Upon Shadows Interview

 

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

At this moment we are launching a series of lyric videos from our latest album "Modern Obscurantism", and we are also recording a new single to be released on October 18th.

2.In the last couple of years, you have released a full length and a single musically how do they differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

All our releases are different between each other, musically and also lyrically. In the case of "Modern Obscurantism" which is our seventh album, there is a kind of sinister atmosphere apart from the darkness always present in our music. Is a heavier album also, and is also the first time we record the full drums with a real drummer. In the past we had done a couple of singles with invited drummers. "Geometry of music" with Sir Kimmo Luttinen (ex Impaled Nazarene, ex Beherit), and "Fatal Stigma of the Realist" with Matti Torro (Myon), but before that all our albums and single have been done with programmed drums until our latest album "Modern Obscurantism" where we recorded with the sessionist drummer Joonas Alaräihä.The incorporation of real drums made an improvement in sound, in relation with our older albums.

3.The lyrics on the album you released in 2019 where a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story that you had covered with this release?

The concept of the album is based on the idea that we are living in a new era of strong censorship and repression, even bigger than the obscurantism of the middle ages, because now everything has the magnitude of being global. So Natalia and I were talking for months about this idea to put the things as clear as possible... so we focused on the biggest points and so per song there is a topic.

First the album opens with an intro called "Back To The Dark Ages" which is very direct in the message, and musically helps to put the listener into the mode of the album.

Then the next song ``Vanity's Bonfire" talks about all the knowledge and precious art we had lost under the censorship of the church in the middle ages and the message is a question mark about how many precious things are we losing just now because of the new forms of censorship. The album has 10 songs and all presents a different topic related to the same concept. I tried to write the lyrics as poetically as I could, without affecting the original feeling. And we closed the album with an outro called "Lucifer" which is an extract of a text by Oscar Wilde, in which he let very clear the importance of keeping rebellion alive, as a motor for producing changes.

We closed the album with a text, a poem written by Ricardo Arocena, (Natalia´s father), because he made reference to the importance of fighting against indifference. I think these two last texts close the album with a positive message, despite all the darkness we were putting on the table along the whole album... Nothing is eternal, and everything can be changed by keeping the seed of rebellion in our hearts and fighting against indifference.

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

Upon Shadows in other words means "about darkness".. we all have our shadows and Upon shadows is all about my shadows.

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

Yes, I made the artwork thinking about representing the shadows taking over our lives, in a global way. A darkness that is over us all and represents censorship and control. So I get the idea of basing the design in an advanced but not total eclipse.

6.Originally the band was based in 'Uruguay' but now reside in Finland, can you tell us a little bit more about the mover?

I moved to Finland in 2013 because of personal reasons, not because of music. I needed a change in my life, I am a person that is all the time fighting against conformism and always needs new challenges.

But my move didn't affect our way of working in Upon Shadows. We have been keeping active all the way.

7.The last album was released on ;'Ground Media Group', how would you compare working with this label to other labels that you have been a part of in the past?

We have been releasing mainly independently, because we have the characteristic that we always release our music for free download, and this is something that is not attractive to most of the labels. Despite that, this is a decision we made from the starting point of Upon Shadows and we are not going to change it.

But we had released CDs with Satanica records from New Zealand, Depressive Illusions Records from Ukraine, and Underground Devotion Zine from Chile also had our permission to print and sell our music as a way to support the underground scene.

Ground Media Group is a new Finnish label that is growing a lot, and is made by people whose main purpose is to keep the underground alive. They give us the opportunity of releasing the album in a very beautiful edition where the Cd comes in a 4 panel digipak with a 12 page booklet. The printing quality is magnificent, the colors are very alive so the design is displayed in the best possible way.

We are very happy with the result.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black, dark and gothic metal?

The reaction is more than positive. 

We are very underground, but we have people who have been following and supporting us through the years, and are the kind of people that really listen and pay attention to the lyrics, and are open to feel and think with us, which is the most important thing for us.

We know that what we do is out of the standards of what most of the people wants to hear in these genders, and despite of that, and despite that we are a female duo,(which many times is enough for some people to deny us the opportunity to be listen), we have been making extreme metal music for the last 19 years. Offering a different proposal and keeping absolutely loyal to our ideas.

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

I think we found our own style which is the most difficult thing to find, an identity. And the goal for the future is to keep improving in technique and sound, and keep on this mixture of emotions and darkness.

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?

