Infinitum Obscure/Infernal Dark Force/Death Elite/2016 CD Re-Issue Review

  Infinitum  Obscure  are  a  band  from  Mexico  that  plays  a  very  dark  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2006  album  "Infernal  Dark  Force"  which  was  re-issued  in  2016  by  Death  Elite.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  along  with  some  clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the heavier  side  of  the  music  along  with  some  morbid  sounding  melodies  and  after  awhile  the  music  starts  to  speed  up  and  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  when  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  they  mix  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  together.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  a  very  melodic  yet  extreme  metal  style  and  the  fast  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's Swedish  style  of  black  and  death  metal  and  they  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  Dark  Angel's  "We  Have  Arrived"  and  on  the  last  track  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording.

  Infinitum  Obscure  plays  a  very  heavy,  melodic  and  dark  style  that  takes  the  black  and  death  metal  genres  of  the  90's  and  mixes  them  together to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Infinitum  Obscure  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  "Where  Death  Winds  Blow"  "A  Quest  For  Vengeance"  and  "Storm  Of  Impious  hatred".  8  out  of  10.   

Infinitum Obscure Facebook

Haiku Funeral/Hallucinations/Aesthetic Death Records/2016 CD Review

  Haiku  Funeral  are  a  duo  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental  black  metal,  doom,  industrial  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Hallucinations"  which  was  released  by  Aesthetic  Death  Records.

  Dark  ambient  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  distorted  bass  guitars  and  the  music  can  also  be  very  experimental  at  times  and  after  awhile  aggressive  industrial  style  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  touch  of  neo  classical  and  on  the  second  track  grim  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording.

  At  times  the  music  can  be  very  atmospheric  and drums  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  there  is  also  a  great  amount  of  diversity  present  on  this  recording  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  touch  of  doom  metal  while  also  being  very  avant  garde  at  times  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  ethnic  and  death  metal  elements  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks are  very  long  and  epic  in  length

  Haiku  Funeral  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  industrial,  experimental  and  dark  ambient  while  also  mixing  in  dome  doom  and  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive,  occultism,  and  anti  religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Haiku  Funeral  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  experimental  black  metal,  doom,  industrial  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something  very  original,  you  should  check  out  this  band,  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hallucinations"  "Suicide  Organ"  "Faiths  Black  Orgasm"  and  "The  last  Hallucination  Of  Christ".  8  out  of  10.

https://soundcloud.com/user-174429814/haiku-funeral-the-first-amphetamine-kiss/s-3HtdG    

Gloomy Grim/The Age Of Aquarius/Satanath Records/Murdher Records/2016 CD Review

  Gloomy  Grim  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  has  been  around  for  over  20  years  and  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  horror  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "The  Age  Of  Aquarius"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath  Records  and  Murdher  Records.

  A  very  symphonic  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  very  grim  yet  deep  style  of  black  metal  screams  while  also  getting  high  pitched  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  the  band  utilizes  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  classical  guitars  along  with  melodic  chants  are  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  growls  are  utilized  they  bring  in  a  touch  of  death  metal  while  some  of  the  riffs  also  bring  in  elements  of  thrash  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  as  the  album  progresses  and  the  album  closes  with  an  instrumental  keyboard  track.

  Gloomy  Grim  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  symphonic  style  of  black  metal  that  was  established  on  previous  recordings,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Luciferian,  Thelemea,  Left  Hand  Path  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Gloomy  Grim  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Rise  Of  The  Great  Beast"  "A  Lady  in  White"  "The  Shameful  Kiss"  and  "Light  Of  Lucifer  Shine  On  Me".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/AgathonTheBeast

Tephros Interview

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

Tephros is a Venezuelan symphonic black metal band formed in 2007 by Jose M Perez, Deivis Guedez and Luis Manuel Guedez. Currently Tephros is active by the hand of Jose M. Perez (main composer and instrumentist). In "Between Angels & Demons" counted with the collaboration of Deivis Guedez (founder and first singer on the band) in the main voices and some ideas and arrangements.

2.Recently you have released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the demo you had released in 2011?

There's a huge difference between both releases, principally due to the musical growth and maturity acquired. "Abismo" was inclined to a classic black metal with some symphonic elements, but with an already marked melodic presence. The sound of Tephros now is a mix of various genres: you can hear influences from death metal, thrash metal, gothic, even doom metal, all mixed with both classic and modern black metal immersed in a melodic and symphonic ambience. However, the two songs included in the 2011 demo were rewritten and rearranged to be included in this new album.

3.The project has been around since 2007 but so far had only released one demo and one full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the gap in between releases?

After the demo released in 2011, the band suffered many lineup changes until we finally splitted at 2014. Then, in mid-2015, I started to rewrite and rearrange all the material done before, adding new melodies and influences to the mix, which resulted in "Between Angels & Demons".

