Twin Serpent Interview

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

For those that have never heard of us before, we salute you. 

We’re a rowdy but cute four piece with punk and country tendencies trashing folk instruments and having fun. We like to keep the essence of punk in what we do, although I think it’ll shine through even if we tried to hide it. We love music in all its shapes and try to unify some favourites with this project. Lyrically we’re in space, both inner and outer.

We've done some appearances in various Norwegian festivals, mix tapes and house parties around our home town of Svartlamon, Trondheim. 

We’ve released one album prior to this one.

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

Our previous album is way slower and calmer in spirit. It was the initial spark for the band starting up as a solo project I had going on. During the recording of Feels Like Heaven, North Of Hell I figured it’s more fun to play as a band. And I’m glad I did! There's some nice cuts we still play live, but TNBG is the album that should define the band forward since it’s a joint effort and reflects us as a unit.

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

We mostly swim in a mixed medium of cosmic events, occult knowledge and the zeitgeist of this burning dumpster we call earth. Throwing in some personal issues and heartache to keep it grounded. We try to keep it on the positive side though, since we’re all playing in various bands already pointing out the misery of the world. 

Personal favourites with Twins touch on Dyson spheres, The hexagon storm of Saturn, 'Oumuamua and finnish healing spells. 

4.Some of your lyrics touch on cosmic and occult themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

The occult has been a big part of my life since I was a kid painting Warhammer figures and listening to black metal. I’ve always been mystified and awed by the cosmos and the world beyond our reach. I guess you could call me a dreamer. Although I have a more tangible aspect to my interest in the stars which dovetail to my love for discovery: navigation. I’ve spent countless hours staring at the night sky, memorising constellations and stars. As the sailors of old I consider the sky as a map.

After diving into my Finnish roots and discovering Finland has a rich history of magick I saw the line between astrology and astronomy blur once again. Add quantum theory in the mix and the unseen world became purely magical. I love both worlds alike, but I keep my decision making to empirical evidence.

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

It represents life in the form of a double helix. The very DNA that all living things have and to an extent share. Revealing itself as a twin serpent in mushroom dreams and ayahuasca trips. 

We wanted to have a positively charged band name against all the negative hard bands we usually operate with. (Barren Womb, Vaya Con Satan, Methanyahu)

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

The whole thing reflects heavily on the band name and the vibe the album title gives. Our own artist extraordinaire and bass player/singer Hanna Fauske is the mastermind behind the design. She wanted a theme we could play with across the whole release, creating a red line across single covers, music video and teaser videos etc. Usually working with body paint, naked skin and the weird, she put together this idea of two snakes in their habitat. The whole process was super fun and instead of corps paint, we got snake paint. LOL

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

The absolute weirdest festival we’ve played is a bit of a hidden gem. Iskremfestivalen outside of Oslo is arranged during the summer with a wiggle room of two to three weeks, depending on the mosquito count! It’s in the middle of a forest where hippie crust punks have created an Ewok village complete with treetop houses and mushroom tea. 

Also Trollkauk festival in Åndalsnes, a small one stage festival surrounded by insane LOTR nature with elves and trolls. This hippie powered festival had it all. Waterfalls to bade in, raves in the forest and crazy fireshows by night.

Our performance could be described as a journey. From waking up hungover in a ditch to hopping on a riggity train, having a brief moment of clarity just to end up resurrected in a trailer park in Europe with moonshine and furious dancing. 

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

Yes! The day before the release we begin our Norwegian tour hitting some of the most notorious underground venues in Norway. We’re also planning a small run in Finland this fall since it's my home country and our label Svart Records is Finnish. 

Tickets to shows: https://linktr.ee/TwinSerpent

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

On a worldwide level, it’s a bit early to say. But the underground scene in Norway seems to welcome us with open arms. The first record was released on a very D.I.Y basis and our whole story began while covid was crazy, so I feel we started off in incognito mode. But with this album and the backing of Svart Records and Fucking North Pole Records we’re gonna make waves!

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

Our next planned release will deep dive into Finnish folklore and magick in the form of a concept EP. It’s going to be sung in finnish and the whole vibe would resemble the tune Kipu Kivi from TNBG. We’ve got some new songs written for the next full length as well and they're on the level of the most rock or punk tunes of what we have to offer on this release. We have a whole lot more sketches of folky tunes as well, but I think we’ll try to separate the most vicious ones from the more mom friendly tunes on future releases. Time will show!

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?

Goes without saying that 16 Horsepower has had an impact. Although I’d say we don't sound so much like them, but there's definitely a vibe. Stuff we’ve kicked off as a unit would be The Tax Payers, Playboy Manbaby, Viagra Boys and The Lambrini Girls. My favourite country artists and heroes are Gillian Welsh and Hank Williams. Fugazi is the best band in the world. Right now I’m listening to Oranssi Pazuzu, Joshua Idehen, Snapped Ankles, Kuolemankello and Little Simz.

