Exiled Hope Interview

 

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

 I have the 4th album pretty much done, the 5th album is in progress, and I have a bunch of covers that might make their way onto a separate album or EP. I also just released some new merch designs (which you can find in my online merch store here: https://www.bonfire.com/store/exiled-hope-virtual-merch-booth/). There's always a lot going on behind the scenes.

2.You have a new full length coming out early in 2025, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

It's at a much higher quality than my previous releases in terms of production and performances. Before finishing the album, I took several months off of working on original music to take lessons and work on covers in order to develop my skills, because I felt like I had plateaued and wasn't able to make the music I wanted to make. I'm a much better musician than I was on the first 2 albums and EP, and I had a professional mix engineer work on Apocrypha as well. Stylistically, this album strays a bit from the folk and progressive influences that were on the first Exiled Hope albums and plays up the black metal and power metal influences; it feels more like Kamelot and Cradle Of Filth than Eluveitie and Ensiferum.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover dark fantasy themes, can you tell us a little bit about your interest in this genre?

I love this genre because it uses escapism as a vehicle for working through real, personal emotions. When you take a feeling and turn it into something concrete in the form of music and/or lyrics, it's easier to process, understand, and work through that feeling. It becomes something you can choose to perceive instead of something that's vaguely perceptible and always there. As a result, my fantasy-inspired lyrics serve a purpose similar to that of fables or fairytales: they impart life lessons through storytelling.

4.You have also done soundtracks for films, what type of films have you contributed music to so far?

. I've done a vast array of short films for YouTuber John H. Shelton, generally in the urban fantasy or thriller genre. Most recently, I released a soundtrack album for the indie horror film What Happens After Midnight. I also recorded a folk-inspired soundtrack for Hallowed Paths (still in development), which is a loose retelling of a Finnish folktale. I would love to continue doing soundtrack work!

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Exiled Hope'.?

On a surface level, Hope is the name of the main protagonist of the first album, and she is exiled from her city after she learns dark secrets that the city's corrupt leaders would rather keep hidden. On a deeper level, the name Exiled Hope represents the hope for a better world that the fantasy genre instills in us, and reminds listeners that too often, we "exile" this hope from our spirits when we grow up and are forced to abandon things that inspired us as kids. The name is a reminder to keep pursuing the hope that society exiles from us, and to hold onto our passions.

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

 The cover artwork is The Deluge by John Martin (1834). I chose this piece to represent the turmoil that defines the protagonist's journey on this album, as he strives to find his own path in a world where he feels forced to choose sides and abandon different parts of himself.

7.You have worked both solo and with other musicians, do you prefer to work by yourself?

Generally, working by myself is easier because I'm fully in control of the project and can get the work done more efficiently. Working with other musicians requires compromise, discussion, scheduling, and waiting on everyone to send their parts over. I love working with other musicians, but I need my own personal outlet where I can work at my own pace and control the direction of the project. I also enjoy challenging myself to learn different parts, different skills, and different instruments, as I do in Exiled Hope; even though finishing a project is rewarding, the journey of creating the music is the fun part.

8.You have also collaborated on a few recordings with 'Steel Forge', musically how do you feel their style differs from yours?

Their style leans much harder in the melodeath direction than Exiled Hope has so far. It's a style that I've wanted to explore for a while, but that never really found its place in Exiled Hope. Working with Steel Forge and catering more to their members' skillsets and interests has given me the opportunity to tap into that creative energy. I wasn't just composing for myself, I was composing with other musicians and another vocalist in mind, and I think the challenge of building that seamless synergy between us resulted in some of my best work yet.

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

I am not looking to sign with a label. I am happy to create at my own pace, and I've built up a solid team and support system that cannot be easily replaced. There are many more paths to success in the music industry than there once were, and I think the metal scene in particular leans too hard on legacy thinking instead of taking advantage of the new opportunities that are available to musicians in the 21st century.

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

Extreme metal fans seem intrigued for the most part. Some people don't really understand the intent behind my genre blend, but that's ok; I'm not trying to appeal to a broad, general audience. My music is more for nerds (I say this lovingly, as a fellow music nerd) who like hearing unexpected twists and puzzle pieces in their music; I try to make it interesting to listen to. The people who get it, really do seem to get it. I've read multiple positive reviews that appear to perfectly understand my vision and ideas. I love seeing various interpretations of my music that, while all different, are often all correct at the same time. The emotional core of my music and the joy of creating something multifaceted and ambitious seem to resonate with people, and that's what matters to me.

