Feretrum Interview

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

The band was founded in July 2016, by Somberlain (drums), Cerebrum Mortuus (vocals) and Khamul (guitars). Our hometown is Nagykanizsa, in Hungary. First we started with some covers, from black metal bands. In 2017, Blutaar (bass) joined us. Before our first album, we released a demo (2017) and a split (2018). The band plays black metal with some thrash/death metal influences.

2.Recently you have released your first full length, musically how does it differ from your previous demo and split?

The split contains some live recordings, songs from the later full-length, and an "old" one from the demo. I think, compared to the demo, the new songs are more elaborate, and grimmer on the album. We tried to be loyal to the old, laid-out funds, which were in the traditional black metal scene. The lyrics are also more serious.

3.Your lyrics cover Satanism, Occultism and Anti Christianity themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

The lyrics are written by our vocalist, Cerebrum Mortuus. So they represents his thoughts about many things. For my part, the philosophy of The Church of Satan is close to me, and I am also interested in the Aztec/Mayan death cult.

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

It means catafalque, and first we decided to use it in Hungarian, as "Ravatal". We wanted to have a short and dark name, which can represents the music we play. By Hungarian pronunciation, this name sounds great with the deep vowels, and gives a raw impression. At that time, we had no own lyrics yet, so some could have been in our language too. But there was a Ravatal in Hungary, between 1998-2001 so it was better to translate to the latin form. Our lyrics are in English, with some latin parts.

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

The cover artwork is made by a great Hungarian designer, Anvil Kvlt, who is working in the underground. We sent our lyrics to him, and asked him to create an image based on them. In the front cover, that is the Franciscan church, which is in our hometown, Nagykanizsa. You can see the Capricornus Constellation above that. The style of the whole cover is cosmic, according to our themes. I think, the artwork presents our music and concept very well.

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

Fortunately, many of our shows were with good audiences. For example, we like to play in the Liszó Rockfestival in every August, because many people come to it. I think, one of our best shows was in the end of last year, in Pécs within the IX. Christmas Blackmass. We are grateful to the audience and to the Gylliath horde. We play our songs with intensively staging, of course that fits to this genre. The shows are important, because that is the best way to manifest the audial darkness, with our energies.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

Yes, there are already some fixed dates to this year. It would be good to play again in the Christmas Blackmass.

8.In 2018 you where a part of a split  with 'Princeps Daemonum' what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?

We know each other with Malevolus since 2005. He leads Princeps Daemonum alone, but worked with a guess musician in the last materials. I think, his split with Hell Icon was very strong. He had another band too, called Urna, and before Feretrum, we played with him for a few months. Thanks to him, and to Dávid Szabó for our band logo artwork. Princeps Daemonum, and some other bands had an idea, to record an Abruptum tribute release. But as I know, this has not been realized. Malevolus has one song to it, in memoriam It from Abruptum, with the title "Convenio Cum Abrupto - My Curse". Last summer, during we were preparing behind the stage, he asked us to do a common material. After the show, we got some live recordings from the sound engingeers, so we used them to the split, and the "Convencio..." song from Princeps Daemonum. The title is "Nefarious Rituals", and it released in August, with a frosty cover.

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

We have no label yet, but we are trying to find one. I spoke with some foreigners, but hopefully we can agree with a Hungarian underground label. Now our full-length is available from Total Därkness Propaganda label and distro, and from us.

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

Usually we talk with some fans from our country, and from abroad. We try to spread our music, but it's not so easy. Eventually, the band is in the underground scene, so if someone is seriously interested, he can find us. We are glad for any inquiries. The full lenght album was sent to several magazines and webzines, now we are waiting for the reviews. The review is important, if it is constructive. Positive and negative opinions are welcome, they also serve promotional purposes. Many people have already praised the album. I think, our first years, musical ideas, comprehensive lyrical themes, and the personality of each band members can be found in this material with a raw sound. We are proud of it.

11.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

We have no other bands. I have a one-man project, called Sedit, and I released 3 demos with that. The music is a little bit simpler, and leaner than Feretrum, similar to some raw black metal bands. Making music alone is not as energetic as we play alive music... In my opinion, black metal is not a simple genre, but it has a strong spirituality and soul. You can feel it in every real black arts. That's why a live band can be much more better than a project. According to Sedit, ever since we founded Feretrum, the band is more important.

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

I think our music is constantly evolving. We have some new songs after the album, and they are a little bit different from the others. But I don't exactly know, in what direction will the themes go, they aren't discussed in advance. Maybe we will able to record a more technical and rougher material in the future.

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?

