Paragon Zero/Omaas/Loud Rage Music/2020 EP Review

 

  Paragon  Zero  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  ep  "Omaas"  which  was  released  by  Loud  Rage  Music.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts and  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  balance  between  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  but  keeping  it  modern  at  the  same  time, the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.    

  On  this  recording  Paragon  Zero  expands  on  the  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  that  they  had  established  on their  previous  single.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Paragon  Zero  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black, doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Phosphorous  Blaze"  and  "Grey  Feast".  8  out  of  10.

 https://pestrecords.bandcamp.com/album/paragon-zero-omass

      

King Ov Wyrms/Lord Ov Thrones/2020 Full Length Review

 

    King  Ov  Worms  are  a  solo  project  from  Arizona  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2020  album  "Lord  Ov  Thrones"  which  will  be  released  in  November.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  but  also  keeps  it  modern  at  the  same  time  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  old  school  yet  chaotic  style.  The  fast  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier musical  direction.

  King  Ov  Worms  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism, Blasphemy,  Lovecraftian  and  Horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  King  Ov  Worms  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  solo project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Threnody"  "The  Maggots  That  Crawled  From  The  Wounds"  and  "Ascendance  Of  The  Continual  One".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook.com/KingOvWyrms 

      

  

Kira Interview

 

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

Nameless: Kira was founded in 2015 in the metal basin of Opoczno (central Poland). The originator of the band was Nameless - guitar, music (Nomad, ex-Ethelyn), who invited Groshek - drums (Nomad, Peacemaker) and Mysth - vocals, bass, lyrics (Ethelyn, Deathstorm) to cooperate. In 2017, the album "Ancient Lies" was recorded.

After the recording Mysth was replaced with Hellishdust and Peter. In 2018, the line-up was completed, Cannibal joined on the second guitar and slowly we started working on a new album.

The band Kira unifies musicians with a long musical experience, the entire line-up played in various metal bands (Nomad, Ethelyn, Skullthrone, Abused Majesty, The Growling Stones, Bloodpaint, Egoizm, PeaceMaker, Repossession).

2.You have a new album coming out in October, musically how does it differ from your previous release?

Nameless: The first album was created very quickly, actually the music was somewhat rattled off by me.

The second album is more mature, polished. Some songs are 7 minutes long, the compositions were somehow extended naturally. We also changed our approach slightly. In some tracks, the drums were recorded first and then music was later added to them. Also, the sound of the drums is more juicy, clear and perfectly recorded (in Heinrich House Studio). The guitars' sound very powerful and the whole thing sounds much better than the first album.

3.Some of your lyrics cover Luciferian and Occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

Hellishdust: For me, dark art was a very important thing since I remember. I think if you are following the path of darkness sooner or later you will start looking for some "dark manual", which eventually will guide you through life. So I read a lot, looking for inspiration and you can hear the results at "Peccatum et Blasphemia".

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

Hellishdust: Topics for "Ancient Lies" covers faith, freedom of choice and some Nietzsche's philosophy. When I join Kira I also brought some dark influences with me.

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

Nameless: Kira may be a variation of the Irish name Ciara which is the feminine version of the word Ciar, meaning "black". Kira is also considered to be the female form of the male name Cyrus (from the Greek Kyrios), meaning "lord" or "ruler", therefore Kira is given the meaning of "master, female ruler".

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

Nameless: The cover was created by Michał "Xaay" Loranc, also responsible for doing artworks for such bands as Behemoth, Nomad, Nile, Pestilence. The graphics were supposed to refer to the lyrics. At the front we see a skull immersed in hell's lava, the motives of suffering and the valley of death. In the lower part of the cover, there is a little man who has to face all this madness... Each of us has to face something, so you can identify with this character perfectly. The colours ideally match the whole concept. 

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

Nameless: Well, we only played one show during all these years, because Kira was meant to be a studio project. We played in our city of Opoczno and the reaction of the audience was very good. It was not without complications, as Groshek could not participate in it. At the last minute, we were helped by a drummer from Warsaw, Damian Gwardzik, who played only four rehearsals with us and it was awesome!!!!!

8.The new album is coming out on 'Ossuary Records', how would you compare working with them to your older label 'Tales From Crematoria'?

Nameless: Unfortunately, the promotion from "Tales from crematoria" was limited only to letters and sending records to the west. Although Krzysztof is serving a long sentence in the state prison, he made quite big promotion, as for a person who does not have Internet access!!! We were helped in distribution by Morgul from Putrid Cult, who dealt with selling CDs and T-shirts (thanks a lot!).

