Griffon/Darkenhold/Atra Musica/Les Acteurs de I'Ombre Productions/2019 Split CD Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  France's  Griffon  and  Darkenhold  called  "Atra  Musica"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Les  Acteurs  de  I'Ombre  Productions  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Griffon  a  band  that  plays  a  medieval  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  melodic  guitar  leads  and  classical  guitars  while  a  couple  of  their  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Once  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  while  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  when  the  music  speeds  up.  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  at  times  the  music  also  adds  in  elements  of  medieval  folk  and  classical  music  along  with  some  keyboards  also  being  utilized  at  times.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  legends,  history,  paganism  and  religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Griffon  are  a  very  great  sounding  medieval  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Si  Rome  vient  aperir".

  Next  up  is  Darkenhold  a  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  moves  way  from the  medieval  black  metal  style  and  goes  into  more  of  a  medieval  folk  direction.  .

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  atmospheric  soundscapes  before  adding  in  some  elements  of  folk  music  onto  their  side  of  the  recording.  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs  while  they  also  utilize  a  decent  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  folk  instruments.

  Grim  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  their  recording  while  all  of  the  music  is  acoustic.  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  acoustic  style  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  throughout  their  side  of  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  melodic  pagan  chants  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  castles,  medieval  and  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Darkenhold  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal  influenced  medieval  folk  music,  you should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Les  Goules  et  la  Tour".

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

Darkenhöld Facebook  / Darkenhöld Bandcamp

Griffon Facebook / Griffon bandcamp / Griffon Youtube

     

Time Lurker/Cepheide/Les Acteurs de I'Ombre Productions/2019 Split CD Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  France's  Time  Lurker  and  Cepheide  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Les  Acteurs  de  I'Ombre  Productions  and  we  will  start  off  the review  with  Time  Lurker  a  solo  project  who  returns  with  his  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal.

  His  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  dark  soundscapes  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths  and  all  of  his  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark,  atmospheric  and  melodic  style  along  with  the  first  track  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  deep  growls  are  also  added  onto  the  second  track.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  human  nature  along  with  some  inspirations  from  the  writings  of  Jules  Verne  and  H.P  Lovecraft.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Time  Lurker  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "No  One  Is  Real".

  Next  up  is  Cepheide   a  duo  that  returns  with  their  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  slow  and  dark  sound  while  their  only  track  is  almost  20  minutes  in  length.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  track  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams.

  A  lot  of  the  vocals  are  also  mixed  down  low  in  the  mix  which  also  gives  the  guitar  sound  more  powerful.  Throughout  their  side  of  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  the  guitar  leads  also  adding  in  more  of  a  melodic  post  rock  style,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics a re  written  in  French  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cepheide  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  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  atmospheric  black  metal.  8  out  of  10.

TIME LURKER Facebook // TIME LURKER Bandcamp

CEPHEIDE Facebook // CEPHEIDE Bandcamp

       

    

Dauþuz/Monvmentvm/Naturmacht Productions/2019 Full Length Review

  Germany's  duo  Dauþuz  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  epic  and  melodic  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Monvmentvm"  which  will  be  released  in  April by  Naturmacht  Productions.

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  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.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.Throughout  the  recording  you can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  clean  vocals  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music.

  The  riffs  also  utilize  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  growls  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  acoustic  songs  that  also  add  a  touch  of  folk  music  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  a  couple  of  instrumentals  and  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  but  also  keeping  it  modern.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  historical  mining  in  Germany  and  Europe.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Dauþuz  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  epic  and  melodic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Schwarzes  Wasser"  "Knochengrube"  and  "Monvmentvm".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB0Llvc7G4w

 

  

Plague Weaver Interview

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

RM : Plague Weaver was brought to life in 2018 by myself and I brought  RZ a short time later. Plague Weaver's music is mostly old school black metal with certain new elements brought into it, as shown in the tracks.

2.So far you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?

RM : There were a lot of inspirations ... The very foundation of our music is old black metal , albums such as the first three Samael , first three Rotting Christ ,Hellhammer , Varathron and all those bands who shaped the genre in the late 80's and early 90's . i always loved the mix of extreme metal with dark and evil atmosphere .We are trying to keep this old spirit but infuse it with all experiences which has shaped us.


