Prison Of Mirrors/Manning The Galleys/2012 CD Review

  Prison Of Mirrors are a 1 man band from Seattle, Washington that plays a very atmospheric form of black metal with shoegaze elements and this is a review of their self released 2012 album "Manning The Galleys".

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being used at times, while the bass playing h as a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and at times they have a very powerful sound to them.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are raw and primitive sounding at times with some shoegaze elements, influences from other styles of metal leaning more the doomy side as well as a great amount of melody while the lead guitars when they are brought into the music have a distorted and melodic sound to solos and leads in addition the songs are very long, as for the acoustic guitars when they are utilized they bring a very dark and progressive sound to the music with a great amount of finger picking and full chords.

Vocals are mostly deep black metal screams and growls with some clean singing being used at times, while the lyrics cover dark themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Prison Of Mirrors are a very great sounding atmospheric post black metal band and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Sanctify In Chains" and "As We Cherish In Embers". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Rise Of Malice/Self Titled/War Productions/2012 Cassette Review

  Rise Of Malice are a band from Greece that plays a very heavy, raw and primitive form of grim sounding anti christian black metal and this is a review of their self titled 2012 cassette which was released by War Productions.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a great amount of brutal sounding blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are very raw and primitive sounding with a great focus on heaviness mixed in with some soft and clean playing in addition there is a brief use of riffing that brings a very traditional metal feeling to the music and there are little to no guitar solos or leads present on this recording.

Vocals are a mixture of grim sounding and high pitched black metal screams, while the lyrics cover Anti Christian, Luciferian and misanthropic themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Rise Of Malice are a very great sounding raw and primitive anti christian black metal band and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "The Forest Of Mist" and "Bloodshed". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Dizziness/Lykauges/At The Whirland of The Storm/War Productions/2012 Split Cassette Review

  This is a review of a split between 2 bands from Greece named Dizziness and Lykauges called "At The Whirlwind Of The Storm" which was released by War Productions with some bonus tracks and we will start of the review with Dizziness which plays a very raw and primitive from of hellenic black metal.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast druming with a good amount of blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are very raw and primitive sounding with a good amount of dark sounding melodies being thrown into the music that capture the classic Greek feeling as well as some thrash style riffing and there are little to no guitar solos or leads present on their side of the recording.

Vocals are mostly grim sounding and high pitched black metal screams with some deep growls that have a hateful feeling to them and spoken word parts, while the lyrics cover Folklore, Ancient Heritage and Mysticism, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Dizziness are a very great sounding raw and primitive hellenic black metal band with a melodic edge in addition with the best music on this split and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "At The Whirlwind Of The Storm" and "Omega". RECOMMENDED

Next up is Lykauges a band that plays a very raw and primitive old school form of hellenic occult black metal.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a good amount of brutal sounding blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very strong and powerful tone with hellenic black metal riffs that dominate throughout the recording.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast hellenic black metal riffs that have a 90's feeling to them as well as some riffing that utilizes some death metal influences as well as some melody, in addition there is some clean playing being utilized on the last song, while the lead guitars which are only utilized briefly they have a melodic feeling to them.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams, while the lyrics cover Ancient Greek Subjects, Nihilism, and Occultism, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Lykauges are a very great sounding hellenic old school black metal band and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out  this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Smashing The Hordes Of Purity" and "Abysmal Authority". RECOMMENDED.

In my opinion this is a great split of Greek black metal and if you are a fan of this style, you should add this to your collection. RECOMMENDED BUY.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Dizziness/3540301742
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Lykauges/3540294988

Krv/Ograma/War Productions/2012 Cassette Re-Issue Review

  Krv where a band from Bosnia that plays a very raw and primitive form of pagan/black metal and this is a review of their 2010 album "Ograma" which was re-issued by War Productions during the year of 2012 and also contains some bonus tracks that where not on the original but where included on the 2007 ep "U Kamenom Grobu".

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being thrown in at times, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars,a s for the sound effects when they are utilized they bring an avant garde/ambient edge to the music as well as some short samples being used before some songs.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast pagan/black metal riffs that are melodic at times with the main focus being black instead of pagan while the bonus tracks are more in the old school black metal vein than the newer material, in addition there are some death metal influences in the riffing and on the bonus tracks they have a more thrash orientated sound, while the lead guitars are very chaotic sounding black/death metal guitar solos and leads when they are utilized which is mostly on the 2010 tracks.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams mixed in with some deep death metal growls which are mostly on the recent tracks instead of the bonus ones which where recorded 3 years earlier, while the lyrics are written in their native tongue with themes that cover Slavic Paganism and the political injustice of their homeland, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Krv where very great sounding with their more older raw black metal and their newer black metal that has a death metal edge to it and if you are a fan of both styles, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Dok Laži se Diviš" "Ograma" "Oči Sudnjeg Dana" and "U Plamenu Vatre". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Rhetra/Ego Sum Mors Vestra/Heder Music/2012 CD Review

  Rhetra are a duo from Italy that plays a very raw, dark and primitive form of black metal that has a melodic edge as well as more modern elements to it and this is a review of their 2012 album "Ego Sum Mors Vestra" which was released by Heder Music.

Drums range from mid paced to fast drumming with a good amount of blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are very raw and primitive sounding mixed in with some dark melodies and songs that are somewhat long in length while also having some shorter ones as well which also mix elements of old school and modern elements of black metal to update the music and there are little to no guitar solos or leads present on this recording.

Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams, while the lyrics cover dark and hateful themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Rhetra are a very great sounding dark, raw and primitive black metal band and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Perpetual Reflorescence Of Pith" "No Mercy For The Vile" and "The Vengeance of The Moon". RECOMMENDED BUY.

www.rhetra.bandcamp.com

Eternal Helcaraxe Interview

.Question answered by Praetorian.

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
A lots going on at the moment. We're pretty busy with the new release coming out, getting the new T shirt designs ready, website redone etc. . .
A Tape Version of our 2010 EP 'To Whatever End' will be released in April by 'Sword Productions' from Portugal, and a Polish label will be releasing 'To Whatever End' on CD later on in the year, not going to announce the name of the label until everything is signed and ready to go.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from previous releases?
Well it was wrote just after the last release, so they're very alike. If anything it's a lot more guitar based, a lot more riff's so it probably sounds more raw and harsh. But if you liked the last release it is not in a new direction or anything like that, just a follow on.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
The main themes/influences of the lyrics for this and the last release is war, cultural awareness, strength of character, reverence of our ancestors. . . etc

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
We are all big fans of Tolkien's work, and “Helcaraxe” is a place in Middle Earth which is mentioned in his "The Silmarillion" book. It means “The Grinding Ice” in ancient Elvish, we felt it was very fitting to our music.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
We don't really play that often so they all stand out in their own way, for me I think the two that really stand out though is a show at Edinburgh in Scotland, and the show with 1349 in Dublin.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?
Not yet, there should be in the coming months.

7. On a worldwide level how has your newer music been recieved by fans of pagan and black metal metal?
It hasn't been released yet, just two songs on a few different pages around the net, but they seem to be getting great feedback. I don't normally read reviews of my releases but I think theirs a few of them up.

8. Are there any other projects besides this band or is this a full time line-up?
I have a side project called Éadóchas (http://www.myspace.com/eadochas) it more Ambient/Black metal. The rest of the guys have a few things they're working on too, more news on them projects to come.

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
Well we write our music one riff at a time, and our albums one song at a time! There's no master plan or anything like that. We'll just have to see I guess.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Scandinavian Black metal was definitely a massive influence for us, bands like Empepor, Burzum & Immortal etc. Other bands I was listening to a lot when we were writing the new album was Shining, Amon Amarth, Sigrblot, Hammers of misfortune, 40 Watt Sun, Warning, Thunderbolt & Gospel of the horns.

11. How would you describe the pagan/black metal scene in your home country of Ireland?
Must of it is complete crap, I would stay clear of it. Altar Of Plagues are great though, Celtachor and Wound upon wound.

12. How would you describe your views on Paganism?
Most promoters and labels seem to tag us as a Pagan metal band so I guess we're stuck with that now. But as I said, most of the bands we are influenced by are Black metal as it's based more on raw emotion and atmosphere, so that's what I'd personally call us.

13. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
The same as most people I'd imagine! Reading, going to the gym, history etc.

14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Thanks for the interview.

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Temple Of Baphomet Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?

ToB is a satanic black metal band/project (from Denmark) that has been around for like 15 years or so.
I am Lord Beezanborgh, main man and grand magus of the Baphomethean Temple of Old and you may know me as the vocalist from bands such as Rex Satanachia, Skyggesjæl and Diabolicum Mystica. For those new to my stuff; what may be noted with ToB is: That "we" are one of the very few serious satanic bands left on these parts !
So ToB´s primarily function is to act like a medium for diabolical spirits - to manifest there presence through vibrations and
to carry hidden messages out to our kind - scattered as they may be! And after a too long and involuntary break - I now re-present Temple of Baphomet to you all. The gates to the temple is open once again !!!

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new EP and how it differs from the previous recordings?

The sound/style is very ritualistic and has been so since the beginning. But this particular recording has got more
of a "theatrical" feel to it and also going into some serious minimalism to achieve a deep meditative effect.
The biggest difference from this one and previous efforts is the production. As this EP represents a big step forward production vise and was a much more professional session. Before there was absolutely no budget and I just used the gear that was available at the time. Now, I am so privileged to have a much more professional set up and a lots of experience to pull from too - Which is very noticeable with the new tracks!

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release?

The main topic has always been rituals and magic; from a satanic perspective! But a returning theme is also that of metaphysical journeys and spiritual progression. This new one is no exception. The overall topic of "In morbid fascination of Sathan" is Necromancy and loss of humanity - and it may be either positive or negative - depending much on the listeners perspective. And of cause the title track, is pretty much self-explanatory. An ode to the Devil.....

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

I originally formed ToB under a much longer and complicated moniker, something like "The arcane order of the serpent Baphomet"
So I guess "Temple of Baphomet" is short for that. Both names signifies like a connection to some sort of lodge or secret order and In many ways ToB is just that: The visible face of something most secret and obscure. But don´t be confused by the others who has since "borrowed" that name - There is only one true ToB!

5. You have a history that goes back to 1997 and have remained underground after all of these years, what is it that motivates you to keep on creating evil music after all of these years?

