Nogrod/Abstruce Dismal/2016 EP Review

  Nogrod  are  a  band  from  India  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  ep  "Abstruce  Dismal".

  Dark  ritualistic  sounds  start  off  the  ep  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  melodic  direction  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  elements  along  with  soem  deep  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while the  black  metal  side  of  the  bands  musical  style  seems  to  be  very  heavily  Swedish  influenced  and  the  fast  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  before  making  a  return  back  to  a  heavier  musical  direction.

  Nogrod  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  raw  and  melodic  style  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  to  create  a style  of  their  own,   the  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  destruction  of  heaven,  anti  religion  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nogrod  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  "Powered  By  The  Black  Sun"  and  "Ageless  Mourning".  8  out  of  10.

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Sojourner Interview

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

Emilio: Hi, thanks for having us. Well, the band started with all of us being fantasy fans and also really loving nature. We wanted to make a style of black metal that suited this, and that's what we did.

2.Recently you have released your first full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is represented on the recording?

Emilio: Epic, atmospheric, sad, triumphant, angry at times, etc.

Mike L.: There is a very heavy dose of folk metal within the overall atmospheric black metal framework of our sound as well.

3.Your lyrics cover nature and fantasy themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

Emilio: As I stated above, we started the band because of our love of fantasy and nature. Every time I write a song for this band I imagine battles, or maybe even made up sequences that just pop up in my head and expand upon those. We all love fantasy books (Tolkien, Kingkiller Chronicles, Malazan, and many more) along with fantasy games and movies. So we felt that this is exactly what we want to portray lyrically as well as musically.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sojourner'?

Emilio: The word sojourner actually means someone who doesn't stay in one place for long periods of time. We felt this name was fitting since we are heavily fantasy based and in books, movies or games, the protagonist or other characters normally continue their journeys throughout various lands. Some of our songs actually depict this quite often.

5.The band members are from both New Zealand and Sweden, how does this work in the recording process?

Emilio: Easily. We send files back and forth until we reach a finished track and then vocals are recorded and sent back to Mike L. for him to put them into the song.

Mike L.: The music is all written by myself and Chloe who live together, and we’re currently based in St. Andrews in Scotland. So it’s very easy for us to write and record the music, then we send the finished song to both Emilio in Sweden and Mike W. back in New Zealand who lay down the vocals and bass before sending the files back to me to mix in. It’s quite a smooth and easy process, which works mainly because the music is all written in the one location which allows us to have a more organic flow.

6.Are there any plans for live shows or is this band strictly a studio project?

Emilio: We will become a live band one way or another. Maybe not so much touring but doing one-offs here and there. We don't discard maybe one day doing a tour but the logistics of it aren't exactly easy. In September I will be visiting Mike and Chloe in Scotland and we will most likely be playing live then.

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

Emilio: Overwhelming! Nothing we could have ever imagined. We are extremely happy with the support everyone is showing us, be it sales, messages, etc.

8.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

Emilio: I have Nangilima, a death/doom band which you have covered here in the past. We are currently finishing up a two track EP to be released this year via Xtreem Music.

Mike L.: Mike W. and I have Lysithea, our Melodic Death/Doom band, which we’ll begin writing a new album for over the next while. My other project, Cailleach, is on hold for the foreseeable future. I’m starting a heavier sort of Progressive Metal band with some friends in Dundee, which will be fun, that’s more a live-focused thing. Other than that, for the next while I’ll just be helping Chloe produce a folk metal album she’s written for her project Aoroi. That's sounding absolutely fantastic, so keep an ear out for that.

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

Mike L.: The core of the sound that you hear on the album is basically what we’ll continue doing overall, however there will definitely be elements on the next album that might surprise people a bit. Overall the core of the band is very much solidified, but next time it will be bigger and better.

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?

Emilio: Personally, Summoning, Caladan Brood, Gallowbraid, Elderwind, and quite a few more bands but these are the main ones. I'm really listening to tons of Katatonia, Eldamar, Darkspace, Ashbringer, and Mesarthim the past couple weeks. I try to spin a lot of what I own and especially releases from the present year.