The collaboration with Ossuary has been excellent so far! I'm shocked with what Mateusz is doing for Kira at the moment, and we've only been working together for two months now ;)

9.On the new album you also have done a 'Sodom', what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

Nameless: I always wanted to do a cover. Sodom was one of the first bands I listened to at the beginning of my contact with metal. Then in the 90s, I saw a music video for this song at "Viva"... and if blew me away!!!

I decided it would be worth doing in my way. I added one riff for the solo and we changed the tempo a bit to a faster one. The vocals were recorded in amazing speed. This song is an instant killer!

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

Nameless: Overall positive, I haven't seen a bad review of it, for the first album under the name of Kira it was ok. Now it's on the metal torrents, so let it circulate among the depths of the Internet ;)

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

Nameless: We are currently recording a new EP. Also, it would be fun to do a tour and put out another full album!

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?

Nameless: For me, Iron Maiden and Slayer were the most influential bands! At the moment I don't listen to any new bands, I often go back to the '80s and '90s. Recently, "Samael - Ceremony Of Opposites" is on repeat inside my player.

Hellishdust: I think all of us are influenced by the '80s/'90s scene as we are not so young anymore and we grew up during those times. I'm a maniac who buy a lot of records. Latest arrivals in my collection include The Rite, Eternal Rot, Void Rot, Black Altar (I had a guilty pleasure to write one of the lyrics for their latest split), Macabre Omen, Convocation, Mgła, Clairvoyance, Death Like Mass... and many many more to come. 

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

Nameless: Thanks for the questions, it was great talking to you!

Hellishdust: Buy music and support the scene and its artists!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KIRANAMELESS

Metal Archives: https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Kira/3540428349

 

Con-Formed/Kodrat/Nailed Nazarene Industries/2020 EP Review

 

  Con-Formed  are  a  band  from  Singapore  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  emtal,  power  violence  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  ep  "Kodrat"  which  was  released by  Nailed  Nazarene  Industries.

  A  very  distorted  sound  starts  off  the  ep  before  adding  some  black  metal  screams  onto  the  recording  which  also  takes  the  music  into  a  heavier  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the vocals  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  crust  style  shouts.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  dissonant  structures  while  spoken  word  parts  and  samples  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  grindcore  elements  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  power  violence  touches.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  short  in  length  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  political  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Con-Formed  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death  metal,  power  violence  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Reminder'  and  "Purity  In  Ashes-The  Cleansing".  8  out  of  10.

https://nailednazareneindustries.bandcamp.com/album/kodrat 

    

      

Evilyn/Inside Shells/2020 EP Review

 

  Evilyn  are  an  international band  with  members  from  the  United  States  and  Canada  that  plays  a  dissonant  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2020  ep  "Inside  Shells".

  A  very  heavy  and  dissonant  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  also  brings  in  influences  form  both  the  old  school  and  modern  eras.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  very  true  to  a  dissonant  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  some  melodies  at  times.  the  vocals  also have  their  guttural  moments  as  well  as  all  of  the  music  also sticking  to  a  heavier  direction.  

  Evilyn  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  old  school  death  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  some  black  metal  and  dissonant  elements  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Evilyn  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  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spires"  and  "Embers  Burn".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/evilyndeath/
https://evilyndeath.bandcamp.com/album/inside-shells

        

Cryptae/Nightmare Traversal/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Netherlands  duo  Cryptae  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  their  experimental  mixture  of  black,  death  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Nightmare  traversal"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  dissonant  musical direction  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  guttural  death  metal  growls.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  some  distorted  sounding  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  at  times.  When  tremolo  picking  is  utilized  it  also  brings  elements  of  black  metal  into  the  songs  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  showing  an  influence  of  doom  metal,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.

  On  this  album  Cryptae remains  true  to  the  experimental  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  emtal  that they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  dystopian  and  horror  themes  inspired  by  video  games. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cryptae  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental,  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Nightmare  Traversal"  and  "Cronos".  8  out  of  10.

BANDCAMP RELEASE     

  

Fight The Fight/Deliverance/Indie Recordings/Metal Blade Records/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Fight  The  Fight  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  metalcore,  punk  and  modern  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Deliverance"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Indie  Recordings  and  Metal  Blade  Records.

