Vimur/Exegesis/Boris Records/2016 EP Review

  Vimur  are  a  band  from  Atlanta,  Georgia  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  ep  "Exegesis"which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Boris  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  guitar  lead  along  with  some  heavy  riffs  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction t hat  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  along  with  some  high  pitched  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  the  influence  of traditional  metal  in  the  music.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a small  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  stick  to  a  very  melodic  style  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to them  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  guitars  while  the  ep  closes  with  some  synths  and  nature  sounds.

  Vimur  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  melodic  and  aggressive  sounding  while  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  thrash  and  traditional  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism,  Satanism and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vimur  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  aggressive  and  melodic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Age  Of  Satan".  8  out  of  10.

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Emanation/Temple Sleep Crystalization/Bestiarie/2016 Vinyl Review

  Spain's  solo  project  Emanation  have  returned  with  a  new  album  which  continues  the  experimental and  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2016  album  "Temple  Sleep  Crystallization"  which  was released  on  vinyl  by  Beastiarie.

  Atmospheric  drones  and  heavy  guitars  start  off  the  album  and  the  first  track  is  all  instrumental  and  on  the  second  track  more  experimental ,  industrial  and  noise  elements  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and   you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  melody  in  the  riffing.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  when  vocals  are  utilized  they  are  mixed  down  low  in  the  mix  and  are  mostly  depressive  black  metal  screams and  most  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  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  raw  and  old  school  feeling.

  Most  of  the  tracks  still  sound  very  modern  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  that  also  sound  like  they  are  coming  out  of  an  AM  radio  which  also  gives  the  music  more of  an  avant  garde atmosphere  and  on  one  of  the  later  tracks  synths  are  added  onto  the  recording  briefly  and  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  ambient  and  psychedelia.

  Emanation  creates  another  black  metal  recording  that  is  very  atmospheric  and  experimental  as  well  as  adding  some  originality  to  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  the  dangers of  spiritism.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording from  Emanation  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  experimental  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Obesession"  "Subjagation"  and  "Eremetic".  8  out  of  10. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLbzIt-v4V0

Taiga/Sky/Symbol Of Domination Productions/United by Chaos/2016 CD Review

  Taiga  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Sky"  which  will be released  in  September  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  Of  Domination  Productions  and   United  By  Chaos.

  Acoustic  guitars  along  with  some  melodic  yet  distorted  leads  start  off  the  album  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  after  awhile  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction  which  also  uses  a  decent amount  of  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  edge.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  some  of  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  more  of  a  modern,  melodic  and  atmospheric  style and  some  of the tracks  are  very  long  and  epic in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  clean  playing  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  ambient  elements  while  a  later  song  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  the  music  also  sticks  to  mostly a   slow or  mid  paced  direction.

  Taiga  plays  a  style  of  depressive  black  metal  that  is  very  guitar  driven,  modern,  melodic  and  atmospheric  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Russian  and  cover  darkness,  depressive  and  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Taiga  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  depressive  back  metal, you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Recognizing  The  Insignificance"  "The  Sky  Has  Not Died"  and  "Hope".  8 out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksLCXzQi93w  
   

Void Omnia Interview

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



Jamison: We are working on new material and are waiting for our records to come in from Germany before we tour.

2.So far you have released a demo and a full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?


Jamison: Our first demo was recorded and mixed in two days. Mike and Tyler played the guitars, and Mike went in and did both bass and drums. I wrote the lyrics over the course of those two putting together the music in several months, but most of the vocal placement didn’t take place until the day of. Although we were happy with that as an initial representation of the band, it differs greatly from Dying Light – which is much more polished and features the musicianship of both Cody Stein and Justin Ennis. It was recorded at Earhammer Studios with Greg Wilkinson and he is a master of his craft. We spent a great deal more time on our first full length and I think it shows.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored with your music so far?


Jamison: Phenomenology, metaphysics, nihilism, and depression.

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


Jamison: The absolute absence of everything.

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


Jamison: Although we have had the opportunity to open for Absu, Mgla, Barghest, Pale Chalice, etc. – and all of those shows were fantastic – my most memorable show was with Addaura and Isenordal at a Veteran’s Hall in Eureka, CA. There was just something in the air that night…



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



Jamison: Yes, we are planning to tour parts of the US and hopefully Europe within the next year.

