Gjendod/Svekkelse/Osmose Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Norway's  Gjendod  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  very  varied  and  intense  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Svekkelse"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Osmose  Productions.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  add  in a   great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Norwegian  style  while  also  being  very  modern  at  the  same  time.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilzied  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  sounding  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  a  later  track  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  words  along  with  some  synths  also  being  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written    in  Norwegian  and  cover  dark  lore  and  legends.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Gjendod  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  Norwegian  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lykkens  bortgang"  "En  staur  i  hjertet"  and  "Den  falske  rate".  8  out  of  10.

   https://bfan.link/GJENDOD-Svekkelse

Kratornas/God Of The Tribes/Grathila Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Philippines/Canada's  solo  project  Kratornas  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  showed  the  music  going  for  a  progressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "God  Of  The  Tribes"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Grathila  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  album  also  has  its  technical  and  dissonant  moments  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Chants  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  some  of  the  music  also  adding  in  atmospheric  and  ritualistic  touches   and  most  of  the  recording  sticks  to  more  of  a  mid  tempo  direction,  acoustic  guitars  and  synths  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Kratornas  continues  the  expand  on  the  progressive  black  metal  style  that  he  introduced  on  his  previous  ep.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  doomsday  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Kratornas  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cursed  Sky  Serpent"  and  "Ravaged  By  Hurakaan".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/WcQVU7bvLx8

https://kratornas.bandcamp.com/album/god-of-the-tribes-gcd-2025

https://www.facebook.com/officialkratornas  

Malkhebre/To Those Who Forged Us/BATTLESK'RS Productions/2025 EP Review

 

  Malkhebre  are  a  band  from  France  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  very  technical,  ritualistic  and  orthodox  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  ep  "To  Those  Who  Risen"  which  will  be  released  this  summer  by  BATTLESKY'RS  Productions.

  A  very  dark y et  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of t he  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  done  in  a  very  angry  yet  grim  style  mixes  in  with  some  screams  while  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  and  dissonant  sounding  in  some  of  the  riffing.

  A  small  amount  of  melody  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffs  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  both  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Malkhebre  goes  for  a  very  modern,  ritualistic,  technical  and  orthodox  form  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  poetry  of  Leonard  Cohen,  Satanism  and  Spiritual  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Malkhebre  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  orthodox  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "You  Want  It  Darker".  8  out  of  10.

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Cacotopia Interview

 

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

We used to be a death metal band back in the late 90s and broke up, and started a black metal band later in 2002 which is Cacotopia. Starting out with Matt Swanberg and Randy Bakkelund jamming in the basement. We've both been best friends since 9th grade.

As Cacotopia, we made the 2 demos in 2007 and 2009. Our debut album "Inhuman Agitation" was released in 2014. 2nd album "Centuries of Bloodshed" in 2018. The new "Self-Titled" album we just released in 2025. Our goal is to write the most dark and evil music we possibly can. We try to put our own spin on black metal with a lot of music theory knowledge and experimentation. We have guitar solos in almost every song which isn't typical in black metal. We consider ourselves a black metal band, but there's hints of death metal and progressive elements.

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does this differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

For the most part it's the same style. The Centuries of Bloodshed album was more progressive with odd time signatures. The new album is mainly 4/4 time, but there's a couple odd time signatures. We used 12 tone rows aka 12 tone serialism (look it up) on Visions in the Sky, Tides of Darkness, and Societal Miscarriage, which was definitely something different. The lyrics are mainly dystopian themes on this album, but previous albums were more varied with the lyrical topics.

3.This is your first release since 2018, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Yeah it took longer than expected. Life kind of got in the way with personal issues, doing other things, and taking our time with recording and mixing. Matt has another band he's in too.

4.The lyrics on the new album cover dystopian themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

I've always had a fascination for civilizations that have vanished and how they got to that point. So I'm thinking to myself how the future is going to pan out. WW3, plagues, natural disasters. How and who will survive. To me every year looks more dark and bleak then the last. Conspiracy theories play a huge part in my obsession and I correlate that into my lyrics.

5.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored over the years with your music?

Cults, bubonic plague, genocide, suicide, insanity and paranoia, human experiments.