Maybe the biggest influences are Mayhem, Gorgoroth and Dissection. I usually say, that the band includes the old-school signs like Burzum, but some other vibrations too, like Mgla, mixed with a little thrash metal influence too. (Because Somberlain and me had a band before Feretrum, and we played metal like Sepultura, and the other members also like that genre.) In my opinion, this means Feretrum nowadays. We have a lot of old and new favourite bands, like Darkthrone, Dark Funeral, Uada, Nordjevel, Gnosis Occultus, Icon of Phobos, Windir, Melechesh. And there are some remarkable hordes and musicians from Hungary, who also affected us: Dusk, Gylliath, Sear Bliss, Komor Romok, Teurgia, Thy Funeral, Fagyhamu and more.

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

Thanks for the interview, and for the album review on your site! We would like to say HAIL to all of you, who visited our shows, or listening to our music, and to those bands who helped us. The true metal underground has to work in this sick World.

Khamul / Feretrum

Bandcamp

Facebook

Burguli/Ombres/2019 Full Length Review

  Burguli  are  a  solo  project  from  Spain  that  plays  a  raw  and  lo-fi  form  of  ambient  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2019  album  "Ombres".

  A  very  dark,  distorted  and  lo-fi  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  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  along  with  the  riffing  also  adding  melody  into  some  parts  of  the  music.  When  synths  are  added  onto  the  recording  they  add  elements  of  ambient  into  the  songs  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  leads  are  finally  added  onto  the  recording  they  are  done  in  a  very  distorted  style  along  with  all  of  the  songs  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  few instrumentals  are  also  added  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  a  couple  of  of  them  being  ritualistic  ambient  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Myths,  Darkness  and  Nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Burguli  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  lo-fi  ambient  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cries  From  The  Battle"  "Where  The  Wraiths  Stalk"  "Desciphering  The  Knowledge  of  The  Ancient"  and  "Satanas  Summum  Invocatio".  8  out  of  10.

https://burguli.bandcamp.com/album/ombres


  

Peasant Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Peasant began as a handful of bedroom demo's created between 2016 and 2018 during an uncomfortable period in my life. I'd sat on almost an albums worth of rudimentary material for a few years exploring pagan themes and inspirations from artists like Emperor, Immortal and Deathspell Omega. The project was never intended to go anywhere publicly, however after I began working with Orakul (Somalgia, Peasant) they started to become more refined and thus Peasant was born.

2.Recently you were a part of a split, how would you describe the musical style you went for on your side of the recording?
The idea behind this recording was to create a four track EP with a focus on the aphorism 'As above, So below'. The first Peasant track 'Hounds of the Shining One' had already been written for some time before the EP was conceptualised, and served more as the basis for the general sound of Peasant going forward. Myself and Orakul decided we would contrast our 'heavy' tracks with a softer, more melodic pianissimo.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored with your music?
The Peasant side of this EP is essentially a conceptual piece, exploring a story of Roman invasions in Britain circa 50-60 ce. Specifically, the lyrics in 'Hounds of the Shining One' are meant to be seen from the eyes of the ancient Iceni queen Boadicea, where as 'The Trees Find Light to Hold Earth's Grasp' began as a poem I had written and translated into Brythonic/Germanic British. It is meant as a homage to a period in British history which is often not taught in general education or represented in modern media.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Peasant'?
The name Peasant was introduced as a thematical driving force for the sound of the band, focusing on the idea of rebellion against totalitarianism and humble beginnings. We are a group of 'lower working class' people from the north of England, and as such the class divides between the lower, middle and upper classes; as with any country, feel extremely abrasive as a young person- the name Peasant felt like an accurate representation of myself and Orakul, and the lyrical themes which will be presented for the foreseeable future in this project.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that was presented on the split cover?
The cover for 'Within, Without' is an extension of the combined lyrical themes of both Peasant and Somalgia, where as Peasant focuses on themes of oppression and forced ideologies; whether that be governmental or religious, Somalgia focuses more on the idea of inherent systems trapping people into a drone-like way of thinking. The artwork simply shows a normal, unremarkable person being held down by an indescript creature, as another prepares to climb inside the victim- presumably to assume control of them and assert it's will.

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?
At present we feel we work best as a two piece for the foreseeable future, as we are mainly focused on writing for the up-coming album, we both have extensive work schedules which make finding members, practicing and playing difficult at present. That being said, once the album is finished and out to the public we intend to take the music to a live setting with other members, as we both have some interesting ideas for the live performance aspect of this band. For now, at least, Peasant will remain the brainchild of Plague and Orakul.

7.Recently you were a part of a split with 'Somalgia'', how does your musical style differ from his?
Peasant mainly takes musical inspiration from fast and experimental Black Metal bands such as Deathspell Omega, Blut Aus Nord, Bathory, Schammasch and Immortal, where as Somalgia is focused on a homage to the early 90's style of Black Metal.

