Bastardizer/Dawn Of Domination/Evil Spell Records/Undercover/2019 CD Review

 Bastardizer  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Dawn  Of  Domination"  which  will  be  released  in  April  as  a  joint  effort  between  Evil  Spell  Records  and  Undercover.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  old  school  yet  melodic  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads  being  introduced  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  thrash  and  first  wave  black  metal  elements  but  done  in  more  of  a  modern  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  sections  of  the  riffing  while  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  back  up  shouts  along  with  the  music  always  sticking  to  a  very  heavy  and  aggressive  musical  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Evil,  Death,  Hell,  Lust,  Damnation,  Women  and  Alcohol  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Bastardizer  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  "A  Dose  Of  Vengeance"  "Demons  Unleashed"  "Hellions  of  The  Oath"  and  "Unholy  Allegiance".  8  out  of  10.

 https://bastardizer.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/bastardizer666/

Crestfallen Queen/Queen Of Swords/Church Within Records/2019 Full Length Review

  Crestfallen  Queen  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  progressive  and  blackened  form  of  doom  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Queen  Of  Swords"  which  will  be released  in  May  by  Church  Within  Records.

  Ritualistic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  One  track  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording  while  the  riffs  are  down  in  a  very  slow  doom  metal  style  and  also  utilize  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clean  female  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  70's  and  80's  metal  influences.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  the  riffs  also  utilizing  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  retro  rock  style.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  sticks  to  mostly  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  ancient  philosophy,  mythology,  and  the  long  forgotten  stories  of  heroines.

  In  my  opinion  Crestfallen  Queen  are a   very  great  sounding  progressive  blackened  doom  rock  band  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something  that  is  very  different,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Queen  Of  Swords"  and  "Lethean  Bed".  8  out  of  10. 

https://www.instagram.com/crestfallenqueen/

https://crestfallenqueen.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/CrestfallenQueen

Lyfordeath 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?

Divided between rehearsals, planning a little tour to get the album on the road and creating the concept and sound for the next album.

2.In December you had released your first full length album, musically how does it differ from your previous singles and demo?

We think that, with this album, we deliver a stronger message, a thicker ambiance and a more mature sound than the previous singles, due to the years of work we put into it.

3.The lyrics on the new album have a concept to them, can you tell us a little bit more about what you have covered lyrically with this recording and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

In this album, we try to present both the extrinsic as the intrinsic universe, making people see their place in this reality and making them realize their true worth.

4.The album titled was named after the Royal Society Of London's motto, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in their work?

The vision and the doctrine of the Royal Society brought to the world, don't take anyone's word for it, see for yourself. They try to instill in people a critical sense, to not only believe why but to do their own research to prove those facts.

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

Lyfordeath was born to personify the equilibrium of life and death, as the triad of life, death, and resurrection on this endless cycle of eternity.

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

Inspired by Leonardo da Vince's  "Vitruvian Man", we create a man as a measure of its own chaos, making him hold a singularity on his hands, symbolizing the creation, and holding the event horizon as the symbol of destruction, having the earth as the stage of this reality.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Every gig we performed has, one way or another, its own special place in our hearts, each one of them was unique and magnificent in its own way. The only one we will refer to is the album release show, it was the culmination of several years of work in a fantastic night, in which everything flowed so naturally and shared a synergy so intense with the public that it becomes hard to describe such a feeling through words.

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

Some dates are already scheduled, but we have several to be confirmed.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of progressive and extreme metal?

In general, people seem to like our sound, they usually say that they delve on this trip and go to wherever it takes them.

10.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Two of them, we have the drummer working with "Invein" and "Nihility" also as a session drummer on the band "Sotz", and the bass player doing vocals on the band "Urban War".

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

We will not leave the path we delve ourselves into, but the future's uncertain, only time will tell.

12.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?

From Moonspell, Draconian, Slayer, Gojira, Opeth, Mgla to Chimaira, Septicflesh, Belphegor, NeObliviscaris and some others, each one of us has his personal influences and inspiration that, mixed together, crafted what Lyfordeath is all about.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Personally, I am into Photography/Videography, Poetry, Astrophysics and Astronomy.

