Sulferon/Here Be Demons/Shub-Niggurath Productions/2018 Full Length Review

  Greece's  Sulferon  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  raw,  blasphemous, satanic  and  occult  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Here  Be  Demons"  which  was  released  by  Shib-Niggurath  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  clean  guitars  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  ritualistic  chants,  battle  sounds  and  spoken  words  are  also  added  onto  a  couple  of  later  songs.

  On  this  recording  Sulferon  bring  in  more  of  a  raw,  melodic  and  ritualistic  style  of  occult  black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Anti  Christianity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Sulferon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Antichristian  Spearhead  Domination"  "Neoheretic  Miasma"  and  "A  Fire  in  The  Distance".  8/5  out  of  10.

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Bane/Esoteric Formulae/Black Market Metal Label/2018 CD Review

  Bane  are  a  band  originally  from  Serbia  but  now  resides  in  Canada  and  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  aggressive  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Esoteric  Formulae"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Black  Market  Metal  Label.

  A  very  dark,  epic,  orchestral  and  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction  while  the  vocals are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  A  great  amount  of  death  metal  elements  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  in  both  the  vocals  and  instruments  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  along  with  some  keyboards  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Clean  chants  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  and  there  are  also  some  quest  appearances  by  Giulio  Moschini  of  Hour  Of  Penance  and  Amduscias  of  Temple  of  Baal  along  with  the  two  closing  tracks  being  all  instrumentals  as  well  as  the  orchestral  elements  being  added  on  the  outro.

  On  this  recording  Bane  takes  their  musical  style  into  more  of  a  melodic  blackened  death  metal  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Satanism,  and  Esoteric  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Bane  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Calling  Of  The  Eleven  Angles"  "Into  Oblivion"and  "Reign  In  Chaos".  8  out  of  10. 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk9v0J7FxWs  

Black Earth/A Cryptic Howl Of Morbid Truth/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2018 Vinyl Re-Issue Review

  Black  Earth  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  raw  black  metal,  ritual,  drone,  dark  ambient  and  harsh  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "A  Cryptic  Howl  Of  Morbid  Truth"  which  will  be  re-issued  on  vinyl  in  November  of  2018  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  raw  and  melodic  riffs  that  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  along  with  some  power  sounding  bass  guitars  in  the  background  as  well  as  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  black  metal screams  and  at  times  the  music  gets  very  experimental.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  some  songs  also  add  in  drones  and  harsh  noises  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  along  with  elements  of  dark  ambient  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  fast  riffs  with  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  are  brought  into  the  music  briefly  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Black  Earth  took  black  metal,  drone,  dark  ambient,  ritual  and  drone  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  darkness  and  death  along  with  some  inspirations  from  the  writings  of  Julius  Evola.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  recording  from  Black  Earth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  ritual,  drone,  dark  ambient  and  harsh  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  vinyl  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Cryptic  Howl  Of  Morbid  Truth"The  Severed  Head  Of  The  Crow"  and  "Ride  The  Tiger  Along  Kali  Yuga".  8  out  of  10. 

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/a-cryptic-howl-of-morbid-truth?utm_source=ALL&utm_campaign=8b1799401c-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_10_26_11_31&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f06fe9e375-8b1799401c-512531873 

Blasphemy/Gods Of War/Nuclear War Now Productions/2018 CD Re-Issue Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  old  recording  from  Canada's  Blasphemy  which  also  showcases their  earlier  style  of  war/black  metal  and  the  album  was  originally  released  in  1993  and  called  "Gods  Of  War"  with  the  re-issued  being  released  in  Noember  of  2018  by  Nuclear  War  Now!  Productions.

  A  war  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  war  metal  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  bestial  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  elements  of  thrash  and  grindcore.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  style  of  black  metal  while  the  riffs  also add  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  solos  being  done  in  a  very  raw  and  chaotic  style  and  also  showing  an  influence  of  death  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  more  intro's.

