Torrefy/Thrash And Burn/2014 CD Review

  Torrefy  are  a  band  from  Vancouver  B.C,  Canada  that  plays  a  blackened  from  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  album  "Thrash  And  Burn".

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  a  few  seconds  alter  black  metal  screams  kick  in  and  the  music  starts  going  for  more  of  an  old  school  thrash  metal  sound  and  also  add  in  some  melodic  riffing  at  times  and  you  can  also  hear  some  death  metal  growls  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  more  of  the  darker  side  of  old  school  first  wave  black  metal  and  thrash  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  As  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  clean  parts  are  added  in  at  times  and  the  song s also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  they  bring  in  an  instrumental  and  a  song  that  utilizes  a  small  amount  of  clean  singing  and  there  is  also  a  touch  of  70's  rock  on  one  track  while  the  main  focus  remains  more  on  a  blackened  thrash  sound.

  Torrefy  plays  a  style  of  thrash  metal that  is  very  old  school  but  mixed  in  with  some  black  metal  screams  and  a  touch  of  death  metal  which  also  gives  their  music  more  of  a  modern  touch,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Mortality,  Fantasy,  Science  Fiction,  Misanthropy  and  Thrash  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Torrefy  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Thrash  And  Burn"  "Direwolf"  and  "The  Unholy  Offspring  Of  Lightning  And  Death".  8  out  of  10.

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Haapoja/Dephosphorus/Handshake Inc/7 Degrees Records/Nerve Altar/2015 Split LP Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Finland's  Haapoja  and  Greece's  Dephosphorus  which  will  be  released  in  February  as  a  joint  effort  between  Handshake  Inc,  7  Degrees  Records  and  Nerve  Altar  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Haapoja  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  hardcore,  thrash  and  grind.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  distorted  yet  melodic  sound  that  also  has  somewhat  of  a  technical  feeling  and  a  few  seconds  later  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  added  onto their  side  of  the  split  along  with  certain  sections  also  utilizing  blast  beats  as  well  as  adding  in  elements  of  post  hardcore  and  the  other  tracks  bring  in  traces  of  thrash  and  grind  while  also  sticking  mostly  to  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  and  the  production  sound s  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  which  are  mostly  written  in  Finnish  but  also  have  a  song  in  English  cover  existential  and  cosmic  plight  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Haaapoja  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  hardcore,  grind  and  thrash,  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "We  See  With  Teeth".

  Next  up  is  Dephosphorus  a  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  combines  black,  death  metal,  grind,  and  hardcore  which  they  refer  to  as  'astrogind'.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  off  with  a  very  dark  and  melodic  hardcore  punk  riff  and  a  few  seconds  later  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  added  onto  their  side  of  the  album  which  also  sees  the  music  get  a  bit  more  heavier  with  thrash  and  crust  style  riffing  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  experimental  elements  and  as  their  side  progresses  the  music  also  speeds  up  at  times  and  also  incorporates  blast  beats  and  more  grind  influences,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  existential  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great sounding  recording  from  Dephoshorus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Extract  The  Soul".

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  black  metal,  hardcore  and  grind.  8  out  of  10.  

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Haapoja/3540342394
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Dephosphorus/3540327560

Sarpanitum Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
TH: Really we have been getting on with our own lives outside of the band. We put a lot of time into writing and recording the album which we are happy with so just excited to get it released and out there. We have started some writing towards the next album to follow but we are not rushing ourselves. Both myself and Tom (Innocenti) have moved away from the midlands and Birmingham in recent years and establishing our new lives and careers with Tom (Innocenti) in North Japan and Myself in the South West of England.

