Old Moon Interview

 

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

Old Moon is a band that explores and tells the stories of depression, self loss and death and expresses those subjects through a sound that meets a middle ground of sadness and anger. 

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

While writing the music, I never found myself deliberately trying to accomplish a sound or style. Everything came very naturally.  I simply wanted to turn emotion into sound. 

That was accomplished fairly well with the EP but more so on the full length I think.

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

Depression is a heavy topic in the music. And that ranges in a lot of different ways from grief to simple sadness, to self sabotage and suicide.

There are a lot of metaphors in the lyrics that represent emotional abuse and that paints a pretty good picture of how the story flows into the depression.

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

Old Moon is kind of a metaphor for living in the past. If a new moon represents change and new beginnings, this is the opposite.

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

The art work stuck out to me greatly when I came across it. It was created by an artist on Instagram that goes by the name "Perervina_art"

For me it was a perfect representation that reflects the music. Isolation essentially.

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

The band has yet to preform live. We were planning for a tour for this winter but that unfortunately fell through.

As far as stage performance, its aggressive but has its calm moments. Just like the music.

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

I'm currently working on a tour for late spring. Likely mostly just a west coast run unfortunately.

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

We are currently looking for a respectable label. We have had a few interest but only one that I would consider.

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

Its been interesting. Mostly positive. I honestly didn't expect getting so many random messages from people that "praise" the music, especially with the band being so new and only having 3 tracks out.

That's been very heart warming for me. But on the other side of that, the first review we received said the music is "unexciting and predictable for something that comes out of the pacific northwest" which made me laugh.

But yeah, its been interesting but mostly very positive. 

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

For me, Gone in April is currently working on an album. I have another project that I've been working on as well but that's still in the early stages.

Tim, our drummer, is always busy with something or another. He has shows almost weekly with Back From Death. And I believe recently joined another band as well.

Grady I'm sure is working on something as well. He almost always is. At the moment he's been working on the mastering for the full length for us.

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

Yes. We have a full length finished. Its been shopped to labels but I will shop it again after mastering is complete.

As far as when that album will be available, I hope for February/March but hopes and reality are two different things. It really depends on if there is a label involved and what their release plan would be.

Aside from that, as I mentioned earlier I'm working to get a tour booked. We'll have some music videos coming to help promote the album. For now, I've started the writing for the next album.

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?

Gaerea and Wormwood have been my go to listening bands lately. Both recently have released new music. As well as Swallow the Sun.

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

Just a simple thank you to everyone that has given any kind of support to the music and that band and we hope to see you at a show in the future.

https://www.facebook.com/oldmoon.om

https://www.instagram.com/oldmoon.om

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4omelxYGETlKIijsJ1JeZI

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/old-moon/1759269442

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

Qaalm/Grave Impressions Of An Unbroken Arc/Hypaethral Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Qaalm  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  atmospheric,  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Grave  Impressions  Of  An  Unbroken  Arc"  which  was  released  by  Hyperthral  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  funeral  doom  metal  which  also  captures  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams.

  Some  of  the  deeper  vocals  also  add  in  a  touch  of  death  metal  while  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  clean  playing  is  utilized  they  also  take  the  album  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  more  of  a  melodic  rock  style ,  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  and  spoken  words  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Qaalm  takes  a  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  form  of  post  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  progressive  rock  to  create  a  very  diverse  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  introspection  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Qaalm  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric,  melodic  and  progressive  post  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shadows  Behind  The  Sun"  and  "Hangman's  Lament".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/qaalm    

Old Moon/Self Titled/2024 EP Review

 

  Old  Moon  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  post  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  self  titled  2024  ep.

  Post  rock  style  clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  fast  and  melodic  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast beats  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  orchestration  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  spoken  words  also  being  utilized  at  times,  choirs  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  Old  Moon  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  post  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  melodic  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  grief,  loss  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Old  Moon  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  post  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Regret".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/oldmoon.om

https://www.instagram.com/oldmoon.om

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4omelxYGETlKIijsJ1JeZI

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/old-moon/1759269442

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

Eva Can't/Emisferi/My Kingdom Music/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Eva  Can't  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  avant  garde  and  progressive  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Emisferi"  which  will  be  released  by  September  20th  by  My  Kingdom  music.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  also  adding  in  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys.  When  clear  singing  is  utilized  they  also  give  the  recording  more  of  an  avant  garde  feeling  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.

