Numenor/Draconian Age/Elevate/2021 CD Review

 

  Numenor  are  a  band  from  Serbia  that  plays  an  epic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death,  power  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Draconian  Age"  which  was  released  by  Elevate.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  and  are  done  in  a  classic  metal  metal  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and power  metal  clean  singing.  Most  of  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  both  the  80's  and  90's  era  but  modern  at  the  same  time  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  one  of  the  tracks  is  a  cover  of  "Hall  Of  The  Mountain  King"  and  introduces  keyboards  and  symphonic  elements  onto  the  album.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  the  more  melodic  death  metal  style  along  with  the  songs  also  capturing  an  epic  atmosphere  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  back  up  shouts,  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  the  writings  of  Michael  Moorcock,  J.R.R  Tolkien  and  H.P  Lovecraft.

  In  my  opinion  Numenor  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death,  power  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Make  The  Stand"  "Arkenstone"  "Twilight  Of  The  Gods"  and  "The  Last  of  Wizards".  8  out  of  10.

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Apocalypse/Pedemontium/Earth And Sky Productions/2021 CD Review

 

  Apocalypse  are  a  solo  project  from  Italy  that  plays  an  epic  mixture  of  Viking,  black,  folk  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Pedemontium"  which  was  released  by  Earth  And  Sky  Productions.

  Epic  style  beats  and  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  gives  the  music  the  atmosphere  of  either  a  fantasy  or  historical  movie  soundtrack  and  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  clean  Viking  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  album.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  acoustic  guitars  also  adding  in  touches  of  folk  music  when  they  are  utilized.

  A  lot  of  the  music  also  shows  an  influence  of  Viking  era  Bathory  and  the  mid  90's  era  pagan  metal  bands  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  grim  black  metal  approach  in  some  parts  of  the  recording,  as  the  album  progresses  folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  s  lower  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  History,  Legends,   Mythology  and  Fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Apocalypse  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  mixture  of  Viking,  black,  folk  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pedemontium"  "Crystal  Eyes"  "The  Lake  Of  Witches"  and  "The  King  Of  Stone".  8  out  of  10.

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Haspyd/Перехрестя двох вітрів/Eternal Winter Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Haspyd  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  mixture  of  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Перехрестя  двох  вітрів"  which  was  released  by  Eternal  Winter  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Folk  instruments  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  a  lot  of  the  vocals  being  done  in  a  clean  pagan  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  more  aggressive  vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  couple  of  tracks  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

 One  of  the  tracks  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars   onto  the  recording  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  symphonic  elements  into  the  music  and  the  album  closes  with  a  Hypocrisy  cover.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Ukrainian  and  cover  Folklore,  Legends,  nature  and  Patriotism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Haspyd  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Київська Русь"  "Отава-Трава"  "Ім'янаречення"  and  "Усесвітнє Панування".  8  out  of  10.

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Ghostbound/Extended Play For My Sweet Mary Thyme/Red Nebula Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Ghostbound  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  plays  an  avant  garde  mixture  of  blackgaze  and  post  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Extended  Play  For  My  Sweet  Mary  Thyme"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Red  Nebula  Records.

  Field  recordings  and  water  sounds  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  also  introducing  melodic  guitar  leads  onto  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  pf  blast  beats  and  black  metal  elements  can  be  heard  and  the  acoustic  guitars  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  when  they  are  utilized.

