The Crown/Crown Of Thorns/Metal Blade Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Sweden's  The  Crown  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  metal,  grindcore  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Crown  Of  Thorns"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Metal  Blade  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  thrash  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  grindcore  elements.  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  take  the  recording  into  more  of  a  black  metal  direction  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  80's  style  death  metal  growls.

  At  times  the  music  also  captures  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  true  to  more  of  an  old  school  extreme  metal.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a very  powerful  sound  to  them,  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  vocals  also  mixing  in  the  more  aggressive  side  of  thrash  metal  as  well  as  some  whispers  also  being  utilized  briefly  and  they  also  add  more  of  a  modern  approach  to  an  old  school  style,  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use of  female  vocals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Anti  Religion,  Satanism  and  Violence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Crown  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I  Hunt  With  The  Devil"  "Gone  To  Hell"  "God  King"  and  "The  Storm  That  Comes".  8 out  of  10.

  http://www.thecrownofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thecrownofficial/

https://www.instagram.com/thecrownband

https://x.com/thecrownsweden

https://www.youtube.com/user/thecrownsweden  

Gorgonchrist/And Justice For Balls/Road To Masochist/2024 Full Length Review

 

  United  Kingdom's  Gorgonchrist  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal  and  crust  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of   their  2024  album  "And  Justice  For  Balls"  which  will b e  released  in  July  by  Road  To  Masochist.

  A  very  heavy  crust  punk  and  d  beat  orientated  style  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in with  some  shouts.  Tremolo  picking  can  also be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Elements  of  sludge  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in a   good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  the  album  progresses  a  lot  of  the  vocals  also  go  into  more  of  a  growling  direction,  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  On  this  recording  Gorgonchrist  takes  black,  sludge  metal  and  crust  punk  and  mixes  them together  to  create  a  very  diverse  yet  heavy  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Darkness  and  Humor  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Gorgonchrist  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  metal  and  crust  punk,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Toaster  Inferno"  "Legs  of  A  Penguin"  "Satanic  Cunt  Slicer"  and  "Dr-Lovefire".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/gorgonchrist

https://gorgonchrist.bandcamp.com/

https://youtu.be/IN_DQuTKdms   

Reverb On Repeat/Self Titled/These Hands Melt/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Reverb  On  Repeat  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a mixture  of  blackgaze,  shoegaze ,  goth,  post  punk and  post  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2024  album  which  was  released  by  These  Hands  Melt.

  Melodic  shoegaze  style  guitar   solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  the  clean  sections  of  the  songs  are  heavily  rooted  in  post  rock.  The  clear  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  gothic  rock  style  along  with  synth  also  being  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic   in  length.  When  the  music  speeds  up  on  a  couple  of  songs  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  Reverb  On  Repeat  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  blackgaze,  shoegaze,  punk,  gothic  and  post  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  romanticism  and  isolation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Reverb  on  Repeat  are  a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of  blackgaze,  shoegaze,  goth,  punk  and  post  rock  and  if  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Aurorean  Dreams"  and  "Spawning",  7/5  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/reverbonrepeat

https://www.instagram.com/reverbonrepeat

https://reverbonrepeat.bandcamp.com

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Miruthan Interview

 

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

 

Ritual Priestess: We have been non-stop; which has been so awesome! As a band, right now we are spending a lot of time rehearsing; tightening up the set & choreographing the stage show ready for a really awesome run of shows coming up!

We have released our debut video for ‘Land of the Damned’ which features on the EP - we’re all so grateful and overwhelmed for all of the support & positive feedback we’ve received for it! 

We’ve also been smashing our socials, collaborating & launching our new website, wondering through the dense Australian bush land on photoshoots, and spending a lot of time in general in each other’s pockets!

 

2.You have a new ep coming out towards the end of April, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Priest: we’re kind of a blend of black/melodic black metal and death metal, so we think of ourselves as a blackened death Metal band, but we have a tonne of influences so it’s hard to put an exact label on it. Our production style for the record is aimed at being a bit of a blend of the traditional Black metal sound and some more modern metal. So so we aimed to have the sound ride the line between raw old school and a more punchy contemporary sound.

