Saturday, October 29, 2016

Insonus Interview


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

Insonus - The project started in the early days of 2016,born from an old idea of R.
Our music is a tribute to nihilism and hate.

2.Recently you have released an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Insonus - We like to think to our musical representation as the perfect union of melancholy,nihilism and total detachment from the human kind.
Through this release we touched every form of our interpersonal feelings.
Even from the title "Nemo Optavit Vivere" you can understand of our philosophy.

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

Insonus - "Surely one of the common point that we have is the Anti humanism. You'll never read or listen something positive in one of our release.
Insonus born as a manifesto of the worst human feelings"

4.I know that the bands name means 'absence of sound', how does this name fit in with the musical style you play?

Insonus - We feel the silence as a form of life absence. That is why it fits well with the musical style,especially with lyrics,that represents a kind of an inner reflection.

5.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you planning on expanding the line up in the future or do you chose to remain a duo?

Insonus - We'll stay as we are,but we don't exclude the participation of some guests in the upcoming release.

6.Are there any plans for any live shows in the future?

Insonus - Not at the moment,we prefer to focus on our studio work.

7.The ep was released on 'Throats Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Insonus - It's a good label,it works good and we were immediately satisfied by their proposal.

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

Insonus - We're receiving good feedbacks from the underground scene,but is really early for an appropriate response.

9.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Insonus - At the moment we're working on new songs,don't have any idea of when it's going to see the light.
Only the time we'll give us the right answers of what this project will be.

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?

Insonus - Obviously all the old european black metal scene.There are a lot of references in our solutions,even from different kind of music.
There are so many to mention them all.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Insonus - The only interesting thing in our lives is just the music.

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

Insonus - Thanks a lot for your time and support,we really appreciate.

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Friday, October 28, 2016

Neravendetta/Magnum Chaos/2016 Full Length Review


  Nerevendetta  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  black/viking  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  album  "Magnum  Chaos".

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  and  they  are  a  very  huge  part  of t he  recording  and  once  the  keyboards  and  heavy  guitars  kick  in  the  music  starts  bringing  in  more  of  a  viking  metal style  along  with  some  grim  yet  high  pitched  screams  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  and  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  briefly  and  when  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Neravendetta  plays  a  style  of  black/viking  metal  that  is  very  epic,  melodic  and  atmospheric sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature,  science  and  Sardinian  history.

  In  my  opinion  Neravendetta  are  a  very  great  sounding  black/viking  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Cosmic  Journey"  "Sirius"  and  "Sailing  To  Chaos".  8  out  of  10. 

https://neravendetta.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/neravendetta/
https://soundcloud.com/user-118323577/sets/neravendetta-magnum-chaos-1/s-44YlH

Gaerea Interview


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

GAEREA is as unexpected as needed to solve our vision for this sick and mental urban space we are inserted in. We're caged on the same jail as other people, like you and doesn't matter how hard you pray to your idol or fight against the system, you'll never win. We are the half faced human demon that grows inside this oppressed animals we are.


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

We wanted to create a wall of sound. A wall that could hit the audience in the most strong way we could imagine. Thats how GAEREA sounds.



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

Narcisism, Self Destruction, Misanthropy, Mental Numbness



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

We wanted to create and raise a name that could represent what we do. A name that could only mean us, and that's what we did. We created GAEREA.



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

The band never played live, yet.


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

We have many things to announce when  releasing the EP, including some special live appearances.


7.The ep is coming out on 'Everlasting Spew Records', are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?

We couldn't be more proud of the fantastic team they are. Mixing that with  the approach and experience of our manager Tito Vespasiani, you get total security and the job is done properly and creatively. Everlasting Spew Records was the best option on the table after some months getting interested labels on the mail and we took it without thinking twice.



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

So far, not bad. Beyond our expectations, some people really seem to like it and that surprises us in an interesting way. We are not a trendy group or a celebrity act that people love these days just because the next dude followed the taste of the other. If the audience really likes us, we'll make sure they know what they really like on us. It's not about music anymore. It's a lot more than that.



