Monday, September 10, 2012

Scythia/For The Bear/2012 CD Review


  Scythia  are  a  band  from  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  styles   that  I  would  describe  as  being  folk  metal  with  some  melodic  death  and  black  metal  influences  and this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2012  album  "For  The  Bear".

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  fast  playing  or  blast  beats,  while  the  oboe  brings  a  folk  music  sound  to  the  music,  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  to  mid  paced  folk  metal  riffs  that  utilize  some  melodic  death  and black  metal  influences  in  the  heavier  side  of  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding   pagan  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  bring  a  medieval  sound  to  the  music.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  folk  metal   singing  that  has  a  power  metal  feeling  to  it  at  times  as  well  as  some  more  aggressive  parts  as  well  as  some  shouts  in  addition  there  is  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  being  utilized  on  one  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  and  Russian  Paganism,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  and  heavy  sound  for  being a  self  released  recording  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  recording  from  Scythia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sailor's  Accolade"  and  "For  The  Bear".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG63ssJR1as 

Warseid Interview


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

 As of right now, we're taking a break from live shows, and are writing new material and booking shows for the winter. Most of us are in college in different states around the Midwest and it's hard to get everyone together during the fall and spring seasons.


We have some big things in the works for this winter. We're all supposed to die at the end of December, so why not go big? haha.

2. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the new album?


It's always a difficult thing for a musician to describe the sound of his or her own music and it's no different for us. We take a lot of influence from a lot of different music, metal and not. The main influences on WFLU will be black metal and folk music, but they are by no means the only elements present.


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


We created our own story for this release. Thematically it is fairly standard: tragedy, revenge, with some mythological elements included. It's a story, nothing more, nothing less.

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

We've played a lot of great shows in the past and they get better with every one. However, one of the best shows we've played was probably our release show this past July. It's an unforgettable feeling when we get so much support from our fans in our hometown of Madison, WI.


As for our stage performance, we've really come a long way in refining it. Not just with our costumes that consist of warpaint and the like, but also with how we interact with the crowd and our movement on the stage itself. We feel that we are our strongest live because we attempt to give every show a unique experience visually, not only aurally.

5. Do you have any touring plans for the future?

We're currently planning a winter tour around the Midwest with our very good friends Atreus, melodic death from Appleton/Green Bay, WI, that is set to begin almost immediately after we get back from the fall term in late December.


More details will be released soon, so check our facebook for any updates if you want to see us on tour!

6. Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label and if so what kind of label do you feel that would be a perfect fit for the music?

Labels are something we have gone back and forth on for the longest time. We're not interested in the major labels that undermine and disrespect their artists, but a few smaller labels like Candlelight and Napalm definitely peak our interest and we hope to pursue opportunities along those lines.
Being a DIY band has been great, but there is only so much we can do. It would be great to push beyond that limit.


7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and folk metal?

Overwhelmingly positive. We've received some really great reviews and a lot of interest from all around the globe. It's very encouraging.

8. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?

Some of us have solo projects and we work a lot with other musicians, but musically we devote our fullest attention to Warseid. The only thing that really gets in the way is the fact that most of us are students.

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

At this point its a little hard to say, our new material is still very much in the works. We certainly don't have a predetermined goal in mind. Our sound is constantly evolving and we explore a range of possibilities in our writing. You will see some new characteristics and some returning, but its hard to categorize exactly what will happen at this point.

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

We take obvious influence from a plethora of metal genres, no specific bands really come to mind. We also take a lot of influence from classical music and jazz. I can only answer for myself (Kellan) but right now I'm not really focused on any one genre. Sometimes Dissection, sometimes Art Blakey, sometimes Street Fighter theme songs. There's really no rhyme or reason to my musical taste at this point.


11. How would you describe your views on Norse Paganism?

Again, I can only answer for myself. My take on all religion is that it is mythology. To that effect I love to study religion, and pagan religions have the most fascinating and beautiful mythology to be found, but I don't practice anything. So, my view on Norse Paganism is that it is fascinating to study.


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

Minus obvious free time activities: studying history and culture. I read more textbooks than most people read novels. I also love horror movies. That's all the interesting bits.


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

The pizza calzone I had for dinner was magnificent.

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Friday, August 24, 2012

Warseid/Where Fate Lies Unbound/2012 CD Review



  Warseid  are  a  band  from  Madison,  Wisconsin    that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  form  of pagan/black  metal  mixed  in  with  some  folk  and  progressive  music  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of their  self  released  2012  album  "Where  Fate  Lies  Unbound".

  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  dark,  atmospheric  and  symphonic  sound  to  the  music  mixed  in  with  some  violins  and  folk  instruments,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  black  metal  riffs  that  utilize  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  in  the  riffing  that  brings  in  elements  of  melodic  death  metal  as  well  as  some  traditional  metal  elements,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  black  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads  that  have  a  neo-classical  metal  feeling  to  them  at  times,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  they  use  full  chords  and  finger  picking  to  bring  in  elements  of  folk  and  progressive  music.

