Gotland/Rise/Earth And Sky Productions/2023 Full Length Review

 

 Gotland  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  play  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Rise"  which  will b e  released  on  September  15th  by  Earth  And  Sky  Productions.

  A  very  atmospheric  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  synths  onto  the  recording  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Shamanistic  sounding  beats  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  of  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  influenced  by  the  90's  era  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  album.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  folk  instruments.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  clear  pagan  vocals  into  the  music ,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  a  later  track  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  female  vocals. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Roman  Empire,  Vikings,  Battles  and  Middle  Age  History.

  In  my  opinion  Gotalnd  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Roman  And  Cheruscan"  "Traitor  Or  Saver"  "The  Same  Blood"  and  "Rise".  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/gotlandmetal/?ref=ts    .  

Meschera/Zhatva/2023 Full length Review

 

  Meschera  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  has been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  blackened  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Zhatva".

 

Folk  instruments  start  off  the  album and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  also  brings  in  more  of  a  medieval  atmosphere  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding    while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in   a  good  mixture  o  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Whispers  can  also b e  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Russian  and  cover the  culture  of  the  Meschera  people  a  Finnish-Ugric  tribe  from  the  13th  century.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Meschera  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  blackened  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Жатва "  "Взор  Безликих"  "Сказки  Чёрных  Лесов"  and  "Тьмою  Седых Ночей".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://meschera.bandcamp.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meschera_dark/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mescheradark
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meschera
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@meschera

     

    

    

Sulphur Aeon/Seven Crowns And Seven Seals/Van Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Sulphur  Aeon  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  melodic  style  of  blackened  death  metal f rom  their  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Seven  Crowns  And  Seven  Seals"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Van  Records. 

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  Blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  vocals  also  bringing  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  dark  soundscapes  and  synths  are  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  Clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  songs  along  with  a  brief  use  of  whispered  vocals  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard at  times  and  the  music  also  has  its  cinematic  moment.  

  On  this  recording  Sulphur  Aeon  goes  for  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  melodic  blackened death  emtal  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cove r Lovecraftian  horror  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sulphr  Aeon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUD E "Hammer  From  The  Howling  Void"  "Arcane  Cambrian  Sorcery"  and  "Beneath  The  Ziggurats".  8 out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/2ju2l-ekJV8  

Meschera Interview

 

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

We had presentations of the album in three cities. The process of preparation was pretty much hectic, we were so excited as long as for us these concerts were extremely significant. What’s more we were invited to four big summer music fests. The rehearsal process was rather challenging as well: the majority of the group members live in a different city which is three hours away from Moscow if you go by train, so I had to waste a lot of time to reach them, but it all finally payed off. We are really delighted to see the result of our work!

We record and mix the songs ourselves, that’s why this time was quite tense and gripping. Dmitriy Kokarev (multi-instrumentalist, guitar player) was responsible for the composing part, Maxim Ayupov (bassist) was the one to mix the songs, the cover was created by our drummer, Svyatoslav Krekov.

For us the positive reaction of the audience is the best reward: this is just our debut album, but we already feel the deep love of the fans.

2.So far this year you have released both an ep and full length, musically how do they both differ from each other?

The songs which were represented on the EP were all mixed from scratch one more time for the full length album. The tracks which are in our first album include more genres then the EP ones, as long as the debut EP was just our first attempt to find the “true sound” of our songs which expresses our emotions, suits and reveals the meaning perfectly.

Now that we understand more clearly where our personal rode to progress in terms of the music genre leads to and did our best to make our tracks sound as ideal as possible.

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

The main idea of the album is to make people remember that every cloud has a silver lining: even in the harsh times of war there still are such things as love and friendship. Our songs have a strong historical background and through stories, fairy tales and legends which were weaved into our songs we tried to express that all emotions are natural. It goes without saying that we also pay tribute to the Meschera tribe who used to live in Moscow and Ryasan regions and in the floodplain of the Oka River. It was a Finno-Ugric tribe which assimilated with the Slavs and generally speaking is one of the ethnic groups of the Russian nation. We want to remind people that even though all Russian people do differ from each other all of us are one nation.

4.I know that the band was named after a Finno-Ugaris tribe that lived around the 13th century, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

All the band members share one common deep interest in history. As far as we live on the territory of Moscow and Ryasan regions this topic became really attractive for us, so we decided to dive deeper into it and do some research on this topic. We read a ton about excavations which were held on the territory of the floodplain of the Oka River. There we found some information about Meschera’s jewelry, culture, what they were into, how skillful and subtle their foremen were and how wonderful and quality their weaponry was. By the way it was the 8th-9th century! The tribe at the moment managed to process metal far better than the Slavs. It’s so cunning to read and research any information on the topic. We really can’t believe that these were our ancestors!

