Hessaja/Planet Sedom :ISON/WOOAAARGH/2017 EP Review

  Hessaja  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  blackened  and  progressive  mixture  of  ambient,  doom  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Planet  Sedom  :ISON"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  WOOAAARGH.

  Ambient  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  and  after  awhile  drum  beats  and  elements  of  post  rock  are  added  into  the  recording  along  with  some  aggressive  hardcore  style  vocals  and  after  awhile  the  music  starts  mixing  in  the  heaviness of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

 Both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  influences  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the recording  while  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  and  experimental  at  times  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  both  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Hessaja  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  progressive,  post,  ambient, black, sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hessaja  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  progressive,  post,  ambient, black, sludge  and  doom  metal    and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Nista".  8  out  of  10.

www.wooaaargh.bandcamp.com/album/hessja-planet-sedam-ison
►  VIDEO	www.youtu.be/c7S05EO4gMI

 

Creatures/Le Noir Vullage/Antiq Label/2016 Full Length Review

  Creatures  are  a  solo  project  from  France  that  plays  a  musical  style  he  describes  as  being  horror  metal  which  mixes  symphonic  black  metal,  death,  doom,  and  ambient  music  together  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2016  album  "Le  Noir  Village"  which  will  be  released  on  October  25th  by  Antiq  Label.

  Nature  sounds  along  with  classical  guitars  start  off  the  album  and  after  awhile  spoken  word  parts  and  background  female  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  which also start  getting  more  powerful  after  awhile  and  once  the  music  gets  heavy  they  also  weird  in  weird  goth  style  keyboards  and  grim  black  metal  screams.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  death metal growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them and  the  solos and  leads are  done  in  a  very  melodic  direction  and  clean  singing  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the recording.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal  and w hen  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  songs  also  bring  in a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  violins  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  tribal  beats  and  shamanistic  chanting  and  the  keyboards  also  mix  in  a  decent  amount  of  ambient  elements.

  Creatures  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  black  metal  while  also  mixing  in  symphonic  and  ambient  elements  along  with  some  goth,  doom  and  death  metal  influences  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  is  a  concept  album  based  upon  a  twelfth  century  countryside  getting  attacked  by  terrifying  monsters.

  In  my  opinion  Creatures  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  project  with  elements  of  doom,  death  metal  and  ambient  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cadavre  Abadonne" and  "Souls  le  Visage  avenent  de  la  Mort".  8  out  of  10.    

https://www.youtube.com/watch? 

Triplezero Interview

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

Well, this project started in 2015 but we've been collaborating and playing in many different bands for several years.

In fact I've recorded most of my albums in the studio of Denys, who plays electronics in this release. I mean, besides the band, we're three mates who share more than musical activities.

2.Recently you have released an album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

I don't like talking in terms of "styles". I think nowadays we have to transcend that, music is music after all. And sometimes thinking in styles is artistically self-limiting , but to make myself clear Icould say there's some dark ambient and drones here, as well as free improvisation and black metal feeling.

3.Some of your music is inspired by the writings of H.P Lovecraft, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this author?

I've been a fan of Lovecraft since I was a teen, I really enjoyed Poe, him, or other terror/fantasy/witchery writers like R.E Howard. About Lovecraft, besides his stories, there's an amazing and complex philosophy and spiritual concept behind all that. As usual, best things are between the lines.

4.You have also listed S. Ben Qayin and Asenath Mason as influences 2 contemporary left hand path authors that have been making some headlines lately, can yo tell us a little bit more about your involvement with the Black Arts And Occultism?

Well, I think there's nothing black on Arts, and nothing occult on Occultism. All these are just words that humans need to conceptualize what our limited minds are not able to understand. Everyone has their own path and it's free to walk it or not. Everything's revealed, the only thing we need is having the will to see beyond. I mean by saying that, I don't take part in any team but mine. And I don't work for anyone but myself.

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

It's an abstract concept about the zero as chaos, the double zero as infinite, and triplezero as an antithesis of the infinite.

6.Has the band done any live shows yet or has this been a studio project so far?

The band was born as a studio project with the only purpose of having fun making free noise impros. But the results were much better than we expected, and then we decided to include our friend Eric on vocals as a featuring. The whole thing was growing and now we've got something solid we can defend on stage.

7.The album was released through both 'Antinomia Records' and 'Binary Sorrow', can you tell us a little bit more about both of these labels?

Binary Sorrow is an italian label who trusted on our music from the beginning and we really appreciate that. They'll release the album on CD in a few months. About Antinomia, it's my own label, a division of Sepulchral Silence, the metal one where I'm the A&R, but Antinomia is focused on experimental and avantgarde stuff regardless styles but on intense and creative music.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your album by fans of the more dark or underground forms of music?

