Strja/Ticinum/KRE^U/Vrim/Voces Antiqui Sanguinis/Masked Dead Records/Sulphur Music/2024 4 Way Split Album Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  4  way  split  between  Italy's  Strja,  Ticinum,  KRE^U  and  Vrim  called  Voces  Antiqui  Sanguinis"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween  as  a  joint  effort  between  Masked  Dead  Records  and  Sulphur  Music  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Strja  a  band  that  plays  a  melodic  and  atmospheric form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  fast  and r aw  sound  which  also  utilizes  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  some  of  the  deeper  growls  also  add  in  a  touch  of  death  metal.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Vereonese  and  cover  folklore  themes.

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

  Next  up  is  Ticinum  a  band  that  plays  a  very  epic  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  clean  playing  and  folk  instruments  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  when  the  music  speeds  up  and  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Throughout  their  side  of  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  riffing  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Pavese  and  cover  legends  and  folklore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ticinum  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  melodic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Pavia  Brusa  la  Stria".

  Next  up  is  KRE^U  that  plays  a  very  old  school  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  heavy  sound  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  also  bringing  in  more  of  a  grim  black  metal  style  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.

  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  both  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Elements  of  dark  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  all  of  the  music  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Barbaricino  and  cover  Sardinian  bandits  and  outlaws.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  KRE^U  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  old  school  black  and  dark  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RCOMMENDED  TRACK  "Accabbadora".

  Closing  the  split  is  Vrim  a  band  that  plays  an  epic  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  dark  soundscapes  and  narrative  style  spoken  word  parts  before  adding  in  some  clean  playing.  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  grim  black  metal  style  which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  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  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody,  both  of  their  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Piemontese  and  cover  mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vrim  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "L'oora  ant  el  Kali-Yuga".

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

  https://maskedeadrecords.bandcamp.com/album/voces-antiqui-sanguinis                

        

Auriferous Flame/The Insurrectionists And The Caretakers/True Cult Records/Stellar Audiorium Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

   Greece's  solo  project  Auriferous  Flame  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric,  epic  and  old  school  mixture  of  occult  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "The  Insurrectionists  And  The  Caretakers"  which  will  be  released  in  November  as  a  joint  effort  between  True  Cult  Records  and  Stellar  Audiorium  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  melodies  are  also  added  into a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing.  All  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  and  the  synths  also  give  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling.

  When  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  more  of  a  ritualistic  touch  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  90's  influences.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  thrash  metal  elements  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.\

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Angry  shouts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism  and  revolution  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Auriferous  Flame  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  epic  and  old  school  occult  black  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Caretakers".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/Auriferousflame      

Kravt durch Krebs/Verbundenheit/2024 EP Review

 

  Kravt  durch  Krebs  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  raw  and  atmospheric  form  of  ambient  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2024  ep  "Verbundenheit".

  Nature  sounds  and  field  recordings  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Ambient  style  synths  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  most  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  At  times  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  raw  aggression  along  with  some  melodies  also  being  utilized  briefly,  spoken  words  are  also  added  on  one  track  and  the  whole  ep  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recordingKravt  durch  Krebs  goes  for  a  style  of  ambient  black  metal  that  is  very  slow,  raw  and  atmospheric  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  self  reflection  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Kravt  durch  Krebs  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  atmospheric  ambient  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Oskar  II".  8  out  of  10.

  www.instagram.com/kravtdurchkrebs

https://www.reddit.com/r/kravtdurchkrebs/s/zmLXiHt6QF

https://youtube.com/@kravtdurchkrebs?si=-VV3gExWcThX36wM

https://open.spotify.com/album/10EVK9Sg0UgxpfPBGyky5j

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554504009365  

SNAW Interview

 

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

 

SNAW is an Australian project, and is my vehicle for black metal/post-black metal compositions, and ambient/experimental work. Although I lead things musically and do a bit of vocals, SNAW involves collaborating with other musicians, most recently with Robin Stone (drums) and Andrew Trevenen (vocals). So there’s a cohesion to the ‘sound’ of SNAW music but it will hopefully have some dynamic changes from album to album, depending on who else is involved.

 

2.So far you have released 2 full lengths, musically how do they both differ from each other?

