Showing posts with label epic black metal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label epic black metal. Show all posts

Monday, February 12, 2024

Wandering Oak Interview

 


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


First of all, thanks for your interest in interviewing us! We really appreciate it.


Well the album has only been out for about a week and thus far we've begun rehearsals for a few regional shows (Buffalo, Boston, Baltimore) in July, and we have some new merch items down the pipeline.


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


The biggest shift is that we have pushed our sound in a much more progressive direction whilst also increasing the black metal ferocity and aggression. We've pushed our instrumental abilities much further and also pushed the envelope with influences and the scope of the compositions.


3.This is also your first release in 5 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?


A lot! We had just come off of a short tour with Wilderun in 2019 and were poised to work on the album before COVID hit, which in a perverted way gave us time to woodshed new ideas. Also, Joe decided not to commit to the band and we spent a long time trying to find a new guitarist. We did play some local shows here in Rochester before we decided to replace our drummer, and we were essentially in album mode for about a year. 


4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?


Much of the music deals with the concept of overcoming hardship, be it from loss, climate change, mental illness, and fascism. We feel our sound has become a lot more sophisticated whilst still being very organic and rooted (pun intended) in our original mission statement. We've also assembled a group of musicians that I feel finally does the music I have in my head justice, while adding their own spin that creates something that is more than just the sum of its parts.


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


There are several meanings, but fundamentally it is a 'kenning', a compound or figurative phrase in Old English and Old Norse poetry used to replace a common noun, It refers to our meandering songs that drift away from the root yet stay grounded. It is also of course a reference to Ents from Tolkein's universe, and much like the term 'Led Zeppelin' is an oxymoronic description of the music - large, massive and imposing, intricate, but also down to earth and natural, yet adventurous. We want the listener to know they're in for a trip.


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


It was designed by the amazing Czech artist Moonroot who also did our new logo, and it was based off of a rendering done by a colleague of mine. It is meant to represent a tree that has weathered every season, as an analogy for the struggles of life.


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


Some of our best performances include some of the dates we played on the road with Wilderun, not to mention the special opportunity we had to open for Negura Bunget on two of their dates on the final US tour they did. RIP Negru. Our stage performances are relatively no frills, high energy. We like to wear war paint but keep the outfits minimalist. It's more about the music than the presentation for us. We let the riffs do the talking.


8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?


Yes, as previously stated we have three shows booked in July of this year, and hopefully there will be more to come.


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


So far the reaction has been very good! Obviously it will take time for the album to spread through the networks but so far so good! There are definitely some that feel like we have progressed too far from our original sound or think we're too overwhelming, but honestly we feel like people in this scene just aren't used to being challenged anymore.


10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?


So myself (Robert) I have my other band Goblin Hovel who are currently recording our next album, We're a more zany style of folk metal. Deidre and myself also joined The Atrocity Tourist, fronted by Hovel's lead singer. It's an avant-garde metal band devoted to the modernization of the murder ballad. CW has his black metal band Hubris which also includes our session guitarist Andy, who are also both of Ferus Din. Hubris are putting the finishing touches on their next album and you should definitely check it out. They are FIERCE. Furthermore, Andy and I are also part of the triumphant anti-fascist black metal band Helianthus, which will hopefully be working on our full length this year. Andy also has the bands Temple of Mammon and Antiquity. Our live guitarist Mitch has this cool Celtic Fusion project called Wired Tae the Moon, and I implore you to give them a listen. They're very unique.


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


More progressive, more ambitious, more aggressive, more transgressive, but decidedly darker and more pointedly sociopolitical.


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


Several of us have been listening to a lot of Havukruunu. They rip. Mitch has been listening to Dixie Dregs a lot. I've been getting back into jazz and ambient music. Also a lot of Doomsword and Borknagar. Deidre is usually listening to a lot of prog and jazz. Andy is a classically trained musician and plays a lot of early music, and his listening reflects that as well. His father was in a progressive rock band called Rodan in the 70's that opened for Gentle Giant and Mahavishnu Orchestra amongst others, and those are very much shared tastes.


