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  

   

Carthus/Images Of Tyranny/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Carthus  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2023  album  "Images  of  Tyranny".

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls.  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats  and  all  of  the  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Touches  of  groove  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  The  riffs  and  leads  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  folk  metal  style  melodies  and  some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  thrash  metal,   keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  album  closes  with  an  instrumental. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  social-political  views  and  historical  wars. 

  In  my  opinion  Carthus  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death,  folk,  thrash  and  groove  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fed  To  The  Lions"  "Method  in  The  Madness"  and  "Blind  Supremacy".  8 out  of  10.

  https://carthus.bandcamp.com/album/images-of-tyranny 

https://www.facebook.com/CarthusOfficial

https://www.instagram.com/carthus_official/

https://www.youtube.com/@CarthusOfficial

The Promise Of Plague/Let Those Unjust Creatures Be Burnt/2023 Demo Review

 

  The  Promise  of  Plague  are  a  band  from  Louisville,  Kentucky  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  black,  doom, death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  demo  "Let  Those  Unjust  Creatures  Be  Burnt".

  Bass  guitars  and  keyboards  start  off  the  demo  before  adding  in  some  heavier  riffing  and  clear  vocals.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  music  also  has  its  avant  garde  moments  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  the  guitar  riffing  while  elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.  Touches  of  thrash  metal  are  also  added  into  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  tracks  along  with  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  keyboards  are  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  all  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  demo  closes  with  a  cover  of  Manowar's  "Blood  of  my  Enemies".  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Promise  of  Plague  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Let  All  Your  Dreams  Be  Drained"  and  "Death  Shrouds  And  Vomit  Stains".  8  out  of  10.

  Let All Your Dreams Be Damned

https://youtu.be/Zy8q0XqWHLE

Blood Of My Enemies (Manowar cover)

https://youtu.be/Wi_CrDnML6Y

My Forever Tomb

https://youtu.be/lmt1ZpHl0ZY

https://thepromiseofplague.bandcamp.com/

https://facebook.com/thepromiseofplague        

  

    

Ardent Nova Interview

 

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

Mike: Absolutely - Ardent Nova formed from the ashes of Draconis and Pagan Thunder. I formed Draconis in 1995 and by 1999 I wanted to also work on a less extreme project, one that revolved around clean vocals and "bigger" choruses. Which was supposed to be Pagan Thunder.  Obviously Ardent Nova has the aggressive vocals, but that's another story

2.You have a new album coming o9ut in the middle of March, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Mike: My original thought was basically Power Metal but with some Pagan/Viking metal elements

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

Mike: my interest in this goes back to elementary school. I've always been fascinated by ancient cultures, everything from Greece/Rome/Egypt and even Japan and  Mayan civilizations to a degree. However the Scandinavian/Viking culture of the middle ages is really at the forefront of all of them. Between the lore, myths, customs and respect for nature I think modern society has a lot to learn simply by looking back

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

Mike: ups and downs of life, dealing with people, being a leader, being a lone wolf, letting go of stupid sh*t and not dwelling on the past. If I can ever tie any of that in with the "pagan" themes I will, so the songs can have a double meaning 

5.Originally the band was called 'Pagan Thunder', what was the cause of the name change and also the menaing and inspiration behind the name 'Ardent Nova'?

Mike: I really wish it could have worked out with the original name, I have an incredible logo drawn by the same guy who did my business logo. But life happens and there is a time limit on things and an expiration date. I had a dream that I was in a band Ardent Nova and when I woke up, I was like: "I'm SURE that name is taken" hahahaha! I guess I lucked out

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

Mike: not much to tell there as I did not draw it. Amazing artist though, I follow her artist account on IG and that particular piece caught my eye. She has lots of really cool and unique pieces on her profile

7.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?

Mike: I'm open to anything, as long as the new individuals will commit and not be flaky (so, things are not likely to change)

8.The new album is coming out on 'Wise Blood Records', are you happy with the support the label has given you so far?

