Helgarden/Rise Of The Beast/Brutal Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Hellgarden  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Rise  Of  The  Beast"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Brutal  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  cinematic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  keyboards  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  symphonic  feeling  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  The  vocals  also  have  their  deeper  moments  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

 Some  tracks  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  words  and  melodic  vocals  along  with  some  classical  guitars  and  clean  playing  also  being  utilized  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover   Satanism, Occultism  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hellgarden  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  "Blackwolf"  "When  Witches  Burn"  and  "The  Lat  Dance  in  The  Mist".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/nlQRqdjm__M  

Usquam/Reborn/WormHoleDeath Records/2021 EP Review

 

  Usquam  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  ep  "Reborn"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads are  utilized  they  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  deep  death  metal  growls  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  tracks  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  Swedish  influences  with  some  touches  of  the  Polish  style  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  and  keyboards  also  being  utilized  at  times,  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.   

  Usquam  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  symphonic  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  Dark  Philosophy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Usquam  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  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  "Reborn"  and  "Tempus  edax  rerum".  8  out  of  10.

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Flowers Of Flesh/Self Titled/2021 EP Review

 

  Flowers  Of  Flesh  are  a  solo  project  from  Cleveland,  Ohio  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  and s elf  titled  2021  ep.

  A very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sludge  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  van  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  growls  and  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  guitar  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  style  and melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffing.

  Most  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  while  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording.  Touches  of  doom  and  death  metal  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  the  closing  track  also  adds  in a small  amount  of  cello's.   

  Flowers  Of  Flesh  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  and  sludge  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  decay  and  cynicism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Flowers  Of  Flesh  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  sludge  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rat  Scum"  and  "Death  Envy".  8  out  of  10.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KYk8zC6R1Q0&t=7s   

Snaum/Selfmadeself/2021 EP Review

 

  Snaum  are  a  duo  form  Poland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  experimental  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  ep  "Selfmadeself"  which  will  be  released  in  November.

  A  very  synth orientated  sound  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  yet  slower  sludge  metal  direction.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while t he  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  growls  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  at  times.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  guitar  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  one  track  also  being  an  instrumental  and  introducing  harsh  noises  onto  the  recording  and  as  the  ep  progresses  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  are  also  utilized.

  Snaum  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  black,  sludge  metal,  experimental  and  noise  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  anger,  sadness  and  longing  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  Snaum  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  experimental  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Colossos"  and  "Against".  8  out  of  10.

https://snaum.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/snaum.official/

Nightshade/Sounds Of Dark Matter/My Kingdom Music/2021 CD Review

 

  Nightshade  are  a  duo  from  Switzerland  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  industrial  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Sounds  Of  Dark  matter"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  My  Kingdom  Music.

  Classical  guitars  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  elements  of  industrial  and Keyboards  also  being  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Clear  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  album  which  also  add  in  some  touches  of  goth  rock  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  At times  the  music  also  brings  in  some  orchestra  and  new  wave  touches  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  showing  an  influence  of  thrash  metal  as  well  as  one  of  the  tracks  also  being  a  cover  of  The  Kovenant's  "Chariots  Of  Thunder",  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  growls.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  scientific  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nightshade  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  industrial  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Set  To  Destroy  The  Heart  Of  The  Sun"  "Andromeda  Defiled"  and  "A  Call  From  Distant  Skies".  8  out  of  10.

http://facebook.com/NightshadeMetal  

  

Thulcandra/A Dying Wish/Napalm Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Thulcandra  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2021  album  "A  Dying  Wish"  which  will  be  released  on  October  29th  by  Napalm  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  When  the  music  speeds  up a   decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as  well  as  the  music  also  showing  some  influences  of  the  classic  90's  Swedish  style.

  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  music  also  mixing  in  elements  of  the  more  melodic  side  of  death  metal  along  with  both acoustic  and  classical  guitars  also  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  as  well  as  a  couple  of  brief  instrumentals,  when  synths  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling  and  both  of  the  closing  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Death  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Thulcandra  are  a  very  great  sounding  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  "Funeral  Pyre"  "Nocturnal  Heresy"  "A  Shining  Abyss"  and  "A  Dying  Wish".  8  out  of  10.

