Folterkammer/Die Lederpredigt/Gilead Media/CD Review

 

  Folterkammer  are  an  international  band  with  members  from  Switzerland  and  the  United  States  that  plays  a  mixture  of  raw  black  metal  and  classical  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Die  Lederpredigt"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Gilead  Media.

  Classical  music  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  operatic  female  vocals  a  few  seconds  later.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic style  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  opera  and  classical  music  elements  also  return  on  the  later  tracks  along  with  one  of  the  songs  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  playing  onto  the  recording.

  Choirs  also  being  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  second  wave  style  as  well  as  the  two  closing  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  the  abusive  nature  of  the  oppressive  systems  of  religion,  authority  and  blind  faith  along  with  some  poetic  and  S  &  M  touches.

  In  my  opinion  Folterkammer  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  raw  black  metal  and  classical  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Die  Hymne"  and  "Das  Zeugnis".  8  out  of  10.

https://mailchi.mp/43b0ce3973dd/folterkammer-feat-mems-of-imperial-triumphant    

Vrak/Rotten Aurora/2020 EP Review

 

  Vrak  are  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2020  ep  "Rotten  Aurora.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  evil  sounding  melodies  before  going  into  a  faster  direction.  When  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  very  dark,  heavy  and  harsh  direction  along  with  the  guitar  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  On  this  recording  Vrak  remains  true  to  the  raw  style  of  black  metal  that  he  had  established  on  his  demo. The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Magick,  Anti  Humanism  and  Anti  Life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vrak  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Rotten  Aurora".8 out  of  10.

https://vrakswe.bandcamp.com/album/rotten-aurora

  

  

       

Funeral Fullmoon/Revelation Of Evil/Inferna Profundus Records/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Funeral  Fullmoon  are  a  solo  project  from  Chile  that  plays  a  very  raw.  vampyric  and  occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Revelation  Of  Evil"  which  will  be  released  in  2021  by  Inferna  Profundus  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  A  great  portion  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.

  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.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  and  early  2000's  influences  along  with  all  of  the  music  always  sticking  to  a  very  heavy  and  raw  musical  direction  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  having  their repetitive  moments,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  towards  the  end.

  Funeral  Fullmoon  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  lo-fi  and  vampyric  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Darkness,  Spiritism,  Evil  and  Vampirism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Funeral  Fullmoon  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  vampyric  black  metal  solos  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Perpetual  Hate'  "Revelation  Of  Evil"  and  "The  Whispers  A  Dark  Dead".  8  out  of  10.

  https://infernaprofundusrecords.bandcamp.com/album/revelation-of-evil 

  

Vampirska/Glemt/By Sanguinarian Will../Inferna Profundus Records/2021 CD Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  U.S.A's  Vampirska  the  United  Kingdom's  Glemt  called  "By  Sanguinarian  Will.."  which  will  be  released  in  2021  by  Inferna  Profundus  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Vampirska  a  solo  project  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  vampiric  form  of  black  metal.

  His  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark,  heavy  and  lo-fi  sound  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  era  French  influences.

  All  of  his  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  riffing  being  done  on  power  chords  as  well  as  always  sticking  to  a  heavier  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw,  lo-fi  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  vampirism,  melancholic,  pestilence  and  plague  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vampiriska  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  vampiric  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should c heck  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "A  Curse  Bearing  The  Nocturnal  Plague  II".

  Next  up  is  Glemt  a  solo  project  that  plays  a  very  raw,  depressive  and  misanthropic  form  of  black  metal.

  His  side  of  the  split starts out  with  some  dark  yet  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  along  with  a  brief  use  of  clear  chants  before  adding  in  some  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  depressive  elements  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Melodies  are  also added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  a  couple of  the  tracks  also  being  long  and  epic  in  length,  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  and  early  2000's  influences  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  and  the  closing  track  is  an  ambient  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  suicide,  sorrow,  misanthropy,  death  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Glemt  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  depressive  and  misanthropic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical genre,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUD E "Chambers  Of  Burning  Mace"  and  "The  Moon  Weeps  Blood  And  Bestows  The  Truth".

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

  https://infernaprofundusrecords.bandcamp.com/album/by-sanguinarian-will

        

Satanize/Baphomet Altar Worship/Helter Skelter/Regain Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Satanize  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  bestial  mixture  of  war  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Baphomet  Altar  Worship"  which  will  be  released  in  2021  as  a  joint  effort  between  Helter  Skelter  and  Regain  Records.

