Act Of Impalement/Profane Altar/Caligari Records/2025 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  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Profane  Altar"  which  will  be  released  on  February  28th  by  Caligari  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  death  metal  growls.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  black  metal  screams  can  also b e  heard  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilzied  they  also  bring  in  more  of  a  90's  death  metal  style  along  with  some  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffs  along  with  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  touches  of  crust  and  d  beat  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  the  whole  album  also  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  fan  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Apparition"  "Deities  Of  The  Weak"  and  "Profane  Altar".  8  out  of  10.

  https://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/profane-altar

www.facebook.com/actoofimpalement         

Ter Ziele/Embodiment Of Death/Tararus Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Ter  Ziele  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Embodiment  Of  Death"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Tartarus  Records.

  A  synth  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  vocals  being a   mixture  of  blackened  metal  screams  and  growls.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  of  a  post  metal  style   along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  

  Ter  Ziele  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  haunting  side  of  the  human  condition.  

  In  my  opinion  Ter  Ziele  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Separation    Of  Body  And  Soul"  and  "This  Mortal  Coil".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://terzieledoom.bandcamp.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TERZIELEDOOM

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ter_ziele  

Mantar/Post Apocalyptic Depression/Metal Blade Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Mantar  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  moves  away  from  the  blackened  style  of  sludge  metal  of  previous  releases  and  goes  into  more  of  a  blackened  death  punk  direction  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Post  Apocalyptic  Depression"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  metal  Blade  Records.

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction  while  also  capturing  the  energy  of  punk  rock.  Elements  of  black'n'roll  can  also b e  heard  at  times  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  more  of  a  rough  yet  aggressive  style  and  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  more  of  a  metal/punk  style.  

  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  A  lot  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  short  in  length  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  back  up  shouts  as  well  as  some  guitar  leads  also  being  utilized  at  times,  spoken  words  can  also  be  briefly.  One  song  also  adds  in  more  of  a  traditional  hardcore  punk  style  of  vocals  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  van  also  be  heard..

  On  this  recording  Mantar  drops  the  sludge  metal  elements  of  previous  releases  and  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  black'n'roll  and  death  punk.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mass  hysteria  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Mantar  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  punk,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Absolute  Ghost"  "Dogman  Down"  "Church  Of  Suck"  and  "Cosmic  Abortion".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.mantarband.com 

https://www.facebook.com/MantarBand 

https://www.instagram.com/mantarband 

Throne/That Who Sat Upon Him, Was Death/Redefining Darkness Records/2025 Full length Review

 

  Throne  not  to  be  confused  with  the  band  from  Italy  of  the  same  name  are  a  band  from  Jackson,  Michigan  that h as  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  more  of  a  brutal,   melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "That  Who  Sat  Upon  Him,  Was  Death"  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Redefining  Darkness  Records.

  A  very  heavy  yet  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  some  of  the  faster  riffing  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  the  guitar  riffs.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  one  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  having  their  guttural  moments.  

  On  this  recording  Throne  goes  for  more  of  a  modern  melodic  and  brutal  form  of  blackened  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  death,  chaos  and  heresy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Throne  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  brutal  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Disentombed"  "Realm  Of  Immolation"  and  "Where  Angels  Cower  in  Fear".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp

Throne/Ossarium/Dusktone/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Throne  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Ossarium"  which  will b e  released  in  February  by  Dusktone.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavier  sludge  metal  riffing  a  few  seconds  later.  Vocals  are  mostly  growls  mixed  in  with  a  few  blackened  metal  screams  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  some  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  stoner  metal,  whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Throne  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  and  sludge  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Throne  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  sludge  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Morrigan"  and  "The  All  Father".  8  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/ALvBwTlMWMw

Exiled Hope Interview

 

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

 I have the 4th album pretty much done, the 5th album is in progress, and I have a bunch of covers that might make their way onto a separate album or EP. I also just released some new merch designs (which you can find in my online merch store here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/exiled-hope-virtual-merch-booth/). There's always a lot going on behind the scenes.

