Asenblut/Entfesselt/Massacre Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

   Asenblut  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  viking  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Entfesselt"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Massacre  Records.

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  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melody  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  Swedish  influences.  

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  viking  back  up  shouts.  

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly, tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  a  couple  of  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  orchestral  sounds.  and  clean  playing.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  Vikings,  Paganism  and  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Asenblut  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  black,  death  and  viking  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Das  Ende  der  Gotter"  "Wie  ein  Berserker"  "Hexengericht"  and  "Nox  Nostra  Est".  8  out  of  10.

  https://lnk.to/entfesselt

Wolfhorde/Bloodmoon Symphonies/Inverse Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

    Finland's  Wolfhorde  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  melodic  mixture  of  folk,  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2024  album  "Bloodmoon  Symphonies"   which  will b e  released  in  August.

  A  very  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  sounding  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

 T he  album  also  mixes  in  a  lot  of  folk  metal  elements  along  with  some  acoustic  instruments  can  also  be  heard  at  times,  one  song  is  also  an  instrumental  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  an  inexorable  journey  into  madness.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Wolfhorde  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  black,  death  and  folk  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Forsaken  Shrine"  "Phantom  Queen"  and  "Bloodmoon  Symphony".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.wolfhorde.fi

https://www.facebook.com/WolfhordeBandOfficial 
https://www.instagram.com/wolfhorde 
https://twitter.com/wolfhordeband 
https://wolfhorde.bandcamp.com 

 https://youtu.be/W2lI0q65z-E

https://youtu.be/HYIOgIj1gLA  

       

Lares 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?

Recording our latest album in our studio/rehearsal room was a completely different beast compared to our previous two albums, which were recorded in a professional studio. We had to rearrange the space and experiment extensively to capture the entire song in one take, without a click track. We wanted a cinematic feeling, so we took our time working with Luca Leprotti (David di Donatello winner for best sound in "Volevo Nascondermi" by Giorgio Dritti) for the mixing. Once we had a version we liked, we sent everything to our label, Argonauta Records. While waiting for the album to be pressed and released, we worked on new material and went on a small tour in Germany.

2. Recently you released a new album. Musically, how does it differ from what you have released in the past?

Our first album, “Mask of Discomfort” (2017), was more of a stoner doom album, but it already hinted at elements that became more prominent in our next album, “Towards Nothingness” (2020) – black metal parts, ethereal post-rock guitars, ambient drone, and slow doom sections. With our latest release, we continued on this evolutionary path, adding more elements and focusing on the dynamics of various sections. We recorded it ourselves in our studio to maintain the freedom of not having time limits due to budget constraints. “Et in Arcadia Ego” was born from our first session together after a long pandemic break. We captured the energy of that day, playing the whole 27-minute track repeatedly without a click until it was perfect.

3. This is also your first release in four years. Can you tell us a bit more about what was going on during that time frame?

We had a complicated period after releasing our previous album, which coincided with our first major tour in June 2020. But everyone knows what happened then. Lockdowns and health concerns led to a period of inactivity. Depression set in, and we wrote parts at home. When we finally met again, we played for hours, jamming on what we had. We decided to create a long song representing the long wait, mixed emotions, and static floating of time, along with themes of death, apocalypse, and the dawn of humanity. After recording “Et in Arcadia Ego,” Simone left the band, and Giovanni joined as a second guitarist and synth player. We wanted to be ready as a new force before releasing the album.

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

We explore themes like the contrasts within the city and nature, occultism, paganism, death, depression, oblivion, abandonment, and psychedelics. Our music and lyrics are heavily influenced by the current political situation in Germany and globally.

5. I know the band's name comes from Roman and Etruscan mythology. Can you tell us a bit more about your interest in this topic?

We liked the idea of an Etruscan/Roman faceless god, an entity that can be molded into any desired shape, believed to observe, protect, and influence fate. Some members come from the Etruscan volcanic areas of Italy, and the constant touch with catacombs, unholy temples, and the ghosts of an ancient civilization worshiping nature, their forces, and powers, as well as the inner self, has always fascinated us.

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

Choosing that artwork was spontaneous and connected with the concept of the new album. After one of the first times we played the long song entirely, our ex-synth player Simone instinctively suggested the title “Et in Arcadia Ego” and showed us the painting by Guercino with the same title. We officially asked the National Gallery Museum in Rome for permission to use the image, and to our surprise, maybe a metalhead was working the office desk, they gave us the ok.

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

Recently, we played a small release tour in Germany, which was our most intense experience to date, with the best show in Dresden headlining the last day of the Gockel Scream Festival. Lares has no form or shape, so we like to create a blurry and ethereal atmosphere on stage. Seeing people with eyes closed, completely lost in the sound and shaking – more than us after the concert – is the most important reward we’ve achieved. We are grateful that our experimental “monster” track album touched so many souls deeply.

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

Yes, we are working on a second tour outside of Germany for the end of the year or 2025.

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

We’ve had a lot of responses from the States, South America, and Northern Europe. Since the release of our second album, we’ve noticed a small but dedicated following. We know our music isn’t easy to digest for genre purists. We don’t believe in subgenre categories; it’s cool nowadays that there are no boundaries with music. Somewhere out there, there’s a trve black metal guy secretly listening to Mitski.