Some of them love it, some of them were shocked or annoyed, and I'm glad about that, ‘cause it means our music leaves nobody indifferent. Anyway, not a big deal. I make music for myself, not for others. But if in the meantime it can touch somebody else... much better!

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

We three are in too many projects to be listed here. I think the point is Triplezero feeds and fits some part of us that no other project can.

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

Expect anything. But I can assure intensity will be the same or even more, regardless the aesthetics or musical direction.

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?

I personally prefer music over styles. About bands...too many. I just can say lately I've been listening to Demilich, Cultes Des Ghoules, Infester, Portal, early Bethlehem and late John Coltrane.

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

I appreciate the opportunity to answer your questions here, and I just want to encourage people to find and discover new stuff, diving into the Antinomia, Sepulchral Silence, Binary Sorrow catalogues and all of underground metal or non-metal labels, to be open minded and always look beyond. Cheers!

https://www.facebook.com/000triplezero/

Triplezero/000/Antinomia Records/Binary Sorrow/2016 Full Length Review

  Triplezero  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and black  metal  with  some  elements  of  free  improv,  avant  garde  and  contemporary  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "000"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Antinomia  Records  and  Binary  Sorrow.

  Distorted  noises  along  with  some grim  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  blast  beats and  after  awhile  the  music  goes  into  more  of  an  avant  garde  direction  and  the  music  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  demonic  growls  during  the  heavier  sections  of  the songs  and  the  whispers  give  the  tracks  more  of  an  evil  atmosphere.

  At  times  the  riffs  can  be  melodic  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  experimental  and  psychedelic  elements  along  with  a  great  amount  of  drones  and  the  music  also  gets  very  ritualistic  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  some  songs  bring  in  electronic  music  traces   while  also  bringing  in  flutes  and  tablas  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  free  form  jazz  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  the music  starts  getting  more  shamanistic  and  tribal  and  the  last  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Triplezero  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  black  metal  and  ritualistic  dark  ambient  while  also  adding  in  experimental  and  avant  garde  elements  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Lovecraft  themes  along  with  the  ritualistic  and  left  hand  path  elements  from  the  writings  of  S.  Ben  Qayin  and  Aseneth  Mason.

  In  my  opinion  Triplezero  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  black  metal,  ritual,  dark  ambient  and  avant  garde  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "0"  "V"  "18"  and  "000".  8  out  of  10.

https://antinomiarecords.bandcamp.com/album/000

Siegelord/Ascent Of The Fallen/2016 Full Length Review

  Siegelord  are  a  band  from  Cincinnati,  Ohio  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  some  dark  ambient  and  symphonic  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  album  "Ascent  Of  The  Fallen".

  Ambient  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  up  to  more  of  a  symphonic  and  heavy  musical  direction  which  also  introduces  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording  and  you  can  also  hear  a  great  amount  of  melody  in  the  guitar  riffing.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  all  of  the musical  instruments on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  there  are  also  some  angry  shouts  being  utilized  at  time.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  songs  also  bring  in a  great  amount  of  modern  metal  elements  while  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  influences  of  power  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  and  they  are  mixed  in  with  the  guitar  riffs while  the  vocals  are all done  in  either  a  spoken  or  aggressive  direction  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  along  with  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  and  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  the  last  track.

  Siegelord  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  styles  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  some  symphonic  and  dark  ambient  elements  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  fantasy  stories  of  their  own  creations.

  In  my  opinion  Siegelord  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  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  "Fractured  Pantheon"  "Unkillable"  "Totem'  and  "Ascent  Of  The  Fallen".  8  out  of  10.

Siegelord.Bandcamp.com

 

Haiku Funeral/Hallucinations/Aesthetic Death Records/2016 CD Review

  Haiku  Funeral  are  a  duo  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental  black  metal,  doom,  industrial  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Hallucinations"  which  was  released  by  Aesthetic  Death  Records.

  Dark  ambient  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  distorted  bass  guitars  and  the  music  can  also  be  very  experimental  at  times  and  after  awhile  aggressive  industrial  style  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  touch  of  neo  classical  and  on  the  second  track  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording.

