Hræ/Þar sem skepnur reika/Goathorned Productions/2020 CD Review

 
  Hræ  are  a  solo  project  from  Iceland  that  plays  an  experimental  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "Þar  sem  skepnur  reika"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Goathorned  Productions.

  Wind  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dissonant  structures  and melodies.  Vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  deep  growls  and  grim  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  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  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  One  track  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  album as  well  as  the  guitar  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  distorted  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Icelandic  and  cover  darkness  and  isolation  themes.

  in  my  opinion  Hræ  are  a  very  great  sounding  dissonant  and  experimental  black  metal  solos  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre, you  should  check  out  this  album. RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Þar  sem  skepnur  reika"  "Tungur  og  Eiturský"  and  "Hafið  yfirþyrmandi.".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/HRAE-194066124606577 


  

Ildskaer/Den Raedsomste Nat/Wolfspell Records/2020 CD Review

  Ildskaer  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  historical  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Den  Raedsomste  Nat"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Wolfspell  Records.

  Thunder  sounds  and  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into a   heavier  direction  while  the  tremolo  picking  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  When  the music  speeds  up a great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  has  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences.  All  of the  musical  instruments  also  have  a very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  all  of  the  songs  also  add  in a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  one  track  also  shows  the  vocals  going  into  more  of  a  deeper  and  demonic  direction  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track

  Ildskaer  plays  a  style of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  aggressive  in  the  90's  Scandinavian  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in Danish  and  cover  the  British  bombardment  of  Denmark  in  1807.

   In  my  opinion  Ildskaer  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  old  school  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Raedselsnatten"  and  "Overladt  i  Fandens  vold".  8  out  of  10.

 https://ildskaer.bandcamp.com/releases    

Second To Sun/Leviathan/2020 Full Length Review

  Russia's  Second  To  Sun  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  Scandinavian  inspired  style  of  modern  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "Leviathan"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

  Record  player  noises  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the musical  instruments  also h ave  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  post  metal.

  Some  of  the  music  also  shows  from  inspirations  from  the  more  modern  Scandinavian  style  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  returning  on  some  of  the  later  tracks.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  ritualistic  soundscapes  can  also  be  heard  and  they  also add  in  a  short  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  on  the  remaining  songs.  The  production  sounds  very  professional while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Supernatural  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Second  To  Sun  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  Scandinavian  inspired  modern  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eerie"  "Shaitan"  and  "Leviathan".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.secondtosun.net/ 

https://secondtosun.bandcamp.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/secondtosun 

https://www.youtube.com/user/secondtosun 

https://www.instagram.com/secondtosunofficial/

        

Todeskrieger/Beyond The Realm Of Frost/2020 EP Review

  Todeskrieger  are  a  solo  project  from  Dallas,  Texas  that  plays  a  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2020 ep  "Beyond  The  Realm  Of  Frost".

  Classical  guitars  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  synths  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and r aw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking. Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  Swedish  style,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  song.

  Todeskrieger  plays  a  style  of  melodic  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  Swedish  tradition  but  with  a  sound  that  is  also  different  from  that  era.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  death  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Todeskrieger  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Enter  the  Nocturnal  Mist"  and  "Transylvanian  Solitude".  8 out  fo  10.

https://todeskrieger.bandcamp.com/releases

Idolatria/Tetrabestiarchy/Signal Rex/2020 Full Length Review

  Idolatria  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  modern  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Tetrabestiarchy"  which  will  be  released  in  September  bu  Signal  Rex.

  A  very  dark,  ritualistic  and  synth  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  Gregorian  chants  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  deep  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  along  with  some  demonic  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  one  track  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  synths  also  returning  on  later  songs  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and Animalistic  Myths.

  In  my  opinion  Idolatria  are  a  very  great  sounding  modern  and  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Serpent:  The  Father  Of  Darkness"  and  "Vulture:  The  God  Of  Last Rites".  8/5  out  of  10.

http://idolatria.bandcamp.com/album/tetrabestiarchy 

       

Besna Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Pinto: We are an extreme metal band from Slovakia, mixing harsh metal genres with melodic guitar lines to create long compositions. All of our lyrics are in our native tongue.