11.What is going on with 'Forgotten Shrine' these days?

We're working on some new music, but we're still a bit unsure whether it will lead to an EP or a full album this year. We've both contributed songs to the project, and we're very excited to show them all off in one format or another.

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

I see myself: 1) making a decent side income from my royalties, album sales, and merch sales; and 2) licensing my music to and recording original soundtracks for TV, film, and game producers. I'd say those are my main goals at the moment.

13.What are some of bands or musical styles that you are currently listening to nowadays?

I've been listening to a lot of early-2000s post-grunge and alt-metal (such as Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, and Daughtry), and some more recent power metal (such as Arion, Frozen Crown, Kalidia, and Visions Of Atlantis)

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

Thank you for your thoughtful questions and your positive reviews! I appreciate you taking the time to check out my music and put this interview together.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/exiled-hope/1563587153

https://exiledhope.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ExiledHope

https://www.instagram.com/legally_metal/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/024Bd5ViU3F8gRFe9lnCth?si=cbd9c556aa4d441d&nd=1&dlsi=221e6a99ea844729

https://www.tiktok.com/@exiled.hope

https://x.com/exiledhope99

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

Shores Of Null/The Loss Of Beauty/Spikerot Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Shores  Of  Null  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "The  Loss  Of  Beauty"  which  was  released  by  Spikerot  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  clean  vocals  also  add  in  more  of  a  gothic  metal  style.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  blast  beats  also  being  utilized  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  keyboards,  spoken  words  are  also  introduced  briefly  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  On  this  recording  Shores  Of  Null  takes  the  melodic  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  with  doom  and  gothic  metal  to  create  a  very  diverse  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  life,  death  and  sorrow  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Shores  Of  Null  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  death,  doom  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Destination  Woe"  "Nothing  Left  To  Burn"  "My  Darkest  Years"  and  "Underwater  Oddity".  8  out  of  10.

  YouTube - https://youtu.be/vWOcwJYjhq8​

Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3ZckbMW​

Album order (Digital, CD, Vinyl) - https://linktr.ee/thelossofbeauty 

The Lightbringer/Quintessence Of Dawn/2010 Full Length Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  an  earlier  album  from  Quebec,  Canada's  The  Lightbringer  which  went  for  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  power  metal  and  the  album  was  self  released  in  2010  and  called  "Quintessence  Of  Dawn".

  A  very  dark ,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  a  lot  of  songs.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  power  metal  style  singing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Keyboards  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing. 

Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  some  female  vocals  and  flutes  also  being  utilized  on  a  couple  of  tracks  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments,  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Mythology,  Fantasy,  Darkness  and  Light  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Lightbringer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  power  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Garden  Of  Forsaken  Souls"  and  "Constellation  Of  The  Gate  Of  Gods".  8  out  of  10.     

  https://www.thelightbringerofficial.com/

https://thelightbringermetal.bandcamp.com
https://www.youtube.com/@thelightbringermetal
https://www.facebook.com/thelightbringerofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/thelightbringerband/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/42vunlIXOg69YegQhmFG05

https://www.tiktok.com/@thelightbtingerofficial    

Cephyre Interview

 

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

I would love to: The band was formed in Hesse, Germany in early 2021 although we have known each other for decades and shared school desks, rehearsal rooms and stages in various constitutions in the past. Therefore it just felt right when it all came together. Unfortunately it was quite a challenging time to start a band as the pandemic kind of peaked exactly when we all waited in the wings. That is one reason why it took us a while to really get our shit together, but here we are at last.

2.So far you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

We came up with the term „Dark Extreme Melodic Metal“ because the common genre-descriptions did not seem to fully meet our demands. Given the fact that we have our roots in different subgenres our music turns out to be a mixture of quite a lot extreme Metal influences reaching from Death to Black and Melodic Doom with a pinch of Gothic Metal in the polyphonic vocal parts, but if I had to put it into only one well-known box I would probably say, that the influence we all have in common is good old Swedish Melodic Death. 

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

The lyrics of the EP approach several aspects of Platos Allegory of the cave. Of course we do not offer a highly sophisticated deep-dive into ancient greek philosophy, but looking at the topic from different perspectives can still create really exciting views into the concepts of individual freedom and self-awareness. It also makes you question, how far we have really evolved as mankind. Isn‘t it almost hilarious to think of an old bearded greek dude wrapped in white sheets and brooding over exactly the same issues we still struggle with today?

