Deathroll/A Woman Collapsing On The Glacier/STF Records/2026 Full Length Review

  Deathroll  are  a  solo  project  from  Japan  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "A  Woman  Collapsing  On  The  Glacier"  which  was  released b y  STF  Records.

  Keyboards  start  off  the  album  which  also  add  in  touches  of  classical  music  before  adding  in  some  clean  playing  which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction.  Blast  beats  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  elements  of  thrash  and  traditional  metal.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  album  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  old  school  touches,  the  closing  track  is  also  a  Robert  Schumann  cover.

  Deathroll  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  emptiness,  grief  and  psychological  collapse. 

  In  my  opinion  Deathroll  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  heavy  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blizzard  Of  Despair"  and  "A  Distrssing  Sunset".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/Desurolu

https://www.instagram.com/kazudeathroll/

https://x.com/DEATHROLL_JAPAN

https://deathroll.aremond.net

https://open.spotify.com/album/1oGnDtoNh6DfPb885UZqru

Devour The Sun Interview

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

 

C: F. and I have already known each other for many years from the local punk and metal szene and always wanted to start a music project together. During one of the lock-downs in Corona times in 2021, we secretly met at my rehearsal room, jammed a bit around and recorded the 4 songs for our EP "Chapter I - A Lesson in Self​-​control and Devotion" within two sessions. Vocal recordings, mixing and mastering took place a bit later this year. In September 2021, we self-released the EP on Tape/MC. 

 

Right from the beginning, our music was meant to be a concept work, dividing our releases into Chapters circling around different lyrical themes. All the lyrical and visual aspects are connected to Vedic History and Classic Hindu Epics. The musical foundation is set among Black Metal with some influences from Death Metal, Hardcore Punk and Post Punk, adding some mantras and samples. 

 

2.So far you have released an ep and a full length, musically how do they both differ from each other?

 

C: The EP was written more on a spontaneous level, blending Black Metal with a higher amount of Hardcore Punk. Our full lenght took way more time during the songwriting process and was written around some pre-set lyrics. The music is also more complex and multi-layered with more focus on riffs and atmosphere. The production process and mixing/mastering also took considerably more time. 

 

3.From 2021 to 2026 there was no music being released, can you tell us a little bit more about the 5 year wait in between releases?

 

C: As both of us are playing in some other bands, we have been and are always busy with some other projects on which we need to focus more from time to time. However, during 2023 and 2024, we started to write and pre-record the songs. I also recorded the Mantras during one of my trips to Mumbai in India. During 2025 we recorded all instruments and vocals, fine-tuned everything and mixed and mastered the album, so we could finally release the album in February 2026. 

 

4.Both of the band members play in other bands, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Devour The Sun', that you have not been able to do with your other groups?

 

C: First of all, it is the unique blend of our different musical backgrounds - I have a strong Thrash Metal/Black Metal Background and F is more involved in Post Punk /Death Rock/Wave projects. We also noticed that we work well together in the songwriting process. In the end, I have every freedom in incorporating my visual and lyrical concepts into our music. 

 

5.A lot of your lyrics cover Vedic History and Hindu Scriptures', can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these yopics?

 

C: As mentioned before, all the lyrical and visual aspects are connected to Vedic History and Classic Hindu Epics. I was living with a Hindu family in the UK for half a year during an apprenticeship around 10 years ago. It made a huge impact on me without knowing at this time. I got a climpse about the culture and was also watching a lot of Indian movies at this time (also the series about the Ramayana and Mahabharata). When I returned to Gemany, I was getting more into Hindu culture, reading books and collecting figures and puja articles. I was also travelling to Mumbai two times and even got a deeper impression on the culture and religion. One of my favorite stories is the Ramayana, so I decided to dedicate it to the music and concept of our first two releases. 

 

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Devour The sun'?

 

C: The band name "Devour The Sun" comes from Hindu mythology and refers to the legend of Lord Hanuman trying to eat the sun once during his childhood. Driven by innocent mischief, young Hanuman mistook the glowing sun for a ripe fruit and leaped into the sky to swallow it. He successfully caught and held the sun in his mouth, which plunged the entire universe into sudden darkness. Hanuman is also a strong devotee of Lord Rama and an important part of the lyrical concept of our first releases. So, everything is related to each other.

 

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

 

C: The album cover is showing a picture of the statue of Rama from the new Ayodha temple. The so-called "Ram Mandir" temple is a Hindu temple complex in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. Many Hindus believe that it is located at the site of Ram Janmabhoomi, the mythical birthplace of Rama. 

