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

http://www.instagram.com/qaalmband    

    

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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Suppressed/Sores/2018 EP Review

  Suppressed  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  blackened  and  nihilistic  mixture  of  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  harsh  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  ep  "Sores".

  Harsh  noises  and  power  electronics  start  off  the  ep  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  Elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  deep  growls  and  high  pitched  screams  which  also  show  a  good  amount  of  black  metal  influences.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  at  times  and  on  the  closing  track  the  music  also  speeds  up  briefly.

  Suppressed  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  harsh  noise  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  nihilism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Suppressed  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  and  nihilistic  mixture  of  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  harsh  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shame"  and  "Journey  To  the  End  Of  Night".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Suppressedsludge/

https://suppressed.bandcamp.com/

Fordomth Interview

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

The band was born in 2013 from the need to create a project around and inside the concept of  damnation, which the first concrete manifestation is I.N.D.N.S.L.E..
The main idea came from the mind of Gianluca, which plays bass on the full length and now the guitar with the current line-up. Following this idea few specific musician, also friends, already into extreme music scene, were recruited to make Fordomth real. In these past years the band had quite a singular background concerning line-up changes. Long story short Gianluca and Gabriele are the only former members still in the band, which consist in a four pieces now.

2.Recently you have released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more bout the musical style you went for on this recording?

The common ground for the six former members was the same, consisting in Doom Metal and all its shades. In particular Funeral Doom Metal influenced by such bands as Catacombs, Ahab, Evoken, Thergothon and Longing for Dawn, to name few, were the foundation for I.N.D.N.S.L.E.. The many personal influences turned out in a very textural approach to the composition, making the result unique and even more precious thanks to the special featuring of Federica's violin in 'Interlude' and Salvatore's voice in the title-track.

3.The band has been around since 2013 but you waited until 2018 to play live shows or release an album, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?

Concerning the gestation of Fordomth started in 2013, as we already mentioned, the past years were full of events, which were the reasons for the many line-up changes, not allowing the band to play live until now. Only in 2018 the line-up were consolidated to four members and for this reason our first release I.N.D.N.S.L.E. is, for now, not intended to be played live, still, we have many releases we're working on at the moment, which are also our current live sets.
About I.N.D.N.S.L.E. we're very pleased how the album turned out, so we decided it was due to release it in spite of everything.

4.The lyrics on the recording are a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story you bring onto the album?

The theme is the Eternal Damnation, under its satanic and spiritual point of view.
The concept album follows the story of Lucifer’s damnation, from his fall from the heavens to his enthronement in hell. The very specific point of view consist in a first person empathy with Lucifer, who starts his path as bringer of light to culminate both in damnation and in bringing that aforementioned light into himself.

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

Fordomt means condemned in Norwegian language, so this word bears into itself the complete concept which around the band was born. We choose a Norwegian word both as a tribute to this country Black Metal scene, which always influenced us, also because we think Norway has an historical background that is closely bounded to the concept we want to express with the word Fordomt.


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

All the artworks were developed by View From The Coffin who perfectly caught from the first moment our spirit, so he provided an essential aspect to I.N.D.N.S.L.E. cover art, which mainly consist in the band logo, so the listener attention can be channeled more into music.


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

By now we decided to not play live very often to focus on the studio production, still our first live exhibition, Jettasangu Fest vol.1, was very significative for us, because both started the series of event branded by Tifone Crew, a D.I.Y. booking and promoting agency for extreme music which every member of the current line-up is involved into, also because it was the first and only live show played in a five pieces line-up. The extra member was Riccardo, guitarist and former member of Fordomth. He had to move to Budapest the day after the show, so it was a goodbye to our friend.

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

No. We do not plan to play I.N.D.N.S.L.E. live at the moment.
Still we are planning to play several gigs and perhaps an Italian tour with our new current set.

9.The new album was released on 'Endless Winter Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Endless Winter Records was immediately interested in releasing I.N.D.N.S.L.E..
Gennady's great enthusiasm and professionalism were great resources for us from the first approach. We planned together how and when to release the album and everything was very fast and efficient. We are deeply honored to be part of the Endless Winter roster.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black. sludge and funeral doom metal?

By now we received great approvals and support by everyone who listened to the album, especially from the ones who are into this musical panorama. This support made us even more motivated to keep up the good work and we're doing our best for the next releases.

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

First it’s appropriate to talk about what happened until now to better understand what will be in the future. The Funeral Doom style have been mixed with Sludge Doom and Black Metal by now, sometimes this last influence one is more prominent then the other ones, sometimes it’s the opposite. Still, during the composition process, we always want to stay true to our funereal intents. About the future, we will see.

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?

Despite some slight differences in music preferences and previous band experiences, we spontaneously found a synergy between us, also thanks to our common grounds which are bands like Primitive Man, Mgła, Wiegedood, Catacombs, Vermin Womb, Sargeist to name few.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

We live our lives with the consciousness to follow our very own natures, that’s it.

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

We are deeply thankful to everyone out there supporting us and for those who keep their eyes peeled we’ll deliver some exciting news soon, thank you.

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Fordomth/I.N.D.N.S.L.E/Endless Winter Records/2018 CD Review

  Fordomth  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "I.N.D.N.S.L.E"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Endless  Winter  Records.

  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times  before  adding  in  some  clean  playing  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful.

  Vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  clean  singing,  guttural  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal screams  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  funeral  doom  metal  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  and  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  poetic  atmosphere,  all  of the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  also  captures  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal  and  as  the  album   progresses  slide  guitars  and  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Forndomth  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  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  are  a  concept  album  covering  based  upon  eternal  damnation,  developed  under  it's  satanic  perspectives.

