Alcohelldrugs/infernal Metal Punk/Murder Records/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Alcohelldrugs  are  a  duo  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash,  speed  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Infernal  Metal  Punk"  which  will  be  released  on  November  20th  by  Murder  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  old  school  speed  metal  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  sounding  blackened  metal  screams.  The  music  also  adds  in  the  raw  aggression  of  punk  rock  along  with  some  touches  of  the  first  wave  era  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  elements  of  thrash  metal.

  Most  of  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  but  mixed  with  a  more  modern  day  aggression  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  short  in  length. The  songs  also  avoid  any  use  of  guitar  solos  and  leads  along  with  most  of  the  music  also  sticking  to a   mid  tempo  direction  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  on  a  couple  of  tracks  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be heard.

  As  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  second  wave  black  metal  and  the  album  closes  with  a  cover of  G.G  Allin's  "Bite  Tt  You  Scum".  The production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  alcohol,  drugs,  Satanism  and  rebellion  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Alcohelldrugs are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  thrash,  speed  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Self  Destruction"  "Domination  Of  Evil"  "Route  666"  and  "SerialKiller".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp | Soundcloud        

Krushhammer/Speed Blacking Hell/Hellprod Records/2020 EP Review

 

  Krushhammer  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  ep "Speed  Blacking  Hell"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Hellprod  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  musical  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.  

  The  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  era  first  wave,  thrash  and  speed  metal  elements  but  keeps  it  modern  at  the  same  time  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  fast  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and melodic  screams  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  the  ep progresses.

  Krushhammer  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own. The production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Blasphemy  and  metal  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Krushhammer  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  "Under  Spell"  and  "Vomit  In  His  Grave".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp    

Piara Posesa/Hagaste la Oscuridad/Trauma Records/2020 CD Re-Issue Review

 

  Piara  Posesa  are  a  band  from  Peru  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  metal  and  crust  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2010  album  "Hagaste  la  Oscuridad"  which  will  be  re-issued  on  October  31st,  2020  by  Trauma  Records.

  Heavy  riffing  and  grim  black  metal  screams  start  off  the  album  while  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  crust  and  d  beat.  The  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.  Some  of  the  riffing  also  shows  an  influence  of  old  school  death  metal  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  on  some  tracks  the  vocals  also  add  in  more  of  a  shouting  hardcore  approach  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Piara  Posesa  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  black,  death  metal  and  crust  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Spanish  and  English  and  cover  Chaos  and  Vengeance  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  Piara  Posesa  are  a  very  great sounding  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  crust  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rise  Of  The  Black  Messiah"  "Black  Rain  Of  Incinerated  Corpses"  "La  agonia  del  falsomanana"  and  "Perderas  lo  que  amas".  8  out  of  10.  

    

Okrutnik Interview

 

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

Eryk: Each of us has a story to tell but nobody cares about assholes, so we bring our minds to play some dirty music and share our thoughts. Not a lot of people know about Polish underground heavy metal scene, we are definitely one of most fucked up people down here.

2.You have a new album coming out in November, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?

Eryk: We had a lot of inspirations. Into our music we put a lot of dark vibes from the bands like Venom, Hellhammer and others. You can also hear some glam and doom metal influences or even a bit of Japanese heavy metal. Vocals are definitly rooted in underground black and thrash metal. We describe our style as new wave of oldschool black metal.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this subject?

Eryk: The majority of lyrics are based on anti-religious content, terrifying stories from our country and our emotions. The root of it goes deep down inside of us. One of my first songs was created in 2016, when I was home alone on the Christmas Eve, because of religious differences in my family. The song I wrote back was created from scratch on that night, I was writing it in tears and with blood flowing from my hands. I named it „Black Magic”. Maybe all the religious crap was the source of these feelings, who knows?

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

Eryk: There is a nice, dark story behind this name. In 1991 there was a series of interviews with the Pope John Paul II in Polish TV, he was surrounded with kids and answered their questions. One of them asked him about his worries, so he answered, that he is afraid of Okrutnik (in Polish it means a cruel man, tormentor) – we think he meant the devil.

