Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Sarcofago/Hate/Greyhaze Records/2020 Album Re-Issue Review


  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Brazil's  Sarcofago  which  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  a  blackened  death  metal  direction  and  the  album  was  originally  released  in  1994  by  Greyhaze  Records  and  the  re-issue  will  be  released  in  May  by  Greyhaze  Records.

  A  noise  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  all  programmed.  Vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  has  a  lot  of  roots  in  death  metal. Growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,.

 When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  synths  onto  the  recording  which  also  gives  the  music  more  the  atmosphere  of  a  horror movie  soundtrack  as  well  as  some  war  metal  elements  being  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  and  at  times  the  vocals  also  go  for  more  of  an  angry  shouting  approach.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Anti  Christianity,  Death  and  Lust  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sarcofago  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  early  90's  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pact  Of  Cum"  "Satanic  Terrorism"  and  "The  Phantom".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/unq_cxMhcz4 

 

  

Argesk Interview

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



Matt: We are four individuals united by a common love of black and dark metal; a melting pot of influences from our extreme metal forbears to the acolytes of darkness that dominate the scene today. We aim to join their ranks.



Leth: First and foremost, we play metal. We all share a solid respect for some of the black metal artists who came before us upon whose shoulders we stand but we're not going to choose to limit ourselves by pre-explored tropes. The variety of our musical backgrounds in punk, thrash, industrial and electronic music all lend themselves to a sound with more than just raw ferocity, but depth.



2.You have your first album coming out in April, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?



Matt: The album's musical style channels the influences of all four members, bringing diverse and interesting elements to the seven litanies presented. The title track is a triumphant gallop influenced by Emperor and Dissection, while 'In Their Image' includes gothic keyboards and riffs inspired by Mutiilation. The album's climax, 'Drowned in Freezing Waters' includes sections influenced by depressive black metal such as Woods of Desolation, and 'Adversary' includes first-wave inspired riffing and harmonised clean vocals. Our sound is a marriage of the old with the new, the grotesque with the grandiose, the triumphant with the despondent.



Leth: We came together out of our love for black metal and beyond a doubt that drove the sound. You can call it a black metal album if you'd like.





3.Some of your lyrics touch on Satanism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?



Matt: Very interesting question... my interest in the occult began when I was very young. I was raised Christian and as such, the veil between the spiritual and the material was very thin growing up. Concepts like the afterlife, angels, demons and spirits were a big part of my formative years. I began to question Christian doctrine much more as I got older, particularly when reading the Old Testament, and I concluded that even if this so-called 'God' is real, he does not deserve anyone's adoration. If we are sinners, is it not only because he makes us so?



Satanism appealed to me when reading the works of Anton LaVey and Aleister Crowley. It's a very personal philosophy – it doesn't proselytise, and it has very realistic expectations of human nature, as opposed to Christianity's 'seven deadly sins'... there is also no omnipotent deity to worship. I don't believe in a 'devil', but I believe that there is something beyond the realms of our limited human perception, which can sometimes slip through the cracks and show us a glimpse behind the veil...





4.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored with the music?



Matt: Many of our lyrics are influenced by gothic literature, and 'Drowned in Freezing Waters' draws heavily on Bram Stoker's Dracula. This song describes the suicide of Elisabeta, Prince Vlad's betrothed, upon falsely hearing that he had been killed in battle... 'Realm of Eternal Night' is an ode to the nocturnal splendour of Northern winters, combined with imagery of fantastical battles such as those portrayed by JRR Tolkien. 'Adversary' is an inversion of the Christian Confirmation vows that I took as a child, renouncing the ways of Christ and his doctrine. 'In Their Image' foretells the rising of artificial consciousness and its eventual subjugation of humankind, upon its realisation of its own superiority...



Leth: For me, the music of Argesk plays out the frustrations of life. We're four independent men whose personal lives greatly differ but one aspect we all share is the hardship of daily living, the trials of health and wealth, love and loss. Argesk is for me an attempt to channel those deeply personal trials into joy. There is a profound joy that comes from the composition and performance of music with others throughout these hardships.





