Skalmold/10 Year Anniversary - Live In Reykjavik/Napalm Records/2020 Live Album Review

 

  Skalmold  are  a  band  from  Iceland  that h as  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  Viking  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  album  "!0 Year  Anniversary  -  Live  In  Reykjavik"  which  will  be  released  on  October  23rd  by  Napalm  Records.

  Live  audience  reaction  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  pagan  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  At  times  the  vocals  add  in  more  of  a  semi  rough  style  while  black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  in  some  parts  of  the  music.  Keyboards  and  folk  music  elements  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  songs  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic in  length,  When  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard,  some  of  the songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts. 

  On  this  recording  Skalmold  takes  their  mixture  of  folk  nd  Viking  metal  plays  a  bunch  of  songs  from  albums  they  have  released  over  the  years  to  a  live  audience.  The  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Mythology,  Icelandic  Poetry  and  Battle  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Skalmold  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  Viking  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  live  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Aras"  "Niflheimur"  "Daudi"  and  "Kvadning".  8  out  of  10.

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https://youtu.be/hmvlj_DXuJY 

Strydegor/Isolacry/MDD Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Strydegor  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of   black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Isolacry"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  MDD  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  synths  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  melodic  direction.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  clean singing  is  also  utilized  at  times.  

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  into  the  music.

  Some  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  singing  along  with  the  synths  also  making  a  return  on  one  of  the  later  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  instrumental  can  also  be  heard,  and  a  later  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  scientific  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Strydegor  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Innocence  Corroded"  "World  In  Your  Hands"  "As  April  Slowly  Fades"  and  "Still  Alive".  8  out  of  10.

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Nachtblut Interview

 

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

Skoll: Since we recorded Vanitas we spend a lot of time to prepare the release - photo-, video shoots, planning the promotion etc. Unfortunately, due to the Corona pandemic, all festivals and shows for 2020 have been postponed. Regarding shows, we're just hoping for better times, crossing fingers for 2021 and waiting. 

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

Skoll: I believe with Vanitas we offer a lot of facets and variety, but still managed to have a homogenous sound, upholding the fundamental vibe. It’s exciting to have such a diverse album and the feedback from fans and critics approves that. Regarding the sound, I think we found what we were aiming for. 

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

Skoll: As diverse as songs on the album, so are the lyrics. Of course, we are dealing with transience, mortality and death, but we didn’t stop there. Further the Vanitas art is also about deliberate, reflecting your lifestyle, your present and what choices you make. So, from the kind of moral dogmas nowadays, gathered in “lifestyles”, in which each thinks it’s superior to the others, to the question of who is in charge of your knowledge, point of view on things or your definition of happiness, dictatorship and unusual bonds between people, you will find a whole range of topics on Vanitas. 

4.I know that the bands name means 'Night blood' in German, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

Skoll: There are several rumors out there, stating why we chose the name or what it means actually. I won’t comment on this ;-). But for sure, the name itself has something dark and sinister, so is our music.

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

Skoll: As the record is called Vanitas and deals with aspects of this art, it was obvious to include the Vanitas-still-life-art at our artwork for the album. Inspired by the paintings of the 16th and 17th century you will notice certain symbols on the cover. They are not randomly chosen. Every object has a symbolic meaning. It’s like a code, which gives you a detailed picture of the thoughts of the artist, or the issues addressed. What the several objects are representing, is to figure out by everyone by himself. I won’t spoil this, it would take away all the fun. 

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?

Skoll: For me personally the very first show in China was a highlight. I didn’t know what to expect, and I was touched by the energy and emotions of the people. Over the last years there are many great concerts and experiences. Of course, playing Wacken for the first time is very special, so are small club shows in which the crowd goes nuts and water/sweat is dripping down the ceiling. I would say our shows are full of energy. It’s always have been part of our shows to have a lot of movement on stage and in front of it. So for example we stage dive and having moshpits with the fans. Nothing for a quiet and comfy evening. 

