Bogwych/On The Wind Is All That Is Left/Trepanation Recordings/2020 Full Length Review

  Bogwych  is  a  solo  project  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental,  drone,  dark  ambient  blackgaze  and  doom  metal and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "On  The  Wind  Is  All  that  Is Left"  which  will  be  released  on  January  31st  by  Trepanation  Recordings.

  A  few  seconds  of  silence  starts  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  atmospheric  sounding  drones  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  noise  and  experimental  elements  as  well  as  the  recording  also  capturing  an  improv  atmosphere  at  times.

  The  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  some  drums  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.  Spoken  word  parts,  whispers  and  grim  black  metal  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  album  while  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  Dark  ambient  soundscapes  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  bass guitars  also  being  utilized  briefly  along  with  some  touches  of  shoegaze  also  being  utilized  when  clean  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording.  A  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  riffing  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Bofwych  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  experimental,  drone,  dark  ambient  blackgaze  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  8  out  of  10.

https://bogwych.bandcamp.com/album/on-the-wind-is-all-that-is-left-only-roots-remain    

(මහසෝනා​)​* /යන්ත්‍ර​.​මන්ත්‍ර​.​ගුරුකම්!/Virvpi Propaganda/2020 Demo Review

 (මහසෝනා​)​*   are  a  band  from  Sri  Lanka  that  plays  a  ritualistic  and  experimental  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  metal  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  demo  "යන්ත්‍ර​.​මන්ත්‍ර​.​ගුරුකම්!"  which  will  be  released  on  January  13th  by  Virvpi  Propaganda.



  Distorted  drones,  experimental  and  avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  track  which  is  also  over  14  minutes  in length.  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  emtal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  track  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  grim  black  metal  screams  and  bestial  death  metal  growls.



  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  ritualistic  sounding  at  times.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  repetitive  sounding  while  also  capturing  an  improvised  atmosphere  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  (මහසෝනා​)​*  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  experimental,  drone,  ritual,  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover t he  occultism and  demonology  and  occultism  of  Sri  Lanka.

  In  my  opinion  (මහසෝනා​)​*  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  and  ritualistic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  metal  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  8  out  of  10.

https://virupimusic.bandcamp.com/album/--2    

  

Drama Noir/Princess Airam/2018 CD Review

  Drama  Noir  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  album  "Princess  Airam".

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  elements  of  Mediterranean  music  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  using  a  good  amount  of  melody.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  the  songs  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  symphonic  elements  also  being  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  side  of  the  album.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also be  heard as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in some  female  vocals  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  As  the  album  progresses  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  into  some of  the  recording  along  with  a  couple  of  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  during  some  of  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  some  rough  yet melodic  male  vocals,  ethic  musical  instruments,  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  playing  and  the  album c loses  with  a  cover  of  Rotting  Christ's  "Saturn  Unlock  Avey's  Son".  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Egyptian/Greek  Mythology,  Religion  and  Historical  themes..

  In  my  opinion  Drama  Noir  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Curse  of  Seth"  and  "The  Forgotten  Warrior".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx6DEXqBbpY   

  

Goblinsmoker/A Throne In Haze, A World Ablaze/Sludgelord Records/2020 EP Review

  Goblinsmoker  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  ep  "A  Throne  In  Haze,  A  World  Ablaze"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Sludgelord  Records.

  Drum  beats  and  atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  All  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  yet  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  gets  very repetitive  sounding  at  times  along  with  the  same  riff  also  being  utilized  for  a  few  minutes.  Touches  of  stoner  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melody and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard.

