Exdestrier/Glorious Barbarism/2023 EP Review

 

  Exdestrier  are  a  band  from  Scotland  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  ep  "Glorious  Barbarism"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  A  very  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  heavy  and  melodic  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  metal.  The  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental.

  Vocals  are  mostly  done  in  a  blackened  metal  style  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  On  some  of  the  tracks  the  riffing  goes  into  more  of  a  technical  direction  as  well  as  a  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clear  stoner  vocals  and  shots  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing.

  Exdestrier  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  and  progressive  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  fantasy  realms,  tales  of  medieval  landscapes, gruesome  warriors  and  a  looming  gloom.

  In  my  opinion  Exdestrier  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Glorious  Oblivion"  and  "The  Place  Of  Grim  Reckoning".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/Exdestrier  

    

        

Necropanther/Betrayal/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Denver,  Colorado's  Necropanther  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  their melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Betrayal"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

 A  heavy  heavy  and  melodic  thrash  metal  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  remaining  very  true  to  an  old  school  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts as  well  as  the  music  also  showing  some  influences  from  the  80s  and  90s  and  mixing  them  with  the  modern  era.

  Some  of  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  traditional  metal,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction  and  dystopian  themes  as  well  as  focusing  on  the  movie  ''Th  Warriors"  and  the  Greek  story  of  Anabasis  by  Xenophon.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Necropanther  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "One  ANd  Only"  "Into  Danger"  "Furies"  and  "Betrayal".  8  out  of  10.

  http://www.necropanther.com

http://www.facebook.com/Necropanther
http://www.instagram.com/necropanther

http://necropanther.bandcamp.com  

      

Antitheus/The Faults of Our Kind/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Antitheus  are  a  duo  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "The  Faults  Of  Our  Kind".

  Synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  the  music  also  has  its  symphonic  moments.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Tremolo  picking  is  also  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  all  of  the  drum b eats  also  being  programmed,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on a  couple  of  tracks  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly. 

  Antitheus  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  the  issue  of  humanity  and  the  constant  error  of  its  ways.  

  In  my  opinion  Antitheus  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  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Outcast"  "Baba  Yaga"  and  "The  Knot".  8  out  of  10.

  https://antitheus.bandcamp.com/album/the-faults-of-our-kind

https://www.facebook.com/AntitheusBand

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ9Ine_kY_GzmvQ14uoSpog

https://www.instagram.com/antitheusband/   

Nuclear Storm/Tales From The Depth/Wolfmond Production/2023 Cassette Review

 

  Nuclear  Storm  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  elements  of  traditional  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Tales  Form  the  Depth"  which  will  be  released  on  cassette  in  February  by  Wolfmond  Production.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  synths  start  off  the  album  before  introducing  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  onto  the  recording.  The  heavier  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  songs  also  add  in a  g odd  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  while  the  more  melodic  side  of  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  traditional  metal.  At  times  the  vocals  also  add  in  more  of  a  clean  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  and  most  of  the  album  also  sticks  to  more  of  a  mid  tempo  direction  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  thrash  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  evil  and  folklore  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  Nuclear  Storm  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  elements  of  thrash  and  traditional  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Animal"  "The  great  White"  "Evil  Spirit"  and  Undertaker".  8  out  of  10.

  www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBnZEBYBIII     

Kromheim/Journey To Divinity/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Kromheim  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in t his  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  viking  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Journey  To  Divinity"  which  will  be  released  in  February.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in t he  classic  Swedish  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  synths  and  viking  metal  elements  onto  the  recording,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  are  also  utilized.

  On  this  recording  Kromheim  goes  for  a  musical  style  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  Swedish  styles  of  viking  and  melodic  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vikings  and  Norse  Paganism  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Kromheim  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  viking  and  melodic  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "War"  "1000  Lives"  and  "Journey  To  Divinity".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/_brcN5oZDgM

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5QnA6BnzlbyqtDe9oFucUl

https://kromheim.bandcamp.com/album/journey-to-divinity  

  

Gates Of Mourning/Ruination/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Gates  Of  Mourning  are  a  solo  project  from  Florida  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  album  "Ruination"  which  will b e  released  in  February.

  Dark,  heavy  and  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  90's  era  Swedish  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  classical  guitars  and  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  one  song  also  being  an  instrumental. 

