ADifferentShadeOfBlackMetalZine

Monday, March 9, 2026

Atavistia/Old Gods Awaken/Blood Blast Distribution/2026 Full Length Review

Vancouver B.C, Canada's Atavistia have returned with a new recording which shows the music going for a symphonic and melodic mixture of black, death and folk metal and this is a review of their 2026 album "old Gods Awaken" which will b e released in May by Blood Blast Distribution.

Folk instruments and symphonic orchestration starts off the album and also mixes in with the heavier sections of the songs. When the music speeds up black metal style tremolo picking and blast beats can be heard while the solos and leads are also done in a very melodic style and some of the tracks are also very long and epic in length.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams mixed in with some clear singing while the riffs also add in a lot of melody. Death metal growls are also utilized at times along with the songs also adding in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts, spoken words can also be heard at times.

Acoustic guitars are also added on a few tracks along with some back up shouts also being added into certain sections of the recording as well as the album also having its progressive moments. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics are written in a mixture of English, Swedish and Finnish and cover taverns, forests, storms and gods.

In my opinion this is another great sounding album from Atavistia and if you are a fan of symphonic and melodic black, death and folk metal, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Mystic Tavern" "Goddess Of My Dreams" and "Old Gods Awaken". 8 out of 10.

Bandcamp: https://atavistia.bandcamp.com/music
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAtavistia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atavistia/?hl=en
Twitter / X: https://x.com/atavistia?lang=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwQWMCiFZL1duPSdbdjGyCg
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@atavistia
Discord: https://discord.gg/Fj99DHRyc3
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1QoL6PD6QyjdsxvTBacepq
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/atavistia/1287070679

Sunday, March 8, 2026

Vargrav/Dimension: Daemonium/Werewolf Records/2026 Full Length Review

Finland's Vargrav have returned with a new recording which shows the music going for a symphonic form of black metal and this is a review of their 2026 album "Dimension: Daemonium" which will be released in April by Werewolf Records.

A very dark sounding intro starts off the album along with a brief use of spoken words before going into a very fast and aggressive direction which also utilizes a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats. Symphonic elements also mix in with the heavier sections of the songs and the music is very heavily rooted in the mid 90's era.

Vocals are mostly grim yet high pitched sounding black metal screams while some of the songs are also long and epic in length. Clear singing can also be heard briefly along with the album also adding in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and all of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to t hem.

Melodies are also added into a lot of the guitar riffing along with a couple of songs also adding in a small amount of spoken words, when guitar leads are utilized they are also done in a very dark yet melodic style. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover Darkness and Cosmos.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Vargrav and if you are a fan of symphonic black metal, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Ablaze Unto The Nocturnal Reams' "The Gates Of My Dimension" and "Unveil The Enslavement Of Lunar Prophecies". 8 out of 10.

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/item-group.asp?PgpID=40795

Saturday, March 7, 2026

Mývalyĭr Interview

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

As a band that formed during the pandemic we wrote all of our material remotely, so we have been working on new material and we're also currently planning our live show setup and making sure our songs translate powerfully on stage. At the same time, we’ve been connecting with press, and writing new ideas that are already hinting at where the next album might go.

2.You have your first full length coming out towards the end of February, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

So each member of the band has preferred styles of metal. Overall the album is melodic death metal but we didn't want to confine ourselves to one genre, so if you listen you'll find influences of black metal, metalcore and even folk metal.

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

As the album name suggests we write about 'The Past Tales'. The Past Tales is a concept album using parts of history and folklore to tell a story that melds with past personal experiences.

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

So we have been asked this question before and we will give the same answer. The name Mývalyĭr (Mee-val-year) does have a meaning, but we are hoping that people will be able to figure it out at some point as well as find the hidden image on our album cover and the hidden feature in our website, as some of us are gamers and we love an easter egg.

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

There’s a great deal of symbolism embedded in the art work and it includes elements which relate to each song on the album. We worked closely with the artist Felipe Franco Machado to ensure the cover didn’t just look striking, but actually felt connected to the music.

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

We only actually all met in person for the first time together at the 'Reign' Music Video shoot, as a band that met online with members in different countries we have yet to play our first show, but we are currently working on our live show as we mentioned before.

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

We do, we are currently organising something and we look forward to sharing it.

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

We are not looking for a label currently but if one was to show interest then we would be open to the right partnership.

