Hortus Animae/Waltzing Mephisto/Symbol Of Domination Productions/Black Heavens Music/2023 Album Re-issue Review

 

  Hortus  Animae  are  a  band  from Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  progressive  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2003  album  "Waltzing  Mephisto"  which  was  re-leased  in  2023  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  of  Domination  Productions  and  Black  heavens  Music  and  consists  of  the "Godless  Years"  live  album  as  bonus  tracks.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  keyboards  add  in  a  lot  of  symphonic  touches.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  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  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  progressive  moments.  Spoken  word  parts  and  growls  are  also  utilized  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  one  song  also introducing  clear  vocals  onto  the  album,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  The  album  also  adds  in  some  Mayhem,  Cradle  of  Filth,  Mike  Oldfield,  Norma Tanega, Jethro Tull and Slayer covers  which  all  sound  different  from  the  original  versions.  Whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  keyboards  also  going  into  more  of  an  avant  garde  direction  at  times,  one  song  is  an  instrumental  and  a  lot  of  the  bonus  tracks  where  recorded  live. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Anti  Religion,  Surrealism,  Death  and  Sadness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hortus  Animae  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  and  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Springtime  Deaths"  "Welcome  The  Godless"  "Chamber  Od  Endless  Nightmares"  and  "The  bless  of  Eternal  bleeding".  6  out  of  10.

  https://symbolofdomination.bandcamp.com/album/sodp158-hortus-animae-waltzing-mephisto-20th-anniversary-re-release-2023        

Dyssebeia/Garden of Stillborn Idols/Transcending Obscurity Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Dyssebeia  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Garden  of  Stillborn  Idols"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  heavier  riffing  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  album  also  having  its  progressive  moments,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  clean  playing  also  makes  a  return   on  a  couple  of  the  later  tracks  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Dyssedeia  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  progressive  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dyssebeia  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  progressive  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  "Retribution"  "Sacrificed  On  The  Threshold"  and  "Funeral  Ink".  8  out  of  10.

  Official Video Stream #1

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Dyssebeia Bandcamp

Dyssebeia Facebook

Cunabula Interview

 

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

Goda: In some non-artistic and rather technical terms, we’re having small tasks for the album PR and also for the upcoming album release show that needs to be organized. Mentally, we’re trying to look forward and not take the album release fact as some result after which we can finally rest. And it’s not an easy task.

Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?

Jurgis: I would say that the recent release has a more consistent and defined sound than the previous EP. Also, musically the new album has some recurring rhythmic composition techniques that in my opinion plays a strong role in overall musicality of this album.  Whereas the first EP was more experimental and dedicated for bands musical research. 

Tadas: The album production is less polished and more raw/live. Musically every song on the album is like a journey, everything is more coherent. And the vocals are much more important now.

This is also your first release since 2017, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Goda: After the EP release we were into live performances more, rehearsing, bringing our audience together, and when we started developing our recent album, we actually faced lots and lots of waiting in every single phase of it. Not mentioning the pandemics that wasn‘t very grateful for the band.

Tadas: On the other hand, we had an opportunity to try the songs live before the recordings. Only two tracks in this album were never performed live.

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

Tadas: Our lyrics are very abstract, it’s the atmosphere that matters, not the story. As the sole songwriter (so far), I wish other band members would get themselves involved in the songwriting more, it would be nice to explore collaborative songwriting. 

What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Cunabula'?

Goda: The name came from Kurt Vonnegut's „Cat‘s Cradle“ and the word cradle had a special meaning for us at the time the band formed. Cunabula is Latin for cradle.

Tadas: I don’t know why, but this book is very highly regarded in Lithuania. Maybe it’s the same in other countries too.

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

Goda: Nojus Petrauskas, the author of the painting in the artwork, is a Lithuanian painter, an amazing surrealist, which was noticed by us accidentally after we spent hours searching for what could be an organic fit for our album visually. We just saw the painting named ‘Heart’ and we knew.

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

Goda: We vividly remember the gig when we were given a chance to support Conan band – the evening was insane. Also, it is Something Else to play at an open-air festival. And what’s regarding the listeners – we always receive some unexpected feedback about how gigs make people feel. For me, those words are exactly how I’d wish to feel as a listener in some heavy gig myself: partly hypnotized, partly scared, and energetically crushed to the ground. That kind of feedback is definitely inspiring.

