Murk Rider/The Murk Rider/Fiadh Productions/2024 EP Review

 

  Murk  Rider  are  a b and  from  California  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "The  Murk  Rider"  which  will  be  released  on  April  19th  by  Fiadh  Productions.

   A  very  ritualistic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  When  clean  playing  is  utilized  it  also  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction  and  when  tremolo  picking  is  also  into  the  guitar  riffing  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a r aw  feeling.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  being  in  elements  of  stoner  and  doom  metal.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  blast beats  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  They  also  bring  in  a  covers  of  Uriah  Heep's   "Rainbow  Demon"  which  also  introduces  clear  singing  into  the  recording  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  one  of  the other  cover  songs  is  Sodom's  "Outbreak  Of  Evil",  the  closing  track  is  also  a  krautrock  style  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophy,  myth  and  symbolism  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Murk  Rider  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  black,  stoner  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Go  Into  The  Magic  Darkness"  and  "The  Fires  of  Creation".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/murkriderband

Søstre/Self Titled/Loyal Blood Records/2023 Full length Review

 

    Søstre  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  an  experimental  form  of  black'n'roll  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2023  album  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Loyal  Blood  Records.

  Keyboards  and  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  black'n'roll  elements  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  At  times  the  riffs  also  capture  the  energy  of  punk  rock  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  experimental  and  progressive  sounding  on  some  of  the  tracks,  when  synths  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  some  psychedelic  and  stoner  rock  touches  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Søstre  plays  a  style  of  black'n'roll  that  is  very  experimental  sounding  as  well  as  adding  in  influences  from  other  genres  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegina  cover  the  human  condition,  the  altered  states  of  the  mind,  black  magick  and  the  past  and  future.

  In  my  opinion  Søstre  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  black'n'roll b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Søstre"  "Psykonaut"  "Flokken"  and  "Leik".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://www.facebook.com/sostre.official
https://www.instagram.com/sostre.official

https://www.facebook.com/loyalbloodrecords        

Gravstenad Interview

 

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

We started the band in 2015. Vråhl and Darth found each other on a forum and connected over the wish to play harsh black metal and drink beer. Music that smells like a heart attack. Darth already knew Sargaroth so he came in pretty quick, and Kråkfar found us a few months later. He quit soon after we recorded the album and went on to his own musical projects as Kråkfar and soon after Nocturnotto, who laid down the solo on Rök och Svart Magi and already played with Onoskelis, joined.

2. So far you have released a demo and a full length. In your opinion, how do they differ from each other musically?

Well the demo was one day of rough recording in the rehearsal studio and the album took about two years to complete! We'd say the album is more focused, more refined in a way, even if that's not really reflected in the quality of the mix. After recording we noticed we had lost one mic for the guitars on half the songs and the overhead mics were completely missing, so the cymbals are all through tom mics. We spent a week in the studio, sleeping on the floor, getting pissed at each other and drinking copious amounts of beer while consuming a doomsday prepper’s basement stock of ravioli. We were a combination of drunk and hungover throughout the process, recording through the worst storm in modern Swedish history. It's all recorded live except for the vocals and the solos.

3. When I listen to the new album I can also hear some elements of doom and stoner, do you feel this makes your songs stand out a lot more?

It's aggressive and filthy. Not really doom or stoner on purpose. There is no specific marketing thinking going into it, we just found that it fit well with these large cavernous sections interspersed with hysterical chaos! And honestly, who's to say black metal has to be extremely fast all the time? Everybody's just listening to De Mysteriis the wrong way (except for us)! Our guitarist and drummer do play in stoner bands as well so that probably bleeds over a bit, but we have our roots pretty firmly placed in black metal.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

Well for me, Vråhl, when I write lyrics I have all these concepts in my head I want to express, but when it comes time to put it into words to a song, the most important part for me is that it vibes with the song itself. I like to go on long walks putting a recording from the rehearsal on repeat until I start getting the words that fit coming to me. So basically it's a whole jumble of concept and ideas distilled through the sound of the music and filtered through my sense of what the song wants to say in a way.

5.I know that the band's name means 'Tombstone' in Swedish, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

Hah, well it's actually "Tombstoned" or "Gravestoned". The idea that the music should feel like someone's throwing tombstones right in your face! Though you can also take it as someone smoking weed at a cemetary really. The music shifted but the band name just got more relevant with time.

