Rumahoy/Time II: Party/Napalm Records/2020 CD Review

  Rumahoy  are  a  band  from  North  Carolina  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  pirate  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Time  II:  Party"  which  will  be  released  on  July  17th  by  Napalm  Records.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  along  with  some  chants  and  spoken  word  parts  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  folk  metal  elements.  Clean  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  rough  pirate  style  and  accordions  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavy  parts  of  the  songs.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  also  show  more  of  a  metal/rock  style  at  times  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  some  touches  of  electronic  music  and  hip  hop  style  vocals,  some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  thrash  metal  and  most  of  the  tracks  also  stick  to  a  mid  tempo  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  demonic  voices  can  also  be  heard.

   On  this  recording  Rumahoy  removes  all  of  the  black  and  extreme  metal  elements  from  their  previous  releases  and  focuses  more  on  a  straightforward  pirate/folk  metal  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  pirates,  booty,  questing,  drinking  and  humor  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Rumahoy  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  and  pirate  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cowboys  Of  The  Sea"  "The  Legend  Of  Captain  Yarrface"  "The  Beer  From  My  Town  Is  Better  Than  Yours"  and  "Stolen  Treasure".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/rkOPv626Nn4    

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

 

    

Ensiferum/Thalassic/Metal Blade Records/2020 CD Review

  Finland's  Ensiferum  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  epic  folk  metal  style  of  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Thalassic"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Metal  Blade  Records.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  vocals  and  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also  brings  in  some  symphonic  sounding  keyboards  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  back  up  shouts.

  The  clean  vocals  also  add  in  some  elements  of  pagan  and  power  metal  when  they  are  utilized  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  folk  instruments  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  history,  myths,  legends  and  heathenism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ensiferum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Seafarer's  Dream"  "The  Defence  of  The  Sampo"  "One  With  the  Sea"  and  "Cold  Northland  (Vainamoinen  Part  III".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.facebook.com/Ensiferum
http://www.ensiferum.com
http://www.metalblade.com/ensiferum 
   

Cult Of Frey/By The Blood Of Odin: Part 1 - Midgard/UKEM Records/2020 Full Length Review

  Cult  Of  Frey  are  a  duo  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  an  epic  mixture  of  viking  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "By  The  Blood  Of  Odin:  Part  1  -  Midgard"which  was  released  by  UKEM  Records.

  Clean  pagan  vocals  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a decent  amount  of  keyboards  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while t he  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  folk  elements.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  adds  a  black  metal  influence  onto  the  recording.  At  times  the  vocals  also  get  rough  sounding  while  the  riffs  also  add  in a   great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount of  nature,  battle  and  ocean  sounds,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  ti  them  ans  as  the  album  progresses  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  into  the  music.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vikings  and  Norse  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cult  Of  Frey  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  mixture  of  viking  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "We  Were  Born  of  Odin  (Once  We  Where  Kings  Part  3)"  "Northwind  (Carry  Him  Home)"  and  "Death  In  The  Shield  Wall  (Song  Of  The  Ravens)".  8  out  of  10. 

http://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/demo-15   

Skylord/Frostcraft/Soundage Productions/2019 CD Review

  Skylord  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Frostcraft" which  was  released  by  Soundage  Productions.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  while  also  using  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  The  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up a   great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  sounding  while  death  metal  growls  and  clean  pagan  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.  The  music  also  has  a  lot  of  90's  influences  as  well  as  sounding  very  modern  at  the  same  time  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  as  well  as  some  of  the  clean  vocals  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  power  metal.

 Some  of  the  tracks  also  mix  in  elements  of  folk  metal  as  well  as  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also showing  some  influences  of  goth  and  doom  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Nature,  Fantasy,  Paganism  and  Russian  History  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Skylord  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  viking  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Drained(Emberdreams)"  "Enchanted  Forest"  "Scarlet  Winter"  and  "Wintertears".  8  out  of  10.

https://skylordmetal.bandcamp.com/releases

      

Varus Interview

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

Hi there! We’ve been working quite a lot in the background to create material and content for the upcoming release. So that might be some making of video clips, promotion material and even some new music! However, rehearsals are sadly not possible.