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

This a Meschera witch, who impersonates the mother of the tribe. She steps out of the thicket accompanied by the spirits of the forest. She embodies the long-forgotten tribe and will make everyone remember it.

6.Has the band had any opportunities to do any live show or open to the idea?

Yes, we have already had our first concert which was held this year in February. We performed at the Black Metal festival “Winter M.O.R.”. Our next goal were three big concerts which were devoted to presentation of our album. What’s more we were invited to four huge summer music festivals. Speaking about the future, currently we are in the process of preparing for our autumn-winter grand tour to support and promote out first album.

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

We are friends with one Russian label called “Sound Age” which helps us with the physical copies of our CDs and vinyls. We haven’t received any other offers yet.

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

We received more than friendly and positive feedback from foreign listeners who like black metal and folk music. Of course for the majority of people the mixture of these two genres became something brand new, yet we are delighted that the worldwide metal community accepts new representatives of the genre with their own vision of music that eagerly. We also received an offer to perform in Bulgaria.

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?

Dmitry, Svyatoslav and Maxim are members of the group “Sympuls-E”. At the moment the band has decided to take a break. 

Both of my bands (“Zmey Gorynich” and “Smorodina Reka”) do function at the moment. Several times all the three groups performed at the same festival. “Zmey Gorynich” was invited to five summer fests and “Smorodina Reka” – to two and we are actively composing new songs to introduce to our listeners as soon as possible.

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

Even though we have already developed our own style, each and every song has its own personal sounding. We ourselves are interested to find out how our music will evolve in future. It seems to me that we won’t stop experimenting. There are a lot of contrasts in our music which is now our distinctive feature. It’s not that obvious what you can expect even in a minute. Our idea is to create songs which will be liked by us in the first place. And of course our initial idea to make each track catchy and unforgettable will keep living on.

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

One of the references which we had while mixing the album is the sounding of Myrkur’s songs. Yet, we have made our sounding unique: the atmosphere is slightly similar, but it’s still different. I am also a big fan of the “Sylvaine” group: their atmosphere and the variety of the vocal parts were inspiring me a lot while recording the album.

“Wardruna” and “Eluveitie” also took roots deep inside of me.

Dmitry’s and my musical tastes are similar, so I should also mention that his personal absolute preferences are “Children of Bodom”, “Wintersun” and many other famous bands. His love for melodic dead metal influenced him greatly. Dmitry is also into composing soundtracks and orchestral music. It becomes clear if you listen to our album carefully.

12.Does Paganism play any role in your music?

As long as the Meschera tribe plays a significant role in our songs we should not forget that they lived approximately in the 8th century which is two centuries before the baptism of Rus, it goes without saying that they were pagans. They worshipped nature and its power, honored stones, trees, water, fire and other natural elements which is also represented in the lyrics of our tracks.

Our media image was also influenced by paganism: runes, deer antlers, costumes, logo and so on... For instance, our male armor is a real reconstruction of the ones found during the excavations and our rune was created personally for us by a specialist who is an expert in pagan traditions. But it’s not just a beautiful symbol, it has real meaning: energy, moving forward and the unity of people. 

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

Don’t get lost in the night, follow the moonlight.

Bandcamp: https://meschera.bandcamp.com/ 

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

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meschera 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@meschera 

Cunabula/The Weight Of Sleep/Sleaszy Rider Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Cunabula  are  a  band  from  Lithuania  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  2023  album  "The  Weight  of  Sleep"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Sleaszy  Rider  Records.

  Radio  static  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  and  melodic  riffing  a  few  seconds  later.  Elements  of  sludge  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  vocals  ar e mostly  high  pitched  blackened metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  the  songs  also  add  in a   good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.   Clear  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs  as  well  as  the  keyboards  also  adding  in  touches  of  ambient  when  they  are  utilized,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  and  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature,  sadness  and  solitude  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cunabala  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bruxa"  and  "silent  Somber  Suns".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/vw77kywj4dk

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify

   

  

Evoking Winds/Bald Mountain/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Belarus's  Evoking  Winds  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  an  atmospheric,  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Bald  Mountain".

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken word  parts  and  elements  of  folk  music  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars.

