Metakosmia/Aperantos Kosmos/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Metakosmia  are  a  duo  from  Greece  that  an  experimental  and  ambient  form  of  symphonic  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Aperantos  Kosmos".

  Ambient  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  elements  of  space  music  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  vocals  being  a  mixture  of  clean  singing  which  also adds  in  an  avant  garde  touch  and  grim  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding.

  The  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  some spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  one  one  song  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  instrumentals. Melodies  are  also added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  death  metal  growls,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  As  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  fast  tremolo  picking   are  also  added  on  the  recording  but  keeping  the  main  focus  on  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  lyrics  cover  Greek  Philosophy,  Space,  Science  and  Mysticism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Metakosmia  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  and  ambient  symphonic  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Entropy"  "Astronomikos  Kanon"  "Tetrapharmakos"  and  "The  Absence  of  Suffering".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp: https://metakosmia1.bandcamp.com/album/aperantos-kosmos
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBc5TTJs5oxT4YcVjTqD4hw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Hy5rQ3E5SFiF0WqVbTd2o

Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/metakosmia/aperantos-kosmos   

Tele.S.Therion/Nejromantische Hexentvm [Ta Megala Mysteria]/Radical Matters/2022 Triple Album Review

 

  Tele.S.Therion  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  musical  style  they  described  as  being  'acousmatic  black  metal'  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  triple  album  "Nejromantische  Hexentvm  [Ta  Megala  Mysteria]"  which  was  released  by  Radical  Matters. 

  Avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  at  times.  When  synths  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  dark  ambient    along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  percussion  and  homemade  instruments  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  30  or  more  minutes.

  Stringed  instruments  can  also be   heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  electric  bass  is  also  utilized  as  a  lead  instrument.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  ritualistic  sounding  along  with  some  tracks  also  touches  of  noise  along  with  a  lot  of  the  songs  also  being  done  in  more  of  an  instrumental  direction.

  A  lot  of  the  music  also  brings  in  more  of  a  Abruptum  style  of  black  metal  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  the  use  of  a  real  drum  kit.  Screams  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly  as  well  as  all  of  the  music  also  being  improvised.  some  of  the  slower  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  doom  metal  and  some  songs  also  add  in  touches  of  free  jazz  and  drones.  At  times  the  music  also  captures  the  atmosphere  of  a  disturbing  nightmare  soundtrack  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  from  Tele.S.Therion  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  black,  doom  metal,   experimental,  dark  ambient,  avant  garde,  ritual,  drone  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  triple  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "II  "V"  "VIII"  and  "X".  8  out  of  10.

https://telestherion.bandcamp.com/

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

Perunwit/Wszystkie odcienie szarości/Black Death Production/2021 CD Re-Issue Review

 

  Perunwit  are  a  band  from  Poland  and  on  this  recording  played  a  ritualistic  mixture  of  dark  ambient,  neo-folk  and  pagan/folk  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  2000  album  "Wszystkie odcienie  szarości"  which  was  re-issued  in  2021  by  Black  Death  Production.

  The  sounds  of  wolves  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  dark  ambient  style  synths  a  few  seconds  later.  Ritualistic  sounding  whispers  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  acoustic  guitars  also  bring  in  elements  of  neo  folk  when  they   are utilized  and  percussion's  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.

  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  while  some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Clean  pagan  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  album  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  electric  guitars  as  well  as each  song  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other,  grim  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  folk  instruments  can  are  also  added  at  times.,  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  On  this  recording  Perunwit  took  ritual,  neo  folk  and  dark  ambient  and  mixed  it  with  pagan,  black  and  folk  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  Paganism,  History  and  Heritage  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Perunwit  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ritual,  neo-folk,  dark  ambient  and  pagan/folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pieśń  o  słońcu,  płodności,  narodzinach,  życiu  i śmierci"  "Wszystkie  odcienie  szarości"  and  "Gods  Of  Thunder".  8  out of  10.

