Black Metal Musicians Year Zero/Black Metal Musicians Productions/2023 Compilation Album Review

 

 This  is  a  review  of  a  compilation  album  called  "Black  metal  Musicians  Year  Zero"  and  was  released  by  Black  metal  musicians  Productions  and  consists  of  underground  black  metal  bands  from  different  parts  of  the  world  and  we  will  review  the  songs  one  by  one.

  Kybalion  brings  us  "A  Stain  On  The  Earth"  which  is  very  fast  and  raw  sounding  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  is  also  heavily  rooted  in t he  old  school  era  of  the  genre.

  Veleno  brings  us  "Fuori  Dalla  Tomba"  a  song  that  brings  out  more  of  a  punk  and  black'nroll  style  while  still  adding  in  a  grim  black  metal  vocal  approach  and  most  of  the  track  also  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  Necrovomit  666  brings  us  "Witchcraft  And  Blood"  a  very  fast  and  raw  old  school  satanic  black  metal  songs  which  also  adds  in  some  bestial  growls  and  more  of  a  South  American  war   metal  style.

  Okhema  brings  us  "Lost"  a  song  that  us  done  in  more  of  a  melodic  yet  black  metal  style  that  is  very  close  the  mid  90's  Swedish  era  of  the  genre  and  the  vocals  go  for  more  of  a  high  pitched  direction.

  Murmux  brings  us  "Citatasio  Spirituum"  which  brings  in  more  of  a  melodic  occult  black  metal  style  along  with  the  vocals  going  for  more  of  a  deeper  direction  and  towards  the  end  gets  more  fast  and  raw  as  well  as  adding  in  some  blast  beats.

  Mountain  Hermit  brings  us  "Wintermoon"  which  is  more  in  an  atmospheric  black  metal  direction  as  well  as  adding  in  some  synths  before  adding   in  some  melodic,  raw  and  aggressive  touches.

  Kruzifix  brings  us  "Dark  Queen"  which  stars  with  the  songs  of  torment  and  pain  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  90's  old  school  tradition.

  Kintsukuroi  brings  us  "Chosting"  which  starts  out  with  some  clean  playing  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  and  riffing  brings  in  more  of  a  depressive  black  metal  approach  with  some  melancholic  melodies  as  well  as  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars.

  KRKN  brings  us  "FROSTOUNGE"  which  starts  out  with  some  ambient  style  soundscapes  and  synths  before  evolving  into  more  of  a  fast,  raw  and  aggressive  black  metal  style  and  the  vocals  bring  in  more  of  a  high  pitched  screaming  approach.

  Lightbearer  brings  us  "Solemn  Oblation"  a  very  old  school  style  black  metal  song  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in t he  90's  second  wave  era  with  some  raw  riffing,  grim  black  metal  screams  and  occult  lyrics.

  Nattfly  brings  us  "Blanande"  a  very  fast,  raw  and  melodic  black  metal  song  with  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  which  also  adds  in  a  very  shamanistic  atmosphere  at  times  as  well  as  always  remaining  aggressive.

  GVLA  brings  us  "Sacrificial  Stone"  a  song  that  brings  in  more  of  an  aggressive  yet  mid  tempo  approach  to  black  metal  mixed  in  with  some  grim  screams  which  also  takes  the  track  into  more  of  an  old  school  direction  as  well  as  well a s  having  its  raw  and  fast  moments.

  Non  Somnia  brings  us  "Counting  Worms"  which  starts  out  with  some  tragic  sounding  keyboard  while  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  introduces  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  into  the  music  and  the  song  is  done  in  more  of  a  slow  and  atmospheric  style.

  Ad  Unum  Omnes  brings  us  "Empty  Souls"  another  song  that  starts  out  with  some  tragic  sounding  keyboards  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  melodic  black  metal  direction  while  the  vocals  bring  in  more  of  a  grim  and  high  pitched  screaming  approach  as  well  as  the  track  also  having  its  fast  and  raw  moments.