Mike L.: A lot of our influence musically on the album comes from things like Agalloch, Moonsorrow, Borknagar, Enslaved, The Morningside, Valkiria, Summoning, Caladan Brood, and Katatonia among many, many others. As well as a fair amount of influence from some of my favourite Doom bands like Mourning Beloveth, Draconian, Warning etc.

11.What are some of your non-musical interests?

Emilio: Going out and taking in all that nature has to offer. Forests and streams have to be my favourite.

Mike L.: Chloe and I travel quite a lot, whenever we can afford to really. I’m a huge Weird Fiction / Horror Fiction fan so I spend a lot of time reading that kind of thing. Other than that I just plenty of time gaming and watching TV shows and films.

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

Emilio: I would like to thank you for the interview and give thanks to all of you that support Sojourner. Also, our amazing label Avantgarde Music for being there every step of the way.

Mike L.: Thank you for the interview! and thanks so much to everyone for the support and kind words we've received since the album came out. It means a lot!

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Mort aux Gueux Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
1-At first, it was a solo project. I began to record Black Metal tracks alone in my basement because I felt the need. Luc ''le Damné'' joined the project to ensure drums on half of ''EP'' Vaurien's tracks. We could say that the result is raw and old school Black Metal.

2.So far you have released a single, ep and a split, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
2- I believe the sonority presented on recordings sounds like 90's Black Metal bands, Darkthrone and Profanatica for example. Everything was produced in my basement ; artwork, recording, duplication… This is what I call Lo-Fi production, and we can definitely hear it in Mort aux Gueux.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
3- The lyrics is often about desolation and no future. They expose what could be a life of a convict, a wretched, a varmint, a punk or a deserter maybe. The rejected of society is a subject that speaks to me a lot.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Mort aux Gueux'?
4-Once again, it refers to all the people we are trying to marginalized and to ''nipped in the bud'' in this sanitized society. Mort aux Gueux could be translated by ''Death to the Beggars''

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?
5- I like to see Mort aux Gueux  as a kind of one-man band in which people work together. Nothing is set in stone for the forming except me.

6.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
6-I'm interested in all aspects of the group, whether the artwork or distribution. Some labels have approached me but for now, I do not feel the need to look for one.

7.In February you where a part of a split with 'Horrenda', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?
7-It was a very nice experience to work with Horrenda. I liked the theme of the artwork, Grosse île, which was the bridge between our two nations, Quebec and Irish. Our Black metal combined very well, although Mort aux Gueux is more raw and Horrenda more experimental.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
8-I believe the feedback is really good. Strangely, I have not had bad reviews. I guess it's because Mort aux Gueux is unpretentious.

9.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
9- Returning back to the basement to record a full-length album due out in autumn 2016. Maybe I'll release some stuff by then ... Eventually, I want to create a Black Metal always more crude or crust punk. I have collaborators planned either for album art or music. Let's say I have a long-term vision for Mort aux Gueux unlike other areas of my life.

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?
10-The albums that changed my life are certainly Morbid Visions of Sepultura, and later Transilvanian Hunger of Darkthrone. Now I listen to a lot of french Black Metal band as Caverne and Autarcie. Many quebecors bands, more thrash and crust punk, like Saccage are also part of my weekly plays.

11.Does Paganism or Occultism play any role in your music?
11- The albums cover's design may refer to it but it is not a huge part of our music.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
12- Let me conclude by thanking black metal fans for their interest in Mort aux Gueux and the people who work to make known the underground bands as Occult Black Metalzine. Keep it up !

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Sojourner/Empires Of Ash/Avantgarde Music/2016 Full Length Review

  Sojourner  are  an  international  band  with  members  from  New  Zealand  and  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  epic  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Empires  Of  Ash"  which  was  released  by  Avantgarde  Music.

  Nature  sounds  and  flutes  start  off  the  album  and  after  a  few  seconds  black  metal  screams  and  fast  tremolo  picking  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  blast  beats  that  gives  the  music  a  raw  feeling  and  they  also  mix  the  flutes  in  with  the  heavier  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced and  fast  parts and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  synths  and  pianos  while  also  mixing  in  a  more  modern  atmospheric  black metal  style  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  on  some  of  the  songs  and  there  is  also  acoustic  guitars  being  added  onto  one  of  the  tracks  and  they  bring  in  elements  of  folk  music  onto  the  recording.

