Vinteraske/Nocturne/Naturmacht Productions/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Vinteraske  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2026  album  "Nocturne"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Naturmacht  Productions.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  adds  in  some  touches  of  shoegaze  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  also  add  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  ad  the  recording  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vinteraske  plays  a  style  of  post  black  metal  that  is  very  modern,  aggressive  and  atmospheric  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mental  and  emotional  turmoil  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vinteraske  are  a  very  great  sounding  post  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Schwerer  regen"  "Kein  ort  wird  mehr  fur  mich  sluhen"  and  "Enfroren//Verbrannt".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/xog8ElwUm0U?si=HPPobdSDi8tO-xxc 

Die Sünde/Effemeridi/Time To Kill Records/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Die  Sünde  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  and  atmospheric  form  of  post  black  metal  with  elements  of  hardcore  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Effemeridi"  which  will b e  released in  November  by  Time  To  Kill  Records.

  Post  rock  style  clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  slower  riffing  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  adds  in  elements  of  hardcore.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  The  album  also  has  its atmospheric  moments  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  singing.  Spoken  words  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs  and  when  guitar  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  philosophical  and  introspection  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Die  Sünde  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  black,  doom  metal  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Su  una  rotta  d' un  mare  di  perigli"  and  "Con  occhi fissi  verso  orizzonti  attesi".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/diesuendeband

https://diesuende.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/diesuende   

Funeral/Self Titled/Caligari Records/Black Legion Records/2025 EP Review

  Funeral  are  a  band  from  Peru  that  plays  a  raw  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  metal,  hardcore,  punk  and  deathrock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2026  ep  which  will  be  released  on  September  25th  as  a  joint  effort  between  Caligari  and  Black  legion  Records.

  A  very  powerful  bass  guitar  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of a  punk  and  deathrock  influenced  style.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Elements  of  hardcore  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Shouts  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  ep  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody,  clean  playing  is  also  added  towards  the  end.

  Funeral  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  emtal,  punk,  hardcore  and  deathrock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  rage,  misery  and  inevitable  decay.

  In  my  opinion  Funeral  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  metal,  punk,  hardcore  and  deathrock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Averno"  and  "El  Enteirro".  8  out  of  10.

  http://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled-ep-7    

Aspen Sanctum Interview

 

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

Aspen Sanctum is a black metal band from Kalamazoo, Michigan. The project came together after years of crossing paths in our local music scene, with a shared goal of creating music that balances aggression with atmosphere.

2.You have your first full length coming out in August, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?  Honestly, we are just making what sounds good to us.  It has a lot of influences but what we are putting together collectively is just what we want to play. We’re influenced by our environment and surroundings so it was important to develop a sound that pays tribute to that.

3.You refer to your music as being 'midwest black metal', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?

To us it refers to Black metal with a melodic sensibility characteristic of the music you would hear coming out of the midwestern United States.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music? We live in a natural world and as humans, our tendency is to change or destroy our landscape to suit our needs.  The lyrics are about how we need to stop doing this and instead, do what we can to live harmoniously with nature.  

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

Aspen forests are common to the upper Midwest. Known for their colorful autumn leaves and pale bark, the word “Aspen” serves as a reference to the region’s distinct seasons. "Sanctum" suggests a sacred, secluded space. Aspen Sanctum is meant to evoke a vision of the natural world prevailing in the face of time.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover? This is a photo of a nature preserve in our area that is a nice place to walk and enjoy the outdoors.  It was taken by Bryan’s wife Katie, who rules.

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

We have only played a handful of shows so far. In our live performances our goal is to play the songs as they sound on the album.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

No touring plans as of yet. We are sticking to casual shows in our area and hoping to expand out as opportunities arise.

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

Overall we feel good about the reception of our music.

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

It is unclear the exact direction. Since we’re a new band we are hoping to build and expand our current sound.

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?

Many forms of black metal, melo-death, americana, powerviolence, are constantly in our personal musical rotations.

