Friday, March 30, 2018

Fedrespor/Tid/Nordvis/2018 CD Review


  Fedrespor  are  a  solo  project  from  Norway  that  plays  a  very  dark and  experimental  form  of  Nordic  folk  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Tid"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Nordvis.

  Dark  ambient  style  synths  start  off  the  album  and  also  capture  the  atmosphere  of  funeral  doom  metal  while  the  acoustic  guitars  bring  in  elements of  folk  music  while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  some  clean  vocals  also  being  used  at  times  and  they  have  a  pagan  metal  feeling  to  them.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  experimental  while  some  tracks  also  bring  in  nature  sounds  along  with  the  melodic  chanting  giving  the  music  more  of  a  shamanistic  atmosphere  while  some  of  the  acoustic  guitars  also  add  in  a  touch  of  progressive  rock  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  tragic  sounding  keyboards   and  some  tracks  also  add  in  folk  instruments.

  Fedrespor  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  Nordic  folk  and  experimental  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  Norse  Paganism,  Nature  and  Sorrow  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Fedrespor  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  and  experimental  Nordic  folk  music  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS INCLUDE  "Ginnungagap"  "Unknown  Self"  "Takk"  and  "Tid".  8  out  of  10. 

https://www.facebook.com/fedrespor/

    

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Black Mare/Offret/Alone Among Mirrors/Dark Operative/2018 Split EP Review


  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Los  Angeles,  California's  Black  Mare  and  Russi'a  Offret  called  "Alone  Among  Mirrors"  which  was  released  by  Dark  Collective  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Black  Mare  a  solo  project  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  atmospheric  rock,  goth  and  darkwave.

  Her  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  clean  guitars  and  atmospheric  sounds  in  the  background  along  with  some  goth  style  female  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  gives  the  song  more  of  a  haunting  atmosphere  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  some  elements  of  darkwave,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Black  Mare  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  rock,  goth  and  darkwave,  you  should  check  out  her  side  of  the  split.

  Next  up  is  Offret  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  atmospheric  rock,  doom  metal  and  drone,

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  atmospheric  drones  and  rattling  style  instruments  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  clean  style  along  with  some  ambient  style  synths  and  clean  guitars  in  the  background  and  at  times  the  vocals get  aggressive  as well  as  some  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  taking t he  music  into  a  heavier  direction  and  also  adding  in  saxophones.  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Offret  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  drone,  atmospheric  rock  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split. 

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  drone,  goth,  darkwave,  atmospheric  rock  and  doom  metal.  8  out  of  10.   

http://www.facebook.com/offretband 

Boghaunter/Writhe/Seeing Red Records/2018 EP Review



  Boghaunter  are  a  band  from  New  Hampshire  that  plays  a  musical  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  ep  "Writhe"  which  will  be  released  in  My  by  Seeing  Red  Records.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  ep  and  after  awhile  the  music  starts  going  into  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  sludge  sounding  screams  along  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  a  few  growls  while  the  guitar  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  fashion  and  also  adds  in  elements  of  funeral  doom.

  Both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  and  length  along  with  some  elements  of  atmospheric  and  post  metal  also  being  used  at  times  along  with  some  clean  vocals  also  being  used  briefly  as  well  as  some  drone  and  ambient  soundscapes  also  being  used  at  times  and  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  very  slow  direction  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  acoustic  guitars are  also  used  on  both  of  the  tracks  and  the  second  song  also  adds  in  spoken  word  samples.

  Boghaunter  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  sludge,  funeral  and  atmospheric  sides  of  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Boghaunter  are  a  very  great  sounding  and  original  funeral  doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Constellation".  8 out  of 10.   

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Leila Abdul-Rauf Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on since the recording of the album?

I’ve been quite busy preparing for this release - making sure artwork and layout are approved, assisting in the press release, doing interviews, etc. Also booking shows, local and abroad, with multiple projects for the entire year, recording for various collaborations, preparing for the new Ionophore album release which will follow this one, and writing a new album with Cardinal Wyrm.