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

Thank you so much for this opportunity and I’d like to take the time to mention a couple of must not miss active Norwegian underground heroes:

Cult Member - crossover trash HC from the cold north

Pushwagnergruppen - Crazy dada punk from down south

NSB - Indierock / hip hop experiment from our backyard

Skyggesiden - 80s HC punk from UFFA/Svartlamon

Healthy Choices - Noisy alt rock athletes from the hood

And of course our other active projects:

Barren Womb - Two piece noiserock extraordinaire

Lucky Malice - Riot Grrrl punk legends

Probleman - Mid norwegian Emo kings

+++

https://www.instagram.com/twinserpentband/

​​​​​​​https://www.facebook.com/twinserpentband/

https://twinserpent666.bandcamp.com/ 

Twin Serpent/True Norwegian Blackgrass/Svart Records/2026 Full Length Review

  Twin  Serpent  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal,  crust  punk,  country  and  bluegrass  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "True  Norwegian  Blackgrass"  which  will  be  released  in  May  by  Svart  Records.

  A  very  heavy  crust  punk  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  also  done  in  more  of  a  clear  style.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  more  of  a  70's  rock  style  along  with  some  female  vocals  also  being  used  at  times  and  the  banjos  also  add  in  elements  of  country  of  bluegrass.

  At  times  the  music  also  adds  in  the  lo-fi  atmosphere  of  black  metal  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clean  playing  is  also  added  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  sticking  to  either  a  2  or  3  minute  limit  and  most  of  the  album  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  Twin  Serpent  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  metal,  crust  punk,  country  and  bluegrass  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  love,  betrayal  and  defiance.  

  In  my  opinion  Twin  Serpent  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  metal,  crust  punk,  country  and  bluegrass  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Space  Heater"  "Freak  Flag"  "Radiophobia"  and  "Anti-Nation  Blues".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.svartrecords.com/en/product/twin-serpent-true-norwegian-blackgrass/14218

https://orcd.co/truenorwegianblackgrass   

Rotting Blasphemy/Worshippers Of Chaos/Witches Brew/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Rotten  Blasphemy  are  a  band  from  Columbia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  metal  and  rock'n'roll  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2026  album  "Worshippers  Of  Death"  which  was  released  by  Witches  Brew.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  ritualistic  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  elements  of  thrash  metal  along  with  the  energy  of  punk  rock  and  the  vocals  add  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  album  also  adds  in  touches  of  rock'n'roll.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  bringing  in  more  of  an  80's  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  One  song  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  horror  movie  samples  and  a  couple  of  later  tracks  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  synths,  clear  singing  is  also  added  towards  the  end. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Chaos  Philosophy  and  Anti  Christianity  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Rotten  Blasphemy  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  metal,  punk  and  rock'n'roll  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Noise"  Nekro  Punk"  and "Violence".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/peyukQZkLFw

https://witchesbrewthrashes.bandcamp.com/album/worshippers-of-cha-s

https://www.facebook.com/rottenblasphemycol  

Rotgut/8 Oz Cantrip/2026 EP Review

 

  Rotgut  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black'n'roll,  thrash  metal  and  crust  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2026  ep  "8  Oz  Cantrip:.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  style  screams  and  crust  punk  style  shouts  along  with  some  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  elements  of  thrash  metal  and  black'n'roll.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  metal/punk  style  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  ep  also  takes  a  retro  style  and  also  makes  it  sound  more  modern  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  On  this  recording  Rotgut  takes  black'n'roll,  thrash  metal  and  crust  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  heavy  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  alcohol  and  horror  movies.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Rotgut  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black'n'roll,  thrash  metal  and  crust  punk,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Slash  And  Burn"  and  "Gods  And  masters".  8  out  of  10.

rotgutofficial.bandcamp.com

instagram.com/rotgutband

ROTGUT on Facebook

Valletta/Bitter Lucid Truth/Lifeforce Records/2025 EP Review

 

  Valletta  are  a  band  from  North  Carolina  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  blackened  death  metal  and  black'n'roll  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  ep  "Bitter  Lucid  Truth"  which  will  be  released  by  Lifeforce  Records.

  A  very  heard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  and  few  seconds  later  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Elements  of  black'n'roll  are  added  into  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  lot  of  the  music  also  mixes  in  influences  of  crust  and  hardcore  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  with  some  old  school  rock  and  metal  touches.  Screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  sticking  to  a  mid  tempo  direction  and  a  couple  of  songs also  adds  in  a  small  amount of  clean  playing  and  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  brieflu.    

