Othalan Interview

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

1. As a band we’ve just been essentially rehearsing our setlist and getting everything as tight and intense as we aim for it to be for our live shows 

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

2. Musically It’s a jump from the early demos as this project began more as a relatively pagan black metal band. While the 80s and punk influence was always there, we just have fully embraced the sleaze now at this point and hate brought a significantly more energetic, intense, and riff filled record. 

3.The earlier music was more pagan black metal while the new album is more blackened thrash metal, what was the cause of the musical change and also do any of the band members still have any interest in Paganism?

2. Musically It’s a jump from the early demos as this project began more as a relatively pagan black metal band. While the 80s and punk influence was always there, we just have fully embraced the sleaze now at this point and hate brought a significantly more energetic, intense, and riff filled record. 

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer release?

4. Lyrical topics for this album consist of some varying degree. Some that are personal songs themed as betrayal and shady indidivuals where some are just about eating pussy worshipping evil

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

5. Othalan itself just kinds naturally came from when the band began as pagan black metal, I wanted something where the name would be in reference to something from the religion to some degree without it being just a standard one so that’s where I’d found this spelling/annunciation of the Odal rune, odins rune and went with it as he is the one I primarily perform blots too 

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

6. So the artwork, we wanted to go to ballsy in the sense of not trying to hide at all who influenced us, anyone that sees this is going to immediately get the reference of Judas priests, painkiller. Combining that with the bathory goat gives listeners a pretty straight forward expectation of what they’re getting into and setting the tone before you even hear the first note. We wanted the first debut release with us doing black thrash to be a massive homage to some legends 

7.Originally the band started out as a solo project, what was the decision behind expanding into a full line up?

7. So while I, (Tommy Tyrant) still do majority of all the song writing, I knew I always wanted to bring this band to the stage. After a few solo lives shows I knew I was doing the material a disservice by not having a full band energy there so that’s lead to where we are now.

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

8. We’ve done a lot of spectacular shows between some noteworthy local shows to opening for the legends in Venom Inc. Our live show is a high octane demonstration of blasphemy and intensity and speed, delivering  heavy beer chugging sin filled sleaze wherever we go always bringing out a mosh and have been begun seeing some maniacs out there crowd  surfing in trash cans which we love. 

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

9. We have a show booked later this year in November with one of our heroes, Midnight. Between everyone’s work schedule  we are amidst planning a tour going from Florida to to Texas and back along with next year going up into Ohio and into the northeast as well. But most definitely once everyone can get dates aligned we are touring out to Texas later this summer and back hitting New Orleans along the way! 

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

10. The reaction to this band has been my favorite as we are a very love or hate band. I love this, while we won’t turn away casual listeners, we don’t write this for the casual listener this music is about sleaze and blasphemy and worshipping the gods of the 1st wave and for those that take refuge in speed and sleaze, we are loved. 

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

11. While we have some plans for future records to mix in some elements of other genres such as doom and grindcore, the main focus going forward with the band is to continue making things more intense and hellish 

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?

12.  A lot of influences on this band is namely just about any 1st wave black metal band.  But to get more specific venom, bathory, hellhammer. A lot of that and glam believe it or not, we take all that and mix it in with elements of crust punk too as punk has played a massive role too. Most recently far as listening goes I’ve been finding myself in a strange binge between dungeon synth and crust punk/grindcore 

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

13. I just got three things to say to everyone as final word yes: Smoke beer, drink drugs, and eat pussy! 

https://www.facebook.com/othalankvlt 

Othalan/For Victory? For Speed!/So Below Productions/2026 Full Length Review

   Othalan  are  a  band  from  Florida  that  started  out  playing  a  pagan  style  of  black  metal  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  black,  speed,  heavy  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "For  Victory?  For  Speed!"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  So  Below  Productions.

  A  very  heavy  punk  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  touches  of  black'nroll.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  parts  of  the  music.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  elements  of  speed  and  heavy  metal.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  as  well  as  being  very  modern  at  the  same  time  along  with  some  of  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody,  clean  playing  can  also be  heard  briefly.