2.You have your 3rd solo album coming out in March, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have done in the past?

Diminution is more musical in the traditional sense, and more improvisational, than the previous records. I rely more on acoustic instruments than synth patches - more trumpet, guitar and piano. The previous album Insomnia featured several guests, but the new album is just me on my own again. I still make use of field recordings and loops like I have on previous albums, but recorded more live performances this time.

3.The music on the solo albums are a lot different from the stuff that you recorded with a few of the extreme metal bands that you are a part of, do you feel you have a lot to offer to many different musical genres?

I can’t think of anything more boring than playing just one kind of music. I need multiple creative outlets to feel satisfied and to feel that all of my ideas are getting across.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored on the solo albums?

They’ve varied from personal loss to insomnia to artistic struggles in 21st century life.

5.You also play a variety of many different musical instruments, what are some of the instruments that you enjoy working with the most?

Guitar is what I am best at, but I make the best of my trumpet and piano playing, and use those instruments in my own unrefined way. I also enjoy making field recordings (distant train whistles and summer crickets are some of the things I’ve recorded). I sing a little too.

6.The album is also being released on 3 different labels, can you tell us a little bit more about the labels you worked with on the new recording?

Malignant Records is releasing the CD and specialize mainly in underground dark ambient, industrial, and noise artists. Cloister Recordings and Black Horizons are releasing a very limited vinyl edition, and specialize in similar kinds of artists but cross over into other genres too (e.g. dark folk, post rock).

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork on the new album?

Matthew Jaffe did a set of 3 beautiful paintings for the cover. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I’ve always been a fan of his art, so it was great to finally work with him for one of my albums.

8.How has the feedback been to your solo work by your fans so far?

The reviews have been consistently positive for the past two albums. I’m blown away by all of the great feedback I’ve received from fans.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

I see myself continuing what I’ve been doing for a long time: writing, recording and playing live. I hope I stay healthy in mind and body to continue doing so for as long as I can.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Watching :zoviet*france live in 2011 was the catalyst that inspired me to begin a solo project. Harold Budd and Erik Satie are major influences on my piano playing. I dedicate a song on the new album to Pauline Oliveros, one of the pioneers of early electronic music and renowned professor/educator in experimental music circles. I also still love listening to metal, late 70s/early 80s synth pop and post punk, classical (Baroque and late 19th/early 20th century composers in particular).

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I enjoy biking, hiking, meditation, reading and watching films (documentaries, sci-fi, noir). To the best that I am capable, I try to live a life full of compassion, learning and self-growth.

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

I do not. Thanks for the interview.

https://leilaabdulrauf.bandcamp.com/

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Epos Nemo Latrocinium/Iter Itineris/Scry Recordings/2018 CD Review


  Epos  Nemo  Latrocinium  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  mixture  of  avant  garde,  experimental,  drone  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Iter  Itineris"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Skry  Recordings.

  Homemade  and  traditional  folk  instruments  start  off  the  album  and  also  takes  the  music  more  into  an  experimental  and  avant  garde  direction  while  the  fast  parts  capture  the  aggression  of  extreme  metal  without  using  any  of  the  traditional  instruments  that  are  present  in  that  genre.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  music  also  captures  a  low  fi  atmosphere  at  times  along  with  some  elements  of  avant  classical  and  free  form  jazz  along  with  the  music  also  bringing  in a   great  amount  of  tribal  style  percussion  as  well  as  the  music  getting  very  discordant  at  times.

   Prepared  piano's  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  at  times  gives  the  music  the  atmosphere  of  a  classic  black  and  white  film while  the  stringed  instruments  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  primitive  fashion  at  times  and  all  of  the  tracks  sound  very  different  from  each  other  and  operatic  female  vocals  are  also  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Epos  Nemo  Latrocinium  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  a  variety  of  many  different  avant  garde  and  experimental  styles  with  some  elements  of  dark  ambient  and  drone  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  while  also  keeping  most  of  the  music  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Epos  Nemo  Latrocinium  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  avant  garde,  experimental,  dark  ambient  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Catastrophe  Ignited"  and  "Continual  Inquires  Left  Unanswered".  8  out  of 10. 

https://eposnemolatrocinium.bandcamp.com/

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Urze de Lume/As Arvores Secas E Nao Tem Folhas/Equilibrium Music/2018 CD Review


  Urze  de  Lume  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  dark  from of  neo-folk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "As  Arvores  Secas  E  Noa  Tem  Folhas"  which  was  released  by  Equilibrium  Music.