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

We did not expect to reach as many countries as we did such as Russia, Chile and USA being a band from the UK who have only just had our first release but we are very happy with the feedback, the comment and the reviews of 'The Past Tales' so far.

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

Various members are also currently in other bands/projects and the best way to find them out would be via Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.

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

Our plan is to start working on our next release and further solidify our sound

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

As we mentioned before each of us have our personal preference of metal so the music we are listing to at the moment are Children of Bodom, Devildriver, Dvořák, Mykur, Berlioz, Beethoven, Ne Obliviscaris, Imminence, Lorna Shore and Wolfheart

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

We would like to thank everyone who has supported us so far, old and new. We are amazed at the feed back and we hope to see you at one of our shows in the near future.

Once again apologies for the delay, and look forward to hearing from you again soon

https://www.facebook.com/myvalyir

Monday, March 2, 2026

Speglas 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?

We've been rehearsing as a band a lot and kept our focus on making sure we are ready to hit the stage.

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

It's more direct and to the point, even though we had some of the same elements on the two earlier EPs–this one feels more evolved and fleshed out.

3. The band has been around since 2015 but so far there has only been three releases, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait in between recordings?

It basically comes down to me (Isak) being involved in several other projects that took up a lot of time and focus. I basically finished a full record around 2017–2018, but it never felt like the right moment to release it, so parts of it were distilled into the 2022 EP Time, Futility, and Death. Now my focus has shifted entirely to Speglas—creative work, rehearsing, and live aspects.

4. The lyrics on the new album cover the writings of Fredrich Nietzsche, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his work?

I'm a hobby reader of philosophy and I even wrote a bachelor's thesis discussing the relationship between music and philosophy. Nietzsche's ideas just resonate strongly with me, and I felt they fit perfectly into this musical format.

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

The first EP (Birth, Dreams, and Death, 2015) had a very loose, abstract theme—mostly abstract for the sake of being abstract. The second EP (Time, Futility, and Death, 2022) became a bit more focused. On this new record (Endarkenment, Being, and Death) the lyrics are very much a fleshed-out concept.

6. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Speglas'?

"Speglas" means "mirrored" in Swedish. There's no deep philosophical story behind it—we were just sitting at a pub in Stockholm (I think it was Gröna Jägaren) in 2014 when the band formed, drinking beer and throwing around ideas. Somehow "Speglas" came up and stuck.

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

It's a tilted (dead) rose. I had one sitting in a vase at home, took a photo of it, and sent the idea to Tim at Trust No One Recordings, who created the black-and-white artwork based on that. I've always worked fast and intuitively with covers—the first thing that comes to mind usually ends up being it. Here the tilted rose symbolizes transformation: from life to death, light to darkness.

8. Out of all the shows and tours the band has done so far which one stands out the most?

I’d say the show we played in 2017 in Stockholm at Kägelbanan together with Antichrist, Vampire, and Gehennah. Great lineup, great turnout, really nice evening.

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

Nothing booked yet, but it's certainly in the planning phase. It will happen.

10. The new album is going to be released on 'Trust No One Recordings', how would you compare working with this label to other labels you have worked with in the past?

It's a Swedish label, so geographically much closer, which makes logistics easier. It's also practical in terms of language and mutual understanding of what we both want.

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

The album hasn't been released yet (at the time of this interview), but so far we've received good reviews in magazines and other places. I hope fans of extreme metal—and people in general—will find something resonating in it once it's out.

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

Yes. Me (Isak) and our drummer Jesper are both in Sweven. Our bass player Victor is in Grass Eating Man and a couple of other projects. Our guitarist Alexi is only in Speglas.

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

I’ve started writing the next record—about a third is done—and it will be similar to this one but heading in a direction that makes it differ.

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

Personally I've been listening a lot to Susanne Sundfør (Norwegian singer), Judas Priest lately, the Swedish band Kent, Oasis, Father John Misty. I can't speak for everyone, but I'd guess Alexi is listening to something like Concrete Winds or Katharsis.

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

Make sure to pick up the album and merch via the Trust No One Recordings website. Keep an eye out for upcoming show announcements in the coming months (especially in Sweden). Thank you!

https://linktr.ee/speglas
https://www.facebook.com/SPEGLAS/
https://www.instagram.com/speglas /
https://speglas.bandcamp.com
https://www.tnor.se/

Friday, February 20, 2026

Nibiru/Hypostasis/Argonauta Records/2026 Full Length Review

Nibiru are a solo project from Italy that h as had music reviewed before in this zine and on this recording goes for a psychedelic and ritualistic mixture of black, sludge, doom metal, drone, industrial and ambient and this is a review of his 2026 album "Hypostasis' which will be released on February 27th by Argonauta Records.