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

CEPHYRE is a „Frankenword“ assembled from „Zephyr“, which resembles natural creation and procreation on one side and „Fire“, resembling the oppositional forces of destruction but also symbolizing progress and knowledge. The name therefore verbalizes the principles of duality, the merging of polar opposites into something new and distinct.

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

We tried to capture the lyrical concept of the allegory of the cave in different scalings throughout the artwork of the digipak. The cover artwork shows one of the key scenes in the narrative: A prisoner escapes the darkness of the cave and steps into the light, facing new challenges.

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

In late 2023 year we organized a little festival called „Roots of Metal“ with our resident friends „Oracle of Worms“ and „Concrete Cold“. We also invited our friends „War Engine“ from Novi Sad, Serbia. I have absolutely no idea, if that was our best show. But it was probably our most fun weekend so far. The last gig we played was at a Halloween-Party, so it would have been almost rude, not to put on a little corpsepaint. We normally don‘t do that, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. Generally spoken our stage presence depends a lot on the on-site conditions. Our bassplayer Chris for example tends to do a lot of meters on stage, but at one show he was forced to stand in the doorframe to the restroom due to lack of space. So you always have to adjust a little to the circumstances and try to get the best out of each situation. By the way: Chris handled his situation a lot better than I did when I found myself next to something that highly resembled a stripper pole on stage.

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

We have some shows scheduled for early 2025. our original plan was to make „Roots of Metal“ an annual event. This plan unfortunately only lasted a little less than one year, because the venue let us down badly. The billing however was already booked and we still want to play with all the bands, that were involved, so there are some more shows to be announced before long. And then there is still a visit to pay back, so we really hope to make it to Serbia this year and maybe add some gigs on the way. 

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

Up to now we tried to do almost everything by ourselves which gave us a lot of freedom in approaching different processes, but of course there are also downsides to that mode of operation. For example: We recorded almost all the tracks for „Gleam“ in our rehearsal room, our living rooms, bedrooms and even kitchens. When it came to mixing we had the hybris of even doing that completely by ourselves. This took quite some time just to realize, that we were not completely happy with the results. So we finally scrapped our own mixes and gave the recorded tracks to our friend Sascha Stange, who completely nailed our desired sound in about the time it took ourselves to figure out the right reverb-settings for background vocals. What I am trying to say is, that some things just should be done by people who teally know how to do them in order to prevent yourselves from getting stuck in a rut. So a label would absolutely make things much easier for us and we hope to get in touch with people to support our next releases.

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

So far we have only played shows in Germany, which makes it a little difficult to talk about worldwide reactions. There have been quite a few positive reactions as yet and of course there is social media and all that comes with it. But a thumb on facebook or a heart on Instagram does not really get you into conversations. But who knows ... Maybe this interview might also help to connect with some more people out there. We would love that.

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

Our bassplayer Chris is vocalist in his Hardcore-bands „Business as Usual“ and „Blind Youth“. Our drummer Manu also plays in the Thrash-Metal-band „Centrate“.

11.When can we expect another full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We had actively decided to put the first songs we wrote on the EP, so there will almost naturally be an audible development. Actually we have already written approximately 80% of the material for our full-length-album alongside two a little more experimental projects, which will most likely end up on additional EPs in the future. At the moment we are still figuring out the exact schedule, but the tendency is to start recordings for the full-length within the next few months as we are really excited to see the pieces come together and add the final touch.

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

As I mentioned before we have a lot of various influences, but most of them are to be found in different types of 90s extreme metal, which is why we wanted our sound to partially be kind of a reminiscence to that era. Our mixing engineer Sascha did a great job in helping us create this atmosphere and adding just the right amount of a modern touch. Nowadays I am personally most excited about listening to bands that somehow push their boundaries. The latest album that really got under my skin is the new Gaerea.

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

I guess, that I already got a little carried away at some points, so I will cut this one short and just go with „Thank you for having us, it was a pleasure“.

www.cephyre.band

www.cephyre.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/cephyre.band
www.instagram.com/cephyre.band

Burning Creation Interview

 

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

1. First, I want to say hello to everyone reading this interview. Burning Creation is a band we've been playing together since early 2022. Our music is a mix of melodic death metal, and our lyrics are mostly about Vikings and their beliefs. So far, we've released an EP "Never Dead Nation" and a full album "Sea Of Dead Bodies".

