Showing posts with label blackened noise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blackened noise. Show all posts

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Feed Them Death/Panopticism:Belong/Be Lost/I, Voidhanger Records/2020 Full Length Review


  Feed  Them  Death  is  a  solo  project  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  experimental,  noise  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "Panopticism:  Belong/Be  Lost"which  will  be  released  in  April  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  grindcore  elements  and  the  riffs  also add  in  a  small  amounts  of  melody.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  short  in  length  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  great  amount  of  guitar  amp  distortion  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  elements  of  sludge  metal.

  Experimental  and  avant  garde  sounds  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  Touches  of  drone  and  harsh  noise  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  parts  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  stringed  instruments,  female  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  before  returning  back  to  a  more  brutal  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  inspired  by  "Discipline  And  Punish"  and  "Madness  And  Civilization"  by  philosopher  and  social  theorist  Michael  Foucault.

  In  my  opinion  Feed  Them  Death  is  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  experimental,  noise  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Zoneless  Confinement"  "For  Our  Insolent  Dead"  "Black  Blue  Bahquet"  and  "Dead  Is  Better".  8 out  of  10.

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Saturday, February 22, 2020

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     

    

Monday, February 17, 2020

Baron SAMEDI/11/Maaninen Henki Records/2019 EP Review


  Baron  SAMEDI  are  a  solo  project  from  Russia  that  has  recently  been  featured  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  ambient,  experimental,  drone  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  ep  "11"  which  was  released  by  Maaninen  Henki  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  field  recordings  start  off  the  ep  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Voices  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  noise  elements  and  ambient  sounds  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  The  music  also  gets  very  experimental  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  capturing  a  very  ritualistic  and  demonic  atmosphere.  Both  of  the  tracks  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other  while  the  second  song  goes  into  more  of  an  atmospheric  drone  style  as  well  as  having  some  diversity

  On  this  recording  Baron  SAMEDI  takes  noise,  experimental,  ambient  and  drone  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  that  is  very  different  from  the  previous  album  reviewed  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Baron  SAMEDI  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ambient,  drone,  experimental  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Dead  Calm  Kab".  8  out  of  10.

https://mhrecords.bandcamp.com/album/11

Saturday, February 15, 2020

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.

Sunday, February 9, 2020

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

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Tovarish Interview

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

We've released our very first music video for the song The Year Without Summer and we're releasing our second music video for the song Silver And Lead. We've played a few shows and are already planning to write and record new material.

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

Our sound is always evolving. We sound much different from our first album "Da, Tovarish" and I think that's for the best. We've been providing remixes for other artists and that has lead to us having a bit more of an industrial influence. We've also been incorporating more melody and ambient sound to compliment the harsh drones.

3.This is also your first album since 2015, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

We usually go in a bit of hibernation between albums. We still play live locally, but we let the music rest so to speak. Everyday life tends to get in the way and we also work on other musical projects, so time occasionally slips away. When we do get together to write and record, it comes in large creative bursts and then we revisit later with clear minds to see if we should continue or start anew.

4.Your lyrics deal a lot with Soviet era Communism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic and what led you to be interested in that era?

A lot of extreme bands (black metal, noise etc) either flirt with or outright embrace fascist imagery and ideology. We oppose all that and created Tovarish in direct response. Fascism is on the rise around the world and people must look for a way to combat and defeat it. There are lessons to be learned from Soviet-era Communism, both good and bad and we must look to the past in order to help save the future.

5.In modern day society a lot of people think communism is making a huge come back with all the whole war between socialism and the lat right, what are your thoughts on this?

I think it's encouraging that people are becoming more socially and politically aware and active to fight against those that destroy us simply for existing. People are not just rolling over to the tiki torch-carrying hatemongers that proclaim racial and gender superiority. There is a whole new generation of people moving further to the left because they see that we must work together to become better. A rising tide lifts all ships, many hands make light work, that sort of mentality.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Tovarsh'?

Tovarish means "Comrade". We chose that name because it encapsulates who we are, what we stand for, and how we work together as a band. We truly do work together in all aspects of the band, whether it's writing, recording, booking shows, and even merch design.