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

Thank you for checking out our music!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aspensanctum
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aspensanctum
Bandcamp: https://aspensanctum.bandcamp.com

Conjurist Interview

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

1. This is a project I started so I could do the things I wanted to do with metal and extreme music. Ive been in dozens of different types of bands in the Nashville area for many years and it was time to bring my ideas to life that were either not understood or didn’t fit in with what other people were trying to achieve musically and lyrically. I had built up an overflow of ideas and I needed a passion project to contain them and then decide if I needed to release them. Once I got about three songs in I knew it was something I was interested in pursuing. 

2. So far you have released one full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

2. It started with tons of guitar riffs and as I put them together I realized it had its own style even though it was a mixture of several genres. The goal was clear to keep the project metal so I still needed to stay within the realm of it but I allowed myself to use any subgengre of metal to capture the feeling from song to song. I knew that I wanted the subject matter to be paranormal, otherworldly and tap into ideas of conspiracy theory. These types of ideas can be uncomfortable when working with other people so this was the perfect opportunity to do so. This gave the project a direction and purpose. Instead of just being a catch all for my creative ideas it became something with a clear vision at least for the debut album. There’s still room for growth and evolution but I plan to keep it musically metal and lyrically in the same area as what Ive done with I am the Earth. 

3.You also have a background playing other types of extreme  metal, do you feel this has helped you become a better musician?

3. Ive been in many different bands in the Nashville area for a long time as I mentioned before mainly as lead vocalist. I can list a couple of the metal bands. Animality- a tech death project I helped start and stayed with for a few years as lead vocalist. I wrote and recorded the lyrics and vocals for two albums with them. Three of the guys from that band are in the Conjurist music video for Solace for the Shaman. I plan on continuing to work with them and they have shown a lot of support and interest in Conjurist. CreekDevil- a southern metal and rock band I am currently in as lead singer. It was created by the guitarist and myself after I left the rhythm guitar/backing vocals position of a band we were in together called Of Serpents- a blackened melodic death and metalcore band I played in for a few years after leaving the band I created and started with S.O.M.A. sounds of mental anguish- a metalcore/nu-metal/post hardcore band I was the lead singer and main songwriter for. There’s a lot of people who I have been involved with in the Nashville metal scene who are either still active or have made a name for themselves in metal that have definitely helped me as an artist fine tune my craft. 

4.A lot of your lyrics cover mysticism, ancient history and conspiracy theories, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics and which aspects of these subjects do you bring out in your songwriting?

4. I’ve been interested in that stuff for a very long time. The fear of the unknown. I’ve had my own experiences with it and I’ve made sure to stay updated and aware of what’s going on in those areas. In my father’s free time he was a paranormal investigator and enthusiast of the subject. A lot of crazy stuff is going on right now regarding disclosure in America and whether it’s the full truth or just a distraction as some people think and it has now made everyone a conspiracy theorist. We just don’t know what the future holds and it’s scary but exciting. This is a perfect time for Conjurist. 

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

5. The name Conjurist is something I came up with years ago when I left Animality. I wanted to do another project with a few of the guys and it just didn’t happen. Whenever I started working on the material for I am the Earth I remembered that name and thought it would be perfect for the project. It sounds scary which is fitting for metal and the subject matter of the project but it also means something to me about manifesting my thoughts into reality. Bringing my ideas to life. It’s difficult to come up with a good one word band name nowadays. It seems like everything has been taken so when I came up with it I thought it would be best to come up with a word that doesn’t exist so I was happy to see that it was still available. 

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

6. The album artwork was done by my son when he was in 2nd grade art class. He was not very proud of it but I loved it as soon as I saw it. It fit for the album because it looks like it could be some ancient cave drawings. I thought this is perfect for I am the Earth. lol! 

7.With this project you record everything by yourself but have experience working with other musicians in previous bands, do you prefer to work solo?

