Friday, September 29, 2017

Golgota/Tralen/2017 Full Length Review


  Golgota  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that plays  a  very  raw  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017 album  "Tralen".

  Bell sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with some  epic  sounding  synths  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  up  to  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  grim  black  metal  screams.

  Clean  playing  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  nature  sounds  are  also  used  briefly  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  songs  a  more  raw  feeling,  melodic  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Golgota  creates  another  recording t hat  is  in  the  raw  and  melodic  style  of  black  metal  while  also  adding  in  new  elements  to  their  music  which  also  shows  progress  from  their  previous  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swedish  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Golgota  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  and  melodic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nar  Livet  TvekerStar  Doden  Stilla"  and  "Tralen".  8  out  of  10.

https://soundcloud.com/golgata-1/sets/golgata-tralen  

Stahlsarg/Mechanisms Of Misanthropy/Non Serviam Records/2017 CD Review


  Stahlsarg  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  raw  and  melodic  form  of black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Mechanisms  Of  Misanthropy"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween  by  Non  Serviam  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy riffing  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  to  give  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  some  blast  beats  while  the  vocals are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

 Some  of  the  songs  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  also  adds  in  some  goth, death  and  thrash  metal  elements  along  with  a  later  track  being  a  brief  ambient  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  and  the  music  also  mixes  the  old  school  style  with  a  more  modern  take  on  the  genre.

  Stahlsarg  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  melodic  and  traditional  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  oppression,  survival  death  themes  with  some  references  to  Norwegian  resistance  hero  Jan  Baalsrud,  Sophie  Scholl  &  the  White  Rose  Movement.

  In  my  opinion  Stahlsarg  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  melodic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Raise  The  Dead"  "Far  Beyond  the  Dragons  Teeth"  "Hope  Lies  Frozen"  and  "In  The  Lungs  Of  the  Earth".  8  out  of  10.

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Thursday, September 28, 2017

Nemere/Vermezo/Neverheard Distro/2017 Cassette Review


  Nemere  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Vermezo"  which  was  released  on  cassette  by  Neverheard  Distro.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  whispers  and  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  to  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  as  well  as  introducing  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  tradition  as  well  as  sounding  very  modern  at  the  same  time  along  with  a  small  amount  of  growls  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  a  brief  use  of  semi  melodic  singing  can  also  be  heard and  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  the  tracks  and  a  later  song  also  adds  in  a  bass  guitar  lead  for  a  few  seconds.

  Nemere  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very   raw,  traditional  and  old  school  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Hungarian  and  cover Anti  Christian,  Nature  and  Ancient  Hungarian  Life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nemere  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  cassette.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Harci  Dal"  "Vermezi"  and  "Utolso  Utam".  8  out  of  10.

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Belus/Apophenia/Vendetta/2017 Full Length Review


  Belus  are  a  band  from  Brooklyn,  New  York  that  plays  a  raw  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Apophenia"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Vendetta.

  Dark  yet  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  vocals  being  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  A  great  amount  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  slower  riffing  of  the  song  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  deep  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  clean  playing  and  synths  are also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Belus  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  a  very  raw  and  modern  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Belus  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chasm"  "Illusions"  and  "Equilibrium".  8  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/LH0-YdX48cA
  

Sarke/Viige Urh/Indie Recordings/2017 CD Review


  Sarke  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  and  atmospheric  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Viige  Urh"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Indie  Recordings.

  A  very  heavy  punk  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  angry  vocals  that  gives  the  music  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  vibe  while  the  music  is  more  rooted  in  the  early  90's  Norwegian  second  wave  style  as  well  as  adding  synths  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  A  decent  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  more  of  an  old  school  metal/punk  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard,  a  couple  of  tracks  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  psychedelic  elements  and  female  vocals and  all  of the  music  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  Sarke  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  raw  and  atmospheric  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  that  was  established  on  their  previous  release,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Norwegian  and  English  and  cover  evil,  darkness,  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from Sarke  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  thrash  influenced  Norwegian  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dagger  Entombed"  "Jutul"  and  "Evolution  And  Fate".  8  out  of  10. 

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Lycanthropy Interview

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

Gunner: Currently I’m working on 2 new songs. When the main patterns gonna be ready I’ll
work with Oleg I. on the additional arrangements. It’s gonna be a new experience.

