Saqra's Cult/The 9th King/Amor Fati Productions/2019 EP Review

   Sagra's  Cult  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  plays  an  Inca  inspired  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  eo  "The  9th  King"  which  will  be  released  in  2019  by  Amor  Fati  Productions.

  Ritualistic  chanting  starts  off  the  ep  before  evolving  into  grim  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  along  with  the  riffs  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  screams  also  getting  very  high  pitched  at  times  and  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  heavy,  aggressive  and  raw  musical  direction  and  clean  vocals  are  added  on  the  closing  song.

  Sagra's  Cult  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  fast,  raw  and  aggressive  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Inca  Culture  and  Historical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sagra's  Cult  are  a  very  great  sounding  Inca  inspired  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  ou  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "The  9th  King"  and  "Last  Denial".  8  out  of  10.

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Mutiilation/The Lost Tapes/Osmose Productions/2018 Compilation Album Review

  Mutiilation  are  a  solo  project  from  France  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  compilation  album  "The  Lost  Tapes"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Osmose  Productions  and  consists  of  unreleased  recordings  from  2009  to  2010.

 Grim  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  compilation  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  programmed  blast  beats  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic in  length  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  a  lot  of  90's  influences  but  modern  enough  fro  2009  as  well  as  the  guitar  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  at  times  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  semi  melodic  tone  and  on  some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  more  of  a  demonic  style.

  On  this  compilation  Mutiilation  re-recorded  some  of  his  older  tracks  and  also  remained  true  to  the  grim  and  raw  black  metal  style  he  is  known  for,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  vampirism,  satanism,  depression,  filth,  melancholy  and  sadness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  from  Mutiilation  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  French  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Transylvania"  and  "Through  The Funeral  Maelstrom  Of".  8  out  of  10.

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Helgardh/Mallevs Maleficarvm/2019 Full Length Review

   Helgardth  are  a  band  from  West  Virginia  that  plays  an  aggressive and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  with  some  touches  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  album  "Mallevs  Maleficarvm"  which  will  be  released  in  2019.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  solos  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  technical  style  as  well a s  the  vocals  being  mostly  deep  black  metal  screams.

  Elements  of  death  metal  are  also  added  into  the  music  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  clean  playing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Helgardth  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  aggressive  and  melodic  sounding  while  also  getting  very  technical  at  times  and  adding  in  death  metal  influences  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Witchcraft,  Occultism,  Death  and  Nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Helgardth  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  aggressive  black  metal  band  with  a  touch  of  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mallevs  Maleficarvm"  "In  The  Shadow  of  World's  Remains"  and  "The  Abberation  Scars".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/HelgardhOfficial/?ref=page_internal

Khors/Beyond The Bestial/Ashen Dominion/2018 EP Review

  Ukraine's  Khors  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  atmospheric  style  of  pagan  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  ep  "Beyond  the  Bestial"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Ashen  Dominion.

  A  very  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  being  added into  the  background  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  clean  playing  and  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  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  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  one  track  is  an  instrumental  and  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Khors  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  atmospheric  style  of  pagan  black  meta  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism,  Mysticism,  Ukrainian  History  and  Nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Khors  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Through  the  Realm  Of  Unborn  Stars"  and  "In  The  Cold  Embrace  Of  Mist".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Khorsband/

Yaldabaoth/A Queda De Sophia/Balrogh Records/2018 Demo Review

  Yaldabaoth  are  a  duo  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  Gnostic  themed  form  of  occult  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  demo  "A  Queda  De  Sophia"  which  was  released  by  Balrogh  Records.

  Nature  sounds  along  with  some  synths  start  off  the  demo  while  also  adding  in  some  spoken  word  parts  briefly  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moment  at  times,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  and  as  the  demo  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  and  they  also  bring  in  an  instrumental.

  Yaldabaoth  plays  a  style  of  occult  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  atmospheric,  epic  and  old  school sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Nag  Hammadi  scriptures  with  some  Gnostic,  Hellenistic,  Early  Christianity,  Hebrew,  Persian  Manichean,  Greek,  Roman  and  Egyptian  philosophical  views  but  with  a  more  Luciferian  and  Left  Hand  Path  approach  to  the  subject.

  In  my  opinion  Yaldabaoth  are  a  very  great  sounding  Gnostic  themes  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "O  Pleroma"  and  "O  Abismo".  8/5  out  of  10.

https://yaldabaoth666.bandcamp.com/album/a-queda-de-sophia

Unendlich 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 ep?