  On  this  recording  Blasphemy  remained  very  true  to  their  early  style  of  war/black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  war,  death,  satanism,  rituals  and  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  a  very  great  sounding  album  from  Blasphemy  and  while  long  time  fans  may  already  own  the  album,  I  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  bestial  black  and  war  metal.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blasphemous  Attack"  "Nocturnal  Slayer"  and  "Empty  Chalice".  8/5  out  of  10.

https://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/gods-of-war

Necrosleezer/Pope Kill/Nuclear War Now! Production/2018 EP Review

  Necrosleezer  where  a  band  from Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  consisted  of  former  Blasphemy  members  that  played  black  metal  with  some  elements  of  thrash  and  grindcore  and  all  of  the  songs  where  recorded  in  1995  and  the  ep  is  called  "Pope  Kill"  and  will  get  a  proper  release  in  November  by  Nuclear  War  Now!  Productions.

  Distorted  guitar  noises  start  off  the  ep  along  with  a  small  amount  of  leads  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  war  metal  elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  tremolo  picking  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  incorporates  elements  of  death,  thrash  metal  and  grindcore.

  Necrosleezer  played  a  musical  style  that  was  mostly  rooted  in  war,  black  and  death  metal  while  elements  of  thrash  and  grindcore  where  also  added  into  the  music,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  blasphemous  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Necrosleezer  where  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  war  metal  with  some  elements  of  thrash  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pope  Kill"  and  "Mistress  Rotten  Church".  8  out  of  10. 

http://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/pope-kill

Devouring Star/The Arteries Of Heresy/Dark Descent Records/2018 CD Review

  Devouring  Star  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  modern  form  of  satanic  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "The  Arteries  Of  Heresy"  which  was  released  by  Dark  Descent  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  darker  and  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  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  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  death  metal  elements  at  times  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  riffs  also  start  utilizing  more  dark  sounding  melodies.

  Devouring  Star  plays  a  style  of  satanic  black  metal  that  is  very  dark  and  modern  sounding  as  well  as  being  very  aggressive  and  chaotic  at  the  same  time,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Chaos  and  Babylon  Whore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Devouring  Star  are  a  very  great  sounding  modern  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Procreation  Of  Blood" and  "Her  Divine  Arteries".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.invisibleoranges.com/devouring-star-interview-premiere/

Witte Wieven/Reiziger/Vlucht/Babylon Doom Cult Records/2018 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Netherlands's  Witte  Wieven  and  Reiziger  called  "Vlucht"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Babylon  Cult  Records  and  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Witte  Wieven  a  band  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  distorted  sounding  drones  and  clean  playing  while  their  track  is  over  8  minutes  in  length  along  with  some  drum  beats  after  awhile  as  well  as  some  female  vocals  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  song  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  screams.

When  tremolo picking  and  blast  beats  are  utilized  they  give  the  song  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  while  the  track  also  adds  in   a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Dutch  and  cover  dark  and  melancholic  themes.

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

  Next  us  is  Reiziger  a  band  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  ambient  style  synths  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  track  is  almost  10  minutes  in  length  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  After  awhile  black  metal  screams  are  added  into  the  music  while  the  song  also  adds  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  capturing  a  very  lo-fi  atmosphere  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw.

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

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

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Witte_Wieven/3540406096
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Reiziger/3540304671

Realm Of Wolves/Oblivion/Caus Belli Musica/Beverina/2018 CD Review

  Realm  Of  Wolves  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Oblivion"  which  will  be  released  in  November  as  a  joint  effort  between  Casus  Belli  Musica  and  Beverina.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  shoegaze  elements  start  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  post  rock  influences  and  after  awhile  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  and  also  introduces  melodic  guitar  leads  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  utilizing  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  The  tracks  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts, as  the  album  progresses  an  instrumental  is  added  onto  the  recording  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  vocals  are  having  their semi  melodic  moments  on  a  couple  of  songs.

