Grey Skies Fallen/Molded By Broken Hands/Profound Lore Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  New  York's  Grey  Skies  Fallen  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going for  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  dark,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Molded  By  Broken  Hands"  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Profound  Lore  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  Vocals  are mostly  black  metal  screams  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  death  metal  growls  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  90's  era  dark  metal  influences.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  clean  sections  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  melodic  vocals  onto  the  album,  when  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  despair  and  bleakness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Grey  Skies  Fallen  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  dark,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Twisted  Place  In  Time"  "I  Can  Hear  Your  Voice"  and  "Knowing  That  You're  There".  8  out  of  10.

  https://greyskiesfallen.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/greyskiesfallen

https://www.instagram.com/greyskiesfallen

https://twitter.com/greyskiesfallen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUZMyX5suao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q964xa-1Mt4            

Litosth/Cesariana/Personal Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Litosth  are  a  duo  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Cesariana"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Personal  Records.

  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  elements  of  death,  doom  and  dark  metal.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  album,  one  track  also  adds  in  touches  of  80's  era  dark  pop.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  existence  themes

  In  my  opinion  Litosth  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Waves"  "The  Clay  Messiah"  and  "The  Vacuum  Extractor  Paradigm".  8  out  of  10.

  http://personal-records.bandcamp.com/album/litosth-cesariana

www.facebook.com/litosthofficial   .    

  

Moonskin/Lunar Ascendence/2023 EP Review

 

  Moonskin  are  a  band  from  British  Columbia,  Canada  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  dark  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  theri  self  released  2023  ep  "Lunar  Ascendence".

  A  very  heavy  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  female  vocals  a  few  seconds  later.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  emtal  growls  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody as  well  the  mid  tempo  sections  also  adding  in  touches  of  groove  metal.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  keyboards  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.  Clear  male  vocals  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  metal  elements  and  the  ep  closes  with  a  cover  of  Black  Sabbath's  "Paranoid".

  On  this  recordingMoonskin  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  and  symphonic  forms  of  black, d ark  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  with  a  touch  of  groove  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  supernatural,  horror,  lycanthropy,  high  fantasy,  exploration,  loss,  healing,  ascension,  power,  life  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Moonskin  and  if  you  are  a  fan    symphonic,  melodic  black,  dark  and  death  metal  and  ,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Subjagation  And  Oppression"  and  "Altering  the  Entity".  8 out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/_Hx4AvMf-8U

https://www.facebook.com/moonskinofficial

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk71hQq9v4191YJDIX9212g

https://www.instagram.com/moonskinmetal/

https://www.tiktok.com/@moonskin_

https://moonskin.fanlink.to/Listen-Lunar-Ascendence

https://open.spotify.com/album/5afcZTY31Z0ZBKQgn3i6tc

https://music.apple.com/ca/album/lunar-ascendance-ep/1638347673

https://www.deezer.com/us/album/343480057

https://listen.tidal.com/album/240358341

https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0B7YWJRV9

https://music.amazon.ca/artists/B0787922VS/moonskin

https://www.moonskin.ca/lunar-ascendence-release-epk    

Lathebra Interview

 

1. Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band members since the break up of the band?

After the first demo "Angels' Twilight Odes" released in 1997 and a second promo titled "Etra" and destined to label only released in 2000, all the members of the band went their separate ways for work or study and this obviously led us to distance ourselves considerably and in the end almost naturally the band ceased to exist. Some of us continued to play music in other projects and I started My Kingdom Music that now after more than 20 years is still active.

2. In the mid 90's and early 2000's you had released both a demo and an ep, musically how do they both differ from each other?

"Angels' Twilight Odes" released in 1997 is more direct, more influenced by the music of that period with its mixture of Black Metal, Doom and Dark. While "Etra" is probably more mature, with a more evident originality of the musical structures, and above all of the arrangements. Some acoustic elements started to appear and above all the use of the voice was more various giving to the songs more personality. The same element that is always present in both releases is that sense of magic and ethereal darkness that pervades the whole aspects of LATHEBRA as band and as music.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored on both of the releases?

