Thursday, September 27, 2012

Sanaxe/Rats/Fermata Records/2012 EP Review


  Sanaxe  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  metal  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  ep  "Rats"  which  was  released  by  Fermata  Records.
  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with   only  a  small  amount  of  fast  playing  or  blast  beats  being  utilized  briefly  on  one  song,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffing  that  is  mostly  in  the  traditional  melodic  metal  vein  while  adding  black  metal  influences  to  the  more  aggressive  parts  of  the  music,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  traditional  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  vocals  with  some  deep  demonic  growls  being  used  in  the  background  at  times,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful  and  heavy  sound  while  having  that  demo  quality  to  it  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Sanaxe  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  melodic  metal  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Useless  Life".  RECOMMENDED.

http://www.reverbnation.com/sanaxe

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Satya Sena/Diversity Of Tactics Vol 1/2012 EP Review


  This  is  another  review  of  Satya  Sena  this  time  with  their  self  released  2012  ep  "Diversity  Of  Tactics  Vol  1"  which  continues  their  side  which  is  a  hybrid  of  black  metal,  sludge,  thrash,  crust  and  power  violence.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  no  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing h as  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing t hat  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  black  metal  with  thrash,  sludge,  power  violence  and  crust  with  a  good  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  being thrown  into  the  riffing  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  this  recording.

  Vocals  range  from  thrash  vocals,  clean  singing,  deep  death  metal  growls,  high  pitched  black  metal  and  sludge  screams,  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature  and  violent  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  while  you  can s till  hear  all  of t he  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  recording  from  Satya  Sena  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black/thrash  mixed  with  sludge  and  power  violence,  you  should  check  this  ep  out.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Vigilance".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://satyasena.bandcamp.com/

Satya Sena/Self Titled/2012 Ep Review


  Satya  Sena  are  a  band  from  Oakland,  California  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  power  violence  and  sludge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2012  EP.

  Drums range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  fast  playing  or  blast  beats,   while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  that  combines  black  metal  with  sludge,  hardcore,  thrash,  power  violence  and  crustcore  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  and  leads  present  on  this  recording.

  Vocals range  from  thrash  style  clean  singing  to  high  pitched  black  metal/sludge  screams,  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent  and  powerful  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  while  you  can s till  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Satya  Sena  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  black  metal,  thrash,  grindcore,  sludge,  power  violence  and  crust  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Powerlust".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://satyasena.bandcamp.com/

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Viter/Springtime/Metalism Records/2012 CD Review



  Viter  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  started  as  a  hybrid  of  folk  and  black  metal  but  evolved  into  a  more  folk,  alternative,  industrial,  rock  metal  band  with  this  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Springtime"  which  was  released  by  Metalism  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  fast  playing  and  blast  beats,  while  the  folk  instruments  and  synths  bring  an  atmospheric,  folk,  alternative  and  industrial  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range from  to  mid  paced  riffs that  combines  folk,  industrial,  rock,  alternative  and  metal  to  create  a  sound  of their  own  along  with  a  great  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  soft  and  clean  playing  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  this  recording,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  full chords  to  give  the  music  a  more  medieval  sound.

  Vocals  are  all  clean  singing  folk  metal  singing  with  no  growls  or  screams  being  present  on t his  recording,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  nature  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  in  my  opinion  Viter  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  folk,  metal,  rock,  alternative  and  industrial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Night  Is  So  Moonlit"  "Springtime"  "Cold  And  Frozen"  and  "Two  Colors".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Monday, September 10, 2012

Scythia/For The Bear/2012 CD Review


  Scythia  are  a  band  from  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  styles   that  I  would  describe  as  being  folk  metal  with  some  melodic  death  and  black  metal  influences  and this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2012  album  "For  The  Bear".

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  fast  playing  or  blast  beats,  while  the  oboe  brings  a  folk  music  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  folk  metal  riffs  that  utilize  some  melodic  death  and black  metal  influences  in  the  heavier  side  of  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding   pagan  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  bring  a  medieval  sound  to  the  music.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  folk  metal   singing  that  has  a  power  metal  feeling  to  it  at  times  as  well  as  some  more  aggressive  parts  as  well  as  some  shouts  in  addition  there  is  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  being  utilized  on  one  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  and  Russian  Paganism,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  and  heavy  sound  for  being a  self  released  recording  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  recording  from  Scythia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sailor's  Accolade"  and  "For  The  Bear".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG63ssJR1as 

Warseid Interview


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

 As of right now, we're taking a break from live shows, and are writing new material and booking shows for the winter. Most of us are in college in different states around the Midwest and it's hard to get everyone together during the fall and spring seasons.


