The Promise Of Plague/Let Those Unjust Creatures Be Burnt/2023 Demo Review

 

  The  Promise  of  Plague  are  a  band  from  Louisville,  Kentucky  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  black,  doom, death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  demo  "Let  Those  Unjust  Creatures  Be  Burnt".

  Bass  guitars  and  keyboards  start  off  the  demo  before  adding  in  some  heavier  riffing  and  clear  vocals.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  music  also  has  its  avant  garde  moments  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  the  guitar  riffing  while  elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.  Touches  of  thrash  metal  are  also  added  into  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  tracks  along  with  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  keyboards  are  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  all  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  demo  closes  with  a  cover  of  Manowar's  "Blood  of  my  Enemies".  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Promise  of  Plague  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Let  All  Your  Dreams  Be  Drained"  and  "Death  Shrouds  And  Vomit  Stains".  8  out  of  10.

  Let All Your Dreams Be Damned

https://youtu.be/Zy8q0XqWHLE

Blood Of My Enemies (Manowar cover)

https://youtu.be/Wi_CrDnML6Y

My Forever Tomb

https://youtu.be/lmt1ZpHl0ZY

https://thepromiseofplague.bandcamp.com/

https://facebook.com/thepromiseofplague        

  

    

Tele.S.Therion/Stelios Romaliadas/In Umbra Malitiae Ambulabo In Aeternum In Triumpho Tenebrarum/Radical Matters/2023 Collaboration Album Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  collaboration  between  Italy's  Tele.S.Therion  and  Greece's  solo  project  Stelios  Romaliadas  called  "In  Umbra Malitiae  Ambulabo  In  Aeternum  In  Triumpho  Tenebrarum"  which  was  released  in  2023  by  Radical  Matters  and  it  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  acoustomatic  black  metal ,  experimetnal  and  avant  garde.

  Ambient  style  drones  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  more  experimental  and  avant  garde  side  of  the  music.  Flutes  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  percussions  also  give  the  recording  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  when  they  are  introduced  in  the  first  chapter.

  Demonic  voices  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  Electric  bass  guitars  are  also  brought  into  the  music  as  more  of  a  lead  instrument  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  heavier  parts  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  a  drone  style  of  doom  metal.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  the  whole  album  also  being  improvised  as  well  as  some  electric  guitar  sounds  also  being  added  halfway  through  the  album   

  On  this  recording  Tele.S.Therion  and  Stelios  Romaliadas  mix  there  2  different  styles  together  to  create  something  very  slow,  dark,  heavy  and  experimental  sounding  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collaboration  between  Tele.S.Therion  and  Stelios  Romaliadas  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experiemtnal,  drone,  avant  garde  and  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  8  out  of  10.

   https://telestherion.bandcamp.com/album/hexis-horm-tik-para-to-kath-kon

Tele.S.Therion/In Umbra Malitiae Ambulabo In Aeternum In Triumpho Tenebrarum/Radical Matters/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Italy's  Tele.S.Therion  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  them  taking  their  acousmatic  black  metal  take  on  the  musical  style  of  Abruptum  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "In  Umbra  Malitiae  Ambulabo  In  Aeternum  In  Triumpho  Tenebrarum"  which  was  released  by  Radical  Matters.

  A  very  silent  prelude  starts  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  avant  garde  style  piano's  which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction.  Elements  of  doom  metal  and  rone  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  recording  while t he  vocals  are  mostly  tortured  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  melodies  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  A  lot  of  the  music  also  captures  an  improvised  atmosphere  while  the  electrics  guitars  bring  in  more  of  a  distorted  style.  Electric  bass  guitars  are  also  utilized  as  a  lead  instrument  along  with  the  album  also  having  its  experimental  moments  as  well  as  the  recording  also  getting  very  ritualistic  sounding  at  times,  seconds  of  silence  also  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  and  underneath  all  of  the  heaviness  you  can  also  hear  touches  of  ambient  and  jazz  music  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Tele.S.Therion  mixes  their  music  style  with  the  earlier  music  of  Abruptum  to  create  a  very  dark,  disturbing  and  ritualistic  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  are  based  upon  a  homonym  grimoire  created  by  Abruptum.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Tele.S.Therion  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  experimental  and  ritualistic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  8  out  of  10.

  

◢ URL: https://telestherion.bandcamp.com/album/in-umbra-malitiae-ambulabo-in-aeternum-in-triumpho-tenebraru    

Nattehimmel/Mourningstar/Hammerheart Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

    Nattehimmel  are  a b and  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2023  album  "Mourningstar"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Hammerheart  Records.