2.So far you have released an ep and a split, musically how do they both differ from each other?
Pinto: We feel the music and the direction is evolving all the time. We've only really gotten the 'post-black' metal label after having written the songs from the EP, and I think we've leaned slightly more towards that direction on the split. It also made sense to pick the songs better aligned with the Abyss' music this time.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
Pinto: The common theme on the EP were the feelings of isolation and loneliness being experienced by the people of age, feeling out of place and lost in the world they were left in. This time (on the Abyss split), we've dug a bit more into the religious symbolism. But the aspect that brings together all of our lyrical endeavors is in how the narrative of the songs is being tied to the nature and folklore we've grown with.

4.Originally the band was known as 'Rotting Gutless Corpse' what was the cause of the name change?
Samo: Well actually the RGC is completely different project. It was a homestudio fun, which Samo wanted to make into a live band. However after the bandmates were found we've have realised that we want to make more serious music. Thank god...

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Besna'?
 Samo: Inspiration came from the slovak romantism ballad Margita a Besná, written by Ján Botto. Originally there wasn't really any lyrical connection to it, but presently it has even inspired one of the upcoming songs. Regardless of this ballad, Besna just sound great to us. It means "mad".

6.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea?
Pinto: So far we have played more than 20 show across Slovakia, mostly in our hometown of Bratislava. We've also played on a national radio earlier this year and on the online version of Pohoda festival just a couple weeks ago. That was a really cool concept by the way - with COVID-19 restrictions no audience was allowed, so each band played at a unique venue setup at different places around an empty airport - the recordings are still online so we can only recommend to watch a couple shows. (Here is ours https://youtu.be/vCshylgMu7s )

7.Recently you where a part of a split with 'Abyss', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?
Samo: They are nice people in the first place, which we have got to know during their tour on our joint gig in Bratislava in April 2019. Moreover we are really enjoying their music, so after they have've asked us for collaboration, there was a definite Yes!

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of post black metal?
Samo: You tell me, haha. We are so far aiming mostly the slovak audience, and I guess based on the reactions from people, there are some fans that like our music. In January 2020 we got the opportunity to play live and speak in the only slovak heavymetal radio show Headbanger_FM. That was kinda motivational. Anyway, thanks everyone for support!

9.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Samo: We are now working on the material for full length album. Our goal is to record it this year. So maybe at the turn of years. Musically we will stay in similar tunes we had released so far, though maybe leaning in a more post/prog direction this time. But after that, who knows...

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Pinto: I personally feel the songs on the split were most influenced by having Harakiri for the Sky and Ne Obliviscaris on repeat at the time of writing. There are pieces of that I can hear coming through here and there, though the result is definitely much rawer (as in - less technically proficient :-) ) - more in line with the route our sound was already on.

11.What are some of your non musical interest
Samo: Depends. Every band member likes something else even in musical interests. Maybe sport climbing is something that at least three of us enjoy. For example Samo volunteers in community bicycle workshop Bike Kitchen Bratislava, Timo is in to LARP, Gabo likes video games and Pinto loves his job - IT developer and craft beer as well.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Pinto&Samo: Check out the Abyss/Besna split, out on September 12th 2020 and be nice!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BesnaBand/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ObFKojgIwvXycbRH0lQhA
Bandcamp: https://besna.bandcamp.com/

Lifvsleda/Det Besegrade Lifvet/Shadow Records/Regain Records/2020 CD Review

  Lifvsleda  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Det  Besegrade  Lifvet"  which  will  be  released  in  September  as  a  joint  effort  between  Shadow  and  Regain  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  as  well  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  a  brief  use  of  melodic  yet  chaotic  sounding  guitar  leads  onto  the  album  and  spoken  word  parts  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  towards  the  end.

