Pimea Metsa/No Blood, No Glory/WormHoleDeath Records/2016 CD Review

  Pimea  Metsa  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  viking  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "No  Blood,  No  Glory"  which  will  be released  on  December  23rd  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

   Symphonic  and  epic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  after  awhile  folk  instruments  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  side  of  the  music  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  more  of  a  melodic  fashion  and  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal screams  and  aggressive  pagan  singing.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  back  up  shouts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  some  songs  also  bring  in   a  small  amount of  acoustic  guitars.

  Pimea  Metsa  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  viking  and  folk  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Northern  Mythology,  Epic  Battles  and  Nature.

  In  my opinion  Pimea Metsa  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  viking  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Viking's  Creed"  "Einherjer"  "Call  To  Arms"  and  "Cry  For  Freedom".  8  out  of  10.   

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Ithilien/Shaping The Soul/WormHoleDeath Records/2017 CD Review

  Ithilien  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  plays  a  melodic  form  of  folk  metal and  this  is  a  review  of their  album  "Shaping  The  Soul"  which  will  be  released  in 2017  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

  Thunder  and  rain  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  folk  instruments  as  well  as  some  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  music  also  incorporates  a  lot  of melodic  death  metal  elements.

  A  lot  of  the  folk  instruments  give  the  songs  a  feeling  of  a  classic  fantasy  or  pagan  based  film  and  the  songs  also  bring  in a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts and  some  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  there is  also  a  brief  use  of   bouzouki  and  there  is  also  a  short  folk  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  on  the  following  tracks  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  whispers  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Ithilien  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  folk  metal  but  also  mixes  the  more  melodic  sides  of  black  and  death  metal  to  take  their  music  into  a  heavier  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  have  a  concept  to  them  and  cover  the  grief  process.

  In  my  opinion  Ithilien  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  folk  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  this  musical  genre,you should  check out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lies After  Lies"  "If  Only" "Hopeless" and  "The  Bear  Dance".  8  out  of 10.

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

 

Spectral/Artic Sunrise/Boersma Records/2017 Full Length Review

  Spectral  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black, viking, thrash  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Artic  Sunrise"  which  will  be  released  in  2017  by  Boersma  Records.

  Atmospheric synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  a few  seconds  later  and  after  the intro  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  melodic  guitar  leads  also  being  added  onto  the  recording  while  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  also  make  their  presence  known  along  with  a  few  death  metal  growls.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  they  also  mix  the  keyboards  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  an  epic  feeling  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Clean  guitars  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  riffs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements  along  with  some  of  the  solos and  leads  mixing  in  an  old  school  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  great  amount  of  viking  metal  elements  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  air  raid  sirens  and  war  samples  and  the  melodies  are  also  very  heavily  influenced  by  power  metal and  a  later  track  also  adds  in  a  few  seconds  of  acoustic  guitars.

  Spectral  plays  a   musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black,  viking,  thrash  and  power  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create a sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics cover  Norse  Mythology,  Vikings  and  Epic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Spectral  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  melodic  black,  viking,  thrash  and  power  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Evil  Takes  Control"  "In  Battle  With  Fire  &  Steel"  and  "Fuck  Off  And  Die  (Metal  Is  Forever)".  8 out  of  10.

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Solomonic Demons/Malevolent Destiny/Merdumgiriz/2016 Cassette Review

  Solomonic  Demons  are  a  solo  project  from  New  Jersey  that  has  been featured  before  in  this  zine  an  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Malevolent  Destiny"  which  was  released  by  Merdumgiriz.

  A  very  hard,  dark  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  are  added  onto  the  album  and  when  the  music  speeds  up a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  some  elements  of  thrash.

  When  solos  and  leads   are  utilized  they  bring  in  a  more  old  school  extreme  metal  style  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts and  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music  is  mostly  rooted  in  the  mid  80's  and  early  days but  with  more  up  to  date  technology and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  be  heard  while  the  main  focus  remains  more  on  a  heavier  style  and  classical  guitars  along  with  spoken  word  parts  are  introduced  on  the  last  track.