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



Leth; The Argeș river runs through southern Romania into the Danube towards the Black Sea. One possible meaning of the name of the river is "Higher Ground" and this is what I personally choose to hold of our name.



Matt: This river is the one in which Elisabeta drowned herself in Francis Ford Coppola's film adaptation of Dracula. Given the grandiose, gothic flavour of much of our music, it seemed fitting.



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



Matt: The artwork is by Russian artist Artem Demura, who I came across when listening to Malist's 'In the Catacombs of Time'. The aesthetics of their artwork fits our music perfectly, and we were able to purchase the piece used for the album cover, entitled 'Lost City'. The cover fits the tone of the album perfectly, conveying the necessary dark grandeur and mystery, and drawing the listener in...





7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?



Our stage performance seeks to channel the powers of fury, despair and sardonic triumph into a manifestation to empower the listener and confound our opponents. Some of our favourite shows so far have been with our friends in Thy Dying Light and Andracca at the Yorkshire House, Lancaster, which is an old haunt of both myself and Leth when we attended Lancaster University and its Rock, Metal and Punk Society. We also enjoyed supporting Akercocke – luminaries of British extreme metal and old friends of Bob's. Playing Darkness Over Cumbria at Fell Foot Wood was a rare honour, and the crowd response was nothing short of rapturous. More recently, we played a show in memory of our fallen friend Marta, and paid tribute to her through the music she loved.



Leth: The music in my ear invokes the eerie, the fearful, the tense, the hostile and the elated. As I perform, I try to interact with the audience to convey these emotions. Some of this involves grandiose displays of aggression towards the crowd and my bandmates but the quiet, purposeful interactions with individual spectators often provide a more lasting impression. Some of my favourite shows are ones where the room is small. This allows me to really hone in and create an interpersonal connection with someone I have never seen before and may never see again, but with whom I'm sharing that very moment and that very emotion.



8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?



Leth: At the time of writing, it is projected by those academics who model such things that hundreds of thousands of people in Europe will lose their lives to the covid pandemic. These dark days are early, but they will play out throughout our album release. Health is precious if and where it can be had. I would never choose to risk it for ourselves or those who enjoy our music. I would only be willing to pursue a tour when these harder times are over.



9.The album is coming out on 'Clobber Records', how did you get in contact with this label?



Matt: I've been in contact with Rebecca from Clobber for a while now, and the label has been on my radar for the last couple of years, so they were a natural choice. Clobber's roster includes the superb Abduction, And Now the Owls are Smiling and Shadowflag, among many others, and we and the label felt that Argesk would sit well amongst these. Clobber have been a joy to work with so far and I look forward to working with them to promote the album!



Leth: British black metal has a warm and welcoming community and Clobber have firmly installed themselves as an uplifting influence on our shared musical arena. I personally met them at the Darkness Over Cumbria festival last year where they offered some really useful constructive advice for our album once it had been recorded. Based on that advice alone, I felt it was worth including them in those labels we reached out to. I'm grateful that they also enjoy our music and wish to share it far and wide.



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



Leth: There have been a wide range of reactions to us from the heartwarming to the downright bizzare. It's always uplifting to hear from people who enjoy our work and wish to support us. The British black metal scene is particularly tight-knit - frequently I've discovered that I've become genuine friends with someone by accident simply because of the music scene we share. That's obviously harder to feel further afield but even across Europe people have reached out to me to express how much they enjoy my work. There's no greater feeling as an artist. One of the strangest reactions was from shortly after we released our first demo, when an American guy posted a video of himself prancing around outside with a pair of drumsticks and a headtorch over the top of a massively distorted, chopped up copy of our song. That said, the guy had a massive grin on his face throughout - who the hell am I to tell someone how they should or should not enjoy our work. He's clearly having a good time and when I saw that I was just glad someone was enjoying our music.



Matt: I would say the reaction to our music has been overwhelmingly positive. Many have remarked that the music takes them back to the 90s, and appreciate the different elements brought to the table. We have also pleasantly surprised many people who aren't usually into black metal, as well as sating the thirst of aficionados of all things blackened.



