Tattva Interview

 

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

Hails, first, thanks to give me interest and time about my project.For sure, Tattva is not born during the lockdown, it’s a project i have since 2012.I have written several songs, but because i was involved in other bands, i’ve let it on beside.I listened to extreme music since my 15 years old, and i’m now 40.When the lockdown and covid has taken place, a little voice whispered to me “ now, it’s time. Do it.”So Tattva is young but old, and i want to express in my music, rage, anger and wrath.With a singular starting point : what is the place of our soul in our life.

2/ So Far you’ve released an ep, split and full length, musically how do they differ form each other?

Oh, these 3 release are really different, sound aspect, and also the songs themselves.I find my first EP more “ raw “, more synthetic. It’s the like the first chapter of my book.Drum programming is not as worked, that it is in the split, or NIRJARA.The spirit is the same, i play with my guts, and even it’s a kind of progressive vision of black metal, Leave The Body Live The soul, is the first step for the soul trip.The split was a challenge for me. I was already finishing the songs for Nirjara.I’ve met Nick from Ashes Of  Old, and we have discussed a lot about our music, our material and others things. A really great one, and...we have decided to join our forces in this split.Pure Hate Ritual was for me the perfect opportunity, to improve and test my new drum program, and a approach really agressive of my music. More speed, more scorched.You can find more different elements inside. More blast, more dark guitars, and a hard research on lead guitars, a deep completion between them.And also, this split is a kind pf prequel to my EP. It’s talking about the men behind the soul, and how they can live, to reach or not, a way to take a ride on the Ether.And then, Nirjara. It’s the most mature in my point of view. The composition is deeper, and every song is really linked, the running order is not random. It’s also, the more progressive.I’ve kept an old touch in the architecture and the song written. But there is singular elements, ambiance and a long research in the riffing. I have wanted to tell a painfull story, where the soul is searching for the final light, but the path is always full of suffering, painfull memories. It’s the most singular of my 3 releases.

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

I especially love to write like short stories. It’s fiction. My main themes are act and consequences, the butterfly effect. The difficulty to live our emotions, our sadness, regrets.The loss of control. The chaos, destruction. With also, the lies we can read and ear everyday, from every kind of religion. For me, We have to rise ourselves, by our own way, not by following false dogmas.

4/.I know that the projects name comes from the Indian school philisophy, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

For sure. Yes Tattva comes from the Sanskrit philosophy. There is kinds of steps, to rise and free the soul, for a new cycle, a kind of “ purification “. In sanskrit, Tattva means “ verity”, “ reality “. In indian pholisophy, no religion is involved into it. I don’t believe in gods, but in this invisible DNA that is the soul, Yes. And we carry everyday, the weight of our choices.

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

With pleasure. The artwork has been released by Deuteromali, a talentuous graphist. I’ve seen his work on the social network, and i was sure, we have to work together.This artwork, represent the goal for all the lost souls. The burning sun, will be their answer.A tower, like a mountain, is always an trial, and it means making a lot to climb it. The reward is not always what we expect. That’s the game. No winner, no looser, only ones who are lookinkg for answers.For this Nirjara tower, climb it, try to. Be burn in the sun, and wait to see, i you will be liberated , or not from your past.

6. With this project, you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

Yes, for Tattva, i’ve done everything, excepted the voices, recorded in a studio, in the middle of nowhere, to be immersed at 100%. For now, i’m ok with myself. But my door is not closed for the future. Covid has an impact on everybody now, but thinking to better days. And make of Tattva a live project with musicians, is a possibility.

7. Recently you where a part of a split with ashes of old, what are your thoughts on the other solo project that had participated on the recording?

It was a great experience. Lot of challenge, like i’ve said before, and the music of Nick ( AOO) is different from mine. It’s more raw, more melodic lead guitars, and very deep voices. The interest of the split, was to show two different vision of underground music, both extreme, with a single goal : show our anger and our vision of it. Our world is sick, we wanted to show that through the 8 songs of Pure Hate Ritual.

8.The New album was released by Void Wanderer Productions, how did you get in contact with this label?

