Thursday, June 30, 2016

Voodus/Nightqueen/Sliptrick Records/2016 EP Review


  Voodus  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  an  occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016 ep  "Nightqueen"  which  was  released  on  Sliptrick  Records.

  A  very  distorted  amp  sound  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  and  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  vocals  are  grim  black  metal  screams.

  A  lot  of  the  music  has  a  more  modern  Swedish  style  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly   and  classical  guitars  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  some  blast  beats.

   Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length   and  there  are  also  some  spoken  vocals  which  also gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  atmosphere  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  guitars  and  as  the  ep  progresses  elements  of  thrash and  first  wave  black  metal  can  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  a  later  song  is  all  instrumental  before  closing  the  ep  with  a  heavier  track  that  utilizes  vocals.

  Voodus  plays  a style  of  occult  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  melodic  while  being  mostly  rooted  in  the  modern  Swedish  style  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Lilith  Qlipha,  Sitra Achra  and  Left  Hand  Path  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Voodus  are  a very  great  sounding  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Envoy  From  The  Shores  Of  The  Eternal  Night"  and  "The  Burning  Light  Of  Daath".  8  out  of  10.  

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Odour Of Death/Self Titled/Lower Silesian Stronghold/2016 EP Review


  Odour  Of  Death  are  an  international  band  with  members  from  Poland,  The United  Kingdom  and  Ireland  that  plays  a  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2016  ep  which  was  released  by  Lower  Silesian  Stronghold.

    Clean  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  ep  and  after  a couple  of  minutes  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  darker  and  heavier  musical  direction  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  black  metal   feeling  along  with  some  grim  and high  pitched  screams.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  that  are  utilized  are  very  melodic  and  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  modern  feeling  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  clean  plying  does  make  a  return in  some  sections  of t he  recording  along  with  some  atmospheric  synths  and  a  brief  use  of  demonic  growls  ca  also  be  heard  and  one  track  adds  in  a  few  seconds  of  melodic  yet  ritualistic  chanting  and  they  close  the  ep  with  an  instrumental.

  Odour  Of  Death  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  raw  in  the  old  school  tradition  while  also  bringing  in  a  more  modern  approach  to  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  darkness  and  Satanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Odour  Of  Death  are  a  very  great  sounding  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ulga"  and  "Ofiara".  8  out  of  10.

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Dark Fury/This Story Happened Before/Lower Silesian Stronghold/2016 CD Review


  Dark  Fury  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  national  socialist  black  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  2016  album  "This  Story  Happened  Before"  which  was  released  by  Lower  Silesian  Stronghold.

  A  very  distorted, d ark  yet  melodic sound  starts off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  the  tremolo  picking  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  throughout the  recording  you can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  second  wave  influences  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  while  another  track  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  melodic  chants  and  the  last  song  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Dark Fury  plays  a  style  of  national  socialist  black  metal  that  is  very  dark,  raw  and  epic  in  the  Slavic  tradition,   the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  war,  national  socialism,  darkness,  anti  Christianity/Islam  and  hatred  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dark  Fury  are  a  very  great  sounding  national  socialist  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Goatfuckers"  and  "This  Story  Happened  Before".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Dark_Fury/2222

Celtic Dance/Regressus Ad Uterum/Lower Silesian Stronghold/2016 CD Re-issue Review


  Celtic  Dance  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  national  socialist  form  of  pagan/black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  some  material  they  recorded  in  2004  and  released  on  a  split  album  with  Spain's  Wolfthrone  but  decided  12  years  later  to  release  it  as  it's  own  album  called  "Regresses  Ad  Uterum"  which  was  released  by  Lower  Silesian  Stronghold.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  starts  off  the  album  along with  some  spoken  word  samples  and  harsh  sounds  while  also  adding  in  epic  sounding  synths  and  after  the  into  they  mix  in  the  atmospheric  elements  in  with  a  more  dark  and  heavy  sound  that  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  grim  black  metal  screams.