We have some big things in the works for this winter. We're all supposed to die at the end of December, so why not go big? haha.

2. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the new album?


It's always a difficult thing for a musician to describe the sound of his or her own music and it's no different for us. We take a lot of influence from a lot of different music, metal and not. The main influences on WFLU will be black metal and folk music, but they are by no means the only elements present.


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


We created our own story for this release. Thematically it is fairly standard: tragedy, revenge, with some mythological elements included. It's a story, nothing more, nothing less.

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

We've played a lot of great shows in the past and they get better with every one. However, one of the best shows we've played was probably our release show this past July. It's an unforgettable feeling when we get so much support from our fans in our hometown of Madison, WI.


As for our stage performance, we've really come a long way in refining it. Not just with our costumes that consist of warpaint and the like, but also with how we interact with the crowd and our movement on the stage itself. We feel that we are our strongest live because we attempt to give every show a unique experience visually, not only aurally.

5. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

We're currently planning a winter tour around the Midwest with our very good friends Atreus, melodic death from Appleton/Green Bay, WI, that is set to begin almost immediately after we get back from the fall term in late December.


More details will be released soon, so check our facebook for any updates if you want to see us on tour!

6. Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label and if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for the music?

Labels are something we have gone back and forth on for the longest time. We're not interested in the major labels that undermine and disrespect their artists, but a few smaller labels like Candlelight and Napalm definitely peak our interest and we hope to pursue opportunities along those lines.
Being a DIY band has been great, but there is only so much we can do. It would be great to push beyond that limit.


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

Overwhelmingly positive. We've received some really great reviews and a lot of interest from all around the globe. It's very encouraging.

8. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

Some of us have solo projects and we work a lot with other musicians, but musically we devote our fullest attention to Warseid. The only thing that really gets in the way is the fact that most of us are students.

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

At this point its a little hard to say, our new material is still very much in the works. We certainly don't have a predetermined goal in mind. Our sound is constantly evolving and we explore a range of possibilities in our writing. You will see some new characteristics and some returning, but its hard to categorize exactly what will happen at this point.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays/

We take obvious influence from a plethora of metal genres, no specific bands really come to mind. We also take a lot of influence from classical music and jazz. I can only answer for myself (Kellan) but right now I'm not really focused on any one genre. Sometimes Dissection, sometimes Art Blakey, sometimes Street Fighter theme songs. There's really no rhyme or reason to my musical taste at this point.


11. How would you describe your views on Norse Paganism?

Again, I can only answer for myself. My take on all religion is that it is mythology. To that effect I love to study religion, and pagan religions have the most fascinating and beautiful mythology to be found, but I don't practice anything. So, my view on Norse Paganism is that it is fascinating to study.


12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Minus obvious free time activities: studying history and culture. I read more textbooks than most people read novels. I also love horror movies. That's all the interesting bits.


13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

The pizza calzone I had for dinner was magnificent.

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Friday, August 24, 2012

Warseid/Where Fate Lies Unbound/2012 CD Review



  Warseid  are  a  band  from  Madison,  Wisconsin    that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  form  of pagan/black  metal  mixed  in  with  some  folk  and  progressive  music  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of their  self  released  2012  album  "Where  Fate  Lies  Unbound".

  Drums range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while  the  synths  bring  a  very  dark,  atmospheric  and  symphonic  sound  to  the  music  mixed  in  with  some  violins  and  folk  instruments,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  black  metal  riffs  that  utilize  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  in  the  riffing  that  brings  in  elements  of  melodic  death  metal  as  well  as  some  traditional  metal  elements,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  black  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads  that  have  a  neo-classical  metal  feeling  to  them  at  times,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  they  use  full  chords  and  finger  picking  to  bring  in  elements  of  folk  and  progressive  music.

  Vocals  range  from  grim  sounding  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  some  deep death  metal  growls  and  some  clean  singing  being  utilized  on  the  last  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Paganism  and  Fantasy,  as  for  the  production   it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful  and  heavy  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Warseid  are  a very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  black  metal  band  with  folk  and  progressive  music  elements  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shackles  Through  Sand"  and  "The  Vengeance  Pact".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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