Theudho/Treachery/Aurora Australis/2010 Vinyl Re-Issue Review

Theudho are a blackened pagan metal band from Belgium that has heard some of their music reviewed by this zine and this is a review of their 2004 album "Treachery" which was re-issued on vinyl in 2010 by Aurora Australis.

Drums are a mixture of slow, midpaced to fast drumming with little oe no blast beats, while the keyboards are very atmospheric and medievel sounding, as for the bass playing it has a dark tones with riffing that follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars are mostly pagan/black metal guitar riffs that range from slow, midpaced to fast and contain a good amount of melody, while the lead guitars are pagan/black metal guitar leads that are very melodic and dark, as for thr accoustic guitars they utilize alot of finger picking and open chords to give the music a very dark medievel feel.

Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams with some spoken word passages mixed in with a small amount of clean singing and some female vocals, while the lyrics cover alot of ground with alot of pagan philosphers being quoated, and some famous historical figures from European history and folklore, Asataru paganism and magick in the more German form and references to the lost continent of Atlantis as well as spme anti xian themes, as for the production it has a very dark but professional feel that gives all of the musical instruments a very good sound.

In my opinion this was a great debut album from Theudho and while all there other music after this was great I still had this had the best lyrical content of all the albums and fans of this band and other pagan/viking.black metal bands should enjoy this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Awakening" "Blot" "The Sword Of Cheru" and "The Frozen Seas Of Atland". RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Homepage

Spotify

YouTube

Woe Interview

1. Can you update us with what is going on with Woe these days>


A lot. With the new album coming out, a ton of time is being spent preparing for live shows and doing general promotion stuff. We took the summer off so it's good to get back into the swing of things.


2. How would you describe the musical sound and lyrical content of the new album?


The new album is somewhat difficult to describe. Serious, melodic black metal. Heavy Finnish influence. Mid-paced. Lyrically it's dark, introspective, hopeless.


3. What is the meaning behind the band's name?


Well... I mean... The band is called Woe. It kind of speaks for itself to me.


4. I have read that you have written songs on the earlier albums under the influence of absinthe, did you use that drink to write any of the songs on the new album?


I really only did that for the very first demo. The only chemical that really came into play with this album was alcohol and even that didn't really contribute much. It has a lot more to do with our live shows. :-)


5. The new album is coming out on Candlelight Records, what are you hoping for from the promotion of that label and what is your opinion on the elitist black metallers that will probably complain that you singed to a well known label that probably wont give the new album a chance even though it is still very dark and depressive?


I'm hoping that Candlelight gets it to people who will appreciate it. Their name and their reach doesn't guarantee that anyone will like it or listen to it but at least I know that there are people and processes working to make it available. As for the crowd of nay-sayers... fuck 'em! Without Candlelight's help, there would not have been a second Woe album cause I didn't have the means to fund more recording. Candlelight encourages me to do what I want... For an artist, it's great. Anyone who dismisses something because of the label that released it can go elsewhere.

6. Have you ever thought of hiring other musicians to do live shows or do you plan on keeping Woe as a studio project?


Woe has been playing live for nearly two years now. This album was recorded by a full band.


7. How has your music been received worldwide by black metal fans?


The response has been strong, even in most of the black metal underground. I've been surprised by it. It's too melodic for some people, too extreme for others. I think that the new one will be even more polarizing because of how much the melodic elements were accented... But then, it's also a lot more intense. I don't think anyone who liked the first one will dislike this one.


8. Are there any current side projects if so, who are they and what kind of music do they play?


The full Woe lineup is in another band called The Green Evening Requiem. Our style is hard to describe but it's a blackened almost-folkish metal. I play guitar, Woe's bassist also plays guitar and sings, and Woe's other guitarist plays bass. Evan, our drummer, still does drums. I also drum and do vocals for a grindcore band called Unrest that sounds a lot like a more death metal Nasum and I drum for American black metal sweethearts Krieg.

9. How would you describe your musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?


Musical progress over the years has followed my mood. I'm a bit less angry at the world now, more frustrated with it, so the music reflects a lot of inner turmoil instead of outward aggression. Because Woe has more of a musical identity now, I'm trying to develop my own writing style instead of borrowing so heavily from the black metal classics. They still have a place but I want to express myself, not rewrite old albums forever. In the future... darker. Heavier. Faster. More intense.


10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your musical style and do you have any influences outside of black metal, also what are you listening to nowadays?


I go through phases where I'm very into black metal and phases where I'm not. Right now is one where I'm not. My playlist right now is Klimt 1918, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode, Bolt Thrower, Woods of Ypres, a lot of bands who I'm recording or working with, Deftones... Nothing really "grim" or underground. I'll be back to black metal soon, I can feel it coming on...


11. What role did Satanism or Occultism play on the earlier material, and what made you decide not to use this element on the newer music?


Satanism played a primary role in the early stuff when I didn't have much to say or, better yet, didn't know how to express myself. As I got more comfortable opening up on paper, the focus changed a bit. It's still a heavy influence on my world view and that comes out through Woe's lyrics if you look for it but it's quiet, subtle... Below the surface. I've chilled out a lot. I'm much more interested in myself than other people and what they believe so it makes sense that the music follows this.


12. What are some of your interests outside of music?


I'm a busy guy. I have all the bands, I run a small studio and do work with bands, plus web development (I built phillymetal.com, among others), I work full-time doing server/network shit, and I have a girlfriend and an apartment and cats!


