Bornwithhair/When The Witches Fall/Trepanation Recordings/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Bornwithhair  are  a  duo  from  the  United  States  that  plays  a  mixture  of  arthouse  metal  and  blackened  death  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "When  The  Witches  Fall"  which  will  be  released  in  october  by  Trepanation  Recordings.  

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  soundscapes  in  the  background  while  sirens  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  black  metal  screams  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  music  also  add  in  a  good  amount  of  80's  era  death  rock.  When  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  gothic  touch  along  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  also  mixing  in  elements  of  avant  garde  metal  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  and  saxophones  can  also  be  heard  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Bornwithhair  plays  a  musical  style  that t akes  avant  garde  black  metal  and  death  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  apocalyptic  and  witchcraft  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Bornwithhair  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  arthouse  metal  and  blackened  death  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Separated  At  Death"  "Your  Skull"  and  "Exhumed".  8  out  of  10.

1. bornwithhair.com
2. Twitter
3. Instagram
4. Facebook

  

Ænigmatum Interview

 

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

Seems a bit paradoxical, but we’ve been taking it easy but also working really hard. Pierce and Brian are always nonstop at work with other bands that they are playing in. Kelly has been enjoying life’s freedoms by moving to the Oregon coast. He spends his time fishing, surfing, and living nomadically. I’ve been continuing my education. Just graduated nursing school but am working on getting my bachelors. Deconsecrate was a monumental effort for all of us. We really put everything we had into it so taking a quick second to breathe has felt nice. That being said, preliminary composition is in the works for the next big thing from us and I can assure that it’s going to be another big step forward.

2.You have a new album coming out in August, musically how does it differ from your previous full length and demo's/

Everything that we have put out so far almost feels like a warm up to Deconsecrate. It takes a few years to read each other and form something cohesive. Deconsecrate was a sonic leap for us in terms of production. We really nerded out on making everything sound bigger and better. There was lots of experimentation, trial and error, rejoicing and suffering that went into being particular about making Deconsecrate sonically expanded from our debut and demos. 

Compositionally, we had to start from scratch. On our debut, we had songs that had been in the works for a decade that we composed individually and then modified to form something cohesive. This time, we had to be critical in making decisions. I would describe the composition as being longer songs for people with short attention spans. Every time we repeat a riff, we always want to make it subtly different from the last time we played it. The guitar parts had a major focus on standing out individually while remaining responsive to each other. The bass guitar is out of this world. After you listen to the entire album, listen again and block the guitar from your concentration. Brian’s ability to fill in every gap left by the guitars is unmet by anyone else I know. His ability to make every composition stand out in ways none of us thought could really takes us a step further than we thought we had. It goes without saying that Pierce is a ferocious drummer. The effort that he put into going faster, hitting harder, and keeping everything grounded while simultaneously intricate is masterful. Honestly, Pierce has the best work ethic for music out of anyone that I know. His ability to push out material is not human. The fact that he plays guitar and contributes to the guitar composition is a huge part of our overall equation.   

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

Pierce and Kelly hold the reins in this department. 

Kelly likes to write a lot about accessing and wielding inner power and he explores psychedelic and mystical themes too.

Pierce's lyrics are more introspective and observational about the world within our own mind and personal struggles. 

4.Most of the band members are also involved with other bands and musical projects, what is it that you bring into the music of  'Ænigmatum', that you are not able to do with your other groups?

Thematically tied to Ænigmatum all together, there is a bit more vagueness and obscurity when we compose. I think that we are willing to pull elements from music that we listen to and aren’t afraid to make a riff out of it as long as it sounds like “us.” When we’re working on the songs, we’re always identifying the riffs by the inspiration behind them. “Play that thrashy part, do the D-beat riff more palm muted, make that suffocation riff sound more loose.” There is much more experimentation. When we show each other a riff, we know not to let ourselves get too attached to it because everyone is gonna fuck with it. We are compositionally allowed to bring more to the table but there is a checks and balance system that everything has to go through before we keep anything. We’re all fairly opinionated with different opinions. Making that balance is how you get our sound. 

