Saturday, March 31, 2018

Schrat/Alptraumganger/Folter Records/2018 CD Review



  Schrat  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  old  school  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Alptraumganger"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Folter  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sounding  intro starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  evil  sounding  laughter  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.

  A  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  the  riffing  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  style  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  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.

  Spoken  word  parts  and  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  melodic  guitar  leads  are  added  onto  one  of  the  tracks  while  they  also  bring  in a  couple  of  instrumentals  which  also  bring  in  elements  of  classical  music  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Schrat  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  traditional  sounding  in  the  90's  style,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  pest,  suffering  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Schrat  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  old  school  and  traditional  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Alptraumganger"  "Graberland"  and  "Eruption".  8/5  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/G_0KdV6yUH8

  

Deadly Carnage/Through The Void, Above The Suns/ATMF/2018 Full Length Review


  Deadly  Carnage  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Through  The  Void,  Above  The  Suns"  which  was  released  by  ATMF  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  chants  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction  which  also  introduces grim  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  At  times the  vocals  get  semi  melodic  but  remaining  aggressive  at  the  same  time  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  elements  of  post  metal.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  riffs and  leads  also  bring  in  the  more  modern  atmospheric  style  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them as  well  as  some  clean  vocals  also being  used  at  times  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  they  give  the  songs  a  more  raw  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Deadly  Carnage  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  atmospheric  black,  post  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  involving  an  existential  and  universal  vision,  halfway  between  science,  philosophy,  occultism  and  spirituality.

  In  my  opinion  Deadly  Carnage  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  atmospheric  black,  post  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Matter"  "Ifene"  and  "Entropia".  8  out  of  10.   

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ DeadlyCarnage/Bandcamp: https://deadlycarnage. bandcamp.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ deadlycarnageband/

Friday, March 30, 2018

Deiphago/Amputator/Greyhaze Records/Darkness Attack Records/2018 Split EP Review



  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Philippines's  Deiphago  and  U.S.A's  Amputator  which will  be  released  in  April  as  a  joint  effort  between  Greyhaze  and  Darkness  Attack  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Deiphago  a  band  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  raw  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  fast,  raw  and  brutal  war  metal  sound  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  fashion  while  the  songs  also  stick  to  mostly  a  fast  direction  along  with  some  slow  or  mid  tempo  sections  only  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  bestial  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and  Anti  Religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Deiphago  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  war,  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Heretic  Oath".

  Next  up  is  Amputator  which  also  continues  their  mixture  of  war  and  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  war  shots  and  distorted  amp  noises along  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  raw  war  metal  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  as  well as  having  a  very  lo-fi  atmosphere.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  bass  guitars  also  have  a  very  powerful  tone  to  them  along  with  some  chaotic  guitar  leads  also  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  the  music  sticking  to  either  a  fast  or  mid  tempo  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics cover  death,  war  and  murder  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Amputator  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  and  war  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Bitch  Of  Gonorheal  Worship".

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  war  metal.  8/5  out  of  10.   

 https://store.greyhazerecords. com/index.php?route=product/ product&product_id=511

Efferat/Bainianling Juhui/2016 Full Length Review


  This  is  a  third  review  of  a  recording  from  Pennsylvania's  Efferat  which  takes  their  experimental,  post  rock  and  black  metal  style  to  new  levels  and  the  album  was  self  released in  2016  and  called  "Bainianling  Juhui".

  Ritualistic  ambient  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  oriental  style  musical  instruments  being  utilized  in  the  background  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  drones as  well  as  some  elements  of  harsh  noise  and  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  at  times.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  all  of  the  songs  sound  different  from each  other  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  distorted  guitar  sounds  along  with  some  6  and  12  string  acoustic guitars  being  used  briefly  and  one  track  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording.

  Trumpets  and  didgeridoo's  are  also  used  briefly  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  a  small  amount  of  black  metal  screams  being  added  in  the  background  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  guitar  solos  and  leads  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  the  tracks  sound  different  from  each  other.