13. Any final words or thoughts that you want to say before we close this interview?


No.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Homepage

MySpace

Spotify

Theudho/The Silence/ConSouling Sounds/2009 EP Review

Theudho are a band from Belgium that has one of their full lengths previously reviewed in this zine and this is a review of their 2009 EP "The Silence" which was released from ConSouling Sounds.

Drums are a misture of midpaced to fast drumming with little to no blast beats, while the bass playing has a very heavy and dark tone which follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars are mostly pagan/black metal riffs that range from midpaced to fast with a thrash feel being utilized at times, while the lead guitars are melodic sounding pagan metal guitar solos that contain even more melody than the full length, as for the accoustic guitars when they are used they use open chords to give the music a folk feel.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams that have a little bit of a deep growl being used at times mixed in with a small amount of clean singing, while the lyrics are written in a mixture of German and English that are written about Norse Mythology and Asataru in it's more German form, as for the production it sounds very professional and you can hear all of the instruments that are present on this recording.

In my opinion this is another good release from Theudho that shows more growth and progression and fans of pagan/viking black metal will enjoy this release. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Fafnor's Blut" and "A Fone Day To Die" which is a Bathory cover. RECOMMENDED   BUY.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Homepage

Spotify

YouTube

Theudho/Cult Of Woatan/Det Germanamske Folket/2008 CD Review

Theudho are a band from Belgium that play a pagan style of black metal and this is a review of their album "The Cult Of Woatan" whicj was released in 2008 by Det Germanamake Folket.

Drums range from midpaced to fast drumming, while the bass playing follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars, as for the keyboards when they are used they bring an atmospheric feel to the music.

Rhythm guitars are mostly pagan/black metal guitar riffs that range from midpaced to fast and contain a good amount of melody,while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding guitar solos that have a classic metal feel, as for the accoustic guitars they use alot of fingerpicking to get a pagan feel.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with some clean singing female vocals being usead at times,while the lyrics cover Asataru from a German instead of Norwegian point of view with some topics about the vikings fighting Romans and some anti christain lyrics, as for the production it sounds very professional and you can hear all of the instruments that are present on this album.

In my opinion Theudho are a very good pagan/viking/black metal band and all fans of this genre will enjoy their music, RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Terror Cimbricus" "Silemce Reigned Over The Blog" "The Fall Of Rome" and "Prophecies In Flames". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Homepage

Spotify

YouTube

Kommandant Interview

1. Can you introduce the band to our readers that have never heard you before?
"KOMMANDANT was founded in 2005 by Jim Bresnahan.Original intentions were as a one off project but due to great demand from fans became a full time band.KOMMANDANT has 3 official releases: "Iron Hands On Scandinavia" (Daemokratia productions),"Stormlegion" (Planet Metal), "Kontakt" (Planet metal).

2. When i listen to your music it sounds like a holocaust, how would you describe your musical sounds?
"Space Junk"

3. What are some of the topics or subjects that you bring out in your song lyrics?
"I consider our lyrical content to be the least emphasized component within our music.The listener will find very little insight into our agenda when exploring this aspect of our compositions.We would best describe our work as a claustrophobic vacuum of indirect transmissions from the stratosphere; disharmonic and segmented yet beautiful.

4. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
"Our live presentation is something we pride ourselves on.the live attack is very cold,provocative,and disciplined in appearance;yet caustic and infectious upon delivery.It is not uncommon to see audience members leave the auditorium due to how deeply offended they might have become.To these people we say:"thank you for forfeiting your entrance fee to us and have a pleasant trip home!" I have seen this happen on a few occasions."

5. What are some of the touring plans for the future, are you planning on just touring the United States or do you also plan to expand and do an European tour?
"We will tour wherever there is demand.No limitations."

6. your new album came out on Planet metal, so far the stuff I have heard on the label has been power or trad metal, are you the only black/death band on the label and how would you describe the support that the label has given you so far?
"Chris Black utilizes every possible resource within his own means to promote his bands.He has shown KOMMANDANT no less the same courtesy.He released our first album "Stormlegion" as well.He only signs whet he personally likes.In that regard,I consider him peerless when compared to other labels.

7. Do you have any other side projects besides this band, if so who are they and what kind of music so they play?
"KOMMANDANT is the only band i work for.I have no interest in any other musical projects at this time."

8 How has the reaction been to your music so far by black/death metal fans worldwide?
"We have received more than a satisfactory response. Unbelieveable interest from fans and magazines from all over the world.!This is due to the fact that we are very diligent about sending our product in the mail to as many metal contacts as possible.Mail contact is a very high priority within this band."


9.How would you describe your musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
"I have likened our musical progress to an assembly line with a definitive beginning and end without any deviation from the assemblage at hand.I have already seen how it will end up in my mind through an inner portal within my minds eye!Our destiny has already been pre-determined.Let me simply say that it will only become more chaotic and detached from the listeners normal perception of KOMMANDANT up to this point.It will end very badly for the listener I assure you!Pure seduction.

10.What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced the chaotic music that you create and what are you listening to nowadays?
"I really do not believe that any certain current band or even musical style has directly(or inadvertently) influenced the music created by us(Honestly!).We have a very atavistic approach to writing.I draw most of my influence from visual arts when it comes to creating.I hear colors and see sounds!I have not been listening to much music nowadays since we are busy writing for our next full length.I try to keep a clear head while writing."

11.Does Occultism or Satanism play any role in your music or lifestyle?
"Not at this time but we are always open to try something new".

12.Outside of music, what are some of your interests?
"I collect German U-Boot items form both ww1 and ww2."