  At  times  the  riffs  can  be  very  melodic  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  songs  also  bring   in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  their  is  also  a  brief  use  of  deep  growls.

  Most  of  the  music  is  more  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  era  of  the  genre  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  when  they  are  utilized  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  one  track  also  brings  in a  brief  use  of  chanting  pagan  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  also make  a  return  on  a  later  track.

  Celtic  Dance  played  a  style  of  national  socialist  pagan/black  metal  on  this  recording  that  was  very  raw  and  epic  while  also  having  its  melodic  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Celtic  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Celtic  Dance  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  epic  national  socialist  pagan/black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "One  Sword,  One  Voice"  and  "A  battle  To  be  Won".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Celtic_Dance/8841

Aryman/Czarne Rytualy Otchlani/Lower Silesian Stronghold/Hass Weg Productions/2016 CD Review


  Aryman  area  band  from Poland  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016 album  "Czarne  Rytualy  Otchlani"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between Lower  Silesian  Stronghold  and  Hass  Weg  Productions.

   Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  along  with  some  grim  vocals  and  the music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  tradition  of  the  genre.

  At times  the  music  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  at  times  the  vocals  mix  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  in  with  the  grimness  and  when  guitar  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  and  ritualistic  chants  are  added  onto  the  last  track  briefly.

  Aryman  plays  a  style  of  satanic  black  metal  that  is  very  dark,  heavy,  and  raw  in  the  second  wave  tradition,  the  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  Satanism, Anti Christianity, Apocalypse  and  Hatred  themes.

  In  my opinion  Aryman  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "W  Grobowyn  Transie"  "Diabelska  Swiatynia  Umarlych"  "Ceremonia"  and  "Z  Czelusci  Nocnych  Koszmarow".  8  out  of  10.

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Xaos Oblivion/Rituals From The Cold Grave/Lower Silesian Stronghold/2016 CD Review


  Xaos  Oblivion  are  a duo  from  Poland  that  plays  a  musical  style  they  describe  as  being  'necro  ritual  carpathian  black  metal'  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Rituals  From  The  Cold  Grave"  which  was  released  by  Lower  Silesian  Stronghold.

  A  very  raw,  dark  and  lo-fi  black  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the songs also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  is  more  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  of   black  metal  and  some  of  the  slower  riffs  bring  in  a touch  of  doom  metal  while  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  while  the  vocals  also  sound  very  ritualistic  at  times  and  the  album  remains  very  heavy  and  raw  from  beginning  to  ending  of  the  recording  and  only  a  small  amount  of  guitar  solos  or  leads  are  utilized  on  the  album.

  Xaos  Oblivion  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  grim,  raw  and  ritualistic  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  Occultism  and  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Xaos  Oblivion  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  necro  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cursed  Legend"  and  "Madness  From  The  Tombs".  8  out  of  10.

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Dusk Interview


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

- At the moment I'm not working on Dusk. There is a break with this project. I'm more busy with TYMAH at the moment.


2.For those that have yet to hear the albums, how would you describe your musical sound?

- In the beginning it was a bit raw, then became a little bit more burnished. It was always old-school and quite dirty, but never too modern, too clear, too plastic. And of course the musical sound always depended on the circumstances. Book of Satan is a bit different, because it was not a Black Metal album. Concerning the content it was Black Metal, but musically it was not. This album was most of all not metal.  It was a dark ritual trance music with shamanic/throat singing. I think those of my albums which were Black Metal albums had avarage BM sound, not the popular one of course.


3.The last full length came out in 2011, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

- In that time we started to work more on TYMAH, which from then on changed a little bit. In the beginning Dim was writing 100% of the music, but this changed, and I started to put more musical ideas into it as well. We tried to develop a system in which we can cooperate and work together with 100 % of efficiency. But this didn't start to work right away, it took some time of experiencing to establish and strengthen this system. The Past is Alive material has a lot of this experimental phase. Since then we have discovered how we should work together so that our ideas complement each other, and thus we can make something better than if we do this alone. This work totally takes my focus, so I give Dusk a little rest. I think I did quite a lot of Dusk albums, and tried to express most or even everything I wanted through Dusk. We'll see what happens, but at the moment I am not writing more Dusk stuff because I don't feel that I could make a better album than the previous ones.


