Hipoxia/Ruinae Ira, Creans Ruina eo Tempore Est -Monumentum ab Khaos II/The Way Of The Hermit/2018 CD Review

  Hipoxia  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  sludge  metal  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Ruinae  Ira,  Creans  Ruina  eo  Tempore  Est -Monumentum  ab  Khaos  II"  which  was  released  by  The Way  Of The  Hermit.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  some  grim  whispers  also  being  used  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  sludge  metal  direction  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  slower  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  along  with  the  music  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  influences  which  show  up  mostly  in  the  screams  and  as  the  album  progresses  touches  of  drone,  gothic  rock  and  ambient  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  Hipoxia  remains  rue  to  their  mixture  of  drone,  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  while  also  adding  in  more  post  metal,  goth  rock  and  ambient  elements  this  time  around,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  form  Hipoxia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  drone,  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Purification  Through  Amok".  8  out  of  10. 

https://youtu.be/rcdx9w0ZO5g

    

Internal Chronicles/Crimson Storm/Blood And Gut Records/2018 CD Review

  Internal  Chronicles  are  a  solo  project  from  Croatia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Crimson  Storm" which  will  be  released  in  2019  by  Blood  And  Gut  Records.

  Grim  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  which  also  introduces  melodic  guitar  leads  onto  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  long  and  epic  in  length  and  synths  are  also  used  briefly.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  along  with  a  brief  use  of  stringed  instruments  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  one  of  the  later  tracks  brings  in  ritualistic  chants  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  and  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  are  added  on  the  closing  track.

  Internal  Chronicles  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Internal  Chronicles  is  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Beautiful  Day  To  Die"  "The  Life's  Cure"  and  "Crimson  Storm".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9UjzrqFZIk

Forbidden Rites Interview

1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
We are a mexican black death metal band inspired by the metal of the 90's. We talk a little about occult knowledge and secret societies.



2. Recently you have released an album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?
This album is a black death metal with 90’s shades,looking for a metal as powerful as melodic, aggressive and sometimes a bit tearing.



3. Your lyrics deal with  ancestral occult knowledge and secret societies can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in those topics?
These are topics that interest us a lot, how much of that knowledge have been lost over time and nowadays it is only embodied in signs and symbols of ancient civilizations, how human beings were closing their knowledge channels and now it has led them to being in a state of lethargy and obscurantism. Hell is here, hell is now, and we like to shout it in the face of people through our music. It’s worth mentioning that 6 of the lyrics were written by Alonso Guzmán, a mexican writer and good friend of the band, and the other two lyrics by Sergio Campos, who has always supported the project and has a lot of knowledge about these matters.



4. Originally the band started out playing covers, what was the decision behind writing and creating your own songs?
Actually, the covers were played only for a while and at the same time we started to compose our own material, the idea was always to generate our own music and expose in it everything we had inside.



5. The band originally started in 96 and waited until 2018 to release the first album, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time frame?
Exactly, the band started in '96 and after a while some of the members separated and started new projects,they looked for new sounds, etc. Hugo Olivos moved to Cyprus and Raúl Campos to Tijuana Mx, after those years, some members of the band were still in touch, some more, some less, everyone in different projects until at last, in 2017, a common friend, Rubén Contreras, put us in touch again and we decided to resume the ritual we had left pending.



6. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Forbidden Rites'?
Mainly, the name was inspired by the ancient rituals carried out by the leaders of some secret societies with occult knowledge, those rituals that wrapped knowledge and could be used for any purpose, rites that today are forgotten, and were forbidden before. It also has a personal connotation and we allude this name to the musical rites that had been forgotten among us back in the 90’s.



7. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?
It is the whole representation of those secret sects, which in ancient times hid their temples in the woods to carry out their rituals away from the curious and the blind.



8. Most of the band lives in Mexico while another member lives in Cyprus, how does this work out in the recording process?
It was a complicated process, but not that painful. In Mexico the guitars and bass were made, and we sent them to Hugo in Cyprus, he made the drums and returned the proposals, and so on and on until we were satisfied with the result. Later, Vlad Marin added voices to achieve the final product. At the recording studio, the process was similar.



9. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?
It is true that the album still has a short time in the market and that still does not give us a full picture of the acceptance of it. So far we have received good reviews and the support and appreciation from the people who have heard it, which we are very grateful for.





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?
Hugo Olivos continues with his project Vomitile (who already released a third album), Raúl Campos and Juan Carlos Mtz finished their previous projects to dedicate themselves to Forbidden Rites and Vlad Marin has his Xiutecutli project on stand-by.



11. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We will always seek to perfect our music, but above all continue to seek how to communicate through it, that music has to tell you something and make you feel something. We also believe that talking about the future of Forbidden Rites music is a bit difficult since we like to live in the here and the now.



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?
Definitely bands like Dissection, Necrophobic, Satyricon, Vinterland, Old man’s child, Dawn were great influence for these 4 metalheads. Today any subgenre of metal is in our playlists but we also move to genres like jazz and progressive rock, but mostly, extreme metal.



13. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
First of all, we greatly appreciate this space and this interview, and also thanks to all the people who have shown us their support and empathy with this project, and to all those who have been with us throughout these years from the beginning.

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Fenrir/Legends Of The Grail/2019 Full Length Review

  Fenrir  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  album  "Legends  Of  The  Grail"which  will  be  released  in  2019.

  Epic  sounding  violins  start  off  the  album  bringing  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  dark  ages  which  also  mix  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  female  vocals.

  When  acoustic  guitars  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  elements  of  folk  music  while  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  heavy  and  power  metal  at  times  along  with  a  great  amount  of  fiddles  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  clean  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  grim  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  a  couple  of  instrumentals.

  Fenrir  plays  a  style  of  folk  metal  that  is  very  melodic  sounding  while  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  at  times,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  the  legends  of  King  Arthur  and  The  Knights  Of  The  Round  Table.

  In  my  opinion  Fenrir  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  "A Red Sun  Rises"  "Conquest  Of  Britain"  "The  Son  Of  Pendragon" and  "Mordred".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/FenrirOfficialFR/

Ash Of Ashes/Down The White Waters/2018 Full Length Review

  Ash  Of  Ashes  are  a  duo  from  Germany  that  plays  a  musical  style  they  describe  as  being  'epic  skaldic  metal'  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  album  "Down  The  White  Waters".

  Epic  sounding  synths  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  pagan  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  which  are  also  added  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  pagan  chants  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  some  blast  beats  when  the  music  speeds  up  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody,  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  short  instrumental  can  also  be  heard.

  Ash  Of  Ashes  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  pagan,  melodic  black  and  folk  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  fro  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism and  Nature  themes  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ash  Of  Ashes  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  pagan  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Down  The  White  Waters" "Sea  of  Stones" and  "Chambers  Of  Stone  (The  Lay  Of  Wayland)". 8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NyM2H9BgRU    

Bolthorn/Across The Human Path/Broken Bones Records/Envenomed Music/2018 Full Length Review

  Bolthorn  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  viking  and  melodic  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Across  the  Human  Path"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Broken  Bones  Records  and  Envenomed  Music.

  Battle  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  nature  sounds  and  epic  sounding  synths  a  few  seconds  later  while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction  which  also  introduces  death  metal  growls  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  has  a  lot  of  Swedish  influences.

  When  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  pagan  metal  feeling  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  melodic  style  along  with  the  screams  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  synths  and  spoken  word  parts  also  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Bolthorn  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  viking,  black  and  melodic  death  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  Norse  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Bolthorn  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  viking  and  melodic  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sentinel"  "Thor"  and  "The  Lair  of  The  Beast".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/K9gnP7dbhjs

Suffering Souls/In Synergy Obscene/Schwarzdorn Production/2019 CD Review

  Suffering  Souls  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "In  Synergy  Obscene"  which  will  be  released  in  2019 by  Schwarzdorn  Production.

  A  very  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  after  the  intro  while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly  along  with  some  programmed  beats  also  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  some  clean  vocals  are  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music.

