Omrade/Nade/My Kingdom Music/2017 CD Review

  Omrade  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  been  featured  before in  this  zine  and  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Nade"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  My  Kingdom  Music.

  Programmed  drum  beats  and  trip  hop  elements  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  yet  aggressive  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  as  well  as  violins  being  added  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  industrial  elements.

  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  songs  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  saxophones.

  Throughout  the  recording  the  music  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  progressive,  experimental,  avant  garde  and  post  rock  influences  together  and  on later  tracks  the  vocals  get  more  aggressive  along  with  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  some  of  the  songs  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  whispered and  female  vocals.

  On  this  recording  Omrade  goes  for  more  of  an  avant  garde  and  post  style  of  metal  while  still  keeping  around  some  black  metal  elements,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  mostly  written  in  Swedish  along  with  one  track  being  written  in  English  and  they  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Omrade  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "XII"  "The  Same  For  The  Worst"  and  "Falaich".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/fPxShx4vnyo

 

Mind Mold/Self Titled/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2017 EP Review

  Mind  Mold  are  a  band  from  Calgary,  Alberta,  Canada  that  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  black  and doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2017  ep  which  was  released  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  mixture  of  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  influences  of  sludge  and  hardcore  in  the  bands  musical  style  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  All  of  the musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  at  times  the  vocals  also  have  a  semi  melodic  tone  to  them  and  as  the  ep  progresses  synths  are  added  onto  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  mix  in  influences  from  noise  rock,  shoegaze,  avant  garde  and  experimental  music  and  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Mind  Mold  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  black  metal,  doom,  sludge  and  avant  garde  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  surreal  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mind  Mold  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Antipath"  and  "Nyx".  8  out  of  10.

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/mind-mold?utm_source=ALL&utm_campaign=2fc01e2960-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_04_06&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6a669a183c-2fc01e2960-443412889
 

   

Sanatana Interview

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

Technically speaking ...

Sanatana is a conceptual project that we have created with my wife in 2016. Some friends of us and like-minded people from our circle, inspired by the Vedic worldview and the ancient culture, are the part of it.

The musical range of Sanatana is diverse and presented at once in several directions: metal and new age. This musical spectrum makes it possible to express all the meanings and sentiments embodied in Sanatana project.

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

This is a double album consisting of two parts:

BRAHMA - Vedic metal with clean vocals

VIDYA - Vedic New Age

BRAHMAVIDYA uses live authentic instruments from various ancient cultures that fill the music with mysteriousness and charm. Also the sound of mantras and prayers represented on the album has a mesmerizing effect. They are performed in the ancient Sanskrit language from The Upanishads and other Vedic scriptures  and recited by active priests of the Vedic tradition.

3.Your lyrics cover Vedism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this eastern religion?

Vedism is not a religious system but rather a worldview and attitude to the world!

The word Veda means knowledge. The Vedic knowledge was used throughout the history of mankind. Starting from the Arabic numerals that the Arabs brought from India and that are nowadays (under the binary form) run the entire world of computer systems and it continues to be revealed through the modern science.

The Vedas contain all the science and knowledge (astronomy, mathematics, Ayurveda, Yoga, philosophy, psychology, art and spiritual knowledge).

We found a lot of interesting concepts in Eastern religions, as well as something appealing to us as we were discovering some parallels with Paganism etc; so we naturally decided to integrate this knowledge to our art.

Leo Tolstoy, Schopenhauer, Goethe, Herder, Hegel, Beethoven, Heine, Rodin, Einstein, Nehru, Gandhi. С.Lassen, E.Burnouf, Aurobindo Ghose, L.Vallée, S.Radhakrishnan, S. Lévi, Russell, Wordsworth, R. Rolland, W. Whitman, H. Hesse and many others drew inspiration and knowledge from the Vedas!

The Vedas are close to us as they were part of the pre-Christian culture common on the lands occupied by the Slavs. They had a Vedic culture in tune with the indian philosophy.

The Vedas are the oldest scriptures in the world, they are written in Sanskrit, the language that we use on our album. Sanskrit is the source of all the Indo-European language group, or as it is referred Aryan.

Aryans are those who makes the difference between the spirit and the matter. Herewith it doesn’t matter to what ethnic group they belong to. It’s a certain  type of consciousness, not an affiliation to a particular nation!

According to Vedas earlier there was a unique culture on the planet that was based on the laws of the universe!


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

Sanatana means eternity in Sanskrit!

