Broken Trinity/Challenges Of Gods And Mortals/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Broken  Trinity  are  a  band  from  Georgia  that  plays  an  epic  and  blackened  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2026  album  "Challenges  Of Gods  And  Mortals".

  Synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  recording  bring  in  elements  of  doom  metal.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  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  style  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  black  emtal  screams.   Clear  singing is  also  used  at  times  along  with  some  blast  beats  and  the  brutality  of  death  metal  also  being  utilized  when  the  music  speeds  up,  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times,  throughout  the  album  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  one  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars.

  Broken  Trinity  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  epic  doom  and  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  viking  lore  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Broken  Trinity  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  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  "Robes  Of  Purple  And  Gold"  and  "Culled  By  Odin's  Hand".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/l5RXPZ-fBZM

https://www.facebook.com/BrokenTrinity

https://brokentrinity.bandcamp.com/album/challenges-of-gods-and-mortals

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Opera IX/Venficium/Edged Circle Productions/2026 Full Length Review

 

  Opera  IX  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  interviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Venificium"  which  will  be  released  in  may  by  Edged  Circle  Productions.

  Horror  movie  style  keyboards  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  the  spoken  words  also  add  in  a  ritualistic  touch.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  symphonic  sounding  along  with  some  elements  of  doom  metal  being  added  into  the  slower  parts  of  the  songs.

  Harsh  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams  while  the  clear  singing  also  adds  in  some  gothic  metal  touches.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  whispers  being  used  and  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  some  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  a  lot  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  album  closes  with  a  Black  Sabbath  cover.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Dark  Arts  and  Witchcraft  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Opera  IX  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vocatio  Mortourum"  "Hortus  Sagae"  "Venficium"  and  "Black  Sabbath".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialoperaIX 

Arendia Interview

 

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

 

Hi, sure. After we released Hymns of Ember and Ash we have taken a couple of months break to get some ideas and riffs with the intention of starting to write for a full-length album which we will be starting to write in the next couple of weeks. We’ve a few ideas theme wise, but musically we expect it to carry on from the last EP.

 

 

 

 

2.A few months back you released a new ep, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

 

I would say the songs are much more focused, shorter and more energetic. Musically I think its an amalgamation of all the styles we have played in the past wrapped up in those four songs.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Yes, much of our inspiration comes from local history, folklore and literature and is a theme running throughout our music. I have an interest in paganism in general particularly in Wicca which is the inspiration behind the song Holmwood.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Aside from telling the tales of our nearby moorlands we have touched on the environment, alchemy, level 4 viruses and fantasy themes amongst many others. Books are a major source of inspiration for me, we have written songs inspired by David Eddings and Robert Holdstock and others in the past.

 

 

 

 

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

 

I came up with the name Arendia back when this was just a side project between myself and Simon (drums). The name is taken from David Eddings’ Belgariad series in which it is one of the main lands in the story.

 

 

 

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

 

We wanted to continue the paganism/wildwood theme that we have but also something a little darker than we have done in the past. The idea of the solitary man walking in the Holloway into the wildwoods was something that connected our fantasy themes with the paganism well.

 

 

 

7.Out of all the shows and tours the band has done so far which one stands out the most?

 

Unfortunately for a number of reasons it has been some years since we have played live, but for me our first local gig back when we first started will always be a fond memory.

 

 

 

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for 2025?

 

As of yet no, because we want to concentrate on working on a new album, although we are talking more and more about starting to play live again, possibly by the end of this year. I think we all feel that the newer songs would work so well in the live setting.

 

 

 

9.The ep was released on 'Three Radials Media', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

 

This is our own label which we started so we can release any of our music, both Arendia and solo work, ourselves and have control over it. I have some ideas which I want to explore soon as does Mark and its just really handy to be able to do this ourselves.

 

 

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

 

The reaction to our latest EP has been fantastic and positive so we’re really pleased and excited going into the next release. I would say that this has been the best received release so far of ours and it has been great to hear that our music has been played in Mexico, the US, and much of Europe.

