Lung Knots/Golden Dirges, Molten Larynges/Tartarus Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Lung  Knots  are  a  solo  project  from  an  unknown  area  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  harsh  noise  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Go0lden  Dirges,  Molten  Larynges"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Tartarus  Records.

  Harsh  noises  and  power  electronics  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  programmed  beats  a  few  seconds  later  that  also  add  in  touches  of  industrial.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  which  also  get  deep  yet  aggressive  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  experimental  style  soundscapes  are  also  added  into  the  background  at  times.

  Drones  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  album  while  the  synths  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  dark  atmosphere  when  they  are  utilized.  When  power  electronics  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  harsher  sound  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  powerful  sounding  bass  sounds.

  Melodic  chants  and  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  the  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  keyboards  are  also  utilized  as  well  as  a  later  song  also  introducing  whispers  and  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  disturbing  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lung  Knots  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  harsh  noise,  industrial,  experimental  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Void  Hymnal"  "Our  Torches  Soaked  In  Oil"  and  "Throat  Flutters".  8  out  of  10.

http://lungknots.bandcamp.com 
https://facebook.com/lungknots 
https://instagram.com/lungknots 

 

Sol Draconi Septem Interview

 

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

Tauon - Hello there, since we have recorded the album we have worked on the communication and the distribution with Season of Mist. Now the album is finally out !

And we are working on the next project for Sol Draconi Septem, guitars and drums are already recorded. This split will be released at the end of this year. 

The next album is planned between the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023.

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

Tauon - SDS is a mix of black metal and many kinds of music like jazz, funk, electro, pop, other types of metal, movie musics etc... We love to experiment.

At first we just have the idea to make an album about spatial black metal. When the idea to make a concept album on Hyperion has bloom we have rewritten our songs around the vision of what we want to share around the book. Texturing, lyrics, rhythm, new instrument s(like saxophone) are all think to serve that purpose.

3.The lyrics and the band’s name comes from Dan Simmons's Hyperion Cantos, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this author and his novels?

Kaon – Well it’s an universe I’ve always loved, since I read the novels as a young man, discovering and consuming every scifi books and movies I could find. I’ve been fascinated since day 1, by this rich and deep universe, which is enhanced by the writings and the characters that live in it. Sadly it has never had a video adaptation or anything else, so it was a great occasion to use this universe and make more people discover it !

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

Tauon - The artist Guibz made the cover (follow him !) : It represents The Shrike, the principal antagonist of the book. You haven't so much representations of Hyperion in the artistic world, so we have to construct our vision of this universe. Pretty happy about the work with Guibz. But, we can't tell as much as we want about this creature because that would spoil people who haven't read the book yet. So, please, read the book.

5.Are there any plans for any live shows once the COVID19 pandemic ends?

Tauon - SDS is not a live band. So we will not perform any live, except if we have a big headliner in festival and time to prepare ourselves : to approach what we do on the album, we need to be 8 or 10 on stage. 

6.The album was released on 'Time Tombs Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Muon – It’s my own label that I created with a friend of mine as our concerts production activity is totally stopped for now, check out our page if you want to learn more about it ! A lot of good stuff are coming. 

7.Do you have any interest in any authors besides Dan Simmons?

Kaon – Oh definitely. Frank Herbert is another big one, as well as Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, Lovecraft, Alan Moore, Warren Ellis and Mathieu Bablet. Also I recommend to check out Alain Damasio, a french scifi author who’s incredible with words play, and who create incredible worlds and futures.

Muon – I'd say Tolkien, Lovecraft, Tom Clancy and Stephen King. But I don’t have a lot of time to read unfortunately …

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

Kaon – Weirdly positive overall. Except a couple of people who would like more industrial parts (which I understand), it’s been really nice to have so many good reviews and excited feedbacks on our album !

Muon – We had a lot of feedbacks from fans of different kinds of Metal and non-Metal, It’s always positive ! It’s very motivating for us ! We had also awesome feedbacks from some of our inspiration like the leader of Sojourner which is totally unexpected !

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

Kaon – We’ll definitely try to add even more influences into our music, more industrial and electronic parts, as well as more jazzy parts. We wanna push the blend of organic and electronic sounds together further !

Tauon – I'm impatient to test new things and push ourselves in new explorations.