Hail Occult Black Metal Zine! Certainly! I’ve been handling a lot of the background business activities that go into an album release. The EP ("Misanthropic Sedition”) and LP (“Thanatophobia”) were recorded during the same session so there will be more from Unendlich early next year. Me and my drummer Anthony have also been discussing potential set lists to play live with the hopes of pulling a couple tracks from the previous two albums as well as our latest material.

2.Recently you have released a new ep, what are some of the things the band had done different musically on this recording that you were not able to do on your previous releases?

One of the biggest changes was the inclusion of another member as well as live tracking the drums for the album. Drummer Anthony Rouse played on the EP and upcoming LP and did an excellent job. It also helped having another musician to bounce ideas off of for input as he is also a songwriter and guitarist.  I had most of the core material completely demoed by the end of 2017, but I feel the additional time we worked together recording allowed the songs to grow. I feel the material is a bit more dynamic and riff centric perhaps having a bit more sway and groove to it which is why getting the drums right was important to me.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores on the newer release?

The EP has two new tracks and two re-recorded from the previous albums so it is a bit split, thematically. Regardless of external themes or potential concepts I work with, I tend to form lyrics based on my life and internal thoughts. The track "Misanthropic Sedition” covers the concept that humanity’s consciousnesses a mistake of evolution and in conflict with Nature’s order and that, based on this conclusion, one would incite destruction of humanity.  “Already Dead” and “Transparent Man” share a theme of an individual reaching their end. Where “Already Dead” reaches it via acceptance of the lack of hope, “Transparent Man” chooses to blame the world and  exact revenge. Finally, “Catalyst of Creation” is a song about rebellion and destruction as a means of progress. That in order for things to evolve, they need to reach chaotic state). It removes the moral code of good or bad and looks at the whole.

For the LP, “Thanatophobia,” the lyrics primarily deal with the reliance on religion as a mechanism to satisfy the human ego’s desire to attribute meaning to one’s existence and pacify the feelings of discomfort in the unknown – in life and in death.

4.I know that the band’s name means 'infinite/without end' in German, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

It serves as a constant reminder of the permanence of death.. In general, I wanted a name that wouldn’t necessary lock my music into one style or genre forever. I felt the name is elusive enough to achieve that.

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



The EP cover is a companion piece for the LP album cover. Both pieces were completed around the same time by Misanthropic-Art. The art portrays the concept of the fear of death and how people feel helpless when confronted with it or the thought of it – literally and figuratively drowning at sea in a futile struggle against the greater force of death.  The EP image is a close up of a subject from the LP who has already fallen below the water. One drowning victim uses another for leverage and brings him down as a result.  My feeling is that death is an inevitable part of life and a lot of people tend to avoid discussing the topic, especially outside of metal or darker music genres. ”Thanatophobia” is an extreme fear of and obsession with death. Though the theme of the album is morbid, the title track concludes that although death is the stronger force, life is finite so don’t waste it.  In short, Memento mori “remember that you will die,” and let this guide living life to the fullest potential

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?

Yes, especially to play live. Though I find democracy within a band rarely works. Having a single or a couple creative members and other functional members who are great at their instrument seems to be what works best from my experience. Realistically, it’s rare that everyone contributes the same amount in any group dynamic ,so to find people that can be humble and keep egos in check is important. Though I’ve written everything up to this point, Anthony has already demoed several potential songs so am open to additional creative input. I look forward to working with the material to see what we form for the next output.

7.On the ep you also done some 'The Cure' and 'Dissection' covers, what was the decision behind doing your own version of their songs?

I normally try to approach a cover with something I can add to the song or make it my own. For “The Figurehead” it is a song off of The Cure’s album “Pornography” that is extremely dark and depressive and invokes a deep feeling of despair in me. The song always stuck out to me and I thought the drumming was fairly creative. Most people know The Cure more for their pop hits, but the album “Pornography” could easily be black metal if executed slightly differently. Thematically it is up there with some of the best DSBM. Also, I recently discovered Taake did a cover of “Cold” from the “Pornography” album and local hardcore DC band, Damnation A.D., did the whole “Pornography” album so think I am not alone in feeling the weight of this album.

As for the Dissection cover, I love the band but my drummer really was the catalyst for that.
He wanted to cover “Where Dead Angels Lie” as it is one of his favorite Dissection songs but the previous band he was in wasn’t interested. Since I was planning to do The Cure cover for the EP, I felt it would be a great song to cover to pay homage to Dissection.

8.Currently the band is unsigned but has been signed to a label in the past, are you open to working with another label again in the future?

Of course, in fact we are working with Horror Pain Gore Death Productions again for the LP release. They are a great label and have no complaints from past interactions. Mike Juliano is active in the Philadelphia, PA metal scene and even swings down to Baltimore when Maryland Deathfest occurs.