  Realm  Of  Wolves  plays  a  style  of  post  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  atmospheric  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  philosophical  and  esoteric  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Realm  Of  Wolves  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ignifer"  and  "Into  The  Woods  of  Oblivion".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pd42jDC6DY&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=promo_realm_of_wolves_oblivion_project_of_vvilderness_and_silent_island_members&utm_term=2019-03-30  

Hermann Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?
disart brut: mausoleum first came out on vinyl in August through Bleeding Heart Nihilist Productions, so we have been in talks with other labels to arrange for other formats as well. We can already confirm that we came to an agreement about a CD release and global digital distribution deal with Zanshin Music. An official release date will be announced shortly. Other than that, we're focusing on spreading the new music live right now. We did a bunch of club shows and festival appearances with more to come.

2. Recently you have released a new album, what are some of the things you have done different musically with this recording that you were not able to do on previous releases?
We actually haven't changed the procedure much at all, as we are quite conceptual with what Hermann represents both lyrically and musically. The main difference was maybe that for this album, we could already try out and refine some of the songs live for a while, so it all feels a bit more organic and allowed us to pay more attention to details. For example we experimented a bit in the studio with arrangements, different voices, and even guest musicians, which resulted in the appearance of a broken-down accordion for one song.

3. This is the first album since 2015, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time frame?
The first album prinzhorn kolloquium was actually still recorded as a three-piece, so the line-up was first completed with a permanent bass player for that release. Then most of the time in between was naturally spent rehearsing, playing shows and writing the second album.

4. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored on both of the releases?
The title disart brut: mausoleum is a play on words employing "art brut" as a continuation of the Naïve art of the Prinzhorn collection from the debut. The "dis" is a reference to the crust core influence. "Mausoleum" relates to the lyrics of the song "zitzenwald". The lyrics of the individual songs describe rather somber images of the past, the present and the visionary. With "die pauke vier mal" we also interpreted outside lyrics for one song; namely, a dirge that used to be celebrated in the East-European Germanic language area.

5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Hermann'?
The real life inspiration behind the band name was the main sidekick of Jennerjahn, a marvelous Great Dane who unfortunately had to leave us by now. The etymological roots lie in old High German’s "Hariman", later "Heermann", which literally means "army man", a warrior, which also seemed fitting for the project.

6. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
All pictures from the art work were taken at a graveyard in Berlin, where we were able to explore our ideas almost undisturbedly over the course of two nights. The front cover is the entrance to a
crypt, and another reference in the framework of the title and the lyrics to "zitzenwald". To achieve the light effect we had in mind, somebody had to crawl around inside the whole time to adjust the spotlight. This is the source of the human femur pictured over the gatefold. And since we had exclusive access to the chapel, it could be desecrated in more ways than one …

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?
Stage performance is an important part of Hermann. We try to create a very particular atmosphere live, with some trademark elements that make Hermann concerts an intense and memorable experience. As on the album, we incorporate our own industrial/drone/noise ambiance into the show to grab the audience from start to finish, suppressing any verbal interaction detracting from the mood. Once we hit the stage we don't cut you any breaks. This is further enhanced by heavy use of fog. We're just coming off a festival show, which probably came close to our ideal performance so far. At night, removed from modern urbanity, framed by a fire show, good stage, good crowd. Last weekend's show at Berlin Swamp Fest was very good as well, and you always have some club shows that stick out more than others, but I wouldn't know what to single out here. It feels like we're more and more hitting our stride with every performance, so the best is definitely yet to come!

8. Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
We only have a few individual concerts lined up at the moment, but we are looking at potential touring opportunities right now. Hopefully we can hit the road a bit longer in the new year. We definitely want to play more outside Germany soon as well.

9. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal, crust and doom?
Very positive across the board, as far as crossing scene lines goes. We draw people from all three styles who can find some common ground with Hermann, which is very satisfying to see. As mentioned before, we haven't been able to present ourselves on a worldwide scale much yet, but we're looking to branch out.