10. Where do you see the band heading musically in the future?

We’re in a constant jamming process. An album always represents the past for us. When you hear it, we’ve already moved on to another chapter. Our next goal is to experiment in fields we’ve never been before – maybe with more electronic elements, maybe with shorter, aggressive songs. For now, we might have had enough of concept albums and will surely do something different in the future.

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

Thanks for giving us this space, and thanks for reading. I hope you find new tunes today. Spread the evil. Cheers!

https://www.facebook.com/ laresband
https://www.instagram.com/ laresmetal/

Vulgaris 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?

Jess: Straight back to work! We've been sitting on a whole load of new ideas while finishing the album and we're starting to really flesh those out as a band now that we've released Seat Of The Fire. Otherwise we've been performing as much as we can, with the album launch show and our performance at Signature Brew being standouts.

2.In May you album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Jess: I think we're continuing to improve as musical collaborators with each song or rehearsal and the album speaks to that. I think our last album was a good statement of intent but we had maybe not found a consensus of sounds that feel ‘Vulgaris’ yet, whereas we now know how to pull from each other to blend our influences and styles much more successfully. SOTF has a lot of my favourite groovy riffing but meets these incredibly grand sludgy evil moments that are almost post metal and atmospheric and I think the combination of those parts really work for us in a way that we didn't fully capitalise on before.

Matt: For me, the newer album feels more cohesive in terms of styles and vibes compared with the debut, even when it does move between fast black metal and slower passages. It’s also more intense and extreme to me, and has a lot of moments that are heavier than anything we fit into the debut album.

3.The lyrics on the new album are inspired by Greek Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Jess: Well I personally just find so much inspiration in myths and legends, these classic fables that are endlessly rich for storytelling and of course our lovely vocalist/ guitarist Jon is Greek Cypriot so in the writing process it made a lot of sense to draw from those places. I think it can often feel like the world is burning so the framing of current unrest through the lens of these old gods is something I enjoy.

4.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored over the years with your music?

Matt: On the debut album, we didn’t have a specific concept for the album, so there’s songs covering topics such as climate change, serial killers and also again some mythology. We then released a standalone single in 2021 called Goat Bong, which was a somewhat silly track lyrically about cults.

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

Jon: The name “Vulgaris” comes from two things that were irritating me when I formed the band 2017. The “Era Vulgaris” which was when right wing populism was at an all time high it felt like, and also “Acne Vulgaris”, which has a way more embarrassing reason. So I decided to take the two words in common and turn them into something positive. Plus it’s a great name for a metal band, if nothing else.

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

Jess: I had a really clear image of what I wanted for this after writing Black Gold Baptism. I wanted this almost baptised figure walking from an oil coated sea filled with anger, someone ready to burn it all down. And when Matt found our incredible artist Leoncio Harmr we struck gold, he really got the concept and yeah I'm absolutely thrilled with how it turned out.

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?

Jess: We're a bit spoilt with this question as we've played some of my favourite places in the country and shared the stage with some excellent people. An easy shout out is playing The Forum with Conjurer in Tunbridge Wells, but also the final of the metal to the masses competition where we played at the dome in London which was so much fun being surrounded by the underground London metal community. 

Our performance is something we work very hard on and it's something very deliberate- we aim to build an atmosphere with the samples and lighting before landing our explosive songs and then from there it's just all about making people lose it to the music.

George: As well as the Forum and getting to the M2TM final mentioned by Jess, a recent highlight for me was overwhelming the little crowd at the Black Griffin in Canterbury. Wild Halloween night on and off the stage and things kept heating up with the opening bands - it all boiled over when we started with a big opener and I felt like we tore the place down. I loved it. 

We all play with our own individual visceral intensity that seems to connect with people live when blended together - I’d say that our live performances do our songs justice. I really enjoy the camaraderie we have before, during and after we play. 

Matt: On top of the ones mentioned above, I really enjoyed the album launch show we did in May when we played Seat Of The Fire in full, and also a show we did in Brighton in 2022 supporting a band called Kinzoku, the crowd made that a great show and I really enjoyed the headliner’s set too. Our stage show has definitely evolved in the past couple of years as we’ve begun to integrate samples and play around with different lighting. For me, the important thing is opening with a high-octane song that gets us and the crowd immediately in the zone, and just keeping the momentum going from there on.

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

Jess: Hard at work trying to plan a tour yes but we had the best launch night show with some of our favourite bands last month, we're also playing Kent and Bristol next at the end of the month.

George: I hope we can find a run of shows with some bands in the post/sludge/blackened/doom scene. We’ve made friends with some great bands who we’ll try to tour with when they have new releases.

Jon: I love playing live, so we’ve got some very interesting shows coming up in August which are with punk bands. I’ll play anywhere. August is shaping up to be a busy month for us.

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

Jess: It's pretty insane how many countries have been playing our music l think it's something like 33 different countries now, and yeah that blows me away, radioplay in a country I've never been to myself is very humbling. Feedback has been fantastic. I am very proud of how many people get our blending of styles and are invested in a brutal concept album like SOTF.

