The Absense 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 mini album?
1 yes, the project initially had a songwriting way , I wanted to do everything by myself, but, then I realized that  the song needed many arrangements, so, I tried various components, and I lost a little, to find the current line-up, in the meantime , I recorded another mini-album , called "libido et melancholia"

2.Recently you have released a new mini album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
2I wanted the to be dirty but warm, it has always been the rule I imposed to myself. So many people told me that it seem like a lot of jam session , as far as I'm concerned , the "cellar effect" make the sound very intimate, let'say that I was traumatized by Doors "absolutely live", and I wanted created our own version,.
sorry for comparison..

3.The lyrics on the recording are a concept album about 'time', can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting?

3.Yes, time is the master of everything, but the concept that turn beyond the figure of the father of all gods, is that music is the only art that need time to be enjoyed , after all , if you think about it , the music is an equation of time taken notes , or better , note between time , what you say?


4.A lot of your lyrics also deal with ancient gods and paganism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these subjects?
4.For me, mythology has been the purest form of metaphor to explain human life, since the beginning of the world , I don't want to do politics, but in my opinion , the problems of the world are largely due to monotheism's, in spiritism , or ancient cult there is more much democracy

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'The Absense'?
5.I don't remember , it's been created century ago.. sorry
but is cool is not true?

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?
6 Yes , this is my drawing, I created this illustration for synthesize the shape of hourglass between the writing "the absense " and "khronocracy"and everything happens in the wood around the stoner girl , is over they hourglass, so if you want see my artwork you can visit my website www.lucasiri.it
thank you


7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
7.the most beautiful experience was as a one man band in kindergarten, where party of saint Lucia, I was drawing funny animal and optical sketch, and I played , changing the lyrics , for italian children, : no rain by blind mellon and doll by foo figthers...
I've never seen such a rapt audience..

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
 no , for  this moment, but I wait for a  response  from a record store and maybe small theater

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your new recording by fans of metal and other forms of hard music?
9 not bad , we had good reviews from many people , specially in the east- europe, I don't tell about evil reviews  , but I'm very happy for Khronocracy..
let the time work...

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
10 I don't know, I don't want speak about dream , I'd love to be sure going on national radio, but I like it too stay in my wanderful undergrond

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
11 My favorite band of my teenage past are smashing pumpkins, nirvana , soundgarden, but also metallica. dark throne ,  celtic frost, but I lie all music , the disc that I more listening is maybe "boris godunov" by Modest Mussorskji . .. I could not stop to write names of band.. now , for my opinions , are very good : solstafir, alcest, and florence + the machines, ... and darkthrone ,who are now punk, not black-metal ,but I still like them

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
12 as I have already said , I am engaged in painting and sculptures, but I believe that music are the highest art..
if you want ,you can see my sculptures on my youtube channel " the absense"

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
13 I thank you for your kind attention , I wan't add anything, I will fall into philosophy and let us remember that music , apart from time taken notes, is above all fun, thank you very much

https://www.facebook.com/theabsense/?ref=br_rs

The Munsens/Unhanded/Sailor Records/2019 CD Review

  The  Munsens  are  a  band  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  stoner  and  doom  metal  with  some  elements  of  punk  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Unhanded"  which  was  released  by  Sailor  Records.

  Clean  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal.

  Elements  of  atmospheric  post  black  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  songs  also  mix  in  influences  of  stoner  metal,  punk  and  hardcore  throughout all  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  greed, mortality.  misanthropy,  religion,  history  and  American  capitalism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Munsens  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  stoner  metal  with  some  elements  of  punk  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pitiful"  and  "Rivers  Of  Error".  8  out  of  10.

https://themunsensnj.bandcamp.com/

The Absense/Khronocracy/Sliptrick Records/2019 CD Review

  The  Absense  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  black,  doom,  stoner  metal,  grunge  and  alternative  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Khronocracy"  which  will  be  released  in March  by  Sliptrick  Records.

  Clean  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  to  elements  of  grunge  and  alternative  rock  being  added  onto  the  recording.  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  riffing  along  with  some  female  vocals  also  being  used  at  times.