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

Just want to leave here a big thank you to you guys for the interest in our project, and for all the people out there supporting the band, going to the gigs and buying the merch, a sincere thank you for you guys who make our work so fulfilling.

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Sacrilegia Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
D.Rdrgs: We haven’t stopped composing since the making of “The triclavian advent”, since we had a handful of riffs unused and ideas are still flowing, we simply continued from there. But since there’s no rush to present anything new yet we’ve been also looking for gigs to promote the debut album, working on a remarkable live set is big part of what we believe metal is about.

J.K: we have played some shows in Ireland and have been trying things out live with the addition of a bass player. The latest development has now been organizing shows outside of Ireland. It’s always good to play to a new audience and get to see somewhere different.

2.You have an album coming out in April, how would you say your style of blackened thrash metal differs from other bands playing the same genre?
J.K. J.K.: Some harsher elements perhaps. Both our tone and vocals are not in league with what has somewhat become the norm for this style in recent times. While we certainly do take a lot of influence from 80’s thrash and the Australian blackened thrash metal sound I think that we have managed to put our own spin on it, a bit more violent in ways and a bit darker.
D.Rdrgs: Also, not sounding deliberately thrashy I suppose. I don’t want it to sound as if I advocate against the style itself since I like many new/newer bands playing it and not just the classics, but we definitely don’t try to emulate any particular act from the past and probably have captured mostly the energy of earlier Death/Thrash in Black Metal form.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new album?
J.K.: Being Irish there are always inspiration for things to write about around us, countless stories and atrocities which have been carried out by the church. It should be noted that we do not write about such things in a satanic sense as many bands do and have done for years in metal now. We pass more of a judgement, perspective or story onto the chosen subjects of our songs.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sacrilegia'?
D.Rdrgs: Subverting sacred or established moral values that we oppose. Note that “Sacrilegia” is a plural word, and we’re not just shouting against a higher belief we disagree with, but focusing on many smaller aspects that either Christianity or modern beliefs display to our discontent.

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?
D.Rdrgs.: The art was entirely developed by Chris Kiesling of Misanthropic Art, I gave him all the titles and an overall idea of the themes and he basically went from there, so I could only present my understanding of it. But the triptych depicts a central image of the crucifixion scene where Christ is fixed upon the cross with 3 nails, hence the album’s title. The catholic church has rejected the notion of only three nails being used (instead of 4) in the occasion and deemed this allegation as heretic. Now, can we think of anything more banal to provoke such a stir on an established organization? The matter was discussed and represented by artists in years to come since the crucifixion has proved to be both a defining moment in history and a powerful symbol of devotion, but personally that moment was also the spark of insurmountable atrocities committed in the name of a limiting ideology, and also the cause of several struggles that afflict modern man’s thinking. The side images carry the buried remains of both characters in the central scene, as a reference to the ill-fated end we all must endure no matter what side we once stood for.

6.The band is from Dublin, Ireland and while I have heard plenty of extreme metal bands from that area your music is a lot more different than what I have heard from there, do you feel you have a different style than most other Irish metal bands?
J.K. Yes, we do have a totally different sound to the bands which are coming out of Ireland in the past few years. I don’t recall an Irish band ever having the type of sound that we do or anything close. The Irish bands tend to be heavier into the death metal spectrum of the genre, some even excelling in the more chaotic realms of sound at times. We are a different beast to the bulk of the Irish bands altogether and this is exactly what we set out to be.

D.Rdrgs: Ireland’s death metal scene has been on the rise in the last few years with bands working in several interesting ways to stripe away the “cheerful” stereotype most people assume Irish metal is supposed to have. Malthusian plays extremely disturbing and dissonant music, Vircolac veers on a more horror-inducing lane and Coscradh makes use of local obscure tales to envelop their chaotic death metal, to name a few. I myself am not Irish, so despite some lyrics do relate to Irish affairs, the general idea doesn’t necessarily focus on local subjects but on our visions of man’s inner struggles and philosophical anathemas. 