7.Since 2012 all of your albums have been released on 'Napalm Records', do you feel they have been very supportive when it comes to getting your music out there heard?

Skoll: Yes! It’s great to be with Napalm Records, they are always supportive. You hear a lot of stories about other labels and bands not getting along. Even sometimes labels interfere into the music or artistic decision. I can’t say anything like that about Napalm, it’s always have been a cool with and never an against each other. Over the years, a certain bond manifests. 

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

Skoll: Very good, almost overwhelming. Fans as critics like the record. Of course, you will always find one that isn’t convinced or the old stuff in general is better. But for those people it doesn’t matter what you do, they will always find something to moan about. It also seems that the international interest grew compared to Apostasie. So all in all a very well-received album! 

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

Skoll: I don’t know. Like I said, for me we found the sound we were aiming for. Regarding songwriting, we never sat down and brainstormed like “the next record needs to be like this and this, because it’s a trend”. Things are developing naturally, call it evolution. So the direction will depend on what we are into at the very moment the songs are written. But no worries we will stay true to ourselves. 

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?

Skoll: I think every one of us listened or still listen to Rammstein and Cradle Of Filth. Also, we all enjoying Black Metal. But as we are 4 individuals everyone brings in another backstory. Speaking for myself, I don’t care too much about the label put on the music. I listen to all kinds of genres, depending on the mood. Probably if I would turn on the music right now, it would be Ghost. 

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Skoll: I like to do sport, like to read, mainly scientific books, or books about a certain topic. There are just a few fictional, storytelling books I really like. But to be honest, most of the time, it's about music. Drumming, bands, touring, you name it. 

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

Skoll: Famous last word of every band in an interview - listen to our new album Vanitas, out now! Enjoy and in those times, stay safe and stay healthy. Thanks for having me, thanks for the interview!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLEKG9D0E_Q&feature=youtu.be&utm_source=Presse+News+-+UK&utm_campaign=bf4d4e2dae-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_05_24_09_58_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9812a903a1-bf4d4e2dae-16118131

Final Dawn/Mina Olen Pimeys/2020 CD Review

 

Final  Dawn  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "Mina  Olen  Pimeys".

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  the  music  speeds  up a   decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  clean  playing  when  it  is  utilized  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  progressive  feeling.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  First  wave  black  metal  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  clean  singing  onto  the  album  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  traditional  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive,  satanic,  chaos  and  war  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Final  Dawn  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Till  The  Bitter  End"  "Satan;s  Hourglass"  and  "Fire  Of  The  North".8 out  of  10.

http://fb.com/finaldawnband
https://twitter.com/FinalDawnBand

https://www.instagram.com/finaldawnband/

https://youtu.be/_tF3eogchvQ 

Shrykull/Temple Steps/Trepanation Recordings/2020 Split Album Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  United  Kingdom's  Shrykull  and  Temple  Steps  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Trepanation  Recordings  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Shrykull  a  duo  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black, sludge,  doom,  death  metal,  grind  and  hardcore.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  distorted  amp  sounds  before  going  into  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  which  also  captures  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  all of  the  musical  instruments  on  their  side  of  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  mid  tempo  sections  of their  songs  also  show an  influence  of  hardcore  along  with  their  second  track  being  a  cover  of  Grief's  "I  Hate  The  Human  Race"  which  also  introduces  death  metal growls  onto  their  side  of  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dystopian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Shrykull  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of    black, sludge,  doom,  death  metal,  grind  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Misanthrope".

  Next  up  is  Temple  Steps  a  duo  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very slow, dark,  heavy  and  melodic  doom  metal  sound  while  the  bass  guitar  also  adds  in  the  heaviness  of sludge  metal.  The  vocals  are  also  done  in  a  screaming  style  along  with  all  of  the music  sticking  to  a  slower  direction  as  well  as  the  second  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  whispers.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  misanthropic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Temple  Steps  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Snapped  Crook".