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

Reactions have been good, though I have just started the album cycle. Since we do not tour, I can only gauge based on online plays but in general, Europe and South America seem the most responsive worldwide. Though most of my physical sales have been in the USA which I am grateful for.

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

The LP will be out early 2019. In general, the writing is a bit more dynamic on the LP while including more variance and shifts within each song. People have mentioned a bit more of a gothic influence as well.

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 would say the following metal bands have had the most influence on me: Danzig/Samhain, Paradise Lost, early-Megadeth, Slayer, Deicide, Samael, Satyricon, Burzum, and Inquisition

As for new albums (2018) / bands I enjoy:
Kriegsmaschine "Apocalypticists". I have always loved Mgla. Their drummer adds so many tasty accents and fills. Their music puts me in a trance. Slavic blood runs dark and makes me proud Poland is bringing it these days.

UADA “Cult of a Dying Sun”. As I already mentioned I’m a big fan of Mgla’s "With Hearts Toward None" and this album captures that feeling and more. Despair and hate-- best feelings for good black metal.

Funeral Mist “Hekatomb”.  The album is very dynamic. I enjoy the rawness in the recording. The drums aren't mixed like a machine. The guitar string noise is just natural. Some beautiful anti-religious lyrics, and the pacing is not always a frontal assault. The mix on the album is what got me to reach out to Magnus (aka Devo) from Marduk to mix/master my material.

Deceased “Ghostly White”. They are local to my area and have been going at it for I think over 30 years. Been a fan since the Wes Benscoter album cover drew me to pick up "Blueprints for Madness" way back. Their more Gothic  tracks like "The Creek of the Dead" stuck with me. Check out “Pale Surroundings” off their latest album and let the vampire bride sing her seductive song of death. If you like that, give their 13 minute masterpiece "Germ of Distorted Lore" a go.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

I enjoy hiking and getting away from population density. I also enjoy reading.

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

Just want to say thanks for the interview and the thoughtful questions. Keep an eye out early 2019 for the LP release. Thanks!

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Ayyur/The Lunatic Creature/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/Vendetta Records/2018 EP Review

  Ayyur  are  a  band  from  Tunisia  that  plays  a  soul  tearing  form  of  atmospheric  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  ep  "The  Lunatic  Creature"  which  will  be  released  on  November  30th  as  a  joint  effort  between  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories  and  Vendetta  Records.

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  the  riffs  also  utilizing  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  atmospheric  style  along  with  the  musicians  also  demonstrating  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  as  well  as  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  modern  influences  and  the  music  sticks  to  mostly  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  atmospheric  soundscapes  are  also added  onto  some  of  the  later  tracks.

   Ayyur  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  modern  and  atmospheric  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Berber  mysticism ,  esotericism  and  mythology.

  In  my  opinion  Ayyur  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lugubrious  Fields"  and  "The  Lunatic  Creature".  8  out of  10.

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/the-lunatic-creature?utm_source=ALL&utm_campaign=9e7b342aeb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_11_27_05_27&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f06fe9e375-9e7b342aeb-512529753




  

Carpatus 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?

After the release of Malus Ascendant in January 2017, we have worked more and more as a band. We released promotional material, such as the lyric video for "Rites of Fire and Blood", another lyric video for "Aeon Damnation", and in early 2018 we released a video clip for "Flames to Eternity".
We performed alive a couple of times over the last year, our latest show was in October 2018 for a Metal Festival in the south of Brazil.
We are currently working on material for a new album, planned to be released in early 2019.


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?

It's the album that best describes what Carpatus has always been. It is an album that rescues the golden age of Black Metal, from the Norwegian and Swedish classics of early 90s, with many influences from the Brazilian bands from the 80s. The main difference between Malus Ascendant and the previous albums is the production - it differs in many aspects, we worked to bring an aura of nostalgia and rawness, making use of elements such as acoustic guitars and coral voices in a way to  reinforce the somber concept of this work.

3.The band was broken up for a few years, what was the cause of the split and also the decision to reform?

We had to take a break due to a sequence of situations, mainly the death of our guitarist in 2010 in a car accident. Music is a reflection of our spirit, and that was definitely not the moment to go on, I had to reflect for a long time. After some time, in early 2015, we found that our energy hidden for so long should be brought back to the surface. Some of the songs you hear on Malus Ascendant had already been written that time. It was not fair to keep them without a decent launch. Thus, we made the decision to return to the battlefield.