  Psychedelic  and  stoner  rock  influences  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  while  all  of  the  tracks  sound  very  different  from  each  other.  Acoustic  guitars  are  also  used  on  some  of  the  songs,  some  of  the  distorted  riffing  brings  in  more  of  a  lo-fi  style  of  black  metal  along  with  the  vocals  keeping  more  of  a  clean  style.

  The  Absence  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  alternative  rock,  grunge,  post  black,  stoner  and  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  specific  passing  of  time  and  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Absense  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  alternative  rock,  grunge,  post  black,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Trip"  and  "The  Absence".  8  out  of 10. 

https://www.facebook.com/theabsense/

Goblinsmoker Interview

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



Hey, we’re a black metal influenced doom band from Durham in the North East of England. We look to make music with big riffs while telling a story, creating an atmosphere within the music that complements the story telling element.



2. You have an ep coming out in December, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on this recording?



I’ve seen someone recently describe it’s as ‘the venom of black metal blended with the warm amplifier riff worship of doom.’ Which I feel pretty much nails what we initially set out to do. Classic doom riffs, drowning in fuzz and throwing in the seething bleakness of black metal.



3. The lyrics have a concept involving the Toad King, can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting?



The concept centres on the story of the Toad King, the discontented ruler of the goblins and their forest home. I’ve always been a big fan of storytelling in music and we’ve had so much fun working on the concept. Also, for whatever reason, I find it much easier to write lyrics that may have emotions personal to me thrown in, but they are hidden amongst the storytelling. As we have fleshed out the concept, it’s aided us writing the music. Kind of like ‘what would you expect a song to sound like that is about a big pissed off toad, sitting in a smoke filled forest.’



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



The name itself really came from the concept. I had basics of the concept and the first song wrote a while before the name was settled on. The name just felt like a natural choice. The Toad King, cast out by his own kind, has found himself on the goblin throne in the forest. The goblins are in awe of him and willingly sacrifice themselves to be smoked by their king. This goblin smoke helping the king escape his resentment. The Toad King is the goblinsmoker.



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



The guy who did the art has done such a good job of capturing what we were after. He’s nailed it. It was important the art set the tone for the concept as it’s the first thing people are likely to see, before they’ve heard the music. As this record is the start of the story and the introduction to the Toad King, we wanted the main guy front and centre smoking those goblin subjects. We’ll be developing the art with the story.



6. Originally the band was a solo project what was the decision behind expanding into a duo?



After a number of years playing in a band that broke down I (Adam – vocals, guitars, bass) decided to set myself a goal of writing a record alone. I can be a bit of a lone wolf and find it easier working alone than with other people, so it felt like a natural thing to do. I can’t play drums for shit and initially was going to pay for a session drum to drum on the tracks. After talking about the concept with Calum (drums) who I’ve known for years, he was really into it. He also happened to play drums and is the nicest, most chilled out guy so it felt totally right to bring him on board.



7. The ep is going to be released through 'Sludgelord Records', how did you get in contact with this label?



Sludgelord Records actually were the only label I contacted about doing the record. I contacted them quite early on with the concept and asked if they’d be up for hearing the music once it’s done. I’d known of Sludgelord for a long time through their steady supply of good music through the blog. Knowing they had a label, it was something I really wanted to release on. Luckily, months later I sent over the finished tracks and they agreed to release it. I was naturally really pleased and proud they’d taken it on, felt like the ideal home for the record.



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



The response has been insane. Like, way over and above what we expected. Sludgelord Records sold out of their allocation of tapes in 24 hours off the back of a 20 second clip of music. A week and a half later we have sold out of all our tapes after one track being released. When I first start writing this, sat in my living room, I never expected it’d get such a reaction. And to think, we were only initially going to do a run of half the amount of tapes we have sold, and were concerned we’d struggle to sell them.



