Eldprov/Rift/Grind To Death Records/2022 CD Review

 

  Eldprov  are  a  duo  form  Sweden  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  theri  2022  album  "Rift"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Grind  To  Death  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also b e  heard  at  times  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  Swedish  style.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts, 

A  couple  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  clean  playing,  acoustic  guitars  and  female  vocals  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Eldprov  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  "Affliction''  "Third  Crow"  and  "Hunt".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/dGl5vgzzLXk

https://www.facebook.com/eldprovofficial

https://www.instagram.com/eldprov   

Sacrimonia Interview

 

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

Kuba: Well, it’s been less than a month since the release of “Anthems of Eclipse”, but we’ve already played 3 shows supporting Grima, Ultar and Bloody Tyrant on their European tour. We’ve also started collecting ideas for new songs, as well as planning a late-fall tour.

2.Recently you have released your first full length, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?

Kuba: I would say that new songs are catchier than the ones from the EP. Also, the arrangements are more transparent, so to speak, including a wider variety of styles and motifs. The EP was very much rooted in black metal, especially the guitar work - on the other hand, on the full length we decided to include bits of melodic death-, post-, heavy metal, you name it. There is even some metalcore to be found in a few parts, although it’s not so straightforward in your face.

Mariusz: We wanted to make sure we’re not producing generic black metal songs with a symphonic component, but rather start from thinking about the melodies and harmonies as such. As a result, on the new album the orchestrations often drive the songs, they don’t serve just as mere additions to the guitar content.

Kamila: Just as the boys said, less black metal in black metal. However, for us the genre is artificially given to us after the release, not something to be crucial during the creative process. There are some influences and motifs, not really an intention to play a certain genre. As long as something sounds good and fits the general vibe we give, it sits.

3.This is also your first release in 6 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Kuba: Well, first of all we were gaining experience gigging and promoting the “New World Ascension” EP. From 2018 we were also writing the songs for the new album and by early 2020 we had it pretty much finished and ready to be recorded, but then the pandemic came and unnecessarily prolonged the entire process.

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

Kamila: The new album is strongly inspired by French modernists and symbolists: Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Verlaine. Other than that, the song “Modern Prometheus” is of course a reference to Mary Shelley’s novel – the concept of a god-like parent figure, the grief of a creature. “Katabasis”, the old song previously recorded on the EP, refers to Mikhail Bulgakov’s novels.

I would say that the simpler my inspiration and writing process is, the better the song comes out. Personally, I think the new album has better lyrics than the EP, while the writing process of every song was much easier and shorter. To be honest, I pretty much like the lyrics for “Into Darkness…”, but there was not really a certain reason to compose them like that. I just wrote what came into my mind while listening to the guitars Kuba composed for the new song. A few years ago, I needed a special motif, so many feelings, a certain vibe and a literary inspiration. Right now I just write what comes to my mind first and the rest comes to me eventually.

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

Kuba: There isn’t any specific meaning behind the name. From what I recall, the main inspiration was the song “Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)” by the band Kamelot. Anyway, we decided that the name “Sacrimonia” sounds atmospheric and dark and that it would be a good fit for us.

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

Kuba: The artwork was created by a young, yet very promising Polish artist – Dorota Bujak. She asked us for demo versions of the songs along with lyrics and somehow translated the vibe of the music into visual art. For me, the artwork is very oneiric, far from cliches so often found on metal albums and that is exactly what we wanted to achieve.

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

Mariusz: The small tour in Czech Republic in 2019 was a blast. Cool cities, very good response from the audience and everybody we worked with there was a professional… which isn’t something you can always say about the music industry.

Kamila: Yes, the Czech tour and also  Łódź DeathFest for me. The audience got crazy and they didn’t want us to leave. They called us the best band of the event afterwards. That was probably the first bigger concert we had in the early days. I also recall the concert with Madmans Esprit organised by our friend, Antoine – I think he is a great tour manager and I hope to play more with him in the future.

