Abigail Williams/In The Absence Of Light/Candlelight Records/2010 CD Review

  Abigail Williams are band originally from Arizona but now relocated to new York that started out playing melodic black/deathcore but have evolved into a symphonic black metal band over the years and this is a review of their 2010 album "In The Absence Of Light" which is being released by Candlelight Records.

Drums range from being slow, mid paced to fast with some brutal blast beats being thrown in at times, while the keyboards sound very symphonic and atmospheric, as for the bass playing it is mixed down low in the mix and seems to follow the riffs that are coming out of the guitars and on some songs they have a very powerful sound of their own.

Rhythm guitars range  from being mid paced to fast symphonic black metal riffs that has some thrash and death metal influences that also contain a good amount of melody, while the lead guitars are very technical and melodic sounding guitar solos.

Vocals are all high pitched black metal screams, while the lyrics cover horror stories, battles and cosmos, as for the production it sounds very professional and heavy with all of the instruments having a good sound to them.

In my opinion this is a great improvement for Abigail Williams and while I have never listened to a full album from them until now I have seen them live once opening for Enslaved and Dark Funeral and they did not sound this powerful and while some people probably wont check out this album because of their old sound i still feel symphonic black metal fans will enjoy this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Final Destiny Of The Gods" "Infernal Divide" and "An Echo Of Our Legends". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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The Breathing Process Interview

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

We're getting ready to go out for a 2 month run with Antagonist, Wretched, and Diskreet that starts august 26th. We're also demoing some new material as we're constantly writing.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?

Symphonic,Atmospheric Death Metal

3. What is the meaning behind the band's name?

To breathe is to live, to fill yourself with the most vital element of survival.

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

Florida and Texas always have awesome crowds, they are probably our favorite places to play. Our stage performance is bloody,intense, ethereal.

5. Do you have any plans to tour Europe in the future?

We always have plans to tour Europe, little things just prevent us from going. Hopefully we'll be over there early this winter

6. How has the support been from Candlelight Records so far?

It's been pretty cool, the know a lot about the business and utilize their resources well.

7. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music?

We've always strive to stay away from the cliche metal topics (some big war, Armageddon, god hating) and try to talk about things on a more poetic and meaningful level. Our current album is about the human psyche in all of it's wonder and despair.

8. How has the reception been to the newer material from symphonic black metal and brutal death metal fans worldwide?

When we wrote the "poppier" songs on this album we were kinda nervous as to how people would take it given that our last album was much heavier. But everyone seems to love Odyssey, which made us very happy that people approached it with an open mind and didn't ridicule us for not being all breakdowns anymore.

9. How would you describe your musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?

I think that we constantly try to reinvent ourselves so that people don't really know what to expect. We just kinda write what comes out and it always seems to be different than the last. The newer stuff we're gonna experiment with some more electronics and some more clean singing which is something we've always wanted to do but have been limited in it until now. We all listen to a lot of different music to draw influence from and for me that kind of changes with each release. So i guess we'll see what comes out next time.

10.Does Occultism, Satanism or Paganism play any role in the music?

We all come from very different religious backgrounds, none of which play a direct role in our music, we do however use religious themes metaphorically to describe different things. Odyssey while being about emotion is also about the environment and nature, which some might label "paganism" but you don't have to be a pagan to love,respect and fear the earth.

11. What are some of your interests outside of music?

We are all pretty avid gamers. Most of us play lots and lots of video games haha.

12. Any final words or thoughts?
Buy our album, come checkout our upcoming tour (dates are @ www.myspace.com/tbp) Bathe in Blood........TBP

The Breathing Process/Odyssey(Un)Dead/Siege Of Amida/Candlelight Records/2010 CD Review

  The Breathing Process are a band from the U.S with members from Connecticut and Massachusetts that mix symphonic black metal with blackened death metal and this is a review of their 2010 album "Odyssey(Un)Dead which was released as a joint effort between Siege Of Amida and Candlelight Records.

Drums range from being slow, mid paced and technical with a lot of fast playing and brutal blast beats being used, while the keyboards are very atmospheric and symphonic with some industrial elements, as for the bass playing it has a dark tone that follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars are a mixture of black metal and death metal riffing with a good mix of slow and fast riffs that contain a lot of melody, while the lead guitars are very technical and melodic guitar solos that utilize a lot of skill.

Vocals are a mixture of high pitched black metal screams and deep death metal growls with some clean singing male and female vocals being thrown in at times, while the lyrics cover exile with a darkened touch, as for the production it is very professional sounding with all of the instruments having a good sound.

In my opinion The Breathing Process are a very good band and while some elements of their music might be to commercial sounding for my ears at times, this is still a talented band, fans of symphonic black metal and blackened death metal should enjoy this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Grimoire" "Vultures" and "Decaying(Form)". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Sarah Jezebel Deva/A Sign Of Sublime/Candellight Records/2010 CD Review

  Sarah Jezebel Deva is a well known singer in the Symphonic Metal genres and this is a review of her solo album "A Sign Of Sublime" which was released by Candlelight Records during the year of 2010.

Drums are mostly mid paced beats with little to no fast playing or blast beats, while the keyboards are very symphonic and atmospheric sounding, as for the bass playing it has a dark tone with riffs that follow the guitars.

Rhythm guitars are mostly mid paced riffs that sound very basic but having influences from mainstream black metal and symphonic/gothic metal, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding guitar solos that have a tragic feel to them.

Vocals are mostly clean singing female vocals that are very operatic with some black metal screams being used on occasion mixed in with some clean singing male opera choirs, while the lyrics cover depression with a very dark edge, as for the production it sounds very professional and you can hear all of the instruments that are present on this album.

