Thursday, June 28, 2018

KormaK Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
1 - The band was born in Bari in 2015 from the idea of ​​Zaira and found its stability only in Jenuary 2017 with the final line up. Our music is labelled as Folk Metal but we introduced a lot of contaminations like Death, Melodic and Celtic elements. KormaK do not play just music but try to completely immerse the listener in what they tell.



2.You have your first album coming out this summer, what are some of the things you feel you have accomplished musically on the album?
2 - The release of this album is a very important milestone for us. Zaira created a work of art that could be considered mad from certain points of view; we musicians performed and reproduced as faithfully as possible what she wanted and the result is an album that has a logical sense and that we think listeners might like!

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the music?
3 - The album examines and amplifies the concept of madness brought by the loss of someone (or something), for this reason the texts recall personal events transcribed in a cryptic way. There are Celtic melodies that evoke moments of deep introspection while the most violent parts tell about battles against real or unreal enemies, that often turn out to be ourselves. The key to read Faerenus is the absolute madness.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'KormaK'?
4 - KormaK is a character of the fantasy literature (Kormak's Saga) whose purpose in life is to payback of some wrongs, and reborn as a man and a hero. As we are all lovers of fantasy, we have captured the essence of this character making him our starting point for everything that the group is and will be.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
5 – We played as band from March 2018, that is to say not enough time to perform. Nevertheless we remember with pleasure our first live, made in our land (Puglia), in which we had an unexpected positive response. In the same way, even a recent live left us ecstatic when, during the performance of one of our songs, the public began to sing with us. On stage we try to recreate the same atmosphere of the album, passing from classical and extremely relaxing melodies to very violent parts in pure Death Metal key.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the album is released?
6 - Of course. On June 30th, the day after the release of the album, we will be part of a big concert in our region, that it will be our "release party", afterwards we will move through Italy in the month of July. From September to November we will be busy with the "Faerenus European Tour" in which we will have some dates in other nations like Czech Republic, Slovenia and Greece, where we will play with other important names.

7.The album is coming out on 'Rockshot Music', how did you get in contact with the label?
7 - We simply sent our material to various Italian labels including the "Rockshots Record" and after having received several positive answers we chose it for its artistic background. We can say that it was the right choice!

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of folk metal?
8 - Until now, we received very positive feedbacks for the "Goddess Song", the only single we released. Several fans from Germany, Greece, Poland, Spain and even India follow our social channels and personally we can’t wait to see the next reactions after the release of "Faerenus", and maybe to organize the show abroad

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
9 - We have a lot of energies, we already have some ideas for the next album and we can not wait to get back to work. Stylistically speaking we will try to remain faithful to our imprint but we do not exclude possible outlets towards more evolved sounds.

10.Where are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
10 - The KormaKs try to be as original as possible but it is undeniable that the Scandinavian metal influenced us. Bands like Death, Children of Bodom, Heidevolk, Amon Amarth and Folkearth are part of our musical culture, but we all listen a little bit of everything, not only metal music.

11.Does Paganism play any role in your music?
11 – Although Celtic and Scandinavian traditions fascinate us a lot, we have not included in "Faerenus" elements referred to paganism. For the future we do not know what could happen.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

12 - We are lovers of camping in open nature, some of our songs were born right in the woods. In the same way we love meat and wine, especially the local ones. Finally, fantasy and role-playing games are among our favorite pastimes.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
13 - We thank you for this small space that you gave us and we hope that "Faerenus" could be welcomed by critics and fans, which would give us the right push to continue our journey.

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Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Aeolian Interview

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

We are a new Metal band from Mallorca (Spain) with a lot of Extreme Metal Bands influences in the more melodic direction. Our lyrics call for the need to protect the environment.

2.You have an album coming out in September, what are some of the things you feel you have accomplished musically on the recording?

We are so proud with the final result of the recording. We wanted to express our rage and fury concerning the environmental situation in the world, and thanks to the great work of Miquel A. Riutort as a producer, we feel satisfied. He gave the music the punch we needed.

3.Your lyrics deal with a lot of environmental issues, can you tell us a little bit more about your concern for the environment?

I was born in Majorca, and over the years I have seen how people make everything dirty wherever they go. That situation has led us to a point of no return, and unfortunately all that rubbish goes into the sea.

Sadly, it’s like this here, and everywhere else. You can even hear it on TV now. They say that in 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans!