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

Too soon to think about the further step. Though, we know what we want to achieve with this first chapter that will be only concluded with the next release. For now, we'll seed this creation and spread the word about the beast that will born from 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?

We are a lot more influenced by visual art rather than music itself. Even the big city and the machine that makes everything work is something that influenced us and will continue to develop in further creations. We create music that would be the perfect soundtrack for the visuals we first imagined for this first step. Only after the sketching of what we want to see and feel about the art, music comes and plays its part on our message.



11.How would you describe your views on Occultism?

We couldn't care less about it.



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

We are GAEREA. Expect us.

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Thursday, October 27, 2016

Impure Ziggurat/Serenades Of Astral Malevolance/Magister Dixit/2016 7 Inch Review


  Impure  Ziggurat  are  a  band  from  France  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  raw  and  occult  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  ep  "Serenades  Of  Astral  Malevolance"  which  was  released  by  Magister  Dixit.

  Melodic  ritualistic  chants  and  keyboards  start  off  the  ep  and  after  the  intro the  music  starts  going  into  a  heavier  direction  as  well  as  speeding  up  and  adding  in  blast  beats  and  bestial  growls  while  the  tremolo  picking  gives  the  music  a  very  raw  feeling  and  the  music  also  incorpotaes  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  influences.

  Elements  of  war  metal  can  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  chaotic  fashion  and  all  of  the  musical  sticks  to  a  heavy  musical  direction  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  their  is  also  a  small  amount  of  grim  black  metal  vocals.

  Impure  Ziggurat  creates  another  recording  that  remains true  to  the  black  and  death  metal  mixture  of  their  previous  release,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Lost  Civilizations  and  Occult  Astrosophy.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Impure  Ziggutat  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Summoning  Oorts  Semen".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=8SdgM5GSAmc 

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Crest Of Darkness/Welcome The Dead/My Kingdom Music/2016 CD Review


  Norway's  Crest  Of  Darkness  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  band  going  into  more  of  a  horror  black  metal  direction  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Welcome  the Dead"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  My  Kingdom  Music.

  Ambient  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  a  few  seconds  later  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  melodic  direction  along  with  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  synths  can also  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  and  all  of the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  spoken  word parts  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  and  the songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts and  psychedelic  sounds  can  also  be  heard  at  times and  there  is  also  a  brief   acoustic  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  on  the  following  tracks  and  some  of  the  riffing  also  bring  in  elements  of thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  of t he  fast  riffs  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking.

  Crest of  Darkness  creates  another  black  metal  recording that  is  raw,  melodic  and  atmospheric  while  introducing  psychedelic  elements  into  their  style  on  this  album,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Dark  Knowledge,  Spiritualism,  and  Destruction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Crest  Of  Darkness  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  horror  influenced  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chosen  By  The  Devil"  "Borrowed  Life"  "Memento  Mori"  and  "Katharsis".  8  out  of  10.  

http://facebook.com/crestofdarknessofficial

Soulemission Interview


1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
Sure! Right now we’re getting everything ready for the release of our album on October 31. That means doing promotion and setting stuff up to make sure the album will also be available through us. After that we will be getting busy with booking shows.

2.You have an album coming out on Halloween, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
We’ll a couple of words that come to mind are dark, mean, aggressive, spontaneous, ferocious, fast and varied. I think it has that cold, wintery atmosphere and it just sounds evil. There’s a lot going on on the album, fast stuff, slow stuff, dark melodies, occasional acoustic guitars and synths for atmosphere without it becoming slick. The production is pretty raw, you can here some beeps and scratches but we left it like that because we didn’t want a super polished sound. Also we didn’t have a lot of means for the recording because we were unsigned and didn’t have a budget. But I think we got the maximum result out of those minimal means. Benny (other guitar player) did a great job with recording and mixing everything.

