Elliotts Keep Interview

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

The recording of the new album and the accompanying release details have kept us busy this year.  We are very pleased with the album and glad to have it finally released.

2.     Recently you have self released an album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical direction it has taken and also how does it differ from previous releases?

Overall, the songs are a bit shorter and more dense.  Sine Qua Nonwas a bit more sprawling than Nascentes Morimur.  However, the songs remain epic and contain our trademark thrash, progressive, death and black metal signatures.  To borrow and paraphrase a line from Tom Phillips, we have the same elements in our music, the ratios just vary from song to song and album to album.  The one new spice this time is the use of viola on the intro sections for two tracks.  John Perez described the alum as a “crusher” and that was our goal.

3.     What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the new release explores?

Pain, change, questions in life and coping with great loss - tales of insurrection, grief and betrayal – our usual stomping grounds. 

4.     What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name Elliott's Keep?

We originally played together in a Dallas band named Marauder in the early to mid-1990s.  The fourth member of Marauder was Glenn Elliott, our singer and rhythm guitar player.  As with other great ones, Glenn died young in 2004.  When we decided to reform, we renamed our band to honor our fallen brother.

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

The Dallas Doom Daze festivals were great fun.  Our stage show is unpretentious and very heavy.

6.     Do you have any touring or show plans for the new release?

We choose to play live only on a sporadic basis.  At the moment, we have no plans but will see what the new year brings us.  Our focus will likely remain on composing and releasing new music.

7.     The new album is self released after releasing 2 albums on Brainticket Records, are you planning on working with a record label again in the future?

Nothing changed in terms of the production of the new record.  We recorded again with JT Longoria (Solitude Aeturnus, Candlemass, Absu, Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Volbeat) at Nomad studio here in the Dallas area.  The album was mastered by Gary Long, as was the case with the prior two records.  John Perez, doom godfather and head man at Brainticket Records, was globetrotting with his duties on the St. Vitus tour when we recorded this one.  With CD sales and the realities of downloading being what they are, we decided to go this route.  All is good with John.  We were chatting earlier this week about Nascentes Morimur and he will have it available for sale through Brainticket.  At the moment, the current outlet for CDs is  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/elliottskeep.  The album is also available at http://elliottskeep.bandcamp.com/ for free digital download and streaming. 

8.     On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to the new album by fans of extreme metal?

The response to the new songs has been great.  Although we make the music we want to play and would like to hear ourselves, it is very gratifying to hear it resonate with others.  We very much appreciate those who post comments or send us a shout out.

9.     What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

We will stay on course.  

10.   What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Within the band, our listening preferences are not identical, but there is a significant amount of overlap.  Not surprisingly, we listen to doom, thrash, death, progressive and black metal and that is reflected in our music.  We also listen to other metal and non-metal genres.  There really aren’t any new bands that have directly influenced our music, but we do listen to new bands.  There are also many strong releases of late from bands that have been around for some time.

11.   Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Football, fiction and single malt scotch.

12.   Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Thank you for the opportunity to do this interview and for your review of Nascentes Morimur.  Have a great 2014. 

Ak'chamel The Giver Of Illness/Pus Ch'en/Have You Said Midi/2013 CD-r Review

  This  is  the  final  review  of  an  album from  Ak'chamel  The  Giver  Of  Illness  with  the  musical  style  this  time  around  being  experimental  improv  mixed  in  with  ritualistic  music and  the  recording  is  called  "Pus  Ch'en"  and  was  released  by  Have  You  Said  Midi.

  The  cassette  begins  with  avant  garde soundscapes  and  ritualistic  chanting  and  the  music  gets  more  dark  and  occult  as  time  passes  on  by  and  you  can  also  hear  synths  being  mixed  in,  once  we  get  into  the  second  song  tribal  style  percussion  and  elements  of  noise  are  mixed  into  the  music  along  with  some  demonic  sounds.

  Once  the  music  goes  into  the  third  song  ethnic  instruments  and  psychedelic  sounds  are  added  in  along  with  some  shamanistic  style  flutes,  and  the  music  only  gets  more  darker  as  time  passes on  as  well  as  adding  in  many  different  cultures  of  occultism  which  adds  up  to  a  very  original  sound  that  only  they  can  call  their  own.    

