Oak, Ash & Thorn/To Gaze On Stars Of Frost/2021 EP Review

 

  Oak,  Ah  &  Thorn  are  a  band  from  Colorado  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black, death,  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  ep  "To  Gaze  On  Stars  of  Frost".

  A  very  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  and  clean  pagan  vocals  while  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  When  acoustic  guitars  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  elements  of  folk  music  while  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  leads  are  finally  introduced  and  the  recording  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  the  closing  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Oak,  Ash  &  Thorn  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  black,  death,  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  old  world  paganism,  death,  isolation,  addiction  and  heartbreak  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Oak,  Ash  &  Thorn  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death,  pagan  and  folk  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Praise  Unto  The  Immortals"  and  "Suspended  And  Frozen".  8  out  of  10.

   https://youtu.be/5o5GsBz2Row

Oakashandthorn.bandcamp.com, Apple Music, Spotify

​https://www.facebook.com/ofoakashandthorn​
​https://www.instagram.com/ofoakashandthorn​

​https://www.twitter.com/MetalOATs          

Wake/Thought Form Descent/Metal Blade Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Wake  are  a  band  from  Calgary,  Alberta,  Canada  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Thought  Form  Descent"  which  will  be  released  on  July  22nd  by  Metal  Blade  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  and  clean  playing  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  also  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  tracks  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  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  music  also  showing  influences  of  crust  and  grindcore  at  times  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized,  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  escapism  and  existentialism  themes.

  In my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Wake  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album,.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Infinite  inward"  "Venerate  (The  Undoing  Of  All)"  and  "Bleeding  Eyes  of  The  Watcher".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/e6fhvOfEO2M    

Bloodred/Ad ASstra/Massacre Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Germany's  solo  project  Bloodred  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  melodic  style  of  blackened  death  metal  from  his  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2022  album  "Ad  Astra"  which  was  released  by  Massacre  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  return  on  later  tracks  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  and  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  album 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  some  spoken  word  samples  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized,  synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Bloodred  brings  in  a  lot  more  diversity  to  his  melodic  style  of  blackened  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  fear,  anger,  sorrow  and  loneliness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  form  Bloodred  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shatter  of  Worlds"  ""All  Is  Bleak"  "Twilight  Falls"  and  "Ad  Astra".  8  out  of  10.

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Blodtørst Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

We are currently preparing for a studio session this August, to record our second album. We are planning to release our second album early next year. We are also in the process of planning concerts  both domestic and abroad.

 

2.In 2021 you had released your first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

We had a lot of differing influences is the beginning, and the whole album is about finding ourselves as a band. It varies a lot genre-wise because of this, but we decided we would have no restrictions on our the music we made for this album, but we all agreed it would be an extreme metal album. Some influences would be Gorgoroth, Emperor, Urfaust, Behemoth.

 

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

The lyrics on our first album is centered around outcasts, and people outside the ‘society’ as it were. Someone on the outside looking in.

 

4.I know that the bands name means 'Bloodthirsty' in Norwegian, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

‘Blodtørst’ could also be viewed as someone who is out for revenge, or not shy of violence or retribution. A lot of the outcasts that the lyrics are centered around are after retribution or vengeance in order to survive, or right the wrongs committed against them.

 

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

The piece of bone depicted on the artwork is actually a piece of lamb-bone we found on the mountains during a walk. Probably picked clean by scavengers, it presented itself as a visually striking symbol.

 

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

Our debut concert in September 2021 surprisingly was our favorite concert so far. This was during the pandemic-lockdown, so all attendees had to be seated on fixed seats, and with a reduced number of tickets available. Still, the crowd surprised us and was into the music, even headbanged where they were sitting. A good experience for us, and it seemed the crowd enjoyed themselves too.

Our vocalist and bass-player/backing vocalist interacts a lot with the crowd and makes them involved in the show. Joining in and shouting the choruses is encouraged. But all of the band is trying to interact with the audience, and make them involved in the show.