  Vocals  range  from  grim  sounding  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  some  deep death  metal  growls  and  some  clean  singing  being  utilized  on  the  last  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Paganism  and  Fantasy,  as  for  the  production   it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful  and  heavy  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  Warseid  are  a very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  black  metal  band  with  folk  and  progressive  music  elements  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shackles  Through  Sand"  and  "The  Vengeance  Pact".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Barren Waste/Divine Intervention/2011 EP Review


  Barren  Waste  are  a  band  from  New  Hampshire  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  sludge,  grindcore  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2011  ep  "Divine  Intervention".

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  good  amount  of  blast  beats  bringing thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  black  metal  with  sludge,  grindcore  and  hardcore  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  old  school  sounding  hardcore  punk  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  hardcore  shouts,  grindcore  growls  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  on  the  last  song,  while the  lyrics  cover  hateful  and  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy,  raw and  primitive  sound  while  you  can  still  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Barren  Waste  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  black  metal,  grind,  crust  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  style,  you  should c heck  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dominant  Hand"  and  "Collection  Codes".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://www.facebook.com/BarrenWasteBand?ref=ts#%21/BarrenWasteBand?sk=app_2405167945

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Ensiferum/Unsung Heroes/Spinefarm/2012 CD Review


  Ensiferum  are  a  band  that  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  pagan/folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "Unsung  Heroes"  which  was  released  by  Spinefarm.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  fast  playing  or  blast  beats,  while  the  synths  bring  a  very  epic  and  symphonic  sound  to  the  music  mixed  in  with  some  violins  that  bring  the  folk  music  elements  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  folk  metal  riffs  that  have  some  melodic  death  and  black  metal  influences  being  thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  full  chords  and  finger  picking  to  give  the  music  a  medieval  feeling.

  Vocals  range  from  deep  death  metal  screams,  high  pitched  black  metal screams  to  clean  singing  male  and  female  viking/folk  metal  vocals  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism  themes,  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  Ensiferum  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  pagan/folk  metal  band  and  if  you  are a  fan  of  this  style  of  music,  you  should  check out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  My  Sword  I  Trust"  "Celestial  Bond"  "Retribution  Shall  Be  Mine"  and  "Passion  Proof  Power".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/2012/08/10/ensiferum-new-video-for-%E2%80%9Cin-my-sword-i-trust%E2%80%9D-unveiled/

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Dethcentrik/I Think You Got The Clean Version/Dod Incarnate Records/2012 CD Review


  Dethcentrik  are  a  band  from  Colorado  Springs,  Colorado  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical style  that  combines  black  metal,  doom,  punk,  industrial  and  noise  together  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2012  album  "I  Think  You  Got  The  Clean  Version"  which  was  released  by  Dod  Incarnate  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  a  good  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  being  thrown  into  the  music,  while  the  programming  brings  elements  of  experimental,  harsh  noise  and  industrial  elements  to  the  music.

  Regular  guitars  and  bass  are  all  absent  from  this  recording  with  the  drums  and  programming  making  up  for  the  brutality  and  still  showing  you  can  bring  metal  elements  into  the  music  without  using  these  traditional  instruments.

  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal/noisecore  screams  mixed  in  with  some  spoken  word  industrial  elements,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  hateful  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  album  from  Dethcentrik  and  if  you  where  a  fan  of  their  previous  recordings,  you  should  enjoy  this  one  as  well.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Let  Us  Pray"  "Realization  Of  Being  In  Hell"  and  "A  Quick  Yet  Painful  Death".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.facebook.com/Dethcentrik/

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Sarah Jezebel Deva/Malediction/Listenable Records/2012 EP Review


  Sarah  Jezebel  Deva  is  an  artist  from  the  United  kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  which  plays  a  gothic  and  symphonic  form  of  metal  with  a  black  and  doom  metal  touch  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2012  ep  "Malediction"  which  was  released  by  Listenable  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  fast  playing  or  blast  beats,  while  the  keyboards  bring  a  very  atmospheric,  gothic  and  symphonic  sound  to  the  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  is  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to mid  paced  gothic  metal  riffs  that  utilize  some  black  and  doom  metal  influences  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  melody  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  and  there  are  little  to  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  this  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  female  vocals  as  well  as  some  male  clean  vocals  along  with  some  deep  death  metal  growls  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  being  utilized  on  the  last  song  in  addition  there  is  also  a  brief  spoken  word  part,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Sarah  Jezebel  Deva  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  her  past  work,  you  should  enjoy  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "This  Is  My  Curse".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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