  The  music  also  adds  in  the heaviness  of  post  metal  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  mostyl  a  great  style.  The  album  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  good  amount  of  melody  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  lot  of  avant  garde  touches.  Orchestrations  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  album     as  well  as  also  mixing  in  shoegaze  style  soundscapes,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  post  punk.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  oceanic  and  maritime  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ghostbound  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  mixture  of  blackgaze  and  post  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "And  We  Are  Already  At  Sea"  and  "Seaward".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/GhostboundThrone
https://ghostbound.bandcamp.com/album/all-is-phantom
https://www.instagram.com/ghostbound84/

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Necropanther/In Depths We Sleep/2021 EP Review

 

  Necropanther  are  a  band  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  ep  "In  Depths  We  Sleep"  which  will  be  released  in  March.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  elements  of  doom  metal  also  being  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  songs  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  some  blast  beats.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  showing  an  influence  of  thrash  metal,  one  of  the  tracks  is  also  an  instrumental  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  legend  of  Seth  Davey  in  18th  century  England.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Necropanther  and  if  you  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  doom,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Descent"  and  "Cheers  to  Seth  Davey".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.necropanther.com
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http://necropanther.bandcamp.com  

Hogstul Interview

 

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

Hello, and thanks for your interest in Hogstul! This solo project is based on musical ideas harvested over a period of time that did not fit in my other bands such as Profane Burial and Omnia Moritur. The tracks have been re-arranged and developed as my experience with midi orchestration got better by the years. I was very proud and satisfied with the tracks and thought it would be a shame if they were unused. My first idea was to release the tracks as an orchestral journey, but then I started to play with the idea: “what about a metal project…” 

I programmed drums and then it was done, I thought it sounded great and had to write guitars and bass tracks as well. Then I was wondering about hiring a session vocalist due to that I had never done any vocals before. But on the other hand; it would not be a solo project/band any more, so I bought a microphone and gave it a shot. I was quite happy with my test vocals so then Hogstul was complete!

2.Recently you have released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

As I mentioned above, it was intended to be a pure orchestral project – hence a lot of orchestrations. I am quite fond of classical music and also film scores so you might find some inspiration from such music. When it came to the metal part for me it was important to go back to my roots. I started to listen to Black Metal in 1987/88 and love the 90-scene. Hogstul is very inspired by the second wave and even though the production is modern, it does sound quite like the olden days I think. It was also crucial that the orchestra was not too much in the front and dominating, with rather a cold production and sharp guitar sound with both extreme and growl vocals.

3.You are also involved in few other bands, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Hogstul' that you are  not able to do with your other groups?

When I am alone with Hogstul there is total control – no compromise! 

Hogstul differ quite a bit due to tempo, length of the tracks, the sound and also that I am able to do exactly what I want with every single little detail on all the instruments. It is actually very good to have a project all by my self since I am quite involved in the other bands and tends to have meanings about everything from compositions, arrangements, lyrics, cover art, mix etc you name it. When in a band you must be able to compromise, other wise there will be challenges. So far all my bands involved in has functioned quite well – but it is unbelievable relieving to have one band where I can do as I want 100%. The only external “help” I have acquired is with mix/master and layout on the physical products, otherwise I have done everything by my self.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the musical project?

The first track is called"The Beast"(18:27 minutes) who will unravel from among its many variations and reveal that all the darkness that inhabits the interior of our being, sooner or later will be set free and "The Beast" will take control. The invocation of Mephistopheles towards the end accentuates the trance and the catharsis will inevitably come. For me it is a very personal, yet tormenting track, which started out as only 5 minutes, but as I worked with this song new ideas arose and it developed naturally by the day. Key words are inner demons, external dissonance and pestering, solitude and mental capacity vs madness and agony. Quotation: “My demon is silence”.“

Tomb” continues (14:57 minutes) and its opening I have been told could well be the soundtrack of a Dantesque Opus, of dark and macabre tales. Tomb is considered by me to be “True-Hogstul-Horror-Metal”; it’s full of chaos, fright and fear.  The lyrics could easily be interpreted in many ways, but for me its basically that time is the enemy. What do you experience during your time being, is it all real or just an illusion? Sanity versus insanity! Quotation: “Time is a Tomb”.

The album concludes with the track"A Nightmare at 40 Fathoms"(12:27 minutes), which also was released as a full single one year ago! This is more or less a horror story where you are being dragged mentally further and further down in a horrible dreamlike state; when its hard to tell fiction from reality and what secrets dwells inside your brain. Quotation: “A journey facing the fathomless”.