  Othalan  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  speed,  heavy  metal  and  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  darkness  and  rock'n'roll  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Othalan  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  speed,  heavy  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Court  Of  Snakes"  "Drunk  Off  The  Blood  of  Conquest"  "World  Devourer" and  "Wildfire".  8  OUT  OF  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/othalankvlt

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM4suhW6pQPFNlNWdJ2Qo9Q

https://othalankvlt.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0Mfld6JwZ9PXzEN3oqTMBe?si=BUDuq1aARK6NbUdd4Z8vjg&nd=1&dlsi=236c67f624014e5d

https://www.instagram.com/othalan_black_n_roll/

        
 

Einherjer/Lifeblood/By Norse Music/2026 Full Length Review

  Norway's  Einherjer  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  viking  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Lifeblood"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  By  Norse  Music.

  Clear  viking  metal  style  vocals  start  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  touches  of  power  metal  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in a   decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  harsh  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  along  with  some  of  the  music  also  showing  an  influence  of  traditional  metal  as  well  as  a  later  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  words  and  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length

  On  this  recording  Einherjer  update  their  viking  style  of  black  metal  for  the  modern  era  as  well  as  adding  in  some  touches  of  power  and  traditional  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a mixture  of  Norwegian  and  English  and  cover  Norse  Mythology.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  form  Einherjer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bloodborn"  "Gone"  and  "The  Eternal  North".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/einherjerofficial

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

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0iGkBvuI18nxqJR8Ipg1cu?si=AMOrE5P_SF-3LjhLjXbXFQ&nd=1&dlsi=2ee79c0fe18048ab

https://www.instagram.com/einherjerofficial/

Gravvålnad/Dreams Of Evernight/Northern Silence Productions/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Gravvålnad  are  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  epic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Dreams  Of  Evernight"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Northern  Silence  Productions.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Clear  chants  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  harsh  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  music  also  incorporates  elements  of  traditional  metal.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  words  and  all  of  the  songs  also  stick  to  a  slower  direction  and  one  song  also  shows  an  influence  of  folk  music.    

  Gravvålnad  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  slow,  atmospheric,  melodic  and  epic  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  fantasy  and  ancient  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gravvålnad  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  atmospheric  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Return  Of  12  Ships"  "Riders  Of  The  Black  Moon"  and  "Hill  of  Sorcery  And  Black  Flames".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://gravvalnad-northernsilence.bandcamp.com/album/dreams-of-evernight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMn89eITo4s

  

  

Darkthrone/Pre-Historic Metal/Peaceville Records/2026 FUll Length Review

 

  Norway's  Darkthrone  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Pre-Historic  Metal"  which  will  be  released  on  May  8th  nu  peaceville  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  thrash  metal  elements.  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  mixed  in  with  some  second  wave  aggression  along  with  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in t he  80's  and  blast  beats  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  When  synths  are  utilized  they  add  in  touches  of  70's  psychedelic  rock  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  When  clear  vocals  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  more  of  a  classic  traditional  metal  style  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  remaining  very  true  to  an  old  school  style.  When  the  music  slows  down  influences  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  and  clean  playing  is  also  utilized  on  a  few  songs  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  being  long  and  epic  in  length,  one  track  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  rebellion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Darkthrone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "They  Found  One  Of  My  Graves"  "Deeply  Rooted"  and  "Eon  4".  8  out  of  10.

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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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Yoth Iria/Gone With The Devil/Metal Blade Records/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Greece's  Yoth  Ira  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric  and  Hellenic  style  of  occult  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  Gone  With  The  Devil"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  metal  Blade  Records.

  Synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  growling  style  mixed  in  with  some  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Hellenic  style  of  the  genre.  

