Hysteria Interview

 

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

1- Hysteria is a Lyon-based Death/Black quartet formed in 1996. We have 2 EPs + 3 LPs under our belt, and we've just released our 6th misdeed titled "HERETIC, SADISTIC AND SEXUAL ECSTASY..." on Adipocères records. This new album consists of 9 tracks and apparently, according to feedback and initial reactions, it's the album of consecration. We hope that with the release of this opus, we can achieve the recognition we've always hoped for.

2.In 2024 you have a new album coming out, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

2- Hysteria's musical evolution didn't happen overnight; we've been playing together for almost 30 years now. We've been both actors and fans of extreme metal since our adolescence. The metal scene evolves, and unconsciously, I think we absorb that, we change, we're influenced by what we listen to while still maintaining and evolving our own style. That's what I think makes us unique because if you listen to our discography, you'll realize that no album is alike, but you always find the Hysteria touch. This new opus has more Black metal tones than in the past. It's a logical continuation from its predecessor.

3.This is also your first release since 2019, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

3- We had dates planned to promote our EP that was just released: "From the abyss… to the flesh," but the pandemic halted our momentum. Unlike almost all other bands, I don't think this period was particularly productive musically for Hysteria. Sure, we started composing our new album, but the process was slow. Because of the distance between us and travel restrictions during this time, I'd say we spent the little time we could see each other celebrating because we were so happy to be together again.

We're not professionals, so we don't have any pressure in that regard; it's not our job, it's a genuine passion. We don't force things; we're a group of friends above all. But at some point, you have to get back into it, and that's what we've done since then!

We also made appearances at some events because we really missed the stage. We played at MUSCADEATH again; our first appearance was over 15 years ago, and it was really great. That festival is awesome! We also played at the Mennecy Festival right in the middle of recording "Heretic...". We were able to start testing some new tracks live in the process!

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

4- The lyrics are written by myself (Xavier: drummer). It's a mixture of horrifying, sexual, unhealthy tales, fantasies, fictionalized personal experiences... A sort of psychoanalysis, an outlet allowing me to exorcise my demons by feeding off my malaise. A narrative of what this world in perdition has to offer us. I think we seek to shock through our lyrics, our visuals, and also our music. The daily censorship through these modes of thinking, these emerging ideological currents, pushes us precisely to spit out our venom! We don't have any particular message to convey... It's just a statement of fact; by reading the lyrics, I think the reader can relate to certain experiences. A line like "she who spits the Venom" speaks of a person I met who left traces and caused torment in my life.

The topics addressed in this opus may be more contemporary and may denounce more things than in the past. They're also more direct and less verbose than in the past, to facilitate the placement of the lyrics on the music.

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

5- Nothing special! We were teenagers and looking for a name; we grabbed a dictionary and stumbled upon it! If we had to do it again, we would change it! You google "Hysteria," you come across Def Leppard's album, Muse's song and the French band Mass Hysteria! It's going to be difficult to be more renowned than these three!

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

6- We asked Seth Siro Anton who had already created 2 covers, a mutilated woman on a cross with tentacles entwining her. We also wanted him to be influenced by the title, which is quite evocative, and that's the final result! Our best cover to date! We made some great t-shirts, jackets, sweaters... in color! The merchandising, the digipack, and the vinyl are magnificent!

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?

7- The best memory we have, I think, was playing with Dissection during their tour to promote "Reinkaos," the only and last one! We put on a great performance that night, and meeting Jon Nodtveidt, the legend of Swedish black metal, was an honor for us! We were all still fans of Dissection! For a little story, we had filmed our show and Dissection's, and the tour manager made us erase the tapes of Dissection's show!

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

8- We just had our release party where we played the new album in its entirety plus some bonuses. We're playing in June at the Lions Metal Fest, but fate has struck us because our lead guitarist Jérôme just had a skiing accident and has injuries that will render him unavailable for a while. Otherwise, we will probably play at a festival this summer as the opening act for a renowned band we love; we're keeping our fingers crossed for that to happen. Otherwise, the real dates will probably come in September when Jérôme is recovered

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

9- I'll respond exactly with a comment from a recent review we had! "Once the surprise has worn off, Hysteria’s stylistic shift remains very confident. From a massive Brutal Death that I described as a "steamroller" a few months ago, the band now offers us a melodious, impressive Black/Death that bewitches us in an instant."

