Monday, July 30, 2012

Deuteronomy Interview


1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
In a few words, we are Deuteronomy from Hellas and we play black metal. October of 2008 was the creation of the band, by me (LORD) and Daemon as Egnum.We released a promo in 2009 including 2 songs that received good reviews from the press. Then on 2011 due to our new musical/lyrical level,a new name was decided and Deuteronomy was chosen.
We started working on the pre-production of the album and cooperation with Swedish drummer Fredrik Widigs (Demonical,Witchery),then we entered the studio.
The drums were recorded in Sweden and all the other instruments were recorded by me, plus the mixing.In the meanwhile we were featured in a compilation by Panzerfaust Productions(UK) with one of our old tracks and many people learned about us that way.
The album was finished this month and a promo including 2 songs is now spread all over the metal zines. Day by day more people are becoming aware of our existence.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

In general it's black metal.Fast,aggressive,violent and epic.All the riffs come purely from our unconscious.No planning or conscious thought on this part and the final product is a result of pure honest inspiration.
The 7-string guitar also gives a whole new dimension when you use it as an actual 7-string (and not just the 2 lower strings or the 6 strings like a standard guitar),It has a different philosophy and character and it's something very rare on the scene with this approach.
Nowadays many bands play  so-called "DSBM",or very old school stuff with a punk or NWOBHM vibe and we have nothing to do with both directions.
Blastbeats and double bass are very frequent on the album However, there are 3 songs without those elements. So the album is not monotonous.
The performance is solid and every instrument plays an important role on our sound.
The production totally represents the music of the band. It's not too modern but it's definitely not old school.

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

Each song of the album is based on an atrocious “event”/tale from the Old Testament of the bible .Only one song is taken from the New Testament. We stand against all Abrahamic religions. More important, we do not write in the typical way.We simply expose the sadistic cruelty of Jahweh that is written in the bible .Stoning women to death, genocide,human sacrifice are typical stuff anyone can find if they actually open and read it cover to cover.
"Jesus" states on Matthew that he came to expand those laws/beliefs.
In the booklet that we design for this album,each page along with the lyrics of each song, will include all the specific parts of the bible where each song is based on, since the majority  hasn't examined this "book" that's consider to be so Holy.
On our website that's currently being built, we will upload details about the lyrics, plus a studio blog.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
Deuteronomy is one of the most violent books in the Bible. So it was perfect for our approach.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
We haven't played any shows yet. We are looking forward for that in order to support our album. We have offers to play in  Athens, UK and the US.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?
We've talked with a few agencies but nothing is sure right now.US Agencies are also more interested in us, so it will be amazing to perform there, but again everything must happen after a release of the album.

7. Currently you are unsigned, what kind of label are you looking for to put your music out?
We are looking for a serious label to co-operate with. We seek a label which will promote the album in the best way for its interest and our interest. Nowadays it's very easy for a band to sell it on it's own, but a serious label can achieve more if there's ‘chemistry’. That doesn't mean we will sign any offer, we have to carefully examine it. If not, we move forward.

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by the black metal fans that have heard it so far?
It's been great and everyday is growing, everyone that contacted us(mainly from the US, France, UK, Germany,Sweden and Hellas) truly enjoyed the uploaded song so we are very confident for the album. We've sent the promo to more than 50 zines until now, so more people will learn us when more reviews will start appearing.

9.Are there any current side projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?
I play bass in Cease of Breeding,a brutal death metal band. We have one album called "Sounds of Disembowelment", released by Amputated Vein records in 2010.We've recently released a promo-CD and you can hear one song right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CauaUcafSUk    1080 for best quality
Daemon  just started a Crust/Hardcore band, there's no name at the moment it's gonna be dirty and sick.

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
We never plan what to do because this is exactly what kills the inspiration. As I said, all the melodies come from our unconscious without any pressure or planned directions.
We already have new material but it's to early to comment.

11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Definitely some of our favourite BM bands like Marduk, Immortal, Thorns, Mayhem, Dark Funeral,Satyricon,1349,Funeral Mist etc.But again,we do not copy them.
This week for example i've heard Vangelis,Daemonia Nymphe,Triptykon,Decrepit Birth(first album),Aosoth,Mayhem,Rammstein,Neurosis,Septic Flesh,Behemoth,Mozart,Ministry,Godflesh.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Thank you for your interest on the band.Good interviews are always a pleasure.
Everyone who haven't heard us yet can open the following links
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdu0KtyOv34  1080 for best quality
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Deuteronomy/216428875055273

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Wold/Freemasonry/Profound Lore Records/2011 CD Review


  Wold  are  a  band  from  Regina,  Saskatchewan,  Canada  that  mixes  occult  black  metal  with  ritualistic  and  noise  music  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2012  album  "Freemasonry"  which  was  released  by  Profound  Lore  Records.