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


Thanks again for taking an interest in us! We hope you really enjoy the album and maybe you can catch us live when we eventually book a larger tour. Hopefully next year. Keep your eyes peeled for some cool merch items, and follow us on http://wanderingoakband.bandcamp.com 


Friday, February 2, 2024

Wandering Oak/Resilience/Fiadh Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 


  Wandering Oak  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  plays  an  epic  and  progressive  mixture  of  folk,  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Resilience"  which  was  released  by  Fiadh  Productions.


  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  clean  singing  and  death  metal  growls  while  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  also b e  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.


  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  traditional  metal  style  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  acoustic  guitars  also  bringing  in  elements  of  folk  music  when  they  are  utilized.


  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  also  showing  an  influence  of  thrash  metal,  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  are  also  utilized  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature  and  folklore  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Wandering  Oak  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  progressive  mixture  of  folk,  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "To  Fir  They  Fell"  and  "Snowbound".  8  out  of  10.


   Wandering Oak       

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Valdrin/Throne Of The Lunar Soul/Blood Harvest Records/2023 Full Length Review

 


  Ohio's  Valdrin  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  very  epic,  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Throne  Of  The  Lunar  Soul"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Blood  Harvest  Records.


  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.


  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  emtal  screams. A  lot  of  the  album  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Swedish  style  along with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing  also  being  utilized  at  times.


  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  a  couple  of  tracks   along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  album  also  mixing  in  a  lot  of  death  metal  elements,  clear  vocals  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Ausadjur  Mythos. 


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Valdrin  and  if  you  are  a f an  od  epic,  melodic  and  symphonic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Neverafter"  "Paladins  Of  Ausadjar"  "Holy  matricide"  and  "Two  Carrion  Talismans".  8out  of  10.


  


http://bloodharvestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/throne-of-the-lunar-soul]

www.facebook.com/valdrinausadjur     


    

Sunday, July 9, 2023

Orkrist Interview

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


After releasing the new album (January 2023) we of course tried to promote it and played few gigs in Czech republic and Slovakia. There was one special concert in our hometown, just very recently (end of June) where we played on a small courtyard, so open air, old walls, and own sound production (little bit underground style) 😊

 



2.In January you had released a new album, musically how does it differ form the stuff you have released in the past?


We have a typical footprint from the late 90’s – melodic black/doom metal, with keyboards, flute, female voice and male grunts, melodic or slow doom guitars. This is something what media is telling us is wrong – that we do not change ourselves. However I am not taking that so badly, you need to have a typical footprint (Iron Maiden has, it, AC/DC as well, ...) and evolve even. We try to bring always some small elements on top – in this case it was more acoustic guitar playing in parallel with the electric one, male clean voice in few songs and live (not much to be heard in the recording) we use a timpan (hit orchestral instrument) which is very rare. (also expensive 😊 )


3.The band was also broken yup for a few years, what was the cause of the split and also the decision to reform?


We have this question in almost every interview 😊. It was simply the destiny – me (as a composer) was empty of ideas, few band members started their own families or travelled abroad. We met together after 14 years, with having family life little bit stable and tried to put something together. Since the comeback (2018) we released 2 albums, what we did not expect. We somehow thought we will only play the old songs, as we have seen many people wishing our comeback, but we had luck there were ideas even for 2 albums. 



4.The lyrics and the band name comes from the writings of J.R.R Tolkien, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his writings and also do you have any interest in other fantasy authors?


Apologies if you got wrong information. Inspiration by Tolkien was with us in 2003 on our 2nd album „Grond“. The last album is inspired by old Slovak (our country) faerytales and castle legends. Do you know that Slovakia is the country with most of castles / ruins per one citizen? With that lot of old legends come and we try to use them in the lyrics. Normally these are stories about unhappy love, romantic topics, wizards, dragons, witches, prophecies, curses .... all the themes from the new album are captured on the album layout if you watch carefully.

The stories normally end sadly, therefore also the album name LUEA (Living Unhappily Ever After).


