Saturday, August 31, 2019

Vanhelga/LPT/War Against Yourself/2019 EP Re-Issue Review

  Vanhelga  are a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  had  plenty  of  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal  and  depressive  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  ep  "LPT"  which  was  remasted  and  will  be  re-issued  in  October  of  2019 by  War  Against  Yourself.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  depressive  black  metal  screams  and  grim  whispers  a  few  seconds  later.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  clean  and  heavy  parts  also  being  mixed  together  at  times.

  Elements  of  of  shoegaze,  post  and  depressive  rick  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  some  spoken  word  pats  also  being  utilized  at  times.  A  couple  of  tracks  also  introduces  clean  vocals  onto  the  recording  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,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are also  instrumentals  and  as  the  ep  progresses  a  brief  use  of  avant  garde  style  keyboards  can  also  be  heard.

  On  this  recording  Vanhelga  remained  to  the  mixture  of  black  metal  and  depressive  rock  that  was  established  on  their  earlier  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover. the  anxiety,  depression  and  pain  that  comes  with  being  stuck  in  a  mental  ward

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vanhelga  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal  and  depressive  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dag  1"  and  "Dromlik  Eufori".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/officialvanhelga
https://www.instagram.com/officialvanhelga
https://vanhelga.bandcamp.com
http://vanhelga.com  

Wigrid/Entfremdungsmoment/Bleeding Heart Nihilist Productions/2019 CD Review


  Wigrid  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Entfremdungsmoment"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Bleeding Heart  Nihilist  Productions.

  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  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  ambient  style  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music,  the  songs  are  also  mostly  rooted  in  the  earlier  depressive  style  of  the  mid  90's  and  early 2000's and  as  the  album  progresses  a  couple  of  instrumentals  are  also  added  onto  the  recording,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Wigrid  remain  true  to  the  depressive  black  metal  style  that  was  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  death,  depression,  despair,  sadness  and  isolation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Wgrid  and  if  you  ate  a  fan  of  depressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Entzirkulation"  and  "Entfremdungsmoment".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/9yByp3qh3vI

Friday, August 30, 2019

Caput Mortum/Summon Of The Heathen Wrath/Necro Altar Productions/2019 EP Review


  Caput  Mortum  are  a  duo  from  Peru  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019 ep  "Summon  The  heathen  Wrath"  which  was  released  by  Necro  Altar  Productions.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  folk  instruments  a  few  seconds  later  that  go  back  to  the  pre  Hispanic  days  of  South  America  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  ritualistic  sounding  briefly  on  the  first  track  as  well  as  a  speed  amount  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  one  of  the  tracks  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences.  Synths  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts..

  Caput  Mortum  plays  a  style  of  pagan  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  old  school  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  pagan  traditions,  folklore  and  mythology  of the  Andes  people  from  South  America  along  with  a  hatred  for  the  Judeo  Christian  faiths..

  In  my  opinion  Caput  Mortum  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  pagan  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Bloody  Shield  of  The  Sun".  8  out  of  10.

    https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Caput_Mortum/3540328494#band_tab_discography

  

Imperium Dekadenz Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

V: We released “Dis Manibus” in August 2016. After that release we started to promote the album live. We played festivals like Wacken, Gothoom, Wave Gothic Treffen, we toured with Enslaved, played our first two shows in Italy etc. Besides, we started to work on new ideas. We wrote more stuff than ever before. It was a very creative time. In the beginning 2018 we signed to Napalm Records. Then, in October 2018 we started with the album-production for “When We Are Forgotten”, when we entered the Iguana Studios for the drumrecordings. There was no pressure from Napalm Records. As always: The label heard the first notes of the album, when we sent them the final Master.