Kuba: Damn, hard to choose, but I’ll probably stick with the Czech mini-tour. As for the stage performance, I don’t think it’s for us to judge, but I’d say we’re giving it everything we’ve got every time we’re on stage.

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

Mariusz: Yes, we’ve just finished a small, preliminary promo tour and we will continue this fall.

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

Mariusz: This won’t hurt of course, but we aren’t pressing ourselves to get signed. We’ve already rejected some rather uninteresting offers. In current times a label isn’t a must-have.

Kamila: It would be great to have a good label and a satisfying contract. But the thing is – “good” and “satisfying” are the clue words for that.

10.On a worldwide level, how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of symphonic black metal?

Mariusz: Judging by comments on the internet, the reaction has been mostly positive. People tend to mention that the album “sounds like symphonic black metal that they’re used to, but there’s something cool and refreshing about that”. Expectedly, the vocal performance gets a lot of praise.

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

Mariusz: It’s not a surprise that we want to decouple ourselves from the black metal cliches. I could definitely see us incorporating more gothic, cold wave and classic heavy metal elements.

Kamila: Less black metal, more experimental sounds and motifs. Gothic and coldwave is the way to go for me. Of course, staying with the brutality and heavy sound. I think the LP shows the right direction in some aspects.

Kuba: Genre-wise Kamila and Mariusz have already hinted in which direction we may evolve. I would also like our future songs to be even catchier, containing hooks that will stay in your head from the very first listen. 

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

Mariusz: I’m very much into dark folk and coldwave stuff. Think King Dude, Drab Majesty, VR Sex.

Kamila: Similar to Mariusz, I love coldwave and darkwave music, especially the one mixed with electronic sounds and synths – Boy Harsher, London After Midnight, Drab Majesty (as mentioned before). Also lighter classics like Lebanon Hanover or even The Cure. I am somehow into jazz sounds – from the funeral and doom jazz like Kilimanjaro DE, to free jazz jams and experimental concerts by various, smaller artists. 

Kuba: Well, apart from extreme metal and gothic stuff, I’m very much into the 80s  - both hair metal acts such as Motley Crue or Skid Row, and classic heavy metal like early Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Running Wild, Grave Digger etc. I also really dig the Scandinavian “glam revival” thing, including relatively new bands such as Crashdiet, Reckless Love, Gemini Five and so on. Oh, and let’s not forget about various soundtracks to both movies and video games.

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

Kamila: Don’t forget to follow us on social media to get the latest news from the band!

Mariusz: Thanks for the questions and your support!

Kuba: Thanks for the support, keep up the good work!

Facebook | Bandcamp | Youtube | Spotify

Oak, Ash & Thorn/To Gaze On Stars Of Frost/2021 EP Review

 

  Oak,  Ah  &  Thorn  are  a  band  from  Colorado  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black, death,  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  ep  "To  Gaze  On  Stars  of  Frost".

  A  very  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  clean  pagan  vocals  while  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  When  acoustic  guitars  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  folk  music  while  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  leads  are  finally  introduced  and  the  recording  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  the  closing  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Oak,  Ash  &  Thorn  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black,  death,  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  old  world  paganism,  death,  isolation,  addiction  and  heartbreak  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Oak,  Ash  &  Thorn  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death,  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Praise  Unto  The  Immortals"  and  "Suspended  And  Frozen".  8  out  of  10.

   https://youtu.be/5o5GsBz2Row

Oakashandthorn.bandcamp.com, Apple Music, Spotify

​https://www.facebook.com/ofoakashandthorn​
​https://www.instagram.com/ofoakashandthorn​

​https://www.twitter.com/MetalOATs          

Wake/Thought Form Descent/Metal Blade Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Wake  are  a  band  from  Calgary,  Alberta,  Canada  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Thought  Form  Descent"  which  will  be  released  on  July  22nd  by  Metal  Blade  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  and  clean  playing  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  also  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  tracks  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  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  the  music  also  showing  influences  of  crust  and  grindcore  at  times  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized,  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  escapism  and  existentialism  themes.