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


I touched this topic in the previous answer. It is a collage of all various tales and legends being used in the song lyrics. You will find an abandoned cursed castle, maid jumping from a cliff because ending her life due to an unhappy love, wizard calling a dragon, witches flying above the mountains and few others. In te part with the mountains we incorporated the highest hill of our country, which has a typical abyss seen on the first look.

We like the artwork much and it was created by a talented guy Joan Llopis Domenech.


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


We have mainly small underground concerts (70 – 250 people in the audience) and they have one thing in common – great atmosphere coming from the fans. We try to communicate with people and lead them to support us by clapping some rhythmical parts.


 




What is maybe unusual is ( I mentioned already earlier) – using  timpani, which is a great instrument – if visually or sound wise. 

 



It is not easy to set up the sound for it, therefore we rather use it for the open air concerts. For smaller or indoor events we have an alternative – a tom hidden in  piece of wood. People always ask us if that is real. It is.


 



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


Currently we have set a summer break. We are a small band, without label – it is not easy to get to festivals, speaking about some known ones. We can rely only on luck and friendship / support of some local promoters. Here we had a great opportunity to play as support of Eluveitie last year, the last band before they started. That was great, you do not have this kind of luck normally. (we had something similar long time ago when we played in front of Nightwish). If you are successful to get to some festival, band of our size, which is completely unknown normally gets playtime very early when not much people are in.

Our dream was to get to some bigger festivals in Germany, however not successful there. Nevermind, we know that music is business as well. 


8.Currently the band is unsigned but has worked with a label in the past, are you open to working with another label again in the future or do you prefer to be independent?


We released our last 2 albums by ourselves. There are pros and cons to be with some label.

Pros – much better promotion, distribution, chance to get to better concerts.

Cons – you are somehow bound, and we do not prefer that. In the current situation we have complete freedom (but of course losing the pros)

We do our music from heart, it is not our money income (rather money absorber 😊 ).

I am not saying label yes or no, but feeling fine where we are.


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


We are a small band from a country which is not that known on the worldwide metal map. We have a small, but strong and heartful fan base in our country. If I take a look where did we send our albums, then it is Czech republic, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, UK, US, Japan, Russia, .... But very small quantities – every country to be counted on fingers of one hand.

Still, it is very hard to get successful nowadays. There are so many bands, so much competition. Some of them are more stronger virtually (reactions on facebook, views on youtube), but what we learned from smaller bands – strong virtul presence does not mean autoamtically success.



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


Nobody knows. Ideas are coming as they are. There is no band with never ending source of ideas – everybody will start to repeat themselves. Here is the advantage to be not contracted with a label and feel the pressure to produce even being not convinced about well deserved result. 


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


Every of us liks something different. Schwarzwald (guitarist) likes more power bands like Statovarius, Evergrey, Kabi (bass guitar) likes Finntroll, XIII, stoleti, Rob (drums) some old Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth and of course some drum strong bands like Behemoth, Lydia (female voice, flute) likes not only metal. Myself, Crom (keyboards, male vox) loves bands from mid of 90’s – Summoning, Bal Sagoth, Therion, Hecate Enthroned, .... in the last year I listen much to old friend band from Germany – Ancient Ceremony.

 



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


What else I can do instead of – thanking you (for space for our band, and interest) and to everybody who reads this. If we are new to you and you like atmospheric melodic metal music (with emotions, little bit medieval/folk touch – flute, with keyboards, beauty and the beast vocal style, ...) drop some minutes to listen to us where you can find us online.


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


Thursday, July 6, 2023

Orkrist/Luea/2023 Full Length Review

 


  Orkrist  are  a  band  from  Slovakia  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  epic  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Luea".


  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  female  vocals  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  gothic  metal  atmosphere  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.


  Elements  of  folk  music  and  flutes  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  aggressive  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.  Clear  male  pagan  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard.


  At  time s the  music  also  gets  very  epic  sounding  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  tracks  also  mixing  in  a  lot  of  traditional  metal  elements,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  closing  track  is  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  writings  of  J.R.R  Tolkien.