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

Eryk: It's a great artwork made by our highschool friend, Sandra Kubacka. She has been doing stuff for us for a long time, so it has become an inseparable part of our music. The cover art shows an image of antichrist and his legion. We are the legion, the metalheads, that's all about it.  Sandra also made the rest of the great, dark, obscene drawings that you can find inside the CD booklet.

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

Grzegorz: We definitely remember the worst one. Michał had a sore throat and fever. We were in the middle of the tour so we figured out that Eryk would sing instead. He got drunk and at the start of the show he forgot the name of the city we were playing. The show was in Piła, he said „Welcome Gniezno”. Total destruction.

Michał: Our best gig was definitely in Gdańsk. We opened the event and we had very nice audience. The real Gdańsk Legion. It was this crazy feeling about it, as there were a bunch of people of our age who came to see us - not for the headliner, but mostly for Okrutnik. It's sick, we love it.

7.The new album is coming out on 'Ossuary Records', how did you get in contact with this label?

Eryk: The story started when we did a tour with legendary Turbo and there was a band called Hellhaim. We became good friends and played some cool dates together. In 2020 all the coronavirus pandemic started and we were locked down in our houses.  We recorded the album on our own and wanted to release it on our own. Funny thing is that the vocalist of Hellhaim, Mateusz Drzewicz (who is also the owner of Ossuary Records) was performing close to our place in September with his another band, Subterfuge. We dropped by to say hello and drink some beers. At one point we started talking about our album. Mateusz was asking more and more about it so we sent him the stuff. A few days later he decided to release our music and here we are.

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and heavy metal

Szymon: We don't really know. There is not a huge amount of fans from abroad, since we were currently focused mostly on our home country. We are waiting for your reactions, people!

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

Eryk: All we wanna do is to play our stuff and have fun. It doesn't matter if it is a huge hall or small, odious club. As soon as the concert situation gets back to normal we’ll be back on the road to play these wicked shows. Meanwhile we are already working on a new record, so it’s gonna be around pretty soon.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Eryk: As a composer I can say that I went a long way with the classics like Megadeth and Metallica ever since I was an 8 years old kid. This is thanks to my mom, because she showed me all of it. Some time later I became shocked by Japanese speed metal. That's cool, obscure scene, everybody thinks about all the fuckin' „anime” bands, but there's also lots of great stuff underneath. I've started with Sex Machineguns and X Japan. Now I know mostly everything that’s worth listening to. As for 2017 I was much into 80s metal and some newer bands playing similarly: glam Britny Fox, sleazy Crashdiet,  also Enforcer, Testament, Annihilator. Their inspiration is priceless, all of it can be found on our record, somewhere.

Michał: I am mostly influenced by first wave of black metal. You know, Venom, Bathory, early Running Wild (everyone who doesn't think they're first wave BM can fuck off!) I started with Motorhead and the first albums of Iron Maiden, later there were Nifelheim, Treblinka and Midnight. The last one left a mark on my music perception. This is my musical background and I love these bands so much. I love heavy metal.

Szymon: My story starts with a TV series called Supernatural and its soundtrack with Deep Purple, AC/DC stuff. I started searching some local bands and I found the record „Kawaleria Szatana” by Turbo. I never would have thought that my band, someday, will share the stage with them, not to mention the whole nationwide tour – but it happened in 2019! Anyway, I was mostly local market listener, but then I found out about NWOBHM, and I became immersed in it. Nowadays I follow Polish black metal groups like Furia, Czort, Truchło Strzygi and some NWOTHM bands: Enforcer, Skull Fist, Cauldron etc.

Grzegorz: I'm musically open. I love Polish bands like Turbo, KAT (with original vocalist), Illusion. I grew up with Metallica and all the thrash bands from the 80s.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Eryk: Besides alcohol? I love all the wicked actions, sex, dirty things and cars. I study International Relations, that's an important one. Pray for my sins people.

Michał: Music is my life, but I also love history, reading books, broadening my horizons. It's pretty important, isn't it?

