Battlesoul/Sunward And Starward/CDN Records/2018 CD Review

  Battlesoul  are  a  band  from  Ontario,  Canada  that  plays  a  very  brutal  and  melodic  form  of  Celtic  blackened  death  metal  with  a  touch  of  folk  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Sunward  And  Starward"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  CDN  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album along  with  a  great  amount of  blast  beats  while  power  metal  style  vocals  and  melodic  riffing  are  added  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in Celtic  folk  music  elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts while  the  tremolo picking  brings  in  elements  of  black  metal  along  with  some atmospheric  sounding  keyboards  as  well  as  some  screams  and  death  metal  growls  also  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  some  songs  also bring  in  a  small  amount  of  female  vocals  and  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Battlesoul  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black  and  brutal  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  folk  and  power  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Celtic  Themes  and  History.

  In  my  opinion  Battlesoul  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  brutal  mixture  of  black,  death,  folk  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "All  I  Understand"  "The  Watcher"  "The  loss  Of  Sons"  and  "Break  The  Day".  8/3  out  of  10.

Battlesoul

    

Abinchova/Weltenwanderer/Massacre Records/2018 CD Review

  Abinchova  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Weltenwanderer"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Massacre  Records.

  An  epic  sounding  intro  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  stringed  instruments  a  few  seconds  later  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  screams  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very powerful  sound  to  them  while  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  when  keyboards are  utilized  they  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  symphonic  feeling.

  Female  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  they  also  add  in  more  of  a  goth  and  operatic  feeling  while  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  melodic  death  metal  elements  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  growls  can  also  be  heard  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic guitars.

  Abinchova  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk  and  melodic  black/death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swiss  and  cover  Swiss  Mythology  and  Folklore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Abinchova  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk,  melodic  death  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Weltenwanderer"  "Eulemann"  "Pestwind"  and  "Sennenpuppe".  8/5  out  of  10.   

http://www.abinchova.ch https://www.facebook.com/Abinchova https://twitter.com/abinchova https://www.youtube.com/abinchova https://www.instagram.com/abinchova https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Zape1JhnU8g7iC1t9eEpR

  

Greyfell Interview

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

We recorded this album 2 years ago, we are currently composing new songs.
Now we are a four-piece band, it changes a lot of things, so we are working with this new line up and booking couple of good gigs for the next months

There is also something really cool, we are working on with friends on a new concept for us, two bands writing an album together.

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?

It's hard to precisely describe, it's a huge evolution on many aspects, but we think about it as a continuity of the first album. We also made a big work to find new sounds and textures. All those researches led us to different atmospheres.


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

The lyrics were written the same way on this album than they were on the first. It's always related to personal subjects, like an introspection treated in a metaphoric way.
The topics evolve in the same time than we do.

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

The name Greyfell comes from the Nordic mythology, it's one of the different universe that we draw inspiration from.


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


Our trip to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem was a great adventure. Playing at the Motocultor festival this summer was massive. We also had a lot of good memories during some « wild » tours across Europe.
And about the stage performance, I think you’d better ask this question to someone in the crowd :)

6.DO you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

We are working on a couple of mini tours in France for the release of the album.
We are talking about booking a European one this summer.

7.The new album was released on 'Argonauta Records' and 'Atypeek Music', are you happy with the duo support that they have given you so far?

Yes, it is new for us, we are very happy to release this album with two labels, It's great to have this collaboration supporting us, and it really makes this release happening in a good spirit.

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

Our first album was relatively confidential.
This one has just been released so we have to wait a little more to have feedbacks.
I think we cross over different styles and inspirations so that many people can get in our music, whatever the scene or the predilection kind of music they like. Some people might think we are not enough in one style or another, but that is the way we like it.


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

That's sure that we will go on experimenting and digging all the time about what we create as a band. That's the way we do music. We will continue to multiply influences to stay in a constant evolution.

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?

There are a lot of bands and musical scenes that influence us. It can be Kraut Rock, Death Metal or D-beat Punk, it depends of the mood. we listen to a lot of bands and I guess that they all have a part of influence in our music. This week I only listened to Leftover Crack and Booba’s latest album.