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  while  some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  singing.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  touches  of  Mediterranean  folk  music  and  operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  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.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  words,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly .  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism  and  the  paradox  of  power  and  faith.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Yoth  Ira  and  if  you  are  fan  of  atmospheric  and  Hellenic  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dare  To  Rebel"  "I,  Totem"  "Once  In  A  Blue  Moon"  and  "Harut,  Government  Fallen".  8  out  of  10.

  https://yothiria.com 

https://www.facebook.com/yothiriaofficial 
https://www.instagram.com/yoth.iria/ 

https://yothiria.bandcamp.com/album/under-his-sway    

Teloch Vovin/Towards The Inevitable/An Eastern Temple/Thus Spake Qayin Records2026 Full Length Review

 

  New  York's  Teloch  Vovin  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  occult  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  doom,  death,  traditional  metal,  classical,  ambient  and  electronic  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Towards  The  Inevitable"  which  will  be  released  in  May  as  a  joint  effort  between  An  Eastern  Temple  and  Thus  Spake  Qayin  Records.

  Ambient  style  synths  and  ritualistic  spoken  words  start  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  some  electronic  sounds  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Vocals  are mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  the  a  few  death  metal  growls  and  blast  beats  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording.  

  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.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffs  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  doom  emtal.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  more  of  a  melodic  traditional  metal  style  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  one  track  also  being  an  instrumental  and  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  rain  and  thunder  sounds.  The  production  sounds  vey  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Left  hand  Path,  Rituals,  Theistic  Satanism  and  Qlipthoth  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Teloch  Vovin  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Samael  -  Lord  Ov  The  Second  Death  (Hymn  131)"  and  "Panzer  Fist".  8/5  out  of  10.

https://telochvovin288.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/TelochVovinOfficial

https://www.instagram.com/telochvovin666

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyipOHDTkF4

Blood Aeon/Fall Of Man (Know Thyself)/Underworld Echoes/2026 EP Review

 

  Blood  Aeon  are  a  duo  from Greece  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  with  traces  of  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  ep  "Fall  Of  man  (Know  Thyself)"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Underworld  Echoes.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  Spoken  words  are  also  used  briefly  along  with  the  riffs  also  mixing  in  elements  of  traditional  metal  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  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.  Most  of  the  music  is  heavily  influenced  by  the  Hellenic,  Norwegian,  Finnish  and  U.S  styles  of  the  genre  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  demonic  growls  and  spoken  words  are  also  utilized  briefly  and  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed.

  Blood  Aeon  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  European  and  North  American  tradition  as  well  as  adding  in  elements  of  heavy  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  blasphemy,  nihilism  and  the  collapse  of  spiritual  identity.

  In  my  opinion  Blood  Aeon  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  old  school  black  emtal  band  with  traces  of  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Is  My  Divine  Urge"  and  "A  Flaved  Desert  God".  8  out  of  10.

https://underworldechoesrecords.com/shop/tapes/blood-aeon-the-fall-of-man/

https://underworldechoesrecords.com/shop/cds/crissaegrim-heir-eternal-kingdom/

    

Astral Spectre/Cosmic Mirage/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  solo  project  Astral  Spectre  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black.  heavy  metal  and  occult  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2026  album  "Cosmic  Mirage"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  Psychedelic  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  classic  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads  a  few  seconds  later.  Hammond  organ  is  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  80's  influences.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with a  great  portion  of  the  album  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  The  recording  also  mixes  in  elements  of  70's  rock  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs..  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Witchcraft  and  Egyptian  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Astral  Spectre  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black.  heavy  metal  and  occult  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chronomancer"  "Death  Of  Osiris"  and  "Cosmic  Mirage".  8  out  of  10.

   https://linktr.ee/astralspectre  .

Archville King/Aux heures désespérées/Les Acteurs de L'Ombre Producitons/2026 Full Length Review

 

  France's  solo  project  Archville  King  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Aux heures  désespérées"  which  will  be  released  in  2026  by  Les  Acteurs  de  L'Ombre  Productions.