7. Ive always loved producing myself and have recorded and produced some of the other bands I was in and even a couple of friends bands and music. Ive had terrible experiences with other people producing my work but there has been a few producers I worked with that made my job a lot easier and did a way better job than I could have for certain projects. I guess it just depends on who is doing it but if you don’t have the right person you end up wasting a lot of time and money. I don’t mind putting in the work because it can be very rewarding and sometimes fun. I always learn something new and I must spend my time and money wisely if I’m going to make the most of it. 

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

8. We’ll see what happens. If it makes sense and helps the project then I’d be interested. 

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

9. So far the reactions have been great. It’s still a new project so there’s a lot of people who have not had a chance to hear it. 

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

10. I plan on staying focused and getting more music done. I’m currently finishing the writing for the next album which will have at least another 10 songs and will be in production soon. I have several live musicians ready to get some shows done but all in due time. Promoting this album and getting it heard will determine what happens next. It takes a lot of planning and money to hit the road. The live production starting out will need to be as visually interesting as the music to give fans the full experience of what this project is and will become. 

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?

11. The bands who have influenced the sound of this project are what’s been listed before. Meshuggah, Alcest, Converge, Gojira, Mastadon, Pallbearer, Fallujah, Acid Bath. I’m a huge fan of Meshuggah and have been since 1998 when I was just a kid so there’s a few of the djent bands and definitely mathcore bands I like. The shoegaze type influences would be from bands like HUM and My Bloody Valentine. 90s bands were a big influence like NIN and Smashing Pumpkins. I’m a huge Mike Patton fan so blending genres and being experimental is nothing new to me. A band I’ve loved more recently is Imperial Triumphant. Another great album that was recently remastered is Nasum Inhale/Exhale. I find myself naturally gravitating towards Swedish metal bands. Meshuggah, At the Gates, In Flames, Nasum, Dissection, Vildhjarta, Opeth, Katatonia, Humanity’s Last Breath, Thrown. I don’t know what’s in the water over there but they’ve given the world a lot of great bands I absolutely love. 

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

12. I’m excited about the future of this project. There were a lot of things that happened in my life over the years that have given me my story, experience and opportunities to finally make something like this happen. I’m eager to share this music with the world and push the boundaries of extreme music in this form to merge chaos and dissonance with melody and emotion paired with experimental vocals and lyrics that question our origins, current narratives and bring light to the terrifying reality that there’s more to this world than what we’ve been allowed to see.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566891959330 

Aspen Sanctum/To Withhold The Need To Conquer/Fiadh Productions/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Aspen  Sanctum  are  a  band  from  Michigan  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  post  hardcore  and  Americana  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "To  Withhold  The  Need  To  Conquer"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Fiadh  Productions.

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar riffing  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  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  elements   of  post  hardcore  also  being  added  into  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  and  the  clean  sections  also  add  in  touches  of  Americiana,  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  nature  of  the  Great  Lakes  and  Midwestern  United  States  Region.

  In  my  opinion  Aspen  Sanctum  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  black  metal  band  with  elements  of  post  hardcore  and  Americana  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Without  Illumination"  and  "Ancient  Sentience".  8  out  of  10.

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aspensanctum

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aspensanctum
Bandcamp: https://aspensanctum.bandcamp.com

Conjurist/I Am The Earth/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Conjurist  are  a  solo  project  from  Nashville,  Tennessee  that  plays  a  mixture  of  blackgaze,  post  black,  melodic  death,  doom  metal  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2026  album  "I  Am  The  Earth".

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  touches  of  shoegaze  before  adding  in  clear  vocals  which  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction.  Harsh  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  good  amount  of  hardcore  elements.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing   along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  album  also  shows  an  influence  of  doom  metal  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast b eats  can  also  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  riffing  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling along  with  the  album  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  arts,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  as  well  as  the  album  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mysticism,  ancient  history,  conspiracy  theories  and  the  dark  corners  of  human  emotion  and  existence.