  A  very  fast,  raw  and  brutal war  metal  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  dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  music  also  shows  influences  of  both  the  North American  and  Australian  styles.

  Most  of  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  an  old  school  style  while  also  mixing  in  a  more  modern  day  aggression.  All  of  the  tracks  also  avoid  any  use  of  guitar  solos  or  leads  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  war  samples  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  very  fast  and  brutal  musical  direction.

  Satanize  plays  a  style  of  war/black  metal  that  is  always  very  fast,  raw  and  brutal  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Luciferian,  Baphomet  Worship,  Blasphemy,  Darkness,  Death  and  War  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Satanize  are  a very  great  sounding  bestial mixture  of  war  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Baphomet  Altar  Worship"  "Chariots  Of  Nocturnal  Wrath"  "Luciferian  Thrones  Of  Devastation"  and  "Cavernous  Onslaught".  8 out  of  10,

Spotify

  

     

Valravn Interview

 

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

 

Valravn was founded in 2016 by Aleksi and Alarik. Brent and Henry joined shortly after. We shared similar visions in creating aggressive yet melodic black metal. We all have different approaches to writing songs and our styles work really well together thus creating a versatile yet cohesive style of black metal.

 

2.In December you have your first album coming out, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

We had a vision to combine raw elements from traditional Finnish Black Metal with influences from death and even doom metal to create something which is more diverse musically. 

 

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

Our lyrics promote the ideology of man being above God. We use entities - such as Lucifer - as symbols to ridicule the fallacies of men.

Lyrics were a bit of an afterthought for us on this album. Our songwriting goes 100% with the “riffs first” mentality and most of them were written after everything else was already recorded.

Our topics vary from blasphemy, nature and myths to nihilism and other misanthropic views.

 

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

 

Ancient mythologies such as the Nordic one have interesting tales and deities. We found Valravn - a supernatural raven which feeds on the dead to gain power - to fit with our ideology of the everlasting and ongoing cycle of nature.

 

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

 

The cover is made by our long-time friend Teo Lauerma, who had also previously done the cover for A. Olkkola’s solo project (https://youtu.be/86UHEnCqCVA).

We had only given him the main idea of a raven spreading its wings victoriously on top of a pile of corpses and the rest is completely a product of his creativity and hard work. The amount of detail he was able to draw by hand is really impressive, especially because the actual art piece is pretty much the same size as the CD cover.

 

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

 

So far we’ve only played live once, which was before the album was finished. Then the pandemic hit and the rest is pretty much history. We are planning on playing shows once the album is out and things have settled but who knows when that will happen. Meanwhile, we’re working on our next album so we’re not just idly sitting by.

 

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the masks that you wear in the promo pictures and live shows?

The idea is simply to let our music speak for itself as the focus should be on the music and not the individuals performing it. It’s no secret who we are, but removing our meaningless faces from the music felt right for us.

 

8.The band is from Finland, what is it that you feel makes you stand out among the other bands in your home country?

 

We feel our sound overall is different from the other bands from Finland; from production to the different styles of writing riffs and vocal styles. It is definitely influenced by a lot of them but we believe we have managed to achieve a great balance of rawness with melodic riffing and good production quality.

 

9.The new album was released on 'Primitive Reaction', how did you get in contact with this label?

 

Once we had finished recording the album we contacted a bunch of different labels and Primitive Reaction seemed really interested in the record. We believe PR is a great match for us and our debut album as they’re a relatively small label but still have a great catalogue of releases and working with them has been easy.

 

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

 

So far we’ve only gotten good feedback. This is our first release so not that many have heard of us and our music, but the two preview tracks we’ve released so far have been well received overall.

 

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

 

We’re in the process of writing songs for the next album and at this moment it’s going to share similar characteristics to Prey but it will definitely be even more diverse.

 

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

 

Overall Nordic black metal has played a big role in our music and it can definitely be heard on the record. In addition to that there’s also some Polish influences and a hint of death metal. Bands like Gorgoroth, Marduk, Horna, Mgła and many more have surely influenced our songwriting.

 

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

 

We appreciate the interview and we are looking forward to the album’s release. We’re very satisfied with our debut, but this is only the first chapter on our path. While live shows aren’t really a possibility, we’re working on the next album so make sure to stay tuned!

www.facebook.com/valravnfin 

Die Schwarze Sonne/sisalla vain pimeaa/Wolfmond Production/2019 CD Review

 

  Die  Schwarze  Sonne  are  a  solo  project  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "sisalla  vain  pimeaa"  which  was  released  by  Wolfmond  Production.