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



Leth: All four of the band members are trying to pull Argesk in wildly different musical directions. This, I believe, is one of our strengths. When all is said and done, the whole band contributes to each and every song. I am now choosing to pull in either an electronic or ambient direction. None of us know the destination.



Matt: We have already begun work on songs for the follow-up release to the album, and have been playing a new song, 'Tempest' live. This is a very ambient piece, much of which is inspired by Summoning, but the second half is more reminiscent of 'Enthrone Darkness Triumphant' era Dimmu Borgir. Dillon is also working on a thrashier, punkier song with the working title 'Hail Satan', and I have many, many riff and vocal ideas in store. This is just the beginning for Argesk!



12.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?



Matt: When writing much of this album, I drew on Dissection, Gorgoroth, Sargeist, early Cradle of Filth, Hecate Enthroned, Woods of Desolation, Mutiilation and Alcest. For my guitar playing, I play melodic riffs that can often stick in your head... I've heard us described as catchy before! For my vocals, 90s Dani Filth and Jon Kennedy are big influences, as well as Neige from Alcest's harsh vocals and Tim Yatras of Austere/Germ etc. Corpsegrinder is also an inspiration for the low growls.



Lately I've had 'Vittra' by Naglfar on loop, and have been really into the new Ninkharsag single, 'Discipline Through Black Sorcery', as well as a lot of Sargeist, Thy Antichrist, Graveworm, Dark Tranquillity... I love the new Ulfarr album too.



Leth: I greatly enjoy black metal, but I draw my musical energy from elsewhere. There are four albums that have near-enough been on loop for me throughout the multiple-year process of writing this album. None of them are really black metal, but I feel that they have all shaped my melodic and atmospheric contribution to this album. BLUE by iamamiwhoami is a gripping electropop soundscape whose breadth of emotion I can only ever hope to invoke through my own art. The Victorian Wallflowers by Ashbury Heights drags the user though the sensation of crushing melancholy and neatly packages it up as a series of catchy synthpop ditties. Gravity The Seducer by Ladytron seems to have captured an endless sound of greater and greater complexity the more you listen to it. When my contribution to a song felt peripheral and unnecessary, I tried only to deliver a similar background complexity. I also spend a large amount of time with the music of King of Dungeon Synth himself, Mortiis. In particular, my keyboards in this album has been greatly influenced by Ånden som Gjorde Opprør along with its reinvention as Spirits of Rebellion.







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



Matt: Thank you for the interview and for supporting Argesk... We look forward to unleashing the album upon you.



Leth: This album to me is a triumph of joy over the pain of living in human flesh. I only hope you get joy from it too.


Bezeha/Smyrna/2020 Full Length Review


  Greece's  Bezeha  have returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  old  school  style  of  black  metal  from  their  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "Smyrna".

  Classical  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  whispers  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Most  of  the  album  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  era  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  at  times.

 Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  some  whispers  also making  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  as  the  recording  progresses  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  demonic  growls.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Anti  Christianity,  Social  and  Mythistorical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Bezeha  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Light  Over  Athens"  "Bloodline"  and  "Finit  Hic  Deo".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IwyWEy0aqw

  

Monday, March 30, 2020

Firmament/Self Titled/Kammer Records/2020 Full Length Review


  Firmament  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  an  atmospheric  and  ambient  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2020  album  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Kammer  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  a  sci-fi  orientated  atmosphere  a  few  seconds  later.  Ambient  style  synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  all  3  of  the  tracks  are  also  very long  and  epic  in  length  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  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clean  playing  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  post  rock  and  metal  elements  also  being  utilized  at  times,  ambient  style  synths  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  in  some  parts  of  the  album  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  German  and  English  and  cover  dark  and  scientific  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Firmament  are  a  very  great  sounding  ambient  and  atmospheric  post  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Sonne//Aus  dem  Nichts".  8  out  of  10.

https://kammerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/firmament

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Zommm/Reality Is An Illusion/2018 EP Review


  Zommm  are  a  duo  from  Azerbaijan  that  plays  an  experimental  mixture  of  post  black  metal  and  shoegaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  ep  "Reality  Is  An  Illusion".

