The Panther Caps Interview

 

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

The Panther Caps is blackened, psychedelic doom metal mixed up with power crystals, wild mushrooms, the occult, creepy new age babes, and everything else your parents feared in the 70s-80s during the Satanic Panic! The ‘Caps keep it energetic, fun, sexy, carnivalesque – all the elements needed to spread like a disease. Our songs are fairly straightforward, and our riffs are all the kind of thing a 13-year-old kid can play.

I live on an island in Alaska. There’s no “scene” or anything like that, and touring is off the table since the only way out is by plane or ferry. I can drive across a bridge to Juneau, but it’s isolated from the rest of North America by a 1,500 square mile ice field jammed full of glaciers. It’s a great environment for pursuing your esoteric musical tastes as a lone wolf, but don’t expect anyone to share your weird interests.

I’ve been doing the “one man show” thing for over 20 years with a variety of projects. (By the way, “one man show” is the name of a really putrid French cologne from the early 80s.) I used to do a lot of black metal – I’m kinda a black metal dude at heart. One-man black metal is a well-recognized phenomena and well respected, but I’m finding it’s less common in doom. My older black metal projects include Skaltros, Kuundlaan, Ataxeta, Mulozhi (trap music with black metal vocals), Naukati (ambient), Sutreak (ambient). My old blackened doom band from a number of years ago is Malaxis.

So yea, the Panther Caps is the latest in a long list of one-man projects, and the one that I’m currently focusing all my energy on. It’s an orgasmic outlet for a lot of ideas I’ve had pent up for a long time.

2.In the last few months you have released 3 albums, musically how do you feel they all differ from each other?

All the songs on the first two albums, “2 Satanic 2 Panic” and “Rises Again” were recorded at the same time.  I intended to do enough jams for one album, but I always end up overdoing things. I ended up with enough songs that I had to divide them into two LPs. “2 Satanic” has some of the more retro / 70s-sounding jams, and “Rises Again” is stuff that has a bit more of a hardcore influence.

I put them out around the same time, because you only live once, right? And plus, “Paranoid” and “Master of Reality” came out only four months apart… so I figured I’d just go for it, release them, and work on more material. Father Yod released 9 albums between 1973 and 1975. The Incredible String Band released “The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter” and “Wee Tam…” (a double album) the same year, in 1968. If you’re having a good year, just go with it.

When the first albums were done, I instantly experienced a post-partum depression feeling – really bummed to be done working on new Panther Caps stuff. I also got to thinking “man, I really want to do an album with the guitars tuned all the way down to drop B.”  After a few days I decided “what am I waiting for?” and started up another marathon multi-week recording session, with everything in dropped B.

You’ll think I’m bonkers, but the second time around I ended up with enough songs for three albums – and that is after destroying all the songs that didn’t meet my quality control standards!  “Graven Images” is the first of the three albums to come out of that session. It’s a bit more classic and demonic sounding. There’s one coming up called “Determinate Negation” that’s more southern rock-sounding, and one called “Teardrinker” that’s more hardcore-ish. But they’re all kinda cousins to one another. I’m going to release those two next year.

“Graven Images” is heavier than the first two releases because everything is tuned down lower. I also tuned the two lowest strings on my bass in unison, which thickens it up and gives it a kinda chorus effect when I’m playing both strings at once. I wanted it to be like the old screamy hardcore band Pageninetynine, which would tour with two bassists. James Brown did that, too. All that low end becomes a lot to manage, mix-wise.

I think the humor is probably more apparent on “Graven Images,” too – another difference. The Panther Caps has a lot of humor going on, because it’s good to not take things too seriously.

3.You have released a good amount of material in a short amount of time, do you spend a great amount of your time wring and creating music?

I don’t think it’s a lot of time, but maybe others will disagree. I came to the realization recently that I can only do about 2 or 3 hours of something per day before it stops being any good. And I came to that realization through figure skating. I’m an adult figure skater, if you can believe that. If I skate more than 2 hours in a day, I start getting weary and worry I’m going to end up hurting myself… screwing up a jump or falling out of a spin. It’s really apparent in skating that once you get past 2 hours of doing something, you’re getting diminishing returns.

So I realized it’s the same for music. Any more than 2 hours and I might be doing more harm than good. I gotta be really careful with my vocals so I don’t blow out my voice, because then I have to wait a few days before I can do it again.  It’s the same with the fiction I write, too – more than 2 hours per day, and my writing becomes dull and feels like a grind instead of doing something exciting. Stephen King talks about writing for 5 hours a day or something, but that guy was doing Tony Montana levels of coke the whole time, to the point where he can’t even remember writing Cujo.

I think the best pace is probably 2 LPs per year, like bands used to do in the late 60s / early 70s.  I’d love to do some other split LPs or EPs with other bands in the meantime.

I’m all about efficiency. I leave everything set up so that when the mood takes me, I can easily sit down and within seconds be recording. That’s a help.

I’ll let you in on the secret to my productivity, but it comes at the price of listening to a longwinded story. I was 12 years old when Smashing Pumpkins’ “Siamese Dream” came out. A child, right? I saw a brief clip on MTV and it utterly blew my mind. The 70s big muff sound was the greatest thing imaginable, but the clip only lasted for like 10 seconds. Those 10 seconds absolutely haunted me – I had to get more! I’d listen to the radio and watch MTV for hours, hoping to get another glimpse, but it didn’t happen. Back then we used to copy and trade cassette tapes with other kids. So I hunted and asked around until I found a kid who knew about Smashing Pumpkins and had a tape, and then I figured out which of my tapes he wanted a copy of. I ended up trading him trading a copy I made of “Superunknown” by Soundgarden and getting “Siamese Dream” – with the last couple songs cut-off due to the tape being too short. I listened to that thing, and it was like “wow – this is IT. This is what I gotta do.” To this day, I see it as the greatest rock and roll album ever made. Then I learned that it was all performed by one dude (except the drummer), which was incredible to contemplate. I bought a guitar because of it, and got a tablature book, and learned to play by learning every song on Siamese Dream. Thanks to that album, I fell in love with big muffs, cranked British amps, 70s guitars. Basically it’s all big muff doomy Sabbathy stoner stuff. Their first album, “Gish,” is also an amazing psychedelic rock album. Then they had this album out called “Pisces Iscariot” which was all these B-sides and leftovers they had laying around. The amount of leftovers they created was incredible.