4.Your lyrics cover a lot of Satanic topics, what form of Satanism do you feel you connect with the most?

- I think there is only one Satanism. People who don't understand, who are outsiders regarding Satanism, are separating it into pieces. And when young people, with no experience, come they get lost among this huge amount of misleading information. Those who take it seriously and deepen themselves in this topic speak the same all around the world. Even if the way they express themselves is different sometimes, but the content, the essence is the same. Satanism doesn't have many forms, it is different just because the people who deal with Satanism are on different levels of understanding. And this gives the difference. But I don't think we should be as blind as the christians, who created so many types of christianity, and each leader of each group propogates its own truth and thinks this is the only truth. Everything is the same, there are only minor differences. My lyrics always were about Satanism. Black Metal was about Satanism, and I was doing Black Metal from the beginning. I think everyone has their own way towards enlightement, and you cannot dogmatically prescipe them to do this or that. Everyone has to find their way on their own. Everyone has to find their own method how to find the way back to themselves and the Darkness. The most important is that he or she should be really determined about that this is the most important for them and not just a hobby. They have to clarify that this is the most important, and it will remain like this forever. In a way this is natural, or should be natural, but I feel I have to emphasize this many times. I see in many young people that they are not fully determined and that is why they stop at some level. Simplifying: If someone really wants it he or she will experience Darkness. Spiritual development is one of our primary needs but the way how we reach it maybe totally different in each case. Some need rituals to get rid of the physical dimension, to ascend or descend in the proper spiritual estate, some need meditation. And some use LSD or Psylocibe C. For me the perfect way is to meditate in proper circumstances with the use of some stuff. The most important thing is that we must be able to step out  the physical dimension, to step out of the everyday life. everyone pulls down the walls of the ego and physical dimension in their own manner. And if you manage to break them you can experience and understand Darkness. This is of course not our total goal and final destination, but this is the first step which we can call Satanism. Not the method, the approach is important, but the devotion and dedication. Even Lavey with all his "funny" things can be mentioned here as an example, although I think he was quite at the beginning of this understanding. But he was building his theories on freedom and do agree with that it is primary. We need to be free and not being the crowd, the ego should not mislead us. Of course dedication is also needed, but we can also say that it is a smaller detail of the whole... Anyway, I would not draw strict borders. A Satanist is a person, in my eyes, whose goals and aims are identical with the goals of the Darkness. The rest will be solved by devotion and dedication, sooner or later.


5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Dusk'?

-  Darkness... The beginning of Darkness... but if I want to say it in a different way I could say it it the gate of Hell. Dusk is being inspired by Darkness. I try to express with music my experience with Darkness. I strongly believe in that it can lead me forward and maybe even may lead forward others.


6.Currently there is only 1 member in the band but there where ever musicians involved in the plan, would you consider 'Dusk' as being a solo project these days?

- At the moment I am creating Dusk on my own. In the beginning it was differently, because Akharu was playing an important tole in the band. And of course there had been some drummers as well in that period. Nowadays I think that in a way it is easier to be alone in a band, but in the other hand if several appropriately dark souls gather together they can make better music together. It is of course another issue that it is not easy to find appropriate mates. Average people make average music, and upon this I see that a good musicianship, talent, and creativity is needed also. There are several bands today, who are absolutely fine idealogically, but this does not come through their music. Because, they are not able to project their experience with Darkness well enough through their art. So in case of Black Metal, one-man band it is often a non-avoidable solution. This is how it is in case of Dusk.


7.What where some of the best shows that the band has played in the past and also how would you describe your stage performance?

