Thursday, October 31, 2019

Possession/Spite/Passio Christi Part 1/(Beyond the) Witch's Spell/Invictus Productions/2019 Split EP Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Belgium's  Possession  and  U.S.A's  Spite  called  "Passio  Christi  Part  1(Beyond  the)  Witch's  Spell)"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Invictus  Productions  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Possession  who  return  with  their  raw  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  keyboard  orientated  intro  along  with  some  operatic  female  vocals  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Their  first  track  is  very long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  old  school  death  metal  elements.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  small  amount of  dark  sounding  melodies  at  times  while  the  faster  sections  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  war  metal  touches,  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling,  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  tempo  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  remaining  true  to  an  old  school  style  and  keyboards  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  blasphemous  and  anti  Christianity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Possession  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "INRI".

  Next  up  is  Spite  a  solo  project  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  satanic  form  of  black  metal.

  His  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  fast,  raw  and  melodic  sound  which  also  adds  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  good  amount  of  mid  tempo  sections.

  Influences  of  death  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  as  well  as  the  songs  also  capturing  an  occult  atmosphere  and  there  is  also  a  cover  of  Manitu's  "Cruel  Creator"  which  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  being  mixed  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  satanism,  blasphemy  and  desecration  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Spite  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  satanic  black  emtal,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of t he  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Beyond  The  Witch's  Spell".

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

www.facebook.com/hisbestdeceit 
www.facebook.com/spitedesecration

      

Ploughshare Interview

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

Thanks for reaching out to us! Since recording Tellurian Insurgency we’ve moved swiftly into writing more music. We dedicate a lot of energy to mapping and planning our material, and we’re always on the lookout for ways to extend and challenge compositional habits we’ve accumulated along the way. For us, developing as an ensemble and furthering our capacities is crucial. In addition to planning, assessing, and discussing future projects, we’ve also had the opportunity to perform some of the material from Tellurian live at some recent shows. It is always a rewarding experience to play new material and we’ve grown as a band from the demands it has imposed on us.

2.You have a new ep coming out during the end of November, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

We feel Tellurian Insurgency to be largely continuous with many of the elements in previous releases. Of course, each release involves a different set of imperatives and motivations and these affect the approach to composing and recording new material. Perhaps a notable shift with Tellurian in particular was the emphasis placed on aspects of Ploughshare’s sound that we’d not explored heavily in previous releases. The opportunity to collaborate with Andrew Nolan was a special one for us in this regard. We’ve long been fans of the many projects he has been a part of over the years and working closely with him certainly influenced our ambitions with Tellurian.

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

Thematically, Tellurian Insurgency addresses and celebrates the sheer munificence and plenitude of the telluric. Apocalyptic speculation and the like too easily beget sad passions. Those bent on ruminating about extinction miss the more exciting point: the earth doesn’t care, it never has, and it never will.

As we’ve mentioned above, developing as an ensemble is very important for us and for what we’re trying to achieve with Ploughshare. How we channel and cultivate progress depends on what we’re grappling with at the time. That said, one strategy we’ve found to be especially useful is to operate within a set of constraints. Exercising restraint and setting limits can be very productive.


4.You have mentioned having an interest in the works of Kristeva, Bataille, and Kafka, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in Western Philosophy?

We find in philosophy and philosophical texts only the resources we need to explicate problems, and the same goes for literature. We’ve no interest in philosophical concepts beyond the ways in which they do something for whatever issue is at hand. Furthermore, we should note that we’ve absolutely no commitment to any specific philosophical ‘canon’ whatsoever, notwithstanding our engagements with the thinkers you’ve listed here.

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

To be honest, there is no inspiration and no meaning behind the name Ploughshare worth spelling out. Ploughshare is a moniker under which we can work and collaborate. If it happens to overflow its basic function in this regard, we’ll honour the fortuitousness. 