  A  synth  orientate d intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.    Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  heavier  riffs  also  add  in  a great  amount  of  melody along  with  the  vocals also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  black  metal  screams  and  the  slower  sections  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  and  avant  garde  moments.  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  songs  also  take  the  90's  Norwegian  avant  garde  metal  style  and  mix  it  in with  a  more  modern  approach.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophy,  astronomy  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nattehimmel  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  and  progressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Astrologer"  "Slay  The  Shepard"   and  "The  Immortals".  8  out  of 1 0.

  https://nattehimmel.lnk.to/mourningstar  

Besatt/Hjemkomst/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Besatt  are  a  duo  from  Norway  that  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Hjemkomst".

  Heavy  yet  melodic  sounding  riffing  stats  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  avant  garde  structures  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast b eats  can  be  heard.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Shouts  can  also be  heard  at  times  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  keyboards  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.   

  Besatt  plays  a  style  of  avant  garde  black  metal  that  is  very  modern  sounding  and  different  from  most  bands  of  their  home  country.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  on  Norwegian  and  cover  mental  illness  and  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Besatt  are  a  very  great  sound9ing  avant  garde  black  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nekromanti"  "Nemesis"  and  "Gromstad".  8 out  of  10.

     

The Canyon Observer/Figura/Vox Project/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Slovenia's  The  Canyon  Observer  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,  avant  garde,  drone,  harsh  noise,  free  jazz,  mathcore  and  contemporary  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Figura" which  was  released  by  Vox  Project.  

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  shows  an  influence  of  free  jazz.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts,   saxophones  and  cellos  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs.

  Element s of  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  can  be  heard  in  5the  slower  and  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  At  time s the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  sounding  along  with  the  riffs  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  one  song  also  introduces  black  metal  screams  and  growls  onto  the  recording.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Harsh noises  and  drones  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  production  also  sounds  very  dark.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Canyon  Observer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  f  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,  avant  garde,  drone,  harsh  noise,  free  jazz,  mathcore  and  contemporary  music,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Koza"  and  "Kriz".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.voxproject.fr/album/figura       

As Light Dies/The Laniakea Architecture, Volume II/Darkwoods/2023 Full length Review

 

  Spain's  As  Light  Dies  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  avant  garde  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "The  Laniakea  Architecture,  Voume  II"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Darkwoods.

  Spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  while  avant  garde  structures  are  also  mixed  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals  and  add  in  touches  of  goth  metal.  Cello's,  violin's,  synths  and  piano's  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  slower  sections  of  the  tracks  also  bringing  in  elements  of  doom  metal,  female  vocals  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  math,  history  and  depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  As  Light  Dies  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Falling  Apart"  "The  Green"  and  "To  Finish".  8  out  of  10.

  http://www.aslightdies.com 

https://aslightdies.bandcamp.com

http://www.facebook.com/aslightdies    

In The Woods... Interview

 

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

Nils: Covid happened. And James split. Which led us to Bernt taking over the microphone. We had already recorded lots of the songs, and Bernt got "thrown into it". We received vocals pretty quickly, and we were amazed. It was like In The Woods… became more ITW than ever before. And thats where we are at.

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

Nils: Good question. ITW have always progressed, not "stopped" in one type of style etc… But you know, making music it should be about making what you like, not about what you think others will like. And thats what we do, and have in the past.

3.The band was broken up for 14 years, what was the cause of the split and the decision to reform?

Nils: I was not in the band when they split, but Anders had an injury where he thought he never could perform again. And then he found out he could. He then had an "awakening", where he got a clear vision that he had to start up ITW again in honour of Oddvar AM. I also knew Oddvar, and i know he would have wanted ITW to continue.

Kåre: Well, I joined the band in 2015, but these stories have come up a few times over the years in conversations with both Anders Kobro and former members. I think the easiest way to explain the split back in the early 2000s was that each character of the band was floating their own way, wanting to explore other things in life, while the opportunity still was there.

4.After the release of the first full length in the 90's you stopped using the black metal screams and harsh vocals but they have returned on your current releases, what was the decision behind bringing back this vocal approach?

Nils: What suits the songs should be used vocally i think. Bernt can do all sorts of things, and so he use it where it fits in. He probably have the best answer to it.