A very distorted sound starts off the album along with some keyboards which also adds in elements of ambient at times and avant garde style choirs. Samples are also used briefly before going into a heavier direction while the slower sections of the album are also heavily rooted in sludge and doom metal.

Spoken words are also utilized at times while the harsh vocals are done in more of a black metal style. Most of the tracks are also very long and epic in length along with some of the guitar riffing also adding in more of a noisier approach to playing as well as the faster sections also adding in blast beats and tremolo picking.

At times the music also gets very repetitive sounding along with drones also being utilized quite a bit throughout the album. The recording also has its ritualistic moments as well as the tracks also adding in touches of industrial, darkwave and post punk, clean playing can also be heard briefly and each song also sounds very different from each other. The production sounds very dark and lo-fi while the lyrics cover Alchemy, Occultism, Egyptian Magick, Philosophy and Voodoo themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Niburu and if you are a fan of psychedelic and ritualistic black, sludge, doom metal, drone, ambient and industrial, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Azoth" and "Obeah". 8 out of 10.

https://www.facebook.com/nibiruritual

https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-3mm8OrahE&feature=youtu.be

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Speglas/Endarkenment, Being & Death/Trust No One Recordings/2026 Full Length Review

Speglas are a band from Sweden that plays a melodic mixture of black and death metal and this is a review of their 2026 album "Endarkenment, Being & Death" which will be released on February 27th by Trust No one Recordings.

Synths start off the album along with a brief use of nature sounds and spoken whispers and clean playing is also added on a few tracks. Melodies are also added into a lot of the heavier riffing while all of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to them and blast b eats are added into the faster sections of the songs.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams while tremolo picking is also added into some of the faster riffing. Throughout the album you can also hear a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts along with the solos and leads also being done in a very melodic style as well as a couple of tracks also being very long and epic in length.

Elements of death metal are also utilized quite a bit throughout the recording along with both the riffs and solos also showing an influence of classic metal as well as the album also having its atmospheric moments. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics are inspired by the writings of Nietzsche and cover his philosophies.

In my opinion Speglas are a very great sounding melodic mixture of black and death metal and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "The Endarkenment" "The Spirit Postmortem" and "Rage Upon The Dying Fire". 8 out of 10.

https://linktr.ee/speglas

https://www.facebook.com/SPEGLAS/
https://www.instagram.com/speglas /

https://speglas.bandcamp.com

Saturday, February 14, 2026

Against I/Anti Life/Twisted Flesh Recordings/2026 Full Length Review

Against I are a band from Sweden that has been featured before in this zine and plays a very melodic and blackened form of death metal and this is a review of their 2026 album "Anti Life" which will be released in march by Twisted Flesh Recordings.

A very dark, heavy and melodic sound starts off the album while the solos and leads also add in a great amount of melody. Vocals are a mixture of black metal screams and death metal growls along with some synths also being utilized at times and black beats are also added into the faster sections of the songs.

Spoken words can also be heard at times while the songs also add in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts. Dark soundscapes are also added in between a few tracks along with one song also introducing acoustic guitars onto the album, tremolo picking can also be heard in some of the fast riffing as well as the album also mixing in some elements of electronic music and samples.

On this recording Against I add more electronic music elements in their melodic style of blackened death metal to create a very heavy yet modern sound. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover dark and hateful themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Against I and if you are a fan of melodic blackened death metal, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Built To Destroy" "Tempel Of Greed" "Sacrifice" and "All Hope Is Gone". 8 out of 10.

https://www.facebook.com/againstIband

https://www.instagram.com/againstiband/
https://www.youtube.com/@againsti

Thursday, February 12, 2026

Midryasi's Kult/Italian Dark Sound/Dying Victims Productions/2026 Full Length Review

Midryasi's Kult are a band from Italy that has had music reviewed before in this zine and on this recording plays a psychedelic mixture of black, doom metal and punk and this is a review of their 2026 album "Italian Dark Sound" which will be released in march by Dying Victims Productions.

Drum beats and heavy riffs start off the album while the solos and leads also bring in more of a retro sound mixed in with some melody. Vocals are done in more of a 70's and early 80's clear singing doom metal style along with all of the musical instruments also having a very powerful sound to them.