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

Booking and info (Shrykull) – https://shrykull.bandcamp.com/

Booking and info (Temple Steps) - https://templesteps.bandcamp.com/

Facebook (Shrykull) - https://www.facebook.com/shrykull

Facebook (Temple Steps) - https://www.facebook.com/TempleSteps

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  would  recommend

 

  

Arseis/Melz Venist Li Brullin/Black Death Productions/2020 CD Review

 

  Arseis  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Melz  Venist  Li  Brullin"  which  was released  by  Black  Death  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very powerful  sound  to  them.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  folk  instruments  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  melody.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  as  well  as  some  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  leads.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  medieval  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Arseis  are  a  very  great sounding  mixture  of  black,  death  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Au  Gibet  De  Montfaucon" "Sorceresce  Haguenau"  and  "La  Recluse".  8  out  of  10.

https://blackdeathprod.bandcamp.com/album/melz-venist-li-brullin         

Ysgaroth/Storm Over A Black Sea/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Ysgaroth  are  a  band  from  Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  post,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2020  album  "A  Storm  Over  A  Black  Sea"  which  will  be  released  in  November.

  Rain  sounds  and  clean  playing  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  of  the  faster  riffing  also  adds  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  h8igh  pitched  black  metal  screams,  death  metal  growls  and  shouts  and  the  riffs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements.

  Keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  slower  riffs  also  add  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  post  metal  to  make  an  old  school  style  sound  more  modern,  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  death  and  Satanism  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Ysgaroth  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  post,  death  and  thrash  metal and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nam  Gloria  Satanas" and  "Deluge".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook.com/Ysgaroth
Twitter.com/Ysgaroth

Instagram.com/Ysgarothofficial  

Gwydion/Self Titled/Art Gates Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Gwydion  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  epic,  atmospheric,  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  folk, Viking, black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2020  album  which will be  released  in  November  by Art Gates  Records.

  Epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  symphonic  elements  onto  the  recording  that  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times. The  vocals  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  aggressive  shouts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of melody  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  while  the  deeper  vocals  also add  in  some  touched  of  death  meta.  Elements  of  folk  music  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit throughout  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them. 

  When  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  also  give  the songs  more  of  a  Viking  metal  touch  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  and  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  plying  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording,  some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  traditional  metal  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  female  vocals  are  also  added  on  the  closing  song.  The  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Vikings,  Battles,  Iberian  Culture/History,  Mythology  and  Alcohol  themes,

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Gwydion  and  if  you  are  a  dab  of  atmospheric,  melodic  and  symphonic  folk,  Viking,  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Stand  Alone"  "Battle  Of  Aclud  Ford"  "Ale  Mead  And  Wine"  and  "Hammer  Of  the  Gods".  8out  of  10.

www.gwydion.org/
www.facebook.com/GwydionPT
www.instagram.com/gwydionofficial/

www.twitter.com/GwydionMetal       

Favna Abisal/Argonautas/2020 EP Review

 

  Favna  Abisal  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  post  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020 ep "Argonatas".

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  avant  garde  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  clear  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music.  Synths  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Grim  yet  high pitched  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  as  well  as  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow  and  mid  tempo  parts,  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length. 

  Favna  Abisal  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  90'sera  of  avant  garde  black  metal  as  well  as  mixing  in  some  elements  of  post  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  Philosophy,  Literature  and  Madness  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Favna  Abismal  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  post  black  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "El  Ente".  8  out  of  10.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/36q4NvFpb6yjSEQR1m5FTb?si=8yaFdqOkRkm3RLi-WTdxRw  

http://favnaabisal.bandcamp.com   

     

Sacramentum/Finis Malorum/Vic Records/2020 EP Re-Issue Review

 

  Sacramentum  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  1990  ep  "Finis  Malorum" which  will  be  re-issued  on  October  30th  by  Vic  Records  and  the  re-issue  also  consists  of  their  1993  demo  "Sedes  Impiorum"  Sepultura,  Mercyful  Fate  covers  and  one  very  early  and  rare  track.

