Antipope/Apostle Of Infinite Joy/Fertile Crescent Productions/2020 Full Length Review

 
  Antipope  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  goth,  industrial  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Apostle  Of  Infinite  Joy"  which  was  released  by  Fertile  Crescent  Productions.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  whispered  vocals  are  also  utilized  briefly.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  heavier  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  also  done  in  a  grim  black  metal  style.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  prog  metal  elements  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Some  songs  also  mix  in  some  influences  of  industrial,  goth  and  traditional  metal  as  well  as  the  slower  sections  of the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  at  times  the  vocals  also  add  in a   semi  melodic  tone.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism  and  self  realization  in  an  esoteric  and  metaphoric  sense.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Antipope  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  progressive  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out t his  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Harbringer  Of  Dawn"  "Red  Goddess"  and  "Serpent  Of  Old". 8  out  of  10.

www.antipope.info
www.facebook.com/Antipope/
twitter.com/antipope_band
www.instagram.com/antipope_band/ 

 

   

Cradle Of Filth/Cruelty And The Beast/Music For Nations/2019 Re-Issue Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Cradle  Of  Filth  which  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  a  gothic  black  metal  direction  and  the  album was  originally  released  in  1998  and  called  "Cruelty  And  The  Beast"  and  the  re-issued  and  re-mastered  version  will  be  released  in  November  of  2019  by  Music  For  Nations.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times  as  well  as  having  its  symphonic  moments  and  also  bringing in  the  haunting  atmosphere  of  a   horror  movie  soundtrack.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  operatic  female  vocals  and  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  being  instrumentals.  Elements  of  gothic  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit throughout  the  recording  and  they  close  the  album  with  a  cover  of  Iron  Maiden's  "Hallowed  Be  Thy  Name".  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  Elizabeth  Bathory.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  form  Cradle  Of  Filth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Thirteen  Autumns  And  A  Widow"  "The  Twisted  Nails  Of  Faith"  and  "Portrait  Of  A  Dead  Countess".  8  out  of  10.

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Astaroth Incarnate/Ascendance/2019 EP Review

  Astaroth  Incarnate  are  a  band  from  Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  along  with  some  elements  of  goth  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2019  ep  "Ascendance"which  will  be  released  in  December.

  A  very  dark  sound  along  with  some  clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep before  going  into  a  faster  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Symphonic  elements  are  also  mixed  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  balance  between  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  elements  of  goth,  avant  garde  and  doom  metal,  clean  playing  also  returns  on  the  later  tracks  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  and  the  ep  closes  with  a  cover  of  Cradle  Of  Filth's  "Her  Ghost  In  The  Fog"  which  also  introduces  female  vocals  onto  the  recording.

  On  this  recording  Astaroth  Incarnate  goes  into  more  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  while  also  adding  in  some  avant  garde,  doom  and  goth  emtal  influences  to  takes  their  style  to  another  level.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  involving  the  alpha  and  the  omega.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Astaroth  Incarnate  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  symphonic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "I  Am  Death  (Alpha)".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/astarothincarnate   
Bandcamp - https://Astarothincarnate.bandcamp.com/
Instagram - https://www.Instagram.com/astarothincarnate 
 Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/astarothincarn8
 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgSkH4zJ8My8CNuHr-wMK-Q

  

Lord Vampyr/Death Comes Under The Sign Of The Cross/Sleaszy Rider Records/2019 Full Length Review

  Lord  Vampyr  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  started  out  as  more  of  a  symphonic  black  metal  but  have  evolved  into  more  of  goth  and  industrial  metal  direction  on  past  releases  before  going  into  more  of  goth  and  traditional  metal  style  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Death  Comes  Under  The  Sign  Of  The  Cross"  which  was  released  by  Sleaszy  Rider  Records.

  Battle  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  classical  guitars  and  synths  a  few  seconds  later.  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  mostly  clean  style  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Some  of  the  vocals  also  have  some  touches  of  heavy  and  power  metal  while  some  tracks  also  add  in  some  synths.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  a  good  mixture  of  80's  and  90's  influences.