  On  this  recording  Lifvsleda  remains  true  to  the  raw  and  old  school  style  of  black  metal  that  was  established  ob  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swedish  and  cover  death  and  pestilence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Lifvsleda  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I  Fjarran  Jord  Begrafvid"  "Afvgrundsande"  and  "Vederkvickelse".  8  out  of  10.

www.lifvsleda.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/lifvsleda

      

Drunemeton/Return To Old Europe/Der Schwarze Tod/2019 CD Review

  Drunemeton  are  a  duo  from  Russia  that  plays  a  pagan  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Return  To  Old  Europe"  which  was  released  by  Der  Schwarze  Tod.

  Wind  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  atmospheric  musical  direction.  When  acoustic  guitars  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  a  touch  of  folk  metal  while  synths  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  faster  sections  of   the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  90's  influences.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style   as  well  as some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  whispered  vocals  and  the  album  also closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Celtic,  Nordic  and  Slavic  Paganism 

  In  my  opinion  Drunemeton  are  a  very  great  sounding  pagan  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Gates  Of  Antiquity"  "Over  the  Bivrost"and  "Return  To  Old  Europe".8/5 out  of  10.

Bandcamp

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Yass-Waddah/This Reality Is Just A Deception/They Live We Sleep Recordings/2020 CD Review

 
  Yass-Waddah  are  a  band  from  Canary  islands,  Spain  that  plays  a   mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "This  Reality  Is  Just  A  Deception"  which  was  released  by  They  Live  We  Sleep  Recordings.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats. Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a very  powerful  sound  to  them. 

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  on  a  couple  of  tracks  When  guitar  solos  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  synths,  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  touches  of  thrash  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  instrumental  can  also  be  heard  before  returning  back t o  a  heavier  musical  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Yass-Waddah  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Darkness  Dimension"  "Inside  View"  and  "New  Generation  Of  Slaves".  8  out  of  10.

 https://yass-waddah.bandcamp.com/ 

  

Unsilent Interview

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

Since we finished recording, mastering and make all the cd art, we started working on the promotional material for the LP, we made a small spot and a videoclip for the track that gives the album its name. We also played quite often until the start of the pandemic, and of course write more music. In fact, Obscure & Profane was recorded between April and August 2019.



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

Actually the music by itself has not changed too much, the essence remains the same, we have only matured the sound and incorporated some elements that we did not consider before.



3.From 2010 to 2018 there was no music being released, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

The truth is that after Black Spells Sessions LP was released, I decided to leave Unsilent in the background and focus on other bands that I participated in at the time. I dedicated myself first to learn and experiment in other styles and in other roles, and to compose and make new songs, but without a clear idea. In 2012 - 2013, while playing in another band, I met Francisco L. on drums, then we began to rehearse all the material that I had previously created, but without the purpose of recording or playing live. In 2018 Cristian P. joined the band and we started working under this new format. It was easy for us to move forward and decide to play a lot live and record an EP in 2018 mainly due to the good adaptation and discipline of the new guitarist.



4.Some of your lyrics cover magick themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

I think the interest in everything related to the dark arts is something typical of all of us who are in extreme music, personally I am not interested in Christian or Catholic religious beliefs and cults, shit that have been instilled in us for centuries, I think the hidden side of things is more interesting and complex and for some reason they are banned and censored.



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

Over the years what I have learned the most is not to self-label or marry a particular musical style; It would be quite easy for us to enhance our music proposal using corpse paint or fashion paraphernalia but I think the most important thing to do is to have a clear identity; by my side, if for X person, Unsilent is black metal or death metal, doesn´t care for me, it is not for us to label ourselves.



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

The original idea was about make music that sounded loud and thunderous, but i was not really clear a particular name. One day, listening to Immortal's Pure Holocaust, I discovered that the indicated word was Unsilent.



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

When I wrote every music for the album, I was still not sure what title to put it or what it would be, I just wanted the album to be as obscure and profane as possible. Based on that I started to put name and lyrics to each song, to finally represent the art. Obscure & Profane represents, through each of the songs on the album, a succession of invoking black spells, rituals of magic, terror and horror, dark arts and evil invocations in a fictional world mixed with a lot of fantasy and imagination,  which represent some a luciferian personal visions on life and death and our passage through an ethereal dimension, all this channeled by an evil monk and his two accomplices, who, in some way, represents the current lineup of the band.



