Scimitar Interview

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



Scimitar was formed in 2007 by George Anstey (Guitars 2007-2017) and me after I complimented his Iron Maiden shirt in a high school Spanish class.  At the time I was hopelessly enamored with the Death, Black and early Viking/Pagan Metal bands that I had found on file-sharing networks such as Kazaa and Limewire; George and I immediately knew that was the type of metal we wanted to play.  Soon after we began jamming, George’s little brother Noel also learned guitar and in 2008 we recruited our high school friend Clayton Basi to play drums. We began gigging that year and had the advantage of local originality, as our blend of Melodic Death/Black/Pagan Metal was well established in Europe but didn’t yet exist in our area of Canada. Since then we have released two albums, two EP’s, three singles and played extensively across Western Canada. We are happy to call Victoria, BC our home base and to still be involved in the awesome metal scene that has supported us there.



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



Our sound has heavily matured since ‘Black Waters,’ ‘Shadows of Man’ is a much more coherent album with stricter songwriting. Like many young metal bands, we used to have a tendency to write long songs that are largely compilations of riffs with not always similar themes.  We still write overly long songs, but at least on ‘Shadows’, the structure of them isn’t quite as arbitrary. There is also more variety in the genres of metal we integrate into ‘Shadows,’ with quite a few sections of folk instruments, Brutal Death Metal and Black Metal. Lyrically ‘Shadows’ also has much more historical narrative than ‘Black Waters.’



2. This is also your first full length since 2010, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?



In the eight years since ‘Black Waters’ Scimitar has toured Western Canada, played multiple festivals, gigged in Victoria and Vancouver consistently and released three self-produced singles.  All four members of Scimitar also finished their university degrees during this time; George with a major in Business, Noel with a double major in Computer Science and Music, Clayton with a major in Communications and myself with a double major-minor in History, Political Science and Writing.



With Noels new training in music production from his degree, we attempted to self-record ‘Shadows’; resulting in the ‘To Cultivate with Spears’ and the ‘Wandering at the Moon’ singles. The album was never entirely finished as Scimitar also went through two major lineup changes over this period, with keyboardist David Douglas leaving the band in 2012 to pursue his education and founding member/guitarist George leaving in 2016 to join the emerging Canadian cannabis industry. Early in 2017, Jesse Turner was recruited to replace George on guitar, two years of dogged production later ‘Shadows of Man’ was finally complete.



4. Your lyrics also cover historical fiction and fantasy themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in those topics?



Clayton and I love the Warhammer universe and other dark fantasy such as Steven Erikson’s ‘Malazan Book of the Fallen’ and the ‘Lord of the Rings/Silmarillion’.  Our Warhammer 40k obsession eventually led us to find our album artist Hammk. I have also always enjoyed writing short stories; a few Scimitar songs reflect this fantasy-narrative style.



The historical lyrics became much more prevalent in Scimitar as we all labored away on our degrees, as previously mentioned I majored in History.  I always had a feeling that human history is so fraught with compelling stories of violence, glory, and terror that I would be hard-pressed to imagine anything more Metal than our past itself. I then began to make notes specifically for Scimitar songs while I was doing research for essays or even during lectures in class.



Three songs from Shadows of Man are the direct result of these notes; ‘Knights Collapse’ is a tongue-in-cheek tale of the Battle of Agincourt from a History of Medieval Warfare class, ‘Flayed on the Birch Rack’ narrates a Beaver Wars era Haudenosaunee captive-taking ritual from an Early Colonial North America class and ‘To Cultivate with Spears’ is a biographic ballad about Shaka Zulu from an African History class.



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



Our earlier music had a much more nautical feel as evident in our 2010 release, Black Waters and we initially considered a few different pirate-ish band names. The name Scimitar was eventually decided upon largely by the influence of an item drop in Diablo II, which Clayton and I logged many hours in.



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



The artwork for the album was done by the renowned Warhammer fan-artist Hammk.  It depicts a scene from the two-part title track of the album, Shadows of Man I: Imperium and II: Cataclysm.  These songs are a fantasy narrative about the rise and fall of an ocean-locked archipelago empire, mainly influenced by the fall of Easter Island and 1833-1836 series of paintings ‘The Course of Empire’ by Thomas Cole.



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



Our stage performance is specifically sculpted to be highly professional while still maintaining furious energy. We take pride in being an easy and efficient band to work with and in respecting our audience by making our performance as compelling as possible for them.  This approach has earned us the honor of opening for quite a few of our Metal heroes over the years; for example Inquistion (2010), Soulfly (2014), Arkona (2013 and ‘15), Heidevolk (2015) and Hibria (2017). Recently we were ecstatic to open for our single biggest influence; Ensiferum, at a Vancouver theatre shows alongside Septic Flesh (2019).