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

V: In comparison to the other albums we wrote a lot of songs and ideas, much more than for any other production before. Finally, we had to decide between many songs and you may think that is a very good thing, but it is hard to find the right song/ idea if you already fall into love with these tracks. The final guideline was, to have an album that is darker and more intimate than the other album and also having fewer epic parts and historical backgrounds in the lyrics. We simply don’t want to repeat ourselves. We wrote so many long and epic songs over the years, so the time was right to try some different and new things. We wanted to challenge us a bit.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer music and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

V: In the last albums we often used an historical background to tell stories with a message. “When We Are Forgotten” is the first album without any historical backgrounds, but much more personal and reflective. We were a bit tired of historical backgrounds in our lyrics, because the words become a bit more distant to the listener. Like a kind of a filter. Our goal was to become more intimate and darker, closer to our souls and I think we reached it.

With the years one matures as a human being. Art is like a reflection of this process. Of course, we were influenced by mid-nineties Black Metal back in the days, but we never emulated others. We were lucky enough to be able to define our very own style at a very early stage of the band.

Our goal was always to create passionate art and that special melancholic but also harsh atmosphere. We always try to get better in every every discipline: Songwriting, Production-Skills, etc. This is a never-ending process.

4.You have mentioned an interest in ancient history in previous interviews, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

V: We are both very into the ancient Roman Empire. We love to read books, watch good documentaries about everything connected to this once so great shining empire. We are interested in the brutal campaigns back then, but also very curious about the normal, daily life of the people. For example: One of my favorite books is about the graffities in Pompeii. You can learn so much about the people who lived there. Their behaviour, their needs, their longings. As we are both very nostalgic persons we also love to visit and read about medieval ruins. To reflect about ancient times… its kind of a drug for us… a chance to flee from the nowadays superficial society.

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

V: The cover is very important for us. It is the face of the whole work and transports the feeling and meaning of the songs. As always it was a long way until we were pleased with the result, but from the beginning we had the plan to show a transformation. You could imagine that the figure is a goddess dissolving with the unknown darkness. The candles will burn down more and more and only total darkness will remain… until she is forgotten.

6.In the studio you work as a duo while you have a live line up shows, are you open to using a full band on future releases or do you prefer to work as a duo?

V: We never thought about becoming a “full band”, and I can tell you why: A wise man once said never change a running system. We have a great workflow; both of us can play several instruments, write and produce songs and there is a blind understanding between us. Sure, there are sometimes discussions going on, but that is normal and important for creative processes. We don’t want to include some more egos. Our egos are surely big enough!

7.Out of all of the live shows that the band has played over the years, which one stands out the most?

V: A show I will always remember was our first festival-show in 2009 at the Wolfszeit Festival, Germany. We expected about 80 people in front of the stage as we had no clue that lots of people already knew our band. As we prepared for the show, we recognized that the area in front of the stage was fully packed with people. We entered the stage, the sun was going down…it was magic.

The best stagecrew of all time we had at Partysan-Festival in 2014. Everything went so smooth, and as a result we were able to play a very proper show. Great festival!

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

V: Yes, we are heading to the United Kingdom in October. Then a show in Belgium is about to follow. In November we will play shows in Germany and Spain. We are working on much more. We will keep you updated.

9.The new album was released on 'Napalm Records', how would you compare working with them to your older labels 'Seasons Of Mist' and 'Perverted Taste?

V: We had a very good time at Season of Mist, but after 10 years we felt that it is time for a change. Napalm Records an extremely good network and strongly growing social media base. They are very professional and direct, what we really appreciate. We have the feeling that they love what we do and that we do it with passion and that feels good. They do not influence our music in any way (no one ever did!), so we are still free for any decision we do. Last but not least they are speaking German what is really helpful for example in long telephone sessions. hehehe

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

V: Actually, the reactions are really overwhelming! I’ve got the impression that the people understand what we are doing and how we are progression. We never received so many reactions like within these days.

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

V:We will always have one main headline: “passion and atmosphere”, but I can’t give you an insight of future plans, because right now we are fully concentrating on the actual album.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band is listening to nowadays?

V: I am into a lot of different styles. Most important thing for me is, that I feel real emotions in the music. I am totally into nearly all kinds of metal, except “modern jump metal” and keyboard-pop metal like…you know what bands I mean. Then I am a big fan of ambient music, especially dark ambient and also classical music. I am also a big Motörhead-fan, one the most important bands in my life. And yeah, I love oldschool-Blues! So, my musical taste is very diverse.

