Mortis Cruentus Interview

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

Mortis Cruentus was born in 2003 under the name of "Dark Wood", placed on Alicante (Spain). In those early days, the band used to play raw Black Metal without any serious pretentions. The band began to grow and after more than fourteen years of career, a lot of changes in the line-up, and many good live gigs, we'd reached a personal and mature identity into our local metal scene.

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?

On our first serious release, "Agony as Doom" (2009 LP), we collected the best songs from the first six years of the band. You can find a lot of diversity among the tracks, from some Black/Death Metal songs till Melodic Death patterns, always mixed with some melodies but reflecting the lack of an identity mark. Of course its a good album with some cool ideas.
The 2013 EP "Winter Holocaust" was like a gap union between past and the actual sound.
And our brand new LP "Hellthrone" is more solid into the Blackened Death Metal, with some structure changes and melodies, where we tried to make some extreme metal without boring repetitions and blast-beats excess. We are looking for a good sound without the overproducted actual trends.

3.The band has been around since 2003 but only put out a release once every few years, can you tell us a little bit more about the gap in between releases?

We like to rehearse and play live, our composition process its too slow and we're too perfectionist when finishing a song. We've got a lot of discarted songs also. Hellthrone is the goal of almost eight years and we're very glad for it.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

We started with war themes, with blood and death lyrics but "Hellthrone" it's a conceptual album. Tells an entire story through the 13 tracks about the "Demonic Veil", a parallel universe where thousands of demons live and humans cannot see. The whole story was created by Jabo Garcia, our guest voice for this recording.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name ;Mortis Cruentus'?

The meaning is "bloody death" in Latin language, and it fits perfectly our philosophy, it mixes death in Death Metal and  blood from Black Metal. The use of Latin language could be the melody.

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

 We are very proud of having shared stage with some bands that we admire and follow like Stormlord, Finsterforst and many more, but the bests live shows we've given were on the south side of our country, where the crowd feels metal in a different way, more insane, and this feeling makes a live gig greater like a metal feedback power from both sides.
We are now working on our future live performances, we want to transmit all the power and anger included in "Hellthrone". We'll try to introduce the audience into a demonic journey without any dull moment through the whole show. This will be our next goal.

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

Like an underground extreme metal band, we're not working with management agents or labels, and today it's complicated to schedule a live tour by our own. We always worked by direct contact with the other bands and promoters and now we're on promotion process and looking for new dates to show how Mortis Cruentus kicks "Hellthrone" on stage. At this moment we've got two confirmed dates, february 24th with the Black/Death metallers Noctem and May 4th with Incursed and Nethertale, both shows in our hometown Alicante.

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

Well, this is a difficult question, because it's a closed circle where the band are moving on, the local Black/Death underground movement. It's true that today with this hyper-connected world we can reach  many people. We are very glad to had received greetings from Russia, Croatia, England and other foreign countries . From our official page, anyone can buy our material from everywhere without problems and this is a great advance.

9.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Yes, we are playing in other projects at this momment. Our drummer Dani and the vocalist Manthor, are both in "Metaphilia", a Deathcore Metal band from Alicante (Spain). The guitarist Toño is also playing at a Symphonic Metal band from Alicante called "Oblivion's Garden", and the last adition at guitars Savage Jouretz have a solo project of Death Metal.
Band members have got different music tastes and that enriches our own music.

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

We are focused on the new release presentation, but maybe the musical aspects of "Hellthrone" succesor will be faster and exploring new technical venues always respecting our style of mixing Black with Death patterns.

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?

At the beginings of the band, the original ideas were mixed with great influences from Black Metal bands like Cradle of Filth, Stormlord, Dimmu Borgir or Graveworm, which were our favorite bands at these years. The maturity of our compositions comes from letting in new influences from another metal styles, like Progressive or Death Metal, building the basis of our actual music.
Today we listen to multiple different kinds of music but Black Metal it's always our main way of live music.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Music its one of the best ways to escape from daily problems, relax and share good moments with friends.
For non musical, travel and enjoy with a good beer and company more music.

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

First of all, thank you so much for this interview, we hope you like it. We would like to show our new work to greater audience, we worked hard and the final result we think its good enough, give it an opportunity with a relaxed hearing, letting the narrative and music embrace you, entering in a new demoniacal dimension, the "Demonic Veil" and being witness of this Hellthrone battle. The gates of hell are finally open...
Visit www.mortiscruentus.com for further information, live dates and take our material.

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Heidevolk/Vuur Van Verzet/Napalm Records/2018 CD Review

  Heidevolk  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  pagan  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Vuur  Vsn  Verzet"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Napalm Records.

  Heavy  guitar  riffs  start  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  vocals  are  added into  the  music  they  are  mostly  clean  pagan  metal  singing  as  well  as  folk  instruments  also  being  used  at  times.

