Monday, January 30, 2017

Sectasys/Brotherhood of Chaos/Satanath Records/Evil's Records/2016 CD Review


  Sectasys  are  a  band  from  Venezuela  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Brotherhood  Of  Chaos"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath  and  Evil's  Records.

  Ritualistic  sounding  percussion's  along  with  synths  and  esoteric  female  chanting  start  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  death  metal  growls a re  added  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  melodic  and  heavy  riffing  and  the  solos  and  leads  also use  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

 The  music  has  a  lot  of  influences  from  both  the  90's  era  of  black  and  death  metal  along  with  the  melodies  adding  in  a  Swedish  influenced  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  and  classical  guitars  can  be  heard  briefly  and  some  of  the  heavier  riffing  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  thrash  and  female  vocals  also  return  briefly  on  a  couple  of  later  tracks.

  Sectasys  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  90's  influenced  style  of  raw  and  melodic  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  yet  heavy  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Anti  Christian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sectasys  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  TRACSK  INCLUDE  "I  Am  The  Dark  God"  "Brotherhood  Of  Chaos"  "Masters  Of  War"  "The  Goddess  Of  Death(Kali)".  8  out  of 10.

Bandcamp
Facebook
Myspace
Twitter

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Croc Noir/Froid/Corde Raide Productions/2016 Cassette Review


  Croc  Noir  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  ep  "Froid"  which  was  released  on  cassette  by  Corde  Raide  Productions.

  Folk  instruments  and  thunder  sounds  start  off the  ep  along  with  some  drum  beats  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  and  the  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  gives  the  songs  a  very  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal s creams  and  the  music  is  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  songs  also  sound  like  a demo  that  was  recorded  and  released  more  than  20  years  ago  and  as  the  ep  progresses  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  most  of  the  riffs  are  done  on  power  chords  while  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  open  notes  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  for  a  few  seconds  and  nature  sounds return  along  with  keyboards  on  the outro.

  Croc  Noir  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  era  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in French  and  cover  dark  and  desolate  themes.

 In  my  opinion  Croc  Noir  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  old  school  style  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  cassette.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nature"  and  "Solitude".

https://crocnoir.bandcamp.com/

 

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Mortespermia/CCCXXXIII/Wolfrune Worxx/2016 Demo Review


  Brazil's  Mortespermia  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  that  continues  the  raw,  occult  and  necro  form  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2016  demo  "CCCXXXIII"  which  was  released  by  Wolfrune  Worxx.

  A  very  fast,  raw  and  lo-fi  black  metal  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  lyrics  are  mostly  high  pitched  screams  and  when  the  music  slows  down  a  great  amount  of  distorted  melodies  can  be  heard  and  the  fast  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  ear  second  wave  influences  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  stick  to  a  very  raw  style  of  black  metal  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  atmospheric  synths  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  and  some  of  the  vocals  also  have  a  depressive  edge  to  them.

  Mortespermia  creates another recording  that  remains  true  to  the  raw,  occult  and  neco  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Left  Hand  Path  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Mortespermia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  necro,  and  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Abraxas  Ghetto"  and  "Cave  Bones  Ritual".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

      

Ciorian/Bestiale Battito Divino/Caligari Records/2017 Cassette Review


  Cioran  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  chaotic  mixture  of  black  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  cassette  "Bestiale  Battito  Divino"  which  was  released  by  Caligari  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  black  metal  sound  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  starts  off  the  cassette  along  with  a  great  amount  of  high  pitched  screams  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced,  and  fast  parts  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  A  great  amount  of  crust  punk  and  d  beat  elements  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  guitar  leads  are  done  in  a  very  distorted  yet  melodic  fashion  and  some  of  the  riffing  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  one  of  the  tracks  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  guitars  while  some  of  the  heavier  riffing  has  a  a  touch  of  bestial  and  war  metal  and  the  ep  closes  with  samples  of  Italian  music  of  the  earlier  20th  century.

  Cioran  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  raw  and  chaotic  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  punk  the  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  the  esoteric  and  folklore  themes  of  their  home  country.

