Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Korhadt/VTTCK/2019 EP Review


   Korhadt  are  a  solo  project  from  Hungary  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  stoner  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2019  ep  "VTTCK".

  A  drone  orientated  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  tortured  voices  in  the  background  before  adding  some  bass  guitars  onto  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  drum  beats  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  tribal  feeling  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Elements  of  stoner  and  doom  metal  van  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  one  of  the  tracks  as  well as  all  of  the  tracks  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  as  the  ep  progresses  drones  also  make  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  towards  the  end  of  the  ep.

  Korhadt  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  doom  and  stoner  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  loss  and  regret  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Korhadt  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  stoner  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Xzatan"  and  "Gey  Is  the  Color  Of  Regret".  8  out  of  10.

https://korhadt.bandcamp.com/album/vttck

Sophist Interview

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


Davis: We are a new black/grind band from Edmonton, Canda. We’re a studio project and we like to write fast and deranged songs. There’s only two of us involved - I program drums & synths, write lyrics, record vocals, and produce the tracks. Michael Sparks writes and plays guitar and bass. He makes some killer riffs let me tell you - I was hyped when I first heard them.


2.You have an ep coming out in August, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?


Davis: We wanted to make a really deranged black metal/grindcore hybrid. It started with the drums, and I built some different sort of song structures and Michael overlayed his riffs and bass lines. The songs are very fast and blasty, very unholy and chaotic. After that, I would write the lyrics and record vocals by the next day.

We used programmed drums and amp sims. Purists beware. I love the 80s and 90s sound so I made sure to add a ton of analog saturation to the recordings and kept the drums sounding lofi.

We certainly pushed some limits on what’s playable using these programmed drums, although this will be even more accurate to say on our next record (which we are already working on!). I tapped out the beats on our next record and made sure everything is *technically* playable but it would be immensely challenging at this speed - as far as I can tell.


3.The lyrics on the ep were based upon an alchemical text, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in alchemy and the occult?


Davis: I’m interested in those as a creative motif and have been ever since I was involved in neopaganism, which I am no longer deeply involved with. But I’ve been imbued with a love for mystical and occult themes ever since.

I find the text (‘Hermaphrodite Child of the Sun and Moon’) to be extremely fascinating and I plan to keep writing about it for a while. There are a couple of direct quotes from it as well, with changes to make sure it flows with the song and make sense in the larger context of the rest of the lyrics. When I write about a text like this, it helps me develop a deeper understanding of it. Once you understand something like this you can twist it to be more personal, to tell a story or explain an idea - which is what I did here.


On the subject of the lyrics, we will not be publishing them, much like several bands before us we have decided not to. We would like the audience to focus on the music, the overarching sound - and it would not be hard to work out the general meaning of the songs from figuring out a few lines.


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


Davis: It’s a locus of negativity that we can build our music around. A seething, calculated, unholy epicenter. The meaning today is essential ‘liar’, ‘deceiver’. It’s someone who craftily deceives with logical fallacies.


The less pretentious reason is that it reminded us of ‘Atheist’ and ‘Cynic’ and there are so few one-word names with that ‘special quality’.





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


Davis: We hired an artist known as Unexpected Specter to do the artwork for us. It is a visual representation which covers most of the ideas present in the title track ‘Betrothal to the Stone: Conception of Mephisto’, but it fits the EP as a whole’. The songs are full of esoteric animal metaphor which represents specific materials and processes. We are quite happy with the artwork, they did a fantastic job!


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


Davis: At the moment we prefer to remain a duo. As we are only looking at releasing records this is just fine for now. We are planning to have guest musicians on our tracks to spice things up - this EP was going to have a guest vocalist on ‘A Captive of Saturn’s Scythe’ but that fell through at the last second.


7.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea?


Davis: Perhaps in the future, we will. It would be a challenge because of all the extra vocal tracks and the synth tracks. I would like to do it justice, instead of playing a stripped-down version in a live show which would be too easy. Unfortunately, there are lots which I would first need to learn about putting on a proper show for something like this. We are also not in any position to be hiring live musicians.


