Likno Interview

 

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

We formed the band totally unexpectedly after experimenting with many different musical styles during the quarantine period. Between other things, we discovered our common passion for black metal and started writing our own songs. The ideas came one after another and we created a full album.

In July you also released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

We wanted a lot to sound as much raw as possible and make sure that we went from relentless, non-stop blast-beats, to rock-like grooves, to Scandinavian bone-chilling sounds, to Greek folk music, in few words vary as much as possible in our record while having a specific narrative. It seems a bit frightening when this is your primal goal, but when you try to compose the best music possible and step-by-step you craft a good record, that inspires you to keep moving. 

 

3.A lot of your lyrics cover 'cultural roots', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

I am unable to pinpoint exactly the culturality of our lyrics. “Void” expresses just some feelings I had in a social level. Songs “Likno”, “Birth” and “Sea” put together tell the story based on a poem I wrote. Even though I won’t reveal the meaning behind it, I invite everyone to give their own interpretation. “White Wings” is dedicated to the victims of Tempi crash in 2023. 

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

Likno is a greek word meaning “cradle” or “baby’s crib”, but it can also mean “the very starting point of everything”. We always thought that there is great interest behind “where did we come from?”, “How did we come to be?”, “What are we made of?”

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

We have a very talented comic book creator and a good friend Thomas Kefalas, that was our first choice for this job. We sat down and asked him to create a nearly unreadable logo, full of branches. Kind of menacing, but in the same time serene and “earthy”. The photo was shot by a very talented local photographer Dimitris Vavliaras, that mainly shoots impressive landscapes and scenes from the lives of the shepherds. When we saw the picture, we were really impressed by the desolate scenery. 

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

Well, that’s kind of an open subject at the time, but if a live performance comes to the table we may reconsider.

 

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

There has been quite a number of offers, everyone will be informed imminently, but right now we still have not signed. 

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

Quite frantic to be honest, in a good way. By the feedback it seems we stayed true to the roots of black metal, but still managed to keep everyone’s interest in high peak. There has been a vivid reaction from Latin America, we listened our music in English and Spanish web radios, some great reviews by Greek and foreign webzines alike. Can’t complain, it was a good start. 

Do any of the band members have experience working with other bands or musical projects?

I had some bands over the years performing metal, rock and punk, but black metal was kind of fresh approach for me. Flaegra has a solo synth project that is still active at the time. 

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

Utterly clueless and oblivious right now, but that gives us an exciting  feeling that everything’s possible for the future. I will say though that the second album is nearly complete. 

 

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

We are heavily influenced by the sound of old-school black metal of the 90s. Especially Greek, French and Norwegian bands. However, we are inspired by every kind of music you can imagine. One great influence is the folk music of Greece and balkan countries, that is strongly depicted in our song “Birth”. Nowadays, besides a lot of black metal, we listen to pop, hip hop, drum and bass, psychedelic trance, synthwave, darkwave and many more.

 

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

Thanks a lot for the interest and the interview, keep in mind that we have a bandcamp page and physical copies are imminent. Also like our Facebook page to stay informed. Cheers!

bandcamp: https://likno.bandcamp.com/album/likno

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Likno/61561544237336/

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liknoband/

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

Yoth Iria/Blazing Inferno/Edged Circle Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 


    Greece's  Yoth  Iria  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric  form  of  occult  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Blazing  Inferno"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Edged  Circle  Productions.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  some  background  shouts.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  playing  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in a   good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  A  lot  of  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  old  school  touches  as  well  as  remaining  very  modern  at  the  same  time.  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  some  ethnic  style  instruments,  one  track  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  female  vocals  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  Gregorian  chants  can  also  be  heard  Keyboards  and  clean  playing  are  also  added  on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  as  the  recording  progresses  clear  male  vocals  are  also  introduced  into  the  music.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occult  Spirituality,  Satanism  and  Luciferian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Yoth  Iria  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blazing  Inferno"  "Rites  Of  Blood  And  Ice"  and  "We  Call  Upon  The  Elements".  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zz4xCdARww

Weltschmerz/III: Non Sequitor/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Netherlands's  Weltschmerz  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  fast,  raw  and  aggressive  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "III:  Non  Sequitor"  which  will  be  released  on  October  30th.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Vocals  are mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  deeper  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  old  school  era.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  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  the  songs  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.