The lyrics deal a lot with intimate aspects of life taken from the poetical side and with a Romantic vision of the same, in the literary sense of the word.

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

Latebra is an ancient latin word it literally represents a dark and hidden place. We have interpreted it as an intimate place of the human soul.

5. The band has been broken up for a couple of decades, what was the cause of the split?

Essentially, as I told you before, the distance between us. We all lived in different and distant cities and it was practically impossible to find a point of union and the possibility of being able to play together.

6. Did the band have any opportunities to live shows in the past, if so what where some of the best shows that the band played and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Oh yes, we played a lot during the early years of our existence. I remember with great pride a show in our city, Salerno, and another one in Naples together with the mighty UNDETAKERS and it was a blast!!!

7. What are some of the other bands or musical projects the band members joined after the split?

Francesco Galano created his own project call When The Clouds more into the Electronic and Ambient Music, Rosario Memoli, the drummer, played in Circle Of Witches and gave life to The Provincials more into Indie Rock. Bruno Villani plays now in a couple of projects (SEID, EFFESS).

8. One of the band members also done 'Vampiria Zine', is that zine still going on nowadays?

Vampiria Magazine was my own creature. It was active from 1996 till 2002 when I created My Kingdom Music, my own label.

9. Recently 'My Kingdom Music' re-issued your 1997 demo, can you tell us a little bit more about the newer version?

We received an offer to release a CD version of our demo by Sylphorium Records from Colombia.

We immediately accepted Nelson's offer but we wanted to release something different from the original version. So first of all I decided to release it with my own label too, so via My Kingdom Music, but above all we decided to give to the sound a new mastering and so we sent it to Davide Barbarulo at the 20Hz20kHz Mastering Lab. The result was great indeed, giving to the work a new life.

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

When the demo was released in 1997 we sold all the 1000 copies in less that 6 months, the result was great and the reaction of the media and the fans were fantastic. The demo had an incredible reception resulting in demo of the month in many magazines and fanzines of the time.

11. Would the band members ever be open to getting back together and finally releasing a full length?

During the years in some moments probably yes, but the conditions of life and our works have always prevented that from happening. I don't think it will happen in the future but I confess that it would be really great to be able to share again those moments with the rest of the band.

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

I do not know but of course we were in those years that Black Metal was having its maximum explosion with bands like Emperor, Arcturus, Cradle Of Filth, so I think those bands had in us a particular influences but also Doom Metal with early Anathema and My Dying Brid, some classical Heavy Metal above all in the guitar working and something from Dark Wave above all for what concerns the atmospheres.

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

Thanks a lot   to you and your readers. It would be great if you could listen to our music and share with us your opinion . Here is a link where you can do it: https://lathebra.bandcamp.com

Lathebra/Angels' Twilight Odes/My Kingdom Music/2023 Demo Re-Issue Review

 

  Lathebra  where  a  band  from  Italy  that  played  a  melodic  mixture  of  black, dark  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  1997  demo  "Angels;  Twilight  Odes"  which  will  be  re-issued  in  march,  2023  by  my  Kingdom  Music.

  Classical  guitars  start  off  the  demo  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  dark  and  doom  metal.

  When  guitar  soloes  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  riffs  also  add  in a   great  amount  of  melody.  Spoken  word  parts  also  return  on  later  tracks  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful sound  to  them  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard.  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  are  also  utilized  briefly  and  keyboards  are  added  on  the  closing  track  which  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  melancholy,  yearning  and  loneliness  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Lathebra  where  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of b lack,  dark  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "My  Velvet  Dusk"  and  "Benighted  Embrace".  8  out  of  10.

  http://facebook.com/lathebra1996 

Diadalos Interview

 

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

I was drummer in various punk and metal bands before and I loved it. 

But as a drummer I wasn`t too involved in the process of writing the songs so I often had the feeling I was missing something. 

When the Coronavirus made playing with my former Trash-Metal Band Revolt no longer possible, I searched for another way to experience music. 

I immediately felt that writing and composing music refill my energy. 

As a full-time worker and a dad of a four-year-old, I could get totally lost in the music and story and followed Sir Franklin on his journey with these heroes of their time. 