A very memorable show for us was at the late Edmonton festival Farmaggeddon (2014); the festival area was in the middle of a farm plot and a small tornado rolled through the campgrounds while we were mid-song! We didn’t end up stopping our performance even as tents were torn up from the ground and a pair of jeans was carried up into the stratosphere.



Our most recent gig at Vancouver Island Metal Festival 2019 also holds a special place in our hearts as it was our release show for ‘Shadows of Man.’  It was an indescribable feeling of elation to present the material we had worked on for so many years to such a manic crowd in the main square of our home city.



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



We have a few exciting gigs coming up soon; speaking of our pirate-metal beginnings we are opening for the Scottish legends Alestorm in our hometown this November.  We are also playing Winterfest 2020 at the Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver in January. No solid tour plans as of yet, but we are planning a Western-Canadian festival circuit for summer 2020.



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



Honestly, we have not received any direct interest but we have also not shopped ourselves around yet.  Once we determine that getting signed is our next priority we will put in the specific work to make it happen.



10. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of folk, pagan and melodic death metal?



The reception has been overwhelmingly positive; we have received lots of compliments referring to the originality we bring to the melodic death and pagan metal genres, our song and lyrics-writing and how polished the record is despite being self-produced.  We have gotten a few negative reviews of the single, ‘Knights Collapse’ due to the unconventional rappy nature of the vocals – though we did expect it to be a divisive song.



11. What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?



Noel’s Ska/Raggae group Blackwood Kings is also busy gigging around BC. Clayton also plays drums in the rising deathcore act Shallow End and does vocals in Parasitic Twin. Jesse plays guitar and sings in Secondhand Habit, Aetherion, Thigma, and Strategic Abuse.  Scimitar is my only musical project.



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

We will continue to refine our sound to be ever more grandiose, catchy and efficient – we want to achieve excellence with our music that is demonstrable by the experience of the listener. We are also striving to write more concise and musically coherent songs.



13. 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?



Our primary influences are the first wave of Viking/Pagan/Folk Metal bands such as Ensiferum, Einherjer, Tyr, Thyrfing and Falkenbach.  Mithotyn, Kromlek, Black Messiah and Svartsot were also very influential musically, as well as bands from other extreme metal genres like Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Destroyer 666 and Sodom.  We also have to give a serious nod to the legends; Rush, Iron Maiden, Dio, Judas Priest, and Manowar.



Personally I listen to a lot of rap – lately, it’s been Jarv, Masta Ace and A Tribe Called Quest.  For metal I always have King Diamond, Taake and Bolt Thrower on rotation; more recently I have really been digging Idle Hands, Heron, Wormwitch and the cassette from Clayton’s other band Shallow End.



14. Does Paganism play any role in your music?



The primary role that Paganism has played in Scimitar is by our influences; as previously mentioned our greatest musical influences were early European Viking/Pagan metal bands that we found on file-sharing networks in the mid 2000’s. A few of our earlier tracks thus have some pagan themes in the lyrical content, but since then our focus has shifted much more towards historical narrative and fantasy.



15. What are some of your non musical interests



As previously mentioned Diablo II played a role in the selection of our band name; both Clayton and I are avid PC gamers.  Clayton also is quite involved in tabletop gaming and RPG’s.



Other than making metal I also enjoy lifting it; I compete in powerlifting competitions, this year I did British Columbia Provincials, Canadian Westerns and Nationals as well as the strongman competition at the Victoria Highland Games.



Noel is very involved in music production outside of our band as well; he is part owner and founder of a new studio in Victoria called Quadratic Sound.



Jesse is kept very busy by music as he currently plays guitar and sings for five different bands including Scimitar.



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


Well, first of all, we would like to thank you for interviewing us!  Also a major hail to the Scimi-Tarmy for their steadfast support over the last ten years, and to all the new fans joining us now with the release of ‘Shadows.’  We love you dearly and stay Metal \m/
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Totengefluster/The Faceless Divine/Black Lion Records/2019 CD Review

  Totengefluster  are  a  band  from Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "The  Faceless  Divine"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Black  Lion  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  and  also  introduces  symphonic  elements  onto  the  recording  which  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as  well as  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  good  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  music  also  being  mostly  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  symphonic  style.

 A  couple  of  tracks  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  along  with  a  couple  of  songs    also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  as  the  album  progress  guttural  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music,  one  of  the later  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental  and  clean  vocals  are  also  added  on  the  closing  bonus  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sorrow,  death  an  insanity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Totengefluster  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "On  Carrion  Wings"  "Affliction"  "Vermin"  and  "The  Hollow  Wanderer".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/eD_smf7fjw4

Selenite/Mahasamadhi/Seance Records/2019 CD Review

  Selenite  are  a  solo  project  from  Austria  that  plays  a  mixture  of  symphonic  black  and  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "Mahasamadhi"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Seance  Records.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  funeral  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  yet  depressive  sounding  melodies  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  death  metal  growls.