When i’ve launched my first EP, i was a new comer. I have created a bandcamp and put it on, with also an instagram account. And i’ve discovered some releases by VoidWanderer ( Grivance, dekira...). So i’ve just emailed him, to ask for a work together. He gave me very good advices and tips to improve my communication, and said to me “ i could be interested in a full lenght, send it to me when you’ll be ready”; and i’ve done it with Nirjara. And here we are now !

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

Good, and i’m glad to see it. Because i’ve added singular elements in my music, like huge guttural voices, some modern riffing, and also a very low tuning. I’m playing in G tune, with baritone guitars, this is not the way used in classic standard black metal.Returns are positive, from fans, and from other musician. My vision of Black Metal is very minded opened. The music can be dark, black, you have to be right with yourself. Don’t try to create what people wants to ear. Create what you are.

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

Now Nirjara is achieved, i have to focus on spreading it, and also give more opportunities to people, to discover it.It was a real good moment, to create, write and record it. It’s just the beginning.I’m already thinking to the next full lenght, but i need time.I have also an other project for this year, where i’ll be the singer. A typical band, inspired by the early french first wave ( Mortifera, Mutiilation, early Alcest...)the EP is finished, and the label is currently finishing the production ( Drakkar productions )So i’m alive and will be very active this year.

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

My most influenced bands are, DeathSpell Omega, Mayhem, Penitence Onirique, Morbid Angel, Oranssi Pazuzu...especially extreme scene. Lot of Black but also Old death metal scene. Nowadays, i’m listening a lot of unknown projects, or underground, like PanzerWar, VIDE, La Mer, Asgrauw. I love loose my mind to discover new jewels.I also listen some ambient sounds or minimal music like Carboned Based LifeForms.

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

First, Thank you again for the interest in Tattva. Then, i would like to say thank you to Void Wanderer for his work and everything. A huge thanks too, to everyone has spent a buck, or share something about Tattva and support me. The times are pretty crazy right now, so just stay safe, and believe in ourselves.

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Draconian Oracle/The Ascending Flame/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Draconian  Oracle  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  plays  an  occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2020  album  "The  Ascending  Flame".

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  synths  and  choirs  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  the   music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  some  clear  vocals.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  as  well  as  a  later  song  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  album,  the  closing  track  is  also  an  instrunmental.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyr4ics  cover  Occultism  and  Left  Hand  Path  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  Draconian  Oracle  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tales  Of  The  Scaled  Messiah"  and  "Dark  Chakra".  8  out  of  10.

https://draconianoracle666.bandcamp.com/releases
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBXl...​
Bandcamp: https://draconianoracle666.bandcamp.c...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXzDoha5fBc

Grand Celestial Nightmare/Forbidden Knowledge And Ancient Wisdom/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Grand  Celestial  Nightmare  are  a  solo  project  from  The  Netherlands  that  plays  an  old  school  and  Greek  influenced  style  of  black  metal  with  some  symphonic  touches  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2021  album  "Forbidden  Knowledge  And  Ancient  Wisdom"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  sounding  synths  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  also  being  very  heavily  influenced  by  the  Hellenic  style  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  music  more  of  raw  feeling  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  one  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  and  epic  moments.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Darkness  and  Blasphemy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Grand  Celestial  Nightmare  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  Hellenic  influenced  black  metal  solo  project  with  some  symphonic  touches  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Drink  From  The  Chalice  With  Nightly  Lust"  "Upon  The  Back  Of  The  Beast  We  Ride"  and  "Split  Tongues".  8  out  of  10.

https://gnawtheirtongues.bandcamp.com 

https://new-era-productions.nl   

Serpent Throne/Beyond The Chains Of Decadence/Australis Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Serpent  Throne  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  a  satanic  and  blasphemous  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Beyond  the  Chains  Of  Decadence"  which  was  released  by  Australis  Records.

