Oblivion Castle/Witch's Lament In The Moonlight/Fiadh Productions/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Oblivion  Castle  are  a  solo  project  from  Mexico  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  metal  and  dark  ambient  with  some  symphonic  touches  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2023  album  "Witch's  Lament  In  The  Moonlight"  which  was  released  by  Fiadh  Productions.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  bring  in  elements  of  dark  ambient  and  dungeon  synth  while  also  mixing  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can b e  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  growls  and  grim  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  lot  of  90's  influences  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.  The  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  witchcraft  and  vampirism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Oblivion  Castle  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom  metal  and  dark  ambient  with  some  symphonic  touches  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eclipse  Of  Forbidden  Desires"  "Frozen  Echoes"  and  "Death's  Solemn  Grace".  8 out  of  10.

  Oblivion Castle  

Sanctum Sathanas/Into The Eternal Satanic Damnation/Inferna Profundus Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Sanctum  Sathanas  are  a  duo  from  Chile  that  plays  a  very  raw,  occult  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2023  album  "Into  The  Eternal  Satanic  Damnation"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Inferna  Profundis  Records.

  Evil  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  brings  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  classic  horror  movie  soundtrack  before  going  into  a  heavier 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.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.

  One  of  the  tracks  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  as  well  as  some  of  the  music  also  showing  an  influence  of  the  mid  90's  era,  synths  also  make  a  brief  return.  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and r aw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Luciferian,  Alchemy  and  Left  Hand  Path  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sanctum  Sathanas  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  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lord  Almighty  Sathanas"  and  "The  Curse  Of  Existence".  8  out  of  10.

  https://infernaprofundusrecords.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-eternal-satanic-damnation

  

Varg/Ewige Wacht/Napalm Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Varg  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  pagan,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Ewige  Wacht"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Napalm  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks.

  Clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  while  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars.  Female  vocals  can  also  be  heard on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  keyboards  onto  the  album  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  medieval  touch,  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction.

  On  this  recording  Varg  goes  for  more  of  a  mid  tempo  and  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  pagan,  black  and  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  Vikings,  Norse  Mythology  and  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Varg  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Immer  Treu"  "Fylgia"  "Hammer"  and  "Ewige  Wacht".  8  out  of  10.

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Wampyric Ghostlord Interview

 

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

First of all I want to thank you so much about this opportunity to talk about my project. Wampyric Ghostlord is a project that I gave to life in 2022 as a raw one Black Metal band, where I took personally care about everything from the songwriting and all instruments recordings to the production and distribution of the physical CDs. I consider this project as a radical expression of my musical ideas and my will to create (as you will see in the next releases) an entire dimension based upon satanism and vampirism in a world completely eaten by darkness, where every value is completely suffocated by evilness.

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

My influences were various. I tried to unite some melancholic and dark melodies to the more simple and versatile powercords, trying to create a style that, although it cannot be considered fully innovative, can nevertheless not fall into the obvious. I took as example some of my favourite artists like Taake, Horna and Satanic Warmaster, channeling their lessons in a rotten, icy, edgy sound. From what you have been able to hear so far, I cannot hide my great passion for Ambient and overall for the Dark Ambient, a genre that I personally feel is best suited to accompany Black Metal in the development of a gloomy and misanthropic style as I want this project to be.

Don't be surprised if future releases have a strong and consistent Ambient component, as I think it is one of the most powerful tools for bringing dark and macabre atmospheres to life, emphasising the air of mystery that perfectly complements an album with cold and edgy sounds.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover vampirism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about youtr interest in this topic?

I see vampirism as a cult of veneration of darkness and evil, the desecration of the splendour of life and collective morality that has come about in the modern world.

A vampire is not merely a folkloric, pseudo-mythological revenant being who lives in the night and feeds on the life essence of its victims. I see a vampire as one who wants to see the world burn, an adept of darkness who derives strength and nourishment in dissipating the life energies of his victims. It's pure and primal chaos bringer, a cynic emissary of the darkness, which the only purpose is to bring death in the world.

As a person who is strongly opposed to the fake respectability of our times and tired of seeing how the modern world continues to evolve by disappointing more and more, I am totally fascinated by this cynical pleasure in the death, pain and despair of others that has characterised the figure of the vampire for centuries. Therefore with this project I have tried to channel my ideals into a personal vision of vampirism. And maybe somebody could disagree with it, but I sincerely don't care... What I want to propose is more a personal vision and interpretation of vampirism.

