Nuclear Revenge/Let The Tyrants Rise/Evil Spell Records/Undercover/2019 CD Review

  Nuclear  Revenge  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Let  the  Tyrants  Rise"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Evil  Spell  Records  and  Undercover.

  A  very  fast  thrash  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal s creams  that  mix  the  first  and  second  wave  era's  together.  A  lot  of  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  old  school  German  and  South  American  influences.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  of  extreme  metal  and  while  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  it  still  maintains  a  more  modern  day  aggression.  The  riffs  also  utilize a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  during  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Demonic  voices  and  laughter  are  also  brought  into  the  music  briefly  along  with  one  song  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  melodic  chants  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Luciferian,  Occultism,  Blasphemy,  Apocalyptic,  Darkness  and  Alcohol  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nuclear  Revenge  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  "Ancient  Rites"  "Cursed  Are  Our  Marks"  "Lucifer's  Slave"  and  "Burn  The  Holy  Cross".  8  out  of  10.

https://nuclearrevenge.bandcamp.comhttps://shop.undercover-records.de

https://www.facebook.com/pg/NuclearRevenge       

Gravefields/Embrace the Void/Redefining Darkness Records/2019 CD Review

  Gravefields  are  a  band  from  Ireland  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  with  some  experimental,  grind  and  hardcore  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Embrace  the  Void"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Redefining  Darkness Records.

  Horror  movie  orientated  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  and  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  also  capture  the  speed  and  brutality  of  grindcore  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  songs  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  modern  and  old  school  death  metal  elements  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  shouts  at  times.  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  experimental  moments  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  occultism,  darkness  and  violence  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gravefields  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  group  with  elements  of  experimental, grind  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Psychoactive  Rites"  "The  Devils  Breath"  "Psychonaut  Inferno"  and  "Void".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPtR2eaDqKM

Towering/Obscuring Manifestation/Dolorem Records/2019 CD Review

  Towering  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Obscuring  Manifestation"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Dolorem  Records.

  A  very  dark and  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  During  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  The  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  combination  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  while  the  music  is  heavily  influenced  by  both  the  Polish  and  French  style  of  black  and  death  metal,  ritualistic  sounds  also  make  a  brief  return  as  the  album  progresses.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Towering  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Poison  Of  Man"  and  "One  With  The  Black  Earth".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_ACEnb0PTQ

     

Domain/...From Oblivion.../Old Temple/2018 CD Re-Issue Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Domain  which  also  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  blackened  death  metal  style  and  the  album  was  originally  released  in  1999  and  called  "...From  Oblivion..."  which  was  re-issued  in  2018  by  Old  Temple.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  Vocals are  mostly  death  metal growls  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts,  clean  vocals  and  grim  black  metal  also  being  used  at  times  and  middle  eastern  style  folk  instruments  are  also  used  briefly.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  some  of  the  riffing  also  adds  in  the  more  mid  tempo  first  wave  black  metal  style  with  more  of  a  90's  era  heaviness  and  there  are  also  a  few  ritualistic  instrumental  tracks  as  the  album   progresses.

  Synths  can  also  be  heard briefly  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  percussion's  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Sumerian  Mythology,  Supernatural  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  form  Domain  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Supernatural"  "Ritual  Combat"  "Devilri"  and  "Nar  Mattaru".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Domain/8033

Domain/Gat Etemmi/Old Temple/2018 CD Re-Issue Review

  Domain  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2002  album  "Gat  Etemmi"  which  was  re-issued  in  2019  by  Old  Temple.

  Dark  yet  ritualistic  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  style.

  Grim  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them. Industrial  elements  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  a  few  of  the   tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  flutes,  operatic  female  vocals,  clean  playing  and  keyboards.