And I won’t even talk about climate change, global warming, temperature rises, the shrinking of ice sheets, etc.

And the worst? One of the most powerful politicians says that the global warming does not exist, so obviously we do nothing about it.

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

The origin of the word is Aeolus, the Greek God of Wind. And wind is one of the forces of nature that man cannot control. In addition, it describes very well some passages of our music, for example the furious blast beats parts.


5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and what are the touring or show plans once the new album is released?

The band is so new that we haven’t played live so far. We are arranging a presentation concert in September here in Majorca, and we are also going to play at an Extreme Metal Festival in November.

Before Aeolian, all of us have played many shows and concerts with other bands, so we have plenty of experience. This time, we would like to begin our adventure with this finished album.


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

We are so proud with our record label signing. They are helping us a lot with the release process. And they have exceeded our expectations in relation of the quantity and quality of the work that's been done.


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

At the moment we don’t know, as we are still in the process of getting known in the scene, but we are happy with the first good reviews and comments we've received.


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

We want to continue with the current musical direction, consisting of creating a new sound with known musical elements.


9.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?

Some of them are Opeth, Amorphis, Kreator, Dimmu Borgir, Dissection, Amon Amarth, Ensiferum, Mors Principium est, Death and many more. I have always liked the most melodic side of extreme metal music, although I look to create contrast in all of our songs.

Nowadays, I’m listening to some old school albums from bands like Death, Amorphis, Opeth, Mork Gryning, At the gates, Dimmu Borgir and Iron Maiden. Some of the new albums I’m listening to are “Queen of Time” from Amorphis and “Twisted Prayers” from Gruesome.


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

We would like to thank you to all of you for sharing and listening to our music. If you want to stay tuned for news, check us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You can pre-order our debut album “Silent Witness” from the Snow Wave Records website.

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Monday, June 18, 2018

Aeolian/Silent Witness/Snow Wave Records/2018 CD Review


  Aeolian  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  blackened  death metal  with  some  elements  of  thrash  and  folk  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Silent  Witness"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Snow  Wave  Records.

  A  very  hard,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  musical  direction  which  also  brings  in a   great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  while  with  some  black  metal  screams  being  added  into  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  a  lot  of  death  metal  elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  melodic  pagan  chants  also  being  used  at  times  and  when  acoustic  guitars  are  utilized  they  bring  in  elements  of  folk  music.

  Whispers  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  riffing  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  influences  along  with  the  clean  vocals  also  giving  the  music  a  touch  of  power  metal  when  they  are  utilized  and  growls  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  album  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  nature  sounds  can  also  be  heard.

  Aeolian  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  the  more  melodic  styles  of  black  and  death  metal  while  the  thrash  and  folk  music  elements  makes  the  songs  stand  out  a  bit  more,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  environmental  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aeolian  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  thrash  and  folk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  End  Of  Ice"  "Return  of  The  Wolf  King"  "Wardens  Of  The  Sea"  and  "Oryx".  8/5  out  of  10.

http://www.aeolianband.com/
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Sunday, June 17, 2018

KormaK/Faerenus/Rockshot Records/2018 Full Length Review


  KormaK  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Faernus"  which  will  be  released  on  June  29th  by  Rockshot  Records.

  Folk  instruments  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  whispers  start  off  the  album  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls are  also  used  at  times  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Operatic  female  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  melodic  male  pagan  vocals  and  chants  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  one  track  also  brings in  a  great  amount  of  silence  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  KormaK  plays  a  style  of  folk  metal  that  also  captures  the  heaviness  of  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  have  a  concept  dealing  with  madness  and  mythological  themes.

  In  my  opinion  KormaK  are  a  very  great  sounding  folk  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "March  Of  Demise"  "The  Goddess  Song"  and  "July  5".  8  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/bcZI-QYDPW0
  

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Mordant Rapture Interview

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



We are a three piece Tech Death/ Black Metal band with symphonic elements based out of the Bay Area in California. We’re a bunch of nerds that love video game and movie soundtracks and all things death and black metal.





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



The ep was intended to be somewhat of a sample platter for the sound of the band. As technical and complex as some of the material might get, we try to prioritize melody and memorable sections as much as possible. We try to aim for a wall of sound with the tracks, but at the same time try to keep things focused on the main motifs being played.







3.The band has been around since 2013 but waited until 2018 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the first 4 years?