11.What are some of your non musical interests?

We are active within the Soza collective, who presents and broadcasts different forms of art and expression. We try to mix up every disciplines in a same way of apprehending things, the same spirit in different medias. It's a big part in our lives when we are not playing music.


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

We hope you will enjoy our new album.
Support your local scene.
We have a lot of friends who release music stuff through the Soza collective like The Sharkettes, MNNQNS, Elephants or Servo, go listen to them and support

Can't wait to tattoo my face myself with a sewing needle to make my mom cry.
Keep in touch in 2018 for the new stuff we are working on.

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Heidevolk 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?
Sure! First of all, most of us took some well earned time off from the band to get some rest and spend time with family and friends. In some cases that was needed after our pretty hectic touring schedule from the past 2 years. We played over a 100 shows together in this line-up, doing tours, festivals and even acoustic shows, and also spend a lot of time creating ‘Vuur vanVerzet’. Now that it’s finally released, we’ve started rehearsing again and are preparing ourselves for a busy and very promising 2018!

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?
I would say it’s a good mix of old and new Heidevolk. There’s definitely a vibe in some of the songs that connect with the early Heidevolk sound like the one we had on for instance ‘de Strijdlust is Geboren’. If you compare ‘Vuur van Verzet’ to the previous 2 albums ‘Batavi’ and ‘Velua’, there’s also a significant increase in traditional elements that we deliberately weaved into the songs. More violins, more instruments like nyckelharpa, Irish bouzouki, and on top of that a 24-piece male choir. So the new album is definitely more ‘folky’, epic, and traditional than recent Heidevolk. Doesn’t mean that it is less ‘metal’ in any way, since some of the songs are heavier and more metal than ever. There’s simply more balance in the mixture between these styles. A different approach. You could call that ‘the new and improved’ Heidevolk ;)

3.Your lyrics cover the history and culture of Gelderland and Germanic Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
Heidevolk is of course from the province of Gelderland, in the East of the Netherlands, close to the German border. When the band started out, the general idea was to combine metal music with a Viking choir. If you work with a choir, or at least with more than one voice, storytelling in the lyrics can be a natural thing. But the band also really wanted to tell these stories, the historic events in Gelderland, and the surrounding regions, and make those the center focus of the lyrics. And this of course comes from the basic interest in history and mythology that the founding members of Heidevolk already had back then, and it is this general interest in history that every single Heidevolk member has to this day, and also should have in my opinion, to be able to play in this band with the right attitude and mindset.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Heidevolk'?
Literally, it means ‘people of the heather’. The word ‘heide’ does not refer to ‘heathen’ as many people like to think. The Dutch word for that is ‘heiden’, with an extra ‘n’ at the end. When you visit the Veluwe, a ridge of hills filled with forests in the province of Gelderland, stretching out over more than 1000 km2, you will easily understand where the name Heidevolk comes from. The land in between the forests is largely covered by heath, or ‘heide’ as the Dutch call it. TheVeluwe is basically our backyard, the place where the band was formed, and where we draw inspiration from.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Oh, there have been many great shows, difficult to choose! Looking at recent years, I have to mention the gig we did at Hellfest in 2016. We played on one of the big tent stages, and when we were up, the place was absolutely packed with Heidevolk fans, from front to back. Outside the tent, all the way in the back, there were loads of people trying to watch the show from an impossible distance. But the atmosphere on that particular moment was magical. We felt it.The crowd felt it. It was one big party from start to finish, and one of the most memorable festival gigs we ever did. Another one to mention is a club show we did in Sao Paulo, Brazil, that same year in November. It was our first tour in South America, and instantly one to remember. The Sao Paulo show was crazy, somewhere around 1600 people in the venue, packed to the rim, singing along every single song. Really special, and they were really loud haha. But describing our live performances, I would say we all feel the same about this. It’s Rock and Roll, and that’s what we strive for on stage. A fun show to watch, with raw energy, lots of movement, emotion and passion, and loads of interaction with the crowd, as is usually tradition in the folk and pagan metal scene.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
You bet your ass we do haha! Next month we will start a 4-week European run under the moniker ‘FolkMetal Superstars’. Korpiklaani will headline, and support will come from us and our friends Arkona and Trollfest, together with a variety of local support acts. This will definitely be a big and fun tour, and we are really looking forward to it. Venues are already selling out as we speak! After this, we will most likely do a couple club shows, and then the whole festival season will start again. We’re already working on those dates, as well as another short tour halfway the year (location not yet determined), and nearing the end of 2018 we’ll schedule another long tour outside Europe. No specifics yet that I can tell you, unfortunately. But all in all, there’s going to be plenty of touring this year to support the new album.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your newer music by fans of folk and viking metal?
Great! We still see an increase in fans and support with every new release that we put out there. We’re not complaining ;)