2.So far you have released an ep and a full length, musically how do they both differ from each other?

2. Never Dead Nation was our first release, and at that time we were still figuring out our sound and style. With Sea Of Dead Bodies, we knew exactly what we wanted. We decided to go for a rawer sound, more towards death metal. I think that’s the main difference between the two releases.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Nordic Mythology and Vikings, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this subject?

3. We got interested in Vikings and Norse mythology mainly from listening to bands like Amon Amarth, Unleashed, Ensiferum, etc., and also from watching the show "Vikings". Later on, this interest grew after reading book "Mitos Nordicos" by Neil Gaiman .

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

4. The name of the band was thought up by our guitarist Marek. In the beginning, we played a lot of Amon Amarth covers, and one of them was Burning Creation. The name represents the start of something new for us, leaving behind the past.

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

5. The artwork for the album, made by Damian Bydliński, shows four Vikings who crossed the "Sea of Dead Bodies," and now they're ready to continue their conquest. It’s a continuation of the story from Never Dead Nation, where we introduced the Viking army coming back from the afterlife.

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

6. The concert I remember the most was at Leśniczówka in Chorzów in 2023. Even though it was cold, because it was December, the crowd was big and we had a lot of energy on stage.

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

7. Next year, we plan to play three concerts with All Sars, and also take part in "Brutal Valentine’s" in Garage Pub in Kraków.

8.On the new album you also had done an 'Amon Amarth' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of once of their songs?

8. This song is really special to us. It represents the beginning of our band. We owe not only our name to it but also the style we’ve developed through these two releases. Another reason for this cover is to show that we’re not afraid to admit we’re inspired by Amon Amarth. It’s a kind of tribute to them for the inspiration their music gave us.

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

9. The reactions were mixed, but this mix of melody and brutal playing has been accepted quite well. The main criticism we got with the EP was that we were copying Amon Amarth, but with the second release, I think we’ve created our own style.

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

10. Our drummer, Jarosław also plays in a thrash metal band called Consumer, which existed long before Burning Creation. That’s all.

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

11. On our next album, we plan to focus less on melodies and more on heavy riffs. We want to sound more like Unleashed than Amon Amarth. We’ve already written four songs, and two of them have lyrics. So, the work on the new stuff is going pretty smoothly.

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

12. Most of our inspiration comes from Swedish bands that follow the Viking theme, but not only that. On the way to our concerts or other band’s gigs, we listen to all kinds of bands like Dark Tranquillity, Six Feet Under, Sylosis, Virgin Snatch, Septicflesh and a lot of  thrash metal.

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

13. Thanks to everyone for reading! Check out our social media and of course, listen to our music on streaming platforms! Cheers!

Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

Exiled Hope/Apocrypha/2025 Full Length Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  an  album  from  Maryland's  solo  project  Exiled  Hope  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death,  gothic  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  self  released  album  "Apocrypha"  which  will  be  released  in  2025.

  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  symphonic  elements  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  clear  vocals  are  utilized  they  add  in  touches  of  gothic  and  power  metal  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  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  one  song  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction,  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental.

  On  this  recording  Exiled  Hope  takes  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death,  gothic  and  power  metal  to  create  something  very  original.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  fantasy  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Exiled  Hope  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  symphonic  black,  death,  gothic  and  power  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Day  Will  Come"  "Altar  Of  Moloch"  "Deathslayer"  and  "Forbidden  majesties".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/exiled-hope/1563587153

https://exiledhope.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ExiledHope

https://www.instagram.com/legally_metal/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/024Bd5ViU3F8gRFe9lnCth?si=cbd9c556aa4d441d&nd=1&dlsi=221e6a99ea844729

https://www.tiktok.com/@exiled.hope

https://x.com/exiledhope99

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

Exiled Hope/Steel Forge/Realm Of the Exiled/2025 Collaboration EP Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  collaboration  ep  between  U.S.A's  Exiled  Hope  and  United  Kingdom's  Steel  Forge  who  team  up  together  and  bring  out  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death,  power  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  ep  "Realm  of  the  Exiled"  which  will  be  released  in  2025.