So I started to take my time for this project and realized my ideas.

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

Honestly, in the beginning, I just wanted to use the piano to portray the particular atmosphere of the song and theme, and then play drums along with it.

But little by little I realized that with an orchestra you can portray a much more complex and intense, detailed scene. And so I then developed a separate orchestration for each song, to match the part of the story it tells.

So each piece is written alone on the piano, then I "completed" the songs by that orchestration.

Musical style? Hard to say, I'm just impressed and certainly influenced by a lot of artists of different genres. By genre, Daidalos is certainly at home in Symphonic Dark Metal. But I prefer to say, "I make atmospheric music".

3.The lyrics on the recording are a concept album can you tell us a little bit more about the story you covered with this release?

The sea and seafaring are a popular topic within my family. In former times there was no other way to discover more of the world, but to sail with the ship. 

These amazing men went for a real adventure, mostly some years away from the family, without knowing whether they would come back for fame or die. 

150 years ago, nobody was sure what the north pole could look like. Some scientists believed after a ring of ice would be a climate like in Hawaii. So they really weren´t prepared too well. 

The journey of Sir Franklin is one of the best known, I guess. He was a hero of his time and really popular. On an earlier expedition near Canada he came in big trouble and survived, to the legends, by eating his shoes. 

His goal was to find the north-west-passage. Through this passage, the way from Asia to Europa is so much shorter. So it was really important to find this way for the economy. 

Sir Franklin sailed with two ships: HMS Erebus and the sister ship HMS Terror (both cool names though) with a total of 129 men. From today's perspective a by far too large expedition. 

Officially, the abandoned ships sank and nobody survived. The End.

But... what happened to these men? How does it feel, knowing there could be only glory or death? What does it feel like, being trapped in the ice for a month, day and night in eternal white?

Imagine sitting below deck in the belly of the ship with your comrades, freezing and starving, far away from your family.

Was there real hope or did they all know it´s just a matter of time until everyone left is a frozen statue in the wind? 

These were the thoughts that I couldn`t get out of my head and the only way to express them was in my music. 

The man, who really discovered the North West Passage, was Roald Amundsen btw. The guy, who also was first at the south pole after an unbelievable race with Robert Falcon Scott, who unfortunately lost his life on the way.

4.One of the songs is also based on a Robert Frost poem, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his writings?

To be honest, I wasn`t that familiar with Robert Frost before writing this album.

I had this idea of the last living sailor carving his last words into the frozen snow just before he freezes to death. 

The song should have a continuous narrative style, without the typical verse-bridge-chorus sequences. 

I wanted it to be his story, which then ends abruptly. Then I realized that this is how it's done in many poems, and I set about researching.

In the process, I came across Robert Frost and his extremely expressive pieces. "Once by the Pacific" was just a perfect fit for my album in that regard. 

Then, while reading other poems of his, I realized that he was basically doing the same thing I was trying: He canalized his feelings and thoughts and expressed them through his art. 

I immediately felt the connection so I wanted to honor him by merging our arts together.

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

My first thought when I was searching for a name, was something like “sectio aurea”. The golden section stands for the perfect balance.

The golden section is proved since the time of Greek antiquity. I went on researching and came along Daidalos, the father of Ikarus.

Daidalos is a figure in Greek mythology. He was a brilliant inventor, technician, builder and artist. 

His arts were widely known, and the figures he designed are said to have been lifelike. 

And that's what I wanted to create: Lifelike music, where the atmosphere is that strong, that you are not just listening to some men on an expedition, but that you are one of the men on the expedition. 

I wanted the audience to experience the loneliness, the ice, the wind … and the death. 

Another facette of being an inventor, although he is brilliant like Daidalos, is to fail. Just remember Daidalos' son Ikarus, which flew too close to the sun so that the wax in his wings melted and he fell into the sea.

So the name set a big goal, which is worth emulating, without expecting perfection.

And that's what I strive for with my music: it doesn't have to be perfect, but it should trigger something in the listeners and create a feeling in them.

