Templar Interview

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


TEMPLAR WAS FORMED ON OCTOBER 23 OF 2077!!! TEMPLAR IS THE NEW SUPREME NUCLEAR POWER!!! OTHER NUCLEAR POWERS CAN FUCK OFF!!!


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


THE DEMO TAPE KNIGHTS OF NUCLEAR HELL DECIBELFUCKING THE CHARRED REMAINS OF THE CHRIST IS THE FIRST ATTACK OF TEMPLAR!!! IT IS FURIOUS FUCKENED LACK METAL WITH UNCONTROLLABLE BURSTS OF ENERGY!!!


THE DEMO WAS RECORDED IN THE TEMPLARIC BUNKER!!! RECORDED LIVE EXCEPT FOR VOCALS!!! A OLD PRE-WAR 4 TRACK TAPE RECORDER WAS USED TO ACHIEVE CRUEL SONIC WARFARE SOUND!!! THE SOUND WAS NOT ALTERATED OTHERWISE THAN FROM THE RECORDER ITSELF, AND THAT WOULDN’T EVEN HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE TAPE TRACKS WERE SPINNING IN WRONG SPEEDS WHEN PLAYED SEPARATELY!!! SO ALL INSTRUMENTS WERE TAKEN FROM THE TAPE AS THEY ARE!!! NO FUCKING POSER SHIT!!! THE GUITAR TRACKS GOT AS MUCH DRUMS AS THE DRUMS TRACKS BECAUSE OF THE AUDIO BLEEDING, SO BIG TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WERE PRESENT ALL THE TIME WHICH IS ONLY GOOD!!! THIS IS FUCKING WARFARE SPEED DEATH DOOM MENACE NOISE AND NOT SOME WEAK SHIT!!!


MASTER GENERAL ROARED THE WORDS OF DOOM AND MASTER TEMPLAR PROVIDED ASSISTING FIREPOWER IN THE VOCALS!!!


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?


VERY GOOD TOPICS!!! EXCEPT SOME!!! DECIBEL TYRANT IS ABOUT MANIAC WHO DRIVES VERY FUCKING FAST WITH A VERY FUCKING FAST CAR IN THE WASTELANDS!!! FLAMING METAL SUPREMACY IS HONOURING THE FIERCE BATTLES AND WARRIORS IN THE WASTELANDS!!! WAR LESBIANS IS ABOUT A COOL MENACE THAT DESTROYS EVERYTHING IN ITS WAY IN THE WASTELANDS!!! OTHER SONGS ARE HATE SONGS BUT TEMPLARIC 女武侠 IS A LOVE SONG OF THE WASTELANDS!!! RENEGADE TEMPLAR OF THE RADIATING DESERTS TELLS THE STORY OF A LEGENDARY WARRIOR OF THE WASTELANDS!!! THE HEART OF MASTER TEMPLAR HAS BLED THESE STORIES OF THE WASTELANDS!!!


4.From the title of the demo the band shows a hatred for Christianity, can you tell us a little bit more about your hatred for this religion?


CHRIST IS FUCKING STUPID!!!


5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the name 'Templar' and also does it have any relation to the 'Knights Templar'?


MASTER TEMPLAR WAS LOOKING FOR SOME WEAPONRY AND TOOK A VACUUM CLEANER PIPE AND WIELDED IT AS A WEAPON USING WARSTEINER PACKAGE AS HELMET!!! MASTER TEMPLAR UTTERED PROCLAMATION "I AM TEMPLAR" AND THEN REALIZED THAT WAS THE BAND NAME THAT WAS MISSING FOR THE FEW SONGS ALREADY MADE!!! THIS IS THE REAL ETYMOLOGY OF THE NAME!!! THEN OTHER WARRIORS WERE RECRUITED FOR THE CAUSE!!! THE NUCLEAR TEMPLARS ARE WARRIORS WHO ROAM THE NUCLEAR DESERTS!!! THE RENEGADE TEMPLAR SONG IS ABOUT A CULTIST ACTUALLY NOT A TEMPLAR PERSE BUT WHO FUCK CARES!!! WE DONT CARE ABOUT KNIGHTS TEMPLAR AND OTHER KIND OF BORING SHIT!!! THIS IS THE SUPREME TEMPLAR!!!


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


THE DRAWING WAS DONE BY K. KOSKIVIRTA WHEN THE TEMPLARIC FORCE NEEDED ASSISTANCE WITH GRAPHICS!!! THE TEMPLARS KNEW KOSKIVIRTA’S DRAWING STYLE FROM HIS WORKS WITH THE BAND OKSENNUS!!! FILTH HAILS TO HIM!!!