  In  my  opinion  Cioran  are  a  very  great  sounding  chaotic  mixture  of  black  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sogno  Organico"  and  "Latrato".  8  out  of  10.

https://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/bestiale-battito-divino

 

Espirit Derange/Southern Forest/Old Dark Era/Graveless Slumber Records/2009 Split EP Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between   U.S.A's  Espirit  Derange  and  Brazil's  Southern  Forest  called  "Old  Dark  Era" which  was  released  by  Graveless  Slumber  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  split  with  Espirit  Derange  which  continues  their  raw  and  atmospheric  approach  to  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  powerful  bass  guitars  before  adding  in  synths,  drums  and  melodic  riffing  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  gives  the  song  a  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  grim  black  metal  screams  and  the  song  also  brings  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow  mid  paced,  and  fast  parts,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  death  and  insanity  themes.

 In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Espirit  Derange  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  song.

  Next  up  is  Southern  Forest  a  band  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  background  sounds  before  adding  in  amp  noises  which  also  leads  up  to  some  guitar  riffing  that  also  uses  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  drum  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  and  the  song  sticks  to  mostly  a  mid  paced  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  forests,  anti  Christianity,  philosophy  and  Nietzsche  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Southern  Forest  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you should  check  out  their  song.

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

Esprit Dérangé    

Espirit Derange/Faen Tute/United Black Spirits/Graveless Slumber Records/2009 Split EP Review


  This  is  a review  of  a  split  ep  between  Canada/U.S.A's  Espirit  Derange  and  Norway's  Faen  Tute  called  "United  black  Spirits"  which  was  released  by  Graveless  Slumber  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Espirit Derange  a  duo  that  plays  a  very  raw  form of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out with  a  very  heavy  yet  lo-fi  guitar  tone  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  their  side  of  the  recording  and  after  awhile  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Both  the  songs  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  atmospheric  sounding  synths  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  introduced  on  the  second  track,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  horror  stories,  serial  killers,  and  insanity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Espirit  Derange  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  this  musical  genre, you  should  check  out  their  side  of the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Story Of  The  Old  Man".

  Next  up  is  Faen  Tute  a  band  that  plays a  very  raw  form of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and  raw  sound  that  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  brutal  blast  beats  and  after  awhile  high  pitched  screams  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  melodic  guitar  leads  are  added  onto  the  last  track,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Faen  Tute  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Fotspoor".

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

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Esprit_D%C3%A9rang%C3%A9/3540286885

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Faen_Tute/3540286913

Transitus Mortalis/Overwhelemed By Hatred And Disgust/Rigorism Productions/2013 CD Re-Issue Review


  Transitus  Mortalis  where  an  international  band  with  members  from   Canada,  United  States  and  Poland  that  played  a mixture  of  raw  black metal  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2006  album  "Overwhelmed  by  Hatred  And  Disgust"  which  was  re-issued  in  2013  by  Rigorism  Productions.

 A  very  dark  ambient  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  soundscapes  and  drones  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction  along  with  some  melodic  riffing  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams that  also  have  a  depressive  edge  to  them  at  times  while  the  solos  and  leads  have  a  very  distorted  yet  melodic  vibe  to  them  and  some  songs  also  bring  back  the  ambient  style  in  the  instrumentals  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  close  the  album  with  an  added  bonus  track  that  is  in  more  of  a  black  metal  direction. 

  Transitus  Mortalis  has  2  different  sides to  them  with  some  some  being  a  very  raw  and  aggressive  black  metal  style  while  the  side  is  more  on  an  instrumental  dark  ambient  path,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  hateful  and  misanthropic  themes.

  In my  opinion  Transitus  Mortalis  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  raw  black  metal  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Breeze  Of  Hatred"  "The  Last  Breath"  and  "Fade  out".  8  out  of  10.   

Rigorism Production

 

Heirdrain/War Against The Modern Society/Wulfrune Worxx/2013 Cassette Review


  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Canada's  Heirdrain  which  continues  the  depressive  black  metal,  ambient  and  drone  mixture  of  previous  releases  and  the  album  is  called  "War  Against  The  Modern  Society" and  was  released  by  Wolfrune  Worxx.

  A  stringed   instrument  intro  starts  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  heavy  guitars  and  spoken  word  parts  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  grim  black  metal  vocals  after  awhile  and  avant  garde  experimental  elements  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  and  most  of t he  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  synths  are  utilized  they  bring  in  elements  of  synths  while  touches  of  drone  and  doom  metal  can  be  heard  in  the  slower  riffing  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  sampled  voices  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  all  instrumental  and  when  guitar  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very,  dark,  distorted  yet  melodic  style  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very slow  musical direction.