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https://youtu.be/w9_85TqVQ6Y

  

  

       

Carnival Of Flesh/Anthems Of Extinction/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Carnival  Of  Flesh  are  a  band  from  Serbia  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "Anthems  Of  Extinction"  which  will  be  released  in  November.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  and  symphonic  and  keyboards  elements  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  without  sounding  outdated  while  some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in a   decent  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing,  whispers can  also be  heard  briefly  and  a  later  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  vocals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  misanthropy,  environmental  and  social  decay  themes.  

  

  In my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Carnival  Of  Flesh  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Angst"  "Can  Of  Sorrow"  "The  Great  Escape"  and  "Requiem  For  A  World".  8  out  of  10.

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Breaths/Though life has turned out nothing like I imagined, it is far better than I could have dreamt/Trepanation Recordings/2022 CD Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Richmond,  Virginia's  Breaths  which  continues  the  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  doom, alternative  metal,  post  hardcore  and  shoegaze  and  the  album  will  be  released  in  2022  by  Trepanation  Recordings  and  called  "Though  life  has  turned  out nothing  like  I  imagined, it  is  far  better  than  I  could  have  dreamt".

  Melodic  riffing  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  album  while  elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.  Clear  alternative  metal  style  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  some  growls  also  being  used  in  some  part  of  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  while  the  clean  sections  also add in  touches  of  shoegaze.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  showing  an  influence  of  post  hardcore.

  The  music  also  has  its  progressive  and  atmospheric  moments along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  synths  as  well  as  most  of  the  music  also  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  musical  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  anxiety  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Breaths  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  post  black,  doom,  progressive,  alternative  metal,  post  hardcore  and  shoegaze,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Elders"  and  "The  Wayward".  8  out  of  10.

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Breaths/Lined In Silver/Trepanation Recordings/2021CD Review

 

  Breaths  are  a  solo  project  from  Richmond,  Virgiania  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  doom  metal,  post  hardcore  and  shoegaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Lined  In  Silver"  which  was  released  by  Trepanation  Recordings.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  elements  of  shoegaze  and  post  rock  a  few  seconds  later.  Clear  vocals  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  as  well  as  the  slower  and  heavier  riffs  also  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  some  prog  and  alternative  metal  touches  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  spoken  word  samples  also  being  utilized  briefly.  Influences  of  post  hardcore  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  on  some  songs  the  music  also  captures  the  atmosphere  of  dark  ambient  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  anxiety  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Breaths  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  doom,  alternative  metal,  post  hardcore  and  shoegaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Weight  &  The  Bellows"  "In  Nightmares'  and  "In  Repose".  8  out  of  10.

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Huronian Interview

 

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

We formed in early 2020 in the middle of the first pandemic wave. The urge to do something musically fresh during that terrible period has led me and Umberto to put our huge passion for the early nineties swedish melodic Death Metal and Black Metal into Huronian. We released a demo containing two songs plus a Dissection cover during that year and now we are ready for the release of our first full album "As Cold as a Stranger Sunset"!

2.So far you have released one ep and a full length, musically how do they both differ from each other?

Not much actually,  because the demo Ep simply contains tracks that were written for the full length and were eventually included in It. Of course the production of the full length Is a huge step forward, thanks also to Damian Herring's (Horrendous) mastering contribution! Apart from that, the full album has a songwriting  diversity we could not express in a two tracks Ep of course.

3.Most of the music is heavily rooted in the classic and melodic Swedish black/death metal style, what was the decision behind going into this musical direction?

We all love the early nineties melodic Death and Black metal records. The problem Is that we hardly find something interesting that was released after 1996/97. So we decided to bring back those atmospheres, while trying to avoid being simple imitators without personality. It's spontaneous after all, we try to create something that we would have liked to hear! 

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

Lyrically I wanted something that could lead the listeners far away, avoiding topics related to society or "daily issues". Most of the inspiration comes from literature, especially the sci-fi and supernatural one. We wrote the material during the First european lockdown, and my mind simply wanted to fly away toward other worlds! There are songs inspired by E.A. Poe and Lovecraft novels, another one by Milton's "Lost Paradise" and a couple reminiscent of Gene Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun" saga. 

I think they fit the atmosphere Umberto created with the music very well.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Huronian'?