  In my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Wake  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album,.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Infinite  inward"  "Venerate  (The  Undoing  Of  All)"  and  "Bleeding  Eyes  of  The  Watcher".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/e6fhvOfEO2M    

Bloodred/Ad ASstra/Massacre Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  solo  project  Bloodred  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  melodic  style  of  blackened  death  metal  from  his  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2022  album  "Ad  Astra"  which  was  released  by  Massacre  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  return  on  later  tracks  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  album 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  some  spoken  word  samples  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized,  synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Bloodred  brings  in  a  lot  more  diversity  to  his  melodic  style  of  blackened  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  fear,  anger,  sorrow  and  loneliness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  form  Bloodred  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shatter  of  Worlds"  ""All  Is  Bleak"  "Twilight  Falls"  and  "Ad  Astra".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

Deezer

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Blodtørst Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

We are currently preparing for a studio session this August, to record our second album. We are planning to release our second album early next year. We are also in the process of planning concerts  both domestic and abroad.

 

2.In 2021 you had released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

We had a lot of differing influences is the beginning, and the whole album is about finding ourselves as a band. It varies a lot genre-wise because of this, but we decided we would have no restrictions on our the music we made for this album, but we all agreed it would be an extreme metal album. Some influences would be Gorgoroth, Emperor, Urfaust, Behemoth.

 

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

The lyrics on our first album is centered around outcasts, and people outside the ‘society’ as it were. Someone on the outside looking in.

 

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

‘Blodtørst’ could also be viewed as someone who is out for revenge, or not shy of violence or retribution. A lot of the outcasts that the lyrics are centered around are after retribution or vengeance in order to survive, or right the wrongs committed against them.

 

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

The piece of bone depicted on the artwork is actually a piece of lamb-bone we found on the mountains during a walk. Probably picked clean by scavengers, it presented itself as a visually striking symbol.

 

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

Our debut concert in September 2021 surprisingly was our favorite concert so far. This was during the pandemic-lockdown, so all attendees had to be seated on fixed seats, and with a reduced number of tickets available. Still, the crowd surprised us and was into the music, even headbanged where they were sitting. A good experience for us, and it seemed the crowd enjoyed themselves too.

Our vocalist and bass-player/backing vocalist interacts a lot with the crowd and makes them involved in the show. Joining in and shouting the choruses is encouraged. But all of the band is trying to interact with the audience, and make them involved in the show.

 

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

Yes, we are currently looking into an autumn gig in our hometown of Trondheim, and are exploring the possibilities of travelling anywhere to play next year, possibly as a part of our new album release.

 

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

If any good offers arise we will of course consider them, but we are happy to continue as an independent/unsigned band.

 

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

We have been featured on radio/podcasts in Belgium and Israel which was a welcoming gesture.

Some local radios have played us as well. We see from Spotify that we have active listeners all over the world, which we welcome. The reviews we have received for our first album have been fair and good, which has given us motivation to continue our work.

 

10.When can we expect new music and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We are just on the cusp of starting the recording of our second album, which is likely to be released early next year. Our next album is a more coherent experience than our debut album, and also draws more on black metal influences.

Beyond the next album, who knows? It might go more Death-metal, only time will tell.

 

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

 

The band has a diverse taste of music, but we all overlap in the extreme-metal genre.

Some bands we listen to would be Behemoth, At the gates, Vredehammer, Windir, Immortal and Nile.

 

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

Check us out on Spotify, Instagram and Facebook. There will also be updates there on our studio sessions, and most likely some teasers on what’s to come. Stay tuned for our next album early next year. Thank you for you questions, and your interest in the band.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blodtorstofficialnorway
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7CqlSXbA5zdfUVux6ECw80?si=0iZCqUX6R6WlcJFRh5vn3A
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blodtorstband/?hl=en

Cruentus/Fossilized/Kult und Kaos Productions/2022 FUll Length Review

 

  Cruentus  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a melodic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Fossilized"  which  will b e  released  in  July  by  Kult  und  Kaos  Productions.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  whispers  can  also be  heard  briefly.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  A  lot  of  the  album  is  also  very  heavily rooted  in the  Swedish  style  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.