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

In our lyrics you will basically see a combination of concepts of philosophy with supernatural experiences, with some occultism. All of this as a form of worship of darkness and the night. The atmosphere of the dark night fascinates me, and we use the beauty of the darkness to combine analogies with philosophical concepts about self-knowledge, mentalization, and individual empowerment.

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

It is a reference to the mountain ranges in Transylvania. It is obviously inspired by the legendary "Bram Stoker's Dracula" book. The beautiful and lugubrious landscapes at Montes Carpatus are definitely the perfect setting for the atmosphere we aim to bring with our art.

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you planning on expanding the line up again in the future or do you chose to remain a duo?

In fact, I am the only effective Carpatus' member. Morbus Deimos recorded the drums for Malus Ascendant as a guest musician.
Today we have line up for concerts, with myself on lead guitar and vocals, and 3 other guest musicians.
For the next record, the plan is to continue with the same line up -  a professional drummer to record the album, and I will perform the other instruments and voices, as it was in the previous Carpatus' records.

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

We played as opening act for Dissection concert in São Paulo in September 2005. We did other major shows, but this was possibly the most significant one so far.
We have been improving the quality of our presentations, becoming more and more professional.
In addition, we have plans to release some live material in the near future.

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

We have received good reviews from all over the world, zines and mags everywhere have praised our work. Of course we are very glad to receive such a good feedback on our hard work.
I have heard many people making references to the classic albums of Darkthrone and Satyricon, which are two of my greatest influences. Many compliments in general.

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

Releasing more albums is definitely in our plans, we'll continue on our mission.
We will continue delivering our message around the world.
The new album will certainly bring something new, an innovative and creative format,
always keeping our essence, pure and original Black Metal, raw and cold as it must to be.
We also have plans to play live overseas, maybe in Latin America, or even in Europe.

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

My main influences are the Scandinavian bands of the 90s, some metal bands from the 80s, including Brazil,
I have always heard a lot of classical music, old and new bands of Black Metal, and today I have also heard some new bands from Poland and Ukraine are very good, I always used to listen to some variants of classic rock too, something that influences me as a guitarist, and as a musician, which includes Motorhead, Sarcófago, Bathory, Darkthrone, Satyricon,
Dissection, among many others.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I like to travel, something I specially like is to be in contact with the nature.
I also like classic cars and motorcycles.
I worship art in general, I used to draw and paint, although it is not something I could invest time in recently.  I like sports too, mainly martial arts and running.

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

Thank you so much, I appreciate the opportunity to appear on the pages of Occult Black Metal. Thanks for the readers' support, of all those who honor and makes the underground stronger. Blood and Honor! hail Occult Black Metal!

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Cntmpt Interview

1.)For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
We are Cntmpt from Leipzig in Germany. We are three guys making music together. Drums (M.), Bass (B.) and Guitar and Vocals (me, S.). We play together for around 10 years now, but we all play also in different bands like Black Salvation, II, Evil Warriors and Vidargängr, to name just a few. We are actually just a circle of friends trying to create a big web of music and art in general. Cntmpt is one part of this creation we call „Into Endless Chaos“.


2.)In December you have a new album coming out, musically how does it differ from the            material that you have released in the past?
One thing is that its the first time we use vocals on the recordings. Its a bit more complex, but also more homogenic in compare to the last album. In general it feels like a step forward.


3. This is your first album in 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time span?
As i said, we all play also in other bands. So there is quite a lot going on most of the time. With the other bands we are also more active in the live section. Then there are other recordings, work and beer time. The material we recorded for „Towards Neglect“ does exist for a while as well and over the time it grew a bit and kind of a concept behind the album evolved.


4. the first album was all instrumental while the new album has some vocals, can you tell us a little bit more about going into this direction?
Well, it just came how it came. Actually we thought we will stay instrumental, but for some reason i tried to do some vocals while a rehearsal. Then we started to use it live. But actually most of the vocals on the album came spontaneously while a drunken recording-session. There are no lyrics in it, so its more like a additional instrument.

5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Cntmpt'?
Verbalized its „contempt“ which stands kind of for our view on this selfcdestructing world and our selfcdestructing selfs. It stands for our contempt towards neglect...


6. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
It was drawn by our good friend A. Kavtea, who is in general a really good artist on the canvas and in his band Evil Warriors. Hes also part of our collective and made already a few cover artworks for several bands.
We worked really close together on this picture and in the end we all are quite satisfied about it.
The picture as itself goes hand in hand with the name of the songs, the story behind it and of course with the music. It stands for melting borders between our dimension, or world and the dimensions that lie below or above or behind ours. The horned dancers came out of a portal of fire and wind to guide a lonesome wanderer on his forthcoming road of light and darkness, pleasure and pain, of wine and water. They guide him into the mighty Wyrd.


