Hesperian Death Horse/Ziv/2018 Full Length Review

  Hesperian  Death  Horse  are  a  band  from  Croatia  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  avant  garde  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  album  "Ziv".

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  avant  garde  elements  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  all  of  the  tracks are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clean  vocals  and  spoken word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  slow  and  heavy  riffs  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  along  with  some  psychedelic  sounds  also  being  used  in  some  parts  of  the  music  and  the  songs  also  incorporate  post  black  metal  influences  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  Hesperian  Death  Horse  expand  on  their  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  post  metal  by  adding  in  more  avant  garde  influences,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nihilistic  poetry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hesperian  Death  horse  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  post,  sludge  and  avant  garde  metal,  you  should  check  out t his  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Elu  (Part  2:  Voda)"  and  "Liv(Part  4:  Horde)".  8  out  of  10.

https://hesperiandeathhorse.ba ndcamp.com

Urarv Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
1.Since that we've gathered live members to relieve me from the guitar duties. Then prepping for gigs once a week. During this time we've also had a debut show at the REVOLVER scene in Oslo, which went quite well I'm glad to say. I was surprised to see that the venue actually became sold out. Secondly, we played at The Howling Infinity festival in Germany which was lots of fun. Some of the audience was really good and obviously happy to witness out contribution. Especially Marlon Crudo Crudo,Tim Simonis and Marco Saloni, which is three of the most hardcore supporters of this scene. (thank you guys for everything)




2.You have a new album coming out in June, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from your previous releases?
I guess I would describe it as unfiltered madness, echoing through a downward spiral and profused in a human being with invisible manacles attached to his feet. A blueprint of the automatic destructive entity that runs the machinery of the human mind.
A complete "out of balance" creature, neglected and cast into the shadows of himself BY himself.A rotting form of human flesh and psychè.Conveyed through music with an unpolished, raw, yet crystalized sound, executed by Cam Ill at HVN Recordings (glad to have you on board brother)


3.The band has been around since 2003 but waited until 2016 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?
Those years I was desperatly striving with keeping my head abow water,mentally speaking, and gathered a lot of inspiration from it. During that period I also recorded the vocals for The Deathtrip album "Deep drone master". A lot to say about that period if I would want to, but it's in the past, and the past doesn't exist any more than a thought in the NOW.



4.I have read the band originally started out more as a folk infuenced project, what was the decision behind going into more of a black metal direction?
m,yes, this is true on one level. I did want to convey stuff through an output much like a folkish thing, but that didn't really cover the whole "story", so because of the intensity and the agitated state of mind I was in I needed to express it with a more fierce sensation.
Whether it's black metal or not I don't care. I just needed to express it like that whatever you wanna call it.


5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Urarv'?
Urarv means "Ancient Heritage", and is meant to portray something that lies hidden deep inside all of us. Which we have forgotten but which is the very source of existence.Our home, if you may.And the music is a portal to open the gates of memory in order to return home.



6.The symbols on the album cover look almost alchemical, can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork?
I'm a huge fan of occult symbols. Always was, still is. And one day, figuring out what to tattoo on my skin I realized that I could create my own symbols instead of using other peoples. So I entered some kind of an internal process where I began forming these lines due to different life experiences and events which magically gave them all a meaning as well.I made a map of nearly two houndred different symbols.


7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We've only played two shows so far so I have very little to comment on at this time.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
Yes, we have some upcoming shows in Norway,Belgium, Romania,and Ethiopia. Really looking forward to that.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
It's been mixed, of course, all else would've been strange, but all in all it's been overwhelmingly positive and even inspirational I'd say.Seems like a lot of people makes use of something that stands out from the crowd a bit, something that offers a new way of thinking and a relief from the decadence of the decaying Black Metal scene, which basically has by far become just a parody on itself in many cases.

10.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?
I don't know.I think Trish is involved in about 5000 other bands and Sturt is messing around with the next Troll album besides dealing with his other bands «Blindfisted «and «Whip».


