Antipope/Denial/Survival/TCM Entertainment/2017 Full Length Review

  Antipope  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  gothic  and  doom  metal and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Denial/Survival"  which  was  released  by  TCM  Entertainment.

  Prog  rock  elements  start  off  the  album  along  with  a  mixture  of  both  clean  and  melodic  riffing  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  also  keeping  the  progressive  elements  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  presented  on  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  the  vocals  are  mostly grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  blast  beats  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  clean  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  acoustic  guitars.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  some  of  the  slower  riffs  also  add  in  a  touch  of  atmospheric  doom  metal  along  with  some  of  the  fast  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  the  songs  also  bring  in a  great mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  on  the  closing  track  a  small  amount  of  flamenco  guitars  can  be  heard.

  Antipope  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  progressive  and  melodic  black/death  metal  while  the  goth  and  doom  metal  elements  gives  the  songs  more  originality,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  self  discovery,  death  and  rebirth  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Antipope  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and progressive  mixture  of  black,  death  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Waters  Below"  "Der  Sadist" "An  Unconditional  Ritual  To  Summon  The  Prince"  and  "Resolution".  8  out  of  10.

(https://www.facebook.com/Antipope/)

   

Hildr Valkyrie/Revealing The Heathen Sun/Stygian Crypt Productions/2017 CD Review

  Hildr  Valkyrie  is  a  solo  artist  from  Greece  that  plays  an  experimental  and  ambient  mixture  of  folk,  heathen  and  viking  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2017  album  "Revealing  The  Heathen  Sun"  which  was  released  by  Stygian  Crypt  Productions.

  Tribal  style  percussion starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  female  vocals  a  few  seconds  alter  while  the  music  also brings  in  a  very  tribal,  ritual  and  shamanistic  atmosphere  and  after  the  thunder  sounds  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  symphonic  musical direction  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  whispers  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  experimental and  also  mixes  in  more  ambient  touches  and  when  acoustic  guitars  and  flutes  are  utilized  they  bring  in  elements  of  folk  music  onto  the  recording.

  Hildr  Valkyrie  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  viking  and  folk  metal  while also  mixing  in  elements  of  black  metal,  experimental  and  ambient  to  create  something very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Sagas  and  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hildr  Valkyrie  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  and  ambient  mixture  of  folk  and  viking  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should c heck  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ove  Lands  Mountains  And  Shade"  "The  Rune's  Song"  "An  Ode  To  Allfather  Odhinn"  and  "Summoning  The  Heathen  Fire".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/hildrvalkyrieofficial/

       

Sar Isatum Interview

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

Hello,  first of all, thank you for the interview.  We are currently  hard at work writing new music for our next release and preparing for a big show with belphegor and our cd release show.

2.You have a new album coming out in November, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Abhorrent, ethereal, cryptic and at times atmospheric.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Sumerian themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topics?

Our lyrics are not only based on Sumerian theme,  as we only have a few songs that that refer to the topic, the lyrical content in our music  is not limited to one theme.

4.What are some of the other lyrical topics the band explores with the music?

Sar Isatum's lyrics are inspired by native folklore, science fiction, historical events, extraterrestrial theory and the reimagining  of bible happenings from outside points of view. The lyrics tell stories ranging from visions of an apocalyptic and desolate future to native tales of frozen hearted giants to stories of extraterrestrials seeking asylum from a dying solar system only to enlighten prehistoric man

5.I know that the bands name means 'King OF Fire', how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

A fire is devastating, it destroys  everything in it's path, and that's how we perceive our musical style, our music is driven by the inner fire that each member posses and it's  represented not only in our recorded music but our live performances

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far?

We have played several great shows,  in a few days we are playing with belphegor,  and we played with inquisition and Uada last month, those are few of the best shows we've played.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album once it is released?

We do plan on booking a tour for 2018 we will start booking for it soon,  we have also been confirmed  for several fest in 2018.
Anyone interested in booking the band can contact us at isatumsar666@yahoo.com

8.Have you received any label interest?

Yes we have but we haven't  found the right label deal. We just teamed up with Death Portal productions and exalted woe for a distribution deal for the release of the album but we're still searching for the right label be a part of.

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

So far it has been received  very well,  a lot of good feed back not only locally but worldwide, but there's still much work to do to get the actual recognition we are aiming for.

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?

Myself (JP Dalkhu)  and cannibal (bass)  both play in a death metal band Vomit God,  we have a tour set up next year and a few fest including las vegas death fest. Our two new members Seven(guitars) and Lesath(keys) come from suns of sorath and they just released an ep.  Seven is also the drummer in pile of priest and they are also releasing an ep nov. 24. Nico has been our live guitar player for the past 7 months and his band is depths of dementia and they are also releasing an album soon.  Our singer Demothi only focuses in S.I and his art.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

The atmosphere in the bandroom and pur compositions have been better than ever,  the introduction of the new members has been outstanding, we are writing new music and are very pleased in the direction  that the new material is heading. We are all in the same mental mode and have the same  determination which is key to making  great music and being a successful band.