  At  times the music  also  gets  very  symphonic  and  atmospheric  sounding  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

   All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody.  Growls  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized ,  one  song  also  introduces  clear  vocals  onto  the  album  and  spoken  word  parts  also  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  and  the  songs  also  add  in  some  orchestral  and  dungeon  synth  touches.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover ancient  tales  from  Eastern  Europe.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Evoking  Winds  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  melodic  and  symphonic  black  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Wild  Hunt"  "The  Oath"  "In  The  Whispers  of  Stars  Far  Away"  and  "Night  of  The  Elders".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/F0-h62wZvfU

https://evokingwinds.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/evokingwinds

https://www.instagram.com/evokingwinds/

https://evokingwinds.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ZhIgXy9GVTPnJEyWUzVN1

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/evoking-winds/1576893625

  

Suton/Sacrilegious/insArt Records/Satanath Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Suton  are  a  duo  from  Bosnia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom,  death  metal  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Sacrilegious"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  insArt  and  Satanath  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounds  also  being  added  into  the  background  at  times  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  bring  in  a mixture  of  grim  black  metal  screams,  death  metal  growls  and  clear  singing  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  along  with  some  drones  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Most  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction,  clean  playing,  stringed  instruments  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  and when  the  album  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  madness,  death,  universe,  isolation,  soul,  abstract  and  decay  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  Suton  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom,  death  metal  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Celestial  Consciousness.  Straight  Divine"  and  "Old  man  Willow".  8 out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://insartrecords.bandcamp.com/album/sacrilegious

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suton.official

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kult.suton/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/suton-band   

Meschera/Tales Of The Black Forests/2023 EP Review

 

  Meschera  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  blackened  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  ep  "Tales  of  The  Black  Forests".

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  female  vocals  a  few  seconds  later.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also be  heard  while  synths  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  epic  atmosphere  when  they  are  utilized  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced and  fast  parts  while  elements  of  folk  music  and  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  The  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  some  male  vocals  also  being  introduced  on  the  second  track,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Meschera  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  folk  metal  as  well a  mixing  in  some  of  the  more  aggressive  and  atmospheric  parts  of  black  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Russian  and  cover  Nature,  Forests  and  paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Meschera  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  blackened  folk  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Watcher  of  The  Pine  Forests"  and  "Within  Unknown  Swamps".  8  out  of  10.

   

Bandcamp: https://meschera.bandcamp.com/ 

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

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meschera 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@meschera   

3xperimental/Cosmic Tales/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  solo  project  3xperimental  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  with  electronic  music  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  album  "Cosmic  tales".

  Electronic  music  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  blast b eats  and  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  a  lot  of t he  fast  riffs  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  sci-fi  style  clear  vocals  into  the  music  and  the  music  also  has  its  symphonic  moments.

  Synths  and  orchestra  sounds  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  some  operatic  choirs  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  programmed  beats  also  being  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.  All  of  the  music  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them and  the  closing  song  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  survival  and  hope  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  3xperimental  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Transmission"  "Cosmic  Tales"  adn  "Extinction".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://3xperimental.bandcamp.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3xperimentalofficial
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@3xperimental_official
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7FfVUqDrJou7hZpMuNpMdB

Cløudy Skies Interview

 

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

[Nico] Cløudy Skies is waiting for the album release of course ! First gift of 2023 ;)

We have 2 more songs to reveal. The 1st one (Nebulous Reflections) before the official release and the 2nd one just after ...  a video this time.  

Next, we will start to rehearse to be ready for gigs and shape the sound we want to deliver on stage. This is a major criteria for us... to give the audience a great sound experience !  Lionel and I are already composing for the 2nd Album...What is good for the goose is good for the gander. 

2. You have a new album coming out in early 2023, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical styles that you went for on the recording?

[Nico] Metal is a very interesting style of music in the way that you can transform it... you can alter it a bit and "voilà" it becomes something else ! When we started Cløudy Skies we always said that we didn't want to be "closed" to any experimentation. In fact it is impossible ^^, as we love so many styles ... So we began with classic Metal/Post-Metal/Hardcore/Grunge/Doom/Black roots and added a little of rock, a little of indie, a little of pop, a little of post-rock, a little of Shoegaze etc. We also tried to suggest with our music the lyrics themes we developed in our songs such as dreams, sweet melancholia, sadness and contemplative moments. In fact, in our previous bands it was all about riffs, you know what I mean ;) "Hey Nico, give me that riff ..." We never took time to give time and more space for music. Our vision was also to make sounds and project listeners into a special "mood" and/or "place". So we let room for music adding lots of effects (vibrato, delays and reverbs) and lots of synths to enhance that immersive sensation. We also used a lot more clean vocals and clean guitars than before and the result is really interesting. Cløudy Skies style was born ... Dreamgaze Atmospheric Post-Metal.