13.Any final words or thoughts?
None.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Homepage

Myspace

ReverbNation

YouTube

The Silver Cord/Hate/2010 CD Review

  The Silver Cord are a band from Colorado that plays experimental/dark/black metal who have also had their previous ep reviewed in this zine and this is a review of their self released 2010 album "Hate".

Drum programming are mostly slow beats that are coming out of a drum machine, while the keyboards are very atmospheric and ambient sounding which gives the music a very dark edge, as for the bass playing it has a very heavy tone.

Rhythm guitars are mostly slow and heavy riffs that contain a lot of distortion and has elements of both black and doom metal mixed in with some ambient influences, and there are little to no lead guitars or solos present on this recording.

Vocals are mostly clean singing vocals that sound very dark and tragic that have a rough edge to them at times with some high pitched black metal screams and deep growls being thrown in at times, while the lyrics are very depressed and hateful, as for the production it sounds very professional and you can hear all of the instruments that are present on this album.

In my opinion this is a good album from The Silver Chord that should appeal to the more open minded fans of black metal as well as fans of avant garde and gothic music. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Sin" "Hate" "The Dawn Will Never Come" and "Bodies". RECOMMENDED BUY.

https://www.facebook.com/thesilvercorddenver/

Thorngoth Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
Thorngoth was formed in May 2003. We are from Germany, southward of Munich. We’ve released till this day one Demo-CD and three full time albums.
Our recent album is called “Leere” and was released in June 2010 by Folter Records.

2.How would you describe your musical sound?

I think it can best be described as a modern kind of traditional black metal. We also have some death metal and dark metal influences in our music. Varied structures are characteristic for the music of THORNGOTH.

3.What is the meaning behind the band's name?

The name THORNGOTH is based on J.R.R. Tolkiens’s “Eldar” language.
It’s a neologism created by our vocalist Akhorahil and means “the horned enemy”. Most of English speaking people are thinking first of “thorn” and “goth” if they are reading the name, but “THORNGOTH” has nothing to do with this.

4.How would you describe the lyrical content of the music

Especially on the lyrics of “Leere” we wrote about the physical and emotional void in all its forms. We mainly write philosophical influenced themes about sorrow and death.

5.There seems to be a concept going on with the new album, would you consider the new release as being a concept album?

It could be considered as a concept album, but actually I don’t think so.
All songs are about the same topic, as above mentioned the physical and emotional void. But the lyrics aren’t interconnected. It depends on your position of what a concept album is.

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

Our best show up to now was the gig on “Under the black sun” festival near Berlin. It was our first Open-Air show and a great experience.
I think, THORNGOTH appearance on stage transmits a cold and dark atmosphere that entwines the audience.

7.Do you have any plans to tour the U.S?

Unfortunately we aren’t able to tour the U.S., because of lack of time and we cannot afford it.
Maybe in the distant future an U.S. tour could be possible. It depends on the further development of the band.

8.The new album came out on Folter Records, how would you describe the support that the label has given you so far?

Folter Records provides the worldwide distribution. They are also giving us possibilities to do some shows in Europe, mainly Germany.

9.Do you have any side projects besides this band, if so who are they and what kind of music do they play?

All members of THORNGOTH beside vocalist Akhorahil are live musicians of the German Black Metal solo-project “Lost Life”, which is driven by Nephesus HYPERLINK "http://www.myspace.com/lostlife666" http://www.myspace.com/lostlife666 . In late 2009 I started a side-project named “Perdition’s Light”, in which I want to create a mixture of ambient, black metal and industrial HYPERLINK "http://www.myspace.com/perditionslightofficial" http://www.myspace.com/perditionslightofficial .
Akhorahil used to play synthesizer in the well known German Black Metal band Lunar Aurora.

10.Out off all the albums that the band has recorded so far, which one are you the most satisfied with?

Our recent album “Leere” is the album we are most satisfied with, because it has the best sound I’ve produced so far. Concerning the music we again took a slightly new direction, in which we’ve focused the best properties of our music.

11.How would you describe the musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?

It’s very hard to see our music in future. Maybe we will be more influenced by progressive styles/ bands like Enslaved or Nachtmystium.
Currently we don’t work on new song material.

12.What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and what are you listening to nowadays?

I think our influences are unconsciously. We’ve never tried to copy another band. But it’s impossible to avoid influences from other bands.
When I was creating the music of “Leere”, I’ve listened to Shining, Blot Mine, Bethlehem, only to name just a few.
Nowadays I mainly listen to Enslaved, Nachtmystium, Solstafir and some other bands that play this style of music.

13.What role does Occultism or Satanism play in the music and how would you describe your views on this subject?

It only played an insignificant role on our demo-CD “Sigillum”, but no one changes this description on metal archives. Therefore everyone who writes about us just copy & paste that obsolete description of our lyrical themes.
In times of “Sigillum” Akhorahil was influenced by some magical text, of Aleister Crowley, for instance. After the recording of “Sigillum” we soon anticipated from those themes.

14.What are some of your interests outside of music?
Sports, hanging out in my local pub, for instance.

15.Any final words or thoughts?
Listen to “Leere” and feel the emptiness!

Facebook

Homepage

Myspace

ReverbNation

SoundCloud

YouTube

The Silver Cord/ 2008 CD Review

The Silver Cord are a band from Colorado that plays a very experimental form of dark/black metal and this is a review of their self released 2008 demo.

Drum programming is mostly slow beats, while the keyboards are very tragic sounding with some influences from old gothic rock and ambient music, as for the bass playing it is all slow playing that follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitar.