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  which  also  returns  on  later  tracks  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.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Growls  are  also  used  at  times  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  of  a  melodic  traditional  metal  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  a  few  songs  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing,  the  album  also  closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and is  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  Worm  King. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Archville  King  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Riposte"  "Le  carnival  du  roi  des  veres"  and  "À  ces  batailles  abandonnées".  8  out  of  10.

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Sons Of Hades Interview

 

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

Hi there - thanks for having us. We are Sons of Hades from Athens, Greece formed in 2023. We play a venomous mix of Black, Heavy, Death and Thrash Metal creating a dark and eerie atmosphere to those who listen to our music. The band was formed by Apostolis K. (guitars/vox), Vasilis K. (guitars) and Alex G. (bass), later joined by Vaggelis F. (drums). Our aim is simple: raise hell and awaken all kinds of unspeakable nightmares!

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?

Our debut, "Tombs of the Blind Dead" leans hard into old-school back, heavy, death and thrash metal - the stuff we grew up worshipping. Cold tremolo riffs, d-beats and blast beats, raw vocals, haunting melodies, all wrapped up with the creepy atmosphere of 70's horror movies and horror literature.

3.Most of the band members are veterans from other bands, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Sons Of hades', that you where not able to do with your previous groups?

We all knew each other from former projects and bands that had more or less different approach to heavy music. So, certain ideas never quite fit. Through the years, we found out that we all had a longing to mix those metal styles, and with the combination of our love for horror movies and obscured themed pieces of art, to create something special. So we decided to bring it forth with the form of "Sons Of Hades".

4.A lot of your lyrics cover horror movie themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this genre?

Indeed, our lyrics are all inspired by horror movies and horror/gothic literature. We share great respect for the artfulness of those movies and the fusion of the occult and dark fantasy. We will be very delighted if our listeners discover any of those pieces of art that were unknown to them before.

5.I know that the bands name comes from Greek mythology, how would you describe your interest in this topic?

It is clearly a connection with our roots. In Greek mythology, Hades was the underworld, the exile for the restless souls. This description mirrors our music: bleak, wretched and funeral atmosphere.

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

The album cover was created by Dimitar Nikolov. Dimitar's art fits perfectly to our aesthetic. The figures, the colors and the drawing style are simply amazing. It's a great honor to work with him! The idea is inspired by the Spanish horror movie series based on the Knights Templar who were Devil worshippers and became the Blind Dead. A couple of songs in the album have the same theme.

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

Sons of Hades have not performed live yet because we were fully focused on songwriting and recording the album. But, we are planning to book some shows in 2026.

8.The album was released on 'Floga Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

We have already worked with Floga Records with some of our other bands. We were extremely satisfied with the cooperation. We got in touch if they were interested in releasing the album and responded almost immediately. So, the deal was done and "Tombs of the Blind Dead" is released upon the world!

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

So far, there is very positive feedback. From the album reviews and comments that we have seen, metalheads seem to enjoy our work! But it's still too soon because the album was released a couple of days ago. Time will tell!

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

To be honest, we are not sure yet. We already have a few ideas for the next album but we usually don't restrict our inspiration. It's definitely going to be dark but we will see how it will end up sounding.

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

I believe the dark atmosphere arises from black metal legends such as Mayhem, Immortal, Emperor Satyricon, Venom, Bathory, Aura Noir. The melodic riffs and lines from Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Iron Maiden and the more heavy tunes from Celtic Frost, Death and Morbid Angel.

Nowadays, we listen a lot to Behemoth, Watain, Lamp of Murmuur, Obituary, Deicide, Asphyx, Blackbraid, Dissection, Messa, King Diamond, Power Trip and a lot of doom metal such as Cathedral, Pentagram, Reverend Bizarre, etc

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

Once again, thank you very much for having us. We are "Sons of Hades" from Greece and our debut album "Tombs of the Blind Dead" is released. Grab your copy and we can't wait to see you at our upcoming shows!