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



We are aiming to do what we have been jokingly calling ‘The Toad Tape Trilogy’. Basically telling the story of the Toad King over three tape releases. We have this first release that kind of introduces the setting with the first song and the final track, ‘Time to Ride’, having the King learn of an upcoming war and his need to ride into battle. This will be where the second release picks up. We want to do three different colour tapes across the three parts of the story, having the artwork develop and the main colours of the art match the tapes. As you’d be able to see the main colour theme of this one being green. Once the three are done, we’d like to release them all as set, either in a presentation box together, or possibly even on vinyl if we are in a position to do so.

We also have our first shows slotted in for next year, so we are currently on bringing a bassist into the fold, so we can replicate the records sound live.



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?



As we’ve previously mentioned, doom and black metal has been a big influence on our sound and what we are trying to do. Not that our musical interests are limited to that. I (Adam) am a big fan of Rush and feel some of their harder riffs are a big influence, along with their story telling. In terms of records that have come out this year, there have been some great albums, probably my personal favourite being Transcanadian Anger by Dopethrone.



11. What are some of your non musical interests?



We are both really into good beer from micro breweries. We are in a pretty good spot for it up here, with breweries like Wylam, so we have invested plenty of time indulging the love good ale while developing the concept. I guess the dream is to get into a position where we have someone brew us a Goblinsmoker ale.



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



Toad King, worship him.

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Goblinsmoker/Toad King/Sludgelord Records/2018 EP Review

  Goblinsmoker  are  a  band  from  the United Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  ep 'Toad  King"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Sludgelord  Records.

  Guitar  amp  noises  start  off  the  ep  before  adding  in  some  slow  and  heavy  riffs  that  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  all  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  stoner  metal  edge  at  times  as  well  as  all  of  the  songs  sticking  to  a  very  slow  direction  and  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Goblinsmoker  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  The  Toad  King.

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

https://www.facebook.com/Goblinsmoker/

https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/toad-king

  

Sixes/Methistopheles/Black Bow Records/2018 CD Review

  Sixes  are  a  band  from  California  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Methistopheles"  which  was  released  by  Black  Bow  Records.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  the  slow  riffs  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  the  vocals  bringing  in  black  metal  influenced  screams  as  well  as  most  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  touches  of  stoner  rock.

  Growls  and  hardcore  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  drones  also  being  used  at  times  and  on  some  tracks  the  vocals  also  add  in  some  clean  yet  rough  singing  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  and  also  introduces  blast  beats  onto  the  recording and  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Sixes  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  misery,  drugs  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sixes  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Acid  God"  "Methistopheles"  and  "Voidkiller".  8  out  of  10.

 https://sixesdoom.bandcamp.com/releases

Wykan/Solace/2018 EP Review

  Wykan  are  a  band  from  Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  doom,  stoner. psychedelic  and  blues rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  ep  "Solace"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  Shamanistic  and  tribal  style  chanting  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  blues  rock  direction  which  also  mixes  in  the  heaviness  of  stoner  and  doom  metal  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  clean  70's  rock/proto  metal  style  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  more  of  a  retro  style.

  Black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  acoustic  guitars  and  psychedelic  elements  also  being  used  on  a  couple  of  songs  and when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  are  utilized  and  on  a  couple  of  tracks  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Wykan  plays  a  musical  sound  that  takes  black  metal,  doom  stoner,  psychedelic  and  blues  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Ethnobotany,  and  the  Amanita  Muscaria  mushroom  rituals  that  are  performed  among  the  Saami  shamans  of  North  Europe.

  In  my  opinion  Wykan  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  stoner,  doom  metal,  psychedelic  and  blues  rock  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something  original,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Wykan  (The  Shamanic  Trance)".  8  out  of  10.

https://wykan.bandcamp.com/releases

Greyfell 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?

We recorded this album 2 years ago, we are currently composing new songs.
Now we are a four-piece band, it changes a lot of things, so we are working with this new line up and booking couple of good gigs for the next months

There is also something really cool, we are working on with friends on a new concept for us, two bands writing an album together.

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

It's hard to precisely describe, it's a huge evolution on many aspects, but we think about it as a continuity of the first album. We also made a big work to find new sounds and textures. All those researches led us to different atmospheres.