  On  this  recording  Efferat  keeps  the  post  rock  and  black  metal  elements  but  also  takes  their  musical  into  more  of  a  ritualistic,  experimental  and  drone  direction  to  create an  album  that  is  very  dark  and  disturbing  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw.

  In  my  opinion  this is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Efferat  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental,  post  rock,  drone  and  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Samjokgu"  and  "Mothras I  Havet  av  taer".  8/5  out  of  10.

https://efferat456.bandcamp.com/

Efferat/The Enlightenment/2015 Full Length Review


  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Efferat  which  continues  their  mixture  of  experimental,  post  rock  and  black  metal  and  the  album  was  self  released  in  2015  and  called  "The  Enlightenment".

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  and  filed  recordings  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  harsh  noises  being  used  in  the  background  briefly  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  at  times  as  well  as  mixing  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  vocals  are  used  briefly  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  distorted,  dark  and  ritualistic  atmosphere  while  the  music  also  adds  in  an  improv  touch  at  times  along  with  the  guitars  leads  bringing  in  elements  of  post  black  metal  and  when  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  when  the  music  speeds  up  and  when  keyboards  are  utilized  they  enhance  the  ambient  atmosphere  of  the  music  and  on  the  closing  track  didgeridoo's  are  added  into  the  music  and  they  give  the  song  more  of  a  shamanistic,  ethnic  and  indigenous  feeling  as  well  as  some  melodic  chants.

  Efferat  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  experimental,  post  rock  and  black  metal  mixture  from  the  previous  release  reviewed  while  also  sounding  very  different  and  taking  their  sound  to  a  different  level  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Efferat  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental,  post  rock  and  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Akui  Otaki  Falls"  and  "Bakusur".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/efferat333/

Efferat/okuukan tl amon rosesn bsrer/Bum Ward Records/2015 EP Review


  Efferat  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  rock,  experimental  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2015  ep  "okuukan  tl  amon  rosesn  bsrer"  which  was  released  by  Bum  Ward  Records.

  Avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  ep  along  with  a  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  in  the  background  while  the  music  gets  very  experimental  at  times  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

 A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  ambient  at  times  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in a   great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  a  very  raw  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  Ethnic  instruments  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  all  of  the  songs  sound  very  different  from  each  other  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  elements  of  post  rock  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  instrumentals  and  as  the  ep  progresses  elements  of  noise  and  lo-fi  music  can  also  be  heard.

  Efferat  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  post  rock  and  experimental  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a   sound  of  their  own  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  giving  the  songs  more  of  an  improv  vibe  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw.

  In  my  opinion  Efferat  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  experimental,  post  rock  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Therevada"  and  "Grimlor".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/efferat333/

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Corpsehammer/Perversion/Morbid Skull Records/2018 EP Review


  Corpsehammer  are  a  band  with  members  from  Sweden  and  Chile  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  primitive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  ep  "Perversion"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  morbid  Skull  Records.

  Distorted  amp  noises  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  before  going  into  a  very  fast  war  metal  direction  which  also uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  songs  a  more  raw  feeling.

  Vocals are  a  mixture  of  bestial  growls,  grim  screams  and  fist  wave  style  shouts  while  the  music  also  brings  in a   great  amount  of  80's  and  90's  influences  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  music  sticks  mostly  to  a  fast  direction.

  Corpsehammer  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  primitive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  death  and  doom  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Corpsehammer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  primitive  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Sexo_Muerte".  8  out  of  10.

https://morbidskull.bandcamp.com/album/corpsehammer-perversi-n-2017

Totalselfhatred/Solitude/Osmose Productions/2018 CD Review


  Totalselfhatred  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  depressive  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Solitude"  which  will be  released  in April  by  Osmose  Productions.

  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  depressive  black  metal  screams  being  added  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later   which  also  leads  up  to  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads a re  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  atmospheric  fashion.

  All  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  faster sections  of  the  songs  also bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well as  the  songs  also  mixing  in  elements  of  doom  and  post  metal  and  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  clean  playing  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard.