  On  this  recording  Valletta  takes  blackened  death  metal,  black'nroll,  crust  and  hardcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  aggressive  and  heavy  sound.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  anger  towards  today's  political  climate.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Valletta  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  black'nroll,  blackened  death  metal,  crust  and  hardcore,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blood  And  Jesus"  and  "Spitting  The  Word".  8  out  of  10.

  INSTAGRAM | BANDCAMP | SPOTIFY

https://youtu.be/fpiPvzXuDOQ  

The Vice/The Red Tape Sessions/Noble Demon/2025 EP Review

 

  Sweden's  The  Vice  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for a   mixture  of  black'n'roll,  post  punk,  dark  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  ep  "The  Red  Tape  Sessions"  which  was  released  by  Noble  Demon.

  Soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  post  punk  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  the.  Solos  and  leads  are  done  in  more  of  a  dark  yet  melodic  style  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  black  metal  screams  and  the  synths  add  in  more  of  a  dark  emetal  direction.

  Elements  of  black'n'roll  are  also  added  into  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  music  also  incorporated  a  lot  of  goth  rock  influences.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  small  amount  of  blast b eats  also being  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up,  acoustic  guitars  and  clear  singing  are  also  introduced  on  a  later  track.  

  On  this  recording  The  Vice  continues  to  expand  on t heir  mixture  of  black'n'rool,  dark  and  gothic  metal  by  incorporating  elements  of  post-punk.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Vice  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  black'n'roll,post-punk,  dark  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out t his  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Lilies  of  the  Field".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/TheViceOfficial/  

https://www.instagram.com/theviceofficial/  

https://theviceonline.bandcamp.com/    

Rotgut Interview

 

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

Well, that’s pretty much everyone. We’re just a bunch of homunculi who love to play fast and heavy music. We’re guided by the idea that more is more, the only rule is the rule of cool, and no idea is too stupid.

2. In June you have an EP coming out. Can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

The EP is only five tracks, but it covers a long period of songwriting—some of the tracks are a couple of years old, and the newest was written a few months before the recording. We really want to experiment, so there are some angular harmonies and ambiguous tonality, but it’s gotta be anchored with driving rhythms and strong chord structures. It has to rock.

3. Some of your lyrics cover horror themes. Can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

Pulp, Mexican gothic, grindhouse, Lovecraft. I’ve always been drawn to cheap thrills and grime. There’s a ton to be had in horror. It’s varied and subversive. A fuck you to the status quo. I like to plumb the depths in media, and horror is huge, varied, and cool. Rule of cool.

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

Rotgut is liquor that’s so low quality it’s toxic. The good stuff, in other words. The name has weight—it’s simple, evocative, and sums us up pretty well, I think.

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

That’s me—a depiction of the ritual that summoned two other bozos into this realm. The artwork was done by our human friend Comic Rat a.k.a. Steven Valentine.

Slamming beer isn’t advisable before an incantation, but I won’t apologize for being me. So there you go. A beer-fueled spell. 24 oz Cantrip.

6. Can you tell us a little bit more about the masks the band members wear in the promo pictures?

Those are our faces, sir or ma’am.

7. Has the band done any live shows or are you open to the idea?

Yes! We’ll be starting up in the fall of 2025. The original lineup was just myself—I played all the instruments on the EP. A one-man act is hard to bring to the stage. Luckily, we’ve now got four capable musicians in the band, freeing me up to handle guitar and vocals.

8. Currently the band is unsigned. Are you looking for a label, or have you received any interest?

No word yet. We’re just busting out of the cellar with this album.

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

We’re shocked that we got press from so many countries—Brazil, Germany, Poland, France. We’re honored by the support. There’s nothing more gratifying than putting out something honest, even if it’s absurd, and seeing it understood and enjoyed as much as you hoped.

10. When can we expect a full-length, and where do you see the band heading musically in the future?

32 oz Cantrip is coming out late 2025 or early 2026. It’ll be an extended edition of the EP, with four tracks that predate the formation of Rotgut. So we’re kind of going backwards. But the old songs are crusty and earnest, and we want them to see the light of day. They’re in the setlist anyway—can’t keep ’em private.

The third album is already in the works. We’re keeping true to the spirit of black n’ roll and thrash n’ roll—that’s the core. But if we can throw in some atmosphere, some dungeon synth, some tech thrash—we’ll embrace it. I don't think it's good to be too constrained by genre. Write what you feel and package it in a way that works.

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

Witchery, Ghoul, Nasum, Converge, early Haunted are big ones for me. High energy, tough, and evil. There’s so much. I love Dawn—the Swedish black metal band—for the voice leading in their progressions. D-beat like Tragedy and His Hero Is Gone. I try to listen to a wide swath: Voivod, Carpenter Brut, Goblin, Strunz & Farah, Mahler. I can go on with questions like these.