  Keyboards  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  90's  era  doom/death  metal  influences.  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  symphonic  elements  at  times.

  One  track  also  introduces  clean  male  vocals and  grim  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when t hey  are  utilized  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction,  as  the  album  progresses  operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.   The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Sanskrit  Mantras  and  Eastern  Spirituality  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Selenite  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  symphonic  black  and  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Requiem  For  a  Soul"  and  "Final  Reckoning".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/sNQ9sW0isBY

Kurgan/Yggdrasil Burns/Massacre Records/2019 CD Review

  Kurgan  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019 album  "Yggdrasil  Burns"  which  will  be  released  on  September  20th  by  Massacre  Records.

  Thunderstorm  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  classical  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  before  introducing  melodic  guitar  leads  onto  the  recording.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Elements  of  viking  music  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  Scandinavian  style,  classical  guitars  also  make  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks.

  Kurgan  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic forms  of  viking,   black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Death,  Norse  Mythology,  Battles,  Blood,  Gore  and  Medieval  character  themes.

  In  my opinion  Kurgan  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Fall  Of  Asgard"  "Kill  The Enemy"  "Evil  Dead"  and  "Over  the  Lands,  Into  The  Sea".  8  out  of  10.

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Singularity/Place Of Chains/The Artisan Era/2019 CD Review

  Singularity  are  a  band  from  Tempe,  Arizona  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  symphonic  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Place  Of  Chains"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  the  Artisan  Era.

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  technical  style  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  head.

  Vocals  bring  in a  mixture  of  grim  black  metal  screams  and  guttural  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  riffs  also  getting  very  technical  at  times.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  some  of  the  faster  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  and  a  small  amount  of  clean  vocals  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  enslavement  and  science  fiction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Singularity  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  and  technical  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Victory  Or  Death"  "Consume  And  Assume"  and  "As  Dark  As  This  Nefarious  Night".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/_ew4XwrAlVM

Astaroth Incarnate/Ascendance/2019 EP Review

  Astaroth  Incarnate  are  a  band  from  Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  along  with  some  elements  of  goth  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2019  ep  "Ascendance"which  will  be  released  in  December.

  A  very  dark  sound  along  with  some  clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep before  going  into  a  faster  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Symphonic  elements  are  also  mixed  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  balance  between  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  elements  of  goth,  avant  garde  and  doom  metal,  clean  playing  also  returns  on  the  later  tracks  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  and  the  ep  closes  with  a  cover  of  Cradle  Of  Filth's  "Her  Ghost  In  The  Fog"  which  also  introduces  female  vocals  onto  the  recording.

  On  this  recording  Astaroth  Incarnate  goes  into  more  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  while  also  adding  in  some  avant  garde,  doom  and  goth  emtal  influences  to  takes  their  style  to  another  level.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  involving  the  alpha  and  the  omega.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Astaroth  Incarnate  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  symphonic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "I  Am  Death  (Alpha)".  8  out  of  10.

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Doom Rot Interview

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

Before this project I played in many bands. But my problem of communicating with people made itself felt. Six months ago I started playing music in my home Studio. I had the idea to start a one man project. I originally planned to play Groove/Death Metal. But when I started writing music, there were a lot of Black Metal elements in it. I really liked how it all blends and I decided to act. And so the story of my project began.

2.Can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you have went for on your recordings so far?

I'm a big fan of Swedish school of Melodic Death Metal and Black Metal. I liked the way they blends, I also liked the addition of Groove elements. Groove riffs that "rocks", melancholy of Melodic Death Metal, anger and darkness of Black Metal. In addition, I listen to a lot of different music and each in its own way influenced all this.

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

Of course death and destruction! (Joke.) In the lyrics most often I write about my misanthropy, human lust, the loss of people that were close to me, and about feelings of loneliness. Also sometimes about the mythical and mystical themes. In the lyrics I most often write "as is", without hidden meanings. I want to communicate my thoughts and feelings to the audience more clearly.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Doom Rot'/

The meaning of the most banal. Doom represents the destructive activities of people. Rot - that people are just soulless meat that will die and rot. And I'm also a fan of game Doom.

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

I am ready to work with other people in the recording and production of other musicians. I have two dreams and one of them is to work with sound and help others with it. I get wild pleasure from it, ready to sit in the Studio all day and night. As part of my project, I don't want to work with anyone. It is only mine and only I can Express my thoughts correctly.

