Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Im Nebel Interview

 

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


Michael: We're preparing the new material for next releases. Thankfully there's a lot of drafts collected over the years.


2.You have a new album coming out in the middle of may, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?


Michael: In my opinion, it is more mature, grounded work. It's probably more developed than what we did with previous records. We tried to make Hypocrisis as real as possible, without intensive use of surgical audio processing tools, to have that authentic feel, like in the old days.


3.In 2008 you released an album then waited until 2016 to release a single and the new full length came out 9 years later, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait in between releases?


Michael: There were too many reasons for our long delays, mainly human factors. All the songs on "Hypocrisis" were written between 2009 and 2010, but the album's release was significantly delayed by several factors. Disappointment arose from not meeting the expectations of some former band members and others who attempted to join. Additionally, the increasingly complex compositions required more advanced arranging and performance skills than our first release. Furthermore, a lack of ability to produce recordings that met our standards played a significant role in this time gap, alongside numerous other day-to-day difficulties.


4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores the new album and also how would you describe your progress  as songwriters over the years?


Michael: I definitely do not consider myself a lyricist, but I have tried to convey in lyrics observations about the structure and interaction of society's structures, its evolutionary organization, moral principles, dogmas, and its unit—the individual person. Our environment is driven by resonant desires and necessities. It forms a certain apparatus of group consciousness, the building blocks of which are groups of people and individuals who play a direct role in it. It's hard to compare it with the previous album, but the new lyrics are more down-to-earth, in my opinion. Musically, there is undoubtedly progress. This work, in my opinion, is more competent, more stylistically homogeneous, and I think it will allow us to create something new, something of our own, without too many references to the works of other bands.


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


Michael: I'm not entirely sure. Of course, one could imagine that the band's name references the album's theme, where the individual wanders like in a fog, personifying society and being a part of it. That interpretation would be valid. However, that falls more into the realm of literary analysis. Musically, perhaps so. Our musical direction is quite abstract, much like silhouettes in the fog.


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


Michael: The cover literally represents the flow of a river full of ambitions and hopes through the ravaged land to the horizon at the foot of insurmountable mountain ranges, summarizing the themes of the album's lyrics.


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


Michael: The best, of course, is the Highland Metal Festival hosted by Zhesht events. It was the only time I was completely satisfied with all the details. Due to the high professionalism of the audio team, the sound and audibility of the monitoring on stage were incredible. We were able to deliver our music 100%.


Alexandre: Performing with Im Nebel is like orchestrating chaos. Even though I performed with the band on stage only once, those many rehearsal sessions helped us refine the energy. While performing, I find the most intense moments are during songs like 'Where Horizon Starts,' where we create this dense wall of sound with heavy groove bass lines, raw guitar riffing, and almost avant-garde drumming patterns blasting against them. When everything locks into that precise channel between technical execution and emotional impact—that's when you feel it in your bones. Sometimes there was such intensity between bass and guitars—especially around those darkly complex, progressive death metal sections—it was almost like fighting while moving together.


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


Michael: We have no plans for shows at the moment. This is due to the decreasing quality of the events, which worsens each year. After performing at a large regional event supporting our first release, we realized that a release has a longer historical impact, motivates new material, and is more significant than playing numerous shows where the band's music cannot be properly heard. Perhaps in the future, we will play a gig where we can deliver our music as it should sound.


9.The new album was released on 'Octopus Rising', can you tell us a little bit more about how you came in contact with this label?


Michael: We have emailed numerous active labels, and the team at Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records responded positively. We are happy to be working with them. This is indeed a huge milestone for us and a chance for our music to be heard by a wider audience.


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


Michael: We were fortunate that we did not receive a lot of negative feedback before. The reception was quite warm and positive. Supporters have been writing to us all these years, and that greatly assisted us in finally delivering a new record. We hope our new release will not disappoint their expectations.


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


Michael: For future releases, we have already written different kinds of material. Some compositions are guitar-oriented, while others explore different stylistic ideas. It will definitely not be exactly the same compared to what we have done so far.


Alexandre: Im Nebel's got some more underground stuff cooking already—more dark experimentation with even more complex rhythm patterns and sound textures extracted from instruments. If we stay consistent with how our previous material evolved, then next time, expect something even more unconventional, something pushing beyond limits and into new dimensions.


12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that you are currently listening to nowadays?


Michael: Besides metal, I also listen to classical masterpieces, baroque music, and indigenous music.


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


Alexandre: The path ahead is uncharted, but the journey continues into darker territories. You can expect more from us.