The styles that influenced me the most are Black Metal and Dark Ambient. I grew up listening to Abigor, Necromantia, Impaled Nazarene, Samael, and so on.

And the Dark Ambient... I found it through experimental music while I started to work as a music producer for a TV show called "Voces Anónimas" about ghost stories and urban legends in my country, where I was creating sounds to make the audience feel the uncomfortable tension and the fear related to the stories.

But I also have an strong influence from what my generation calls Dark Music (now people use the term "goth" or "gothic" wich I personally don't like) with bands like Sisters of Mercy, Christian Death, or The cure and its mix with metal music like The whores of Babylon. I think this influence is very visible in my keyboards.

Nowadays I'm listening to some new bands like Yoth Iria, NEDXXX, Aethyrick and Vermilia.

I also discovered some bands that are old but new to me like INFERNO and their album "Gnosis Kardias" which is a masterpiece.

And from the old bands I´m absolutely fascinated with Abigor´s new album "A Saintslayer's Songbook", and Rotting Christ "The Heretics".

11.Does Occultism play any role on your music?

Mmm...not directly, but if I think about it from the point of view that it is something that has always interested me, and is something about I have read a lot over the years...then I assume there are influences that I cannot deny.

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

First of all, thank you very much for the opportunity to express myself and present my music to your readers.

All Upon Shadows music can be download for free at :

http://tamarapicardo.blogspot.com/

And my final message is this: Keep the seed of rebellion in your heart like the most precious gift we have, because it is the core of our artistic creation and a consequence of our reasoning ability.

Upon Shadows/Modern Obscurantism/Ground Media Group/2019 CD Review

 

  Upon  Shadows  are  a  duo  originally  from  Uruguay  but  now  resides  in  Finland  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  dark,  gothic  metal  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Modern  Obscurantism"  which  was  released  by  Ground  Media  Group.

  

  A  very  dark  and  avant  garde  style  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  dark  and  heavier  musical  direction.  Gothic  style  keyboards  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  mostyl  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of   blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era.

  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  metal  elements  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  The  keyboards  also  add  in  touches  of  ambient  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  parallelism  between  the  obscurantism  of  the  Middle  Ages  and  the  new  forms  of  censorship  and  control.

  In  my  opinion  Upon  Shadows  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  dark,  gothic  metal  and  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vanity's  Bonfire"  "Dogma  The  Infinity  Of  Fire"  "Illusion  Of  Freedom"  and  "Out  Of  The  Blue  Comes  The  New  Plague".  8  out  of  10.        

    

Mephisto Interview

 

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

The most logical thing would be to do a tour presenting the album, playing the entire album repertoire, since many of those songs we have played mixed with other repertoires, but the great idea would be to play the entire album on tour. We were only able to give two concerts in our city due to the epidemiological situation that the island is suffering. Nowadays it is impossible because the circumstances are becoming apocalyptic, so we have turned to preparing the conditions for the next album. We have a repertoire for 3 more albums, however in the past we did not have the conditions and the technology to record with quality. As such unfortunately bad sounding demos circulated. What we are doing is rescuing all that, modernizing it and including the orchestrations that we are using today. Apart from that, an album of unreleased songs is already in the process of writing, but when we get to that point I'm sure we'll have two more albums ready for recording.

You have a new album coming out in February, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

It differs in musical maturity, in better arrangements, in an incredible orchestration. We have also fixed the letters and the metric of it. The songs on the album are organized in an organic way so that in the end the listener believes that they have already traversed a whole universe of stories connected in one way or another to each other. Similar to a good "hook" book, this album is designed for a shocking beginning and ending that leaves you wanting more.

The band has been around since 1996 and while they were a few demos over the years the band waited until 2016 to release an album, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier days?

The band has officially existed since 1997.

We didn’t really make a decision to wait until 2016 to release an album, but rather were forced to do so. The main reason for this was the conditions of an orthodox country, where digital technology was a long time coming… Without the digital technology and internet, it really forced us to wait for better times. 

We have lost 30 years of our lives in the vicious circle of events and concerts throughout the island, without being able to take our music to other countries. This was because years ago travel for Cuban citizens was prohibited and in addition private recording studios were also prohibited. Today these studios exist but only clandestinely. 