10. 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?
Essenz, Korff's main side gig, just released a new album too and they're about to tour on that. He is also involved with the international black/thrash project Early Death and an ambient/noise outfit called Void Beyond Destruction. Donnermann has a new album coming up with 100000 Tonnen Kruppstahl, as well as his solo noise rock project Brackwasser Knipp. Ithymia is currently in the studio recording the second album of his black/speed metal band Sunshine & Lollipops. So it's always quite a busy schedule within the Hermann camp.

11. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
There's already some songs in the works again, but we're not speculating about style changes and things like that. Hermann will freely roam the realms of extreme music whenever the time is right, while remaining 100% recognizable and true to itself for sure. 

12. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Everybody in the band has a long history with all kinds of metal, so influences come from all the usual classics, for example it would be silly to deny the obvious inspiration from a band like Darkthrone. But also completely different sources of music, electronic, classical, folk, you name it. We are as open-minded as we are stuck on our roots.

13. What are some of your non musical interests?
Alcohol, nature, literature, drawing, photography, travel... generally there's lots of time individually spent on creative, artsy nonsense between the members of Hermann.

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

Trust no one!

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Morgal/Self Titled/Werewolf Records/2018 EP Review

  Morgal  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  occult  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2018  ep  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Werewolf  Records.

  Dark  yet  melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  ep  along  with  soem  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  all of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  tracks  also  bring  in a   great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  old  school  Finnish  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  thrash  influences,  synths  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.

  Morgal  plays  a  style  of  occult  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  traditional  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Witchery,  Rituals,  Chaos  and  War  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Morgal  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mistress  Of  Blood"  and  "Warcry  of  the  Vampire".  8/5  out  of  10.

https://werewolfrecords.bandcamp.com/album/morgal

Infernal Cult/All The Lights Faded/2018 Full Length Review

  Infernal Cult  are  a  solo  project  from  the  Czech  Republic  that  plays  a  very  raw,  melodic  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2018  album  "All  The  Lights  Faded'.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  and  old  school  feeling  along  with  the  tracks  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  at  times  the  vocals  also  add  in  some  high  pitched  depressive  screams and  as  the  album  progresses  a  touch  of  the  modern  atmospheric  style  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  songs.

  Infernal  Cult  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  melodic  and  depressive  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  misery,  depression,  hate,  anger, s elf-destruction  and  suicide  attempts.

  In  my  opinion  Infernal  Cult  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  melodic  and  depressive  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Embrace  Of  Shadows"  "Self  Destructive  Life  Resistance"  and  "All  The  Lights  Faded".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InfernalCult/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/infernalcultofficial

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRLS0AHKycUrzohsUP8lD3A?view_as=subscriber

Negativa/03/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2018 Cassette Review

  Negativa  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "03"  which  was  released  on  cassette  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  Synths  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  and  distorted  amp  noises  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  to  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  when  guitar  leads  are  added  onto  the  recording  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  and  spoken  word  parts  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Negativa  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  raw  and  depressive  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Negativa  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  depressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  cassette.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "XVII"  and  "XXI".  8  out  of  10.

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/03?utm_source=ALL&utm_campaign=a641a56b78-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_10_19_05_07&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f06fe9e375-a641a56b78-512529753

Kryptamok/Profaani/Blood Harvest Productions/Helter Skelter Records/2018 Demo Review

  Kryptamok  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  traditional  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  demo  "Profaani"  which  will  be  released  in  November  as  a  joint  effort  between  Blood  Harvest  Productions  and  Helter  Skelter  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  Finnish  tradition  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  demonic  growls  also  being  used  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  a  brief  use  of  melodic  chants  as  well  as  a  some  atmospheric  keyboards  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  the  riffs  and  guitar  leads  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Kryptamok  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  traditional  and  heavily  rooted in  the  Finnish  ways  of  the  genre  while  also  having  its atmospheric  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Krypamok  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  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Wala"  and  "Kuolemen  Katarsis".  8  out  of  10. 

https://helterskelterproductions.bandcamp.com/album/profaani 

        

Xibalba Itzaes Interview

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



We 've had a few shows, not yet to promote the album since is wasn’t released yet, but also been rehearsing some of the new material to incorporate on the set

Although we don’t play that much really





2.You have a new album coming out in December which is also your second full length, what are some of the things the band has done different musically with this recording that you where not able to do with previous releases?



