Dead Bronco Interview

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


We were supposed to have a full European tour this summer and a US/Canada tour in the fall but COVID-19 destroyed all plans, so we had to postpone our Euro tour for the summer of 2021 and we are still rescheduling our North American tour since their out break occurred later than ours so we'll see when that can happen. On a positive note, I was able to take advantage of the lock down and wrote a bunch of new material for our up coming album due in 2021, which I'm very excited to get into the studio and get that going.


2.In 2020 you have released 2 albums, musically how do they differ from the stuff you have released in the past?


Dead Bronco started off as a cow punk band but since the beginning we've had numerous changes in the line up due to our tendency to tour heavily. Many people can't handle the life style of long periods of time away from home with out much of a benefit. Every time I had to bring in a new member the music would change, obviously because of the influence each one would bring to the table. I always saw DB as an aggressive dark band even if we did play country, but once we released our third album “Bedridden & Hellbound” I saw that the music we were making was very cheerful and that wasn't what I was trying to go for, so I decided to reconstruct everything and form an entirely new line up which came with “Driven By Frustration”. I was very happy with the result of the album but I was very disappointed with my band members. They were in it for the wrong reasons, thinking they would make a lot of money or get famous. They would make outrageous demands that basically bankrupted the band, that formation almost destroyed my dream and my band which I worked so hard to create. Again, I decided to throw them all to the curb and remake the band with straight up friends and create what ever came out naturally. THE ANNUNCIATION was planned as my final farewell album but I enjoyed touring and creating with these guys that I've decided to keep it going. I've upset a lot of country rockabilly people with the change, I've been threatened at shows and have had things thrown at me on stage and one dude tried to fight me calling me a “traitor”. Luckily I've lost all those closed minded finds and have made new ones in a totally different scene. I'm a lot happier now where I'm at with my music and can't wait to see where it takes me.


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


I guess you can say my lyrics are a bit darker and more violent now but they kind of have always been that way. I come from Florida from a very religious, right winged house hold where I grew up with domestic violence and the guilt of sin bestowed on everything I thought or did. I write a lot about my past and what my stepfather used to do to us and how it still affects me. Doesn't matter if the music is happy or dark sounding, I sing about my demons. I've seen how my writing has evolved over the years and I have lyrics that are better than others but I do see that what I write now is way more coherent than what I've written in previous albums. Practice makes perfect.


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


When I first arrived to the Basque Country I saw a few guys playing Johnny Cash outside of a bar and I asked them if I could play as well. They were called “Mis Amigos Me Llaman Bronco” (my friends call me Bronco), they said yes so we started playing in front of all the bars in town for free beer. The band started to gain recognition around town and I wanted to start something more serious but the singer of the band seemed like he wanted to do his cover songs forever, so I decided to go my own way and take those who were willing to make original music. Pretty much all the good members of the band decided to join me so after that the Broncos died and that is why I named the band Dead Bronco because I killed the band.


5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork on the newer album covers?


We worked with the Russian artist Trofimova Alina Sergeyevna who had done the art work for “ Death Roots Syndicate” out in Texas which we were featured in a few times and they were a label that promoted dark country artists and I really liked her work. I wanted to get a rootsy feel keeping true to our folk base but leaning towards a black metal cover. I think she did a great job mixing the two textures together.


6.The band has members in both the United States and Spain, how does this work out in the recording process?


I'm actually the only one from the US. I've been based out in Spain since 2008 and have been working with Spanish musicians ever since.


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?


We've played our share of concerts over the years but I think the most memorable one was at Sziget Fest in Budapest where there were thousands of people but I think my favorite show was Tsunami Fest 2018 when we played with Bad Religion and Prodigy, the energy of the crowd was intense. I would say our stage performance is very high energy with a lot of attitude. I like to give a show that I myself would enjoy seeing and I'm very big fan of mosh pits and walls of death even though I'm trying very hard to not injure myself anymore. I've had a few accidents where I fell off the stage a few years back and broke my arm and wrist which is still giving me problems till this day.


8.The new albums where released on Sun & Moon Records, how would you compare working with this label to other labels you where a part of the past?


We've always self-released our albums except two which were released with Roots Union Records out in Nashville Tennessee but there's no comparison with Sun & Moon Records. They give complete artist freedom to create what the band wants and believes and our music is finally available world wide and reaching another type of audience which would have been more difficult to get to with out their help. I'm very happy to be part of the family.