7.Out of all the shows the band has played so far which one did you enjoy the most?
J.K. For me it would have to be our very first gig last July as a last minute replacement to support Possession. Not even a full set had been established at that point but we managed to pull the music together in no time once the pressure was on. It has become my favourite out of all of the shows so far because I will only experience the thrill of fronting a band for the first time once, nobody else is there other than the drums pounding behind me. The set was fast, corrosive and a success. It became the real defining moment and turning point for the band as a whole.
D.Rdrgs: I second that… after so many years playing, the excitement of starting a new band and finally showing what you’ve done to a new audience has reached nostalgic levels in our first ever gig with Possession last year.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
J.K. Yeah we have some plans to do a decent amount of touring  and are currently in the midst of getting organised for them. Firstly we plan to head to the UK and Scotland since they are close to home and easy to get to without much trouble. After that some dates Europe and at some point I think that we will have to make an appearance to conquer a US and Canadian audience.

9.On the new album you had also done an 'Armoured Angel' cover, do you feel this band is very underrated compared to the other Australian bands while there history goes back even further than most bands of that country?
J.K.: Armoured angel are a band I think are criminally underrated for pushing harsher elements into thrash metal and getting the Australian scene some of it’s early exposure.  It’s a shame they never got to the level they deserved especially after releasing the 1988 demo and Communion in 1991. Although the band did slightly lose some of their thrash metal charm as they went on to produce more of a death metal sound as many others did in the 90’s  they still had their own sound which is what made the band what they were.
D.Rdrgs: They were just a killer band, especially the demos, although I was spinning their “Mysterium” EP just yesterday. I’ve seen so many killer bands not even being mentioned in the international underground scene, at least they got their notoriety and cult status. Definitely one of the most underrated bands ever, but maybe that’s just what was meant to happen for them, isn’t it?

J.K..: Armoured Angel to Sacrilegia holds significance because I remember them being one of the very first obscure underground bands we discovered each other was very into. It was this which led us to cover Armoured Angel from the wings of death record. One of the things we played a lot in the earlier stages of the band.
We also have a story to us recording the cover to do with the band themselves.  We were recording in Rome with Marco (Demonomancy/Devil’s Mark Studio) and had just finished all of the instrument tracks for the cover when I realised I had no copy of the lyrics and they were not available online. The next step was to see if anybody had a copy of the record at home to send us an email with the lyrics. I recall Darragh (Invictus) having a copy lying around so he was one of the people we had asked but no luck. About an hour had passed of us almost getting ready to scrap the idea for another time when Darragh sends us on they lyrics which had been typed up for us by none other than Lucy, founding member and bass player of Armoured Angel which Darragh was able to get in contact with for us. Cheers Lucy!

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and thrash metal?
J.K.: So far the response for the album has been very positive and we are delighted with that. All of the adversity and problems we had early on had been overcome to produce a record not only that we could be proud of but that people have been getting into based on a couple of tracks. Some reviews have of course picked up on our obvious influences but have also mentioned that we have successfully added our own flavour which is mission accomplished for us.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
J.K. Already our sound has developed but is still true to our original blueprint, we’re just getting better at our songwriting and giving everything more thought having learned a few things while recording the album. We have a much better idea of what we want, how we want to sound and how to achieve it.

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?
J.K.: All of the usual black, thrash and death and heavy metal bands but more notably for my own style and influence it was bands like Sodom, Dismember, Entombed, Possessed, Slayer Metallica, Gospel of the Horns and Nifelheim really changed how I listened to and played metal.
Lately bands such as Demonomancy, Coscradh, Malthusian Ancient Rites, Obliteration, Malokarpatan have been on heavy rotation for me but of course I switch it up still listening to all the classics you would expect from someone in a black metal band.

D.Rdrgs: Apart from what Jason has already mentioned, I’m a huge Destroyer 666, Beherit, Archgoat and Impaled Nazarene fan, so if the Aussie’s influence is a bit more present on our music, the Finn’s are not so obvious, but it’s certainly there, just played a tad faster. I usually listen to a good deal of Darkthrone and I’m also particularly fond of the Chilean scene nowadays, especially Force of Darkness, since for me that’s just the Black Metal counterpart of Slayer earlier career…

Lately though I`ve been spinning the Obliteration and Funereal Presence albums, which are just refreshing in anything both Death/Thrash and Black Metal styles represent...