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

Thank you for taking the time. We’re so stoked to see people are interested. We really appreciate it.

rotgutofficial.bandcamp.com

instagram.com/rotgutband

ROTGUT on Facebook

Rotgut/24 oz CANTRIP/2025 EP Review

 

  Rotgut  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black'nroll,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2025  ep  "24  oz  CANTRIP".

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  more  of  an  80's  style.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  mixed  in  with  a  few  growls  along  with  the  riffing  also  adding  in  elements  of  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  tracks  are  more  rooted  in  black'nroll.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  recording  also  making  a  more  old school  style  more  modern  and  most  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  mid  tempo  direction.

  Rotgut  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black'n'roll,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  cosmic  horror  and  humor  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Rotgut  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black'nroll,  thrash  metal  and  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Hunger'  and  "Blood  And  Copper".  8 out  of  10.

  https://rotgutofficial.bandcamp.com/track/return-of-the-dead-without-eyes

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576181446297

https://www.instagram.com/rotgutband/

https://open.spotify.com/album/5cTIwdnniUkImcEzEFC4qv?si=paArCkjvScCby-oWC0Mm0w&nd=1&dlsi=2abb0e6623564727   

Hexella/The Ancient Gaping Mouth/Hells Headbangers Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Hexella  are  a  band  from  Mission,  Texas  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  back'n'roll,  thrash  metal  and  d  beat  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "The  Ancient  Gaping  Mouth"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Hells  Headbangers  Records.

  A  very  fast  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  elements  of  black'n'roll  and  d  beat  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  also  adds  in  influences  of  thrash  metal  while  also  utilizing  some  melodies  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  being  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  vibe  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction.

  On  this  recording  Hexella  takes  black'n'roll,  thrash  metal  and  d  beat  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  very  heavy  and  aggressive  recording.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Anti  Cosmic  Satanism  and  the  Nightside.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hexella  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black'nroll,  thrash  metal  and  d  beat,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Malefic  Warpath"  "No  Return"  "Storms  Of  Uncreation"  and  "Where  The  Scythe  Falls'.  8  out  of  10.

  https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/searchAdvanced.asp?searchfor=hexella    

The Vice/A Great Unrest/Noble Demon/2025 EP Review

 

  The  Vice  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  mixture  of  black'n'roll,  dark  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  ep  "A  Great  Unrest"  which  will  be  released  in  march  by  Noble  Demon.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  a  lot  of  dark  metal  elements  and  the  clear  vocals  also  add  in  more  of  a  goth  metal  touch.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  are  more  rooted  in  black'nroll.  Touches  of  ambient  and  pop  music  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  one  track  also  being  a  Miley  Cyrus  cover,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  more  melodic  style  and  most  of  the  recording  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction,  female  vocals  are  also  added  on  the  closing  song.

  On  this  recording  The  Vice  brings  in  a  mixture  of  black'n'roll, dark,  gothic  metal,  ambient  and  pop  to  create  something  very  different.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Vice  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black;nroll,  dark  and  gothic  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Great  Unrest"  and  "Welcome  The  Storm".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/TheViceOfficial/  

Xoltergeist/Self Titled/2024 Full Length Review

 

     Xoltergeist  are  a  band  from  Baltimore,  Maryland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black'n'roll,  punk  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  and  self  titled  2024  album.

  A  very  heavy  punk  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Noises  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  spoken  words  and  clear  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  one  song  also  adding  introducing  acoustic  guitars  into  the  music  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  

  Xoltergeist  plats  a  musical  style  that  takes  black'n'roll,  punk  and  noise  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  lo-fi  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  satanic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Xoltergeist  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black'n'roll,  punk  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should c heck  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Satanic  Thrills"  "Locks  And  Devils"  and  "Strike  Fear  In  You".  8  out  of  10.

   https://xoltergeist.bandcamp.com/album/xoltergeist

Valletta/Summer/Forcefield Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Vallenta  are  a  band  from  North  Carolina  that  plays  a  mixture  of  blackened  arena  rock  and  melancholic  grunge'n'roll  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Summer"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Forcefield  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  black'n'roll  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some angry  sounding  black  metal  screams  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  while  clean  playing  is  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  bring  in  more  of  a  hard  rock  style  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  some  90's  era  grunge  influences  mixed  in  with  a  more  modern  day  heaviness  as  well  as  some  of  the  vocals  also  adding  in  shouts ,  one  song  also  introduces  clear  singing  onto  the  recording,  spoken  words  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Vallenta  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black'nroll  and  grunge  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  duality  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vallenta  are  a   very  great  sounding  mixture  of  blackened  arena  rock  and  melancholic  grunge'n'roll  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Serpents  Of  Solomon"  "Criminal"  "On  The  Run"  and  "Almighty  Hate".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/valletta/1662718827

https://vallettanc.bandcamp.com/album/come-alive-ep

https://www.facebook.com/VallettaNC

https://www.instagram.com/vallettanc/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/07mfzYjDfoP9jmi7mpdLwq

]https://www.youtube.com/@VALLETTANC          

Demiser/Slave To The Scythe/Metal Blade Records/Black Light Media/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Demiser  are  a  band  from  South  Carolina  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Slave  To  The  Scythe"  which  will  be  released  in  August  by  Metal  Blade  Records  and  Black  Light  Media.