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

RZ: For "Condemned to Worship" the thought behind it is evil being triumphant at the end of times, as opposed to what the bible claims will happen. A "what if" scenario, you might say.
For "YHWH" it is a story of God's betrayal to his legion, abandoning them on this wretched earth because "he got bored" and decided to create a new earth, sufficed to say.


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

RM : The inspiration was a profound impact of plague on the medieval era, art and culture . Everything turned morbid , art and literature was focused on death .

There was no explanation to the cause of black death , so people ascribed supernatural forces  and  god's wrath .

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

RM : Artwork was done by local artist and photographer Paulina Murawska - she created the cover art based on our concept of Plague .

6.Has the band done any live shows or is this strictly a studio project?

RM : At the moment we dont play any live shows , but in future we plan to expand our line up and play live eventually.

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

RM : To be honest  we are focused on the promotion of our EP . Of course if we receive any good proposition we will surely consider it , but at the moment i think that its better for us to stay independent and try to push promotion as far as we can on our own.

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

RM : So far we are really surprised by feedback from people . Its very hard to start from scratch , especially nowadays when there is a lot of bands ,but there is definitely a solid response from people all over the world.

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

RM : I think we will continue direction started on our debut EP - those two tracks contain all elements we want to develop on future releases.


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?

RM : As i said my influence is old black metal ( especially greek - varathron , necromantia , rotting christ ) , old samael , celtic frost/helhammer ,also death/doom metal and ambient / soundtracks . I'm always looking for music  giving you cold , dark and evil feeling , something you cant describe but you can feel on primal state.


11.Does Occultism play any role in your music?
RM : its one of foundation of music .


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

RM : Thanks for this interview and interest in our music !! Spread the plague !!

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Grievance/Em Lucefecit/War Productions/2019 Full Length Review

  Portugal's  Grievance  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  raw  and  old  school  style  of  black  metal  style  of  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Em  Lucefecit"  which  was  released  by  War  Productions.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim,  hateful  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  style  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  distorted,  dark  and  melodic  style  without  ever  really  turning  into  guitar  solos  except  for  a  couple  of  tracks  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them and  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  and  raw  style.

  On  this  recording  Grievance  remains  true  to  the  raw  style  of  black  metal  they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Portuguese  and  cover  struggles,  philosophical  and  occult  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Grievance  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Corvos  que  Esvoacam"  "Deserto"  and  "A  Chegada  da  Peste  Negra".  8  out  of  10.

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Absinthropy/Salix Babylonica/Clobber Records/2019 Split CD Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  United  Kingdom's  Absinthropy  and  Ecuador's  Salix  Babylonica  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Clobber  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Absinthropy  a  duo  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal  and  depressive  rock.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  while  also  introducing  grim  screams  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

 Elements  of  depressive  rock  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  while  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  acoustic  guitars  and  melodic  vocals  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression  and  self  mutilation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Absinthropy  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal  and  depressive  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Crescent  Hooks  Above  Twilight  Gardens

  Next  up  is  Salix  Babylonica  a  duo  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  spoken  word  samples  before  adding  in  some  clean  playing  and  grim  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  depressive  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal  and  synths  along  with  some  nature  sounds  are  added  onto  the  second  track.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Salix  Babylonica  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  depressive  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out t his  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "She's  Back".

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

  https://www.facebook.com/SalixBabylonicaOfficial
 | https://www.facebook.com/Absinthropy

Nocturnal Witch/A Thousand Pyres/Undercover/Evil Spell Records/2019 CD Review

  Nocturnal  Witch  are  a  duo  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  and  old  school  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "A  Thousand  Pyres"  which  will  be  released  in  April  as  a  joint  effort  by  by  Undercover  and  Evil  Spell  Records  Records.

  Dark  yet  melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  which  also  gives  the songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  mix  the  first  and  second w ave  of  black  metal  style  screams  together.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  and  90's  influences  without  sounding  outdated  along  with  some  elements  of  thrash.

  Ritualistic  sounding  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  influences  of  Greek  and  South  American  black  metal   and  adds  in  a  touch  of  German  thrash  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  evil,  darkness  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nocturnal  Witch  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  old  school  black  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Downfall  Of  The  World"  "Dark  Forces"  and  "Raise  The  Swords".  8/5  out  of  10.

https://nocturnalwitch.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/NW666/

 
  

Handful Of Hate/Adversus/Code666 2019 CD Review

  Handful  Of  Hate  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  hateful  and  blasphemous  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Adversus"  which  will be  released  in  May  by  Code666.