  Sojourner  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric  and  epic  bringing  in  a  modern  style  while  also  mixing  in  some  acoustic  guitars  and  pianos  along  with  flutes  to  create  a  recording  that  really  stands  out,,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature  and  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sojourner  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bound  By  Blood"  "The  Pale  Host"  and  "Empires  Of  Ash".  8  out  of  10.

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Neveo/Re Un/Avantgarde Music/2016 Full Length Review

  Nevoa  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album "Re  Un"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Avantgarde  Music.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  alter  that  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  neo  folk  direction  and  after  a  few  minutes  the  music  gets  a  lot  more  heavier  and  also  brings  in  elements  of  doom  metal  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  mixes  both  the  clean  and  heavier  parts  together  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  elements  of  post  black  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  distorted  yet  melodic  direction  and  all  of  the  songs  stick to  either a slow or  mid  paced  musical  direction  while  they  also  bring  in  a  brief  touch  of  psychedelia.

  Nevoa  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  modern  and  atmospheric  while  also  adding  in  doom  metal  style  riffing  and  a  touch  of  neo  folk  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the lyrics  cover  darkness,  solitude  and  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nevoa  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Contemplation:'  and  "Closure".  8  out  of  10.   

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Evnar/E.V.N.A.R/The Vinyl Division/2016 Vinyl Review

  Evnar  are  a  band  from Spain  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "E.V.N.A.R"  which  was  released  by  The  Vinyl  Division.

  Dark  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  solos  and  leads  stick  to  a  very  melodic  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  A  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  in  the  faster  riffs  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while t he  riffs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  you  can  also  hear  a  lot  of  Swedish  influences  in  the  bands  musical  style  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  classical  guitars.

  Evnar  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  melodic  while  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  influences,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  occult  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Evnar  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  "Blasphemia  Manifesta"  "Death  is  in  the  Air  (Stench  Of  The  Slain)"  and  "My  Cremation".  8  out  of  10.     

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Panychida Interview

Answers: Honza V. (guitars)

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

Hi. Well the album is out very shortly. We were working on the release a lot. Doing all the advertising, preparing the limited edition of the album, working a lot with the label on some YT advertising videos and stuff. Shortly before the album went out we had come back from a Mexico tour that we did together with INFERNO and ARMADA. And now we are getting ready for 3 gigs with DORDEDUH in Germany. Now we are also packing and sending out the pre-orders. Still a lot to do ;-)

2.In May you have a new album coming out, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

This one was a bit of an experiment for us. We didn´t plan an album sounding like this. But all of a sudden some songs sounding more orchestral and simple popped up. So we gave it a try. We completed these with some others and the original idea of releasing a bit different sounding EP evolved into a regular album. The difference is in the sound. But it is still PANYCHIDA, melodic and based on the metal feeling. 

3.A lot of the lyrics on the new album where inspired by the Carlos Ginzburg nover "Night Battles' which was about the Benandati Witch Cult of the Witch burning Times, what inspires you to write some lyrics about this novel and also do you feel Ginzburg's look has been over looked during the years?

I know the story for years. I always found it very interesting. And now when I heard the new songs I tried to study the story a bit more and gave it a try. The story Ginzburg describes in his book is connected with some other legends from all around the Europe. Basically it is about the living, who fight for the good of the society and about the cult of the dead who visits the living at some occasions of the year. I think there were some critics of what Ginzburg wrote, but it is the level of scholars and that´s not important for the story itself nor for our album. It is dreaming, we don´t need any exact science to burn the veil of mystery.

4.You also had some lyrics about the Livonian Werewolf from Estonia, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the Mythology of that country?

It is not about interest in the mythology of Estonia… The song is there because it is connected to the legends I mentioned above. The same goes for the song called Perchtenlaufen. The flocks of the dead – like The Wild Hunt were in some forms of the myth lead by Perchta or Holda – an old pagan goddess. And the Werewolf legend shows some evidences of this creature fighting for the good of the society and protecting the society from Evil. The is a red line between all these legends and how they are spread around the continent in different forms.

