Necromantic Worship/The Nameless Shrine/WolfKult Religion/2026 Split EP Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Netherlands'  Necromantic  Worship  and  The  Nameless  Shrine  which  will  be  released  on  May  15th  by  WolfKult  Religion  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Necromantic  Worship  a  solo  project  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal.

  His  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  while  the  synths  also  add  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  classic  horror  movie.  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  of  the  genre  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams,  the  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  song  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats,  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  also  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  and  the  lyrics  cover  the  Necronomicon  and  Chthulu  Mythos.

  In  my  opinion  Necromantic  Worship  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.

  Next  up  is  The  Nameless  Grave  a  band  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  occult  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  yet  heavy  sound  while  the  synths  also  add  in  an  atmospheric  touch,  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  track  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  a  few  whispers,  most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in   the  90's  era  of  the  genre  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  melodies.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  and  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Nameless  Grave  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a very  great  sounding  split  and  i  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  occult  and  old  school  black  emtal.  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/Necromantic.Worschip/

https://thenamelessshrine.bandcamp.com/track/sigils-beneath-the-black-moon

    

    

Numen/Erre/Les Acteurs de L'Ombre Productions/2026 Full length Review

 

  Numen  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  very  raw,  old  school.  melodic  and  progressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Erre"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  les  Acteurs  de  L'Ombre  Productions.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  old  school  era  of  the  genre.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  recording  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Growls  are  also  used  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  the  album  also  having  its  progressive  moments  and  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  folk  instruments  and  whispers  are  also  added  towards  the  end.

  On  this  recording  Numen  brings  out  a  very  raw,  melodic  and  progressive  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  Euskera  and  cover  the  darkest  chapters  of  Basque  History  and  the  witch  trials  and  Inquisition  of  the  early  17th  century.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Numen  and  if  you  ae  a  fan  of  raw,  melodic,  old  school  and  progressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Kez  beteriko  zeru  penatua"  and  "Euria  infernuko  sutan".  8  out  of  10.

   https://www.lesacteursdelombre.net/product-category/preorders

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Dauþuz/Todeswerk: Uranium II/Amor Fati Productions/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Dauþuz  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  raw,  melodic  and  old  school  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Todeswek:  Uranium  II'  which  will  be  released  on  may  29th  by  Amor  Fati  Productions.

  Acoustic  guitars,  synths  and  stringed  instruments  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  some  angry  shouts  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  clear  singing  also  being  used  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,.

   Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  and the  recording  also  adds  in  a  few  instrumentals  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  is  also  introduced  into  the  music.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  the  inhumane  conditions  in  the  mines,  industrial  plants  and  camp  ran  by  the  Soviets  and  later  the  Communists.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dauþuz  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  melodic  and  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Uranlager  I"  and  "Des  Halftlings  Nergmannstod".  8  out  of  10.

  facebook.com/DauthuzBM 

Mauna Sol Interview

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

George: Since the recording of the album, we worked on its release and promotion. We signed a deal with the record label Loud Rage Music, recorded a few clips and trying to secure some gigs. We also worked on new songs for a follow-up to The Calling.

2.The band started in 2016 but you waited until 2026 to release any material, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?

George: In 2016, we weren't a real band. Marius (the founder and band guitarist) composed a few demo songs and I did some lyrics and a short story, everything in a first draft form, unfinished and unpolished. Everything got shelved after not so long, due to more important life commitments at the time for both of us. It was only in early 2020 that the band became a reality, with the current line-up, actual songs and dedication. In retrospect, we might have released the album earlier, but we were affected either by the pandemic, financial constraints, lack of studio experience or just bad luck. At one point, I also left the band for a few months because I was struggling with depression and it was holding everything back. Either way, the time passed came with a powerful learning experience for everybody involved.

3.You have your first full length coming out in the middle of May, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

George: The foundation is black metal, but far from a traditional one. Marius is a very expressive and natural guitarist and most of the riffs are his, including the influences coming from progressive metal and post-metal/rock. Everybody else came with their own personal touches, but in the end, we can call the music post-black metal. Everything was done by feeling, smooth, flowing and in agreement with each other, while trying to be self-critical. The chemistry between us also helped a lot.