 

 

 

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

 

I think realistically we are looking at between 18 months and 2 years for the next release. We want to take our time and let the ideas build and develop. Musically I think it will be more of the same and will carry on from the EP. There will always be those influences of Black metal, thrash, melody and atmosphere which we all enjoy. Another idea we have is to re-record an album of ours from a few years ago, “A Radial to the Sea” in the not too distant future

 

 

 

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

 

We’re all listening to different stuff but mostly metal. Simon our drummer has been listening to Trna, Blackbraid (one of my current favourites), Mogwai, Gento, Cryptopsy and Blood Incantation. Mark, our guitarist Insomnium’s epic Winters Gate along with Maiden’s A Matter of life and Death. Myself, Bathory and Darkthrone as always alongside Fen, Wayfairer, Suldusk’s beautiful debut Lunar Falls when I want something a bit more chilled out and a current favourite is Rotting Christ’s live album 35  Years of Evil Existence.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Thanks very much for the interview and support. You can find our music on all the major streaming services. Once again thanks and cheers!

https://www.arendia.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/Arendiametal/
https://x.com/arendiametal

Arendia/Hymns Of Ember And Ash/Three Radials Media/2025 EP Review

 

  Arendia  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  ep  "Hymns  Of  Ember  And  Ash"  which  was  released  by  Three  Radials  Media.

  A  very  fast  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast b eats.  Vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  first  wave  black  metal  style  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  of  thrash  metal  elements  and  making  an  80's  style sound  more  modern.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  some  of  the  music  also  adds  in  touches  of  traditional  metal.  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  ep  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  clear  singing  is  also  added  on  a  few  tracks  as  well  as  some  of  the  fast  riffing  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking.

  Arendia  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism,  History  and  Fantasy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Arendia  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blessings  Of  Akatosh"  and  "The  Tomb  Of  Semiranis".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.arendia.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/Arendiametal/

https://x.com/arendiametal     

Selfgod/Left Hand Pagan/Veles Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Selfgod  are  a  duo  from  Pennsylvania  that h as  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Left  Hand  Pagan"  which  was  released  by  Veles  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  blast b eats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  recording.

  Synths  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  album  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  The  recording  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  modern  and  old  school  influences  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  sticking  to  more  of  a  90's  death  metal  style,  tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing.

  On  this  recording  Selfgod  continues  to  expand  on  the  blackened  style  of  death  metal  that  they  introduced  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Slavic  Paganism,  Left  Hand  Path  and  Blasphemy  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Selfgod  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Death's  Divination"  "Winter  Spell"  "Pagan  Horde"  and  "Trample  The  Cross".  8  out  of  10.

  Follow Selfgod:

Spotify: Spotify
Apple Music: Apple Music
Facebook: Facebook
Instagram: Instagram
YouTube: YouTube
Bandcamp: Bandcamp

Stygian Interview

 

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

Stygian is a black metal band from Italy, born out of a deep need to confront the spiritual decay of modern civilization. We blend elements of black metal and crust punk to create something both raw and emotionally evocative. Our music reflects resistance to religious dogma, ecological destruction and cultural homogenization. Each of us comes from a different background in extreme music, and Stygian grew naturally from our shared roots in the underground scene of our city, Ravenna.

2. You have your first full length coming out in July, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

Our first full-length will be released in July through Time To Kill Records, and it represents the core of what Stygian is all about. Musically, it’s rooted in black metal, but we bring in a strong crust punk and hardcore influence not just in rhythm and tone but in attitude. Expect harsh tremolos, blasting fury and moments of haunting atmosphere. The lyrics carry a ritualistic and introspective depth but musically we keep it raw and direct, avoiding over-produced or polished elements.

3. All of the band members also have experience working with other styles of metal with different bands, how would you compare the musical style of 'Stygian' to other musical genres, you have worked with in the past or present?

Stygian feels like a return to something more primal. In previous bands, we’ve explored technical death metal, sludge, doom, hardcore but with Stygian we focus on raw emotional power rather than complexity. It's less about precision and more about channelling a visceral, almost spiritual, force. There’s an urgency and directness here that cuts deeper than our other projects.

4. A lot of your lyrics cover Paganism and Occultism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

We are deeply drawn to pre-Christian, nature-based spiritual traditions. Paganism, to us, represents a worldview where human beings are part of the natural order not above it. It’s about balance, reverence and connection. The occult, on the other hand, deals with the unseen forces that shape reality, and our lyrics often explore that liminal space between the material and the spiritual. In both cases it’s a form of rebellion against the control and repression enforced by monotheistic religions.

