Where The Children Play/Poems From The Solemn Black/2023 Full Length Review

 

   Where  The  Children  Play  are  an  international  band  with  embers  from t he  united  States  and  France  that  plays  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  mixture  of  blackened  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Poems  From  The  Solemn  Black".

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  symphonic  sounding  keyboards  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  Elements  of  deathcore  can  also  be  heard  in t he  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  fast  riffing.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Murder  and  Violence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Where  The  Children  Play  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Great  Abyss  In  The  Sky"  "Wrath  Of  The  Dead"  A  Demons  Lament"  and  "The  Sorrowful  Hymn".  8 out  of  10.

  https://wherethechildrenplay.bandcamp.com/track/a-church-a-slaughterhouse  .

Apoplexy Interview

 

1. Can you give us an update on what's been going on with the band since then? recording and releasing a new album?

 The recording of the album started before the pandemic, but due to the change of the rehearsal room and actually the studio, we had a one-year forced break. In the end, we managed to get new members from the old group into the recording, leaving only two members, Mário and Palo. Two other members, Brado and Kubo, helped us with the recording of the album and became full members of the group. We also had a friend invited to record the harpsichord, who helped us a lotand with whom I also worked on the arrangement.

2. In November, you released a new album, in which it differs musically from stuff you've released in the past?

Compared to the past, we went stylishly into black/death metal with a symphonic subtext and added clean vocals.

3. The band broke up more than 20 years ago, which was the cause breakup and also the decision to reform the band? 

The breakup for the band was due to the family matters of all the members, and the impetus for the return of the group was the initiative of the main founder Mario Duga, who came up with a couple of musical ideas and in the end 10 songs came out of it :)

4. What are some of the lyrical themes and topics the band deals with? new edition and also how would you describe your progress as composers over the years?

 The themes revolve around an existential approach to life, religious influences, biblical scenes or mystical themes.

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

The group's name was invented by the late bassist Andrej Kohout, to whom this album was also dedicated as a memory. It expresses the medical concept of brain stroke, which for some pop-minded people this style of extremely tuned metal also expresses :)

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

On the cover, the dark Lachesis is one of the three ancient antic judges who spun the thread of life and determined its length. The name of the album, destiny, is also connected with this

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

we haven't performed concerts in this line-up yet, but some concerts will be offered in the future.

8. Do you have any tour or concert plans for the new album?

Yes, we are working on a couple of concerts, we will see in the future, we would also like to play a couple of concerts with current Slovak groups that are on the scene.

9. The new album was released on HladoHlase, can you tell us something? more about this brand?

 it is a book publishing house that also publishes music production. The main figure of this label is Pavol Baričak, who also has his own band and is also involved in Slovak death metal.

10. On a global level, how have fans reacted to your music? black, doom and death metal?

 I think that the reactions are mostly positive, the group's name is well known in Slovakia, so we just followed up on our beginnings, even if we changed the style a little.

11. Are any of the band members currently involved in other groups or? music projects? 

Yes, Brado and Kubo are members of the death metal band Mysterious Eclipse, which has also been on the music scene for a long time.

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

 everything is a question of the future, I certainly have new ideas that could lead to another new album :) which will again be in a slightly different spirit...let yourself be surprised

13. What are some bands or musical styles that have been influential? on your music and also what are you listening to at the moment?

 nowadays I listen more to rock and heavy metal from black death, I like our friends bands Depresy, Dehydrated, Hypnos, Ramchat ...

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

I'm glad that after years we managed to enter the metal scene again in today's connected music world of the Internet, we also posted the album on Spotify and Deezer and other servers... We are pleased with your response and support. Stay happy, healthy and satisfied...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Apoplexy.sk
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@ apoplexy-band

Apoplexy/Destiny/HladoHlas/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Apoplexy  are  a  band  from  Slovakia  that  plays  an  atmospheric  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Destiny"  which  was  released  by  HladoHlas.