  Totalselfhatred  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  depressive,  atmospheric  and  melancholic  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  pain,  darkness,  misanthropy,  and  hopelessness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Totalselfhatred  are  a  very  great  sounding  depressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cold  Numbness"  and  "Black  Infinity".  8  out  of  10.

http://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/solitude

Living Altar Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
First of all, thank you for the interview. Living Altar is a band from Lithuania that plays Deadly Black Metal. It used to consist of three members in a power trio format, but now remains as a studio project. Living Altar methodically investigates various psychic phenomena, myths and esoterica. Was this little enough?

2.So far you have released a demo, EP and also have been a part of a split, how would you describe the musical sound that has been presented on those  recordings and also how do they differ from each other?
The music (or at least what I want it to be) is harsh Black Metal that constantly pushes forward and manages a healthy sense of dynamics. The most prominent difference between the demo and the EP is that the latter is much better produced, recorded, and mixed/mastered. Also, the music feels more complete and purposeful whereas each song delivers a listener to some destination. Meanwhile the demo, since it was recorded live in a studio (1 song - 1 take), is more raw and somewhat more wild. Split/compilation consisted of one track, which was present on the EP, but had a bit more raw mix.

3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored with your music so far?
I think that the title of the EP, namely "Scythes Towards Psyche", should evoke a vision of our topics. Central to the lyrics is the connection between the physical and immaterial that is human. From the EP's point of view, this connection is based in the neural system of a person, while "the other side" is crawling with unseen phenomena. Concepts of archetype, egregore, cognition, (sub-)consciousness, time and cosmology (note the three levels of existence loosely described here) are central to the mythology of Living Altar, whereas physics, other natural sciences and scientific method itself are hopeless in explaining this phenomenon. So, in some sense it is Lovecraftian as well.

4.The band has been around since 2011 but waited until 2015 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?
Early years were plagued with line-up problems and, until we got together with a proper drummer Jonas (late 2013), little progress was made. Yes, the songs were written prior to that, but it was the appearance of the drummer who gave the real kick to the band's progress. Then we managed to have a rather tight live and recording line-up, which has done the recordings and gigs. The demo was recorded in mid-2014, but the actual release was postponed due to various things.

5.Your music is very heavily rooted in the bestial and war metal style that seems to have been making a huge comeback in the last few months, what do you feel you have to offer to the genre that no band before you has done so far?
Do you really think that this war metal is making a comeback? To me it seems that the spring has been drained and only a small number of bands is actually providing interesting and relevant releases. Of course, there are some bands here-and-there, but I wouldn't call this a 'huge comeback'. Now do we have anything that no band before us has done? I don't think we are in a position to discuss this, since, you know, every band since Black Sabbath has only been doing more of the same. Yet, I can tell that you won't find this usual shallow and ironic gas-mask, goat-fuck, Mary-rape, aesthetics or ideals that plagues raw BM. These are the things that have always put me off this scene.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Living Altar'?
There is no real answer to this. This phrase was just stuck in my head for a few days. Of course, later I wanted to give this name a myth or meaning (and actually did it), but in the end this should remain open for interpretation.

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the cover artwork presented on the new ep?
Cover artwork was done by Asteraz (https://www.facebook.com/Deat hisper/) and turned out really well. Firstly, it must be mentioned that it was created to reflect the title of the EP, which is "Scythes Towards Psyche", which explains a lot. Also, the placement of a quasar over a supposed location of the pineal gland hints of the collapse of macrocosmos and microcosmos (or vice versa) in a very limited (yet infinitely big) volume. That's one side of the paradox that is being discussed in the EP as well as one possible interpretation of Living Altar. There are some components that emphasize some particular details of the whole concept, but they should not shadow the main concept.

8.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance? Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
The number of live performances was very limited and the last one happened more than three years ago, so it's pointless to talk about this now.