  Nature  sounds  which  also  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  start  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  a  great  amount  of  finger  picking  and  full  chords  and  they  take  this  music  into  more  of  a  neo  folk  direction  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  instrumentals.

  Spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  folk  instruments  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  an  ethnic  feeling  along  with  some  of  the  songs  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  and  as  the  album  progresses  shamanistic  and  tribal  style  percussion's  are  added  onto  the  recording  briefly.

  Urze  de  Lume  plays  a  style  of  neo-folk  that  is  very  dark  sounding  with  a  nature  orientated  atmosphere,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  Iberian  traditions  and  a  homage  to  their  past.

  In  my  opinion  Urze  de  Lume  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  neo-folk  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "As  Arvores  Estao  Secas  e  Nao  Tem  Folhas"  "Da  Tau  Ausencia"  "Sombras  no  Vento"  and  "Alvorada  de  Destrocos".  8  out  of  10.


Friday, March 23, 2018

Accurst/Messenger Of Shadows/Aesthetic Death/2018 CD Review


  Accurst  are  a  band  from  Cyprus  that  plays  a  very  horror  orientated  form  of  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Messenger  Of  Shadows"  which  was  released  by  Aesthetic  Death.

  Dark  ambient  drone  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  screams  in  the  background  which  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  while  the  music  also  captures  the  atmosphere  of  a  horror  movie  as  well  as  the  music  also  bringing  in a   great  amount  of  experimental  and  avant  garde  elements.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  music  gets  very  ritualistic  at  times  along  with  some  evil  sounding  whispers  being  utilized  in  the  background  at  times  and  elements  of  harsh  noise  and  power  electronics  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording,

  Accurst  plays  a  style  of  dark  ambient  that  is  very  ritualistic  and  horror  soundtrack  orientated  along  with  some  touches  of  harsh  noise,  power  electronics  and  black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  songs  themes  are  inspired  by  H.P  Lovecraft,  Occultism  and  Mythology.

  In  my  opinion  Accurst  are  a  very  great  sounding  horror  orientated  dark ambient  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Enveloped  By  Erebos"  "Endorcism  (Channeling  Eurynomos"  and  "Messenger  Of  Shadows  (The  Abyss  Gazing  Back)".  8  out  of  10. 

https://accurst.bandcamp.com/

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Aeonian Sorrow Interview

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

Aeonian Sorrow is a melodic doom / funeral metal band formed in September of 2015 by Greek, Colombian and Finnish musicians like Saku Moilanen (Red Moon Architect), Alejandro Lotero (Exgenesis), Taneli Jämsä (Ghost Voyage, Red MoonArchitect), Pyry Hanski (Mörbid Vomit, Before the Dawn etc.) and me of course (Luna Obscura, guest singer of Clouds). After spending together enough time working on several songs, in October 20, 2017 our first digital single released under the name “Forever Misery” and few months later we revealed the title of our debut “Into the Eternity A Moment We Are”. This work has scheduled to see the daylight on 28th of March (digitally) and 11th of April (physically).

2. You have your first album coming out this year, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

It’s depressing, sorrowful, very doom, very funeral but still enough melodic with a quite interesting combination of female clean vocals and male growls. It has many elements that fans are going to love but I can’t say that it’s an album for all kind of tastes and ears.

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

This album is about the eternal suffering of a man or people who live in a world that everything and everyone they knew have gone, either by death or general parting, but somehow cannot be forgotten. The lyrics are enough messy and chaotic in order to not give an end and that’s because this is how someone feels when he has buried himself into sorrow or other unbearable situations and not let it go. It’s totally hopeless but I have a feeling that the fans of Doom Metal music and hopefully not only are going to appreciate it a lot.