  A  lot  of  the  music  also  brings  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  Polish  and  Swedish  influences  while  a  couple  of  brief  ritualistic  interludes  can  be  heard  as  the  album  progresses  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction  and  the  album  closes  with  an  instruemntal.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Sumerian  Magick  and  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Domain  which  showed  them  taking  their  blackened  death  metal  style  into  more  of  an  atmospheric  and  ritualistic  direction  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out t his  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Seven  Sibbiti"  "Anzu  Storm"  "Dingir  Xul"  and  "Shub  Nigurath  Space  Outside".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Domain/8033 

Nihility/Thus Spoke The Antichrist/Black Lion Records/2019 CD Review

  Nihility  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Thus  Spoken  The  Antichrist"  which  will  be  released in  May  by  Black  Lion  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  and  the  songs  also  bring  in a   great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  demonstrate  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  while  still  having  enough  aggression  to  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.   The  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements  and  all  of  the  musical instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  At  times  the  vocals  also  add  in  some  angry  shouts  and  screams  into  some  parts  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  riffing  also  adding  tremolo  picking  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  nihilism  and  anti  religion  themes  along  with  some  inspirations  from  the  writings  of  Nietzsche.

  In  my  opinion  Nihility  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  "Indulge  Self  Restraint"  "Those  Spoke  The  Antichrist"  and  "Prophecy  Of  Denial".  8  out  of  10.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXFyfD2sT0k  

 

   

    

Ovaryrot/Non-Flesh Scarring/Organic Divide Records2019 Full Length Review

  Ovaryrot  are  a  band  an  international  band  with  members  from  the  United  States  and  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  brutal  death  metal,  grindcore,  power  violence  and  harsh  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Non-Flesh  Scarring"  which  has  already  been  released  digitally  with  the  cd  version  coming  out  on  Organic  Divide  Records.

  Synths  and  electronics  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  grindcore  direction  while  the  vocals  bring  in a   mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Elements  of  crust  and  power  violence  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  at  times.

  Elements  of  slam  can  also  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  music  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Harsh  noises  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  at  times  as  well a s  a  brief  use  of  clean  singing  and  keyboards.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  when  they  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  Guttural  growls  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  gore and  carnage  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ovaryrot  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  brutal  death  metal,  grindcore,  power  violence  and  harsh  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Incessantly"  "Deathspiral" "Personifying  The  Machine" and  "Scarred".  8 out  of  10.

https://ovaryrot.bandcamp.com/album/non-flesh-scarring-new-full-length

  

  

Hellish Grave/Hell No Longer Waits/Hellprod Productions/2019 CD Review

  Hellish  Grave  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Hell  No  Longer  Waits"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Hellprod  Productions.

  An  instrumental  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  horror  orientated  soundscapes  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  great  amount  of  80's  influences  can  be  heard  in  the  band  musical  style  but  also  adding  a  more  up  to  date  take  on  a  classic  genre.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams.

  Elements  of  thrash,  speed  and  first  wave  black  metal  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.  The  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  horror  movie  style  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  during  some  of  the  faster  riffing,  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  and  classical guitars  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hellish  Grave  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  Nomine  Draculae"  "Possessed  By  The  Witch"  "Lust  For  Youth"  and  "Soldiers  Of  Hell".  8/5  out  of  10.

Soundcloud | Bandcamp

Verwustung/Gospel Ov Fury/Handful Of Hate/2019 CD Review

  Verwustung  are  a  band  from  Belarus  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Gospel  Ov  Fury"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Handful  Of  Hate.

  Dark  soundscapes start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  A  touch  of  death  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  riffs  being  mostly  rooted  in  thrash  metal  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.