In my opinion this is a good album from Sarah Jezebel Deva, at first I thought I probably would not like this album due to the singer's involvement in the corporate metal scene but this is a quality dark sounding album in it's own way and it is well done for what it is. RECOMMENDED TRACKS "A Sign Of Sublime" "The Devil's Opera" and "Daddy's Not Coming Home".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Chaossworn Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?

ANTON: Chaossworn is a melodic death/black metal band from Haparanda, northern Sweden. We've been active since the fall of 2004, under the moniker Cryptic Death. The name was changed to Chaossworn in late 2009. We have just released our first MCD called 'Chalice of Black Flames' through Abyss Records.



ANDREAS: Me and Janne played together in various bands/projects back in the 90s, so in a sense Chaossworn dips its rotten roots further back in the dark past!



JANNE: Yup; we’ve been brooding and slithering in the local underground for the last 15 years, but not until now has our message and force become strong enough to be unleashed upon the larger masses. Years and years of honing our skills in the dark are starting to pay off. Now if only we could get David Hasselhoff interested...



2. How would you describe your musical sound?



ANDREAS: Death metal foundation, black metal ambience, heavy metal catchiness. Black/death metal; people should know what it means these days. Heavy emphasis on lead guitar work and harmonies to act counterpoint to non-melodic vocals. Absolutely no happy riffs.



3. What is the meaning behind the band's name?



JANNE: It should be quite clear. We are sworn to Chaos, as opposed to Law. Chaos represents boundless creativity and infinite possibilities, which the strong-willed may utilize to his or her needs or wants. Law stands for conformity and slavery of the mind; it is for the weak who can not, or will not, stray away from the safe path of herd mentality that slowly but surely grinds and forces everyone into the same mold. And as one of the main principles of the band, if not the only one, is to do what the fuck we want - well, I just think that we've found ourselves the perfect name.



4. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music?



ANDREAS: Depends on the song really, since they deal with various subjects, or aspects of those subjects.. It ain't about no urban themes. No matter what the lyrics are about, they're an integral part of the music, and given as much attention in the writing process as the riffs themselves. Phrasings, meter, all that shit, given utmost attention. We're not dishing out tripe.



5. Have you had the opportunity to do any live shows yet, if so what are some of the best shows that the band has played so far?

ANTON: We have been playing live since the start as Cryptic Death. I would say our best show was at Nordic Rage festival in Boden 2008, w/ The Haunted, Carnal Forge, etc..



ANDREAS: The gig we did back in January this year, in Lulea, was pretty intense. Parts of which can be seen on Youtube. Still, Nordic Rage Fest was definitely the biggest in terms of crowd and exposure.



NIKLAS: The black/death metal scene in northern Sweden is not the greatest, but we played a show in Boden on a metal festival called Nordic Rage, which was for me the greatest show!



6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?




ANDREAS: South America; The water gives you the runs, crowd is batshit insane, nobody speaks English. Pandemonium. I heard Poland is pretty kickass too.



JANNE: I think it’d be cool to tour in Kyrgyzstan, or Mongolia. Man, those guys would be astonished to have us banging and snarling at their local yard/palace/mountaintop/whatever. And probably kill us too. Or die trying.



7. What do you want to accomplish with your music?



ANDREAS: I want the music to become as kult as the shit I listen to myself.



JANNE: To me, creating music is first and foremost a tool for self-expression, without which I could not live. Sowing the seeds of the mind, nourishing them with skill and craftsmanship, watching and hearing them grow and blossom in the dark orchards of the spirit of arts, tasting the bittersweet juices from their ripe flesh...thus inspiring the circle to start anew. It is a beautiful thing, creation, and we hold it in our hands. Hopefully our music can also inspire others, as many have inspired us before, and still do. The cycle is most exquisite, and should be kept spinning.



8. What direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?



ANDREAS: We got our sound down just right. What we will do in the future is to produce even fiercer riffs, better hooks, better lyrics and wrap it up time and time again. The material evolved from the last two demos to the MCD growing increasingly darker and unfriendly, and that'll likely continue. Without ambition there's no point in doing anything, and I got plenty ambition. We're destined to outdo ourselves time and time again. Don't expect any genre leaps a la Dodheimsgard.



9. How has the feedback been to your music so far by melodic black.death metal fans worldwide?




ANDREAS: We wouldn't release it if it wasn't up to snuff. Reviewers agree!

NIKLAS: Mixed. People in Sweden have been more critical than the rest of the world. Dunno why is that.



10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and what are you listening to nowadays?



ANTON: Bloodbath, Desultory and Necrophobic, and of course bands from other genres.





ANDREAS: Been listening to Tiamat “Clouds” a lot lately. I got a few tapes in the car getting regular windings: Bathory "Blood Fire Death", Darkthrone "Under a Funeral Moon", ZZ Top "Eliminator" etc.



NIKLAS: Old school death metal bands like Desultory and Morbid Angel.



JANNE: All music influences me all the time. The atmosphere of Limbonic Art and Emperor; the creativity of Faith No More and Meshuggah; the vibe of Kingston Wall and Änglagård; the harmonizing craft of Bach and Rachmaninoff; the earnestness of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Grand Magus etc etc...I could go on for ages.



11. Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in the music?

ANDREAS: Yes.

JANNE: Yes.



12. What are some of your interests outside of music?

ANDREAS: I'm a history scholar.

NIKLAS: Drinking beer and go to festivals!

JANNE: NHL, literature and whiskey.

ANTON: Sound engineering and sailing.


13. Any final words or thoughts?

ANDREAS: You can't stop rock n roll.

JANNE: Fuck the Law.

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Troll Bends Fir/1516-Order Of The Holy Hop/2010 CD Review

  Troll Bends Fir are a band from St. Petersburg, Russia that plays a style that is known as folk metal and this is a review of their 2010 album "1516-Order Of The Holy Hop".