  At  times  the  music  can  be  very  atmospheric  and drums  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  there  is  also  a  great  amount  of  diversity  present  on  this  recording  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  touch  of  doom  metal  while  also  being  very  avant  garde  at  times  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  ethnic  and  death  metal  elements  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks are  very  long  and  epic  in  length

  Haiku  Funeral  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  industrial,  experimental  and  dark  ambient  while  also  mixing  in  dome  doom  and  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive,  occultism,  and  anti  religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Haiku  Funeral  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  experimental  black  metal,  doom,  industrial  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something  very  original,  you  should  check  out  this  band,  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hallucinations"  "Suicide  Organ"  "Faiths  Black  Orgasm"  and  "The  last  Hallucination  Of  Christ".  8  out  of  10.

https://soundcloud.com/user-174429814/haiku-funeral-the-first-amphetamine-kiss/s-3HtdG    

Mussorgski/Creatio Cosmican Bestiae/Godz Ov War Production/Third Eye Temple/2016 CD Review

  Mussorgski  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a mixture  of  symphonic  black  metal  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Creatio Cosmican Bestiae"  which  will  be  released  in  February  as  a  joint  effort  between  Godz  Ov  War  Productions  and  Third  Eye  Temple.

  A  very  dark  ambient  sound  starts  off   the  album  along  with  some  elements  of  classical  and  after  awhile  the  music  gets  more  heavy and  melodic  as  well  adding  in  deep  black  metal  style  growls  while  also  mixing  the  heaviness  in  with  the  symphonic  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  You  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  keyboards  at  times  also  bring  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  horror  movie and  they  also  bring  in  a  couple  of  instrumental  tracks.

  Some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  most  of  the  music  sticks  either  to  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  male  and  female  choirs  can  be  heard  and  the  last  track also  brings  in  elements  of  electronic  and industrial  music.

  Mussorgski plays  a  musical  style  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  symphonic  black  metal  while  also  mixing  in  elements  of  experimental,  ambient  and  classical  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own, the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  scientific,  universe  and  anti  christian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mussorgski  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  symphonic  black  metal  and  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "God  Is  In  The  Neurons"  "Key  To  The  Universe"  and  "Paradisum".  8  out  of  10. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQbGloaUo2g

 

Batsheva/I Am The Whore Of Babylon/2015 EP Review

  Batsheva  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  symphonic  and  melodic  take  on  black  and  doom  metal  but  also  experiments  with  ambient  and  noise  on  the  new  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015 ep  "I  Am  The  Whore  Of  Babylon".

  A  very  heavy  and  blasphemous  black/death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  few  blast  beats  and  a  mixture  of  growls  and  high  pitched  screams  and  the  doom  metal  influence  starts  kicking  in  during  the  slower  riff  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounds  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  briefly  they  bring  in  a  more  modern  and  melodic  style  of  black  metal  and  the  song  also  brings  in  both  slow  and  fast  parts  and  on  the  later  tracks  the music  goes  for  more  of  an  instrumental  and  ambient  noise  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  harsh  power  electronics  and  they  also  mix  in  the  black  metal  style  and  screams  into  their  approach  to  noise  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling.

  Batsheva  keeps  the  black  and doom  metal  elements  of  previous  recordings  and  also  mixes  in  noise  and  ambient  to  create  a  very  dark,  ritualistic  and  occult  sounding  ep,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Batsheva  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of t he  more  evil  styles  of  black  metal,  doom,  death  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I  Am  The  Whore  Of   Babylon"  and  "To  The  Worms".  8  out  of  10. 

http://batsheva.bandcamp.com/album/i-am-the-whore-of-babylon

Aethyr Interview

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

D - We've got the master of the album in our hands by the end of the summer 2014. Since then we've been doing some gigs & making new tracks, thinking about making a record for the future split or EP. New tracks are very different from the CORPUS! Also we were making video for CVLT single.

W - Also we were drawing a new artwork for the release.


2.You have a new album coming out this year, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

D - Aethyr has started as a duo, but now we are four-piece band. It was a long way from blackened-industrial-drone with only Aleister Crowley on the vocals, to the thing we've recorded for CORPUS.

W - I think that we are still trying to find out our own musical sound. We continue to try new things and mix styles in different proportions.


3.This is to be the first full length since 2010 and the first release since the split since 2012, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

D - After the split came out in 2012 we became full four-piece band and started making all the music together, also making live shows. Music became more and more difficult and when we had enough material we went to the studio, but wasn't really ready. So we've re-recorded the album in 3 different studios during 2013 & 2014. During that time Aethyr came stronger as a band & have made some new tracks that we've decided also to record for the album and leave some old (more drone sounded) tracks behind.


4.Your lyrics cover Occultism and Esoteric Disciplines, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in those topics?

W – As for me, it all has as metaphysical and as poetic sense. In order to understand the world we think of metaphors and signs. It's a way and attempt to look beyond reality. Staying alone with Abyss and comprehend himself and alone with the absolute.


5.I know that the bands name means the fifth element or spirit in occultism, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

D – Our music – is the Aethyr for this world.