  A  battle  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  choirs  and  orchestra  sounds  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffing.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  80's  and  90's  black  and  death  metal  influences  but  keeps  it  modern  at  the  same  time.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  when  it  is  utilized  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  more  of  an  old  school  extreme  metal  style  at  times,  one  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  album  and  a  later  song  is  also  an  instrumental.  Clean  singing  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  darkness,  evil,  Anti  Christianity,  blasphemy  and  satanic  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  Serpent  Throne  are  a  very  great  sounding  satanic  and  blasphemous  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Beyond  The  Chains  Of  Decadence"  "Where  Evil  Prevails"  and  "Ancient  Sorcery".  8  out  of  10.

  Listen to music here   

Montuln/Arquetipo/Australis Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Montuln  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  a  very  aggressive  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Arquetipo"  which  was  released  by  Australis  Records.

  A  very  distorted  sounding  background  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

 Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  one  of  the  songs  introducing  melodic  vocals  onto  the  album.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  one  of  the  songs  also  being  an  instrumental,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  synths  are  also  utilized.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  Ancient  Culture,  War  and  Symbolism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Montuln  are  a  very  great  sounding  aggressive  and  melodic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hacia  el  orien"  "Meli  Witran  Mapu"  and  "Umbral".  8  out  of  10.

Listen to music here 

  

Heresiarca/Triumph Of Ishtar/Australis Records/CD Review

 

  Heresiarca  are  a  duo  from  Chile  that  plays  a  ritualistic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  20220  album  "Triumph  Of  Ishtar"  which  was  released  by  Australis  Records.

  Ritualistic  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  When  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  also  enhance  the  occult  atmosphere  of  the  songs  while  some  tracks  also  add  in  clean  singing  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  Clean  playing  and  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Touches  of  middle  eastern  music  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  of  the  heavier  riffing  also  mixing  in  elements  of  death  metal  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  movie  samples  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Egyptian, Middle  Eastern  Mythology,  Occultism,  Old  Testament  and  Historical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Heresiarca  are  a  very  great  sounding  ritualistic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  thos e musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Job  Revelation"  and  "Truimph  Of  Ishtar".  8/5  out  of  10.

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Ghostly Aerie Coven/Bird Of Prey/Vacula Productions/2021 CD Review

 

  Ghostly  Aerie  Coven  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  an  old  school  and  Finnish  influenced  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Bird  Of  Prey"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Vacula  Productions.

  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  mostyl  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  songs  also being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Finnish  style.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  some  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  vocals  also  adding  a  more  deep  and  angry  approach  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard.

  Ghostly  Aerie  Coven  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  old  school   and  heavily  rooted  in  the  Finnish  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover   symbolism,  occultism,  Egyptian  mythology  and  the  alchemy  of  the  three  monads.

  In  my  opinion  Ghostly  Aerie  Coven  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  and  FInnish  influenced  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Inner  Spirit  Unchained"  "Horus  Rising"  and  "My  Tongue  Is  The  Spear  of  Longinvs".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/ghostlyaeriecoven/ 

https://ghostlyaeriecoven.bandcamp.com   

https://youtu.be/2yfB4qMyR68        

    

Lilyum/Circle Of Ashes/Vacula Productions/Broken Bones Records & Promotion/2021CD Review

 

  Lilyum  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  and  misanthropic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Circle  Of  Ashes"  which  will  be  released  in  March  as  a  joint  effort  between  Vacula  Productions  and  Broken  Bones  Records  &  Promotion.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostyl  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  second  track  also  introduces  a  very  different  approach  of  vocals. 

  Synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  and  the  guitar  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  singing  and  this  album  also  shows  the  band  getting  more  modern  and  adding  in  newer  elements  to  their  music  then  their  previous  release.   The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  misanthropy,  darkness  and  insanity  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Lilyum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  misanthropic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Howling  Ruins  Fall  Silent"  "Through  Vaults  Of  Wounded  Lights"  and  "Circle  of  Ashes".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/lilyumofficial1/

https://soundcloud.com/lilyumblackmetal  

     

Kaskaskia/Fleecian Winter Majesty/Pacific Threnodies/2021 EP Review

 