- I'm not really of that concert-going and concert-doing type of person. And upon this it is of course quite difficult to make a concert in a case of a one-man band. But, there was a concert of Book of Satan, and I think it went on well.  My aim was to make that album more understandable, because many didn't understand what to do with it. It was not a Metal album, that you insert in your CD player and listen as you usually do with other Metal stuff. This is a ritual trance music which I tried to present on stage as well. The audience was not made of people walking in from the street by accident, however, I saw fear in the eyes of many when they had a little glance into this world of Darkness... There was maybe only one pair of eyes who could understand this, and I thought there is not point in doing concerts this way. Black Metal is not for concert stage in my opinion, as concerts are about party and fun. Black Metal is not about this. It is a very personal thing, which you rather understand listening in calm circumstances, at home for example. So there won't be any more concerts for sure.


8.On the compilation there was a 'Burzum' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of this song?

- Some years ago I had been asked to make a cover like this. A label wanted to make a Burzum tribute album with the participation of Hungarian bands. This cover was made because of this album. But after I heard who will be included in this album I cancelled my participation, because I didn't want to be listed together with fashion bands. I chose this song because Vikernes did Daudi Baldrs the way he did it because of his prison sentence and he had many years until his release that time. I though it would a good idea to chose this kind of song an make a Metal version of Moti Ragnarokum. I didn't want to chose a piece of music that he already did in perfection himself. And this track was not yet done in Metal version by him because of the prison, so I thought I try and imagined how it could sound in the old Burzum manner. Since it was never released, I put it on Satan's Laws material just as an interesting bonus.


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

- In the last few years I kind of lost most of my connections and aquaintances. Maybe it comes by age, I don't know. Anyway, I didn't read or hear any responses lately. Nowadays I more focus on myself, my faith. I've been Satanist for about 22 years and I have probably not more than this much until I reach my inner goals and finish my mission. I'm thinking mainly about this nowadays. What did I reach so far? Is it enough? What can I do, to be more successful with my inner goals an shorten another 22 years?


10.Are you still involved with 'Tymah', these days?

- Yes. As I told above, I am involved in TYMAH much more than before. Compared to previous years it is much more interesting for me nowadays. I feel that now we have a chance to create something really special, that could be an honourable continuation of the old great bands. The 4th album's release is in process at the moment. It will be titled "Zuhanás", and I think it is the best material of the band so far. It developed musically quite a lot since we now we work much more together than before, and the sound has been also polished quite a lot. It did not become modern sounding of course. We just managed to collect all the appropriate instruments, so the quality became much better. However, it was not easy in the country we live in.


11.When can we expect newer music and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

- I can't answer this question at the moment. There is no plans for a new material now.


12.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 don't really know what was influencing my music, but I was influenced a lot by these bands: Pokolgép (old), Bahtory, Burzum, Mayhem, Emperor, Vond, Mortiis. These bands had a big affect on my life. 

What do I listen today? Mainly the same as I listed above. But I also listen sometimes to Judas Priest, Motorhead. And since many years I listen to Forest also, the first three albums are very good in my opinion.


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

- Thank you for the interview.

Don't accept the existence!

Remember yourself!

Don't ever compromise!

Fight for your aim and not for the reward!

Question everything!

Find the answer to everything yourself!

Rise over the human existence!

Find the most inner knowledge!

Let your faith and aim be always the first!

Become your most inner will itself!

See the truth behind the illusion!

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Official website

Demonic Slaughter/Dark Paths To Catharsis/Has Weg Productions/Lower Silensien Stronghold/2015 CD Review


  Demonic  Slaughter  are  a band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  with  their  current  material  they go  for  more  of  an  ambient  style  of  raw  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Dark  paths  To  Catharsis"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Hass  Weg  Productions  and  Lower  Silensian  Stronghold.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ambient  style  keyboards  which  also  gives  the  music  a  very  atmospheric feeling  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  darker  yet  heavier musical  direction  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  as  well  as  bringing  in  grim  black  metal  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

   Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  keyboards  also  make  a  return  in  certain  sections  of the  recording  and  some  songs  are  all  instrumental  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  brought  into  the  music  they  are  done  in  a  very melodic  fashion  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  touch  of  melody  at  times  without  losing  their  aggressive  edge  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars.