W - All our efforts in band it is a way to understand what is it Aethyr.


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

W - We have not a many gigs during this time. We play usually where coincides with the spirit and atmosphere of the place and other musicians in small clubs. There was also a memorable experience - a concert in the woods, it was the video material for the video of the single "CVLT" (www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnhaDGprw_I ).


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

D – Supporting Primordial (IRL) is the nearest one. Tour – maybe.

W - We don’t thinking about that, but we open for any offers.


8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal, doom and drone?

W - We are just beginning to assert itself, but nevertheless, thanks for the efforts of our label Cimmerian Shade Recordings - more people know about our music. And there are a few positive reviews already. This is very encouraging.


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

D - Our new tracks sounds more in melodic-black-death style. We speed up more and more)) Though we have one new classic doom-black track. But anyway - we don't want/don't like to make borders. If someone got a great drone/sludge riff - we'll make it, followed by great death riff, etc.


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

D – Oh, there are so many of them…Nihilist, Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, Ceremonial Oath, Behemoth, Slayer, Amenra, Celeste, Clint Mansell, Gunter Kallmann Chorus, The Ocean, SepticFlesh, Under Byen – to name a few.

W - There are too many. From bands playing dark ambient and drone to True Norwegian Black Metal. Old and relative new. And it's impossible to select one or two. I suppose it is a mixture of all of them )


11.What are some of your non musical interests?

D – Graphic design & photo, but music is the main interest all the time (with other projects & music styles).

W - We involved in art project http://rottenfantom.com/ together with my beautiful wife Elena. We making a dark and mysterious black and white illustrations. It is a second part of my life on a par with Aethyr.


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

W - Thanks a lot for the interesting questions. Music is an important part of human culture. It is a mixture that unites people across the globe. Listen to the good music and try not to do anything stupid! )

D – Ave A!

Bandcamp

Facebook

Myspace

VKontakte

Aethyr/Corpus/Cimmerian Shade Recordings/2015 CD Review

   Aethyr  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  blackened  and  occult  mixture  of  funeral  doom  metal,  sludge,  ambient  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Corpus"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Cimmerian  Shade  Recordings.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  drone  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  doom  metal  direction  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  and  deep  death  metal  growls  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  bring  in  a  very  depressive  feeling  to  the  music  while  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  speeds  up  a  bit  and  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  on  the later  tracks  the  band  starts  adding  in  more  elements  of  stoner  and  sludge  into  the  slower  doom  metal  riffing  while  some  of  the  alter  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  synths  which  also  brings  in  more  of  a  funeral  doom  and  dark  ambient  atmosphere  to  the  recording  when  they  are  utilized  and  the  album  also  gets  more  diverse  with  each  track  along  with  one  of  the  songs  going  for  more  of  a  ritualistic  drone  sound  and  also  bringing  in  some  spoken  word  samples

  Aethyr  combine  a  variety  of  many  different  genres  together  from  black  metal,  funeral  doom,  sludge,  drone,  stoner  and  ambient  to  create  an  album  that  is  very  dark,  heavy,  and  ritualistic  sounding  while  also  being  very  original  at  the  same  time,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Esoteric  Disciplines.

   In  my  opinion  Aethyr  are  a  very  great  sounding  occult  mixture  of  black  metal,  funeral  doom,  sludge,  stoner,  drone  and  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sanctus  Satanicus"  "The Gnostic  Mass"  and  "Templum".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx1ze_wHpcg&feature=youtu.be&ct=t%28Aethyr_Templum_Video6_22_2015%29

    .

Astrum Malum Interview

Interview - ASTRUM MALUM
For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Astrum Malum was created in the autumn of 2014. The first songs were created quite fast since I had a very clear picture of how this project should sound like. The music is done completely with a single software, except for the guitars and vocals. This is how I plan to work in the future as well.

Recently you have released an Ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
 In my view, about half of the music is a combination of quite minimalistic “Neo Classical” sounds combined with electronic Ambient and Industrial sounds. The other half is a combination of Doom, Sludge and Black Metal. In the future I intend to include more Noise and electronics in general, as well as more Symphonic orchestral feelings.

What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?
The themes of the Ep deal with the loops and mirror-houses of human consciousness, and on the other hand spiritual death. Very Alchemical and Buddhist actually, although most of the world’s spiritual systems deal with these same topics, ideally.

What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Astrum Malum'?
 The name in Latin means “Evil Star”, at least that’s how I’ve meant it, and is a symbol of basically two things: The human consciousness itself, and the cultures it produces. The project wants to fuse the ancient with the modern, and the destructiveness of Western culture and the spirituality of the East, on some levels.