  In  my  opinion  Orkrist  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Raven  Of  Revenge"  "Prince  Of  Melancholy"  and  "Black  Bird's  Beard".  8  out  of  10.


  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4e9WmaTst5qJ1jl0JpHs7x

Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/de/artist/15816
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/de/artist/orkrist/1497437200
Bandcamp: https://orkrist.bandcamp.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@orkrist1151

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Heidevolk/Wederkeer/Napalm Records/2023 Full Length Review

 


  Heidevolk  are  a  band  from t he  Netherlands  that h as  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  pagan  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of   their  2023  album  "Wederkeer"  which  will  be  released  on  February  24th  by  Napalm  Records.


  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  viking  chants  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast beats  can be  heard  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  clear  pagan  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.


  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  more  aggressive  vocals  also  add  in  a  touches  of  black  and  death  metal.  Acoustic  guitars  and  folk  instruments  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.


  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  and  epic  sounding  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  medieval  touches,  choirs  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Dutch  and  cover  thre  myths,  legends  and  folklore  of  the  Netherlands.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Heidevolk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  and  pagan  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hagalaz"  "Oeros"  "Raidho"  and  "Holda".  8  out  of  10.


  https://www.facebook.com/heidevolkofficial  


  


  



  

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Rabenwolf/...zu Staub/2019 Full Length Review

 


  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Germany's  Rabenwolf  which  continues  the  epic  mixture  of  folk  and  black  metal  from  their  previous  release  and  the  album  was  self  released  in  2019  and  called  "...zu  Staub".


  An  epic  sounding  keyboard  instrumental  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  folk  instruments  also  being  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of t he  songs  at  times.


  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  clear  pagan  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  album.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.


  Clean  playing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  as  well  as  some  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  Paganism  and  Nature  themes.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Rabenwolf  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  epic  black  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Staub"  "Gezeiten"  "Sturmzeit"  and  "Livhter  Des  Morgens".  8  out  of  10.


https://rabenwolf.bandcamp.com/album/zu-staub

Rabenwolf/Stethu/2015 EP Review

 


  Rabenwolf  are  a  band f rom  Germany  that  plays  an  epic  mixture  of  folk  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  ep  "Stethu".


  Folk  instruments  and  heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  clear  pagan  vocals  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.


  Keyboards  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  showing  an  influence  of  traditional  metal  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  acoustic  guitars  into  the  music,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.


  Rabenwolf  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk  and  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in German    cover  Paganism  and  Nature  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Rabenwolf  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  mixture  of  folk  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  " Stethu"  and  "Welk".  8  out  of  10.


  https://rabenwolf.bandcamp.com/album/stethu 

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Darconigan/Helm, Shield, And Spear/2022 EP Review

 


    Darconigan  are  a  band  from  Rye,  Colorado  that  plays  a  very  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  demo  "Helm,  Shield  And  Spear".


  A  very  dark  sound  starts  off  the  demo  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instrument's  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  lot  of  blast  beats  can b e  heard.


  The  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  elements  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  heavily  influenced  by  the  90's  era  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some   growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.


  Darconigan  plays  a  musical  style  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  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  war  and  fantasy  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Darconigan  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "It  Comes"  and  "Enrapturing  Dark".  8  out  of  10.


  https://darconigan.bandcamp.com/album/helm-shield-and-spear


https://www.facebook.com/darconigan/

https://www.instagram.com/darconigan/  

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Moribund Dawn/Dark Mysteries Of Time & Eternity/Carbonized Records/2022 CD Review

 


  Moribund  Dawn  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  Swedish  influenced  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Dark  Mysteries  Of  Time  &  Eternity"  which  was  released  by  Carbonized  Records.


  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  epic  sounding  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  


  Spoken  word  pars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and   the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  Swedish  style.    


