Amarok/Resilience/Vendetta Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Amarok  are  a  band  from  Chico,  California  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Resilience"  which  will  be  released  on  June  28th  by  Vendetta Records.

  Nature  orientated  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  distorted  drones  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  sludge  metal  direction.  Elements  of  funeral  doom  metal  can  also b e  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while t he  vocals  bring  in a   mixture  of  black  emtal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  most  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  melancholic  style.

  Clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats,  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  primal  forces  of  nature.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Amarok  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Charred"  and  "Penance".  8  out  of  10.

  https://linktr.ee/amarokdoom

https://amarokdoom.bigcartel.com

https://amarok.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/amarokdoom

https://www.facebook.com/amarokdoom

Wolfheart/Draconian Darkness/Raging Phoenix Music/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Finland's  Wolfheart  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Draconian  Darkness"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Raging  Phoenix  Music.

    A  very  epic  and  symphonic  sound  starts  off  the  album  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  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  and  elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  clear  vocals  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with t he  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.

  When  tremolo  picking  is  added  into  the  faster  riffing  they  add  more  of  a  black  metal  style  to  the  recording.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  wonders  and  pearls  of  the  untamed  northern  wilderness.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Wolfheart  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ancient  Cold"  "Death  Leads  The  Way"  "Grave"  and  "The  Gale".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/wolfheart/299415200

https://www.facebook.com/WolfheartRealm/

https://www.instagram.com/wolfheartofficial/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/11EAP8MX0cfrW9lzkK424H

https://www.youtube.com/user/BSaeon  

  

Piah Mater/Under The Shadow Of A Foreign Sun/Code666 Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Piah  Mater  are  a  duo  Form  Brazil  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  melodic  and  progressive  form  of  blackened  death  metal  with  elements  of  jazz  fusion  and  Brazilian  folk  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Under  The  Shadow  Of  A  Foreign  Sun"  which  will b e  released  in  July  by  Code666  Records.

  Synths  and  clean  playing  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clear  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  heavier  riffing  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Harsh  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  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  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  elements  of  jazz  and  folk  music.

  Saxophones  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  as  well  as  one  track  also  being  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  feelings  of  inadequacy  towards  one's  own  homeland,  and  the  inevitable  ambition to  escape  that  place.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Piah  Mater  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  progressive  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "As  Islands  Sink"  and  "Terra  Dois".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/piah-mater/986924399

https://piahmater.bandcamp.com/album/under-the-shadow-of-a-foreign-sun

https://www.facebook.com/piahmater

https://www.instagram.com/piahmater/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3vPXZZ7no2PKvWOVUUn3xL?si=775f22fe1d46472d&nd=1&dlsi=3244cd797a074a5c  

Pthumulha/Tungumal svarthola/Kvlt und Kaos Productions/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Phthumulha  are  a  band  from  Iceland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Tungumal  svarthola"  which  was  released  by  Kvlt  und  Kaos  Productions.

  Drum  beats  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  drones  and  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  leads.  Elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  guttural  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  songs  when  the  music  speeds  up  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  ambient  orientated  instrumentals  which  also  add  in  small  amount  of  synths

  Phthunulha  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  drone  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Icelandic  and  cover  dark  poetry,  existential  dread,  cosmic  insignificance  and  the  beauty  found  within  the  embrace  of  oblivion.  

  In  my  opinion  Phthumulha  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  metal  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Multhulu"  and  "Phthumulha".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.instagram.com/pthumulhu/

https://kvltundkaosproductions.bandcamp.com/album/tungum-l-svarthola

https://youtu.be/vJbJh1xrSCU  

        

Maudissez/Self Tiyled/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2024 Album Review

 

  Maudissez  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2023  album  which  will  be  re-issued  in  July,  2024  by  Sentient  Ruin  laboratories.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  lo-fi  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  emtal  growls  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also adding  in  elements  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal.

  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Drone  orientated  atmospheres,  harsh  noises  and  power  electronics  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  added  into  the  background  briefly  and  most  of  the  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction,  synths  are  also  added  towards  the  end.