8.In addition to music you also run 'Merican Publishing' which publishes dark fantasy novels, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this genre?
My interest in Dark Fantasy began at a very young age, owing to the likes of H.P Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Junji Ito, Tolkien, Brian Lumley and Andrzej Sapkowski, where as visually much of my inspiration came from album covers of my youth; specifically Bathory's 'Blood, Fire, Death' and Satyricon's 'Dark Medieval Times'.
Mercian Publishing began as a means to publish my own Dark Fantasy series 'The Grey Tides', which I would highly recommend for fans of Dark Fantasy.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
Our reaction has been positive, we've heard comparisons to bands we would hail as personal favourites. I considered 'The Tree's Find Light' to be somewhat of a dark horse for a release such as this and wasn't entirely sure how fans of the Black Metal genre would take it, however the overall reaction to the experiment has been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging for our future releases.

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We are aiming for a full album release in 2020, I can't specify further than that. Musically we are open to a lot of experimentation, I'm not boxed in to any one sound when writing as I have no formal training in music, which I feel frees me up to play around with uncontemporary ideas and sounds. Expect a unique blend of genres, with the primary sound of Black Metal.

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?
My biggest influence is Bathory, I've been in to 'heavy music' from a very young age owing to the fact my parents introduced me to a multitude of Heavy Metal, Rock and Punk bands from their youth for as long as I can remember. However it was around the age of 10 when my uncle left me with a huge collection of 'Extreme' metal tapes that my own personal taste began to form. There were some amazing inclusions in their, I can remember bands like Dismember, Behemoth, Krisiun, Suffocation, Nevermore, Dark Throne and Monstrosity were all in the mix, and I loved them all- but it was Bathory's 'Blood, Fire, Death' that really spoke to me. It took me a few tries to get through the opening track, as with any child my patience was extremely low, and I wasn't sure if this was even an album from a metal band or some kind of movie soundtrack, but when those first strums of 'A Fine Day to Die' kicked in I was hooked, and it's been my favourite album ever since. Honourable mention should also go to Neurosis for expanding my interest into another side of extreme music.
At present I'm listening to Ungfell, Suhnopfer, Auratos and Mizmor. They are all fantastic bands, and I would suggest any fan of Black Metal checks out Ungfell and Suhnopfer specifically as I believe these are guys are really doing incredible things to help keep the Black Metal sound fresh and unique in 2019.

12.How would you describe your views on Paganism?
I hold a special place in my heart for paganism, which in itself is an extremely broad term encompassing not one ideology but rather hundreds spread across a vast region of the world. For me it represents a resistance against monotheistic religions, which personally I believe have caused far more issues for the general population than they have resolved- it's the idea of absolution to one deitic entity which I take issue with, as it suppress creative and free thinking. I grew up in a Church of England school, with a large portion of my family being christian, and so far all I've seen is that it cause more unnecessary problems than it has been able to solve.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Resist Tory oppression.
Resist the surrender of public health services to corporations and their members that represent less than 1% of the population.
Peasant debut album coming 2020 on Repose Records
-Plague.

https://peasantbm.bandcamp.com/releases

Yellow Eyes/Rare Field Ceiling/Gilead Media/2019 Full Length Review

  Yellow  Eyes  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Rare  Field  Ceiling"  which  will  be  released  on  June  28th  by  Gilead  Media.

  Field  recordings  and  drones  start  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  before  going  into a   heavier  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  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  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  female  vocals  also  being  used  briefly.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  some  tracks  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  home  made  and  ethnic  musical  instruments  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  an  avant  garde  feeling  when  they  are  utilized  and  as  the  album  progresses  drones  also  make  a  brief  return,  clean  playing  is  also  introduced  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  abstract,  sadness,  nature,  solitude  and  peasantry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Yellow  Eyes  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "warmth  Trance  Reversal"  and  "Rare  Field  Ceiling".  8  out  of  10.

https://yelloweyes.bandcamp.com

Welkin Interview

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


I started Welkin in the autumn of 2017. Prior to that, I had gotten into black metal fairly recently and was immediately drawn in by the bleak atmospheres, emotive guitar work, and intense drum playing. Welkin was formed out of a deep desire to bring out the atmospheres and emotions that the bands I had been listening to had did for me while also injecting my own style.




2.       So far you have released a demo and a split, musically how do they both differ from each other?

I would say that the demo was a more “down-to-earth” release than the split. In the sense that the themes covered in the demo and the overall atmosphere were about evoking feelings of melancholy and then triumph (in the later part of the demo). On the other hand, I had intended something more “grand” for the songs on the split. I went forward with the same tinge of melancholy from the demo but also added in elements that were aimed at painting images of grand, dark, forest landscapes in the listener’s mind To bring forth a sense of grandeur, similar to what you would get in an Emperor, Odium, or Alghazanth record.

Musically, the songs on the split are generally longer than those on the demo to really create an epic feel it and features more intense tremolo-picked chords. The drum parts on the split are also far superior than those of its predecessor.




3.       Your lyrics cover some nature, philosophical, anti-Christian, pagan and occult topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these subjects?