2. You have a new album coming out during the end of June, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

It might be very different, especially when it comes to the vocals. They’re lower, not as high pitched and more in-your-face. Apart from that, the guitar tuning is now Dropped D, whereas it’s been Dropped B on the first album. We strived for a more folky, epic sound and even introduced acoustic instruments which haven’t been there on Till The Sun Rises. The song length has also increased but it’s fewer songs therefore.

3. This is also your first release since 2014, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Our line up has changed a few times, most noticeable on lead vocals and drums. Also, we strived for getting a unique band image that should be indistinguishable, almost a Corporate Identity if you like. I’d say we’re now stronger than ever and it just feels like a strong bond between us.
On top, we’ve had some amazing concert opportunities over the years and worked hard on our live performances.

4. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores on the newer album?

Our biggest theme is liberty. That’s the main topic but every song stands on its own. So we explore some drinking stories of our hometown, mourn the passing of a close friend, experience the apocalypse itself and remember how our surroundings have changed over time.

5. Originally the band was called 'Banjaxed' what was the cause of the name change?

When starting out, we played half cover, half original songs. The name Banjaxed was heavily related to that and restricted us to an all party band. As we were growing up, we strived to bring only our own material to the people. Varus was more universal and there is actually not one single metal group with that name. From that point we didn’t do covers anymore. So it wasn’t only a name change but also an image change.

8. I know that the bands name is a reference to 'Publius Quinctillus Varus', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this historical character?

I’ve been interested in history generally and somehow I stumbled across the Battle In The Teutoburg Forest. It hooked me from the first moment on until today. One reason for Varus was that the Germanic opponent Arminius just didn’t sound good as a band name. Image people trying to remember the name or yelling it at a concert. On the other hand, the character Varus as well as his story are just more tragic and not as heroic. This makes him a very interesting subject. Be sure that there willl be music about him at some point.

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

A highlight for us has been the performance at Wolfszeit Open Air 2019. We’ve shared stage with huge established bands that could be named idols of us. Unfortunately, it was at short notice and we couldn’t rehearse that much, so some songs could have been a bit tighter. Feedback has been great though.
Our on stage performances have become very energetic and wild. There’s now a lot of movement on stage and it seems to have a good impact on people.

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

No, there’s no plans like that at the moment. We’re not actively searching for a label but if the right one comes around the corner – why not? However, we’d like to keep full control over music and image.

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

It has been good so far! Actually, the more epic and folky aspects are well received and seem to be the favourite themes of our fans. There’s even die hard fans in South America and a following in France. People tend to fall in love with the large choir and orchestra arrangements.

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

I guess, we’ll be exploring the folk instruments a bit more but also looking for a more atmospheric approach. Moreover, there’s plans to not overdo it with lengthy songs. I’m already writing new songs and try to keep a strong songwriting, yet not to get lost in too many different parts.

13. 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?

You can certainly hear some non-metal influences on the latest material, like Irish Folk or even Jethro Tull. Also, the metal side is inspired by other bands like those in the past. There’s fewer Alestorm-ish themes but rather hints of Ensiferum or Turisas.
At the moment, I’m listening to some Månegarm, Svartsot and again Jethro Tull.

14. Does Paganism play any role in the music?

Not really, to be honest. I know we get labelled as Pagan metal a lot of times and we’re fine with that. Musically, there might be Pagan metal in our style but lyrically, there’s not one single Pagan song in our repertoire. Nature romanticism is part of our music/lyrics but not worshiping the old gods.


15. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I want to thank you guys for these well researched questions and your support!
We’re glad to get a lot of positive feedback on our music and are grateful for it. That’s what fuels our inspiration and motivation. So we’re really looking forward to the release of our second album, even during the ongoing crisis. This is what unites us – music.
Thank you all for reading! Stay safe and healthy!