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

With my other projects, I have not strayed too far from my personal dislike of the world of our days, trying to explore different avenues to channel my ideals. With Galpedar, for instance, we have written lyrics more related to the antiquity of our country, moving from dealing with the scourge of the barbarian hordes in "Eridan Hordes" to the misanthropic invocations of "Marsh Lurks in Darkness".

With Myr, on the other hand, we have been working for some time on a very introspective concept album based on the study of pain and loneliness and the effects they can have on the human mind, all in completely medieval settings.

I don't tend to deviate too much from the aforementioned themes, although with Galpedar I would like to deepen a study of Italian folklore and, in particular, of our areas, always maintaining that malignity and icy darkness that will always be dear to me in the production of a text.

With Falce, on the other hand, it was very different in that we gave Narvil carte blanche to produce the lyrics and he did an exceptional job, combining poetry and cosmic spirituality to create a combination of gothic tones and ancestral themes that works splendidly and, given the excellent result of the first EP, I would like to continue along this path, leaving the lyrics to him, concentrating solely on the instrumental part.

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

Wampyric Ghostlord is the entity that embodies pure and supreme evil and misanthropy in the world I am trying to describe in this project. He is the undisputed lord of the night, "born in darkness from the womb of the moon", the one whose return to the mortal world will lead to the damnation of mankind.

Already from the lyrics of the first demo I tried to give an incipit, a brief presentation of the world and the cult that I would like to build over time and the direction I would like the project to take, building piece by piece this concept based on the return of this spirit child of hell and the reign of death and despair that will burden mortals.

There are no heroes in this world and no one will come to save mankind, there will only be an eternal descendant of this infernal progenitor who will enslave the mortal world, erasing all sense of pity, joy and compassion.

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

I used a painting by Marcel Roux entitled 'Le Désespoir' as artwork for the first demo. I personally modified the painting by obscuring every minor detail, so that only this female figure lit from the window of her room would stand out, despairing and crying while covering her face with her hands.

As the beginning of my project, I wanted my first release to be visually focused on grief, a metaphor to define what would afflict the human soul in the continuation of this continuous concept. I wanted the colour tones to make the artwork even more minimalist, in true Transylvanian Hunger style, which is why I chose everything to be black and white (something I won't limit myself to in future releases).

7.With this project you record everything by yourself but have experience working with musicians in other bands or projects, do you prefer to work solo?

Let's say that I appreciate both working alone and with other people. It's hard to say what I prefer between the two, because it's certainly priceless to be able to have a band on your own where it's just you, your ideas and what you want to do and carry out, and then be satisfied with a finished product that is the fruit of your own abilities. On the other hand, it's a unique experience to be able to have a band, to rehearse, to exchange opinions and grow together, creating the union of several minds put together, and then to find yourself outside of rehearsals and see people who are more than friends, they are companions in a unique adventure that I hope will take you far in the future.

Clearly, it can't all be easy, because the first problem with having a band is that everyone is directed towards a single goal, which is certainly made up of sacrifices and compromises, and when this goal deviates even a little for one of the members, it risks ending up in chaos. I have dealt with many musicians in the course of my life, I have seen projects start to end after a short time or after much sacrifice and, for now, I can say that all those with whom I share a project together are those with whom I feel comfortable and with whom I would like to continue working. Most of all there is Helhest, guitarist of Galpedar, with whom we have lived through many different adventures together and I consider him almost like a blood brother; I know that with him I could create a new band every single day and we would always be able to agree to carry out the project with the utmost seriousness and commitment.

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

For now I have not received any offer and I haven't searched so deeply for it, but I'm open to collaborate with a label to produce my future works. Maybe it's too early for a demo and the future ones, but surely I will search for a label when I will release the first full-length.

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

For having only released a first demo, I have to say that I have been quite satisfied with the general response. I've had a lot of positive feedback especially in the local scene and quite a few listens from Germany, the US, Finland and Portugal. To be able to count on the same level of support as a starting point for future demos would be great

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

Over the past year, we have tried with Galpedar to write new music, but above all, we have put a lot of effort into completing the line-up in order to be able to play live. It's been a tough year, as we've all had ups and downs and other projects to deal with, but we're now at the end of this training and hope very soon to be ready to play our music on stages on any occasion that may come our way.