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

It kind of evolved over time. We took a picture of some woods at one point, which we used together with the logo for making a backdrop to use on stage. At some point Perra, of Sunny Sound who mastered the album, added our faces to it. We then put it through some filter for the hell of it and figured it looked pretty fucking cool, so we decided to use it as the artwork for the cover. It sticks out from the numerous black and white contrast images and religious iconography at least.

7.Has the band had any opportunities to do any live shows or open to the idea?

Yes. Fucking hit us up! gravstenad@gmail.com

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

We haven't really been looking, but we're very open to the idea of having a distributor and some kind of booking agent to find us gigs! We have made contact with a distributor in Asia through which we might be printing some CD's. If anyone is interested, hit us up!

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

Well, the five people who have commented about our latest album have had positive things to say about it! I think our favourite so far is a guy describing it as "Bulldozers driven through a stone crusher being ripped apart by a black hole."

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

We'll be playing more, faster, and slower. More weird and more furious.

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?

Weed and black metal. The group has our root in nineties black metal, a lot of Mayhem, Darkthrone and Burzum. Our first rehearsal with Kråkfar was just jamming Jesus Tod and that's what brought the band together, but we all come from pretty different musical interests and I think it all bleeds over into the music. Skullwand by Serpent Omega was a song we listened to together at an early point and were all pretty floored by. That may have signaled a shift in the style of our music. It's about playing chaotic, raw and frenzied music, and we're very open to be influenced by whatever adds to that.

12.Does Satanism or Occultism play any rule in your music?

Hah, no, not at all really. We don't fuck with these Satanic LARP-witches. Lyrically we're more about human madness than anything religious.

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

Surf rock is just black metal before distortion pedals.

Bandcamp

Facebook

SoundCloud

Spotify

YouTube

Gravstenad/Hogtid/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Gravstenad  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  aggressive  form  of  black  metal  with  some  elements  of  doom  and  stoner  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "Hogtid".

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Elements  of  doom  and  stoner  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  old  school  extreme  metal  style  along  with  the  vocals  also  having  their  grim  moments  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  one  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  growls  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Gravstenad  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  traditional  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  stoner  and  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  evil  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gravstenad  are  a  very  great  sounding  aggressive  mixture  of  black,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ursinne"  "Draug"  and  "Du  och  Jag".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp: https://gravstenad.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GRAVSTENAD
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCotvJIdq2rLIWSaRO8McDwA/featured  

Stagwounder/Abhold/2020 EP Review

 

  Stagwounder  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  alternative  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of their  self  released  2020  ep  "Abhold"  which  will  be  released  on  December  4th.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction. Vocals  are  mostly  angry sounding  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  death  metal  influences  also  being  utilized at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to them.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.   When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  utilizing  a  more  shouting  approach  at  times,  as  the  ep  progresses  clean  playing  and  touches  of  stoner  metal  can  also  be  heard. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  agony, hate  and  desperation  themes.  

   In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Stagwounder  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "From  The  Ivory  Deathbed"  and  "Indra's  Wound".  8 out  of  10.

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

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/stagwounder/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/67VFHp3M22yYW3PwCuizEp...

Bandcamp: https://stagwounder.bandcamp.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_dviRPD6h5SEtmt1HVos4w

Entropy Created Consciousness Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the musical project since the recording of the new album?



Antica Memoria di Dis was recorded the same year as the first album and EP, 2017. It was the Darvaza gas crater, constantly lit, its ash falling to make the soil fertile. The material could easily have all come out the same year, or at least sooner than now, but as I searched for avenues to release the first album, I continuously reflected on this fresh material and how it sounded, the directions it took – and did not take. Despite some alterations in the way the costume was sewn, it continued to look the same. Yes, it decorates the same corpse, but releasing a body of work that relies on the same sound, tropes, approaches, genres, and influences is for other artists, not this. Entropy Created Consciousness continues forward up the river despite towing the heavy anchors of the past along. So, having reconsidered Antica multiple times since it was written over the course of a few months in 2017, it felt like too much of the same silt covered the riverbed, and its identity was too caught up in the ancient. Appealing to a sound as it already existed made it still, one-dimensional, unbreathing, unrealized; the river had to be dredged. Because the release order is important, Innocence and Experience had to come out first, essentially unchanged from its original inception despite my ongoing reassessment of the other new soil being tilled – it relied too heavily on the initial work by using more Blake lyrics and similar production. Antica finally finished its metamorphosis earlier this year.