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

Tauon – For this album my drums play was mostly influenced by a mixed of old and modern rock/pop music of different country, jazz, technical deathmetal and obviously all the blackmetal scene.

Those days i listen meditation music, ambient music, Max Mitch beat tape, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Aklhys, Bloodhound gang, Clown Core, None or Olhava.

Kaon – Overall, I’m mostly influenced by progressive metal and rock bands, as well as jazz and funk music. As for what I’m listening those days, I’d say Alpha Wann – Don Dada Mixtape, Benjamin Epps – Le Futur, and Sly And The Family Stone – There’s A Riot Going On

Muon – As I said before I was really influenced by Sojourner and all this atmospheric Black Metal scene, also Caladan Brood, Summoning, Khonsu, White Ward, … And also Industrial Metal like Fear of Domination (check out the album Distorted Delusions !), and outside of Metal I’d say Hans Zimmer and Vangelis !   

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Tauon – My studies are about music... so I don't really take time to do other things for the moment. 

Kaon – Photography, urbex, movies, IT/science and new technologies, comic books … I have a lot of passions outside of music, even if I spend most of my time working on some kind of musical projects, one way or another.

Muon – Not a lot of things outside of music because it’s my main work … But I’d say video games and I also travel a lot.

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

Kaon – Always experiment. Don’t stay stuck in one genre or pattern. Art is made for experiment.

Tauon – Read Hyperion with our music in background ^^

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Sol Draconi Septem/Hyperion/Time Tombs Production/2021 CD Review

 

  Sol  Draconi  Septem  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  melodic  and  industrial  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Hyperion"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Time  Tombs  Production.

  Industrial  style  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Saxophones  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Vocals  are  mostyl  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  death  metal  growls  can  also be  heard  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  are  also  utilized  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly  ona  couple  of  songs.  Symphonic  and  atmospheric  sounds  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  music  as  well  as  the  songs  also  capturing  a  very  sci-fi  orientated  atmosphere.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  Dan  Simmons's  "Hyperion  Cantos".

  In  my  opinion  Sol  Draconi  Septem  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  industrial  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Man  Who  Cried  God"  "The  River  Leth's  Taste  Is  better"  and  "The  Last  Pilgrims".  8/5  out  of  10.

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Feed Them Death/Negative/Brucia Records/2021 CD Review

 

  United  Kingdom's  solo  project  Feed  Them  Death  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  avant  garde  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  experimental,  noise  and  grindcore  from  his  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Negative"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Brucia  Records.

  Avant  garde  soundscapes  and  clean  playing  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  faster  grindcore  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffing  also  brings  in  some  dissonant  structures  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Guitar  solos  and  leads  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  progressive  style.

  Elements  of  noise,  industrial  and  drone  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  also  starts  getting  more  diverse  sounding,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  clean  vocals  and  shouts  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  philosophical  writings  of  Theodor  Adorno.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Feed  Them  Death  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde,  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,  grindcore,  experimental,  noise,  industrial  and  drone,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Minima  Moralia"  "Our  Cruelty  to  Reality  (Evokism  IV)"  and  "The  Idiotic  Yearnign  For  More  (Barbarism  of  Perfection)".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/feedthemdeath/            

Non Serviam/Le Coeur Bat/Code666/CD Review

 

  Non  Serviam  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  industrial  metal,  grindcore,  crust  and  experimental  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Le  Coeur  Bat"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Code666.

  Experimental  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffing  as  well  as  adding  in  some  industrial  style  beats  at  times.

  Black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  Clear  male  and  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain sections  of  the  album  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats,  crust  and  grindcore  elements.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  distorted  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  album  also  having  its  avant  garde  elements. 

.  Keyboards  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  some  psychedelic  touches,  the  also  bring  in  a  brief  ritualistic  version  of  Moody  Blue's  "Knights  In  White  Satan"  before  returning  back  to  their  original  material,  whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  French  and  English  and  cover  Occultism  and  Anarchy  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  Non  Serviam  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom,  industrial  metal,  crust,  grindcore  and  experimental  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Infanticide"  "Salem"  and  "Je  Contre".  8  out  of  10.