  Eternal  Twilight  brings  us  "Ballad  of  Hanged  Men"  which  starts  out  with  some  dark  soundscapes  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  lo-fi  direction  while  the  vocals  add  in  more  of  a  deeper  approach  and  the  song  is  more  rooted  in  a  depressive  style  of  black  metal 

  Kasedan  brings  us  "Girigondo"  a  song  that  starts  out  more  experimental  and  avant  garde  before  evolving  into  more  of  fast  and  aggressive  black  metal  direction  which  also  adds  in  some  synths  and  more  of  a  growling  vocals  approach.

  Perpetual  brings  us  "Foetal  Suicide"  a  song  that  starts  out  with  some  clean  playing  and  synths  before  evolving  into  more  of  an  aggressive  black  metal  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  screams.

  Lord  of  Horns  brings  us  "Screams  Of  The  Oskorei"  a  song  that  is  very  old  school  in  the  mid  90's  tradition  while  also  adding  in  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths  as  well  as  having  its  fast  and  raw  moments.

  Drovich  closes  the  compilation  with  "Kannibalisme  yn  Holodmor"  a  song  that  brings  in  more  of  a  melodic  and  approach  to  black  metal  as  well  as  adding  in  a  lot  of  90's  era  old  school   aggression  and  high  pitched  scream's.

  In  conclusion  i  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  compilation  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  black  metal.  8  out  of  10.

  Telegram Group: https://t.me/blackmetalmusicians

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackmetalmusicians

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5EqRS8mnV8pIiGsQtk9Etr

Youtube Channel: https://youtube.com/@BlackMetalMusicians

Label: https://blackmetalmusiciansproductions.bandcamp.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554389396951    

  

    

Krafthur/Acdenando aos Pesadelos do Passado/Vacula Productions/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Krafthur  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  an  aggressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Acdenando  aos  Pesadelos  do  Passado"  which  was  released  by  Vacula  Productions.

  A  very  epic  sounding  battle  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  synths  and  spoken  word  parts  which  also  returns  on  a  later  song  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  The  tremolo  picking  in  the  faster  riffing  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  album  closes  with  a  Marduk  cover.

  Krafthur  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  most  aggressive  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sadness, war  and  despair  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Krafthur  are  a  very  great  sounding  aggressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Era  da  Glória  Perdida"  "Ad  Noctem"  and  "La  Grande Danse  Macabre".  8  out  of  10.

  www.facebook.com/krafthur   

Saitma/Blizzard Tapes 2023/2023 Demo Review

 

  Saitma  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  dmeo  "Blizzard  Tapes  2023".

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  demo  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  some  of  the  riffing  shows  an  influence  of  thrash  metal.

  Most  of  the  music  is  also very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  very  true  to  an  old  school style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  most  of  the  demo  sticks  to  a  faster  direction  only  slowing  down  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  back  up  shouts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Siatma  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  old  school  in  the  early  90's  tradition.  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Darkness  and  Misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Saitma  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bullet  Rain"  and  "Prevail".  8  out  of  10.

  https://saitma.bandcamp.com/album/blizzard-tapes-2023    

Nemus Anima Interview

 

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

A: I’ve been writing music my whole life but always ended up in bands with ”dictators” who are not willing to listen your ideas. So I came up with this idea to record my own album and doing everything by myself. 

2.Recently you have released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the  musical style that you went for on the recording?

A: When I started the whole recording process I had no clue what style or genre to go for. I started with an old song which I had composed many years ago. It was an instrumental song and I wanted to make some adjustments and add vocals. That song ended up being ”dreaming of their demise” the fifth track on the album. I’ve always loved good guitar solos and dark melancholy music. I guess it was just a natural transition to be melodic/atmospheric black metal.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the music?

A: It’s always about sad or tragic stories. Darkness, melancholy and grief. I guess it’s in my blood when you’re born in here dark, cold north. The first song “Mother’s grief” is about a mom who loses a child in an accident and tries to bring her back. There’s also topics about dealing with mental trauma and losing self control. But not everything is so damn serious. “Calling” is about self irony, it’s all about making fun of myself and the whole metal scene. The lyrics are really funny with great rhymes, too bad you can’t understand a thing I’m screaming, haha!