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

The name refers to the River Styx from Greek mythology: a boundary between the world of the living and the dead. “Stygian” evokes darkness, the underworld and the unknowable. We chose it because it perfectly represents the atmosphere and themes that deals with death, transition, mystery and the hidden aspects of human experience.

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

The album cover shows crumbling cathedrals, decaying relics of human arrogance and spiritual domination. They symbolize the fleeting and fragile nature of man-made dogmas constructions that once aimed to impose order, now being reclaimed by time. This imagery speaks directly to one of the core themes of the album: the inevitable collapse of systems built in defiance of nature.

In contrast, the booklet artwork reveals a lush forest seen from within dense, alive and enveloping. It represents the eternal dominion of nature over mankind. While the cover depicts the downfall of artificial authority, the interior artwork offers a vision of what persists beyond that fall: a return to the primordial, to the sacred and untamed. Together, the two visuals form a symbolic arc from ruin to rebirth.

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

We’ve played a few underground gigs that really captured the energy we aim for small venues, no barriers, smoke, strobes, raw intensity. Our live shows are immersive and confrontational. We don’t just perform songs we invoke something. It’s meant to feel like a ritual, where the audience becomes part of the experience. It's not about entertainment, it's catharsis.

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

Actually, we’re waiting for responses from a few booking agencies we’ve contacted. Things are not easy, the underground circuit is shrinking and it's becoming harder each year to find space for bands like ours, especially if you don’t fit neatly into trends or commercial formats. But we’re not giving up. We’ll keep pushing, keep supporting the scene, and keep playing wherever there’s a floor and an audience willing to feel something real. This music was born in basements and squats and that’s still where its heart beats strongest.

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

We’re still at the beginning, but the response so far has been encouraging. People who are into raw and honest forms of extreme music seem to connect with what we’re doing. We’ve had good feedback from the local scene and some interest starting to grow abroad through our social channels and word of mouth. It’s a slow process, but we believe in building something with substance rather than chasing hype.

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?

Our vocalist Emi is also active with Triceratopo, a band that blends stoner, sludge metal, and hardcore punk. Their music is characterized by a provocative attitude and lyrics that oscillate between irony and social critique.

Our drummer Rolando is younger and extremely active, he's involved in several bands like Sedna, who need no introduction and are currently working on their new album, Burning Dogma, and Cremisi, bringing his energy and versatility to each.

As for the rest of us — Paolo, Lucio, and myself (Mirko) — we’ve been friends for a long time and were previously members of Angerdome. Right now, we’re fully focused on Stygian.

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

We want to push the contrast even further harsher aggression alongside deeper atmospheres. There might be more ritualistic elements, maybe even folk instrumentation but still grounded in an extreme punk and black metal foundation. Conceptually, we’re exploring new mythologies and historical narratives that resonate with our worldview. We don’t want to just get heavier we want to get more profound.

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?

We all grew up listening to early forms of extreme music: from hardcore punk to the first waves of death, black, thrash, crust and grindcore and that background naturally shaped the way we write and play. Those roots are still very present in our sound and attitude. Naming specific bands would be reductive because what shaped us is a broader culture and spirit that ran through the underground scenes we grew up in.

Lately, we’ve been listening to bands like Mgła, Uada, Full Of Hell, Svartkonst, Wormwitch, Cult Leader, probably the more well-known names among the newer bands we follow. But we also keep an eye on what’s happening in our own territory. Italian bands like Sedna, The End of Six Thousand Years, and Hierophant continue to push boundaries and carry forward a vision that feels close to our own. It's inspiring to see how even the local scene remains vital and full of substance.

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

Thanks for the space. We’ll keep doing what we do and supporting the underground scene that shaped us.

At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about: having fun, sharing something real, supporting each other and giving space to voices and themes the mainstream tends to ignore.

See you at the shows.

https://www.facebook.com/stygianbhc

https://www.instagram.com/stygianbhc/

Stygian/Dreadlands/Time To Kill Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Stygian  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black  metal  and  crust  punk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Dreadlands"  which  will  be  released  in  June  by  Time  To  Kill  Records.

  A  very  aggressive  crust  punk  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very powerful  sound  to  them.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  lot  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  A  couple  of  songs  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  clear  vocals  along with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  on  a  few  tracks.

