that folky quality. But, in stark contrast, the song shifts gears and with dark electric melodies played on the guitar, the song shifts to a more metal feel. At the end of the song when, "Paralyzed/Blacking out/Want to kill/ Want to die," is sung (very powerfully too), these dark lyrics are accompanied by fast paced heavy instrumentals. Personally, it reminds me of a Slayer meets Bob Dylan scenario.

In the song "My Case", especially, I find that Nevskaya's voice especially sounds like Distiller's vocalist Brody Dalle more than any other song. Both women share similar voices, which adds power and fascination to songs as its rawness draws the listener in. A distinct feature of this song is the double bass drum that sounds after the chorus. This really shows the metal side of Psycho Mad Sally.

Additionally, in "World Fits the Kitchen," Nevskaya features something interesting. In this song (one of my favourite songs of the album) there are vocals spoken in Russian, Nevskaya's, a part of her native heritage. This, along with a couple of other songs off the album featuring a tiny bit of Russian, (such as "Silencium GAG") adds a personal touch to the music since the listener gets a feeling of this members roots. Moreover, "World Fits the Kitchen" has a punk-feel. The song starts off at a moderate speed and eventually picks up to a rapid speed at the chorus. The tempo change keeps the song interesting and keeps the listener surprised when the change happens. The best metaphor for this is like being on a roller coaster blindfolded, with drops and changes happening unexpectedly, bringing the listener excitement and pleasure. Psycho Mad Sally has even made a music video for this song as well.

"Tennessee" and "Danger Danger" have a gothic touch. The violin is more prevalent in these songs, however, not played in a folk style. This really shows the diversity of the band and what the violin itself could to. In these songs, there is also a lack of pace change, but instead male back up vocals are added to "Danger Danger".

"Detox" features a lovely bass introduction and more noticeable violin. It's as if folk music were human and drank too much Monster energy drink - the fast and the folkiest. However, the word "folk" (well, gypsy) is being used very lightly as it is only an infusion rather than the overpowering sound in the genre.

Lastly, "Johnny's Symptom" is really neat in the way that the lyrics are a story of a bitter man named Johnny. It's rare for the majority of songs these days to have a specific storyline to them but this one broke the mold.

It seems that Psycho Mad Sally is breaking the mold of music in general with every song they play and release. In general, I was very satisfied with this band and am surprised they are not more widespread because they deserve it.


Click here to purchase "How II Survive": http://psychomadsally.bandcamp.com/
Check out the band's official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/psychomadsally?fref=ts


Posted by Alexia Kapralos at 14:01

- The Rock Spot http://kapralosmedia.blogspot.ca

http://www.guitarjustice.com/902.html - Guitar Justice

At Home With Psycho Mad Sally
Written by Jason Daniel Baker
Sunday, 27 February 2011 05:00

psychomadsallyinaction



Andrei Sin is one of the nicer guys I've met on the Toronto indie rock scene. There are plenty of great people on the scene but out of all of them he's a prince. I wouldn't mention it in an article for this zine if he didn't rock and rock he does. I can safely say I've heard few electric guitar licks that sound more deceptively natural and capture the kind of raw power of an ubridled punk-metal-alternative fusion.



Whether he was playing in C.J. Sleez's band or Cyanide For Cindy or his new outfit - the deliciously avant garde Psycho Mad Sally - he has always made himself available to chat about his efforts with his characteristic Carpathian nobility and modesty.sashadrei4



The Romanian-born axeman has himself a smoldering sound matched with vocalist Sasha Nevskaya. If they're going for something unique I'd say they found it though with these two it is hard to imagine them doing anything that might sound derivative or readily definable.



I could tell you that I never had an easier interview but no band ever invited me to where they live and work before. There is a kind of international feel to the experience which makes some sense. Though I'm Canadian I'm writing for a Welsh rock zine and interviewing a Romanian guitar-player and a Russian singer.



Winding my way through a part of Toronto noted for its exotic restaurants yet also notorious for its crime and strip clubs I find a secret haven upstairs from a musty thrift shop. You might guess that there isn't much to see upstairs from what the ground floor looks like but appearances are deceiving. I guess what I expected was a dirty matress on the floor, stacked milk crates as apsychomad2 shelving unit and old barstools as chairs.



Andrei had invited me over to talk about what he has been up to lately and we sit down at a coffee table with a couple of brews around four o'clock one afternoon in their kitchen. This guy is so laid back it is never too late or too early for anything. I've met him exactly twice yet he is okay with having me over there, an invitation few other musicians have extended I suspect because their respective living arrangements are not merely less cozy but are in fact more obviously near the poverty line if not beneath it.



Sasha Nevskaya, the band's charismatic vocalist, ambles into the kitchen barefoot, in tights and a halter top. It is -10 Celsius outside but the tastefully decorated loft apartment they share together is much better heated than some places downtown because they picked up two ancient space-heaters from the street. They aren't wealthy but have been smart with what little money they and have their own rehearsal space there which doubles as a home studio. It has seen a lot of action as they have continually had to try out drummers and bassists.



Though they have been gigging constantly for the past few months there have been line-up changes due to unforeseen circumstances. "We've had four bass players and four drummers since July (2010), and we're on our third violinist."



Sasha talks nonchalantly while setting out food for their two cats. I learn that she is a published poet in her native Russia. She settles in comfortably on a bench nearby and lights up a cigarette having left the playful cats to chow down. "The first time I tried to sing I had to get Andrei to go in another room" confesses the vocalist now known for her confident and flamboyant stagepsycho2403 manner. Sasha nibbles on her lower lip pensively while flicking her cigarette before she and Andrei go over mentioning the names of each musician.



Having befriended Andrei following one of her spoken word performances at the Drake Hotel, it was Sasha's idea to work with Andrei in hopes that he might take her well-known spoken word performances and formulate a rock repertoire around her verse. But she had only intitially wanted to do spoken word set against the music they were writing and Andrei insisted she learn to sing her words instead.



"I don't really care for names or titles. I'm just in a band and I play guitar" muses Andrei when I ask if he considers himself the musical director of the project. He is not big on comparisons to other acts either. But it is incumbent on him to translate the bands vision for the musicians that play with them.



In the end I stayed longer than I had intended and the conversation went off in a lot of different directions. They made sure I got a copy of their CD and a folio of some of Ms. Nevskaya's raunchy poetry. I'll admit to reading the folio before I listened to the CD.



Their sound, which at first listen struck me as a kind of Siouxsie Sioux meets Motorhead melange, is one wherein the recordings reflect the live show rather than being a live show which reflects the recordings. Their independently produced and r - http://www.uberrock.co.uk/