  Kaskaskia  are  a  duo  with  members  from  Illinois  and  Texas  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  mixture  of  depressive  black  metal  and  dungeon  synth  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  ep  "Fleecian  Winter  Majesty"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Pacific  Threnodies.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  so8und  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Synths  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  also  gives  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Elements  of  dungeon  synth  are  also  mixed  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs,   clean  vocals  can  also be  heard  briefly  and  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Kaskaskia  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic,  atmospheric  and  depressive  sounding  as  well as   mixing  in  elements  of  dungeon  synth.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature  and  winter  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Kaskaskia  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  melodic  mixture  of  depressive  black  metal  and  dungeon  synth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Brunette".  8  out  of  10.

https://pacificthrenodies.bandcamp.com/album/fleecian-winter-majesty

Durthang/The Winter Woods/Crush The Desert Records/2021 Demo Review

 

  Durthang  are  a  duo  from  Spain  that  plays  a  folk  orientated  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  demo  "The  Winter  Woods"  which  was  released  by  Crush  The  Desert  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  the  songs  also  mixing  in  a  small  amount  of  folk  music  elements.

  Keyboards  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  instrumentals.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  a  brief  use  of  grim  pagan  style  vocals  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  Durthang  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  also  mixes  in  elements  of  folk  music  as  well  as  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism,  nature  and  the  writings  of  J.R.R  Tolkien.

  In  my  opinion  Durthang  are  a  very  great  sounding  folk  orientated  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rise  From  Winter  Winds"  and  "Above  the  two  Towers".  8  out  of  10.

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Coniferous Swamp/Dead Forests Burning Hatred/Death Monument/2020 Demo Review

 

  Coniferous  Swamp  are  a  solo  project  from  Finland  that  plays  raw,  misanthropic  and  nature  orientated  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  demo  "Dead  Forests  Burning  Hatred"  which  was  released  by  Death  Monument.

  Female  vocals  start  off  the  demo  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  soundscapes  in  the  background  before  going  into  a  faster  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  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  European  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  At  times  the  music  also  captures  a  very  lo-fi  atmosphere  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  elements  of  noise  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  track.

  Coniferous  Swamp  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  misanthropic  and  hateful  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  hate,  melancholy,  lost  cultural  hatred  and  destroyed  old-growth  forests.

  In  my  opinion  Coniferous  Swamp  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  misanthropic  and  nature  orientated  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Birth  Of  Revenge  Wanderer"  and  "Echo  Of  Lost  Roots".  8  out  of  10.

https://deathmonument.wordpress.com/2020/12/05/coniferous-swamp/

  

Kaarmekristus/Venite ad Me, Satanas/Nebular Carcoma Records/2020 Demo Re-Issue Review

 

  Kaarmekristus  is  a  solo  project  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  satanic  and  occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2014  demo  "Venite  ad  Me,  Satanas"  which  was  re-issued  in  2020  by  Nebular  Carcoma  Records.

  Distorted  reverbs  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  demo  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  and  early  2000's  influences  while  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being  instrumentals  and  all  of  the  riffing  is  done  on  power  chords,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are finally  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  and  acoustic  guitars  also  make  a  return  on  the  closing  track.

  Kaarmekristus  plays  a  style  of  satanic  occult  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  traditional  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  polarities,  darkness,  light  and  the  path  to  spiritual  enlightenment.

  In  my  opinion  Kaarmekristus  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  satanic  and  occult  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pimeyden  syvyyksiin"  and  "Valon  kirkkauteen".  8  out  of  10.

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Spider God Interview

 

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

Spider God is a raw black metal project I started in October 2020, at the tail end of a pretty productive year for me, musically. I’ve been a recording artist for many years, working in a wide range of genres, and I actually dabbled in black metal back in 2010-ish, although nothing came of it. It was only last year that I hit upon a sound for this genre that I thought warranted a bit more exploration, and it’s kinda snowballed from there.

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

The first EP was written and recorded in a week. I had one riff from a previous project, which is the opening riff to Shipwreck’s Hull, and I built the sound around that. I wanted something that sounded strongly melodic, but that was offset by raw production and dissonant vocals, so that it didn’t become too saccharine. My influences are wide-ranging and people have mentioned nods to post-punk, hardcore and even Brit Rock in my songs, although none of this is intentional - I basically just try to write black metal and this is what comes out!

3.The lyrics are based upon Ingmar Bergman's classic film trilogy, can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting?