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Sons Of Hades/Tombs Of The Blind Dead/Floga Records/2025 Full length Review

 

  Sons  Of  Hades  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Tombs  Of  The  Blind  Dead"  which  was  released  by  Floga  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  some  elements  of  thrash  metal.  The  vocals  and  riffs  also  add  in  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  along  with  a  lot  of  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  as  well  as  being  very  modern  at  the  same  time  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  while  melodies  are  also  utilized  at  times.  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  riffing  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  as  well  as  adding  in  touches  of  the  90's  second  wave  era  of  the  genre,  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  introduced  on  the  album  they  also  bring  in  more  of  a  melodic  traditional  metal  style.  Some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  some  touches  of  early  death  metal,  clear  singing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  keyboards  are  also  used  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sons  Of  Hades  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Fall  Of  The  House  of  Usher"  "Salem's  Lot"  and  "Phantom  Carriage".  8  out  of  10.

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Tzevaot/The Hermetic Way/I, VOidhanger Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Tzevaot  is  a  solo  project  originally  from  Morocco  but  now  resides  in  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  an  occult  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  death,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "The  Hermetic  Way"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Field  recordings  and  epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  album  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  more  of  a  melodic  traditional  metal  style.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  some  influences  of  jazz  and  classical  music.  Some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  elements  of  death  and  thrash  metal  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  narration  by  occult  author  Lon  Milo  DuQuette  and  a  later  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  singing.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Thelema,  Western  Occultism,  Alchemy,  Hermeticism  and  Graeco-Egyptian  Wisdom.

  In  my  opinion  Tzevaot  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  occult  black  metal  solo  project  with  elements  of  death,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Solve  et  Caaqula"  "The  Emerald  Tablet  Of  Thoth"  and  "Metampsychosis".  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-hermetic-way    

AD Atausma Interview

 

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

One: Not really, I would suggest that people just check it out for themselves, if they´re curious.

Two: Pretty much as One said, we have never been good at promoting ourselves or any of our projects, and the history behind AA is pretty brief regardless.

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?

One: The base of the musical compositions is primitive, raw Black Metal but I wanted to experiment with a little more "easily accessive" melodies and lesser strict BM influences without turning it into something mainstream, or actually easily accessive.

Two: There was an interesting vision that we discussed, this is an extremely short description but pretty accurate regardless.

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

One: The lyrics are not suppose to be the main thing in this constellation, therefore they will never be printed for the public.

Two: Well, I would say that it`s a gigantic maze of a complete void, just let your own imagination flow and create a personal world based on the music.

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

One: That one is a bit more interesting and unorthodox than people would think, not many people know the meaning behind it, and we would like to keep it that way.

Two: It´s a puzzle of words, and a very personal meaning for the both of us behind it too.

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

One: I would just call it a quick necessity haha, we collectively wanted to see if we could get everything done simultaneously, so we pulled some fast ideas and Tim got it done, it´s lovely in it´s simple 90s Black Metal aesthetic though, so it´s more than perfect for the release!

Two: The music was almost done, Tim Nordstedt was already done with the logo, we had the title, so the easiest thing was for Tim to take one of his many forest pictures, make a frame and throw everything together, we all got it done at the same time, and everything turned out great!

6.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?

One: No!

Two: For many reasons, No!

7.Both of the band members prefer to remain anonymous, do you feel it is better for the music to keep a lower profile?

One: Absolutely! none of us are fans of social media or anything, and like to keep a lower profile whether it´s in private or with any artistic project.

Two: Ones answer pretty much sums it up.

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

One: That would be interesting, it´s always a positive thing if someone would release it, no bids so far though.

Two: We both hate putting time in to promote and spam our materials, but we would like to have our releases pressed in physical formats, we´re kind of stuck in a catch 22 situation as usual.

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

One: Positive, we´re still getting more and more views despite our lack of effort when it comes to promoting and distributing, we might have to change that, but all in all, it´s a good beginning.