Drums are mostly slow to mid paced beats with no fast playing or drumming, while the flute has an Irish flavor to it and it brings the folk element to the music, as for the bass playing it is all rhythm bass that follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars are mostly slow to mid paced riffs that are in a folk metal vein with a basic sound and there are no lead guitars or solos present on this album but there are some acoustic guitars being used at times.

Vocals are mostly clean singing that has a folk/pagan feel to it with some aggressive vocals and growls being used at times mixed in with some female vocals, while the lyrics are written in a mixture of Russian and English and are mostly about Slavic and Norse Paganism mixed in with a lot of beer drinking anthems, as for the production it sounds very professional and you can hear all of the instruments that are on this album.

In my  opinion Troll Bends Fir are a very good band and if you are a fan of folk metal you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Beer Cellar" "Pornopolka" and "Nothing To Blame For". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Windfaerer Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
First of all, warm greetings and hails to everyone interested in Windfaerer. Second of all, I don't think most people have heard of us (if they say so, they may be lying). Windfaerer began as a project of ideas I've had for years. Its concept started as I was trying to write songs for a band I was in with friends from high school, called Skies Devoured, we played a mix of melodic death metal and power metal. While writing I was yearning to inject a sort of folkloric edge, but not everyone was on the same page. It was frustrating experiencing the gridlock and writer's block in that band, being that we wanted to do everything, yet we always accomplished nothing! So, I said, "to hell with it!" and began keeping ideas for myself. I composed a few songs and fellow band-mate, JP, was willing to record the drums for me, which led to the demo. Eventually I got in touch with Valèek to perform violin. The stars aligned and Windfaerer finally saw light.


2. How would you describe your musical sound?
The concept of Windfaerer is to create metal music with folkloric edge--the keyword is "metal". Windfaerer, is first and foremost, a metal band. The music is written on guitar, down to the violin's melodies--maybe in the future we will begin to write using the violin, but for now, it's all guitar-determined. I would describe the music as epic, heavy, melodic, heartfelt and angry.


3. What is the meaning behind the band's name?
Windfaerer is a compound word simply meaning to voyage with the wind. I chose this combination of words to beckon a feeling of freedom and capture the vibe of someone lost at sea, guided by the earth's energy, the wind. In a way, I feel like I am lost at sea, I am not clairvoyant, nor am I omniscient, thus I am unaware of what is to come of the future. I can only sail with a goal and purpose in mind, hoping to reach that in the end, but discovering along the way. This is the essence of Windfaerer.

4. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music?
The way I like to describe most of the lyrics is that they deal with common emotions in an ancient setting, likely Hispania (present day Portugal and Spain). A lot of the lyrics are a result of the feelings evoked from the music itself. In terms of Hispania, Windfaerer puts its head around the aura of the Iberian peninsula and its history. Rather than follow the route treaded upon by tons of folk-inspired bands and write about Vikings and drinking (which are cool in their own respect), I wanted to bring forth something dealing with my own ancestry; something I can connect with. I want to write about the history of my ancestors (who don't get a very audible voice in metal), like the Lusitanians, Celtiberians, Visigoths, and of course, conquistadors. One of my favorite figures from the Roman era is Viriathus. He is, to me, a symbol of rebellion. Without rebellion our lives are complacent and stagnant. We must rebel to live--constantly challenging ourselves, our thoughts, in order to advance. I am looking to make that a constant theme.

5. What is it like being a Folk Metal band in America with most of the bands playing this style are usually from Europe and do you hope to create a folk metal movement in this country?
My essential goal is to create music that I, personally, would like to hear. It's great that others enjoy it and I love that, but it's truly a personal experience. If this takes me somewhere, great, if not, I will still be doing it, because I'm impassioned. Being part of a movement would be interesting, but it is not imperative. Unfortunately, movements (or "scenes") tend to cause trends and dull whatever edge the original music had. Scenes also take authenticity away from the music, making you question, are people playing this music because it's in their hearts or just because all the cool kids are doing it? You cannot control such things. Everything happens for a reason, and even scenes push music forward, making way for the next one. All in all, it would be cool to leave a mark.


6. Have you had any opportunities to do live shows yet, if so what are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
We haven't had a chance to play live yet. The idea to play live came to me recently, so I'm still working on mobilizing that aspect of the band.

7. How has your music been received so far by folk metal and melodic black.death fans worldwide?
Regarding the reception of the two-song 'Glorybound' demo (which can be downloaded for free at www.purevolume.com/windfaerer), it has been overwhelmingly positive. The only complaint I have been hearing is that the demo was "too short". Hopefully, they'd still be wanting more after the full-length, 'Tribus' gets released.

8. How would you describe your musical progress over the years and what direction do you see the music heading into on future releases?
Throughout the years, I have been learning to keep focused and have a mental agenda of what I want to do. Considering that I have a lot of musical influences I have to filter through a lot of ideas before I create something for Windfaerer--fortunately, sometimes it's on the spot! There are points where I want to create a band for every genre (black metal, grindcore, brutal death, goregrind, power metal, hardcore, doom, etc); there's just so much metal! As far as I can see, I plan to continue Windfaerer with a straight-to-the-throat attack with the music. I am trying to keep this as cheese-free as possible. Some future songs (that have not been recorded professionally yet) will have a darker, more brutal sound, while others will keep the melodic melee. The challenge is retaining a flow. I plan on doing a short concept album, or a few songs, dedicated to the age of discovery and Iberian conquest of the Americas--hopefully sooner than later.