5.While the band members are atheist the Pagan lyrics have always been very well researched, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

The fact is I’m not very much interested in the “so called” pagan lyrics. That was the domain of our original singer and it somehow stayed with us. I am much more interested in history and different legends and old stories, but I would not call it pagan. I also like reading about the old times, but from a different point of view – I’m searching for the reconstructions of how people lived in the past, but not necessarily in the “pagan” history. Actually the beliefs of last few centuries where we can still find the evidences of heathen thinking is very interesting and it inspires me much more than reconstruction of something that is actually hard to reconstruct due to lack of evidences.

6.Some of your lyrics have also been fantasy orientated, are there any fantasy authors that have had an influence on your song writing?

Yeah, because music is also fun and fantasy is inspiring from that point of view that it makes you dream. I was always a fan of Robert Holdstock, so we did a song called Ryhope. Then I really appreciated works of some sci-fi authors, but there is no place for sci-fi in PANYCHIDA. The band is about different kind of dreaming. I cannot recall any other fantasy author actually who would have a direct influence on our lyrics than R.Holdstock.

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?

I don´t know how to describe our stage performance. It is a metal performance. Nothing less, nothing more. We don´t do anything like using swords and axes if you are asking about it. We are primarily a METAL band and that´s it. We did some really good shows on our tour with ANGANTYR recently, also some gigs in Mexico are unforgettable. But we did so many shows that it is hard to pick out one exact. Sometimes you do better, sometimes you do worse. Really good is when people are in touch with you and they react on what you are playing. That´s the best, thus the nature of people in Mexico is much better than those of for example Germany. But everywhere you can meet good and bad crowd.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

Well, for this year it seems we already did all the touring. We did it a bit opposite way and did it before the release. That´s wrong of course, but sometimes you are limited by the circumstances. So now we will only do the gigs with DORDEDUH and then some single gigs. More touring will come next year ;-)

9.The new album is coming out on Cursed Records, how would you compare working with this label to the other ones that you have worked with in the past?

It is just perfect for a band of our size. CR are doing very well and they are still coming up with new ideas. That´s good to see, that the label is totally in. Our previous labels just released the album and then silence. We had to work ourselves, now it is a cooperation and that´s how it should be. Of course CR is a small label, but we are a small band and we both are working on the same level so we understand each other. That´s very important.

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

As far as we can know based on the comments of facebook, YT and other social media, the feedback´s been good so far with every album. It is good that people are still coming and discovering the band. We have not encountered any negative and aggressive opinions. So it´s been good so far.

11.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

Well, the priority is PANYCHIDA, so the others must be put aside when we work for the band. But MALLEPHYR will soon release a debut album and it is hell of a music. Very professional and dark for such a young guys. ET MORIEMUR are working on a new album and also will do some gigs in September. And our drummer he is active with many bands, but seems that nowadays PANYCHIDA is the most serious project he is involved in.

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

I think we will do more straightforward album next time. At least based on the songs we have already composed. But it will be still melodic and still PANYCHIDA. No big moves to unknown territories. But definitely it will be more metal and less of everything else.

13.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?

I grew up on heavy metal and that´s what still has the magic for me. But it must be raw heavy metal. Nothing like speed dragon warriors metal. I really like some of the younger bands like RAM, PORTRAIT, ENFORCER … but I can listen almost all kind of metal music except grind core. These days I’m on the new KATATONIA album, really love that band. Though it is very melancholic it still´s got the metal spirit and that´s what counts for me. I am not into pagan metal very much when it comes into choosing music. I also like some of the dark synth pop like CARPENTER BRUT, DANCE WITH THE DEAD… cool things when you are tired of metal.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?