  Back  up  shouts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some  of  the  fast  riffing  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  growls  can  also  be  heard  and  acoustic  guitars  and  female  vocals  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Suffering  Souls  plays  a  style  of  symphonic  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  modern  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Anti  Christianity,  Death  and  Misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Suffering  Souls  is  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Synergy  Obscene"  "As  The  Truth  Unfolds"  and  "Unseen  Phenomenon".  8  out  of  10.


https://www.facebook.com/SUFFERING-SOULS-Official-155361931188672/

      

Lemuria/The Hysterical Hunt/Massacre Records/2019 CD Review

  Lemuria  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "The  Hysterical  Hunt"  which  will  be  reelased  in  2019  by  Massacre  Records.

  A  very  epic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  and  also  captures  the  atmosphere  of  a  fantasy  movie  soundtrack  while  whispers  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording along  with  some  symphonic  elements  being  added  onto  the  recording  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  heat  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of   female  vocals  on  a  couple  of  songs  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs also introducing  folk  instruments  and  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  a  couple  of  interludes.

  Lemuria  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  epic,  melodic  and  symphonic  style,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  inspired  inspired  by  true  events  and  involves    a  hunt  for  werewolves  along  with  some  horror  and  occult  elements.

  In  my  opinion  Lemuria  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Plague  Upon  The  Land" "Of  Winter  ANd  Hell"  and  "Endcame  (The  Impending  Truth)".  8  out  of  10.

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In Shadows And Dust Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project since the recording of the new album?
Since the end of te recording in mid-October I’ve been focus and gather material to promote the album and get everything ready for the release day. I also continue to records ideas for the next album and working on a Black Metal project with a French band from Paris.

2.You have a new album coming out towards the end of December, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
“Enlightened by Darkness” is lyrically more focused on the Darkness of my minds, life experiences and what I’ve been through/ On the music side, it’s less fast/grinded than the previous one, there are more mid paced moment but the aggressive sound still remains on each track.

3.Your music is very heavily rooted in the 90's era of Swedish black and death metal, do you feel you stand out as being different form the other bands and musical projects from your home country of France?
In. Fact I was playing this music in 97/98 with my previous bands Pelvic Bones and The Evil One, we had a HM-2 sound. When I started In Shadows and Dust back in 2014, I took my HM-2 and started riffing with it, this sound is how I love music. Its sounds indeed different from what’s happening in France on the Metal side, France is more Black Metal oriented (at least in the underground) but I don’t feel different as I just do what I want to do and not looking around to apply the French Black Metal code.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore on the newer album?
As I mention a bit in a previous question, this is all about Darkness. Darkness of my own mind and my experiences in life. Everyone is going through shit in life and I am no exception, I just use my feeling and hell I’ve been through to build around with lyrics and music. I also use some external stories and past event as in Deathlike Silence (just by the name of the song you’ll guess what it’s about)

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'In Shadows And Dust'?
“In Shadows and Dust” comes from Kataklysm song. Kataklysm are a band I really dig because they do music without compromise. They continue to play the music they love and they are true with themselves, that’s what I appreciate with this band.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album?
The artwork is done by Manel-Song Ollé Chin (@woodcvtter_illustration) from Barcelona and drummer for “Expel the Grace” I found very cool his work around the HM-2 / Swedish Chainsaw design, I think it was a good fit for “In Shadows and Dust” HM-2 infused Metal. There are many details on the cover like a HM-2 grave designed and few other items around. I had a vision for this cover, I’ll describe it to Manel-Song and he did the work. He also did past and future t-shirt design for ISAD.

7.On the new album you recorded everything by yourself, are you still open to finding a full line up to play the songs live?
I do have friends willing to play with me live but I prefer to focus on writing new stuff for now. We already rehearsed few songs together and it’s pretty bad ass working with other people on “In Shadows and Dust” material. Live might happen, sooner or later.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?
It has been great and I’m always surprise when I send music on the other side of the world ! The first people that supported “In Shadows and Dust” are still here and lived the evolution of the music. More and more people are supporting the band by sending messages, sharing music or buying merchandising. I don’t know if they are Black Metal fans or Death Metal fans, what I know it’s the are Metal fans and appreciate the hard work and heart that I put in In Shadows and Dust music.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
First there will be a next ISAD album out the 21st of December 2019, I already recorded stuff since October and I will continue to do so. I’m also working with another band as a singer / drummer on a very very dark Black Metal project, this will be raw and reminded me of the early Mayhem stuffs.

