Sargassus/The Albatross/2022 EP Review

 

    Sargassus  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  post  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  ep  "The  Albatross".

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  emtal  growls.

  Elements  of  post  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  The  recording  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  psychedelic  touches  at  times  along  with  some  clear  singing  also  being  utilized  on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also b e  heard  briefly  towards  the  end.  

  Sargassus  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  post  black,  melodic  death  and  progressive  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  godlike  birds,  deceased  dogs  and  the  collapse  of  time.

  In  my  opinion  Sargassus  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  post  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Albatross".  8 out  of  10.

https://sargassus.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LMtEP3qEjyOv8G7wbBjEd

https://www.facebook.com/sargassusband

https://www.instagram.com/sargassusband/

https://sargassus.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGuidd9jqIw&feature=youtu.be          

Eight Bells/Legacy Of Ruin/Prophecy Productions/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Eight  Bells  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  experimental  and  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Legacy  Of  Ruin"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Prophecy  Productions.

  Avant  garde  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clear  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  before  adding  in  some  acoustic  guitars.  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  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.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length along  with  the  faster  sections  of   the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  and  experimental  sounding  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Some  of  the  heavier  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  death  metal  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  keyboards  and  violins.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  human  condition,  natural  destruction,  death,  regret,  loss,  malice  and  retribution.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Eight  Bells  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  and  progressive  post  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Well"  and  "The  Crone".  8  out  of  10.

  https://eightbellsband.com/about-us

www.facebook.com/eightbellsband
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Everson Poe/The Night Country/Trepanation Recordings/2022 CD 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,  doom  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2022  album  "This  Night  Country"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Trepanation  Recordings.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  post  rock  elements.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  clear  vocals  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adds  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  some  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  songs  also adding  in  some  synths  and  atmospheric  sounding  drones.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  allegorical  and  universal  nature  of  fairy  tales.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Everson  Poe  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  post  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I  Am  The  Maker  Of  My  Own  Evil"  and  "The  Chamber  of  Blood".  8  out  of  10.

https://eversonpoe.bandcamp.com/album/the-night-country-2

  

And Harmony Dies/Ballast/Club Inferno Ent./2022 CD Review

 

  And  Harmony  Dies  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  post  black  metal  with  some  elements  of  death,  doom,  thrash  metal  and  influences  from  non  metal  genres  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Ballast"  which  will  be  released  on  January  31st  by  Club  Inferno  Ent..

  Dark  soundscapes  and  electronic  music  sounds  start  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  at  times  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Some  of  the  songs  also  capture  the  atmosphere  of  a  movie  soundtrack  along  with  the  pianos  also  taking  the  music  into  more  of  an  avant  garde  direction  when  they  are utilized.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Clean  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  songs  also  mixing  in  a  decent  amount  of  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  fast  parts   along  with  synths  being  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  touches  of  world  music.  

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  showing  an  influence  of  doom  metal,  some  of  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  album  also  adds  in  touches  of  thrash  metal  and  as  the  recording  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  tracks,  one  song  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  album  and  towards  the  end  acoustic  guitars  are  also  utilized.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  issues  related  to  the  soul  of  a  human  being.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  And  Harmony  Dies  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Alhena's  Chief  In  The  Golden  Spiral"  "Leave  Now"  and  "How  To  Lighten  Daily  Weights".  8  out  of  10.

http://facebook.com/AndHarmonyDies

  

  

  

      

Torri/Self Titled/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Torii  are  a  solo  project  from  Arkansas  that  has  been  featured  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  his  self  released  and  self  titled  2021  album.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  and  dark  yet  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  while  some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  post  metal.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  instrumentals,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  musical  direction  and  synths  also  make  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks. 

  On  this  recording  Torii  takes  the  atmospheric  style  of  post  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  to  create  a  very  dark  sounding  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  apocalyptic  and  mythological  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Torii  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge,  doom,  death  and  post  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Synthetic  Dust"  "Grey  Expanse"  and  "Torii".  8  out  of  10.