  A  touch  of  black  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  when  growls  and  screams  are  used  briefly  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  some  songs  also  bringing  in a   small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  when  percussion's  are  utilized  it  gives  the  music  more  of  a  shamanistic  feeling.

  Heidevolk  plays  a  style  of  pagan/folk  metal  that  is  very  melodic  while  also  mixing  in  a  touch  of  black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  Dutch  and  cover  History,  Culture  Of  Gelderland  and  Germanic  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Heidevolk  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk  and  pagan  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "A  Wolf  In  My  Heart"  "Britannia"  "Tiwaz"  and  "Woedend".  8  out  of  10.

www.heidevolk.com
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Beldam/Pasung/Horror Pain Gore Death Productions/2018 CD Review

  Beldam  are  a  band  from  Washington  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Pasung"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Horror  Gore  Pain  Death  Productions.

  Dark  yet  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  a  few  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffing  also  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  touches  of  70's  rock  and  stoner  metal  along  with  some  tracks  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  guitars  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  drums  also  start  displaying  more  aggression  and  the  mid  tempo  sections  also  add  in  a  touch  of  crust  punk.

   Beldam  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  their  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  from  their  previous release,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  despair  and  decadence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Beldam  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vial  Of  Silence"  and  "Carrion  Feast".  8  out  of  10.


https://www.facebook.com/BeldamOfficial

Enhailer Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Enhailer first formed in 2014 in Akron, Ohio.  The bassist (Michael Gilpatrick) and drummer (myself) originally came from another band together that went on hiatus, so we decided to start a new project.   The first couple of years, we had a hard time maintaining a consistent lineup with other members, but over the past year or so we have been able to lock in a really good band of guys whom enjoy hanging out and playing together a lot which is important.

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
There isn't really a direct way to answer that question because our sound has changed somewhat over the different recordings--between the demo, our first LP, and now this EP.  The one thing that people seem to consistently touch on in reviews is a progressive doom sound.

3.Originally the band was instrumental but the new ep has vocals, what was the decision behind going into this direction?
The last LP did have some vocals on it, but they were sparse.  We always wanted to try experimenting with vocals as another instrument rather than a lead position in the band, but we never had a member who really wanted to try doing it.  When Matt joined, he had the chops, so we let him run with it.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
We like to explore Kittens and cats, satan, weed, you know, the important stuff.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Enhailer'?
We were totally joking around one day, not being serious at all, while trying to come with band names.  It kind of came out of a cloud of pot smoke honestly...

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've been lucky enough to play with Eyehategod ,Goatwhore , today is the day, Childbite, Ringworm and others.  Our stage performance is fucking amazing.  We have lasers and smoke machines and wild animals running around.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
We are going to play a lot of shows over the winter and then we are going to tour in the summer.  Watch our Facebook page and other social media pages for updates coming soon on specific dates.

8.Currently the band is signed to 'Black Seed Productions', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
I was shopping around for labels to collaborate with on our first album and I vaguely knew of Shy Kennedy of Blackseed records, based out of Pittsburgh, through some other friends.  I took a chance and sent her a message.  She's been nothing but awesome ever since.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of stoner, sludge and black metal?
It's been better than we ever expected. We have already mailed packages to France, Poland, Germany ect..  The whole thing has been a lot of work but it's a labor of love.  We released three albums in three years including the demo.

10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
We are not currently a part of any other projects that Im aware of, because we are entirely consumed by this one.

11.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We are currently working on a full length, as for our future musical explorations its hard to say. This band seems to keep reinventing its sound. Its still evolving, we love to expiriemnt with different sounds not commonly found in heavy music and yet try to find a way to weave them in with really big, heavy  parts

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?
We all have a pretty wide range of tastes, however for me personally in regards to Enhailer, Frank Zappa in particular has been a huge influence. Also, everything from Mastodon to Hank Williams, Sr.  As for what am I listening to, I'm really digging Sumac, which is Aaron Turner from Isis

13.What are some of your non musical interests?
I'm into woodworking a lot, painting and daydreaming lol

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
We really look forward to getting this album out on the live stage and sharing with folks.
Thanks to you and everyone else who has helped us get the word out in anyway!
P.S. Fuck Trump!

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Golden Dawn/The Art Of Dreaming/Casus Belli Musica/2017 CD Re-Issue Review

  Golden  Dawn  are  a  band  from  Austria  that  plays  a  symphonic,  melodic  and  medieval  mixture  of  black  and  goth  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  1996  album  "The  Art  Of  Dreaming"  which  was  re-issued  in  2017  by  Casus  Belli  Musica.