The lyrics are just as important as the music for me, and I knew I didn’t want to mine the same territory as other BM projects, so I thought about using films as reference points. Bergman’s films are so intense and full of despair that they seemed the perfect match for black metal, and the Faith Trilogy provided fertile ground for lyrical content, considering the themes of loneliness, psychological imbalance, and the silence of God. This first EP tells the story of the first film in the trilogy, Through a Glass Darkly, and each song is from a different character’s perspective. It’s liberating to write in the form of a dramatic monologue and lots of the lyrics are direct quotes from the screenplay.

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

The main character of Through a Glass Darkly is a schizophrenic young woman who fantasises about God appearing to her in an empty room. Near the end of the film her fantasy becomes a reality (at least in her own mind), but the form God takes is that of a spider, and she becomes terrified as it takes over her body. However you wish to interpret this scene (Bergman doesn’t make it easy), for me the symbol of the ‘spider god’ represents the lurking darkness that threatens to rule us if we succumb to it, which is something I wanted to explore and express with this project.

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

This is a manipulated still from a scene in the film where Karin has an almost orgasmic experience as she imagines God climbing inside her. I liked the way the high contrast makes it look as if she’s been decapitated, when in fact it’s just her body contorting backwards.

6.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

Like any bedroom project, working alone has its benefits and drawbacks, but it’s important to be able to communicate your vision to someone else and trust that they will elevate the project beyond what you can achieve on your own. Through a recent collaboration (which is yet to be announced) I formed a friendship with an insanely-talented American musician, and he has recently recorded drums from another upcoming record, which I’m very excited about. His work on the songs took them to another level and the whole experience was a lot of fun. I hope I’m able to work with others in the future, whether that be vocal/instrumental contributions, or full-blown writing collaborations. There are a few ideas in the works, but I’m not ready to reveal them yet. Also, I recently recorded an ambient intro/outro for a Mnhma full length, which was very rewarding as I was able to respond to another artist’s vision for once. It’s a hell of a record - I can’t wait for that one to be unleashed!

7.The ep was released through a variety of many different labels, can you tell us a little bit more about the labels you worked with on this release?

I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to work with three of my favourite labels for this first EP. Death Kvlt Productions are handling the vinyl and Dan has been particularly instrumental in driving the project forward, giving me the confidence to release more material. Phantom Lure, who released the tape edition, were originally known as a comfy synth label (I’m a big fan of that genre), but it’s great that Jurgen took a chance and made this his first official black metal release. Repose Records is home to some of my favourite current artists, such as The Suns Journey Through the Night and The Oracle, and Tom is one of the friendliest guys in the scene (and a big movie buff!) so it’s been a pleasure to work with him on the CD version.

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

Mostly very positive! I’m so grateful that people seem to accept the Spider God sound, despite it deviating somewhat from the established formula. The black metal fan-base can be very opinionated, and I wouldn’t be surprised if my music rubs some people up the wrong way, but on the whole I’ve been overwhelmed with the positive response.

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

I’ve just finished up demoing the full length album, which will contain 10 new tracks. However, I have a lot of releases stacked up before that, including two more demo EPs (to round out the trilogy), two splits and a four-way collaboration, so the full-length will most likely come out in 2022. I vowed to myself that I’d make as much music as possible before the creative energy ran out, but it’s still going, so that bodes well for the future!

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?

I appreciate minimalism in black metal, so projects like Nihil Invocation, Carved Cross and Borda’s Rope are immediate sonic references, although I am a also a huge fan of the triumphant French BM sound, especially Véhémence, so that gets thrown into the mix too. I come from a punk and hardcore background, so the punky attitude of Kommodus and Lamp of Murmuur are also touchstones, although my song structures are less intricate than their work and focus more on pop sensibilities, I would say. Outside of black metal I’m sure there are a host of other influences from a wide range of genres, as I mentioned earlier, but it’s hard to put my finger on particular reference points - if there’s a resonance to another genre or band, then it’s worked its way in subliminally. 