  On  this  recording  Goblinsmoker  remains  true  to  the  mixture  of  black, sludge  and  doom  metal t hat  has  been  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  Toad  King.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Goblinsmoker  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Let  Them  Rot".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp - https://goblinsmoker.bandcamp.com
 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/goblinsmoker     

Machinations Of Fate/Self Titled/Redefining Darkness Records/2020 CD Review

  Machinations  Of  Fate  are  a  band  with  members  from  Kentucky  and  Ohio  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2020  album  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Redefining  Darkness  Records.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  being  introduced  on  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later.  Elements  of  thrash  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams  while  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  as  well  as  the  acoustic  guitars  also  making  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  instrumentals,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Machinations  Of  Fate  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  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  "Tyrannous  Skies"  "Bedlam  In  The  Far  Reaches"  and  "Celestial  Prophecies".  8 out  of  10.

https://machinationsoffate.bandcamp.com/  

Ypres/Genus Vitiosum/Slow Burn Records/2019 EP Re-Issue Review

  Ypres  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  atmospheric  black,  sludge  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  ep  "Genus  Vitiosum"  which  was  re-issued  in  2019  by  Slow Burn Records.

  A  very  slow  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  and  also  introduces  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  Vocals  are  mostly  done  in  a  screaming  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording.  At  times  the  music  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  black  metal  influences  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  adding  in  some  growls  and  hardcore  elements  at  times  and  all  of  the  music  also sticks  to  either  a  slow  or mid  tempo  style.

  Ypres  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  atmospheric  black,  sludge  and  post  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ypres  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  atmospheric  black,  sludge  and  post  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ad  Gloriam  Ignorantial"  and  "Umwelt".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

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Violence Mortuaire/Ab Intestat/2019 Full Length Review

Violence  Mortuaire  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  hardcore,  progressive  and  experimental  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "Ab  Intestat".



  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  done  in  a  screaming  style  along  with  some  elements  of  hardcore  being  added  in  the  mid  tempo  sections.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  softer  sections  of  the  music  also  adding  in  some  saxophones  and  jazz  influences,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  When  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  avant  garde  style  as  well  as  the  riffing  also  being  very  heavily  influenced  by  thrash  metal.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  progressive  rock  style  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  poems  written  by  Paul  Verlaine,  Arthur  Rimbaud,  Victor  Hugo,  Charles  Peguy  and  Jean  de  la  Fontaine.

  In  my  opinion  Violence  Mortuaire  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  hardcore,  progressive  and  experimental  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Post  Chaos"  "Post  Hell"  "Post  Religious"  and  "Post  hate".  8  out  of  10.

https://violencemortuaire.bandcamp.com/releases
https://violencemortuaire.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2-oe6E_hvQ&feature=youtu.be      

Revogar/Conqueror Of The Unholy Light/20120 EP Review

  Revogar  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  ep  "Conqueror  Of  the  Unholy  Light"  which  will  be  released  in  2020.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  of  the  ep  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.Vocals  also  bring  in a   mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  along  with  the  melodic  sections  of  the  music  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  Swedish  influences,  one  track  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  On  this  ep  Revogar  remains  remains  true  to  the  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  from t heir  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Anti  Christianity  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great sounding  recording  from  Revogar  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ritualistic  Brutalization"  and  "War  Of  Insanitification".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-0B0vt6EBY 

Meth Assassin/Reptilian Side of God/Terratur Possessions/2019 CD Review

 Meth  Assassin  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial,  witchhouse  and  horrorcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Reptillian  Side  Of  God"  which  was  released  by  Terratur  Possessions.



  Electro-industrial  sound,  programmed  beats  and  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  tortured  voices  also  being  utilized  briefly  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  horror  movie  atmosphere. High  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  house  music.

  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  pulsating  basses  while the  music  captures  the  atmosphere  and  darkness  of  an  occult  black  metal  album  without  adding  in  heavy  guitar  riffs.  When  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  witchhouse    are  also  added  onto  the  recording,  one  of  the  later  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental.

  Meth  Assassin  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  industrial,  horrorcore  and  witchhouse  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Left  Hand  Path,  Occultism  and  Astral  Projection  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Meth  Assassin  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial,  witchhouse  and  horrorcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Luciferian  Abyss"  "Reptillian  Side  Of  God"  and  "Invoking  The  Adversary".  8  out  of  10.