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

All the artwork associated with Ploughshare stems from a longstanding collaboration with our close friend JR. His output is eclectic, sporadic, and spans different mediums; all features which we find particularly appealing. As any artist knows all too well, works amass over the years, often living lonely lives in forgotten spaces. The artwork for Tellurian was a chance encounter salvaged from the annals of an over-productive artist. JR works in different ways these days, but the piece still stood on its own and we recognised this immediately.

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

We’ve been fortunate to play plenty of shows with bands we admire and enjoy – they always seem to stick as some of the best.  Recently we played with our friends in Vile Apparition and Faceless Burial, supporting Necrot from the US, which was great. Australia has a fertile heavy music scene, and it’s been a pleasure to play with some of our favourite local bands. Given its geographic isolation, Australia rarely gets many international tours, so playing with Zhrine, the body, Dragged into Sunlight, and Necrot this year has also been exceptional.

In terms of our stage performance, we certainly value precision and execution, and we practice consistently to this end. Arranging ‘complete’ performances is also very important. We strive to make each performance coherent and unified and we like to utilize different instrumentation and arrangements to achieve this. Moreover, performing with intensity is essential for the music we’re creating. Finding different ways to express this intensity is an ongoing component of Ploughshare’s live performances and we hope to be able to do this consistently, with each and every performance.

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

We’re in the process of arranging a run of shows in early 2020 in support of the release and we’ve a few upcoming shows towards the end of the year in Canberra, too, including our EP release show, put on by Brilliant Emperor, one of the labels we’re working with on the release. We hope to spend more time in 2020 playing out of Canberra.

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

Thus far the responses seem good, which is gratifying. We’ve received some interesting feedback and commentary along the way, too, and we’re incredibly grateful to anyone who has bothered to take some time to check the band out. We have been very lucky in having the support of labels overseas, namely I, Voidhanger and Night Rhythms. They’ve helped the band get some exposure outside of Australia, and it’s been a pleasure to get to work with some of our favourite current labels.

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

Having commenced writing for the next project, we've already begun to sense some different trajectories unfolding. However, they're all within close proximity to ideas previously explored, even if they're shaping up to be more prominent and perhaps more concentrated. Incorporating different equipment, using new tools, and expanding our abilities as players is also something we're always pushing towards. Output is no problem for us, so it is more a matter of delimiting and assembling in a creative way that becomes important when considering future projects.

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

It’s difficult for us to list influences that shaped Tellurian Insurgency. How we went about crafting certain riffs in certain ways, or constructing the songs that make up the EP, are far too diffuse. Each project always involves of a period of planning, writing alone and together, in ways that invariably exceed our initial plans. This is a process that would be impossible without the distinct enmeshing of ideas, skills, and experiences that arise when we are together as a band.

As a group we have fairly diverse listening habits. In general, we try and keep up to date with new releases. We’ve especially enjoyed Deathspell Omega’s The Furnaces of Palingesia, Miscreance’s From Awareness to Creation, Charnel Altar’s self-titled demo, Ride for Revenge’s Sinking the Song, and François J. Bonnet & Stephen O’Malley’s Cylene. In terms of older material we’ve recently returned to: Swans, Beherit, Khanate, Buried Inside, Ved Buens Ende, Unsane, Blut aus Nord, The Goslings, Ornette Coleman, Cherubs, Kathaaria, Genocide Organ, and Portal.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Veganism.

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

Thanks for the questions and support the fuckin underground.

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Possession/Venefixion/Passio Christi Part II/Necrophagous Abandon/Iron Bonehead Productions/2019 Split EP Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Belgium's  Possession  and  France's  Venefixion  called  "Passio  Christi  Part  II/Necrophagous  Abandon"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Iron  Bonehead  Productions  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Possession  a  band  that  plays  a  raw  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  an  intro  that  is  mostly  bell's  while  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  horror  movie  style  keyboards  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  old  school  death  metal  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams  along  with  some  angry  tortured  shouts  also  being  used  at  times  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  war  metal  as  well  as  the  music  also  being  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's.  and  the  second  track  adds  in a   small  amount  of  mid  tempo  riffing,  Gregorian  chants  can  also  be  heard  briefly  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  possessions,  demonolatry  and  witchcraft  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Possession  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Stabat  Matter".