9. Do any of the band members have any side projects besides this band if so who are they and what kind of music do they play?
JP and I both play in Grimus (from New Jersey, not Romania), which play death metal. JP also just started playing with The Breathing Process, which have a groovy melodic death/black style. Violinist, Valèek is pursuing violin studies at his university and also utilizes his talents in raw heathen black metal band Mjollnir (New Jersey).

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and what are you listening to nowadays?
Windfaerer's sound is influenced by a lot of melodic death metal, black metal, power metal, and various folk music. In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Mithotyn, Catamenia, Vintersorg, Dalriada, Moonsorrow, Windir, Forefather, Agalloch, Wintersun, are amongst the direct influences. Finally, one of my favorite bands in the folk metal subgenre and a great subconscious influence, Mägo de Oz. I also really enjoy Morbid Angel. But, I like a wide spectrum of music, from rumba to dream pop. Nowadays, my ears have been digging Alcest, Amesoeurs, Year of No Light, Cypher Seer, Katatonia, Beyond the Flesh, Sotajumala, Burzum, and a bunch of other stuff.

11. Does Paganism play any role in the music?
Paganism interests me, but not to the extent where it would greatly influence the music. When writing lyrics I try to avoid anything that implies the absoluteness of monotheism or polytheism. In the philosophy of the music there is an enigmatic force or spirit that oversees the happenings on earth. You may call this spirit Providence, Gaia, God, or whatever. I just try to keep in mind that a lot of these peoples' lives were governed by religion, be it a god or serpents, and it was a major factor. Paganism plays a role, as long as it is appropriate to the story being told.


12. What are some of your interests outside of music?
I love traveling, be it Maine, Mexico, Paris or Portugal. I think every place in the world has its own vibe and a story to tell. The thought that you can be miles away from you home on another point of the earth is exhilarating to me. I suppose it's my inner-conquistador trying to explore/conquer! I also enjoy the histories of these places. I'm young and I plan to travel much more--there is so much to see. Besides that, I have a weak spot for animals and I studied graphic design in New York.


13. Any final words or thoughts?
I would like to send my regards to everyone who supports me and Windfaerer. I would also like to thank you for the great questions, it has been a pleasure answering them.

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Chaossworn/Chalice Of Black Flames/Abyss Records/2010 CD Review

  Chaossworn are a band from Sweden that mixes melodic mixture of black and death metal and this is a review of their 2010 E.P "Chalice Of Black Flames" which was released by Abyss Records.

Drums are mostly mid paced to fast with some slow drumming, while the bass playing follows the guitars with a lot of melodic riffing.

Rhythm guitars have a good mixture of slow, mid paced to fast riffs that blend black and death metal together with a lot of melody, while the lead guitars are very heavy and melodic guitar solos.

Vocals are a mixture of high pitched black metal screams and death metal growls, while the lyrics cover death, darkness and destruction, as for the production which was recorded at Unisound Studios in Sweden and produced by Dan Swano sounds very professional and all of the instruments have a good sound.

In my opinion Chaossworn are a very good melodic melodic black/death metal band that should appeal to all fans of that genre with this 3 song e.p. RECOMMENDED TRACK ON THIS E.P is "Bringer Of Storms". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Windfaerer/Glorybound/2009 EP Review

  Windfaerer are a band from New Jersey that plays a style I would describe as folk metal with melodic black/touch and this is a review of their 2 song demo "Glorybound" which was released in 2009.

Drums are a mixture of mid paced to fast drumming with a lot of blast beats thrown in, while the flute has a Celtic folk music feel to it, as for the bass playing it uses a mixture of mid paced to fast riffs that follow the playing of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars are mostly fast black/death riffing that has a thrash feel with a good amount of melody, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding guitar solos.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black/death screams with some deep growls thrown in on occasion, while the lyrics cover the Iberian rebellion against the Romans, as for the production it sounds very powerful and captures all of the sounds coming out of the instruments.

In my opinion Windfaerer are a very good band and I would like to hear a full length album from this band. If you are a fan of folk influenced melodic black/death metal you need to check this band out.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Great  Fire".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

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Cryptic Howling Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
We're from a town called Rouyn-Noranda in northern Quebec which is Canada's Metal Capital. We've been together for 8 years now and got 2 albums; Vitium Intus, 2006 and Them, 2009. Available through Century Media Distro. We've been active on Canada's metal scene since 2006 and are about to invade the U.S.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?
We are a Blackened Death Metal band. We have a melodic black metal side as well as a technical death metal side. We've always been fan of both styles as long as it is extreme! We've been working with the Man behind Despised Icon and Beneath the Massacre's sound: Yannick St-Amand. He as always been a death metal sound man but he bought that sound to us which gave a life to our music and we think people deserve to have a good productions in their ears.

3. What is the meaning behind the band's name?
The Cryptik Howling is that voice inside all of us, telling you everything is wrong. It is that demon whispering at your ear. It is that part of you which is trying to take over control of yourself. It is our voice...

4. What are some of the best live shows that the band has done so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
There was the Black Metal Mayhem in Montreal in the beginning of 2009. The FME festival in Rouyn-Noranda and we also played at the Trois-Rivières MetalFest IX which is Quebec's biggest metal event.
Here are 2 links to memorable shows:
Vitium Intus album launch in Rouyn-Noranda, june 10th 2006; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHBkXOqr_4I
Trois-Rivières MetalFest IX in Trois-Rivières, november 14th 2009; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY8dmtaHe9k

5. Do you have any touring plans for the future?
Yes, we didn't played a lot of shows for the first part of 2010 due to drummers issues but we will be able to tour Quebec and Ontario this fall. We are constantly looking for shows. We are looking foward to tour Canada and the U.S. in 2011.