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Tenebral Rift/Umbra/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Tenebral  Rift  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "Umbra".

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  Water  sounds  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  some  tortured  sounding  whispers  being  added  on  one  of  the  tracks  as  well  as  all  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a decent  amount  of  spoken  word  parts

  Elements  of  doom  and  sludge  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  post  metal  style  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals,  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  dark  and  uncharted  territories  of  the  mind.

  In  my  opinion  Tenebral  Rift  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  post  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vale  Of  Shadows"  and  "Lingering  Wound".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/8sRLjr7mnE8

https://open.spotify.com/album/741NSedHGoImGKlwETBFvU

https://tenebralrift.bandcamp.com/

Breaths/Though life has turned out nothing like I imagined, it is far better than I could have dreamt/Trepanation Recordings/2022 CD Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Richmond,  Virginia's  Breaths  which  continues  the  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  doom, alternative  metal,  post  hardcore  and  shoegaze  and  the  album  will  be  released  in  2022  by  Trepanation  Recordings  and  called  "Though  life  has  turned  out nothing  like  I  imagined, it  is  far  better  than  I  could  have  dreamt".

  Melodic  riffing  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  album  while  elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.  Clear  alternative  metal  style  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  some  growls  also  being  used  in  some  part  of  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  while  the  clean  sections  also add in  touches  of  shoegaze.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  showing  an  influence  of  post  hardcore.

  The  music  also  has  its  progressive  and  atmospheric  moments along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  synths  as  well  as  most  of  the  music  also  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  musical  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  anxiety  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Breaths  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  post  black,  doom,  progressive,  alternative  metal,  post  hardcore  and  shoegaze,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Elders"  and  "The  Wayward".  8  out  of  10.

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Breaths/Lined In Silver/Trepanation Recordings/2021CD Review

 

  Breaths  are  a  solo  project  from  Richmond,  Virgiania  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  doom  metal,  post  hardcore  and  shoegaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Lined  In  Silver"  which  was  released  by  Trepanation  Recordings.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  elements  of  shoegaze  and  post  rock  a  few  seconds  later.  Clear  vocals  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  as  well  as  the  slower  and  heavier  riffs  also  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  some  prog  and  alternative  metal  touches  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  spoken  word  samples  also  being  utilized  briefly.  Influences  of  post  hardcore  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  on  some  songs  the  music  also  captures  the  atmosphere  of  dark  ambient  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  anxiety  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Breaths  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  post  black,  doom,  alternative  metal,  post  hardcore  and  shoegaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Weight  &  The  Bellows"  "In  Nightmares'  and  "In  Repose".  8  out  of  10.

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Oenos Interview

 

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

A few social media things, I'm about to launch a merch store, and now have a batch #1 of Oenos wine I am not licenced to sell. I'm working on a music video too for one of the songs on the EP - and itching to get writing & recording new stuff.

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

I'd say Crno IV is leaning more towards post-metal with some black, doom and sludge elements. Previous release was more on the black metal side with post and sludge. This new EP is a mix of songs I wrote a couple years ago and brand new stuff that seemed to work well together. I hadn't written any lyrics or vocal parts for the older songs so those were borne over the last year.

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

The lyrical themes on the EP are failure, apathy, fear and the poor state of our planet - anxiety, with a glimmer of hope.

I'm ... developing as a songwriter. I don't have an education or similar in music. I find riffs and melodies seem to come to me fairly naturally when I've got the time to properly zone out on it. I get into some sort of a state of flow and things evolve from there on via experimenting. Lyrics I still struggle with and is something I really want to focus on improving. I think my music is overall growing in complexity; there's more layers, soundscaping and smaller things that make the songs more interesting.

On the recording and production side I have gotten much faster as I've familiarised myself with gear & tools and I've learned to listen and balance my mixes better. It has also become easier for me to get what I imagine in my head, a vision of sorts, on record.