  A  very  heavy  guitar  riff  starts  off  the  album  while  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  riffing  also  getting  very  melodic  at  times  as  well  as  the  music  mixing  the  symphonic  and  heavy  parts  together  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  into  certain  sections of  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  some  operatic  female  and  male  vocals  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

 A  great  amount  of  goth  metal  elements  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  track  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  keyboards  start  getting  more  medieval  and  epic  sounding  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Golden  Dawn  played  a  musical  style  on  this  recording t hat  mixed  melodic  and  symphonic  black  metal  with  goth  and  medieval  folk  music  to  create  something  very  original  for  that  time  period,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dreaming,  sorcery,  existence  and  other  dimension  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Golden  Dawn  are  a  very  melodic,  symphonic  and  medieval  mixture  of  black  and  goth  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Art  Of  Dreaming"  "My  Confession  To  War"  "The  Sorcery  Of  The  Nagual  Side"  and  "Beyond  the  Mortal  Shell".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vcO3-199sI

Guillotine Interview

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


We are a three-piece death metal band based in the state of Georgia. My name is Adam Miller, I play bass and do lead vocals, and my brother Lance plays guitar and does backing vocals. We started in Atlanta, but found our drummer Evan Posey in Athens, GA.

2.Recently you have released your first album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?


Our sound is unique. We have created what we feel is an original approach, blending elements of old school death, black, groove, doom, and Southern sludge metals. It’s a brutal, punishing sound that still allows for nuance and subtlety.

3.Your lyrics cover a lot of occult, ancient alien and conspiracy theory themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?


The themes covered in our lyrics are used as a literary device to convey our overall message. This album is a mostly-metaphorical commentary on the modern world as we see it. It’s a concept album in which the ancient alien progenitor of humanity returns to Earth to find his creation subverted for nefarious purposes by a competing deity. The opening track, “Gravety”, is an exposition of this return, in which The Creator returns to harvest the souls of which he planted the seeds millennia ago. The following track, “Black Emperor”, introduces his nemesis, who has taken control of his carefully constructed creation. We won’t explain every detail of the story, as we want certain aspects to be left open to the interpretation of the listener. But know that this narrative is only in its early stage, and the themes laid out will continue to be developed on future releases.

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


The invention guillotine and its early usage were an important turning point in history. It was the harbinger of a new and more violent age. As a symbol, it represents drastic and irreversible change, and that is incredibly evocative to us.

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


Our live shows are visceral and raw, very emotive. I like to think that we leave an impression on anyone who witnesses us live. Our music is deliberately simplistic to a certain extent, and we feel that that aspect of our music allows it to be felt on a primal level. The best shows we have played are our most recent, namely our album release show opening for Goatwhore and a show we played at a new venue called Furnace 41. We are in prime killing shape right now.

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


Because we have full-time jobs currently, we aren’t able to get on the road for extended periods of time as we would like. But we have several local shows in the works and are actively working on taking this show to a wider geographical area. One day we do hope to be able to go on full-fledged tours, with the entire world as our ultimate goal.

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


We have received interest from some small labels. We are currently shopping the album to several larger labels in the hope that we can be offered a favorable deal for promotion and distribution.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black, doom and death metal?
We have been surprised and flattered by some of the feedback we have received. Thanks to the internet, our music has received favorable notice in Germany, Lithuania, Russia, and Peru to name a few countries. A difficulty we have come across is finding the proper target audience, as our sound is a fairly uncommon hybrid of several styles which have their own diehard purist fans. Our music is best enjoyed with an open mind.

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


We are already writing music for our next release. The stuff we’re coming up with is more complex in its composition and instrumentation, which will lay the perfect backdrop for the more expansive thematic universe we will portray. It still has that signature Guillotine sound which is intrinsic to the music Lance and I write, so I think we will please our existing fan base as well as get the attention of new fans the world over. I think people will be very pleased and surprised.


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


We cut our metal teeth on Pantera, Metallica, and lamb of god, so those early influences mixed with more extreme death and black metal shaped the sound you hear from us now. Currently, I’ve been very inspired by the newest releases from bands like Satyricon, Enslaved, and Paradise Lost. These are bands that are paying homage to their roots while pushing the envelope of what metal itself can be and can convey emotionally. It’s not always about being more extreme than ever before, but about refining what was done before and being the best version of your artistic vision.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?


We’re pretty well-rounded guys. You can’t be a brutal metalhead all the time haha. I enjoy reading in my spare time, mostly historical books. Cooking is a good stress reliever and non-musical outlet for creativity. I enjoy a round of golf when I get the chance, even though I’m terrible. Lance and I brew beer from time to time.


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


I would urge anyone reading to check out our tunes at www.guillotinemf.bandcamp.com. If you like what you hear, order a CD which we laboriously and lovingly crafted at Ledbelly Sound Studio. We will ship all over the world! Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/guillotineatl and share with everyone you know. Stay metal and stay tuned for more Guillotine!

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Vargrav Interview

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

The band originated during starless nights in late 2015.
As the vision calmly evolved and the cloak of obscurity relinquished, Vargrav was chosen to be illuminating sign for this act of black arts.
During the formative years, the music also transmitted into a profound abyss, only to reincarnate as a sinister glow of the black flame.
A demo version of the album was then unleashed during the summer of 2016,
and  after numerous contacts from different labels, Werewolf Records was immediately chosen to be the most suitable collaborator with which to work.
The overture of a black-hearted storm has been sung and what has yet left uncovered shall be conquered...