  Drum  beats  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  thrash  metal  direction  while  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  elements  of  traditional  metal  and  rock'n'roll.  Vocals  are mostly  grim  sounding  grim  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  a  first  wave  style  with  a  more  modern  touch.

  Blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  tracks  also  adding  in a   good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

 The  solos  and  leads  also  having  their  melodic  moments  along  with  some  tremolo  picking  also  being added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing as  well  as  some death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times,  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  closing  track  is  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Anti  Christianity,  Debauchery  and  Desecration  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Demiser  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Feast"  "Phallomancer  The  Phallomancer"  "Hell  is  Full  of  Fire"  and  "In  Nomine  Baphomet".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/demiserofficial

https://www.instagram.com/demiserofficial
https://demiser.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7iyvhUCN6kVoqHS1QvVGPB

Declared Dead/Necrodeist/Sliptrick Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Belgium's  Declared  Dead  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  an  atmospheric  and  progressive  mixture  of  black,  thrash  metal  and  death'n'roll  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Necrodeist"  which  will  be  released  on  July  16th  by  Sliptrick  Records.

  A  very  heavy  thrash  metal  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  Vocals  bring  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  progressive  sounding  at  times  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  more  of  a  melodic  style  while the  synths  also  give  the  album  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling  when  they  are  introduced  into  the  music.  Elements  of  death  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  clear  vocals  onto  the  recording,  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  one  track  is  also  an  instrumental

  On  this  recording  Declared  Dead  takes  black,  thrash  metal  and  death'n'roll  and  mixes  them  with  atmospheric  and  progressive  elements  to  create  something  very  different  from  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  chaos  magick,  extra-dimensional  entities,  occult  knowledge,  parapsychology,  quantum  phenomenon  and  spiritual  malaise.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Declared  Dead  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  and  progressive  black,  thrash  metal  and  death'n'roll,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sanguinary  Libations"  "Ziggurat  Of  Eschaton"  "A  God  Amongst  Ruins"  and  "Gateway  To  The  Cosmic  Garden".  8  out  of  10.

  Twitter | On Sliptrick  

La Menäce Interview

 

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

La Menäce began to take shape at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022, when Luis, our drummer —and the thinking mind behind the whole project— started planning to put together a band that firmly rooted in the nineties Crust sound from the north of Spain (bands like Ekkaia or Ictus). To fulfill his plans, he recruited Davo to play guitar (with whom he played in Disperxión, a punk rock band from Madrid) and me as a bass player. Almost immediately, we started to jam and to compose some tunes. After some time, Alex, from the metalcore band Deymos, joined the project as a singer. In 2023, we released our first EP Sin juicio, el hambre acaba con todo principio (Without judgement, hunger kills every principle) and here we are, about to release our second one.

2.In March you have a new ep coming out, musically how does it differ from your previous release?

Both, the first EP and this one, are two self-produced works. We share our rehearsal room with a friend, el señor Lobo, that give us a hand on the technical level, but he is no producer; there is no artistic input on his side, so all the decisions were made by us. With the recording the first EP, we learned a lot about what we want our band to sound like. None of us are professionals, but we all have a bunch of years of experience playing music in different projects and, after getting a glimpse of what we were capable of, in Erebus we have dared to be more ourselves and to include elements that maybe were not that present in our first reference: from black metal, Scandinavian high energy rock or post-rock. I am also convinced that, although the first EP had a thematic element that condensed the songs, in this case this element is more present both in the sound and in the spirit of the EP.

3.So far lyrically you have covered Franklin's Lost Expedition and Apocalyptic Tales, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

We really like the thematic albums, and this is just a personal opinion, but from classics like Tommy by The Who to more modern stuff like Wildlife by La Dispute, Leviathan by Mastodon, The Alchemy Index by Thrice, Defeater's discography, even in the crust and sludge realm, Lightbearer albums (a project by the Fall of Efrafa people, which I think went rather unnoticed), I love the concept of an album that revolves around a theme. Either because it follows the adventures of a character, or because it elaborates a unique world throughout the songs, or simply because the tone of the songs takes you to a unique place. 

On the first EP, we had the songs composed before we had lyrics or anything, but the thematic element was useful when it came to unifying the artwork, the title, and the lyrics, so we thought it might be interesting to repeat on this second EP. 