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



First, the EP is the antecedent: riffs changed musculature, The Archivist made his first contribution of Moog, and the maelstrom churned toward new paths. Vocally, it acts as an addendum to Impressions of the Morning Star, yet the sonicscape yearns to devour new tastes: it is unified, masculine ligatures covering harmonious contours of feminine forms. Once it was written, the new shapes that formed were leaner, less frenzied, with different influences coming to the fore: Pale Folklore crawled from the forest, Blood Fire Death from the river, Engram from the moon (through the Moonlight Gate), Boris from the smoke. The Archivist contributed noise atop dense clouds I had already painted on the grey. Later, as this double EP evolved, new atmospheres became required to illustrate and elaborate on the story of the Inferno: industrial sturm und drang aided the drums by QD to emphasize with truss abrasions and broken glass; sections that had been black metal became gothic silhouettes reaching across cathedral spires. Every corner has something new attempted. It does not stay still.





3.The lyrics on the new album are based upon the writings of Dane, can you tell us a little bit more about his interest in his work?



Dante is, of course, nothing new for the genre, just as Blake was not either. The setting created by the music was no longer Blakian, though; where elegance and decorum once stood, a fierce brute had merely left shreds. There are some elegant glimpses that break up the scrapes of teeth against bone, but overall, Antica is relentless, churning a cauldron of knives. It seemed appropriate to descend toward the frozen lake with Dante and Virgil in turn. There is a particularly human viciousness in the Inferno hitherto unexplored by the Blake works I used: punishment, sin, regret, politics, the methodology by which history masticates philosophy and intention. And so the study of Paradise Lost and Heart of Darkness also ensued in the swirling mass – after all, who are Marlow and Kurtz but Dante and Satan? For that matter, is Dante’s journey really just experiencing, then transcending, sin and his own nature toward the heavenly divine? This is the end of the same river, smelling of slow death, malaria, nightmares.





4.The lyrics on the new album where based upon the writings of William Blake, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his work and are there any other authors that you plan on exploring on future releases?



Impressions of the Morning Star (and Innocence and Experience) is an examination of a variety of Blake’s writings focusing on a single through-line in his work: his many allusions to, and stand-ins for, Satan. Are the dark Satanic mills really just the industrial revolution in Albion, the pleasant pastures just the Felpham countryside, building Jerusalem just bringing Christianity to the great unwashed whose backs are turned, as the hymns would have you understand? Who is Urizen really, and why did Blake create his own mythology when all deities reside in the human breast? Is it holy Biblical principles that stand when the doors of perception are cleansed? The album and EP use his work to present a statement underlying everything he has left us, clearing away the soil to reveal the coffin replete with ash beneath. As for the future, the next release again examines a specific work, but not by Dante or Blake. All will be revealed in time.





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



An elaborate art package was idealized by me and materialized by QD, who also played drums on this release before I mangled and contorted them. He has a gift in both respects, and his design sense is essential to this presentation. Because Antica Memoria di Dis is two separate but related EPs, they are presented separately, yet aesthetically have a clear, singular identity; two halves. Thus, all physical packages will proffer them together, wrapped in a slipcase with the identity of one per side. The booklet included with all releases (including digital) has its own cover optimized for each, but these are not the total visual identity of the work. A vinyl package would be its own elaboration unique to the format, should interest to release that be asserted in the future – it remains embodied in cassette and digital at the moment. This aesthetic explores Dante’s journey from the forest dark to the aperture of the stars and all of the challenges between in a fever dream of forms ghastly and alluring; that is, of course, if Dante ever left the forest at all.





6.You are listed as being from an unknown location,are you planing on revealing where the project is based in the future?



Identity is the work. That people so strongly desire a face or a name for artists, though created by the human condition, is (nevertheless) detrimental to art. Consider how much art exists purely as a pernicious inflation and exacerbation of ego; how required it is for the artist to say “I say” and “you do” so that the listener can take on the shape of a piece of art, or feel it describes them, or think it encases their experience as endowed by another. Enough of this exists already, which is why the populace continues discovering and espousing ancient works from entirely differing contexts just as often as they do contemporary objects reflecting their identity and convictions. Do Blake and Dante consider, even explore this human abstract? I would not disagree if your answer were affirmative. But are they bound by it?





7.The new album is going to be self released but you have worked with a label in the past, are you open to working with a new label again in the future?