My interest in some of these topics started before I got into Black Metal, and some after I did.

Most of my life I have been staunchly against Christianity and other forms of mass religion. To me, religion is just a way of controlling the blind and ignorant. A toxic mass that should be eradicated.

Philosophically speaking, I subscribe to the ideas of existentialism and nihilism, as one can tell from the lyrical content of the band. I guess my interest in these subjects developed naturally over the years due to a lack of an answer to what my purpose in life is. I then came to the conclusion that there is no objective meaning, I have to find my own subjective meaning. I use Black Metal as tool for expressing these ideas.

After getting into Black Metal, my interest in topics such as paganism, the occult, and nature was piqued. I was fascinated by how many bands were able to encapsulate the essence of nature in their music and how spiritual it all seemed.




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

Welkin refers to the sky or the firmament. I took the name from the Emperor record ‘Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk’. When I look at the sky, I feel a sense of majesty similar to what I would get while listening to Black Metal, so I thought the name would be appropriate as a representation of my own music.




5.       I have noticed you use the name 'Hasthur', is that related to 'World Of Warcraft'?

Nope, the name is based on one of the cosmic beings in the C’thullu mythos, Hastur, also known as ‘The King In Yellow’.



6.       With this project you record everything by yourself but also play in an actual band, how would you compare the 2?

The two bands are extremely different, from how they operate to the music they play. Welkin plays a more traditional, old-school, form of Black Metal rooted in the sounds of Finnish Black Metal and 90’s Norwegian Black Metal. On the other hand, Golgotha plays Black / Death Metal, largely influenced by Blasphemy, Archgoat, Beherit, Revenge, Sadomator and other such bands.

In Welkin, all music is written by me. In Golgotha, most of the music is written by Nuclear H. Butcherer and N. Maniak.




7.       Recently you were a part of a split with 'Nuurisk’, and ‘Luna Azure’, what are your thoughts on the other bands that had participated on the recordings?

Luna Azure has been a long-time part of the Singahell Black Metal scene, much longer than both Welkin and Nuurisk who were formed fairly recently. The music is very original, unique, and Voices certainly shows a mastery over atmosphere.

Nuurisk is a newer band but has put out quite a few releases already, all of which are definitely worthwhile listens for fans of DSBM or those who enjoy a more emotional, cathartic, form of Black Metal.




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

I have not received any interest from any labels so far, neither am I looking for a label at the moment. But I might try to find a label to release my upcoming EP.




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

Mostly, reception has been good especially here in Singahell.




10.   What is going on with 'Golgotha' these days?

Recently we opened for Varathron when they came here in April, after which we decided to take a break to focus on our other projects. We will likely resume activity soon.




11.   When can we expect a full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

I’m not sure when I’ll be writing a full-length release but hopefully soon. First, I’d need to find an interesting concept for the album and that usually takes a lot of time.

Only the future will reveal where this path leads.




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?

Darkthrone, Burzum, Mayhem, Emperor, Windir, Immortal, Black Funeral, Bathory, Dissection, Bornholm, Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Darkenhold, Draconis Infernum, Infernal Execrator, Forteresse, Holyarrow, Nokturnal Mortum, Pure Wrath, Odium, Saor, Thrawsunblat, Warwulf, Alghazanth, Satanic Warmaster, Behexen, Beherit, Morok, Severoth, Inquisition, Forest, Warmoon Lord, Dark Forest and Woods of Ypres to name some.

Right now I’m listening to bands like Forlor, Hammer, Norns and Mooncitadel. Basically, more obscure Finnish bands.




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

Thank you for the chance to participate in this interview!

Bandcamp

Facebook

YouTube

Feretrum/In The Eternal World/2019 CD Review

  Feretrum  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  plays  a  very  satanic  and  occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "In  The  Eternal  World".

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  briefly.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in a  very  melodic  style.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  A  great  amount  of  90's  influences  can  also  be  heard  in  the bands  musical style  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.

 Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  demonic  growls  onto  the  recording  and  spoken  word  parts  also  make  a  brief  return,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Darkness  and  Blasphemy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Feretrum  are  a  very  great  sounding  satanic  and  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Endless  War"  "The  Dimension  Of  Satan"  and  "Let  All  of  Them  Get  Rotten".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.facebook.com/feretrumhun    

Annihilus/Fire & Life/Depressive Illusions Records/2019 Demo Review

  Annihilus  are  a  solo  project  from  Illinois  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  demo  "Fire  &  Life"  which  was  released  on  cassette  by  Depressive  Illusions  along  with  the  first  demo  which  was  also  reviewed  in  this  zine  as  bonus  tracks  on  the  second  side.