8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?


Davis: We’ve not received any interest yet. Might be open to it, would all depend on the terms.


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


Davis: We’re only just starting to extend our tentacles to the world. The reaction has been quite positive so far, though. A select few have heard the other songs, besides the single, and they gave us really positive feedback. Honestly can’t wait until everyone else can hear the rest too!


10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?


Davis: The plan is to keep putting out records. That’s the thing I love the most about being in a band, recording and releasing music. We will keep pushing the boundaries of what we can do, trying to make things even more chaotic.


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?


Davis: We were influenced by stuff like Napalm Death, Rotten Sound, Anaal Nathrakh, Mayhem, Dead Kennedys, Anal Cunt, Exhumed, Behemoth, Darkthrone, Shining and so many more.

I have a playlist on Spotify called Merciless Metal, it’s got everything I’ve been listening to lately on there, like Aura Noir, Pestilence, Idolatry, Dissection, Deathhammer, Satyricon, Destroyer 666, Carpathian Forest, Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, Gorgoroth as well as most of our influences from above.


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

Davis: Our EP is out on August 16, 2019. The best way to support it is buy purchasing digital download or ordering the CD or merch on our bandcamp page. (http://sophistmetal.bandcamp.com)

I wish the whole industry would make bandcamp a standard, but oh well.

If you’re not a collector and just a streamer, then another way to lend your support is by playlisting our tracks.

Aside from that, just want to encourage people to continue buying their metal. Streaming sites are great but nothing beats having your own collection at home. I’m up to 576 albums in mine!

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Son Ov Leviathan Interview

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

CL Son ov Leviathan is intended to both satisfy personal philosophical achievement, beget change, and take a role in igniting the flames of growth.  Clearly SOL is rooted in challenging faith and belief which is a concept that is not by any means new.  That being said, I am passionate about the topic of organized religion and it’s negative affects on this world and it’s habitants oppressed by it.  Son ov Leviathan is my way of bringing this expression incarnate in the vehicle of black metal which is very personal to me.  We are smothered in a veil of comfortable ignorance which the outcome has lead to savage blood-thirst and oppression not just in humanity, but it’s affects on life collectively.  SOLs purpose is to view the world from a different eye, through painful growth and awakening.

2.So far you have released 2 albums, musically how do they both differ from each other?

CL Ultimately both Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici and Luciferian Misanthrope were written within a couple years of each other.  Both of which are special in the monuments of the journey they represent.  Luciferian Misanthrope definitely explores more experimental elements adding deeper layers and dimensions to the sound.  Lyrically, both albums are very defined in the message they attempt to drive which is ultimately a positive one cloaked in a venomous shroud.

3.Your lyrics also cover a lot of Satanic, Luciferian and Left Hand Path themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

CL As stated prior, the lyrical themes are less on what they represent and more of what they do not. The words are intended to incite visceral reaction and conflicting thought as it relates to the values placed on the world around us.  Ultimately, growth comes from the pain of opposites and extremes which is where SOLs lyrics align.  The true light of life and existence is in ones self where the true questions to existence are answered.  I vehemently despise the judgement, ignorance and negative impact organized religion and power has cursed upon this world.  SOLs purpose, regardless of its impact, is to penetrate the veil of ignorance from ideologies that gain allegiance through fear and superstition.  I believe in life, myself, family, the earth and the energy that binds us all.  Religion is the corruption that divides this.  This is the essence of Luciferianism to me.  At the end of the day, I am a normal hard-working guy that wants a better world for my children devoid of judgement, complacency and oppression.  SOL is a step forward in which I can create that.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Son Ov Leviathan'?

CL At the time I began SOL, my son was to be born and I committed to teaching him morals and values that would create a bigger impact to the world than I have made myself.  Conceptually the Son ov Leviathan is the next generation in driving extreme change and growth for the betterment of humanity and the world we inhabit.  If we don’t, the universe has ways of righting itself which will not include humanity which is causing its destruction.  The son of the lightbringer incites a new dawn.