  On  this  recording  Heirdrain  continues  their  mixture  of  black  metal,  ambient  and  drone  while  also  getting  more  creative  and  experimental  this  time  around,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  negative  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Heirdrain  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  ambient  and  done,  you  should  check  out  this  cassette.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Law  Of  Lie"  "Stereotype"  "World  of  Dictatorship"  and  "Fictional  Retirement  Destruyed  By  The  Generous  Public".  8  out  of  10.   

A.O.S Heirdrain Facebook 

Friday, January 27, 2017

Heirdrain/Lonely Soul/Smell The Stench/2011 CD Review


  Heirdrain  are  a  solo  project  from  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  done,  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2011  album  "Lonely  Soul"  which  was  released  by  Smell  the  Stench.

 A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  evil  sounding  melodies  and  drones  and  depressive  black  metal  cries  are  added  onto  the  recording  after  awhile  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  doom  metal  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  all  4  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  ambient  elements  and  on  the  track  the  vocals  start  utilizing  more  screams  and  darker  voices  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a very  slow  musical  direction.

  Heirdrain  plays a   musical  style  that  takes  depressive  black  metal,  drone  and  ambient  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound of  his  own,  the  production  sounds very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  injustice  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Heirdrain  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  depressive  black  metal, d ark  ambient  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Judgement"  and  "injustice".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook
Official website

  


Decadencia Funebre/Walk Through.../Depressive Illusions Records/2011 Demo Review


  Decadencia  Funebre  are  an  international  duo  with  members  from  Canada  and  Brazil  that  plays  a  very  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their  2011  demo  "Walk  Through..."  which  was  released  by  Depressive  Illusions  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet heavy  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  some  depressive  black  metal  cries  a  few  seconds  later   and  melodies  can  be  heard  in  the  riffing  and  th e music  brings  in  a  very  lo-fi  atmosphere  and  both  of  the  tracks  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction  and  when  guitar  leads  are  added  onto  the  recording  they  bring  in  even  more  of  a  dark  and  melodic  style.

  Decadencia  Funebre  plays  a  style  of  depressive  black  metal  that  is  very  slow,  and  dark  while  also  having  a  lo-fi  atmosphere  and  a  touch  of  doom  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  misanthropy,  hatred,  and  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Decadenica  Funebre  are  a  very  great  sounding  depressive  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Avoid  The  Reality".  8  out  of  10.    

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Decad%C3%AAncia_F%C3%BAnebre/3540338671

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Cold Fell/Irwell/Argento Records/2017 CD Review


  Cold  Fell  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Irwell"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Argento  Records.

  A  very  dark,  melodic  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  after  awhile  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  melody.

  When  the music  speeds  up  a great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  riffing  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  more  of  a  modern  and  atmospheric  style  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  angry  shouts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  of  the  riffs  adding  in  a  touch  of  death  metal.

  Cold  Fell  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric  and  modern  while  also  mixing  in  the  rawness  of  the  old  school  style,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive,  grim  and  unpleasant  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cold  Fell  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  'Skull  Crushed  Against  Salford  Cobblestone" "Folly  (Health  And  Glory)"  and  "Dream  Of  Seppuku".  8  out  of  10.

Aethyr Interview


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

Of course. Aethyr is not actually a band, but more of a personal project with contributions from other musicians. There has never been a live gig or anything of the kind and there are no such plans at the moment. The project was initiated in 2007 chiefly to experiment with and make music that I find fulfilling, and since I mostly enjoyed listening to black metal at the time, naturally Aethyr got its foundations there.


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

It sounds to me like some sort of atmospheric black metal with deep ambient elements and overwhelming vocals. There are no fast-paced tracks really, more like a constant flow of riffs, sounds and melodies with a trippy quality to them. That’s pretty much what I get when I’m listening to this album.


    3.This is your first release since your 2007 demo, can you tell us a little bit more about the 9 year wait?

Actually the material included in this album was recorded in 2009, and had been on my hard drive since then. In the meantime, at times I wanted to work with new material, at other times I was incapable of working at all due to a hearing issue that still makes things difficult every now and then.