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

A:I had this vision in my head of a giant spirit in a forest. So I needed to name that vision. Anything in english wouldn’t work so I went for latin. Nemus = forest, anima = spirit. Done, simple!

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

A:The artwork represents pure hatred. When you feel so much anger and hatred that it materializes and comes alive. I almost went for a basic wintery forest scene but it didn’t feel right. I stand behind this artwork 100% it’s perfect!

6.Recently you have made the decision to record solo instead of playing in bands or doing live shows, what was the decision behind going into this direction?

A: I’m getting old and I have a family. The dream of being a rock star is not there anymore. I don’t enjoy it any longer. Also I’m getting lazy, I don’t want to put the effort to learn new songs that somebody else has written. 

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

A: I have not received any interest. And I’m not looking for any label at this point but I’m always open for suggestions.

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

A: To be honest, I don’t know yet! It’s been quiet :D The album is set to be released on December 30th and I have published one single but we shall see.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

A: I think I might publish one album per year under the name of Nemus anima. I also have another instrumental music project so it’s never gonna get boring. If I want to take a break from metal stuff I can continue with my other solo project and the other way around.

10.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?

A: My biggest influences are Morbid angel, Deicide, Zyklon, Myrkskog, Dimmu borgir, Marty Friedman, Throne of chaos and the list goes on and on. I always try to discover new bands to listen and the bands I have recently discovered and am listening to atm are Crypta, Valdrin, Imperial domain, Nocturna, Somehow Jo, Savage messiah and Shylmagoghnar.

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

A: First of all thank you for the interview! I hope my music will reach as many people as possible and people will enjoy my music! Thank you!

https://www.youtube.com/@NemusAnima

https://nemusanima.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6aIAW7Pbv4o8GsDJxGgbM7?si=JzkPOBSITIulGgAFdwGdeA&nd=1&dlsi=eefde3c593304791

Hollow Woods/Like Twisted Bones Of Fallen Giants/Signal Rex/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Hollow  Woods  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Like  Twisted  Bones  Of  Fallen  Giants"  which  will  be  released  in  2024  by  Signal  Rex.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  singing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  guitar  leads  also  remaining  very  true  to  an  old  school  style.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  instrumental  also  adding  in  a    small  amount  of  rain  and  thunder  sounds,  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  vocals  also  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature  mysticism  and  atavism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hollow  Woods  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ancient  Graves"  and  "Burial  Fires".  8 out  of  10.

  http://hollowwoods.bandcamp.com/album/like-twisted-bones-of-fallen-giants

hollowwoods.bandcamp.com       

Aberration/Diabolic Oath/Divinations/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2024 Split EP Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Minnesota's  Aberration  and  Oregon's  Diabolic  Oath  called  "Divinations"  which  will  be  released  in  2024  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Abberation  who  return  with  a  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal.

  heir  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  fast,  raw  and  brutal  war  metal  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  their  side  of  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  bestial  growls  and  black  metal  screams, When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  and  elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  section  of  the  song.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  and  the  lyrics  cover  divination  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Aberration  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  war,  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  Next  up  is  Diabolic  Oath  who  return  with  their  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  fast,  raw  and  brutal  war  metal  sound  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  bestial  growls  while  melody  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Elements  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  song  as  well  as  the  track  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  and  the  lyrics  cover  divination  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Diabolic  Oath  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  war,  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

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

   BANDCAMP RELEASE        

Locus Amoenus/'t Gloem Heil/2023 EP Review

 

  Locus  Amoenus  are  a  solo  project  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  depressive  black  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  ep  " 't Gloem Heil".

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  funeral  doom  metal  direction  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  growls  and  depressive  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  rain  and  thunder  sounds  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly,  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  the  closing  song  was  recorded  live.  