2.In August you had released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Gunner: It has a very clear sound, a little too clean, but I like it. There's a living feel.

Furious: We tried to do our best. And our sound engineer, who is actually a good friend of mine, put his every effort during mixing and mastering as well. It gave us an ability to reach higher level of sound compared to our past releases.

3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the topics you have covered in the lyrics on the new recording?

Gunner: lyrically it’s a total madness.

Furious: There is nothing to hide. You can hear everything by yourself. One interesting point – lyrics on track # 2. In fact these lyrics were taken from real life. Thanks to Mr. Zhukov -you crazy bastard!

4.I know that the bands name is related to shapeshifting into a werewolf, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

Gunner: it reflects inner power of a human being.


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

Gunner: Currently we don’t play live. Back in 2008-2009 we did some really good shows with the old lineup.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Gunner: Maybe in the future, but not in 2017.

Furious: We think about it. But the members of our band are divided by borders, countries, lands and seas - thousands of km. So it is possible but for now it is hard to organize everything on a good level.

7.The new album was released on 'Lower Silesian Stronghold', are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?

Gunner: There is a lot of work to be done.

Furious: Not all that much. Some of our past releases were promoted better.

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

Gunner: it’s quite positive in Europe, but not so good in Russia or Ukraine. But it is how it is. It doesn’t really matter for me.


9.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?

Furious: I participated in a few projects in the past, but I do not keep in touch with their members at the moment. I mean, I see them from time to time but that is not about the music.

Gunner: I think Oleg has something to say on this one...

Oleg I.: I have a solo bm project called Khôra where a new album is coming soon and will include some interesting guests.

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

Gunner: time will show. Can’t answer at the moment. Maybe a bit more atmospheric...

Oleg I.: I hope we will incorporate some more variety of genres into the bm we currently play.

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

Gunner: I keep on listening the same bands: Mayhem, Dark Funeral, Enthroned, Marduk, Dissection, Lucifugum, Rotting Christ, Belenos, Morbid Angel, Obituary, Terrorizer, Carcass, Legion of the Damned, Hypocrisy, Impaled Nazarene, My Dying Bride, Emperor, Setherial. Plus a lot of more underground stuff, such bands as Grift, Forndom, Twilight’s Embrace.

Furious: I am inspired by the new wave of BM from USA – Nightbringer, for example.

12.How would you describe your satanic and anti christian views?

Gunner: undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit.

Oleg I.: I don't care about any religion, only about how are the individuals who practice it.

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

Gunner: Stay Strong & Keep on Fighting!

Furious: Keep listening to dark music.

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Wrapped In Pale Interview


1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
1. Wrapped In Pale is an atmospheric black metal band from Florida. We started in late 2014 and played some shows around Central Florida before stripping down to a one-man project in mid-2017.

2.So far you have released a demo and an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?
2. I think that the demo and the EP both have similar musical themes and ideas, but that the EP is a more fully realized version of the ideas presented in the demo. To me, the demo is simpler and more purely depressive, due to the vocal style. Because of a change of vocalists in between the two releases and some more complicated songwriting, the EP has more going on musically, and to me, is more interesting from a songwriting standpoint.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?
3. The themes that come up the most in Wrapped in Pale's lyrics are revenge and depression. The two intertwine a fair bit - revenge because of depression.

4.One of your tracks deals with the 'Kabbalah', do you have an interest in Occultism?

4. I definitely have an interest in occultism. That song uses the idea of an eternal, unseen mysticism dashing away the dregs of the human race, especially those have committed the worst kinds of atrocities.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Wrapped In Pale'?
. The name Wrapped in Pale has kind of a two-fold meaning, both having to do with death. It refers to the fact that once people die, their blood often leaves their faces and they are left looking pale. It also has to do with the practice of wrapping bodies in funeral shrouds after death. So, one could think of it as being "wrapped in the paleness of death" both literally through the shroud and figuratively through the paleness one's body achieves shortly after death.

