Burning Creation/Sea Of Dead Bodies/Via Nocturna/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Burning  Creation  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Sea  Of  Dead  Bodies"  which  was  released  by  Via  Nocturna.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  epic  sounding  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  A  lot  of  the  album  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  Swedish  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  closing  track  is  an  Amon  Amarth  cover.

  Burning  Creation  plays  a  viking  themed  form  of  melodic  blackened  death  metal  in  the  Swedish  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Nordic  Mythology,  Vikings,  Scandinavian  Folklore  and  Historical  Events.

  In  my  opinion  Burning  Creation  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eaten  By  Hulder"  "The  Einherjer's  Return"  "Under  The  Fading  Sun"  and  "As  The  ocean  Takes  us  Down".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/4b3kDcdS9rM

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Kromlek/- III - III/Trollzorn Records/2024 Double Album Review

 

  Kromlek  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  folk,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "-  III  -  III"  which  was  released  by  Trollzorn  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  synths  and  keyboards  also  give  the  album  more  of  an  epic  atmosphere  when  they  are  utilized.  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.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  folk  metal  elements.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  viking  chants,  the  album  also  has  its  symphonic  moments  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  the  cosmos  of  pre-Christian  philosophy.  and  worldview  and  its  beginnings  and  origins.

  In  my  opinion  Kromlek  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  folk,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Þursöld  III  Nunatak"  "Totem  Tales  II  aRktur"  and  "Moritvrvs  Immortalis".  8  out  of 10.

  https://youtu.be/grm92sBnGOU

https://www.facebook.com/kromlekofficial  

Apocalypse/Pandaemonium/MiMi Sound Records & Publishing/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Apocalypse  are  a  solo  project  from  Italy  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  epic  mixture  of  black,  viking,  death,  thrash and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "Pandeaemonium"  which  was  released  by  MiMi  Sound  Records  &  Publishing.

  Keyboards  and  classical  music  elements  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  lot  of  black  metal  screams.

  A  lot  of  the  riffing  mixes  in  touches  of  death  and  thrash  metal  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  slower  sections  of  the  album  are  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  and  gothic  metal  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  more  of  a  melodic  traditional  metal  style.

  Clear  viking  metal  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  demonic  growls  also  being  utilized  briefly.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  as  well  as  being  very  modern  at  the  same  time,  a  couple  of  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  and a  few songs  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  witchcraft  burnings  and  darkness  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Apocalypse  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  epic  black,  viking,  doom,  death,  thrash  and  heavy  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hanged,  Drawn  And  Quartered"  "The  Well  Of  Deception"  and  "Pandeaemonium".  8  out  o  10.

  Bandcamp

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Asenblut/Entfesselt/Massacre Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

   Asenblut  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  viking  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Entfesselt"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Massacre  Records.

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  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  Swedish  influences.  

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  viking  back  up  shouts.  

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly, tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  a  couple  of  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  orchestral  sounds.  and  clean  playing.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  Vikings,  Paganism  and  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Asenblut  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  viking  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Das  Ende  der  Gotter"  "Wie  ein  Berserker"  "Hexengericht"  and  "Nox  Nostra  Est".  8  out  of  10.

  https://lnk.to/entfesselt

Kvaen/The Formless Fires/Metal Blade Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Kvaen  are  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  pagan  black  and  death  metal  with  elements  of  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "The  Formless  Fires"  which  will  be  released  on  June  21st  by  Metal  Blade  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can b e  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  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  the  riffs  also  adding  in  elements  of  death  and  speed  metal.

  Keyboards  are  also  added  into  the  background  briefly  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing  as  well  as  some  clear  pagan  vocals  also  being  utilized  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Paganism  and  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Kvaen  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  pagan  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Formless  Fires"  "The  Ancient  Gods"  and  "The  Wings  of  Death".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/officialkvaen  

https://www.instagram.com/officialkvaen 

Ren Marabou And The Berserkers/Helgafjell/WormHoleDeath Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Ren  Marabou  And  The  Berserkers  are  a  band  from  Ireland  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  aggressive  form  of  viking/pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Helgafjell"  which  was  released  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

  Viking  horns  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  heavier  and  melodic  direction  while the  vocals a re  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times.  Clear  pagan  singing  is  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  folk  instruments,  clean  playing,  spoken  word  parts  and  synths.  A  lot  of  the  album  brings  in  more  of  a  modern  metal  style  along  with  some  old  school  touches  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  and  vocals  also  adding  in  elements  of  thrash  metal  and  most  of  the  songs  also  stick  to  more  of  a  mid  tempo  direction.  

