Friday, August 19, 2022

Manic Abraxas/Foreign Winds/2022 Full Length Review

 


  Manic  Abraxis  are  a  band  from  Maine  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  stoner,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Foreign  Winds"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

 

 A  very  hard  and  heavy  stoner  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Synths  can  also be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  vocals  also b ringing  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  mixing  in  elements  of  thrash  metal  and  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  is  also  added in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.


  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  while  growls  are  also  added  in  some  of  the  vocals.  Touches  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  briefly  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  psychedelic  moments.


  Clear  vocals  are  also  added  on  one  the  tracks  along  with  some  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  album  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording,  some  of t he  riffing  adds  in  touches  of  classic  metal  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Manic  Abraxis  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom,  stoner,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Red  Camo  Rock"  "Foreign  Winds"  and  "Black  Destrier".  8  out  of  10.


  https://manicabraxas.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/manic69abraxas

https://www.facebook.com/manicabraxas  .  


  

Thursday, August 18, 2022

Rosa Nocturna/Angels And Beasts/2022 CD Review

 


  Rosa  Nocturna  are  a  band  from  Czechia  that  plays  a  symphonic  form  of  folk  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Angles  And  Beasts".


  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Female  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.


  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  black  metal  screams  and death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  Elements  of  gothic  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  long  with  one  track  also  introducing  folk  instruments  onto  the  album.


  one  song  also  introduces  clear  male  vocals  into  the  music  as  well  as  some  acoustic  guitars  also  being  utilized  briefly  along  with one  song  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats,    a  later  track  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  age-old  struggle  between  good  and  evil.  


  In  my  opinion  Rosa  Nocturna  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  mixture  of  folk  and  gothic  metal  an d if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pharmacist"  "Fear"  and  "Letters  To  The  Front".


  Website: https://www.rosanocturna.cz/en/index.html

Bandcamp: https://rosanocturna.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RosaNocturnaBand/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh018nFMYdbh2gXhjUeU8bw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6iV0BAMaGidShAlpWp7GNR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosanocturnaband/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/rosa-nocturna

Bandzone https://bandzone.cz/rosanocturna 

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Defacing God/The Resurrection Of Lilith/Napalm Records/2022 Full length Review

 


  Defacing  God  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "The  Resurrection  Of  Lilith"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Napalm  Records. 


  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in a  brief  use  of  chants  before  going  into  a heavier  direction.  Symphonic  elements  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  melodies  are  also  added  into a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing. 


  Vocals a re  a mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  faster  riffing  also  adding  in a   good  amount  of  tremolo  picking,  one  song  also introduces  choirs  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing.


  Defacing  God  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  symphonic  black  and  mixes  it  with  melodic  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover  Occultism,  Witchcraft  and  the  female  demon  Lilith.


  In  my  opinion  Defacing  God  are  a  very  great  sounding  symphonic  and  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  "The  Invocation  Part  I  Lilith"  "Rise  of  The  Trinity"  "Death  Followed  Like  A  Plague"  and  "Into  the  Mist  Of  Memories".  8  out  of  10.


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https://youtu.be/8qJFWXVvR44  

Monday, August 15, 2022

Nothing Is Real/The End Is Near/2022 Full Length Review

 


  Nothing  Is  Real  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  ":The  End  Is  Near"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween.


  Distorted  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  while  spoken  word  samples  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal.


  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  progressive  moments  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  more  of  a  stoner  vibe.


  Psychedelic  touches  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  drones  also  returning  on  a  couple  of  the  later  tracks  as  well  as  one  song  also  showing  the  music  also  adding  in  more  mid  tempo  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  covers  the  end  of  the  world  themes.


  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nothing  Is  Real  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  black,  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "THE  (Pt.  1)"  "END"  and  "NEAR  (pt.  2)".  8  out  of  10.


  

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr1AK2TAlqY&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=promo_invitation_nothing_is_real_the_end_is_near&utm_term=2022-08-15

 

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

Brymir/Voice In The Sky/Napalm Records/2022 Full length Review

 


  Brymir  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  folk,  pagan  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Voice  In  The  Sky"  which  will b e  released  on  August  2gth  by  Napalm  Records.