At times the music also adds in some psychedelic touches while spoken words can also be heard briefly. Some of the riffing also captures the raw energy of punk rock along with some tracks also adding in a small amount of synths, the album also adds in elements of first wave black metal and NWOBHM, when the music finally speeds up a small amount of blast b eats can also be heard.

On this recording Midryasi's Kult takes an early 80's style of doom metal and mixes it with first wave black metal, NWOBHM, punk and psychedelic rock to create something very heavy and retro sounding. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover Occultism themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Midryasi;s Kult and if you are a fan of back, doom metal, NWOBHM, punk and psychedelic rock, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Italian Dark Sound" "Mountain Devil" and "Hypopriest". 8 out of 10.

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

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/italian-dark-sound

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Blood Of Angels/Les Angst ov Thanatous/2026 Full length Review

Florida's Blood Of Angels have returned with a new recording which shows the music going for a melodic mixture of black, death, thrash and groove metal and this is a review of their self released 2026 album "Les Angst ov Thanatous".

Cinematic soundscapes start off the album while also introducing keyboards onto the album before going into more of a heavier and melodic direction. When the music speeds up a great amount of blast beats can also be heard while the vocals bring in more of an aggressive groove metal approach mixed in a few death metal growls.

When guitar solos and leads are utilized they are also done in a very melodic style while the riffs also mix in elements of thrash metal. Throughout the album you can also hear a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts along with all of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to them.

Blackened screams are also utilized at times along with the album also adding in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts. A couple of the tracks are also very long and epic in length as well as a couple of songs also adding in a small amount of clean playing and clear singing, spoken word samples are also added towards the end. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover the emotional and psychological aftermath of death.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Blood Of Angels and if you are a fan of melodic black, death, thrash and groove metal, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Beating You" "The Pain Inside" and "Nevermore". 8 out of 10.

Official Website: http://www.bloodofangels.net

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0kq6q6hYYdNgk0ZSvgQPzF
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bloodofangels1
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/bloodofangels
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/bloodofangels
ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/bloodofangels1
Merch / E-Shop: https://merchbooth.com/pages/blood-of-angels-battle-gear

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/blood-of-angels/1195719891

Friday, February 6, 2026

One Leg One Eye/...And Take The Black Worm With Me/Cold Spring/2026 Full Length Review

One Leg One Eye are a solo project from Ireland that h as had music reviewed before in this zine and on this recording plays a mixture of black metal, drone and folk and this is a review of his 2025 album "...And Take The Black Worm" which will be released in march by Cold Spring.

Water and nature sounds start off the album along with some atmospheric drones a few seconds later and the music also captures a lo-fi atmosphere at times. Most of the tracks are also very long and epic in length while the harsh vocals are done in more of a black metal as well as some synths also being added into certain sections of the recording.

Spoken words can also be heard briefly while all of the songs also sound very different from each other. A lot of the music also captures an improvised atmosphere along with the clear vocals being done in more of an Irish folk music style as well as the album also having its experimental moments and some tracks also add in folk instruments, guitars and church organs.

On this recording One Leg One Eye takes black metal, drone, experimental and folk and mixes them together to create something very original sounding. The production sounds very dark and lo-fi while the lyrics cover sadness themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding album from One Leg One Eye and if you are a fan of black metal, drone, experimental and folk, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Glistening She Emerges" and "Only The Diceys". 8 out of 10.

instagram | bandcamp

Saille/Forebode/Non Serviam Records/2026 Full Length Review

Netherlands's Saille have returned with a new recording which shows the music going for an epic and symphonic form of black metal and this is a review of their 2026 album "Forebode" which will be released on February 13th by Non Serviam Records.

A very symphonic sound starts off the album and also mixes in with the heavier sections of the songs. When the music speeds up a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats can b e heard while the solos and leads are also done in a very melodic style and the vocals are mostly angry sounding black metal screams.

Clean playing and spoken words are also added into certain sections of the album while the songs also add in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts. Melodies are also added into a lot of the guitar riffing along with some clear singing also being utilized at times, choirs and whispers can also be heard briefly.