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

George: I wrote a short story, initially to help inspire Marius, but it became a complementary element, like a lyrical adaptation of the music. While this is a concept album, each song has a different theme and a sub-topic, a distinct threshold crossed by the wandering hermit. From renunciation, to reinventing his identity by killing his old one, dealing with temptations, suicide, his relationship with the past, the outside world and with death. And of course, how he views himself throughout the story, from the beginning of the journey until his dying breath.

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

George: a friend of us made it and surprised us with the level of details and with how much he was in tune with the music. The end result represents this annonymous hermit traversing the hostile desert.

6.Out of all the shows the band has dene so far, which one stands out the most?

George: I believe it was the first gig we did, for Rockstadt Fest (a different event than Rockstadt Extreme Fest), in Brasov, on May 2022. It was the first live experience for myself and Ionut, the bassist, and the moment we received our first feedback from the public. The place was packed and it was an amazing and insane experience.

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

George: We have two confirmed live shows for now and hopefully, we will get to play more gigs until the end of the year.

8.The new album is going to be released on 'Loud Rage Music', how did you get in contact with this label?

George: We got recommended, I think. It was an easy pick, I believe, since it's the label who supports Romanian metal bands the most.

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

George: I don't know, really. I'm not sure we have fans outside Romania.

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

George: Since we have been working on a second album, I can obly say that the writing is evolving, but that's just the natural way of things.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

George: We are in our 30's, so we are more mature and open-minded about music. I can list tons of genres we are into, even outside metal, but every person in the band has his own tastes and guilty pleasures. As tight as we are as bandmates, we are as different from each other musically as one can get. Still metalheads at core, though.

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

George: For the readers - follow us on social media and continue to support the metal scene!

https://www.facebook.com/maunasolband/
https://www.instagram.com/maunasolband/

Molosser Interview

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

 

We are a death metal band from the bottom of the world in Wellington, New Zealand.

 

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

 

For this EP, we aimed for a base of primitive, violent death metal with elements of black and doom sprinkled throughout. These were the first songs we had written together as a band, they were subject to a few rewrites here and there to expand upon the black/death/doom elements.

 

All the recordings for the EP were captured by our guitarist (now drummer) J.A. and we sought out the expertise of Dan Lowndes of Resonance Sound Studio for the mix and master. It was a brilliant experience working together with Dan on this release and he was able to really emphasise on the thick, crushing guitar tone, pummelling drums, and cavernous vocals.

 

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

 

Lyrically the EP mostly explores war and conflict, most notably the Khmer genocide in “Strychnine Hill” and ongoing persecutions/killings in Myanmar in “Ogre Column”. 

 

“Vengeance Manifest” was loosely inspired by the Gombe Chimpanzee War and revenge fantasies, and “Indomitable Force” found inspiration in various depictions of absolute power and strength (notably Nosferatu Zodd from Berserk).

 

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

 

“Molosser” is a term used to describe large muscular dogs (usually mastiffs) commonly used as guard dogs or for livestock protection. I always thought it would be a very fitting name for a death metal band and here we are, haha.

 

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

 

The cover artwork for Massive Retaliation’s Arms of the War God had always stuck with me after I had first seen it, large scale battle scenes work so well as cover artwork in this subgenre. When it came time to prepare the cover artwork for the EP, naturally we reached out to the artist for that piece, Adam Kindred (@archaicfilth on Instagram).

 

We provided a few reference images and lyrics for inspiration, and he had a brilliant idea straight off the bat (which was basically the final piece you can see now) that evoked the exact atmosphere we were seeking, which was just pure staunch and puissance.

 

He was an absolute dream to work with, he also drew a dog crest/sigil which you can see as the alternative front cover for the EP on our cassette release (and in the CD insert).

 

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

 

We have played a number of live shows with both local and international acts, most notably playing shows alongside Dead Congregation, Concrete Winds, Bölzer and Faceless Burial.