Then “Melancholie and the Infinite Sadness” came out and was a massive let down. The Smashing Pumpkins I loved were no more. They were wearing stupid costumes – top hats and marching band uniforms, and they were experimenting with a bunch of weird and incoherent stuff. I tried to like it, but it lacked the coherence and audio engineering craftsmanship of Siamese Dream. It was clear that making Siamese Dream – the perfect rock album – literally made Billy Corgan the same. He would never be the same again. So I remained stuck on Siamese.

There was one good thing about the “Infinite Sadness” stuff, though – one really important good thing. The single for Zero - a straight up dumb song - had a B-side called Pastichio Medley on it. It’s a 23-minute song with 73 different unused Smashing Pumpkins jams in it – leftovers - about 10 seconds of riffs from each one. Kinda like what got me into them in the first place – 10 seconds of something I couldn’t have any more of!  Just about every single song/riff was fabulous and reminded me of the old stuff.  It made it clear that they were writing and recording a vast amount of content – kinda just jamming around – and only putting out a small amount of it onto finished albums. There was all this non-pretentious stuff lurking in the background, existing 10 seconds at a time.

So that became my workflow. Plug in a guitar, put on a drum loop, and just jam out one riff after another over it for maybe 15 or 20 minutes – like Pastichio Medley. Then I go back into it, listen for the riffs I like, and cut and paste all the good stuff out. I reorganize those, and then play over top of them, and boom – that’s how I get songs. I’ll do a bunch of those 15 or 20 minute riff Pastichio-like sessions as separate projects in Logic, then dissect them and kinda reorganize everything to play over it. I end up with a ton of content. I’ve been working that way for over 30 years at this point, and that’s how I end up with so many songs. It really is a jam-based process, where I spontaneously improvise my way into finding different songs, and then jam over myself.

As far as vocals and lyrics, I’ll write out song titles and part of a chorus, but the lyrics are very improvisational. I try to keep a lot of emphasis on the sound and rhythm – approaching it a lot like freestyle rapping.

I want the songs to generally be shorter and more concise. I want them to have more of a traditional pop music format – verse, chorus, verse, chorus. I try to keep it simple – memorable riffs I could have played when I was 13, yearning after Siamese Dream.

4.A lot of your lyrics cover Occultism and Satanism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

I grew up in the 80s with the Satanic Panic going on. People seriously believed that there were all these hidden satanic messages poisoning and subverting society, all over the place. Stuff hidden in music, tunnels under daycares, secret symbols in graffiti, Dungeons and Dragons teaching kids black magic and witchcraft – you name it. Anything might be perverting mainstream culture and wholesome suburban life – which really were not that great, actually. I grew up immersed in that atmosphere of lurking paranoia, and it was frightening as well as fascinating. And in a way, really cool. Like, if there were all these hidden messages, I wanted to find them. I wanted to create hidden messages of my own. I wanted to understand this horror movie around me. And it was disappointing to find that it was largely fabricated, and that actually, the weirdest and creepiest people were the allegedly normal ones. They were also the ones taking the most and weirdest drugs. And still are.

Flash forward to my early 20s. I lived in rural Zambia for about a year and a half, teaching fish farming. The superstition and demonology was astonishing – a highly complex array of traditional beliefs, mashed up with Christian beliefs that missionaries forced upon everyone. They had a universe filled with monsters, demons, witches… just horrible stuff. Every day, tons of crazy stuff going on. I was the only non-Zambian in my area, and the only person who questioned the validity of this stuff… but the thing is, everyone believing and organizing their lives around this stuff had a massive impact on society. And I saw a bunch of incredible practices that – whether or not you believed in the underlying mythos – were utterly terrifying. They had this one practice called “flying coffin” where if someone is allegedly killed by a witch, four guys - usually drunk out of their minds - will go running around the village carrying the coffin on their shoulders as the coffin “searches” for the witch, like a giant Ouija board placard. And then when it finds the witch, the guys – who are allegedly possessed - start beating the witch to death with the coffin. And I saw this stuff and other things on a similar level of intensity going on. All the time.

My resulting worldview is basically that if someone believes in something, they’ll take a bunch of actions based on that belief and get similar outcomes as though it were true… so in the end it’s basically the same as it being true. So whether you think it’s true or not, you essentially have to deal with it as if it is.

I find cults fascinating in a disgusting sort of way. I read about them all the time and watch every documentary I can. I think mainstream religions are just megacults, with tax-exempt status. I’m not into Christianity at all, and that’s where the idea of Satan and the Devil come from. They’re kinda like a form of blackmail churches have used to control people – do what you’re supposed to, or you’ll end up being tortured by the devil. But Satan can be an interesting symbol of resistance. Like, in 19th century France, visual artists like Felicien Rops and authors like Huysmans drew upon satanism as a way to negate and subvert typical bourgeois social values.

I think everyone should develop their own web of beliefs, create their own spirituality, and individualism should rule the day. Just don’t hurt or try, exploit, or exert control over other people – let people be curious, and pursue and develop their own individual interests. Do what thou wilt but don’t harm others - the whole Aleister Crowley thing.

I am also a huge believer in the placebo effect – if you feel like a yoni egg or Santa Claus or praying to a Furby is doing some sort of good for you, keep on doing your thing.

5.Lyrically you are also inspired by horror films, which horror movies have had the biggest influence on your songwriting?

By far and away the biggest influence on my writing is the television soap opera Dark Shadows. There are 1,232 episodes, and I’ve seen them all more than once. You have to wonder “how did they do so many?” Basically every day they would create and film a new episode, live. It’s kinda like my approach to creating music – the Pastichio Medley thing. I love the late 60s / early 70s atmosphere and colors. I really appreciate when they’re going back in time – then you have like two layers of nostalgia going on; the 1970s imagining the 1790s. And they even go to the 1990s. Then they create this idea of “parallel time” – the idea there are infinite variations upon your reality, all playing out at once, which allows the show to explore alternative plots and ideas beyond the ones they’ve exhausted, reusing and reconfiguring the same characters. It’s not frightening at all, but full of gothic atmosphere. The wind is howling or else it’s raining continuously.