Facebook    

None/Interdimensional War Poetry/WormHoleDeath Records/2022 EP Review

 

  None  are  a  duo  form  the  United  States  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  neo  folk,  industrial,  noise  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  ep  "Interdimensional  War  Poetry"  which  will  be  released  on  march  25th  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

  Heavy  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  which  also  introduces  elements  of  neo-folk  onto  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  folk  instruments  and when  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  poetic  and  ritualistic  feeling.

  Guitar  orientated  drones  and  noises  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  melodic  chants.  Dark  ambient  style  soundscapes  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  at  times  along  with  some  tracks  also  showing  an  influence  of  industrial  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  and  all  of  the  songs  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other  and  as  the  ep  progresses  a  brief  use  of  saxophones  can  also  be  heard..

  None  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  neo-folk,  dark  ambient,  noise  and  industrial  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Esotericism,  Poetry,  Principle,  Space,  Time  Travel,  Struggle,  Devotion  and  Self  Discovery  themes.

  In  my  opinion  None  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  neo-folk,  industrial,  noise  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chaining  Ethereal  Comatose"  and  "Never  Know".  8  out  of  10.

none.bandcamp.com
nonefolk.wixsite.com/pride

  

(Dolch) Interview

 

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

T: Hello! That´s a lot what happened, as the recording started a long time ago. Actually, we kept on writing songs and recording stuff for ever and we took a lot of work into mixing "NACHT". We played a handful of shows and a tiny little tour in the close east of Europe , which seemed like a miracle doing this during a worldwide pandemic situation.

 

2.You have a new album coming out this year, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

T: We used a bit less guitars, a bit more electronic sounds and we mixed the vocals louder. The songs are a bit shorter.

 M: FEUER, the previous Album, NACHT, released this year and TOD, still to be be finished, were recorded in a more than proper studio for the first time, so it gave us a lot of opportunities to vary with every instrument and soundscape on the recordings.

3.Your earlier material showed some black metal influences while the newer music sees you moving away from that influence, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical change?

T: I am not sure if we ever had a big black metal influence. Maybe even more influenced by music and tunes that have been an impact on what became then black metal? The 80ies? Early EBM and Doom music? We never had one specific sound. (Dolch) is like a chameleon of sound, depending on what story we want to tell. However. The guitar sound now is different, we also grew up with so much different music we would be lying to ourselves of denying other influences, like 90ies alternative and rock music, such as trip hop or anything experimental. Do you remember, back in the days even the word "Pop" was not a "no go" or something bad, when it was good quality?

 M: NACHT might differ when you listen to superficially. But it‘s just us. We are all influenced by such a broad variety of different genres in music and art, so it just has to come down to what fits best to the topic or songs.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer music and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

T: The "Nacht" album is one trip through the night, we talk about euphoria & depression, lust for life but also the fear of it. We were hanging out in California during these recording sessions, it was beautiful but also cold and ugly at the same time. The night can make you become a stupid modern vampire, looking for attraction, but also leaves you spitted out ugly in the morning, lost and broken.

I think we learned to become more precise songwriters, more specific on the story. We are maybe not the best songwriters, but hopefully good storytellers. (Dolch) is not meant to be entertaining only, we always wanted to say something, to communicate with the listener.

 

5.You have also covered some occult topics on some of your releases, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

M: I am sorry. If you read it in an occult way, can you tell me more about it? It is your own decision on how to read the lyrics, I am definitely not the one to argue about it. But we never had that topic in mind.

T: There is no such topic in our songs, there never was. Sorry. But it is ok if you feel so.

 

6.I know that the bands name means 'dagger' in German, how does  this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

T: Actually, the band never really had a name but the symbol, the triangle and the dagger inside. It used to be a military sign, we turned it and de-militarized it. Somehow, the logo feels like a shield of protection for us, same as writing, recording and playing this music might protect us from becoming crazy.

M: T is right. But maybe it is little stitch to our hearts for every song.

 

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

T: I remember the tour kick off in Berlin last October was one hell of energy between the audience and us, that felt great! We had some great shows on the older tours, I remember Paris and London being fun, same as Roadburn, Norway, House Of The Holy, Hell Over Hammaburg and our first ever show on Acherontic Arts Festival of course!

