Idolatry Interview

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


--Idolatry is just about to headline a black/doom festival called Black Mourning Light on Halloween. A grand ritual is planned for this. Once complete, we enter the studio to record our full length " Visions from the Throne of Eyes" as well as booking some touring in the USA in 2016

2.So far you have released an ep and have also been a part of a split, how would you describe the musical sound that is present on both recordings and also how do they differ from each other?

--we are fortunate to have Daemonikus Abominor amongst us as he is a sound tech by trade. On both recordings we sought a fine line of raw production that isn't overtly muddy and indiscernible. Akin to the sound of early Behexen/Sargeist albums. I personally feel he achieved this quite well.


On the 7" split with Unrest, we had a slightly new line up; with Valac Nocturnum departing and Lycaon Vollmond taking over guitars. There is an evolution
of sound between them in terms of dynamics I believe...

Also I had a wretched throat infection at the time of the recordings for the split. There is a noticeable sickness in my voice that we felt suited a single song release and the depraved subject matter of the lyrics.

3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

--there's a wide range of scope in lyrics with us... Periods in history that define Satanic virtue, crushing depression/despair, black magic/witchcraft, elements of nature that affect us... Anything that awakens our senses , unified by the values inherent in being ones own master and opposing anything alterior to such exaltation.




4.I have seen the term 'Atheistic Satanism' which is usually more influenced by Lavey, Neitzsche, and Rand, why did you choose this approach as opposed to theistic Satanism and also do you have any interest in other types of Occultism?

--absolutely. I consider Rand and Nietzsche to be the cornerstones of my philosophy. Rand is true Satanism in practice. Living, breathing and exerting Satanic values in real life. The true question of religion isn't god or no god, it's ability versus need at the heart of the matter. The needy are empty inside themselves and fabricate deities to absolve their short comings and errors; while the able... the truly powerful... Know that they are complete in and of themselves and don't need to seek anything from outside. Purpose and drive. That is the true Satanist. 'Satan' is Latin for 'adversary' and that's what Idolatry are... The adversary of religion. Theistic Satanism requires a believe in that which the senses cannot perceive and although many of their tenets are similar, Idolatry does not deal in esoteric solutions.


I enjoy the study of occultism and have done since I was very young, but I take it at face value. Whatever your emotional output conjures, your only realistic benefit is the expulsion of energies to that effect.




5.Recently the author Lord Matzigkeitus released a book of Satanic Poetry, can you tell us a little bit more about this novel and also are there any future writings planned?


--( I am him) the book is a poetic interpretation of living as a Satanist. Although the subject matter, which ranges from Death, despair, and witchery to harsh kinky bondage sex, does not solely center itself on Satanism itself, it does give an unfiltered viewpoint from one who has chosen to walk the left hand path with passion and no reservations.


The art is lavishly done by Jan Pysander Whitney who has done album covers for Drowning the Light. It's a great presentation overall I'm pleased with it. More is always in the works. 17 new entries at the time of this writing...

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Idolatry'?

--it is indicative of man worshiping Idols. That man must only worship himself as he is the vessel by which he experiences reality, and also as a mockery of those that would have fictions as their point of worship


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


--in Sudbury on tour earlier this year, Ash from legendary German black metal band Nargaroth was in attendance having heard our music beforehand. During the performance a pipe burst directly above the stage.... As workers frantically tried to temporarily patch the roof, fans motioned towards the door thinking the night was undone, but I ordered them to stay. I told them a story of how as we recorded " Of Myth and Shadow" we had struggled over a section of it, as we came outside to take a breather, the sky opened up and dumped it's fury and might on us. Lightening, thunder and heavy rain. I recorded the sound of it and we went back in and crushed the song in one take. As I finished the entire venue was enraptured by the story and the repairs had been made. We played through our set to a crowd greedy for each note. Ash recorded the performance and proclaimed that we were " the best black metal show he's seen in years" openly on the Nargaroth page the next day....


Our stage show is theatre, manic vicious energy and power. Using the imagery of the old ways of black metal. It can be seen on YouTube. Ash's video " Idolatry Waterfall Ritual"

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?