  A  very  heavy,  melodic  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Harsh  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  clean  sections  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  folk  music.  One  of  the  songs  also  introduce  clear  vocals  onto  the  recording  that  are  more  rooted  in  power  and  gothic  metal  as  well  as  one  track  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length, the  whole  ep  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Exiled  Hope  and  Steel  Forge  mix  their  two  different  styles  to  create  something  very  heavy,  melodic,  symphonic  and  epic  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collaboration  between  Exiled  Hope  and  Steel  Forge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  symphonic  black,  doom,  death,  gothic,  power  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Light  In  the  Darkness"  and  "Beyond  The  Veil".  8  out  of  10.

  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legally_metal/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdZNNjK9ieVITFmcplPs1hA 

Bandcamp: https://exiledhope.bandcamp.com/ 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/024Bd5ViU3F8gRFe9lnCth 

Merch: https://www.bonfire.com/store/exiled-hope-virtual-merch-booth/

Bandcamp: https://steelforge1.bandcamp.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steelforge_band/

Twitter/X: https://x.com/steelforgeband?lang=en-GB

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@steelforge8934

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3CNLoVLW2SVhYxd6aZsGyR

      

Hallbar/Nemesis/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Hallbar  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  album  "Nemesis"  which  will  be  released  in  2025.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  some  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  clear  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  The  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  deathcore  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  also  adds  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  one  song  also  introduces  clean  playing  and  keyboards  onto  the  recording  and  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Hallbar  plays  a  melodic  form  of  black  metal  which  they  also  mix  with  death  metal  and  deathcore  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mental  illness,  codependency,  perfectionism,  patterns  of  unreflective  behavior  and  loneliness.

  In  my  opinion  Hallbar  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mental  Apraxia"  "Love/Hate  Language"  "Voodoo  Doll"  and  "Possibilities".  8  out  of  10.

  

• Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/3PqPGGKYd6F3J2fnGpTWB1
• Youtube Music https://music.youtube.com/browse/MPREb_MMefLk19ZFg
• Bandcamp https://hallbar.bandcamp.com/track/voodoo-doll
• Deezer https://www.deezer.com/pl/album/675119501
• Tidal https://listen.tidal.com/album/401558859/track/401558862
• iTunes https://music.apple.com/pl/album/voodoo-doll-single/1781648408
• Amazon https://music.amazon.it/tracks/B0DNWTVT31
• Boomplay https://www.boomplay.com/songs/190633764
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• https://youtu.be/ZBfTauawJiU

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

  

  

Winter Nights Interview

 

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

Since the release we are in production for the next single release which will be this winter season. Recording in the Winter makes us feel at one with nature.

2.Recently you have released a new EP, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

I believe the evolution of the band can be heard on this EP. Music is what keeps us breathing and as musicians were constantly learning and showing our emotions through sound.

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

I try to keep a storyline as much as possible. I explored the notion of sky burial further. In this EP the vultures become our gods so to speak and we must look within ourselves to transfer to ultimate freedom. 

What also speaks of progress as a songwriter is the emotions I explored, the feeling of solitude within one's own mind. WInter can be a glorious festive season, but it also sees dread and overall depression as it can linger on to what seems like eternity.

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

We love vodka, vodka is best in winter to drink. The idea of the band was made in winter, under the heavy influence of vodka. It is also a song title of one of our most favorite bands, Iced Earth.

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

FendiRofi was amazing to work with as a hand drawn artist. We received many recommendations to go with Ai, but there's nothing like lines on a paper and true artwork.

The idea of the bleak, black and white cover and overall art is what we wanted to portray. A time of the year where things stall frozen and life thrives in unexpected ways.

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?

Opening for many touring bands such as Morbid Angel in 2013, Omnium Gatherum in 2014, Dark Tranquility in 2015, Belphegor in 2016, Deicide in 2021 to name a few.

We try to give our viewers at our shows something to look at visually as well as musically. We run our own fog machines, stage lighting hardware and synchronization. 

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

We plan to do many out of town dates in 2025 from Canada down to Florida. And, for our hometown, so far we are set to support TYR on their NYC stop of their 2025 US tour.

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

Not actively looking. The offers we've had have not pleased us yet.

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

It's been lovely! And we thank everyone for the undying support. We’re seeing more listening from Europe and Scandinavia lately which makes us happy!

10.When can we expect another full length and where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

A full length will be another year. But in the meantime we will release numerous singles and EP’s.

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

We listen to everything from all genres of metal to reggae to salsa to country to house to 90 nostalgia. We love all music! And it helps us grow. As of late, some worthy bands to mention that have given us new vibes and good vibes are “Non Est Deus” “MGLA” & “Grima”

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

Just want to thank everyone that's ever had any interest in the band and we are all family in this world, connecting through the emotion of sounds. We hope people always feel free to chat with us. 