There will also soon be a collaboration between Galpedar and another project of mine, Myr, with whom we will release a split that will be the first physical release of the latter project.

We are also working with Falce to bring out new music and try new experiments! we haven't stopped writing new songs and I would like them to come to life soon.

I have to admit, though, that one of my biggest problems is that I always want to start writing new things at the risk of starting new projects. Sometimes I haven't even finished writing and recording something, that I already want to start something else and risk leaving unfinished what I have started and put it aside for a while... So now before I write for new projects (which I would definitely like to start) I want to commit myself to finishing everything I have started

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

I will work for now to the next couple of demos, then I will focus completely to the production of the first Wampyric Ghostlord's full-length.

For now I want to keep it as a studio project, to focus more on other projects I want to bring on the stages, but sure I would like one day to find musicians to bring this project live too.

Obviously if the project were to evolve to be able to hit the stages, I want to be the frontman of the band while continuing to be the leading voice of the project both in the studio and live, if necessary also playing bass on stage.

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?

It's hard for me nowadays to listen something different from any kind of Black Metal, because that's the genre of music that most reflects and satisfies my tastes

As I said before my influences comes from Taake, my favourite Black Metal band. A band led by an undisputed genius who, in my humble opinion, represents pure Norwegian Black Metal, if not the ultimate expression of the style itself. I have attended many of Hoest's concerts and have never been disappointed; his stage presence, the melodies of each of his songs, the musicians who have always accompanied him... Nothing could be more perfect! other projects I take inspiration and between my favourites there are sure Satanic Warmaster, Horna, Sarkrista, Wolves in the Throne Room and others more.

Furthermore, I must admit that one of my absolute favourite bands, very close to Black Metal but which I cannot fully consider within the genre, are Agalloch: they are a project I have been following for years and whose live performances I have had the honour of seeing; I have always been fascinated by how they have managed in each of their releases to bring to life these folk melodies imbued with a strong melancholy and a particular ritualism, accompanied by lyrics of pure poetry. Taake and Agalloch, although very different, I think they are the greatest that have inspired my way of living and writing the music.

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

I just want to thank you guys for the opportunity to talk about my project and all my supporters of this first phase of my project. Keep the black flame of Black Metal alive and never stop fighting these shitty fake "values" that's poisoning the mind of the people these days! In darkness we will be free!

Official

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Iku-Turso/Ikuinen Kirous/Purity Through Fire/2023 EP Review

 

  Finland/Netherlands's  Iku-Turso  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  old  school  style  of  pagan  black  metal  from  their  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  ep  "Ikuinen  Kirous"  which  will  be  released  in  october  by  Purity  Through  Fire.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  Keyboards  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast b eats  can b e  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Iku-Turso  goes  back  to  the  mid  90's  era  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  Paganism,  Darkness  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Iku-Turso  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  pagan  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  " Nkotimsefuopua"  "Een  Zucht  Van  Verdriet"  and  Thornspawn  Chalice".  8/5  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/ikutursobm

  

           

Jewish Juice 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? 

Cernunnos: After the recording we spent a lot of time creating the artwork. Then we just started to compose new tracks and organized a live performance. 

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

 Cernunnos: This album deals with different themes we usually write about (WW2 for example), All the lyrics are in Italian and the sound and composition has reached an emotional maturity for us.

 Beaker: The direction we are following is leading us towards an a more epic and meditative mood then before, but still we like play classic and fast black metal songs. 

3.The band was broken up for 6 years, what was the cause of the split and the decision to reform?

 Cernunnos: I've always thought it has been a pause, not a split. We always have been friends before we played and we remained so. It has been easy to start again where we left off. 

4.A lot of your lyrics cover national socialism, can you tell us a little bit more about what these views mean to you? 

Cernunnos: In this album the historical themes dealt with differs from National Socialism and WW2. Rather we wrote about other past and more recent historical facts and patriotic nationalism. For me, National Socialism is part of European history as a culture that cannot be erased. 

5.The lyrics on the new album where written in Italian while earlier releases showed lyrics written in English, what was the decision behind writing songs in your native language?