  Demonic  Slaughter  plays  a style  of  black  metal  that  is  still  very  raw  while also  bringing  in  some  of  the  atmospheric  and  epic  structures  of  90's  Polish  black  metal  as  well  as  bringing  in  elements  of  ambient  to  take  their  musical  style  to  the  next  level,  the  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  nature  and  occultism  themes.

   In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Demonic  Slaughter  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  epic  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  Paths  To  Catharsis"  "Black  Rain"  "Rituals  Of  Honour  And  Revenge"  and  "Into  the  Cold  Mountains".  8  out  of  10.

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Blakulla/The Immortal Cult/Lower Silensien Stronghold/2015 CD Review


  Blakulla  are  a  solo  project  from  France  that  plays  a  raw  and  atmospheric  form  of  heathen,  occult  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2015  album  "The  Immortal  Cult"  which  was  released by  Lower Silensien  Stronghold.

  Military  marching  starts  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats along  with  some  high  pitched  screams  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  style  of  the  genre.

  At  times  the  vocals  sound  very  angry  while  also  getting  more  grim  as  the  album  progresses  and  the  songs  are  very  power  chord  driven  while  the  music  sounds  like  it  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  over  20  years  ago  and  after  awhile  the  riffs  started  utilizing  more  melody  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  and  on  the  last  track  spoken  word  parts  and  guitar  leads  are  brought  into  the  music  briefly.

  Blakulla  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  old  school  in  the  second  wave  tradition,  the  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Aryan,  Paganism,  Occultism  and  Anti Religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Blackulla  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  pagan/black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pagan  Baptism"  and  "Endless  Lunar  Night".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Bl%C3%A5kulla/3540322391

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Isgarde/Jag Enslig Skall Ga/Symbol Of Domination Productions/Black Plague Records/2016 CD Review


  Isgarde  are  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  raw,  epic,  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2016  album "Jag  Enslig  Skall  Ga"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  Of  Domination Productions  and  Black  Plague  Records.

  Thunder  and  wind  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  soundscapes  that  are  very  atmospheric  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  synths  and  programmed  beats  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  after  the  intro  the  music  gets  heavier  while  also  keeping  the  atmospheric  elements.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  it  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  along  with  some  grim  screams  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

   Acoustic  guitars  as  well  as  some  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  flutes  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  tracks.  while  on  later  songs  some  psychedelic  elements  and  clean  yet  distorted  singing  can  be  heard  briefly  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  medieval  atmosphere  and  the  last  track  is  all  instrumental.

  Isgarde  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  in  the Nordic  tradition  of  the  genre  while  also  having  its  epic,  melodic  and  atmospheric  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  yet  powerful  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Swedish  and  English  and  cover  darkness,  paganism  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Isgarde  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  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  "Battle  of  Bornghom"  "Ancient  Forest  Of  Witchery"  "Dungeons  Of  the  Devil"  and  "At  Gettlinge  Gravalt".  8  out  of  10.

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Fortid/The Demo Sessions/Symbol Of Domination Productions/Electric Horizon Productions/Black Plague Records/2016 CD Compilation Review


  Fortid  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  viking  and  pagan  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is a  review  of  their  2016  compilation  album  "The  Demo  Sessions"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  of  Domination  Productions,  Electric  Horizon  Productions  and  Black  plague  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy,  atmospheric  and  epic  sound  starts  off  the  compilation  along with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  and  acoustic  guitars  along  with  some  clean  singing  pagan  vocals  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Some  of  the  cleaner  sections  bring  in  more  of  a  medieval  folk  music  feeling  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  have  a  very  raw  and  melodic edge  to them  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  synths.

  They  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  Enslaved's  "Lifandi  Lifi  Undir  Harni"  and  a  few  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  of  the  faster  sections  of the  songs  bring  in  tremolo  picking  which  adds  in  more  of  an  old  school  90's  feeling  and  throughout  the  compilation  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  war  samples.