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

CLIt is an amazing piece from Francisco Goya called Witches’ Sabbath painted in 1798.  It really resonates with me and I felt it captured the mood and overarching theme of the songs.  I also like the history that it brings to the feel of the album.  It is morbidly clandestine, yet beautiful at the same time.

6.With this musical project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to remain solo?

CL Yes absolutely.   I have several projects my peer Coby and I are working on that have interlocked over the years.  SOL started in isolation and remains something that will come solely from me with production partnership from Coby.  That being said there are some great things coming with our collaboration in the near future.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

CL Yes absolutely.  The landscape is tough so ultimately if it happens...it happens.  Doesn’t change the path ahead either way.

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

CL So far I have received a lot of great support and positive acclaim from everywhere.  It’s really encouraging!  I strive to create something meaningful and it is awesome to see others sharing that sentiment! 

9.Are you also involved or have been involved with any other bands or musical projects?

CL Yes, I have been involved in several in the past.  As noted prior, I have done many projects with Coby and have a new offering that is coming soon.  Keep an eye out for Sigillum Diaboli.

10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

CL Staying the course and doing what’s from the heart.  Ultimately, I want to continue to grow Son ov Leviathan and already have the material written for the 3rd full length that I will be starting production on soon.  I want to continue to push my own boundaries as a musician, but also not attempt to “become” anything with a predetermined expectation or external pressure.   Just continue to create and go with what comes organically.

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?

CL Black metal is very personal and special to me and has been the greater part of my existence.  There are a number of great bands on the death metal side I am really into.  This is where my musical journey began.  I am also a huge fan of very organic Norse and Pagan music.  Like most, my library is massive and I am always on the hunt for great new artists.  I am really into a fellow SoCal band Cultus Profano, they capture some awesome grim atmosphere and are excellent musicians.  It’s almost impossible to pick a “favorite” band or album but if I were to say what is one of the most impactful to me is Lunar Auroras “Andacht”.  It captures mood and atmosphere perfectly.  Like many, Chuck Schuldiner and Death have a special place in my life and have greatly influenced me musically and mentally.  I also really like the latest albums from The Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Aoratos, The Sarcophagus, Hate, Avslut, Heilung, Anthropomorphia, Chaos Moon, Djevel, Nordjevel, Craft, Gra, Havukruunu, Horna, Mgla, Kriegsmaschine, Kult, Lucifers Child, Theotoxin, Sargeist..to name a few.....

Bands that have been major influences for me are Death, Lunar Aurora, Belphegor, Dark Funeral, Wolves in the Throne Room, Gorgoroth, Old Mans Child, Nightbringer, Carcass, Amorphis, Nachtmystium, Deicide, Darkspace, Behemoth, Forest Silence, Wardruna...

As you can see this is hard for me to be brief on the topic...

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

CL Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview and I truly appreciate the support!!!

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Consummation/The Fires Of Calcination/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2019 Compilation Album Review


  Consummation  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  very  defiant  and  predatory  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  compilation  album  "The  Fires  Of  Calcination"  which  was  released  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories  and  consists  of  theri  2012  demo  and  2017  ep.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  compilation  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  songs  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts.

  A  touch  of  war  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  while  bestial  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  shouting  style  vocals  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs.

  The  music  brings  in  more  of  a  modern  style  of  black  metal  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  the  songs  on  the  ep  also  maintain  the  same  style  of  the  demo  as  well  as  taking  the  music  into  more  of  a  rawer  direction  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  dissonant  sounding  and  as  the  compilation  progresses  the  solos  and  leads  also  start  going  into  more  of  a  melodic  direction,  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Comsummation  are  a  very  great  sounding  defiant  and  predatory  black  emtal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rend  The  Ain  Soph"  and  "The  Weightless  Grip  Of  Fire".  8  out  of  10.

