Malevolence/Antithetical/Firecum Records/2021 Vinyl Re-Issue Review

 

  Malevolence  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  black,  gothic,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Antithetical"  which  will b e  re-issued  on  vinyl  in  September  2021  by  Firecum  Records.

 Keyboards  and whispered  vocals  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  melodies  and  elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  sogns.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  aggressive  style  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  The  keyboards  also  give  the  songs  more  of  a  gothic  metal  touch  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

 

 A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing,  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Anti  Religion  and  Human  Sorrow  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Malevolence  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  mixture  of  black,  gothic,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Slithering"  "Antithetical"  and  "Mechanisms  Of  Destructive  Behavior".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/ malevolencept

http://www.malevolence.pt/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQcCsjpbOK4  

DeathOmen Interview

 

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

1. Band DeathOmen was founded by vocalist Marjan Macarol in 1988. He was joined by guitarist Miha Gerzej, and in 1989 by bassist Marko Štok and drummer Tomaž Vovk.

2.So far you have released one album, musically how does it differ from your previous demo's?

2. The album Above Holy Ground is our only release. The music sounded youthful and optimistic 30 years ago and at the same time more naive.

3.The band was broken up for 30 years, what was the cause of the split and also the decision to reform?

3. The breakup of the band DeathOmen happened spontaneously, we just didn’t have any more common paths. In 2017, three members felt the need to create together and then it was the  first time that we transformed the band into a project. As a result of that, the album Above Holy Ground was created.

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

4. When you start looking for answers, it is inevitable to face the occult. The only question is how much attention you will pay to it. If you are sincere in your search, you will soon realize that in the conception of existence and life, there is more hidden than revealed.

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

5. Other themes of the texts refer to society as a whole, and man / individual as its basis. The world is small and the world is big. The man is big and the man is small. Civilization is all we are, and yet it is not much. The apocalypse will be a catastrophe for only a fraction of the universe. All other creations will not even perceive this doom.

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

6. The name DeathOmen comes from the time when there was still hope for mankind and it was meant as a warning. Today, however, that is a fact. Today, only the blind and stupid can deny its presence.

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

7. The cover is intended as a simple, simplified presentation of the content of the album, both the introduction and the conclusion. Our letter logo and the actual, pictorial representation of the sign are presented. For easier understanding, it is further clarified that the DeathOmen will rise above the holy land. Of course, over Every holy land

8.Has the band had any opportunities to do any live shows?

8. There is no such possibility.

9.Currently the band is unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received ant interest?

9. No. We are independent artists and do not want to become part of show business. Our work was publicly published on 25.12.2020 and is available on the Bandcamp portal and on our Youtube page.

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

10. Some really listened to the album and began to experience its greatness. One listening is far from enough, it needs to be listened to several times. Research is needed. For most listeners, however, the album simply slipped by.

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

11. As a human race, we step into the night and let such music accompany us.

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?

12. We listen to many bands and many styles. 

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

13. Beware of the fake clowns!

Bandcamp: https://deathomen.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deathomen.official
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmGKFiUUXbupsHIW2avEBag
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5oXQLIzj9QLtGGEb19mFbC

Gargoyle Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

We just continued to compose new stuff in rehearsal room. Creating and releasing new valid music is our main goal, as well as playing live gigs.

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Apart from the line-up, the new stuff differs from the old one ‘cause it’s extremely more mature. We enlarged our vision, We’ve found a new language, a new idea to compose extreme metal, mixing different sub-genres and reuniting ‘em under a unique dark atmosphere. We listen many different bands and We use their styles to create “new ways of riffing”. We focus mostly on atmospheres and vibes more than other things, it’s a ‘80s vision. “Reborn in Blasphemy” was a weird form of doom, “Hail to the Necrodoom” is death metal of doom, doom metal of death or simply… NECRODOOM!

3.This is also your first release in 5 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

After releasing “Reborn in Blasphemy” We made some shows nearby our homeland. Between 2017 and 2019 We were more focused on other projects: Boia, Temptress and Atömlörd. In 2019 We’ve changed line-up and arranged the tracks of “Hail to the Necrodoom”, which We’ve started to record in 02/02/2020.