2.You have an album coming out in January, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

After the two preview songs were published  I received a lot of feedback about the sound and overall atmosphere being very 90's.
I can't really say is it done intentionally or is it just subconsciousness. Nevertheless sounding 90's is purely logical as for me the golden age
of Blackmetal is in the early and mid '90's when everything around it was new to me. Naturally it's impossible to imitate first impressions
when I first time heard some of the classic albums but creating something as close to that as possible I can uphold the passion that ignited back then.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?

The topics alternate from unleashing the black storm of hellfire upon all living to glorifying the supremacy of an individual. In the middle a certain
multidimensional approach to reign the powers shackled by constricted knowledge of your capability.

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

Varg (wolf) has been a feared beast among many cultures for centuries and  in the bible wolf is exclusively evil. Yet wolf has also been seen as a trailblazer
and a teacher. Grav (grave) is where you bury the dead (if someone didn't know) so as an coherence Vargrav is the rest where a bestial wisdom lurks only to rise again.
It's also a palindrome with 7 letters. A palindrome is endless and a continuum. After reaching the end the beginning is the new end.
7 is the number of complement. A number of time and space, representing wisdom, perfection, balance and immortality.

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

Compromises kill creativity and when working with others one cannot avoid them. So because of that simple fact I work solo on
all of my bands. Even if it demands a multiple amount of work I couldn't be satisfied with the result if it wouldn't be 100% based on my vision.
It would also be impossible to even think joining a band only as a player. I am a leader, not a follower.

6.On the album you had also done a cover of Emperor's "Ancient Queen", what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

Since the first time i heard Emperor's "In The Nightside Eclipse" no other album has ever made such an impact. I could even call it an enlightenment as
in that same moment I knew exactly what I must do. It took me over 20 years to complete that task but time is irrelevant when creating timeless art.
When listening to "Ancient Queen" I've wondered so many times what it would sound like with more keyboards and some clean vocals as in "In the Nightside Eclipse" style.
So recording this cover was a perfect way to get my question answered.

7.The album is going to be released on 'Werewolf Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

The name basically tells it all. An unchained beast seeding terror and fear among those incapable to assimilate it's purposes.
An uncompromising monument of black arts.

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

As the current trend is pretty far from symphonic Blackmetal it seems that for many people it works as a stimulant ascending from the vast grey mass of thousand similar bands.

9.Are you also involved with any other bands or musical projects?

The only active band beside Vargrav at the moment is Druadan Forest - My first solo band which I started back in 1998 only to be put to rest for 17 years. 2016 I was finally ready to release the debut album "The Loremasters Time" via GS productions. The three demos
from ´98-´99 were also released as a compilation by the same label. The second full-length "The Lost Dimension" was released by Wolfspell records 2017. Also a split with The True Werwolf will be released in near future so check it out.

10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

I try to evolve all the time. The point where you feel satisfied is the point where you can't advance any further and basically can forget any improvement from your past works.
I started musical studies back in the 80's and unfortunately quit after few years so I have a lot to catch up. In the future - if my efforts should pay off and I'll be able to move even a bit closer to the goals I've set, I see
myself as a full-time professional musician and composer.

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?

There are tons of bands that have influenced my but as said above Emperor has always been the most important and one of the few metal bands that have truly inspired me.
I've never actually seen myself as a metalhead, headbanger or such. Of course I've listened to metal for as long as I can remember but still never felt musically inspired by it.
I enjoy melodies, atmosphere, a sort of surreal soundscapes that I can feel being similar. Seceded from reality.
Nowadays I mostly listen to electronic music and soundtracks.

12.How would you describe your views on Occultism?

I am a Satanist.

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

Blackmetal is not for everyone.

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Temnoles,ye Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
“Temnolesie” was found in 2013. We play mix of black, pagan, doom and folk-metal. And some songs can be characterized like folk-rock.

2.In October you had released your first album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

It is difficult to describe music. It must be heard. It is mix of blastbeat, powerful guitar riffs, symphonic keyboards, extreme and clear vocal.

3. The band has been around since 2013 but waited until 2017 to release the first album, can you tell us a little bit more about the first 4 years?
First some months we searched bass-guitarist. Of course we created songs and prepared concert program. In 2014 we recorded demo for Internet. In 2015 we released a video and EP “Vision” (self-released). In that year we began recording of full album. This summer we filmed a video, but now it during editing.

4. Your lyrics cover a lot of Pagan topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in Paganism?
I’m member of Union of Slavic Communities since 2002, the biggest Pagan organization in Russia.

