Aexylium/The Fifth Season/Rockshots Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Aexylium  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "The  Fifth  Season"  which  will b e  released  in  October  by  Rockshots  Records.

  A  very  epic  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  folk  music  instruments  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  

  When  the  music  speeds  up a   decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  clean  male,  female  vocals  and  choirs  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  album.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  battle  sounds  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized,  one  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  album  and  as  the  recording  progresses  a  couple  of  instrumentals  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  and  Celtic  mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aexylium  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  folk  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Bridge"  "Battle  At  Tettenhall"  "Yggdrasil"  and  "Spirit  Of  the  North".  8  out  of  10.

Aexylium.it
Facebook.com/aexylium

Instagram.com/aexylium_official            

Spectral Darkwave Interview

 

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

We are Spectral Darkwave, harvesters of pain across time and space - in tribute to gods most dark. We collect the suffering in vessels made of death doom metal ornamented by orchestras and the tragic events themselves. They are pulsing exhibits to the terror of existence.

2.In October you have a new album coming out, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

The new album 'At Outer Dark' furthers the collection of suffering first put together in 'Last First Contact', but with a great leap in the production values. Musically, it is thicker in tone and slightly more complex in it's arrangements, to offer deeper immersion in the scenes we capture.

3.This is also your first full length since 2015, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

The first record was very much a proof of concept that stories could be told, this then allowed us to recruit The Gunner on bass and perfect our live show, considering every possible angle. This culminated in our invitation to Bloodstock 2021. Our lord Cthulu has clearly recognized our work.

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

The song lyrics focus on setting the scene in the wants, needs and desires of the human suffering on offer at a point in space time. For example, the lead single '731' focusses on the emotional turmoil of surgery on live victims in the name of Japanese patriotism. The March Of Saes focuses on the exhilaration and fear of Elephant riders in ancient Persia. The album culminates in the song 'At Outer Dark' - a paean to our quest as a crew to join with our lord Cthulu as he passed through the material realm and it's... consequences.

5.On one of your singles you also cover Norse Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Our interest is only in the amount of pain that could be harvested from the shores of Lindisfarne in AD 793. It's essence ages well in our vaults. 

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

The good ship Darkwave is the ship in which we as a crew travel through time and space. We emerge, take the horror available, sometimes milk the situation for a little more, then disappear as quickly as we came - but not entirely without trace.

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

The artwork captures our encounter with our Lord Cthulu beyond the furthest spiral arm of this galaxy. We sought to join with him, sampling but a fraction of his power. This moment of misadventure can be heard in the epic, final song of the album 'At Outer Dark'.

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

We offer, theatre, spectacle and immersion. As a result, we have been lucky to play more than few performances where the energy of band and crowd has crackled with devotion to the dark - the shared catharsis of looking into the abyss and having it stare back in musical form. Clearly, the highlight for was this year's Bloodstock performance.

9.The new album is coming out on 'Occidental Records'. can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Sadly, in more mundane matters, to release records these days has become the responsibility of the artist. Investment, promotion, distribution and monetization - all of it. With the digitization of music came the simple fact that there is a huge supply of music and the ability to record it. Supply has outstripped demand. In the capitalist system, the monetary value is low, yet the artistic value is higher than ever. So, it is our label, named after an industrial disaster and the power of empire - it reminds us making sure we do the right things to keep the good ship Darkwave afloat.

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

We genuinely believe we have an experience of high quality with which to engage audiences - but there is an awful lot of noise out there that our signal must penetrate. When people see us we are remembered, we've already had pre-orders for people from half a decade ago. However, we feel that perhaps with the length of time between albums, that this for many will be the first time - and they will hear us at our most potent.

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

Well, it would seem that after nearly 2 dozen tales of human suffering and our final encounter with HIM on the new record, that the consequences of our meeting will play out in the narrative of the next record. Musically, we will always seek to pulse, doom and terrify with arrangements that bring a grand scale to our tracks.

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?

It started as early some of the darkest theme tunes from 80's video games, TV shows and films. We seek to chase that sense of scale and adventure. Metal is the only genre that sense of infinite power other than the darker orchestrations of Gorecki or the choral work of Tallis. Yet we cannot say we do not admire the work of artists such as Septic Flesh, Draconian or the Vision Bleak where they too seek a sense of scale. But we seek the narrative moments themselves. 

13.Does occultism play any role in your music?

Indirectly. Our obsession with the dark gods of the universe, a reaching out to the infinite, the unknowable other beyond human perception interests us deeply. You might say it is the thoughts of historical occultism illuminated by scientific insights that more than ever declare 'there is more out there than we can ever know'.

