Terramorta Interview

 

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

 

Hello, at the moment we are in the recording phase of our second album, which we can say is already recorded. We are now in the process of trying to make our work known and to reach beyond Portugal, aiming to share it with as many people as possible.

 

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

 

We know that humans tend to categorize and label everything, but we’ve never even thought about a specific musical style for the band. For us, it's just metal. Of course, we can say that our music relates to the symphonic black/death metal sub-genre.

 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

 

            Seer - The concept itself arose from a disorder that has always tormented me, chronophobia precisely, that is, the fear of time and its passing through our miserably ephemeral and empty lives. I suffer from F.O.M.O., getting older kills me inside, I have a lot of difficulty facing, understanding and accepting the passing of time, not only in myself, but also in my loved ones, family and friends, and I honestly think that with each passing day we are becoming less happy, more vulnerable to isolation, depression, lack of motivation to continue, to blackness that accelerates this path until the inevitable and certain end. At the time we were looking for coherent themes for the album, something that we could unfold and continue, trying to avoid clichés, and behold, adapting this disorder made perfect sense. We've all been through bad times, we've lived a lot, enough to put a lot of ourselves into the album, which is why we think it's very coherent and sincere, because it literally shows our fears and problems.

 

 

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

 

            First of all, Terramorta means Deadland. And it’s a place that we created and invite the listeners to visit. A place where bad things happen, a place of sorrow, deception and grief like everything that we as humans must endure in our day-to-day life. But also, a place where in the end you can find hope and strength to continue the journey.

 

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

 

To be honest, the artwork was changed numerous times until the image director, Oliver Jackson, presented us with the version that's now released. The decision was unanimous, as the image perfectly illustrated the concept of the album chronophobia. Regarding the new album, we are not in that phase yet.

 

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

 

            For us, every show has been special, from the launch show to the one with Benighted. Some of us have over 20 years of experience. Seer and Helvigario used to play in a band together, and Nero has been part of numerous projects, having recorded bands like Enthroned. We can say we’ve felt comfortable on stage, but you can check out some of our performances on our YouTube channel.

 

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for 2025?

 

            Yes, announced shows are already in our website www.terramorta.com and we are working to make possible a European tour during 2025. We also announce future shows in our social media pages.

 

8.The last album was released on 'Magnus Pike Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

 

            The label was created by Nero, because after facing so many "NOs," we decided to launch the project on our own, at our own risk. We can say that no one, outside of our close circle, believed in TERRAMORTA.

 

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

 

            It's hard to say, as we are a small band, but we can share some of the statistics from our album sales, which, surprisingly, sold out quickly. We sent them to almost all of Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, etc. On social media, fans from all corners of the world are starting to appear, and we are very grateful for the acceptance.

 

10.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

            Some of them yes, but at the moment nothing is really going on regarding other musical projects. We are all fully committed to TERRAMORTA.

 

11.The next album is going to be released sometime in 2025, what can we expect musically once it is released?

           

            You can expect the same musical language as the previous album, but due to personal events and life's circumstances, the album has become more frantic and chaotic. We want to take a bold approach with the production. We know the market's rules, but don't expect a modern sound or something that follows current trends.

 

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

 

            It depends from the band member, but what we hear is a mix of Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, KXM, Korn, Pantera, Carcass, Rammstein, Arcturus, Symphony X, Dimmu Borgir, Behemoth, Death, Dissection, etc.

 

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

 

            We hope you enjoy our work, and we’re looking forward to sharing it with the world.

So you can check our social media pages, streaming platforms. And on YouTube you will find videoclips, the full album and live videos. And guess what, it’s for free, so what are you waiting for?

Cheers and see you on the road. \m/

https://terramorta.com/

https://www.facebook.com/terramorta.official/

https://www.instagram.com/terramorta.official/

https://www.youtube.com/@TERRAMORTAmusic

https://open.spotify.com/intl-pt/artist/45tDH8c6Lgm2hnsOqRV1O9

https://music.apple.com/pt/artist/terramorta/1728551178

https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/253888602

Apocalypse/Pandaemonium/MiMi Sound Records & Publishing/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Apocalypse  are  a  solo  project  from  Italy  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  epic  mixture  of  black,  viking,  death,  thrash and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "Pandeaemonium"  which  was  released  by  MiMi  Sound  Records  &  Publishing.

  Keyboards  and  classical  music  elements  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  lot  of  black  metal  screams.