The first few years we focused on trying to get out and play live as much as we could. The sound of the band was nothing like what is on this ep. It was still fast, as speed has always been an obsession for better or worse, but had none of the cinematic elements or virtual instruments involved nor did it have much of a classical influence. There was less emphasis on song structure and melodic moments and more on aggression and heaviness. The years leading up to this release was kind of a rocky road as far as refining our sound. Our influences changed, we all grew as song writers, and kind of naturally moved away from 100% aggression focused music. Of course we are a metal band so aggression is part of the DNA regardless, but we came to appreciate classical and symphonic elements and approaching song writing with the goal of sounding more emotive and moving without sacrificing intensity.



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



While death and supernatural elements are kind of staple in this genre, we wanted to also explore some of the darker aspects of the depths of humanity and the problems that arise in the fragility of social order. Each track tells part of a story that forms a larger narrative of tragedy that raises questions about the human condition.



5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Mordant Rapture?



The meaning of “Mordant Rapture” can be interpreted in several ways, but at its core we agree with the idea that a release from the hardships and trials of life would be rapturous but ultimately futile in its purpose, because there is no guarantee that what is awaiting us on the other side is worth all the pain and sacrifice that it takes to get there. Ultimately, a rapture is really a cruel joke, and therefore, mordant.



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



Although we haven’t played live with this material, the previous “iteration” of the band had plenty of memorable shows that include dressing up as street walkers, someone almost getting stabbed (not our fault), and one so memorable that we can’t remember most of it after some drinks. Moving forward with this material you can expect a more focused, precise, and intense stage presence.



7.Do you have any touring or show plans for 2018?



As soon as we get a live lineup we are ready to hit the road.



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



Overwhelmingly positive! We appreciate all the kind words; we feel fans of both genres can take away something from this material. The takeaway for us based on all the positive feedback is that the vision we sought after was worthwhile and we hope to continue to please the masses.



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

We want expand on all the elements from the EP by delving more into the orchestral side while bringing something new to the technical side. We learned a lot from this recording on how to apply symphonic layers to the rest of the band and what works and doesn’t work. We plan on incorporating a much denser symphonic sound that plays just as big of a role as any other instrument in the band. We’ve upgraded all of our virtual instruments as well as a much needed computer upgrade so we will be able to push these sounds much further on the next release.



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?



Spawn of possession, Emperor, Beneath The Massacre, most classical/movie scores just to name a few. As for new music right now; Artificial Brain, Inferi, Slugdge, Virvum, First Fragment, Gorod, Archspire, Han Zimmer, Sergei Prokofiev, Nobuyoshi Suzuki.



11.What are some of your non musical interests?



Ellie (Ben’s pooch), cooking, reading, hiking, video games, writing, painting.



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





We just want to thank everyone for taking the time to listen to us and sharing our music. We are currently working on our full-length album so if you want to stay informed I would invite you to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter thanks!

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Oubliette Interview

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


Mike: We tracked the drums last April, I believe. I was simultaneously working on the new album, Revenant, for my other band Inferi. That pushed things back a bit and we didn’t get to finish recording the album until almost 10 months later. Now that it is almost out, we’ve been rehearsing a lot for several live performances coming up. We will be making our first appearance in Europe this year at Metaldays in Slovenia! I’ve also been toying around with some demo ideas for the next album too.


Emily: I have been working on the travel details for our European trip, rehearsing, and working like crazy.



2.In July you have a new album coming out, 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?


Todd: I think this record is a pretty well balanced blend of Oubliette’s sound, though I think we’ve upped the ante a bit since the last record. Apparitions was mainly Mike and Emily, so this one has more input from the rest of the band. To me, the aggressive sections on this record are a bit more in your face. We talked about a lot of things when putting this record together, in relation to the story line and really wanted the music to match the emotions of the lyrics. I feel like we really accomplished that.


Mike: It’s along the same lines as the previous, but we incorporated some new elements to the sound. For example, Todd has this guitar pedal from Electro-Harmonix called the Mel 9, which is a mellotron simulator. I think about half of the songs on the album have at least one section using that pedal. It gives a synthy choir and/or strings type of sound, which we are digging hard!




3.This is your first album in 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?


Mike: When we released Apparitions, it was just a studio project. Since then, we have had to make a few lineup changes since everyone in the band couldn’t commit to being a live member. We spent a long time writing The Passage and also with our other bands. My band Inferi has also been pretty active since then so sometimes it has been a struggle balancing it all!