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

It's a synonym for Dystopia, and an antonym for Utopia. It's a fictional reality. It's the state in which everything is as bad as it can be. We found it in an online search for obscure words, and it just really clicked.

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

It represents how I feel about mankind these days. Like people being produced and programmed like robots to be slaves. Obedient slaves going along with whatever agenda they throw their way. Never questioning the real reason everything is crumbling around them.

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band but have had other members in the past, do you prefer to work as a solo?

Yes, in the beginning we had a few different vocalists briefly. Now that we have a permanent vocalist, we prefer to keep it with only 2 members. It gives us more control and less distractions for the songwriting. Plus there's no need to teach people how to play the parts.

9.In the past the band did some live shows, would you be open to do it again in the future?

We played live 1 time as a duo with backing tracks. It most likely won't happen again. It's hard to find skilled members, and there isn't much of a black metal scene around here.

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

Mostly good. It's been a challenge getting the word out there.

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

No, we aren't looking for a label. We haven't received any offers. Without playing live, it doesn't make a lot of sense to us.

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

We are writing and experimenting with Industrial Black Metal right now. We might release an EP and see how it goes. Maybe an album. Time will tell. Also, we are constantly learning and improving our craft, by studying music theory and learning new techniques which we incorporate into the music. We like to experiment, but without losing our identity.

13.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?

Black metal and Death metal for sure has had an influence on us, also industrial music. Some bands we're influenced by are Abigor, Ondskapt, Dodheimsgard, Dark Funeral, Blacklodge, Necrophagist, Soreption, etc. Some other bands we are listening to nowadays are Nightbringer, Thy Darkened Shade, Neo Inferno 262, and so many more.

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

Thanks for having us, and keep it metal!

https://www.facebook.com/cacotopia

Cacotopia/Self Titled/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Cacotopia  are  a  duo  from  Illinois  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  technical  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2025  album.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  the  guitar  riffing  which  also  gets  very  technical  sounding  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be   heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  spoken  words  and whispers  are  also  used  briefly.  The  album  also  has  its  progressive  moments  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  sticking  to  more  of  a  technical  style,  the  vocals  also  have  their  grim  moments.

  Cacotopia  plats  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  aggressive,  modern,  technical  and  progressive  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dystopian  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Cacotopia  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  and  technical  sounding  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Beginning  Of  The  End"  "World  Hijacked"  "Crisis  From  Underground"  and  "Parasitic  Propaganda".  8  out  of  10.

  https://cacotopia1.bandcamp.com/album/cacotopia

https://open.spotify.com/album/10liDMyBcGVLCZUbFrb9QY

https://www.facebook.com/cacotopia    

  

Dagdrøm/Schauder/Rising Nemesis/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Dagdrøm  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  modern  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Schauder"  which  will  be  released  on  May  12th  by  Rising  Nemesis.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  blast  beats  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  riffing  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a r aw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixes  in  with  a  few  growls.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Most  of  the  album  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  technical  moments.  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  atmospheric  touches,  one  song  also  introduces  choirs  onto  the  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  loss  of  reality,  dreams,  anxiety/panic,  relationship  issues,  the  desire  for  healing,  homicidal  fantasies  and  trauma.

  In  my  opinion  Dagdrøm  are  a  very  great  sounding  modern  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ascheregen"  "Alle  Worte"  "Freund"  and  "Kalte  Fleisen".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/DagdromOfficial  

Prophetic Suffering/Rivalry Of Thyself/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Prophetic  Suffering  are  a  band  from  Edmonton,  Alberta,  Canada  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  war  and  bestial  black/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Rivalry  of  Thyself"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into a   heavier  direction  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking,  brutal  blast  beats  and  war  metal  elements  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  bestial  growls  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  dissonant  and  technical  sounding  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Choirs  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  when  they  are  utilized.  Some  of  the  vocals  also  add  in  some  of  the  guttural  U.S  death  metal  style  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  whole  also  also  sticks  to  a  very  raw  and  brutal  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  gore,  death  and  destruction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Prophetic  Suffering  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  war  and  bestial  black/death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Holy  Death,  Sacred  Rot"  "Emperor  Of  Filth"  and  "Oppressor  Beheaded".  8  out  of  10.

