ArsGoatia/Agitators Of Hysteria/Van Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  ArsGoatia  are  a  band  from  Austria  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  very  fast  and  aggressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Agitators  Of  Hysteria"  which  will  be  released  in  2025  by  Van  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  takes  the  old  school  aggression  and  mixes  it  in  with  the  more  modern  era  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Clear  vocals  and  angry  shouts  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  aggressive  style  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  psychedelic  moments  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  ArsGoatia  brings  out  a  very  modern,  fast  and  aggressive  style  of  black  metal  that  is  also  very  original  sounding  at  the  same  time.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Luciferian  Truths,  Violence  and  Death  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  ArsGoatia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  fast  and  aggressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Anointing  Of  The  Sick"  "Coronation  Oath"  and  "The  Beating  Heart  Is  A  Lonely  Hunter'.  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/Oxo-W2tp5Vc

   

Jarl/Trümmerfestung/Trollzorn Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Jarl  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very    old  school  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album "Trümmerfestung"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Trollzorn  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  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.  A  lot  of  the  album  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  along  with  the  album  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

 A  couple  of  tracks  also  adds  in  some  deeper  harsh  vocals  that  are  more  close  to  death  metal  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Jarl  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  old  school  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Levitation"  "Schein"  and  "Alchemie'.  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/JarlBlackMetal

https://www.instagram.com/jarl.official

https://youtu.be/SFpunYatPyU

Luusäkki Interview

 

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

A: Luusäkki has been my solo black metal endeavor for years, where I initially experimented and released various tracks. Recently, I decided to commit to creating my first cohesive album, which I finally completed in 2024. I decided to remove all previous releases from the public because they simply were not good/serious enough.

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?

A: I aimed to capture the speed and power of death metal and combine it with the atmosphere of black metal. This combination of sounds best represented my thoughts when I started this project. While writing the album, I also experimented with various synthesizers and samplers, which helped me create some ambient passages to keep the album from becoming too overwhelming.

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

A: The lyrics explore the chaotic nature of the universe and humanity's efforts to impose order on it. This clash often reveals the darker side of human nature, sometimes leading to violent outcomes. I don’t think we’re quite on the edge of an apocalypse, but human nature seems inclined to hasten our movement toward profound change.

I believe—and, in a way, fear—that we are standing on the threshold of a sublation. Only time will tell how violent the reshaping of our reality will be. I recognize my own biases and that I can’t fully comprehend all the forces driving change, but I still feel it’s my duty to criticize this drift toward conflict. Of course, it’s ultimately futile, and the lyrics reflect that. The human spirit certainly seems to be doomed into a never-ending cycle.

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

A: The name translates to “a bag of bones”—a term I long ago identified with and have since adopted.

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

A: The vastness of space — a universe completely indifferent to all human concepts and caught in an uncontrollable cycle of chaos and decay. I find a strange sense of peace in its quiet, inevitable decay.

6.With this project you record everything by yourself but have worked with other musicians in the past, do you prefer to work solo?

A: I do prefer to work solo. I have only limited experience collaborating with other musicians, and unfortunately, those experiences amounted to little. I’m not ruling out future collaborations, but so far, I’ve found working alone more manageable.   

7.You also can play a variety of different musical instruments, which one do you prefer to the others?

A: Almost all of my compositions start with the guitar. While the piano is arguably the greatest instrument for composing, nothing inspires me more than the guitar. It’s the first instrument I learned to play, so I feel the closest connection to it.

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

A: I’m genuinely surprised by the number of messages I’ve received from around the world, and I’m very grateful for all of them. Inverse Records deserves all the credit for this—the label has handled most of the promotional work. I wasn’t planning on promoting this project at all, so I’m very glad to have been picked up by them.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

A: Right now, I want to keep experimenting with various instruments and electronics to develop my sound further. I can see myself moving toward a heavier, more abrasive direction, but nothing concrete is planned yet. We’ll see what the future brings.

10.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?

A: I’m a huge admirer of technical metal greats like Deathspell Omega, Cryptopsy, and Portal, and admittedly, those influences are sometimes glaringly obvious in my compositions. Black metal bands such as Teitanblood, Katharsis, and Altar of Perversion were big inspirations as well.

There were also many non-metal influences I can’t fully list, but some major ones were Philip Glass, Tangerine Dream, Tim Hecker, and Unwound.

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

A: First and foremost, I want to thank you for the interview! I also want to thank all of my listeners and supporters. There’s definitely more to come.

https://www.facebook.com/luusakki 
https://www.instagram.com/luusakki_band 
https://luusakki.bandcamp.com  

Svar/In The Land Called Night/Via Nocturna/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Svar  are  a  solo  project  from  Poland  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "In  The  Land  Called  Night"  which  will  be  released  on  November  29th  by  Via  Nocturna.