I scream and growl myself, and being in a metalband, it is a cool thing to add. Personally i listen to bands that use both clean/growl and shrieks. I love stuff that is more than "one style", both musically and vocally.

Kåre: As Nils stated above, its about what suits the songs and not what we need or should use. With the former vocalist James Fogarty and current vocalist Bernt Fjellestad, the screams and harsh vocals comes more naturally than the original singer. Also they can do it without hurting their throat.

5.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Bernt Fjellestad: Most of the topics are totally random. They cover everything from the political wiev to more....carnal desires. I was given full freedom over the lyrics and what to sing so I experimented a lot with different styles. Personally I (Bernt Fjellestad) were not that involved in the songwriting due to most of the songs were completed when I joined. We are already writing together new material as we speak by the way.

6.A lot of your lyrics over the years have also covered Paganism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about what this path means to you?

Anders: Back in the days we where hugely influenced by nature, philosophy and norse culture/mythology. So obviously we where in a realm of paganism. We called our music in early days Pagan Metal. 

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork tha tis presented on the new album cover? Kåre: Max Winter did the artwork, he also did Pure and Cease the Day. Max likes to read the lyrics for the album and sit down and start with a sketch. This one turned out very different from previous ones, and is done in a different type of style compared to the two earlier ones. It is up to each one of us to say what it means and gives, but you can see that all hope is out, but if you try to focus on the smaller things and leave the big picture out of things for a while, somewhere in the vast, there is hope. 

8.In the 90's when you first came out you where very different from the rest of the Norwegian scene and there seemed to be mixed reviews back then, do you feel you where ahead of your time and also influenced the newer bands that started stretching the black and pagan metal genres into different musical territories?

Kåre: Well as a music fan I must say that HEart of The Ages was ahead of time, the structure in the songs and the brilliant mystique that lies all over the record. They way vocals where switched between very harsh screaming and then to the soft beautiful voice. You can see this in In The Woods… today and many other bands. I think In The Woods… have influenced other bands to go a little more out of those typical border lines you find in metal genres, which can get to a point where it gets boring. Some bands do it very very well, and all honor to them. For us its again, to make a song we want to make. 

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

Nils: Our two recent ones actually (Cosmic Void London and Summer dying loud in Poland). We have fun. We like what we do. And we function in our dysfunction haha.

Kåre: Well thats a hard question for me to answer, because all the shows I’ve played with this band has had their own little things that I want to remember. Some crowds are wild, some are quiet, but never boring. The two last one we had where phenomenal and ranks up there with the absolute best ones. I always say that I really want to go back to Greece to play. On stage we try to have fun, and try to mend our energy and adrenalin with the crowds energy and adrenalin. 

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

Nils: European tour in March/April i think/hope. We hope to play as much as we can. We are back on Redback promotion, and are eager to play…

11.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by your long time fans?

Nils: Only positive reaction i guess. There will always be the ones that wants the old stuff, but you cant bring back the past like that, and we as a band want to progress, not copy what has been…

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

Nils: Kåre is writing new music for his solo moniker KAS, and me and Anders have an album with My solo moniker Drivdal.

We all have the love for music, we breathe it, and cant simply stop making it.

Kåre: Yes I’m working on the follow up to my first album under the alias KAS. Other than that, its about time to sit down and write some new In The Woods… songs for the next album. 

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

Nils: We evolve together, so its hard to say really. But we progress, and we play ball musically, and so we try to mold the songs together to make it better.

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

Nils: I listen a lot to Wormwood, Tribulation and Witchery. Also i listen to Edge of Sanity, as always. Fucking brilliant. I think Bernt actually worked with Dan on some musical project of his.

Kåre: On repeat the last weeks has been Guy Clark and I just discovered a brilliant band when we played in London.. Make A Change… Kill Yourself. Brilliant band! 

Bernt: Nowadays I listen to a lot of synthwave and folk music, but I always come back to good ol’ Edge Of Sanity, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Amorphis and, of course, Judas Priest.