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

[Nico] We gave a special place to lyrics. I mean lyrics that bring something to listeners, that you can hear, that you can remember, that can touch you. We explore both the realist and surrealist side of life. We talk a lot about dreams, life, hope, expectations, meaning of life, time, love and death . Our album "CHANGES" has to be seen as a life lived through dreams. No one really knows where dreams lead. A good example is Dale Cooper's replica in Twin Peaks TV Show "I have no idea where this will lead us. But I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange".

We can reveal it now but CHANGES is actually just 7 letters of the alphabet : C.H.A.N.G.E.S. ,  or  A.N.C.E.G.S.H. the 7 tracks of our album ;)

01. A  nother Dream

02. N  ebulous Reflections

03. C  urrents

04. E  choes Of The Ocean

05. G  leams And Ghosts

06. S  tars Still Shine

07. H  aze On The Way

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

[Nico] We worked with our friend and talented freelance photographer Gilles Niez. He takes fantastic pictures and "makes" Collodion photography (wet plate photography technic from the 19th century). We were looking for a good photo to evoke both our band name and our album's name and when we saw this one on his catalog, we both thought : "this one matches perfectly". If you look at the picture, the sky is cloudy and seems to be about to change. And the bird which is flying in the cloudy sky brings that sensation of change... we had the cloudy skies and the change .

>> https://www.instagram.com/crystallized_pictures/?hl=en 

>> https://crystallizedpictures.com/ 

5. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding your line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

[Nico] To be honest we don't want to replace drums with machines (samples) so we do need to recruit a real drummer. Hence we obviously will be 3. And if the live formula needs another musician we won't hesitate to expand to meet the best sound on stage.

For the moment Lionel and I are the main team for the composing part. It is very easy to work together... and he is my best friend ;)

6. The new album is going to be released on 'Argonauta Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

[Nico] We have known Argonautas' boss, Gero,  since 2016 when we released our first album with previous band Eyes Front North. Even if at that time we had good references (We produced our album at Deafheaven' studio), finding a label was very difficult. The moment we got in touch, Gero gave all his trust and support and helped us to release it. We were very happy. So years later, Lionel and I didn't hesitate long when we thought about releasing Cløudy Skies 1st album... "let's call Gero". It was like knocking at an old friend's door...  you're more than welcome to enter and to celebrate together again ;) 

7. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of atmospheric and post-metal?

[Nico] We had a really nice album review by #ADifferentShadeOfBlackMetalZine . It was really cool to have this feedback before the release.

It looks like the 1st track we launched on Youtube and Spotify was well received. I wish people commented more to have some details...  

We are in a hurry "you" discover the whole LP... it contains many unexpected moments ;) 

8. 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?

[Nico] We are mainly  focused on Cløudy Skies but Lionel did some vocals for our friends in "Nature Morte" (Blackgaze, PostBlack, Shoegaze - Paris)

You really should consider listening to them : They are soooo good !  (https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ESf7j2mFj9wwmRPHjqm8d) . 

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

[Nico] Same direction with more room for music of course and more analog synths... maybe more progressive. A "Cløudy I wish you were here Skies" :D

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

[Nico] here are the bands I have been listening the most this year : 

Deafheaven, Tame Impala, Shiner, Entombed, Swallow the Sun, Tenhi, Bohren Und Der Klub of Gore, Nature Morte, Alexandra Savior, Nothing, Deserta, True Widow, Russian Circles, Chelsea Wolfe, YOB, Israel Nash, Twin Peaks OST, Lana Del Rey, Marissa Nadler, Alice In Chains, Drab Majesty, Soft Kill, Cult Of Luna, Neil Young, Kurt Vile, The War On Drugs, Dungen, Weyes Blood, Kadavar (The Isolation Tapes), Eldovar, All Them Witches, Fuzz, Slowdive, Michael Stearns, Holy Sons... to name a few. Did I told you I was open-minded ??? :D LOL  

11. What are some of your non musical interests?

[Nico] Listening to music on my vintage analog equipment is my favorite pleasure !!! 

Watching movies and TV shows at night is my guilty pleasure (Brand New Cherry Flavor and The Watchers were my last good surprises on Netflix... for movies I like classics).