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

While searching for a suitable artwork I came across Pradika Lahitama Reffananda from Indonesia. I was impressed that he paints many of his works in oil/acrylic and thus creates true works of art.

I wrote him my vision and the theme and he immediately jumped on it.

Together we did a quick brainstorming session on how to bring the different main elements of the story into a single, meaningful painting.

Then I sent him my songs in demo version.

That was it.

He then got back to me after a while, wrote "that's it!" and presented me with this brilliant painting in blue-green-black-white. 

The ship, surrounded by huge waves, which pass into icy mountains, the spray twists with the icewind, above the starry night and below the infinite blackness of the sea. 

In addition, the narrator, who looks melancholy in his story - I had goosebumps immediately!

I just wanted him to sign it so that my cover is the image of his work.

7.With this project you work mostly solo but have played in bands with full line ups in the past, how would you compare the two?

It's difficult to compare, it's just different.

In a band, everyone has their own tasks. Everyone can compensate for each other's weaknesses with their own strengths combined. Often there is a leader, so there is always the danger that quieter voices are overheard. 

Fortunately, that's never really been the case with my bands. The cooperation has always worked well.

On the other hand, the result of a band's music is always a compromise. The majority prevails. And that's only reasonable, because what pleases the majority of the band will hopefully also please the majority of the audience. 

As a solo artist, you just have to follow your own heart. You are completely free in every single decision. The flip side is that you're also responsible for every single decision. In either way.

For me, it's just important to make music. To be able to express myself in the language of notes. At this stage of my life, I enjoy working as a solo artist. 

But that doesn't mean that Daidalos can't grow into a band over time. 

Just as the inventor Daidalos tinkers with his inventions, I tinker with the band. Because stagnation is the death of art. 

There have already been first talks in this direction. But I can not reveal more at this time.

8.On the new album you also have a few guests, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording?

There are some people without whom I would never have finished my album. 

From a musical point of view, Martin Simon is clearly one of them.

He is a very close friend of mine and I was allowed to be his best man. Martin is the singer and bassist of Kambrium and has a lot of experience in music business. 

He was the first to hear my first steps with Daidalos back then. 

He was immediately on the journey and invited me to his studio. There he showed me the essential steps needed for my do-it-yourself project. 

It was mainly about the recording of vocals and instruments and the software for it. He also taught me a bit of his vocal technique, because he has been a live frontman on stage for many years.

In the end, he said, "If you need a bass player, I'm in!"

And so it was.

Part two was then Fabio Rossi.

By the way, we met once in an internet forum. 

I immediately felt that he has this absolutely emotional inclination towards music and essentially loves black metal. His guitar work was extremely good and so I asked him if he would like to record my album.

He immediately agreed.

We had a great process, very creative and he got involved a lot, designing additional solos and rhythms. He told me that on every one of his weekends he stood up at 6 in the morning to work on my songs the whole day... 

In some songs he really went above and beyond, I'm absolutely thrilled with his influence on my songs.

He brings the necessary bit of blackness and rawness to it.

Then followed Noga Rotem.

I was looking for a suitable female voice for Icewind that sounds both vulnerable and strong and secure. A difficult mixture.

I found Noga through her website. 

Since she is a composer herself and has already worked with greats like Hans Zimmer, I was unsure whether she would be interested in my project.

I sent her my song and asked her to emotionally engage with the atmosphere and lyrics and then just sing freely to it.

She said, "I've never done anything like this before, but... let's give it a try!"

The result is sensationally good and far exceeded my expectations. Noga has not only sung a voice, but also interpreted me still a kind of choir, absolutely brilliant!

She felt the atmosphere and the text perfectly.

Last but not least, Francesco Petrelli.

When we talked about mixing my album, he offered me to do some additional guitar tracks on the songs, because he liked my music and would like to be part of it.

So I decided to do it at his studio and he really did a very good job! His playstyle is very tight and straight, he brought some technical work into my songs.

He also did a great and very professional mix. I´ve sent him tons and tons of tracks, one for each instrument of the orchestra plus everything else and he had to find a way, when and how to push out the main instrument of the orchestra, without overwriting the rest.