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Varus/A New Dawn/2020 Full Length Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Germany's  Varus  which  continues  the  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  folk,  melodic  black  and  death  metal  and  the  album  will  be  self  released  on  June  27th,  2020.

  Stringed  instruments  along  with  some  symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  operatic  female  vocals  which  also  appear  on  later  tracks  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  but  keeping  the  symphonic  elements.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  some  clean  pagan  vocals  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  German  and  cover  local  myths/legends,  the  art  of  drinking,  Romanticism,  War  and  Historical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great sounding  recording  from  Varus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  and  melodic  folk,  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Awakening"  "Ein  Lebewohl"  and  "The  Minstrels  Chant".  8  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/fjVK1I4nFVk

Varus/Till The Sun Rises/2020 CD Review

  Varus  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  folk  metal  along  with  some  elements  of  melodic  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  album  "Till The  Sun  Rises".

  A  very  symphonic  and  epic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  some  touches  of  classical  music  while  also  capturing  the  atmosphere  of  a  fantasy  movie  soundtrack  and  the  symphonic  elements  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  clean  pagan  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  music.

  Folk  metal  elements  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  blast  beats  also  being  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  music.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of   folk  instruments  and  whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in a  mixture  of  English  and  German  and  cover  local  myths/legends,  the  art  of  drinking,  Romanticism,  War  and  Historical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Varus  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  folk,  black  and  death  metal and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres, you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "One  Day"  "Nachtgiger"  "Des  Winters  Tod"  and  "Till  The  Sun  Rises".  8  out  of  10.

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Vitam Et Mortem/El Rio De La Muerte/Satanath Records/Exhumed Records/2020 CD Review

  Vitam  Et  Mortem  are  a  band  from  Columbia  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "El  Rio  De  La  Muerte"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath  and  Exhumed  Records.

  Symphonic  elements  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  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  female  vocals  can  also  be heard.

  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  death  metal  growls  are  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  couple  of  tracks  also  introduces  clean  playing  and  classical  guitars  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  some  clean  vocals  and  folk  music  elements  also  being  used  briefly.  as  the  problem  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  and  the  closing  track  is  also  a  Masacre  cover.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  death,  war,  chaos,  history  and  ancient  culture  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Vitam  Et  Mortem  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  and  melodic  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Los  cuerpos  en  el  rio"  "El  animero"  "Plegaria  a  los  muertos"  and  "Rito  de  muerte".  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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SWMM/Trail Of The Fallen/2020 Full Length Review

  SWMM(Sometimes  We  Make  Music)  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  folk,  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020 album  "Trail  Of  The  Fallen".

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  symphonic  elements  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  clean  vocals  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blackened  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording.

  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  melodic  death  metal  elements  along  with  some  folk  instruments  also  being  utilized  at  times.  one  track  also  introduces  clean  vocals  onto  the  album  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  touch  of  ska  can  also  be  heard  and  female  vocals  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norwegian  folklore  and  ancient  times.

  In  my  opinion  SWMM  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  folk,  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "By  The  Might  Of  The  Crow"  "Demon"  and  "Two  Kings".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp https://swmm.bandcamp.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/sometimes.we.make.music/

  

Pagan Reign/Art Of The Time/Casus Belli Musica/2019 CD Review

  Pagan  Reign  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Art  Of  The  Time"  which was  released  by  Casus  Belli  Musica.

  Folk  instruments  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  All  of  the  musical instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  one  track  also  introduces  clean  pagan  vocals  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments  as  well  as  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  some  tracks  also  add  in  death  metal  growls  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard in  the  faster  riffing  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Slavic  and  Nordic  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Pagan  Reign  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  and  pagan  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Gods  We  Trust"  "Eternal  Saga  Of  Glory"  and  "Voice  of  The  Legend".  8  out  of  10.

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Emerald Shine Interview

Band members answering in this interview are:

Kamil - drummer

Klára - violinist

Leena - singer, lyricist



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

Kamil: I think Emerald Shine is a band that makes pretty unique music that is very hard to summarize. We call it fantasy metal even though sometimes it's not even metal, sometimes it's folk-metal with progressive elements but we don't usually brand ourselves like that, because it's very hard to describe it with just a few words. I'd say: "Buy a CD or go to Spotify and hear for yourself."