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

6. Wrapped in Pale has been a one-man project for a short while; however I have always been the one that has written all of the music. For this EP I did have friends working sort of as "session musicians" for drums and vocals, mostly due to the unexpected way that we were kind of forced into being a one-man project. Being a one-man project certainly has its benefits in that you don't have to wait for anyone else to get anything done, but I would always be open to working with other musicians, especially drummers. For now though, the core of Wrapped in Pale remains only me

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
7. Actually, Depressive Illusions Records from Ukraine is doing a small release of the EP on tape and CD-R. We are currently working with them - they have been super cool and great to work with, and the tapes and CD-Rs they've made look great

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

8. I think that we are still a relatively unknown band, but even so I've received great feedback from all over the world. We've been shared and reviewed on sites from Europe to South America, so I am very happy with the reception that the record has gotten. This feedback from far away has been very important considering that we are not in a position to play live right now, so this is the only way that I know that people appreciate the music.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
9. I'd like to continue along the musical direction that Wrapped in Pale has been heading in. I think that we can keep our atmospheric sound while also adding interesting parts that one might not expect in a black metal band. I have songs written that I believe explore these ideas - I just have to find a drummer to play them with.

10.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?
10. The bands that have had the most influence on Wrapped in Pale are definitely Ukrainian bands like Hate Forest, Drudkh, and Astrofaes. Those bands changed my entire perspective on black metal when I first heard them years ago. I don't think that anything can top that Ukrainian style of black metal. Besides them, DSBM bands like Totalselfhatred and Make a Change... Kill Yourself have also had a huge influence on Wrapped in Pale. Lately, I have been listening to a lot of Black Twilight Circle bands like Kallathon, Volahn, and Blue Hummingbird on the Left. I think that those bands are doing great things with black metal right now. Outside of black metal, I've also been listening to a lot of Combat Wounded Veteran, and have been on a Godflesh kick as well. Always one of my favorite bands.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

11. Outside of music, I am extremely interested in history, literature, and poetry. I spend most of my time reading books, and was a student of history at university. There are a couple of my published poems floating around out there as well. I'm also very into video games.

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

12. I'd just like to thank you for expressing interest in the record and doing this interview. I'd also like to thank Depressive Illusions Records for working with me and doing tapes and CD-Rs of the EP.

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The Wakedead Gathering/Ecferus/I, Voidhanger Records/2017 Split CD Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Ohio's  The  Wakedead  Gathering  and  Indiana's  Ecferus  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  The  Wakedead  Gathering  a  solo  project  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  with  a  touch  of  black  metal.

  His  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  dark  sounding  doom  metal  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  melodic  fashion  which  also  leads  to  a  heavier  direction  along  with  the  riffs  also  using  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  along  with  the  songs  being  11  minutes in  length,  clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  grim  black metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft.

  In  my  opinion  this  is   another  great  sounding  track  from  The  Wakedead  Gathering  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  doom/death  metal  with  a  touch  of  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.

  Next  up  is  Ecferus  a  solo project  that has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays more  of  a  raw  form of  black  metal  on  this  recording.

  His  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with a  very  raw  sound  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  and  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  sounds  of  battle  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a   very  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences,  melodic  chants  can  also  be  heard  briefly  in  the  background,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  evolutionary  anthropology,  mythology  and  science  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ecferus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of raw  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Author  of  Destruction".

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  doom/death  and  black  metal.  8  out  of  10.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/The_Wakedead_Gathering/3540270605
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Ecferus/3540392312
   

    

Dreamshift Interview


1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
1) Hi there! Dreamshift is a Black Metal Project that arose in my homestudio in Bavaria, Germany. I started it in April/May this year and wrote, recorded, mixed and mastered the first album „Seconds“ within 2 Month. It’s a very experimental project and I’m trying to combine many different influences.

2.You have an album coming out in October, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
2) It’s not this common black metal thing because there is much Dur-chords going on guitarwise. So, many friendly melodies are mixed up with hard blast beats and sorrowful screamed vocals. There are some aggressiv parts too of curse, otherwise it wouldn’t be black metal at all. I‘m trying to build up big atmospheric ambiences through much reverb and delay on the lead guitars. And I hope it kind of worked out!