I like Vincent Price films, with my faves being the two Dr. Phibes movies, and then Theater of Blood. Again, they’re not frightening at all - highly atmospheric and humorous. The bad guy” is a character who has been maligned by society, getting cold-hearted revenge on a list of people who’ve done him wrong. Panther Caps is kinda like that – sort of going through a checklist channeling a bunch of pissed-off energy.

I like the old Hammer Films stuff a lot, as you can probably guess by the art. My fave is “The Horror of Frankenstein” – Ralph Bates is hugely hilarious in his arrogance.

Jean Rollin’s films are really bizarre and worth checking out – bizarre euro horror.

The horror I like isn’t really scary – it’s all atmospheric. I find it comforting.

The types of things that actually scare me are unhealthy eating habits, sugar and caffeine being hidden in food, bad water quality, hoarding.

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

Panther Caps are extremely toxic hallucinatory mushrooms that grow here in southeast Alaska. They look like Amanita muscaria but are brown, vastly more potent, and will make you feel like you’ve died and gone to hell multiple times over. They’re absolute evil… and a real, living part of nature.

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that you have gone for on your album covers?

I view the Panther Caps artwork as secondary to the music, but you gotta have visuals. I make them myself using AI. Since I live on an island in a remote area of Alaska, I don’t have access to a coven of creepy Hammer Films-looking babes, so AI’s gonna have to get the job done for me. I’m really picky about visual art and takes a huge amount of effort to get the type of results that I want and like. It’s a huge pain in the neck, in fact – particularly the video. Generating AI content is its own form of art… but very different from other forms of art. It’s almost like DJing, or remixing, or something. Or maybe a craft more than an art.

When Mr. Doom put up the first Panther Caps video for “Exhumed in the Cemetery” a few people put up negative comments saying stuff along the lines of “ew, an AI video… and the music seems like AI.” Rob Hammer explained to me there’s a big backlash against AI music going on, which I was unaware of, as I’m a dude that lives on an island and is out of touch with what is going on in any “scenes.” In response, I started putting up cereal box-like lists of ingredients that explain how everything is made, so that people can understand what they’re enjoying.

I’m cool with someone hating my music but would want them to hate it as something an actual human created rather than based on suspicions of it being AI. It’s really unfortunate to consider that underground bands and prolific one-person metal acts may have a hard time finding an audience due to the atmosphere of suspicion and paranoia that AI is producing.

Personally, I have nothing against AI, but would want to know when something is AI, or partially AI, and to what degree. It’s like putting sugar, caffeine, and creepy food coloring in breakfast cereal – make sure to disclose what went into it, so that people can make informed choices about what they’re putting into their bodies, or in the case of music, into their brains.

8.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

I’d be glad to consider working with other musicians, but it would need to be done remotely, it being the case that I am a dude living on an island in Alaska!  I grew up on the east coast and was in a lot of bands back in my teens and early 20s, but then started moving and living really weird places with no one around who shares my musical interests. I’ve been in Alaska for getting-on 20 years and have no plans to move away.

My favorite role is as lead singer, not playing instruments, jumping around and being chaotic. As much as I love playing guitar, that’s what I’d want to do with a live incarnation of the ‘Caps – the Iggy Pop kinda stuff.

9.The albums were released on 'the Swamp records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

The Swamp Records is based in Las Vegas, and puts out releases from underground doom bands from all over the world. You can buy them individually, or join “The Swamp Krewe,” which is a $5 subscription service kinda like Netflix for stoner doom. I got hooked up with them unexpectedly hen Fuzzy Cracklins – the head of it - started following the Panther Caps on Bandcamp. Fuzzy is an anthropomorphized alligator with a cowboy hat and a joint – and clearly has some artificial intelligence at work behind his persona. When I saw the image, I had a laugh and thought “man – this joint-smoking alligator dude is such a good fit for the Panther Caps!” I also have fam in the south and have spent a lot of time there, and the southern vibe really resonates with me.

Anyhow, Fuzzy’s been a super kind, genuine, supportive dude (or reptile?) who has given me a lot of ideas for helping to share the Panther Caps with a wider audience. The revenue split is very fair, and I definitely benefit from the relationship. It’s a great option for underground doom bands.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black, doom and stoner metal?

I thought maybe the black metal and hardcore aspects wouldn’t sit well with the doom folks, and the doom stuff might put off the black metal and hardcore fans, but people seem to be figuring out how to enjoy it. I’m surprised it has had the positive reaction it’s had, and secretly kinda worry maybe it should be pissing off more people!

As mentioned above, the only negative thing has been the “anti-AI” reaction I encountered after Mr. Doom put up the first ‘Caps video. It was kinda a culture shock to me to learn there was this AI war raging. I don’t use social media, and living on an island, I sometimes find out about things years after they occur!

I don’t know what I don’t know, so it’s all good… and a little funny when I find something out that I should have realized months or years ago. Like today I just learned that Ace Friedly died a number of months back.

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

Well, after “Graven Imagines” I’ve got “Teardrinker” and “Determinate Negation” to release. That’ll keep the Panther Caps going through next year. You’ll think I’m shitting you, but I started another marathon recording session and have enough jams for SIX OR SEVEN more albums. They all need vocals, though. It’ll take me a few more months to finish that up, and then I’ll be able to keep the Panther Caps going at a rate of 2 LPs per year for 3 or 4 years.

I’m going to stick to 2 Panther Caps LPs per year – like the Incredible String Band or Black Sabbath during their best years - so at some point I may need to start another side-project. I’ve got some ideas but need to keep them secret for the time being, as it’s something that hasn’t been seen or done before. It involves blackened, psychedelic doom, though.

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?

I won’t rant about early Smashing Pumpkins anymore, but Siamese Dream is what got me into guitars and fuzz. I just can’t get into the Pumpkins stuff after that.