Mike: absolutely. Sean is a pleasure to work with, both with Ardent Nova and Empty Throne

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

Mike: so far seems really good, low engagement and low numbers but I guess that is to be expected these days. It's a shame that the days of fans being psyched up for a new record are LONG gone

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

Mike: same/similar style, at least for album 2 which is basically.already finished 

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?

Mike: as far as influences: Falconer, Mithotyn, Nocturnal Rites, Stratovarius, Hammerfall, Forefather, Turisas, Finntroll, Forefather, and of course the classics Slayer, Metallica, Exodus etc. These days I listen to much of the same as I did years ago, the latest Katatonia record is exceptional, latest Revocation is incredible, Hypocrisy "worship" and Ensoferum "Thalassic" stand out to me

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

Mike: Thanks featuring Ardent Nova, hope everyone enjoys our new record and if a band you like comes to your town (or close) don't be a lazy cheap-ass, go see them live!! 🤣

https://ardentnova.bandcamp. com/album/ardent-nova

Ardent Nova on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ ardent_nova/ 

Ardent Nova on FB: https://www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id= 100087978697755

Ardent Nova/Self Titled/Wise Blood Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Ardent  Nova  are  a  duo  from  Phoenix,  Arizona  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2023  album  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Wise  Blood  Records.

  A  very  epic  sounding  keyboard orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Elements  of  thrash  and  traditional  metal  can  also  be  head  in  some  of  the  guitar  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  a  few  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  songs  also  take  an  80's  style  and  mix  them  in  with  a  more  aggressive  vocals  approach  and  a  modern  day  brutality  along  with  some  blast  beats  also  being  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  tracks,  keyboards  also  make  a  brief  return  and  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental.

  

  Ardent  Nova  plays  a  musical  style  that  take s the  melodic  forms  of  black,  pagan  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  with  thrash  and  traditional  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Ardent  Nova  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  pagan  black,  death,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rise  From  The  Ashes"  "Sound  The  Horns"  and  "Eternal  ;Liberty".  8  out  of  10.

  https://ardentnova.bandcamp.com/album/ardent-nova

Ardent Nova on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ardent_nova/ 

Ardent Nova on FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087978697755

    

  

Maudiir/Soliloque/2023 EP Review

 

  Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada's  solo  artist  Maudiir  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  ep  "Soliloque"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  A  very  heavy,  melodic  and  old  school  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  The  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  lot  of  the  riffing  also  brings  in  elements  of  thrash  metal  along  with  the  music  also  having  it s progressive  moments  and  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences,  the  whole  recording  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  musical  direction.

  On  this  recording  Maudiir  takes  the  heavier  side  of  progressive  metal  and  mixes  it  with  melodic  black  and  thrash  metal  to  create  a  very  heavy  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  environmental  issues.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Maudiir  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  progressive  black  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Toxic  Cloud"  and  "CH4".  8  out  of  10.

  Facebook.com/people/Maudiir/100063607593649 | Twitter.com/maudiir1 | Instagram.com/maudiirofficial  

      

Necropanther/Betrayal/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Denver,  Colorado's  Necropanther  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  their melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Betrayal"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

 A  heavy  heavy  and  melodic  thrash  metal  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  remaining  very  true  to  an  old  school  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Elements  of  doom  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.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts as  well  as  the  music  also  showing  some  influences  from  the  80s  and  90s  and  mixing  them  with  the  modern  era.

  Some  of  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  traditional  metal,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction  and  dystopian  themes  as  well  as  focusing  on  the  movie  ''Th  Warriors"  and  the  Greek  story  of  Anabasis  by  Xenophon.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Necropanther  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "One  ANd  Only"  "Into  Danger"  "Furies"  and  "Betrayal".  8  out  of  10.

  http://www.necropanther.com

http://www.facebook.com/Necropanther
http://www.instagram.com/necropanther

http://necropanther.bandcamp.com  

      

Nuclear Storm/Tales From The Depth/Wolfmond Production/2023 Cassette Review

 

