Diabolical Raw Interview

 

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

Hello everyone, Ozan Erkmen here (All Vocals)!

After the recordings were completed, we looked for a label for a while and agreed with Base Record Production. The album will be released in September. We have been working hard on PR work lately. Exciting process. Besides we are in touch for possible concerts after the summer season.

2.In September you have a new album coming out, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

The new album has more catchy riffs than the first album. Orchestration is like the trademark of our music, we worked on it in more detail on the new album. We simplified the chaotic structure in the first album a bit, I can say that the orchestration is at a more digestible level. There are parts that can be accompanied more in vocals. I am sure that the fans will join us in the performance of these parts at the concerts. Lastly, there are very nice guitar and violin solo performances. Apart from that, I am sure that those who listen to the album will find details that surprise them every time.

 

3.From2005 to 2019 there was no music being released, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame? 

There was a member changing problem that we couldn't avoid until 2005. At that time, we were working on the compositions of the first album, and each member change prolonged this process, carried the songs to a point that was very different from where we started and actually did not satisfy us. After the accumulation of different minor problems besides this main problem, the band split up. During that time, I moved to Germany, each band member continued his life in different ways. After a long time, we got in touch with our composer Ozan Tunc (We have the same names:) at the beginning of 2019, we talked a while about the past, after that we encouraged each other and finally we started to produce new songs again.

 

4.A lot of your lyrics cover Central Asian Mythology themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Central Asia is the region where Turks stepped into the world history scene. The first documented Turkish presence is in Central Asia. There are many known historical details such as the Great Hun Empire, Attila's invasion of Europe. There is an age between me and Ozan, our education started and ended in the same period. We have already learned Central Asian Turkish history at school, a subject that is not foreign to us. Although the religious form of the Central Asian Turks seems very simple, in fact, when you dig deeper, you find many exciting details. In addition to having similarities with the most known Greek and Scandinavian Mythological and religious forms, there are also unique sections. It has a fantastic form and I can say that it is an untouched area in the Metal music scene. As I know the Black and Folk Metal bands that write lyrics on this theme, such as Gökböri, Yaşaru, Yabgu. Apart from these bands, there is no other Metal band that comes to my mind, if there is, I haven't heard it. It is probably easier to continue with familiar lyrical themes. It is definitely not easy to produce Metal Music on this theme. And we're glad we made it

 

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Diabolical Raw'>?

When the band was formed it was called "Diabolical" and after we started writing songs again, we found that the resulting songs were completely different from what the band produced in 2005. We thought it would be unreasonable to claim that the band that produced music again after 12 years was the same band. On the other side, the past of the band dates back to 1998, which is also a fact. We didn't want to break away from the band's past, and also we wanted to emphasize a new beginning. Another reason is that there are many bands called "Diabolical". Thus, we have prevented the problems that may arise from the band name confusion.

 

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

Before I started writing the lyrics for the new album, I wanted to write a short Story entirely of our own and to have the lyrics come out of this Story. And so a unique concept was born. Artwork creator Mukadder Karaoglan (Muko) listened to all the songs and read this short Story. And before she started painting the Artwork, she chose the final battle part of the story. She created the main character Kaygun, her fierce enemy Erlik, the last battle and the battlefield in perfect harmony.

 

7.Currently there are only 2 members in the band but you have had a full line up in the past, are you open to expanding your line up again in the future or do you chose to remain a duo?

We will continue to be a duo because we are both very perfectionist people and working with us could be hard time to time. We are not hesitate to criticize each other harshly. And we work on songs in detail for a long time. If someone wants to work with us who can both put up with us and keep up with our discipline, we are open to it :) But for now, we are happy to continue on the road as duo. We also know musicians for gigs, it is not a problem for us to take the stage, everything is fine as it stands.

 

8.Had the band done any live shows or open to the idea?

We both live in separate countries; but this does not prevent us for play. After the first album came out, as you know, the Pandemic started and many concert possibilities have already disappeared. The new album will be released soon and we are very excited for it. After the summer season, we want to play as many shows as possible both in Turkey and in Europe.

 

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

Everyone we could reach loved our music, But it is a fact that we couldn't reach as many people as we want. After the release of the first album, we were weak in PR. That's why we're working hard on PR for the second album. We get professional help from Grand Sounds Promotion and they are very good at it. As I said, the fans we reached liked it very much, as a cliché many guys said that our music sounds like Septicflesh or Dimmu Borgir, but it definitely does not bother us. We have not heard anything negative about the sound, which makes us very happy.

 

10.What is going on with the other bands these days that both of the band members are a part of?

Other projects that I am currently involved in are not active. We are still working on the songs with the Death Metal band Human Harvest, which Ozan and I are in, but the recording process has not started. Ozan's own project Amras Numenesse is active and will even take the stage in Istanbul on August 24.