  Locus  Amoenus  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  an  atmospheric  and  depressive  black  metal  and  mixes  with  funeral  doom  metal  as  well  as  a  touch  of  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Dutch  and  cover  despair  and  surrender  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Locus  Amoenus  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  depressive  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Daar  de  Worgengel  Wacht".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://www.virtueofmourning.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/locusamoenusdoom/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/locusamoenus_official/    

Frostnatt/I Det H​ø​ye Nord/2023 EP Review

 

  Russia's  solo  project  Frostnatt  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  instrumental  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  ep  "I  Det  H​ø​ye  Nord".

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  ep  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  tracks  also  stick  to  an  instrumental  direction..

  Oone  of  the  tracks  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  ambient  style  drones  while  some  of  the  drum  beats  also  brings  in  more  of  a  tribal  style  and  most  of  the  recording  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  also  giving t he  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  when  it  is  utilized.

  On  this  recording  Frostnatt  expands  on  his  atmospheric  and  instrumental  style  of  black  metal  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Frostnatt  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  instrumental  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Den  Ensomme  Furua"  and  "Dekket  Av  Snø".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://frostnatt.bandcamp.com/album/i-det-h-ye-nord

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5NZQGP0PuNIyMiYiX4dfio?si=fXDOpif9SHOGK_c2tVpILg
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/kz/album/i-det-h%C3%B8ye-nord-ep/1722188223

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frostnattofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frostnattofficial

YouTube: @frostnattofficial    

  

Crust/Dissolution/Avantgarde Music/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Crust  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Dissolution"  which  was  released  by  Avantgarde  Music.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and   leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  while t he  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  gr4owls  and  black  metal   screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  Clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  album  also  mixes  in  a  lot  of  dark  atmospheres,  synths  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  

  Crust  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  degradation  of  morality  in  contemporary  society  and  the  acceptance  of  inevitable  death.  

  In  my  opinion  Crust  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "He  Carries  The  Fog"  "God  Made  Some  Hearts  Of  Stone"  and  "Blazing  The  Trail  In  the  land  of  Suffering".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/crustsludge

https://www.instagram.com/crust.band

https://crustband.bandcamp.com  

Falne Interview

 

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

Cizin and Liksluker: We are a Black Metal band from Rogaland in Norway consisting of Liksluker on 8-string guitar and Cizin on vocals. Her vocals represent mental locations, stories etc….  Musical reflection of the past, the current and the future.  Every single sound symbolises something. Be it a time or place, suffering or hatred, anger or melancholy, mystery or nostalgia. It’s all there, deeply engraved, with blood, into the very soul of this project.

Liksluker: This extreme need to create music has been tormenting me nearly every existing moment for my entire life.  As time just kept passing, there was no patience anymore. It could not wait. 

The recording process was very intense. Completely randomly, it was on a Friday the 13th and storming outside while we decided to actually get it done. We didn’t think about it, but it’s a weird coincidence nevertheless. We sat up day and night, for about the entire weekend, composing the drum and bass lines and recording the whole damn thing all at once. 

And due to not having the necessary instruments at hand, we had to improvise. We didn’t have a bass, so I ended up using my 8-string for it. And then we also didn’t have an acoustic drumset, so we ended up programming it all. I think it’s foolish to use programmed drums and not speak honestly about it. But I’ll come back to this later.

2.In November you released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?

Cizin: Nearly everything that is currently created is a combination of every single metal genre that exists. There isn’t anything pure when it’s just created as a copy of a copy combined with garbage. We source our musical inspirations from where it all started. Instead of that many newer bands will copy something that some poser has made.

Liksluker: As we wanted it to be true black metal the way it was all intended to be, we were keeping out any influence from later than the 90s. Then we would experiment with different ways of playing and make it our own as much as possible. If you compare it with other new black metal from Norway, it’s not the same! And that’s exactly how it should be. No copypaste shit!!! That’s the only way you can truly and authentically express what you’re actually all about!!

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

Cizin: There is no difference between Satanism and what’s going on in society today. If we think of Satanism as something purely evil, we can compare it to how society is. So many people will be repelled by the thought of Satanism while they themselves are devils hidden behind human flesh. The lyrics represent the way it has been before. Devils in human form haunt the earth and compare themselves to god. The opposition now should be against current norms in society, as they are all rotten, disgusting, stupid and selfish…. HOPE SATAN TAKES THEM ALL!!!