  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  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Svar  goes  for  a  very  aggressive  and  melodic  style  of  pagan  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Slavic  Paganism,  Philosophy  and  Nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Svar  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  pagan  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Through  lakes,  Forests  And  Swamps"  "Heart  Of  Stone"  and  "Lost  In  Carpathian  Forest".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/cXSrSR-IGoo

Facebook | Bandcamp 

Ashlands/III/2025 EP Review

 

  Italy's  Ashlands  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  epic  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released   ep  "III"  which  will  be  released  in  2025.

  Field  recordings  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  nature  sounds  a  few  seconds  later.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  clear  singing  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  keyboards  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  most  of  the  tracks  and  elements  of  ambient  and  doom  metal  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  On  this  recording  Ashlands  focuses  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  epic  style  of  black  metal  as  well  as  being  more  aggressive  then  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft  and  Fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ashlands  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  epic  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Celephais".  8  out  of  10.

  

FB: https://www.facebook.com/ashlandsmusic

BC: https://ashlandsmusic.bandcamp.com

YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYMlADlwAYbCpAq2vMBd2FA  

Blackdeath/Mortui incedere possunt/EAL Productions/2024 Full length Review

 

  Russia's  Blackdeath  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  an  experimental  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Mortui  incedere  possunt"  which  will  be  released  on  November  8th  by  EAL  Productions.

  Grim  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  an  experimental  and  avant  garde  direction.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  while  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  blast  beats  are  also  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up.

  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  time  while  the  tremolo  picking  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  when  they  are  utilized.  Noises  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  of  an  avant  garde  yet  melodic  style  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  choir  chants, one  song  is  also  a  Dead  Can  Dance  cover.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  scientific  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Blackdeath  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  and  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Annihilate  Thy  Forest  II"  'Emmeleia"  and  "Der  Zorn".  8  out  of  10.

  www.facebook.com/trueblackdeath        

Kvlto Interview

 

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

Kvlto was founded just after I left the previous Black Metal band I was engaged with - Velho - in which I used to play the 2nd guitar. Back in 2010, me and Thiago Splatter (who is also - and still - Velho's drummer) got together to perform this kind of a ritual; the primal idea behind KVLTO was to create/re-create the grimness and rawness that used to entwine 90s Black Metal, drinking from the source of bands such as Darkthrone, Forgotten Woods, early Behemoth, early Ulver, early Immortal, early Mayhem... With that in mind, we invited Rodrigo Chucky (from Black Metal bands Twilight Burial and Cold Night) to sing and Raphael Inkubus (from old school Black Metal band Imperador Belial) to play the bass. I compose all guitar lines of KVLTO as for the lyrics, and Splatter adds the drums, after.

Chucky and Inkubus moved out to distant cities... In 2023/2024, I ended up taking over the vocals and also two new members joined the cult: Fernanda Hellish (on bass and clean vocals) and Karina Aschmedai (on 2nd guitar).

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

I don't think we have changed much musically... Perhaps the recording of our new material is a bit more professional. And we now added some keyboards (played by Cecilia Katrini, from Poeticus Severus) and clean vocals, as well, and Aschmedai's guitar gives KVLTO a more agressive sound. But we still persue the same goal: making true, grim, dirty Black Metal...As for the lyrics, there has been some maturation, if I must say, addressing both political and social topics. I'm a writer and a poet, and I try, as much as possible, to take the literary language to our music, to bring a particular aesthetic, more profund and intense, words being  rose like waves on shores.

3. This is also your first released in 8 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

As years go by and you grow older, you start having other responsabilities and obligations. Work and stuff...The flame had never ceased to exist, though. I feel that now, more than ever, we're readier and more eager to smash the whole world. We are more certain and aware of our purposes as musicians and human beings. KVLTO is a pact to subverse the hegemonic values of this oblivious society. More than merely confroting the christian institution, we stand against all colonized ways of enslavement and alienation.

4.Some of your lyrics cover ancient lore themes, which aspects of this topic do you explore lyrically?

Our new material shall explore these aspects in a deeper way. It'll have lyrics about paganinsm, indigenous religion and environmental preservation, anti-christianity. But when we adopt the concept of ancient lore as one of the basis of our music, we are saying that we refute the postmodern way of life, which keep destroying the forests unstoppably, slaughtaring native peoples, propagating racial superiority and destroying ancestry.

5.You also have lyrics cover anti-capitalism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your dislike for capitalism?