  Dark  ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  ep  and  after  awhile  drum  beats  are  also  added  onto  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  shoegaze  style.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  second  track  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  recording.

  Elements  of  post  rock  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  one  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction.  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.

  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  briefly  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  experimental  moments,  ethnic  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  the  ep  also  closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Zomm  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  post  black  metal  and  shoegaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical genres,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Shining  Of  The  Solar  Moon"and  "Reality  Is  An  Illusion".8 out  of  10.

https://zommm.bandcamp.com/album/reality-is-an-illusion  

Alasthor/Mahapralaya/2020 EP Review


  Alasthor are  a  duo  from  Belgium  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  occult  form  of  black  metal  with  some  elements  of  death,  thrash  metal  and  crust  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  ep  "Mahapralaya".

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  music  also  adds  in  some  crust  elements  and  the  guitar  leads  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Influences  of  death  and  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  growls  and  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  briefly  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  On  this  recording  Alasthor  remains  true  to  the  occult  black  metal  style  that  was  established  on  their  previous  release  along  with  keeping  the  death,  thrash  metal  and  crust  elements.  The  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  and  Left  hand  Path  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Alasthor  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  occult  black  emtal  with  some  elements  of  death,  thrash  metal  and  crust,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Possessed  by  The  Goddess" and  "Nahash".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvUdU_Iss78&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0X-2HajSL65Ur9eJZUTDIipoRZdBCZ3Gs7mQfvJQQoAe3veMn8W6wzh88      

Grieve/Self Titled/Werewolf/2020 EP Re-Issue Review


  Grieve  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  old  school  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2019  ep  which  will  be  re-issued  in  April  of  2020  by  Werewolf.

  A  very  fast,  raw  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  which  also  uses  a  good  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  sounding  like  it  could  of  easily  been  around  and  released  more  than  20  years  ago.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style   while  synths  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Grieve  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric  as  well  as  being  more  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Grieve  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  and  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Spiteful  Scourge".  8  out  of  10.

http://werewolfrecords.bandcamp.com/album/grieve



  

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Black Pestilence/Hail The Flesh/2020 CD Review


  Alberta,  Canada's  Black  Pestilence  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  punk  and  noise  influenced  style  of  black  metal  from  their  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  "Hail  The  Flesh"  which  will  be  released  in  May.

  A  very  heavy  yet  punk  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  black  emtal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  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.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  while  a  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Back  up  shouts  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  some  elements  of  noise  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  demonic  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and  Social  Issues  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Black  Pestilence  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  black  metal  with  elements  of  punk  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hail  The  Flesh"  "True  To  The  Dark"  "Frauds  To  The  Throne"  and  "Ephemeral".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook.com/blackpestilencebandInstagram.com/blackpestilence     

Nulla+/Othismos/2020 Split EP Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  self  released  ep  between  Italy's  Nulla+  and  Othismos  which  will  be  released  in  May  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Nulla+  who  return  with a  mixture  of  black  metal,  hardcore  punk  and  stenchcore

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  along  with  some  angry  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  Elements  of  hardcore  can  also  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  music  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  crust  punk  and  stenchcore.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them. 

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  both  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  showing  a  great  amount  of  progression  from  their  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  human  misery  and  dystopian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nulla+  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  hardcore  punk  and  stenchcore,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Teorica  Momento".

  Next  up  is  Othismos  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  emtal  and  punk.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  done  in  an  angry  blackened  punk  style  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  influences  but  done  in  a  more  modern  style.

  Most  of  their  music  also  sticks  to  more of  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  both  of  their  tracks  are  under  3  minutes  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Othismos  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "La  Fine  di  Tutto".

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  black  metal,  hardcore,  crust  and  punk.  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/NULLAPLUS/
https://www.facebook.com/Othismosrock/      

The Projectionist/The Stench Of Amalthia/Moribund Records/2020 CD Review


  Alberta,  Canada's  The  Projectionist  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  raw  and  depressive  style  of  black  metal  from  their  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020 album  "The  Stench  Of  Amalthia"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Moribund  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  second  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams.  At  times  the  music  also  captures  the  atmosphere  of  a  classic  horror  movie  soundtrack  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  some  spoken  word  parts.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  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  get  more  high  pitched  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  death  metal  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.  Demonic  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  introducing  clean  male  and  female  vocals  onto  the  recording. 