Travelling and searching for new nice places. No need to go too far, there is many places worth visiting all around – I like going to Czech mountains, not too high, but quite mysterious and deep. It is also good to know where you are living, so I’m often in the nature here in CZ. Except that I like reading, but sometimes I must force myself. Yeah and trips on bicycle are cool ;-)

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

Of course I want to thank you for the space in your magazine. It is good to know there are people who appreciate what we are doing. I don´t have any special message, people should just watch around. The times we are living in are very nervous and difficult and it can get very bad very quickly. We should keep eyes open and enjoy what we have now, because it is gonna be over soon. So enjoy yourself while there are options to do so.

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Gebrechlichkeit Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project since the recording and release of the new album?
We were playing some more concerts and for this, the constellation of the musicians changed. Now grom on drums, Kveldulfur e- guitar and myself on bass guitar and vocals. We have get rid of the bassist, because it doens´t worked with him well.
Now it runs better then before; just three members, but they take the project and the music serious.

2.In March you had released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
A walk trough the darkness, beside the abyss, where you can hear bones breaking and the damned cream. This explain exactly how the sound goes.
The songs are more structured and produced at the point. It´s much better then the previous one.


3.This is the first album to be released in 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
Well, the last years I have focused primarily on the live project.
Ii am a perfectionist, too. You will see this work on layout of the album for example.
 Creating a new musical masterpiece is a fist full of work; everything about this album is, again, all done by myself.



4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer music?
Primarily fear, a deep unnormal suspect of oddities.. packed in methaphorical, ambiguity lyrics.


5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Gebrechlichkeit'?
It is about the fragility and transience of human life, the experience for what black metal stands.
It has no context with burzum songs or stuff like this.

6.On the albums you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians on the recording?
Basically yes, but I think my sound could get (negative) influenced by this.
If it could be interested for me, I dont know yet.

7.What are some of the best shows your live line up has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
One of our best the concerts was in b-hof, wuerzburg. A nice location in an old winecellar. The place has an awesome atmosphere, perfect for our performance. One word for our show: repulsive.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
An own tour is instead of working time not possible.
But it´s also not easy to get gigs for coming years. For some organizer our show is too extreme, so that they dont want to take us again. We play exclusive concerts in special chosen locations, everywhere in germany. But for concerts outside from this country we're open, too.

9.The new album was released on 'Human To Dust', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
The label HDT just working with black metal projects.
So far a good corporation. The owner lives not far away, so if there are any problems we can meet  and talk.


10.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your new album by fans of black metal?
Consistently positive. You know you can´t satisfy every different tastes of music, but fans who are interested in this music and lifestyle are fascinated.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
Still making fuckin Plague'n'Roll


12.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?
In past Gorgoroth, for example, is a band which open a gate into a new world for me.
Today I´ve got no idols, I do my own stuff, go my own way. I dont want to step in footsteps, I will leave my own..

13.How would you describe your views on Satanism?
I am the god of my own world, I determine my way. Loving the negatives in life.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Like i did it every time:
Someone walking with blind eyes through life. Others are determined to accomplish bigger things. So I go my way for accomplishing great doings, that I'm going to immortal.

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Noire Interview

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

A)   Noire is a 'Progressive Black Metal' band coming from the bitter heart of Candada, Winnipeg.  We try to explore the more intricate sides of music; having acoustics, piano, and other instrumentation within our music.  This is done in contrast to the more traditional 'black metal' stereotype.  We put an emphasis on song structure, and melody.


2.You have a new ep coming out in July, how would you describe the musical sound that is present on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

A)   This album is quite different from our debut.  It's 6 tracks of mostly acoustic and ambiance tracks, centred around the main 'metal' song, "The Tracks of The Hunted".  We were able to write more focused and condensed ideas this time.  We always wanted to write more atmospheric and enchanting tracks.  We feel the recording is more specific to the atmosphere we're trying to capture, making it a more immersive and personal experience.

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

A)   Each song is is designed to emote a strong feeling that is inspired and cohesive with each performance piece.  We have a few overarching common themes that we try to emit through our music.  Sadness, isolation, darkness, and Death.  The lyrics are largely introspective and a result from being disenchanted by the world. 

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Noire'?

 A) Noire as a name is simply something we thought implied a certain sophistication, all while implying an overall sense of darkness.  All of this while remaining vague enough not to musically put us in a box.