--we are currently organizing shows and festivals in the USA and looking to Europe on the horizon.

9.Recently you where a part of a split with 'Unrest', what are your thoughts on the solo project that had participated on the recording?


--Destroyer from Unrest and I are currently working on my eponymous project Lord Matzigkeitus. I'm obviously a supporter of his work. Unrest is dirty, ugly and barbaric in an uncompromising manner. It's inaccessibility is also its appeal to me.

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


--Internationally, response has been unbelievable. We currently have distribution deals in Russia, Ukraine, Germany, and Brazil. As well as serious discussions regarding the future recordings with noted U.S. Labels. Aside from North America, our biggest supporters are in Latin America. The Latin fans are rabid and die hard. Very loyal and community driven in their support circles.

11.Are any of the band members also involved with any other bands or musical projects?


--Daemonikus Abominor plays in Blëed, a local death/thrash band who just released their album " the Hatred Inside" as well as excellent industrial band Ivardensphere who earlier this year unleashed "Fable"


I myself have been heavily active on projects of late... With the assistance of Destroyer of Unrest  and a host of other spellcasters, I just completed the first Lord Matzigkeitus album" Isophillic Dementia Overture" which is an Xasthurian spoken word black metal record and am actively at work on its follow up " Poisonous Disengagement" which is to be in a more vicious vein. I'm also writing lyrics for and performing vocals on a black metal opera with a band called Sartoraaus out of Texas, USA. I'm also likely contributing to an upcoming Unrest album.

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

--Our full length will likely see an early 2016 release.


We shall stay the course musically with the dynamic black metal we have crafted thus far. Idolatry have discussed recording a grim, more sombre doom/dsbm EP in the fall of 2016.  Some of the newer songwriting veers into that path. I doubt we could stray from the fury we perpetrate for too long though.




13.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

--Idolatry has varying tastes overall. As a whole, for black metal, we gravitate towards the excellent bands coming out of the Finnish scene. Horna, Behexen, Sargeist, Satanic Warmaster come to mind. DA and myself are into harsh dsbm such as Nyktalgia, Silencer, Bethlehem etc... As well as him and I both love Twisted Sister and WASP.

Nox Invictus loves more ferocious guitar attack bands such as Angel  Corpse, Belphegor and Aura Noir

Lycaon is into Swedish death metal, and black metal with folk elements like Windir, and Nokturnal Mortum.

Personally, I've been dwelling on Jim Morrison's spoken word poetry album "An American Prayer" and a murk and mire of Xasthur, Striborg and Leviathan, which are all heavy influences on my solo project.


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

--" There is no eternal reward for wasting the dawn" JDM

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Grey Heaven Fall/Black Wisdom/Aesthetics Of Devastation/2015 CD Review

  Grey  Heaven  Fall  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  very  hypnotic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2015  album  "Black  Wisdom"  which  was  released  by  Aesthetics  Of  Devastation".

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  technical  black  metal  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  blackened  death  metal  growling  fashion  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  use  avant  garde  structures  in  more  of  a  heavier  fashion.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  clean  singing  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  very  melodic  while  the  vocals  get  demonic  at  times  and  the  songs  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  can  be  very  progressive  at  times  and  the  slow  riffs  bring  in  a  heavy  doom  metal  influence  and  the  music  can  also  be  very  atmospheric  at  times  along  with  some  songs  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.

  Grey Heaven  Fall   plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  technical  style  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal,  melodic  and  progressive  music  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  based  on  the  corruption  of  the  creator.

  In  my  opinion  Grey   Heaven  Fall  are  a  very  great  hypnotic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spirit  Of  Oppression"  "Sanctuary  Of  Cut  Tongues".  8  out  of  10.  

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Pokolj/Miiserable Specters/2015 EP Review

   Pokolj  are  a  band  from  Croatia  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released 2015  ep  "Miiserable  Spectres".

  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  synth  starts  off  the  ep  and  a  few  seconds  later  the  music  gets  more  heavy  and  goes  into  a  black  metal  direction  along  with  some  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  the  songs  start bringing  in  more  raw  energy  along with  a  few  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording   there  is  a  great  mixture  of slow, mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  style  and  the  guitars  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  the  songs  are  mostly  done  in  power  chords  and  they  close  the  demo  with  a  synth  outro.