2.You have a new album coming out early this year, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
T.H: Well in sarpanitum we like to create heavy music that can blend nicely and create an atmosphere with melodies without going too melodic and loosing the brutality that makes us a Death Metal band. I would say that the material is in a similar vein to 'Fidelium' because it has melody but continues to be brutal with choirs like on 'Fidelium' but I would say frequent. Normally there is a understandable uncertainty with added choirs in Death Metal because if done too much the wrong way it can sound inappropriate and flamboyant which is not what we are after. We really feel it helps bring the "ancient" feel out more of the riffs and in a way acts as a 5th instrument coming in and out of the riffs. Also there is a noticeable increase in guitar leads throughout the album. There has always been occasional guitar leads and sometimes solos in tracks whenever we have recorded a release fans will notice an increase with this and also harmonizing guitar leads

3.The is the first recording to be released in 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?
TI: Not long after we recorded the "Fidelium" EP we drafted in some live members and started rehearsing for potential shows. Sure enough we played a few 'come back' shows which went down very well. The new album "Blessed Be My Brothers" was actually recorded in September through to December 2013 so its taken almost a year since finishing that to get it release. The time prior to that as I said was spent developing a live line-up and also writing for "Blessed...".

4.Your lyrics go very in depth with Sumerian and Middle Eastern mythology and you have also covered the Knights Templar on other albums, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
TI: The lyrics for the first album "Despoilment of Origin" were written by former members so I can't shed much too much light on their creation unfortunately. Myself and Tom H were of course very attracted to the themes of that album and were on-board totally with it. We have always shared a passion for ancient history and the turbulent history of this part of the world is perfect for extreme metal. You are correct there is one song on the EP that vaguely (at best) details the founding of the Knights Templar however the other 3 songs deal with a couple of major events during the First Crusade. "Blessed..." takes this concept and runs with it a little more and goes into some other events from the following Crusades against Islam. Not only were we deeply interested in this period of history but we were also conscious to the fact that the geographical areas from where these accounts take place are essentially the same as those from where the mythology discussed on the first album originated. The cradle of civilization if you will, that no only appears to have been under almost constant turmoil since it's inception as such a place but even today it is still as contested as it ever was 1000 or even 4000 years ago.

5.I know that the band name is based upon Sarpanit who is also Marduk's wife in Babylonian Mythology, how does this name reflect the musical style that you play?
TI: I think as I said previously the themes of the first album which are more directly linked with the band name do share common ground with our recent direction. In terms of reflecting our musical style, the name being that of a mother goddess and a 'creator' of sorts reflects the grander and more majestic aspects of our music.
TH: Just to follow on from what Tom (Innocenti) said initially the name summerised the concepts on the first album being based around ancient mesopotamia and the cradle of civilization where as now “Sarpanitum” represents something that is ancient, decadent and majestic which I feel synchronizes with what we strive to achieve through our music.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
TH: Over the years we have got to play alongside with bands that we love and in the underground metal scene including some high profile bands like:Macabre, Ulcerate, The Monolith Deathcult, Svart Crown, Insision, Psycroptic. I think really any show where the crowd really enjoy the set, any show where we have had a decent sound and enjoy the partying after haha! One that sticks out in my mind vividly would be when we played with Macabre and The Monolith Deathcult in our hometown Birmingham. I have been a huge fan of The Monolith Deathcult since there first record when they were just called "Monolith" when I was 16/17 and around the time of my 18th birthday I went to see Macabre play in either Leipzig or Halle, Germany then only a couple of years after that experience I was standing the other side of the stage with both these bands and that to me was a really awesome feeling to be playing with those bands! Over all a great experience and an excellent show!

7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
TI: With me and Tom on almost opposite sides of the globe it would be difficult to organise any live performances. However, given the right circumstances and the right amount of planning it is something that we haven't ruled out as a possibility for the future.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black and death metal?
TH: From what we have received quite positive but I would not like to speak on behalf of people who have perhaps heard our stuff and not wish to comment towards us. I think because we infuse various styles of extreme metal and add atmosphere it can easily give room to compliments of criticism. Either way we enjoy writing that style and if other people enjoy it even better.

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?
TI: I myself am involved in a couple of solo projects namely Onryō which is a back metal project which features a vast array of influences. The other being another historically themed project I've called Soðlic which will deal with the history of pre-Norman conquest England. Again it is melodic black metal but this time with some minor folk influences.