5.what is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Ænigmatum'?

It has a variety of meanings. The plural form of enigma. It can also mean labyrinths, puzzles, riddles, or mysterious games. We like that it has more than one meaning. The obscurity and vagueness of it is what drew us to it. Our music was always supposed to be "enigmatic" from the very beginning. 

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

It's probably no mystery to anyone in the know that Voidceremony's entropic reflections continuum is a sick album cover. We're friends with guys in Voidceremony and wanted to see if the same artist would do something that fit our theme a little more. Juliet Gunn (@julietegunn_) painted it for us. We wanted a temple within the shape of the brain as seen from the bottom. We gave her what was probably an overdetailed description of all these themes that we were probably too stoked about and she somehow made it happen. 

Logan Williams from abiosis and brother to our drummer Pierce has been doing abstract paintings to be therapeutic to the seizures he's had. They mean a lot to him and a lot to us. The backdrop seen inside the album is made of his paintings. 

7.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 really enjoy playing. Honestly some of the most meaningful shows to us were shows that were smaller. When the entire crowd is a group of friends all enjoying the moment, the energy can be so much better. Somehow our songs have a tendency to go faster live. Going to see us live is a good time. We love talking to people who enjoy the music. We also have the tendency to make deep rooted friendships with all the bands we play with. It's all about community. 

8.The new album is going to be released on '20 Buck Spin', how would you compare working with this label to your previous labels 'Headspit' and "Chaos Records'?

We wouldn't be where we are now without chaos and headsplit. There will always be love and support for both of them and everyone reading this right now owes it to themselves to check out some of the bands associated with either. 20bs has been there to help friends that we have. The resources available from 20bs has been huge in getting Deconsecrate to the level it's at. We feel a lot of love and support from 20bs. The other bands that work with 20bs are bands that we're proud to be among. 

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

We're blown away by all the positive feedback. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the avenues that people have to go through to find out about us are typically reserved for people passionate about this type of music. There's always gonna be some pretentious shit heads out there that won't get it. We compose selfishly. It's music that we would want to hear. We're just glad there are people who actually like it too. 

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?

We jam in the same room as Diabolic Oath but haven't seen them around much. Sneaky mother fuckers already got their next release done and ready as well as a near album's worth of material for after that. 

Pierce has been killing the game with skeletal remains and is even working as a hired gun for vitriol. Like I said before, best work ethic for music ever. More torture rack seems to be in the works too. 

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

We want to push ourselves. The last riff of the song animus is an introduction of what to expect next. The best way I can describe the riffs we got brewing is that each riff is made of longer sentences. Where a line would traditionally end and then repeat, our riff keeps speaking longer. Get ready for music that is harder to follow but not overly wanky technical. It is still gonna sound like us but rest assured we're getting fucking weird. 

12.What are you listening to nowadays?

Most of the music that gets played in my house is stuff that I put on when I am working on homework. I will usually throw on YouTube and choose a record company to settle in on. Obviously I am gonna suggest checking out everything 20BS is putting out. It’s awesome to see the bands we get to share presence with. But I will also put on some sentient ruin so that I can hear the new Disimperium. The new laceration album fucking kills. Those guys are long time supporters of us and we are long time supporters of them. Aseitas finds its way into heavy rotation on my turntable and they’re another PDX band. Izthmi was just doing some recording in the area and I can’t wait to see how that turns out. Leprotic limb has been putting out killer tapes like the new vulnere and doing shows. Drouth rules. Coffin rot rules. Go listen to it all. 