 

The initial concept (in an ideal world), was to release “The Skin Dancer” and “A Light Scalping” together as a 2LP package. Although they are different, I see black metal and ambient/experimental as fitting together quite nicely. Musically, The Skin Dancer is probably more familiar to people, in terms of recognizable black metal/post black structures. Both albums always prioritize the building of atmospheres but with very different tools. A Light Scalping is very free of conventions from either extreme metal or dark ambient genres. It’s full of dense layers, has neo-classical moments aswell as some guitar structures more similar to doom perhaps.

 

 

3.The first album was instrumental while the new album had vocals what is the decision behind the change in both releases?

 

SNAW has grown out of my other band Bolt Gun, which could be seen as usually involving both black, doom and ambient structures within the one song. SNAW perhaps mines each specific style at a deeper level without trying to combine too much. So the instrumental, black ambient album is a deep dive into that world, whereas The Skin Dancer is a focussed metal work, mining the territory of black metal/post-black metal, without spending too much time on transportive ambient atmospheres for the listener to lose themselves in. So with SNAW you can expect more instrumental albums aswell as more black metal albums!

 

4.A lot of your lyrics cover dark mythology and show some inspirations from the writings of Cormac McCarthy, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic and the writer's work?

 

I’m a fan of McCarthy’s work and literature has often been a jumping off point for some concept or atmosphere that I’m trying to build. A.T is responsible for the more extreme vocals and I think he has a similar process. I guess everyone has different impressions of such writers…for me a general starting point are ideas around nihilism versus slivers of hope; post-apocalyptic earth; surrealist nightmare type experiences; the primitive parts of all our minds. Anyone familiar with his work will find novels corresponding to these ideas. There are of course many other writers and works of art that can be associated…also from within European folklore, myths to visual artworks like those created by Marc Potts. Somewhere along the line I found Marc’s artworks, which seem to depict something supernatural and horrific but (my thoughts here, not Marc’s) this is actually embedded in the parts of our own minds that are primitive, ancient and perhaps also terrifying. I think we create and experience something of this in dark artworks, including within music. All this of course makes it sound like carefully thought out processes…which I don’t think it is. I start with playing, creating and finding these spaces musically…then there’s thoughts about them later. Music creation for me is initially all non-verbal…about a feeling of something…if I did things the other way around it wouldn’t work…the result would be too wooden, inflexible…too cognitive and ‘clever’.

 

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

 

I wanted a simple band name that wasn’t recognizable and wasn’t used in everyday language. Partly so when you look it up on the internet theres not a billion search results! The black ambient work came first, and there’s something about this sort of music that fits with falling asleep in the early hours. I liked the word SNORE…but wanted it to be more abrasive, so…SNAW. At some point I discovered the word is an ancient word for snow…which to me seemed also fitting to the project so it was then set. Band names are difficult and you can be stuck with them forever! So I hope this one continues to capture the musical aims.

 

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

 

I only have a brief description from Marc about the work…he also likes to keep a bit of mystery around these things. My understanding is that it is a depiction of a Neolithic shaman type figure, channelling something animalistic through ceremony and art itself. It’s also sort of an image of the magical spaces of visual art and the role they had in society, hence the animal cave images in the background of the figure. The use of real painters, real artists for cover art, is integral to SNAW so all this fits very well with me. Musician’s and visual artists are both trying to create doors of sorts…or spaces in which listeners or viewers can enter and create something meaningful themselves….not just be presented with a “cool” product. I’m trying to do this with SNAW so it’s vital that I collaborate with the other artists in this way too.

 

7.You mostly work as a solo artist, are you interested in turning the project into a whole band?

 

Yes and no…haha. If there are some good opportunities then I can put together a band very quickly. I’ve been in live bands for around 20yrs and have a good network of proficient musicians that can step into this sort of project. However, such things take huge amounts of time away from the creative process. I am most content writing and recording music, but I’m not ruling it out either because I know there’s some great moments that can happen in a live setting too. We’ll see.

 

8.On the new album you also have a few quests, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording?