 Cernunnos: In the "Fourth Reich" album we tried the lyrics in Italian and from that moment we decided to enhance our language in our style of music 

Beaker: I think that the italian language perfectly suits our music and more, elevates the songs with poetical feelings because we can be inspired by our classical writer of the past.

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

Cernunnos: It is assonant, direct and provocative. 

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

 Cernunnos: The artwork is our creation in a style that recalls "futurism", the drawing represents the goddess Nike, the victory enshrined 

Beaker: In the past we always used third part drawings or photos in the artworks. This time we made it all by our own and we’re very pleased of the result. 

8.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea? 

Cernunnos: Recently we did 2 live shows to regain confidence, we are always open to the idea of play live shows where metal, black metal or nsbm are not discriminated against.

 Beaker: From the beginning we perfectly aware that it wouldn’t be easy to play live shows for us. In these years the live shows have been sporadic. To be honest, it’s not something we’re constantly looking for. We prefer focus on recording.

 9.Over the years most social media platforms and other sources like YouTube, Bandcamp and Discogs have banned most nsbm, do you feel doing things the old school way before such platforms existed has kept the genre alive in the past few years?

 Cernunnos: I think the underground is called that for a reason and that's the beauty of it. If the platforms censor the music, it is only for an image ethic that in no way reflects the policies and ways of imposing themselves of what are now multinationals. For nsbm bands it is an annoying passage that reinforces their belief. Was the National Socialist censorship bad and that of the fake democracies not? 

Beaker: I think so. In some way this kind of music must be confined in the underground channels, and maybe it’s right that. Anyway, I think that it’s not not entirely a loss; I like thinking about a metal music like a musical genre that shouldn’t be mainstream. Last but not least, we’re all over 40 years old and we’re not very confident with the new ways of online music platforms. The previous album was released 11 years ago when the scenario was completely different.

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

 Cernunnos: We are open to those who want us, the rest we kick in the ass.

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

Cernunnos: We don't think we have global resonance even though we are known on all continents. There are those who like our music but not the themes: to these I say that music transmits emotions. If they can feel emotions then they can enjoy it. 

Beaker: Usually we receive positive feedbacks, but I don’t like if there’re both positive or negative feedbacks on principle. 

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

 Cernunnos: Where our music gives us an emotion, there we will go.

 Beaker: We really don’t plan that. All is started from a new riff in the practice room, and then we develop the song based on the moment. 

13.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? 

Cernunnos: I listen to everything. Metal bands like Immortal, Agalloch, Mayhem, Spite Extreme Wing, Dissection, Haggard, Deicide and many others. Tool is one of my favorite bands.

 Beaker: I have a more classical background. I’m very close to the old school classic sound like the NWOBHM or US power metal. 

14.Does Paganism play any role in your music? 

Cernunnos: I don't believe in religions, but cults fascinate me. Paganism differs from northern to southern Europe, it is part of our history and should be celebrated. 

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

Cernunnos: Thank you for the time you dedicate to the underground music and for the work you do giving space to bands like us. I think that the direction taken years ago has an even stronger value today. Thanks again.

https://www.youtube.com/@jewishjuice2006

Dismal Aura/Imperium Mortalia/Avantgarde Music/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Dismal  Aura  are  a  band  from  Ontario,  Canada  that  plays  post  black  metal  with  elements  of  crust  punk  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Imperium  Mortalia"  which  was  released  by  Avantgarde  Music.

   A  very  dark  yet  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  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  deep  growls,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  style.  Elements  of  crust  punk  and  grindcore  are  also  utilized  quite  a bit  throughout  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  samples.

  The  songs  also  mix  the  second  wave  era  of  the  black  metal  genre  with  the  more  modern  post  black  metal  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a decent  amount  of  melody.  Synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  song  also  bringing  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  colonialism,  state  terror  and  environmental  destruction  

  In  my  opinion  Dismal  Aura  are  a  very  great  sounding  post  black  metal  band  with  elements  of  grindcore  and  crust  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blood  Quantum"  "And  Their  Blood  Shall  Be  Upon  Them"  and  "Beyond  Necropolitics".  8 out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/DismalAura

https://www.instagram.com/dismal_aura

https://dismalaura.bandcamp.com

Watch Dismal Aura’s 'One Path Many Voices' lyric video HERE.
 
Watch Dismal Aura’s previously released lyric video for 'Les Allumettières' HERE.