 Our performance is quite an “anti -performance” ,I  would say. We are there, but we are not important as individuals. The music must speak, we try to create a special energy and sometimes we are able to transport this to the audience, they give it back to us and we have a wonderful night.

 M: But we evolved in our stage to audience communication. Still the songs we play is more important than our stage performance but the connection to the audience, weather they enjoy it or not, is also a big impact.

8.You have also been a part of splits with 'King Dude' and 'The Ruins Of Beverast', what are your thoughts on the other bands that had participated on the recording?

We did a split with King Dude, yes, and there is the tour tape that also includes The Ruins Of Beverast. Both absolutely great artists and friends to us. They are family. T.J from King Dude has a performance on one track on "Nacht", he does a perfect job with his dark voice. Other bands are not included on that album. We have some guests, like a german theatre actress speaking a poem etc.

 

9.On a worldwide level how have your fans reacted to your newer material?

T: We can´t say yet, the album "Nacht" is just about to be released. I guess a lot of old school metal dudes will hate it and there will be folks listen to it secretly as it is too genre-ignoring.

The last LP "Feuer" was beloved as far as I remember. "Nacht" will be a love or total hate thing.

 M: On a worldwide level, I would like to learn more about reactions about every release. But with NACHT, yes. Love or Hate.

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

T: More wide, less boundaries, more unexpected tunes on the other hand, but some traditional stuff on the other. We are working on finalizing "Tod", which will be the third part of FEUER, NACHT und TOD. Expect some ambient but orchestral sound, at least a bit. Then we already work on what follows after. It will be full of Soul I hope…

M: For every song we seek the appropriate measures.

 

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?

T: Ok, like mentioned before, a lot of styles and bands, too much to count. Stuff from the 80ies and 90ies when Pop music was still good, a lot of alternative and independent music, punk, metal (yeah of course the darkness and hopelessness of black metal), but also classical tunes from past to modern. We also get our influences from theatre plays, art, good books and philosophy. There is some rare good new tunes coming out here and then nowadays, but 90% of all stuff is just an repetition of hypes and such which really can be a bore...it is always good when you have a good tunes and melody and something to say with your own sound and in your own way.

 

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

T: Everything occult is gone! 

M: Thank you and be safe!

https://youtu.be/E44MYlkzk9M

https://youtu.be/cz14y5ddCsg

(Dolch)/Nacht/Van Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  (Dolch)  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  started  out  as  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  metal  and  drone  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  post  punk,  ambient  and  drone  with  some  touches  of  doom  metal  2022  album  "Nacht"  which  will be  released  in  February  by  Van  Records.

  Dark  ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  while  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of t he  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  some  touches  of  post  punk  and  the  slower  riffing  also  adds  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  whispers.  Clear  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  as  well  as  a  later  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  (Dolch)  moves  away  from  the  black  emtal  elements  of  previous  releases  and  brings  in  more  of  a  mixture  of  post  punk,  darkwave,  dark  ambient  and  drone  as  well  as  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  at  times.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Night  Time  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  (Dolch)  are  a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of  post  punk,  darkwave,  dark  ambient  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lights  Out"  "Into  The  Night"  "Bird  of  Prey"  and  "Coda".  7/5  OUT  OF  10.

https://youtu.be/E44MYlkzk9M

https://youtu.be/cz14y5ddCsg    

[BOLT]/Aidan Baker/dunk!records/A Thousand Arms/Church Road Records/Bird's Robe Records/New Noise China/2021 Collaboration Album Review

 

  Germany's  [BOLT]  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  where  they  team  up  with  Canada's  Aidan  Baker  to  create  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  sludge  metal,  ambient,  experimental,  drone  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2021  collaboration  album  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  A  Thousand  Arms,  dunk!  Church  Road,  Bird's  Robe  Records  and  New  Noise  China.

  Drone  orientated  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  while  the  bell's  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  when  they  are  utilized  and  bass  guitars  when t hey  are utilized  show  some  influences  of  black,  doom  and  sludge  metal.  