9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your new recordings by fans of underground music?


We are receiving a very positive reaction. The change was a slow process and as I mentioned before we lost a lot of our fan base but gained a totally new one. Our shows are filling up with new faces and open minded people. We've also been receiving good reviews by music critics so I think over all its been good and I can't wait to finally get back on the road and show everyone what we do.


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

The future is so unclear but we do have a contract with Sun & Moon for two more albums and I will always make music as long as I am alive, it's my reason of being.


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


I listen to a lot of different types of music but I guess the bands that have most influenced me in these last two albums have been “Those Poor Bastards”, “King Dude”, and “Capricorns”.

I love all types of music from classical, country, black metal, to cumbia. I often listen to Pergolesi and Vivaldi to start the day. I'm very big into Bethlahem, Scour, Silencer, and then I'll change it up and go to NoFx, Union 13. But I was just listening to Death in June as I was writing this.


12.What are some of your non musical interests?


Surfing is basically the only thing other than music that keeps me sane and makes living life a bit more easy. Being from Florida I was born and raised on or in the water, so I need to be by the ocean to feel that I'm ok. I also enjoy cutting hair very much, I've been doing it since I was 15, even though I haven't done it in a while.


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


I would like to thank all those who have supported us through all the changes and ups and downs in the band and I would also like to welcome the new listeners to the family. If it wasn't for you all we wouldn't be where we are and doing what we do. Thank you!

Website: https://www.deadbronco.com

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

Bandcamp: https://deadbronco1.bandcamp.com

Irhagar/Sutra/2020 Full Length Review

  Irhagar  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental,  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Sutra".

  Amp  style  drones  start  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  at  times.  High  pitched  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  at  times  along  with  the  slow  yet  heavy  riffing  bringing  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

 A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Synths  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  capturing  an  amprov  atmosphere  at  times  as  well  as  most  of  the  music  also  being  instrumental,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  atmospheric  sounding  drones  can  also  be  heard,'.

   Irhagar  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  metal,  drone  and  experimental  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark

  In  my  opinion  Irhagar  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  drone  and  experimental  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  8  out  of  10.

https://irhagar.bandcamp.com/releases   

Dead Bronco/The Annunciation/Sun & Moon Records/2020 CD Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  U.S.A/Spain's  Dead  Bronco  which  continues  their  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  punk,  goth  rock,  rockabilly,  country,  Americana  and  folk  music  and  the  album  will  be  released  in  July  by  Sun  &  Moon  Records  and  called  "The  Annunciation".

Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  and  also  brings  elements  of  folk,  country,  and  American  onto  the  recording.  The  vocals  are  done  in  mostly  a  clean  style  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  goth  rock  and  rockabilly  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  keyboards  and  grim  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Some  of t he  heavier  riffs  also  capture  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  At  times  the  music  also  brings  in  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  guitar  solos  and  leads

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  psychedelic  rock  touches  onto  the  album  as  well a s  the  music  also  being  more  aggressive  than  the  previous  recording  reviewed  on  one  the  closing  track  the  music  also  speeds  up  and  also  adds  in some  tremolo  picking,  blast beats and  demonic  growls.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive,  satanism,  country  life  and  religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dead  Bronco  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  metal,  punk,  goth  rock,  rockabilly,  country,  Americana  and  folk  music,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Church  of  The  Endless  Road"  "Do  Us  Part"  "Suicide  Is  All  I  Think  Of"  and  "The  Annunciation".  8  out  of  10.

Website: https://www.deadbronco.com

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

Bandcamp: https://deadbronco1.bandcamp.com

      

Dead Bronco/Driven By Frustration/Sun & Moon Records/2020 CD Review

  Dead  Bronco  are  an  international  band  with  members  from  U.S.A  and  Spain   that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  punk,  goth,  Americana,  folk,  world  and  country  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Driven  By  Frustration"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Sun  &  Moon  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  and  also  introduce  elements  of  folk,  country  and  Americana  onto  the  recording  while  the  slow  and  heavy  riffs  also  add  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal.   The  clean  vocals  also  add  in  touches  of  goth  rock  and  rockabilly  as  well a s  the  mid  tempo  sections  showing  some  punk  rock  influences.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  at  times  touches  of  blues  rock  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  steel  guitars,  folk  instruments  are  also  added  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  captures  the  darkness  of  black  metal