 

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

I don't think that our way of writing songs will go through a big change, but we are open to new stuffs and we like to blend new elements with our music without breaking the balans. Guitars may be more intense in the third album. A little spoiler:)

 

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

The bands that have influenced our music are definitely Septicflesh and Fleshgod Apocalypse. As for our personal playlists, we're not obsessed with a few styles. We listen to almost all of the metal music genres except for a few. But Black and Death Metal come first for both of us. Bands such as Emperor, Marduk, Nile, Suffocation have deeply influenced me. Of course, I listen to many more bands than I can count right now. These are just the first names that come to mind. Apart from that, I've been listening to ethnic music, classical music and Hard Rock classics lately.

Ozan is also a big fan of bands like Emperor, Gorgoroth, Mayhem, Devourment, Deeds of Flesh. Apart from that, he loves to listen to classical baroque music.

 

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

The questions were very good, thank you very much for your time. Thank you in advance to everyone who will read this interview. Be sure to listen to the album, it will be worth your time. Open your mind to Symphonic Extreme Metal madness.

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | YouTube

Rosa Nocturna Interview

 

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

Thanks for the interview. We are currently working on promoting our English album. This is a lot of work and takes a lot of time. In addition, we are finishing the music video for the song Fear. It should be out in September. And of course, we are already working on material for the new album.

2.Musically how does the new stuff differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

We try to keep our style on the border between symphonic metal and folk. The new album is much more sophisticated and heavier. It offers more melodies and we also featured more guests on it.

3.Recently you have released an English version of your 2020 album, what was the decision behind releasing the recording in 2 different languages?

For our Czech fans, we normally release music in Czech. But we have already released a few singles in English and we can see from the numbers that they are played much more. English songs are better accepted worldwide than songs in a little-known language such as Czech. So we decided to try to release the whole album in English. Also because albums are promoted more easily than individual songs. We will see if our music will be liked abroad.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored over the years with your music?

We tell captivating stories, romantic ballads, or mythical epics. We tell stories from ancient times, which are sometimes nostalgic, sometimes full of struggles. It narrates about love and betrayal, death and fear, and it brings a great range of moods and feelings We try to convey a positive vibe and we invite listeners to contemplate.

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

From Latin, Rosa Nocturna means Night rose. Roses are beautiful but also they have thorns and they can hurt you. And so is our music. Sometimes beautiful and touching as roses in the moonlight. Other times hard and fierce as thorns on dark nights.

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

Of course. The cover was drawn in Finland, in the famous graphics studio Darkgrove. The cover artwork depicts a werewolf and an angel. As representatives of two opposing sides, good and evil. Our whole album is about the old-time struggle between good and evil and the picture is quite accurate about it.

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?

Hard to choose one, or several, because we played many great shows. Though we played only in the Czech Republic until now. Here in our city Brno we have quite a great fan base, so all the concerts in our hometown are blasts.

Concerning stage performance, we are a costumed band. We play in coats and costumes reminiscent of the Gothic or Victorian era. Our trademark is a top hat. And we are not a static band at all. We enjoy playing with the audience, jumping, and headbanging all over the stage. We also invite fans from the audience onto the stage to play with us during the shows. They simply love it.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Of course, all upcoming shows can be found on our website www.rosanocturna.cz, or on our socials.

9.On the new album you also have 13 guest musicians, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contribution to the recording?

Our songs are very musical. There are stories with many characters in our songs. And because we need different voices to portray them, we invite guest singers. They are great singers from other Czech bands. E.g. Viktorie Surmová from Surma, René Perry David from Flowerwhile, Shirley Tracanna from Wishmasters, Lenka Ereis Šíková from Ertha, etc. With them, we can convey the right emotions for every song. We invite also guest musicians for instruments we don't have in our band as band members. The main ones are Klára Šindelková from Emerald Shine on violin, Hanka Osifová from Wolfarian on flute, and Adam Langer from Rebel on djembe and bass.

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

Unfortunately, we haven't received any interest from labels yet. It would be nice to have one. So perhaps with this new album, we will be able to find a decent label.

11.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of symphonic and folk metal?

Angels and beasts is our first English album. So we are looking forward to the reactions and review. We hope the fans will accept our music warmly. Our English singles have good reactions and in Czechia, we are praised by fans.

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

We will definitely stay metal, perhaps even heavier. But we would like to utilize more orchestra and more cinematic elements in the future.

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

Definitely, it is Nightwish as one of the biggest influences. But in our band, we listen to a wide variety of bands and music styles. From Metallica to classical music. Because I am still searching for new voices and guests, I listen quite a lot to Czech bands nowadays, to find some interesting voices or musicians. 

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

I would like to thank you for this interview and to encourage fans to support their favorite bands. Making music takes a lot of effort and money. So every band will be very happy for the support of the fans.