2.Towards the end of 2018 you had released your first full length, musically how does it differ from the demo you had released in 2016?

Kamil: Misty Tales is quite a huge leap forward in every way, also we had a lot more experience with recording and it was recorded by a line-up that suited the band perfectly.



3.The lyrics are based upon your own fantasy fiction based in Tolkien's world, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his work and what inspired you to write your own version of the fantasy world he created?

Leena: I have loved fantasy literature and especially Tolkien’s world for some 15 years. When I started writing my own lyrics, fantasy themes like the elves and Middle-earth often appeared in them.

And what inspired the story of the album Misty Tales – I would say it was the music itself. In the spring of  2017, when we had most songs and their lyrics for the album ready, I was wondering if they all could be joined into one larger concept… And after some time of thinking and listening, this fan-fiction-like story suddenly appeared in my mind crystal clear. All those already finished songs fitted the story very well, so all I had to do was to create the last missing parts, to write several more songs. It went very well, soon the whole story for the album was finished and I was satisfied with it.



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

Klára: First of all, you got the name wrong - it's Emerald Shine, not Shrine. But it's ok, don't worry, we're not upset. :D When Leena and Richmonde were establishing the band, they were just throwing to the ether some random ideas and one of them was Emerald Shine, but it doesn't have any deeper meaning.



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

Klára: We were looking for something minimalistic, simple but enlightening. The final artwork is made by the amazing artist Morgana La Fay and it tells the story of our album. Misty Tales is about a war between men and elves, how they used to live together in peace, which is being represented by the white thread in the hands of this dark character on the cover. Inside the booklet there is a similar picture, but the thread is torn and the war has begun.



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

Klára: I’m sure they had already played some good concerts even before I joined the band at the end of 2017, but since then, my most favorite performance was Housle, Chlast a Rock 'n' Roll in Prague, CZ.



Kamil: A concert that always comes to my mind is our show at Folk Metal Pilgrims in Ostrava, CZ. Great atmosphere, great food and drinks and most importantly – great fans.



Leena: The both above mentioned shows, as well as some other ones, were really good. I personally also enjoyed most of our concerts in Poland very much, the audiences were crazy and cool.

During our stage performance, we are, above all, simply enjoying the music, dancing during the folky parts and concentrating during those more difficult, progressive ones – but I believe it is better to see with your own eyes, either at one of our shows, or in our live videos, which are available hear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyr-KwUkMFk&list=PLoyC31M6Ef-VCDBTLIfdbRSatb8Ivui_Z



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

Klára: Of course! In March we are going to play at Noc Nárekov and after that we may visit Prague once again for Keltské úterý. We are planning attending festivals in the Czech republic, I think there are also some festivals in Poland and Slovakia (but not 100 % sure) and with some luck we could also visit Germany, Austria and other European countries.



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

Kamil: So far we don't think that we would have any benefits from labels that are available to us, but this might change in the future. We'll see.



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

Klára: People have usually positive reaction when they hear/see us for the first time, because we may look like a basic folk metal band with recorders and violin, but our music is also full of interesting rhythms and harmony, unusual bar changes and generally our music is more than just four chords repeating. Especially fans from Poland accepted our music very well, but Czech and Slovak people seem to like our music as well.



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

Kamil: Definitely forward.



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?

Klára: I know that Elvenking and Blind Guardian were an important sources of inspiration, we are also often being compared to Eluveitie and we’ve been getting an inspiration from the band Wintersun lately.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Klára: I am an artist. When I don't do music, I like to draw and that's basically all I do in my free time.



Kamil: 90 % of my time goes to either practising or just playing music, but other than that, I like to spend time with my girlfriend or have a glass of whiskey a good cigar from my collection.