  A  very  dark,  atmospheric  and  lo-fi  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  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  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  At  times  the  vocals  also  get  very  deep  sounding  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences,  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  dark, r aw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  a  hatred  and  disgust  for  modern  humanity.

  In  my  opinion  Die  Schwarze  Sonne  are  a  very  great sounding  raw  and  atmospheric  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "II"  and  "V". 8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Instagram

  

Impera/Transzendenz/Der Transzendelater Imperator/Wolfmond Production/2020 Split EP Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Germany's  Impera  and  Transzendenz  called  "Der  Transzandelater  Imperator"  which  was  released  by  Wolfmond  Production  and  we  will  start  off  the review  with  Impera  a  band  that  plays  an  occult  form  of  black  metal.

 Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  synth  orientated  intro  while  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  most  of  their  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  also  giving  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  as  well  as  the  music  also  sticking  to  more  of  a  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Impera  are  a  very  great  sounding  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "A  Walk  Around  the  Tower".

  Next  up  is  Transzendenz  a  band  that  plays  an  occult  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  melodies  also  being  added  into  the  guitar  riffing,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  and  most  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  Occultism,  Mysticism  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Transzendenz  are  a  very  great  sounding  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Geiestermacht".

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

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Impera/3540331569

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Transzendenz/3540463634       

Asgard/Leviathan/Wolfmond Production/2019 Compilation Album Review

 

  Asgard  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  plays  a  hellvetic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  compilation  album  "Leviathan"  which  was  reelased  by  Wolfmond  Production.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  compilation  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  deep  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  You  can  also  hear  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  in  the  music  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts. Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  classical  music  elements  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  musical  direction,  a  couple  of  the  songs  where  also  recorded  live.  

  Asgard  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  old  school  and  traditional  sounding. The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Swiss  and  English  and  cover  Satanism,  Lycanthropy,  Occultism,  Dark  Side  of  Life,  Myths,  War  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Asgard  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  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Leviathan"  "Paradoxum  Absurdum"  "Awaiting  My  Arrival" and  "Werewolf  Rising".8out  of  10.

Facebook

Homepage

    

Hagalaz/Northern Gods Descending/Wolfmond Production/2019 CD Re-Issue Review

 

  Hagalaz  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  Viking  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Northern  Gods  Descending"  which  was  re-issued  in  2019  by  Wolfmond  Production.

  Epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  Some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  thrash  metal  while  also  adding  in  a lot  of  old  school  influences.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  some  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording,  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Hagalaz  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  Viking  and  black  metal  as  well  as  adding  in  some  elements  of  death  and  thrash  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  German  cover  Paganism  and  Nordic  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hagalaz  are  a  very  great  sounding  Viking  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shadow  Of  the  beast"  "Thor"  "Psychopath"  and  "Northern  Gods  Descending".  8 out  of  10.

Facebook

  

Malakhim/Theion/Iron Bonehead Productions/2021 CD Review

 

  Sweden's  Malakhim  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  melodic  black  metal  direction  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Theion"  which  will  be  released  in  2021  by  Iron  Bonehead  Productions.

  Distorted  amp  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  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  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  also being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  touches  of  death  metal  and  towards  the  end  a  brief  use  of  synths  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard

  On  this  recording  Malakhim  goes  for  more  of  a  raw,  aggressive,  melodic  and  traditional style  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  Satanism  and  Occultism  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Malakhim  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  melodic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "There  Is  A  Beacon"  "Hammer  Of  Satan"  and  "Theion".  8  out  of  10.

http://soundcloud.com/iron-bonehead-productions/malakhim-the-splendour-of-stillborn-stars

  

Steingrab/Malum Genesis/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Steingrab  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2020  album  "Malum  Genesis"  which  will  be  released  in  December.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  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.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  and  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.

 

 Throughout  the  album  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.  When  keyboards  are utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  tragic  feeling  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments.

  Whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  guitar  solos  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  one  of  the  tracks  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  A  couple  of  the  songs  also  introduces  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording  and  some  songs  also add  in  elements  of  ambient  and  classical  music,  the  album  also closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  a  different  interpretation  of  stories  from  the  old  testament. 

