Showing posts with label Hortus Animae. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hortus Animae. Show all posts

Sunday, November 19, 2023

Hortus Animae/Waltzing Mephisto/Symbol Of Domination Productions/Black Heavens Music/2023 Album Re-issue Review

 


  Hortus  Animae  are  a  band  from Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  progressive  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2003  album  "Waltzing  Mephisto"  which  was  re-leased  in  2023  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  of  Domination  Productions  and  Black  heavens  Music  and  consists  of  the "Godless  Years"  live  album  as  bonus  tracks.


  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  keyboards  add  in  a  lot  of  symphonic  touches.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.


  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.


  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  progressive  moments.  Spoken  word  parts  and  growls  are  also  utilized  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  one  song  also introducing  clear  vocals  onto  the  album,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.


  The  album  also  adds  in  some  Mayhem,  Cradle  of  Filth,  Mike  Oldfield,  Norma Tanega, Jethro Tull and Slayer covers  which  all  sound  different  from  the  original  versions.  Whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  keyboards  also  going  into  more  of  an  avant  garde  direction  at  times,  one  song  is  an  instrumental  and  a  lot  of  the  bonus  tracks  where  recorded  live. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Anti  Religion,  Surrealism,  Death  and  Sadness  themes.


  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hortus  Animae  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  and  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Springtime  Deaths"  "Welcome  The  Godless"  "Chamber  Od  Endless  Nightmares"  and  "The  bless  of  Eternal  bleeding".  6  out  of  10.


  https://symbolofdomination.bandcamp.com/album/sodp158-hortus-animae-waltzing-mephisto-20th-anniversary-re-release-2023        

Monday, March 26, 2018

Hortus Animae Interview

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

1)      Hi. This album celebrates our 20th anniversary, it was the perfect chance to release something very special, that is live, and on vinyl, which has been our dream in a drawer for many years. It’s been just released so for now we are enjoying the feedback from fans while preparing out 20th anniversary gig that will take place in our hometown, Rimini, Italy on May 18, 2018.


2.How would you describe the musical sound of your current music and also how would you describe your progress over the years as musicians?
2)      We have always been devoted to experimenting different sounds, by integrating diverse influences in our own vision of extreme metal. We stay true to this ideal to this day, even though we have moved towards a more technical and brutal side of our sound. Let’s say in the beginning we sounded a bit more blackish and now we are a little bit more death metal oriented, yet our gothic, progressive and avant-garde remains really vivid.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored over the years with your music?

3)      Lyrics are the representation of a personal path. I have explored many themes over the years but through the prism of my own vision and I have analysed mostly themes related to spirituality, mysticism, abstractionism of the soul, through a study I’ve made of their connection to the human feelings and ways of life.

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

4)      Hortus Animae is Latin for the Garden of the Soul. This moniker fully reflects what previously said not only lyrics-wise but also music-wise. Our music and lyrics make up a scenario where you can go and find shelter and time for rest and reflections.

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

5)      It’s nearly 20 years that we hit stages and every time it’s a wonderful and magical experience. Our warmest memories go to the gigs we shared with Napalm Death, Ancient, Lacuna Coil, Mortuary Drape, Necrodeath and last but not least the almighty Necronomicon.

Our performances are mostly focused on the music, no frills. There is a big energy  from us to the audience and vice versa. This atmosphere has been fully captured in our live album “Piove Sangue”.

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

6)      Not yet, as said for now we are organizing our 20th anniversary gig, surely other gigs will follow during summer but nothing confirmed so far.

7.On the live album you had also done your own version of Slayer's "Raining Blood" what was the decision behind doing your own version of this song?

7)      Every metalhead on Earth has gone through Slayer and “Raining Blood”, it just seemed the perfect song to end our shows during the Total Metal Over Europe Tour, Pt. II with Necronomicon.

8.Also on the same song you also had some session work from the singer of 'Necronomicon', can you tell us a little bit more about his involvement on the recording?

8)      It was the result of fellowship we developed during the tour and that has culminated with this recording, which was totally unplanned and came spontaneously. It was the very last night and we knew we were going to record a live album there, Freddy came to me and proposed to do “Raining Blood” together, I said “fuck yeah!” and then he just came on the stage for a very fiery version of that song. It’s been awesome.