I bet, he was sweating sometimes, when I came up with additional ideas during the mixing process...

But in the end, he let "The Expedition" shine like it is.

Francesco is doing a lot of live mixing, too. Maybe I will go back on him one day...

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

I don't know how to answer this question without seeming overbearing. 

But I will answer it with a big smile on my face, because the feedback has been amazing this far and I am always happy to think about the nice messages that reach me every day.

I am totally overwhelmed by the positive critique that has reached me so far. I already have listeners all over the world and I appreciate every single one. 

As I said earlier: As a Solo Artist, you have the responsibility for both the bad and the good decisions. And it seems so far that I made more good than bad decisions for this expedition. 

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

I am already working on the next album. I won’t spoil you, but I can tell it will also be an adventure and a journey. The atmosphere is different, but not less strong. 

I want to develop Daidalos steadily on all levels and I am curious myself where this expedition will lead me.

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?

To name a few metal bands, it is for example Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dimmu Borgir, early Wintersun and many more. I listen to a lot of different genres, which I always did.

Nowadays I am still mostly into Symphonic Dark/Black/Death as well as some calm piano music for example.

It always depends on my mood, my personal atmosphere.

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

I am grateful.

For every crew member that has accompanied me on this journey and every new crew member that wants to come on board. 

Just like on an expedition, everyone contributes to keeping the ship on course - from the journalist who gives me the opportunity for an interview like this, to the fan who orders a t-shirt and writes such a nice message that I am speechless.

Thank you.

​www.facebook.com/daidalosband

Daidalos/The Expedition/Extreme Metal Music/2022 CD Review

 

  Diadalos  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2022  album  "The  Expedition"  which  was  released  by  Extreme  Metal  Music.

  Orchestrations  and  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  throughout  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  sounding  at  times  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  also  go  in  a  grim  direction  at  times.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Elements  of  dark  metal  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  album  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars,  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.,  pianos  can  also b e  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Captain  Sir  Franklin's  Last  Expedition  and  one  song  is  also  a  Robert  Frost  poem  put  to  music.

  In  my  opinion  Diadalos  is  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Expedition"  "Srormwind"  "Poem  In  The  Snow"  and  "My  Melancholy".  8  out  of  10.

  ​www.facebook.com/daidalosband

Spectral Darkwave/Live Fire Exorcise/Occidental Records/2022 Live Album Review

 

  Spectral  Darkwave  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  dark,  doom,  death  and  industrial  metal   and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  live  album  "Live  Fire  Exorcise"  which  will  be  released  on  June  3th  by  Occidental  Records.

  Live  audience  reaction  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  samples  and  symphonic  elements  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  The  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  show  some  influences  of  dark  and  doom  metal  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  industrial  touches.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals,  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Alien  Technology  and  Ancient  Magick  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  great  sounding  recording  from  Spectral  Darkwave  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black,  dark,  doom,  death  and  industrial  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  live  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  March  Of  Sses"  "The  Last  Red  Hypergiant"  and  "At  Outher  Dark".  8  out  of  10.

www.spectraldarkwave.com

https://youtu.be/6Rb2wFdJFKY        

Cadaveria/Emptiness/Time To Kill Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Italy's  Cadaveria  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  horror  orientated  mixture  of  black,  dark  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album    "Emptiness"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Time  TO  Kill  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  clean  vocals  also  bring  in  elements  of  gothic  metal  into  the  music  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  dark,  death  and  traditional  metal  touches  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  the  slower  sections  of  the  album  also  showing  an  influence  of  doom  metal,  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  whispers  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  the  album  also  closes  with  a  cover  of  Deine  Lakaien's  "Return".  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Horror  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cadaveria  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  dark  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Great  Journey"  "The  Woman  Who  Fell  To  The  Earth"  "Live  After"  and  "Return".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/cadaveria

https://www.instagram.com/cadaveriaofficial/

https://twitter.com/_Cadaveria

https://www.cadaveria.com/ 

Kaamos Warriors/Spirit From The Void/Inverse Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Finland's  Kaamos  Warriors  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric,  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Spirit  From  The  Void"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  inverse  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  atmospheric  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  keyboards  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  symphonic  feeling  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  a lot  of  dark  metal  elements.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts,   clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  The  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  the  more  melodic  side  of  the  early  90's  doom/death  metal  era  along  with  some  gothic  metal  touches  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Finnish  and  English  and  cover  darkness,  winter,  night  and  chaos  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Kaamos  Warriors  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  melodic  and  symphonic  black  and  dark  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Blood  And  Spirit"  "The  Flames  of  the  Dragon"  "Into  Thy  Light"  and  "Surrun  mustat  siivet".  8  out  of  10.