  Drum  programming  ranges  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  beats,  while  the  noise  devices  and  synths  bring  a  very  occult,  ritualistic  and  dark  harsh  noise  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  he  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  tone  with  some  heavy  riffs  when  they  are  utilized.

  Rhythm  guitars  when  utilized  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  primitive  black  metal  with  drone  and  noise  along  with  a  great  amount  of  heavy  distortion  in  the  background  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  this  recording  with  a  mixture  of  short  and  long/epic  songs.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  and  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  a  brief  use  of  experimental  and  industrial  style  vocals  in  addition  there  are  some  spoken  word  parts  on  the  last  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Freemason,  Cabala  and  Biblical  themes  in  the  more  Left  Hand  Path  Gnostic  direction,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy,  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  Wold  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  occult  black  metal,  ritual  and  noise  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "SDL"  "Black  Goat  Of  Leviticus"  "Working  Tools  For  Praris"  and  "Freemasonry".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.discogs.com/artist/540398-Wold


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Nihill/Verdonkermann/Hydra Head Records/2012 CD Review


  Nihill  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  I  would  describe  as  being  occult  black  metal  mixed  in  with  elements  of  doom  metal  and noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Verdonkermann"  which  was  released  by  Hydra  Head  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  good  amount  of  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the noise  effects  bring  a  very  dark,  occult,  ritualistic  and  avant  garde  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.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  black  metal  riffs  that  are  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sounding  mixed  in  with  some  influences  from  doom  metal  and  noise,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sounding  occult  black  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  that  have  a  very  depressive  feeling  to  them  at  times  as  well  as  mixing  in  some  deep  sounding  growls  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  ritualistic  parts  being  used  on  one  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Gnosticism  and  Death  Worship,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  album  from  Nihill  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spiral  The  Tail  Eater"  and  "Trauma  Crushing  Serpens  Meruricles".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Nathicana Interview


clinton - vocals
alex- guitar
tom - bass
mark - drums

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
We’re a four-piece extreme metal band. We have Tom on bass, he’s a pretty huge guy with Norse blood in him, and his bass doubles as a murder weapon. Mark is the drummer, in his spare time he trains his calf muscles by going around town kicking chavs in the head. Clinton is our vocalist, he can scream all day and talk perfectly fine afterwards. I think for practice he gargles knives or something. I’m Alex, I come from Malaysia and I’m basically just a guitar bum. The band has been going for about 10 months – in that time we’ve recorded a demo, played 5 gigs, and matured a hell of a lot as musicians. (Alex)

2. How would you describe your musical sound?
I dont think there is a set genre or sound to our music since we all bring a variety of different metal into our songs, I wouldn't call us death metal but I wouldn't call us black metal either I would just say extreme metal becuase we take a lot of influence from both sides and from other genres as well (Tom)

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Lyricly there is no one topic. The content ranges from fantasy to personal dark experiences and philosiphies. Story telling plays a big part to bring you into another realm influenced by some of the most disturbing things I've encounterd or dreamt up. (Clinton)

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
Although we are more than aware Nathicana is an awsome song by 1349 we took our name from the poem by H.P Lovecraft. It is a parody on stylistic excess which have no meaning, but as all things you can interperete how ever you like. I think it fits the band well as we dont give in to any trend and have any fancy look at me bull shit. (Clinton)

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
Our first headline gig at The Peel in Kingston was our best performance so far, I think. It’s great having bands play before you to get the crowd energized (even if the crowd isn’t very big). When playing live we try to be as energetic as possible and get as much power and ferocity into the music as we can. Above all we get really into the music and have fun. (Alex)

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?
Yes if we are lucky enough to get signed, I think the best place to tour would be europe since there isn't as big of a fanbase for extreme metal in england as there used to be, it's all just shitty core metal right now (Tom)

7. Currently you are unsigned are you looking for a label and if so, what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for your music?
Personaly I think candlelight and peaceville would be an ideal choice for our music and they are home to so many of our favourite bands so maybe we can do some mighty tours haha (Mark)