  Guitar  sounds  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  also  instrumental.  Elements  of  noise  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  music  also being  improvised  along  with  the  synth  also  adding  in  touches  of  ambient  when  they  are  utilized  and  also  gives  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling  and  percussion  can  also b e  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  [BOLT]  team  up  with  Aidan  baker  to  create  a  recording  that  is  less  metal  influenced  than  previous  releases  and  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  noise,  experimental,  ambient  and  drone  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collaboration  between  [BOLT]  and  Aidan  Baker  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of   black,  doom,  sludge  metal,  ambient,  experimental,  drone  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  (35)/Clover".  8 out  of  10.

Bandcamp: https://wearebolt.bandcamp.com/album/b-o-l-t-aidan-baker
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/34dcI9jNYaCGKuvrEaYu4U?si=VoONTkCcRZm7zlu5N2Tbwg
Order: https://dunkrecords.com/collections/all-releases/products/b-o-l-t-aidan-baker

Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaLuWtndD1o       

Haiku Funeral/Drown Their Moons In Blood/Aesthetic Death/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Bulgaria/U.S.A  duo  Haiku  Funeral  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  ritualistic  mixture  of  blackened  industrial  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Drown  Their  Moons  In  Blood"  which  will b e  released  on  Halloween  by  Aesthetic  Death.

  Ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  while  the  percussion  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  when  it  is  introduced  onto  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Whispered  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  electronics.  Guitar  sounds  can  also b e  heard  in  some  parts  of t he  recording  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  touches  of  ethnic  music  as  well a s  the  vocals  also  getting  more  deep  and  demonic  at  times.

  Elements  of  industrial are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording along  with  the  bass  guitars  also  sounding  very  powerful  when  they  are  utilized.  Asian  style  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  as  well  as  some  chants  and  throat  singing  also  being  utilized  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Luciferian  Consciousness     and  Shiva  roaming  a  post  apocalyptic  planet.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Haiku  Funeral  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ritualistic  blackened  industrial  and  dark  ambient,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Universe  murders  itself"  "The  Earth  burns  And  Burns"  and  "Drown  Their  moons  in  Blood".  8  out  of  10.

ttps://www.haikufuneral.com

https://facebook/haikufuneral

    

8 Hour Animal Interview

 

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

It’s just a place for me to go nuts. It’s as  rageful and fried as I want to get. No rules other than it’s just me doing everything . Right now I’m doing as much analogue gear as possible and that seems to work. It’s definitely manic so ii gotta keep an eye on how much time I spend everyday on it for my own well being… 

2.So far this year you have released 2 albums, musically how do they both differ from each other?

I think there will be a total of 4  releases in  2021 for this project.The project has two sides, the more song oriented industrial stuff Resigner and longer experimental  pieces that I am happy to release in very small runs  on rad labels with minimal digital access.  There is something great about limiting how many people hear certain works. 

 

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

Mostly alienation and mental illness. Figuring out what is  the inside crazy and what is the outside crazy. I realized how horrible, cruel and insincere people could be  when I was very young and have been trying to figure out why I even give a shit for 40 years. Weird music Marxism and  living in nature saved me.  Finding the right psych meds didn’t hurt either. 

4.hat is the meaning and inspiration behind the name '8 Hour Animal'?

It is for when I feel like digital trash in a capitalist shit machine.

 

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

I asked Paul (Van Trigt) to do something that makes you feel bad when you look it at it but you’re not sure exactly why. Paul does really top notch collage / xerox art for a ton of great noise bands.  

6.So far very little is known about the musical project with you only having a bandcamp and instragram page, are you planning on expanding your presence in the future or do you prefer to keep a lower profile?

I am too old to  truly value  being  cool or popular.  When those urges do flare up I try to remind myself how grossly unsatisfying it is to join the art star rat race.  It would be nice to play for appreciative audiences at some point…. so that requires some exposure. Music needs an audience that’s part of the deal. However t he whole process has been bastardized  by the sadly predictable exploitive bloodsucking bullshit you see in every aspect of our world.

 

7.the new album was released on 'Sentient Ruin Laboratories', how did you get in contact with this label?

I was listening to the first decoherence and thought - this is weird and unclassifiable and SR does a decent amount of releases that straddle metal, noise etc. I sent a few songs to MA and he got back to me quickly and we agreed to do the LP.  It just worked out, you really can’t force these things.

8.on a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal, harsh noise and industrial?

It is hard to gauge but I am satisfied to see that some people dig it. The idea with Resigner was to push everything all the way. Make ugly music that people who like ugly music get excited by.  8HA lives in the middle zone between multiple musical worlds and that will always limit theaudience. People like a clear scene to associate an act with. That’s just not something I’ve ever been able to do.

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

Currently  I have a strict noise project called Father Fister and working on the industrial follow up to Resigner . The nosie is great because it is very fast / intuitive and I do it all to 4 track- no computers. The industrial music, while I try to limit laptop use,  it just takes forever to get it to the point where  it feels done.

 

10.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 generally listen to a lot of the music that inspires what I am working on at the time and put on classical music when my ears are fried. So write now it’s industrial music Moral Order Anenzephalia semi-abstract stuff like that.  Winter is more black metal of course.   Some current bands I like are Carved Cross, Revenant Marquis, God Is War, Human Failure and Decoherence and lot of other stuff  on Sentient ruin, Caligula 031, All the lake shark tapes,  Kommodus, Burier Cerebral Rot nd always a ton of classical music . From Stockhausen to Penderecki to fucking Chopin and Schubert  I love it all. 

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Learning Slavic language, nature, political action, psychology (my profession !)  and books. …. Music is generally 60 percent of what I think about 

12. If you are young listen to older music if you are not listen to more current music,

https://youtu.be/VR0KlFhfWTk

Abstracter/Abomination/Sentient Ruin Industries/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Oakland,  California's  Abstracter  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  some  elements  of  crust,  dark  ambient  and  industrial  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Abomination"  which  will b e  released  in  October  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

   A  very  slow,  dark,  heavy  and  apocalyptic  sounding  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  which  also  adds  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  crust  elements  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.  Vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  add  in a  decent  balance  between  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in a  t ouch  of  dark  ambient  when  they  are  utilized.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  industrial  style  noises  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  the  album  progresses.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  pessimism,  misanthropy,  the  apocalypse  and  antichrist  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Abstracter  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  with  some  touches  of  crust,  dark  ambient  and  industrial  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eclipse  Born"  and  "Lighteater".  8  out  of  10.

BANDCAMP RELEASE        

Journey Into Darkness/Infinite Universe, Infinite Death/Spirit Coffin Publishing/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Journey  Into  Darkness  are  a  solo  project  from  Florida  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Infinite  Universe,  Infinite  Death"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Spirit  Coffin  Publishing.

  A  very  fast  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Symphonic  elements  are  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  doom  metal  and  there  are  also  a  couple  of  ambient  orientated  instrumentals.

  On  this  recording  Journey  Into  Darkness  remains  true  to  the  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  that  he  had  established  on  his  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  scientific  and  space  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Journey  Into  Darkness  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Leave  This  Place"  "Cosmic  Knot"  and  "Entanglement".  8  out  of  10.

http://journeyintodarkness.bandcamp.com/album/infinite-universe-infinite-death

https://jidarkness.com
https://journeyintodarkness.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/JourneyIntoDarkness      

8 Hour Animal/Resigner/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2021 Full Length Review

 

  8  Hour  Animal  are  a  solo  project  from  the  United  States  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  punk,  harsh  noise,  power  electronics,  industrial,  drone  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Resigner"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  Spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  a  very  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  a  few  seconds  later.  Industrial  style  beats  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording    while  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Samples  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  songs  also   mix  in  a  great  amount  of  power  electronics  and  harsh  noises.  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  all  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  elements  of  dark  ambient  and  drone,  at  times  the  tracks  also  mix  in  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock.

  8  Hour  Animal  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  punk,  harsh  noise,  power  electronics,  industrial,  drone  and  dark  ambient  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  disturbing  themes.

  In  my  opinion  8  Hour  Animal  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  punk,  harsh  noise,  power  electronics,  industrial,  drone  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Almost  Free"  and  "Wake".  8  out  of  10.

BANDCAMP RELEASE      

  

Upon Shadows Interview

 

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

At this moment we are launching a series of lyric videos from our latest album "Modern Obscurantism", and we are also recording a new single to be released on October 18th.

2.In the last couple of years, you have released a full length and a single musically how do they differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

All our releases are different between each other, musically and also lyrically. In the case of "Modern Obscurantism" which is our seventh album, there is a kind of sinister atmosphere apart from the darkness always present in our music. Is a heavier album also, and is also the first time we record the full drums with a real drummer. In the past we had done a couple of singles with invited drummers. "Geometry of music" with Sir Kimmo Luttinen (ex Impaled Nazarene, ex Beherit), and "Fatal Stigma of the Realist" with Matti Torro (Myon), but before that all our albums and single have been done with programmed drums until our latest album "Modern Obscurantism" where we recorded with the sessionist drummer Joonas Alaräihä.The incorporation of real drums made an improvement in sound, in relation with our older albums.

3.The lyrics on the album you released in 2019 where a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story that you had covered with this release?

The concept of the album is based on the idea that we are living in a new era of strong censorship and repression, even bigger than the obscurantism of the middle ages, because now everything has the magnitude of being global. So Natalia and I were talking for months about this idea to put the things as clear as possible... so we focused on the biggest points and so per song there is a topic.

First the album opens with an intro called "Back To The Dark Ages" which is very direct in the message, and musically helps to put the listener into the mode of the album.

Then the next song ``Vanity's Bonfire" talks about all the knowledge and precious art we had lost under the censorship of the church in the middle ages and the message is a question mark about how many precious things are we losing just now because of the new forms of censorship. The album has 10 songs and all presents a different topic related to the same concept. I tried to write the lyrics as poetically as I could, without affecting the original feeling. And we closed the album with an outro called "Lucifer" which is an extract of a text by Oscar Wilde, in which he let very clear the importance of keeping rebellion alive, as a motor for producing changes.

We closed the album with a text, a poem written by Ricardo Arocena, (Natalia´s father), because he made reference to the importance of fighting against indifference. I think these two last texts close the album with a positive message, despite all the darkness we were putting on the table along the whole album... Nothing is eternal, and everything can be changed by keeping the seed of rebellion in our hearts and fighting against indifference.

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

Upon Shadows in other words means "about darkness".. we all have our shadows and Upon shadows is all about my shadows.

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

Yes, I made the artwork thinking about representing the shadows taking over our lives, in a global way. A darkness that is over us all and represents censorship and control. So I get the idea of basing the design in an advanced but not total eclipse.

6.Originally the band was based in 'Uruguay' but now reside in Finland, can you tell us a little bit more about the mover?

I moved to Finland in 2013 because of personal reasons, not because of music. I needed a change in my life, I am a person that is all the time fighting against conformism and always needs new challenges.

But my move didn't affect our way of working in Upon Shadows. We have been keeping active all the way.

7.The last album was released on ;'Ground Media Group', how would you compare working with this label to other labels that you have been a part of in the past?

We have been releasing mainly independently, because we have the characteristic that we always release our music for free download, and this is something that is not attractive to most of the labels. Despite that, this is a decision we made from the starting point of Upon Shadows and we are not going to change it.

But we had released CDs with Satanica records from New Zealand, Depressive Illusions Records from Ukraine, and Underground Devotion Zine from Chile also had our permission to print and sell our music as a way to support the underground scene.

Ground Media Group is a new Finnish label that is growing a lot, and is made by people whose main purpose is to keep the underground alive. They give us the opportunity of releasing the album in a very beautiful edition where the Cd comes in a 4 panel digipak with a 12 page booklet. The printing quality is magnificent, the colors are very alive so the design is displayed in the best possible way.

We are very happy with the result.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black, dark and gothic metal?

The reaction is more than positive. 

We are very underground, but we have people who have been following and supporting us through the years, and are the kind of people that really listen and pay attention to the lyrics, and are open to feel and think with us, which is the most important thing for us.