Emily: We are all very busy so it can be very difficult to find time to sit down and write together. Hopefully it won’t take 4 years for another release!



4.The lyrics on the new recording are a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story line you bring into the lyrics?


Mike: We became sort of fascinated with the customs surrounding death in the Victorian era and built a story around it. A family moves into a house on a cursed land. The baby falls ill and dies, which causes the mother to fall into a never-ending depression. She thinks that she sees her child “invite” her into death, so she kills herself but never ends up reuniting with the child. The Victorian aspect was more or less just a setting in the end, but there are quite a few references to that period and can also be hinted at on the album cover.


5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Oubliette'?


Mike: The word “oubliette” is a French word that translates into something like “a place to be forgotten,” but it is actually the name for a type of old deep dungeon, with only one door at the top. I felt it very fitting for our style… and not to mention the reference from the movie The Labyrinth.



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?


Todd: We’ve been very lucky to play with some truly amazing bands over the short time we’ve been a live band. Playing with Imperial Triumphant a couple of times has been a real highlight for me personally. I really love what those guys are doing. Playing with our friends in Anagnorisis when they were promoting their last record Peripeteia were some amazing nights. Opening for Alcest was easily my favorite show we’ve played, though. Incredibly nice people and it was an absolute joy to share the stage with them. Our stage performance is a mix of subdued and aggressive all at once. We generally play with minimal lighting and a lot of fog. We focus heavily on the music and less about what band members look like. It’s all about delivering a high quality musical experience. Having said that, we all give 100% onstage every time.


Emily: I run a promotion company (Invictum Promotions) here in Nashville and because of that, I have been able to put us on some amazing shows. I agree with Todd, my favorite show was with Alcest.  The crowd was amazing and Alcest was easily some of the nicest guys I’ve ever worked with and they really enjoyed our set! They even invited us to get beers with them at a nearby bar after the show.


Andrew:  All the shows have been great.  Perturbator, Alcest, The Body & Imperial Triumphant have all been highlights.  I think my favorite has to be when we opened for Belphegor, Origin & Abigail Williams here in town.  Very heavy bill for us to be on.  We were the only band of the night to use any clean guitar tones and every time we’d get to a clean part the crowd would cheer and go nuts.  It definitely felt great.


Mike: Playing with Alcest was fantastic, as the others mentioned, but I’d also like to mention the show with Perturbator. The bill was fabulously mixed!




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


Emily: Mike will be doing some touring with Inferi later in the year so we plan on doing a few short runs regionally but that is all we will be able to do in 2018.



8.A few years back you had also done a 'Dissection' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?


Emily: Mike was originally planning to cover “Thorns of Crimson Death” with Inferi but after some discussion, we felt it to be a more appropriate cover for Oubliette.  They are my favorite band and we wanted to pay tribute to them. It also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Storm of the Light’s Bane.



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


Todd: We’ve been really quite surprised by the response to our music, especially overseas. People seem to really enjoy what we’re doing and we’ve had great response to our output.


Mike: I agree with Todd; I think at least half of the interest has been from overseas.



10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?


Todd: I’m in a blackened doom band called Battle Path. We’ve been around for close to 8 years and are currently working on our fourth album.


Andrew:  I also sing and play guitar in a Black/Death band called Ophiuchus.  We are celebrating our 10th anniversary this year and hope to have our 3rd album ready to record sometime later this year.  I also teach guitar, mandolin & bass.


Mike: I play guitar in a tech death band called Inferi, which has been doing well lately. We have been around for quite some time but have really started to become active this year. We just released our fourth album and are touring in support of it this year. We recently did a tour with Alterbeast, Grindmother, and Aethere. Another tour is about to begin with Rivers of Nihil and Alterbeast, and we should have some other things popping up later this year.



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


Todd: I think we’re all into pushing the boundaries of what we do, while staying true to the sound of Oubliette. We all have some progressive leanings musically, so, I personally could see more of that creeping into our music.


Emily: I’d like to stay true to our melodic sound and I don’t think we’ll ever stray from that.


Andrew:  I’m not sure, but I’m looking forward to it.  I don’t think we will be taking much of a break once the record is out.  Mike is already showing us riffs for future songs.