  Field  recordings  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  epic  sounding  synths  briefly.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  use  a  lot  of  blast  beats.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  guitar  solos  and  leads  when  they  are  utilized  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  A  touch  of  death  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  riffing  and  vocals  while  the  musicians  also  demonstrate  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  in  the  way  the  music  is  conducted  and  clean  playing  and  orchestra  sounds  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  hateful  and  blasphemous  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Handful  Of  Hate  are  a  very  great  sounding   fast  and  aggressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "An  Eagle  Upon  My  Shield  (Veteris  Vistigia  Flammae)"  "Severed  And  Reversed  (Feudal  Attitude)"  "Towards  The  Fallen  Ones  (Psalms  To  Discontinuity)"  and  "Icons  With  Devoured  Faces".  8  out  of  10.

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Omenfilth/Devourer Of The Seven Moons/Eternal Death/2019 Full Length Review

  Omenfilth  are  a  band  from  the  Philippines  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw,  melodic  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Devourer  Of  The  Seven  Moons"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Eternal  Death  Records.

  A  tragic  keyboard  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording  which  also  becomes  a  very  huge  part  of  the  music.  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  you  can  also  hear  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  tracks  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  chaotic  and  old  school  style.

  Elements  of  death  and  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  while  of  tracks  are  also instrumentals  also  introduces  classical  guitars  onto  the recording  and  the  only  closes  with  a  Vulcano  cover  and  2  live  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Filipino  Mythology,  Darkness,  Depression,  and  Evil  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Omenfilth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  melodic  and  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Summon  The  Beast  Of  Damnation"  "Devourer  Of  The  Seven  Moons"  "Negare  Omnis  Vitas"  and  "Embers  Of  A  Dying  Era".  8  out  of  10.

 https://eternaldeath.bandcamp.com/album/devourer-of-the-seven-moons

Tryglav/Night Of Whispering Souls/Extreme Metal Music/2019 CD Review

  Tryglav  are  a  solo  project  from  Croatia  that  plays  a  very  aggressive  and  melodic form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "Night  of  Whispering  Souls"  which  will  be  released  in  My  by  Extreme  Metal  Music.

  A  very  fast,  raw  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats. The  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  music  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  emtal  screams.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  good  mixture  of  modern  and  old  school  influences  along  with  a  good  dose  of  the  Swedish  style.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  heavier  musical  direction.

  Tryglav  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  aggressive,  melodic  and  traditional  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Tryglav  are  a  very  great  sounding  aggressive  and  melodic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Night  Of  Whispering  Souls"  "Creature  Of  The  Night"  and  "Beyond  The  Limit".  8  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/3otu1Sbclgs
  

Ascensions Fall/Her Majesty Dethroned/2019 Full Length Review

 Ascensions  Fall  are  a  solo  project  from  Australia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melancholic  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2019  album  "Her  Majesty  Dethroned".

    A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sounding  synth  starts  off  the  album  while  also  mixing  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear a   great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  As  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  and  one  of  the  later  tracks  is  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the lyrics  cover  darkness,  depression  and  earth  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ascensions  Fall  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melancholic  and  melodic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  Entails  Of  Human  Revolution"  "Lands  Of  The  Cursed  North"  and  "Lands  Where  Shadows  Roam".  8  out  of  10.

https://ascensionsfall.bandcamp.com/album/her-majesty-dethroned

Aoratos/Gods Without Name/Debembur Morti Productions/2019 CD Review

  Aoartos  are  a  band  from  Monument,  Colorado  that  plays  a  very  haunting  and  malefic  form  of  black  metal and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Gods  Without  Name"  which  was  released  by  Debembur  Morti  Productions.

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  while  the  synths  also  bring  in  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys.  A  great  amount  of  atmospheric  elements  can  also  be  heard  in  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  the  songs  also  have  their  ritualistic  moments  and  the  vocals are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  At  times  the  vocals  also  get  very  deep  and  demonic  sounding  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark,  melodic  and  dissonant  style  and a   couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  an  instrumental  is  also  added  onto  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Darkness  and  Emotions  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aoratos  are  a  very  great  sounding  haunting  and  malefic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Holy  Mother  Of  terror"  "The  Watcher On  The  Threshold"  and  "Dread  Spirit  of  the  Place".  8/5  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Antichthon11

Voemmr/O ovnh intot adr mordrb/Harvest Of Death/2019 Full Length Review

  Voemmr  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  bewitching  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "o  ovnh  intot  mordrd"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Harvest  Of  Death.