And as we always say, SMOKE IT UP, DRINK IT UP!

https://www.facebook.com/winternightsnyc/

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Winter_Nights/3540365924

https://www.instagram.com/winternightsmetal/

https://winternights.bandcamp.com/music

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

https://open.spotify.com/artist/09OiMXVWu7ykkRZrZGH0CT

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/winter-nights/884376517

Master Dy/FRUCTUS : The Master's Zodiac/DMG /2024 Full Length Review

 

  Master  Dy  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  very  dark,  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death,  gothic,  pop  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "FRUCTUS  :  The  Master's  Zodiac"  which  was  released  by  DMG.

  A  very  heavy  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in a   very  melodic  style  and  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  When  clear  vocals  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  power  and  gothic  metal  while  the  album  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  A  lot  of  the  music  also  captures  more  of  a  mainstream  style  along  with  the  harsh  vocals  adding  in  touches  of   black  and  death  metal  when  they  are  introduced  on  the  recording  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  male  vocals,  blast  beats  and  fast  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Master  Dy  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  more  rooted  in  the  melodic  symphonic  and  gothic/power  metal  style  as  well  as  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  black  and  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  resilience,  self-reliance  and  the  human  spirit's  will  to  overcome.

  In  my  opinion  Master  Dy  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death,  gothic,  pop  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bad  Omens  Of  January"  "Ephermal  Void"  "Regel  Eclipse"  and  "Nocturnal  Veil".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/@MasterDyBand
https://sptfy.com/MasterDy
https://master-dy.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/masterdy_band/
https://www.tiktok.com/@Master.Dy
https://www.facebook.com/masterdy.band/
https://www.masterdy.com

      

Cephyre/A Gleam Within The Gloom/2024 EP Review

 

  Cephyre  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  ep  "A  Gleam  Within  The  Gloom".

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  ep  while  also  introducing  synths  onto  the  recording  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  parts  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  a  lot  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  Sections of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  clear  singing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  o f  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Blackened  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  doom  metal  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  a  couple  of  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length,  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  Cephyre  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  forms  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  realistic  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Cephyre  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Gleam"  and  "Distraction  From  Reality".  8  out  of  10.

  www.cephyre.band

www.cephyre.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/cephyre.band

www.instagram.com/cephyre.band  

Eternal Crypt/Stages Of Grief/2024 Full length Review

 

  Eternal  Crypt  are  a  band  from  new  York  that  plays  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  folk  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Stages  Of  Grief".

  Epic  sounding  keyboards  and  orchestration  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  tracks  and  the  harsh  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  some  of  the  melodies  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  medieval  folk  music   touches.

   Power  metal  style  singing  is  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  and  symphonic  sounding ,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing. Some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  death  metal  growls  and  as  the  album  progresses  pianos,  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  introduced  as  well  as  one  song  also  being  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mysticism,  nature  and  isolation  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Eternal  Crypt  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  folk  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Death  Notice"  "Stone  In  My  Heart"  and  "Death  Bed".  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/eternalcrypt    

Winter Nights/Northern Solitude/2024 EP Review

 

  Winter  Nights  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  ep  "Northern  Solitude".

   Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  direction  which  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing.

  Winter  Nights  plays  a  musical  styles  that  takes  the  atmospheric  and  melodic  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  human  experience  of  despair  and  existential  introspection.

  In  my  opinion  Winter  Nights  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  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  TRACK  "Catharsis".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/winternightsnyc/

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Winter_Nights/3540365924

https://www.instagram.com/winternightsmetal/

https://winternights.bandcamp.com/music

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

https://open.spotify.com/artist/09OiMXVWu7ykkRZrZGH0CT

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/winter-nights/884376517

  

  

Nefalem/A Realm Beyond/2024 Full length Review

 

  Nefalem  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "A  Realm  Beyond".

  Epic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody. When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Swedish  style  mixed  in  with  some  modern  touches.  Some  of  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  more  melodic  yet  aggressive  thrash  metal  approach  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  singing,  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  false,  gods,  pagan  legends  and  the  afterlife.  

  In  my  opinion  Nefalem  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Breaching  The  Gates"  "The  Seer"  "Legend"  and  "They  Bleed  Back".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/nefalem