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

Liksluker:  The other lyrical topics aren’t exactly unrelated. There’s a lot about the haunting remembrance of past lives and deaths, and the eternal anguish and anger it causes as a result.

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

Liksluker: ‘Falne’ is a Norwegian word which means ‘fallen’, at the same time meaning ‘the fallen’ in a way. We had both been very much into the topic of death, and we really wanted to form an idea that is unique, with a name that is unique. So we went through a whole lot of different names with careful consideration of what it would express exactly. However due to the nature of this project I cannot say everything about what the name means to us right now. You either get it, or you don’t.

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

Liksluker: The artwork expresses lifelong nightmares and fury. And that’s all I’ll say about it. I’ve been thinking about it for a really long time, and I don’t want to talk about it. One would have to really persuade me into doing it. So you can think what you want. 

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

Cizin and Liksluker: We will NOT associate with worthless garbage. If we would expand the lineup for new full members of the band, it would have to be very special. Someone truly evil who has about the same views on black metal as we do. We’re NOT compromising our sound and vision for some poser. Even though we would want to do concerts etc. it’s more important than anything to NOT let any poser shits into the band. 

We had found a bassist, and even though he’s amazing, he didn’t have the time to put into a new project as he was also moving within some months time. 

And the drummer we found, who by the way was shit, seemed to underestimate and go against everything we’re about!! He went on and on about what Norwegian legends he knew and had met, even trying to get them on a practice session with us. Just bragging about everything, as if he knew EVERYTHING, and then he was shit at responding to texts and calls. Not only did he come late, he also came unprepared and didn’t take the time to actually play during practice. It was all talk or taking a fucking shit. He went on about how all black metal is just an act and how everyone are actually really nice and welcoming people who just like to drink and have fun. …... it’s like trivialising everything that has happened and saying there’s nothing to why black metal came to be in the first place!!! It all sounded like bullshit!! 

Having used programmed drums can be seen as a protest towards such shit. It’s better than having worthless idiots like that ruin the band. 

So, we are open for expanding the lineup, but not for some random idiot who doesn’t actually care about what this is all about.

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

Liksluker: For the time being we haven’t really decided whether we would like to sign with a label. What matters the most to us is doing what we envision with our sound, and not having it changed or messed up to sound more similar and conforming to anything else that’s new on the market. 

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

Liksluker: We mostly have listeners around Norway and the United States, but also some scattered worldwide. As all this has happened only since we released our single ‘Dødens Mellomspill’ in October and ‘Resurrection of The Fallen’ in November, it’ll be interesting to see how it develops further.

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

Liksluker: For the future we want to take things one step further. We will, sooner or later, release music that’s so fearsome, terrifying and chilling that it will give people nightmares, and we already have ideas about how we will do so. We want to make just the music itself so extreme to the point where even people who have been into black metal for decades will react with fear. People have no idea what kind of potential black metal can have, and that’s what we want to show in the future. The thing is.. Black metal is not seen as scary enough anymore. People have become so desensitised, that to keep doing things the same way is not enough. Back to the point with certain people calling all black metal an act, this is not one of those. Everything we do is connected to our actual understanding of life, death, Satan, and this world. We’re not here for pretending or stage posing as I call it. NOTHING we do is an act and NOTHING ever will be. 

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?

Cizin and Liksluker: We have only taken influence from the beginning of “black metal”. Bands like Venom, Bathory, Hellhammer, Sodom etc. and also other early bands from Norway and from other places in the world we consider REAL black metal. At least how it all was before it went to hell of course and it became its own trend as well. Which is exactly what it all was a protest against!! 

Liksluker: Among music I have been listening to lately there is those and more bands of course, and a range of classical music. 