  Gates  Of  Mourning  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  era  of  Swedish  melodic  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  medieval  and  sorrow  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gates  of  Mourning  is  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  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Silver  Strands  of  Winter's  Graze"  "When  Grave  Worms  beckon  A  New  Reign"  and  "A  Dagger  Bejeweled  Strikes  The  Very  heart  Of  the  Righteous".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: 

Gates of Mourning (bandcamp.com)

Metal Archives:

Gates of Mourning - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives (metal-archives.com)

Spotify:

Spotify – Gates of Mourning

Instagram:

𝕲𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝕸𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 (@gatesofmourning) • Instagram photos and videos    

Nerumia/Fatal Delirium/Sadist Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Nerumia  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  emtal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Fatal  Delirium"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Sadist  Records.

  Synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can b e  heard.

 Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of the  faster  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  grim  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections along  with  a  couple  of  songs also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  the  songs  also  ad d in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Nerumia  plays  a  musical  style   that takes  the  melodic  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  social hypocrisy,  history  nd  philosophy  of  war  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nerumia  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of b lack  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Apocalyptic  Blast"  "Un  jour  viendra"  "Fallen  In  A  Dead  pass"  and  "Painful  Obscurity".  8  out  of  10.

      https://nerumia.bandcamp.com/album/fatal-delirium

https://www.nerumia.com/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063719281797

Tyrmfar/Dialectic Of Ego And The Unconscious/MTAF Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Tyrmfar  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Dialectic  of  Ego  And  The  Unconscious"  which  was  released  by  MTAF  Records.

  A   very  epic  sounding  keyboard  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams. 

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing.  A  lot  of t he  music  is  also  very  heavily  influenced  by  the  Swedish  style  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording,  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental. 

  On  this  recording  Tyrmfar  remains  true  to  the  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  that  they  had  established  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Tyrmfar  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Supreme  Justice"  "Inner  Destruction"  and  "The  Altar  of  The  Damned".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/tyrmfar

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

Self-Deceiver Interview

 

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

The album was mostly recorded in 2021 and then we took our time until we have the final mix and released in December of 2022, so, since the finish of the recording session we keep rehearsing and started writing some new material, now, since the release of the album, we have been promoting it and getting in touch with people around the world, also we keep rehearsing in order to start playing live shows this year and making some plans for the future (music videos, new songs, merchandising, finding a record label or some distribution, etc). 

2. In December you had released a new album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Across The Styx is the result of mixing our musical tastes and our abilities as musicians. We listen to almost all the metal genres and also like bands like Pink Floyd and Deep purple. However, we never planned to play a certain genre or style, we just started jamming and writing, then what came up was some kind of melodic death metal with some stuff from other genres.

3. The band has been around since 2012 but waited until 2022 to release an album, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait?

Across The Styx is the result of many years of on and off activity as a band and time we also used to grow as musicians. At some point we were in different countries. In 2017 we started rehearsing seriously again, looked at all the songs we had and made some changes, and then some new material was written. The long wait is also due to the time we spent producing, making arrangements, recording and mixing the album due to busy schedules and money factors too. However, right now with the response the album has had and the inertia we have, for sure the next material won't take that long.

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

The main topic for our lyrics in this first record is human existence and its meaning, but we also write about violence, the pursuit of glory, war, deceit and the hypocrisy of religions.

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

The concept behind the cover is to show the river Styx that separates the world of the living from the dead. It is known as the river of hate because the beings submerged in it are constantly attacking each other and also everyone who falls into it. For us is a metaphor about people's leaders, who manage to manipulate the masses to hate, attack, and kill one to another while they are pursuing personal goals. So when these leaders die, they will lose their disguises and face all the hate they spread, maybe falling into the Styx.

6. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

At this point it is difficult to get bandmates since We've been just a two piece band for a long time. If we manage to stay true to the sound of the album live, We don't think it will be necessary to search for a third member. We have considered the possibility of integrating a bass player but maybe just for live shows.

7. Originally the band was from Brazil but have re-located to Colombia, can you tell us a little bit more about the mover?

We did our postgraduate studies at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. We both have a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering. We studied and also worked for some years designing integrated circuits (chips) for Brazilian companies. After a while Sergio moved to Buenos Aires Argentina with his girlfriend (at the time) and Jorge continued in Brazil until 2016 were both met again in Bogotá Colombia and resumed the band.

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

Yes of course, we are interested in a record deal and recently we have submitted our material to some companies. At the moment we have received a proposal for a label that is being created in Finland. 