 Melodic  guitar  leads  and  solos  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  some  elements  of  nu  metal  and  metalcore.  When t he  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  a mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  hardcore  style growls.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow, mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  shouting  style  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  clear  singing  as  well  as  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  lot  of  modern  and  punk  rock  touches,  a  couple  of  tracks  also  introduces  clean  playing  and  acoustic  gutiars  onto  the  album  and  on  the  closing  song  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard. 

  On  this  recording  Fight  the  Fight  remains  true  to  the  mixture  of  black  metal,  metalcore,  punk  and  modern  rock  that  they  established  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Fight  The  Fight  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal,  metalcore,  punk  and  modern  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Deliverance"  "Calling  You  Back"  "Pittbull" and  "Paradigm".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/Eq9vCE3Nf2k    

   

Evoke Interview

 

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

Evoke started in 2016 as a trio with Hans on the bass, Wilson on the drums and me on the guitar and vocals. We’ve known/knew each other long time before we started the band, and we share the same influences, so things went pretty smoothly musically. After we had like 5 or 6 songs we started doing some gigs here and there but after the time we played at Revolver here in Oslo we got help from Jonas Bye and Erick from “Muerto en la Cruz” to make the “Rehellshall demo”. With Evoke you can expect total aggression and pure madness.

2.In September you have your first full length coming out, musically how does it differ from your previous demos?

The full length includes 3 songs from the “Rehellshall” demo, but we made some changes and they sound much more intense and brutal. All the other songs were actually ready by the time we did our demo so they follow the same intensity. 

3,This is also your first release in 4 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time span?

The album was actually made in 2 weeks but it took forever because it was really hard trying to get everyone’s schedule to match to finish it up. But meanwhile I was playing with Deathhammer and did some shows with Black Viper, I also got an offer from Hellbringer to filling in on the axe for an European tour in 2018. Hans and Wilson joined Enter Obscurity just before the band decided to do a short tour around Europe after that they’ve been working on new stuff. So yeah we’ve been pretty busy playing METAL. 

4.Some of your lyrics cover occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic? 

Ive always been interested in the occult and the power of the unknown. And of course this topic goes very well with the brutality and darkness of the music. 

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

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name ‘Evoke'?

By the time we started the band I was listening to Sabbat (Jap) every freaking day and specially the Evoke album so I guess there’s where it comes from, but it fits the band perfectly since our lyrical topics are about summoning the spiritual forces of DARKNESS. Besides its very short and easy to remember I guess. 

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

The artist behind the artworks is Hex Graphics, he did an excellent job interpreting the title “Seeds of

Death”. I wanted a huge seed full of obscure beings inside of it, just filled with PURE malevolence and evil.

According to the christian bible the foundation for evil evoke from the Tree of Knowledge and the seed that Jehovah planted. I think the artwork illustrates the nature of that seed very well. Jehovah and The tree might be long gone, but we're making sure humanity knows that evil will keep on living, everything was planned and humanity was doomed by him from the beginning..

8.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

I think the best show was the one in Revolver cuz no one knew who Evoke was and no one knew what to expect. No talk between the song we just went brutal all the way til the end. On that night we played with Inculter and Enter obscurity. 

9.On one of your demos, you also done a 'Sepultura' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

Sepultura is and always will be one of our biggest influences and when we decided to include a cover on the demo, the choice was easy. 

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

We’ve been receiving a lot of good feedback lately so its cool to hear that, but we’ve already started working on our second album and some things may change to the better. 

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?

Deathhamer is about to finish their new album that will destroy like always, so I’ve been learning some of their new songs. Hans and Wilson who plays in Enter obscurity started making some new stuff and hopefully they will do an EP next year. 

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

Hard to answer that one, right now we are waiting for this fucking corona to disappear, so we can start playing gigs and promote the album. As I mentioned we’ve also been busy working on our second album, but to be honest we don’t think too much about how things should sound or be in the future.

13.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?

Morbid angel, Slayer, Infernal Majesty, Sepultura, Razor, Sabbat (JAP) and many others, right now I’ve been listening to a lot of Death metal and some new cool shit like Deathwards, Toxik Death, . 

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

Stay EVIL and let's dig our way to hell, cuz heaven is a place for COWARDS!

Bandcamp

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Purnama/Lioness/Slovak MetalArmy/2020 CD Re-Issue Review

 

  Purnama  are  a  band  from  the  Czech  Republic  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Lioness"which was  re-issued  in  2020  by  Slovak  Metal Army.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a heavier  and  brutal  musical  direction  while  the vocals  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  growls.  Black  metal  screams  are  also utilized  and  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be heard.   