 With this project you record all of the instruments while you have some help with the lyrics and vocals, are there any plans to hire a full time line up in the future?
 I have had so much bad experiences with working as a “band” with many people in the past, that with this project I try to handle things as much as possible on my own. I am however fortunate to have two individuals co-operating with me with on the Ep with the lyrics, the other one of these also speaking Latin. I hope this will continue in the future as well.

 Recently SisSixSix Music have released your Ep and another recording from one of your other projects. Are you happy with the support they have given you so far?
 Actually Astrum Malum is the only project I have that’s been released by SixSixSix Music. Steve has been very helpful, and has many years of experience in label-work. He’s a pro!

 On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to this musical project by fans of black metal?
 It’s hard to tell, since the Ep has been out for such little time, but there have been a few positive reviews at this point. This is the first interview I’m answering with Astrum Malum.

 What is going on with some of the other musical projects these days that you are involved with?
 I have been doing Black Metal -related music since the mid-nineties, and there have been a lot of small projects, but may main bands at the moment besides Astrum Malum are: Taatsi (creating Nature Mystical Black Metal), and Vinoristi (formerly known as TKNKNTJ, Punk-influenced impetuous Blackened Metal)

Where do you see yourself heading into musically during the future?
With Astrum Malum, I will continue along the paths begun with the Ep, releasing a full-length album in 2015.

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?
I listen to so many different styles of music, it would be a long answer to list all the things I love, but in the case of Astrum Malum I have (always) wanted to create feelings mixing Dead Can Dance with the Tron: Legacy OST by Daft Punk (if you know what I mean), mixed also of course with Sludgy Black Metal.

How would you describe your views on Satanism, Luciferianism, and Occultism?
The proper nouns Satan and Lucifer mean today in peoples mind quite the different things they originally stand for, but I have been fascinated by the characters in the works of for example Milton, Dante, Bulgakov and Goethe since a kid. I have also quite liked the sense of humour Anton LaVey had. There have been periods in my life when terms like “Luciferian” or “Satanist” have meant a lot to me, but now at the age of 34 these would not be my first choices of words describing myself.
I have been into Ritual Magick, studying different religions and spiritual systems etc. since my early teens, but these days my practice revolves mostly around Yoga, Meditation, and Kabbalah.

 What are some of your non musical interests?
Besides the above-mentioned activities, I am for example into reading psychology and neurology, psychedelic themes, lifting weights and training boxing, as well as raising my daughter.

Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Like I mentioned earlier, this was the first interview I’ve done with Astrum Malum, many thanks for that, and your support in general! The Ep “Nether Knot” is available from SixSixSix Music, and a full-length album will be released by an yet unnamed label in 2015!

Bandcamp

Astrum Malum/Nether Knot/SixSixSix Music/2014 EP Review

  Astrum  Malum  are  a  1  man  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  neo-classical,  dark  ambient,  black  metal  and  sludge  and  this  is  a  review  of    2014  ep  "Nether  Knot"  which  was  released  by  SixSixSix  Music.

  A  very  symphonic  and  epic  neo-classical  sound  starts  off  the  ep  and  they  also  mix  it  in  with  heavy  guitars  and  grim  yet  deep  black  metal  growls  and  screams  and  the  programmed  beats  bring  in  a  militant  and  industrial  feeling  and  at  times  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  At  times  you  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  melody  being  utilized  on  this  recording  along  with  the  slower  riffing  bringing  in  a  very  heavy  sludge/doom  metal  feeling  and  when  solos  are  utilized  they  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody,  talent  and  skill  and  on  the  last  track  there  is  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  aprts.

  Astrum  Malum  creates  a  very  original  sound  with  his  music  taking  a  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  which  he  mixes  in  with  the  slower  riffing  of  sludge/doom  metal  and  the  atmosphere  of  dark  ambient  and  neo-classical,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  divided  into  a  3  song  concept  and  have  a  very  dark  subject  content  to  them.

  In  my  opinion  Astrum  Malum  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  symphonic  black  metal,  sludge,  dark  ambient  and  neo-classical  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Part  II".  8  out  10.

Bandcamp

Kablo Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
I started playing guitar about five and a half years ago (I was 16) . After I got better at the instrument, I started composing and recording simple songs and riffs at home (mostly rock and heavy metal) just for the fun of it. I live in a small village and starting a band was not possible. Then, in early 2012, a dear friend told me to listen to a black metal band called Taake. I had never listened to that genre of music before and its sound and imagery captivated me. That started it all. In no time, I learned about dozens of bands and genres of black metal and experimented with that sound. At about mid-summer 2012, nearly half of what would be my first album was already made.