  Solomonic  Demons  creates  another  recording  that  takes  the  melodic  and  old  school  style  of  black, death  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  heavy recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while the  lyrics cover  dark, violent, war  and  occult  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Solomonic  Demons  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dawn  Of  Souls"  "Rotten  World"  and  "War  Never  Changes". 8  out  of  10.  

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Misanthropia/Omerta/Via Nocturna/2017 CD Review

  Misanthropia  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  symphonic  and   melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review of their  album  "Omerta"  which  will  be  released  in 2017  by  Via  Nocturna.

 Keyboards  and  saxophones  start  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into a   fast  direction  that  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  they  also  mix  the  symphonic  and  heavy  parts  together.

  All  of  the musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound to  them  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  one  track also  uses  clean  guitars  and  there is  also  a  decent  amount of  death  metal  influences present  throughout  the  recording  and  on  one  of  the  tracks  the  keyboards  add  in  a  touch  of  prog  rock.

  Misanthropia   plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic,  epic  and  symphonic  with  some  death  metal  touches,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  misanthropic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Misanthropia  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  "Omerta"  "Torture"  "The  Infinite  Water" and  "A  Membership  Of  Violence  And  Bloodlust".  8 out  of  10.    

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Temple Of Demigod Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
 
  So Temple Of Demigod is a symphonic black metal with a lot of influences from various genres, I wanted to separate from Ghoulchapel (which is my other project along with my friend Ando), wanted to make more of an experimental  project, mix bunch of styles with symphonic black metal, you can also catch some deathcore influences in my earlier songs. This is the project where I can make whatever I want and not put myself within boundaries. It’s fast and aggressive symphonic black metal but yet calm and melodic at times. Symphonic part is mostly inspired by old classical music, I’m using different classical instruments besides standard synths.

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

    It’s eerie, dark, it’s raw but more modern sounding, if that makes sense. Exactly what I wanted to represent Lovecraft’s Art through it. But I really want to make my sound even more raw and dark in the further recordings…
Someone told me that he was listening to one of the songs in his headphones, and the sound made him feel like he was floating within dark tunnels covered with sticky slime with an ocean smell, I think he described it better than I can do.

3.Your lyrics cover a lot of Lovecraft themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this author?

   Lovecraft is one of my favorite authors ever! I’m also a big fan of Stephen King, but there’s nobody like Lovecraft, he is the most unique. I fell in love with his Cthulhu mythos, The Great Old Ones..I’m so obsessed with everything he created, that I start to believe in it. I love to think that Cthulhu is real, the Great Old Ones are real and actually are waiting for their time to come back. When I think of it this way and start actually believing, it scares me and inspires me to write about it.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Temple Of Demigod'?

   When I first decided to start this project, I picked the “anti-christian” lyrical theme for the first EP album, and the name was inspired by the lyrical theme, Temple Of Demigod represents a Satan as a Demigod, and the world is his Temple.
But now since I’ve decided to change lyrical themes totally, the name Temple Of Demigod is still suits. I thought about changing it to something different, but ended up keeping it as it is.

5.With this project you record everything by yourself, do you fell this gives you more room to be creative?

   Yes absolutely. Working with other musicians is still fun and all, helps you to create something interesting, but in my case, I work better and more creative when I’m on my own and nobody’s around me. It definitely gives me more room to be both productive and creative. It’s tough, I have to do everything by myself, starting with writing lyrics, ending with creating artwork, but it’s worth the time and effort.

6.How would you describe the metal scene in your home country of Armenia?

     It’s  kinda weak, but slowly growing, metal is not that popular in Armenia, there’s a few bands trying to keep metal alive in here, I’ll name a few, my good friends at Nairi, they play heavy metal mixed with Armenian folk music, pretty awesome band! There’s also a couple of great bands, such as Rahvira also a good friends of mine; Avarayr – nice atmospheric black; Sworn, unfortunately no longer a band; Arbor Mortis – also friends; Blood Covenant, the band of my brother, I played with them before. There’s still other new projects and bands, hopefully they can make it!
A lot of rock or alternative bands that are more popular. So I really hope someday metal is going to be one of the most common genres in Armenia!