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/NonServ11606883

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Non-Serviam-103846074427132/

Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCQCKxPoJDkE9ScK8woFhsbA/videos

bandcamp: https://non-serviam.bandcamp.com/

Aeons Confer Interview

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

Bernhard: Hi there, thanks for this interview. Of course, we had a lot of stuff to do, since we have released our self-recorded, self-produced and self-mixed and -mastered album ZERO ELYSIUM. The main task was to spread the new album all around the world and reach so many metal fans and fans of the dark scifi genre as possible. It is not only that meanwhile we worked on a number of high energetical videos that feature songs from the album. We also extensively prepared a European tour in order to promote the new material also live, as it is imperative that people have to experience AEONS CONFER live and ruthless. Unfortunately, suddenly Covid-19 deleted our plans temporarily. What we now do is creating further videos to follow to give all the metalheads our there a maximum idea of what AEONS CONFER is about in 2020. By the way, we already gave birth to several new songs, in my opinion they are very innovative and brute, while they march on our path you can listen on SYMPHONIES OF SATURNUS as well as on ZERO ELYSIUM, I expect and know they reach at least the same legendary level. So, the direction is clear: heading forward with strength, independence and conviction.

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

Simon: ZERO ELYSIUM is a tight, massive, and focused bolide and it is different in so many ways than its predecessors. Although, we´ve used the same components but the approach and usage in terms of songwriting, arrangements & riffing style is quite different. This time, you will find less but well considered keyboards, more crushing and rousing grooves and even some djenty banger riffs.
Soundwise the album has a straightforward point-blank and minimalistic approach with a crystal clear and weighty production.It is also a great showcase that we are able to write and produce killer atmospheric music without the need of using 300+ tracks but only 60 tracks per song.

3.This was also your first album since 2013, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Nils: Until the end of 2015 we were mainly busy presenting `Symphonies Of Saturnus´ live on various club and festival stages in Europe, such as Summer Breeze, Metaldays, Tuska. After that we got down to writing, rehearsing and recording the songs for Zero Elysium. Our bass player at the time decided to leave the band, which made us wonder who could take over this job in the future. After careful consideration, our singer Bernhard picked up his 5-string again and from then on he felt extremely comfortable in the double role as a bass-playing singer. At the same time, we took care of the automation of our light show, created the artwork and merch from ZERO ELYSIUM and shot the video for IMPACTORS.

4.A lot of your lyrics also cover science fiction and dystopian themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in those topics?

Bernhard: We intend to transfer the special scifi atmosphere also on the lyrical side. All our lyrics treat deepest space and dystopian, apocalyptic, dark worlds. It is proper to the times we live in and I guess that is exactly the reason why people understand what we want to say. While the level of knowledge that mankind reached grows on every day at the same time we keep on destroying the ground we stand on. On ZERO ELYSIUM a protagonist recognizes that fact, this obviously human conflict, in the delicate situation facing numerous large objects on collision course towards planet Earth. He belongs to a minority that searches for a solution. To sum it, mankind is too weak and interests are too selfish to use our scientific knowledge and techniques to prevent this planet from the worst case, which finally happens: Dozens of impacts devastate the surface and eliminates greatest amounts of all life. Just some beings try to survive in the depths of the underground. Going down - that is the way humanity will have to go, we all know.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name ;Aeons Corner'?

Alex: I am sorry to correct you, however the band name is AEONS CONFER ;-) The name for the band obviously had to have some meaning behind it, and it would be quite interesting to hear how the fans come up with their own concepts on it. When we started out as a band, we wanted to have a name which reflected something so vast and massive it is almost impossible to fully grasp it. Aeons are the highest-ranking units in the subdivision of geological history and may span several hundred million to well over a billion years. Our life span as human beings are nothing more than a blink of an eye in this context, so this concept felt so right to utilize in the band name. The universe is huge beyond imagination, and all this incomprehensible interplay between space and time is something the name AEONS CONFER resembles to its fullest.


