Pedestal For Leviathan/Enter: Vampyric Manifestation/Personal Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Pedestal  For  Leviathan  are  a  band  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Enter:  Vampyric  Manifestation"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Personal  Records.

  Symphonic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Vocals  are  mostly  guttural  death  metal  growls  while  a  group  amount  of  brutal  beats  are  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up  and  the  recording  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  as  well  as  some  of  the  mid  tempo  sections  also  adding  in  touches  of  slam  and  deathcore.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  fast  riffs  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  music  also being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era  of  the  genre.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  Darkness  and  Horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Pedestal  For  leviathan  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Summoning  Sickness"  "Purgatory  Displacement"  "Warlock  Blacksmith"  and  "Nightshade  Familiar".  8  out  of  10.

  http://personal-records.bandcamp.com/album/enter-vampyric-manifestation-bonus-track-edition

linktr.ee/pedestalforleviathan     

Martyr Sanctum Interview

 

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

Nick: So, Martyr Sanctum is my band. Pretty much spawned out of my disdain for the local Christian sub-movement of metalcore, not only that but most of the people who picked on me in school put the "fear of god" in any living breathing thing that crossed their paths. Florida was full of undiscovered cannibalistic tribes that committed atrocities in the name of who they believed were "god" and received communion at and through the church. Pretty depraved honestly, I thought after high school, others who graduated before me and after would've thought it would have been such a small contagion, but if you look at the formula for how many sins a person goes through down here when they are all "god loving" on a daily basis, you would be astonished what gets looked over. Especially if it's blatantly apparent. That's what it was like back then, I can not imagine what it is like now.

2.So far you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Nick: Not too much thought actually. Initially I was searching for at least a vocalist for over a decade, but they haven't shown yet. Time was ticking and at least the sound of the band can be translated so I am not just going around like "Wanna start a band?" or refraining from adopting the mindset of "Well, if I have other alike with same taste in music down here, THEN my sound will be define!" When that hasn't been the case at all down in my town.

3.So far all of the music has been instrumental are you open to using any vocals in the future?

Nick: I am personally not putting that much thought into visualizing a vocalist at the moment, since I am in no area in order to find that personality. I have talked to others but didn't have a firm grasp of my sound.

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

Nick: Just as it stands. "Martyr" as it is verbatim, someone who is endlessly persecuted for their religious beliefs. "Sanctum" being a variance of a sanctuary. So, a sanctuary for martyrs.

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

Nick: Death is ever present in our lives, in some shape or form. Róbert Horváth's illustration was deemed to be the most fit for resonance with the atmosphere of the EP.

6.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea/

Nick: I have played shows in the past in Port Charlotte, Vero, and Cocoa beach.

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

Nick: I'm game.

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

Nick: Hardly anything just yet. I am just taking a different approach to what is popular.

9.Can you tell us a little bit more about the underground metal scene in Ft. Myers, Florida?

Nick: Oh the mighty have fallen. So yes at some point in time there was a "metal scene" down here. The vocalist to the metallic hardcore act Contention went to my high school. Vocalist for Illuminate Me. They all had different bands, different lineups and stuff, gravitated more so around the guys in Dealey Plaza (Then, They Said I Was A Goner) and Cody's old band. My first ever recording was with friends who I knew a couple of years before at Jesse's (Dealey Plaza then guitarist) place. He was just starting to record at the time and he had done some residency at Chango Studios (Hands Like Houses, Fit For A King, and Dream on, Dreamer) so we all just shot off some riffs into a basic breakdown with glitches together and that was one our first tracks back in 2012. I still believe he is, to this very fucking day, the BEST audio engineer in the area. Most of the other musicians I have met around here doing deathcore and especially metalcore are all old, jaded and have fallen into mainly obscurity. Mama and Dada still pay their phone bill, live rent free, you know the works for man-children. When I was a junior and senior, I took note of all the bands that had come out within that year, quickly noticed how small and pathetic the local scene was and heavily advocated for others to move cities if they were attempting to do just deathcore. Beyond disappointing.