5. I know that the bands name means 'Dark Shire' in Russian, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

More exactly translation is “Dark woodland”. The word “woodland” associated for me with Slavic history. There are was a great forests in Russia in ancient times. The word “dark” associated with black-metal, features of which are presented in our music.


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

I remember two shows in Obninsk (Kaluga region) in 2015 – audience greeted us warmly. And last show in Bryansk this December I like too.
At stage we are usually dressed in Slavic style clothes. And part of show is wooden idol.

7. Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
In the end of December we take part in New Year party in native Kaluga. 30th of March we play with “Satarial” in Kaluga and maybe than go to mini-tour.

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of melodic black, folk and pagan metal?
We read good reviews from Greece, Tunis, USA and some other countries.

9. 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?
Our guitarist Igor Pryanishnikov is in folk-metal band “Ladushka”. It preparing a great tour in Russia. Our drummer Sergey Senin is member of black-metal band “Asmund”. I don’t know anything about these plans.
 
10. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
The next album (or mini-album) will be experimentally. It will be folk-rock. But then we’ll be back to hard style with more using clear vocal.

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?
There are many bands had an influence on our music: “Dimmu Borgir”, “Summoning”, “Cradle of Filth”, “Thyrfing”, “Amon Amarth”, “Amorphis” (early), Russian – “Tvangeste”, “Arkona”, “Butterfly temple”.  And I listening many genres from classic music to death-metal.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Besides membership in Union of Slavic Communities I’m a head of internet-TV “Vyatich”, and engaged mix-fight.


13. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
We are surprised that our album listening in other countries and thank our listeners for interest to our music.

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Mortis Cruentus/Hellthrone/2017 Full length Review

  Mortis  Cruentus  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Hellthrone'.

  Dark  sounding  synths  and  demonic  voices  start  off  the  album  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  melodic  musical  direction  which  also  brings  in  a  great  mixture  of  both  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  melodic  fashion  along  with  some  synths  and  clean  playing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  being  utilized  in  the  fast  riffing  and  when  spoken  word  parts  are utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  symphonic  elements  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Mortis  Cruentus  plays  a musical  style  that takes melodic  black  metal  and  death metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  blood,  war,  death  demonology  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mortis  Cruentus  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  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Demonic  Veil"  "Sculptures  Of  Possession"  "Supreme  Hellish  Congregation"  and  "Blood  And  Blazing  Flesh". 8 out  of  10.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4gPXcJJss9BKKiYd97V3J7

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mortiscruentus

Bandcamp: https://mortiscruentus.bandcamp.com/

    

Vargrav/Netherstorm/Werewolf Records/2018 CD Review

  Vargrav  are  a  solo  project  from  Finland  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  symphonic  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Netherstorm"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Werewolf  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  also   mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  after  awhile  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

 A  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  most  of the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  symphonic  style  of  the  genre,  when  spoken  word  parts  are  used  briefly  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling and  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  and  the  album  closes  with  a  cover  of  Emperor's  "Ancient  Queen".

  Vargrav  plays  a  style  of  symphonic  black  metal  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  era  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vargrav  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  symphonic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Netherstorm"  "Ethereal  Visions  Od  A  MOnumental"  and  "The  Glory  Of  Eternal  Night".  8  out  of  10.

http://werewolfrecords.bandcamp.com/album/netherstorm

  

Enhailer/Dumb Enough To Care/Blackseed Records/2017 EP Review

  Enhailer  are  a  band  from  Akron,  Ohio  that  plays  an  mixture  of  black,  doom  metal,  progressive  and  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Dumb  Enough  To  Care"  which  will  be  released  on  December  11th  by  Blackseed  Records.

  Melodic  stoner  rock  riffs  start  off  the  ep  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  track  is  18  minutes  in  length  as  well  as  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal   and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody

  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  screams  and  growls  which  also  gives  the  music  touches  of  black  and  death  metal  while  the  riffs  get  more  up  beat  and  mid  tempo  at  times  and  the  music  also  brings  in  more  of  a  jam  orientated  and  improv  feeling  at  times  as  well  as  remaining  instrumental  and  experimental  for  a  few  minutes.

  Enhailer  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  progressive,  stoner,  doom  and  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Enhailer  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  progressive,  stoner,  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are a   fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  8  out  of  10.

https://enhailer.bandcamp.com/album/dumb-enough-to-care

Frost Giant Interview

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

Matti Frost: Trying to get the lineup solidified and rehearsing for the release and subsequent shows. We lost our bassist a couple months ago, and the person we asked to join up immediagely after said yes but then backed out, so now we're in the process of auditioning people. We are also rehearsing the new songs and gearing up to play them live. It will be the first time we've played onstage since May of 2015.
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2.You have a new album coming out in early 2018, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Matti: The sound is something I would describe as being rooted in extreme metal but also marbled with accessible riffing and tons of hooks, melodies, and choruses that are meant to be sung along with. It's multi-dimensional and dynamic with a lot of different emotions, and there are many parts of songs directly written to reference other songs or interludes on the album. It's meant to be listened to as one long song, like NOFX's 'The Decline' or Sleep's 'Jerusalem', and most recently, Insomnium had a record called 'Winter's Gate' that has the same type of structure.