Two: There is an evident growing interest in AA, surely not an extreme circulation, but since we just released it in on Bandcamp, and hardly did anything else, it feels promising.

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

One: Not really, the foundation is set, but that doesn´t mean that every release will sound identical.

Two: No need to, AA has a personality that differs from the other projects we haven't if it doesn´t, then it´s pointless.

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?

One: Didn´t really have any thought about it, my main thought was Primitive Raw sounding Black Metal with less fitting melodies that still would fit the sound, I just got to work and let mind and fingers go free when I composed, so there´s not really any bands or artists that I can name.

When it comes to music I´m listening to right now, well mainly Metal in many forms, and a myriad of other things, usually not anything mainstream or hyped

up.

Two: The foundation that built the music became more broad than I thought it would be, I think Ones vision was bigger than his musical blueprints,

because I can hear a lot of different musical directions, even things he didn´t take inspiration from, for me that was a fascination in itself.

I would say that I got bitten by a nostalgia bug a while ago, I never grew up with Thrash Metal, I started with Death Metal and then Black Metal, now

I`m checking up a whole bunch of lesser known Death/Thrash Metal demos from the 80s, and loads of Old School Death Metal.

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

One: I´m pretty emptied of thoughts for the moments, and I probably would keep them private too if I had one, my final words will be: Spread the word of Ad Atausma and thanks for this interview!

Two: I´m mostly thinking about what i should make for dinner right now, Final words: Thanks for the interview and keep up the good job! and yes, do spread the word of the enigmatic act Ad Atausma!

https://adatausma.bandcamp.com/album/necrodivergent-black-metal

AD Atausma/Necrodivergent Black Metal/2025 Full Length Review

 

   AD  Atausma  are  a  duo  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  album  "Necrodivergent  Black  Metal".

  

  A  synth  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  beats.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  second  wave  influences.

  

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  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  some  of  the  mid  tempo  sections  also  adding  in  touches  of  classic  rock  and  traditional  metal.

 

    When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  metal/hard  rock  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well as  the  music  also  updating  the  music  for  the  modern  era  with  elements  of  post  rock  at  times,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  spoken  words  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  sorcery  themes.

 

   In  my  opinion  AD  Atausma  are  a  very  great  sounding  original  raw  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Frozen  Blood"  and  "Domes  Of  Fire".  8  out  of  10.

  https://adatausma.bandcamp.com/album/necrodivergent-black-metal    

Orm/Guld/Indisciplanarian/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Denmark's  Orm  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  very  epic,  melodic  and  progressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Guld"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween  by  Indisciplanarian.

  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  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  All  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.  Spoken  words  are  also  utilized  briefly  along  with  some  of  the  music  also  showing  an  influence  of  classic  metal  as  well  as  the  album  also  having  its  progressive  moments,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  onto  the  recording  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  a  later  song  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  clear  vocals.

  On  this  recording  Orm  takes  their  melodic  and  epic  style  of  black  metal  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction  as  well  as  mixing  in  elements  of  death  and  traditional  metal  to  take  their  sound  to  a  different  level.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Danish  and  cover  modern  humanity's  self-destructive  cultivation  of  negative  emotions.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Orm  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  epic,  melodic  and  progressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Af  Magt"  and  "Martret".  8  out  of  10.

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https://ormband.bandcamp.com

Miasmata/Subterrania/Naturmacht Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Miasmata  are  a  solo  project  from  New  Zealand  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  very  aggressive  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "Subterrania"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween  by  Naturmacht  Productions.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  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  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in a   great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  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  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  more  of  a  melodic  traditional  metal  style.  Clear  singing  and  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  synths  and  clean  playing  are  also  introduced  on  a  later  song  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Miasmata  goes  for  a  very  aggressive,  modern,  melodic  and  traditional  style  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  myth  and  existential  dread.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Miasmata  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  aggressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Those  Who  Cross  The  Flames"  and  "Subterrania".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://miasmata.bandcamp.com/ 

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