Yeah, it has been 15 odd years since the creation of ToB - A lot has changed - But the song remains the same.... This goes for me too,
I am still after all these years the same guy - just older and wiser. So like 3 - 5 times a day I find my self playing that cursed guitar of mine and from there composing just comes naturally. I simply can´t help my self from writing new songs, its an obsession of mine! and even during that long "break" with no new ToB releases out, I was still pretty much active as a composer every day. So now I got material for like 2-3 albums just waiting for me to get my shit together and record some more ! Well... The real reason to start releasing ToB again; is to underline what should be the purpose of all black metal
- Satanism !

6. The new demo came out on cassette which is something alot of younger bands dont put out anymore and I have noticed that the music sounds way more darker and underground sounding than these over produced mp3's what is your opinion of the younger black metal bands that release their music on the mp3, zip or rar formats?

Only tape is real!!! Despite being declared dead about 10 years ago, this humble format still lives on in the underground and for me personally nothing captures the raw essence of underground metal more that audio cassettes. I chose this format because of its analogue nature and therefore inaccessibly in these digital times. Not that I am against digitization, or the wonders of modern technology - But simply to keep it from being uploaded and distributed online without my consent. The observant reader will also notice I have not officially uploaded any new mp3´s to any of my ToB portals. As the new EP is pretty much just for those who stuck to the "scene", stuck to satanism and stuck to tape!
So even with this very limited tape release, I don´t feel I have excluded anyone yet. But the good news for the digital audience is that there will also be a free promo single CD - One can request this item in a month or so, keep an eye out for it and write to SDP for more info.

7. The new demo came out on Satnaic Deathcult Productions can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

I am also behind SDP, of which I founded to release the audio cassette version of another project of mine.
Since that I have released 5 high quality titles on tape with various bands including my own EP. Another SDP release worth mentioning is V/A: "Satans cure for christianity" - which is a compilation of extremist Satanic Black metal bands and of cause ToB appears there too with a different version of "In Morbid Fascination of Sathan"

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

Worldwide ? well ToB always had its own mini-following and after this long of a "break", I seriously thought there would be none left.
But to my surprise most of them was still there and with the tape trading scene still going strong there has been good distribution as well.
Thus far it has been well received by fans and we are almost all sold out. Also a couple of good reviews show that the zines seem to be catching up as well. I am a bit surprised to say the least, in a very positive way... I can´t wait to reveal the next chapter !!!

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

Like I said, the song remains the same.... Still there are some different schools of riffing within ToB, and I guess the one I presented on the EP is a bit progressed when it comes to scales and chords - compared to where I come from musically. But with the coming sessions I will return to authentic ToB riffing, as next time I will be recording material composed between 2003 - 2006
(and even older) for an upcoming album. The "In morbid fascination of Sathan" song was written 2007- I think and represents
the latest style of riffs and for the rest on the EP - To tell you the truth... was just improvised in the studio... not pre-rehearsed at all.
Very different from the 9 conceptual tracks I have lined up, as these have been rehearsed, arranged and played over and over again!

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

My main influence as a singer was always Kind Diamond, Attilla Chisar, Big Boss, Dead and Qourthon. Musically, for ToB
I can´t deny I have been heavily influenced by the early Scandinavian scene and the important albums from that time.
But also traditional songwriting from old Danish folk music and hard rock from the 70´s has there influence on me when I sit down to write a riff. And yeah, I also have a classical background as a pianist... Nowadays ? I don´t listen that much to music,
I have my old top 10 albums which I cant live without and every now and then I get recommended some stuff, but I really don´t follow any bands anymore. I am too caught up in paying rather than listening....

11. How would you describe your views on Satanism and Occultism, how did you get into it and what are some of the different forms of the left hand path that interested you and your practices?

As far as I can remember, I have always been aware of the spiritual side of life. I recall from my early childhood communicating with a spirit of which to this day I still consult for guidance. I think I was 5 when this spirit first spoke to me, but the first real like WOW
revelation sort of experience was at the age of 15 and it was also around that time I founded ToB. So For the past 15 years I have been practicing rituals and magick. All in all to benefit my own spiritual growth and strengthen my knowledge of the occult.
But also for the intent of influencing others and events in the outside world. But only when I at times hit certain barriers in life
- so just a little magic is utilized to achieve my goals. I have never followed any ritual teaching from any book or the likes,just what was revealed to me back then. And founded on this revealed wisdom I have devised a powerful system of magic.
Complete with rituals, meditations, spells and its own occult philosophy. I call it "Gnostic Baphometheandom"
- A school of magick which may be used by certain high level devilworshipers to achieve Godhead through reflecting the Baphomet and its esoteric virtues.
But all that is a far deeper and much complicated subject that we have no time to discuss here... Just for the initiated few...

12. Denmark is not as well known for their black metal scene as compared to the other Scandivian countries, how would you describe the scene out there?

True, Denmark has not the biggest nor the most well known scene when it comes to black metal and ToB is properly the most well kept secret of this scene.
But as I have always said.. I am an outsider to the scene - But an insider to the occult ! I have not much contact with others, let alone with the Danish scene.
Still a lot has happened nationally here these last 5 years or so, but if it is negative or positive I can not tell. I just keep to my own path, as I don´t have a lot in common with your average Danish metal head.

13. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Music is a passion / obsession and the occult is my life. All outside this is just "interests" and I have a few - which may include: Painting, drawing, writing.
And on a less serious note I can tell you that I am very much into retro gaming and electronics, cooking and messing about with natural chemistry (alchemy)
But not much time for these things on a daily basis... I just keep returning to that cursed guitar, as not much else can capture me like that!

