Magistraal/Fantoom van de Deemsterburcht/2024 EP Review

 

  Magistraal  are  a  duo  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  ep  "Fantoom  van  de  Deemsterburcht"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  synths  also  giving  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling  when  they  are  utilized.

  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  while  the  songs  also add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Magistraal  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric,  raw  and  old  school  in  the  mid  90's  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Dutch  and  cover  darkness  and  evil  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Magistraal  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  atmospheric  and  old  school  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Mijn  brandend  licht".  8/5  out  of  10.

  www.magistraal.bandcamp.com  

Dusk/Industrie/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Costa  Rica's  Dusk  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  experimental,  atmospheric  and  industrial  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Industrie"  which  will  be  released  in  May.

  Synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  also  introducing  industrial  elements  and  beats  into  the  music.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  going  into  more  of  an  experimental  direction  at  times  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  touches  of  doom  metal.

  The  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  demonic  sounding  growls  onto  the  album  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast b eats  can  also  be  heard  and  the  closing  track  is  a  cover  of  Mayhem's  "Freezing  Moon".

  On  this  album  Dusk  takes  their  industrial  style  of  black  metal  into  more  of  an  experimental  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  all  conceptually  linked  together.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dusk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  industrial  and  experimental  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Industrie  I"  "Industrie  V"  and  "Freezing  Moon".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/dusk27    

I C No/L'enfer des autres, c'est moi/Crypt of Dr. Gore/2024 EP Review

 

  I  C  No  are  an  international  duo  with  members  from  France  and  Switzerland  that  plays  a  contemporary  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "L'enfer  des  autres,  c'est moi"  which  was  released  by  Crypt  Of  Dr.  Gore.

  Raw  tremolo  picking  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  sound  to  them.  Elements  of  post  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  ep  closes  with  a  cover  of  Tormentor's  "Elisabeth  Bathory".

  I  C  No  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  raw  and  post  sides  of  the  black  metal  genre  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  politics,  social  issues  and  climate  change.

  In  my  opinion  I  C  No  are  a  very  great  sounding  contemporary  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Empaler  le  mai'tre  de  la  melee"  and  "Elisabeth  Bathory".  8  out  of  10.

  https://icno.bandcamp.com/album/lenfer-des-autres-cest-moi

       

Redivivus Interview

 

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

A. We're a metal band from the Pacific Northwest United States. The band was initially formed in 2019. The band has spent a lot of time in isolation due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Q. Recently you have released your first full length. Musically, how does it differ from past work?

A. Having experienced a few line up changes, and having plenty of time and live performances to refine the sound, we feel this work is more direct and aggressive.

Q. The earlier material had more symphonic elements which are absent from the new recording. Can you tell us a little bit more about the decision behind going in this musical direction?

A. The first work was written and recorded with Devi on the keyboards. Due to health issues, they had to take absence from the band. We had to change our focus and our sound as a result of their leaving. 

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

A. The lyrical content deals with the dark side of life and human interaction. Isolation. Depression. The beauty of Oregon nature. Being alone in a crowded place. In civilization. Very few things in life don't involve predation in some way. It's fascinating and scary. You can't not play the game. We sing about hate, fear, and longing. 

Q. What is the meaning behind and inspiration behind the name Redivivus?

A. The band comes from the ashes of Smutek. It means rebirth or reborn. A rebirth of the burning flame that was Smutek. Redivivus.

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

A. It is painted on the back of an old mirror by our close friend and musical associate Jordan Mustill. Jordan understands the monstrous nature of trying to describe the things we all try to say with our art. We trust him. He showed us a flaming series of pedestals with a lot of chaos and we said "hell yeah". The original piece is on Abraxas' couch right now and it looks great. 

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

A. Obviously shows with more established bands are cool for us because of the larger crowds. Mortiferum, Uada, Eight Bells, Ascended Dead just to name a few. Honestly some of the coolest shows are just ripping with people from our hometown. We did one right after lockdown lifted. Everybody was so hungry. There are different ways to kill it. Every time we have a really good show it brings us closer to our goals.

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

A. Currently we have some Northwest shows booked to test the waters with our sound. We feel it's something unique. Something different. In our local community this is working. Fiadh Productions is kind to do a tape release for us to be heard by different listeners. By people who feel like we do. Shows are good for that too of course, whatever town you're in.We would like to tour as much as we can. It's not getting any easier sadly. 

Q. So far you have done Smutek and Katatonia covers. What was the decision behind doing your own versions of their songs?

A. THE KATATONIA!

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

A. Globally? We are uncertain. We've noted listeners from other countries on this new release. We hope to rip them up in person as soon as possible. 

Q. What's going on with some of the other bands or musical projects that some of the band members are a part of? 

A. Of course we all have other projects. Underground metal musicians generally do. Austin, Abraxas and Robin have Flatulent Sermon. A brutal death metal band very different from Redivivus. Jeremy has a blackened thrash band called Bad at Life that focuses on fast tempos and neo-classical leads mixed with lo-fi black metal. Robin also plays with Aequorea, bringing the sledgehammer to the bardo dim. Damian's project Dark Entrails ferments in shadow. 