Ritual Priestess: Our style in general is fairly melodic, theatrical, loud and hard hitting! 

This EP is very much all of these things on overdrive! We wanted to deliver an assault on the senses in the best way possible - we wanted to transport listeners into our world; our post apocalyptic cult!

 

3.A lot of your lyrics cover dark folklore themes, which aspects of this topic do you bring into your songwriting?

Ritual Priestess: Our songwriting is entirely based around the dark folklore we have created. We spend a lot of time conceptually piecing together and developing a world of darkness, chaos, survival and victory. This directly translates to our songwriting; lyrically and through the music as well as our stage performances, costumes and so on. 

 

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

Priest: We try to tell a continuous story though out our tracks, so each song leads into the next. We like to think of them as chapters in a overarching story. It’s all very narrative driven, this record is all about the origins of the characters and follows them as they try to navigate their way through a post apocalyptic world.

 

Our songs are about what people will do to survive and how they behave when society has broken down.

 

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

Priest: Miruthan is a Tamil word that roughly translates to Walking Corpse or Zombie in english, we had a bunch of name ideas but Miruthan was one that stood out! The phonetics of the word are great and it seemed to fit the subject matter perfectly.

 

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

Priest: Miruthan’s story is set around a ritualistic cult far in an apocalyptic future. So the cover for this record is really aimed at visually summing up that theme. The idea of our music is that’s it’s being sung as it’s being read from a tome, almost like a dark hymn that tells the story of the cults founding. We thought the blood drenched robed figure in a dark cathedral really emphasised up the juxtaposition between apocalyptic violence and culty/religious undertones In our music.

 

7.You also have 6 members in the band, what was the decision behind adding in a huge line up?

 

Ritual Priestess: We actually have 8 members! From a conceptual point of view, we did this to create a huge, somewhat intimidating, visual expression and soundscape. 

 

Miruthan is essentially a collective of storytellers: 

 - Nzambi  (The Zombie DemiGod): Guitar, Sprechstimme

- Mvumbi (Ghost): Vocals

- Baron: Vocals

- Priest: Lead Guitar

- Ritual Priestess: Vocals

- Fantoma: Vocals

- Witch Doctor: Bass

- Wrath: Drums

 

8.In the promo pics you also wear masks and cloaks, do these have any ritualistic aspects to them?

Ritual Priestess: We wear our masks & cloaks at all times of performance. They provide us, and anyone experiencing our performances, with a sense of the dark ritualistic nature of the world we have created through our folklore. 

When we perform, we envelop everything around us in our chaotic world and draw in our ‘recruits’; as a cult would!

 

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

Ritual Priestess: We have been blown away by the response to all of our shows! Our ‘recruits’ are a phenomenal, energetic and endlessly supportive bunch! The community of ‘allies’ we have been so grateful to play alongside are all equally phenomenal too! 

I would have to say, the energy and enthusiasm of All Ages shows really are something else though!

 

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

Priest: We’re actually about to start a tour for the release of the e.p! We’re all super pumped, it’s an 11 show tour that will take us up and down the East Coast of Australia. We’ve also got more shows locked in after that, and we’d love to look at touring overseas!

 

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

Priest: We decided to release this one on our own and see how far we could take it ourselves, we’re lucky enough to have our own recording studio so this was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered completely by us. For our album following this e.p we’re definitely looking at shopping labels!

 

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

Priest: It’s been really amazing! We know we’re a little different to traditional Black and Death Metal. But everyone so far has been really open to our twist on the genres and we’re really grateful for that! 

 

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

Priest: We’ve already got our full length written and in demo form, so it’s well on the way! We’re hoping to release it late in 2024 but that’s obviously dependent on how we go with our label search!