10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
TI: We have already begun writing ideas down for the next album. I think our aim for the next one is to be even grander and ambitious in scale but perhaps also darker with a touch more brutality.
TH: Yeah we wanted to focus on something brutal yet uplifting on "Blessed" so something that will perhaps have some elements of that but bring in variety.

11.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?
TI: Other than the mutual 'classic' bands we both adore such as Immolation and Hate Eternal (I won't bore people with a huge list), more often than not a staggering amount of this album was written with renaissance choral music and also even earlier Christian and Arabic music in mind. It's amazing how effectively style of early music can be produced on a guitar. It might not sound that obvious on the record but when you compare it makes a lot of sense.


12.What are some of your non musical interests?
TI: Personally I'm interested in exploring my surroundings here in Japan on a daily basis and having a good time with friends. Other than that just enjoying listening to and making music. A touch of reading and a very minute (these days) amount of PC gaming.
TH: I enjoy exploring and having day trips with my girlfriend and our dog around the countryside and the seaside in South West England in particular the coast and historical sites. Aside from that I enjoy meals out, reading, cinema, occasionally catching up with friends, watching documentaries and computer and PlayStation gaming. I don’t do as much gaming as I used to but every now and then.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
TI: Thanks for the interview!
TH: Our mainwebsite for the time being is our facebook page which can be found at www.facebook.com/sarpanitum . You can preorder our upcoming album from willowtip records at http://www.willowtip.com/bands/details/sarpanitum.aspxand buy our previous material and eventually our upcoming album and merchandise from http://sarpanitum.bigcartel.com/ although please email to notify us when you have placed an order to sarpanitum_sales@hotmail.co.uk as we have had some communication issues recently with Big Cartel.
If you wish to contact the Sarpanitum for interviews and to the review the album please contact liz@earsplitcompound.com or go to http://www.earsplitcompound.com/site/contact/ . : Thanks tall involved for arranging this interview and for everyone who has taken the time to read the interview and we hope you enjoy our upcoming album “Blessed Be My Brothers” via willowtip records

Scythe Interview

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

Begotten in 2012, the birth of Scythe was inevitable as a result of accumulated experiences, knowledge, thoughts... When I try to recall crucial moments, decisions, I feel no able to set a birthdate for this project, I feel something like if it was born 20 years before, with me.

2.So far you have released a demo, split and have recorded a full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on all of the recordings and also how do they do from each other?

Right... In 2013, the first evidence of existence for Scythe became palpable, physical; a self-released demotape entitled Dysanaesthesia, an improvised piece of raw, chaotic, doom/death metal. Weird, surreal. Recorded between 2012 and 2013, Dysanaesthesia was the first time to me for incorporating keyboards in a record. Later, that year, The Sphere of Quantum came to being, and then, Declínio's track Purgatory Nebulosa. Foremost, what they share in common is experimentalism. They are born from an experimental nature. As I said, Dysanaesthesia was the first time to me to incorporate keys, also, The Sphere of Quantum emerged as an experiment for guitar and noises and Purgatory Nebulosa unifies elements of each record and tame them but incorporating new ways of record and work. I think that the listener could find something behind the music, but in the music itself, that it is recurrent in each recording. Besides, they don't share lyrical themes but any of the lyrics is strictly related to the other through self-awareness and death, surreal experiences where “physics encounters consciousness”.

3/What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?

As I said, lyrical themes are not the same in each recording but they have something in common. My lyrics are only lucubrations, metaphysics and surreal experiences that I build in my head, which I think that I could have ever experienced them, experiences that emanate from “clustered” sensations, ineffable feelings, in my brain, in my subconsciuos, experiences which I contrast with the measurable, sensations that I check with reality through words. After-death experiences, during-death experiences, hallucinations, sleep's magick, dreams, spiritual connections, eschatology, consciousness, existence as a scheduled structure of quantum wastes from past existence, spirit as a perennial, ageless, quantum phenomenon in opposite to the physical body, quantum wastes structured by ADN, deciduous, transient, fleeting.

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

Scythe is doom, Scythe is fate. Scythe is the unavoidable gnarl that tighten up your neck until brokes. Endless razors that cut you into nothing. The hands that throttle you until asphyxia. The hands that enjoy your death rattle with quasi-sexual sadism.