6.You have also done an 'Immortal' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

Immortal once pushed me to make music alone. I was very inspired by them. And just recently, I decided to cover the song "Tyrants", thereby paying tribute to them. If it wasn't for them, maybe my project wouldn't have happened.

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

You know, before I didn't see the point in subscribing to the label, because I could solve all my problems and questions myself. But now I'm open to suggestions. I have more work, less time to do other things. For example: to make CDs, organize concerts and so on. It's getting harder to do everything alone. So yeah, I wouldn't mind working with someone on that.

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

Honestly, I was surprised how well people perceived my work. I haven't heard any negative reviews yet, which is strange nowadays. I am eternally grateful to all of them, I wish them only good from the bottom of my heart.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

I rush from one thought to another, but it would be a pleasure for me to sit in the Studio and work with my music, to work with other musicians. Engage in sound engineering. Sometimes to give concerts. I just want to make music as much, as good, and as long as possible. I'll do it until I die.

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/

From Black Metal: Immortal, Burzum, Darkthrone, Watain. Of Melodic/Death Metal: Death, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, The Duskfall, At The Gates, Insomnium, Amon Amarth, Helltrain. From Groove/Death: Feared, Machine Head, DevilDriver. Currently I often listen to Sylosis, In Flames, Celldweller, The Prodigy, Strapping Young Lad, Hypocrisy, Children Of Bodom. So many things, I am always with music.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I love to take pictures, to cook, I also love computer games. But all this is given little time due to the heavy workload.

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

Yes. Thank you very much for the interview!
I want to say that I will continue to try to please people with my creativity.
And a couple of off-topic thoughts: happiness is doing what you really like. And when it is estimated by people, it is doubly happiness.

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Scimitar/Shadows Of Man/2019 CD Review

  Scimitar  are  a  band  from  Victoria  B.C,  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  black,  death  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "Shadows  Of  Man".

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  folk  instruments  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Vocals  also  bring  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clear  pagan  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  as  the  album  progresses  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  power  metal  screams,  clean  playing,  keyboards  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a s elf  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  human  experiences  and  history  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Scimitar  are  a  very great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  black,  death  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "State  of  Nature"  "Flayed  On  The  Birth  Rack"  "Where  Ancient  Spectres  Lie"  and  "Mysterium,  Tremendum  et  Fascinans".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/qG53V8EKH1E  

Castle Of Yester/Echoes From Hobgoblin Ha'/2019 Full Length Review

  Castle  of  Yester  is  a  solo  project  from  new  York  that  plays  a  very  symphonic,  ambient  and  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2019  album  "Echoes  From  Hobgoblin  Ha'".

  A  sci-fi  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  synths  onto  the  recording  which  also  add  in  elements  of  dungeon  synth.  At  times  the  guitar  riffing  also  captures  a  lo-fi  atmosphere  while  also  mixing  symphonic  elements  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  most  of  the  music  goes  back  to  the  90's  demo  era  of  the  symphonic  side  of  the  genre.  Blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  riffs  also  start  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody,  out  of  key  power  metal  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  songs  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  some  avant  garde  and  ambient  elements.

  Castle  of  Yester  plays  a  style  of  symphonic  black  metal that  goes  back  to  the  early demo  days  of  the  genre  while  also  mixing  in  some  touches  of  dungeon  synth,  ambient  and  avant  garde  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  Scottish  Yester  castle  and  its  beacon  of  sorcerers. 

  In  my  opinion  Castle  Of  Yester  is  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde,  ambient  symphonic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Donning  Myself  In  Armor  Most  Spiritual"  "On  The  Infestation  of  Goblins  In  Our  Humble  Village"  and  "Encrumbling".  8  out  of  10.

https://castle-ov-yester.bandcamp.com/releases     

Morast Interview

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



J.: We had been busy with the post production and stuff to finally finish the record. It taught us a great lesson in patience. ;-) In the meantime we played a couple of shows including a small tour with our brethren Vidargängr and Light Of The Morning Star in fall 2018.



2.You have a new album coming out in September, musically how does it differ from the material you have released in the past?



J.: I think we got darker and more obscure in every aspect and became a better band both in songwriting and musicianship. Also the production is fitting our vision much better. Our producer Michael Zech did a great job and helped us a lot to develop this sound.



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



F: Basically I use really sad personal issues from a distance. I sum up my lessons from these issues in a certain way and try to write with a certain "strength of knowledge".

Furthermore my night-time walks inspire some of my lyrics. At least I use one of those for each release.



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



J.: We were searching for a fitting name in the beginning like every other band does and got stuck with that one. A german word which can be translated into "morass" or "mud". That's it.



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



F: The artwork describes the uncertainty and emptiness that life itself can bring.