11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
I have no idea, nor do I care. I just wanna compose my riddles of sound, execute them live and record them on a physical format for people to enjoy. I have no plans or intentions to « conquer the world « with it, and even if I did we don't play boring music enough to become big.


12.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've drawn a lot of inspiration from 80's heavy metal and 70's punk, but also some themes from elderly jazz and gothic blues.
I listen mostly to Heavy Metal, Psychedelic Trance and Underground hip-hop


13.What are some of your non musical interests?
Country, gospel, mainstream pop and mainstream rock and mainstream metal,, basically everything that is mainstream.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks to all of you who support the band and what we do. Without you, this would not be possible, which means that your presence and contributions mean everything to us. May you all have a long and happy life :)

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Antisoph/Self Titled/Geisterasche Organisation/2018 Full Length Review

  Antisoph  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2018  album  which  was  released  by  Geisterasche  Organisation.

  Blast  beats  along  with  some  fast  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  avant  garde  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  progressive  structures  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  demonstrating  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  synths  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  elements  of  black  metal  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  more  post  metal  influences  are  added  into  the  music  and  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Antisoph  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  avant  garde,  progressive  and  post  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  and  metaphysical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Antisoph  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  avant  garde,  progressive  and  post  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hyporoom"  "Teleport  Maize"  and  "Rejoice".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYVIyiGGvRk
https://www.facebook.com/antisophband/

Urarv/Argentum/Svart Records/2018 CD Review

  Urarv  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Argentum"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Svart  Records.

  Ethnic  instruments  and  ritualistic  voices  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  avant  garde  structures  and  when  clean  playing  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard.

  Urarv  plays  a  style  of  Norwegian  avant  garde  black  metal  that  they  take  into  a  more  modern  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  esoteric  and  emotional  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Urarv  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  "Kracketjott"  and  "Sannhet".  8  out  of  10.

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Hortus Animae Interview

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

1)      Hi. This album celebrates our 20th anniversary, it was the perfect chance to release something very special, that is live, and on vinyl, which has been our dream in a drawer for many years. It’s been just released so for now we are enjoying the feedback from fans while preparing out 20th anniversary gig that will take place in our hometown, Rimini, Italy on May 18, 2018.


2.How would you describe the musical sound of your current music and also how would you describe your progress over the years as musicians?
2)      We have always been devoted to experimenting different sounds, by integrating diverse influences in our own vision of extreme metal. We stay true to this ideal to this day, even though we have moved towards a more technical and brutal side of our sound. Let’s say in the beginning we sounded a bit more blackish and now we are a little bit more death metal oriented, yet our gothic, progressive and avant-garde remains really vivid.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored over the years with your music?

3)      Lyrics are the representation of a personal path. I have explored many themes over the years but through the prism of my own vision and I have analysed mostly themes related to spirituality, mysticism, abstractionism of the soul, through a study I’ve made of their connection to the human feelings and ways of life.

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

4)      Hortus Animae is Latin for the Garden of the Soul. This moniker fully reflects what previously said not only lyrics-wise but also music-wise. Our music and lyrics make up a scenario where you can go and find shelter and time for rest and reflections.

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

5)      It’s nearly 20 years that we hit stages and every time it’s a wonderful and magical experience. Our warmest memories go to the gigs we shared with Napalm Death, Ancient, Lacuna Coil, Mortuary Drape, Necrodeath and last but not least the almighty Necronomicon.

Our performances are mostly focused on the music, no frills. There is a big energy  from us to the audience and vice versa. This atmosphere has been fully captured in our live album “Piove Sangue”.

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

6)      Not yet, as said for now we are organizing our 20th anniversary gig, surely other gigs will follow during summer but nothing confirmed so far.

7.On the live album you had also done your own version of Slayer's "Raining Blood" what was the decision behind doing your own version of this song?

7)      Every metalhead on Earth has gone through Slayer and “Raining Blood”, it just seemed the perfect song to end our shows during the Total Metal Over Europe Tour, Pt. II with Necronomicon.

8.Also on the same song you also had some session work from the singer of 'Necronomicon', can you tell us a little bit more about his involvement on the recording?

