Hiverlucide/Satan Death Whale/Fiadh Productions/Vita Detestabilis Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Hiverlucide  are  a  duo  from  France  that  consists  of  members  from  Non  Serviam  and  plays  a mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Satan  Death  Whale"  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Fiadh  Productions  and  Vita  Detestabilis  Records.

  Ambient  style  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  keyboards  and  power  electronics  a  few  seconds  later.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  power  electronics,  loops  and  harsh  noises,  whale  chants  and  field  recordings  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  Guitar  amp  sounds  and  heavy  riffing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  decent  amount  of  black  metal  and  death  industrial   elements  along  with  each  song  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Hiverlucide  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  harsh  noise,  death  industrial,  ambient,  drone  and  experimental  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Hiverlucide  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Satan".  8  out  of  10.

  Hiverlucide    

The Canyon Observer/Figura/Vox Project/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Slovenia's  The  Canyon  Observer  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,  avant  garde,  drone,  harsh  noise,  free  jazz,  mathcore  and  contemporary  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Figura" which  was  released  by  Vox  Project.  

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  shows  an  influence  of  free  jazz.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts,   saxophones  and  cellos  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs.

  Element s of  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  can  be  heard  in  5the  slower  and  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  At  time s the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  sounding  along  with  the  riffs  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  one  song  also  introduces  black  metal  screams  and  growls  onto  the  recording.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Harsh noises  and  drones  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  production  also  sounds  very  dark.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Canyon  Observer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  f  black,  sludge,  doom  metal,  avant  garde,  drone,  harsh  noise,  free  jazz,  mathcore  and  contemporary  music,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Koza"  and  "Kriz".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.voxproject.fr/album/figura       

Rise Of The Stateless Wolf/Year Of The Snake/Italian Extreme Underground/2022 EP Review

 

  Rise  Of  The  Stateless  Wolf  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black, death,  sludge  metal  and  crust  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  202  ep  "Year  Of  The  Snake"  which  was  released  by  Italian  Extreme  Underground.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  apocalyptic  sounding  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Elements  of  doom  and  sludge  metal  can  also be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also b e  heard  briefly  while t he  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  crust  and  d  beat.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  experimental  moments,  one  of  the  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental  and  clean  playing  can  also b e  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  journey  through  the  desert  of  the  modern  man.

  In  my  opinion  Rise  Of  The  Stateless  Wolf  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death,  sludge  metal  and  crust  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Year  Of  The  Snake"  and  "The  Woodsman  And  The  Corn  God  Ritual".  8  out  of  10.

  

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One Leg One Eye/And Take The Black Worm With Me/Nyaah Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

    One  Leg  One  Eye  are  a  solo  project  from  Ireland  that  plays  a  lo-fi  mixture  of  black  metal, e experimental,  drone,  ambient,  folk  and  musique  concrete  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2022  album  "And  Take  The  Black  Worm  With  Me"  which  will  be  released  on  October  27th  by  Nyaah  Records.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ambient  style  synths  and  guitar  orientated  drones  a  few  seconds  later.  High  pitched  black  emtal s creams  can  be  heard  briefly  while  most of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  a  couple  of  tracks also  adds  in  Irish  folk  music  style  clear  vocals.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental,  avant  garde  and  lo-fi  sounding  while  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  harsh  noises.  All  of  the  songs  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  different  sound  to  them  along  with a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  musical  direction.as  well  as  some  folk  instruments  also  being  utilized  at  times   and  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental 

  One  Leg  One  Eye  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  experimental,  drone,  ambient,  folk  and  musique  concrete  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover   light  and  dark  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  One  Leg  one  Eye  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal, e experimental,  ambient,  folk  and  misuque  concrete  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  these  musical genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Glistering  She  Emerges"  and  "Only  The  Diceys".  8  out  of  10.

  https://nyahhrecords.bandcamp.com/     

The Magik Way/Dracula(25 Years Anniversary/My Kingdom Music/2022 Full length Review

 

  Italy's  The  Magik  Way  has  returned  with  a  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of   ambient,  ritual,  experimental,  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Dracula(25  Years  Anniversary)"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  my  Kingdom  Music.

  A  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  keyboards  onto  the  recording  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  darker  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  female  vocals.  