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
D.RDGS.: Well, thanks for taking the time to investigate our work with Sacrilegia. We hope you and your readers can catch us live anytime soon!

https://invictusproductions666.bandcamp.com/album/the-triclavian-advent

Hellripper/Black Arts & Alchemy/Reaper Metal Productions/2019 EP Review

  Scotland's  solo  project  Hellripper  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  mixture  of  black,  speed  metal  and  punk  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  ep  "Black  Arts  &  Alchemy"  which  will be  released  in  April  by  Reaper  Metal  Productions.

  A  very  fast  thrash  and  speed  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats. Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  as  well  as  some  80's  style  shouting  vocals  and  the  music  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  old  school  hardcore  punk  elements  along  with  an  influence  of  Motorhead.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  old  school  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the music  also  mixes  in  influences  of  NWOBHM.

  On  this  recording  Hellripper  remains  true  to  his  mixture  of  black,  speed  metal  and  punk.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Blasphemy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hellripper  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  speed  metal  and  punk,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "All  Hail  The  Goat"  and  "Headless  Angels".  8  out  of  10.

https://reapermetalproductions.bandcamp.com/album/black-arts-alchemy

      

The Necrosexual/Gory Hole/2019 EP Review

  The  Necrosexual  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  thrash  and  crossover  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  ep  "Gory  Hole"  which  will  be  released  in  May.

  A  very  heavy  and  distorted  guitar   sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  a  brief  use  of  power  metal  screams  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  old  school and  melodic  metal  style.

  Blast  beats  can  also  be heard  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  and  elements.  Elements  of  crossover  and  hardcore  punk  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  in  both  the  riffs  and  vocal  styles  as  well  as  a  touch  of  first  wave  black  metal  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  They  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  Black  Widow's  "In  Ancient  Days"  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful.

  The  Necrosexual  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  mixture  of  black  metal,  thrash  and  crossover  from  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  freaks  and  necrosexuality  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Necrosexual  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  thrash  and  crossover,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Lair  Where  No  Light  Enters"  and  "Orgy  on  Your  Burial".  8  out  of  10.

Necrosexual.bandcamp.com
 Necrosexual "Necrosexual Encounter" Official Music Video
Necrosexual Presents at Metal Injection.net 
 @TheNecrosexual on Twitter
 @TheNecrosexual on Instagram
 Necrosexual on Facebook

Suffering Hour/Dwell/Blood Harvest Records/2019 EP Review

  Suffering  Hour  are  a  band  from  Minnesota  with  members  from  both  Minnesota  and  Colorado  that  play  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  ep  "Dwell"  which  will  be  released  on  April  9th  by  Blood  Harvest  Records.

  Distorted  yet  melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  ep  while  the  only  track  that  is  presented  on  the  recording  is  over  18  minutes  in  length.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  and  leads  also  add  in  dissonant  structures  at  times.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  deep  yet  guttural  death  metal  growls.  The  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  melodies  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  dark  sounding  melodies  at  times.

  Screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  song  also  brings  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  displaying  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  life  and  death,  loss  of  time  and  sadness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Suffering  Hour  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  8  out  of  10. 

http://bloodharvestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/dwell

Ars Onirica Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Sure! Ars Onirica is a musical project originally created at the beginning of 2000. With the first line-up, we recorded a demo in 2004, but after that everyone in the band has followed different musical projects until I resumed it in 2018 and I recorded the first album “I: Cold”.

2.Recently your had released your first full length, musically how does it differ from your previous demo?
Actually there are a lot of doom influences and everything is a little bit slower than in the demo. The sound of Ars Onirica nowadays could be described as a junction between doom metal, black metal and dark metal, where sounds of bands of the 90's such as Katatonia, Paradise Lost and Anathema meet the modern ones as those of Shining, Triptykon and Forgotten Tomb.

3.This is your first release since the 2004 demo, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?
From 2004 to 2018 I played with a dark metal band called Lykaion and I released two albums with them. Moreover, in 2016 I created also a doom metal band called Invernoir, together with members from Black Therapy and Adimiron, and last year we released a four track EP called "Mourn".