3.Your lyrics cover some Occult and Luciferian topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?
I personally don’t study the dark arts or believe in anything but there are aspects of Satanism and the Occult that I’m drawn to. Things like personal freedom, not being a slave of an institution, enjoying silence and solitude and following my own path to become truly self-reliant and free of too many inhibitions. I’ve always been a proponent of individuality and hated the standard format that society wants to put you in because that’s what’s expected. Further I’ve always been interested in darkness in movies, books, drawings and music. I don’t really have an explanation for that. It’s just a cool atmosphere.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Soulemission'?
Michel (our singer) came up with that name. You can interpret it as the soul leaving the body when you die, what a lot of people believe. For me it also stands for how we write the music and what we put into it. It’s just real dark and strong emotions (the soul) put into music.

5.On the new album you have the drummer of Nightbringer and the singer of Shining does quest appearances, can you tell us a little bit more about their performances on the recording?
Yes, the drums were entirely done by Menthor (Enthroned, Nightbringer). Benny knows him well because he did sound for Enthroned on many shows. So Benny asked if he would be interested in laying down the drums for this album and fortunately he did. He recorded his drums at home and just sent the tracks to us. We were blown away with how fast and aggressive he played. Benny also does sound for Shining and just asked if Niklas was interested in doing vocals for the track Seas of Emptiness. Luckily he said yes and we sent the track to him and he recorded the vocals in a studio in Sweden. He absolutely nailed it with his performance. It sounds really sick and disturbing haha. Check it out people!

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We only did 2 shows so far and especially the first one was killer. It was as a support band for Dutch black metal band Carach Angren and the venue was packed. So it couldn’t have begun better. I think our stage show revolves a lot around our singer Michel. He really gives all and demands the attention he deserves from the crowd. I was blown away by his performance. We don’t have any stage props yet but maybe in the future. We stand on stage with a lot of confidence and the drive to prove ourselves.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
Nothing planned yet but we are signed to a management (Doomstar bookings) so there will certainly be more gigs.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of extreme metal?
I’ve only seen a few reviews so far because the promo’s have just been sent out recently. But so far the reviews are outstanding. We felt that we made a good debut album but it’s always the question if it comes across well. I’m not really familiar with what people listen to these days or what is popular and I don’t care about that. We just play the music we like ourselves. But if people pick it up that’s amazing.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
I don’t know yet. I’ve written some stuff for new songs but it’s in real early stages. I don’t think we are going to change a lot but we’ll throw in some new elements.

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?
Bands that had an influence are old Metallica, Mercyful Fate, Marduk, Dissection, Emperor, Death, Bathory to name a few. I just like bands that create a dark atmosphere, use dynamics and crossover a few styles and most importantly write good songs.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Beer tasting, watching 80’s horror movies, reading H.P. Lovecraft, walking in forests where there are no other people.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I want to thank you for your interest in our band and getting us the exposure! Check out our new album Tales of Inevitable Death, out on 31 october through Black Lion Records.

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Tuesday, October 25, 2016

The Downspiral To Hell/Unusual Methods To Dismember The Spiritual Halo/Base Records/2016 Full Length Review


  The  Downspiral  To  Hell  are  a  duo  from  Spain  that  plays  a  very  raw  and  experimental  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Unusual  Methods  To  Dismember  The  Spiritual  Halo"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween  by  Base  Records.

 Drum  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  electronic  music  sounds  and  spoken  word  samples  can  also he  heard  at  times  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  and  faster  direction  along  with  some  black  metal  screams,  death  metal  growls  and  blast  beats  while  also  adding  in  melodies.

  Clean  singing  can  be  heard  on  the  recording  at  times  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  and  they  also  mix  the  synths  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  faster  riffs  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  clean  guitars  on  one  of  the  tracks  and  spoken  word  parts  also  return  on  a  later  song.