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  ritualistic  sounding  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  horror  movie  soundtrack.  Touches  of  ambient  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  male  vocals  also  adding  in a  mixture  of  clear  singing  and  grim  black  metal  screams  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal  as  well  as  the  spoken  word  parts  also  enhancing  the  occult  side  of  the  music  when  they  are utilized,  melodic  guitar  leads  can  also b e  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  The  Magik  Way  takes  ambient,  ritual,  experimental,  black  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  diverse  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  Bram  Stoker's  "Dracula'.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Magik  Way  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ambient,  ritual,  experimental,  black  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Castel  Dracula"  "Lucy"  and  "Van  Helsing".  8  out  of  10.

  ttp://facebook.com/themagikway

ZeTA Interview

 

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

I started this project in 2008, coincidentally that was the same year I started to believe and become interested in the ufo/alien subject matter. I thought it would be interesting to start some type of alien-themed metal band. This was always a studio project (no band practices or live performances), but over time I realized I was not good enough and stretched myself too thin for the whole “one-man band” approach and brought in other members more proficient in drums, vocals, guitar solos so I can focus solely on rhythm guitars, bass, effects/synth, songwriting/lyrics, etc. I would say that I always wanted this project to have somewhat of a profound and spacey atmosphere that reminds listeners of aliens or ufos. I’ve also read and researched a ton of UFO/Alien cases since, selected the ones that I found the most interesting and believable to write songs based on.

2.In September you have your first full length coming out, musically how does it differ from your previous ep's?

I would say overall the approach was to focus on more atmosphere and melody versus heaviness or brutality. As far as the EP’s go, it was somewhat of a gambled “mad-scientist” type approach in which both EP’s were completely different from each other but equally trying to be unique/original/weird in their own way and just seeing which one succeeds over the other. “Cosmic Realms” was somewhat of a melodic black metal project whereas “Ignotum Anomalia” was more brutal death. Both featured weird guitar effects/undertones. Overrall, as a first efforts I thought Ignotum Anomalia turned out good, Cosmic Realms unfortunately was an experimental failure. Naturally, musicians evolve, and I wanted to combine elements that worked and others that didn’t from my experiences with those past efforts and “consolidate” the overall songwriting and direction into this new album.

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

There were plenty of setbacks and mistakes along the way of writing/recording/finishing this album, which considerably added to the delay. However, at some point after all the modifying, re-recording, ‘fixing’ of every audible detail that you notice with a recording, you come to a point where the final product is “good enough”. That is all that matters in the end as you want to be proud of an album years after its release rather than have second thoughts or regrets after the fact.

4.One of the main inspirations on your music is the 'Metroid' video game series, can you tell us a little bti more about your interest in these games?

I felt that the music and desolate atmosphere of that series truly transports you to a habitable alien world filled with eccentric wildlife and vibrant flora. Musicians sometimes search outside of their respective genres to add elements to make them somewhat unique. I don’t listen to much music outside of metal, but I do have admiration of certain “epic” movie and video game scores usually coming from my childhood. As far as ZeTA goes, I wanted to have certain passages that sounded unearthly or “extraterrestrial”, and I took inspiration from Metroid to try to achieve that.

5.Your main lyrical themes goes into the U.F.O sightings and the government cover up's and the conspiracy theory's involving this topic, can you tell us a little bit more about the time and research you have put into this topic?

Prior to 2008, I never paid any attention (let alone thought they existed) to aliens or ufos and just assumed they were fictional entities no different than vampires, zombies, ghouls, etc. But at some point that year, I randomly viewed a random youtube video (I believe it was a ufo over Mexico city) which sparked some curiosity and one of the comments referenced the disclosure project. I then watched the conference which featured former airline pilots, air traffic controllers, and others that explained what they’ve seen in detail. They all sounded genuine and believable, so I started to truly to dig into more cases through online articles, watching documentaries and reading certain books such as Richard Nolan’s “UFO for the 21st Century Mind”. Some of the most notable ones which made the biggest impressions include Bob Lazar, Fredrick Valentich disappearance (which especially scared the shit out of me at the time), Jesse Long Abduction, Kelly–Hopkinsville encounter, along with more famous cases like Roswell and Rendlesham Forest. I’ve come across a ton of cases and stories throughout the years, and I wouldn’t say that every single one of them could be reasonably deemed true or had any substantial evidence. However, the biggest argument to claim that aliens exist is the fact that there have been so many cases throughout the years, decades, even centuries. The probability that every single encounter and sighting can be explained through conventional or natural phenomenon is unrealistically low. However, I never truly tried to convince or “convert” others to believe in aliens or ufos. Anyone can decide themselves if they want to take the time to research the subject and use their own judgement to draw a conclusion, or simply completely ignore it and just assume they do not exist.