Our main musical influences haven’t really changed at all,  we evolved all along with the music since the early days, and all of that has always been reflected into our songs, maybe the only thing that has change is the ways of recording, since there are a lot of facilities in these days, compare to the old times



I don’t see that much differences in any of our recordings, maybe the listeners do, but not me, so can’t tell that much about it





3.The band has been around since 1992 but has mostly released ep's and demos, can you tell us a little bit more about it?



Yes we have an had a lot of songs that hasn´t been released yet, many of them we recorded in rehearsals, or in demos only for us to not forget about them, we have made a lot of songs throughout the years, that we got to a point that we just should decided to release some of them in any way, that’s why we ended up with the “2010 Demo tape” and also the “Ah Tza!” Ep, as well as the demos released on the “Ancients” LP, still we have some unreleased stuff that might be unearthed some day



Most of this music has been planned for a full length, but for some reason has just ended up in a demo and an Ep





4.The band was split up for a few years, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time frame?



Nothing really, everybody took their own way and the band was not in sight for anyone, I think we didn’t really know that we were about to got back together as we are now



Still music was always there, we never stop listening to it



I was still writing a lot in that period though, reading a lot and writing topics and some sort of lyrics or stories I would say, which some of them has now been taken again for these recent songs





5.Both the lyrics and band name comes from Mayan Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic and also do you get more deeper into it than more well known material on this subject besides 'Popol Vuh?





Yes there’s a vast bibliography on ancient history about the cultures that dwell in these regions, not only the Popol Vuh it’s a source, and we have always been immerse into it, not only in the interest of writing songs and put an album about it, but as fulfilling a very personal and individual spiritual goal for each and one of us.

Looking for to free our minds and souls from modern blindfolds, and with your own culture and values is the only way

We also have several archaeological places that we could hold on to

Spiritual freedom shall tear down the lie that is this plane





6.The band was formed in the early 90's, do you feel with both your lyrics and musical style that you had a great influence on the later black metal bands that came out of your home country?



Well that I can’t tell, but what I have seen is that recently, there are many bands coming from our country that has been touching ancient culture topics and even imagery merged with their metal music, being death, black or whatever

What I can say is that nothing like this happened when we started,



Maybe we have had an influence on some of that, who knows, which is good in some way, as long as it’s real, and not just for the sake of having a 10 minute fame to it





7.The band members also have been listening to metal for 30 years, what are your thoughts on the way the music has evolved over the past 3 or 4 decades?



Yes we started listening to the old bands from the late 70’s such as Sabbath, Priest, we were little kids, but seen the evolution into thrash metal with Venom and Metallica, and getting into this Grind stuff with Napalm Death, I mean from the old rock and roll and heavy tunes and ending up with this ultra fast beating, is was very exciting and interesting to live through all of it, discovering bands, sounds and styles was the best thing that could ever happen to music at all, and to us with it.

I think the last good thing for us to live was the black metal refreshing sound of the 90´s

I think is difficult to live that again in these days, hopefully not



In my very own personal opinion, since those days music has been stagnated for some unknown reason,

Maybe the actual evolution has been notorious only in the recording technology, and not in the music itself, which has put a standard sound to every instrument they record, so that every band could sound exactly the same, which is really sad







8.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?