 

8.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

 

C: We prefer to continue working as a duo, as there is not really a need to involve more people. We are able to play all instruments ourselves. However, for the current release, we invited a good friend of us for contributing with some additional vocals (Markus of "Morbus Kinski"). 

 

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

 

C: If there will be any label interested in releasing our music, we would be more than happy to release our music on Vinyl, too. We have approached a few labels but have not been succesful so far. We would be highly interested in a collaboration with some labels in India.

 

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

 

C: The release of our first EP got some good recognition within the undrground scene and the tapes sold out quite fast. However, since we are self-releasing our music, we do not have access to a huge audience on a world-wide basis. But we are getting more and more attention. 

 

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

 

C: Any future music will most likely be even more complex and epic, as it will be connnected to a different lyrical story as for our first two releases. 

 

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?

 

C: For me personally, I took some influences from 90s Norwegian Black Metal and some hints of 70s Prog Rock. I basically listen to a lot of Scandinavian Black Metal, Speed Metal, HC Punk and 70s Prog Rock. 

F: My musical background and taste is all over the place. Metal, Punk, Goth, Electronica etc in various genres. The weirder the better

 

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

 

C: Many thanks for our interest in our band. It means a lot to us. Truth Alone Triumphs.

https://devourthesun.bandcamp.com/album/chapter-ii-satyameva-jayate

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Devour_the_Sun/3540495426

https://www.instagram.com/devour_the_sun_dbm/

The Fals 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 there, thanks for the interest!Since the recording and release of the new album nothing really happened, to be honest. A little bit of promo work, some interviews, but that was it so far. Some gigs are coming up and the reaction we got to the new album were without exception positiv.

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

 2: The new album has more Heavy Metal elements in general in it and the Black Metal elements are even stronger 80s inspired (Bathory, Tormentor, Slayer, Mercyful Fate) than on the last one.

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

3: I think the aim when you make new music should always be that it is better or at least on par with the stuff you released in the past. I would'nt neccessarily say that the new album is better than the last one, but it is definitely different. The subjects we deal with are mainly dark sorcery, the barren lands of Fals ( see next question) and the things we have the feeling envoke the Black Metal FEELING.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'The Fals'?

4: The word "Fals" is an original creation that initially had no specific meaning. This turned out to be a stroke of luck for us—certainly by the time of our first album—because it allowed us to imbue the word with meaning ourselves. In doing so, we built an entire world and storyline around the term. "Fals" is both a land situated far beyond the Grave of the Moon and a guild of dark mages that took the name for itself, styling itself as "THE FALS." Our debut was a concept album that explored the world of Fals and its inhabitants through a continuous narrative. The lyrics on the second album also revolve around this theme, though they do not form a single, cohesive story.

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

5: A part of the inspiration of the new album and it's artwork come from a painting called "The Magic Circle" by english painter John William Waterhouse 1886. That painting stirred up such a deep feeling within me that I sort of build the title track around the scene. That witch was also the initial inspiration for the cover artwork. Khaos Diktator design captured our vision behind it in a perfect way, so we are really happy with the outcome. 

6.Out of all the shows and tours the band has done so far, which one stands out the most?

 6: We did no tours yet. The best shows are of course always those where you can get the crowed going. Remeber Necrobutcher: "Come on Leipzig, are you dead??" But all in all we had some inspiring evenings.

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

7: There are no tour offers, and I guess there won't ever be, but we try to play every show worth playing, so if someones hits us up and the conditions are right there's little chance that we say No, haha. 

8.The new album was released on 'Undercover Records', how would you compare working with this label to other labels that you have worked with in the past? 

 8: Undercover beliefs in our music, which is the most important part. They do much of the business stuff that no one of us likes, so that's good, to. And they are Metal Die-Hards like us.

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

9: To be honest, the few reactions we got were consistently positive. Every reviewer kind of agrees that the album needs more than one or two spins to take effect. But once people catch on and understand our intentions, they really get a kick out of it.

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

10: Good question. We really don't know yet. But in fact we will decrease the Black Metal elements that hint beyond the 80s even further. Maybe a little bit like the latest Malokarpatan album, where you have nearly zero BM-riffs but through the whole atmosphere it creates it comes across as a Black or Black Heavy Metal album nonetheless.

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

11: I listen mostly to what you could describe as REAL Metal. My fave bands are Manowar, Darkthrone and Bathory. Currently I listen a lot to 90s Mercyful Fate, Black Sabbath stuff like Born Again and Dehumanizar, the new Darkthrone Pre-Historic Metal and the Blessed Death - Kill Or Be Killed album, which is so fucking great. 