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

Alex: With the artwork, our goal was to visualize the concept we had behind the music and lyrics offered on ZERO ELYSIUM. Having the destruction of our earth as we know it imminent is obviously something eerie and dark. Those vibes which come across with our music certainly had to find way into the artwork. AEONS CONFER is known for sci-fi based topics, so this had to be considered as well, obviously. The cover and overall artwork also had to give some room for interpretation, and in the aftermath, it is quite interesting to hear what feedback fans give. We took a lot of time working on the visuals for ZERO ELYSIUM and had numerous revisions until everyone in the band was pleased with it. Overall, we believe that it fits perfectly and is well executed, so that the listener would have this overall experience when putting on the record and going through the pages of the booklet or checking out the sleeve of the LP. Armageddon is close, and this is THE soundtrack for it.

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

Nils: Walpurgisrock, Apes Enraged and Meltdown were festivals where we had a lot of fun, a good show and an excellent time. We fired first-class club gigs in the Logo, Knust, Fundbureau and Kaiserkeller in Hamburg. We like a lot of fog at our gigs so that you can see our self created light show at it´s best. Personally, I refer to our stage performance as a neck-breaking-laser-steamroller, which invites every metalhead to headbanging. Take a look at our videos Impactors / Wise Deflector to see what we have prepared for you.

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

Alex: Of course, we did receive numerous offers in the past, but we had mixed feelings when looking at the conditions we got offered. On one hand, working with a label could result in more financial possibilities, and could provide opportunities in marketing which you would not have access to under other circumstances. On the other hand, right now we only must justify to ourselves and must measure our current success on our own actions. The way it works up to now is we have full creative and business control, which obviously something which is valuable and endeavored by us as artists. So, if we would choose signing with a record company, we would have to take all this into account and determine what we would take away from us in terms of self-determination. We achieved quite a lot with our very own hands, from producing albums, artwork, merchandising, marketing campaigns to playing shows worldwide. Working with an exterior company really should bring an extra push and surpass everything we already have achieved by ourselves.

9.The band has been around since the mid 90's, what is it that motivates you to keep going after a couple of decades?

Simon: To me, it is the urge to explore and expand my musical horizon and create something unique while becoming a better musician and songwriter and i think this journey will go ad infinitum. Another huge and essential component is that this band is greater than the sum of its parts. I mean, my brother and me play together now for 26 years and we are four musicians in this band with a collective vision and mindsetting. Last but not least, it´s simply just fun to play music together! So the rack-wheels keep going unstoppably!

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

Nils: The reactions were mostly positive, so we got the impression that we were welcomed with our music in the extreme metal community worldwide. Although our two longplayers `Symphonies Of Saturnus´ &` Zero Elysium´ differ from each other musically and technically in terms of production and sound, it was possible for us to attract and inspire fans already won with our new output. That made us very proud and at the same time showed that we are on the right track with our musical progress and that we are still accepted for that reason.

11.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Bernhard: In former times it could happen, that members of the band were more or less active in several projects apart from AEONS CONFER. But actually, AEONS CONFER is too versatile and interesting that one of us would intend to have further projects or bands. We keep us focused and work with highest priority and I am convinced that people hear and see to which results this attitude leads. Parallel to our private life we use our synergy in the best and intensive way we can effort. If our energies would spread too far away, our albums would not sound as fulminant and mighty as they do.

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

Simon: Our agenda for further releases is filled with many different ideas and genres and what i can say for now, there surely will be some unexpected stuff to come. If you follow our musical background from the very beginning, you will notice a steady improvement of the course musically and that we are not disaffected by switching or blending different genres. Everything is possible, there is nothing to rule out.

13.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?

Simon: At the outset, we were heavily influenced by bands like Emperor and Arcturus. Emperor´s „Anthems to the welkin at dusk“ had the biggest impact on our musical direction, that album was a game-changer for us back then. Our all-time favorites are bands like Strapping young lad, SepticFlesh, Slipknot, Textures, Korn and Fear Factory, just to name a few. I´ve got a passion for movie soundtracks and game-music but i also can listen to celestial white noise for a couple of hours!

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

Alex: First and foremost, our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported AEONS CONFER so far, checked out ZERO ELYSIUM and gave us their feedback. We are grateful to have fans all over the world who really dig what we do, keep in touch with us and help spreading the word. It means everything to us, so THANK YOU and keep going! Also, thanks for the opportunity doing this interview! See you soon and keep an eye on the sky!

https://de-de.facebook.com/AeonsConfer
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Aeons Confer/Zero Elysium/2019 Full Length Review

  Aeons  Confer  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  industrial,  dark,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "Zero  Elysium".