6. I noticed that the new album came out from Cyrogenic Records, how has the support been from that label so far and what are some other bands that are on this label?
Cryogenic Records is a friend of us. He is the promoter in Rouyn-Noranda as well as the label owner of the place. His support was of a good help to us. He helped us out to release our 2 first album through his distributors. But now we are on our own and we are looking for a label which could give us a greater support.

7. Do you have any current side projects, if so who are they and what kind of music do they play?
Emmanuel Audet on bass got a band called Black Empire, it is raw extreme black metal, I love it. But it is so damn true that they don't even have a myspace.

8. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music?
We've been using themes of horrors, philosophy, superstitions, occultism, etc.. We are talking about humanity's madness, the very true nature of evil which is inside of each and everyone of us. Humanity have always been claiming the presence of Evil but never understood that IT is this Evil presence.

9. How has the feedback been to your music so far by extreme metal fans worldwide?
The feedback is greater than expected in the beginning. For V.I. we had a good feedback but for Them it is amazing. Unfortunately I don't have all the time I'd like to spend on the promotion of the band. That's why we would need a label to give us some back up.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your sound and what are you listening to nowadays?
We have offenly been compared to Dimmu Borgir which was our first common influence in the beginning but we use to listen to everything extreme from Death to Black Metal. nowadays we are listening to Behemoth, Belphegor, Marduk, Satyricon, Dark Funeral, etc...

11. Does the band have any interest in Occultism, Satanism or any forms of philosophy?
We have a lot of philosophic discussions together but we are not into a specific spiritual journey together

12. How would you describe the extreme metal scene in the part of Canada that you live in?
Rouyn-Noranda is Canada's Metal Capital. It is located far in the Northern Quebec and has 50 000 people but there is between 300 to 500 people sowing up at EVERY metal show !!

13. What are some of your interests outside of music?
We don't have a lot of interest outside music, we live for metal !

14. Any final words or thoughts?
Thanks a lot for this interview. I'd like to invite to our new myspace at
www.myspace.com/cryptikhowling
We hope to see you all in tour soon !
Stay Metal !

Cryptik Howling/Them/Cyrongenic Records/2009 CD Review

  Cryptik Howling are a melodic and  symphonic black metal band from Canada and this is a review of their 2009 album "Them" which was released by Cyrogenic Records.

Drums alternate between slow to mid paced drumming with some fast playing and blast beats being utilized at times, while the keyboards are very symphonic sounding and have a movie soundtrack feel, as for the bass playing it has a dark tone that follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars are mostly mid paced to fast black metal riffing that is very melodic and has a small amount of a death metal edge to them, while the lead guitars are very melodic sounding solos that are heavily influenced by some of the better known symphonic black metal bands.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with some deep death metal growls being used on occasion, while the lyrics touch on philosophy and hatred with a small amount of ritualistic subjects, as for the production it sounds very professional and you can hear all of the instruments that are present on this album.

In my opinion Cryptik Howling are a good band and even though this is not the most original album this band seems to understand the best elements of symphonic black metal and this sounds more like those bands before they sold out, if you are a fan of early symphonic/melodic black metal you should check this band out. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Grievous" "Ritual" "The Dark Figure" and "Ruins". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Shangren Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
Well, we are a Asian folk metal band based in Sydney, Australia. It may sound unusual for a Asian folk metal band to reside in Australia but it doesn't matter, our main goal is to introduce Asian culture,mythology,literature and music with metal and spread it amongst the metal scene.
The band's music/theme is currently focusing on a chinese concept but we have shown a bit of japanese but there plan to be others as well.

2. How would you describe your musical sound?
At the moment it is a mix of black/death/folk metal with Chinese/Japanese melodies and instruments,there is also a mix of brutal,melodic and cheesy riffs/tunes here and there.
I would like to also add that our sound is still very young and is developing.

3. What is the meaning behind the band's name?
The name was taken from a Daoist deity named Hongjun Laozu, however "Pangu" the creator of all in Chinese mythology refer Hongjun Laozu as Xuan Xuan Shangren. So basically it was just a name taken from a deity, however the reason i choose this name was because it sounded asian yet metal.

4. How would you describe the lyrical content for the music?
So far its based on popular chinese myths and fables, such as the Monkey King and The Grand Unity.
Some of the lyrics are just a retelling of a tale or myth while I have written lyrics about the culture itself.

5. Have you had the opportunity to do shows yet, if so what are some of the best shows that you have played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
No, but we have been offered quite a few, one of them was a folk metal festival in Germany.
The reason we have not done any shows is because Shangren hasn't hit the live scene yet, we have not completed our line up.
Once our line up is complete, we will prepare to go live!

6. How have extreme metal fans reacted to your sound so far?
There have been a lot of great responses, especially on our myspace page.
Some are glad that there is finally a band doing Asian folk metal seriously, Alot of the times fans think our music is original,
some fans like to label us as chinese restuarant/pokies metal band which is quite amusing and others just enjoy it.

7. Can you give us some details on the upcoming album?
It plans to be a lot more unique,interesting and folkish then the demo. I don't want to say too much but i believe it will define the chinese folk metal sound.

8. Are there any other side projects besides this band, if so who are they and what kind of music do they play?
Well, besides been the main songwriter for Shangren, i am also trying to compose music for a Symphonic blackened death metal project which i have yet to name or release anything.
Andy (Our guitarist) founded Starforge, a melodic death metal band and that's about it.

9. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and what are you listening to nowadays?
Behemoth, Eluveitie, Finntroll, Ensiferum, Amon Amarth, Chthonic (Who gave me the major idea of doing Asian folk metal), Kalmah,
and many other metal bands. I have also been listening to a lot of traditional chinese music and also some classical as well.

10. According to your page that band is into Daoist philosophy and Sun Tzu's Art Of War how would you describe your approach to Eastern Mysticism?
To be honest, i have not read any of it yet, however they are ideas on what to write about for later releases. i just know very little about it.
So i can't really answer that question at the moment. We are just focused on Chinese/Japanese myths and fables for now.