2.You have a new full length coming out early in 2025, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

It's at a much higher quality than my previous releases in terms of production and performances. Before finishing the album, I took several months off of working on original music to take lessons and work on covers in order to develop my skills, because I felt like I had plateaued and wasn't able to make the music I wanted to make. I'm a much better musician than I was on the first 2 albums and EP, and I had a professional mix engineer work on Apocrypha as well. Stylistically, this album strays a bit from the folk and progressive influences that were on the first Exiled Hope albums and plays up the black metal and power metal influences; it feels more like Kamelot and Cradle Of Filth than Eluveitie and Ensiferum.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover dark fantasy themes, can you tell us a little bit about your interest in this genre?

I love this genre because it uses escapism as a vehicle for working through real, personal emotions. When you take a feeling and turn it into something concrete in the form of music and/or lyrics, it's easier to process, understand, and work through that feeling. It becomes something you can choose to perceive instead of something that's vaguely perceptible and always there. As a result, my fantasy-inspired lyrics serve a purpose similar to that of fables or fairytales: they impart life lessons through storytelling.

4.You have also done soundtracks for films, what type of films have you contributed music to so far?

. I've done a vast array of short films for YouTuber John H. Shelton, generally in the urban fantasy or thriller genre. Most recently, I released a soundtrack album for the indie horror film What Happens After Midnight. I also recorded a folk-inspired soundtrack for Hallowed Paths (still in development), which is a loose retelling of a Finnish folktale. I would love to continue doing soundtrack work!

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

On a surface level, Hope is the name of the main protagonist of the first album, and she is exiled from her city after she learns dark secrets that the city's corrupt leaders would rather keep hidden. On a deeper level, the name Exiled Hope represents the hope for a better world that the fantasy genre instills in us, and reminds listeners that too often, we "exile" this hope from our spirits when we grow up and are forced to abandon things that inspired us as kids. The name is a reminder to keep pursuing the hope that society exiles from us, and to hold onto our passions.

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

 The cover artwork is The Deluge by John Martin (1834). I chose this piece to represent the turmoil that defines the protagonist's journey on this album, as he strives to find his own path in a world where he feels forced to choose sides and abandon different parts of himself.

7.You have worked both solo and with other musicians, do you prefer to work by yourself?

Generally, working by myself is easier because I'm fully in control of the project and can get the work done more efficiently. Working with other musicians requires compromise, discussion, scheduling, and waiting on everyone to send their parts over. I love working with other musicians, but I need my own personal outlet where I can work at my own pace and control the direction of the project. I also enjoy challenging myself to learn different parts, different skills, and different instruments, as I do in Exiled Hope; even though finishing a project is rewarding, the journey of creating the music is the fun part.

8.You have also collaborated on a few recordings with 'Steel Forge', musically how do you feel their style differs from yours?

Their style leans much harder in the melodeath direction than Exiled Hope has so far. It's a style that I've wanted to explore for a while, but that never really found its place in Exiled Hope. Working with Steel Forge and catering more to their members' skillsets and interests has given me the opportunity to tap into that creative energy. I wasn't just composing for myself, I was composing with other musicians and another vocalist in mind, and I think the challenge of building that seamless synergy between us resulted in some of my best work yet.

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

I am not looking to sign with a label. I am happy to create at my own pace, and I've built up a solid team and support system that cannot be easily replaced. There are many more paths to success in the music industry than there once were, and I think the metal scene in particular leans too hard on legacy thinking instead of taking advantage of the new opportunities that are available to musicians in the 21st century.

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

Extreme metal fans seem intrigued for the most part. Some people don't really understand the intent behind my genre blend, but that's ok; I'm not trying to appeal to a broad, general audience. My music is more for nerds (I say this lovingly, as a fellow music nerd) who like hearing unexpected twists and puzzle pieces in their music; I try to make it interesting to listen to. The people who get it, really do seem to get it. I've read multiple positive reviews that appear to perfectly understand my vision and ideas. I love seeing various interpretations of my music that, while all different, are often all correct at the same time. The emotional core of my music and the joy of creating something multifaceted and ambitious seem to resonate with people, and that's what matters to me.