  Melodies  can  also be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  along  with  all of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction,  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing.

  Purnama  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Anti  Religion  and  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Purnama  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Acheron"  "No  Evil  No  God"  and  "Lioness".  8 out  of  10.

www.purnama.cz

www.facebook.com/Purnama-294176080610664

www.purnama.cz

www.facebook.com/Purnama-294176080610664 

Incinerated/Stellar Abomination/BlackSeed Productions/2020 CD Review

 

  Incinerated  are  a  band  from  Indonesia  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Stellar  Abomination"  which  was  released  by  BlackSeed  Productions.

  A  very  heavy  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  mid  80's  and  90's  death  metal  elements  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  some  dark  sounding  melodies.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  while  the  music  also  shows  a great  amount  of  Morbid  Angel and  Angel  Corpse  influences.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  acoustic  guitars  and  the  other  being  more  ritualistic  and  avant  garde  but  keeping  the  main  focus  on  a  more  brutal  direction.

  Incinerated  plays  a  musical style  that  goes  back  to  the  mid  80's  and  90's  eras  of  black  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  with  a  more  modern  brutality.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Chaos,  Death  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Incinerated  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  "Chaos  Infinite"  "Doom  Legion"  and  "StellarAbomination".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/INCINERATEDEATH/    

    

Occult Burial/Burning Eerie Love/Invictus Productions/Electric Assault Records/Stygian Black Hand/Temple Of Mystery Records/2020 CD Review

  Occult  Burial  are  a  band  from  Ottawa,  Ontario,  Canada  that  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Burning  Eerie  Love"  which  will  be  released  in  October  as  a  joint  effort  between  Invictus  Productions.  Electric  Assault  Records.  Stygian  Black  Hand  and  Temple  Of  Mystery  Records.

  Fire  burning  sounds  and  percussion  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  old  school  extreme  metal  style.

  Vocals  are mostly grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  influences  from  the  first  wave  era  are  also  utilized  at  times. A  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  thrash  and  speed metal  styles  but  with  a  more  modern  day  aggression  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  all  of  the  music  also  sticking  to  a  heavier  direction,  spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  satanism,  witchcraft  and  evil  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being  written  in  French.

  In  my  opinion  Occult  Burial  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  mixture  of  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Burning  Eerie  Love"  "Skeletal  Laughter"  and  "Temple  Of  Mutants".  8  out  of  10.

http://invictusproductions666.bandcamp.com/track/highway-through-borderland 
http://soundcloud.com/invictusproductions/occult-burial-highway-through-borderland 


https://youtu.be/rxFqhfL8OAcwww.occultburial.bandcamp.com 




      

Counting Hours/The Will/The Vinyl Division/2020 Full Length Review

  Counting  Hours  are  a  band  from Finland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom,  goth metal  and  dark  depressive  rock  and  this  is  a  review of  their 2020 album  "The  Will"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  The  Vinyl  Division.

  Rain  and  thunder  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  goth  metal  direction.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  depressive  sounding  melodies  while  clean  vocals  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  black  metal  screams  can  also  be heard  at  times.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  clean  playing  also  returning  on  some  of  the  later  songs  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  whispered  vocals  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  depressive  and  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Counting  Hours  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  doom,  gothic  metal  and  dark  depressive  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Will"  "To  Exit  All  False"  "Buried  In  The  White"  and  "Among  The  Pines  We'll  Die".  8 out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Countinghours2
https://countinghours2.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/counting.hours/ 

  

Malicious/Deranged Hexes/Invictus Productions/2020 Full Length Review

  Malicious  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2020  album  "Deranged  Hades"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Invictus  Productions.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Vocals  are  mostly  blackened  screams  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  mid  80's  to  early  90's  era's  of  black  and  death  metal  and  show  an  influence  of  early  Morbid  Angel  and  Nocturnus.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  adding  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  all  of  the  musical instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  old  school  style  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a heavier  musical  direction.

  Malicious  plays  a  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  goes  back  to  the  80's  and  90's  era  of  the  genre.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics cover  Death  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Malicious  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Infinite  Perdition"  "Death  Embalmed"  and  "Deranged  Hexes".  8  out  of  10.

http://invictusproductions666.bandcamp.com/album/deranged-hexes 
http://soundcloud.com/invictusproductions/malicious-hideous-transformations

www.facebook.com/MaliciousFin
www.maliciousfin.bandcamp.com 










    

Kira/Peccatum et Blasphemia/Ossuary Records/2020 CD Review

  Kira  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Peccatum  et  Blasphemia"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Ossuary  Records.

