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 

Qrixkour/The Womb Of The World/Dark Descent Records/Invictus Productions/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Qrixkour  are  a  duo  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2025  album  "The  Womb  Of  The  World"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Dark  Descent  Records  and  Invictus  Productions.

  Symphonic  and  orchestral  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Operatic  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark,  chaotic  yet  melodic  style  while  brutal  blast  beats  are  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  album  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  words.

  Qrixkour  plays  a  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  is  very  dark,  brutal  and  cavernous  sounding  as  well  as  adding  in  some  symphonic  orchestration  to  create  something  different  for  the  genre.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Qrixkour  are  a  very  great  sounding  blackened  death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "So  Spoke  The  Silent  Stars"  and  "The  Womb  of  The  World".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/qrixkuor/1197317210

https://qrixkuordeath.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/qrixkuor/

https://www.instagram.com/qrixkuorcoven/    

Moonspell/Opus Diabolicum - The Orchestral Live Show/Napalm Records/2025 Double Live Album Review

 

  Portugal's  Moonspell have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  them  with  an  orchestra  in  a live  setting  to  add  a  symphonic  touch  to t heir  mix  of  black, dark  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  live  2025  double  album  "Opus  Diabolicum  -  The  orchestral  Live  Show"  which  was  released  by  Napalm  Records.

  Live  Audience  reaction  starts  off  the  album  along  with  an  orchestra  playing  in  a  background  bringing  in  more  of  a  classical  and  symphonic  style  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  chants  and  spoken  words  are  utilized  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  touch.

  Choirs  are  also  utilized  at  times  while  some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  harsh  vocals  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  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  along  with  the  clear  vocals  also  adding  in  elements  of  gothic  metal  when  they  are  utilized.  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  one  song  also  introducing  whispered  vocals  onto  the  album,  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  on  a  few  songs  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  as  the  album  progresses  female  vocals  are  also  introduced.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Folklore,  Magick  and  Poetic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Moonspell  and  if  you  are a   fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  live  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "1  7  5  5"  "Extinct" "Vampiria"  and  Full  Moon  madness".  8 out  of  10.

  https://www.moonspell.com

https://www.facebook.com/moonspellband
https://www.instagram.com/moonspellofficial

https://label.napalmrecords.com/moonspell  

  

  

Hjort Interview

 

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

The hjort story started in 2022, right after we released our "Nebula"-EP with V/Haze Miasma. At this time I channeled certain personal stress factors into lots of creative output - and I needed a different songwriting approach. Even more atmosphere. Longer tracks. Just sounds and instruments. Right from the heart.

 

2.In 2025 your first full length coming out, musically how does it differ from your previous singles?

The 2022 "Trilogy" wasn´t meant as an album or EP. Every track was happening spontaneously and released one by one. Those three tracks turned out to be quite dark and very monotonous. Now "evolve IV-VIII" had a bigger interval to the melodic songwriting approach within V/Haze Miasma. I missed that and felt the urge to create a whole album which should transport the vibe of the "Trilogy" but also lighten up a bit by clearer structures and some catchy melodies  - as we use them in V/Haze Miasma, too. I guess my whole mood during the songwriting process was in a way much more positive and confident. I think you can hear that. And in addition, this time I´m very proud of the whole production which is in this case entirely done by myself, aside from mastering which was done as always by Sebastian Moser of Grotesque Studios, my partner in (musical) crime since over 20 years.

 

3.So far all of the music has been instrumental. Are there any plans to use vocals in the future?

There aren´t any plans, but you never know.

 

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name "Hjort"?

It´s norwegian for deer. The "Trilogy" tracks were very inspired by autumn forests. The deer is a very proud and illustrious animal. I teached myself some Norwegian at that time. So for me this combination felt quite fitting.

 

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

I´d love to! The artwork is also largely done by myself. "evolve IV-VIII" was recorded in winter 2023/2024. At the same time I spent some days in the mountains of Bavaria and Austria. All the pictures you can find on the Vinyl version were taken by me at that time, mostly while walking or skiing through this beautiful nature.