  On  this  album  Cruentus  remains  true  to  the  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  that  they  have  established  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  different  emotions  coherent  with  being  a  human  and  the  diversities  of  life  itself  and  our  coexistence  with  the  present  reality.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album from  Cruentus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Catalyst"  "The  Lost  Ones"  "Averted  Reality"  and  "Primordial  Reprisal".  8  out  of  10.  

Kvlt und Kaos Productions: https://www.kvltundkaosproductions.com/cruentus
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0S5fJ4mSuFJOOXiqf0nbcI?si=mjfEUjBGTDmyQ_8IXygQew
Bandcamp: https://cruentus1.bandcamp.com/releases
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cruentus-SWE-101581451696691

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cruentus_swe/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIPlVzyIzlw&ab_channel=KVLTundKAOSProductions            

Moribund Dawn/Dark Mysteries Of Time & Eternity/Carbonized Records/2022 CD Review

 

  Moribund  Dawn  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  Swedish  influenced  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Dark  Mysteries  Of  Time  &  Eternity"  which  was  released  by  Carbonized  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  epic  sounding  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  

  Spoken  word  pars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and   the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  Swedish  style.    

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sorcery  and  night  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Moribund  Dawn  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  black  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  mysteries  Of  Time  &  Eternity"  and  "Lunar  Chaosium"..8  out  of  10.

https://carbonizedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dark-mysteries-of-time-eternity  

Blodtørst/Ferd/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Blodtørst  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  aggressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  emtal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "Ferd".

   A  very  fast  and  melodic  Swedish  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  showing  some  Norwegian  style  black  metal  influences  at  times,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  a  later  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  back  up  shouts.  

  Blodtørst  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  melodic  and  Swedish  influenced  form  of  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  Norwegian  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Norwegian  and  English  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Blodtørst  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  "Troll"  "Orm"  "Purple  Emperor"  and  "Worship  Me".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blodtorstofficialnorway
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7CqlSXbA5zdfUVux6ECw80?si=0iZCqUX6R6WlcJFRh5vn3A

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blodtorstband/?hl=en    

Guillotine A.D/Born To Fall/M - Theory Audio/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Guillotine  A.D  are  a  band  from  Atlanta,  Georgia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Born  To  Fail"  which  was  released  by  M  -  Theory  Audio.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  music.  The  album  also  mixes  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences  as  well  as  keeping  it  very  modern  at  the  same  time.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  track  also  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  war  samples.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style  when  they  are  finally  utilized  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  song.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  war  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Guillotine  A.D  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of   black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal ,  you  should  check  out  this  album. RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vultures  Of  Paradise"  "Spiritual  Insect"  and  "Madness  Of  The  Gods".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/guillotine. ad1
www.instagram.com/guillotine_ ad/
guillotinead.bandcamp.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7qQzO6wlkA&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICNHqf1OQhM&feature=youtu.be

    

Forsaken Eternity/A Kingdom of Ice/Rottweiler Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Forsaken  Eternity  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "A  Kingdom  Of  Ice"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Rottweiler  Records.

  A  very  heavy,  melodic  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  a  couple  of tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts.

  The  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  power  metal  elements  along  with  some  clear  vocals  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  well  as  one  song  also  being  an  instrumental  and  also  introducing  classical  guitars  onto  the  recording  and  the  album  also  closes  with  a  cover  of  Yngwie  Malmsteen's  "Rising  Force".  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  time  travel,  fantasy,  dreams  and  misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Forsaken  Eternity  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Skywards"  "Endless  Light"  and  "A  Kingdom  of  ice".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/forsakeneternityban

https://youtu.be/HHgQtPEP9gc 

Destrania/Divine Archaic Lore/20220 Full Length Review

 

  Destrania  are  a  solo  project  from  Clarkston,  Washington  that  plays  an  instrumental,  progressive  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2020  album  "Divine  Archaic  Lore".