10.Can you tell us a little bit more about your grindcore project 'xNoLoveLostx'?

Nick: xNoLoveLostx is just a random grindcore EP I put together just because I can. Simple as.

11.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Nick: More so taking one day at a time. Timing has always been off for me, for better or for worse. I am generally a pretty aloof guy while others in my vascinity and way more wild than your average american so I got constant entertainment

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?

Nick: The first band who I ever got to see live was Judas Priest. When I was growing up, learning how to play guitar, I had a neighbor who got me heavily in Fleshgod Apocalypse, Nevermore, Jeff Loomis, Rusty Cooley, etc. So shred guitar, Dante's Inferno, horror films were always a go to for me. When I was in a Christcore band for a year, the guitarist had met Tyler Carter (fucking gross) on the beach so that was like Woe, Is Me, Ice Nine Kills, or We Came As Romans type shit. All the rage back then, now they are all accumulated in a lump sum for being just an outright pile sack of filth. I listen to a lot of wildbands like Ion Dissonance, Misery Signals, The Banner, Signal The Firing Squad, Woods of Ypres, anything for choir, orchestra, slamming riffs and breakdowns.

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

Nick: For those who have made me their enemy in town: Be wary of those who have nothing to prove. ;-)

https://martyrsanctum.bandcamp.com/album/he-who-greets-with-fire

Martyr Sanctum/He Who Greets With Fire/2025 EP Review

 

    Martyr  Sanctum  are  a  band  from  Fort  Myers,  Florida  that  plays  a  symphonic  and  blackened  form  of  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  ep  "He  Who  Greets  With  Fire".

  Symphonic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  ep  which  also  captures  the  atmosphere  of  a  horror  soundtrack  and  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  deathcore  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  instrumentals.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  tremolo  picking  in  the  riffing  also  adding  in  elements of  black  metal,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly. 

  Martyr  Sanctum  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  deathcore  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  while  the  production  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  Martyr  Sanctum  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  and  symphonic  deathcore  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Reclamation  Of  A  Fragmented  Legacy"  and  "The  City  Leveled,  Salm's  Lot".  8  out  of  10.

https://martyrsanctum.bandcamp.com/album/he-who-greets-with-fire 

Existentialist Interview

 

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

Since we finished recording in September 24, we've been pretty busy. We took part in the first ever UK Deathcore Showcase Tour, which was essentially a mates-fest of UK bands who have all been helping each other grow over the last 4 years or so, headlined by Osiah. After that we spent the remaining months filming the music videos and sorting out all the artwork, merch and other admin that goes on with releasing music. In February we were out on the road with Drown In Sulphur, who are OG deathcore legends, and then March saw our EP showcase performance at The Arts Centre (Colchester). This has definitely been a highlight show for us as that venue has hosted some huge names over the years.

2. In June you have a new ep coming out, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

I'd like to think it's an advancement. After we looked back at our previous albums we realized we have 3 different "types" of track. The more black metal ones, the more brutal deathcore-ish ones, and the epic symphonic ones. We've essentially written one of each, but whereas we'd previously spend maybe a few months on each track, we spent nearly a whole year across the 3. We were far more critical with ourselves and put a lot more detail into the little bits you don't normally notice on the surface as well as really going to town on the lead parts, which over all we hope has enriched the sound. We wanted each track to be a journey...I guess it's up to everyone else to decide if we achieved that or not.

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

It is a concept, but it's also a lot more personal than what we've previously written about, and it is dark. The EP follows the decay of mental health as it's chipped away by outside influences. Death Before Death is watching a loved one become a prisoner in their own body as they age and succumb to disease, slowly forget their identity and place in the world. Wretchedness ov Existence is watching a friend fall victim to their own mental-health battle, violently self mutilating to the point of taking their own life. And Wraithchild is the uncomfortable serenity of deciding to end your own life, looking at the world as if you're already gone, and how you justify that choice to yourself through the expectation that death is a peaceful freedom where all your troubles are solved.