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

During “Reborn in Blasphemy” ’s period We were more addicted to H.P. Lovecraft’s stuff, so our lyrics were inspired by his novels. This was true for “Lord of the Tentaculars” and “The Whisperer In Darkness”. “The Highlander” was inspired by Sword & Sorcery’s themes, while “Lady Dead” was a classic ‘70s comics’ story about a woman sacrificed on the altar. After our demo We used horror themes as background of real events which happened in our land, Calabria.

5.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release?

As previously said, the lyrics in “Hail to the Necrodoom” are inspired by the dominant and morbid christian culture here in our homeland, Calabria. We use metaphors from the horror imagery to criticize the context where We live: “Lord of the Fog”, for example, compares christian people in procession with willingless marchant zombies; the story ends with the failure of Christ and his churchgoers. “Where Evil Spawns” comes from our demo-period, It’s inspired by “The Dunwich Horror” by H.P. Lovecraft, the same of “The Whisperer In Darkness”.

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

This iconic artwork was realized by Negative Crypt Artwork, a Sicilian friend with whom We share the same tastes in music/cinema/nerd art. It represents simply the Necrodoom with a passage to the Other Side from which no one can escape.

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

Our second Sicilian live show near Catania was our best. We are totally natural and a little bit scenic, for us a live show must be PUNK. We are inspired by early Mayhem!

8.The new album was released on Sun & Moon Records, how would you compare working with this label to your previous label 'Shadow Kingdom Records'?

Shadow Kingdom Records is one of the greatest underground label of the recent years. As Americans they’re very into the business. Sun & Moon Records is less business-addicted and tries to keep its identity, We think.

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

We are very satisfied of people’s answer. Many said “Hail to the Necrodoom” is/could be the Metal album of the year. We think they’re attracted by the new mix of genres We propose.

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

Soon Boia will release new stuff in a split album. Temptress will record their debut full-length too. Demonia Mundi have released their first full-length in the early months of 2021.

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

We’ll mature the style of “Hail to the Necrodoom” for sure, but We can’t describe it now! More black metal maybe?

12.What are you listening to nowadays?

We keep our focus to underground bands. Nekromantheon’s “Visions of Trimegistos” is the nowadays’ “Reign in Blood”. Hellcrash’ “Crucifix Invertor” and Konquest’s  “The Night Goes On” are new italian gems too. Our friends Bunker 66 released their new full-lenght in Spring. We like to find old and forgotten heavy metal bands too, mostly from Scandinavia.

13.How would you describe your views on Occultism?

An inner path characterized by many different and indescribable personal experiences.

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

First of all thanks for the interest in us. We are always glad to reply to people’s questions. Fight the christianity and keep the black torch of Metal alive!

Bandcamp

Facebook

Thine Inner Sanctum/Dark Sky Weeping/Ancient Entity Records/2021 Cassette Review

 

  Thine  Inner  Sanctum  are  a  duo  from  Scotland  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Dark  Sky  Weeping"  which  was  released  by  Ancient  Entity  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  slower  and  heavier  doom  metal  direction  and  keyboards  are  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavy  parts.  Clean  male  and  female  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  along  with  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Clean  playing  is  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  some  more  modern  influences  aat  times.  

 Spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  are  also  added  on  a  couple  of  the  tracks  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments.  Choirs  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  one  of  the  songs  also  being  an  instrumental  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  fast  playing  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  bleak  and  hopelessness  themes.    

  In  my  opinion  Thine  Inner  Sanctum  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  blackened  doom  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Abyss  OF  Thine"  "Dark  Sky  Weeping"  and  "A  Mirrored  Abyss".  8  out  of  10.

https://metaldevastationradio.com/thebeast/blog/14744/new-promo-thine-inner-sanctum-dark-sky-weeping-blackened-doom-metal

www.thineinnersanctumuk.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/ThineInnersanctum 

Veilburner/Lurkers In The Capsule Of Skull/Transcending Obscurity Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Pennsylvania's  Veilburner  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  an  experimental  and  dissonant  style  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Lurkers  In  The  Capsule  Of  Skull"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Records.