  In  my  opinion  Steingrab  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  depressive  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Kain"  "Sintflut"  and  "Die  Abkehr  vom  Licht".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

Facebook

YouTube

   

  

  

Nebewind/Ruinen - der Verfall des Seins und die Angst vor dem Vergessen/Wolfmond Production/Schattenpfade/2020 CD Review

 

  Nebelwind  are  a  duo  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  traditional from  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their 2020  album "Ruinen  -  der  Verfall  des  Seins  und  die  Angst  vor  dem  Vergessen"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Wolfmond  Production  and  Schattenpfade.

   Synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  on  a  couple  of  songs while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  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.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  few  tracks  while  the  songs  also   add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  At  times  the  vocals  also  take  a  more  angry  shouting  approach  which  also  gives  the  recording  a  more   misanthropic  atmosphere  along  with  a  the  guitar  solos  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.   

  

Growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  depressive  moments  as  well  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody,  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  nature,  darkness,  loneliness  sadness  and  solitude  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nebelwind  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  atmospheric  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Abbilder  in  schwarz  WeiB"  "wenn  der  Tod  das  Leben  kusst"  "Erinnerungen"  and  "derWeg  ins  Nichts".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

Facebook

       

Sicut Glacies/En reise gjennom kalde dimensjoner/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Sicut  Glacies  are  an  international  duo  with  members  from  Norway  and  Italy  that plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "En  reise  gjennom  kalde  dimensjoner".

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  Vocals are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  while  synths  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  brief  use  of  wolves  howling  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences.

  As  the  album  progresses  they  bring  in  a  cover  of  Marduk's  "Opus  Nocturne"  which  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  melodic  yet  ritualistic  chants.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  Norwegian  and  cover  Nature,  Winter  and  Luciferian  themes.

In  my  opinion  Sicut  Blacies  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mighty  Mountains  -  Witness  Of  Time"  and  "In  Nomine  Luciferi  Draconis".8  out  of  10.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Sicut_Glacies/3540470592

Taur-Im-Duinath Interview

 

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

Imagine yourself at the threshold of a great, dark and unexplored forest. Imagine the sense of wonder, curiosity and awe assailing you. The feeling of wandering with no destination, lost among the trees, that's what Taur-Im-Duinath is about. It is a multilayered sonic endeavour, dense with melancholy and a sense of longing transpiring in the music.

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

It differs in every way from my previous album. This release is a collection of two different sides of Taur-Im-Duinath, each taking a different path from “Del Flusso Eterno” (first album).

The black metal sides of the work is somewhat less refined and more savage, while the folk/neofolk side is different just by definition.

3.One half of the album is black metal while the other half is neo-folk, can you tell us a little bit more about making a double album that is divided into 2 different musical styles? 

 

“The Burning Bridges” consists of two parts, divided in two cds. It is a ceremony of opposites.

The first half, “Randir”, is a completely revisioned version of my first demo. It represents the most savage side of Taur-Im-Duinath, with its primordial and fierce black metal songs.

“Bare Boughs”, the other half, is a somewhat mellower , stripped down side of the project. I wanted to express myself in a more intimate and essential way. 

The two sections are not, as would appear, contraries, but “complementary opposites” as Blake would say. They ultimately concur to the same whole.

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

Taur-Im-Duinath is and always will be about the forces of Nature and its allure, taking inspiration from its beauty, from its magic and mysticism.

5.I know that the bands name comes from the writings of J.R.R Tolkien, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his writings? 

Yes, I took inspiration from the writings of the Professor regarding the name of the project. He is my favourite author, and not enough words would ever be sufficient to express how much beauty lies in his works. I instantly fell in love with “The Lord of the Rings” of course, but what got me enchanted was “The Silmarillion”, from which I took the name.

Although, the name is the only thing concerning Tolkien in this band, this was not an attempt of yet another “Tolkien Black Metal” project.

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

The cover is a photo taken by my dear friend Marco Alfieri, one of the most talented photographer I know. Fire is the red thread of the release. Fire cleanses, purifies, and reduces everything to its essence, leaving behind the superflous

7.On the albums you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians in the studio or do you prefer to work solo? 

I record everything by myself, but in this instance I had the pleasure of having various guests, in the second cd, “Bare Boughs”, the afore mentioned Marco Alfieri also singed on “Clearing Path”, Dario Guarino (Aged Teen) on “Night Hymn”, and Chiara Minniti (Writ In Water) on “Hyades”. They contributed with their voice, taking the songs to another level completely.

8.What are some of the best shows that you have done with the live line up and also how would you describe your stage performance? 