Everybody is asking the eternal questions about the purpose of life and death, their meaning. Where we came from and who we are led by. These eternal questions come from the consciousness (I) which is also eternal by its nature!

As Faust told to Mephistopheles:

“When I say to the Moment flying;

Linger a while -- thou art so fair!”

We found that moment, long as eternity!

5.Has the band done any live shows or is this a studio project?

This is a studio project for now, but we are planning to perform some live shows in future.

6.The guitarist also has a background playing more of a pagan style of black metal, how would you compare paganism with the Vedic religion?

We found pagan roots in Eastern teachings (and that’s the case, the roots are all there), it have seemed to us as a much more constructive and clear idea. We’ve accepted it, I don’t see any contradiction, but on the contrary, paganism became more meaningful and extended to me!

7.The compilation was released on 'Rising Moon Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

RISING MOON PRODUCTION is a young company founded by the organizers of the Ragnard Rock Festival. It’s not only a label, but also a booking agency.

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

All the feedbacks I’ve got so far are good, people are interested in.

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

We will stay faithful to the established musical tradition!

But I can tell you that for sure there will be some transformations.

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?

The spectrum of our musical tastes is very broad and diverse: from ethnic folk to heavy metal. Today we can listen in a jumble ambient, jazz, rock, metal, Vedic ragas, Downtempo, etc.


11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Yoga, Meditation, Vegetarianism. And I love working with video and 3D graphics, but for the moment I’m not good enough.

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

Become yourself a change maker for values that you would like to see in this world!

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Sanatana/Brahmavidya/Rising Moon/2017 Double CD Review

  Sanatana  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  folk,  new  age,  ethnic,  and  experimental  music  and  this is a review  of  their 2017  double album  "Brahmavidya"  which  was  released  by  Rising  Moon.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  and  melodic  vedic  style  chanting  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some water  sounds  before  adding  in  melodic  guitar  leads  and  clean  singing  vocals  and  when  the  music  speeds  up a   great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  black  metal  influences  can  be  heard  and  the  music  also  gets  symphonic  at  times.

  Acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  some  of  the  songs  which  also  add  in  elements  of  folk  music  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and tribal  style  beats  are  also  used  at  times  and  you  can  also  hear  a  great  amount  of  melody  in  the  guitar  riffing.

  Ethnic  style  folk  instruments  are  added  onto  some  of  the  tracks  and  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  songs  and  as  the  album  progresses  female  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  some  of  the  tacks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  whispers  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  more  of  a  black  metal  touch  and  the  music also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  new  age,  oriental  and  experimental  elements  and  the  second  album  on  the  compilation  focuses  less  on  a  metal  scene  and  goes  for  more  of  a  relaxed  style  that  is  perfect  for  meditation  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Sanatana  plays a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  oriental  folk  music,  new  age,  ethnic  and  experimental  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vedism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sanatana  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  ethnic,  oriental  folk music,  new  age  and  experimental  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Mother  Earth"  "Shiva"  "Maya"  and  "Brahma  Samhita".  8  out  of  10.

https://sanatanamusic.bandcamp.com/album/brahmavidya
 

Fleurety 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 ep?

We are currently preparing to release our first new album since 2000: "The White Death". I consists of eight brand new songs, and it sounds very Fleurety in my ears, at least. Apart from that we are also working on a cd release that compiles all the music from the EPs that we've been releasing the last ten years. This release is called "Inquietus", and will be released through Aesthetic Records some time in 2017.

2. Recently you have released a new ep. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

The EP "Fragmenta Cuiusvis Aetatis Contemporaneae" has a sound that is somewhat marked by experimental recording techniques and a lot of layering of instruments. Consider, for instance, the song "Consensus". We have recorded a lot of ukulele, triangle, piano, synthesizer, fretless bass and and acoustic guitars, for instance. So I guess this is the most complex release we've done thus far, at least in terms of orchestration and arrangements. In my ears it is very evocative music. But, obviously, the best thing is to listen for yourself and make up your own mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=sNNr-q-v2-M

3. All of the music on the ep is instrumental, are you planning on going back to using vocals again in the future?

Yes, the reason why we didn't include vocals on this last EP is that we had kind of painted ourselves into a corner where we couldn't make any of the vocals we tried fit the overall expression. So we decided that we didn't need any vocals for this particular release.