14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Yeah, thanks for the interest and keep up supporting the satanic underground !!! And for your readers I would like to say; Keep an open eye and stay critical towards the bullshit we are fed everyday - there is more to life than this! and for those who are interested in my music:
Be patient - An album is on its way and for the meantime there will be a compilation of old demo tracks out on SDP and DSR - Also, if interested in the coming promotional single write to: satanicdeathcultproductions@hotmail.com - to secure a free copy !

HAIL SATHAN!

Eternal Helcaraxe/Against All Odds/Abyss Records/2012 CD Review

  Eternal Helcaraxe are a band from Ireland that plays a very raw and primitive form of pagan black metal and this is a review of their 2012 album "Against All Odds" which was released by Abyss Records.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being thrown in at times, while the keyboards when they are utilized bring a very dark, epic and atmospheric sound to the music, as for the bass playing it has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and at times they have a very powerful sound to them.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast pagan black metal riffs that are very raw and primitive sounding mixed in with a lot of  melodic riffing that has a traditional metal feeling to them, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding black/pagan metal guitar solos and leads, as for the acoustic guitars when they are utilized they use finger picking and full chords to give the music the feeling of the dark ages.

Vocals are mostly hateful sounding high pitched black metal screams mixed in with some clean singing pagan vocals as well as a brief use of deep growls and a spoken word part being used on one song, while the lyrics cover Paganism and Mythology themes, as for the production it has a very strong, powerful and heavy sound to it.

In my opinion Eternal Helcaraxe are a very great sounding pagan/black metal band with a melodic edge and if you a fan of this style of music, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Invictus" "We Assist Death" and "Echoes Through Our Blood". RECOMMENDED BUY.

www.eternalhelcaraxe.net 

www.myspace.com/eternalhelcaraxe666 

www.facebook.com/eternalhelcaraxe 

www.reverbnation.com/eternalhelcaraxe 

www.soundcloud.com/eternalhelcaraxe 

www.eternalhelcaraxe.bandcamp.com 

Temple Of Baphomet/In Morbid Fascination Of Sathan/Satanic Deathcult Productions/2011 Cassette Review

  Temple Of Baphomet are a band from Denmark that plays a very dark, raw and primitive form of ritualistic satanic black metal and this is a review of their 2011 ep "In Morbid Fascination Of Sathan" which was released by Satanic Deathcult Productions.

Drums range from mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being thrown in at times, while the keyboards when they are utilized they bring a very dark, evil, ambient, atmospheric and ritualistic sound to the music, as for the bass playing it has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and at times they have a very strong and powerful sound to them.

Rhythm guitars range from mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are very raw, evil and primitive sounding mixed in with some dark sounding melodies and a brief use of thrash style riffing while the lead guitars are very primitive sounding black metal guitar solos and leads.

Vocals are mostly high pitched and grim sounding black metal screams that have a depressive feeling to them at times mixed in with some clean singing, Gregorian chanting and spoken word ritualistic passages as well as a brief use of demonic sounding growls, while the lyrics cover Satanism, Black Magick, Left Hand Path, Occultism and Rituals, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Temple Of Baphomet are a very great sounding ritualistic raw and primitive satanic black metal band and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "A Call From The Distant Stars" and "Confronting The Hidden Archetypes". RECOMMENDED BUY.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Temple_of_Baphomet/17703

Stonehaven/Concerning Old-Strife And Man-Banes/Horror Pain Gore Death Productions/2012 CD Review

  Stonehaven are a band from Kansas that has had a couple of their albums reviewed as well as being interviewed by this style that plays a very raw and primitive form of pagan black metal with folk music elements and this is a review of their 2012 album "Concerning Old-Strife And Man-Banes" which was released by Horror Pain Gore Death Productions.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being thrown into the music at times, while the bass playing has a very strong, powerful and heavy tone with primitive black metal riffing that dominates throughout the recording.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast pagan/black metal riffs that utilize some melody that brings the folk music elements into the songs and traditional metal influences as well as a brief use of 80's style black/thrash riffing while the lead guitars when they are utilized are very primitive and melodic sounding black metal guitar leads that do not really turn into guitar solos.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams mixed in with some black/thrash style grunts as well as some depressive sounding cries, while the lyrics cover Icelandic Sagas, Norse Paganism, and a Pagan's refusal to convert to Christianity, as for the production it has a very heavy and dark sound to it while still retaining some raw and primitive elements.

In my opinion this is another great recording from Stonehaven and if you are a fan of this band, you should enjoy this album as well. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Suffering The Swine Array" "Coins Under Corpses" and "Sword Rape". RECOMMENDED BUY.


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Ater Era/In Autumn's Solitary Decline/Mater Tenebrarum/2011 CD Review

  Ater Era are a band from Slovenia that plays a very raw and primitive form of black metal with a melodic edge and this is a review of their 2011 album "In Autumn's Solitary Decline" which was released by Mater Tenebrarum.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast playing with some blast beats being thrown in at times, while the bass playing has a very strong and powerful tone with heavy black metal riffing that dominates throughout the recording.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are very raw and primitive sounding with a good amount of melodic riffing being thrown into the music as while as a brief use of a thrash riff in addition there is a small amount of clean playing being utilized on a couple of songs while the lead guitars when they are utilized are very primitive sounding melodic black metal guitar solos and leads.

Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams, while the lyrics cover dark, anti religion/communism and depressive themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it while you can still hear all of the musical instruments that are present on this recording.

In my opinion Ater Era are a very great sounding raw and primitive black metal band with a melodic edge and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Vest" "Vortex" and "Red Thorah". RECOMMENDED BUY.

http://matertenebrarum.bandcamp.com/album/in-autumns-solitary-decline

Weregoat Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?

Weregoat started our campaign of Fullmoon Perversity in 2009 with the intent of crushing and defiling the pathetic cunts in our town with raw fucking Holocaust Noise.  Portland has been plagued in recent years with a torrent of shit "metal" bands, fashion whores with bulletbelts and hipsters with Dark Throne patches.  Weregoat was created to terrify and offend these fucks with real fucking Death Metal Barbarism. 
Weregoat is:
Sadoseducer- Doomhammers of Primal Lust and Hate
Indiscriminate Impregnator- Six String Sodomizer of the Virgin Whore and Sepulchral Vomit
Nocturnal Hellfukker- SubAtomic Desecrating Malevolence and Kommands of Bestial Penetration


2.How would you describe your musical sound?
Distorted, Demented, Disgusting....Fucked!!
Raw and nasty I guess would be the best way to describe our sickness.  We try to create an atmosphere of crushing ritual violence. Heavy.  Cacophonic.  Evil.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Human Extermination, Ritual Bestiality, Sexual Depravity, Fullmoon Sacrifice...  I think the song titles speak for themselves.
Some title are "Nuclear Cunt", "The Hideous Stench of Occult Slaughter" and "Abysmal Whore" to name a few.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
Hahahaha! Waking up naked in petting zoos after the Fullmoon!  I believe we were shitfaced, celebrating the Sadoseducer's creation..  We hadn't played "music" together for years, and decided it was time to piss some cunts off..  I think at the time of our near black-out ritual, I yelled out "Weregoat", and it went from there.
Weregoat is a life style, most undesirable.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
The Blasphemophager/Diocletion show was fucking intense.  We also desecrated the stage with Impiety, another stand out.. They actually smelled worse than us!
Our live shows are violent, with the sickening stench of death thick in the air, due to the heaps of rotten animal and human relics we adorn ourselves with, as well as the stage and mic stands.  Smoke, blood and huge spikes...  People get cut up on our mic stands all the time.  It's also very dark when we play, so they don't see the rotting flesh, bones and steel that are inches from their faces... 'til it's too late!!





6.Do you have any touring plans for the future?
Nothing yet booked.  Some things are in the works for the northwest and B.C., but nothing I can talk about yet.

7.The album has been released by both  Parasitic  and  Dark Descent Records, how did you get in contact with both labels and how would you describe the support that they have given you so far?
Parasitic is the label of Sadoseducer.  Dark Descent put out the Ritual Necromancy disc, so we've been in contact with them for a short while.  Both labels have great distribution and promotion.  It seems that Dark Descent is on a mission for world domination, more cunts for us to desecrate!

8.On a worldwide level how has your music been recieved by black/death metal fans?
So far, the response has been very positive.  Not the response we imagined; we aim to disappoint.  Apparently Weregoat has fallen into the wrong hands, people seem to be into it haha!  But I have noticed fewer of the trendies at our shows, so we must be doing something right!

9.What is going on with the other band projects these days?
Knelt Rote is currently writing material for an upcoming release on NWN!, and is also organizing a European tour, ending that the NWN! Fest in Berlin.
Ritual Necromancy is writing new material as well, after touring with Impetuous Ritual, Grave Upheaval, Cruciamentum, and Anhedonist, as well as playing the Rites of Darkness festival.  Also a new project called Terror Oath featuring the infamous V.K. is working on some demo material. Aldebaran has a new record coming out and will be doing a short tour In Europe in May.


10.What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Ha, too fucking many to mention!  I’m sure you can hear our influences very easily…everything from Reek of Putrefaction era Carcass, to Vengeance War ‘Til Death.  There's so much coming out right now, a lot of great shit..  I hardly have time to search for new bands, some favorites right now are the new Antediluvian, Revenge, Bestial Raids and Proclamation releases.  I can't stop listening to Radioactive Vomit's "Witchblood" cassette either.  Razor, Black Witchery and Candlemass seem to always be on the turntable as well..

11.How would you describe your views on Occultism,  Satanism or Anti Christianity?
I've always been called to the dark.  It's in me.  Weregoat is the ritual.  True fucking Metal is The only god.

12.Outside of music what are some of your interests?
Motorcycles, guns, Haunted places, dead shit, drinking, fucking.. I'm highly evolved!


13.Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Thanks for your time and interest!!
Weregoat is the boot on the throat of all false cunts.  Die in Pain.
Some upcoming releases:
Diocletion/Weregoat "Disciples of War" split 12" soon on Parasitic Records
Weregoat "Slave Bitch of the Black Ram Master" 12" ep soon on Iron Bonehead Productions

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Sturmpercht / Rauhnacht/Zur Ew ' Gen Ru/Steinklang Records/2011 CD Review

  This is a review of a 2 Austrian bands teaming together Sturmpercht a neo-folk band and Rauchnacht a pagan ambient black metal band which together combine their 2 music styles together to create "Zur Ew ' Gen Ru" which was released by Steinklang Records during the year of 2011.

