Qaalm/Grave Impressions Of An Unbroken Arc/Hypaethral Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Qaalm  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  atmospheric,  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Grave  Impressions  Of  An  Unbroken  Arc"  which  was  released  by  Hyperthral  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  funeral  doom  metal  which  also  captures  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams.

  Some  of  the  deeper  vocals  also  add  in  a  touch  of  death  metal  while  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  clean  playing  is  utilized  they  also  take  the  album  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  more  of  a  melodic  rock  style ,  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  and  spoken  words  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Qaalm  takes  a  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  form  of  post  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  progressive  rock  to  create  a  very  diverse  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  introspection  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Qaalm  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  melodic  and  progressive  post  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shadows  Behind  The  Sun"  and  "Hangman's  Lament".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/qaalm    

Maudissez Interview

 

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

Maudissez is a project by three anonymous musicians based in France who, through death-doom-noise music, try to promote anti-Catholicism ideas. We recorded our first album in 3 days live in a Catholic church that was still active at the time. For obvious reasons, the parish wishes to remain anonymous.

We address topics such as the various genocides caused by the Catholic Church, the intrinsic misogyny of most religions, and our interpretation of the historical event of the Temple of Reason that transformed Notre-Dame-de-Paris cathedral on November 10, 1793.

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

We wanted to explore the sound capabilities of the church by producing slow and heavy music, which is why we turned to doom; that was the original intention at least. Our musical background, our physical abilities, and the natural reverberation of the space, of course, evolved this "Doom" into something more aggressive.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Anti Catholic themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your hatred for this religion?

We hate all forms of oppressive power over the people, whether it be through a system, an ideology, or a religion. Like many others, we were born into an environment where Catholicism was imposed on us before we even had the ability to think about it. We could have written about the rise of the right, fascism, or even capitalism, but since we had access to a Catholic church for the recording, we decided to go with this theme.

That being said, there are many people, even today, who do not have access to the necessary resources to think about or even find a way out of an oppressive religion. We consider ourselves privileged; we do not judge anyone, we only wish them to find the necessary resources.

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

We have only reinterpreted one of the passages often cited during masses, and even used as propaganda on billboards everywhere, Pray for them. Curse for them is "Maudissez pour eux" in french

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

We wanted a striking yet simple visual, which is why we went ahead with a very understated illustration. The details and intricacy are almost nonexistent, and the lines are bold, reflecting our music.

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

Since we wish to remain anonymous, there will be no live performances, at least not in front of an audience. Also, we have no intention of finding disguises to hide ourselves.

7.So far very little is known about the band, do you prefer to keep a lower profile?

As mentioned above, we do not wish to reveal the name of the parish that helped us with the recording. We denounce the oppression inflicted on the people, not the people themselves.

8.'Sentient Ruin laboratories' are re-issuing your album on physical format, how did you get in contact with this label?

They are the ones who contacted us directly, and we are very pleased about it. 

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

It’s hard to believe that so many people came across our self-distributed album, including the label. We are very grateful. It seems we are not the only ones seeking a certain urgency, a sense of danger in art. Music produced for a specific clientele is not interesting; the result is a safe and comforting product, not art that makes us uneasy.

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

We don’t really know what we are going to do next, but we certainly would like to be able to record another album. We are also more than open to unusual collaborations.

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?

It is difficult to clearly define which bands had a direct influence on the composition of our music, as each of us has distinct references. Even though we intended to create doom, our vocal abilities led us more towards death, black, and raw punk. After the recording, listening to the results of the reverb and feedback exploration in the church, it was consistent to steer the album towards raw sounds and emphasize the creative space.

So the short answer is:

-Body Void

-Disrotted

-Coffin Lurker

-Primitive man

-Sumac

-Vile Creature

-NonServiam

-Lord Mantis

-Corrupted

-Sissy Spacek

-VOMIR

-Portal

-Fange

-Lingua Ignota

-Celeste

-Amenra

What we’re listening today:

-Big|Brave - A Chaos of Flowers

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

Thank you for your interest, it is greatly appreciated.