  Some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  pianos  are  added  onto  the  music  they  also  give  the  recording  more  of  an  avant  garde  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard,  the  album  also  closes  with  a  cover  of  Operation  Winter  Mist's  "Death  And  Honor".  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  an  aging,  dying  former  Film  noire  starlet  named  Amalthia  Grahame,  isolated  in  her  palatial  home  and  the  horrors  that  she  faces. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Projectionist  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  depressive  and  horror  themes  black  metal,  you  should  check  out this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sepulchral  Oak  Door"  "The  Weakening"  "Flated"  and  "Forsaken  O'Clock".  8/5  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/3QrDSboZwCk

Esoctrilihum/Eternity Of Shaog/I, Voidhanger Records/2020 Full Length Review


  Esoctrilihum  is  a  solo  project  from  France  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  symphonic  and  occult  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "Eternity  Of  Shaog"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  also  mixing  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.  The  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  some  elements  of  death  metal.

  Ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  clean  playing  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  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  symphonic  elements  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  pianos  and  violins  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  an  avant  garde  touch,  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Darkness  and  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Esoctrilihum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  and  occult  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Exh-Eni  Soph  (1st  Passage:  Exiled  From  Sanity)"  "Amenthlys  (5th  Passage:  Through  The  yth-Whtu  Seal)"  and  "Eternity  Of  Shaug  (∞th  Passage:  Grave  Ff  Agony)".  8/5  out  of  10.

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Bezwering/Aan de wormen overgeleverd/Van Records/2020 CD Review


  Bezwering  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Aan  de  wormen  overgeleverd"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Van  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  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  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  also  brings  in  first  and  second  wave  influences  but  also  keeps  it  modern  at  the  same  time.  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  a  lot  of  tracks  also  adding  in  melodic  pagan  singing  onto  the  recording.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  a  later  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  introduces  clean  laying  onto  the  recording  and  the  album  closes  with  an  instrumental  which  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  melodic  guitar  leads.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Dutch  and  cover  darkness,  paganism  and  undeath  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Bezwering  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vredeloos"  "Uitgeteerd" "Geen  bloemen op  mijn  graf"  and  "Waanzinskolk".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/BEZWERING-552636585162467      

Ritual Clearing/Self Titled/Eternal Death/2020 EP Review


  Ritual  Clearing  are  a  band  from  Connecticut  that  plays  a  very  raw,  melodic  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2020  ep  Which  will  be  released  in April  by  Eternal  Death.

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  a  few  seconds  later.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  good  amount  of  melody  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  lot  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  being  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  Swedish  style  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Ritual  Clearing  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  raw  in  the  90's  second  wave  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  isolation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ritual  Clearing  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  melodic  and  old  school  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  our  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hide"  and  "Void".  8  out  of  10.

http://eternaldeath.bandcamp.com/album/ritual-clearing

Friday, March 27, 2020

Doden Grotte/Fullmoon Cult/Summon The Wolves Of War/Askio Productions/2020 Split CD Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Russia's  Doden  Grotte  and  Greece's  Fullmoon  Cult  called  "Summon  The  Wolves  Of  War"  which  was  released  by  Askio  Productions  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Doden  Grotte  a  band  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Throughout  their  side  of  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  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style  along  with  some  clean  vocals  also  being  used  briefly  as  well  as  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.

  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  synths  also  being  added  in  the  background,  one  track  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  their  side  of  the  recording  along  with  some  demonic  growls  and  death  metal  elements  also  being  utilized  at  times.  One  track  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  and  they  close  their  side  of  the  split  with  a  cover  of  Baal  Zebuth's  "The  Castle  Of  Horror".  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  occultism  and  black  metal  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Doden  Grotte  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  old  school  black  metal  and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Summoned  From  Eternity"  and  "Dark  Goddess  Ov  Black  Metal".