  Pokolj  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  old  school  and  also  brings  in  some  of  the  early  depressive  style,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  in  mu  opinion  Pokolj  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.    RECOMMENDED TRACK  "Fragments  Of  Sanity".  8  out  of  10.

https://pokolj.bandcamp.com/releases

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Catharsis Spoke Her Virtuous Evil/Lord Matzigkeitus/ATHLOs Publications/2015 Book Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  book  written  by  Lord  Matzigkeitus  better  known  as  the  lead  singer  of  Canada's  Atheistic  Satanist  band  'Idolatry  called  "Catharsis Spoke Her Virtuous Evil"  which  was  published  by  ATHLOS  Publications  and  consists  of  poems  about  death,  despair,  Satan and  raw  kinky  bondage  sex.     

  The  book  starts  out  with  a  forward  written  by  Dustin  Ekman  who  explains  what the book is about  and  talks  about  the  authors  involvement  with  music  and  also  explains  the  messages  he  brings  out  in  the  book  where  stuff  he  could  not  explain  in  the  lyrics  for  the  band  'Idolatry'.

  A  lot  of  the  poetry  expressed  in  the  book  seems  to  be  very  heavily  influenced  by  Satanism  and  Nietchean  philosophy  while  some  parts  bring  in  suicide  into  a  more  poetic  fashion  while  other  parts  border  more  on  the  kinkier  side  of  sex  and  you  can  also  see  the  influence  of  DeSade  in  some  of  the  writing.

  At  times  the  novel  takes  a  ritualistic  approach  to  Satanism  and  just  like  with  the  writings  with  Lavey  you  can  see  a  touch  of  Nordic  Mythology  in  some  parts  of  certain  poems  and  the  artwork  also  brings  in  images  that  are  very  related  to  the  depressive  side  of  black  metal  while  some  poems  bring  to  mind  the  writings  of Poe,  Bauldeire,  Shelly  and   Lord  Bryon  giving  the  novel  more  of  a  classic  feeling  while  still  having  very  much  of  an  Anti  Christian  approach  while later  poems  bring  in  a  touch  of  Summerian,  Voodoo,  and  Magick,  as  the  novel   progresses  the  Roman  Empire  starts  getting  mentioned  more.  

 In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  decent  read  and  while  it  does  not get  more  in  depth  on  the  Left  Hand  Path  like  the  writings  of  Michael  W.  Ford  and  E.A  Koetting  it  is  still  a  very  good  read  that  has  Satanism  and  Occultism  written  in  more  of  an  esoteric  and  poetic  form  and  if  you  have  studied  or  practiced  the  Black  Arts,  you  can  catch  on  to  a  lot  of  the  hidden  messages.  

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Curezum/100 Years/The Top/2015 Single Review

  Curezum  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  consists  of  members  from  Megaton  Leviathan  and  Barrowlands  that  covers  songs  from  the  legendary  goth  rock  band  'The  Cure'  and  takes  it  more  into  a  black  metal  influenced  style  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  single  "100  Years/The  Top"  which  will  be  released  in  November.

  Programmed  drum  beats  start off  the  single  along  with  some  depressive  yet  melodic  guitar  leads  and  atmospheric  keyboards  before  adding  in  suicidal  style  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  While  the  solos  and  leads  have  more  of  a  post  rock  and  goth  feeling  the  guitars  and  vocals  add  in  a  very  raw  and  depressive  black  metal  style  that  also  makes  both  of  the  songs  sound  very  different  from  the  original  versions  which  where  done  without  any  harsh  or  extreme  metal  elements  and  both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic in  length on  one  the  second  song  melodic  guitar  leads  and  psychedelic  elements  can  be  heard.