Leena: My non musical interests include skiing, hiking and fantasy literature of course. (But still, sitting in a calm place and writing music is by far my favourite activity in my life O:-) )



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

Leena: Thank you for this interview and for spreading the word about our band, as well as other bands in the metal scene!

Klára: Follow us on social media and listen to good music!

https://www.facebook.com/emeraldshineofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/emeraldshineband/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-uRJ8Nozq_4pYHX1pZax0Q

Emerald Shine/Misty Tales/2018 Full Length Review

  Emerald  Shine  are  a  band  from  the  Czech  Republic  that  plays  a  mixture  of  fantasy  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  album  "Misty  tales".

  Violins  start  off  the  album  and  also  introduces  elements  of  folk  music  onto  the  recording  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Female  vocals  and  recorders  are  also  used  quite  a  bit throughout  the  recording  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also a dded  into  some  parts  of  the  music.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  harsher  vocals  bringing  elements  of  black  and  death  metal  onto  the  recording.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  songs  also  add  in  some  clean  male  vocals  as  well  as  the  faster sections  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Harps  and  tin  whistles  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  progressive  moments.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  cover  their  own  fantasy  fiction  of  the  fantasy world  created  by  J.R.R  Tolkien.

  In  my  opinion  Emerald  Shine  are  a  very  great  sounding  fantasy  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Autumn  Mists"  "Where  Life's  Been  Ruined"  "The  Only  One"  and  "Rainy  Night".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/emeraldshineofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/emeraldshineband/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-uRJ8Nozq_4pYHX1pZax0Q

  

Boreal Hymn/Tundra/2019 Demo Review

  Boreal  Hymn  are  a  band  from  Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  pagan  and  folk  metal and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  demo  "Tundra".

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  demo  while  clean  pagan  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal g rowls  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  acoustic  guitars  and  folk  instruments  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.  All  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction  as  well  as  adding  in  some  elements  of  goth  and  traditional  metal  and  one  track  also  adds  in  some  female  vocals  and  as  the  demo  progresses  the  music  also  gets  more  ritualistic  sounding,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.

  Boreal  Hymn  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  long  forgotten  ancient  wisdom.

  In  my  opinion  Boreal  Hymn  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Labrynthian  Graves"  and  "Defiance  Against  The  Breath  Of  Gods'.  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlTT1PttYwQ&  

Suidakra/Echoes Of Yore/MDD Records/2019 CD Review

  Suidakra  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  folk,  melodic  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Echoes  Of  Yore"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  MDD  Records.

  Nature  sounds  and  narrative  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier and  melodic  musical  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  clean  yet  rough  pagan  singing  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  some  folk  instruments  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.

  The  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  elements  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  medieval  feeling.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  During t he  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  symphonic  elements  are  also  added  onto  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Celtic  Mythology,  Arthurian  Legends,  and  Fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Suidakra  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk,  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Wartunes"  "Morrigan"  "Pendragon's  Fall"  and  "Lays  From  Afar".  8  out  of  10.

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Barad Guldur/Frammenti di oscurita/2019 CD Review

  Barad  Guldur  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "Frammenti  di  oscurita".

  Fire  burning  and  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  before  adding  some  acoustic  guitars  on  the  recording.  Bag  pipes,  flutes,  fiddle's  and  hardy  gurdy's  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  tracks  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  clean  pagan  singing.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  some  speed,  heavy  and  power  metal  influences  at  times  and  when  growls  and  screams  are  utilized  they  bring  elements  of  black  and  death  metal  onto  the  recording.

  Some  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  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  shamanistic  and  ritualistic  moments  and  at  times  the  music  captures  the  atmosphere  of  a  fantasy  film  or show,  female  vocals  are  also  added  onto  some  of  the  tracks and  as  the  album  progresses  an  instrumental  is  also  added  onto  the  albums.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  cover  tales,  legends,  mountains,  horror  and  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Narad  Guldur  are  a  very  great  sounding  folk  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Canso  de  Bouye"  "Nella  notte  piu  nerra"  "Per  chi  ela  la  nocc"  and  "Frammento  di  oscurita".  8  out  of  10.

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