Trenchant/Commandocult/Darkness Shall Rise Productions/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Trenchant  are  a  band  from  Austin,  Texas  that  plays  a  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Commandocult"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Darkness  Shall Rise Productions.

  A  very  distorted  and  militant  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  more  of  a  melodic  and  old  school  style.  as  well  as  having  their  chaotic  moments

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats,  war  metal  elements  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  military  samples  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  they  also  bring  in  a  Molested  cover.

  Trenchant  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  war  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Trenchant  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Commandocult"  "Yellow  Cross  Orison"  "Atrocity  Vison"  and  "In  The  Fires  of  Night".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/oTXcO4ynNJU

https://trenchantdarknessshallrise.bandcamp.com/album/commandocc  

Three Eyes Of The Void/The Atheist/Folter Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Three  Eyes  Of  The  Void  are  an  international  band  with  embers  from  Ukraine  and  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "The  Atheist"  which  will b e  released  in  October  by  Folter  Records.

  Clean  playing  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs   also  add  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  saxophones,.

 All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  clear  vocals  onto  the  album, keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  progressive  and  post  metal,  one  track  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  human  conflict  between  belief  in  God  and  enlightenment,  rejecting  the  concept  of  a  conscious  creator.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album f rom  Three  Eyes  Of  The  Void  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Against  The  One"  and  "The  Atheist".  8 out  of  10.

   https://youtu.be/IqVu8JZPato

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Ashbringer/We Came Here To Grieve/Tanslation Loss Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

   Minnesota's Ashbringer has returned with a new recording which shows the music going for more of an experimental and atmospheric form of post black metal with elements of ambient, noise and folk music and this is a review of their 2023 album "We Came Here To Grieve" which will b e released on September 29th by Translation Loss Records.

    Heavy riffing and angry sounding black metal screams start off the album before going into a very fast and raw musical direction which also utilizes a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats. Growls can also be heard at times along with the clean sections also bringing in elements of post rock  and  recording also has its experimental moments .

    The songs also add in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts   while  clear vocals can also be heard in certain sections of the recording along with the music also going into an atmospheric direction at times and some of the tracks are also long and epic in length,  the music also adds in a lot of progressive touches.

     The solos and leads also being done in a very melodic style when they are utilized  along  with  some  melodies also  being added into some of the guitar riffing  as  well  as  the  synths  also  bringing  in  elements  of  ambient  when  they  are  introduced  into  the  music,  spoken  word  samples  and  noises  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  acoustic  guitars  also  show  an  influence  of  folk  music.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  decent  sounding  recording  from  Ashbringer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  and  atmospheric  post  black  emtal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  'Pages"  "Gazed"  "Here"  and  "We  Came  Here  To  Grieve".  7/5  out  of  10.

  

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Svartsyn/Destruction of Man/Nomad Snakepit Productions/2023 Album Re-Issue Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  an  older  recording  from  Sweden's  Svartsyn  which  showed  the  music  going  for  a  raw,  occult  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  the  album  was  originally  released  in  2003  and  called  "Destruction  Of  Man"  which  will b e  re-issued  in  october,  2023  by  Nomad  Snakepit  Productions.

  Ritualistic  soundscapes  start  off  the  album before  going  into  more  of  a  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  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  one  track  also  introducing  synths  onto  the  album.

  On  this  recording  Svartsyn  went  for  more  of  a  traditional,  raw,  satanic  and  occult  approach  to  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Left  Hand  Path,  Luciferian,  Satanism,  Anti  Christianity  and  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Svartsyn  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  old  school,  occult  and  satanic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Archdemon  Of  Binah"  "Devil's  image"  and  "Destruction  of  man".  8 out  of  10.

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Nebelkrähe Interview

 

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

Well, first of course the label search, then we planned all the physical releases, the merch, the timeline for the release... we shot two videos and a teaser and put a lot of time and effort into documentation and preparation for social media... and now it's on to promotion, interviews and so on. Lots of exciting stuff...I've learned a lot. But the creative part, the music itself those days sometimes comes up short. You go from being an artist to a project manager when a release comes close ... that was never really my goal.

In October you have a new album coming out, musically  how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

By and large, we've been writing in a very similar style since the first album, in terms of riffs, melodies, lyrics and vocals. What we have learned is that sometimes less is more: the new songs are not less innovative, but more compact, more logical and therefore catchier. Especially on "Lebensweisen" we sometimes just wanted too much, I guess.