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and extreme metal?
So far I’ve found that even non-metalheads that I’ve shown our tracks to have been able to appreciate us – I think it’s partly because the songs are quite distinct; the riffs are really simple, but rhythmically powerful and with a lot of energy, so they can actually get into it on that level. As for metalheads, the reaction has been pretty positive. A lot of people say we sound raw and old-school, which is great. I'm currently visiting my family in Malaysia so I'll be spreading some of our demos around and seeing what the Malaysian scene thinks of us! (Alex)

9. Are there any other current side projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?
Me and mark are currently working on a pure black metal project but its only in our spare time as Nathicana is our main focus right now (Tom)

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
Right now I think we are heading towards something good with our diverse influences we are blending the most extreme elements of the metal genre and have produced a unique heavy sounding metal band and as we grow as musicians it will only get stronger! I don't think you will ever see us heading towards a more mainstream metal market not with me still in the band anyway \m/ (Mark)

11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I think there are too many bands to name when it comes to influences since each individual member of our group has simular but diffrent tastes in metal, I personally listen to a lot of black metal, such as marduk, gorgoroth, mayhem ect. (Tom)

12. How would you describe your views on Satanism and Occultism?
It's not for the weak minded (Tom)
Its a good topical theme for writing angry music too. I am a self confessed athiest but I admire how religion has keeped society going since the dawn of time! There has always been some form of something to believe in! (Mark)

13. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
I draw, and I’m into comic books, videogames, fitness, feminism, LGBT rights, and atheism. I also like history, particularly anything about colonialism and how it’s royally fucked the world up. (Alex)
I have a massive interest in military history weapons castles and keeping my fitness levels up to a high standard (Mark)
Outside of music inside of music I like getting fucked up, I like strongbow, vodka and weed and playing the dirtiest metal can at work to piss off customers at my work! (Clinton)
Gaming, fitness, writing music and just writing in general, satanism, computers, history, science, I like doing a bit of airsofting it gets your blood pumping, a total rush! and of course being unsociable (Tom)

14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
To any fans reading this - thanks for your support! Keep headbanging \m/ (Alex)
Keep listening to extreme fucking metal \m/ (Mark)
We must keep REAL metal alive! Come see us and get your face torn off! (Tom)
Keep suporting metal and your local underground bands, come down to our shows and have a fucking nice day (Clinton

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Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Krv/Ponor/War Productions/2012 Cassette Review


  Krv  are  a  band  from  Serbia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  I would  describe  as  being  raw  and  primitive  sounding  pagan/black  metal and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2008  album  "Ponor"  which  was  re-issued  by  War  Productions  during  the  year  of  2012.

  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  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/pagan  metal  riffs  that  are  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sounding  in  the  early  90's  vein  with  some  thrash  influences,  while  the  lead  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  are  very  dark  sounding  extreme  metal  leads.

  Vocals  are  all  high  pitched  black  metal  screams,  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Serbian  and  cover Slavic  Paganism  and  Politics,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  in  the  classic  black  metal  tradition.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  a  great  sounding  album  from  Krv  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  primitive  sounding  Slavic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ponor"  "Za  Slavu  Slobode"  and  "Pohod".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Krv/56757

Monday, July 23, 2012

Nathicana/2012 Demo Review


  Nathicana  are  a  band  from  the  U.K  that  plays  black  metal  with  a  death  metal  edge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2012  demo.

  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  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  combine  some  death  metal  influences  and  melody  into  the  riffing  as  wel  as  a  brief  use  of  doom  metal  influences,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  black/death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  that  have  a  depressive  feeling  to  them  at  times  as  well  as  some  deeper  growls,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  occult  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Nathicana  are  a  very   great  sounding  black  metal  band  with  a  death  metal  edge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Devour".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nathicana-uk/290213890997820

Deuteronomy/Promo 2012 Review


  Deuteronomy  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  very  fast  and  brutal  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  promo.

  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  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  black  metal  riffs  that  are  very  heavy  and  brutal sounding  with  some  raw  and  primitive  elements  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  this  recording.