   As  the  album  progresses  the  vocals  also  get  more  diverse  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  a  couple  of  songs  also  introduces  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording.   One  track  is  also  an  instrumental,  spoken  word  parts  and  keyboards  are  also  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics   cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Weltschmerz  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  fast  and  aggressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Casus  Belli"  and  "Fugit  Irreparable  Tempus".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvIrvqVUZrI 

https://weltschmerzmetal.bandcamp.com/album/illustra-nos

https://www.facebook.com/weltschmerzmetal

https://www.instagram.com/weltschmerzbm/

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Weltschmerz/3540288722    

 

Frust/New Moon/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Austria's  solo  project  Frust  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  moves  away  from  the  post  black  metal  style  of  previous  releases  and  on  this  release  goes  for  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  experimental  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  horror  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2024  album  "New  Moon"  which  will  be  released  in  November.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  Elements  of  doom  metal are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  all  of t he  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.  Clean  playing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  few  songs  also  being  instrumentals,  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.    

One  song  also  introduces  raw  tremolo  picking  into  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  couple  of   tracks  also  adding  in  in  a  small  amount  of  female  vocals  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror,  nature  and  philosophical  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Frust  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  experimental  black  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chaos"  "Sumer  Rain"  "Destiny"  and  "I  Was  Nix  Mehr".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/frust.at/

https://www.instagram.com/frust.rocks
https://frust-at.bandcamp.com
https://www.frust.rocks

Endloser Abgrund/Kein Vergeben, Keine Gnade/2024 EP Review

 

  Endloser  Abgrund  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  abysmal  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  ep  "Kein  Vergeben,  Keine  Gnade"  which  will  be  released  on  September  20th.

  Raw  tremolo  picking  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  very  fast  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  mixed  in  with  some  modern  touches.  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  at  times  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  and  raw  direction,  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  Endloser  Abgrund  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  aggressive  and  traditional  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and   cover  hate,  anger,  vengeance  and  pain.    

  In  my  opinion  Endloser  Abgrund  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  abysmal  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Schwarze  Wellen"  and  "Kein  Vergeben,  Keine  Gnade".  8  out  of  10.   

  https://open.spotify.com/artist/1DeNGrbF2kMTl6nRc8ax36?si=umDPoR65TMmubVh3pnnTcg

https://endloserabgrund.bandcamp.com/album/kein-vergeben-keine-gnade

https://bit.ly/3X6QU7l

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565568540629 

Omegavortex/Paranormal Violence/Ancient Spirit Terror/Violent Termination Records/2024 Demo Review

 

  Germany's  Omegavortex  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  demo  "Paranormal  Violence"  which  was  released  as  joint  effort  between  Ancient  Spirit  Terror  and  Violent  Termination  Records.

  A  very  distorted  and  brutal  war  metal  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  dissonant  sounding  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  distorted  yet  chaotic  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  elements.  The  songs  also  mix  in  influences  from  both  the modern  and  old  school  era's  of   underground  metal,  when  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  tracks  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  whole  demo  also  sticks  to  a  more  brutal  direction.

  On  this  recording  Omegavortex  takes  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  raw,  heavy  and  brutal  release.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paranormal  and  Cosmic  Horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Omegavortex  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  war,  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Horrorslaughter"  and  "Psychopathic  majesty".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/OMEGAVORTEXblackdeath

  

Mork/Syv/Peaceville Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Norway's  Mork  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric  and  progressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Syv"  which  will  be  released  on  September  20th  by  Peaceville  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  clean  playing  is  also  added  a  couple  of  songs.

  Folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  a  couple  of  songs.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  music  also  going  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction  at  times,  when the  recording  finally  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental  as  well  as  the  closing  track  also  adding  in  some  acoustic  guitars.

  On  this  recording  Mork  moves  away  from  the  old  school  style  of  black  metal  of  previous  releases  and  goes  for  more  of  a  modern,  atmospheric  and  progressive  style  of  black  metal  with  this  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  the  depths  and  contrasts  of  human  experience. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Mork  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  progressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I  Takens  Virvel"  "Utbrent"  "ondt  Blod"  and  "Til  Syvende  Og  Sist".  8  out  of  10.