9.In 2017 you where a part of a split, can you tell us a little bit more about the bands that you had shared this recording with?
The split was titled "Nekrokatarsis" and this is a name of a rather small circle of people that are behind "Armageddon Descends" festival hosted Vilnius. Nekrokatarsis has been active since late 2012 and did five editions of "Armageddon Descends" as well as a number of different gigs. But "Nekrokatarsis" could also be interpreted as an artistic concept, egregore or anything else. So this split was a collaboration between the 6 bands (4 metal and 2 electronic projects) that are directly involved or close to the "Nekrokatarsis". The bands gave their interpretation of the concept. It is a very conceptual work and, even the bands are very different in their musical output, a very strong common thread runs through the release.
https://nkrktrss.bandcamp.com/ releases

10.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of war, black and death metal?
Given that the release is quite new and rather underground, not many opinions were gathered. Of course, there were some default reviews by webzines, but I have to see a good, insightful and contemplative review yet. The most common epithets I've noticed are "harsh, brutal, organic, punishing", which is not far from the truth (or what I perceive the music to be).

11.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
The music is being created, but it's too soon to speculate if this will materialize as a full-length or any other format. Future sound of Living Altar will be even more focused and brutal, yet more thoughtful and elaborated. The essence of the band's music, the 'occultum lapidem', is going to be buried behind layers and layers of paradox, so that it would unfold only to the ones actually listening.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
There are too many to mention. I am a fan of music and my influences range from classic and underground metal to electronic (industrial, contemporary EBM) and classical music (romantic period) to a lot of different things.
Nowadays I was listening to a lot of Inquisition! Also, among a lot of other bands, Primitive Man, Revenge, new Demonmancy masterpiece, Boards of Canada and Tangerine Dream and releases of Stroboscopic Artefacts label were prominent in my playlist.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts.
Thank you for your interest and interview. If anything that was written here made sense, you should go ahead and listen to this: https:// infernaprofundusrecords. bandcamp.com/album/scythes- towards-psyche

purchase album here: www.ipr666shop.com

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Abduction/A I'Heure du Crepuscule/Finisterian Dead End/2018 CD Review


  Abduction  not  to  be  confused  with  the  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  with  the  same  name  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  an  intense  and  melancholic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "A  I'Heure  du  Crepuscule"  which  was  released  in  Finesterian  Dead  End.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  being  used  briefly  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  before  going  into a   very  fast  and  raw  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some  clean  vocals  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  progressive  while  the  songs  also  mix  in  some  of  the  more  modern  atmospheric  style  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  they  also  bring  in  a  brief  instrumental  which  also  introduces  post  rock  elements  onto  the  recording  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  and  a  couple  track  also  introduces  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  onto  the  recording.

  Abduction  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic,  atmospheric,  progressive  and  melancholic  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  darkness,  history,  death,  misanthropy,  religion  and  wilderness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Abduction  are  a  very  great  sounding  intense  and  melancholic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  I'Heure  du  Crepuscule"  and  "La  Grande  Illusion".  8/5  out  of  10.

http://www.abduction.fr
https://www.facebook.com/Abduction-144418378940864
http://abductionfr.bandcamp.com



  

Profane Order/Tightened Noose Of Sanctimony/Krucyator Productions/2018 CD Re-Issue Review


  Profane  Order  are  a  band  from  Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada  that  plays  a  bestial  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and this  is  a  review  of t heir  2017 ep  "Tightened  Noose  Of  Sanctimony"  which  was  re-issued  in  2018  by  Krucyator  Productions  and  also  consists  of  "their  2016  full  length  album  "Marked  As  Malice"  as  a  bonus.

  A  very  fast,  raw and  brutal  war  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  black  metal  screams  are  also  used  at  times  as  well  as  the  songs  also bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  Bestial  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  music  brings  out  of  of  the  best  elements  of  both  the  Australian  and  Canadian  styles  of  war  metal  with  a  touch  of  Archgoat  and  Black  Witchery  influences  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  raw  yet  chaotic  style  but  also  having  their  melodic  moments  on  a  few  tracks  which  also  updates  the  sound  for  the  modern  era  and  at  times  the  bass  guitar  also  brings  in  a  very  powerful  and  grinding  tone. 

  On  the  2016  album  the  music  starts  out  in  a  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  direction  which  goes  back  to  the  early  era's  of  90's  doom/death  metal  while  the  vocals  also  thrown  in  a  lot  of  angry  shouts  along  with  the  bass  tone  also  bringing  in  the  same  style  of  the  previous  ep  as  well  as  the  music  also  bringing  in  the  war  metal  aggression  of  the  previous  recording.