Website: https://www.rosanocturna.cz/en/index.html
Bandcamp: https://rosanocturna.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RosaNocturnaBand/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh018nFMYdbh2gXhjUeU8bw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6iV0BAMaGidShAlpWp7GNR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosanocturnaband/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/rosa-nocturna
Bandzone https://bandzone.cz/rosanocturna

Manic Abraxas Interview

 

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

Basically solidifying our live lineup and arranging material for shows.

2.You have a new album coming out in September, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

To us it’s a progression from the last time.  We spent more time on details, nuances and getting tone dialed.  That’s not to say this is overly produced, the emphasis is still on a raw sound.

3.Some of your lyrics cover occultism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

To us the occult simply means hidden from the public, which describes a lot of our themes.  We aren’t a Satanic band, that shit is pretty much mainstream these days.  Where we’re coming from has no constraints.

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

There’s one song on the new album about a paranormal experience one of us had.  Overall the lyrics tend to be impersonal.  We have plenty of songs heavily influenced by some of our favorite fiction writers…SciFi, Fantasy, Horror etc.  Others can be about how peculiar it is to be alive.

5.I know that the band's name came from 'Gnosticism', can you tell us a little bit more about your research into this topic?

It’s just an interesting topic for us.  Abraxas seemed to be a clouded & unpredictable figure of unknown alignment and that’s the perfect umbrella for our music.

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

We are very proud to have album art by the amazing Gage Lindsten.

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

At this moment in 2022 playing shows seems like a distant memory.  Live is a barely contained torrent - we have forgotten all about society and being human summoning Abraxas in our own primitive way.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

We have a handful of shows lined up for the fall.  We’ll probably never do real tours but weekends and the odd week now and then as we grow would be cool.

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

Unsigned - we have garnered no interest.

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

Overall it’s been positive but we’ve also had plenty of hate.  We don’t fit in any boxes so that excites us.

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

That’s hard to say.  RIght now we have a huge backlog of unreleased & unrecorded songs all the way back to our beginning so that may be our next release, a regression of sorts.  

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?

Saturnalia Temple, Darkthrone, St Vitus, early High On Fire, Celtic Frost, Bolzer, Venom, Blue Oyster Cult, Unearthly Trance, ZZ Top - it’s endless really.

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

Thanks for having us.

https://manicabraxas.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/manic69abraxas

https://www.facebook.com/manicabraxas

Yevabog/Between Two Fires/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Yevabog  are  a  solo  project  from  Seattle,  Washington  that h as  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2022  album  "Between  Two  Fires".

  A  very  fast  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  synths  also  ad d in  some  symphonic  touches.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  and  clear  chants  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  while  the  song  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  clean  playing  and  clear  vocals  onto  the  album.  

  On  this  recording  Yevabog  takes  the  atmospheric,  symphonic  and  melodic  styles  of  90's  era  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  emtal  to  create  a  very  diverse  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  possession  and  betrayal  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Yevabog  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  melodic  and  symphonic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Golden  Reaper"  and  "22  Disciples  Of  Hell".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/xkSV_U6RcK0

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2QDLelqjXt45lfsNAEStCF

https://music.apple.com/us/album/between-two-fires-ep/1640806806

https://yevabog.bandcamp.com/album/between-two-fires

https://www.instagram.com/yevabog/  

ZeTA Interview

 

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

I started this project in 2008, coincidentally that was the same year I started to believe and become interested in the ufo/alien subject matter. I thought it would be interesting to start some type of alien-themed metal band. This was always a studio project (no band practices or live performances), but over time I realized I was not good enough and stretched myself too thin for the whole “one-man band” approach and brought in other members more proficient in drums, vocals, guitar solos so I can focus solely on rhythm guitars, bass, effects/synth, songwriting/lyrics, etc. I would say that I always wanted this project to have somewhat of a profound and spacey atmosphere that reminds listeners of aliens or ufos. I’ve also read and researched a ton of UFO/Alien cases since, selected the ones that I found the most interesting and believable to write songs based on.

2.In September you have your first full length coming out, musically how does it differ from your previous ep's?

I would say overall the approach was to focus on more atmosphere and melody versus heaviness or brutality. As far as the EP’s go, it was somewhat of a gambled “mad-scientist” type approach in which both EP’s were completely different from each other but equally trying to be unique/original/weird in their own way and just seeing which one succeeds over the other. “Cosmic Realms” was somewhat of a melodic black metal project whereas “Ignotum Anomalia” was more brutal death. Both featured weird guitar effects/undertones. Overrall, as a first efforts I thought Ignotum Anomalia turned out good, Cosmic Realms unfortunately was an experimental failure. Naturally, musicians evolve, and I wanted to combine elements that worked and others that didn’t from my experiences with those past efforts and “consolidate” the overall songwriting and direction into this new album.