6.The band has been around since 2008 but waited until 2017 to release any music, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?

I don’t remember much from the start of the project, but I know I experimented with different effects and guitar/bass tones while trying to forge an “original” identity. At the same time, I did my own amateur recordings and plenty of mistakes and re-recordings were made throughout the years that added to the delays as I was very picky with my own material. In addition, I was in school, had other projects I was involved in, etc. As far as doing all the musical instruments and whatnot, I had to resort to using a drum machine that I honestly could never make it sound decent or anywhere near natural. I give a lot of credit for one-man bands that can pull off everything to their own satisfaction, but I learned in the end it’s not the best approach for me.

7.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'ZeTA'?

Originally the project was called “Zeta Reticuli”, which was named after a binary star system that Bob Lazar claimed that the alien “Greys” originate from. However, I noticed through metal archives that a black metal band from Australia had the same name. I dropped the “Reticuili” to just name it “ZeTA” to avoid confusion, and the logo itself is far cleaner and easier to read now with just that.

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

The cover is essentially inspired by the famous UK UFO encounter, the "Rendlesham Forest incident". The cover specifically depicts the event that Jim Penniston walks up to a black triangular craft hovering over the forest floor, notices "hieroglyphic" type markings and touches one of the symbols. He claimed that he received a "telepathic download" of binary code that he believed was a message. The cover sets the overall tone that the album is mostly trying to express, the mystery and morbid curiosity that we have regarding aliens and UFOs. Different from the typical Hollywood depiction that aliens are up to something sinister and are hostile (if they wanted to destroy us, they would have already). We do not know exactly why they are here and their true intentions, we just know they exist and regularly visit this planet (and likely numerous others) and can only speculate.

9.All of the band members live in different parts of the United States, what impact does this have on the recording process?

There are pluses and minuses with a studio project compared to say a traditional band that practices on a weekly cadence and records all at once on a weekend in a studio. Some advantages are everyone can practice and record their own parts during their own time and not have to be pinned to a schedule. Disadvantages include everyone would have to have decent recording equipment and knowledge to pull it off, and sometimes the classic band creative synergy or ideas can be lost. Luckily, we all were able to communicate effectively whether it be through email or a phone call to discuss certain ideas or revisions and I’m proud of how it all came together in the end.

10.Are any of the band members interested in taking this project to the live stage?

I haven’t discussed it with anyone, but obviously to get everyone onboard would be a challenge due to distance. And just doing a few select shows with the original lineup may or may not ideal considering we wouldn’t have enough time to gel as a live unit which could result in a sloppy live performance. I don’t look too far ahead and currently am just focusing on promoting the album now, but if there is enough future interest, I may consider it.

11.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

There was a record label (which I won’t name) that recently showed interest in a month or so ago. However, he was booked up with new releases for the rest of the year and could only launch this album by this December or possibly January 2023 at the earliest. My original goal was to release this album no later than the third quarter of this year and considering how delayed it already has been, it was best for my personal sanity to continue with an independent release. However, I very much appreciated his interest. Previously I’ve hit up other labels with little to no interest since the 2017 EP releases. I won’t lie to you and say I haven’t taken that personally and used it as motivation to work harder and prove something with this new album.

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

So far, the current premier track “Suspended Colossus” hosted on Metal Vault has recently positive feedback from both those that I’ve known from the Cleveland scene and others I do not know personally who randomly checked it out. But of course, this is only one track whereas the rest of the album is yet to be revealed. Plenty of more work to be done from my side when it comes to promoting this project online, which I was never comfortable and good at selling my own material, but that’s all I can do as this is a studio project with no tours or live performances to help support the LP launch.

13.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?

Dan’s black metal outfit Gravelust released a new album “Passage to the End” last February. Evan’s new Death Metal/Grindcore project Paranoia Apparition released an EP “Phantasmic Visions” from last March. Both great and interesting releases, I suggest you check them out.