 

7.The ep was released on 'Gutter Prince Cabal', how did you get in contact with this label?

 

After we received the final mix and master for the release, we were planning out our next steps for release and distribution. We had heard only great things about Gutter Prince Cabal as a label from friends who have had music released through them, so we reached out via a demo submission. They enjoyed what they heard and N.H. from Heresiarch also put in a good word for us to the label. They offered to help release our EP through them which we gladly accepted.

 

Gutter Prince Cabal have been excellent to work with through every step of the process and we are proud to have our debut release under their banner.

 

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

 

Reception for our single “Strychnine Hill” has been positive so far, but more so on a local scale. We will see what transpires soon.

 

9.Do any of the band members have any experience playing in other bands or musical projects?

 

We currently have members also playing in Brainwave, Stress Ghetto, Heresiarch and Birdparty.

 

Our previous drummer A.M. (who’s performance you can hear on the record) also has some stuff in the works so keep an ear out for that.

 

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

 

We are currently in the midst of writing new material for a full-length, no timeline on that one but hopefully sooner rather than later. 

 

With our new material we are aiming to expand further on the violence. Essentially just make the fast parts faster and the slower parts slower. Crush, kill, destroy.

 

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

 

We have mainly been inspired by bands such as Morbid Angel, Incantation and Pissgrave for our current material, while also finding inspiration in black metal and death/doom.

 

For our future material we have been primarily been looking to black/death acts like Axis of Advance and Lvcifyre, and death/doom acts such as Rippikoulu and Mortiferum for inspiration. There will surely be more bands (both metal and non-metal) to add to this list as we go further into the writing process.

 

In terms of current listening, Dead Congregation and Axis of Advance have really been scratching the death metal itch for me lately. Outside of metal it’s been a lot of Nuovo Testamento and Westside Gunn.

 

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

 

Cheers for the interview!

https://www.instagram.com/molosser04
https://molosser04death.bandcamp.com

Feralia/Ultima Requies/ATMF/2026 Full Length Review

  Sweden/Italy's  Feralia  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  ancestral  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Ultima  Requies"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  ATMF.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  old  school  influences  and  blast  beats  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  taw  feeling  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  album  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style. as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  synths  and  clear  vocals  and  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  Ancient  Roman  Occultism.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Feralia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ancestral  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ver  Sacrum"  and  "Miasma".  8  out  of  10.

  https://feraliablackmetal.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/feraliablackmetal/

https://www.instagram.com/feralia_black_metal/

Woewarden/The Roots Of My Neglect/Dusktone/2026 Full Length Review

  Woewarden  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  very  bleak,  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "The  Roots  Of  My  Neglect"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Dusktone.

  Atmospheric  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  a  few  growls.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  the  album  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts. Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  on  at  times  as  well  as  one  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  clear  singing   

  Woewarden  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  bleak,  atmospheric  and  depressive  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Woewarden  are  a  very  great  sounding  bleak,  atmospheric  and  depressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Frail"  "Walk  On  Into  Calamity"  "An  Infinite  Void"  and  "The  Mockery  Of  these  Broken  Words".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/woewarden  

  

Urkraft/Naturens Skrik/Dusktone/2026 Full Length Review

  Urkraft  are  a  solo  project  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  progressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2026  album  "Naturens  Skrik"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Dusktone.

  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  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  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  melodic  style  along  with  some  clear  singing  also  being  used  on  a  few  tracks.

  At  times  the  music  also  goes  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  album  also  add  in  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  a  couple  of  songs  are  also instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  nature  and  misanthropy  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Urkraft  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  progressive  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Renkesmed"  and  "Ids  Fanger"  and  "Naturens  Skrik".  8 out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/urkraft/

  

   

Verzauber/Dire Garden of The Ages/Naturmacht Productions/2026 Full Length Review

  Verzauber  are  a  solo  project  from  Ireland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  ambient  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2026  album  "Dire  Garden  Of  The  Ages"  which  will  be  released  on  may  29th  by  Naturmacht  Productions.