  A  very  ritualistic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  brutal  direction.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  while  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  one  track  also  adding  stringed  instruments  onto  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  old  school  and  modern  influences  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  songs.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Luciferian,  Thelema,  Occultism,  Blasphemy,  Death  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Kira  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  "Lucifer's  Herald"  "Temple  Of  Suffering"  "In  The  Devil's  Embrace"  and  "Silence  Is  Consent".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KIRANAMELESS

Metal Archives: https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Kira/3540428349

    

Weight Of Emptiness/Conquering The Deep Cycle/Australis Records/2019 CD Review

  Weight  Of  Emptiness  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  an  avant  garde  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Conquering  the  Deep  Cycle"  which  was  released  by  Australis  Records.

  Synths  and  symphonic  elements  start  off  the  album  and  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  operatic  sounding  female  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  and  death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  album.
 
  At   times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks.  When  clean  male  vocals  are utilized  they  also  give  the  songs  more  of  an  avant  garde  feeling  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  show  an  influence  of  doom  metal.

  Black  metal  screams  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album  along  with  all  of the musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  some  blast  beats  are  being  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up,  at  times  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  sounding  and  as  the  album  progresses  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  a  few  songs  and  they  also  bring  in  a  cover  Of  Twilight  Mist's  "Two  Tears  Alone" .  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  introspection,  emotions.  death  and  despair  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Weight  Of  Emptiness  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  and  avant  garde  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Invisible  Mind  Workers"  "Lapse  Of  Insanity"  "Eleven  Ravens"  and  "Lurking  Hope".  8  out  of  10.

https://metaldevastationradio.com/thebeast/blog/9202/new-promo-weight-of-emptiness-conquering-the-deep-cycle-avant-garde-metal 

      

Ardormort Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Ardormort: Definitely, thanks for speaking with me today.  The project began in 2018, when I was going through a couple of difficult situations all at once.  I had always been an obsessive lover of music and especially metal, but had never taken the step towards creating something uniquely mine.  I needed an outlet and it felt like it was time for me to take that step.  Ardormort will always be an expression of whatever emotions I'm experiencing when writing and where I am in life.  It will also always remain outside the confines of any one genre.  I love and consume an eclectic range of music and they all play a part in shaping what Ardormort's sound has become.   I essentially just call it atmospheric metal.  Synths, guitars, and atmosphere. 

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
Ardormort: The new album is the most free and confident I've felt writing music to date.  My love and involvement in dungeon synth also played a slightly larger role in terms of influences.  It can also be heard that I have become more proficient in recording my own guitar and mixing more effectively.  Overall, I consider it the most well-rounded Ardormort record.  When you are allowing total freedom of style and influence, it can be a task to have eight tracks all sound like they belong together.  These very much do however, so I am quite pleased with it in that way.
3.The first release had a little bit of vocals while the later releases have been all instrumental, what was the decision on going into this direction and also are you open to using vocals again in the future?
Ardormort: When I decided to give music a shot, I wanted to challenge myself on all levels.  This inevitably included vocals and the result was...okay.  The problem is that I'm not a great vocalist and I don't enjoy doing them.  I'm never going to dedicate myself to becoming a great vocalist, so that would mean bringing in someone else, which is an entirely different topic itself.  In short, I imagine vocals will happen again someday, but when and by who, I have no idea.  In the present, I prefer to remain instrumental.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Ardormort'?
Ardormort:   As I was in a dark place in life at the time the project began, I wanted something dark.  The mort is simply a reference to the latin root word for death.  Ardor is enthusiasm.  Ardormort is the death of enthusiasm.  A hopeless state of living. 

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
Ardormort: Indeed.  I have worked with specific artists for covers in the past, both for Ardormort and other projects, however for this one, when scanning various online collections for inspiration, I came across a stunning piece of work in the Met Museum's open access files.  It spoke to me and it lent itself to the feeling I was after.  There is actually a short fictional story I have written for the album, making it a bit of a concept piece.  It is currently only available with the deluxe edition of the album released through Pacific Threnodies.  But I simply fell in love with the painting, which is entitled "In the Woods", by Asher Brown Durand (1855).  In The Woods... are also an influence on the Ardormort sound, so it all seemed like a natural and ideal fit. 


