Thursday, May 31, 2018

[BOLT] Interview

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

We played a tour in late March with our good friend N and some nice festivals, plus further planning for future releases and some shows.

2.Recently you have released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

I guess the biggest change or difference would have been the addition of drums respectively an additional band member. Hence, the whole writing process including its approach and sound changed in some ways. Specifically the addition of drums comes naturally with rhythmic changes or, as in our case, the general addition of rhythm. We understand ( 0 4 ) as a journey with recurring musical ideas which are featured throughout the album and tiled together by fuzzed out bass guitars, drums and degraded effects.

3.So far all of your music has been instrumental, would you be open to working with vocals or lyrics in the future?

We already have plans to work with someone on vocals, but rather in the sense of an additional instrument than central element as you would find in a classic band set-up.

4.Most of your song titles are named after numbers, can you tell us a little bit more about this concept?

Actually there isn’t too much of a concept apart from the songs being connected to a consecutive number. Since we don’t have any lyrics, it leaves enough room to the audience to interpret or relate to a song or an album whatever they want. Also, we don’t have too much say, haha.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name [BOLT]?

The name derives from a black beam, which in our early days represented our ‘band name’, but actually wasn’t pronounceable. We then came across an industrial bolt, which came closest to the previously used black beam.  [ ███████]

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

This year’s Dunk!Festival was remarkably good. It doesn’t happen too often that there is a strong connection between the audience, us as a band AND the place/venue we actually play which in that case was the forest stage and happened to be a special and unique experience.
When it comes to the performance itself, it depends on quite a few things. In an ideal world, we offer an intimate and equally intense performance. But that depends on things like sound, stage, audience, lighting or the like.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the next few months?

16.6. in Leverkusen and 25.8. in Mülheim (Ruhr). Both are festivals which combine art and music. Maybe a long weekend in late October.

8.You have also been a part of a few splits and collaborations, can you tell us a little bit more about the bands or artists you have shared these recordings with?

We met all of our split and collaboration partners before we actually worked on a record. Or it was suggested by one of our labels. Anyway, an important criterion to all of our works with other artists is the creative work and the goal to enhance our, as well as our partners musical horizon. Keep in mind we started as a bass duo which naturally comes with limitations to sound and song writing. Therefore, having the opportunity to work with other artists was (and still is) an endless source of inspiration and enabled us to foster our own creativity.

9.Can you tell us a little bit more about the labels you have worked with on the new album?

Both labels, Dunk! Records and Narshardaa Records, are run by very kind and enthusiastic people and put a lot of effort in our latest album. Dunk is based in Gent/Belgium and Narshardaa in Kiel/Germany.
It was nice to see that both labels were open to work with us and leave their more common path of post rock and hardcore.


10.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal, doom and drone?

That’s quite hard to say. We don’t focus too much on genres themselves, since it would limit or restrict not only our own music, but also views on our music by third parties.
Generally speaking feedback so far has been very good, which we are very grateful for, but again, that’s not really connected to genres. Most people who get back to us or write something about our songs and albums share a general interest in music which tends to move away or beyond genre limitations.

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

Currently we are working on a collaboration with an US film composer, the next album and a theatre project. The recordings to two split albums are almost done, same with two N+BOLT albums.
We like to keep all of that as well as all of our future works quite open. As mentioned before, too many labels on your own musical style might restrict you in one way or the other.

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

All three of us share an interest in what one might describe as heavy and/or atmospheric music. This ranges from black metal, post metal or rap music to pop music. I guess a key element to all genres we are interested in, is some sort of a well created atmosphere and a creative approach to song writing.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

I guess Andi’s interest in recording and mastering is worth to be mentioned.

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

Thanks heaps for the interview. Equally to the reader for dealing with our messy answers. Hearts.

https://wearebolt.bandcamp.com/music

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Antisoph/Self Titled/Geisterasche Organisation/2018 Full Length Review


  Antisoph  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2018  album  which  was  released  by  Geisterasche  Organisation.

