Thursday, May 22, 2025
Katatonia/Nightmares As Extensions Of The Waking State/Napalm Records/2025 Full Length Review
Ataudes Interview
1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?
Hi, this is Jonatan, drummer and composer of Ataudes. Thanks for writing to us.
To start with our new album “TEMPUS EDAX RERUM”,
the album started to be composed in 2020 until 2022, from then on we started with the recording period that concluded in 2024.
In this year 2025 the album was released by MEMENTO MORI in CD format and by Obscure Disharmony Records in TAPE format.
2.In April you had released a new album, musically how does it differ from your previous release?
There are many marked differences between the first album and the second, and some small similarities.
Among the differences are:
- The length of the songs (longer).
- The inclusion of guitar solos and keyboard passages.
- Much more complex drum rhythms and guitar riffs.
- More atmospheric moments.
In general lines it is a more complex album, among the similarity it still keeps the Death metal and its aggressiveness.
3.
Like any small band we have other obligations, families, jobs, health or economic problems, and sometimes these reasons delay the times.
We always kept going, but while we were composing and recording the new album, we were also playing live our first album, and maybe we delayed more than we would have liked to release the new album.
4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?
Our vocalist Cristian usually explores the Lovecraft universe in all its aspects, in terms of musical composition we try to make our compositions progressively more complex, without losing the musicality.
We try to add new rhythms and melodies, keeping the aggressiveness and darkness.
Adding new atmospheres, styles like Drone, Ambient, maybe even Sludge.
5.On the first album you also had a song with 'R'lyeh in the title, do you have an interest in the writings of H.P Lovecraft or similar authors?
Yes of course, as I mentioned in the previous question, our vocalist Cristian usually resorts to that universe to develop his themes or lyrics.
6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Attaudes'?
Once we finished our first album, we had no name.
Maybe the name came out as a result of the pandemic.
It was a time very associated with death and maybe that led us to end up with the name ATAUDES.
7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We were not lucky enough to play outside of Argentina, but here we were able to play in several interesting places and we were able to play with legendary bands like AVERNAL.
As for our live performance I think we are gradually trying to improve our performance, we are currently with a new line-up of five members rehearsing to play live, and maybe at some point we can add someone else on keyboards.
8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
Yes of course, we are currently rehearsing for an upcoming performance in the month of June, and we hope in the remainder of the year to present the album and play as much as we can live.
We hope to tour outside of Argentina as well.
9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?
Fortunately in terms of streaming platforms and social networks we have had a positive reception, and the sales of the physical copies are slowly selling.
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
To continue exploring other musical universes, perhaps expanding outside of Death and Black metal. Add electronic or ambient sections (Noise). Add other kind of layers of atmospheres, melodies or rhythms.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?
Currently within the field of Death metal or Black metal, we are listening to current music and a little bit further back.
Among some names can be: Convulsing, Impetuos Ritual, Portal, Blood Incantation, Incantation, Spectral Voice, Full of Hell, Black Curse.
12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you very much for your time and space for Ataudes, excellent interview, and I send greetings to all the music fans out there.
https://www.facebook.com/ataudesdeathmetal#
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Stygian Interview
1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Stygian is a black metal band from Italy, born out of a deep need to confront the spiritual decay of modern civilization. We blend elements of black metal and crust punk to create something both raw and emotionally evocative. Our music reflects resistance to religious dogma, ecological destruction and cultural homogenization. Each of us comes from a different background in extreme music, and Stygian grew naturally from our shared roots in the underground scene of our city, Ravenna.
2. You have your first full length coming out in July, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
Our first full-length will be released in July through Time To Kill Records, and it represents the core of what Stygian is all about. Musically, it’s rooted in black metal, but we bring in a strong crust punk and hardcore influence not just in rhythm and tone but in attitude. Expect harsh tremolos, blasting fury and moments of haunting atmosphere. The lyrics carry a ritualistic and introspective depth but musically we keep it raw and direct, avoiding over-produced or polished elements.
3. All of the band members also have experience working with other styles of metal with different bands, how would you compare the musical style of 'Stygian' to other musical genres, you have worked with in the past or present?
Stygian feels like a return to something more primal. In previous bands, we’ve explored technical death metal, sludge, doom, hardcore but with Stygian we focus on raw emotional power rather than complexity. It's less about precision and more about channelling a visceral, almost spiritual, force. There’s an urgency and directness here that cuts deeper than our other projects.