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

I have not planned too far ahead in the future. Currently I am just focused on promoting the current album as much as I can for what it’s worth. I’ve written some new material, but I am nowhere near satisfied with it. Nor am I inspired to write or record more to eventually plan for an LP or even an EP release. For quite some time, I had the mindset for this album to be the last piece of music from ZeTA. In essence, this would help me focus on just making the album as good as I can, not looking back at previous releases or diverting attention to writing for the future. I wanted to put maximum effort and grit, like the last Byzantine Emperor “Constantine Palaiologos” fighting until his bitter end against the Turks during the Fall of Constantinople.

15.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 would argue, Swedish melodic black metal of the 90s such as Sacramentum, Dissection, Vinterland, and Dawn is probably the most beautiful and epic music that ever existed and a good amount of riffing on this album was influenced by those bands. Arghoslent was a big influence, as well as Immolation. Contemporary bands such as Aevangelist and Blood Incantation influenced a good amount of the synth additions to the songs. As far as new bands, I was very much impressed by the Earthshine, Dungeon Serpent, VVilderness and Worm(US) releases from last year. Probably my favorite releases thus far this year is from Moonlight Sorcery and Grenadier. Also, I started to understand the buzz that Suffering Hour has been getting after watching them at Maryland Deathfest and being completely mindblown by their performance.

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

For anyone reading, check out the premier track “Suspended Colossus” if you have not already, and if you’re into it, set a calendar reminder for the album release on Bandcamp September 2nd. However, if you’re not into the project, that’s fine as well. I always encourage those into metal to constantly research and check out bands whether it be online scavenging or going to shows featuring either local or international acts. Plenty of bands that can appeal to anyone’s taste out there in the vast and diverse world of metal that just require some effort to discover.

https://ufometal.bandcamp.com/album/binary-enigma

ZeTA/Binary Enigma/2022 Full length Review

 

  ZeTA  are  a  band  from  the  United  States  that  plays  an  experimental  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Binary  Enigma"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

  A  very  dark  sounding  and  sci-fi  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  faster  and  heavier  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  has  its  experimental  moments.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark y et  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  as  well  as a  couple  of  songs also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  synths,  the  music  also  takes  the  melody  of  the  Swedish  bands  and  mixes  it  with  the  brutality  of  the  American  style  and  the  album  closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  documented  UFO  encounters,  aliens,  space  and  distant  civilizations.

  In  my  opinion  ZeTA  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  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  "Suspended  Colossus"  "Cosmic  Embrace"  and  "Weight  Of  Disclosure".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://ufometal.bandcamp.com/album/binary-enigma

https://youtu.be/JwH67uendlE

      

          

Abhorrent Expanse/Gateways To Resplendence/Amalgram Music/Lurker Bias/2022 Full length Review

 

  Abhorrent  Expanse  are  a  band  with  members  from  Minnesota  and  Illinois  that  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  blackened  death,  funeral  doom  metal,  noise,  drone  and  free  jazz  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Gateways  To  Resplendence"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Amalgram  Music  and  Lurker  Bias.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  distorted  sounding  drones  can  also be  heard  at  times.  Elements  of  funeral  doom  metal  can  also be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  giving t he  album  more  of  a  primitive  edge  when  they  are  utilized.

  Harsh  noises  are  also  added  into  the  background  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffing  as  well  as  the  home  made  percussion  also  giving  the  album  more  of  an  avant  garde  feeling  when  they  are  utilized.

  A  lot  of t he  clean  sections  also  show  an  influence  of  free  jazz  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  instrumentals.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  few  songs  also  introducing  organs,  synths  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  album  and  the  production  also  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Abhorrent  Expanse  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  mixture  of  blackened  death,  funeral  doom  metal,  noise,  drone  and  free  jazz  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cloak  Of  Ancients"  "Gateways  To  Resplendence"  "Baleful  Reminders"  and  "Arcturian  Nano  Diamonds  From  The  Tranquil  Abyss".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/abhorrent_expanse

          

Dawnwalker/House Of Sand/Room 132/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Dawnwalker  are  a  band  from  the  united  Kingdom  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  progressive  form  of  post  metal  with  elements  of  folk  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  theri  2022  album  "House  Of  Sand"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Room  132.

  Clear  vocals  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavier  post  metal  style  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  clean  playing.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  acoustic  guitars  also  add  in  touches  of  folk  music  when  they  are  utilized.  Female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  touches  of  indie  rock.