4. What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored over the years with the music?

We've dabbled in a few areas. Prophet of Ignorance was a sort of fantasy/social-political hybrid, an external god-like entity looking at the world as it is today, and casting judgement upon the  planet. The Heretic, as you can imagine was a much more blasphemous, anti-religious album. This told the story of a fanatic who became disillusioned by the church after fully realizing the heinous acts people do in the name of God, and embarked on a journey to murder the deity they previously worshiped. The last track (The Abyssal Embrace) is where the protagonist realizes that in their anti-religious fanaticism, they've become just as hate-filled and murderous as the religion they sought to destroy...It's a very existential discussion. But in writing these albums, we discovered the more relatable tracks were the ones which eluded to personal feelings rather than fanatical stories. And that's what's driven the direction on our new EP.

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

The artwork for this release has all been done by Jorge our lead guitarist. We had early discussions about artwork we liked, but realized that all death metal/deathcore artwork looks very similar these days. Monsters and graphic scenes etc. It's all cool, but we wanted something a little more unique, and something that you dont approach with any preconceptions of what it will sound like. Other than the fact it clearly looks "metal", it could be anything from industrial to black metal, to the next J-rock release, and we like that. We hope it will mean some new listeners give it a chance without just seeing the cover and assuming it's not their thing.

6. Out of all the shows and tours the band has done so far, which one stands out the most?

I think it has to be our Terminal Showcase we played in March at The Arts Centre. It was pure chaos. Our biggest headline show to date in an old church and the room was packed out. We played for an hour and there were constant pits, stage dives, and a full scale stage-invasion during the last song which completely over-ran the security. I don't think any of us expected that kind of response.

7. Do you have any touring or show plans once the new ep is released?

The rest of this year is actually a little quiet for us. Two of the guys are having kids in September, so rather than try to cram tours in before/after and risk being a 3-piece, we thought we'd instead continue writing off the back of Terminal. Our main plan is that next year we have an arsenal of new material in post-production, and while that's bubbling away we can hit up as many venues as possible.

8. The new ep is going to be released on Seek & Strike, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Seek & Strike have a pretty large roster these days. When we joined them at the end of 2022 they were expanding rapidly. They've been a great label so far for helping us to grow. We get a lot of freedom over our release schedules, style and visuals, and there is no obligation for touring or over commitment when people have day-jobs and families too. Essentially their role for us is to increase our streaming numbers and online presence as much as possible. For us, that leads to playing bigger and better shows which is what we love.

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

I hope people like it. We've posted merch and CDs all over the world, and even had a knock-off T-shirt spotted on a stall in Indonesia. When we play live, we always get an immense reception. It's often quite humbling, especially when we get reviews like "band of the weekend" popping up and we're on at like, 3:20 in the afternoon. Our goal for 2026 is to get out of the UK, (if any promoters are reading this and want to help with that, please message us). So hopefully next time you ask  this I'll be able to give a more informed response.

10. When can we expect another full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

It's hard to say at the moment. Every time we make plans for a release and start hinting at it, it takes way longer than expected. So for now I hope you guys all enjoy Terminal and keep racking those streams up.

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

This is a massive question to answer as we all listen to a pretty wide range. Here's a list of some names, if anyone knows us personally you can probably work out who's listening to what.

A Wake In Providence, Abigail Williams, All Shall Perish, Anaal Nathrakh, Animals As Leaders, Bonecarver, Carnifex, Cytotoxin, Every Time I Die, Funeral For A Friend, Gojira, Imminence, Karnivool, Lamb of God, Lingua Ignota, Lorna Shore, Mental Cruelty, Ne Obliviscaris, Nevermore, Senses Fall, Shining, Symphony X, Taking Back Sunday, The Faceless, Tool, Vitalism, Whitechapel.