Guitars are mostly acoustic folk sounding open chord riffs that are very depressive and full of sorrow, while the electric guitars are very slow and doom sounding with a black metal edge.

Vocals are mostly clean singing vocals that have a very dark feel with a small amount of black metal vocals being used at times, while the lyrics cover sorrow, sadness and depression, as for the production it sounds very professional and you can hear all of the instruments that are present on this recording.

In my opinion this was a good album from the Silver Cord and while this does not has as many black metal influences as their newest release which i will do a review on shortly, this is still a good depressive piece of art which is good to listen to at times. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE ""The Voices Of Many" and "Violate Me". RECOMMENDED.

https://www.facebook.com/thesilvercorddenver/

Winterfylleff/The Mercian Sphere/Candlelight Records/2010 CD Review

  Winterfylleff are a band from the U.K that plays a pagan form of black metal that has a folk and melodic edge and this is a review of their 2010 album "The Mercian Sphere" which was released by Candlelight Records.

Drums cover a good amount of variety with drumming that ranges from slow, mid paced to fast with a lot of brutal blast beats, while the bass playing has a very strong sounding tone that follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars as for the flute  when it is used it evokes memories of medieval times with a very ancient feel.

Rhythm guitars are mostly pagan/black metal guitar riffs that range from being slow, mid paced to fast with a good amount of melody, while lead guitars when they are used a very melodic sounding guitar leads, as for the acoustic guitars it brings a heavy folk/pagan element to the music with the use of open chords and some melodic finger picking that has the feel of a classical guitar.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with some deep growling as well as clean singing viking metal vocals, while the lyrics cover, while the lyrics cover Anglo Saxon Heritage, pride and paganism as for the production it has a very professional sound and you can hear all of the musical instruments that are used on this album.

In my opinion Winterfylleff are a very good pagan/black metal band and while they are not the most original sounding band, they still do a great job with their music and fans of pagan/black metal will find this to be a very good addition to their collection. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Gateway The Wayferer Part 1" "The Honour Of Good Men" "Defending The Realm" "A Valley Thick With Oaks" and "When The Woods Were Young". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Instagram

Myspace

Official website

Spotify

Twitter

Enthroned Interview

1. How has everything been on this tour been so far?
Concerts have been great, good responds from the fans, the only place that has been disappointing so far was in LA, too many people staying home watching television instead of being at the show?


2. What are some of the cities that you have played so far?
Seattle, Boise, Denver, Salt Lake City, Portland, Vancouver B.C, Ramona?

3. This is your first U.S tour in 9 years, even though you have put out plenty of albums since then, was there some issues with visa's?
Yes some of the problems where do to issues with visas among other things, and also we where working with our old recording studio and we started to focus more on Belguim?

4. How has the new album been received so far?
Very good this album has received the best reaction so far for an Enthroned album, we have gain back some old fans that left for awhile and we have also gained some new fans as well and the response could not be any better than it is now actually?

5. I have noticed with each album the music has been getting deeper into the occult, where have you been drawing your occult inspirations from?
I personally and some of the other members of Enthroned as well are deeply into the occult, when Sabbathan left the band we decided to focus more on the subject matters that matter the most to us, and with some of our past members they did not share the same vision, but now all of the members are sharing those views it is time to unleash something more deep and personal than the typical anti christian blasphemy?



6. What is your opinion of the newer black metal that has come out in the last couple of years, and do you still follow the modern black metal scene or do you stick to the older traditions?
I can listen to any kind of music, but there are still some new bands that have came out that i can appreciate as long as it is good and honest?

7. What ever happened to your old side project The Beast, I remember you put out that album a few years ago and I liked it a lot and I never heard anything again from this project, where there ever be another album?
There wont be a full length album in the future because I never have the time due to my personal life and also Enthroned takes up a lot of my time but I am going to release a final release for The Beast which will be a split album with a band from Belgium called Goat Torment and instead of covering a Beherit song from the last couple of albums we are going the other way around and doing an Impaled Nazarene cover.

8. The new album came out on Regain Records, how would you compare this label to the other labels that you have been on throughout your career?
They are perfect we do'nt have to be at the back all the time to get something done and everything we have asked for has been giving to us plus more and I did not know that there was still such a label that still existed like that and we are a hundred percent satisfied with everything?

9. How would you say the music has progressed over the years?
With us just like every other band there is always improvement as compared to our old personalities as well and our music has also grown up with the members and what we have became today as well, it is not that we wanted to change but it is a natural thing?

10. How would you compare the American black metal audiences to the ones in Europe and South America?
All of the audiences as well as cultures are different, at some places there can be only 10 people but they are still maniacs and you can play some places and get no reaction so it all depends, in Europe you can still find people that are still into it, and in South America they are all into it and you get all the maniacs and die hard's into one place?

11. How would you describe the lyrical content of the new album?
The new album is based on real events that have occurred through our occult and philosophic practices and studies and some experiences from some members throughout the last few years that were translated to texts and then to the music and we wanted to write about something that has not been written about it, and the reality is going much deeper over the years?



12.Any final words before we wrap up the interview ?
Thanks for the interview and I hope you enjoy the show.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Myspace

Spotify

Komandant/Kontack/Planet Metal/ 2010 CD Review

  Kommandant are a band from Chicago. Illinois that plays a very chaotic form of black metal and this is a review of their 2010 album "Kontack" which was released by Planet Metal.

Drums alternate between mid paced and fast playing with some brutal blast beats being thrown in the music, while the bass playing is mixed low in the music and follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars are mostly mid paced to fast holocaust black meta; riffs that are very heavy and brutal, and there are little to no lead guitars or solos present on this album.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with some deep growls being thrown in on occasion, while the lyrics cover war themes, as for the production it is very raw in the true war/black metal tradition.