  The  Downspiral  To  Hell  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  raw  and  grim  style  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  along  with  some  experimental  and  avant  garde  elements  to  create  something  very  different,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Downspiral  To  Hell  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Snake  Eyes In  Euphoria"  "The  Canvas  Of  Confusion"  "Thoughts  Through  Ethic"  and  "Outside  Emptiness".  8  out  of  10.   

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Nebrus/Extra Malovrm/Razed Soul Productions/2016 CD Review


  Nebrus  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a very  hypnotic  and  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  with  a  touch  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Extra  Malorvm"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Razed  Soul  Productions.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  and  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  and  after  the  intro  bass  guitars  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy,  dark  and  melodic  direction  along  with  some  tortured,  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  some  tremolo  picking  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  guitar  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  and  some  of  the  riffing  and  deeper  vocals  also  brings  in  influences  of  death  metal  and  they  also  bring  in  another  ritualistic  intro  halfway  through  the  recording  before  reverting  back  to  a  heavier  direction and  a  couple  of the  tracks  are  long  and epic  in  length.

  Nebrus  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  dark,  raw  and  hypnotic  while  also  adding  in  atmosphere  with  the  guitars  alone,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  misanthropy  and  anti  Christian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nebrus  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw,  hypnotic  and  atmospheric  black  metal  band  with  a  touch  of  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dismal  Omen"  "Havoc  Emissary"  and  "Death  Parade".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdN2r-oOwEI
 

Sauron Interview


1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

I’m happy to say that we are quite busy actually. Our latest “WARA!” is about to be out as we speak, in the meantime we are working on releasing our older stuff and of course we are working on new material, which hopefully we’ll start recording sometime in the spring 2017.

2.Recently you have 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?

“WARA!” is very special album to us. After 20 years we’ve reunited with our former drummer – Rzeczy. I wanted this album to be continuation of what we were doing in late 90-ties, so mentally it should be released somewhere around 1999. I wanted tracks to be simple but straightforward, with simple arrangements and powerful – yet organic sound. We were lucky to have possibility to work with one of the best polish producers – Haldor Grunberg. That guy is a freaking genius! He understood instantly what I had in mind and shaped the sound in the best possible way! The record differs mostly in our general approach to composing, recording and producing. This time, from the very beginning - we knew exactly where we are heading and we were lucky enough to choose proper paths to get there eventually.

3.The band was broken up for a few years, what was the cause of the split and also the decision to reform?

Actually – now when I look back I don’t really feel we were breaking up at all. But definitely – our, say – working pattern has changed dramatically since I’ve left our hometown around 1998.  First years after that I had no technical possibilities to hold my position in Sauron, but as soon as there was a chance for me to engage back – I did it without any hesitation!  It was not easy though and hence it might seem that our Sauron ceased to exist. For sure – after around 1998 Sauron stopped to play gigs, so the only signs of our activities since that time are records.

4.The lyrics cover a lot of Pagan topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your views on Paganism?

P.W. is responsible for the lyrics and he would surely respond better to that question. To me paganism is very powerful symbol of tradition and freedom that were taken away from us by the Christians. Once you realize how evil and oppressive institution is catholic church – looking for ways of manifesting your resistance is the natural consequence. Most popular choices is either engaging into Satanism or paganism. Of course there are many differences between those two paths, but in general you can say that Satanism (in many variants) to some extend acknowledges Catholic doctrine, existence of jehowah, jesus, etc by standing in direct opposition to those. Paganism on the other hand rejects and ignores everything related to the bible, old/new testament, etc and focuses on its’ own, individual beliefs.

5.I know that the bands name came from the writings of 'Tolkien', how does this name fit in with the music style you play?