4.The lyrics on the new album have a concept to them, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

The lyrics are about the history and life of Tephros. There was an extensive research about the character, that allowed to develop the story in 8 important events that defined her life.

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

Based in the Solomon's Testament, Tephros is a half angel / half demon, daughter of the archangel Gabriel and a imperial demon called Odasalia. Tephros is represented as a female angel with a black wing and a white wing. For the band, Tephros represents an image of the aptitude of the people to be able to decide and choose, whatever the roots.

6.With this project you record mostly everything by yourself with some other person helping with the vocals, are you open to turning this project into a full time band?

Well, Tephros started as a full band in 2007 and worked about 7 years this way. The idea when I started to rearrange the songs for the new album was just to record and close this long period and see what happens, and I really enjoyed working solo with this album. At the moment, I'm busy with my other bands with recordings and tours, but I don't close the doors to that option.

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

I'm looking for a label to work in matters of distribution inside and outside Venezuela. I'm starting to contact some and hope to receive feedback soon.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of symphonic black metal?

It's been awesome.! I've received satisfying comments even outside Venezuela, thanks to some friends who live in other countries and have shared the album.

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

I'm in two more bands right now: Dose (Experimental Death Metal) released its first album "Engineered Devotion" last April; and Pedobear (Slamming Gore Grind) released its first album on August 2015, we are still on tour and we have received offers to play outside Venezuela, and recently started the preproduction of new tracks for the next album.

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

As an artist, I'm totally focused right now with my bands and the albums to come. Last December, I started a recording studio at home called dbStudio, where I've already released 4 productions (Including Tephros), and currently there are 3 more productions in progress, so, as a producer, I have a lot of work to do.

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 hard to say, I listen to many styles, metal and non-metal, and my influences are a mix of all of them. A lot of influence for Between Angels & Demons comes from bands like Cradle of Filth, Vesania, Behemoth, Summoning, Immortal, Dark Funeral, among many others.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Technology and comics. I'm an Engineer and work a lot with technology everyday, and I'm also a fervant comic reader.

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

Thanks for listening to the album and take time for the review and the interview. And thanks to everyone for the support and great comments.

Bandcamp

Facebook

Instagram

Official website

SoundCloud

Twitter

YouTube

Tephros/Between Angels & Demons/2016 Full Length Review

  Tephros  are  a  solo project  from  Venezuela  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  form  of  black  metal  and  this is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2016  album  "Between  Angels &  Demons".

  Church  bell  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  and  they  slowly  evolve  into  more of a symphonic  and  atmospheric direction  and  after  the  intro  they  start  mixing  in  the  symphonic  style  in  with  the  heavier  side  of  the  music  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Vocals  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  doom  metal  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  while  the  faster  parts  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  solos and leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  bring  in a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Tephros  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  symphonic  and  melodic  style  of  black  metal and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  his own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  religion,  society  and  fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Tephros  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  symphonic  black  metal  and  death  metal  and if you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres, you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Unnatural  Selection"  "Great  Queen  Of  Fire  And Darkness"  "Thou  Shalt  Sacrifice".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3vSymBKDIc
 

Morthus/Over The Dying Stars/Witching Hour Productions/2016 CD Review

  Morthus  not  to  be  confused  with  the  band  from  Germany  with  the  same  name  who  I  have  also  featured  before  in  this  zine  are  a  band  from  Poland  that plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Over  The  Dying  Stars"  which  was  released  by  Witching  Hour  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  chants  in  the  background  and  after  the  intro  the  music  starts  going  into  more  of  a  dark,  melodic  and  heavier  direction  where  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  the  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  Swedish  influences  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  black  metal  screams  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  last  track  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals.

  Morthus  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  melodic  style  of  Swedish  influenced  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  metal  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover death,  war,  occult,  mythology,  Satanism, chaos  and  cosmos  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Morthus  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  "Unholy  Cult  Of  The  Ancient  One"  "Gospels  For Evil  And  Chaos"  and  "Sons  Of  Black  Fire".  8  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/hRxfbozAyVc

 

 

Hipoxia/Si Devs Essset Occidendvs Erit -Monvmentvm ab Khaos I/American Line Productions/2016 CD Review

 Hipoxia  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  mixture  of  drone,  doom,  sludge  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Si  Devs  Essset  Occidendvs  Erit -Monvmentvm  ab  Khaos  I"  which  was  released  by  American  Line  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  distorted  drone  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  that  is  done  in  more  of  a  sludge  and  doom  metal  direction  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  melodic  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  at  times.

  All  3  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melodies  at  times  and  there  is  also a   brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they are  done  in   a  very  distorted  and  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Hipoxia  plays  a musical  style  that  takes  black  metal  and  mes  it  with  sludge,  drone  and  funeral  doom  metal  along  with  some  experimental  elements  to  create  a  musical  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hipoxia  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  drone,  sludge,  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Oblivion".  8  out  of  10. 

Bandcamp