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?

We always enjoy playing live, I think it is the most motivating part of all, putting into practice all the time and dedication, rehearsals, compositions, etc .; Obviously we have had better presentations than others, but it goes more for technical than personal aspects. We really enjoy what we do, the only thing i know for sure is when we play, no one is indifferent!!!



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

It is too early to measure general reactions, since "Obscure & Profane" has only one month since it was published, however the things that are happening for Unsilent are quite proud of us, they are a product of the effort and dedication we have put into this new album. We have had an excellent reception in our country and Latin America, but we are spreading the seed throughout the world yet.



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

We are convinced to continue making extreme music, now we are in the stage of composing new tracks, reviewing hidden material for years, rehearsing them and playing them live when global and local situations allow; it is quite unlikely that we will change the musical direction, basically because it is not our search, on the contrary, this is what we came to, it would be dishonest with ourselves to make music to please someone.



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?

It is a rather difficult question, because the answer would be quite broad. All of us have similar musical preferences, but at the same time too different, it would be quite complicated and pretentious to mix everything in one style. My favorite sidewalk is Black Metal, Cristian's sidewalk I still don't know very well hahaha, and Francisco walks through death and black metal; We are focused on making extreme music, and if Unsilent looks like this or that, it is not up to us to judge.
My current playlist includes Acheontas, MGLA, Unlight, The Cult, (yes, The Cult), etc.



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

We want to thank Occult Black Metal Zine for this interview and for taking the time to listen to our music and spread the seed. We really appreciate and value it!!!

https://www.facebook.com/UnsilentLegion

Mountain Hermit Interview

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


Mountain Hermit is a Black Metal project officially born in 2012, when I lived in Lazio  countryside, before moving to Rome. The project was born as a one-man band, a personal and intimate attempt to give birth and spit out my dark side, something that has characterized me since I was a child.


2.So far you have released 3 demo's and a collaboration, musically how do they differ from each other?


Every Mountain Hermit work embodies one of the facets composing my personality, that is why they are all different. When you will listen to the new work, "Parapsychedelic Eye" (out next July 29th July), a single episode of experimentation, outside the typical canons of black metal orthodoxy, you will realize how Mountain Hermit can be interpreted and plays in several different ways.


3.The project started out in 2012 but waited until 2019 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier days?


I actually have a longer musical history. I started to play the guitar when I was 12 but I started to listen metal when I was about only 10 years old! I played in a couple of underground bands in my hometown in Sicily, between mid 90's and early 2000's, but unfortunately we never released any recorded stuff. We played various lives but nothing more. After those years, for a long time I just played for myself and never published anything. In 2011 I started a solo project of atmospheric and experimental music, “Woods at Dusk” and in the meantime I started to play in a really natural way some black metal riff… I waited a couple of years more to release my music (both Woods at Dusk and Mountain Hermit saw the light in 2019). After the first release, with Mountain Hermit I started to feel the artistic need to play and release my music.


4.So far all of the music has been instrumental, are you open to using any vocals or lyrics in the future?


Yes, I actually do. After the collaboration with Vintermørke I decided I would like to partner with a singer, but I do not think I will get myself to writing lyrics in the very next future. However it is something I consider for the future.


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


Mountain Hermit is my very deep essence, my soul.

The mountain is the place that I love with the woods acting as a temple and altar and representing the closest place to transcendence.

The Hermit is the priest who guides souls along this journey through music. To reach certain levels of gnosis and wisdom he passes through isolation and solitude and strict contact with nature, he feels very distant from the corrupted human nature and he is not strictly interested in human contacts.



6.With this project you record everything by yourself but have worked with other musicians in the past, how would you compare the two?


I compose every song that I play and I usually want total control on everything because I compose for all the instruments involved (in the past, lyrics and vocals too). In my opinion also mix and mastering are part of art creation so I chose to perform them myself.