  Elements  of  first  wave  black  metal  van  also  be  heard  in  the  music  while  the  music  is  mostly  rooted  in  the  80's  and  90's  but  still  modern  at  the  same  time. Blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  Elements  of  black'n'roll  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  an  old  school  or  retro  vibe  when  they  are  utilized  as  well  as  the  tracks  also adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Verwustung  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  "The  Ashen  Communion"  "Madness  Closing  In"  and  "Impulse  To  Kill".  8  out  of  10.

http://h-o-h.bandcamp.com/album/gospel-ov-fury

    

Sins Of The Damned Interview

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

Sins of the Damned starts on 2013 with the intention of imposing some of the South American power and Darkness in the current Speed Metal, the band was formed by Razor, Noisemaker And I, after rehearsing a time we began to launch Demos giving shape to our formula to make METAL and improving aspects of technique in each of them, I Think some of that crudeness is accentuated in our current sound, so prefer the metal, without so much paraphernalia , a darker and more direct sound, in 2016 we thought it was time to work on an LP and after a lot of adversities and problems you have in your hands  "Striking the Bell of Death " And you can hear the result.


2.In May you have your first full length coming out, musically how does it differ from your previous demo's and split?

I Think the LP cleans much better what we imagine when forming the band, this work is much more violent and fast, furious in many ways and enhances intention, I think the main difference you will find is that we dedicate a lot in every aspect of work and music,For me really captures what Sins of the Damned will maintain over time

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

We are inspired by the real world, you will not find Hechizeria and fantasy in our lyrics, we feel that we are in a agonico state and decadent as humans,We translate something of our own vision of it in the reggaetonline, we explain why of our fury, currently the violence, the corruption and destruction
surround us only take a look at present, there is also much of what has happened in the history of our country , we try to leave a real record of it inour lyrics.

4.Most of the band members also play in other bands, what is it that you bring into 'Sins Of The Damned' musically that you are not able to do with your other groups?

Each Band is different, each band has a personality, for me  "Sins " is the most landed, we can talk everyday topics under our vision Staff as a band, also the music line allows us to develop our individual influences and adozarlas to the dark Speed Metal we do.The Other bands do not restrict creativity, but each one has its own influences, sound and themes to expose.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sins Of The Damned'?

"Master of Disguise " is one of the best Speed Metal discs that exist, this in the collection of all of us, Sins of the Damned is the key track of the disc, Give it a listener and read your question again.

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

Ivex Lee B. has always been in charge of the concepts of art, this time we asked him to listen to the album and realize a concept, when we had clear the ideaFor the cover, we started looking for an artist, contact Diablo Macabre and we present the project, immediately understood what we were looking for, we only had to make adjustments of color and that type of details, we are very satisfied with his work and it is probable that Let's get back to work the same way.

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 are Not a band that pretend to play every weekend, on the one hand we believe that the shows are a special part of what the band wants Show in your music and we are not very friends about expose us, we receive enough invitations to play but we do not accept more than one or two a year.I Think the best show we have participated in was playing with AMMIT and EnFORCEr, on the one hand AMMIT is a band that we always admire when We were children, raw and direct sound, and ENFORCER are good childhood friends, it was a perfect instance, filled with underground metal, alcohol, speed and metal,We Try to give a quick, violent and dark message on the stage, we play for those who love the real metal just like us.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

We Have A couple of Shows planned in Chile and a couple of countries, I would not like to talk about it until everything is concrete, we will announce when the time Indicated... Less words, more METAL!

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

So far I have made some reviews, in general terms the band has good reception in the specialized UNDERGROUND media, although it is not our Main interest is good to know that there are many people who enjoy the music we do, SHADOW KINGDOM has done an excellent job in the promotion, which we has made it to many people who did not know the band, I think it is excellent that an UNDERGROUND METAL seal is taken so seriously things taking it To the next level without losing the real intention that characterizes the authentic METAL.

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

Together with Noisemaker we formed CRIME a while ago, we launched an EP that was very well received by the HEAVY METAL Street Maniacs and Viceral (as it should be), We are working on a debut album in parallel to the plans of Sins of the Damned, I can Also speak for BLACK CEREMONIAL KULT band that is also working on its first LP, is that there is much expectation about it for those who enjoy DEATH/BLACK METAL, I think it is one of the darkest discs you can hear, on the other hand Tyrant our drummer plays in 3 or 4 bands more, it is difficult to know that each of them, in general we all have parallel bands That we take very seriously.