  Symphonic  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  add  in  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  while  also  mixing  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also being  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  progressive  style.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats,  black  and  death  metal  elements.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  showing  an  influence  of  classical  music  at  times  as  well  as  one  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Destrania  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  death,  symphonic,  progressive  metal  and  neo-classical  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  while  the  production  also  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Destrania  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental,  progressive  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Abandoned"  and  "The  Mountain  Of  Sorrow".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/QMqLCtlFfTU

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5GxBHSWQP1ThU7wcs8n0Zk

https://music.apple.com/us/album/divine-archaic-lore-2022-remastered-version/1614810132 https://www.facebook.com/destraniaofficial https://www.instagram.com/destrania_music/ https://spoti.fi/3xyO1PC https://apple.co/3n1y9QO https://amzn.to/3y7NFks

      

  

Evoking Winds/The Heroes/2022 FUll Length Review

 

  Evoking  Winds  are  a  band  from  Belarus  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  takes  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  folk  metal  and  dungeon  synth  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "The  Heroes".

  A  very  heavy  yet  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  atmospheric  touches.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  some  blast  beats  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  instrumentals.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  black  and  folk  metal  elements.  On  some  of  the  tracks  the  music  also  brings  in  more  of  a  dungeon  synth  an d  fantasy  movie  soundtrack  music  style  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  On  this  recording  Evoking  Winds  takes  an  atmospheric  and  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  folk,  dungeon  style  and  fantasy  soundtrack  music  to  create  something  very  different  sounding  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  while  the  production  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Evoking  Winds  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  symphonic  black,  folk  metal  and  dungeon  synth,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "To  Arms"  "Echoes  of  battles"  "Warlock's  Power"  and  "Elemental  magic".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/FIf4ApdLJ1s

https://evokingwinds.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/evoking.winds.official

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkvrxEe4T1lcXRQmosJUWfw  

 

Nazgul Rising Interview

 

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

The album was released in late March on digital platforms, collecting a good number of listening's and interest, despite being promoted only on social media. With the help of promotion agencies between reviews and interviews interest has increased, hoping to have contacts with some label interested. 

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

Surely songwriting and production that has improved.

From the 2005 Ep "Let Evil Arise" it was a home recording. After years of silence I wanted to take back some old tracks that had never been completed, but still had a good potential. In 2014, "Orietur in Tenebris Lux tua" was released. In recent years I dedicated myself to writing the new album, I felt that the path with the previous album had not yet ended. So I found the collaboration of Lord Trevius for the orchestral arrangements, but I didn’t have the participation of Borius on vocals, so the songs were all sung by me.

3.This is also your first album in 8 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

I played for other projects and other bands, so I had left out writing for new songs, which at the beginning were in an embryonic state and I was not satisfied. I was just waiting for the right moment to write something new and it finally came. For realization it took another 2 years.

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

“Orietur in Tenebris Lux Tua” and “Cycles of Primal Chaos” are concept albums about life, death and

rebirth. A journey rites and cults; a journey between darkness and light. The inspiration came from

ancestral chronicles: the legendary founders of the first human civilizations, who were called “the

Serpent of Wisdom”, are represented in many ancient myths. The priestly lineages that presided and

guided the birth and development of civilizations, a head of mysteries and initiatic traditions, recalling the etymology of the serpent.

5.In one interview you also mentioned an interest in history, what are some of the historical events that you take interest in?

There are several, but more than anything what struck me reading the “Laments of Ur“, a text written more than 5000 years ago, attributed calamities to an evil wind blowing from the west, a deadly cloud that caused an atrocious death to all living beings, people and animals alike, that shriveled plants and poisoned the waters, unleashed by the use of “Weapons of Terror” in a conflict between opposing clans of the Anunnaki. So I took inspiration to write "Evilwind".