  A  very  raw  and  lo-fi  sound  starts  off  the  album  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Synths  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times   while  the  vocals  are  very  tortured  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  good  amount  of  90's  era  French  influences.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  most  of the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  At  times  the  synths  also  gives  the  music  more  of  an  ambient  feeling  while  one  track  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  recording.

  A  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  they  are  also  mixed  down  low  in  the  mix.  The  screams  also  utilizing  a  depressive  tone  in  some  parts  of  the  music  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  melodic  guitar  leads  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Portuguese  and  cover  dark  and  desolate  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Voemmr  are  a  very  great  sounding  bewitching  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dorbd Divn"  and  "Carpatr  Tzaeb".  8  out  of  10.


https://voemmr.bandcamp.com/album/o-ovnh-intot-adr-mordrb

    

Deiphago/I, The Devil/Hells Headbangers/2019 CD Review

  Deiphago  are  a  band  from  the  Philippines  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  bestial  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "I,  The  Devil"which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Hells  Headbangers.

  A  very  dark  and  epic  sounding  synth  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  tremolo  picking  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  war  metal  feeling  as  well  as  the  vocals  also adding  in  a  great  amount  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  bestial  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in a   very  chaotic  and  some  of t he  tracks  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  dissonant  sounding  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  diverse  without  ever  losing  any  brutality.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Chaos  Magick,  Quantum  Physics  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Deiphago  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  bestial  black/death  metal,  you  should check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Quantum  Death"  "Chaos  Protocols"  and  "I  The  Devil".  8 out  of  10.   

http://deiphago-philippines.bandcamp.com/album/i-satan

  

Necrogosto Interview

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

B.B. Crazy: We are a four piece band from São Paulo necropolis city and we play Satanic Black Noise against religious, conservatives and hypocrite moralists.



2.So far you have released one demo, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?

B.B. Crazy: The main influence of NECROGOSTO is the South American metal of death, bands like Sarcófago, Vulcano, Holocausto, Parabellum, Loucyfer, Expulser, Pentagram (CHL) are close to our black hearts, but we take worldwide influences too, like Beherit, Blasphemy, Impaled Nazarene, (early) Mayhem, Hellhammer, Von, Messiah, and many others that we listen on total nights in hell and give us the gasoline. We bring some fire and personal influences to explode into our first demo tape.



3.You also refer to your music as being 'satanic black noise', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?

B.B. Crazy: Satanic is because our lyrics theme. Black is a reference to Black Metal and Noise because we crush mass media melodies, our songs are total old school metal chaos!



4.Your lyrics also cover some satanic, occult and anti Christian themes, how would you describe your interest in the black arts?

B.B. Crazy: In my opinion, these themes are a way to evolve yourself, liberating individuals from the Christian morals that are inside the Brazilian society. Satanism is the path for freedom, a way to destroy the shit that Christianism and Catholicism are putting into Brazilian heads more than five centuries ago. Our lyrics deal too with pre-Columbian rites of evil.



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

B.B. Crazy: Necrogosto can be translated as “Necrotaste”, or the taste of death.



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

B.B. Crazy: The artwork was done by the artist and our friend 1Berto, that is a great tattoo artist too. He had a great understand about our concept, we really liked the cover, fits like a glove to our music! We want to show our disgusting about the Christian church and the European colonization, that destroyed Americans original cultures.



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

B.B. Crazy: We have already done a lot of cool gigs here in Brazil. I can tell about our performance at Belo Horizonte/Minas Gerais, land of our bigger influences and Cogumelo Records. We played “Destruição Nuclear” by Holocausto with Rodrigo Fuhrer on vocals. It was a great honour, since we are maniacs about Warfare Noise compilation. Deathkult Warfest at Santa Catarina was a blast too, really big stage, great sound equipment and share the stage with names as Amen Corner, Pentacrostic and Hellish Grave.



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

B.B. Crazy:  We have some scheduled shows for the future at our place and cities near São Paulo. Touring not yet, since our daily jobs consumes a lot of time and it is hard for all four demons escapes from the work at the same period of time. We are a new band, but on the next years we hope to desecrate other countries.