 

Robin Stone appears on drums for both albums. Ive worked with Robin previously on Bolt Gun’s “The Tower” album. He’s a seasoned professional, does a lot of session drums aswell as appearing live on occasion for bands like The Amenta and Convulsing. Robin has had free range on these tracks with some sparse notes about what I was wanting. He has a great sense of drum composition and there were several parts -rewritten around his drum parts, latching onto various accents that he used. I have worked with Andrew Trevenen for many years on Bolt Gun, so he was a great choice for stress-free collaboration on the vocal parts. Lachlan Dale is the head honcho of Art as Catharsis label, and had sent me an ugly drone loop a few years ago. I think it was for a solo album he was working on that he had lots of guest musicians on. I ended up doing a full-band type track around his loop which didn’t seem to fit with the rest of his instrumental album. I didn’t know at the time that there weren’t any drums on any of the other tracks! So it stood out horribly. I’d shelved the track for awhile before re-working it for The Skin Dancer. Ron Pollard (sound engineer) is the silent guest really…an extremely creative engineer who is always thinking about what he can do differently in the signal chain.

 

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

 

It’s the dilemma of weird music makers everywhere! Years spent on something strange that has an esoteric audience…there are tonnes of worthy bands and a dwindling pool of labels! Luckily there is something in the works with a European label for the release of The Skin Dancer. At this stage I cant reveal all the details but the album will likely be available worldwide on CD in the first quarter of 2025.

 

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

 

It seems very positive but it’s early days really. I’m at the start of the long process of finding and building up fans and you need to take the long-term view with these things. Both albums are available in full on Youtube and seem to be doing well. The bandcamp sells a few each day and hopefully the CD release will put SNAW a little more on the radar for people. A Light Scalping had a surprising burst of views/listens in the last month which was very nice to see. Some are fans of both genres, and both releases whilst there’s people that liked just one…so its interesting.  

 

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

 

I’ve just finished a new computer build and the shitty task of re-installing all my recording gear in my studio…so I’m setup again, looking forward to sketching out the next album actually. I’d aimed to do another experimental work first…yet for some reason my brain isn’t co-operating and Ive got the backbone of two black metal tracks on the go instead! Im always trying to get "better", whatever that means in music im not sure...but its important to feel that each album is some development, some growth.

 

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?

 

This is too big a question really! Too many in the mind blender and I don’t really know which ones come through! I listen and absorb but never really learn to play others music. I’m a fan of 2nd wave black metal of course…love Marduk, Mayhem, Emperor, DHG; but also, Beyond Dawn are one of my favourites. Atrium Carceri; Lustmord, most projects on Cryo Chamber label! Blut Aus Nord; Monumentum. Esoteric, Sunn O)); Portal. I listen to a lot of soundtracks from Howard Shore, Johann Johannsson, Colin Stetson; The Necks; Swans.

 

Recently ive been listening to Curse All Kings; Common Eider, King Eider…a crazy record by Cigno; Hauntologist; Mgla always!

 

 

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

 

That’s it I think! Thanks again for your interest in SNAW and for supporting musicians like myself. Very appreciated!

https://snaw.bandcamp.com/

Schänder/Of Rust And Blood/Kvlt und Kaos Productions/2024 EP Review

 

  Schänder  are  a  band  from  Austria  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "Of  Rust  And  Blood"  which  was  released  by  Kvlt  und  Kaos  Productions.

  A  very  fast  and r aw  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  Nordic  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  very  true  to  an  old  school  style.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  growls  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  death  metal  when  they  are  utilized  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

   Schänder  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  as  well  as  mixing  in  a  small  amount  of  death  metal  elements  to  create  their  own  vision  of  that  era.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Darkness  and  Suffering  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Schänder  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Symphony  Of  Suffering"  and  "Hail  The  Burning  Blade  of  Satan's  Sword".  8  out  of  10.

  https://open.spotify.com/album/73Rl5VqgIVsO3iLNFcwVmu

https://www.facebook.com/Schaender666

https://schaender.bandcamp.com/album/of-rust-and-blood

Email: schaender.band@outlook.com  

  

Asarhaddon/Era/Vendetta Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Asarhaddon  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Era"  which  was  released  by  Vendetta  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  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,  clean  playing  also  returns  on  the  later  tracks  and  all  of  the  album  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era.