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

Hogstul is a location in a small mountain village called Tuddal. Tuddal is located in Telemark, not too far from Notodden for those of you who are familiar with that place (where Emperor origins from). It happens to be so that I have my cabin at Hogstul, so when deciding the band name it was real simple! I love that place, and have been tremendous inspired by the wilderness there - so it had to be Hogstul! 

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

The cover artwork is masterly done by Wendy Saber Core. It really illustrates all the tracks very well, since they are focusing on what’s going on inside the mind. For me it represents purgatory, cacophony, conflicts, chaos, madness, a glimpse of hell, inner demons and of course horror – to sum it up; what the album is really all about 

7.With this project you record everything by yourself but also have experience playing in bands with other musicians, how would you compare the two?

The biggest difference, to not answer your question directly, is that in Hogstul I do not have to wait for people for things to happen. That is also one aspect that formed Hogstul, I was tired of waiting for other band members to contribute or do their part for continuance, and joked that I was playing Wait-Metal, ha ha. Of course when playing in a band input from other members might be very interesting, and something occurs that I would never think of doing my self. And to be frank; without the experience from the other bands I do not think Hogstul would have happened. I have learned a lot from the other bands/members which I have found very useful for my own project. It’s hard to compare, I don’t think its fair to compare them, rather explain the differences and synergies justifies my answer without being to biased.

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

Hogstul have just been signed to Screaming Skull Records! Its very cool, and the album will soon be released on tape. The layout is amazing and will reveal something regarding “A Nightmare at 40 Fathoms”; it is actually three different tracks sawn together as one longer track. This will be disclosed in the limited tape release where the lyrics are included with Part I, II and III. I am really looking forward to cooperate with these great guys!

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

The feedback has been “on the far side” of my wildest dreams - overwhelming to be modest! I am just humble and grateful for all the promising words, feedbacks, support and reviews I have got so far, which all have been exclusively positive. What’s really crazy is that I printed 100 digipaks (Independent release), and now one week after release I have only six copies left for sales… 

10.What is going on with some of the other bands these days that you are a part of?

We are finishing the second album with Profane Burial these days. There are some vocals left and modifications with guitars and bass, but all tracks are more or less finished. There has been a huge change in the line up and also the musical expression in my ears; the pre-prods are just beyond… We are also currently looking for a new label!

With Omnia Moritur we are working towards and approve final mix before mastering. A different album for sure, with a strong line up! Release hopefully Autumn 2021, by a really great label.

I have also finished my contribution (orchestra) for a band called Khôra. Their first album was just supreme, and when I got the chance to join this band I simply could not refuse. On one of the tracks we even have a guest appearance by Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen; ex-Mayhem! This is also the first release I am part of where I have made a pure orchestral intro. Definitely a release I am really eager for.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

It’s very hard to predict, but as long as I enjoy writing and record music, I will (hopefully) continue to produce music and release albums for many years. I am really grateful to be able to worship my passion and have raised my hobby to a new level. To be completely honest, I actually did the Hogstul album for my own sake and passion, but after showing one track and received enormous feedback I understood it had to be released. So good response is a good fuel and boost for continuing creating, he he.

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

Some of my favourite bands are actually Burzum, Darkthrone, Satyricon, Kvist, Faustcoven, Mayhem and Slagmaur where I find none references to Hogstul. I have of course my share of listening to bands like Limbonic Art, Emperor, Septic Flesh, Dimmu Borgir and Carach Angren where more inspiration and links might be natural to compare. I started to listen to metal music when I was quite young around 1980 with bands like Kiss, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and other NWOBHM. In 1987/88 I discovered harder music (Thrash/Death and Black-Metal) and has followed that scene ever since. In addition to metal I really enjoy classical music and also movie themes and compositions from games.  

Now days, apart from the mentioned bands above, I listen to among others Ateiggär, Enthral, Sjodogg, Abigor, Paysage D’Hiver, Cultus Profano, Ild, Vredensdal and not to forget the best release/band from 2020: Vitam Aeternam!