In my opinion Kommandant are a very good band that should appeal to all fans of war/black metal. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Anti Human Nemesis" and "Sulphur Chariot". RECOMMENDED BUY.

www.myspace.com/kommandantofficial1

Krieg/The Isolationist/Candlelight Records/2010 CD Review

  Krieg are a band from New Jersey that has been around since the 90's and are one of the most well known US black metal bands and this is a review of their comeback album "The Isolationist" which will be released by Candlelight Records.

Drums are mostly fast with a lot of brutal blast beats with some slow playing being used at times, while the bass playing sounds very powerful with a mixture of slow,fast and distorted riffs that bring a deep sound to the primal music on this recording, as for the synth it is only used briefly the enhance the dark nature of the music mixed in with some avant garde and experimental music influences.

Rhythm guitars are mostly fast primal black metal riffs that slow down at times and bring a doomy edge to the music that contains a small amount of melody at times, and there are no lead guitars or solos present on this album except for maybe a few seconds.

Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams with some deep growls being used at times, while the lyrics touch on the corruptions of religion, hatred, depression and other dark themes, as for the production it is very raw sounding that makes the primal music sound much darker.

In my opinion this is a great comeback album from Krieg and if you are a fan of their previous albums you will not be disappointed. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "No Future" "All Paths To God" "Inhalation Decays" and "Dead Windows". RECOMMENDED BUY.

http://www.myspace.com/officialkrieg

Valdur Interview

1. Can you update us with what is going on with the band these days?
L.S. (drums)- We have just completed a tour of the northeastern area of the U.S. as well as a couple of shows down south in the Los Angeles area. We have also recently completed our latest full length titled 'Raven God Amongst Us' and we are promoting that as well. We have some more shows in the future and are also slowly getting prepared for the long winter ahead up here in the mountains….

2. What is the meaning of the band's name?
L.S.- It is a similar name to the god of the winter sky…..where we live, we have very long, cold winters…..so it seemed appropriate.

3. How would you describe your musical sound?
L.S.- Valdur is metal music first and foremost. We are proud to have many extreme metal influences in the creation of Valdur. I personally grew up with Mercyful Fate, Bathory, Venom, old Slayer, etc…..and then got heavily into thrash metal…then heavily into death metal….and then also got into the newer black metal stuff. I also like doom metal as well as the classic heavy metal. It's funny though…..for me, black metal is still Mercyful Fate! hah! None of us in Valdur are confined to one style of metal. I also listen to dark ambient and drone stuff. …..it is all an influence on our music. We do NOT just take one or two bands' styles and then try to copy them!

4. The new album has some lyrics that are written in a different language, what made you decide to use a different language on some songs and how would you describe the lyrical content of the new album?
L.S.- This comes from our vocalist (also guitarist) Thor. He is from Norway and so he chooses to write some of his songs in Norwegian. And no, we are not trying to be Norwegian Black Metal….Valdur would never try to be something that it is not! hey! We all bring our different influences to this band to make it complete. I am quite unclear as far as the lyrical content of the new album…..this is Thor's department.

5. What are some of the best live shows that the band has played so far?
L.S.- Every live show is good for us, as we put all of our energy and spirit into the live setting. It is actually hard for me to look back on the live shows as I typically end up in a very strange state of mind. Our music is very fast and intense and I have to concentrate very hard to keep it all together. I typically am frustrated when a metal band thinks it ok to be 'messy' on stage.

6. Do you have any plans to tour Europe in the future?
L.S.- Well, I must say that to tour Europe would be great. I have traveled all throughout Europe many times including: Greece, Italy, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Scandinavia, etc…. -Chamonix, France is like a second home for me, I have spent a lot of time there in the French alps. To be able to travel through some of these countries and be able to play extreme metal music would be really amazing. Also to be able to play some festivals over there would be a dream come true. Maybe someday we will have that privilege, yes?

7. Are there any current side projects besides this band if so who are they and what kind of music do they play?
L.S.- I am actually the one with all the side projects as I am always plugging away at music. I play the drums in two other bands: Endless Blizzard as well as Weverin……and I have two of my own solo projects: Sxuperion and SXAP. It is all extreme metal with the exception of SXAP which more ambient stuff.

8. How has your material been received so far by black metal fans worldwide?
L.S.- Very well…

9. How would you describe your musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
L.S.- I think that when we first began composing songs, they had some old school death metal mixed into old and modern 'black metal' sounds. Then, I think we had a more traditional and more recent 'black metal' style….this was due to Thor writing so many riffs! I think that we are now slowly re-molding our sound…..but I am not quite sure how to describe it. My aim is to make my drum parts faster and more brutal for every release. I always get pissed when bands' music gets less intense over each release….like they are dumbing down their music. Fuck that…..

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and what are you listening to nowadays?
L.S.- As I said before, I listen to all kinds of metal music as well as ambient music. I despise most other kinds of music like rap or country or pop. Some people may think that I am 'closed minded'…..so be it. This is my choice. I know what I like and I stick with it. I am listening to a lot of Blut Aus Nord, the new Azarath is fucking awesome, Brian Eno (his Ambient series), Lull, the new Urgehal is good….I really like the new 1349, and I am addicted to the new Lightning Swords of Death full length…..it seems to get better and better the more I listen to it. I also am always listening to the good shit from the good old days……Mercyful Fate/King Diamond, Bathory, Morbid Angel, Unleashed, Incantation, etc. I have a huge metal collection!