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

The lyrics were written the same way on this album than they were on the first. It's always related to personal subjects, like an introspection treated in a metaphoric way.
The topics evolve in the same time than we do.

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

The name Greyfell comes from the Nordic mythology, it's one of the different universe that we draw inspiration from.


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


Our trip to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem was a great adventure. Playing at the Motocultor festival this summer was massive. We also had a lot of good memories during some « wild » tours across Europe.
And about the stage performance, I think you’d better ask this question to someone in the crowd :)

6.DO you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

We are working on a couple of mini tours in France for the release of the album.
We are talking about booking a European one this summer.

7.The new album was released on 'Argonauta Records' and 'Atypeek Music', are you happy with the duo support that they have given you so far?

Yes, it is new for us, we are very happy to release this album with two labels, It's great to have this collaboration supporting us, and it really makes this release happening in a good spirit.

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

Our first album was relatively confidential.
This one has just been released so we have to wait a little more to have feedbacks.
I think we cross over different styles and inspirations so that many people can get in our music, whatever the scene or the predilection kind of music they like. Some people might think we are not enough in one style or another, but that is the way we like it.


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

That's sure that we will go on experimenting and digging all the time about what we create as a band. That's the way we do music. We will continue to multiply influences to stay in a constant evolution.

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?

There are a lot of bands and musical scenes that influence us. It can be Kraut Rock, Death Metal or D-beat Punk, it depends of the mood. we listen to a lot of bands and I guess that they all have a part of influence in our music. This week I only listened to Leftover Crack and Booba’s latest album.


11.What are some of your non musical interests?

We are active within the Soza collective, who presents and broadcasts different forms of art and expression. We try to mix up every disciplines in a same way of apprehending things, the same spirit in different medias. It's a big part in our lives when we are not playing music.


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

We hope you will enjoy our new album.
Support your local scene.
We have a lot of friends who release music stuff through the Soza collective like The Sharkettes, MNNQNS, Elephants or Servo, go listen to them and support

Can't wait to tattoo my face myself with a sewing needle to make my mom cry.
Keep in touch in 2018 for the new stuff we are working on.

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Greyfell/Horsepower/Argonauta Records/2018 CD Review

  Greyfell  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom, stoner  metal,  psychedelic  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Horsepower"  which  was  released  by  Argonauta  Records.

  Atmospheric  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  stoner  style  melodies  along  with  the  clean  vocals  bringing  in  more  of  a  traditional  doom  metal  feeling  as  well  as  the  songs  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  psychedelic  elements.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  along  with  the  melodies  also  adding  in  touches  of  post  hardcore  as  well  as  all  of  the  songs  sticking  to  a  very  slow  direction,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  synths  also  gives  the  songs  a  more  atmospheric  feeling.

  Greyfell  plays  a  musical  styles  that  takes  black,  stoner.  doom  metal,  psychedelic  and  hardcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Greyfell  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  stoner,  doom  metal,  psychedelic  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Horses"  and  "Spirit  Of  The  bear".  8  out  of  10. 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Greyfellband

Bandcamp: https://greyfell.bandcamp.com

Chrch/Fister/Crown And Throne Ltd./2017 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  California's  Chrch  and  Missouri's  Fister  which  was  released  by  Crown  And  Throne  Ltd.  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Chrch  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  and  sludge  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  clean  guitars  along  with  some  drums  being  added  onto  the  recording  a  couple  of  months  later which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  some  sludge  style  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  their  side  of  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  their  track  is  over  16  minutes  in  length  along  with  a  brief  use  of  clean  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  the  music  always  remaining  slow,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Chrch  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Next up  is Fister  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  sludge  and  stoner  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  drum  beats  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  the  track  being  20  minutes  in  length  as  well as  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  stoner  metal  along  with  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  slow  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Fister  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  stoner  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  stoner  metal.  8  out  of  10.

http://crownandthroneltd.bigcartel.com/product/fister-chrch-split-12 or here: http://www.battlegroundrnr.com/product/chrch-fister-split-album

Enhailer Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Enhailer first formed in 2014 in Akron, Ohio.  The bassist (Michael Gilpatrick) and drummer (myself) originally came from another band together that went on hiatus, so we decided to start a new project.   The first couple of years, we had a hard time maintaining a consistent lineup with other members, but over the past year or so we have been able to lock in a really good band of guys whom enjoy hanging out and playing together a lot which is important.