4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name “Aeonian Sorrow”?

Well I was trying to find words to describe the band and our depressing/hopeless atmosphere but I was also looking for a name that would bring some kind of character as well. I came up with an idea of using Greek and English as I’m Greek myself so the first word of our name comes from the greek word “Aionios” which means “Eternal”. There is also a kind of spiritual/gnostic concept behind the whole thing that you can clearly hear from the moment you get deeper into the music. However is far away from religious and all that stuff but we are definitely exploring things around either with the lyrics or the vocals in order to bring strong moments. We’ve got very nice feedback about it plus for the logo as well which is really nice to know. 


5. The band is based in both Finland and Greece, how does this work out in the recording process?

The recording process is fine, we always do what we have to do being together in the same room or not. But what’s not easy is the aftermath and the time we have to spend through social networks talking about all the details, modifications regarding the mixing. That’s the exhausting part that most of the bands nowadays are facing but in the end we manage to solve all matters. For sure on the next album we are going to meet more often because its way easier and faster to work like this. I personally feel very grateful for having such musicians and great people to work with and I’m definitely looking forward to do more music with them.


6. Has the band done any live shows yet?

We have our very first gig coming on June 2 in Belgium alongside The Wounded, The Prophecy, Darkher, Abigail and Kaunis Kuolematon. We also plan to make a mini tour in Europe with other two bands and that’s probably going to happen around October – November but we cannot say anything yet until it’s officially announced.


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

We’ve got several offers from labels worldwide and I must admit that they keep coming. This is definitely great to watch, however I don’t really believe that labels nowadays are worth to try. Very few people care about the music, very few people know well how to promote you without using your band like a puppet and I personally want to stay away from the circle of unfortunate situations and misunderstandings. We for now are lucky enough to have a great team behind us, people that are helping with everything we need or not need so I don’t see it possible to leave that any time soon for something else.  However, having a booking agency for the gigs might be necessary in the near future and this is what we’re trying to find.


8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of doom and death metal?

Amazingly good and unexpected for a newcomer. I only hope to see the same enthusiasm and response with the album as well but having a first record like this, makes me feel very proud already. 


9. What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

Red Moon Architect are about to write a new record and as a big fan I am, really looking forward to listen what Saku has in mind. Our bass player Pyry is always very active with gigs as he’s playing with several bands and I think he had some gigs recently with Mörbid Vomit. Taneli as well is going to be on tour in Japan with Frosttide and other bands and he’s already excited about it. Alejandro is recording the next album for Exgenesis but for now I know that is going very slowly and as for me I’m working on Clouds new album and doing some lyrics and guest vocals again and on 6th of May we are going to play in Rome alongside In Mourning and Antarktis. Very busy year for all of us but luckily it doesn’t affect the plans for Aeonian Sorrow as we always have our alternatives and support.

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

For sure this year we are going to be very much occupied with the release of the album, we have to make some videoclips, play gigs around Europe and do all the rest of the gigs we have planned. But next autumn we are going back at the making of the second album as we have already enough ideas to continue. No doubt that our sound will remain at same level as it is now and will take things from where the first album stopped.

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 be honest when I write music, I don’t really like to listen other bands that time as its 90% sure that I’m not going to compose anything unique. So I prefer taking a break from it and hear my thoughts only. There is so much chaos inside my head that I find the process more interesting than being influenced from something else. However people can always compare our style with other doom metal bands, especially with those few having female vocals, which it’s normal but at the same time not because everyone is different. I haven’t seen online comparisons, at least not yet and this is great because it means that we have already our own style. About what I listen nowadays, I’d say that I’m very much stuck with post rock music and I don’t even know how many bands I discovered through other bands. I also liked the new album of Hamferd which in my opinion is one of the best releases of 2018.

12. What are some of your non musical interests?

I work as graphic designer for over a decade so I can say that every form of Art is what keeps me interested. I’m also into films a lot, reading and pc/video games. I know the last one is not very common for a woman but for me it’s very relaxing.