  Sci-fi  and  cinematic  orientated  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  symphonic  musical  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Elements  of  industrial  and  dark  metal  can  also  be heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Aeons  Confer  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  industrial,  dark,  symphonic  black  and  death  metal  and mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction  and  dystopian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aeons  Confer  are a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  industrial,  dark, black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out t his  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Impactors"  "Plasmoid"  "Nemesis"  and  "Pandemonium".8  out  of  10.

https://de-de.facebook.com/AeonsConfer
https://www.instagram.com/aeonsconfer
https://www.youtube.com/AeonsConferChannel

https://youtu.be/HaECHYqU1G4    

Dawn Of Ashes/The Antinominion/Artofact Records/2020 CD Review

  Dawn  Of  Ashes  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  industrial,  ebm  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "The  Antinominion"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Artofact  Records.

  An  ebm  style  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  programmed  beats  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  distorted  black  metal  screams.  The  music  also  mixes  in  a  lot  of  industrial  elements  along  with  the  music  also  capture  a  very  ritualistic  atmosphere  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.

  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  tracks  while  the  music  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  samples.  Heavy  guitar  riffs  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  more  dark  electro  style  of  the album  giving  the  music  more  of  an  extreme  metal  heaviness  along  with  some  electronic  drums,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  growls  onto  the  album    and  all of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  style.

  On  this  recording  Dawn  Of  Ashes  goes  into  more  of  an  ebm  and  industrial  rock/metal  direction  as  well  as  keeping  the  black  metal  style  vocals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  explore  humanities  downfall  as  it  blindly  follows  it's  leaders.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Dawn  Of  Ashes  and  f  you  are  a  fan  of  ebm,  industrial  and  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pawns  Of  The  Wretched"  "Blood  Of  The  Titans"  "Follow  The  Pain"  and  "The  War  Within".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Dawnofashes/ 
https://www.instagram.com/dawnofashesofficial/ 
https://twitter.com/dawnofashes666 
https://open.spotify.com/artist/35Uzsa9o0tZkdC4ZBtXuNV?si=R2uEir08SAST4J8MlrOK-w 

https://youtu.be/w6DQR-gBBOk

 

  

Luna13/Wicked Gods/Cleopatra Records/2019 CD Review

  Luna13  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial,  electronica  and  bass  music  and  this  is  a  review  of their  2019  album  "Wicked  Gods" which  was released  by  Cleopatra  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album while  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  and  samples  on  the  recording.  On  the  first  track  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  programmed.

  Elements  of  electronica  and  bass  music  are  also  mixed  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  also  adding  in  touches  of  industrial.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  synths  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  ritualistic  moments.

  Programmed  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  music  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  groove  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  distortion  pedals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Luna13  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial,  electronica  and  bass  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Serpent"  "Leviathan"  and  "Onyx  Witch:.  8  out  of  10.

https://www.instagram.com/luna13official
http://luna13.net/
https://luna13music.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/Luna13official
https://pandora.com/artist/luna-13/ARn5mwVJqZVt46K
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7mzWnPp42hjTU6ZCAJX6Ae
https://www.facebook.com/luna13official/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV83QW5Hm3TV3TDMUi3n9iw    

Baron SAMEDI/The Priest Devar/Nailed Nazarene Industries/2020 Full Length Review

  Russia's  solo  project  Baron  SAMEDI  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  an  experimental  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "The  Priest  Devar"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Nailed  Nazarene  Industries.

  Programmed  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  industrial  elements  and  demonic  growls  a  few  seconds  later.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  while  the  keyboards  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  gothic  touch  as  well  as  some  melodic  singing  also  being  used  at  times.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  some  blackened  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences.