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

We are amazed by the amount of feedback from people around the world, we have seen the comments on the YouTube channels of people who have shared our album and we are quite surprised with the response. Since the first of December that we released the album on platforms, people noticed it and have contacted us. We did not expect such a response since we do not have the support and promotion of a record label, and because, you know, we are proud of our album but you don't know if others are going to like it, especially if you are an emerging band.

10. What is going on with 'In Veins' these days?

Once we released Across The Styx with Self-Deceiver in December, Sergio went to the studio and recorded the drums for what will be the second EP from In Veins due in the first half of 2023. We hope to put out an EP with 3 or 4 songs and reactivate the band and restart playing live. We have some other songs written but it's been a bit difficult for the 4 of us to work together and polish them due to job schedules.

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

At the moment, the couple of songs we have been working on have a Black Metal vibe, but we don't plan what direction to take for a record as a whole, each song will drive us. We just want to do what sounds great to us and not to what others expect.

12. What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

Recently we have been listening to a lot of Melodic Death metal and Black metal, bands like Insomnium, Be’lakor, Gaerea, Behemoth, The Halo Effect, Mgła, Mistur, Windir, Vreid, Enslaved, Emperor, Groza and Borknagar among many others.

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

First of all thanks to ADIFFERENTSHADEOFBLACKMETALZINE for the interview and the interest in Self-Deceiver. Second of all thanks to the readers of this article and the people who have listened to Across The Styx. Finally, we hope to start playing live soon and put some new material out, stay tuned and cheers from Colombia!

https://self-deceiver.bandcamp.com/

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https://www.instagram.com/self_deceiver_official/
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Hiverlucide/Satan Death Whale/Fiadh Productions/Vita Detestabilis Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Hiverlucide  are  a  duo  from  France  that  consists  of  members  from  Non  Serviam  and  plays  a mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Satan  Death  Whale"  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Fiadh  Productions  and  Vita  Detestabilis  Records.

  Ambient  style  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  keyboards  and  power  electronics  a  few  seconds  later.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  power  electronics,  loops  and  harsh  noises,  whale  chants  and  field  recordings  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  Guitar  amp  sounds  and  heavy  riffing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  decent  amount  of  black  metal  and  death  industrial   elements  along  with  each  song  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Hiverlucide  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  harsh  noise,  death  industrial,  ambient,  drone  and  experimental  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Hiverlucide  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Satan".  8  out  of  10.

  Hiverlucide    

Burden/MMXXII/Fiadh Productions/2023 EP Review

 

  Burden  are  a  band  from  Connecticut  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  ep  "MMXXII"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Fiadh  Productions.

  A  very  fast  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Synths  can  also b e  heard  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well a s  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  elements  of  folk  music  are  also  added  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Clear  pagan  vocals  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Burden  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black  and  mixes  it  with  folk  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Ukrainian  and  cover  funerals,  nature  and  winter  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Burden  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Regino  de  la  Nokto".  8  out  of  10.

  Burden  

      

The Canyon Observer/Figura/Vox Project/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Slovenia's  The  Canyon  Observer  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,  avant  garde,  drone,  harsh  noise,  free  jazz,  mathcore  and  contemporary  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Figura" which  was  released  by  Vox  Project.  

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  shows  an  influence  of  free  jazz.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts,   saxophones  and  cellos  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs.

  Element s of  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  can  be  heard  in  5the  slower  and  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  At  time s the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  sounding  along  with  the  riffs  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  one  song  also  introduces  black  metal  screams  and  growls  onto  the  recording.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Harsh noises  and  drones  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  production  also  sounds  very  dark.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Canyon  Observer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  f  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,  avant  garde,  drone,  harsh  noise,  free  jazz,  mathcore  and  contemporary  music,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Koza"  and  "Kriz".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.voxproject.fr/album/figura       

Act Of Impalement/Infernal Ordinance/Caligari Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Nashville  Tennessee's  Act  of  Impalement  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  blackened  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  crust  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Infernal  Ordinance"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Caligari  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  being  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats,  thrash  metal  and  crust  influences  can  also  be  heard  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  while  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in a   decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

   When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  show  a  a  very  heavy  influence  of  black  metal  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  grim  screams  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  History  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Act  Of  Impalement  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  black,  sludge,  doom,  death,  thrash  metal  and  crust,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Summoning  The  Final  Conflagration"  "Specters  of  Unlight"  "Blasphemous  Rebirth"  and  "Erased".  8  out  of  10.

  http://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/infernal-ordinance

www.actofimpalement.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/actofimpalement   

  

Cløudy Skies Interview

 

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

[Nico] Cløudy Skies is waiting for the album release of course ! First gift of 2023 ;)

We have 2 more songs to reveal. The 1st one (Nebulous Reflections) before the official release and the 2nd one just after ...  a video this time.  

