Dratna/Fear Gorta & Tales Of The Undead/Fiadh Productions/2023 Album Re-Issue Review

 

  Ireland's  solo  project  Dratna  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  atmospheric  style  of  pagan  black  metal  from  his  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2022  album  "Fear  Gorta  &  Tales  of  The  Undead"  which  will b e  re-issued  in  March,  2023  by  Fiadh  Productions.

  The  sounds  of  fire  burning  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  are  also added  the  songs  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  one  track also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  medieval  war  samples  and  another  song  is  also  an  instrumental.

  On  this  recording  Dratba  remains  true  to  the  atmospheric  style  of  pagan  black  metal  that  he  has  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Irish  Mythology,  Vampires,  Nature  and  Personal  Grief  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dratna  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spirit  Of  Mughdhorna"  "Cath  Maige  Tuired  -  The  Second  Battle  Of  Moytura"  and  "Ode  To  Cliodhna".  8  out  of  10.

  https://dratna.bandcamp.com/    

Procession Of Spectres/MMXX/Fiadh Productions/2023 EP Re-Issue Review

 

  Procession  Of  Spectres  are  a  band  from  Ireland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a review  of t heir  2020  ep  which  wa s re-issued  in  2023  by  Fiadh  Productions.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,   mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.  At  times  the  vocals  also  go  into  a  deeper  direction  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  the  closing  song.

  On  this  recording  Procession  Of  Spectres  had  more  of  a  doom  metal  influence  to  their  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal  which  was  also  different  from  the  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Irish  History,  Famine,  Suffering  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Procession  Of  Spectres  and  if   you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Salt  of  The  Earth  (Salann  An  Domhain)".  8  out  of  10.

https://processionofspectres.bandcamp.com/album/ep-mmxx            

Anhaguama Interview

 

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

Eosphorus: There was the arrival of a new member to the band, Azatoth who will be our new bassist, We've been distributing our cds, we've gotten some reviews and we're negotiating our next concert dates.

2.A few months back you had released a new ep, musically how does it differ from your past releases?

Eosphorus: I think the variety of musical influences the band has today is wider, we are also more satisfied with our new compositions and with all the sound production work and the visual art of the EP.

3.From 2008 to 2022 there was no new music being released, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time frame?

Eosphorus: We played some shows during this period, we created some songs but we didn't get to release them, in 2020 we decided to focus more on recording new material.

4.A lot you your lyrics show some inspiration from the writings of Crowley and Spare and also go into other realms of the occult such as the Left Hand Path and Necromancy, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

Eosphorus: I have been interested in various spiritual e magickal paths, in the last 20 years I have read many books, and applied it in my daily life, in my spiritual development.

My favorite authors and main sources of inspiration for my lyrics and for my personal life are: Michael W. Ford, Kenneth Grant, Anton Lavey, Aleister Crowley, Arthur Edward Waite, Austin Osman Spare, H.P.Blavatsky, Eliphas Levi and many others.

5.I know that the bands name comes from the Tupi Guarani people, do you also have an interest in their culture and mythology?

Eosphorus: Yes, I am fascinated by the beliefs and culture of many indigenous peoples in Latin America, I also think about the possibility of writing lyrics about these ancient pagan cults in the future.

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

Eosphorus: The Art was developed by Rubens Snitram from Azoth Artwork, the initial idea was that he would give his vision of the concepts of our lyrics in this EP, he did a memorable job.

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

Eosphorus:  All the concerts we've played so far have been very satisfying for us. What we're looking for is the experience of the concert, which is similar to a ritual, which has a whole magical and sinister atmosphere in this musical and spiritual celebration.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for 2023?

Eosphorus: We don't have any dates scheduled for this year, but there is a possibility that we will play some shows in 2023.

9.Last year the band where a part of a split with 'Murder Worship', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?

Eosphorus:  They are one of the best death metal bands in the world In my opinion, and Diego Murray is our longtime friend and an amazing Guitar Player/Vocalist. I recommend it to all fans of Death Metal giants like: Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Immolation, Deicide, Krisiun, and others.

10.Currently the band is unsigned but has worked with a label in the past, are you open to working with another label again in the future?

Eosphorus: My future plans are to have my own label, maybe the next pressing of our EP will already be released by our label, but any label that is interested in releasing/distributing our material, feel free to contact us.

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

Eosphorus: It's been really good, better than I expected to be honest, we're very pleased with the response of our new EP.

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

Eosphorus: We want to release our first full album until 2024, we will continue with our proposal to play death/black metal with influences from bands of the 80s/90s, but we want to evolve more and more in bringing elements from other metal styles as well, and of course writing lyrics about our spiritual/magickal path.

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

Eosphorus: I listen to different music styles like:

Death/Black, Doom, Thrash, Heavy, Speed Metal, Hard Rock, Punk/Hardcore, Rock n roll, Blues, Classical Music, bands/artists like: Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Sarcófago, Mortuary Drape, Blasphemy, Mystifier, Absu, Profanatica, Darkthrone, Immolation, Incantation, Deicide, Krisiun, Behemoth, Bathory, Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Venom, Slayer, Destruction, Sodom, Kreator, Sepultura, Exodus, Exciter, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Mercyful Fate, Ozzy Osbourne, Dio, Black Sabbath, Discharge, Ramones, Misfits, Van Halen, Scorpions, Kiss, Aerosmith, Joe Satriani, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jason Becker, Steve Vai, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Elvis Presley, Heitor Villa Lobos, Mozart, Bach, Wagner, Stravinsky, Beethoven, the list is endless...