It was quite long time ago when our Sauron was being formed. There was a time before internet, cellphones, where access to information was incredibly poorer than it is today. Lord of the Rings is without a question – a masterpiece and when you read it being a teenager it can have enormous impact on your world view, consciousness, taste and even shaping your character. Tolkien’s world is rich enough to provide almost everyone with his favorite race, character, land, etc. And of  course – if it is the dark side that attracts you most – you’ll lean towards Mordor and Sauron ;) Sauron himself represents evil and unquestionable power. It’s hard to imagine better name for a band formed by young guys secretly learning satanic rituals and listening to Venom and Bathory…
Right now we know that there were many guys all over the world sharing exactly the same feelings about Tolkien’s literature and Sauron himself, but –well, we’ve learnt to live with that ;)
The thing is that after so many years both – the band name and logo became the most important band members binding us together and giving us strength and motivation to go on.

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

It’s been quite long time ago since we were playing gigs. I remember I liked it – even though I always had enormous stage fright and unfortunately – I cannot play the guitar when I’m drunk ;) We’ve been playing mostly in our local area with a few gigs in more remote destinations. We were not using any special gear on stage – just a few, plain metalheads making noise – that’s it ;) Actually – recently we’ve found our archival performance from 1995 – you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1DZVC2yjwg

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

No. Not until “WARA!” makes a spectacular success ;)

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

‘Enter the Eternal Fire’ is very special Bathory song for us. When we were asking Rzeczy to play with us around 1994 – we gave him this song to suggest what kind of music we want to play. After 20+ years we’ve finally recorded it in exactly the same lineup.

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

So far, so good! “WARA!” receives excellent feedback from all over the world, which is the best reward for us and you cannot imagine better motivation to continue making new tracks. Especially nowadays when everyday tons of bands release tons of brilliant records – to get someones attention for more than 30 seconds is already huge success ;) Not to mention making him listen to your entire material and even enjoy it ;)

10.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

No. Not at the moment - at least to my knowledge.

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

I used to say that music should be like your food – raw and unprocessed ;) My goal is to achieve with Sauron lively, organic and powerful sound that you can hear for example - on Kvelertak records. My mentor whom I try to follow here is Fenriz. He’s evangelizing about this raw, natural sound for ages and the older I get, the more I learn – the better I understand how damn right he is about that. And music follows that direction. I was never highly-skilled-technical guitar player. I devour my instrument attacking all the strings at once and I can hardly play my riffs exactly the same twice ;)

12.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?

I was always huge fan of great rock bands of the 70-ties. My father was listening to Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Hendrix, The Cream, Jethro Tull, some Black Sabbath, etc when I was a kid. When I’ve discovered metal it was rather lame to like all this hippie crap so I was in denial for some time, but right now I’m old enough to don’t give a fuck about what others are thinking about my musical taste, so – yeah – I’m re-discovering those great records. I do also follow Fenriz and his radio episodes on soundcloud. There is also whole bunch of excellent polish metal bands that I really enjoy. Right now I’m waiting eagerly for the new Furia album. Besides metal – I like to listen to some urban jazz and electronic music classics – like Vangelis.

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

Thank you very much for this opportunity to speak myself up! I hope my answers didn’t bore you to death ;)

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Monday, October 24, 2016

Tyrant's Blood/Into The Kingdom Of Graves/Tridroid Records/2016 Vinyl Re-Issue Review


  Tyrant's  Blood  are  a  band  from  Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  war,  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Into  The  Kingdom  Of  Graves"  which will  be  re-issued  on  vinyl  in  December  by  Tridroid  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  along  with  whispers  start  off  the  album  and  they  also  start  evolving  into  more  of  a  demonic  style  before  going  into  a  very  fast  war  metal  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black   metal  screams.

  A  great  amount of  thrash  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a very  chaotic  war  metal  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  clean guitars  are  introduced  on the  instrumental  along  with t he  solo  getting  more  melodic  while the  remaining  tracks  are  heavy  and  use  vocals.