  Atmospheric  and  symphonic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the music  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  90's  influences.  Clear  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  album  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  album  closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  mythological  and  esoteric  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Apoplexy  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  The  Carpathian's  Woods"  "Morpheus"  and  "Mephistofeles".  8 out  of  10.  

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Apoplexy.sk

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@ apoplexy-band

Witches Hollow/Grimoire/Iron, Blood & Death Corporation/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Witches  Hollow  are  a  solo  project  form  Finland  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2023  album  "Grimoire"  which  was  released  by  iron,  Blood  &  Death  Corporation.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  Symphonic  elements  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  90's  influences  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  ritualistic  chants  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  Witchcraft,  Horror  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Witches  Hollow  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Witch  And  The  Devil  Spoke"  "The  Witch  And  The  Midnights  Hour"  and  "The  Witch  And  Night  Eternal".  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://open.spotify.com/album/0dZclUVYJrYrHw0dkeddPA        

Mortis Cruentus/Destroyers Of Humanity/2023 EP Review

 

  Mortis  Cruentus  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  ep  "Destroyers  Of  Humanity".

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats   and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  and  a  lot  of  the  recording  shows  a  lot  of  roots  in  the  classic  Swedish  style.

  Symphonic  sounds  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing.

  On  this  recording  Mortis  Cruentus  adds  in  a  symphonic  touch  to  their  melodic  blackened  death  metal  style  without  losing  any  aggression.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  blood,  war  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Mortis  Cruentus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "In  Your  Darkness...We  Will  Rise".  8  out  of  10.

  www.mortiscruentus.com

  http://mortiscruentus.bandcamp.com/     

    

Vargrav/The Nighthold/Werewolf Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Finland's  Vargrav  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  from  their  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "The  Nighthold"  which  will  be  released  on  December  15th  by  Werewolf  Records.

   Field  recordings  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  evil  laughter  being  added  into  the  background  briefly  before  adding  in  some  choirs  and  symphonic  elements  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the album  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era.  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

    All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs,  the  album  also  adds  in  a  couple  of  instrumentals  as  well  as  some whispered  vocals  and  growls  also  being  utilized  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover darkness,  misanthropy  and  metaphysical  themes 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vargrav  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Through  The  Woods  Of  Breathing  Shadows"  "Encircle  The  Spectral  Dimension"  " A  Dark  Consecration"  and  "Ghostlands".  8  out  of  10.

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Winterhorde/Neptunian/Noble Demon/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Winterhorde  are  a  band  from  Israel  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  melodic  and  progressive  form  of  black  metal  with  some  touches  of  classical  and  orchestra  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Neptunian"  which  will b e  released  in  December  by  Noble  Demon.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy   riffing,  keyboards  and  orchestration  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  symphonic  feeling.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  chants  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while t he  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  clean  sections  also  giving  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  when  they  are  utilized.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  the  faster  riffing,  wind  instruments  can  also  be  heard  on  one  song  and  another  track  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  female  vocals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature,  fiction  and  insanity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Winterhorde  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic,  progressive  and  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Amphibia"  "The  Spirit  Of  Freedom"  and  "With  bare  hands  Against  The  Storm".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/winterhorde/wall/    

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        

Nekromantas Interview

 

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

Nekromantas Started in 2021 by the shared idea with the singer Lord Malygris to create a Symphonic Black Metal Project since we both like the genre.

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

We choice this black metal genre essentially for two reason:

a) our common wish to play Symphonic Black Metal;

b) To put in place a project enriched by thoughtful arrangements.

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

Our lyrical topics belong to horror fantasy, Lovecraftian tales revised in personal key, evil and darkness.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Nekromantas'

The Origin of "Nekromantas" name is tied to Antonio La Camera Knowledge of old school horror movies, Nekromantik, a Masterpiece of German cinema, and Mantas, a tribute to the first name of Death and storic Venom guitarist.

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

The full length cover was created by Giorgia Minisi, our friend that helps us to manage band communications and support too, under Antonio’s Indications she performed the album cover.