  Clean  playing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  are  also  utilized  while  some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  harsh  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a  few  songs  also  being  instrumentals,  classical  guitars  and  wind  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Italian  and  is  a  concept  album  based  upon  an  emotional  and  physical  journey  divided  into  4  chapters.

  In  my  opinion  Eva  Can't  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  and  progressive  post  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "La  Volta  (Ghiacci  Boreali  I)"  "Prima  Tempesta  (Mari Boreali  I)"  "Di  Stanze  Assenti  (Mari  Australi  I)"  and  " Labirinti  (Ghiacci  Australi  III)".  8  out  of  10.

  facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evacantofficial

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evacantofficial   

Demande à la Poussière Interview

 

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

Vince : Well, we’ve been on tour over a week in France just after the release of the album. It was great to meet the public and play new songs from Kintsugi. After a year of work on the recording without gigs we were really looking forward to playing live again. 

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

Vince : In my opinion, Kintsugi is less dark compared to the previous album. Maybe more doomy and sludgy I would say, that reminds me a bit of the first Demande A La Poussière, but we are still in the crossroads of different music genres. The main difference is the vocals done by Simon, our new singer, who brings something new for Demande A La Poussière. 

3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrics that are present on the new album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Simon: the lyrics are mainly about negative feelings from start to finish. The overall theme is about rebuilding yourself after having been destroyed by life itself, which can be viewed as optimistic, but every song is about all the excruciating mental pain you have to go through. Pain of loss, frustration, despair, … Neil wrote half of the songs, and I wrote the other half. My writing is more like, angry, coarse, straightforward. His style is more into metaphors, contemplation. There’s a duality, where one side tends to have some hope, and the other side denies every form of hope.

Over the years, my songwriting has improved quite a bit. Since I’m part of multiple bands, this is hard work all the way, but I’m having so much fun I often have trouble considering this as “work”.

4.I know the band's name means 'Ask (to) The Dust', in French, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

Vince : This name was a kind of inspiration for the recording of the first album “Demande A La Poussière”, some lyrics directly come from the book of John Fante. It made sense back in the time to relate to this book. For the next ones the lyrics has been written by ourselves, talking about life and human sorrows. 

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

Vince : The artwork of Kintsugi is done by Vade Retro, two french, very talented guys. We really like their work for bands but also different festivals. They agreed to work with us for this new record and we are truly grateful. 

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?

Vince : We played a couple years ago with two great french bands, Svart Crown that sadly doesn’t exist anymore and Regarde les Hommes Tomber who recently opened for Behemoth. It was such a great moment for us. Our first gig was also with Decline Of The I, this one is a very special one too. 

We try to give the best experience for the public in our live shows, even in small venues, in terms of sound but also with a special light synchronized show and background video. I am personally a big fan of live music, especially in metal, we all  come to the show to see a special moment. That’s what we try to do each time. 

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album/

Vince : Yes we are currently working on it. It’s not finalized yet, but we want to promote this album as much as possible. We are proud of what we achieved with the work we did on the show, so let’s hope we will manage to be booked in France and elsewhere.

8.The last 2 albums where released on 'My Kingdom Music', how would you compare working with this label 'Argonauta Records'?

Vince : The work of My Kingdom Music is beyond our expectation, we are truly grateful to be supported by Francesco. Without him, it would not be the same. We have a great confidence on his judgment.  And he does a huge work on the promotion coupled with the work of Agence Singularité our press agency. 

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

Simon: lots of people loved it. We had loads of positive feedback during our promotional tour.

On a worldwide view, I bet we fell in quite a number of foreign ears!