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?
Influences come from the late 90’ with bands like Entombed, Dismember, Necrophobic, Night in Gales, A Canorous Quintet, Ablaze my Sorrow and all the Swedish Death Metal wave.I listen to different favour of Metal and lately I’ve been into Obscenity, the re release of A Canorous Quintet, Unearth, Inert, Nightbearer, Organic and Revel the Flesh for example, but the list would be very long if I had to list everything.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Tits

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for you support and spreading the work around, we are the Metal Underground

Stephane

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Dark Reverence Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Yes, we are a duo. Lord of Horns creates and records all of the music and Legion sings in various styles. We both contribute with lyrics and Legion focuses on our visual marketing.

2.Recently you have released a demo, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?
We chose 3 songs that we felt displayed our talents and influences the best. It has a good mix of goth, black metal, ambient, and industrial. We were able to prominently display Legion's vocal capabilities, which is a key factor of our music.

3.You refer to your music as 'savage goth', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?
I came up with the term to describe our sound. We are a little too soft for metal and way too hard for traditional goth. I wanted a term that represented our sound as soon as you heard it. Metal in general and especially black metal is known to be savage sounding. Goth is more dreary and slower paced, but we use elements of each to attain our sound. I didn't want to go by 'goth metal' because that's still not exactly what we are doing. I really wanted something that represented our black metal influences, so I chose the word savage.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
We have a range of topics that we enjoy writing about. They include, but not limited to, serial killers, dark fantasy/ mysticism, psychological torture, classic horror tropes, etc.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Dark Reverence'?
We revere all that is dark, we live in a harsh world and we feel dark themes are more realistic and representative of life. For this project, we wanted to incorporate many different types of dark music that we each are influenced by. Some people like goth, or industrial, or thrash metal. We like it all, so long as it's dark sounding. It's also another take away from our black metal influences. Many bands are Dark this or Dark that. So, the name works well to promote our sound.

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?
For the time, we are happy with how we work. We would love to share the stage with other musicians, but we don't want to compromise on our craft. I think if we are ever signed by a major record label, studio musicians would work best for us.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
So far we only had one show with a good turn out. We started slow and didn't promote much. Now we are promoting constantly. Our last show was the best, we opened for the Vampirefreak's monthly Cybertron event last month. For being an unknown opening band, we played for about 60 people, half of which we personally sold tickets to. Our stage performance is rather reserved. We wear hoods and have mysterious presences. That's the aesthetic we are going for.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
We have 2 shows coming up next weekend. One is in Ardmore, PA at the Rusty Nail. That's a metal show. The night after we will be in Mystic Islands, NJ at the last Castle Corridors event. That's a goth dance event. In the summer we just got accepted to perform at Steampunk Fest. Before then, however, we want to do some weekend touring around the northeast region of the US to spread our name. We are thinking that would go from March-May

9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
We are still only 4 months old, so no interest has come to us. We aren't really looking for a label right now. We want to gain exposure first to make ourselves more marketable for bigger labels.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and goth metal?
We received a good amount of positive feedback by fans of those types of music. These are people I am friending on facebook and promoting to all over the world.

11.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We want to do a few more demos first and then focus on getting a record or distribution deal. Once we have that we would be game to do a full length release.

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?
Legion enjoys traditional goth, industrial, and tribal; bands like Depeche Mode, Eisbrecher, Dead Can Dance, are just a few. I like a lot of styles from blues to hard rock, metal of all kinds, punk and goth. We continue to listen to much of the same as we always have.

13.How would you describe your views on Occultism?
We embrace occultism. I am a nordic pagan and Legion is spiritual, but unaffiliated with religion.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?
We like being out in nature and creating art. We enjoy going out to goth clubs and metal concerts.