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

Eosphorus: Thank you very much for the support and the interview, we will continue to follow our sinister path.

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

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

Happy Days Interview

 

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

I have moved to Europe and have begin making arrangements to start playing live shows as well as already begun composing new material for the next Happy Days album. It has been a very busy year for Happy Days

2.In January you had released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

This new album is very special because it's the first album thats been released that I have decided to incorporate classical music elements funeral doom sound to the DSBM genre. As well as also write some of the lyrics in French. 

3.This is also your first release since 2017, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during this time frame?

I spent the entire time writing and composing the new album with help from fellow composer Kenny C and we spent this entire time perfecting the new album as well as I was dealing with major changes in my personal life which is also why it took 5+ years to compose. 

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer music and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

The lyrics that I have written for this particular album are possibly my most emotional and painful because it basically summarizes my rise and downfall in my personal life and what i endured these past 5 years. As i always said Happy Days is has always been like a diary to me to where i can escape the harsh and bitter reality i live in and just disappear into my world of composing. I'll leave it up to the fans to try and figure out what the album is about. Read between the lines and you'll know.

5.The lyrics on the new album where written in French, what was the decision behind using this language instead of French and do you feel this separates you from most of the bands in America that write in English?

I have always had a deep love for the French language and i always loved languages in general. But French holds a very special place in my heart. I believe it does seperate Happy Days from other US black metal bands because its tapping into a realm thats unfamiliar territory. And I feel when you can speak a different language you open up doors and connections that you couldn't have opened if you hadn't branched out and explore the world.

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

The artwork is very emotional and personal to me and really captures the raw feeling of the theme behind the album. It's open to interpretation of course but there is a deeper meaning behind the artwork than alot of people may realize. Ill leave it up to the fans to decipher its hidden message. 

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

I wouldn't know since we haven't played a show yet. ill get back to you on that once Happy Days has played live.

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

we have 3 confirmed shows. one in Belgium,one in Switzerland, and the other in Austra. dates and info on the Facebook and Instagram page.

9.In 2017 you where also a part of a split with 'Deadspace', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?

hardworking

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

Overwhelmingly positive and i couldn't be more grateful since i was worried that the new style would not be accepting since ive stuck with a particular style for a very long time. But i am glad to see that i was wrong. 

11.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

lots of touring 

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

Ideally id like to say that we would be touring the world full time and living off of playing live shows. But that just seems so unrealistic unfortunately. who knows what the future holds.

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

Usually in my personal time i steer far away from black metal in fact i don't usually listen to black metal these days. However i will say that Kanashimi's new album Yamiuta has been on my playlist all month.

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

Thanks so much for taking the time to get to know Happy Days alittle bit and I look forward to our future endeavors. 

Bandcamp: https://happydaysofficial.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/happydaysofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happydays.band

Blitzar IV/Ayla/Fiadh Productions/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Blitzar  IV  are  a  duo  from  Mexico  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  cosmic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2023  album  "Ayla"  which  was  released  by  Fiadh  Productions.

  Atmospheric  and  cosmic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  most  of  the  tracks  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

 High  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  album  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Elements  of  ambient  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  a  couple  of  tracks  are  also  instrumentals.

  Blitzar  IV  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that is  very  atmospheric  and  cosmic  sounding  with  touches  of  ambient.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  space  and  cosmos  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Blitzar  IV  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  cosmic  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ayla"  and  "Orion".  8  out  of 1 0.

  https://aiaa7.bandcamp.com/album/ayla

Lesath/There Is A Profound Sense In Which We Are Isolated/Fiadh Productions/Vita Detestabilis Records/2023 Full length Review

 

  Lesath  are  a  solo  project  from  India  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black  metal  and  blackgaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2023  album  "There  is  A  Profound  Sense  In  Which  We  Are  Isolated"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Fiadh  Productions  and  Vita  Detestabilis  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  elements  of  post  rock  to  the  recording  and  also  mixing  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Influences  of  shoegaze  can  also0  be  heard quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  a  lot  of  the  vocals  are  also  done  in  more  of  a  clear  style.

  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  whil3e  the  music  also  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  post  black  metal  One  of  the  tracks  also b rings  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  along  with  all  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction,  high  pitched  screams  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Lesath  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  atmospheric  black  metal,  shoegaze  and  post  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  isolation  and  melancholy  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Lesath  is  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black  metal  and  blackgaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Gilded  Misery"  and  "There  is  A  Profound  Sense  In  Which  We  Are  Isolated".  8  out  of  10.

https://lesathblack.bandcamp.com/  

    

Omenloth/Self Titled/Theogonia Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Omenloth  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  which  was  released  by  Theogonia  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  which  also  go  into  a  deeper  direction  at  times.  Atmospheric  sounding  keyboards  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast b eats  can b e  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  songs  also   add in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads   are utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks..

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  old  school  influences.  Clear  vocals  can  also be   heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  also  bring  in  an  Ulver  cover,  on t he  bonus  song  the  band  goes  for  more  of  a  symphonic  direction  which  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  whispered  vocals.  The  productions  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  dark  recesses  of  the  human  psyche.  

  In  my  opinion  Omenloth  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Eye  And  The  Flower"  "Remembering  Now"  and  "The  City  of  Dreadful  Night".  8  out  of  10.

  https://omenloth.bandcamp.com/releases