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

V: Thank you all very much for supporting our art. Cheers!

Bandcamp
Facebook
Homepage
Instagram
Myspace
Spotify

Numen/Iluntasuna besarkatu nuen betiko/Les Acteurs de L' Ombre Productions/2019 CD Review


  Numen  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  raw  and  pagan  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2019 album  "Iluntasuna  besarkatu  nuen  betiko"which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Les  Acteurs  de  L'  Ombre  Productions.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  adding  in  some  growls  at  times  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  briefly.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the recording.

  As  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  few  tracks  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing and  on  song  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  into  the  music  and  folk  instruments  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  song.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  in  Basque  and cover  the  ancient  beliefs  from  that  part  of  the  world.

  In  my  opinion  Numen  are  a  very  great  sounding  pagan  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lautada  izoztuetan" "Nire  arnasean  biziko  da  gaua" and  "Iraganeko  errautsak".  8  out  of  10.

NUMEN Facebook // Bandcamp  // Instagram     

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Belenos/Argoat/Les Acteurs de L' Ombre Productions/Northern Silence Productions/2019 CD Review


  Belenos  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Argoat"  which  will  be  released  in  September  as  a  joint  effort  between  Les  Acteurs  de  L'  Ombre  and  Northern  Silence  Productions.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  which  also  introduces  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording.  Growls  and  clean  pagan  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  utilize  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  music  also  getting  very  atmospheric  sounding  at  times.

  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in a  decent  amount  of  depressive  elements  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  one  track  also  introduces  whispered  vocals  onto  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  Celtic  Heathenism,  Nature  and  Sorrow  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Belenos  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  depressive  pagan  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out t his  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Karvden"  "Nozweler"  "Duadenn"  and  "Arvestal".   8  out  of  10.

Belenos Facebook Page // Belenos Bandcamp

Cemetery Lights/The Underworld/Nuclear War Now! Productions/2019 CD Review


  Cemetery  Lights  are  a  solo  project  from  Rhode  Island  that  has  been  featured  before  in t his  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  old  school  and  Mediterranean  influenced  from  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "The  Underworld"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Nuclear  War  Now!  Productions.

  A  very  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  starts  off  the  album  which  is  also  used  as  a  lead  instrument  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  Greek  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  raw  moments  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  tremolo  picking,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style.  and spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly

  On  this  recording  Cemetery  Lights  takes  hid  musical  style  into  more  of  Greek  influenced  black  metal  style.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Greek  Literature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cemetery  Lights  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  and  Greek  influenced  black  emtal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Erebos"  "Isles  of  the  Blessed"  and  "Fields  Of  Asphodel".  8  out  of  10.

http://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/the-underworld 



    

Imperial Cult/Spasm Of Light/Armor Fati Productions/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2019 CD Review


  Imperial  Cult  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  improvised  form  of  black  metal  with  some  elements  of  drone,  ambient  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Spasm  Of  Light"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Armor  Fati  Productions  and  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  Distorted  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  while  the  whole  album  is  a  single  track  35  minute  song.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  song  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  dissonant  sounding  while  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments.  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while the  song  also  adds  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  getting  very  repetitive  and  minimalist  sounding  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  ambient  and  noise  elements. 

  Imperial  Cult  plays  a style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  minimalist,  repetitive  and  improvised  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  along  with  all  of  the  music  being  recorded  live  while  the  lyrics  cover  physical  violence  and  material  exploitation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Imperial  Cult  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  minimalist,  repetitive  and  improvised  sounding  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  8  out  of  10.

http://amorfatiproductions.bandcamp.com/album/imperial-cult-spasm-of-light        

  

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Mosaic/Cloven Fires/Eisenwald/2019 EP Review


  Mosaic  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays a  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  ep  "Cloven  Fires"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Eisenwald.

  Fire  burning  sounds  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  dark  yet  melodic  riffing  a  few  seconds  later.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.  Spoken word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  ritualistic  sounding  and  clean  playing  and  folk  influences  are  also  added  onto  the  second  track.