    BANDCAMP RELEASE  

Ruinous Power/EXTREME DANGER: Prototype Weaponry/I, Voidhanger Records/ 2025 Full Length Review

 

  Ruinous  Power  are  a  band  from  Canada  that  plays  an  experimental  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "EXTREME  DANGER:  Prototype  Weaponry"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  a  lot  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  when  the  music  speeds  up.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  recording  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  death  metal  elements.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  riffing  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric,  experimental  and  technical  moments.  A  lot  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  thrash  metal  as  well  as  one  song  also  being  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction  and  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ruinous  Power  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "But  What  Of  Sacred  Mars"  and  "The  Descent  Of  The  Host".  8  out  of  10.

  https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/extreme-danger-prototype-weaponry

Venomous Echoes/Dysmor/I, Voidhanger Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Ohio's  solo  project  Venomous  Echoes  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric,  dissonant  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "Dysmor"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Dark  sounding  synths  and  saxophones  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  dissonant  direction.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  add  in  a  lot  of  technical  touches.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  adding  in  more  of  a  dissonant  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  album  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Clean  playing  is  added  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  experimental  moments,  elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added into  5the  slower  parts  of  the  songs  and  pianos  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  cosmic  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Venomous  Echoes  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  dissonant  and  technical  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Walls  Of  Memories  And  Despair"  and  "The  Begetter".  8  out  of  10.

  https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dysmor  

    

Agon/Kronos/2024 EP Review

 

  Agon  are  a  solo  project  originally  from  the  United  States  but  now  resides  in  Germany  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  avant  garde,  progressive  and  technical  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2024  ep  "Kronos".

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  ep  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  The  riffs  also  get  very  technical  and  melodic  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  avant  garde  moments.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  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  style  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls,  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  On  this  recording  Agon  takes  atmospheric  black,  doom  and  death  emtal  and  mixes  them  with  avant  garde,  progressive  and  technical  elements  to  create  something  very  different  from  the  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

   In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Agon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  avant  garde,  progressive  and  technical  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Of  I".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://agonmusician.bandcamp.com/album/kronos

Ashen Horde/Decayed/2024 EP Review

 

  

   Los  Angeles,  California's  Ashen  Horde  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  technical  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  ep  "Decayed"  which  consists  of  4  new  song  and  12  nonalbum  songs  that  where  released  in  the  years  2015-2021.

  

   Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier,  melodic  and  technical  direction  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  Blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  

   All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  tracks  and  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  style  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  in  the  faster  riffing  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  instrumentals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  plagues  and  ancestral  curses. 

 

   In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  from  Ashen  Horde  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  progressive  and  technical  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Portent  Among  The  Debris"  "Baited  Breath"  "The  Entity"  and  "Echthros".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/1c8dercF2yQ

https://www.instagram.com/ashenhorde/ (@ashenhorde)

https://www.facebook.com/AshenHorde/

https://ashenhorde.bandcamp.com/   

Crystalarium/Alchemical Mutations/Fiadh Productions/2024 EP Review

 

  Crystalarium  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "Alchemical  Mutations"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Fiadh  Productions.

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  technical  direction  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  progressive  direction  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  

  Crystalarium  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  technical  and  progressive  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  alchemy  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Crystalarium  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Darkgod"  and  "Crystal  Kaethedral".  8  out  of  10.

  https://crystalariummetal.bandcamp.com/album/kaethedral

Mythraeum/Oblivion Aeternam/M-Theory Audio/2024 Full Length Review

 

 

   Mythraeum  are  a  band  from  San  Diego,  California  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  technical  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Oblivion  Aeternam"  which  will b e  released  in  June  by  M-Theory  Audio.

  Stringed  instruments  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  orchestration  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  brutal  direction.  Blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  technical  direction.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  riffing  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  sounding  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  growls.  Operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  introducing  clean  playing  and  classical  guitars  onto  the  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  esoteric  myths  of  nature,  gods,  love,  hate,  death  and  rebirth.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Mythraeum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  technical  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Crown  And  Sepsis"  "The  Hunter's  Dream"  "Skies  Torn  Asunder"  and  "Beyond  The  Void".  8  out  of  10.

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Herxheim/Contrapasso/I, Voidhanger Records/2024 EP Review

 

  Herxhiem  are  a  solo  project  from  Texas  that h as  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  old  school  and  technical  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  ep  "Contrapasso"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  sounding  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  music.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at times  as  well a s  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  showing  an  influence  of  thrash  metal  and  the  whole  ep  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction.