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

The artwork was created by the amazing Stephen Wilson, who has also down artwork for Crowhurst, False, and Vile Creature.  We did not really put any restrictions or give any parameters. We sent him the album and just let him create something that is incredible to look at.

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

We've been lucky enough to play with some amazing bands. Kayo Dot, SubRosa, Psalm Zero, Endon, Batillus, Kowloon Walled City. All of those were great experiences. Our live performance typically includes video projected behind us. Past videos  have included riot footage, Soviet propaganda cartoons, time-lapsed nature video. It gives the audience something to focus on while we play.

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

Not really. We don't tour and now only play shows if we're asked. In the beginning, we would play just about any show offered to us or would book our own. It led to many mixed bills in terms of genre and talent, which had less than desirable results.

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

Mixed I suppose. Your average metal fan probably wouldn't like us. No riffs, no mosh, no fun. The people that "get it" though really do understand and appreciate what we're doing. It's not easily listenable or digestible music, but there is something there and it's always encouraging when fans enjoy what we're doing.

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

Without putting us in a box, I would say more ambient and melodic sounds. We're really proud of what we have accomplished with If The War Comes Tomorrow and would probably continue on that track.

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?

It depends on the day and the mood, but recently we've been drawn to sludge, doom, drone, and soundscapes.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Politics, electronics, books.

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

Our music is available at tovarish.bandcamp.com and argonautarecords.com. Thanks so much for taking the time to ask us questions.

Friday, July 26, 2019

Wallowing Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
T. This is a tough question to answer as we have tried so hard to keep the band somewhat of a mystery and an enigma. I think it's also an incredibly difficult given the nature of our band and music. I think aside from that we are an extreme metal band based in the south of the UK, it's best if we let the album speak for itself here.

2.In September you have your first full length coming out, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?
T. This isn't only our first full length but our first recording entirely, bar an incredibly DIY live single track demo we put together with the help of our mate Sam. I think the beauty of that is, that there's no real style there whatsoever! Musically we write what we want to write and to play, and try not to box ourselves into genre or any other confining ideas, which is why you will find when listening to the record that (we like to think) the music is constantly changing and evolving to the overall themes within the piece. At heart we are entirely a prog band.


3.Your lyrics cover both science fiction and political themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in those subjects?

T. What we tried to do with Planet Loss as a full piece, was try to highlight the current state of the planet through the use of Sci-fi metaphors and imagery as, if you really look at current world affairs it's ironic how close we are to your classic sci-fi dystopian tale. We have the oppressive, power-driven overlords (some even trying to build sky high monolithic walls), a huge imbalance of wealth and conflict of the people interests spanning the globe, a society so reliant on technology it's actually making us ill. Not to mention this is all happens in a reality where it is supposedly easier to give a huge chunk of the population a pill for their problems and send them on their way rather than work with them, despite the hollow numbness we experience thereafter.

Every so often you'll find a piece of media that does a great job of highlighting the issues half of us don’t even see. George Orwell's 1984 is a great example of this, and in more recent years as does the TV show black mirror. It's incredibly important in this day and age to keep your eyes open, read between the lines and think for yourself. Media such as those we have named do an incredible job of making this point and in a dream world hopefully people will see our album in a similar light.


4.You also mentioned some inspiration from George Orwell, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his works?

T. We enjoy a lot of Sci-fi literature such as the works of H.G Wells, Phillip K. Dick and James Herbert (The City is one of the best graphic novels of all time), but Orwell's ability to draw parallels between his writing and real-world political, social and economic issues was definitely an inspiration when writing Planet Loss. "1984" is a powerful piece of literature which resonates with us on several levels and we think that comes across in the lyrics and story we present.