It Is inspired by the "Huronian Glaciation", an event that covered earth's surface with ice completely more than 2 billions of years ago. The name alone evoked images of desolation, distance and solitude in my mind. A lot of the band imaginary deals with time...ancient past, distant future, time travels. 

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

I painted the cover in the middle of the songwriting process. Umberto was sending me new material continuously and I didn't want to be less active than him! It depicts a cold, alien world where colors and details are not the one we use to know as humans. The cool thing Is that It Is open to any interpretation. It could represent the earth in an unpredictable, far future, or a completely different Planet.

7.HGas the band done any live shows or open to the idea?

No live shows yet, but a full line up has Just been completed with the addition of Gianluca T. (ex Voids of Vomit) on bass and long time friend and guitar maestro Tommy P. on second guitar. We hope to hit the stage as soon as possible, "As Cold as a Stranger Sunset" deserves a good live promotion.

8.On the ep you also done a 'Dissection' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

We wanted to cover  something that could sum up all the influences and Umberto came up with the idea of "Heaven's Damnation". I immediately agreed, It Is one of Dissection's more Death Metal oriented songs, and represents a killer mix of everything we like in the genre.

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

It a bit early but so far a lot of people seemed to appreciate the material. Many of them said that there Is not much similar stuff around nowadays and I'm really pleased to hear It. We have to wait the release of the full album to have a more precise idea of the reaction, but I'm definitely optimistic!

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

We will continue to develop our style but we would not change the concept, both musically and lyrically. We don't want to re-invent the wheel, our aim Is writing the best music possible within our stylistic margins. There are still tons of blast beats, melodies to deliver and weird, obscure stories to tell!

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

Early Gothenburg scene was definitely an influence, as well as early/mid nineties 

Blackened Death Metal. Svensson era At the Gates, skydancer era Dark Tranquillity, Eucharist, first In Flames album and, on the other side, Dissection, Sacramentum, Unanimated, Necrophobic. But of course our songwriting Is not a scientific formula. Marcello drumming for example carries some very aggressive american Death Metal influences to the table. It's a mix of different sensitivities.

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

Thanks for the interesting  interview! Follow Huronian at www.facebook.com/huronianofficial

and www.instagram.com/huronian_deathmetal

Morgul Blade/Fell Sorcery Abounds/No Remorse Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Morgul  Blade  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that  plays  an  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Fell  Sorcery  Abounds"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  No  Remorse  Records.

  Epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  era  traditional  metal  elements  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  grim  black  metal  screams.  

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  black  metal  side  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  era.  Clear  traditional  metal  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  also  introducing  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  album.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody   as  well  as  a  later  song  also  being  a  ballad  as  the  album  progresses,  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction  and  a  later  track  is  also  an  instruemntal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  J.R.R  Tolkien's  Middle  Earth,   History,  Folklore,  Magick  and  Might  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Morgul  Blade  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Last  Waltz  Of  Gevaudan"  "The  Five  Will Ride  At  Dawn"  and  "Fell  Sorcery  Abounds".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/S-cOPiwlEKg 

Haiku Funeral/Drown Their Moons In Blood/Aesthetic Death/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Bulgaria/U.S.A  duo  Haiku  Funeral  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  ritualistic  mixture  of  blackened  industrial  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Drown  Their  Moons  In  Blood"  which  will b e  released  on  Halloween  by  Aesthetic  Death.

  Ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  while  the  percussion  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  when  it  is  introduced  onto  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Whispered  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  electronics.  Guitar  sounds  can  also b e  heard  in  some  parts  of t he  recording  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  touches  of  ethnic  music  as  well a s  the  vocals  also  getting  more  deep  and  demonic  at  times.

  Elements  of  industrial are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording along  with  the  bass  guitars  also  sounding  very  powerful  when  they  are  utilized.  Asian  style  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  as  well  as  some  chants  and  throat  singing  also  being  utilized  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Luciferian  Consciousness     and  Shiva  roaming  a  post  apocalyptic  planet.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Haiku  Funeral  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ritualistic  blackened  industrial  and  dark  ambient,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Universe  murders  itself"  "The  Earth  burns  And  Burns"  and  "Drown  Their  moons  in  Blood".  8  out  of  10.

ttps://www.haikufuneral.com

https://facebook/haikufuneral

    

1914/Where Fear And Weapons Meet/Naplam Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Ukraine's  1914  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  them  continuing  the  blackened  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  and  death  emtal  from  their  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Where  Fear  And  Weapons  Meet"  which  will b e  released  on  October  22nd  by  Napalm  Records.