 

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

Priest: We all listen to a bunch of different stuff, we’ve all actually got a pretty diverse taste in music. Of course most of us listen to a fair bit of Black and Death Metal and all of the various sub-genres (I’ve been on a bit of a slam kick lately), but heaps of the band members are very much into genres like Punk, Rockabilly and western swing, Rock, Blues & Bluegrass. Some of us listen to a lot of jazz and some love indie stuff too.

So yeah super diverse!

 

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

Priest: We urge you Join The Cult ov Miruthan!

 https://www.facebook.com/Miruthanband

Miruthan/Cult Of The Dead/2024 EP Review

 

  Miruthan  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  ep  "Cult  of  The  Dead"  which  will  be  released  on  April  26th.

  A  very  heavy,  melodic  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  a  couple  of  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Some  of  the  guitar  riffing  also  adds  in  elements  of  punk  rock  while  the  music  is  mostly  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also be  heard  along  with  some  clear  chants  also  being  utilized  briefly  and  most  of  the  tracks  stick  to  more  of  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  Miruthan  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  melodic  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  a  touch  of  punk  rock  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  folklore,  dystopian  and  post-apocalyptic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Miruthan  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDD  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "At  The  Barricades"  and  "Land  of  the  Damned".  8  out  of  10.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuSAVb-oRE8    

 

Moonoises/She - The Void/These Hands Melt/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Moonoises  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  blackgaze,  post  black  and  doom  metal  with  elements  of  post  punk  and  darkwave  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "She  -  the  Void"  which  will  be  released  on  march  8th  by  These  Hands  Melt.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Melodies  are also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  clean  sections  also  mix  in  elements  of  post  punk  and  darkwave  and  some  of  the  clear  vocals  add  in  touches  of  80's  deathrock.

  The  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal  and  doomgaze  while  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  lot  of  post  rock  and  shoegaze  touches.  Synths  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are introduced  into  the  music.

  Some  of  the  music  also  captures  the  dark  atmosphere  of  black  metal  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  most  of  the  album  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Moonoises  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  blackgaze,  post  black  and  doom  metal  with  elements  of  post  punk  and  darkwave  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Beyond"  "Creepy  31"  "Cold  Grey"  and  "Mirror".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/moonoisesband

https://www.instagram.com/moonoises

https://moonoises.bandcamp.com    

Cruxis Interview

 

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

Since we’re new, I don’t think many people have heard of us. We are two, the Dok-tor and myself. He makes the music and I sing the words. 

2.You have your first album coming out towards the end of January, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

The Dok-tor is responsible for all the music here, but I think it’s safe to say he wasn’t trying to emulate someone else’s sound when recording these songs. I’m sure some of the genres and bands we’re both fond of had some influence on the sound. There’s some crust punk, some industrial, a bit of black metal, even some post-punk and deathrock. In the end, though, I think it sounds like itself more than a patchwork of bands and genres either of us enjoy.  

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

Some are more abstract impressions and representations of a place, a time, ideas. Lyric writing, all of music making, is a bit like Debord’s dérive in that it requires some disorientation or, like Breton said, psychic automatism. Fāl-gūsh came out of overheard, misheard conversations. Fāl-gūsh is a type of divination usually associated with young girls. You would stand in a dark corner or concealed spot behind a fence, maybe a garden wall, and listen to the conversations of passers-by. The words you hear, the subjects being discussed, would provide answers to your questions. 

Unquiet, the last song on our album, was also the last song I wrote words for and sang. I had been talking with a couple friends who have family in Gaza and elsewhere in Palestine about the ongoing destruction happening there. About how their family’s homes were destroyed or had been seized decades ago, about what the long history of colonialism and efforts to demoralize and oppress the people there have done to them, their family and friends in Palestine. About what living with colonialism and racist oppression does to you, both personally and how it reveals power to be the inherently abusive, extractive, violent force it is. Though lyrically as abstract as anything else I write, Unquiet is fiercely anticolonial, antifascist, and an oppositional force to all forms of oppression.

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

There’s a constellation called Crux, or Crucis, the Southern Cross. The brightest star in Crux is Acrux, the 13th brightest star in the night sky. You could think of Cruxis as drawn from those stellar names.

