Against I 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 ep?

Of course I can! We've been going on non stop on finishing up the new album dropping later this year. Now we are just taking

a breather before going back at music again. No rest for the wicked!

2.In May you had released a new ep, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Oh its like night and day, ok maybe not but it sure is different. The old stuff focused more on electronic music with metal elements.

But we decided that it wasn't what we wanted to do, so we just changed focus and style.

3.All of the band members are also involved with other bands, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Against I' that you have not been able to do with your other groups?

Yes, we all come from different bands and different styles of music and decided that it would be fun to take all those elements and fuse them into one band more or less. But as said before , we had one style in mind first but decided to change into something else entirely.

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

The lyrics went from self hate, cynicism to more about war,death and similar themes. There's a lot of darkness in them you could say. Well , we work a bit differently to maybe other bands. Usually I (Freddie) make the base of the tracks with drums,electronic parts etc, then  I send it off to Mathias and he records bass and guitar and then he sends it back to me and I send it to Anders for drums. It might sound a bit complicated maybe? But it works so well and its so smooth.

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

Against I is basically how I (Freddie) feel , it's me against myself. Thats why the early lyrics were written about a lot of my self hate. Depression is a pain and it feels like my brain works against me from time to time.

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

The artwork depicts what the EP is about , which is war. I think its perfectly shows off just that . A nuclear bomb going out in the center of a city. In this case a future city , but none the less. It feels more real than ever.

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

Haha well sadly we have only played one show so far. Out main focus has been music. But we are trying to change that now.

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

As of right now we have nothing sadly, but we are working on it . So hopefully in a near future

9.The new ep was released on 'Twisted Flesh Recordings', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

To be real honest with you, Twisted Flesh Recordings is my own label which I release all my own stuff on.

Sometimes its just easier to have a label in your back when release stuff , you know? But we actually have a label for

releasing our physical CDs which is called Advoxya Records. It's a Hungarian label I've(Freddie) worked with for years.

Dima who runs it is super supporitive and lets us do as we please.

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

It's been very positive I think, at least from the people and zines who have said anything.

Our plays have "exploded" compared to what they were before. Maybe people can actually tell we enjoy what we do?

11.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?

I don't think that any of the other projects are super active tbh. Mathias plays bas for Reek from time to time and Anders plays drums in a nu metal band called Porq. Otherwise I think we've all been too busy with Against I.

12.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Oh sooner than you think! Later this year for sure! Where we are going is hard to tell, we will see. I think there might be a little less synthesizers in the new stuff or at least a different sound on them.

'

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

We are very diverse, but right now we are listening to the new Pain, Rotting Christ and Nekrodawn

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

Thank you for having us and hope you're looking forward to the new album!

https://www.instagram.com/againstiband/

https://www.facebook.com/againstIband/

https://www.youtube.com/@againsti9074

https://open.spotify.com/album/0NE9zhlJOqFPrnHPa41XeG

https://music.apple.com/us/album/destruction-lullaby/1743286698

Blóð/Mara/Talheim Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

   Blóð  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Mara"  which  will  be  released  on  June  21st  by  Talheim  Records.

  Female  vocals  and  percussion  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  all  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  and  black  metal s creams  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  synths,  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

   Blóð  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Sorcery,  Magick,  Darkness,  Misery,  Life,  Death,  Nightmares  and  Gateways  through  the  worlds  of  time,  flesh  and  spirits.

  In  my  opinion   Blóð  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Malignant"  "The  White  Death"  "Covenant"  and  "Mother  OF  All".  8  out  of  10.

  AT: https://tal.hm/store-at-blod

DE: https://tal.hm/store-de-blod        

Locusts And Honey/Teach Me To Live That I Dread The Grave As Little As My Bed/Hypraethral Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Locusts  And  Honey  are  a  duo  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal,  dark  ambient,  drone  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Teach  Me  To  Live  That  I  Dread  The  Grave  As  Little  As  My  Bed"  which  was  released  by  Hypraethral  Records.

  Dark  ambient  style  drones  and  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  noises  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  instrumentals  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  Locusts  And  Honey  play  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal,  dark  ambient,  drone  and  noise  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  bog  bodies  of  Ireland  and  Denmark  -  people  of  the  Iron  Age  who  where  sacrificially  hanged  and  found  extremely  well  preserved  in  peat.