  Curezum  takes  a  couple  of  classic  songs  from  The  Cure  and  adds  in  more  of  a  modern,  raw  and  depressive  black  metal  twist  to  them  as  well  as  showing  both  of  the  genres  are  very  much  compatible  with  each  other,  the  production  sounds  very  raw,  lo-fi  yet  heavy  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive  and  gloomy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Curezum  are  a  very  great  sounding  black  metal  tribute  to  The  Cure  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  legendary  band  and  black  metal  and  would  like  to  see  them  mix  together,  you  should  check  out  this  single.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Top".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.facebook.com/curezum    

Kampfar/Profan/Indie Recordings/2015 CD Review

 Norway's  Kampfar  have returned  with  a  new  album  that  continues  the  pagan  and  viking  black  metal  sound  that  they  are  very  well  known  for  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015 album  "Profan" which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Indie  Recordings.

  Distorted  sounds  and  grim  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  album  before  getting  more  high  pitched  and  also  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  that  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  with  the  vocals  getting  very  hateful  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melodies  at  times  and  the  vocals  also  have  a  melodic  touch  to  them  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  bring  in  a  rough  style  of  clean  singing  and  the  solos  and  leads  that  are  brought  onto  the  album  remain  true  to  a  Norwegian  style  of  black  metal.

 Violins  and  classic  music  elements  can  be  heard  briefly  before  making  a  return  back  to  a  more  raw  style  of  black  metal  and  the  melodic  chants  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  pagan  feeling  when  they  are  brought  onto  the  recording  and  when  synths  are  added  into  the  music  for  a  few  seconds  they  bring  in  more  atmospheric  elements  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Kampfar  creates  another  album  that  remains  true  to  a  raw  style  of  Norwegian  black  metal  while  still  having  a  bit  of  their  pagan  roots  in  them  as  well  as  getting  more aggressive  with  edge  unlike  the  other  veteran  bands  of  their  homeland,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Norwegian  and  English  and  cover  Norse  Paganism,  History  Anti  Religion  and  Society  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Kampfar  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Profanum"  "Daimon"  and  "Tornekraft".  8  out  of  10.

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Atel/Demolishing Life, Embracing Death/Depressive Illusions Records/2015 Demo Review

  Atel  are  a  solo  project  from  Glendale,  California  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2015  demo  "Demolishing  Life,  Embracing  Death"  which  was  released  by  Depressive  Illusions  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  raw  black  metal  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  the faster  sections  using  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  are  in  a  very  high  pitched  and  depressive  style  and  you  can  hear  a  lot  of  influences  from  the  90's  second  wave  underground  style  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Spoken  word  samples  can  be  heard  briefly  in  one  of  the  songs  and  after  awhile  depressive  melodies  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording while  the  main  focus  remains  on  tremolo  picking  and  power  chords and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  one  track  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  synths  while  the  music  is  mostly  done  in  a  very  raw  and  heavy  style  of  black  metal  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  guitar  leads  before  the  outro.

  Atel  plays  a  style  of  depressive  black  metal  that  is  more  aggressive  and  raw  than  most  bands  of  this  style  and  they also  bring  a  bit  of  the  90's  style  in  the  songs  to  create  a  very  heavy  and  grim  demo,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  death  and  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Atel  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  depressive  solo  black  metal  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Created  In  A  Dark  Void"  and  "High  Gallows  And  Shallow  Graves".  8  out  of  10.

https://dir666.bandcamp.com/album/demolishing-life-embracing-death
  

Aornos/Orior/Symbol Of Domination Productions/Black Plague Records/2015 CD Review/

  Aornos  are  a  solo  project  from  Hungary  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2015  album  "Orior"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  Of  Domination  Productions  and  Black  Plague Records.

  Classical  guitar  playing  which  is  also  used  on  other  songs  as  well  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  which  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  atmospheric  parts  and  after  awhile  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  more  of  a  melodic  style  and  the  music  also  brings  back  some  of  the  Norwegian  keyboard  mid  90's  black  metal  style  at  times  and  you  can  also  hear  spoken  word  parts  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of   the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  death  metal  growls  and  some  songs also  bring  in  clean  singing  and  avant  garde  elements  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  get  very  technical  at  times  and  the  album  closes  with  a  cover  of  Emperor's  "Ensorcelled  By  Khaos".