As to how it compares with our older stuff... It's definitely more ambitious. The riffs are stronger. The vocal arrangements are more intricate. The guitar soloing is much more present. The production and recording quality are monstrous compared to our older releases. AJ Viana at Sylar Sound Studios really made us sound phenomenal. Overall, it's much more mature and pretty strong for a 55-minute release.
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3.A lot of your lyrics are inspired by Norse Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic and also what are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?

Matti: I've been into Norse mythology going back to my childhood. The gods and goddesses, the stories and sagas of all the heroes and the people, all of it was very fascinating to me. I was also a fan of the Greek, Roman, and Celtic pantheons too. These tales were way more entertaining to me than the Bible stories I had learned, although the Old Testament is pretty brutal too from a storytelling perspective. Yet, I've never been particularly religious. Even as a kid I was skeptical about the existence of a literal God that watches over everything you do and keeps a list and will one day spend eternity judging the souls of the dead for what they did in life. It seemed a little unrealistic to me. When I started learning about the reconstructed religion and practice of Ásatrú, I was roped in, at first, like many others. It was around this time I got into a deep interest around the Ancient Norse, Vikings, and history of those peoples. Now, I am not a hardcore scholar, and there are few religions that have a stronger basis in research than Ásatrú. It's been called "the religion with homework". I did come out of my "metal dude into Thor" phase, though, and I like to think that in my 11 or so years of being Heathen I have a more nuanced and practical view of it in a modern context.

A lot of the other topics I deal with are allegorical references to the experiences and journey I've had in my life. The Harlot Star is, if you take the lyrics literally, a priest in the 1500's who cannot reconcile his doubts about Christianity, rejects the Church, flees for his life, tries to find the gods and people his ancestors came from, fails, and yet somehow stumbles into the rest of his life. In reality it reflects my own spiritual journey, and the second half of my life is yet to be written.
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4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Frost Giant'?

Matti: I first discovered what frost giants were when I started reading Norse myths. Then there was Dungeons & Dragons in my teens, and they were pretty formidable monsters. Primal, destructive forces of nature, wild and untamed, powerful and mighty, and fearsome. When I decided to name the band Frost Giant I was also rather surprised that it wasn't taken. That's always a plus.
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5.What are some of the best shows that yo have played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Matti: Our very first show in October of 2012 was with Agalloch. We have also had some great gigs playing with Korpiklaani, Ensiferum, Turisas, Wilderun, Trollfest, Ignite, Bane, Aether Realm, Swashbuckle, as well as many other local and regional bands. I don't actually know how we look onstage. I'm always more concerned with making sure I am playing decently and not singing out of key. Armen (Korohglian, also of Cognitive) and Ty Asoudegan are new to the band but have amazing energy, and Scott Breustedt has always had excellent stage presence. How we are onstage remains to be seen.
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6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

Matti: Yes, as of now we only have a couple of shows booked, but that will change once the album comes out. We're going to shoot for playing in different areas, choosing our shows carefully so as not to overexpose ourselves in one area or venue, and possibly some weekend trips or a week long tour in Spring or early Summer.
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7.The new album is coming out on 'Transcending Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Matti:. I knew nothing about the label until my friend sent me a message saying that they were looking for albums to release. I sent Mike (Ramirez) the video for 'Prisoner of the Past' and a link to the whole album and he really liked it and made us an offer. It was a good deal, so we signed it. The label itself has a broad mix of bands, from death metal and deathcore to doom and sludge, to shoegaze, to desert rock and melodic black metal. Some of my favorite artists on the roster are Transylvania Stud, Grief & Bliss, Monolith Cult, and Vesperian Sorrow. There are many more bands on Transcending I haven't heard yet. It's a very diverse roster, and Mike & Chase (Brown) have done a lot of us and the other bands. We can't say enough good things about Transcending Records.
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8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of melodic and extreme metal?

Matti: We have had some positive feedback in the past from European fans, but outside of a few good reviews of our old EP and maybe an interview or two, not much else. We didn't know how to really promote our music to international markets back then and we are really just learning about it now. It seems that the heart of extreme metal is in other countries besides the United States. That's not to say there aren't amazing fans of extreme metal here, but not as many per capita compared to other countries. It seems like metal is just more popular overseas. We're hoping to hear more feedback from international audiences and possibly tour in Europe.
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9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Matti: As the main songwriter, I've always held that whatever I write under this band name will be whatever I want. Whatever sounds good to my ears. However, I now have a pretty amazing band to work with. These guys have way too much talent and skill for me to just say here, play this. Future writing might still be based on my ideas but the actual writing will probably be much more collaborative. As far as genres and styles, I have ideas for music that is far heavier, and music that is way more ear friendly. Whatever it is, it will still sound like us, though.
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10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Matti: Wintersun amd early Ensiferum were the bands that got me serious about starting up a band that was sort of in that genre. Jari Mäenpää just has a way of writing that really appeals to me. I'd also add in a ton of skatepunk, melodic hardcore, and post-hardcore. Bands like NOFX, Strung Out, Lagwagon, MxPx, Grade, Small Brown Bike, Tyr, Avail, Lifetime, Ignite, Devin Townsend Project, Hum... So many different bands, and yet, there's a common thread to all of them that I've found.