  A  very  distorted  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  At  times  the  music  also  captures  a  lo-fi  atmosphere  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  which  was  not  really  present  on  the  previous  demo  reviewed

  A  good  amount  of  early  2000's  era  USBM  influences  can  also  be  heard  in  the  musical  style  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments.  Guitar  leads  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction,  blast  beats  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

   On  this  recording  Annihilus  remains  true  to  his  raw  black  metal style  while  also  showing  some  progression  as  a  musician  and  also  taking  his  sound  to  another  level.  The  production  sounds  very  dark, r aw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  are  mostly  inspired  by  comic  books  and  movies.

 In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Annihilus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Recorder"  and  "Chaos  Bringer".  8  out  of  10.

https://dir666.bandcamp.com/album/fire-life

In Red Moon Interview

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

Lord Morwan: "In Red Moon" is a project that arose from the need to make music that simply could not be done with my group, due to lack of instrumentation, time, commitment and above all; the ideology.
Also, it arises from the need to go beyond the parameters of a single musical genre, to create something through the fusion of styles.​
And finally, I could mention that In Red Moon is "my diary" I can even say that it has become a very egotistical project in which I only compose by and for myself without expecting it to be liked by others. but, hoping that someone understands what is hidden in each álbum.

2.So far you have released 3 albums, musically how do they all differ from each other?

L. M: Well, in fact I just released a 4th album a few hours ago and I can tell you that each record is very different from each other.
The 1st "In My Hands" is the search for that personal style, so you can find something with power metal style in the 2nd. track, or something of Gothic Rock like in the 5th track, of course, with some of that mix that I was looking for with Black Metal.​
The 2dn "This's My Past" is completely the style that I handle in my group "Requiem of Sorrow", a Black Metal worried about the melodies and accompaniments.​
The 3rd "Vampiric Necromantic Order" is special. In it, I am already handling the avant-garde and vampirist style that I have searched for and can be seen in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th tracks of the album.​
Finally, the 4th called "Instrumentalis Suite Sanguinentus" is that. It is a purely instrumental album in which, I leave the metal aside and I focus on creating something similar to a baroque suite but with harmonies of the twentieth century.

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

L. M: If you mean "Vampiric Necromantic Order" is the album that presents what is In Red Moon, and therefore the themes are totally vampiric and above all, very occultist because even the cover has a lot of meaning and of course, hence the name of the disk.
On the progress, in my opinion it has been very satisfactory since I have come to find the style that, for me, would be the essence of In Red Moon on this 3rd album.

4.You have also showed an interest in Satanism, Paganism, and Vampirism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

L. M: Well, in principle, I am a vampirist and from there most of the themes that I use both in my group and in this project.
On satanism and paganism, they are somewhat extensive topics, in which, in summary, I have come to see a certain relationship and contrasts of my interest as is the power and control over oneself and others.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'In Red Moon'?

L. M: For the simple fact that this is how the project came about.
Since I turned to vampirsimo, I realized that everything has a reason and only you can decide what to do with it, if you follow or change the designs of the destination. Well, well when I came up with the idea of ​​carrying out the project I was on the verge of the red moon of April 2014, and when I finished all the album material "In My Hands" was in September of 2015 in the period of There was also a red moon, so it did not take much work to name the project, since I was born in that. in red moon.

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

L. M: Again I suppose you refer to the 3rd album.
As I mentioned, it is the presentation of what is "in Red Moon" and is full of vampiric symbolism, pagan (wicca), and in general any trinitarian cult, which goes hand in hand with the name.​
In first and more obvious The 3 characters that symbolize my vampire trinity (5th track) the necromancer bishop who is the wise and adviser of. Lord Morwan, the lord of destiny altered, or you can also say as the controller of destiny, and finally. The sadistic jester of the great lord, who is responsible for giving "grotesque and gore" satisfaction to his lord.​
The other thing is the overcoming of the vampiric destruction, the sunlight y the water, hence the reason for a twilight and a river.​
Each one has a characteristic elements of what they represent.​
The Bishop, his book where is written the knowledge accumulated by him and where the fate of all is left, the red cingulate that represents the thread of destiny, and a pendant key that symbolizes the control over the actions of others.​
The Jester, his scepter with a crystal ball and a pendant pendulum with which he has fun choosing the fate of his victim, and a knife for when he makes a decision.​
Lord Morwan. A sword that represents power, an inverted cross of pendant that represents the disagreement of the Judeo-Christian god and other beliefs that do not see me as the only god and 3 rings that represent the domain of health, money and love.

7.With this project you record everything by yourself but also have experience working with a full band, how would you compare the two?

L. M: It's very different, because in the group, you depend on others to achieve something. On the other hand, with In Red Moon I do what I want and at any time without affecting the final result.

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

L. M: Well I'm not looking for any in particular and I have not received any proposal yet, but I would not deny if any label was interested in my work

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

L. M: It has been very contrasting due to the fact that it does not go with the standards of traditional Black Metal, many do not accept the change or the mixtures of style that I use, but also, to others it seems an interesting proposal. but at the end of everything I only give importance to my opinion and to those who manage to understand what In Red Moon is about.