12.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

12: Yes, kind of. The conceptual narrative of the debut album *Beyond The Grave Of The Moon*—released in 2023 via the now-defunct label TeufelsZeug Records—depicts an intoxicating journey through hostile landscapes in an alien realm and era. The sole ruler of the ancient mages' guild known as "The Fals" craves power and omniscience. His morbid obsession drives him to ally with dark forces—forces that, in turn, demand sacrifices. The concept centers on exploring the question of who or what "The Fals" actually are. It is a tale of steel, mist, and blood.

Bel’ranaar is an ancient, now-destroyed city; Tar’naht is a mountain at whose foot the witch featured on the cover of the current album, *Where Cold Steel Gleams*, holds her domain; and Xar’Ghol was a ruler of Bel’ranaar who perished during the city's destruction—yet a beast of his own creation still lurks in the city's deepest catacombs (the opening track of the B-side).

It is somewhat akin to taking the lyrics from the debut Candlemass album and Celtic Frost’s *To Mega Therion* and placing them within the world of Darkthrone’s *Kathaaria*.

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

13. Thanks for the interview, good questions! Check out our latest album if you are a fan of Darkthrone, Bathory and 80s and very early 90s (Black) Metal in general. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/L94X52ckJZw

Bandcamp: https://thefals.bandcamp.com/album/where-cold-steel-gleams 

Ruyned/Profanum Sacrificium/Osmose Productions/2025 Full Length Review

  Ruyned  are  a  band  from  Romania  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash,  speed  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Profanim  Sacricium"  which  will  be  released  on  June  26th  by  Osmose  Productions.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Blast  beats  abd  tremolo  picking  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  and  the  music  also  adds  in  elements  of  thrash  and  speed  metal.

  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  while  also  remaining  very  modern  at  the  same  time.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  more  of  an  old  school  metal  style,  some  of  the  melodies  also  show  an  influence  of  traditional  metal  as  well  as  some  ritualistic  chants  also  being  used  briefly  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction.    

  Ruyned  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  thrash,  speed  and  heavy  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the witch  hunts  of  the  15th-17th  century.

  In  my  opinion  Ruyned  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  thrash,  speed  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Speedchain"  "Orgasm  Through  Death"  and  "Witches  Gallow".  8  out  of  10.

  Online release page: https://osmoseproductions-label.com/ruyned-profanum-sacrificium-cd-lp-mc-digital/

Pre-Order/Order on: https://tinyurl.com/ruyned-store
Bandcamp: https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/profanum-sacrificium
All Digital Links: https://bfan.link/RUYNED-Profanum-sacrificium

Soulburn/Quantifying Cosmic Dooom/Testimony Records/2026 Full Length Review

  Soulburn  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Quantifying  Cosmic  Doom"  which  will  be  released  on  June  12th  by  Testimony  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  some  elements  of  doom  metal  also  being  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  clear  singing  also being  used  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  harsh  vocals  also  adding  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  Synths  and  clean  playing  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  words  also  being  used  on  a  couple  of  songs.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  evil  and  battle  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Soulburn  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Braveheart  Of  Nightmares"  "Stalactite  of  Molten  Flesh"  "Down  Among  The  Stars"  and  "An  Innocuous  Swathe  Of  Sky".  8  out  of  10.

   Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | Apple Music

Carcerous Interview

 Konstantin Milev (K) - founder, song and lyric writer and lead vocalist

Ivan Kozarev (I) - founder, song and lyric writer, guitarist and vocalist

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?

K: We are enjoying ourselves and the response of the audience, which, at least so far, has been pretty good. At the same time the work behind the scenes to develop the band further never ceases.

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

K: I personally wanted a fully fledged death metal record. That being said, our creative process is typically completely natural, so we go wherever our ideas take us, and you can hear that in the record. In general, I envisioned a heavier, darker and more epic record than our first mini album, and I daresay we managed to achieve all of those. 

I: I share Konstantin’s perspective and vision for the record, but I dare say it turned out to be more than we expected. We were free to just express ourselves and the result was an album that doesn’t stay in one place and isn’t defined by one subgenre of metal. I love it.

3.Most of the band members were previously a part of 'Incara', what was the decision behind splitting up the other band and starting a new band?

K: From my perspective - I was the band’s drummer for a bit, and there was tension with some band members, mostly based on character and ego (not mine). The band was also thrash metal mostly, which isn’t my style of choice, so to be honest it was only a matter of time for me before I left. The band ended some time after that. Ultimately, this band was the reason for me to make Ivan’s acquaintance, which ultimately led to the creation of Carcerous. Myself and Ivan already had the idea for an extreme metal side project between the two of us and me being forced out of Incara was the perfect trigger for that project to come to the foreground. Because the two of us were already in the process of writing the next Incara album (and we were trying to move the band into a more extreme direction), we took those songs with us to Carcerous and that resulted in the New Age God mini that we released in 2025. Also Incara was the reason to meet Carcerous’ current drummer - Kristian - who succeeded me as the band’s drummer until they disbanded.