11.What is going on with 'Forgotten Shrine' these days?

We're working on some new music, but we're still a bit unsure whether it will lead to an EP or a full album this year. We've both contributed songs to the project, and we're very excited to show them all off in one format or another.

12.Where do you see herself heading into as a musician during the future?

I see myself: 1) making a decent side income from my royalties, album sales, and merch sales; and 2) licensing my music to and recording original soundtracks for TV, film, and game producers. I'd say those are my main goals at the moment.

13.What are some of bands or musical styles that you are currently listening to nowadays?

I've been listening to a lot of early-2000s post-grunge and alt-metal (such as Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, and Daughtry), and some more recent power metal (such as Arion, Frozen Crown, Kalidia, and Visions Of Atlantis)

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

Thank you for your thoughtful questions and your positive reviews! I appreciate you taking the time to check out my music and put this interview together.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/exiled-hope/1563587153

https://exiledhope.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ExiledHope

https://www.instagram.com/legally_metal/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/024Bd5ViU3F8gRFe9lnCth?si=cbd9c556aa4d441d&nd=1&dlsi=221e6a99ea844729

https://www.tiktok.com/@exiled.hope

https://x.com/exiledhope99

https://www.youtube.com/@exiledhope

Shrykull/Beyond Subconscious Realms/Road To Masochist/Eggy Tapes/2024 Full Length Review

 

   Shrykull  are  a  duo  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  grindcore  with  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Beyond  Subconscious  Realms"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Road  To  Masochist  and  Eggy  Tapes.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking,  blast  beats  and  grindcore  elements  can  be  heard  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Shouts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  album  also  having  its  brutal  moments,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are finally  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style as  well as  the  slower  sections  of  the  recording  mixing  in  touches  of  sludge  and  doom  metal, synths  and  harsh  noises  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Shrykull  takes  black,  sludge,  doom,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  a  very  heavy  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Shrykull  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge,  doom,  death  metal  and  grindcore,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blocking  The  Kingdom  Of  Infinite  State"  "Gateway  Of  Nightmares"  "Chaotic  Disforms  Of  Cosmic  Misalignment"  and  "Collective  Fugue  State".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://www.facebook.com/shrykull

https://youtu.be/BI12FJVn6oU

Shores Of Null/The Loss Of Beauty/Spikerot Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Shores  Of  Null  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "The  Loss  Of  Beauty"  which  was  released  by  Spikerot  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  clean  vocals  also  add  in  more  of  a  gothic  metal  style.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  blast  beats  also  being  utilized  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  keyboards,  spoken  words  are  also  introduced  briefly  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  On  this  recording  Shores  Of  Null  takes  the  melodic  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  with  doom  and  gothic  metal  to  create  a  very  diverse  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  life,  death  and  sorrow  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Shores  Of  Null  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  death,  doom  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Destination  Woe"  "Nothing  Left  To  Burn"  "My  Darkest  Years"  and  "Underwater  Oddity".  8  out  of  10.

  YouTube - https://youtu.be/vWOcwJYjhq8​

Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3ZckbMW​

Album order (Digital, CD, Vinyl) - https://linktr.ee/thelossofbeauty 

Selvans/Saturnalia/Avantgarde Music/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Selvans  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  progressive  and  folk  influenced  mixture  of  black  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "Saturnalia"  which  will  be  released  on  January  31st  by  Avantgarde  Music.

  Keyboards  and  orchestration  start  off  the  album  adding  in  some  symphonic  touches  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Choirs  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  more  of  a  melodic  traditional  metal  style  and  a  lot  of  the  vocals  bring  in  more  of  an  80's  metal  style.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  album.

