Act Of Impalement/Perdition Cult/Caligari Records/2018 Cassette Review

  Act  Of  Impalement  are  a  band  from  Nashville,  Tennessee  that  has  had  music reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  doom/death  metal  with  elements  of  sludge  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  'Perdition  Cult"  which  was  released  on  cassette  by  Caligari  Records.

  A  very  distorted  amp  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  using  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  black  metal  elements  and  the  music  is  rooted  in  the  90's.

  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well,  as  some  d  bear  and  sludge  elements  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  when  guitar  leads  are used  briefly  they  are  done  in  a  very  raw  and  melodic  style  and  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  On  this  recording  Act  Of  Impalement  remain  true  to  the  blackened  style  of  doom/death  metal  from  their  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  History  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Act  Of  Impalement  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  doom/death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  cassette.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Disembowelment  Rituals  Of  Moloch"  "Ruins  Of  Sarnath"  "Pax  Ramona"  and  "Chthonic'.  8  out  of  10.

https://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/perdition-cult

Malphas/The 39th Spirit/Via Nocturna/2018 CD Review

  Malphas  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "The  39th  Spirit"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Via  Nocturna.

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  vocals  being  a mixture  of  grim  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  an  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  some  clean  vocals  also  being  used  briefly  as  well  as  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Malphas  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  a  man  who  makes  a  pact  with  the  demon  Malphas  and  his  corruption  by  the  deity  in  his  quest  to  destroy  the  roots  of  organized  religion.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Malphas  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  symphonic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Invoking  The  39th  Spirit" "You  Will  Lead  My  Armies"  "Spells  Of  Destruction"  and  "Heaven  Falls  II:  The  Aftermath".  8  out  of  10. 

 http://www.ghostcultmag.com/exclusive-premiere-malphas-stream-red-constellations-the-39th-spirit/

Tragacanth/The Journey Of A Man/Pest Records/2018 CD Review

  Tragacanth  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  symphonic,  technical  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "The  Journey  Of  A  Man" w hich  was  released  by  Pest  Records.

  Throat  singing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  a  few  seconds  alter  which  also  mix  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  while  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  technical style  as  well  as  some  clean  playing  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  of  the  tracks being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  elements  of  ethnic  music  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Tragacanth  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  symphonic,  melodic  and  technical  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mythological  and  purely  personal  topics.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Tragacanth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic,  melodic  and  technical  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Survival:  Stagnate  Reality"  "Depression:  Waning  Light"  "Nightmare:  The  Vision"  and  "Death:  Journeys  End".  8  out  of  10. 

 https://pestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/tragacanth-the-journey-of-a-man

Evilon/Leviathan/WormHoleDeath Records/2018 CD Review

  Evilon  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  melodic  folk/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Leviathan"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  WornHoleDeath  Records.

  Folk  instruments  start  off  the  album  and  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  Celtic  atmosphere  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  death  metal  growls  are  also  used  at  times  as  well  as  the  music  mixing  the  folk  elements  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as the  clean  vocals  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  pagan  metal  atmosphere,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  few  tracks.

  Evilon  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk,  melodic  black  and  death  metal and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Biblical,  Norse,  Celtic  Mythology.  grief,  love,  hate,  hate  and  anger  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Evilon  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk,  melodic  death  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eye  of  the  Storm"  "Souldrainer"  "Welcome  Home"  and  "When  The  Leaves  Are  Falling".  8  out  of  10. 

www.facebook.com/Evilon
soundcloud.com/evilonofficial
www.youtube.com/Evilon 
Spotify.com/Evilon

 



  

Valdrin/Two Carrion Talismans/Blood Harvest Records/Helter Skelter Productions/2018 CD Review

  Valdrin  are  a  band  from  Ohio  that  plays  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Two Carrion  Talismans"  which  will  be  released  in  September  as  a  joint  effort  by  Blood  Harvest  Records  and  Helter  Skelter  Productions.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  synths  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  symphonic  feeling  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  at  times.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  the  recording  closing  with  a  track  that  is  all  instrumental.

  Valdrin  plays  a  style  of  black  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  symphonic  in  the  90's  tradition  while  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  influences,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  various  ancient  mythologies  and  occult  practices  seen  through  the  eyes  of  the  protagonist  Valdrin  Ausadjur.

  In  my  opinion  Valdrin  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  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  "Junnatox"  "Funeral  Tides  Of  Orcus"  and  "Crimson  Blades  Valdrin  Ausadjur".  8  out  of  10. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc75OL7SFf4&feature=youtu.be

  

Mystherium Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

Hello, everyone!
Mystherium was formed in 2001 and our newest - 5th album was released in  July 2018. It’s been a very long way  with many different members, who made Mystherium what it is now. I believe, that thanks to the fact, that the lineup remains unchanged since 2011,  “Zagłada” is very mature and is our best recorded release. The reception was pretty good, we’ve received plenty of positive feedback, which gave us energy and motivation to start working on our new material.