  Maudissez  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  elements  of  drone  and  noise  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover  Anti  Catholicism  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Maudissez  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  funeral  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fracture  par  fracture"  and "Meurtrissure  par meurtrissure".  8  out  of  10.

  BANDCAMP RELEASE

Against I 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 ep?

Of course I can! We've been going on non stop on finishing up the new album dropping later this year. Now we are just taking

a breather before going back at music again. No rest for the wicked!

2.In May you had released a new ep, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Oh its like night and day, ok maybe not but it sure is different. The old stuff focused more on electronic music with metal elements.

But we decided that it wasn't what we wanted to do, so we just changed focus and style.

3.All of the band members are also involved with other bands, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Against I' that you have not been able to do with your other groups?

Yes, we all come from different bands and different styles of music and decided that it would be fun to take all those elements and fuse them into one band more or less. But as said before , we had one style in mind first but decided to change into something else entirely.

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?

The lyrics went from self hate, cynicism to more about war,death and similar themes. There's a lot of darkness in them you could say. Well , we work a bit differently to maybe other bands. Usually I (Freddie) make the base of the tracks with drums,electronic parts etc, then  I send it off to Mathias and he records bass and guitar and then he sends it back to me and I send it to Anders for drums. It might sound a bit complicated maybe? But it works so well and its so smooth.

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

Against I is basically how I (Freddie) feel , it's me against myself. Thats why the early lyrics were written about a lot of my self hate. Depression is a pain and it feels like my brain works against me from time to time.

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

The artwork depicts what the EP is about , which is war. I think its perfectly shows off just that . A nuclear bomb going out in the center of a city. In this case a future city , but none the less. It feels more real than ever.

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

Haha well sadly we have only played one show so far. Out main focus has been music. But we are trying to change that now.

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

As of right now we have nothing sadly, but we are working on it . So hopefully in a near future

9.The new ep was released on 'Twisted Flesh Recordings', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

To be real honest with you, Twisted Flesh Recordings is my own label which I release all my own stuff on.

Sometimes its just easier to have a label in your back when release stuff , you know? But we actually have a label for

releasing our physical CDs which is called Advoxya Records. It's a Hungarian label I've(Freddie) worked with for years.

Dima who runs it is super supporitive and lets us do as we please.

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

It's been very positive I think, at least from the people and zines who have said anything.

Our plays have "exploded" compared to what they were before. Maybe people can actually tell we enjoy what we do?

11.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?

I don't think that any of the other projects are super active tbh. Mathias plays bas for Reek from time to time and Anders plays drums in a nu metal band called Porq. Otherwise I think we've all been too busy with Against I.

12.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Oh sooner than you think! Later this year for sure! Where we are going is hard to tell, we will see. I think there might be a little less synthesizers in the new stuff or at least a different sound on them.

'

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

We are very diverse, but right now we are listening to the new Pain, Rotting Christ and Nekrodawn

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

Thank you for having us and hope you're looking forward to the new album!

https://www.instagram.com/againstiband/

https://www.facebook.com/againstIband/

https://www.youtube.com/@againsti9074

https://open.spotify.com/album/0NE9zhlJOqFPrnHPa41XeG

https://music.apple.com/us/album/destruction-lullaby/1743286698

Blóð/Mara/Talheim Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

   Blóð  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Mara"  which  will  be  released  on  June  21st  by  Talheim  Records.

  Female  vocals  and  percussion  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  all  of  the  drum  beats  also  being  programmed  and  black  metal s creams  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  a  couple  of  tracks.  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  synths,  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

   Blóð  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Sorcery,  Magick,  Darkness,  Misery,  Life,  Death,  Nightmares  and  Gateways  through  the  worlds  of  time,  flesh  and  spirits.

  In  my  opinion   Blóð  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Malignant"  "The  White  Death"  "Covenant"  and  "Mother  OF  All".  8  out  of  10.

  AT: https://tal.hm/store-at-blod

DE: https://tal.hm/store-de-blod