  Dead  Bronco  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  metal,  punk,  goth  rock,  rockabilly,  country,  Americana  and  folk  music  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  that  is  very  original  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive  and  country  live  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dead  Bronco  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  punk,  goth  rock,  rockabilly,  country,  Americana  and  folk  music  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something t hat  is  very  original  sounding ,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Death  of  An  Appalachian/Scumbag"  "Driven  by  Frustration"  "Lord  Call  Me  Home"  and  "Funeral  Inhabited".  8  out  of  10.

Website: https://www.deadbronco.com

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

Bandcamp: https://deadbronco1.bandcamp.com

 

    

N + [BOLT]/Play 15 Amps/Midira Records/2020 Full Length Review

  Germany's  N+  and  [BOLT]  team  up  once  again to  create  a  recording  that  mixes  experimental,  ambient,  improv,  black,  sludge,  doom  metal  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  collaboration  album  "Play  15  Amps"  which  was  released  by  Midira  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  synths  are  utilized  they  also  bring  elements  of  ambient  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  added  into  the  background  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  As  the  album  progresses  the  music  also  starts  getting  more  diverse  sounding  while  guitar  orientated  drones  are  also  utilized  at  times.  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  instrumentals  along  with  the  guitar  sounds  also  mixing  in  elements  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  into  the  heavier  sections  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  repetitive  moments,  stringed  instruments  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  the  re-mix  track  also  shows  more  of  an  avant  garde  side. 

  On  this  recording  N+  and  [BOLT]  team  up  and  create  a  recording  that  mostly  focuses  on  the  experimental,  ambient  and  drone  side  of  the  spectrum  as  well  as  having  some  touches  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  also  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  N+  and  [BOLT]  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental,  ambient,  improv,  black,  sludge,  doom  metal  and  drone.  you  should  check  out  this  collaboration.   

https://wearebolt.bandcamp.com/album/play-15-amps

Lucynine Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
 Hi! Sure. I've always been a hungry listener of any genre and also as a musician and composer I've never been able to follow a single line, even if I've always been attracted by what's obscure and violent. So, after playing in many bands, I decided to put on a solo project as a multi-instrumentalist and composer that would have allowed me to work in total self-sufficiency (I'm always on the move, so it's hard for me to keep on a proper band). There comes Lucynine.

2.You have your first full length coming out towards the end of July, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
 I'd say it's more sincere. It's not angry and dark because the genre wants to, but because this record tells true stories, with the right mood.

3.From 2013 to 2020 there was no music being released, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
 Well, no music has been released under the monicker Lucynine, but I worked on various projects with my own name. Most of all I worked on two short movies: “Block E, 4th Floor” (script, direction, music, everything apart the acting voice) and “Engine of Time” (only audio and soundtrack).

4.The lyrics on the new recording are a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting?
 “Amor Venenat” means “Love Envenoms” in Latin. I started working on this record after I lost my husband for a cancer in 2018. We've been together for 11 years and I fell into depression and felt the need of throwing a lot of shit out of me. This album was very therapeutic in that sense... I never had an easy relationship with love sphere: born homosexual in a strict Catholic family, affairs with men much older than me, not always easy to manage, then the loss of the one I had chosen to share my life with... So I really needed to shout out a lof of regret and pain. And the concept the album is built around is a sort of portrait of me. Well, a kind of portrait of me in that very moment.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Lucynine'?
 The first half of the monicker Lucynine comes both from Lucifer both from the famous song by The Beatles “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” since a psychedelic component has always been relevant in my music. Number nine is both a magical number by itself, both a “six” upside down, to remind to the Number of the Beast. It's rock'n'roll, isn't it?

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
 It's meant to include more concepts in the same picture: pain (the rope), sex/love (the man naked), but also the caducity of old age, religion (the red light reminds of vestments of a catholic cardinal). All these concepts are related to each other in the album.

7.You work mostly as a solo artist, would you be open to expanding into a full line up on future releases?
 I don't think so. I could think of a band for a live situation or many featured artists on next releases, but not a band.