The longer the path of life is, the more tired you can get and the colder you can feel.

Over the years you lose family members, friendships break up because of quarrels or simply because of the daily routine and you feel more lonely step by step and alone along the journey into the unknown. The title track deals with this topic and the implementation

of the draughtsman "View from the Coffin" has hit this situation perfectly.

We all run into the unknown for the most part and the two rock faces symbolise the blockade of visions of the future. There is a gap, but you have to cross it on your own to see the future.



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



F.: For me: Kassel/Goldgrube/2018, In Flammen Open Air 2017, Raging Death Date/Neustadt a.d.O./2016

I would describe us as bitter, angry and uncontrolled band on stage.



J.:  Pissed, enthusiastic, bored, drugged. Everything is possible.



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



F.: At the moment four more shows are confirmed this year and in spring 2020 we plan to book a tour.



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



J.: We already had the possibility to play a couple of shows outside of Germany including festivals in Lithuania or Denmark for example. Nonetheless we are a small band but in these times of worldwide internet propaganda it's not really difficult to reach people out there who are interested in your band.



9.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects thee days that some of the band members are a part of?



J.: R. still plays in his long running HC/Punk band, L. is quite busy with his other band, F. has a Black/Thrash project that will release their first record soon and I just started a little BM thing with some friends.





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



F.: Become even darker and more oppressive than now.



J.: Exactly.



11.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?



F.: Celtic Frost, Triptykon, Satyricon, The Cure, Arckanum.



J.: My biggest influences are classic bands like Neurosis, Black Sabbath, Winter, Bathory, Celtic Frost/Triptykon, Godflesh to name a few. Bands that created their own unique sound and identity. Sadly it's something very rare nowadays. On the other hand I have to say there are still contamporary bands that I like or discover. I really enjoy the development of the "scene" here in Germany, too. Check out older and newer bands like Vidargängr, Secrets Of The Moon, Antlers, Chapel Of Disease, Ultha, Antlers, Dolch, Essenz, I I, Ketzer, Evil Warriors, Sulphur Aeon, The Ruins Of Beverast (in case you don't know them yet).

I also dig good radio friendly music when I'm driving my car. Lots of other shit as well from Delta Blues to Goth to Punk etc.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?



F.: I swim a lot and like watching movies.



J.: My kids.



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



F.: Thank you for the interesting interview!



J.: Don't be a sheep. Thanx!

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Doom Rot/Territory Of Solitude/2019 Single Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Russia's  Doom  Rot  which  continues  his  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  groove  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2019  single   "Territory  Of  Solitude".

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  single  along  with  some  whispered  vocals  a  few  seconds  alter  which  also  evolve  into  blackened  screams  once  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  The  music  also  adds  in  elements  of  death,  doom  and  groove  metal  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  second  track  is  a  cover  of  Immortal's  "Tyrants"  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  On  this  recording  Doom  Rot  remains  true  to  his  melodic  mixture  of   black,  doom,  death  and  groove  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  human  isolation,  fear,  loss  and  cruelty  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Doom  Rot  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  doom,  death  and  groove  emtal,  you  should  check  out  this  single.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Territory  Of  Solitude".  8  out  of  10.

https://vk.com/doomrot 
https://doomrot.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Doom-Rot-1931828376836330/

Doom Rot/Portrait Of A Deadman/2019 Full Length Review

  Doom  Rot  are  a  solo  project  from  Russia  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  groove  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2019  album  Portrait  Of  A  Deadman".

  A  very  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  aggressive  blackened  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  Elements  of  groove  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  you  can  also  hear  some  doom  metal  influences  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  A  lot of  the  music  also  shows  an  influence  of  melodic  death  metal   while  the  riffs  also  utilize  a  great  amount  of  melody.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  synths,  clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  music  sticks  to  mostly  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Doom  Rot  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  melodic  death,  doom  and  groove  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own. The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a s elf  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  human  isolation,  fear,  lust  and  cruelty  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Doom  Rot  is  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  groove  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out t his  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Incessant  Loss  Of  Lives"  and  "Wild  Lust  Pt.  2".  8  out  of  10.

https://vk.com/doomrot 
https://doomrot.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Doom-Rot-1931828376836330/
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/doomrot/portrait-of-a-deadman

  

Anifernyen Interview

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

LUÍS: Anifernyen is a melodic Black/Death metal band from northern Portugal. We are a group of five elements with some musical experience and history in the portuguese underground. In 2008 we released our first work. A 5 track EP, produced by Daniel Cardoso (Anathema) at Ultrasound Studios. After a hiatus of 7 years, we returned in 2017 with a new formation and recorded our debut album in 2018. One year later we are anxious for the release and to get back on the road.

