Nothing Is Real/Acts of Despair And Faith/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Los  Angeles,  California's  solo  project   Nothing  Is  Real  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  progressive,  psychedelic  and  technical  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  metal  and  experimental  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2024  album  "Acts  of  Despair  And  Faith"  which  will  be  released  in  April.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  distorted  and  heavier  direction  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  psychedelic  sounds  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical,  progressive  and  experimental  sounding  as  well  as  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  noise  rock  touches.  All  of  the  songs  also  sticks  to  an  instrumental  direction   and  a  lot  of  the  music  also  adds  in  more  of  an  improvised  atmosphere  while  the  production  also  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nothing  Is  Real  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive,  psychedelic, technical  black,  sludge,  doom  metal  and  experimental  noise  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Block  The  light"  and  "Split".  8  out  of  10.

  

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Gates Open Interview

 

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

Greeting!

We are constantly working on new songs.

We already have a handful of new songs with lyrics waiting for final recordings and arrangements, which means more material is being created all the time.

We train and work on/record our songs at home, at the moment both working alone.

So we are working remotely in our band for at the moment.

So far, it has worked well that way.

We live 170 km from each other, so we don't see each other often.

We work on our material by exchanging messages and changing tracks via Google Drive.

We update social media almost daily, as news about our upcoming album keeps coming from all over the world.

Our songs are played on smaller and medium-sized internet radio stations around the world.

And this is the fourth interview this month, so there is action.

2.You have your first full length coming out in February, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Our musical style is full metal, with a very dark tone.  In our opinion, our style is mostly blackened death/thrash metal, but there are nuances from other genres, also outside of metal music, for example from punk.

3.Both of the band members where previously in 'Down In Silence', what was the decision behind splitting up the group and forming a new project?

Tommi:

I was in the ranks of Down into Silence from 2007 to 2020.

I have great memories from those years.

I got gigging experience and became familiar with studio recording.

In 2020, I moved to another town, 170 km away from the other band members.

I tried for a while to continue and go to training, but that year there were a lot of unpleasant things in my personal life, so my motivation dropped a bit in regards to everything.

And the distance to that as an equation, I could no longer continue in that life situation and decided to leave the band.

The band finally stopped its activities in 2022.

Jere:

Down into silence was stopped due to lack of motivation and time of the members.

A few years later, we decided to start a new band with Tommi in a new style.

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

Some of the album's lyrics are written by external authors.

For example, the author of the song "The Awakening" was inspired for the lyrics when he had read Jordan Peterson's writings and watched his Biblical series lectures on YouTube.

The inspiration for the lyrics of the song writer A Place Called Home came from her own real personal experiences at a young age.

The lyrics, which are our band's own handwriting on the album, were inspired by e.g.  The Gates Open title song is about people's selfishness, the evil of the world, the current way the world is going.

The song about death was inspired by the loss of a loved one.

But we also live in the Nordic countries, this northern dark season inspired us to make a song about that topic on the album.

But all the unpleasant things, bad events, etc. read daily inspire us.

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

Gates Open tells stories about the world's darkness, evil, life and death.

Part as fiction, part based on reality.

The gates are open, but where, you decide.

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

We have created the cover art of the album using artificial intelligence.

The picture was made based on the phrase "voice after silence", I probably wrote something else to it.  The picture chosen for the cover of the "Voice After Silence" album was just perfect for the cover of our debut album, there were a few other options.

The person in the picture, presumably a woman, looks into the distance and presumably hears a voice from somewhere far away.

That's how we see the picture ourselves.

And if we open up the idea of ​​the name of the album, we came up with it as a continuation with our new band Gates Open from our old band Down into Silence.

It was a few quiet years after the Down into Silence band broke up and as old members of that band we founded a completely new band Gates Open, so the name of the debut album was perfectly suited "Voice After Silence".

7.Currently there are only 2 members in the band are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

Yes, that has been the idea, as long as we get a good line-up together.