This is also your first album in 10 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Less than we wanted, haha. Some of the songs were already written when "Lebensweisen" was released in 2013. Then our guitarist lost interest in the band and we drew consequences too late... our bass player moved away, and there too I guess we thought we could manage that for too long. It took us a while to find new, suitable guys for both positions. And when the drumming was recorded, the pandemic came and threw all schedules out of whack. In the pandemic the studio we wanted to go to closed, for the other one we had to wait another year... so a lot of things really went wrong - but for that I'm really sure now that the songs have matured to perfection: From my point of view they couldn't have been better - that's also a consequence of this long time of creation. I think many bands should rather take a little more time, but no professional musician can afford that. In this respect, there are sometimes much more mature albums to be heard in the underground!

Lyrically you also have covered some dark philosophy themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

To be honest, it is difficult for me to imagine anything concrete under the term „dark philosophy“. It's also not that I would describe the texts as philosophical. They are rather concrete thoughts or topics that we abstract in metaphors.

What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

The whole album is about transience, but not on a large scale, related to life and death, but rather on a small scale: dying hopes, bursting dreams, blurring boundaries ...

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

A photographer friend posted it on Facebook years ago, and I knew immediately that it had to be the cover. I was struck by everything that resonates in the captured moment. It captured the fragile, short-lived moment of happiness that the album's lyrics are also about: the settings vary, but transience plays a role in all of them - hence the album title. The cover is the non-musical centerpiece of the album for me. It inspired the lyrics of the title track and the bubble aesthetic of the band pictures.

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

I find it extremely difficult to judge the quality of a performance myself. But the fact that we were able to play with Bethlehem was certainly a highlight. For the upcoming shows, we have a concept that is coordinated with the album, with stage costumes that are appropriate but not exaggerated. Otherwise, we do without gimmicks, also with the sound. Wherever possible, we do without click or backing tracks. We want to play metal, not a playback show.

Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

We will play a release show in our hometown Munich on December 29th - otherwise there is nothing in the calendar yet. Of course, further shows would be a goal, but the organization costs a lot of time and effort ... which are currently simply not there, because we have to support the release. Unfortunately it has become very difficult to get good opportunities to perform.

The new album is going to be released on 'Crawling Chaos', how would you compare working with this label to other labels you have been a part of in the past?

There are worlds in between. Many "labels" in the underground today are pure rip-offs - they take any band that applies and they make you pay for everything, from the music to the PR... you never see a cent, because with the sales they recoup their only expenses, for the physical products. You get a few free copies and unmotivated "promotion", which in the end means one or two circular emails - and that's it. With Crawling Chaos, from the first contact - a two-hour phone call - we had the feeling that the label owner understood what we were about, loved the album and wanted to support us. This refers to an extremely fair deal as far as financing is concerned, but also to the fact that he has unconditionally supported us in all further steps and is doing everything to realize every idea we have. He gave us complete artistic freedom regarding the design of the digipaks and vinyls - that was honestly the most important thing for me: After all these years I wanted to hold something in my hands at the end that corresponds 100% to my ideas - and not to the budget-driven ideas of some label guy for whom the album is just one product among many. Of course Crawling Chaos is a small label, but we couldn't be happier.

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

So far only the press knows the album, but because it's still almost five weeks until the release, we haven't received much feedback yet. The first reviews were great, and I've also heard almost all good things from musician friends of mine. But in the end it only counts how the fans like it. I am curious!

Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Yes, definitely. Our singer umbrA can also be heard in Perditions Light and Thorngoth, two rather true black metal projects - besides he has a damn cool avant-garde black metal project called Atrorum. Our drummer Latrodectus drums for Nothgard, plus he has a melodic death metal band called Amplified Memory and a ska band called Relatively Rapid. Our bass player is a trained classical musician, he works as a singer - but not in metal. Miserere used to have Inarborat, but that's on hold. And I am busy with NEBELKRÄHE.

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

There is currently not a single "new" riff. When it comes to songwriting again, we'll see where it takes us. But even though some of the songs from "ephemer" are up to ten years old, at the moment they are exactly what I imagine NEBELKRÄHE to be musically. If I would write a song now, it would probably not be so different in the basic structure ... as far as the expanding instrumentation is concerned, we will do what the song needs in the future, without setting ourselves limits.