 

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

I´m very open in working together with other musicians in general. That´s what I always did during the last 25 years and more in different bands like Circle of Grief, Shapeshift, Gloomball and until today in V/Haze Miasma. I love how creativity flourishes when different minds give their input into it. But I also like the possibility of a solo project to put everything right in the way I feel it.

 

7.The new album is going to be released on 'Inertial Music', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Inertial Music is a small but very delicate label from Italy which was founded just in the beginning of 2024, when I´m right. They got my attention by releasing the solo work of Niklas Sundin. I directly felt that those guys follow a similar vibe in music and aesthetics, and I am very happy until today that I wasn´t wrong! I love the pleasant way of communication and cooperation but it's always focussed, reliable and very professional at the same time. And the owner Enrico Longhin is a very nice guy by the way!

 

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

I´m not sure about that, as hjort didn't get very much attention yet. But this even wasn´t the idea in the beginning. But now there is this beautiful album, so we are just starting to spread the word. You know, this is somehow part of the art. Not only create music but also release it, spread it, without knowing about the subsequent feedback. And yes, there were first reviews and reactions where people told in very beautiful words how much this music touched them on an emotional level. There couldn´t be a bigger compliment for me. This kind of connection between musician and listener always feels like magic!

 

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?

I don't think too much about that. I quit dreaming about being rich and famous many years ago, haha. Seriously, over the years I just found my way to enjoy being creative and feel confident with it. And this includes Hjort as well as V/Haze Miasma which I also hope stays a part of my musical being.

 

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

I am and always will be influenced by emotional music like black metal but also grunge. I moreover found out over the years that most of my music has a progressive touch. So I´m not a very old school guy when it comes to black metal. At the moment I listen very much to bands like Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Dool, Solstafir, Ghost Brigade, but also Pain of Salvation, Archive or Madrugada, PJ Harvey, just to name a few. I´m listening music all the time, I love vinyls, this is also an important part of my life.

 

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

If I´m not working or making music I love to be outside, ideally hiking some mountain!

 

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

Thank you very much for your interest and your questions. I really appreciate that and everyone who gives hjort a shot - highly recommended lying on the floor in the dark or with no more than candlelight - and the volume on a proper level. Be nice to nature and the people around you!

https://youtu.be/v5uI4IGOkfI

Hjort/Evole IV-VIII/Iniertal Music/2025 Full Length Review

 

  Hjort  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  an  instrumental  mixture  of  post  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Evolve  IV-VIII"  which  will  be  released  in  2025  by  Iniertal  Music.

  Field  recordings  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  electronic  direction  while  also  introducing  atmospheric  sounding  synths  onto  the  recording.  Elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  album  also  avoids  the  use  of  any  vocals  or  lyrics.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  post  metal  style  along  with  the  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  blast  beats  and  black  metal  style  tremolo  picking.

  Clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  symphonic  touches.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  as  well  as  one  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  nature  sounds.  Acoustic  guitars  and  percussion  are  also  utilized  briefly  and  some  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  production  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  Hjort  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  mixture  of  post  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRAC KS  INCLUDE  "IV"  "VIII".  8  out  of  10.

  https://hjortnoise.bandcamp.com/

Obscura Qalma/Veils Of Transcendence/Dusktone/2024 EP Review

 

  Italy's  Obscura  Qalma  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  symphonic  and  orchestra  driven  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  ep  "Veils  of  Transcendence"  which  was  released  by  Dusktone.

  Ritualistic  style  drumming  and  ethnic  style  instruments  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  symphonic  direction.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Tremolo  picking  is  also  added  into  some  of  the  fast  riffing  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  good  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  spoken  word  samples  also  being  utilized  briefly  and  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  more  of  a  modern  extreme  metal  style.