With bands, in the past, I had the luck to work with good musicians so explaining and communicating certain concepts was easy, but when you are on your own it means that you undertake total control on everything. As I said, now I found a singer and I chose to leave him total artistic freedom and we merge our ideas.


7.Recently you have done a collaboration with 'Vintermørke', how would you compare your musical style to his?


Mountain Hermit and Vintermørke are totally different concepts of black metal but we discovered something great in our collaboration… we like playing together to combine the raw souls of both projects and the atmospheric and experimental side of Mountain Hermit. We both have issues with mankind so there are good common extra musical roots too.



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


Mountain Hermit is actually a pure underground project and it has been appreciated by a small niche of people from various parts of the globe. Generally, I received positive vibes and support but I also met fans of the black metal scene who do not appreciate my musical proposal.


9.Are you currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?


Yes, I am. My project “Woods at Dusk” is actually quite lively. I received a proposal by a label to release all the singles in an album.

Maybe I will start something new with this project in the next future.


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


As I said, I am releasing a work called "Parapsychedelic Eye" in these days. It is over 40 minutes and composed by five songs. This will be the latest instrumental work of Mountain Hermit. Also the collaboration EP with Vintermørke is coming and after this there is a project for a split work with a black metal band from Asia.

I do not know the future of the project yet but I am sure about one thing: I am an artist and I still need to express myself by releasing a lot of music.


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


I have been and still am (despite the age) one of those kids crazy about heavy metal in all its forms (although I remain tied exclusively 80s and 90s metal) but I also listen to classical music, jazz, blues, punk/hardcore, psychedelic music, lots of ambient/drone music, industrial and much more.


12.According to the website page you also have an interest spiritual, mystic, dark, extreme, esoteric and paranormal related issues, can you tell us a little bit more about these interests?


As a child I started to develop an interest for paranormal and mystic/esoteric/spiritual topics but also for extreme and sick themes, like gore, serial killers and similar. I grew up reading with curiosity the books of authors like H. P. Lovecraft and about the most disparate things like parapsychology, demonology or black arts like goetia or necromancy ecc. ecc. In the mature age, I started to study also various religions, sacred texts and the esoteric paths behind them so I can say that my life is characterized by a contact between me and the metaphysical world and black metal is another personal instrument to communicate with it.


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


I would like to thank you once again for both the reviews of "Lucus" and "Gnostic Isolation", for this interview and for all the support that every day you give to the underground black metal scene, forgotten by the mainstream channels.

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Arra/I/Blasfemas Records/2020 EP Review

  Arra  are  a  solo  project  from  the  United  States  that  plays  an  occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  ep  "I"  which  was  released  by  Blasfemas  Records.

  Ritualistic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  ep  along  with  a  brief  use  of  demonic  spoken  word  parts  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  ritualistic  elements  and  keyboards  also  return  on  some  of  the  other  tracks,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark,  melodic  and  old  school  style.

  Arra  plays  a  style  of  occult  black  emtal  that  is  very  old  school  and  ritualistic  sounding  in  the  90's  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Black  Magick  and  Left  Hand  Path  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Arra  are  a  very  great  sounding  occult  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Goat  Ritual"  and  "Ancient  Ones".  8  out  of  10.

https://arraoccult.bandcamp.com/releases       

Stygian Temple/In The Sign Of The Five Angles/The Sinister Flame/2020 CD Re-Issue Review

  Stygian  Temple  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  occult  form  of  satanic  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album "In  The  Sign  Of  The  Five  Angles"  which  will  be  re-issued  in  September,  2020  by  The  Sinister  Flame.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  orientated  synth  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  vocals  are  very  aggressive  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments.  At  times  the  vocals  also  start  getting  more  grim  sounding  as  well  as  also  getting  very  deep  and  demonic  sounding  at  times,  synths  also  make  a  brief  return  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Stygian  Temple  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  occult  and  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Soli  Deo  Gloria"  "The  Great  Cosmic  Void"  and  "Dominion  Of  The  Trident".  8/5  out  of  10.