  Website / Facebook / Instagram / X  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great        

Wolves' Winter/The Medivm/Northern Silence Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Wolves'  Winter  are  a  band  from  Argentina  that  plays  an  occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "The  Medivm"  which  will  be  released  in  October b y  Northern  Silence  Productions.

  Ritualistic  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  whispers  a  few  seconds  later  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  gibes  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  album  also  mixing  in  a  lot  of  old  school  touches  but  keeping  it  modern  at  the  same  time.

   One  song  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  clear  singing  and  choirs  also  being  utilized  on  a  couple  of  songs,  angry  shouts  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  when  guitar solos  and  leads  are  finally  introduced  into  the  music  they  are  also  one  in  a  very  melodic  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism, Darkness  and  Left  Hand  Path  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Wolves'  Winter  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  "Levitation  Of  The  Buried  Ones"  "Flame  Of  Ghosts"  and  "Black  Light  of  Qalmana".  8  out  of  10.

  facebook.com/wolves.winter

instagram.com/wolveswinter.official

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhu48m_zKRI&t=215s

Groza/Nadir/AOP Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Groza  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  melodic  and  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Nadir"  which  will  be  released  on  September  20th  by  AOP  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  clean  playing  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  in  epic  in  length.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  atmospheric  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  Angry  shouts  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts,  synths  are  also  utilized  briefly  and  one  track  also  adds  in  session  work  from  one  of  the  members  of  Harikiri  From  The  Sky.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  misanthropy  and  nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Groza  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  melodic  and  raw  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Asbest"  "Deluge".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram    

Mithras Crowned Interview

 

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

We have already started writing the follow-up to our debut and are in the demo phase currently. The whole process inspired us to create more and expand on the sound we have touched on in "Hymns of the Hierophant" As artists, we have been working on expanding on certain elements of our sound. This has also led to a more solidified concept behind the music both in terms of lyrical themes and artistic expression.

2.In July you had released a new ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

We draw influence from many different bands. Mostly Black Metal, both old and new. We also come from a Death Metal background and this, inevitably influenced our style.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Mithraism and the band name also has the same relation, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this ancient religion?

Mithraism has always intrigued us because it was one of those hidden, lesser-known religious practices in the Greco-Roman world. It wasn’t about public ceremonies or state-endorsed rituals; it was personal, mysterious, and offered a much deeper connection with the divine. That is what makes it so fascinating to us—the idea that people were seeking their path to meaning, away from the mainstream.

For us as a black metal band, that kind of raw, unfiltered relationship with the unknown resonates deeply. The themes of struggle, rebirth, and the cosmic battles found in Mithraism fit naturally with the music we create. We’re drawn to exploring these ideas in our songs because, in a way, black metal also pushes against the ordinary, embracing the mysterious and the transcendent. There’s something powerful about tapping into that forgotten part of history and bringing it back to life through our music.

4.In one interview you also mentioned an interest in the teaching of Thoth, how would you compare Egyptian and Hermetic practices to Mithraism?

There’s something really fascinating about the way both Mithraism and the teachings of Thoth in Hermeticism approach the journey of the soul. Even though they come from different cultures, both are centered around unlocking deeper, hidden knowledge and personal transformation. In Hermeticism, Thoth, the god of wisdom, guides the soul’s journey toward enlightenment through understanding. Similarly, Mithraism uses initiation rites to gradually reveal its mysteries, fostering spiritual growth along the way.

Ultimately, the path of true Hermetic practice is to unify with the source of creation, or primordial creator. Even though these systems come from different ancient cultures, they both point toward the same truth, just using different roads to get there. This might not be a popular take in the black metal world, especially when you mention a primordial creator, but if you strip away the layers, Any ancient or modern religion is ultimately driving at the same point. Even if it's presented in a more fundamentalist way, the core of it all is the human desire to seek and understand the true nature of creation and the unity behind existence. Thoth and Mithras perfectly embody this journey.

As the great initiate Hermes Trismegistus said, "As above, so below."

5. The band has also gone through a couple of name changes over the years, can you tell us a little bit more about the name changes?