  When  guitars  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  bring  in  even  more  of  the  90's  era  black/death  metal  style  while  also  having t heir  dark  and  melodic  moments  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  keeps  the  same  style  of t he  previous  ep  but  with  a  more  different  vocal  approach.

  Profane  Order  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  rawest  and  most  brutal  elements  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  while  the  ep  tracks  show  a  more  bestial  approach,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  violence,  hate  and  misanthropic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Profane  Order  are  a  very  great  sounding  bestial  mixture  of  war,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of t hose musical  genres,  you  should  check  out t his  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Total  Sacrifice"  "Morbid  Lust""Dyed  In  The  Wool"  and  "Natural  Order".  8/5  out  of  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/profaneorder
Bandcamp: https://profaneorder.bandcamp.com

Gyre Of Incandescents Interview


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

V: Gyre of Incandescents is new black metal project from Finland and Canada. I started it because I wanted to make very raw, monotonous and ritualistic black metal. Mia joined me to sing female vocals and help with lyrics. I couldn't do it and I didn't want to do it with my other projects & bands, so I started Gyre of Incandescents (GoI). With this project I want to experiment with different playing, recording and songwriting techniques in order to create interesting and hypnotic soundscapes.

2.Recently you have released your first album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

V: Steady, repetitive and ritualistic. Before I wrote all these songs, I wanted to combine drone music and black metal by putting them together so it would have been drone with blast beats hah. Later I noticed that the idea was too extreme for me.


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

V: Lyrics are about pictures in my head. Pictures and scenes with and without humans. I see music and sound as abstract pictures, shapes in my head and with lyrics I try to find a home for them. Most of the time the home is in nature. Forest, nature, loneliness.. They are all great topics if you think about it. Nature is the best place for rituals.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Gyre Of Incandescents'?

V: It's the main shape and picture of the sound I want to achieve.

5.One member lives in Finland while another lives in Canada, what effect does this have on the musical style?

V: I think it doesn't matter. Normally I just show my ideas for clean vocals to Mia and she follows them but she is very talented singer and songwriter and I would be interested to hear her ideas too.


6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding your line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

V: I am extremely happy with our current line up.

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

V: L'homme De Fer is very important song for me and it's beautiful. I think it fits perfectly with the rest of the songs in that album. Primitive, repetitive..

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

V: The feedback has been very positive. Our musical style is not for everyone. Even some people who are familiar with black metal can't understand it but still most of the feedback has been good.

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

V: Right now I think we are not going to change musically. More ambient, drone tracks will be heard in the future along with black metal. I will concentrate on production and mixing because there are so many ways to do things nowadays. I think the next album will be uglier when it comes to black metal but those smooth ambient tracks will give some contrast to it.

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?

V: I'm not going to tell any names. Lo-fi music, lo-fi black metal. Nowadays I'm listening lots of non black metal bands but they are still pretty lo fi and primitive. I just love the sound. You can never find that atmosphere from modern studio sound.

11.How would you describe your views on Occultism?

V: It's interesting but I'd rather go to the forest and find the answers from there.

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

V: Some artists think that when they make lo-fi music, it doesn't matter how you record them and they pick the first mics they find and use whatever technique that first comes to mind  because "its lo-fi it doesn't matter". Yes it does. Lo-fi music is not supposed to sound bad. It's supposed to sound good because of the lo-fi sound. Good sound and good quality are different things. And thank you for your interest.

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Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Raven Throne/I Miortvym Snicca Zolak/Non Serviam Records/2018 CD Review


  Raven  Throne  are  a  band  from  Belarus  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "I  Miortvym  Snicca  Zolak"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Non  Servaim  Records.

  Wind,  rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  folk  music  feeling  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  introduces  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  into  the  songs  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic,  modern  and  atmospheric  style.

 Most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  acoustic  guitars  are  also  used  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  and  they  also  bring  in  an  instrumental  before  closing  the  album  with  a  heavier  track.