  Vocals  are  all  high  pitched  hateful  black  metal  screams,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  occult  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Deuteronomy  are  a  very  great  heavy  and  brutal  sounding  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  style,  you should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "None  To  Remain".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdu0KtyOv34

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbA8Um8hOvU  

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Munruthel/Epoch Of Aquarius/Svarga Music/2012 CD Re-Issue


  Munruthel  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  that  played  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  Slavonic  pagan/black  metal on  this  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2006  album  "Epoch  Of  Aquarius"  which  was  re-issued  by  Svarga  Music  during  the  year  of  2012.
]
  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times  as  well  as  some  tribal  sounding  percussion,  while  the  synths  bring  a  very  epic,  pagan,  ambient  and  atmospheric  sound  to  the  music  mixed  in  with  some  classical  music  elements  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  flutes  that  bring  in  medieval  elements,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  pagan  black  metal  riffs  that  utilize  some  primitive  elements  while still  adding  heavy  parts  and  melodies  to  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  pagan  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads  that  utilize  some  traditional  metal  elements  at  times,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  full  chords  and  finger  picking  to  bring  in  some  folk  music  elements.

  Vocals range  from  grim  sounding  pagan  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  a  good  amount  of  clean  singing  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Slavic  Paganism  and  nature  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  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  was  a  great  album  from  Munruthel  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  Slavonic  pagan  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Raven  Cloak"  "I  Was  Confined  By  Dreams"  and  "Black  Sun"  which  is  a  Dead  Can  Dance  cover.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

www.munruthel.com

Khors/Wisdom Of Centuries/Candlelight Records/2012 CD Review


  Khors  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  I  would  describe  as  being  atmospheric  pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Wisdom  Of  Centuries"  which  was  released  by  Candlelight  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times  as  well  as  mixing  in  some  tribal  sounding  percussion,  while  the  synths  bring  a  very  dark,  pagan  and  atmospheric  sound  to  the  music  with  some  ambient  elements  being  utilized  at  times,  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  atmospheric  pagan/black  metal  riffs  that  mix  raw  and  primitive  element  with  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  a  more  modern  sound  mixed  in  with  some  more  progressive  influences,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads  that  utilize  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  to  add  to  the  more  progressive  elements  of  the  music.

  Vocals are  mostly  high  pitched  hateful  black  metal  screams  that  utilize  a  deeper  tone  at  times  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  whispered  vocals,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  nature  and  paganism,  as  for the  production  it  has  a very  strong,  powerful  and  heavy  sound  without  sounding  either  to  over  or  under  produced  in  addition  some  of  the   songs  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  album  from  Khors  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Forest's  Flaming  Eyes"  "The  Last  Leaves"  and  "The  Only  Time  Will  Take  It  Away".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://khors.info


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Reverence/The Asthenic Ascension/Candlelight Records/2012 CD Review


  Reverence  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  very atmospheric  and  experimental  form  of  industrial style  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "The   Asthenic  Ascension"  which  was  released  by  Candlelight  Records.

  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 synths  and  programming  bring  a  very  atmospheric,  experimental  and  industrial  sound  to the  music  and  at  times  they  utilize  elements  of  classical  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.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to fast  black  metal  riffs  that  are  very  heavy  with  some  raw  and  primitive  elements  as  well  as  some  dark  sounding  melodies  and  industrial  influences  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  as  well  as  some clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  range  from  high  pitched  black  metal  screams,  deep  growls  and  clean  singing  industrial  style  vocals  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  samples,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Darwinism,  Dark,  Anti  Religion  and  Violent  themes,  as  for t he  production  it has  a  very  strong,  powerful  and  heavy  sound.  

  In  my  opinion  Reverence  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  industrial,  dark,  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Darwin's  Black  Hall"  "Ghost  Of  Dust"  and  "Those  Who  believed".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Wodensthrone/Curse/Candlelight Records/2012 CD Review


  Wodensthrone  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  very  dark atmospheric,  progressive,  raw  and  primitive  form  of  pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Curse"  which  was  released  by  Candlelight  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while the  keyboards  bring  a  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sound  to the  music  mixed  in  with  some  folk  instruments  that  bring  a  very  progressive  and  pagan  sound  to the  music  in  addition  there  are  some  sounds  of  nature  being  utilized  at  times,  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  pagan  black  metal  riffs  that  are  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sounding  with  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  modern  and  melodic  sounding  black  metal  guitar  solos  and leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  utilized  they  use  full  chords  and  finger  picking  to  bring  a  folk  music  sound  to  the  recording  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  some  aggressive  shouting  and  clean  singing  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  deep  growls,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  Nordic  Pagan  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful  and  heavy  sound  which  does  not  take  away  from  the  raw  and  primitive  elements  of  the  music.

