Grey Skies Fallen/Molded By Broken Hands/Profound Lore Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  New  York's  Grey  Skies  Fallen  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going for  a  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  dark,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Molded  By  Broken  Hands"  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Profound  Lore  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  Vocals  are mostly  black  metal  screams  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  death  metal  growls  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  90's  era  dark  metal  influences.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  clean  sections  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  melodic  vocals  onto  the  album,  when  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  despair  and  bleakness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Grey  Skies  Fallen  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  dark,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Twisted  Place  In  Time"  "I  Can  Hear  Your  Voice"  and  "Knowing  That  You're  There".  8  out  of  10.

  https://greyskiesfallen.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/greyskiesfallen

https://www.instagram.com/greyskiesfallen

https://twitter.com/greyskiesfallen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUZMyX5suao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q964xa-1Mt4            

Veriteras/The Dark Horizon/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Veriteras  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "The  Dark  Horizon"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  synths  also  add  in  a  symphonic  touch  when  they  are  utilized.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  black  metal  screams  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Elements  of  death  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  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  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  music  also  adds  in a  lot  of  90's  era  Swedish  influences  as  well  as  remaining  modern  at  the  same  time  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  clear  vocals  onto  the  album,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Veriteras  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.  ECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Celestial  Darkness"  "Sanctuary"  "Blinding"  and  "Light  in  The  Darkness".  8  out  of  10.

  https://veriteras.bandcamp.com/album/the-dark-horizon

     

Ydolothytum/Conjuring The Primaevil Creatures/Crush The Desert Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Ydolothytum  are  an  international  band  with  embers  from  Italy  and  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Conjuring  The  Primaevil  Creatures"  which  was  released  by  Crush  The  Desert  Records.

  Folk  instruments  start  off  the  album  and  also  brings  in  more  an  ancient  pagan   atmosphere  as  well  as  mixing  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  a  lot  of  the  vocals  also  being  done  in  a  clear  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  more  aggressive  vocals  also  bring  in  elements  of  black  metal.  When  keyboards  are  utilzied  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  touch  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction,  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  On  this  recording  Ydolothytum  remains  true  to  the  old  school  black/folk  metal  style  they  had  established  on  their  demo.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  are  based  upon  Maciej  Bogusz  Stęczyński's  work  "Tatra  Mountains  in  twenty-four pictures" from  1860  with  their  own  version  of  the  primeval  creatures  mentioned  there..

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ydolothytum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  black/folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dziwożona  -  Mara  i  straszydło"  and  "Żmijoloki  -  Dusz  przekleństwo".  8  out  of  10.

  Listen a song HERE (Youtube)  

The Lightbringer/Seven Thrones/2024 Full Length Review

 

  The  Lightbringer  are  a  band  from  Quebec,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Seven  Thrones"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Operatic  female  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats.

  The  cleat  male  vocals  also  bring  in  elements  of  power  metal  while  the  harsher  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  death  metal  growls  and  clean  playing  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  are  a  concept  album  that  explores  mythology,  light  and  darkness.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Lightbringer  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  power  emtal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Worlds  Beyond"  "Pillar  Of  Creation"  and  "Mystic  Places  of  Dawn".  8/5  out  of  10.

  https://thelightbringermetal.bandcamp.com/merch

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA7skqQQUfCRXwQh9g2oKGQ/?sub_confirmation=1
https://www.facebook.com/thelightbringerofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/thelightbringerband/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/42vunlIXOg69YegQhmFG05

Wandering Oak 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?

First of all, thanks for your interest in interviewing us! We really appreciate it.

Well the album has only been out for about a week and thus far we've begun rehearsals for a few regional shows (Buffalo, Boston, Baltimore) in July, and we have some new merch items down the pipeline.

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

The biggest shift is that we have pushed our sound in a much more progressive direction whilst also increasing the black metal ferocity and aggression. We've pushed our instrumental abilities much further and also pushed the envelope with influences and the scope of the compositions.

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?

A lot! We had just come off of a short tour with Wilderun in 2019 and were poised to work on the album before COVID hit, which in a perverted way gave us time to woodshed new ideas. Also, Joe decided not to commit to the band and we spent a long time trying to find a new guitarist. We did play some local shows here in Rochester before we decided to replace our drummer, and we were essentially in album mode for about a year. 

