Dawnwalker/House Of Sand/Room 132/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Dawnwalker  are  a  band  from  the  united  Kingdom  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  progressive  form  of  post  metal  with  elements  of  folk  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  theri  2022  album  "House  Of  Sand"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Room  132.

  Clear  vocals  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavier  post  metal  style  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  clean  playing.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  acoustic  guitars  also  add  in  touches  of  folk  music  when  they  are  utilized.  Female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  touches  of  indie  rock.

  One  of  the  tracks  is  also  a  cover  of  Elvis  Presley's  "House  Of  Sand"  along  with  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  violin's  and  piano's  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  musical  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  darker  side  of  the  human  psyche.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dawnwalker  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  post  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Demon  Of  Noontide"  "Egypt"  "Coming  Forth  By  Day"  and  "House  of  Sand".  8  out  of  10.

  https://dawnwalker.uk 

https://dawnwalker.bandcamp.com 
https://facebook.com/dawnwalkeruk 
https://instagram.com/dawnwalkeruk 

https://twitter.com/dawnwalkeruk   

  

Eldprov/Rift/Grind To Death Records/2022 CD Review

 

  Eldprov  are  a  duo  form  Sweden  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  theri  2022  album  "Rift"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Grind  To  Death  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  solos  and  leads  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  musical  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also b e  heard  at  times  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  Swedish  style.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clear  vocals  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts, 

A  couple  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  clean  playing,  acoustic  guitars  and  female  vocals  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Eldprov  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Affliction''  "Third  Crow"  and  "Hunt".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/dGl5vgzzLXk

https://www.facebook.com/eldprovofficial

https://www.instagram.com/eldprov   

Sacrimonia Interview

 

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

Kuba: Well, it’s been less than a month since the release of “Anthems of Eclipse”, but we’ve already played 3 shows supporting Grima, Ultar and Bloody Tyrant on their European tour. We’ve also started collecting ideas for new songs, as well as planning a late-fall tour.

2.Recently you have released your first full length, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?

Kuba: I would say that new songs are catchier than the ones from the EP. Also, the arrangements are more transparent, so to speak, including a wider variety of styles and motifs. The EP was very much rooted in black metal, especially the guitar work - on the other hand, on the full length we decided to include bits of melodic death-, post-, heavy metal, you name it. There is even some metalcore to be found in a few parts, although it’s not so straightforward in your face.

Mariusz: We wanted to make sure we’re not producing generic black metal songs with a symphonic component, but rather start from thinking about the melodies and harmonies as such. As a result, on the new album the orchestrations often drive the songs, they don’t serve just as mere additions to the guitar content.

Kamila: Just as the boys said, less black metal in black metal. However, for us the genre is artificially given to us after the release, not something to be crucial during the creative process. There are some influences and motifs, not really an intention to play a certain genre. As long as something sounds good and fits the general vibe we give, it sits.

3.This is also your first release in 6 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

Kuba: Well, first of all we were gaining experience gigging and promoting the “New World Ascension” EP. From 2018 we were also writing the songs for the new album and by early 2020 we had it pretty much finished and ready to be recorded, but then the pandemic came and unnecessarily prolonged the entire process.

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

Kamila: The new album is strongly inspired by French modernists and symbolists: Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Verlaine. Other than that, the song “Modern Prometheus” is of course a reference to Mary Shelley’s novel – the concept of a god-like parent figure, the grief of a creature. “Katabasis”, the old song previously recorded on the EP, refers to Mikhail Bulgakov’s novels.

I would say that the simpler my inspiration and writing process is, the better the song comes out. Personally, I think the new album has better lyrics than the EP, while the writing process of every song was much easier and shorter. To be honest, I pretty much like the lyrics for “Into Darkness…”, but there was not really a certain reason to compose them like that. I just wrote what came into my mind while listening to the guitars Kuba composed for the new song. A few years ago, I needed a special motif, so many feelings, a certain vibe and a literary inspiration. Right now I just write what comes to my mind first and the rest comes to me eventually.

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

Kuba: There isn’t any specific meaning behind the name. From what I recall, the main inspiration was the song “Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)” by the band Kamelot. Anyway, we decided that the name “Sacrimonia” sounds atmospheric and dark and that it would be a good fit for us.

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

Kuba: The artwork was created by a young, yet very promising Polish artist – Dorota Bujak. She asked us for demo versions of the songs along with lyrics and somehow translated the vibe of the music into visual art. For me, the artwork is very oneiric, far from cliches so often found on metal albums and that is exactly what we wanted to achieve.

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?

Mariusz: The small tour in Czech Republic in 2019 was a blast. Cool cities, very good response from the audience and everybody we worked with there was a professional… which isn’t something you can always say about the music industry.

Kamila: Yes, the Czech tour and also  Łódź DeathFest for me. The audience got crazy and they didn’t want us to leave. They called us the best band of the event afterwards. That was probably the first bigger concert we had in the early days. I also recall the concert with Madmans Esprit organised by our friend, Antoine – I think he is a great tour manager and I hope to play more with him in the future.

Kuba: Damn, hard to choose, but I’ll probably stick with the Czech mini-tour. As for the stage performance, I don’t think it’s for us to judge, but I’d say we’re giving it everything we’ve got every time we’re on stage.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

Mariusz: Yes, we’ve just finished a small, preliminary promo tour and we will continue this fall.

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

Mariusz: This won’t hurt of course, but we aren’t pressing ourselves to get signed. We’ve already rejected some rather uninteresting offers. In current times a label isn’t a must-have.

Kamila: It would be great to have a good label and a satisfying contract. But the thing is – “good” and “satisfying” are the clue words for that.

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

Mariusz: Judging by comments on the internet, the reaction has been mostly positive. People tend to mention that the album “sounds like symphonic black metal that they’re used to, but there’s something cool and refreshing about that”. Expectedly, the vocal performance gets a lot of praise.

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

Mariusz: It’s not a surprise that we want to decouple ourselves from the black metal cliches. I could definitely see us incorporating more gothic, cold wave and classic heavy metal elements.

Kamila: Less black metal, more experimental sounds and motifs. Gothic and coldwave is the way to go for me. Of course, staying with the brutality and heavy sound. I think the LP shows the right direction in some aspects.

Kuba: Genre-wise Kamila and Mariusz have already hinted in which direction we may evolve. I would also like our future songs to be even catchier, containing hooks that will stay in your head from the very first listen. 

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

Mariusz: I’m very much into dark folk and coldwave stuff. Think King Dude, Drab Majesty, VR Sex.

Kamila: Similar to Mariusz, I love coldwave and darkwave music, especially the one mixed with electronic sounds and synths – Boy Harsher, London After Midnight, Drab Majesty (as mentioned before). Also lighter classics like Lebanon Hanover or even The Cure. I am somehow into jazz sounds – from the funeral and doom jazz like Kilimanjaro DE, to free jazz jams and experimental concerts by various, smaller artists. 

Kuba: Well, apart from extreme metal and gothic stuff, I’m very much into the 80s  - both hair metal acts such as Motley Crue or Skid Row, and classic heavy metal like early Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Running Wild, Grave Digger etc. I also really dig the Scandinavian “glam revival” thing, including relatively new bands such as Crashdiet, Reckless Love, Gemini Five and so on. Oh, and let’s not forget about various soundtracks to both movies and video games.

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

Kamila: Don’t forget to follow us on social media to get the latest news from the band!

Mariusz: Thanks for the questions and your support!

Kuba: Thanks for the support, keep up the good work!

Facebook | Bandcamp | Youtube | Spotify

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​
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​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