Sunday, December 10, 2023

Lysergic/Dimethyltryptikon/Crucial Blast/2023 Full Length Review

 


  Lysergic  are  a  duo  from  Calgary,  Alberta,  Canada  that  plays  a  bestial  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  with  elements  of  psychedelic  and  industrial  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Dimethyltryptikon"  which  was  released  by  Crucial  Blast.


  A  very  dark  and  apocalyptic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also b e  heard  briefly.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  bestial  growls  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  and  war  emtal  elements  can  also  be  heard.


  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  The  album  also  adds psychedelic  and  industrial  sides  into  the  more  brutal  side  of  the  music  at  times  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.


   All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  when  they  are introduced  onto  the  album  as  well  as  some  of  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  adding  in  the  brutality  of  grindcore,  chants  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  torture,  death,  war  and  hallucinations.  


  In  my  opinion  Lysergic  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  war,  bestial  black//death  metal,  psychedelic  and  industrial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tryptamine  Neuro  Destruction"  "Eratic  Noose  Departure"  and  Maggot  Crown  Usurper".  8  out  of  10.


  https://lysergicblackdeath.bandcamp.com/album/dimethyltryptikon-2 

  


  

Heretic/Filthy Hymns For Sleazy Demons/Van Records/2024 Full Length Review

 


 Heretic  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  satanic  mixture  of  black'n'roll  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Filthy  Hymns  For  Sleazy  Demons"  which  will  be  released  in  2024  by  Van  Records.


  Angry  shouting  vocals  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  brings  in  elements  of  punk  rock.  Touches  of  first  wave  black  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  being  heavily  influenced  by  thrash  metal  and  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  raw  tremolo  picking.


  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clear  chants  and  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  most  of  the  recording  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.


  Heretic  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black'n'roll,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Blasphemy,  Sex  and  Rock'n'Roll  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Heretic  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black'n'roll,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pandemonium  Nights"  "Holy  Death  Awaits"  "Ritual  Girl"  and  "Under  The  Spell  of  Satan".  8  out  of  10.


  https://youtu.be/1ViOD2sHK04      

Iätön/Loitsutulet/Altare Productions/2023 Demo Review

 


  Iätön  are  a  duo  from  Finland  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  demo  "Loitsutulet"  which  was  released  by  Altare  Productions.


  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  demo  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  All  of t he  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.


  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  spoken  words  are  also  added  on  the  second  track.


  Iätön  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  Scandinavian  tradition  as  well  as  bringing  back  the  epic  sounding  synths  of  that  era.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and r aw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  nature,  darkness,  mysticism  and  misanthropy  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Iätön  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Portit pohjolan  näkyvät".  8  out  of  10.


  https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/I%C3%A4t%C3%B6n/3540535028#


       


  

Eftboren Interview

 


1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project since the recording and release of the EP?

W: We are currently writing and rehearsing new material.

E: ...Which will be recorded and released when the time is right...


2. In March you released an EP, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

W: We recorded drums and guitar together to reflect a live performance. As we were going for the styles of Black Metal, Psychedelic Rock and Post Rock. Which are traditionally recorded this way. 

We wanted a more intense, confined room sound rather than something too cavernous. Sound Sanctum Studio was the perfect place to capture this at the time. Guitar overdubs, along with bass and vocals were added afterwards to bring emphasis. Using a sample in ‘Treespell’ added to the overall atmosphere of the song.

E: The main style at play is of course Black Metal, but I'd say that we've thrown a few other Rock and Metal styles into the proverbial cauldron. You can definitely hear pieces of Doom Metal, Thrash Metal, Post Rock, Prog and Psychedelia as well as some experimentation with samples and manipulating sound. 


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

W: The human condition and spirituality.

E: I prefer to leave things open to interpretation, that way the lyrical subject or 'story' can reveal itself to the listener should they choose to seek it out.


4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name ‘Eftboren’?W: It’s Old English for rebirth, for me it’s about a musical rebirth.

E: The name was suggested to us by our Father. It seemed rather apt because the formation of the band saw us returning to playing music together after a long period of time apart, so for us it was a kind of re-birth...


5. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

W: Maybe once we make some friends, haha! We are planning to collaborate with other musicians.

E: For the time being Eftboren will remain just myself and W, with occasional future collaborators.



6. Both of the band members have also participated in other bands and musical projects together, what are some of the past bands and musical styles that you have experience working with in the past?

W: Oblivionized and Crimson Throne. I’ve played with Orchestras, Jazz quintets, a Blues duo and I write Electronic music myself. I did a recording session in September for Castle Of The Winds and Nil, for their split EP set for release next year.

E: We have played (together and separately) in a variety of groups over the years, playing original material and also in cover bands mainly playing Metal or Classic Rock / Punk.  A few years ago I dabbled in a Noise project. I currently also play guitar in a Post-Doom project named ‘Moss Eater’ (with my good friend RuinTheMoment) and we are also working on a future release.




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

W: Definitely in the future.

E: At this stage it is far too early to discuss such matters. 



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

W: So far very positive, nothing negative yet hahaha!

E: I'm afraid that I can't really give you any worldwide statistics. But for the most part, I would say that reactions have been positive. 



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

W: Hopefully in the near future, once our house is in order.

E: A 'full length' will take shape when the time is right. Although saying that, I for one was very happy with the length of our debut recording (approximately 18 minutes).  I feel that our energy is much better spent constructing a musical release that we feel contains the best material we can capture at that moment in time. Getting bogged down with irrelevant concerns about the tracklist's combined running time just seems counter-productive. In terms of where we foresee the band heading musically, as cliché as it sounds, it's simply best to let that be wherever the music takes us...



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

W: Loads of music! The latest Old Tower release, Vinterland - Welcome My Last Chapter, Miles Davis - Nefertiti, Cardiacs - Sing To God, Vandr - The Dead Winter, Meshuggah - Chaopshere and Akercocke - Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone. 

E: I am currently really enjoying the new Årabrot album - Of Darkness and Light. A truly fantastic band who deserve much more recognition… Also, the recent passing of Kevin 'Geordie' Walker (guitarist from Killing Joke) has sent me on a deep dive into the KJ back catalogue. The man had an incredible guitar sound like no one else...



11. What are some of your non musical interests?

W: Fitness, reading - I’m really enjoying ‘Storm of Steel’ at the moment - going to gigs, buying records, watching films / documentaries and exploring new places.

E: Watching Horror Films with my girlfriend, spending time with family and daydreaming…



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

W: Stay true to your beliefs.

E: Thank you for your interest and your time.


Eftboren related links:


https://eftboren.bandcamp.com/album/eftboren


https://www.instagram.com/eftborenband


https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091759365319


Horyn/Г​о​л​о​с​и м​о​ї​х з​н​е​в​і​р​е​н​и​х д​у​м​о​к/2023 Full Length Review

 


  Horyn  are  a  solo  project  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  album  "Г​о​л​о​с​и  м​о​ї​х  з​н​е​в​і​р​е​н​и​х  д​у​м​о​к".


  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  atmospheric  sound  starts  off  the  album while  clean  playing  can  also be  heard  at  times.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.


  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  at  times.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  along  with  some  songs  also  taking  the  music  into  more  of  an  experimental  direction.


  When t he  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can b e  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  folk  instruments  and  spoken  word  parts,  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental  which  also  adds  in  some  tribal  percussion  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Ukrainian  and  cover  how  people  devour  each  other  and  hatred  for  all  things.  


  In  my  opinion  Horyn  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of t his  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Цивілізація"  and  "Ж​а​л​ю​г​і​д​н​и​й".  8  out  of  10.


 

  

Saturday, December 9, 2023

Dwarrowdelf/The Fallen Leaves/Northern Silence Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 


  Dwarrowdelf  are  a  solo  project  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  very  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "The  Fallen  Leaves"  which  will b e  released  in  2024  by  Northern  Silence  Productions.


  Ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  elements  of  dungeon  synth  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.


  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.


  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as e  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sorrow,  struggle,  grappling  with  reality  and  the  Elden  Ring  video  game.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dwarrowdelf  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  epic  and  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Journey  To  Dawn"  and  "The  Fallen  leaves".  8  out  of  10.


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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