Capitalism is a form of mass domination. The logic of consumption produces superficial individuals driven by materiality, money shaping their desire. People are led to believe that satisfaction comes from having. This is a manipulated freedom, where you sell your labour-power and, thus, they own your time, your substance, your entire existance... Capitalism is a system that imprisons bodies.

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

In our lyrics, we explore subjects that are interrelated, after all; one can't talk about capitalism without talking about colonialism, patriarchy, racism, misogyny, lgbtphobia... It's all connected. "O Outono do Patriarca" (a personal tribute to colombian leftist author Gabriel García Márquez) is about a decadent general after the end of his dictatorship, which can also be interpreted  as a metaphor for anti-fascist and anti-patriarchal fight. "Temporada Vermelha" is a statement against far right ideology. "Ela" is a feminist manifest on women's empowerment. "Abismo - Parte I (A Contemplação)" is about humankind's inevitable doom. "Eles Que Chegam" is about the hypocrisy in which so-called righteous christian men are immersed, always pointing their heavy hands to others while performing aberrations themselves when out of sight. And, finally, "Nós Somos os Mortos" means that we - as in minority versus majority - are dead to the values they're trying to shove down our throats, we're dead in the sense of not sharing this narrow-minded shallow way of living.

7. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Kvlto"?

KVLTO derives from the term "kvlt" - it's actually its portuguese form. The inspiration comes from the old, rough and primitive subculture that earlier Black Metal invented. It's a refference for this particular aesthetics, for its harshness, its "necroness", 

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

The entire album's artwork is by the artist Yuri Rosa. I told him the concept we wanted and he drew it. On the cover, you can see an open rift and some marginal people trying to climb it... On the top, there's a woman, some kind of sorcereress, a woman gifted with ancient wisdom staring at the fullmoon. Inside the CD, the same sorceress appears, now staring at a bleeding moon, a moon that bleeds vivid red.

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

We've done a couple of shows in a remote past... Now, we're avid to try the new lineup on stage. We'll definetely perform live next year.

10. The new album was released on 'Mutilation Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Mutilation Productions is one of the most important underground labels in Brazil. Tulula, the man behind the label, is a legend. Mutilation has more than two decades old. It's 26 years releasing and promoting the dark arts.

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

It's been a nice surprise to see our album on international websites... It's been two weeks only since the release itself, and we have already received some review and interview proposals. As for the Black Metal maniacs, I think it's still early to see the impact worldwide. In Brazil, we're getting some good comments.

12.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Thiago Splatter plays in a thousand bands - I'll try to list some: Velho (one of the most important and exponent Black Metal brazilian band today), Feretral (an agressive Sewer Black Metal band), Convulsive (an insane Death Metal band), Obscure Relic (a pure raw Black Metal band), Overnöisy (an insane and brutal Grindcore/Death Metal band), Lápice (a true Black Metal experience)... and there's a lot more!

Karina Aschmedai plays and sings in PRAGA, an amazing Black Speed Metal band worth listening to, and she is the guitarist of CYTOTEKA, a riot-grrrl project.

Fernanda Hellish is the bassist of the hardcore band Broken Head.

As for myself, Kvlto is my only musical haven land.

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

We'd like to play in other countries, to get to know some foreigner metal maniacs, exchange experiences and points of view... We are to release a split album in the near future, too, with the thrash metal band Flageladör. Also, I have an audacious ( or crazy, perhaps?) project to release a KVLTO's instrumental album, only with acoustic guitars and clean chantings, something that resembles Ulver's "Kveldssanger".

14.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?

Darkthrone and Forgotten Woods are two of the bands that consacrated my Black Metal background. I must admit that I'm kinda stucked in the past, when it comes do Black Metal; I tend to listen to the same old bands that I used to when I was a kid...  earlier Behemoth, earlier Immortal, earlier Emperor, earlier Satyricon, earlier Mayhem, Carpathian Forest, Opera IX, Azhubham Haani, Morbid,, earlier Absu, Bathory... I'm also into some epic/folkish stuff, like Summoning, Isengard, Otyg, Falkebach, Al-Namrood, Eivør, Empyrium, Aggaloch, Storm, Myrkur... One of today greatest Black Metal band, in my opinion, is Wolves in The Throne Room... Besides Black Metal, I also listen to some punk/hardcore stuff, and I must add that punk has huge influence on Kvlto's music.

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

I'd like to thank  Occult Black Metal Zine for the opportunity to let us share our thoughts and feelings so freely. It's been an honor. Black Metal is not a trend, it's a CULT!!! Stay true and grim!!!

 https://kvlto.bandcamp.com/album/de-margens-fendas-e-trevas