  Blast  beats  along  with  some  fast  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  avant  garde  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  progressive  structures  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  demonstrating  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  synths  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  elements  of  black  metal  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  more  post  metal  influences  are  added  into  the  music  and  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Antisoph  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  avant  garde,  progressive  and  post  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  and  metaphysical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Antisoph  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  avant  garde,  progressive  and  post  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hyporoom"  "Teleport  Maize"  and  "Rejoice".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYVIyiGGvRk
https://www.facebook.com/antisophband/

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Gwydion/Thirteen/Ultraje2018 Full Length Review


  Gwydion  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  mixture  of  viking,  folk,  symphonic  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  "Thirteen"  which  will  be released  in  July  by  Ultraje.

  A  very  epic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  which  also  introduces  symphonic  elements  onto  the  recording  which  later  on  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  bringing  in  shouting  style  vocals.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the music  also  mixes  in a   great  amount  of  death  metal  elements  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  adding  in  more  folk  metal  influences  on  later  tracks.

  Black  metal  screams  and  deep  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats along  with  some  folk  music  instruments  being  used  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  they  also  bring  in  an  instrumental  and  a  couple  of  later  songs  also  introduces  clean  pagan  singing  and  female  vocals  into  the  music.

  Gwydion  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk,  viking,  symphonic  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vikings  and  Scandinavian  Culture  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gwydion  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk,  viking,  symphonic  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  ""793"  "Revenge" "Thirteen  Days"  and  "Voyages".  85  out  of  10.

https://igg.me/at/gwydion
www.gwydion.org 

Friday, May 25, 2018

Sixes/Methistopheles/Black Bow Records/2018 CD Review


  Sixes  are  a  band  from  California  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Methistopheles"  which  was  released  by  Black  Bow  Records.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  the  slow  riffs  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  the  vocals  bringing  in  black  metal  influenced  screams  as  well  as  most  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  touches  of  stoner  rock.

  Growls  and  hardcore  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  drones  also  being  used  at  times  and  on  some  tracks  the  vocals  also  add  in  some  clean  yet  rough  singing  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  and  also  introduces  blast  beats  onto  the  recording and  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Sixes  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  misery,  drugs  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sixes  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Acid  God"  "Methistopheles"  and  "Voidkiller".  8  out  of  10.

 https://sixesdoom.bandcamp.com/releases

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Urarv/Argentum/Svart Records/2018 CD Review


  Urarv  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Argentum"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Svart  Records.

  Ethnic  instruments  and  ritualistic  voices  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  avant  garde  structures  and  when  clean  playing  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard.

  Urarv  plays  a  style  of  Norwegian  avant  garde  black  metal  that  they  take  into  a  more  modern  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  esoteric  and  emotional  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Urarv  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Kracketjott"  and  "Sannhet".  8  out  of  10.

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Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Mortuorial Eclipse/Urushdaur/Black Market Metal Label/2018 CD Review


  Mortuorial  Eclipse  are  a  band  from  Argentina  that  plays  a  mixture  of  symphonic  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Urushdaur"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Black  Market  Metal  Label.

  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  along  with  a  great  amount  of  orchestral  arrangements  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well as  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  briefly  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  and  there  is  also  an  acoustic  instrumental and  the  last  track  is  a  symphonic  outro

  Mortuorial  Eclipse  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  symphonic  black  and  brutal  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Ancient  Cultures,  Heritage  and  Wisdom  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mortuorial  Eclipse  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lost  Bloodline"  "Secret  Of  The  Revenants"  and  "In  Extremis".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Nnb2Nheik

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Thunderwar Interview

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


We played a couple gigs, including two with Mayhem. Generally speaking we are preparing for the release of our new album.




2.You have a new ep coming out in May, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?


It’s going to be a short but intensive stuff influenced by late Bathory and Crust Punk. A nice combination, isn’t it? The main difference is that the material has been recorded by the new drummer Pavulon. Our music got a solid kick thanks to his brilliant technique and feeling.




3, In your lyrics i have seen references to Slavic and Norse Paganism, Hindu, Aghori and other types of occultism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in those topics?


These are simply great topics for metal lyrics. To us the most important thing is to achieve harmony between the music and the subject of the lyrics -then it has a double effect. We like especially the Slavic mythology. It’s a fascinating topic that still is undiscovered.




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


In the very beginning the band was called Perun, the slavic god of thunder and war. To avoid potential pronunciation problems we decided to combine the two attributes and the result is Thunderwar


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?