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

10- We don't know! We'll go wherever the wind takes us! There's so much to do and so little time! We'll first digest this album and promote it as it should be! After that, in 2026, we'll be celebrating our 30th anniversary, so there will certainly be a follow-up to Heretic!

11.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

11- No, I don't really think so! We don't practice that kind of belief.

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

12- Thank you for these great questions! Sorry for the delay, but the album is a huge success, and there are a lot of demands to answer. To the readers, go give a listen to our latest album; apparently, it's "transcendent" according to our fans and the reviews!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfIP0Amzu8k

Sarcasm/Mourninghoul/Hammerheart Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Sarcasm  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Morninghoul"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Hammerheart  Records.

  A  very  fast,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  death  emtal  elements  as  well  as  all  of t he  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  keyboards  as  well a s  the  album  also  having  its  brutal  moments,  operatic  female  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly

  On  this  recordingf  Sarcasm  gets  a  lot  more  diverse  with  their  melodic  style  of  blackened  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  based  upon  a  two-minded  ghoul  and  it's  journey  through  its  miserable  existence  upon  Earth  and  the  abyss.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sarcasm  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  'As  Northern  Gates  Open"  "Dying  Embers  On  Solitude"  and  "Absence  From  Reality".  8  out  of  10.

   https://youtu.be/hWGgoWAkoXk

https://sarcasm.lnk.to/mourninghoul

https://www.facebook.com/sarcasmsweden

http://sarcasmsweden.se  .

Martikor/Acedia/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Martikor  are  a  band  from  San  Francisco,  California  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  atmospheric  and  experimental  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released "Acedia"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  Distorted  sounds  and  clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  post  metal  direction.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  elements  of  sludge  metal.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal s creams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  music  also  going  into  on  experimental  direction  in  certain  sections  of  the  album.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Keyboards  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  album,  clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  songs,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mourning  and  brief  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Martikor  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  experimental  black,  sludge  and  post  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Soothing  Rattle"  "A  Tremor  In  Infinity"  and  "Acedia".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/martikor/1704566355

https://martikor.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Martikor/

https://www.instagram.com/martikor_music/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ZSJqYpRZHEdHw7P9LQYHg?si=td7eKsfITxePqQ8Yl_HAPA&nd=1&dlsi=5f1dac65c5884eb3

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpt6kcAnWrlfoccf9xnkATQ  

Riitasointu/Pedon Leikki/Naturmacht Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Riitasointu  are  a  duo  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Pedon  Leikki"  which  will b e  released  in  March  by  Naturmacht  Productions.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  folk  instruments  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  some  clean  pagan  vocals  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  folk  music  elements  also  being  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.

   When  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  one  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.,  the  closing  track  is  also  an  instrumental  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  tales  from  the  Tavastia  region  and  the  writings  of  Aleksis  Kiva.

  I{n  my  opinion  Riitasointu  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "1050"  "Pedon  Leikki"  and  "Impivaara".  8 out  of  10.

  https://riitasointu.bandcamp.com/ 

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

 https://www.instagram.com/riitasointu.official/

  

Hierophant/Gateway To The Abyss/Dusktone Records/2024 Full length Review

 

  Hierophant  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  playing  more  of  a  mixture  of  blackened  death  and  sludge  metal  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  blackened  death  metal  style  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Gateway  To  The  Abyss"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Dusktone  Records.

   A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  brutal  blast b eats  can  also  be  heard  and  melodies  are  also added  into  some  of the  riffing.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  more  of  a  90's  style  along  with  one  track  also  bringing  in  a  brief  use  of  dark  soundscapes  and  most  of t he  album  focuses  on  a  brutal  direction,  all  of the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  last  couple  of  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.   