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with the music?
My previous works were mostly influenced by bad “love-stories”, that fortunately ended! :-)
In this album instead, I tried to explore the suffering that you feel when you loose someone forever without any chance to do something to avoid this. Me and my girlfriend were expecting a baby but unfortunately we lost him, all the album has been influenced by that... I just faced my pain transforming it into music.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Ars Onrica'?
It means “art of dreams”. The creators of the name were the original drummer and guitar player, Alessio and Luca; probably they were just trying to find the right moniker to describe the sound of the band.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?
Sure! The face you see in the cover is an adaptation of a painting from a great artist called Cristiano De Matteis; I have the original one at home! I choose to use it because it gives me the idea of a person at the window looking outside in a cold winter night thinking about his sorrow without finding a way to ease it... the same feeling that I've been through lately.

7.Currently there is only 1 member in the band, are you open to expanding the line up again or do you prefer to work solo?
I actually love composing all alone, because I can control all the aspects of the music and this is really challenging and stimulating at the same time for me. I truly like to rehearse with the great musicians that are playing with me during live acts, but I find really refreshing, for once, to just meet and play!  There’s nothing to do, somehow I am a lone wolf :-)

8.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Probably the best shows we played were the first one after the coming back, and the last one. The first was as opening act for In Mourning (with Katatonia ex drummer Daniel Liljekvist) and Clouds: it was a great emotion to play with artists that I really admire. The last one was with our friends Black Therapy and Lahmia, and the reactions from the public were really good, so I think it has been a really good on stage performance.


9.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
We will play at “I: Cold” release party, then we are scheduled for a doom festival, but at the moment I can't tell you more. Hopefully more dates will soon be announced.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and doom metal?
I didn't expect such a good reaction to my music. I daily receive a lot of good feedbacks from guys all over the world and this is great :) I wrote this album with the heart in my hand and these reactions mean a lot to me.

11.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that you are a part of?
We are recording the first Invernoir album, I hope it could be released in 2020.

12.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
My only goal is to write interesting stuff that makes me feel excited and that could excite the listeners too. My hope for the future is to continue to do this just better and better….

13.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? Katatonia, Anathema, My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost and all this 90's stuff is always a great inspiration for me, but lately I fell in love with “Dweller on the threshold”, an album of a Norwegian band called  Dystopia Nå! a masterpiece of post black/doom.

14.What are some of your non musical interests? I like to walk trough abandoned places, I love to stay in contact with the nature and looking at dusk landscapes by the sea.

15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thank you for the space you’re giving to Ars Onirica, I hope to meet you and all your readers on tour.
Doom on and enjoy the cold!

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Depths Above Interview

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

Depths Above is a 4-piece metal band established in Brno (CZ) in 2016. However it took some months before getting to the current line up. At the beginning me and Sarapis (drums) started to meet and jam on regular base but it’s just after the inclusion of the other two members that this project acquired a more defined identity.


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

“Ex nihilo” was the results of months of intensive rehearsal and of a very dense period of our life, many happenings and developments. The main musical influences and background of its members are easily recognizable, there are strong black metal and doom influences in our sound, although we generally don’t focus on genre distinction during song-writing and simply try to develop the songs according to a specific mood or theme.


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

All what is able to catch our imagination and subconscious, I’d prefer to not go deeper in the meaning of the lyrics, we felt them complementary to the music so I think that the best way to get into them is just by reading them while listening the music. We opted for a simple and straightforward style though, trying to avoid complex structures and trying to describe what the music inspired us.


4.Some of the band members have played in or still are playing in other bands, what are some of the things you bring out in the music with this band that you are not able to do with any of the other groups?

Well, I think a solid basement for the existence of this project is certainly some kind of mutual and compatibility between the members of this band, this is in my opinion a necessary condition for the project to progress further and release quality material. So let’s say that compared with my previous projects, things proceed in a smoother and more natural way. The fact that all of us have somehow learned or got inspired by from the other one of the most gratifying thing in this project. I think I modified my way of playing and my taste in composition since I play with them, very naturally without any intentions. And I think that they also started to play with me something

In the hand we are equally into blastbeats and low-tempos, harmonies and disharmonies, aggression and introspection, psychedelia...so these are the elements we tried to emphasize during the songwriting process. The way we would like the people to perceive this work is like a gigantic trip.