  

  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some  of  the  album  also  adding  in  elements  of  folk  music,  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  folk  and  horror  tales  from  their  home  country.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Selvans  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  and  folk  influenced  black  and  heavy  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Il  mio  maleficio  v'incalzera!"  and  "Fonte  dei  diavoli".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.selvans-official.com

https://www.instagram.com/selvanstherealone

https://www.facebook.com/selvansofficial

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

Ghost Hollow/Examinations Of The Heart/2025 Full length Review

 

  Ghost  Hollow  are  a  band  from  Arkansas  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom,  death  metal  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  album  "Examinations  Of  The  Heart"  which  will  be  released  in  February.

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  heavy  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  and  sludge  metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  parts  of  the  album  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody,  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  as  well  as  the  mid  tempo  sections  also  adding  in  touches  of  hardcore.

  On  this  recording  Ghost  Hallow  takes  black,  sludge,  doom,  death  metal  and  hardcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  diverse  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  anguish,  introspection  and  catharsis.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Ghost  Hollow  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge,  doom,  death  metal  and  hardcore,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Formless  Apparitions"  "Lay  Down  The  Sword"  and  "Examinations  Of  The  Heart".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/GhostHollowAR

https://www.instagram.com/ghosthollowar/

https://ghosthollow.bandcamp.com/

https://linktr.ee/ghosthollowar

    

The Lightbringer/Quintessence Of Dawn/2010 Full Length Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  an  earlier  album  from  Quebec,  Canada's  The  Lightbringer  which  went  for  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  power  metal  and  the  album  was  self  released  in  2010  and  called  "Quintessence  Of  Dawn".

  A  very  dark ,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  a  lot  of  songs.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  power  metal  style  singing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Keyboards  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing. 

Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  some  female  vocals  and  flutes  also  being  utilized  on  a  couple  of  tracks  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments,  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Mythology,  Fantasy,  Darkness  and  Light  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Lightbringer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  power  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Garden  Of  Forsaken  Souls"  and  "Constellation  Of  The  Gate  Of  Gods".  8  out  of  10.     

  https://www.thelightbringerofficial.com/

https://thelightbringermetal.bandcamp.com
https://www.youtube.com/@thelightbringermetal
https://www.facebook.com/thelightbringerofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/thelightbringerband/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/42vunlIXOg69YegQhmFG05

https://www.tiktok.com/@thelightbtingerofficial    

Possessive/Res Ipsa Loquitur/Brucia Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Possessive  are  a  band  from  Boise,  Idaho  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  with  elements  of  d  beat  and  power  violence  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Res  Ipsa  Loquitur"  which  was  released  by  Brucia  Records.

  Dark  and  atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Elements  of  d  beat  and  power  violence  are  also  added  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  album  while  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  are  also  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up.  Some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  one  song  is  also  a  drone  orientated  instrumental.

  Possessive  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  doom,  death  metal,  d  beat  and  power  violence  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Possessive  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  metal,  d  beat  and  power  violence  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sun  And  Moon"  and  "Sure  Sign  of  The  Nail".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/possessiveband      

Norilisk/Antipole/Hypnotic Dirge Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Quebec,  Canada's  Norilisk  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Antipole"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Hypnotic  Dirge  Records.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  which  also  brings  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  blackened  metal  screams  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Spoken  words  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  whole  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction,  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Norilisk  remain  true  to  the  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  that  they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  the  concept  of  duality.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Norilisk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Antipole"  "Nunataks"  and  "Un  chant  pour  les  morts".  8  out  of  10.

   https://hypnoticdirgerecords.bandcamp.com/album/antipole

  

Cephyre Interview

 

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

I would love to: The band was formed in Hesse, Germany in early 2021 although we have known each other for decades and shared school desks, rehearsal rooms and stages in various constitutions in the past. Therefore it just felt right when it all came together. Unfortunately it was quite a challenging time to start a band as the pandemic kind of peaked exactly when we all waited in the wings. That is one reason why it took us a while to really get our shit together, but here we are at last.