  Next  up  is  Venefixion  a  band  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  horror  movie  style  keyboards  before  going  to  a  heavier  direction  on  the  second  track.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  death  metal  style  vocals  in  the  early  Morbid  Angel  style  reminding  me as  a  cross  between  earlier  David  Vincent  and  Mike  Browning.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  both  the  mid  80's  to  early  90's  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  Throughout  their  side  of  the  split  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  remaining  true  to  a  melodic  and  old  school  style.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  black  magick,  voodoo,  Breton legends,  curses  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Venefixion  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Ripped  From  The  Cross".

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

www.facebook.com/hisbestdeceit www.facebook.com/Venefixion-872776712799238          

Morgengrau/Staub zu Staub/2017 CD Review


  Morgengrau  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Staub  zu  Staub".

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  the  sounds  of  torture  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  music  also  adds  in a   good  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  At  times  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track. The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  the  driving  emotions  of  human  beings,  live,  death  and  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Morgengrau  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  melodic  and  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Selbstein"  "Stimme  der  Vergeltung"  "Weit"  and  "Am  Ende".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/MorgengrauBlackMetal/
Instagram: Morgengrau.Black.Metal
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmUnPFAkHQOkIAJ5tCSuFPg
Bandcamp: https://morgengraublackmetal.bandcamp.com/   

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Annata Nera/Per Aspera ad Mortis/Vacula Productions/2019 CD Review


  Annata  Nera  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  traditional  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Per  Aspera  as  Mortis"  which  was  released  by Vacula  Productions.

  Classical  guitars  and  whispered  yet  tortured  vocals  start  off  the  album  along  with some  old  school  extreme  metal  guitar  leads  and  dark  soundscapes  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  The  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  also  being  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  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  growls  and  the  vocals  also  getting  deeper  at  times.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  but  also  keep  it  modern  at  the  same  time.  As  the  album  progresses  the  solos  and  leads  also  start  adding  in  more  melody  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  later  tracks  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  spoken  word  parts  and  synths.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  blasphemy,  satanism,  death  and  Sabine  folklore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Annata  Nera  are  a  very  great  sounding  traditional  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Per  Aspera  ad  Mortis"  and  "Tremori  Atavici".  8  out  of  10.

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Siculicidium/Utolso vagta az Univerzumban/Sun & Moon Records/2019 CD Re-Issue Review


  Siculicidium  are  a  band  from  Romania  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  black  metal  with  some  elements  of  punk,  folk,  thrash  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2009  album  "Utolso  vagta  az  Univerzumban"  which  will  be  re-issued  in  November  of  2019  by  Sun  &  Moon  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Vocals  are  done  in  mostly  a  grim  black  metal  style  along  with  the  acoustic  guitars  also  adding  elements  of  folk  music  onto  the  recording  when  they  are  utilized  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  music  also  adds  in  touches  of  goth,  death  rock  and  post  punk  at  times.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks   along  with  the  tremolo  picking  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  when  it  is  utilized.

  Elements  of  black'n'roll  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  influences  of  doom  and  thrash  metal  being  added  onto  the  recording  as  the  album  progresses,  a  later  track  also  introduces  guitar  leads  into  the  music.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Hungarian  and  cover  historical,  occult,  symbolic,  folklore  and  death  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Siculicidium  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  Eastern  European  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Halvanyan  az  ido  ellen"  and  "Lebomlas,  lelassulas".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/Siculicidium
www.siculicidium.bandcamp.com

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Brood In Black/Unholy Infernal Rites/2019 EP Review


  Kentucky's  Brood  In  Black  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  raw  and  old  school  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  ep  "Unholy  Infernal  Rites".