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

That’s the Dok-tor again. I’ll say that, as in our sound, there’s a confluence of influences. Let’s call it a lo-fi, diy, analog, photocopied zine aesthetic combined with an enigmatic mysticism. 

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

I can’t really imagine we’d need to add more people. It worked well like this and if we do it again, we already have everything covered between us.

7.Are there any plans for live shows in the future or is this strictly a studio project?

There’s an ocean in the way of live shows.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of extreme and underground musical styles?

Since we’re quite new, and I’m answering these questions before our album is out, we haven’t really gotten a lot of reaction yet. The messages I’ve received from people who have heard it so far have been positive, which is nice. I know we’re both really happy with what we did here and hope that when it’s more widely available that other people will enjoy it, too.

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?

The Dok-tor is always making new music, which you’ll hear in time whether you realize it or not.  

I have a new project, Deep Fade, which is a sort of noisy, blackened pastoral industrial experiment. The first album will be out in late February, and, like Cruxis, will be on Fiadh Production. Then I have several other things coming, more Deep Fade, a few new collaborations with old friends, a final album from my old project, The Floating World. I’m sure there will be more as the year wears on.

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

I think it’ll go where it goes, there isn’t a definitive plan for it. It’s easier to make music when it happens because there’s something you want to hear that you aren’t hearing, maybe don’t even realize that’s what you’re creating when you start, but as you get into it what you create coheres around some idea that becomes central through the act of making songs. The map draws itself as you go.

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

I can, again, only speak for myself here, but some of it I’m sure overlaps with the Dok-tor. Over the years, I’ve listened to a lot of Killing Joke, Godflesh and Godflesh-y industrial-esque stuff, Amebix and Rudimentary Peni (I’m finally reading Nick Blinko’s Primal Screamer right now), some black metal, some post-punk, deathrock. Of course, then there are artists like Anita Lane, who has always been a huge influence of mine. Her uneven and wavering, haunted singing hovers around the edges of anything I do. Rowland Howard had a gorgeous shimmer, too.

Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of JK Flesh, another Justin Broadrick project. He had an album out this past fall, NO EXIT, which is incredible and disorienting and I’m still hearing new things in it. Same for Darkthrone’s Eternal Hails, which passed me by when it came out a coupe years ago, but got drawn in by Fenriz’s description of it as “heavy like a dinosaur.”

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

https://cruxis-13.bandcamp.com/

Cruxis/Self Titled/Fiadh Productions/2024 EP Review

 

  Cruxis  are  a  duo  from  Providence,  Rhode  Island  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  crust  punk,  deathrock  and  industrial  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  titled  2024  ep  which  will  be  released  on  January  26th  by  Fiadh  Productions.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  mix  in  touches  of  deathrock.  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  slower  parts  of  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  sludge  metal  and  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  recording  are  heavily  rooted  in c rust  punk  and  d  beat.

  Melodies  are  also added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.  Black  metal  elements  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  some  of  the  drum  beats  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  industrial  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  most  of t he  ep  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Cruxis  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  metal,  crust  punk,  deathrock  and  industrial  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  mysterious  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cruxis  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  crust  punk,  deathrock  and  industrial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ruby  Throat"  and  "Unquiet".  8  out  of  10.

  Cruxis    

    

  

Ash Prison/Future Torn/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Ash  Prison  are  a  band  from  the  United  States  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  dark  hardcore  punk  and  heavy  industrial  electronics  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Future  Torn"  which  will b e  released  on  September  22nd  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  Industrial  style  beats  and  power  electronics  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  synths  and  spoken  word  parts.

  Most  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Whispers  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording   along  wit h the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  hardcore  punk  elements,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  most  of  the  recording  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction. 

  Ah  prison  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  hardcore  punk,  power  electronics  and  industrial  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dystopian  society,  anarchy  and  chaos  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ash  prison a re  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of black  metal,  dark  hardcore  punk  and  heavy  industrial  electronics  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Archangel"  "No  Return"  "Collapse"  and  "Weep  in  my  Shadow".  8 out  of  10.