Szymon: Metal is the way of living and a great deal of things revolves around it. I work in a piano factory, so my life is full of music. I like to watch some good series or movie and of course hang out with people. 

Grzegorz: I am an avid CD/LP/MC collector. But that’s still music, right? Let’s see, I am interested in all things related to transport – I even study it on the Univeristy of Technology. Oh, and I collect stamps and pictures with Pope.

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

Eryk: Walk on the wild side and check out our new record „Legion Antychrysta”. Thanks for the interview.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/okrutnikofficial
Bandcamp: https://okrutnik.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3cAvYyvadWtsXZsqVuH4iQ

Exitium Sui/Ad Personam/Rain Without End Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Exitium  Sui  are  a  band  from  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their  2020  album  "Ad  Personam"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Rain  Without  End  Records.

  Tribal  style  beats  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  darker  yet  heavier  musical  direction.  Synths  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  some  elements  of  doom  metal.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Death  metal  growls  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  when  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  one  track  also  introduces  clear  vocals  onto  the  recording  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction.

  Exitium  Sui  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  atmospheric  forms  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Exitium  Sui  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  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  "Eviscerate  My  Withered  Soul"  and  "Which  Fate  Is  Ours  To  Come".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/exitiumsuiband
exitiumsuiband.bandcamp.com/releases
youtu.be/On0wRmWjg9o

Necrospeed/Demo 2020/Nailbat Tapes/2020 Review

 

  Necrospeed  are  a  band  from  Malaysia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  demo  which  will  be  released  on  October  23rd  by  Nilbat  Tapes.

  A  very  heavy  and  old  school  sound  starts  off  the  demo  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  and  speed  metal  elements.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  sounding  black  metal screams.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  but  mixed  in  with  a  more  modern  day  aggression,  The  songs  also  bring  in a   great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  sticking  to  a  very  retro  style  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  a  small  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction  and  they  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  Sabbat's  "Bloody  Countess".

  Necrospeed  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  black,  thrash  and  speed metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own. The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  violence  and  occultism  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  Necrospeed  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  "Evil  Messiah"  and  "Living  In  Disorder".  8  out  of  10.

streaming now on Bandcamp      

Counting Hours Interview

 

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

”Counting Hours came in form about 5 years ago in 2015. There were couple of songs already from Rapture’s Futile- era (’99-’01) which i have had kept hidden until ’15. Started thinking that as this style of music is close to me, why i wouldnt keep doing this instead writing stuff to keep em hid.

Later on after demoing few songs with our singer Ilpo, we thought to get couple of players more to make this work better on live shows and also song writing and arranging wise. Easy choice were to ask Tomi (Rapture, Shape of despair etc) along as we’ve played together since ages. Markus and Sameli came along pretty fast since both are friends of ours and share the same interests in this kind of music.”

 

2.You have your first full length coming out in October, musically how does it differ from your previous demo?

”It differs in few ways. We had a producer, Jussi Hämäläinen (Hanging garden, The chant etc) on this album and we pretty much arranged everything from the beginning with Jussi. But for song writing and arranging wise, songs have more variety compared to demo material. But still, we tried to keep the atmosphere close to each other.”

 

3.This is also your first release in 2016, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

”Well, after our self-released demo cd we had a chance to get The vinyl division along to release it on a vinyl as well. Along with those, we had some shows with CH but more with the other bands. We did rehearse now and then and worked on the new material before entering the studio in 2019.”

 

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

”Lyrics pretty much deals around lived life & mistakes, which has to be taken cared of. Death as an salvation or relief is an solution of one sort here.”

 

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind he name 'Counting Hours'?

”Shortly, counting down about leaving life.”

 

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

”We had a couple of different versions as an cover art to The Will but, this specifically bleak one were the one which resembles the lyrical theme the most. K.Pyyhtinen did good work on this.”

 

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

”Well, we have played only a couple of shows so far but had a chance to appear over at Brutal Assault in 2019. Biggest show to us for now but wouldnt say it for the best cause of that. We need definitely an smaller venue to have the atmosphere in place..”