  On  this  recording  Obscura  Qalma  remains  true  to  the  symphonic  and  orchestrated  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Mysticism  and  Existentialism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Obscura  Qalma  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  and  orchestra  driven  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ophidian's  Enthronement"  and  "Enochian  Abyss".  8  out  of  10.

  https://www.obscuraqalma.com/    

Art Of Attrition/...And It Will End Forever/2024 EP Review

 

  Art  Of  Attrition  are  a  band  from  Alberta,  Canada  that  plays  a  very  technical  and  blackened  form  of  deathcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2024  ep  "...And  It  Will  End  Forever"  which  will  be  released  in  July.

  A  very  fast  and  brutal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Elements  of  deathcore  can  also  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  vocals  also  have  their  guttural  moments.

  Some  of  the  shouts  also  add  in  a  touch  of  metalcore  while  orchestration  is  also  mixed  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  The  music  also  has  its  technical  moments  in  both  the  riffs and  solos  along  with  some  pig  squeals  also  being  utilized  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  a  couple  of  songs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing.  

  Art  Of  Attrition  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  very  technical  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  deathcore  and  symphonic  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Art  of  Attrition  are  a  very  great  sounding  technical  and  blackened  deathcore  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Drowned  In  Fog"  and  "Emaciate".  8  out  of  10.

  www.artofattrition.com

Moonspell/Under The Moonspell (The Early Years Collection)/Alma Mater Records/2024 Compilation Album Review

 

  Moonspell  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  has  had  plenty  of  music  reviewed  in  this  zine  over  this  years  and  on  this  release  they  compiled  their  1994  ep  "Under  The  Moonspell"  and  demo's  "Under  Satanae"  and  Anno  Satanae"  which  showed  more  of  darker ,  occult  and  black  metal  style  than  previous  releases  as  well  as  having  some  gothic  metal  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  compilation  "Under  The  Moonspell  (The  Earlier  Years)"  which  will b e  released  on  April  20th  by  Alma  Mater  Records.

  Synths  and  clear  folk  music  style  clear singing  mixed  in  with  some  ethnic  chants  start  off  the  compilation  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  Elements  of  doom  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  grim  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  Ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  compilation  while  the  keyboards  also  enhance  the  occult  nature  of  the  songs.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  acoustic  guitars  and  folk  instruments  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  Some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Some  of  the  songs  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clean  playing  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  the  earlier  recordings  also  avoid  the  use  of  gothic  elements  which  are  more  present  on  newer  releases.

  Some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  touches  of  middle  eastern  style  folk  music  which  also  gives  the  compilation  more  of  an  exotic  touch.  Percussion's  are  also  utilized  more  on  the  later  demo  and  ep  enhancing  the  shamanistic  and  tribal  nature  of  the  music  as  well  as  some  of  the  keyboards  getting  more  symphonic  and  gothic  metal  style  vocals  also  being  added  as  the  compilations,

  Female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  songs  as  well a s  some  of  the  vocals  also  adding  in  more  of  an  aggressive  shouting  style  and  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Left  hand  Path,  Thelema  and  Esoteric  themes.     

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  collection  from  Moonspell  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  compilation.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ancient  Winter  Goddess"  "The  Fever"  "Serpent  Angel"  and  "Tenebrarum  Pratorium".  8/7  out  of  10.

  https://www.moonspell.com/     

  

  

          

Samael/Passage - Live/Napalm Records/2024 Live Album Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  a  live  album  from  Switzerland's  Samael  which  was  released  in  February,  2024  by  Napalm  Records  which  showed  them  playing  their  whole  1996  album  "Passage"  live  which  also  was  the  first  album  where  they  also  started  bringing  in  elements  of  industrial  in  their  black  metal  style  and  the  album  was  recorded  on  their  25  anniversary  tour  supporting  the  release.