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

Nils: Just want to Thank you so much for showing interest in us, it means a great deal to us…

Kåre: Cheers for your time! Album pre-orders are available at the links below:

World (physical): https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com 

Americas (physical): http://soulsellerrecords.aisamerch.com

Digital: https://orcd.co/diversum 

One Leg One Eye/And Take The Black Worm With Me/Nyaah Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

    One  Leg  One  Eye  are  a  solo  project  from  Ireland  that  plays  a  lo-fi  mixture  of  black  metal, e experimental,  drone,  ambient,  folk  and  musique  concrete  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2022  album  "And  Take  The  Black  Worm  With  Me"  which  will  be  released  on  October  27th  by  Nyaah  Records.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ambient  style  synths  and  guitar  orientated  drones  a  few  seconds  later.  High  pitched  black  emtal s creams  can  be  heard  briefly  while  most of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  a  couple  of  tracks also  adds  in  Irish  folk  music  style  clear  vocals.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental,  avant  garde  and  lo-fi  sounding  while  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  harsh  noises.  All  of  the  songs  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  different  sound  to  them  along  with a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  musical  direction.as  well  as  some  folk  instruments  also  being  utilized  at  times   and  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental 

  One  Leg  One  Eye  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  experimental,  drone,  ambient,  folk  and  musique  concrete  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover   light  and  dark  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  One  Leg  one  Eye  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal, e experimental,  ambient,  folk  and  misuque  concrete  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  these  musical genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Glistering  She  Emerges"  and  "Only  The  Diceys".  8  out  of  10.

  https://nyahhrecords.bandcamp.com/     

In The Woods.../Diversum/Soulseller Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  In  the  Woods...  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  a  history  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  progressive  rock  and  avant  garde  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Diversum"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Soulseller  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Clear  pagan  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  bringing  in  more  of  an  avant  garde  approach  to  metal  and  black  metal  screams  and  growls  are  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  progressive  elements  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  one  song  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  album.

  Most  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  more  modern  style  which  is  also  different  from  their  earlier  releases  as  well  as  being  aggressive  than  what  was  released  towards  the  end  of  the  90's  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars,  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  most  of  the  music  also s ticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism,  Philosophy  and  Nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  In  The  Woods...  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  rock  and  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Coward's  Way"  "A  Wonderful  Crisis"  and  "Your  Dark".  8  out  of  10.

  

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The Magik Way/Dracula(25 Years Anniversary/My Kingdom Music/2022 Full length Review

 

  Italy's  The  Magik  Way  has  returned  with  a  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of   ambient,  ritual,  experimental,  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Dracula(25  Years  Anniversary)"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  my  Kingdom  Music.

  A  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  keyboards  onto  the  recording  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  darker  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  female  vocals.  

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  ritualistic  sounding  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  horror  movie  soundtrack.  Touches  of  ambient  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  male  vocals  also  adding  in a  mixture  of  clear  singing  and  grim  black  metal  screams  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal  as  well  as  the  spoken  word  parts  also  enhancing  the  occult  side  of  the  music  when  they  are utilized,  melodic  guitar  leads  can  also b e  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  The  Magik  Way  takes  ambient,  ritual,  experimental,  black  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  diverse  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  Bram  Stoker's  "Dracula'.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Magik  Way  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ambient,  ritual,  experimental,  black  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Castel  Dracula"  "Lucy"  and  "Van  Helsing".  8  out  of  10.

  ttp://facebook.com/themagikway

Abhorrent Expanse/Gateways To Resplendence/Amalgram Music/Lurker Bias/2022 Full length Review

 

  Abhorrent  Expanse  are  a  band  with  members  from  Minnesota  and  Illinois  that  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  blackened  death,  funeral  doom  metal,  noise,  drone  and  free  jazz  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Gateways  To  Resplendence"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Amalgram  Music  and  Lurker  Bias.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  distorted  sounding  drones  can  also be  heard  at  times.  Elements  of  funeral  doom  metal  can  also be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  giving t he  album  more  of  a  primitive  edge  when  they  are  utilized.

  Harsh  noises  are  also  added  into  the  background  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffing  as  well  as  the  home  made  percussion  also  giving  the  album  more  of  an  avant  garde  feeling  when  they  are  utilized.

  A  lot  of t he  clean  sections  also  show  an  influence  of  free  jazz  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  instrumentals.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  few  songs  also  introducing  organs,  synths  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  album  and  the  production  also  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Abhorrent  Expanse  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  mixture  of  blackened  death,  funeral  doom  metal,  noise,  drone  and  free  jazz  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cloak  Of  Ancients"  "Gateways  To  Resplendence"  "Baleful  Reminders"  and  "Arcturian  Nano  Diamonds  From  The  Tranquil  Abyss".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/abhorrent_expanse

          

Ashenspire/Hostile Architecture/Aural Music/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Ashenspire  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  avant  garde  and  progressive  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Hostile  Architecture"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Aural  Music.