  Next  up  is  Fullmoon  Cult  a  band  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  old  school  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and  raw  sound  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats,  Most  of  their  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Ritualistic  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.  All  of the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era,  melodic  guitar  leads  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  they  close  their  side  of  the  split  with  a  cover  of  Impaled  Nazarene's  "We're  Satans  Generation".  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Fullmoon  Cult  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  old  school  black  metal  fan  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Invocation  Of  Exiled  Lord"  and  "Enlighten  My  Path".

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

https://askio-productions.bandcamp.com/album/summon-the-wolves-of-war  

Bythos/The Womb Of Zero/Terratur Possessions/2020 CD Review


  Bythos  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  an  occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "The  Womb Of  Zero"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Terratur  Possessions.

A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  sounding  black  metal  screams  which  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  growls  at  times  as  well  as  having  their  high  pitched  moments  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  music  mostly  focuses  more  on  a  modern  black  metal  style. A  couple  of  tracks  also  introduces  a  brief  use  of  synths  onto  the  recording.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  songs  along  with  the  music  focusing  more  on  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  classical  guitars  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  an  interdimensional  view  on  the  underworld  and  its  deities,  emphasizing  strongly  on  the  spiritual  evolution  to  liberate  the  imprisoned  powers,  and  make  one  with  the  outer  darkness.

  In  my  opinion  Bythos  are  a  very  great  sounding  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Labyrinth"  "Omega  Dragon"  "Hymn  To  Lucifer"  and  "Luciferian  Dawn".  8  out  of  10.

https://soundcloud.com/terratvr-possessions/bythos-when-gold-turns-into-lead    

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Boreal/The Battle Of VOSAD/Nebulae Artifacta/2020 Re-Recorded Album Review


  Boreal  are  a  band  from  Olympia,  Washington  that  plays  an  ambient  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  re-recording  of  an  album  they  originally  released  in  2006  called  "The  battle  Of  VOSAD"  with  the  newer  version  being  released  in  May  of  2020  by  Nebulae  Artifacta.

  Epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times  while  also  mixing  in  elements  of  dark  ambient.  Most  of  the  drum  beats  are  programmed  while  the  music  also  adds  in  touches  of  dungeon  synth  at  times  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  which  are  mixes  down  low  in  the  mix.

  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  as  well  as  some  melodic  guitar  leads  also  being  utilized  at  times,  classical  guitars  percussion  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  the  tracks  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  album  also  closes  with  an  instrumental.

  Boreal  plays  a  style  of  ambient  black  metal  that  is  very  epic  and  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  some  touches of  dungeon  synth.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics cover  darkness,  nature  and  battle  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Boreal  are  a  very  great  sounding  ambient  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Battle"  and  "Dawn".  8  out  of  10.

https://nebulaeartifacta.bandcamp.com/album/na-2004-the-battle-of-vosad

Linwe Interview

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

Linwe is a side project for me, I would be most known for my band Armorer, as well as the vocalist for Danish and Polish collaborations I Myrkri and Erebos, respectively. Linwe is one of a handful of small individual releases I have made over the past year or so, I'm not sure if I will have more music for Linwe in the future - but we shall see.

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

This was actually written in the style of Armorer, but with much more pronounced vocals as well as the use of bass guitar. At the time of writing I was in the middle of recording vocals for the first I Myrkri album and got sidetracked for a week or so in which I wrote and recorded this demo. I'm still working on an Armorer release I've had for over a year now so I didn't want to come out with something that sounds newer, so I decided to release it on it's own.

3.You are also involved with a few other musical projects, what do you bring into the music of 'Linwe' that you are not able to do with your other projects?

This was more of a detour musically for me, I really wanted to focus on the production value rather than make something that sounds completely different to Armorer, but I think the songs are good because the writing process happened organically which is something I try to tune in to, I go through phases where I don't write for 3 months because I don't feel it. In this case, everything worked out for the short sample of songs that I was able to write.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explored on the demo?