  Stygian  plays  a musical  style  that  takes,  black,  death  and  crust  punk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover Paganism,  Occultism  and  the  corruption  of  Abrahamic  and  Monotheistic  Religions.

  In  my  opinion  Stygian  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death  metal  and  crust  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Death  Rite"  "Runic  Ritual"  "Unholy  Wars"  and  "Where  Dead  Men  Stand".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.facebook.com/stygianbhc

https://www.instagram.com/stygianbhc/

https://stygian-official.bandcamp.com/album/dreadlands https://timetokillrecords.com/collections/stygian-dreadlands

    

Hate/Bellum Regis/Metal Blade Records/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Poland's  Hate  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  them  expanding  on  the  blackened  death  metal  style  of  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "Bellum  Regis'  which  was  released  by  Metal  Blade  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  words  a  few  seconds  later  while  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks.  Orchestration  is  also  added  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times  while  the  harsh  vocals  also  add  in  a  lot  of  death  metal  growls  and  brutal  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  are  also  added  into t he  faster  sections  of  the  recording.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  chaotic  yet  melodic  style  and  the  album  also  adds  in  a  lot  of  black  metal  elements.  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs  and  a  later  track  also  introduces  spoken  words  into  the  music.  

  On  this  recording  hate  takes  their  style  of  blackened  death  metal  into  a  different  direction  without  losing  any  of  the  brutality  of  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Slavic  Mythology,  and  the  struggle  for  power.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Hate  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bellum  Regis"  "A  Ghost  of  Lost  Delight"  and  "Ageless  Harp  Of  Devilry".  8  out  of  10.

  

https://www.facebook.com/HATEOFFICIAL

https://www.instagram.com/hateofficial  

    

  

Crestfallen Queen/Horns/Vocem Interiorem Manifestations/2024 Full Length Review

 

    Germany's  Crestfallen  Queen  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  more  of  a  progressive  form  of  blackened  doom  metal  with  some  elements  of  occult  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Horns"  which  was  released  by  Vocem  Interiorem  Manifestations.

  A  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  where  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  harsh  vocals  are  mostly  black  metal  screams  and  elements  of  doom  metal  are  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  clean  sections  of  the  songs  also  take  the  music  into  more  of  a  progressive  direction.  Clear  male  and  female  vocals  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  album  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Keyboards  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  tremolo  picking  can  also be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  acoustic  guitars.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Paganism,  Mythology,  Philosophy  and  Dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Crestfallen  Queen  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  blackened  doom  metal  with  elements  of  occult  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Horns"  "Wyllt"  and  "Arcane  Sorcerer  Pt.2  Wyrd's  Lament".  8  out  of  10.

  https://crestfallenqueen.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/CrestfallenQueen

https://www.instagram.com/crestfallenqueenband      

    

  

Bewitcher/Spell Shock/Century Media Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Portland,  Oregon's  Bewitcher  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  mixture  of  black,  thrash  and  speed  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Spell  Shock"  which  will  be  released  on  September  27th  by  Century  Media  Records.

  Dark  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  speed  metal  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  classic  metal  style  and t he  vocals  are mostly  first  wave  black  metal  screams.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  album  also  mixes  in a   lot  of  thrash  metal  elements.  A  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  80's  era  as  will  as  being  very  modern  at  the  same  times  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  back  up  shouts  and  one  of  the  songs  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Paganism  and  Hedonism  themes

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Bewitcher  and  if  you  are  a f an  of  blackened  thrash  and  speed  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Starfire  Maelstrom"  "Out  Against  The  Law"  "We  Die  in Dust"  and  "Ride  of  The  Iron  Fox".  8 out  of  10.

  www.bewitcher.us

www.facebook.com/BewitcherOfficial
www.instagram.com/bewitcherofficial

The Hell Beyond/Cold Forests/2024 Full Length Review

 

  The  Hell  Beyond  are  a  solo  project  form  Germany that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2024  album  "Cold  Forests".

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  also  adding  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  the  music  is  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era.