Regardless of stage size we want to play each concert better than the previous one. With the benefit of hindsight it’s difficult to say now which one was best because we’ve been trying to raise standards all the time. It would be easier to mention our worst gig 😊 When it comes to our gigs please don’t expect a theatre. The biggest fun for us is playing per se and watching people’s reaction to our music and not what we do on stage. Our weapons are instruments and not scenery.




6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the ep is released?


Yes, two concerts in Poland have been booked already. As for a full-featured tour we will think of it after the “Wolfpack” release


7.On the ep you had also covered a 'Darkthrone' song, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?


We are big fans of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto. We played the song on our concerts even before the release of our first album “Black Storm”. We thought due to its punk rock character it would fit perfectly the concept of our new release.


 8.The new ep is coming out on 'Lifeforce Records', how would you compare working with them to 'Witching Hour Productions'?


Currently we and Lifeforce Records are at an early stage of promoting “Wolfpack” so it’s too early to comment on that to the full but it is apparent they are acting efficiently and clearly.




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




We send our records to USA and Japan so it’s not that bad. More and more people are contacting us and asking about new stuff


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


Anything can happen. It’s difficult to predict how far we can go with our music.




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


The bands that influenced me most are Iron Maiden, Dissection and Bathory. But for some time now I’ve been listening to stuff like Wolfbrigade – Run With the Hunted, Bombus – Repeat Until Death or Judas Priest - Firepower




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


History and SciFi. I’m a big “Star Wars” fan



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


Thank you for the interview and see you on our concerts!

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Xael/The Last Arbiter/2018 Full Length Review


  Xael  are  a  band  from  North  Carolina  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk,  symphonic  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  album  "The  Last  Arbiter".

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  at  times  and  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  growls.

  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  technical  style  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  elements  of  80's  synth  music  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as  well  as  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  used  at  times.

 Clean  playing,  acoustic  guitars  and  folk  music  elements are  also  added  onto  some  of  the  tracks  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  tribal.

  Xael  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black,  brutal  death  metal,  symphonic,  folk,  tribal  and  80's  synth  music  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Xael  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk,  symphonic,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Last  Arbiter"  "Apathy  of  The  Immortal"  and  "Harvesting  The  Elders  Genome".  8  out  of  10.

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

  

Monday, May 21, 2018

Grimorium Verum/Revenant/Symbol Of Domination Productions/Cimmerian Shade Recordings/The True Plague/Black Metal Records/2018 CD Review


  Grimorium  Verum  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Revenant"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  Of  Domination  Productions,  Cimmerian  Shade  Recordings,  The  True  Plague  and  Black  Metal  Records.

  Symphonic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  some  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  thrash  and  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  male  vocals  are  also  added  onto  the  recording,  there  is  also  a  brief  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  on  the  following  tracks.

  Grimorium  Verum  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  from  their  previous  release,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Grimorium  Verum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Born  Son  Of  The  Devil"  "The  Light  Of  Dark  Father"  "Sacred  Temple  Of  Blood" and  "The  Resurrected Of n  The  Devils  Hands".  8/5  out  of  10.

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Medieval Demon Interview

1.      Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
- We are walking in the shadows,  into the caves and deep into the forests, in the same ritualistic ways that we did 20 years ago.
We worship the goat of lust that attacks the heavens with its horns!!!

2. In June you have a new album coming out, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you released in the past?
- Our sound is to use and hit the darkest notes, under the fullmoon and  the light of the black candles, to lie together along the circle of the pentagram, in order to communicate with the spirits of the underworld and worship Satan. Medieval Necromancy is more obscure and occult from the stuff we released in the past.

3. You refer to your music as 'spiritual necromantic black metal', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?
                - We create  Black metal with divination from the dead.

4. Your lyrics go in depth with necromancy, black magick and Satanism, can you tell us a little bit more about your dedication to the dark arts?
- As individuals we are against Christianity and for decades we are dedicated ourselves to darkness and the black arts.

5. The band was broken up for 15 years, what was the cause of split and also the decision to reform?
- We wanted to isolate our souls and study the necromantic texts of the late Middle Ages, the medieval magic and occult practise. Now as a promethean fire we want to keep the black metal flames of Lucifer alive!