  BANDCAMP RELEASE    

Zlórtcht/Welcome To The Zlórtchterhaus/Witches Brew Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Zlórtcht  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Welcome  To  The  Zlórtchterhaus"  which  was  released  by  Witches  Brew  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  to t hem  while  the  growls  and  screams  are  done  in  more  of  Hellhammer  and  Celtic  Frost  style.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in t he  80's  era  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  an  old  school  style.

  At  times  the  music  captures  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  while  most  of  the  album  brings  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style.  Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also b e  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal,  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  closing  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

   Zlórtcht   plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  doom,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion   Zlórtcht   are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Winter"  "Priestess  Of  The  Sun"  and  "Summer  (Parts  I-III)  I  -Genesis,  II  -  Evolution,  III  -  Termination".  8  out  of  10.

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

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

Instagram: witchesbrewthrashes

Bandcamp: https://zlrtcht.bandcamp.com/album/welcome-to-the-zl-rtchterhaus

Bandcamp: https://witchesbrewthrashes.bandcamp.com/music  

   

Gorgonchrist/Fish In A Mountain/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Gorgonchrist  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  crust  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Fish  In  A  Mountain"  which  will b e  released  in  march.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  metal.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  mid  tempo  sections  of t he  songs  are  heavily  rooted  in  crust  punk.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  the  songs.  Growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  showing  an  influence  of  old  school  grindcore  at  times  and  when t he  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard,  clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  the  whole  recording  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  On  this  recording  Gorgonchrist  moves  away  from  the  industrial  elements  of  their  previous  release  and  goes  for  more  of  a mixture  of b lack,  sludge  metal,  crust  punk  and  grindcore.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  and  humor  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Gorgonchrist  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  metal,  crust  punk  and  grindcore,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fellowship  Of  The  Christ"  "Dick  Pic  Graveyard"  "Questions  Form  A  Victorian  Mortuary"  and  "Lonely  Wanker".  8 out  of  10.

  www.facebook.com/gorgonchrist

Manic Abraxas Interview

 

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

Basically solidifying our live lineup and arranging material for shows.

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

To us it’s a progression from the last time.  We spent more time on details, nuances and getting tone dialed.  That’s not to say this is overly produced, the emphasis is still on a raw sound.

3.Some of your lyrics cover occultism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

To us the occult simply means hidden from the public, which describes a lot of our themes.  We aren’t a Satanic band, that shit is pretty much mainstream these days.  Where we’re coming from has no constraints.

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

There’s one song on the new album about a paranormal experience one of us had.  Overall the lyrics tend to be impersonal.  We have plenty of songs heavily influenced by some of our favorite fiction writers…SciFi, Fantasy, Horror etc.  Others can be about how peculiar it is to be alive.

5.I know that the band's name came from 'Gnosticism', can you tell us a little bit more about your research into this topic?

It’s just an interesting topic for us.  Abraxas seemed to be a clouded & unpredictable figure of unknown alignment and that’s the perfect umbrella for our music.

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

We are very proud to have album art by the amazing Gage Lindsten.

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

At this moment in 2022 playing shows seems like a distant memory.  Live is a barely contained torrent - we have forgotten all about society and being human summoning Abraxas in our own primitive way.

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

We have a handful of shows lined up for the fall.  We’ll probably never do real tours but weekends and the odd week now and then as we grow would be cool.

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

Unsigned - we have garnered no interest.

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

Overall it’s been positive but we’ve also had plenty of hate.  We don’t fit in any boxes so that excites us.

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

That’s hard to say.  RIght now we have a huge backlog of unreleased & unrecorded songs all the way back to our beginning so that may be our next release, a regression of sorts.  

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?

Saturnalia Temple, Darkthrone, St Vitus, early High On Fire, Celtic Frost, Bolzer, Venom, Blue Oyster Cult, Unearthly Trance, ZZ Top - it’s endless really.