2.In September you have your first full length coming out, musically how does it differ from the ep you had released in 2008?

LUÍS: A long time has passed between these two records. Augur is a more mature work in every way. We gave it a lot of thought structurally and in terms of concept. The renewed band structure allowed us to improve lyrically and rhythmically. As the guitars continued to work harmoniously together, Daniel brought a more careful approach to the lyrics and his vocals are brutally solid and very dynamic. Hugo is bad ass drummer and, together with Ricardo brought a new life to the rhythm section.

3.The band was broken up for 7 years, what was the cause of the split and also the decision to reform?

DANIEL: The band had not broken up. It really was a hiatus. There were quite a few line-up changes throughout the years and it was around 2013 that I replaced the former singer, Ricky. After that time we had some other line-up changes and we also had to change our rehearsal routines. Fortunately, it all ended up alright, since the core of the band has always remained strong with both Luís and Diogo. And after that much restructuring the band finally found a bit of stability and we were able to focus on our main goal which was to get our debut album out.

4.The lyrics cover apocalyptic and end times themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

DANIEL: I’m not a believer in any folklore, faith or creed, be it considered holy or profane. However, I believe that everything ends. And certain images about the end times that have been transmitted to all of us by the writs of certain religions have this curious appeal. When I was listening to our demos those were the images that our music brought to my mind, those were the places to where my imagination travelled, and somehow it felt fitting to write about these themes of destruction, desolation and death. They marry well with the sound of Anifernyen.

5.I know that the band's name means 'A Cold Hell' in contemporary English, how does this name fit on with the musical style you play?

DANIEL: I think the name Anifernyen is quite fitting for our musical style. Our music can be categorized in the black/death metal genres with some melodic elements to it. I can get all metaphorical and poetic about this and say that it is fast and harsh at times like the blazing flames of Hell, and sometimes it becomes slow and bleak like a wintery frost.But seriously, I guess that when Luís came up with the name for the band was because it was unusual and all quite different from the rest, or the band could have ended up has yet another band with a name that ends in “...ation” or yet another one that associates the adjective “Dark” to any other word. I don’t mean that is wrong. I’m just glad that we are different.

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

DANIEL: The cover art, as all the art in the booklet was created by the extraordinary Credo Quia Absurdum which deserve a big shout out for their excellent work that exceeded our expectations. We knew that when we contacted them for the job that we would get a superb end result, but what we got was beyond that. And it shows. We gave them the guidelines about the themes and the aesthetics of the album and they followed through. The cover art is but the tip of the iceberg. The figure in the center represents the herald of the end times, here to take us all, and if you flip through the CD booklet you'll find so much more amazing artwork.

LUÍS: The impressive thing about the artwork is that everything is connected with the lyrical content. We were very thorough with our briefing and passed on all the lyrics as well as a summary of the meanings for each song. Luckily I think we found in CQA a lot of common interests that made our communication somewhat facilitated. A lot of the concepts referred in the lyrics were well known to them. This way we managed to construct an imaginary that illustrates almost each song. The level of detail is very high and is interesting to find the similarities between the writings and the illustrations.

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

DANIEL: The band had a lot of amazing gigs when the EP “Pledge of Chaos” was released. But by that time I wasn’t in the band yet. For me, in particular, one of the best shows so far was when we played Vimaranes Metallum Festival in 2017. It happened just at the right time, when we felt that we were ready for a live performance. The venue was great, the bands that played with us were amazing, and we felt very comfortable, which led to a great performance. In every performance we try to stay true to what our music. Kind of a stoic presence in between songs, but aggressive and fierce when we perform. Our shows can grow into something more visually spectacular given the chance, but right now that’s not one of our main concerns. We want to sound good and we want the audience to understand our music. Everything else that may be an accessory for the stage performance will come later.

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

LUÍS: We're getting in contact with venues, promoters and festivals to establish a schedule for the end of the year and next year. We're also working with ESW Booking agency. We expect some results very soon. Next gig will be with Lucifer's Child(GR), Humanart(PT) and Akouphenom(ES) at Hard Club in the 14th of September.

9.The new album is going to be released on 'Ethereal Sound Works', can you tell us a little bit about this label?

DANIEL: Even though ESW is an independent label, they are very interested in the projects they sign. I worked with the label before, with my other band, and one thing is for sure, they are motivated in representing the bands in their roster in the best way possible, and we are sure it’s going to work in the same way with Anifernyen.

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

LUÍS: In 2008, when we released "The Pledge of Chaos" we've got very good reviews from national press as well as international, but most of our contacts were made by standard mail and social networking was not as developed as is today. We hope to increase a lot the spectrum this time. The research was much wider and we have a label behind us. We are starting to get very nice reviews from across the world by now and we hope to get much more after the official release in September.