  Ocean  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  and  operatic  female  vocals  are  also  utilized  briefly.

  Synths  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  Throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  technical  and  dissonant  sounding  along  with  some  melodies  also  being  added  into  the  guitar  riffing.  The  solos  and  leads  also  demonstrate  a  great  amount  of  talent  and  skill  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  experimental  moments,  whispered  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times. Clean  playing  also  makes  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  on  the  closing  song  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  a  man  suffering  from  a  mental  condition  being  haunted  by  ghoul-ish  entities.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  form  Veilburner  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  and  dissonant  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  The  Tomb  Of  Dreaming  Limbo"  "Lurkers  In  the  Capsule  Of  Skull"  and  "Dissonance  In  Bloom".  8  out  of  10.  

Official Video 

Official Video Stream

Official Bandcamp

Veilburner Facebook   

Dimentianon/Dreaming Yuggoth/Paragon Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Dimentianon  are  a  band  from  New  York  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  2021  album  "Dreaming  Yuggoth"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Paragon  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  keyboard  are  also  added  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  along  with  some  elements  of  doom  metal  also  being  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Most  of  the  music  is  also  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  A  couple  of  later  tracks  also  introduces  clean  plating  into  the  album  along  with a  couple  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  some  clean  vocals  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Horror,  Darkness,  Existentialism  and  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft.

In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dimentianon  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Undying  Bliss"  "Smoke  Rising"  "Arx  laetus"  and  "The  Path  Less  Travelled".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Dimentianon/
https://www.instagram.com/Dimentianon/

https://dimentianon1.bandcamp.com/releases

    

Cyclops Cataract Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

Scott - I have been working with some riff ideas for the next release. It's going to be a while until they take shape as songs. No rush

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?

James - The album is just a more mature and better-thought step on from the EP. As that EP was a first offering, it felt like we were finding our feet and first developing an understanding of what direction we were looking at. The album has cemented it a bit further and as a result has allowed things to be busier (e.g. substantial amounts of layering) as we knew better what we were trying to do.

3.What where some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explored on the album?

Craig -It's a mix - Anti-fascism, Cyclops mythology, kraken and a COVID ish end of the world theme for Contagion

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

James - I love it because it is a common affliction only made so much worse by circumstance.

Scott - I like the play on words. It's a tongue in cheek name. Hopefully it's memorable.

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

The artwork was by an artist called Waking Sky of Tree. I found the artist on Deviantart and thought the work perfectly reflected our music. The images are have quite a dark theme that also incorporate a lonely appearence. The character who appears in the artwork has a stag head. This was perfect as we have have plenty of deer in Scotland. It was a very lucky find and I was delighted when the artist agreed to let us use some of the imagery. I'm a photographer so the visual side is important to me.

7.Once the pandemic gets more under control, are there any plans for live shows? 

James - I am looking forward to the idea of performing this stuff live. There is a great energy to it even if stripped right back. Of course we’d want to be able to deliver the full experience, but with the constraints of band members it’ll require a good bit of practice to work out how best to recreate the tracks.

Mark - Absolutely, once the situation with playing gigs post-pandemic is more clear and when we’re confident that playing live will be able to match the standard we have set with the album.

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

Scott - We signed with Planet K Records recently. You can tell that they're just as passionate as we are about heavy music. Although they're based in Italy and we're in Scotland, the contact has been great. They have been really promoting our music and we greatly appreciate that. We hope to continue this relationship.

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

Scott - The reaction has been great. I'm really proud of a recent review that compared us to Imperial Triumphant. Although we don't really have jazz elements, we certainly don't try to adhere to typical song structure ideas and it's been great that this approach hasn't been lost on people. Although we're abstract, we do have a vision.

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

James - I’d like it to stay relatively close to what ‘The Bestiary’ does for a little while I think – it seems somewhat unique with the blend of brutal and ambience and the way it goes together.

Scott - Yes, I agree with James. Certainly my rough ideas for the next one indicates another abstract adventure.