8)      It was the result of fellowship we developed during the tour and that has culminated with this recording, which was totally unplanned and came spontaneously. It was the very last night and we knew we were going to record a live album there, Freddy came to me and proposed to do “Raining Blood” together, I said “fuck yeah!” and then he just came on the stage for a very fiery version of that song. It’s been awesome.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and progressive metal?

9)      We have a very good welcoming in our home, Italy. But I have to say we also have a loyal fanbase abroad as well. During our 8 years hiatus we kept receiving mails from fans from all over the world and they have played a big role to getting us reunited, beside making music together.


10.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?
10)   Each and every one of us other bands also not related to metal. The bands that are mostly in the metal vein are Desmadre’s Crawling Chaos that play death metal and my solo project Martyr Lucifer where we play gothic.
11)   Right now we are writing new material for the follow up to 2014’s “Secular Music”, we really can’t tell what direction we will fallow as our way to compose is really unpredictable thanks to the fact that we all are musicians coming from different musical backgrounds.

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

12)   I don’t know, if we really have to mention bands, I think I might mention Enslaved, early Opeth but also Cradle of Filth at some point. But just to give you an idea, our vision of music is really personal in the end and we’ve always been extremely open minded and we listen to the most diverse styles of music. This surely contributes to the formation of our sound as well.

13.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

13)   Occultism, yes, it’s important. Not the main thing, though. Mostly spirituality, as said before, with no link to any particular religion. Pagan symbolism plays a big role as well.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?

14)   Even though music is one the leading lines of our lives we all have different interests, like everyone, like movies, reading, some of us are DJs, sometimes I do horse riding, etc.

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

15)   Thank you very much for this interview and we hope we’ll be playing in the US anytime soon. Cheers!



http://hortusanimae.net/

https://www.facebook.com/ HortusAnimae/

Hortus Animae/Piove Sangue - Live In Banska Bystrica/Metal Scrap Records/2018 Live Album Review

  Hortus  Animae  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  progressive,  symphonic  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  live  2018  album  "Piove  Sangue - Live  In  Banska  Bystrica"  which  was  released  by  Metal  Scrap  Records.

  Avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  music  being  recorded  live  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  as  well as  the  vocals  also  using  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  screams.

  Clean  vocals  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  used  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  symphonic  elements  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  progressive  yet  melodic  fashion.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  some  tracks  also  show  a  goth  metal  influence along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  closing  track  also  brings  in  some  quest  vocals  from  the  singer  of  Canada's  Necronomicon  which  is  also  a  cover  version  of  Slayer's  "Raining  Blood".

  Hortus  Animae  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  avant  garde,  symphonic  and  progressive  sounding  along  with  some  goth  touches,  the  production  has  a  very  raw  and  live sound  while  the  lyrics  cover  Surrealism,  Death  and  Sadness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hortus  Animae  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic,  avant  garde  and  progressive  black  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  live  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chamber  Of  Endless  Nightmares"  and  "There's  no  Sanctuary".  8  out  of  10.

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Lychgate/The Contagion In Nine Steps/Blood Music/2018 CD Review

 Lychgate  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  an  apocalyptic mixture  of  avant  garde black  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2018  album  "The  Contagion  In  Nine  Steps"  which  will  be  released  on  March  30th  by  Blood  Music.

  Horror  movie  style  organs  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  funeral  doom  metal  style  while  the  music  also  brings  in  piano's  and  mellotron's  along  with t he  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  after  awhile  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  are  added  onto  the  recording.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  avant  garde  feeling  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  a  great  amount  of  grim  black  metal s creams  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  guitar  solos and  leads  when  they  are  utilized  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  most   of  the  music  always  sticking  to a   very  slow  direction and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Lychgate  plays  a musical  style  that  takes  avant  garde  black  metal  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  inspired  by  the idea's  of  Stanislaw  Lem,  Plato,  Hegel,  Le  Bon  and  Cannetti's  about  civilization,  consciousness  and  crowd  psychology.