What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

In general, most of us also listen to (avant-gardish) black metal, but of course many other stuff as well. Personally, I find the new albums by Endstille, Hexvessel and Shining very good, but also Kataklysm or the Cavalera re-release project, for example. Besides that there are of course a lot of classics that I give a listen to regularly - like older Naglfar, Dissection, Mayhem and so on.

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

Thank you for the interest. It sounds like a phrase, but it really means the world to me every time people take such an in-depth look at our music that they read or even do an interview. Listen to "ephemer", watch the videos and if you like what you hear, support us and our label, who believed in us like nobody else, by ordering a CD, LP or merch! You can buy all this stuff at bandcamp or our labels store from September 27th on! 

www.facebook.com/NebelkraeheOfficial 

https://nebelkraehe.bandcamp.com/

 

Grauwsaem/Doodskrijs/Grafroot/Nomad Snakepit Productions/2023 Split EP Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Netherlands's  Grauwsaem  and  Doodskrijs  called  "Graftroot"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Nomad  Snakepit  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Grauwsaem  a  band  that  plays  a  very  slow  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black metal  screams.  You  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  their  side  of  the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Dutch  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Grauwsaem  are  a  very  great  sounding  slow  old  school  black  metal   band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Wanhoopsmaan".

  Next  up  is  Doodskrijs  a  band  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams.  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  instruments  that  are  present  on  their  side  of  the  recording,  synths  are  also  added  in  the  background  briefly.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  most  of  the  tracks  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  on  the  closing  song  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  their  side  of  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Dutch  and  cover  dark  themes.

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

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

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Nocturnal Degrade/Cursed Echoes From The Past/War Against Yourself/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Italy's  solo  project  Nocturnal  Degrade  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  depressive  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2023  album  'Cursed  Echoes  From  The  Past"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  War  Against  Yourself.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  synths  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  recording  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Touches  of  ambient  are  also  added  into  certain  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  most  of  the  tracks  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction,  spoken  words  are  also  utilized  briefly  and  the  closing  song  is  an  instrumental.    

  On  this  recording  Nocturnal  Degrade  plays  a  style  of  depressive  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  days  of  the  genre.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  suicide,  life,  death,  apathy,  decay  and  anti  human  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Nocturnal  Degrade  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  depressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Time  To  Leave"  and  "From  The  Depths".  8  out  of  10.

  https://waragainstyourself.bandcamp.com/album/cursed-echoes-from-the-past  

Obsidyen/Litany Of Iah/Drowning In Chaos Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Obsidyen  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Litany Of Iah"  which  will b e  released  in  November  by  Drowning  In  Chaos  Records. 

 

   Female  vocals  and  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier,  melodic  and  dissonant  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  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.

   Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

 

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  some   of  the  songs  also  adding  in   clean  playing  one  of  which  also  adds  in  a  more  middle  eastern  favor  which  also  fits  in  with  the  concept  of  the  recording,  female  vocals  also  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  and  whispers  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Ancient  Egyptian  themes.

   In  my  opinion  Obsidyen  are  a  very  great  sounding  aggressive   and  atmospheric  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Litany  Of  Iah"  and  "Apophis".  8/5  out  of  10.  

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Nahasheol/Serpens Abyssi/Argento Records/Wolves Of Hades/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Nahasheol  are  a  duo  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  an  occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Serpens  Abyssi"  which  will  be  released  in  November  as  a  joint  effort  between  Argento  Records  and  Wolves  Of  Hades.

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavier  riffing  a  few  seconds  later.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  eats  can be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  that  also  get  very  deep  sounding  at  times  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  synths  also  being  utilized  briefly  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing,  the  songs  also  add  in  influences  from  both  the  modern  and  old  school  eras  of  the  genre  and  chants  can  also b e  heard  on  the  closing  track.

  Nahasheol  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  dark,  melodic  and  aggressive  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Luciferin,  Promethean,  Left  Hand  Path  and  Occultism  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Nahasheol  are  a  very  great  sounding  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Aetheric  Void"  and  "Devana  Thanatha".  8  out  of  10.

  http://wolvesofhades.bandcamp.com/album/serpens-abyssi

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