  World  War  I  era  music  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  synths  can  also  be  heard on  a  couple  of  songs  and  also  brings  in  more  of  an  epic  and  symphonic  atmosphere.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  are  also  utilized  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Grim  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  some  songs  also  adding  in  war  samples  and  spoken  word  parts  along  with  a  later  track  also  adding  in  folk  music  touches, acoustic  guitars,  stringed  instruments  and  clean  vocals  before  returning  back  to a  heavier  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  The  History  of  World  War  1.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  1914  and  if  you  are  a  fan of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vimy  Ridge  (In  Memory  of  Flip  Konowal)"  "Coward"  and  "The  Green  Fields  Of  France".  8  out  of  10.

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https://youtu.be/_S2SpTNuglQ          

Churchburn/Genocidal Rite/Translation Loss Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Churchburn  are  a  band  from  Rhode  Island  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  blackened  mixture  of  doom,  sludge  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Genocidal  Rite"  which  will b e  released  in  November  by  translation  Loss  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  harsh  noises  and  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along with  some  death  metal growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies,  on  of  the  songs  is  also  an  instrumental  and  the  closing  song  also  adds  in  some  session  work  from  John  McEntee  of  Incantation  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  suffering  and  agony  themes

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

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Anti Ritual/Expel The Leaches/Indisciplinarian/2021 FUll Length Review

 

  Anti  Ritual  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that h as  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death,  sludge  metal,  grind  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2021  album  "Expel  The  Leaches"  which  will  be  released  on  October  29th  by  Indisciplinarian.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  grindcore  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  also  in  between  hardcore  style  shouts  and  death  metal  growls  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  most  of t he  the  tracks  are  very  short  in  length.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  brings  in  elements  of  black  metal  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Influences  of  sludge  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  On  this  recording  Anti  Ritual  takes  black,  death,  sludge  metal,  grind  and  hardcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  aggressive  sounding  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  apathy  and  postmodernism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Anti  Ritual  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death,  sludge  metal,  grind  and  hardcore,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Expel  The  Leeches"  "Necrocapitalism"  "No  Human  Is  Illegal"  and  "Franchise  Coffee  Bars  &  Internment  Camps".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk17oHSq5tA

Oenos Interview

 

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

A few social media things, I'm about to launch a merch store, and now have a batch #1 of Oenos wine I am not licenced to sell. I'm working on a music video too for one of the songs on the EP - and itching to get writing & recording new stuff.

2.Recently you have released a new ep, musically how does it differ form the stuff you have released in the past?

I'd say Crno IV is leaning more towards post-metal with some black, doom and sludge elements. Previous release was more on the black metal side with post and sludge. This new EP is a mix of songs I wrote a couple years ago and brand new stuff that seemed to work well together. I hadn't written any lyrics or vocal parts for the older songs so those were borne over the last year.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer music and also how would you describe your progress as a songwriter over the years?

The lyrical themes on the EP are failure, apathy, fear and the poor state of our planet - anxiety, with a glimmer of hope.

I'm ... developing as a songwriter. I don't have an education or similar in music. I find riffs and melodies seem to come to me fairly naturally when I've got the time to properly zone out on it. I get into some sort of a state of flow and things evolve from there on via experimenting. Lyrics I still struggle with and is something I really want to focus on improving. I think my music is overall growing in complexity; there's more layers, soundscaping and smaller things that make the songs more interesting.

On the recording and production side I have gotten much faster as I've familiarised myself with gear & tools and I've learned to listen and balance my mixes better. It has also become easier for me to get what I imagine in my head, a vision of sorts, on record.

But I know nothing. It's a never ending learning journey and there's so much music I haven't explored and touched.

4.I have read that a lot of the song lyrics are inspired by wines, what are some of the wines that you prefer to drink?