-In Blood and Spirit: https://youtu.be/itvk4Zzw1PQ 
-Vapaus: https://youtu.be/8QQq88C2cYQ
-Varjojen Vaeltaja: https://youtu.be/KV7PRfZtLvM 

https://www.facebook.com/KaamosWarriorsOfficial

https://spoti.fi/2B5wCB2 

https://kaamoswarriors.bandcamp.com

Atrium Noctis/Self Titled/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Atrium  Noctis  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  and  self  titled  2022  album  which  will b e  released  in  February.

  Winter  sounds  and  bells  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  symphonic  musical  direction  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Vocals are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard.

  A  lot  of t he  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  while  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  metal  elements  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  female  vocals  onto  the  recording,  flutes  and  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  songs  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  whispers  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  utilized.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  German  and  cover Nature,  Occultism,  Mythology  and  Fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Atrium  Noctis  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Azazel"  "Ancient  Whispers"  and  "Spuren  eines  Wolfes".  8  out  of  10.

videos    

Spectral Darkwave Interview

 

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

We are Spectral Darkwave, harvesters of pain across time and space - in tribute to gods most dark. We collect the suffering in vessels made of death doom metal ornamented by orchestras and the tragic events themselves. They are pulsing exhibits to the terror of existence.

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

The new album 'At Outer Dark' furthers the collection of suffering first put together in 'Last First Contact', but with a great leap in the production values. Musically, it is thicker in tone and slightly more complex in it's arrangements, to offer deeper immersion in the scenes we capture.

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

The first record was very much a proof of concept that stories could be told, this then allowed us to recruit The Gunner on bass and perfect our live show, considering every possible angle. This culminated in our invitation to Bloodstock 2021. Our lord Cthulu has clearly recognized our work.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the newer release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

The song lyrics focus on setting the scene in the wants, needs and desires of the human suffering on offer at a point in space time. For example, the lead single '731' focusses on the emotional turmoil of surgery on live victims in the name of Japanese patriotism. The March Of Saes focuses on the exhilaration and fear of Elephant riders in ancient Persia. The album culminates in the song 'At Outer Dark' - a paean to our quest as a crew to join with our lord Cthulu as he passed through the material realm and it's... consequences.

5.On one of your singles you also cover Norse Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Our interest is only in the amount of pain that could be harvested from the shores of Lindisfarne in AD 793. It's essence ages well in our vaults. 

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

The good ship Darkwave is the ship in which we as a crew travel through time and space. We emerge, take the horror available, sometimes milk the situation for a little more, then disappear as quickly as we came - but not entirely without trace.

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

The artwork captures our encounter with our Lord Cthulu beyond the furthest spiral arm of this galaxy. We sought to join with him, sampling but a fraction of his power. This moment of misadventure can be heard in the epic, final song of the album 'At Outer Dark'.

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

We offer, theatre, spectacle and immersion. As a result, we have been lucky to play more than few performances where the energy of band and crowd has crackled with devotion to the dark - the shared catharsis of looking into the abyss and having it stare back in musical form. Clearly, the highlight for was this year's Bloodstock performance.

9.The new album is coming out on 'Occidental Records'. can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Sadly, in more mundane matters, to release records these days has become the responsibility of the artist. Investment, promotion, distribution and monetization - all of it. With the digitization of music came the simple fact that there is a huge supply of music and the ability to record it. Supply has outstripped demand. In the capitalist system, the monetary value is low, yet the artistic value is higher than ever. So, it is our label, named after an industrial disaster and the power of empire - it reminds us making sure we do the right things to keep the good ship Darkwave afloat.