Flutes and other folk instruments bring a very dark pagan medieval neo-folk music sound to music, while the drums range from slow to mid paced playing with not much in the way of fast playing or blast beats, as for the synths they are only utilized briefly and they bring a very dark and atmospheric sound to the music.

Rhythm guitars range from slow to mid paced ambient black metal riffs that are very raw and primitive sounding mixed in with some dark sounding melodies and there are no guitar solos or leads present on this recording.

Vocals are a mixture of clean singing, whispered vocals, spoken word parts and grim sounding black metal screams, while the lyrics are written in German and cover nature and pagan orientated themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion this is a great split between Sturmpercht and Rauhnacht and if you are a fan of neo-folk or ambient black metal, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACK "Track 2". RECOMMENDED BUY.

https://sturmpercht.bandcamp.com/album/zur-ewgen-ruh

Avenger Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

We have been celebrating 20 years of existence. First, we recorded compilation of our best songs entitled "MCMXCII - MMXII", all tracks with new fresh sound made in 2011/2012, some of them never released before. This CD, containing 17 songs / 79 mins total, was released a few weeks ago via czech magazine/label Parat. You can order it from us or Deathgasm Rcs. too. Second, we organized indoor festival called simply "DARK METAL FEST". With elite acts of czech metal underground scene, legendary czech band ROOT plus serbian guests THE STONE and BANE, this was a truly urepeateable event. Avenger did 3 separated sets with various historical line-ups, we played almost 3 hours total. All by all, I think it was a really cool evening. We had like 220 fans coming which was great. My impressions are all just very fresh, the show took place only 2 nights ago. And it was no doubt very strong emotional moment of my (our) life/lives. Something to stuck in memory forever. By the way, we had 5 profi cameras and 16 track audio recorder at the place. So we did quite professional recording of entire show. When time comes, we will most probably consider producing / releasing our first official DVD. But now we focus on promotion of our new album "Bohemian dark metal".


2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from previous releases?

Emotional intensity and brutality ! I have always had very personal and feelingful approach to songs/lyrics writting. But this time I have gone far further. The point is Im still learning, as musician, as sound engineer, as a person as well. I have found new ways to create harmonies (contra disharmonies), I have found new ways to handle sound of each single track, I have found the way of reaching harmony in my soul, despite being chaotic and sick mind. Every Avenger album had a bit different style, "SHADOWS OF THE DAMNED" was less or more death/doom, or even heavy touched, "FALL OF DEVOTION" most close to black, "GODLESS" almost clean death, "FEAST OF ANGER" blackened death. But now I think I managed to melt all these features into one outstanding unity. Its still a pure Avenger stuff but I dare to say its something new at the same time. Im not so naive to call our stuff "original". In the crazy flood of thousands metal bands today, its of course highly probable that someone plays less or more the same shit we do. But lets say our attitude is unusual at least. Its in fact "all-metal", riff by riff filled and connected with authentic darkest feelings of my life. This is what "Bohemian dark metal" stands for.


3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release?

Its all just about what life brought. The lyrics have many autobiographical features. Im 32 now and its no secret that I have never had opportunity to experience how does it feel to be loved by a woman (now not speaking of the physical experiences but speaking of the deepest emotional connection). My personality is too harsh and weird and no girl I ever loved was so brave to accept that. My music and words is a channel of saying out the most internal pains, wishes, worries, complaints, thoughts.... well... whatever... I just let it flow. Even at a cost that the things that come to light are weird, maybe pathetic, or funny for someone uninvolved.... but I dont fucking care, its a cure for me. At this point it would be also good to say that the lyrics arent entirely serious at all. Its a game for me as well, I use a lot of fantasy and imagination. Also I am always aware I wanna create METAL, so no sweet "I love you I miss you" shits. I always keep it brutal ! You probably need to check the lyrics to understand what I try to explain here.


4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

Man you are asking about something that happened 20 years ago. Im afraid Im not able to answer this, I simply dont remember. We probably picked the name just because we thought it sounded nice. No huge story here.

5. The band has a long history that goes back to 20 years but you have for the most part remained underground what is it that motivates you to keep the band going after all these years

I simply cannot live without creating and performing own music and lyrics. Nothing else in my life can be compared to this divine feeling. Plus we finally have a very strong line-up, all guys in the band are both very skilled musicians and very close friends. I just cannot imagine I would loose this.


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

Man, Im a professional sound engineer, Im owner of HELLSOUND studio. So I barely listen to anything else than my work. My roots still remain the same, I love Bathory, Masters Hammer, Root, King Diamond, My Dying Bride, Slayer old Florida and Scandinavian death metal scene, ancient Norwegian black metal acts. All best was said so many years ago already !


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

We focus on well based playing and singing, no huge theater (except the standard headbanging etc.). The funny thing is Im introvert, far from being exhibitionist so no "original" or "interesting" or "new" features are possible at all. Anyway, I do think that the music and the global energy we send to the audience does all the fucking job. As for best gigs. Hard to name some of those almost 300 shows we did. Every gig is cool.


8. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?