10.What is going on with 'Requiem Of Sorrow' these days?

L. M: At this time there is a recess period, but also, material is being prepared for an album split with In Red Moon, maybe this sounds weird but, despite being the bearer of most of the ideas in Requiem of Sorrow, comparing the style with In Red Moon, they are different.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

L. M: Well I would like to continue experimenting more with different styles, and obviously, obtain a certain degree of status as a musician either by the group, by the solo project or by some other musical medium.

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?

L. M:There have been many bands, starting with Sopor Aeternus and Burzum, going through Dimmu Borgir and Lacrimosa, I could also mention Dark Lunacy, Siebenburger, Mirrorthrone, Morgul, The Sins of Thy Beloved, Mondstille, Sisters of Mercy, Haborym, Ereshkigal, Dark Funeral , to name a few.
About styles, because most of the subgenera of Black, Doom and of course, avant-garde are the ones that have influenced me the most.​
Lately I am listening to a lot of contemporary music: serialism, concrete music, electronics, spectralism, and also folk music, and nationalist

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

L. M: First thank you for taking me into account for this interview, and I can only say that after so much waiting, I think that finally came the opportunity to express a part of this world called "In Red Moon" and its creator Lord Morwan, which It's me.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Myspace

YouTube

Choronzonic/Where Evil Dwells/2019 EP Review

  Choronzonic  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  there  self  released  2019  ep  "Where  Evil  Dwells".

  A  synth  orientated  instrumental  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  One  of  the  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  style  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  closing  song  is  recorded  live.

  Chrronzonic  plays  a  style  of  satanic  black  metal  that  is  very  old  school  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and  Misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Chornzonic  is  a  very  great  sounding  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "O  veneno  da  serpente".  8  out  of  10.

https://choronzonic.bandcamp.com/releases  

Rotting Christ/Varathron/Duality Of The Unholy Existence/Hells Headbangers/2019 Split EP Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Greece's  Rotting  Christ  and  Varathron  called  "Duality  Of  The  Unholy  Existence"  which  will  be  released  on  June  28th  by  Hells  Headbangers  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Rotting  Christ  who  return  with  their  melodic  style  of  occult  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  along  with  the  vocals  bringing  in  a  mixture  of  growls  and  screams,  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as  well  as  some  synths  also  being  added  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.

  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  being  more  aggressive  than  previous  releases,  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Rotting  Christ  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  Next  up  is  Varathron  who  return  with  their  occult  style  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  and  synths  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  song  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  song  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  making  a  90's  style  sound  more  modern.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Satanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Varathron  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of t his  band,  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  Greek  black  metal.  8  out  of  10.

http://hellsheadbangers.bandcamp.com/album/duality-of-the-unholy-existence-2         

Miasma/Abyssal/Shub-Niggurath Productions/2019 CD Review

  Miasma  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  Hellenic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Abyssal"  which  was  released  by  Shub-Niggurath  Productions.

  Spoken  word  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier musical  direction  which  also  introduces  dark  sounding  melodies  onto  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  when  bells  and  Gregorian  chants  are  used  briefly  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  atmosphere.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  music  being  mostly  rooted  in  a  Hellenic  style  of  black  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  band  also  brings  in  a  cover  of  Sarcofago's  "The  Black  Vomit"  and  at  times  the  bass  guitar  also  adds  leads  onto  the  recording,  both  of  the  closing  tracks  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  blasphemy  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Miasma  are  a  very  great  sounding  Hellenic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Final  Descent"  "Pure  Orthodox  Love"  and  "Force  Fed  The  Light  Of  Christ".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

Facebook

     

Luna Azure Interview

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

Greetings! And hails occultmetalzine Luna Azure started mainly as a studio recording band that explores different Dark sonic scapes and abrasive noises within Metal  after leaving my previous band during early February 2010 .It slowly evolved to include various lineups contributors and influences besides black metal.It is like a musical journey into the ether what we play is an expression and improvisation of our inner subconscious and mythologies.

2.So far you have released a couple of ep's, one full length and also have been a part of a couple of split, how would you describe your musical progress over the years?

We have started sounding Aggressive Discordant and Dissonant using simple structures melancholic with a Rawer intensity lately we have progressed and evolved into a more structured and melodic form at the moment.However we still maintain the live natural sound during recordings as what is captured in the right moment of inspiration is more to our approach compared to a studio engineered sound that’s my opinion we don’t provide a musical equation.


3.Between 2012 and 2017 there was no new music being released, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that times frames?