Michael: I really enjoyed our conversation and the opportunity to talk about our music. Thank you very much. Thanks to all our supporters—stay tuned, we have more to say in the near future.


http://www.imnebel.com/

Vile Haint/Abound With Malice/Moonlight Cypress Archetypes/2025 EP Review

 


  Tennessee's  Vile  Haint  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  avant  garde,  dissonant  and  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  ep  "Abound  With  Malice"  which  will  be  released  on  May  29th  by  Moonlight  Cypress  Archives.


  Choirs  and  old  music  samples  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  keyboards  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  a  very  dark  atmosphere  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.


  Dissonant  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.


  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  avant  garde  sounding  along  with  some  spoken  words  also  being  utilized  briefly.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  the  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  nearly  forgotten  folklore  of  haints  and  hatreds  of  days  long  gone  by. 


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vile  Haint  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde,  dissonant  and  raw  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "All  the  Shades  of  Red  (Powdered  Balls)"  and  "The  Hills  Been  Sent  Ablaze".  8  out  of  10.


  facebook.com/vilehaint 

vilehaint.bandcamp.com   

Empeiria/The Ascent: Szenen der Katharis/Vendetta Records/2025 Full Length Review

 


  Empeiria  are  a  duo  from  Germany  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "The  Ascent:  Szenen  der  Katharis"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Vendetta  Records.


  Dark  soundscapes  and  chants  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  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 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  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a very  melodic  style.


  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments   as  well  as  some  spoken  words  also  being  used  briefly,  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era  and  the  closing  track  is  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional   while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  three  emotional  stages. 


  In  my  opinion  Emnpeiria  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "II"  and  "IV".  8  out  of  10.


  https://www.instagram.com/nexusempeiria/

https://nexusempeiria.bandcamp.com/

Austere/The Stillness Of Dissolution/Prophecy Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 


  Australia's  Austere  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  blackgaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "The  Stillness  Of  Dissolution"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Prophecy  Productions.


  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  on  the  closing  track  a  small  amount  of  fast,  raw  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  are  also  used  briefly


  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  clear  vocals  are  also  utilized  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  lot  of  blackgaze  elements  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  keyboards  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.


  On  this  recording  Austere  goes  for  more  of  a  slow,  mid  tempo,  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  black  emtal  with  some  touches  of  blackgaze  and  dark  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression  and  melancholy  themes.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Austere  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  depressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Time  Awry"  and  "Storm  Within  my  Heart".  8  out  of  10.


  https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAustere

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

Solivagus/My Trapped Soul/2025 Single Review

 


  Solivagus  are  a  solo  project  from  Brazil  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2025  single  'My  Trapped  Soul".


  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  song  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  track  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  recording  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  


  Solivagus  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  aggressive  and  atmospheric  sounding,  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Solivagus  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  single.  8  out  of  10.


  https://linktr.ee/solivagus  

Monday, May 5, 2025

Affliction Vector/Contra Hominem/Iron Bonehead Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 


  Affliction  Vector  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  025  album  "Contra  Hominem"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Iron  Bonehead  Productions.


  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  also  introducing  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  shouts  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.


  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  riffing  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  also  bringing  in  elements  of  war  metal.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  singing.


  Melodies  are  also added  onto  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  brief  instrumentals.  Influences  of  death  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  as  well as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  introduced  on  the  album  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  and  spoken  words  are  also  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Darkness,  Insanity  and  Luciferian  themes.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Affliction  Vector  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  war,  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lethal"  and  "To  lucifer".  8  out  of  10.


  http://soundcloud.com/iron-bonehead-productions/affliction-vector-ephemeral-lifeless

www.facebook.com/AnsAv666       

Wesele/Zmierzch(Twilight)/Underground Kvlt Records/2025 Full Length Review

 


  Wesele  are  a  solo  project  from  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  very  atmospheric  and  depressive  form  of  black  emtal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "Zmierzch(Twilight)"  which  was  released  by  Underground  Kvlt  Records.


  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  depressive  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  blast  beats  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.


  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  fast  riffing  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  songs  also  add  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  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.


  Spoken  words are  also  added  on  a  couple  of  songs  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  as  well  as  some  of  the  vocals  also  bringing  in  a  touch  of  death  metal  at  times,  synths  can  also  be  heard  on  a  later  song.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  ylrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  the  folklore  of  a  bygone  era.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Wesele  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  depressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Oberek"  "Drzewo"  and  "Swit".  8  out  of  10.


  🔗 https://www.facebook.com/weseleblackmetal

🔗 https://www.instagram.com/wesele_bm


 https://youtu.be/b6LRamvuo94