4.A lot of your lyrics cover occult and anti religion themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

K: We are writing lyrics that fit the feel of the songs we write. We are not satanists or inclined towards the occult ourselves. We like to tell stories, and we choose topics that make for a compelling narrative. 

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

K: Carcerous was meant to be a name that was completely unique and ours - we wanted no one to have used it before. I also meant it to invoke correlation to other similar names in the genre, without being cheesy. It achieved both things quite well. It is a non-existent word, but if I had to give it a definition, it is an adjective, meaning carcer-like - referencing the creeping lack of freedom we experience in our daily lives, due to technology, politics, and our own beliefs holding us back. We live in a Carcerous age.

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

K: The cover art is the work of a close friend - the amazing artist Yassen Stoilov. The art itself is his interpretation of the lyrics for the namesake song - Doomsday Factory, which itself is a critique of humanity’s inability to know peace. 

7.Out of all the shows the band has done so far, which one stands out the most?

K: I love shows with high attendance, just because the audience hypes and feeds off its own energy, which always results in a wild ride. All of those we have had so far have been great. I also love those shows where we get to support bands from outside Bulgaria.

I: I don’t have a favorite amongst our shows so far, but I can say we always give our best when we perform, just because that’s the important thing - No matter how many people come to the show, the artist must stay true to the performance and always give their best.

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

K: We are working on those. In general we are an active live band and will continue to be. For now we have two shows announced, both in Sofia, Bulgaria - in support of the French death metallers of Redsphere in June and the Hungarian death machines Monastery in October. In the meantime we are actively looking for opportunities.

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

K: We are independent still, looking to get signed. We have had interest from labels and are hoping to close a deal soon.

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

K: So far the reception has been warm. Relatively few people know of us still, so I guess we need to address that first.

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

K: I see us digging deeper into death metal, at least initially. I think we will remain true to ourselves in that regard and keep being spontaneous with our songwriting, so who knows what the future will bring. I hope whatever we do, we manage to stay inspired and keep things fresh and interesting.

I: We always try to not think about what our songs have to be, but instead to just allow ourselves to write music freely and then see what the end result is. It always surprises us and it’s always original for us, so that’s what matters the most to me.

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

K: I am listening to a lot of bands, not so many new ones - mostly bands from the 90s. I mostly listen to death metal, black/death metal and some less typical black metal. Notable names for me are Hypocrisy, Sodom, Rotting Christ, Thy Catafalque, Belphegor, Behemoth, Bolt Thrower, Memoriam, Lay Down Rotten, Morbid Angel, Vomitory, Blood Red Throne, and so many more. Lately, I have been listening to a lot of 2000s Cradle OF FIlth and some late 90s and early 2000s Dimmu Borgir. New releases that I have enjoyed include the new albums by Immolation, Vomitory, Vreid, Cryptopsy, and Hanging Garden from Finland. I also really loved the new Coroner record that came out last year - made a fan out of me for sure.

I: Konstantin is the death metal guy. I like many of the bands he mentioned, but I also listen to a whole lot of thrash metal, groove metal, alternative metal and metalcore bands. You can get inspired from a lot of bands and styles these days.

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

K: Thank you for your interest and the great review for Doomsday Factory! We would like it if everyone reading this checks us out and follows us on socials and streaming platforms, links below. We wish you and your audience all the best! 

I: Thanks for the awesome review and for this cool interview! We’re pushing forward as a band and we’ll be happy to participate in another one of these for a future release! Stay safe and stay metal!

https://linktr.ee/carcerousband

https://www.facebook.com/CARCEROUS

https://www.instagram.com/carcerousband/

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

https://carcerous.bandcamp.com/album/doomsday-factory 

Imperathron/Polemos Pater Panton/Caverna Abismal Records/2026 Full Length Review

  Imperathron  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  with  elements  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Polemos  Pater  Panton"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Caverna  Absmal  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Elements  of  90's  era  doom/death  metal a re  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  while  the  album  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  On  this  recording  Imperathron  continue  to  expand  on  the  blackened  death  metal  style  they  introduced  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  ancient  philosophy,  mythological  warfare  and  the  writings  of  Heraclitus.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Imperathron  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal  with  elements  of  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ancestral  Soul"  and  "Polemos  Pater  Panton".  8  out  of  10.

  https://cavernaabismal.bandcamp.com/album/imperathron-polemos-pater-panton