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

I’d like to thank you of course for giving me the chance to talk about Aeonian Sorrow and our plans in general. And I also want to invite people to check our album “Into The Eternity A Moment We Are”. Let the music speak in your hearts, feel its sorrow and join us in a beautiful journey of melancholy and despair. If you want to support the band, you can visit our store at www.aeoniansorrow.com/merch

Leila Abdul-Rauf/Diminution/Cloister Recordings/Black Horizons/Malignant Records/2018 Full Length Review


  Leila  Abdul-Raif  is  a  solo  artist  from  San  Francisco,  California  that  plays  a  mixture  of  of  experimental,  drone,  ethereal, and  soundscape  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2018  album  "Diminution"  which  will  be  released  in  April  as  a  joint  effort  between  Cloister  Recordings,  Black  Horizons,  and  Malignant  Records.

  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ethereal  sounding  trumpets  which  also  bring  in  elments  of  jazz  music  while  the  music  also  gives  in  a  great  amount  of  ambient  soundscapes  along  with  some  female  vocals  being  added  after  awhile  and  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  ethereal   feeling.

  Drones  can  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  give  the  music  more  of  a  melancholic  atmosphere  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  all  instrumental  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  variety  and  guitars  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Leila  Abdul-Raif  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  experimental,  dark  ambient,  drone,  soundscape  and  ethereal  music  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  her  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark and  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Leila  Abdul-Raif  is  a  very  great  sounding  ethereal  mixture  of  experimental,  drone,  soundscape  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Diminution"  "Wayward"  and  "Light  Rising".  8  out  of  10.   

Sunday, March 18, 2018

E./Isagoge/EEE Recordings/2018 Double CD Review


  E.  are  a  solo  project  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  plays  a  mixture  of  ritualistic  dark  ambient  and  ocean  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2018  double  album  "Isagoge"  which  was  released  by  EEE  Recordings.

  Dark  ambient  drones  along  with  some  elements  of  space  music  start  off  the  album   while  the  music  also brings  in  a  variety  of  many  different  sounds  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  at  times  the  music  brings  in  more  of  a  meditative  new  age  feeling.

  All  of  the  music  is  instrumental  while  the  music  also  brings  in  ocean  drones  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  being  suitable  for  sleeping  and  relaxing  but  in  a  good  way  as  well,  as  all  of  the  tracks  sounding  very  different  from each  other  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  harsh  noises  can  be  heard  before  returning  back  to  a  more  calmer  yet  dark  ambient  drone  direction.

 E.  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  a  ritualistic  form  of  dark  ambient  and  mixes  it  with  drones  and  ocean  sounds  along  with  some  experimental  and  noise  elements  to  create  something  very  different  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  E.  is  a  very  great  sounding mixture  of  drone  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Arbor  Porphyriana  I"  and  "Arbor  Porphyriana  III'.  8  out  of  10. 

https://eeerecordings.bandcamp.com/album/isagoge         

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Assumption/Absconditus/Everlasting Spew Records/2018 CD Review


  Assumption  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  funeral  doom/death  metal  with  some  psychedelic  touches  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Absconditus"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Everlasting  Spew  Records.

  Clean  playing  along  with  some  drum  beats  start  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  funeral  doom  metal  direction  which  also  introduces death  metal  growls  onto  the  recording.

  All  3  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet   melodic  fashion  as  well  as  the  keyboards  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  horror  movie  atmosphere  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  psychedelic  elements  and  slide  guitars,  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Assumption  plays  a  style  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  while  the  psychedelic  elements  gives  the  songs  more  of  an up  to  date  feeling,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  scientific  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Assumption  are  a  very  great  sounding  funeral  doom/death  metal  band  with  a  psychedelic  touch  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Resurgence".  8  out  of  10. 