11.What are you listening to nowadays?

James - Lots of Sylosis of late, more-so than any other band for the last while actually. Also always the staple diet of Metallica, Slayer, Pantera. Arch Enemy, The Agonist, Infected Rain and Jinjer have been relatively frequent as well come to think of it!

Scott - I listen to a lot of Madder Mortem, they're such an underrated band. Also Strapping Young Lad, Devin Townsend, Ulver, Fear Factory etc.

Mark - Aesthetic Perfection, Crossfaith, Freak Kitchen, Mono Inc, Eisbrecher, 3TEETH, Hitari, Matt Hart. Mostly angry Industrial and some Goth stuff.

Craig - Sisters of Mercy, Bjork, Drumcorps, Pupil Slicer, Anaal Nathrakh, Christwvrks, Author & Punisher, Dawn Ray’d, Portrayal of Guilt

Bandcamp

Facebook

Nattas Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new ep?

Absolutely!

The recordings of the EP actually started almost two years before the release of it. We all had a lot of other obligations to fulfill at the time and we felt that we lost a bit of momentum after a while.

Thankfully we got the opportunity to appear on some compilations and we released a lyric video for the track ”Castaway” (1) as well. As we were heading out on a smaller european tour we got it all together and DOMINO saw the light of day.

Right after the tour the world closed due to the pandemic and in december we released a song dedicated to the year 2020 called MMXX - Where is your God?

We recorded a video for it directed by talented Wille Hummelgard Kyrk (2) and it has been doing fine so far.

2.A year ago you had released a new ep, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Not that much actually.

We may have moved more into the area of our first release ”At Ease With the Beast” but we still keep the rhythmic, melodic, yet aggressive, arrangements in our songs. Lyrical-wise, we deal with the same stuff we always do. Upgraded. Of course.

3.This was also your first release in 13 years, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait in between releases?

This has been an extremely long wait! We have become Manowar!

We are really sorry about this happening but there are reasons.

After the release of ”Inde Deus Abest” we toured around a lot and ultimately singer Mouth and bassist Engine were recruited to another band that also recorded an album and toured across Europe (3). 

NATTAS recorded an EP as a proof to the audience that we were still alive, but there the band started to fall apart and the EP never was released. We use to refer to it as ”The lost tapes”. Good shit actually!

We recruited new talented guys, The Steel (famous Swedish death Metal-legend (4) ) on drums, and Wead, The adaptive Satanist (famous Swedish guitar-legend (5) ) on guitar to keep the NATTAS-train moving and did some hard-hitting gigs to follow.

To top it off one of the guys died. And was resurrected. Heart failure. A month in a coma, a whole lot of grief, anxiety and confusion made us hit the break for a while but brothers work together and we are still here.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Mainly our lyrical topics are… ethics, moral. What's your point of view regarding this subject? People claim we are satanic, and in some way… Not gonna argue.

5.I know that the bands name spells 'SATTAN', do you have any interest in Satanism or Occultism?

Definitely. The whole idea of satanism as a moral compass speaks to us. You are the one that decides what happens. You are the master of your own fate.

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

Sure.

The cover is created by Moonring Design. Their ideas and concept matched very well with our thoughts for the EP. It is dark, suggestive and somewhat worrying. Fits like a glove, right?

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

NATTAS is a great live act! We take pride in doing our best to make the audience feel that the fee to enter the venue was worth it.

We have done so many gigs by now, and so many has been good that it is hard to point out just a few, but…

Docs Blackfest 2020 in Arnhem, The Netherlands. Finn Hits Metal Fest 2007 in Pori, Finland and… Hamburg 2015! Germany rules.

Our gigs at Anchor, Stockholm also tend to be good. And Gota Kallare. And Copperfields. And…

8.The new ep was reelased on N666 Records, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

DOMINO was released by N666 records. Small label, but nice. We are extremely open to work with a bigger label again since we only have one more obligation left on N666.

Later this year we are supposed to release a live album as a reminder to what things were like when the world was functioning.

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

I have absolutely no idea!