2.In September of 2013 you had released your first album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
"Dark Moonlight Forest" was kind of an experiment sound wise. It has a whole lot of elements from different styles of metal. I knew I wanted it to be melodic but raw at the same time, with slow-paced clean guitars but also fast fast heavy ones. You could call that mash up of sounds melodic black metal, ambient black/death metal, etc. I like to call it Kablo-metal.

3.What are some of the concepts and images you bring out with your musical sound?
Nature in general but especially forests. My family comes from a northern zone of Spain called Galicia, very well known for its beautiful landscapes. I've always enjoyed long walks in the forests, trying to connect with nature. That's what I would like to evoke.

4.All of the music recorded so far has been instrumental, are you planning on using vocals in the future?
I am indeed! I wasn't able to put vocals in the first record because my singing is not very pleasant, but some people have offered their voice to sing for future songs.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Kablo'?
It's actually really dumb and funny. Years ago, my group of friends used to call me "Calvo" (wich means bald in Spanish) because I was the only one with very short hair. One day, one person extremely misspelled the word and wrote it like "Kablo" and everyone found it hilarious. It has been my pseudonym since that very day.

6.You record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you chose to remain solo?
I haven't had the opportunity to play in a band yet but I would like to someday. That being said, I don't think I would completely give up my solo project even while playing in a different band.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Not at the moment. Music is still only a hobby for me. I genuinely love to produce songs by myself.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and death metal?
The album was actually very well received; a lot better than I expected considering my low experience producing music. The amount of downloads it had on bandcamp was quite high and the reviews generally good.

9.Are you involved with any other musical projects?
No. "Kablo" is my only project by now.

10.Where do you see your self heading into musically during the future?
I don't really see myself getting super serious with my musical project. I do it for fun and it helps me disconnect from my daily life. I hope to be able to keep making music and explore new genres for a lot of time, having the same amount of fun as I do now.

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?
Basically black metal bands like Taake, Burzum, Dissection, Emperor... but my music has been influenced by styles that go from crust-punk to death metal, and even post-rock.
Nowadays, I listen to almost everything that isn't extremely commercial or mainstream. I like lots of types of metal, rock, punk and some electronic music. I'm also a big fan of video game music.
12.What are some of your non musical interests?

I really love exploring new places and walking through forests and mountains is one of my favorite pastimes. I also enjoy basketball and video games a lot.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Well, I would like to thank darkdoomgrinddeath.blogspot.com for taking the time to interview me and for the great review of my album. Also all of my gratitude to the people that support me all over the internet. Expect some new material in the near future!

Bandcamp

Kablo/Dark Moonlight Forest/2013 Full Length Review

  Kablo  are  a  1  man  band  from  Spain  that  plays  and  instrumental  and  melodic  mixture  of  ambient,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2013  album  "Dark  Moonlight  Forest".

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  good  mixture  of  finger  picking  and  full  chords  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  getting  a  lot  more  heavier  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  and  the  music  sticks  mostly  to  a  mid  paced  and  melodic  style  of  black/death  metal.

  The  solos  and  leads  that  are  utilized  on  the  recording  display  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  and  after  awhile  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  of  the  later  tracks  also  shows  the  music  speeding  up  a  bit  and  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Kablo  creates  a  very  interesting  sound  with  his  instrumental  approach  to  melodic  black/death  metal  as  well  as  adding  in  elements  of  ambient  music  to  make  his  music  sound  more  original  and  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Kablo  is  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  mixture  of  melodic  black/death  metal  and  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  Moonlight  Forest"  "Storm"  and  "The  Mighty  Tree".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

   

Osman Arabi/Beast Mutation Rituals/Kalpamantra/2011 Album Review

   Osman  Arabi  are  a  band  from  Libya  that  plays  dark  ambient/drone  with  a  black  metal  influence  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Beast  Mutation  Rituals"  which  was  released  by  Kalpamantra.

  Synths  bring  a  very  dark  ambient  and  atmospheric  drone  sound  to  the  music,  while  the  sound  effects  bring  in  harsh  noise  and  psychedelic  sounds  to  this  long  and  epic  25  minute  song  which  uses  a  variety  of  many  different  sounds,  as  well  as  some  samples  from  black  metal  songs.

  Vocals  when  they  are  utilized  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  with  some  spoken  word  samples  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  song  theme  revolves  around  dark  occult  rituals,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Osman  Arabi  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  ambient/ritual/drone/Black Metal  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED.

https://www.facebook.com/electrifyingtheair/

Sarah Jezebel Diva/The Corruption Of Mercy/Listenable Records/2011 CD Review

  Sarah Jezebel Diva is a singer from England that has been a part of many well known metal projects that had here previous album reviewed in this zine that plays a style that mixes symphonic, ambient and gothic metal together with a black metal edge and this is a review of her 2011 album "The Corruption Of Mercy' which was released by Listenable Records.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some occasional blast beats, while the keyboards are very dark, symphonic and atmospheric sounding with an industrial edge, as for the bass playing it has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and at times they sound powerful.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast melodic gothic metal riffs that still have a small amount of a black metal influence, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding guitar solos and leads.