3.This is also your first release in over 5 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

There were plenty of setbacks and mistakes along the way of writing/recording/finishing this album, which considerably added to the delay. However, at some point after all the modifying, re-recording, ‘fixing’ of every audible detail that you notice with a recording, you come to a point where the final product is “good enough”. That is all that matters in the end as you want to be proud of an album years after its release rather than have second thoughts or regrets after the fact.

4.One of the main inspirations on your music is the 'Metroid' video game series, can you tell us a little bti more about your interest in these games?

I felt that the music and desolate atmosphere of that series truly transports you to a habitable alien world filled with eccentric wildlife and vibrant flora. Musicians sometimes search outside of their respective genres to add elements to make them somewhat unique. I don’t listen to much music outside of metal, but I do have admiration of certain “epic” movie and video game scores usually coming from my childhood. As far as ZeTA goes, I wanted to have certain passages that sounded unearthly or “extraterrestrial”, and I took inspiration from Metroid to try to achieve that.

5.Your main lyrical themes goes into the U.F.O sightings and the government cover up's and the conspiracy theory's involving this topic, can you tell us a little bit more about the time and research you have put into this topic?

Prior to 2008, I never paid any attention (let alone thought they existed) to aliens or ufos and just assumed they were fictional entities no different than vampires, zombies, ghouls, etc. But at some point that year, I randomly viewed a random youtube video (I believe it was a ufo over Mexico city) which sparked some curiosity and one of the comments referenced the disclosure project. I then watched the conference which featured former airline pilots, air traffic controllers, and others that explained what they’ve seen in detail. They all sounded genuine and believable, so I started to truly to dig into more cases through online articles, watching documentaries and reading certain books such as Richard Nolan’s “UFO for the 21st Century Mind”. Some of the most notable ones which made the biggest impressions include Bob Lazar, Fredrick Valentich disappearance (which especially scared the shit out of me at the time), Jesse Long Abduction, Kelly–Hopkinsville encounter, along with more famous cases like Roswell and Rendlesham Forest. I’ve come across a ton of cases and stories throughout the years, and I wouldn’t say that every single one of them could be reasonably deemed true or had any substantial evidence. However, the biggest argument to claim that aliens exist is the fact that there have been so many cases throughout the years, decades, even centuries. The probability that every single encounter and sighting can be explained through conventional or natural phenomenon is unrealistically low. However, I never truly tried to convince or “convert” others to believe in aliens or ufos. Anyone can decide themselves if they want to take the time to research the subject and use their own judgement to draw a conclusion, or simply completely ignore it and just assume they do not exist.

6.The band has been around since 2008 but waited until 2017 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?

I don’t remember much from the start of the project, but I know I experimented with different effects and guitar/bass tones while trying to forge an “original” identity. At the same time, I did my own amateur recordings and plenty of mistakes and re-recordings were made throughout the years that added to the delays as I was very picky with my own material. In addition, I was in school, had other projects I was involved in, etc. As far as doing all the musical instruments and whatnot, I had to resort to using a drum machine that I honestly could never make it sound decent or anywhere near natural. I give a lot of credit for one-man bands that can pull off everything to their own satisfaction, but I learned in the end it’s not the best approach for me.

7.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'ZeTA'?

Originally the project was called “Zeta Reticuli”, which was named after a binary star system that Bob Lazar claimed that the alien “Greys” originate from. However, I noticed through metal archives that a black metal band from Australia had the same name. I dropped the “Reticuili” to just name it “ZeTA” to avoid confusion, and the logo itself is far cleaner and easier to read now with just that.

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

The cover is essentially inspired by the famous UK UFO encounter, the "Rendlesham Forest incident". The cover specifically depicts the event that Jim Penniston walks up to a black triangular craft hovering over the forest floor, notices "hieroglyphic" type markings and touches one of the symbols. He claimed that he received a "telepathic download" of binary code that he believed was a message. The cover sets the overall tone that the album is mostly trying to express, the mystery and morbid curiosity that we have regarding aliens and UFOs. Different from the typical Hollywood depiction that aliens are up to something sinister and are hostile (if they wanted to destroy us, they would have already). We do not know exactly why they are here and their true intentions, we just know they exist and regularly visit this planet (and likely numerous others) and can only speculate.

9.All of the band members live in different parts of the United States, what impact does this have on the recording process?

There are pluses and minuses with a studio project compared to say a traditional band that practices on a weekly cadence and records all at once on a weekend in a studio. Some advantages are everyone can practice and record their own parts during their own time and not have to be pinned to a schedule. Disadvantages include everyone would have to have decent recording equipment and knowledge to pull it off, and sometimes the classic band creative synergy or ideas can be lost. Luckily, we all were able to communicate effectively whether it be through email or a phone call to discuss certain ideas or revisions and I’m proud of how it all came together in the end.

10.Are any of the band members interested in taking this project to the live stage?