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


THE TEMPLARIC FORCE HAS BEEN HONING SPEARS AND RELOADING GUNS ETC, THERE HASN’T BEEN ANY LIVE CONFLICTS YET!!! HOWEVER THEY ARE INEVITABLE AT SOME POINT!!! THE TEMPLARIC RAGE IS BURNING AND MUST BE BROUGHT TO STAGE!!!


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


WE MUST BRING THE TEMPLARIC FURY ON STAGE SOON!!! WE DONT PLAN THINGS, THERE’S NO TIME TO THINK!!!


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


THIS WAS OUR FIRST DEMO SO IT WOULD BE ONLY WEIRD IF WE WERE SIGNED!!! WE DON’T KNOW YET, THINGS LIKE THAT WILL BE SEEN LATER!!! THIS IS MERCILESS LAUNCHING OF WEAPONS NOT A FUCKING TEA PARTY!!! OF COURSE ALLIANCE WITH A GOOD LABEL WOULD BE A MOST GOOD IDEA!!!


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


SOME PEOPLE HAVE BECAME VERY IRRADIATED FROM THE DEMO!!! THOUGH IT IS VERY UNKNOWN AND UNDERGROUND!!! NUCLEAR FUCKING SUBMARINE HIDING IN THE SHADOWS!!!


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


WE WILL BUILD OUR SOUND TO MONUMENTIC HEIGHTS AND GOD WILL BE DESTROY! !! WE WILL MAYBE HAVE OUR FOURTH REHEARSAL SOME TIME!!!


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 LISTEN ONLY TO SHEVALREQ, SCALARE, METALUCIFER, VENOM ETC NON-STOP!!! ALL THESE METAL GODS DESERVE HAILS!!!


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


GO TO HTTP://NUCLEARTEMPLAR.BANDCAMP.COM AND GET THE TAPE OR DONT!!! ENOUGH TALK!!!

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Usurper/Lords Of The Permafrost/Soulseller Records/2019 CD Review

  Chicago,  Illinois's  Usurper  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  black  of  black  and  thrash  metal  from  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Lords  Of  The  Permafrost"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  Soulseller  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  along  with  some  Arabic  sounding  scales  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  80's  influenced  thrash  metal  direction.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  done  mostly  in  a  blackened  metal  growling  style  along  with  a  few  screams.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  more  of  an  old  school  extreme  metal  style.  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  even  with  it  being  rooted  in  the  past  still  captures  a  modern  atmosphere.

  A  decent  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  while  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  You  can  also  still  hear  the  Celtic  Frost  and  Hellhammer  influences  from  their  previous  releases  in  their  newer  music  while  the  band  maintains  a  style  of  their  own  as  well  as  the  tremolo  picking  showing more  of  a  modern  black  metal  influence,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  monster  folklore,  paranormal  and  science  fiction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Usurper  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Skull  Splitter"  "Warlock  Moon"  and  "Mutants  of  An  Iron  Age".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/krH6YOyUlLQ

Plague Pit/Topeth Ablaze/2019 Full Length Review

   Plague  Pit  are  a  band  from  Ireland  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  form  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "Topeth  Ablaze".

  Dark  yet  ritualistic  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal   growls.

  A  good  mixture  of  both  modern  and  old  school  influences  can  also  be  heard  in  the  music  while  the  songs  also  add  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  stick  to  more  of  a  darker  style  of  death  metal.  A  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.

  Grim  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  while  a  touch  of  doom/death  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  slower  riffing.  Some  of  the  fast  riffs  also  utilize  tremolo  picking  at  times  to  enhance  the  black  metal  side  of  the  music  and  one  of  the  later  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  introduces  ritualistic  spoken  word  parts  into  the music.  The  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Plague  Pit  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Mercurial  Emanations"  "Sacrilegious  Idolatry"  and  "Membranum".  8  out  of  10.

 https://plaguepit.bandcamp.com/album/topheth-ablaze

Ectovoid/Inner Death/Blood Harvest Records/Helter Skelter Productions/2019 EP Review

  Alabama's  Ectovoid  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  continues  the  blackened  death  metal style of  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  "Inner  Death"  which  will  be  released  in  February  as  a  joint  effort  between  Blood  Harvest  Records  and  Helter  Skelter  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  black  metal  elements  as  well  as  a  few  screams.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  chaotic  style  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  music  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments  and  the  music  always  sticks  to  a  very  heavy,  dark  and  aggressive  musical  direction.