8.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
Playing in a band such as Heidevolk demands a certain commitment. Of course, we are free to do whatever we feel like besides the band, but practically speaking there isn’t always enough time to do so. When there is, however, enough time to work on special projects and/or other bands, we do what we can or feel like. It varies with each individual member. For instance, I know that Rowan (Roodbaert) is focused on creating more music for himself whenever he has time on his hands, like he did in the past with ‘I shall move the Earth’. Lars (Nachtbreaker) also does vocals and bass in ‘Godenbloed’. Kevin (Storm) has a variety of projects and session jobs going on. As for me (Koen Vuurdichter), I still have my old band ‘Detonation’, in which I have been playing since 1997. I haven’t done much for that band these past years, but there are still plans to create another album whenever time permits it. We will see.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Hard to say, although I’m pretty convinced Heidevolk will never completely change its’ style. Because then it would no longer be Heidevolk. As simple as that. So I’m sure the metal and folk influences will always remain, as will our trademark 2-vocalists. I cannot see that being changed in the future. But what WILL change then? Maybe more traditional instruments? Time will tell. I do think the band still has many paths to explore within the boundaries of this subgenre. There’s plenty of stuff we can try out, and still remain true to the bands’ original sound.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Since Rowan (Roodbaert) wrote the majority of ‘Vuur van Verzet’, both musically and lyrically, it is whatever influenced him what ended up influencing us, haha. But of course, we all have our own influences. For me personally, looking at recent times, there have been a couple bands that inspired me, and that I really enjoyed listening to. ‘Leprous’, for instance. And more recently, ‘Soen’. These are not influences that directly influenced my guitar playing for Heidevolk, but more on a personal and psychological level it has done exactly that.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
That’s easy. For all the band members combined; nature, history and mythology. For me personal, I also enjoy astronomy, writing books and stories (as a published author), and spending quality time with my wife and son.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me, and thanks to the fans for reading this and supporting us! The response towards the new album has been overwhelming so far, and we cannot wait to repay that positivity by giving you a kick ass show in return somewhere around the globe!
Proost, and keep the Pagan Metal Brotherhood alive!
- Koen ‘Vuurdichter’ Romeijn.

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Inhibitions/La Danse Macabre/Satanath Records/Ira Aeterna/2018 CD Review

  Inhibitions  are  a  duo  from  Greece  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "La  Danse  Macabre"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath  Records  and  Ira  Aeterna.

  A  horror  movie  orientated  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction  while  also  introducing  symphonic  elements  onto  the  recording  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly grim  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  as  well  as  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's,  melodic  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  one  of  the  later  tracks  and  a  later  song  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  they  close  the  album  with  a  cover  of  Satyricon's  "K.I.N.G".

  Inhibitions  plays  a  style  of  symphonic  black  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Inhibitions  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Calling"  "My  Journey  To  Death"  "Harsh  Awakening"  and  "Rusty  Razor".  8  out  of  10. 

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Rumahoy/The Triumph Of Piracy/Napalm Records/2018 CD Review

  Rumahoy  are  a  band  from  North  Carolina  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  pirate  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "The  Truimph  Of  Piracy"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Napalm  Records.