  In  my  opinion  Conjurist  is  a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of  blackgaze,  post  black,  melodic  death,  doom  metal  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Better  Call  Saul"  "Nineveh"  "Empires"  and  "Skinwalker".  8  out  of  10.

  https://conjurist.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-the-earth

https://open.spotify.com/album/49y7EtDUtubQhXH3vpmiXg

       

laCasta/Olibanvm/Argonauta Records/2026 Full Length Review

 

  laCasta  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays a   mixture  of  black  metal,  crust  and  dark  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Olibanvm"  which  will  be  released  in  may  by  Argonauta  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  crust  and  hardcore.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  dark  soundscapes  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  riffing  also  has  its  dissonant  moments.

  laCasta  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  raw  black  metal,  crust  and  the  darker  side  of  hardcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  use  of  incense  from  ancient  pagan  rites  to  modern  funeral  cemeteries.

  In  my  opinion  laCasta  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  crust  and  dark  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Melma"  and  "Dogma".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/lacastaband

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jTJ-DEI17s&feature=youtu.be

  

Death Dies/Maledicti In Aeturnvm/My Kingdom Music/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Death  Dies  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  old  school  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  hardcore,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Maledicti  In  Aeturnvm"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  my  Kingdom  Music.

  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  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  of  the  genre  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing ,  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  some  of  the  riffs  also incorporating  elements  of  hardcore  and  thrash  metal  

  One  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  words  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  they  also  bring  a  more  modern  aggression  to  an  old  school  style,  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  demons,  darkness  and  blasphemy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Death  Dies  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Asmodevs"  "La  casa  del  Diaol"  "Patavinorvm  tyrannvs"  and  "Destroyer".  8  out  of  10.

   https://www.facebook.com/DeathDiesLegione  

Rosa Faenskap/Ingenting Forblir/Fysisk Format Records/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Rosa  Faenskap  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  post  black  metal  with  elements  of  hardcore  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Ingenting  Forblit"  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Fysisk  Format  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  9into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  growls  and  angry  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  At  times  the  music  also  captures  the  raw  energy  of  hardcore  punk  along  with  the  album  also  having  its  progressive  and  atmospheric  moments,  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  more  of  a  melodic  post  rock  style.

  On  this  recording  Rosa  Faenskap  takes  a  very  progressive  form  of  post  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  hardcore  punk  to  create  a  very  aggressive  sounding  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  current  political  issues.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  decent  sounding  album  from  Rosa  Faenskap  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  post  black  metal  with  elements  of  hardcore  punk,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Den  Skave  Mannen"  "Bygg  til  Himmelen"  and  "Jeg  Vakner  Snart".  7/5  out  of  10.

 https://www.rosafaenskap.com

https://www.facebook.com/rosafaenskap
https://rosafaenskap.bandcamp.com

  

Wolfbastard/Satanic Scum Punks/Apocalyptic Witchcraft/2026 Full Length Review

 

  United  Kingdom's  Wolfbastard  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black  metal  and  crust  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Satanic  Scum  Punks"  which  will b e  released  in  march  by  Apocalyptic  Witchcraft.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  some  hardcore  style  shouts  along  with  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  crust  punk  and  d  beat  elements.

  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  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  whole  recording  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  On  this  recording  Wolfbastard  goes  for  a  mixture  of  raw  black  metal,  hardcore,  d  beat  and  crust  punk  mixing  all  the  genres  together  to  create  a  very  aggressive  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Alcohol  and  Violence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Wolfbastard  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  black  metal,  hardcore,  d  beat  and  crust  punk,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Satanic  Scum  Punks"  "Hail  Satan  Kurwa"  "Drin  ForHell"  and  "You  Fuckign  Rat".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/dbeatblackmetal    

  

Circular Ruins/A Sermon In Tongues/Vendetta Records/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Circular  Ruins  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  dissonant  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  death,  thrash  metal  and  post  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "A  Sermon  In  Tongues"  which  will b e  released  on  January  30th  by  Vendetta  Records.

  Clean playing  starts  off  the  album  while  the  songs  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  riffing  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing along  with  the  music  also  adding  in a  lot  of  dissonant  touches  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times. 

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Elements  of  thrash  metal  and  post  hardcore  are  also  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  the  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  inevitable  demise  of  humanity.