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  very  fast  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  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  music  also  mixes  in  the  more  melodic  side  of  Swedish  death  metal.  One  track  also  introduces  clean  playing  into  the  music  along  with  another  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  whispered  vocals.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  cover  songs  also  bringing  in  a  different  style  than  the  original  versions  as  well  as  introducing  some  demonic  growls  onto  the  compilation.  The  intro  on  the  demo  tracks  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  and  the  demo  material  has more  death  metal  elements  than  the  more  recent  material  but  still  very  heavily  influenced  by  black  metal.  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  classical  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the lyrics  cover  dark  fantasy,  paganism,  chaos,  darkness  and  death  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  from  Sacramentum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Travel  With  The  Northern  Winds"  "Pagan  Fire"  "Stormbringer"  and  "Morbid  Humanity". 8out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/sacramentumofficial/

      

Aeolian/The Negationist/Black Lion Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Aeolian  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  folk  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "The  Negationist"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Black  Lion  Records.

   A  very  fast  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  blackened  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody  as  well  as  adding  in  some  touches  of  classic  metal  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  acoustic  guitars  are  utilized  they  also  bring  elements  of  folk  metal  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  some  clean  chants  also  being  utilized  briefly.

  Some  of  the  heavier  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  thrash  metal  along  with  a  later  track  also  introducing  power  metal style vocals  onto  the  album  and  as  the  album   progresses  some  songs  also  add  in  stringed  and  folk  instruments.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  damage  earthlings  are  dong  to  their  own  planet.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Aeolian  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black, death,  folk,  thrash  and  power  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Momentum"  "Unseen  Enemy"  "The  Flood"  and  "Reborn".  8/5  out  of  10.

http://www.aeolianband.com
https://www.facebook.com/aeolianmetalband 
https://twitter.com/aeolianmetal 
https://www.instagram.com/aeolian_official 
https://www.youtube.com/aeolianofficial 

       

   

Vulgarian/Human Scum/2020 Full Length Review

  Vulgarian  are  a  band  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal  and  hardcore  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "Human  Scum"  which  will  be  released  on  October  30th.

  Drum  beats  start  off  the  album  along  with  a  very  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  elements  of  sludge  metal  onto  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  screams  which  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffing.

  Growls  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music while  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  the  raw  energy  of  hardcore  punk.  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  all  of  the  music  also  always  sticks  mostly  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  and  musical  direction  as  well  as  always  remaining  very  heavy  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  fast  playing  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Vulgarian  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  metal,  crust  and  hardcore  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  anti  racism,  corruption,  police,  state  violence  and    the  overall  erosion  of  human  rights.

  In  my  opinion  Vulgarian  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  crust  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Human  Scum" "Shithole" and  "Drown  In  A  Swamp".  8 out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/vvlgarian 

https://twitter.com/Vvlgarian

https://instagram.com/vvlgarian?igshid=15md9w0aynyyc 

https://vulgarian.bandcamp.com/            

Twisted Mist/Orbios/Music-Records/CD Review

 

  Twisted  Mist  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  pagan  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album "Orbios"  which  will  be released in  November  by  Music-Records.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  folk  instruments  a  few  seconds  later  while  tribal  beats  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  folk  elements  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  a  lot  of t he  vocals  also  being  done  in  a  clean  pagan  style.

  Grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  One  of  the  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental  along  with  the  guitar  leads  also  being  done  in  a  melodic  style  when  they  are  used  briefly  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  all  of  the  tracks  also  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  style.

  Twisted  Mist  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk  music  and  melodic  pagan  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Twisted  Mist  are  a  very  great  sounding  pagan  folk  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Matir"  "Finis  Vitae"  and  "Orbios".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/twistedmist2014/

https://www.instagram.com/twisted.mist/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd-0TeoI8_A&ab_channel=MusicRecordsChannel  

Ancient Thrones Interview

 

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

 

We’re Ancient Thrones from the east coast of Canada in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We play our own brand of blackened death metal with a desire for drowning our listeners in cosmic anguish. If you push play, prepare for a grand sonic journey into the depths of the void that is purgatory.