6. I remember reading a story in the mid 90's about one of the band members facing prison time, can you tell us a little bit more about what actually happened?
- Two members were suspected as vandals and stayed in prison for a few days as they had already a history of such acts in the past.

7. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Medieval Demon'?
- The name of the band came after the invocation of a demon.

8. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
- It's a necromantic ritual in action. The great artist Mark Ridick made all our artwork. He is a true unholy brother.

9. What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
- We have performed 2 shows during the 90s. Our performance was old school and devoted to the black metal cult spirit.

10. Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
- No. Exception would be only a night forest ceremony for  mystics and true Devil worshippers.

11. A couple of the band members also own a record store and a metal label, can you tell us a little bit more about it?
- Yes, brothers Lord Apollyon & Sirokous are the owners of Bowel of Noise records located in the centre of Athens, Greece. It's focused on extreme and satanic metal music. Sirokous also runs LVX INFERNVM  label &  Lord Apollyon ALTAR OF THE BLACK RAM.

12. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
- We buried the band but the interest from the fans is still alive.

13. Where do you see the band heading into musically during future?
- We create only true black metal. No experimentations in our rituals!

14. 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?
- Many bands from the past such as old Samael, old Master's Hammer, old Bathory, old Darkthrone, old Gorgoroth, old Morbid Angel, old Mayhem, Grave, Dark Funeral,  Profanatica, Demoncy, old Rotting Christ, old Necromantia, old Ancient Rites, Malefic Oath, Engraved, old Immortal, Tormentor, Impaled Nazarene, Beherit, Sarcofago, Mutilator, Sextrash, Funereal Moon, Goblin, Antonius Rex, Jacula, Coven, Aphrodite's Child - 666, The Black etc.

15. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
- Oh Satan, Spirit of the Earth, God of Liberty, open wide the gates of Hell
And come forth from the abyss...



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Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Medieval Demon/Medieval Necromancy/Hells Headbangers/2018 CD Review


  Medieval  Demon  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Medieval  Necromancy"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Hells  Headbangers.

  Operatic  choirs  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  before  introducing  melodic  guitar  leads  onto  the  recording  which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction  while  also  introducing  grim  black  metal  screams  into  the  songs  and  most  of the  tracks are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  keyboards  gives  the  songs  a  more  symphonic  feeling  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era,  when  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  give  the  songs  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  all  of t he  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Medieval  Demon  plays  a  style  of  symphonic  black  metal  that  is  more  rooted  in  the  early  90's  era  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Black  Magick,  Akkadian,  Necromancy,  Occultism  and  Left  Hand  Path  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Medieval  Demon  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chthonic  Curses"  "Moldy  Wings  of  Death"  "Blackmoon  Sacrifice"  and  "Medieval  Necromancy".  8/5  out  of  10.

http://medievaldemon.bandcamp.com/album/medieval-necromancy 

    

Monday, May 14, 2018

Torii Interview

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

Bill: We are eagerly waiting for everyone to hear what we have been working on for the last two years!
Other than that we have started working on our next album over the summer. It is going to be a cover
album, which will change things up a bit for us.

2.You have a new album coming out in June, how would you describe the musical sound that is
presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Bill: This album I really tried to slow things down. I have always listened to a lot of funeral doom and stoner doom, and I made an conscious effort to implement these influences. I would describe our sound as death/doom with some post metal mixed in, but I have noticed that listeners are really picking up on the black and death metal aspects of our music.

3.Your lyrics cover Conspiracy, Fantasy and Mythology themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

Bill:  I have always been interested in fantasy and mythology.  Perhaps I am dissatisfied with the world asas we know it, so I like to imagine what the world was like during ancient times.

4.Your album artwork has a couple of followers of Cadmus being devoured by a dragon, can you tell us alittle bit more about why you picked this artwork for the new album?

Bill: I saw this painting when I was much younger and it has always stuck with me. The life of Cadmus was an inspiration for the lyrics on the title track, and some of the other tracks, although not quite so directly. A "Cadmean victory" is to win the battle but lose the war. Cadmus's life was quite successful, but he was cursed by the gods, and tragedies followed him and his family. His story of futility relates to alot of the sounds and themes that Torii explores.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Torii?

Bill: I would prefer to keep that private. Sorry.

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, do you prefer working as a duo?