  In  my  opinion  Lychgate  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  avant  garde  black  and  funeral doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Republic"  and  "Atavistic  Hypnosis".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.lychgate.net/
https://twitter.com/lychgateband
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Ophe/Litteras Ad Tristia Maestrum Solitude/My Kingdom Music/2018 CD Review

  Ophe  is  a  solo  project  from  France  that  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Litteras  Ad  Tristia  Maestrum  Solitude"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  My  Kingdom  Music.

  Drum  beats  along  with  some  avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them and  when  the  music  speeds  up a   decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  experimental  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in length  along  with  some  saxophones  and  clean  vocals  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  grim  spoken  word  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  avant  garde  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  when  guitar  leads  are utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Ophe  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  experimental and  avant  garde  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics are  written  in  French  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ophe  is  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Somnum  Sempiternum"  and  "XVIII".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/OPHEBM

      

Xanthochroid/Of Earth And Axen Act II/Earth And Axen Records/2017 CD Review

  California's  Xanthochroid  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  that  continues  their  epic  and  melodic  style  of  cinematic  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Of  Earth  And  Axen  Act  II"  which  was  also  self  released  through  their  own  label.

  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier and  melodic  side  of  the  songs  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  clean  playing  and  operatic  clean  vocals  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  progressive  and  avant  garde  at  times  as  well  as  some  songs  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  can  be  heard  and  one  song  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  flutes  and  death  metal  growls.

  On  this  recording  Xanthochroid  goes  into  more  of  an  avant  garde  and  progressive direction  while still  mixing  in  elements  of  black  metal, the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  their  own  self  created  lore  and  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Xanthochroid  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Of  Aching,  Empty  Pain"  "Walk  With  Me,  O  Winged  Mother" and  "Toward  Truth  And  Reconciliation".  8  out  of  10.

 http://www.xanthofficial.com/store.html
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Perdition's Light/Endzeit/2017 Full Length Review

Perdition's  Light  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  dark  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Endzeit"

  A  very  heavy  sound  along  with  some  avant  garde  style  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  which  also  gives  the  music  more  aggression.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  singing  and  melodic  vocals  which  takes  the  music  into  even  more  of  an  avant  garde  direction  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  elements  of  post  rock  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Perdition's  Light  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  in  an  avant  garde  black  metal  style  that  is  very  close  to  the  mid  90's  Norwegian  era  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  poetic,  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Perdition's  Light  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  "Dark  Passenger"  "Mighty  Observer"  "Mournings  Breeze"  and  "Blackened  Wine  Of  Remembrance".  8  out  of  10.

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Perihelion/Orveny/Apathia Records/2017 Full Length Review

  Hungary's  Perihelion  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  that  continues  the  avant  garde  style  of  post  black  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Orveny"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Apathia  Records.


  Heavy  riffs  along  with  some  clean  avant  garde  style  vocals  start  off  the  album  while  all  of t he  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.

  Synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  music  being  very  experimental  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  elements  of  post punk  and  clean  guitars are also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  after  awhile  black  metal  screams  start  to  make  their  presence  known  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  blast  beats  are  also  used  briefly.

  Perihelion  creates  a  recording  that  goes  for  more  of  an  avant  garde  post  metal  style  while  the  influence  of  black  metal  is  still  there,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Hungarian  ans  cover  dreamlike  passages  towards  the  subconscious.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Perihelion  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  and  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Kihalt  Egi  Folyosok"  "Fenyt!"  and  "Bardo".  8  out  of  10.

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Fleurety/Inquietum/Aesthetic Death/2017 Compilation Review

  Fleurety  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  avant  garde  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  compilation  album  "Inquietum"  which  will  be  released  on  August  21st  and  consists  of  the  many  7  inches  that  they  have  released  over  the  years.

  Harsh  noises  and  power  electronics  start  off  the  album  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  riffing  which  also  leads  up  to  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  being  added  onto  the  recording  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  avant  garde  elements  and  you  can  also  hear  some  melody  in  the  guitar  riffing.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  bets  can  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  progressive  fashion  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  guitar  riffing  also  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking.