 

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Yes, we are currently looking into an autumn gig in our hometown of Trondheim, and are exploring the possibilities of travelling anywhere to play next year, possibly as a part of our new album release.

 

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

If any good offers arise we will of course consider them, but we are happy to continue as an independent/unsigned band.

 

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

We have been featured on radio/podcasts in Belgium and Israel which was a welcoming gesture.

Some local radios have played us as well. We see from Spotify that we have active listeners all over the world, which we welcome. The reviews we have received for our first album have been fair and good, which has given us motivation to continue our work.

 

10.When can we expect new music and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We are just on the cusp of starting the recording of our second album, which is likely to be released early next year. Our next album is a more coherent experience than our debut album, and also draws more on black metal influences.

Beyond the next album, who knows? It might go more Death-metal, only time will tell.

 

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

 

The band has a diverse taste of music, but we all overlap in the extreme-metal genre.

Some bands we listen to would be Behemoth, At the gates, Vredehammer, Windir, Immortal and Nile.

 

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

Check us out on Spotify, Instagram and Facebook. There will also be updates there on our studio sessions, and most likely some teasers on what’s to come. Stay tuned for our next album early next year. Thank you for you questions, and your interest in the band.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blodtorstofficialnorway
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7CqlSXbA5zdfUVux6ECw80?si=0iZCqUX6R6WlcJFRh5vn3A
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blodtorstband/?hl=en

Cruentus/Fossilized/Kult und Kaos Productions/2022 FUll Length Review

 

  Cruentus  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a melodic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Fossilized"  which  will b e  released  in  July  by  Kult  und  Kaos  Productions.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  whispers  can  also be  heard  briefly.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  A  lot  of  the  album  is  also  very  heavily rooted  in the  Swedish  style  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.

  On  this  album  Cruentus  remains  true  to  the  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  thrash  metal  that  they  have  established  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  different  emotions  coherent  with  being  a  human  and  the  diversities  of  life  itself  and  our  coexistence  with  the  present  reality.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album from  Cruentus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Catalyst"  "The  Lost  Ones"  "Averted  Reality"  and  "Primordial  Reprisal".  8  out  of  10.  

Kvlt und Kaos Productions: https://www.kvltundkaosproductions.com/cruentus
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0S5fJ4mSuFJOOXiqf0nbcI?si=mjfEUjBGTDmyQ_8IXygQew
Bandcamp: https://cruentus1.bandcamp.com/releases
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cruentus-SWE-101581451696691

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIPlVzyIzlw&ab_channel=KVLTundKAOSProductions            

Moribund Dawn/Dark Mysteries Of Time & Eternity/Carbonized Records/2022 CD Review

 

  Moribund  Dawn  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  Swedish  influenced  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Dark  Mysteries  Of  Time  &  Eternity"  which  was  released  by  Carbonized  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  epic  sounding  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  

  Spoken  word  pars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and   the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  Swedish  style.    

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  classical  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sorcery  and  night  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Moribund  Dawn  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  black  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  mysteries  Of  Time  &  Eternity"  and  "Lunar  Chaosium"..8  out  of  10.

https://carbonizedrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dark-mysteries-of-time-eternity  

Blodtørst/Ferd/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Blodtørst  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  aggressive  mixture  of  black  and  death  emtal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "Ferd".

   A  very  fast  and  melodic  Swedish  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  90's  era.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  showing  some  Norwegian  style  black  metal  influences  at  times,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  a  later  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  back  up  shouts.  

  Blodtørst  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  melodic  and  Swedish  influenced  form  of  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  Norwegian  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Norwegian  and  English  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Blodtørst  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  "Troll"  "Orm"  "Purple  Emperor"  and  "Worship  Me".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blodtorstofficialnorway
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7CqlSXbA5zdfUVux6ECw80?si=0iZCqUX6R6WlcJFRh5vn3A

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blodtorstband/?hl=en