  A  touch  of  black  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  fast  tremolo  picking  when  it  is  utilized  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  symphonic  sounds  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  the  closing  track  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vampirism  and  Anti  Religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  while  Lord  Vampyr  have  moved  away  from  black  or  industrial  metal  they  still  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  goth,  dark  and  heavy  metal  and  if  would  recommend  this  band  to  fans  of  those  genres.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Death  Comes  Under  The  Sign  of  The  Cross"  "Iconoclast  Heresy"  and  "Violent  Awarness  of  the  Absence  Of  God".  8  out  of  10.

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Dark Reverence Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Yes, we are a duo. Lord of Horns creates and records all of the music and Legion sings in various styles. We both contribute with lyrics and Legion focuses on our visual marketing.

2.Recently you have released a demo, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?
We chose 3 songs that we felt displayed our talents and influences the best. It has a good mix of goth, black metal, ambient, and industrial. We were able to prominently display Legion's vocal capabilities, which is a key factor of our music.

3.You refer to your music as 'savage goth', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?
I came up with the term to describe our sound. We are a little too soft for metal and way too hard for traditional goth. I wanted a term that represented our sound as soon as you heard it. Metal in general and especially black metal is known to be savage sounding. Goth is more dreary and slower paced, but we use elements of each to attain our sound. I didn't want to go by 'goth metal' because that's still not exactly what we are doing. I really wanted something that represented our black metal influences, so I chose the word savage.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
We have a range of topics that we enjoy writing about. They include, but not limited to, serial killers, dark fantasy/ mysticism, psychological torture, classic horror tropes, etc.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Dark Reverence'?
We revere all that is dark, we live in a harsh world and we feel dark themes are more realistic and representative of life. For this project, we wanted to incorporate many different types of dark music that we each are influenced by. Some people like goth, or industrial, or thrash metal. We like it all, so long as it's dark sounding. It's also another take away from our black metal influences. Many bands are Dark this or Dark that. So, the name works well to promote our sound.

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding your line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?
For the time, we are happy with how we work. We would love to share the stage with other musicians, but we don't want to compromise on our craft. I think if we are ever signed by a major record label, studio musicians would work best for us.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
So far we only had one show with a good turn out. We started slow and didn't promote much. Now we are promoting constantly. Our last show was the best, we opened for the Vampirefreak's monthly Cybertron event last month. For being an unknown opening band, we played for about 60 people, half of which we personally sold tickets to. Our stage performance is rather reserved. We wear hoods and have mysterious presences. That's the aesthetic we are going for.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
We have 2 shows coming up next weekend. One is in Ardmore, PA at the Rusty Nail. That's a metal show. The night after we will be in Mystic Islands, NJ at the last Castle Corridors event. That's a goth dance event. In the summer we just got accepted to perform at Steampunk Fest. Before then, however, we want to do some weekend touring around the northeast region of the US to spread our name. We are thinking that would go from March-May

9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
We are still only 4 months old, so no interest has come to us. We aren't really looking for a label right now. We want to gain exposure first to make ourselves more marketable for bigger labels.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and goth metal?
We received a good amount of positive feedback by fans of those types of music. These are people I am friending on facebook and promoting to all over the world.

11.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We want to do a few more demos first and then focus on getting a record or distribution deal. Once we have that we would be game to do a full length release.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Legion enjoys traditional goth, industrial, and tribal; bands like Depeche Mode, Eisbrecher, Dead Can Dance, are just a few. I like a lot of styles from blues to hard rock, metal of all kinds, punk and goth. We continue to listen to much of the same as we always have.

13.How would you describe your views on Occultism?
We embrace occultism. I am a nordic pagan and Legion is spiritual, but unaffiliated with religion.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?
We like being out in nature and creating art. We enjoy going out to goth clubs and metal concerts.

15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
It was a pleasure to take part in this interview and we thank you for taking interest in our project!

https://www.facebook.com/darkreverenceband/

Dark Reverence/2018 Promo Review

  Dark  Reverence  are  a  duo  from  New  Jersey  that  plays  a  mixture  of  goth,  ambient  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  promo.

  Heavy  yet  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  promo  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  programmed  beats  as  well  as  the  female  vocals  also  mixing  goth  elements  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  synths.

  A  decent  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  along  with  the  synths  also  adding  in  elements  of  dark  ambient  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them as  well  as  a brief  use  of  clean  playing.