11. What role does Paganism, Occultism or Satanism play in the music and how would you describe your views on those topics?
L.S.- We are deeply spiritual individuals. I will not going into our specific spiritual preferences though. To me, people who go about trying to prove their spirituality or their religious beliefs onto others are spineless, parasites who just cannot keep their mouths shut. Our spirituality plays a very strong role in our music though……and this is why one does not hear much 'happy', 'feel good' shit in Valdur, hah!…..although I think that our music can be very uplifting at times…..

12. What are some of your interests outside of music?
L.S.- We have many…..as I stated earlier, we live up high in the mountains of the eastern sierras. We have to laugh when people think of California as only being a beach when the state inhabits the highest peak in the lower 48 states (Mt. Whitney at over 14,000 ft.). The small town we live in is at 8,000 ft elevation…..so this means plenty of wandering through the mountains during all seasons of the year. The winters here are long……last winter we had snow on the ground for 9 months straight, and it gets so deep that it typically buries our homes. So this keeps us busy! There are also many other things that I get out of life, but I will keep those things private for now…….all I can say is that we are not stagnant people.

13. Any final words or thoughts?
L.S.- no…..

Bandcamp

Facebook

Spotify

Woe/Quietly Undramatically/Candlelight Records/2010 CD Review

  Woe are a band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that plays a raw form of black metal with a depressive feel and this is a review of their 2010 album "Quietly Undramatically which will be released by Candlelight Records.

Drums are mostly mid paced to fast with a lot of brutal blast beats and some slow playing, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the guitar.

Rhythm guitars are mostly mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are a raw and use a depressing tone at times and the occasional thrash sounding riff with some slow riffing as well as soft acoustic guitar playing being used at times, while the lead guitars are primitive sounding black metal guitar solos that have a dark ambient feel at times.

Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams with some deep growls as well as some clean singing being used at times while the lyrics cover depressing and hateful issues, as for the production it is very dark and necro sounding which is the perfect for the primal black metal this music invokes.

In my opinion Woe are a very good band and this a good album from them that should appeal to all fans of raw and depressing sounding black metal. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "The Road From Recovery" "Without Logic" and "Hatred Is Our Heart".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://www.myspace.com/woeunholy

Stonehaven Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard you before?
S: Stonehaven is a Viking-themed Black Metal band from Midwest America. We've been together for 5 years.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?
S: We've been compared to Windir and Enslaved, although I feel our music has taken a stronger turn towards straight black metal in the last couple years. Our previous demo had much more of a viking metal sound, whereas our current full length strays away from that. I would like to keep the perverted and opposite mixture of Einherjer to Sargeist.

3.What is the meaning behind the band's name?
S: Stonehaven, as in the preservation of ancient things, sentiments, etc.

4. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music?
S: My lyrics are meant to capture the terror of Viking age Europe. It is about the horror of a Christian man watching his wife get raped. It is about the hot shit streaming down the leg of the man standing in his first shieldwall, cowering at the charge. It is about Nordic-themed atrocities and murder. The unwritten sagas of murderers and killers versus the typical glorification of Viking 'heroism.' While Norse Heathenism and typical Viking-Metal lyrics encompassed our previous music, my lyrics have transitioned to represent the utter blackness of the Old World. From brothers killing brothers, the boast of a rapist to his comrades, to the whispers of dying men as they lay on the pyre, offering their knowledge of the Nine Worlds to those who would listen.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far?
S: Our recent tour brought many impressive shows. Personally, I enjoyed playing LA the best. LA is known for many elitist black metalists, and their large approval of our band and performance was honoring.

6. Are there any plans to tour Europe in the future?
S: I feel that whenever the opportunity presents itself to flatten the Old World, we'll take it.

7. The new album is self released do you have plans to look for a label in the future and if so what kind of label do you think that would be a perfect fit for your music?
S: Being in the MidWest, finding a label would be very helpful for us. There's a deficit of Black Metal in our area. We were very well received on the West Coast, and I believe a label would help us expand our audiences. That being said, many fledgling black metal bands jump at labels too quickly, and the label that gives them their home ends up giving them their grave as well.

8. How would you describe your musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
S: N. and I have been playing music for about 8 years now. Originally we had a thrash/black metal sound. At a point, we had an extremely viking metal sound. Now I feel we've combined the best of our past to influence our future. Again, our sound will move towards many black metal bands we respect (Horna, Pagan Hellfire, Kampfar, Marduk, etc), but our most clear influence is ourselves.

9. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and what are you listening to nowadays?
S: I can only speak for myself, but Burzum, Infaust, Sargeist, Nordreich, Satanic Warmaster, Horna, Walknut, etc..

10. What role does Paganism or Occultism play in the music and how would you describe your views on these topics?
S: Nordic Heathenism is a central tenant of my music and life, however, I don't feel it's an open table discussion. It disgusts me to no end to see hipsters take up any sort of heathenry. I don't feel explaining my elitist views on the matter would do anything other than possibly motivate a reader to take up the same views. This would be an affront to the purity of my ideals.

11. What are some of your interests outside of music?
S: History, Western Martial Arts, and reenactment.

12. Any final words or thoughts?
S: It excites to me that the rest of the United States that has experienced us is so receiving. We seek to please no one other than ourselves, and the fact that the other blue-bloods of black metal who we've run across in person have favored us so is honoring.

Facebook

Myspace

Wolfshade/When Above/Wraith Productions/2010 CD Review

  Wolfshade are a 1 man band from France that plays a down  tempo  and  depressing form of dark black metal and this is a review of their 2010 "When Above" which was released by Wraith Productions.