  Nature  sounds  and  ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  parts  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  album  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast.  parts.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  spoken  words  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  are  utilized  they  are   done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  ambient  oriented  instrumentals  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  acoustic  guitars  and  choirs  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  electronica  sounds  are  also  introduced.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  mythology,  life,  death  and  the  divine.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Verzauber  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ambient  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Etruscan  Blossom  Sanctuary"  "Acre  Of  Fired  Earth  (Cauterizing  Tellurian  Winds)"  and  "Deluge  At  Sunset  Dawn".  8  out  of  10.

  https://naturmacht.com/verzauber-dire-garden-of-the-ages/

  

   

Mauna Sol/The Calling Loud Rage Music/2026 Full Length Review

  Mauna  Sol  are  a  band  from  Romania  that  plays  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "The  Calling"  which  will  be  released  on  May  15th  by  Loud  Rage  Music.

  High  pitched  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  a  raw  feeling  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  melodic  post  metal  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era  of  the  genre  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length. 

  Mauna  Sol  plays  a  style  of  post  black  metal  that  is  very  modern  and  aggressive  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover  a  self  imposed  hermit.

  In  my  opinion  Mauna  Sol  are  a  very  great  sounding  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  New  Life"  and  "Mirage"{  and  "Inner  Rewards".  8  out  of  10.

  https://loudragemusic.bandcamp.com/.../mauna-sol-the-calling

https://loudragemusic.limitedrun.com/products/875143-mauna-sol-the-calling

https://facebook.com/maunasolband
https://www.instagram.com/maunasolband

https://youtu.be/JGMAaTF5zvc

Vintregal/Towards The Last Dawn/ATMF/2026 EP Review

  Vintregal  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  pagan  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  ep  "Towards  The  Last  Dawn"  which  will  be  released  on  May  29th  by  ATMF.

  Nature  sounds  and  synths  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction  while  a couple  of  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats  and  the  recording  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  of  the  genre.  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  one  track  also  being  an  instrumental.

 Vintregal  plays  a  style  of  pagan  black  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric  sounding  in  the  90's  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Ukrainian  and  cover  folklore  and  history  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vintregal  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  old  school  pagan  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Wolf's  Heart"  and  "Son  Of  Winter".  8  out  of  10.

  https://atmfsssdtp.bandcamp.com/album/towards-the-last-dawn

       

Malist/Eternal Echo Of The Fall/Flowing Downward/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Malist  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Eternal  Echo  Of  The  Fall"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Flowing  Downward.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  synths  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  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.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  a  later  track  also  introducing  spoken  words  onto  the  album  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  growls,  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  inspired  by  J.R.R  Tolkien's  "Eternal  Echo  Of  The  Fall".

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Malist  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  melodic  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  'Eternal  Echo"  "Her  Dark  Backwater"  and  "Above  The  Mists  of  The  World".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Malist/3540446719

https://www.facebook.com/malistband

https://www.instagram.com/malistband/

http://band.link/malist 

Countess/The End Of Time/2026 Full Length Review

  Netherlands'  Countess  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  old  school  mixture  of  black  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2026  album  "The  End  Of  Time".  

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  metal  style  and  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  an  angry  black  metal  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clean  playing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  80's  and  90's  influences,  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more of  a  raw  feeling  and  most  of  the  recording  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  On  this  recording  Countess  continue  to  expand  on  the  blackened  heavy  metal  style  they  have  introduced  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  fantasy,  occultism,  apocalyptic  and  historical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Countess  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  blackened  heavy  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Iron  Dragons"  "Call  Upon  The  Gods  Of  Chaos"  "Beyond  The  Veils"  and  "Slaves  Shall  Serve".  8  out  of  10.

  https://countessmetal.bandcamp.com/album/the-end-of-time

https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-end-of-time/1889599923

https://open.spotify.com/album/5ooPLey9aX6G9emDX7Tqhf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LpbViw4JY8&list=PLO8Up9LTCZJs54-XVv5TzXKb3gKKfCbTw

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Karkanxhol/Dies Rattorum/Kuntskammer Productions/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Karkanxhol  are  a  solo  project  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2026  album  "Dies  Rattorum"  which  was  released  by  Kuntskammer  Productions.