Cizin: Armagedda, Venom, Shining, Urgehal, Krohm, Ljå, Till, Kristallnacht, Peste Noir, Absurd

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

Liksluker and Cizin: This is one of the projects where you’ll either get it, or you won’t. It doesn’t matter what anyone says. You’re not gonna see us quit.

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552224321825
Instagram:
https://instagram.com/falne_band
Youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/@Falne-Official
Youtube(topic):
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjCNnkNh7L17xRkfcYVVl6w
Website:
https://falneband.myshopify.com
Bandcamp:
https://falne.bandcamp.com/
Spotify:
http://spotify.link/2q9x9X6WADb

Nattmann/Et Jordsmonn Av Døde/2024 EP Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Norway's  Nattmann  which  also  shows  the  music  going  for  an  old  school  style  of  black  metal  and  the  ep  will  be  released  in 2024  and  called  "Et Jordsmonn  Av  Døde".

  A  very  dark,  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in t he  classic  Nordic  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  mid  90's  touch  and  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.    

  On  this  recording  Nattmann  expands  on  their  old  school  style  of  black  metal  with  some  more  modern  touches  without  losing  the  aggression  of  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and r aw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  society,  morality  and  executions  throughout  the  1600's  and  1800's.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nattmann  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Trollkvine"  and  "Skafottsalme".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/nattmannofficial

Nattmann/Udaad/2023 EP Review

 

  Nattmann  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  ep  "Udaad".

  Drum b eats  and  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  ep  before  the  bass  guitars  and  heavy  riffs  start  to  kick  in.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  faster  sections  of t he  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  emtal  screams  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Nordic  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  keyboards  can  also be   heard  briefly  and  the  guitar  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  clear  singing  is  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Nattman   remains  true  to  the  old  school  style  of  black  metal  that  they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  society,  morality  and  executions  from t he  1600's  to  1800's.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nattmann  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Nattmann".  8  OUT  OF  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/nattmannofficial      

Companions Of Hellfire/Messianic Prophecies/Fetzner Death Records/2023 EP Review

 

  Companions  Of  Hellfire  are  a  duo  from  Singapore  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  raw,  melodic  and  blasphemous  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  ep  "Messianic  Prophecies"  which  was  released  by  Fetzner  Death  Records.

  A  synth  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  clear  vocals  can  be  heard  briefly.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  old  school  era.  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  synths  also  mixing  in  with  the  heavier  parts  of  the  ep  at  times  and  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  folk  instruments,  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Blasphemy,  Anti  Religion  and  Satanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Companions  Of  Hellfire  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  melodic  and  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dabbatul  ArdH"  and  "Satan's  Dominion".  8 out  of  10.

  https://fetznerdeathrecords.bandcamp.com/album/companions-of-hellfire-messianic-prophecies

https://companionsofhellfire.bandcamp.com/album/messianic-prophecies   

   

Nemus Anima/Hatred Embodiment/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Nemus  Anima  are  a  solo  project  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  album  "Hatred  Embodiment".

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  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  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.   

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  drum  tracks  also  being  programmed.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  melancholy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nemus  Anima  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  melodic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Invocation"  "Dreaming  Of  Their  Demise"  and  "Sounds".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/@NemusAnima

https://nemusanima.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6aIAW7Pbv4o8GsDJxGgbM7?si=JzkPOBSITIulGgAFdwGdeA&nd=1&dlsi=eefde3c593304791

Angr/II/2023 FUll Length Review

 

  Angr  are  an  international  duo  with  members  from  Russia  and  Belarus  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  aggressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "II".

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  throat  singing  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  dissonant  sounding  and  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  grim  black  emtal  style  with  touches  of  death  metal.

  All  3  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  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  some  melodies  also  being  added  into  the  guitar  riffing  at  times,  synths  are  also  added  on  this  closing  track  which  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  On  this  recording  Angr  brings  in  more  of  a  modern,  dark  and  aggressive  style  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  pre-Christian  era  of  of  Europe.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Angr  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  and  aggressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Psalm  Of  Gnosis  Nonexistence".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/thetrueangr

BC:https://angrbc.bandcamp.com/releases

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Angrrrrrrr