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

   It was and is pretty good! Most of people love it, and it gives me hope and desire to make more and better music.

8.What is going on with your other musical projects these days?

   I have a couple of other projects, recently I released a new long awaited album with Ghoulchapel, there’s also a new collab. project called Daemoon, along with my good friend Otto from Arbor Mortis. Hoping to release an album in the next year.
And last but not least, one of my older projects, originally called “Ao Eterno”, now renamed to “Beneath Her Skin”, I’m currently recording a lot of ideas for that one, it’s a atmospheric black/doom death metal, hoping to release the album next year as well. So stay tuned if that intrigues you. 

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

    I don’t wanna say it’s official yet, but changing the genre of Temple Of Demigod’s next album is actually in my plans, I want to make more atmospheric, dark and raw stuff, less symphonies, more atmosphere, I want the listener to feel that Lovecraftian horror though my music even more.
Also, it’s not metal related, but I’d really love to make retro synthwave music in the near future! I just really love it, and always wanted to make something different from what I usually do.

10.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?

The bands that influenced and inspired me to record my own stuff are Carach Angren, Vesania, Dimmu Borgir, Crionics, Troll, The Wicked, The Vision Bleak, Emperor!
These bands helped me to learn a lot about music, also helped me to go though some shitty times! Also I get a lot of inspiration from video game soundtracks, the games like Medievil, Resident Evil, Silent Hill, they have such a dark and spooky soundtrack , I love it! Currently I’m listening to different artists , different genres, I really loved Ellede’s latest album, new albums by Annal Nathrakh, ColdWorld, Alcest, Testament, Clouds.
You need to know, that I’m open minded person , so I also love rap music, I listen to a lot of rap artists nowadays as as I listen to metal, the artists such as Logic, Twisted Insane, Hopsin, Tech N9ne, NWA, Wu Tang Clan, etc.

11.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

Yes I guess we can say that my music based on occult themes, it’s mystical, spiritualistic, paranormal. So yes, occultism does play a role in my music.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

    Besides music, I’m a graphic designer, work under the name “Gravedealer Art”, Doing artworks and logos for bands, and all the graphic design stuff, I make a living off of it and I really love my job. I love playing video games, a lot. I’m a retro games collector.
So that’s really it!

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

Stay awesome, praise Cthulhu, and everything’s gonna be good.
Thank you for this interview! It was a pleasure answering these questions.


TEMPLE OF DEMIGOD

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Cadaveria Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
Cadaveria: After the fifth full length album “Silence”, CADAVERIA just released the new EP “Mondoscuro”, joining forces with thrash metal legends Necrodeath. The EP contains six tracks, two brand new and co-written songs (Dominion of Pain and Ride Above), two covers (one of The Beatles and one of Type O Negative) and two unusual “exchange of roles”, that see CADAVERIA reinterpreting a classic by Necrodeath and Necrodeath performing a CADAVERIA hit. Mondoscuro was released on September the 2nd via Black Tears on CD and will be soon released in vinyl via Sleaszy Rider records.

2.How would you describe the musical sound of the newer music?
Cadaveria: While covering mater Tenebrarum from Necrodeath and Christian Woman from Type O Negative we maintained our personal style, that since the beginning mixes Black metal and Gothic metal with Horror atmospheres, and we confirmed our love for contaminations in music. Our version of Mater Tenebrarum ends with an outro taken from Dario Argento’s “Inferno” movie theme, originally composed by Keith Emerson. A cover in the cover… We had the pleasure to guest Lindsay Schoolcraft from Cradle of Filth in this piece. “Dominion of Pain” track can be considered a natural evolution of what we offered with “Silence” album: a genuine horror and black metal oriented song that welcomes Doom metal and gothic influences. The lyrics deal with spiritual growth and inner power.