  One  of  the  tracks  is  also  a  cover  of  Elvis  Presley's  "House  Of  Sand"  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  violin's  and  piano's  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  musical  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  darker  side  of  the  human  psyche.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dawnwalker  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  post  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Demon  Of  Noontide"  "Egypt"  "Coming  Forth  By  Day"  and  "House  of  Sand".  8  out  of  10.

  https://dawnwalker.uk 

https://dawnwalker.bandcamp.com 
https://facebook.com/dawnwalkeruk 
https://instagram.com/dawnwalkeruk 

https://twitter.com/dawnwalkeruk   

  

Ashenspire/Hostile Architecture/Aural Music/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Ashenspire  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  avant  garde  and  progressive  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Hostile  Architecture"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Aural  Music.

  Avant  garde  style  pianos  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  and  saxophones  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Shouting  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  are  also  utilized  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  progressive  moment  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  black  and  post  metal  elements.

  Touches  of  jazz  music  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized,  operatic  choirs  and  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  on  later  tracks  the  music  goes  into  more  of  an  experimental  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  contradictions  inherit  in  the  capitalistic  world.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ashenspire  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  and  progressive  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Law  Of  Asbestos"  "How  The  Mighty  Have  Vision"  and  "Cable  Street  Again".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBNY-l3NT9s 

https://ashenspire.bandcamp.com/album/hostile-architecture

Website: ashenspire.official@gmail.com 
Bandcamp: ashenspire.bandcamp.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ashenspire_
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashenspire_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ashenspire

  

Metakosmia Interview

 

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

VASILIS: Hello, we are METAKOSMIA, a metal band from Greece, Athens. The band was created about 2 years ago by two persons -Vasilis Kakafikas and Petros Geromarkakis. The aim was to create music that is both unique and that would represent the concept behind the name of the band: METAKOSMIA.

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

V: Yes. From the very beginning, what we had in mind when creating our debut album -Aperantos Kosmos, was that musically, the medium through which we would let our artistic selves to unfold, would be that of the metal sound for sure. But with no boundaries. 

We knew that we should use lots of keyboards and sounds, combined with a more harsh directions, to the extend of reaching the death and black metal territory. In every step of the process of creating and recording, we would ask ourselves: Ïs this really METAKOSMIA? Does it give to the listener (us for start) this otherwordly sense? Is it truly a METAKOSMIA sound? Does it take you there? If the answer was "no", we would immediately delete and go for a new start. If the answer was "YES!", we then knew we were on the right track and that we should move forward to that same direction.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Greek Philosophy, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

V: We have always been interested in philosophy. We consider ourselves to be philosophers as well. Being a friend with wisdom also has a practical side inside the meaning of the word. Philos - Sophia. It is a way of life, not just an empty idea. In the early years reading Plato about Socrates, and then moving to all the rest of the giants of thought. It has been said that everything you can think or imagine, has already been talked about from one or more of our weirdly smart ancestors. Every culture has its own wisdom. At the same Golden times of Greece (500 BC), Chinese philosophy was also at its greatest peak.

The truths are universal.

4.Lyrically you also go into Science and Mysticism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these paths have evolved over the years?

V: Science becomes more and more obscure with every new step it takes. Especially after the "new" quantum physics evolving, new interesting ideas and realizations like the string theory, the multifaceted universes, the discovery of dark matter and dark energy, science has humbly lowered the head and admitted that knows only 5% of what is out there. And this is a stance that science ought's to maintain. Otherwise it may very easily transform into a totalitarian monster, a godlike Authority like -unfortunately- it tends to have  become in some of its aspects, in the past few years, for example in the medicine field... 

So science, by admitting that knows nothing really, and furthermore reassures that the observer IS the observed, opens again the gates for mysticism to pass through and enter the realm, in all its past glory. Magic is again a reality, not just by the future that technology may imply, but by the role of perseptionin the game and how it shapes reality. An ancient knowledge that gets lost and resurrects through the passing of aeons.

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

V: One of the greatest of all times, Epicurus, following the teachings of Democritus, who further built on the system of his teacher Leucippus, who shaped the atomic theory, figured out between other things, that Gods exist, but have nothing to do with the common image of the gods, that the every day man imagines, or had been led to believe as such. Metakosmia are those relatively empty- of ordinary matter- places, vast voids of almost perfect emptiness between the galaxies. There they live and prosper. They have nothing to do with humans and they don't intervene. They are almost indestructible beings. To us, they look Godly-like. Unfortunately, so little of the works of Epicurus has been saved. But do a favor to yourself and read Lucretius' "De rerum natura". It hides inside

more than one book of Epicurus.