2.So far you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

We came up with the term „Dark Extreme Melodic Metal“ because the common genre-descriptions did not seem to fully meet our demands. Given the fact that we have our roots in different subgenres our music turns out to be a mixture of quite a lot extreme Metal influences reaching from Death to Black and Melodic Doom with a pinch of Gothic Metal in the polyphonic vocal parts, but if I had to put it into only one well-known box I would probably say, that the influence we all have in common is good old Swedish Melodic Death. 

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

The lyrics of the EP approach several aspects of Platos Allegory of the cave. Of course we do not offer a highly sophisticated deep-dive into ancient greek philosophy, but looking at the topic from different perspectives can still create really exciting views into the concepts of individual freedom and self-awareness. It also makes you question, how far we have really evolved as mankind. Isn‘t it almost hilarious to think of an old bearded greek dude wrapped in white sheets and brooding over exactly the same issues we still struggle with today?

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

CEPHYRE is a „Frankenword“ assembled from „Zephyr“, which resembles natural creation and procreation on one side and „Fire“, resembling the oppositional forces of destruction but also symbolizing progress and knowledge. The name therefore verbalizes the principles of duality, the merging of polar opposites into something new and distinct.

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

We tried to capture the lyrical concept of the allegory of the cave in different scalings throughout the artwork of the digipak. The cover artwork shows one of the key scenes in the narrative: A prisoner escapes the darkness of the cave and steps into the light, facing new challenges.

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

In late 2023 year we organized a little festival called „Roots of Metal“ with our resident friends „Oracle of Worms“ and „Concrete Cold“. We also invited our friends „War Engine“ from Novi Sad, Serbia. I have absolutely no idea, if that was our best show. But it was probably our most fun weekend so far. The last gig we played was at a Halloween-Party, so it would have been almost rude, not to put on a little corpsepaint. We normally don‘t do that, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. Generally spoken our stage presence depends a lot on the on-site conditions. Our bassplayer Chris for example tends to do a lot of meters on stage, but at one show he was forced to stand in the doorframe to the restroom due to lack of space. So you always have to adjust a little to the circumstances and try to get the best out of each situation. By the way: Chris handled his situation a lot better than I did when I found myself next to something that highly resembled a stripper pole on stage.

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

We have some shows scheduled for early 2025. our original plan was to make „Roots of Metal“ an annual event. This plan unfortunately only lasted a little less than one year, because the venue let us down badly. The billing however was already booked and we still want to play with all the bands, that were involved, so there are some more shows to be announced before long. And then there is still a visit to pay back, so we really hope to make it to Serbia this year and maybe add some gigs on the way. 

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

Up to now we tried to do almost everything by ourselves which gave us a lot of freedom in approaching different processes, but of course there are also downsides to that mode of operation. For example: We recorded almost all the tracks for „Gleam“ in our rehearsal room, our living rooms, bedrooms and even kitchens. When it came to mixing we had the hybris of even doing that completely by ourselves. This took quite some time just to realize, that we were not completely happy with the results. So we finally scrapped our own mixes and gave the recorded tracks to our friend Sascha Stange, who completely nailed our desired sound in about the time it took ourselves to figure out the right reverb-settings for background vocals. What I am trying to say is, that some things just should be done by people who teally know how to do them in order to prevent yourselves from getting stuck in a rut. So a label would absolutely make things much easier for us and we hope to get in touch with people to support our next releases.

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

So far we have only played shows in Germany, which makes it a little difficult to talk about worldwide reactions. There have been quite a few positive reactions as yet and of course there is social media and all that comes with it. But a thumb on facebook or a heart on Instagram does not really get you into conversations. But who knows ... Maybe this interview might also help to connect with some more people out there. We would love that.

10.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Our bassplayer Chris is vocalist in his Hardcore-bands „Business as Usual“ and „Blind Youth“. Our drummer Manu also plays in the Thrash-Metal-band „Centrate“.