  Dark  Revernece  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  dark  ambient  and  goth  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dark  Reverence  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  dark  ambient  and  goth  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Let  Me  Be  Myself  Again".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/darkreverenceband/
  

Necroart/Caino/The Goatmancer Records/2018 Full Length Review

  Necroart  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays a   very  progressive  and  avant  garde  mixture  of  goth,  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Caino"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  The  Goatmancer  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  avant  garde  elements  onto  the  recording  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  add  goth  elements  onto  the  recording  will  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  music  also  getting  very  progressive  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  they  also  start  mixing  the  avant  garde  side  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.

  On  this  recording  Necroart  remains  true  to  their  progressive  and  avant  garde  mixture  of  goth,  black  and  melodic  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  esoteric  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Necroart  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde,  progressive,  goth,  black  and  melodic  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "An  Invocation  For  The  Horned"  "Caino"  and  "one  Is  All.  All  In  One".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.thegoatmancer.com/
https://www.facebook.com/necroartband/

Mystherium Interview

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

Hello, everyone!
Mystherium was formed in 2001 and our newest - 5th album was released in  July 2018. It’s been a very long way  with many different members, who made Mystherium what it is now. I believe, that thanks to the fact, that the lineup remains unchanged since 2011,  “Zagłada” is very mature and is our best recorded release. The reception was pretty good, we’ve received plenty of positive feedback, which gave us energy and motivation to start working on our new material.

2.Recently you have released a new album, what are some of the things you feel you have done differently musically on this recording that you where not able to do on your previous releases?

We’ve entrusted Maciej Rybicki from LSS studio Poznan with mixing and mastering the recordings and it was a really good decision, he did a great job.
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3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Miro wrote the lyrics from the very beginning and Aleksandra was the coauthor for the two newest releases - thanks to her, the lyrics are now related to paganism, the bonds between people and nature, transience of life and the self-destructive human nature. They are also referring to Polish history and poetry.

4.Some of your lyrics have covered some Occult and Slavic Paganism topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in both of those areas?

All of the band members are interested in the history of the land we live in. We are reminding our listeners, that people who lived in these territories before they were called Poland, had their own rites and traditions.

5.In the beginning the band had some songs written in English, but the last few releases all of the songs have been written in your native tongue, can you tell us a little bit more about going into this direction?

Cooperation with Aleksandra and Darek gave that possibility, the previous vocalists preferred to sing in English. Polish language is more difficult to scream or growl, but allows for more adequate depiction of our feelings and ideas.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Mystherium'?

Our name comes from the latin word “Mysterium”. The band was named after the title of the song from our first album “Uczta demonów”.


7.Most of the band members have been or are currently in some legendary Polish black metal bands, how would you describe the progress of Polish black metal over the last couple of decades?

We are and have been cooperating with a few pagan/black metal bands (Arkona, Graveland, Taran, Horns, Moontower, Warfist....), so we can closely observe, how Polish black metal scene is developing. We have our own ideas and style. It was way more radical in the past. Nowadays bands are being formed and cease to exist, and only the strongest  ones remain.


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

It represents the destruction of nature and old beliefs induced by humans and our self-destructive nature. It was created by Maciej Zaborowski from MZproPAGANda and it’s my  fifth cooperation with him (Graveland/Nokturnal Mortum split, Horns-CZERŃ, MYSTHERIUM-Memoriał Nowy Świt, MYSTHERIUM -Zwycięstwo). We are really proud that he agreed to create the artwork for our band.


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?

We’ve played different concerts both on various festivals and small club concerts some time ago, but we’ve been focusing on recording albums for the previous few years.

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

We’ve received some offers to play concerts and we’re considering  playing live again someday.

11.According to the Metal Archives page the band is signed to 'Art of The Night Productions', how would you compare working with this label to the other ones you have been a part of?

The previous labels - Lower Silesian Stronghold, Eastside Records, HeidenWut Productions and Werewolf Promotions did a great job in selling our CDs, tapes and vinyls all around the world. Art of The Night Productions was responsible for our newest album - “Zagłada” and placing our previous releases on different internet platforms like Spotify or Deezer.

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

The reception was pretty good, we’ve received plenty of positive feedback. We’re very pleased to know that people from all around the world are sharing our music.

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

We’re being very active, we play and record a lot! Arkona (Darek), Horns (Miro, Zbychu) are working on their new albums. Darek is going to play 9 concerts in Poland on a tour with Arkona. Horns are planning 3 concerts in Poland, Taran (Darek, Zbychu) is going to play 4 concerts in France and Aleksandra will perform in USA/New York. There’s a lot going on recently!