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Friday, March 16, 2018

Abjection Ritual/Soul Of Ruin, Body Of Filth/Malignant Records/2018 CD Review


  Abjection Ritual  are  a  band  from  Eerie,  Pennsylvania  that  plays  a mixture  of  death  industrial  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Soul  Of  Ruin,  Body  Of  Filth"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Malignant  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  female  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  while  drum  beats  and  a  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  are  added  onto  the  second  track  as  well  as some  aggressive  and  angry  sounding  vocals  that  are  mostly  rooted  in  industrial  metal.

  Elements  of  noise  rock  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  on  a  few  tracks  along  with  the  music  also  bringing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  elements  of  harsh  noise  and  death  industrial,  piano's can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  As  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  can  be  heard  and  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  very  slow  direction  and  some  tracks  also  show  the  music  going  into  more  of  an  experimental  and  avant  garde  direction.

  Abjection  Ritual  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  death  industrial  and  mixes  it  with  doom  metal  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Abjection  Ritual  are  a  very  great sounding  mixture  of  death  industrial  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Body  Of  Filth"  "Deathbed  Conversion"  and  "Old  Sins".  8  out  of  10.



  

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Nordvargr/Metempsychosis/Cyclic Law/2018 CD Review


 Nordvargr  are  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  industrial  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Metempsychosis"  which  will  be  released  on  March  30th  by  Cyclic  Law.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  while  stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  tracks  also  mixing  in  the  more  dark  and  underground  style  of  industrial  and  when  growls  are  utilized  they  add  in  touches  of  black  and  death  metal  and bass  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly.

  Elements  of  ambient  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  the  melodic  chants  giving  the  music  a  ritualistic  feeling  when  they  are  utilized  while  whispers  when  they  are  utilized  briefly  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  as  the  album  progresses  ritualistic  drums  and  percussion  are  added  onto  the  recording.

  Nordvargr plays  a  musical style  that  takes  dark  ambient,  industrial  and  ritual  music  and  mixes  them  together  with    a  touch  of  black  and  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,   the  production  sounds  very  dark while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nordvargr  are  a  very  great  sounding mixture  of  dark  ambient,  death  industrial  and  ritual  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Metempsychosis'  "Invocation  For  A  Malicious  Spirit"  "Sweet  Death  Triumphant"  and  "Livet  Tar  Slut".  8  out of  10. 

VIEW ON BANDCAMP 

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Nytt Land/Odal/Cold Spring/2018 CD Review


  Nytt  Land  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  dark  and  shamanistic  form  of  Nordic  folk  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Odal"  which  will  be  released  on  March  26th  by  Cold  Spring.

  Shamanistic  voices  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  nature  sounds  in  the  background  while  folk  instruments  and  female  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later  as  well  as  some  aggressive  screams  and  tribal  sounding  percussion  and  at  times  the  music  gets  very  ritualistic.

  Siberian  style  throat  singing  is  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  aggressive  screams  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  synths  are  utilized  they  give  the  music  more  of  an  ambient  feeling  as  well  as  the  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  giving  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  atmosphere  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  and  one  of  the  later  tracks  is  an  instrumental.

  On  this  recording  Nytt  Land  expands  on  their  ritualistic  and  shamanistic  style  of  Nordic  folk  music  by  adding  in  elements  of  traditional  music  from  the  indigenous  people  of  Siberia,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Paganism  and  Siberian  Shamanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Nytt  Land  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  and  shamanistic  Nose/Siberian  folk  music,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ragnarok"  "Nordor/Yule  Song"  "Deyr  Fe/The  Heritage"  and  "Sigrdrifumal/The  Ballad  Of The  Victory-Bringer".  8/5  out  of  10. 

https://www.facebook.com/nyttland/   

Silent Island/Fall Of Oceans/Beverina/Casus Belli Musica/2018 CD Review


  Silent  Island  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  plays  an  instrumental  form  of  post  rock  with  some atmospheric  metal  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Fall  Of  Oceans"  which  will  be  released  in  May  as  a  joint  effort  between  Beverina  and  Casus  Belli  Musica.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  and  they  bring  in  elements  of  post  rock  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  shoegaze  influences  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  drum  beats  being  programmed.