5.Are there any plans in the future to do this into a live band or is this strictly a studio project?

No, this will never be a live band.

6.Recently you where part of a split with 'Neurastenia', what are your thoughts on the other band that have participated on the recording?

Neurastenia was, from the first time, the perfect band to complete this work. The perfect band to fulfill the aim of this split. The man behind is a real devotee.

7.The split was released on 'The Lament Congregation', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

The Lament Congregation is a new u/g tape label and mailorder from A Coruña commanded by M.S. with no experience before on releasing or distributing stuff. With this tasty hidden smell to Hellraiser in the name (The Lament Configuration), everything he tries to do is conceptual, and this is good but, at the same time, hard to reach. Reliable and honourable, everything on the congregation is guided by passion and done selflessly.

8.Your full length is going to be released on Tertius Oculus Perceptio, what can we expect one it is released?

Expect nothing but total chaos. My sumum on experimentalism. Three long tracks that combine noise and silence as a whisper that pierces your eardrum.

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

It has been a little time since Scythe was an opened project to the public so, the feedback is minimum but not poor (quantity vs. quality). Attention is not my purpose, Scythe relates the right circles.

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

For Scythe, now I am recording a new EP and a new long song for a split, I have also recorded a single that I don't know if it will ever see the light and I am playing in a new band, called EXCURSE, besides another projects and bands.

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?

I think that most of my influences are evident: Abruptum, Furze, Nortt, Beherit or Akerbletz... And others, not so evident: Paul Chain, Portal, In Slaughter Natives, Cathedral... Nowadays I listen to a vast field of music styles, I listen to a lot of thrash and black metal, classic and progressive rock, avant-garde and experimental metal, industrial, ambient, noise, a lot of drone, neo-folk, jazz, some punk, classical music, contemporary classical, academic music, field recording...today I have been listening to: Diamanda Galás, Blut aus Nord new album, Luigi Russolo, G. Ligeti and at this moment, while answering this interview: Like Drone Razors Through Flesh Sphere self-titled album and 2014 Emanation album.

12.How would you describe your views on Occultism?

This could be a very extensive paragraph so I will try to be synthetic. Yet, I'm not such au fait with Occultism as I am with magick. Magick can be involuntary, irrational, unconsciuos, you can be doing magick without knowing that word, you can fulfill your will through magick unintendedly; writing, art, music... words can be magick and a conversation, gimmicks, but you don't need to be acquainted to any of these words, I think that this is beautiful; raw magick, alchemy, psychology; I practice magick everyday, I have been practising magick for years without knowing what it is, without knowing that I was doing it. But Occultism is the study and the follow of the occult, the hidden power, also, you can follow it your own way, you can make your own methods and have your own beliefs, you can study it your own way but you need awareness of what you are doing, put the word you prefer for it but you have to understand the concept. The esoteric field is vast (and interdisciplinary), because infinite are the hidden powers, and also, exogenous subjects like quantum physics have a little place in.

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

Light will burn us all.

https://gh-records.com/home/833-neurastenia-scythe-declinio.html

Nepente/I Will Get Your Soul/Cimmerian Shade Recordings/2015 EP Review

  Nepente  are  a  band  from  Columbia  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  ep  "I  Will  Get  Your  Soul"  which  will  be  released  in   March  by  Cimmerian  Shade  Recordings.

  Classical  guitars  start  off  the  ep  and  a  few  seconds  later  the  music  goes  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  blackened  death  metal  direction  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  growls  as  well  as  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  music  also  bring s in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  very  melodic  and  also  gives  the  music  even  more  of  an  old  school  death  metal  feeling  while  also  at  times  you  can  hear  a  bit  of  traditional  metal  element s in  the  guitar  riffing  at  times  along  with  some  of  the  faster  parts  bringing  in  even  more  of  a  pure  black  metal  style  while  the  death  metal  influence  is  still  very  dominant  throughout  the  recording.