Also with the development of music production software, anyone can now record at home which certainly changes things here for us. We recorded our latest album with little access to many things required to make a recording and did it all whilst combating restrictive and challenging conditions. The listeners will be amazed by the good production of the Pentafixion album; however I don’t think they’d believe us if we explained how it was recorded. The good result has the following ingredients: years of training and study, dedication, patience and talent.

On the other hand, there have always been government recording studios, but their engineers are not experienced in recording and editing metal music. Their knowledge does not go beyond the sound of traditional Cuban music and salsa, so going to record there is a huge loss of time and money.

This is also your first album since 2016; can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

We were recording demos throughout those years (Seven dead cities, Knowledge of Necronomicon, Creation of the magnificent, Dominion Satanas, Blasphemy and evil), and an album in 2000 (Carpathian tales) that despite sounding ok and being well received by the underground fans and platforms throughout the country, they just really did not pass muster for an official release. 

Apart from that, many concerts throughout the country, many line-up changes, more concerts, steadily creating and building up a kind of legend in the national metal scene. None of that was known in the world due to the isolation that we suffered on the island. Luckily today the internet exists and now we are visible. Keep in mind that we are the pioneer band of Black metal in Cuba and nobody knows that.

A lot of your lyrics cover satanic and occult topics; can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

Just as a dictatorship reinvents history and shapes it at its convenience, Christianity has manipulated the facts to indoctrinate all of humanity. 

They have painted Satan as a horrible and evil being who wishes the evil of men and the destruction of the world. The story is different, we are beings enslaved by a supposedly omnipotent and all-powerful being whose only power is to create life, or at least had it at the beginning. 

I liken it to being like a mother that begets and has influence over that life, but does not have absolute power over it. That is why it needs extra help, like a book (the bible), the churches and the prophets, or the sacrifice of a son so that they believe in him and the final deception: The theory of free will. 

Lucifer, the preferred angel of God, the most beautiful and powerful, and also intelligent, realized the autocracy of the Lord, a being who plays with all of us as if we were chess pieces and laughs and enjoys our misfortunes and killings, like someone who watches an apocalyptic series on Netflix. Lucifer simply rebelled, but was defeated. That is all. Thrown to hell? Hell does not exist. Anyway we use all the Christian conventions of the goat, the pentagram, fire, hell and those things for the sake of the dark atmosphere that we need for our music, but the reality is simpler, we are under the dictatorship of the omnipotent and Satan is our symbol of rebellion and freedom

What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored over the years with your music?

The poetry of Baudelaire, the cursed poet. Also the universe of H.P. Lovecraft and his theory of The Ancients. We have addressed Tolkien's heroic fantasy, and in the future we will delve into Hermeneutics and ancient history about the irreparable damage that Christianity has done in the millenary cultures of countries. We may also do something about Norwegian paganism. Ah, I forgot: also the myth of Dracula.

What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Mephisto'?

When the band was still an idea, I was looking for a name that would synthesize the entire atmosphere that the songs were going to create and by chance the book “Faust”, by Goethe, fell into my hands. In this book I see for the first time a new denomination for Lucifer: Mephistopheles. It cannot be denied that this name, of Greek phonetics, sounds like wisdom, power and divinity. I just reduced it to Mephisto, for better visibility.

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

Pentafixion is simply the crucifixion of a person on a pentagram, not on a cross, a method that is usually applied in satanic rituals. What better pentacrucifixion than that of the lord of manipulation and lies, the great enslaver and indoctrinator of humanity. The one who cannot die yet played dead in a carnival show to finish convincing every one of the divinity of the father, creating the most harmful, corrosive and corrupt religion in the history of humanity. A religion that has caused so many crimes and has delayed the course of science and human progress with its cloak of obscurantism and the denial of the nature of man.

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

I think the best was the concert at the Eddy Suñol theatre in our city with the Holguín Symphony Orchestra. Apart from being the first concert of a Cuban metal group with a symphony in all of Cuba, it resulted in the recording of a CD / DVD that was published by Bis Music (Cuban record company) and the audio CD was also published by Concreto records, from Mexico.

Mephisto is not a band that lies in the studio and then live we are something else, like some other bands. First we test ourselves live and then the recordings come, so the live shows are powerful and a direct reflexion of the albums we release.

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

To a greater elaboration of the music, we have learned a lot over the years and we plan not to stagnate musically, but we are also careful not to stray too far and make the mistakes of many, which start in one way and in the end they are so different that you almost have to rename them. Simply the future is music with a more complex and mature atmosphere delivered professionally both in a live environment and in the studio.

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?