  In  my  opinion  Locusts  And  Honey  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal,  dark  ambient,  drone  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Leathern  Cord"  and  "Traitor  To  love".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://instagram.com/_locustsandhoney_      

Bloodcross/Gravebound/Personal Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

   Bloodcross  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Gravebound"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Personal  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  Swedish  tradition.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in a   lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Elements  of  thrash  metal  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  power  metal  style  screams  along  with  the  closing  song  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  darkness  and  war  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Bloodceoss  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  black  metal  band  with  elements  of  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Warbeasts"  "Gravebound"  and  "Howling  Spirits".  8  out  of  10.

  http://personal-records.bandcamp.com/album/gravebound

www.facebook.com/bloodcrossmetal 

  

Mythologik/Blood In The Sky/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Mythologik  are  a  duo  from  Texas  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Blood  In  The  Sky"  which  will  be  released  on  June  14th.

  Clean  playing  which  also  returns  on  later  songs  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  keyboards  also  being  utilized  briefly  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  an  old  school  power/thrash  metal  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in a   great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  also  bring  in  elements  of    black  and  death  metal.  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  he  album  also  takes  an  80's  style  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  more  modern  day  brutality.

 Harsh  vocals  can  also  he  heard  briefly,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  one  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  some  orchestra  touches.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  darkness  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mythologik  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blood  In  The  Sky"  "Fallen  Empire"  and  "Dark  Waters".  8  out  of  10.

  https://lnk.bio/mythologik      

  

Necropanther/Oblivion Jones: Tales Of False Consciousness/2024 EP Review

 

  Denver,  Colorado's  Necropanther  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  ep  "Oblivion  Jones:  Tales  Of  False  Consciousness"  

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  thrash  metal  elements.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school extreme  metal  style  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  saxophones,  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  doom  metal,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly. 

  On  this  recording  Necropanther  expands  on  the  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal  that  they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while t he  lyrics  cover  metal,    science  fiction  and  dystopian  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Necropanther  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Transported  Man"  and  "Thrash  Till  Death".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.necropanther.com 

https://www.facebook.com/Necropanther 
https://www.instagram.com/necropanther 

https://necropanther.bandcamp.com   

Mylingen/Under En Svart Himmel/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Mylingen  are  a duo  from  Sweden  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  very  progressive  and  melodic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Undet  En  Svart  Himmel"  which  will  be  released  on  June  21st.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  keyboards  also  take  the  music  more  into  a  progressive   direction.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  death  metal.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  most  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  which  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  doom  metal,  fast  playing  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Mylingen  goes  for  a  progressive  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swedish  and  cover  darkness  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Myligen  and  if  you  fan  of  melodic  and  progressive  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Forlist"  and  "Misar".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/mylingenswe/  

      

    

Kvaen/The Formless Fires/Metal Blade Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Kvaen  are  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  pagan  black  and  death  metal  with  elements  of  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "The  Formless  Fires"  which  will  be  released  on  June  21st  by  Metal  Blade  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can b e  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  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  riffs  also  adding  in  elements  of  death  and  speed  metal.

  Keyboards  are  also  added  into  the  background  briefly  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing  as  well  as  some  clear  pagan  vocals  also  being  utilized  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Paganism  and  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Kvaen  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  pagan  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Formless  Fires"  "The  Ancient  Gods"  and  "The  Wings  of  Death".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/officialkvaen  

https://www.instagram.com/officialkvaen 

Sacra/Oblivion/2023 Full Length Review

 

  Sacra  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2023  album  "Oblivion".

 A  very  dark  and  apocalyptic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  synths  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  vert  melodic  style  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  Swedish  influences. Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  elements  as  well  as  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.

  Sacra  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  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  war  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sacra  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Golden  Bones"  and  "Oblivion".  8  out  of  10.

  https://open.spotify.com/album/3lhOTAF4DqjNObwirPpYRQ    

Against I/Destruction Lullaby/Twisted Flesh Recordings/2024 EP Review

 

  Against  I  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "Destruction  Lullaby"  which  was  released  by  Twisted  Flesh  Recordings.

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  synths  being  added  into  the  music  at  times.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times   while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  Some  of  the  songs  also  add  in    a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  Swedish  tradition  mixed  in  with  some  modern  touches,  electronic  beats  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  which  also  adds  in  elements  of  industrial  rock  and  ebm.