There was the misshapen lands demo tape that was released during 2015 only circulating in the local Singapore metal scene. It was not very promoted around just like the kekl demo in 2012 these releases had an uncomfortable sound but it was closer to my visualization of a tonal textural ether world. During that time I had to complete my studies before serving national service for 2 years the previous drummer ky had moved on to other interests and jobs while Daemon moved back to Indonesia. Before being active again with the help of khaal ,mikael and Fizan in early 2016 when I got back into the scene and played an enjoyable show with Infernal curse and viridicorn at hood bar.


4/Some of the your lyrics deal with Eastern, Western Occultism and Dimensional Travels, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

We derive our inspirations from local folklore and myths like the 18 levels of hell Diyu , The song Devoured Moon
Deals with a solar eclipse Dark energy consuming celestial cosmic life returning physical form into chaotic nothingness. The Concept and structure of the song list from our kekl demo has the intention of showing chaos  (noise, ambiance) regulating into structure and order represented by the style of primitive experimental black metal from the song duress onwards. Once form is achieved we enter the fictional journey of a  lost sorcerer wandering the formed misshapen lands of strange abstraction howling banshees and strange customs.

5.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects you have explored over the years with your music?

Other topics would deal with seclusion such as Tragedies invictum in the first ep and the onset of technology overcoming humanity in songs like Soul devourer and foreboding cosmicisme other themes would focus on abstract senses and an eraser head kind of atmosphere.

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

It was inspired during a brainstorm session I did to come up with a name that best identifies with a dreamlike yet ominous feeling. Luna Azure meaning blue moon was chosen being the channeling of natural sudden inspirations.As I work better during nocturnal hours haha.


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?

Playing alongside infernal curse and viridicorn was an enjoyable show with an active crowd! Our show at artistry the cafe left many shock expressions!  I would describe it as evoking the mental labyrinth through sound and incense!

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

No


9.Recently you where a part of a split with 'Nuurisk' and 'Welkin', what are your thoughts on the other bands that had participated on the recording?

Nuurisk are a promising and talented band with excellent song writing skills and production the music is catchier .Welkin is meticulous and cold and have potential.


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

It was challenging but I can remain DIY


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

It depends on the individual


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

hmmm.. Its more likely there's a chance we can expect another few smaller scale releases..Probably a more aggressive black metal grind core straightforward sound would be likely in the future it can be quite hard to tell hahaha..


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?

Beherit’s drawing down the moon and oath of black blood album’s as well as the riffs on Mutiilation vampires of black imperial blood album, other bands that are inspiring would be Gnaw they’re tongues, Xasthur ( USA),Masonic youth and even gaming soundtracks such as Eye of the beholder dungeons and dragons.


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

Thank you for the Interview! And Interest Cheers!!

Bandcamp

Facebook

Myspace

Krvvla/T/2019 Single Review

  Kvvla  are  a  band  from  Belarus  that  plays  an  instrumental  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  single  "T"  which  will  be  released  in  July.

  A  very  dissonant  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  single  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  The  track  is  13  minutes  in  length  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  song  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Throughout  the  track  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  elements  of  post  metal.  At  times  the  music  evokes  more  of  an  improv  feeling  as  well as  no  vocals  or  songwriting  are  ever  utilized  which  lets  the  music  focus  more  on  an  instrumental  style.

  Kyyla  plays  a  style  of  post  black  metal  that  is  very  dissonant  at  times  while  keeping  everything  instrumental  and the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw.

  In  my  opinion  Krvvla  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical genre,  you  should  check  out  this  single.  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/krvvla/
https://www.instagram.com/krvvla/
https://www.last.fm/music/krvvla
https://soundcloud.com/krvvla
https://www.songkick.com/artists/9419464-krvvla
https://www.bandsintown.com/krvvla
https://vk.com/krvvla   

Ungfell/Totbringaere/Eisenwald/2019 CD Re-Issue Review

  Ungfell  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  folk  inspired  form  of  atmospheric  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Totbringaere"  which  will  be  re-issued  in  August  by  Eisenwald.

  Water  sounds  and  folk  instruments  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ritualistic  sounding  percussion  also  being  utilized  at  times.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  and  during  the  faster  sections  pf  the  songs  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  songs  also  having  their  atmospheric  moments  and  they  also  mix  the  folk  elements  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  recording  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  pagan  metal  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  growls  can  also  be  heard  in certain sections  of  the  recording  and  the  screams  also  start  adding  in  a  touch  of  dsbm.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics are  written  in  Swiss  and  cover  medieval  death,  horror,  filth  and  sinister  witchcraft  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ungfell  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  inspired  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Die  bleiche  Gottin"  "Der  Uzsieche  und  sine  Grimmede"  and  "Der  Opfersprung".  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKA7KCIvwGs   

  

Svaldilfare/Fortapte Roetter/Naturmacht Productions/2019 CD Review

  Norway's  solo  project  Svaldifare  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  raw,  melodic  and  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "Fortapte  Roetter"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Naturmacht  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  while  clean  pagan  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  One  track  also  introduces  spoken  word  samples  onto  the  recording  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  also  adding  in a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  the  music  also  getting  very  atmospheric  sounding  at  times.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  acoustic  guitars  and  synths  can  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  Love,  War,  Scandinavian  Heritage,  Paganism  and  Nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Svaldifare  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out t his  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tenn  Flammen  Paa  Ny"  "Hordalands  Skimmer"  and  "Sjoelvmord".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IugrjW85WIA

 

    

Nocturnes Mist Interview

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

Since the recording of the new album " Marquis of Hell" new material has been written  and  is at recording stage now. Some new themes/concepts are being discussed to compliment the sound.