  Drum  beats  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  and  folk  instruments  start  off  the  album  while  the  riffing  also  brings  in a   great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  all  of  the musical  instruments having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals a re  a  mixture  of  rough  pirate  singing  and  clean  pagan  vocals.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  black  metal  screams  along  with  a  brief  use  of  shamanistic  style  percussion  as  the  album  progresses  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  bringing  in  the  energy  of  punk  rock  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  elements  of  video  game  and  electronic  music.

  Rumahoy  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  pagan,  folk  and  pirate  metal  and  mixes  them  together  with  more  of  a humorous  approach  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  pirates,  drinking,  booty  and  questing  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Rumahoy  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  pagan,  folk,  and  pirate  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "AHOY"  "Forest  Party"  "Netflex  And  Yarn"  and  "The  Truimph  Of  Piracy".  8  out  of  10.

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Ophe/Litteras Ad Tristia Maestrum Solitude/My Kingdom Music/2018 CD Review

  Ophe  is  a  solo  project  from  France  that  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Litteras  Ad  Tristia  Maestrum  Solitude"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  My  Kingdom  Music.

  Drum  beats  along  with  some  avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them and  when  the  music  speeds  up a   decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  experimental  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in length  along  with  some  saxophones  and  clean  vocals  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  grim  spoken  word  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  avant  garde  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  when  guitar  leads  are utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Ophe  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  experimental and  avant  garde  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics are  written  in  French  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ophe  is  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Somnum  Sempiternum"  and  "XVIII".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/OPHEBM

      

Monotone Depression/X Life/2018 Demo Review

  Monotone  Depression  is  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  goth  rock  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2018  demo  "X  Life".

  Atmospheric  synths  along  with  some  mid  tempo  black  metal  style  riffing  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  a  great  amount  of  goth  rock  influences  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  done  in  more  of  a  clean  style.

  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  death  and  depressive  rock  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  style.

  Monotone  Depression  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  goth  rock  and  mid  tempo  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Monotone  Depression  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  goth  rock  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Out  Of  Tune  With  Life"  and  "On  A  Plane  With  The  Devil".  8  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/-s eycKT1-tg

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Arkona/Khram/Napalm Records/2018 CD Review

  Arkona  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Khram"  which  will  be  released  on  January  18th  by  Napalm  Records.

  A  very  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams,  spoken  words  and  whispers  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  awhile  folk  instruments  and  shaman  style  percussion  is  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  a  great  amount  of  clean  female  vocals  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  synths  are  utilized  they  give  the  songs  a  more  atmospheric  feeling  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  all  of  the  musical instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars,  when  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  black  metal  edge.

  Arkona  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes folk,  pagan  and  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Russian  and  cover  Slavic  Paganism,  Folk  Tales,  Legends  and  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Arkona  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk,  pagan  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shtorm" "Khrom"  and  "Volchitsa".  8  out  of  10.

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Greyfell/Horsepower/Argonauta Records/2018 CD Review

  Greyfell  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom, stoner  metal,  psychedelic  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Horsepower"  which  was  released  by  Argonauta  Records.

  Atmospheric  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  stoner  style  melodies  along  with  the  clean  vocals  bringing  in  more  of  a  traditional  doom  metal  feeling  as  well  as  the  songs  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  psychedelic  elements.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  along  with  the  melodies  also  adding  in  touches  of  post  hardcore  as  well  as  all  of  the  songs  sticking  to  a  very  slow  direction,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  synths  also  gives  the  songs  a  more  atmospheric  feeling.