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

Listen to every label and every band I’ve mentioned here. Just in the pacific northwest, we have unlimited amounts of killer bands. Support your local musician. Go out and see shows. Be involved. This is a community of love and support. We’re always gonna be pushing you to listen to the music that our friends make. Our passion is able to thrive because of the gnarly ass motherfuckers out there who actually actively seek out new music. Don’t wait for it to fall into your lap. Go find something new that you like today. 

See you guys out there 

https://aenigmatum.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/aenigmatum_pdx

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063560651573

All Life Dies/Ghost Dust/2021 EP Review

 

  All  Life  Dies  are  a  band  from  Corpus  Christi,  Texas  that  plays  a  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  ep  "Ghost  Dust"  which  will  be  released  in  August.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  when  clean  playing  is  utilized  it  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling.

  Clean  vocals  can  also be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  whispers  are  utilized  briefly  while  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  pianos  also b eing  utilized  briefly. 

  All  Life  Dies  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  melodic  and  progressive  sides  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion All  Life  Dies  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  and  melodic  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Ghost  Dust".  8  out  of  10.

  https://alllifedies.bandcamp.com/album/ghost-dust 

https://www.facebook.com/alllifedies 

https://www.instagram.com/alllifedies/ 

https://twitter.com/alllifedies  

Oscenrad Interview

 

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

Oscenrad was founded as a solo project in the winter of 2017 falling under the spectrum of what most would classify as being Epic/Viking/Pagan Metal. Personally, I prefer to place Oscenrad into its own category of Anglo-Saxon Heathen Metal - I think it’s a lot more fitting for Oscenrad as a whole.

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?

I never really went for one style in particular - I was focussed more on crafting my own, original sound off the back of my musical influences and inspirations. When approaching the music for Beyond the Fells, I wanted to create a huge, immersive and awe-inspiring sound. I wanted the album to flow as one cohesive piece, to carry the listener from beginning to end whilst leaving a lasting impression. I wanted it to inspire the same feelings I once felt when I first listened to Bathory or Moonsorrow. 

Production wise, I had a very specific goal in mind for the mix once I had all the songs written and ready to be tracked and I’m quite pleased with how the album turned out overall! It doesn’t sound too polished or over-produced; it’s got character and grit - a rawness to it that a lot of metal is sadly lacking these days.

3. You worked on the new album for 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about the process you went through to achieve the sound that was presented on the recording?

The process was a long one and back when I first started writing music, I always said to myself that I’d only ever release anything I felt to be truly original and authentic, otherwise, what’s the point? I had to develop my own sound and character as a musician before I was willing to go forward and release anything. This was something that took years to build and now, I feel I can finally push forward and unleash my vision!

In terms of the actual song writing process for Beyond the Fells, it was really a mix of things. Sometimes, it would be a case of piecing together different parts or ideas I had written previously in order to come up with one, solid track, as was the case for the title track Beyond the Fells or Runes Ye Shall Find. Other times it was a case of having one or two riffs or melodies that would naturally expand and grow into its own thing, like for Seeress or Across the Waves and then, like with Of Wolf and Blood, it was purely a case of “chasing” a particular atmosphere or concept and building upon that to ultimately create a fully fleshed out piece of music. 

All in all, though, I tried to create an interesting, layered soundscape with lots of dynamics and moving parts. Every riff, melody, beat and vocal line has its place. During the writing process, I would scrutinise every individual component to make sure that they all met the high standards I had set for myself and for Beyond the Fells. I firmly believe that if you’re going to unleash your music upon the world, especially for the first time, you’d better make sure that you put your very heart and soul into it!

4. A lot of your lyrics cover Norse and Anglo Saxon Paganism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this path?

This is something I’ve always been interested in and is a topic very close to my heart. Ever since I saw the famous Sutton Hoo Helmet as a child and all the various artefacts found amongst the ship burial at Sutton Hoo, I’ve been deeply interested in the world of the Anglo-Saxons and everything to do with them. There are so many fascinating parts to the Anglo-Saxon world; the folklore and mythology, the language and poetry, the artwork and aesthetics, the epic poem Beowulf, the Old Gods such as Woden and Thunor as well as the runes and so much more.