6.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?
Ardormort: Only as recently as this year, have I become open to the idea.  In the past, I've been steadfast that I prefer an end result that I can say is a pure expression from myself alone.  That's what I needed when Ardormort was started.  There's no question however, that working with a vocalist for example, or an actual drummer, could really take the music to a level I cannot achieve on my own.  I have never played in a band or even jammed with someone.  Music playing and creating, for someone as chronically anxious as I, has always been something I've done alone.  As I've grown and worked on myself, I've become more open to such things however.  I can see it happening in the future. 


7.Since 2018 you have released a decent amount of music with both of your projects, do you spend a great amount of time writing and creating music?
Ardormort: I do.  When I get started on am album, I become extremely focused on it.  It's all I do.  I don't like to work on multiple albums at the same time, nor do I like to take breaks in between working on songs.  I think an album should carry a vibe that goes beyond a collection of songs.  When I get into a place in my mind where I am locked into a certain album, I don't want to break from it.  I think this helps me keep the creative ideas flowing and helps me keep a vision in mind.  I also don't play live or tour in any way, so there is never that downtime as there is in the cycle of a traditional band.  With the exception of an online performance or two, Writing and recording are how I express my creative yearnings, so I try to keep them active and sharp. 


8.So far you have worked with 'Pacific Threnodies' and 'Akashic Envoy Records' on your physical releases, do you feel these labels have been very helpful when it comes to getting your music out their heard?
Ardormort: Without question.  Akashic Envoy Records gave me my first ever physical release, with "To Live and To Die".  Within months prior, at the age of 34, I had only just decided to try writing and recording.  I had no reason to believe I'd experience success, and getting a physical release at the beginning was a bit of a distant dream.  To have someone express that level of support and confidence in my work was a huge deal and instrumental in me taking things to the next level with the most recent album, "The Desolation Letters".  Working with Pacific Threnodies on this album has been a tremendous experience.  They share my dedication to artistic integrity and we worked together to release a truly beautiful box set edition of the album.  I couldn't be more proud of it.  Their support has helped the Ardormort FB page grow exponentially.  New fans come in every single day and I couldn't be more thrilled and appreciative of every single one.  I've been very fortunate in those I've been able to work with, both with Ardormort and my other projects Shrouded Gate and Polar Keep.


9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and doom metal?
Ardormort: I try not to perpetuate the idea that the project is 'black metal' or actively promote to that crowd.  Surely there are those influences, and the albums have done well on predominately black metal youtube channels in fact, but overall it is not a black metal project and reaction from those fans will always be mixed.  Doom, I think is slightly closer to the nature and sound of Ardormort and fans of the genre might have a wider range of tolerance for deviation, but I can't point towards any one community supporting the music more than the other.  This is one of my favorite things about the music I make however.  It's unique and attracts individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. 


10.Can you tell us a little bit more about your other musical project 'Shrouded gate'?
Ardormort: Shrouded Gate is my dark ambient / dungeon synth / fantasy project.  It is not a side project to Ardormort.  I consider it equal in importance and quality and under that banner, I have experienced some of my greatest success.  The only actual live performance I've done for any project, in my life, has been as Shrouded Gate this past March.  My last album "Old Paths to the Sleeping Throne" sold out in two days after that performance and the reception was more than I could have ever hoped for.  I have the follow up completed and it can be expected this Fall.  Fans of Ardormort will likely find something to like with Shrouded Gate as well. 


11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
Ardormort:  I don't look very far into the future with my music, but I definitely have the goal of being a better player and performer.  Dungeon synth, and the friends I've made through it, has really been the biggest factor in my growth as a musician.  It's got me thinking about goals and what I can actually achieve.  It's given me the confidence to perform live and helped me find my confidence as a song writer.  It's where my greatest focus is...yet when I'm ready to write for Ardormort, those things all carry over.


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?
Ardormort:  I would say the biggest influences are Katatonia, more specifically early works up through Tonight's Decision (I love subsequent works, but don't draw much influence from them), Virgin Black, Shape of Despair, Moonsorrow, Depressive Silence, etc.  As for current listens, Ulver's "Flowers of Evil", Haukruunu's "Uinuos Syömein Sota", Khand's "The Sage of Witherhorn", a lot of Mortiis past and present, and Oranssi Pazuzu.  They are currently the best band on the planet in my opinion. 
"

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Ardormort:
 Thank you for taking to time to speak with me and I also pass my sincere thanks to all the new fans Ardormort has received since the release of "The Desolation Letters".  If you follow Shrouded Gate as well, you might catch some moments where the two projects collide...perhaps even in a live setting.  The set I am currently preparing for Shrouded Gate has an surprise or two thrown in.  Thanks again!

