Sainte Marie des Loups/Funerailes de Feu/Amor Fati/Extraconscious Records/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Sainte  Marie  des  Loups  are  a  solo  project  from  France  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "Funeralies  de  Feu"  which  will  be  released  on  November  25th  as  a  joint  effort  between  Amor  Fati  and  Extraconscious  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking a nd  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Synths  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  a  couple  of  tracks  also  introduces  clean  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  and  at  times  the  music  also  captures  a  medieval  atmosphere  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  punk  influences  can  also  be  heard. The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  darkness  and  blasphemy  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sainte  Marue  des  Loups  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  melodic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Anciens  Seprens"  "Dans  les  yeaux  de  Meduse"  and  "Visions".8  out  of  10.

www.saintemariedesloups.bandcamp.com 

https://youtu.be/2f7GjPkAPxc  

        

Ramchat/Znelo Lesom/Slovak MetalArmy/2020 CD Review

 

  Ramchat  are  a  band  from  Slovakia  that  plays  a  pagan  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Znelo  Lesom"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Slovak  Metal  Army.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in a   brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  keyboards  and  female  vocals.

  Ramchat  plays  a  style  of  pagan  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  melodic  sounding  as  well  as  adding  in  some  elements  of  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Slovakian  and  cover  Slavic  Gods,  Mythology,  Paganism,  Heritage  and  Anti  Christianity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ramchat  are  a  very  great  sounding  pagan  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "V  case  popadaje"  "Matka  ZEM"  "Jastrab"  and  "Bogyna".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/ramchatband 

https://youtu.be/934_FCMn8Ko    

Ajera/In Momentum/Cult Tape Productions/2020 CD Review

 

   Ajera  are  a  solo  project  from  Norway  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "In  Momentum"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Cult  Tape  Productions.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  with  programmed  beats,  synths  and  spoken  word  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  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  second  wave  Nordic  style  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  direction.  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  few  tracks  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  mid  tempo  and  fast  sections.

  On  this  recording  Ajera  remains  true  to  the  old  school  style  of black  metal  that  he  had  established  on  his  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ajera  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Alpha  Death  Commando"  and  "Sacrifice  Life,  Abaddon  Light". 8out  fo  10.

Bandcamp          

Liminal Shroud/Through The False Narrows/Hypnotic Dirge Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Liminal  Shroud  are  a  band  from  Victoria  B.C,  Canada  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Through  the  False  narrows"  which  will  be  released in  November  by  Hypnotic  Dirge  Records. 

  Angry  screams  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  yet  melodic  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are mostly  high  pitched  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Whispered  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  as  well   as  some  tracks  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  .and  a  later  song  also  introduces  piano's  and  nature  sounds  onto  the  album.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  futility,  passage,  individual  and  metaphysical  transformation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Liminal  Shroud  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  depressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Hollow  Visage" "The  Grotto"  and  "Lucidity". 8out  of  10.

 BANDCAMP  YOUTUBE     

Saarkoth/Cult Of Nature/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Saarkoth  are  a  band  from  the  united  Kingdom  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melodic  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "Cult  Of  Nature".

  Spoken  word  parts  start  off  the album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style. Vocals  are mostly  grim  sounding  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  clean  chants  also  being  added  into  the  background  briefly.

  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 r aw  feeling.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  growling  vocals  and  synths  onto  the  recording,  clean  playing also  makes  a return  on  some  of  the  later  songs  as  well  as  the  spoken  word  parts  also  reappearing  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  melodic  vocals  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  humanity,  nature,  the  rapid  decaying  of  Earth  and  the  human  mind.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Saarkoth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  melodic  black  metal, you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rains  over  A  Dying  World"  "Sanctuaries  Of  Oak"  and  "Questions  For  The  Heavens".   8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

Facebook

 

Varg Interview

 

Answered by: FREKI (vocals)

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

We are overwhelmed by the great reactions to the album and are looking forward to our upcoming tour when the pandemic is over.

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

Our new guitarists Morkai and Garm have improved our songwriting to a new level. The songs are heavy and melodic at the same time. Let's say this album is the grown up pagan rebirth of VARG. 