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

Simon: My black metal project, Anthropovore, released two albums in February, and my other black metal band, Supplices, will release its second album this year. My thrash/death metal band, Muertissima, is currently working on its second album after a line-up change. My post-stoner band, Smoke, is working on its second album. My rock band, Circle of trust, is looking forward to record its first album. My punk/rock band, Dready, is aiming to do their first gigs very soon. I am also part of a deathcore project with a friend of mine, called CHAGS. I also have a solo post-black metal project called Arachnotrone, the first EP will be released this spring.

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

Simon: more doom, more despair, more violence, more sludge, more grunge, and above all… More nasty riffs!

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

Simon: I’ve always been a huge fan of bands like Midnight Oil, and I still listen to them from time to time. I also listen to a lot of hardtek, rap, stuff like that. In terms of metal, I’m more of an early 2000’s guy. But I always enjoy listening to something new!

Vince :  I listen to a lot of different music styles myself. I go from metal to jazz, I won’t list all the bands but it could be famous bands or upcoming ones. 

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

Vince :  We would like to thank all the people following us on shows, the people we buy our record, all of this wouldn’t be possible without their support.

Simon: always remember, in dire times, there is always a light, whatever you name it.

https://www.facebook.com/DALPdoom

Breaths/Self Titled/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Richmond,  Virginia's  solo  project  Breaths  has  returned  with  a  new  album  which  shows  him  moving  away  from  the  post  black  and  doom  metal  elements  of  earlier  releases  and  focusing  on  a  heavier  shoegaze  style  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  and  self  titled  2024  album  which  will  be  released  in  July.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  shoegaze  direction  while  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  programmed.  Vocals are  done  in  more  of  a  clear  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  heavier  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  doom  metal.

  Elements  of  post  and  alternative  rock  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  clean  playing  is  also  a  very  huge  part  of  th4e  album.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  guitar  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  introduced  into  the  music  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  Brteaths  focuses  more  on  a  heavy  shoegaze  style  as  well  as  adding  in  the  heaviness  of  shoegaze  at  times.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  personal  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Breaths  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  shoegaze,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fade  Apart"  "Dream  Walking"  "Hide  In  Starlight"  and "Embody".  8  out  of  10.

  https://breaths.bandcamp.com/album/breaths

  

Demande à la Poussière/Kintsugi/My Kingdom Music/2024 Full Length Review

 

     Demande  à  la  Poussière  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  an  apocalyptic  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Kintsugi"  which  was  released  by  My  Kingdom  Music.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Angry  shouts  and  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style,  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  clean  sections  also  returning  on  some  of  the  later  tracks.  Apocalyptic  orientated  soundscapes  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  album  and  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.,  spoken  words  are  also  utilized  at  times,  clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  French  and  English  and  cover  resilience  and  the  violent  energy  that  one  can  find  beyond  the  depths  of  his  own  despair.

  In  my  opinion  Demande  à  la  Poussière  are  a  very  great  sounding  apocalyptic  mixture of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUD E "Inapte"  "Ichinawa"  "Atrition"  and  "Brise".  8  out  of  10.

  facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dalpdoom

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d_a_l_p  

Reverb On Repeat/Self Titled/These Hands Melt/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Reverb  On  Repeat  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a mixture  of  blackgaze,  shoegaze ,  goth,  post  punk and  post  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2024  album  which  was  released  by  These  Hands  Melt.

  Melodic  shoegaze  style  guitar   solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  the  clean  sections  of  the  songs  are  heavily  rooted  in  post  rock.  The  clear  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  gothic  rock  style  along  with  synth  also  being  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic   in  length.  When  the  music  speeds  up  on  a  couple  of  songs  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  Reverb  On  Repeat  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  blackgaze,  shoegaze,  punk,  gothic  and  post  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  romanticism  and  isolation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Reverb  on  Repeat  are  a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of  blackgaze,  shoegaze,  goth,  punk  and  post  rock  and  if  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Aurorean  Dreams"  and  "Spawning",  7/5  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/reverbonrepeat

https://www.instagram.com/reverbonrepeat

https://reverbonrepeat.bandcamp.com

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Malevich/Trembling And Dowsed/Roman Numeral Records/2024 EP Review

 

  Malevich  are  a  band  from  Atlanta,  Georgia  that  plays  an  experimental  mixture  of  dissonant  black,  sludge  metal  and  post  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "Trembling  And  Dowsed"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Roman  Numeral  Records.