  A  lot  of  the  riffing  mixes  in  touches  of  death  and  thrash  metal  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  slower  sections  of  the  album  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  and  gothic  metal  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  more  of  a  melodic  traditional  metal  style.

  Clear  viking  metal  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  demonic  growls  also  being  utilized  briefly.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  as  well  as  being  very  modern  at  the  same  time,  a  couple  of  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  and a  few songs  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  witchcraft  burnings  and  darkness  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Apocalypse  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  epic  black,  viking,  doom,  death,  thrash  and  heavy  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hanged,  Drawn  And  Quartered"  "The  Well  Of  Deception"  and  "Pandeaemonium".  8  out  o  10.

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Terramorta/Chrronophobia/Magnus Pike Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Terramorta  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Chronophobia"  which  was  released  by  Magus  Pike  Records.

  

  A  very  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Choirs  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  mixture  of  death  emtal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  

   Elements  of  classical  music  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  One  song  also  introduces  operatic  female  vocals  onto  the  album  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Terramorta  plays  a  musical  style  that  take s symphonic  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  classical  music  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  human  condition,  dissent  and  existence.

  

  In  my  opinion  Terramorta  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  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  "Chronophobia"  "Burnout  Looms"  "Night  Maere"  and  "Post  Mortem".  8  out  of  10.

  https://terramorta.com/

https://www.facebook.com/terramorta.official/

https://www.instagram.com/terramorta.official/

https://www.youtube.com/@TERRAMORTAmusic

https://open.spotify.com/intl-pt/artist/45tDH8c6Lgm2hnsOqRV1O9

https://music.apple.com/pt/artist/terramorta/1728551178

https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/253888602  

Asgaard/Lullabies For Harlots/Via Nocturna/2024 EP Review

 

  Asgaard  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  started  out  as  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  gothic  metal  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  acoustic  prog  rock  and  electronic  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "Lullabies  For  Harlots"  which  will  be  released  on  November  29th  by  Via  Nocturna.

  Synths  and  electronic  music  sounds  start  off  the  ep  while  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  programmed  beats.  Vocals  are  done  in  a  clean  style  close  to  goth  rock  an  industrial  along  with  the  recording  also  having  its  progressive  moments.

  One  of  the  songs  is  also  a  Behemoth  cover  which  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples  and  also  adds  in  some  symphonic  touches  mixed  in  with  some harsh  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  each  song  also  sounds  very  different  from  each  other  and  they  also  bring  in  3  acoustic  guitars  which  also  moves  away  from  the  electronic  elements  of  the  earlier  tracks,  whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Asgaard  move  away  from  the  symphonic  black  and  gothic  metal  style  of  previous  releases  and  brings  in  more  of  a  mixture  of  electronic  music  and  acoustic  progressive  rock  with  only  the  Behemoth  cover  going  back  to  their  earlier  roots.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  Polish  and  cover  suffering,  romance  and  death  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  Asgaard  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  acoustic  prog  rock  and  electronic  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mother  Of  Harlots"  and  "What  If...".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/9TIOl2eG3qQ

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Les Chants Du Hasard/Livre Quart/2024 Full length Review

 

  France's  Les  Chants  Du  Hasard  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  orchestral  and  operatic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Livre  Quart"  which  will  be  released  in  June.

  Orchestra  sounds  and  chants  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  high  pitched  black  emtal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  operatic  vocals  and  choirs  while  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  symphonic  and  classical  music  elements  and  at  times  the  recording  also  brings  in  a  very  ritualistic  atmosphere.

  The  whole  album  also  avoids  the  use  of  any  traditional  instruments  except  for  the  harsh  vocals  bringing  that  style  onto  the  recording.  Female  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times   as  well  as  one  of  the songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Les  Chants  Du  Hasrd  focuses  more  on  a  extreme  and  orchestral  style  of  opera  as  well  as  mixing  in  black  metal  vocals to  create  something  very  different.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  the  writings  of  Charles  Baudelaire.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Les  Chants  Du  Husard  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  orchestra  and  opera  music,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Parmi  Les  Poussieres"  "Sous  La  Mitre  De  Fer"  and  "Les  Ombres  Vagabondes".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/leschantsduhasard

https://www.instagram.com/hasard_malivore

https://leschantsduhasard.bigcartel.com

https://leschantsduhasard.bandcamp.com      

Reverb On Repeat/Self Titled/These Hands Melt/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Reverb  On  Repeat  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a mixture  of  blackgaze,  shoegaze ,  goth,  post  punk and  post  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2024  album  which  was  released  by  These  Hands  Melt.