A couple of tracks are also long and epic in length along with all of the musical instruments also having a very powerful sound to them, one track also shows the music adding in more of a classical direction and the album closes with 3 live songs, classical guitars are also added on the closing song. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover mythological themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Saille and if you are a fan of epic and symphonic black metal, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Deception Of Decadence" "Reminiscence Of Regrets" "Eater of Worlds" and "Plague Allais". 8 out of 10.

https://sailleofficial.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@saille.official
https://www.instagram.com/saille.official/
https://www.facebook.com/SAILLE.Official

Saturday, January 31, 2026

The Mountain King/Pike Dreams/Void Key Recordings/2025 Full Length Review

Germany's solo project The Mountain King has returned with a new recording which shows the music going for an atmospheric mixture of black, doom metal and drone and this is a review of his 2025 album "Pike Dreams" which will be released in March by Void Key Recordings.

Synths and drones start off the album along with some heavier riffing a few seconds later while the slower sections of the songs also add in elements of doom metal. A lot of the music also captures the darker side of atmospheric black metal and all of the music sticks to an instrumental direction.

At times the music also goes into more of a meditative and hypnotic direction while all of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to them. A great portion of the tracks are also very long and epic in length along with some clean playing also being added into certain sections of the album, when guitar solos and leads are finally utilized they add in more of a melodic post metal style and the whole recording also sticks to a slower direction.

On this recording The Mountain King takes an atmospheric form of post black metal and mixes it with doom metal and drone to create a very heavy recording as well as keeping everything instrumental while the production sounds very dark.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from The Mountain King and if you are a fan of atmospheric post black, doom metal and drone, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "476" "1381" and "2010". 8 out of 10.

https://linktr.ee/themountainking

Thursday, January 29, 2026

Apolaustic/No Plentitude Without Suffering/Transcending Obscurity Records/2026 FUll Length Review

Apolaustic are a band from Switzerland that plays a melodic mixture of black and death metal and this is a review of their 2026 album "No Plentitude Without Suffering" which will be released in April by Transcending Obscurity Records.

Clean playing starts off the album before going into a faster direction which also utilizes a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats. Melodies are also added into a lot of the guitar riffing while the vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams and the solos and leads are also done in a very melodic style.

A lot of the music is also very heavily rooted in the classic Swedish style while the songs also add in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts. All of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to them along with the music also adding in a lot of death metal elements, a couple of tracks are also very long and epic in length and keyboards are also added towards the end.

Apolaustic plays a musical style that takes the melodic forms of black and death metal and mixes them together to create a sound of their own. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover Darkness and Suffering themes.

In my opinion Apolaustic are a very great sounding melodic mixture of black and death metal and if you are a fan of those musical genres, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Devouring The Past" "Shining Amidst The Lights" and "Peregrination Towards Childhood Memories". 8 out of 10.

Apolaustic Bandcamp

Apolaustic Instagram

Mývalyĭr/The Past Tales/2026 Full Length Review

Mývalyĭr are a band from the United Kingdom that plays a mixture of folk and melodic death metal and this is a review of their self released 2026 album "The Past Tales" which will be released in February.

Stringed instruments and orchestration start off the album and also mixes in with the heavier sections of the songs at times. Elements of folk music are also utilized quite a bit throughout the recording while the faster sections of the songs also add in a lot of blast beats and the solos and leads are also done in a very melodic style.

Blast beats are also added into the faster sections of the songs at times while the vocals are mostly death metal growls, Melodies are also added into some of the guitar riffing along with the screams also adding in touches of black metal and clean playing can also be heard in certain sections of the album.

Spoken words can also be heard at times along with the songs also adding in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts. Clean playing and acoustic guitars are also quite a bit throughout the album as well as some of the tracks also being very long and epic in length, female vocals can also be heard briefly. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover history, war and mythology themes.

In my opinion Mývalyĭr are a very great sounding mixture of folk and melodic death metal and if you are a fan of those musical genres, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Recollection" and "The Mighty Never Fail". 8 out of 10.

https://www.facebook.com/myvalyir

https://youtu.be/bE1xFsfFZqY

Nightshade/In Essence Divided/my Kingdom Music/2026 Full Length Review

Switzerland's Nightshade have returned with a new recording which shows the music going for an avant garde and progressive mixture of black and dark metal and this is a review of t heir 2026 album "In Essence Divided" which will b e released in February by my Kingdom Music.

An industrial style sound starts off the album along with some choir vocals a few seconds later while avant garde and symphonic sounds are also mixed in with the heavier sections of the songs. Harsh vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams and all of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to them.