  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats.  A  lot  of  the  album  also  sticks  to  more  of  a  mid  tempo  direction  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized  and  at times  the  recording  also  adds  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts,  female  vocals,  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  The  Hell  Beyond  plays  a  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era  as  well  as  being  very  different  at  the  same  time.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism,  Occultism,  Satanism,  Darkness  and  Anti  Religion  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  The  Hell  Beyond  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  solos  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Deumus"  "Druid  Stones"  "The  Ending"  and  "The  Dark  lord".  8  out  of  10.

  https://open.spotify.com/album/60BoqlYMkgBbvw00N86xA1   

Selfgod/Born Of Death/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Selfgod  are  a  duo  from  Pennsylvania  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  his  self  released  2022  album  "Born  Of  Death".

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls  and  the  music  is  also  heavily  rooted  in t he  90's  era.

   Elements  of  black  metal  can  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  Tremolo  picking  can  also be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark,  old  school  and  melodic  style  when  they  are  utilized.

  Selfgod  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  early  90's  era  of  black  and  death  metal,  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Slavic  Mythology  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Selfgod  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Svarog's  Steel"  "Cosmic  Axis"  "Veles"  and  "Born  of  Death".  8  out  of  10.

 https://youtu.be/h9sarG2Ev_Y

https://www.facebook.com/selfgodband

https://www.instagram.com/selfgodband/

https://selfgod.bandcamp.com/album/born-of-death

  

Hild/ValFreiya/Odium Records/2022 CD Review

 

  Hild  are  a  band  from  Sweden t hat  has  previously  had  music  reviewed  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a review  of  their  2012  album  "Va;Freiya"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Odium  Records.

  A  very  heavy  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  thrash  metal  elements.  Vocals  are  done  in  mostly  a  shouting  black  metal  style  that  is  very  close  to  the  first  wave  era  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  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  when  they  are  utilized.  Most  of  the  tracks  stick  to  the  2  minute  limit  along  with  songs  mixing  an  old  school  style  in  with  a  more  modern  day  aggression  and  the  whole  recording  also  sticks  to  a  heavier  direction  as  well  as  some  of  the  riffing  also  mixing  in  influences  of  crust.

  On  this  recording  Hild  remains  true  to  the  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  that  they  had  introduced  on  the  singles.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Nordic  Mythology  and  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Hild  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "ValFreiya"  "Hrist"  "Rota"  and  "Hild".  8  out  of  10.

  https://youtu.be/TWg23Yabje4

www.facebook.com/HildSweden

      

  

The Chosen 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 have just completed our live line-up and are aiming to do a couple of gigs, to promote the band and the new album. We are also working on new material.

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

To be honest, the music isn’t that much different than our former work, at least musically. Maybe this time we have listened even  more to old school black metal. There are less death metal influences, but this isn’t done deliberately. We just wrote what came up in our sick minds.

3.The band was also broken up for more than 10 years, what was the cause of the split and also the decision to reform?

The Chösen started as a solo project. But going live, meant more musicians. We had a blast, but also a lot of changes in line up. So in the end the gigs went bad and new material wasn’t coming, so time to pull the plug. While waiting for new inspiration we were busy doing other bands and projects, before you kno wit more then ten years have past.

In the meantime, we had been writing more thrashy, stuff. The logical thing was to release as a new The Chösen album. Lyrics I write on a regular basis, so there was enough to fill the songs with.

4.A lot of your lyrics cover Paganism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about the main Pagan path that you have an interest in?

Always a great subject to write about, the pagan world is so extensive. It goes from magic to politics and from nature to war. I hold Dutch/Germanic paganism close to my heart.

5.Lyrically you also cover war and historical themes, which wars and historical events have had the most impact on your songwriting?

From a very young age, I have been interested in history and in particular Dutch history. We are a small country, but we had a big impact on the history of the world. On one hand we were conquerors, but we were also the conquered. 

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'The Chosen'/

A couple of reasons: Those fallen in battle are chosen to either go to Valhalla or to Folkvangr. Another reason is to mess with modern religious people, all calling them the chosen people of their made up god. Now that name is also being used by us, heathen bastards. The Chösen also sounds like a cool gang name, as a scourge  in this dystopian society.

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

The snake represents chaos, the Yr-Rune represents death. Both are placed in a circle which represents glory. These are the main lyrical topics. The wooden swords are there to represent the pagan side of the band.

8.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to expanding the line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

Well the live line up is going to consist of three members. We have just recruited WAR to join us in the drums and we are working on a live set. So to be continued.