7.The new album was released on 'Vendetta Records' are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?



Jamison: Yes, very. We are extremely pleased to have our first release as part of their growing and impressive roster.

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



Jamison: People who are fans of USBM have really latched onto the release, as well as people from Europe. Often it seems that European BM fans are not into a lot of USBM, but our response thus far has been the opposite.

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?



Jamison: Most of us are in several projects. Justin is in Ulthar (insert other projects here,) Cody plays with Tragic Death and does some solo darkwave/ambient music, and I play in both Infinite Waste (which is on an indefinite hiatus) and as of recent Wild Hunt.

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

Jamison: Our sound will most likely become more evolved and vicious. I cannot entirely know, but we are all looking forward to the next steps musically.



11.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?

Jamison: We all listen to a lot of different music which has influenced us over the years. I have been listening to a lot of Sinmara, Irkallian Oracle, and Svartidauði. Also I’ve been listening to a lot of impressionist piano like Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Chopin, and Revel.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?



Jamison: Being outdoors.

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

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Anguish Dimension/Children Of The Wolves/2016 Full Length Review

  Anguish  Dimension  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  album  "Children  Of  The  Wolves".

  Atmospheric  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  guitars  which  also  leads  to  more  of  a  black  metal  direction  along  with  some  high  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  symphonic  elements  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  there  is  also  an  instrumental  track  which  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  ambient  while  the  last  2  tracks  go back  to  a  heavier  black  metal  style  and  you  can  also  hear  a  small amount  of  melody  in  the  songs  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  sound  very  powerful and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Anguish  Dimension  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric  while  also  having  its  raw  and  symphonic  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Darkness  and  Nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Anguish  Dimension  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  "Candles  In  The  Dark"  and  "Mountains".  8  out  of  10. 

https://soundcloud.com/anguish-dimension

Seichtum/Hass Und Hingabe/Northern Fog Records/2016 CD Review

  Siechtum  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Hass  Und  Hingabe"  which  was  released  by  Northern  Fog  Records.

  A  very  dark  ambient  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  and  after  grim  whispers  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  when  guitars  are  added into  the  music  they  take  the  album  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction along  with  some  tortured  screams.

  Both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  after  awhile  black  metal  screams  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  raw  second  wave  influences  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  The  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard on  the  second  track  and  there  is  also a  brief  use  of  clean  singing  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount of  melody  and  the  guitar  leads  also  go  for  more  of  a  melodic  direction.

  Siechtum  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  while  also  adding  something  different  to  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  ecocentrism,  wilderness,  anti  Monotheism,  and  misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Siechtum  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Hingabe".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Siechtum/3540391391

The Projectionist/The Gallow Forest Eulogy/Appalachain Records/True Plague Records/2016 EP Review

  The  Projectionist  are  a  band  with  members  from  both  Canada  and  the  United  States  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  ep  "The  Gallow Forest  Eulogy"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Appalachain  Noise  Records  and  true  Plague  Records.

  Distorted  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  guitars  and  you  can  also  hear  voices  in  the  background  and  after  awhile  grim  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  and  a  couple  of  the t racks are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Demonic  growls  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  tremolo picking  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  and as  the  album  progresses  clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  while  also  being  very  diverse  and  different  from  each  other  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  stick  to  a  more  melodic  style.

  The  Projectionist  plays  a  style  of  depressive  black  metal that  can  be  very  raw  at times  while  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  diversity,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Projectionist  are  a very  great  sounding  raw  and  depressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,you  should  check out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Automation  Stare" and  "Imagined  Fortress  Made  To  Give  Way".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbPZdzKNBpg

https://www.facebook.com/The-Projectionist-1021842331170650/

https://thetrueprojectionist.bandcamp.com/releases

Pogavranjen/Sebi Jesi Meni Nisi/Arachnophobia Records/2016 CD Re-Issue Review

  Pogavranjen  are  a  band  from  Croatia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  avant  garde  and  depressive  style  of  black  metal  on  this  release  and  this  is  a review  of  their  2014  album "Sebi  Jesi  Meni  Nisi"  which will  be  re-issued  in  September  by  Arachnophobia  Records.