How the Franklin Expedition theme came about it was all my fault. I studied History at university and I'm very fond of reading about maritime history and the history of the Age of Exploration (Shackelton and Amundsen and all that), so just as we were writing the songs I was reading a book called Erebus by Michael Palin, which just tells the incredible story of this ship that I knew nothing about and I was struck by its tragic ending and the bravery of those involved in the expedition. So, when Alex asked if we wanted to do something thematic for this second one, I proposed this theme and they found it interesting and seemed to like it… so I went all in and immediately after they said maybe, I showed them the painting for the cover, that I´ve already spent hours looking for and located the museum where it is held (evil laugh). 

It is true that this is an unusual thematic choice for a hardcore/metal/crust (whatever you wanna called it) album... and it's something that's getting a lot of attention from the media, maybe because it's unusual, they're asking us a lot about it and it might be something that plays in our favor in helping us to find an identity and a place in our small scene.

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

I could tell you it's because we are fans of French cinema and the 1977 film La Menace with Yves Montand was the great inspiration, bla, bla, bla…  but I would be lying to you. 

The truth is that it's a name that Luis, our drummer, proposed (I don't know why it came to us with the name in French, since none of us speaks any French) and we liked it. It seems more sophisticated than calling us La Amenaza in Spanish, which sounds more like street punk and such... 

In the end, the name is just the name. We like it and people don't seem to dislike it, although everyone pronounces it completely and outrageously wrong, even ourselves!

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

Mario C. Vaises is the designer of the artwork for this EP and the first one, as well as our logo. He is also a pretty lwell-known frontman in the underground scene in Spain, as he has sung in mythical bands like Another Kind of Hate, El Ego or Khmer. He is currently the vocalist of the best neocrust band in Spain, Svdestada, who this year have released a great album, Candela. 

Besides being a singer, Mario is a great artist and has designed all the artwork from a classic painting HMS 'Erebus' passing through the chain of bergs, 1842 by Admiral Richard Brydges Beechey. Apart from the fact that the painting already existed, all the design work, the typography, the watermarks, the interior is all the result of Mario's work, who has always supported us and given us a hand in everything we have needed.

6.has the band done any live shows or open to the idea?

We love playing live and, for a new band without much experience and with some logistical issues (not all our members live in the same city), we have already played a few gigs. It's true that it's not easy to find venues that program this music live, but we try to be part of an underground networks and hopefully we will be getting out on the stage more and more with the help of colleagues to try to play as much as possible.

7.The new ep is going to be released on 3 different labels, can you tell us a little bit more about the labels you are working with on this release?

7 Lamentos Records is our own imprint. As the first EP was self-released, we designed a small logo to make it look more professional and not just the result of four crazy people in a rehearsal room. But I don't rule out releasing something else from any band that we like in the future. Violence in Veins and Hombre Montaña are two small labels form the north of Spain, run by people who have been in the underground scene for a long time and who put out records by bands we love. We proposed to them the idea of participating in this project and they've really got behind us, so we're very happy. We hope to keep this collaboration with them alive in future releases, because La Menäce doesn't end here!

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

Unbelievable. Just to be doing this interview in English is amazing. It's never happened to me in any musical project I've been involved in before, so we're very happy and very grateful that you're giving us this opportunity for people outside our country to get to know us a little bit more.

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

Yes, all members are involved in other bands. Luis plays in a surf band called Lee Cantinas and gets asked everyday by half of Madrid musicians to be the drummer in their bands, therefore we get very jealous. Our guitarist, Davo, plays guitar or drums in about two hundred hardcore bands, one of my favorites is an anti-fascist hardcore project called Cantona. They have a couple of EPs out and they sound awesome. Sadly, I am pretty sure they are not playing live anymore, but their releases are great. 

Alex, meanwhile, sings in a band called Lluvia Rain, which I've never heard because they haven't recorded anything or played any gigs, but it must be eclectic and a little bit mental… I imagine it's like Prince and Stevie Wonder covers on Meth with a RAT pedal full on. 

And I have a solo instrumental post-rock project called Fujiwhara, that I embarked during COVID. I released an EP in 2021 and sometimes I think I would like to release another EP, but it is a lot of work since it´s me by myself spending countless hours turning knobs and mixing the whole thing… It was quite a mental experience because I never have done anything like that, but I´m glad I did it. If you're into soundtracks, Explosions on the Sky, and bass guitar (all the sounds on the EP were produced from an electric bass), is there on Bandcamp so you can listen to it.

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

Well, I think we have a long way to go and interesting plans ahead of us. I think there is a lot to explore in our music and that the road has just begun for us. I'm very excited about this project.

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?

Within the band, we have quite eclectic musical tastes, but all of us are into bands like Kvertelak, Turbonegro, At the Gates, Svdestada, Tragedy or Iron Reagan. I think that's where the band´s sound is rooted... but each one of us tries to bring their own identity and tastes into the band and that yields something in our sound as a band. 