  On  this  recording  Hierophant  plays  a  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  is  very  dark,  brutal  and  aggressive  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Anti  Religion  and  Misanthropy  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hierophant  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  live  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Seeds  Of  Vengeance"  and  "Nemesis  of  thy  Mortals".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/HIEROPHANTKVLT

https://www.instagram.com/hierophantofficial/

https://hierophant.bandcamp.com/ 

Veriteras Interview

 

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

(Santtu) Well, there’s a ton of work to put out an album after things are recorded. We tracked guitars in the Spring of 2023, drums and vocals in July, and then mixed and mastered from August through November. After that we sent the album out to a bunch of labels but we decided to self-release (more on that in the question below). In parallel we were working on the album artwork, doing tryouts for a new bassist (and we also considered adding a keyboardist but decided not to), and organizing our Pacific Northwest US tour with Finnish band Event Relentless. We’ve been super busy! 

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

(Santtu) We’ll release two singles in March, and the full album will be released in April. The Dark Horizon really leans in on our old school melodic death metal roots, and as a result has a more blackened melodic death metal sound compared to our previous release, Shadow of Death. There's more tremelo picking, more blast beats, but still holding on to a very melodic core. We're very happy with how the album ended up, and we grew a ton through the process. The song writing is more mature, the lyrics are stronger because Sean wrote them all instead of me, the musicianship is better, and the mix is fantastic. We're all super excited to be sharing this album with the world, and hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it!

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

(Sean) The primary lyrical theme on this album is the tension between hope and hopelessness as felt through the human experience: war, politics, creation, destruction, faith, and doubt. The lyrics are reflections on these contrasts, zooming in on personal conflict, and zooming out on civilizational conflict. The backdrop for all of this is the vastness of the universe and how it evokes a sense of existential dread or crisis; in the midst of finding meaning in our struggles, there's an incomprehensible and unknowable nature of existence beyond the horizon.

(Santtu) I think one of the ways that this album is better than our prior efforts is with the songwriting - it’s more mature and developed. As with just about everything, with more practice and experience we get better at things. Having put out 2 EPs and a full length album we’ve learned a lot about songwriting, and are able to apply lessons learned and new techniques. But even so, the core of our songwriting remains - very melodic riffs in a framework of death metal.

(Jason) Adding to Santtu's comments about songwriting, I think we've grown quite a bit simply in becoming more aware and responsive to what each other needs musically. Like for me, I feel that I have a better awareness of what the guys need from a structural standpoint. For example, how I might make a transition easier to follow or when to keep a part locked in vs. when I can open up and experiment with different drum parts that may add some variety to a song. Though I'm sure this is probably a common experience with any band that grows together, it certainly is a factor in our case.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name "Veriteras"?

(Santtu) It’s the combination of the Finnish words “veri”, which means “blood”, and “teräs”, which means “steel”. “Blood steel” would be the literal translation, although we picked that as a name because it harkens to our Scandinavian musical roots (plus Santtu is Finnish) and we thought it sounded cool. My cousin in Finland pointed out that he interpreted the name as being translated to be “bloody blade”, which is kind of cool. Maybe we should rename ourselves to be Battle Sword.

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

(Sean) The core concept of the artwork is found in the lyrics of "Celestial Darkness," which explores hope and despair when thinking about the cosmos and our place in it. I envisioned and started with a sketch of a mysterious nebula that gives life to new creation on other worlds. To me, it evokes the wonder of what other consciousness exists in the universe, and whether they look to the skies and ask themselves the same profound questions about the nature of existence. In many ways, this is a general theme across the album and the other lyrics. 

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

(Santtu) One in particular stands out for me, which was playing at Varjobaari in Tampere, Finland during our tour in FInland in 2022. It was the last show of our tour, and a lot of people turned out for it. It just felt like we were in sync with the crowd, feeding off each other’s energy. One of the other bands we were touring with, Hagalas, was selling buckets at their merch table. We came to learn that when a new grocery store opens they give out buckets. People apparently show up early to wait in line, sort of like Black Friday in the US. So they applied the concept as merch for their band. Maybe we should try that too!

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

(Santtu) Indeed we do! We’ll be hitting the road a week after the album is released in the Pacific Northwest corner of the US. We’ll be joined by Finnish metal band Event Relentless for the tour, and we’re super excited to play a bunch of cities we’ve never been to before. The tour is funded in part through the generosity of the Finlandia Foundation, who provided a grant to help make the tour a reality. We’ll be playing Bellingham, Bremerton, Spokane, Richland, Boise, Bend, Portland, Olympia, and Seattle.