11. What are some of your interests outside of music?
Well music makes up most of my interest but other then that it would be
Food,Reading,Asian culture,going to live gigs,Surfing the net,exercising,Fishing,Watching Movies,TV Shows & Anime.

12. Any final words or thoughts?
We are about to have our first release which is the demo, it is entitled 'Warriors of Devastation',i hope fans actually buy it haha, other then that
Fear us vikings and trolls! For we dynasty warriors shall rise!
Thanks for the interview!

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Ebony Lake Interview

1. Can you update us with what is going on with the band these days?
Currently we are putting the final touches to the first body of work in over ten years, we have enough material for an album and so are looking for suitable labels, we are working as a duo at the moment with a couple of female vocalists who help out in that department. All the music is currently produced in my own studio which gives us full control over the sound we wish to achieve, though my limited talents as a producer means that the sound is quite raw, something I wanted for the band from day one.

2. How would you describe your musical style?
Thats quite a hard one to answer! Without wanting to sound too pretentious I would use a few words like Claustrophobic, Horrific, Abstract, Surreal, Experimental, Bleak, etc, and also there's an element of what i would call Dark Romance. Orchestral music obviously runs through every aspect of what we do but not in the usual way you would find in other metal bands, all these orchestral elements have a contemporary and experimental view point.
You could say that we are best described as avantgarde and i would agree with that. Most people on first listen simply cannot cope with the amount of activity within the music, i've heard it described as chaos and it may sound like it at first but on repeated listens the different shades and dynamics shine through so repeated listening is a must, like all good music should be.

3. What is the meaning behind the band's name?
I came up with the name probably as far back as 1994, i was looking for something beautiful to descibe something that sounded ugly and absurd and to be honest ive always been a huge fan of Tchaikosky and Swan Lake was a huge influence on the band name.


4. In the 90's you where signed to Cacaphonous Records which had a lot of big name bands for the time that became huge rock stars, what ever happened to that label, and I also noticed you still remain somewhat of an underground band despite having more creative music than most of the bands on that label?
Has far as i know the label went bankrupt and we, along with everyone else with them at the time were released from contract. I think the fact that the band split up in '99 helped us to remain underground but this style of music that we play was never going to get as much commercial attention as some of the other bands as it is just too extreme in its compositional manner for the majority of metal fans.

5. You took a hiatus for a long time, what where you doing during those years and what made you decide to reform the band after all these years?
Well I for one disappeared into obscurity, flirting briefly with film music but generally slowly building my studio to a standard where i no longer needed to rely on other people to make music. I will always refer to those years as being musically lost, just wandering around in limbo, constantly longing to return to the only thing i knew. In my personal life things were perfect but there was always this sad weight on my shoulders. Then one day through the power of the internet I began to communicate with Mass again who had formed the death metal band Nailed, he persuaded me that i should bring Ebonylake back to life and that he was prepared to join me again. And here we are.

6. Currently you are unsigned, what kind of label do you feel that would do the most to support your style of music?
mmm, not sure about that. I have always admired Prophecy Productions so who knows? I know there are plenty labels out there i would consider working with, maybe those that are sympathetic to Avantgarde music would know how best to get us heard by the people we want to hear us.


7. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music?
I find it much easier to describe the music than the lyrics actually. Ive said in the past that it often feels like the music and lyrics are being channeled through me rather than coming from me. I have written down lyrics in the past that just flow off the end of my pen and i have no idea where they come from, probably the darkest parts of my brain.
Many people comment on the lyrics and the guys at cacophonous records were really into them. I think its just images and thoughts ive been building up since childhood. The best advice i could give is to read them, you will find lots of gothic horror but in an abstract style a bit like Edgar Allan Poe im told. Going off on another path here but im convinced i have memories that i brought to this life from another existence, i have always had these memories of existing in a place of Euphoria, i remember landscapes and architecture and a feeling of being a part of everything. But thats another story.



8. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you
describe your stage performance?
The stage performance was always very intense and the thing with playing live is it was either ecstasy or despair. If everything fell into place it was explosive and i have a few shows that i will always remember.

9. Do you have any touring plans for the future?
No not at the moment, im not ruling it out for the future but to be honest we would probably need 4 keyboard players or an orchestra not to mention a chant section because i wouldnt want to water the sound down in anyway.

10. How has your music been received so far by extreme metal fans worldwide?
Well back when our debut album 'On The eve......' was released there was no avantgarde extreme metal scene to speak of really just the odd release here and there. People generally fell into two camps when listening to Ebonylake, those who were left totally confused by what they were hearing and those who had been waiting a long time for something so unusual. I was surprised to find that such a cult following had built in the years after our split. Nowadays the response is overwhelmingly positive as the avantgarde scene has established itself and people seem ready now.

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Sigh/Ghastly Funeral Theatre/Cacophonous Records/1997 CD Review

  Sigh are an avant garde symphonic black metal band from Japan and this is a review of their classic 1997 album "Ghastly Funeral Theatre" which was released by Cacophonous Records.

Drums are mostly mid paced beats throughout the album with no fast playing or brutal blast beats, there is a small amount of saxophone on this album and the orchestra on this recording sounds very symphonic and avant garde with influences from 70's progressive rock, as for the bass playing it follows the riffs that are coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars are a mixture between fast riffing mixed in with a small amount of black metal riffing that contains a lot of melody, while the lead guitars are very melodic and bring in a lot of 70's rock into the guitar solo's.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with some deep growls mixed in with some clean singing male and female vocals, while the lyrics touch on the darker side of Shintoism which is an ancient Japanese religion,

In my opinion Sigh are a very talented band and this was one of their best albums, if you are a fan of symphonic/avant garde black metal chances are that you have already heard this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Doman Seman" and "Shikigami". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Arcturus/Aspera Hiems Symfonia/Century Black/1995 CD Review

  Arcturus are a band from Norway that consists of many Norwegian black metal legends that plays a very symphonic and avant garde form of black metal and this is a review of their 1995 album "Aspera Hiems Symfonia" which was released by Century Black Records.