  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  and  bring  in  elements  of  folk  music  which  also  return  on  later  songs.  Symphonic  sounds  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times.


  Clear  pagan  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly,  black  emtal  style  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  track.


  Brymir  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  folk,  pagan  and  melodic  death  emtal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while t he  lyrics  cover   Norse  mythology,  freedom,  society,  nature  and  humanity  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Brymir  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  symphonic  mixture  of  folk,  pagan  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Voices  In  The  Sky"  "Herald  of  Aegir"  "Far  From  Home"  and  "Diabolis  Interium".  8  out  of  10.


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https://youtu.be/cJCL6LINqs8     

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

ZeTA/Binary Enigma/2022 Full length Review

 


  ZeTA  are  a  band  from  the  United  States  that  plays  an  experimental  and  melodic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2022  album  "Binary  Enigma"  which  will  be  released  in  September.


  A  very  dark  sounding  and  sci-fi  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  faster  and  heavier  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  also  has  its  experimental  moments.


  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark y et  melodic  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.


  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  as  well  as a  couple  of  songs also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  synths,  the  music  also  takes  the  melody  of  the  Swedish  bands  and  mixes  it  with  the  brutality  of  the  American  style  and  the  album  closes  with  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  documented  UFO  encounters,  aliens,  space  and  distant  civilizations.


  In  my  opinion  ZeTA  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  and  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  "Suspended  Colossus"  "Cosmic  Embrace"  and  "Weight  Of  Disclosure".  8  out  of  10.


  


https://ufometal.bandcamp.com/album/binary-enigma

https://youtu.be/JwH67uendlE


      


          

Monday, August 8, 2022

Diadalos Interview

 


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



I was drummer in various punk and metal bands before and I loved it. 


But as a drummer I wasn`t too involved in the process of writing the songs so I often had the feeling I was missing something. 


When the Coronavirus made playing with my former Trash-Metal Band Revolt no longer possible, I searched for another way to experience music. 


I immediately felt that writing and composing music refill my energy. 


As a full-time worker and a dad of a four-year-old, I could get totally lost in the music and story and followed Sir Franklin on his journey with these heroes of their time. 


So I started to take my time for this project and realized my ideas.



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



Honestly, in the beginning, I just wanted to use the piano to portray the particular atmosphere of the song and theme, and then play drums along with it.


But little by little I realized that with an orchestra you can portray a much more complex and intense, detailed scene. And so I then developed a separate orchestration for each song, to match the part of the story it tells.


So each piece is written alone on the piano, then I "completed" the songs by that orchestration.


Musical style? Hard to say, I'm just impressed and certainly influenced by a lot of artists of different genres. By genre, Daidalos is certainly at home in Symphonic Dark Metal. But I prefer to say, "I make atmospheric music".




3.The lyrics on the recording are a concept album can you tell us a little bit more about the story you covered with this release?



The sea and seafaring are a popular topic within my family. In former times there was no other way to discover more of the world, but to sail with the ship. 


These amazing men went for a real adventure, mostly some years away from the family, without knowing whether they would come back for fame or die. 


150 years ago, nobody was sure what the north pole could look like. Some scientists believed after a ring of ice would be a climate like in Hawaii. So they really weren´t prepared too well. 


The journey of Sir Franklin is one of the best known, I guess. He was a hero of his time and really popular. On an earlier expedition near Canada he came in big trouble and survived, to the legends, by eating his shoes. 


His goal was to find the north-west-passage. Through this passage, the way from Asia to Europa is so much shorter. So it was really important to find this way for the economy. 


Sir Franklin sailed with two ships: HMS Erebus and the sister ship HMS Terror (both cool names though) with a total of 129 men. From today's perspective a by far too large expedition. 


Officially, the abandoned ships sank and nobody survived. The End.


