Rosa Nocturna/Angels And Beasts/2022 CD Review

 

  Rosa  Nocturna  are  a  band  from  Czechia  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Angles  And  Beasts".

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Female  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  black  metal  screams  and death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  Elements  of  gothic  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  long  with  one  track  also  introducing  folk  instruments  onto  the  album.

  one  song  also  introduces  clear  male  vocals  into  the  music  as  well  as  some  acoustic  guitars  also  being  utilized  briefly  along  with one  song  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats,    a  later  track  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  age-old  struggle  between  good  and  evil.  

  In  my  opinion  Rosa  Nocturna  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  folk  and  gothic  metal  an d if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pharmacist"  "Fear"  and  "Letters  To  The  Front".

  Website: https://www.rosanocturna.cz/en/index.html

Bandcamp: https://rosanocturna.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RosaNocturnaBand/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh018nFMYdbh2gXhjUeU8bw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6iV0BAMaGidShAlpWp7GNR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosanocturnaband/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/rosa-nocturna

Bandzone https://bandzone.cz/rosanocturna 

Vinterdracul/The Lee Variations/Canticle Throe/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Vinterdracul  are  a  duo  from  Baltimore,  Maryland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  black  metal  influenced  form  of  gothic  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "The  lee  Variations"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Canticle  Throe.

  A  very  powerful  and  melodic  gothic  rock  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Synths  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  programmed.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  post  punk.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  guitar  leads  and  solos  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  On  this  recording  Vinterdracul  remain  true  to  the  black  metal  influenced  style  of  gothic  rock  that  they  had  established  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  a  vampire  and  his  journeys  through  life.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vinterdracul  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal  influenced  gothic  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "End  Scene"  "Ten  Years"  "Phantom  Of  The  Future"  and  "Undead".  8  out  of  10.

  https://vinterdracul.bandcamp.com/album/the-lee-variations           

Cadaveria/Emptiness/Time To Kill Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Italy's  Cadaveria  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  horror  orientated  mixture  of  black,  dark  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album    "Emptiness"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Time  TO  Kill  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  clean  vocals  also  bring  in  elements  of  gothic  metal  into  the  music  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  dark,  death  and  traditional  metal  touches  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  the  slower  sections  of  the  album  also  showing  an  influence  of  doom  metal,  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  whispers  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  the  album  also  closes  with  a  cover  of  Deine  Lakaien's  "Return".  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Horror  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cadaveria  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  dark  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Great  Journey"  "The  Woman  Who  Fell  To  The  Earth"  "Live  After"  and  "Return".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/cadaveria

https://www.instagram.com/cadaveriaofficial/

https://twitter.com/_Cadaveria

https://www.cadaveria.com/ 

Agathodaimon/The Seven/Napalm Records/2022 CD Review

 

  Germany's  Agathodaimon  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  gothic  and  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "The  Seven"  which  will  be  released  on  March  18th  by  Napalm  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  clean  vocals  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  gothic  metal  touch.    All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  sounding.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Seven  Deadly  Sins.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Agathodaimon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  and  gothic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "La  Haine"  "Ghosts  Of  Greed"  "Estrangement"  and  "The  Divine".  8  out  of  10.

  Website

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https://youtu.be/_2S04OM9css

Vinterdracul/The Murnau Nocturnes/Canticle Throe/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Vinterdracul  are  a  duo  from  Baltimore,  Maryland  that  plays  a  black  metal  influenced  form  of  gothic  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "The  Murnau  Nocturnes"  which  was  released  by  Canticle  Throe.

  Synths  and  orchestration  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  Vocals a re  mostly  tortured  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  also  bring  in  elements  of  80's  era  gothic  rock  and  post  punk  and  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  programmed.

 

 When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  short  in  length  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  being instrumentals  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  can b e  heard.

  Vinterdracul  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  gothic  rock  and  post  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover  a  fictional  version  of  F.W  Murnau  a  famous  silent  film  movie  director  from  the  1920's.