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

Much of the music deals with the concept of overcoming hardship, be it from loss, climate change, mental illness, and fascism. We feel our sound has become a lot more sophisticated whilst still being very organic and rooted (pun intended) in our original mission statement. We've also assembled a group of musicians that I feel finally does the music I have in my head justice, while adding their own spin that creates something that is more than just the sum of its parts.

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

There are several meanings, but fundamentally it is a 'kenning', a compound or figurative phrase in Old English and Old Norse poetry used to replace a common noun, It refers to our meandering songs that drift away from the root yet stay grounded. It is also of course a reference to Ents from Tolkein's universe, and much like the term 'Led Zeppelin' is an oxymoronic description of the music - large, massive and imposing, intricate, but also down to earth and natural, yet adventurous. We want the listener to know they're in for a trip.

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

It was designed by the amazing Czech artist Moonroot who also did our new logo, and it was based off of a rendering done by a colleague of mine. It is meant to represent a tree that has weathered every season, as an analogy for the struggles of life.

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?

Some of our best performances include some of the dates we played on the road with Wilderun, not to mention the special opportunity we had to open for Negura Bunget on two of their dates on the final US tour they did. RIP Negru. Our stage performances are relatively no frills, high energy. We like to wear war paint but keep the outfits minimalist. It's more about the music than the presentation for us. We let the riffs do the talking.

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

Yes, as previously stated we have three shows booked in July of this year, and hopefully there will be more to come.

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

So far the reaction has been very good! Obviously it will take time for the album to spread through the networks but so far so good! There are definitely some that feel like we have progressed too far from our original sound or think we're too overwhelming, but honestly we feel like people in this scene just aren't used to being challenged anymore.

10.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?

So myself (Robert) I have my other band Goblin Hovel who are currently recording our next album, We're a more zany style of folk metal. Deidre and myself also joined The Atrocity Tourist, fronted by Hovel's lead singer. It's an avant-garde metal band devoted to the modernization of the murder ballad. CW has his black metal band Hubris which also includes our session guitarist Andy, who are also both of Ferus Din. Hubris are putting the finishing touches on their next album and you should definitely check it out. They are FIERCE. Furthermore, Andy and I are also part of the triumphant anti-fascist black metal band Helianthus, which will hopefully be working on our full length this year. Andy also has the bands Temple of Mammon and Antiquity. Our live guitarist Mitch has this cool Celtic Fusion project called Wired Tae the Moon, and I implore you to give them a listen. They're very unique.

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

More progressive, more ambitious, more aggressive, more transgressive, but decidedly darker and more pointedly sociopolitical.

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

Several of us have been listening to a lot of Havukruunu. They rip. Mitch has been listening to Dixie Dregs a lot. I've been getting back into jazz and ambient music. Also a lot of Doomsword and Borknagar. Deidre is usually listening to a lot of prog and jazz. Andy is a classically trained musician and plays a lot of early music, and his listening reflects that as well. His father was in a progressive rock band called Rodan in the 70's that opened for Gentle Giant and Mahavishnu Orchestra amongst others, and those are very much shared tastes.

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

Thanks again for taking an interest in us! We hope you really enjoy the album and maybe you can catch us live when we eventually book a larger tour. Hopefully next year. Keep your eyes peeled for some cool merch items, and follow us on http://wanderingoakband.bandcamp.com 

Goaß/Cruxifucked/Wolfmond Production/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Goaß  are  a  solo  project  from  Austria  that  plays  a  very  brutal  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2023  album  "Cruxifucked"  which  was  released  by  Wolfmond  Production.

   Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into a  heavier  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Vocals a re  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a   decent  amount  of  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking  and  brutal  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  High  pitched  screams  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  songs  also  mixing  in  influences  form  both  the  old  school  and  modern  era's  of  the  genre  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  and  brutal  direction.

  Goaß  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  brutal  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  Germany  and  cover  Blasphemy  and  Anti  Christianity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Goaß  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  brutal  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  "Cruxifuck"  "Buried  To  Be  Born"  and  "Ziegendisziplin".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Goa%C3%9F/3540538568

Order:

https://wolfmond-production.de/shop/produkt/goass-cruxifuck/

https://wolfmondproduction.bandcamp.com/album/goa-cruxifucked    

  

Borknagar/Fall/Century Media Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Borknagar  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  a  history  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  and  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Fall"  which  will  be  released  on  February  23rd  by  Century  Media  Records.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  High  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording  also  add  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.

  Clear  pagan  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  TA  couple  of  the  songs  also  add  in a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  when  clean  playing  is  utilized  they  also  take  the  music  into  a  more  progressive  direction.