"Satanic Infiltrator" - https://soundcloud.com/terratvr-possessions/m3th-assassin-satanic-infiltrator
"Torrents of Ungodliness" - https://soundcloud.com/terratvr-possessions/m3th-assassin-torrents-of-ungodliness
      

Kvaen/The Funeral Pyre/Black Lion Records/2020 Full Length Review

  Kvaen  are  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  along  with  some  session  musicians  that  plays  a  melodic  form  of  black  metal  with  some  elements  of  viking  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "The  Funeral  Pyre"  which  will  be  released  in  2020  by  Black  Lion  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  Swedish  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats. Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  the music  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  speed  and  thrash  metal  elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  having their  old  school  moments  while  clean  playing  and  viking  metal  influences  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  as  well  as  the  songs  also adding  in  a  good  balance  between  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Keyboards  can  also  be heard  at  times,  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  also  gets  more  atmospheric  sounding  and  the  recording  closes  with  an  instrumental  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vikings,  Ragnarok,  Cold  Steel  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Kvaen  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  black,  viking  and  speed  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Revenge  By  Fire"  "The  Wolves  Throne"  and  "Bestial  Winter".  8  out  of  10.

“Yee Naaldlooshii”: YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY || DEEZER
“The Funeral Pyre”: YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY || DEEZER || NO CLEAN SINGING Premiere       

Tovarish Interview

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

We've released our very first music video for the song The Year Without Summer and we're releasing our second music video for the song Silver And Lead. We've played a few shows and are already planning to write and record new material.

2.In July you also have a new album coming out, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Our sound is always evolving. We sound much different from our first album "Da, Tovarish" and I think that's for the best. We've been providing remixes for other artists and that has lead to us having a bit more of an industrial influence. We've also been incorporating more melody and ambient sound to compliment the harsh drones.

3.This is also your first album since 2015, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

We usually go in a bit of hibernation between albums. We still play live locally, but we let the music rest so to speak. Everyday life tends to get in the way and we also work on other musical projects, so time occasionally slips away. When we do get together to write and record, it comes in large creative bursts and then we revisit later with clear minds to see if we should continue or start anew.

4.Your lyrics deal a lot with Soviet era Communism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic and what led you to be interested in that era?

A lot of extreme bands (black metal, noise etc) either flirt with or outright embrace fascist imagery and ideology. We oppose all that and created Tovarish in direct response. Fascism is on the rise around the world and people must look for a way to combat and defeat it. There are lessons to be learned from Soviet-era Communism, both good and bad and we must look to the past in order to help save the future.

5.In modern day society a lot of people think communism is making a huge come back with all the whole war between socialism and the lat right, what are your thoughts on this?

I think it's encouraging that people are becoming more socially and politically aware and active to fight against those that destroy us simply for existing. People are not just rolling over to the tiki torch-carrying hatemongers that proclaim racial and gender superiority. There is a whole new generation of people moving further to the left because they see that we must work together to become better. A rising tide lifts all ships, many hands make light work, that sort of mentality.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Tovarsh'?

Tovarish means "Comrade". We chose that name because it encapsulates who we are, what we stand for, and how we work together as a band. We truly do work together in all aspects of the band, whether it's writing, recording, booking shows, and even merch design.

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

The artwork was created by the amazing Stephen Wilson, who has also down artwork for Crowhurst, False, and Vile Creature.  We did not really put any restrictions or give any parameters. We sent him the album and just let him create something that is incredible to look at.

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

We've been lucky enough to play with some amazing bands. Kayo Dot, SubRosa, Psalm Zero, Endon, Batillus, Kowloon Walled City. All of those were great experiences. Our live performance typically includes video projected behind us. Past videos  have included riot footage, Soviet propaganda cartoons, time-lapsed nature video. It gives the audience something to focus on while we play.

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

Not really. We don't tour and now only play shows if we're asked. In the beginning, we would play just about any show offered to us or would book our own. It led to many mixed bills in terms of genre and talent, which had less than desirable results.

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

Mixed I suppose. Your average metal fan probably wouldn't like us. No riffs, no mosh, no fun. The people that "get it" though really do understand and appreciate what we're doing. It's not easily listenable or digestible music, but there is something there and it's always encouraging when fans enjoy what we're doing.