  An  ambient  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  influenced  by  the  old  school  era  of  the  genre.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Synths  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  which  also  adds  in  an  atmospheric  touch  to  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.    

  Karkanxhol  plays  a  musical  style  that  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  ambient  style  synths  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Karkanxhol  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  ambient  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Day  of  Rats"  and  "Plaguevessel".  8  out  10.

https://youtu.be/nArI-JeLOjw?si=QnB3OQIIw_9SMocz

Möhrkvlth Interview

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

We are working hard on various aspects of the band, from promotion (including written and radio interviews and reviews) to rehearsals as we finalise a one-hour live set. Alongside this some ideas are borning for a next material, thus we are busy but very motivated with the revival of Möhrkvlth!   

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

We took all the time we needed from composing, recording to mastering. Gwenojennoù An Ankounac'h is built with longer songs and a strong work on atmospheres, with more harmonies between the two guitars, a lo-fi and big sound at the same time. There are more contrasts and melodies, we go deeper in creation. The general musical spectrum is more intense and massive on the new album.   

3.This is also going to be your first album since 2018, can you tell us a little bit more about the 8 year wait in between releases? 

We played live until May 2019 and then some musicians became unavailable going abroad, for life choices for other one, big health problems for me and another one... When I felt better I asked to old friends who live near home and played in other black metal bands to join me for the second album that I composed (rythm guitars mostly). As soon as it was ok for them we started to record it in 2024 and 2025.   

4.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the new release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years? 

We use the breton language in our songs except for “Pour Une Couronne de Chrysanthèmes” and “Aux Songes De L’Hiver”. For the first album it was our previous singer Hiron who wrote the lyrics. Now it is Mathieu the new singer who does this job. So for this second album Mathieu wrote about the past wars and battles that Bretons suffered to help France. There are references to World War I and previous battles. Despite that we too develop some lyrics about melancholy and the dark beauty, mysteries of our mystical and dark Brittany. The song “Va C’heriadenn” (My Village) was written in 1967 by Añjela Duval (1905-1981), a breton poetess who sees sadly year after year modernity transforming her village, her neighbours leaving Brittany, her farm animals disappearing, machines replacing humans... 

5.Some of your lyrics have also covered Celtic and Breton Paganism, Legend sand History, how would you describe your interest in these topics? 

Paganism and legends were mostly evocated for the first album. With “Gwenojennoù An Ankounac’h” we have moved to a next level, from some druidism on the first album to calvaries now, which represent nearest days but similarities in their meanings not only talking about faith (milestones, beacons...). 

The historic dimension is the essence of everything. Brittany existed before France and has endured several painful chapters in its history. It’s a massive topic, we could write volumes about it, and we’ll continue to do it!  

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Möhrkvlth'? l

We pronounce it like if it was written “Mort Culte” (Death Cult). I wanted it to be hard to read, difficult to remember visually as Black Metal can be hard to listen at first glance. If people remember how we write and pronounce it then it will mean that the band has finally made their mark! 

7.How would you describe the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?  

Galaad the new drummer painted it when we almost finished the mixing and mastering of the album. So he painted his feelings about the music and lyrics. He is the one who speaks breton in the band. “Gwenojennoù An Ankounac’h” could be the name of this incredible paint. This title means “The Paths Of Oblivion” and that’s what is represented here in the artwork like in the lyrics : a melancholic breton landscape without humans but with something they built (the calvary and a small barrier) and must make us remember who came there before and why, and why we are here now...  

8.Out of all the shows and tours the band has done so far, which one stands out the most?  

Playing with Délétère from Québec in my basement in Plougonven for the release of the first album on July 2nd 2018! But I have excellent memories of some festivals like Motocultor Festival, Cernunnos Pagan Fest, Samain Fest, Les Feux De Beltane, Rockmetalcamp Fest... Each concert was an incredible experience... 