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

T. Planet Loss is a sentimental album to us for many reasons, but one of the biggest is because of how much truth there is behind the music. As we have said before, this album was made to highlight human errors that have failed society and the world in general, a world that we are a part of and have had to endure as much as anyone else. All of the topics we highlight on the album are things that have affected us as people, and in order to put that across effectively whilst writing the initial drafts for what eventually would become Planet Loss, our minds had to "wallow" in some horrible memories and experiences, so the name seemed natural from the start.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
T. The artwork is a piece we commissioned from Luke Oram. His work has always stood out to us for his attention to detail, unique use of colour, contrast and overall style. Not to mention he has worked on cover art for some incredible bands such as Monolithian, Human Future, Iron Eagle & his own  band Atomck to name a few.
The idea behind the cover was to create an image with huge scale to mirror the music, whilst detailing the overall themes behind the story. The foreground shows a group of “Lizard Men” patrolling human slaves, whilst an evil overlord kind of figure looks down over the loading bay of his ship to see hoards of human slaves lined up by these ominous gigantic droid/robotic figures. The “overlord” has two curious, childlike and dependent droids on either side of him in a kind of metaphor to our views on the UK government. There are several metaphors within the piece which mimic metaphors within the music itself.
There is a real retro vibe to the piece which we really appreciate, from the Giger influenced spaceship-interior to the use of colour.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
T. We were fortunate enough to be a part of Cardiff Psych & Noise Fest alongside Ohhms, Cattle & Part Chimp as our first ever show, which was a great opportunity and awesome time  Although admittedly a daunting first ever show, we feel like it went incredibly well! Since then we have been lucky enough to play Dreadfest 2019 alongside WormRot, Rotten Sound - FukPig as well as Creeping Death Fest alongside BONG, & Riffmas Fest in Brighton alongside bands such as Telepathy and Diesel King. We have been very fortunate for a band with limited music and media available!



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

J. We’ll be doing a run of shows around the album launch. Exact dates & locations still to be confirmed, but we’ll be announcing them as soon as possible. We’ll be looking at sorting out more dates for 2020, obviously, too.

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

J. It’s hard to tell on a worldwide level, yet. We put out a demo for Phosgene a few months ago, and it got a great reception - and things have been going down really well live… but only a select few have heard the album for now - so it’s hard to get an idea of what the reaction will be outside of that!

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
T. Musically we are keeping that door wide open. We aren't ones to pigeon-hole ourselves and despite having some rough ideas for new music in the works, there's no telling which direction it'll take just yet. It will be heavy, it will be disgusting and 100% as out there as “Planet Loss”, but we aren't going in with any specific ideas for a specific sound. We are a band who 100% like to feel things out naturally and let our emotion do the talking, so it's all very dependent on where we are in our lives at that specific point. It's real exciting as we are just as clueless as everyone else.


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?
T. Our influences are incredibly varied but all tend to stem from heavier music. Although saying that, the main ideas behind "Planet Loss" were inspired by Rush's "2112". We wanted to create an album that was, at heart, a prog concept album but executed through our own medium. Bands such as Haasts Eagled and Space Witch also had a personal influence on me when playing with initial ideas for the record.

We all spend a lot of time playing and running events in the UK Heavy Scene, so naturally we love bands such as Torpor, Opium Lord, Pet Brick, Grim Existence, Calligram, Monolithian & Geist to name a few.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
T. Hooning cars, eating beans, creating art and spending time (drinking beers) with loved ones.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
T. Just thanks for taking the time to put these questions together. We enjoyed answering them. We hope you enjoy the record

https://www.facebook.com/wallowingnoise

Saturday, July 6, 2019

Wallowing/Planet Loss/Sludgelord Records/Black Voodoo Records/2019 CD Review


  Wallowing  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,  grindcore  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  Planet  Loss"  which  will  be  released  in  September  as  a  joint  effort  between  Sludgelord  and  Black  Voodoo  Records.

  A  sci-fi  orientated  prologue  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Harsh  noises  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  and  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  great  amount  of  grindcore  elements  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  one  track  also  introduces  guitar  leads  onto  the  recording.

  Wallowing  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,  grindcore  and  noise  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction  and  the  modern  political  climate  along  with  some  inspirations  from  the  writings  of  George  Orwell.