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

Without putting us in a box, I would say more ambient and melodic sounds. We're really proud of what we have accomplished with If The War Comes Tomorrow and would probably continue on that track.

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?

It depends on the day and the mood, but recently we've been drawn to sludge, doom, drone, and soundscapes.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Politics, electronics, books.

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

Our music is available at tovarish.bandcamp.com and argonautarecords.com. Thanks so much for taking the time to ask us questions.

Ainsoph/Ω - V/Woves Of Hades/2020 Full Length Review

 Ainsoph  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  post  black  metal  with  elements  of  avant  garde,  post  punk.  progressive  music  and  jazz  and  this is  a  review  of  their  album  "Ω - V"  which  will  be  released  in  2020  by  Wolves  of  Hades.



  Heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  all  done  in  a  very  clean  and  ethereal  style  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal style.Elements  of  shoegaze  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful.



  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  some  touches  of  post  punk. When  the  music  speeds  up  on  a  couple  of  tracks  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  as  well  as  some  synths  also  being  utilized  briefly



  At  times  the  music  also  has  its  its  progressive  moments  as  well  as  mixing  in  elements  of  jazz.  One  track  is  an  instrumental  and  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  along  with  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while t he  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Kaballah  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ainsoph  are  a  very  great  sounding  post  black  metal  band  with  some  elements  of avant  garde,  post  punk.  progressive  music  and  jazz  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Malkuth"  "The  Long  And  Self-Destructive  Road"  and  "Maggot  brain".  8  out  of  10.

https://wolvesofhades.bandcamp.com/album/v  

Pagan Reign/Art Of The Time/Casus Belli Musica/2019 CD Review

  Pagan  Reign  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  folk  and  pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Art  Of  The  Time"  which was  released  by  Casus  Belli  Musica.

  Folk  instruments  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  All  of  the  musical instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  one  track  also  introduces  clean  pagan  vocals  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments  as  well  as  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  some  tracks  also  add  in  death  metal  growls  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard in  the  faster  riffing  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Slavic  and  Nordic  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Pagan  Reign  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  and  pagan  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Gods  We  Trust"  "Eternal  Saga  Of  Glory"  and  "Voice  of  The  Legend".  8  out  of  10.

PAGAN REIGN FACEBOOKPAGAN REIGN VKONTAKTEPAGAN REIGN BANDCAMP  .    

Gentihaa/Reverse Entropy/Symmetric Records/2019 Full Length Review

  Gentihaa  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2019  album  "Reverse  Entropy"  which  was  released  by  Symmetric  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  which  also  introduces  melodic  guitar  leads  and  heavy  riffing  onto  the  recording.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  clean  vocals  when  they  are  utilized  bring  elements  of  power  metal  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  utilizing  a  great  amount of  black  emtal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  symphonic  elements  are  also  added  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  a  later  track  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  ethnic  instruments  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  and  a  couple  of  later  tracks  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gentihaa  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Empathy"  "Alpha"  and  "Singularity".  8 out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DFl9eCsLZU&feature=share

https://gentihaa.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/gentihaa/

https://www.instagram.com/gentihaaofficial

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIaUAcnyTmSNdnHNVcVu9TQ

    

[ BOLT ]/Morasth/dunk! Records/2019 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Germany's  [ BOLT ]  and  Morasth  which  was  reelased  by  dunk!  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  [ BOLT ]   who  return  with  their  mixture  of  black,  drone,  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  distorted  amp  noises  and  drones  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  their  side  of  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Elements  of  sludge  and doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  their  song  which  is  also  over  20  minutes  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  captures  an  improv  atmosphere  along  with  the  track  also  mixing  in  a  good  amount  of  black  metal  influences,  All  of  the  music  is  instrumental  as  well  as  the  song  also  using  the  same  riff  for  a  few  minutes  and  as  their  side  of  the  split  progresses  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  [ BOLT ]   and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  drone,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  Next  up  is  Morasth  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  drone,  doom  and  post  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  with  some  distorted  amp  noises  before  going  into  more  of  a  slower  and  heavier  doom  metal  direction.  Their  track  is  also  over  18  minutes  in  length  while  drones  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  give  the  song  more  of  an  atmospheric  post  metal  feeling.