  Against  I  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a very  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  electronic  music  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Against  I  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  blackened  death  metal  and  electronic  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  Define"  "Death  Defined"  and  "Destruction  Lullaby".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://www.instagram.com/againstiband/

https://www.facebook.com/againstIband/

https://www.youtube.com/@againsti9074

https://open.spotify.com/album/0NE9zhlJOqFPrnHPa41XeG

https://music.apple.com/us/album/destruction-lullaby/1743286698 

Juha Jyrkas/Vainamoinen/Earth And Sky Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Juha  Jyrkas  is  a  solo  artist  from  Finland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  an  epic  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2024  album  "Vainamoinen"  which  was  released  by  Earth  And  Sky  Productions.

 Keyboards  and  percussion  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  folk  instruments  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  a  lot  of  the  vocals  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  pagan  metal  style  and  the  bass  kantele  is  used  as  a  lead  instrument.

  The  grim  harsh  vocals  also  bring  in  elements  of  black  metal  while  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  some  whispered  vocals  also  being  utilized  at  times,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  on  only  a  couple  of  tracks  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  closing  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Juhs  Jyrkas  takes  traditional  Finnish  folk  music  and  mixes  it  with  extreme  metal  to  create  something  very  different.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  the  poetic  tradition  of  the  Kalevala.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Juha  Jyrkas  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Syntysanat"  "Ukkosloitsu"  and  "Metalikantele".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/juhajyrkas/

https://www.facebook.com/juhavaltteriilmarijyrkas

https://juhajyrkas.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3VtIyhtoyU57AucJJHfEih

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/juha-jyrkäs/408509154     

Valfreya/Dawn Of Reckoning/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Montreal,  Quebec's  Valfreya  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  moving  away  from  the  folk  metal  style  of  earlier  releases  and  going  for  more  of  a  symphonic  and  melodic  blackened  death  metal  direction  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Dawn  Of  Reckoning".

  Symphonic  sounds,  choirs  and  violins  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  are  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  growls  can  also b e  heard  at  times.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in a   great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  pars  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.    

  Classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  one  a  couple  of  songs  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  A  couple  of  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  female  vocals  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  Nose  Goddess  Hel  as  she  brings  malice  and  justice  to  humanity.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Valfreya  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  symphonic  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Rise"  "The  Fall"  "The  Fallen  Keys"  and "Reus  Es".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/valfreyaofficial

Lyric Video - “The Rise” - https://youtu.be/2Y8VIg37iMg​

Lyric Video - “Le Périple” at https://youtu.be/vRHbtl3o1OQ  

Les Chants Du Hasard/Livre Quart/2024 Full length Review

 

  France's  Les  Chants  Du  Hasard  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  orchestral  and  operatic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Livre  Quart"  which  will  be  released  in  June.

  Orchestra  sounds  and  chants  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  high  pitched  black  emtal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  operatic  vocals  and  choirs  while  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  symphonic  and  classical  music  elements  and  at  times  the  recording  also  brings  in  a  very  ritualistic  atmosphere.

  The  whole  album  also  avoids  the  use  of  any  traditional  instruments  except  for  the  harsh  vocals  bringing  that  style  onto  the  recording.  Female  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times   as  well  as  one  of  the songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Les  Chants  Du  Hasrd  focuses  more  on  a  extreme  and  orchestral  style  of  opera  as  well  as  mixing  in  black  metal  vocals to  create  something  very  different.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  the  writings  of  Charles  Baudelaire.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Les  Chants  Du  Husard  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  orchestra  and  opera  music,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Parmi  Les  Poussieres"  "Sous  La  Mitre  De  Fer"  and  "Les  Ombres  Vagabondes".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/leschantsduhasard

https://www.instagram.com/hasard_malivore

https://leschantsduhasard.bigcartel.com

https://leschantsduhasard.bandcamp.com      

Pontifex/From The Pale Mist/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Pontifex  are  a  band  from  Florida  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  ambient,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "From  The  Pale  mist".

  Ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  symphonic  sounds  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  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  vocals  also  add  in a   mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

   Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  one  of  the  tracks  also  being  an  instrumental  as  well a s  the  music  also  mixing  in  both  old  school  and  modern  touches.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  mystery themes.

  In  my  opinion  Pontifex  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  with  elements  of  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  REOCMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Festering"  and  "Abyssal".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/srVAty5dWkc

https://open.spotify.com/track/6FW3pN2D59Cq6vzzRlKGd

https://pontifex.bandcamp.com/album/from-the-pale-mist

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555978000917

https://www.instagram.com/shadowspireband/ 

Voha/Majestic Nightsky Symphonies/Void Wanderer Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Voha  are  a  solo  project  from  Croatia  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Majestic  Nightsky  Symphonies"  which  was  released  by  Void  Wanderer  Productions.