But I know nothing. It's a never ending learning journey and there's so much music I haven't explored and touched.

4.I have read that a lot of the song lyrics are inspired by wines, what are some of the wines that you prefer to drink?

All the songs are named after the wine I had when writing. I tend to like full bodied, rich reds and currently drinking a fair few blends. 'Gratitude' 2019 from Boschkloof, Stellenbosch, SA and 'Andreza' 2016 from Douro, Portugal as the most recent highlights.

I do like to explore though so I tend to try all sorts from all around the planet - red, white, natural, berry, all of it.

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

Oenos is an ancient Greek word for wine. I started naming my songs after the wines first, and the name followed. I liked how it sounded and it fit the theme of what I was doing.

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

The original photo was shot by a friend of mine, Livia, at a cemetery close to where I live. It is a depiction of anxiety. I also wanted to incorporate some wine elements on the EP cover so took a bunch of corks with me to the shoot with a rough idea not knowing if it'll work. Worked, and I find the EP theme comes across well.

Check out Livia's photos here https://www.deviantart.com/monochromesofliv.

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

I've so far written and recorded everything by myself, but open to working with other people and generally collaborating. It's not something I have actively pursued though, I quite like working solo as there's only myself I can hold accountable for the results :-)

8.Originally the musical project was based in Finland but now you are located in the United Kingdom, how would you compare the two countries?

There is the obvious language, size and location difference - and also plenty of cultural and historical things that differ. London's been a great base for exploring the world - I love travelling - which was a bit trickier from northern Finland where I used to live.

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

I am not looking for a label.

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

Very positive and the combination seems to resonate with other people than me too. The metal community is strong around the world.

11.When can we expect another full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

I've got tons of music written for the next full length. It tends to take me a while to get stuff finished so we'll see when I'll actually get it out!

There'll be more experimenting and I've also joined Archierophant on guitars and possibly more vocals (I did vox for a couple of songs previously) so working with other musicians is in flight.

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?

Anything black, post, sludge, doom. Some jazz, folk and ambient stuff too. I've been listening to the latest releases from Rivers of Nihil, LLNN, Lantlos, Kauan and Papangu recently and also seen quite a few modern jazz bands live as well.

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

My EP Crno IV is out now and you can find it on Bandcamp, Spotify and similar streaming services. Pick up a t-shirt or a tote bag from my merch store if you fancy supporting my musical adventures in other ways. I like reading your thoughts and getting feedback so don't be shy getting in touch via the usual socials (@oenosmusic) and email. Oh and any wine recommendations are always extremely welcome!

I would like to make more of my own wine. Know any good vineyards?

Thanks,

Sami / Oenos 

https://www.instagram.com/oenosmusic https://www.facebook.com/oenosmusic https://twitter.com/oenosmusic   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9aYSv2Rey28IvFv0vmOKmg

Oenos/Cmo IV/2021 EP Review

 

  Oenos  are  a  solo  project  from  the  United  Kingdom that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2021  ep  "Cmo  IV".

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.

  Vocals a re  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.  The  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  a  brief  use  of  synths  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to a   slower  direction.

   Oenos  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  failure,  fear,  apathy  and  the  state  of  our  dying  planet.

  In  my  opinion  Oenos  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Real  Rubio"  and  "St  maur".  8  out  of  10.

• https://www.instagram.com/oenosmusic

• https://www.facebook.com/oenosmusic

• https://twitter.com/oenosmusic

• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9aYSv2Rey28IvFv0vmOKmg

Moon Reaper Interview

 

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

We're a 4 piece cosmic themed post/black/doom band from Bristol, our music is designed to portray a true sense of absolute desolation, destruction and desertion

2.You have an ep coming out towards the end of July, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording? 