  Towards  the  end  there  are  some  demonic  voices  that  bring  in  elements  of  black  metal  and  on  the  last  guitars  and  drums  are  added  into  the  music  and  enhance  the  dark  experimental  nature  of  the  album  along  with  some  60's  psychedelic  elements  and  later  on  it  leads  into  some  am  radio  samples.

  Song  themes  cover  U.f.O's,  Aztecs,  Mayan,  Shamanism  and  Occultism,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Ak'chamel  The  Giver  Of  Illness  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark,  ritualistic  experimental  music,  you  should  check  out  this  cd-r.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Underworld  Sweat  Bath"  "Nahualti  Tonali"  and  "Swallowing  the  Damned".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://akchamel.bandcamp.com/album/pus-chen

  

Ak'chamel The Giver Of Illness/Old Norse Mara/Chaos Of The Stars/2013 Cassette Review

  This  is  another  review  of  a  recording  from  Ak'chamel  The  Giver  Of  Illness  with  the  musical  style  this  time  around  being  experimental  mixed  with  folk  rock,  punk  and  industrial  and  the  cassette  is  called  "Old  Norse  Mara"  and  was  released  by  Chaos  Of  The  Stars.

  The cassette  starts  off  with  acoustic  guitars  and  60's  psychedelic  sound  effects and  later  on  haunting  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  as  well  as  people  voices  in  the  background,  and  as  the  album  moves  on  it  adds  in  tribal  drum b eats  and  ritualistic  chanting  as  well  as  adding  in  experimental  and  avant  garde  elements.

  As  the  album  progresses  it  starts  utilizing  more  primitive  Pagan  elements  to  create  a  sound  only  they  can  call  their  own  and  once  bass  guitars  are  added  in  the  music  gets  more  diverse  and  has  the  60's  feeling  to  it  as  well  as  adding  garage  and  punk  elements  later  on  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  as  well  as  mixing  in  some  fast  guitar  playing.

    When  we  start  getting  closer  to  the  end  industrial  is  mixed  in  with  psychedelic  as  well  as  some  deep  demonic  vocals  and  the  sound  that  is  being  very  created  is  very  original  and  cannot  be  compared  to  any  bands  and  you  can  also  hear  pagan  style  flutes  being  brought  into  the  mix.

  Song  themes  cover  Occultism  and  Witchcraft,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  while  you  can  still  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  as  well  as  the  last  song  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  cassette  from  Ak'chamel  The  Giver  Of  Illness  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  psychedelic  and  experimental  music,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Death  Was  On  You  From  The  Moment  Of  Birth"  "Mountain  Of  The  Sleeping  Lady"  and  "The  Other  Side  Of  The  Dark  Waters".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.facebook.com/giverofillness/

Ak'chamel The Giver Off Illness/The Divine Vine Tapes/2013 Cassette Review

  Ak'chamel  The  Giver  Of  Illness  are  a  band  from  Texas  that  plays  a  shamanistic  and  occult  form  of  experimental/improv  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  cassette  "The  Divine  Vine  Tapes".

  The  album  starts  out  with  some  shamanistic  tribal  beats  and  sound  effects  as  well  as  some  ritualistic  chanting,  and  after  awhile  you  can  hear  elements  of  noise  becoming  a  part  of  the  music,  and  once  we  get  to t he  second  song  string  instruments  and  African  tribal  elements  are  added  into  the  recording.

  Acoustic  guitars  eventually  find  their  way  into  the  music  and  bring  in  a  southern  voodoo  vibe,  as  well  as  more  African  tribe  chanting  bringing  in  a  different  type  of  occult  elements  that  is  very  rare  to  hear  in  this  musical  genre,  and  when  we  further  into  the  album  flutes  are  added  in  to  enhance  the  ritualistic  nature  of  this  cassette  and  later  on  grim  black  metal  vocals  are  added  in  briefly  and  towards  the end  60's  psychedelic  sounds  make  their  presence  known  as  well  as  some  deep  demonic  growls.

