Thoreous/Black Crow King/The Grace Of Pettiness/badGod Music/2013 Split Review

   This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Thoreous  and  Black  Crow  King  called  "The  Grace  Of  Pettiness"  which  was  released  by  badGod  music  in  the  year  of  2013  and  we  will  start  of  the r eview  with  Germany's  Thoreous  which  mixes  drone,  doom,  experimental  and  noise  together.

  Drum  programming  ranges  from  slow  to  mid  paced  beats,  while  the  sound  effects  and  synths  bring  elements  of  drone,  experimental  and  noise  to  their  side  of  the  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

 Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  doom  metal,  drone  and  noise  together  along  with  a  great  amount  of  heavy  distortion  behind  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  distorted  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  weird  vocals,  deep  growls  and  high  pitched  screams  which  brings  a  black  metal/noise  sound  to  the  recording,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Sadistic  and  Perverted  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Thoreous  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  doom  metal,  drone,  noise  and  experimental  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The Genital  Scalps  Of  The  SS  Impressing  Our  Prurient  Lollipop  Balding"  and  "Occult  Masturbation  Wets  The  Sceptre  Of  Darkness  Injected. R ECOMMENDED.

  Next  up  is  Black  Crow  King  a  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  mixes  black  metal,  drone,  experimental,  doom  and  sludge  together.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with  no  fast  playing  or  blast  beats  being  present on  their  side  of  the  recording,  while  the  synths  bring  elements  of  ambient,  drone  and  experimental  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has   a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  black  metal,  drone,  sludge  and  doom  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  a  great  amount  of  heavy  distortion  behind  the  riffing  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  their  side  of  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  all  deep  and  high  pitched  blackened  death  metal  growls  and  screams,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occult  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy,  raw  and  primitive  sound  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Black  Crow  King  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Legacy  Of  Dust"  and  "The  Beast  Within". RECOMMENDED.

  In  conclusion  I  feel t his  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  to  all  fans  of  black  metal,  drone,  doom,  sludge,  experimental  and  noise.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Black Crow King Interview

1. Can you tell us a little about about the project Black Crow King for those that have never heard of you before?
It is a solo project that came into existence mid 2011 as a means for me to explore very personal beliefs, interests and emotions. At the time I was making really harsh hate filled rage fuelled extreme electronic music that was not suitable to explore some of my other interests so Black Crow King came into existence.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?
The bastard offspring of Extreme Doom, Death Industrial, Black Metal and Dark Ambient. Think along the lines of Khanate meets Gnaw Their Tongues with some harsh electronics and black atmospherics thrown in for good measure

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects that you explore with the music?
On 'To Pay The Debt Of Nature' there is a central theme to the album, namely death but each song also explores it's own separate theme. 'I, Crow' is an exploration and homage to crows in the role they play in the natural the supernatural and occult worlds. 'The Shadow Falls' is a philosophic discussion on nihilism, misanthropy and death. In 'Vengeance' I think the title says as much as you need to know, 'Grotesque Existence' explores the grotesque nature of humanity and how the one is neglible to the many and how we as a race have become Grotesque i.e. no longer a part of the natural world and nature. 'Crowbait' is pure misanthropy and malevolence and the final track 'Excarnation Ritual' explores my interest in the funeral practice of excarnation, this is an ancient practice linked with pagan beliefs in which the deceased persons corpse was left out in the open, most commonly on a platform, as an offering to nature in the form of crows and other carrion feeding birds. The crows / vultures acted as carriers for the soul to be taken to the afterlife.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Black Crow King?
I have a deep seated interest in crows and there supernatural role, they are viewed as the bringers and companions of death in virtually every culture, so to me the king of the crows would be death himself and that is what inspired the name. There is also a character that features in the lyrics of some of my songs that I call Crowlord - this too is a personification of death. Incidentally the album title itself is a euphemism for death.

5. The album came out on badGod music, how do you feel they have helped with spreading and supporting your music so far?
badGod Music has been wonderful, Dave has supported me from the day he first heard Black Crow King and has been tireless in his efforts to promote the band however he is able to, he does it for the love of the music and supports the bands 100%. Any artist would be lucky to be signed by the label.

6. Do you have any other musical projects besides Black Crow King?
Yes but that is a conversation for another day.

7. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
I have already started work on the follow up album, the songs will still be long but for this release will follow a more structured sound and I am using a heavier guitar sound but all the other experimental elements will still remain - BCK will never be 'another run of the mill doom band', if I ever feel that is happening I will scrap the project.

8. What are some bands or musical styles that have inflenced your music?
Khanate, Electric Wizard, Burning Witch, Eagle Twin, Gnaw Their Tongues, Anaal Nathrakh, Prurient, Whitehouse, MZ.412 and N.D.E

9. Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in your music?
Satanism does not play any role but the occult does. My interests lie in the more primal forms of paganism and the primal deities.

10. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Thank you for your great review and for the opportunity to do this interview and I hope that the more adventurous people will go out and buy and enjoy the album in all it's ugly depraved beauty.


--
Regards
Corvus
Black Crow King
www.myspace.com/black.crow.king

Black Crow King/To Pay The Debt Of Nature/badGod Music/2012 CD Review

  Black Crow King are a band from an unknown location that plays a mixture of black metal, doom metal, sludge and experimental music and this is a review of their 2012 album "TO Pay The Debt Of Nature" which was released by badGod Music.

Drum programming when it is utilized range from slow to mid paced beats that are not included on every song, while the bass playing has a very strong and powerful sound with slow doom/sludge riffs that dominate throughout the recording, as for the synths when they are utilized they have a very dark ambient and evil sound to them with some harsh noise effects being thrown in at times.

Rhythm guitars range from slow to mid paced that combine black metal, doom metal and sludge together with a great amount of heavy distortion while the lead guitars when they are utilized are very distorted and noisy sounding guitar solos and leads.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams mixed in with some deep blackened growls, while the lyrics cover dark and occult themes, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Black Crow King are a very great sounding black metal, doom, sludge, experimental/noise hybrid band and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "The Shadow Falls" "Grotesque Existence" and "Excarnation Ritual". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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