  Avant  garde  style  pianos  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  and  saxophones  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Shouting  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  are  also  utilized  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  progressive  moment  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  black  and  post  metal  elements.

  Touches  of  jazz  music  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized,  operatic  choirs  and  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  on  later  tracks  the  music  goes  into  more  of  an  experimental  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  contradictions  inherit  in  the  capitalistic  world.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ashenspire  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  and  progressive  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Law  Of  Asbestos"  "How  The  Mighty  Have  Vision"  and  "Cable  Street  Again".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBNY-l3NT9s 

https://ashenspire.bandcamp.com/album/hostile-architecture

Website: ashenspire.official@gmail.com 
Bandcamp: ashenspire.bandcamp.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ashenspire_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashenspire_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ashenspire

  

Metakosmia Interview

 

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

VASILIS: Hello, we are METAKOSMIA, a metal band from Greece, Athens. The band was created about 2 years ago by two persons -Vasilis Kakafikas and Petros Geromarkakis. The aim was to create music that is both unique and that would represent the concept behind the name of the band: METAKOSMIA.

2.In March you had released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

V: Yes. From the very beginning, what we had in mind when creating our debut album -Aperantos Kosmos, was that musically, the medium through which we would let our artistic selves to unfold, would be that of the metal sound for sure. But with no boundaries. 

We knew that we should use lots of keyboards and sounds, combined with a more harsh directions, to the extend of reaching the death and black metal territory. In every step of the process of creating and recording, we would ask ourselves: Ïs this really METAKOSMIA? Does it give to the listener (us for start) this otherwordly sense? Is it truly a METAKOSMIA sound? Does it take you there? If the answer was "no", we would immediately delete and go for a new start. If the answer was "YES!", we then knew we were on the right track and that we should move forward to that same direction.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Greek Philosophy, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

V: We have always been interested in philosophy. We consider ourselves to be philosophers as well. Being a friend with wisdom also has a practical side inside the meaning of the word. Philos - Sophia. It is a way of life, not just an empty idea. In the early years reading Plato about Socrates, and then moving to all the rest of the giants of thought. It has been said that everything you can think or imagine, has already been talked about from one or more of our weirdly smart ancestors. Every culture has its own wisdom. At the same Golden times of Greece (500 BC), Chinese philosophy was also at its greatest peak.

The truths are universal.

4.Lyrically you also go into Science and Mysticism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these paths have evolved over the years?

V: Science becomes more and more obscure with every new step it takes. Especially after the "new" quantum physics evolving, new interesting ideas and realizations like the string theory, the multifaceted universes, the discovery of dark matter and dark energy, science has humbly lowered the head and admitted that knows only 5% of what is out there. And this is a stance that science ought's to maintain. Otherwise it may very easily transform into a totalitarian monster, a godlike Authority like -unfortunately- it tends to have  become in some of its aspects, in the past few years, for example in the medicine field... 

So science, by admitting that knows nothing really, and furthermore reassures that the observer IS the observed, opens again the gates for mysticism to pass through and enter the realm, in all its past glory. Magic is again a reality, not just by the future that technology may imply, but by the role of perseptionin the game and how it shapes reality. An ancient knowledge that gets lost and resurrects through the passing of aeons.

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

V: One of the greatest of all times, Epicurus, following the teachings of Democritus, who further built on the system of his teacher Leucippus, who shaped the atomic theory, figured out between other things, that Gods exist, but have nothing to do with the common image of the gods, that the every day man imagines, or had been led to believe as such. Metakosmia are those relatively empty- of ordinary matter- places, vast voids of almost perfect emptiness between the galaxies. There they live and prosper. They have nothing to do with humans and they don't intervene. They are almost indestructible beings. To us, they look Godly-like. Unfortunately, so little of the works of Epicurus has been saved. But do a favor to yourself and read Lucretius' "De rerum natura". It hides inside

more than one book of Epicurus.

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

V: On the top there is a photo I shot, of a sculpture from the archaeological museum of Peiraius in Greece. It is a scene depicting theurgy, part of the Eleusis mysteries. One can see the symbolic gestures, symbolic hand shapes from the high-priest and the high-priestess while they whisper the mystic language of the ancient mysteries. It is well known that the truths were revealed there by gestures, symbolic images, unknown -to the common listener- words, etc. that "worked" with the subconscious mind of the initiate. 

At the lower side of the cover, one can see the sea. And the endless sky. The logo and the title stand in the middle of the picture, in a way that reminds us and increases the feeling of the enormous size of infinite space... Aperantos Kosmos (World without end - infinite cosmos)

7.On the album you worked as a duo, how do both of your styles different from each other and what impact did it have on the musical style?