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

We want to grow and get more recognisable. We are considering adding hurdy-gurdy.


15.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?

We like  black metal, pagan metal and folk music. My playlist currently includes Angrrsth, Duch Czerni, Funeral Mist, Immortal, Laboratorium Pieśni, Sound of Triglav, Summoning, Surya.


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

Support underground metal bands - thanks to your support we can release new material and play concerts. Sława!


http://www.facebook.com/mystheriumofficial
https://mystherium.bandcamp.com/music

Pentarium/Zwischenwelt/Boersma Records/2018 Full Length Review

  Pentarium  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  goth  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Zwischenwelt"  which  was  released  by  Boersma  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  alter  while  symphonic  elements  are  also  used  at  times  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  when  screams  are  utilized  they  add  in  black  metal   elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  tracks  also  bringing  in  elements  of  goth  metal  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  whispered  vocals and  as  the  the  album  progresses  more  modern  metal  influences  are  added  into  the  music  and  one  song  also  introduces  clean  playing  and  melodic  vocals  onto  the  recording  and  the  guitar  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody

  Pentarium  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  mixture  of  black,  goth  and  melodic  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a mixture  of  German  and  English  and  cover  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft,  domestic  violence,  depression  and  dementia  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Pentarium  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  goth  and  melodic  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "13"  "Rise  Of  The  Older  Gods"  "Memoria"  and  "Vor  dem  Sturm".  8  out  of  10.

 https://www.facebook.com/Pentarium/

  

Mystherium/Zaglada/2018 Full Length Review

  Mystherium  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  gothic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  album  "Zaglada".

  Spoken  word  parts,  stringed  instruments  and  keyboards  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  introduces  clean  vocals  onto  the  recording  while  grim  black  metal  screams  are  also  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  album  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's.

  A  decent  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  music  mixing  in  elements  of  goth  and  classical  music  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Mystherium  plays  a  style  of  gothic  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  anti  Christianity,  Patriotism  and  Polish  history  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mystherium  are  a  very  great  sounding  gothic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Slawa!  Wojna!  Zwyciestwo"  "Piesna  pochwalne"  and  "Wedrowiec".  8  out  of  10.

http://facebook.com/mystheriumofficial

http://mystherium.bandcamp.com

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Mystherium/18044

Majesty Of Silence Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
First after finishing the music we had to take care of the artwork. To us that is important as well. And then of course we had to spread the news for we were absent for quite some time. Now we are really looking forward for the release and what feedback there might come.

2.You have a new album coming out towards the end of May, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
We describe it as black metal with symphonic and melodic side. Musically guitars are now more of a central point and synths got a bit more to the background. We gave more weight and attention to lyrics than on earlier recordings for they are all in written in german, no more mixed with english like before.

3.This is your first album in 12 years, can you tell us a little bit more about the decision to get back together after a very long hiatus?
In 2012 there should have been the release of a forth album entitled "wie Licht nur dunkler". But we couldn't find any label or distributor that was interested in releasing it and finally the band went to the break and the album was put away. But even during that break we never turned away from music for we cannot let it go. Each one did his own thing be it alone or in other formation. Because we have a recording studio of our own we then thought that we could as well do something together again.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
What you can read in some preview of the album: "With lyrical themes encompassing everyday problems, an ongoing lack of humanity, and the control that wrath has over a person, the band works collaboratively to write music that truly resonates with listeners" is very true we think. We are getting older and think more about what is happening to the world in a critical way. It somehow mirrors human an social thinking nowadays.

5.Originally the band was called 'Culture Shock', what was the decision behind the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Majesty Of Silence'?
Well, Culture Shock was back when we were about 13 years old, we barely remember that. In 1994 the band was renamed for the first time to "Parsley" and in 1997 again, for spice wasn't that representing anymore for a metal band, to "Majesty of silence".