  Distorted  beats  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  sludge  metal  direction.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  hardcore  style  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  experimental  moments.

  Some  of  the  screams  also  add  in  touches  of  black  metal  while  the  riffs  also  go  into  a  dissonant  direction  at  times.  Growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  grindcore  influences  when  it  speeds  up  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  slide  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  clean  sections  also  add  in  post  rock  elements  and  clear  vocals.    

  Malevich  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  dissonant  black,  sludge  metal,  post  hardcore  and  experimental  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  existential  dread  and  the  oppressive  systems  under  capitalism.

  In  my  opinion  Malevich  are  a  very  decent  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  dissonant  black,  sludge  metal  and  post  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Red  To  Gold"  and  "Inaliencable".  7  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8fH5r8NKI8      

Moonoises/She - The Void/These Hands Melt/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Moonoises  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  blackgaze,  post  black  and  doom  metal  with  elements  of  post  punk  and  darkwave  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "She  -  the  Void"  which  will  be  released  on  march  8th  by  These  Hands  Melt.

  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.  Melodies  are also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  clean  sections  also  mix  in  elements  of  post  punk  and  darkwave  and  some  of  the  clear  vocals  add  in  touches  of  80's  deathrock.

  The  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal  and  doomgaze  while  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  lot  of  post  rock  and  shoegaze  touches.  Synths  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are introduced  into  the  music.

  Some  of  the  music  also  captures  the  dark  atmosphere  of  black  metal  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  most  of  the  album  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Moonoises  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  blackgaze,  post  black  and  doom  metal  with  elements  of  post  punk  and  darkwave  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Beyond"  "Creepy  31"  "Cold  Grey"  and  "Mirror".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/moonoisesband

https://www.instagram.com/moonoises

https://moonoises.bandcamp.com    

Martikor/Acedia/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Martikor  are  a  band  from  San  Francisco,  California  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  atmospheric  and  experimental  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released "Acedia"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  Distorted  sounds  and  clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  post  metal  direction.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  elements  of  sludge  metal.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal s creams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  music  also  going  into  on  experimental  direction  in  certain  sections  of  the  album.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Keyboards  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  album,  clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  songs,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mourning  and  brief  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Martikor  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  experimental  black,  sludge  and  post  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Soothing  Rattle"  "A  Tremor  In  Infinity"  and  "Acedia".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/martikor/1704566355

https://martikor.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Martikor/

https://www.instagram.com/martikor_music/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ZSJqYpRZHEdHw7P9LQYHg?si=td7eKsfITxePqQ8Yl_HAPA&nd=1&dlsi=5f1dac65c5884eb3

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpt6kcAnWrlfoccf9xnkATQ  

Defying/Wadera/These Hands Melt/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Defying  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  ambient,  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Wadera"  which  will  be  released  on  February  23rd  by  These  Hands  Melt.

  Night  sounds,  whispers  and  spoken  words which  also  returns  on  later  songs  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  When  synths  are  utilzied  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  ambient  while  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  heavily  rooted  in  sludge  metal.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  direction.  

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  a  few  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  polish  horror  film  "The  Wolf(1983)"  and  the  short  story  "Wadera(1977)  written  by  Jerzy  Gieraltowski.

  In  my  opinion  Defying  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  ambient,  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tempus  Infaustum"  "The  Acquittance  Shade"  "Reluctant  To  The  Grave"  and  "Quietus".  8  out  of  10.

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Sun Of Nothing/Maze/Venerate industries/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Sun  Of  Nothing  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Maze"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Venerate  Industries.

  Melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.   Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  sludge  metal  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  

  Sun  Of  Nothing  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  and  post  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nihilistic  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Sun  Of  Nothing  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "After  the  Fall"  and  "Buried  Endeavors".  8  out  of  10.

  https://instagram.com/sun_of_nothing_band

https://open.spotify.com/user/1tptREOJ7wVtievKgqaYhv
https://sunofnothing.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/Sun0fNothing  

The Mountain King/Apostasyn/2024 Full Length Review

 

  The  Mountain  King  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death.  post  metal.  drone  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Apostasyn"  which  will be   released  in  February.