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Ophion Interview

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

Focalor and Monarch

Ophion started sometime in 2017 with the definite intention of creating an extreme metal initiative identified by the universal symbol of the serpent. In the experimental and composition phase, we started to consolidate its sound under the extreme metal umbrella as Blackened Death.

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

Focalor

As mentioned above, the musical style we went for the album was Blackened Death Metal. For this album, we wanted to emphasize atmosphere over technique, and include small doses of melodic and neoclassical elements where appropriate. The band also incorporates our interpretation of ‘ancient music or rhythms' such as can be heard in the tracks ‘Kalassa’ and ‘Grand Babylonia’.

3. Your lyrics cover ancient civilizations, mythology, and esoteric themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

Monarch

In a sense, I’ve always been attracted to the old days. So, when I was able to form my own band it was quite natural to base the concepts on such themes. Initially, it was more about that feeling of awe and mystery that you get when you think about ancient civilizations, allowing yourself to step out of your own context if you will. But they also allowed me to express things that I would not have communicated as I did through the coverings of contemporary settings. You would be surprised how different the reactions are when you express an idea someone might fundamentally believe in when you use times removed from their own as a reference.

Anyhow, by the hand of circumstance, so to speak, and through the writings of occultist philosopher Manly Palmer Hall, I came across what for me is the quintessence of the past – the very thoughts and ideals of its sages and nations. These thoughts, along with ancestral recollections, and certain cultural impulses, are expressed through what we call mythology – perhaps ‘’the history of prehistoric times’’. Nearly everything else –artifacts, buildings, and monuments – though fascinating, are but the remaining bones. Ideas are the meat, or better said, the spirit of it.  And it was through Hall’s work that I first got interested in the ‘mythological’ Atlantean theme, which is one of the central topics of ‘Antediluvian’; the other being the universality of the serpent.

As regards the term esoteric as applied to the context, it is best defined in the philosopher’s own words from his lectures on Esoteric Anthropology (min. 4:00). He states that esoteric relates to ‘’certain neglected possibilities in knowledge; something obscure; some part of knowledge that is darkened, that may arise from common neglect and through a long period of time...passes out of fashion, without actually having been disproven’’. This passing of ideas into subjectivity is what he terms esoteric, and how the conceptual content featured on the album should be seen.

Now, this hiddenness, or esoteric aspect, as it relates to the theoretical concept of Antediluvian, presents to us the great dilemma of institutionalized academic authority. Whilst some claim that evidence suggestive of the existence of an ancient civilization that exercised global influence and whose collapse is preserved in written sources, and correlations found in archaeological sites and geology, others brush it off as being simply a fable, all references being symbolic. I won’t get into fine details, but what is ironic is that those who entertain such possibilities are deemed mystics, charlatans, or fools when some ‘’authorities’’ would have us believe that structures across the world such as pyramids, universal symbols like the serpent, elaborate mythologies, and rituals – with all their steps and processes – as having sprung up in places far removed –even by vast oceans– have no interconnection other than human nature. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of deceit and fabrication out there concerning the subject too; but does not this academic myth sound more ‘mystical’ than to consider the possibility that there existed a common denominator civilization of which many others speak, even as linguists have posited the existence of a proto-Indo European language to explain the connections between Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, and so forth?

These are some of the topics and questions that interest me, and which you will find incorporated in Antediluvian.

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

Monarch

Ophion is Greek for serpent. The inspiration behind the name comes from a book I had been reading some time ago called Ophiolatreia, or in other words, the study of serpent worship. Basically, Ophiolatreia is about the universality of the symbol and tells of how it entered into the culture and religion of nearly all peoples and nations. It further elaborates on some of its intended meanings, as well as corrupted conceptions of it. The author of this particular work is unknown, but the Phoenician Sanconiathon is said to have published a work treating the subject, on which Pherecydes Tyrus is believed to have been inspired for his treatise called Theology of Ophion (Ophiolatreia, p.5). It is in allusion to this last one that the final track of the album is entitled Theology, which is arguably the darkest, atmospherically, but doubtless the most esoteric, conceptually.