  Throughout  the  compilation  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  some  tracks  also  bring  in  synths  and  drones  along  with  some  psychedelic  elements  also  being  used  briefly  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  female  vocals  can  also be  heard  briefly as  the  album  progresses  and  some  of  the  songs  is  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  utilizes  a  more  angry  vocal  approach  and  there  are  also  a  few  instrumentals.

  On  this  compilation  Fluerty  showcase  a  lot  of  their  material  that  was  released  over  the  years  which  shows  their  avant  garde  black  metal  style  getting  more  darker  and  experimental  than  what  was  presented  on  the  early  full lengths,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  weirdness,  dark  emotions  and  poetry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  from  Fluerty  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  black  metal,  experimental  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Descent  Into  Darkness"  "Summon  The  Beasts"  "It's  When  Your  Cold"  and  "Carnal  Nations".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/thetruefleurety/  

Tele S. Therion Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
TST was established in 2007 with the purpose of creating a variable ensemble dedicated to the esoteric side of the art of noise.

2.Recently you have released an album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented n the recording?
Michel Chion define the “acusma” as a “sensory phantasm”, consisting of a sound whose true source of emission is invisible. In this way “Luzifers Abschied” it’s a device for “ghostly” manifestation of sound masses.

3.You refer to your music as being 'acousmatic black metal, can you tell us a little bit more about this term?
Extended methods and unortodox practices of "sound fixation" and "sound reproducibility" to design the audible and the inaudible.

4.Can you tell us a little bit more about the concept behind the album and also the opera it is based upon?
It is a sort of transfiguration of the homonym score composed by Karlheinz Stockhausen, originally conceived for male chorus with mass bells, good friday clappers, organ/synth, tam-tam and seven trombones (live or tape), a caged wild black bird and a sack of coconuts.
“This opera cycle revolves around 3 archetype characters, Michael, Eve and Lucifer, and over the 29 hours each of these characters are introduced, come into conflict, face temptation and finally come into union“. – Ed Chang about the opera of Karlheinz Stockhausen –
“Luzifers Abschied” was originally composed on a commission to celebrate the 800th anniversary of St Francis of Assisi, and premiered in 1982 at the Assisi Cathedral where St Francis was baptized.A suggestive link with this sub-theme of the opera, not formally related, it is the hagiographycal essays of the saint, written by Andrea Armati, “Lo stregone di Assisi - Il volto negato di San Francesco” and “Le stimmate dello sciamano”.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Tele.S.Therion'?
Echemytia.

6.Has the band done any live shows yet? TST have done also rare public sound diffusion, but not to be intended as a music show. A public diffusion for loudspeacker orchestra and audience, is conceived as site-specific artwork, deliberately focused on the psycho-acoustic experience.
If you ask to the right people, someone could explain you better what it mean, unless he too is under the rule of silence.

7.In what part of the world is the band located in?
It is kept secret.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal and other dark or underground forms of music?
“You may have immersed yourself in the blackest of metals for decades. You may feel you have embraced the sonic distillation of evil. You may have walked the deepest catacombs of black metal’s kingdom of fire and shadows, searching out the harshest creations by the most intimidating of the face painted disciples of darkness. Not one moment of all those years, searching in the black, has prepared you for Luzifers Abschied “ [...] “To listen to this album is to walk a path you have never taken before, to see sights you have never seen before, to step over the threshold” – ImperativePR -

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Coming to know is a process of dynamic adaptation towards viable interpretations of experience. Act always so as to increase the total number of choices.

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?
There is a pragmatic relation with the studies of Luigi Russolo (a depth study about this author is the Luciano Chessa’s assay “Luigi Russolo Futurist - Noise, Visual Arts, and the Occult”), Edgard Varese and with many authors involved in the cultural framework called “last avantgarde” (circa 1950 – 1980), including: concrete, aniconic and non-objective visual artists, conceptual artists, and in the aural field, there are relations with the praxis of the electroacoustic and atonal music, sound art, non-idiomatic improvisation, metaphonic researches (including spontanous music and direct voices phenomenon), the first era of black, dark and doom metal (searching for the roots of these terms, for their sonic phenomenas, their thought-forms, before they became a music genre).