  Melodic  shoegaze  style  guitar   solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  the  clean  sections  of  the  songs  are  heavily  rooted  in  post  rock.  The  clear  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  gothic  rock  style  along  with  synth  also  being  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic   in  length.  When  the  music  speeds  up  on  a  couple  of  songs  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  Reverb  On  Repeat  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  blackgaze,  shoegaze,  punk,  gothic  and  post  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  romanticism  and  isolation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Reverb  on  Repeat  are  a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of  blackgaze,  shoegaze,  goth,  punk  and  post  rock  and  if  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Aurorean  Dreams"  and  "Spawning",  7/5  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/reverbonrepeat

https://www.instagram.com/reverbonrepeat

https://reverbonrepeat.bandcamp.com

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Keygen Church/Nel Nome Del Codice/Metal Blade Recordfs/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Keygen  Church  are  a  solo  project  from  italy  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "Nel  Nome  Del  Codice"  which  will b e  released  on  March  22nd  by  Metal  Blade  Records.

  Choirs  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  A  lot  of  the  music  also  sounds  electronic  while  the  symphonic  side  of  the  music  also  mixes  in  some  avant  garde  and  classical  music  elements  and  some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  songs  also  avoid  the  use  of  traditional  extreme  metal  vocals  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  album   also  add  in  influences  of  doom  and  gothic  metal.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  gets  more  aggressive  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Keygen  Church  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  symphonic  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  doom,  gothic  metal  and  classical  music  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  while  the  production  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  Keygen  Church  is  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  avant  garde  mixture  of  black,  doom,  gothic  metal  and  classical  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Se  hal  Timore  Del  Vero"  "Nel  Nome  Del  Codice"  "La  VOce  Del  Destino"  and  "Sempre  Nel  Mio  Pensiero".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/keygenchurch

https://keygenchurch.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHgbw5cuDIas28eMvbI8Nqg

https://twitter.com/keygenchurch

https://open.spotify.com/artist/49yTs5PHrOjyslAqSF2iCG

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/keygen-church/1450170610    

  

Moonoises/She - The Void/These Hands Melt/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Moonoises  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  blackgaze,  post  black  and  doom  metal  with  elements  of  post  punk  and  darkwave  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "She  -  the  Void"  which  will  be  released  on  march  8th  by  These  Hands  Melt.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Melodies  are also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  clean  sections  also  mix  in  elements  of  post  punk  and  darkwave  and  some  of  the  clear  vocals  add  in  touches  of  80's  deathrock.

  The  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal  and  doomgaze  while  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  lot  of  post  rock  and  shoegaze  touches.  Synths  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are introduced  into  the  music.

  Some  of  the  music  also  captures  the  dark  atmosphere  of  black  metal  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  most  of  the  album  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Moonoises  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  blackgaze,  post  black  and  doom  metal  with  elements  of  post  punk  and  darkwave  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Beyond"  "Creepy  31"  "Cold  Grey"  and  "Mirror".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/moonoisesband

https://www.instagram.com/moonoises

https://moonoises.bandcamp.com    

Cruxis Interview

 

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

Since we’re new, I don’t think many people have heard of us. We are two, the Dok-tor and myself. He makes the music and I sing the words. 

2.You have your first album coming out towards the end of January, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

The Dok-tor is responsible for all the music here, but I think it’s safe to say he wasn’t trying to emulate someone else’s sound when recording these songs. I’m sure some of the genres and bands we’re both fond of had some influence on the sound. There’s some crust punk, some industrial, a bit of black metal, even some post-punk and deathrock. In the end, though, I think it sounds like itself more than a patchwork of bands and genres either of us enjoy.  

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

Some are more abstract impressions and representations of a place, a time, ideas. Lyric writing, all of music making, is a bit like Debord’s dérive in that it requires some disorientation or, like Breton said, psychic automatism. Fāl-gūsh came out of overheard, misheard conversations. Fāl-gūsh is a type of divination usually associated with young girls. You would stand in a dark corner or concealed spot behind a fence, maybe a garden wall, and listen to the conversations of passers-by. The words you hear, the subjects being discussed, would provide answers to your questions. 

Unquiet, the last song on our album, was also the last song I wrote words for and sang. I had been talking with a couple friends who have family in Gaza and elsewhere in Palestine about the ongoing destruction happening there. About how their family’s homes were destroyed or had been seized decades ago, about what the long history of colonialism and efforts to demoralize and oppress the people there have done to them, their family and friends in Palestine. About what living with colonialism and racist oppression does to you, both personally and how it reveals power to be the inherently abusive, extractive, violent force it is. Though lyrically as abstract as anything else I write, Unquiet is fiercely anticolonial, antifascist, and an oppositional force to all forms of oppression.