Mike: I’m just always thinking about what we can do to further take advantage of having three guitarists. I know it seems weird to a lot of people, but we are trying to utilize it in the most effective way. I plan on exploring those options more.



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?


Emily: I frequently jam The Ruins of Beverast, Mgla, Winterfylleth, Imperium Dekadenz, and Blut Aus Nord.


Todd: Several us are very big fans of Bolzer’s “Hero”. That gets listened to quite frequently. It’s also safe to say bands like Blut Aus Nord and Alcest are big influences on what we do.


Mike: My big influences as of the last couple of years have been Kauan, Insomnium, and Alcest. I’m not sure how well that reflects in our music but it definitely gets me in the zone to create something new! Lately I've been spinning the new releases from Uada, Gruesome, Monotheist, and Slugdge.



13.What are some of your non musical interests?


Todd: Good films (alternately bad films that are so bad they’re somehow good again), collecting vinyl records (technically a musical interest but it’s pretty consuming) and going to the mountains to relax.


Emily: I’ve always had a passion for animals. Mike and I have 3 dogs and a cat.  Other than music and animals, I love nature and being outdoors whenever possible.


Andrew:  Work and spending time with my wife and animals are the main things.  Playing video games is one of the few hobbies I’ve had longer than playing music.  I also enjoy reading and amature video editing and recording.


Mike: Food, animals, and outdoors. Other than that, I probably am too busy with musical interests!




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


Todd: We appreciate anyone who likes what we’re doing. Our music means so much to us and we love that it’s resonating with people.


Emily: A huge thanks to anyone that has supported us thus far!

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Urarv Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
1.Since that we've gathered live members to relieve me from the guitar duties. Then prepping for gigs once a week. During this time we've also had a debut show at the REVOLVER scene in Oslo, which went quite well I'm glad to say. I was surprised to see that the venue actually became sold out. Secondly, we played at The Howling Infinity festival in Germany which was lots of fun. Some of the audience was really good and obviously happy to witness out contribution. Especially Marlon Crudo Crudo,Tim Simonis and Marco Saloni, which is three of the most hardcore supporters of this scene. (thank you guys for everything)




2.You have a new album coming out in June, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from your previous releases?
I guess I would describe it as unfiltered madness, echoing through a downward spiral and profused in a human being with invisible manacles attached to his feet. A blueprint of the automatic destructive entity that runs the machinery of the human mind.
A complete "out of balance" creature, neglected and cast into the shadows of himself BY himself.A rotting form of human flesh and psychè.Conveyed through music with an unpolished, raw, yet crystalized sound, executed by Cam Ill at HVN Recordings (glad to have you on board brother)


3.The band has been around since 2003 but waited until 2016 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?
Those years I was desperatly striving with keeping my head abow water,mentally speaking, and gathered a lot of inspiration from it. During that period I also recorded the vocals for The Deathtrip album "Deep drone master". A lot to say about that period if I would want to, but it's in the past, and the past doesn't exist any more than a thought in the NOW.



4.I have read the band originally started out more as a folk infuenced project, what was the decision behind going into more of a black metal direction?
m,yes, this is true on one level. I did want to convey stuff through an output much like a folkish thing, but that didn't really cover the whole "story", so because of the intensity and the agitated state of mind I was in I needed to express it with a more fierce sensation.
Whether it's black metal or not I don't care. I just needed to express it like that whatever you wanna call it.


5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Urarv'?
Urarv means "Ancient Heritage", and is meant to portray something that lies hidden deep inside all of us. Which we have forgotten but which is the very source of existence.Our home, if you may.And the music is a portal to open the gates of memory in order to return home.



6.The symbols on the album cover look almost alchemical, can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork?
I'm a huge fan of occult symbols. Always was, still is. And one day, figuring out what to tattoo on my skin I realized that I could create my own symbols instead of using other peoples. So I entered some kind of an internal process where I began forming these lines due to different life experiences and events which magically gave them all a meaning as well.I made a map of nearly two houndred different symbols.


7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We've only played two shows so far so I have very little to comment on at this time.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
Yes, we have some upcoming shows in Norway,Belgium, Romania,and Ethiopia. Really looking forward to that.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
It's been mixed, of course, all else would've been strange, but all in all it's been overwhelmingly positive and even inspirational I'd say.Seems like a lot of people makes use of something that stands out from the crowd a bit, something that offers a new way of thinking and a relief from the decadence of the decaying Black Metal scene, which basically has by far become just a parody on itself in many cases.