A great portion of the tracks are also very long and epic in length while melodies are also added into some of the guitar riffing. When clean playing is utilized it also takes the music more of a progressive direction along with the album also adding in a great amount of dark metal elements, rap style vocals can also be heard briefly.

Acoustic guitars are also added on a few tracks along with the music also showing some influences of 70's progressive rock at times. Clear male and female singing is also utilized quite a bit throughout the album as well as the solos and leads also being done in a very melodic style. Spoken words can also be heard briefly and a later song also adds in a brief use of wind instruments, when the recording finally speeds up a small amount of blast b eats can also be heard. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics are a concept album based upon the motive of cosmologies told from different world mythologies.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Nightshade and if you are a fan of avant garde and progressive black and dark metal, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Stateless Journey" "Night Torn" "Of Seas & Seeds" and "Brother Of Sleep". 8 out of 10.

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nightshademetal

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Battlesoul/The Wheel/2026 EP Review

Battlesoul are a band from Ontario, Canada that has been featured before in this zine and on this recording plays a pagan form of folk metal and this is a review of their self released 2025 ep "The Wheel".

Battle sounds start off the ep before going into a very fast and brutal direction which also utilizes a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats. Harsh vocals are mostly black metal screams while the music also adds in the brutality of death metal and the clear singing adds in influences of pagan and power metal.

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. Growls are also utilized at times along with the solos and leads also being done in a very melodic style, folk instruments are also added on a few tracks, acoustic guitars can also be heard briefly and spoken words are also added on the closing track.

On this recording Battlesoul takes melodic black, death, folk, pagan and power metal and mixes them together to create a very aggressive and diverse sounding release. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover pagan mysticism, mythology, history and the eternal cycle of conflict and renewal.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Battlesoul and if you are a fan of pagan folk metal, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACK "No Legacy" and "The Wheel". 8 out of 10.

https://www.facebook.com/BattlesoulOfficial

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGLXfzKsKSOm1xUpWSYWtwQ

https://battlesoul.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4P1Uy9C866snVJngOauZPl

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/battlesoul/659846013

Terramorta/The Fading Lumina's Embrace/Magus Pike Records/2025 Full Length Review

Terramorta are a band from Portugal that has been featured before in this zine and on this recording goes for a symphonic mixture of black and death metal and this is a review of their 2025 album "The Fading Lumina's Embrace" which was released by Magus Pike Records.

A very distorted sound starts off the album along with some melodic guitar solos and leads a few seconds later which also takes the music into a heavier direction. All of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to them and the vocals are a mixture of black metal screams and death metal growls.

Melodies are also added into a lot of the guitar riffing while the symphonic sounds also mix in with the heavier sections of the album. When the music speeds up a great amount of blast beats and tremolo picking can be heard along with the songs also adding in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts,.

Spoken words and shouts can also be heard in certain sections of the recording as well as some tracks also adding in a small amount of clean playing, a couple of songs also adds in a small amount of clear singing which also adds in an operatic touch. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover emotions and aspirations of man.

In my opinion this is another great sounding album from Terramorta and if you are a fan of symphonic black and death metal, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Baba Yaga" "Deliberate Killing Of Oneself" "March Of The Forsaken" and "The Fading Lumina's Embrace". 8 out of 10.

hkps://terramortaofficial.bandcamp.com/album/the-fading-luminas-embrace

hkps://www.facebook.com/terramorta.official :

hkps://www.instagram.com/terramorta.official/

Velzevul/Pandemonium/Satanath Records/More Hate Productions/2025 Full Length Review

Velzevul are a band from Russia that plays a very symphonic form of black metal and this is a review of their 2025 album "Pandemonium" which was released as a joint effort between Satanath Records and More Hate Productions.

A very apocalyptic sound starts off the album along with some symphonic sounding keyboards and choirs a few seconds later which also mixes in with the heavier sections of the songs. Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams while all of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to them.

When the music speeds up a great amount of tremolo picking and blast b eats can be heard while the songs also add in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts. Growls are also utilized at times along with the solos and leads also being done in a very melodic style when they are utilized, melodies are also added into some of the guitar riffing.

Velzevul plays a style of black metal that is very symphonic in the mid 90's tradition. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover Demonology, Luciferian, Anti Christian and Darkness themes.