All the songs are named after the wine I had when writing. I tend to like full bodied, rich reds and currently drinking a fair few blends. 'Gratitude' 2019 from Boschkloof, Stellenbosch, SA and 'Andreza' 2016 from Douro, Portugal as the most recent highlights.

I do like to explore though so I tend to try all sorts from all around the planet - red, white, natural, berry, all of it.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Oenos'?

Oenos is an ancient Greek word for wine. I started naming my songs after the wines first, and the name followed. I liked how it sounded and it fit the theme of what I was doing.

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

The original photo was shot by a friend of mine, Livia, at a cemetery close to where I live. It is a depiction of anxiety. I also wanted to incorporate some wine elements on the EP cover so took a bunch of corks with me to the shoot with a rough idea not knowing if it'll work. Worked, and I find the EP theme comes across well.

Check out Livia's photos here https://www.deviantart.com/monochromesofliv.

7.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

I've so far written and recorded everything by myself, but open to working with other people and generally collaborating. It's not something I have actively pursued though, I quite like working solo as there's only myself I can hold accountable for the results :-)

8.Originally the musical project was based in Finland but now you are located in the United Kingdom, how would you compare the two countries?

There is the obvious language, size and location difference - and also plenty of cultural and historical things that differ. London's been a great base for exploring the world - I love travelling - which was a bit trickier from northern Finland where I used to live.

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

I am not looking for a label.

10.on a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black, doom and post metal?

Very positive and the combination seems to resonate with other people than me too. The metal community is strong around the world.

11.When can we expect another full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

I've got tons of music written for the next full length. It tends to take me a while to get stuff finished so we'll see when I'll actually get it out!

There'll be more experimenting and I've also joined Archierophant on guitars and possibly more vocals (I did vox for a couple of songs previously) so working with other musicians is in flight.

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?

Anything black, post, sludge, doom. Some jazz, folk and ambient stuff too. I've been listening to the latest releases from Rivers of Nihil, LLNN, Lantlos, Kauan and Papangu recently and also seen quite a few modern jazz bands live as well.

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

My EP Crno IV is out now and you can find it on Bandcamp, Spotify and similar streaming services. Pick up a t-shirt or a tote bag from my merch store if you fancy supporting my musical adventures in other ways. I like reading your thoughts and getting feedback so don't be shy getting in touch via the usual socials (@oenosmusic) and email. Oh and any wine recommendations are always extremely welcome!

I would like to make more of my own wine. Know any good vineyards?

Thanks,

Sami / Oenos 

https://www.instagram.com/oenosmusic https://www.facebook.com/oenosmusic https://twitter.com/oenosmusic   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9aYSv2Rey28IvFv0vmOKmg

Devour Every Star/Antiquity/Blue Bedroom Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Devour  Every  Star  are  a  solo  project  from  Madison,  Wisconsin  that  plays  an  instrumental  mixture  of  black  emtal  and  trip  hop  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  20231  album  "Antiquity"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Blue  Bedroom  Records.

  Synths  and  trip  hop  influenced  beats  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  One  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  album  while  the  music  also  has  its  experimental  and  avant  garde  moments.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  field  recordings  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  

  Devour  Every  Star  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal  and  trip  hop  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  her  own  as  well  as  keeping  most  of  the  music  instrumental  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Devour  Every  Star  is  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  mixture  of  black  metal  and  trip  hop  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Possessed  By  The  Saintly  Euphoric"  "Fractured  Starlight  Trepanation"  "The  Punishment"  and  "Peace  Eternal".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/devoureverystar/

https://bluebedroomrecords.bandcamp.com/album/antiquity

      

Anima Hereticae/Ov Behest/My Fate Music/2021 EP Review

 

  Anima  Hereticae  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their    2021  ep  "Ov  Behest"  which  was  released  by  my  Fate  Music. 

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  some  blast  beats.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized,  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  the  closing  track  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing.

  Anima  Hereticae  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  sides  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  some  old  school  symphonic  touches  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  exploration  of  the  human  psyche  and  it's  relegation  to  nature.  

  In  my  opinion  Anima  Hereticae  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Constellation  Of  Capricorn".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.animahereticae.com/
https://www.facebook.com/animahereticaeofficial
https://www.instagram.com/animahereticae/

https://animahereticae.bandcamp.com/