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

Thanks for your time, and thanks to everyone who's read this too. We hope it was...insightful? I hope Terminal does something for you all. Streaming tends to push people away from listening to albums as intended and just mixes it all up with a bunch of similar artists, so I'd just urge people to listen to the full EP in order to get the full experience. I'd also like to say thanks in advance to anyone who follows or reaches out to us off the back of this interview. We always love talking to people about our music, or just music in general and hearing what others think.

Thanks again, and see you on the road.

Olly

[Existentialist]

 

https://youtu.be/FHLhFaUIIVI

Existentialist/Terminal/Seek & Shake/2025 EP Review

 

  Existentialist  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  ep  "Terminal"  which  will b e  released  in  June  by  Seek  &  Shake.

  Symphonic  style  keyboards  and  orchestration  start  off  the  ep  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  elements  of  deathcore  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  ep.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  a  couple  of  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  bonus  track  also  adding  in  some  choirs.

  Existentialist  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  symphonic  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  human  condition.

  In  my  opinion  Existentialist  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black, death metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUD E "Death  Before  Death'  and  "Wraithchild".  

https://www.facebook.com/ExistentialistUK

https://www.instagram.com/existentialist.uk/#

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4wLNwOLv2VRH88SncD9yD5?si=TZQ10QjWSgin4Hceb7HkSg&nd=1&dlsi=efcf9b7616334bae

Hallbar/Nemesis/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Hallbar  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  album  "Nemesis"  which  will  be  released  in  2025.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  some  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  clear  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  The  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  deathcore  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  adds  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  one  song  also  introduces  clean  playing  and  keyboards  onto  the  recording  and  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Hallbar  plays  a  melodic  form  of  black  metal  which  they  also  mix  with  death  metal  and  deathcore  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mental  illness,  codependency,  perfectionism,  patterns  of  unreflective  behavior  and  loneliness.

  In  my  opinion  Hallbar  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mental  Apraxia"  "Love/Hate  Language"  "Voodoo  Doll"  and  "Possibilities".  8  out  of  10.

  

• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/3PqPGGKYd6F3J2fnGpTWB1
• Youtube Music https://music.youtube.com/browse/MPREb_MMefLk19ZFg
• Bandcamp https://hallbar.bandcamp.com/track/voodoo-doll
• Deezer https://www.deezer.com/pl/album/675119501
• Tidal https://listen.tidal.com/album/401558859/track/401558862
• iTunes https://music.apple.com/pl/album/voodoo-doll-single/1781648408
• Amazon https://music.amazon.it/tracks/B0DNWTVT31
• Boomplay https://www.boomplay.com/songs/190633764
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• https://youtu.be/ZBfTauawJiU

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

  

  

Feleth/Divine Blight/Rob Mules Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Feleth  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  melodic  and  technical  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  Divine  Blight"  which  was  released  by  Rob  Mules  Records.

 

 Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats  and  the  music  also h as  its  technical  moments.

  Elements  of  deathcore  can  also  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  tracks  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  the  recording  also  getting  very  brutal  sounding  at  times,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  and  keyboards.

  Feleth  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  technical  death  metal  and  deathcore  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  politics,  human  nature  and  environmentalism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Feleth  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  technical  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Caretaker"  "The  Serpent"  "Deadlands"  and  "Avarice".  8  out  of  10.

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@feleth6872
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gm0VpLO1JoQFZdnMUGwQO?si=_Id2tRrLSjGvyaFGmeO3YQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/felethband/

      

 

 

The Convalescence/Harvesters Of Flesh And Bone/Cleopatra Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  The  Convalescence  are  a  band  from  Ohio  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Harvesters  Of  Flesh  And  Bone"  which  was  released  by  Cleopatra  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also b ringing  in  elements  of  deathcore.