8.You also have a few quests on the new album, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording?
 Sure! They all are famous actors and dubbers here in Italy (Dario Penne, for example is the Italian voice of Anthony Hopkins, Michael Caine, Tommy Lee Jones, Christopher Lloyd and many others). You see, I'm very bound to theatre, I work as a stage photographer, I collaborate with actors in many ways and most of my friends are actors too, so, since I wrote things that were meant to be spoken and not sung, I thought the best actors I knew would have been the best choice for those verses to be played.
I know that contributions could be a limitation for not Italian speaking people, but I hope their curiosity will win on this and push them to search for the meaning or... just listening to the whole album enjoying it.

9.Earlier this year you also released an ep tribute to 'Titor', what was the decision behind the tribute?
 It all started as a quarantine joke and ended in a serious double single. Titor have been both dear friends of mine, both one of my favourite hardcore punk bands ever. So it came out quite naturally.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of experimental, avant garde and extreme metal?
 I still have to understand it, because my 2013 EP didn't have much promotion, so “Amor Venenat” is the first time I have a serious promoting agency, a serious label, etc. Let's see what happens. I really can say I did all the best I could do.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future/
 I'm really insecure so I never expect too much and try to enjoy everything good happens to me. So I can't make predictions. What I really really dream is to be called for a movie soundtrack.

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/
 I listen to many different genres, from classical music to jazz, from trip hop to crust punk, so it could turn into a very long reply ahahah! What I can say is that The Beatles changed my life when I was a child, Iron Maiden changed it again when I was 11, Devin Townsend when I was 16, Meshuggah when I was 18, Portishead when I was 20, and so on. In my shelves you can find from Rachmaninoff to Dark Funeral, from David Bowie to Gorillaz. These days I'm really into Bandcamp and looking for unknown good bands that do amazing things with nearly no budget. Maybe today you can discover better things from little labels or DIY scenery than among big majors. Well, maybe not only today!

13.What are some of your non musical interests?
 Literature, art, cinema, all that involves expression. I myself am a photographer and videomaker, so my different jobs in music and creativity really overlap with my interests. And it's a huge privilege today.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for the time you spent with me and for your interest in what I do. I wish people will enjoy my music and find out what's behind it and maybe... pieces of real life that deserve thoughts and meditation.

www.lucynine.com
www.facebook.com/lucynine
www.instagram.com/lucynine.official
https://lucynine.bandcamp.com

Lucynine/Amor Venenat/Inverse Records/2020 CD Review

 Lucynine  is  a  solo  project  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge,  doom  metal, punk,  crust,  hardcore,  darkwave  and  experimental  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "Amor  Venenat"  which  will  be released  in  July by  Inverse  Records.

   Music  and  spoken  word  samples start off  the  album  before  going  into  a   very  fast  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.Vocals  are  mostly grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Keyboards  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.

   All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  some  tracks  also  bring  in  clean  singing  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  elements  of  post  rock  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  noisy  style  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Spoken  word  parts  also  make  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  experimental  moments  and  some  tracks  show  an  influence  of  darkwave.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  touches  of  post  punk,  crust  and  hardcore  and  all  of  the  tracks  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other,  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  psychedelic  and  blues  rock  elements  can  also  be heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  darkest  and  most  negative  sides  of  love.

  In  my  opinion  Lucynine  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,punk,  crust,  hardcore,  darkwave  and  experimental,  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "-Nine  Eleven"  "Things  I'll  Never  Know"  "White  Roses"  and  "Everyone  O  Lovedis  Dead". 8out  of  10.

www.lucynine.com
www.facebook.com/lucynine
www.instagram.com/lucynine.official
https://lucynine.bandcamp.com 

https://youtu.be/wfrVLjBgs4g

Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbiegi/Berliner Vulkan/Devoted Art Propaganda/2020 Full Length Review

    Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbiegi  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording moves  away  from  their  metal  roots  and  goes  into  more  of  an  80's  era  new  wave  and  post  punk  direction and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Berliner  Vulkan"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Devoted  Art  Propaganda.

  Electronic  music  sounds  and  synths  start  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed.  Goth  style  clean  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  some  elements  of  80's  era  synth  pop.