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

We genuinely believe we have an experience of high quality with which to engage audiences - but there is an awful lot of noise out there that our signal must penetrate. When people see us we are remembered, we've already had pre-orders for people from half a decade ago. However, we feel that perhaps with the length of time between albums, that this for many will be the first time - and they will hear us at our most potent.

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

Well, it would seem that after nearly 2 dozen tales of human suffering and our final encounter with HIM on the new record, that the consequences of our meeting will play out in the narrative of the next record. Musically, we will always seek to pulse, doom and terrify with arrangements that bring a grand scale to our tracks.

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

It started as early some of the darkest theme tunes from 80's video games, TV shows and films. We seek to chase that sense of scale and adventure. Metal is the only genre that sense of infinite power other than the darker orchestrations of Gorecki or the choral work of Tallis. Yet we cannot say we do not admire the work of artists such as Septic Flesh, Draconian or the Vision Bleak where they too seek a sense of scale. But we seek the narrative moments themselves. 

13.Does occultism play any role in your music?

Indirectly. Our obsession with the dark gods of the universe, a reaching out to the infinite, the unknowable other beyond human perception interests us deeply. You might say it is the thoughts of historical occultism illuminated by scientific insights that more than ever declare 'there is more out there than we can ever know'.

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

Thank you for taking the time to speak to us. May this be the first step upon your conversion.

For more information on Spectral Darkwave click here
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Spectral Darkwave/At Outer Dark/Occidental Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Spectral  Darkwave  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  dark,  doom,  death  and  industrial  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "At  Outer  Dark"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Occidental  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  symphonic  sounds  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  dark  and  doom  metal.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  spoken  word  parts  also  making  a  brief  return  as  well  as  the  music  also  capturing  a  sci-fi  atmosphere  at  times,  operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  touches  of  industrial  can  also  be  heard  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Alien  Technology  and  Ancient  Magick  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Spectral  Darkwave  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  dark,  doom,  death  and  industrial  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "731"  "The  Founding  of  Man"  "A  Season  of  Abyssal  Screams"  and  "At  Outer  Dark".  8  out  of  10.

www.spectraldarkwave.com

https://youtu.be/-Z5WQozY028  

    

        

Upon Shadows Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the musical project these days?

At this moment we are launching a series of lyric videos from our latest album "Modern Obscurantism", and we are also recording a new single to be released on October 18th.

2.In the last couple of years, you have released a full length and a single musically how do they differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

All our releases are different between each other, musically and also lyrically. In the case of "Modern Obscurantism" which is our seventh album, there is a kind of sinister atmosphere apart from the darkness always present in our music. Is a heavier album also, and is also the first time we record the full drums with a real drummer. In the past we had done a couple of singles with invited drummers. "Geometry of music" with Sir Kimmo Luttinen (ex Impaled Nazarene, ex Beherit), and "Fatal Stigma of the Realist" with Matti Torro (Myon), but before that all our albums and single have been done with programmed drums until our latest album "Modern Obscurantism" where we recorded with the sessionist drummer Joonas Alaräihä.The incorporation of real drums made an improvement in sound, in relation with our older albums.

3.The lyrics on the album you released in 2019 where a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story that you had covered with this release?

The concept of the album is based on the idea that we are living in a new era of strong censorship and repression, even bigger than the obscurantism of the middle ages, because now everything has the magnitude of being global. So Natalia and I were talking for months about this idea to put the things as clear as possible... so we focused on the biggest points and so per song there is a topic.

First the album opens with an intro called "Back To The Dark Ages" which is very direct in the message, and musically helps to put the listener into the mode of the album.

Then the next song ``Vanity's Bonfire" talks about all the knowledge and precious art we had lost under the censorship of the church in the middle ages and the message is a question mark about how many precious things are we losing just now because of the new forms of censorship. The album has 10 songs and all presents a different topic related to the same concept. I tried to write the lyrics as poetically as I could, without affecting the original feeling. And we closed the album with an outro called "Lucifer" which is an extract of a text by Oscar Wilde, in which he let very clear the importance of keeping rebellion alive, as a motor for producing changes.