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

LUÍS: It's going to evolve for certain. Not really sure where yet. I feel that during the production of Augur a lot of growth was achieved in terms of sound production knowledge which will certainly help us in composition as well. There's also a will to try new techniques and perhaps try something new in terms of sound.. Who knows.

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?

LUÍS: As individuals we have musical preferences that resemble and others that not. I think the common ground between us is mainly black, death and doom metal. Bands like Immortal, Funeral Mist, Behemoth, Mgla, Svartidaudi, Ascension, Deicide, Carcass, Paradise Lost, Shape of Despair, Paradise Lost, to name a few..

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

DANIEL: Nothing out of the ordinary, i guess. And once again, I speak for myself, of course. Reading, watching movies and TV shows, listening to music, playing videogames. We all have normal lives outside the band. We all have jobs and families and the band, even though we take it very seriously, is escapism from all the other stuff.

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

LUÍS: We would like to thank everyone who spend some time reading this interview. Is very difficult to cultivate any kind of interest in people nowadays. If you are reading this please pass by our Facebook account and give us a shout. We are simple guys and gladly exchange some words with anyone. Tell us what you liked and what you did not for that matter.
The end is nigh!

https://www.facebook.com/anifernyen/

https://anifernyen.bandcamp.com/

Netherbird/Into The Vast Uncharted/Eisenwald/2019 CD Review

  Sweden's  Netherbird have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Into  The  Vast  Uncharted"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Eisenwald.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  also  being  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  briefly  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Elements  of  death  metal  can  also  be  heard quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  as  well  as  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  classical  guitars,  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and struggle  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Netherbird  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Saturnine  Ancestry"   "Lunar  Pendulum"  and  "Nexus  of  Unlight".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/Q4ZsJt_sGns 

Cabrakaan/Cem Anahuac My Home/Sliptrick Records/2019 EP Review

  Cabrakaan  are  a  band  originally  from  Toluca,  Mexico  but  now  resides  in  Calgary,  Canada  and  plays  a  mixture  of  folk,  symphonic  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  ep  "Cem  Anahauc  My  Home"  which  will  be  released  on  August  27th  by  Sliptrick  Records.

 

  Shamanistic  and  tribal  beats  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  folk  instruments  also  being  added  onto  the  recording  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at times.  Symphonic  elements  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  

   Vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams,  death  metal  growls  and  clean  vocals  while  the  riffs  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  briefly  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  as  the  ep  progresses  an  instrumental  is  also  added  onto  the  recording.

    

Cabrakaan  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  folk,  symphonic,  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Spanish  and  English  and  cover  pre-Hispanic  Mythology  and  Mexican  Folklore  themes.

    In  my  opinion  Cabrakaan  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk,  symphonic,  melodic  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Burning  Flame"  "Calm  In  my  Storm"  and  "Blood".  8  out  of  10.

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Brotthogg/Echoes Of The Past/2019 Full Length Review

  Brotthogg  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "Echoes  of  The  Past".

  A  very  fast,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  The  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements  as  well  as  having  its  progressive  moments  at  times  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Brotthogg  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  melodic  black  and  death  metal  while  also  mixing  in  some  progressive  and  thrash  metal  elements  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  misanthropy,  philosophy  and  the  writings  of  Dante.

  In  my  opinion  Brotthogg  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Summoning"  "The  Aftermath"  and  "Total  Death".  8  out  of  10.

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Morast/II Nostro Silenzio/Totenmusik/Van Records/2019 CD Review

  Morast  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "II  Nostro  Silenzio"  which  will  be  released  in  September  as  a  joint  effort  between  Totenmusik  and  Van  Records.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  doom metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  The  riffs  also  mix  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style.  One  track  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  recording,  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Morast  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  disenchantment  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Morast  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  "A  Farewell"  and  "November".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/morastofficial

Sick Sad World 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?

Since the album came out we've had lots of feedback from the media, news and articles, for the most part very positive. We've played a few gigs too, but not as many as we'd like. We also recently released a music video. All of this allowing us to gain notoriety, listeners and fans, little by little.


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

That was in February... it was the video that came out in August. What's changed with our new album, compared to our older ones is probably that it's more mature and definitely darker. We have some tracks that are more violent, almost black metal, on this album. The previous one was more ambient.


3.This is also your first album in 5 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

We are not full-time musicians, so unfortunately we can't invest as much time in the band as we'd like. During the past few years we've worked on our old tracks to better perform them and written some new ones. Recording the album also took almost a year, from initial planning to release.