  Raven  Throne  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  modern  and  atmospheric  with  a  great  amount  of  folk  influences,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  their  native  tongue  and  cover  Slavic  poems  that  where  written  at  the  beginning  of  the  20th  century.

  In  my  opinion  Raven  Throne  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vietru"  and  "Vosien".  8  out  of  10. 

https://bit.ly/2uh8T0E

Vahrzaw/Husk/Blood Harvest/2018 CD Review


  Vahrzaw  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  raw  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Husk"  which  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Blood  Harvest.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  being  used  at  times  and  all  of the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  can  be  heard  in  the  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  an  old  school  death  metal  fashion  as  well  as  having  their  melodic  moments  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  also  giving  the  songs  a  more  raw  feeling  and  the  music  also  has  a  lot  of  90's  influences  but  done  in  a  more  modern  fashion  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  few  tracks.

  Vahrzaw  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  from  the  previous release,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  occult  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vahrzaw  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fiends  In  The  Aether"  "The  King  In  Yellow"  and  "Husk".  8  out  of  10.

http://bloodharvestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/husk

  

Monday, March 26, 2018

Avenge The Throne/The Burning Chariots In The Skies/2016 Full Length Review


  Avenge  The  Throne  are  a  band  from  Salinas,  California  that  plays  a  very  Scandinavian  influenced  form  of  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  album  "The  Burning  Chariots  In  The  Skies".

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  dark,  heavy  yet  melodic  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  blast  beats a re  also  used  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  sounds  as  well  as  the  tremolo  picking  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.

  When  keyboards  are  utilized  they  go  back  to  the  early  90's  symphonic  style  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  music  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  Nordic  influences.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  one  song  also  introduces  rain  and  thunder  sounds  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  one  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  and  they  also  bring  in  a  a  couple  of  instrumentals  which  also  shows  some  elements  of  the  more  modern  atmospheric  black  metal  style. 

  Avenge  The  Throne  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  keyboard  orientated  style  of  Norwegian  black  metal  of  the  early  90's  (Emperor,  Mactatus, Tulus)  and  mixes  it  in  with  the  more  modern  atmospheric  style  to  create  something  very  different,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  scientific,  philosophical  and  religion  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Avenge  The  Throne  are  a  very  great  sounding  keyboard  orientated  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Metamorphosis"  "The  Burning  Chariots  In  The  Sky"  and  "Volcano".  8  out  of  10. 

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Varmia/W ciele nie/Pagan Records/2018 CD Review


  Varmia  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  pagan  form  of  black  metal  with  some  folk  music  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "W  ciele  nie"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Pagan  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  raw  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem  as  well  as  some  clean  pagan  vocals  being  used  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  folk  instruments  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording    and  when  growls  are  used  briefly  they  add  in  a  touch  of  death  metal  as  well  as  some  songs  also  bringing  classical  guitars  onto  the  recording  and  when  guitar  leads  are utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  on  one  track the  drum  beats  bring  in  more  of  a  tribal  and  shamanistic  atmosphere.

  Varmia  creates  another  recording that  remains  true  to  the  folk  influenced  raw  style  of  pagan  black  metal  from  their  previous  release,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  Slavic  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Varmia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  pagan  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "TAWE"  "Stygma  Ziemi"  and  "skvarc".  8  out  of  10.   

https://youtu.be/zjtucihDIQQ

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Wesenwille/I : Wesenwille/Redefing Darkness Records/2018 CD Review


 Wesenwille  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  progressive  and  dissonant  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "I  :  Wesenwille"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Redefining  Darkness  Records.

  A  very  heavy,  progressive  and  dissonant  sound  starts  off  the  album  while t he  faster  sections  of t he  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  bringing  in  more  of  a  modern  and  atmospheric  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  some  clean  playing  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  some  of  the  riffing  brings  in  more  old  school  elements  while  the  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling  along  with  the  vocals  also  getting  deep  at  times.  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  one  track  also  brings  in a   brief  use  of  melodic  vocals.

  Wesenwille  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  modern,  atmospheric,  progressive  and  dissonant  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  development  of  technology  and  social  structures  and  their  continual  transformative  effect  effect  on  human  social  interactions  and  values. 