But... what happened to these men? How does it feel, knowing there could be only glory or death? What does it feel like, being trapped in the ice for a month, day and night in eternal white?


Imagine sitting below deck in the belly of the ship with your comrades, freezing and starving, far away from your family.


Was there real hope or did they all know it´s just a matter of time until everyone left is a frozen statue in the wind? 


These were the thoughts that I couldn`t get out of my head and the only way to express them was in my music. 


The man, who really discovered the North West Passage, was Roald Amundsen btw. The guy, who also was first at the south pole after an unbelievable race with Robert Falcon Scott, who unfortunately lost his life on the way.



4.One of the songs is also based on a Robert Frost poem, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his writings?



To be honest, I wasn`t that familiar with Robert Frost before writing this album.


I had this idea of the last living sailor carving his last words into the frozen snow just before he freezes to death. 


The song should have a continuous narrative style, without the typical verse-bridge-chorus sequences. 


I wanted it to be his story, which then ends abruptly. Then I realized that this is how it's done in many poems, and I set about researching.


In the process, I came across Robert Frost and his extremely expressive pieces. "Once by the Pacific" was just a perfect fit for my album in that regard. 


Then, while reading other poems of his, I realized that he was basically doing the same thing I was trying: He canalized his feelings and thoughts and expressed them through his art. 


I immediately felt the connection so I wanted to honor him by merging our arts together.



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



My first thought when I was searching for a name, was something like “sectio aurea”. The golden section stands for the perfect balance.


The golden section is proved since the time of Greek antiquity. I went on researching and came along Daidalos, the father of Ikarus.


Daidalos is a figure in Greek mythology. He was a brilliant inventor, technician, builder and artist. 


His arts were widely known, and the figures he designed are said to have been lifelike. 


And that's what I wanted to create: Lifelike music, where the atmosphere is that strong, that you are not just listening to some men on an expedition, but that you are one of the men on the expedition. 


I wanted the audience to experience the loneliness, the ice, the wind … and the death. 


Another facette of being an inventor, although he is brilliant like Daidalos, is to fail. Just remember Daidalos' son Ikarus, which flew too close to the sun so that the wax in his wings melted and he fell into the sea.


So the name set a big goal, which is worth emulating, without expecting perfection.


And that's what I strive for with my music: it doesn't have to be perfect, but it should trigger something in the listeners and create a feeling in them.



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



While searching for a suitable artwork I came across Pradika Lahitama Reffananda from Indonesia. I was impressed that he paints many of his works in oil/acrylic and thus creates true works of art.


I wrote him my vision and the theme and he immediately jumped on it.


Together we did a quick brainstorming session on how to bring the different main elements of the story into a single, meaningful painting.


Then I sent him my songs in demo version.


That was it.


He then got back to me after a while, wrote "that's it!" and presented me with this brilliant painting in blue-green-black-white. 


The ship, surrounded by huge waves, which pass into icy mountains, the spray twists with the icewind, above the starry night and below the infinite blackness of the sea. 


In addition, the narrator, who looks melancholy in his story - I had goosebumps immediately!


I just wanted him to sign it so that my cover is the image of his work.



7.With this project you work mostly solo but have played in bands with full line ups in the past, how would you compare the two?



It's difficult to compare, it's just different.


In a band, everyone has their own tasks. Everyone can compensate for each other's weaknesses with their own strengths combined. Often there is a leader, so there is always the danger that quieter voices are overheard. 


Fortunately, that's never really been the case with my bands. The cooperation has always worked well.


On the other hand, the result of a band's music is always a compromise. The majority prevails. And that's only reasonable, because what pleases the majority of the band will hopefully also please the majority of the audience. 


As a solo artist, you just have to follow your own heart. You are completely free in every single decision. The flip side is that you're also responsible for every single decision. In either way.


For me, it's just important to make music. To be able to express myself in the language of notes. At this stage of my life, I enjoy working as a solo artist. 


But that doesn't mean that Daidalos can't grow into a band over time. 


Just as the inventor Daidalos tinkers with his inventions, I tinker with the band. Because stagnation is the death of art. 