4. Since 2000 there has been no full length and before 2009 there was no new material and also there has only been an ep released once every 2 to 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

Fleurety more or less fell apart as a band during the late nineties. Most of the time since then we have been living on different continents, and for different reasons the notion of keeping the band going as a file exchange/internet project didn't seem so tempting. We had plans of making more music, but the years went by without much happening within the framework of Fleurety. I had made a couple of songs intended to be used in Fleurety, but they were released under the name Zweizz as the EP "Black Necrotic Obfuscation" in 2004. After a while we found out that it was better to keep doing things very slowly than doing nothing at all. Between 2004 and 2014 we tried to keep up this tradition of meeting up once a year to record a new song. Those are the songs that ended up on the four 7" EPs that we've been releasing. Then in 2014, we recorded a new album which is due for release some time the coming year, hopefully.

5. I know that the bands name came from a Goetic demon, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in Occultism?

At the time we chose the band name, we were 14 years old and wanted something demonic. We didn't know much about the subject; teenagers rarely do. We found the name Fleurety in an encyclopedia. These days I guess I'm more of a occultism/witchcraft nerd.

6. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to becoming a full line up again or do you prefer to remain a duo?

We have no specific plans of playing concerts, so at the moment there is no need to recruit more personnell.

7. What where some of the best shows that the band played back in the days and also how would you describe your stage performance?

We only played some 5-6 shows back in the day, not much to be talking about. For those of you who are very interested, i recommend this clip from 1994: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=103DtO23lXA

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your newer material by fans of experimental, avant garde and black metal?

Seems most people enjoy our new material, even though there is also the occasional "meh". There have been comments from people that think we should be more prolific, and that is the only really non-enthusiastic feedback I've heard.

9. Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

I have some other projects going on. For instance you can check out a band where I play the drums, called Succuba, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=GDofo0Gunos

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

I HAVE NO IDEA!!!!!!!!!!

11. 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?

Most of the time I listen to whatever's on the radio. I used to be working as a music critic from 2002 to 2013, and it basically ruined my relationship with the "listening to music" situation, so I guess I'm still trying to recover from that.

12. What are some of your non musical interests?

Food, people, movies, visual art ... politics to some extent.

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

Thanks for paying attention!

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Aegri Somnia/Ad Augusta per Augusta/Symbol Of Domination Productions/United By Chaos/2017 CD Review

  Aegri  Somnia are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a mixture  of  folk,  avant  garde,  electronic,  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Ad  Augusta  Per  Augusta"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  Of  Domination  Productions  and  United  by  Chaos.

  Folk  instruments  and  operatic  female vocals  start  off  the  album  and  after  awhile  synths  along  with  elements  of  electronic  music  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  heavier  and  melodic  guitar  riffs  and  whispers  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  they  also mix  in  tribal  and  ritualistic  elements  in  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.

  A  small  amount  of  percussion's  can  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  avant  garde  elements  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  an d they  also  add  a  heavy  black  metal  influence  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  adds  in  touches  of  Spanish  and  Celtic  pagan  folk  music  and  nature  sounds  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  melodic  guitar  leads  are  also  used  briefly.

  Aegri  Somnia  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk,  electronic  music,  avant  garde  and  black  metla  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aegri  Somnia  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk,  avant  garde,  electronic,  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Seran"  "La  Deshorna"  "Ronda  De  Mayo"  and  "Veneno".  8  out  of  10. 

https://aegrisomniafolk.bandcamp.com

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

Ashenspire Interview

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

Four oddities who like jazz and social justice, making peculiar music. We also have a variety of wonderful outside musicians who bless us with their talent on occasion.

2.       You have a new album coming out in January, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

We do indeed – It’s called Speak Not of the Laudanum Quandary. Musically, it’s a mixture of bleak metal textures with a bit of jazz fusion, a bit of prog rock and a healthy dose of the eccentric and theatrical. The vocal delivery is unlike conventional black metal, or clean vocals; it is called Sprechgesang, and was highly inspired by the mad ravings of the legendary Mr Doctor of Devil Doll.

3.       What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

This is actually one of the key components of Speak Not…, because it explores territory rarely approached in metal. The album is made up of 7 “veils”, or observations; each is concerned with a particular issue to do with British imperialism, and how that issue propagates into modern life. For instance, the first track looks at the displacement of indigenous peoples – this has particular relevance in Scotland due to a prolonged ousting of crofting families called the Highland Clearances, but of course is widely recognizable in the actions of imperial Britain throughout the world. Furthermore, it doesn’t take a historian to recognize parallels with modern day attitudes to refugees. It’s very much important to remember the responsibility we bear for many of the less privileged peoples today, considering how our comfort can often be traced back to others suffering.