  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  it  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  riffs  also  add  in a   great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental.

  Voha  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  symphonic  and  epic  in  the  late  90's  tradition.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  that  cover  a  theme  of  a  dark  lord  and  a  sorcerer  that  helps  him  regain t he  power  of  evil  to  forge  new  atrocities.  

  In  my  opinion  Voha  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Raven  Cry"  and  "Crimson  Tears".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/voha.official/      

  

Lamentari/Ex Umbra In Lucem/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Lamentari  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  very  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  with  elements  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Ex  Umbra  In  Lucem".

  Choirs  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  orchestra  and  symphonic  elements  which  also  mixes  in with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  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  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  goof  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some  classical  and  acoustic  guitars  also  being  added  on  a  few  songs,  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Lamentari  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  aggressive  and  symphonic  sounding  as  well  as  adding  in  elements  of  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death  and  apocalyptic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lamentari  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  band  with  elements  of  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tenebrae"  and  "Arcanum  Ignis  Animae".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/lamentari  

https://www.instagram.com/lamentari_band/  
https://cult-of-lamentari.bandcamp.com  

https://hyperfollow.com/lamentari     

Exodikon 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?

Jozsef Posfai: We just had our album release show on 29th March in Hungary, which really was a blast!

We are also planning some domestic Hungarian club concerts and festival appearances in the foreseeable future. More to follow in the autumn.

 

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

JP: I believe it is more coherent, if we consider it from a musical point of view, it encapsulates well our current progress on creating our own path in the fields of black/death metal.

 

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

JP: This album is about analyzing Chaos from different life situations and through several emotional points of view. Speaking of manipulation, revolution, uprising, descent, all routes back to Chaos as the leading force beyond the gates.

 

4.From 2011 to 2021 there was no music coming out, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

JP: In a nutshell, we went on a hiatus, so everyone could concentrate on building his own career and existence. After we succeeded, we could restart to feed our craving for playing music . 

 

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

JP: Exodikon covers a section of the Greek drama, where the choir draws the short conclusions of the story. At least in Hungarian. We wanted to find a meaningful name, and we felt Exodikon could be a perfect fit.

 

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

JP: The cover photo is made by a Hungarian artist called Bence Száraz. We gave him almost free hands in creating the album art, our key message to him was to try and capture sonic chaos in a picture. I believe he did a great job though!

 

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?

JP: I would say our album release show was one of the highlights of the band's existence. Moreover, it was a great honour for us to share the stage with Mayhem in 2022 and I am Morbid in 2023 as an opening act!

Speaking of stage performance, our main focus is to deliver our music and lyrics as perfect as possible. We want to create an atmosphere where people can face their inner demons, to let them sink in their own dark minds. So it's more about catching feelings rather than overwhelming visuals.

 

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

JP: Yes, mainly in Hungary, but we are also willing to sail on international tides in the foreseeable future. You can find all the firmed concert dates on our Facebook site! 

 

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

JP: What actually reached us was quite positive, so cannot complain so far!

 

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

JP: It's hard to predict it in an exact manner, but I believe we will continue our path in black/death metal maze.

 

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?

JP: It's easier to describe what we are actively listening. Apart from my all-time favourite i.e. Dissection I'm recently into the post-black genre, and listen to bands such as Les Discrets, Karg, Harakiri for the Sky, Ellende, Heretoir and Groza.

 

Attila István Hekele: I have many favourite bands, like Suffocation, Morbid Angel, Terrorizer, Nile, Death, Dying Fetus, Obscura, Necrophagist, Vader, Korpse, Mortician, Dead Congregation, Cannibal Corpse, Anaal Nathrakh, Slayer, Sepultura, Destruction, Sodom, Emperor, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Darkthrone, Dark Funeral, Immortal, Celtic Frost, Triptykon, Dissection, Christian Epidemic

 

Gábor Dávid Borhidi: Necrophagist, Morbid Angel, Death, Suffocation, Cryptopsy, Vile, Malevolent Creation,

Impalement, Dark Funeral, Dissection, Immortal, Mgla,  Nordjevel.