   Ren  Marabou  And  The  Berserkers  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  viking,  pagan,  melodic  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Mythology,  History  and  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ren  Marabou  And  The  Berserkers  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  pagan,  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Journeys  Of  Rig"  "Curse  Striker"  "The  Duel  of  Flint  And  Steel"  and  "Holy  Mountain".  8  out  of  10.

  www.facebook.com/renmarabou

www.instagram.com/renmarabouandtheberserkers

www.youtube.com/@RenMarabouandtheBerserkers    

Eye Of Fenris/The House Of Hades/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Eye  Of  Fenris  are  an  international  band  with  members  from  Denmark,  Portugal  and  the  United  States  that  plays  viking  metal  with  elements  of  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "The  House  Of  Hades"  

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  song  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Elements  of  thrash  and  groove  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  which  also  adds  in   touch  of  industrial  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction  and  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  folk  instruments.

  Eye  Of  Fenris  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  viking,  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Greek  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Eye  of  Fenris  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spartans  Rise"  "The  Labyrinth  Of  Minos"  {"Medusa's  Lair"  and  "All  Hail  Hades".  8  out  of  10.

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

https://www.tiktok.com/@eye.of.fenris

https://www.facebook.com/eyeoffenris

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4mMRnBBJgh1qfHh0Qm1YqO

https://eyeoffenris.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/eye-of-fenris

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/eye-of-fenris/1697536262

https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/221726425

https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B0CBW5R18S/eye-of-fenris  

  

From North/Raven Banner/At Dawn Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Sweden's  From  North  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  melodic  mixture  of  folk,  viking  and  death  metal  and  this  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Raven  Banner"  which  will  be  released  on  November  24th  by  At  Dawn  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  elements  of  viking  metal.  Clean  pagan  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  aggressive  vocals  being  mostly  black  metal  screams  as  well a s  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  touches  of  folk  music  are  also  added  into  certain sections.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  lot  of  influences  from  the  more  melodic  side  of  death  metal.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  back  up  shouts  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  synths,  acoustic  guitars  and  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  From  North  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk,  viking  and  melodic  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Raven  Banner"  "The  Queen"  "Rune  Stones"  and  "Winter  Blot".  8  out  of  10.

  Website:https://www.fromnorth.se

Bandcamp:https://atdawnrecords. bandcamp.com/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ fromnorthsweden
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UC_ QcGv1QS5NPE3ryqpENgTQ
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/ artist/3uHD6BHJ6mC0HKzHCi77wV? si=eQp6JAovTouA1f2RUfW9Ng

  

    

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

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    .  

Raven Banner Interview

 

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

Raven Banner is a Swedish melodeath metal band whose storytelling is centered around old-Norse mythology and the viking culture. We strive to deliver relentlessly energetic, yet catchy and easily accessible. Music that allows us to convey those stories to all the metal-folks out there. If you can listen to our stuff and not feel the need to bang your head, shake your fist, and raid a village or two, then clearly we’ve done something wrong - or you’re deaf. 

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

RISE UP CLAN is our debut album, and writing for a band’s first album always presents both pros and cons. On the one hand there’s no legacy, or any expectations, that needs to be taken into account and you have absolute creative freedom. On the other hand it also means that there isn’t any prior work to lean on and there’s an increased pressure to write something that _really_ hits home and grabs people’s attention. 

When we first decided to start writing for RAVEN BANNER the three of us sat down and had a discussion about what we wanted to accomplish with the band, both short and long term. We used the result of that discussion to frame the music writing process so that we never lost track of the direction that we’re striving for. We ended up with a style that’s similar in fashion to “traditional” Swedish melodeath and also incorporates some of the things we love in genres ranging from black metal to jazz and pop. The result is a live-performance friendly style of metal that’s powerful and energetic, with strong melodies, catchy choruses, and a unique sound that sets RAVEN BANNER apart from the rest of the crowd. The album is heavy. Seriously so. Yet, at the same time, we’re staying true to our musical heritage and we’ve written an album rich in melodies, texture, and harmonies, without any compromise when it comes to the heavy part of metal.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Viking Mythology and History, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Growing up in Sweden you’re exposed to Norse mythology from a very early age and it’s inevitably something that you carry with you whether you’re aware of it or not. We’re fortunate that as musicians we have a way of expressing that heritage and draw inspiration from it. There’s fascination with the people coming from our little corner of the globe and their influence on so much of the modern world and that coupled with a colorful mythology, that is both life and death-serious and hilarious, makes for a very interesting topic.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Raven banner'?