  Their  track  also  uses  the  same  riff  for  most  of  the  track  also  giving  the  music  more  of  an  improv  atmosphere  and  also  keeping  everything  in  a  slow  yet  instrumental  musical  direction,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  the  production  also  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Morasth  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  drone,  doom  and  post  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.

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

 https://dunkrecords.com/collections/dunk-records-on-vinyl/products/b-o-l-t-morasth-b-o-l-t-vs-morasth-lp

Grey Skies Fallen/Cold Dead Lands/2020 Full Length Review

  Grey  Skies  Fallen  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Cold  Dead  lands"  which  will  be  self  released  in  2020.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  clean  playing  also being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  are  utilized  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  album  and  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars, at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  and  all  of  the  songs  also  stick  to  a  slower  musical  direction.

  On  this  recording  Grey  Skies  Fallen  goes  for  more  of  an  epic  style  of  doom  metal  while  still  mixing  in  some  elements  of  progressive,  melodic  black  and  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  despair  and  bleakness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Grey  Skies  Fallen  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  progressive  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cold  Dead  Lands"  and  "After  The  Summer  Comes To  Fall".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

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ChaosPath Interview

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

Hi, this is Viides Ratsastaja (guitar) writing. I founded the band 2016 together with God of Carnage (guitar) after we all had different bands for many decades. We are no greenhorns and were educated by the first waves of Death and Black Metal back in the old days. We come from Kassel, Germany and we are playing “Kaotysk Metal” which means to combine old German Teutonic Steel with Thrash, Melodic Black and Old School Death Metal. Currently our second vinyl “Downfall” was released as a follower to the previous “The awakening” Mini LP (2018). If you like a crude mixture of Primordial, hanging out with Kreator, then add Satyricon, Gates of Ishtar, Mayhem or Bathory…

2.So far you have released an ep and a full length, musically how do they both differ from each other?

 We developed our style and our skills and were concentrated to show our own trademark elements. We always need the catchy melody line, crushed with brutal and fast guitars. We love to change rhythms and turn the songs into different directions by having traditional song structures or changing the style of Metal. This is “high risk songwriting”. It costs a lot of time to get those influences working together. For sure, there will be more hymns in the future, strong melodies and finger crushing riffs. I think most of other guitar players would get stressed to hear what we played. We are changing the lines very often, giving complexity into our riffs while ignoring regular scales very often. Enjoy the chaos!

3.You refer to your music as being 'Kaotysk Metal', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?

It is a pun, a play on words: In Sweden “Chaotic” means “kaotisk”, “tysk” means German. We share the old school Teutonic Metal and the traditional early 90´s roots of Death and Black Metal to elaborate our very own style.

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

The first Mini LP „The Awakening“ released in 2018 showed a path to the „Church / cathedral of Chaos“, as you can see on the cover. The lyrics introduce the new age of chaos that will develop into the final and very last apocalypse. The new Album “Downfall” (2019) shows the chaos priest in the cathedral who infiltrates the chaos hordes who also showed up. Now the final battle may begin, we pray for chaos, we laid down all institutional religion, here is the manifest of chaos, enjoy! The trilogy of chaos will hopefully get its third and last part in 2020.
5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'ChaosPath'?

Probably this is satanism 2.0. Just listen to Dissection or Cirith Ungol if you enjoy the many chaos theories and beliefs. The “Left hand path” (Hi to Entombed and our buddy  LG) is the way to the dark side, the path to the goathorned father and master of the dark side. We mashed up and invented Chaos Path to describe our aims and our roots as well.

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

It is part 2 of a trilogy. Mini LP number 1 “The awakening” was the path to the cathedral of chaos, crossing a huge graveyard. Now on Downfall you can listen and see the chaos priest preaching to the ugly hordes of chaos. They will be out soon for the final overkill. Your time has come. The apocalypse is near.