I would say its not question for me at all. If someone is interested in sending us on road, well, cool, we go ahead ! We have a strong live line-up and we are ready to kick anyone's assess, no matter who plays before or after us. We play fucking dark music in a way that barely anyone does so there is simply no fucking competition for us hehe. But we have been around for a while and we watch the shits where its all drowning. If big label bands are "touring" in sense of playing shows for 30 - 60 people, what audience would come to see Avenger....5 or 10 freaks ? Sorry, this doesn't make any sense anymore. We live in a shitty time when literally everything is becoming just question of money, "the scene" is not about music anymore. We are probably too old already to waste time and money for something that doesn't lead anywhere. We better leave the space for the younger guys who wanna travel, see the world, experience the "rockers life".... we in a way passed this already... and what we never reached, we simply gave up. Generally, we are always interested to play shows, that's sure. But only those which look seriously and worthy.


9. On a worldwide level how has your newer material been received by fans of black/dark/death metal?

No huge story up to this moment. But I dont complain at all :-))


10. Are there any other projects going on these days besides this band or is this a full time
line-up?

Our drummer Certik has a very cool power violence band called "Gride". The bassist Mira is the main author for his own pagan black metal band called "Panychida", our tympanist Jarda plays guitar in a cult czech thrash metal band called "Assessor". Guitarist "Ramus" is fully devoted just to Avenger. And my musical CV is quite heavily filled with many contributions and acts. I think I was involved in over 40 bands (mostly as session drummer), such as Judas Iscariot, Krieg, Nargaroth, Bane, The Stone..... and many more. Recently I recorded drums for new Masters Hammer album as well.

11. What direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?

No idea at this moment.

12. Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in the music/

Depends what these words mean to you. Im not religiously based person, Im materialistic / atheist. And well, if there are any unseen untouchable forces within this world (some my life experiences indicate that this may be true) I have no interest in investigating or naming them. I try to choose my paths myself and what is to come that is to come.... But I am highly sensitive to evil forces behind the mask of face of each human individual. I deal this a lot of course... but I guess that just everyone is forced to deal such forms of evil...

13. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

None. Really.






14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?


Thank you for spending time with writing interesting questions and giving us space in your zine. All hails to the true metal worshippers !

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Lustre/Of Strength And Solace/Nordvis Productions/2012 CD Review

  Lustre are a 1 man band from Sweden that plays a very atmospheric form of ambient black metal and this is a review of their 2012 album "Of Strength And Solace" which will be released by Nordvis Productions.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a good amount of blast beats being thrown into the music, while the keyboards bring in a very dark ambient sounding sound to the music that has the feeling of early classic ambient, as for the bass playing it has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are very dark, raw and primitive sounding and there are no guitar solos or leads present on this recording with the music going for more of a mimimilistic approach.

Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams while the lyrics touch on darkness, nature and mysticism with the songs being divided into 4 chapters, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Lustre are a very great sounding nature orientated atmospheric ambient black metal band and if you are a fan of this style you check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Part 1" and "Part 3". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Dammerung/Dark Poetry/Metal Scrap Records/2011 CD Review

  Dammerung are a band from Ukraine that plays a very heavy and mid paced form of black metal mixed in with a lot of melodic riffing and this is a review of their 2011 album "Dark Poetry" which was released by Metal Scrap Records.

Drums range from slow to mid paced playing with only a small amount of fast playing and blast beats, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffs that are coming out of the guitars, as for the synths they are only used briefly and are used mostly as a sound effect instead of a lead instrument, in addition there is a brief use of folk instruemnts being used on the last song.

Rhythm guitars range from slow to mid paced black metal riffs that have a melodic edge to them that seem to have traditional metal influences mixed in with some clean and soft playing in addition there is only a small amount of fast riffing while the lead guitars are mostly melodic sounding guitar solos and leads, as for the classical guitars which are only utilized briefly they use finger picking to enhance the darkness of the music.

Vocals are mostly grim sounding and high pitched black metal screams mixed in with a brief use of whispers and deep death metal growls as well as a brief use of clean singing female vocals being used on one song, while the lyrics cover honor, way and mysticism, as for the production it has a very strong, powerful and heavy sound to it.

In my opinion Dammerung are a very great sounding mid paced black metal band with a melodic edge and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Geometry Of Shadows" "Black Arrows of hatred" "Ancient Mother" and "From Earth To Heavens". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Voice Of Midnight/Bifrost/Metal Scrap Records/2011 CD Review

  Voice Of Midnight are a band from Russia that plays viking black metal mixed in with a great amount of folk elements and this is a review of their 2011 album "Bifrost" which was released by Metal Scrap Records.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very strong and powerful sound with primitive riffing that dominates throughout the recording, as for the synths when they are utilized they bring a very epic and atmospheric sound to the music.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast riffs that combine black and viking metal together mixed in with a great amount of dark sounding melodies as well as some traditional metal influences, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding guitar solos and leads, as for the acoustic guitars when they are utilized they use finger picking to bring a pagan/folk sound to the music.

Vocals are mostly grim sounding black/viking metal screams mixed in with a brief use of clean singing male and female vocals as well as a brief use of whispers, while the lyrics cover Viking history and mythology with the lyrics being written in a mixture Of English and Russian, as for the production it has a very strong, heavy and powerful sound and you can hear all of the musical instruments that are present on this recording.

In my opinion Voice Of Midnight are a very great sounding atmospheric black/viking metal band and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Voice Of War" "Rune Stone" and "Regnar And Helga". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Disciples Of Blasphemy/UKEM Records/2012 CD Compilation Review

  This is a review of "Disciples Of Blasphemy" which is a compilation released by UKEM Records in the year of 2012 which consists of black metal bands that are from the U.K and we will start of the review with Helvellyn.