I haven’t discussed it with anyone, but obviously to get everyone onboard would be a challenge due to distance. And just doing a few select shows with the original lineup may or may not ideal considering we wouldn’t have enough time to gel as a live unit which could result in a sloppy live performance. I don’t look too far ahead and currently am just focusing on promoting the album now, but if there is enough future interest, I may consider it.

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

There was a record label (which I won’t name) that recently showed interest in a month or so ago. However, he was booked up with new releases for the rest of the year and could only launch this album by this December or possibly January 2023 at the earliest. My original goal was to release this album no later than the third quarter of this year and considering how delayed it already has been, it was best for my personal sanity to continue with an independent release. However, I very much appreciated his interest. Previously I’ve hit up other labels with little to no interest since the 2017 EP releases. I won’t lie to you and say I haven’t taken that personally and used it as motivation to work harder and prove something with this new album.

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

So far, the current premier track “Suspended Colossus” hosted on Metal Vault has recently positive feedback from both those that I’ve known from the Cleveland scene and others I do not know personally who randomly checked it out. But of course, this is only one track whereas the rest of the album is yet to be revealed. Plenty of more work to be done from my side when it comes to promoting this project online, which I was never comfortable and good at selling my own material, but that’s all I can do as this is a studio project with no tours or live performances to help support the LP launch.

13.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

Dan’s black metal outfit Gravelust released a new album “Passage to the End” last February. Evan’s new Death Metal/Grindcore project Paranoia Apparition released an EP “Phantasmic Visions” from last March. Both great and interesting releases, I suggest you check them out.

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

I have not planned too far ahead in the future. Currently I am just focused on promoting the current album as much as I can for what it’s worth. I’ve written some new material, but I am nowhere near satisfied with it. Nor am I inspired to write or record more to eventually plan for an LP or even an EP release. For quite some time, I had the mindset for this album to be the last piece of music from ZeTA. In essence, this would help me focus on just making the album as good as I can, not looking back at previous releases or diverting attention to writing for the future. I wanted to put maximum effort and grit, like the last Byzantine Emperor “Constantine Palaiologos” fighting until his bitter end against the Turks during the Fall of Constantinople.

15.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?

I would argue, Swedish melodic black metal of the 90s such as Sacramentum, Dissection, Vinterland, and Dawn is probably the most beautiful and epic music that ever existed and a good amount of riffing on this album was influenced by those bands. Arghoslent was a big influence, as well as Immolation. Contemporary bands such as Aevangelist and Blood Incantation influenced a good amount of the synth additions to the songs. As far as new bands, I was very much impressed by the Earthshine, Dungeon Serpent, VVilderness and Worm(US) releases from last year. Probably my favorite releases thus far this year is from Moonlight Sorcery and Grenadier. Also, I started to understand the buzz that Suffering Hour has been getting after watching them at Maryland Deathfest and being completely mindblown by their performance.

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

For anyone reading, check out the premier track “Suspended Colossus” if you have not already, and if you’re into it, set a calendar reminder for the album release on Bandcamp September 2nd. However, if you’re not into the project, that’s fine as well. I always encourage those into metal to constantly research and check out bands whether it be online scavenging or going to shows featuring either local or international acts. Plenty of bands that can appeal to anyone’s taste out there in the vast and diverse world of metal that just require some effort to discover.

https://ufometal.bandcamp.com/album/binary-enigma

Diabolical Raw/Elegy Of Fire Dusk/Base Record Production/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Diabolical  Raw  are  a  duo  from  Turkey  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Elegy  Of  Fire  Dusk"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Base  Records  Production.

  A  very  dark,  ritualistic  and  nature  orientated  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  symphonic  elements  into  the  music  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  side  of  the  songs.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Vocals a re  a  mixture  of g rim  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a   decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  stringed  instruments  also  being  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  as  well  as  a  later  song  also  being  an  instrumental  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  finally  introduced  on  the  album  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Diabolical  Raw  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  sympho0nic  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Central  Asian  Turkish  Mythology. 

  In  my  opinion  Diabolic  Raw  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Commands  Of  The  Gods"  "Tilgen's  Fall"  "The  Last  War  With  Evil"  and  "The  Council  At  the  Asar  land".  8  out  of  10.

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Manic Abraxas/Foreign Winds/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Manic  Abraxis  are  a  band  from  Maine  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  stoner,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Foreign  Winds"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

 

 A  very  hard  and  heavy  stoner  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Synths  can  also be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  vocals  also b ringing  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  mixing  in  elements  of  thrash  metal  and  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  is  also  added in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  while  growls  are  also  added  in  some  of  the  vocals.  Touches  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  psychedelic  moments.

  Clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  one  the  tracks  along  with  some  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording,  some  of t he  riffing  adds  in  touches  of  classic  metal  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Manic  Abraxis  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom,  stoner,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Red  Camo  Rock"  "Foreign  Winds"  and  "Black  Destrier".  8  out  of  10.

  https://manicabraxas.bandcamp.com

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https://www.facebook.com/manicabraxas  .  