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

Nekromantas performance wants to be an experience, a particular moment that lets you deep dive yourself in its horror fantasy world, with gloomy atmospheres and some mystic effects.

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

Unfortunately not at the moment

8.On the new album you also did  a 'Noenum' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

We chose Cult of the Black Sun in relation to our shared musical taste, we know that it is a raw black metal song, so we arranged and made it cleaner and shorter than the original, with the intent to make it more catchy.

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

If some label is really interested to produce and promote us taking in consideration the conditions, it could be pleasant.

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

We received positive feeds from Poland, Mexico and some European countries, actually the project is still new and underground, the world is full of emerging bands, we hope to increase fans' interest.

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

We are working on our second full length, always Symphonic Black but with more clean vocals, to alternate more voices and keyboards arrangements.

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?

There is more than one band that we get the inspiration from, first of all Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Limbonic art, Emperor that played an important role in choirs, keyboards and arrangements too, and many others.

13.Does occultism play any role in your music ?

We consider occultism only in its fictional meaning, our music isn't a reflex of our beliefs, undoubtedly occultism in fantasy could be represented as a cool element of lyrical themes.

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

Yes absolutely, today is very difficult to play this metal sub genre, especially to some stupid ideas and limits about playing, we see this as one of the weak points of metal, namely the artifices, for example, in my opinion to increase the quality of music experience, metal could embrace more technical arrangements like drum machine or sequencer, in this way many artist or/and one man bands could play their projects live, and then you can see a very interesting world of new music opportunities.

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

Nekromantas Started in 2021 by the shared idea with the singer Lord Malygris to create a Symphonic Black Metal Project since we both like the genre.

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

We choice this black metal genre essentially for two reason:

a) our common wish to play Symphonic Black Metal;

b) To put in place a project enriched by thoughtful arrangements.

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

Our lyrical topics belong to horror fantasy, Lovecraftian tales revised in personal key, evil and darkness.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Nekromantas'

The Origin of "Nekromantas" name is tied to Antonio La Camera Knowledge of old school horror movies, Nekromantik, a Masterpiece of German cinema, and Mantas, a tribute to the first name of Death and storic Venom guitarist.

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

The full length cover was created by Giorgia Minisi, our friend that helps us to manage band communications and support too, under Antonio’s Indications she performed the album cover.

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

Nekromantas performance wants to be an experience, a particular moment that lets you deep dive yourself in its horror fantasy world, with gloomy atmospheres and some mystic effects.

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

Unfortunately not at the moment

8.On the new album you also did  a 'Noenum' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

We chose Cult of the Black Sun in relation to our shared musical taste, we know that it is a raw black metal song, so we arranged and made it cleaner and shorter than the original, with the intent to make it more catchy.

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

If some label is really interested to produce and promote us taking in consideration the conditions, it could be pleasant.

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

We received positive feeds from Poland, Mexico and some European countries, actually the project is still new and underground, the world is full of emerging bands, we hope to increase fans' interest.

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

We are working on our second full length, always Symphonic Black but with more clean vocals, to alternate more voices and keyboards arrangements.

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?

There is more than one band that we get the inspiration from, first of all Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Limbonic art, Emperor that played an important role in choirs, keyboards and arrangements too, and many others.

13.Does occultism play any role in your music ?

We consider occultism only in its fictional meaning, our music isn't a reflex of our beliefs, undoubtedly occultism in fantasy could be represented as a cool element of lyrical themes.

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

Yes absolutely, today is very difficult to play this metal sub genre, especially to some stupid ideas and limits about playing, we see this as one of the weak points of metal, namely the artifices, for example, in my opinion to increase the quality of music experience, metal could embrace more technical arrangements like drum machine or sequencer, in this way many artist or/and one man bands could play their projects live, and then you can see a very interesting world of new music opportunities.