The first influence was Septic Flesh, that's why Death metal is still so present, then the influence of Black metal arrived and that was where the group's influences were formed. 

We have never been influenced by raw black, that is, Norwegian black metal, the symphonic calls us more, call it Cradle of filth (old) and Dimmu Borgir. Also the diverse musical tastes of the members influence greatly the arrangements of the band. Personally, I follow the trajectory of Septic Flesh, Dimmu Borgir and I'm listening to other things like Fleshgod Apocalypse, Turisas, Ensiferum, and a lot of death metal (Dying fetus, Cannibal corpse, Nile, Suffocation)

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

Yes. All the strategies we are taking to take Mephisto's music as far as possible and put Cuba on the world metal map is not an effort for us alone, we want to open a way for the Cuban metal scene to come out of isolation and darkness in which it is plunged. Pentafixion is only the beginning, behind comes a whole legion to destroy the world.

MANAGEMENT CONTACT:

Jeremy Harris E: mephistobandcuba@gmail.com

Australian Cell: +61 419 966 948 / Cuban Cell: +53 5676 3715

LABEL: Worm Hole Death Records 

LABEL WEBSITE: http://www.wormholedeath.com

LABEL CONTACT: Natasa Pribac naty@wormholedeath.com 

Australian Press Agent: Black Roo’s Promotion 

Press Contact: Michael Lueders michael@black-roos.com

Get ready for the

“PENTAFIXION”

 

"Pentafixion" Single is available on all digital stores HERE

Stream the single HERE

Mp3 available HERE

 

Official Website – https://mephistoband.com  Official Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/MephistoCubanMetalBand

Official Fan Group FB Page – https://www.facebook.com/groups/400206567176071

Official YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR-gbytXK0GqmDgdfpE-0mA

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Mephist49840300  Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mephistoband

Sound Cloud - https://soundcloud.com/Mephistocubanmetalband  Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/487Vf8CZplEQDl1kg3ooxE

Mephisto - Official Pentafixion Music Video - https://youtu.be/UtCwRWyUhIw

 

WEBSITE LINKS

Mephisto/Pentafixion/Wormholedeath Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Mephisto  are  a  band  from  Cuba  that  plays  a  gothic  and  orchestra  orientated  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Pentafixion"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Wormholedeath  Records.

  Symphonic  and  orchestra  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  choir  vocals  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  angry  shouts  and high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  is  also  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  elements  of  goth  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  death  metal  growls.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  as  well  as  one  of  the  songs  also  introducing  spoken  words  onto  the  album,  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  as  the  recording  progresses  a  brief  use  of  melodic  vocals  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Apocalyptic  and  Suicide  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mephisto  are  a  very  great  sounding  gothic  and  symphonic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Storming  War  Anthems"  "Rebellion"  "Curse  Of  The  Pharaohs"  and  "Burning  Fantoft".  8 out  of  10.

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https://youtu.be/UtCwRWyUhIw        

    

Mirzadeh/Sauna/Inverse Records/2021 EP Review

 

  Mirzadeh  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  dark  mixture  of  melodic  black,  goth  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  ep  "Sauna"  which  was  released  by  Inverse  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  a  few  seconds  later.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  The  music  also  brings  in  a  lot  of  gothic  and  dark  metal  elements  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  folk  instruments  also  being  added  on  a  couple  of  the  tracks  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

 A  couple  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  a  brief  use  of  clear  pagan  vocals  onto  the  recording  along with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  as  well  as  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  and  as  the  ep  progresses  a  brief  use  of  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Finnish  Mythology,  Local  History  and  stories  from  the  Kalevala.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Mirzadeh  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  dark,  goth  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "When  The  Deep  Silence  Signs"  and  "Sauna".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/mirzadehband

https://twitter.com/BandMirzadeh

https://mirzadeh.bandcamp.com/      

Ghosts Of Atlantis/3.6.2.4/Black Lion Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Ghosts  Of  Atlantis  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  symphonic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  goth  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  "3.6.2.4"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Black  Lion  Records.

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times  while  clean  goth  metal  style  singing  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.  The  vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  touches  of  groove  metal  are  also  added  into  the  mid  tempo  sections  of t he  songs.    

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  they  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  poetic  atmosphere.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  choirs,  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  and  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  mythology  of  Greece  and  the  lost  cities  of  Atlantis  and  Lemuria.