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

With the opening track 793 we draw the listener back to the official beginning of the era of vikings. The lyrics are a journey through paganism, the viking way of life, old gods, heathen values, bloody battles and norse mythology. Over the past 15 years many things have changed for me, I did not only grow older but gained a lot experiences that improve you as a person and hand-by-hand improves you as songwriter of course.

4.Some of your lyrics have also Paganism and Norse Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

My interest in paganism and norse mythology began in 2005. I read books about these topics and was trying to dig deeper and deeper into it. While most publications only scratched the surface I was happy to find some rare books that described for example the blood eagle ritual which fascinated me a lot. Over the years I have never lost my interest in norse mythology but the real desire for it was reborn around the year 2017. Today I am more interested in these topics than every before.

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

The artwork is very plain and dark. It focuses on the wolfrune which is the new sign for VARG, like a second band logo. If you look closely you will find some more details.

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

Our stage performance is more a ritual than a concert. We built a strong connection to the audience and let them dive into the raw era of vikings and the VARG universe we create. Surrounded by iron, runes and fire we feel comfortable and anyone who is willing to join our wolfpack will be rewarded with being part of this ritual. 

7.You have also mentioned being against fascism and racism in the past, can you tell us a little bit more about these views?

There's not much to tell. We are against facism and racism and any intelligent person should share this opinion.

8.The new album was released on Napalm Records a label you have worked with in the past, what was the decision behind returning back to this label?

We have never splitted ways with Napalm Records. We released “Wolfszeit II” on our own label Wolf Metal records because it was more a remake than a new album.

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

The reactions have been great. It seems that the pagan rebirth of VARG is exactly what fans were looking for and even some former haters have changed to fans with this new album. 

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

Morkai is part of the power metal band Victorious who are also signed to Napalm Records. Garm is part of the melodic death metal band Deliver The Galaxy. Fenrier has his own streetwear label.

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

We will definitely follow the path we chose with the new album “Zeichen” and go even further into norse mythology and the viking era.

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

A big influence for the pagan rebirth of VARG has definitely been Wardruna  who not only do great music but also have an extraordinary live show. Personally I don't listen to new music that often and focus on the good old albums that have been part of my life for many years.

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

Stay save and healthy and listen to the new VARG album “Zeichen” now!

HOMEPAGE
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INSTAGRAM
NAPALM RECORDS

Morbid Blood/DemoN 1/2020 Demo Review

 

  Morbid  Blood  are  a band  from  Boston,  Massachusetts  that plays  a  raw  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash metal  and  d  beat  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released 2020  demo.

  Synths  start  off  the  demo  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats. Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the music  also  adding  in  some  elements  of  thrash,  crust  and  d  beat  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  old  school  style.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  music  also  adds  in  some  touches  of  early  90's  era  death  metal  into  the  guitar  riffing.  The  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the closing  track  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  a  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  riffing. 

  Morbid  Blood  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  black,  death,  thrash  metal  and  d  beat  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Morbid  Blood  are  a  very  great sounding  raw  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  metal  and  d  beat  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "March  Of  The  Grotesque".  8 out  of  10.

https://morbidblood666.bandcamp.com/releases           

Black Mold/The Inheritance Of Evil/Hellprod Records/2020 Cassette Review

 

  Portugal's Black  Mold  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  punk  influenced  form  of  raw  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "The  Inheritance Of  Evil"  which  will  be  released  on  cassette  in  November  by  Hellprod  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  punk  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  first  wave  vibe.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.

  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.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  80's  and  90's  era  influences  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  a  good  balance  between  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  all  of  the  music  also  sticking  to  a  heavier  musical  direction.

  On  this  recording  Black  Mold  remain  true  to  the  punk  influenced  style  of  black  metal  that  was  established  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Darkness  and  Atavistic  Nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Black  Mold  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  punk  influenced  black  metal, you  should  check  out  this  cassette.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ascended  Masters"  "Long  Night"  "The  Invisible  Hand"  and  "Ghosts  In  The  Mirror".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp | Soundcloud

    

Earthly Form Interview

 

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

I started the band in february 2020. I had been storing some ideas that didn't fit in my earlier musical projects, which were mostly grindcore and crust, and I wanted to do something with the ideas, basically "riffs". So, to get started I decided to use this maybe 15 years old drum machine I had lying around to make some beats. I asked Stefanator, who I have been playing with in various projects before, to join the band to play the bass. Stefanator agreed, and the drum machine also stayed.