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Forfallet Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
The idea was born after a casual discussion about music between S. and P. (on guitars) a bit more than a year ago. We quickly discovered there was a very good chemistry so soon after that A. on bass and T. on drums joined. Once the band was complete, the sound of Förfallet started forming in the rehearsals.

2.In May you had released your first album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?
All members have played (or are still playing) in different bands. One thing we had in common was that we wanted to try something new, something we had not previously done. We also wanted to play some form of black metal. Those two factors combined resulted in this album.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the music?
Grief, despair, loss of belief and the sheer hopelessness one can feel about the cruelty of mankind.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Forfallet'?
For us, ‘Förfallet’ is about the single ongoing and unstoppable process of decay in society and in ourselves as individuals. We all carry a destructive force within that affects everything around us, even if we don’t want to admit it. And the byproduct of that is the feeling of helplessness once one realizes that one cannot put an end to it.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?
It is an oil painting inspired by the soundscapes and emotions invoked by the music, the rest is up to the viewer to interpret. It was painted by P. (guitars, vocals) after the recording of the album.

6.Has the band had any opportunities to do any live shows or is this strictly a studio project?
We have not played live yet, but it is something we want to do in the future. Because of the situation now with the pandemic there are no specific plans, but we definitely don’t consider Förfallet to be a studio project. It is important for us to try to express and convey our emotions in front of an audience as well.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
We looked for a label briefly, but that is not what is important for us right now, since this is our first release. We want our music to be heard and to get a reaction from the audience; we are curious to see how others relate to our music and what it means to them.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
When we released our album on Bandcamp it did not take long before people started supporting it. We’ve heard good words from a few reviews that are already out and there’s a couple of mentions in some bigger music sites/blogs. So we feel that the reaction has been good so far!

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We are already working on further exploring our take on the genre and to refine how we portray our emotions through sound.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
We all listen to and have been influenced by different music styles.


11.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for your review and the opportunity to reach more people with this interview. We are currently working on our next album which we hope will be out in about a year.

Bandcamp

Langenneet Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Langenneet is an occult metal act, who dedicate its work entirely to studying the “fallen angels” mythos and symbolism surrounding it.

2.So far you have released a demo, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?
Aamunkajo demo consist of two songs. At this stage, they present the sound of Langenneet in a perfect way. More elements will be presented in the future, but at the moment it is a perfect demonstration of what Langenneet is about. Musically, it is dark and metal, with both aggression and melody included.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover occultism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?
Lyrically Langenneet focuses on the fallen ones mythos & symbolism. Naturally other elements of occult knowledge are very much present in the lyrics as well. This is about personal view - getting the point; not just about taking it all literally. I am personally very much interested in hermeticism and spiritual alchemy.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Langenneet'?
Langenneet means fallen ones in Finnish. Fallen ones are a wide concept that has written roots in Sumer, while abrahamic myths of the fallen angels are probably the most widely known. Most of the readers of this media are probably interested in the satanic development of the theme.

5.Has the band done any live shows or is this strictly a studio project?
At this moment Langenneet only writes and records. Live shows might be possible in the distant future, but right now there are no plans for that.

6.So far very little is known about the band except for the bandcamp page, is that intentional or do you plan on expanding your presence in the future?
Right now it feels that Bandcamp is enough. Both of the demo songs are also on YouTube. Langenneet has no desire for social media presence, or other extensive social presence. Everything is based on people’s will to search and study things that might lead them to discover Langenneet. Therefore Langenneet remains anonymous (even to my closest friends), at least for now.

7.Currently the band is unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Langenneet haven’t communicated much with record labels yet, but I believe that we will get to that later.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?
Aamunkajo demo was released only a week ago. Therefore only very few individuals have discovered Langenneet so far. As a matter of fact, your review is one of the few reactions so far.

9.Do any of the band members have any experience playing in other bands or musical projects?
At the moment Langenneet consists only of one person. I have been active in making music many times over in the past.