  In  my  opinion  Ghosts  Of  Atlantis  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  goth,  death  and  groove  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Halls  Of  Lemuria"  "When  Tridents  Fall"  and  "The  Lost  Compass".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.ghostsofatlantisofficial.com
https://www.facebook.com/GhostsOfAtlantisofficial
https://www.instagram.com/ghostsofatlantisofficial 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8SA5SCkWeJWHAukfFT_21g 

https://youtu.be/csO-nA3d27I

Arsenic Addiction/XIX/2020 Full length Review

 

    Arsenic  Addiction  are  a  band  from  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  goth  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "XIX".

  An  almost  silent  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  acoustic  guitars and  goth  metal  style  vocals.  Keyboards  are  also  a very   huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  heavier  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  some  touches  of  melodic  death  metal,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  when  the  music  finally  speeds  blast  beats  and  symphonic  sounds  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  a  later  track  also  adds  in  some  tribal  style  drum  beats.

  Arsenic  Addiction  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  gothic  and  melodic  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  witchcraft,  love and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Arsenic  Addiction  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  gothic  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Moon  &  Sun"  "Ash  Of  The  Earth"  "Fire" and  "So  Below".  8  out  of  10.

ArsenicAddictionBand.com
Facebook.com/doseofarsenic
Instagram.com/arsenicaddiction
Twitter.com/doseofarsenic  

  

Nachtblut Interview

 

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

Skoll: Since we recorded Vanitas we spend a lot of time to prepare the release - photo-, video shoots, planning the promotion etc. Unfortunately, due to the Corona pandemic, all festivals and shows for 2020 have been postponed. Regarding shows, we're just hoping for better times, crossing fingers for 2021 and waiting. 

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

Skoll: I believe with Vanitas we offer a lot of facets and variety, but still managed to have a homogenous sound, upholding the fundamental vibe. It’s exciting to have such a diverse album and the feedback from fans and critics approves that. Regarding the sound, I think we found what we were aiming for. 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Skoll: As diverse as songs on the album, so are the lyrics. Of course, we are dealing with transience, mortality and death, but we didn’t stop there. Further the Vanitas art is also about deliberate, reflecting your lifestyle, your present and what choices you make. So, from the kind of moral dogmas nowadays, gathered in “lifestyles”, in which each thinks it’s superior to the others, to the question of who is in charge of your knowledge, point of view on things or your definition of happiness, dictatorship and unusual bonds between people, you will find a whole range of topics on Vanitas. 

4.I know that the bands name means 'Night blood' in German, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

Skoll: There are several rumors out there, stating why we chose the name or what it means actually. I won’t comment on this ;-). But for sure, the name itself has something dark and sinister, so is our music.

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

Skoll: As the record is called Vanitas and deals with aspects of this art, it was obvious to include the Vanitas-still-life-art at our artwork for the album. Inspired by the paintings of the 16th and 17th century you will notice certain symbols on the cover. They are not randomly chosen. Every object has a symbolic meaning. It’s like a code, which gives you a detailed picture of the thoughts of the artist, or the issues addressed. What the several objects are representing, is to figure out by everyone by himself. I won’t spoil this, it would take away all the fun. 

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?

Skoll: For me personally the very first show in China was a highlight. I didn’t know what to expect, and I was touched by the energy and emotions of the people. Over the last years there are many great concerts and experiences. Of course, playing Wacken for the first time is very special, so are small club shows in which the crowd goes nuts and water/sweat is dripping down the ceiling. I would say our shows are full of energy. It’s always have been part of our shows to have a lot of movement on stage and in front of it. So for example we stage dive and having moshpits with the fans. Nothing for a quiet and comfy evening. 

7.Since 2012 all of your albums have been released on 'Napalm Records', do you feel they have been very supportive when it comes to getting your music out there heard?

Skoll: Yes! It’s great to be with Napalm Records, they are always supportive. You hear a lot of stories about other labels and bands not getting along. Even sometimes labels interfere into the music or artistic decision. I can’t say anything like that about Napalm, it’s always have been a cool with and never an against each other. Over the years, a certain bond manifests. 

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

Skoll: Very good, almost overwhelming. Fans as critics like the record. Of course, you will always find one that isn’t convinced or the old stuff in general is better. But for those people it doesn’t matter what you do, they will always find something to moan about. It also seems that the international interest grew compared to Apostasie. So all in all a very well-received album! 

