Ivoire/Uragano/2026 Full length Review

  Ivoire  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2026  album  "Uragano"  which  will  be  released  in  May.

  Ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  parts  of  the  music  along  with  the  recording  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  clean  sections  are  added  onto  the  recording  they  also  add  in  touches  of  post  rock  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  most  of  the  recording  sticks  to  a  slower  direction,  saxophones  are  also  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  personal  reflections.

  In  my  opinion  Ivoire  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vetta"  and  "Sotto  La  Cenere".  8  out  of  10.

https://ivoire.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/ivoire.postmetal/

https://www.youtube.com/@IVOIRE-postmetal 

Scythe Of Mephisto/Till Life Do Us Apart/Masked Dead Records/Sulphur Music/2026 EP Review

 

  Scythe  Of  Mephisto  are  a band from  Italy  that  plays  a  Swedish  influenced  form  of melodic  black  metal  with  elements  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  ep  "Till  Life  Do  Us  Apart"  which  will  be  released  in  April  as  a  joint  effort  between  Masked  Dead  Records  and  Sulphur  Music.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal s creams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can b e  heard  along  with  the  recording  being  very  heavily  rooted  in t he  90's  Swedish  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Clean  playing  is  added  on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  elements  of  thrash  metal, one  track  also  adds  in  clear  vocals  and  synths  are  added  on  the  outro.

  Scythe  of  Mephisto  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  era  of  Swedish  melodic  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  a  touch  of  thrash  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Left  Hand  Path  and  Darkness  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Scythe  of  Mephisto  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  black  metal  band  with  elements  of  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACk  "Moonlight  over  Babylon".  8  out  of  10.

  https://maskedeadrecords.bandcamp.com/album/till-life-do-us-part

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7qRsNbEdZg&feature=youtu.be

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Scytheofmephist 
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/scytheofmephisto

Vithial/Awakened Ancient Spirits/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Vithial  are  a  solo  project from  Florida  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his self  released  2026  album  "Awakened  Ancient  Spirits"  which  will  be  released  in  June.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  atmospheric  touches  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  mixing  in  elements  of  old  school  death  metal,  clean  playing  and  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Vithial  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  and  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  from t he  90's  and  mixes  it  with  Florida  style  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  spirituality,  death,  the  occult,  mythological  and  dark  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vithial  is  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Masquerading  Deception  Of  Tyranny"  and  "Awakened  Ancient  Spirits".  8  out  of  10.

  

Bandcamp: https://vithial.bandcamp.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vithialmetal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vithialmetal/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@vithialmetal Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2KHgyf8vLvkWxM2m6VTnzE Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/hu/artist/vithial/1752297075 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vithialmetal

  

Orathania/Echo Of Freedom/Archivist Records/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Orathania  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Echo  of  Freedom"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Archivist  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  faster  direction  which  also  utilizes  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  clear  pagan  metal  vocals  and  folk  instruments  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars.

  Orathania  plays  a  style  of  folk  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  captures  the  aggression  of  black  metal  without  the  use  of  any  harsh  vocals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  ancient  and  mystical  roots  of  Ukraine.

  In  my  opinion  Orathania  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  "Do  You  Gear,  My  Brother"  "Bring  my  Body"  "Erun"  and  "Those  Spoke  Zarathustra".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/QHiySagJiOE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biPvUm4Vjn8

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587563716327

https://orathania.bandcamp.com      

  

Highgate Interview

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

G: Mainly we have been gearing up for the release of this new album. Jamie and I plan on working on a noise project together, but right now we’re just in the ideas stage. Other than that, sadly watching the whole world  burn.

J: We are currently working up these songs in our practice space with a new bass player. I’ll leave it at that for now.

2.You have a new album coming out towards the end of march, musically ho does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

J: I took the lead on the music writing on this one. Greg had to step away from writing for a while so I was happy to take the reins. I tried to stay true to things he and I had written in the past. We weren’t trying to reinvent ourselves… just wanted to lay down good riffs.

3.This is also your first full length since 2013, can you tell us a little bit more about the 13 year wait?