3.Your lyrics deal with Occultism and Witchcraft can tell you us a little bit more of your views on these topics?
Cadaveria: My lyrics deal with my personal experiences in the material world and in my metal realm. Along the last fifteen years my approach to intangible dimensions has became more intimate and solitary. I completed a path that allowed me to better known my soul and to reach a higher level of self confidence. 

4.On the split you had also done a Type O Negative cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of the song?
Cadaveria: Type O Negative and Bloody Kisses album in particular were a constant sound track of my adolescence. They are probably the main responsible of the Gothic halo now evoked by CADAVERIA music and also my band mate are great fans of TON. Among the songs they released, Christian Woman is quite far from CADAVERIA musical approach… and probably this is the main reason why we chose it. It was a challenge to perform a song written by a man for a man, I mean it is not in my chords! But I cannot resist to the temptation to sing “Jesus Christ looks like me”. It’s so sacrilegious and erotic!

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Over the last four years we had great tour seasons: in Mexico, where we did two headline tours, or supporting Cradle of Filth last year. I also enjoyed a lot Autumn Moon festival in Germany and French Rock Metal Camp as well as Metal Female Voices Fest in Belgium. The show in Russia was very good too, we didn’t imagine to have so many fans over there! Recently we played at an important festival in Italy with Insomnium, Demolition Hammer, Dark Tranquillity and Sodom where we did a one night only special show with Necrodeath, inspired to Mondoscuro. This is probably the best show I did in my life. We finally had the opportunity to enrich our music with the proper scenic designs and the result was really great! Our live performances are built in the name of true heavy metal music and can be described as a ceremony of passion, energy and theatricality.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?
Cadaveria: We will start a new live season in Spring 2017. In the meanwhile we will approach to new compositions for out 6th full length album and we will re-release our second album Far Away From Conformity.

7.Recently you where a part of a split with 'Necrodeath', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?
Cadaveria: Well Necrodeath are our “cousins”, we share two band members with them: our Drummer Marçelo Santos is better known as Necrodeath singer  Flegias and recently GL, Necrodeath bassist, entered CADAVERIA band using nick name Peter Dayton. Necrodeath and CADAVERIA have always walk along parallel paths without meeting each other. Last year we finally had the opportunity to create something together, signing an artistic blood pact that gave life to a new evil creature named Mondoscuro. This EP is a birth and a death at the same time, it is a unique chapter in the bands’ careers that will never be repeated in the future. Mondoscuro is destined to become a rarity and a must have for fans of both the bands. I’m very satisfied of this release and of this cooperation.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and goth metal?
Cadaveria: Considering we are a do it yourself band, we are totally free in our choices, we never paid to play and we don’t follow any trend, I can say we reached great goals along these fifteen years. We are appreciated and respected and this is a very good thing. Above all we like the idea to continue to create the music we like without boundaries and we know our fans will support us in every step we will do.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Cadaveria: We will take our time to properly develop our ideas for the sixth album, that will probably see the light in the beginning of 2018. It will be THE album, our best release, something to be proud of for the rest of our days. This is how we see us in the future.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Cadaveria: The band members have a different musical background that goes from thresh metal to doom metal, passing through black, death and gothic. We do not have any particular reference, our music is just the product of our growth as musicians and human beings. Mercyful Fate, My Dying Bride and Norwegian black metal have been my first love. Nowadays I also listen to some stoner metal and progressive metal. My favorite band are and will always be Tool.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Cadaveria: I am a video maker and I’m interested in making videos, watching movies and in visiting contemporary art exhibitions. I also like to travel around the globe. I became vegetarian about one year ago and now I like to discover new vegetarian and vegan food.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Cadaveria: I just would like to thank you for this space dedicated to my band and to give my greetings to all the readers. You can reach us out at cadaveria.com If you like you can follow me on Instagram @cadaveriaofficial
Thanks.