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

Best show we played so far would have been Farmageddon.  We took to the stage, and instantly the sun started setting and it started raining almost snowing as we were playing.  As we were playing "Where Death Keeps" the rain was falling sideways from off stage, and our banners were blowing in the wind.  It was a very cold show.  Our stage performance is 'shock-and-awe', you can see the excitement in peoples faces as we ring through our first chord.

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

A) Noire will be taking to Western Canada this summer.  We were invited out to play Armstrong Metal Festival, and planned a two and a half week tour around it.  The dates are as follows:
      July 2 – Winnipeg, The Windsor

July 6 – Calgary, Distortion Live Music Venue

July 7 – Edmonton, Brixx Bar & Grill

July 8 – Vancouver, The Astoria

July 9 – Penticton, The Legion

July 10 – Victoria, Logans Pub

July 11 – Nanaimo, The Cambie

July 14 – Prince George, Artspace at Books & Company

July 15 – 17 Armstrong, Armstrong Metal Fest

July 18 – Banff ‘Secret Show’

July 21 – Red Deer, The Vat

July 22 – TBA

July 23 – Regina, The exchange

Past this we're looking into breaking into new markets, either the US or Europe for sometime in 2017.

7.The new ep is self released, are you open to working with another label again in the future?

A) Yes, we have parted ways with DeathBound Records for our upcoming release, on good terms.  We were weighing out some options for release of this record with several labels, but we have decided in the end a self release of our EP would be best, and to work with these labels in the future.  This all being said, we have talks with a few international labels who want to distribute the EP.

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

Going off a few reviews of the first album we seem to have some international fans in Greece, and Russia.  Within a few days of release Dark Reverence was uploaded to several Russian websites, We expect about the same with this new EP.

9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

A) For most of us this is our main project.  Josh our newest member and drummer is part of a local progressive group.


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

A)  We plan on heading in more of the direction of our EP for future releases.  We want to incorporate more atmospheric progressions and tie this in with our strong string leadership, and the dual guitar harmonies.

11.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?

A)  We're heavily influenced by Opeth, Dissection, Enslaved, Opeth, Emperor, and Ulver.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

A) We have dabbled in many things as a group, we all attain to be healthy humans through exercise.  And of course, Coffee. 

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

A)  We feel this upcoming EP is our strongest effort yet.  We're very pleased with the production, and our overall goal we feel has been met.  The Tracks of The Hunted will be available to pre-order off our bandcamp for $1 (https://noiredarkmetal.bandcamp.com/), this is done in order to spread the darkness further.

Crowhurst/II/Broken Limb Recordings/2016 Full length Review

  Crowhurst  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  their  newer  music  being  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "II"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  broken  Limbs  Recordings.

  Industrial  style  noises  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  guitar  drones  and  after  a  minute  drums  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  on  the  second  track  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  elements  of  both  post  hardcore  and  sludge.

  Clean  singing  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording   and  the  songs  also  mix  in  elements  of  industrial  metal  while  some  of  the  vocals  bring  in  a  touch  of  80's  post  punk/goth  and  you  can  also hear  a  decent  amount  of  melody  coming  out  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  more  of  a  melodic  post  metal  style  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  last  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  also  being  all  instrumental.

  Crowhurst  creates  a  recording  that  takes  a  depressive  style  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  industrial,  hardcore  and  post  punk  along  with  a  touch  of  sludge  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  desolate  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Crowhurst  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  the  more  experimental  styles  of  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Take  This  Pain  Away"  and  "Fractured  Lung".  8  out  of 10.


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Lament/Invocation/Ekhidna Records/2016 Demo Review

  Lament  are  a  solo  project  from  Slovenia  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  necro  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2016  demo  "Invocation"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Ekhidna  Records.

  Distorted  amb  sounds  start  off  the  demo  along  with  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  being  added  onto  the  recording  along  with some  non  traditional  melodies  and  elements  of  harsh  noise  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  bringing  in  more  of  a  straight  forward  black  metal  style.