I grew up on the east coast in the mid-90s through early 00s hardcore scene and had a lot of exposure to some incredible and creative post-hardcore bands in their heyday. I’m a big fan of the Stooges, the Birthday Party, Jesus Lizard – bands where you have one dude wildin’ out over hard-hitting guitars.

I was also in a hip-hop band in the 90s. That and the hardcore scene had a really intense DIY ethos. Like, people weren’t just musicians, they were workers. That attitude informed my creative processes and productivity. You weren’t some privileged rock star – you were a worker who had to put effort in.

I got into black metal when it was reaching America in the early/mid-90s. I remember reading about it as a kid and immediately loving it based on the descriptions and images alone, before even hearing the music!  When it comes down to it, I’m kinda a black metal dude at heart. But I really love the tone and atmosphere of doom and stoner rock. I got into it around 20 years ago, from the older dudes who worked at the independent record store. It was all Eyehategod, Pentagram, Sleep, Electric Wizard back then.

As far as what do I listen to, I mostly listen to older stuff. One of my favorite albums of all time is “Ionia” by Lycia, this atmospheric goth / dark-ambient band from the early 90s. Similar to me, it’s just one dude.  “Ionia” is my favorite, but “Cold” is a masterpiece. I can never get tired of listening to that stuff. The atmosphere is incredible. I like and listen to Eyehategod and Pentagram quite a lot. I like “Nattestid” by Taake – one of my favorite albums of all time that I can listen to endlessly. A guilty pleasure is the band Summoning – I really, really enjoy them, much more than I should.

I got dragged to a party last night and was talking and trying to relate to other people my age – actually a bit younger than me. I’m in my 40s. And someone was like “what’s your favorite record that came out in 2025?” It was pathetic, but I couldn’t name a single record that came out in 2025! They mentioned a few things that sounded like they were probably indie pop artists, and I was like “yea, um… I dunno.” Then they asked me a couple different ways what type of music I listen to and after evading the question once or twice I finally admitted “doom, black metal, shoegaze.” None of that rang a bell. And then this dude started telling me about his banjo.

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

Just major thanks for the support that I’ve received, yourself included. I probably have super low expectations, but it blows my mind that a Panther Caps video on Youtube would get over 1,000 views in a week, or would be reviewed or featured on a blog in Europe. I’m a dude on an island in Alaska, and it’s amazing to think that these outrageous, fun jams could reach that type of audience. I really appreciate the Youtube streams, bloggers, reviewers and fans that have supported the ‘Caps, whether it’s with a “like,” buying an album, leaving a comment, or just enjoying the music.  So thanks and cheers - rock on and spread the Panther Caps disease!

Exhumed from the Cemetery - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dHdWVTBm2g

Our Lord of the Conibears - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSIj5V8IdTE 

The Panther Caps/Graven Images/The Swamp Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  This  is  the  final  review  of  a  recording  from  Alaska's  solo  project  The  Panther  Caps  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  psychedelic  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner,  doom  metal  and  hardcore  and  the  album  was  released  in  2025  by  The  Swamp  Records  and  called  'Graven  Images".

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  vocals  bringing  in  a  mixture  of  clear  stoner  rock  vocals  and  black  metal  screams.

  A  lot  of  the  music  also  has  roots  in  the  70's  and  80's  while  also  sounding  very  modern  at  the  same  time.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  album  also  capturing  the  aggression  of  hardcore  at  times,  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  as  well  as  the  whole  album  also  sticking  to  a  heavier  direction  and  the  closing  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  The  Panther  Caps  continues  to  expand  on  his  psychedelic  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner,  doom  metal  and  hardcore.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Horror  and  Humor  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  The  Panther  Caps  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  psychedelic,  black,  sludge,  stoner,  doom  metal  and  hardcore,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Feed  The  Black  Masses"  "Waste  of  Suffering"  "Humans  Have  A  Right  To  Hedonism"  and  "Graven  Images".  8  out  of  10.

  https://thepanthercaps.bandcamp.com/album/graven-images-lp-3 

The Panther Caps/2 Satanic 3 Panic/The Swamp Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Alaska's  solo  project  The  Panther  Caps  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  psychedelic  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner,  doom  metal  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "@  Satanic  2  Panic"  which  was  released  by  The  Swamp  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy 70's  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal.  Vocals  range  from  clear  singing  to  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  the  aggression  of  hardcore.  At  times  the  album  also  captures  a  psychedelic  atmosphere  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  some  80's  influences  as  well  as  remaining  very  modern  at  the  same  time  and  all  of  the  tracks  stick  to  a  heavier  direction.

  On  this  recording  The  panther  Caps  mixed  black,  sludge,  stoner,  psychedelic  doom  metal  with  hardcore  to  create  a  very  heavy  release  that  also  captures  a  lot  of  retro  vibes.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Panther  Caps  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge,  stoner,  psychedelic  doom  metal  and  hardcore,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Goddess  To  Destroy  The  Earth"  "Shadow  Magus"  "2  Satanic  2  Panic"  and  "Scarecrow  lover".  8  out  of  10.

  https://thepanthercaps.bandcamp.com/album/2-satanic-2-panic-lp-1      

The Panther Caps/Rises Again/The Swamp Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  The  Panther  Caps  are  a  solo  project  from  Alaska  that  plays  a  psychedelic  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner,  doom  metal  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2025  album  "Rises  Again"  which  was  released  by  The  Swamp  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Elements  of  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  are  also  added  into t he  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  influenced  by  the  70's  era  mixed  in  with  some  psychedelic  touches  while  also  sounding  very  modern  at  the  same  time.  A  lot  of  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  album  also  add  in  touches  of  hardcore  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  singing  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  mixing  in  a  lot  of  shouts,  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  short  in  length.

  The  Panther  Caps  plays  a musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  stoner,  psychedelic  doom  metal  and  hardcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Panther  Caps  is  a  very  great  sounding  psychedelic  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner,  doom  metal  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rises  Again"  "Satanic  Sanctuary"  "Kudzu  Graveyard"  and  "Burnt  Blood".  8  out  of  10.

  https://thepanthercaps.bandcamp.com/album/rises-again-lp-2

  

End of Dawn Interview

 

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

At the moment we are continuing the momentum from our debut album Primordial Darkness. Since signing with WormHoleDeath Records and releasing the album in late 2024, we have been playing shows around Greece and working on new material. Our recent performance at the GR Festival in Volos was a highlight, and we are steadily preparing the next steps for both live activity and songwriting.