  On  this  recording  Mosaic  goes  into  more  of  a  mixture  of  dark  and  black  metal  as  well  as getting  very  experimental  at  times.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  alchemy  and  mankind's  imminent  demise.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Mosaic  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  and  dark  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Cloven  Fires".  8  out  of  10.


  

Sertraline Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
1. We began, conceptually at least, in 2015 but didn't fill out a full lineup until 2016. I'd say we are equal parts black metal and post rock thus creating a very big and atmospheric sound. That is what we aim for anyway.

2.So far you have released 2 ep's, musically how do they both differ from each other?
2. I think the two releases are fairly similar sound wise. Shade, our debut EP, is a good introduction to our sound. I think our latest, From Both Our Hands, is ultimately an extension of that. Our next release, which will actually be coming out fairly soon, will continue to show what we are about but with a natural evolution and better songwriting which is of course what you want as a band with each respective record.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
3. As the vocalist I write all the lyrics. I'd say, so far, it has been a mix of personal experiences as well as some storytelling. I've always taken writing very seriously and my themes are generally heavy. Some themes have been loss, grief, religion, poverty, and addiction. Though I must say within the dark subject matter there is, at times, some hope.

4.I know that the band was named after a generic name for Zoloft an anti depressant, how does this name fit in with the musical style you play?
4. Some people have been kind enough to tell us that our music can be very therapeutic and can feel like an escape while at the same time also being deemed depressing, lol. I think we are very proud with the combination of our sound and the name. It has worked out as it was intended. I myself am on that exact medication and it honestly has saved my life. So that just only adds to the profundity of everything.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new ep cover?
5. Our bassist, Jason, came across that painting while searching out some ideas. It was by a wonderful artist, John William Waterhouse, called Ophelia from 1889.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
6. I think we've been fortunate enough to have played many great shows. I wouldn't say any in particular stand out. We did just tour and definitely had some memorable ones. We played a show in Manchester, NH on a night where just a few blocks away Trump was giving a rally speech. So that was very interesting, lol. Quebec City and Pittsburgh were fantastic and we love playing in Portland, Maine. As for stage performance, for me personally, I am very physical and "in the moment." No matter how many people are watching I give it my all. As a band, especially with music of this ilk, I think the live aspect is very important. Perhaps even more so then a recording. We need to convey the power and emotions of our sound. I'm confident that we achieve that in every show thanks to the great talent around me.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
7. As I said, we did just get back from a tour. We have toured a couple times now. Would love to do it again but would definitely prefer next time to have some help by a label and/or booking agency as we've done everything ourselves. It would be much less stressful, lol. We will be taking a few months off from playing live to continue writing our full length record but before that we do have a show here in Buffalo opening up for a great band, Inter Arma, on Sept. 4th.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of post black metal?
8. Responses have luckily been overwhelmingly positive. I think both with touring and releasing records all you can hope for is just for more people to hear your music and in turn more people to witness it live. It's a process and we will continue it. Having Hypnotic Dirge, a label we are all big fans of, release our current EP has only helped that process along. We hope the reactions will continue to grow and be positive.

9.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?
9. All but our drummer came from a band called Where She Wept which was a blackened doom band that actually existed for 15 years. As for currently, yes our bassist plays in a black metal band called Enthauptung which has music out there to find. One of our guitarists, Jay, is always involved in other projects, lol. One of which is in its infancy so I don't have any details to spread at the moment. But it will sure to be released to the masses at some point.

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
10. We have a couple new songs now completed, that we've actually been playing live for a bit, and then will just continue writing for the rest of the year. Always tough to predict of course but would hope to have a full length ready to go by the end of next summer. I think musically we'll just continue to evolve and really just let things develop naturally. We already love the two new songs so we are excited to continue this direction and see where it takes us.