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

We played unbelievable shows and opened for bands like Night Demon, Morgoth, Attic, Mantar, Entombed or Aborted. All of them had a very special feeling, some of them felt like a chaos ritual and we really enjoyed supporting some of our favorite bands. As for me it was a show at Palettenfest Festival in Göttingen. The night was cold, stage time was badly late, but we killed that audience instead. That show deeply proved, that we have the perfect 5-piece weapon called Chaos Path that is independent from all other bands sharing the stage with us or not. This is our path and you are welcome. We love to paint our faces, our singer wears a cowl/robe/frock and we add our blood & sweat into a brutal show of blood, smoke, skulls and bones.

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

For sure we have all upcoming gigs being mentioned on our homepage and Facebook site. The next shows will be on Weser Metal Meeting Reinhardshagen and in Berlin, some other festivals will come too and we negotiate with different people to book more shows. A tour would be a dream, probably together with Mayhem, Primordial, Mantar or Marduk.

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

We got lots of positive label feedback, but sadly we denied all CD offers because we just want to release vinyl now. That is our path, we love black gold and vinyl. If the labels won´t share this intention, we´re done with them. If there will be a label releasing our history on CD somewhere along the line, we would not deny . Now we manage everything DIY and just produce vinyl. You can listen to our stuff at all streaming media like Spotify, iTunes and so on, enjoy!
10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black, death and thrash metal?

Now the album is out just 2 months and at the moment we recognize that our albums are going around the world. We can see from which countries the people stream our media and the path grows and grows. We also shipped some records to other countries, like Finland and Belgium. The most urgent German Metal media pushes us right now, for example Rock Hard Magazine. Thank you, brothers! If you are into classic Heavy Metal as well as in 90´s black and death sounds, check out Chaos Path! The feedback is overwhelming.

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

Just drummer Chaosblaster is playing with Pagan Black Metal Band Gymir from time to time. All other members are totally focused on Chaos Path. We give all our attention, power and blood for Chaos Path….

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

After the release we are now working on three new titles parallel. All of them have the true Chaos Path trademarks, especially the catchy melodies, cool breaks and chaos, chaos, chaos. But we recognized that we left the first position from the beginning in 2016, our very new songs develop more and more into conclusive and stronger epic but brutal songs, still combining Heavy, Thrash, Black and Death Metal. The riffs inside a song don´t sound “additionally”, we focus on sharing different metal vibes into a new style. This is Kaotysk Metal!

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

I am listening to different styles from Crust to Grind and from Primordial to Bathory. Guitarist God of Carnage is listening to The Exploited as well as Gorgoroth, Dark Funeral and Mercyful Fate. Richy loves old Slime Punk and Mayhem as well. Drummer Chaosblaster would like to have Immolation mentioned and all the other death stuff. Singer Ancient weapon loves Visigoth, Night Demon, Satyricon etc., this is a crude summary and shows that we all have very different styles we like.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?

Nonmusical interest? C´mon! Ok, I have three daughters but… There is no more life defining love like music. I live Metal, I love Metal, I breathe Metal and I´ll die for it. There is no second without a stronger interest than music. We drink some booze or …. Fuck, that’s all dudes.

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

Please check us out on Bandcamp, Facebook or YouTube, ok? Give us a like and share the path. If you need us for a show, write us, we will play the world if we get it offered and until the apocalypse will catch us. Write for some vinyl, ok? We need some more distributors, so get in touch.

http://www.chaos-path.de/ (http://www.chaos-path.de/)
https://www.facebook.com/chaospath666/ (https://www.facebook.com/chaospath666/)
https://chaospath.bandcamp.com/ (https://chaospath.bandcamp.com/)

Emerald Shine Interview

Band members answering in this interview are:

Kamil - drummer

Klára - violinist

Leena - singer, lyricist



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

Kamil: I think Emerald Shine is a band that makes pretty unique music that is very hard to summarize. We call it fantasy metal even though sometimes it's not even metal, sometimes it's folk-metal with progressive elements but we don't usually brand ourselves like that, because it's very hard to describe it with just a few words. I'd say: "Buy a CD or go to Spotify and hear for yourself."



2.Towards the end of 2018 you had released your first full length, musically how does it differ from the demo you had released in 2016?