  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sorcery  and  night  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Moribund  Dawn  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  black  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  mysteries  Of  Time  &  Eternity"  and  "Lunar  Chaosium"..8  out  of  10.


https://carbonizedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dark-mysteries-of-time-eternity  

Monday, June 13, 2022

Deos Interview

 

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

The end of the composition, the arrangements and the recordings of Furor Belli were done during the pandemic. Then everything accelerated from October 2021. We had to prepare the new set with the songs of Furor Belli for the resumption of the concerts in November 2021. We wanted to see how our songs sounded live and especially to see how they would be received. At the same time we started to look for a label, then we signed with Worm Hole Death Records and worked with them on the promotion. Before the official release of Furor Belli, we went to present it on stage during the North Imperial Tour MMXII between France and Belgium. 

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

 This album is the most successful of the 3, it is, in some ways, a mix of the first 2, we find the death and black influences of the first and the melodic and epic side of the second. It is also more raw and more violent! Sometimes to have a more successful product it is necessary to know to purify to emphasize the essential! Our new recruit, Cedric, brings us all his knowledge and all the violence which we missed before. The sound of each of the instruments was also the object of a big work in order to make the whole heavier and more aggressive. 

3.This is also your first release in 5 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

 Indeed 5 years is a long time, although the idea of releasing a new album has been on our mind for a while. We finished the concerts linked to In Nomine Romae in January 2019. It was supposed to end in October 2019 with a tour but it was cancelled 4 days before the departure because of the pandemic that the world knew... We also had problems with the previous line up, we had to put all that down before finding the way of the composition and especially what direction we would take musically. This led to the departure of François (guitars) and Harsh (keyboard). So we had to find a new guitarist, Cedric arrived. Then we had our 2nd lockdown. We worked each on our side to have the best songs. We spent a lot of time in videoconference to exchange ideas and make arrangements, this way of working is not ideal but it's the only way we had. Then we recorded, then there was the post production done by J-F Dagenais (Kataklysm and Ex Deos) at JDF Studio... and here you are at the end of the 5 years!

 4.A lot of your lyrics cover Ancient Roman History, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic? 

Just for your information all our lyrics cover the history of Ancient Rome! Ancient Rome spans 1229 years, from the creation of Rome in 753 BC to the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD, it is a fascinating period filled with extraordinary characters, conspiracies, battles, mythology, legends, philosophers etc... Moreover, modern history was built on the basis of the Roman Empire! It is an inexhaustible source of inspiration! The members of the group being history buffs, it is with the greatest interest that we revive this period! 

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

 We were looking for a name that would be simple to remember, referring to our music. We found a We found a name that we liked very much but it was composed of 4 words, by taking only the first letters we got D.E.O.S. We let you find these 4 words by yourselves. The one who will send us a message with the 4 right words will win our 3rd album! 

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

 It is the work of the artist Brice Cumin who is also our friend. It is him who had illustrated our 2 preceding albums. Our covers represent precise phases of a battle. The establishment of the strategy on Ghosts Of The Empire our 1st album. The assault on the battlefield for In Nomine Romae our 2nd album. For Furor Belli we wanted to show the fury of the battles because the fury is very present in the songs of this album! Brice knew perfectly how to bring out the music through his brushes! He has a lot of talent and he knew how to capture all the fury of the album. 

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

Each show always marks us more or less for good or bad! We meet nice people and bands, we forge friendships and even alliances with some of them. We strive, at each concert, to take our audience into another time, we see each concert as a battle, like fighters, we give everything on stage, battle that we must win as Rome knew how to conquer lands and make its empire. In March 2018 we played at the Undertown in Geneva in front of a very excited audience, the last concert of the North Imperial Tour MMXXII in Tournai in Belgium was extra. For us, the best concert is very recent, we had the honor to open for the Swedish band Zornheym in May 2022. The public was present in number, we took our foot on stage, then off stage when Zornheym performed. 

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album? 

We are currently looking at and organizing future dates. We want to perform as often as possible where we can. If possible in Europe outside our borders (Italy, Germany, Switzerland etc ...) Don't hesitate to contact us if you want us to play: official.deos@gmail.com

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

 The feedbacks are very good! Whether it is by the press, by the webzine or by the fans! We feel a real passion of people for this album, we receive a lot of messages in this sense... With all the work it took to make this album it's a real pleasure to see that it paid off! We are very proud of Furor Belli ! 