These were previous projects that Wesley and Nikola worked on. Our earlier iterations were mainly orientated to a Technical and Brutal Death Metal audience. When we felt the time was right, we decided to form Mithras Crowned as a true reflection of our artistic vision.

6.How would you describe the artwork that is presented on the EP cover?

The artwork is of Mithras slaying the bull, popularly known as the Tauroctony. This symbolizes a sacrifice, giving birth to a new world. In the artwork's center, you can find Sol Invictus, the unconquered Sun. This represents the new world we are creating with our music.

7.Under your older name you went for more of a death metal style while the music of 'Mithras Crowned' is more rooted in black metal, what was the decision behind going into a different musical direction?

We grew disillusioned with what we were doing. It became clear to us that Black Metal allowed us to create music that really means something to us. The change gave us the freedom we had been searching for and allowed us to explore our artistic vision.

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

We have had great opportunities thus far, with this project. These include opening for Deathcore Giants, Vulvodynia. As well as 2 shows with the Norwegian Brutal Death band Kraanium. We also joined Fulci on a leg of their South African tour.

Our performance can be summed up as Fast, energetic and aggressive. We want our passion for this music to be felt by our audience.

9.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

We have a possible tour coming up which is in the works. There are also plans to expand into the European live circuit. So we have something planned for Sweden and Italy currently but are still looking into more dates.

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

There has been some interest from a few labels, but we are waiting for the right offer that makes sense with what we want to do.

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

Our guitarist, Wouter, also plays for the Slamming Brutal Death band Bleeding Spawn and our bassist is also in Thrash band Disarmageddon.

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

We are currently working on another EP but we would like to create a full album at some point, should we find the right backing. Musically we want to delve deeper into the melodic and atmospheric side of Black Metal, while still staying true to some of our current artistic sensibilities.

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?

Some of our biggest influences have been Dark Funeral, Behemoth, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Negator, Nordjevel, Marduk, MGLA and Immortal. Lately, I have been listening to Afsky, Aodon, Grima and Wiegedood.

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

As we look to expand our European footprint and have been actively pursuing this, we are open to any promoters or bands that could assist us in this endeavor. We can be contacted at info@mithrascrowned.com for any offers.

Kveldstimer/Scripture Of The Woods/Alte Seelen/2024 Demo Review

 

  Kveldstimer  are  a  duo  from  the  United  States  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  demo  "Scripture  Of  The  Woods"  which  will b e  released  on  Halloween  by  Alte  Seelen.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  bass  guitars  in  the  background  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are   mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in t he  90's  Nordic  style.

  Most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  faster  direction  mixed  in  with  some  mid  tempo  sections  while  the  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  Clear  singing  and  chants  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  along  with  all  of  the  riffing  being  done  on  power  chords  and  the  whole  album  also  avoids  the  use  of  any  solos  or  leads.

  Kveldstimer  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric,  raw  and  old  school  in  the  90's  Nordic  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Nature,  Forests  and  Paganism  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  Kveldstimer  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  atmospheric  and  old  school  black  emtal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Folk  of  The  Blossoming  Sky"  and  "Fiendish  Lore".  8  out  of  10.

    alteseelen.com

instagram.com/alte.seelen

Follow Alte Seelen on Facebook

Everto Signum/Beastiary/Monumental Rex/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Everto  Signum  are  a  duo  from  Portugal  that h as  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  elemental  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Beastiary"  which  will be   released  in  November  by  Monumental  Rex.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them. 

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs   also  add  in  a  good  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  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.

 When  synths  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling  as  well  as  adding  in  touches  of  dungeon  synth,  folk  music  and  new  age  at  times  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  mixing  in  elements  of  prog  rock.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  are  a  concept  album  covering  the  destructive  forces  of  nature.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Everto  Signum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ophidian"  and  "Weaver".  8  out  of  10.

  Beastiary @ Bandcamp

Everto Signum @ Facebook  

Tryblith/Draconis Maleficium/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Tryblith  are  a  band  from  Ohio  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  raw,  atmospheric  and  symphonic  form  of  occult  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Draconis  Maleficium"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can b e  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  synths  also  give  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  feeling  when  they  are  utilized.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  old  school  era  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  growls  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album  as  well  as  some  words  being  used  briefly.  