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

Jess: Spoilers but we're currently delving a bit more into the sludge/post sounds with some really fun new contortions of those genres. I'm also very aware of how the crowd has been exploding to some of our tunes off of SOTF so I'm writing some nasty ideas in the dissonant techy realm, all will be revealed soon.

Matt: I think we would like to explore as many sounds as we can while broadly keeping the overall energy and vibe consistent with what has come before, whether that be doubling down on blackened aggression, playing around with longer, more progressive writing, or unleashing some foul sludgy filth.

Jon: More disgusting riffs. I love the grooves on Seat of the Fire so I want those to continue. Also just doing what we normally do, which is just fucking around with different metal genres and tying it all together. I don’t want to be stuck doing purely one sound on one album, if that makes sense.

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

Jess: Well George just turned me onto the new Black Tongue album which is pretty outrageous, and I'm loving the new Nails singles, but as I write this Gojira is currently playing also.

George: Apart from giving Jess great slam recs, my favourite scene is grim blackened stuff - a lot of which seem to be French. Bands like Celeste, Mourir, Plebeian Grandstand, Throane, Cross Bringer, Oathbreaker, Dragged into Sunlight etc.

Matt: I’m increasingly into anything that falls into the overlap between sludge, stoner, prog and post-metal, whether it be Elder, Dvne, Mastodon, Horndal, Meridian Sun, or anything else in that general area.

Jon: I love bands that are creatively heavy, so bands like Wayfarer, Blood Incantation, Meth, Deafheaven and Mizmor to name a few. I’m not a fan of bands who are “heavy” just for the sake of it. 

I’m a huge fan of 90s black metal as well as early 00s British Indie. When I’m not listening to metal, I’m listening to that.

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

Jess: Make sure you try to catch us live, that is our favourite thing in the world and I think the songs really speak in that environment. And stay tuned for another video soon - go on and follow us on our socials, we're Vulgaris everywhere.

vulgaris2017.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/VBANDUK
www.instagram.com/vulgaris_band
twitter.com/vulgarisband
www.youtube.com/@vulgaris978
Spotify: SpotifyVulgaris

Axamenta/Spires/2024 EP Review

 

  Axamenta  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  plays  a  very  melodic,  progressive  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  ep  "Spires".

  A  soundtrack  orientated  style  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  stringed  instruments,  keyboards  and  operatic  voices  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  The  only  song  present  on  this  recording  is  over  23  minutes  in  length  and  divided  into  seven  different  chapters  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  the  heavy  riffing.  

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  sounding  while  the  vocals  add  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Clear  singing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  utilized  at  times ,  wind  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly.  Programmed  beats  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  unbearable  guilt  with  a  horror  story  context.

  In  my  opinion  Axamenta  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  progressive  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep. 8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/axamenta/290558194

https://www.facebook.com/AxamentaOfficial/

https://www.instagram.com/axamenta_official_band/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7hmzirBQOFwur3toNlppNP

https://www.tiktok.com/@axamenta_official

https://www.youtube.com/axapeter

Blighted Eye/Agony's Bespoke/Beyond The Top Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

    Blighted  Eye  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very progressive,  melodic  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Agony's  Bespoke"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Beyond  The  Top  Records.

   Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a heavier  direction.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast beats.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  clear  vocals  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album.

  On  this  recording  Blighted  Eye.  expands  on  the  melodic  and  progressive  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  they  introduced  on  their  previous  release  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  depths  of  the  human  psyche.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Blighted  Eye  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  progressive  blackened  death metal,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tragoedia"  "Howls  From  Beyond  The  Mist"  and  "Agony's  Bespoke".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/blighted-eye/1539248696

https://beyondthetoprecords.bandcamp.com/album/agonys-bespoke

https://www.facebook.com/BlightedEye

https://www.instagram.com/blighted.eye/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3r4ChKWf69YfcccoyYKYPU?si=kPezaMHgTcODkEVEBnrZmg&nd=1&dlsi=4b40d6dd6ae94f2b

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

Atavistia/Inane Ducam/2024 EP Review

 

  Atavistia  are  a  band  from Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  album  "Inane  Ducam"  which  will be  released  on  July  19th.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  ep  while  also  introducing  symphonic  elements  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  harsh  vocals  bringing  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  When  the  music  speeds  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  closing  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length

  On  this  recording  Atavistia  brings  out  a  very  modern,  melodic  and  symphonic  style  of  blackened  death  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  beauty  and  solace  within  the  darkest  depths  of  one's  own  mind  and  soul  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Atavistia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  melodic  and  symphonic  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Timeless  Despair"  and  "The  VOid".  8  out  of  10.

  Facebook: facebook.com/OfficialAtavistia

Instagram: instagram.com/Atavistia
Twitter: twitter.com/atavistia
Website: atavistia.com
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/1QoL6PD6QyjdsxvTBacepq
Bandcamp: atavistia.bandcamp.com
Youtube: youtube.com/channel/UCwQWMCiFZL1duPSdbdjGyCg