  The  music  also  avoids  the  use  of  electric  guitars,  black  metal  elements  and  heavier  riffs  that  where  a  part  of  their  earlier  recordings.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  post  punk  influences  as  well  as  some  touches  of  industrial  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  On  this  Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbiegi   moves  away  from  the  metal  influences  of  pat  albums  and  goes  into  more  of  a  mixture  of  new  wave,  post  rock  and  electronic  music.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbiegi and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  post  punk,  new  wave  and  electronic  music,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I"  and  "IV".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp             

Creature/Ex Cathedra/I, Voidhanger Records/2020 CD Review

  Creature  are  a  solo  project  from  France  that  plays  a  very  progressive,  symphonic  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "Ex  Cathedra"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Avant  garde  style  keyboards  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  and  progressive  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  symphonic  and  classical  music  elements.

  Blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  very  aggressive  sounding black  metal  screams  along  with  a  few  deep  death  metal  growls.  Horns  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  more  brutal  parts  of  the  music  at  times  as  well  as  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  which  they  also  mix  in  with  a  more  modern  style.  Operatic  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them. 

 One  of  the  later  songs  is  also  an  instrumental  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  some  dissonant  structures.  Elements  of  60's  to  80's  French  pop  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  violins,  acoustic  gutiars  and  hip  hop  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  French  and  and  cover  poetic,  metaphysical  and  occult  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Creature  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive,  avant  garde  and  symphonic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fugue  en  Sol  Mineur"  "Note  Anticosmique"  and  "Ethemellement".  8  out  of  10.

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Koneic Pola/trop/Devoted Art Propaganda/2020 CD Review

  Koneic  Pola  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental,  avant  garde  black  metal  and  post  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "trop"  which  will  be  released  on  April  27th  by  Devoted  Art  Propaganda.

  Avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  tribal  style  percussion  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  spoken  word  parts  give  the  recording  more  of a  ritualistic  feeling.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  some  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  along  with  some  tracks  adding  in  violins  and  clarinets.

  Heavy  riffing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  album  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  and  elements  of  folk  and  post  rock  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  distorted  yet  melodic  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard,  the  closing  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  dream  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Koneic  Pola  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  experimental,  folk,  avant  garde  black  metal  and  post  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Trzeci"  and  "Szosty".  8  out  of  10.

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Baron SAMEDI/The Priest Devar/Nailed Nazarene Industries/2020 Full Length Review

  Russia's  solo  project  Baron  SAMEDI  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  an  experimental  mixture  of  black  and  dark  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "The  Priest  Devar"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Nailed  Nazarene  Industries.

  Programmed  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  industrial  elements  and  demonic  growls  a  few  seconds  later.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  while  the  keyboards  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  gothic  touch  as  well  as  some  melodic  singing  also  being  used  at  times.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  some  blackened  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences.

  One  track  also  introduces  Gregorian  chants  onto  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  experimental  at  times.  All  of  the  tracks  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  mostly  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  fast  playing  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  death  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Baron  SAMEDI  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  black,  doom  and  dark  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Aryan  Golem"  "Rage"  "Kammala"  and  "Mass  Graves".  8  out  of  10.

https://nailednazareneindustries.bandcamp.com/album/the-priest-devar  

Feed Them Death Interview

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

 The album was recorded back in May 2019 and was originally supposed to be released at the end of last year with 2 different labels, however I felt that the new musical direction of the project would have been better suited to I,Voidhanger. The label and I agreed to change a few things with regards to both the mastering and the graphics to make sure we would emphasize the avant-garde nature of this particular album. I have also been working on the new material for album number three, and I should be able to hit the recording studio by summer. Other than that, I have been working with a few local musicians in London to bring the project live with the release of the new album.



2. In April you have a new album coming out, musically how does it differ from your previous release?

I still very much like the first album, and I am proud of what was achieved there. It has memorable tracks, a good flow and some quirks, however I think that I had been perhaps a bit timid with innovation, and although the album presents very interesting ideas, to a distracted ear it might sound slightly derivative and a bit too homogenously death-grind.

Same thing is valid for the lyrics: much of the inspiration for the first album came from “one-dimensional man” by Marcuse, however I did not make it obvious and in hindsight that was something that I wanted to rectify, as I think it adds value when an extreme metal band has got something more to say than just talk about blood and demons.

The new album is a lot more experimental: it has a lot of layers yet it somehow manages to maintain a good flow.

Production is also different, as this time I focused more on mixing low and hi-fi to achieve a rougher type of sound, however maintaining a good punch.