Respect others, curse the oppressors.

 https://www.instagram.com/maudissezpoureux/

Locusts And Honey Interview

 

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

Stephen: We are a doom band from the UK.

Tomás: I’ll go along with that! With some black metal and dark ambient flourishes. 

So far you have released one album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Stephen: It's a sort of blackened funeral doom with a cinematic bent. There's more of a mix of influences and styles in there than that, but essentially we wanted to write and play slow, heavy, bleak and sorrowful metal.

Tomás: I went for a dense, suffocating, wall of sound production style… not sure I achieved this but it was certainly my intention.

Both of the band members are also involved with other bands and projects, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Locusts And Honey' that you have not been able to do with your other groups?

Stephen: Slow, heavy music has been a go-to for me since I was a kid. My previous bands have been on the sludge side, so it's been great to shift over to doom. It's a different palette to work from and can be very emotionally charged. In the last few years I've had to come to grips with some mental health stuff, so it's a great release for me.

Tomás: I too have been playing loud music since I was young, black metal in particular. I currently have two other working projects, Gergesenes and Penitent Whisper. They are black metal and dark ambient respectively. I wanted to be freer of some of the constraints self imposed within those genres when starting Locusts and Honey I guess. 

Your lyrics are inspired by the bog bodies that were found in Denmark and Ireland, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Stephen: Tom messaged me and said he was getting inspired by the bog bodies and asked if I wanted to be involved in what he was writing. So I started reading up on the phenomenon a bit. There's still a lot of mystery around the sacrificial practice, but also a lot we can deduce. However, when I heard the music Tom had written, what I heard was dark but very human and relatable, and immediately it made me think of how death sharpens our appetite for living, especially living well.

Tomás: The inspiration came from a reading of Glob’s seminal The Bog People: Iron-Age Man Preserved. If I’m honest it was the grainy photos therein that really affected me. Some rereading of Seamus Heaney’s bog poems, The Grauballe Man was perhaps the starting point. I visited the National Archaeology Museum in Dublin a few years back - viewing the remnants of those bodies on display there whilst suffering from a corruscating hangover left me wanting to create something for some reason! 

What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Locusts And Honey'?

Stephen: It's a Biblical reference that Tom used for a previous project of his, and we both still quite liked how it sounded.

Tomás: Yes, the name was used almost twenty years ago for a rather maudlin slowcore project I had at the time. I mainly resurrected it to avoid the rigamarole of settling on a new name. Somewhat strangely, the two friends I was working with back then are now in this current version of the band. 

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

Tomás: The artwork was created for us by Samuel Guillet or Sam Rictus (https://www.instagram.com/samrictus). Sam was given a fairly loose brief to be honest - I’m very happy with how it turned out and strongly recommend others to check out his work. 

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

Stephen: We’ve recently been recruiting for a full line-up, which is great. When you get the right people it's a real pleasure to come together to create music, and I'm pretty excited to see the impact it will have for us in the near future.

Tomás: Yes, we have nearly solidified a full conventional band lineup. 

The album was released on 'Hypaethral Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Tomás: I sent the recording to various labels who I felt may be interested in working with us. I had heard some of the bands on Hypaethral before, like QAALM. so I was happy when Chris from Hypaethral said he was interested and it has been a pleasure to collaborate with him ever since! I’ll actually let Chris chime in himself here and let him give you some further information…

Chris: We started up Hypaethral Records back in 2012, with the goal of helping underground bands get their music out in physical and digital formats. We mostly work with doom and blackened metal. Locusts and Honey have been the first international band that we’ve worked with (outside of North America), which was an exciting new step for the label. 

Tomás sent me a cold email with a stream for the full EP and I knew immediately that it was something that we wanted to release. It absolutely blew me away on the first listen!

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

Stephen: The feedback I've got so far has been pretty positive. I think a lot of people understood what we were going for with the record and the band in general, and that is incredibly gratifying. We’re extremely grateful for all the support and love we’ve received so far.