It reflects the essence of what the band is, relying on our ancient culture and ways of living, worshiping the gods of the skies from one of our earthly temples

It’ all on our lyrical content, been proud of our roots, musically and lyrically,





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



We do not play that much, so I must say that each performance we have had is good for us, recently we’ve had more shows outside of our country, which has let us spread our music in different places,

I think we enjoy a lot our show in Finland on 2015 and one in Canada on 2017



On stage we always reflect the ancient ways of making these metal music

Because of the lyrical topics, the sound could be perfectly merged to create an atmosphere that allows us to call the gods for a minute, but we also go wild a little as well, I think we try to take the listener into a journey above the pyramids and beyond, if you just listen closely and let yourself go into these whole ambient,



It could help if you know our music and know what the band is all about





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



We’re doing these show at the Never Surrender Fest in Berlin Germany on November 2, which is just a few days after the release of the Album,



We also have two more dates to finish the year in the US: one in Chicago on December 7 and the other in Oakland on December 8





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

We‘ve had a very good response to our music lately, I think even more that we get in the past when the band was new

So we thank all the people that still believe in the band and we welcome the new comers



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



Hopefully we will still release the kind of music we like in the way we think it should be done, and hopefully trying to innovate as much as we can into it

Innovation doesn’t mean to lose or twist the path we have created, but grow from it into a bigger structure





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?



I’m pretty sure you can hear some old styles in the album and some specific bands that has influence the sound,

About what we’re listening to nowadays, I don’t’ think I have that much to say, to be honest I’ve been listening to the same music I used to in the past over and over again, rediscovering old bands and old styles, that music is so good you can’t let it go away, For good or bad, I don’t really listen to that much to new music, but I’m not close to it, if there’s something good and interesting





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



Yes thanks a lot for your interest in the band and to all the people that has followed us and still do so, look for the “Ah Tza Xibalba Itzaes” album on NWN, and hope to see you all on our tour dates

www.xibalbaitzaes.com



Cheers to all of you!!

Strick/Selektion/2018 EP Review

Strick  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  raw mixture  of  black  metal,  crust  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their self  released  2018  ep  "Selektion".



  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  short  in  length  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  feeling.



  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  deep  growls  while  elements  of  grindcore  and  crust  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounds  also  being  used  briefly  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody,  spoken  word  samples  can  also  be  heard  briefly.



  Strick  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  black  metal,  crust  and  grindcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  anti  fascism  themes.



  In  my  opinion  Strick  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  crust  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vier  Meter"  and  "Leistungszwang".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/strickgrind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUXLaUm8OMQ

https://strickgrind.bandcamp.com/album/selektion

Stilla/Synviljor/Nordvis/2018 CD Review

  Sweden's  Stilla  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  nature  orientated  style  of  black  metal  from  their  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Synviljor"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Nordvis.

  Keyboards  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being   heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  clean  vocals  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Stilla  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  nature  orientated  style  of  black  metal  while  also  utilizing  a  lot  more  raw  aggression  and  brutality  this  time  around,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swedish  and  cover  the  outer  limits  of  the  human  sensory  condition  and  challenging  the  boundaries  of  existence.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Stilla  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fralsefrosten"  "Myr" and  "Ut  ur  tid  och  rum".  8  out  of  10.

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Cantique Lepreux/Paysages polaires/Eisenwald/2018 CD Review

  Cantique   Lepreux  are  a  band  from  Quebec,  Canada  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Paysages  polaires"  which  will  be released  in  November  by  Eisenwald.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  blast  beats  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  the  tremolo  picking  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  screams  also  having  their  depressive  moments  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them, the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  clean  vocals  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  the  closing  track  a  brief  use  of  whispers  can  also  be  heard.

  Cantique  Lepreux  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  atmospheric  black  metal  style  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  icy  wilderness  themes  along  with  3  songs  being  inspired  by the  writings  of  poet  Rene  Chopin.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cantique  Lepreux  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Le  feu  secret" "Paysages  polaires  III"  and  "Le  fleau".  8  out  of  10.


https://cantiquelepreux.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/Cantique-L%C3%A9preux-1508635429464649
https://store.eisenton.de/cantique-lepreux-a-2710

Krumkač Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Krumkac has been based at the beginning of 2018 as studio one-man the project the only participant under the pseudonym Erebor (earlier known for the Tartavara/Wisdom Of Shadows/Rugievit projects). At once Erebor has written down material for a debut album and is sent on data Aleksandra to Digivision Records studio then Alexander has suggested to write down the vocal for an album that actually and I have made. And the result suited all, and at this stage the project has developed into the duet. And in September, 2018 the debut album "Honar i Kroŭ " has been released.