 

2.You have your first full length coming out in November, musically how does it differ from your previous ep? 

 

Under our old name Abysseral Throne we had released an EP called “Storming the Black Gate”, which we cherish as a learning process for the band. The band today is vastly different with new members and no more clean singing. Dylan our guitarist and main songwriter has a lot more ideas and boundaries he’s looking to push than we did previously. With the line-up change came the desire to showcase more extreme music to match my blackened shrieks and guttural growls. 

 

3.This is also your first released in 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

 

To be honest, a lot of things that were out of our hands prevented this release from coming sooner. Putting out this record has been a slow process, but good things take time, so they say. We wrote the album skeleton in 3 months, then I really planned and took my time with the lyrics. I moved across the country for a little bit to clear my head and to isolate myself to finish the lyrics and story. It was very therapeutic for me to take a break from the heavy subject matter. Once I returned to Halifax, we began recording in the winter of 2019. It’s been grueling to get to where we are today, but we’re excited for everyone to finally hear the record on November 6th!  

 

4.The lyrics on the new recording are also a concept album, can you tell us a little bit more about the story you have covered with this release?

 

It’s a story of pain and loss and overcoming yourself to move forward in life. Sometimes we are in the way of our own happiness and we must dissolve our own attachment to pain to see the light. There’s a lot of metaphors lying within each song, but narratively it’s the journey of a dead man finding peace with his reality and how he’s able to reach acceptance. I was in a very hard place in my life while I was writing the lyrics, and stuck right in the middle of a painful grieving process myself, so I really wanted the record to follow the 5 stages of grief most people go through to find that acceptance. If it helps just one person going through a tough time, I’ve done my job as a writer. 

 

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

 

I went through a few different names before landing on Ancient Thrones. Abyssal Throne, Abysmal Throne. We knew we wanted to keep our initials and not distance ourselves completely from Abysseral Throne. Shortly after I was listening to one of my favorite songs from Wolves in the Throne Room called “Astral Blood” and one of the lyrics mentions “Ancient Thrones”. It was just the sign I needed.

 

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

 

I really wanted a strong visual landscape for the record with no logos or words, and I wanted something that could exist in the universe outside the album, like a glance of what could be happening in our world, while the character of the record is dead. The veiled woman in the water represents the grief we feel, but also represents the character of death in the album. I wanted this figure in a place that was not only beautiful and vibrant but one I had a personal connection to. We shot the cover near a waterfall called Crooked Creek, just outside my hometown in New Brunswick and our friend Mallory geared up and got in that freezing cold river. The emerald green water also plays a strong metaphorical role in the record. 

 

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

 

We love to demolish our audience with crushing guitars, blazing drums, and well thought out tones. I love to see people's faces when we’re done playing, especially when people are surprised that I’m able to drum and do vocals at the same time. We’ve shared the stage with Beyond Creation, The Faceless, Rings of Saturn. Some of the best shows we play are right here in our city, in front of the always hungry east coast crowds. 

 

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

 

We’d love to talk to a label and we’ve never had any real serious talks before. I feel like it’s only a matter of time before someone hears what we’re doing and wants to work with us. We’re definitely open to having a discussion with the right person. 

 

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

 

Reception for the record so far has been stellar, and I’m glad people are making their own interpretations of the material. We really like to dance on the edge of both black metal and death metal, so it’s fun seeing fans trying to lock down our sound.  

 

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

 

With COVID-19, it’s hard to say right now. I hope we’ll be back to touring soon. What I can tell you is we are working on our follow-up record right now, and we should be back in the studio next year if all goes as planned. 

 

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?