3. The music on the new album also has some black and sludge metal elements while still being heavily rooted in grindcore and death metal, what was the decision behind going into a slightly different musical direction with the new release?

I started composing material for “Panopticism” before the first album got released, so was unaware and uninterested about the feedback, and just followed my instinct and eagerness to try and merge and combine different styles of extreme music whilst at the same time maintaining a recognizable death-grind root. I ended up including a lot of elements from other extreme subgenres such as sludge, harsh noise, drone, black metal, and that was also facilitated by the fact that I had the chance to involve other musicians in the new album: Ays Kura from Die Kur plays the theremin in one song, and Davide Destro from drone and noise projects such as LaColpa and Macabro Dio collaborated on another track. I was also interested in expanding on the concept of reference music, as attempted already with another project I had made some noise with (Rising Bear Flottilla), and included a number of samples and outtakes from both decontextualized and “metal specific” sources to use as foundation for new compositions.



4. The lyrics on the new album are also inspired by the writings of Michael Foucalt, can you tell is a little bit more about your interest in his work?

As mentioned, the first album was also inspired by the writings of another eminent social theorist such as Marcuse, however I felt that I did not make it clear enough. When I started reading “Madness and Civilization” I realized that both the subject matter and overall flow of the writing would have made a good base to explore the theme of the imposed isolation of the outcasts in our society. I knew that this album would have been musically different from most things released before, so I was particularly keen to explore the connection – and difference - between the inability of belonging seen as sentient choice of dissent versus the way diversity was used to justify labeling a vast spectrum of our civilization as madmen. The connection with the concept of Panopticism came after when I started reading “discipline and punish”, and found an obvious correlation between madness and social exclusion, especially in a day and age where surveillance technology is made available for all to misuse.



5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Feed Them Death'?

Feed Them Death has a lot of meanings for me: literally, for the fact that it refers to the act of feeding and eating, it links this project back to my old band Antropofagus which I founded back in ‘96. I like the “them” element of the name, as it creates a barrier of sort between the feeder and those being fed. As with the inspiration, believe it or not it comes from Bad Religion lyrics: they have been for years one of my favorite bands, and I particularly like the idea of “borrowing” from an unconventional source for a death-grind project, as opposed to the usual death metal vocabulary.



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

When I started talking about the overall concept with Guglielmo Rossi and Bandiera, who ended up being in charge for creating the artwork, they loved the idea and so we started brainstorming. I knew I wanted something different from the usual death metal art covers or grindcore collage of sort, both thematically but also from a colour palette point of view. So they proposed that we took a different angle and created this obsessive and kaleidoscopic grid of intersecting gazes, many overexposed and blurry, to convey the uneasiness of being constantly observed and under scrutiny. I think it gels well with the wider musical purpose of the release, which was and is creating something new by borrowing from different and seemingly unrelated sources. There are a lot of incredible visual elements on all touch points of the A5 digipack CD edition, as we really wanted to focus on creating something worth owning.



7. With this musical project you record everything by yourself but also have experience working with other musicians, how would you compare the two?

I don’t dislike working with other musicians, but I admit that I prefer doing things on my own, at least for the most part. I enjoy and value the chemistry between two or three likeminded individuals at work on the same project, and that’s the reason I will always want to involve other friends and musicians to participate to a Feed Them Death release - but for this particular project I felt I knew exactly where it was coming from, where it is and where it’s heading to. It is a vision difficult to translate and I don’t want to make it rigid by stating too much as Feed Them Death, being my main creative outlet, is like me and like all things transient in a constant state of flux.





8. The new album is coming out on 'I, Voidhanger Records', how would you compare working with this label to your previous label 'Exalted Woe Records'?

First off, I have always been a huge fan of I,Voidhanger: they have released for years on consistently stunning releases,  and have a very unique and identifiable vision which somehow permeates albums they have put out and came from very different regions of extreme music, and that to me is sign of a great label with a strong identity. So I am immensely proud of working with them now: I love that they are very interested in everything their artists do, they take a great deal of pride in everything they do and are always happy to contribute with ideas.