We closed the album with a text, a poem written by Ricardo Arocena, (Natalia´s father), because he made reference to the importance of fighting against indifference. I think these two last texts close the album with a positive message, despite all the darkness we were putting on the table along the whole album... Nothing is eternal, and everything can be changed by keeping the seed of rebellion in our hearts and fighting against indifference.

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

Upon Shadows in other words means "about darkness".. we all have our shadows and Upon shadows is all about my shadows.

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

Yes, I made the artwork thinking about representing the shadows taking over our lives, in a global way. A darkness that is over us all and represents censorship and control. So I get the idea of basing the design in an advanced but not total eclipse.

6.Originally the band was based in 'Uruguay' but now reside in Finland, can you tell us a little bit more about the mover?

I moved to Finland in 2013 because of personal reasons, not because of music. I needed a change in my life, I am a person that is all the time fighting against conformism and always needs new challenges.

But my move didn't affect our way of working in Upon Shadows. We have been keeping active all the way.

7.The last album was released on ;'Ground Media Group', how would you compare working with this label to other labels that you have been a part of in the past?

We have been releasing mainly independently, because we have the characteristic that we always release our music for free download, and this is something that is not attractive to most of the labels. Despite that, this is a decision we made from the starting point of Upon Shadows and we are not going to change it.

But we had released CDs with Satanica records from New Zealand, Depressive Illusions Records from Ukraine, and Underground Devotion Zine from Chile also had our permission to print and sell our music as a way to support the underground scene.

Ground Media Group is a new Finnish label that is growing a lot, and is made by people whose main purpose is to keep the underground alive. They give us the opportunity of releasing the album in a very beautiful edition where the Cd comes in a 4 panel digipak with a 12 page booklet. The printing quality is magnificent, the colors are very alive so the design is displayed in the best possible way.

We are very happy with the result.

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

The reaction is more than positive. 

We are very underground, but we have people who have been following and supporting us through the years, and are the kind of people that really listen and pay attention to the lyrics, and are open to feel and think with us, which is the most important thing for us.

We know that what we do is out of the standards of what most of the people wants to hear in these genders, and despite of that, and despite that we are a female duo,(which many times is enough for some people to deny us the opportunity to be listen), we have been making extreme metal music for the last 19 years. Offering a different proposal and keeping absolutely loyal to our ideas.

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

I think we found our own style which is the most difficult thing to find, an identity. And the goal for the future is to keep improving in technique and sound, and keep on this mixture of emotions and darkness.

10.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?

The styles that influenced me the most are Black Metal and Dark Ambient. I grew up listening to Abigor, Necromantia, Impaled Nazarene, Samael, and so on.

And the Dark Ambient... I found it through experimental music while I started to work as a music producer for a TV show called "Voces Anónimas" about ghost stories and urban legends in my country, where I was creating sounds to make the audience feel the uncomfortable tension and the fear related to the stories.

But I also have an strong influence from what my generation calls Dark Music (now people use the term "goth" or "gothic" wich I personally don't like) with bands like Sisters of Mercy, Christian Death, or The cure and its mix with metal music like The whores of Babylon. I think this influence is very visible in my keyboards.

Nowadays I'm listening to some new bands like Yoth Iria, NEDXXX, Aethyrick and Vermilia.

I also discovered some bands that are old but new to me like INFERNO and their album "Gnosis Kardias" which is a masterpiece.

And from the old bands I´m absolutely fascinated with Abigor´s new album "A Saintslayer's Songbook", and Rotting Christ "The Heretics".

11.Does Occultism play any role on your music?

Mmm...not directly, but if I think about it from the point of view that it is something that has always interested me, and is something about I have read a lot over the years...then I assume there are influences that I cannot deny.

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

First of all, thank you very much for the opportunity to express myself and present my music to your readers.

All Upon Shadows music can be download for free at :

http://tamarapicardo.blogspot.com/

And my final message is this: Keep the seed of rebellion in your heart like the most precious gift we have, because it is the core of our artistic creation and a consequence of our reasoning ability.