 

8.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of metal and depressive rock?

”So far suprisingly good, didnt had any expectations and still dont have. I let the music speak for itself and of course it’s always great if people have some interest towards it.”

 

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

”Tomi with Impaled Nazarene has made new album recently, still mixing it i guess.. waiting that anxiously.Sameli has released new album with Cynabare Urne recently. Not sure about what’s happening with The Chant where’s Ilpo and Markus also.. hope they will release something new soon.

Shape of despair is active and will share some news later on.”

 

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

”Have already done new music and can say it’s even darker along with our same style.. Will try to keep our music more open with more variety, so therefore will try to avoid being at the same category all the time. But who knows, creating music is interesting thing as your mindflow works the way it works..”

 

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

 

”Theres so much of music around from where you’ll draw inspiration of and of course music aint the only source. But i’m sure people could tell our music is familiar with some of the Swedish acts but also familar song writing as in Rapture were.

Nowadays i’m listening pretty much the same as in the early days. Enjoyed recently alot to depressive suicidal black metal.”

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

”The Vinyl Division is having our album out this month’s 23rd day. People can support by paying attention to it’s catalogue and of course by following us as well. Thanks for this interview.”

-Jarno

Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Countinghours2/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counting.hours/  https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/countinghours/our-triumph

Okrutnik/Legion Antychrysta/Ossuary Records/2020 CD Review

 

  Okrutnik  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Legion  Antychrysta"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Ossuary  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  and  ethnic  instruments  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  blackened  metal  screams. 

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  old  school  style  while  also  adding  in  more  of  an  early  80's  traditional  metal  style  which  is  also  mixed  into  a  lot  of  the  riffing.  The  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  fist  wave  black  and  thrash  metal  elements  along  with  a  few    tracks  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording.

  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  one  of  the  tracks  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  blast  beats  and  fast  palying,  a  later  song  also  introduces  clean  vocals  onto  the  album  and  most  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Polish  and  cover  Occultism  and  Darkness   themes.

  In  my  opinion  Okrutnik  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Legion  Antychrysta"  "Noc  Galicyjska"  and  "Wrzesniowe  Popoludnine  Rzeznika".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/okrutnikofficial
Bandcamp: https://okrutnik.bandcamp.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3cAvYyvadWtsXZsqVuH4iQ

       

Idle Ruin/Self Titled/2020 EP Review

 

  Idle  Ruin  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  and  self titled  2020  ep.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  The  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  and  the  vocals  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  thrash  style  shouts  and  screams.

  A  lot  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  and  early  90's era   while  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  very  true  to  an  old  school  style.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Idle  Ruin  plays  a  musical style that  takes black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own.  The  production  sounds  very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Idle  Ruin  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Whipped  To  Death"  and  "The  Devil's  Trade". 8out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/Ax-4vOdAFsI     

Heretical Sect/Rapturous Flesh Consumed/Redefining Darkness Records/Gilead Media/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Heretical  Sect  are  a  band  from  Santa  Fe,  new  Mexico  that  has  been  featured  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  album  "Rapturous  Flesh  Consumed"  which  will  be  released  in  December  as  a  joint  effort  between  Redefining  Darkness  Records  and  Gilead  Media.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  of  the  album  along  with  the  vocals  bringing  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  elements  of  doom  metal  can  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  and  all  of  the musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Melodic  yet  ritualistic  chanting  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  some  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark,  melodic  yet  chaotic  style  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  90's  influences  but  keeping  it  modern  at  the  same  time,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be heard  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  synths  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  perspective  of  Salvador  de  Guerra,  a  religious  zealot  and  Catholic  Padre  infamous  for  mutilation  and  torture.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Heretical  Sect  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Baptismal  Rot  And  Ash"  and  "Degradation  Temple".  8  out  of  10.

PREORDER CD (Redefining Darkness)
PREORDER Vinyl (Gilead Media)

    

      

Grimorte/Esoteric Ascendance/2020 EP Review

 

  Grimorte  are  a  duo  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  self  released  2020  ep "Esoteric  Ascendance"  which  will  be  released  on  Halloween.