When it comes to Norse Paganism and mythology in particular, I see it as more of a portal or a tool in helping to understand more about the Anglo-Saxon worldview, seeing as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse both shared a common origin and heritage.

Anglo-Saxon and Norse history/mythology share a commonality and cross over with each other in several areas, so its quite natural to be interested in these subjects, both from a historical and spiritual point of view. 

5. On one of your songs you also made a reference to Druids, do you also have an interest in Druidism?

If you’re referring to the line “Of dragons and druids” from “Across the Waves” then I think that ties in nicely with the above question. Druids were obviously highly important figures in ancient Britain and are still, thousands of years later, a source of mystery and wonder. For me, the Druids were just one of the many aspects of Paganism in ancient Britain, so yes, naturally, I’m interested in them. 

6. Some of your other lyrics cover history, poetry and philosophy, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

From a young age I’ve always been interested history. Visiting different castles and ruins across Britain, seeing all the various ancient landmarks and going to museums and exhibitions all struck a chord with me from a young age, so history has always been a keen interest of mine. Living in England, with such a rich and complex history, how could you not be interested?!

When it comes to poetry, my interest lies mostly in Old English and Norse poetry, as well as the Sagas, which all serve as huge sources of inspiration for me - look at Beowulf, the Hávamál or some of the lesser known Old English poems such as The Ruin or The Wanderer, to name a few, and tell me you’re not inspired? Poetry was a big part of Anglo-Saxon and Norse culture, so I’ve always been interested in it as it serves as means of understanding how our ancestors saw the world.

I’ve had an interest in philosophy since I was a teenager. I read through some of the various writings by the usual suspects (Nietzsche in particular, which has become a bit of a cliche at this point in the metal world, haha!) and found some insightful viewpoints which helped me to develop my own worldview. Lately, I’ve been looking into Stoicism (mostly Epictetus and Aurelius) and its basic principals. There’s some really enduring wisdom that can be found in their works which can still be applied to many different aspects of life today in the modern age, even though their writings are two thousand years old! 

7. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Oscenrad'?

Oscenrad is the combination of three of the Anglo-Saxon runes, known as the Futhorc.

Os - God(s)/Woden/mouth

Cen - Torch/fire

Rad - Ride/journey

I wanted something that would convey the message behind Oscenrad, with the “cen” being the torch that’s carried through the darkness, the “rad” being the journey through that darkness and the “os” being the Gods and heritage to which that journey is directed towards. 

8. On the album cover you also used some artwork from 'Sidney Richard Percy', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his paintings?

When I came up with name for the album, Beyond the Fells, the idea for the album cover came naturally - I needed mountains! British mountains! I combed through various pieces by British artists from the Victorian era and came across the one that ended up being used for the album cover. I would definitely recommend checking out Sidney Richard Percy’s work for anyone who’s into Victorian/19th century British landscape painters!

9. With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

That depends! Half the point of Oscenrad is that it’s a solo project - it’s my vision, my expression but that doesn’t mean that I’m opposed to collaborating with or featuring other musicians in the future. Only time will tell!

10. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of folk, viking, pagan, black and death metal?

So far the reaction has been outstanding! Far better than I had anticipated! I never expected to have gotten such a positive reception this early on, so I’m really grateful to everyone who’s shown their support!

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

As I mentioned earlier, now that I feel I have found my own sound and character as a musician, I’m ready to march on and unleash more music! There’s plenty cooking already in the Oscenrad Oven™! At the moment, I have most of the music and lyrics written for an EP which will be released in the near future (this is going to be more of a concept release - more on that later!).

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?

Without a doubt, the two major bands that influenced me are Bathory and Moonsorrow. The fire inside that was set when I first listened to those two bands is still burning and has acted as a major creative force for me throughout. 