15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
It was a pleasure to take part in this interview and we thank you for taking interest in our project!

https://www.facebook.com/darkreverenceband/

Wolfhorde/Hounds Of Perdition/Inverse Records/2019 CD Review

  Finland's  Wolfhorde  heave  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  black  metal  influenced  style  of  folk  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Hounds  Of  Perdition"  which  will  be  released  in  2019  by  Inverse  Records.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  while  folk  instruments  are  also  used  at  times  along  with  the  clean  vocals  giving  the  music  more  of  a  pagan  metal  feeling  and  they  are  also  mixed  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  as  well  as  some  symphonic  sounding  synths  also  being  used  at  times.

  Blackened  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  some  blast  beats  also  being  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard.

  Wolfhorde  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  black  metal  influenced  style  of  folk  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism,  Mythology,  History,  Nature  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Wolfhorde  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chimera"  "Towers  Of  Silence"  and "Hounds  Of  Perdition".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/3gDW3NOl_24

In Shadows And Dust/Enlightened By Darkness/Redefining Darkness Records/2018 CD Review

  In  Shadows  And  Dust  are  a  solo  project  from  France  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Enlightened  by  Darkness"  which  will  be  released  on  December  21st  by  Redefining  Darkness  Records.

  An  intro  which  rain  and  thunder  sounds  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths  also  being  used  briefly  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  faster  sections  of   the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  the  music also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  early  90's  Swedish  era  death  metal  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  some  of  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  the  raw  aggression  of  grindcore.

  In  Shadows  And  Dust  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  era  of  melodic  Swedish  black  and  death  metal  while  also  adding  in  a  more  aggressive  approach  to  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  In  Shadows  And  Dust  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  old  school  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Enlightened  By  Darkness"  "Deathlike  Silence"  and  "At  the  Edge  Of  The  World".  8  out  of  10.

https://redefiningdarknessrecords.bandcamp.com/album/in-shadows-and-dust-enlightened-by-darkness

Arsis/Visitant/Agonia Records/2018 CD Review

  Arsis  are  a  band  from  Virginia  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  technical  form  of  blackened  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  thrash  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Visitant"  which  was  released  by  Agonia  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  technical  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  heavier  riffs  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  high  pitched  screams  that  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  black  metal.

  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  more  of  a  technical  death  metal  style  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  elements  of  thrash  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.

  Arsis  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly rooted  in  more  of  a  melodic  and  technical  death  metal  style  while  using  more  of  a  black  metal  vocal  approach  and  also  mixing  in  elements  of  thrash  to  create  a sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  movie  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Arsis  are  a  very  great  sounding  technical  and  melodic  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tricking  the  Gods" "Fathoms"  "Death  Vow"  and  "His  Eyes". 8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/mppYdPJLTQc

Dark Reverence/2018 Promo Review

  Dark  Reverence  are  a  duo  from  New  Jersey  that  plays  a  mixture  of  goth,  ambient  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  promo.

  Heavy  yet  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  promo  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  programmed  beats  as  well  as  the  female  vocals  also  mixing  goth  elements  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  synths.

  A  decent  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  along  with  the  synths  also  adding  in  elements  of  dark  ambient  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them as  well  as  a brief  use  of  clean  playing.

  Dark  Revernece  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  dark  ambient  and  goth  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dark  Reverence  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  dark  ambient  and  goth  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Let  Me  Be  Myself  Again".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/darkreverenceband/
  

Lowered/Self Titled/Throne Records/2018 Full Length Review

  Lowered  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2018  album  which  was  released  by  Throne  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  along  with  some  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  slow  and  heavy  riffs  which  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  black  metal  screams.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  while  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  elements  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  dissonant  structures.

  Lowered  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  death,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lowered  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Unreal"  and  "Call  Of  The  Moon".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp



  

N (46)/[BOLT]/(Nameless Release)/Midira Records/2018 Full Length Review

  [BOLT]  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  teams  up  with  Germany's  N (46)    plays  an  instrumental  mixture  of  black,  drone  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  a  nameless  release  that was  released  by  Midira  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  slow  and  heavy  doom  metal  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  all  of  the  music  being  instrumental  and  the  guitar  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  decent  amount  of  black  metal  elements  along  with  the  music  also  capturing  an  improvised  atmosphere  as  well  as  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  slow  direction.