2. A year ago the band released its first full-length. Can you tell us a bit more about the musical style you aimed for?

With Primordial Darkness, we wanted a balance of symphonic and gothic black metal, combining aggressive elements such as riffs and harsh vocals with clean vocals, orchestral arrangements, and darker atmospheric layers. The music explores contrasts like melancholy and intensity, and the themes draw from mythology, biblical imagery, and existential ideas, which naturally shaped the album’s cinematic and somber tone.

3. The band has been active since 2019 but waited until 2024 to release a debut. What were those first years like?

Those early years were focused on developing the sound and identity of End of Dawn. The project started small and gradually came together as a full band, with each member bringing personal influences into the writing process. We spent a lot of time composing, experimenting, and shaping the atmosphere that eventually defined Primordial Darkness. We also played a few shows to try out new material, and in 2024 the partnership with WormHoleDeath made it possible to release the album properly.

4. Many of your lyrics touch on occult themes. What draws you to this subject?

For us, the occult is less about dogma and more about symbolism. It offers imagery that represents internal struggles, transformation, and the more hidden aspects of human experience. Using these themes helps us frame emotional and psychological ideas in a way that fits the tone of our music, without leaning on any strict doctrine or established belief system.

5. What other lyrical topics appear in the newer material?

Besides occult symbolism, we also explore ideas related to death, mythology, biblical references, dark fantasy, and existential conflict. On the debut album, each track follows a kind of descent and eventual rise on a spiritual or psychological level. The new material draws more from dark fantasy influences such as literature, cinema, games, and the Dungeons and Dragons universe, which gives us room to approach our themes from another angle.

6. Can you tell us more about the album artwork?

The artwork represents the core essence of Primordial Darkness: the dawn of a post-apocalyptic era freed from the burning light of human civilization and welcoming a purifying darkness. The eclipse, which people seem to greet with awe, symbolizes that transformation. Both the confrontation with the unknown and a gateway to spiritual awakening, echoing the album’s lyrical themes. We wanted the visual aesthetic to mirror the music’s atmosphere: mystical, oppressive, and transformative.

7. Out of all the shows you have played so far, which one stands out the most?

Our performance at the GR Festival in Volos this August stands out. Sharing the stage with local bands and, one of our inspirations, Old Man’s Child was meaningful for us, and the atmosphere of the event left a strong impression. As we started performing, clouds gathered and darkened the sky, and combined with the crowd’s energy it felt like a true dark rite.

8. Do you have any touring or show plans for 2026?

We are currently planning the next steps. While nothing is confirmed yet, we aim to be more active live in 2026, both within Greece and potentially abroad. We are considering festivals, a national tour, and international appearances depending on how things develop.

9. Will the next album also be released through WormHoleDeath Records?

WormHoleDeath has been a supportive partner for our debut, and the collaboration remains positive. We will decide how to proceed once the new material reaches a more complete stage.

10. How has the worldwide reaction been to your music from fans of symphonic and gothic black metal?

The feedback has been encouraging. Listeners have responded well to the combination of heavier elements with orchestral and atmospheric parts. We are still building our audience, but so far the reception has been helpful and motivating.

11. What is going on with some of the other bands or projects your members are involved in?

Several members remain active in other projects, which brings new ideas back into End of Dawn. This year, Gravekeeper released a full length with his hardcore band Soulhound, as well as a single with his blackened deathcore band Chants ov Obscurity. Akhenaten released a split with Darkest Oath. Absence and I are working on a black metal project that is still taking shape. Other members occasionally join different projects or tribute bands, although our primary focus is on the next End of Dawn release.

12. Where do you see the band heading musically in the future?

We want to continue developing the symphonic and gothic aspects of our sound while keeping the raw black. metal foundation present. Our goal is to expand the arrangements, use a wider dynamic range, and put more attention on the visual and atmospheric elements of the music. We also feel more comfortable on stage now, which motivates us to improve the live experience further.

13. What bands or musical styles are the members currently listening to?

We listen to a broad mix of metal styles, as well as related genres such as gothic rock, psychedelic rock, dungeon synth, dark synthwave, Scandinavian folk, classical music, and film soundtracks. Each member has personal preferences, but our influences often blend into the writing process. We all share an interest in symphonic black metal, particularly bands like Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, and Old Man’s Child.

14. Any final words or thoughts?

We would like to thank our siblings of the night who have embraced Primordial Darkness and shown interest in the band. We are already working on new material and we hope to continue growing and creating music with sincerity and focus. Stay with us. The dawn may end, but the darkness continues to evolve.

https://linktr.ee/endofdawn

Pedestal For Leviathan/Enter: Vampyric Manifestation/Personal Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Pedestal  For  Leviathan  are  a  band  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Enter:  Vampyric  Manifestation"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Personal  Records.

  Symphonic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Vocals  are  mostly  guttural  death  metal  growls  while  a  group  amount  of  brutal  beats  are  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up  and  the  recording  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  as  well  as  some  of  the  mid  tempo  sections  also  adding  in  touches  of  slam  and  deathcore.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  fast  riffs  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  music  also being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era  of  the  genre.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  Darkness  and  Horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Pedestal  For  leviathan  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Summoning  Sickness"  "Purgatory  Displacement"  "Warlock  Blacksmith"  and  "Nightshade  Familiar".  8  out  of  10.

  http://personal-records.bandcamp.com/album/enter-vampyric-manifestation-bonus-track-edition

linktr.ee/pedestalforleviathan     

End Of Dawn/Primordial Darkness/2024 Full Length Review

 

     End  Of  Dawn  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  gothic  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Primordial  Darkness".

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

  Operatic  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times  which  also  adds  in  touches  of  gothic  metal  while  the  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  Clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  spoken  words  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  couple  of  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  used  at  times,  clear  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  darkness,  chaos,  damnation,  occultism  and  suffering  themes.

