Death Pulsation/Caligari Records/2025 Demo Review

 

  Death  Pulsation  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  demo  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Caligari  Records.

  A  very  apocalyptic  sound  starts  off  the  demo  before  going  into  a  very  fast,  raw  and  brutal  war  metal  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilzied  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  bestial  death  metal  growls  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  at  times  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  whole  demo  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Death  Pulsation  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  early  90's  era  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  death  and  violence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Death  Pulsation  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Eater  of  Stars".  8  out  of  10.

  http://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/demo-18  

Amenspear/A Casket Of Relics/2025 EP Review

 

  Amenspear  are  a  solo  project  from  New  York  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2025  ep  "A  Casket  Of  Relics"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

  Field  recordings  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  the  only  song  that  is  presented  on  the  recording  is  over  26  minutes  in  length  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  death  metal  growls,  spoken  words  and  clear  singing  also  being  used  briefly  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Amenspear  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  progressive  and  aggressive  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  spiritual,  social  critical  and  deeply  personal  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Amenspear  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep. 8  out  of  10.

  https://amenspear.bandcamp. com/

https://www.instagram.com/ amenspearband    

Vokodlok/The Egregious Being/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Vokodlok  are  a  band  from  Romania  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  modern  and  aggressive  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  album  "The  Egregious  Being"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

  Epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  a  few  death  metal  growls  and  the  tremolo  picking  in  the  fast  riffing  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  modern  and  old  school  influences  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  thrash  metal  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  primordial  aspects  of  fear  and  faith.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vokodlok  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  modern  and  aggressive  black  metal  with  elements  of  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Human"  "Disdain"  "Denizen"  and  "The  Monster".  8  out  of  10.

  Spotify: https://open.spotify. com/artist/ 2MzXvkxQfDTVZ7pCsfei5R

Bandcamp: https://vokodlok. bandcamp.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube. com/@Vokodlok
Instagram: https://instagram. com/vokodlok_official
Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/VokodlokOfficial

TikTok: https://www.tiktok. com/@vokodlokofficial    

  

Hyeno Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?

the enigmatic and feisty Hyeno creature was formed in the spring of 2003 so that makes this ferocious phantom 22 years old by now. our motif and message was very clear. we wanted to make music that we could not find anywhere out there and we wanted to make music to inspire people, to start them up, to get them going creating their own art and to expand peoples minds. in our craft, we blend styles and genres. we let the musics different attitudes and temperaments collide and nurture each other and form it into a unique bestial being of its own kind. the process is a very ritual thing, just like love and death is.

2.In December you had released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

the ep "Arena" is a mix of slow deep industrial, eerie diabolical doomy synth, ultra-dark ambient and tribal tech.

its a fierce, spiritual, suggestive EBM with pagan, heathen elements. it's a truly beautiful bastard.

3.What are some of the themes and concepts you bring into your musical?

we love the mix of hard cold digitalism with the organic visceral warm feel. we love the merging of the synthetic and the fleshy breathing and veiny.

cyber meets tribal meets ethereal.

we love the collision of the disciplined and the psychadelic.

we love it when the absolute controlled and restrained meets the freely flowy trippy savagery.

when rhyme and reason reaches the hallucinatory state, very interesting things starts to happen.. and in that exquisite landscape, Hyeno thrives..

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Hyeno'?

its the concept of a peculiar, mighty creature. unknown to man, untraceable, unhuntable, uncatchable, unpredictable, unownable. we see it as both a physical object as well as an abstract thing. a timeless creature, both atavistic, contemporary and futuristic. the Hyeno creature moves comfortably between chaos and discipline. between horrors and bliss.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the ep cover?

I made it just for this release. we wanted it to symbolize the many different arenas in ones life and in the world. night is an arena, lust is an arena, pain is an arena, war is an arena, catharsis is an arena, the underworld is an arena, the afterlife is an arena and so forth.

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

we will always be a duo. all the other music we produce separately we do to other projects of ours. Hyeno is Hyeno. It can't be tampered with or sabotaged or go cold. just like the creature it is, it holds and runs it's own destiny. It lives it's own life and we channel it's messages, missions and desires.