As with my first album, it was co-released by Grimmdistribution and Exalted Woe, and the fact that now I am working with only one label is already a big change in itself. I enjoyed working with the other two labels on the release of the first album and I am glad they saw some potential in me and gave the project a chance to be heard, however as I saw “Panopticism” shaping up they way it did (so a lot more experimental than the previous release on all levels), I knew that I needed a different type of direction and alliance for the new phase of the project.



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

The first album received generally very enthusiastic responses by the metal community worldwide. As said, I am well aware that it was a good album - fast yet somehow groovy, and it has been well received and praised by fans of first Brutal Truth, Terrorizer and the likes. “Panopticism” is a very different type of album, and perhaps less aimed specifically at one prototype of listener: there is a lot more going on in this record compared to the first album, yet despite it being heterogeneous, it also shows where its coming from by being indisputably grindcore on most parts. I was aware that it’s a different listening experience and not something quite as straightforward as before, so I am happy to see that the feedback received so far has been very good.



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

Feed Them Death is my main project and something that is increasingly absorbing a great deal of time and energies. As with the other projects, Rising Bear Flottilla was something I kind of feel I evoked with other people when the stars aligned, and I am unable to commit as to whether and when there might be a second phase with that. Bune, my sludge / doom project with Christian Montagna (editor of Sons of Flies Websize) was born to be completely free and in symbiosis with what we felt was and is the real nature of our creative spirits: we write music when we feel like it and we record music when we can and want, so again its free flow and would not make this project justice if I committed to a new release within a certain timeframe. Recently, I joined forces with other musicians in the London metal scene (members from various bands like Binge Drinker and Crom-Dubh) and will be vocalist in a gore-grind project called Nganga – we should start playing a few gigs and have some recordings done soon.



11. Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

On to the big unknown, which is about the same place as I see myself heading to as a human being, and I say this implying even a positive connotation of sort: I don’t want to know precisely where I am heading to, as that would prevent me from exploring other roads and possibilities and therefore I wont want to try and define my trajectory as musician. At the moment, I am attracted by minimalistic noise of sort, so who knows that that might be one of the possible roads I will want to take in the future.



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?

I have very eclectic music tastes, as generally have a strong distaste for a very vast spectrum of what could be traditionally defined as metal music, however I like to listen to a lot of other genres like Hardcore Punk, Electronic music, Doom, Drone, Noise etc. Of course I have a special relationship with Grindcore, but I am also picky and tend to dismiss quickly something that is too derivative and not enough inventive or daring: mid to late Brutal Truth and late Discordance Axis are great examples of bands I could listen to everyday.



13. What are some of your non musical interests?

Reading was and will always be an important thing in my life, mostly poetry and non-fiction as I find I have gradually rejected “entertainment” writing such as fiction. With all other “arts” I tend to have more of an on-and-off relationship: for example, I like visual arts, be it paintings or cinema or theatre, but am extremely picky and often abruptly and actively uninterested for long periods of time.



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

The subtitle of the new album is “Belong / Be Lost” as I wanted to make the point that in our society those who don’t fit in are lost, but also that if you force yourself to belong then you lose your individuality. I think its important to make a distinction between isolation by design, so imposed by someone or something else, and isolation by choice so as a way to pursuing free thinking. My music is aimed at those who don’t belong and won’t conform.

Thanks for your time and for asking me interesting questions.

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Feed Them Death/Panopticism:Belong/Be Lost/I, Voidhanger Records/2020 Full Length Review

  Feed  Them  Death  is  a  solo  project  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  experimental,  noise  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "Panopticism:  Belong/Be  Lost"which  will  be  released  in  April  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  grindcore  elements  and  the  riffs  also add  in  a  small  amounts  of  melody.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  short  in  length  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  great  amount  of  guitar  amp  distortion  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  elements  of  sludge  metal.

  Experimental  and  avant  garde  sounds  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  Touches  of  drone  and  harsh  noise  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  parts  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  stringed  instruments,  female  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  before  returning  back  to  a  more  brutal  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  inspired  by  "Discipline  And  Punish"  and  "Madness  And  Civilization"  by  philosopher  and  social  theorist  Michael  Foucault.

  In  my  opinion  Feed  Them  Death  is  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  experimental,  noise  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Zoneless  Confinement"  "For  Our  Insolent  Dead"  "Black  Blue  Bahquet"  and  "Dead  Is  Better".  8 out  of  10.