  Aornos  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  epic  and  atmospheric  and  also  goes  back  to  the  keyboard  style  of  the  mid  90's  Norwegian  bands  and  updates  the style  for  the  modern  times,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Cosmos,  Nature  and  Existence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aornos  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  atmospheric  black  metal  solo project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Avernus"  "Dominus  Vexator"  "Desertus"  and  "Aere   Perennius".  8  out  of  10.

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ChaosWolf/Templo e Palabras Muertas/Symbol Of Domination Productions/Caligo Arcanum Productions/2015 CD Review

  ChaosWolf  area  band  from  Mexico  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their 2015  album  "Templo e Palabras Muertas"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  Of  Domination  Productions  and  Caligo  Arcanum Productions.

   A  very  dark  and  epic  keyboard  sound  starts  off  the  album while  also  returning  briefly  on  later  tracks  and  a  few  seconds  later  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  and  they  also  have  a  very  depressive  tone to  them  at  times  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  melodic  musical  direction.

  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  a  raw  and  depressive  style  of  black  metal  and  clean  singing can  be  heard  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  are  utilized  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  of  black  metal while  also  using  melodies at  times  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  there  is  also  a  few  seconds  of  clean  playing  being  utilized  at  times  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  sample.

  ChaosWolf  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  old  school  sounding  while  also  mixing  in  depressive  elements  at  times  and  a  a  couple  of  ambient  instrumental  tracks  to  make  their  music  stand  out  a  bit  bit,  the  production  is  very  raw  and  heavy  sounding  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  Lycanthropy,  Philosophy,  Chaos  and  Dischord  themes.

 In  my  opinion  ChaosWolf  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  depressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "La  Escision  De  Ouroboros"  "Tanatema"  "El  Discurrir  De  Un  Cancer  Del  Ser"  and  "The  End  Of  Black  Metal  Paradise".  8  out  of  10.

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Amezarak/Diabolical Finale Mortum/Symbol Of Domination Productions/Darzamadicus Records/Morbid Skull Productions/2015 CD Review

  Amezarak   are  a  solo  project  from  Russia  that  plays  a  very  raw,  melodic,  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2015  album  "Diabolical  Finale  Mortum"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol Of Domination Productions,  Darzamadicus Records  and  Morbid Skull Productions.

  A  very  heavy  guitar  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  that  also  use  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  high  pitched  and  the  riffs  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments   have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

   Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some   of  the  riffs  bring  in  a  touch of  thrash  and  the  music  seems  to  be  heavily  influenced  by  the  Swedish  style  of  satanic  and  occult  black metal  of  both the modern  and  old  school  styles  and  one  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  classical  guitars  while and  both  of  the  songs  towards  the  end  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  keyboards.

  Amezarak  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  melodic  and  also  captures  the  darkness  and  blasphemy  you  would  expect  to  hear  in  some  of  the  Swedish  bands,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Darkness  themes.

  In my  opinion  Amezarak  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  melodic  satanic  black  metal  solo      project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Smell  Of  The  Tomb"  "Necromancer"  and  "Eloa".  8  out  of  10.

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Dulia/Hic Contendimus/Symbol Of Domination Records/Black Plague Records/Metallic Media/2015 EP Review

  Dulia  are  a  band  from   Italy  that  plays  an  atmospheric  and  occult  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  ep  "Hic Contendimus"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol Of Domination Records,  Black Plague Records  and  Metallic Media.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  keyboard  starts  off  the  ep  and after  awhile  the  music  gets  a  lot  more  heavier  and  also  adds  in  morbid  sounding  melodies  that  also  in  a  touch  of  doom  metal  and  the  music  brings  in  a  good  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  also  mix  the  keyboards  with  the  heavier  parts.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  blast  beats  can  be heard  along  some  of  the  riffs  also  have  a  raw  and  old  school  feeling  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  that  are  used  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  there  also  a  small  amount  of spoken  word  parts  and  they  close  the  ep   with  a  cover  of  Mystifier's  "Beelzebuth".

  Dulia  plays  a  style  of  black/death  metal  that  is   very  occult  and  ritualistic  sounding  in  the  early  90's  fashion,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school   while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Left  Hand  Path  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dulia  are  a  very  great  sounding  occult  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Theurgical  Purification"  and  "Sword  Of  Martyrs".  8  out  of  10. 