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

I Think we found our sound, we started recently to compose our second album, we want to be consistent and not lose the line, I think that include something more than the speed of the DEATHRASH we would do well, let's see what time says.


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?

I Think the album that Changed my life was "BLACK METAL" of VENOM, you know, at 14 years you're quite influential hahaha!.. I think the German and Brazilian THRASH Are of my main influences, the European SPEED METAL and some American bands of the mid-80s also blew my head, currently I hear a lot DEATH METAL And BLACK, in my favorite bands are the first discs of: VIOLENT FORCE, DEATHROW, DEBUSTROL, AMMIT, RUNIING WILD, SLAYER, SABBAT, UNANIMATED,  DISSECTION, IMPALED NAZARENE, MOTORHEAD, VULCANO, BEWITCHED (SWE), SAVAGE GRACE, MORBID ANGEL, MERCILESS, MAYHEM, TROJAN, SODOM,  SLAUGHTER, KRATHERION, IRON ANGEL, RAZOR, RIOT, GOD DETHRONED, JUDAS PRIEST.

13.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

In Sins of the Damned None, the other bands where I play have their own way.

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

Well, thanks for the interest in our music, I would like to recommend a couple of discs for those who read: DEBUSTROL  "NEUROLOPATOLOG "-DAWN  "SLAUGHTERSUN "-AMMIT  "HAMMER OF DARKNESS "-BLIZZARD  "PURE FILTH AND MAYHEM "And Whoever has the opportunity listen to our album  "STRIKING THE BELL OF DEATH " The hardest that your stereo allows!

Maot.
crimesofheavymetal@gmail.com

Ketzer/Cloud Collider/Metal Blade Records/2019 CD Review

  Ketzer  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Cloud  Collider"  which  was  released  by  metal  Blade  Records.

  A  classical  guitar  intro  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  and  when  the  musics  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  some  of  the  faster  riffing  also  utilizes  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  along  with  the  music  also  taking  blackened  thrash  metal  into  a  more  modern  direction,  as  the  album  progresses  rain  and  thunder  sounds  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  a  brief  instrumental  being  added  onto  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  world  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ketzer  are  a  very  great  sounding  modern  blackened  thrash  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Keine  Angst"  "The  Wind  Brings  Them  Horses"  and  "Light  Dies  last".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU3-Sg3YZ_8  

Dreadnought/Emergence/Profound Lore/2019 CD Review

  Denver,  Colorado's  Dreadnought  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  into  a  progressive  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  with  some  elements  of  folk, jazz,  classical,  chamber  and  avant  garde  and  this  is a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Emergence"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Profound  Lore.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  At  time s the  music  gets  very  progressive  sounding  along  with  some  clean  playing  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  clean  female  vocals  and  black  metal  screams.

  The  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  keyboards  also  being  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  slow  riffs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal  as  well  as  adding  in  some  post  metal  elements  at  times.

  Saxophones  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while he  music  also  has  its  experimental,  psychedelic  and  avant  garde  moments  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  classical  and  chamber  music.When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  when  the  musical  finally  speeds  up.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  realities  of  the  age-old  cycle  of  rebirth.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Dreadnought  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  avant  garde,  progressive,  post,  black  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  :Besieged"  and  "Tempered".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.facebook.com/dreadnoughtband/

http://www.instagram.com/dreadnoughtdenver         

Totengott/The Abyss/Xtreem Music/2019 CD Review

  Totengott  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "The  Abyss"  which  was  released  by  Xtreem  Music.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music.  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  Orchestra  sounds  are  also  brought  into  the  music  briefly  ion  a  couple  of  the  tacks  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  an  angry  shouting  style  that  is  very  heavily  influenced  by  Celtic  Frost.  Elements  of  black  and  death  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  and  old  school  style  and  as  the  album  progresses  dark  soundscapes  also make  a  brief  return  on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  towards  the  end  a  brief  use  of  operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  mental  illness,  occult  and  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Totengott  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  doom  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ceremony  II,  The  Way  Of  Sin"  and  "Doppleganger II,  The  Abyss".  8  out  of  10. 