  On  this  recording  Asarhaddon  goes  for  a  very  aggressive,  atmospheric  and  mid  tempo  style  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  the  stories  of  four  knights  based  upon  true  events  in  history.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Asarhaddon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Der  silberne  Mond"  and  "Die  roten  Vogel".  8  out  of  10.

    https://asarhaddon.bandcamp.com/

Min/Black/Aorora Fatalis/Betrayal/Digipus Music/2024 EP Review

 

  Min  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "Black/Aurora  Fatalis/Betrayal"  which  consists  of  all  3  of  their  singles  and  was  released  by  Digipus  Music.

  A  very  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  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  mixed  in  with  some  clean  singing  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Nordic  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing.

  Min  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Nordic  style  as  well a s  adding  in  some  more  modern  and  atmospheric  touches  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature,  winter  and  betrayal  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Min  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  old  school  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Aurora  Fatalis".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/no/album/black-single/1737881236?l=nb  

     

Doedsmaghird/Omniverse Consciousness/Peaceville Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Doedsmaghird  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  is  an  alternate  project  with  members  from  Dodheimsgard  and  goes  for  more  of  an  avant  garde  and  industrial  style  of  black  metal   and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Omniverse  Consciousness"  which  will  be  released  on  October  11th  by  Peaceville  Records.

   Synths  and  dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  industrial  style  beats  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.

 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.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  avant  garde  and  experimental  sounding  along with  choir  style  chants  also  being  added  into  the  background  at  times.

  Clear  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts.  Some  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  one  song  also adds  in  a brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  universal  awareness.  

  In  my  opinion  Doedsmaghird  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  industrial  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Heart  Of  Hell"  "Endless  Distance"  and  "Adrift  into  Collapse".  8  out  of  10.

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Siculicidium/Az elidegenedés melankóliája/Sun & Moon Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Romania's  Siculicidium  which  shows  hem  moving  away  from  the  black  metal  style  of  previous  releases  and  going  for  more  for  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  experimental  mixture  of  dark  ambient,  country  and  folk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Az  elidegenedés  melankóliája"  which  was  released  by  Sun  &  Moon  Records.

  Dark  ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  while  the  clean  guitars  also  add  in  elements  of  country  and  folk  music  when  they  are  introduced  onto  the  album.  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  wing  instruments,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  while  the  percussion  instruments  also  add  in  some  tribal  touches.  Some  of  the  songs  are  also  instrumentals  along  with  each  song  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  electronica  sounds  onto  the  recording. 

   When  harsh  vocals  are  utilized  they  also  bring  back  some  of  the  black  metal  elements  of  previous  releases  along  with   some  heavy  and  melodic  funeral  doom  metal  guitar  riffs  also  being  introduced  as  the  recording  progress.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Romanian  and  cover  the  universe  with  some  occult  and  esoteric  touches.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Siculicidium  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental,  dark  ambient,  country,  folk,  black  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  " Az  első"  "Áradás"  "Hasadás"  and  "Ima". 8  out  of  10.

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Siculicidium/A halál tengely/Sun & Moon Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Romania's  Siculicidium  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  punk  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "A  halál  tengely"  which  was  released  by  Sun  &  Moon  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  focus  bring  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style.  At  times  the  music  also  captures  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  along  with  all  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed,  wind  instruments  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  the  tracks. 

    The  songs  also  add  in  some  second  wave  touches  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  clean  playing  and  atmospheric  sounding  synths  onto  the  album  and  most  of  the  recording  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Romanian  and  cover  Occultism,  Symbolism,  History  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Siculicidium  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  black  metal  with  elements  of  punk  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nagyanyó  kenyér"  "Belső  utazás"  and  "Haláltengely".  8  out  of  10.

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Mother/II/Consouling Sounds/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Mother  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  blackgaze,  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "II"  which  will  be  released  on  october  25th  by  Consouling  Sounds.

  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  while  the  only  track  that  is  present  on  this  recording  is  also  over  40  minutes  in  length  and  the  clean  sections  also  take  the  music  into  more  of  a  shoegaze  direction.