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From The Vastland/Blackhearts/Symbol Of Domination Productions/Hexenreich Records/Shpera Noctis Records/2015 EP Review

  From  The  Vastland  are  a  solo  project  originally  from  Iran  but  now  located  in  Norway  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2015  "Blackhearts"  which  was  released  as  a joint  effort  between Symbol Of Domination Productions,    Hexenreich Records  and  Shpera Noctis Records.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  before  getting  heavier  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  and  after  awhile  the  music  goes  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  direction  along  with  a great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  you  can  also  hear  spoken  word  parts  at  times  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  very  melodic  and  exotic  sounding  and  one  track   also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  while  keyboards  are  brought  into  the  closing  song.

  From  The  Vastland  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that is  very  raw  and  melodic  and  also  brings  in  some  influences  from  his home  country   to  create  a  style  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very raw  yet  heavy  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  Zoroastrianism,  Persian  and  Mesopotemian  Mythology.

  In  my  opinion  From  The  Vastland  are  a  very  raw  and  melodic  style  of  black  metal and  if  you  are  a  fan  of   this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Blackhearts". 8  out  of  10.

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Ildverden/Temnich Black/ Is Me/Satanath Records/Pagan Flames Productions/2015 CD Review

  Ildverden  are  a  solo  project  from  Ukraine   that  plays  a  pagan  form  of  black  metal  and  this   is  a  review  of  his  2015  album  "Temnich  Black  /Is  Me"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath  Records  and  Pagan  Flames  Productions.

  Atmospheric  keyboards  and  firewood  burning  start  off  the  album  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  once  the  music  gets  heavy  it goes  into a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  grim  screams  and  the  songs  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Keyboards  mix  in  with  the  heavier  parts  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  style   being  more  close  to  the  Polish  or  Slavic  style  of  that  era  and  also  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  melodies  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized briefly  they  are  done  in  a  more  raw  and  melodic  direction and  one  of  the  tracks  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  folk  instruments   and  clean  playing  while  the  album  closes  with a  cover  of  Satyricon's  "The  Wolfpack".

Ildverden  plays   a  style  of  pagan  black  metal   that  is  very  raw  and  atmospheric  as  well  as  bringing  back  some  of  the  mid  90's  Eastern  European  style,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Ukrainian  and  cover   Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ildverden  are  a  very  great  sounding  pagan  black  metal  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED   TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  Swirl  Dalych"  and  "The  Flash  Of  Lightning  In  Their  Eyes".  8  out  of  10.

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Ashes Of Nowhere Interview

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


- Hi everyone, we are Ashes of Nowhere, a post black metal band from Italy. Our music is who we are, so log on to www.facebook.com/ashesofnowhere to find out everything there is to know about us.


2.In August you had released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?


- It's a mix of the aggressive sound of traditional black metal with post black's pathos and melodies.

We aim for a connection between the listener and its darkest, deepest side, trough the atmosphere and the emotions, that permeate the album


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


- The album's concept is based on mankind's connection to death time and desire.

Lyrics are inspired by a deep analysis of life experiences, above all humanity's fear of time elapsing and consuming everything; and the rebirth through self-annihilation, in order to reach the void and the end of suffering.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Ashes Of Nowhere'?


- We started composing the album before thinking of anything else.
The name Ashes of Nowhere just seemed to get along perfectly with the whole concept of Emptiness.


5.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you planning on expanding the line up in the future or do you chose to remain a duo?


- You never know, let's see where the future leads us.

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


- We are doing things on our own right now, but we are looking for the right label to sign with


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


- Fans have been great to us, some of the comments and feedbacks really put a smile on our faces. We even managed to get to know some of them.

8.Are any of the band members also involved with any other bands or musical projects?


- A crust black metal band called Rest, whose album will come out in November.


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


- As long as we are doing what we love, we just hope the band is going to have a bright long future in front it.


10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?


- We listen to many metal genres, as far as black metal is concerned, we are inspired by some classic bands such as Dissection, Anorexia Nervosa, darkthrone or emperor, and modern bands like deafheaven or wolves in the throne room.


