Chrome Waves/Suicide Forest/Disorder Recordings/2020 Split Album Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  U.S.A's  Chrome  Waves  and  Suicide  Forest  which  was  released  by  Disorder  Recordings  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Chrome  Waves  a  band  that h as  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  post black  metal  and  blackgaze.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  ambient  style  synths  while  cello's  can  also  be  heard  at  times. The  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  touches  of  funeral  doom  metal  along  with  the  vocals  being  done  in  a  very  deep  yet  grim  black  metal  style  as  well  as  showing  an  influence  of  death  metal  and  one  of  their  tracks  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  and  shoegaze  style  as  well  as  all  of  their  music  also  sticking  to  a  slower  direction  and  the  closing  tracks  also  adds  in  elements  of  noise. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  loss,  urban  life  and  depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Chrome  Waves  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  post  black  metal  and  blackgaze,  you  should check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Broken".

  Next  up is  Suicide  Forest  a  solo  project  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal.

  His  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  while  the  synths  also  give  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

 One  of  hid  tracks  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  also  giving  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  when  it  is  utilized.  The  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  the  second  wave  Norwegian  style  as  well  as  some  blast  beats  also  being  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  tracks  and  his  side  of  the  split  closes with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics cover  depression  and  nihilism  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Suicide  Forest  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  depressive  black  metal,  you  should check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "A  Fitting  End....

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

https://www.facebook.com/chromewavesofficial
http://chromewaves.bandcamp.com
http://www.instagram.com/chromewavesofficial

https://www.facebook.com/SuicideForestDSBM
https://suicideforestblackmetal.bandcamp.com

             

Suicide Forest Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Suicide Forest is a solo musical project that I originally had conceived back in 2015, it had originally been intended to be a project between myself and one other person but it just ended up working out to be a solo project. The intention was to create a project that focused on atmosphere above all else while exploring nihilistic philosophies and bleak existentialism.

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the album
The sound can be described like I said before as very atmospheric, focusing more on ethereal soundscapes as opposed to riff-driven extreme metal. While it has elements of traditional black metal, I like to think of it more as an exploration within the style.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?
Lyrically, I tend to focus on depressive and suicidal thoughts and emotions and exploring bleak existentialism and nihilism and I like to do this primarily using metaphors involving the natural world; forest, trees, mountains, etc.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Suicide Forest'?
The name Suicide Forest was inspired obviously by the Aokigahara forest in Japan which is most well known as the suicide forest due to its reputation as a place to commit suicide. But it also works very well with the lyrical themes as I said earlier where I approach topics such as suicide and depression using metaphors involving forests, trees, etc.

5.On the album you recorded everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians on the album or do you prefer to work solo?
When it comes to the recording and writing process with Suicide Forest, I keep that strictly a solo work, as I feel that at this point, bringing in other musicians (however talented they may be) would bring something foreign to the project, creating a new entity all on its own. There are however, several musicians I work with to perform Suicide Forest live.

6.What are some of the best shows your live band has done so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
So far, I would have to say our best performance was opening for Xasthur in Tempe, Arizona. That was the first show where we started incorporating physical elements into the performance including lighting and a prop tree. With this aesthetic, we are able to create an experience that better reflects the depressing and ethereal atmosphere.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
We are performing at Festum Carnis with Nachtmystium in California this July, but other than that, no.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of depressive black metal?
The Suicide Forest recordings have been released by two different labels, one based in the United States and one based in Italy. The reception on behalf of both labels has been nothing but positive.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
 In my private life, I study 21st century music composition at the University of Arizona. Unlike a lot of people who call themselves musicians, this is something I do 100% full-time and therefore only make plans to be a musician both as a performer in my various bands and as a composer.

10.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?
Being a composer and just an avid music fan, my music taste is varied and eclectic. Some days I will find myself listening to jazz, various periods of classical music, as well as countless types of extreme metal/ heavy metal, almost all eras of rock, and some mid-century pop. I also listen to a lot of contemporary classical music and find a lot of inspiration for Suicide Forest in the music of Arvo Part, Phillip Glass, Steve Reich, Marc Mellits, as well as bands such as Shining, Thy Light, Totalselfhatred, Make A Change… Kill Yourself, Wolves in the Throne Room, Leviathane, etc.

11.Do you have any online links where people can hear your music?
The first two Suicide Forest demos, “Emptiness” and “Indifference”, can be downloaded for free on my Bandcamp page, suicideforestblackmetal. bandcamp.com. You can also purchase physical mediums through either of my labels, folkvangerrecords.bandcamp.com and at waragainstyourself.bandcamp. com.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs anywhere, everybody is going to die.

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Suicide Forest/Descend Into Despair/Folkvangr Records/2017 Cassette Review

  Suicide  Forest  are  a  solo project  from  the  United  States  that  plays  a  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2017  album  "Descend  Into  Despair"  which  will  be  released  in  July  on  cassette  by  Folkvangr  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  and  drones  start  off  the  album  while  voices  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  and  after  the  intro  clean  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording  which  also  leads  up  to  a  heavier  direction  along  with  some  synths  also  being  utilized  in  the  background  and  blast  beats a re  used  during  the  faster sections  of the  songs.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  a  more  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  depressive  yet  grim  black  metal  screams  and  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  there  are also  a  couple  of  brief  instrumentals  along  with  one  of  them  being  an  ambient  track  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  album  closes with  another  instrumental.

  Suicide  Forest  plays  a  style  of  depressive  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  atmospheric  sounding  with  some  ambient  touches,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyric  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Suicide  Forest  are  a  very  great  sounding  depressive  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  cassette.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Embrace  Of  Solitude"  "A  Sobeing  Reflection"  and  "Words  Of  Indifference".  8  out  of  10.

 https://folkvangrrecords.bandcamp.com/album/descend-into-despair