  Elements  of  sludge  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

    Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  song  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  figure  of  the  mother.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  other  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackgaze,  post  black  and  sludge  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP0FwG4nr7U    

One With The Riverbed/Succumb/Dusktone/2024 Full Length Review

 

  One  With  The  Riverbed  are  a  band  from  Kalamazoo,  Michigan  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Succumb"  which  will  be  released  on  October  25th  by  Dusktone.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  atmospheric  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a r aw  feeling   and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Synths  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style,  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  One  With  The  Riverbed  goes  for  more  of  an  atmospheric  style  of  post  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  loss  and  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  One  With  The  Riverbed  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Infested"  "Purified"  and  "Sunlight".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7gkWzUTZbQ  

Oranssi Pazuzu/Muuntautaja/Nuclear Blast Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Finland's  Oranssi  Pazuzu  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  very  avant  garde  and  psychedelic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Muuntauja"  which  will  be  released  on  October  11th  by  Nuclear  Blast  Records.

  Avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  the  bass  guitars  are  also  used  a  lead  instrument.  Electronic  music  touches  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Distorted  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  has  its  psychedelic  moments.  At  times  the  album  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  chants    along  with  another  track  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  robotic  singing.

  All  of  the  tracks  also  sound  very  different  form  each  other  along  with  the  album  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  keyboards  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  whispered  vocals  are  also  utilized  briefly  and  the  whole  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  cosmic  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Oranssi  Pazuzu  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  and  psychedelic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bioalkemisti"  "Hautatuuli"  and  "Ikikaarme".  8 out  of  10.

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Pleń/Przechrzta/Old Temple/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Pleń  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  very  misanthropic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Przechrzta"  which  was  released  by  Old  Temple.

  A  very  apocalyptic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  songs  also  add  in  touches  of  both  the  modern  and  old  school  era's  of  the  genre.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  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.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  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,  synths  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Pleń  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  aggressive  and  misanthropic  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  Misanthropy,  Nihilism and  Decadence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Pleń  are  a  very  great  sounding  misanthropic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Przechrzta"  and  "Ziema  obiecana".  8  out  of  10.

  https://oldtemple.bandcamp.com/album/ple-przechrzta

  

Holy Death/Evil/Old Temple/2024 Demo Re-Issue Review

 

  Holy  Death  where  a  band  from  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  played  a  very  atmospheric  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  1997  demo  "Evil"  which  was  re-issued  in  2024  by  old  Temple.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  some  chanting  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  while  the  synths  bring  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  classic  horror  film  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can be  heard  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  tremolo  picking  in  the  fast  riffs  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  instrumentals  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  A  lot  of  the  music  goes  for  more  of  a  mid  tempo  direction,  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly. 

   Half  of  the  demo  also  goes  into  more  of  an  ambient  direction,  Gregorian  chants  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  Mayhem's  "Freezing  Moon"  along  with  both  a  vocal  and  instrumental  version  of  the  previously  mentioned  song.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Evil,  Darkness  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  form  Holy  Death  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  old  school  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lord  of  Destruction"  "Abyss  Of  Ecstasy"  "Circle  of  The  Astrals"  and  "Freezing  Moon".  8  out  of  10.

https://oldtemple.bandcamp.com/album/holy-death-evil

      

Hyver Interview

 

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

Hie, i’m Hyver. I’ve been active in the past 20 years in various bands, bust most recently for 15 years mainly Hanternoz, Grylle and Véhémence. I am a guitarist and singer, but i also play a rather extended variety of medieval instruments including strings and air instruments. Recently, during the covid times, i found myself buying a small synthesizer and i tried a few sounds. Quickly enough i found myself composing dungeon synth, one of the earliest tunes being what i consider one of the most precious songs i ever wrote : i lost it, then found it back a few months ago and will feature it as interlude in one of my albums for the future. 

So now i was a synth guy. So i composed more songs for the Cercle du Chêne album, and then the demo EP (which was released earlier). But in the Cercle du Chêne, i did not want to do the guitar, because i wanted to fully express with a ton of synths without fearing next what to add with the guitar.

So i created Hyver, all simply after my pseudonym (means winter in an old writing). I composed a DS album, which i still like a lot except i should have recorded on cassette and it would have been more powerful. Then i recorded Noirceur Mystique d’Autrefois and i asked a friend to do the synths, as i wanted them to be extremely complex and the guitar work was already complicated. I guess i simply had not the level to record it.

Then i wrote my first EP where the synth and the guitar is from me in a more folk way, i guess i prefer when the synth is not too much charged. 

2.In the last year you have released 2 full lengths and an ep, musically how do they all differ from each other?