  Nepente  remains  true  to  their  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  on  this  recording  while  also  adding  in  more  melody  and  brutality  this  time  around  to  create  some  very  heavy  music,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nepente  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Show  Me  That  You  Are  Suffering"  and  "Last  Rites".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/nepente.metal

  

Neurastenia/Scythe/Declinio/The Lament Congregation/2014 Split Album Reciew

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Brazil's  Neurastenia  and  Spain's  Scythe  called  "Declinio"  which  was  released  by  the  Lament  Congregation  and  we  will  start off  the  review  with  Neurastenia  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  drone  and  doom  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  harsh  noises  and  drones  and  a  few  seconds  later  the  music  goes  for  more  of  a  heavier  funeral  doom  metal  sound  along  with  some  screaming  vocals  that  are  kind  of  mixed  down  low  in  the  mix  and  the  noise  and  reverb  and  drone  parts  also  get  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  guitars  as well  as  taking  over  the  music  at  times  and  the  song  also  incorporates  some  powerful  bass  guitars  and  the  song  is  15  minutes in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Neurastenia  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  drone  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.

  Next  up  is  Scythe  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  ambient  and  doom/death  metal.

  A  very  avant  garde  and  sci fi  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  ambient  elements  which  leads  up  to  more  of  a  heavy  funeral  doom  metal  sound  along  with  some  blackened   death  metal  growls  and  screams  and  after  a  few  minutes  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  added  into  the  song  and  the  music  all  sticks  to  a  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  musical  direction  along  with  some  spoken  words  parts  being  added  in  briefly.

  In  my  opinion  Scythe  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  ambient  and  doom/death  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  to  all  fans  of  black  metal,  doom,  drone  and  ambient.  8  out  of  10.  


Scythe: http://www.facebook.com/scythe.moon.blaze 

Ecnephias/Self Titled/My Kingdom Music/2015 CD Review

  Ecnephias  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  gothic  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  album  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  My  Kingdom  Music.

  A  very  tribal  and  avant  garde  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  melodic  doom  metal  direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  solos  and  leads  that  display  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  and  you  can  also  hear  a  great  amount  of  atmospheric  elements  in  the  bands  musical  style  along  with  some  clean  playing  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars  and  psychedelic  elements.

  When  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  blackened  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  gothic  style  clean  singing  and  solos  and  leads  are  used  on  a  regular  basis  throughout  the  recording  and  a  few  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  gothic/doom  metal  direction  while  the  production  gives  the  songs  more  of  an  updated  feeling  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  sticking  to  a  slow  to  mid  paced  musical  direction.  

  Ecnephias  goes  back  to  the  90's  style  of  gothic  and  doom  metal  which  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heaviness  of  death  and  black  metal  along  with  a  great  amount  of  melody  to  create  the  sound  that  is  presented  on  the  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  English  mostly  along  with  a  couple  written  in  Latin  and  they  cover  Occultism,  Paganism,  Poetry,  Darkness,  Medieval  Witchcraft  and  Underground  Life.

  In  my  opinion  Ecnephias  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom,  death,  and  gothic  metal  an d if  you  are  a  fan  of  those   musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Firewalker"  "Chimera"  "Lord  of  the  Stars"  and  "Winds  Of  Doom".  8  out  of  10.

website: ecnephias.com
facebook: facebook.com/ecnephias

Sardu/Standing At the Precipice/She Died Productions/Fuck The Mainstream...We Are the Mainstream Records/2014 Full Length Review

  Sardu  are  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  speed,  black  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Standing  At  The  Precipce"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  She  Dies  Productions  and  Fuck  the  Mainstream...We  Are  the  Mainstream  Records.

  Horror  movie  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavy  and  old  school  sound  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  awhile  the music  starts  adding  in  more  elements  of  crust  and  punk  and  thrash  metal  to  their  musical  style  bringing  in  an  80's  feeling  while  the  vocals  are more  rooted  in  the  second  wave  of  black  metal.

  Back  up  gang  shouts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  songs  start  adding  in  more  melody  to  their  old  school  black  punk/metal  sound  and  the  songs  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow  and  mid  paced  parts  and  most  of  the  tracks  avoid  using  solos  and  leads  which  also  gives  the  album  more  of  a  raw  edge  while  some  are  added  briefly  on  one  of  the  later  songs.