Lately I've been listening to the latest Idles album, they're playing March 2nd in Madrid and I'm really looking forward to seeing them live. I'm also listening a lot to bands like Svalbard, High Vis, Fiddlehead, The Chisel, Drain or Drug Church... who I think are giving a new twist to hardcore and heavy music as we know it and incorporating different sounds and influences. I´ve also want to mention a couple of Spanish bands as Viva Belgrado, screamo post everything from Córdoba and Sklylines, a punk rock band a la Hot Water Music from Madrid who are about to release an album soooo good, I cannot talk enough about it. 

Outside the world of hardcore and metal, I'm listening like crazy to Hans Zimmer's Dune soundtrack, which I'm also looking forward to the sequel film (isn't Shai Hulud the best name for a band? Too bad there was already a great band with this name, or I would had pick it for us!) and Brian Eno's Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks, which I think is the best album to listen while being lost in the deep space. 

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

I would just like to thank you for your time and for the platform you give us to talk about our music. Without fanzines, independent radio stations, indie promoters and the public, our work would be incomplete, because hardcore is nothing without those on the other side of the stage. 

Be safe, get in the pit, jump on the back of one of your mates, grab the mic, sing from the bottom of your lungs and be happy. Enjoy the music, we don't know how much longer it will last.  

https://www.facebook.com/LaMenaceCrust

La Menäce/Erebus/Violence In The Veins/Hombre Montana/7 Lamentos Records/2024 EP Review

 

  La  Menäce  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black'n'roll   and  crust  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "Erebus"  which  will  be  released  in  March  as  a  joint  effort  between  Violence  In  The  Veins,  Hombre  Montana  and  7  Lamentos  Records.

  Clean  playing  and  spoken  word  parts  start  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  songs  also  mix  in  a  lot  of  crust  punk  and  hardcore  elements  and  tremolo  picking  is  also added  into  some  of  the  riffing.

  Vocals  are mostly  black  metal  screams  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.  The  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  also  mix  in  touches  of  black'n'roll  along  with  some  back  up  shouts  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  some  of  the  riffing  and  growls  also  shows  an  influence  of  death  metal  as  well a s  some  synths  also  being  added  on  the  closing  track. 

   La  Menäce  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black'n'roll  and  crust  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  Franklin's  lost  expedition  

  In  my  opinion    La  Menäce  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black'nroll  and  crust  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pierdes  el  control"  and  "Tu  propia  tumba".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/LaMenaceCrust

https://lamenacecrust.bandcamp.com/album/erebus

https://www.instagram.com/lamenace_crust/

https://youtu.be/0rodTKildQc  

  

        

The Vice Interview

 

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

Since we finished recording the album last year we've been busy recording the videos for the first two singles, "Grant Me Your Peace" and "Lit De Parade", getting everything surrounding the release together (layout, promo-material etc) and started writing some new tunes. Fun stuff, but feels great having it out so we can get into full creation-mode again, writing music, rehearsing and such.

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

I think all of our releases so far have differed quite a lot from each other. Fine-tuning our sound and craft with each one, with pretty much the same goal everytime which is to just write the best damn songs we possibly can within our framework of dark, vicious rock/metal. And with "Dead Canary Run" we took some major leaps forward, things just fell into place in a whole other way than they have in the past. The melodies, atmosphere, pace, structure, all parts are just better and one step closer to where we want them to be.

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

Well due to circumstances pretty much out of our control, we weren't able to do any touring for our last album "White Teeth Rebellion" when it was released in the summer of 2020.. That sucked of course, but no point in bitching about that so we just started working on new material instead. And four years is a while, though I'm really glad we took our time cuz the effort we put into the writing, stepping up our entire game shows in every beat of "Dead Canary Run". We're on a whole other level now than we were in 2020 and pushing forward feels better than ever.

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

I kinda look at this existence, life you might call it, as some sort of level I hope to beat in flying colors. And find it hard describing them without sounding like the most pretentious asshole the world has ever seen, but it's fucking hard so don't say I didn't warn you hehe..

So that's the foundation for my view on things, then each song has a different "theme" based on things that came to mind that I felt was worth writing about. Sometimes it's about a specific part of this madness, how to pull through it in the best possible way ("Grant Me Your Peace" for example is about getting rid of all trivial feelings, cleanse yourself until all that's left is just pure dedication to a cause, something I think might be a way to get that golden ticket into the pearly gates haha..). Sometimes it's just thoughts and observations about another area I feel is interesting enough (like "Anothe Future" that's pretty much just acknowledging that life's pretty weird, but it is what it is so nothing to do but just dive into the chaos headfirst), or might be about a feeling connected to certain things I've experienced or speculations about how situations might play out when they arrive (say "Be Afraid", describing a thrilling sensation when you're at the very edge, about to completely lose your mind. Not a state I find myself in too often, but felt it would make a good song so I put down my thoughts on how I think it might feel, go down when it happens). 