Sorcier Hibou is a pure DS album in an epic or cinematic way : so only synth and some nature samples. I also recorded and played another one like this , Sorcier Chaton, but i deleted all the tracks after the concert and i destroyed the remaining tapes. 

Noirceur Mystique d’Autrefois is more (on my side) focused on the guitar work, and then a huge load of synths were added. The lyrics focus on the decorum surrounding my discovery of black metal, when i grew from childhood to teenager.

The new EP Fonds de Terroir is more folky, i composed all synths and guitars at the same time for the first time, just as i did for the (many) coming other tracks. Lyrically it focuses on the black metal journeys through France, especially my road trips during the 2010-2014 years when through Auvergne. Very long and boring road through annoying landscape upon where i wish my specter will one day fly eternally and haunt the souls of the lonely drunk old peasants. 

3.In the last year the band has put out 3 releases, do you spend a great amount of time writing and creating music?

An immense time, but since the label takes me an even more huge lot of time, i simply decided to shorten my nights. So i wake up around 5am, then i do music before i go to work. I have 4 more Hyver albums all ready (only needing some patches on the vocals), but all is done, even the parts played by my mates, drums thanks to Summum and bass thanks to my friend Konstantin?

All in all, before my guitar, synth and computer, i don’t waste time searching too much : for most of the music has already been hummed / composed as for the main melody. The rest of rhythms guitars are made searching directly whilst playing.

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

Something more personal, my own vision and fire in the lyrics and music. Also, i now mix fully the synth and guitar and can fully express this way without any bound. For example in my other bands i have to follow a certain path, and in Hyver i can decide whichever path is suitable for any of my albums. I think i needed to take my own name to achieve this pursuit of freedom, which i don’t even have in some of my personal projects.

5.A lot of your lyrics cover ancient stories in your homeland, can you tell us a little bit more about some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

In my other bands, especially Hanternoz, it might be yes. But in Hyver i explore my own vision compared to things related to black metal : the context of my discovery of black metal in my teenage time, for example. Or the context of travelling with a car and discovering the lonesome and forsaken countryside in the last EP.

So i’d say, my own perspective to the black metal related but remote themes.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Hyver'/

It means winter. i was born during a very rude and difficult winter. Water had frozen in the pipes, one had to warm water on the stove to keep warm a baby. In this difficult context, i was born. In 2003 I wrote something about the Deadwinter, which is a term i found in Shakespeare as a child studying english in the sonnets. So i thought the winter dead was nice name in 2006, as Hyvermor with a strange medieval spelling to start Hanternoz. Then after some psychological accident i thought i no longer wanted to carry death but life. So i’m rather Hyver Vif now, but everybody knows me as Hyver.

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

it’s a painting i commissioned to my wife, Joanna Maeyens. i asked for a typical very boring village that is not even touristy, no nice castle, no nice medieval buildings. It’s a muddy landscape, no sea, not even a forest. It’s boring, people there will flee to a real job-providing area, or to the nearby city, some even made it to Paris. Most people there will work in farms, some retired people live there too, because their ancestors did too. It’s rainy there, quite a lot. not a nice weather, just boredom and long streams of farming landscape.

All that : is the fantasy i have. Not something real even it does exist, probably. This is something i imagine of the cover when i look at it.

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

We are working on it. This will be something worth to see. I do not a lot of live appearance, but when i do, i have a lot of energy.

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

Excellent. Hyver has had a huge support from USA / Canada, and also from Europeans and Asians (China, Japan). People i think, like the link between synth and bm.

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

Tour d’Ivoire has released its debut with a nice response from the public. It features my music and the vocals by La Griesche who also painted for Hyver as aforementioned. Grylle is about to release its new album, so it will be quite something because the wait is important. I know KK has something brewing besides Passéisme, but maybe it’s not the time to talk of it. I don’t know as for Summum but i have kept him quite busy so, some Hyver i guess, then, eheheh.

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

We will go forward and push forward the extremes ! As we can only do. 4 albums are ready (to 98% finished). I sincerely hope next one you will like!

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?

oh, i listen to a lot of stuff in black metal. Now i also listen to a lot of techno music and ambient, dungeon synth “medieval dark ambient”. 

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

Thanks a lot for your questions and your interest in my music! 

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Hyver/3540540250