Reading but I am a bit lazy these days. Though when I am not, I read American authors of the 50's-00's. I am reading the Collected Letters from Neil Cassady. 

My wife is really into photography, so we often go to exhibitions and I am more and more interested and attracted to that art... capturing the moment and to suggest something is a real art ! 

Walking when I need to reconnect to nature ... I like walking in the fields with my headphones, it is one of my best moments... 

Sleeping because you can dream ;)

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

[Nico] Thank you for the interview. I hope it gives readers a look at our small universe.

keep on listening to music, going to shows, meeting people and of course dreaming...

All the best 

https://www.facebook.com/cloudyskies.fr

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FSqDgwkiu4&ab_channel=ArgonautaRecords

Cloudy Skies/Changes/Argonauta Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Cloudy  Skies  are  a  duo  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  atmospheric  post  black  metal  and  dreamgaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Changes"  which  will b e  released  in  2023  by  Argonauta  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  style  synths  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  clear  vocals  and  black  metal  screams  can  also b e  heard  at t imes.

  During  the  clean  sections  elements  of  dreamgaze,  alternative,  indie  and  post  rock  can  be  heard  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  synths  also  add  in  touches  of  ambient.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Clody  Skies  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black  metal  and  dreamgaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Another  Dream"  "Echoes  Of  The  Ocean"  and  "Haze  On  The  Way".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/cloudyskies.fr

https://www.argonautarecords.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FSqDgwkiu4&ab_channel=ArgonautaRecords    

Sarcoptes/Prayers To Oblivion/Transcending Obscurity Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Sacremento,  California's  Sarcoptes  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Prayers  To  Oblivion"  which  will b e  released  in 2023  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Records.

  Rain and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction.  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Elements  of  thrash  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  added  into  the  songs.

  The  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  of  the  faster  riffing  also  adding  in a   good  amount  of  tremolo  picking.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  historical  tragedies  in  World  War  II  and  The  Vietnam  War.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sarcoptes  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  symphonic  black  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Trenches"  and  "Massacre  At  my  Lai".  8  out  of  10.

  Official Video Stream #1

Official Video Stream #2

Sarcoptes Bandcamp

Sarcoptes Facebook    

  

Norrskold Interview

 

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

The writing of the songs went pretty fast prior to the recordings. I guess a lot could be “blamed” on the massive amounts of boredom during a pandemic. For different reasons the actual recording and production of the album took longer time than expected. So during the recording/production phase we’ve actually written a bunch of new songs, ready for take off in a not so distant release. The creativity knows no boundaries, so to say!

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

I would say the songs on the upcoming album are a bit more straightforward compared to our previous releases, although we’ve kept the characteristic Norrsköld atmosphere in the sound. The listener might also notice more of a linearity in the compositions. The focus is more than ever on melodies, rather than too intricate riffage which might sometimes have been the case on previous releases. To some degree we have also experimented with synthesizers as a fresh element to some of the songs.

3. This is also your first album in 5 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during this time frame?

There have been some major line-up changes since our latest release (2018) which has taken its toll on the possibility for live shows etc. The infamous pandemic further made it hard to plan for live performances. In general I would say the major focus has been on composing new material. 

4. The lyrics on the new recording are a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story you have covered with this release?

The main lyrical theme could be described as a critical reflection on mankind´s position in the world, as it looks like today. More specifically, that mankind has relied on the fact that we are a part of a greater power/"God" and that man is an elevated entity above all else on earth. Which has justified humans to behave and evolve as if the earth belonged to us including, wars, environmental destruction etc. So the lyrics are sort of a future scenario of how all this will end. Written as if the last human remains have finally vanished and that a "cosmic power" (perspective) is narrating the closure, when things are in order again. Error corrected so to speak.

5. Your earlier lyrics covered Swedish Folklore, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Being from the northern part of the country, the connection with nature and folklore is a significant part of the culture. There’s a huge treasure of folk traditions, lore and nature spiritual beliefs that still to this day lives on in the collective memory. There´s this nature romantic spirit still being very much present in people, especially when visiting the rural landscapes. Therefore it’s been quite a feasible topic for our previous lyrics. A quite recent example of this phenomenon would be the movie “Midsommar” which is based on a folklore story from the north of Sweden, taking place in the fabled surroundings of Hårgaberget. That specific story has, in turn, resulted in the classical folk song “Hårgalåten” which has been recorded by numerous artists including In Flames (and Norrsköld of course). 

6. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name “Norrskold”?