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

Stephen: I see us just slowly evolving. We have a strong idea of the themes and feelings we want to evoke with our music, so however we progress it will be with these in mind.

Tomás: We have been writing new material with our new members. A totally new approach and one I am personally enjoying very much. I hope the future involves new music and touring too. 

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?

Stephen: Our influences are pretty varied, but I suppose the most apparent influences would be the likes of Bell Witch, Cough, Corrupted, The Body, Asunder… I don't ever have a band or record in mind when I'm writing, I just trust the influence of the music I love will come through naturally, filtered by my own thinking and emotions.

As to what I'm currently listening to, I quite often go back and listen to old favourites. At the time of writing this, I’ve just revisited the small but cracking discography of Carol Ann. Of new releases on the heavier side of things that I've been enjoying, there's Thou’s Umbilical, Cowardice’s Atavist, Simian Steel’s Missing Fucking Link… But it's always down to where my mood takes me.

Tomás: I feel I have less of the conventional ‘doom’ influences than perhaps Stephen does. I guess I draw most of my influences from the black metal spectrum… I have been close to the genre since I was a teenager in the mid nineties. Much as I have tried with lots of recent raw black metal it does still feel like my primary influences are those names from the Norway we all know so well. Also, I guess The Caretaker, William Basinski, Deathprod have influenced our more ambient moments.

I don’t listen to huge amounts of new heavy music I must say. That said, I enjoyed watching Sanguine Relic and Black Cilice play in London the other evening… Some other stuff I’ve recently enjoyed listening to of late have been Myriam Gendron, Warren Zevon, Jackie Edwards, Joanna Sternberg, Carme Lopez, Spirogyra, Washington Phillips, Tucker Zimmerman, Peter Bellamy… always a lot of Dylan too & lots of classical music - I’m getting on in years. 

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

Tomás: Many thanks for the interview and interest. 

https://instagram.com/_locustsandhoney_

Amarok/Resilience/Vendetta Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Amarok  are  a  band  from  Chico,  California  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Resilience"  which  will  be  released  on  June  28th  by  Vendetta Records.

  Nature  orientated  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  distorted  drones  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  sludge  metal  direction.  Elements  of  funeral  doom  metal  can  also b e  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while t he  vocals  bring  in a   mixture  of  black  emtal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  most  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  melancholic  style.

  Clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats,  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  primal  forces  of  nature.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Amarok  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Charred"  and  "Penance".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/amarokdoom

https://amarokdoom.bigcartel.com

https://amarok.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/amarokdoom

https://www.facebook.com/amarokdoom

Pthumulha/Tungumal svarthola/Kvlt und Kaos Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Phthumulha  are  a  band  from  Iceland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Tungumal  svarthola"  which  was  released  by  Kvlt  und  Kaos  Productions.

  Drum  beats  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  drones  and  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  leads.  Elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  guttural  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  when  the  music  speeds  up  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  ambient  orientated  instrumentals  which  also  add  in  small  amount  of  synths

  Phthunulha  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  drone  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Icelandic  and  cover  dark  poetry,  existential  dread,  cosmic  insignificance  and  the  beauty  found  within  the  embrace  of  oblivion.  

  In  my  opinion  Phthumulha  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Multhulu"  and  "Phthumulha".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/pthumulhu/

https://kvltundkaosproductions.bandcamp.com/album/tungum-l-svarthola

https://youtu.be/vJbJh1xrSCU  

        

Maudissez/Self Tiyled/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2024 Album Review

 

  Maudissez  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2023  album  which  will  be  re-issued  in  July,  2024  by  Sentient  Ruin  laboratories.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  lo-fi  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  emtal  growls  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also adding  in  elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal.

  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Drone  orientated  atmospheres,  harsh  noises  and  power  electronics  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  added  into  the  background  briefly  and  most  of  the  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction,  synths  are  also  added  towards  the  end.