  www.facebook.com/totengottmetal 

Appalling 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? Inverted Realm doesn’t officially release until May 3rd, but we did an album pre-release show in our hometown RVA at Wonderland which was a blast. We have just been trying to play as many shows as possible and we are planning a late summer tour to support the album. We have been writing new material as well and tentatively plan to get back in he studio in the Fall.

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past? Other than the obvious lineup changes, I believe we have become tighter and more focused as a band and this album is better than the last. The goal is to always try to continue to outdo yourself and I think we did that on Inverted Realm.

3.Some of your lyrics cover occult topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in Occultism? I’d say we all have a strong interest in the occult in one way or another and are knowledgeable on the subject. A lot of the themes on Inverted Realm are more just plain anti-Christian than any specific occult ideal or ritual.

4.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects you have explored so far with your music?
The song, Epileptic Sermon, is about a serial killer. A Mutilator at Large, is a homage to Giallo style horror films, and Artifact and Vessel delves into demonic possession. Themes of horror and Appalling things.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Appalling"?
We wrote the song, Appalling, which is on our first album before we came up with a band name. After throwing around a bunch of other names we landed on Appalling. The lyrical theme of the song Appalling is about a serial killer who targets prostitutes and kills them while making their pimps watch in sadistic fashion.


6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover? The artist Joe Keinberger is a friend of our bass player. I’m not sure what his inspiration was,  but it just looks sick as hell so we went with it. There is a lot going on in the background upon looking deeper at it.

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 did a tour back in January with our buds in Deathcrown and the whole thing was great, Miami was the highlight though. Las Rosas club was fun as hell. We give it all on stage. It’s high energy just like the music. The goal is to put on a show and we continue to add to “the show” as we develop.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album? There are plans for a late summer tour. Stay tuned on that.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?
So far so good. We hope to keep reaching more and more people. We have only scratched the surface.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future? We don’t think too much about writing a specific way. Whatever comes out comes out, but it’s always fast and evil. The new material we have been writing is faster and blacker.

11.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of? Our drummer “B” (Balgrath)is doing live shows with the black metal outfit Automb. Our bass player “JA” has a grind core band MSD and a thrash band Murdersome who are both active. Guitarist “JK” is in the speed rock band US Bastards.

12.What are some of the bands or musical projects that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Darkthrone, Dark Funeral, Celtic Frost, Sargeist, 1349, Satyricon, Marduk, Morbid Angel, Slayer, Gorgoroth, and too many others to list. I’ve been jamming a lot of war metal lately. I can’t get enough Sodom and BoltThrower. Also loving the new Nordjevel album!

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
First, thanks for your time. Lastly to everyone who reads this, look out, Appalling is coming for your throat!

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Bewitcher/Under The Witching Cross/Shadow Kingdom Records/2019 CD Review

  Portland,  Oregon's  Bewitcher  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  their  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Under  The  Witching  Cross"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Shadow  Kingdom  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  that  mix  both  the  first  and  second  wave  style  together  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  elements  of  thrash  and  speed  metal.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  and  early  90's  while  also  sounding  very  modern  at  the  same  time.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style.

  At  times  the  music  also  captures  the  energy  of  punk  rock  along  with  some  melody  also  being  utilized  at  times.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  and  leads  also  showing  an  influence  of  traditional  metal  in  some  part  of  the  music,  the  closing  track  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording  which  is  also  an  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  hedonism,  heathenism,  witchcraft  and  satanism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Bewitcher  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Savage  Lands  Of  Satan"  "Heathen  Woman"  and  "Rome  Is  On  Fire".  8  out  of  10. 