Live gigs could certainly be offered soon, it would be great to also perform our songs live in the future.

We both have some live performance experience from our old band days.

8.The new album is going to be released on 'Inverse Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

Inverse Records approached us with a message last spring thanks to our own active promotion.

We don't know exactly where they did spotted us, but I assume it was from the conversations/broadcasts of the Swedish Veckans Band Metal Radio.

In this case, it was ideal that we didn't approach them, but they approached us, so somehow we immediately aroused interest.

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

All the feedback we have received has been nothing but positive.

It feels really great.

We hope that the general public, especially in metal community, will discover our band and find something for themselves in our songs, whatever that may be.

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

It very much depends on what Jere's note pencil turns out to be in terms of style.

Jere composes, Tommi sings.

Lyrics are created from both sides, partly together.

And if we get hold of great lyrics, we'll of course turn it into a song.

Together we fit the pieces to its final form.

Lets see what the future holds.

In any case, we would think that we will stay largely on the lines given by our first album, musically and stylistically.

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?

Tommi:

My own singing style at the Gates Open was largely influenced by the singing styles of Children of Bodom's Alexi Laiho, Cradle of Filth's Dani Filth, Dimmu Borgir's Shagrath, and Turmion Kätilöt's Spellgoth and Mc Raaka Pee.  Norther's Petri Lindroos should also be mentioned.

I listen to music everywhere, different genres, depending on my mood.

But mostly I listen to metal and nowadays I listen to a lot of all new bands and songs from various lists.

But Pantera, of course, is the world's best metal band of all time.

Currently, among Finnish bands, I recommend Warmen and Bloodred Hourglass.

But I also recommend checking out Inverse Records' wide range of music, there are really good bands there.

Recently, I've been listening to Inverse Record's Spotify list, a really hard set can be found in our own stable. 

I recommend getting to know, without mentioning more than one band.

Jere:

The first bands that made me pick up the guitar were Metallica, Sepultura, Pantera, Testament and so on.

Then came Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, Dissection, Children of Bodom, Cannibal Corpse to name a few, with whom I started listening to more Brutal metal.

From Finland, I recommend the Stam1na band if you are interested in Finnish-language metal and the Swedish Orbit Culture is currently being listened to.

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

Thanks for the interview!

It was great answering your questions.

Keep on rocking, stay metal!

https://www.facebook.com/gatesopenband 
https://www.instagram.com/gatesopenband 
https://gatesopen.bandcamp.com 

Sea Of Consciousness/Self Titled/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Sea  Of  Consciousness  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  an  atmospheric,  melodic,  progressive  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2024  album.

  Synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  fast  and  melodic  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  clear  singing,  death  emtal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  sounding  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a   very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  clean  sections  of  the  album  taking  the  music  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental  which  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  field  recordings.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  life's  struggles.    

  

  In  my  opinion  Sea  of  Consciousness  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  melodic,  progressive  and  technical  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  "Sea  Of  Consciousness"  "Reflections"  and  "Torchbearer".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Sea_of_Consciousness/3540537389

https://www.facebook.com/SeaofConsciousness.official

https://instagram.com/sea.of.consciousness

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGJ3NqDCT/

https://seaofconsciousness.bandcamp.com/

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/sea-of-consciousness/1625977396

https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/171124367

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4jMjkPnS3oAFqhngqKCo3o

https://soundcloud.com/sea-of-consciousness  

  

Cruxis Interview

 

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

Since we’re new, I don’t think many people have heard of us. We are two, the Dok-tor and myself. He makes the music and I sing the words. 

2.You have your first album coming out towards the end of January, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

The Dok-tor is responsible for all the music here, but I think it’s safe to say he wasn’t trying to emulate someone else’s sound when recording these songs. I’m sure some of the genres and bands we’re both fond of had some influence on the sound. There’s some crust punk, some industrial, a bit of black metal, even some post-punk and deathrock. In the end, though, I think it sounds like itself more than a patchwork of bands and genres either of us enjoy.  