  Tragic  sounding  keyboard  start  off  the  album  and  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  avant  garde  feeling  and  after  the intro  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  darker  and  heavier  direction  along  with  some  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  clean  playing  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music gets  more  depressive  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  melodic  singing.

  Pogavranjen  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  on  this  recording  that  is  very  raw  and  depressive  while  also  having  its  avant  garde  and  progressive  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Croatian  and  cover  misanthropic  themes.

  In  my  opinion this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Pogavranjen  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  depressive  and  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tkivo  Svernia"  and  "Strigoi".  8  out  of  10. 

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Adversum/In The Sign Of Satan/Inferna Profundus Records/2016 CD Review

  Adversum  are  a  band from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "In  The  Sign  of  Satan"  which  was  released  by  Inferna  Profundus Records.

Grim  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  album  along  with  a  heavier  sound  a  few  seconds  later  which  goes  into  a  very  fast  and r aw  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  as  well as  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  second  wave  influences  while  still  having  a  very  modern  feeling.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads a re  utilized  they  bring  in  more  of  a  dark  and  melodic  black  metal  style  and  clear  vocals  along  with clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  keyboards  and  the  last  track  brings  in  a  very  ritualistic  atmosphere  along  with  some  whispers  and  spoken  word  parts.

  Adversum  plays a  style  of  satanic black  metal  that is very  dark,  raw  and  melodic  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Left  Hand  Path  themes.

  In my  opinion  Adversum  are  a  very  great  sounding  satanic black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "Open  the  Flesh"  and  "Raining  Salvation".  8  out  of  10.

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Hellgoat/Eden In Flames/Boris Records/Pale Horse Records/2016 7 Inch Review

  Hellgoat  are  a  band  from  Atlanta, Georgia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  and  satanic  form of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  ep  "Eden  In  Flames"  which will  be  released  in  September  as  a  joint  effort  between  Boris  and  Pale  Horse  Records.

  Burning  fire  sounds  start  off  the ep  along  with  some  goat  noises  in  the  background  while  the  soundscapes  are  very  atmospheric  and  once  the  demonic  growl  kicks  in  the  music  goes  into  a  very  fast  raw  black  metal  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  pickings  and  blast  beats  along  with  a  touch  of  war  metal.

  Most  of  the  vocals  are  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  bring  in a   great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  songs  also b ring  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  wave  black  metal  influences  and  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  melody  being used  briefly.

  Hellgoat  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  raw  and  satanic  black  metal  style  of  previous  recordings  while  also  mixing  in  some  war  metal  elements,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and  Anti  Christian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hellgoat  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  satanic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out t his  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Inner  Sanctum Ablaze".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/Hellgoat-359498710801448  

Nephrolith/Paleness Of The Bled World/Cursed Records/2016 Full Length Review

  Nephrolith  are  a  band  from  Slovenia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine and  plays  a  very  raw  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their  2016  album  "Paleness  Of  the  Bled  World" which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Cursed  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  which  also  use  both  full  chords  and  finger  picking  and  after  the  intro  acoustics  are  still  utilized  in  some  parts  of  the songs  while  the  music  also  gets a  lot  more  heavy  along  with  some  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  the acoustic guitars  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  one  song  also  brings  in  Tim  Yatres  from  Austere/Germ  on  quest  vocals  and  they  close  the  album  with  an  instrumental  track.

  Nephrolith  creates another  recording  that  expands  on  the  raw  and  melodic  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  recordings  while  also  adding  in  more  progressive  and  atmospheric  elements  to  take  the  music  to  another  level, the  production  sounds  very  heavy  and  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  death  and  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nephrolith  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  raw,  melodic  or  progressive  black metal, you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Drained  Away"  "Moth"  and  "Warmth  Into  Fire".  8 out  of  10.      

https://youtu.be/J-_ktilDdBU

     

Lord Almighty Interview

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

We’re revvin up for a few fests coming up. There’s RPM fest out in Western MA which has a loaded bill. Bands of the likes of Barishi, Scissor Fight, Lazer/Wulf and Moontooth just to name a few. Three days of camping and chillin with some of the best dudes. Shortly followed by Shadow Woods, which is a fest a little outside of Baltimore. That one is a little more black metal based and gonna be hitting all the rituals in the woods, as it should be. We’re very excited that we get to hang and see people like Wino, Tombs and great friends of ours Coffin Dust, plus a shit load more.