7. What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We did not play live really often. Maybe two or three times a year, or even less. Every show was unique. Some were really good, pushing us and the audience into a state of trance, letting the waters flow. But there have also been shows, where the atmosphere just did not want to pulse in the same frequencies as we did.
Our stage performance is actually quite simple. Again three guys making music. We are just the tools for the music and if this works properly nobody cares who is on stage or in front of it.




8. Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
There is only one show planned so far. Its at the „A Sinister Purpose“ festival, which will take place in the wonderful „UT Connewitz“ in Leipzig in the beginning of february in 2019 with a lot of great bands. This festival is also organised by „Into Endless Chaos“. Mainly by a friend who is also singer in Vidargängr for example and who's doing the label stuff for „Into Endless Chaos“.
I guess we wont play live too often, but we will see how it comes.


9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
To be honest...i have no idea. Apparently the russians like that style of music. But we also did not play outside of germany, so we are just not so well known, i guess.


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?
Always a bit more or a bit less. Depending on whats the plan, if there are live shows or albums to record or so. You can check out the homepage of „Into Endless Chaos“ for example. There u can find most of our projects, with all the recordings and stuff. There came out some good records in the past years. Check out Evil Warriors`s „Fall From Reality“ or Goat Explosion`s „Rumors of Man“ or Abyssous`s „Mesa“ or Black Salvation`s „Uncertainty is Bliss“ or or or. Good shit.


11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We will see where our monsters will carry us. There are no certain plans. We already have some new material in the gun, but that's not for the public yet.


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?
Well it evolved and changed over the years of course, but there are bands like Austere, Drudkh, Mayhem, Angst Skvadron, Autechre, Reverend Bizarre and many more. In the end everything influences us, whats crossing our road in a heavier or softer way.
And it always changes, what kind of music we are listening to. Sometimes more Black Metal, sometimes more Doom, or electronical stuff. No borders.


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

Remember kids! Always take too much of your medicine!

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Fornace 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?
1 Yes, the principal news is about our session drummer (and also ex drummer since our first album "Pregnant is the night") Paolo Mingoni/Maniak: he decided to stop his collaboration with Fornace for dedicate himself to doubtful taste bands..anyway we find in Stefano a worthy successor.


2.Recently you have released a new album, what are some of the things you feel you have done different musically with this recording that you have not been able to do on previous releases?
2 If you mean our second album "My journey is ending but the torment will be eternal" I can tell you absolutely nothing: that album was created exactly like "Deep melancholic wrath" I mean riffs, songwriting, inspiration..the only differences are the sounds but this is also for different studio. Instead if you take in consideration our first album "Pregnant is the night" or demos many things changed: line up first of all, then we had different visions of how sounds should have been..moreover still some death metal influences was in the sprit of that album. Personally I would have made it different but I recognize killer songs were present in that album.

3.A lot of your older material had more death metal and Greek influences while the newer album is purely black metal, can you tell us a little bit more about the decision to go into this musical direction?
3 Yes, I know it's true, specially for the three demo but to be honest there is no decision taken, it's something natural, life changes, we change, there are different ways to be extreme and we are still more than ever, perhaps in another way. When I created Fornace the purpose was to make quality emotional extreme music and now after almost 20 years is the same so under this point of view nothing is change!

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer release?
4 Basically the topics are the same: despair, melancholy, fear, distress..this time I focus myself on the passage of time too (and again) and to grow old, topics that have always fascinated me. Is also included a poetry of a friend of mine (La notte dei morti) based on a real night we lived many years ago.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Fornace'?
5 When I started Fornace with first drummer and vocalist Gnoll our rehearshal room was Gnoll's garage; close to his garage there is an abandoned fornace: since the first time I saw it I decided the band's name! that fornace is the cover of our first demo tape (Highest towers)
Furthermore I have always been fascinated by fornace: outside they are majestic but inside are burning fire.


6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
6 The artwork it's my idea, the design is made by a talented friend of mine: Alessia Chirico, I explained my idea of what the deep melancholic wrath should be: an astract black hole also seen like the interior of a fornace from above.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
7 Live performances were a short parenthesis in our history (2009/2011) mostly for the frequent changes of line up, so when I have a stable line up I prefer writing new songs rather than preparing live! I'm of the idea that lives passes but albums remains!
Anyway I have good memories of our live but I cannot say if it is a closed parenthesis or not..