  Psychedelic  sounds  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  Chants,  choirs  and  percussion  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  album  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  change  of  seasons  and  universal  struggle.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Broknagar  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Summits"  "Stars  Ablaze"  and  "Northward".  8  out  of  10.

  www.borknagar.com   

www.facebook.com/borknagarofficial 
https://www.instagram.com/borknagar 
http://twitter.com/borknagarHQ 

Malphas/Portal/M-Theory Audio/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Pennsylvania's  Malphas  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  symphonic  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Portals"  which  will  be  released  in  Match  by  M-Theory  Audio.

  Synths  start  off  the  the  album  while  also  adding  in  some  symphonic  touches  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  blast  beats. Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Clean  playing  and  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  clear  vocals  onto  the  album  as  well  as  some  choirs  also  being  utilized  briefly,  female  vocals  are  also  added  towards  the  end.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  a man  who  makes  a  pact  with  the  demon  Malphas  to  achieve  his  high  political  ideas  and  this  backfires  and  ultimately  creates  a  demonic  totalitarian  government,

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Malphas  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  and  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fiat  Empire"  "Candle  Hands"  "Pale  Eyes  To  Snowy  Skies"  and  "Man,  Raven  And  The  Portal".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/malphas/1440307628

https://malphas94.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/therealmalphas

https://www.instagram.com/therealmalphas/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/0BznQnNFP6qf7DISSjumhg?si=mPqmynqbTxedcWoo3TVZEw&nd=1&dlsi=9d66c829c2854cfe

https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialMalphas     

Sea Of Consciousness Interview

 

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

Sea of Consciousness is the brainchild of guitarist Daniel Sirotski and drummer István Timmermans.

They have been playing since 2014 together and were trying to come up with a grand concept that Sea of Consciousness is now. The band Sea of Consciousness has been brought to life since 2019 and were trying to find the missing band-members. After multiple line-up changes we finally found vocalist Bionda Honings in 2022. Her vocals were the final missing link to finally develop our style further. Then we found guitarist Stefan Gerritsen and bassist Jeroen Koorn in 2023 and we completed our line-up and debut-album.

 

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

The music is a huge mix of progressive technical metal with influences from death, black, thrash and heavy metal. We don’t believe in genre boxes and instead are trying to create our own genre that doesn’t let itself be defined by a narrow musical style.

 

We write music from the heart and the quality of the song is the most important. We try to think what a song needs instead of a fixed idea and/or ego.

 

The main songwriter, Daniel Sirotski, takes musical inspiration from every direction and tries to mold it all into one style. The reason is also because we, as a band, don’t want to be limited.

 

3.Some of the band members where previously a part of 'Inferus Dei', what was the cause of breaking up the previous band and forming the new group?

Guitarist Daniel Sirotski and drummer István Timmermans decided to break up the band because the musical vision had changed dramatically. Inferus Dei was the first attempt to flesh out the huge concept that Daniel and István had. After some time they decided that the attempt wasn’t what they wanted and looked at it as a learning school.

 

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

Mostly about life’s struggles covered in a spiritual/mystical veil. Writing music is for us a way to deal with reality and trauma in general. So it heals us in a way, and therefore, we hope that it will heal other listeners. Or at least enjoy our music, that’s cool too.

 

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sea of Consciousness"?

It started with the song ‘’Sea of Consciousness’’. When the song was being written, Daniel named it ‘’Sea of Consciousness’’ because it just felt it was the best way to describe the song and feeling it had. Afterwards, István had the genius idea to name our band that. Since then, we took the song as a basis from where we wanted to develop our sound further.

 

After a while, the name got more and more meaning. Sea of Consciousness symbolizes the reality around us. Every living being on this world is a small drop in the endless sea of consciousness that spans our globe. It is everything and nothing at the same time. We all try to traverse this endless stream and holding on to that which we know. But in the end, everything is random (or fate). From this principle we want to make music how it comes to us, instead of defining ourselves with a genre. We want to create our own genre because life is so much more than those few drops of consciousness most bands associate themselves with. The quest for knowledge, self-improvement and constructive thinking is one of the most challenging and rewarding paths that a human can take. We try to tread that path to enlightenment through music.

 

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

The white robed figures represent the instrumentalists in the band. The black figure in the lake is our vocalist and the nature around us is the Sea of Consciousness. We are summoning ‘’Spirit’’ that ultimately unites every element and transcends us.