2.So far you have released a demo and a full length how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?

Usually i tend to laugh at this one because i feel like we’re carving a “Path,” if you will, in a new direction. Looking towards the morning in the woods feel. For example the morning dew and the sunrise, all of Earth’s life awaken and start the ritual of the day. As opposed to a lot of bands these days seem to aim straight for the night time party mode. In no way do i mean we don’t enjoy the midnight toke or chill session. Also in no way do all of us tend to be “morning people.” But there’s something about the beauty that occurs in the morning that I can’t get over.

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

I like to talk about the struggles of life, cause I know that we’re all going through them. Seeing this very standard American construct with the same shit day in and day out, it seems to have a huge disconnect from the people who live their lives and the government or religion or what have you. It’s not easy to find your place in life and what makes you feel comfortable and I just want people to know that that’s cool, we’re all there.

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

Lord Almighty is actually a phrase that I heard a lot of when i was a kid, being from Virginia. My mom would yell that at me all the time whenever i was in trouble. It definitely has substance to us as a band though in the aspect that we feel like there is a heavy influence on this country to be religious even though there’s supposed to be separation.

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

One of the best shows we’ve played was with YOB here in Boston. Amazing show, great attendance and was our album release party. Also playing with Taake was a big highlight for us in Boston, and people came out to support hard. Really appreciated that. We actually played a show as Turbonegro at one point a couple years ago and that was definitely a highlight for me. I always wanted to do a rock n roll show and not remember it. Hell yeah

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

Next up on the agenda, other than the fests previously mentioned, we have a tour coming up in October/November. We’re gonna be hitting the road to attack about half the US again. Revisiting old and new friends, having parties across the country as usual. You know, just daily shit.

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

All I can say at the moment is that we have a new album in the works and we have some ideas of direction but nothing set in stone. So we’ll see where we land and hopefully, it’s a great place.

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

So far we’ve been getting orders to all sorts of different places around the world. We’ve been very excited at the spread of the response and can only hope to keep expanding.

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

Wherever the hell we want

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?

In the beginning the aggression of old school black metal and melodies of Baroness were our biggest influences. We also couldn’t get away from things we grew up with, like classic rock and southern rock and all that. Bands like Thin Lizzy and Lynyrd Skynyrd come to mind. That rock n roll man, that’s what we’re really into.

11.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Keep a look out for us at RPM fest in late August, Shadow of the Woods in mid September and our tour in October/November. Gonna be killer times.
http://lordalmighty.bandcamp.com/album/paths

Veldraveth/Malformations Of God/Iron County Records/2016 CD Review

  Veldraveth  are  a  band  from  Venezuela  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  satanic  mixture   of black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Malformations  For  God"  which  was  released  on  cassette  by  Iron  County  Records.

  A  very  distorted  sound  along  with  blast  beats  start  off  the  song  as  well  as  adding  in  some  heavy  riffing  and  death metal  growls  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard.

  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  the  music  brings  in  a  very  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  melody  in  some  of  the  riffing  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic fashion .

A  lot  of  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  old  school  death  metal  elements  while  black metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are very long  and  epic  in  length  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  while  a  later  song  brings  in a  brief  use  of  rain  and  thunder  sounds  and  all  of  the songs  also  stick  to  a  heavy  musical  direction.

  Veldraveth  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  second  wave  black  metal  and  old  school  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Anti  Religion,  Darkness,  Violence  and  War  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Veldraveth  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  "In  Chaos  Born"  "Ominous  Omen"  "Thunderstorms"  and  "Murder".  8  out  of  10.

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Xalpen/Black Rites/Morbid Skull Records/2016 CD Review

  Xalpen  are  an international  band  with  members  from  both Chile  and  Germany  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  satanic  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2016  album  "Black  Rites"  which  will be  released in September  by  Morbid  Skull  Records.