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

We didn't have any vision of what it should've sounded like, or how we could even approach any specific sound. All we knew it should be really raw and cold, but in an atmospheric way. The songs were quite new when we recorded them, and we were just concentrated to play them right. I also had a new distortion pedal and I hadn't been doing vocals in a loooooong time. But the recording session was really smooth, and our friend Nihilius did a great job recording and mixing it (eternal gratitude!)

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

Flesh prison, the first song on the demo, for example, is about the feeling that this civilization - or society- is so repulsive, that one needs to escape from it, but not by straight death, but something 'spiritual', like self improvement, for example. Crushing the wheel deals with the fact that there's no point in trying to build forever lasting imperium's, because they will always fall, and then rise again, then fall again... The ever-repeating cycle must be broken. But how? In what sense?

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

It fits perfectly with the so-called philosophy in our lyrics, and it's a synonym with the first song we made, Flesh prison.

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

I took the picture on one of my hiking trips to a Finnish national park in the spring. It's probably a beaver's nest in a flooded lake. I didn't take the picture for this purpose at first, but later noticed it would make a nice cover.

6.Currrently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

We are not actively looking for new members, but let's say that it's not impossible that we would add a singer, second guitarist or a human drummer to the line up. But it's really great this way too. Maybe if we start doing live shows some day we could use an extra hand on the stage to improve the sound. Or if we simply run out of ideas.

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

We are looking for a label, but we should be more active in it, like sending tapes etc... We will be recording new stuff in the future anyway, and it would be great to have a label to release it, be it in whichever format.

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

The reaction has been really good, at least if you compare the streaming and downloading numbers with the little effort we have put into spreading the demo. We don't have any social media, and I haven't personally been a part of any scene, or known 'the right people', so it's great that people have still found our music.

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 both have our background in punk, crust and grindcore, and we are still involved in them, but we are into metal too, of course. I can't speak for Stefanator but I have drawn inspiration from all kinds of black metal, from bestial style to melodic atmospheric stuff. I also enjoy death metal a lot, as I enjoy 80's pop music and classical composers, and I'm sure there are influences from those styles too in Earthly Form's music.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Stefanator spends his time with environmental anthropology and video games. For me it's hiking and books. We both are interested in what's happening (and what already has happened) in this world.

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

Huge thanks & eternal hails for this interview. For those interested, we still have copies of the tape demo left, so just write us at earthlyform@gmail.com to get one for yourself.

Chateau Noir/Troubadours Of Pestilence/Darker Than Black Records/Subterranean Aftersounds/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Chateau  Noir  are  a  duo  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  very  old  school  and  hateful  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their  2020  album  "Troubadours  Of  Pestilence"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Subterranean  Aftersounds  and  Darker  than  Black  Records.

  A  very  medieval  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  elements  of  folk  music  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  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.

  When  synths  are  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  track  also  bringing  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  they  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  Absurd's  "Mourning  Soul" which  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals  as  well  as  some  clean  playing  also  being  added  on the  outro.

  Chateau  Noir  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  French  and  Polish  forms  of  the  genre.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  mysticism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Chateau  Noir  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  Castle  of  Pestilence"  and  "The  Victorious  Flame".  8  out  of  10.

  

        

Draept/Vrak/Entartete Muzak Productions/2020 EP Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Sweden's    Draept  and  Vrak  which  was  released  by  Entartete  Muzak  Productions  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Draept  a  duo  who  returns  with  a  raw style  of  occult  black  metal.

  His  side  of  the  split starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and  raw sound  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast beats. Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  which  also  have  their  deep  moments  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  drum  beats  being  programmed  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  some  more  modern  influences.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Western  Occultism  themes,

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Draept  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Warfare".

  The  review  of  Vrak's  side  of  the  split  can  be  found  here  which  I  reviewed  a  couple  of  weeks  ago.

https://occultblackmetalzine.blogspot.com/2020/10/vrakself-titled2020-demo-review.html

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

https://entartetemuzakproductions.bandcamp.com/album/draept-vr-k-split-ep

 

Wintarnaht/Hriuwa/Talheim Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Wintarnaht  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  an  archaic  form  of  pagan  black  metal and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "Hriuwa"  which  will  be  released  on  October  31st  by  Talheim  Records.  

 Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the album  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  a  few  seconds  later.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  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  great  amount  of  melody.  Clean  pagan  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  elements  of doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs. 

The  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  as  well  one  of  the  tracks also  being  an  instrumental  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  synths  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also be  heard  on  a  few  songs.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  Paganism,  Nature,  Misanthropy  and  Non  Theistic  Historical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Wintarnaht are a  very  great  sounding  archaic  pagan  black  metal  solo  project and if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album. RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hriuwa"  and  "Ir  in  Flamma".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp: https://wintarnaht.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/Wintarnaht/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archaic_oath/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrFYkJp4HsfQ6klhx6nv34w/

  

      

Negative Or Nothing/Drowned/Wulfhere Productions/Depressive Illusions Records/Careless Records/Azure Graal/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Negative  Or  Nothing  are  a  duo  from  Chile  that plays  a  very  depressive  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  dark  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Drowned"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Wulfhere  Productions.  Depressive  Illusion,  Careless  Records  and  Azure  Graal.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic   in  length  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  dark  rock.  One  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  atmospheric  sounding  synths  onto  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  and  ambient  instrumental  can  also  be  heard.

  Negative  Or  Nothing  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  a  depressive  black  metal  style  along  with  the  dark  rock  and  ambient  touches  also  making  the  music  stand  out  more.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Existentialism  and  Negativity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Negative  Or  Nothing  are  a  very  great  sounding  depressive  black  metal  duo  with  elements  of  dark  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vmbra"  and  "Intransitive".  8  out  of  10.

https://negativeornothing.bandcamp.com/album/drowned

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTyR-yfdhzY&t=890s

Worship Of Eternal Darkness II/Askio Productions/2019 Compilation Album Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  compilation  called  "Worship  Of  Eternal  Darkness  II"  which  was  released  in  2019  by  Askio  Productions  and  consists  of  many  different  styles  of  black  metal  and  we  will  review  each  track  individually.

  Witchgoat  brings  us  "Black  Vomit  Of  Soul"  which  starts  out  with  a  very  heavy  and  thrash  influenced  sound  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  also  mixes  both  the  first  and  second  waves  together,  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffing  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Internment  brings  us  Flaying  The  Angel  Scum"  which   starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and  raw  sound  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  melody  being  added  into  the  riffing  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  as  well  as  adding  in  a  touch  of  death  metal  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style.

  Fullmoon  Cult  brings  us  "Wrath  of  Abysmal  Lord"  which  starts  out  with  some  raw  tremolo  picking  before  going  into  a  faster  direction  and  also  introducing  blast  beats  into  the  music.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  emtal  screams  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  era  and  the  guitar  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Necromantizer  brings  us  "Aphos-Sophia"  which  starts  out  with  some  melodic  and  old  school  riffing  while  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  occult  style.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  and  most  of  the  music  is  in  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  Kala  brings  us  "Gishbar  Ba  Gibbil  Ba"  which  starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and  raw  sound  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  style  along  with  the  song  also  being  over  6  minutes  in  length,  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffing.  

  Hexengrab  brings  us  "Schrei  der  Sirene"  which  starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and  raw  sound  that  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  as  well  as  always  sticking  to  a  heavy  power  chord  driven  style.

  Regnans  brings  us  "You  Are  Not  Welcome  Here"  which  starts  out  with  some  dark  yet  melodic  riffing  before  adding  in  some  grim  black  metal  screams.  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  most  of  the  direction  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  yet  raw  direction.

  Hoofstomper  closes  the  compilation  which  "Dark  (Metamorphoses)  which  starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and  raw  sound  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  deep  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  as  well  as  some  touches  of  rockabilly  and  surf  music  and  when  synths  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  more  of  a psychedelic  feeling.

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

https://askio-productions.bandcamp.com/album/worship-of-eternal-darkness-ii

https://askio-productions.bandcamp.com/album/worship-of-eternal-darkness-ii

    

      

   

Flail/Dying Embers To Coldening Coals/Behest/2020 CD Review

 

    Flail  are  a  duo from  Finland  that  plays  a  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Dying  Embers  To  Coldening  Coals"  which  was  released  by  Behest.