Bandcamp: https://nekromantas.bandcamp. com/album/hades-of-the-unseen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100090157657721
YouTube: https://youtu.be/D7G0mYXuReM? si=oiOtjFauCWf8_nTr
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl- it/artist/ 3vcfN6u43QO2mdcVZVyWRT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ nekromantas_/

Nekromantas/Hades Of The Unseen/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Nekromantas  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Hades  of  The  Unseen".

  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Sounds  of  winds  and  bells  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  The  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  operatic  female  vocals  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  album  closes  with  a  Noenum  cover.

  Nekromantas  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  symphonic  and  old  school  in  the  mid  90's  European  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  evil  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nekromantas  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  The  Erebos  Night"  "Wolf  Stronghold"  and  "In  League  With  The  Ancient  Presences".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://nekromantas.bandcamp. com/album/hades-of-the-unseen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100090157657721
YouTube: https://youtu.be/D7G0mYXuReM? si=oiOtjFauCWf8_nTr
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl- it/artist/ 3vcfN6u43QO2mdcVZVyWRT

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

Valdrin/Throne Of The Lunar Soul/Blood Harvest Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Ohio's  Valdrin  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  very  epic,  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Throne  Of  The  Lunar  Soul"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Blood  Harvest  Records.

  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  emtal  screams. A  lot  of  the  album  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Swedish  style  along with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  a  couple  of  tracks   along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  album  also  mixing  in  a  lot  of  death  metal  elements,  clear  vocals  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Ausadjur  Mythos. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Valdrin  and  if  you  are  a f an  od  epic,  melodic  and  symphonic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Neverafter"  "Paladins  Of  Ausadjar"  "Holy  matricide"  and  "Two  Carrion  Talismans".  8out  of  10.

  

http://bloodharvestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/throne-of-the-lunar-soul]

www.facebook.com/valdrinausadjur     

    

Zornheym/The Forgotten Inmates/Noble Demon/2023 EP Review

 

  Zornheym  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  acoustic  form  of  black  metal  with  soem  symphonic  touches  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  ep  "The  Forgotten  Inmates"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Noble  Demon.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  ep  while  symphonic  sounds  are  also  added  into  the  background  while  clear  vocals  are  a  very huge  part  of  the  recording.  Grim  black  metal  screams  can  also be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  melodies  also  being  added  into  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Elements  of  folk  music  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  acoustic  sections  while  acapella  choirs  can  also are  also  utilized  briefly  and  the  music  also  avoids  the  heaviness  that  was  a  very  huge  part  of  previous  recordings.

  On  this  recording  Zornheym  takes  songs  from  their  previous  album  and  takes  them  into  more  of  an  acoustic  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  horror  of  a  mental  institution.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Zornheym  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  metal  or  folk  music,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Keep  The  Devil  Away"  and  "Whom  The  Night  Brings".  8 out  of  10.

  

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Gotland 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? 

First of all, greetings to all the followers of A Different Shade Of Black Metal Zine and thanks to you in the editorial team for this space that you dedicate to us. The composition process behind the new album was really long, because it was our first time creating a concept album. It started in 2016 and ended in 2019, when we recorded all the tracks. After the recordings, unfortunately we had to postpone the works on the mixing and mastering process due to the Covid pandemic. In 2021 we started again to work on the album and in 2022 it was delivered to our label Earth and Sky Productions. Unfortunately, they had some post-pandemic problems, which caused the album's release to be postponed. But now, on September 15th, it was finally released and we are looking forward to letting everyone listen to it.

 

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

We think that “Rise” it’s quite different from its predecessor “Gloria et Morte”, but it is also a natural evolution from that starting point. Since “Gloria et Morte” we started reducing the folk influences, but there were still present. With “Rise” me maintained and evolved the extreme metal music base (adding also some death metal parts to the already present black metal ones) and completely removed the folk metal instruments, like flutes and bagpipes. But we gave more importance to the epic and symphonic part, hiring the talented Gabriele Gilodi as a session member that composed all the orchestral and piano parts of the album.