Bill: We have talked about getting a proper band together and playing shows. However, we both have
other careers, so it works for us now. I enjoy the process of composing and self-editing all of the music,and Eric likes to tie in his stories and lyrics.

7.Has the band done any live shows or is this strictly a studio project?

Bill: We have never played live but hopefully we can in the future. Although our music is quite morose at times, we can still bring some energy that I think would translate well in a live setting.

8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

Bill: We are looking, but we haven't received much interest. Since we have other careers, this is fine for us.  However, if getting signed means more people can listen to our music, then we need to do everything we can to make that happen.

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

Bill: A lot of our fans are from European countries, which is great! We have heard good things from
reviewers and fans from England, Italy, Germany, Norway, and I'm sure there is more.

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

Bill: The second track on our upcoming album,  "Theory of Existence", was a bit of an adventure into
stoner metal for us. It is not as melodic as most of our other stuff, but it is a blast to play. So, you may
hear some more material like that in the future.

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

Bill:  I would say Ruins of Beverast, Esoteric, OM, and Swallow the Sun have probably
had some influence on our new stuff. They are all doom bands from various sub-genres, but most of
them are on the psychedelic side of things. More recently I have been listening to Cult of Luna, MournfulCongregation, and Summoning.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Bill: I just enjoy composing and creating things. I like creating art and building furniture and cabinets.

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

Bill: Thanks for your time.

https://torii.bandcamp.com/album/a-judgement-divine

Beyond Deth/The Age Of Darkness/2018 CD Review


  Beyond  Deth  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  album  "The  Age  Of  Darkness".

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffing  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  elements  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  which  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  power  metal  as  well  as all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  also  make  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  one  of  the  later  tracks  is  an  instrumental.

  Beyond  Deth  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  melodic  death  and  thrash  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  death  and  war  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Beyond  Deth  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Cold"  "Rip Out  Your  Soul"  and  "Goddess  Isis".  8  out  of  10.

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Verilun Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?
The new album has been released just a few days ago, and there's has been not too much happened to the band since then, but I must say, I could not relax at all. It seems, there is a relatively great interest about the new album, so I have continuously something to do about it, and that is very good. On the other hand we are about to fix the line-up to be able to start making gigs.

2. Recently you have released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past/
'Through fire... in the Sun' is the title of Verilun's second full-length album. Our debut, 'Home for the dead' was released 5 years ago. Writing the songs to 'Through fire... in the Sun' was like writing the songs again to the very first album. 'Home for the dead' had no influence on us at all, so maybe this is the reason why the new album is quite different from the previous one. It is more epic, more atmospheric, more melodic, but more powerful at the same time.

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

Sorry, I do not fully understand the question, this is not our first album, if you don't mind I give here some info on the making of the recent album.

We have already started writing the songs to the new album at the end of 2016. And in almost exactly one year we completed all the songs. Since our drummer has quitted at the beginning of 2017, only Krisztian and I were working on the new stuff. In November 2017 we started recording the album with Tamas Laki at studio Sasfeszek (Eagle's Nest)in Hungary. Drums had been performed and recorded by Oliver Zisko, a well-known, talented and respected drummer of multiple musical genres and styles. We have finished all the studio work by the beginning of March this year, and one month later a single, called 'Upon the mountain's has been released by Sliptrick Records. One month later again on the 3rd of May, the full-length, 'Trough fire... in the Sun' been out, also by Sliptrick Records.

4. Some of the lyrics on the new album are based upon 'Hungarian Folklore', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
Two songs of the album are related Hungarian mythology and/or religion. 'Seven years and seven winks' is actually a tale about a magic steed, called 'táltos', who with his son defeats the dragon who stole the Sun, the Moon and all the stars from the sky, so people were living in instant darkness. 'Through fire... in the Sun' is about a theory saying, that our ancestors are living in the Sun, we can talk to them through fire, and at the end we can leave this world and depart to the Sun through fire.
The Hungarian folklore is very old and has a very comprehensive and deep meaning through symbols. It's very interesting to get to know how our ancestors were living, how was their relationship to the world they were part of, and what a deep knowledge they had about it. It's so sad, that instead of improving this knowledge we have forgot it almost completely.