 Knife  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction that  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo picking  and  blast  beats  along  with  some  high  pitched  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  a  great  amount  of  90's  second  wave  influences  in  the  bands  musical  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  you  can  also  hear  some  melodic  yet  ritualistic  chanting  in  the  background  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  melodies  at  times  and  the  vocals  also  use  more  of  a  spoken  yet  angry  approach  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  nature  sounds  and  clean  guitars  as  well  as  melodic  guitar  leads  being  used  briefly  while the  main focus  remains  more  on  a  raw  black metal  style  and  they  close the  album with  a piano  outro.

  Xalpen  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  fast,  raw,  aggressive  and  misanthropic  sounding, t he  production  sounds  very  raw  yet  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism, Black  Arts,  Spirituality and  Ancient  Traditions  Of  Dark  Knowledge.

  In  my  opinion  Xalpen  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Unseathe  the  Dagger"  and  "Spirits  Of  Darkness".  8  out  of 10.

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Lord Almighty/Paths/2015 CD Review

  Lord  Almighty  are  a  band  from  Boston,  Massachusetts  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  black  metal  with  some  thrash  and  rock'n'roll  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  album  "Paths".

  Distorted  drones  start  off t he  album  along  with  some  guitar  sounds  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  fast  and r aw  black  metal  direction  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  grim  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present on  the  recording.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  bring  in  elements  of thrash  and  black'n'roll  and  when  clean  playing  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  and  the  solos  and  leads a  southern  rock  feeling  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Lord  Almighty  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  black  metal  and  also  mixes  in  elements  of  southern  rock,  progressive,  and  thrash  to  create  an  original  sound,  the  productions  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lord  Almighty  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  black'n'roll  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I  Embark"  "O  Wanderer"  "The  Tower"  and  "Beware  The  Wolves". 8  out  of  10. 

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Hegemony/Demo MMXVI/Goatprayer Records/2016 Cassette Review

  Hegemony  are  a  band  from  Alabama  that  plays  a  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  demo  which  which  was  released  on  cassette  by Goatprayer  Records.

  A  very  chaotic  sounding  guitar  lead  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  and  once  the  bestial  death  metal  growls  and  blast  beats  kick  in  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  fast  war  metal  direction  and  the  music  is  very  heavily rooted in  the  90's  tradition  of  underground  metal.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts while  some  of  the  riffs  bring  in  some  raw  black  metal  elements  and  dark  sounding  melodies  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  grim  screams  and  some  oft he  solos  and  leads  bring  in  more  of  a  dark  and  melodic doom/death  metal  style.

  Hegemony  plays a  musical  style  that  takes  war,  black  and  bestial  death  metal  and  mixes them  together  to  create  some  very  dark,  raw  and  heavy  music,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hegemony  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Fist  Of  heretical  Triumph".  8  out  of  10.  

https://goatprayerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/demo-mmxvi

   

Antiquus Scriptum/In Pulverem Reverteris/Elegy Records/2016 CD Re-Issue Review

 Antiquus  Scriptum  are  a  band  from Portugal  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  epic  form  of  black metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2000  demo  "In  Pulverem  Reverteries"  which was  re-issued  on  digi  pack  in  2016  by  Elegy Records.

  Epic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  demo  and  they also  have  a symphonic  feeling  at  times  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  also  mixing  it  in  with  the  sounds  from the  intro  and  you  can  also h ear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  black  metal  screams  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  while  also  mixing  in  clean  vocals  at  times  and  folk  instruments  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  medieval  feeling  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  deep  growls  and  spoken  word  parts  and  one  of  the  tracks  is very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  acoustic  guitars  along  with  nature  sounds  are  added  onto  the  last song.

  Antiquus  Scriptum  played  a  style  of  black  metal  of  black  metal  on  this  recording  that  was  very  raw  and  aggressive  while  also  mixing  in  some  epic,  symphonic  and  pagan  elements  which  also  makes  the  music  stand  out  a  bit  more,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are written  in  their  native  tongue  and  cover  bygone  times  and  ancient  history.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Antiquus  Scriptum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  epic,  symphonic  or  pagan  black  metal  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bula  Ad  Exterpinda  (Innocentio)"  and  "A  Nightside  of  Eden".  8  out  of  10. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IW53Ly6mXU

End Interview

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

Nothing special really. After our latest split releases "Moerae" and "Swallow Matewan", we are not going to release something anytime soon. Yet there is some new material waiting to be rehearsed.