V: I would say that Petros was more experienced in ambient music and sounds and more on the black metal aesthetic, while I am into a more death metal and melodic expression of feelings. We both like almost every kind of metal in general as well as everything that sounds inspiring, interesting, innovative etc. 

Having myself participated in various musical projects in the past, I think that METAKOSMIA - Aperantos Kosmos is the best one yet.

8.Currently you are unsigned, have you received any label interest?

V: We are currently in contact with a few labels. There is a great possibility that there is going to be an agreement. We have to be a little patient for the moment. We would to see the album released in double vinyl and cassette tape formats.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of extreme metal and the more experimental and ambient musical genres? 

V: The truth is that from the 2-3 reviews that are on the net and from the 2-3 youtube channels that it has been on, the feedback has so far been very positive. 

People seem to appreciate and understand the concept of the album. Back when we were creating the songs, we wanted the album to be an experience, not just another listen. I believe we have succeeded in this, it is an emotional journey, an initiation almost to another world.

10.With the death of the other member of the project what affect does this have on the future of the musical project?

V: Although the album was ready, it took me about a year after the passing of my good friend and bandmate, to release it. My first thoughts was that, that was it, there was going to be nothing more, after this one album. After some more thought, a few days ago to be honest, I decided that METAKOSMIA are here to stay.

I feel I ought it to Petros too. Alone or with the help of others, METAKOSMIA will continue to be and create unique music in every step. A never-ending journey in a never-ending world...

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?

V: So many bands that one can mention. The classics from the swedish melodic death, like: Dark tranquillity and the gallery, In flames wth the jester race, Edge of sanity etc. Heavy metal bands like Manowar or judas priest. Celtic frost, Arcturus, Pan thy monium, Diana Ankudinova, Babymetal, Dark millenium, Perfect bliss, Terrasound with abstract portrait and more...

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

V: Thank you for this interesting questions and thanks for the nice review of Aperantos Kosmos, I wish you and all your readers, the best.

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

Metakosmia/Aperantos Kosmos/2022 Full Length Review

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bekor Qilosh/Throes Of Death From The Dreamed Nihilism/I, Voidhanger Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

    Bekor  Qilosh  are  a  solo  project  from  Italy  that  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2022  album  "Throes  Of  Death  From  The  Dreamed  Nihilism"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Black  metal  screams  and  heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  technical  and  progressive  moments  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  technical  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  avant  garde  elements  as  well  as  adding  in  some  synths,  stringed  instruments  and  session  work  from  members  of  Cosmic  Putrefaction,  Landscape  Of  Zeroes  Fleshgod  Apocalypse  and  Sadist,  .

  Bekor  Qilosh  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  progressive  black,  technical  death  and  avant  garde  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  nihilistic  and  apocalyptic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Bekor  Qilosh  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cryptic  hatred"  and  "Wretched  Dawn".  8  out  of  10.

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/throes-of-death-from-the-dreamed-nihilism

  

    

  

Noctiferia/Reforma - Tribute To Laibach/Blood Blast Distribution/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Noctiferia  are  a  band  from  Slovenia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  metal,  experimental  and  avant  garde  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Reforma  -  Tribute  To  Laibach"  which  was  released  by  Blood  blast  Distribution  and  consists  their  cover  versions  of  the  previous  mentioned  band.

  Tribal  style  beats  and  ethnic  instruments  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Vocals  are  in  between  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  has  its  avant  garde  moments.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  session  work  from  David  Vincent,  Atilla  Csihar  and  Jorgen  Munkeby.  Melodies  are  also  add  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  vocals  also  add  in  more  of  an  aggressive  yet  semi  melodic  style  at  times.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.  Programmed  beats  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  and  as  the  album  progresses  female  vocals,  keyboards  and  saxophones  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  political  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Noctiferia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death  metal,  industrial,  avant  garde  and  experimental,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Now  You  Will  Pay"  "Eurovision"  and  "Das  Spiel  Ist  Aus".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/noctiferia

https://www.noctiferia.net

https://open.spotify.com/album/5fYKiqYc1z1HfQ8sahdoOI?si=oqKEch4zSoW2_FG82OIGRQ

 https://youtu.be/ouQrt-mH6Ic
 https://youtu.be/P9W7TrFiZxU

 https://youtu.be/OJM3hmpsp54