Label architecture is a thing of wonder and also horror. Some are run in earnest, of course: the honest attraction to endeavors and conjuring of objets d’art. But it is also a business, and in the small corner on this map where Entropy Created Consciousness resides, economics are void. Two contrary states existing in a single moment, like a desperate Keats poem. I remain open to this aged, creaking architecture because I must be, and am thankful people like Folkvangr and Throne Records have been interested at all – they are excellent at what they do.





8.You record most of the music by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?



Several other people have contributed to Antica Memoria di Dis as mentioned: beyond The Archivist and QD, Juiblex lends his throat-ripping howls in choice moments that needed emphasis. They all have something unique to offer in a voice that complements my own. Others that meet this criteria will be involved in the future.





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



I do not concern myself with these things. Others can count numbers, appeal to algorithms, and rummage through the rubbish bins of opinion where reason, taste, and comprehension are exterminated like pests. The statement remains – regardless of responses to it.





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



The next release hones in on drone and noise to demonstrate its wretched work, though black and doom metal still have their place in choice moments of depravity. It is also more collaborative than the discography so far. Future works remain in the primordial liquid state, waiting with an infinite patience to assemble themselves and present me the mold into which they wish to be poured. The mills grind slowly but never halt.





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?



Influence is carried on winds of myriad origins. Beyond the acts aforementioned and the obvious classics, Antica Memoria di Dis is fed by much of the current crop in black metal: Almyrkvi, Blaze of Perdition, Zhrine, Schammasch, Au-Dessus, Venenum, Wode, Sinmara, The Ruins of Beverast, Lluvia, Aosoth, Jordablod, Fen, Dynfari, Battle Dagorath, Abkehr, Auðn. We live in a renaissance of the genre. Perhaps the most obvious influence in that sphere, however, is Blut Aus Nord; the relentlessness, the ever-changing palette, the total lack of limitation. Only Ulver rivals their sheer commitment to the true spirit of black metal: fearless vision. So many acts hide behind and attempt to use political and ideological divides to cry for attention, as if peddling their sketchbook t-shirts to bootlickers is evidence of commitment to a vocation. Meanwhile, at the eye of the black metal storm, there is no ideology, no politics, no devotion: just all possibilities simultaneously reaching out in every direction as branches from a single trunk. It is not for one group of people posing in KISS costumes to play their Darkthrone covers. The mark of the mind untrained is considering its own processes valid for all, its own judgements for absolute truth.






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


Black metal is an empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. There is no joy in the brilliance of sunshine. The long stretches of the waterway run on, deserted, into the gloom of overshadowed distances; you lose your way here as you would in a desert, until you think yourself bewitched and cut off forever from everything you had known once – somewhere – far away in another existence. There are moments when one's past is conjured within, but it ventures forth in the shape of an unrestful and noisy dream, remembered with wonder amongst the overwhelming realities of this aberrant void of water and silence. And this stillness of life does not resemble peace: it is the stillness of an implacable force brooding over an inscrutable intention. It both is and is not the same river upon every step. It regards you with a vengeful aspect.





 ENTROPY CREATED CONSCIOUSNESS

Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple

Entropy Created Consciousness/Antica Memoria Dis/2020 Full Length Review

  Entropy  Created  Consciousness  are  a  solo  project  from  an  unknown  location  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  goth,  stoner,  psychedelia  and  industrial  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2020  album  "Antica  Memoria  Dis"  which  will  be  released  in  October.

  Dark  soundscapes  start off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  The  mechanized  beats  also  add  in  touches  of  industrial  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  one  song  also  introduces  tragic  sounding  keyboards  and  spoken  word  part  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  elements  of  doom  and  stoner  metal  also  being  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  as  well  as  some  dark  sounding  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow  and  mid  tempo  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  psychedelic  moments  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  noises  and  power  electrics  onto  the  recording.

  As  the  album  progresses  goth  influences  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  track also  introducing  death  metal  growls onto  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  divided  into 2  parts  Acheron  and  Lethe  which  is  also  inspired  by  Dante's  "Inferno".

  In  my  Entropy  Entropy  Created  Consciousness  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  with  some  elements  of  goth,  stoner,  psychedelia  and  industrial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Minos-Cerberus"  "Infamy  Of  Crete"  and  "Judecca".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/entropycreatedconsciousness 

Bandcamp: https://entropycreatedconsciousness.bandcamp.com/releases           

Ewigkeit/23/Death To Music Productions/2020 EP Review

  United  Kingdom's  solo  project  Ewigkeit  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  70's  trip  rock  style  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  ep  "23"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Death  To  Music  Productions.