6.I know that the bands name comes from the writings of J.R.R Tolkien, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his writings and also do you have any interest in other fantast authors?

The name "Nazgul Rising" is a metaphor for the evil that comes within us, the dark alter ego wants to get out and take over. Corruption, lust for power and submission in exchange for

something, has always reflected the vulnerability of man.

In addition to Tolkien, which is my favorite, I am also passionate about fantasy, sci-fi and horror literature. I can also mention H.P. Lovecraft, Clark A. Smith, E.A.Poe, Barker, G.R.R.Martin, A. Machen, Philip Dick, Asimov, Ballard, Matheson, Robert E. Howard. Did I forget any?

7.On the album cover you show the battle between Marduk and Tiamat, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in Sumerian Mythology and what are also some of the other mythologies that you have studied?

We wanted this cover, made by Nestor Avalos, because it contains the whole concept of the album. I wanted two primordial entities representing the clash of light and darkness. 

I have always found Sumerian mythology interesting, the legends are somehow connected with other civilizations including Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Norse. I am not a scholar but just passionate about history, and I am lucky to live in Rome that has a lot to offer.

8.So far the band has not done any live shows but you have mentioned you would be interested in doing a live show if you had an orchestra, what kind of orchestra do you feel would be suitable for the musical style that you play?

In that interview I said that it would be a dream to be able to play live with a real orchestra. I don’t know in reality how much you can make it happen. Already some great bands have played with orchestras, Septic Flesh, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, but these are bands with great productions and big budgets. We still have to keep on grounded.

9.In August 'Old Metal Rites' is going to release the physical version of the new album, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Despite the different offers of some labels, we were looking for those that were interested in releasing our album. Besides Old Metal Rites, Misantropia Records has also offered to print CDs. We chose them because they are labels without exclusive products, and above all to expand the distribution both in America and in Europe being the Brazilian Old Metal Rites and the Finnish Misanthropy. Anyway I found a lot of willingness on both sides.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of symphonic black metal>

The reactions are good, not only from symphonic black metal listeners but also from those who listen to different sub-genres of black or extreme metal. In particular, orchestral arrangement was appreciated, different from the usual baroque and gothic tracks. We focused more on recreating dark atmospheres of mythology and fantasy,  at the same time giving power and impact.

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

We have material to write another album, but how it will sound and the direction it will take we don’t know yet, maybe we could experiment with something new.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that you are currently listening to?

I listen to tons of music, mostly metal, but lately there are few bands that surprise me with something new, so I prefer old bands that make new records. I really enjoyed the last of Blut Aus Nord, they always manage to innovate and evolve.

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

We want to thank ADifferentShadeOfBlackMetalZine for this interview especially to you who read it to the end.

Deos Interview

 

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

The end of the composition, the arrangements and the recordings of Furor Belli were done during the pandemic. Then everything accelerated from October 2021. We had to prepare the new set with the songs of Furor Belli for the resumption of the concerts in November 2021. We wanted to see how our songs sounded live and especially to see how they would be received. At the same time we started to look for a label, then we signed with Worm Hole Death Records and worked with them on the promotion. Before the official release of Furor Belli, we went to present it on stage during the North Imperial Tour MMXII between France and Belgium. 

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

 This album is the most successful of the 3, it is, in some ways, a mix of the first 2, we find the death and black influences of the first and the melodic and epic side of the second. It is also more raw and more violent! Sometimes to have a more successful product it is necessary to know to purify to emphasize the essential! Our new recruit, Cedric, brings us all his knowledge and all the violence which we missed before. The sound of each of the instruments was also the object of a big work in order to make the whole heavier and more aggressive. 