  [BOLT]  and  team  up  together  and  mixes  black,  drone  and  doom  metal  together  while  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  mixing  their  different  styles  together  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collaboration  between  N (46)  and  [BOLT]  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  drone,  black  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  8  out  of  10.

https://n-bolt.bandcamp.com/

Haiku Funeral/Decadent Luminosity/Aesthetic Death/2018 Double Album Review

  Haiku  Funeral  are  a  band  from  France  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  blackened  industrial  and  ritualistic  satanic  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  double  album  "Decadent  Luminosity"  which  was  released  by  Aesthetic  Death.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  first  side  of  album  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length   along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  industrial  elements  as  well  as  the  vocals  being  mostly  done  in  a  very  grim  black  metal  style  and  synths  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  A  great  amount  of  programmed  and  militant  beats  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  melodic  chants  also  being  used  briefly  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  stringed  instruments,  some  tracks  also  add  in  whispered  style  vocals  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  and  when  percussion  is  utilized  briefly  it  adds  in  more  of  a  shamanistic  atmosphere  and  the  closing  track  also  adds  in  elements  of  Indian  ethnic  music.

  Ritualistic  percussion's  start  off  the  second  sound  of  the  album  along  with  some  clear  yet  chanting  vocals   while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  and  they  also  sound  very  demonic  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Ambient  style  synths  and  ritualistic  soundscapes  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  second  half  of  the  album  while  grim  whispers  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  at  times  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  an  instrumental.

  With  this  double  album  Haiku  Funeral  brings  out  2  different  sides  of  their  musical  style  with  the  first  side  being  blackened  industrial  and  the  second  side  ritualistic satanic  ambient,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Eastern/Western  Occultism,  Rituals  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Haiku  Funeral  an  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  industrial,  experimental,  ritual  and  dark  ambient,  you  should  check  out  this  double  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Scientia  Intra  Satana"  "Dreaming  Kali  In  The  Temple  Of  Fire"  "Lacerate  The  Light"  and  "Endlessly".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/haikufuneral/

  

Yerusalem/The Sublime/Debember Morti Productions/2019 CD Review

  Yerusalem  are  a  duo  from  France  that  consists  of  a  member  of  Blut  Aus  Nord  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial,  post  punk,  new  wave,  electronica,  and  goth  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "The  Sublime"which  will  be  released  in  2019  by  Debembur  Morti  Productions.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  melodic  guitar  leads  and  programmed  beats  while  the  clean  vocals  gives  the  music  more  of  a  post  punk  feeling  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  avant  garde  and  experimental  at  times  and  the  heavy  riffs  also  add  in  touches  of  early  90's  industrial  metal.

  Elements  of  goth  rock.  psychedelia,  new  wave,  electronica  and  dreamgaze  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  synths  as  well  as  one  of  the  tracks  being  an  instrumental  and  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  structures  of  mid  90's  to  early  2000's  era  experimental  black  metal  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  Yerasalem  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  industrial,  new  wave,  electronica,  post  punk,  goth  rock  and  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  esoteric and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Yeraalem  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  industrial,  new  wave,  electronica,  post  punk,  goth  rock  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  looking for  something  very  original,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Sublime"  "Joyless"  and  "Reverso".  8  out  of  10. 

https://www.facebook.com/Yeruselemprojekt/

Goblinsmoker Interview

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



Hey, we’re a black metal influenced doom band from Durham in the North East of England. We look to make music with big riffs while telling a story, creating an atmosphere within the music that complements the story telling element.



2. You have an ep coming out in December, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on this recording?



I’ve seen someone recently describe it’s as ‘the venom of black metal blended with the warm amplifier riff worship of doom.’ Which I feel pretty much nails what we initially set out to do. Classic doom riffs, drowning in fuzz and throwing in the seething bleakness of black metal.