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

 On stage then in studio then on stage then in studio... We would like to play in big festivals, something we never had the opportunity to do, and thus conquer new people! We will continue to make Roman Extreme Metal to make the band a reference! 

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

We are influenced by metal in general, be it black, death, thrash, heavy etc. We draw our strength from these styles, but not only. Some members like rock, some like disco, some like classical music... There are a lot of different bands because our influences are multiple and varied. If we have to name some bands, we can say: Motorhead, Queen, Metallica, Pantera, Pink Floyd, Kreator, Rammstein, Emperor, Death, Lamb Of God, Kataklysm, Iron Maiden, Ex Deo, Bolt Thrower, Slayer, Vivaldi, Paganini, Guano Apes... Currently we are enjoying the band Zornheym... 

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

Follow us, support us, listen to Furor Belli is an amazing album ! Talk about us around of you ! Alea jacta est et in fine Roma Victrix 

deos-official.bandcamp.com/releases

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Deos/Furor Belli/WormHoleDeath Records/2022 Full Length Review

 


  Deos  are  a  band  from  France  that  moves  away  from  the  symphonic  style  of  their  previous  releases  and  goes  for  more  of  an  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  on  this  recording    and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Furir Belli"  which  will b e  released  on  May  27th  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.


  A  very  epic  and  war  orientated  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  tribal  orientated  beats  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.   


  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  album.

   

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  one  track  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  symphonic  touches  and  as  the  album  progresses  an  instrumental  and a  brief  use  of  operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Roman  Empire  and  Ancient  Rome  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Deos  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Decimatio"  "Morturi  Te  Salutant"  "Germanicus"  and  "Venenum  Rex".  8  out  of  10.


https://www.facebook.com/deos.legio

https://www.instagram.com/deos_official

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_5rDncTgyMdgrtl4Ow_SVw

\deos-official.bandcamp.com/releases


   

Friday, November 12, 2021

Agnes Vein/Deathcall/Venerate Industries/2021 Full Length Review

 


  Agnes  Vein  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  an  epic  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Deathcall"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Venerate  Industries.


  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  onto  the  recording.  All  of  the  tracks  on  the  recording  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.


  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  while  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  album.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  touches  of  80's  era  epic  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.


  Agnes  Vein  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  and  epic  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  inner  thoughts  and  philosophical  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Agnes  Vein  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Deathcall"  and  "The  Golgotha  Entanglement".  8  out  of  10.


https://www.facebook.com/agnesveinband
https://agnesvein.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3BD60vhHcGClnZ9sTD3k2J?si=az_DR_MGRrmPLXP5cHvMMA 

https://youtu.be/P7UafQF9aK0

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Morgul Blade Interview

 


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

We are about halfway done writing our follow up album, and are beginning to plan tours and shows now that the world is returning to pre 2020 form. 


2.You have a new album coming out in November, musically how does it differ form your previous ep? 

More Melody. More Harmonies. Just a general MORE of what was captured on the EP


3.A lot of your lyrics are inspired by the writings of J.R.R Tolkien, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his work and also do you have any interest in other fantasy authors? 

I read a lot of fantasy. I love Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick 

Rothfuss, Joe Abercrombie, Tad Williams among many others. But I love Tolkien because he was truly the master and progenitor of the modern genre.


4.You also cover history and folklore with your lyrics, which historical topics and era's of folklore do you cover? 

I love European and American folklore. I’ve taken college classes on both. Also I’m well versed on in depth eastern and western cultural history, namely medieval and ancient militaries. Swords are cooler then most things.


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

The Morgul Blade is the dagger the witch king uses to turn people into ringwraiths. So basically its the essence of evil forged into a blade. Sounds like a pretty good name of a heavy metal band to me.