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?
Our best show was in a well known location called "Z7" where many bigger bands stop by in Switzerland when touring. But at that time we where only thre members so we couldn't perform so well. When we were four we had some more show-potential but we were mostly playing at smaller venues where possibilities for special show effect were not so good.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
We did thnk about playing live shows but at the moment we are just two and to play live we'd need at least a drummer. Let's see if there is a demand for shows when the album is out.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your recordings by fans of black metal?
Our two first releases were self produced and slef distributed so there was not so much feedback from abroad about them. With the third album "Lichtsille" which was istributed worldwide there was quite some good feedback with mailings from listeners from the US, Cuba and Korea to name a few. For the coming album resonance is already quite big which of course makes us very happy.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We unfortunately don't have a crystal ball that tells the future let's wait and see what's to come when the album is actually out. For sure we'll stick with doing music anyway as long as we having fun making some but there is no pressure for nobody relies on us.

10.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?
We like listening to unknown bands and new stuff but if we need to tell some big names they are for sure Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth and Immortal as well as In Flames, Nightwish and Sonate Arctica. But also music movie soundtracks and classic music influences us.

11.Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in your music?
No, definitely not. There is enough talking and arguing about religion going on and there are also enough opinions out there. We actually think it is quite boring to sing about it too.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
When we're not doing music ourselfs we are visiting concerts of other bands. But we too are collectors, video games and guitars are in focus mainly. But most of our free time goes for doing music ourselfes..

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
We'd like to say thank you for being interested in what we do. We wish you a lot of fun listening the album and all the best.

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Majesty Of Silence/Zu Dunkel Fur Das Licht/Extreme Metal Music/Rockshots Records/2018 CD Review

  Majesty  Of  Silence  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  plays  a  melodic,  symphonic  and  gothic  influenced  for  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Zu  Dunkel  Fur  Das  Licht"  which  will  be  released  in  May  as  a  joint  effort  between  Extreme  Metal  Music  and  Rockshots  Records.

  Spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  alter  which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  fast  sections  of the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  along  with  the  tracks  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  keyboards  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  symphonic  feeling  along  with  spoken  word  parts  also  returning  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion and  also  add  in  a  touch  of  goth  metal  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound to   them.

  Majesty  Of  Silence  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  it  is  very  melodic  and  symphonic  sounding  along  with  son=me  goth  influences,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swiss  and  cover  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Majesty  Of  Silence  are  a  very  great  symphonic  and  melodic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Der  untergang"  "Endstille"  "Sonne"  and "Erlosung".  8  out  of  10.

 https://www.facebook.com/Mosmetalband
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Monotone Depression/X Life/2018 Demo Review

  Monotone  Depression  is  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  goth  rock  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2018  demo  "X  Life".

  Atmospheric  synths  along  with  some  mid  tempo  black  metal  style  riffing  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  a  great  amount  of  goth  rock  influences  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  done  in  more  of  a  clean  style.

  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  death  and  depressive  rock  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  style.

  Monotone  Depression  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  goth  rock  and  mid  tempo  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Monotone  Depression  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  goth  rock  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Out  Of  Tune  With  Life"  and  "On  A  Plane  With  The  Devil".  8  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/-s eycKT1-tg

Facebook: https://www.facebook .com/monotonedepression/?modal =admin_todo_tour

Golden Dawn Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project these days?
1. I haven't created new music for Golden Dawn since 2010. But I am working as producer, composer or studio musician for a handful of other bands and sometimes, when I donate really cool parts to those other projects, I think to myself something like "shit, this riff would be perfect for Golden Dawn, why are you giving it away". So maybe I will be able to keep the best ideas for myself in the future haha, then a new album could be done, but it is very hard for me to fulfill my own demands.

2.How would you describe the musical sound of the newer music?
2. To be honest, Golden Dawn should be judged on the basis of the early demos, the first and now re-released album, plus the unreleased albums "Sublimity" and "A solemn day" (hopefully they will also see a release, right now I think only a dozen of people has ever heard them). The official second album "Masquerade" was some kind of Gothic Black Metal with Power Metal influences, awfully artificial keyboards and even more awful vocals and production. The third album "Return to provenance" was mid-tempo Black Metal with some good creative moments but also some average songs without climax. Back then I wanted to write simpler songs without too much progressive touches, that could be good on stage, but out of a lack of good session musicians, a live performance never happened.

3.In between 2012 and 2017 ther has been no new music, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
3. I have my own recording studio and work as producer for a lot of bands. Also I kind of felt that I have nothing more to "say" in terms of progressive or symphonic Black Metal and I wanted to create simpler, more atmospheric and hypnotic music. This is why I started Rauhnåcht, which is my main band nowadays.