  One  track  also  introduces  Gregorian  chants  onto  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  experimental  at  times.  All  of  the  tracks  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  mostly  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  fast  playing  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  death  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Baron  SAMEDI  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  black,  doom  and  dark  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Aryan  Golem"  "Rage"  "Kammala"  and  "Mass  Graves".  8  out  of  10.

https://nailednazareneindustries.bandcamp.com/album/the-priest-devar  

V:XII Interview

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

V.XII was created in 2018 and was initially meant to be music for a new Deadwood album. But early on it became quite clear that this was something I wanted to have a moniker of its own, and a project that I will be able to invest more time in than Deadwood. The music itself is a mix of Death Industrial, Ambient, Doom and Black Metal with emphasis on Death Industrial. I have been involved in multiple bands and projects during my years in the sonic arts. Ranging prom primitive Black Metal in Blodulv and Doom/Death in Culted to more experimental industrial sounds in Keplers Odd and Black Ambient/Death Industrial in Deadwood to name a few. And V:XII is a combination of all.

2.Recently you have released a new album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?

I wanted to combine the elements of Death Industrial music with the atmosphere of Doom and Black Metal. Using a more beat oriented and structured approach to the tracks then I had done before. Without losing the atmosphere and intensity that I achieved in other projects before V:XII.

3.You are also involved with a few other musical projects, how does the music you do with 'V:XII' differ from the stuff you do with your other bands or groups?

V:XII is, as stated above a more structured and beat oriented creation then my previous efforts doing Death Industrial type of music. Something I think Deadwood lost along the way. And its not by any means Metal based music like Culted even if it draws some influence from genres like Doom and Black. So, it is a whole other entity. This will be my go-to project when doing solo albums from now on.

4.Some of your lyrics touch on Occultism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

I have always been inspired by the occult and the symbolism that comes with it. In my youth I was experimenting with different types and branches of systems out there. Today not so much. But it keeps being a big influence on lyrics be it figurative or not.

5.You also have a few runes on your bandcamp page, how would you describe your interest in runology?

As mentioned above, that was one of the branches that I explored in my youth and it had a deep impact on me. Today its more it is more of a lyrical inspiration then anything else.

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

I had Max Winter (Teratogen) to do the artwork. He usually does designs for metal bands, but I think he did a great job with the layout. I sent him my tracks and the lyrics. And I let him come up with his interpretation of the music. The only part I played was to let him know my preferences and ideas. But he had, creative control over the layout.

7.With this project you record everything by yourself but also have experience working with other musicians, how would you compare the two?

It a whole other thing when one has complete control and don’t have to compromise about anything. Both has its pros and cons though. When recording with other people you get a direct feedback about what you need to re-work and record again, so you always have the opinions of others to fall back on. Good or bad.
But when you have 100% control and no one else’s opinion to take into consideration you get everything exactly the way you want. You can’t blame no one, but yourself if it doesn’t sound good. There´s a lot more pressure to perform at a higher level, there´s nowhere to hide. It´s just you.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of underground metal, experimental, noise and ambient?

The Rom, Rune and Ruin album was just released so I have yet to get proper feedback on that album. But in my opinion, it’s one of my best albums up to date, so I’m very eager to get some proper reviews. But other than that, I think I have had a good response in general for most of my albums. Reviews have been positive for both Culted and Deadwood in the past. Sure, there are always some people that dislike what you do but that’s inevitable. I create music that I myself want to listen to and its an outlet for me. If you don’t like it, don’t listen to it.

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

Culted is working on a new album, if things go according to plan it will be done in summer 2020. I will be recording vocals in the next fem months.

I have started to work on a new V:XII album but it’s on hold until the Culted album is done.

Deadwood is on ice but will most likely be an outlet for more Black Ambient music in the future.

Aum Arrhythmia is working on a new album, but I have no idea when that one will be finished.


10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

Only time will tell.

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?
Too many to bands and genre´s to give you a list but here are three bands that have had a huge impact on me over the years:
Darkthrone
Tool
Brighter Death Now

Some of the records that I have been listening to the last few days are:
Kjellvandertonbruket – Doom Country
Blut Aus Nord-Hallucinogen
Wolfbrigade-The Enemy: Reality
Trepaneringsritualen-Kainskult
Human Impact-S/T

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

I’m good, thanks!

https://vxii.bandcamp.com/

https://culted.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/daniel.jansson.75641

V:XII/Rom, Rune And Ruin:The Odium Disciplina/Aesthetic Death/2020 CD Review

  V:XII  is  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  metal,  industrial,  drone,  dark  ambient  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of his  2020  album  "Rom,  Rune  And  Ruin: The Odium Disciplina"  which  will  be  released  on  February  29th  by  Aesthetic  Death.