  All  of  the  musical  is  instrumental while  elements  of  indie  rock  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  of  the  music  adding  an  influences  of  progressive  and  atmospheric  metal  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  slow  direction.

  Silent  Island  plays  a  style  of  post  rock  that  is  all  instrumental  and  also  adds  in  touches  of  indie  rock  and  post  metal  and  the  production  also  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Silent  Island  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  post  rock  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Distant  Land"  "The  Fallen  Shallow"  "Queen  Hurricane"  and  "The  Journey  Never  Ends".  8  out  of  10.

Streaming: casusbellimusica.bandcamp.com
Streaming: beverina.bandcamp.com

 

Albireon/A Mirror For Ashen Ghosts Part One/Toten Schwan Records/2018 CD Review


  Albireon  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays a  mixture  of   neo-folk,  ambient  and  experimental  with  a  touch of  black metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "A  Mirror  For Ashen  Ghosts  Part  One"  which  was  released  by  Toten  Schwan  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscpapes  along  with  some  avant  garde  elements  start  of  the  album  while clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  as  well  as  some  ambient  style  keyboards  and  when  acoustic  guitars  are utilized  they  bring  in  elements  of  folk  and  one  of t he  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  A  small  amount  of  electric  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  grim  whispers  and  screams  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  along  with  some  tracks  also  bringing  in  drones  and  samples  and  one  track  also  brings  in  fretless  bass  guitars  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  distorted  yet  melodic guitar  leads  can  also  be  heard.

  Albireon  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  neo-folk,  ambient  and  experimental  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness, death,  nature  and  supernatural  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Albireon  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  neo-folk,  ambient,  experimental  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Path  Of  Loneliness'  "Like  Stars  In  Winter  Rapture"  "In  a  Mossy  Lake  Of  Ghosts"  and  "Above  Black  Shores".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/AlbireonHQ/about/

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Sadistik Forest/Morbid Majesties/Transcending Obscurity Records/2018 CD Review


  Sadistik  Forest  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  death  metal  with  some  elements  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Morbid  Majesties"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Records.

  A  very  dark,  brutal  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  chaotic  fashion  and  the  music  has  a  lot  of  roots  in  the  90's.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  while  black  metal  screams  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal,  the  music  always  remains  very  heavy  and  they  close  the  album  with  a  track  that  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Sadistik  Forest  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  old  school  death  metal  while  the  black  and  doom  metal  elements  makes  the  music  stand  out  a  lot  more, the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  blasphemy,  anti  religion,  death  and  destruction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sadistik  Forest  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  death  metal  band  with  some  touches  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Decades  Of  Torment   Then  Death"  "Zero  Progress"  and  "Bones  Of  A  Giant".  8  out  of  10. 

Official Bandcamp 

Official Video    

Friday, March 9, 2018

Chaos Echoes/Mats Gustafsson/Sustain/Utech Records/2018 Collaboration Album Review


  France's  experimental  doom/death  metal  band  Chaos  Echoes  teams  up  with  Sweden's  experimental/drone  solo  artist  Mats  Gusttafsson  to  create  an  avant  garde  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  collaboration  2018  album  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Utech  Records.

  Avant  garde  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later along  with  some  elements  of  free  jazz  while  the  music  gets  very  experimental  at  times  as  well  as  adding  in  elements  of  drone  and  both  of  the  tracks are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  but  done  in  more  of  a  primitive  fashion  while  the  saxophones  are  done  in  more  of  an  avant  jazz  style  along  with  some doom  metal  influences  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  bass  guitars  being  added  into  the  background  and  the  music always  remains  instrumental.

  Chaos  Echoes  and  Mats  Gusttafsson  team  up  and  create  a  recording  that  mixes  doom  metal,  drone,  experimental  and  free  jazz  to  create  something  very  original  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collaboration  from  Chaos  Echoes  and  Mats  Gusttafsson  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  doom  metal,  drone,  experimental,  avant  garde  and  free  jazz,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Spellbound".  8  out  of  10.