  In  my  opinion  Vinterdracul  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal  and  gothic  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hollywood  Vampires"  "London  After  Midnight"  and  "Conde  Dracula".  8  out  of  10.

https://vinterdracul.bandcamp.com/album/the-murnau-nocturnes     

(Dolch) Interview

 

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

T: Hello! That´s a lot what happened, as the recording started a long time ago. Actually, we kept on writing songs and recording stuff for ever and we took a lot of work into mixing "NACHT". We played a handful of shows and a tiny little tour in the close east of Europe , which seemed like a miracle doing this during a worldwide pandemic situation.

 

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

T: We used a bit less guitars, a bit more electronic sounds and we mixed the vocals louder. The songs are a bit shorter.

 M: FEUER, the previous Album, NACHT, released this year and TOD, still to be be finished, were recorded in a more than proper studio for the first time, so it gave us a lot of opportunities to vary with every instrument and soundscape on the recordings.

3.Your earlier material showed some black metal influences while the newer music sees you moving away from that influence, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical change?

T: I am not sure if we ever had a big black metal influence. Maybe even more influenced by music and tunes that have been an impact on what became then black metal? The 80ies? Early EBM and Doom music? We never had one specific sound. (Dolch) is like a chameleon of sound, depending on what story we want to tell. However. The guitar sound now is different, we also grew up with so much different music we would be lying to ourselves of denying other influences, like 90ies alternative and rock music, such as trip hop or anything experimental. Do you remember, back in the days even the word "Pop" was not a "no go" or something bad, when it was good quality?

 M: NACHT might differ when you listen to superficially. But it‘s just us. We are all influenced by such a broad variety of different genres in music and art, so it just has to come down to what fits best to the topic or songs.

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

T: The "Nacht" album is one trip through the night, we talk about euphoria & depression, lust for life but also the fear of it. We were hanging out in California during these recording sessions, it was beautiful but also cold and ugly at the same time. The night can make you become a stupid modern vampire, looking for attraction, but also leaves you spitted out ugly in the morning, lost and broken.

I think we learned to become more precise songwriters, more specific on the story. We are maybe not the best songwriters, but hopefully good storytellers. (Dolch) is not meant to be entertaining only, we always wanted to say something, to communicate with the listener.

 

5.You have also covered some occult topics on some of your releases, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

M: I am sorry. If you read it in an occult way, can you tell me more about it? It is your own decision on how to read the lyrics, I am definitely not the one to argue about it. But we never had that topic in mind.

T: There is no such topic in our songs, there never was. Sorry. But it is ok if you feel so.

 

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

T: Actually, the band never really had a name but the symbol, the triangle and the dagger inside. It used to be a military sign, we turned it and de-militarized it. Somehow, the logo feels like a shield of protection for us, same as writing, recording and playing this music might protect us from becoming crazy.

M: T is right. But maybe it is little stitch to our hearts for every song.

 

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

T: I remember the tour kick off in Berlin last October was one hell of energy between the audience and us, that felt great! We had some great shows on the older tours, I remember Paris and London being fun, same as Roadburn, Norway, House Of The Holy, Hell Over Hammaburg and our first ever show on Acherontic Arts Festival of course!

 Our performance is quite an “anti -performance” ,I  would say. We are there, but we are not important as individuals. The music must speak, we try to create a special energy and sometimes we are able to transport this to the audience, they give it back to us and we have a wonderful night.

 M: But we evolved in our stage to audience communication. Still the songs we play is more important than our stage performance but the connection to the audience, weather they enjoy it or not, is also a big impact.

8.You have also been a part of splits with 'King Dude' and 'The Ruins Of Beverast', what are your thoughts on the other bands that had participated on the recording?

We did a split with King Dude, yes, and there is the tour tape that also includes The Ruins Of Beverast. Both absolutely great artists and friends to us. They are family. T.J from King Dude has a performance on one track on "Nacht", he does a perfect job with his dark voice. Other bands are not included on that album. We have some guests, like a german theatre actress speaking a poem etc.

 

9.On a worldwide level how have your fans reacted to your newer material?

T: We can´t say yet, the album "Nacht" is just about to be released. I guess a lot of old school metal dudes will hate it and there will be folks listen to it secretly as it is too genre-ignoring.

The last LP "Feuer" was beloved as far as I remember. "Nacht" will be a love or total hate thing.

 M: On a worldwide level, I would like to learn more about reactions about every release. But with NACHT, yes. Love or Hate.