  Sardu  plays  a  style  of  black/speed  thrash  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  and  also  mixes  in  the  raw  energy  of  punk  and  the  vocal  styling's  of  second  wave  black  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  raw  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  evil  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sardu  are  a  very  great  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  thrash,  speed,  black  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Vagrant"  "Oppressor"  "Dominion  Of  Evil"  and  "The  Silent  Earth".  8  out  of  10.  

Facebook:    http://facebook.com/sardudeathgang

Album Stream:   http://sardu.bandcamp.com/album/standing-at-the-precipice

YouTube track: http://youtu.be/kChBO0DRIMQ

Live Video: http://youtu.be/9RzL8hgauWI

         

Sarpanitum/Blessed Me My Brothers/Willowtip Records/2015 CD Review

  Sarpanitum  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  an  atmospheric  and  brutal  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Blessed  Be  My  brothers"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Willowtip  Records.

  A  very  dark,  melodic,  heavy  and  atmospheric  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  solos  and  leads  that  demonstrate  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  and  are  used  on  a  regular  basis  throughout  the  recording  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  for  more  of  a  fast  and  brutal  sound  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  You  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  middle  eastern  guitar  scales  in  the  solos  and  leads  and  the  vocals  the  band  uses  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  and  the songs  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Atmospheric  sounds  mix  in  a  great  amount  with  the  bands  brutal  musical  style  throughout  the  recording  and  the  melody  that  was  presented  on   the  intro  also  make  their  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks and  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  all  instrumental  and  brings  a  ritualistic  and  tribal  atmosphere  to  the  recording  while  the  rest  of  the  songs  stick  to  more  of  a  brutal  and  atmospheric style  of  blackened  death  metal.

  Sarpanitum  plays  a  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  is  very  heavy  and  brutal  yet  atmospheric  at  the  same  time  and  they  also  bring  in  a  ritualistic  feeling  to  some  of  the  tracks  and  it  really  makes  their  musical  style  stand  out,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Sumerian  and  Middle  Eastern  Mythology  and  Ancient  History.

  In  my  opinion  Sarpanitum  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  brutal  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "By  Virtuous  Reclamation"  "Glorification  Upon  The  Powdered  Bones  Of  the  Su"  and  "Malek  Al-Inkitar".  8  out  of  10.


http://ww.facebook.com/sarpanitum
    

Phantasmal Interview

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

Psychopomp: Phantasmal started in 2012 when Wraith (a long time comrade of mine) approached me proposing that we do a band that would combine our individual views on black / thrash / speed / heavy metal. Here we are in 2015 and we have our debut demo released and a lot of material waiting to be unleashed!


2.Recently you have released an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

P: Aggressive, melodic, powerful. Black / thrash would be the best term to use, but the songs on "The Reaper's Forge" have a broad appeal, I think.


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

P: Life and death, light and dark.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Phantasmal"?

P: There were a few names on our list when we were brainstorming band names, but Phantasmal stood out at me as being very representative of our morbid and aggressive style of metal. AND it had not already been claimed by another band (to my knowledge).


5.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you planning on expanding the line up in the future or do you chose to remain a duo?

P: Phantasmal will remain comprised of Wraith and I unless we are offered any worthwhile live gigs, at which time we will recruit a live lineup.


6.On both the metal archives and facebook page it said the band is from the United States but does not say which part, was that intentional?

P: That is intentional as Wraith and I do not live near each other. When working on material, we bounce demos back and forth to each other digitally, until the time comes to convene and record.


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

P: We currently have no record deal and are definitely always on the lookout for an interested label. We have plenty of finished or near-finished material in our vaults, so any interested labels should feel free to contact us.


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

P: Well, the demo has only been out for about two months, but what feedback we have received thus far has been extremely positive. There has been a great reaction from both fans and media.