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

(Santtu) Yup, at the moment we’re contentedly independent. We shopped The Dark Horizon around a bit with some labels, but there was limited interest. We also realized that what we were really looking for was the PR aspect. A label would have many advantages, but we felt we could get most of the benefit by working with a PR firm. We ended up partnering with Clawhammer PR, and they are absolutely fantastic to work with. Highly recommended!

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

(Santtu) Well, keep in mind that we’re a super small amateur metal band doing this out of passion. Of the entire world of people who are melodic black or death metal fans, only a small percentage has heard our music. Of those people, an even smaller percentage has found it notable enough to respond to it. That said, we’ve been extremely humbled by the response from metal fans across the world. They’ve been tremendously supportive and encouraging, and it’s really cool to see people enjoying the music. We’ll see how folks like the new album - we had a lot of fun making it, and really like the way it sounds, hopefully others do as well (but it’s ok if they don’t…).

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

(Santtu) We’ve been super thankful for everything we’ve had the opportunity to accomplish thus far. We’re trying not to take anything for granted - who knows what the future holds. We’re certainly having a lot of fun in Veriteras, and I’m pretty sure we’ve got at least another album in us, probably more. Maybe add a bit more dashes of folk into the next album? Revisit Europe? Become a cover band that plays exclusively Veriteras songs?

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

(Santtu) For me, lately, it’s been folk metal - Grymheart, early-era Ensiferum, and Verikalpa. Also listening to a bunch of our fellow bands like Inpathos, Vesuvian, and Xoth. We’re blessed to have an awesome and vibrant local music scene - tons of bands to listen to.

(Jason) My interests have always leaned more toward straight-ahead American death metal, but some of the melodic influences of the other guys have affected my listening over the last few years as well. For example, Arch Enemy, Ensiferum, Omnium Gatherum, Lutharo, Eluveitie. Santtu mentioned folk metal and some of that's rather new to me, but I'm really enjoying what I'm hearing. Not to mention folk metal shows are different than regular death metal shows, they're some of the funnest I've ever been to.

In addition, I've been listening to Ne Obliviscaris for a while now, and I love how they integrate the violin with such heavy and pleasing melodies. Also of note is this band White Ward that I stumbled across a few months back, the first death metal band I've ever heard with a saxaphone. Maybe you could call it sexy death metal, haha. Perhaps they invented a new genre, but admittedly it's new and novel and I keep going back to it.

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

(Santtu) Thanks so much for the chance to share about our album and band!

https://veriteras.bandcamp.com/album/the-dark-horizon 

Defying/Wadera/These Hands Melt/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Defying  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  ambient,  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Wadera"  which  will  be  released  on  February  23rd  by  These  Hands  Melt.

  Night  sounds,  whispers  and  spoken  words which  also  returns  on  later  songs  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  When  synths  are  utilzied  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  ambient  while  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  heavily  rooted  in  sludge  metal.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  direction.  

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  a  few  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  polish  horror  film  "The  Wolf(1983)"  and  the  short  story  "Wadera(1977)  written  by  Jerzy  Gieraltowski.

  In  my  opinion  Defying  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  ambient,  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tempus  Infaustum"  "The  Acquittance  Shade"  "Reluctant  To  The  Grave"  and  "Quietus".  8  out  of  10.

  Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify    

Veiled Metamorphosis/Tentacled Void Of Infinity/Dying Sun Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Veiled  Metamorphosis  are  a  duo  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Tentacled  Void  Of  Infinity"  which  was  released  by  Dying  Sun  Records.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  deep  death  metal  growls  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  90's  influenced  style

     All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some influences  of  the  first  wave  era  of  black  metal  also  being    utilized  at  times  as  well  a  some  dark  soundscapes  and  synths  also  being  introduced  on  one  of  the  tracks,  a  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  the  album  progresses.  All  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  the  closing  track  is  also  an  instrumental.