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

What is above and what is below. It can have several meanings. Rather than providing too many explanations we invite the listeners to listen to the music while reading the lyrics..we felt that such moniker could summarize our lyrical direction, which is quite abstract and undefined but at the same time featuring quite recognizable patterns and moods. We liked the idea of dualism between physical places and places of the mind and we felt that this moniker could summarize at best this concept. To be fair, this couple of words were pronounced for the first time by Sarapis (drums) during one of our first rehearsal and promptly sticked in our brain...


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

I prefer to not disclose any symbolism or meaning behind this painting.


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 played few shows since we exists, for now only in Brno, but of course we would be glad to expand our horizons, and for us, playing live is always a huge pleasure. Live we tend to avoid theatrical elements and emphasize the musical proposal, since what is generally what we generally care most when we watch a live a performance.


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

We are currently working on that and upcoming gigs will be announced soon. Up to now, the participation at Enter the Eternal Fire in Volyne has been confirmed, which will take place in July and another couple of gigs in Autumn in Brno which are going to be announced soon.


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

Up to now we received inquiries from few labels and we are currently evaluating their offers. The DIY approach we used until now gave was definitely much satisfaction and fun, but we are also aware that being supported by a quality label can open some intriguing possibilities..so who knows...we are not actively seeking for anything particular. Briefly saying, if worth we would be gladly sign for a label but we don’t feel the need to find one at any cost.


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

I would say extremely positive. We’ve been very pleased by the amount of messages of appreciation and cd requests we had from all over the world and this certainly provides good motivation and mood to us. We take this chance to thank all these people!


11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future? Hard to say. The next goal is the composition of new tracks, lyrics and visuals, for us this is the crucial thing and we already started working on new material.


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? Concerning me, certainly my early years were deeply influenced by extreme metal, black and death in particular, then several projects and artists outside these genres acoustic music, electronic, 70’s psychedelic rock, i really have a broad range of listening and the guys as well.


13.What are some of your non musical interests?

I like to experiment with visuals, to create things with my hands and hang out with my mates when I can. Hanging out is also important to create good music.


14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts? Thank you for this opportunity! we would like to thank also all the people who contacted us and showed appreciation towards our work. If we are not gonna end up badly maybe one day we’ll play somewhere next to you!! Cheers to all.


Vama

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In Hell/Satanica Mundi/Mystyk Prod/2019 Full Length Review

  In  Hell  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Satanica  Mundi"  which  was  released  by  Mystyk  Prod.

   Ritualistic  soundscapes  start  off  the  album before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  black  emtal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  as  well  as  having  their  melodic  moments  while  the  spoken  word  parts  are  used  briefly  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling. Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Some  of  the  fast  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  epic  sounding  synths  can  also  be  heard  before  returning  back  to  a  more  brutal  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Left  Hand  Path,  Western  Occultism,  Kaballah,  Blasphemy  and Knights  Templar  themes.

  In  my  opinion  In  Hell  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Origin  Of  Occult"  "Blasphementes"  "The  Dark  Secrets  Of  the  Knights  Templat"  and  "Al  Isra  Hell".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlyUOybDAI0&feature=youtu.be

  

Sacrilegia/The Triclavian Advent/Invictus Productions/2019 CD Review

  Sacilegia  are  a  band  from  Dublin,  Ireland  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "The  Triclavian  Advent"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Invictus  Productions.

  A  very  heavy  and  old  school  thrash  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  demonic  sounding  blackened  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  and  early  90's  influences  as  well  as  keeping  a  more  modern  touch.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  old  school  extreme  metal  style.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  As  the  album  progresses  melodic  guitar  leads  can  also  start  being  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  one  track  being  an  Armoured  Angel  cover  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffs  also  utilizing  tremolo  picking  at  times.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sacrilegia  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  "Beyond  The  Fouler's  Snare"  "On  Herding  Of  Swine"  and  "Unheeded  Warnings".  8/5  out  of  10. 

http://invictusproductions666.bandcamp.com/track/beyond-the-foulers-snare

Inculter/Fatal Visions/Edged Circle Productions/2019 Full Length Review

  Inculter  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Fatal  Visions"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Edged  Circle  Productions.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before going  into  a  heavier  thrash  metal  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  old  school  style.  A  decent  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of   the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Vocals  are  done  in  a  very  old  school  death  thrash style  along  with  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80'  but  modern  at  the  same  time.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  first  and  second  wave  black  metal  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Inculter  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  80's  era  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  in  a  more  up  to  date  style  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Inculter  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Open  The  Tombs"  "Shepherd  Of  Evil"  and  "Through  Relic  Gates".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/inculter

Vitriol/Chrysalis/Iron Bonehead Productions/2019 EP Review

  Vitriol  not  to  be  confused  with  the  band  from  the  U.S  that  has  previously  had  an  album  reviewed  in  this  zine  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  ep  "Chrysalis"  which  will be  released  in  April  by  Iron  Bonehead  Productions.

  Ritualistic  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  avant  garde  style  playing  while  both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  dissonant  structures.

  Clean  play  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  in  some  parts  of  the  songs,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  ethnic  feeling.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occult  and  esoteric  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vitriol  are  a  very  great  and  original  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Soma  Somnambulistic  Trance".  8  out  of  10.

http://soundcloud.com/iron-bonehead-productions/vitriol-swarming-segments-spirit-splinters-of-stellar-dust/s-97ktd 

 

    

Ars Onirca/I: Cold/BadMoodMan Music/2019 CD Review

  Ars  Onirca  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  dark  and  melodic  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "I:  Cold"  which  was  released  by  BadMoodMan  Music.

  A  very  dark  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  radio  station  and  music  samples  before  going  into  the  first  track.  The  slow  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  doom  metal  elements  while  clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  bring  in  some  death  metal  growls  and  mix  it  with  the  semi  melodic  style  of  90's  era  gothic/doom  metal.    Melodic  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  utilizing  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  Elements  of  black  metal  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Synths  are  also  utilized  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  one  track  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars  and  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording.

  Ocean  sounds  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  they  also  bring  in  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ars  Onirca  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  dark,  and  melodic  doom/death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Between"  "In  Gloom"  and  "Dust".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/ArsOnirica/

Martelo Negro/Parthenogenesis/Hellprod Records/2019 CD Review

  Martelo  Negro  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  with  a  touch  of  d  beat  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Parthenogenesis"  which  will  be  released  in  April  by  Hellprod  Records.

  A  horror  movie  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into a  heavier  musical  direction.  A  great  amount  of  thrash  and  first  wave  black  metal  elements  can  also  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style.  Vocals  also  add  in  more  of  a  mid  80's  death  metal  style  and  d  beats  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow, mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  a  brief  use  of  semi  clean  playing  being  added  onto  one  of  the  tracks  and  they  also  make  an  old  school  style  sound  more  modern.

  Back  up  shouts  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  at  times.  Horror  orientated  soundscapes  also  make  a  return  on  some  of  the   other  tracks  and  the  music  also  shows  a  very  heavy  Celtic  Frost  and  Hellhammer  influence  while  the  solos  and  leads  add  in  more  of  an  old  school  metal/punk  style.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Portuguese  and  cover  darkness,  necromancy  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Martelo  Negro  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal with  a  touch  of  d  beat  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Arcanjo  das  Sombras"  "Orgias  Iniciaticas"  and  "Solsticio  Funerario".  8  out  of  10.

https://soundcloud.com/helldprod/martelo-negro-rameira-necromante-2019

  

Hiss From The Moat 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?
Since the recording of the album we mostly worked on creating content for the release like the lyric video, playthrough video and the official video clip that we released a few days ago for 'The Passage To Hell'. The album has been released 3 days ago and we are now in the process of looking to go on the road to support the release.

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
I would say that 'The Harrier' is like an evolution of Misanthropy. Even though the songwriting we used for this album was very different, we managed to keep our sound, brutality and speed but we also experimented a little bit trying to add some new elements. For example, we added percussions and some effects in the background that created like a horror/ambient sound surrounding the instruments and things like that, that definitely make this album sound much 'bigger' compared to Misanthropy. 

3.This is your first full length since 2013, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?
Yeah, we released Misanthropy but then some of the members of the band got involved in other projects at the time and slowed down the band: I joined Hour Of Penance and Vital Remains after, Carlo joined Tasters etc... and at one point we all felt like we wanted to go back and focus on writing our own music, and so we did and we did The Harrier.