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

V: On the top there is a photo I shot, of a sculpture from the archaeological museum of Peiraius in Greece. It is a scene depicting theurgy, part of the Eleusis mysteries. One can see the symbolic gestures, symbolic hand shapes from the high-priest and the high-priestess while they whisper the mystic language of the ancient mysteries. It is well known that the truths were revealed there by gestures, symbolic images, unknown -to the common listener- words, etc. that "worked" with the subconscious mind of the initiate. 

At the lower side of the cover, one can see the sea. And the endless sky. The logo and the title stand in the middle of the picture, in a way that reminds us and increases the feeling of the enormous size of infinite space... Aperantos Kosmos (World without end - infinite cosmos)

7.On the album you worked as a duo, how do both of your styles different from each other and what impact did it have on the musical style?

V: I would say that Petros was more experienced in ambient music and sounds and more on the black metal aesthetic, while I am into a more death metal and melodic expression of feelings. We both like almost every kind of metal in general as well as everything that sounds inspiring, interesting, innovative etc. 

Having myself participated in various musical projects in the past, I think that METAKOSMIA - Aperantos Kosmos is the best one yet.

8.Currently you are unsigned, have you received any label interest?

V: We are currently in contact with a few labels. There is a great possibility that there is going to be an agreement. We have to be a little patient for the moment. We would to see the album released in double vinyl and cassette tape formats.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of extreme metal and the more experimental and ambient musical genres? 

V: The truth is that from the 2-3 reviews that are on the net and from the 2-3 youtube channels that it has been on, the feedback has so far been very positive. 

People seem to appreciate and understand the concept of the album. Back when we were creating the songs, we wanted the album to be an experience, not just another listen. I believe we have succeeded in this, it is an emotional journey, an initiation almost to another world.

10.With the death of the other member of the project what affect does this have on the future of the musical project?

V: Although the album was ready, it took me about a year after the passing of my good friend and bandmate, to release it. My first thoughts was that, that was it, there was going to be nothing more, after this one album. After some more thought, a few days ago to be honest, I decided that METAKOSMIA are here to stay.

I feel I ought it to Petros too. Alone or with the help of others, METAKOSMIA will continue to be and create unique music in every step. A never-ending journey in a never-ending world...

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?

V: So many bands that one can mention. The classics from the swedish melodic death, like: Dark tranquillity and the gallery, In flames wth the jester race, Edge of sanity etc. Heavy metal bands like Manowar or judas priest. Celtic frost, Arcturus, Pan thy monium, Diana Ankudinova, Babymetal, Dark millenium, Perfect bliss, Terrasound with abstract portrait and more...

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

V: Thank you for this interesting questions and thanks for the nice review of Aperantos Kosmos, I wish you and all your readers, the best.

Bandcamp: https://metakosmia1.bandcamp.com/album/aperantos-kosmos
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBc5TTJs5oxT4YcVjTqD4hw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Hy5rQ3E5SFiF0WqVbTd2o
Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/metakosmia/aperantos-kosmos

Metakosmia/Aperantos Kosmos/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Metakosmia  are  a  duo  from  Greece  that  an  experimental  and  ambient  form  of  symphonic  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Aperantos  Kosmos".

  Ambient  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  elements  of  space  music  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  vocals  being  a  mixture  of  clean  singing  which  also adds  in  an  avant  garde  touch  and  grim  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding.

  The  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  some spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  one  one  song  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  instrumentals. Melodies  are  also added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  death  metal  growls,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  As  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  fast  tremolo  picking   are  also  added  on  the  recording  but  keeping  the  main  focus  on  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  lyrics  cover  Greek  Philosophy,  Space,  Science  and  Mysticism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Metakosmia  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  and  ambient  symphonic  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Entropy"  "Astronomikos  Kanon"  "Tetrapharmakos"  and  "The  Absence  of  Suffering".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp: https://metakosmia1.bandcamp.com/album/aperantos-kosmos
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBc5TTJs5oxT4YcVjTqD4hw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Hy5rQ3E5SFiF0WqVbTd2o

Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/metakosmia/aperantos-kosmos   

Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbiegi/Trzy Siostry/Devoted Art propaganda/2022 EP Review

 

   Poland's  Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbieg  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  experimental  rock style  that  they  have  introduced  on  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  ep  "Trzy  Siostry"  which  will b e  released  in  June  by  Devoted  Art  Propaganda.

