The Infernal Sea/Negotium Crucis/Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings/2020 CD Review

  United  Kingdom's  The  Infernal  Sea  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  that  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  a  raw  black'n'roll  direction  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Negotium  Crucis"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Apocalyptic  Witchcraft  Recordings.

  A very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  songs  also adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  A  lot  of  the  riffing  shows  some  90's  influences  but  mixed  with  a  more  modern  day  aggression  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  black'n'roll  elements.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads are  utilized  they  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody,  one  track  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  semi  melodic  vocals  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are a  concept  album  based  upon  the  dark  nature  of  The  Knights  Templars  and  their  holy  crusades.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  the  infernal  Sea  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  black  metal  or  black'n'roll,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Destruction  of  Shum"  "Field  of  the  Burned"  "Unholy  Crusade"  and  "Into  the  Unknown".  8 out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/d8Em52lpR8k

https://orcd.co/negotiumcrucis

https://www.facebook.com/theinfernalsea

  

The Infernal Sea/The Great Mortality/Cacophonous Records/2016 CD Review

  The  Infernal  Sea  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  dark,  fast  and  aggressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "The  Great  Mortality"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Cacophonous  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  a  few  seconds  later  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  as  well  as  getting  very  high  pitched  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  it  displays  a  great  amount  of  raw  energy  as  well  as  utilizing  blast  beats  that  are  very  brutal.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  atmospheric  sounds  can  be  heard  in  the  background  at  times  along  with  some  clean  playing  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

 Violins  can  be  heard  in  the  music  briefly  while  some  of  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black'n'roll  and  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  brought  into  the  songs  they  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  while  the  music  can  still  be  very  diverse  and  experimental  times  without  losing  any  raw  aggression  and  spoken  word  parts  are  added  for  a  few  seconds  on  the  last  track.

  The  Infernal  Sea  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  on  this  recording  that  is  very  raw,  heavy  and  modern  at  the  same  time  while  also  not  afraid  to  experiment  with  their  sound  and  they  show  a  great  amount  of  progress  with  their  newer  music,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  'The  Black  Death'  that  swept  Europe  and  the  UK  throughout  1348.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Infernal  Sea  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  fast  and  aggressive  black  metal,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Way  Of  The  Wolf"  "Purification  By  Fire"  and  "Brethren  Of  The  Cross".  8  out  of 10. 

 FACEBOOK| TWITTER| BANDCAMP

The Infernal Sea/Old Corpse Road/Three Swords Records/2014 7 Inch Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  7  inch  between  United  Kingdom's  the  Infernal  Sea  and  Old  Corpse  Road  which  was  released  by  three  Swords  Records  in  the  year  of  2014  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  The  Infernal  Sea  a  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  off  with  evil sound  effects  and  a  few  seconds  alter  melodic  chanting  is  added  into  the  music  before  adding  more  grim  elements  to  the  vocals  before  going  into  a  heavier  blackened  death  metal  direction  along  with  black  metal  screams  and  blast  beats  which  also  leads  up  to  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths  and  after  awhile  the  band  brings  in  a  mixture  of  melody,  mid  paced  and  fast  sections  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  growls


  Song  lyrics  cover  satanism  occult  themes,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  powerful  and  heavy  sound  to  it  along  with  the  song  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  decent  sounding  song  from  the  Infernal  Sea  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black/death  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  Next  up  is  Old  Corpse  Road  a  band  that  plays  black  metal  with  elements  of  folk  music.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  off  with  grim  black  metal  screams  before  going  into  a  fast  and  raw  black  metal  direction  as  well  as  some  melody,  folk  instruments  and  also  slowing  down  and  adding  in  death  metal  growls  and  clean  singing  while  also  keeping  around  the  fast  parts  and  blast  beats  and  after  awhile  clean sections  and  atmospheric  sounds  are  added  into  the  song  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  and  acoustic  guitars  before  closing  with  a  more  fast  and  heavy  yet  atmospheric  direction.

  Song  lyrics  cover  Anglo  Saxon  Paganism  and  Folklore,  while  the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful  and  heavy  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Old  Corpse  Road  are  a  very  great  sounding  black  metal  band  with  traces  of  folk  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  7  inch  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  folk,  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  add  this  split  to  your  collection.  8/5  out  10.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/The_Infernal_Sea/3540353306
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Old_Corpse_Road/3540276630

          

The Infernal Sea Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?

We are The Infernal Sea and are based in East Anglia, UK. We have been around for 2 years, released an album called 'Call of the Augur' as well as an EP 'The Crypt Sessions' and have received positive media acclaim for both releases. We pride ourselves on our intensity on stage, our care towards our merchandise, our music and our very supportive fan base.  