BANDCAMP RELEASE



     

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Abysmal Lord/Exaltation Of The Infernal Cabal/Hells Headbangers/2019 CD Review


  Abysmal  Lord  are  a  band  from  New  Orleans,  Louisiana  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  bestial  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Exaltation  Of  The  Infernal  Cabal"  which  will  be  released  on  August  18th  by  Hells  Headbangers.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  brutal  war  metal  direction.  Vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  bestial  growls  and  during t he  faster  sections  of  the  music  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style.  The  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  showing  influences  of  both  the  90's  and  early  2000's  era  of  war  metal.

  As  the  album  album  progresses  ritualistic  elements  also  make  a  brief  return  on  a  few  tracks  before  returning  back  to  a  more  brutal  direction  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  Gregorian  chants  are  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  war,  anti  religion  and  blasphemy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Abysmal  Lord  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  war  and  bestial  black/death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Monolith  of  Vengeance"  "Exaltation  Of  The  Infernal  Cabal"  "Nuclear  Absolution"  and  "Scourge  Of  Christ'.  8/5  out  of  10.

http://abysmal-lord.bandcamp.com/album/exaltation-of-the-infernal-cabal     

Aiwigaz Undergangaz/Muspellzeimr/Lunar Apparitions/2019 Split EP Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Denmark's  Aiwigaz  Undergangaz  and  Muspellzeimr  which  was  released  by  Lunar  Apparitions  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Aiwigaz  Undergangaz  a  band  that  plays  a  satanic  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  clean  playing  while  their  track  is  also  10  minutes  in  length,  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  song  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  raw  and  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  style  as  well  as  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts. The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aiwigaz  Undergangaz  are  a  very  great  sounding  satanic  black  emtal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  Next  up  is  Muspellzeimr  a  band  that  plays  a  Nordic  style  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and  raw  sound  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  The  track  is  over  9  minutes  in  length  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.

  Throughout  their  track  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  all  of the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them. Clean  playing  can  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly. The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Muspellzeimr  are  a  very  great  sounding  Nordic  style  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  Danish  black  emtal.  8  out  of  10.

 http://lunarapparitions.bandcamp.com/album/aiw-gaz-un-ergangaz-m-spellzheimr

   

Monday, July 29, 2019

Sertraline/From Both Our Hands/Hypnotic Dirge Records/2019 EP Review


  Sertraline  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  ep  "From  Both  Our  Hands"  which  was  released  by  Hypnotic  Dirge  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  and  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  post  rock.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  shoegaze  at  times.  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  ep  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,.

  Most  of  the  songs  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while clean  playing  also  makes  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  ep  progresses  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sertraline  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out t his  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Entwined".  8  out  of  10.

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Sunday, July 28, 2019

Eternity/To Become The Great Beast/Soulseller Records/2019 CD Review


  Eternity  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  satanic  form  of  black  metal   and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "To  Become  The  Great  Beast"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Soulseller  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  great  amount  of  90's  influences  can  also  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  without  sounding  outdated  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Eternity  plays  a  style  of  satanic  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  melodic  and  traditional  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Darkness,  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Eternity  are  a  very  great  sounding  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sun  Of  Hate"  "Te  Nostro  Deum  Sathanas"  "To  Become  The  Great  Beast"  and  "Nine  Magic  Songs".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUJZ8YrF7wA  

Dold Vorde Ens Navn/Gjengangere I Hjertets Morke/Soulseller Records/2019 EP Review


  Dold  Vorde  Ens  Navn  are  a  band  from  Norway that  plays  a  Norwegian  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  ep  "Gjengangere  I  Hjertets  Morke"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Soulseller  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  along  with  some  clean  vocals  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  in  between  shouting  and  grim  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  punk  rock  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  when  they  are  utilized.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  old  school  extreme  metal  style  as  well  as  having  their  melodic moments.  Blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  which  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  Norwegian  style  and  as  the  ep  progresses  acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dold  Vorde  Ens  Navn  are  a  very  great  sounding  Norwegian  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Drukkenskapens  Kirkegard"  and  "Blodets  Hvisken".  8  out  of  10.

https://soundcloud.com/user-296501229/drukkenskapenskirkegard   

Sleeping Ancient/There Is Not Truth But Death/Viridian Flame Records/2019 Full Length Review


  Sleeping  Ancient  are  a  band  from  Houston,  Texas  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "There  is  No  Truth  But  Death"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Sleeping  Giant  Records.