12.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?

Some of our musical influences have been emperor, gorgoroth, dark funeral, old man's child   to name a few but we strive on uniting the elements of several styles and influences with in our members and aiming to make our own sound.
I personally have been listening a lot to 3 bands. Emptiness, Igorr,  and the bm from turkey the sarcophagus.


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

On behalf of Sar Isatum I want to thank you and the readers for the interview.
We will be leaving our mark in the black metal world, if we come to a city near you come out and witness our intense  live performance and purchase our album.

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Jarun/Sporysz/Arachnophobia Records/2017 CD Review

  Jarun  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  progressive,  folk  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Sporysz"  which  will b e  released  in  December  by  Arachnophobia  Records.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  along  with  some  drum  beats  start  off  the  album  while  the  acoustic guitars  bring  in  elements  of  progressive  and  folk  music  and  after  awhile  the  music  gets  very  heavier  and  also  introduces  deep  death  metal  growls  and  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  onto  the   recording.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  melodic  chants  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  saxophones  are  also  used  briefly  on  the  closing  track.

  Jarun  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk  music  and  mixes  it  with  progressive  black  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  death,  madness,  humans,  nature  and  the  transformation  of  seasons.

  In  my  opinion  Jarun  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk  and  progressive  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Powidoki"  and  "Malowany  Ogien".  8  out  of  10.

Official Facebok fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/jarunband/
Bandcamp: https://jarun.bandcamp.com/

      

Nordheim/RapThor/Maple Metal Records/2017 CD Review

  Quebec,  Canada's  Nordheim  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  their  mixture  of  folk,  melodic  black/death  and  power  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "RapThor"  which  will  be  released  on  November  24th  by  Maple  Metal  Records.

  Heavy  and  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  screams  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  songs  also  bring  in a   great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and fast  parts  along  with  some  clean  vocals  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  that  also  bring  in  a  touch  of  power  metal  and  the  fast  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  as  the  album  progresses  some  songs  also  bring  in  clean  playing  and  folk  instruments  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Nordheim  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  mixture  of  folk,  power,  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  bacon  and  dinosaur  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nordheim  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  folk,  power,  melodic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Troll  Riding  A  Raptor"  "Black  Witch  Rises"  and  "Dragonthorn".  8 out  of  10.

 http://newnoisemagazine. com/stream-nordheim-wish-beer/  

  

Lord Shades/The Uprising Of Namwell/Dooweet Agency/2017 Full Length Review

  Lord  Shades  are  a  band  from  France that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Uprising  Of  Namwell"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Doweet  Agency.

  The  sounds  of  people  talking  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  classical  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  melodic  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  are  added  onto  the  recording.

  Black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  music  mixing  in  the  symphonic  elements  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  bringing  in  fantasy  orientated  samples.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  tribal  and  shamanistic  style  percussion  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  a  later  track  also  introducing  whispered  vocals  onto  the  recording  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  operatic  female  vocals  as  well  as  some  male  ritualistic  chants  and  clean  vocals  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  elements  of  ethnic  and  world  music.

  Lord  Shades  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly rooted  in  blackened  death  metal  while  also  mixing  in  some  symphonic  and  atmospheric  elements  to  create  a  sound  of  their  on,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lord  Shades  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nightly  Visions"  "The  Revenge  Od  Namwell"  and  "A  New  Dawn".  8  out  of  10.

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Goat Of Mendes/Hagzussa Riding The Fence/Witches Brew/2017 CD Review

  Goat  Of  Mendes  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  pagan,  folk,  death,  doom,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  with  a  musical  style  they  refer  to  as  'Wiccan  Metal'  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Hagzussa  -  Riding  The  Fence"  which  was  released  by  Witches  Brew.

  Nature  sounds  along  with  some  viking  horns  start  off  the  album  as  well  as  some  tribal  beats  and  melodic  female  chants  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling    and  after  the  intro  melodic guitar  leads  start  to  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  as  well  as  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  traditional  feeling.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  while  also  mixing  in  clean  pagan  vocals  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be heard  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  when  death  metal  growls  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  demonic  atmosphere.

  A  decent  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar riffing  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  elements,  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  and  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  and  touches  of  folk  music  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Goat  Of  Mendes  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  pagan,  folk,  doom,  death,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Wiccan  Paganism  and  Magick  themes.

  In  my  pinion  Goat  Of  Mendes  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  pagan,  folk,  doom,  death,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Maiden,  Mother  ANd  Crone"  "Samhain  (A  Visit  From  The  Veil)"  and  "Mabon  (Impending  Darkness)".  8/5  out of  10.

 https://witchesbrewthrashes.bandcamp.com/album/hagzussa-riding-the-fence