Beastcraft/Into Serpent Blood Invocation/Necroeucharist Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Beastcraft  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  old  school  and  satanic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Into  Serpent  Blood  Invocation"  which  was  released  by  Necroeucharist  Productions.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  melodic  style  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in t he  90's  second  wave  era.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction,  a  couple  of  tracks  where  also  recorded  live.

  Beastcraft  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  satanic  in  the  90;s  Norwegian  second  wave  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Witchcraft,  Blasphemy,  Darkness  and  Death  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Beastcraft  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  old  school  and  satanic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Witchcraft"  "Satanist"  and  "Blackwinged  Messiah  Of  Blasphemy".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/XbT3xwH_IXs

https://www.facebook.com/BeastcraftOfficial

 https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/0AYCe7sARnk2vHKywRo4my

https://necroeucharistproductions.bandcamp.com/album/into-serpent-blood-invocation

Seid/Hymns To The Norse/De Tenebrarum Principio/ATMF/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Sweden's  Seid  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  pagan  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Hymns  To  The  Norse"  which  will  be  released  in  october  as  a  joint  effort  between  De  Tenebrarum  Principio  and  ATMF.

  Dark  soundscapes,  shamanistic  percussion  and  ritualistic  chants  start  off  the  album  which  also  evolve  into  more  clear  pagan  vocals  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction. A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Grim  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments.  Organs  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  spoken  words  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are   a  concept  album  covering  Norse  Paganism,  Asatru  and  Rune  Magick.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Seid  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  pagan  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RCOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  End  Of  Days"  "White  Beast  From  Hel"  and  "Hymns  To  The  North".  8  out  of  10.

  http://atmfsssdtp.bandcamp.com/album/hymns-to-the-norse    

Dismalimerence/Tome: II/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Dismalimerence  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  an  atmospheric,  melodic  and  progressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Tome:  II"  which  will  be  released  in  October.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  which  also  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  more  progressive  direction  when  it  is  utilized.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  heavier  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  synths  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  album  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling.

  On  this  recording  Dismalimerence  goes  for  more  of  an  atmospheric,  melodic  and  progressive  style  of  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  isolation  and  romanticism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Dismalimerence  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  atmospheric,  melodic  and  progressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Grand  Narrative"  "Reticent  Waters"  and  "Drowning  Silence".  8  out  of  10.

  

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Dismalimerence

Waldruine/Nachtmeerfahrten/Hammerhead/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Waldruine  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  satanic  an d occult  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Nachtmeerfahrten"  which  was  released  by  Hammerhead.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Synths  can  also  be  heard on  most  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

   Growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  old  school  era.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  clean  playing  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  Satanism  and  Occultism  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Waldruine  are  a  very  great  sounding  satanic  and  occult  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Totenkopf-Matrix"  "Septem  Passus  Draconic  Magi  V.I.T.R.I.O.L"  and  "Daimon  Vortex".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/WzOxZkwJTOo?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/Yn9SBTvNTmQ?feature=shared  

Endloser Abgrund Interview

 

Band: Endloser Abgrund 

Members: Der Abt (everything)

 In this Interview: Der Abt (himself) 

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

 Endloser Abgrund is a London-based black metal project that emerged in late 2024, dedicated to honouring the raw, unfiltered sound that defined the origins of black metal. We identify our music as "abysmal black metal," a style that stays true to old-school roots while incorporating a touch of aggressive sensibility.

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

 Simply put, the musical style is raw black metal. Inspired by the 1st wave, it’s aggressive, unholy, and uncompromisingly evil. 

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

 Lyrically, the EP “Kein Vergeben, Keine Gnade” focuses on themes of hate, anger, vengeance, and pain. The vocal screams reflect these emotions, delivering lines like "No forgiveness, no mercy," and "Your screams will be the anthem of my revenge." The lyrics paint a clear picture of the message being communicated. 

4.The project is from the United Kingdom but you write your lyrics in German, what was the decision behind using this language in your songwriting?

 I feel like the unfiltered sound of black metal is best represented in an intense language like German. Beyond that, music knows no borders; it can touch anyone regardless of language. 

5.I know that the bands name means 'eternal abyss' in German, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

 It fits in two ways. First, I’m trying to capture an abyssal vibe in my music, and the name represents that ambition perfectly. Secondly, as the production is raw and sounds like it’s coming from the abyss, it seems like a perfect match. 

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

 It’s nothing more than myself (Der Abt) standing outside an abandoned cabin in the woods. 

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

 I’m definitely open to working with other like-minded musicians on this project, but I won’t limit myself until that happens. It may never happen. As for live shows, there’s no definitive answer at this point. 

8.You also release your own music through your own label, is this label going to work with other projects?

 Correct. I have three more projects in the works. However, the label isn’t limited to my projects alone—that’s something we’ll need to explore in the future.

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

 Considering that the project was launched only a week ago, it’s tough to make a definitive statement at this point. The few people who have listened to the EP seem pretty excited about it, so I’m positive that the black metal world will warmly welcome it. 

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

 Great question! I’m currently working on the full-length album, which follows the same path the EP set, perhaps a little rawer, maybe a bit more evil. I’m aiming for early 2025, likely in the first quarter, for the release. 

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

 I’ve never been able to properly answer that question! The one and only musical style that influenced me for this particular project was the first wave of black metal, maybe a bit of the second wave as well. I stayed away from listening to any similar bands, especially during the composing period, to remain as unbiased as possible. 

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

Thank you for having me and for supporting Endloser Abgrund

https://bit.ly/3X6QU7l

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565568540629

Aera/Phantast/Vendetta Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Aera  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  an  atmospheric  and  ambient  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Phantast"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Vendetta  Records.

  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  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  as  well  as  all  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  The  songs  also  mix  both  the  old  school  and  modern  era's  of  the  genre  together  while  the  track also  bring  in  elements  of  ambient  when  they  are  utilized.  Clean  playing  is  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Aera  plays  a  style  of  post  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  atmospheric  sounding  as  well  as  adding  in  elements  of  ambient  to  create  a  sound  of  their own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  inner,  outer  universes,  distorted  perspectives,  and  a  world  outside  of  society  constraints.  

  In  my  opinion  Aera  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  atmospheric, ambient,  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Kosmos"  and  "Fleisch  und  Knochen".  8  out  of  10.

  www.facebook.com/aeeraband

www.instagram.com/ae_era_official 

www.aeera.bandcamp.com

     

Cloven/Twilight's Heart/WormHoleDeath Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

   Cloven  are  a  solo  project  from  Ontario,  Canada  with  session  members  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black  metal,  darkwave,  gothic  rock  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Twilight's  Heart"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  WornHoleDeath  Records.

  Ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing   and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  gothic  rock  and  ambient  elements.

  A  lot  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  while  the  music  captures  the  dark  atmosphere  without  the  heaviness  of  previous  releases  as  well  as  avoiding  the  harsh  vocal  aspect  and  the  whole  album  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  Cloven  moves  way  from  the  heavier  style  of  black  metal  and  harsh  vocals  of  his  previous  release  and  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  gothic  rock,  darkwave  and  ambient.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  human  condition,  the  divine  and  the  eternal  themes  of  love  and  separation.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Cloven  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  darkwave,  gothic  rock  and  ambient,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  The  House  Of  Silence'  and  'Twilight's  Heart".  8  out  of  10.

  cloven137.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/Cloven137