Iblis/Menthell/DTM Productions/2012 CD Review

  Iblis  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  blacks  a  mixture  of  avant  garde  metal  and  black'n'roll  and  this  is a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Menthell"  which  was  released  by  DTM  PRoductions.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into t he  music  at  times,  while t he  sound  effects  bring  a  very  dark  avant  garde  experimental/noise  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  tone  with  progressive  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  avant  garde  metal  with  black  metal  and  black'n'  roll  along  with  a  great  amount  of  influences  from  experimental  music  and  there  are  little  to  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  this  recording.

  Vocals  range  from  black metal  screams,  hateful  growls,  clean  singing  and  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  weird  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a very  strong,  powerful  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

    In  my  opinion  Iblis  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde/black  metal/black  'n'  roll  hybrid  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "12  Syncamores"  "Poison  In  Your  Food"  and  "Buck Skins  Fifth".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Dark End Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
Hi there to everyone! At the moment we are preparing our live show for the upcoming Russian tour with Marduk, Vader & Kataklysm and, in addition to this, we are writing a lot of new material for our 4th album.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from the older recordings?
Hmm, it’s quite complex. For me DARKEND are the pure expression of what I use to call “OBSCURE HORROR METAL”: there, you can find dark and melancholic extreme metal tightly combined with black metal patterns, classical symphonies and sulphur heavy riffs in the vein of Mercyful Fate/Angel Witch together with bleak ecclesiastic compositions, harmonies directly taken from the gloomy and dramatic theatrical representation of the XVIII century, straight melodic straight guitar solos and some atmospheric nocturne ambience.
Concerning “Grand Guignol – Book I”, well… it’s not a simple album but a real theatrical representation in which music, graphics, conceptual histories and lyrics complete themselves to create a whole parallel dimension: it’s more structured, more dramatic and more atmospheric than the previous albums. With it we tried to bring the most characteristic parts of our sound to their extreme point: so, what has to be aggressive is very aggressive, what has to be dark and melancholic is even more dark and melancholic, and so on.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
The ideological substrate of DARKEND is deeply related to Philosophy, Magic, Psychology, Occultism... and on a more general level, I can say that all of our songs are strongly connected to everything that is mysterious, unknown, bleak and horrorific, topics through which we activate a profound inner-ritual to investigate and at the same time to express our Souls. Lyrically, this third opus takes its moves from a conscious and profound esoteric research exploring through a rich narrative plot the common roots of occultism and spiritualism, self-martyrdom and black magic ceremonies. There, behind the curtain, you will hear a conceptual tale of sanctified sins and loathed purity, of mercy and murder, of gentle wickedness and dismal virtue, where everything is melted with its contrary: a theatre of abominations in which humanity roams unconscious of the highest cosmos’ secrets.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
The name DARKEND incarnates everything that is occult and obscure, intended as a strong fascination that gives us strength and inspiration. The end wrapped in darkness, the abyss, the unknown that opens its doors on mystery, on fantasy and on a dreamlike dimension.
In addition, our name hides an esoteric anagram that will be probably revealed in the lyrics of our 5th album.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
There has been a lot of great live shows, especially the ones during our European tours supporting Rotting Christ and then Samael, Melechesh & Keep Of Kalessin. In particular the fans from Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria and the other eastern countries were amazing and they directly contributed to render these  shows very special.
About our live performances I can say that concerts are one of the most important part of the DARKEND philosophy: we live them as genuine ceremonies of darkness and horror where every suggestion and feeling is amplified with the use of some scenic elements such as pentagrams, candles, bleak masks, incense and dead branches, all dropped in a strong theatrical and grand guignolesque interpretation. As you can see, it is not a simple show; it is a proper and real ritual.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?
Yes, on May the 15th we will leave for Russia to start there the first part of the “Grand Guignol” tour, supporting great bands such as Marduk and Vader. Then we will probably take part to some Summer Festivals and then, at the beginning of Autumn, we will schedule the second part of the tour.

7. Currently you are signed to Crash And Burn Records, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support that they have given you so far?

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of symphonic black metal?
The feedback has been fantastic thus far. We are collecting superb reviews (most of them are full rating) almost everywhere  and also the comments that we found on some forums are fantastic. This is really great, it goes beyond my best expectations!

9. Are there any other projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?
Some of the band members such as Valentz and Antarktica have some side projects, but of course DARKEND stand as a priority for all of us.

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
It will be a natural progression of what DARKEND are today. Even from “Assassine” to “Grand Guignol” there has been the introduction of new element (such as Gregorian chants, clean vocals..) and I think that we will continue to experiment on that way, trying to render our music even more impressive, vivid and theatrical. We will work a lot on new atmospheres, in strict connection to the different conceptual themes that we will deal with, that’s for sure.

11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Hmm, quite difficult to say because everyone of us listen to a lot of music and have different musical tastes. Among the genres that can be considered building block for DARKEND I would name black metal of bands such as Emperor, Burzum, Mayhem, Limbonic Art, the occult-oriented NWOBHM (with bands like Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Angel Witch), classical music of the XIX century, dark/doom metal and obscure music (Sopor Aeternus And The Ensemble Of Shadows to name one of its maximum exponents).
Regarding my musical tastes, I listen to everything listen before plus a lot of progressive prom the ’70 (King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Van Der Graaf Generator..), ambient/ritual music, classic and death metal..