 At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  sounding  along  with  some   tremolo  picking  also  being  added   in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  and  gore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Convalescence  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  symphonic  black  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Reaper"  "Sacrificial Offering"  "Undead  Swarm"  and  "Experiment  Complete".  8  out  of  10.

  ​http://tconband.com​

​https://www.facebook.com/theconvalescence​
​https://www.instagram.com/theconvalescenceofficial​
​https://twitter.com/tconband

Where The Children Play/Poems From The Solemn Black/2023 Full Length Review

 

   Where  The  Children  Play  are  an  international  band  with  embers  from t he  united  States  and  France  that  plays  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  mixture  of  blackened  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Poems  From  The  Solemn  Black".

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  symphonic  sounding  keyboards  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  Elements  of  deathcore  can  also  be  heard  in t he  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  fast  riffing.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Murder  and  Violence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Where  The  Children  Play  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Great  Abyss  In  The  Sky"  "Wrath  Of  The  Dead"  A  Demons  Lament"  and  "The  Sorrowful  Hymn".  8 out  of  10.

  https://wherethechildrenplay.bandcamp.com/track/a-church-a-slaughterhouse  .

Mental Cruelty/Zwielicht/Century Media Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Mental  Cruelty  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Zwielicht"  which  was  released  by  Century  Media  Records.

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  the  faster  parts  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  brutal  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  deathcore  and  slam  along  with  the  vocals  also  having  their  guttural  moments  and  clean  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature,  death  and  inner  demons.

  In  my  opinion  Mental  Cruelty  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Forgotten  Kings"  "Mortal  Shells"  and  "A  Tale  Of  Salt  And  Light".  8  out  of  10.

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

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2iE1NqruxoSxTvOpTCLkE9
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mentalcrueltyofficial
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mentalcrueltyofficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MentalCruelty/
Website: https://www.mentalcrueltyofficial.com/

    

Weissravana Interview

 

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

WeissRavana is a Melodic Death / Blackened Deathcore band with vocalist Shiki UTAGAWA and guitarist Hiori NISHIORI.

Formed in Tokyo, Japan in 2019.

They create music that combines the speed of thrash, the brutality of death metal, and emotional and dramatic melodies.

＞2.So far you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

There are two things I emphasized during the recording.

The first is to use sound to express the emotions that arise from the story of a song, which was previously expressed in musical notation.

The combination of dynamics and song development expresses this, but I tried to make sure that all the ensembles express the same feeling.

As a result, I think that when I listen to music, I can feel sadness, pain, a sense of release, and a sense of speed.

The second is balance.

The balance of the mix was very important because there were so many sounds.

Besides volume, the balance between stillness and movement, the balance between melody and riff, etc. is the most important in everything.

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

WeissRavana's songs all have a story within a common universe.

It's a dark fantasy set in a modern, futuristic world.

The lyrics and poems are the story of each one of them.

It has a structure that builds one world by gathering multiple of these.

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

The name of the god "Vaiśravaṇa" is the origin of the band name, and the spelling is slightly changed.

Vaiśravaṇa is a god in Indian mythology and Buddhism.

I chose this band name because I like the sound of the name.

It has no deep meaning.

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

The artwork expresses the world view more visually than the story expressed in lyrics and poetry.

It is a world that can be called "Twilight" that exists between reality and unreality.

I would like you to listen to the song while imagining the story that will be spun there by looking at the artwork.

＞6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you refer to remain a duo?

We don't have any particular problems with the two of us right now, so we don't have any plans to actively increase the number of members.

It's an extreme example, but even if it's a 6-member line-up without the two original members, I don't think it's a problem as long as it's in the best condition for the band.

＞7.The ep was released on 'Sliptrick Records', how di you get in contact with this label?

I sent demos and biographies of the band to several labels and got some responses and contract offers.

One of them was Carlo, and after exchanging various emails, I knew I could trust him.