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
The are plans for several concept albums. Both of the Aamunkajo demo songs will most likely be featured on the first album. Therefore the demo version are now available for free download at: https://langenneet.bandcamp.com.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I am interested in dark music in general. On the first demo, I sensed the influence of Impaled Nazarene (with Kimmo Luttinen) and Root (with Blackie). This was entirely coincidental, not conscious at all.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for the interview. As a long time underground follower, I appreciate it a lot that there are zines and medias who delve into new and unknown music. The whole Langenneet philosophy and concept is based on something similar.

https://langenneet.bandcamp.com/

Goatvulva/Self Titled/Werwolf/2020 Compilation Album Review

  Goatvulva  where  a  solo  project  from  Finland  that  consists  of  the  main  person  behind  Beherit  and  played  a  bestial  mixture  of  war,  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  titled  2020  compilation  which  consists  of  demos  that  where  recorded  in  the  mid  80's  and  early  90's.

  A  porno  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  compilation  before  adding  in  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  heavy  bass  guitar  riffing.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  short  in  length  along  with  the  fast  tremolo  picking  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  tracks.

  Demonic  voices  and  bestial  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  tribal  and  ritualistic  sounding  along  with  the  porno  samples  also  making  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks.

  Elements  of  noise  and  grindcore  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  and  as  the  compilation  progresses  a  brief  use  of  dark  sounding  melodies,  whispered  vocals  and  doom  metal  influences  can  also  be  heard,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  raw  yet  chaotic  style  as  well  as  a  later  track  introducing  spoken  word  parts  into  the  music  along  with  a  brief  use  of  synths.  The  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Darkness,  Evil,  Porn  and  Sex  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Goatvulva  where  a  very  great  sounding  bestial  mixture  of  war,  black,  death  meta,  noise  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bitch  Goddess"  "Crucifixis"  "Black  666"  and  "Hate".  8 out  of  10.

http://werewolfrecords.bandcamp.com/album/goatvulva      

Vital Spirit/In The Faith That Looks Through Death/Hidden Tribe/2020 EP Review

  Vital  Spirit  are  a  duo  from  Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  plays  a  raw  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  western  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  ep  "In  The  Faith  That  Looks  through  Death"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Hidden  Tribe.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  raw  yet  melodic  style  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  a  small  amount  of  melody  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Some  of  the  clean  playing  also  shows  an  influence  of  western  music  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences.

  Vital  Spirit  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  melodic  while  also  adding  in  touches  of  60's  era  spaghetti  western  music  to create  a  sound  of t heir  own.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Mayan  Cosmology  and  History,  Pancho  Villa's  role  in  the  Mexican  Revolution  and  Wovoka's  Ghost  Dance  movement.

  In  my  opinion  Vital  Spirit  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  raw  black  metal  and  spaghetti  western  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Heart  Of  Sky"  and  "Ghost  Dance".  8  out  of  10.

www.vitalspirit.bandcamp.com     

Ordinance/In Purge There Is No Remission/The Sinister Flame/2020 CD Review

  Ordinance  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  satanic  and  occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "In  Purge  There  Is  No  Remission"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  The  Sinister  Flame.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Synths  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  Finnish  style.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  a  couple  of  later  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  ethnic  music  instruments  and  melodic  chants  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  and  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Darkness  and  Death  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ordinance  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  satanic  and  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Obstructed  Paths"  "The  Kingdom  Of  Nothing"  and  "Purging  Kremenation".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

    

Decoherence/Unitarity/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2020 Full Length Review

  U.S.A/United  Kingdom's  Decoherence  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  an  ambient  and  industrial  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Unitarity"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  A  very  fast,  brutal  and  dissonant  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.  Industrial  style  beats  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  as  well as  the  fast  tremolo  picking  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  distorted  sounding  melodies.  Noises  and  electronics  are  also  brought  into  the  music  at  times  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dissonant  yet  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  ambient  elements,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  space,  cosmological  annihilation  and  sidereal  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Decoherence  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ambient,  industrial  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Equilibrium  Unreached"  and  "Remnants".  8out  of  10.

BANDCAMP RELEASE