9.Recently Nuclear War! Now' re-issued your 2017 demo on cassette, can you tell us a little bit more about the newer version?

B.B. Crazy:  The NWN tape version was released last February on 300 copies. Really great work by this demonic label! Yosuke, the mastermind behind Nuclear War Now!, really liked our demo and is helping us to spread “Sudamerica” brutal fury to this fucked world.



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

B.B. Crazy:  It is going really well for a total underground band that plays a really noisy type of music, many things that happened we don´t imagine to achieve in a so short time. People from all world write to us asking for stuff and information, some labels shows interest in our music, people help us giving some dollars on bandcamp, for me it´s a cool reaction, since we don´t have many expectations. NECROGOSTO isn´t something to achieve success, NECROGOSTO is all about blasphemy, intoxication and destruction. HAIL SATAN!



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

B.B. Crazy:  The other musical projects of the band members are on hold now. We want to talk only about NECROGOSTO.



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

B.B. Crazy:  SATANIC BLACK NOISE FOREVER! You can expect a 12” EP until the end of the year, but more details can´t be revealed now, only the name: ANCESTRAL BESTIALITY.



13.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?

B.B. Crazy: As I said on the second question, our main influences are Brazilian/Latin American bands from the 80´s and 90´s (Sarcófago, Insulter, Reencarnación, Holocausto, Mystifier, Necrobutcher, Chilean Pentagram, Vulcano,  among others) and other hordes, as Beherit, Blasphemy, early Mayhem, Maniac Butcher, Celtic Frost, etc…



Personally, hardcore/noisepunk intensity is a big influence for me as NECROGOSTO´s drummer, specially bands from Japan and Finland. I´m listening a lot nowadays to heavy metal and 70´s hard rock, besides the punk and extreme metal that I´m always listening to.



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

B.B. Crazy: Thanks for the interest in our music and thoughts. Cheers to Occult Black Metal Zine. Hope we can desecrate your lands someday. BAPHOMETIC NOISY CULT!

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Frust/Recurring Dreams/2019 Full Length Review

  Frust  are  a  solo  project  from Austria  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  experimental  and  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2019  album  "Recurring  Dreams"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  An  ambient  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  they  also  mix  experimental  elements  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.

  Clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  expand  the  post  rock  influence  that  is  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  music.When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  all  instrumental  while  one  track  also  introduces  female  vocals  onto  the  recording,  the  music  is  a  lot  less  black  metal  influenced  then  the  previous  release  along  with  some  folk  music  elements  being  used  at  times  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Frust  which  shows  him  going  into  a  different  musical  direction  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  experimental  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Recurring  Dreams"  "Earth" "Call  Of  Madness"  and  "Verfall".  8  out  of  10.

https://frust-at.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/frust.at
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdfJ05IC4D-YFu1ulCAXqqw 

Mork Interview

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

A: I have been doing interviews and other pre-release related stuff. I’ve been booking shows and we have been rehearsing the new stuff as a band. I am ecstatic to have been booked for what will be Mork’s first US shows, in August.

2.You have a new album coming out in April, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

A: Musically I guess it’s similar, in that it’s my handy-work. The overall feel and sound on this one is a bit colder and darker, though. I’ve had a pretty shitty couple of years, privately, that went on while creating this album. This has effected the outcome of the album.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

A: Lyrically the new album has both strength and weakness, in a psychological fashion. There’s sadness and hopelessness sprung out of my depressed state and tragic past two years. But, there are strength and will-power in this as well. As a songwriter I did hold back alot whilst making the first two albums, in regard to keeping the feel and atmosphere old school and primitive. By album four I really have found my place within my Mork creativity. I let myself loose more and let what happens, happen.

4.The band is from Norway a country that has had some legendary acts over the years, how would you say your musical style differs from the other bands of your homeland?

A: The difference is that this is me and my way of creating music. I am inspired by my past works, more than other bands in the same genre. However the building blocks of Black Metal is underneath it all.

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

A: I actually got to meet the artist, David Thierree, randomly. I was not aware of his past works or collaborations. But, when I got to see his skills and drawings, I sort of decided right away to work with him.

The album-title and concept is something that I have had in the back of my head for about ten years. So, it all came together rather nicely. I expressed my concept to David and he delivered a spot on depiction of my  vision. The artwork shows a vast black gorge representing all thats dark and and overwhelming in life, and the naked weakling represents the hopelessness it provokes.