  Avant  garde  style  percussion  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  post  metal  style  melodies  and  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  being  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

  Clear  female  and  male  vocals  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  harsh  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  touches  of  drone  and  ambient  also  being  utilized  at  times.

 Synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  some death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized briefly.  Spoken  word  samples  are  also  added  on  one  song  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard,  half  of  the  album  is  also  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Anti  Religion  themes,

  In  my  opinion  The  Mountain  King  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death,  post  metal,  ambient  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Apostasyn"  and  "Axoloti  Messiah".  8  out  of  10.

  

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Breaths/Melt Away/2024 EP Review

 

  Rchmond,  Virginia's  solo  project  Breaths  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  experimental  shoegaze  direction  with  elements  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  ep  "Melt  Away"  which  will  be  released  in  2024.

  Synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  elements  of  post  rock  and  shoegaze  along  with  the  vocals  adding  in  more  of  a  clear  style.  Electric  guitars  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  the  slower  riffs  also  adding  in  the  heaviness  and  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Some  of  the  music  also  captures  the  dark  atmosphere  of  post  black  metal  while  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  lot  of  touches  of  alternative  rock   and  all  of  the  tracks  stick  to  a  slower  direction  and  also  adds  in  some  90's  era  influences.

  On  this  recording  Breaths  moves  away  from  the  black  metal  influences  of  previous  releases  and  goes  for  more  of  a  shoegaze  and  alternative  rock  direction  which  also  adds  in  some  of  the  heavier  side  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  decent  sounding  recording  from  Breaths  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  shoegaze,  alternative,  post  rock,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fade  Apart"  and  "Shaken".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/BreathsBand/    

  

Everson Poe/The Tower/Trepanation Recordings/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Chicago,  Illinois's  solo  project  Everson  Poe  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2023  album  "The  Tower"  which  was  released  by  Trepanation  Recordings.

  Drum  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  bass  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Both  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Clear  chants  and  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  clean  playing  also  adds  in  influences  of  post  rock.  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  both  of  the  tracks  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  and  the  guitar  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized,  saxophones  and  drones  can  also b e  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Everson  Poe  takes  post  black,  doom  and  sludge  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  diverse  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while t he  lyrics  cover  politics  and  transgender  issues.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Everson  Poe  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Reversed".  8  out  of  10.

  https://eversonpoe.bandcamp.com/album/the-tower

   

Witching/Incedium/Translation Loss Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Witching  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  post  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Incedium"  which  was  released  by  Translation  Loss  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  brutal  blast  beats.  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  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  clean  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  post  rock  touches  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  whispered  vocals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  self  destruction  and  self  discovery  themes.

    In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  form  Witching  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  post  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Last  You,  Fell  From  Divinity"  "A  Grave  Mistake"  and  "So  Young,  So  Useless".  8  out  of  10.

  https://orcd.co/indenciumalbum

https://www.facebook.com/witchingband/about/

https://www.instagram.com/witching_philly/

 

Dawnwalker/Human Ruins/Room 312/2023 Album Re-Issue Review

 

  Dawnwalker  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine and  on  this  recording  played  a  progressive  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  folk  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Human  Ruins"  which  was  re-issued  in  2023  by  Room  312.

  Nature  sounds  and  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  A  lot  of  the  vocals  are  also  done  in  a  clear  style  while  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem.

  The  slower  sections  of  the album  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  folk  music  touches  onto  the  recording,  a  couple  of  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  

Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  are  also  utilized  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  seasons  guided  by  myth  and  magick.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dawnwalker  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  progressive  black,  doom,  death,  folk  and  post  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pagan  Plains"  "Horus"  "Into  The  Night"  and  "Between  Worlds".  8  out  of  10.

  https://dawnwalker.uk

https://dawnwalker.bandcamp.com
https://facebook.com/dawnwalkeruk
https://instagram.com/dawnwalkeruk