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

There’s a constellation called Crux, or Crucis, the Southern Cross. The brightest star in Crux is Acrux, the 13th brightest star in the night sky. You could think of Cruxis as drawn from those stellar names.

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

That’s the Dok-tor again. I’ll say that, as in our sound, there’s a confluence of influences. Let’s call it a lo-fi, diy, analog, photocopied zine aesthetic combined with an enigmatic mysticism. 

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

I can’t really imagine we’d need to add more people. It worked well like this and if we do it again, we already have everything covered between us.

7.Are there any plans for live shows in the future or is this strictly a studio project?

There’s an ocean in the way of live shows.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of extreme and underground musical styles?

Since we’re quite new, and I’m answering these questions before our album is out, we haven’t really gotten a lot of reaction yet. The messages I’ve received from people who have heard it so far have been positive, which is nice. I know we’re both really happy with what we did here and hope that when it’s more widely available that other people will enjoy it, too.

9.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?

The Dok-tor is always making new music, which you’ll hear in time whether you realize it or not.  

I have a new project, Deep Fade, which is a sort of noisy, blackened pastoral industrial experiment. The first album will be out in late February, and, like Cruxis, will be on Fiadh Production. Then I have several other things coming, more Deep Fade, a few new collaborations with old friends, a final album from my old project, The Floating World. I’m sure there will be more as the year wears on.

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

I think it’ll go where it goes, there isn’t a definitive plan for it. It’s easier to make music when it happens because there’s something you want to hear that you aren’t hearing, maybe don’t even realize that’s what you’re creating when you start, but as you get into it what you create coheres around some idea that becomes central through the act of making songs. The map draws itself as you go.

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

I can, again, only speak for myself here, but some of it I’m sure overlaps with the Dok-tor. Over the years, I’ve listened to a lot of Killing Joke, Godflesh and Godflesh-y industrial-esque stuff, Amebix and Rudimentary Peni (I’m finally reading Nick Blinko’s Primal Screamer right now), some black metal, some post-punk, deathrock. Of course, then there are artists like Anita Lane, who has always been a huge influence of mine. Her uneven and wavering, haunted singing hovers around the edges of anything I do. Rowland Howard had a gorgeous shimmer, too.

Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of JK Flesh, another Justin Broadrick project. He had an album out this past fall, NO EXIT, which is incredible and disorienting and I’m still hearing new things in it. Same for Darkthrone’s Eternal Hails, which passed me by when it came out a coupe years ago, but got drawn in by Fenriz’s description of it as “heavy like a dinosaur.”

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

https://cruxis-13.bandcamp.com/

Cruxis/Self Titled/Fiadh Productions/2024 EP Review

 

  Cruxis  are  a  duo  from  Providence,  Rhode  Island  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  crust  punk,  deathrock  and  industrial  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  titled  2024  ep  which  will  be  released  on  January  26th  by  Fiadh  Productions.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  mix  in  touches  of  deathrock.  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  slower  parts  of  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  sludge  metal  and  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  recording  are  heavily  rooted  in c rust  punk  and  d  beat.

  Melodies  are  also added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.  Black  metal  elements  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  some  of  the  drum  beats  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  industrial  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  most  of t he  ep  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Cruxis  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  metal,  crust  punk,  deathrock  and  industrial  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  mysterious  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cruxis  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  crust  punk,  deathrock  and  industrial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ruby  Throat"  and  "Unquiet".  8  out  of  10.

  Cruxis    

    

  

Hexvessel/Polar Veil/Svart Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Hexvessel  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  doom  rock,  goth,  ritual,  folk  and psychedelia  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2023  album  "Polar  Veil"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Svart  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clear  vocals  a  few  seconds  later.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  avant  garde  moments  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  synths  also  add  in  some  psychedelic  touches  when  they  are  utilized.  Pagan  folk  metal  vocals  are  also  introduced  on  one  of  the  songs  along  with  the  shouts  also  giving  the  music  more  aggression  when  they  are  utilized  and  black  metal  screams  are  also  added  on  one  of  the  tracks.