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  synth  intro  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  demonic  vocals  being  utilized  in  the  background  briefly  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  first  wave  and  thrash  metal  elements  at  times  and  they  also  bring  in  covers  of  Beherit's  "The  Gate  Of  Nanna"  and  "Hellhammer's  "Messiah".

  On  this  recording  Brood  In  Black  remains  true  to  the  raw  and  old  school  style  of  black  metal  that  was  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Luciferian  and  Blasphemy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Brood  In  Black  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  satanic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rise,  Father  Satan"  and  "Curse  Of  Torment".  8  out  of  10.

https://broodinblack.bandcamp.com/album/unholy-infernal-rites

Witcher/A gyertak csonkig egneck/Filosefem Records/2019 CD Review


  Witcher  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is a  review of  their    2019  album  "A  gyertak  csonkig  egneck"  which  was  released  by  Filosefem  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  epic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  synths  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  also  gives  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling.  A  great portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  depressive  sounding  melodies  while  the  keyboards  also  add  in  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys.  You  can  also  hear  a  good  amount  of  90's  influences  in  the  musical  style  along  with  the  slow  pace  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  doom  metal.

  When  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  track  more  of  a  raw  feeling  but  keeping  the  focus  on  more  of  a slow  or  mid  tempo  style  and  the  album  closes  with  a  cover  of  Pyotr  Ilyich  Tchaikovsky  "A  hattyuk  tava"  which  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Hungarian  and  cover  darkness,  depression  and  paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Witcher  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  keyboard  orientated  atmospheric  and  depressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  gyertak  csonkig  egneck"  and  "Az  utolso  utamon".  8  out  of  10.

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Hissing/Burning Door/Utech Records/2019 EP Review


  Seattle,  Washington's  Hissing  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  a  mixture  of  noise,  experimental,  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  ep  "Burning  Door"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Utech  Records.

  A  drone  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  ambient  style  soundscapes  as  well  as  introducing  elements  of  experimental  and  noise  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  while  the  music  also  adds  in  some  underground  industrial  elements  at  times.  When  clean  playing  is  utilized  it  is  also  done  in  more  of  an  avant  garde  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  at  times.

  all  of  the  songs  sound  each  other  and  you  can  also  hear  an  influences  of  doom  metal  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  and  as  the  ep  closes  a  brief  use  of  fast  playing  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard..  The  production  sounds  very  dark, r aw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  abstract  themes,  suffering  and  existentialism.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hissing  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental,  noise,  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out t his  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Burning  Door"  and  "Cataphasia".  8  out  of  10.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Sarr/Avitun/Satanic Art Media/2019 EP Review


  Sarr  are  a  solo  project  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  very  nihilistic  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019   ep  "Avitun"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Satanic  Art  Media.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into a   heavier  direction  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  atmospheric  style.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  it's  experimental  moments.

  Spoken  word  parts  and  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  one  track  also  showing  the  music  adding  in  some  avant  garde  elements  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody, the  music  also  adds  in a   good  mixture  of both  old  and  modern  influences.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sarr  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  experimental  and  nihilistic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Avitun"  and  "Lojask".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/-cG0h1Za8qg

  

Nocturnal Depression/Tides Of Despair/Sun & Moon Records/2019 CD Review


  Nocturnal  Depression  are  a  band  from  France  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Tides  Of  Despair"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Sun  &  Moon  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  synth  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  which  also  introduces  depressive  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording.  All  of  the  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in a   decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  growls  can  be  heard  along  later  track s also  introducing  stringed  instruments,  pianos,  horns,  chimes  and  bells  onto  the  recording  and  the  album  also  closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  suicide,  sorrow,  despair,  death  and  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nocturnal  Depression  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  depressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tides  Of  Despair"  "Slit  My  Wrist"  and  "Muse  Of  Suicide".  8  out  of  10.

 www.facebook.com/Nocturnal-Depression-Official-2087653717983396