  

Rosa Nocturna/Angels And Beasts/2022 CD Review

 

  Rosa  Nocturna  are  a  band  from  Czechia  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Angles  And  Beasts".

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Female  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  black  metal  screams  and death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  Elements  of  gothic  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  long  with  one  track  also  introducing  folk  instruments  onto  the  album.

  one  song  also  introduces  clear  male  vocals  into  the  music  as  well  as  some  acoustic  guitars  also  being  utilized  briefly  along  with one  song  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats,    a  later  track  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  age-old  struggle  between  good  and  evil.  

  In  my  opinion  Rosa  Nocturna  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  folk  and  gothic  metal  an d if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pharmacist"  "Fear"  and  "Letters  To  The  Front".

  Website: https://www.rosanocturna.cz/en/index.html

Bandcamp: https://rosanocturna.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RosaNocturnaBand/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh018nFMYdbh2gXhjUeU8bw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6iV0BAMaGidShAlpWp7GNR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosanocturnaband/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/rosa-nocturna

Bandzone https://bandzone.cz/rosanocturna 

Defacing God/The Resurrection Of Lilith/Napalm Records/2022 Full length Review

 

  Defacing  God  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "The  Resurrection  Of  Lilith"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Napalm  Records. 

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in a  brief  use  of  chants  before  going  into  a heavier  direction.  Symphonic  elements  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  melodies  are  also  added  into a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing. 

  Vocals a re  a mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  faster  riffing  also  adding  in a   good  amount  of  tremolo  picking,  one  song  also introduces  choirs  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing.

  Defacing  God  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  symphonic  black  and  mixes  it  with  melodic  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover  Occultism,  Witchcraft  and  the  female  demon  Lilith.

  In  my  opinion  Defacing  God  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  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  "The  Invocation  Part  I  Lilith"  "Rise  of  The  Trinity"  "Death  Followed  Like  A  Plague"  and  "Into  the  Mist  Of  Memories".  8  out  of  10.

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https://youtu.be/8qJFWXVvR44  

Nothing Is Real/The End Is Near/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Nothing  Is  Real  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  ":The  End  Is  Near"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween.

  Distorted  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  while  spoken  word  samples  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  progressive  moments  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  more  of  a  stoner  vibe.

  Psychedelic  touches  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  drones  also  returning  on  a  couple  of  the  later  tracks  as  well  as  one  song  also  showing  the  music  also  adding  in  more  mid  tempo  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  covers  the  end  of  the  world  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nothing  Is  Real  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  black,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "THE  (Pt.  1)"  "END"  and  "NEAR  (pt.  2)".  8  out  of  10.

  

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Brymir/Voice In The Sky/Napalm Records/2022 Full length Review

 

  Brymir  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  folk,  pagan  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Voice  In  The  Sky"  which  will b e  released  on  August  2gth  by  Napalm  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  and  bring  in  elements  of  folk  music  which  also  return  on  later  songs.  Symphonic  sounds  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Clear  pagan  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  black  emtal  style  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  track.

  Brymir  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk,  pagan  and  melodic  death  emtal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while t he  lyrics  cover   Norse  mythology,  freedom,  society,  nature  and  humanity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Brymir  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  folk,  pagan  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Voices  In  The  Sky"  "Herald  of  Aegir"  "Far  From  Home"  and  "Diabolis  Interium".  8  out  of  10.

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ZeTA/Binary Enigma/2022 Full length Review

 

  ZeTA  are  a  band  from  the  United  States  that  plays  an  experimental  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Binary  Enigma"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

  A  very  dark  sounding  and  sci-fi  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  faster  and  heavier  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  has  its  experimental  moments.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark y et  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  as  well  as a  couple  of  songs also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  synths,  the  music  also  takes  the  melody  of  the  Swedish  bands  and  mixes  it  with  the  brutality  of  the  American  style  and  the  album  closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  documented  UFO  encounters,  aliens,  space  and  distant  civilizations.

  In  my  opinion  ZeTA  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  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  "Suspended  Colossus"  "Cosmic  Embrace"  and  "Weight  Of  Disclosure".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://ufometal.bandcamp.com/album/binary-enigma

https://youtu.be/JwH67uendlE

      

          

Diadalos Interview

 

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

I was drummer in various punk and metal bands before and I loved it. 

But as a drummer I wasn`t too involved in the process of writing the songs so I often had the feeling I was missing something. 

When the Coronavirus made playing with my former Trash-Metal Band Revolt no longer possible, I searched for another way to experience music. 

I immediately felt that writing and composing music refill my energy. 

As a full-time worker and a dad of a four-year-old, I could get totally lost in the music and story and followed Sir Franklin on his journey with these heroes of their time. 