  In  my  opinion  End  Of  Dawn  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  gothic  and  symphonic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dawn  of  Decay"  "Stepping  Into  Oblivion"  "The  Fall  Of  The  Rebel"  and  "Breaking  The  Pendulum".  8/5  out  of  10.

  ouTube – Full Album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h265r1GBC4

Spotify Artist Page:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/03GS0Jd0J7nEJv1Ra3idkS?si=58e4dda93eac40cd

Master's Hammer/Maldorör Disco/Darkness Shall Rise/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Master's Hammer  are  a  band  from  Czechia  that  has  a  history  that  goes  back  to  the  mid  80's  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Maldorör  Disco"  which  will  be  released  on  November  26th  by  Darkness  Shall  Rise.

  Synths  and  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  brings  in  elements  of  electronic  music  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Vocals  are  done  in  a  grim  black  metal  style  mixed  in  with  some  touches  of  industrial  while  clear  singing  is  also  utilized  at  times  and  the  recording  also  has  its  avant  garde  moments. 

  All  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  while  also  avoiding  the  use  of  fast  playing  or  blast  beats.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  sections,  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  On  this  recording  Master's  Hammer  goes  for  more  of  a  electronic  and  experimental  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  different  from  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Czech  and  cover  the  traditions  of  their  homeland  and  occultism.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Master's  Hammer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  and  avant  garde  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Genesis  P.  Orridge"  "Bochnatky"  "Doppleganger"  and  "Slatina".  8  out  of  10.

  www.facebook.com/MastersHammerOfficial 

Mystic Circle/Hexenbrand/ROAR/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  Mystic  Circle  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Hexenbrand"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween  by  ROAR.

  Horror  movie  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  symphonic  elements  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  recording.

  

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  clear  male  and  female  vocals.

  A couple  of  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  words  along  with  a  later  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of   clean  playing  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Luciferian,  Black  Magick,  Occultism,  Witchcraft,  Horror  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Mystic  Circle  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Luciferian"  "Ghost  Of  Whitechapel"  and  "Dance  On  The  Wings  of  Black  magic".  8  out  of  10.

  Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/MysticCircleOfficial

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/mystic_circle_official

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@mystic_circle_official

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWjsdNlz2HHPJ6Gv1LpwbZg

Rotting Demise Interview

 

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

Silence: 

Well, since the work on the new album began up until the recording process, the lineup has changed once again. You don’t always find the right people, at the right time, for the right thing. During the album process we decided to remain a quartet from then on. Both the bass and the second guitar were recorded for the album by Infernum and are also audible live, since nowadays this can be reproduced. The audience therefore doesn’t have to face any loss in the sound experience, with the only difference being that they see four band members instead of five. Infernum has moved from his original bass position to guitar, thus taking over the vacant guitar role in a worthy manner.

The whole album process was a balancing act between writing songs and lyrics, playing concerts, private challenges, deaths, and creating the physical design of the CD. A lot of work, but we are very satisfied with the result.

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

Silence: 

A new line-up naturally also means new music — we were well aware of that. But it was good and necessary in order to move forward. As the founder of Rotting Demise, I naturally look at the bigger picture. The new record is more than just the first album. Even though "My Whole Wrath" is a strong release where no song sounds like the other, this time it’s not only about the musical evolution, but also about the acoustic quality and the song arrangements, which are far more complex and layered.

On an emotional level, it’s a ride through a wide range of moods: dark and aggressive, melancholic and heavy, monumental and majestic, or simply driving and atmospheric. Especially when you listen to it in the right setting, the album takes you on a musical journey full of twists and emotional landscapes. The contrasts between the songs are greater than before and reveal a completely different band compared to two years ago.

3.The new album also shows more of a symphonic style while earlier material had more of a brutal blackened death metal style, what was the decision behind the musical change?

Silence: 

As I already said, whenever the lineup changes, it automatically brings new music with it. Back then, it was more or less a compromise, since the old lineup wanted to stay in Death Metal, while I love both Death but especially Black Metal. As a result, the album turned into something mainly Death Metal-oriented, but not limited to growls and pig squeals—there were also screams. Visually, at that time, we still had a bloody, corpse-like image, and the result was something everyone was satisfied with. “Kayako's Grudge” and “Decay Of Time” were the first newer songs of that lineup, which still changed several times afterward.

The change in stage aesthetics and the now stable lineup formed the foundation for the music I had long envisioned. My wish was to make a clear distinction from the first record, because we had not been a simple Death Metal band for quite some time. Atmosphere was already an element back then, but now it has been expanded even further. It was a natural process, with all the influences of the current members coming together.

The work on this album was completely different: with solid preparation, better equipment, and a clear goal—to get the best out of ourselves and make a real cut from the old record. Without Infernum joining, this album would not have turned out the way it did, that must be said clearly. He knew how to shape the samples—audible in every track—so that they created a complete picture. Together with Mephisto and Belial, the three of them built a foundation that I could work on very well, adding the final touch through lyrics and vocals.

Sonically different and more evolved, also at the microphone, I wanted to deliver a distinct difference. I developed further vocally, because there’s always room to grow. The high-pitched vocals now sound different, and the pig squeals gave way to long, piercing screams that emphasize the music at striking moments—after I had learned new vocal techniques.

All in all, this work is, in my eyes, both in terms of quality and variety, a consistent progression of our music—offering something for every listener. What label the style ultimately receives, whether reviews put it into Symphonic Black/Death or elsewhere, is secondary. It’s music, and either you like it or you don’t.

At this point, I would like to thank my bandmates, friends, and by now also family for their dedication and commitment to Rotting Demise—because without them, after everything we went through, this band would no longer exist.

4.On the new album you also covered some occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

Silence: 

The first record still had typical death metal themes, inspired by horror and slasher films, but also serious topics such as child abuse, nature’s revenge for humanity’s sins, or the fact that we will all be forgotten and that time drags us away with it. My vision was to realize what truly defines me on the second album. Mephisto and I are both members of the Brotherhood of Samael, probably the most well-known German group that follows satanic philosophy. Greetings to our members at this point. I myself have been engaged with religions for over 25 years and have gained many insights over the years.