We only started playing live for two years, but I can safely say that the best show was the very first one, held at Cult of Parthenope Black Metal Fest in Caserta. Opening for bands such as Cult of Fire, Sur Austru and Selvans was a huge honor. The venue was packed from the very beginning (and we were the very first band playing), and it was really liberating, and cathartic, to finally play those songs live. It is a moment I will always cherish, and hold close to my heart.

9.The new album was released on 'Cult Of Parthenope', how would you compare working with them to your older label 'Dusktone'? 

Just to be clear : I have not signed for the label Cult Of Parthenope, but we arrenged to publish this particular double release (which is not an “album” in the literal term). I am still in the Dusktone roster, with which I will release my second album.

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

The reaction was good in general, I was and still am humbled by the response of the public.

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

Hopefully as I see myself in the present: devoted to music and its creation.

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

No straight answer here, as my tastes are various like my mood, but anyway, I could draw a line of the essential and most profound influences on me, the foremost being Agalloch, followed by Ulver, Mgla, Panopticon...

Right now I'm trying to follow all the beautiful releases of the year, but also discovering stuff from the past.

Right now I'm very into the new Wayfarer, Akhlys , Auðn and a couple new projects called Lure, from France, and the other called Silver Knife. Really good stuff.

I was driven crazy by the new Ulver, and also loved the new Sangre De Muerdago and Hexvessel, while I'm discovering new stuff like Lux Interna, Burial Hex or Western Skies Motel.

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

Thank you for the interesting questions, and thank you to all the reader. Keep wandering.

https://bit.ly/3lip2Jd

Artisian Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the musical project these days?

hi! well, Artisian is currently in the studio recording the 11th studio album out on Tinnitus records, I did a 1 man online live feed gig 2 weeks ago. The artwork is currently being prepared and I will no doubt do another 1 man gig in a few months.

2.In 2020 you had released both a full length and an ep, musically how do they both differ from each other?

well I actually did 2 full length albums and an EPin 2020 lol!! I did Thurisaz which had a lot of black and roll influence as well as the usual Artisian style of songs and I did an unplugged album called 'Lament' not ot be confused with the first album 'lament for the eternal frost'  i wanted to experiment with dark heavy black metal feeling but strip it back as minimalist as possible, so i used an acoustic guitar, clean vocals and stomp box. Black metal has always been about feeling, coldeness, solitude, darkness etc a real opposition to pop music, so this i felt was taking my interpretation of black metal one step further, i may or may not do it again, but it was a 1 off idea that i wanted to do, it went well i feel. The EP was a mix of both, it had full band black metal tracks, then 2 traditional Scottish folk songs to finish, clean vocals and a bodhran ( drum ) 

3.On the new ep you also done a couple of Scottish folk tunes, can you tell us a little bit more this decision?

 I felt they were very black metal in feeling, I felt they were so stripped down, minimalist and raw that i felt compelled to do this one time.

4.A lot of your lyrics cover satanic topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in Satanism?

Satan means adversary, i think a lot of people into the music will agree that they feel like social opposition, we reject, or should reject mainstream consumerism and organised religion, which are simply multinational corporations too.  All the plastic processed world that is force fed to us; plastic music, plastic food, plastic everything. Destroying our culture, our history,  our people, ( Our Land on Thurisaz deals with this topic )

I feel an affinity with proper Satanism, certainly not the plastic hollywood satanism of le'vey. I live in a stripped down, natural, dark positive manner. 

5.You have also written a few songs that cover Norse Paganism and Runes, how would you describe your interest in this topic?

This is my history and heritage and largely the listener bass of Artisan too, it applies to us, it is being outlawed in certain European countries, i have no idea why they are trying to censor our heritage and history, but no matter our view point, this is despicable and if a small black metal band can help keep our rich and fantastic history alive... then I will do so. I have major issues with censorship and there is alot going on these days.

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

When i lived in London, i was there when the terrorist attacks happened, i wrote about that in the 2nd album, the 1st album was a learning process but it had things i still deal with today but also issues that i had grown up with in Scotland. I write about what inspires me, there is a repatitve theme but each album has a different set of topics and in some respects, once some of these issues have been addressed they are done, its a bit like self therapy lol! 

7.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Artisian'?

You are the first person to ask this in 16years so thank you!!  it is Artisan with an extra i. When I started the band I knew it was going to be underground and on trade magazines etc so i chose the letter A to be near the top of the list lol! Then I started looking around for words in French, English, Gaelic and Latin, it took some time, but then I settled on Artisian. An artisan is someone who creates something, as I was going to be the sole creator in this work it made sense, then i decided to tweak the spelling a little to make it original! 