  Nuclear  Storm  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  elements  of  traditional  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Tales  Form  the  Depth"  which  will  be  released  on  cassette  in  February  by  Wolfmond  Production.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  synths  start  off  the  album  before  introducing  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  onto  the  recording.  The  heavier  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  songs  also  add  in a  g odd  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  while  the  more  melodic  side  of  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  traditional  metal.  At  times  the  vocals  also  add  in  more  of  a  clean  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  and  most  of  the  album  also  sticks  to  more  of  a  mid  tempo  direction  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  thrash  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  evil  and  folklore  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  Nuclear  Storm  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  elements  of  thrash  and  traditional  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Animal"  "The  great  White"  "Evil  Spirit"  and  Undertaker".  8  out  of  10.

  www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBnZEBYBIII     

Act Of Impalement/Infernal Ordinance/Caligari Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Nashville  Tennessee's  Act  of  Impalement  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  blackened  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  crust  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Infernal  Ordinance"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Caligari  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  being  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats,  thrash  metal  and  crust  influences  can  also  be  heard  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  while  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in a   decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

   When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  also  show  a  a  very  heavy  influence  of  black  metal  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  grim  screams  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  History  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Act  Of  Impalement  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  black,  sludge,  doom,  death,  thrash  metal  and  crust,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Summoning  The  Final  Conflagration"  "Specters  of  Unlight"  "Blasphemous  Rebirth"  and  "Erased".  8  out  of  10.

  http://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/infernal-ordinance

www.actofimpalement.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/actofimpalement   

  

Sheogorath Interview

 

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

SHEOGORATH started ten years ago after disbanding my former band Synthesis. I had the idea to create a solo project where I could unite all kind of different metal styles but did not want it to be instrumental only. I can´t sing at all. So, one evening out I asked Patrick, that I have known from school, “Let´s have a black metal band?”. He just replied “Yeah, sure”. Pretty simple. Patrick also just left his former band Satanic Cockrockers as vocalist and guitarist. It was an opportune moment. 

2.You have a new ep coming out in early 2023, musically how does it differ from your previous releases? 

The major difference is that we have real drums for the first time ever. This was the last missing piece in our music that we needed to sound like we always envisioned it to. Michael Kolar did an outstanding job on the drums. 

 3.Most of your lyrics are based upon video games, can you tell us a little bit more about the games you have covered lyrically so far? 

Besides the Elder Scrolls universe we generally cover concepts and ideas about a dark dying universe and outer gods which are not within our mind's grasp. Most lyrics are not directly about another game's lore but try to tell their own little story in their own closed of universe. However, games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne have influenced Patrick a lot and when you read through older lyrics you will most certainly find some hints. 

4.I know that the band name is named after 'The Elder Scrolls' series, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these games? 

Back then Patrick and I were simply awestruck by the video game Skyrim. Also spending a lot of time with its predecessor Oblivion, it felt natural to find a band name originating somewhere from this fantasy universe. We came up with Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Insanity and Madness that seemed most representing for our potpourri of different musical influences and various styles leading to our acoustic trademark as band. 

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

 Our music shall convey a video games metal feeling as a whole. Therefore, and the EP also being released in winter, we looked for something suitable. This artwork stands for barren frozen landscapes, video games and black metal. A combination of different styles that shall be represented musically. 

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?

 Well, for us it has worked out as a duo quite well until now. I write the music, Patrick does the lyrics. Then we do last refinements in our music and song writing together as a last step before hitting the studio. We both are not against expanding the band members, but we are also not actively enforcing it. At this level, most people are great musicians and also great with their instruments. There has to be a bonding on the human aspect for us. 

7. The new ep is going to be released on 'Art Gates Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

 Like doing job applications, haha. Send out as many as possible and wait for replies. At the end we got three offers from different labels. Art Gates Records seemed most suitable and most reasonable for us, therefore we decided to ink a deal with them.

 8. Has the band done any live shows or is this strictly a studio project? 

No, we haven´t done any live shows with Sheogorath. The band is currently set up as a studio project only. Patrick and I did many gigs with our previous bands, so at some point, we are missing this experience.