  On  this  recording  Herxheim  goes  for  an  old  school  and   technical  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal  which  is  very  different  from  his  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  cautionary  tales.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from Herxheim  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  and  technical  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Surrogate"  and  "And  Their  Pyrrhic  Victories".  8 out  of  10.

  https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/contrapasso

Venomous Echoes/Split Formations And Infinite Mania/I, Voidhanger Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Venomous  Echoes  are  a  solo  project  from  Kettering,  Ohio  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  dissonant  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "Split  Formations  And  Infinite  Mania"  which  will  be  released  in  April b y  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  direction  which  also  adds  in  raw  tremolo  picking,  blast  beats  and  touches  of  war  metal  while t he  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  deep  death  metal  growls.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  and  dissonant  sounding  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  old  school  death  metal  style.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  doom  metal  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  Throughout  the recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  dark  soundscapes  also  being  added  on  a  couple  of  the  tracks.  Spoken  words  and  whispers can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  one  song  also  introduces  harsh  noises  into  the  music.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  cosmic  horror  themes  with  some  inspirations  from  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft  and  the  films  of  David  Croneberg.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Venomous  Echoes  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  dissonant  and  technical  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Miscreated  Pustules"  "The  Millions  of  Eyes  Transformed"  and  "Split  Formations  And  Infinite  mania".  8  out  of  10.

  https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/split-formations-and-infinite-mania

    

Haissem/Khaos Ebony Fame/More Hate Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Ukraine's  solo  project  Haissem  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric,  melodic  and  progressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "Khaos  Ebony  Flame"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  More  Hate  Productions

  Ambient  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  and  symphonic  moments.

  At  times  the  album  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast b eats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  technical  style.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  of  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  small  amount  of  death  metal  elements  and  ritualistic  chants  are  also  added  on  the  outro.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Left  Hand  Path,  Anti  Cosmic,  Egyptian,  Norse  mythology  and  Chaos  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Haissem  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  melodic  and  progressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sui  Generis"  and  "Tiamtu".  8  out  of  10.

  : https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Haissem/3540410350

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmblu1oXfBU 

      

Insepultus Interview

 

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

Hi and first thank you for your time regarding this interview. Insepultus has been my one-man band project since the end of the '90s (1998) while being at the age when everything was possible if you believe in it. I’m coming from a small community in the south of Romania where we literally built our own small metal scene. Back then I used to play in another Black Metal band called Irkalla, regarded now as cult by a few, and I didn’t put so much effort into the project. With Insepultus I had few live appearances during the period 2001-2004, mostly alone with a drum-machine or together with the drummer from Irkalla. My first demo was recorded in 2003 and is called “The Hell Will Rise Again”. This is a demo with a muddy raw sound but considering the audio recording possibilities that I had back then, it was the maximum I could have had. After that, because I started to play with some other bands after moving to the capital, again, I put my side project on the second row for a while, until three years ago, when I started discussing that I would like to record new material, with a decent sound on it, where to present the emotional experiences we have before the end of our lives. This is how “Deadly Gleams of Blood, Steel and Fire” had started.

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

Sincerely I do not know for sure how to categorize it: is Black Metal as feeling and regarding the instrumentation, but it also contains death metal riffs and growls; it is an epic album (it is an entire story if you read the lyrics), and the lyrical theme is regarding the war and the soldier’s emotional experiences on the front, which could be also categorized as War Metal. If you want the simplest category for “Deadly Gleams of Blood, Steel and Fire” is VERY Black Metal like in the golden age on the genre. 

3. The project was disbanded for almost 20 years, what was the cause of the split and the decision to return? 

Disbanded I believe is a tough word… I would prefer to say it was left behind. The main reason for this was that I played in several other bands, also with a live agenda, and I couldn’t take the correct amount of care for the project. A few years ago, after discussing and being encouraged by close friends, I decided to get back on the project and record the songs; I’m sure it was a good decision.

4. Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer music? 