 

Skeletonwitch and that blackened thrash sound has been very influential to me, as well as Wolves in the Throne Room, more so for the atmosphere they create. I find I’m able to pull a lot from the listening experience they create. I’ve been listening to the new Phoebe Bridger’s record, “Punisher” on repeat, I think she brings a beautiful darkness for her listener to inhabit while she also mends the soul with her tender voice. I also just got really into Vale of Pnath, who like us have a blackened sound but it’s mixed with a more tech-death style, which is a totally deadly combination. 

 

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

We’re Ancient Thrones from Canada and we’re here to bring you cosmic anguish. Our new concept record “The Veil” is arriving on November 6th to all digital streaming platforms and is also for sale on our Bandcamp  https://ancientthrones.bandcamp.com/.. You can pre-order it now. If you’re a fan of metal in any variety, take the journey with us and welcome the void of oblivion into your soul. Thank you for having us and for these well thought out questions, it was a pleasure speaking with you.

Feed Them Death/For Our Culpable Dead/Brucia Records/2020 EP Review

 

  Feed  Them  Death  are  a  solo  project  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  black,  sludge  metal,  experimental,  noise  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2020  ep "For  Our  Culpable Dead"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Brucia  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  grindcore  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  guttural  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  experimental  and avant  garde  elements  as  well  as  some  synths  are  also  mixed  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.

  All  of  the  musical instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very powerful  sound  to  them  while  a  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in some  of  the  guitar  riffing. Touches  of  sludge  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

 Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  some  harsh  noises  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  on  the  closing  track  guitar  leads  can  also  be  heard.   The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Feed  them  Death  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge,  death  metal,  grindcore,  avant  garde  and  experimental,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "For  Our  Culpable  Dead".8out  of  10.

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Nachtblut/Vanitas/Napalm Records/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Nachtblut  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  melodic,  symphonic  and  gothic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Vanitas" which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Napalm  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  synth  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Symphonic  elements  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  one  track  also  introduces  stringed  instruments  into  the  music  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while the  vocals  also  get  very  deep  sounding  at  times.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  one  track  also  adding folk  instruments  and  touches  of  goth  rock  onto  the  album  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  all  of  the  songs  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  dark  metal  as  well  as  all  of  the  songs  also  sticking  to  a  mid  tempo  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  death  metal growls and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nachtblut  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  goth  metal and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vanitas"  'Kaltes  herz"  "Meine  Grausamkeit  Kennt  Keine  Grenzen"  and  "Die  Toten  Vergresson  Nicht".  8  out  of  10.

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INSTAGRAM

WEBSITE    

Ancient Thrones/The Veil/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Ancient  Thrones  are  a  band  from  Nova  Scotia,  Canada  that  plays  a  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "The  Veil"  which  will be  released in  November.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  whispers  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical direction.  All  of  the  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  lot  of  black  metal  screams.

 Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  some  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  faster   riffing.   

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  pars  as  well as  the  riffing  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very long  and  epic  in  length.

  One  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  piano's  along some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  couple  of  instrumentals  are  also  added  onto  the  recording  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  symphonic  elements  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very progressive  and  technical sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover  the  5 stages  of  grief.   

  In  my  opinion  Ancient  Thrones  are  a  very  great sounding  melodic  blackened  death  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this musical  genre,  you  should check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Sight  Of  Oblivion"  "Viduus  (The  Veil)"  and  "The  Infinite  Eyes".8out  of  10.

Facebook.com/Ancientthrones

Instagram.com/ancientthrones      

Chasmdweller/Bacterial Lotus/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada's  Chasmdweller  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  black,  death,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  album  "Bacterial  Lotus".

  Drum  beats  and  heavy  riffs  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later.  Dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences.  

  Black  metal screams  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  During  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  effects  and  synths  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling,  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  At times  the  vocals  also  get  very  guttural  sounding  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  whispered  vocals  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  some  acoustic  guitars  and  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the lyrics  cover  death  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Chasmdweller  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death, sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Septic  Coma"  and  "Oracle  Of  The  Innumbable  Truths".  8  out  of  10.

https://chasmdweller.bandcamp.com/album/bacterial-lotus