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

Thanks for having us.

https://manicabraxas.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/manic69abraxas

https://www.facebook.com/manicabraxas

Manic Abraxas/Foreign Winds/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Manic  Abraxis  are  a  band  from  Maine  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  stoner,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Foreign  Winds"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

 

 A  very  hard  and  heavy  stoner  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Synths  can  also be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  vocals  also b ringing  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  mixing  in  elements  of  thrash  metal  and  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  is  also  added in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  while  growls  are  also  added  in  some  of  the  vocals.  Touches  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  psychedelic  moments.

  Clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  one  the  tracks  along  with  some  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording,  some  of t he  riffing  adds  in  touches  of  classic  metal  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Manic  Abraxis  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom,  stoner,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Red  Camo  Rock"  "Foreign  Winds"  and  "Black  Destrier".  8  out  of  10.

  https://manicabraxas.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/manic69abraxas

https://www.facebook.com/manicabraxas  .  

  

Vinterdracul/The Lee Variations/Canticle Throe/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Vinterdracul  are  a  duo  from  Baltimore,  Maryland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  black  metal  influenced  form  of  gothic  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "The  lee  Variations"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Canticle  Throe.

  A  very  powerful  and  melodic  gothic  rock  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Synths  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  programmed.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  post  punk.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  guitar  leads  and  solos  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  On  this  recording  Vinterdracul  remain  true  to  the  black  metal  influenced  style  of  gothic  rock  that  they  had  established  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  a  vampire  and  his  journeys  through  life.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vinterdracul  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal  influenced  gothic  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "End  Scene"  "Ten  Years"  "Phantom  Of  The  Future"  and  "Undead".  8  out  of  10.

  https://vinterdracul.bandcamp.com/album/the-lee-variations           

Where's My Bible/Circle/Inverse Records/2022 EP Review

 

  Where's  My  Bible  are  a  band  from  Finland  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  rock  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  ep  "Circle"  which  will  be  released  on  May  15th  by  Inverse  Records.

  A  very  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  angry  shouts,  growls  and  screams  which  also  brings  elements  of  black  and  death  metal  onto  the recording.  Clear  singing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  keyboards  also being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  also  adds  in  touches  of  punk  and  mainstream  rock,  whispers  and  throat  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly    

  On  this  recording  Where's  My  Bible  go  into  more  of  a  melodic  blackened  death  metal  direction  which  is  also  a  lot  different  than  the  deathcore  style  of  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  struggles,  inner  thoughts  and  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Where's  My  Bible  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Void"  and  "Origin".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/wheresmybible
https://twitter.com/BibleWhere
https://www.instagram.com/wheresmybible666 
https://wheresmybible.bandcamp.com/releases
https://spoti.fi/2uMMO7U

https://youtu.be/cahs8c5TbUQ

https://youtu.be/jkL18FCJIkw

https://youtu.be/fBACJCeHcLg

Pillaging Villagers 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? It has been quite an adventure since recording! It has been so exciting seeing folks reacting to the album, getting positive reviews and airplay - I have to give a ton of props to Clawhammer PR for all they've done to support the project. I wouldn't be here talking with you if it weren't for them! The project is something I have been wanting to do for a while, maybe 20 years in total, so it has been a dream come true being reviewed by blogs and journalists that I have followed for years - I never unexpected that it would get this far when I sat down to write the first riffs for the album in 2020.

2.Recently you have released a new album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording? Of course! There are a lot of influences that were integrated into the sound you hear on the album, but my guiding philosophy for songwriting was as follows: 1) write strong, anthemic choruses, 2) build to them using melodic thrash riffing, 3) keep songs short and 4) always end with energy. The shorthand that I had in my mind was imitation of Ensiferum 'bangers' - every Ensiferum album has at least one really strong thrashing 'banger' that gets the listener really engaged - on 'Thalassic' it's 'Rum, Women, Victory', on 'Victory Songs' it is 'Blood is the Price of Glory,' etc. I always loved those songs, but always felt let down when the energy would drop on subsequent tracks - I wanted to write an album that took that sound and applied it to as many of the tracks as possible.