  Song  themes  cover  Shamanism,  Occultism,  Rituals  and  Voodoo,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  with  the  last  song  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Ak'chamel  The  Giver  Of  Illness  are  a  very  great  sounding  shamanistic,  occult,  experimental  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Syrian  Rue"  "Voodoo  Blood  Lore"  and  "Rebirth".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.facebook.com/giverofillness/
  

Elliott's Keep/Nascentes Morimur/2013 CD Review

  Elliott's  Keep  are  a  band  from  Texas  that  plays  a  very  traditional  form  of  epic  doom  metal  with  elements  of  thrash,  death  and black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  album  "Nascentes  Morimur".

  The  album  starts  out  with   some  drums  before  adding  in  the  epic  doom  metal  elements  from  the  guitars  to  create  a  sound  that  is  heavy  old  school  and  crushing,  as  the  album  moves  on  melodic  Wino  style  doom  metal  vocals  start  to  mix  in  with  the  heavy  instruments  as  well  as  bringing  in  aggressive  vocals  that  are  heavily  influenced  by  thrash,  black  and  death  metal  which  really  lead  up  to  an  old  school  80's  metal  sound,  once  the  album  goes  into  the  third  song  violins  are  added  in  briefly  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction,  when  spoken  words  are  added  in  they  help  enhance  the  darkness  of  the  music.

  By  the  time  the  album  makes  its  way  into  the  fourth  track  you  can  hear  the bass  guitars  getting  more  powerful,  while  the  doom  metal  guitar  riffing  still  dominates  the album,  also  on  the  same  song  guitar  leads  become  a  part  of  the  album  and  they  bring  in  a  dark  sound  without  having  to  go  in  a  full on  solos  mode,  once  the  melodies  start  to  make  their  way  on  the  album  the  music  starts  heading  into  a  lot  better  of  a  direction  and  they  mix  in  very  well  with  the  returning  violins  on  the  last  song.

  Song  lyrics  cover  tales  of  grief,  retribution  and  introspection,  while  the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Eliott's  Keep  are  a  very  great  sounding  epic  doom  metal  band  with  traces  of  thrash,  death  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Waves  Of  Anguish"  "Regicide"  "Tale  Of  Grief"  and  "Gates  Beyond".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

http://elliottskeep.bandcamp.com/
  

Synsophony/Rabbit Hole/Acephale Winter Productions/2014 EP Review

  Synsophony  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  combines  dark  ambient  and  drone  with  elements  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  ep  "Rabbit  Hole"  which  will  be  released  by  Acephale  Winter  Productions.

  "Rabbitt  Hole"  opens  up  with  dark  ambient  drones.  lo-fi  elements  and  avant  garde  sounds  as  well  as being  different  types  of  sounds  being  utilized  in  the  background  which  are  influenced  by  harsh  noise,  black  and  doom  metal  which  then  leads  to  spoken  word  samples  as  well  as  some  atmospheric  synths.

  Song  themes,  cover  darkness,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  ti  it  with  the  only  song  on  the  ep  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Synospony  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  ambient/drone  with  elements  of  black  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80bOMTUEPZY&feature=youtu.be

 
    

Ambient Blackhearts Division/Arise Noise!/Etched Traumas/2012 EP Review

  Ambient  Blackhearts  Division  are  a  1  man  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a mixture  of  black  ambient,  ritual,  experimental  and  power  electronics  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2012  ep  "Arise  Noise!"  which  was  released  by  Etched  Traumas.

  "Arise  Noise!"  which  is  the  first  song  on  the  ep  as  well  as  title  track  opens  up  with  distorted  sounding  spoken  word  samples  as  well  as  some  harsh  noise  and  power  electronics  kicking  in  shortly  after  that  which  also  leads  up  to  some  black  metal  screams  and  during  the  last  minute  the  music  goes  into  a  more  silent  direction.

  "Kyrie  Eleison"  begins  with  spoken  word  samples  and  laughing  and  a  few  seconds  later  harsh  noise  sounds  and  power  electronics  start  to  kick  in  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  deep  demonic  growls  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  black  metal  screams  which  also  leads  up  to  some  drones  and  ambient  elements  being  added  in  briefly.

  "Noise  Barricades"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  ep  starts up  with  harsh  noise  sounds  and  power  electronics  and  after  a  few  seconds  ritualistic  chanting  is  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  music.

