And Harmony Dies/Ballast/Club Inferno Ent./2022 CD Review

 

  And  Harmony  Dies  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  an  avant  garde  form  of  post  black  metal  with  some  elements  of  death,  doom,  thrash  metal  and  influences  from  non  metal  genres  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Ballast"  which  will  be  released  on  January  31st  by  Club  Inferno  Ent..

  Dark  soundscapes  and  electronic  music  sounds  start  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  at  times  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Some  of  the  songs  also  capture  the  atmosphere  of  a  movie  soundtrack  along  with  the  pianos  also  taking  the  music  into  more  of  an  avant  garde  direction  when  they  are utilized.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Clean  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  songs  also  mixing  in  a  decent  amount  of  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  fast  parts   along  with  synths  being  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  touches  of  world  music.  

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  showing  an  influence  of  doom  metal,  some  of  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  album  also  adds  in  touches  of  thrash  metal  and  as  the  recording  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  tracks,  one  song  also  introduces  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  album  and  towards  the  end  acoustic  guitars  are  also  utilized.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  issues  related  to  the  soul  of  a  human  being.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  And  Harmony  Dies  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde  post  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Alhena's  Chief  In  The  Golden  Spiral"  "Leave  Now"  and  "How  To  Lighten  Daily  Weights".  8  out  of  10.

http://facebook.com/AndHarmonyDies

  

  

  

      

Destillat Interview

 

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

Destillat is a Death/Black Metal band from Leipzig, Germany. The current line-up of the band is together since 2015. We’ve put out two EP’s in 2018 and 2019 and just released our first full length album in December of 2021.

 

2.A few months back you also released your first full length, musically how does it differ from your previous ep's?

For us, the two EP’s were a way for us to establish the current line up and also to find out how we can utilize the strength of each member and put them into our songwriting and playing. With the full-length we were able to make use of the learnings we earned from these previous two EP’s, which helped us to become better songwriters and also to sharpen the musical style that we’re going for.

 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far?

What we try to do with our lyrics is to use stories, that happened in the past and put them into a context that makes them relevant today. This is really the part in which we put our personalities as well. We feel like that our society is at a point where we tend to repeat mistakes we’ve already made in the past. So we want to create an opportunity to actually learn from these mistakes and reflect our own actions by telling these stories. On the album we tried to structure this in a way where start things off with a realization (Broken Chalice), through stories of genocide (Black 47), loss (The Forgotten sons Pt. II), corruption (The Forgotten Sons Pt. I), abuse (Black Horizons) until we finally write our „Last Chapter“. The last song though is an ode to what could make live on this planet so precious and valuable for all of us. Something that is soon to be lost but still holds a glimmer of hope. Something that is worth fighting for. The „Lost Chapter“.

 

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

To be completely honest, there is really no deeper meaning behind the name. Just a general excitement for booze :D

 

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

The artwork was painted by our friend and tattoo artist Marie-Luise Thurm (Tomasdottir Artworks). The cover painting is an interpretation of the album name “Under Black Horizons”. It shows how threatening and even at times overwhelming live and the current state of our world can be. For us it also holds the meaning of darkness and death that’s going to come to all of us if we’re not able to change the way we life and treat our environment.

The additional artworks for the songs were painted by our guitarist Nick.

 

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

We personally really love the small venues, that barely have any separation between stage and audience and when the whole show is just about the energy between the band and the crowd.

 

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

We kind of see that record as the first release that really carries the identity of our band. So right now for us it’s all about finding out what people think of the record and also to make the most out of it. Introducing our music to labels is definitely a part of this, but we see that more as an opportunity for future releases and not the current album.

 

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

Reactions have been pretty overwhelming so far. Not just to the music but also to our video for “Broken Chalice” and the documentary we did companying the recording process. Also getting coverage for the band outside of Germany and getting to know people worldwide, who care about the band, is really exciting and something we never expected to happen.

 

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

The goal is to expand the sound of the band and bring in different musical styles and genres we haven’t tried before. We’re always excited about trying new things and fusing different elements into songs that we find exciting to listen to. Another thing we’d love to continue in the future is working with guest musicians who can bring new elements to the music.

 

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?

We take a lot of inspiration from bands that carry a storytelling approach in their songs, both musically and lyrically. To name a few, this could be bands like Opeth, Primordial or Eluveitie. But we also value a lot of music outside the metal genre, since we feel like there are many shades that can add to a feeling of depressions, melancholy or darkness.

 

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

We really value the community within and around the band like a family. That’s why we spend a lot of time together outside of playing music or “working” for the band as well. This could be things like having nice barbecues, planning our own vegetable gardens or nerding out on American football.

 

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

We really appreciate you for taking the time and giving us the opportunity to do this interview. It’s great to see that people care and that the record is doing so well. This album has also been a great opportunity for us to build a community of creative and caring people around our band and we’d like to thank all of them for their contributions and support. Spread the love and be nice to each other.