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

Thank you for taking the time to speak to us. May this be the first step upon your conversion.

For more information on Spectral Darkwave click here
Visit Spectral Darkwave on Facebook
Hear Spectral Darkwave on YouTube
Order Spectral Darkwave on Bandcamp
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Bloody Falls/Burn The Witch/Art Gates Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Bloody  Falls  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  very  contemporary  and  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  groove  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  'Burn  The  Witch"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Art  Gates  Records.

  Epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  groove  metal  elements.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  a  couple  of songs  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  most  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  more  of  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  Bloody  Falls  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  black,  melodic  death  and  groove  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  The  Witch Burnings  of  the  past.    

  In  my  opinion  Bloody  Falls  are  a  very  decent  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  groove  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Soul  Reaper"  "Self  Inflicted  Pain"  "The  Witch"  and  "Last  Rites".  7/5  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/BloodyFalls/

https://www.instagram.com/bloodyfallsofficial/  

https://youtu.be/K3O9FwFdx0g        

  

Bryan Eckermann/Plague Bringers/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Bryan  Eckerman  is  a  solo  artist  from  San  Antonio,  Texas  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2021  album  "Plague  Bringers"  which  will b e  released  in  November.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  also add  in  a  great  amount  of  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal  screams along  with  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  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.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  orchestration  onto  the  album,  whispers  are  also  utilized  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

 A  later  song  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  power  metal  style  vocals  and  there  is  also  a  brief use  of  spoken word  parts  on  a  later  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  is  a  concept  album  based  upon  the  aftermath  of  the  aliens  being  beat  by  humans  and  their  resurrections  of  their  long  dead  queen  and  cloning  an  album  to  escape  their  long  dead  planet.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Bryan  Eckerman  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  death  emtal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sands  Of  The  Hourglass"  "Plague  Bringers"  "Astral  Realms"  and  "Tomorrow's  Lie".  8/5  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/bryaneckermannofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/bryaneckermann/ 

Bryan Eckermann on YouTube       

Siren's Rain/Rise Forth/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Siren's  Rain  are  a  band  from  Lakewood,  Washington  that  plays  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "Rise  Forth"  which  will b e  released  in  October.

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  poetic  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  before  adding  into  some  nature  sounds  and  also  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  clean  pagan  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  album.  Folk  instruments  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of t he  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Clean  female  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  songs  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  One  song  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  album  as  well  as  some  angry  sounding  shouts  also  being  utilized  more  as  the  recording  progresses.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Greek,  Viking  and  Pacific  Northwest  Mythology.

  In  my  opinion  Siren's  Rain  are  a  very  great  sounding  folk  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Keepers"  "Pennies  For  The  Ferryman"  and  "Discarded  hope".  8  out  of  10.

Website: https://www.sirensrain.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sirensrainmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sirensrainband/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sirensrainband

Pre-Order digital album: https://sirensrain.bandcamp.com/album/rise-forth  

  

    

Abstracter/Abomination/Sentient Ruin Industries/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Oakland,  California's  Abstracter  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  some  elements  of  crust,  dark  ambient  and  industrial  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Abomination"  which  will b e  released  in  October  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

   A  very  slow,  dark,  heavy  and  apocalyptic  sounding  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  which  also  adds  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  crust  elements  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.  Vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  songs  also  add  in a  decent  balance  between  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in a  t ouch  of  dark  ambient  when  they  are  utilized.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  industrial  style  noises  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  the  album  progresses.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  pessimism,  misanthropy,  the  apocalypse  and  antichrist  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Abstracter  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  with  some  touches  of  crust,  dark  ambient  and  industrial  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Eclipse  Born"  and  "Lighteater".  8  out  of  10.

BANDCAMP RELEASE        

Alkuharmonian Kantaja/Shadowy Peripherals/I, Voidhanger Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Alkuharmonian  Kantaja  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2021  album  "Shadowy  peripherals"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  I,  Voidhanger  Records.

  A  very  heavy  yet  avant  garde  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  keyboards  are  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  clean  avant  garde  style  singing  is  also  utilized  at  times.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  The  songs  also  mix  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences  as  well  as  keeping  it  very  modern  at  the  same  time.  Whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  depths  of  the  human  mind,  spirit  and  self.

  In  my  opinion  Alkuharmonian  Kantaja  are  a  very  great  sounding  avant  garde  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shadowy  Peripherals"  "Hounds  Of  man"  and  "Past  the  Final  Winter".  8  out  of  10.

https://i-voidhangerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/shadowy-peripherals