    4.Your lyrics cover some philosophical themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

The main idea behind both music and lyrics, is of death and rebirth, the destruction of illusions accompanied by echoes from a world of no real existence. However the lyrics are really nightmare-ish perspectives along the process, which is carried on by the music.


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

It’s the idea that the universe is not really a void with stuff in it, but a living body with all that is there being interconnected, a finer medium, and that Man as a self-developing organism has the potential to reach higher states of consciousness, higher worlds.


    6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to adding other musicians or do you prefer to remain a duo?

In fact at the moment there indeed are 2 members in the band, the second being a drummer with whom we are working on a new album. Generally I’m open to honest contributions from other musicians, but I like to work with what I’ve got and make the best out of it.


    7.The new album was released on 'Last Candle Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

This label started right after the release of EP back at 2007. The idea behind it is that all the work would be done in my studio, and that all releases will be freely available in all formats to anyone through any medium. The goal is to maintain a certain sonic and aesthetic cohesion. One can find all the releases at lastcandle.com


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

I’ve only come across a few comments and review, some showing appreciation and some showing indifference. It’s always nice to see that someone liked the album, but I would expect that it will not suit everyone’s taste.


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

Well, I know that Pyrphoros is working with his own band, Shadowcraft and his personal project, Enorasis. Personally I am working with some ambient material and I am planning a relevant release.



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

Having in mind the album that is currently being recorded, I’d say that the sound will get more intense and invigorating. Vocals will play a small part, if any, and ambient elements will still accompany the music.


    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’ll just mention some that I can think of now. At the time of the recordings of Uncanny Valley, I remember mostly listening to Negura Bunget, Lycia, Krohm and Fields of the Nephilim. Lately I’m still listening to some black metal, but mostly exploring different genres,  like post rock and metal, drum and bass, ambient, dark jazz and psychedelic music.


    12.What are some of your non musical interests?

I quite like reading, chiefly non-fiction, and I enjoy spending quality time with decent people.


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

Not really, but I want to thank you for your interest in my project!

Bandcamp
Facebook
Myspace
Official Site
ReverbNation

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Author/Lopon Alku/Naturmacht Productions/2017 CD Review


  Author  are  a  solo  project  from  Finland  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Lopun  Alka"  which  will be  released  on  January  28th  by  Naturmacht  Productions.

  A  very  distorted  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  speeding  up  and  adding  in  blast  beats  a  few  seconds  later  before  adding  in  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  tremolo  picking  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  music  also  brings  in  the  90's  Finnish  era  of  the   genre.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  songs  sound  like  they  could  of  been  recorded  and  released  20 years  ago with  its  vintage  second  wave style  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  a  half  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief use  of  clean  guitars.

  Author  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  goes  back  to  the  90's  era  of  the  Finnish  style  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  death,  darkness,  pain,  and  hell  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Author  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lopun  Alku"  and  "Kadotus".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook
YouTube
  

Friday, January 20, 2017

Wolfkrieg/Fire Of Ragnarok/Nymphaea Records/2017 CD Review


  Wolfkrieg  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  national  socialist  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Fire  Of  Ragnarok"  which  was  released  by  Nymphaea  Records.

  Epic sounding  synths  and  acoustic  guitars start  off  the  album  and  gives  the  music  more  of  a  bronze  age  feeling  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  style  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  introduces  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording  and  the  synths  also  add  in  a  touch  of  classical  music  at  times.

  Folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  war  samples  and  clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  in  some  of  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  a  later  song  also  introduces  nature  sounds  onto  the  recording  and  acoustic  guitars  also  return  briefly  on  a  few  tracks  and  their  is  also  a  brief  use  of  melodic  guitar  leads  for  a  few  seconds  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction.

  Wolfkrieg  creates  a  recording  that  brings  in  a  more  epic  side  of  national  socialist  pagan/black  metal  on  this  album,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Germanic  Paganism,  War  and  National  Socialism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Wolfkrieg  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  national  socialist  pagan/black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fire  Of  Ragnarok"  "Eighty  Eight"  "Wotan's  Bowl"  and  "When  Wotan  Awakes".  8/5  out  of  10.   

https://wolfkrieg.bandcamp.com/album/fire-of-ragnar-k

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Æðra Interview


1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the musical project since the recording and release of the new album?