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

The name refers primarily to smokestacks – vast arrays of chimneys that dominated the skyline here in Glasgow for decades, and similarly so in industrial cities all over the UK. Similarly, most of the older architecture in our city is stained near-black with soot. It also makes reference to the towering blocks of flats all over modern Britain in the fine brutalist architectural tradition.

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

Well, as of yet we have only performed a couple of times; we don’t like to play throwaway shows, every performance has value. But each time has been utterly exhilarating. Doffs of the cap to our friends at Cog Promotions and the North of the Wall team. The performance itself relies on playing tightly, but with feeling, and a pervasive atmosphere tending towards lunacy. Needless to say, it’s remarkable fun for us.

6.       Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

We’re going to be supporting the wonderful gents in Ash Borer this April in Glasgow, and details of a big album release shindig (with some extremely talented friends of ours) should be public soon enough. We’d absolutely love to go a-touring for the album, we’ll have to see what opportunities arise with regards to that.

7.       The new album is coming out on 'Code666', are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?

I think delighted would be the word. The folks at Code666 have been very good to us. We’re extremely blessed to be part of such a sterling label.



8.       On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and avant-garde metal?

So far so good, I think is the general consensus. Some very kind words have come in from all over the globe. Folks who are looking for more music along the lines of Dødheimsgard, Vulture Industries or our good friends in A Forest of Stars seem to find something to enjoy. It doesn’t seem to be music that people who like orthodox black metal particularly connect to, but we had that coming, really. Honestly, one of the more surprising things has been the feedback from people who don’t listen to any metal at all – very positive.



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

Saxophones. Lots of saxophones.

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?

Devil Doll are a big one of course, as are our aforementioned contemporaries; aside from them, Snarky Puppy, Miles Davis, Sun Ra, Deep Purple and Ulver have all had a significant impact, among a huge number of others. I personally haven’t been able to stop listening to the new record by Edward Scissortongue and Lamplighter, Tell Them It’s Winter, ever since it came out. Brooding and melancholy in extremis, but insightful and addictive hip-hop for the discerning listener. Safe to say some of that sound will have leeched into our own writing come album two…

11.   What are some of your non-musical interests?

Outside of music we all tend to stay creative as best we can, in various different ways. We have an actor/comedian, an educational psychologist, a physicist and a chemist, so that fairly plays into it all. Consistently, though, we all like absurd humour, politics, posh beer, and dogs.

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

We hope that all of those who read this enjoy the new album, and we hope to hear discussion and viewpoints on its subject matter; that’s what it’s there for. So long as it makes people think, it has been successful. Many thanks for your time, be safe.

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Fleurety/Fragmenta Cuinsvis Aetatis Contemporanae/Aesthetic Death/2017 EP Review

  Fleurety  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  been  around  for  more  than  20  years  and  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  with  a  touch  of  noise  on  this  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Fragmenta  Cuinsvis  Aetatis  Contemporanae"  which  was  released  by  Aesthetic  Death.

  Spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  electronic  sounds  and  black  metal  riffing  while  they  also  mix  in  clean  guitars  to  give  the  music  more  of  an  experimental  and  avant  garde  feeling  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  therecording  and  elements  of  harsh  noise  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Some  of  the  slower  riffing  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  pianos  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  both  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  are  done  in  mostly  an  instrumental  direction  and  saxophones  along  with  psychedelic elements  are  added  onto  the  second  track  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  tribal  style  beats.

  On  this  recording  Fleuety  takes  black  metal,  noise,  experimental  and  avant  garde  and  mixes  them  together  and  does not  include  any  vocals  like  their  earlier  releases  and  the  production  also  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Fleurety  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Consensus".  8  out  of  10.

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Ashenspire/Speak Not Of The Laudanum Quandary/Code666/2017 CD Review

 Ashenspire  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  very  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Speak  Not  Of  The  Laudanum  Quandary"  which  will  be  released  on  January  20th  by  Code666.

  Radio  static  noises  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  where  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  a  few  seconds  later  violins  and  avant  garde  clean  singing  are  added  into  the  music  and  pianos  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  acoustic guitars  are  added  into  some  part  of  the  songs.

  When  guitar leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also be  heard  at  times  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  also  brings  in  some  of  the  90's  avant  garde  post  black  metal  style  while  also  mixing  in  theatrics  from  that  era  as  well  as  taking  it  into  more  of  a  modern  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  black  metal  screams  are  finally  added  into  the  music.