8.Currently you work as a solo project but have had former members in the past, are you open to working with other musicians during the future?

Perhaps, but it is so stress free working alone, i have no issues, no constraints, it is very free and liberating and lets the band flow in the direction it needs too. 

9.What are some of the best shows that you have played with the live line up over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

There have been lots of great shows that jump to mind, lots of people want to hear about the tour supports, which were great, i have toured with Marduk twice, Gorgoroth twice, Mayhem, Nachtmystium, Venom Inc, Obituary, Entombed, Napalm Death and loads of others and some open air festivals, but i have to be honest, since september 2019 i have been performing as a 1 piece, and these shows have really been the most stress free, i started Artisian as a 1 piece, and had planned to play live as a 1 piece from the start. The first few gigs, i didn't have the experience or correct set up to do it properly, so i allowed people in to play with me, which kinda ruined the idea, now i have everything i need and done about 10 shows as a 1 piece, 5 have been live stream gigs. so they have been the best!  the last gig is on the bands facebook you can still watch it. 

The performance is about a solitary self expression and my interpretation of black metal, but i am also there to entertain like minded individuals who enjoy the work, the art and the performance. doing the 1 man thing has shaped this alot. again, it has given me the freedom to do live feed gigs in places you wouldn't normally play, the last gig was in my barn in the middle of a forest where I live. This is much more fitting for a black metal band I feel and for Artisian in particular. 

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

its been good,  Artisian has its fan base, they live what i do, so its all good, they are quite crazer fans, i have to say, but very cool people! :D 

11.You also have a new album coming out in 2021, what can we expect musically once it is released?

the next album is in 2 chapters, i has songs written and recorded in England and the 2nd chapter is written and recorded in Hungary, they vibe will be a little more lofi and old school, it is a production and vibe i really love, the most, the whole Dark Throne vibe is just pure black metal to me and i feel ready with this album to have a trve cult necro vibe to reflect the feeling of the new material and what inspired it.

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?

influence wise, it really hasn't changed, i am still listening to the same guys i have for many years as they are still producing great music, it covers a broad range, i always discover new bands in the underground via the labels i trade with and that i am friends with. there is always new stuff to check out and enjoy.

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

just to say these questions have been really great, thank you for reviewing the EP and thank you for giving Artisian your time and space on your blog.

if anyone wants to check out the music and live feeds, it can be found on  facebook.com/artisian666 and artisian.bandcamp.com

ave Satanas 

Artisian/Skull And Bones/2020 EP Review

 

  Artisian  are  a  solo  project  from  Hungary  that  plays  a  mixture  of  raw  black  metal  and  crust  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2020  ep  "Skulls  And  Bones".

  

   A  very  fast  crust  punk  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  deep  yet  grim  vocals  a  few  seconds  later. When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  Most  of  the  music  sticks  mostly  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  while  all  of  the  riffs  are  also  done  on  power  chords  along  with  one  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  some  of  the  slower  riffing.  The  last  2  tracks  are  done  in  more  of  a  folk  music  style  as  well  as  adding  in  some  percussion's  and  clean  vocals.

  Artisian  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  raw  black  metal  and  crust  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  as  well  as  experimenting  with  Scottish  folk  music  on  a  couple  of  songs.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Darkness,  Misanthropy  and  Folklore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Artisian  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  raw  black  metal  and  crust  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "...And  God  Has  Turned  His  Face  Away"  and  "Black  Sun".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

Facebook

    

Lich/Ossario/Imperatix Mundi Records/2020 Split EP Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Italy's  Lich  and  Ossario  which  was  released  on  cassette  by  Imperatix  Mundi  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Lich  a  band  that  plays  a  very raw  and  old  school  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  .Vocals  are  done  in  mostly  and  80's  black/death  metal  style  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  as  well  as  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  movie  samples  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  their  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Lich  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  80's  and  early 90's  styles  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  and  evil  themes.

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

  Next  up  is  Ossario  a  band  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  old  school  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split starts  out  with  some  thrash  metal  influenced  riffing  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  horror  movie  samples  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  old  school  style.  

  Ossario  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  80's  and  early  90's  style  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ossario  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  old  school  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "A  Grave  Within  The  Mind".

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

https://www.metal-archives.com/albums/Lich/Lich_-_Ossario/900306

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Ossario/3540469043