12. How would you describe your views on Occultism?
I am a lot interested in it, I read a lot and I do a lot of researches, not only concerning  Magic but even Philosophy, Astronomy and Psychology, doctrines that I consider really related to the occult and esoteric side of existence. Magic as a way to see what not everyone can see, Magic as a way to express the greatness of your Soul in all its splendour.

13. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
Oh well, I can really be defined a music-addicted, so a lot of my time is dedicated to music, not only in relation with DARKEND: I love to search and discover new bands, buy and collect their CDs and stuff like that. Beside this I love literature (I read a lot) and cinema, especially concerning horror movies.

14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
I thank you too for your strong support, for the space granted to DARKEND and for the beautiful words you spent on the “Grand Guignol” review… THANK YOU! I hope to see you soon, all of you! In the meanwhile… keep on spreading our obscure Cult of Horror!

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Dark End/Grand Guignol Book I/Crash And Burn Records/2012 CD Review

  Dark  End  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays   a  very  gothic,  horror  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Grand  Guignol Book  I"  which  was  released  by  Crah  And  Burn  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while  the  synths  bring  a  very  epic,  horror  film,  atmospheric,  gothic  and  symphonic  sound  to  the  music  with  some  parts  that  are  influenced  by  classical  and  orchestra  music  along  with  some  violins,  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  black  metal  riffs  that  are  very  melodic  and  goes  for  more  of  the  mainstream  sound  instead  of  the  underground  one  with  some  traditional  metal  influences  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads  that  utilize  a  great  amount  of  skill  and  talent,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  to  add  an  ethnic  feeling  to  the  music.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  in  the  more  mainstream  tradition  along  with  some  deep  growls,  whispers  and  a  good  amount  of  clean  signing , while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Esoteric,  Philosophy  and  Spirituality,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.  

  In  my  opinion  Dark  End  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric,  gothic  and  symphonic  black  metal  band  with  a  mainstream  appeal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  style,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "AEinsoph: Flash  Forward  To  Obscurity"  "Spiritism:  The  Transmigration  Passage"  "Bleakness:  Of  Secrecy,  Haste  And  Shattered  Crystals"  and  "Dawn:  Black  Sun  Rises".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Catamenia/The Rewritten Chapters/Massacre Records/2012 CD Compilation Review

  Catamenia  are  a  band  from  Finland  which  had  their  previous  album  reviewed  as  well  as  being  interviewed  by  this  zine  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric,  symphonic,  gothic  and  melodic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  cd  compilation  album  "The  Rewritten  Chapters"  which  was  released  by  Massacre  Records.

  Drums  range  from slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times,  while  the  keyboards  bring  in  a  very  dark,  atmospheric,  symphonic  and  gothic  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful  an  heavy  sound  with  riffs  that  dominate  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  melodic  black  metal  riffs  that  utilize  a  great  amount  of  classic  metal  influences  as  well  as  gothic,  thrash  and  melodic  death  metal,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  heavy  metal guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  with  some  deep  growls  being  thrown  into  the  music  at  times  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  clean  singing  vocals,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes  with  the  songs  being  written  in  English  but  there  are  a  couple  written  in  Finnish,  while  the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  great  compilation  from  Catamenia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blackmension"  "Calvacade"  "Morning  Crimson"  and  "Lost  In  Bitterness".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Shturm Interview

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

Hi, there! I sing and play guitar in Shturm! Currently music label Darknagar records has just published our album Karmaruna! We made two music videos for the songs from this album and one of the videos is already on the internet. Our next plans are to make EP, gigs and recording of a new album!
2. How would you describe the musical sound of the newer album and how it differs from the older recordings?

The sound we worked out in Karmaruna is essentially different from the works we did in the past and even from the sound of many bands which you may now listen on the internet. At the very beginning we wanted our new album to have a cold and mighty sound, but at the same time the sound which resembles the bands of 80-s and we finally managed to work it out and we proud of it! Our past records are more up-to-date – they have drive, but doesn`t have an identity!
3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release?

The ponderous part of the lyrics is based on the ideas of the world around us, summed up under the influence of Tibetan Philosophy. The new material also has the lyrics inspired by our country`s past, some personal experience and everyday pleasances.
4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
The name of the bans reproduces the way the word “storm” sounds in Russian! So just the might of a storm, the rush of a hurricane are the things inspired us to call the band this way! A man is weak-handed before these mightiest acts of nature, so is there anything tougher?)))

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

I would say that our gigs are always hard, fast and loud!!! Mostly every crowd we played for  welcomes us well and we just can`t play elsewise! So a gig of Shturm is always something we do at the breaking point!!! In the past we had more black metal appearance: spikes, leather, corpse paint, but in the course of time these things remained in the past and now our appearance is not so frightful and this force us to play better to not disappoint our fans.
6. Do you have any touring plans for the new release?