  A  very  dark  and  ritualistic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  while  samples  of  Aliester  Crowley  can  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  whispers  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  songs  also  stick  to  a  slower  direction,  Gregorian  chants  and  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  on  the  closing  track.

  Grimorte  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  atmospheric  forms  of  black  and  doom/death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  writings  of  Aliester  Crowley  and  a  woman's  journey  into  being  lulled  into  the  esoteric  Pagan  and  Satanic  practices  of  the  Golden  Dawn.

  In  my  opinion Grimtone  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  mixture  of  black  and  doom/death  metal and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Esoteric  Ascendance".  8  out  of  10.

 Grimorte YouTube: 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3pDUmPtBIZul4HyCgRNkiQ?

Grimorte Bandcamp: 

https://grimorte.bandcamp.com/releases

Grimorte Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/grimorte/        

Demon Haunt Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the musical project these days?

Well, since the EP was released I have been spending some time sending the material to the specialized media and disseminating it on my social medias. I'm creating new songs, but it's not my focus at the moment.

2.So far you have released an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on the recording?

I like to define it as Thrash/Speed Metalpunk because there is a little bit of it in the project's songs. A little of the old Thrash from Sodom and Dorsal Atlantica, a dose of Speed like Flageladör and Midnight, and a Metalpunk essence influenced by Inepsy, Whipstriker, Motörhead and many others.

3.You have also mentioned an interest in history, philosophy, science and existentialism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in those topics?

Yeah, I really like to understand a little better this chaotic world we live in and therefore I spend a lot of time watching documentaries and reading books on these topics. I think the more I understand the world, the easier it becomes to create good lyrics because I’m little bit more aware of what is happening. Non-conformity comes automatically when you look at the harsh reality of our species.

4.The band name and some of the lyrics also show a heavy influence from the writings Of Carl Sagan, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in his work and do you feel there where also things he knew about that he could of never mentioned in his lifetime due to the way science was back then and right now?

Around the age of 15 I was rebellious, but completely stupid and dumb. When I got to know Sagan's work, he aroused me an interest in science and philosophy, and it made me addicted to learning. Sagan has shaped my morals and character a lot, and over the years my admiration for him only increases. He was also a very politically active guy, and was always an activist against wars (mainly nuclear ones), against the atrocities committed by the authorities around the globe and against human stupidity. All this subversiveness of him combines very well with the music I make, so I decided to make a Saganist band (the fact that Sagan and Satan are identical words helps a lot hahah). Sagan also predicted all this wave of hatred and enthusiasm for war and neo-fascism that we see today in different parts of the world; all these fake news that seem to be endlessly corrupting democracies everywhere; all the racism, sexism and prejudices that emerge (even more) strongly during crises... He has been fighting against it since the 80s. And I think that everything he did in life helped to open the eyes of many people. He made thousands (including me) choose the side of science, he taught that understanding is better than judging. His work is timeless, so his speeches can teach us a lot, even so many years after his death.

5.You also being against fascism and war, can you tell us a little bit more what these mean to you?

For the reasons I mentioned above, it is natural that I’m against the stupidity that is war and fascism. Both are the opposite of progress; they are against free thinking, against individual freedoms and hate the idea that every human being on this earth deserves a dignified life. War is nothing but the rich ones playing of killing the poor.

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

The last book released by Carl Sagan is called The Demon-Haunted World, and in it he denounces many of the problems that we see around us today. Cult of ignorance, denial of truth, denial of science, resurgence of ideologies from the last century, or even from a millennium ago. It threatens every inhabitant on the planet. Especially since we now have nuclear bombs and the full capacity to completely annihilate our own species and much of life on earth. It is as if the Dark Ages has been trying to come back harder and stronger, an intellectual darkness is embracing the planet. It's haunting us. With it said, it becomes clearer that on the EP cover I have a goat representing these haunts, and a man taming him with the power of knowledge: the book.