  Power  electronics  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  decent  amount  of  ritualistic  soundscapes.  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Industrial  style  programmed  beats  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  album  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  at  times.  Harsh  noises  are  also utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording along  with  the  spoken  word  parts  also  enhancing  the  ritualistic  side  of  the  music  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  elements  of  dark  ambient    and  all  of the  songs  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other,  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  V:XII  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  black,  doom  metal,  industrial,  drone,  dark  ambient  and  noise  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Darkness,  Occultism  and  Norse  Rune  themes.

  In  my  opinion  V:XII  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of   black,  doom  metal,  industrial,  drone,  dark  ambient  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  New  Black"  "Ururz"  and  "Vanagandr".  8  out  of  10.

https://vxii.bandcamp.com/releases     

    

Baron SAMEDI Interview

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

Hi, I'm from Novokuznetsk, Kuzbass region. In 1997. Me and my friend are influenced by: Sepultura,Sodom, Korrozia Metalla, Diecide and other extreme bands. They started rattling at my house.

 Since we did not have money for normal musical instruments (in the 90-ies in Russia we lived poorly, even for clothes we did not have enough money). We stole from the school music class: a bass in the shape of A Paul McCartney violin, two snares, and cymbals. They rattled, but since the game we could not, it turned out noisecore act.
 In 2000, I bought a Cassio synthesizer and started playing music alone. The project was then nameless. I made recordings on Sharpe's tape recorder.
 In 2005, I made a self-release of cassettes with my songs, called "Project Golem". Now these recordings can be heard on the albums "Я - Пустота" and bonuses on "Ralph Werner-Project Golem". In 2007, I renamed the project Baron Samedi.

Later I because of this name, my social networks consisted of 50% of fans of rap and hip hop)). Metalheads were repelled by this name))

 2.Your recent full length came out in September, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

It is completely spontaneous and dirty recorded. I worked on tracks at different times without imagining how they would sound. The oldest song on it, "Black'n'roll Necronomicon", was recorded in 2001.

 3.You have also work with a variety of many different musical genres on your recordings, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical styles you have brought into your music?

Any dark, aggressive, pompous genre can appear on my recordings. Dark rock, dark folk, industrial, noise, ambient, free jazz, power electronics, death industrial, glitch, gorenoise, death metal, dark metal, black metal, terrorcore. I used all these genres in my music еxcept rap and hip hop.

 4.You have also covered some occult topics with your lyrics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in occultism?

I have always had an irrational, mystical perception of the world. But in theoretical occultism, I am not well versed, if you compare me with some Alister Crowley. From occult books I read two books by Elena Blavatsky, a few Apocrypha, Everything related to the Necronomicon, Russian black witchcraft.

 I sometimes dedicate my music to the essence of Graov, which is worshiped and invoked by homeless vagabonds, inhaling the smell of burned beetles-mediums. The essence of Graov is similar to the evil shown in the movie "the Fifth element".

 I use glossolalia when singing. Sometimes I use decoctions of herbs to fall into a trance, then the essence speaks through me. I record it and use it as vocals., this can be heard in the track Graov and Жнец

I also sell for graves.


 5.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects you have explored with your music?

Sad stories about a witch's house or a forest fire. Social: bad neighbors, corrupt cops, spitting in modern art. Abstract texts about death, mystical journeys.

 6.I know that the musical project was named after from Haitian Voodoo, can you tell us a little bit more how you got interested in this deity?

 In the nineties, there were many books with witchcraft spells, they were sold in every kiosk. .
 It was scary to live (crime,devastation, poverty, drug addiction), people conjured. My grandmothers had spell books. These books contained spells from all religions, and I learned about Baron Samedi from them. For Siberia, this name sounded original.
I don't practice voodoo myself. I plan to rename the project to "Пан Zимородоk".

 7.With this musical project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

Yes, I record everything alone.I am open to working with other musicians, but my knowledge of musical instruments is poor and I can't read music.So I'm not good for serious musicians. I can work with noise industrial musicians.


 8.Are you also involved with any other musical projects/

In 2007-2008, I was the bassist of the band "Kolobus". Played brutal death metal. Then I went into business (construction) and there was no time to play.

