Showing posts with label Serpent Moon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Serpent Moon. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Serpent Moon/Lily Of The Valley/Syrup Moose Records.2023 Full length Review

 


  New  York's  Serpent  Moon  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  depressive  and  suicidal  style  of  black  emtal  with  elements  of  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2023  album  "Lily  Of  The  Valley"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Syrup  Moose  Records.


  A  synth  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier,  atmospheric  and  lo-fi  direction.  Elements  of  funeral  doom  metal  can  also b e  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams.


  All  of  the  musical  instruments   on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  slower  musical  direction  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  adds  in  touches  of  ambient.


  On  this  recortding  Serpent  Moon  takes  his  musical  style  into  more  of  a  lo-fi  and  atmospheric  mixture  of  depressive  suicidal  black  and  funeral  doom  metal  as  well  as  keeping  everything  in  a  slower  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression  and  melancholy  themes.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Serepent  Moon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  lo-fi,  atmospheric,  depressive  suicidal  black  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bedrest"  and  "Lily  Of  The  Valley".  8 out  of  10.


  

    


  


  

Friday, October 7, 2022

Serpent Moon/Postmortem/Formaldehyde Productions/2022 Full Length Review

 


  New  York's  solo  project  Serpent  Moon  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  style  of  depressive  suicidal  black  metal  an  this  is  a review  of  his  2022  album  "Postmortem"  which  will b e  released  in  December  by  Formaldehyde  Productions.


  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  rain  and  thunder  sounds  Keyboards  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams.


  Bass  guitars  also  take  on  the  role  as  a  lead  instrument  while  the  music  also  captures  a  very  lo-fi atmosphere  at  times.  Elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  album  also  having  its  symphonic  moments  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  one  track  also  being  an  ambient  orientated  instrumental  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  musical  direction.,  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly


  On  this  recording  Serpent  Moon  brings  bring  of  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  approach  to  his  depressive  style  of  suicidal  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  heartache  and  addiction  themes.   


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Serpent  Moon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  symphonic  and  depressive  suicidal  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "(Welcome  To)The  Shit  Show"  "Postmortem"  "Unclothed"  and  "Eccedetesiast".  8  out  of  10.


  

 


    

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Serpent Moon/Meditations On Blood And Semen/2022 EP Review

 


  New  York's  Serpent  Moon  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  which  shows  him  moving  away  from  the  suicidal  depressive  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  elements  of  both  releases  and  going  for  more  of  a  noisy  dark  ambient  direction  with  some  symphonic  touches and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2022  ep  "Meditations  On  Blood  And  Semen"  which  will  be  released  in  April.


  Ambient  style  synths  which  also  use  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding keys  and  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  programmed  beats.  Noises  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  both  songs  are  instrumental  and  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments,  the  second  song  also  shows  the  music  going  into  a  different  direction  and  also  adds  in  some  bass  guitars.


  On  this  recording  Serpent  Moon  moves  away  from  the  suicidal  and  depressive  black  metal  style  of  earlier  releases  and  goes  into  more  of  a  dark  ambient  direction  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  decent  sounding  recording  from  Serpent  Moon  and  while  it  might  not  appeal  to  the  depressive  black  metal  fans  of  earlier  releases,  I  can  see  this  gaining  an  audience  with  fans  of  dark  ambient.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "This  My  Penance".  8  out  of  10.



    


      

Saturday, July 3, 2021

Serpent Moon/On Love.../Cursed Monk Records/2021 CD Review

 


  Serpent  Moon  are  a  solo  project  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  depressive  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "On  Love..."  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Cursed  Monk  Records.


  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later.   Bass  guitars  are  also  the  lead  instrument  on  the  recording  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  dark  sounding  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording. 


  Elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  clean  playing  also  returns  on  the  later  tracks.  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  along  with a  couple  of songs  also  being  instrumentals  as  well  as  the  whole  recording  also  sticking  to  a  slower  direction,  the  closing  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.