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

T: More wide, less boundaries, more unexpected tunes on the other hand, but some traditional stuff on the other. We are working on finalizing "Tod", which will be the third part of FEUER, NACHT und TOD. Expect some ambient but orchestral sound, at least a bit. Then we already work on what follows after. It will be full of Soul I hope…

M: For every song we seek the appropriate measures.

 

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

T: Ok, like mentioned before, a lot of styles and bands, too much to count. Stuff from the 80ies and 90ies when Pop music was still good, a lot of alternative and independent music, punk, metal (yeah of course the darkness and hopelessness of black metal), but also classical tunes from past to modern. We also get our influences from theatre plays, art, good books and philosophy. There is some rare good new tunes coming out here and then nowadays, but 90% of all stuff is just an repetition of hypes and such which really can be a bore...it is always good when you have a good tunes and melody and something to say with your own sound and in your own way.

 

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

T: Everything occult is gone! 

M: Thank you and be safe!

https://youtu.be/E44MYlkzk9M

https://youtu.be/cz14y5ddCsg

(Dolch)/Nacht/Van Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  (Dolch)  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  started  out  as  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  metal  and  drone  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  post  punk,  ambient  and  drone  with  some  touches  of  doom  metal  2022  album  "Nacht"  which  will be  released  in  February  by  Van  Records.

  Dark  ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  while  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of t he  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  some  touches  of  post  punk  and  the  slower  riffing  also  adds  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  whispers.  Clear  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  as  well  as  a  later  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  (Dolch)  moves  away  from  the  black  emtal  elements  of  previous  releases  and  brings  in  more  of  a  mixture  of  post  punk,  darkwave,  dark  ambient  and  drone  as  well  as  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  at  times.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Night  Time  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  (Dolch)  are  a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of  post  punk,  darkwave,  dark  ambient  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lights  Out"  "Into  The  Night"  "Bird  of  Prey"  and  "Coda".  7/5  OUT  OF  10.

https://youtu.be/E44MYlkzk9M

https://youtu.be/cz14y5ddCsg    

Cadaveria/The Shadows Madame/Time To Kill Records/2022 Album Re-Issue Review

 

  Cadaveria  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  horror  themed  mixture  of  black  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2002  album  "The  Shadows  Madame"  which  will b e  re-issued  in  2022  by  Time  To  Kill  Records.

  Opera  music  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  clean  singing  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  keyboards  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  gothic  horror  atmosphere.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  tracks  also  having  their  symphonic  moments  as  well  as  mixing  in  a  good  amount  of  80's  and  90's  influences,  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Cadeveria  took  the  black  and  gothic  metal  styles  of  the  mid  90's  and  mixed  them  together  with  some  horror  elements  to  create  a  very  dark  yet  heavy  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyric's  cover  Occultism,  Witchcraft  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cadaveria  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spell"  "Circle  Of  Eternal  Becoming"  and  "The  Magic  Rebirth".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/cadaveria

https://www.instagram.com/cadaveriaofficial/

https://twitter.com/_Cadaveria

https://www.cadaveria.com/

Moonscar/Blood Moon/Supreme Music Creations/2021 CD Review

 

  Moonscar  are  a  solo  project  from  Greece  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  gothic  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2021  album  "Blood  Moon"  which  was  released  by  Supreme  Music  Creations.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Symphonic  sounding  synths  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  A  lot  of t he  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  while  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody,  elements  of  gothic  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  clear  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  the  album  progresses.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes  with  some  inspirations  from  the  writings  of  Edgar  Allan  Poe. 

  In  my  opinion  Moonscar  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  gothic  and  symphonic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blood  Moon"  and  "Abyssal  Eclipse".  8  out  of  10.

https://moonscargr.bandcamp.com/releases
https://www.facebook.com/moonscargr/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2y58FC7p1TWvkuXQDJsWzr?si=CWXj_L0jRBSl9-9cQ3XdIQ&nd=1   

W.E.B/Colosseum/Metal Blade Records/2021 CD Review

 

  W.E.B  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in this  zine  and  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Colosseum"  which  will  be  released  on  November  19th  by  Metal  Blade  Records. 

  Symphonic  elements  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  when  the  music  speeds  up.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  choirs  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Elements  of  gothic  metal  can  also  be  heard  during  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording.

  Operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  ethnic  style  instruments,  tribal  percussion  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  some  songs  also  adding  in  death  metal  growls.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Luciferian,  Occultism,  Darkness,  Violence  and  Philosophical  themes.

  In  my  pinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  W.E.B  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  symphonic  black  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  Web"  "Pentalpha"  "Necrology"  and  "Exaudi  Luciferi".  8  out  of  10.

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Bornwithhair/When The Witches Fall/Trepanation Recordings/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Bornwithhair  are  a  duo  from  the  United  States  that  plays  a  mixture  of  arthouse  metal  and  blackened  death  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "When  The  Witches  Fall"  which  will  be  released  in  october  by  Trepanation  Recordings.  

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  soundscapes  in  the  background  while  sirens  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  black  metal  screams  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  music  also  add  in  a  good  amount  of  80's  era  death  rock.  When  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  gothic  touch  along  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  also  mixing  in  elements  of  avant  garde  metal  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  and  saxophones  can  also  be  heard  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Bornwithhair  plays  a  musical  style  that t akes  avant  garde  black  metal  and  death  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  apocalyptic  and  witchcraft  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Bornwithhair  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  arthouse  metal  and  blackened  death  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Separated  At  Death"  "Your  Skull"  and  "Exhumed".  8  out  of  10.

1. bornwithhair.com
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4. Facebook

  

Finnugor/Fame Et Morte/Earth And Sky Productions/2021 CD Re-Issue Review

 

  Finnugor  are  a  band  with  members  from  Finland  and  Hungary  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2008  album  "Fame  Et  Morte"  which  was  re-issued  in  2021  by  Earth  And  Sky  Productions.

  Symphonic  sounding  orchestras  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a decent  amount  of  melody.

  Clean  goth  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  tracks  also  added  in  a  small  amount  of  whispered  vocals.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  some  choirs  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  album  and most  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction,  as  the  album  progresses  more  medieval  and  folk  music  touches  can  also  be  heard  and  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  fast  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  song.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Horror,  Dark  Fantasy  and  Satanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Finnugor  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Iaspidis  Et  Sardini"  "Subtus  Terram"  "Fame  Et  Morte"  and  "Diabolus  Et  Satanas".  8  out  of  10.

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Alchemia/Inception/WormHoleDeath Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Alchemia  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death,  goth  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Inception"  which  was  released  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  vocals  that  also  add  in  touches  of  hard  rock  and  traditional  metal  while  King  Diamond  style  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  aggressive  shouts  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Elements  of  goth  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  music  also  capturing  the  atmosphere  of  a  classic  horror  movie  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  showing  some  influences  of  nu  and  groove  metal,  most  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  reflection,  conscience,  mental  imprisonment,  phobias  and  psychological  disorders.

  In  my  opinion  Alchemia  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death,  goth  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Grind"  "Haunting  You"  "Mind  Prison"  and  "Secret  Call".  8  out  of  10.

  alchemiaband.com

www.facebook.com/alchemiabandofficial

Aduanten/Sullen Cadence/2021 EP Review

 

  Aduanten  are  a  band  from  the  United  States  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  experimental  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  ep  "Sullen  Cadence"  which  will  be  released  in  May.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal growls  with  some  blackened  screams along  with  the  melodies  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  black  metal  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  along  with  one  of  the  songs  also  introducing  clean  playing,  spoken  word  parts  and  post  punk  style  synths  into  as  well  as  some  percussion  and  tribal  style  beats  also  being  added  on  a  few  songs  and  at  times  the  music  also  captures  the  tragic  atmosphere  of  90's  goth  and  doom  metal.

  Aduanten  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  the  more  melodic  sides  of  black  and  death  metal  as  well  as  adding  in  some  experimental  and  post  punk  elements  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aduanten  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sullen  Cadence"  and  "Palace  of  Ruin".  8  out  of  10.

https://aduanten.com/     

 

The Sullen/Rituals Of Death/2020 EP Review

 

  The  Sullen  are  a  solo  project  from  Greece  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2020  ep  'Rituals  Of  Death".

  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Vocals  are  done  in  mostly  an  early  death  metal  style  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  showing  an  influence  of  early  90's  era  doom/death  metal.