  In  my  opinion  Wesenwille  are  a  very  great  sounding  modern,  atmospheric,  progressive  and  dissonant  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Churning  Masses"  and  "Rising  Tides".  8  out  of  10.

https://redefiningdarknessrecords.bandcamp.com/album/wesenwille-i-wesenwille

 

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Ljain/Endasalmar og klofnar tungur/Signal Rex/2018 CD Compilation Review



Ljain  are  a  solo  project  from  Iceland  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  occult  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  his  2018  compilation  "Endasalmar  og  klofnar  tungur"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Signal  Rex  and  consists  of  the  2016  ep's  "Endasalmar"  and  "Klofnar  Tungur".

  Ritualistic  synths  start  off  the  compilation  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  a  more  raw  feeling  along  with  the  vocals  being  very  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  can  also b e  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  as  well  as  the  synths  that  are  mixed  in  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  gives  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  and  early  2000's  influences, clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Ljain  plays  a  style  of  occult  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  atmospheric  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics a re  written  in  Icelandic  and  cover  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ljain  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  and  atmospheric  occult  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Svartigaldur"  "Endasalmar"  and  "Med  blodi  pinu".  8  out  of  10.

http://signalrex.bandcamp.com/album/endas-lmar-og-klofnar-tungur

Oaks Of Bethel/EEE Recordings Interview


For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit yourself and the many musical projects that you are a part of?

I am E. I currently perform in the musical projects Aptrgangr, Bladecatcher, E., Funeral Eclipse, Grok, Husk of Elohim, Njiijn, Njiqahdda, Oaks of Bethel, Worship of Nuit and Extispicium. I also run EEE Recordings and co-run/work for a few other operations as well.

·         Can you tell us a little bit more about your current musical projects and the musical styles you play with each one?

Aptrgangr is bestial black/death metal, Bladecatcher is death metal, E. is psychedelic rock/ambient, Funeral Eclipse is melodic black metal, Grok is symphonic black metal, Husk of Elohim is melodic black metal, Njiijn is experimental ambient/noise/drone, Njiqahdda is every type of bizarre sound imaginable, Oaks of Bethel is atmospheric black metal, Worship of Nuit is black ambient and Extispicium is atmospheric/melodic black metal.

·         In addition to black metal you are also involved with ambient and death metal projects, do you feel you have a lot to offer these other musical genres?

That remains to be seen, I simply create. Whatever feels right is what I go with at the time. The relevance of my work to these genres is irrelevant to me. I have no investment in musical genres, only in myself.

·         With some of your projects you also explore Occultism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Religion and philosophy have been obsessions of mine since I was a teenager; they shape and have shaped the world we live in. It really just boils down to the fact that I like to learn about things. I adhere to no belief system - outside of a base moral structure. I enjoy the exploration of thought.

·         Some of your earlier projects were more 'unblack' metal, what was the decision behind leaving that faith behind and also, have you received any backlash from hardcore black metal fans that would not approve of your past musical projects?

There were a lot of different factors that lead to my straying from the xian path and ultimately it was something that was not meant for me. I was only xian for 5-6 years total in the 35 years I have been alive; I came into it on my own accord and left the same way. It was a great learning experience, but I am glad I made the choices that I did. My natural disdain for the brainless desert philosophies was something that I could not bargain with, so it ultimately had to go. I have yet to see any kind of backlash in regards to that part of my history. No one bothers me about it. I think people are aware that we all make mistakes as we find our way through life - philosophy included. If someone has a problem with it, let them. I have no time to care.

 ·         Besides Occultism, what are some of the other things you have explored lyrically with your other bands or musical projects?

Anything that has influenced my life eventually makes its way into my music. Life, death, relationships, etc. I do not restrict my topical matter, although there are a great many things I am pretty sure will never come into being for my works, simply for the fact that they do not affect me or cause me to have interest in them.

·         Originally you were from Illinois but have re-located to Colorado, what was the decision behind the move?