In my opinion Vezevul are a very great sounding symphonic black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Nuclear Snow" "The Insignificance Of The Universe" and "The Valley of Shadows". 8 out of 10.

https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat402-velzevul-pandemonium-2025

Chronicler Of Ardul Interview

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

I just updated Myrewood and by the time this comes out, Sword of Virné should also be done too. Just some remixing and rebalancing of the music. Currently working on some new music before I really get into the meat of what this project is heading toward.

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

This is much more inline with what you would hear from a soundtrack. There’s bard music, a village track, and a lot of atmospheric tracks that make you feel like you’re in a forest, underground, in a tense moment before things erupt, and some battle songs. So quite different from my previous releases, but rounding out what this project is.

3.On previous recordings you had more of a symphonic and extreme style of metal and on the new album go for more of a folk style, what was the decision behind going into this musical direction?

That’s been the plan for a long time. There are three pillars to the project: metal, stories, and orchestral soundtrack music. Sounds of Ardul is that third pillar to follow the other things I’ve done.

I sort of envision myself like a director without the movie. There’s story and world and characters and epic thematic music and melodic motifs, all that’s missing is the set and actors.

4.All of your lyrics cover fantasy themes, can you tell us a little bit more about how your interest in this topic has evolved over the years?

I fell in love with fantasy a long time ago in middle school. My brother recommended that I read the Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore. From there it was stuff like the Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy, Lord of the Rings, and other stuff. I’m much more of a fantasy nerd than sci-fi or anything else.

And then along the way I wanted to combine my passions for metal music, fantasy, and music from my favorite video games. All that brought together is the essence of what I do.

5.On the website you also have a couple of novel's written and published, how do these novels fit in with music you create?

The music and story of Myrewood work hand-in-hand. The music gives you the epic cinematic feeling with raw visceral emotion, while the story takes you in deeper into the world and let’s you explore more and learn.

6.You also created your own fantasy universe, can you tell us a lite bit more about this world you create with your writing and also what are you inspirations as a writer?

It all started with the trilogy I’m working toward, and I thought it would be a much better idea to start to build that world before jumping into a monumental project. Myrewood was that first step.

It’s dark fantasy and a bit more old school with only four races: humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs. There’s magic and complications and gods and dangers all around. There was big cataclysmic event that split the world into the continents. And the magic is chaotic, as we saw in Sword of Virné. It’s not safe and can’t be controlled.

Right now I’m just exploring the world and seeing what stories can be told and really making it come alive.

Some of my influences are the Dragon Age games, Dungeons and Dragons, Lord of the Rings, and The Witcher.

7.With this project you record most of the material by yourself, do you prefer to work solo?

To a certain degree, yes. Like I said before, this is a huge passion project and I like doing much of this myself. However, I can’t do vocals, at least for right now. So I’ve gotten help from great people like Thomas Blanc, Sofia Frasz, and Aaron Johnson III, who I am in a band with called Left After Death. I also worked with Maxwell Aston to do art for me and he did an incredible job.

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

There’s a really cool nature preserve close to where I live. It’s hard to find trees where I am, but this place has some great spots, and I found this cool area with that tunnel sort of bit and thought it would be a great representation of where this next project is going, sort of transporting you to another realm. And I love trees.

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

Sofia Frasz from Exiled Hope is a kindred spirit. We both tell stories through our music and incorporate orchestral elements. We had a talk at one point and wanted to collaborate and the time finally came. She did an amazing job.

The other is my vocalist and bass player in Left After Death, Aaron Johnson III. He’s a great guy and super creative, doing other style like goth rock and EDM and his own symphonic metal stuff, so it was pretty obvious to have him do some stuff on my music as well.

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

Reactions have been good! They love it, compared it to other bands like Dimmu Borgir or One Winged Angel from Final Fantasy VII. I recently had one interaction recently where someone said they haven’t heard of blackened death metal and fantasy, so I had to chime in and say, “Hey, I do that! And there’s orchestra stuff too!” I’m glad people are enjoying it and not saying I should give up. haha

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

Just doing more. More music, get that trilogy out, other orchestral stuff, maybe work with other artists and helping them with their music, and doing more collaborations. I got a lot of music friends I want to work with. I always try to improve on what I’ve done before, so that’s the goal as an artist.

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

I’ve been listening to a little more Mental Cruelty, particularly their A Hill to Die Upon Album, as well as some Wormwitch. Just to channel those styles of riffs and be influenced by what they are doing. Then there’s always Shadow of Intent, and I’ve been playing Octopath Traveler 0, and that has great music as well.