11.When can we expect another full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We had actively decided to put the first songs we wrote on the EP, so there will almost naturally be an audible development. Actually we have already written approximately 80% of the material for our full-length-album alongside two a little more experimental projects, which will most likely end up on additional EPs in the future. At the moment we are still figuring out the exact schedule, but the tendency is to start recordings for the full-length within the next few months as we are really excited to see the pieces come together and add the final touch.

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

As I mentioned before we have a lot of various influences, but most of them are to be found in different types of 90s extreme metal, which is why we wanted our sound to partially be kind of a reminiscence to that era. Our mixing engineer Sascha did a great job in helping us create this atmosphere and adding just the right amount of a modern touch. Nowadays I am personally most excited about listening to bands that somehow push their boundaries. The latest album that really got under my skin is the new Gaerea.

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

I guess, that I already got a little carried away at some points, so I will cut this one short and just go with „Thank you for having us, it was a pleasure“.

www.cephyre.band

www.cephyre.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/cephyre.band
www.instagram.com/cephyre.band

Burning Creation Interview

 

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

1. First, I want to say hello to everyone reading this interview. Burning Creation is a band we've been playing together since early 2022. Our music is a mix of melodic death metal, and our lyrics are mostly about Vikings and their beliefs. So far, we've released an EP "Never Dead Nation" and a full album "Sea Of Dead Bodies".

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

2. Never Dead Nation was our first release, and at that time we were still figuring out our sound and style. With Sea Of Dead Bodies, we knew exactly what we wanted. We decided to go for a rawer sound, more towards death metal. I think that’s the main difference between the two releases.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Nordic Mythology and Vikings, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this subject?

3. We got interested in Vikings and Norse mythology mainly from listening to bands like Amon Amarth, Unleashed, Ensiferum, etc., and also from watching the show "Vikings". Later on, this interest grew after reading book "Mitos Nordicos" by Neil Gaiman .

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

4. The name of the band was thought up by our guitarist Marek. In the beginning, we played a lot of Amon Amarth covers, and one of them was Burning Creation. The name represents the start of something new for us, leaving behind the past.

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

5. The artwork for the album, made by Damian Bydliński, shows four Vikings who crossed the "Sea of Dead Bodies," and now they're ready to continue their conquest. It’s a continuation of the story from Never Dead Nation, where we introduced the Viking army coming back from the afterlife.

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

6. The concert I remember the most was at Leśniczówka in Chorzów in 2023. Even though it was cold, because it was December, the crowd was big and we had a lot of energy on stage.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for 2025?

7. Next year, we plan to play three concerts with All Sars, and also take part in "Brutal Valentine’s" in Garage Pub in Kraków.

8.On the new album you also had done an 'Amon Amarth' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of once of their songs?

8. This song is really special to us. It represents the beginning of our band. We owe not only our name to it but also the style we’ve developed through these two releases. Another reason for this cover is to show that we’re not afraid to admit we’re inspired by Amon Amarth. It’s a kind of tribute to them for the inspiration their music gave us.

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

9. The reactions were mixed, but this mix of melody and brutal playing has been accepted quite well. The main criticism we got with the EP was that we were copying Amon Amarth, but with the second release, I think we’ve created our own style.

10.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

10. Our drummer, Jarosław also plays in a thrash metal band called Consumer, which existed long before Burning Creation. That’s all.

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

11. On our next album, we plan to focus less on melodies and more on heavy riffs. We want to sound more like Unleashed than Amon Amarth. We’ve already written four songs, and two of them have lyrics. So, the work on the new stuff is going pretty smoothly.

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

12. Most of our inspiration comes from Swedish bands that follow the Viking theme, but not only that. On the way to our concerts or other band’s gigs, we listen to all kinds of bands like Dark Tranquillity, Six Feet Under, Sylosis, Virgin Snatch, Septicflesh and a lot of  thrash metal.

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

13. Thanks to everyone for reading! Check out our social media and of course, listen to our music on streaming platforms! Cheers!

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