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

Our responsibility is to deliver the best possible quality in terms of recording, mixing, mastering and of course song writng to our fans and those who eventually will become one. It is up to each individual to decide if they like our songs and what we stand for since the beginning. As for our fans, some are very courteous and are trying to help us e.g., forwarding our music to some magazines, inviting us to some gigs. That is very nice and we appreciate it very much. 

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

We will stay true to our fans and ourselves. Therefore we are going to publish our music in regular intervals. You will always get a surprise, but you will always get Sheogorath! Other than that, we would like to do some gigs, indeed. 

 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? 

For me it was mostly Children of Bodom, Ensiferum and Old Man´s Child back then when I started playing the guitar. I can´t put my finger on it nowadays, I like all kind of different music styles, when I like it. My most recent discoveries were Rimfrost and Kvaen for example. As for Patrick: I started out with classical heavy metal influences when I learned to play the guitar. At the age of 14, I started performing live with my rock/metal band but got more and more into “extreme” genres like death and black metal. My first big inspiration was Jari Mäenpää (Ensiferum) and he is the reason why I started to train to growl. The biggest influence later on when I became a young adult was Valfar (Windir). I was so deeply impressed by his music and the rhythmic patterns of his voice as an instrument. I started to collect some vinyl's and listen mostly to old personal classics nowadays like Midnatens Widunder (Finntroll), Voimasta ja kunniasta (Moonsorrow), At the Heart of Winter (Immortal) or De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (Mayhem). 

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

 Keep pursuing your goals if you render them worthy and be prepared to put a lot of persistence into it. Still, remain realistic. It´s going to be hard, that is normal. We would appreciate it, if you give us a listen. Maybe we have exactly the right amount of everything, what you have been always looking for.

https://www.instagram.com/sheogorathmetal/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1zdS3MWQSTXwPHIkF8s9ia?si=zx41lc4lTqyE6c1TN1OnWg&nd=1

https://artgatesrecords.com/artists/sheogorath 

Sheogorath/Winterhold/Art Gates Records/2023 EP Review

 

  Sheogorath  are  a  duo  from  Austria  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  ep  "Winterhold"  which  will b e  released  in  2023  by  Art  gates  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  a  few  seconds  later.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats,  thrash  and  melodic  death  metal  elements  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  back  up  shouts  can  be  heard  at  times.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  and  clean  playing  and  the  ep  closes  with  video  game  music  samples.

  Sheogorath  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  styles  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  based  on  video  games.     

  In  my  opinion  Sheogorath  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Deemed  To  Be"  and  "Embers".  8  out  of  10.

  https://artgatesrecords.com/artists/sheogorath 

Sarcoptes/Prayers To Oblivion/Transcending Obscurity Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Sacremento,  California's  Sarcoptes  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Prayers  To  Oblivion"  which  will b e  released  in 2023  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Records.

  Rain and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction.  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Elements  of  thrash  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  added  into  the  songs.

  The  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  of  the  faster  riffing  also  adding  in a   good  amount  of  tremolo  picking.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  historical  tragedies  in  World  War  II  and  The  Vietnam  War.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sarcoptes  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  symphonic  black  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Trenches"  and  "Massacre  At  my  Lai".  8  out  of  10.

  Official Video Stream #1

Official Video Stream #2

Sarcoptes Bandcamp

Sarcoptes Facebook    

  

Frozen Dawn/The Decline Of The Enlightened Gods/Transcending Obscurity Records/2023 Full length Review

 

  Frozen  Dawn  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  black  metal  with  some  elements  of  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "The  Decline  Of  The  Enlightened  Gods"  which  will  be  released  in  2023  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Records.