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Baron SAMEDI/11/Maaninen Henki Records/2019 EP Review

  Baron  SAMEDI  are  a  solo  project  from  Russia  that  has  recently  been  featured  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  ambient,  experimental,  drone  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  ep  "11"  which  was  released  by  Maaninen  Henki  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  field  recordings  start  off  the  ep  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Voices  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  noise  elements  and  ambient  sounds  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  The  music  also  gets  very  experimental  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  capturing  a  very  ritualistic  and  demonic  atmosphere.  Both  of  the  tracks  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other  while  the  second  song  goes  into  more  of  an  atmospheric  drone  style  as  well  as  having  some  diversity

  On  this  recording  Baron  SAMEDI  takes  noise,  experimental,  ambient  and  drone  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  that  is  very  different  from  the  previous  album  reviewed  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Baron  SAMEDI  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ambient,  drone,  experimental  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Dead  Calm  Kab".  8  out  of  10.

https://mhrecords.bandcamp.com/album/11

Psalm Zero/Sparta/Last Things Records/2020 Full Length Review

  Psalm  Zero  are  a  duo  from  New  York  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  moves  way  from  the  black  and  death  metal  influences  of  previous  releases  while  keeping  the  experimental  and  industrial  elements  which  they  mix  in  with  doom  metal,  goth  and  indie  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Sparta"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Lat  Things  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clean  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

  Synths  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  music  also  brings  in  touches  of  gothic  and  indie  rock  at  times.  The  programmed  drum  beats  also  give  the  songs  more  of  an  industrial  feeling  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  more  mid  tempo  sections  as  the  album  progresses,  operatic  vocals  are  also  added  on  a  later  track  and  they  also  bring  in  an  acoustic  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  emotional,  personal,  political  and  social  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Psalm  Zero  and  while  some  fans  of  the  older  material  might  not  like  that  they  moved  away  from  the  death  and  black  metal  elements  of  previous  releases,  I  can  see  this  album  finding  a  crowd  among  fans  of  experimental,  goth,  indie  rock  and  doom  metal.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Open  Wound"  "Return  To  Stone"  and  "A  Pill".  8  out  of  10.

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Bogwych/On The Wind Is All That Is Left/Trepanation Recordings/2020 Full Length Review

  Bogwych  is  a  solo  project  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental,  drone,  dark  ambient  blackgaze  and  doom  metal and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "On  The  Wind  Is  All  that  Is Left"  which  will  be  released  on  January  31st  by  Trepanation  Recordings.

  A  few  seconds  of  silence  starts  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  atmospheric  sounding  drones  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  noise  and  experimental  elements  as  well  as  the  recording  also  capturing  an  improv  atmosphere  at  times.

  The  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  some  drums  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.  Spoken  word  parts,  whispers  and  grim  black  metal  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  album  while  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  Dark  ambient  soundscapes  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  bass guitars  also  being  utilized  briefly  along  with  some  touches  of  shoegaze  also  being  utilized  when  clean  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording.  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  riffing  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Bofwych  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  experimental,  drone,  dark  ambient  blackgaze  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  8  out  of  10.

https://bogwych.bandcamp.com/album/on-the-wind-is-all-that-is-left-only-roots-remain    

(මහසෝනා​)​* /යන්ත්‍ර​.​මන්ත්‍ර​.​ගුරුකම්!/Virvpi Propaganda/2020 Demo Review

 (මහසෝනා​)​*   are  a  band  from  Sri  Lanka  that  plays  a  ritualistic  and  experimental  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  metal  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  demo  "යන්ත්‍ර​.​මන්ත්‍ර​.​ගුරුකම්!"  which  will  be  released  on  January  13th  by  Virvpi  Propaganda.



  Distorted  drones,  experimental  and  avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  track  which  is  also  over  14  minutes  in length.  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  emtal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  track  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  grim  black  metal  screams  and  bestial  death  metal  growls.



  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  ritualistic  sounding  at  times.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  repetitive  sounding  while  also  capturing  an  improvised  atmosphere  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  (මහසෝනා​)​*  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  experimental,  drone,  ritual,  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover t he  occultism and  demonology  and  occultism  of  Sri  Lanka.

  In  my  opinion  (මහසෝනා​)​*  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  and  ritualistic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  metal  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  8  out  of  10.

https://virupimusic.bandcamp.com/album/--2