  Ashenspire  plays  a  style  of  avant  garde  metal  that  is  very  theatrical  while  also  bing  very  heavily  influenced  by  black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  absurdities  and  tragedies  of  British  imperialism.

  In  my  opinion  Ashenspire  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Wretched  Mills"  "A  Beggar's  belief"  and  "Speak  Not  Of  the  Laundram  Quandary".  8  out  of  10.

 http://tometal.com/song-premiere-scottish-avant-garde-black-metal-band-ashenspire/

Sigh/Infidel Art/Cacophonous/2016 CD Re-Issue Review

  Sigh  are  a  band  from  Japan  that  has  albums  reviewed  by  this  zine  and  played  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  on  this  release  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 1995  album  "Infidel  Art"  which  will  be  re-issued in  November  by  Cacophonous.

  Heavy  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  80's  metal  style guitar  leads  and  a  few seconds  later  black  metal  screams  become  a  part  of the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  are  also  very  melodic at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  keyboards  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  symphonic  and  progressive  feeling  along  with  touches  of  classical  and  when  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  an  operatic  feeling  and  a  great  portion  of t he tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  songs  also  get  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in a   great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  culture  and  music  of  Japan  is  also  a  very  huge  influence  on  the  recording  and  on  tracks  brings  in  acoustic  guitars  and  the  bonus  tracks  are  original  versions  of  a  couple  of  songs  that  appeared  on  the  original  version  of  the album..

  Sigh  played  a  style  of  black  metal  on  this  recording  that  was  very  original,  experimental,  avant g arde  and  symphonic  for  its  era  and  also  helped  influence  a  lot  of  later  bands  with  this  album,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Shinto  Mythology,  Occultism,  Suffering,  Insanity  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  a  very  great  sounding  recording  from  Sigh  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  the  avant  garde  and  symphonic  styles  of  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Izuna"  "The  Last  Elegy"  and  "Beyond  Creatures".  8  out  of  10.

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Triplezero Interview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As Light Dies/The Love Album - Volume I/Maa Productions/2014 CD Review

  As  Light  Dies  are a  band  from  Spain  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  avant  garde  and  progressive  form  of  black  metal  with  some  death,  doom  and  gothic  metal  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "The  Love  Album  -  Volume I"  which  was  released  by  Maa  Productions.

  Avant  garde  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  samples  and  on  the  second  track  the  music  starts  adding  in  heavier  guitars  and  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounds  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard.

  Clean  singing  goth  vocals  can  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  along  with  some  doom  metal  elements  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  and  the  songs  also  get  very  progressive  at  times  and  a  great  portion  of the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  songs  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  death  metal growls  and  whispers  can be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  As  Light  Dies  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  the  more  avant  garde  and  progressive  style  of  black  metal  on  the  recording  while  also  standing  out  a  bit  more  and  adding  in  elements  of  doom,  goth  and  death  metal  which  makes  the  music  stand  out  a  bit  more,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  math  and  historical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  As  Light  Dies  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  and  avant  garde  black/doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "Orpheus  Morning"  "When  Distance  Becomes  Real"  "No  Pain,  As  Sleep"  and  "Farewell  From  Distant  Shores".  8  out  of  10.

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Perihelion/Hold/Apathia Records/2016 EP Review

  Perihelion  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this zine  and  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  ep  "Hold"  which  was  released  by  Apathia  Records.

  Atmospheric  synths  and  clean  playing  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  melodic  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  awhile  heavy  guitars  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  both  clean  and  heavy  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  elements  of  post  metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  some  influences  from  some  of  the  mid  90's  Norwegain  avant  garde  black  metal  bands  while  not  using  any  aggressive  vocals  from  that  era  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  brought  onto  the  recording  they  bring  in  even  more of  a  melodic  style  to  the  bands  musical  sound  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  used  briefly  while  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musicla  direction  and  they  close  the  ep  with  a  cover  of  Twin  Peaks  "Scyamore  Trees".

  Perihelion  focus  less  on  the  black  metal  elements  this  time  around  and  focuses  more  on  an  avant  garde  style  of  post  metal  on  this  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Hungarian  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Perihelion  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde,  post  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Feneketlen"  and  "Hold".  8  out  of  10.

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And Harmony Dies Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
Hi, actually we are looking for a new guitarist becouse our bandmate Rob left the band 2 month ago, then we will promote Totenamt with concerts.

2.Recently you have released a new album how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
Sound in new album it' s more various and complex and difference with old discography it' s basically in more influences outside metal and better arrangiament on it.