2.Recently you have released a new album, what are some of the things you feel you have done differently musically on this recording that you where not able to do on your previous releases?

We’ve entrusted Maciej Rybicki from LSS studio Poznan with mixing and mastering the recordings and it was a really good decision, he did a great job.
.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Miro wrote the lyrics from the very beginning and Aleksandra was the coauthor for the two newest releases - thanks to her, the lyrics are now related to paganism, the bonds between people and nature, transience of life and the self-destructive human nature. They are also referring to Polish history and poetry.

4.Some of your lyrics have covered some Occult and Slavic Paganism topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in both of those areas?

All of the band members are interested in the history of the land we live in. We are reminding our listeners, that people who lived in these territories before they were called Poland, had their own rites and traditions.

5.In the beginning the band had some songs written in English, but the last few releases all of the songs have been written in your native tongue, can you tell us a little bit more about going into this direction?

Cooperation with Aleksandra and Darek gave that possibility, the previous vocalists preferred to sing in English. Polish language is more difficult to scream or growl, but allows for more adequate depiction of our feelings and ideas.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Mystherium'?

Our name comes from the latin word “Mysterium”. The band was named after the title of the song from our first album “Uczta demonów”.


7.Most of the band members have been or are currently in some legendary Polish black metal bands, how would you describe the progress of Polish black metal over the last couple of decades?

We are and have been cooperating with a few pagan/black metal bands (Arkona, Graveland, Taran, Horns, Moontower, Warfist....), so we can closely observe, how Polish black metal scene is developing. We have our own ideas and style. It was way more radical in the past. Nowadays bands are being formed and cease to exist, and only the strongest  ones remain.


8.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

It represents the destruction of nature and old beliefs induced by humans and our self-destructive nature. It was created by Maciej Zaborowski from MZproPAGANda and it’s my  fifth cooperation with him (Graveland/Nokturnal Mortum split, Horns-CZERŃ, MYSTHERIUM-Memoriał Nowy Świt, MYSTHERIUM -Zwycięstwo). We are really proud that he agreed to create the artwork for our band.


9.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

We’ve played different concerts both on various festivals and small club concerts some time ago, but we’ve been focusing on recording albums for the previous few years.

10.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

We’ve received some offers to play concerts and we’re considering  playing live again someday.

11.According to the Metal Archives page the band is signed to 'Art of The Night Productions', how would you compare working with this label to the other ones you have been a part of?

The previous labels - Lower Silesian Stronghold, Eastside Records, HeidenWut Productions and Werewolf Promotions did a great job in selling our CDs, tapes and vinyls all around the world. Art of The Night Productions was responsible for our newest album - “Zagłada” and placing our previous releases on different internet platforms like Spotify or Deezer.

12.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of black metal?

The reception was pretty good, we’ve received plenty of positive feedback. We’re very pleased to know that people from all around the world are sharing our music.

13.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?

We’re being very active, we play and record a lot! Arkona (Darek), Horns (Miro, Zbychu) are working on their new albums. Darek is going to play 9 concerts in Poland on a tour with Arkona. Horns are planning 3 concerts in Poland, Taran (Darek, Zbychu) is going to play 4 concerts in France and Aleksandra will perform in USA/New York. There’s a lot going on recently!

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

We want to grow and get more recognisable. We are considering adding hurdy-gurdy.


15.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?

We like  black metal, pagan metal and folk music. My playlist currently includes Angrrsth, Duch Czerni, Funeral Mist, Immortal, Laboratorium Pieśni, Sound of Triglav, Summoning, Surya.


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

Support underground metal bands - thanks to your support we can release new material and play concerts. Sława!


http://www.facebook.com/mystheriumofficial
https://mystherium.bandcamp.com/music

Bast/Nanoangstrom/Black Bow Records/2018 CD Review

  Bast  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Nanpangstrom"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Black  Bow  Records.

  Clean  playing  and  dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  used  at  times  as  well  as  the  heavy  riffs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  doom  metal  and  the  vocals  bring  in  grim  black  metal  screams.

  At  times  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a sludge  style  approach  to  growling  and  shouting  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  slow  riffs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  doom  metal  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also be  heard  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  clean  vocals  are  also  utilized  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  psychedelic  elements  can  also  be  heard.

  Bast  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction  and  the  human  conditions  of  loss,  isolation  and  change  in  the  wake  of  time's  passage.

  In  my  opinion  Bast  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Far  Horizons"  and  "The  Ghosts  Which  Haunth  The  Space  between  The  Stars".  8  out  of  10.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yHHs7dIAWg