  Heavy  yet  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  mostly  a  clean  style  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  70's  or  stoner  metal  edge.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  retro  style.

  Some  of  the  slower  riffs  also  capture  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  while  some  songs  also  capture  a  science  fiction  orientated  atmosphere.  At  times  the  music  also  captures  more  of  a  trippy  and  psychedelic  rock  vibe  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  also  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  On  this  recording  Ewigkeit  moves  away  from  their  experimental  or  black  metal  style of  previous  releases  and  go  for  more  of  a  doom/stoner  metal  style  mixed  in  with  some  elements  of  70's  rock  and  proto  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based upon  the  'Illiminatus  Trilogy'  which  was  written  by  Robert  Anton  Wilson  and  Robert  Shea.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ewigkeit  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  doom,  stoner,  proto  metal  and  70's rock, you  should check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "God's  Lightning"  and  "Gravity  Train  To  Agartha".  8  out  of  10.

   https://www.facebook.com/ewigkeitofficial

      

Korhadt/VTTCK/2019 EP Review

   Korhadt  are  a  solo  project  from  Hungary  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  stoner  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2019  ep  "VTTCK".

  A  drone  orientated  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  tortured  voices  in  the  background  before  adding  some  bass  guitars  onto  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  drum  beats  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  tribal  feeling  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Elements  of  stoner  and  doom  metal  van  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  one  of  the  tracks  as  well as  all  of  the  tracks  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  as  the  ep  progresses  drones  also  make  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  towards  the  end  of  the  ep.

  Korhadt  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  doom  and  stoner  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark,  raw  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  loss  and  regret  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Korhadt  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  stoner  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Xzatan"  and  "Gey  Is  the  Color  Of  Regret".  8  out  of  10.

https://korhadt.bandcamp.com/album/vttck

Murk Rider Interview

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


Derek: Ian and I write the songs together; the band has had a few slightly varying lineups over the years.  Our buddies Ross and Adam have played bass for us, and Tom from Depths of Chaos played drums for us for a long time.  I’ve known Ian since high school days when he was pretty much the only other kid with a Darkthrone t-shirt in the school, but we didn’t start jamming until years later, around 2010. It began in a phase of madness and partying, but we started to spend a lot of time talking about making music centered around ecology, spiritual and personal healing. We both quit drinking in 2012, and getting sober sort of became an integral part of the band’s identity. Musically, we just wanted to synthesize our favorite sounds into something new and super heavy, according to our own standards.


Ian: The goal of Murk Rider is to take ourselves as well as our listeners through an intense spiritual experience through our music for the sake of healing, growth and empowerment. It’s a painful yet beautiful process and one that we will continue to recreate as long as we can.


2.You got your first full length coming out this month, musically how does it differ from your previous demos?


Derek: It’s a lot more polished than the demos. It’s a proper studio recording, whereas the demos were recorded and mixed live to tape at our rehearsals by our friend Dustin Lehman, who is an analog fanatic.  Those demos were fun and very raw sounding, but we spent a lot of time working to ensure that the studio recording presents the definitive versions of these songs.  Some parts changed around a little bit.  Our friend Kat from Latona Odola did an absolutely incredible job singing on the interlude passage of “Journey”; every time I go back and listen to her part I’m just blown away by her talent.  So we’re super lucky for that.  Also, my good buddy Mike wrote & arranged an epic horn part for us – something I always wanted to add to the song.


Ian: We always knew the studio album was going to take a long time. We had high ambitions for it and knew we wanted to add lots of layers of sound which we couldn’t do with the live rehearsal demos. The demos are more of a raw expression of our songs. There was much more we couldn’t express in our live studio recordings that we knew we wanted on the album.


3.This is also your first release since 2014, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?


Derek: Just living life pretty much.  Sometimes life fills up your plate and there isn’t as much time for music.  We both moved up to Humboldt for a while, which was an amazing experience for me overall, but ultimately not quite the right place for me to be living.  I’m back in Osos now.  I’ve been focusing on my visual art for the past year or so.


Ian: There were many trials we faced during the creation of this album. Life happened and we had to learn how to keep working on the album while balancing everything else that came up in life such as work, me finishing college, relationships, etc...


4.A lot of your lyrics cover Shamanism and you also have some songs inspired by the writings of Joseph Campbell, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?