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?
11. I think a great thing about the six of us is that we are very much on the same page when it comes to our music but we also all bring a lot of diversity influence wise to the writing process. We are of course influenced by bands within the genres of post black and post rock. But those genres are very vast and then each individual musician can bring something completely out of the box but when integrated with everyone else it ends up working. I think no matter what sub-genre or band inspires us we just want our sound to be intense, powerful, impactful, and ideally memorable. As for what I am listening to at the moment? That's tough, always listening to a lot, lol. I'd say lately though I've been on kind of a noise, atmospheric, drone-pop type of kick. Bands like Drowse, Floating Room, and Midwife.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
12. I think a big interest, outside of music, not just for myself but a few others in the band are horror films. Been a massive fan for decades. I have a YouTube show and will be starting a podcast soon so that obsession takes up a lot of spare time.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
13. Just want to say thanks for the interest and thanks for the questions.

Bandcamp
Facebook

Advent Sorrow/Kali Yuga Crown/Werewolf/2019 CD Review


  Advent  Sorrow  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Kali  Yuga  Crown"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Werewolf.

  Synths  start  off  the  album  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  depressive  direction  which  also  uses  tortured  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  direction  and  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Spoken  word  samples  are  also  brought  onto  one  of  the  tracks   along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  one  track  also  introduces  clean  singing  onto  the  recording  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Advent  Sorrow  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that is  very  atmospheric  and  depressive  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  murder, psychopathy,  and  lunacy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Advent  Sorrow  are  a  very  great  sounding  depressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Wolfhook  And  Weapon"  "Kali  Yuga  Crown"  "Wells  Of  Poison Water"  and  "Death  In  Magic  Antagonism".  8  out  of  10.

http://werewolfrecords.bandcamp.com/album/kali-yuga-crown 

  

Raventale/Morphine Dead Gardens/Ashen Dominion/2019 CD Review


  Ukraine's  solo  project  Raventale  has  returned  with  a  new  album  which  shows  the  music  moving  way  from  atmospheric  blackened  metal  and  focusing  more  on  a  funeral  doom  metal  style  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "Morphine  Dead  Gardens"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Ashen  Dominion.

  Death  metal  growls  start  off  the  album  while  the  slow  and  heavy  riffs  also  bring  in  elements  of  funeral  doom  metal.  A  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style.  Synths  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard,  all  of  the  songs  also  stick  to  a  slower  musical  direction,  the  closing  track  is  also  an  instrumental.

  On  this  recording  Raventale  moves  away  from  the  atmospheric  blackened  metal  sound  of  previous  releases  and  takes  his  music  into  more  of  a  funeral  doom  metal  direction  which  he  mixed  in  some  of  his  earlier  blackened  material  but  moves  completely  into  the  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Raventale  and  while  some  atmospheric  black  metal  fans  might  not  like  the  new  style,  I  can  see  this  appealing  to  fans  of  atmospheric  funeral  doom  metal.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "As  An  Empty  Shell"  and  "Morphine  Dead  Gardens".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/raventaleofficial/       



    

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Barkasth/Hear My Void/Ashen Dominion/2019 CD Review


  Barkasth  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  traditional  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Hear  my  Void"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Ashen  Dominion.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  they  also  get  very  deep  sounding  at  times  and  the  songs  also  add  ion  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melodies  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  atmospheric  elements  can  also  be  heard  and  towards  the  end  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  onto  the  recording.

  On  this  recording  Barkasth  remain  true  to  the  traditional  black  metal  style  that  was  presented  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  anti  religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Barkasth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  traditional  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Funeral"  and  "Ashen  Sacrifice".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Barkasth/   

Keres/Ice, Vapor And Crooked Arrows/Terratur Possessions/2019 CD Review


  Keres  are  a  solo project  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mid  tempo  and  synth  laden  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "Ice,  Vapor  And  Crooked  Arrows"  which  was  released  by  Terratur  Possessions.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences  as  well  as  the  riffing  also  utilizing  some  melody  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  along  with  all  of   the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  synths  are  brought  into  the  music  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  an  epic  and  atmospheric  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  an  instrumental  is  also  added  onto  the  recording

  Keres  plays  a  style  of  black  emtal  that  is  very  raw,  epic,  old  school  and  synth  orientated  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  dreams  and  metaphysical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Keres  are  a  very  great  sounding  mid  tempo  and  synth  laden  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dream  Of  Clouds"  "Grail  Dance"  "Moon  Guide"  and  "Sleepers  below".  8  out  of  10.

https://soundcloud.com/terratvr-possessions/keres-the-sleeping-master

Druadan Forest/Dismal Spells From The Dragonrealm/Werewolf/2019 CD Review


  Druadan  Forest  are  a  solo  project  from  Finland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  epic  mixture  of  black  metal,  ambient  and  dungeon  synth  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "Dismal  Spells  From  The  Dragonrealm"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Werewolf.