At the moment I am trying to stay as busy as I can musically. As a solo-project that does not currently tour, it can be really tempting to take a break upon completing an album cycle. I’m doing my best not to rest too easy now that I have done a complete record on my own. It was nice being able to step away from things over the holidays and breathe a sigh of relief that Perseiderna is finally finished, but now I am thinking ahead musically with more focus compared to after releasing The Evening Red.

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?
What I really wanted to focus on Perseiderna was building on the sound from the first album and turning it into something more driving and cohesive. I feel like this album flows much better with smoother transitions and better song structures. As for the actual sound production, what I was going for was a rawer, more human approach to the guitar tone and performance coupled with colder, sterile drum programming and synths. Like the first album, this was an autobiography of sorts for a distinct time in my life. However, as opposed to it being about the closing of a chapter it reflected events that were rather turbulent. As the lyrics deal with moments of both triumph and despair throughout the last few years, I wanted the production itself to reflect that dissonance. The human aspect that can shine through on a record is something that has always been important to me. I loved the production on the first record and had a wonderful time in Redwood Studios, but given the subject matter on the new album I wanted to explore another path. Perseiderna doesn’t sound like a huge polished modern metal production nor a four-track-in-the-forest black metal record. It sounds like the times that inspired this work and, to me, that’s a good thing.

3.This is the first album to be released in 5 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
It’s been quite the journey. I was actually living in Västerås, Sweden when “The Evening Red” was released in 2011. During the time gap between releases I moved back to my home area in Illinois then across the United States to Colorado. Peppered in between were a few relationships, employment changes, and general life transitions, which led to upheavals of the status quo. Needless to say, there was a lack of stability and a lot of time needed to build new foundations, which didn’t leave a lot of room for music production. Because of this I really wanted to give these songs time to grow and not rush anything. Results are always better this way.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your newer music?
The lyrics on Perseiderna continue the trend in being somewhat of a personal autobiography of sorts for me. So naturally, the lyrics on the new record pick up where The Evening Red left off. While the lyrics on Perseiderna deal with nostalgia for better times in the past and personal struggles, I tried to focus on perseverance and triumph over the battles life throws at us. When penning lyrics about occurrences in my life, I strive to veil specific details around these events somewhat so a listener doesn’t get bogged down with me and can make the music relate to their own struggles.
From a general lyrical perspective, I feel the darkness in life is something to embrace and overcome with your own inner strength, not to retreat from into solitude because one can’t cope. I know full well time spent alone can be used to heal wounds and improve oneself, but I am inspired by the fact my ancestors didn’t row across open oceans just to off themselves in the throes of depression. I want to convey that hope and will to press on in a person’s own journey. Bettering oneself in order to truly thrive is the only thing that matters. 

5.I know that the bands name means 'higher, more exalted, in Icelandic, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?
It really all boils down to my state of mind when the project came into being. I originally started this project while I was playing bass and keyboards in another band active in the central Illinois scene from 2004 to 2009. We had a record deal with September Riot Records out of the state of Missouri and were pretty busy playing shows around the region. What I could not get over during this time was the number of bands who displayed absolutely no originality or creativity and simply copied the trendy breakdown-laden hardcore and metalcore that was prevalent then. I know this is probably true in every scene, but it did lead to a lot of disillusionment.
As I improved on the guitar I started stringing riffs together and recording them, but since guitar wasn’t my place in my first band I decided to start my own project for practice. I settled on the name Æðra because I wanted something that would reflect my Nordic roots and push me to live up to the word’s meaning. The meaning and unique characters may seem pretentious to some people now, but really it was just a complete reaction to the watered down musical environment I was experiencing. It was more of a desire to make something different from my peers and go my own way I guess. To be completely honest, I did not really expect it to be heard by listeners around the world when I started this and am very humbled by and grateful for the attention it has received. 

6.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to remain solo?
From a logistics standpoint, it is way easier for me to complete a project on my own. Working alone allows for the music to evolve naturally as intended, and there is no worry about weak links, scheduling issues, or having several members tugging in all sorts of creative directions, which can ultimately kill a project. With that said, however, I really love collaborating with others in a limited capacity. Case in point, it was great working with Danielle and Karen, and their vocal lines added a lot to the tracks “Alpenglow” on Perseiderna and “Horizon” on The Evening Red. But to answer your question directly, I highly doubt Æðra will ever have a traditional full band lineup due to its personal importance and my workflow preferences. Outside of this project though, I’m pretty easy going and play nice with others.