So I started to take my time for this project and realized my ideas.

2.Recently you have released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Honestly, in the beginning, I just wanted to use the piano to portray the particular atmosphere of the song and theme, and then play drums along with it.

But little by little I realized that with an orchestra you can portray a much more complex and intense, detailed scene. And so I then developed a separate orchestration for each song, to match the part of the story it tells.

So each piece is written alone on the piano, then I "completed" the songs by that orchestration.

Musical style? Hard to say, I'm just impressed and certainly influenced by a lot of artists of different genres. By genre, Daidalos is certainly at home in Symphonic Dark Metal. But I prefer to say, "I make atmospheric music".

3.The lyrics on the recording are a concept album can you tell us a little bit more about the story you covered with this release?

The sea and seafaring are a popular topic within my family. In former times there was no other way to discover more of the world, but to sail with the ship. 

These amazing men went for a real adventure, mostly some years away from the family, without knowing whether they would come back for fame or die. 

150 years ago, nobody was sure what the north pole could look like. Some scientists believed after a ring of ice would be a climate like in Hawaii. So they really weren´t prepared too well. 

The journey of Sir Franklin is one of the best known, I guess. He was a hero of his time and really popular. On an earlier expedition near Canada he came in big trouble and survived, to the legends, by eating his shoes. 

His goal was to find the north-west-passage. Through this passage, the way from Asia to Europa is so much shorter. So it was really important to find this way for the economy. 

Sir Franklin sailed with two ships: HMS Erebus and the sister ship HMS Terror (both cool names though) with a total of 129 men. From today's perspective a by far too large expedition. 

Officially, the abandoned ships sank and nobody survived. The End.

But... what happened to these men? How does it feel, knowing there could be only glory or death? What does it feel like, being trapped in the ice for a month, day and night in eternal white?

Imagine sitting below deck in the belly of the ship with your comrades, freezing and starving, far away from your family.

Was there real hope or did they all know it´s just a matter of time until everyone left is a frozen statue in the wind? 

These were the thoughts that I couldn`t get out of my head and the only way to express them was in my music. 

The man, who really discovered the North West Passage, was Roald Amundsen btw. The guy, who also was first at the south pole after an unbelievable race with Robert Falcon Scott, who unfortunately lost his life on the way.

4.One of the songs is also based on a Robert Frost poem, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his writings?

To be honest, I wasn`t that familiar with Robert Frost before writing this album.

I had this idea of the last living sailor carving his last words into the frozen snow just before he freezes to death. 

The song should have a continuous narrative style, without the typical verse-bridge-chorus sequences. 

I wanted it to be his story, which then ends abruptly. Then I realized that this is how it's done in many poems, and I set about researching.

In the process, I came across Robert Frost and his extremely expressive pieces. "Once by the Pacific" was just a perfect fit for my album in that regard. 

Then, while reading other poems of his, I realized that he was basically doing the same thing I was trying: He canalized his feelings and thoughts and expressed them through his art. 

I immediately felt the connection so I wanted to honor him by merging our arts together.

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

My first thought when I was searching for a name, was something like “sectio aurea”. The golden section stands for the perfect balance.

The golden section is proved since the time of Greek antiquity. I went on researching and came along Daidalos, the father of Ikarus.

Daidalos is a figure in Greek mythology. He was a brilliant inventor, technician, builder and artist. 

His arts were widely known, and the figures he designed are said to have been lifelike. 

And that's what I wanted to create: Lifelike music, where the atmosphere is that strong, that you are not just listening to some men on an expedition, but that you are one of the men on the expedition. 

I wanted the audience to experience the loneliness, the ice, the wind … and the death. 

Another facette of being an inventor, although he is brilliant like Daidalos, is to fail. Just remember Daidalos' son Ikarus, which flew too close to the sun so that the wax in his wings melted and he fell into the sea.

So the name set a big goal, which is worth emulating, without expecting perfection.

And that's what I strive for with my music: it doesn't have to be perfect, but it should trigger something in the listeners and create a feeling in them.

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

While searching for a suitable artwork I came across Pradika Lahitama Reffananda from Indonesia. I was impressed that he paints many of his works in oil/acrylic and thus creates true works of art.

I wrote him my vision and the theme and he immediately jumped on it.

Together we did a quick brainstorming session on how to bring the different main elements of the story into a single, meaningful painting.

Then I sent him my songs in demo version.

That was it.

He then got back to me after a while, wrote "that's it!" and presented me with this brilliant painting in blue-green-black-white. 

The ship, surrounded by huge waves, which pass into icy mountains, the spray twists with the icewind, above the starry night and below the infinite blackness of the sea. 

In addition, the narrator, who looks melancholy in his story - I had goosebumps immediately!

I just wanted him to sign it so that my cover is the image of his work.