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

Goda: Not sure about the touring, but we definitely want to have an album release show in Lithuania.

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

Goda: We are happy to have some worldwide fans reaching out to us personally to express their gratitude for what we do. In general, the feedback is greatly motivating to keep doing what we do.

Tadas: Yes, the feedback was mainly positive so far. Our style is a tough cookie to crack, so it’s hard to fit it into one simple description. The music like this probably will never be popular, but if someone likes it, we are happy.  

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

Jurgis: I think Cunabula has potential for the unexpected, I would not be surprised that we would take more experimental turns in the band's musical future. However, at this moment it is fair to say that some essential elements of our music would still be transferred to our future works, especially harmonic, and textural qualities of our sound. Which in my opinion has a big role in defining Cunabula as a band and are hugely responsible for the emotional weight of our music.  

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

Jurgis: I think the overall musical spectrum of what we listen to is very wide, but regarding Cunabula style I strangely find much resemblance from 20th century’s academic minimalists or even some of the composers from New Simplicity wave. For example, works of Steve Reich, David Lang or Arvo Part. Though the similarity with such music is more of primal musical ideas level.  As for stylistically similar artists I think bands like: Cult of Luna, Russian Circles, Meshuggah plays a big role in our development. Also, i’d like to mention Polish post metal band Entropia, especially their album “Vacuum” which was a very fortunate discovery for me personally a few years ago.

Tadas: Old Norwegian black metal, new French black metal, classic sludge metal bands, some old prog rock, some random classical music.

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

Goda: We enjoyed reading such personal and deep questions, thank you for that.

https://youtu.be/vw77kywj4dk

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Allochiria 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?

We have been pretty busy really! After the release of “Commotion” in April we headed on our third European tour in May, together with our good friends Their Methlab, playing 14 shows across the Balkans and central Europe. Afterwards we had two great shows at New Long Fest in Athens, Greece and Rockstadt Extreme Fest in Rasnov, Romania. At the moment we are planning another tour for October 2023 that will include shows in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and France and we are pretty excited about it!

2.A few months back you had released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Το be honest we believe that it's our most complete and straightforward record so far; we do not stretch the parts and we try to keep the listeners interested, by adding or removing small details. Also, there are much fewer clean parts and the more rough parts are much more aggressive. The vocals are a bit more aggressive as well. This is how we perceive it at least.

3.This is also your first release in 6 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time frame?

A lot of things actually, mostly in our personal lives; Stavros, our guitarist, moved to Switzerland for 5 years, had two kids, Irene was in Belgium and moved to London, and of course COVID hit. The tracks for Commotion were getting completed at a slower pace, and eventually when they were ready there was no easy way to record the album! At the moment we are completely focused on Allochiria, we are already composing new songs for our 4th album and we are planning many shows for the upcoming months. 

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

Our songs and lyrics revolve around the modern way of life, the fact that many people have lost their homes and lives because of war. About the loneliness a person might feel despite the fact that they are surrounded by millions of people with whom they never interact because of the nature of life in big metropolitan areas. With regards to songwriting, I believe our progress reflects on our personal lives and how we as human beings first and musicians later are evolving. All these changes that happened to each one of us individually reflected greatly on our songwriting.

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

The following quote is from Ultragrim, the artist that is responsible for the artwork of ‘Commotion’: “What matters most in our case is the feeling that’s born by the cover, and not its exact interpretation, as it is a work of non-representational [or even semi-representational] art. The first concept that comes to mind is tension. Hermetically closed teeth tied with threads that are ending in tangled masses on both sides. These masses could be something that we universally perceive as weight. Everyday life, pain, fear, existence itself. A "disturbance" that is. However, the teeth remain closed, indicating determination and stubbornness.

At the same time, the teeth symbolize a classic depiction of worry or anxiety in the dream realm. The dark blue - almost black - background could be just that, a dream field, or it could be the seabed, something familiar, imposing and potentially terrifying. A vast no-space in which one can get lost listening to the commotion.”

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?

We have played numerous gigs with many of the most influential bands of the genre, like Deafheaven, Amenra, Year of no Light, Harakiri for the Sky. Our stage performance is always passionate and honest, each show is different but we try to present our compositions as perfectly as possible. The feedback we get from our shows is consistent and we truly believe that our shows take our songs to a different level.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for 2023?