  Live  audience  reaction  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  electronic  industrial  elements  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  black  metal  style  and  the  keyboards  also  add  in  symphonic  touches.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  live  versions  of  the  songs  use  a  real  drum  kit  as  well  as  mixing  in  some  programmed  drum  beats.  Influences  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  tracks,  percussion  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album.  Spoken  word  parts  and  clear  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  whole  album  sticks  mostly  to  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  On  this  recording  Samael  brought  all  the  tracks  from  "Passage"  to  the  live  stage  and  most  of  them  stay  true  to  the  sound  that  was  presented  on  the  original  version.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Spirituality,  Philosophy  and  Scientific  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Samael  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  live  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rain"  "Jupiterian  Vibe"  "Born  Under  Saturn"  and  "A  Man  In  Your  Head".  8 out  of  10.

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Abyssic/Brought Forth In Iniquity/Osmose Productions/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Abyssic  are  a  band  from  Norway  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2022  album  Brought  Forth  In  Iniquity"  which  will b e  released  in  October  by  Osmose  Productions.

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  throughout  the  recording.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  elements  of  funeral  doom  metal  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls.

  All  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  at  times.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  but  keeping  the  main  focus  on  the  slower  doomier  side.

  On  this  recording  Abyssic  takes  symphonic  black  metal  and  mixes  it  with  funeral  doom  metal  to  create  an  album  that  sounds  very  different  from  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  darkness  and  feelings.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Abyssic  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  and  funeral  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Chronicle  Of  The  Dead"  and  "Brought  Forth  In  Iniquity".  8  out  of  10.

  - BANDCAMP: https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/brought-forth-in-iniquity

- All Digital Links: https://bfan.link/brought-forth-in-iniquity    

Black Ground Project/Blood & Violence/WormHoleDeath Records/2021 CD Review

 

  Black  Ground  Project  are  a  solo  project  from  Germany  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  progressive  form  of  blackened  death  emtal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "Blood  &  Violence"  which  will  be  released  on  December  17th  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths  a  few  seconds  alter  which  also  mixes  in with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats.

 All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  and  symphonic  sounding  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  breakdown  style  riffing  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  as  well  as  one  track  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  stringed  instruments  and  the  closing  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  spoken  word  parts  can  also b e  heard  on  the  closign  song.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  violent  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Black  Ground  Project  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  progressive  blackened  death  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCL:UDE  "Flying  Evil"  and  "Dark  Dragon  Rider".  8  out  of  10.

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Snakeblade/The Curse/Moonshooter Productions/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Snakeblade  are  a  solo  project  from  Vancouver,  B.C,  Canada  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2021  album  "The  Curse"  which  was  released  by  Moonshooter  Productions.

  A  keyboard  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  adding  in  some  orchestra  structures  which  later  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style.

  Vocals  are  mostly  aggressive  sounding  screams  which  also  add  in  a  blackened  style  closer  to  the  first  wave  era.  Elements  of  thrash  metal  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  old  school  and  modern  influences.

  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  some  growls  also  being  utilized  briefly.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  classical  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  and  one  of  the  songs  is  also  an  instrumental,  one  track  also  introduces  clean  vocals  onto  the  album.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  inspired  by  George  R.R  Martin's  "Games  of  Thrones"  series.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Snakeblade  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rotten  Souls"  "The  Red  Mage's  Seduction"  and  "Exile:  Outlaw...  The  Essence".  8  out  of  10.

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Samael/Passage/MDD Records/2021 CD Re-Issue Review

 

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Switzerland's  Samael  which  also  showed  the  beginnings  of  their  industrial  black  metal  and  the  album  was  originally  released  in  1996  and  called  "Passage"  which  was  re-issued  in  2021  by  MDD  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  keyboards  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  has  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  utilized  at  times.

  Vocals  are  in  between  black  metal  screams  and  growls  while  the  music  also  has  its  symphonic  moments.  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  also  programmed  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  elements  of  doom  metal  also  being  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  Touches  of  industrial  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  one  track  also  adding  in  some tribal  style  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  an  shamanistic  mixture  as  well  as  all  of  the  songs  also  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  when  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  also  add  in  some  influences  of  goth  metal.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Spirituality,  Philosophical  and  Scientific  themes. 