  Throughout  this  compilation  Fortid  displays  a  lot  of  variety  with  some songs  going  for  a  raw  and  Nordic  style  while  others  focus  more  on  an  epic  viking  or  pagan  metal  style,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Mythology.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  of  songs  from  Fortid  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  pagan  or  viking/black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nornir"  "Pagan  Prophecies"  "Sun  Turns  Black"  and  "Framtid".  8  out  of  10.

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Azziard/Nirnaeth/Kaotxin Records/2016 Split 7 Inch Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  7  inch  between  France's  Azziard  and  Nirnaeth  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Kaotoxin  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Azziard  a  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  is  in  the  war/black  metal  style  and  there  song  "Unus  Mundus".

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  heavy  guitar  sound  that  starts  evolving  into more  of  a  black  metal  style  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  and  high  pitched  screams  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  song  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  war  metal  feeling  while some  mid  paced  and  slow  sections  are  also  utilized  which  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  into  the  song  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  while the  guitar  leads  are  also  very  chaotic,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  World  War  I  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Azziard  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  and  war  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  Next  up  is  Nirnaeth  a  band  that  plays  an  orthodox  style  of  black  metal  with  some  thrash  elements  and  their  song  "Nihil  In  Me".

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  sounding  guitar  riff  and  all  of  the  other  musical  instruments  also  sound  very  powerful  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beasts  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  song  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  also  bring  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nirneath  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  orthodox  black  metal  band  and  if you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  raw  and  traditional  black  metal.  8  out  of  10.

AZZIARD

NIRNAETH


        

 

Ashaena Interview


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?

The band is steady and we already recorded some ideas for the next album. We do not want to rush with the releasing on the next one so we just want to focus on preparing for the upcoming gigs.

2. Recently you have 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?

“Calea” is an album that represents a bridge between the ‘old” Ashaena sound, which was more into pagan and the “new” Ashaena sound which is more into black, progressive, post rock sound. The first part of “Calea” is more into the old sound while the last 4 songs are into this new kind of sound.

3. Your lyrics cover the Paganism and Culture of Romania, can you tell us a little bit more about in your interest in these traditions?

I have studied the Romanian Mythology and ancient History for a long time now and together with a serious approach on the Romanian Folklore I have managed to catch several subtle conclusions which are more related to an ethical way of life.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind  the name “Ashaena”?

For the possible askers, Ashaena was one of the first names of the Black Sea. In the Scythian language, this word (Ashaena) used to mean dark blue.
"The Greeks, during their first wanderings, called it Axeinos (the inhospitable one), maybe trying in such a way a phonetic equivalence from the Scythian language into the Greek. Or, maybe, due to the storms which terribly shook and jolted them. But it seemed not to have shaken them terribly enough since they founded on its shores real (fortified or not) towns and trading warehouses. Shortly after it, the Sea received the name Pontus Euxinus, the Hospitable Sea." (Vasile Parvan - "Dacica")

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?

Our stage performance is not as explosive as other bands have. In the same time we are not reserved. We move how we feel, we do what we feel. We’ve played many gigs. Each of them has its own shine. I liked playing at Rock ‘n Iasi or in Skopje, the capital city of Macedonia, if I have to remember some specific ones…

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

We didn’t have any touring plans for now. We will see how the album is received by the audience and what opportunities we’ll be presented with,

7. The new album was released on 'Loud Rage Music', are you happy with the support they have given you so far?

We are totally happy with our new label. Our communication level is very good and the label is really doing an amazingly well job in promoting and distributing the music of its roster.

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

We’ve received a positive feedback. We’ve got that for our first album and now we’ve started to get positive feedback for this new one. I am glad when our music reach what we seek. The soul, the heart of the listener.

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

As the years go by we are developing and refining our music. We are playing what we feel. It has never been a pattern for us to follow, either we talk about composing or live performances. The music becomes more subtle, the ideas, the concept behind it more spiritual.

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?