Derek: I’ve been into world mythologies since I was a kid.  Myth provides a cultural framework for understanding one’s place in the universe.  Preserving ancient myths is an important way of maintaining our connection to nature, our environment, the living beings around us which make us who we are.  People might recognize some religious themes on the album; religion is at its core an extension of myth.  Joseph Campbell’s writing was sort of a guide to our creative process on Exile of Shadows.  The lyrics are a reflection of this and also an expression of our personal journey in life, moving from a self destructive way of life toward healing and wholeness.


Ian: To me music has always been a source of healing, love and creative energy. To me the idea of using music as a form of spiritual medicine is obvious. So the ideas of shamanism in our music reflect our own love and relationship with music. It also reflects the dark parts of our lives we were trying to overcome while first starting to create the band. I’ve had multiple spiritual experiences in various forms whether they be from psychedelics, nature, or music, and all these experiences kind of led me to the importance of finding some path towards healing and well being through music and other creative art forms. I use the intense, dark cathartic energy that is part of me to make music so it doesn’t come out in more destructive and harmful ways. I hope that people will hear the music who need to hear the music, and that the connection they have with the music may help them learn how to choose life over death or other self destructive behavior.


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


Derek: The one who walks the razor’s edge, the blade of twilight between light and shadow.  The spiritual warrior who rides on through the unknown.  I’m not much of a surfer but we used to paddle out at dusk sometimes, and it’s a freaky feeling.  You have to sort of find your zen, sit there with the knowledge that you’re hovering on top of the abyss and make peace with that sensation.  The ocean is a super apt metaphor for the unconscious mind, and that’s what we’re trying to discuss in our songs.


Ian: Derek named the band. As I’ve grown older the name has taken on various meanings. I think to me the Murk Rider is someone who has chosen to tread the path of the wounded healer. Someone who understands that to find truth in life one must dive into the darkness of their own mind to unravel and transform the frightening and unknown parts of themselves. A main thing that brought Derek and I together was our interest in the energy of night and darkness, which is reflected in our music and what got me interested in black metal to begin with. We used to go on night walks for hours out in nature and just discuss the mysteries of life and the fears we both shared. Something about the darkness, the unknown, the subconscious, the dissonant calls to us and we find comfort in trying to understand and express it.


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?


Derek: We used to do some theatrical stage show stuff which was a lot of fun, and it tied in with the symbolism in the songs.  Adam would come out in a Hannya mask as the Rainbow Demon and show the audience their own reflections in a blood stained mirror.  We had a pretty good altar that we would set up with ancestral skulls and torches and maize.  My favorite gig was with Bell Witch at the Stella Natura pre-fest in Nevada City.  We also had a rad one with Wolvserpent in LA.  Our worst gig was no doubt opening for Fauna at Cascadian Yule, which is hilarious because they’re one of my favorite bands ever and I always wanted to play with them.  Due to some miscommunication we believed we were not going to play, so we had no gear.  Ian is a lefty; he had to borrow a righty guitar and string it upside down.  It was ridiculous, we sounded awful but it was a lot of fun.  We made do with the equipment that various band members kindly shared with us.  Joshua and Johnny – the Fauna dudes – are super gracious, sweet people.  The whole Cascadian scene has been nothing but rad to us.


Ian: We got to open up for Fauna which for me was a dream come true. They are one of our largest inspirations for the kind of music we play. But that also happened to be the worst show we’ve ever played. We weren’t planning on playing, it was a last minute decision on the part of the people running the fest so we didn’t have any of our gear. I remember frantically trying to restring some shitty Ibanez guitar to make it left handed just minutes before having to play, because unsurprisingly none of the musicians at the festival had a lefty guitar for me to play . The guitar didn’t stay in tune at all, we weren’t prepared, it was a disaster lol. But it was still rad we got to play with some of our musical heroes.


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


Derek: We’re working on learning some new material with a new lineup, so hopefully we’ll be able to start gigging relatively soon.


Ian: We are working on the second album now so no planned dates thus far. It’s a long process and learning songs that are upwards of 30-40 minutes can be a difficult task to undertake. But yes I would love to start playing shows once we get our new material down within the next few months.


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


Derek: I’m content releasing everything ourselves unless we get a significantly interesting offer.  These days labels are not necessary like they used to be, and we’re not making music that has any kind of commercial appeal.  We’re talking to a few interested parties about some limited edition versions.


Ian: It would be great to get a label or someone to release our album on CD. We have a pretty elaborate packaging idea for the CDs and barely any money. So if we could get some help to get the album released on CD or vinyl that would be rad.