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Itheist/Self Titled/2019 Full Length Review

  Itheist  are  a  band  from  the  united  Kingdom  that  plays  a  dissonant  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2019  album  which  will  be  released  in  June.

  Field  recordings  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  music  getting  very  dissonant  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  while  the  vocals  also  utilize  a  great  amount  of  death metal  growls.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  lot  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dissonant  and  melodic  style.

Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  sounding  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  long  and   epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  ritualistic  sounding  keyboards  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism  and  Left  Hand  Path  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Itheist  are  a  very  great  sounding  dissonant  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Guardian  Of  Baphomet"  "Belial  Unbound"  "Neter  Amon"and  "Suffering  In  Existence".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ0G9qARqDE

Warforged/I: The Voice/The Artisan Era/2019 CD Review

  Warforged  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  plays  a  progressive  and  atmospheric  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "I:  The  Voice"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  The  Artisan  Era.

  Keyboards  and  piano's  start  off  the  album  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  and  progressive  at  times  and  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Classical  guitars  guitars  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  technical  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding,  at  times  the  music  also  mixes  in  some  avant  garde,  jazz  and  classical  music  influences.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  fantasy  and  science  fiction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Warforged  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  progressive  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "We've  Been  Here  Before"  "Nightfall  Came"   "Willow"  and  "The  Color Of  my  Memory".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/WarforgedBand/ 
https://warforged.bandcamp.com/
http://www.youtube.com/WarforgedBand
https://twitter.com/warforgedband 
https://www.instagram.com/warforgedband/    


  

Bastardizer 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 album came out in late 2018 we've been busy playing shows, promoting the new album, whilst also working on new tracks for our next release. We've played a bunch of shows here in Australia, and we did a string of dates in South East Asia as well. We've been keeping busy. The rock n roll train never stops.

2.In 2018 you had released your recent album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you had released in the past?

Musically we aren't trying to change our style too much, just trying to write better music, which I think we clearly achieved. 'Dawn of Domination' is a lot stronger than our first album. Over the course of the band's career we've been able to hone our songwriting skills, and pick up some new tricks along the way. If anything we're getting a bit more fast and heavier, whilst the songs are more focused.

3.Some of your lyrics deal with satanic, occult and blasphemous themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

Our interests mostly pertain to real-world issues and we use the dark subject matter to hammer down our point about discontent with society and the fucked up humans we have to share a world with.

4.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects you have
explored over the years with your music?

As mentioned, we have discussed real issues and actual events in our lyrics. We've described the perverted acts of a couple of sinister serial killers, romanticised about Hellish themes, and hey, we have even written a couple of tribute tracks to other people and artists, such as 'Whiskey 'til Death' which is a cheers to Lemmy.

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

The name suits us well as we consider ourselves a bastardisation of various musical genres, i.e. thrash, black metal, hard rock, whatever. How we thought up the name was a bit of a fluke; I was looking at my CD collection hovering over the Motorhead section and basically put two album names together, 'Bastards' and 'Motorizer'. The name was perfect, and here we are today.

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

The imagery depicts some of the lyrics from one of our tracks 'Demons Unleashed' mostly. Plus we have paid homage to a classic film with the setting. Only one person I have talked to has picked up on that reference so I'll let the fans have a think about it. Here's a hint though: 'Kali Ma Shakti de'.

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?

Our best shows are always when the crowd is going wild. That's always the key, when they won't let us stop and they're up on stage jumping back into the pit etc. We had a gig like that recently in Melbourne, Australia. We've had a few in our hometown of Sydney, and internationally, gigs in Moscow, Bangkok, and Manila spring to mind which had crazy punters in the audience. As for our performance, we just get up there and play at 1000 miles an hour. We're loud, fast, and raw. What you want from a rock gig I would hope.

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

We always want to get out on the road, but it's tricky being based in Australia as it's logistically difficult to get to many places in the world. That being said, that won't stop us. We will play anywhere we're the fans want to see us. Some places that are priorities are North/South America and more of Europe, as well as going back to Asia. But it's about promoters being willing to get us over, so the more fans we pick up the more likely we are able to tour. We generally keep busy playing shows here in Australia too.