We know that what we do is out of the standards of what most of the people wants to hear in these genders, and despite of that, and despite that we are a female duo,(which many times is enough for some people to deny us the opportunity to be listen), we have been making extreme metal music for the last 19 years. Offering a different proposal and keeping absolutely loyal to our ideas.

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

I think we found our own style which is the most difficult thing to find, an identity. And the goal for the future is to keep improving in technique and sound, and keep on this mixture of emotions and darkness.

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?

The styles that influenced me the most are Black Metal and Dark Ambient. I grew up listening to Abigor, Necromantia, Impaled Nazarene, Samael, and so on.

And the Dark Ambient... I found it through experimental music while I started to work as a music producer for a TV show called "Voces Anónimas" about ghost stories and urban legends in my country, where I was creating sounds to make the audience feel the uncomfortable tension and the fear related to the stories.

But I also have an strong influence from what my generation calls Dark Music (now people use the term "goth" or "gothic" wich I personally don't like) with bands like Sisters of Mercy, Christian Death, or The cure and its mix with metal music like The whores of Babylon. I think this influence is very visible in my keyboards.

Nowadays I'm listening to some new bands like Yoth Iria, NEDXXX, Aethyrick and Vermilia.

I also discovered some bands that are old but new to me like INFERNO and their album "Gnosis Kardias" which is a masterpiece.

And from the old bands I´m absolutely fascinated with Abigor´s new album "A Saintslayer's Songbook", and Rotting Christ "The Heretics".

11.Does Occultism play any role on your music?

Mmm...not directly, but if I think about it from the point of view that it is something that has always interested me, and is something about I have read a lot over the years...then I assume there are influences that I cannot deny.

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

First of all, thank you very much for the opportunity to express myself and present my music to your readers.

All Upon Shadows music can be download for free at :

http://tamarapicardo.blogspot.com/

And my final message is this: Keep the seed of rebellion in your heart like the most precious gift we have, because it is the core of our artistic creation and a consequence of our reasoning ability.

Upon Shadows/Modern Obscurantism/Ground Media Group/2019 CD Review

 

  Upon  Shadows  are  a  duo  originally  from  Uruguay  but  now  resides  in  Finland  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  dark,  gothic  metal  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Modern  Obscurantism"  which  was  released  by  Ground  Media  Group.

  

  A  very  dark  and  avant  garde  style  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  dark  and  heavier  musical  direction.  Gothic  style  keyboards  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  mostyl  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of   blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era.

  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  metal  elements  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  The  keyboards  also  add  in  touches  of  ambient  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  parallelism  between  the  obscurantism  of  the  Middle  Ages  and  the  new  forms  of  censorship  and  control.

  In  my  opinion  Upon  Shadows  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  dark,  gothic  metal  and  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vanity's  Bonfire"  "Dogma  The  Infinity  Of  Fire"  "Illusion  Of  Freedom"  and  "Out  Of  The  Blue  Comes  The  New  Plague".  8  out  of  10.        

    

Mountainscape Interview

 

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

We are a three piece instrumental post-metal band who blend elements of post-rock, black metal, sludge and ambient in a filmscore inspired way.

2.You got your first full length coming out towards the end of February and also have released a few singles, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on these recordings?

Mountainscape was formed to explore a love of all post-music genres and write music without there being any boundaries. A key element which helped shape the songs is that they are written with live looping in mind.

3.So far all of the music has been instrumental, are you open to adding vocals on future releases?

Myself and Ethan play in a number of bands which include vocals (Aklash, Third Horizon, Asira, Cairiss, Khazad Dum) so although I wouldn't completely rule out us ever adding vocals, at this moment in time we're very happy with Mountainscape being purely instrumental.

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

One meaning reading into the name would be that large parts of the ambient layering involved in our music are in essence soundscapes mixed with weaving between lighter and darker sections. Always steadily heading for the peak in a mountainous way. Hence 'Mountainscape'. We had a long list of possible names when starting and this is the one we felt was strongest. The fact that James loves exploring (the Lake/Peak Districts in our home country and going on multiple trips to New Zealand) I'm sure also helped steer us towards it.

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

I came across the stunning photography on deviant art when looking for images to accompany the album. After contacting the artist Stanislav Malykh he kindly agreed to let us use some of his photos.