  Maudissez  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  elements  of  drone  and  noise  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  Anti  Catholicism  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Maudissez  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fracture  par  fracture"  and "Meurtrissure  par meurtrissure".  8  out  of  10.

  BANDCAMP RELEASE

Locusts And Honey/Teach Me To Live That I Dread The Grave As Little As My Bed/Hypraethral Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Locusts  And  Honey  are  a  duo  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal,  dark  ambient,  drone  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Teach  Me  To  Live  That  I  Dread  The  Grave  As  Little  As  My  Bed"  which  was  released  by  Hypraethral  Records.

  Dark  ambient  style  drones  and  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  noises  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  instrumentals  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  Locusts  And  Honey  play  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal,  dark  ambient,  drone  and  noise  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  bog  bodies  of  Ireland  and  Denmark  -  people  of  the  Iron  Age  who  where  sacrificially  hanged  and  found  extremely  well  preserved  in  peat.

  In  my  opinion  Locusts  And  Honey  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal,  dark  ambient,  drone  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Leathern  Cord"  and  "Traitor  To  love".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://instagram.com/_locustsandhoney_      

Veiled Metamorphosis/Tentacled Void Of Infinity/Dying Sun Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Veiled  Metamorphosis  are  a  duo  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Tentacled  Void  Of  Infinity"  which  was  released  by  Dying  Sun  Records.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  deep  death  metal  growls  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  90's  influenced  style

     All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some influences  of  the  first  wave  era  of  black  metal  also  being    utilized  at  times  as  well  a  some  dark  soundscapes  and  synths  also  being  introduced  on  one  of  the  tracks,  a  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  the  album  progresses.  All  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  the  closing  track  is  also  an  instrumental.

  Veiled  Metamorphosis  plays  a musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  horror  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Veiled  Metamorphosis  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Demonik  Suffokation"  and  "Unspeakable  Abominations".  8  out  of  10.

  https://fantoom.bandcamp.com/album/veiled-metamorphosis-tentacled-void-of-infinity    

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

          

Qaalm/Resilience & Despair/Hypaethrael Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Qaalm  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Resilience  &  Despair"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Hypaethrael  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  and  keyboards  start  of  the  album  and  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  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  being  heavily  rooted  in  funeral  doom  metal  and  capturing  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal.

  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  stringed  instruments  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  at  times  you  can  also  hear  an  influence  of  post  rock.

  Qaalm  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  atmospheric  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  personal  experiences,  depression  and  adverse  aspects  of  humanity.

  In  my  opinion  Qaalm  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  atmospheric  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Reflections  Doubt"  and  "Lurking  Death".  8  out  of  10.

  http://twitter.com/qaalmband

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Chasmdweller/Flesh Crusade/2021 Full Length Review

 

 Toronto, Ontario, Canada's  duo  Chasmdweller  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  Flesh  Crusade".

   Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  and  elements  of  noise  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  demonic  sounding  death  metal growls.  Evil  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  when t he  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  also  have  their  guttural  moments.  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  an  early  90's  extreme  metal  style  as  well  as  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  the  closing  track  also  adds  in  more  of  a  ritualistic  atmosphere.

  On  this  recording  Chasmdweller  focuses  more  on  a  blackened  death  metal  style  and  cut  back  on  the  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  elements  that  where  a  very  huge  part  of  their  earlier  recordings.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Death  and  Ancient  Evil  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Chasmdweller  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  emtal  with  some  touches  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Seeping  In  Agony"  and  "Hexed  Beyond  Mortality".  8  out  of  10.

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Blod/Serpent/Malpermesita Records/2021

 

  Blod  are  a  duo  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Serpent"  which  was  released  by  Malpermesita  Records.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sludge  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clean  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  some  aggressive  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  blackened  touch.