The Raven Banner was a flag that some viking warlords used in battle or as their symbol. Not only did we think it was a name that fit us and that had a nice mouthfeel, but it also serves well as a symbol for us and our fans to gather under.

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

For us, graphic artwork and music goes hand in hand. They’re just different sides of the same coin, and working in tandem they can really amplify the message and intent of the art as a whole. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the wickedly talented graphics artist Mikhail Kozhevnikov who helped us realize our vision of an album cover that’s just as fiery, furious, and intense as the stories that’s told through the music and the lyrics. 

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

We started working on material for RAVEN BANNER during the pandemic and early on we made the unusual decision not to do any live shows before the release of the album. We instead chose to focus solely on perfecting the album and the release as a whole. This approach has allowed us to create a kick-ass debut album with accompanying art that we’re convinced will stand the test of time, as well as setting up the structure for self-release, PR, and distribution of RISE UP CLAN that will serve us well for our coming releases too. With that in place, we’re now busy prepping for live shows and we’re hoping to be able to announce some exciting festival dates for summer 2024 soon. 

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

Nothing official at the moment. The best way for you to help us bring the RAVEN BANNER experience to a stage near you is to contact your local venues and festivals and request that they book us. Keep an eye out on our webpage (https://www.ravenbanner.se) or our Instagram page (@ravenbannerband) for updates.

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

We’ve seen some interest but in the end we felt that we had both the resources and the time to allow for a serious self-release approach. As mentioned earlier we’ve now got an incorporated label-equivalent framework in place for future releases, including graphics, video, PR, and distribution. While the prospect of “getting signed” is alluring, we're quite happy where we’re at, but we’re always open to options that would help us reach a larger audience. 

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans oi viking and death metaL?

It’s been overwhelmingly positive! There’s of course been the mandatory comparison to Amon Amarth, but if you’re a melodeath metal band from Sweden you can’t even dip your toes in old-Norse mythology without that comparison showing up. Getting compared to them is something we see as a positive thing though and we’re honored to see fan comments like “Good Amon Amarth Vibe!”. To us, it means we’re on the right track and it encourages us to continue on the same track. 

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

Great question! There’s the ole cliché that you really don’t know where a band is heading until the third album, but with the overwhelmingly positive response we’ve got on RISE UP CLAN chances are we’ll continue along the same track and write even more energetic and fierce, old-Norse themed, melodic metal. 

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

While there’s a lot of overlap in the type of music we listen to, we all have different backgrounds and influences so we’re going to answer this individually. 

Gustaf: Since I started listening to metal, I’ve been drawn more to the black metal side, but also, early on, found a few bands who mixed Nordic folk music with metal and that has affected me deeply. Bands like Vintersorg and Otyg, Skyclad, Finntroll, Mithotyn, Thyrfing and many others are great influences of mine, but folk musicians like Sofia Karlsson, Frifot, Garmarna and Triakel, Hedningarna, BÄSK have all made marks on my life and what I do as a musician.

Hannes: My childhood heroes were Metallica and a Swedish folky punkband called Dia Psalma. Later I discovered HammerFall, Dimmu Borgir and In Flames. All different, but all melodic and with their own sound. The first folky metal I heard was Ensiferum and they opened the door to a new world of bands like Thyrfing, Mithotyn, Finntroll, Moonsorrow, and later bands like Wilderun and Duskmourn. You can find everything from modern core metal to punk and electronic music in my playlists.

Benny: I was practically breastfed traditional Swedish folk music and grew up on folk and classical before I started listening to metal as a teenager. I was, and still is, big on bands such as Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, and Dissection, but I also loved melody-heavy bands, e.g. Helloween, Gamma Ray, Yngwie, and Stratovarius. Nowadays, my On Repeat-playlist on Spotify contains equal shares french jazz, opera, ska, black/death/melodic metal, and Swedish folk music - especially Sofia Karlsson. Along the way, artists such as Alan Menken, Celiné Dion, and Randy Newman - just to mention a few - have had a profound impact on me. The connecting thread is the emphasis on strong melodies. Anyhow, you can easily find traces of all of that in RAVEN BANNER’s music. 