  Greyfell  plays  a  musical  styles  that  takes  black,  stoner.  doom  metal,  psychedelic  and  hardcore  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  Greyfell  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  stoner,  doom  metal,  psychedelic  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Horses"  and  "Spirit  Of  The  bear".  8  out  of  10. 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Greyfellband

Bandcamp: https://greyfell.bandcamp.com

Verikalpa/Taistelutahto/Inverse Records/2018 CD Review

  Verikalpa  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  folk/troll metal and this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Taistelutahto"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Inverse  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  epic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  folk  instruments  also  being  mixed  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  melodic  fashion  while  clean  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  shamanistic  and  folk  music  fashion  along  with  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  elements  of  melodic  death  metal  and  back  up  shouts  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  Verikalpa  plays  a  style  of  folk  metal  which  also  mixes  in  the  heaviness  of  black  and  melodic  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  drinking,  trolls  and  blood  splattered  eternal  battles.

  In  my  opinion  Verikalpa  are  a  very  great  sounding  folk/troll  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Viimseen  Asti"  "Kuoppajaiset"  "Viinapiru"  and  "Rautatammi".  8  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/J_6rKZNNYkY 



  

Agrimonia/Awaken/Southern Lord Recordings/2018 CD Review

  Agrimonia  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  post  metal  and  crust  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Awaken"  which  will  be  released  on  January  26th  by  Southern  Lord  Recordings.

  Atmospheric  yet  heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodies  and  elements  of  post  metal  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  influenced  screams  and  clean  singing  and  death  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Most  of t he  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  slow  riffs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  synths  and  as  the  album  progresses elements  of  crust  can  also  be  heard  in  the  mid tempo  sections  of  the  songs.

  Agrimonia  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  post  metal  and  grindcore  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  Agrimonia  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  post  metal  and  crust  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Astray"  and  "The  Sparrow".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/agrimonia.swe

https://agrimoniasl.bandcamp.com

  

Vile Creature/Cast Of Static And Smoke/Halo Of Flies/Dry Cough/2018 CD Review

  Vile  Creature  are    band  from  Ontario,  Canada  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  sludge metal  and  this  is  a  review  of their  2018  album  "Cast  Of  Static  And  Smoke"  which  will  be  released  in  March  as  a  joint  effort  by  Halo  Of  Flies  and  Dry  Cough.

  Clean  playing  along  with  some  nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  after  awhile  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  sludge  and  doom  metal  direction  as  well  as  introducing  tortured  screams  onto  the  recording  which  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal.

  All of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  hardcore  style  shouts  and  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  riffs  start  using  more  melodies  as  well  as  all  of  the  songs sticking  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction  and  melodic  guitar  leads  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Vile  Creature  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  doom  and  sludge  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own, t he  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  involving  a  science  fiction  and  dystopian  story.

  In  my  opinion  Vile  Creature  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Circuits  Bending  And  Breaking"  and  "Sky,  In  Descending  Pieces".  8  out  of  10.

bandcamp / facebook / twitter

Chrch/Fister/Crown And Throne Ltd./2017 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  California's  Chrch  and  Missouri's  Fister  which  was  released  by  Crown  And  Throne  Ltd.  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Chrch  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  and  sludge  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  clean  guitars  along  with  some  drums  being  added  onto  the  recording  a  couple  of  months  later which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  some  sludge  style  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  their  side  of  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  their  track  is  over  16  minutes  in  length  along  with  a  brief  use  of  clean  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  the  music  always  remaining  slow,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Chrch  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Next up  is Fister  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  sludge  and  stoner  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  drum  beats  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  the  track  being  20  minutes  in  length  as  well as  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  stoner  metal  along  with  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  slow  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Fister  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  stoner  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  stoner  metal.  8  out  of  10.

http://crownandthroneltd.bigcartel.com/product/fister-chrch-split-12 or here: http://www.battlegroundrnr.com/product/chrch-fister-split-album

Northwind Wolves/Dark Cold Grim/Black Lion Records/2017 CD Review

  Northwind  Wolves  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Dark Cold  Grim"  which  will  be  released  by Black  Lion  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  as  well  as  the  vocals  being  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  When t he  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  while  the  music  also  mixes  in a  decent  amount  of  symphonic  elements  along  with  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,

  Northwind  Wolves  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  symphonic  in  the  90's  tradition, the production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Sorcery  and  Black  Magick  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Northwind  Wolves  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark Skies  For  Black  Sorcery"  "Foul  Wolves  And  Black  Magic"  "Cold  Hearted  Kings  Of  the  Occult"  and  "Celestial  Extinction".  8  out  of  10.