Also, there was a Japanese band that I knew, so I decided to sign with Sliptrick Records.

＞8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of melodic black, death metal and deathcore?

"Awakening of The Ancient Blood" will be Weiss Ravana's first sound source, so I don't know the reaction of the fans, but the label that sent the demo has generally received a good response.

Artists I know also like the EP.

We hope that fans of melodious and extreme music around the world will like this EP.

＞9.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

The full album will be completed by the end of this year.

We have a lot more good new songs than we originally planned, so we are rearranging the composition.

Recording has also started.

As for the future of the band, I think it will evolve from the current musicality, incorporating many new technologies and incorporating a wider range of musical elements.

＞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 are many bands that have influenced me, but representative ones include Inflames, Arch Enemy, Children Of Bodom, Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, and X Japan.

In terms of music style, I am influenced by classical music, film scores, animation and game soundtracks.

People who like this kind of music will like WeissRavana's songs.

＞11,Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thanks for the interview.

And thanks for reading the interview.

Anyway, I hope that many people around the world will listen to this EP.

If you like melodious, dramatic and extreme music, you will love it.

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Weissravana/Awakening Of The Ancient Blood/Sliptrick Records/2023 EP Review

 

  Weissravana  are  a  duo  from  Japan  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  ep  "Awakening  Of  The  Ancient  Blood"  which  will  b e released  in  April  by  Sliptrick  Records.

  Symphonic  sounds  and  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  ep  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Vocals  are a   mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a very  melodic  style.

  All  of t he  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  the,  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a a  lot  of  deathcore  elements  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  

  Weissravana  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  and  deathcore  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sorrow  and  pain  themes.       

  In  my  opinion  Weissravana  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cliffed  By  Follis"  and  "The  Blaze  Birth  For  The  RE"Grade".  8  out  of  10.

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Arcane Existence/Colossus/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Arcane  Existence  are  a  band  from  San  Jose,  California  that  plays  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "Colossus"  which  will  be  released  in  August.

  A  very  heavy  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  operatic  female  vocals  can  also be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  vocals  being  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mix  of  both  modern  and  old  school  influences,  harps  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  album  also  closes  with  an  instrumental.

  Arcane  Existence  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  symphonic  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  melodic  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Fantasy  and  Fairy  Tale  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Arcane  Existence  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mystic"  "Conclave"  "Castle  On  The  Hill"  and  "Beneath  Withered  Stone".  8  out  of  10.

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Sotz'/Popol Vuh/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Sotz'  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "Popol  Vuh".

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  adding  in  clean  playing  and  nature  sounds  while  shamanistic  style  percussion  can  also b e  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  one  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  touches  of  mayan  folk  music  at  times,  elements  of  groove  metal  and  deathcore  can  also  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  theology,  history  and  culture  of  the  Ancient  Mayan  Civilization.

  In  my  opinion  Sotz'  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Oracles"  "Tree  Of  Knowledge"  "Popol  Vuh"  and  "Prospects  of  Pakal".  8  out  of  10.

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Nomvdic Interview

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

James: Well since we released back in July I’ve been hard at work on press and promo for the album, to try and get the music in front of people. I’ve also been thinking hard on ideas to keep the band and album relevant since we can’t tour the record

2.A few months back you had released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

James: ‘Euphoria’ is definitely very different from our previous release “Horror” conceptually, so I think the biggest sound difference comes from the subject matter. So, Horror sounds like “horror” as a concept, and Euphoria sounds rather “euphoric”, haha.

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

James: From a very broad perspective, I guess I’m covering the general human experience of ups and downs, and how thoughtfulness and introspection can breed even deeper and darker experiences and feelings, as opposed to “ignorance is bliss”. Personally, the story in the album is sort of my justification for feeling like shit about certain things haha.

4.In the beginning you where known as 'As Crusaders Depart' then 'Nomadic' what was the cause of the name changes?