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

Skoll: I don’t know. Like I said, for me we found the sound we were aiming for. Regarding songwriting, we never sat down and brainstormed like “the next record needs to be like this and this, because it’s a trend”. Things are developing naturally, call it evolution. So the direction will depend on what we are into at the very moment the songs are written. But no worries we will stay true to ourselves. 

10.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?

Skoll: I think every one of us listened or still listen to Rammstein and Cradle Of Filth. Also, we all enjoying Black Metal. But as we are 4 individuals everyone brings in another backstory. Speaking for myself, I don’t care too much about the label put on the music. I listen to all kinds of genres, depending on the mood. Probably if I would turn on the music right now, it would be Ghost. 

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Skoll: I like to do sport, like to read, mainly scientific books, or books about a certain topic. There are just a few fictional, storytelling books I really like. But to be honest, most of the time, it's about music. Drumming, bands, touring, you name it. 

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

Skoll: Famous last word of every band in an interview - listen to our new album Vanitas, out now! Enjoy and in those times, stay safe and stay healthy. Thanks for having me, thanks for the interview!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLEKG9D0E_Q&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=Presse+News+-+UK&utm_campaign=bf4d4e2dae-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_05_24_09_58_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9812a903a1-bf4d4e2dae-16118131

Nachtblut/Vanitas/Napalm Records/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Nachtblut  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  melodic,  symphonic  and  gothic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Vanitas" which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Napalm  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  synth  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Symphonic  elements  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  one  track  also  introduces  stringed  instruments  into  the  music  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while the  vocals  also  get  very  deep  sounding  at  times.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  one  track  also  adding folk  instruments  and  touches  of  goth  rock  onto  the  album  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  all  of  the  songs  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  dark  metal  as  well  as  all  of  the  songs  also  sticking  to  a  mid  tempo  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  death  metal growls and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nachtblut  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  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  "Vanitas"  'Kaltes  herz"  "Meine  Grausamkeit  Kennt  Keine  Grenzen"  and  "Die  Toten  Vergresson  Nicht".  8  out  of  10.

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Magni Interview

https://magnifolk.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Magnifolk
https://deadgamesrecords.com/




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

Clint - It comes from The Neofolk and Pagan Black metal I have loved over the years I founding member of  As All Die ( Martial Neofolk/Noise) I wanted to bring some of those elements back with my love of bands like  Tenhi, Of the Wand and the Moon, Antimatter, Falkenbach and Blood Axis. Ryan brought in the Goth elements for sure esp on track 3 " The Watcher" which he does the vocals on.  Goto - https://magnifolk.bandcamp.com/  to hear and order !!!

 Ryan-The music of project is a folk Gothic metal Doom dark insane project that has melodies harshness and everything else in between

2.You have an ep coming out in September, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?

Clint-  I would  Say  Folk, Black metal,  Northern European Pagan music and some Gothic Doom elements
Ryan-  Well at RPM Studios we went with a nice acoustic folk undertones and we just let the project grow as it was I wanted the Neil Young darker side of the folk doom style of music


3.A lot of your lyrics and the band name come from Asataru and Norse Paganism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this path?

Clint- I'm a worshiper of Asatru and have had a love of bands that follow that path so many to mention but many in Viking, Black, Death Metal and Neo classical and folks sides. I never take my hammer off even while sleeping. The lyrics are around how Raganok is the End and Rebirth of mankind all at once and how there is never really an ending, it's just the next cycle to something new. The name is just one of Thors son's and the only one to ever be able to use Mjölnir. The Germanic Gods are more like us then you think and we need to go back to the old ways or this world is doomed to suffer.

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

Clint- The cover is German Wheel of the year that shows the eight Sabbats for Festivals.

5.The ep is coming out on 'Dead Games Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Clint-  DGR is a label Ryan started years ago and then seemed to go into slumber He and I decided to give it a rebirth and release some of our material to start so 1st 4 releases are  Idiot Robot ( DeathPop/Indie Rock)  Magni ( Blackened Prog Folk)  Until the Sky Dies ( Death/Doom meets Odd Electro Post Metal) and The Slumbering ( Doom Noise). At this time it's a label just for our projects but who knows as we are fully focused on the label doing Limited CD or Cassette Runs for releases and well as full PR push through Against PR and have Digital Distro through all the major channels. goto http://deadgamesrecords.com its all there.

Ryan-For the record label we just don't do one style music it's whatever we like

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

Clint-As the album is not even out yet only time will tell. Those who have heard or pre-ordered the feedback have been very positive. Many say it the favorite thing I've done in years.