Kamil: Misty Tales is quite a huge leap forward in every way, also we had a lot more experience with recording and it was recorded by a line-up that suited the band perfectly.



3.The lyrics are based upon your own fantasy fiction based in Tolkien's world, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his work and what inspired you to write your own version of the fantasy world he created?

Leena: I have loved fantasy literature and especially Tolkien’s world for some 15 years. When I started writing my own lyrics, fantasy themes like the elves and Middle-earth often appeared in them.

And what inspired the story of the album Misty Tales – I would say it was the music itself. In the spring of  2017, when we had most songs and their lyrics for the album ready, I was wondering if they all could be joined into one larger concept… And after some time of thinking and listening, this fan-fiction-like story suddenly appeared in my mind crystal clear. All those already finished songs fitted the story very well, so all I had to do was to create the last missing parts, to write several more songs. It went very well, soon the whole story for the album was finished and I was satisfied with it.



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

Klára: First of all, you got the name wrong - it's Emerald Shine, not Shrine. But it's ok, don't worry, we're not upset. :D When Leena and Richmonde were establishing the band, they were just throwing to the ether some random ideas and one of them was Emerald Shine, but it doesn't have any deeper meaning.



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

Klára: We were looking for something minimalistic, simple but enlightening. The final artwork is made by the amazing artist Morgana La Fay and it tells the story of our album. Misty Tales is about a war between men and elves, how they used to live together in peace, which is being represented by the white thread in the hands of this dark character on the cover. Inside the booklet there is a similar picture, but the thread is torn and the war has begun.



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

Klára: I’m sure they had already played some good concerts even before I joined the band at the end of 2017, but since then, my most favorite performance was Housle, Chlast a Rock 'n' Roll in Prague, CZ.



Kamil: A concert that always comes to my mind is our show at Folk Metal Pilgrims in Ostrava, CZ. Great atmosphere, great food and drinks and most importantly – great fans.



Leena: The both above mentioned shows, as well as some other ones, were really good. I personally also enjoyed most of our concerts in Poland very much, the audiences were crazy and cool.

During our stage performance, we are, above all, simply enjoying the music, dancing during the folky parts and concentrating during those more difficult, progressive ones – but I believe it is better to see with your own eyes, either at one of our shows, or in our live videos, which are available hear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyr-KwUkMFk&list=PLoyC31M6Ef-VCDBTLIfdbRSatb8Ivui_Z



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

Klára: Of course! In March we are going to play at Noc Nárekov and after that we may visit Prague once again for Keltské úterý. We are planning attending festivals in the Czech republic, I think there are also some festivals in Poland and Slovakia (but not 100 % sure) and with some luck we could also visit Germany, Austria and other European countries.



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

Kamil: So far we don't think that we would have any benefits from labels that are available to us, but this might change in the future. We'll see.



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

Klára: People have usually positive reaction when they hear/see us for the first time, because we may look like a basic folk metal band with recorders and violin, but our music is also full of interesting rhythms and harmony, unusual bar changes and generally our music is more than just four chords repeating. Especially fans from Poland accepted our music very well, but Czech and Slovak people seem to like our music as well.



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

Kamil: Definitely forward.



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

Klára: I know that Elvenking and Blind Guardian were an important sources of inspiration, we are also often being compared to Eluveitie and we’ve been getting an inspiration from the band Wintersun lately.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Klára: I am an artist. When I don't do music, I like to draw and that's basically all I do in my free time.



Kamil: 90 % of my time goes to either practising or just playing music, but other than that, I like to spend time with my girlfriend or have a glass of whiskey a good cigar from my collection.



Leena: My non musical interests include skiing, hiking and fantasy literature of course. (But still, sitting in a calm place and writing music is by far my favourite activity in my life O:-) )



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

Leena: Thank you for this interview and for spreading the word about our band, as well as other bands in the metal scene!

Klára: Follow us on social media and listen to good music!

https://www.facebook.com/emeraldshineofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/emeraldshineband/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-uRJ8Nozq_4pYHX1pZax0Q