Drums cover a lot of ground with a mixture of slow to mid paced drumming with some fast playing and brutal blast beats, while the synths have a very symphonic and avant garde feel to them that have some progressive rock influences with a small amount of violin, as for the bass playing it has a very powerful sound that follows the riffs coming out of the guitars.

Rhythm guitars contain a good amount of variety with some slow riffs that are very melodic with some mid paced black metal riffing and some occasional fast parts, while the lead guitars some very professional and melodic sound to them.

Vocals are a mixture of high pitched black metal screams and clean singing opera style of vocals, while the lyrics cover poetic, philosophy and cosmic style themes, as for the production on this recording, which was recorded during the 7th and 8th months of 1995 at Panser Studios sounds very professional and you can hear all of the musical instruments that are present on this album.

In my opinion Arcturus are a great band that recorded great album after one another and if you are a fan of avant garde chances are you already heard this band.RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Wintery Grey" "The Bodkin And The Quietus (..To Reach The Stars)" and "Fall Of Man". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Agathodaimon/Blacken The Angel/Nuclear Blast Records/1998 CD Review

  Agathodaimon are a symphonic/gothic black metal band from Germany and this is a review of their classic 1998 album "Blacken The Angel" which was release by Nuclear Blast Records.

Drums cover alot of ground with some slow to mid paced drumming with alot of fast playing and brutal blast beats, while the keyboards are very atmospheric, symphonic and melodic sounding, as for the bass playing it has a very powerful sound that follows the riffs coming out of the guitars and there are some bass leads at times.

Rhythm guitars mix in some slow doomy melodic riffs mixed in with some fast black metal riffing, while the lead guitars are melodic sounding guitar solos that contain quite a bit of sorrow with some soft acoustic playing being used at times that gives the music a poetic and depressive feel.

Vocals are mostly high pitched black metal screams with a small amount of deep grows and some clean singing female vocals, while the lyrics are written in a mixture of English, German and Romanian that cover themes such as depression in a poetic way, as for the production on this recording which was recorded at Communication Studio through the months of Oct 97 to Feb 98 sounds very professional and you can hear all of the musical instruments that are present on this album.

In my opinion Agathodaimon are a very good band and this was their best album, and while the other albums they recorded after this where good, they never topped this one, if you are a fan of symphonic/gothic/atmospheric black metal you should check this band out.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Banner OF Blasphemy" "Ill Of An Imaginary Guilt" "Near Dark" and "After Dark". RECOMMENDED BUY.

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Catamenia Interview

1. Can you update us with what is going on with the band these days?
Ari: After the release of ‘Cavalcade’ we have done successful tour in Finland with Agathodaimon and now we are taking small break just to reload batteries for the active Fall. Then we’ll hit on the road for few tours in Europe, Russia and hopefully the States and Mexico if everything goes as planned. Also something happened inside the band’s line-up during the Finland tour. Together we decided that Kari plays all the rhythm guitars from now on and I’m focusing only on screaming vocals. This worked really well and we thought that why not to carry on like this way from now on.
Riku: Yeah I agree. Now Ari can completely focus on his screaming vocals during live shows. I do not know why, but for some reason this way everything worked much better than earlier. Also there is a plan to enter the studio this summer to record a compilation album, but we’ll have to wait and see if Massacre Records will give us the permission for that.

2. What is the meaning behind the band's name?

Riku: Shit, I knew this was coming again here. Well, it was after our recording of our debut album ‘Halls of Frozen North’ when one of our first fans ever contacted me and asked that do I know that the name Catamenia has a meaning. I was like no it’s just a name which sounds great. He said that you’re wrong, because it has a meaning - menstruation's. We were completely in shock and asked the label about possibility to change the name, but it was already way too late because the album was already in the pressing. Anyways, then we thought that what the hell, it does not stand or mean anything to us, but just a cool sounding name.
Ari: Heheh, it was when Catamenia’s ex-vocalist and the other former of the band, Mika Tönning, discovered this name, he forgot to check the translation for the word and shit was running down the leg before guys had the chance to react. But anyways it’s a damn great sounding name.

3. How would you describe the sound of the newer material?

Ari: It’s way much more mature than on previous albums. Also we succeeded to catch something much powerful and raw elements into our sound. There are many layers in our music which open bit by bit to you and still give the listener something new after several spins of the album. Also lyrical side supports music the way that it hits you like a wrecking ball and keeps smashing until the very last note of this album.
Riku: I think we have truly found ourselves on this new album. We have never enjoyed playing so much as much as with this new material of ours. I think one of the best biggest reasons for this is that I almost quit the whole band during the recordings of ‘VIII - The Time Unchained’. I just lost my passion for the music and everything. I just felt so numb regarding everything, but gladly guys said that I should give it another push and compose couple of new songs before I make any decisions, and they truly relied on me. Well, I composed ‘Blood Trails’ and damn that I was thrilled about that. I knew the flame of passion was back in the band and the guys were so damn thrilled as well and we knew were back on the right track.