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I studied film at university and was an independent filmmaker for a number of years, so movies are a big part of my life - particularly the ‘slow cinema’ of Andrei Tarkovsky, Bruno Dumont, Bela Tarr and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. I also play a lot of Tomb Raider....!

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

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk about my music - it’s much appreciated.

https://spider-god.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.youtube.com/watch?mc_cid=4f8b0f480d&mc_eid=09de20527c&v=F7BdPnXeJoY&feature=youtu.be

https://www.instagram.com/s.p.i.d.e.r.g.o.d/?mc_cid=4f8b0f480d&mc_eid=09de20527c

Gates Of Doom/Aquileia Mater Eterna/Cult Od Parthenope/2021 CD Review

 

  Gates  Of  Doom  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  an  epix  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Aquileia  Mater  Eterna"  which  was  released  by  Cult  Of  Parthenope.

  Battle  sounds,  classical  guitars  and  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  and  adding  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  onto  the  album.  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.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostyl  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Elements  of  melodic  death  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  capturing  a  very  dark  ages,  medieval  and  historical  atmosphere  at  times  and  synths  also  make  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  that  deals  with  Frulian  History  and  Heritage.

  In  my  opinion  Gates  Of  Doom  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I,  The  Eagle,  The  Strength,  The  Power"  "Under  A  Treacherous    Domain"  and  "Aquileia  Mater  Eterna".  8  out  of  10.

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Demonia Mundi/In Grembo Matter.../Cult Of Parthenope/2021 CD Review

 

  Demonia  Mundi  are  a  band  from  italy  that  plays  a  very  epic,  occult  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "In  Grembo  Matter..."  which  was  released  by  Cult  Of  Parthenope.

  Fire  burning  and  clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  keyboards  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also b e  heard.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  when  they  are  utilized.  as  well  as  the  clean  playing  also  making  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks,  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Demonia  Mundi  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic,  satanic  and  occult  black  metal band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Et  in  Arcadia  ego"  and  "The  Horned  And  His  Thousand  Whelps".  8  out  of  10.

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Lux Anguis/Luciferianometh/Necroroots/Global Domination OV Satanic Alliance/2021 Split Album Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  3  way  split  album  between  Argentina's  Lux  Anguis,  Sri  Lanka's  Luciferianometh  and  and  Mexico's  Necroroots  called  "Global  Domination  OV  Satanic  Alliance"  which  was  self  released  in  2021  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Lux  Anguis  a  band  that  plays  an  ambient.  satanic,  occult  and  pagan  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  ambient  style  keyboards  and  ritualistic  soundscapes  before  adding  in  some  chants  and  throat  singing.  Bells  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  introduces  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  onto  their  side  of  the  split.

  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  programmed  along  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  also being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Half  of  their  tracks  are  also  instrumentals  along  with  all  of  the  music  also  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  as  well  as  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Aztec  Paganism,  Satanism  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lux  Anguis  are  a  very  great  sounding  ambient,  satanic,  pagan  and  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  The  Name  Of  Satan"  and  "Ancestral  Call".

  Next  up  is  Luciferianometh  a  band  that  recently  had  music  reviewed  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  occult  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences  and melodies  are  also  added  into  the  guitar  riffing.

  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  as  well  as  all  of  their  music  also  sticking  to  a  heavier  direction,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism.  Luciferian,  Occultism,  Black  Magick  and  Sinhala  Buddhism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Luciferianometh  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  occult  and  satanic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lord  Abandon's  War  Call"  and  "Ritual  Of  Death  &  Sacrifices  For  Aphosis".

  Next  up  is  Necroroots  who  return  with  their  old  school  style  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  while  the  focus  are  mostyl  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences.

  Throughout  their  side  of  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  pain  and  night  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Necroroots  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Pain"  and  "Unchained".

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

https://luciferianometh.bandcamp.com/album/global-domination-ov-satanic-alliance  

    

      

        

    

         

Obscure Relic Interview

 

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

Answer: Hi John! First of all, I would like to thank you for give us the opportunity to share a little about our work and ideas. So, since we defined the digital and physical formats of our newest material “Black Sorcery Devotion”, we have preparing the all the promotion related to it. Unfortunally, the pandemic still affecting everything, but, we have been fighting to keep the flame and the production. We are joing forces and resources to touring when it can be possible. We have been doing rehearsals and investing in merchandise (CD, MC, LP, T-shirts, etc). And of course, we already are preparing our next material.