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

9)      We have a very good welcoming in our home, Italy. But I have to say we also have a loyal fanbase abroad as well. During our 8 years hiatus we kept receiving mails from fans from all over the world and they have played a big role to getting us reunited, beside making music together.


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?
10)   Each and every one of us other bands also not related to metal. The bands that are mostly in the metal vein are Desmadre’s Crawling Chaos that play death metal and my solo project Martyr Lucifer where we play gothic.
11)   Right now we are writing new material for the follow up to 2014’s “Secular Music”, we really can’t tell what direction we will fallow as our way to compose is really unpredictable thanks to the fact that we all are musicians coming from different musical backgrounds.

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

12)   I don’t know, if we really have to mention bands, I think I might mention Enslaved, early Opeth but also Cradle of Filth at some point. But just to give you an idea, our vision of music is really personal in the end and we’ve always been extremely open minded and we listen to the most diverse styles of music. This surely contributes to the formation of our sound as well.

13.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

13)   Occultism, yes, it’s important. Not the main thing, though. Mostly spirituality, as said before, with no link to any particular religion. Pagan symbolism plays a big role as well.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?

14)   Even though music is one the leading lines of our lives we all have different interests, like everyone, like movies, reading, some of us are DJs, sometimes I do horse riding, etc.

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

15)   Thank you very much for this interview and we hope we’ll be playing in the US anytime soon. Cheers!



http://hortusanimae.net/

https://www.facebook.com/ HortusAnimae/



Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Hortus Animae/Piove Sangue - Live In Banska Bystrica/Metal Scrap Records/2018 Live Album Review


  Hortus  Animae  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  progressive,  symphonic  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  live  2018  album  "Piove  Sangue - Live  In  Banska  Bystrica"  which  was  released  by  Metal  Scrap  Records.

  Avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  music  being  recorded  live  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  as  well as  the  vocals  also  using  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  screams.

  Clean  vocals  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  used  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  symphonic  elements  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  progressive  yet  melodic  fashion.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  some  tracks  also  show  a  goth  metal  influence along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  closing  track  also  brings  in  some  quest  vocals  from  the  singer  of  Canada's  Necronomicon  which  is  also  a  cover  version  of  Slayer's  "Raining  Blood".

  Hortus  Animae  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  avant  garde,  symphonic  and  progressive  sounding  along  with  some  goth  touches,  the  production  has  a  very  raw  and  live sound  while  the  lyrics  cover  Surrealism,  Death  and  Sadness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hortus  Animae  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic,  avant  garde  and  progressive  black  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  live  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chamber  Of  Endless  Nightmares"  and  "There's  no  Sanctuary".  8  out  of  10.

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Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Hortus Animae/Secular Music/Flicknife Records/2014 CD Review


  Hortus  Animae  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Secular  Music"  which  was  released  by  Flicknife  Records.

  A  very  dark,  melodic  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  you  can  also  hear  elements  of  doom  metal  in  their  musical  sound  along  with  a  very  symphonic  atmosphere  as  well  as  some  clean  singing  vocals  being  utilized  at  times  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  You  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  progressive  and  gothic  elements  coming  out  of  the  keyboards  as  well  as  the  band  using  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  the  solos  and  leads  the  band  uses  are  very  melodic  and  they  bring  an  80's  metal  feeling  to  the  recording  and  the  music  also  has  a  very  decent  balance  between  both  clean  and  heavy  parts.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  elements  of  brutal  death  metal  and  one  of  the  later  tracks  is  divided  into  3  different  parts  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  bit  of  the  90's  avant  garde  black  metal  sound  in  their  songs  and  halfway  through  the  album  small  amounts  of  female  vocals  and  ethic  music  sounds  are  brought in  briefly  and  the  band  also  brings  in  an  an  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  tracks  with  vocals  and  they  close  the  album  with  a  cover  of  Jethro  Tull's  "Aqualing"..

  Hortus  Animae  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  black  metal  but  bring  in  elements  of  death  metal  doom,  gothic  and  progressive  rock  to  create  a  very original  sounding  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics cover  anti  religion,  occult,  dystopian,  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hortus  Animae  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  and  symphonic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "God  And  His  Disgusting  Children"  "Dystopian  Apocalypse"  and  "Chamber  Of  Endless  Nightmares".  8  out  of  10.

http://hortusanimae.net/
https://www.facebook.com/HortusAnimae
http://www.reverbnation.com/hortusanimae
https://twitter.com/HortusAnimae (@HortusAnimae)