 

7.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea?

We had our first show on the 12th of January 2024. Currently we are trying to find shows that we can play so we can hone our craft. We have some shows planned in March but we want more!

 

 

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

We had a label approach us with a deal 1,5 weeks after releasing our album. Honestly, nobody expected it so soon so we kind of freaked out in a good way. But after some thought we decided that it is too soon to sign ourselves to a label. It is a goal that we ultimately want to achieve, but it has to be on our own terms.

 

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

The reaction is huge! Seriously, we did not expect this response. I mean, we even had a viral TikTok video about us with over 40K likes and counting..

It has been almost 3 weeks since the launch of the album and we got from 80 monthly listeners to almost 5000 on Spotify. Its crazy.

 

A lot of reviews also with some really good constructive feedback that we will take with us in future songs.

 

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

I don’t think you can really assess your own musical development, but we want to focus on capitalizing on our ‘’unique’’ style of composition. With the amazing feedback we have had, this wont be a problem.

 

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?

The list is too long to effectively tell you what kind of influences we all have. The main songwriter, Daniel Sirotski, listens to reggae-ska, old-school hip-hop, 1940’s jazz, satanic black metal, aggressive thrash metal, 80’s pop songs etc. The list is too much. Daniel never listens to one band for a long time and instead has periods were he listens to a specific genre before moving on to the next thing. His baseline musical influence is Metallica and Dissection though.

 

Stefan Gerritsen is a huge metal fan in general, but can listen to almost every other genre too. He likes drum & bass, country, Celtic music and also classic pop music. He loves a song as long as it has substance and it can reach his soul. But if he has to name a specific band, it would definitely be Avenged Sevenfold.

 

István Timmermans greatest inspiration is Arch Enemy. That band is the main reason he picked up the drumsticks. But most of his inspirational percussion ideas come from bands like Obscura, Amorphis and Septic Flesh. But because we don’t only write brutal metal music, István takes influences from blues and up tempo rock music to come up with fresh ideas.

 

Bionda Honings remembers when she was 9 years old a friend of her father always played guitar for them. She really was inspired by the fact that you can process your emotions through music instead not knowing how to deal with feelings in general. Music was the best way to deal with reality.

Bionda always steered towards rock music and begun listening to The Rasmus, Evanescence and Linkin Park. Then she found out that more extreme music had more impact and found bands like Orbit Culture and Decapitated. Bionda was inspired by bands that really put their emotion into the music. Because of this Bionda is also very all-round in her musical taste. Its all about the feeling that the listener gets my hearing the auditory journey.

Jeroen Koorn started with rock music on the radio like Queen, ACDC and Green Day. This peeked his interest and later, as a teenager, he met people who introduced him to heavier music like Pantera, Slayer and Iron Maiden. Slowly but surely Jeroen got rolled into the world of metal. His first real favorite bands were System of a Down and Slipknot.

The urge to pick up the bass guitar came when Jeroen listened to Behemoth and Opeth for the first time.

 

Beside metal music, Jeroen also listens to reggae, oldschool gangsterrap and goes to drum and bass parties frequently.

 

All-in all, everyone had a very wide range of musical influences.

 

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

We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to tell our story here! The response is amazing and we are thankful for your attention!

https://seaofconsciousness.bandcamp.com/album/sea-of-consciousnes

Bloody Falls/Amartia/Art Gates Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Finland's  Bloody  Falls  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  and  groove  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Amartia"  which  was  released  by  Art  Gates  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  groove  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  when t he  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast b eats  can  also b e  heard.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  synths,  spoken  word  parts  and  back  up  shouts  also  being  utilized  on  a  couple  of  tracks.

   Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  another  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length,  elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Darkness,  Evil,  Violence  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Bloody  Falls  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  death  and  groove  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sorrow  Is  My  Name"  "Mand  Undying"  and  "I  Met  My  Death".  8  out  of  10.

  https://artgatesrecords.com/artists/bloody-falls

https://youtu.be/LbsW2fdOYso     

Wandering Oak/Resilience/Fiadh Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Wandering Oak  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  plays  an  epic  and  progressive  mixture  of  folk,  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Resilience"  which  was  released  by  Fiadh  Productions.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  clean  singing  and  death  metal  growls  while  tremolo  picking  and  blast b eats  can  also b e  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  traditional  metal  style  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  acoustic  guitars  also  bringing  in  elements  of  folk  music  when  they  are  utilized.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  also  showing  an  influence  of  thrash  metal,  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  are  also  utilized  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nature  and  folklore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Wandering  Oak  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  progressive  mixture  of  folk,  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "To  Fir  They  Fell"  and  "Snowbound".  8  out  of  10.