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
8 No we haven't, we are writing new songs with with our new drummer Stefano.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of black metal?
9 For sure Mike from Paragon Records could reply better than me; I can only tell about people or response I personally know and yes, feedback are better than ever.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
10 I'm sure from "My journey..." album we have find our "style" and for sure it will remain! maybe there will be slower or faster new songs but our purpose will be always to broadcast in the better ways negative feelings we live. Melancholy, sadness, anger, darkness will not disappear from our music.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
11 I go crazy for bands like Mgla, peste noire, denial of god, horna, baptism, sargeist, amezarak , nyktalgia, old katatonia, forgotten woods, joyless, darkthrone, satanic warmaster,, sacrilegium, old rotting christ, varathron and tons of other bands..anyway I discover black metal after years passed to listen with passion heavy, thrash, death metal: passion is a very important keyword; I listen these kinds of music before the advent of internet and I consider internet, youtube and specially social network the ruin of that "magic" present before.
I'm sure everything we listen and we like influences our idea of music.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
12 I want to thank you for this interview and invite all the unholy metaller to take a listen to Fornace, out fourth album is under construction...

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Nyctophilia/Ad Mortem Et Tenebrae/Wolfspell Records/2018 CD Review

  Nyctophilia  are  a  solo  project  from  Poland  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  satanic  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "At  Mortem  Et  Tenebrae"  which  will  be  released in  December  by  Wolfspell  Records.

Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  rain  and  thunder  sounds  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

All of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  depressive  moments  as  well  as  some  whispers  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  ambient  sounding  synths  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  guitar  leads  also  start  getting  more  melodic.

  Nyctophilia  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  atmospheric  and  depressive  style  of  satanic  black  metal  from  his  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature,  darkness  and  Satanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nyctophilia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  depressive  and  satanic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "With  Hate  Freezing  My  Veins"  and  "Through  Fullmoon  Forest".  8  out  of  10. 

http://wolfspellrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ad-mortem-et-tenebrae 

Nachteule/Bergdorf/Wolfspell Records/2018 CD Review

  Nachteule  are  a  solo  project  from  Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Bergdorf"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Wolfspell  Records.

  Classical  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction  while  the  tremolo  picking  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  some  elements  of  shoegaze  also  being  used  at  times  as  well as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while t he  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  classical  guitars also  make  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  nature  sounds  and  flutes  can  also  be  heard.

  Nachteule  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric  and  epic  sounding  while  having  its  raw  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nachteule  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  grand  pas"  and  "Bergdorf".  8  out  of  10.

http://wolfspellrecords.bandcamp.com/album/bergdorf

Morknatt/Victorious Satan/Negar Nit Distro/Abyssmal Sounds Records/2018 CD Review

   Morknatt  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  very  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  'Victorious  Satan"  which  will  be  released  on  November  30th  as  a  joint  effort  between  Nigra  Net  Distro  and  Abyssmal  Sounds  Records.

  Drum  beats  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  heavy  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  using  a  decent  amount  of  melody  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.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in a  very  melodic  and  raw  style  along  with  some  growls  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  modern  and  old  school  influences,  one  of  the  songs  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  close  the  album  with  3  bonus  tracks  which  where  originally  presented  on  their  2016  ep  and  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  and  raw  sound.

  Morknatt  plays  a  style  of  satanic  black  metal  that  is  very  fast,  raw,  melodic  and  traditional  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Misanthropy  and  Anti  Religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Morknatt  are  a  very  great  sounding  satanic  black  metal band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Jesus  Funeral"  'Void"  "Victrious  Satan"  and  Ave  Leviathan".  8  out  of  10. 


https://www.facebook.com/morknatt.official/videos/730724097308257/

Lamazuus/Reino de Desolacao/2017 CD Review

  Lamazuus  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  very  epic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Reino  de  Desolacao"  which  consists  of  all  of  their  2016  singles.

  Flutes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  keyboards  are  also  used  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  at  times  the  music  also  has  its  symphonic  moments  and  as  the  album  progresses  an  ambient  style  instrumental  is  added  onto  the  recording.

  Lamazuus  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  epic  sounding  while  also  having  its  symphonic  and  ambient  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Portuguese  and  cover  Magick,  Philosophy,  Fantasy,  Tolkien  and  RPG  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lamazuus  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lagrimas  Congelantes  Cortantes  ne  Guerra  Noturna"  and  "O  UltimoOficio".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHiPwbx883I&fbclid=IwAR0NanUACjhs5ybn5OjyOL8wgELkH-nXhbLknxeH1Q3sgg75QQxm-L9Ju4s

    

Peste Umbrarum/Night Shines Eternal/2018 Demo Review

  Peste  Umbrarum  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  an  occult  and  vampyric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  demo  "Night  Shines  Eternal".