  Synths  start  off  the  album  and  they  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  dungeon  synth  as  well  as  using  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  style  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Elements  of  ambient  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  most  of  the  music  is  dominated  by  synths.

  At  times  the  music  also  captures  the  atmosphere  of  a  fantasy  movie  soundtrack  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  Some  parts  of  the  music  also  bring  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  nature  sounds  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  On  this  Druadan  Forest  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  dungeon  synth,  and  dark  ambient  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  from  Druadan  Forest  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal, dungeon  synth  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  those  musical genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Unsung  Spell  Of  No  Solace"  and  "No  Stars  Upon  The  Black  Sea  Of  Macrocosm".  8  out  of  10.

http://werewolfrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dismal-spells-part-i 
  

Monday, August 26, 2019

The Fifth Alliance/The Depths Of The Darkness/Consouling Sounds/2019 CD Review


  The  Fifth  Alliance  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "The  Depths  Of  The  Darkness"  which  will  be  released  on  August  30th  by  Consouling  Sounds.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Elements  of  post  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  guitar  leads  being  done  in  a  melodic  style  when t hey  are  utilized,  clean  playing  also  makes  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Fifth  Alliance  which  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  a  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black"  and  "Into  Extinction".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/ thefifthalliance   

    

Kringa/Feast Upon The Gleam/Terratur Possessions/2019 CD Review


  Kringa  are  a  band  from  Austria  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  modern  and  traditional  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019 album  "Feast  Upon  The  Gleam"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Terratur  Possessions.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  You  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  emtal  screams  along  with  some  first  wave  wave  touches  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  At  times  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  semi  melodic  tone  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  more  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  into  some  parts  of  the  music.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.  at  times  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  and  ritualistic  moments.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism  and  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Kringa  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  modern,  traditional  and  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Unwind  the  Gap  Anew!"  and  "Eyers  Of  Stone".  8  out  of  10.

https://soundcloud.com/terratvr-possessions/kringa-as-kaleidoscopic-patterns-arise

    

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Vordr/Self Titled/Terratur Possessions/2019 CD Review


  Vordr  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  frantic  and  minimalistic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self titled  2019  album  which  was  released  by  Terratur  Possessions.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  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.

  A  great  amount  of 90's  influences  can  also  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  some  of  the  tracks  also  show  the  vocals  bringing  in  more  of  a  first  wave  influence  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Vordr  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  frantic  and  minimalistic  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  paganism,  shamanism,  nature,  traditions,  death,  hatred  and  misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vordr  are  a  very  great  sounding  frantic  and  minimalistic  sounding  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Beast  Of  The  Woods"  "Candle  in  The  Astral  Wind"  'Shaman"  and  "The  Forest  King".  8  out  of  10.

https://soundcloud.com/terratvr-possessions/vordr-chained-in-recollections-of-a-life-that-once-was    

Bykurius Interview

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

Bykürius was born in the wilds of Southampton, many frozen moons ago. We started with an unholy re-recording of the song 'Hellfire' from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'. That song has such a rich undercurrent of malevolence, arranging our version felt like chipping away at an incomplete sculpture to reveal the true evil form beneath. That's been a consistent drive of our musical efforts: highlighting and magnifying the veins of real darkness running just under the surface in the works of those who came before us.