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from your previous demos and ep's?

Answer: Yeah, the new album has a more mature composition. I loved the demo and EP. Regarding the EP, we recorded it two months just after we formed the line-up. Those songs are very raw and obscure. Pure blackened feeling. However, the songs of the album were naturally evolving across the time. It is natural evolution with more violent and darkened than the last one. We worked almost a year in those songs. So, we had more time to construct and re-construct the tracks and lyrics to achieve the final result. Moreover, we from band and the co-producer Bruno Borges (Uzomi/Baga) were better prepared and structured to extract a better quality of the recordings.  

3.A lot of your lyrics also cover satanic and occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

Answer: Regarding the lyrical themes, I can tell you that this it is much more than empty words of rampant hate. I really believe on it. It is not just music, it is lifestyle and a science. Naturally, all of the band members are involved in occultism, magic and knowledge concerning the darkness since our very youth. The occult forces of the universe are inside and nearly involving us.

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

Answer: Regarding the lyrical themes, we are very direct on this issue… we emanate hatred, darkness, black magic and Satanism… so far, no more than these topics. We live for darkness, freedom and Satan! 

5.All of the band members are also in other bands, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Obscure Relic' that you are not able to do with your other groups?

Answer: Spite of they play in different extreme metal bands, the sound of Obscure Relic is completely different from their other bands / side projects. We played, in Obscure Relic, a very fast and brutal black metal spiced with minor chords melodies, a well precise and harmonic as I believe. Our influences pass through swedish black metal such as Dark Funeral and old Marduk as well as a mixture of norwegian black metal such as Mayhem and Emperor without keyboards. Some of their bands or side projects, that are black metal (such as Velho, Lápide, Cold Night, Bloody Lifeless Castle, etc…), I can say that their sound is more raw, it is more linked to the first wave of black metal found in the final 80’s and earlier 90’s (such as old Bathory, Darkthorne, old Mayhem, old Gorgoroth, etc). Other bands / side projects are death metal, black/death metal, trash metal, or even, doom metal (always with anti-christian, anti-religion or even satanic lyrical thematic). I believe that play in other bands/side projects is a good thing and helps to be creative. You can contribute to strength the metal scene and improve ourselves as musicians by doing that. It helps to increasing it in diversity. By doing that, the members don’t add any (maybe strange) elements that could alter the essence of Obscure Relic’s music. And on the other hand, the same is going for their other bands. They won’t mix the sound of Obscure Relic’s black metal elements on their songs.  

6.Some of the other band members also have experience playing other styles of metal besides black metal, how would you compare this genre to the other genres that you have worked with in the past or present?

Answer: I believe that me (Deoarsprofanum), Hellmaniac and Splatter already played in different extreme metal bands that are not essentially black metal. For example, Hellmaniac played the death metal band called “Disfigured by Hatred”. Splatter is a very active musician and played in many, I mean it, many bands. He played in splatter (e.g. Anopsy), noise (e.g. Moléstia), traditional death metal (e.g. Poem’s Death), trash metal (e.g. Arma Nuclear), stoner (e.g. Lua de Pultão) and doom metal (e.g. Pombajira) bands. He is a very active and versatile musician that always learning and developing something different. And me, I played in the death metal “Gutted Souls” that still active and death/black metal bands called “War of Feelings and Escrófula”. Splatter and myself work together on our black/death band called “Feretral” and traditional death metal called “Convulsive”. I love extreme and underground metal. I grew up in a transition between late 80’s and early 90’s, so, I always involved with traditional metal. When you are young musician, usually, you always looking to be more technical than ever. To show everything you got. You can observe that in the old material. Now, when we get older, I believe we are changing our attention more the roots of metal, more feeling, rawer. You can see this in our newest projects, including Obscure Relic. Black metal is my passion. But I also enjoy some old death metal and black/death metal.     