  Song  themes  cover  Occultism,  Darkness  and  Noise,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw   and  primitive  sound  to  it  along  with  one  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Ambient  Blackhearts  Division  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black  ambient,  noise,  ritual  and  experimental  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  artist.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Kyrie  Eleison".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://www.facebook.com/Ambient-Blackhearts-Division-103937642982629/    

Earhead/Tristitia/2012 Full Length Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Earhead  with  the  music  being  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  harsh  noise  and  the  album  was  self  released  in  2012  and  called  "Tristitia".

  "Suicide"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  the  album  opens  up  with  dark  ambient  noises  and  drones  along  with  some  nature  sounds  and  harsh  loops  and  power  electronics  and  as  time  goes  on  by  the  music  gets  more  loud  and  brutal.

  "Chaos"  begins  with  dark  ambient  sounds  and  drones  along  with  some  synths  and  a  minute  alter  spoken  words  along  with  some  harsh  sounding  loops  and  power  electronics  are  added  into  the  music  and  as  time  goes  on  by  the  music  gets  a  lot  more  diverse  in  sound.

  "Life  Is..."  opens  up  with  dark  and  atmospheric  sounds  along  with  some  ambient  style  synths  and  you  can  hear  the  sounds  of  nature  throughout  the  song  as  well  as  the  music  getting  a  lot  more  diverse  as  time  goes  on  by as  well  as  adding  in  experimental  and  noise  elements.

  "For  Those  That  Hate  The  Sun"  starts  up  with  dark  ambient  synths  and  drone  as  well  as  an  atmospheric  background  which  also  utilizes  elements  of  avant  garde  and  harsh  noise  power  electronics and  after  awhile  the  music  starts  utilizing  a  shamanistic  feeling  to  it  as  well  as  getting  more  diverse  in  sound.

  "Emptiness"  kicks  in  with  avant  garde  sounding  noises  and  power  electronics  as  well  as  some  dark  ambient  synths  shortly  after  that  which  also  takes  the  music  into a   more  atmospheric  direction  as  well  as  adding  in  diverse  elements  through  the  song.

  "Dark  Floyd"  comes in  with  harsh  noise  power  electronics  and  loops  along  with  some  vocals  as  well  as  some  high  pitched  screams  and  after  around  8  minutes  the  music  takes  samples  from  a  Pink  Floyd  song.

  "Bab  Aziz"  breaks  in  with  dark  ambient  style  synths  and  atmospheric  drones  which  also  leads  up  to  some  drum  programming  and  spoken  word  samples  and  after  awhile t he  music  starts  utilizing  some  elements  of  industrial.

  "There  is  No  Beauty  In  Life"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  album begins  with  harsh  noise  sounds  and  heavy  guitar  riffs  and  you  can  also  hear  atmospheric  elements  and  synths  being  utilized  in the  background  and  halfway  through  the  song  the  music  stops  and  black  metal  screams  start  to  take  over  along  with  the  guitars  making  a  comeback  and  a  few  minutes  later  spoken  word  parts  are  added  into  the  music.

  Song  themes  cover  darkness  and  depression,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  along  with  all  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Earhead  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  ambient  and  harsh  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Suicide"  "For  Those  That  Hate  The  Sun"  and  "There  is  No  Beauty  In  Life".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://www.etchedtraumas.net/discography/last-days-of-the-earth/

            

Earhead/Songs For Suicide/2012 Full Length Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Earhead  with  the  musical  style  being  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  harsh  noise  with  the album  being  self  released  in  the  year  of  2012  and  called  "Songs  For  Suicide".

  "Decay"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  the  album  opens  up  with dark  ambient  drones  along  with  some  atmospheric  elements  and  the  song  sticks  to  a  more  dark ambient  direction  during  its  6  minutes.

  "I'm  A  Ghost"  begins  with  dark  ambient  sounds  and  drones  along  with  some  atmospheric  elements  and  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  synths  being  utilized  in  the  background  that  after  awhile  take  over  the  music.

  "My  Beautiful  Suicide"  opens  up  with  drone  sounds  along  with  a  dark  atmosphere  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  power  electronics  and  loops  and  a  few  minutes  later  elements  of  harsh  noise  along  with  some  synths  are  added  into  the  music  and  you  can  also  hear  some  spoken  word  samples  in  the  background.