The accusation is raised against everything that prevents humans from unfolding in their truly free nature. The resistance that Satan describes as a universal principle and energy within us and within nature discharges itself in the music and in the lyrics. A vigilant spirit that refuses to be indoctrinated and is always in the process of growing and staying true to itself.

Religions may have always been a focus in music over the past decades — for some perhaps an old hat — but for me it remains a lasting struggle against those phantoms invented by humans to gain control and to threaten with punishment and damnation. The blood that sticks to their hands — especially when it comes to Christianity — and the countless victims of spiritual and physical violence are those we stand up for. They still have too much power, but the foundation is crumbling, and as long as I breathe, this struggle will continue.

In Hebrew, the word Satan translates as accuser, adversary, which aligns with what we think. We do not bow, we accuse, and we embrace this source of energy, wisdom, and freedom within us. A conscious existence, without having to live up to any imposed ideal, representing ultimate rebellion. A strong symbolism that stands in harmony with one’s own convictions.

The abuses worldwide within the church are denounced, the so-called holy church is unmasked and put in the pillory. In darkness one draws much strength and brings it to light. The uprising against everything that holds one back from moving forward, and the rebellion against the tyranny of God and his earthly followers, must not cease. For me this is not just music — it is a statement that reflects my own private way of life and a middle finger to those who spiritually and physically violate the world. We will never bow, we spit in the faces of those who deserve it, while at the same time standing with those who had no voice or were silenced.

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

Silence:

Fundamentally, death itself will always be part of a theme because it is so formative, because it is inevitable, bringing much pain and grief, and this despair always lingers. Religion will also always be a topic. The beginning and the end of "Death Hunts Us All" describe the funeral of my former band leader, Hydra Gorgonia of Atrium Noctis—the heaviness that hung in the air. Horrible scenes that burned themselves into my mind, where her mother hugged the coffin and her tears touched the wood. Things one does not forget—a collapse of time, the world stood still. A painful loss for me, a trained musician who taught me so much succumbs to cancer. As a tribute, we performed a concert for her, visited her grave, and reinterpreted "In Memoriam Moriendi" from the then-album Home, which I highly recommend, immortalizing her on the album and depicting her in the booklet, just as it also happened on stage.

It was the first song I ever wrote for Atrium, about a last surviving warrior who sees his deceased friends and swears revenge. Who would have thought that this very song would ever gain the meaning it now has after her death? We are the hunted, and we are all his. The outro, purely instrumental, 

" Remembrance Of The Dead " is a memory of those we have lost, allowing everyone to indulge in memories and drift away. A simple melody that describes the end of the album before it transitions into the grand finale with

 "In Memoriam Moriendi".

Hydra had died, my grandfather, Mephisto’s dog, Infernum’s father, and finally also the grandfather of Belial’s partner. It was as if a veil lay over the album, and "Decay Of Time" cut through us all like a path of devastation. This brought us even closer together, because we are not just a band—we live as a family and help each other wherever we can. Thanks for that, guys; I owe you a lot!

Thus, everyone also relates to "In Memoriam Moriendi" through her character, introduced with "Death Hunts Us All". Furthermore, the album concludes with "Valak Regnat", the darkest song on the album, where at least one cinematic reference appears from the "Conjuring" universe in the form of Valak, the demon, later adapted into "The Nun". Matching my slightly altered corpsepaint, a bridge is formed here, with a Latin passage that is read and heard, fitting perfectly into the dark and sacred theme of the album.

"Monument Without Fears", on the other hand, is a very personal song and simultaneously a monument on several levels. Because I am in a relationship with two women and we live polyamorously, it describes the negative experiences of both in the past without explicitly addressing them, and at the same time, in the event that I leave this world first, it serves as a reminder of the deep connection we shared. In a metaphorical sense, anyone close to me can relate. This song, along with some others, is intended to be played at my funeral.

"God’s Falling Kingdom", "Lucifer’s Dawn", "Valak Regnat", "The Unholy Veil Of Silence", "Nailed And Forgotten", and "The Devil’s Verdict", introduced by "Judgement’s Procession", where we enter the stage as accusers, tell stories of resistance and the fight against religion, lies, and injustices, and express profound contempt.

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

Silence: 

The artwork was created by Gie Art from Indonesia. In the past, I had him design the "Decay Of Time" artwork that we used for our shirt, and that’s how the collaboration for this artwork came about. Nice guy, great communication, and solid work.

The cover itself, unlike the brutal artwork of the first album—which was typical and reflected the song "My Whole Wrath"—has now shifted to an unmistakable image: the father denouncing the Pope and the Church regarding abuse. In a dark, unholy church, the devil holds judgment over the so-called Holy Mother Church. Mary, mocked with a demon in her arms; death, seated at the organ with the exact same jawless appearance as in the church windows as well as on the 'Decay Of Time" shirt, symbolizing another major theme.

Since our music has become much more melodic and organs also play a role, it fits the overall picture perfectly. The cover thus represents "The Devil’s Verdict" and serves as a continuation of "The Unholy Veil Of Silence", where the pedophile church is denounced.

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

Silence: 

Our stage performance is designed to match the music. With elaborate stage decorations built by Silence’s father, who always surprises us with something new. A huge thank you to him, because he truly knows how to bring what is heard to life visually – something the audience always appreciates.

We are in a constant process of evolving our appearance – sometimes it’s new clothing, new corpsepaint, or new decorations and props. It’s art in a dark form, driven by passion and great attention to detail. It’s more than just music. For us, it’s a message, but also a release and a form of medicine against everyday struggles and battles we all face.

First and foremost, it’s about the love for music and giving people a great show that makes them want to come back. Without fans, there is no band – and they should always get the full package: great music and a real connection to the band itself. We always enjoy these days and are grateful to be in close contact with our fans, because we owe them everything – something we should never forget. Over the years, many of them have become friends, which I see as a very positive thing when I look back on the past seven years and how the band has grown, always shoulder to shoulder with the fans.

No matter where life takes you, never forget those who walked the path with you. Gratitude should be heard, read (like in the booklet), and seen. For me, saying “thank you” and bowing before the audience is something natural, and it should be visible.