11.What are some of your non musical interests?


- ''Emptiness''


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


- Wither like a frail rose, forsaken in a desert of thorns....

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Meneapneontes/Promachos/Satanath Records/Murdher Records/2015 CD Review

  Meneapneontes  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  an  epic form  of  Hellenic  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Promachos"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath  Records  and  Murdher  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  after  a  few  seconds  deep  and  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  along with  some  solos  and  leads  that  also  utilize  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

   When  the  music  speeds  up  the  music  starts having  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  style  along with  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  when  classical  guitars  and  melodic  pagan  chants  are  utilized  they  bring  in  more  of  an  epic  and  medieval  atmosphere  and  the  songs  also   bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid   paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  of  the  riffs  and  vocals  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  death  metal  at  times  while  the  music  is  mostly  rooted  in  the  90's  style  of  Greek  black  metal.

  Meneapneontes  plays   a  musical   style  that  goes  back  to   the  melodic  side  of  Hellenic  black  metal  that  also  brings  the  epic  atmosphere  of  the  past,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Greek  Mythology  and  History.

  In  my  opinion  Meneapneontes  are a  very  great  sounding  epic  Hellenic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should   check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Promachos"  "Sons  Of  The  Greeks"  "My  Earth,  My Water"  and  "Raise  The   Aspis".  8  out  of  10.   

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Funebria/Dekatherion: Ten Years Of Hate & Pride/Satanath Records/Darzamadicus Records/2015 CD Review

  Funebria  are  a  band  from  Venezuela  that  plays  a  fast  and  blasphemous  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Dekatherion: Ten Years Of Hate & Pride"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath  Records  and  Darzamadicus Records.

  A  very  dark  and  epic  synth  intro  starts  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  gets  getting  more  heavier  and  after  awhile melodies  are added  into  the  music  along  with  the  music  getting  more  fast  as  well  as adding  in  grim  black  metal  screams,  blast  beats  and  death  metal  growls  and  the songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  some  of  the  riffing  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  you  can  also  hear  an  influence  of  thrash  in  the  bands   musical  style  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  a  great  amount  of  melody  into  the  songs  and  synths  also  make  their  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of   spoken  word  parts.

  Funebria  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  fast  and  melodic  style  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  and  a  touch  of  thrash  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  blasphemy  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Funebria  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Serpent  Sign"  "Divide  &  Conquer"  and "Cult  Of  Cosmic  Destruction".  8  out  of  10.

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Ancient Spheres/In Conspiracy With The Night/Satanath Records/More Hate Productions/2015 CD Review

  Ancient  Spheres  are  a  band  from  Costa  Rica  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "In  Conspiracy  With  The  Night"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath  Records  and  More  Hate  Productions.

  Nighttime  and  nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  tribal  and  shamanistic  elements  being  utilized  in  the  background  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  raw  and  melodic  black  metal  direction  along  with  some  grim  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Blast  beats  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  the  music  is  very  heavily   rooted  in  the  90's   and  the  solos  and  leads  also  seem  to  be  very  heavily  influenced  by  the  melodic  Swedish  black  metal  style  and  some  of the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  thrash  at  times  a  and  the  also  mix  the Native  American  sounds  in  with  the  heavier  parts.

  At  times  the  songs  also  bring  in a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  death  metal  growls  can  be  heard  and  on  the  bonus  tracks  spoken  word  parts  and  chanting  are  brought into  the  music  and  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  on  song  also  brings  in  a  few  seconds  of  war  samples.

  Ancient  Spheres  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  melodic  and  old  school  sounding  while  also  mixing  in  the  culture  of  their  home  country  which also  makes  the  music  stand  out  a  bit  more,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  ancient  tribes  of  Costa  Rica  such  as  Bribris,  Darkness  and  Obscurtanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ancient  Spheres  are  a  very  great  sounding  fast,  raw  and  melodic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Invoking  Darkness"  "Emperors  Of  The  Night"  "My  Ancient  Spirits"  and  "Serkes".  8  out  of  10.

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