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

Answer: Regarding the name of band, I can say that this came from our vocalist, Caronte. Later, Splatter and myself enjoyed the idea. We believed we are like a past relic that it has been unearthed to resurrect that black metal essence from the second wave in 90’s and bringing that back to these modern times. We hope to contribute to have those feelings back again.   

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

Answer: The cover artwork was developed by the Brazilian artist Marcio Blasphemator from Blaphemator Art. I believe symbolizes something rising from the depths. It was perfect for us. After the first black communion described in the previous EP, now, we have the born/rise of the occult forces like you can see the cover of “Black Sorcery Devotion”. 

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

Answer: Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to do that because the breakout of COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, we accumulating all merch related to our new and past releases to distribute them when the situation becomes possible. We all love to play live. We had playing live with other bands before this apocalyptic disease. We can’t wait to spread our words and hymns again with Obscure Relic as soon as possible. 

10.So far the band has worked with 'Hellprod' and 'Blizzard Records', do you feel these labels have been very helpful when it comes to getting your music out there heard?

Answer: That’s for sure! We had and still having a good and healthy partnership! They accomplished their proposal and we our part as well. Blaspher and Helldprod. Rec  were very professional with us. They spread our last EP “First Black Communion” in European soil. We received good reviews in many European countries such as Portugal, Spain, Poland, Netherlands, Ukriane (some those that I remembering right now but that’s more for sure). Helldprod Rec released that EP in different formats such as digipack CD and cassette formats. In addition, a T-shirt with the EP cover was release and distributed. Moreover, we had a digipack CD edition released in Brazil by a partnership between Marcelo from Kingdom of Darkness Prod. and Gil from Cianeto Discos. They are very serious labels that they have being already working with us in our other bands/side projects and other friends’ bands. Marcelo and Gil are easy-going persons that they having being working hard to strength the brazilian underground scene since a long time. Regarding Blizzard Recs, we are not just working with them. The release of our album “Black Sorcery Devotion” are having different formats: 1) the digipack CD edition in Brazil is being released by a partnership between Kingdom of Darkness Prod. and Marcio from Blizzard Recs. Marcio is also super cool and pretty serious on their work. The vinyl edition is being released by Julio and Culto Obscuro Productions which is having been supporting us a lot this period. And a cassette edition was already released by the chilean label Mobid Ways to Die Prod. Morbidealer, manager of the label, has also be well supportive to us. This cassette edition is already available for distribution.  

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

Answer:  I believe it was good. I am basing this statement in the positive reviews we received this last year along with number of metalheads from different countries that we’re seeking us to get the material. But, it still early to determine the real public response to our music. Let’s see. Only the time will say that. From my previous works from previous bands, Obscure Relic’s EP and album had the better response so far. Maybe, this could involve different factors such as maturity in songs and promotion. I don’t know. But, of course, we have plans to do some touring, where can be possible, to better spread our work. As I mentioned earlier, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a true obstacle in front of us to do that. Meanwhile, we are making the best we can.

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

Answer:  As the world crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic give us a break, I see the band make some touring and getting in direct contact with the blackened souls spreading the Earth. In the current scenario, we are still doing some regular rehearsals to composing new songs for a future material. I can say that we are very productive without lose all the essence of our art. So, the production will not stop. Stay tuned.    

13.What are you currently listening to nowadays?

Answer: I am still listening the same old stuff as Sarcófago, Sepultura, Mystifier, Slayer, Bathory, Venom, Mayhem, Dark Funeral, Marduk, Emperor, etc. Sometimes I am listening some older stuff from my childhood like Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Dio, Judas Priest, Mercyful Fate, Iron Maiden, etc. Sometimes I listening a newest material like Azaghal, Mgla, etc. Well depends of the day… In relation to underground bands, I am always open to know, listening and buy merch from different bands. Recently, I mean this week, I have been listening the band Vazio, last Djevel, last Sargeist, etc.      

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

Answer:  I would like to thank you for open a space so I could tell the readers what we did and what we are doing or planning to do. I’m hoping that this world crisis could be solved shortly enough, so we can meet all the true blackened brothers in the road. Stay safe, stay metal, stay tunedl!!! HAIL!!!

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