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Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Malfet/The Snaking Path/Pacific Threnodies/2018 Cassette Review


  Malfet  are  a  solo  project  from  California  that  plays  a  rhythmic  form  of  dungeon  synth  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "The  Snaking  Path"  which  will  be released  on  cassette  on  march  30th  by  Pacific  Threnodies.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ritualistic  yet  tribal  drumming  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  synths  take  the  music  more  into  a  dark  ambient  and  dungeon  synth  direction  as  well  as  some  touches  of  folk  and  neo-classical  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear a   variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  along  with  a  great  amount  of  programmed  beats  while  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  an  instrumental direction  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  mellotron,  harps  and  flutes.

  Malfet  plays  a  style  of  dungeon  synth  that  is  more  rhythmic  than  most  bands  or  artists  that  play  this  style,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  focus  darkness  and  nature.

  In  my  opinion  Malfet  are  a  very  great  sounding  rhythmic  dungeon  synth  solos  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  cassette.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Edenic  Reflections"  and  "Approaching  Daylight".  8  out  of  10.

https://pacificthrenodies.bandcamp.com/album/the-snaking-path

 

      

Friday, March 2, 2018

Aeonian Sorrow/Into The Eternity A Moment We Are/2018 Full Length Review


  Aeonian  Sorrow  are  a  band  with  members  from  Finland  and  Greece  that  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2018  "Forever  Misery".

  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  along  with  a  great  amount  of  melodic  guitar  leads  while  death  metal  growls  are  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  female  vocals  which  also  add  in  a  touch  of  goth  metal.

  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  funeral  doom  metal  while  most  of  the  tracks are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  one  of  the  tracks  being  an  instrumental  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  direction.

  Aeonian  Sorrow  plays  a  style  of  funeral  doom  metal  which  is  more  melodic  than  most  bands  of  this  genre  along  with  some  goth  metal  style  female  vocals,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Aeonian  Sorrow  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  funeral  doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shadows  Mourn"  "Thanatos  Kyrie"  and  "Ave  End".  8  out  of  10. 

Willie Darktrousers & de Splinters/Glibburen/Babylon Doom Cult Records/2018 Full Length Review


  Willie  Darktrousers  &  de  Splinters  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  garagedoom,  noisefolk,  swingpunk  and  kermiskraut  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Glibburen"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Babylon  Doom  Cult  Records.

  Crazy  voices  along  with  some  ambient  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  noise  rock  direction  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to t hem  while  clean  vocals  are  also  used  at  times  and  elements  of  doom  metal  are  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  At  time s the  music  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  while  the  screams  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  used  at  times  and  folk  instruments  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  punk  and  garage  rock.

  Willie  Darktrousers  &  de  Splinters  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  experimental,  avant  garde,  folk,  black  metal,  punk,  garage  and  noise  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  something  very  original,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Dutch  and  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Willie  Darktrousers  &  de  Splinters  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of   experimental,  avant  garde,  folk,  black  metal,  punk,  garage  and  noise  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Draaimolens"  "Poeier"  and  "Glibburen".  8  out  of  10.

https://williedarktrousers.bandcamp.com/?mc_cid=1bb57b9a84&mc_eid=6fc698086e

 
    

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Beneath Oblivion/The Wayward And The Lost/Weird Truth Productions/2018 CD Review


  Beneath  Oblivion  are  a  band  from  Ohio  that  plays  a mixture  of  atmospheric  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "The  wayward  And  The  Lost"  which  will  be  released  on  March  28th  by  Weird  Truth  Productions.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  awhile  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  and  depressive  melodies  as  well as  the  high  pitched  screams  adding  in  a  touch  of  black  metal.

  A  great  amount  of  funeral  doom  metal  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  music  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  songs  as  well  as  the  guitar  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  atmospheric  synths  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slow  direction.

  Beneath  Oblivion  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  atmospheric  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sorrow,  death  and  melancholy  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  Beneath  Oblivion  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  atmospheric  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Lair's  Cross'  and  "Satyr".  8  out  of  10. 

Official Beneath Oblivion Facebook