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

  In  my  opinion  Veiled  Metamorphosis  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Demonik  Suffokation"  and  "Unspeakable  Abominations".  8  out  of  10.

  https://fantoom.bandcamp.com/album/veiled-metamorphosis-tentacled-void-of-infinity    

Grey Skies Fallen/Molded By Broken Hands/Profound Lore Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  New  York's  Grey  Skies  Fallen  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going for  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  dark,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Molded  By  Broken  Hands"  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Profound  Lore  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  Vocals  are mostly  black  metal  screams  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  death  metal  growls  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  90's  era  dark  metal  influences.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  clean  sections  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  melodic  vocals  onto  the  album,  when  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  despair  and  bleakness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Grey  Skies  Fallen  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  dark,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Twisted  Place  In  Time"  "I  Can  Hear  Your  Voice"  and  "Knowing  That  You're  There".  8  out  of  10.

  https://greyskiesfallen.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/greyskiesfallen

https://www.instagram.com/greyskiesfallen

https://twitter.com/greyskiesfallen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUZMyX5suao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q964xa-1Mt4            

Veriteras/The Dark Horizon/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Veriteras  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "The  Dark  Horizon"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  synths  also  add  in  a  symphonic  touch  when  they  are  utilized.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  black  metal  screams  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Elements  of  death  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in a   good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  music  also  adds  in a  lot  of  90's  era  Swedish  influences  as  well  as  remaining  modern  at  the  same  time  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  clear  vocals  onto  the  album,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Veriteras  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  ECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Celestial  Darkness"  "Sanctuary"  "Blinding"  and  "Light  in  The  Darkness".  8  out  of  10.

  https://veriteras.bandcamp.com/album/the-dark-horizon

     

Ydolothytum/Conjuring The Primaevil Creatures/Crush The Desert Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Ydolothytum  are  an  international  band  with  embers  from  Italy  and  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Conjuring  The  Primaevil  Creatures"  which  was  released  by  Crush  The  Desert  Records.

  Folk  instruments  start  off  the  album  and  also  brings  in  more  an  ancient  pagan   atmosphere  as  well  as  mixing  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  a  lot  of  the  vocals  also  being  done  in  a  clear  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  more  aggressive  vocals  also  bring  in  elements  of  black  metal.  When  keyboards  are  utilzied  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  touch  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction,  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  On  this  recording  Ydolothytum  remains  true  to  the  old  school  black/folk  metal  style  they  had  established  on  their  demo.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  are  based  upon  Maciej  Bogusz  Stęczyński's  work  "Tatra  Mountains  in  twenty-four pictures" from  1860  with  their  own  version  of  the  primeval  creatures  mentioned  there..

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ydolothytum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  black/folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dziwożona  -  Mara  i  straszydło"  and  "Żmijoloki  -  Dusz  przekleństwo".  8  out  of  10.

  Listen a song HERE (Youtube)  

The Lightbringer/Seven Thrones/2024 Full Length Review

 

  The  Lightbringer  are  a  band  from  Quebec,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Seven  Thrones"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Operatic  female  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats.

  The  cleat  male  vocals  also  bring  in  elements  of  power  metal  while  the  harsher  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  death  metal  growls  and  clean  playing  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  are  a  concept  album  that  explores  mythology,  light  and  darkness.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Lightbringer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  power  emtal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Worlds  Beyond"  "Pillar  Of  Creation"  and  "Mystic  Places  of  Dawn".  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://thelightbringermetal.bandcamp.com/merch

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA7skqQQUfCRXwQh9g2oKGQ/?sub_confirmation=1
https://www.facebook.com/thelightbringerofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/thelightbringerband/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/42vunlIXOg69YegQhmFG05

Wandering Oak 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?

First of all, thanks for your interest in interviewing us! We really appreciate it.

Well the album has only been out for about a week and thus far we've begun rehearsals for a few regional shows (Buffalo, Boston, Baltimore) in July, and we have some new merch items down the pipeline.

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

The biggest shift is that we have pushed our sound in a much more progressive direction whilst also increasing the black metal ferocity and aggression. We've pushed our instrumental abilities much further and also pushed the envelope with influences and the scope of the compositions.