  In  my  opinion  Wodensthrone  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark,  atmospheric,  progressive,  raw  and  primitive  pagan  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a f an  of t his style  of  music,  you  should c heck  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Jormungandr"  "The  Great  Darkness"  and  "The  Storm".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

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Aeternum/Through Death We Descend/2012 EP Review


  Aeternum  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  black  metal  with  a  death  metal  edge  and  this  is  a  review  of their  self  released  2012  ep  "Through  Death  We  Descend".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while  the  synths  which  are  only  used  on  the  intro  bring  a  very  dark  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  tone  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  black  metal  riffs  that  utilize  a  great  amount  of dark  sounding  melodies  and  death  metal  influences  in  the  riffing  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads  that  have  a  traditional  metal  feeling  to  them,  as  for  the  classical  guitars  when  they  are  used  briefly  they  use  finger  picking  to  enhance  the  darkness  that  is  coming  out  of  the  music.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal s creams  mixed  in  with  some  deep  death  metal  growls,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  occult  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful and  heavy  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Aeternum  are  a  very  great  sounding  black  metal  band  with  a  death  metal  and  melodic  edge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Non  Servian"  and  "The  Lightbearer".  RECOMMENDED BUY.

http://www.facebook.com/aeternumuk
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Nadiwrath Interview


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

Well we just released a spilt cd along with Hexemeister (Ukraine) through Moribund records and we had our debut full length album pressed on vinyl through Cold void.  We're also planning a split cd release along with Dodsferd which will probably be released in a couple of months and we have already started working on new tracks that will constitute our second abomination.

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

The new stuff is far more raw and brutal than the previous releases and that’s for sure. It’s a reflection of our feelings so everything comes natural.
    There are no ''new'' elements or ''experiments''. Its just straightforward black metal in the way we see it.


3. Recently there was a split album released between your band and Hexenmeister, what are you thoughts on the other band that participated?

Hexenmeister really did great in this release. His music fitted well with our track and managed to create a really desperate atmosphere. If our track helped the listener in sinking even deeper to his putridity then Hexenmeister helped him reach the bottom.

4. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the new release explores?

Wrath is the only right person to talk about the lyrical concept. I could say that the lyrical stuff works as a mirror of the music.  Nihilism, irony and self-abnegation complete the puzzle.

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

There is no secret message behind the band’s name. It's just a collaboration of Wrath’s and mine Nicknames. Looking a little bit further I would say that it represents our common vision on how this music is supposed to be apprehended, written and played. It should be as raw and extreme as it takes.

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

Every show is special for us so it’s hard to choose one. As far as the stage show performance goes we're not having anything special. We're not the kind of band that uses all these stuff with the candles and the banners and the crucified animals. If we want to see something like this we'll probably go to a theater. We feel more comfortable and our message is spread clearer by using just our instruments. Having a ''special'' stage performance sometimes works as a tool to cover your music's weakness.

7. Do you have any touring plans in the future?

For now we're focused on composing and rehearsing the new material so we're not having any plans for touring.  But we're always combatant to play wherever and whenever we're asked to.


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

We're not interested about the worldwide feedback that much. If our music reaches someone's ears and our stuff is deeply comprehended that’s great. If not then we're ok with that. Our place lies in the underground gutter anyway.

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

The new stuff that is currently rehearsed sounds even rougher than the first album. We're satisfied with what we're having for now and this is how we'll move on.  We're not having a plan about how we're going to sound like. We just play what we feel and we definitely don't give a fuck about what people will say. One of the most important elements in this music is the spontaneous way. This is our motivation and we're not willing to change that.

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


None of us is into other musical styles. We listen tons of new music and there is always something to get inspired with. Some bands that very often crush my ears are Judas Iscariot, Krieg, Ascension, Mgla, Craft, Leviathan, Horna, Goatlord, Bestial Summoning, Aura Noir, Nekromantheon,  and thousands of others.

11. How do you feel your music differs from other bands that have originated in Greece?

We don't feel that our music differs from other Greek bands .We like what we play and we do it just for ourselves. But I would like to say that back in the late 80s and early 90s there were some Greek bands that truly felt what black metal is all about. These bands created the the infamous Greek sound and marked the underground scene worldwide with some of the most influential albums recorded ever. We all know for which bands and albums I’m talking about. Nowadays there is something like a competition in speed, technique, image and ''big'' words. I hope that soon this carnival will reach its death.

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

Support the true underground black metal scene!! 