James: Haha, As Crusaders Depart is not this band. Two previous members of this band were in that band, but they’re not the same. Nomadic started in early 2016. We are still Nomadic but it’s branded with the V because there’s another artist called “Nomadic”. I still refer to it with the A though

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

James: I didn’t name the band unfortunately, so it doesn’t really mean anything to me. I think the ‘V’ is dumb but we had already garnered some attention as “Nomadic” so a total name change was out of question, and we just started stylizing it with the V. I guess the cool thing about it is we’re undeniably the only thing that will show up when you search “NOMVDIC”

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

James: Yes! I love our symbol! The “-∀-“ thing. I guess that’s the one good thing to come out of the upside-down A. I really made it a point to not put our band name on the front cover of the album or any of the album merch. Euphoria isn’t about us as a band, it’s about the music, and I want that symbol to embody that. It’s very intentional. Also, aesthetically, I wanted Euphoria to be very very colorful to represent feelings and the human experience.

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?

James: Oh man. Our tour with The Faceless was phenomenal. The shows in Joliet IL, St. paul MN, and Kalamazoo MI really stand out. We headlined a festival that sold out back in 2018 and that’s one of the best shows I’ve ever played, so much fun. I just really enjoy playing shows. Our live performance is very active and very theatrical. We play to our album back track (we’re not cheating anything haha, I just mean all of the additional sounds are in the back track) so you still get the album experience, but you also get the added intensity of our high energy live show.

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

James: I’m very proud of my work as an independent artist and releasing this album independently, and the releases performance given that it was independent inspires me even more to continue DIY. however I’m always down to work with people who share the same creative vision. I don’t think I could ever give that up. I’m so proud of this album and I love it so much.

9.The new album also got a huge score on the billboard charts in the first week, do you feel this is a very great accomplishment for an unsigned band?

James: Huge accomplishment. I’m so proud. So so proud. I love this album and love our fans. I could cry, it’s so cool.

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

James: I definitely thought it would be more jarring. But we seem to have fans in all corners of metal. I think any elitist of any group would not enjoy it as it’s not specifically death metal or specifically black metal or specifically metalcore, etc etc, but it dabbles a little bit into every single thing. So I think people who have an open mind and appreciate music generally seem to enjoy it. I’m happy with that. I can’t wait for more people to hear it.

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

James: great question! I love blast beats, and I love big choruses and the pitched yelling-Gojira style vocal that I do. So i think all of that will remain. Other than that, we will see where the music takes us. I’ll be writing and collaborating with other people moving forward - people much more talented than me - so we’ll see how it’ll turn out. I have some cool concepts for records moving forward. I’d like to work on and release music at a higher frequency than before though.

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

James: Another awesome question. Euphoria was super influenced by Gojira, The Contortionist, Deafheaven, Sleep Token, Now, Now, The Faceless, Fit For an Autopsy, Spiritbox, and Meshuggah.

As far as metal goes, I’ve been listening to a lot of Gojira to prepare for the new album. I’ve also been listening to Spiritbox and Oathbreaker. Fantastic bands. Uh, I recently revisited the most recent Vale of Pnath, that’s super good, and discovered Numenorean recently and think they’re great. Oh, and I’ve been on an Artificial Brain kick. Outside of metal, I’ve been listening to a lot of Incubus, Jacob Collier, Gamby, Angel Du$t, and Heilung.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

James: I love traveling a lot. I’m actually visiting North Carolina right now while writing this. Hard to do during the pandemic, but renting a car is safer than flying. I work full time as a producer and mixing engineer, so I spend a lot of time working on audio. I also enjoy going for walks, eating great food, and spending time with my friends and cats.

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

Thanks so much for taking the time to interview me, this is really cool. Also I hope everyone checks out Euphoria! We have CDs and merch for sale at store.nomvdic.com.

Thanks again and I’ll talk to you later!

Website: https://nomvdic.com
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Facebook: https://facebook.com/NOMVDIC
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