  In  my  opinion  this  was  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Samael  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rain"  "Jupiterian  Vibe"  "Moonskin"  and  "Born  Under  Satrn".  8/7  out  of  10.

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Samael/Ceremony Of Opposites/MDD Records/2021 CD Re-Issue Review

 

  Samael  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  the  recording  played  a  very  orchestra  and  doom  orientated  form  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  1994  album  "Ceremony  Of  Opposites"  which  was  re-issued  in  2021  by  MDD  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.  Vocals  are  mostly  grim  yet  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  elements  of  doom  metal  also  being  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  Keyboards  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  symphonic  moments  along  with  the  spoken  word  parts  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  when  they  are utilized.

  Samples  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  some  touches  of  classical  music  as  well  as  all  of  the  songs  also  sticking  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  as  the  album  progresses  Aliester  Crowley's  voice  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Thelema,  Darkness,  Death  and  Blasphemy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  a  very  great  sounding  recording  from  Samael  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Celebration  Of  The  Fourth"  "Mask  of  the  Red  Death"  Baphomet's  Throne"  and  "Ceremony  Of  Opposites".  8/5  out  of  10.

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Obscura Qalma/Apotheosis/Rising Nemesis Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Obscura  Qalma  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  symphonic  and  orchestra  driven  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Apotheosis"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  Rising  Nemesis  Records.

  Cinematic  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  and  orchestral  elements  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  dark  sounding  melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of   the  riffing.

  The  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  blackened  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  the  songs  also  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  parts.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  album  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  style  as  well  as  a  later  song  also  adding  in  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing.

  On  this  recording  Obscura  Qalma  remains  true  to  the  symphonic  and  orchestra  driven  style  of  blackened  death  metal  that  they  had  establish  on  their  previous  release.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  astrophysics,  psychoanalysis,  occultism,  nihilism,  the  limits  of  human  knowledge  and  the  impassable  boundaries  of  its  own  existence  and  also  takes  some  inspirations  from  the  writings  of  Nietzsche,  Freud,  Massimo  Recalcati  and  James  Owen  Weatherhall.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Obscura  Qalma  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Impure  Black  Enlightenment"  "Transcending  The  Sefirot"  "Fleshbound"  and  "Awaken  A  Shrine  To  Oblivion".  8  out  of  10.

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Archierophant Interview

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12.Does Occultism play any role in your music?

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

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

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

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Archierophant/Kingdom/2020 EP Review

 

  Archierophant  are  a  solo  project  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  selfreelased  2020  ep  "Kingdom".

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction.  Elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  spoken  word  samples  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well  as  the  vocals  being  mostly  angry  sounding  black  metal  screams.

  A  touch  of  death  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  vocals  while  clean  singing  and  Gregorian  chants  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  Symphonic  elements  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  drum  beats  being  programmed  as  well  as  all  of  the  tracks  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  and  all  of  the  songs  also  stick  to  a  slower  music  direction.

  Archierophant  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  atmospheric  black  and  doom/death  metal and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  nontheistic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Archierophant  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  blackened  doom  metal solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hierophant"  and  "Caedes".  8  out  of  10.

The Outsider Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the musical project since the recording and release of the new album?
-I have been using this lock down to write more and more music and record some ideas for future releases, as well as make some planning of what's next, I can say that new music will be released sooner than expected, I can also say that the musical concept of the project will suffer some changes

2.Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
-It is way more experimental than the very first album, even if in that debut album there were some sparks of experimentation, in this new album I take it to a whole new level, and also I worked on improving the production, those are basically the main differences

3.Can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects you explore on the new album and also how would you describe your progress as a songwriting over the years?
-It is all about horror found in many topics, in the very first album it was almost exclusively about the cosmic horror in the vein of HP Lovecraft, for this album I wanted to expand to other topics, such as mythological, fantasy or even sci-fi and of course, horror related to the human psyche. About my songwritting, I don't know if there is any actual improvement, but something I like to highlight about it, is that I almost NEVER state clearly what I am talking about, people have to figure it out, sometimes it is obvious, but sometimes it is not.