  In  my  opinion  Circular  Ruins  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  melodic  and  dissonant  black  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Altering  Altar"  and  "A  Dream  Of  Thirst".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/circularruin/

https://circularruin.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/intl-pt/artist/3ql8ZyPJQiE26jfPlWEEUt       

Reaping Flesh/Death Creeps/Reaping Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

   Reaping  Flesh  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  with  elements  of  hardcore  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Death  Creeps"  which  was  released  by  Reaping  Records.

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  direction w which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.

  Elements  of  thrash  and  death  metal  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Influences  of  hardcore  are  also  added  into  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody,  clean  playing,  whispered  vocals  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly.    

  Reaping  Flesh  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black, death,  thrash,  post  metal  and  hardcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.   The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death  and  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Reaping  Flesh  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black, death, thrash,  post  metal  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nothing  Avails"  "Blood  Red  infernal"  and  "Serpents".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/reapingflesh/#

Devil City Cult/Murderous Retribution/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Devil  City  Cult  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  abrasive  and  feral  mixture  of  black  metal  and  hardcore  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  album  "Murderous  Retribution".

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can b e  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a r aw  feeling  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in a   very  melodic  style.

  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  time  while  the  album  also  brings  in  the  raw  energy  of  hardcore  punk.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  songs  also  mixing  the  old  school  aggression  with  the  more  modern  era  of  the  genre,  clean  playing  is  also  introduced  on  a  later  track  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  On  this  recording  Devil  City  Cult  continue  to  expand  on  the  raw  mixture  of  black  metal  and  hardcore  punk  that  they  introduced  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  murder,  violence  and  hell  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Devil  City  Cult  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  black  metal  and  hardcore  punk  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fugitivis"  "The  Hangman"  "The  Revenant"  and  "Umbra".  8  out  of  10.

  

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DevilCityCult

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DevilCityCult

• Bandcamp: https://devilcitycult666.bandcamp.com/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@devilcitycult

  

Außerwelt Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

As we recorded “Breath” in a diy-manner over many months part by part at home and in the studio of our drummer Kris, we mainly concentrated on the whole process around the album in the last few years. Since 2022 we’re playing as a four-piece and had the opportunity to gain some live experience, too. 

2.In October you had released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

It’s more versatile and progressive over all. “Breath” is the first release in which our guitar player Manuel also takes on the role of the lead-singer. In the course of this, the whole vocal-arrangement has become different and open to more various singing-techniques. 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

For our bass player Steffen and me it was the first time of writing song-lyrics. It was a challenging experience, but also very exciting and relieving. The topics vary depending on the song. The opening track “Old dreams of the west” deals with deadlocked life situations and about overthinking your own attitudes to get out of that. ”The long goodbye” is a story about progressing dementia. As a third example I take “Embers touching blackest soil”, that is a confrontation with abstract fears. It’s always worth to look behind your own inner walls, but to keep in mind, that some demons can’t be imprisoned. We all have to find a way of dealing with them.

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

From the beginning we wanted to have a bandname, that somehow fits the floating and not clearly tangible character of the music. Besides that, the eponymous album from the french band Year of no light was an inspiration. That album has a wall of sound, that is massive and fragile at the same time. 

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

It is an acrylic painting by Carmen Alba and then layoutet by Dana Wolter for the complete artwork-design. We are very fortunate to have highly creative and talented individuals close to us, so we don’t need and want to hire external artists until today. Carmen has drawn or painted all artworks since “Transitions” in 2017. You can find her works over here: https://www.instagram.com/luna_art_design/. Dana is a professional graphic designer and prefers to work more behind the scenes. In our opinion, the overall result is fantastic!