Vocals are all clean singing female vocals that are very operatic sounding mixed in with some whispered vocals, while the lyrics touch on dark themes, as for the production it has a very dark and professional sound to it.

In my opinion this is another decent album from Sarah Jezebel Diva and if you where a fan of her past album, you probably wont be disappointed. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "No Paragon Of Virtue" "Pretty With Effects' and "The Eyes That Lie". RECOMMENDED.

Facebook

Myspace

YouTube

Troll/The Last Predators/Head Not Found Records/2000 CD Review

  Troll are a band from Norway that consists of many well known members of the Norwegian black metal, which started out as an ambient/industrial style of symphonic black metal but went for a more straight forward black/thrash sound with this release while retaining some industrial elements and this is a review of their 2000 album "The Last Predators" which was released by Head Not Found Records.

Drums are mostly mid paced to fast with a lot of brutal blast beats, while the bass  playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and at times they sound really powerful, as for the loops and synths when they are utilized they bring an ambient/industrial as well as a symphonic feel to the music.

Rhythm guitars are mostly mid paced to fast Norwegian style black metal riffs that also take a lot of influences from thrash, while the lead guitars have a classic metal/rock feel to the guitar solos.

Vocals are a mixture of high pitched black metal screams and industrial style vocals and the occasional death metal growl, while the lyrics cover hateful style themes with a dose of anti Christianity with the songs being written in a mixture of Norwegian and English that also have somewhat of a sci-fi feel, as for the production it has a very powerful sound that gives all of the musical instruments a brutal sound.

In my opinion this was a very good album from Troll and if you are a fan of classic Norwegian black metal, you should check this band out if you have not yet already done that. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Fall Of The Marbled Galaxy" "Mending The Instincts" "Eyes As In I" and "The Last Predators". RECOMMENDED BUY.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Myspace

ReverbNation

Spotify

Hrossharsgrani/Dead Man's Hill/Dead Meat/Steinklang/2010 CD Split Review

  This is a review of a split album between Hrosshargrani from Austria who has had a full length reviewed before in this zine and Dead Man's Hill from Belguim, the album is called "Dead Meat" and was released by Steinklang during the year of 2010, we are going to start of the review with Hrosshargrani.

Hrosshargrani are a band from Sweden that mixes martial industrial with dark ambient, noise and black metal.

Drum programming is mostly slow beats that get a little bit fast at times with some blast beats, while the noise effects sound dark and evil, as for the guitars they are very distorted sounding leads with some acoustic guitars being used on occasion.

Keyboards are very dark and epic sounding giving the music a ritualistic feel, while the vocals alternate between deep growls, clean singing male and female vocals and spoken word passages, while the lyrics are written in a mixture of German and English pagan orientated with some references to Romanian history, as for the production it sounds very dark and epic sounding.

In my opinion the songs that put out on this split are a lot better and darker then the previous full length that was reviewed. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Countess Bathory" and "Down There".

Dead Man's Hill are a band from Belgium that plays a very dark form of death industrial mixed in with a lot of ritual elements, neo classical and folk and now we are going to review their music.

Drum programming is all slow and militant, while the synths are very dark and evil sounding, as for the noise effects they are very loud and avant garde sounding.

Vocals use some deep growls along with a mixture of clean singing male and female vocals, with a small amount of heavy industrial guitars that make the music sound very evil.

Lyrics touch on the destruction of the world, Occultism, nature and Voodoo, while the production sounds very dark, powerful, epic and evil sounding.

In my opinion while Dead man's Hill are not black metal influenced they have the best and darkest music on this split. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "The Dangerous Emptiness" and "All Saints Day Rituals: To Baron Samedi". RECOMMENDED BUY.

https://steinklangindustries.bandcamp.com/album/skd26-hrossharsgrani-dead-mans-hill-dead-meat-2010

Hrossharsgrani/Pro liberate dimincandum est/Steinkling/2009 CD Review

  Hrossharsgrani are a band from Austria that mixes noise, dark ambient, industrial and black metal together and this is a review of their 2009 album "Pro liberate dimicandum est" which was released by Steinkling Records".

Drum programming is mostly slow militant beats, while the noise effects sound very dark and evil, as for the samples being used they bring a depressive feel to the music.