  Synths  start  off the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.  When  the  music  speeds  up a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling.

  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  an  aggressive  shouting  style  as  well a s  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  high  pitched  screams  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  one  of  the  later  tracks  is  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  endless,  existential  dread  and  depressive,  melancholic grave  worship  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sleeping  Ancient  is  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out t his  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Path  Emerges"  and  "Writhing  In  The  City  Of  Dregs".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.facebook.com/sleepingancient
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http://sleepingancient.bandcamp.com 

  

Antichrist Siege Machine/Schism Perpetration/Krucyator Productions/Stygian Black Hand/2019 CD Review


  Antichrist  Siege  Machine  are  a  duo  from  Richmond,  Virginia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  war  and  bestial  black/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Schism  Perpetration"  which  will  be  released  in  August  as  a  joint  effort  between  Krucyator  Productions  and  Stygian  Black  Hand.

  War  orientated  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  which  also  introduces  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  war  metal  feeling.

  Bestial  growls  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  only  using  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  some  of  the  slow  riffing  has  a  touch  of  early  90's  doom/death  metal.

 When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  brought  onto  the  recording  they  are    also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  white  noise  orientated  soundscape  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  on  a  couple  of  tracks  returning  back  to  a  brutal  war  metal  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and  Warfare  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Antichrist  Siege  Machine  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  war  and  bestial  black/death  metal  and  if  you  ate  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Incinerated  Enemy"  "Hell  Fire  Reign" "Schism  Perpetration"  and  "Utopian  Hope".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu099twMTE8

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Deadwood Lake/Immortalised In Death/UKEM Records/2019 CD Review


  Deadwood  Lake  are  a  band  from  the  united  Kingdom  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Immortalised  In  Death"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  UKEM  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well a s  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Growls  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  while  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments,  one  track  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Deadwood  Lake  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  atmospheric  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  death  of  one  of t he  band  members  brother  and  the  effect  it  had  on  him,  his  friends  and  family.

  In  my  opinion  Deadwood  Lake  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  atmospheric  black  metal band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Visions  From  The  Faded  Years"  "Guidance"  and  "Vigils".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/5m__TFZCkUM

Dies Irae/Naive/Grimm Distribution/2019 CD Re-Issue Review


  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Mexico's  Dies Irae  which shows them  continuing  their  melodic  mixture  of  black,  dark,  doom  and  death  metal  and  the  album  was  originally  released  in  2001  and  called  "Naive"  with  this  newer  version  being  re-issued  in  2019  by  Grimm  Distribution.

  A  very  fast  and  melodic  sound  starts  off the  album  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  being  more  Swedish  death  metal  influenced  than  the  previously  reviewed  album.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  clean  playing  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Elements  of  dark  and  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  as  well  as  some  whispered  vocals,  clean  singing  and  spoken  word  parts  also  being  added  onto  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  also  gets  more  progressive  sounding,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  instrumentals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  sadness,  darkness  and  depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dies  Irae  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  dark,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sculpted  In  Stone"  "Parallel  Universe  Part  One"  and  "Shades".  8  out  of  10.

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Friday, July 26, 2019

Dies Irae/Etherial/Grimm Distribution/2019 CD Re-Issue Review


  Dies  Irae  are  a  band  from  Mexico  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  melodic mixture  of  black,  dark,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  1998  album  "Etherial"  which  was  re-issued  in  2018  by  Grimm  Distribution.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very powerful  sound  to  them.  One  the  second  track  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction  which  also  introduces  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  elements  of  dark  and  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  music.