7.According to the fb page the current location was Denver, Colorado and you are originally from Illinois, what was the decision behind the move and also how would you compare both of the states?
Carlinville is a rural Illinois town of a few thousand people, and while I had a great childhood there comes a point in time where wanderlust kicks in and it’s time to move beyond your hometown. To be fair, travelling a fair amount really sped that process up, which I think is normal for a lot of people after they get into adulthood. I don’t care to elucidate the negatives in explicit detail as it’s my home, but I can’t deny that poor state management, lack of natural aesthetic, and better economic opportunity elsewhere were also primary factors. If you haven’t lived in the rural Midwest, it’s a lot of humid summers, bitter winters, and small towns with very little to see. This environment breeds hearty people, and I feel spending so much time out in the seemingly endless fields led to a more atmospheric bend to my work, but after I finished at the university I quickly took the opportunity to relocate for work.
Living in Denver is much different. There is so much available from a nature perspective because the city is nestled right at the start of the Rocky Mountains. For an artist, especially those who make metal, this access to nature aids the creative process immensely. There is nothing more inspiring than hiking up a mountain, taking in the view and thin air at the summit, and getting the feeling that you and your group are the only ones in the untouched wilderness.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of atmospheric and melodic black metal?
I never imagined when I started this I would get the positive feedback I have received. On a whole, reviews for Perseiderna have been positive and it has been an honor having individuals from all over the world tell me they’ve enjoyed the albums. It’s also heartening that critical reviews have been constructive and not simply “this album is trash” rants. I am fine with that, and hope to improve on future works.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
I really admire musicians like Devin Townsend and Steven Wilson who often explore other genres outside of the ones to which they’re normally pegged. I have a large backlog of riffs and songs that don’t fit with this project and am looking to get some of those revamped with some friends from back home into a cohesive album. However, I don’t have an ETA or genre description of what it will actually sound like, as it’s an open slate at this point.
As for Æðra, I am already actively working on writing the next album. What has always been a personal draw of metal is the way each nation or culture can put its own twist into it, and I am looking at stylistically incorporating folklore and musical themes from my home in central Illinois into the next record. Additionally, I have always been a huge fan of extended range guitars and recently made the jump from an Ibanez seven-string to a nine-string from Agile. Since my original instrument was a five-string bass, it feels completely natural. I know what you are probably thinking though and don’t worry, the next record will NOT be banjo djent.

10.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?
Over the writing of Perseiderna I found some great atmosphere-focused gems like the bands Hammock, God is an Astronaut, and the album Night by Gazpacho. On the blacker side of things, I often listened to bands like Harakiri for the Sky, Behemoth, Thränenkind, Kvelertak, and Nordjevel while I was working on the latest record. A lot of genres other than metal take up a lot of my listening time as well. I’ve always been a fan of acoustic, prog, more straightforward rock, and certain styles of EDM like trance. I tend to bounce around to other genres a lot, especially when working on Æðra, to change it up since the same metal songs I’m working on are blasting for hours on end.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
I’ve always loved being active and find it therapeutic to hit the weights in the gym. Living in Colorado has also led to more outdoor activities like cycling, hiking, and skiing. We have an exploding craft brewing scene out in Denver too, so when I need a break from everything I enjoy clearing, or clouding rather, my mind in the river of artisan beer flowing through the city. I’ve also gotten into brewing a bit myself, and have around twelve gallons of mead waiting to be bottled. That’s the extent of drugs for me, though.  We have legalized marijuana here but I am not too keen on the actual product. Other hobbies include reading and keeping abreast with current events.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
It was a pleasure doing this, and I hope to discuss the next record with you!

Facebook

Insanity Cult/Of Despair And Self Destruction/Ogmios Underground/2017 CD Review


  Insanity  Cult  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Of  Despair  And  Self  Destruction"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Ogmios  Underground.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and w hen  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  second  wave  influences  and  when  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  give  the  songs  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  along  with  acoustic  guitars  also  returning  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  At  times  the  vocals  also  bring  in a   depressive  edge  at  times  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  some  of  the  heavier  riffing  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  there  is  also  an  acoustic  interlude  before  returning  back to  a  heavier  direction.