There have already been first talks in this direction. But I can not reveal more at this time.



8.On the new album you also have a few guests, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording?



There are some people without whom I would never have finished my album. 


From a musical point of view, Martin Simon is clearly one of them.


He is a very close friend of mine and I was allowed to be his best man. Martin is the singer and bassist of Kambrium and has a lot of experience in music business. 


He was the first to hear my first steps with Daidalos back then. 


He was immediately on the journey and invited me to his studio. There he showed me the essential steps needed for my do-it-yourself project. 


It was mainly about the recording of vocals and instruments and the software for it. He also taught me a bit of his vocal technique, because he has been a live frontman on stage for many years.


In the end, he said, "If you need a bass player, I'm in!"


And so it was.



Part two was then Fabio Rossi.


By the way, we met once in an internet forum. 


I immediately felt that he has this absolutely emotional inclination towards music and essentially loves black metal. His guitar work was extremely good and so I asked him if he would like to record my album.


He immediately agreed.


We had a great process, very creative and he got involved a lot, designing additional solos and rhythms. He told me that on every one of his weekends he stood up at 6 in the morning to work on my songs the whole day... 


In some songs he really went above and beyond, I'm absolutely thrilled with his influence on my songs.


He brings the necessary bit of blackness and rawness to it.



Then followed Noga Rotem.


I was looking for a suitable female voice for Icewind that sounds both vulnerable and strong and secure. A difficult mixture.


I found Noga through her website. 


Since she is a composer herself and has already worked with greats like Hans Zimmer, I was unsure whether she would be interested in my project.


I sent her my song and asked her to emotionally engage with the atmosphere and lyrics and then just sing freely to it.


She said, "I've never done anything like this before, but... let's give it a try!"


The result is sensationally good and far exceeded my expectations. Noga has not only sung a voice, but also interpreted me still a kind of choir, absolutely brilliant!


She felt the atmosphere and the text perfectly.



Last but not least, Francesco Petrelli.


When we talked about mixing my album, he offered me to do some additional guitar tracks on the songs, because he liked my music and would like to be part of it.


So I decided to do it at his studio and he really did a very good job! His playstyle is very tight and straight, he brought some technical work into my songs.


He also did a great and very professional mix. I´ve sent him tons and tons of tracks, one for each instrument of the orchestra plus everything else and he had to find a way, when and how to push out the main instrument of the orchestra, without overwriting the rest.


I bet, he was sweating sometimes, when I came up with additional ideas during the mixing process...


But in the end, he let "The Expedition" shine like it is.


Francesco is doing a lot of live mixing, too. Maybe I will go back on him one day...



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



I don't know how to answer this question without seeming overbearing. 


But I will answer it with a big smile on my face, because the feedback has been amazing this far and I am always happy to think about the nice messages that reach me every day.


I am totally overwhelmed by the positive critique that has reached me so far. I already have listeners all over the world and I appreciate every single one. 


As I said earlier: As a Solo Artist, you have the responsibility for both the bad and the good decisions. And it seems so far that I made more good than bad decisions for this expedition. 




10.Where do you see yourself heading into as  a musician during the future?



I am already working on the next album. I won’t spoil you, but I can tell it will also be an adventure and a journey. The atmosphere is different, but not less strong. 


I want to develop Daidalos steadily on all levels and I am curious myself where this expedition will lead me.



11.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?



To name a few metal bands, it is for example Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dimmu Borgir, early Wintersun and many more. I listen to a lot of different genres, which I always did.


Nowadays I am still mostly into Symphonic Dark/Black/Death as well as some calm piano music for example.


It always depends on my mood, my personal atmosphere.



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



I am grateful.


For every crew member that has accompanied me on this journey and every new crew member that wants to come on board. 


Just like on an expedition, everyone contributes to keeping the ship on course - from the journalist who gives me the opportunity for an interview like this, to the fan who orders a t-shirt and writes such a nice message that I am speechless.


Thank you.

www.facebook.com/daidalosband