Drum beats are mostly slow with no fast playing or blast beats being used, while the keyboards have a depressing ambient feel to them, as for the bass playing it is all slow and primal.

Rhythm guitars are mostly slow depressive sounding black metal riffs with a lot of open strings being used that gives the music a very haunting and tragic feel, while the lead guitars are basic sounding depressive style black metal guitar solos.

Vocals are high pitched suicidal black metal screams with some clean singing being used at times mixed in with some whispered vocals, while the lyrics are written in a mixture of French and English and cover cabalistic occultism with a more left hand path approach as well as some H.P Lovecraft themes, with a dose of dreams, darkness and myths, as for the production it is very dark sounding which is a perfect balance for this depressive ambient black metal sound this album haves.

In my opinion Wolfshade are a very good band that should appeal to fans of depressive black metal with a more occult/esoteric edge. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Bene Elohim" "Le Refugie Des Passions" and "Incipit Vita Nova". RECOMMENDED BUY.

http://www.wolfshade.net

http://www.myspace.com/wolfshade7

Valdur/Raven God Amongst Us/BloodyMountain Records/2010 CD Review

Valdur are a black metal band from Northern California that has been around for a few years and this is a review of their 2010 album "Raven God Amongst Us" which was released by Bloody Mountain Records.

Drums alternate between mid paced and fast drumming with some brutal blast beats being thrown in, while the bass playing seems to follow the riffs that are coming out of the guitars and at times they sound powerful.

Rhythm guitars alternate between mid paced and fast black metal riffs that contain some melodies, and there are little to know lead guitars or solos present on this album except for maybe a few parts.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with some deep death metal growls thrown in and on one song there is a small amount of viking chants, while the lyrics are written in a mixture of Norwegian and English which is kind off odd for an American black metal band and cover Norse Paganism and Asataru, as for the production it is very dark and raw sounding that goes over well with this band's primitive approach to black metal.

In my opinion Valdur are a very good black metal bands that should appeal  to any black metal fans that loves the raw pagan style of this genre, and this band also puts on a good live show. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Wound Fires In The Afterlife" "Great Abyss Unfold" "Berserker" and "Creation". RECOMMENDED BUY.

http://www.myspace.com/valdurkult

Enthroned/Pentagrammaton/Regain Records/2010 CD Review

Enthroned are a band from Belgium that has been around since the early 90's and are a very well known band among black metaller's and this is a review of their 2010 album "Pentagrammaton" which was released by Regain Records.

Drums alternate between being slow, mid paced to fast with a lot of brutal blast beats, has a dark tone that follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars and at times the instrument has a very powerful sound of it's own, as for the effects when they are utilized they bring an avant garde edge to the music which gives the music a more occult sound.

Rhythm guitars cover a good amount of variety with a mixture of slow, mid paced to fast black metal riffs that contain a good amount of melody, while the lead guitars are very dark sounding black metal guitar solos that are very melodic mixed in with some more traditional metal influences.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with a small amount of deep growls and some chanting, while the lyrics cover the classic grimoires, Goetic demons, Cabbalistic and Egyptian Occultism instead of the more Satanic topics that where used on the earlier albums, as for the production it sounds very professional and all of the instruments have a very good sound to them.

In my opinion this is another good album from Enthroned that goes even more deeper into the occult than previous albums, it while it is as not as raw sounding as their earlier material, fans of their last album should enjoy this new recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "The Vitalized Shell" "Magnvs Princeps Leopardi" "Pentagrammaton" and "Unconsious Minds". RECOMMENDED BUY.

http://www.enthroned.be http://www.myspace.com/enthronedhorde

Thorngoth/Leere/Folter Records/2010 CD Review

  Thorngoth are a band from Germany that plays a raw and fast form of black metal that has been around since the early 2000's and also has a couple of members that have played in some well known German black metal bands and this is a review of their 2010 album "Leere" which was released by Folter Records.

Drums range from being slow, mid paced to fast with a lot of blast beats, while the bass playing has a dark tone which follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars and at times they have a very powerful sound of it's own, as for the keyboards they are only used for a few seconds and they bring a dark edge to the music.

Rhythm guitars are very primal and raw black metal riffs that are slow and depressive at times with some mid paced to fast riffing with a small amount of melody and a thrash edge being used at times, while the lead guitars are very raw and sometimes depressing black metal guitar solos, as for the acoustic guitars when they are used on the last song they use open chords that give the music a darker sound.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with some deep growls and a small amount of clean singing, while the lyrics cover occultism, sorrow and death, as for the production it is very dark and raw sounding.

In my opinion Thorngoth are a very good band that should appeal to all fans of true raw black metal. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Leere I, III, IV and VII". RECOMMENDED BUY.

www.thorngoth.de

Undivine Essence/Nature's Elements Interview

Phenex on behalf of Nature's Elements.
Shay and Mike from Undivine Essence

1. Can you tell us a little bit about both of the bands for those that have never heard of you before?
Phenex: We Met Ipos (vocalist & creator of the songs) in 2001 and made some records and gigs. In 2005 he's gone and after that we released "beyond the dunes". Now in this split we recorded two last songs of his creation with another vocalist. And this release is dedicated to Ipos. Now we're free and only wearied cloak of memories make us look same. We're ready to conquer through Undivine times!
Shay and Mike: UE was started as a studio project in 2006, with Shay on guitars and bass and Mike on vocals. We've worked with several session drummers and so far recorded drum tracks for a full length. Also, recently we joined a new Bassist to the band.