Q. Where do you see the band heading in the future?

A. Looking ahead, we see ourselves creatively becoming more poisonous and explicit. Removing and refining. 

Q. Does Occultism play any role in your music?

A. The answer is yes. 

Q. 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?

A. We listen hard. We listen to everything. We're listening to Wino Willy right now coming off Marduk. We listen hard to our friends around here who all play in amazing bands. Occult Blood. Boltcutter. Egotones. Gamma Knife. Toxic Witch. We get our doors blown off regularly. 

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

A. Abraxas' parents were drug addled bikers. Tracy passed away when he was 15 from an overdose. His dad Paul passed the same way 30 years later. Abraxas' brother J died in 2015 from suicide. Rest to all. Sometimes suffering and longing can make us stronger. Loneliness. Jeremy spent a very long time alone and isolated. Damian has been deeply grieving for his younger brother that recently passed. Indications of other planes of existence, in our lives and in our music, are always heavy. Who isn't weirded out? Who isn't afraid? Gratitude to Occult Black Metal and Fiadh Productions. 

https://www.facebook.com/underdominion

Offernat Interview

 

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

We’ve mostly been looking for a new bass player for the live shows. Much of the time has been spent auditioning and then practicing a lot with the person we hired. But we have been jamming some even newer stuff as well.

 

2.You have a new album coming out towards the end of March. Musically, how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

We think it is a lot more focused than our previous releases. We made a pretty conscious decision to try and implement fewer elements compared to our first full length. Although we’re still drawing on a lot of different inspirations, the new album has a lot more doom and black metal in it.

 

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

The lyrical themes on the album generally revolves around our experiences with depression, trauma, and general alienation from the world. In terms of songwriting, we definitely feel we have a better grip of long form material on the new album. We’re fully leaning into that aesthetic on this release, and we’ve paid a lot of attention to how to keep a 15-minutes track interesting for the listener, while maintaining a sense of cohesion.

 

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

The word Offernat means ‘night of sacrifice’ in Danish. We chose that name because we think it represents our vision of what we wanted to do with the band well.

 

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

The artwork is made by an artist called Stefan Thanneur who specializes in this kind of artwork. When we decided to name the album ‘Where Nothing Grows’ we thought that his style would be perfect for this release because of the gloomy, black/white aesthetic much of his work has. We’re extremely happy with the result!

 

 

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, but the band was previously a trio. Are you open to working with another musician again in the future or do you prefer to remain a duo?

For now, the right decision for us is to remain a duo. We will however continue to be a trio in concert. So, all writing and recording will be done by the two of us, but we will have a bass player with us when we play gigs.

 

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

Right after the release of our first album we supported Orm, a Danish black metal band, on their tour of Denmark. The opening night of that tour was a sold out show at a renowned venue in Copenhagen. That one was pretty magical. Our stage performance is fairly introvert but still very intense. That probably comes from the set requiring a lot of concentration while also being physically demanding.

 

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

Yeah, in May we’re performing at A Colossal Weekend, which is really cool festival in Copenhagen. We’ve been attending this festival as guests many times, so performing there is gonna be great. We also have a bunch of shows in the autumn that will be announced in the near future.

 

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

Pretty good, we think. Some people don’t like our particular mix of genres, but generally we feel that people are accepting the premise.

 

 

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

We think we will explore many of the same elements as we are on this new release, but with a stronger focus on doom metal.

 

 

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

So many! Bell Witch, Mizmor, Blood Incantation, Mournful Congregation, Crawl, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Dream Unending, Ultha, Silver Knife, Tangerine Dream to name a few.

 

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

Follow us on Bandcamp, Instagram and Facebook to stay tuned for updates!

 

 https://linktr.ee/Offernat

Srefa/Solstice/Satanath Records/Australis Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Srefa  are  a  band  from  Israel  that  plays  a  very  raw,  modern  and  aggressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Solstice"  which  will  be  released  in  April  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath  and  Australis  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo picking  and  blast  beats.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  a  couple  of  tracks  also  introduces  clear  vocals  onto  the  album.  Touches  of  dsbm  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  synths  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling  when  they  are  utilized  briefly.

   One  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  added  into  the  music  they  are  also  done  in  very  melodic  style  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive  and  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Srefa  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  modern  and  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Dream,  Never  Ending"  "A  Letter  To  Self"  and  "The  Chase".  8  out  of  10.

  https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat374-srefa-solstice-2024          

Peklo/Supostat/Satanath Records/Australis Records/Nebula Forest Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Peklo  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  aggressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Supostat"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Satanath,  Australis  Records  and  Nebula  Forest  Productions.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on t he  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  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.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  old  school  influences  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  keyboards  onto  the  album.

  Peklo  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic,  old  school  and  aggressive  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  anti  religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Peklo  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  old  school  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Serpents  Unleashed"  and  "Pyres  In  Heaven".  8  out  of  10.

 https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat371-peklo-supostat-2024