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

The first official concert will be a medieval festival in Center Brittany (Rostrenen, where Antiq Label has its shop) in June 20. We have other plans for the rest of the year and already for 2027 but we wait to announce it as the organizers can’t reveal it immediately.  

10.The new album is going to be released on 'Antiq Records'. how would you compare working with this label to 'Asgard Hass Productions'?  

I wanted to work with a local and solid label. It is important for me to have musicians near home and to work with a label that I can meet physically. It is natural and logical in the concept of Möhrkvlth. Antiq Records works hard for us, communicates often on medias, makes good promotion, it is one of the most reputable label in the black metal scene. The release includes a digipack CD, a vinyl and a t-shirt. It is a higher step for Möhrkvlth in the underground.    

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

When the first autoproduct demo was released in 2016, I sold out in some weeks the 100 numbered copies, and I did 100 more that were too sold oud some weeks after that. From the beginning Möhrkvlth has a fan base in Brittany that became bigger as soon as we broadcast our material on the internet and won interest in every continent. Paolo Bruno the founder of Thy Light who is like a brother for me gave us some publicity since the beginning. Between 2018 and now some fans asked regularly when Möhrkvlth would release something new, and since we broadcast songs of the new album their reactions are incredible. It seems that we are expected...  

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

We will continue to play some true/atmospheric/epic/melancholic/melodic/pagan black metal. Each element will be present, sometimes more in a true vein, sometimes more in a melancholic side... The most important for me is to keep the essence of black metal without sounding like another band, without sounding modern, without copying anyone. Möhrkvlth entity will keep the black metal flame with its personality.  

13.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?  

We still listen to the black metal legends of the 80-90's, the local scene like Belenos, to some heavy metal, to Breton and Celtic music, to some DSBM, métal noir québecois, Finnish and black metal from Eastern Europe, and medieval songs.  

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

Thank you for this great interview and for the excellent review of “Gwenojennoù An Ankounac’h”. To all readers, listen to the album with headphones in the dark and let yourself be transported into the mysterious depths of Brittany. Enjoy the journey, bon voyage !

facebook.com/mohrkvlth  

Deus Sabaoth/Distortion Of Lies/Paragon Records/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Deus  Sabaoth  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Distortion  Of  Lies"  which  will  be  released  on  May  29th  by  Paragon  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  riffing  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  album  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Synths,  pianos  and  violins  are  also  added  on  a  few  tracks,  spoken  words  and  growls  cam  also  be  heard  briefly  and  one  song  is  also  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Deus  Sabaoth  expand  on  the  melodic  style  of  black  metal  that  they  introduced  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  religious  criticism,  existentialism,  nihilism  and  solitude  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Deus  Sabaoth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Worship"  and  "Tree  of  Knowledge".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/deussabaothband

https://www.instagram.com/deus.sabaoth_band/
https://deussabaoth.bandcamp.com/

Pvgatorii/Profane Rites For Cursed Times/Night Terrors Records/2026 EP Review

  Pvgatorii  are  a  duo  from  Spain  that  plays  a  raw  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  ep  "Profane  Rites  For  Cursed  Times"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Night  Terrors  Records.

  Synths  and  spoken  words  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Elements  of  punk  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  guitar  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  Pygatorii  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  and  punk  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  dystopian  and  anti  capitalism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Pygatorii  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  dup.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Key  To  Thee  Temple"  and  "Hermetic  Axis".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.instagram.com/_pvrgatorii/

https://pvrgatorii.bandcamp.com/

     

Atronos/Gram/Purity Through Fire/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Atronos  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  old  school  form  of  pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Gram"  which  was  released  by  Purity  Through  Fire.

  A  very  fast  and  raw   sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  add  in  a  mixture  rough  pagan  singing  and  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  old  school  era  of  the  genre.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Elements  of  folk  music  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  some  growls  also  being  used  at  times  and  later  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  synths,  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing. 

  On  this  recording  Atronos  plays  a  style  of  pagan  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  of  the  genre.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Atronos  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  pagan  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Geisterflug"  "Knochen"  "Stolz"  and  "Zorn".  8  out  of  10.

  atronos.bandcamp.com