  Grim  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly  along  with  some  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  one  of  the  tracks  as  well  as  some  gothic  metal  influences  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  introspection  and  mysticism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Sullen  is  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  gothic  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Rituals  Of  Death".  8  out  of  10.

https://thesullenband.bandcamp.com/album/rituals-of-death  

Lord Vampyr/The Vampire's Legacy/Sleaszy Rider Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Lord  Vampyr  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  returns  back  to  a  more  gothic  and  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "The  Vampire's  legacy"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Sleaszy  Rider  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  while  also  introducing  synths  onto  the  recording  that  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  blast  beats  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  clean  vocals  also  showing  some  influences  of  goth  and  traditional  metal. 

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments.  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  back  up  shouts  onto  the  album,  as  the  recording  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vampirism,  Occultism,  Satanism,  Blood,  Tales,  Legends  and  Religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Lord  Vampyr  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  gothic  and  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Vampire's  Legacy"  "Mircalla"  "Blood  ballad"  and  "Inno  A  Dracula".  8  out  of  10.

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Ghosts of Atlantis Interview

 

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

We are a symphonic extreme metal five-piece from Suffolk UK, we take influence from different genres and bands but with Colin being a member of Devilment you can hear how that sound has influenced his songwriting. I personally love the massive sound and crisp production that is delivered with this project, but ultimately having both Colin and myself on vocals giving a contrast between extreme aggressive vocals and catchy clean vocals, gives a great dynamic for us to deliver this in a different way. (PP)

 

Pretty much what PIP said on that!  (CP) 

 

 

2.In March you have a full length coming out, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

I was the last member to join GOA, so four of the tracks had already been completed musically and only needed having vocals adding. Colin sent me the files and between us, we started on the lyrics. You hear many influences from across different metal genres. Personally, we get many people to reference Septicflesh, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of Filth, and then others reference Soilwork, Amorphis, and In Flames. For me personally, I love all those bands and when had that likeness I take that very highly. (PP)

 

We wanted to be versatile, and incorporate music from different forms of media and genres. 

There is a definite cinematic feel to our sound and we also take influence from video game music. 

I guess the sound is cinematic blackened metal. (CP) 

 

 

3.The lyrics on the new album are based upon Greek Mythology and the lost city of Atlantis, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

It is like when you see a film and it states, “Based on a true story”, we have taken parts of the Greek mythology to start our own lore. We didn’t want to keep to prewritten stories for songs. There will be elements of time travel and Sci-Fi going forward and traveling through portals of space and time. Using the story of Atlantis is only the first step. (PP)

 

We want to take the listener on a journey in their mind, to allow them to be swallowed up in the goa world and lore. 

(CP) 

 

 

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Ghosts Of Atlantis'?

As I said earlier, I was the last member to join, and the names were already in place. But it originated from a project Dex, Rob, Colin and I spoke about a few years ago but never came to light. So when I was asked to join this the name was already in for this project. (PP)

 

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

We are incredibly lucky that Colin works on another project called DiAmorte, with Drake Mefestta from The Red Opera Productions. Drake has done the three lyric videos as well as all our artwork for 3.6.2.4, and the singles from it. Drake is phenomenal and understands fully what works for the band’s imagery. So, he really understood the full story as well as the lore before creating the art.

 

6.Are there any plans for live shows once the COVID19 pandemic is over with?

We can’t wait to bring this show to a live audience. We have nothing booked yet but keep an eye on our social media pages as when the contracts are signed, we will make sure to announce there first. (PP)

 

We are now looking at booking shows, and we hope to be live this year, once cv19 allows us to do so, we will be chomping at the bit!! (CP) 

 

7.The new album is coming out on 'Black Lion Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

When we had the first tracks recorded, we pitched our press kit out to a few labels and got a fantastic response from Black Lion Records. So, when we looked at the offers it felt like a great home for us and for the debut album. (PP)

 

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

It has been a fantastic reaction from people across the globe. For me personally, that is very new, hearing people from different continents wanting more is crazy. I love I can share with a fan in Japan where the best place to pre-order the CD from. (PP)

 

We are very lucky to have a fair few fans from Devilment following the project, naturally being one of the main composers, the sound will translate across so i guess that's a natural transition. (CP) 

 

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

I am sure DiAmorte and Devilment are the two projects Colin is still with away from GOA. But Devilment is not active at the moment.