Helvellyn brings the song "Hordes Of White Light" a very fast,heavy, brutal and raw black metal song that is very anti christian with a good amount of blast beats, primitive guitar riffing and high pitched black metal screams.

Next up is Primitive Graven Image a band that has been interviewed before by this zine with the song "March Onward Celebrating Impending Chaos" a raw and primitive black metal song that alternated between mid paced and fast riffs mixed in with some high pitched black metal screams and some dark sounding melodies in addition there is a brief use of classical guitars and spoken word ritualistic passages.

Next up is Haar with "Lucid Solar Diety" an occult black metal song with some slow and melodic riffs that speed up at times and mix grim black metal screams with deep growls.

Next up is Immortal Empire with "From The Doctrine To Evil Incarnate" a song that is more along the lines of symphonic and atmospheric black metal but mixed in with some evil lyrics and grim sounding black metal screams and you can hear a great amount of dark sounding melodies in the song.

Next up is Eastern Front a band a reviewed an album from a year ago with "Blood On Snow" a very raw and primitive black metal song that has some heavy bass lines, melodic riffs and some high pitched black metal screams as well as some deep death metal growls.

Next up is Two Ravens with "VII" a very dark sounding black metal song that has an ambient feeling to it as well as a depressive edge and this is probably the slowest song on this compilation.

Next up is Sacrilegious Throne with "Creating Eternal Darkness" a more up beat sounding black metal song with a mixture of some high pitched and grim sounding black metal screams and riffs that stay more in the mid paced field, in addition there are some heavy bass lines as well as some melodic guitar solos and leads.

Next up is Hexen with "Illustrations In Mediaevel Cruetly" a very dark sounding raw and primitive black metal song mixed in with some lo-fi production and melodic guitar leads.

Next up is Blutvial with "Black Winter" a very brutal, raw and primitive sounding black metal song with some fast riffs and a mixture of grim and hateful sounding black metal screams.

Next up is Ninkharsag with "Destroyed By Design" a very raw and primitive sounding black metal song with grim sounding black metal screams and riffs that dont either get to fast or slow.

Next up is Old Corpse Road with "The Witch Of Wookey Hole" a very fast and melodic sounding black metal song that mixes in some high pitched black metal screams, deep growls and symphonic keyboards that have a mid 90's feeling to them in addition there is a brief use of clean singing and acoustic guitars that give the music a progressive feeling.

Next up is Sermon with "Settle Into Gloom" a very raw and primitive sounding black metal song that utilizes depressive high pitched black metal screams and riffs that alternate between fast and slow pace.

Closing the compilation is Ulfarr with "Forgotten By Time" a very slow depressive black metal song that uses a great amount of high pitched screams with the song speeding up towards the end and a perfect way to close the compilation.

In conclusion, I feel this is a very great compilation that shows how diverse the UK black metal scene and if you are open to many different genres of black metal, you should check out this compilation. RECOMMENDED BUY.

https://ukemrecords.bandcamp.com/album/disciples-of-blasphemy-vol1

Eschaton/Isolated Intelligence/2012 CD Review

  Eschaton are a band from Austria that plays a very brutal form of satanic/left hand path black metal and this is a review of their self released 2012 album "Isolated Intelligence".

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a great amount of blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and they sound very powerful towards the end of the last song.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are very raw, primitive and brutal sounding mixed in with some influences from thrash and death metal as well as a groove element which is utilized very rarely in this genre mixed in with some melodies, in addition the songs are very long, while the lead guitars are very chaotic sounding black/death metal guitar solos and leads that utilize some melodies at times, in addition you can tell that the band are talented musicians in the instrumental.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with a brief use of clean singing male and female vocals as well as a brief use of deep growls, while the lyrics cover Satanism, Sethianism, Luciferian, Left Hand Path, Occultism and Philosophy, as for the production it has a very strong, powerful and heavy sound to it.

In my opinion Eschaton are a very great sounding brutal satanic black metal band that brings in some different elements for this genre and if you are a fan of this style of music, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Transcending Satanism" and "A Storm To Purify The World". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Avenger/Bohemian Dark Metal/Deathgasm Records/2012 CD Review

  Avenger are a band from the Czech Republic with a history of being around for 20 years that plays a very of dark metal that combines evil sounding black metal with doom metal as well as some darker death metal and this is a review of their 2012 album "Bohemian Dark Metal" which was released by Deathgasm Records.

Drums range from slow to mid paced drumming with some fast playing and blast beats, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars, as for the synths which are only utilized briefly they bring a very dark and avant garde sound to the music.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast riffs that combine evil sounding black metal with dark, doom and death metal with a great amount of dark sounding melodies being thrown into the music and there are little to no guitar solos or leads present on this recording except for the last song it is a very raw and chaotic sounding black/death metal guitar solo, as for the classical guitars when they are utilized they use finger picking to enhance the darkness of the music.

Vocals are a mixture of grim and high pitched black metal screams with a brief use of deep growls being utilized on one song as well as a few seconds of clean singing in addition there is a brief spoken word part being used on the last song, while the lyrics are written in their native tongue with themes that cover anger, anti christian and dark thoughts, as for the production it has a very dark and heavy sound to it.

In my opinion Avenger are a very great sounding black/dark/doom/death metal hybrid and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Fales a apatie" "Umirani zivotem" and "Dark Metal". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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