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

Some are more abstract impressions and representations of a place, a time, ideas. Lyric writing, all of music making, is a bit like Debord’s dérive in that it requires some disorientation or, like Breton said, psychic automatism. Fāl-gūsh came out of overheard, misheard conversations. Fāl-gūsh is a type of divination usually associated with young girls. You would stand in a dark corner or concealed spot behind a fence, maybe a garden wall, and listen to the conversations of passers-by. The words you hear, the subjects being discussed, would provide answers to your questions. 

Unquiet, the last song on our album, was also the last song I wrote words for and sang. I had been talking with a couple friends who have family in Gaza and elsewhere in Palestine about the ongoing destruction happening there. About how their family’s homes were destroyed or had been seized decades ago, about what the long history of colonialism and efforts to demoralize and oppress the people there have done to them, their family and friends in Palestine. About what living with colonialism and racist oppression does to you, both personally and how it reveals power to be the inherently abusive, extractive, violent force it is. Though lyrically as abstract as anything else I write, Unquiet is fiercely anticolonial, antifascist, and an oppositional force to all forms of oppression.

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

There’s a constellation called Crux, or Crucis, the Southern Cross. The brightest star in Crux is Acrux, the 13th brightest star in the night sky. You could think of Cruxis as drawn from those stellar names.

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

That’s the Dok-tor again. I’ll say that, as in our sound, there’s a confluence of influences. Let’s call it a lo-fi, diy, analog, photocopied zine aesthetic combined with an enigmatic mysticism. 

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

I can’t really imagine we’d need to add more people. It worked well like this and if we do it again, we already have everything covered between us.

7.Are there any plans for live shows in the future or is this strictly a studio project?

There’s an ocean in the way of live shows.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of extreme and underground musical styles?

Since we’re quite new, and I’m answering these questions before our album is out, we haven’t really gotten a lot of reaction yet. The messages I’ve received from people who have heard it so far have been positive, which is nice. I know we’re both really happy with what we did here and hope that when it’s more widely available that other people will enjoy it, too.

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

The Dok-tor is always making new music, which you’ll hear in time whether you realize it or not.  

I have a new project, Deep Fade, which is a sort of noisy, blackened pastoral industrial experiment. The first album will be out in late February, and, like Cruxis, will be on Fiadh Production. Then I have several other things coming, more Deep Fade, a few new collaborations with old friends, a final album from my old project, The Floating World. I’m sure there will be more as the year wears on.

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

I think it’ll go where it goes, there isn’t a definitive plan for it. It’s easier to make music when it happens because there’s something you want to hear that you aren’t hearing, maybe don’t even realize that’s what you’re creating when you start, but as you get into it what you create coheres around some idea that becomes central through the act of making songs. The map draws itself as you go.

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

I can, again, only speak for myself here, but some of it I’m sure overlaps with the Dok-tor. Over the years, I’ve listened to a lot of Killing Joke, Godflesh and Godflesh-y industrial-esque stuff, Amebix and Rudimentary Peni (I’m finally reading Nick Blinko’s Primal Screamer right now), some black metal, some post-punk, deathrock. Of course, then there are artists like Anita Lane, who has always been a huge influence of mine. Her uneven and wavering, haunted singing hovers around the edges of anything I do. Rowland Howard had a gorgeous shimmer, too.

Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of JK Flesh, another Justin Broadrick project. He had an album out this past fall, NO EXIT, which is incredible and disorienting and I’m still hearing new things in it. Same for Darkthrone’s Eternal Hails, which passed me by when it came out a coupe years ago, but got drawn in by Fenriz’s description of it as “heavy like a dinosaur.”

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

https://cruxis-13.bandcamp.com/

Iterum Nata/From The Infinite Light/Nordvis Produktion/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Iterum  Nata  is  a  solo  project  from  Finalnd  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  metal,  neo-folk  and  progressive  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "From  The  Infinite  Light"  which  will  be  released  in  2024  by  Nordvis  Produktion.

  Spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  and  also  gives  the  recording  more  of  a  ritualistic  atmosphere  before  going  into  more  of  a  neo-folk  direction.  Synths,  folk  instruments  and  percussion  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  the  slower  heavier  riffs  also  add  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  acoustic  guitar  sections  also  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are utilized.

  Most  of  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  melodic  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording  also  adding  in  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  as  well  as  each  song  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other..  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  Darkness  and  Death  with  some  inspiration  from  the  Qabbalah  to  explain  cosmic  genesis.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Iterum  Nata  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  doom  metal,  neo-folk  and  progressive  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Gleaming  Eternity"  "The  Drifter"  and  "The  Crown  of  All".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/se/artist/iterum-nata/1316451649

https://iterumnata.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/IterumNata93/

https://www.instagram.com/iterumnata/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2haCAnM4Yi8B2lhUTT0rbY?si=sWEfeLy5TJ2KpoUr8R29qQ&nd=1&dlsi=6b2bc79102d841cc

    

  

Gates Open/Voice After Silence/Inverse Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Gates  Open  are  a  duo  from  Finland  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Voice  After  Silence"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Inverse  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  riffs.  

  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era  while  a  few songs  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.  Synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  most  of  the  recording  also  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  Gates  open  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  song.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover the  darker  side  of  the  world  and  mankind,  life  and  death.

  In  my  opinion  Gates  Open  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  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Awakening"  "A  Place  Called  Home"  "We  Are  No  More"  and  "Northern  Dark".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/gatesopenband 

https://www.instagram.com/gatesopenband 
https://gatesopen.bandcamp.com 

 

https://youtu.be/aJiwCXSQaW0

https://youtu.be/pUxw7F8ZdOQ

https://youtu.be/KcgtVqrLHsQ         

     

Sun Of Nothing/Maze/Venerate industries/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Sun  Of  Nothing  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Maze"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Venerate  Industries.

  Melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.   Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  sludge  metal  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  

  Sun  Of  Nothing  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  and  post  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nihilistic  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Sun  Of  Nothing  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  black  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "After  the  Fall"  and  "Buried  Endeavors".  8  out  of  10.

  https://instagram.com/sun_of_nothing_band

https://open.spotify.com/user/1tptREOJ7wVtievKgqaYhv
https://sunofnothing.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/Sun0fNothing  

Profane Burial/My Plateau/Crime Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Profane  Burial  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "My  Plateau"  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Crime  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in a   very  melodic  style.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in a   lot  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up a   great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

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  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  and  cinematic  sounding  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  choirs  can  also b e  heard  briefly  and  a  couple  of  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Profane  Burial  takes  their  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  into  more  of  an  atmospheric,  cinematic  and  progressive  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  curses,  fantasy,  horror,  magick,  witchery  and  ghosts.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Profane  Burial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INC:LUDE  "Moribund"  and  "Horror  Code".  8  out  of  10.

  https://profaneburial.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/ProfaneBurial

https://www.instagram.com/profane_burial

https://youtu.be/hfQ8BM8IOe4     

72 Legions/What A God Could Be/2023 EP Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Ohio's  72  Legions  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  brutal  and  melodic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  the  ep  was  self  released  in  2023  and  called  "What  A  God  Could  Be".

  A  very  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilzied  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  brutal  sounding  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  era,  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly.  

  On  this  recording  72  Legions  goes  for  more  of  a  modern,  brutal  and  melodic  form  of  blackened  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Anti  Religion  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  72  Legions  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  brutal  and  melodic  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Darker  And  Darker"  and  "What  A  God  Could  Be".  8 out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/72legionsband 

  

Aneon/The Chaos Of Your Wake/2023 Full length Review

 

  Aneon  are  a  solo  project  form  Texas  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2023  album  "The  Chaos  of  Your  Mind".

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  elements  of  death  metal.

  Growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  the  Swedish  style.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  of  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.

   Keyboards  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  modern  and  old  school  influences.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aneon  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  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Awaken"  "Fragments  Of  Immortality"  and  "To  Depravity  i  Succumb".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://twitter.com/aneonmusic

https://open.spotify.com/artist/26rEJBE5vxF9mrYWV5OzxM

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/aneon/654962520

https://aneon.bandcamp.com/album/the-chaos-of-your-wake    

Blood Of The Wolf/IV: The Declaration Of War Eternal/Horror Pain Gore Death Productions/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Blood  Of  The  Wolf  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melodic,  brutal  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "IV:  The  Declaration  of  War  Eternal"  which  was  released  by  Horror  Pain  Gore  Death  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  and  brutal  direction.

  On  this  recording  Blood  Of  The  Wolf  takes  their  blackened  style  of  death  metal  into  a  more  brutal  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  War  and  Violence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Blood  of  The  Wolf  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  brutal  and  melodic  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "With  Lightning  For  Vengeance"  "The  Sword  Everlasting"  "Ritual  overkill"  and  "The  Declaration  Of  War  Eternal".  8  out  of  10.

  https://bloodofthewolf.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0i8q3A1HKGWnwaGUxJrXqN

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSwwgEP5LNxnebthhCBIQTw

https://www.facebook.com/bloodofthewolfmusic/

https://www.instagram.com/bloodofthewolf.band/

  

    

Feleth/Divine Blight/Rob Mules Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Feleth  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  melodic  and  technical  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  Divine  Blight"  which  was  released  by  Rob  Mules  Records.

 

 Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats  and  the  music  also h as  its  technical  moments.

  Elements  of  deathcore  can  also  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  tracks  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  the  recording  also  getting  very  brutal  sounding  at  times,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clear  vocals  and  keyboards.

  Feleth  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  technical  death  metal  and  deathcore  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  politics,  human  nature  and  environmentalism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Feleth  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  technical  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  deathcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Caretaker"  "The  Serpent"  "Deadlands"  and  "Avarice".  8  out  of  10.

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FelethBand

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@feleth6872
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2gm0VpLO1JoQFZdnMUGwQO?si=_Id2tRrLSjGvyaFGmeO3YQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/felethband/

      

 

 

72 Legions/Self Titled/2023 EP Review

 

  72  Legions  are  a  band  from  Cleveland,  Ohio  that  plays  a  brutal  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2023  ep.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences.  When t he  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  the  whole  recording  also  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  and  brutal  direction.

  72  Legions  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  brutal  and  melodic  forms  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes   them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while t he  lyrics  cover  the  Ars  Goetia.

  In  my  opinion  72  Legions  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  brutal  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Paradise".  8 out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/72legionsband 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4TlavEuQFHlPiB4ElR8V5d

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/72-legions/1669580353

https://www.youtube.com/@72legions

https://www.instagram.com/72legionsband/

https://www.facebook.com/72Legions/   

The Mountain King/Apostasyn/2024 Full Length Review

 

  The  Mountain  King  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death.  post  metal.  drone  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Apostasyn"  which  will be   released  in  February.

  Avant  garde  style  percussion  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  post  metal  style  melodies  and  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  being  in  elements  of  doom  metal.

  Clear  female  and  male  vocals  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  harsh  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  touches  of  drone  and  ambient  also  being  utilized  at  times.

 Synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  some death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized briefly.  Spoken  word  samples  are  also  added  on  one  song  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard,  half  of  the  album  is  also  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Anti  Religion  themes,

  In  my  opinion  The  Mountain  King  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death,  post  metal,  ambient  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Apostasyn"  and  "Axoloti  Messiah".  8  out  of  10.

  

Bandcamp

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

     

    

    

Executus 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?

(Adrian)

Having only just released our debut album ‘The Black Throne of Chaos Abandoned’, we have been focused on getting the word out there for people to listen to and enjoy the tunes. We have also started to explore new ideas for the next concept album. 