11.How would you describe your views on Occultism?
The acousmatic practices dealt into TST are focused on the mysterical degrees of the art of listening; the art of silence.

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

Tele.S.Therion/Luzifers Abschied/Minotauro Records/2017 CD Review

  Tele.S.Therion  are  a  band  from  an  unknown  location  that  plays  a musical  style  they  refer  to  as  'acousmatic  black  metal'  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Luzifers  Abschied"  which  was  released  by  Minotauro  Records.

  Avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  they  also  add  in  a  touch  of  underground classical  music  along  with  some  touches  of  noise  and  experimental  and  whispered  ritualistic  chants  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  at  times  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in length.

  After  awhile  the  chants  start  utilize  more  of  a  melodic  tone  along  with  a  very  grim  black  metal  edge  and  stringed  instruments  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  after  awhile   drum  beats  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  evil  screams  and  demonic  voices  and  at  times  synths  and  saxophones  are  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  and  when  percussion  is  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  and  shamanistic  feeling.

  Tele.S.Therion  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal  without  the  electric  guitars  and  mixes  it  with  avant  garde  and  experimental  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  the  fourth  act  of  Karlheinz  Stockhausen's  opera  "Samstung  aus  Licht  (Saturday  From  Light).

  In  my  opinion  Tele.S.Therion  are  a  very  great  sounding  and  original  mixture  of  black  metal,  experimental  and  avant  garde  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS INCLUDE  "Periode  V  -VII"  and  "Periode  X  -XII".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JceekdNS29o

In Tormentata Quiete/Finestatico/My Kingdom Music/2017 CD Reivew

  In  Tormentata  Quiete  are  a  band  from  Italy t hat  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  "Finestatico"  which  will  be  released in  June  by  My  Kingdom  Music.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into a   very  fast  and  melodic direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  start  out  with  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with a  few  growls  and  you  can  also h ear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  Female  vocals  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  a  brief  sue  of  spoken  word  parts  and  when  synths a re  utilized  they  add  symphonic  and  psychedelic elements  onto  the  recording  and  some  songs  also  add  in  clear  male  vocals  and  acoustic  guitar  are  also  used  briefly.

  One  of  the  tracks  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  folk  instruments  while  the  clear  vocals  at  times  have  an  operatic  feeling  to  them  while  some  of  the  tracks are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  bring  in   elements  of  prog  metal  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  In  Tormentata  Quiete  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  avant  garde  style  of  black  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  conceptual,  philosophical and  metaphor  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  In  Tormentata  Quiete  and  if  you a re  a  fan  of  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should c heck  out  this  album  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Zero"  "Eta  Carinae"  and  "Demiurgo".  8  out  of  10.

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Selcouth/Heart Is The Star Of Chaos/I, Voidhanger Records/2017 CD Review

  Selcouth  are  a  international  band  with  members  from  France,  Finland,  Spain  and  Argentina  that  plays  a  mixture  of  avant  garde  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Heart  Id  The  Star  Of  Chaos"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

   Operatic  vocals  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  powerful  bass  guitars  and  grim  whispers  a  few  seconds  later  and  a  few  seconds  later  clean  guitars  and  ambient  style  synths  are  added  into  the  recording  along  with  the  music  getting  more  experimental  and  avant  garde  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  progressive  style  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in a small  amount  of  blast  beats  while    and  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  jazz  elements  and  as  the  album  progresses  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Some  songs  also  add  in  touches  of  post  rock while  also  mixing  in  some  influences  from t he  90's  Norwegian  era  of  avant  garde  black  metal  and  also  mixing  in  a great  amount  of  keyboards  and  the  last  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  introduces  touches  of  classical  music  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  grim  black  metal  screams.