2.In September you had released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on this recording?
The album "Honar i Kroŭ" - cardinally differs from all previous works and Erebor's projects. Classical, monotonous, penetrating Black Metal intertwining with the atmospheric Atmospheric Black Metal elements has been taken as a basis. But the main thing on this album is that all emphasis is put on semantic loading and lyrics, moral substance of an album above all, all these combinations also were reflected in work "Honar i Kroŭ".

3.Your lyrics cover the Kryvian people and their history, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the heathen culture of your ancestors?
First of all the lyrics of a new album narrates about fight eternal for the ideals, Honar i Kroŭ-this a direct appeal to remember the roots and history of the people, to honor the but not others traditions, both to protect at the cost of the life and to increase greatly all that we were left by our nice ancestors! Kryviya is what in heart, is what has laid the foundation in us as in the separate and independent people, with the values, traditions and feats of our heroes of the past and the present!! The paganism-also is present at lyrics, it red thread intertwines throughout all album with our national views and the ideas. "Honar i Kroŭ" is an anthem of my earth, it is my appeal to battle for the ideals and values these are my tears about heroes that have given the life in eternal fight for a right cause!

4.I know that the bands name means 'Raven' in Belarussian', how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?
Yes it is valid, the name of the project is translated as crows. First of all for me the Raven is pagan roots of views of which I adhere. God's crows Odina Hugin and Munin, eternal eyes and god's ears. On the other hand, the Raven symbolizes death when the battlefield is covered with corpses and only crows turn over bodies of the dead. All these concepts and moods are put in my music therefore this name very much supplements and symbolizes my message!

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?

For registration of an album, we used a picture of the Polish artist Jan Mateyko. In a picture fight at Gryunvalda, the greatest victory over knights of the Teutonic Order in our history which echo reaches us and now is represented. Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Belarus) together with the Polish principality in 1410 have given the most bloody battle in our history to knights of the Teutonic Order, the Teutonic Order couldn't recover further from defeat. The Krylami Bielymi song is devoted to this battle and this victory, and all idea of an album also represents greatness of Grand Duchy of Lithuania as primordial and only the correct line of formation of our people. Therefore this picture, has as well as possible added an album!!

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

Now the concert structure for live performances is brought together. On December 2, 2018 Krumkač will for the first time step on the stage with a live presentation of the album in Minsk (Belarus).

Further vigorous concert work of Europe so most likely Krumkač shortly will become a full-fledged formation is planned!

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

The label of Barbatos Productions is one of the most successful suppliers of the right music in the CIS, mainly they publish national socialist threw, we cooperated with them within the Wisdom Of Shadows/Rugievit projects earlier. And therefore we foreknew that we will publish a debut album at them as conditions and the relations at us with them at height!

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

At the international level success of an album just mad, literally the circulation of an album has been sold in 2 weeks of sales worldwide, offers from labels from around the world, concerts and Europe tour arrive. A set positive reviews from world the Internet of magazines. At us in Belarus and Russia the album became not such successful as, in Europe and around the world. Result and that as it have accepted I is very happy, and has been pleasantly surprised!!

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?

Alexander has the Divided project (Technical Death Metal), shortly he has an album. As for me, except Krumkač I am not involved anywhere as all forces and the ideas are aimed at his development. As for concert structure that, Oleg (Vocal) is the leader and the creator of the legendary Kamaedzitca group (Pagan Metal), Roman (Guitar) is a participant of the Vapor Himies group (EBM), Athame (Keyboard) is the only creator and the participant of the DSBM of the project Zdan, Rostislav (Percussions) also plays in the group Synaxaria (Gotic/Doom), Agnet (Bass guitar) is a concert guitarist black threw the Zaklon project.