It’s basically a word play based on my origin (Norrland i.e. the upper half of the country) and Sköld (“shield”) which is one of my family names. So the name is originally spelled with the letter “ö”, commonly used in the Swedish language.

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

We decided to once again collaborate with the legendary artwork designer Niklas Sundin (ex. Dark Tranquillity) at Cabin Fever Media. Niklas has helped us out with most of our previous artworks, and for a good reason. He has this very unique ability to understand and capture the atmosphere of the songs in one single image. The actual artwork is representing sort of a last monument of mankind in the desolated future space that our world resulted in. 

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

It´s hard to pick a single one. There´s a very special atmosphere when playing in a small club with close (or none) distance to the audience. If one would ask the other members I guess most would answer the final gig we had in Moscow on the 2017 tour together with Amon Amarth. An epic gig for sure. My neck hurts just by the memory of this. 

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

All focus has been on recording and releasing our upcoming album Prisma Aeternus. With this album released, future live gigs would definitely not be impossible. 

10. The new album is going to be self released but your have been a part of a label in the past, are you open to working with another label again in the future?

There are pros and cons cooperating with a label of course, but we are most certainly interested in future cooperation with labels if the chemistry is right. 

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

The general impression is that fans really appreciate that we have taken the really good elements of black metal and melodic metal and mixed this up to our own unique soundscape. One of the more common references we get is that we often sound like a “modern Dissection”, which is very close to where we want to be. There are a lot of people out there that really mourn that raw, yet melodic metal music seems to have had its glory days in the 90´s/early 00´s. We want to be a leading example that this kind of music still is relevant. 

12. 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?

As was mentioned previously, the band has been through some line up changes during recent years. As for the current members/session members of the band, most have other projects parallel to Norrsköld. Our bassist (Eric) is heavily involved in a Stockholm based band called Needle Grey. Second guitarist Gustaf is in a really up and coming band called Seventh Crystal. Adam, our singer, is mainly working with music at the record label Rexius Records and also sings/scream in a band called A dead tree doesn’t talk. Myself, I have several parallel projects going on. One of them is being one of the songwriters for a band called Symphony of Sweden. 

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

The major goal is to constantly improve ourselves in songwriting. Since we have a ton of already written material available, another release during 2023 is definitely within our scope. If the stars align we might also be open for live shows. 

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

Alcest is a great inspiration. Also Soilwork. Ghost is another band that really inspires one to focus on the melodic aspect of metal. Personally I mostly listen to quite mellow singer/songwriter songs and instrumental soundtracks as major inspiration.

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

If you guys are looking for the ultimate mix of heavy, fast and melodic, look no further. Rest your ears on Prisma Aeternus and feel the force of multi-metal at its best. If you do like our music, it would mean the world if you would spread the word (or our social media links) ;)

Thanks for a good interview!

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Heron/Empires Of Ash/Sludgelord Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Heron  are  a  band  from  Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Empires  of  Ash"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Sludgelord  Records.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sludge  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  also  mix  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  blackened  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  clean  playing  is  added  onto  the  on  a  couple  of  tracks  they  also  show  an  influence  of  post  rock  while   the  synths  also  takes  the  music  into  a  more  atmospheric  direction  when  they  are  utilized.  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  at  times  along  with  the  riffing  also  having  its  repetitive  moments  and  the  whole  recording  also  sticks  to  a  slower  musical  direction  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  added  on  the  closing  song.

  On  this  recording  Heron  focuses  more  on  a  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  with  some  atmospheric  and  post  metal  touches.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  a  larger  scope  of  turbulent  emotions.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Heron  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rust  And  Rot"  and  "With  Dead  Eyes".  8  out  of  10.

  

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Mind Erasure/Connive/Soman Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Mind  Erasure  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Connive"  which  was  released  by  Soman  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes,  synths  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  percussion's  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  songs  also  having  their  atmospheric  moments.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  singing  and  choirs  as  well  as  some  female  vocals  and  whispers  also  being  utilized  briefly,  one  song  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  battles,  violence  and  schizophrenia  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mind  Eraser  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  progressive  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  "Azrael"  "Sour  Eyes"  and  "As  First  Light  never  Comes  Part  III:  Life's  Epilogue".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/OaIZpH1GLU8

https://www.facebook.com/MindErasure/

https://www.instagram.com/mind_erasure/

https://www.youtube.com/c/MindErasure

https://minderasure.bandcamp.com/album/connive

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0pEpN1fdyWU1lOs1okfi8A

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mind-erasure/976409168