  In  my  opinion  Wallowing  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,  grindcore  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Earthless"  and  "Vessel".  8  out  of  10.

here https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/planet-loss
 Band info: 
www.facebook.com/wallowingnoise/



  

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Chasmdweller/Self Titled/Static Void Records/2019 EP Review


  Chasmdweller  are  a  band  from  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  dungeon  synth  and  power  electronics  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2019  ep  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Static  Void  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Elements  of  doom  and  sludge  metal  are  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  riffing  which  also  is  the  most  dominant  factor  on  the  recording  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  A  lot  of  90's  era  doom/death  metal  influences  can  also  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  decent  amount  of  power  electronics  and  dungeon  synth   elements  to  give  the  music  a  lot  more  diversity.

  Chasmdweller  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  death.  doom,  sludge  and  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  some  elements  of  power  electronics  and  dungeon  synth  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Chasmdweller  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  with  some  touches  of  power  electronics  and  dungeon  synth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Clotting  Of  The  Sacred  Artery".  8  out  of  10.

https://staticvoidrecords.bandcamp.com/album/chasmdweller-s-t-svr08

Saturday, March 23, 2019

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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Friday, February 22, 2019

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.

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Primitive Man/Unearthly Trance/Relapse Records/2018 Split Album Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Colorado's  Primitive  Man  and  new  York's  Unearthly  Trance  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Relapse  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Primitive  Man  who  return  with  their  blackened  mixture  of  noise,  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  harsh  noise  intro  while  spoken  word  samples  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  distorted  drones  as  well  as  both  of  their  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and   the  slow  riffs  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  When  vocals  are  utilized  they  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  both  of  the  tracks  sticking  to  a  very  slow  direction  as  well  as  the  noise  elements  returning  on  the  second  track,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  hatred  and  misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Primitive  Man  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  noise,  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Naked".

  Next  up  is  Unearthly  Trance  who  return  with  their  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  slow  and  heavy  sound  which  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  sludge  and  doom  metal  while  a  couple  of  their  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  screams  adding  in  elements  of  black  metal,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in a   very  melodic  style  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  elements  of  noise  can  be  heard  on  the  closing  track,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  seasons,  occultism,  hallucination  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Unearthly  Trance  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Reverse  the  Day".

  In  conclusion  i  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  split.  8  out  of  10.   

http://www.primitivemandoom.com
http://www.facebook.com/primitivemandoom
http://www.instagram.com/primitivemandoom
http://twitter.com/PRIMITIVEMANE
http://primitivemandoom.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/UnearthlyTrance
http://www.instagram.com/unearthlytrance/
http://unearthlytrance.bandcamp.com

Friday, May 11, 2018

Abstracter/Cinereous Incarnate/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2018 Full Length Review


  Oakland, California's  Abstracter  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  into a  mixture  of  black,  death,  sludge,  doom  metal,  dark  ambient,  drone  and  noise and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Cinereous  Incarnate"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  Distorted  amp  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier musical  direction  while t he  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  vocals  also  utilizing  death  metal  growls  and  grim  black  metal  screams.  and  the  music  also  adds  in  elements  of  crust  and  d  beat.

  A  lot  of  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  heavily  rooted  in  sludge  and  doom  metal  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  elements  of  harsh  noise,  dark  ambient  and  drone  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard.

  On  this  recording  Abstracter  mix  black,  death,  doom  and  sludge  metal  with  some  elements  of  drone,  dark  ambient  and  noise  to  take  their  sound  to  another  level,  the  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  apocalyptic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Abstracter  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nether"  and  "Devouring  Night".  8  out  of  10.

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/cinereous-incarnate?utm_source=ALL&utm_campaign=8a2a0fb12e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_05_19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3b1f609241-8a2a0fb12e-512509221    

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Primitive Man/Steel Casket/Tartarus Records/2018 EP Review



  Denver,  Colorado's Primitive  Man  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  where  they  move  away  from  their  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  by  bringing  in  more  of  a  mixture  of  harsh  noise,  drone  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2018  ep  "Steel  Casket"  which  will  be  released  on  April  25th  by  Tartarus  Records.