5. What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
There are lyrics about the catastrophic situation of this decaying world we live in, our roles in this world and in this situation; there are some spiritual and more personal topics as well, and of course there is a song about planet Mars too from a very special aspect.



6. I know that the band is  named  after  the  Hunnish name or Mars, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

Like Martian metal? :-) I liked the idea to have a name in a language which does not exist anymore. On the other hand due to the very close relationship between Hunnic and Magyar people, Hunnish is very similar to Hungarian (magyar) language, so it is almost like having a Hungarian name.
Planet Mars and the mysteries about it is one of my fields of interests too, so this name came quite easily.

7. What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We have performed a lot of shows during the years. They were mainly gigs in clubs in Hungary with similar bands. There were better and worse gigs too, but in general I must say, we played live a little bit too rare mainly due the opportunities we had. This is something I'd like to change in the future.

8. Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
Sure! First we have to fix the line-up by finding a drummer. As soon as the line-up is complete, we'll start arranging the gigs.

9. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and death metal?
With our first album in general the feed-back from both press and news were quite good. And since the second album is out, a quite great interest has been shown about the release of it, I'm receiving day by day a request for information, interview, as well as some very positive reviews have already been shared with me.

10. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Considering the differences between the first two albums, and supposing that the third one might be even so different from the first two too, it is very difficult to answer this question. We do not use any guidance, do not have any plan when writing new songs. The ideas just popping-up, we try to grab them, and form them as well as possible. Sometimes I even had the feeling, that the songs were being written by themselves.

11. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
The two songwriters of Verilun (Krisztian and myself) have relatively different musical interests. Krisztian prefers a more rhythm based, complex, and technical death metal, while I try to bring some melodies, atmosphere in the songs, and I represent the black metal side of the band. I think this duality reflects in both Verilun albums, and this will be for sure the skeleton of the news songs too. I'm sure, by mixing these two musical approaches on a proper way, we'll end up with an interesting result again.

12. What are some of your non musical interests?
Nowadays I listen to non-metal bands, like 'Laibach', 'Die Antwoord', but I like 'Die Verbannten Kinder Evas' and 'Sopor Aeternus and the Ensemble Of Shadows' very much too. Next to metal I've been listening to the music of some other musical genres too for a long time, and to my opinion some of the are really close to metal, only the way of expression, the instruments being used are different.

13. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
It was an interesting journey for me to make this album, I've met very interesting things, learnt a lot during the songwriting period. There's one thing I may emphasize, and which could be relevant to the other areas of life too: if you want something and you are really content to do for it, you can be sure, you'll make it. There might be obstacles, you may lose the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you are persistent and you never give up, you'll reach your goal at the end.

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Friday, May 11, 2018

Abstracter/Cinereous Incarnate/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2018 Full Length Review


  Oakland, California's  Abstracter  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  into a  mixture  of  black,  death,  sludge,  doom  metal,  dark  ambient,  drone  and  noise and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Cinereous  Incarnate"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  Distorted  amp  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier musical  direction  while t he  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  vocals  also  utilizing  death  metal  growls  and  grim  black  metal  screams.  and  the  music  also  adds  in  elements  of  crust  and  d  beat.

  A  lot  of  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  heavily  rooted  in  sludge  and  doom  metal  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  elements  of  harsh  noise,  dark  ambient  and  drone  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard.

  On  this  recording  Abstracter  mix  black,  death,  doom  and  sludge  metal  with  some  elements  of  drone,  dark  ambient  and  noise  to  take  their  sound  to  another  level,  the  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  apocalyptic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Abstracter  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nether"  and  "Devouring  Night".  8  out  of  10.

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/cinereous-incarnate?utm_source=ALL&utm_campaign=8a2a0fb12e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_05_19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3b1f609241-8a2a0fb12e-512509221    

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Majesty Of Silence Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
First after finishing the music we had to take care of the artwork. To us that is important as well. And then of course we had to spread the news for we were absent for quite some time. Now we are really looking forward for the release and what feedback there might come.

2.You have a new album coming out towards the end of May, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
We describe it as black metal with symphonic and melodic side. Musically guitars are now more of a central point and synths got a bit more to the background. We gave more weight and attention to lyrics than on earlier recordings for they are all in written in german, no more mixed with english like before.