  Tyrants Blood  remained  true  to the  war,  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  mixture  of  their  previous  releases on  this  album,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark and  violent themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Tyrants  Blood  and  if  you  are  a  fan of  war,  black,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spiral  Sea"  "Conjure  The  Watcher"  "Drowning  In  And  Ocean  Of  Fire"  and  "Into  the  Kingdom  Of  Graves".  8  out  of  10.  

 https://tridroid.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-kingdom-of-graves

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Ultar/Kadath/Temple Of Torturous/2016 CD Review


  Ultar  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  when  they  where  known  of  'Deathknife'  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Kadath"  which  was  released  by  Temple  Of  Torturous.

  A  very  distorted  sounding  drone  starts  off  the  album  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast beats  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  feeling  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic fashion.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  post  rock  and  when  solos  and  leads a re  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and epic  in  length  and  one  track  is  an ambient  instrumental  while  the  remaining  songs  return  back  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Ultar  plays  a style  of  post  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  atmospheric  while  also  having  its  raw  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft.

  In  my  opinion  Ultar  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Azathoth"  and  "Kadath".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Ultarband

Funeral Art/Cultus Tenebrarum IX annorum/Prison Tatt Records/2016 Compiation Review


  Funeral  Art  are  a  duo  from  Guatemala  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  ambient  black  metal  and  funeral  doom  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  compilation  "Cultus  Tenebrarum  IX  annorum" which was  released  by  Prison  Tatt  Records.

  Atmospheric  synths  start  off  the  compilation  and  bring  in  elements  of  ambient  while  also  bringing  in  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of the  music  and  the slow  riffs  are also  very  heavily  influenced  by  funeral  doom  metal  and  most  of  the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Operatic  female  vocals  can  be  heard  at  times  while  the  vocals  also bring  in  a  great  amount  of  grim  and  depressive  black  metal  screams  and  acoustic  guitars  along  with  pianos  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  programmed  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  on  a  couple  of  songs  and  saxophones  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  demonic  growls  and  operatic  male  vocals.

  Funeral  Art  creates  a  compilation  that  mixes  black  metal,  ambient,  funeral  doom  and  avant  garde  music  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  darkness,  night,  witches,  wishes  and  human  problem  themes.

 In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  of  songs  from  Funeral  Art  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ambient  black  metal  and  funeral  doom,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Abandoned"  "La  Belleza  Occulta"  "Viejo  Bosque"  and  "Arcano  II".  8  out  of  10. 

https://prisontatt.bandcamp.com/album/cultus-tenebrarum-ix-annorum

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Terra/Mors Secunda/Code666/2016 CD Review


  Terra  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  drone  and  post  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Mors  Secunda"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Code666.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  A  very  raw  style  of  black  metal  can  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  screams  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  brings  in  more  of  a  modern  atmospheric  style  that  also  has  influences  from  the  Cascadian  style  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  drone  and  post  rock  can  be  heard.

  Terra  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal  from  their  previous  recording  while  also  having  its  raw  moments  and  expanding  on  the  drone  and  post  rock  influences,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Terra  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Apotheosis".  8  out  of  10. 

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Bahrrecht/L' Aube Glacee/Ketzer Records/2016 CD Review


  Bahrrecht  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  very  raw  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "/L' Aube  Glacee"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween  by  Ketzer  Records.

  Nature  sounds  along  with  some  classical  guitars  start  off  the  album  and  they  also  use  a  good  mixture  of  finger  picking  and  full  chords  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  stringed  instruments  and  after  the  intro  the  music  gets  very  heavy  while  also  introducing  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  on  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  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  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  raw  black  metal  feeling  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Atmospheric  sounds  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  raw  yet  melodic  style  and  classical  guitars  also  make  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses melodic  chants  can  be  heard  briefly  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  of  the  heavy  riffing  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  death  metal  and  spoken  word  parts  are  added  on  the  last  song.