  On  this  recording  Serpent  Moon  remains  true  to  the     mixture  of  depressive  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  that  he  had  established  on  his  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Serpent  Moon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  depressive  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Thrown  Away"  "Creeps  Inside"  and  "Smile".  8  out  of  10.


https://cursedmonk.bandcamp.com/album/on-love

Monday, January 11, 2021

Serpent Moon Interview

 


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



Serpent Moon arose mainly out of necessity. 2020 was a difficult year for everyone and I needed an outlet to cope. The seeds had been planted a long time ago, of course, but a slew of personal traumas throughout the year really inspired me to make it happen. 



2.So far you have released 3 ep's, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?


I wanted to make something really ugly. I was going through a horrible period in my life and wanted to create something as disgusting as I felt at the time. I'm honestly not too sure how successful I was on that front. As the sound evolved I found my mind wandering into a more melodic place often throughout the recordings. 



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


All of Serpent Moon's lyrics come from a deeply personal place.  I've written about relationships, mental health, mortality, that kind of stuff. I'm not out looking to say anything profound, rather to let go some demons and get those feelings across. 


4.Your music also avoids the use of traditional guitars, can you tell us a little bit more about using the bass guitar as the main lead instrument on your recordings?


At the time of writing these songs, the guitar just wasn't really exciting me the way it used to.  I've been playing guitar for fifteen years and I just wanted to focus on a different medium.  I think the piano and bass combo has lent itself the feeling of the songs really well.  I'm not ruling out incorporating the guitar into Serpent Moon's music in the future, but I can say I miss it right now. 



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


The idea of snakes shedding their skin and the moon going through its cycle is really comforting to me.  The idea of rebirth. I guess it's kind of a hopeful positive to counterbalance the negativity in the songs themselves. 



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


The image to me is very lonely. There's a strong  sense of isolation I get from looking at it.  I felt like it matched the sound I was putting out pretty well. 



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


I've become pretty accustomed to working solo, but I never say never. I would absolutely love to put together a live group, if we ever get things back to normal, that is. 


8.Recently you have released all 3 of your ep's on a single album, can you tell us a little bit more about the decision behind releasing a compilation?


I prefer the idea of a full length album, but I find myself getting a bit impatient while the songs come together. Releasing the album in chunks and then compiling it all together made things a little smoother for me mentally. 



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


I haven't had any takers yet, but I'm open to the idea and have sent out a few feelers. 



10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of depressive black, sludge and funeral doom metal?


Reactions have been really great. I wasn't sure that this was going to be something that anyone but me was ever going to hear. Knowing that people are listening and enjoying it is pretty overwhelming. 



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


I think a full length is on the horizon, but I want to do it right.  When it chimes it will be a cohesive piece of music and not a collection of songs. 



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?


Kanamishi and Mournful Congregation are two bands without whom Serpent Moon wouldn't exist. Those are huge influences on the concept. My musical taste is a little all over the place but I've mostly been catching up on some classic black metal lately. 



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


I'd just like to thank everyone who listened to the EPs or has preordered the compilation so far.  It really means a lot to me that others are connecting to the music the way I did.  

Saturday, January 9, 2021

Serpent Moon/Self Titled/2021 Compilation Album Review

 


  Serpent  Moon  are  a  solo  project  from  New  York  that  plays  a  mixture  of  depressive  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  and  self  titled  2021  compilation  album  which  will  be  released  in  March  and  consists  of  three  out  of  print  ep's  and  two  bonus  tracks.


  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  compilation  along  with  some  clean  playing  and  programmed  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  bass  guitars  also  having  a  very  powerful  presence  in  the  music  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  also  gives  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling.


  Some  of  the  tracks  are  instrumentals  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  music  also  avoiding  the  use  of  a  rhythm  or  lead  guitar  as  well  as  the  music  also  capturing  a  very  lo-fi  atmosphere  at  times  and  the  whole  compilation  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.


  Serpent  Moon  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  depressive  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  depression  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Serpent  Moon  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  depressive  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Compendium"  "Hellbound"  "Under  The  Knife"  and  "Snow".  8  out  of  10.


https://serpentmoon.bandcamp.com/releases