  On  some  of  the  songs  the  synths  also  add  in  more  gothic  overtones  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  are  also  utilized,  acoustic  guitars  can  also b e  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  personal  spiritual  transcendence  and  nature  mysticism  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  Hexvessel  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  doom  rock,  goth,  ritual,  folk  and  psychedelia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Older  Than  The  Gods"  "Eternal  Meadow"  and  "Homeward  Polar  Shift".  8 out  of  10.

  Hexvessel website

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Ghosts Of Atlantis/Riddles of The Sycophants/Hammerheart Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Ghosts  of  Atlantis  are  a  band  from  the  united  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melodic,  progressive  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  gothic  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Riddles  of  the  Sycophants"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Hammerheart  Records.

  A  very  epic ,  heavy  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  clear  singing  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  operatic  female  vocals  and  choirs  also  being  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  songs  also  mixing  in  elements  of  gothic  metal.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Atlanteans  who  escaped  the  floods  and  different  stories  and  legends  from  various  world  mythologies.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  ano9ther  great  sounding  recording  from  Ghosts  Of  Atlantis  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic,  melodic  and  progressive  black,  gothic  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "March  Of  The  Titans"  "The  Lycaon  King"  "Sacremental"  and  "Riddles  of  The  Sycophants".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.ghostsofatlantisofficial.com/

  

Zaria/Tell The Wind/2022 Full length Review

 

  Zaria  are  a  band  from  Slovenia  that  has  been  featured  before  in t his  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Tell  The  Wind".

  Whispers  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  time.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  sounding  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Touches  of  goth  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  female  vocals  which  also  brings  in  an  operatic  feeling  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  folk  music  instruments  and  the  extreme  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  black  metal  style,  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  choirs  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  small  amount  of  male  vocals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  Slovenian  and  cover  ancient  battles,  folk  stories,  fantasy  and  ecological  issues.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Zaria  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  symphonic  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Where  Adventures  Begin"  "Gea"  "Warlord"  and  "Tell  the  Wind".  8  out  of  10.

  Website: http://www.zaria-band.si/

Bandcamp: https://zaria-band.bandcamp. com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Zaria.band
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ ZariaBand/featured
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/ artist/03nOswrns5Unvbsb7VERIH
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ zaria.band/

Other: https://music.apple.com/us/ artist/zaria/1606554091 

  

  

  

    

Cradle Of Filth/Trouble And Their Double Lives/Napalm Records/2023 Double Live Album Review

 

  United  Kingdom's  Cradle  Of  Filth  have  returned  with  a live  recording  which  displays  their  gothic  and  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  from  stage  performances  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  live  2023  double  album  "Trouble  And  Their  Double  Lives"  which  was  released  by  Napalm  Records.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  introduces  symphonic  elements  into  the  music  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast b eats.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  operatic  female  vocals  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  gothic  metal  touch  when  they  utilized.  Live  audience  reaction  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  some  clear  male  vocals  also  being  used  briefly,  orchestration  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Vampirism,  Horror,  Mythology,  Erotica,  Dark  Romance  and  Historical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  from  Cradle  Of  Filth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  live  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Heaven  Torn  Asunder"  "Blackest  Magick  In  Practice"  "Demon  Prince  Regent"  and  "Haunted  Shores".  8  out  of  10.

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Phlesh/The Decomposing/2023 Full Length Review

 

 Phlesh  ae  a  solo  project  from  Vancouver,  B.C,  Canada  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  gothic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  album  "The  Decomposing".

  High  pitched  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  while  the  keyboards  also  bring  in  symphonic  and  gothic  elements  into  the  music  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  whispered  vocals,  clean  playing  also  returns  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  a  couple  of songs  are  also  instrumentals.

  Phlesh  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  aggressive  sounding  as  well  as  adding  in  some  symphonic  and  gothic  elements  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  an  autobiographical  concept  album  based  upon  mental  illness,  addiction,  depression,  anxiety  and  self-destruction.

  In  my  opinion  Phlesh  are  a  very  great  sounding  gothic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Stale  Birth"  "Dragon  Chaser"  "Total  Fucking  Disorder"  and  "Suicide,  my  Love".  8  out  of  10.

  https://phleshmetal.bandcamp.com/album/the-decomposing

    

As Light Dies/The Laniakea Architecture, Volume II/Darkwoods/2023 Full length Review

 

  Spain's  As  Light  Dies  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  avant  garde  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "The  Laniakea  Architecture,  Voume  II"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Darkwoods.

  Spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  while  avant  garde  structures  are  also  mixed  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals  and  add  in  touches  of  goth  metal.  Cello's,  violin's,  synths  and  piano's  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  slower  sections  of  the  tracks  also  bringing  in  elements  of  doom  metal,  female  vocals  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  math,  history  and  depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  As  Light  Dies  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Falling  Apart"  "The  Green"  and  "To  Finish".  8  out  of  10.

  http://www.aslightdies.com 

https://aslightdies.bandcamp.com

http://www.facebook.com/aslightdies    

The Blessing Way Interview

 

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

The Blessing Way began out of a desire to record my own songs that I had been writing for a few years. I had been in a band previously but didn’t really like the idea of setting up another one as I much preferred playing by myself. I always found that when I played with other people there would always be too may disagreements between band members and it got quite tiring after a while. On my first release my brother played drums for me but since then I have just programmed the drums myself and kept it as a solo project although my brother, Colin, still helps out from time to time with guitar solos and he helped me do the recording on the first album.

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from your previous releases?

The early stuff I was writing was very much melodic death metal sounding, it was more in the vein of early In Flames and Dark Tranquility. Then I started incorporating more classical instruments like harpsichord, pianos and choirs and the sound morphed into more symphonic black metal. There is still a good dose of melodic death metal in the music though.

3.In the 13 years this band has been together there has only been 2 full lengths and an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait in between releases?

The main reason for the gap between the first E.P and the album was mainly down to a lack of funds. I was training to be a tattoo artist around that time so I did not have a lot of money to spare and when it is a solo project obviously I have to pay for everything myself. The music can take quite a long time to write as well. I usually start a song and it might not get completed for a few months due to adding parts in and taking other parts out.

4.A lot fo your lyrics cover horror and gothic tales, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

Since I was young I have always had an interest in horror books and movies. Books would have been a major influence for me and still to this day I read a lot of horror novels. I am also a big fan of concept albums. The first album, From Empty Plates We Dine, was all based on the Anne Rice novel, Interview With The Vampire. The most recent album, Erik’s Lament is all based on The Phantom Of The Opera.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'The Blessing Way'?

The name comes from an episode of The X files of which I was a massive fan when I was younger and I just thought it would make a nice band name.

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

When I was searching for an album cover I came across an old painting by a French artist called George Roux. The cover immediately jumped out at me and I think it conveys the atmosphere and theme of the music perfectly.

7.With the new album you recorded most of the material by yourself but there was a full line up in the past, are you open to expanding the line up again in the future or do you prefer to work solo?

My brother played drums on the first E.P but since then I have always recorded everything myself. I have an exact idea in my head how I want it to sound and so I have little interest in working with other people. Bar a few guitar solos or vocal parts from other people I much prefer to do it all myself.

8.Back when you had a live performance did you have any opportunities to do any live shows?

I have never played live with The Blessing Way and I do not have any interest in doing so. Live performances do not hold much interest for me.

9.On the new album you also had some session work from Snowy Shaw, can you tell us a little bit more about his contribution to the recording?

I have been a huge fan of Snowy’s vocals since I heard him sing on Therion’s Gothic Kabbalah and had followed his career ever since. I noticed he was doing a lot of session work and when I began recording the new album I reached out to see if he would be interested in lending his vocals to a few songs and thankfully he liked the material and said yes. I had always wanted to have strong clean vocals on my songs and I am extremely happy with how it all turned out and am looking forward to working with him again in the future.

10.The new album was self released while you have worked with a label before in the past, are you open to working with another label again in the future?

The only way I would work with a label again is if they offered me a lot of money haha.

11.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of symphonic black metal?

The first album a pretty positive reaction and I have yet to see, but I hope that people enjoy the new one just as much.

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

I will continue to write albums in the same vein musically as the previous two but I am hoping to add even more clean vocals next time around. I can’t see the style of music changing drastically but it is always nice to throw in parts from different genres here and there so I hope to continue doing that.

13.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?

Some of my biggest influences growing up would have been Iron Maiden, Cradle Of Filth, Meat Loaf, Dark Tranquility, In Flames, Madder Mortem, Therion, Blind Guardian. I like stuff that is theatrical yet also very melodic. The most recent band I have discovered that  I am a big fan of is the Danish band, Wuthering Heights. Their album, Far From The Madding Crowd would be in my top 10 albums now. I am also a big fan of certain pop bands like Abba, The Beatles, Chris De Burgh and The Doors.

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

Thanks for taking an interest in my music and thank you to anyone out there who has bought my music or supported me in anyway shape or form. And thank you for the interview!

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