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
There isn't really a direct way to answer that question because our sound has changed somewhat over the different recordings--between the demo, our first LP, and now this EP.  The one thing that people seem to consistently touch on in reviews is a progressive doom sound.

3.Originally the band was instrumental but the new ep has vocals, what was the decision behind going into this direction?
The last LP did have some vocals on it, but they were sparse.  We always wanted to try experimenting with vocals as another instrument rather than a lead position in the band, but we never had a member who really wanted to try doing it.  When Matt joined, he had the chops, so we let him run with it.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
We like to explore Kittens and cats, satan, weed, you know, the important stuff.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Enhailer'?
We were totally joking around one day, not being serious at all, while trying to come with band names.  It kind of came out of a cloud of pot smoke honestly...

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 been lucky enough to play with Eyehategod ,Goatwhore , today is the day, Childbite, Ringworm and others.  Our stage performance is fucking amazing.  We have lasers and smoke machines and wild animals running around.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
We are going to play a lot of shows over the winter and then we are going to tour in the summer.  Watch our Facebook page and other social media pages for updates coming soon on specific dates.

8.Currently the band is signed to 'Black Seed Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
I was shopping around for labels to collaborate with on our first album and I vaguely knew of Shy Kennedy of Blackseed records, based out of Pittsburgh, through some other friends.  I took a chance and sent her a message.  She's been nothing but awesome ever since.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of stoner, sludge and black metal?
It's been better than we ever expected. We have already mailed packages to France, Poland, Germany ect..  The whole thing has been a lot of work but it's a labor of love.  We released three albums in three years including the demo.

10.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?
We are not currently a part of any other projects that Im aware of, because we are entirely consumed by this one.

11.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We are currently working on a full length, as for our future musical explorations its hard to say. This band seems to keep reinventing its sound. Its still evolving, we love to expiriemnt with different sounds not commonly found in heavy music and yet try to find a way to weave them in with really big, heavy  parts

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?
We all have a pretty wide range of tastes, however for me personally in regards to Enhailer, Frank Zappa in particular has been a huge influence. Also, everything from Mastodon to Hank Williams, Sr.  As for what am I listening to, I'm really digging Sumac, which is Aaron Turner from Isis

13.What are some of your non musical interests?
I'm into woodworking a lot, painting and daydreaming lol

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
We really look forward to getting this album out on the live stage and sharing with folks.
Thanks to you and everyone else who has helped us get the word out in anyway!
P.S. Fuck Trump!

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Enhailer/Dumb Enough To Care/Blackseed Records/2017 EP Review

  Enhailer  are  a  band  from  Akron,  Ohio  that  plays  an  mixture  of  black,  doom  metal,  progressive  and  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Dumb  Enough  To  Care"  which  will  be  released  on  December  11th  by  Blackseed  Records.

  Melodic  stoner  rock  riffs  start  off  the  ep  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  track  is  18  minutes  in  length  as  well  as  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal   and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody

  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  screams  and  growls  which  also  gives  the  music  touches  of  black  and  death  metal  while  the  riffs  get  more  up  beat  and  mid  tempo  at  times  and  the  music  also  brings  in  more  of  a  jam  orientated  and  improv  feeling  at  times  as  well  as  remaining  instrumental  and  experimental  for  a  few  minutes.

  Enhailer  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  progressive,  stoner,  doom  and  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Enhailer  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  progressive,  stoner,  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are a   fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  8  out  of  10.

https://enhailer.bandcamp.com/album/dumb-enough-to-care

El Camino/Cursed Congregation/Night Tripper Records/2017 CD Review

 El  Camino  are  a  band  from  Sweden   that  started  out as  a  stoner/doom metal  band  and  on this  release  expanding  on  the  style  by  mixing it  with  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Cursed  Congregation"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Night  Tripper  Records.

