Eshtadur/Oblivion/RebelSign/2015 EP Review

  Eshtadur  are  a  band  from  Columbia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  ep  "Oblivion"  which will  be  released in  December by  RebelSign.

  Symphonic  style  keyboards  start  off  the  ep  before  adding  in  heavy  and  melodic  guitar  riffs  that  also  add  in  a  touch  of  thrash  and  a  few  seconds  later  aggressive  vocals  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  more  modern  metal  elements  that  where  not  on the  previous  recording.

  When  the  music  speeds  up a   great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  which  also  adds  in  more  of  a  melodic  death  metal  style  along  with  some  growling  vocals  and  they  also  mix  the  symphonic  and  heavier  parts  together  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  there  is  also a  brief  use  of  spoken  word parts.

  On  this  recording  Eshtadur takes  a  modern  style  of  melodic  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  a  touch  of  symphonic  black  metal  to  create  a  style  of their  own  on  this  ep.  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  rebellion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Eshtadur  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  the  more  melodic  styles  of  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Last  Day  Of  the  Condor"  and  "The  Currency  Of  My  Empire".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Eshtadur-177549565617566
Bandcamp: https://eshtadur.bandcamp.com/
Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/Flechas666JorgeLopez
Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/eshtadur
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/eshtadur
'In a Trance With Darkness' (Official Video): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C_WI--hyp8

Solomonic Demons/Firestorm/Merdumgiriz/2015 CD Review

  Solomonic  Demons  are  a  solo  project  from  New  Jersey  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2015  album  "Firestorm"  which  was  released  by  Merdumgiriz.

  A  very  heavy  thrash  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  along   with  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  after awhile  melodies  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  solos  and  leads  use  a  great amount of  melody  while  also   adding  in  a  touch  of  traditional  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  growls  make  their  presence  known.

  Most  of  the  riffs  are  mid  paced  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small   amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  music  mixes  in  a  great  mixture  of  80's  and  90's  extreme  metal  influences  from  a  variety  of  many  genres  and  the  whole  album  remains  true  to  a  very  heavy  and  retro  musical  direction  while  the  production  updates  the  music  for modern  times  and  melodic  vocals  are  added  onto  the  last  track.

  Solomonic  Demons  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  heavy,  thrash,  death  and  melodic  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  musical  style  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Goetia,  Evil,  Witchery,  Magick  and  Demons  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Solomonic  Demons  are  a  very  great  mixture  of  heavy,  thrash,  death  and  melodic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Firestorm"  "72  Spirits"  and  "Brotherhood  Warfare".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Solomonic-Demons-150861851599182/?fref=ts
Bandcamp: https://solomonicdemons.bandcamp.com

Grimorium Verum/Relict/Symbol Of Domination Records/Cold Raw Records/2015 CD Review

  Grimorium  Verum  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  2015  album  "Relict"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Symbol  Of  Domination  Records  and  Cold  Raw  Records.

  A  very  dark  ambient  keyboard  sound  starts  off  the  album  before going  into more  of  an  epic  and  symphonic  direction  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  a  very  fast  black  metal  direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  high  pitched  screams  which  they  also  mix  in  with  the  symphonic  elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  is  more  rooted  in  the  90's  style  of  symphonic  black  metal  and  the  riffs  also  get  very  melodic  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  deep  death  metal  growls  along  with  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  finally  added  into  the  music  they  also  enhance  the  melody  that  is  present  on  the  recording  along  with  a  touch  of  traditional  metal  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  one  song  also  brings  in  a  few  seconds  of  clean  singing.

  Grimorium  Verum  plays  a  style  of  symphonic  black  metal  that  is  more  closer  to  the  mid  90's  era  and  also  brings  back  some  of  the  blasphemy  that  has  been  missing  in  the  genre  for  years,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Anti  Christian  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Grimorium  Verum  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rising  Morning  Star"  "Night  Burning  Icons"  "In  Satan  We  Trust"  and  "Odium".  8  out  of  10.     

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Blood Of The Wolf Interview

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

The band started in 2012 as a project of mine while I was playing guitar in Kommandant. We became a live band in 2013. We had a few member changes since then. As of right now the line-up is myself, Mike Koniglio, on guitar and vocals, Frank Garcia on guitar and vocals, Brandon Waszak on bass and Max Colunga on drums. We play blackened death metal with a lot of blasting and a heavy dose of melody.

2.So far you have released a demo, single and a full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?

I would describe it as blackened death metal with a lot of blasting and a lot of melody. I would say the writing style is akin to late 90’s/early 2000’s aggressive black metal. There is a lot of fast paced tremolo picking, dual guitar harmonies and melodies, and blast beats. Lots of blast beats.

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

Lyrics revolve around the ethos of warfare. Sometimes the lyrics describe the gore and brutality of war, but most of time they center on the philosophy of warfare and the ideal of completely destroying your enemy.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Blood Of The Wolf'?