   Wandering Oak       

Beyrevra Interview

 

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

Yes, so Beyrevra was founded by M.S. and M.D. in 2018 after they met at the ‘Born to Rock Festival’. M.S. moved to Nuremberg during the songwriting process and became acquainted with me (S.L.) at a local metal club. At that time, four songs were nearly ready, and the rough concept and tone of the album were defined. A little later we had to look out for a drummer to complete Beyrevra for the moment and we met A.B. From now on, one and a half years of songwriting and elaboration were used to complete the instrumentals for the first album. In August 2020 we started recording our results at the ‘Mordor Sounds’ studio from Hannes Großmann (Tryptikon, Dark Fortress, etc.) and during the following year the vocals and keyboards were added. As you can imagine, the covid pandemic threw up our time schedule enormously, but in February 2022 we finally had a completely mastered album with ten tracks. The mastering was done by Magnus Devo Andersson from ‘Endarker Studios’. A release during lockdowns and no chance to play live anywhere was out of the question for us, so we had to be patient and used the time to search for a label that fits to us, and we signed with TrollZorn Records. September 2022 we finally played our first live gig together at the ‘Metal im Woid’ festival, and thenceforth several gigs in Germany and Czech Republic. 

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

 Musically, there is no difference. The EP was released by us before we signed with our label to have something to show when it comes to e.g. festival applications. All three songs from this EP are part of our full album. 

3. Your lyrics cover religious oppression and historical topics, can you tell us a little bit more about the subjects you have explored so far with the music? 

The historical references in our lyrics are shown in different ways. This can be seen in a specific case such as the life and death of Thomas Müntzer, a revolutionary priest during the German Peasants’ War, which is discussed in the song ‘Beheading the Truth’, as well as in very general topics such as the Christianization of Europe or the Inquisition. However, most of the content are fictional stories which are taking place in different historical periods.

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

Beyrevra is the name of a destructive incarnation of Shiva, the great god of Hinduism. We came across the name in the ‘Dictional Infernal’ and took it because it sounds cool, so there is no deeper meaning behind our name.

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

The artwork is a painting from ‘Northem Art’ and commissioned by M.S. in 2018. We wanted a colorful artwork and we were overwhelmed when we saw the result. All the little details and the overall tone of this picture are simply stunning. I think we couldn’t have a better cover for our first full length album. The original painting is now brightening up our rehearsal room. 

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

The best gig so far was certainly at the Schlichtenfest 2023. Everything was organized so well and all the staff there was great. The festival took place in a quite hilly forest after weeks of rain and we got stuck at the forest path with our truck during arrival, but we made it there on time. Despite the bad weather, many people came to see our show and we had so much nice conversations at the merch table afterwords. Truly a memorable day for all of us. On stage we don’t have any special outfits or gimmicks different to many bands nowadays, just pure and honest 60 minutes of music. M.D. has a very powerful stage presence and motivates the crowd as well as the rest of the band. 

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

Not yet. Sadly. We wanted to play our first live gig after the release at the ‘Rise of Trolls’ in Belgium but the event got cancelled. But we are working on a replacement release show, and we can give more information in the next weeks. 

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

As mentioned before, we had a long time between the recording and the release. In this time, we applied to labels across Europe and TrollZorn replied that they were interested in releasing our album and after a few weeks of mail traffic we decided to visit the guys behind TrollZorn in their hometown so we can talk about everything. We got along great, drank a whole lot of beer together and in the following time the contract was signed. 

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

 Nearly entirely positive. It’s always a pleasure when someone who came across your festival gig by chance, tells you afterwards at the merch table that he really liked our show and music and when there will be an album to purchase. Also on social media we got many supporting messages and commentaries over the last two years and we are very happy that our hard work for all this is starting to pay off. 

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

We have already started to work on our second album and at the moment it is quite hard to say where this process will take us. Of course there are always things you can make different or better and although we are happy with our result from the first recording, there is still room for improvement. 

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? 

I think it’s obvious that our music was mainly influenced by the 1990s old school Melodic Death Metal wave from Scandinavia, especially Sweden, and also some Black Metal bands from this time. Bands like In Flames, Darkthrone, Hypocrisy, Insomnium, Dissection, Unanimated, and many more are bands we still enjoy listening. 