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?
3) Thematically I tried to cover topics like the problems of getting older and not being able to fit this society, social criticism and some pretty personal themes. All in all it was all inspired by everyday life and my thoughts about it. What will be left when I‘m dead is the topic of the song „Remember“, the problem of always moving in a constant circle and not being able to go further is the topic of „Cricles“ and „Just Like Rain“ is about not wanting to be a party of this robotic life we live in sometimes just to show you some examples. I try to give the listener some space for own interpretation.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Dreamshift'?
4) I came up with the name right after recording „Seconds“. It covered up the main topic of the album pretty good because many of the lyrics are written in the perspective human being that’s dreaming and some are like normal thoughts. So it’s a combination and sometimes you can’t decide what’s real and what’s not. So here you go. Sounds weird. It is.

5.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?
5) I prefer to work solo I guess, so I can just do what ever I want. No one complains, no one wants to change something. And it’s a pretty cool feeling to finish an album you did all the way on your self. The only thing I would like to do is working together with a producer, so I could have some experiences from someone else helping me for the recording and mixing itself. That would be awesome. But it’s pretty expensive...

6.The album is coming out on 'STF Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

6) STF is a label from Thüringen in Germany and it’s pretty close by where I live. We had a meeting and it was great, so I decided to work together with them. They aren’t a label that does provide metal only. And I think I am one of their most „underground genre“ client. But so far it’s pretty cool! They have a great Studio as well! Gary, the owner, is a great guy and a great musician! They all have so much experience in terms of music.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and post metal?
7) So far I only had great feedback and even better reviews for the album. Everything works out way better then I thought! People are messaging me on Facebook just to tell me how great my music is and that’s a huge honor! I‘m really glad people like it.

8.Are you also involved with any other bands or musical projects?
8) Yeah for sure! I’ve played drums in many deathcore- and deathmetalbands. I left those because of the lack of time I’m having. At this moment I have my second one man project running called „Nemus“ which sticks to a way more traditional style of atmospheric black metal. And as well I‘m starting a black metal project with some friends of mine in Bamberg in which I play guitar and sing. So always busy!

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
9) Music is my biggest love but always will stay a hobby I guess. I love black metal. And I don’t want to do more commercial music, so I won’t be able to live from it. But that’s ok! I have a normal daytime job and use all the time that is left to make music. For me I think that’s the best way to do it. But for sure there will be many many more albums I will record or be involved in!

10.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?
10) I listen to every genre. Wait, no Volksmusic. I don’t really like that shit.
I like to listen to every style of metal, but most of the time Black Metal. I like techno, deephouse, EDM, classic music, some jazz and funk, indie, alternative and of curse German Battlerap, that stuff is just hilarious! But at least 70% of the music that comes out of my speakers is Black Metal.
For my own music for Dreamshift especially I’ve even been influenced by Minimal Techno a little bit! There are these long lasting guitarparts and some Synthesizers that really remind of minimal leads. Some classic influences, as you can hear on the piano based speech called „everything“. By the way the piano which I recorded was the one in my wintergarden. It is totally out of tune. I learned playing on this thing 17 years ago. But I think it has a cool vibe going on!

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
11) I love to cook. Good food and health is important to me. I do some Fitnessstuff and hit the gym at least 4 times a week. I like to travel and to get god damn wasted in clubs, bars and on festivals. Could not live without that!

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
12) I would like to thank you for the questions of curse! And to those guys spending some time to read this: thanks for your time, I hope it wasn’t wasted, support your underground and your local scene! It depends on you if there will be more great music or not!

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Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Bloodway/A Fragile Riddle Crypting Clues/I, Voidhanger Records/2017 CD Review


  Romania's  Bloodway  have  returned  with  a new  recording  that  is  more  in  a  progressive  and  avant  garde  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  "A  Fragile  Riddle  Crypting  Clues"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

   Avant  garde  elements  and  clean  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  utilized  briefly  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are   mostly  angry  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  clean  singing  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount of  melody  and  progressive  elements  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in   length,  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  psychedelic  influences  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  spoken  word  parts  are  added  onto the  closing  track.

  Bloodway creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  progressive  and  avant  garde  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics are  a  concept  album  and  cover  disenchantment  and  melancholy  with  a  philosophical  touch.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Bloodway  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  and  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Startling  Grotesque"  "Prison  Paradise"  and  "A  Fragile  Riddle  Crypting  Clues".  8  out  of  10.