Oh yes, we have had 19 shows in Europe and Greece so far this year, including New Long Fest in Greece and Rockstadt Extreme Fest in Romania a few days ago. We are planning a second tour in autumn together with Coltaine from Germany, we’ll announce it in the coming days and we’re really excited!

8.The new album was released on 'Venerate Industries', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Venerate helped us a lot to organize the release, the video clips and the promotion of the album. Our collaboration is working really well for both parties so far. Their roster consists of many interesting bands of the Greek underground extreme music scene, which deserve more attention and produce so much with so little resources.

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

So far the feedback has been great! To be honest, we were really happy with the result and we knew we had a good album in our hands. We have seen an increase in interest in the US and Central and Latin America, which we are truly humbled by. We think that fans of the genres you mention will definitely enjoy Commotion.

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

Honestly, we don't know. Our compositions and style are being formed organically, so we can’t really “predict” something.

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

Gojira, Liturgy, Zeal & Ardor, Idles, Leprous, Converge, Celeste, Birds in Row, Employed To Serve. We also  listen to different musical genres like jazz, electronic, classical, drum and bass, depending on the mood and the occasion we’re in.

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

We would like to thank you for the interview and wish you all the best. We hope to see you in one of our shows in the future!

Website: https://allochiria.com/
Bandcamp: https://allochiria.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Allochiriatheband/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Allochiriatheband
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2PWwVHwBJwSIz5SJ7nkmtt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allochiria.the.band/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/allochiria

Cunabula/The Weight Of Sleep/Sleaszy Rider Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Cunabula  are  a  band  from  Lithuania  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  2023  album  "The  Weight  of  Sleep"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Sleaszy  Rider  Records.

  Radio  static  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  and  melodic  riffing  a  few  seconds  later.  Elements  of  sludge  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  vocals  ar e mostly  high  pitched  blackened metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  the  songs  also  add  in a   good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.   Clear  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs  as  well  as  the  keyboards  also  adding  in  touches  of  ambient  when  they  are  utilized,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  and  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature,  sadness  and  solitude  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Cunabala  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  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  "Bruxa"  and  "silent  Somber  Suns".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/vw77kywj4dk

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify

   

  

Ghosts Of Atlantis/Riddles of The Sycophants/Hammerheart Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Ghosts  of  Atlantis  are  a  band  from  the  united  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melodic,  progressive  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  gothic  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Riddles  of  the  Sycophants"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Hammerheart  Records.

  A  very  epic ,  heavy  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  clear  singing  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  operatic  female  vocals  and  choirs  also  being  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  songs  also  mixing  in  elements  of  gothic  metal.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Atlanteans  who  escaped  the  floods  and  different  stories  and  legends  from  various  world  mythologies.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  ano9ther  great  sounding  recording  from  Ghosts  Of  Atlantis  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic,  melodic  and  progressive  black,  gothic  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "March  Of  The  Titans"  "The  Lycaon  King"  "Sacremental"  and  "Riddles  of  The  Sycophants".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.ghostsofatlantisofficial.com/

  

Allochiria/Commotion/Venerate Industries/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Allochiria  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Commotion"  which  was  released  by  Venerate  Industries.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  sludge  metal  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Growls  can  also be  heard  at  times  while  one  of  the  songs  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  album.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  post  metal  style  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  progressive  moments,  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also be  heard.   

  Allochiria  plays  a  musical  style  that  take s post  black  and  progressive  sludge  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  exploration  of  the  human  condition.

  In  my  opinion  Allochiria  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  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  "We  Have  Nothing"  "Ocean"  and  "Darklight".  8  out  of  10.

  Website: https://allochiria.com/

Bandcamp: https://allochiria.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Allochiriatheband/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Allochiriatheband
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2PWwVHwBJwSIz5SJ7nkmtt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allochiria.the.band/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/allochiria 

Nattehimmel/Mourningstar/Hammerheart Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

    Nattehimmel  are  a b and  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2023  album  "Mourningstar"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Hammerheart  Records.