3.You refer to your music as being 'peasant metal', can you tell us a little bit more about this term? It sort of captures the boisterous, punk feel of the music while tying it to the 'medieval' viking/folk metal influences, like the aforementioned Ensiferum but also Forefather, Amon Amarth, etc. The music is a too raw and aggressive to fit under the traditional folk metal moniker, since contemporary folk metal has lately tended towards polished and even orchestral compositions and production, and it is too melodic to be classified as strictly crossover thrash, though it sits somewhere between the two. I also feel like so much of the subject matter of metal that takes on medieval battle as a subject matter does so from the perspective of the exploiters - Amon Amarth, for example, glorifies one of the greatest scourges of humanity in European history - the Viking invasions. In reality, vikings and knights and warlords trampled the masses in their wake as they sought glory, riches and slaves, their warrior ethos and blooddrunk mythology justifying expropriation and murder on a cataclysmic scale - I wanted to reimagine the traditional 'medieval' metal narrative from the perspective of those who are so seldom spoken of in the sagas and chronicles - the peasant underclass.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music? The album uses a narrative orientation to reimagine the great peasant rebellions of the middle ages, such as the Jacquerie and English Peasants Revolt, in a sword-and-sorcery world where the underclass rises up in triumph against the political, religious and economic elites. The story uses conventions of opera (by using multiple vocal styles for the various characters in the concept album) and lyric poetry of the troubadours to draw the listener into an immersive experience. It is my hope that listeners will enjoy the album as a story and enable themselves to be drawn in to the dramatic tension, character interplay and other elements that I worked hard to build through both music and lyrics - but, if the listener just hears one song and enjoys it as a standalone experience, that is great too!

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Pillaging Villagers'? The project name, and the self-title of the album, is all part of building a strong identity for the project. As the album's concept is about villagers who rise up and pillage, the name of the project and the album should give listeners something to connect to in terms of what to expect before they even hear the first note. So often, I listen to great bands that I have a hard time connecting with because they don't have a strong identity - what does their name mean? What are their songs about? I wanted the strong theme to help the project stand out in the minds of listeners. It's an album about Pillaging Villagers, from a band called Pillaging Villagers on their debut album, Pillaging Villagers - this redundancy is intentional, all to help build a strong connection to the listener. Bands like Alestorm do a great job of this - theming part of what makes them so appealing, they give listeners something to connect to.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover? The album cover is also part of the strong theming I strove for with the album's concept, as well as part of the immersive experience I was trying to create. There a lot of non-musical influences for Pillaging Villagers from a theming standpoint and one of them is Magic The Gathering (there's even an overt reference to a Beta series card in 'The Bishop') - I always loved the fantasy world the game created and so much of that was due to the amazing artwork. When it came time to get the album cover figured out, I dreamed about how great it would be to get a MTG artist to do it - I reached out to one my favorite MTG artists, Matt Stikker, who also did album cover work for Power Trip and Blazon Rite and to my huge surprise he agreed to take on the project. He worked really closely with me in developing the piece, reviewing lyrics and presenting several drafts. The album cover is so important to the experience of an album in my view - the art for Pillaging Villagers' cover does a really great job of both foreshadowing and giving visual representation to key moments from the album's story. It also is a visual feast - using the collage style evocative of the iconic Subhumans cover for 'The Day the Country Died' - that listeners can enjoy before, during and after they listen to the album.

7.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea? We haven't done any live shows and I don't think I see it in the future; I toured and played in bands in my twenties and I am definitely over it, lol. I doubt there will ever be demand for my little project in a live setting, but if that were ever the case, it would be better to do it like 'Dracula: The Musical' with marionettes and stage design, as opposed to just guys in t-shirts playing on a stage. I would want to keep the theming consistent and just doing a standard metal performance would detract from the illusion.