Homepage: http://northwindwolves.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Northwindwolves666

Coilguns/Millenials/Hummus Records/2018 CD Review

  Coilguns  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  sludge,  noise,  d  beat  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Millenials"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Hummus  Records.

  Dark  yet  melodic  and  heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later  awhile  the  angry  vocals  bring  in  touches  of  sludge  and  black  metal  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Elements  of  post  hardcore  and  noise  rock  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  elements  of  d  beat  and  grindcore  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  musical  gets  more  experimental  and  the  songs  also  bring  in a   decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts.

  Coilguns  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  black  metal,  sludge,  noise  rock,  post  hardcore,  d  beat,  grind  and  experimental  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cove  dark and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Coilguns  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  mixture  of  black  metal,  sludge,  grind,  d  beat,  noise  rock  and  post  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Anchorite"  "Spectogram"  "Self  Employment  Scheme"  and  "The  Screening".  8  out  of  10.

'Millenials' for full on Bandcamp    

Golden Dawn Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project these days?
1. I haven't created new music for Golden Dawn since 2010. But I am working as producer, composer or studio musician for a handful of other bands and sometimes, when I donate really cool parts to those other projects, I think to myself something like "shit, this riff would be perfect for Golden Dawn, why are you giving it away". So maybe I will be able to keep the best ideas for myself in the future haha, then a new album could be done, but it is very hard for me to fulfill my own demands.

2.How would you describe the musical sound of the newer music?
2. To be honest, Golden Dawn should be judged on the basis of the early demos, the first and now re-released album, plus the unreleased albums "Sublimity" and "A solemn day" (hopefully they will also see a release, right now I think only a dozen of people has ever heard them). The official second album "Masquerade" was some kind of Gothic Black Metal with Power Metal influences, awfully artificial keyboards and even more awful vocals and production. The third album "Return to provenance" was mid-tempo Black Metal with some good creative moments but also some average songs without climax. Back then I wanted to write simpler songs without too much progressive touches, that could be good on stage, but out of a lack of good session musicians, a live performance never happened.

3.In between 2012 and 2017 ther has been no new music, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
3. I have my own recording studio and work as producer for a lot of bands. Also I kind of felt that I have nothing more to "say" in terms of progressive or symphonic Black Metal and I wanted to create simpler, more atmospheric and hypnotic music. This is why I started Rauhnåcht, which is my main band nowadays.

4.Some of your lyrics cover Shamanism, Sorcery and Lucid Dreaming, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
4. This is something I have been connected to since my childhood, I have also experienced lucid dreaming. This is when you realize that you are dreaming and start to have control over your dream. Then you can use the energy that is hidden within the dream to leave your body and take a trip to other worlds. For me, shamanism and sorcery are just ways that lead to an alternative perception of reality. We can walk this path when we understand that energy is much more important than matter and that we can control and use the universial energy with the powers of mind and soul. We are all creators of reality.

5.I know that the music project was named after the Hermetic Order Of The Golden Dawn, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in Hermeticism and Western Occultism?
5. I read some books of Aleister Crowley and other "western sorcerers" when I started Golden Dawn, so yes, the name comes from there but for me, it is also a synonym for the state of enlightenment. Nowadays I am no longer into any kind of "system" or "teachings". I think that the core of most of this reflects a deep truth but also it is subject to man's misinterpretations and problems with our ego. The ultimate truth you can only find when you step beyond all systems and realize that they are all true and also wrong at the same time - which is in fact an "Eastern" thought out of Zen buddhism. As soon as something like spiritual truth is written down or put into systematic patterns, it loses its pureness as it can't be understood with the mind. Meditating or doing some Qi Gong moves in nature while focussing on my breathing often takes me closer to ultimate truth than anything that is written down in books.