  The  riffs  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  funeral  doom  metal  while  spoken  word  parts,  ritualistic  chants  and  percussions  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  as  well  as  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  one  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  synths  onto  the  album  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  Blod  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  more  clean  vocals  approach  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyri cs  cover  Occultism,  Thelema,  Witchcraft  and  Mythology  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Blod  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lvcifer"  "Serpents"  and  "Selene".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/LRdGlybtTaQ

Chasmdweller/Bacterial Lotus/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada's  Chasmdweller  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  black,  death,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "Bacterial  Lotus".

  Drum  beats  and  heavy  riffs  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later.  Dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences.  

  Black  metal screams  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  During  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  effects  and  synths  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling,  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  At times  the  vocals  also  get  very  guttural  sounding  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  whispered  vocals  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  some  acoustic  guitars  and  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the lyrics  cover  death  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Chasmdweller  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death, sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Septic  Coma"  and  "Oracle  Of  The  Innumbable  Truths".  8  out  of  10.

https://chasmdweller.bandcamp.com/album/bacterial-lotus    

Black Crown Initiate/Violent Portraits Of Doomed Escape/Century Media Records/2020 Full Length Review

  Black  Crown  Initiate  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  progressive  and  melodic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Violent  Portraits  Of  Doomed  Escape"  which  will  be  released in  August  by  Century  Media  Records.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  along  with  some  clean  vocals  start  off  the  album  before  going  into a   heavier  musical  direction.  Aggressive  vocals  are  in  between  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  decent  amount  of  prog  metal  elements  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  also very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  riffs  also add  in  some  melodies  at  times.  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Acoustic  guitars  also  make  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  along  with  some  chants  and  throat  singing  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  symphonic  sounds,  some  of  the  mid  tempo  sections  also  show  an  influence  of  djent  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophy  and  nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Black  Crown  Initiate  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  and  melodic  blackened  death  metal, you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Invitation"  "Years  In  Frigid  Light"  and  "Holy  Silence".  8 out  of  10.

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Lychgate/Also sprach Futura/Debembur Morti Productions/2020 EP Review

  Lychgate  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  progressive  and  avant  garde  mixture  of  black  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  ep  "Also  sprach  Futura"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Debembur  Morti  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  avant  garde  elements  along  with  the  faster  sections  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats  and  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  progressive  style.  The  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  funeral  doom  metal  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  some  blackened  screams  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.

  Clean  playing,  organs  and  mellotron's  can  also  be  heard in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  along  with  the  music  also  taking  some  of  the  mid  90's  avant  garde  black  metal  style  and  mixing  it  with  some  more  modern  influences.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  transhumanism,  simulacra  and  simulation,  post-humanity,  the  uncanny  valley,  Pygmalionism,  and  the  fictional  machine  Golem  XIV  which  exceeds  human  intelligence.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Lychgate  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive,  avant  garde  black  metal  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Progeny  Of  The  Singularity"  and  "Vanity  Ablaze".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Lychgate

https://lychgate.bandcamp.com

Canyon Of The Skull/Sins Of The Past/2019 Full Length Review

  Texas's  Canyon  Of  The  Skull  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  with  the  music  going  into  an  instrumental  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "Sins  Of  The  Past"  which  will  be  released  on  November  20th.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  which  also  introduces  elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  influences  while  the  music  also  captures  an  improv  atmosphere  at  times.  At  times  the  music  gets  very  repetitive  with  the  songs  also  using  the  same  riffing  for  a  few  minutes  before  going  into  a  different  direction  and  as  the  first  track  progresses  melodic  guitar  leads  are  also  added  onto  the  recording.