8.on the new album you also have a few quests, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording? Yes! I was able to work with some incredible musicians on this project who were really essential in making it happen. I used to play shows around Wisconsin with Lords of the Trident guitarist Brian Koenig back when he played in Luna Mortis and he was the first person I thought of when I actually decided to move forward with recording the album (which was never the plan from the start) - to my immense surprise he was not only available, but interested. I recorded the album at SignatureTone Studios in Minnesota and the owner/engineer there, Adam Tucker, is an old buddy that I recorded an album with back in 2010 - he played bass on the album and recruited Jason Hirt of Ghost Bath for drums. I cannot say enough about how professional everyone was and how incredible their performances were. I had originally written the album in Guitar Pro, which creates like a MIDI version of the songs, complete with drums, so I could send tabs and sheet music to Adam and Brian and provide a click track and drum parts for Jason to work from and they handled everything amazingly. They recorded all separately and Adam did a spectacular job coordinating and tying everything together. I owe them so much for any success or acclaim the album receives - I was just the composer and vocalist, these guys really helped bring the project to life. 

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of punk, thrash and folk metal? It's been awesome! I have gotten a lot of attention from places I never would have imagined would be interested - I've been reviewed in Norway, Germany and Mexico, as well as getting airplay in the UK, France, Australia - the list goes on. And feedback has been super positive consistently! I really can't believe that people are actually enjoying the album - I know how discerning a lot of metalheads and folks who review albums can be and to get positive feedback from the metal community has been great. I originally set out to just share the album with some friends and maybe get reviewed on Angry Metal Guy, which I have read everyday for the past four years or so. My expectations have been blown away and I really have to express my immense gratitude to anyone who picks up the album to listen to, let alone write a whole review on it or interview me about it, with all the albums that come out every week. 

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future? That's hard to say - I went into this project with no plans whatsoever. I never thought I would finish writing the album, or record it, or promote it, so thinking about what's next is tough. I have written heavy music all my life and I would like to try my hand at different styles - I am currently dabbling in atmospheric synth with the goal of putting together an album based on the history of the first crusade, which I find so fascinating as a historical context for storytelling. It would be amazing to work with an filmmaker, John Carpenter-like, to create a visual back drop for that concept, but that's pretty far in the future. 

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? I would say anthemic street punk bands like Onward to Mayhem and The Virus as well as folk metal bands like Ensiferum are the most straightforward influences, but I also got really inspired from a concept album standpoint by concept albums by Devin Townsend and King Diamond. My favorite bands right now are probably traditional and power metal like Atlantean Kodex, Dark Forest, Dream Troll and Judicator, but I listen to all sorts of stuff - I really like the new Vorga and Rolo Tomassi albums from earlier this year. 

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts? Thanks so much for letting me do this! I really appreciate the support you give to independent bands - it's really important to support unsigned bands - you do the scene a great service! 

https://pillagingvillagers.bandcamp.com/album/pillaging-villagers

Pillaging Villagers/Self Titled/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Pillaging  Villagers  are  a  band  from  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin  that  plays  a  mixture  of  punk,  thrash  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2022  album  which  will  be  released  by  March  11th.

  Heavy  riffing  and  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  mix  black  metal  screams  and  aggressive  thrash  style  shouting  style  together.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  clean  vocals  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements.

  At  times  the  music  also  captures  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  while  Celtic  folk  instruments  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  when  they  are  utilized.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  keyboard  onto  the  recording  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  death  metal  growls  and  back  up  shouts.

  Pillaging  Villagers  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  punk,  thrash  and  folk  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  victory  and  sorrow  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Pillaging  Villagers  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  punk,  thrash  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Wretched  Of  The  Earth"  "The  Emperor"  "Smash  The  Factory"  and  "Freedom  Is  Ours".  8  out  of  10.

https://pillagingvillagers.bandcamp.com/album/pillaging-villagers

https://www.facebook.com/pillagingvillagers

https://www.instagram.com/pillaging_villagers/

https://twitter.com/pillaging_vgers