9.In April 'Undercover' and 'Evil Spell Records' are re-issuing your 2018 album on psychical format, can you tell us a little bit more about the newer version?

We (and a lot of our fans) have been dying to get our hands on the vinyl version of the album so it looks like it's finally arriving this month which is exciting.

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

Overall the reaction to the album has been overwhelmingly positive. People seem to love it, which is cool. We've picked up some new fans along the way as well which has been positive. We're happy with the response from the fans. We hope people dig our tunes.

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

Bastardizer is Numero Uno for us all. Some band members are part of other bands but Bastardizer remains the priority with our musical endevours.

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

Well we already have several new tracks written for our next LP and I can say that we aren't changing our style a great deal; just getting tighter and writing some more heavy material. One of our new songs is definitely the toughest and heaviest we've written. It will be exciting to hear that one recorded. So I think you can expect basically more of the same in terms of style, but a more consistent and quality output. Faster tracks, heavier material, better songs. If it ain't broke, don't fix it as they say.

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 all listen to different stuff personally, but the influences tend to remain in what specifically energises Bastardizer's style, i.e. Old School thrash and black metal, and other black/thrash bands etc. I may listen to a band that doesn't sound like Bastardizer, for example, like Shining who I'm a big fan of. I like playing their songs on guitar at home but their style hasn't creeped into our songwriting yet. Not to say that that may not happen in future. We still have a lot of riffs and lyrics up our sleeve before we're going to go changing what it is we do best.

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

Thanks for taking the time to check out Bastardizer. We really appreciate all the support we've received, especially in regards to 'Dawn of Domination'. If you're someone that hasn't heard it, it's been described as Bathory and Motorhead on steroids so if that sounds like your cup of tea I suggest you give it a listen. Plus, also look out for the new vinyl version of the album released through Evil Spell/Undercover Records. Hopefully we can tour in your part of the world. Keep it heavy, and keep dominating! Cheers!

Regards,
Bill Morgan (guitars)
Bastardizer

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Sins Of The Damned/Striking The Bell Of Death/Shadow Kingdom Records/2019 CD Review

  Sins  Of  The  Damned  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Striking  The  Bell  Of  Death"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by Shadow  Kingdom  Records.

  Nature  orientated  soundscapes  and  war  samples  start  off  the  album  along  with  a  brief  use  of  keyboards  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  When  guitar  solos and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  yet  old  school  style  along  with  the  music  also  having  a  great  amount  of  80's  influences  but  sounding  modern  at  the  same  time.

  A  decent  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals a re  mostly  black  metal  screams  that  are  heavily  influenced  by  both  the  first  and  second  wave  era's.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  lot  of  elements  of  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  some  demonic  growls  at  times  as  well  as  some  of  the  music  also  adding  in  some  influences  of  early  80's  traditional  metal,  as  the  album  progresses  keyboards  also  make  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  life,  revenge  and  war  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sins  Of  The  Damned  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Striking  The  Bell  Of  Death"  "The  Outcast(Sign  Of  Cain)"  and  "Death's  All  Around  You".  8  out  of  10.

http://shadowkingdomrecords.bandcamp.com/album/striking-the-bell-of-death

       

Appalling/Inverted Realm/Redefining Darkness Records/2019 CD Review

  Appalling  are  a  band  from  Richmond,  Virginia  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their  2019  album  "Inverted  Realm"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Redefining  Darkness  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  bring  in a   great  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  A  lot  of t he  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  but  modern  at  the  same  time  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in a   decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  The  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  while  some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  thrash  metal  and  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  very  heavy  and  brutal  musical  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  occult  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Appalling  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hot  Coals  For  Branding"  "Artifact  And  Vessel"  and  "Templar".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS5XZdC2Hi4