10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
I don't know.I think Trish is involved in about 5000 other bands and Sturt is messing around with the next Troll album besides dealing with his other bands «Blindfisted «and «Whip».


11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
I have no idea, nor do I care. I just wanna compose my riddles of sound, execute them live and record them on a physical format for people to enjoy. I have no plans or intentions to « conquer the world « with it, and even if I did we don't play boring music enough to become big.


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?
I've drawn a lot of inspiration from 80's heavy metal and 70's punk, but also some themes from elderly jazz and gothic blues.
I listen mostly to Heavy Metal, Psychedelic Trance and Underground hip-hop


13.What are some of your non musical interests?
Country, gospel, mainstream pop and mainstream rock and mainstream metal,, basically everything that is mainstream.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks to all of you who support the band and what we do. Without you, this would not be possible, which means that your presence and contributions mean everything to us. May you all have a long and happy life :)



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Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Inexorum/Lore Of The Lakes/Gilead Media/2018 EP Review


  Inexorum  is  a  solo  project  from  Minnesota  that  plays  a  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  ep  "Lore  Of  The  Lakes"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Gilead  Media.

  A  very  fast  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  vocals  being  mostly  deep  yet  grim  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  a s the  music  also  mixing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melodic  death  metal elements  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.

  Inexorum  plays  a  style  of  melodic  black  metal  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  Swedish  era  of  the  genre  along  with  some  touches  of  melodic  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Inexorum  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Let  Pain  Be  Your  Guide"  and  "Lore  Of  The  Lakes".  8  out of  10.

http://www.invisibleoranges.com/inexorum-premiere/

Monday, June 11, 2018

Hoth Interview


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

The album is out in just a few days, so we are just working on wrapping up a few things before it is unleashed upon the world. Shipping packages, etc.

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?

The new album Astral Necromancy might be described as melodic black metal, but I think we have a lot of other influences that come through with folky passages and more atmospheric stuff. We definitely like a good melody as sort of the common thread through a song. I’d say the new album is more thorough and consistent than past work and I think we have honed in even more on the type of sound we really want to capture.

3.This is the first album to be released in 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

Some of the first demo ideas for this album were recorded all the way back in 2015. Expanding on these and sculpting them into something we feel represents our ideas takes a lot of time. We got together weekly for nearly 4 years to workshop ideas and themes and figure out how to put them all together. It was a process that saw a lot of ideas completely scrapped - but I think it was all worth it.

Additionally, we got new equipment to create the music. Purchasing a new guitar about a year ago meant we had to re-record basically all of the songs, but once again, it was very much worth it. To hear the original demos to the final version is night and day.

4.The lyrics on the new recording is a concept based around Occultism, can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting and also your interest in the occult?

We developed a concept over time of occult black magic, but with the source of that power emanating from beyond the earth. Somewhere out in the cosmos is the source of that power, and to think such a power could be drawn from our puny world is ignorant. Out in the vast darkness of space is a power that can be drawn upon, but with all things it costs a considerable price. Learning these occult secrets can grant immortality and great power, but it rots the flesh and corrupts the soul. To protect oneself from the putrid side effects of this costly power, there are other rituals, pacts to be made, that can secure your essence beyond the realm of death - at least for a time being.

The occult was a natural place for us to go with our interest in space. We read a deal about black holes, dark energy, but also old grimoires written in centuries past by people who practiced necromancy. These two concepts were married together in the creation of Astral Necromancy.

5.The bands name came from "Star Wars' and the earlier material was more sci-fi themed, what was the decision to move away from that topic on the new recording?

Hoth was originally chosen as our name because it was a planet covered in snow and ice. It sort of represented to us a sort of Niflheim - this realm of cold that embodies a primordial force. The name is also short and sweet, and rolls off the tongue quite well. Our first demos and Infinite Darkness were sort of the natural starting point for us after picking a name. It was easy to write lyrics and have fun recording, but eventually we started to take a more serious look at what kind of themes we wanted to explore. Our interest in the occult really started with Oathbreaker which is the story of someone sacrificing themselves and everything they believe in for a forbidden power in the vain hope to cheat death. Themes of necromancy are present in that album. Different people listening to it will imagine a different story in their heads, which was intentional. Some people see Star Wars, others imagine other stories, because the tale of corruption is a timeless one and your interpretation is based on your own life experiences and is probably just as valid as anyone else’s. I had also begun reading about the occult, specifically necromancy, for another side project I was working on, so that also influenced the new material. So based on this theme of necromancy we began in Oathbreaker, Astral Necromancy was the natural next step - to really look at the spells and rituals of black magic and to see what they mean. Overall, we are organic. We grow and change and evolve. Who knows what direction our future musical efforts will take us?