As far as what I’ve been listening to lately, I’ve been getting back into Mercyful Fate! Melissa and Don’t Break the Oath are fantastic albums! I’m currently listening to The Shadowthrone by Satyricon as I’m writing this (alongside Dark Medieval Times, these two albums have been major influences on my music). I’ve also been listening to Primordial, Taake, Iron Maiden, Marduk and Dissection over the last couple of weeks. Oh, and Darkthrone’s latest album has quickly become one of my favourites! I love that raw sound they’ managed to achieve!

(Shoutout incoming!) I’ve also been listening to an up-and-coming band hailing, too, from Suffolk, called Heathen Kings! If you’re a fan of NWOBHM/Epic Metal then give them a listen! Top lads and stellar musicians! In the Hall of the Kings is a particular favourite of mine!

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

I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who’s supported Oscenrad so far! I am deeply grateful and humbled by all of the support! I’d also like to say thank you for providing me with the opportunity to take part in this interview!

Check out Oscenrad on bandcamp and all the socials! Let’s spread Beyond the Fells far and wide!

Keep the ancient fire burning!

Hails!

Hæðenwulf

Website: oscenrad.com
Bandcamp: https://oscenrad.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ oscenrad
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ channel/ UCyagK0s53BG7cG84CdDc6Jg
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/ artist/001G1BJcqW125huqZJVK6H? si=6h2AbqbeTFysnqzDozcPOA&dl_ branch=1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ oscenrad/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oscenrad
VK: https://vk.com/oscenrad

Journey Into Darkness/Infinite Universe, Infinite Death/Spirit Coffin Publishing/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Journey  Into  Darkness  are  a  solo  project  from  Florida  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Infinite  Universe,  Infinite  Death"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Spirit  Coffin  Publishing.

  A  very  fast  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Symphonic  elements  are  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  doom  metal  and  there  are  also  a  couple  of  ambient  orientated  instrumentals.

  On  this  recording  Journey  Into  Darkness  remains  true  to  the  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  that  he  had  established  on  his  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  scientific  and  space  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Journey  Into  Darkness  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Leave  This  Place"  "Cosmic  Knot"  and  "Entanglement".  8  out  of  10.

http://journeyintodarkness.bandcamp.com/album/infinite-universe-infinite-death

https://jidarkness.com
https://journeyintodarkness.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/JourneyIntoDarkness      

Withering Soul/Last Contact/Mortal Music/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Chicago,  Illinois's  Withering  Soul  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  melodic  style  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Last  Contact"  which  will  be  released  in September  by  Mortal  Music.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  lot  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  some  keyboards  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  album.

  One  of  the  tracks  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  music  also  moving  away  from  the  gothic  elements  that  where  more  present  on  their  previous  releases  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording,  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  melodic  vocals  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  communications  between  the  living  and  the  deceased.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Withering  Soul  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Allergy  Of  The  Void"  "Ascent  To  Madness"  and  "Uncharted  Course".  8  out  of  10.

https://witheringsoul.bandcamp.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/witheringsoulband 

https://youtu.be/q9HanvXiWlw

  

Hexenklad/Heathenheart/CDN Records/2021 CD Review

 

    Hexenklad  are  a  band  from  Ontario,  Canada  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Heathenheart"  which  will  be  released  on  July  23rd  by  CDN  Records.

  Melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  clear  chants  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  screams,.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  When  keyboards  and  orchestrations  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  symphonic  feeling.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  clean  pagan  vocals  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Elements  of  folk  music  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  some  tribal  style  percussion  also  being  used  briefly,  one  of  the  later  tracks is  also  an instrumental  and  towards  the  end  clarinets  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Paganism  and  heathenism  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hexenklad  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Heathenheart"  "Dark  Moon  In  Capricorn"  "A  Thousand  Paths  To  Wisdom"  and  "Upon  The  Wings  of  Valkyries".  8  out  of  10.

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