 3. Other than a few singles this is your first full length since 2014, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait? 

Yes, as we said before it was a mix of causes. First of all, we wanted to create a concept album and we took all the needed time to do researches about history, to compose tracks that could also fit the story atmospheres, to find the right guests and their characters and so on. Then, we also spent the right time to record and mix this album, which was not easy: we had a lot of orchestral tracks and instrument, many guests and we wanted to reach a professional sound quality, in which all this sounds wouldn’t have been confused. The last years, unfortunately, were not in our hands: we were forced to stop for the Covid pandemic and our label had some problems related to it. 

4. A lot of your lyrics cover the history of the Roman Empire and the Viking era, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

 It’s true, we are fond of history and, in particular, of the one of Italy and all our lyrics since the beginning of the band are related to these topics. With this album, we decided to focus on one character, Arminius, the chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci tribe who defeated the Roman Empire at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD. The album is all about his life, telling some personal and introspective events, but that also are intertwined with very important historical events, of which he is the protagonist. 

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

 It is quite strange, because we are from Italy and we tell about Italian history in our lyrics. So, why choosing the name of a Swedish island? This is because historians say that it was the island from which the first Barbarians moved and met the Romans. The meet and clash between these Barbarian population and the Empire is what put the basis for what Italy would be in the next centuries and even nowadays. 

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

The artwork cover represent a mask that was discovered by archeologists on the site where the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest was fought. This face mask originally belonged to a helmet of a Roman cavalry man. The fact that it is broken with a skull behind symbolizes the loss of the Roman Empire in that battle against the Germans. The background is divided: on the left side we have Roman ruins and on the right side you can see a Germanic forest. This represents the two parts that fought, but also the two souls of the protagonist Arminius, who was a German that was raised in the Roman Empire.

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

 We are proud of many live shows we had, but surely one of the bests was our opening for Abbath here in Italy in 2016. There a lot of people came and it was really fun to play in front of so many fans. But we also like festivals like Fosch Fest, Italic Pagan Fest, Malpafa Folk & Metal Fest or Eresia Fest, because we can have a better contact with the audience there and there is a friendlier atmosphere. During our live shows we firstly want to play our songs on the best way possible and with best sound. But we don’t want merely to reproduce the songs, but we try also to give a show to the audience, with face-painting, stage props and acted parts. 

8. Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album? 

We have two release parties here in Italy, one near our hometown Turin and one near Milan. During these shows we will play all the songs of the new album “Rise” with some guests and surprises. For more information about future live shows, keep an eye on our social channels. 

 9. You also have done some 'Windir' and 'Bathory' covers, what was the decision behind doing your own versions of their songs? 

We don’t do many covers, but sometimes we decides to do some first of all in order to pay homage to great artists, who are a great influence for us and without whom we probably would never have started making music. This is surely the case of our Windir and Bathory covers. However, we must say we also have real fun playing this tracks and the audience seems really to appreciate them during our live shows too! 

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

 Our fanbase is mainly in Italy, because we aren’t able to have many live shows outside of Italy due to our jobs. However, thanks to Internet, social medias and webzines like yours, our music is starting to be listened also abroad and we always had positive feedback for now. Our fear was to be too epic and symphonic for the death/black metal fans and too extreme for the melodic metal ones, but many people seem to appreciate the compromise we have tried to create between these two aspects. 

11. 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? 

In this moment, all our member are mainly focused on Gotland. However, I (the singer Irmin) recently released an album with my ex-band Desecrate. Even if I won’t sing with them for the live shows, the vocals on “Lights of Contradiction” album are still mine! Our singer Insanus also released an album with his side studio project Le Horla, called “Remords”. Our bassist Var and guitarist EG Orkan released some tracks with their electronic/avant-garde project Acronym during the pandemic, but they don’t have any plans for more releases in the near future. 