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

The first show we did in London still holds a special place for me. It was at The Black Heart in Camden, (who are currently crowd funding for help to stay open - so, if anyone reading this has anything to donate, it's all for a good cause!), appearing on a roster of relatively unknown acts on a night intended to introduce people to new post-metal bands. Even though it was a tiny underground gig it was still one of the best organised events I've ever played, hats off to Kunal at Chaos Theory. We opened up for Tides from Nebula at the Camden Underworld which was pretty cool as their music is absolutely excellent. Also opening for The Moth Gatherer at 229 The Venue in London was a brilliant show supporting another brilliant band.

I would describe our performance as hypnotic and focused, there's lots of live looping going on....

 

7.The album is going to be released on 'Trepanation Recordings', how did you get in contact with this label?

I contacted Trepanation Recordings via email when searching for a home for 'Acceptance'. Thankfully myself and Dan from Trepanation hit it off and he really enjoyed the album.

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

Honestly we're very much at the start of our journey. Response has been great so far for the few that have heard of us. We have put a lot of time into the album release campaign with the hope to engage more fans and get them on board with our musical journey.

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

I can see us continuing down the post-atmospheric metal direction we've just started down. There's bits written for the next album that are in the same vein as this one. I'll see where the songwriting takes me.

10.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?

Russian Circles had a huge influence on us, myself James and Ethan were blown away by them performing at Heaven in London before we'd formed Mountainscape. The direction of creating songs that involve live looping with a three piece band came from watching those guys. Also Jakob from New Zealand influenced our sound a lot, another huge sounding three piece.

Currently I'm listening to lots of Olhava, Hammock, Violet Cold, Sarin and sleepmakeswaves, amongst many others!

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Video games! I'm about to delve back in Ghost of Tsushima having recently finished Assassin's Creed Valhalla. James is an outdoors person and loves cycling and hiking.

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

Thank you  for interviewing us. Thanks very much to anyone interested in my band enough to read this, I hope you enjoy 'Acceptance'.

Bandcamp: https://mountainscapeuk.bandcamp.com/ 

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

Mountainscape/Acceptance/Trepanation Recordings/2021 CD Review

 

  Mountainscape  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  ambient,  black,  doom,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Acceptance"  which  will  be  released  on  February  26th  by  Trepanation  Recordings.

  Post  rick  style  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  synths  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  ambient  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  while  all  of  the  music  is  instrumental.  All  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  clean  playing  along  with  some  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  being  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Mountainscape  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  ambient  and  post  rock  and  mixes  it  with  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  while  the  production  sounds  very  professional.    

  In  my  opinion  Mountainscape  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  ambient,  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Supernova"  "Lavawalker"  and  "Descent".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp: https://mountainscapeuk.bandcamp.com/ 

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84a3DdXn-iY - Resurgence Official Video 

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=474491409717576 - Acceptance Live 

The Magik Way/II Rinato/My Kingdom Music/2020 CD Review

 

  Italy's  The  Magik  Way  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  occult  mixture  of  ambient,  ritual,  experimental,  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020 album  "II  Rinato"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  My  Kingdom  Music.

  Ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later.  Clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while the  slower  sections  of  the  music  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal   as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  avant  garde  and  experimental  sounding  while  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  stringed  instruments.  Some  of  the  songs  are  in  a  more  acoustic  direction  along  with  one  of  the  tracks  also  introducing  drum  beats  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  when  they  get  more  aggressive.

  Synths  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  psychedelic  and  dark  ambient  feeling  at  times  as  well  as  a  later  song  also  introducing  female  vocals  onto  the  album,  most  of  the  music  also  lacks  the  heaviness  of  previous  recordings  but  still  retains  an  occult  and  ritualistic  atmosphere  that  was  presented  on  past  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  Occultism  and  Esotericism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Magik  Way  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ambient,  ritual,  experimental,  black  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "II  Rinato"  "Deforme"  "Le  Vampe"  and  "La  Procwssione".  8  out  of  10.

http://facebook.com/themagikway

https://youtu.be/E63ILwfmvUU