I have started this project 10 years ago by listening some crucial bands as Phoenix, the old Negura Bunget, Bucovina, from the Romanian bands and a lot of other worldwide known bands which would be too many to be mentioned here. First I have started the band based on pagan sounds and ideology and by time, we’ve filtered a lot our ideology. I have tried all the time to stay away of being associated as a band with the NS movement. We have nothing in common with that and if some folks would read our lyrics would understand this aspect.

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

I am into the Occult studying and just for your knowledge I have a BA in Cultural Anthropology. I like to travel and see beautiful landscapes and places. I’ve planed a trip in Peru to visit Machu Picchu in the near future (maybe next year). Besides that, I like to read, do barbecues, drink Cuba Libre, do historical reenactment and play a lot of PC games.

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

I wish people would be more honest towards themselves. Nowadays we are living in a totally empty or lack of self-consciousness times. The common sense is almost gone and to be honest I consider that this one together with helping people (if you are able to) without expecting anything in return, the two most important pillars of any ethical way or system of life. Be well and do not forget to smile every day!

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Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Vileness/Proclamation Of Wrath/2016 Full Length Review


  Vileness  are  a  duo  that  was  originally known  as  'Ctanic'  before  changing  their  name  with  members  from  both  the  United  States  and  Singapore  that  also  plays  a  very  raw  and  blasphemous  form  of black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  album  "Proclamation  Of  Wrath".

  

    A  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album a long  with  a  great  amount  of   blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  and  a  few  seconds  high  pitched  screams  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  bestial  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  along  with  elements  of  war  metal  and  the  music  is  rooted  in  the  90's.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  their  is  only  a  small  amount  of  guitar  leads  and  all  of t he  songs  stick  to  a  very  heavy  and  raw  style  of  black  metal.

  Vileness  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  old  school  and  also  avoids  any  of  the  more  modern  trends  of  the  past  20  years,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  violent  and  blasphemous  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vileness  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  blasphemous  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Impure  Salvation"  "Death  Shall  Come  To  You  All"  and  "God  Is  Dead".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Vileness666/

 

Ekelhaft/The Adversary/2016 Single Review



This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Colorado's  Ekelhaft that  is  also  in  the  raw  and  satanic  direction  of  black  metal  from  the  previous  release  and  the  single  was  self  released  in  2016  and  is  called  "The  Adversary".

  Classical  guitars  start  off  the  single  which alos  brings  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  finger  picking  and  full  chords  and  the  music  also  evokes  a  very  dark  atmosphere  along  with  some  ritualistic  synths and  on  the  second  track  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  darker  musical  direction.

  Once  the  music  speeds  up  it  goes  for  a  very  raw  style  of  black  metal  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  very  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  angry  shouts  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  on  the  last  track  the  bass  guitar  brings  in  more  of  a  powerful  sound  along  with  guitar  leads  also  being  added  into  the  music  briefly.

  Ekelhaft  creates  another  recording  that  is  the  raw  and  satanic  tradition  of  the  previous  ep  while  also  showing  a  great  amount  of  progression  as  musicians,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and r aw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  anti  cosmic  Satanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ekelhaft  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  satanic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  single.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Adversary".  8  out  of  10.  

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Ekelhaft/Blood Moon's Curse/2016 EP Review


  Ekelhaft  are  a  band  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  plays  a very  raw  and  satanic  form of  black  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  self  released  2016  ep  "Blood  Moon's  Curse".

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  while  the  vocals  are  done  mostly  in  a high  pitched  style  of  screaming  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  Some  of  the  riffs  have  a small  amount  of  death metal  influences  in  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  songs  are  also  more  rooted  in  the  old  school  style  of  black  metal  and  one  the  3rd  track  while  on  the  last  song  a  few  seconds  of  clean  playing  is  brought  into  the  music  7before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction,

  Ekelhaft  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  heavy  and  aggressive  while  also  having  a  very ritual  and hateful  atmosphere to  them,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  anti  cosmic  Satanism  and  anti  Abrahamic  themes.

  In  my opinion  Ekelhaft  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Blood  Moon's  Curse"  and  "To  Salt  The  Earth".  8  out  of  10.