Our drummer Francis is expected to welcome his first child in April so there are exciting times for him.

 

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

 

(Adrian)

Since the release of both our demo album ‘Empire in Ruin’ (2016) as well as our EP ‘Escape Reality’ (2017), musically we have shifted a little musically. The newly released album incorporates more rhythm driving qualities from black metal opposed to our old days of sustaining purely thrash inspired riffs. This blending of the two styles we feel really helped create the dynamics we wanted for this new concept album that otherwise, we would not have been able to achieve.

3.This was also your first release since 2017, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

(Kym)

Since our last release of our EP ‘Escape Reality’ in 2017, there has been a steady focus on writing songs for this album. Our original intention was to release another EP, however, as we continued to write music, the prospect of an album unfolded. Additionally, we have performed several local gigs to take some time off from writing, enjoy what fans in South Australia offer, and test some new tunes.

Most of the band members are fathers, so looking after family keeps them quite busy. Everyone also works in Engineering or IT full time, so it can be a challenge getting the crew together at times.

 

4.A lot of your lyrics show some inspiration from the writings of H.P Lovecraft, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this author?

(Grant)

Lovecraftian horrors are just so well-crafted – they evoke a fantastic unknowable evil that provides a great eldritch backdrop for our style of music. This coupled with a sci-fi and fantasy bent (from the likes of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings, etc.) gives us plenty work with 😊

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

(Grant)

The songs themselves tend to work through a story around the group of space Vikings known as Executus – at the face of it. But within that the songs themselves tackle all kinds of things. In particular anxiety, depression, guilt, and the general existential dread of living on earth in 2024 with how bad everything is, with no one seemingly doing anything about it.

 

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

(Grant)

Executus – is a boss from World of Warcraft’s first raid back in 2004. Major-domo Executus.  It’s catchy and leans into our nerd pedigree.  

 

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

(Kym)

We wanted the artwork to depict the moment Azathoth emerges from the astral gateway, which happens around track 5, for those playing along at home. We got in touch with an Aussie artist named Scotty Bates who has done work for bands like Slaughter To Prevail and Aborted, and seemed to have a healthy appreciation for sci-fi. At the time we only had a handful of songs and this was intended to be an EP, but we were so blown away by the artwork he sent us, it inspired us to make it a full album.

 

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

(Adrian)

One favourite show we played was located inside a local brewery. There was very little room so we played on the floor, allowing people to come up and headbang over our foldbacks as we played. People were falling down over equipment, headbanging, and we were right there with them. We loved that personal intimacy this provided and hopefully we can play another one in the future. Sometimes with raised stages, fans can seem distant.

So the closer you are, the better. 

 

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

(Grant)

No touring plans as yet. I mentioned before our drummer is expecting his first soon and would like to be available for that. Hopefully we can look to string a few local shows together however.

 

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

(Kym)

I mean, we wouldn’t say no to a label if they were interested. Everything we have recorded and produced to date has been self-funded.

 

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

(Adrian)

It has been absolutely amazing! There has been nothing but positivity towards this album from all around the globe.  Despite this albums’ late release on December 4, we’ve even managed to sneak into the top 10 heavy metal album listings for several YouTube channels, podcasts and radio stations. 

Seeing people enjoy our music is what we do this for, and we thank everyone for listening and hope you enjoyed it!

 

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

(Grant)

I feel musically we have honed in on a style and genre that works well for us, and enjoy writing and creating music to this. We will continue to write new songs which hopefully in the near future everyone can enjoy.

 

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

(Adrian)

For several of the band members, Metallica has definitely provided a lot of musical influence. You can probably hear a lot of Kirk in the guitar solos. Rhythmically, bands like Sepultura, Immortal and Skeletonwitch have helped create the raw sound and energy of the riffs.

 

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

(Grant)

Thanks for reaching out for this interview – we could not be happier with the response to the album so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxW2X7TJiT4