9.When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

P: We have lots of material ready, and if any labels found themselves so inclined to put out a full length for us, we could have it done for them in less than a year's time. But as I said, we have enough material ready currently for a 7" or EP if any interested parties happen to be reading. As for the musical direction of the band, I see it remaining just as it is now. We know exactly what we want to do and are doing it.


10.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?

P: I dislike rattling off lists of band names, but occasionally it must be done: Phantasmal both takes great inspiration from and is for fans of bands like Sodom, Bathory, Metallica, Witchery, Mercyful Fate, Bewitched, Aura Noir, Destruction, Destroyer 666 and lots more. With that said, I have also described a lot of what I listen to frequently. Also, the new Nifelheim MLP is great.


11.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

P: Much like most metal bands: no, not on any more than a superficial level.


12.What are some of your non musical interests?

P: Art, books, films, animals, travel...the usual stuff.


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

P: Thank you very much for the interview opportunity. Your interest in Phantasmal is greatly appreciated. Any labels that wish to work with us should feel free to write us at phantasmalmetal@gmail.com, and any fans that are reading should keep an ear out in the coming year for plenty of new music from us. Cheers!

The Way Of Purity/The Majesty Of Your Becoming/Epictronic/2014 CD Review

  The  Way  Of  Purity  are  an  international  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  played  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  death,  doom  and  metalcore  on  earlier  recordings  but  go  for  more  of  a  gothic  metal  direction  on  this  recrding  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "The  majesty  Of  your  Becoming"  which  was  released  by  Epictronic  Records.

  Electronic  music  sounds  and  spoken  word  parts  which  are  also  used  on  other  tracks  as  well  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  and  a  few  seconds  later  melodic  clean  singing  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  elements  of  gothic  metal  and  you  can  also  hear  a  heavy  influence  of  industrial  in  the  bands  musical  style.

  At  times  you  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  melody  being  utilized  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  they  also  bring  in  samples  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  metalcore  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  the  later  tracks  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  male  industrial  style  vocals.

  On  this  recording  The  Way  Of  Purity  move  away  from  their  black  and  death  metal  roots  and  goes  for  more  of  a  style  that  mixes  goth,  industrial,  alternative  and  metal  together  and  while  the  music  is  very  good  for  this  particular  style  I  can  see  some  fans  maybe  not  enjoying  their  new  style  as  much ,  the  production  has  a  very  professional  sound  while  the  lyrics  cover Animal/Earth  Liberation  and  Purity  Of  Animals.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  decent  sounding  recording  from  The  Way  Of  Purity  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  alternative,  industrial  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dare  To  Be  Yourself"  "Disfigured  By  Karma"  "Eleven"  and  "Tide".  7/5  out  of  10.

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Emperor Of Myself/Built In Distrust/Goetic Records/CD Review

  Emperor  Of Myself  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this zine  and  plays  a  gothic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  with  some  doom  metal  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Built  In  Distrust"  which  will  be  released  on  January  15th  by  Goetic  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  and  after  a  few  seconds  the  music  goes  into  a  heavier  direction  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  they  also  bring  in  clean  singing  vocals  that  bring  in  more  of  a  gothic  metal  feeling  and  you  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  melody  throughout  the  recording.

  Death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  are  used  on  a  regular  basis  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  modern  modern  elements  that  mix  in  with  a  90's  style  of  melodic  death/doom  and  the y also  add  in  more  clean  playing  at  times  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the    leads  they  band  brings, onto  the  recording  are  very  melodic  sounding  gothic  metal  solos.

  Some  of  the  tracks  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  main  focuses  remains  mostly  on  a  slower  gothic  doom  metal  sound  and  some  of  the  tracks  sound  like  they  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released during  the  90's  while  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  more  modern  day  feeling.

  Emperor  Of  Myself  plays  a  very  90's  orientated  style  of  melodic  gothic  death/doom  metal  on  this  recording  while  still  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  influences,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Emperor  Of  Myself  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  doom,  death  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dead  Time"  "Unknown  Seas"  "Can't  Find  Peace"  and  "Never  Said  Goodbye".  8  out  of  10.

https://emperorofmyself.bandcamp.com/album/built-in-distrust