Shturm/Karmaruna/Darknagar Records/2012 CD Review

  Shturm are a band from Russia that plays a very ethnic form of blackened death metal with a melodic edge and this is a review of their 2012 album "Karmaruna" which was released by Darknagar Records.

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a great amount of brutal sounding blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and at times they have a very powerful sound to them, as for the synths when they are utilized they bring in influences from ethnic music as well as some sounds from nature.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast death metal riffs that utilize a great amount of black and thrash metal influences along with some melodic riffing as well as a brief use of soft and clean playing, while the lead guitars are very melodic and technical sounding guitar solos and leads with some use of ethnic scales, as for the acoustic guitars when they are utilized they use full chords and finger picking to add some darkness to the music.

Vocals range from deep death metal growls, high pitched screams and some clean singing as well as a brief spoken word part, while the lyrics cover Tibetan Mythology and Buddhism, as for the production it has a very strong, powerful, heavy and professional sound to it.

In my opinion Shturm are a very great sounding ethnic melodic blackened death metal band and if you are looking for something that is very original, you should check this band out. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Eagles Above Tibet" "Karmaruna" "In Us" and "Metal Music Artefact". RECOMMENDED BUY.

http://youtu.be/KLG4_pgBYfw 

The Sun Through A Telescope/Summer Darkyard/2011 EP Review

  The Sun Through A Telescope are a 1 man project from Canada that plays a mixture of black metal, drone, noise and sludge and this is a review of their elf released 2011 ep "Summer Darkyard".

Drums are absent from t his recording, while the sound effects bring in a psychedelic, drone, noise and dark ambient sound to the music, as for the bass playing it has a very strong and powerful tone with sludge/doom metal riffing that dominates throughout the recording.

Rhythm guitars are slow to mid paced riffs that combine black metal with noise, sludge and doom metal with the songs being very long and there are no guitar solos or leads present on this recording, as for the acoustic guitars when they are utilized they bring a post rock sound to the music.

Vocals are a mixture of high pitched black metal screams, deep growls, weird vocals, clean singing and spoken word parts, while the lyrics cover dark themes, as for the production it has a very dark, heavy, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion The Sun Through A Telescope are a very great sounding black metal/doom/sludge/noise/drone hybrid and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Cro-Magnon Nightmare". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Sick To The Back Teeth Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the project for those that have never heard of you before?

yes. sick to the back teeth is a solo music project where i record all kinds of different music. i put no restrictions on myself in terms of style or concept or rules. it's just whatever music i feel like doing. i started using the name in 2002, so this is the tenth year of doing this.


2. How would you describe your musical sound?

there's no one sound for me. i make rock, metal, noise, folk, electronic music, sometimes all in the same piece of music. there are no limitations. i will say that some of it takes an experimental approach but not all of it. and that most of my music is conceptual. especially if it doesn't sound like there's a concept. some of my music isn't about music at all.


3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the project explores with the music?

so many. i have some albums which deal with very specific subjects and i think these are relatively obvious. i don't like to explain them, though. they are meant to be interpreted by the listener. but speaking very broadly, i tend to come back to some themes often: love, sadness, nature, fantasy.


4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

sick to the back teeth is an expression that means to be completely fed up of something. i just liked it.


5. Are there any other members involved with the project or is this solo?

it's just me. there are some rare cases where i've had guest musicians or collaborated with people and they are given credit on those songs. but it's mostly me writing all the songs and performing all the music.


6. Currently you are signed to Drowning, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support they have given you so far?

well, i am not signed to any label. but Drowning is great. i liked the releases that i heard and i liked the aesthetic so i sent in an album. i was glad that they decided to include it. i think it's a good fit.


7. On a worldwide level how has your music been recieved by fans of underground music?

i don't think it has been received much at all. this is the first interview i've been asked to do in five or six years so i don't think anyone is aware of me. about once a year i get an email from someone who says they liked something i did and that's nice. that's about all.


8. Are there any other projects besides this band or is this full time?

i just played in a metal band for a couple of years called Pegasus Void. i played guitar, sang and wrote the songs. our album is coming out soon. it's mostly doom metal but there are are elements of space rock and black metal as well. now i play in a rock duo called the Starling Quintet. it's not metal at all. but i'm never going to stop doing music as sick to the back teeth.


9. What direction do you see your music heaning into on futre releases?

hopefully all different directions. currently i have been recording and releasing one song every week on this blog: http://sick-to-the-back-teeth.tumblr.com/ i also put old releases and previously unreleased material on there.

i will be releasing a new musical score for a film very soon. probably a rock album after that. then, who knows?