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

A lot! We had just come off of a short tour with Wilderun in 2019 and were poised to work on the album before COVID hit, which in a perverted way gave us time to woodshed new ideas. Also, Joe decided not to commit to the band and we spent a long time trying to find a new guitarist. We did play some local shows here in Rochester before we decided to replace our drummer, and we were essentially in album mode for about a year. 

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Much of the music deals with the concept of overcoming hardship, be it from loss, climate change, mental illness, and fascism. We feel our sound has become a lot more sophisticated whilst still being very organic and rooted (pun intended) in our original mission statement. We've also assembled a group of musicians that I feel finally does the music I have in my head justice, while adding their own spin that creates something that is more than just the sum of its parts.

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

There are several meanings, but fundamentally it is a 'kenning', a compound or figurative phrase in Old English and Old Norse poetry used to replace a common noun, It refers to our meandering songs that drift away from the root yet stay grounded. It is also of course a reference to Ents from Tolkein's universe, and much like the term 'Led Zeppelin' is an oxymoronic description of the music - large, massive and imposing, intricate, but also down to earth and natural, yet adventurous. We want the listener to know they're in for a trip.

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

It was designed by the amazing Czech artist Moonroot who also did our new logo, and it was based off of a rendering done by a colleague of mine. It is meant to represent a tree that has weathered every season, as an analogy for the struggles of life.

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?

Some of our best performances include some of the dates we played on the road with Wilderun, not to mention the special opportunity we had to open for Negura Bunget on two of their dates on the final US tour they did. RIP Negru. Our stage performances are relatively no frills, high energy. We like to wear war paint but keep the outfits minimalist. It's more about the music than the presentation for us. We let the riffs do the talking.

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

Yes, as previously stated we have three shows booked in July of this year, and hopefully there will be more to come.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of folk, progressive and extreme metal?

So far the reaction has been very good! Obviously it will take time for the album to spread through the networks but so far so good! There are definitely some that feel like we have progressed too far from our original sound or think we're too overwhelming, but honestly we feel like people in this scene just aren't used to being challenged anymore.

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

So myself (Robert) I have my other band Goblin Hovel who are currently recording our next album, We're a more zany style of folk metal. Deidre and myself also joined The Atrocity Tourist, fronted by Hovel's lead singer. It's an avant-garde metal band devoted to the modernization of the murder ballad. CW has his black metal band Hubris which also includes our session guitarist Andy, who are also both of Ferus Din. Hubris are putting the finishing touches on their next album and you should definitely check it out. They are FIERCE. Furthermore, Andy and I are also part of the triumphant anti-fascist black metal band Helianthus, which will hopefully be working on our full length this year. Andy also has the bands Temple of Mammon and Antiquity. Our live guitarist Mitch has this cool Celtic Fusion project called Wired Tae the Moon, and I implore you to give them a listen. They're very unique.

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

More progressive, more ambitious, more aggressive, more transgressive, but decidedly darker and more pointedly sociopolitical.

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

Several of us have been listening to a lot of Havukruunu. They rip. Mitch has been listening to Dixie Dregs a lot. I've been getting back into jazz and ambient music. Also a lot of Doomsword and Borknagar. Deidre is usually listening to a lot of prog and jazz. Andy is a classically trained musician and plays a lot of early music, and his listening reflects that as well. His father was in a progressive rock band called Rodan in the 70's that opened for Gentle Giant and Mahavishnu Orchestra amongst others, and those are very much shared tastes.

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

Thanks again for taking an interest in us! We hope you really enjoy the album and maybe you can catch us live when we eventually book a larger tour. Hopefully next year. Keep your eyes peeled for some cool merch items, and follow us on http://wanderingoakband.bandcamp.com 

Goaß/Cruxifucked/Wolfmond Production/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Goaß  are  a  solo  project  from  Austria  that  plays  a  very  brutal  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2023  album  "Cruxifucked"  which  was  released  by  Wolfmond  Production.

   Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into a  heavier  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Vocals a re  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a   decent  amount  of  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  and  brutal  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  High  pitched  screams  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  songs  also  mixing  in  influences  form  both  the  old  school  and  modern  era's  of  the  genre  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  and  brutal  direction.