7.With this project you work mostly solo but have played in bands with full line ups in the past, how would you compare the two?

It's difficult to compare, it's just different.

In a band, everyone has their own tasks. Everyone can compensate for each other's weaknesses with their own strengths combined. Often there is a leader, so there is always the danger that quieter voices are overheard. 

Fortunately, that's never really been the case with my bands. The cooperation has always worked well.

On the other hand, the result of a band's music is always a compromise. The majority prevails. And that's only reasonable, because what pleases the majority of the band will hopefully also please the majority of the audience. 

As a solo artist, you just have to follow your own heart. You are completely free in every single decision. The flip side is that you're also responsible for every single decision. In either way.

For me, it's just important to make music. To be able to express myself in the language of notes. At this stage of my life, I enjoy working as a solo artist. 

But that doesn't mean that Daidalos can't grow into a band over time. 

Just as the inventor Daidalos tinkers with his inventions, I tinker with the band. Because stagnation is the death of art. 

There have already been first talks in this direction. But I can not reveal more at this time.

8.On the new album you also have a few guests, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording?

There are some people without whom I would never have finished my album. 

From a musical point of view, Martin Simon is clearly one of them.

He is a very close friend of mine and I was allowed to be his best man. Martin is the singer and bassist of Kambrium and has a lot of experience in music business. 

He was the first to hear my first steps with Daidalos back then. 

He was immediately on the journey and invited me to his studio. There he showed me the essential steps needed for my do-it-yourself project. 

It was mainly about the recording of vocals and instruments and the software for it. He also taught me a bit of his vocal technique, because he has been a live frontman on stage for many years.

In the end, he said, "If you need a bass player, I'm in!"

And so it was.

Part two was then Fabio Rossi.

By the way, we met once in an internet forum. 

I immediately felt that he has this absolutely emotional inclination towards music and essentially loves black metal. His guitar work was extremely good and so I asked him if he would like to record my album.

He immediately agreed.

We had a great process, very creative and he got involved a lot, designing additional solos and rhythms. He told me that on every one of his weekends he stood up at 6 in the morning to work on my songs the whole day... 

In some songs he really went above and beyond, I'm absolutely thrilled with his influence on my songs.

He brings the necessary bit of blackness and rawness to it.

Then followed Noga Rotem.

I was looking for a suitable female voice for Icewind that sounds both vulnerable and strong and secure. A difficult mixture.

I found Noga through her website. 

Since she is a composer herself and has already worked with greats like Hans Zimmer, I was unsure whether she would be interested in my project.

I sent her my song and asked her to emotionally engage with the atmosphere and lyrics and then just sing freely to it.

She said, "I've never done anything like this before, but... let's give it a try!"

The result is sensationally good and far exceeded my expectations. Noga has not only sung a voice, but also interpreted me still a kind of choir, absolutely brilliant!

She felt the atmosphere and the text perfectly.

Last but not least, Francesco Petrelli.

When we talked about mixing my album, he offered me to do some additional guitar tracks on the songs, because he liked my music and would like to be part of it.

So I decided to do it at his studio and he really did a very good job! His playstyle is very tight and straight, he brought some technical work into my songs.

He also did a great and very professional mix. I´ve sent him tons and tons of tracks, one for each instrument of the orchestra plus everything else and he had to find a way, when and how to push out the main instrument of the orchestra, without overwriting the rest.

I bet, he was sweating sometimes, when I came up with additional ideas during the mixing process...

But in the end, he let "The Expedition" shine like it is.

Francesco is doing a lot of live mixing, too. Maybe I will go back on him one day...

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

I don't know how to answer this question without seeming overbearing. 

But I will answer it with a big smile on my face, because the feedback has been amazing this far and I am always happy to think about the nice messages that reach me every day.

I am totally overwhelmed by the positive critique that has reached me so far. I already have listeners all over the world and I appreciate every single one. 

As I said earlier: As a Solo Artist, you have the responsibility for both the bad and the good decisions. And it seems so far that I made more good than bad decisions for this expedition. 

10.Where do you see yourself heading into as  a musician during the future?

I am already working on the next album. I won’t spoil you, but I can tell it will also be an adventure and a journey. The atmosphere is different, but not less strong. 

I want to develop Daidalos steadily on all levels and I am curious myself where this expedition will lead me.

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?

To name a few metal bands, it is for example Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dimmu Borgir, early Wintersun and many more. I listen to a lot of different genres, which I always did.

Nowadays I am still mostly into Symphonic Dark/Black/Death as well as some calm piano music for example.

It always depends on my mood, my personal atmosphere.

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

I am grateful.

For every crew member that has accompanied me on this journey and every new crew member that wants to come on board. 

Just like on an expedition, everyone contributes to keeping the ship on course - from the journalist who gives me the opportunity for an interview like this, to the fan who orders a t-shirt and writes such a nice message that I am speechless.

Thank you.

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