  In  my  opinion  Forndomth  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  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chapter  II  Abyss  Of  Hell"  and  "Chapter  V  I.N.D.S.L.E".  8  out  of  10.

fordomthband@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/fordomth666
www.instagram.com/fordomth.666
http://endless-winter.org/
www.facebook.com/EndlessWinterDoomMetal

    

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.lychgate.net/
https://twitter.com/lychgateband
https://www.facebook.com/Lychgate/

Usnea/Portals Into Futility/Relapse Records/2017 CD Review

  Usnea  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Portals  Into  Futility"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Relapse  Records.

  Dark  yet  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  and  chants  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  to  more  of  a  heavier  funeral  doom  metal  direction  while  the  vocals  bring  in  aggressive  sludge  style  screams  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  used  at  times.

  All  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  dissonant  structures  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  Usnea  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true to  the  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dystopian  and  science  fiction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Usnea  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal, you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lathe  Of  Heaven"  and  "A  Crown  Of  Desolation".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.facebook.com/usneadoom

Cormorant/Diaspora/2017 CD Review

 Cormorant  are  a  band  from  California that  plays  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  death,  folk,  psychedelic  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Diaspora'  which  will  be  released  in  August.

  Drum  beats  along  with  some  fast  tremolo  picking  and  a  few  blast  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  awhile  the  riffs  start  getting  more  melodic along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  death  metal  growls  also being  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  A  great  amount  of  funeral  doom  metal  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  slow  guitar riffing  while  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  singing  can  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  a  few  songs  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  psychedelic  and  folk  music  touches  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  stringed  instruments.

  Cormorant  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black,  death,  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  with  some  progressive,  psychedelic  and  folk music  elements  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Surrealism,  Mythology,  History,  Nate  and  Political  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cormorant  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  psychedelic,  folk,  melodic  black,  death  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  looking  for something  very  original,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Preserved  In  Ash"  and  "The  Devourer".  8  out  of  10. 

http://www.cormorant.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/cormorantmusic
http://www.twitter.com/cormorantmusic
http://www.youtube.com/cormorantmusic

Aethyr Interview

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

D - We've got the master of the album in our hands by the end of the summer 2014. Since then we've been doing some gigs & making new tracks, thinking about making a record for the future split or EP. New tracks are very different from the CORPUS! Also we were making video for CVLT single.

W - Also we were drawing a new artwork for the release.


2.You have a new album coming out this year, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

D - Aethyr has started as a duo, but now we are four-piece band. It was a long way from blackened-industrial-drone with only Aleister Crowley on the vocals, to the thing we've recorded for CORPUS.

W - I think that we are still trying to find out our own musical sound. We continue to try new things and mix styles in different proportions.


3.This is to be the first full length since 2010 and the first release since the split since 2012, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

D - After the split came out in 2012 we became full four-piece band and started making all the music together, also making live shows. Music became more and more difficult and when we had enough material we went to the studio, but wasn't really ready. So we've re-recorded the album in 3 different studios during 2013 & 2014. During that time Aethyr came stronger as a band & have made some new tracks that we've decided also to record for the album and leave some old (more drone sounded) tracks behind.


4.Your lyrics cover Occultism and Esoteric Disciplines, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in those topics?

W – As for me, it all has as metaphysical and as poetic sense. In order to understand the world we think of metaphors and signs. It's a way and attempt to look beyond reality. Staying alone with Abyss and comprehend himself and alone with the absolute.


5.I know that the bands name means the fifth element or spirit in occultism, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

D – Our music – is the Aethyr for this world.

W - All our efforts in band it is a way to understand what is it Aethyr.


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

W - We have not a many gigs during this time. We play usually where coincides with the spirit and atmosphere of the place and other musicians in small clubs. There was also a memorable experience - a concert in the woods, it was the video material for the video of the single "CVLT" (www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnhaDGprw_I ).


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

D – Supporting Primordial (IRL) is the nearest one. Tour – maybe.

W - We don’t thinking about that, but we open for any offers.


8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal, doom and drone?

W - We are just beginning to assert itself, but nevertheless, thanks for the efforts of our label Cimmerian Shade Recordings - more people know about our music. And there are a few positive reviews already. This is very encouraging.


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

D - Our new tracks sounds more in melodic-black-death style. We speed up more and more)) Though we have one new classic doom-black track. But anyway - we don't want/don't like to make borders. If someone got a great drone/sludge riff - we'll make it, followed by great death riff, etc.


10.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?

D – Oh, there are so many of them…Nihilist, Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, Ceremonial Oath, Behemoth, Slayer, Amenra, Celeste, Clint Mansell, Gunter Kallmann Chorus, The Ocean, SepticFlesh, Under Byen – to name a few.

W - There are too many. From bands playing dark ambient and drone to True Norwegian Black Metal. Old and relative new. And it's impossible to select one or two. I suppose it is a mixture of all of them )


11.What are some of your non musical interests?

D – Graphic design & photo, but music is the main interest all the time (with other projects & music styles).

W - We involved in art project http://rottenfantom.com/ together with my beautiful wife Elena. We making a dark and mysterious black and white illustrations. It is a second part of my life on a par with Aethyr.


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

W - Thanks a lot for the interesting questions. Music is an important part of human culture. It is a mixture that unites people across the globe. Listen to the good music and try not to do anything stupid! )

D – Ave A!

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