3. The lyrics have a concept involving the Toad King, can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting?



The concept centres on the story of the Toad King, the discontented ruler of the goblins and their forest home. I’ve always been a big fan of storytelling in music and we’ve had so much fun working on the concept. Also, for whatever reason, I find it much easier to write lyrics that may have emotions personal to me thrown in, but they are hidden amongst the storytelling. As we have fleshed out the concept, it’s aided us writing the music. Kind of like ‘what would you expect a song to sound like that is about a big pissed off toad, sitting in a smoke filled forest.’



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



The name itself really came from the concept. I had basics of the concept and the first song wrote a while before the name was settled on. The name just felt like a natural choice. The Toad King, cast out by his own kind, has found himself on the goblin throne in the forest. The goblins are in awe of him and willingly sacrifice themselves to be smoked by their king. This goblin smoke helping the king escape his resentment. The Toad King is the goblinsmoker.



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



The guy who did the art has done such a good job of capturing what we were after. He’s nailed it. It was important the art set the tone for the concept as it’s the first thing people are likely to see, before they’ve heard the music. As this record is the start of the story and the introduction to the Toad King, we wanted the main guy front and centre smoking those goblin subjects. We’ll be developing the art with the story.



6. Originally the band was a solo project what was the decision behind expanding into a duo?



After a number of years playing in a band that broke down I (Adam – vocals, guitars, bass) decided to set myself a goal of writing a record alone. I can be a bit of a lone wolf and find it easier working alone than with other people, so it felt like a natural thing to do. I can’t play drums for shit and initially was going to pay for a session drum to drum on the tracks. After talking about the concept with Calum (drums) who I’ve known for years, he was really into it. He also happened to play drums and is the nicest, most chilled out guy so it felt totally right to bring him on board.



7. The ep is going to be released through 'Sludgelord Records', how did you get in contact with this label?



Sludgelord Records actually were the only label I contacted about doing the record. I contacted them quite early on with the concept and asked if they’d be up for hearing the music once it’s done. I’d known of Sludgelord for a long time through their steady supply of good music through the blog. Knowing they had a label, it was something I really wanted to release on. Luckily, months later I sent over the finished tracks and they agreed to release it. I was naturally really pleased and proud they’d taken it on, felt like the ideal home for the record.



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



The response has been insane. Like, way over and above what we expected. Sludgelord Records sold out of their allocation of tapes in 24 hours off the back of a 20 second clip of music. A week and a half later we have sold out of all our tapes after one track being released. When I first start writing this, sat in my living room, I never expected it’d get such a reaction. And to think, we were only initially going to do a run of half the amount of tapes we have sold, and were concerned we’d struggle to sell them.



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



We are aiming to do what we have been jokingly calling ‘The Toad Tape Trilogy’. Basically telling the story of the Toad King over three tape releases. We have this first release that kind of introduces the setting with the first song and the final track, ‘Time to Ride’, having the King learn of an upcoming war and his need to ride into battle. This will be where the second release picks up. We want to do three different colour tapes across the three parts of the story, having the artwork develop and the main colours of the art match the tapes. As you’d be able to see the main colour theme of this one being green. Once the three are done, we’d like to release them all as set, either in a presentation box together, or possibly even on vinyl if we are in a position to do so.

We also have our first shows slotted in for next year, so we are currently on bringing a bassist into the fold, so we can replicate the records sound live.



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?



As we’ve previously mentioned, doom and black metal has been a big influence on our sound and what we are trying to do. Not that our musical interests are limited to that. I (Adam) am a big fan of Rush and feel some of their harder riffs are a big influence, along with their story telling. In terms of records that have come out this year, there have been some great albums, probably my personal favourite being Transcanadian Anger by Dopethrone.



11. What are some of your non musical interests?



We are both really into good beer from micro breweries. We are in a pretty good spot for it up here, with breweries like Wylam, so we have invested plenty of time indulging the love good ale while developing the concept. I guess the dream is to get into a position where we have someone brew us a Goblinsmoker ale.



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



Toad King, worship him.

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