6.At different times this band has been either a solo project of full band, can you tell us a little bit more about the decision behind forming a full line up before going back to working solo?
6. Well, I have the impression that I am quite good at taking basic ideas from others and enrich them. The results are often better than what I can create from scratch on my own. On the other hand I never found someone who really harmonizes with my way of perceiving music and also on a personal basis. Also I have to deal a lot with other musicians in my studio work, where it is my job to subordinate to their wants and needs, so I need the freedom to have projects where I am my own boss.

7.What where some of the best shows that the band had played back in the day and also how would you describe your stage performance?

7. Golden Dawn has never performed live so far.

8.Recently 'Casus Belli Musica' re-issued your 1996 album, can you tell us a little bit more about the newer version?
8. It is limited to 100 pieces on vinyl and has the original tape sound with only slight remastering. The cover artwork is looking really great, finally after more than 20 years this is how it should have looked like on the original. I want to express my discontent with the capitalist practises of Napalm Records here, they did the first repress on CD in I think 2001. Back then, the original label Dark Matter Records was already defunct, so they got the rights for free. Now they demanded 300 EUR for the rights to press the 100 LPs and even offered me to buy back all rights on my own for 1000 EUR. Dudes, that feels like when Nestlé takes the water from the poor and sells it back to them. When somebody out there is interested in "The Art of Dreaming", please either look for the original CD or for the new LP, but keep your hands off the Napalm release (which also has a bad remastering and artwork).

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?
9. In the mid 90ies I got good feedback and letters from all over the world but when Black Metal turned bigger and hundreds of new bands emerged, of course Golden Dawn was not really in the focus anymore and got forgotten in the course of time. All the more surprised I was when I realized that my old demo stuff is still hunted by some collectors and all demos now finally saw a release on CD or LP. In general I think that many people are actually bored by today's Black Metal which rarely offers something fresh, also I think that today's highly edited digital fast food productions make people appreciate the older bands.

10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that you are a part of?
10. Actually quite a lot. With Rauhnåcht I have released a new split and plan an album (or double album) for early 2018. I am also working as "ghost writer" for a new band called The Negative Bias, the first album has been released via ATMF from Italy, in 2018 we will release a split EP with one Golden Dawn track from 2010 via Seance Records. Also I can mention the current/upcoming releases of Wallachia and Nocturne, where I also contributed arrangements and production. Then I am also about to finish a very calm Dungeon Synth/Ambient album, I still have to decide under which name and on which label it will be released. Oh, and I forgot to mention A portrait of flesh and blood, a new "international" band, the music comes from Japan, vocals from the USA and I am in the middle so to say and contribute keyboards and some additional arrangements. It will be a good mix of Symphonic Black Metal and Post Black Metal/DSBM, the first album will probably come on Zero Dimensional Records from Japan.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
11. I think I will produce more calm, Synth-driven or symphonic stuff in the future but I am pretty sure that I will still feel the drive to do blast beats and tremolo guitars also. The way my music will go will reflect my personal development, so I am curious myself how it will sound haha.

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?
12. Definitely Bathory was a major reason for me to start making music, both the "Viking era" and the old albums. Also the advent of the second Black Metal wave with especially Emperor, Darkthrone, Burzum and Satyricon influcended me a lot. But I was also listening a lot to Doom and bands like Tiamat or My Dying Bride, which can also be recognized in my early demos. Apart from Metal I was a big fan of Dead can Dance and also listened to Ambient as well as Synth pioneers like Jean-Michel Jarre. I think that it was this big range of influences that made "The Art of Dreaming" a really diverse record. I must say that nowadays I still listen to many of the stuff I already liked as a teenager. Admittedly I do not follow the current extreme Metal scene very much.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?
13. I love to take trips through nature and do hiking or mountainbike tours in my local mountain areas. This is my way to set me free from all stress or daily routines. But music is part of nearly each and every of my days.

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
14. Thank you for your support and the opportunity to share some of my thoughts. To the people out there, even though Black Metal is an extreme style and most bands sing about negative or nihilistic topics - don't forget that music is art and there is no art without soul.

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