Next, we will start to rehearse to be ready for gigs and shape the sound we want to deliver on stage. This is a major criteria for us... to give the audience a great sound experience !  Lionel and I are already composing for the 2nd Album...What is good for the goose is good for the gander. 

2. You have a new album coming out in early 2023, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical styles that you went for on the recording?

[Nico] Metal is a very interesting style of music in the way that you can transform it... you can alter it a bit and "voilà" it becomes something else ! When we started Cløudy Skies we always said that we didn't want to be "closed" to any experimentation. In fact it is impossible ^^, as we love so many styles ... So we began with classic Metal/Post-Metal/Hardcore/Grunge/Doom/Black roots and added a little of rock, a little of indie, a little of pop, a little of post-rock, a little of Shoegaze etc. We also tried to suggest with our music the lyrics themes we developed in our songs such as dreams, sweet melancholia, sadness and contemplative moments. In fact, in our previous bands it was all about riffs, you know what I mean ;) "Hey Nico, give me that riff ..." We never took time to give time and more space for music. Our vision was also to make sounds and project listeners into a special "mood" and/or "place". So we let room for music adding lots of effects (vibrato, delays and reverbs) and lots of synths to enhance that immersive sensation. We also used a lot more clean vocals and clean guitars than before and the result is really interesting. Cløudy Skies style was born ... Dreamgaze Atmospheric Post-Metal.

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

[Nico] We gave a special place to lyrics. I mean lyrics that bring something to listeners, that you can hear, that you can remember, that can touch you. We explore both the realist and surrealist side of life. We talk a lot about dreams, life, hope, expectations, meaning of life, time, love and death . Our album "CHANGES" has to be seen as a life lived through dreams. No one really knows where dreams lead. A good example is Dale Cooper's replica in Twin Peaks TV Show "I have no idea where this will lead us. But I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange".

We can reveal it now but CHANGES is actually just 7 letters of the alphabet : C.H.A.N.G.E.S. ,  or  A.N.C.E.G.S.H. the 7 tracks of our album ;)

01. A  nother Dream

02. N  ebulous Reflections

03. C  urrents

04. E  choes Of The Ocean

05. G  leams And Ghosts

06. S  tars Still Shine

07. H  aze On The Way

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

[Nico] We worked with our friend and talented freelance photographer Gilles Niez. He takes fantastic pictures and "makes" Collodion photography (wet plate photography technic from the 19th century). We were looking for a good photo to evoke both our band name and our album's name and when we saw this one on his catalog, we both thought : "this one matches perfectly". If you look at the picture, the sky is cloudy and seems to be about to change. And the bird which is flying in the cloudy sky brings that sensation of change... we had the cloudy skies and the change .

>> https://www.instagram.com/crystallized_pictures/?hl=en 

>> https://crystallizedpictures.com/ 

5. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding your line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

[Nico] To be honest we don't want to replace drums with machines (samples) so we do need to recruit a real drummer. Hence we obviously will be 3. And if the live formula needs another musician we won't hesitate to expand to meet the best sound on stage.

For the moment Lionel and I are the main team for the composing part. It is very easy to work together... and he is my best friend ;)

6. The new album is going to be released on 'Argonauta Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

[Nico] We have known Argonautas' boss, Gero,  since 2016 when we released our first album with previous band Eyes Front North. Even if at that time we had good references (We produced our album at Deafheaven' studio), finding a label was very difficult. The moment we got in touch, Gero gave all his trust and support and helped us to release it. We were very happy. So years later, Lionel and I didn't hesitate long when we thought about releasing Cløudy Skies 1st album... "let's call Gero". It was like knocking at an old friend's door...  you're more than welcome to enter and to celebrate together again ;) 

7. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of atmospheric and post-metal?

[Nico] We had a really nice album review by #ADifferentShadeOfBlackMetalZine . It was really cool to have this feedback before the release.

It looks like the 1st track we launched on Youtube and Spotify was well received. I wish people commented more to have some details...  

We are in a hurry "you" discover the whole LP... it contains many unexpected moments ;) 

8. 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?

[Nico] We are mainly  focused on Cløudy Skies but Lionel did some vocals for our friends in "Nature Morte" (Blackgaze, PostBlack, Shoegaze - Paris)

You really should consider listening to them : They are soooo good !  (https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ESf7j2mFj9wwmRPHjqm8d) . 