These lyrics are from some ancient Armorer songs; ones I wrote in a time of pain and recovery. I had wanted to revisit them at some point and this music felt right to do that with.

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

It's a name from a fantasy series, I'm not sure which but it's something like that. I collect names I think would fit well with music, this just happened to pop up into my head while writing so it stuck.

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

I live in the Appalachian mountains in west North Carolina, there a lot of really old and powerful places in nature to be found if one is willing to look for them. In this case I had seen this river bank on some private property where I took the photo, parked my car and made my way down from the side of the road and walked for about half a mile - all of this high as fuck mind you - and took about 30 pictures before I decided it was time to get out of there. It's the best I can do to capture some of the lustrous landscapes I've been to in the mountains here.

7.With the exception of one musical project you record all the music by yourself in your other groups, do you prefer working solo to working with other musicians?

I've lived basically alone in the middle of nowhere for about 5 years now, and that's about when I started getting back into writing music. I'm happy when the urge to write strikes me, but it definitely waxes and wanes - the life of a low energy mood based creative.

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

I'm not particularly looking for a label, I am quite happy doing my own thing and not doing much promotion. I'm always greatful when people find my stuff and enjoy it, part of the reason all my bandcamp releases can be downloaded for free.

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

A warm thanks to the people who have found my music and enjoyed it over the years. As for this demo, For this demo I think the positive response was more than I expected for sure.

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

I'm going to be starting work on a new Erebos album in the coming months, also there will be a new EP from Armorer coming very soon.

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?

I could have a very long answer to the first part of this question, but my favorite band is Summoning. I listen to a lot of shit though man, I guess recently I've been jamming Weedeater, Ancient Boreal Forest, and Profetus to name a few.


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

Thanks for having me for this interview, check out Linwe on bandcamp, and follow Armorer on Facebook to keep up with my musical doings. Cheers boys.

http://www.blackmetalspirit.net/
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Thurthul/Fury Of Ancient Race/Dark Omens Productions/2020 CD Review


  Thurthul  is  a  solo  project  from  Poland  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  atmospheric  form  of  pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "Fury  Of  Ancient  Race"  which  was  released  by  Dark  Omens  Productions.

  Raw  and  fast  tremolo  picking  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  blast  beats  a  few  seconds  later.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  being  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark,  raw  and  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  sounds  like  it  could  of  easily  been  recorded and  released  more  than  20 years  ago  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  riffs  also  start  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody,  one  track  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording.

  Thurtful  plays  a  style  of  pagan  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  evil,  and  atmospheric  in  the  90's  Polish  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism,  Nature,  Hatred,  Ancient  Times  and  Heroism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Thurthul  is  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  atmospheric  pagan  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Honor  And  Pride"  "Fury  Of  Ancient  Race"  and  "Against  The  Modern  World".  8  out  of  10.

https://thurthul.bandcamp.com/album/fury-of-ancient-race

  

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Manes/Young Skeleton/Aftermath Music/2020 Single Review


  Manes  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  the  zine  and  over  the  years  have  moved  away  from  the  black  metal  style  of  earlier  releases  and  has  gone  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  experimental,  electronic, alternative  rock,  gothic  and  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  single  "Young  Skeleton"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Aftermath  Music.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  single  along  with  a  very  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  a  few  seconds  later.  Slide guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  done  in  a  clean  style  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  experimental  moments  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  The  sounds  of  dogs  barking  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  onto  the  second  track.  Operatic  female  vocals  are  also   used  on  the  second  song  adding  in  a  touch  of  goth  rock  as  well  as  some  blackened  whispers  also  being  added  into  the  background  and  the  riffs  also  show  an  influence  of  metal.

  On  this  recording  Manes  sounds  nothing  like  their  earlier  black  metal  material  going  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  experimental,  electronic,  goth,  alternative  rock  and  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  abstract,  decay  and  solitude  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  decent  recording  from  Manes  and  while  some  black  metal  fans  might  not  like  this  style,  I  can  see  this  appealing  to  fans  of  experimental,  alternative  rock  and  avant  garde  emtal.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Mouth  Of  The  Volcano".  7  out  of  10.

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