4. A lot of your lyrics cover Paganism and Occultism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
We are deeply drawn to pre-Christian, nature-based spiritual traditions. Paganism, to us, represents a worldview where human beings are part of the natural order not above it. It’s about balance, reverence and connection. The occult, on the other hand, deals with the unseen forces that shape reality, and our lyrics often explore that liminal space between the material and the spiritual. In both cases it’s a form of rebellion against the control and repression enforced by monotheistic religions.
5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Stygian'?
The name refers to the River Styx from Greek mythology: a boundary between the world of the living and the dead. “Stygian” evokes darkness, the underworld and the unknowable. We chose it because it perfectly represents the atmosphere and themes that deals with death, transition, mystery and the hidden aspects of human experience.
6. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
The album cover shows crumbling cathedrals, decaying relics of human arrogance and spiritual domination. They symbolize the fleeting and fragile nature of man-made dogmas constructions that once aimed to impose order, now being reclaimed by time. This imagery speaks directly to one of the core themes of the album: the inevitable collapse of systems built in defiance of nature.
In contrast, the booklet artwork reveals a lush forest seen from within dense, alive and enveloping. It represents the eternal dominion of nature over mankind. While the cover depicts the downfall of artificial authority, the interior artwork offers a vision of what persists beyond that fall: a return to the primordial, to the sacred and untamed. Together, the two visuals form a symbolic arc from ruin to rebirth.
7. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We’ve played a few underground gigs that really captured the energy we aim for small venues, no barriers, smoke, strobes, raw intensity. Our live shows are immersive and confrontational. We don’t just perform songs we invoke something. It’s meant to feel like a ritual, where the audience becomes part of the experience. It's not about entertainment, it's catharsis.
8. Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
Actually, we’re waiting for responses from a few booking agencies we’ve contacted. Things are not easy, the underground circuit is shrinking and it's becoming harder each year to find space for bands like ours, especially if you don’t fit neatly into trends or commercial formats. But we’re not giving up. We’ll keep pushing, keep supporting the scene, and keep playing wherever there’s a floor and an audience willing to feel something real. This music was born in basements and squats and that’s still where its heart beats strongest.
9. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of extreme metal, hardcore and crust punk?
We’re still at the beginning, but the response so far has been encouraging. People who are into raw and honest forms of extreme music seem to connect with what we’re doing. We’ve had good feedback from the local scene and some interest starting to grow abroad through our social channels and word of mouth. It’s a slow process, but we believe in building something with substance rather than chasing hype.
10. 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?
Our vocalist Emi is also active with Triceratopo, a band that blends stoner, sludge metal, and hardcore punk. Their music is characterized by a provocative attitude and lyrics that oscillate between irony and social critique.
Our drummer Rolando is younger and extremely active, he's involved in several bands like Sedna, who need no introduction and are currently working on their new album, Burning Dogma, and Cremisi, bringing his energy and versatility to each.
As for the rest of us — Paolo, Lucio, and myself (Mirko) — we’ve been friends for a long time and were previously members of Angerdome. Right now, we’re fully focused on Stygian.
11. Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We want to push the contrast even further harsher aggression alongside deeper atmospheres. There might be more ritualistic elements, maybe even folk instrumentation but still grounded in an extreme punk and black metal foundation. Conceptually, we’re exploring new mythologies and historical narratives that resonate with our worldview. We don’t want to just get heavier we want to get more profound.
12. 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?
We all grew up listening to early forms of extreme music: from hardcore punk to the first waves of death, black, thrash, crust and grindcore and that background naturally shaped the way we write and play. Those roots are still very present in our sound and attitude. Naming specific bands would be reductive because what shaped us is a broader culture and spirit that ran through the underground scenes we grew up in.
Lately, we’ve been listening to bands like Mgła, Uada, Full Of Hell, Svartkonst, Wormwitch, Cult Leader, probably the more well-known names among the newer bands we follow. But we also keep an eye on what’s happening in our own territory. Italian bands like Sedna, The End of Six Thousand Years, and Hierophant continue to push boundaries and carry forward a vision that feels close to our own. It's inspiring to see how even the local scene remains vital and full of substance.
13. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks for the space. We’ll keep doing what we do and supporting the underground scene that shaped us.
At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about: having fun, sharing something real, supporting each other and giving space to voices and themes the mainstream tends to ignore.
See you at the shows.
Sunday, May 18, 2025
Primordial Black/Dark Matter Manifesto/2025 Full Length Review
Primordial Black are a duo from Tunisia that has been featured before in this zine and plays a blackened form of death metal and this is a review of their self released 2025 album "Dark Matter Manifesto".