4.You have also mentioned being inspired lyrically by the writings of H.P Lovecraft, sci-fi and mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
-I can say that one of the main subjects of The Outsider concept is how little and even insignificant humanity is, so many of these topics are related to this concept, especially cosmic horror. I am also a big fan of horror in many kinds

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'The Outsider'?
-"The Outsider" is a short tale by HP Lovecraft, it was one of the first tales I read by him many years ago and it is also one that, in my point of view, depicts perfectly what cosmic horror, another reason of this name, is that musically I like to think and compose out of the box, dare to do something new or different, even if it is kind of disturbing and people think it is too strange, then they see you as some sort of outsider.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover/
-It is actually linked to the cover of the very first album, but in the first album this "monster" that appears on the cover is on the cosmos threatening earth, in this new album cover the "being" is somehow arriving to the earth, it is here! Horror is here! The time of humanity has come. Is it the same monster? You never know.

7.With the exception of a few quests you record most of your music solo, are you open to working with a full band?
-I am open to work with a full band when playing live, when recording maybe not since I can record many thing myself, I'd say that I am open on working with other musicians on a record if they have a very important input to make for my music, by now I will keep on working solo with guests, later...who knows?

8.You also have a few quests on the new album, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording?
-Jörgen Munkeby is well known for his band Shining and for inventing what he calls "Blackjazz" he made some saxophone solos on the song "Suicide is Progress" in a very avant-garde and even chaotic way, which happens to be his somehow trademark sound, then there is Kelly Shaefer, he is the frontman of the legendary band Atheist, he made some guest vocals on the song "The Headless Horror", his vocals have a very disctinctive tone, which happens to be very different from my vocals, so you will spot them instantly.
Kristian Niemann is a swedish shredder who plays in a doom metal band called Sorcerer but is better known for having played with the legendary Therion, he played a great solo on the song "Bringers of the Apocalypse", and last but not least Rick Loera, he may be not as famous as the rest but he not only made some guest vocals, he recorded, mixed and mastered the album, also he was involved in the production, he is a great singer and has his very own metal band called The Legion of Hetheria

9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
-I am not desperately looking for it, but if a good deal comes I will consider taking it, for me it would be very important to keep some creative freedom.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of symphonic, avant garde and extreme metal?
-I'd say that the reaction has been mainly positive among fans of avant-garde, of course some people has pointed some aspects of the music and production that can be improved, and I am glad with that, every constructive opinion is welcome, on the other hand, listeners of very traditional heavy metal have had a very bad impression of it, probably because it may be kind of shocking if you are not used to avant-garde dissonant metal, but that is why I like always to make it clear that it is not meant for everyone. Dark symphonic metal fans have also had a good opinion about it.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician during the future?
-Improving my music and taking it to new horizons, as well as trying to take it to a new level of experimentation, as I said, I have been working on new music and some songs are very weird

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?
-I like to consider every artistic effort that tries to break some borders and limits as an inspiration, of course it has to be well done, so I like bands and musicians that have taken music and their music to a new level, such as King Crimson, the japanese band Sigh or Ihsahn, I also like bands that try to depict what darkness is in their music, such as Septicflesh. Lately I have been listening to many many avant-garde and experimental musicians, I actually asked my fans recently to recommend me the most disturbing and weird music they have listened to, the result was great with many highly experimental artists that I did not know and I have been listening to them these days, they will definitely have an impact on my now developing new music

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts? 
-Yeah, I would like to mention that there is something I used for some songs of the album, specially for "The Headless Horror", it is called 8 Dimensional Audio, it is an effect that makes the processed track literally revolve around your head (headphones or at least earphones required), and that should be enough to evoke some curiosity on listeners haha, it takes what horror in music to a different level and makes The Outsider a music an experience, so if you are into horror metal or want to try something new, try giving "From Ancient Gods and Forbidden Books" a spin.
I also want to thank you for having this interview for me
Cheers,

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