3.This is your first album in 12 years, can you tell us a little bit more about the decision to get back together after a very long hiatus?
In 2012 there should have been the release of a forth album entitled "wie Licht nur dunkler". But we couldn't find any label or distributor that was interested in releasing it and finally the band went to the break and the album was put away. But even during that break we never turned away from music for we cannot let it go. Each one did his own thing be it alone or in other formation. Because we have a recording studio of our own we then thought that we could as well do something together again.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
What you can read in some preview of the album: "With lyrical themes encompassing everyday problems, an ongoing lack of humanity, and the control that wrath has over a person, the band works collaboratively to write music that truly resonates with listeners" is very true we think. We are getting older and think more about what is happening to the world in a critical way. It somehow mirrors human an social thinking nowadays.

5.Originally the band was called 'Culture Shock', what was the decision behind the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Majesty Of Silence'?
Well, Culture Shock was back when we were about 13 years old, we barely remember that. In 1994 the band was renamed for the first time to "Parsley" and in 1997 again, for spice wasn't that representing anymore for a metal band, to "Majesty of silence".

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Our best show was in a well known location called "Z7" where many bigger bands stop by in Switzerland when touring. But at that time we where only thre members so we couldn't perform so well. When we were four we had some more show-potential but we were mostly playing at smaller venues where possibilities for special show effect were not so good.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
We did thnk about playing live shows but at the moment we are just two and to play live we'd need at least a drummer. Let's see if there is a demand for shows when the album is out.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your recordings by fans of black metal?
Our two first releases were self produced and slef distributed so there was not so much feedback from abroad about them. With the third album "Lichtsille" which was istributed worldwide there was quite some good feedback with mailings from listeners from the US, Cuba and Korea to name a few. For the coming album resonance is already quite big which of course makes us very happy.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We unfortunately don't have a crystal ball that tells the future let's wait and see what's to come when the album is actually out. For sure we'll stick with doing music anyway as long as we having fun making some but there is no pressure for nobody relies on us.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
We like listening to unknown bands and new stuff but if we need to tell some big names they are for sure Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth and Immortal as well as In Flames, Nightwish and Sonate Arctica. But also music movie soundtracks and classic music influences us.

11.Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in your music?
No, definitely not. There is enough talking and arguing about religion going on and there are also enough opinions out there. We actually think it is quite boring to sing about it too.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
When we're not doing music ourselfs we are visiting concerts of other bands. But we too are collectors, video games and guitars are in focus mainly. But most of our free time goes for doing music ourselfes..

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
We'd like to say thank you for being interested in what we do. We wish you a lot of fun listening the album and all the best.

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Sunday, May 6, 2018

Churchburn/None Shall Live...The Hymns Of Misery/2018 Full Length Review


  Churchburn  are  a  band  from  Rhode  Island  that  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "None  Shall  Live...The  Hymns  Of  Misery"  which  will  be  released  in  June.

  Atmospheric  soundscpaes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  distorted  drones  before  going  into  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  which  also  captures  the  heaviness  of sludge  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  adding  clean  playing  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.

  Vocals  are  mostly  blackened  screams  while  growls  are  also  used  at  times  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  at  times  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  the  music  finally  speeds  up  for  a  few  seconds  on  a  couple  of  the  tracks  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  and  as  the  album  progresses  spoken  word  samples  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  exotic  sounding  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  closing  track  which  is  also  an  instrumental.

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

  In  my  opinion  Churchburn  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  those  musical  genres, you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lines  Of  Red"  "Before  The  Inferno"  and  "Kaustos".  8  out  of  10.

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Thursday, May 3, 2018

Verilun/Through Fire... In The Sun/Sliptrick Records/2018 CD Review


Verilun  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  plays  an  atmospheric  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album "Through  Fire...  In  The  Sun"  which  was  released  by  Sliptrick  Records.

  Wind  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  epic  sounding  synths  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  as  well  as  the  music  being heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  Swedish  style

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  in  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  are mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  they  also  bring  in  a  synth  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  symphonic  elements.

  Verilun  plays  a  music  style  that  takes  atmospheric  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  melodic  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Nature  and  Hungarian  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Verilun  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Upon  The  Mountain"  "Seven  years  And  Seven  Winks"  and  "Through  Fire... In  he  Sun".  8 out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/verilun