  Goaß  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  brutal  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  Germany  and  cover  Blasphemy  and  Anti  Christianity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Goaß  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  brutal  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  "Cruxifuck"  "Buried  To  Be  Born"  and  "Ziegendisziplin".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Goa%C3%9F/3540538568

Order:

https://wolfmond-production.de/shop/produkt/goass-cruxifuck/

https://wolfmondproduction.bandcamp.com/album/goa-cruxifucked    

  

Borknagar/Fall/Century Media Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Borknagar  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  a  history  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  and  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Fall"  which  will  be  released  on  February  23rd  by  Century  Media  Records.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  High  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording  also  add  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.

  Clear  pagan  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  TA  couple  of  the  songs  also  add  in a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  when  clean  playing  is  utilized  they  also  take  the  music  into  a  more  progressive  direction.

  Psychedelic  sounds  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Chants,  choirs  and  percussion  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  album  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  change  of  seasons  and  universal  struggle.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Broknagar  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Summits"  "Stars  Ablaze"  and  "Northward".  8  out  of  10.

  www.borknagar.com   

www.facebook.com/borknagarofficial 
https://www.instagram.com/borknagar 
http://twitter.com/borknagarHQ 

Malphas/Portal/M-Theory Audio/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Pennsylvania's  Malphas  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Portals"  which  will  be  released  in  Match  by  M-Theory  Audio.

  Synths  start  off  the  the  album  while  also  adding  in  some  symphonic  touches  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats. Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Clean  playing  and  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  clear  vocals  onto  the  album  as  well  as  some  choirs  also  being  utilized  briefly,  female  vocals  are  also  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  a man  who  makes  a  pact  with  the  demon  Malphas  to  achieve  his  high  political  ideas  and  this  backfires  and  ultimately  creates  a  demonic  totalitarian  government,

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Malphas  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  and  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fiat  Empire"  "Candle  Hands"  "Pale  Eyes  To  Snowy  Skies"  and  "Man,  Raven  And  The  Portal".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/malphas/1440307628

https://malphas94.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/therealmalphas

https://www.instagram.com/therealmalphas/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0BznQnNFP6qf7DISSjumhg?si=mPqmynqbTxedcWoo3TVZEw&nd=1&dlsi=9d66c829c2854cfe

https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialMalphas     

Sea Of Consciousness Interview

 

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

Sea of Consciousness is the brainchild of guitarist Daniel Sirotski and drummer István Timmermans.

They have been playing since 2014 together and were trying to come up with a grand concept that Sea of Consciousness is now. The band Sea of Consciousness has been brought to life since 2019 and were trying to find the missing band-members. After multiple line-up changes we finally found vocalist Bionda Honings in 2022. Her vocals were the final missing link to finally develop our style further. Then we found guitarist Stefan Gerritsen and bassist Jeroen Koorn in 2023 and we completed our line-up and debut-album.

 

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?

The music is a huge mix of progressive technical metal with influences from death, black, thrash and heavy metal. We don’t believe in genre boxes and instead are trying to create our own genre that doesn’t let itself be defined by a narrow musical style.

 

We write music from the heart and the quality of the song is the most important. We try to think what a song needs instead of a fixed idea and/or ego.

 

The main songwriter, Daniel Sirotski, takes musical inspiration from every direction and tries to mold it all into one style. The reason is also because we, as a band, don’t want to be limited.

 

3.Some of the band members where previously a part of 'Inferus Dei', what was the cause of breaking up the previous band and forming the new group?

Guitarist Daniel Sirotski and drummer István Timmermans decided to break up the band because the musical vision had changed dramatically. Inferus Dei was the first attempt to flesh out the huge concept that Daniel and István had. After some time they decided that the attempt wasn’t what they wanted and looked at it as a learning school.

 

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

Mostly about life’s struggles covered in a spiritual/mystical veil. Writing music is for us a way to deal with reality and trauma in general. So it heals us in a way, and therefore, we hope that it will heal other listeners. Or at least enjoy our music, that’s cool too.

 

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sea of Consciousness"?

It started with the song ‘’Sea of Consciousness’’. When the song was being written, Daniel named it ‘’Sea of Consciousness’’ because it just felt it was the best way to describe the song and feeling it had. Afterwards, István had the genius idea to name our band that. Since then, we took the song as a basis from where we wanted to develop our sound further.