G: Well I moved away shortly after ”Survival” came out. After that, everyone who was in the band at the time got very busy with work for quite a few years. We of course had the Covid epidemic that happened in 2020, and right after that a series of band-related tragedy and hardship occurred. First our drummer Steve had some horrible back troubles that put him down and out for the better part of the year. We then lost our dear friend and bandmate Shawn, who passed away in 2022. An early 2023 I  lost my eyesight. It’s almost felt like there’s been a curse put on the band or something. It’s crazy. 

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

G: The lyrics on the album address subjects like the genocide of the Palestinian  and Sudanese  people, as well as our government’s corruption and propaganda, and the continuous class warfare that goes on in our society.   

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

This is an original painting by @rotting_reign

I felt like it was a good representation of the lyrical themes of the album. Death etc.

6.Out of all the shows and tours the band has done so far which one stands out the most?

G: I don’t know if one stands out in particular that was my favorite, but I always prefer the shows that were smaller in nature and especially the ones that weren’t at typical venues like abandoned warehouses or basements, things like that. I just prefer the atmosphere to those types of spaces as opposed to a regular concert hall or something like that.

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

J: to be determined. No plans as of yet.

8.The new album is going to be released on 'Horror Pain Gore Death Records', how would you compare working with this labels to other labels you have worked with in the past?

We love Mike J and HPGD. We have had a great experience working with them. They are super helpful but also allow bands to handle the entire creative process. All the early stuff was on TotalRust. We really loved Gad and that label too but he stopped putting out bands a long time ago.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black, sludge and doom metal?

G: It’s been all over the map. There are some people that are into those genres that do like our music, but there are many who don’t care for it or even honestly might not get it or understand why we do it. I’m a self professed musical snob myself so I do get it ha ha.

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

G: well for me at least I’m hoping to get back to playing guitar on our recordings again. When I went blind, I stopped playing any guitar for a while, but now I’m starting to pick it back up again and starting to get used to it.

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?

G: My personal biggest influences include Black Sabbath, Hellhammer, Saint Vitus, Throbbing Gristle, Swans, Integrity, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Neurosis, and even bands like Crass, Joy Division, and The Cure have been major influences on me. To be perfectly honest, though I think one of the biggest reasons this band has worked out so well for all of us other than us being friends first is that everyone in this band has a very eclectic taste in music. As far as things I’m currently listening to, at the time of this writing Neurosis just dropped a new and surprise album, and I’ve been listening to that on repeat. Other than that i’ve been going back and listening to the classics from some of the other aforementioned bands.    

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

G: I just want to say thank you for taking the time and energy to do this interview, and for everyone reading to stay safe out there, it’s crazy right now. 

www.highgatedoom.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/Highgatedoom 

Irkalla/Skyshatter/2026 Full Length Review

  Irkalla  are  a  solo  project  form  Austria  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2026  album  "Skyshatter".

  A  very  heavy  thrash  metal  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  music  also  shows  influences  of  both  the  old  school  and  modern  era's  of  the  genre  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  plying,  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  one  song  is  also  a piano  orientated  instrumental.

  Irkalla  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  thrash  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Irkalla  is  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Skyshatter"  "Sinister  Devotion"  and  "Weltonbruch".  8  out  of  10.

 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/366led9l37LWzGrFWXAshs
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoJJvQHTMUcMWl1TctixCwA
Follow Matej's main band here: https://www.sheogorath.at/

 

    

Anifernyen/Ex Tenebris Lvx/Ethereal Sound Works/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Anifernyen  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Ex  Tenebris  Lvx"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Ethereal  Sound  Works.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Whispers  and  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  while  the  album  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  a  few  songs  also  adding  in  clear  singing  and  clean  playing,  synths  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Anifernyen  continue  to  expand  on  the  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  that  they  have  introduced  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  Arturo  Perez-Revete's  "The  Club  Dumas".

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Anifernyen  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "None  Shall  Be  Denied"  "Frusta"  "Disciple  Surpasses  The  Master"  and  "From  Darkness  Comes  Light".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UizyZuhurUY

bandcamp; facebook; instagram