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

Monarch

As you know, this marvelous artwork was done by the great Khaos Diktator. My intention for the cover was for it to capture the essence of the album, the heartland from where, I argue, the symbol of the serpent originally came. So when he and I spoke, I basically summarized the album, song by song, in order for him to have a clear idea, which he quite fortunately sympathized with. In fact, nothing will summarize it better than the words of Khaos Diktator himself,  ‘ a long-forgotten world’. Now, retain that thought.


6. The band members reside in both Spain and the Dominican Republic, how does this work out in the recording process?

Focalor and Monarch

The recording process went about like this: Focalor recorded the guitars and bass in his studio in the Dominican Republic and digitally sent them to S. at The Empty Hall Studio in Madrid, where they were reamped, mixed, and mastered. Since I (Monarch) am here in Madrid, I went to The Empty Hall Studio to record the vocals. We believe the process demonstrates that nowadays bands can perfectly operate remotely during the recording process.

7. Is the band open to the idea of doing live shows?

Focalor

Definitely. Once the world re-opens, we’ll consider the offers that come our way.

8. The album was released on 'Nefast Films Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Focalor and Monarch

Nefast Films Records is a small label for extreme metal bands run by Focalor in the Dominican Republic. Its prime objective is to help local bands by offering affordable visual (e.g. videos) and recording services. Given that Focalor recorded guitars and bass at Nefast Films Records studio before sending them to The Empty Hall in Madrid for reamping, and so on, and we did not have a label for this album, we decided to publish Antediluvian under the label’s name. In essence, the use of Nefast Films Records is both a tribute and message to all the local bands stating that it's possible to get your name out there. Hard work and attention to detail goes a long way. It’s easy to lose sight of that when you are playing on a small island in the Caribbean. So, the truth of the matter is that Ophion is currently independent and open to collaborating with a label that could make the most of what we have to offer. Antediluvian is only the beginning.

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

Focalor and Monarch

We were confident that we had created something that was both unique and interesting – it's not a copy of this or that band’s playing style, and all the songs are distinguishable from the other whilst having a recognizable musical line. But, to answer the question, the reaction has been great, and unexpected! Following the release of Antediluvian, we have been able to personally connect with people from all over Europe, the USA, Latin America, and even Australia. And of course, the Dominican Republic! For instance, we were recently featured in the German YouTube channel Heavy Harlequin and Argentina based Headbangers.es and seeing some of the stats provided by music platforms like Spotify and Bandcamp, we have started to get attention from Poland (the cradle of blackened death metal!), Russia and, surprisingly, Japan and Taiwan!

10. What is going on with the other bands that the guitar player is a part of?

Focalor

Focalor is my solo project and just last year (2019) I released the full-length ‘Uroboros’. You could check out the Focalor YouTube channel for some videos. As regards the other bands, Ad Bestia was dissolved in 2012, and Soul of Death is currently inactive. Both of these were successful bands locally, each with its own following, and fortunately enough, Ophion now counts on the support of many of those old followers, in addition to the numerous new ones.

11. Musically speaking, where do you see the band heading into during the future?

Focalor and Monarch

Our vision for the future is to produce albums that are bigger and better than the one before. In doing so, we will have established a distinct and recognizable sound in the international scene. Some of the positive feedback we have got has to do with the balance of black and death Antediluvian achieved. So, that particular balance in combination with the atmosphere is something that we intend to perfect. Indeed, we have already started to work on this since we started experimenting for the next album. What is more is that for the next production we will count on the participation of Wolv on guitars too, who will add some of the imposing and chaotic elements that his riffing is characteristic of.

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?

Focalor

Deathspell Omega, Behemoth, Dissection, and Mayhem.

Monarch

Covenant, Satyricon, Keep of Kalessin

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

Monarch, Focalor, Wolv

First of all, we would like to thank Blackened Death Metal Zine for showing interest in the band, as well as everyone who has been supporting us in the Dominican Republic, Spain, Germany, Russia, the USA, Australia, and all around the world. We hope this interview sheds some light on Ophion’s music and concept so that you could feel closer to the band. Anyone out there who wants to connect, feel free to write to us. And mark these words, Ophion is an up and coming band that you will be hearing more from in the future.

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/album/3dM33JvJLstCIgcxfg1O2e

Bandcamp

https://ophion-official.bandcamp.com/releases

Lyric Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cet3VW1qCBo

Full Album on YouTube 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICCZlxyoFic&t=792s