10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

all different kinds of stuff. although instead of musical influences, i would say that sick to the back teeth is most connected to the surrealist art movement and i would describe most of my music as surrealist music. i'm influenced by dreams.


11. Does Occultism play a role in the music?

no, but that is not to say that i haven't at some point been inspired by the idea of something related to occultism. i'm inspired by all sorts of different things.


12.Outside of music, what are some of your interests?

currently i have a weekly radio show on the greatest radio station in the world, WFMU. my show airs sundays at 3-6am EST and you can listen online at http://www.wfmu.org/

i also enjoy building instruments and effects. i'm writing my second novel.


13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

thank you for taking an interest and i wish you the best of luck with your zine!

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Tersivel/Far Away In The Distant Skies/2010 EP Review

  Tersival are a band from Argentina that plays a very atmospheric and symphonic form of folk metal mixed in with some melodic black/death metal and this is a review of their self released 2010 demo "Far Away In The Distant Skies".

Drums range from slow, mid paced to some fast drumming that utilizes a brief use of blast beats, while the keyboards bring in a very dark, symphonic, and atmospheric sound with some epic folk music melodies mixed in with some more traditional folk metal instruments, as for the bass playing it has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and at times they have a very powerful sound to them.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast riffing that combines folk metal with melodic black/death metal, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding guitar solos and leads, as for the classical guitars when they are utilized they bring a feeling of the dark ages to the music.

Vocals range from clean singing folk metal vocals, high pitched black metal screams and deep death metal growls with a brief use of gang shout vocals, while the lyrics cover Pagan,Folklore and Heathen themes, as for the production it has a very powerful, heavy and professional sound for being a self released ep.

In my opinion Tersivel are a very great sounding folk/melodic black/death metal hybrid and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACK "We Are The Fading Sun". RECOMMENDED BUY.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tersivel

Netherbird/Shadows And Snow/2010 EP Review

  Netherbird are a band from Sweden that plays a very melodic, gothic and symphonic form of black metal and this is a review of their self released 2011 ep "Shadows And Snow".

Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being used at times, while the keyboards bring a very dark, atmospheric and symphonic sound to the music along with some use of a violin being played, as for the bass playing it has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars and at times they have a very powerful tone with gothic rock riffs.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast melodic black metal guitar riffs with a brief use of soft and clean playing being utilized on the last song, while the lead guitars are very melodic and skilled sounding guitar solos and leads that utilize a great amount of talent.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with some deep growls being used at times as well as some spoken word parts and a brief use of clean singing chanting being utilized on the last song, while the lyrics cover very dark themes, as for the production it has a very strong, heavy, powerful and professional sound and you can hear all of the musical instruments that are present on this recording.

In my opinion Netherbird are a very great sounding atmospheric/gothic/symphonic melodic black metal band and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Shadows And Snow" and "Nightwards". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Sick To The Back Teeth/Full Body Heartache/Drowning Productions/2010 Digital Album Review

  Sick To The Back Teeth are a project from New York that combines drone doom with black metal, improv and noise and this is a review of their 2010 album "Full Body Heartache" which was released by Drowning Productions.

Drums and bass guitar are all absent from the music with guitars being the only instrument on this recording.

Guitars are all slow riffs that combine drone/doom with black metal and noise with alot of heavy distortion and there are no guitar solos or leads present on this recording, in addition the whole album is a 30 minute long song.

Vocals and song writing are all absent from the recording with the music being all instrumental, as for the production it has a very dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Sick To The Back Teeth are a very great sounding black/drone/doom metal/improv/noise hybrid and if you are a fan of this style, you should  check out this band. RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Wyrm/Paramount/Drowning Productions/2011 CD Review

  Wyrm are a 1 man band from Texas that plays a mixture of drone/doom metal and black metal and this is a review of their 2011 album "Paramount" which was released by Drowning Productions.

Drums and bass guitar are absent from the recording with the music being all guitar noises, while the keyboards bring a very dark and ambient sound to the music as well as some kraut rock and experimental influences.

Rhythm guitars are all riffs and distortion effects which are in the drone/doom metal vein mixed in with some darker black metal influences as well as shoegaze, in addition the songs are very long and epic sounding.

Vocals are absent from the music with all of the music being instrumental, while the song themes cover dark themes with one song having an alchemy approach, as for the production it has a very, dark, raw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Wyrm are a very great sounding drone/black/doom metal hybrid project and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Cursed Ground Above Which Even A Murder Will Not Fly" and "Ouroborous Harpengnathos". RECOMMENDED BUY

https://drowningcc.bandcamp.com/album/paramount