 

Ferenc Pósfai: Death

 

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

JP: Nothing, just to thank you for the opportunity for this interview! All the respect goes to such webzines like you who still carry the fire of metal! All the best to you!

www.exodikon.com
www.facebook.com/exodikon
www.instagram.com/exodikonofficial
Spotify: SpotifyExodikon

Ossilegium Interview

 

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

Since we wrapped up the album, we’ve begun working on the next release - a split with an old friend’s band. We’ll release more details later on this!

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

Doing a full length was a challenge in and of itself. I'd been involved in full lengths in the past but had yet to manage the songwriting and production on a full length. That aside, we were able to incorporate some interesting song structures, more instruments in the ambient tracks, and some challenging production techniques.

3. A lot of your lyrics cover sci-fi and fantasy literature and games, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics? 

I love a good story. It is interesting to me, to take a character or setting from a book, and examine it through a song. For the new record, we drew from a few different inspirations for the album: we continued the theme of "ascendency to undeath" from our previous release, "Behold... The Glory of Undeath," we touched upon the Diabolic Pact made with the Powers of Hell and one Urbain Grandier , we explored a darker corner of Greek Mythology, just to name a few things. As far as video games are concerned, I wouldn't say that video games are an inspiration for lyrics (that would be in poor taste in my opinion) . I do get inspired by the atmosphere and soundtrack of video games from time to time, like Diablo I and II for instance. I definitely learned some chords from "Tristram Theme" and paid attention to how the soundtrack created tension throughout the game without being obtrusive.

4.Originally the band was called 'Empyreus', what was the cause of the new change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Ossilegium'?

In 2019, a few of us that were recently in another band together wanted to keep playing tunes together, and I had a bunch of songs that didn’t get used from Empyreus, so we started playing those songs. Once we decided that we were going to make a go of it, the name change was brought up, as there were almost no original Empyreus members left, and the new music definitely had a different feel - I was on board, after a short deliberation. We decided to pool a bunch of names together and go from there. Ossilegium was a name I had hanging around, along with a few other choice names for projects I was considering starting. Ossilegium was the standout choice. 

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

The artwork is a photo by Simon Marsden. His work is iconic. This photo in particular is called “Gothic Window, Castle Bernard, County Cork, Ireland.” I knew that I wanted to use one of his photos for this record, and as I was browsing through the pictures he had available, this one in particular stood out. It seems almost like a gateway to some underrealm. Mr. Marsden had a unique gift for making his subjects seem surreal and otherworldly.

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band while you had more members in the past, are you open to expanding the line up again in the future or do you choose to remain a duo?

We are rehearsing with two new members to complete the lineup,and things are going well. We anticipate a return to live shows sometime this summer. 

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

We got to play Metal Threat Festival at about this time last year (mid April) - that was an intense show! Playing with the big names that were also on the bill created a lot of pressure to perform at the top of our game. We’ve also had plenty of shows with great bands that have come through our city. I would describe our stage performance as honest. We’re there, first and foremost, to give a great performance of our songs. I would say that we deliver our music in a stoic and somber fashion.

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

 

We are still working on things with the new members, so we haven’t booked anything yet. I expect us to be back on stage this summer, if things continue going as well as they have.

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

We haven’t had much exposure worldwide, but the feedback we have received has been positive thus far. Hopefully we’ll be able to secure a stronger presence out there soon enough!

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

My biggest goal for our next work is to have a distinct narrative through the work. I also want to incorporate more traditional instruments - for example, in “The Heart of Darkness,” on the new album, I used a Nashville-Strung 12 string, a mandolin, and acoustic guitars with an interesting synth plugin and electric bass guitar. I was really pleased with the dark and dramatic atmosphere that was conjured through those instruments.

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?

It’s no secret that our biggest influences are many of the Swedish Black Metal bands from the 90’s. Not just the big names like Watain, Marduk, or Dissection that everyone knows, there were so many great bands that just didn’t get as much traction back then like Dawn, Unanimated, The Black, and Sacramentum (the list is quite long, honestly. We have an “influences” playlist on spotify, check there for an in-depth accounting, if that’s your thing). Many of those same bands are certainly more well-known now than ever before. I’m also a huge fan of early heavy metal like Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, and Scorpions, and as much NWOBHM as I can get my greedy hands on.

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

Yes! - make sure to check out “The Gods Below,”  available May 3 via Personal-Records.

https://personal-records.bandcamp.com/album/the-gods-below