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?

We will remain a duo.

7.The new album was released on 'Epicurus Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Epicurus is a small micro-label in Seattle doing only select musical projects from Seattle-based artists.

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

People seem to like us for the most part. I hope this new album doesn’t disappoint.

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

We both have a few music side projects. Nothing incredibly active as of now. All the focus has been on completing and releasing Astral Necromancy. Maybe we’ll get back into some of our personal projects once the album is out.

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

Hard to say - only time will tell! We haven’t even started to think about our next album, but we want to continue to have very narrative-driven albums, not necessarily concepts – but albums that conjure mental pictures with the listener. That have songs that can stand alone and as a whole- create a listening experience.

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

Influential bands for us are Windir, Dissection, Emperor, Enslaved, Immortal, Moonsorrow and many others. We love that mix of black metal with subtle folk elements, though I personally enjoy the cheesier stuff as well. Anything with good production and a focus on enchanting melodies is fun. Recently I have been listening to a lot of Visigoth, Aorlhac, Panopticon, and a bunch of random black metal solo projects I stumble onto on youtube or bandcamp.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

We are into the outdoors, hiking, etc. We both like playing video games. David has been into the new Zelda, and I’ve been playing working through another playthrough of The Witcher 3. We are also both into craft beer, which Seattle is great for.

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

Thanks for taking the time to read this! Go check out Astral Necromancy which will be out worldwide on June 15th. Stay tuned for more info about what we plan to do next!

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Sunday, June 10, 2018

Oubliette/The Passage/The Artisan Era/2018 Full length Review


  Oubliette  are  a  band  from  Murfreesboro,  Tennessee  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "The Passage"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  The  Artisan  Era.

  A  very  fast  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  onto  some  of  the  tracks.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  melodic  death  metal  elements  as  well  as  one  of  the  tracks  introducing  synths  onto  the  recording  and  spoken  word  parts  and  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  their is  also  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals,  a  few  of  the  later  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Oubliette  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  sides  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  with  some  progressive  structures  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  loss  and  grief.

  In  my  opinion  Oubliette  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Pale  Innocence"  "Elegy"  and "The  Passage".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/oubliettemetal
www.oubliette.bandcamp.com
www.instagram.com/oubliette.tn

Saturday, June 9, 2018

Ephyra/The Day Of Return/Volcano Records & Promotion/2018 CD Review


  Ephyra  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "The  Day  Of  Return"  which  was  released  by  Volcano  Records  &  Promotion.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  which  also  having  a  blackened  metal  feeling  to  them  at  times  while  female  vocals  and  folk  instruments  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  Japanese  And  Mongolian  instruments,  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  as  the  album  progresses  throat  singing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Ephyra  takes  folk  metal  and  mixes  it  with  the  melodic  sides  of  black  and  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Medieval  Fantasy,  Warriors  and  Battle  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ephyra  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk  and  melodic  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Day  Of  Return"  "Wayfarer"  "Dance  Between  The  Rocks"  and  "True  Blood".  8  out  of  10.

http://volcanopromotion.wixsite.com/ephyra

Flood Peak/Plagued By Sufferers/2018 Full Length Review


  Flood  Peak  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post   metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  album  "Plagued  By  Sufferers".

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sludge  style  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  most  of  the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  A  great  amount  of  doom  metal  elements  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  also  utilize  black  metal  screams  at  times  along  with  some  clean  guitars  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of   the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  post  metal  elements  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  Flood  Peak  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  bleakness  and  hopelessness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Flood  Peak  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Scourge"  and  Veiled  By  Summoners".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/floodpeakband 
www.twitter.com/floodpeakband 

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Mordant Rapture/The Abnegation/The Artisan Era/2018 EP Review


  Mordant  Rapture  are  a  band  from  San  Jose,  California  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  ep  "The  Abnegation"  which  will  be released  in  July  by  The  Artisan  Era.

Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  gives  the  songs  a  symphonic  feeling when  they  are  mixed   in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  technical  style.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  briefly  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  brutal.