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Inconcessus Lux Lucis/The Crowning Quietus/I, Voidhanger Records/2017 CD Review



  United  Kingdom's  Inconcessus  Lux  Lucis  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  that  continues  the  occult  black  metal  style  of  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Crowning  Quietus"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Distorted  amp  sounds  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams,  tortured  and  drum  beats  starts  off  the  album  as well  as  adding  in  a  very  ritualistic  feeling  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  both  chaotic  and  melodic  at  the  same  time.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffing  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  melody,  talent  and  skill  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  on  some  of  the  tracks  the  riffs  also  mix  in  elements  of  traditional  metal  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  at  times  the  music  also  brings  in  a  black'n'roll  vibe,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Inconcessus  Lux  Lucis  remains  true  to  the  occult  style  of  previous  releases  while  also  adding  in  more  traditional  metal  influences  and  catchy  riffs,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Left  Hand  Path  and  Saturnian  Black  Magick  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Inconcessus  Lux  Lucis  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  occult  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Armour  Rides  Upon  Midnight"  and  "Fever  Upon  The  Firmament".  8  out  of  10.

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Imperialist Interview


1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Imperialist is a melodic black metal band from Los Angeles, California (Monrovia to be exact) formed in 2013. We initially started this band because we wanted to create Black metal that we would want to listen to; riff-driven with the ability to tell a story and maintain a dark, desolate atmosphere. Aesthetically, I have always been drawn to science fiction and outer space, so it was the perfect recipe to blend my love of black metal with the cold darkness of space.

2.You have an album coming out in November, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
It’s easy to compare our previous release with the new material. Cipher is presenting a much more serious approach and, by our standards, an evolved level of song writing and structuring. In addition to that, the production quality is far more improved in comparison.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
It varies in terms of underlying subjects, but generally the outer shell of my lyrics are sci-fi stories inspired by events and natural phenomena happening here on earth. I also lyrically explore the darkness and desolation of space like black holes, galactic collisions, etc.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Imperialist'?
The name was actually found in a videogame called Metroid Prime Hunters. There is a weapon in said game that is named Imperialist, and I thought it was perfect. I wanted the band to be one strong, impactful word. It was a no-brainer to go with Imperialist after seeing it displayed as a powerful weapon in the game.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your  stage performance?
Mostly local shows in which we have played for some great crowds. Our stage performance is intended to draw the viewer and demand their undivided attention. we are by no means a high-action, high-energy band that is running around and jumping on stage - we just prefer to let the music do the work. We maintain presence by letting our energy flow through us with the intensity that our music demands.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
Not immediately, we hope to showcase our record locally and in surrounding areas. Id say a tour may or may not be in the near future, when the time is right.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Yes, we are. The focus is on generating awareness and we fully intend on having a larger following once the word spreads about Cipher.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
It has been surprisingly positive. Initially, I did not think our EP would be well-received, but we are very humbled that people enjoy it. We hope to earn more followers with our debut.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Theres really no telling besides the fact that we want to keep pushing ourselves as musicians. We intend to keep playing our very own brand of black metal and push it as best as we can while staying true to our vision.

10.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?
The biggest influence on us is Emperor, Their compositions and approach to creating an atmosphere with their music is very inspirational to us. We are also heavily influenced by Dissection, Immortal, Windir, Moonsorrow and Necrophobic just to name a few. As well as the influence from legends like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Mercyful Fate/King Diamond.

Lately I have been listening to the New Wintersun album "the forest seasons" as well as new offerings from Belphegor, Leprous, and Limbonic art.

11.Does Occultism play any role in your music?
No.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
It varies really; video games, movies, reading books, among many things.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I just want to thank you for your support and interest in Imperialist. We truly are humbled at the fact that you're interested in our upcoming debut and we really hope you enjoy it. Thank you!

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Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Howling In The Fog/Evolve/Vacula Productions/2016 Full Length Review


  Howling  In  The  Fog  are  a  solo  project  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  depressive  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2016  album  "Evolve"  which  was  released  by  Vacula  Productions.