7.With this project you record everything by yourself but also have experience playing with a full line up, how would you compare the 2?

I like both. Being part of a band with a full line-up is really cool, bringing together everyone's ideas and energy to create something of ours is exceptional. It emanates an intense energy. But I also needed a solo project to create songs with a complete freedom to do as I please. I can keep both, and I believe that one will not hinder the other.

8.On the ep you also did an 'Inepsy' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

Inepsy was the band that introduced and addicted me to metalpunk, and I really like how they sound and I think they have great lyrics. The song I chose, Who's Next, perfectly matches with my ideas and Sagan's speeches. 

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

Yeah, I'm looking for interested labels. A few have already shown interest, but nothing definitive. I hope that by the end of the year I have something guaranteed to physically release the material.

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

It's been really good. I have already received good feedback from various parts of the planet and it encourages me to continue with the project. I think it will increase even more when I get an international label.

11.What is going on with your other band these days?

Visão Mórbida is about to enter the studio to record our debut material, which will be a full album. That's why I'm not focusing on creating new songs for the project right now. For now, I'm just promoting Demön Haunt’s EP and practicing a lot the Visão Mórbida’s songs to record it very well.

12.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

At the end of next year I already want to have a Full Album ready for Demön Haunt. For my future as a musician I hope to return to the stages with total force when the pandemic is over, and make a tour in Brazil. In the near future, an international tour (I would love Latin America and Europe). I also assure you that other projects of other subgenres will come, some solo project too, but others with a friend.

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?

I can mention Violator, Cemitério, Sepultura, Korvak, Hell Poison, Damn Youth, Whipstriker, Nuclear, Children of Technology, Lei do Kaoz, Dispense, Considered Dead, Mörbidez, Flagelador, Evilcult, Suicidal Angels, Beseiged, Ewig Frost, Facção Central, Beströven, Demolition Hammer, Omega, and many others. All bands above have inspired me in some way with Visão Mórbida, Demön Haunt, or both. I also have an influence on the lyrics of brazilian popular music (MPB) and brazilian rap (like the aforementioned Facção Central). 

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

A huge thanks for the interview and support! I really loved this questions, hope everyone whos reading it enjoy it and that’s it! Follow me on social medias, greetings!

And FUCK BOLSONARO!!!!

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Archierophant Interview

 

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

For years I’ve been listening and playing black and doom metal, It wasn’t until the UK’s National Lockdown began I was able to sit down and record some ideas I’ve had running through the back of my head for years. 

2.So far you have released a single and an ep, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on those recordings?

The musical style of the four songs featured on the ‘Kingdom’ E.P differ from each track, the opening track Hierophant is the doom track of the record, whilst the tracks Kuolla and Caedes were centered more around atmospheric black metal and the shoegaze genre. The single ‘Hyrule Field’, was recorded in just a few hours and is an atmospheric/symphonic cover song taken from The Legend Of Zelda: The Twilight Princess.

3.Your lyrics cover non-theistic themes, can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting?

The overall lyric theme of Archierophant currently consists of occultism, spiritualism, shamanism and just a sprinkle of satanism. 

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

I pondered many names for this project over a long period of time, it wasn’t until a tarot card reading in 2019 which displayed an inverted Hierophant card I decided on the name Archierophant.

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

The artwork for Kingdom is an art piece by Salvator Rosa named The Witches At Their Incantations. Only half the painting was used for the E.P artwork, due to possible censorship of the left half. 

6.With this project you record most of the music by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

I recorded the E.P by alone on my boat in London which at times had its challenges, due to limited electric consumption and background noise. I do enjoy working and recording with other people, you can hit a wall and it takes someone else to guide the music in another direction. 

7.You also have a couple of session musicians on your ep, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording?

The tracks Hierophant & Kingdom showcase a talented vocalist named Kieran Scott who I’ve known for a while, he’s the frontman for a UK based death metal band named Ashen Crown, Kieran and I also have our own recording project named Grimorte, again which is blackened doom. The third track on the E.P features a Finnish black metal vocalist Sami Tuohino; who releases under the name as Oenos. 