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

Clint- Until the sky dies, Kadaver/Listing, The Slumbering, Idiot Robot

Ryan- Ryan michalski AKA Spaceking, DeadDarkSlide, Idiot Robot


8.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the project heading into musically during the future?

Clint- I'm working on new material already and it's going to be in the same common themes . Magni is a Pagan Folk Project with Blackened Metal and Gothic overtone. I hope to have a full length out by end of 2021

9.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?

Clint- Thergothon , Dolorian, Bethlehem, Fleurety, Manes, Queen, Monster Magnet, Neurosis, Swans, Cop Shoot Cop, Tenhi, Shudder to think, Nirvana, Blood Axis, Bathory, Marduk, Emperor, Devin Townsend, Dan Swano and Bolt thrower and the list goes on

Ryan- Neil Young , Pornos for pyros , Culture Club, The Cars ,  Ramones , G&R ,S.O.D, Metallica, M.O.D , Slayer
Listening to nowadays- Ed Sheeran, Lisa Loeb, That Dog & Green Day


10.What are some of your non musical interests? 

Clint- Working on Linux Computer, DC/Marvel Comics, Sci Fi, History ( Esp War themes and Religions), Cooking Shows, Some Horror and Thrillers.

Ryan- Housewives of Beverly Hills & Orange County . Watching horror movie & Sci-Fi movies watching NHL . Playing Dungeons & Dragons & Star Wars Legions and watching Christy knows best. And hanging out with my wife Milissa

Magni/Self Titled/Dead Game Records/2020 EP Review

  Magni  are  duo  from  Phoenix,  Arizona  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  gothic  folk,  progressive  music  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2020  ep  which  will  be  released  in  September  by Dead  Games  Records.

  Folk  instruments  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  clean  goth  style  vocals  while  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  at  times.  Whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  some  drum  beats  also  being  added   into  certain  sections  of  the  tracks.

   One  track  also  introduces  keyboards  and  symphonic  elements  onto  the  recording  while  grim  black  emtal  screams  can  also be heard briefly.  All  of  the  tracks  all  sound  very  different  from  each  other  as  well  as  always  sticking  to  very  very  slow  musical  direction.

  Magni  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  dark  gothic  folk,  progressive  rock  and  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Magni  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  folk  music,progressive  rock  and  pagan  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ragnarok"  and  "Golden  Fields".  8  out  of  10.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMQ112UQxwo        

Dead Bronco Interview

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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

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


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


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

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


12.What are some of your non musical interests?


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


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


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

Website: https://www.deadbronco.com

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

Bandcamp: https://deadbronco1.bandcamp.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

Website: https://www.deadbronco.com

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

Bandcamp: https://deadbronco1.bandcamp.com

      

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

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

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

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

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

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

Website: https://www.deadbronco.com

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

Bandcamp: https://deadbronco1.bandcamp.com

 

    

The Lightbringer Interview

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

We had an intensive period where we focussed almost exclusively on creating our first and only show for The Lightbringer. To be honest, this challenge undoubtedly surpasses all our expectations! It takes us a good year just to focus on this project. Adapting these songs on stage was not an easy task and finding ways to practice together was even more complex. We had to create the sculptural elements of the set, putting all the pieces together to make sure the visual and the audio just works... Do we regret it? Absolutely not! It was a great experience and we all learn a lot personnally and collectively as a band. This show is on our youtube channel if you want to see the result.

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

Well, it differs a lot! But at the same time, The Lightbringer vibe is clearly present. This EP is way darker, deeper and more atmospheric than what we have done previously, and I like it a LOT!! I think every album from this project will be different, it will depend on which part of the world we explore and what the story is about. As the albums will come out, I sense it will become harder and harder to define The Lightbringer genre. Some would say that it's bad but to me, I feel that it will become our strenght.

3.The band has been around since 2010 but so far there has only been 3 releases, can you tell us a little bit more about the gap in between releases?

Heptanity took a long time to came out, we put a lot of thoughts into this album and to be honest, we wanted to create a kind of masterpiece with that one! So we became a little too much perfectionnist but it worked to a certain degree. Both me (Simon) and my brother (Olivier) have had big changes in our lives during this time too. For the EP, it is really the building of the show that postponed the release. But if I can rassure you, the writing for the next album is already well advanced, so you should not wait too long!


4.The lyrics on the new album are also a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting?