 

After a while, the name got more and more meaning. Sea of Consciousness symbolizes the reality around us. Every living being on this world is a small drop in the endless sea of consciousness that spans our globe. It is everything and nothing at the same time. We all try to traverse this endless stream and holding on to that which we know. But in the end, everything is random (or fate). From this principle we want to make music how it comes to us, instead of defining ourselves with a genre. We want to create our own genre because life is so much more than those few drops of consciousness most bands associate themselves with. The quest for knowledge, self-improvement and constructive thinking is one of the most challenging and rewarding paths that a human can take. We try to tread that path to enlightenment through music.

 

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

The white robed figures represent the instrumentalists in the band. The black figure in the lake is our vocalist and the nature around us is the Sea of Consciousness. We are summoning ‘’Spirit’’ that ultimately unites every element and transcends us.

 

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

We had our first show on the 12th of January 2024. Currently we are trying to find shows that we can play so we can hone our craft. We have some shows planned in March but we want more!

 

 

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

We had a label approach us with a deal 1,5 weeks after releasing our album. Honestly, nobody expected it so soon so we kind of freaked out in a good way. But after some thought we decided that it is too soon to sign ourselves to a label. It is a goal that we ultimately want to achieve, but it has to be on our own terms.

 

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

The reaction is huge! Seriously, we did not expect this response. I mean, we even had a viral TikTok video about us with over 40K likes and counting..

It has been almost 3 weeks since the launch of the album and we got from 80 monthly listeners to almost 5000 on Spotify. Its crazy.

 

A lot of reviews also with some really good constructive feedback that we will take with us in future songs.

 

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

I don’t think you can really assess your own musical development, but we want to focus on capitalizing on our ‘’unique’’ style of composition. With the amazing feedback we have had, this wont be a problem.

 

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?

The list is too long to effectively tell you what kind of influences we all have. The main songwriter, Daniel Sirotski, listens to reggae-ska, old-school hip-hop, 1940’s jazz, satanic black metal, aggressive thrash metal, 80’s pop songs etc. The list is too much. Daniel never listens to one band for a long time and instead has periods were he listens to a specific genre before moving on to the next thing. His baseline musical influence is Metallica and Dissection though.

 

Stefan Gerritsen is a huge metal fan in general, but can listen to almost every other genre too. He likes drum & bass, country, Celtic music and also classic pop music. He loves a song as long as it has substance and it can reach his soul. But if he has to name a specific band, it would definitely be Avenged Sevenfold.

 

István Timmermans greatest inspiration is Arch Enemy. That band is the main reason he picked up the drumsticks. But most of his inspirational percussion ideas come from bands like Obscura, Amorphis and Septic Flesh. But because we don’t only write brutal metal music, István takes influences from blues and up tempo rock music to come up with fresh ideas.

 

Bionda Honings remembers when she was 9 years old a friend of her father always played guitar for them. She really was inspired by the fact that you can process your emotions through music instead not knowing how to deal with feelings in general. Music was the best way to deal with reality.

Bionda always steered towards rock music and begun listening to The Rasmus, Evanescence and Linkin Park. Then she found out that more extreme music had more impact and found bands like Orbit Culture and Decapitated. Bionda was inspired by bands that really put their emotion into the music. Because of this Bionda is also very all-round in her musical taste. Its all about the feeling that the listener gets my hearing the auditory journey.

Jeroen Koorn started with rock music on the radio like Queen, ACDC and Green Day. This peeked his interest and later, as a teenager, he met people who introduced him to heavier music like Pantera, Slayer and Iron Maiden. Slowly but surely Jeroen got rolled into the world of metal. His first real favorite bands were System of a Down and Slipknot.

The urge to pick up the bass guitar came when Jeroen listened to Behemoth and Opeth for the first time.

 

Beside metal music, Jeroen also listens to reggae, oldschool gangsterrap and goes to drum and bass parties frequently.

 

All-in all, everyone had a very wide range of musical influences.

 

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

We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to tell our story here! The response is amazing and we are thankful for your attention!

https://seaofconsciousness.bandcamp.com/album/sea-of-consciousnes