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

[Nico] Same direction with more room for music of course and more analog synths... maybe more progressive. A "Cløudy I wish you were here Skies" :D

10. What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

[Nico] here are the bands I have been listening the most this year : 

Deafheaven, Tame Impala, Shiner, Entombed, Swallow the Sun, Tenhi, Bohren Und Der Klub of Gore, Nature Morte, Alexandra Savior, Nothing, Deserta, True Widow, Russian Circles, Chelsea Wolfe, YOB, Israel Nash, Twin Peaks OST, Lana Del Rey, Marissa Nadler, Alice In Chains, Drab Majesty, Soft Kill, Cult Of Luna, Neil Young, Kurt Vile, The War On Drugs, Dungen, Weyes Blood, Kadavar (The Isolation Tapes), Eldovar, All Them Witches, Fuzz, Slowdive, Michael Stearns, Holy Sons... to name a few. Did I told you I was open-minded ??? :D LOL  

11. What are some of your non musical interests?

[Nico] Listening to music on my vintage analog equipment is my favorite pleasure !!! 

Watching movies and TV shows at night is my guilty pleasure (Brand New Cherry Flavor and The Watchers were my last good surprises on Netflix... for movies I like classics).

Reading but I am a bit lazy these days. Though when I am not, I read American authors of the 50's-00's. I am reading the Collected Letters from Neil Cassady. 

My wife is really into photography, so we often go to exhibitions and I am more and more interested and attracted to that art... capturing the moment and to suggest something is a real art ! 

Walking when I need to reconnect to nature ... I like walking in the fields with my headphones, it is one of my best moments... 

Sleeping because you can dream ;)

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

[Nico] Thank you for the interview. I hope it gives readers a look at our small universe.

keep on listening to music, going to shows, meeting people and of course dreaming...

All the best 

https://www.facebook.com/cloudyskies.fr

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FSqDgwkiu4&ab_channel=ArgonautaRecords

Mylingen/At Night I See Demons/2023 EP Review

 

  Mylingern  are  a  duo  form  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  ep  "At  Night  I  See  Demons".

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  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  while  death  metal  growls  can  also b e  heard  at  times.

  The  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments  while  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  which  also  adds  in  touches  of  folk  music.  Stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  keyboards  onto  the  recording  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

   Fast  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  whispered  voices,  the  music  focuses  more  on  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction..  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  coldness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mylingen  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Falling"  and  "Everything  Is  Cold".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp: https://mylingen.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mylingenswe

         

Self-Deceiver/Across The Styx/2022 Full length Review

 

  Self-Deceiver  are  a  duo  form  Columbia  that  plays  a  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Across  the  Styx".

  Dark  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  symphonic  elements  are  also  added  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast beats  can  also be  heard  along  with  the  album  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  and  90's  influences  and  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  music  also  adding  some  modern  touches  to  and  old  school  style  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in a  brief  use  of  war  samples.   The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  violence,  the  search  for  glory,  war,  deceit  and  the  hypocrisy  of  religions.    

  In  my  opinion  Self-Deceiver  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  INCLUDE  "Closing  the  Circle"  "Lamb  Of  War"  and  "Our  Existence".  8  out  of  10.

  https://self-deceiver.bandcamp.com/

SPOTIFY
DEEZER
APPLE MUSIC
ITUNES
AMAZON MUSIC

https://www.instagram.com/self_deceiver_official/
https://www.facebook.com/Self.Deceiver/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTseRbncL8T8XwfwSPkahQg

Rise Of The Stateless Wolf/Year Of The Snake/Italian Extreme Underground/2022 EP Review

 

  Rise  Of  The  Stateless  Wolf  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black, death,  sludge  metal  and  crust  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  202  ep  "Year  Of  The  Snake"  which  was  released  by  Italian  Extreme  Underground.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  apocalyptic  sounding  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Elements  of  doom  and  sludge  metal  can  also be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also b e  heard  briefly  while t he  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  crust  and  d  beat.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  experimental  moments,  one  of  the  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental  and  clean  playing  can  also b e  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  journey  through  the  desert  of  the  modern  man.

  In  my  opinion  Rise  Of  The  Stateless  Wolf  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death,  sludge  metal  and  crust  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Year  Of  The  Snake"  and  "The  Woodsman  And  The  Corn  God  Ritual".  8  out  of  10.

  

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