  On  this  recording  Tryblith  goes  for  more  of  a  raw,  atmospheric  and  melodic  form  of  occult  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  to  early  2000's  era.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Mysticism  and  Ancient  Sorcery  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Tryblith  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  atmospheric,  old  school  and  symphonic  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Grip  Ov  The  Devil's  Hand"  "Atlantean  Cataclysm"  "Oath  Ov  Sorcery"  and  "Exalted  Incantations  Between  The  Stars".  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://tryblith.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Tryblith

https://www.instagram.com/tryblith  

Everything Dies/Survivalist/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Everything  Dies  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  form  of  depressive  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Survvalist"  which  will  be  released  in  October.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  depressive  black  emtal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of the  guitar  riffing  while  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  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.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  singing.

  At  times  the  album  also  does  into  more  of  an  atmospheric  direction  along  with   all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording,  death  metal  growls  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  breaking  up  relationships  and  abandonment  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Everything  Dies  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  melodic  depressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Deadend"  "Forest  Loneliness"  and  "The  Funeral  Of  Hearts".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/W8l3BEE4_MU  

https://linktr.ee/everythingdiesdsbm   

Haxenzijrkell/Portal/Amor Fati Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's   Haxenzijrkell  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  raw  and  epic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Portal"  which  will  be  released  in  october  by  Amor  Fati  Productions.

  Synths  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.  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  some  of  the  music  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  atmospheric  touches.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era  of  the  genre  as  well as  remaining  very  traditional  at  the  same  time,  female  vocals  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Haxenijirkell  brings  out  a  very  raw,  ritualistic,  epic  and  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  Qabalah,  Qlipthoth  and  Western  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Haxenijirkell  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  epic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Atziluth"  and  Assiah".  8  out  of  10.

  www.facebook.com/haexenzijrkell       

Keiser/Likfunn/Non Serviam Records/2024 EP Review

 

   Norway's  Keiser  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  aggressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "Likfunn"  which  will  be  released  on  September  20th  by  Non  Serviam  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.   Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  music  also  adds  in  both  old  school  and  modern  touches.  Some  of  the  guitar  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  thrash  metal  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  

When tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  as  well  as  clean  playing  also  being  added  on  both  tracks  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  the  classic  Norwegian  poem  "Likfunn".

   

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

  CD: https://www.non-serviam-records.com/collections/atrexial/products/atrexial-the-serpent-abomination-digipak

Digital: https://non-serviam-records.bandcamp.com/album/the-serpent-abomination  

www.facebook.com/keisernor

Ignominous/Dawn With No Light/Vinyl Store/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Ignominous  are  a band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  very  raw,  ferocious  and  uncompromising  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Dawn  With  No  Light"  which  will  be  released  in  october  by  Vinyl  Store.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  tortured  voiced  and  synths  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  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.  

  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.  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  lot  of  old  school  influences  mixed  in  with  a  more  modern  take  on  the  genre  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,.

 Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.  Synths  also  return  on  some  of  the  other  tracks  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  a  couple  of  tracks   also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  singing.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Thelema,  Darkness  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ignominous  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  old  school  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cosmic  Spawns  Of  Death"  "Martirium  (Ora  Pro  Nobis)"  and  "The  Dawn  With  No  Light".  8 out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/ignominous666 

https://www.tiktok.com/@ignominous

  

KrvL/Donkere Pade/These Hands Melt/2024 Full Length Review

 

   KrvL  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Donkere  Pade"  which  will  be  released  in   October  by  These  Hands  Melt.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  songs  also  influences  of  both  the  modern  and  old  school  eras  of  the  genre.  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  some  growls  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Dutch  and  cover  nature,  finding  inner  peace,  nemesis,  resurrection  and  an  attempt  to  find  light  in  the  darkness.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  KrvL  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "De  Koning  Van  Stilte"  "De  Verlonen  Herder"  and  "Het  Onbegrip".  8  out  of  10.

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KrvL1745/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqsOIHqIMfh/
Bandcamp: https://krvl.bandcamp.com/releases

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3XNtjjTvy1HSjsYcfpIRHI?si=SIvYpPx3Q3a9QrR6QMXqeQ