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

There is a notable difference in the vocal style considering it has 3 different members on vocal duties which definitely differs from past works. But musically it is still in the same vein as the previous albums, there probably is a natural progression compared to past works. Overall we still have the same vision that we started out with. We are not band wagon jumpers, we don't follow the latest trend in the sphere of what is heaped on a pile that is labelled "black metal". We always have and always will play cold, evil and hateful black metal!

3. A lot of your lyrics deal with Satanism and Occultism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

As a collective we are all in agreement as far as a black metal band is concerned the ideology is first and foremost. Without this Nocturnes Mist wouldn't be a black metal band. As individuals the inspiration from which we find in the occult and Satanism as to how we live our lives and perceive what is happening in the world in we currently live in (the modern day) which disgusts us is more personal. Compared to ancient times when most opposers were labelled such for creating dark arts it has become more symbolic to people like us. Now with increased censorship and all these new PC laws being enforced it's almost getting to the point where we will be labelled as heretics once again. We are the modern day opposers as individuals and a collective.

4. In the earlier years I have noticed there was a huge gap in between releases with the first full length coming out in 2009 after a couple of demo's and and ep while another full length was not released until 2016, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?

The early years were quite hard due to not having a label and next to no finances.  Back then owning a 4 track was what bands with money owned. We wrote songs in the early years and recorded them with a tape deck which we never released. We did save some money and entered a studio in '98 which resulted in the 'Southern Storms' EP or Album which was mixed and produced by some cunt that had no idea. A few years later we did a 4 track recording for a demo tape which was sold at shows. Various other methods were used to do other recordings of the material which made it on to the first album 'As Flames Burn' which was recorded many years before the official release date. Also there was a time when the band literally lived approximately 2000 kilometres apart and had no way of recording via correspondence, one demo was recorded during this time .

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

Music inspired by night/darkness shrouded in mist.

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

The cover art depicts  the demon Andras. The artwork was penned by the talented  Jenglot Hitam whom we have worked with in the past. Andras has under his command 30 legions of demons who's only directive is to kill men.   He appears with a winged Angel's body and the head of an owl or raven.  He rides a black wolf and wields a sharp bright sword.  Cruel and spiteful is the Marquis of Hell!

7. The band has been around since 1998 what is it that motivates you to keep going after 20 years?

We actually formed in 1996 contrary to what the expert metal sites say. As stated earlier a deep seated hatred for the world we live in plays a large part. A dedication to our original vision and sticking to it unlike many bands that formed around the same time only to fall off the edge of the world and move on to the next sub genre. It is something that is a part of us and a legacy to leave behind when we leave this world.

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

Some of our first shows were memorable to us and those who witnessed them. In recent years we've played a few bigger shows with some more notable bands such as Marduk. One of the better shows as far as atmosphere and dark energy was in a very small basement bar which we had total control of with the band Vrag dubbed live ritual, this was a show to be remembered. Our first live performance was a private invite only show in a cabin in the woods by a large bonfire even the local police attended, those who didn't make it that night regret it .

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

No tours are planned,only live ritual 2 with label mates Tyrannic is planned for the 20th of July in our home town.

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

We have received some positive reviews from various places around the world so far. Reactions and responses are a personal opinion of the listener. I  sometimes think some reviewers are looking for something they will not find in a traditional black metal band like Nocturnes Mist. That being said reviews are fine, good or bad it's the support from the underground black metal  maniacs which fuels the fires ultimately!

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

Musically we haven't strayed too far from what we have always done, we aren't aiming to be placed into another sub genre of black metal. Song structures are always evolving as time goes on. I suppose, maybe a slightly more aggressive sound and harsher production next time around.

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?

With 6 members contributing it would be hard to reference specific bands on everyone's behalf. I personally still listen to a lot of black metal old and new, some of the stuff from Finland lately has been exceptional I think. I guess on a whole still black, death,old thrash and heavy metal and some old rock is something we all listen to. Ominous the main song writer has a love of satanic brutal death metal which I guess suits his personality. Along with said genres of music literature visual arts and some film influence song writing.

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

Thanks for the interview and your support, see you in hell my friend. Support Seance Records! Hail Ordo Ater Anguis!

Facebook

Myspace