  Ambient  style  drones  start  off  the  ep  while  clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  they  give  the  music  more  of  an  experimental  and  avant  garde  feeling  along  with  both  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  after  awhile  power  electronics  and  harsh  noises  make  their  presence  known.

  After  awhile  the  music  gets  more  diverse  along  with  both  of  the  tracks  being  instrumentals  along  with  some  natural  noises  also  being  used  at  times  and  both  of  the  songs  sound  very  different  from  each  other.  and  the  acoustic  guitars  have  more  of  a  dominant  sound  on  the  second  track  and  towards  the  end  spoken  word  samples  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Primitive  Man  move  way  from t heir  blackened  sludge/doom  metal  style  and  go  into  more  of  an  instrumental  mixture  of  harsh  noise,  drone  and  ambient  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Primitive  Man  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ambient,  drone  and  harsh  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "A  Life  Of  Turmoil".  8  out  of  10.

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Friday, December 29, 2017

Coilguns/Millenials/Hummus Records/2018 CD Review


  Coilguns  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  sludge,  noise,  d  beat  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Millenials"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Hummus  Records.

  Dark  yet  melodic  and  heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later  awhile  the  angry  vocals  bring  in  touches  of  sludge  and  black  metal  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Elements  of  post  hardcore  and  noise  rock  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  elements  of  d  beat  and  grindcore  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  musical  gets  more  experimental  and  the  songs  also  bring  in a   decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts.

  Coilguns  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  black  metal,  sludge,  noise  rock,  post  hardcore,  d  beat,  grind  and  experimental  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cove  dark and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Coilguns  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  black  metal,  sludge,  grind,  d  beat,  noise  rock  and  post  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Anchorite"  "Spectogram"  "Self  Employment  Scheme"  and  "The  Screening".  8  out  of  10.

'Millenials' for full on Bandcamp    

Monday, October 9, 2017

LaColpa Interview


1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
LaColpa was born in 2014 in Alessandria (Italy) like a sort of creature, a Golem: at first the four piece lineup with Andrea Moio (ex Sùr) at bass, Cecco Testa (Cropcircle) at the elettronics, noise, driller, chains and samples, Davide Boeri (ex Septycal Gorge) at the drums and Davide Destro (ex Infection Code) at the guitar and effects, started as an instrumental band, creating the hard body and structure of the creature, then I joined to the band giving it the voice. All of us came from different experiences in the area of extreme and experimental sounds, from the ambient to the noise passing through the extreme metal, so in some ways, LaColpa has started life by itself.

2.So far you have released a demo and a full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?
The demo contained a raw version of Soil, the first track of the album, and came out in a 33-copy limited edition CDR. In the album the same track was enriched by Dano Battocchio's work (Last Minute To Jaffna /Tutti I Colori Del Buio) to the mix and Brad Boatright at Audiosiege at the final master. The sound is a mix of Doom, Sludge, Noise and Black Metal and it can be described as a sort of descent into man's inner hell.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
LaColpa explore all those obscure parts in the human beings. It does so with a sense of martyrdom: in the creation of texts I like to sink into deep and dark moods as a sort of shaman, taking them to the surface to amalgamate them to the chaotic sense of the noise.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'LaColpa'?
LaColpa is translatable in English as TheGuilt. In religion, the sense of guilt is very important because it is closely related to the sins committed by man. For religion, we are all guilty, and unlike religion, we think that there is no salvation because this is exactly the human nature.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We recently made a live with our friends Viscera/// for our full length debut. It was a nice live, we got several positive feedbacks. In our performances, we try to let the spectator fall into the depths of the dark moods we evoke, also thanks to the visual support we select.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
For now we have a concert with OVO on December 8th. We don't have tour dates, because we don't mainly focus on live shows. We prefer to devote ourselves to composing new songs for the moment.

7.The album was released on 'Toten Schwan Records', are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?
Absolutely! Marco at the Toten Schwan Records did a great job! We are very pleased to have worked with him.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal, sludge and noise?
We have received many positive feedback from the lovers of those sounds. This makes us happy because it means that the work we did has arrived where it wanted to arrive.