4.Some of your lyrics cover Shamanism, Sorcery and Lucid Dreaming, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
4. This is something I have been connected to since my childhood, I have also experienced lucid dreaming. This is when you realize that you are dreaming and start to have control over your dream. Then you can use the energy that is hidden within the dream to leave your body and take a trip to other worlds. For me, shamanism and sorcery are just ways that lead to an alternative perception of reality. We can walk this path when we understand that energy is much more important than matter and that we can control and use the universial energy with the powers of mind and soul. We are all creators of reality.

5.I know that the music project was named after the Hermetic Order Of The Golden Dawn, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in Hermeticism and Western Occultism?
5. I read some books of Aleister Crowley and other "western sorcerers" when I started Golden Dawn, so yes, the name comes from there but for me, it is also a synonym for the state of enlightenment. Nowadays I am no longer into any kind of "system" or "teachings". I think that the core of most of this reflects a deep truth but also it is subject to man's misinterpretations and problems with our ego. The ultimate truth you can only find when you step beyond all systems and realize that they are all true and also wrong at the same time - which is in fact an "Eastern" thought out of Zen buddhism. As soon as something like spiritual truth is written down or put into systematic patterns, it loses its pureness as it can't be understood with the mind. Meditating or doing some Qi Gong moves in nature while focussing on my breathing often takes me closer to ultimate truth than anything that is written down in books.

6.At different times this band has been either a solo project of full band, can you tell us a little bit more about the decision behind forming a full line up before going back to working solo?
6. Well, I have the impression that I am quite good at taking basic ideas from others and enrich them. The results are often better than what I can create from scratch on my own. On the other hand I never found someone who really harmonizes with my way of perceiving music and also on a personal basis. Also I have to deal a lot with other musicians in my studio work, where it is my job to subordinate to their wants and needs, so I need the freedom to have projects where I am my own boss.

7.What where some of the best shows that the band had played back in the day and also how would you describe your stage performance?

7. Golden Dawn has never performed live so far.

8.Recently 'Casus Belli Musica' re-issued your 1996 album, can you tell us a little bit more about the newer version?
8. It is limited to 100 pieces on vinyl and has the original tape sound with only slight remastering. The cover artwork is looking really great, finally after more than 20 years this is how it should have looked like on the original. I want to express my discontent with the capitalist practises of Napalm Records here, they did the first repress on CD in I think 2001. Back then, the original label Dark Matter Records was already defunct, so they got the rights for free. Now they demanded 300 EUR for the rights to press the 100 LPs and even offered me to buy back all rights on my own for 1000 EUR. Dudes, that feels like when Nestlé takes the water from the poor and sells it back to them. When somebody out there is interested in "The Art of Dreaming", please either look for the original CD or for the new LP, but keep your hands off the Napalm release (which also has a bad remastering and artwork).

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
9. In the mid 90ies I got good feedback and letters from all over the world but when Black Metal turned bigger and hundreds of new bands emerged, of course Golden Dawn was not really in the focus anymore and got forgotten in the course of time. All the more surprised I was when I realized that my old demo stuff is still hunted by some collectors and all demos now finally saw a release on CD or LP. In general I think that many people are actually bored by today's Black Metal which rarely offers something fresh, also I think that today's highly edited digital fast food productions make people appreciate the older bands.