  Mordant  Rapture plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  symphonic  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  technical  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mordant  Rapture  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Withered"  and  "Natal  Trophies".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/MordantRapture/
https://twitter.com/MordantRapture
https://www.instagram.com/mordant_rapture/



  

Hoth/Astral Necromancy/Epicurus Records/2018 Full Length Review


  Hoth  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Astral  Necromancy"  which  will  be  released  on  June  15th  by  Epicurus  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having a   very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  back  up  shouts  also  being  used  at  times  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  a  great  amount  of  melodic  death  metal  elements  can  also  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  blast  beats and  a  couple  of  tracks  also brings  in  a  small  amount  of  classical  guitars.

  The  fast  riffs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  while  keyboards  are  also  added  onto  a couple  of  the  tracks  and  also  gives  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  vocals  can  be  heard  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  and  they  also  return  later  on  during the  recording  as  well  as  a  couple  of   the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Hoth  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  sides  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  Black  Magick,  Necromancy,  Forbidden  Knowledge  and  Spiritual  Transcendence.

  In  my  opinion  Hoth  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Living  Dreams  Of  A  Dead  God"  "Citadel  Of  The  Necromancer"  "Journey  Into  The  Eternal  Winter'  and  "Solitude".  8/5  out  of  10.

http://hothmetal.com
http://hothmusic.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/hothmetal

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Mortuorial Eclipse Interview


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

After finished recordings we did some tours in Chile and Brazil, being part great festivals and performing in small venues. Now we are working on some gigs of presentation for this new release and getting ready for upcoming tours.

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?

Once released our first album we had the feeling that something bigger can be created with the same formula but getting deeper into the Orchestra as main element, we explored that universe and as a result we came up with a very eclectic result. URUSHDAUR is a combination of brutal music and dark atmospheres with some ethnic essence.

3.This is your first full length in 6 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

The band was in a transition process when “The Aethyrs´ Call” was finished. It was my debut as singer, until that moment we had front man singer like part of the band. After the recording I had to develop my skills to take these songs to stage and we needed to make the band ready for a higher level exigence.

4.Your lyrics cover Occultism, Old Wisdom and Ancient Cultures, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

These topics are very closely related, we can say that you can not talk of any of them without enter in the others. We find a huge inspiration on these topics and an endless fount of knowledge to dig and develop our message using them as a bridge more than a goal or a point of adoration.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Mortuorial Eclipse'?

We were ready to perform live back in 2007 and we didn’t have a name yet. Actually we had a lot of different ideas and combinations but none really convinced all of us and we changed from rehearsal to rehearsal. “Dying Eclipse” or “Thy Tempest” were some of the first choices but I can’t remember how we finished with “Mortuorial”( a not existing word but very graphic). The final choice evokes the death as an ecliptic restless cycle beyond human wisdom.


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?

For sure “Southern Stigma Tour” around Russia and Europe was the most extreme experience the band had. We were part of some amazing festivals as Moscow Black Metal Convention(Russia) and Metal Crowd ( Bealrus ) . Another night to remember was back in 2014 when we supported the Polish Behemoth,band that is a big influence for me.

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

Take URUSHDAUR as far as we can is tha mayor goal now that the album is released. North America and Central Europe are on the eye for next year.

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

As we make some king of Hybrid critics are very disparate. Purists are always against these proposals but it was never and obstacle to develop our style as mind of people is getting more open and the need of new options is constant. We have a Black essence, Death Sound and a strong Symphonic element; this is how band was born and we are getting deeper into this path  with this new material.   

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

We still feel there is a lot to develop in the line we are, even we are very proud of our latest CD we are exploring and going further to take our proposal to a higher level and keeping all time breeding new music .

10.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?

Our influences are brutally open and its very difficult to find where they start and finish, from OSTs to Old School BM. From Middle East Ethnic to Tampa´s DM and this is all time growing. 

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Wine? So far , everything we do is somehow connected with music and art. It gets very difficult now to think in our lives in a Non Musical Way. We really enjoy what we do and it give us strength to face all the shit of the world without backward steps. 

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

URUSHDAUR is a deep trip that many metalheads will enjoy, we think this work will open a new chapter for the band and we are ready to do all in our hands to deliver this proposal to as far as our strength let us do it. A long journey has just begun. En el caos está la verdad!

Nefass / June 2018

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