  Bahrrecht  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  raw  and  heavy  while  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  adding  classical  guitars  on  some  songs  which  makes  their  music  stand  out  a  lot  more,  the  production  is  very  raw  yet  powerful  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Bahrrecht  are  a  very  great  sounding  raw  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "Un  Orage  Eternel"  "Ceux  De  La  Nuit"  and  "La  Palingenesie  De  Mon  Ame".  8 out  of  10.

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Sol Sistere/I/Graven Earth Records/2016 EP Re-Issue Review


  This  is  a  review  of  another recording  from  Sol  Sistere  which  is  also  in  the  melodic  and  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal  and  the  ep  was  originally  released  in  2014  and  called  "I"  and was  re-issued  by  Graven  Earth  Records  in  2016.

  A  very  fast,  raw  and  melodic  black  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  mix  the  modern  atmospheric  style  in  with  a  90's  Swedish  influenced  way  of  playing  and  all  3  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  acoustic  guitars  can also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  on a   couple  of  songs  and  the  faster  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking.

  Sol  Sistere  played  a  style  of  black  metal  on  this  recording  that  was  very  raw,  melodic  and  atmospheric  while  being  mostly  done  with  guitars,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover Mysticism,  Occultism,  Life,  Death,  Feelings,  Dimensions  and  Reincarnation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sol  Sistere  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  raw,  melodic  and  atmospheric  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Reborn".  8  out  of  10. 

solsistere.bandcamp.com

Friday, October 21, 2016

Sol Sistere/Unfading Incorporeal Vacuum/Hammerheart Records/2016 CD Review


  Sol  Sistere  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  a very  atmospheric  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Unfading  Incorporeal  Vacuum"  which  was  released  by  by  Hammerheart  Records.

  Acoustic  and  clean  guitar playing  starts  off  the  album  and  the  solos  and  leads  are done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  once  the  music  gets  heavy  and  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  fast  riffs  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking which also gives the  songs  a  more  raw  feeling.

 All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the recording  have  a  very powerful  sound to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  you  can  also h ear  a  great  amount  of  melody  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  also  make a  return  on  some  of  the  other  tracks  and  they  also  bring  in  a brief  instrumental  that  introduces  violins  onto  the  recording  before  closing  the album  with  2 heavy  vocal  tracks.

  Sol  Sistre  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  atmospheric  while  also  having  its  raw  and  aggressive  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  Mysticism,  Occultism,  Life,  Death,  Dimensions,  Feelings  and  Reincarnation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sol  Sistre  are  a  very  great sounding  atmospheric  and melodic black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out this  cassette.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Death  Kneel"  "Degraded  Soul"  and  "Seeker Of  Souls".  8  out  of  10.

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Deus Ignotus Interview


1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
We have a deal with III Damnation productions for our new album Hexapterygon which will be released on CD, Vinyl and Cassette in November.

2.You have a new 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?
We have further refined our sound as a mixture of Black and Death Metal and also added some elements from the American BM scene and the contemporary Occult Black Metal sound. This musical direction has started with Chrismation and has been evolving ever since.

3.Your lyrics deal with a lot of anti christian and occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the black arts?
We are interested in the black arts as observers and not as practitioners and our lyrics are mostly anti-religious and about secret and occult brotherhoods. We think modern religion is the greatest plague of mankind and that man should begin his own quest for Theosis.

4.In the past you have had some lyrics inspired by H.P Lovecraft, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this author?
This happened in our second demo "Slavery of the Cosmic Knowledge". We are fascinated by the imagination of H.P. Lovecraft and he has always been an inspiration for us.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Deus Ignotus'?
Deus Ignotus or "Unknown God" is about mankind's constant search for the supreme being and how it affects as emotionally and psychologically. The "Deus Ignotus" is the ultimate ideal but doesn't actually exist. Nevertheless it's the force that has been driving mankind, since it's beginning, towards self-improvement and perfection, but also towards hatred and destruction. It has a fascinating ambiguity.