  A  very  dark  and  haunting  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  small  amount  of  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  captures  a  very  lo-fi  atmosphere  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  while  also  going  for  more  of  a  early  to  mid  2000's  depressive  style.  Distorted  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with the  synths  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  ambient  when  they  make  a  brief  return  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  Flail  plays  a  style  of  depressive  black  metal  that  is  very  slow  and  lo-fi  sounding  as  well  as  having  its  atmospheric  moments.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive themes.

  In  my  opinion  Flail  are  a  very  great  sounding  depressive  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Carbon  And  Blood"  and  "Leaden  Sights".8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp   

Nattblod Interview

 

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

Asmodeus: Yes sure. We are a black metal band from Sweden, founded in late 2019. I have been playing in different kinds of bands before Nattblod but was always drawn to the darker side so to speak. So after a while i decided to start my own black metal band. I was originally a guitarist, but we had issues finding a good bassist so I switched. Bass is my main instrument  and I was a bassist in my other bands. So the switch felt natural.  

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

A: Back to the roots is all I can say. Most of today's black metal is too much produced. We wanted it to sound raw and alive, where you can feel the coldness and darkness through the music as well the energies flowing. Of course it needs to be mixed to some extent but not to the point it sounds generic 

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

A: Our lyrics so far cover satanism and our own interpretation of judas the deceiver. We draw a lot of inspiration from  the darker sides of religion, death, hopelessness, misanthropy.     

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

 A: "Nattblod" is Swedish for Nightblood and has several meanings. Night can be quite frightening, especially if you enter unfamiliar territory. Lets say a dark forest  in the night with no lights is frightening, and you have to cross it to get to your home. But if you channel the powers of the dark and fill your spirit and soul with it. Then you will eventually overcome your fears and use it to your advantage. We see the night as something that gives us strength, it feeds our creativity and hunger. The night is when the spirits realm are more accessible and let us inject their power in us. "Blod" means blood and we as a band see blood as something sacred. Blood can truly enhance and give strength.      

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

A: We did a collaboration with 109 art who has done artwork for bands like hetroertzen and Mystruin. Our album cover features a forest in the night with three wolves. For us the wolf as a symbol has a deep meaning. The wolf is an animal that lives in a pack and our band is very much like a wolf pack. They are very predatory and primitive and we have a predatory mindset and our wild hunt has just begun to spread our music to the underground. Why there are three wolves on the cover is due to the symbolism of the trinity, and having wolves is like a mockery against the holy trinity because the wolf also represents evil and even the devil himself sometimes. Number three is also a sacred number and often symbolizes creativity and a flow of energy. An energy we inject and let it flow in our band to feed it and nurture it. just like blood does to our body.    

6.Does the band have any plans to start doing live shows after the pandemic dies out?

A: Sooner than later i hope, but yeah as soon as this pandemic is over we will start playing live. 

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

A: We have looked a little bit but decided to wait for maybe our next release or we feel we have enough material. 

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

A: quite good actually not a whole lot, but people who have listened or discovered us  seem to like it and. 

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

We are writing new material at the moment and have begun to rehearse some of the material. Hopefully not too far in the future. I estimate late 2021 or 2022 

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?

A: we have a lot of different tastes in the band, but some of them are Mayhem, Bathory, Watain, Dark funeral, Marduk. But I tend to look alot inwards and try not to get influenced by other bands. Usually I meditate and focus on something dark and fill my mind with dark energies before i write or try to look at the surrounding forests where i live to really connect with the darkness in mother nature. 

11.Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in your music?

Definitely yes. I would love to incorporate more of the occult stuff and open up your mind and walk your own path  

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

If you like traditional Swedish sounding black metal then you should really give us a try. Also help us spread and share our debut. thank you.  

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Stormkeep/Galdrum/Van Records/2020 EP Review

 

  Stormkeep  are  a  band  from  the  United  States  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  black  metal  and  dungeon  synth  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  ep  "Galdrum"  which  will  be  released  in  November by  Van  Records.

  Epic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  elements  of  dungeon  synth  into  the  music  and  also  mixing  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody. When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  music  also  being  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Melodic  chants  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  as  the  ep  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  and  the  closing  song  is  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  ancient  legends  and  magick  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Stormkeep  are a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  black  metal  and  dungeon  synth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Glass  Caverns  Of  Dragon  Kings"  and  "Of  Lore".  8  out  of  10.