4.Your earlier material was more deathcore influenced while the last 2 albums have been in a more blackened death metal style, what was the decision behind going into this musical direction?
We don't think of what kind of music we want to represent, we think of the music that represent us in the moment we are writing and we put what we have to say into lyrics, guitar riffs and rhythmical parts and what comes out is what we feel. I never liked to categorize art into many different names, it's just art, it's just what comes out when a band express itself. We don't think at 30 in the same way we thought when we were 15, it's just part of the growth.

5.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored over the years with their music?
The lyrics in the album basically compare some sacred texts to political ideas that we had in our history and shows how these religions were and are based on fear, just as some political ideas such as Nazism, by literally copying extracts of these and putting them in our lyrics. The purpose is to put all these forms of mass control into a perspective to people to make them realize that what we've been taught right and wrong are actually based on the same ideas. We do not support any religion or political idea based on fear, of course, our intent is to make people aware of what's in those books and once they know it, it'll be their responsibility to react to it.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Hiss From The Moat'?
There is no meaning behind the name, the inspiration came more from like a vibe, like if when you hear the name it puts you a certain image in your head. That's how we kind of came up with the name years ago. I wonder if our name is stranger than KISS, since the band's look...?

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover/
The album cover is composed by 3 main elements: The head of the statue, which stands as the population, cold and blind, a mask on top of it, that represents all these forms of control that covers people's eyes, puts gates to shut people's mouth etc... and the alchemical circle that has the meaning of growing through self evolution, so to work and evolve within ourselves, so to grow to become a better human rather than believe and follow other things thinking that we are already at our best.

8.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Well, the lineup that we have now is by far the best lineup we ever had, and we haven't played shows yet, so the best shows still have to come. But I would say that the shows that we played in South East Asia in 2017 have been the best we ever did so far. We have created a stage performance that is not only musical, but has also a lighting system so to have an impact both visually and auditive, to be a more complete experience to whoever comes and see us live.

9.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
We are working on it right now, but we don't have any yet.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your newer music by fans of black and death metal?
So far we mainly got very positive feedback to be honest, even though our main focus is to make something that we are proud of and that we like, we never write music so that people could like it, so if other people like what we are do we are just super stoked about it!

11.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?
Max, our singer/guitar player, has his own project Helion and plays in another band called Integral, on top of that he teaches classical guitar in music schools. I have my own instructional website and am a drum teacher myself. Carlo has his own recording studio, the Obscure Country, and Jack is also a guitar teacher.

12.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Wherever our thoughts and feelings will take it, until they respect what Hiss From The Moat is artistically.

13.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?
We had a few different musical influences, in different parts of the songwriting, but we didn't really focus on other band's music to create ours, we just tried to understand how we wanted to express what we wanted to say with our music. Nowadays, honestly, I am mostly listening to David Bowie and some old Marilyn Manson stuff, but it changes everyday, I am kind of moody with music, based on how I feel, there's music I want to listen to.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?
Me and Jack support Liverpool. Other than that, we are all mainly passionate about music and art, we don't have much time for anything else at the moment in our lives. We survive and create music.

15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts? 
Yes, I want to thank you guys for being interested in what we are doing and dedicating some of your time to us. It is important for us to let people know what we are about and guys like you helps us out a lot, then it's our responsibility to create something powerful enough to make people stay, but we appreciate the help.

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Lyfordeath/Nullius In Verba/Raising Legends Records/2018 Full Length Review

  Lyfordeath  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  very  progressive  mixture  of  black  metal,  death,  groove  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Nullius  In  Verba"  which  was  released  by  Raising  Legends  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  and  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  with  the  vocals  bring  in  some  grim  black  metal  screams  and the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody .



   Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  vocals  also  experiment  with  some  thrash,  groove  and  death  metal  style  vocals  while  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  throughout  the  recording  as  well  as    the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.



   Acoustic  guitars  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  Stringed  instruments  and  symphonic  elements  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  an  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  while  some  of  the  tracks a e  very  long  and  epic  in  length..

  As  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  while  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  love  and  hatred  for  humanity,  demystified  through  a  scientific  point  of  view.

  In  my  opinion  Lyfordeath  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  and  groove  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Tenebrae"  "Mortal"  and  "Deus  Ex  Machina".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Lyfordeath

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgIIeB2D5n2tx_66_XOqcfQ