Suffering Souls/An Iconic Taste Of Demise/Satanath Records/Fetzner Death Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Suffering  Souls  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "An  Iconic  Taste  Of  Demise"  which  will  be  released  in  may  by  Satanath  and  Fetzner  Death  Records.

  A  very  dark,  melodic  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  and  clear  vocals  a  few  seconds  later.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  a lot  of  the  music  is  also  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  and  female  vocals  into  the  music.

  Clear  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  back  up  shouts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  also  bring  in  a  couple  of  instrumentals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Death  and  Misanthropy  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Suffering  Souls  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Soul  Devourer"  "A  Touch  of  Evil  Kindness"  and  "Cruelty  in  Love  And  Fear".  8  out  of  10.

  

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Suffering Souls/True Godfucking Souldbright/Schwarzdorn Production/2020 Full Length Review

  Suffering  Souls  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "True Godfucking  Souldbright"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Schwarzdorn  Production.

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in a   decent  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  one  of  the  tracks  also  being  a  brief  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  musical  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  and  a  later  track  also  introduces  death  emtal  growls  onto  the  recording,  the  closing  track w as  also  recorded  live.

  On  this  recording  Suffering  Souls  remain  true  to  the  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  that  was  established  on  their  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Anti  Christianity,  Misanthropy  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Suffering  Souls  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Beyond  The  Nocturnal  Gates  Of  Uncertainty"  "Queen   Of  The  Night"  "The  Throne  Unite  Dimensions"  and  "Punishment  For  the  Believe  To  Christianity".  8  out  of  10.

 https://www.facebook.com/SUFFERING-SOULS-Official-155361931188672/

  

Suffering Souls Interview

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

Immediately after the recordings, of course, as with every album, the mastering came and immediately afterwards the concept for marketing, advertising, organization and the tuning of a release date.
We, Patrick especially and I, are working really hard to bring the album to a very high level, and the worldwide reviews and ongoing interview requests prove us right. So far we are doing everything right and things are going very well.

2.You have a new album coming out during the beginning of 2019, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

There are nine symphonically arranged Black Metal songs in the usual Suffering Souls style.
The main difference to the previous albums is that this album is going to be much more structured, catchy and towards medium tempo. However, still satanic and inhuman.

3.This is the first release in 10 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time span?

At the end of 2009, after the release of "Sadistic Goat Complex" I started to work on new songs right in the middle of 2010, which I was working on until the end of 2014.
After the pre-production in September 2015, which was created in my studio, I decided to let the almost finished album rest. In November it was time that I went to a longtime companion from Nuremberg in a very familiar studio, where I once again played all the instruments from scratch for months and reorganized the orchestral parts with him.
In the autumn of 2016, I then started with the vocals, but something was missing, right: Vocals are sometimes "clean". Like listening to "In Synergy Obscene" now, I also wanted to try the "normal" vocals, which I think I coped quite well with. I also brought in Joe Jones, a guy from an Irish folk band, to help out, which is on the album now. Writing, arranging and recording the whole album took from January 2010 to autumn 2017. Afterwards, the tracks were mixed and mastered by me for about nine months until mid-2018, in a local studio (Musikomm) in my hometown of Amberg.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore on the new album?

As with all Suffering Souls albums, it's about inhumane themes, satanism, occultism, and the end of the human race throughout. Of course, death and the devil in their most beautiful and abominable form, as the world has earned.
I love it...


5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Suffering Souls’?

The name of the band is self-explanatory if you and especially the followers deal with the topic, the lyrics and especially with the music and deal with it intensively.

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

The artwork was made by the Frenchman Remy C. from Headsplit Design, just like for the 2009 album "Sadistic Goat Complex".
A few ideas of me in a sketch packed, the album title and a "have fun" were sufficient that I had two months later, the first serious drafts on the table.
It has become absolutely fantastic and reflects the complete album in its gloom. Every single song is visually united in this picture. Listen to it intensively and you will understand what I mean.

7.Currently the band is a solo project but had a full line up in the past, are you open to adding other members in the band again or do you prefer to work alone?

Since completion of the second album "Incarnated Perfection" in 2003, I do everything in complete solo. Since I was responsible for most of our riffs from the beginning, that is, since our founding in 1994, it has taken endless years from the first official demos, "In the Moonshadow of Dispair" and "When Silence Cries Eternally" MCD "Cries of Silence" on the first full-length album "Twilight Ripping Souls Apart" to the "Incarnated Perfection" the second longplayer, forced us to be a band. Eternal discussions about riffs, length, structure and type of lyrics have limited me in all too much what I wanted to express with "Suffering Souls". Although "Incarnated Perfection" already came completely from my pen, both musically and lyrically, I needed the then members as extras and means to the end of the album. Ultimately, my own studio and the advances in technology were the logical consequence: "It was not nice with you, Fuck Off, dictator Esgaroth is now sole ruler over the Suffering Souls."
.... and the burden of having to endure other people had also been dealt with.
It will remain so in the future, that I will do everything alone, except it should eventually be a big gig or a long tour pending, then of course I will have to work with some session musicians together.

8.Was there any live shows back when there was a full line up?

Yes, of course, every band wants to play live and that's what happened to us back in 1994 when Suffering Souls was founded. On March 16, 1996, we had our first appearance in a local pub and were absolutely sold out. However, at that time there were only about 110 people. From then on we were unstoppable and until our little European tour in 2000, after the release of "Twilight Ripping Souls Apart", we played permanently live.

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

The massive and worldwide response to the new album "In Synergy Obscene" is so overwhelming that it takes Suffering Souls to a new level in Black Metal. Above all, the reactions, ratings and sales figures have skyrocketed in North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Inquiries from interviews and presentations in radio shows have increased so much that I am fully booked with my appointments.
The album teaser that Patrick from Schwarzdorn Production produced has also been a big help.

10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

Suffering Souls will be the spearhead of German Symphonic Black Metal. Of course I expect a chart placement !!!
... only for this album, not for the next, because I'm back "true". It will always go on ...

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

Brahms, Rachmaninow and I, the calm, the loneliness and the bringer of the light, it changes, promised, nothing!

12.How would you describe your views on Satanism?

He is always and everywhere, among us, in us and in every crappy religion.

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

Stop the Norwegian Incest, long live German Black Metal

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Suffering Souls/In Synergy Obscene/Schwarzdorn Production/2019 CD Review

  Suffering  Souls  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "In  Synergy  Obscene"  which  will  be  released  in  2019 by  Schwarzdorn  Production.

  A  very  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  after  the  intro  while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly  along  with  some  programmed  beats  also  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  some  clean  vocals  are  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music.

  Back  up  shouts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some  of  the  fast  riffing  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  growls  can  also  be  heard  and  acoustic  guitars  and  female  vocals  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Suffering  Souls  plays  a  style  of  symphonic  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  modern  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Anti  Christianity,  Death  and  Misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Suffering  Souls  is  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Synergy  Obscene"  "As  The  Truth  Unfolds"  and  "Unseen  Phenomenon".  8  out  of  10.


https://www.facebook.com/SUFFERING-SOULS-Official-155361931188672/