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  along  with  some  elements  of  post  rock  and  shoegaze  start  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  both  clean  singing  and  grim  yet  depressive  black  metal  screams  and  when  guitar  leads  and  solos  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  On  the  second  track  the  music  gets  heavier  while  also  mixing  it  in  with  the  keyboards  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  As  the  album  progresses  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  they  give  the  songs  a  more  raw feeling  and  the  songs  also  bring  in   a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  growls  are  also  used  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  On  this  recording  Howling  In  The  Fog  move  away  from  the  raw  depressive  side  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  goes  into  more  of  an  atmospheric  post  black  metal  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Howling  In  The  Fog  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Evolve"  "Goodbye"  "Rainbow"  and  "Eternal".  8  out  of  10.

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Monday, September 25, 2017

Vehement/Ashes/Infernum Records/2017 CD Review


  Vehement  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  very  extreme  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Ashes"  which  will  be  released  in  Octboer  by  Infernum  Records.

  Field  recordings  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffing  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  along  with  a  brief  use  of  clean  vocals  on  some  tracks  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  into  the  music  and  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times..


  Vehement  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw,  melodic  and  traditional  sounding  but  with  a  more  modern  take  on  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vehement  are  a  very  great  sounding  extreme  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Far  Below  Us"  "Burden's  Root"  and  "Tidal  Verse".  8  out  of  10.

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Parodos Interview



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

The band started three years ago when Giovanni Costabile (keyboards), Gianpiero Sica (bass) and Daniele Ippolito (drums), who had already played together in another band, followed Giovanni's idea to write new material that could express our musical interests. Soon after Francesco Del Vecchio (guitars) joined the band and became an integral part of our soundwriting process. When Marco Alfieri (vocals) who was a long time friend of ours joined the band, the line up was complete and we started writing our debut album "Catharsis". Last year in July we recorded a three-song live session cd at Sonic Temple Studio in Salerno (Italy) that served as a forerunner of our upcoming album. A few months before entering the studio Daniele was forced to leave the band, due to personal problems. So we entered the studio with session drummer Alfonso Mocerino who did a great job recording drum tracks. The whole album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Marco Mastrobuono at  Kick Recording studio in Rome between December 2016 and February 2017. Then Alessandro Martellone joined the family and became our new drummer.

2.You have an album coming out in October, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Well, it's always difficult for an artist or a band to describe its own music. We generally use definitions such as Avantgard-progressive black metal in order to give the listener some suggestions about our music, but there's much more. We are not the black metal band a typical fan would expect. Our music is not just about fast guitar riffs, blast-beat and screaming vocals. There are some songs where these elements are present obviously, but "Catharsis" is a really complex work. Generally our songs are quiet long and a mixture of delicate atmospheres and harder parts are presented in a logical sequence in order to convey a large spectrum of human emotions: from angst, despair and bitterness, to hope and even some kind of resignation.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

The lyrical themes and the songs in general deal with the concept of rebirth. The album should be experienced as a process of purification, a journey which takes the listener through different aspects of human feelings. From the worst moments of life one should find the inner energy to overcome difficulties and let his soul fly free. To do this a person must transform himself and become someone else, not completely different from the past, but with a deeper level of self awareness. Moreover we have to say this album is dedicated to the memory of Luigi, a band's close friend and Giovanni's cousin who passed away two years ago and whose suffering and struggle to survive deeply moved us and influenced the whole concept of the album.

4.I know that the bands name comes from a term used in the theater of Ancient Greece, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

Ancient greek theater refers to Parodos as the first song sung by the chorus after its entrance from the side wings. It generally follows the prologue and precedes the dramatic representation that is about to take place on stage and serves as an introduction to the themes of the play. Likewise our music acts as an intoduction for the listener to the drama that life is, with all its implications and controversial aspects. Moreover we all live in Southern Italy, a place where Ancient Greeks settled their colonies 28 centuries ago. The roots of our culture lie in ancient greek art, architecture and philosophy and, in some ways, it still permeates our deep struciture as human beings.

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

One of the best show we've had so far was the first we played in our hometown. Even if it was a small venue a lot of people came to see us. We really felt their warm support. It was important for us to test the audience reaction to our tunes played live.
Inspired by the greek theater, the beginning of our shows has a sort of dramatic impact. We  usually wear masks when we approach the stage just like the actors of the classical greek tragedy, which we take off right after the prologue ends and eventually our setlist begins.