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

 We are already working on the new material and we are really satisfied with the results! From one release to another, we always evolved our music and this time won’t be different. It’s really to soon to reveal something, but you can expect an evolution from what you heard on Rise. 

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

 What we listen nowadays is what mainly influences our music. Our musical tastes are very varied: we are five members who listen to a lot of music. We go from world-class bands like Bathory, Septicflesh, Emperor, Nile, Windir and Summoning, to masters like Ennio Morricone, John Williams, Hans Zimmer and Alan Silvestri, just to name a few. But we also appreciate many local bands, which in our opinion are proving to have nothing to envy of the international giants: Furor Gallico, Atavicus, Selvans, Veratrum, Ponte del Diavolo, Lou Quinse, Hopeless, Scream3Days, Voltunma and many others that are making the Italian scene is increasingly interesting and above all increasingly high-level in its musical offering 

14. How would you describe your views on paganism?

 With our band we want to tell the history of the clash between the Barbarian population within the Roman Empire. Surely, the theme of the pagan gods and religion are sometimes present in our lyrics, but only on an historical level. 

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

 Thank you so much for the space that you dedicated to us, both for this interview and for the nice review you wrote about our album. Greetings to all your readers and all the friends who follow us. We are waiting for you under the stage

  Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/gotlandmetal/
  Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/gotlandmetal/
 Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/@Gotlandmetal
  Bandcamp page: https://gotlandmetal.bandcamp.com

Fallen Choir/The Malevolent Waltz/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Fallen  Choir  are  a  solo  project  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  album  "The  Malevolent  Waltz".

  Symphonic  and  orchestra  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal s creams  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  old  school  era  as  well  as  the  riffing  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  When  guitar  leads  ae  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  All  of  the  vocals  are  also  very  easy  to  understand  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blas  beats  can  be  heard.     

  Fallen  Choir  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  symphonic  in  the  90's  tradition.   The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Anti  Christianity,  Religion,  Greed  and Power  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Fallen  Choir  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Devil's  Plea"  "The  Malevolent  Waltz"  and  "Existence  Becomes  Disease".  8  out  of  10.

  Bandcamp: https://fallenchoir.bandcamp. com/album/the-malevolent-waltz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id= 100095799511031&mibextid= ZbWKwL
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ FallenChoir
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/ artist/4BLdAa3yLtloj5UkcDuvV8? si=TOkofAfPTWOcdxjKzLgK6Q
Instagram: https://instagram.com/fallen_choir?utm_source=qr&igshid= MzNlNGNkZWQ4Mg%3D%3D
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ FallenChoirBand?t= IU8Jz9qDDgEV6Hkdw_kaVg&s=09

Gotland/Rise/Earth And Sky Productions/2023 Full Length Review

 

 Gotland  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  play  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Rise"  which  will b e  released  on  September  15th  by  Earth  And  Sky  Productions.

  A  very  atmospheric  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  synths  onto  the  recording  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Shamanistic  sounding  beats  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  of  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  influenced  by  the  90's  era  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  album.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  folk  instruments.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  clear  pagan  vocals  into  the  music ,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  a  later  track  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  female  vocals. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Roman  Empire,  Vikings,  Battles  and  Middle  Age  History.

  In  my  opinion  Gotalnd  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Roman  And  Cheruscan"  "Traitor  Or  Saver"  "The  Same  Blood"  and  "Rise".  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/gotlandmetal/?ref=ts    .  

Cabrakaan/Aztlan/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Cabrakaan  are  a  band  with  members  from  Mexico  and  Canada  that  has  had  music  reviewed  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2023  album  "Aztlan"  which  will  be  released  in  November.

 Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  folk  music  instruments  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  percussion  is  utilized  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  tribal per-Hispanic  atmosphere  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Symphonic  elements  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  clear  females  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  album.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  ylrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  pre-Hispanic  themes  and  Mexican  Folklore.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cabrakaan  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tonantzin"  "Luces  y  Sombras"  "Yolot"  and  "La  Cigarra".  8  out  of  10.

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