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

The lineup has changed several times in the past and since three and a half years, we’re a four piece, that matches very well. In 2022 we played two shows, together with Wiegedood - both of them were a perfect opportunity to get used to those changes. One year after, we got the opportunity to play at “Dong Open Air”-Festival. A big festival-stage with more than thousand people in front - Until now, it has been a unique experience. Our stage performance is quite natural. We try to concentrate on our songs without only shoegazing all the time, haha! Between some songs the talk to the audience, but on the stage the music always comes first.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

We are playing a few shows around Germany these weeks and are planning to do more next year. We are a small band and everyone of us has different obligations in all daily life, so touring is difficult to arrange.

8.Currently the band is signed to 'Moment Of Collapse Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

The initial contact came through some members of Red Apollo (a Post Metal Band from Dortmund, that has split up a few years ago). We are very happy with the support from Basti and Jens, that mainly run Moment Of Collapse Records. The label is mostly oriented towards post rock, screamo and other atmospheric, heavy music, that is often connected with the hardcore-scene. It’s great to be in company of those open minded music-enthusiasts.

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

It’s hard to say, what happens on a world wide level in this case. Definitely there are some people outside of Europe, that listen to our music, but we don’t know very much about it in detail.

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

The musical fundament of “Breath” is our starting point for future plans. We want to play atmospheric metal with just the right amount of progressiveness and lyrics around topics that move ourselves and the society around us. On the one hand there is always the opportunity, it gets a bit more complex or that we will expand the role of clear singing. On the other hand, we won’t abandon the heavy and dark side of our music - so it always will be a question of inspiration and balance.

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?

It would take a long time to write about this, when you ask all the four of us, haha! When it comes to metal, we all tend to like more modern directions of the different subgenres - bands that have a broad musical horizon and don’t try to put artificial boundaries into music. But like always, there can be some exciting traditional bands, too - regardless of music genre. For my part in the early days I was more inspired by typical post black metal-bands like Alcest, Agrypnie or Lantlôs (The latter have also developed musically in a very free-spirited and different way). Concrete inspirations for “Breath” are difficult to summarize. In my opinion you can find elements of Opeth, Heretoir, Earth, Constellatia or Panopticon - and a wide range of bands, that you find around progressive metal, post metal- and hardcore. As we are listening to a lot of other music beyond metal too, the influences are many, even if they aren’t obvious.

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

Thank you for the interview and taking your time for listening to “Breath”!

https://www.facebook.com/Ausserwelt 
https://www.instagram.com/ausserwelt_official/ 
https://ausserwelt.bandcamp.com/ 

Außerwelt/Breath/Moment Of Collapse/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Außerwelt  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  post  black  metal  with  elements  of  death  metal  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Breath"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Moment  Of  Collapse.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  also  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  style.  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  clear  singing  as  well  as  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  hardcore,  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  as  well  as  some  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  shouting  style  vocals  and  one  track  is  also  a  piano  orientated  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  life,  modern  society  and  urbanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Außerwelt  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  post  black  metal  band  with  elements  of  death  metal  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Old  Dreams  Of  The  West"  "Whiteout  Solace"  and  "In  The  Night's  Coating,  We  Contemplate  Hope".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/Ausserwelt 

https://www.instagram.com/ausserwelt_official/ 

https://ausserwelt.bandcamp.com/     

  

Heathe/Control Your Soul's Desire For Freedom/Empty Tape/Virkelighedsfjern/2025 Double Review

 

  Denmark's   Heathe  havw  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  metal,  post  hardcore,  experimental  and  noise  and  this  is  a review  of  his  2025  double  album  "Control  Your  Soul's  Desire  For  Freedom'  which  will  be  released  in  october  as  a  joint  effort  between  Empty  Tape  and  Virkelighedsfjern.

  Angry  screams  which  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  programmed  beats  and  synths  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  noises  and  chants  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  a  lot  of  the  recording  goes  for  more  of  an  experimental  direction.

  Clear  vocals  and  choirs  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  techno  beats.  All  of  the  tracks  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other  along  with  some  of  the  heavier  parts  adding  in  a  touch  of  noise  rock  and  one  song  also  introduces  some  deep  aggressive  vocals  into  the  music.