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  guitar  leads  being  done  in  a  very  raw  and  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  when  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  atmosphere as  well  as  some  synths  also  being  used  briefly,  at  times  the  vocals  also  have  a  very  depressive  edge  to  them and  as  the  demo  progresses  a  brief  use  of  demonic  voices  can  also  be  heard  and  elements  of  classical  music  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  track.

  Peste  Umbrarum  plays  a  style  of  vampyric  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  traditional  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  gothic/horror  literature,  vampyrism,  death,  macabre  and  hatred  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Peste  Umbrarum  are  a  very  great  sounding  vampyric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out t his  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Night  Shines  Eternal"  and  "Dead  To  World".  8/5  out  of  10.

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Mo'ynoq/Dreaming In A Dead Language/2019 Full Length Review

  Mo'ynog  are  a  band  from  Raleigh,  North  Carolina  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  progressive  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  album  "Dreaming  in  A  Dead  Language"  which  will  be  released  in  2019.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  music  also  getting  very  atmospheric  and  progressive  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  piano  instrumental  is  added  onto  the  recording  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  on  the  remaining  tracks  and  a  later  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  and  at  times  the  vocals  also  get  very  deep.

  Mo'Ynog  plays  a  style  of  post  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  progressive  while  also  being  very  raw  at  the  same  time,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mo'ynog  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  progressive  post  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Empyreal  Decay"  "Carve  My  Name"  and  "Buried  By  Regret".  8  out  of  10.

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Dewfall 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?
Many adventures and changes. Soon after the recording of 'Hermeticus', early 2017, we had to salute our drummer Antonio Grassi after 4 years of cooperations, and we permanently welcomed Antonio Lacoppola (aka Eversor), who already played with us on the occasions of several gigs. Between spring/summer 2018 also our guitarist Niko Lucarelli parted ways with the project after 7 years with us, due to his new life's plans. Meanwhile these couple of structural changes, we moved forward with our aims and arranged the mastering of the album, joined the coven of Naturmacht Productions, designing together all the subsequent production and promotional steps. More recently, we recruited a new guitarist in our clan, Nicolò Fanelli (already member of Zolfo), rehearsing the full setlist with him from the beginning. On October 4th, at the 'Hermeticus' Release Show in Bari, our hometown, we were ready to blast with the new line-up and spread the first copies of the album.

2.Recently you have released a new album, what are some of the things you fell you have done different musically with this recording that you where not able to do with your previous releases?
We perceive 'Hermeticus' as our mature work. Musically it is composed of a powerful and evoking black metal sound coming from oldschool european roots. Compared with Dewfall's previous releases the songs show higher speeds as well as heavier downbeats, darker atmospheres, stronger plots, wider influences gathering music, history, literature and folkloristic traditions which, melt together, strongly shaped the new songwriting.

3.This is your first release since 2013, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
VITTORIO: "Our previous EP 'Painful Death Lake' was promoted through an intense live activity for about 2 years. On the other hand, each phase of the production of 'Hermeticus' has been very meticulous; because of this, the 'pregnancy' of this album has taken around 2 years and half since the first pre-recording were taken. Mix it with the line up changes mentioned before by Flavio and you got the 5 years span. As they say, 'Good things take time'… and this was not an exception: we are very satisfied about the final product."

4.Originally the band started out playing a more traditional metal style, what was the decision behind going into more of a heavier black metal direction?
You know man, there's not a real decision behind this style evolution. Just a stream of consciousness in letting the new creations moving towards a natural direction. It belongs to our own inner artistic impulse. Our music is a wide weird canvas, painted by many brushes melting dark colors and unexpected lightnings.

5.The new recording is a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story you have brought out with your lyrics?
Sure. 'Hermeticus' concept merges history, nature and literature in a symbolic portrait tributing the esoteric myth of the Emperor Frederick II, the medieval Suevian sovereign better known as “Stupor Mundi”, who ruled for a long time in Italy and mysteriously marked Apulian culture. The work is a personal metaphor bearing the ancient hermetic heritage of our homeland, connected with traditional atavistic heathendom. The story is narrated through eight songs composing two main historical and spiritual chapters ('Vivet Draco Magnus' and 'Vitae Mortisque Mysterium') and it is also performed with several Latin and medieval original Italian Poetry inserts.

6. Your lyrics go very deep into Esoteric, Hermeticism, Qabalah and Heathendoom, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the occult arts?
Well, in a such a way we consider ourselves special warlocks. Our ritual is performed in and with music, our secret formulas are our lyrics and symbolism. Our spellbounds are emotions we try to evoke in our listeners, both in private and live sets. Personally, I am a deep wandering researcher, since my academic times I've been involved in these fields. But all Dewfall's clansmen carries a serious commitment in preserving and transmitting our old cultural traditions.