2.How would you describe the musical styles of both of the bands?
Phenex: Dark sounding black metal© .. far far on the east it could be sweaty! In this split we have a different sound from before, I like it more, its freshly.
Shay and Mike: UE is mainly, and over all, a black metal band. But we infuse a lot of our various influences to create a sound that's our own.

3. What is the meaning behind the name Undivine Essence?
Shay: For me "undivine essence" refers to the human being itself. The corruption, foulness and weakness of the physical existence that we are. The name reflects a materialistic view by which I scorn the earthly life and both supernatural beings.

4. What is the meaning behind the name Nature's Elements?
Phenex: NE is some harmony, split for elements, for harmony. Some harmony which we don't have, a lot of chaos around us and inside us. So it's like a journey on the river of chaos in a boat of sorrow.

5. How would you describe the lyrical content of both of the bands?
Phenex: We use a symbolism of Nordic mythology for inner psychological process like a trip. Maybe it's a wrong way; but we know shit about the Greek mythology. Half of our lyrics are written in Russian.
Shay: Main Lyricist for our songs is Mike, but sometimes I write and some songs we write together. On my lyrics I try to get a more introspective point of view, and deal mainly with mental processes through demonic imagery.
Mike: I like to use more occult, horror and dark fantasy related motives in my lyrics.

6. Have you had any opportunities to do live shows yet, if so what are some of the best shows that the bands have played so far and how would you describe the stage performance of both bands?
Phenex: We made some gigs here and there. It's almost always a good time. The last gig we made in the middle of the forest; it was a magic, strange sound, strange vibe, almost strangers.
Shay: So far we did not do a live show due to a lack of a permanent drummer. But I think that will be fixed soon!


7. Is that animal on the cover a chuppacabra?
Phenex: it could be! If you mean the Lucifer's demon dog, dog has a character of his master. So when you seek the light of Lucifer – Wisdom, he's your master haha..
Mike: The animal is a Hyena, and in our opinion one of the most Undivine creatures on earth!

8. What direction do you see both bands heading into during the future?
 Phenex: In the end of the river what waiting for us? Water fall, maybe a lake. hope it will be another river.
Shay and Mike: We are now half way from releasing a full length. It'll be ready sometime next year. We already have material for a second album, a concept album about death. Besides for that maybe another split & live gig sometime soon.

9. How has the split been received so far from black metal fans worldwide?
Shay: So far we had few Online reviews (including yours – thanks again), and all were very positive. Also, I hear very good things from people who got the split itself.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced both of the bands and what are you listening to nowadays?
Phenex: When I listen to NE, sometimes I wonder to hear Burzum & Bathory, it's a real wonder! It meets the hot climate and it feels like an expedition with sweat, desert and memories. Now I listen to Soft machine, it's heavy.
Mike: I know this sentence has been used so many times before but there are so many bands I cant name even few.. basically I hear stuff from Beatles up to Satyricon. Currently I hear the new Danzig and the latest Rotting Christ.
Shay: I'm influenced mainly by late 80's and mid 90's black metal. Stuff like Bathory, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Summoning, Celtic frost, Venom and many more. Besides for that I love some death and thrash metal bands, and some depressive 80's shit .. so that all blends here together. Recently I'm listening to: Lifelover, Hell Darkness, Nifelheim, Blodarv, The Meads of Asphodel, Lunar Aurora, Minimal Compact, and so on…

11. What role does Paganism or Occultism play in both of the bands music?
Phenex: Well, Occultism, it's a good basic for symbolism, I mean for using words: as & like something. When I think about paganism, I think about Russia, hard for words, so easy for feelings. You can use that link for music and especially for lyrics.
Shay and Mike: We tend not to use paganism, although we do not reject it. Occultism and dark feelings play bigger role on our lyrics right now.

12. What are some of your interests outside of music?
Phenex: Did you see "The holy mountain" and "stalker" movies?
Mike: Nuns beheading, books, movies and virgin disembowelment!
Shay: Sociology and Anthropology, but mainly I like to get stoned and mess around with the nun heads mike just beheaded


13. Any final words or thoughts?
Phenex: Thank you for asking! Questions create the answers!
Shay: Thanks for this interview, and also to all the people around us that help this project. Finally, to all, check out our myspace page for some sounds!
Mike: When I was 15, I had a thought sprang into my mind, but since it was long time ago I already forgot it.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Undivine_Essence/3540308900
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Nature%27s_Elements/9329

Adversarial/All Idols Fall Before The Hammer/Dark Descent Records/2010 CD Review

  Adversarial are a band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada that plays a brutal form of black/death/war metal and this is a review of their 2010 album "All Idols Fall Behind The Hammer" which was released by Dark Descent Records.

Drums are mostly fast with a  lot of brutal blasts being utilized mixed in with some mid  paced drumming, while the bass playing is mixed down low in the mix and seems to follow the riffs that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars mix the heaviest and fastest elements of black, war and death metal together to create a very brutal sound with one song having slower, doomy riffs and there are little to no lead guitars or solos present on this recording.

Vocals are a mixture of deep death metal growls and black metal screams, while the lyrics are very hateful and philosophical with a dose of anti Christianity, as for the production it has a very raw and heavy sound that brings out a  lot of chaos into the music.

In my opinion Adversarial are a very great band that should appeal to anyone looking for a mixture of Canadian War metal mixed with brutal death metal.RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Churning The Storm" "All Idols Fall Behind The Hammer" "Ruin Enshrined" and "Death.Rot.Monolith". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Facebook

Homepage