  Some  of  the  heavier  riffing  also  adds  in  elements  of  nu  metal  and  post  hardcore  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  few  seconds  of  silence  as  well  as  adding  some  quiet  drones  into  the  background  after  awhile  before  evolving  into  more  of  an  avant  garde  direction,  a  later  track  shows  the  music  also  bringing  in  more  of  a  free  jazz  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  end  of  the  world. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Heathe  and  while  it  is  not  as  black  metal  influenced  as  previous  releases,  I  can  see  this  album  appealing  to  fans  of  more  experimental  musical  genres.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "My  Gods  Destroy"  and  "Uproar  Taking  Shape".  8  out  of  10.

  https://hethe.bandcamp.com/album/control-your-souls-desire-for-freedom

https://www.facebook.com/heathedeath

https://www.instagram.com/heatheheathe/   

Mutant Sex Demon Interview

 

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

A: Hail! I Am Mutant Sex Demon and basically this solo project is my tribute to everything that I like in the 70's / 80's underground culture.

2.You have a new album coming out in July, musically how does it differ from your previous release?

A.Yes! This album is called "Cutting Through" and its kind of continuance to my previous album. I have somewhat unique style and I like to keep it that way.

3.You also play in other bands and projects, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Mutant Sex Demon', that you have not been able to do with your other groups?

A: Mutant Sex Demon is kind of personification of my interest about 70's & 80's sleaze and horror movies, 80's metal, serial killers and other obscure stuff, lets call it dark side of human nature. 

This whole thing is kind of continuance to my previous project "Sperm Angel" which I started as a solo thing but it didn't last solo project very long and I'm happy about it but

this thing is kind of different. 

4.A lot of your lyrics cover satanic themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

A:I've been studying and approaching Satan from many angles. Only statement I can give is that: Madness can come without Satan, but Satan won't come without madness.

5.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the music?

A:Easier to list things I write about, but I don't have strict boundaries. Here are some: Satanism, Murders, Sexuality and Suicide.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Mutant Sex Demon'?

A:I've thought about this a lot, because I chose this name back in 2016 or 2017 for SA.

My hard guess would be that Japanese splatter/gore movies inspired me a lot at that time, still does.

I've heard some fuckers complaining about the name, but I would choose it again. 

For those guys: Is this my band or yours? Shut the fuck up and get out of my way.

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

A: It is kinda tribute to one and only MENTORS, but also to GG Allin. In original version the two tombstones belong to GG Allin and El Duce. 

Woman in the picture is kind of (Un)virgin Mary and muse of these two gentlemens and is about to give birth to ultimate filth metal antichrist.

8.With this project you record most of the material by yourself but have worked with musicians in other bands and projects, do you prefer to work solo?

A:I've recorded everything by myself, except guitar solos which are made by longtime partner in crime: Hell Priest of Nocturnal Mass. 

There is good sides in both: Band and Solo but I didn't have anyone to play with at time, so I had to do solo "mission".

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

A:Mostly people have liked it, but it takes certain kind of humour and taste to get into it. There is lot of hidden stuff and "read between the lines" type of stuff here.

I guess those who likes obscure stuff, should check my stuff out. I don't make music for people, I just do stuff and then I release it. Reactions are not so important.

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

A: For now, these things keeps me busy and give me headache sometimes. I don't do gigs nowadays, so I have time to make more albums.

I would recommend people to check out White Baroness and Sigon, if you are interested other work I do. Also there is new album coming out 

From MORGAL with their new lineup, definitely keep your eyes and ears on that!

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

A:I keep doing what I like to and when I like to. I don't think that I'm going to be "better" musician or shit like that.

I let professionals do their thing and I'm doing my own thing.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you currently listening to nowadays?

A: Oh boy, there are so many but maybe I list some that had big impact on me:

W.A.S.P, Motörhead, GBK, Mentors, GG Allin & Murder Junkies... list is endless really.

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

A: Thanks for the interview and to those fuckers who are into this stuff:

Buy those damn records, as it helps underground labels to stay alive and keep the flame of true metal alive!

mutantsexdemon.bandcamp.com