We were one of the last bands to tour 2020 and we had a great time on the road, but after that…

DOMINO never got the chance it deserved to be a part of music history since the world closed, and we feel we could have been more recognized for it if the touring could have continued over the year, but…

Being realistic it is not the best record released in 2020, but it is a proof of life, a party on a CD, a reason to have a beer. We are needed that way.

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

Actually…

As mentioned before, a live album is on the way. A new full-lengther is planned for 2022. Hopefully we can find a label eager to promote it.

We are definitely going to continue being a voice of reason in the maelstrom of extreme bands. Our plans are set on continuing to release songs that are easy-accessible , educating and maybe as provoking as possible.

11.What are you listening to nowadays?

Extremely diverse music!

In my opinion Anaal Nathrak released the best song of last year in ”The Age of Starlight Ends”, but we have people in the band promoting both Haken and Helloween alongside Gojira to be the best listening adventure this year. We are definitely spreading our choices and that is probably why NATTAS keeps sounding so rewarding and accessible to so many people. We are different.

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

Usually, in the past, we have ended interviews with our earlier catch phrase ”Release the Plague”, but nowadays we’re not just into that. Guess why…

We are hoping to meet you all on the road later and hopefully we can say those final words and thoughts together. We need you all just as much as you could possibly need us.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nattas666/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6yiu7ZXiTr-MYxAoQ6FPag?app=desktop

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/34b9rJAU0jjDj7v0OLDipr

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nattas666

Gargoyle/Hail To The Necrodoom/Sun & Moon Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Gargoyle  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Hail  To  The  Necrodoom"  which  was  released  by  Sun  &  Moon  Records.

  Gothic  horror  movie  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  80's  and  90's  influences.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  clear  vocals  are  also  utilized  at  times.  Grim  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  along  with  some  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  the  album  also  has  its  ritualistic  moments.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  remain  true  to  a  very  dark  yet  old  school  style  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  When  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  being  brief  instrumentals,  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements  are  also  utilized  and  classical  guitars  are  also  added  on  the  closing  song.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror,  occultism,  evil,  doom  and  anti  Christianity  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  Gargoyle  are  a  very  great  sounding  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  "Hail  To  The  Necrodoom"  "Necromantia"  and  "Nosferatu".  8/5  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

Facebook

   

  

Nullentropy/Cyber Sulphur/Time Tombs Productions/2021 EP Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  France's  solo  project  Nullentropy  which  continues  the  progressive  style  of  blackened  death  metal  from  his  previous  release  and  the  ep  was  released  in  2021  by  Time  Tombs  Productions  and  called  "Cyber  Sulphur".

  A  sci-fi  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  synths  and  programmed  beats  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  the  music  also  has  its  atmospheric  moments.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  some  touches  of  industrial.  The  music  also  adds  in  a  good  amount  of  progressive  structures  as  well  as  the  closing  track  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  story  of  a  simple  al's  rise  to  divinity.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nullentropy  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Breastfeeding  Cybernetic  Entity"  and  "Non-Logical  Inner  Signals  To  Decode".  8  out  of  10.

https://nullentropy.bandcamp.com/album/cyber-sulphur 

Nattas/Domino/2020 EP Review

 

  Nattas  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  20220  ep  "Domino".

Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  heavy  yet  melodic  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  elements.  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  along  with  a  great  amount  of  back  up  shouts  and  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  melodic  yet  old  school  style  while  the  music  also  adds  in  a  great  amount  of  modern  elements.  Most  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  a  mid  tempo  direction  along  with  all  of  the  songs  also  keeping  everything  done  on  a  very  heavy  and  aggressive  style.

  Nattas  plays  a  style  of  blackened  thrash  metal  that  mixes  both  the  modern  and  old  school  era  together.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  evil,  satanism  and  human  behaviour  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nattas  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  thrash  metal b and  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Reclaim  The  Blood"  and  "In  The  Presence  of  A  Lesser  God".  8  out  of  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nattas666/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6yiu7ZXiTr-MYxAoQ6FPag?app=desktop

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/34b9rJAU0jjDj7v0OLDipr

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nattas666

    

Nullentropy/The Singularity Recital/Time Tombs Productions/2021 CD Re-Issue Review

 

  Nullentropy  are  a  solo  project  from  France  that  plays  a  progressive  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2019  album  "The  Singularity"  which  was  re-issued  in  2021  by  Time  Tombs  Productions.