  At  times  the  music  can  be  very  melodic  in  a  more  darkened  approach  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  and  old  school  black  metal  feeling  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  more  chaos  into  the  songs  when  they  are  utilized  while  also  having  a  melodic  tone  to  them  at  times  and  the  whole  demo  also  remains  very  heavy  and  grim  from  beginning  to  ending  of  the  recording.

  Lament  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  traditional,  raw,  and  necro  sounding  in  the  second  wave  tradition  while  also  bringing  in  a  more  modern  touch  to  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lament  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  necro  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nuclear  Winds"  and  "Wicked  yet  Divine".  8  out  of  10.

bandcamp: https://lament666.bandcamp.com/
youtube: https://youtu.be/v3XVrYSNvyk

  

Some Happy Thoughts Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
1- Of course. We've been looking to do a black metal project about 12 years ago and it miserably failed... Recently, we re-opened the project, and it gave us Épitaphe as a first official product. We wanted to explore a different facet of what is usually considered as DSBM and we're confident we achieved it.

2.In April you had released a demo, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
2- It's quite raw, but at the same time we managed to get a depressive feel throughout the demo. There's moments where it's quite calm, but others where it moves a lot - a balance between the living and the dead... We also opted for simplicity and doing so we noticed that it fits with our lyrics, where only life and death are absolutes, but if you can accept it, you'll die happy even if the world you see is dark and depressive.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
3- We explored the topic of life and death through Stoicism, a school of thoughts that believes that life and death aren't good or bad, but indifferent. We all die, so why would it be a bad thing? Especially since no one knows what death is, except being an inanimated corpse. So as long as you experienced sadness, but also happiness, you can say that your life is full and decide to leave it of your own will. We also wrote a song about someone that is ready to shoot himself, but he misses and wakes up in the hospital, more depressed than ever...

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Some Happy Thoughts'?
4- There are happy thoughts in our lyrics, but there's also a will to end our own life. Why must suicide always be about hating life and the world? Why can't we kill ourselves happily knowing that we fullfilled our life and are satisfied with it? The crushing part is really about those that missed their suicide and must linger around longer than expected - that is depressive. So yes, there are happy thoughts, there is hope, there is life, but there's also the opposite...

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?
5- No. We work really well together and the only instance where the band would be bigger is if one day there's a demand for live performances.

6.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
6- Yes, we've submitted our demo to a few labels and haven't received any feedback so far. We're thinking of releasing a few tapes eventually - of course, once again, if there's a demand for it.

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

7- Strangely, we've received a lot of support from other countries than our own mostly! It's great feedback, they seem to understand what we've achieved and we're satisfied with it. Knowing that a complete stranger is taking the time to write you and tell you that your music is good is an amazing feeling and I can't thank them enough!

8.Are any of the band members also involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?
8- We received an offer for a side-project, but honestly we're already writing new material for Some Happy Thoughts, so we refused.

9.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
9- Regarding a full-length, we're not at that stage yet. We were planning to do this project and move to something else, but there are people that really likes it, so we're looking to expand our repertoire. We're also looking at making something more personnal, smoother and sadder too...

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?
10- To name a few bands that inspired us, we'd say Anti, Silencer, Hypothermia, Life Neglected, Niflheim (now Gris), etc.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
11- M.S. LeCri is a collector and 21 is a huge reader. We enjoy life like everyone else I guess.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
12- Thanks to everyone that is supporting us and that took the time to listen to our demo entirelly! It's really appreciated and we never thought we'd be doing this today, so a big thank you to Occultblackmetalzine for reviewing us and giving us the opportunity to answer some questions. Hails!

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Noire/The Tracks Of The Hunted/2016 EP Review

  Noire  are  a  band  from  Winnepeg,  Manitoba,  Canada  that  plays  a  progressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016 ep  'The  Tracks  Of  The  Hunted"  which  will  be  released  in  July.

  A  very  dark  and  tragic  sounding  piano  intro  starts  off  the  ep  and  on  the  second  track  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  with  the  finger  picking  and  full  chords  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  tortured  voices  can  be  heard  in  the  background.

  One  of  the  tracks is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  after  the  first  2  songs  which  where  all  instrumental  the  music  goes  into  a  more  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction  along  with some  grim  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  use  a  great  amount of  melody.