9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
They will continue. Personally I have several noise and power electronics projects like Moana I want to carry on. Along with Davide Destro we started a new project called Macabro Dio more oriented into noise/power electronics sound compared to LaColpa, but keeping dark themes in the black metal style. Cecco will also continue working on Cropcircle and Winter Martyrium , and I think new projects or collaborations will be forthcoming in the future.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
It's hard to say! I think we will try to keep our style and direction, but who knows, we are all experimental musicians and the idea of introducing new things always fascinates us.

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?
We all have a different musical background and maybe that's the reason why our sound is so weird, but we all love noise, experimental music and black metal. Among the bands that influenced us, I could mention Portal, Leviathan, The Body, Khanate and many more.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Surely the nihilistic pessimism of authors such as Cioran and Caraco, the intrinsic carnality in the Catholic religion, esoterism, and extreme forms of art: from contemporary art performances to the cinema.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I can leave you with the words that close our live shows:
WE DON'T EXISTS, WE ARE YOUR GUILT.

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Monday, October 2, 2017

LaColpa/Mea Maxima Culpa/Toten Schwan Records/2017 CD Review


  La  Colpa  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  sludge  metal  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Mea  Maxima  Culpa"  which  was  released  by  Toten  Schwan  Records.

  Experimental  and  avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mix  in  with  the  powerful  bass  guitars  a  minute  later  along  with  some  grim  screams  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  to  a  more  heavier  sludge  metal  direction  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  After  awhile  black  metal  screams  start  to  make  their  presence  known  while  the faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  some  elements  of harsh  noise,  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly  and  elements  of  drone  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  tribal  beats  are  added  onto  the  closing  track  as  well  as  the  riffs  bringing  in  doom  metal  style  melodies.

  La  Colpa  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  doom,  sludge  metal  and  noise  and  mixes them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  LaColpa  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  metal  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Scars".  8  out  of  10.

https://lacolpa666.bandcamp.co m/releases

Thursday, August 3, 2017

Fleurety/Inquietum/Aesthetic Death/2017 Compilation Review


  Fleurety  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  avant  garde  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  compilation  album  "Inquietum"  which  will  be  released  on  August  21st  and  consists  of  the  many  7  inches  that  they  have  released  over  the  years.

  Harsh  noises  and  power  electronics  start  off  the  album  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  riffing  which  also  leads  up  to  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  being  added  onto  the  recording  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  avant  garde  elements  and  you  can  also  hear  some  melody  in  the  guitar  riffing.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  bets  can  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  progressive  fashion  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  guitar  riffing  also  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking.

  Throughout  the  compilation  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  some  tracks  also  bring  in  synths  and  drones  along  with  some  psychedelic  elements  also  being  used  briefly  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  female  vocals  can  also be  heard  briefly as  the  album  progresses  and  some  of  the  songs  is  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  utilizes  a  more  angry  vocal  approach  and  there  are  also  a  few  instrumentals.

  On  this  compilation  Fluerty  showcase  a  lot  of  their  material  that  was  released  over  the  years  which  shows  their  avant  garde  black  metal  style  getting  more  darker  and  experimental  than  what  was  presented  on  the  early  full lengths,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  weirdness,  dark  emotions  and  poetry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  from  Fluerty  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  black  metal,  experimental  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Descent  Into  Darkness"  "Summon  The  Beasts"  "It's  When  Your  Cold"  and  "Carnal  Nations".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/thetruefleurety/  

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Crawl Interview


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

Crawl is a one manned Blackened Doom monolith. The core of crawl consists of me behind a drumset with a stringed instrument mounted across the kit. I play the bass instrument primarily live, while drumming, with minimal use of samples and loops. Behind me is bass cabinets stacked three high, with the words "crawl" blazoned on the highest most cabinet.
Crawl started in July 2011 after a previous band had fallen apart months prior to a tour I was in the process of booking. After reflecting on my past failures for some time I decided that there was no one on this earth that was going to join me on the arduous path that is being a touring musician.
I sat down for a week or two, drew out some sketches, formed a plan, and chipped away at a workable format until I got where I am today.
Crawl is always evolving, and I often find that I must force myself to slow down so I can showcase some of the ideas I have for an extended amount of time.

2. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?

Crawl is a hypnotizing bleakness, accompanied by pained and emotional vocalizations. Some elements of noise fill in the gaps, and samples of cavernous soundscapes set the tone throughout any given track.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects that you explore with your music?

The lyrics often in the perspective of a necromancer reflecting on his worthlessness brought on by the loss of his own power. Weak, pathetic ramblings of an ancient piece of shit, dying in a tomb he created himself. His suffering is his own fault and he has no one but himself to blame for his failures. Some lyrics are also presented in the perspective of a summoned entity begging to die, begging to be imprisoned, or just worshiping the need to be enslaved. There is no finite lyrical theme. Just the exploration of lack of self worth, stagnant depression, failure, suicide. Through the eyes of necromancy and minimal early 15th century medieval imagery.

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

Crawl is derived from the term "Dungeon crawl" which is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games in which heroes navigate a labyrinthine environment. The use of Crawl as a title is to illustrate the idea of being lost in a dark tomb/cave/dungeon.

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

I have heavily considered collaboration, and I am always thinking of musicians that would fit the part. I have come close but it just hasn't happened yet.
I would like to release some albums based entirely around collaboration without perverting the idea that I am playing two instruments at once and am a "solo act". That hasn't happened yet, and I'm not interested in rushing it.

6.'Black Bow Records' is re-issuing your whole discography, can you tell us a little bit more about these newer versions?

Black Bow Records is simply hosting my discography for now. There aren't any significant differences to the albums. I wouldn't want there to be. There may or may not be some Black Bow Records exclusive recordings or merchandise, but we are early on in the stages of working together and that has yet to be discussed.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal, sludge and noise?

I have received very little negative feedback on Crawl by anyone regardless of genre. I am most interested in playing for the people that haven't been exposed to any elements of the music I am creating. I am primarily interested in opening minds and showing people that there are things that have yet to be discovered. I find that my live show bypasses any genre exclusivity. Black metal, Noise, Sludge, Art shows, Rock, Thrash, Grind, Powerviolence... I've done it all and its always the same reaction in different degrees; "I have never seen anything like that, ever."

8.Are you currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

I am drumming for UK's Conan at psycho las vegas 2017 and in San Diego on August 22nd. I have been in other bands at the same time as Crawl, but for now, its just these two bands.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

I want to explore classical guitar, I want to own a theorbo. I want to continue bringing up emotionally painful experiences for audience members via Crawl live sets. I want to evoke great amounts of emotion, and i want to compose songs that put people into a temporary depression.
I want to highlight pain, and use it as a tool for healing.

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?

In the beginning bands like Skaphe and The White Mice were my go to for inspiration because writing by myself was a difficult situation to get a handle on.
But now... I just remember to start slow, pick an object or emotion, and slowly begin to elaborate on whatever topic I am focusing on at the time.
The music I listen to nowadays usually consists of very slow ambient dungeon synth. Anything to keep me calm and grounded. Soundscapes similar to those one might see popping up in some of Crawl's new material. Also Grok's "A Spineless Descent". Anything/Everything on the mysticism productions bandcamp. Lluvia. Shit like that.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

My non musical interests include PC gaming, early 15th century armour and recreating those pieces, medieval weaponry, crafting instruments... Essentially building anything and everything until my hands fall off.

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

Crawl will touring the west coast with Black Vice (blackvice.bandcamp.com) and Haunter (hauntertx.bandcamp.com) August 3rd - August 16th.
Those tour dates can be found on the Crawl facebook (facebook.com/crawlblindly).

Keep an eye out for Red River Family Fest 2017 in Austin Texas. The line up is not one to be trifled with.

If you're interested in medieval plate armour, look into "Necroticarmoury" on facebook and on instagram. I am interested in making armour for bands, anyone that would attend a renaissance festival, or just for someone who wants to own pieces of hand made armour.

Thank you for taking the time to ask me these questions, or if you're reading this interview; for making it to the end.
-Crawl

https://www.facebook.com/CrawlBlindly/