4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore on the new album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Our lyrics on the whole are pretty dark tales. They are sometimes based on true stories such as “The Family” about the Manson family, on fiction like “The Rope” about a deserter during war times, or on a personal observation of society like “Market” about consumerism. Many things inspire the lyrics, such as watching a documentary or film, or reading a book or a news article about a certain subject. I did not set any rules or themes in particular for the album. Lyrics just need to adhere to the general feel and rhythm of the track. Regarding evolution, whether in the text or the music, I'd say that with time we are indeed more and more mature.  This is to be expected because as we age we gain experience musically but also at life in general.


5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sick Sad World'?

The name comes from the MTV cartoon “Daria”. It's the name of a TV news report, often cynical, in this also cynical cartoon. To begin with Sick Sad World had a bit of a crossover punk-metal side. It was precisely this cynicism that suited us. Eventually, with time, the group evolved towards a darker and more melancholy style of music. The name ultimately still works well, although on a more literal level now. I'm afraid that this might go along with the changes in the world today.


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

The cover art was done by illustrator and tattoo artist Berenice Tattoo. It began as a photo of a dead crow, which she retouched to create something more aesthetic. The crow is a unifying thread for us, as they were present on our previous albums cover art. On the last album they flew, now it's a single dead crow. This ties in with the darker evolution of our music. The rest of the art was done by Karoline Horn, who supplemented the work done by Bérénice.

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

This all depends on what you mean by “best shows”. Those with the biggest audience, those where we've laughed the most, those that have given us the most pleasure... Often concerts where we're the opening act for a “big” group are cool because there's a big crowd and we're just there to warm up the room, to give our all in a short period with nothing to lose. This was the case when we played with Rosetta or with Hypno5e, for example. We've also played some gigs in small bars, with smaller audiences but where we really had a good time, were welcomed warmly by the venue, and enjoyed good food and a friendly atmosphere. This is something different, but equally pleasant.

On stage, when we're in a venue that allows for it technically, we play with little lighting and often a bit on retreat, and we play a video on a screen behind us. We don't have a particular desire to be in the limelight, so becoming shadows within aesthetic lighting effects, with the film as a backdrop which goes with the music creates a different ambiance, which allows the audience to enter the vibe, enter our universe, without scrutinizing everything we do.



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

One of our members will become a first-time father in about a month, so we've decided to slow down the rhythm a bit until the end of the year. We have some concerts planned in the West of France: Rennes, Bordeaux and maybe Nantes. To be honest, we're not always very active in seeking out gigs, we usually rather wait until they come to us.


9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of metal and hardcore?

As I've mentioned in other interviews, something that surprises us each time we release an album or video is that we have more success internationally than in France. Our music must not be suited to France, as most of the interest in our band, most of the fans who contact us, and even most merch and album sales come from foreign countries. Reactions are 100% positive so far.  It's rather funny because some fans must take us for a much bigger French group than we really are. We've had some comical surprises, like seeing one of our tracks used in the Instagram video of a New York chef, or following debates about our album on Russian forums. We struggle to understand this!



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

I honestly don't know, as our recent compositions are all over the place. The most recent track, for example, is clearly doom, almost psyche. That said, we enjoy exploring different styles. When we finished recording Imago Clipeata we decided that the passages that were more violent and tinted by black metal suited us well and that we should accentuate that. But ultimately, once improvising in our practice room, we ended up creating some doom! We try to set rules and structure ourselves but we never stick to it. In the end we improvise and we let ourselves be guided by the feeling.



11.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?

There are 5 of us and overall we all have different musical tastes. There is always one member that doesn't like one or another group. When it comes to groups that all 5 really like, there are but a few: Deftones, Russian Circles, Obscure Sphinx. On the other hand, when it's groups that the majority enjoy there are more options: Cult of Luna, Amen Ra, Solstafir, Envy, My Sleeping Karma, Mono, Agalloch, Emperor, Will Haven, Tool... In general we go for groups who play strongly on emotions and ambiance and who avoid clichés. In terms of what I'm listening to at the moment (I'm not sure for the others) there's Wear Your Wounds, Brutus and the soundtrack from the series Dark.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?

This also depends on the members. Some of us are fans of cinema or TV series, others are more sporty and go climbing, diving or wake-boarding. Some of us love art, exhibitions, museums, drawing, tattoos. For others it's nature, reading or ecology. There's just too much to include everything, and as with our musical tastes we would never find common ground for all 5 of us.


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

Simply: go listen to the album, and tell us what you think! These days everything is done at a distance, in a clinical way. People go onto platforms like Spotify, YouTube or Bandcamp, they hear our music, they like it or they dont, then they move onto something else.  All we get is statistics. If you've enjoyed it, send us an email or a Facebook message, or make a comment. It's great to have a direct link sometimes.

https://www.facebook.com/Sick-Sad-World-210123272410010/