  Ectovoid  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  blackened  death  metal  sound  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  nothingness,  perception  and  dread  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ectovoid  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  blackened  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Archaic  Memories  unearthed".  8  out  of  10.

www.facebook.com/ectovoid  

Vouna Interview

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

Vouna is a project binding the atmospheric subgenres of metal together along with other atmospheric styles of music.  In the studio I am the sole member but the live incarnation is comprised of five musicians--two guitars, vocals, bass, synth and drums.

2.Recently you have released an album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style you went for on this recording?

I didn’t really go for a musical style, it developed organically while I was writing the record.  Black metal was the style I had been playing for a long time, but I had a revival in my entrancement of funeral doom and death/doom.  It does need to be said that because I was so enamored with my new synth I ended up taking a synth-centric approach on this record, whereas guitar is typically my songwriting instrument. 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?

We identify as being separate from nature but we are not.  Nature has no mercy and it will kill you without mercy.  Perhaps one day it will kill all of us, or maybe there will be just one person left.  I believe it would be an otherworldly experience, and something that drew me to metal was the fantastical exploration of other worlds.  Having always lived in the Pacific Northwest the destruction of nature has been consistently rooted in my everyday life, our public schools are funded by timber sales for example.  Sometimes I have a difficult time coping with the potential downfall of the global ecosystem at the hands of humans, and I have been wondering for a long time where I would go during collapse and after collapse.  The collapse of our civilization and especially capitalism is something I almost look forward to, but I completely dread widespread ecological collapse.  There will tragically be a massive die off of people in any collapse scenario and it will be terrifying.  I started writing songs with this in mind, and thus the album’s theme is the experience of a person believing that they are becoming the last person on earth.       

4.You also show an interest in Greek culture, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

My father and family are from Greece, so it’s my culture.  The experience I had of growing up between two cultures has deeply imprinted me and my music. The music is subtly Greek. 

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

Vouna means “mountains” in modern Greek.  Mountains are crushing and powerful.  The mighty volcano Tahoma has been a prominent feature in the entirety of my existence.  Tahoma’s absolute power looms over the Puget Sound area at all times, and we would be destroyed in the event of an eruption.  Furthermore, the westside of the Cascades is the way it is because we have a mountain range that runs north-south along a coast that runs north-south.  The winds come in from the Pacific to the west and bring storms and rains that nurse our beautiful conifer forests.  I wanted to honor the power of the mountains with the name of the project.

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

The artwork is supposed to embody the place of my ancestors, the place of my home, and a subgenre that I believe is one of the pinnacles of the heavy metal genre as an artform.  The album cover is an overlay of lichens native to the Pacific Northwest with an ancient Greek relief of the sea nymph Doris riding a hippocamp.  It is in homage to Evoken’s album Quietus.  Even though my record has not been directly influenced by Evoken I wanted to have some connection in the artwork to funeral doom and death/doom from the 90s and early 2000s.

7.On the album you record everything by yourself, but have a line up for shows, would you be open to having other musicians on the recording or do you prefer to work solo?

My original intentions with this project were for it to be strictly a recording project that I composed and recorded solo.  I believe I will always work solo composing the material, and also recording the instruments I am proficient at.  When I record another album I will bring in some friends so I can expand on the instrumentation.       

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

In terms of vibe our best show would probably be at the Black Butte Center for Railroad Culture in Weed, California.  We played in a boxcar in the open air to about 15 people.  The smoke from the Mendocino Complex Fire cloaked the landscape.  Very fitting for this music.  It was the first show we ever played together as a band on tour, and on tour with another project I wrote part of “You Took Me” on the out of tune piano in that boxcar. 

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

We already toured to Arizona and back, in the Spring we will tour to Denver and to the Southwest.  We were just asked to play a fest in Europe so we might do a Euro tour in late Summer if we can figure it out! 

10.You also have a connection with 'Wolves In The Throne Room' being signed to their label and recording your album at their studio, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

They are my fellow Olympia hessians!!  A couple years ago I became more serious about this bedroom project of mine.  I told Nathan Weaver (of WITTR) about it and sent him a demo song, and eventually he and his brother Aaron offered to help me record the album.  When I recorded it there was no talk at all of them putting out the record on their label.  I wanted to just make a tape I released myself, because that’s just what I’ve done with my bands in the past.  I had already submitted the tape order when Nathan asked me if I would be interested in Artemisia releasing the album on vinyl.

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

Overall it’s been a positive reaction.  A lot of people have told me the record sounds like a band they had been wanting to hear for a long time but hadn’t found yet.  Which is how I feel about the record myself! 

12.On the album you also do all your vocals in a clean style, do you feel this makes this music stand out a lot more from other bands in the same genre?