10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that you are a part of?
10. Actually quite a lot. With Rauhnåcht I have released a new split and plan an album (or double album) for early 2018. I am also working as "ghost writer" for a new band called The Negative Bias, the first album has been released via ATMF from Italy, in 2018 we will release a split EP with one Golden Dawn track from 2010 via Seance Records. Also I can mention the current/upcoming releases of Wallachia and Nocturne, where I also contributed arrangements and production. Then I am also about to finish a very calm Dungeon Synth/Ambient album, I still have to decide under which name and on which label it will be released. Oh, and I forgot to mention A portrait of flesh and blood, a new "international" band, the music comes from Japan, vocals from the USA and I am in the middle so to say and contribute keyboards and some additional arrangements. It will be a good mix of Symphonic Black Metal and Post Black Metal/DSBM, the first album will probably come on Zero Dimensional Records from Japan.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
11. I think I will produce more calm, Synth-driven or symphonic stuff in the future but I am pretty sure that I will still feel the drive to do blast beats and tremolo guitars also. The way my music will go will reflect my personal development, so I am curious myself how it will sound haha.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
12. Definitely Bathory was a major reason for me to start making music, both the "Viking era" and the old albums. Also the advent of the second Black Metal wave with especially Emperor, Darkthrone, Burzum and Satyricon influcended me a lot. But I was also listening a lot to Doom and bands like Tiamat or My Dying Bride, which can also be recognized in my early demos. Apart from Metal I was a big fan of Dead can Dance and also listened to Ambient as well as Synth pioneers like Jean-Michel Jarre. I think that it was this big range of influences that made "The Art of Dreaming" a really diverse record. I must say that nowadays I still listen to many of the stuff I already liked as a teenager. Admittedly I do not follow the current extreme Metal scene very much.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?
13. I love to take trips through nature and do hiking or mountainbike tours in my local mountain areas. This is my way to set me free from all stress or daily routines. But music is part of nearly each and every of my days.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
14. Thank you for your support and the opportunity to share some of my thoughts. To the people out there, even though Black Metal is an extreme style and most bands sing about negative or nihilistic topics - don't forget that music is art and there is no art without soul.

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Golden Dawn/The Art Of Dreaming/Casus Belli Musica/2017 CD Re-Issue Review

  Golden  Dawn  are  a  band  from  Austria  that  plays  a  symphonic,  melodic  and  medieval  mixture  of  black  and  goth  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  1996  album  "The  Art  Of  Dreaming"  which  was  re-issued  in  2017  by  Casus  Belli  Musica.

  A  very  heavy  guitar  riff  starts  off  the  album  while  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  riffing  also  getting  very  melodic  at  times  as  well  as  the  music  mixing  the  symphonic  and  heavy  parts  together  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  into  certain  sections of  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  some  operatic  female  and  male  vocals  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

 A  great  amount  of  goth  metal  elements  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  track  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  keyboards  start  getting  more  medieval  and  epic  sounding  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Golden  Dawn  played  a  musical  style  on  this  recording t hat  mixed  melodic  and  symphonic  black  metal  with  goth  and  medieval  folk  music  to  create  something  very  original  for  that  time  period,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dreaming,  sorcery,  existence  and  other  dimension  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Golden  Dawn  are  a  very  melodic,  symphonic  and  medieval  mixture  of  black  and  goth  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Art  Of  Dreaming"  "My  Confession  To  War"  "The  Sorcery  Of  The  Nagual  Side"  and  "Beyond  the  Mortal  Shell".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vcO3-199sI

Cadaveria/Far Away From Conformity/Sleaszy Rider Records/2017 CD Re-Issue Review

  Cadaveria  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a    mixture  of  black  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2004  album  "Far  Away  From  Conformity"  which  was  re-issued  in  2017  by  Sleaszy  Rider  Records.

  Grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  heavy  guitar  riffs  start  off  the  album  while  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  melodic  vocals  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  also  being  added  onto  some  of  the  tracks.

  Whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  acoustic  guitars,  keyboards  and  goth  elements  but  keeping  the  focus  on  more  of  a  heavier  mid  tempo  style  and  also  adding  in  elements  of  traditional  metal  and  they  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  Blondie's  "Call  Me".

  On  this  recording  Cadaveria  brought  into  more  of  a  black  and  heavy  metal  mixture  while  only  having  a  small  touch  of  goth  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cadaveria  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  goth,  and  heavy  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blood  And  Confusion"  "The  Divine  Rapture"  "Out  Body Experience"  and  "Vox  of  Anti-Time".  8  out  of  10.

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Daedalean Complex/After The Fall/PRC Music/2017 CD Review

  Daedalean  Complex  are  a  band  from  Quebec,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  goth  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2017  album  "After The  Fall"  which  was  released  by  PRC  Music.

  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also  mixes  the  symphonic  and  heavy  parts  together  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  a  few  death  metal  growls  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  goth  can  also  be  heard  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  male  and  female  vocals  and  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Daedalean  Complex  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  goth  and  death  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mythological  and  metaphysical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Daedalean  Complex  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic,  goth,  black  and  melodic  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Fall  Of  Icarus"  "The  Illusion  Of  Freedom"  "The  Cosmological  Riddle"  and  "To  Etemenanki".  8  out  of  10.

https://prcmusic.bandcamp.com/album/daedalean-complex-after-the-fall-cd