7.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Dewfall'?
I'm always a bit secretive about this topic. But I can say the name 'Dewfall' is linked with human macro-microcosmos, with the Axis Mundi, also represented in our logo and stage scenic design elements. It is the continous dichotomous dialogue between life and afterlife, sun and moon, pure and impure, perennial spirit and evolving body. Quod Superius, Sicut Inferius.

8.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
The artwork has been painted by the Serbian illustrator “Khaos Diktator” (Horna, Nordjevel, Saor...) based on our concept. We have been really thrilled for cooperating with this artist as we have been strongly impressed by his talent in painting with a majestic dark style, perfectly fitting with our theme and character. The front cover shows the Emperor Frederick II mummified on his throne, holding the symbols of power and desecrating those of false systems (the Church in this case). He's surrounded by a metaphysical octagonal element possessed by the ouroboros and everything is under his Hawk's surveillance. The wooded octagon stylises the numerologic redundance materialised in the back cover with “Castel del Monte”, the august octagonal monument symbol of Italy, cryptic heritage of the "Stupor Mundi", whose mysteries are part of 'Hermeticus' tales.

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?
VITTORIO: " Well, it’s not easy to say, but for sure there is one concert that remains fixed in my mind: it was in May 2014, we were touring with Taake and the last stop of the tour was in our hometown in Bari. As the live-machine was perfectly operating at the end of the tour, we played a really remarkable show, and it was the first time we heard a spontaneous, powerful roar by the crowd saying “Dewfall, Dewfall” at the end of the concert. You know, the first time can’t be forgotten!"

10.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
VITTORIO: "On 22nd December the last of the 7 shows of the 'Hermetic Courts 2018' will take place in Napoli. We are currently working on an European Tour for the next spring, and on some other single appointments: we would like, for sure, to reach as much audience and places as we can."

11.On the new album you also had a few guests, can you tell us who they are and also there contribution to the recording?
Historical sources describes the 'Hermetic Court' of the Stupor Mundi as an eclectic, multicutlural and multidisciplinary one. The imperial entourage was composed by many characters, artists, intellectuals and scientists. Thinking of a certain parallelism, we tried to reproduce that scenery involving many artists coming from different geographical areas, which could infuse a diverse and precious contribution to our opus. This way we committed the illustration for the new logo to Moravian artist Vojtěch Doubek - Moonroot art (illustrator for Nokturnal Mortum and more).Herbrand Larsen (ex-Enslaved) Conclave & Earshot Studios (Bergen, Norway), produced by Herbrand Larsen. Moreover, we decided to involve several international artists within the project for releasing new band logo, artworks, live set design and featuring

12.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
VITTORIO: "The reaction was absolutely good. In particular, we noticed with satisfaction that almost all the listeners of “Hermeticus” (I mean, not only “pure” blacksters) recognized a great value in it: we are very happy about this!"

13.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?
VITTORIO: "With Tales of Deliria (in which both me and Saverio play) we are taking a sabbatical, while Zolfo (where Saverio and Nicolò play) are spreading Doom Tunes at full force. They are actually recording their first album, and I’m sure we will hear soon some positive news from these guys."

14.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
FLAVIO: "I'm going to make an official revelation to you and your readers: 'Hermeticus' has already an heir. We have started working at the new songs which will compose our new full-length. It will be even darker and more extreme in intents and sound, minimalist and progressive songwriting at the same time. The rest is suspense. Looking forward to entering the studios again."

15.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?
FLAVIO: "We try to express our music based on our own style. Of course European heritage, being black metal or epic metal, true metal, old school death and doom metal, plays a huge role in our 'education'. But we are sons of many various artistic bloodlines, from the Italian progressive rock to the classical and ancient Italic music. Last but not least, some forms of punk and blues. What are we listening to nowadays? Tons of underground bands. Underground hides so many talents, so much quality works and genuine attitude which deserve the deepest attention. And independent labels like Naturmacht Productions know this and it is strongly praiseworthy how they dedicate time and resources to the underground dimension, that's why we are very happy for working with Robert Brockmann."

16.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
FLAVIO: Thank you mate for guesting Dewfall in your webzine. And you guys, do not stop to support real music, attending live events when you can, and getting digital and physical albums from the bands you like by official and legal channels.
VITTORIO: "It was a pleasure to talk with you; hope to meet on the road each one of you, readers!"

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