  Some  parts  of  the  tracks  mix  both  the  acoustic  and  heavy  parts together  and  clean  singing  vocals  are  also  added  into  the  music  at  times  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  song  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  they  also  bring  in  an  all  ambient  instrumental  and  all  of  the  tracks  sound  different  from  each  other  and  when  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  neo  folk  feeling  and  only  one  song  is  black  metal.

  Noire  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  neo  folk  while  also  mixing  in  some  ambient  and  atmospheric  black  metal  elements  to  create  a  diverse  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  darkness  and  sorrow  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Noire  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Tracks  of  the  Hunted".  8  out  of  10.

https://noiredarkmetal.bandcamp.com/album/the-tracks-of-the-hunted

VIII/Decathexis/Third I Rex/2016 CD Review

  VIII  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  occult  form  of   avant  garde   black  metal  on  this  recoridng  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Decathexis"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Third  I  Rex.

  Avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  harsh  noises  before  going  into more  of  a  heavy  and  technical  direction  which  also  introduces  grim  black  metal  screams  and  blast  beats  onto  the  recording  while  the  tremolo  picking  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while spoken  word  parts  can  also be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  3  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  saxophones  when  they  are  utilized  enhance  the  avant  garde  and  experimental  nature  of  the  bands  musical  style  and  you  can  also  hear  a  great  amount  of  doom  metal  elements  in  the  slower  riffing  and  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  and  classical  guitars  along  with  traces  of  psychedelia  are  added  onto  the  last  track.

  VIII  changes  their  musical  style  on  this  recording  and  goes  into  more  of  an  avant  garde  black  metal  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  misanthropic,  philosophical  and  individualism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  VIII  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Diagnosis".  8  out  of  10.

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Old Corpse Road/Of Campfires And Evening Mists/Cacophonous/2016 CD Review

  Old  Corpse  Road  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  folk  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Of  Campfires  And  Evening  Mists"  which  was  released  by  Cacophonous.

  Campfire  sounds  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  which  also  gives  the  recording  more of  a  folk  music  feeling  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  alter  which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  mixing  in  atmospheric  keyboards  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  vocals  usually  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  grim  death  metal  growls  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  use  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  they  also  mix  both  the  folk  and  metal  elements  together  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  stick  to  a  very  melodic  style..

   The  fast  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  music  more of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  keyboards  bring  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  gothic  horror  movie  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  nature  sounds  and  melodic  vocals  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  along  with  a touch  of  Celtic  music  on  a  later  track  and  they  also  bring  in  a  keyboard  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  on  the  remaining  tracks.

  Old  Corpse  Road  creates  a  recording that  is  mostly  rooted  in  the  tradition  British  style  of  black  metal  bringing  in  the  perfect  balance  between atmosphere,  melody  and heaviness  while  also  mixing  in  some  death  metal  and  folk  music  elements  to  create  a  recording  that  really  stands  out,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Celtic  paganism,  Druids,  Wicca  and  British  Folklore  themes.

  In  my opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Old  Corpse  Road  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  keyboard  driven  pagan/black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Whispers  Of  Long  Meg  Through  The  Forest"  "Pendle -  Daughters  Of  the  Black  Moon"  and  "Peg  Powler".  8  out  of  10.

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Sheidim/Shrines Of The Void/Dark Descent Records/2016 CD Review

  Sheidim  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  very  heavy  and  aggressive  form  of  black  metal  with  some  death  metal  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Shrines  Of  The  Void"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Dark  Descent  Records.

  Dark  sound  effects  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  distorted  sounds  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  that  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  the  vocals  are  grim  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  death  metal  elements  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  has  a  more  modern  yet  traditional  approach  to  the  black  metal  genre  and  the  riffs  also  utilize  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  the  sound  effects  that  where  also  present  on  the  first  track  make  a  return  later  on  during  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Sheidim  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  modern  while  also  being  very  raw,  melodic,  fast  and  guitar  driven  along  with  a  touch  of  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sheidim  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  fast  and  melodic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "First  Poison"  "Amrita"  and  "Remnants".  8  out  of  10. 

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/track/sheidim-without-reins