2.You have a split coming out in September, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on your side of the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Each production evolves based on what we get on the recordings. We don't mind if we have different sound on each release. Yet i think that Swallow Matewan and Moerae are quite similar both on sound quality and musical style.

3.Between 2009 to 2015 there was no new music being released, can youtell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time frame?

There where always big intervals between releases. There is no need to rush. What we do is for personal expression. We do it when and if we feel it's necessary.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your newer music?
5.Some of your lyrics deal with existentialism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

This philosophical theory it happens to coincide on many points with my worldview and consequently with the output of the lyrics. Existentialism is a theory in which the human existence is the first center and everything else comes after. Existence precedes essence. It supports individualism while personal action is all that matters. We are absolutely responsible for what we are and for how we are going to end up. We create our freedom and our boundaries. The responsibility of each individual binds all humanity.

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

End is a small word with many big meanings, explore it..

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has done over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

We are not doing live shows.

9.You have a split coming out with 'Torrid Husk' what are your thoughts on the other band that will be a part of the split?

When i first heard "Mingo" (Torrid's first release) i instantly contacted the band to get it. In my surprise, Tyler told me he was a big fan of End's music too so the next step was easy. We decided to make the split. Torrid Husk is a great band and in my opinion one of the best newcomers from the US. 

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

The feedback is in accordance with what we do. Having 3 albums in 15 years of existence and without doing live shows, we get what we deserve. 

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?

I have no idea really. Yet Nechochwen and Dephosphorus are bands that i truly like and respect.

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

I am thinking of some changes. Even to enrich the line-up. I would like to give more time on rehearsals and create the material in the studio more physically instead of preparing everything at home. This could lead us to different musical paths.

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

On our latest releases many influences came from atmospheric and pagan bands. The list is huge. Nowadays i am listening mostly to non metal stuff such as electronic, classical and more folk music.


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

Consume less meat. Thanks for your interest and support.

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Skogen/Svitjod/Nordvis Produktion/2016 CD Re-Issue Review

  Skogen  are  a  band  from Sweden  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  nature  orientated  form  of  atmospheric  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album "Svitjod"  which  will  be  re-issued  in  October  by  Nordvis  Produktion.

  A  very  dark,  melodic  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim yet  high  pitched black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  growls  can  also  be  heard at  times  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present on  the recording  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

 At  times  the  music  can  be  very atmospheric  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  singing  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  very  true  to  a  melodic  direction while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  classical  guitars  can also  be heard  in certain  sections  of  the recording  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  folk  felling  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats can  be  heard and  the tremolo  picking  gives  the  songs more  of a  raw  feeling  while  most  of  the  music  sticks  either  to  a  slow  or  mid  paced direction.

  Skogen  played  a style  of  black  metal  on  this  recording  that  was  very  epic,  melodic,  mid  paced  and  atmospheric  sounding  while  still  maintaining  a  grim  edge,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  yet  heavy  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swedish  and  cover  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Skogen and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "Dighra  Dodh"  "Bergraven"  "Storm" and  "Svitjod".  8  out  of  10.

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Burial Hordes/Extinction/Folter Records/2016 EP Review

  Burial  Hordes  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  satanic  form  of  black  metal  with  some  death  metal  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  ep "Extinction"  which  will  be  released in October  by  Folter  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  and  a  few  seconds  later death metal growls  are  added  into  the  music  and  at  times  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  when  the music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can be  heard  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the recording.

  A  lot  of  the  fast  riffs  use  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of slow, mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and the  tracks  go for  even  more  of  a  blackened  death  metal  sound  than  previous  recordings  and  clean  playing  is  used  briefly  on  the last  track.

  Burial  Hordes  creates  a  recording  that  mixes  black  and  death  metal  together  and  also  goes  for  more  of  a  blackened  death  metal  this  time  around,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  yet  heavy  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  satanic  and  misanthropic  themes.

  In my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Burial  Hordes  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy this ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  World  Ablaze"  and  "Hatred".  8  out  of  10.

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