6.On the albums you record everything by yourself but use musicians for live performances, would you ever be open to work with a full line up in the studio?

A: Is Mork is a big part of me, I will keep it as is.

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?

A: The highlights keep getting more frequent for us as a live unit. That’s the good thing about being able to play and experience everything together over time. It’s not only the shows that makes the experience, it’s the traveling that comes along with it. Like our trip to Izmir in Turkey, where we got to experience the city and culture as well as the great crowd during our show. We are lucky to have been able to endure several good trips. We are really looking forward to our first journey over to the United States, where we are playing Las Vegas, San Diego and Los Angeles later this year. Other highlights that come to mind is; Our show in Transylvania, our show at Tons Of Rock in Halden, Midgardsblot and Inferno Festival. Most shows are good for us.

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

A: As mentioned we will do a short run in the US. We will play the Inferno during album-release. We are to appear at the Hellbotn Festival for the second time. And we have club shows, here and there. Mork has never been a band “on tour”, we mostly play one-offs. So, contact our booking and perhaps we’ll appear near you.

9.The last few albums have been released on Peaceville Records, are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?

A: As of today all Mork albums are on Peaceville. Mork has been a rapid upwards experience since the first album back in 2013 and Peaceville is yet another milestone on the way.

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

A: Feedback has been astonishing. I have to admit that I did not see this kind of “success” coming along, and this quick. Considering the band and music being quite “young”, being from 2004 and onwards, the reaction has been overwhelming. I am of course honored, even if I primarily make music to please non-other then myself first.

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

A: Nothing is written in stone. But I am pretty sure the the four albums up to now will be the guideline for the future. I don’t see myself taking Mork too far away from what is.

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?

A: I am a kind of guy who does not dig around for new music. I stick to my old favs. Classic rock and metal from the 60’s up til mid 90’s. The influence is music I do enjoy, there’s no single band or track that makes me write a song. It’s more the fact that the creativity in itself is so rewarding that my songwriting is free flowing out of creative freedom. Not only Black Metal inspires, music in general, does.

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

A: I tip my hat and thank you for the attention. This last two years has been a living hellhole of tragedy for me, so the privilege of being able to process those feelings through this new album is a important fundament for my well being onwards. Hails to the supporters of Mork out there. Hope this album can captivate you as it did to me. Keep the black flame burning.

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Schattenfall 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 started recording this album almost immediately after the release of Schatten in Schwarz. But during the recording there were some differences of opinions with our previous vocalist.
The search for a new vocalist took quite a lot of time, but fortunately Stefan Traunmüller accepted our invitation. Which resulted in a rather productive cooperation.

2.In March you have a new album coming out, musically how does it differ from the album you had released in 2017?

New album is full of experiments, in contrast to the album of 2017: clean vocals, female vocals, more instrumental tracks, samples, and more.

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

On the “Melancholie des Seins” we used poems of German and Austrian poets. The main topics of album are loneliness, melancholy and autumn..

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

Creativity is always something unknown, the mystery of the manifestation of what was hidden in the shadows

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

All artwork was created by Valeria Metzker. She tried to convey the atmosphere of the album to the maximum - blurry images protruding from the darkness.

6.The band members live in Germany, Austria and Ukraine, how does this work out in the recording process/

It is not very difficult for us. Each works with his own part, making changes at different etaps. When we are satisfied with the result (never), we finish one track and going to the next one.

7.If the opportunity ever came would the band members be open to doing a live show or tour?

No idea, will see.

8.So far the band has worked with 'Wolfspell Records'and 'Redefining Darkness Records', do you feel both of these labels have been very helpful when it comes to getting your music out there heard?

Yes. I sincerely thank full them for it.

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

To my surprise, the first album responded quite warmly. What of course pleases me.

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?

Now I am working on a dark electric / industrial metal project. In this band will be also vocal by Stefan Traunmüller. I have some ideas for the another projects, but now there are only a few home demo tracks.

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

I am going to make my music more aggressive and fast, closer to the classic atmospheric black metal.

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?

I don’t think that it would be correct to say that something specific inspired me to this album. I listen to quite a lot of different music, and there is not so much black metal among it.

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

Thank you for the questions and for that you help to carry our shadows to the world!

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