  Insanity  Cult  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  raw  and  epic  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Mythology,  Nothingness,  Misanthropy,  Inner  Struggles,  Nihilism  and  Self  Destruction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Insanity  Cult  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  epic  and  misanthropic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Seeds  of  Lesser  Gods"  "In  My  Abysmal  Dreams"  and  "Sinister  Lights  And  Manic-Depression".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp
Facebook
YouTube

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Palace Of Worms/Ecferus/Crown & Throne Ltd/2017 Split Album Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  San  Francisco,  California's  Palace  Of  Worms  and  Indiana's  Ecferus  which  will  be  released  on  January  31,  2017  by  Crown  &  Throne  Ltd  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Palace  Of  Worms  a  solo  project  that  has  been  featured  before in  this  zine  and  plays  a very modern  form  of  black  metal  on  this  recording.

  His  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  spoken  word  samples  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  raw  musical  direction  that  also  uses  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  while  the  riffs  also  get  technical  at  times  and  the  vocals a re  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  melodic  style  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  hardcore,  doom,  death,  and  thrash  and  the  last  track  is  long  and  epic  in  length,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  paranormal  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Palace  Of  Worms  and if  you  are  a  fan  of  modern  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Rot  From  the  Stars".

Facebook / Bandcamp

  Next  up  is  Ecferus  another  solo  project  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  raw,  melodic,  and  ambient  form  of  black  metal.

  His  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  melody and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  his  side  of  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples  and  the  synths  add  in  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  ambient  feeling  and  the  last  track  is  long  and  epic  in  length,  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  heavy  sound  while  the  lyrics  cover  occult,  metaphysical  and  scientific  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ecferus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ambient,  raw  and  melodic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Ritual  Calamity".

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

Facebook / Bandcamp

     

Mord'A'Stigmata/Hope/Pagan Records/2017 CD Review


  Mord'A'Stigmata  are  a  band  from  Poland  that has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Hope"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Pagan  Records.

  Clean  yet  distorted  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier sound  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  introduces  grim  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads a re  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  most  of  the  songs  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  clean  signing  is  also  utilized  at  times  and  they  give  the  songs  more  of  an  avant  garde  feeling  and  when  synths  are  used  on  the  recording  they  add  in  a  touch  of  ambient.

  There  is  also  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  when  the  music  somewhat  speeds  up  while  the  main  focus  is  more  on  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  you  can  also  hear  elements  of  post  metal  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  tracks  also  rings  in  a  small  amount  of   spoken  word  parts.

  Mord'A'Stigmata  creates  a  recording  that  focuses  more  on  the  avant  garde  and  post  black  metal  style  this  time  around  to  create  something  more  different  than  previous  recordings,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  negativity,  esoterics,  misanthropy  and  spirituality  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Mord'A'Stigmata   and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  and  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hope"  and  "To  Keep  The  Blood".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook
Bandcamp

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Falls Of Rauros/Vigilance Perennial/Bindrune Recordings/Nordvis Produktion/2017 CD Review


  Falls  Of  Rauros  are  a  band  from  Maine  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays a  folk  influenced  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Vigilance  Perennial" which  will  be  released  in  March  as  a joint  effort  between  Bindrune  Recordings  and  Nordvis  Produktion.

  Clan  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  work  and  after  awhile  drums  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  after  awhile  the  music  gets  a  lot  more  heavier  along  with  some  high  pitched  black metal  screams  making t heir  presence  known  and  you  can  also  hear  a  great  amount  of  melody  in the  guitar  riffing.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  the  acoustic  guitars  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  progressive  and  folk  music  feeling  and  some  songs  bring  in elements  of  ambient.

  At  times  the  music  can  get  very  atmospheric  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast beats  can  be  heard  and  it  also  adds  in  more  of  a  raw  style  of  black  metal  and  they  also  bring  in  a  brief  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  vocal  tracks  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  mixture of  slow,  mid  paced and  fast  parts.

  Falls  Of  Rauros  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  folk  musical  influenced  and  progressive  style  of  atmospheric  black  metal  from  previous  recordings,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature,  misanthropy,  anarchism,  rumination,  and  uncertainty  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Falls  Of  Rauros  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  influenced  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Labyrinth  Unfolding  Echoes"  and  "Arrow  &  Kiln".  8  out  of  10. 

https://www.facebook.com/fallsofraurosOfficial/