We intended to mix the melodic and majestic elements of post metal, with the atmosphere of blackened influences, combined with crushing, unforgiving  breakdowns to boot your soul out of this galaxy. We went for a modern production sound to break the genre/sonic barriers of black and doom metal.

3.Some of your lyrics cover Occultism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic? 

Our interest in astronomy and astrophysics drives our lyrical concepts, I'd argue these are not occultist, but based in scientific theory, although we breach boundaries concerning metaphysics and the experience of the self in relation to the universe. Our conceptual themes orbit around the theories and philosophy of destructive deep space entities.

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

The destruction and cosmic enslavement of mankind, as well as the obliteration of the universe by supermassive black holes. We aim to tap into the most decimating and absurd destructionional topics, for example Spiralism, our latest single, portrays the experience of spaghettification within a black hole

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Moon Reaper'?

 The 'Moon Reaper' in question may be defined as a black hole, devouring and reaping rogue moons as they hurl through space.

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

 The artwork personifies an ineffable vortex, with the representation of the reaper figure overseeing damned souls, awaiting their doom. The eye imagery from the reaper's scythe emulates the ever watching universe, its awareness of us and dominance over us.

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

 Our best show was played at the sold out Atheris Promotions Crofters Rights show on 18/01/20 in Bristol supporting Poison Crow (with our old line up). Our stage performance is largely immersive and interactive, atmospheric and very intense.

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

We're open to any offers of organisations, companies or labels interested in working with us.

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

Positive so far, although we can update you when our EP has been released!

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

Hopefully within the next few years. Musically, further into the realms of post black metal and beatdown.

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

 Gojira, MØL, Altars of Grief, Thou, Emperor, Conjurer, Black Tongue, My Dying Bride, Malevolence, Opeth and Swallow the Sun.

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

We aspire to play shows, release music, meet people and do as much awesome stuff for as long as we can, so if you like our stuff, want to know more or wish to work with us then please get in touch and let us know. Moon Reaper are about awareness of everything non earthly, we urge anyone reading this to recognise and appreciate the universe(s?) out there and all that it may hold.

Visit Moon Reaper on Facebook
Hear Moon Reaper on YouTube
Listen to Moon Reaper on Bandcamp
Follow Moon Reaper on Instagram
Moon Reaper on Spotify
Moon Reaper on Soundcloud

Moon Reaper/Descent/2021 EP Review

 

  Moon  Reaper  are  a  band  from  the  united  Kingdom  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom, d eath  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  self  released  2021  ep  "Descent"  which  will  be  released  on  July  30th.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  introduces  growls  onto  the  recording.  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  black  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  songs.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  clean  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  post  metal  style  along  with  the  growls  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  deathcore  on  one  of  the  tracks  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Moon  Reaper  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  doom,  death,  progressive  and  post  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism  and  horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Moon  Reaper  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom,  death  and  post  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spiralism"  and  "Necromancy".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/moonreaperband6669

https://youtu.be/S3RzvVhkiCs  

    

Chestcrush/Vdelygmia/2021 CD Review

 

  Chestcrush  are  a  duo  from  Scotland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black, sludge,  post,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "Vdelygmia"  which  will  be  released  in  July.

  Drones  start  off  the  album  while  stringed  instruments  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into a   heavier  direction.  Elements  of  sludge  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  and  grindcore  influences.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  distorted  sounding  noises  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.  Death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  small  amount  of  melody  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  90's  underground  metal  style  as  well  as  some  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  as  the  recording  progresses  small  touches  of  post  metal  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  violence  and  political  situation  in  Greece.

  In  my  opinion  Chestcrush  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  post,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Digester"  "Theocracyst"  "Skullcrush"  and  "Vaptizetai  O  Doulos".  8  out  of  10. 

https://metaldevastationradio.com/thebeast/blog/14379/new-promo-chestcrush-vdelygmia-blackened-death-metal-sludge-grind 

    

Red Antlers/Deadwood/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Red  Antlers  are  a  band  from  Gothenburg,  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "Deadwood"  which  will  be  released  on  May  21st.