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

I have actually just started the work on a new Hogstul track, and have several more ideas that must be explored… A strictly limited wooden box (10 copies) of the debut album is also in the making, and soon also the tape release by Screaming Skull Records will be released!  

Thanks a lot for great questions and your interest in Hogstul – support the underground!

https://www.facebook.com/Hogstul/

https://www.instagram.com/hogstul/

https://soundcloud.com/hogstul

https://hogstul.bandcamp.com/

Mountainscape Interview

 

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

We are a three piece instrumental post-metal band who blend elements of post-rock, black metal, sludge and ambient in a filmscore inspired way.

2.You got your first full length coming out towards the end of February and also have released a few singles, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on these recordings?

Mountainscape was formed to explore a love of all post-music genres and write music without there being any boundaries. A key element which helped shape the songs is that they are written with live looping in mind.

3.So far all of the music has been instrumental, are you open to adding vocals on future releases?

Myself and Ethan play in a number of bands which include vocals (Aklash, Third Horizon, Asira, Cairiss, Khazad Dum) so although I wouldn't completely rule out us ever adding vocals, at this moment in time we're very happy with Mountainscape being purely instrumental.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Mountainscape'?

One meaning reading into the name would be that large parts of the ambient layering involved in our music are in essence soundscapes mixed with weaving between lighter and darker sections. Always steadily heading for the peak in a mountainous way. Hence 'Mountainscape'. We had a long list of possible names when starting and this is the one we felt was strongest. The fact that James loves exploring (the Lake/Peak Districts in our home country and going on multiple trips to New Zealand) I'm sure also helped steer us towards it.

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

I came across the stunning photography on deviant art when looking for images to accompany the album. After contacting the artist Stanislav Malykh he kindly agreed to let us use some of his photos.

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

The first show we did in London still holds a special place for me. It was at The Black Heart in Camden, (who are currently crowd funding for help to stay open - so, if anyone reading this has anything to donate, it's all for a good cause!), appearing on a roster of relatively unknown acts on a night intended to introduce people to new post-metal bands. Even though it was a tiny underground gig it was still one of the best organised events I've ever played, hats off to Kunal at Chaos Theory. We opened up for Tides from Nebula at the Camden Underworld which was pretty cool as their music is absolutely excellent. Also opening for The Moth Gatherer at 229 The Venue in London was a brilliant show supporting another brilliant band.

I would describe our performance as hypnotic and focused, there's lots of live looping going on....

 

7.The album is going to be released on 'Trepanation Recordings', how did you get in contact with this label?

I contacted Trepanation Recordings via email when searching for a home for 'Acceptance'. Thankfully myself and Dan from Trepanation hit it off and he really enjoyed the album.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of post metal?

Honestly we're very much at the start of our journey. Response has been great so far for the few that have heard of us. We have put a lot of time into the album release campaign with the hope to engage more fans and get them on board with our musical journey.

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

I can see us continuing down the post-atmospheric metal direction we've just started down. There's bits written for the next album that are in the same vein as this one. I'll see where the songwriting takes me.

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?

Russian Circles had a huge influence on us, myself James and Ethan were blown away by them performing at Heaven in London before we'd formed Mountainscape. The direction of creating songs that involve live looping with a three piece band came from watching those guys. Also Jakob from New Zealand influenced our sound a lot, another huge sounding three piece.

Currently I'm listening to lots of Olhava, Hammock, Violet Cold, Sarin and sleepmakeswaves, amongst many others!

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Video games! I'm about to delve back in Ghost of Tsushima having recently finished Assassin's Creed Valhalla. James is an outdoors person and loves cycling and hiking.

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

Thank you  for interviewing us. Thanks very much to anyone interested in my band enough to read this, I hope you enjoy 'Acceptance'.

Bandcamp: https://mountainscapeuk.bandcamp.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountainscapeuk/