Aspaarn/Oblations In Atrocity/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Switzerland's  solo  project  Aspaarn  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  raw  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2025  album  "Oblations  In  Atrocity"  which  will  be   released  in  February.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  and  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  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  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  demonic  voices  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  second  wave  influences,  synths  also  return  on  a  a  couple  of  later  tracks  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  ancient  and  forgotten  times  in  prehistoric  Europe.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Aspaarn  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Order  Of  Fear"  and  "All  Reaching  Misery".  8  out  of  10.

  https://aspaarn.bandcamp.com/music      

Aspaarn/When Iron Meant Survival/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Switzerland's  solo  project  Aspaarn  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  raw  and  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2024  album  "When  iron  Meant  Survival".

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  amount  of  old  school  influences.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Most  of  the  tracks  also  stick  to  more  of  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  with  some  faster  sections   along  with  one  song  also  introducing  melodic  riffing  onto  the  album  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  On  this  recording  Aspaarn  goes  for  more  of  a  raw,  atmospheric  and  mid  tempo  style  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  humanity's  downfall  and  self  destruction  after  the  geological  age  passes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Aspaarn  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Clouds  Of  Sorcery"  "Predatorial  Dogmas"  and  "Carbonised  Remains  Of  Feral  Conflict".  8  out  of  10.

  https://aspaarn.bandcamp.com/album/when-iron-meant-survival

  

Aspaarn/Cataclysmic Eminences/2024 EP Review

 

  Switzerland's  solo  project  Aspaarn  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  raw  and  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2024  ep  "Cataclysmic  Eminences".

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of t he  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  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.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  melancholic  moments  and  melodic  guitar  leads  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Aspaarn  goes  for  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  raw  form  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature  and  primordial  history  themes.

  In  my  opinion t his  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Aspaarn  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUD E "The  Mountain  Bleeds"  and  "Where  War  Takes  me".  8  out  of  10.

  https://aspaarn.bandcamp.com/

Aspaarn/Between Loss And Hate/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Aspaarn  are  a  solo  project  from  Switzerland  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  raw  and  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2022  album  "Between  Loss  And  Hate".

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal s creams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  hypnotic  and  repetitive  sounding  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  vocals  also  adding  in  very  deep  yet  demonic  vibe  at  times.  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  riffing  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  as  well  as  the  synths  also  taking  the  album  into  a  more  atmospheric  direction  when  they  are  introduced  into  the  music.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  occult  prehistoric  spirituality.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Aspaarn  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Gazing  At  A  White  Featherless  Sky"  and  "Echoes  Of  An  Ancient  Wall".  8  out  of  10.

  https://aspaarn.bandcamp.com/album/between-loss-and-hate

  

  

Aspaarn Interview

 

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

Aspaarn is a one man band project from Switzerland, making very lo-fi and old school raw black metal. It is meant as a tribute to older bands, mostly early 2nd wave, and deals mainly with nature and prehistory. 

2.A year ago you released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

From the very beginning the idea was to release this on a vinyl format, so the production and recording have been carried out with this in mind to give an adequately analog and organic feel to it. I recorded the whole thing in less than two weeks and as quickly as possible, the songwriting came very naturally.  Recording and mixing were made with very little tools and knowledge, and in retrospect I think I might have done a couple things differently, since my technical abilities have now somewhat improved. But this is also what this album is: a genuine and unadulterated outburst, hence this kind of very crude production is only fitting.

 

3.A lot of your lyrics cover nature the primordial history of the pre-historic Alps, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

Ancient history, and prehistory in particular, have always fascinated me. Europe and the alps have been inhabited by humans for a very long time, and we can only imagine how harsh and hostile life used to be back then. I take a lot of hikes in the forests and mountains, and sometimes I wonder how those people perceived this same nature and environment in which they fought daily for survival. Neolithic is when people started settling down and farming land, but it is also when organised warfare and violence between groups of humans became a thing, and several archaeological finds in Europe seem to confirm that this used to be quite a nightmarish time to be born in. This album can be seen as a soundtrack to that. 

 

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

It is a slightly modified version of the name of a place where a Neolithic mass grave site was found. 

 

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

It is a drawing I made myself a few years before starting this musical project, and upon releasing ancestral genocides it seemed to me in tune with the sound and concept. That also had the advantage of not having to commission someone else to do it or thinking about what kind of album cover to go for. I will use more of my drawings for my future releases I think. This is also coherent with the idea of doing everything myself. 

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

For this project I definitely want to keep to myself, I think this is the only way to convey the atmosphere and aesthetic Aspaarn is about, and also makes the songwriting and recording process more comfortable and intuitive.

This doesn’t mean I’m not open to work with other musicians, but that would be in a separate project. Actually, I’ve released this year (2022) an EP with a cover band side project I have with two friends, named Svartokunnighet.

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

I was lucky enough to catch the attention of a small independent label here in Switzerland, shorty after the release. We are now working together, I don’t know if this means I’m “unsigned” or whatnot, and honestly don’t really care. They re-issued the album in tape format (before that the release was only on vinyl and digital format) and are helping with the distro.

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

This being a self release from a project that didn’t exist before, with zero official promotion, there’s been very little reactions at first, except from a handful of hardcore black metal enthusiasts that somehow managed to acknowledge this release. Criticism has general been positive, although this is really lo-fi and DIYO black metal, so it’s not for everyone. Now, after one year from the original release, things seem to be slowly picking up and I hope it will keep going like that in the future. 

 

9.So far very little is known about the musical project online do you prefer to keep a lower profile/?

I do. This might sound cliché, but I’d rather let the music do the talking. I like to keep my private life  separate from my artistic ventures. I don’t think anyone cares about that anyways.

 

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

There is a second Aspaarn full length coming out this year (I hope by November), although the only physical support will be tape for now. I am also in the process of writing and recording a third album, possibly for a release in 2023. With a bit of luck, more people will learn about Aspaarn’s music and discover the older albums. Not that i have any problem with people listening to digital, but to me, digital format is only a way to promote the project, my music has always been intended to be listened in physical format. Thus, I’d like to keep seeing that happen as with this first release. 

 

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?

Again, this is going to sound quite generic, but like 90% of people who start their own BM project I have to say that Darkthrone have been an enormous influence on me. I also listen to a lot of Paysage D’Hiver, which has been hugely influential on Aspaarn. I have a big soft spot for Horna, and generally the Finnish scene with bands like Behexen, Baptysm, Aske…

Nowadays i’m listening to quite a few less known old bands like Angantyr, Fimbul, Alvheim…And more recent ones like Bekëth Nexëhmü, Vintlechkeit, Helvetespine, Seiðr… I could go on, but the thing with black metal today is that there are so many unknown bands that sound amazing. If you know where to look, you might discover a hidden gem everyday. Also, it also makes me very happy to discover small acts active in the Swiss scene, like Nachtmaar for example. 

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

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to express myself, and all the people who have supported Aspaarn from the beginning. You can find the record on Aspaarn’s bandcamp page (so far there’s no facebook, Instagram or any other social profile). Keep an eye out, because there will be more music coming soon. In the while, take walks in the woods and enjoy the chill of winter. 

Bandcamp

Deezer

Aspaarn/Ancestral Genocides/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Aspaarn  are  a  solo  project  from  Switzerland  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2021  album  "Ancestral  Genocides".

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  and  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  album  also  captures  a  lo-fi  atmosphere  at  times.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts as  well  as  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  dark  yet  melodic  style  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  songs.

  Aspaarn  plays  a  style  of  black  emtal  that  is  very  raw,  primitive,  atmospheric  and  lo-fi  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  pre-history,  stone  age  rituals  in  the  alps,  and  how  a  cursed  and  hopeless  humanity  ay  war  with  its  own  essence,  struggles  in  a  ruthless  and  hostile  nature.

  In  my  opinion  Aspaarn  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  atmospheric  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Primordial  offering"  "Call  of  no  Return"  and  "On  The  Way  to  The  Forefathers".  8  out  of  10.

  https://aspaarn.bandcamp.com/r eleases