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

Now in the closest plans of group it is an exit of a new single and concert activity. We will play the period of 2018-2019 about 10 concerts, both at us in the homeland and in Europe. Then I sit down at record of a new album for which material is almost ready. It will be the same sincere, aggressive, atmospheric threw with national color. And in general, time will tell as well as where will bring us!

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?

Certainly I have exerted huge impact on me Norwegian black metal a scene. Such groups as Darkthrone, Immortal, Burzum, Satyricon, Carpatian Forest. These are those groups which have exerted huge impact on my musical views, and still I listen to them and I derive inspiration from black metal!

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

Appreciate and honor the history, remember the roots!! Thanks to all for attention!

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Sjukdom Interview

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

Sjukdom: So "Stridshymner og Dødssalmer" was recorded between 2015 and 2016, but work with the album didn't really stop until late 2017. In the meantime though we have actually been busy writing material for whatever comes next. We are currently working on about a dozen new tracks.

2.You have a new album coming out later this month, what are some of the things you feel you have done different musically with this recording that you where not able to do on your previous releases?

Sjukdom: The debut album "Når alt Mørkner" was kinda rushed in both writing and recording, we were young and eager to release something.
This time however we have taken our time with the process of writing and recording and we think the end result speaks for itself.
Expect a much more furious and agressive sound, but without letting entirely go of the more melodic approach we had on our first album.

3.This is your first release in 5 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

Sjukdom: Honestly we've just been writing tracks, rehearsing like hell and honing our passion for the music that we do. Some members has come and gone since the last album, but that is just how it is playing in a band.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer album?
Sjukdom: Lyrically this album isn't too dissimilar to the debut. Core lyrical topics still revolve around the topic of death, grand scale misantrophic warfare and anti religious themes.
The title of the album "Stridshymner og dødssalmer" (War hymns and death psalms) describe it pretty well.

5.In one interview you also talked about an interest in Norse Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
Sjukdom: Oh boy, that must have been an old interview! It was a topic that we were perhaps exploring for a short while, but ultimately nothing specific ever came out of it.
It is of course an interesting subject and every now and then some concept relating to mythology or folklore might show up in our lyrics, especially the more esoteric and occult songs that deal with the concepts of death in the more abstract, like a form of transcendence.

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

Sjukdom: Sjukdom is the Northern Norwegian spelling of the word "Sykdom".
The English translation would be either 'Sickness' or 'Disease'.
There wasn't really any inspiration behind it, it was just a name we happened to land on in the early days.
It's a pretty catchy name though and we feel that our music really reflect the name in some way and vice versa.

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?

Sjukdom: What remains of a frozen battlefield. Completely void of compassion.
There is only destruction and death and cold embrace of an early grave.

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

Sjukdom: Tricky question, we've done quite a few really good shows.
We don't play live all that often so every show we do kind of stands out for us.
The best one would probably be the last one we did back in March 2017, We played for almost an hour and 20 minutes and people were really enjoying themselves!

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

Sjukdom: We wish to do something, but nothing is confirmed as of right now.

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

Sjukdom: Funny you should ask, there was this one Web-zine that criticized the album for having a "clean licked and polished sound" and the band members for being "Atheists in corpse paint". I guess we weren't satanic enough for their liking!
Other than that though the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive!

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Sjukdom: We've found our style and we're sticking to it, more or less at least.
The material we are currently working on is perhaps a little less straight forward and a little more eerie and haunting sounding.
It will still be the Sjukdom you all know and love, so no worries.
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Sjukdom: Anything from the classics of the 90's to the more modern era of black metal, really. We try to keep our perspective broad and we're not afraid to experiment a little with our formula.
But to mention a couple of common favorite bands that we all share in the band, Marduk, Djevel, Mgła, Burzum.

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

Sjukdom: Sanity is for the weak.

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