I've been listening to a lot of non-metal bands lately, anything from 80's new wave and alt rock to modern indie rock. A few of the bands I've been really into are Strand of Oaks, Cigarettes After Sex, The War on Drugs, and Future Islands.
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11.According to your fb page some of your non musical influences include Game Of Thrones,  Dragonlance,  Deverry and Ancient History, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in thse topics?

Matti: I love to read and I love fantasy. In my opinion, the Deverry novels by Katharine Kerr are the most amazing Celtic fantasy books I've ever read, and I've read all of the books multiple times. I have not read all of the George R.R. Martin books yet but I am caught up on the HBO series. I go way back to my teens with Dragonlance by Weis & Hickman and other authors that have written for that world setting. I've read most of those too, many times. I have the Solamnic Oath tattooed on my chest. So... I am a bit of a fantasy literature geek. I frequently reference concepts and character archetypes from many of these books, and the song 'Silver Dagger' is written about a band of mercenaries featured all throughout the Deverry novels. Actual history has been a big influence too. The Harlot Star was a term that Martin Luther used to refer to comets back in the 16th century, as they threw a wrench in the application of geocentricity. Their paths across the sky, their orbits, didn't make sense to astronomers who were trying to make them fit in a cosmos where everything revolved around the Earth. They defied the divine order of the heavens. That term alone spawned and inspired the whole story told on this album. The comet, specifically Halley's Comet, is what plays the seed of doubt in the protagonist's mind as a young child, and then it's sort of hinted that he sees it 76 years later when he is on his deathbed and the comet returns and brings his life full circle.

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

Matti: Thanks for asking about us. I enjoy talking to folks about music, literature, or pretty much anything. If your readers are so inclined, they can follow us on Instagram @frostgiantofficial, on Facebook at facebook.com/frostgiantofficia l as well. We have a YouTube channel that needs more subscribers so we can get a custom URL, so please, search us out there and mash that button. And our music is available at frostgiant.bandcamp.com. The Harlot Star will be available there on 19 January 2018 and CDs can be ordered at transcendingrecords.com.

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Sabhankra/From The Frozen Mountains/Metalism Records/2018 CD Review

  Sabhankra  are  a  band  from  Turkey  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  epic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  on  this  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "From  The  Frozen  Mountains"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Metalism  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  influences.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  epic  and  symphonic  feeling  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  as  the  album  progresses  death  metal  growls  and  doom  metal  influences  can  also be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Sabhankra  moves  away  from  the  folk  elements  and  focuses  more  on  an  epic,  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  epic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sabhankra  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  epic  and  melodic  black/death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "They  Are  Everywhere"  and  "From  The  Frozen  Mountains".  8  out  of  10.

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Frost Giant/The Harlot Star/Transcending Records/2018 CD Review

  Frost  Giant  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk,  melodic  black/death  and  hardcore  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "The  Harlot  Star"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Transcending  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  sound  effects  in  the  background  and  after  awhile  heavier  riffs  are  added  into  the  music  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  some  clean  pagan  vocals  also  being  used  at  times.

  Death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  can  also be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  also  being  used  at  times  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  elements  of  folk  music  and  hardcore  punk  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  there  are  also  a  couple  of  instrumentals.

  Frost  Giant  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk,  melodic  black/death  metal  and  hardcore  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Heathenism,  Legends,  Mysticism,  and  Personal  Struggle  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Frost  Giant  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk,  melodic  black/death  metal  and  hardcore  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Forgive  Me  Not"  "The  Forgotten  Graves"  and  "Monuments  To  Nothing".  8  out  of  10.   

https://youtu.be/TBeOGMINaqg.

Lord Shades 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?
Alex : The new album will be released on the 8th of December 2017, we're preparing a French tour in 2018 and a series of shows along 2018 & 2019.

Cyril : Since we're done with the album, we've been looking for partners to promote and distribute it. We've inked a deal with Dooweet Agency which is in charge of promotion and distribution. Meanwhile, we're searching for gigs – at first in France, then we'll be trying to book gigs in Europe and get in touch with several European festivals.
We're preparing a show for the 13th of January that will be the starting point for the live promotion of the new album.

2.Recently you have released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
Alex : « The Uprising Of Namwell » is our third album and the end of a trilogy.