Vocals are very dark and demonic sounding growls with a lot of spoken word passages while the synths sound very dark and utilize influences from industrial and neo classical,

Lyrics range from anti religion, Norse mythology and some political themes mixed in with some other dark subjects while the production sounds very dark and gives the music an esoteric feel.

Electric guitars when they are utilized are slow and heavy riffs while the acoustic guitars are only used briefly to give the music a neo-folk feel

In my opinion Hrossharsgrani are a very good project and while this is not as metal influenced as some of their early work I still feel this album will still appeal to fans or black industrial, dark ambient, noise and martial industrial. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "All Systems Go" "The Glory Of The Dead" "The Victory" and "Mercyful". RECOMMENDED

https://steinklangindustries.bandcamp.com/album/skd25-hrossharsgrani-pro-liberate-dimicandum-est-2009

Black Roller Crop Rotation Interview

1. Can you give us a brief history of the band!
Ben and I have known each other for about a year and a half now and have been playing music together in an Ambient/Instrumental band called NORTHERN VALENTINE. We started BRCR awhile back to explore our fascination with dark ambient/drone/doom/black metal and it has become an obsession for us.

2. What releases have you put out so far!
We are currently working on recording and mixing our first full length album tentatively called, "PRAYERS FROM THE ROTTING SOIL"

3. When can we expect new material!
The Album should be done sometime in March and will most likely be released by GEARS OF SAND RECORDINGS

4. Are there any plans for a tour!
We haven't talked about it yet! We both have many other things going on(family, work, and hordes of other projects)but things are going so well and this has been so amazing so far, I certainly wouldn't rule it out!

5. What are some of the best shows you have played so far!
This has been a studio only project so far but we are playing two shows in March and hopefully many more as time goes on. We will be booking as much as possible!

6. How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard you before!

Dark pummeling heavy doom, noise obsessed with devastation, destruction and loss. Meditative atonement.

7. What are some of your main influences music wise or non music wise, I can hear a bit of Abruptum and Black Pentacost in your sound!

We are both really into Abruptum and black metal in general. WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, MOSS, NADJA, ASVA,NEUROSIS, NAPALM DEATH, LIGHT OF SHIPWRECK,PRURIENT,DARKTHRONE,CRASS, are some bands that I think have directly influenced us. I'm not familiar with Black Pentacost but I'm gonna check them out as soon as I'm done writing this up! As far as non-musical influences I always have my head in a book, reading is a huge part of my life. I also have a huge affinity for the outdoors.

8. What rule does Satanism, Occultism, Left Hand Path or Anti-Christianity play in your music and life!
Satanism, the occult, ect. have been fascinating to me since I was a young kid. I'm sure they are an influence on our music as well, but for the most part this band draws its influence from natural disasters and ecological devastation and the awe that comes from the realization that you are not at the top of the food chain, and not the center of the fucking universe.

9. What are some good books or films that you would recommend!
As I said earlier I am a huge reader. I just finished a fantastic book by ROBERT KULL called, "Solitude:Seeking Wisdom In Extremes." The author spend a year in solitude in the Patagonia wilderness. Intense, brutal stuff, very fucking metal! I love books on Arctic Exploration. "In the land of the white death" by Valerian Albanov and "Noose of Laurels" by Wally Herbert are two of my favorites. Basically, if it's good writing I'm into it, mysteries, politics, spirituality, nature writing, philosophy, history. If its good, its good. Lets see, films.. I recently saw and loved "No Country for old men" and "In The Year Of The Pig"(documentary about the Vietnam war)

10. What are you listening to these days and what good bands that you would recommend!
There is no shortage of great stuff. I've currently been listening to a lot of OM, ASVA, NADJA, MOSS,BLACK FLAG,CASKET ARCHITECTS. Some great experimental stuff, HUMANS ARE THE WORST INVENTION, BELLTONE SUICIDE. Some great ambient stuff as well, ANDREW WEATHERS, MY EMPTY PHANTOM, anything on GEARS OF SAND, FDH, OR SILBER RECORDS.

11. How would you describe the music scene in the East Coast and what are some good bands that you would recommend!
The scene out here is probably about the same as it is anywhere. You got some really great, dedicated, inspired and interesting people that I'm so glad to know and be involved with and of course, you have tons of jerks. I would recommend checking out anything on the above mentions record labels, GEARS OF SAND, FDH and SILBER RECORDS.

12. Any final words!yes! Thank you so much for the interview, it means a lot to us. BLACK ROLLER CROP ROTATION is going to be very very busy in 2009 so please get in touch with us. We are really nice people. Thanks again! -Jeffrey

13.Thanks for the interview!

https://myspace.com/blackrollercroprotation