  A  synth  orientate d intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.    Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  heavier  riffs  also  add  in  a great  amount  of  melody along  with  the  vocals also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  black  metal  screams  and  the  slower  sections  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  and  avant  garde  moments.  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  songs  also  take  the  90's  Norwegian  avant  garde  metal  style  and  mix  it  in with  a  more  modern  approach.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophy,  astronomy  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nattehimmel  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  and  progressive  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Astrologer"  "Slay  The  Shepard"   and  "The  Immortals".  8  out  of 1 0.

  https://nattehimmel.lnk.to/mourningstar  

Maudiir/Soliloque/2023 EP Review

 

  Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada's  solo  artist  Maudiir  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  ep  "Soliloque"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  A  very  heavy,  melodic  and  old  school  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  The  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  lot  of  the  riffing  also  brings  in  elements  of  thrash  metal  along  with  the  music  also  having  it s progressive  moments  and  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences,  the  whole  recording  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  musical  direction.

  On  this  recording  Maudiir  takes  the  heavier  side  of  progressive  metal  and  mixes  it  with  melodic  black  and  thrash  metal  to  create  a  very  heavy  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  environmental  issues.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Maudiir  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  progressive  black  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Toxic  Cloud"  and  "CH4".  8  out  of  10.

  Facebook.com/people/Maudiir/100063607593649 | Twitter.com/maudiir1 | Instagram.com/maudiirofficial  

      

Exdestrier/Glorious Barbarism/2023 EP Review

 

  Exdestrier  are  a  band  from  Scotland  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  ep  "Glorious  Barbarism"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  A  very  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  heavy  and  melodic  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  metal.  The  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental.

  Vocals  are  mostly  done  in  a  blackened  metal  style  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  On  some  of  the  tracks  the  riffing  goes  into  more  of  a  technical  direction  as  well  as  a  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clear  stoner  vocals  and  shots  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing.

  Exdestrier  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  and  progressive  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  fantasy  realms,  tales  of  medieval  landscapes, gruesome  warriors  and  a  looming  gloom.

  In  my  opinion  Exdestrier  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Glorious  Oblivion"  and  "The  Place  Of  Grim  Reckoning".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/Exdestrier  

    

        

Cløudy Skies Interview

 

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

[Nico] Cløudy Skies is waiting for the album release of course ! First gift of 2023 ;)

We have 2 more songs to reveal. The 1st one (Nebulous Reflections) before the official release and the 2nd one just after ...  a video this time.  

Next, we will start to rehearse to be ready for gigs and shape the sound we want to deliver on stage. This is a major criteria for us... to give the audience a great sound experience !  Lionel and I are already composing for the 2nd Album...What is good for the goose is good for the gander. 

2. You have a new album coming out in early 2023, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical styles that you went for on the recording?

[Nico] Metal is a very interesting style of music in the way that you can transform it... you can alter it a bit and "voilà" it becomes something else ! When we started Cløudy Skies we always said that we didn't want to be "closed" to any experimentation. In fact it is impossible ^^, as we love so many styles ... So we began with classic Metal/Post-Metal/Hardcore/Grunge/Doom/Black roots and added a little of rock, a little of indie, a little of pop, a little of post-rock, a little of Shoegaze etc. We also tried to suggest with our music the lyrics themes we developed in our songs such as dreams, sweet melancholia, sadness and contemplative moments. In fact, in our previous bands it was all about riffs, you know what I mean ;) "Hey Nico, give me that riff ..." We never took time to give time and more space for music. Our vision was also to make sounds and project listeners into a special "mood" and/or "place". So we let room for music adding lots of effects (vibrato, delays and reverbs) and lots of synths to enhance that immersive sensation. We also used a lot more clean vocals and clean guitars than before and the result is really interesting. Cløudy Skies style was born ... Dreamgaze Atmospheric Post-Metal.

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

[Nico] We gave a special place to lyrics. I mean lyrics that bring something to listeners, that you can hear, that you can remember, that can touch you. We explore both the realist and surrealist side of life. We talk a lot about dreams, life, hope, expectations, meaning of life, time, love and death . Our album "CHANGES" has to be seen as a life lived through dreams. No one really knows where dreams lead. A good example is Dale Cooper's replica in Twin Peaks TV Show "I have no idea where this will lead us. But I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange".

We can reveal it now but CHANGES is actually just 7 letters of the alphabet : C.H.A.N.G.E.S. ,  or  A.N.C.E.G.S.H. the 7 tracks of our album ;)

01. A  nother Dream

02. N  ebulous Reflections

03. C  urrents

04. E  choes Of The Ocean

05. G  leams And Ghosts

06. S  tars Still Shine

07. H  aze On The Way

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

[Nico] We worked with our friend and talented freelance photographer Gilles Niez. He takes fantastic pictures and "makes" Collodion photography (wet plate photography technic from the 19th century). We were looking for a good photo to evoke both our band name and our album's name and when we saw this one on his catalog, we both thought : "this one matches perfectly". If you look at the picture, the sky is cloudy and seems to be about to change. And the bird which is flying in the cloudy sky brings that sensation of change... we had the cloudy skies and the change .

>> https://www.instagram.com/crystallized_pictures/?hl=en 

>> https://crystallizedpictures.com/ 

5. Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding your line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

[Nico] To be honest we don't want to replace drums with machines (samples) so we do need to recruit a real drummer. Hence we obviously will be 3. And if the live formula needs another musician we won't hesitate to expand to meet the best sound on stage.

For the moment Lionel and I are the main team for the composing part. It is very easy to work together... and he is my best friend ;)

6. The new album is going to be released on 'Argonauta Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

[Nico] We have known Argonautas' boss, Gero,  since 2016 when we released our first album with previous band Eyes Front North. Even if at that time we had good references (We produced our album at Deafheaven' studio), finding a label was very difficult. The moment we got in touch, Gero gave all his trust and support and helped us to release it. We were very happy. So years later, Lionel and I didn't hesitate long when we thought about releasing Cløudy Skies 1st album... "let's call Gero". It was like knocking at an old friend's door...  you're more than welcome to enter and to celebrate together again ;) 

7. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of atmospheric and post-metal?

[Nico] We had a really nice album review by #ADifferentShadeOfBlackMetalZine . It was really cool to have this feedback before the release.

It looks like the 1st track we launched on Youtube and Spotify was well received. I wish people commented more to have some details...  

We are in a hurry "you" discover the whole LP... it contains many unexpected moments ;) 

8. 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?

[Nico] We are mainly  focused on Cløudy Skies but Lionel did some vocals for our friends in "Nature Morte" (Blackgaze, PostBlack, Shoegaze - Paris)

You really should consider listening to them : They are soooo good !  (https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ESf7j2mFj9wwmRPHjqm8d) . 

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

[Nico] Same direction with more room for music of course and more analog synths... maybe more progressive. A "Cløudy I wish you were here Skies" :D

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

[Nico] here are the bands I have been listening the most this year : 

Deafheaven, Tame Impala, Shiner, Entombed, Swallow the Sun, Tenhi, Bohren Und Der Klub of Gore, Nature Morte, Alexandra Savior, Nothing, Deserta, True Widow, Russian Circles, Chelsea Wolfe, YOB, Israel Nash, Twin Peaks OST, Lana Del Rey, Marissa Nadler, Alice In Chains, Drab Majesty, Soft Kill, Cult Of Luna, Neil Young, Kurt Vile, The War On Drugs, Dungen, Weyes Blood, Kadavar (The Isolation Tapes), Eldovar, All Them Witches, Fuzz, Slowdive, Michael Stearns, Holy Sons... to name a few. Did I told you I was open-minded ??? :D LOL  

11. What are some of your non musical interests?

[Nico] Listening to music on my vintage analog equipment is my favorite pleasure !!! 

Watching movies and TV shows at night is my guilty pleasure (Brand New Cherry Flavor and The Watchers were my last good surprises on Netflix... for movies I like classics).

Reading but I am a bit lazy these days. Though when I am not, I read American authors of the 50's-00's. I am reading the Collected Letters from Neil Cassady. 

My wife is really into photography, so we often go to exhibitions and I am more and more interested and attracted to that art... capturing the moment and to suggest something is a real art ! 

Walking when I need to reconnect to nature ... I like walking in the fields with my headphones, it is one of my best moments... 

Sleeping because you can dream ;)

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

[Nico] Thank you for the interview. I hope it gives readers a look at our small universe.

keep on listening to music, going to shows, meeting people and of course dreaming...

All the best 

https://www.facebook.com/cloudyskies.fr

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FSqDgwkiu4&ab_channel=ArgonautaRecords

Mylingen/At Night I See Demons/2023 EP Review

 

  Mylingern  are  a  duo  form  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  ep  "At  Night  I  See  Demons".

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  death  metal  growls  can  also b e  heard  at  times.