Yes, certainly, this summer we are going to make several gigs supporting our Brazilian and Norwegian friends UNEARTHLY and THYRUZ , where we will play songs of Karmaruna! I think that the tour is going to be the most impressing of all those we did!
7. Currently you are signed to Darknagar Records how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support that they have given you so far?

Our band manager Alexander Ermakov found the label Darknagar. We have no doubts of his choice and, I must say, we don`t regret! The label is young, but very ambitious and the management of the label really care about the bands it publish! Here is more of enthusiasm and desire to promote the bands than the music business itself and that`s the most important thing, because it defuses money, prestige and relations! So, that`s why we are with Darknagar now!
8. On a worldwide level how has your music been recieved by fans of extreme metal?

We received more and more good comments on our new album Karmaruna! We sometimes receive some ambiguous comments as the style of the album is quite indistinct! But the most important thing is the album doesn`t come inconspicuous!
9. Are there any other projects besides this band or is this a full time line-up?

Now Shturm is the basic project for each of us! But not long ago our drummer Petreno and bass guitarist Kane had their own band where they choogled earnestly complex death metal!
10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

It’s hard to say like what exactly it is going to be, but soon we will be in our rehearsal room to write the material for upcoming EP, and we have no any fixed ideas, we just will be jamming and trying some new things! The style we were mixing are death, black, thrash and heavy, now we are still going to keep this direction and broaden the limits of our music! I think that we will manage to work out of it something interesting! But there`s the one thing I must promise – it still be as hard, fast and unique as it was earlier!
11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I was influenced mostly by the old wave bands like Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeath, also I was inspired by death and black metal! Now I began listening to the bands I was fond of in my childhood, but also I have interest towards some new bands, for example Trivium.
12. How would you describe your views on Tibetan Mythology and Buddhism?
Tibetan Buddhism has seriously influenced our works. Tibetan mythology and culture has a bit lesser influence on us. This theme is very interesting for us and especially for Omuth as when he wrote his lyrics, he wagered basically on the concepts of Tibetan Buddhism, on the interpretation of simple things which are familiar to everyone but through such perspective. But still, Karmaruna unlike Kalahia, is ideologically a symbiosis of our personal experience, remebrances and thoughts on the one hand and inspired by the philosophy of Buddhism on the other.
13. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Each of us has his own interests outside of music. I fond of the history of the Second World War, I like collecting the things of those times, combat equipment and awards! Omuth, the guitarist, pays attention to the wildlife protection, he has his own website through which he fights with the injustice towards the wildlife and animals. Bass guitarist Kane is keen on thai boxing and its more than just a hobby for him! Drummer Petreno loves bicycling and sport bikes! Also the majority of us like to pass the time in a noisy crew, drinking some hard drinks)
14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Thanks for an interesting interview and for everything you do to metal scene! I wish good luck and health to everyone who reads this lines! Just keep on listening to metal and Shturm! Follow our news!!!!
Heavy!

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Cauldron Black Ram/The Poisoner/Abysmal Sounds/2012 EP Review

Cauldron Black Ram are a band from Australia that plays a mixture of black, doom, sludge and thrash metal and this is a review of their 2012 ep "The Poisoner" which was released by Abysmal Sounds.

Drums range from slow to mid paced to fast drumming with some blast beats being used at times, while the bass playing has a very dark tone with riffs that follow the riffing that is coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming that combines influences from black, sludge, doom, thrash and death metal to create a sound of their own along with some dark sounding melodies while the lead guitars are very primitive sounding black/death metal guitar solos and leads.

Vocals are a mixture of black/thrash style growls, high pitched screams and shouting gang vocals along with a brief use of spoken word ritualistic parts, while the lyrics cover occult, dark and horror themes, as for the production it has a very dark, rw and primitive sound to it.

In my opinion Cauldron Black Ram are a very great sounding mixture of black, sludge, doom, death and thrash metal and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "The Poisoner" and "Infernal Interjections". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Dreaming Dead/Midnightmares/2012 CD Review

   Dreaming Dead are a band from California that plays a micture of black metal, melodic death metal,thrash and progressive metal and this is a review of their self released 2012 album "Midnightmares".

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 strong and powerful tone with riffs that dominate throughout the recording.

Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast riffs that combine melodic death metal, black, thrash and progressive metal together to create a sound of their own, while the lead guitars are very melodic, progressive and technical sounding death metal guitar solos and leads, as for the acoustic guitars when they are utilized they use finger picking and full chords to bring jazz and progressive rock elements to the music.

Vocals range from high pitched screams that combine black and melodic death metal together along with some deep death metal growls being utilized at times, while the lyrics cover dark and philosophical themes, as for the production it has a very strong, powerful, heavy and professional sound for being a self released recording where you can hear all of the musical instruments that are present on this recording.

In my opinion Dreaming Dead are a very great sounding black/melodic death/thrash and progressive metal hybrid and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Overlord" "Midnightmares" "Into The Depths" and "Corpse Mountain". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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