  The  sounds  of  fire  burning  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  elements  of  thrash  metal  can  be  heard  in some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  are  also  utilized  along  with  the  faster  riffing  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Swedish  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  one  song  is  a  classical  guitar  instrumental  and  the  album  closes  with  a  cover  of  necrophobic's  "Blinded  by  Light,  Enlightened  By  Darkness".  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover    Winterland  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Frozen  Dawn  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mystic  Fires  of  Dark  Allegiance"  "Frozen  Kings"  "Oath  of  Forgotten  pat"  and  "The  Decline  Of  Enlightened  Gods".  8  out  of  10.

  Official Video Stream #1

Official Video Stream #2

Frozen Dawn Bandcamp

Frozen Dawn Facebook  

  

  

Vittra/Blasphemy Blues/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Vittra  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Blasphemy  Blues"  which  will  be  released  in  November.

  A  very  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and   blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also b e  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  introducing acoustic  guitars  onto  the  album,  clear  male  and  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Vittra  plays  a  musical  style  that  that  takes  the  melodic  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  covers  dark  and  philosophical  themes.. 

  In  my  opinion  Vittra  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Halls  Of  Ancients"  "Feeding  Frenzy"  "Temptation"  and  "Undead".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/vittraofficial

http://www.vittraofficial.com
http://www.instagram.com/vittraofficial
http://www.facebook.com/vittraofficial
http://www.tiktok.com/@vittraofficial
http://open.spotify.com/artist/0QMOCJvoiW69cbPgFyrMg1

http://www.youtube.com/c/vittraofficial     

Bavaustrian Metalbrothers United/Fall Into Oblivion/Rebirth The Metal Productions/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Bavaustrian  Metalbrothers  United  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2022  album  "Fall  Into  Oblivion"  which  will b e  released  on  October  28th  by  Rebirth  The  Metal  Productions.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  some  songs  also  add in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars.  The  album  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffing  also  mixing  in  some  elements  of  thrash  metal  at  times  and  a  few  tracks  also  add  in  some  keyboards  and  orchestral  arrangements  which  also  takes  the  recording  into  more  of  a  symphonic  direction.

  A  couple  of  songs  also  introduces  clear  vocals  into  the  music  along  with  all  of  the  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound to  them  as  well  as  some  of  the  faster  riffing  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  which  also  enhances  the  black  metal  side  of  the  recording,  whispered  vocals  can  also  be heard  briefly.  One  track  is  also  a  brief  acoustic  instrumental  and  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  esoteric  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Bavaustrian  Metalbrothers  United  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Still  Alive"  "Fall  Into  Oblivion"  "Undead  Salvation"  and  "Riding  In  The  Dark".  8  out  of  10.

  Website: https://rtmproductions.bigcartel.com/

Bandcamp: https://bavaustrianmetalbrothersunited.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bavaustrianmetalbrothersunited
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpbEUx4AqYYAWkyi0EgLg6w

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bavaustrian_metalbrothers_uni/        

Hedon/Year Of The Witch/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Hedon  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  bene  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Year  Of  The  Witch"  which  will  be  released  in  November.

  Victory  chants  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can b e  heard.  The  riffs  also  ad d in  a  lot  of  melody  while t he  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  tremolo  picking  can  also b e  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  ad d in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Witchcraft,  Blasphemy  and  Black  Magick  themes..  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hedon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  Tale"  "Witchfinder"  and  "Digerdol  Den".  8  out  of  10.

  

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Bones/Voimit/Disorder Recordings/2022 Full length Review

 

  Bones  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  death,  thrash  metal  and  crust  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Vomit"  which  will b e  released  on  October  27th  by  Disorder  Recordings.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a   great  amount  of  crust  and  thrash  metal  elements.  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  sludge  metal  while  the  music  also  takes  an  80's  and  early  90's  style  and  also  makes  it  sound  more  modern.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  remaining  very  true  to  an  old  school  style.

 The  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  they  close  the  album  with  a  cover  of  Van  Halen's  "She's  The  Woman". The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  zombies,  violence  and  evil  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Bones  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  black,  sludge,  death,  thrash  metal  and  crust,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Beware  of  Ghouls"  "Tower  of  Skulls"  and  "Bloodlust".  8  out  of  10.

  http://bones-chicago.bandcamp.com

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