Cyril : First, with each album we want our sound to evolve. We try to learn from our mistakes on the previous albums. The toughest point with us is that each instrument has to be audible, the amplified ones (bass, guitars, drums) that are the skeleton of our music, but also the traditional ones (acoustic guitar, accordion, African percussions…) as well as the backing vocals – which for this new album have been performed by a real choir, without samples and electronic stuff. Then, once everything is mixed properly, we have to add to it the orchestral samples, the sound effects and the various sonic atmospheres created by our arranger Olivier PERRIN with whom we've been working since our first album, and who delivers a performance which makes us really proud.
The sound of « The Uprising Of Namwell » may be darker than on our previous album, but it's also more straight forward !

3.This is your first album since 2011 can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?
Alex : Yes, and the one before that was in 2008. I'd rather have some time running before starting to write new material, to let our tastes and expectations evolve between two albums. In doing so, in my opinion, a new album is inevitably more mature and different from the one before.

Cyril : Like Alex just said, that lapse of time allows us to put things into perspecvtive about what's been done in the past, and release a Lord Shades album which won't be a copy of the one before.
Between these two albums, we've been achieving some plans like playing at Wacken Open Air and Metal Days. We thank these two festivals for their trust. We also did a special show in France at Rock Metal Camp, which allowed us to play on stage with some of our studio guests. It was very interesting to show the audience something else than the average metal band, and help them discovering the human richness of the band.


4.Your lyrics have a concept involving a fantasy world that was made up by the songwriter, can you tell us a little bit more about it?
Alex : We have created the world and the saga of Lord Shades with the help of Laurent Barbarit, who is our official lyricist. He's been writing all of our lyrics since the beginning of the trilogy, we owe him a lot. The only exception on that new one is the choir singing in Latin, which has been written by Hugot Blanchet and the words in Arab written by Sofiane 2under, which he sings himself on the track « The Awakening ».

Cyril : As a matter of fact, all our lyrics are dealing with heroic fantasy. The story has been created from scratch. Laurent Babarit, our lyricist, wrote all by himself the words and the story after common ideas that we're discussing together during meetings about that topic.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Lord Shades'?
Alex : From the very first chapter of the trilogy, Lord Shades is a ghost locked within his own spell. We can see him sometimes as a dark misty mass, maybe that's one of the reasons why he's called « The Lord Shades ».

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Alex : Many French gigs and festivals have been amazing experiences, with great reception. But I think that Wacken 2012 and Metal Days 2014 still are the most amazing stages we've shared.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Alex : We're currently working on a co-produced tour for 2018, and looking for festivals in 2018-2019 in order to promote the new album and the whole trilogy as well.

Cyril : The plans for dates and tours are in progress, but it takes time to achieve that. It's hard today to set somehing reliable and serious. We don't want to play gigs that wouldn't be interesting neither for the audience nor for the band. Our goal is to deliver real shows that will transcribe Lord Shades' atmosphere and capture the audience.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of symphonic black and death metal?
Alex : The response to our second album has been excellent ! We've had a lot of positive reviews, and we can't wait to see how this third album will be greeted. We feel like waiting for doomsday !

Cyril : We don't claim to have reached a worldwide level with the second album, but the feedbacks were really good, from the media as well as from the fans.
Maybe this third album will help us reaching more people in various countries. We are currently waiting for feedback.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Alex : Anyway, on stage, in a communion with the numerous guests that we had on each album. The idea is to have much more than 4 people stepping on stage ! We tried it once, and we plan to make it again. Lord Shades really comes alive with those guests !

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Alex : Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Mozart, Benighted, Moonsorrow, Endlaved, Morbid Angel, Pink Floyd, Hanggai, Septic Flesh, Tinariwen… Many different things have an influence on us, all of us 4 have multiple and varied tastes.
Recently I discovered Skalmold live, and I went to see my favorite childhood band Helloween on their Pumpkins United tour.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Alex : Nature, country, fresh air… Everything that can be inspiring.

Cyril : Wine and good food… We're Gallic !

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Alex : First, huge thanks go to the guests who took part in our albums/demos/gigs, and without whom Lord Shades wouldn't have the same interest.
And last but not least, huge thanks to you !

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Guillotine/Self Titled/2017 Full Length Review

Guillotine are  a  band  from Georgia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of their  self  titled  and  self  released  2017  album.

  A  very  heavy  groove  metal  orientated  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with some  grim  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  also  start  to  make  their  presence  known.

  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up a   great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  and  sludge  metal  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  melodic  guitar  leads  can  be  heard  and  the  music  always  remains  heavy.

  Guillotine  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  doom,  southern  style  sludge  and  death  metal and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  time  travel,  ancient  aliens,  inter  dimensional  vampire  gods  and  conspiracy  theory  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Guillotine  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Emperor"  "Save  The  Drill"  and  "Not Worth  Saving".  8  out  of  10.

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