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

Atmospheric Black Metal with an added Death Metal groove. The music is intense, aggressive and downright nasty. We aim to make the listener feel uncomfortable. 

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

We explore century old subjects conjured up from the darkest regions of the human mind. The lyrical subject delves upon many subjects but each song has a core theme relating to the spiritual world and the practice of dark arts. 

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

The ocean makes up a large percentage of Earth's mass and is a aggressive and life consuming force. As a race we have yet to fully explore our oceans and still to this day we are unsure of what lurks in its depths. We cannot survive in its waters, from its coldness to its predators we are under constant threat.  We wanted a name that sounded Vitriol and complemented our bleak music and we believe we found it in The Infernal Sea

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

We have been lucky enough in our short career as a band to have been able to share the stage with acts such as Napalm Death, 1349, Vreid, Anaal Nathrakh and many more. It is hard to pick out one show but supporting 1349 in London was a highlight. Our stage performance is an intense, atmospheric and brutal sounding workout, our energy is unleashed within the live setting and is not too be missed. 

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

We are heading out on the road with our good friends in Razoreater in July 2013 for weekend worth of Northern dates in the UK. Then in November 2013 we will be returning to Belgium and Holland for a tour with Fungus Inc and Disinterred. We have just returned from Europe after a successful tour and cannot wait to get back over to the mainland to destroy more stages. 

7. Currently you are unsigned are you looking for a label and if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for the music?

Currently everything we do within the band is either self released or self promoted, we have put in a lot of hard work to get to where we are now and we don't intend on slowing down. At the moment we have no solid plans for labels but we are on the lookout for a label who will believe in what we do and give us the freedom to be creative. 

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

The feedback has been overwhelming to say the least. Our worldwide fan base has been increasing by the day and we often receive mail from fans in the States, Mexico, Singapore, Belgium, Poland, France, Holland, Germany, Sweden and more. Our aim is for us to tour in these countries and give the fans what they want. 

9. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

Our drummer James Burke is a session drummer for Scottish Death Metal band Man Must Die but apart from that this is a full time project for all involved. 

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

It is hard to say what direction we are evolving in at the moment but we are currently working on new material which is sounding even more aggressive, dark and atmospheric. The demos have a mid 90's Black Metal vibe going on reminiscent of many of the 1st wave BM bands. 

11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

As a band our musical influences are so vast it is hard to pin point a set style. We like to mix up ideas as much as possible and create what flows naturally. Nowadays we all collectively listen to a lot of dark extreme music. 

12. How would you describe your views on Occultism?

As a group we believe that Occultism is a man made concept, like Religion, however there is no one view of reality, as our brains filter the way we view this world. By entering trance like states, or performing rituals, we can change the way we feed off the influences of the world around us and the way we feed back into it. There is definitely a lot we don't know about the universe and it is obvious that people can change the way it reacts around them, whether that is a perceived change or a physical change.

13. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Outside of the band we are interested in exploring the local history, in East Anglia we are lucky to be surrounded by the fens, our history is ripe with war, colonization, destruction and invasion. The Vikings, Anglo Saxons and Romans have all invaded the fens, settled and left many stories to be told for many years to come. 

14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

We would just like to thank our fans for their continued support over the years, without you guys we would not be in the position we are in now. We looking forward to seeing you on the road soon. If you have never heard of The Infernal Sea before then visit theinfernalsea.bandcamp.com and give us a listen. 

The Infernal Sea/Call Of The Augur/2012 CD Review

  The  Infernal  Sea  are  a  band  from  England  that  plays  a  very  dark,  atmospheric,  raw  and  primitive  form  of  black  metal  with  some  death  metal  influences  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2012  album  "Call  Of  The  Augur".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording, as  for  the  sound  effects  when  they  are  utilized  they  bring  an  avant  garde  and  occult  sound  to  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced,  to  fast  black  metal  riffs  that  are  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sounding  with  a  good  amount  of  death  metal  influences  and  melody  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  and  leads  present  on  this  recording,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  some  more  darkness  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal s creams  with  some  deep  death  metal  growls  and  clean  singing  which  brings  an  avant  garde  edge  to  the  music  as  well  as  a  brief  spoken  word  sample,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occult  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  The  Infernal  Sea  are  a  very great  sounding  hybrid  of  raw  and  primitive  sounding  black  metal  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "A Prayer  For  The  Cleansing"  "Sermon  Of  The  Augur"  and  "Ritual  Invocation".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://theinfernalsea.bandcamp.com/album/call-of-the-augur