7.Other then being from Sweden very little is known about the musical project, do you prefer to keep a lower profile?

we want the music to stand for itself. we want the soundscapes and the concepts to do all the talking. our faces and our names are not important, but our music is. our connections or vast resumes are not important, but our latest tracks are. 

how amazing our studio looks is not important, but what our music generates and erects in people means everything!

we believe that music is immortal and the things it can conjure, build and crystallize goes far beyond any limits or vanities.

8.the ep was released on 'Shortlist Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

its a very interesting and passionate swedish record-label that releases body/EBM, synth, new romantic pop and dark experimental techno, driven by ambitious and enthustiastic people.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal and industrial?

the response has been very good.

Hyeno has a tendency and an ability to make people from many different genres and walks of life come together and listen to its music. in Hyenos following there are EBM/body-freaks, metalheads, synthfans, avantgarde people, ravers, proggers, clubbers, hippies, indie-folks and normies as well as various kooks, kinks and crones. I am immensely proud of that wide array of fans and supporters.

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

we might put out a full-length or we might continue to release eps. only time will tell. we are into quality over quantity. however, there are incredibly exciting things upon the horizon.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

we listen to all kinds of genres, anything thats made with a genuine passion. we love both organic music and electronic music. lately I have only been listening to the material I am working on right how that is due to be released this spring and I have been listening a lot to the drums and the brass that I have recorded for my own blasphemous opera that I am working on.

12.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

for me personally, occultism plays a vital part in many of my other artistic and musical projects, but with Hyeno it is not something verbally expressed or defined in a central way. however, the sounds and the atmospheres are clearly mystic, magical, uncanny, majestic and mind-bending. it's progressive, it's projective and it's cathartic.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

keep your eyes open for more Hyeno material coming as well as for the new Drachenlab Industries release and the new Scalpel & Fetus record.. and enjoy life out there, use your time wisely. we only have a limited amount of it. fill people with inspiration! help them to reach their goals. be that extra push that fate so often needs to fulfil someone's dream. it is massively rewarding for everyone involved.

spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/album/4ue2cZllqaOrC3aRn5mAHu?si=5DpKhJUXQ3enoujQw1BZRw

youtube:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_liIN9zOj6O_H8wLyC0z_jMD9V-tOnWsUY&si=Fv34iewCk7-lS3e-

Lucifuego/Et Ultimo Amanecer de los Motales/Morbid Shine Productions/2025 Demo Re-Issue Review

 

  Lucifuego  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  very r aw,  old  school,  occult  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  demo  "Et  Ultimo  Amecer  de  los  Mortales"  which  was  re-issued  in  2025  by  Morbid  Shine  Productions.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  and  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  Growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  remaining  very  true  to  an  old  school  style  and  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly.,  on  some  of  the  tracks  the  vocals  also  add  in  more  of  a  first  wave  approach

  Lucifuego  plays  a  style  of  satanic  and  occult  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  madness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lucifuego  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  old  school,  occult  and  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Propagando  la  peste  Negra"  "Necronomicon"  and  "La  orden  negra".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/Rh7Il0Wrf80  

Junon/Promo MMXXV/2025 Demo Review

 

  Junon  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  psychedelic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  demo.

  High  pitched  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  demo  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  an  avant  garde  touch  while  clean  playing  is  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  demo.  The  recording  also  mixes  in  a  lot  of  psychedelic  elements  along  with  the  guitar  leads  also  adding  in  more  of  a    distorted  style.

  When  whispers  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  recording  more  of  a  ritualistic  atmosphere  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  chaos,  madness  and  spiritual  ecstasy.  

  In  my  opinion  Junon  are  a  very  great  sounding  psychedelic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Prophetan  der  blauen  Flamme".  8  out  of  10.

  https://junonofficial.bandcamp.com/album/promo-mmxxv    

Monhell/A Last Sigh Of Pain/Fetzner Death Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Monhell  are  a  band  from Spain  that  plays  a  very  epic  and  melancholic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "A  Last  Sigh  Of  Pain"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Fetzner  Death  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.  Synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  words  as  well  the  album  also  adding  in  a  few  instrumentals.

  When  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  album  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments,  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  melancholy  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  Monhell  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  melancholic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  'Fade  To  Dust"  "Lotus  In  the  Endless  Grey'  and  "A  Requiem  For  traditions".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/monhell_bm/