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

Possibly, I have been signed to a label before, their constant demand and requirements were too much at the time. Archierophant is a solo project with no backing band, every instrument is played by myself, which right now would be hard to turn into a touring band (which the labels seem to want). 

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

Since the release of Kingdom I’ve had countless messages come through on social platforms, asking for merchandise, psychical copies of the E.P and kind words from fellow metal solo acts. 

Over the years I have dabbled in other musical genres such as bluegrass, folk and blues where I found the fellow musicians and fans highly judgemental and overly competitive, the metal community is easily the nicest and most versatile type of listener any musician could hope for. 

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

Currently I’m working on my other recording project with vocalist Kieran Scott, at this moment I have no plans in a full length Archierophant release, but that could change very quickly with the writing and recording of new songs. I’ve played around with a few genres in this E.P and each will lead to a very different musical path and journey when followed. 

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I wasn’t massively into music when I was a young child, pop music was everywhere and I never listened to it. It wasn’t until I listened to a couple of my Dad’s Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin LP’s I realised that I was into music but just needed to find those right genres. This opened my ears to more genres of rock and metal, a few bands that I listen to regularly would be Woods Of Ypres, Rotting Christ, Satyricon and Black Label Society (also.. I’m a huge power metal nerd)

12.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

It does, here and there. I try and leave it out of the Archierophant writing as my other recording project is based around Crowley and the occult, I don’t want the two bands to be too musically or lyrically similar. 

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

Just to say a monsterous thank you to all who have streamed, purchased and followed the Archierophant project, there shall be more! 

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Witchtrap/Evil Strikes Again/Hells Headbangers/2020 CD Review

  Witchtrap  are  a  band  from  Columbia  that  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Evil  Strikes  Again"  which  will  be released  on  October  30th  by Hells  Headbangers.

  Demonic  voices  and  a  powerful  sounding  bass  guitar  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  The  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  era  thrash  and  speed  metal  elements  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  first  wave  style  black metal  screams.

  The  songs  also  make  an  old  school  style  sound  more  modern  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  sticking  to  more  of  a  retro  style  as  well  as  one  track  also  introducing  back  up  shouts  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction,  The  album  also  closes  with  an  instrumental.

  Witchtrap  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  80's  era  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  updates  the  style  for  the  modern  era.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Witchcraft,  Evilness  and  Metal  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Witchtrap  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  "Midnight  Rites"  "The  Devil  Is  On  The  Loose"  "Death  To False  Metal"  and  "Born  To  Kill".  8  out  of  10.

http://witchtrap.bandcamp.com/album/evil-strikes-again 

Demon Haunt/Self Titled/2020 EP Review

 

  Demon  Haunt  are  a  solo  project  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash,  speed  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  and  self  titled  2020  ep.

  A  very  heavy  punk  influenced  d  beat  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  mostly  a  first  wave  black  metal style.  Most  of  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  along  with  one  track  also  introduces  spoken  word  samples  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  and  speed  metal  elements.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the music  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  early  death metal  at  times.  All  of  the riffing  is  done  on  power  chords  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  one  of  the  tracks  is  an  Inepsy  and  one  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  synths and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  very  true  to  a  retro  style..

  Demon  Haunt  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  first  wave black,  thrash,  speed  metal  and  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own. The  production  sounds  very  old  school while  the  lyrics  cover  Science,  Carl  Sagan,  Existentialism  and  Anti  Fascism  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  Demon  Haunt  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  first  wave  black,  thrash,  speed  metal and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Demon  Haunt"  and  "In  League  With  Sagan".  8  out  of  10.

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Black Sun Brotherhood Interview

 

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

ANSWER: Greetings! Dr. Doom of Black Sun Brotherhood here! The facts are: three fucked up freaks in Sarpsborg, Norway formed a band in 2013. They called their band Black Sun Brotherhood. This fanatical brotherhood has been on a musical kamikaze mission ever since: world domination or total death! 