  Selcouth  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  rooted  in  the  90's  Norwegian  style  of  avant  garde  black  metal  while  mostly  avoiding  the  more  harsh  vocals  and  adding  in  elements  of  jazz,  progressive  and  post  rock  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  poems  of  Jukka  Ylisuvanto. 

  In  my  opinion  Selcouth  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Strange  Before  The  Calm"  "Querencia"  and  "Rusticus".  8  out  of  10. 

https://www.facebook.com/selcouthconglomerate/

Les Chants Du Hastard/Self Titled/I, Voidhanger Records/2017 CD Review

  Les  Chants  Du  Hastard  are  a  solo  project  from  France  that  plays  an  experimental  mixture  of  black  metal,  orchestra,  and  classical  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  titled  album  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Avant  garde  stlye  classical  music  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  orchestra  elements  and  after  awhile  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  start  to  make  their  presence  known  along  with  a  few  deep  growls  while  the  music  avoids  any  use  of  traditional  metal  instruments.

  Operatic  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  when  drum  beats  are  utilized  they  give  the  songs  more  of  a  martial  and  militant  atmosphere  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  stringed  instruments  and  symphonic  elements.

 Les  Chants  Du  Hastard  takes  an  avant  garde  style  of  classical  and  orchestra  music  and  mixes  it  in  with  black  metal  style  vocals  to  create  something  very  different  while  also  having  its  roots  and  influences  from  80's  era  Arcturus  and  Elend,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  universal  and  existential  themes  along  with  some  inspirations  from  the  writings  of  Comte  de  Lautreamont.

  In  my  opinion  Les  Chants  Du  Hastard  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  black  metal,  classical,  and  orchestra  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Le  Soliel"  and  "Le  Deiu".  8  out  of  10. 

https://www.facebook.com/leschantsduhasard/

Nocte Obducta/Totholz (Ein Raunen aus dem Klammwlad)/MDD Records/2017 CD Review

  Nocte  Obducta  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Totholz  (Ein  Raunen  aus  dem Klammwlad)"  which  will  be  released  on  May  26th  by  MDD Records.

 Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  and  an  atmospheric  background  starts  off  the  album  along  with  drum  beats  and  heavy  yet  melodic  guitar  riffing  and  they  also  mix  in  avant  garde  elements  into  the  heavier  side  of  the  material  while the  fast  sections  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  van  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  at e utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  playing   can  also  be heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Keyboards  are  utilized  in  the  music  at  times  and  also  give  the  songs  a  more  symphonic  and  psychedelic  edge  while  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  the  Norwegian  black'n'roll  style  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic   in  length  and  the  last  track  is  very  experimental  and  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars  and  melodic  vocals  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  guitar slides.

  Nocte  Obducta  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  more  in  the  avant  garde  side  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  Dark  Poetry,  Nature,  and  Depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nocte  Obducta  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  "Die  Kirche  der  wachenden  Kinder"  "Totholz"  and  "Wiederganger  Blues".  8  out  of  10.

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The Magik Way/Ananke/Sad Sun Music/2017 DVD Review

  The  Magik  Way  are a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  ritualistic  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  dvd  "Ananke"  which  was  released  by  Sad  Sun  Music  and  consists  of  live  performances,  experimentalism  and  documentary  elements.

 A  spoken  and  ritualistic  intro  starts  off  the  dvd  before  going  into  a  live  performance  which  starts  out  with  violins  and  an  introduction  which  also  shows  the  band  practicing  in  a  rehearsal  room  and  the  song  starts  out  with  an  avant  garde  vibe  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  and  drum beats.

  Clean  guitars  are  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  the  dvd  mixing  in  a  video  and  the  dvd  also  brings  in  live  performances  along  with  the  music  also  having  a  psychedelic  and  experimental  vibe  at  times  and  the  clean  vocals  also  have  a  very  avant  garde  vibe  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  live  rituals  are  also  performed  at  times  and  after  awhile  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their presence  known  and  the  video  also  shows  a  Qabalistic  and  Hermetic  approach  to  rituals  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  video  from  The  Magic  Way  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ritualistic  and  experimental  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  dvd.  8/5  out  of  10.

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