Showing posts with label Amen Corner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amen Corner. Show all posts

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Amen Corner/Written By The Devil/Hammerheart Records/2024 Full Length Review

 


  Amen  Corner  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that h as  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  old  school  form  of  occult  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Written  By  The  Devil"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Hammerheart  Records.


  A  horror  movie  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  direction.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  doom  metal.


  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  which  mix  both  the  first  and  second  wave  era's  of  the  genre  together.  Moist  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  and  90's  era  mixed  in  with  a  more  modern  day  production  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction,  synths,  chants  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.


  On  this  recording  Amen  Corner  goes  for  a  very  slow  and  old  school  form  of  occult  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Luciferian,  Devil  Worship,  Occultism,  Anti  Christianity  and  Death  themes.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Amen  Corner  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  War  Of  The  Antichrist"  "Signal  From  Behind"  and  "Written  By  The  Devil".  8  out  of  10.


  

https://amencorner.lnk.to/writtenbythedevil

https://www.facebook.com/amencornerhorde

https://youtu.be/Xo0tWe-3sLs  

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Amen Corner Interview

 

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


1- We returned to rehearsals in October, the band was stopped due to the pandemic.  We are slowly returning to normal.


2.Your most recent full length was released in 2018, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

 2- Yes, it was released in December 2018, we tried to make it as similar as possible to the band's first albums, it was heavier, a little more analog and with more technique.


3.Most of your albums are released 3 to 4 years after the previous one before, can you tell us a little bit more abotu the long wait in between releases?

 3- this method has been used because the guitarist who composes it likes to work calmly so that the songs never sound too much the same as the previous ones.  And we don't have label pressure either.


4.Most of your lyrics cover Satanism, Paganism and Occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts and also how has your interest evolved over the years with the left hand path?

 4- I've always liked and was interested in the occult, black magic and also polytheism, worshiping the gods and not just a god.  I believe and also write about life after death, spirits.  But the biggest inspiration comes from the archangel Lucifer and his legions



5.You also show a lot of hatred for the Christian religion lyrically, can you tell us a little bit more about your hatred for this religion?

 5- Christians have always wanted and still want to impose themselves.  They destroy cultures, destroy polytheism, turn gods into terrifying demons, Christians are the greatest plague in the world.


6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Amen Corner'?

6- For us Amen Corner means the Catholic confessional, that place where idiots confess their sins to a mere mortal.


7.In November Nomad Snakepit Productions are re-issuing your 1995 album, can you tell us a little bit more about the newer version?

 7- Here in Brazil it's a very revered album and considered a classic, finally it will be released in Vinyl version by Nomad Snakepit, and now our intention is to take our music to a more global scope.


8.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the re-issue cover?

 8- Fallen Angel from heaven to earth to reign here.  On the cover are twin brothers Ahura Mazda and Ahriman representing the fallen angel.



9.The band has been around since 1992, what is it that motivates you to keep going after almost 30 years?

 9- Black Metal is in our blood and in our souls, it motivates us.  I can't imagine myself without the Amen Corner.


10.The band was also around in the beginning era of the second wave, do you feel that you have been a huge influence on some of the bands that have came out in the last couple of decades? 

 10- Of course, absolutely, especially here in South America. Many bands were influenced by Amen Corner.


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

 11- There were many shows and festivals, all are and were very important to us.  Our stage performance is a lot of energy and a lot of blasphemy and Black Metal.


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

12- we've already started composing new songs.  In 2022 we will be releasing our new album celebrating 30 years of pure Black Metal.


13.What are you listening to nowadays?

 13- I like to listen to Celtic Frost, Venom, Hellhammer, Samael (old), Autopsy, Obituary, Decide, Bolt thrower, Varathron, Bathory, Marduk, Enthroned, Sodom, Rotting Christ, Beherit, Masters Hammer, Ancient Rites, King Diamond, but I also like old Heavy Metal mainly from the 80s.


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

 14- Amen Corner thanks you very much for the interview and support of Occult Black Metal Zine and the Nomad Snakepit Pit.  I hope our music reaches the dark souls of Europeans.  Hail Satan Ave Lucifer.


Monday, September 27, 2021

Amen Corner/Jachol Ve Tehilá/Nomad Snakepit Productions/2021 Album Re-issue Review

 


  Amen  Corner  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  1995  album  "Jachol  Ve  Tehilá"  which  will b e  re-issued  in  November  of  2021  with  3  bonus  tracks  by  Nomad  Snakepit  Productions.


  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  introducing  some  clean  playing  onto  the  recording.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  are  added  into  songs.


  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  of  the  riffs  also  adding  in  elements  of  thrash  metal  as  well  as  the  music  also  being  heavily  influenced  by  both  the  first  and  second  wave  era's.


  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  doom  metal  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  mixing  in  more  of  a  death  metal  approach  at  times,  clean  playing  also  makes  a  brief  return  as  the  album  progresses  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast b eats  can b e  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while t he  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Luciferian,  Occultism  and  Paganism  themes.


  In  my  opinion   Amen  Corner  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  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Seventy  Seven  Guardians"  "The  Cult  Of  The  Pagan  Gods"  "Zigurates  Baal"  and  "On  The  Throne  With  Lucifer".  8  out  of  10.


Facebook
Homepage