I did record a quick demo intended for Cold Lazarus, but I don’t see that recording any time soon. But is a possibility we may record at some point in the future, but nothing is planned. (PP)

 

DiaMorte is about to launch globally this year 

The project has an RPG campaign and a kove production, so its really lofty heights in terms of ambition. 

(CP) 

 

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

Writing for album number two has already begun. Being so close to this one it almost feels like a natural flow, but as so early in the process, it is hard to say. I would like to keep exploring more with the extreme and symphonic sound. (PP)

 

It will remain very uninformed to our sound, however, we never want to remain static musically, the new album is shaping up to be heavier and more modern, yet keeping the DNA of 3.6.2.4 throughout. (CP) 

 

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

Personally, for my vocals I love the clarity on the Bloodbath Nightmares Made Flesh album, Peter nails, what I think is incredible how you can have so much aggression but clarity at the same time. So that is a big influence. What am I listening to? I am really enjoying the latest releases by Dark Tranquillity, Anaal Nathrakh and Killer Be Killed. (PP)

 

For myself, it would be Dimmu Borgir, Devilment, At the Gates, Soilwork, Amorphis, Pink Floyd, Marillion, Arch enemy, and Chimaira. (CP) 

 

 

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

Most of all I would like to thank you for your time and for checking Ghosts Of Atlantis. WE look forward to getting 3.6.2.4 out to you all. (PP)

 

Thank you for taking the time to listen and experience GOA. 

Stay safe, and keep positive. 

(CP) 

Pre-Order:

https://ghostsofatlantisblacklion.bandcamp.com/album/3624 (Vinyl + Digipak + Boxset + Merch + Digital)

https://www.indiemerchstore.com/b/black-lion-records (Digipak + Boxset + Merch)

https://orcd.co/3-6-2-4 (Digital pre-save on Spotify, Apple, Deezer….)

 

For More Info:

– Ghosts of Atlantis –

https://www.ghostsofatlantisofficial.com

https://www.facebook.com/GhostsOfAtlantisofficial

https://www.instagram.com/ghostsofatlantisofficial 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8SA5SCkWeJWHAukfFT_21g 

DxVxDxD SxLF/Before The Dawn/Wolfmond Production/2021 CD Review

 

    DxVxDxD  SxLF  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Before  The  Dawn"  which  will  be  released  in  the  summer  by  Wolfmond  Production.

  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  Choirs  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  a  lot  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  when  the  music  speeds  up.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  a  lot  of  the  faster  riffing.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow.  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Most  of  the  music  id  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  but  modern  at  the  same  time  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  gothic  metal  elements.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  clean  vocals  onto  the  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  DxVxDxD  SxLF  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  gothic  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Man  In  The  Vortex"  "After  Dark"  "Swan  Song"  and  "Darkstones  Cathedral".  8  out  of  10.

https://wolfmondproduction.bandcamp.com/album/dxvxdxd-sxlf-before-the-dawn-pre-order

Les Chants Du Hastard/Livre Troisieme/2021 Full Length Review

 

  France's  solo  project  Les  Chants  Du  Hastard  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  goth,  orchestra,  classical  and  opera  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2021  album  "Livre  Troisieme"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  A  classical  orchestra  orientated  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  operatic  male  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times.  Tortured  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  avant  garde  moments  and  stringed  instruments  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  songs.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  sounding  while  soprano  style  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  operatic  female  vocals  also  being  utilized  more  on  the  later  songs  which  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  gothic  atmosphere  as  well  as  all  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  children  voices  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Les  Chants  Du  Hastard  takes  black  metal,  goth,  classical,  orchestra,  opera  and  avant  garde  and  mixes  them  together  to  take  his  sound  to  another  level.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  darkness  and  despair  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from   Les  Chants  Du  Hastard  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  goth,  orchestra,  classical,  opera  and  avant  garde  music,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Les  Prismes"  "Salve  Regina "  and  "Le  Repos".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.facebook.com/leschantsduhasard

http://leschantsduhasard.bandcamp.com