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


Derek: We’re not a worldwide band, so I have no idea.  Our friends here on the west coast have seemed generally positive, which is cool.


Ian: I have no idea, we are still a pretty obscure band. I would be surprised if we had a fan base anywhere outside of the West Coast of the US. The music we play is not for everyone, it’s also not easy listening. I believe those that seek out this sort of  intense underground music will love it, but I’m unsure as to if we will every have a worldwide audience.


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


Derek: I’ve been playing bass in the band Lesions; we have a few gigs coming up.  I have a million Procer Veneficus recordings that I started and never finished over the years; it’s hard for me to prioritize that stuff.  I also record some weird droney, doomy desert rock influenced material which is way on a back burner, but which I hope to release someday.  Ian has recorded some solo synthesizer music which is rad, and Ross is always busy with his array of awesome bands that he spearheads; At Dusk, Malfet, Fetters, etc.


Ian: Derek and Ross are always working on something. I’m much slower in working on my other music projects. I’m working on a synth/ambient album now under the title Diamond Forge. But Murk Rider always takes priority over any other musical project and right now we are working on the second Murk Rider album. So hopefully by the end of the year I will have my first Diamond Forge album done, maybe...


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


Derek: We’re writing the second album now.  The sound is growing organically.  I think it sounds a lot more epic, probably featuring more variety.  Ian and I often look to film soundtracks for inspiration; we want the music to be cinematic in scope.  We’ve become really interested in western guitar sounds and sci-fi synth sounds.  I hope the new material will run the gamut from really light, beautiful, and uplifting to horrendously dark and downtrodden – and a lot in between.  We’re leaving it open to natural growth.


Ian: I hope to play the same shit we played on the last album but better. Our sound is changing in a rad way but it’s also staying grounded in the roots of the Murk Rider sound. It’s always been our goal to make the heaviest metal album of all time, so we are going to keep going in that direction and see what we can create.


12.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?


Derek: Besides the super obvious ‘90s black metal influences, the biggest ones for me have always been Neurosis, Sleep, and Kyuss.  Motorhead and Iron Maiden are perennial influences that are ingrained in us to the core.  Personally, I mostly listen to a lot of ‘70s rock - Thin Lizzy, Sabbath, Grand Funk.  The classics.  I love stuff with that ‘70s prog vibe to it; bands like Heart, Camel, Druid, etc.  In the summer I start putting on a lot of warm solar music, a bunch of desert & stoner rock.  When winter comes around I usually dig into the darker, doomier, blacker stuff.  Since childhood I’ve been super into the ambient works of dudes such as Steve Roach, Robert Rich, Thom Brennan.  I guess I’m a little all over the map.


Ian: I think by far the band that comes closest to achieving what we are trying to achieve through our music conceptually, aesthetically and spiritually is Fauna. The feeling I get when listening to their music is the feeling I’m trying to emulate in my own way through Murk Rider. Besides the influence of Fauna, Murk Rider has always been the sound of intense early 90s black metal mixed with early heavy metal like Sabbath, Priest, Iron Maiden and Motorhead. Bathory has always been one of our greatest musical influences as well. We are constantly trying to blend the epic triumphant sounding heavy rock and roll sounds of Maiden and Motorhead with the dark more intense elements of black metal. There are a few bands who have done this well over the years that we admire such as Dissection and Gorgoroth, they kind of have what I would consider a Maiden style black metal sound.


As for what I listen to personally it varies day to day. There’s the few bands mentioned above I always go back to but I love all genres of music and it mostly depends on my mood what I decide to listen to. I naturally tend to gravitate towards darker more minor sounding music but I try not to limit what I listen to by listening to various genres of music. I love Beethoven, Arvo Part and Chopin, but also love listening to Tupac Shakur, Warren G and Three Six Mafia. I enjoy listening to old country music like George Jones, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams and Buck Owens and also love jazz artists like Charles Mingus, Fats Waller, Herbie Hancock, etc…


I’ve really been getting into Lustmord lately which is a sort of dark ambient artist. I’ve also been listening to lots of classic death metal and black metal albums I loved in my early years for inspiration for the next album including Death’s Symbolic, Nile’s album Annihilation of the Wicked, Gorgoroth’s Antichrist, Dissection’s Storm of the Light’s Bane, and Dimmu Borgir’s album Enthrone Darkness Triumphant. So yea I try not to discriminate with what genres I listen to, but I definitely always end up listening to the same essential metal bands over and over again more than anything- Maiden, Motorhead, Sabbath, Gorgoroth, Dark Throne, Bathory, Metallica’s first three albums, Fauna, and a few more.