4. How would you describe the lyrical content of the music?

Ari: We put much effort on lyrics this time that it truly supports music itself. The landscape of the lyrics on this album is dark and hopeless, like calm hell after all hope is gone and there is just a fear and pain feeding emotions and our senses. It’s so easy to sing ruling and winning. We look things from aspect of lost and conquered ones. That pushes the audience closer and closer to the edge and then kicks them through the emotional turbulence. Also like on musical layers on this album, lyrics are quite complex, not so easy than they might first appear. You might see the same line in very different light and meaning than on the first time. The beauty of this album is that it opens in many ways and with time. It makes listeners think and letting themselves to go with the music while having a serious thought.

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

Ari: Hmm, there are so many great shows behind our path that it’s hard to mention just a few, but last gig in Moscow was just awesome. The venue was totally crowded and the atmosphere was amazing. Also gig in Metal Camp was great. Our stage performance is very energetic and full attack with force. What more can you say (
Riku: As Ari said, it’s really impossible to mention just a few, but if I’d have to pick up couple of them, they’d be Moscow, Bucharest, Sofia, Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin, etc. and also our last gig which took place in Helsinki. Hehe, as you can see, impossible to pick just a few!

6. Are there any plans to tour the United States?

Ari: There are some plans, but I’m not that well on a map how these plans have developed. I just hope that we finally can come and show what we are made of!
Riku: Hopefully all these plans will finally come true, because we’ve wanted to come to play in the States for quite a long time now and we know we’ve got bunch of fans there. So, fingers crossed all’s going well and as planned, and we can finally hit the States! But we’ll see more about that after the summer.

7. Out off all the bands that you have toured or done shows with, which
one did you enjoy the most and what are some other bands that you would
like to tour with?

Riku: Absolutely Finntroll. Talking about bands that I’d like to tour with are bands like example Children of Bodom, Rotting Christ, Hypocrisy, Poisonblack, etc. Also it would be damn awesome to tour with Finntroll again someday. But we get along with all bands out there, so that’s no problem what so ever.
Ari: FINNTROLL! And FINNTROLL (

8. I have heard some of your older material and it was more black metal
sounding, how has the reception been to your newer music from the older
fans and how are new fans reacting to the material?

Ari: Most of our old fans have taken all our musical changes very well during and past these years. They have lived with us through band’s history and they understand that this has been just normal evolution of the band. Also I think they would be bored to our material if we would go around the same circle over and over again.
Riku: Of course there are fans that do not understand any all of this at all, but what can we do about it. We needed to evolve and this is how our music turned out to be and this how we’re going to continue. On the next album, there’ll be some changes and evolution as there’s been on every album of ours since the very first album.

9. How has the support been from Massacre Records so far and how would
you compare to other labels that you have been on?

Ari: Massacre Records has always supported us greatly and they have believed in us through harder and better times. We have a total trust on them and we feel that this feeling is mutual. We’re like a big happy family there. They have always let us made our own music without interfering it and this is something we feel very important. Actually we cannot compare them to any other label, because we have been on Massacre Records since the debut album. Our A&R once said that Massacre Records without Catamenia would be like a pizza without topping, heheh.

10. Out off all the albums that you have recorded so far which one are
you the most satisfied with?

Ari: Definitely ‘Cavalcade’! This album is the most mature and the whole concept is the best package so far. ‘Location: COLD’ comes right after this on my list.
Riku: I will also definitely pick up ‘Cavalcade’ as my favourite one. It’s the most versatile and powerful album from us. After that it’s really close battle with ChaosBorn and Location:COLD.

11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your
music and what are you listening to nowadays?

Riku: I listen to so wide variety of different music. I like to absorb ideas from different music styles and genres if I just like it. But to mention few main influences in our music, I would say Megadeth, Metallica, Sentenced, Dimmu Borgir, Satyricon, Jimi Hendrix, Sepultura, Samael and many classical composers and songs. I might forget to mention here some of the important bands that have affected me and the band, but as said I absorb ideas from everything I like, so the list would go on and on.
Ari: There are so many bands and artists those have their influence on us. I’m the oldest fart in band and my influences comes from the first metal and hard rock bands to present day bands, like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Dio, Megadeth, Metallica, Skid Row, Dimmu Borgir…You could carry on forever. Also there are artists from different music genres that have their effect. For example many classical music masterpieces and some lighter artists from the past like Mama’s & Papa’s, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Elvis, Chris Rea, Eric Clapton…again I could continue for days this list.

12. Does Paganism or Occultism play any role in the music?

Ari: Not so much. Of course there are some elements included from paganism, occultism and other myths from history. At some point in our discography, there were more lyrics and songs handling these issues, but nowadays we use them way less than before and do more realistic lyrics. I realize that you can do really hard, impacting and effective lyrics just by learning some history, which is my weak spot. See, I’m a history and documentary freak. I can easily watch good documentaries for many days in a row, heheh.

13. What are some of your interests outside of music?

Riku: I love to do graphics and website designs, and hopefully someday I could do that as a daily job besides my music. I just love to work with computers and all. I also love to play ice-hockey and snooker and in summers I love to rollerblade. Of course you can’t forget to have a pint or two once in a while to get you relaxed, heheh.
Ari: I have this small business for video production and I love to do music videos and short movies. Also fishing is close to my heart, but as there’s only 24 hours in day I can barely go once in summer for fishing (three kids, three jobs and music). Oh, and I almost forgot … I bought a tattoo machine from our last tour in Germany and now I’m making tattoos on my spare time. So you could say I’m pretty busy with everything (

14. Any final words or thoughts?

Ari: I hope to see you guys in the States this year! Remember to check our latest album ‘Cavalcade’. CHEERS PERKELE!
Riku: Yeah, and if you are unfamiliar with our band, you can check four new full-length songs on our official myspace site @ HYPERLINK "http://www.myspace.com/catameniaband" www.myspace.com/catameniaband and please feel free to check out also our new video ‘Cavalcade’ as well. Cheers and beers from Finland!