  Clean  guitars  and  nature  sounds  start  off  the  album   and  after  awhile  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  where  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  also  using  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  after  awhile  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known.

  When  solos  and  leads a re  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  and  as  the album  progresses  elements  of  thrash  are  added  onto  the recording  and  some  of  their  early  stoner/doom  metal  style can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  tracks  and  spoken
word  parts can also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  being  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  either  to  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction.

  On  this  recording  El  Camino  takes  black  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  the  stoner/doom  metal  sound  they  are  known  for  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Lovecraft,  Darkness,  Decadence  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  El  Camino  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  thrash,  stoner  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Into  The  Dark"  "Penance  On  The  Pyre"  "Vengeance"  and  "Ordeal  Of  Faith".  8  out  of  10. 

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Mudbath/Brine Pool/Grains Of Sand Records/2017 CD Review

  Mudbath  are  a  band  from  France  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Brine  Pool"  which  was  released  by  Grain  Of  Sand  Records.

  Clean  guitars  and  drum  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  awhile  heavy  yet  melodic  riffs  make  their  presence  known  along  with  some  high  pitched  screams  that  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  black  metal  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up a   decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  touches  of  scream  and  post  hardcore  are  also  used  at  times  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in a  small  amount  of  doom  growls  and  clean  playing  also  makes  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  one  track  is  all  instrumental  and also  adds  in  a  touch  of  ambient  and  drone. 

  Mudbath  creates  another  recording  that remains  true  to  the blackened  mixture  of  stoner,  sludge,  and  doom  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Mudbath  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom, you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "End  Of  Cold"  and  "Fire".  8  out  of  10.

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Hexer/Cosmic Doom Ritual/Vendetta Records/2017 CD Review

  Hexer  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  stoner,  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Cosmic  Doom  Ritual"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Vendetta  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  and  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  that  give  the  songs  more  of  a  stoner  or  desert  rock  touch  and  after  awhile  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  after  a  few  minutes  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  some  growls  and  screams.

  All  of  the  songs  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  and death  metal  influence  along  with  some  sludge  and  doom  metal style  riffing  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  very  melodic  and  also  add  in  touche  of  post  rock  and  shoegaze  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  used  on  the  other  tracks  along with the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  psychedelic  elements  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Hexer  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  stoner,  doom,  sludge  and  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  dark  and  heavy,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  dealing  with  a  cosmic  journey  through  deep  blackness,  being  devoured  by  a  giant  sea  creature  and  the  discovery  of  a surreal  place  along  with  some  sci  fi  and  mythological  touches.

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

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Jagged Mouth/Louring/2016 Full Length Review

  Jagged  Mouth  are  a  band  from  Albuquerque,  New  Mexico  that  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  album  "Louring"  which  will  be  released  in  October.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  which  also  uses  a decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  along  with  most  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  and  angry  hardcore  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  more  elements  of  stoner  metal  are  added  onto  the  recording  while  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  vocals  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  slow  musical  direction  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  onto  the  last  track.

  Jagged  Mouth  plays  a musical  style  that  takes  black,  doom,  sludge  and  stoner  metal  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  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Jagged  Mouth  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Wretched  Offering"  and  "Lingers  The  Taolith".  8  out  of  10.

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Fister/TEETH/Broken Limbs/2016 Split EP Review

 This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Missouri's  Fister  and  California's  TEETH  which  will  be  released  in April  by  Broken  Limbs  and  we  will  start  off  the  ep  with  Fister  a  band  that plays  a  blackened  mixture  sludge,  doom,  stoner  and  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  distorted  sound  before  going  into  a  heavier  sludge/doom  metal  direction  that  also  uses  a  great mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  track  being  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  riffs  also  use  a  small  amount  of  melody  along  with  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  fashion,  the  production  on  their  side  of  the  recording  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dying  themes..

  In  my  opinion  Fister  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  mixture  of  stoner,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.

 Next  up  is  TEETH  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  and  death metal.