A very dark and ritualistic ambient orientated intro starts off the album along with some chants in the background before going into a heavier direction. Vocals are mostly angry sounding blackened metal screams while the music also adds in a lot of death and groove metal elements and blast beats are also added into the faster sections of the songs.
At times the music also gets very atmospheric sounding while clean playing can also be heard on a few tracks. Melodies are also added into some of the guitar riffing along with the song also adding in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and all of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to them..
When guitar solos and leads are utilized they are also done in a very dark yet melodic style along with some synths also being utilized at times. One song also introduced industrial style beats into the music as well as some of the fast riffing also adding in a small amount of tremolo picking and a couple of tracks also adds in some session work from ,members of Rotting Christ and K.F.R. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover metaphysical collapse, inner apocalypse and the silence of god.
In my opinion this is another great sounding album from Primordial Black and if you are a fan of blackened death metal, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Dark Matter Manifesto" and "Din Of thy Celestial Birds". 8 out of 10.
SOUNDCLOUD: https://on.soundcloud.com/JfuTiymhvqMZR9qd8
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/primordial.black.bandINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/primordial_black_official
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@primordialblack876
SPOTIFY: https://tinyurl.com/3mty6czk
Symbiotic Growth/Beyond The Sleepless Aether/Bolverk Records/2025 Full Length Review
Symbiotic Growth are a band from Ontario, Canada that has had music reviewed before in this zine and on this recording goes for a very progressive and blackened form of death metal and this is a review of their 2025 album "Beyond The Sleepless Aether" which was released by Bolverk Records.
A very dark yet distorted sound starts off the album before going into a heavier direction while all of the tracks are also very long and epic in length. When guitar solos and leads are utilized they are also done in a very melodic style along with some spoken words also being used on a couple of songs.
Vocals are a mixture of death metal growls and black metal screams while the faster sections of the songs also add in a decent amount of tremolo piking and blast beats. Keyboards can also be heard at times along with the songs also adding in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts.
At times the music also gets very technical and progressive sounding along with all of the musical instruments also having a very powerful sound to them. Clear singing can also be heard in certain sections of the album and the riffs also add in a lot of melody, clean playing is also added on a couple of tracks. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics are a concept revolving around the multiverse
In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Symbiotic Growth and if you are a fan of progressive blackened death metal, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Of Painted Skies And Dancing Lights" "The Sleepless Void" and "Trading Thoughts For Sleep". 8 out of 10.
YouTube (Album Stream) - https://youtu.be/CSOzIaRlo6E
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/42m1Mlp
Bandcamp - https://symbioticgrowth.bandcamp.com
Facebook.com/SymbioticGrowth | Instagram.com/symbioticgrowth
Sathamel/Opposition To Life/2024 EP Review
United Kingdom's Sathamel have returned with a new recording which shows the music going for a blackened form of death metal and this is a review of their self released 2024 ep "Opposition To Life".
A very dark yet heavy sound starts off the ep while melodies are also added into some of the guitar riffing. Vocals are mostly death metal growls mixed in with black metal screams along with the solos and leads also being done in a very melodic style and blast b eats are added into the faster sections of the songs.
Tremolo picking can also be heard in some of the faster riffing while the songs also add in a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts. Most of the music is also very heavily rooted in the modern era along with one song also adding in a brief use of clean playing and all of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to them.
On this recording Sathamel expands on the blackened death metal style that they have established on previous releases. The production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover Occultism, War and Anti Religion themes.
In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Sathamel and if you are a fan of blackened death metal, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Take The Rot" and "Opposition To Life". 8 out of 10.
Opposition To Life - EP by Sathamel | Spotify
www.sathamel.bandcamp.com
Dissentor/Flagella/2025 EP Review
Dissentor are a band from India that plays a blackened form of death metal and this is a review of their self released 2025 ep "Flagella".
A very fast and brutal sound starts off the ep along with a great amount of blast beats while the songs also add in a lot of death metal elements. Vocals are mostly black metal screams as well as the riffs also adding in a decent amount of melody and tremolo picking is also added into the faster riffing.
All of the musical instruments also have a very powerful sound to them while the music is very heavily rooted in the 90's era. Throughout the recording you can also hear a good mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts along with the whole ep also sticking to a very heavy musical direction, shouts are also utilized at times.
Dissentor plays a musical style that goes back to the 90's era of black and death metal and mixes them together to create a sound of their own. The production sounds very old school while the lyrics cover the unspoken corrupted path to purifacation.
In my opinion Dissentor are a very great sounding blackened death metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Serving The Nails" and "Defiler". 8 out of 10.