   A  very  dark  and  distorted  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  vocals  being  done  in  a  very  angry  and  shouting  blackened  metal  style.

   Elements  of  sludge  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  post  metal  influences.  Clear  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  and  one  track  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  album.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  instrumentals  as  well  as  most  of  the  music  also  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  fast  playing  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swedish  and  cover  the  psyche  of  man  and  actual  real  life  events.    

  In  my  opinion  Red  Antlers  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Opia"  and  "Kenopsia".  8  out  of  10.  

https://www.facebook.com/RedAntlersOfficial/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaj-UbzD7PFSC1jbQ-IxdBA

https://www.instagram.com/redantlersswe/

Aduanten/Sullen Cadence/2021 EP Review

 

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

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

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

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

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

https://aduanten.com/     

 

Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbiegi/Futurista/Devoted Art Propaganda/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Poland's  Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbiegi  have  returned  with  a new  recording  which  shows  the  music  continuing  to  move  away  from  the  experimental  style  of  black  metal  from  their  previous  releases  and  going  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  experimental  and post  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Futurista"   which  will  be  released  on  April  23rd  by  Devoted  Art  Propaganda.

  A  very  dark  and  electronic  oriented  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  post  punk  style  synths  into  the  music  a  few  seconds  later.  The  clean  vocals  also  show  an  influence  of  goth  rock  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  sounding  at  times  and  all  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed.

  Guitar  riffs  and  leads  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  At  times  the  music  also  adds  in  touches  of  synthpop  and  new  wave  along  with  a  later  song  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  album  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbiegi   avoids  the  use  of  any  metal  influences  that  where  a  huge  part  of  previous  releases  and  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  experimental  and  post  rock.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  futuristic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Wedrowcy-Tulacze-Zbiegi   and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  and  post  punk,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I'  "IV"  and  "VII".  8  out  of  10.

https://wedrowcy-tulacze-zbiegi.bandcamp.com/album/futurista             

Christian Cosentino Interview

 

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

1. I can’t think of much to say about myself. Despite the fact I’ve released my music under my name I don’t want it to be too much about me. My project is an attempt to represent my music as purely as possible and hopefully with as little of my “own intent” as possible. 

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

2. I guess Lawn is best described as a highly symphonic metal album. The symphonic sections are mainly made up of strings and pianos and are influenced I think by the classical music I had heard at the time. The metal component is influenced by my initial experiences with black metal in combination with all of the other influences I had back then. The result is probably most akin to “post black metal.” The whole album has a more of a “symphonic” approach than metal though I think.

3.A lot of the music was written between 2017 and 2018 but you waited until 2021 to release the album, can you tell us a little bit more about the wait?

3. All of the music was finished by around March of 2018 and the majority was written in 2017. The wait was unintentional. It’s just been a long battle to present the music in the best way possible. 

The vocals where a massive hurdle for me. Not only in figuring out how to approach them for this particular album but also in writing lyrics which I’ve always found difficult to do at the standard that I’m aiming for. I ended up giving up on doing the lyrics alone and asked a close friend to help me finish them. I also concluded that having the vocals be subtle was the best option. I was careful to only feature vocals in places where the music demands them instead of taking a more conventional approach. I didn’t want to cover up musical moments that spoke for themselves with vocals that would’ve worsened them.

There were also issues with the structures of some songs which had to be ironed out. A good chunk of music was scrapped for the song Lustre and an entire song was also thrown away semi-late into the process. 

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored with the music so far?

4. The lyrics on this album go into a lot of school experiences from early childhood all the way up to the end of high school (When the album was written). But of course it’d be way too hard to take this style of music seriously if I was singing some dramatic, teenage, school bullshit. So as a result of that the lyrics are shrouded in layers of metaphor that can be interpreted in multiple ways but extract the emotional substance out of my young years in a (hopefully) more timeless manner. The goal was to take the universal emotion out of the real life context. 

