HELALYN FLOWERS TOP 10!

Since featuring them last issue we've had so many people ask about this band-now hear them and sign up!

1.MARILYN MANSON

Probably the most appropriate and complete point of reference for us, mostly concerning sound and approach to imagery.
We think "Mechanical Animals" in particular has been one of the most influential albums for us like individuals before than a band.
Each song included sounded like a millionaire hit-single, without seeming foreseen or stupidly easygoing at all. Maybe the true roots of the Helalyn Flowers's sound may be recognized in songs like "Great Big White World", "The Last Day On Earth" and "Coma White"...Powerful and delicate, harsh and sweet, aggressive and soft, at the same time. Without doubt one of our all-time favourite albums ever.
Anyway, each release from Marilyn Manson is a total masterpiece, from the Reznor-based "Antichrist Superstar" to the dark and gloomy "Holy Wood" (in which the contrast between electronic and acoustic is sublime).

2.THE PRODIGY

They represent our approach to the grooves of electronics, expecially for the rhythm and the mixing of harsh loops and oriental female vocals. Not so much in our "Disconnection" and "E-Race Generation" EPs, but our upcoming full-lenght is definitely rich of these elements.
We consider The Prodigy as the Sex Pistols of the 90s (and 00s, still!), provocatory, energic, straight attitude and stuff. Liam is a really talented musician with a strong knowledge of the musical theory combined with a techno/rave background. The greatest way in which Punk Rock survived in the last decade!


3.KORN

We mention Korn here both refering to the best of the Nu Metal scene and simply for their absolute musical value.
They took the best from Faith No More, Rage Against The Machine and the 80s pop/wave scene, playing with dissonances, extremely low tuning and a schizoid but still melodic voice. We think we inherited from them the rhythmic groove combined with aggressive riffs, expecially in our new album. Contrary to most of the people around the world that claim to appreciate their first releases more than the last ones (expecially the last misunderstood "Take A Look On The Other Side"), we think that the best of the Korn's sound started to come out with "Issues", reaching the top on "Untouchables", that we consider their best release ever, in which they experimented with a lot of different stuff taken from their thousand influences, expecially the dark/wave side is very developed in that album, that is another strong influence for us.

4.BJORK

A great and unique personality, inimitable and unattainable. We see her like a reflex of the music in itself and not of any scene.
Her way to contrast her voice with tortuous plaiting of electronics and strings orchestrations is something really special and musically fresh that influenced in a certain way the role played by the N0emi's voice in Helalyn Flowers. Anyway, we prefere the stuff she says now she didn't feel her own, like "Debut", "Homogenic" and "Post". And let don't forget the "Dancer In The Dark" movie, a headwork in which feelings of hatred and pain are so strong that you can't feel touched by that and cry harsh tears. At least we did that, if you never did it...well, it's your matter.

5.DEPECHE MODE

Maybe a clichè for many but a STRONG influence for us. Even recognizing the hystorical importance of songs like "Personal Jesus" or "Enjoy The Silence", we absolutely feel nearer to albums like "Songs Of Faith And Devotion" and "Ultra", in which they let came out the most dark, hypnotic and depressive side ever. The haunting musicality of the voice, the obsessive drumloops and the soundtrack/trip-hop-like utilization of strings has a lot in common with Helalyn Flowers's songs like "Alive" or newest ones like "My Girlfriend Insanity". Both decadent and malicious approach to the synths combined with the best dark voice ever is something that has literaly marked our ears and souls! The definitive essence of the dark approach to pop music!


6.FAITH NO MORE

We think that without them no Nu Metal or Crossover scene would have been came out in the 90s. How may people have understood a work like "Angel Dust" from 1992 to our days? But who said that it had to have a sense at any cost? It is an album that has to be accepted simply for what it represents: pure chaos, extreme tension, alienating madness! A masterpiece for ages, even if the melodies and the catchy refrains of "The Real Thing" are more engaging for sure... What we have in common with FNM is the will and capacity to let our extremely various influences come out and cross in a very spontaneous way, with the difference that we don't play crossover!

7.LED ZEPPELIN

Probably most of our sense of musicality comes from them, one of the most genial and innovative acts of all times. Robert Plant's vocals were a strong input for N0emi when she started to sing as for Max who's influenced a lot by Page's most acoustic approach (along with Syd Barrett, as well). You can consider Helalyn Flowers's "Amnesia" like our unintentional tribute to them!

8.PLACEBO

The reason why we aren't mentioning fundamental bands like The Cure and Smashing Pumpkins/Billy Corgan is because we consider Placebo like the definitive summa of them, filtered in the most bewitching melancho-pop/rock ever. "Black Market Music" is a fucking must but the deepness and the sonic scenarios of "Meds" are something they didn't reach before. The triplet "Infra-Red"-"Drag"-"Space Monkey" is simply breath-taking. Can't fucking be set aside!

9.SKUNK ANANSIE

As for Led Zeppelin, Skin is another great vocal input for N0emi's voice. Her massive aggressivity even for the slowest parts have made of her one of the most remarkable singers in the 90s. Her solo career is not so exciting like the one with Skunk Anansie, but this band influenced a lot our rockest side and groove (see our "Alienate Me").

10.U2

Albums like "October", "War" or "Boy" are the perfect synthesis of the dark/wave sonorities mixed with a melodic pop approach. We think they are unique in this...of course besides the fact that they wrote some of the most wonderful tracks of all times. Bono's voice is absolutely fundamental for the pop/rock music and The Edge's guitar style has become one of the most influential for bands of any genres. Yeah, for us too.

11.PAIN

Peter Tagtgren's way to express both his brutal and rockest side has a lot in common with what Max did. Both have a very extreme musical background but still open to new and alternative sonorities. In a certain way Pain and Helalyn Flowers were born from a common necessity felt both by Peter and Max to let their most various influences flow into something personal and new. Absolutely the Pain's mark is very similar to the Helalyn Flowers's one more than any other band... Massive use of electronics, catchy refrains, pop-like melodies, recurrent utilization of strings and orchestrations, aggressive riffs (now Rn'R now more Nu-Metal oriented), drum-machines...Maybe "Nothing Remains The Same" is the album we'd suggest to listen to the ones who, haven't listened yet to Helalyn Flowers, would want to understand a bit what we play. Pain is a band that has been very able to build an own trademark thanx to its peculiarities for sure. What a pity that they are still quite unpopular here in Italy!
 

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