9.When you have a live line up what where some of the best shows that you played and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Many years ago we did a mini tour with Aborym, Blacklodge and Corpus Christii, wich was super. We als played in Baroeg, Rotterdam also great. We opened A black metal festival in Leeuwarden which went terrible from our part, we hope to redeem that. Gigs in Germany are always great, so we hope to go there some more. We have some plans, but it stil lto early to reveal.

The stage performance will be more rock ’n roll I guess. Just three guys going at it as furious as possible.

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

The reactions, up to now, have been really positive. Very nice to come back to that. Of course we have to see what the reactions will be once we get on stage.

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

My other band is Standvast, together with Nortfalke. In this band I’m the vocalist. Dragontank playes bass with the dutch old school heavy metal band: Steel shock. Both of us are also busy with divers projects, a bit to many to mention. WAR has his own band, Gheestenland. He is and was also involved in many different projects.

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

In the future we hope to get an even better mix of thrash and black without becoming a parody of the genre.

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

Bands like Sodom, Celtic Frost, Darkthrone are always influences. But the same goes for Impaled Nazarene, Aura Noir, Absu, Destroyer 666 etc. But certainly a number of (swedish) crust-punk bands also play a big part. 

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

Thanks you for this opportunity, all the best!!!

 

Cátia Cunha

Music Publicist

email: catia@againstpr.com | againstpr@gmail.com

      

The contents of this email are confidential and intended only for the recipient indicated in the message. Please remember your environmental responsibility. Before you print this email message, ask yourself if you really need a hard copy.

https://www.facebook.com/Thechosen666

The Chosen/Resistance Leading To Strength/Heidens Hart Records/2022 Full Length Review

 

  The  Chosen  are  a  duo  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  "Resistance  Leading  To  Strength"  which  was  released  by  Heidens  Hart  Records.

  A  very  fast  and  aggressive  thrash  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.  Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  while  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  influenced  by  both  the  first  and  second  wave  era's  of  the  genre  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  lot  of  melody.

  Synths  can  also  be  heard  in certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  tremolo  picking  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  faster  riffing  at  times  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark y et  melodic  style.

  The  Chosen  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism,  War  and  History  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Chosen  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  thrash  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Geysers  Of  Soil"  "When  The  Dust  Settles"  "Upon  The  Threshold  Of  The  Black  Gate"  and  "Wolfhound  -  Dragontank".  8  out  of  10.

  Track premiere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4cYkQeIObc

Full album stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCQccix-qXY

https://www.facebook.com/Thechosen666  

    

Hild/Obliterating Silence/2022 EP Review

 

  Hild  are  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  death  and  thrash  metal  with  some  elements  of  hardcore  and  crust  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2022  ep  "Obliterating  Silence".

  A  very  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  vocals  bring  in  more  of  a  crust  and  hardcore  style  shouting  approach  mixed  in  with  the  aggression  of  black  and  death  metal.  Elements  of  thrash  metal  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  both  of  the  tracks  being  very  short  in  length  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Hild  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  black,  death,  thrash  metal,  crust  and  hardcore  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  mythology  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Hild  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  death,  thrash  metal,  crust  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Thogn".  8  out  of  10.

https://open.spotify.com/ artist/2Z8vznsR8cKeZyvuvtGEMJ? si=zSSOIX9ORsqHpkM3VlOkuA

https://www.facebook.com/ HildSweden

https://www.instagram.com/ hild_sweden/

https://www.youtube.com/ channel/ UChXWqjRsXdXsFYUwIau0CNQ

Dødskvad/Krønike II/Caligari Records/2022 EP Review

 

  Dødskvad  are  a b and  from  Norway  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  tripped  out  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of their  2022  ep  "Krønike  II"  which  will  be  released  on  January  20th  by  Caligari  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  yet  90's  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  ep  while  you  can  also h ear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  along  with  the  music  being  mostly  death  emtal growls  as  well  as  some  black  metal  screams  also  being  done  at  times. 

  Dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  solos  and  leads  remains  true  to  an  old  school  style.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Clean  playing  and  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  recording  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized briefly  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  Norse  mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dødskvad   and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  and  atmospheric  blackened  death  emtal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  " Etterlatt  Til  Ulver"  and  "Verdenstreets  Rot".  8  out  of  10.

https://caligarirecords.bandcamp.com/album/kr-nike-ii