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

5. I had the idea for a painting of a garden like that for a long time. Then I found the work of XenArtRB who had already done similar things to what I had imagined and his style struck me as perfect for the album art. So I sent him a message and after some discussion he painted the artwork for me by commission. The imagery comes from what I “see” when I listen to the music and the lyrics also use the same imagery. I think the painting turned out perfectly.

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

6. The music that I release under my own name is that which I write alone and for solely personal reasons in an involuntary and subconscious process. The lack of other musicians on Lawn came about initially out of necessity but later because it just “felt right” for this album. That being said I’m already trying to find a drummer to record on the next album which is also largely made up of old material that I’m finishing at the moment.

I’d love to do some more collaborative work in the future under a different banner and I also have a big interest in producing. There is also an album that’s been in the works for many years with a friend (the same who helped me do lyrics on Lawn) who has a similar musical mindset. 

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

7. I’d like to make a distribution deal with a label for printing physical media but I have no interest if its at the cost of sacrificing the rights to my own music. I’ll print CDs and records independently if I don’t get approached. 

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

8. It hasn’t had a whole lot of exposure yet but what little response its gotten has been incredibly kind and passionate for the most part. The “symphonic black metal promotion” youtube channel uploaded a track which has been the biggest source of attention so far with a lot of kind words in the comments which was amazing to see. 

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

9. My goal is just to release the music that captures my emotional state over a given period of time. Albums are “units of time” in my eyes. The future second album (which again: features a lot of old material) is already quite different aesthetically and stylistically from Lawn (While retaining some of the same features) and I’m sure I’ll venture even further later on down the line. The only thing I have a concrete interest in doing in the future is becoming good at orchestral writing. I’ve started learning so that eventually I can hopefully do an album like Lawn on a much larger scale with real and interesting orchestration.

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

10. I’m always searching for new music but my “musical mood” can swing very quickly so I listen to quite a broad range of things nowadays. I love classical music; my favourite composer is Beethoven but I’m also largely into Mahler, Sibelius and Shostakovich amongst many others of course…too many to name. I have a wide appreciation for black metal too, I’ve been listening to the first Enslaved demos and albums recently. Again there’s just too many to name with black metal but I tend to always go back to the Norwegian classics. I’ve also been on a big Celtic Frost and Bjork kick lately. Some other favourites are Devin Townsend, Ween, Paysage d’Hiver and Lunar Aurora.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

11. I have a large appreciation for visual art though I’m not overly well versed. I’m also fairly philosophically and to use a horrible word: “spiritual” in some sense. I think a lot of philosophy and spirituality is bullshit though. I also love video games but mainly from the 2000s…most modern gaming doesn’t interest me at all. I think archaic 3d graphics have a similar atmospheric effect to raw production in black metal, funnily enough…the same principle perhaps.

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

12. Thank you for reaching out for an interview and thank you to anybody reading this and/or who goes and listens to my music :)

https://christiancosentino.bandcamp.com/album/lawn
https://www.instagram.com/crustcosentino/

Christian Cosentino/Lawn/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Christian  Cosentino  is  a  solo  artist  from  Australia  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2021  album  "Lawn".

  Keyboards  and  classical  music  style  orchestras  start  of  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  5the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.  Clean  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  blast  beats  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  sounding  while  classical  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  into  the  cleaner  sections  of  the  songs.  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  in  some  of  the  fast  riffing  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  The  music  also  brings  in  a  lot  of  elements  of  post  metal  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks    also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  also  gets  more  progressive  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  childhood  emotion  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Christian  Cosentino  is  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  post  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lawn"  and  "Lustre".  8  out  of  10.

https://christiancosentino.bandcamp.com/album/lawn
https://www.instagram.com/crustcosentino/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuXvgbiseF8&ab_channel=ChristianCosentino