It’s not really a genre convention that’s for sure.  I made this decision because I’ve always been a fan of clean vocal parts in funeral doom and death/doom, and I have been wanting to hear a band that did only clean vocals in this style, in particular “female” vocals.  My goal was to add another layer of melodicism and intimacy with the vocals.  And I didn’t want to distract from the melodies--sometimes harsh vocals can do that.   

13.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

I will play music until I die and this particular project is something I would like to do long-term.  I’ve always been a multi-instrumentalist but have been limited as a member of a band by only playing one instrument.  Being able to play all of the instruments is nothing short of awesome.  I’ve only scratched the surface of what I can do, I feel an intense welling up of inspiration. 

14.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?

Finnish funeral doom, My Dying Bride, 2nd wave black metal, Greek music. 

15.What are some of your non musical interests?

My one true hobby is cooking.  My passions are music and science.  I am especially fascinated by the natural sciences and currently work conducting research on the effects of climate change on the phenology of trees and shrubs native to this region. 

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

Thank you so much for the interview!

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A Vintage Death Interview

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

Greetings to all readers, my name is Carmine d'Annibale, I'm essentially a drummer, I've always played drums in my band Rising Moon, but I've long wanted to create my own project, where I could express my best my ideas and influences. A Vintage Death is simply the interpretation of my fantasies, passions and curiosities transformed into music.

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

"Acrid Death Fragrance" is my first solo work, I did everything myself, from the creation, the arrangement, the recording and the production. I felt free to do what I really wanted, without compromising anyone. The musical style fully reflects my main listens, it pass from death black metal to more doom and atmospheric veins.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the music?

The main and recurring theme in A Vintage Death is the relationship between death and past time, death in its real form and representation by peoples in the various eras of life. For the lyrics of the songs everything can inspire me, a simple film, a documentary, a story, a walk ... I write what I feel in a particular particular moment of my life and I try to reproduce it to the best of my music.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'A Vintage Death’?

I am very fascinated by old photos and stories of the Victorian era, especially with their way of interacting with death. Here are my main sources of inspiration and visions, hence the moniker come out naturally.

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

The concept of the cover artwork is very personal, it represents a my moment of pain, the detail that we see in the foreground is a cemetery lamp created by an artisan friend on the grave of a dear dead suicide friend. The whole concept of "Acrid Death Fragrance" is inspired and dedicated to him.

6.On the ep you had recorded everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work solo?

A Vintage Death is my personal creature, in the compositional phase I can safely say that I will always be alone. Then in the future, if there will be an opportunity to offer my live music and there will be people willing to accompany me, I will only be happy to collaborate with other musicians.

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

Yes, I am currently looking for a label that can print and distribute the EP, for the moment "Acrid Death Fragrance" is out only in digital format and for me it would be very nice to see it made in physical format, but this is not for me a priority, if the right opportunity arises, I will take it. At the moment I received some offers, but I'm not yet ready.

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

At the moment some good little signal is coming, but the EP has been out for just over a week, so I think we need to take more time. Some metalheads write to me complimenting the work, and they wait for a pshycal format, this for me is a huge satisfaction.

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

oh no, I'm not really ready for a full length album, I'm honestly not even interested in making it. I have some new riffs in mind that I will probably be recording in the new year for another EP. My work and my family take a lot of time in my day, so unfortunately I do not have much time to dedicate to music, so the compositional process and recording is particularly long.

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 grew up listening mainly to death metal, bands like Deicide, Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse have marked my life, At The Gates and Hypocrisy have shocked my life ahhh !!! I am a huge fan of the Hypocrisy and in general of the Swedish Death Metal scene. Lately I'm listening to a bit of black and doom metal, there are really interesting new bands.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I have an extremely simple life, when I don't work in the factory, I love working wood and devoting myself to my small farmland, producing olive oil, wine and vegetables for my home.

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

Thanks for the interview and for the possibility that you give to small bands like me to have some visibility in the underground. Death is not the end ...

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Marche Funebre/Death Wish Women/Grimm Distribution/Cimmerian Shade Recordings/2018 EP Review

  Marche  Funebre  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  has  been  featured  in  this  zine  before  and  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  ep  "Death  Wish  Women"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Grimm  Distribution  and  Cimmerian  Shade  Recordings.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  and  melodic  direction  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  songs  being  very  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  clean  vocals  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  a  couple  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  close  the  ep  with  a  cover  of  Paradise  Lost's  "As  I  Die".

  On  this  recording  Marche  Funebre  remains  true  to  their  mixture  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  literature,  philosophy  and  grief  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Marche  Funebre  and  if  you a re  a  fan  of  black,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Broken  Wings"  and  "A  Departing  quest".  8  out  of  10.

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