3.The band has been around since 1995 but only has released 3 full lengths, can you tell us a little bit more about the gaps in between releases?
Is it true, our production it's pretty slow, we prefer to publish our music when we are ready, we have work on Totenamt for 7 years and specially in that case, we have had personal problems that slow down us.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
In that album we talk about Death, all songs are poems wrote by me almost 10 years ago. I explore death in all his shades and it is a sad album of course.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'And harmony Dies'?
20 years ago we were looking for a band name that include peace, wellness and at the same time something dark and we were fans of Venom, so listening to the album Possessed we focus our attention at the song title Harmony Dies. it became our first name, then we discovered that another band from Germany had the same name, but we were already active and known in our region, so we decided to add "AND" at the beginning, so it become And Harmony Dies.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
I remember a great show in a club in 2005 there was a lot of people and all have fun. It was a great show! With the passing of years we decided to focus more of theatrical immaginary instead of metal impact. We are trying to focus more on songs' s feeling not only in anger given by metal parts.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
Actually not because of our guitarist search.

8.The new album was released on Sliptrick Records, are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?
Yes they are very professional and working really good.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and avant garde metal?
Actually responses are good and we are proud of it Black metal fans still looking to more classical proposal, but people more open minded really like it!

10.Are any of the band members also involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?
Yes me (Black). I have other project like Pesten and Lux Eternæ but And Harmony Dies still my priority.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Nobady really knows where new songs will arrive. We still listening a lot genres and we will never repeat ourselves.

12.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?
In metal absolutelly Devin Townsend, Arcturus, DHG, Mayhem, Phil Anselmo and the illegals. Outside metal, Asaf Avidan, Lord buffalo, Le trio Joubran and many many more.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?
I love films d' essay, Theather, geopolitics and ancient sumerian. Whisper (keyborder) love literature, especially russian.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank for your interesting, we want to let people crush their musical tastes. There are a lot of good music outside and people are afraid often to discover new one. Life contains a multitude of feelings, that sometimes change quickly. This is our music. Enjoy it!

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And Harmony Dies/Totenamt/Sliptrick Records/2016 CD Review

  And  Harmony  Dies  are  a band  from  Italy  that  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Totenamt"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Sliptrick  Records.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  soem  church bells  before  going  into  more  of  an  avant  garde  direction  which  also  shows  violins  being  added  onto  the  recording  and  after  awhile  it  starts  to  mix  in  with  a  heavier  sound  which  also introduces  grim  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  symphonic  elements.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  elements  of  jazz  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  you  can  also  hear  clean  singing  in  the  music  at  times  along  with  death  metal  growls  being  used  in  some  parts  of  the  songs and  some  riffs  also  bring  in  elements  of  thrash,  heavy  and  doom  metal  and  traces  of  classical  music  are  present  throughout  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads stick to  a  melodic  musical  direction.

    When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  songs  also  get  very  experimental  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  goth  can  be  heard  while  some  songs  also  add  in  acoustic  guitars,  pianos  and  spoken  word  parts  and  a  few  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  later  tracks  start  adding  in  traces  of  Middle  Eastern  music  and  on  the  last  track  operatic  female  and  male  vocals  are  brought  onto  the  recording.

 And  Harmony  Dies  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  avant  garde  and  incorporates  many  elements  from  many  different  musical  genres,  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  suffering  and  agonizing  themes.

  In  my  opinion  And  Harmony  Dies  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sometimes"  "Tears  like  Promises"  "Another  Ending  Fairytale"  and  "The  Cut".  8  out  of  10. 

https://soundcloud.com/grandsoundspr1/and-harmony-dies-birthday/s-EJdKr

Wormfood/L' Envers/Apathia Records/2016 CD Review

  Wormfood  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  gothic  and  black  metal    and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2016album  "L'  Envers"  which was  released  by Apathia  Records.

  Spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  a  heavy  and  fast  black  metal  direction  that  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  before  slowing  down  and  mixing  in  avant  garde  style  keyboards  and  the  vocals  start  out  in  more  of  a  spoken  fashion.

  After  awhile  black  metal  screams  and  clean  singing  goth  style  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts and  a  good  amount  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  songs  also  bring in  psychedelic  elements.

  Wormfood  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with goth  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  perversions  and  an  acid  view  on  society.

  In  my  opinion  Wormfood  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  goth  and  avant  garde  black  metal  and  if you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "Serviteur  Du  Roi"  "Gone  On  the  Hoist"  and  "Poisonne".  8  out  of  10. 

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