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

ANSWER: Sure, the album is called “God & Beast” and it’s now out digitally and on CD via Metal Blast Records in Germany. It’s an homage to the best old school extreme metal bands ever; Slayer, Morbid Angel and Bathory. Their earliest (and best) releases are the high points of the genre of all time – no doubt - and our album is merely a small tribute to these mighty masters of the art. Does our band sound anything like those mentioned bands? Not necessarily! For me, it’s more about trying to capture the “spirit” or the “vibe” of those releases.    

3.A lot of your lyrics cover satanic and occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?

ANSWER: It’s just incredibly interesting. I’ve always been drawn to the mystical aspects of life and death. Why? I think it’s just natural to seek answers to the great questions that puzzle us all. And the so-called “dark” aspects of life are certainly a part of the human condition also.  

4.The band members also have experience playing in other bands, what is it that you bring into the music of 'Black Sun Brotherhood', that you have not been able to bring into your other groups?

ANSWER: I think our other bands have played very different styles of music, so it’s hard to say. Different musicians also. And the people who play together will always add their style or sound to a band – and in Black Sun brotherhood we have our mix. 

5.The band members have also played in rock, progressive and experimental bands, how would you compare the style of extreme metal that you play to those musical styles?

ANSWER: It cannot be compared. Especially Knegg (guitar) and Lieberknecht (drums) listen to a lot of other types of music apart from metal. I do too, but perhaps to a lesser degree. But I think it’s cool to try to incorporate elements from many genres into our stuff. Its more exciting that way. As I wrote earlier, I really dig old school extreme metal, but that does not mean I am opposed to innovation/experimentation or developing our sound in a novel direction.  

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Black Sun Brotherhood'?

ANSWER: The black sun symbol is taken from alchemy. It was inspired by that and the concept of “nigredo”. In psychological terms, nigredo is kind of a metaphor for “the dark night of the soul” - when an individual confronts the shadow within. These types of ideas/concepts inspired the name.  

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

ANSWER: The artwork is by Cornelis Galle I, and it’s called “Lucifer” and it dates back to 1595. I thought is was an amazing piece and fit our album concept perfectly. The cover was then later developed by a great designer friend of ours. I think it looks fucking superb. 

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

ANSWER: I think our first concert was the coolest one. We played with Blodstrupmoen and Execration in Fredrikstad, Norway. Both excellent Norwegian metal bands. It was a cool night. Imagine the Beatles playing live on a lot of acid in the ninth circle of Hell. It was dynamite. All the bitches wanted to fuck us, and all the men wanted to be us. A night to remember for sure! 

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

ANSWER: Well, so far the reception has been very good – but it’s still early! And honestly, we have not really been very professional about promoting the band or the release yet. Hopefully we will get our shit together (we will see about that!). This day and age it seems everything in terms of band promotion happens via social media, and it’s just so boring really. Now, I am on social media myself so I am a bit of a hypocrite, but I can’t stand this increasing global cellphone addiction going on. I am very ambivalent about social media too. It has some good sides to it, but other aspects of social media are just unbelievably dull.  

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

ANSWER: We are working on a new album already – and its coming along well. I think it’s most important for us to try to write better songs and develop our own sound all the time. 

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

ANSWER: In terms of extreme metal I like Slayer, Morbid Angel, Bathory and Carcass. Those are my favorites and they have been influential on me for sure. Other than that, I also like stuff like Mastodon, Tool, Danzig, Type O Negative and the like. More rock oriented material like Pink Floyd and progressive acts like King Crimson can be very cool also. Industrial/electronic bans like Laibach and NIN are very cool also. There is a time and place for everything. These days I listen a lot to Ghost and Chelsea Wolfe, both excellent artists, and I think I am a bit addicted to them both.  

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

ANSWER: Thank you for taking interest in the band! Thanks to our amigos in Metal Blast Records, Grand Sounds PR and the metal underground! Keep the underground alive! Also, be sure to check out our internet pages: 

https://www.facebook.com/blacksunbrotherhoodnorway

https://blacksunbrotherhood.wordpress.com/