Bandcamp: https://destillat.bandcamp. com/album/under-black-horizons

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ destillat666

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ channel/ UCQG2L7cNGmGsLydnHdy7LXg

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/ album/22bgHo6UHqwiXo9qWy1WOB

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ destillat_metal/

Other: https://linktr.ee/destillat

Luna 13/Gorgo/Cleopatra Records/2022 CD Review

 

  Luna  13  are  a  duo  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial,  electronica  and  bass  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Gorgo"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Cleopatra  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  industrial  elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Demonic  voices  can  also b e  heard  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  some  touches  of  electronica  and  drum'n'bass,  synths  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also be  heard. 

  On  this  recording  Luna  13  remains  true  to  the  mixture  of  black  metal,  industrial  and  electronica  that  they h ad  established  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Anti  Religion  and  Horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Luna  13  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  industrial,  electronica  and  bass  music,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Till  There's  Nothing  Left"  "Gorgo"  "Her  infernal  majesty"  and  "Upside  Down".  8  out  of  10.

https://luna13music.bandcamp.com/album/gorgo
http://www.luna13official.com/

https://youtu.be/49AWwpLnNhY

       

Mystic Circle/Self Titled/Atomic Fire Records/2022 CD Review

 

  Mystic  Circle  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  history  that  goes  all  the  way  back  to  the  90's  and  plays  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2022  album  which  will b e  released  in  February  by  Atomic  Fire  Records.

  Cinematic  sounds  and  spoken  word  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  faster  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  the  music  is  also  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.

  Death  metal  can  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  long  and  epic  in  length,  spoken  word  samples  also  return  on  later  songs  and  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  album  also  closes  with  a  cover  of  Possessed's  "Death  Metal".  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Left  hand  Path,  Occultism,  Demonology  and  Darkness  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Mystic  Circle  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  symphonic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Belial  Is  My  Name"  "Letters  From  The  Devil"  "The  Arrival  Of  Baphomet"  and  "Satanic  Mistress".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGSlQQysk5c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-OkHNSsMIY

http://www.facebook.com/mysticcircleofficial

http://www.instagram.com/mystic_circle_official         

Destillat/Under Black Horizons/2021 CD Review

 

  Destillat  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2021  album  "Under  Black  Horizons".

  A  very  apocalyptic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  acoustic  guitars  also  returning  on  some  of  the  later  songs  as  well  as  some  synths  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  Swedish  influences  as  well as  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  spoken  word  parts,  clear  vocals,  lap  steel  guitars  and  pianos  are  also  utilized  briefly,  female  vocals  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  society  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Destillat  are  a  very  great  sounding  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  "Broken  Chalice"  "Black  Horizons"  and  "Lost  Chapter".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp: https://destillat.bandcamp. com/album/under-black-horizons

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ destillat666

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ channel/ UCQG2L7cNGmGsLydnHdy7LXg

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/ album/22bgHo6UHqwiXo9qWy1WOB

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ destillat_metal/

Other: https://linktr.ee/destillat  

Fall Of Stasis/The Chronophagist/2022 CD Review

 

  Fall  Of  Stasis  are  a  band  from  Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada  that  plays  a  progressive  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "The  Chronophagist"  which  will  be  released  in  February.

  Acoustic  guitars  which  also  return  on  later  songs  and  dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  while  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  sounding  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  The  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  bringing  folk  instruments  onto  the  recording,  melodic  singing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  and  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  paganism,  modern  social  issues  and  personal  experiences.  

  In  my  opinion  Fall  of  Stasis  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fall  Of  Stasis"  "The  Cult"  and  "Swarm  of  Casualties".  8  out  of  10.

​Fallofstasis.com​
​Facebook.com/fallofstasis​

​Instagram.com/fallofstasis        

  

(Dolch)/Nacht/Van Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  (Dolch)  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  started  out  as  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  metal  and  drone  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  post  punk,  ambient  and  drone  with  some  touches  of  doom  metal  2022  album  "Nacht"  which  will be  released  in  February  by  Van  Records.

  Dark  ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  while  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of t he  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  some  touches  of  post  punk  and  the  slower  riffing  also  adds  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  whispers.  Clear  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  as  well  as  a  later  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  (Dolch)  moves  away  from  the  black  emtal  elements  of  previous  releases  and  brings  in  more  of  a  mixture  of  post  punk,  darkwave,  dark  ambient  and  drone  as  well  as  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  at  times.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Night  Time  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  (Dolch)  are  a  very  decent  sounding  mixture  of  post  punk,  darkwave,  dark  ambient  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lights  Out"  "Into  The  Night"  "Bird  of  Prey"  and  "Coda".  7/5  OUT  OF  10.

https://youtu.be/E44MYlkzk9M

https://youtu.be/cz14y5ddCsg