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

The day after "Catharsis" is released, we will play our relese party, when the record will be performed in its entirety. On the 4th of November we will perform at Cult Of Parthenope black metal fest in Naples at its second edition; then from the 10th to the 19th of November  we will be on our first european tour supporting italian black metal act SCUORN, crossing Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria and more. You can find all infos about the venues on our Facebook page.

7.The new album is coming out on 'Inverse Records', can you tell us how you got in contact with this label?

In the most simple way. We sent our promo album to the label and they replied soon after. We found a very special person in Joni and everybody at Inverse Records who immediately let us know they truly appreciated our work and started promoting our album.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music fans of avant garde and black metal?

Up to now, judging from the first international reviews, the feedback appears to be good.  Of course, we expect some people may not like our music, especially because it does not follow the rules of traditional black metal. But we are confident that people can let the music reach their deepest emotions, regardless of genres and tags.

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

It's quiet difficult to answer this question, especially at the point we are now.  As a band we do not plan what kind of mood our next album will have. Soundwriting is a spontaneous flow that's really unpredictable.

10.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?

Among our main influences and source of inspiration there are Katatonia, Enslaved, Fen and the dreamy and ethereal sound of French bands such as Alcest and Les Discrets, just to name the most known ones. Every member of the band has different musical backgrounds but everyone tries to bring his own taste to our music so that it does not resemble anything in particular. We simply try to blend our influences in order to create something that would sound fresh and new in a certain way.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Our singer Marco is also a professional photographer and he dedicates himself to his art with passion. We all share common interests in theater, mithology and litterature. Every aspect of our personal interests takes part in the creative process. No matter what form of expression is suitable to you as long as it keeps an open door to real feelings.

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

First of all we would like to thank you for the opportunity to talk about us and our project. For those of who may be interested in our music, follow us on our social pages (Facebook, Twitter and Bandcamp). Again, thank you and join the Catharsis.

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Dun Interview

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

DUN is a one-man project that took shape during 2013 in France. Although it's often considered as a Melodic Black Metal project, I don't see myself linked to this particular style. I personally call it Black Art.

2.So far you have released 2 albums how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?

This is quite a raw production on both albums, made with what was at hand at the time, without any knowledge of music recording, mixing, etc... It was something that needed to come out quick and raw, emotions that just can't stay within I guess. I think that both albums are really close to each other in terms of sound, maybe the second one is a bit clearer, I don't know, I don't really care.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?

The first album is talking about personal visions of the world I'm living in, and the dark feelings related to it. These feelings were expressed though metaphorical poems, maybe because of a shame I felt by exposing myself to others.
The second album is dealing with personal childhood difficulties such as suicide experimentations, hatred, despair, and most importantly how I escaped all of this.
Broadly speaking, DUN is meant to express my personal experience of life.

4.I know that the bands name means 'fortress in ancient Celtic civilizations, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

The fortress is a metaphorical concept for resistance. There's something that recursively comes out of the lyrics : "les murailles du cœur", which means "fortress of the heart". In fact, I have to protect myself against a world I'm afraid of, I set a mental bulwark between me and the others. This is my only way to face life. This is what saved me from death, mostly. This is what DUN is all about.

5.On the albums you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

DUN is a truly, deeply personal project. There's no way I can share it with other musicians.

6.On the first album you had done a 'Renaud' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

This song is touching me straight to the heart. In my opinion it totally fits the album's concept, but in its very own way...

7.So far you have worked with 'Wolfspell Records' and 'Heathen Tribes', are you happy with the support both labels have given you so far?

 I am thankful to these labels for having physically released my music, but otherwise, I don't care about how it's being sold, nor how it's being received by the Black Metal "scene". This is absolutely not the point of this project.-

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

Some people liked it, some people didn't. Once again that's not the point, I don't care about it.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

Writing music is a process I don't plan to do. It comes whenever life decides to. There's something I'm sure of : I don't want to make money with my music. I guess I will continue to do music the same way I do it today, with the heart.

10.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'm open to a large range of music styles, but Black Metal is obviously the one that is always on top among everything. I'm not even sure where the influences are coming from, I can't tell a specific name. However, some bands have had a strong impact on me these last years, such as SALE FREUX, early NARGAROTH, SADNESS, etc...

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I like to drink alcohol.

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

None.

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