  Dark  sounding  synths  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  programmed  beats  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  adds  in  touches  of  synth  pop  and  post  punk.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  mostly  a  clean  style  which  also  shows  an  influence  of  goth  rock. 

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  bass  guitars  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while t he  music  also  has  its  experimental  moments.  All  of  the  tracks  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  clean  guitars  onto  the  recording  and  Gregorian  chants  can  also b e  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Wedrowcy-Tulacze -Zbieg  drop  all  metal  elements  and  goes  even  further  into  an  experimental  rock  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while t he  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbieg  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "pierwsza_siostra".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

Spotify       

Noctiferia/Reforma - Tribute To Laibach/Blood Blast Distribution/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Noctiferia  are  a  band  from  Slovenia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  metal,  experimental  and  avant  garde  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Reforma  -  Tribute  To  Laibach"  which  was  released  by  Blood  blast  Distribution  and  consists  their  cover  versions  of  the  previous  mentioned  band.

  Tribal  style  beats  and  ethnic  instruments  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Vocals  are  in  between  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  has  its  avant  garde  moments.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  session  work  from  David  Vincent,  Atilla  Csihar  and  Jorgen  Munkeby.  Melodies  are  also  add  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  vocals  also  add  in  more  of  an  aggressive  yet  semi  melodic  style  at  times.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.  Programmed  beats  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  and  as  the  album  progresses  female  vocals,  keyboards  and  saxophones  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  political  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Noctiferia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death  metal,  industrial,  avant  garde  and  experimental,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Now  You  Will  Pay"  "Eurovision"  and  "Das  Spiel  Ist  Aus".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/noctiferia

https://www.noctiferia.net

https://open.spotify.com/album/5fYKiqYc1z1HfQ8sahdoOI?si=oqKEch4zSoW2_FG82OIGRQ

 https://youtu.be/ouQrt-mH6Ic
 https://youtu.be/P9W7TrFiZxU

 https://youtu.be/OJM3hmpsp54   

Tele.S.Therion/Nejromantische Hexentvm [Ta Megala Mysteria]/Radical Matters/2022 Triple Album Review

 

  Tele.S.Therion  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  musical  style  they  described  as  being  'acousmatic  black  metal'  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  triple  album  "Nejromantische  Hexentvm  [Ta  Megala  Mysteria]"  which  was  released  by  Radical  Matters. 

  Avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  at  times.  When  synths  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  dark  ambient    along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  percussion  and  homemade  instruments  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  30  or  more  minutes.

  Stringed  instruments  can  also be   heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  electric  bass  is  also  utilized  as  a  lead  instrument.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  ritualistic  sounding  along  with  some  tracks  also  touches  of  noise  along  with  a  lot  of  the  songs  also  being  done  in  more  of  an  instrumental  direction.

  A  lot  of  the  music  also  brings  in  more  of  a  Abruptum  style  of  black  metal  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  the  use  of  a  real  drum  kit.  Screams  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly  as  well  as  all  of  the  music  also  being  improvised.  some  of  the  slower  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  doom  metal  and  some  songs  also  add  in  touches  of  free  jazz  and  drones.  At  times  the  music  also  captures  the  atmosphere  of  a  disturbing  nightmare  soundtrack  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  while  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  from  Tele.S.Therion  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  black,  doom  metal,   experimental,  dark  ambient,  avant  garde,  ritual,  drone  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  triple  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "II  "V"  "VIII"  and  "X".  8  out  of  10.

https://telestherion.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/user/TELESTHERION             

Eight Bells/Legacy Of Ruin/Prophecy Productions/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Eight  Bells  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  experimental  and  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Legacy  Of  Ruin"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Prophecy  Productions.

  Avant  garde  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clear  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  before  adding  in  some  acoustic  guitars.  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length along  with  the  faster  sections  of   the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  and  experimental  sounding  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Some  of  the  heavier  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  death  metal  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  keyboards  and  violins.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  human  condition,  natural  destruction,  death,  regret,  loss,  malice  and  retribution.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Eight  Bells  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  and  progressive  post  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Well"  and  "The  Crone".  8  out  of  10.

  https://eightbellsband.com/about-us

www.facebook.com/eightbellsband
www.instagram.com/eightbellsband