2. You have a new EP coming out in September, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

'A Heretic Art' is our first offering of purely original material. The process of writing original compositions is deceptively similar to arranging a distinct cover. Ultimately you're shaping sound until it matches your internal vision. It doesn’t make much difference whether the starting point is an idea that comes to you, or a song that people have known and loved for years. The only significant departure in the creative process is lyrical; this was the first opportunity for us to explore and express our relationship with Satan in musical form.


3. You have also done plenty of cover tunes over the years, can you tell us a little bit more about the songs you have covered?

The focus on covers really started as experimentation: noticing and refining the dark traits of other music. Before long we had amassed enough to release our first album 'Sons ov Southern Hampton'. The response to particular songs informed the direction of the next - 'Our World Blackened' was entirely comprised of blackened re imaginings of heavy metal classics.

We very recently released a final EP of covers, 'The Veins ov History', which felt a bit like fulfilling our bucket list of songs to reshape before we set our sights on original material. That EP was actually recorded in the same sessions as 'A Heretic Art', the two are very much companions to one another.


4. The lyrics on the new EP deal with Luciferian, Satanism and Occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the black arts?

As mentioned, we found lyrics were the main difference when creating original pieces. As with all important relationships, our bond with Satan is fiercely personal. It's a challenge to give form to it lyrically in a meaningful way. So the songs make heavy use of metaphor and narrative, but at their heart is a firm devotion to Satan and a will to enact his vengeance.


5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Bykürius'?

The name Bykürius came to us both in a shared dream. We've since come to believe that what we experienced was Lucifer's touch on our consciousness. He spoke to us in a silent tongue, expanded our minds and broadened our experiences. His teachings that night revealed a lot about ourselves, and we’ve remained his students and continue our explorations to this day.


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

With both EPs being released alongside each other, we wanted to represent the differences and similarities between them, with colour and symmetry. This meant we had to find an artist with a wide body of great work to pick from. You might notice a slight Emperor and Dimmu Borgir influence in our music. Following in their footsteps led us to Gustave Doré, and made his works a perfect choice.


7. 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?

We feel strongly that Bykürius should remain the two of us. Certainly we've no intention of recreating our music on stage. Our music is a carefully crafted window into a specific vision of darkness - to take it and perform it live would cheapen the discovery to be had by the listener.


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

We've had some small offers over the years, nothing that has piqued much interest on our part. For now, we're content to remain a strong, independent black metal project, who don't need no label.


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

The reaction has been very positive from black metal fans, especially those with similar tastes to us in other musical realms. The Iron Maiden and Judas Priest covers are popular, as you might expect, but you'd be surprised how many of our fans are also into Madonna, Andrew Lloyd Webber... Disney! Perhaps they've tasted that same concealed vein of malevolence. Many fans of mainstream metal meet our work with confusion, but it's then acted as a gateway for some of them into a genre they'd never usually approach.


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

It's hard to see what the future holds for Bykürius. We’ve got a lot of other musical projects between the two of us, those keep us busy. Having said that, some ideas are slowly starting to take shape. We're going to let the dust settle on these two EPs, and then see where the dark winds take us.


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?

Skirting around the usual suspects (Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Watain, Satyricon) there are dozens of great black metal albums we could point to. One of our favourite records is 'Harvest' by Naglfar, they did a great job of maintaining ferocity without sacrificing melody. A bit of that can be heard in places on ‘A Heretic Art’.

Your readers must agree to keep this secret, but our listening tendencies stretch further than the black metal brethren we draw influence from - Run the Jewels, Immortal Technique, Blood Orange, RJD2, Purity Ring, M83, Storm Corrosion, Future Islands, even CHVRCHES (and not just because of their spelling). We've recently been on a musical journey through 70s rock. By way of Sweet, T.Rex, ELO, and some great poets from across the Atlantic such as Springsteen and Gordon Lightfoot, we've stumbled upon the shores of soul and R&B. If you dig deep, there's a rich darkness to be found in that music. Listen to James Carr's 'The Dark End of the Street' - it's soaked in desperation, resignation and emotional release. It's powerful stuff.


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

Worship to Satan. Seek his voice with indiscriminate hunger, and you’ll be surprised where it can be found.

https://www.facebook.com/Bykurius/