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Vourdalak/Prayers To The Void/Nauseating Whiff Records/2016 Demo Review


  Vourdalak  are  a  duo from  Denver,  Colorado  that  plays  a  very cold,  distant  and  loathsome  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  demo  "Prayers  to  The  Void"  which  was  released by  Nauseating  Whiff  Records.

  A  very  distorted  amp  sound  starts  off  the  demo  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  style  of  the  genre  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  Throughout  the recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  vocals  are  all  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  both  of  the  tracks  are very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  all  stick  to  a  very  heavy  musical  direction  that  is  mostly  power  chord  driven  and  also  avoids  any  melody  or  solos  to  create  a  very  raw  style  of  black  metal  and  the  vocals  on  the  second  song  have  more  of  an  angry  approach  to  them.

  Vourdalak  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  traditional  in  the  true  tradition  of  the  genre  and  also  avoids  any  of  the  more  modern  styles  and  brings  the  genre  back  to  its roots,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vourdalak  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  "To  Die  In  The  Shrine  Of  the  Wolf".  8  out  of  10.

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Veturheim Interview


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

Veturheim started as a one-man project and now we're full 4-piece band. We play post black/blackgaze music.



2.So far you have released 2 full length's and an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the
recordings and also how do they differ from each other?

In every track i trying to create an atmosphere that evoke your feelings and memories even deep ones. It can be loneliness,despair, anger or love, hope, happiness. If you feel bad and you are enjoying it, then we made everything right.
Our music is dark and melancholic, sometimes agressive and biting. On self-titled  album the sound was mostly based on distorted riffs and minor melodies sinks you to a trance-like state on the first half of album, then it started to become more vivid and dreamy,  but still with grim screaming.
On EP we decided to slow things down, focus on heavy groove and experimenting with some raw black.


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored with the music so far?

There's  a story going through self-titled album. it's about soul obtaining its pieces, bears with unknown. Lyrics describes a world with  unique living nature where everything is connected. Themes on EP is purely emotional. At first it was meant to be released as a split with Voss Mohr, but due to some troubles we had to separate our releases.




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

"Vetur" means "Winter" on Icelandic, and "Heim" stands for realm like "Jotunheim". It's a refer to a Norse paganism.


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

For now we had only one gig. There  was  some troubles, but everything was good and we showed all the anger we have. Our live sets are somewhat heavier, faster and more furious than album versions.


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

Yes. Definitely.


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

Yes, we are looking for label. So if you have interesting offer feel free to write to veturheim@gmail.com



8.On the ep you had done a cover of Ayr's  "Thirst", what was the decision behind doing your own version of this song?

Our drummer once said that we got to do it, because it's going to sound great and it fits us very well. He likes this band very much and wanted more people to know about it.



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

Haha, i remember one hilarious "review" from poland heavy music lover. I accidentaly found it, send it to drummer and we hystericaly laugh on it. At first it goes with standart "band from Russia, post black metal" and stuff but when you expecting this is going to continue he starts write  in  very pissed off style, and wishes if he had our cd to flush it in a toilet.
Speaking serious world feedback was good, people likes us everyday on facebook, buying albums on bandcamp. I think it's good for the beginning, we only starting our way.



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

Soon, work in progress. Looking forward to it, because it's going to be something interesting.



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?

I grew up on oldschool music. Rock, metal, blues, punk. The time when guys was inventing a sound I love the most. Then I discovered post-rock, shoegaze, stoner and sludge.
We are inspired by a lot of things of various genres and  use it to make an atmosphere or show an emotions we want to show.
Post-rock tremolos with delay, blastbeats and eerie guitar riffs?  We can make it sounds right.
Speaking of a present scene I listen to Solstafir, Alcest, Peste Noire, Wardruna, Eyehategod, QOTSA and many more. There are very good bands among mediocrity.



12.What are some of your non  musical interests?


I like to watch movies. Many of them. My favorite is Lynch's and Kubrick's pictures. Play video games, hang out with friends, ride long board. In future i want to travel a lot and... who knows.


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

Have fun and may the good music  be  with  you.

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