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you planning on expanding the line up in the future or do you chose to remain a  duo?
Deus Ignotus is comprised of Reshep and Xolferoth. Spoon has been something more than just a session member for the past years. We would be interested in more session members only if they share our musical direction and our ideals.

7.While the band is from Greece you don't really sound like the traditional sound that comes out of the country, do you feel you stand out quite a bit in your home country?
We respect and we are also fans of the Hellenic black metal sound but we, as a band, like to experiment with different sounds and create our own musical direction.

8.The new album is coming out on 'III Damnation Productions, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
III Damnation is a very well respected label here in Greece and has on its ranks many accomplished Greek bands. Also it is responsible for organizing many black metal live shows in Athens with well known bands from Greece and the rest of the world. We are pleased to cooperate with them.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
We have received a lot of interest from worldwide and of course our country, and it is growing over time. There's a strange balance between black and death metal in out music, so it takes the listener some time to become a fan. Some people who have caught the vibe stuck with it.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We do not plan on altering our musical direction, only evolving it. From day to day we become better musicians and composers so it will be possible for us to create better stuff in the future.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
We are influenced by the Black-Death metal scene in general, old school Brutal Death Metal and also the nowadays occult scene and the burst of Orthodox Black Metal. We have also influences from the original Black Metal sound and especially USBM. Some of our influences are: Demoncy, Deathspell Omega, Katharsis, Archgoat, Inquisition, Marduk etc. These days we are listening to Batushka, Profanatica, Mispyrming, Dead Congregation, Teitanblood and of course the classic Black and Death metal bands.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Give Hexapterygon a few spins and you will realize that we are not a fucking copy-paste band, we have some original ideas and we would like to spread them out.
Abdicamus Fictum Salvatorem.

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Thursday, October 20, 2016

Invertia/The Biddings Of Tyrants/2016 Full Lngth Review


   Invertia  are  a  duo  form  Boston,  Massachusetts  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  industrial  form  of  black  metal  while  also  introducing  death  metal  and  hardcore  punk  elments  onto  this  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016 album  "The  Biddings  of  Tyrants"  which  will  be  released  in  December.

  Electro  industrial  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  side  of  the  songs  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  growls  and  morbid  sounding  melodies  and  spoken  word  samples  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Throughout  the  recording t here  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  after  awhile grim  black  metal  screams  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  some  of  the  riffs  bring  in  the  rawness  of  hardcore  punk  and throughout  the  recording  you  can hear  a great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast parts  and  some  of  the  riffing  also  mixes  in  the  more  technical  side  of  death  metal.

  Invertia  creates  a  recording  that  still  has  some  black  metal  roots  while  evolving  more  into  an  industrial  influenced  blackened  death  metal  style  with  this  album,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  world  around  us  and  its  effect  on  the  human  psyche.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Invertia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  industrial  or  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dystopiate"  "Thetan  Hop"  "Scatter"  and  "Trapped  &  Tilored".  8  out  of  10.

inv3rtia.com 

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Vermin Womb/Decline/Translation Loss Records/2016 CD Review


  Vermin  Womb  are  a  band  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  with  some  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Decline"  which  will  be  released  on  October  28th  by  Translation  Loss  Records.

  Distorted  reverb  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  it  brings  in  elements  of  grindcore  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  growls  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  war  and  bestial  black  metal at  times.

  Black  metal  screams  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  crust  and  hardcore punk  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  album  always  remains  true  to  a very h eavy  and  raw  musical  direction.

  Vermin  Womb  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  and  bestial  war  metal  and  mixes  it  with  grindcore,  brutal  death  metal,  doom,  sludge,  hardcore  punk  and  crust  to  create  some  very  heavy  and  chaotic  music,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  angry  and  hateful  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vermin  Womb  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  war,  black,  death  metal,  doom,  sludge  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Entomb"  "Present  Day"  "Inner  World"  and  "Cancer".  8  out  of  10.

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