To me, music has to transport the listener into another world, a mental space where physical reality is no more a thing. With The Lightbringer I try to build this fantasy world with illustrations, a story and an epic soundtrack that drives it all. From The Void To Existence is basically the foundation of this world: a time when the seven primordial spirits awakened from the Void and dreamed a new dimension we call Existence. Heptanity is the continuation of that story: when the seven spirits materializes their Wills to become the gods of their creation. And everything after will be build on that!

For those who want to dig deeper into that story, we offer the illustrated ebooks of all the albums when you subscribe to our newsletter. Think about it!

5.On your facebook page you also mentioned some interest in mythology and cosmogony, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

I think mythology is the greatest source of inspiration for a metal band that want to tell epic stories!!
Mythology is probably the first written record of mankind trying to describe the world with their beliefs, their fears, their condition as human but mostly a record of the insane capabillities of the human imagination to invent godlike stories! Someone who does like metal music must agree with mythology!

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

No one, except Lightbringer (Japan) had use this name back in 2010.... And I really wondered why! There is so much religious and mythological references around the Lightbringer, or Lucifer, or the morning star etc to build a band around!
This name really inspires me, but not for the reasons I have just mentioned. How I see the lightbringer is more like ''those who bear a light inside of them''. I think we all have a talent, something that sets us apart from others and contributes to the world we are all living in. As a bearer of light, you must recognize this unique power, embrace it and improve the world to inspire others and maybe one day, everyone will reaches its full potential and become a bearer of light..... Not so metal I agree! But I think if Lucifer was reading this, he will definitely approve!

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

One of my passion is to create all the artwork of our albums, I want this project to be very personnal and authentic. For this cover, I tried to depict this moment when Existence came to life, and expand through the dimension of the Void. The identity of the mysterious entity on the left will be revealed later! But if you read the Ebook of the album, you will have strong clues about who he really is.

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

Like I mentioned earlier, we have only done one show and that was in 2019 last year. For the moment, The Lightbringer is more a studio project and these compositions are a real challenge to perform on stage, at least at the level we are right now! There is a lot of stuff going on in these songs and one of my goal is to simplify as most as possible the structure and the arrangements without loosing The Lightbringer signature. A stage performance for us means that it will involve a scenery, costumes, make up and everything necessary to plunge the spectator into another reality. I don't think we will do shows on a regular basis in the future but when we will decide to do one, we will do our best to make it a really special event.

9.On the new album you also done a 'Kitaro' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of his songs?

Simply because I love Kitaro! When I'm painting I regularly listen to his albums, it's appeasing, inspiring and it's really easy to listen. I just wanted to do my take on this legendary song and to be honest, I felt uncomfortable to transform so much his work. I hope he will pardon me!!! But seriously I think the result is very interesting and a metal version of Caravansary was vital in my opinion!

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

This is something we will consider seriously for the next album, we never tried to get signed but we are  at a point where it could really helps us gaining more visibillity. Having more people discovering what we do is our main challenge right now.

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

The reaction is good frankly! The reviews are really good, people who are fans really love it. I think we lack visibillity and that's exactly what we need to focus on. A label would be awesomely helpful on that matter.

12.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 entire band is also invested in the project of our black metal singer Stan (Sol-Orcus) called Tsar Stangra. This is an interesting bulgarian black metal project with crazy folks elements building the songs. Stan is bulgarian and he takes all his inspiration through that mythology and culture, and it becomes epic very quickly! If you like Arkona and Nokturnal Mortum, you should check this out!

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

We will always have a melodic foundation with a undeniable inspiration towards melodic black metal, melo-death and even power metal at the right times. Our main goal is to tell stories and the melodic wave of the 90's is our way to go! The next album will revisit the Heptanity kind of structure and inspiration, but some pieces will be darker like From The Void To Existence. I will resume the future of the band with these words: Epic, majestic, dark, ethereal and melodic.

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

Bands like Esoctrilihum and Botanist are really doing it right presently in my opinion. Bands who builds a world around their music will always have my greatest support! These bands are really amazing! Some of my biggest influences : the 2 first Septic Flesh albums, Edge Of Sanity, Therion, early Dark Tranquillity, early Cradle Of Filth, many melodic black metal bands...


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

An especially thanks for you guys who took the time to write meaningful questions and plunge into our world! We really appreciate! For all of you who are reading this thing, just listen to this EP  and share your thoughts, your feedback is more than welcome!

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