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

Metal fans are throwing shit, they need well-recorded music. Fans of experimental and industrial music reacted positively.

 10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

I will also try to make dark music. I don't plan to perform. I played concerts with Colobus in 2007 and I didn't like it.

 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?

Inspired to make music: Sepultura, Korrozia Metalla, Sodom. Later Samael, Agonoize, Suicide commando. But you won't find much musical borrowing from them. I didn't grow up to them as a musician.Technically, I can't borrow from them.  Now I listen to everything, but mostly it's power electronics, ambient, raw noise black metal. I order interesting releases on cassettes.

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

The problem of rock fans and generally conditionally "Good music" is that they think that everyone is seriously listening to music. While simple and often not stupid people just need a background and not a loaded product . Due to the fact that their ability to enjoy listening to music and composing quirks, is much lower than music lovers. They don't fucking need it.

Study well, listen to your mom and dad and don't tell them you want to play hell's throat. Don't upset your loved ones.

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Baron SAMEDI/Nidarozd salmundshichti/Nailed Nazarene Industries/2019 EP Re-Issue Review

  Baron  SAMEDI  is  a  solo  project  from  Russia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial,  harsh  noise,  power  electronics  and  ritual  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  ep  "Nidarozd  salmundshichti"  which  was  re-issued  by  Nailed  Nazarene  Industries.

  Demonic  voices  and  ritualistic  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Grim  black  metal  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  the  bass  guitar  sounds  very  powerful  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.

  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length.  Elements  of  industrial  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  harsh  noises  and  power  electronics  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  experimental  moments,  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  as  the  ep  progresses  samples  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  the  tracks  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other.

  Baron  SAMEDI  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  industrial,  ritual,  harsh  noise  and  power  electronics  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Russian  and  cover  dark,  poetic  and  occult  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Baron  SAMEDI  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial,  ritual,  harsh  noise  and  power  electronics  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "POems"  and  "Hilka-hilka,  demon  demon  !!!">  8  out  of  10.

https://nailednazareneindustries.bandcamp.com/album/reissue

Meth Assassin/Reptilian Side of God/Terratur Possessions/2019 CD Review

 Meth  Assassin  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial,  witchhouse  and  horrorcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Reptillian  Side  Of  God"  which  was  released  by  Terratur  Possessions.



  Electro-industrial  sound,  programmed  beats  and  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  tortured  voices  also  being  utilized  briefly  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  horror  movie  atmosphere. High  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  house  music.

  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  pulsating  basses  while the  music  captures  the  atmosphere  and  darkness  of  an  occult  black  metal  album  without  adding  in  heavy  guitar  riffs.  When  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  witchhouse    are  also  added  onto  the  recording,  one  of  the  later  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental.

  Meth  Assassin  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  industrial,  horrorcore  and  witchhouse  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Left  Hand  Path,  Occultism  and  Astral  Projection  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Meth  Assassin  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial,  witchhouse  and  horrorcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Luciferian  Abyss"  "Reptillian  Side  Of  God"  and  "Invoking  The  Adversary".  8  out  of  10.

"Satanic Infiltrator" - https://soundcloud.com/terratvr-possessions/m3th-assassin-satanic-infiltrator
"Torrents of Ungodliness" - https://soundcloud.com/terratvr-possessions/m3th-assassin-torrents-of-ungodliness
      

King Satan/I Want You To Worship Satan/Inverse Records/2019 CD Review

  King  Satan  are  a  solo  project  from  Finland  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  industrial  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "I  Want  You  To  Worship  Satan"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  inverse  Records.

  Heavy  riffing  and  industrial  elements  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  distorted  vocals  and  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  alter.  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  programmed  while  synths  are  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  aggrotech  elements.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  Female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  bringing  in  more  of  a  melodic  hard  rock  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  Growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  samples  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  some  songs  also  adding  in  elements  of  death  punk,  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Chaos  Magick  and  Anti  Christianity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  King  Satan  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  industrial  and  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Killing  Of  God"  "All  Magick  Is  Chaos  Magick"  "The  Antichristification"  and  "The  Portrait  of  Darkness".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/8uYcsWaB1j8

https://youtu.be/zzJ4CGjkPFU