It was more of a forced move than anything, I never planned to live in Colorado. Life happened; a long-time relationship exploded on a nuclear level, I lost my home, job and almost everything I owned because of it. I had to make a choice to better my situation and I ended up in Colorado (hails to the Velnias brotherhood for providing the opportunity). Great place though, I love it here and am grateful for my opportunities in this place. Far better than the shithole that is Chicago and its surrounding toilets. My life improved 1000% coming to Colorado.

·         You also have done some session work with 'Velnias' as a live musician, have you also done any live shows with any of your other musical projects?

I have done a couple of random improv performances as E./Njiijn, but that is really about it. I do not like playing live, I do not like the live experience, do not like going to concerts and do not consider myself an entertainer (which is what live musicians are). Just not my thing.

·         Can you tell us a little bit more about 'EEE Recordings' which not only releases your music but also the music of other bands?

EEE is simply a base for me to have an output for my personal work. It has existed in some form since 2000. I am not interested trying to negotiate my “selling value” to some idiot with deep pockets who cares not about my work - except for its monetary value, so I keep/manage it all myself. I like being in control of my material - for good or bad. Every now and again I release material from artists I enjoy or think are unique as well.

·         You have also released around a hundred or more albums all the years, does music take up all your time and energy?

Yes. Right now, I technically work 3 jobs and they are all involved with music on some level. It is the biggest part of my life, without a doubt. My day-job is working at a bigger record label, so I do my label/music and eBay store on the side. All my personal (non-work) time is either spent working on music, lifting weights or reading/studying. I am in my mid-30s, have no significant other, no kids, no social life/circle and live a thousand miles from the people I am closest to - I exist in relative isolation. I channel my energies and concentrate on doing the things I like or enjoy - which consequently are entirely selfish endeavors. I am fortunate for the fact that I have been able to exist/be productive in the music scene for 20 years, make a living doing it and not have to answer to someone or compromise my visions in the process. It is a unique set of circumstances, to put it lightly.

·         On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your musical projects by fans of black metal and other forms of underground music?

As far as I know, no one knows who I am or what I do outside of a small minority of people. There is no opinion or feedback that I hear of. Either something sells or it doesn’t. I do not have access to other metrics than that. I also wish for that to remain. I have no desire to be in an "artistic" popularity contest with a bunch of posers, a glorious “hero” of a totally compromised/paid off media system or be associated with the idiots that make up this supposed underground. Keep my name away from these people, their thoughts and their nonsense. No fucking support.

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

I will continue to create music as long as I enjoy doing it. Once the enjoyment stops, I will no longer do it. As of right now, I am not going anywhere, nor am I slowing down. That is about as far as I look into it.

·         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?

Too many to list and too long to explain. Haha. Currently listening to a lot of Supuration, Ancient Records projects, Van Halen, Amorphis, early In Flames, Mortal Decay, Vildhjarta, Judas Priest, Bardo Pond, Deicide, Monstrosity, Opie and Anthony...it changes weekly.

·         What are some of your nonmusical interests?

Weight lifting, religion, writing, philosophy, politics, MMA, pro wrestling (lucha libre), comedy, weed.

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

I will close with 2 quotes from Patrice O'Neal:

"This business is the beast and it eats everybody and shits them out. But here's what's funny about the beast: it's a never-ending line of people who want to get in the mouth and get chewed up and shit out. It's because, when you get in the belly, you get $2 million a week. And when you get shit out, you're a pile back there. And you have the option to wait to get back in line, and wait to go get back in the beast, and get eaten and shit out! And we line up! And I didn't even get to the beast yet. 20 years! See, when the beast pick you up, to put you in its mouth, you shinin'. People see you...So, anybody that gets that deep and turns on the beast, man, you've got to root for him, no matter what, because they're martyrs, because no one's going to stand up for them."

"That emptiness of "I made it!" What's it? You know what I'm saying? So I just do it because when a guy says to me "Dude... Man, you changed my life," that feels good. If a dude says "You changed my life" or a woman says "You changed my life," for some goofy shit you did... you know, that means something. That's "it". I want to change lives but not be profound about it."

Hails for the interview and support.


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