And all this owerblown, pseudo-religious bullcrap aside; I also find it as important that the words just fit, that they sound right where they are. To me the flow and structure of the things I sing matters as much as what I sing to contribute to a great song. 

A bloody novel that one, but that's about as concise as I can be and still try to give you an honest answer about the theme of the lyrics.. 

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

The Vice don't have that much more to it than we were discussing different names back in the start of the band, the word came up and we liked the way it looked and sounded and the meaning of it was something that was pretty fitting for this entire operation.

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

Could write a sequel to that novel I just wrote about the artwork, but I won't hehe.. I'll just say we spent too much time, money and work before deciding we'd do it ourselves.

We came up with the idea to have it based on some sort of impossible staircase, there are some famous paintings of those out there and we felt that would be a very appropriate thing to base the cover-art on. Then me and Charlie bought a printer, transparent printer papers, booze and got a photo editing program and somehow learned how to use it somewhat decent in like 30 minutes. Then searched for pictures of stairs that looked like we wanted, edited them, printed and cut them out and started to build a collague on a large white paper. Piece by piece it came together and the other stuff, windows, gates, man on the cliff etc were things we came up with as we went along.  Some 40 hours later, after scanning the end result and putting the finishing touches (the maelstrom and colors) we were done. Then Petter took over and made all the layout, booklet and stuff. So I fucking love how it turned out, and knowing the entire process behind it makes it very special in my mind.

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?

We've had a couple of great shows here in Stockholm a few years back, but the best and most memorable ones is without a doubt in the Czech Republic. Been there for some shorter tours maybe four times (I think?) and have had some really good shows there. Especially in Prague and Plzen the crowds have been something else, and the folks running the venues are awesome people making the trips over there a treat.

Our sets contain both faster, punkier, rock n roll songs as well as some slower, more atmospheric pieces. So far I think we've just tried to put together a playlist that makes sense so the show gets a natural flow, so that these different elements go together and give the rollercoaster a sense of direction. For the upcoming shows we have a whole new album of new songs to choose from and my guess is it will be a pretty huge difference from the previous ones. I think we're able to put together a much tighter set, trim the fat and make the experience way more condensed, confident.

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

Things are in the works, can't wait to get out and play the new songs and we also have the entire non-touring for the last album to make up for so hopefully we'll do lots of shows all over the globe this year. Nothing I can confirm now though, so stay tuned and we'll update you all as soon as things get more concrete.

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

The album has been very well received, with some damn fine (and interesting) reviews from various papers and zines. And more importantly we've had many "regular listeners" commend it as well. And we don't play to satisfy anyone, we do it because we want and HAVE to (at least in my opinion, in order to fulfill some weird purpose). However, it is of course great fun to hear others like it to. Especially when they tell us that they've picked up on the progress, that they hear the things we spent the last four years on improving. We sure as hell hear it, but one never knows if it gets through to people outside our box, so that's something I really appreciate.  

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

We got many ideas and ways we plan to explore going forward, but probably best I don't get into all of them cuz it would probably scare everyone away haha.. Sounds to fucked up for someone not speaking the language we in the band use when talking music. But besides the ever ongoing process of improving our songwriting, one notable thing is we'll probably have piano as a more permanent ingredient in our upcoming songs. Used it on two songs on the album, and we believe it is the right time and place to incorporate that to make further advancements towards our goals.

Plan to release some new stuff very soon so keep your eyes and ears open, it'll be interesting..

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

Black Metal and Rock n Roll are the two main genres we have in common and always come back to. To name a few from each I'd say Dissection, Emperor, Mayhem, Ofermod, Guns n Roses, W.A.S.P, Mötley Crue and Crashdiet are some bands we like and respect and both listen to and take inspiration from. Then we all have our personal favourites on the side, lots of good music has been created over the years so this is a very simplified description but here it goes. Petter is a huge Iron Maiden fan, into various Heavy Metal and then shitloads of more Black Metal. Charlie is mostly into some post-rock/metal like Solstafir, Neurosis, Mastodon and also some more atmospheric stuff like Magna Carta Cartel. And besides all of the above I go for some more Industrial bands like Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Theatre of Tragedy and top it all of with some Oasis, Miley Cyrus and Lil Wayne.

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

Been great fun talking to you and some interesting questions where I got to spill my guts. For you readers out there, check out the new album "Dead Canary Run" (out digitally and on CD, vinyls coming any day now) and the really cool videos for the first two singles "Grant Me Your Peace" and "Lit De Parade" on Noble Demon Records youtube channel.

Until next time, stay true!

1. Facebook
2. Instagram
3. YouTube