  A  sci-fi  and  synth  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  introduces  death  metal  growls  onto  the  recording.  Black  metal  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  riffs.

  Clean  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Keyboards  and  clean  playing  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  along  with  some  saxophones  and  ethnic  style  instruments  also  being  utilized  on  a  few  songs.  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction  and  the  lost  of  humanity.

  In  my  opinion  Nullentropy  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  blackened  death  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "An  Electric  Sheep's  Dream"  "Man  Made  Machine  God"  and  "Mechanical  Uprising".  8  out  of  10.

Bandcamp

Facebook

    

  

Crypts Of Despair/All Light Swallowed/Transcending Obscurity Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Crypts  Of  Despair  are  a  band  from  Lithuania  that  plays  a  dissonant  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "all  Light  Swallowed"  which  was  released  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Dark  sounding  melodies  and  dissonant  structures  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  deep  sounding  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  and  on  some  tracks  also  go  into  more  of  a  chaotic  direction.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  both  modern  and  old  school  influences  along  with  one  track  also  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  album.    

  Crypts  Of  Despair  plays  a  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  is  very  dark,  dissonant  and  brutal  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Crypts  Of  Despair  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  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Being-Erased"  "Condemned  To  Life"  and  "Excruciating  Weight".  8  out  of  10.

Official Video Stream

Official Bandcamp

Crypts of Despair Facebook    

Noctambulist/The Barren Form/Willowtip Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Noctambulist  are  a  band  from  Denver,  Colorado  that  has  had  music  reviewed b efore  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  dissonant  and  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "The  Barren  Form"  which  will  be  released  in  July  by  Willowtip  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  brutal  musical  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  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   while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Dissonant  structures  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  some  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  ar e finally  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a v ery  melodic  yet  dissonant  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  manifestations  of  depression,  grief,  anxiety  and  fear.    

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Noctambulist  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dissonant  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Depletion"  and  "Dissolution".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/noctambulist303
https://www.instagram.com/noctambulist_death
https://noctambulist1.bandcamp.com/ 

https://youtu.be/5YqUe7ocyvs  

    

Hedonihil/II- /Inverse Records/2021 EP Review

 

  Hedonihil  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  ep  "II-Symptomatic"  which  was  released  by  Inverse  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  distorted  riffing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  riffing  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  high  pitched  black  metal  screams.

  Angry  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  also  being  utilized  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  and  most  of the  music  also  focuses  more  on  a  mid  tempo  direction  as  well  as  the  closing  song  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  folk  instruments.

  Hedeonihil  plays  a  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  is  very  heavy  and  mostly  mid  tempo  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  negativity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hedonihil  are  a  very  great sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shattered  Mindscapes"  and  "Sleeping  Closer  To  Death".  8  out  of  10.

https://hedonihilfin.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/hedonihil

https://www.instagram.com/hedonihil_angst/

 

https://youtu.be/k_Bejqhn-GI

https://youtu.be/huPoowC_kwk

https://youtu.be/NqevyGyxJ5s

Sarmat/RS-28/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Sarmat  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  album  "RS-28".

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  High  pitched  black  metal  screams  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  utilizing  a  great  amount  of  deep  death  metal  growls.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  One  of  the  tracks  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  tremolo  picking also b eing  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing,  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Sarmat  plays  a  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  is  very  fast,  aggressive  and  brutal  sounding.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  destruction,  military  industry,  human  fears  and  obsessions.

  In  my  opinion  Sarmat  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  "Coldgrinder"  "RS-28"  and  "You  Don't  Live  IN  mY  wAR".  8  OUT  OF  10.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarmat7v7 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarmat.band/ 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiv3i4nJQroG8R6H22rZ1Lw
Bandcamp: https://sarmat1.bandcamp.com/releases
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5BVgxFeHX6b6rF3f8ksdtC
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-419397540