It has no meaning. The inspiration came from watching a Nova documentary on the Viking sword. In that show they entertained one theory that the Vikings would grind the burnt bones of their ancestors, or enemies or animals they slew and use it to forge their swords. The bone made the steel stronger. The Vikings would also name their swords, often after animals like the bear or wolf, which would then give their sword that animal’s power.


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

We played a show with Incantation, Cardiac Arrest and Abysme at the Beat Kitchen here in Chicago. That was the best so far. Our live shows are relentless. We play the songs without stopping. There is very little talking. The audience gets bulldozed.

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

Not at this point. We are just rehearsing, getting tighter and writing new material.

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

We’re not looking for a label. We’re doing everything ourselves and that’s fine with us.

8.On the new album you had done a Marduk cover, what was the decision behind during your own version of one of their tracks?

Marduk is one of my favorite black metal bands and a huge influence on my songwriting. “With Satan and Victorious Weapons” is one of my favorite songs and I thought it would sound cool with low vocals.

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

So far it’s been all positive.

10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

Our drummer Max plays with Disinter. Frank plays guitar in Asphyxiator. Brandon and I only play in Blood of the Wolf. As for me, this is my sole musical pursuit. It’s the only thing I am interested in investing my free time in.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I love Vader, Marduk, Belphegor, God Dethroned, and Infernal War. I would say those bands have had a great influence on my writing style. Currently I am really enjoying the new Temple of Baal album “Mysterium” and Malevolent Creation’s “Dead Man’s Path”.

12.How would you describe your views on Satanism and Occultism?

I have no interest in either.

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

None. Thank you for the interview!

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Blood Of The Wolf/I: The Law Of Retaliation/2015 Full Length Review

  Blood  Of  the  Wolf  are  a  band  from Chicago,  Illinois  that  plays  a  very  brutal  and  melodic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  with  a  touch  of  thrash  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  album  "I: The Law Of Retaliation".

  War  samples  and battle  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  melodic  musical direction t hat  also  introduces  guitar  leads  that  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  the  intor  the  music  goes  into  a  very  brutal  blackened  death  metal  direction.

  Blast  beats  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  and  the  vocals  use  mostly  death  metal  growls  while  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  a  lot  of  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  a  90's  style  of  melodic  death  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  of  the  heavier  riffs  also  bring  in  thrash  influences  and  they  close  the  album  with  a  cover  of  Marduk's  "With  Satan  And  Victorious  Weapons".

  Blood  of  The  Wolf  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  brutal  and  melodic  styles  of  death  emtal  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  influences   and  a  touch  of  thrash  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  war,  darkness  and  Satanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Blood  Of  the  Wolf  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  brutal  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "With  iron  Weapons  And  Will"  "The  Darkness  Of  Chaos"  "Of  Strength  And  Valor"  and  "With  Satan  And  Victorious  Weapons".  8  out  of  10.   

www.facebook.com/bloodofthewolfmusic

Thulnar/Nightfall In Theros/2015 EP Review

  Thulnar  are  a  band  that  plays  an  epic  form  of  fantasy  metal  that  is  a  mixture  of  symphonic  black  and  folk  metal  and  this is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2015  ep  "Nightfall  In  Theros".

  A  very  epic  and  symphonic  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  melodic  guitar  leads  that  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  the  vocals  are  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  you  can  hear  blast  beats  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Operatic  female  and  male  vocals  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  power  metal   and  there  is  also  a  brief use  of  death  metal  growls  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffs  incorporating  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Thulnar  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  symphonic  black  metal  and  folk  metal  and  mixes  it  with  a  touch  of  death  and  power  metal  to  create  a  style  of t heir  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Thulnar  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  symphonic  black  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "City  Of  the  Golden  Halls".  8  out  of  10.

https://thulnar.bandcamp.com/releases 

    

 

Zardens/Blackness Unfolds/Satanath Records/Death Portal Studio/2015 CD Review

  Zardens  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of their  2015  album  "Blackness  Unfolds"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between Satanath  Records  and  Death  Portal  Studio.

  Clean  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  and  invokes  a  very  dark  atmosphere  before  adding  in  melodic  guitar  leads  that  start  becoming  a  very  huge  part  of  the recording  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  when  the  music  starts  getting  heavier  you  can  hear  a  lot  of  melodies  and  elements  of  thrash.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  a death  metal  influence  in  the  music  while  the  fast  parts  also  use  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  along  with  a  few  growls  and  the  songs  also  bring  in a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  goes  back  to  the  80's  styles  of  melodic  Swedish  black  and  death  metal  and  clean  playing  also  makes  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  close  the  album  with  an  instrumental  track.

  Zardens  plays  a  musical style  that  goes  back  to  the  more  melodic  sides  of  the  90's  black  and  death  metal  genres  and  also  add  in  a  touch  of  thrash  and  some  modern  blackened  death  metal  elements  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  obsession  with  death  and  the  dark  side  of  human  nature.

  In  my  opinion Zardens  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Berserker"  "Slave  To  The  Moon"  "Lifeblood"  and  "Among  The  Dead".  8  out  of  10.

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