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

Thank you for reading! Please reach out to your local venues and request they book us, and make sure to get in touch on social media and join the Raven Clan as we conquer the metal scene and let the raven’s fly across the world again. Also, if you want to support us then make sure to check out our merch shop for some awe-inspiring viking metal merch. Cheers!

https://www.ravenbanner.se
https://www.instagram.com/ ravenbannerband/
https://www.tiktok.com/@ ravenbannerband
https://www.youtube.com/@ RavenBannerBand

Skalmold/Ydalir/Napalm Records/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Iceland's  Skalmold  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  mixture  of  viking  and  folk  metal  from  their  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2023  album  "Ydalir"  which  will b e  released  on  August  18th  by  Napalm  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  the  album  also  brings  in  elements  of  folk  music  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Clear  pagan  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  the  vocals  also b ring  in  a more  aggressive  approach  that  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  black  emtal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a lot  of  melody.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  the y are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  keyboard  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  most  of  the  recording  sticks  to  a mid  tempo  direction,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  album  Skalmold  brings  in  more  of  a  melodic  and  mid  tempo  mixture  of  viking  and  folk  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Icelandic  and  cover  Norse  mythology  and  Icelandic  Sagas.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Skalmold  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  viking  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUD E "Ydalir"  "Verdandi" and  "Ullar".  8  out  of  10.

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Raven Banner/Rise Up Clan/2023 Full length Review

 

  Raven  Banner  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  viking  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Rise  Up  Clan"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  classic  Swedish  style.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  whole  recording  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Raven  Banner  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  viking  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vikings  and  Scandinavian  Mythology  and  Paganism  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Raven  banner  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  viking  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rise  Up  Clan"  "Beware  The  Fury"  "Thor's  Anthem"  and  "Twilight  of  the  Gods".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.ravenbanner.se

https://www.instagram.com/ ravenbannerband/
https://www.tiktok.com/@ ravenbannerband
https://www.youtube.com/@ RavenBannerBand

  

Kromheim/Journey To Divinity/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Kromheim  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in t his  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  viking  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Journey  To  Divinity"  which  will  be  released  in  February.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in t he  classic  Swedish  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  synths  and  viking  metal  elements  onto  the  recording,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  are  also  utilized.

  On  this  recording  Kromheim  goes  for  a  musical  style  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  Swedish  styles  of  viking  and  melodic  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vikings  and  Norse  Paganism  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Kromheim  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  viking  and  melodic  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "War"  "1000  Lives"  and  "Journey  To  Divinity".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/_brcN5oZDgM

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5QnA6BnzlbyqtDe9oFucUl

https://kromheim.bandcamp.com/album/journey-to-divinity  

  

Norskald/The Laughing Bird/2020 EP Review

 

  Norskald  are  a  band  from  Quebec,  Canada  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  folk,  pagan  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  20220  ep  "The  Laughing  Bird".

  A  very  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of t he  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  folk  instruments  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can b e  heard.

  Spoken  word  parts  and  clean  playing  can  also b e  heard  briefly  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  One  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  clear  pagan  vocals  into  the  music  along  with  the  recording  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  Swedish  influences,  back  up  shouts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Norskald  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk,  pagan,  melodic  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism,  Vikings  and  War  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Norskald  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  folk,  pagan,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Laughing  Bird"  and  "Contemplation".  8  out  of  10.

  https://norskald.bandcamp.com/album/the-laughing-bird       

Siren's Rain/Rise Forth/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Siren's  Rain  are  a  band  from  Lakewood,  Washington  that  plays  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "Rise  Forth"  which  will b e  released  in  October.

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  poetic  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  before  adding  into  some  nature  sounds  and  also  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  clean  pagan  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  album.  Folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of t he  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Clean  female  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  songs  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  One  song  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  album  as  well  as  some  angry  sounding  shouts  also  being  utilized  more  as  the  recording  progresses.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Greek,  Viking  and  Pacific  Northwest  Mythology.

  In  my  opinion  Siren's  Rain  are  a  very  great  sounding  folk  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Keepers"  "Pennies  For  The  Ferryman"  and  "Discarded  hope".  8  out  of  10.

Website: https://www.sirensrain.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sirensrainmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sirensrainband/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sirensrainband

Pre-Order digital album: https://sirensrain.bandcamp.com/album/rise-forth