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

 Indeed 5 years is a long time, although the idea of releasing a new album has been on our mind for a while. We finished the concerts linked to In Nomine Romae in January 2019. It was supposed to end in October 2019 with a tour but it was cancelled 4 days before the departure because of the pandemic that the world knew... We also had problems with the previous line up, we had to put all that down before finding the way of the composition and especially what direction we would take musically. This led to the departure of François (guitars) and Harsh (keyboard). So we had to find a new guitarist, Cedric arrived. Then we had our 2nd lockdown. We worked each on our side to have the best songs. We spent a lot of time in videoconference to exchange ideas and make arrangements, this way of working is not ideal but it's the only way we had. Then we recorded, then there was the post production done by J-F Dagenais (Kataklysm and Ex Deos) at JDF Studio... and here you are at the end of the 5 years!

 4.A lot of your lyrics cover Ancient Roman History, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic? 

Just for your information all our lyrics cover the history of Ancient Rome! Ancient Rome spans 1229 years, from the creation of Rome in 753 BC to the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD, it is a fascinating period filled with extraordinary characters, conspiracies, battles, mythology, legends, philosophers etc... Moreover, modern history was built on the basis of the Roman Empire! It is an inexhaustible source of inspiration! The members of the group being history buffs, it is with the greatest interest that we revive this period! 

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

 We were looking for a name that would be simple to remember, referring to our music. We found a We found a name that we liked very much but it was composed of 4 words, by taking only the first letters we got D.E.O.S. We let you find these 4 words by yourselves. The one who will send us a message with the 4 right words will win our 3rd album! 

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

 It is the work of the artist Brice Cumin who is also our friend. It is him who had illustrated our 2 preceding albums. Our covers represent precise phases of a battle. The establishment of the strategy on Ghosts Of The Empire our 1st album. The assault on the battlefield for In Nomine Romae our 2nd album. For Furor Belli we wanted to show the fury of the battles because the fury is very present in the songs of this album! Brice knew perfectly how to bring out the music through his brushes! He has a lot of talent and he knew how to capture all the fury of the album. 

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

Each show always marks us more or less for good or bad! We meet nice people and bands, we forge friendships and even alliances with some of them. We strive, at each concert, to take our audience into another time, we see each concert as a battle, like fighters, we give everything on stage, battle that we must win as Rome knew how to conquer lands and make its empire. In March 2018 we played at the Undertown in Geneva in front of a very excited audience, the last concert of the North Imperial Tour MMXXII in Tournai in Belgium was extra. For us, the best concert is very recent, we had the honor to open for the Swedish band Zornheym in May 2022. The public was present in number, we took our foot on stage, then off stage when Zornheym performed. 

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

We are currently looking at and organizing future dates. We want to perform as often as possible where we can. If possible in Europe outside our borders (Italy, Germany, Switzerland etc ...) Don't hesitate to contact us if you want us to play: official.deos@gmail.com

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

 The feedbacks are very good! Whether it is by the press, by the webzine or by the fans! We feel a real passion of people for this album, we receive a lot of messages in this sense... With all the work it took to make this album it's a real pleasure to see that it paid off! We are very proud of Furor Belli ! 

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

 On stage then in studio then on stage then in studio... We would like to play in big festivals, something we never had the opportunity to do, and thus conquer new people! We will continue to make Roman Extreme Metal to make the band a reference! 

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? 

We are influenced by metal in general, be it black, death, thrash, heavy etc. We draw our strength from these styles, but not only. Some members like rock, some like disco, some like classical music... There are a lot of different bands because our influences are multiple and varied. If we have to name some bands, we can say: Motorhead, Queen, Metallica, Pantera, Pink Floyd, Kreator, Rammstein, Emperor, Death, Lamb Of God, Kataklysm, Iron Maiden, Ex Deo, Bolt Thrower, Slayer, Vivaldi, Paganini, Guano Apes... Currently we are enjoying the band Zornheym... 

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

Follow us, support us, listen to Furor Belli is an amazing album ! Talk about us around of you ! Alea jacta est et in fine Roma Victrix 

deos-official.bandcamp.com/releases