When it comes to concerts, we’ve had great shows with bands like Batushka, Krisiun, Nile, Kanonenfieber, Grima, Smorrah,Voracious, Beware the Kraken, Vorga, Blutgott, Torment of Souls – our brothers in spirit – Sodom, Maahes, Frostshock, Denomination, Obscurity, and many more. It’s impossible to name them all.

At our release show on October 4th at Turock in Essen, for example, Torment of Souls, Maahes, Panzerkrieg 666, and our rehearsal room neighbors The Void's Embrace will be sharing the stage with us. If you don’t know these bands, you should definitely check them out.

Other concerts and festivals such as the Turock Fest, Winter Invasion by Mosher's Night, the Schwarzburger Metalwiese by Runa Events, and the Alternative Stage in Lünen – my hometown – were also outstanding events. At this point, a big thank you again to everyone who supports us.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

Silence:

After the release show at Turock, the 30th anniversary show of Torment of Souls will take place on October 23rd, where we will also be present. On November 1st, we’ll be in Torgau for another concert here in Germany. Recently, we played shows in the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Of course, an extensive tour through all countries would be something that could reach many people. A lot depends on the right connections and on how much time one has privately to balance the band with personal life. Let’s put it this way: we’d love to play everywhere, that’s for sure. Our goal here in Germany is to perform at larger festivals. We’ll see what time and opportunity will bring. But of course we are going to play as often as possible and to promote the album.

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

Silence: 

This topic connects to the previous one. Over the years, there have already been positive responses from different parts of the world. At the moment, the band is not as well-known as we would wish, but we’re working on it, and every year we see progress rather than decline. Patience, diligence, gratitude, and unwavering determination are key factors that keep us moving forward. We will wait to see the response to the album, how it is received, and how the journey continues to unfold.

Health is also not to be underestimated. Each of us struggles with different things. For example, for the sake of my health and music, I haven’t drunk alcohol for almost a year now, unlike before. Having control over many things – especially over oneself – and staying vital is essential. We are all getting older, and at some point, the body no longer forgives.

We hope to reach many people and to grow together with them. This journey will mark its 10th year in three years’ time, which is something very special for all of us. It carries so many anecdotes and experiences that it could fill an entire book. When we are old, we will look back with both laughter and tears, feeling grateful and wishing we could turn back time.

The ride isn’t over – it’s only just beginning!

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

Silence: 

We have adapted our style to our own ideas, but we don’t set any limits for ourselves. As mentioned before, music is not a category; it’s emotion, it’s honest, and it has to come from within you. Of course, you won’t reinvent the wheel, but you should have your own signature. The best example is my screams. Does it remind you of Cradle of Filth? Certainly. Although this band goes to a lot of trouble nowadays and is controversial, it  was never the intention to sound like them. It’s more of a coincidence from training my own vocals, to create long screams and this you hear is the result. A stylistic device that is used deliberately. Still, the album sounds like us and not like any particular band. It combines elements that we have absorbed throughout our musical journey. In my eyes, this album is a thank-you to metal, with all its diversity. It takes you through different moods and lets you go after the last song.

We make music that we like; we don’t sit down and say we must do this or that. We want to break the barriers, because too often you hear, “This band does this, but actually it has to sound like that.” No. Music should be freedom; we already face enough constraints. At its core, it’s music, and either it grabs you or it doesn’t. If someone doesn’t like our music for some reason, that’s fine with me—there are things I don’t like either, and that’s okay. What’s important is that we stay authentic to ourselves in order to make music from the heart and not to conform to a particular expectation.

Metal didn’t have rules in the past; today, it sometimes seems different. But precisely this uniqueness is what makes it interesting. In the beginning, we wore makeup and played death metal. Can a death metal band wear makeup? Why not? Does it serve the atmosphere? Definitely. That’s why everything has naturally evolved, and I give the band complete freedom to implement their ideas. We use Black Metal , we use Death Metal, symphonic parts, the label is not the most important thing. I can express wishes, and I do, but we work on equal footing, and everyone should develop and soar freely like a bird. When you hear for example the terms Death and Black Metal,  you will find different types of styles within every genre. So it does not help you to know which style we are playing, it's only a small hint how it sounds. Rotting Demise sounds like we sound and we will see how we evolve our music in the future. Two songs are already in the making for the third record. 

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

Silence:

We are people who generally listen to a lot of music, whether it’s metal or other genres. Music is like a medicine cabinet—there’s the right music for every mood. In metal itself, for the most part—except for death and black metal—we enjoy everything that music has to offer. It doesn’t matter whether it’s more modern bands that blend many styles or more classic bands. When it comes to the breadth of music, I prefer to let the music speak for itself rather than mentioning specific bands. Of course, we all have different influences, but limiting them to just a few names wouldn’t do justice to the whole picture.

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

First of all, we want to thank the fans who have stayed loyal to us for years, all the families, friends, and partners, all the venues, magazines, and organizers who give us a stage, and everyone who supports us in any way, whether through merch purchases or kind words. Without all of you, there would be no Rotting Demise, and we cannot thank you enough. Thanks to all the bands we share and have shared the stage with. We look forward to everything ahead and hope for many more successful years together with you. Thank you for the questions and the interview.

Hail Metal! 

Hail Freedom! 

https://www.facebook.com/rottingdemiseofficial/

www.rotting-demise.com

Rotting Demise/The Unholy Veil Of Silence/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Rotting  Demise  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  album  "The  Unholy  Veil  Of  Silence"  which  will  be  released  in  October.

  Symphonic  and  orchestral  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  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  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  a  couple  of  songs  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  influences  from  the  modern  and  old  school  era's  of  the  genre  as  well  as  one  song  also  being  an  instrumental  and  the  closing  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Rotting  Demise  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  occultism,  Luciferian,  Darkness  and  Blasphemy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Rotting  Demise  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "God's  Falling  Kingdom"  "Death  Hunts  Us  All"  "Lucifer's  Dawn"  and  "In  Memoriam  Morendi".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/de/artist/rotting-demise/1545941340

https://rotting-demise.bandcamp.com/album/my-whole-wrath

https://www.facebook.com/rottingdemiseofficial/?locale=de_DE

https://www.instagram.com/rotting_demise_official/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1pXQcXbG3tBC69HMLrRbOh

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