  Their  side  of the split  starts  out  with  a  very  heavy  sound  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  and  blast  beats  a  few  seconds  later  while  the slower  riffs  are  more  influenced  by  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  a  small  amount  of  melody and  the  songs  also  bring in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  their  side  of  the  recording,  the  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Teeth  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out t his  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "To  Lay  Upon  Blistered Torns".

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  black,  death,  doom  and  sludge  metal.  8  out  of  10.  

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A Thousand Sufferings Interview

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

We started from the ashes of Vex (Pj and I used to be in this band and we released one album via German label "Art of Propaganda") around 2013. We, as a fourpiece, are based in Klein Brabant (located beween Antwerp and Gent) and have one album out entitled 'Burden' via Satanath Records.


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

We had the idea to create something wich stands in the middle of sludge, black and stoner metal but apperantely people found it more doomish then we ever intended it to be. It is, like you might have understood, rather difficult to describe your own music so I just name some bands or adjectives people are reffering to when they hear our music. Celtic Frost/Triptykon, old Tiamat...dirty, heavy and nasty.

I can live up to that.


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

I'm not the one responsable for the lyrics but I do know we don't mind to step on so called holy crosses and I would like to make it clear you should see this as a metaphor. PJ tries to put a deeper meaning unto his lyrics and he's inspired by his own experiences in life. One might recognise aspects and most likely they aren't very positive...



4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'A Thousand Sufferings'?

Our starting point was not really groundbraking when we were searching for a bandname. It just had to fit the music...Though, our former guitar player (Noctiz/bass player in Lugubrum) came up with this proposal and it just felt right. There is no deeper meaning. Sorry for the dissapointement and a lack of yet another cool or dark story.


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

Our best show was mayby the last one we did, in Gent on the 'Occult Sabbath' with Goat Torment, LVHTHN and Zemail. The most memoriable was with Urfaust, Lugubrum and Alkerdeel in Antwerp. We dare to say we kinda fit with the other bands on this bill. Every band is different and all have something equal. We also did an extra coversong of my previous band 'Verloren' with Verderf (vocalist in Verloren) as a guest.

Our stage performance is quite simpel. We get on stage and we play. Nothing more, nothing less.


6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Individual shows are coming up in 2016 but touring is not our main goal. Though, we are open for any suggestion so if we get a serious offer to play anywhere we are glad to accept it.


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

It's too early to answer that question properly.


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

Our guitarplayer has it's own project called 'dreams and disasters' but I think it's been put on hold from the moment he joined us.


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

Skip the doomish parts and adjust more heavyness and filthyness.


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?

Personally? Burzum ;-)

I try to follow what's going on musicwise and it goes from Chelsea Wolfe to Steve Von Till to Blaze of Perdition to whatever...I think it's nice to expierience there is STILL good music out there and that pleases me the most. It helps some of my Facebook friends are doing the research for me.


11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Photography


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

Well, thank you for the interview. I hope people find the time and effort to check out what we're doing. We wrote 50% of our next album so we hope to record this summer...

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A Thousand Sufferings/Burden/Satanath Records/2015 CD Review

  A  Thousand  Sufferings  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  stoner  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Burden"  which  was  released  by  Satanath  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sounding  drone  starts  off  the  album   along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  and  a  touch  of  ambient  and  on  the  second  track  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  stoner/sludge  metal  direction  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  making  their  presence  on  the  recording.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  at  times  in  both  the  riffs  and  guitar  leads  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  modern  black  metal  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  yet  heavy  musical  direction  that  is  also  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to them  and  a  couple  of  track  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  singing  and  spoken  words  and  some  of  the  leads  also  bring  in  post  metal  elements  and  the  last  song  also  adds  in  a  few  seconds  of  blast  beats.

  A  Thousand  Sufferings  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  vocals  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  to  create  a sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes  along with  all  of  the  songs  adding  in  names  of  colors.

  In  my  opinion  A  Thousand  Sufferings  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and stoner  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band,  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Red  Is  Redemption  (Bloodletting)"  and  "Blue  Is...(Remembering  Treasures)".  8  out  of  10.

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