  Clean  singing  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Elements  of  melodic  death  metal  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  some  Spanish guitars  also  being  used  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as  well  as  clean  playing  also  being  brought  back  in  certain  sections  of  the  music  along  with  the  songs  also  getting  very  progressive  sounding  at  times, as  the  album  progresses  a  couple  of  instrumentals  are  also  added  onto  the  recording  and  one  track  also  introduces  stringed  instruments  onto  the  recording  and  the  bonus  tracks  where  recorded  live.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  darkness,  sadness  and  depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  a  very  great  sounding  recording  from  Dies  Irae  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  dark,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shadow  Finder"  "The  Last  Breath"  and  "Misery  Lover".  8  out  of  10.

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Temple Of Nihil/Schadenfreude/Grimm Distribution/2019 CD Review


  Russia's  Temple  Of  Nihil  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  nihilistic  style  of  black  metal  from  their  previous  release  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album "Schadenfreude"  which  was  released  by  Grimm  Distribution.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  A  decent  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Death  metal  growls  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  some  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

     When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  brought  into  the  music  they  done  in  a  very  melodic  style   and  as  the  album  progresses  a  very  dark  and  apocalyptic  interlude  can  also  be heard  briefly  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  on  the  remaining  tracks  and  a  few  tracks  also  introduce  synths,  whispered  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Temple  Of  Nihil  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  nihilistic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Into  The  Slough"  "Snakes  In  My  Skull"  and  "To  Fireburners".  8  out  of  10.

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Thursday, July 25, 2019

Hatevomit/Nunslaughter/Grimm Distribution/Metal Or Die Records/2019 Split EP Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Turkey/Germany's  Hatevomit  and  U.S.A's  Nunslaughter  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Grimm  Distribution  and  Metal  or  Die  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Hatevomit  who  return  with  their  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark,  melodic  and  heavy  sound  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  bestial  growls.  A  small amount  of melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  on  the  second  track  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  faster  war/black  metal  direction.

  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  song  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  anti  religion,  hate  and  destruction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hatevomit  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  war,  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Necro  Future".

  Next  up  is  Nunslaughter  a  band  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  death  metal  with  some  influences  of  black,  thrash  metal  and  punk.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  fast  riffing  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  screaming  style  that  adds  in  touches  of  black metal.  a  lot  of  the  music  also  shows  roots  in  the  mid  80's  to  early  90's  era  of  death  and  thrash  metal  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  their  side  of  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music also  capturing  the  raw  energy  of  punk rock.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  satanism,  blasphemy,  anti  Christianity  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nunslaughter  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Satanic  Slut".  8  out  of  10.

  In  conclusion  I  fell  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  war,  black  and  old  school  death  metal.  8  out  of  10.

https://grimmdistribution.bandcamp.com/album/037gd-nunslaughter-hatev-mit-nunslaughter-hatev-mit-split-2019          

Donarhall/Helvegr/Symbol Of Domination/Black Metal Propaganda Deutschland/2019 CD Review


  Donarhall  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  an  instrumental  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "Helvegr"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  Of  Domination  and  Black  Metal  Propaganda  Deutschland.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  introducing  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.


  Donarhall  plays  a  style  of  black  emtal  that  is  very  aggressive,  melodic  and  atmospheric  sounding  without  ever  using  any  vocals  or  song  lyrics  and  the  production  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  Donarhall  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  and  atmospheric  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Byrdh"  "Heimr"  and  "Liflat".  8  out  of  10.

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Lauxnos/Crushed By Waves/Symbol Of Domination/The Ritual Productions/2019 CD Review


  Lauxnos  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine and  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Crushed  By  Waves"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  Of  Domination  and  The  Ritual  Productions.

  Ocean  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  adds  in  touches  of  post  rock.  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Once  the  music  goes  into  a  very  heavier  grim  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  are  added  onto  the  recording.  Clean  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody,  growling  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  a  couple  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  vocals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  ocean,  loneliness,  philosophy  and  mysticism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Lauxnos  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  depressive  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Voice  Of  Dead  Ocean"  "Whose  Dream  You  Don't  Dare  Disturb"  "Through  The  Gates"  and  "Her  Name  Id  Thousand  Of  Stares".  8  out  of  10.

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