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

At first, we would like to thank you for the interview and TrollZorn for making all this possible. We can no longer wait for February 29th! See you then

https://www.facebook.com/BeyrevraOfficial

https://www.instagram.com/beyrevraofficial

https://beyrevra.bandcamp.com

Satarial/Dance Of Steel: Invocation Of Dragon/Sleaszy Rider Records/2024 EP Review

 

  Russia's  Satarial has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  folk  and  pagan  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "Dance  Of  Steel:  Invocation  Of  Dragon"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Sleaszy  Rider  Records.

  Throat  singing  and  clear  vocals  start  off  the  ep  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Folk  instruments  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  Grim  black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  when  the  music  speeds  up.  Female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks   along  with  the  guitar  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  most  of  the  recording  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  On  this  recording  Satarial  brings  in  a  very  ritualistic  style  of  folk  and  pagan  black  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Slavic  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Satarial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  and  pagan  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  the  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Dance  Of  Steel:  Invocation  Of  Dragon". 8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/satarialofficial/  

Vesperian Sorrow/Awaken The Greylight/Black Lion Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Vesperian  Sorrow  are  a  band  from  Austin,  Texas  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Awaken  The  Greylight"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Black  lion  Records.

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

 

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  faster  riffing  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  as  well  one  song  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  realms  of  the  cosmos,  sorrow,  sadness  and  darkness.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vesperian  Sorrow  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  atmospheric  and  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "As  The  Pillars  Were  Raised"  "A  Dire  Fight  For  The  Black  Fragment"  "Who  Dwells  Within  The  Blight  Moon"  and  "Awaken  The  Greylight".  8  out  of  10.

  http://vesperiansorrow.bandcamp.com/

http://www.facebook.com/vesperian
https://www.instagram.com/vesperiansorrowofficial/
Spotify
Apple Music

Eye Of Fenris/The House Of Hades/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Eye  Of  Fenris  are  an  international  band  with  members  from  Denmark,  Portugal  and  the  United  States  that  plays  viking  metal  with  elements  of  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "The  House  Of  Hades"  

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  song  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Elements  of  thrash  and  groove  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  which  also  adds  in   touch  of  industrial  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction  and  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  folk  instruments.

  Eye  Of  Fenris  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  viking,  black  and  melodic  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Greek  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Eye  of  Fenris  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  viking,  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spartans  Rise"  "The  Labyrinth  Of  Minos"  {"Medusa's  Lair"  and  "All  Hail  Hades".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/@EyeofFenris

https://www.tiktok.com/@eye.of.fenris

https://www.facebook.com/eyeoffenris

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4mMRnBBJgh1qfHh0Qm1YqO

https://eyeoffenris.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/eye-of-fenris

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/eye-of-fenris/1697536262

https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/221726425

https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B0CBW5R18S/eye-of-fenris  

  

Hand Of Kalliach/Corryvreckan/Prosthetic Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Scotland's  duo  Hand  Of  Kalliach  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  Celtic  form  of  folk  metal  with  elements  of  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Corryvreckan"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Prosthetic  Records.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clear  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  while  synths  are  introduced  onto  the  recording   a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  harsh  vocals  add  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  touches  of  Scottish  folk  music,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  most  of  the  tracks  stick  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  On  this  recording  Hand  Of   Kalliach  takes  their  Celtic  folk  metal  style  into  more  of  a  modern,  melodic  and  progressive  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  inspired  by  an  ancient  Irish  text  "Cormac's  Glossary".

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Hand  Of  Kalliach  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  Celtic  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Three  Seas"  "Cirein-croin"  "Unbroken  You  Remain"  and  "Of  Twilight  And  The  Pyre".  8  out  of  10/.

  https://www.facebook.com/HandOfKalliach

       

Illusion of Fate/King Of Serpemts/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Illusion  Of  Fate  are  a  band  from  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  melodic  and  technical  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "King  Of  Serpents".

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  and  the  vocals  ad d in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Synths  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  music  also  has  its  technical  moments  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Illusion  Of  Fate  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  atmospheric,  technical  and  melodic  forms  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Illusion  Of  Fate  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  melodic  and  technical  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "King  Of  Serpents  Movement  II:  The  Warlock"  "March  Of   The  Lepers"  and  "Paradigm  of  Madness".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/visions_of_sunless_skies