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


Derek: Thanks so much for taking the time for this interview, and thanks to everyone who’s listened to our music or said a kind word.


Ian: Thanks for taking an interest in our music, stoked you enjoy it!

Bandcamp

Facebook

Homepage

Murk Rider/Exile Of Shadows/2019 Full Length Review

  Murk  Rider  are  a  band  from  Northern  California  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  stoner  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "Exile  Of  Shadows"  which  will  be  released  on  June  20th.

Sounds  of  fire  burning  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  soundscapes  and  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  as  well  as  some  sounds  of  nature.  Vocals are  mostly  aggressive  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  are  heavily  rooted  in  stoner  doom  metal.

  All  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  aggressive  and  melodic  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of   the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  tribal  and  ritualistic  sounding  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of   clean  female  and  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard,  synths  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  the  concept  of  Joseph  Campbell's  Heroic  Journey's  and  Shamanism  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Murk  Rider  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  stoner  doom  metal and  if  you  are  a  fan  of t hose  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out t his  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Return".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp
Facebook      

Werian/Animist/Eisenwald/2019 CD Review

  Werian  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  with  some  elements  of  psychedelic,  desert  rock  and  jazz  fusion  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Animist"  which  will  be  released  in  2019  by  Eisenwald.

  Nature  orientated  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  while  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  are  also  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  all  3  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  after  awhile  the  riffs  also  start  getting  more  heavier.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  yet  grim  black  metal  screams  while  elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  along  with  the  riffs  also  using  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  tremolo  picking  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  when  they  are  utilized  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  desert  rock  and  jazz  fusion  elements  at  times  as  well  as  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  psychedelic  sounds  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  whispers  and  clear  vocals  and  the  closing  track  brings  in  more  of  a  shamanistic  atmosphere.

  On  this  recording  Werian  continues  their  mixture  of  atmospheric  black  and  doom  metal  while  also  adding  in  elements  of  psychedelic,  desert  rock  and  jazz  fusion  to  take  their  sound  to  another  level,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  shamanism,  lycanthropy  and  consciousness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Werian  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "March  through  Ruins".  8  out  of  10.

https://werian.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Werian666
https://www.eisenton.de/ 

Zeit/Konvergenz/2017 Full Length Review

  Germany's  Zeit  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  that  continues  their  mixture  of  raw  black metal,  doom  and  sludge  and  this  is  a  review of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Konvergence".

  Clean  guitar  playing  along  with  drum  beats  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  faster  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  songs a  more  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  tracks  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  slow  riffs  mix  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  touches  of  stoner  metal  can  be  heard  at  times.

  Zeit  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  black  metal,  doom,  and  sludge  mixture  of previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Zeit  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  doom  and  sludge,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Verzerrt"  "Trub"  and  "Latenz".  8  out  of  10. 

Bandcamp

Facebook

YouTube

Nuclear Cthulhu/Desecration/Black Bunker Productions/2016 CD Review

  Nuclear  Cthulhu  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  is  a  side  project  from  the  members  of  Blackdeath  and  plays  a  musical  style  they  describe as being  'Goat  Stoner  Metal"  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Desecration"  which was  released  by  Black  Bunker  Productions.

  Ritualistic  night  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  heavy  doom  metal  direction  and  after  awhile grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  and  the  riffing  gets  very  melodic  at  times  while  stoner  elements  can  also  be  heard  quite a   bit  throughout  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  stick  to  more  of  a  melodic  style  and a   great  portion of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the wolf  sounds  are  also  used  on  the  other  tracks  as  well  while  other  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  funeral  doom  metal.

  At  times  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  more  depressive  side  to  certain  sections  of the  recording  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  main  focus  is  on  a  more  slow  musical  style  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  melodic  chanting  and  the  last  track  is  all  instrumental.

  Nuclear Cthulhu  plays  a  musical  style that takes  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  the  stoner  and  funeral  forms  of  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  The  Cthelhu  Mythos  and  Misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nuclear  Cthulhu  are  a  very  great  sounding  goat  stoner  metal  band  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something  that  is  different,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Great  One"  "Dream  Of  Cthulhu  -  Awakening  Of  Cthulhu"  and  "March  Of  Shoggoths".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.cthulhu.world/