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

Its titled “the Dark Magi” and was painted by my dear friend “Wyrmwalk” he is local to Philadelphia like ourselves. He was inspired by the works of Gerald Brom. It is meant to exemplify the title of the record in a metaphorical way.


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

We have not played shows as a band yet, but they are coming soon, we have some cool surprises up our sleeve. 


8.Do you have any show plans for the remainder of 2021 or 2022? 

Tours, and the recording of our follow up Album. 


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

The reception has been so great and supportive, we never expected to reach the heights that we have. We are on peoples most anticipated albums of 2021 lists and hope to also be on their “Best of 2021” as well!


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

The new stuff we have been writing is a little darker, and less heroic, we also have been working our love for 80s Los Angeles bands into some of our riffs (Dokken, Ratt, ETC)


11.What are you listening to nowadays? 

TORPOR-ANCIENT TALES EP

BAAZLVAAT-THE HIGHER POWER

TYRANTS RISE-CERES

DUNGEON SERPENT-WORLD OF SORROWS

ANCIENT MASTERY-THE CHOSEN ONE

BAT MAGIC-FEAST OF BLOOD

LAMP OF MURMUUR-SUBMISSION AND SLAVERY

MALOKARPATAN-KRUPINSKE OHNE


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

Thanks and hails for taking time to speak with us, we hope you all enjoy the album.




https://www.facebook.com/MorgulBladeHM

Saturday, October 16, 2021

Morgul Blade/Fell Sorcery Abounds/No Remorse Records/2021 CD Review

 


  Morgul  Blade  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that  plays  an  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Fell  Sorcery  Abounds"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  No  Remorse  Records.


  Epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  era  traditional  metal  elements  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  grim  black  metal  screams.  


  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  black  metal  side  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  second  wave  era.  Clear  traditional  metal  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  also  introducing  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  album.


  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody   as  well  as  a  later  song  also  being  a  ballad  as  the  album  progresses,  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction  and  a  later  track  is  also  an  instruemntal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  J.R.R  Tolkien's  Middle  Earth,   History,  Folklore,  Magick  and  Might  themes. 


  In  my  opinion  Morgul  Blade  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Last  Waltz  Of  Gevaudan"  "The  Five  Will Ride  At  Dawn"  and  "Fell  Sorcery  Abounds".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/S-cOPiwlEKg 

Thursday, June 3, 2021

Numenor/Colossal Darkness/2021 Full Length Re-Issue Review

 


  Numenor  are  a  band  from  Serbia  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  epic  mixture  of  black  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Colossal  Darkness"  which  was  re-issued  in  2021  by  Elevate.


  A  classical  music  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  symphonic  elements  are  als  mixed  in  with  the  heavy  sections  of  the  songs.  Grim  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.


  Power  metal  style  vocals  are  also  utilized  on  a  couple  of  songs  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  true  to  a  classic  and  traditional  style  of  metal  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  on  a  few  tracks.


  When  the  music  finally  speeds  up  on  a  couple  of  tracks  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  whispered  spoken  word  parts  and  the  album  closes  with  some  Iron  Maiden  and  Rainbow  covers.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Fantasy,  Literature  and  the  writings  of J.R.R  Tolkien.


  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Numenor  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  epic  and  symphonic  black  and  power  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Eternal  Champion"  "The  Alchemist"  "While  the  Gods  laugh"  and  "Stargazer".  8  out  of  10.


https://www.facebook.com/N%C3%BAmenor-130231620372144/   


    


    

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Sylvatica/Ashes And Snow/Satanath Records/Pest Records/2021 CD Review

 


  Sylvatica  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death,  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Ashes  And  Snow"  which  was  released  as  a  join  effort  between  Satanath  and  Pest  Records.


  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  stringed  instruments  and  symphonic  elements  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.


  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  folk  music  elements.


  Clean  pagan  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a  later  track  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  misanthropy,  science,  mythology,  cosmology  and  apocalyptic  themes.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Sylvatica  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  death,  pagan  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ashes  And  Snow"  "Cosmic  Strings"  and  "Halls  Of  Extinction".  8  out  of  10.


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