 

Keiser Interview

 

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

A little bit of this, a little bit of that. We’ve been doing some promo stuff, like recording a music video for one of the songs on Our Wretched Demise. We’ve booked a few gigs in December/January too, so we’ve been practicing a lot. 

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

I think it sounds a lot different. We dare to explore a lot more. It’s more epic, faster and more progressive. I think people will be able to hear that it’s the same band, but the songwriting is better. The production is a lot better too. 

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

The lyrical theme for our upcoming album is war. The songs deal with different aspects of war. The human side of war, irresponsible world leaders, propaganda, loss and anger. It’s hard to say what our progress has been, other than that we think we write better and better songs, as time passes. There’s a bit more co-operation on this album compared to our previous work, which makes the music more interesting.

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

We wanted a short name that represents power, so we went for Keiser, which is the Norwegian name for emperor. We realised sometime after the release of our first EP that Keiser means Emperor, but decided to keep the name since we sound quite different from Emperor.

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

The cover artwork is painted by Czech painter Vojtech “Moonroot” Doubek. The cover depicts a battlefield beneath a castle under a blood red moon. 

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

We are lucky enough that we’ve played a few amazing shows. Of course, with every gig played we become a better live band. When we performed at Levanger Metalfest in 2018 the audience were nearly tearing down the barrier between them and the band. It was a local one-day festival arranged by our drummer Geir. The last show we played was pretty great too. We played with Messier 16 (Oslo) and Tragediens Trone (Trondheim) at Good Omens in late 2019. The club was packed, and the reception from the audience is something I’ll never forget. We opened for Order too, in early 2018. It was so cool to meet Manheim and Messiah from the early days of Mayhem. Nice guys, and absolute legends.

As a live band I would say we are quite energetic. We are not at all afraid to rock out and have a good time even though the music is dark and brutal. Our songs sound different live too. Some parts are slightly changed to work better live, and songs can be faster or slower than their studio versions, depending on what suits the songs.

7.The new album is coming out on 'Non Serviam Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

We got in contact with them after recording Our Wretched Demise. It was through Nexorum, who we share a practice space with, that we learned their name. We sent out mails with a link to the whole album and got a reply from Non Serviam Records. We quickly found that we could easily work together.

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

Worldwide reception has been sparse up to recently. After we signed with NSR and released our latest single, Scourge of the Wicked, we have noticed more interest from outside of Norway. It means so much to us when we receive messages from fans.

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

We want to keep writing good riffs! Other than that we want to evolve, but we are not sure where and how. We don’t want to release the same record twice. Musical evolution is important to us, but we don’t have a clear path to follow. That is how we want it. 

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?

The four members of the band listen to a lot of different music, like death metal, synthwave, 80’s shred, progressive rock and so on. The latest Enslaved album “Utgard” has been on regular rotation since it was released a week ago. 

11.How would you describe your views on Occultism?

It’s not something we’re particularily interested in, to be quite honest. Our earlier lyrics were inspired by occultism, but we have found other themes that inspire us more personally. Nothing against occultism in music though!

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

Yeah, we want to say thank you to Non Serviam Records, NeeCee Agency and Seasons of Mist for all the help, patience and guidence. Also we want to thank everyone that has taken interest in what we do. Hopefully the next single and the album will enrichen the lives of many people. And we can’t wait to see our fans at gigs again!

https://www.facebook.com/keisernor
https://www.instagram.com/keisernor/

Gryftigaen/Graven til Maneapenbaringer/Inferna Profundus Records/2020 CD Review

 

  

    Gryftigaen  are  a  duo  from  Chile  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  ambient  form  of  occult  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Graven  til  Maneapenbaringer"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Inferna  Profundus  Records.

  Ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  capturing  a  very  lo-fi  atmosphere  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  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  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark,  melodic  and  old  school  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  some  melody  at  times  and  the  ambient  elements  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs. 

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  as  well  as  the  music  also  getting  very  ritualistic  sounding  at  times,  Gregorian  chants  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Death  Worship,  Black  Sorcery,  High  Magick  and  Witchcraft  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gryftigaen  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  ambient  occult  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sarcophagical  Black  Sorcery"  and  "Nightside  Of  The  Eye  Of  Seth".  8/5  out  of  10.

Bandcamp