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Monday, July 16, 2012

Echancrure/Discours Sur Le Colonialisme/Le Crepusculr Du Soir Productions/ 2012 EP Review


  Echancrure  are  a  1  man  band  from  France  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  that  started out  of  experimental  black  metal  but  have  evolved  more  into an  experimental  drone  act  with  this  new  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  ep  "Discours  Sur  Le  Colonialisme"  which  was  released  by  Le  Creepuscule  Du  Soir  Productions.

  Drum programming  are  all  slow  beats  that  have  a  trip  hop  feeling  to  them  as  well  as  some  more  militant  parts,  while  the  synths  and  sound  effects  bring  elements  of  industrial,  avant  garde,  experimental  and  noise  to  the  music,  as  for  the  saxophones  they  have  a  free  form  jazz  feeling  to  them  along  with  some  heavy  bass  lines  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times  with  the  only  song  on  this  recording  being  over  20  minutes.

  Vocals  are  mostly  spoken  word parts  with  some  hip  hop  and  rap  elements,  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  with  none  of  the  black  metal  influences  that  where  present  on  their  earlier  material.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  recording  from  Echancrure  and  while  it  does  not  have  the  black  metal  elements  the  earlier  releases  have, I still  feel  this  will  appeal  to  people  that  like  dark  and  experimental  music.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Cultfinder Interview


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

Writing mainly at the moment - got a few new songs nailed, although we haven't had a chance to rehearse them as a band yet. Hopefully we will be playing some more live shows soon too.

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

I wouldn't say it's too different, although the two new songs Black Thrashing Terror and Archangel Burial are more primitive which reflects our overall progression, or regression, in our writing.

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

Lyrically we have no particular agenda other than to uphold the proud traditions of bestial and thrash metal, we refuse to break new ground - if it ain't broke etc.

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

I wanted to try and encompass all over genre influences in one word, while still being fairly unique and original, so the Cult is for all the black metal within us and the Finder is a salute to Witchfinder General and our doom metal elements.

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

My favourite performance so far was Black Death Assault with Craven Idol and Funeral Throne in December, just a great all-dayer with great atmosphere and a real sense of brotherhood and community. We don't get to rehearse much, so our live performances can vary, but if it's a good day you can expect a very ferocious and thrashy set. We're in the process of lengthening our set, but so far it's always been a short sharp thrash attack!

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

Not as yet, as I say we're concentrating on new material, but when we get a chance to play, we will!

7. The new release came out of Eldritch Lunar Miasma how did you get in contact with thes label and how would you describe the support that they have given you so far?

ELM have been incredible to work with, very supportive and made every step as easy as possible. Tom picked up a flyer for our demo tape about 18 months ago and when we were looking for a label he was my first choice.

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

We are still working on getting ourselves to a worldwide audience, but we have had some good reaction from Singapore, which would be a great place to be appreciated. I like to think our style of bestial thrash has international appeal as we incorporate a lot of influence from South American bands like Perversor and Vulcano.

9. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?

Well our drummer and bassist are in doom metallers Witchsorrow, who have just put out their second album on Rise Above, so they're fairly busy now with gigs, one reason we've been pretty quiet!  For myself, I've just started a tape label, Ferrous Void Productions and the first release should be out in the next couple months.

10. What direction do you see your music in to on future releases?

Our new material is definitely more primitive, but still maintains a similar riff structure, alternating between fast and slow, thrash and doom. I'd like to have one song that's all slow riffs, but our drummer Wilbeherit gets upset if there isn't enough blasts!

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

I would say our primary influences are Nifelheim, Bathory and Perversor, but there are doomy Archgoat type riffs too. Lately I've been digging a lot of Proclamation, Bestial Raids and Grave Miasma, I'd like to get some of that atmospheric death metal in our music somehow!

12. How would you describe your views on Satanism and Occultism?

I like the aesthetic and symbolism of Satanism. It's inseparable from the tradition of heavy metal and has been there since the days of Coven and Black Sabbath, but I think there's a lot of bullshit talked about it these days, with only a small percentage of bands actually practicing what they preach.

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

I read a lot, contemporary fiction and history books mainly. I try to write too and get to art galleries when I can, other than that, when I'm not slaving at work, I just hang out with my wife and watch a lot of shit TV.

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

Only to say cheers for the interview and the support and to recommend our fellow countrymen Craven Idol, Sepuku and Winds Of Genocide!

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