The whole idea of the album started from trying to imagine what are the emotions that cross our mind and what are our feelings when in front of death: are you at peace with what you did during your life? would you change something from what you have done? A few years ago I was almost drowning in the Black Sea, and most probably this was the spark behind the theme. Further, I tried to imagine when you are daily in front of death, and being on the front line is one of those places. I’m not feeling comfortable writing my lyrics and for this reason, I had to search for the song lyrics. And who could express better the feeling that the soldiers from the battlefield: so, lyrics are excerpts and adaptations of various war poems written by Alfred Noyes, Richard Aldington, Marjorie Pickthall and Wilfred Owen, a narration taken and adapted from J. B. Priestley's “Great War Letters Home” and the last song’s lyrics are excerpts and adaptations from Dathan Eldridge's poem, originally called “My Experience Of Death”, where the author expresses his feelings during a near-death experience. 

5. On your demo you covered satanic and occult themes, do you still have an interest in the dark arts? 

I believe that the word War could be used easily with the meaning of Hell and vice versa; going further on this meaning, I could use it in the name of the 2003 demo and call it “The War Will Rise Again”. Considering the actual situation in the world, you will say that I was totally right since back then. 

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

The meaning of the word “Insepultus” is “Unburried” and comes from the Latin language. The name I have chosen due to my nickname, which is “Sep”, those were the days in the 90s when everyone wanted an interesting nom de guerre. After a while, I understood it was a Slovakian thrash metal band called the same, but I preferred to keep the name even in these circumstances. 

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

All the artwork is done by my good friend Costin Chioreanu from Twilight13Media, well known for his collaboration with bands like Mayhem, Emperor, Darkthrone, Opeth, Abbath, Borknagar, and the most famous metal designer from Romania now. Drawings are inspired from pictures taken during WWI, hand-made with white ink on black paper and capture the reality of War in a very particular manner. 

8. On the recordings you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with a full band in the studio or do you prefer to work solo? 

I am, and I always have been, a team player. But Insepultus is a one-man band, so everything is composed, played and recorded all by myself. For the “Deadly Gleams of Blood, Steel and Fire”, compared with the 2003 demo, I preferred to have the drums recorded in the studio, and not programming them. Further, I had a collaboration for the trumpets recording or for the narration, where I wanted a native speaker. Here are the guests on the “Deadly Gleams of Blood, Steel and Fire”: Nikola Dušmanić from Serbia played the drums, Ezequiel Lagrotta from Argentina played the emotional trumpets’ parts, while Jeremy Diener from the US took care about the excellent narration. All hired guns.  

9. With the live lineup, what are some of the best shows that the band has played in so far and how would you describe your stage performance? 

Is so hard to imagine the difference that I see between what is happening now and how it was more than 20 years ago: now you have different clubs with daily live shows, nice stages, and lights, while back then were just a few festivals with small stages, poor sound and sometimes no lights and a few bars that would allow raw Black Metal to happen. At the same time, the attendance is quite different: while back then, due to the small number of concerts, you could see participants who traveled long hours to be in the first row during these underground concerts, now, with so many concerts’ opportunities, the attendance is more selective. In short, I had my good concerts back then, alone or with friends, but is hard to compare them with what it will be done now with the new record. I’m working hard with my management to imagine a spectacular live show to enjoy ourselves and the other interested parts. Of course, as close of the idea of one-man band as possible. 

10. Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album? 

As mentioned before, I’m working on it together with Mihai Coro Caraveteanu, who was also the producer of my album, a close friend, and my former bandmate from Irkalla. He is one of those people that would need time to put the different pieces of the puzzle all together, but always for the best results possible. So, I am confident we’ll come with an interesting live production in 2024. I don’t plan to tour much, rather a few of selected appearances here and there, if I would feel there is enough interest into my stuff. Of course, I wouldn’t say no to a festival offer, if people would consider spending on Insepultus.

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

Back in the days, there was no such thing as getting global reactions over music. Everything was more hidden and focused more local or regional. Just to imagine how primitive everything was, my first demo was physically released in just 5-10 home-made copies in CDR format that were passed to close friends. Now, with the new record, the feedback is great, both locally and globally. Loud Rage Music released my first single digitally two weeks ago, that was already played 1500 times and the biggest youtube channel dedicated to the genre, Black Metal Promotion, would premier the whole album on 15th of December, so it will be online already when you read this. The sales look promising, there is a lot of interest into the album, even if with just one song released online, I am happy with that. Would also do a super limited edition of t-shirts for the most dedicated die-hards.  