  The  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments  while  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  which  also  adds  in  touches  of  folk  music.  Stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  keyboards  onto  the  recording  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

   Fast  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  whispered  voices,  the  music  focuses  more  on  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction..  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  coldness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mylingen  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Falling"  and  "Everything  Is  Cold".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp: https://mylingen.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mylingenswe

         

Cloudy Skies/Changes/Argonauta Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Cloudy  Skies  are  a  duo  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  atmospheric  post  black  metal  and  dreamgaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Changes"  which  will b e  released  in  2023  by  Argonauta  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  style  synths  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  clear  vocals  and  black  metal  screams  can  also b e  heard  at t imes.

  During  the  clean  sections  elements  of  dreamgaze,  alternative,  indie  and  post  rock  can  be  heard  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  synths  also  add  in  touches  of  ambient.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Clody  Skies  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  post  black  metal  and  dreamgaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Another  Dream"  "Echoes  Of  The  Ocean"  and  "Haze  On  The  Way".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/cloudyskies.fr

https://www.argonautarecords.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FSqDgwkiu4&ab_channel=ArgonautaRecords    

Ironwood/Aletheia Contra Veritas/2020 Single Review

 

  This  is  the  final  review  of  a  recording  from  Australia/U.S.A's  Ironwood  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  progressive  mixture  of  folk  and  black  metal  and  the  single  was  self  released  in  2020  and  called  "Aletheia  Contra  Veritas".

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  single  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while t he  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can b e  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  a  mixture  of  clear  pagan  singing  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  

  Throughout  the  opening  track  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments  and  the  second  track  is  an  acoustic  version  of  the  first  song.

   On  this  recording  Ironwood  returned  to  a  lot  of  their  black  metal  roots  as  well  as  continuing  to  expand  on  the  progressive  folk  metal  direction  of  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  heathen  Traditions.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  ironwood  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  single.  8  out  of  10.

  https://ironwoodsound.bandcamp.com/album/aletheia-contra-veritas

Ironwood/Well And Tree/2016 Full Length Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Australia/U.S.A's  Ironwood  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  progressive  style  of  folk  metal  with  elements  of  black  metal  and  the  album  was  self  released  in  2016  and  called  "Well  And  Tree".

 

 Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  while  clear  pagan  vocals  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  utilized.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  the  heavier  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast b eats  can  be  heard  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  also  brings  in  elements  of  black  metal  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  one  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  animistic  and  mythological  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ironwood  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Song  Of  Mimir"  and  "The  Glorious  Tree".  8  out  of  10.

  https://ironwoodsound.bandcamp.com/album/well-and-tree  

Ironwood/Live At The Lovecraft/2013 Live Album Review

 

  Ironwood  are  an  international  band  with  members  from  Australia  and  the  United  States  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  progressive  form  of  folk  metal  with  elements  of  black  metal  but  goes  into  more  of  an  acoustic  direction  with  this  rleease  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  album  Live  At  The  Lovecraft".

  Live  audience  reaction  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  brings  in  elements  of  folk  music  and  also  returns  on  the  later  tracks.  Clear  pagan  vocals  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  acoustic  guitars  also  ad d in  a  good  mixture  of  both  finger  picking  and  full  chords.  Elements  of  neo-folk  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Ironwood took  songs  off  their  previous  releases  and  took  all  the  extreme  metal  and  progressive  rock  elements  out  and  focused  more  on  an  acoustic  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Heathen  Traditions.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ironwood  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  pagan  folk  metal  and  neo-folk,  you  should  check  out  this  live  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Origin"  "Love  In  Death"  and  "Infinite  Sea".  8  out  of  10.

  https://ironwoodsound.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-the-lovecraft

Greybeard/Dark Age/2022 Full length Review

 

  Greybeard  are  a  band  from  Calgary,  Alberta,  Canada  that  plays  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Dark  Age".

  Black  metal  screams  and  heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  clear  vocals  can  also b e  heard  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  when  clean  playing  is  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Greybeard  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  and  progressive  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover  the  tale  of  a  family  living  in  an  abandoned,  desolate  cityscape  as  the  father's  mental  state  collapses ,  imagining  a  witch  speaking  to  him  about  how  to  save  his  family.

  In  my  opinion  Gerybeard  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of t hose  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Light  From  1,000  Suns"  "Beneath"  and  "Dark  Age".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/PqSVlrkMPDo

https://greybeard-yyc.bandcamp.com/album/dark-age

https://open.spotify.com/album/53NoVIF8fUVWhSEiXk9TCD

https://music.apple.com/ca/album/dark-age/1656201044