   When  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also   be  heard,  A  small  amount  of  percussion  can  be  heard  briefly  and  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  shamanistic  feeling  as  well  as  the  second  track  also  introducing  acoustic  guitars  and  melodic  riffing  onto  the  recording  and  at  times  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  album  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  the  indigenous  Americans  of  the  Southwest.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Canyon  of  The  Skull  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  instrumental  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Sun  Dance".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/canyonoftheskull/
https://canyonoftheskull.bandcamp.com/ 
https://twitter.com/canyondoom 

     

Chasmdweller/Invoking The Wrath Of The Seventh Circle/Static Void Records/2019 Full Length Review

  Chasmdweller  are  a  duo  from  Canada  that  has  had music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  death,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Invoking  The  Wrath  Of  The  Seventh  Circle"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Static  Void  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  also  bring  in  a   mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  elements  of  harsh  noise  onto  the  album.  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  growls  also  getting  guttural  sounding  at  times  and  the  music  also  has  its  brutal  moments  and  as  the  album   progresses  a  brief  use  of  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism  and  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Chasmdweller  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  black,  death,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bleeding  Upon  The  Tomes  Of  Hypocrisy"  "Engulfed  By  Burning  Pits"  and  "Bone  Shrine".  8  out  of  10.

Static Void Records | Bandcamp

    

Selenite/Mahasamadhi/Seance Records/2019 CD Review

  Selenite  are  a  solo  project  from  Austria  that  plays  a  mixture  of  symphonic  black  and  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "Mahasamadhi"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Seance  Records.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  funeral  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  yet  depressive  sounding  melodies  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  death  metal  growls.

  Keyboards  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  90's  era  doom/death  metal  influences.  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  symphonic  elements  at  times.

  One  track  also  introduces  clean  male  vocals and  grim  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when t hey  are  utilized  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction,  as  the  album  progresses  operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.   The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Sanskrit  Mantras  and  Eastern  Spirituality  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Selenite  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  symphonic  black  and  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Requiem  For  a  Soul"  and  "Final  Reckoning".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/sNQ9sW0isBY

Suppressed Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Suppressed is 5 guys from Umeå, Sweden that combine sludgy metal with a lot of noise. We've been together as a band since 2018 but as individuals we have played in various punk, death and black metal bands since the 90's.


2.So far you have released a demo, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?
 We wanted to get it really sludgy, almost off beat sludgy so we recorded the songs live. Only vocals were done afterwards. We aimed to give Gurgels noise a bit more room than most sludge bands do. I want to make it clear that the noise is not there as an occational distortion. It's supposed to be threatening almost all of the time. Due to the noise's nature it's really hard to get it right, so I'm very satisfied with the outcome.


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with your music?
Basically every days struggle being a wage slave and the constant boredom of capitalism. Also the shame one feel, looking at an ongoing environmental disaster and not acting out on it.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Suppressed'?
It's the constant feeling when living in the worlds "best" country where everything is a charade. Yeah sure we have it all. We should be satisfied. But we're all living at the expense of the climate and underpaid workers far away. They suffer so we wont have to.


5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the demo cover?
The world is on fire and soon we'll burn too, unless drastic counteractions are taken.


6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We've only yet had a couple of local shows but they've been great. We usually place Gurgels noise table in front of us all so he can really beat it out. I on the other hand often forget about the bass rhythms because it's overwhelming to finally scream it all out.


7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
We've got a few requests upon releasing the demo so we'll soon play in Stockholm and Gothenburg. Would be great to do a tour in Europe one day.


8.Currently you are unsigned are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
We've gotten a few interesting emails but we are in no stress to sign yet. It has to be a label that really understands the music and what we want to do.


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

We've gotten a few reviews that have been mostly positive. But we've just started so there is not much of a buzz yet.

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We're currently writing new songs. If all goes well we aim to head into the studio again this fall. For our upcoming album we aim to make uglier and more hardhitting tunes. We definitely wan't to step it up.


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?
Sludge and black metal have inspired us the most. Bands like Abandon, Indian, Starkweather and Primitive Man have all gotten me here.


12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Besides being a father of three children... there is not much time. But I take interest in political literature which helps me coping with also working inside the capitalist machinery. Mouffe, Arendt and Zizek are all highly recommended to stay afloat.


13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks a lot for spreading our music. We recommend anyone interested in the ugliers side of metal to give a listen. We'll soon print shirts and also release the demo on CD so follow us on Facebook and Bandcamp to keep track. Stay underground!

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