12. Where do you see yourself heading as a musician in the future? 

I am happy with what I do and have now, cause metal music and black metal particularly were always a big passion. I’ve been around with metal for more than 20 years already, living my life and playing in bands with good people that I could still call my friends. I am happy I finally managed to have my own professionally released record, under the wings of the best Romanian underground label, Loud Rage Music, and produced with the help of some of the most inspiring people in the local scene. I don’t know what the future will bring, probably not much, but enough to keep me happy in doing this, both on records and hopefully live as well. 

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

As you could notice on the album, the influences coming from the early middle ‘90s are obvious, both in terms of music and underground ethos. Bands like Mayhem, Dark Funeral, Marduk, Rotting Christ or early Dimmu Borgir were always appreciated and heavily played back then by our little Black Metal gang in the south and we were also lucky to have friends who would share more obscure titles they got by tape trading, black, death, thrash and evil heavy metal. We were all young, restless and took it equally seriously with extreme metal, like we did with drinking and hanging out. Nowadays I don’t have that much time to check for new music like I used to do, but I am always happy to discover new bands opening shows when going to see live my old favorites or at festivals. Recently I really liked 1914 from Ukraine a lot. Gerrar or Smae are also good offerings in terms or Black Metal made in Romania.  

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

Thank you again for your interest in Insepultus and stay metal! Those truly interested would find a way to grab my album and merch if they really want to! Horns up!

Insepultus.romania@gmail.com

Insepultus/Deadly Gleams of Blood/Loud Rage Music/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Insepultus  are  a  solo  project  from  Romania  that  plays  a  very  technical,  melodic  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2023  album  "Deadly  Gleams  Of  Blood"  which  will b e  released  on  December  15th  by  Loud  Rage  Music.

  Drum  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavier  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams. Keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a decent  amount  of  melody.  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  The  music  also  having  its  technical  moments  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  war  samples,  spoken  word  parts  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  one  track.  The  production  so9unds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  horrors  of  war  as  seen  through  the  eyes  of  a  young  soldier  in t he  frontline.

  In  my  opinion  Insepultus  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic,  old  school  and  technical  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Last  Battle"  and  "The  Trumpet  Sound".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qR58rGCZKU

  

Ch'ahom/Knots Of Abhorrence/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Ch'ahom  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  progressive,  technical  and  bestial  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Knots  Of  Abhorrence"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.  

  Ritualistic  drum  beats  and  Native  American  style  flutes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  chants  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  bestial  growls  and  black  metal  screams. 

  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while t he  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  war  metal  elements,  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.   When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts along  with  the  clean   sections  also  taking  the  music  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction  when  they  are  utilized  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  sounding,  ritualistic  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and r aw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Pre-Hispanic  Rituals  and  Magick  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ch'ahom  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive,  technical,  war  and  bestial  black/death  metal,  you  should  check  out  tihs  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Xibalba"  and  "Path  To  Ixtab".  8 out  of  10.

   BANDCAMP RELEASE  

Venomous Echoes/Writhing Tomb Amongst The Stars/Vargheist Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Venomous  Echoes  are  a  solo  project  from  Ohio  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  dissonant,  progressive  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2023  album  "Writhing  Tomb  Amongst  The  Stars"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Vargheist  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  and  synths  start  off  the  album  capturing  the  atmosphere  of  a  horror  movie  soundtrack  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  dissonant,  direction.  Blast beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  and  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  bestial,  cavernous  death  metal  growls  and  grim  black  metal  screams.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  sounding  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When tremolo  picking  is  utilized  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  war  metal  feeling  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  and  the  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments,

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.  Guttural  vocals  are  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  as  well  as  the  clean  sections  also  taking  the  music  into  a  more  progressive  direction.  Whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  one  song  also  shows  an  influence  of  jazz  music  and  the  closing  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  cosmic  horror  and  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft.

  In  my  opinion  Venomous  Echoes  is  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  dissonant,  progressive  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dilated  Eye  Of  Cosmos  Below"  "Swallowed  Into  The  Eye  Of  Lies"  and  "Irrelevant  Malformations  Forgotten".  8  out  of  10.

  

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