  "My  Shroud,  My  Blanket"  starts  up  with  dark  ambient  drones  and  atmospheric  sounds  along  with  some  synths  and  after  awhile  elements  of  noise  are  added  into  the  music  as  well  as  some  nature  sounds  and  halfway  through  the  song  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts.

  "Nausea"  kicks  in  with  dark  ambient  drones  and  experimental  sounds  as  well  as  some  loops  and  synths  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  loops,  elements  of  noise  that  get  harsh  at  times  and  nature  sounds  find  their  way  into  the  music.

  "Suicide  is  An  Answer  to  The  Existence"  comes  in  with  dark  and  atmospheric  sounds  and  a  few  seconds  alter  drone,  experimental  and  ambient  elements  are  added  into  the  music  as  well  as  some  synths.

  "Surreal  Suicide''  hits  it  off  with  dark  ambient  and  atmospheric  sounds  along  with  some  synths  and  experimental  elements  and  after  a  few  minutes  you  can  hear  some  noise  and  samples  becoming  a  part  of  the   music  along  with  some  loops.

  "This  Loneliness  Will  Kill  Us(Instrumental)"  is  introduced  with  dark  ambient  sounds  along  with  an  atmospheric  background  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  heavy  guitar  riffs  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  elements  of  harsh  noise.

  "Outro"  closes  the  album  with  dark  ambient  sounding  atmospheric  synths  and  is  under  2  minutes.

  Song  themes  cover  darkness,  depression  and  suicide,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark  sound  with  most  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Earhead  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  ambient,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  ""Decay"  "My  Beautiful  Suicide""  and  "Surreal  Suicide.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://www.etchedtraumas.net/discography/last-days-of-the-earth/


    

Ezra Yates/Earhead/Dark Winter/2012 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Puerto  Rico's  Ezra  Yates  and  Turkey's  Earhead  called  "Dark  Winter"  which  was  self  released  in  2012  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Ezra  Yates  a  project  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  experimetal.

  "Acrylic  Ghosts"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on his  side  of  the  album  opens  up  with  sound  effects  and  spoken  word  samples  which  also  leads  up  to  elements  of  dark  ambient  and  drone  kicking  in  and  halfway  through  the  song  avant  garde  style  synths  are  added  into  the  music.

  "Acrylic  Ghosts  II"  begins  with  dark  sounding  synths  that  also  utilize  ambient  and  atmospheric  elements  along  with  a  small  amount  of  neo-classical  and  a  few  seconds  alter  melodic  clean  singing  vocals  kick  in  and  halfway  through  the  song  drones  are  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  music  along  with  some  spoken  word  samples  a  couple  of  minutes  later.

  "Ersatz  Yea"  opens  up  with  experimental  avant  garde  sound  effects,  harsh  noise  elements  and  robotic  vocals  as  well  as  some  industrial  style  drum  programming  which  then  leads  up  to  synths  along  with  other  electronic  music  influences.

  "Gog  And  Magog"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  begins  with  neo  classical  music  style  synths  that  also  use  a  variety  of  many  different  keys  and  you  can  also  hear  a  lot  of  atmosphere  in  the   music  along  with  a  small  amount  of  noise  sounds  that  also  start  getting  more  harsh  after  a  couple  of  minutes.

  Song  themes  cover  darkness,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sounding  to  it  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Ezra  Yates  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  experimental  and if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Acrylic  Ghosts"  and  "Ersatz  Yea". RECOMMENDED.

 Next  up  is  Earhead  who  experiments  more  with  dark  ambient  this  time  around.

  "Crystal  Snowflakes"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  opens  up  with  dark ambient  drones  and  loops  that  get  louder  after  a  couple  of  seconds  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  atmospheric  synths  are  added  in.

  "Emptiness"  begins  with  dark  ambient  synths  and  drones  along  with  elements  of  experimental  and  avant  garde  music  and  halfway  through  the  music  you  can  hear  sound  effects  coming  in  and  out  of  the  song  and  the  music  closes with  sounds  of  rain  storms.

  "Requiem"  opens  up  with  walking  and  experimental  sounds  and  a  minute  later  synths  are  added  into  the  music  and  take  the  song  into  a  more  dark  ambient  direction  as  well  as  bringing  in  elements  of  harsh  noise  as  time  goes  on  by,  halfway  through  the  song  you  can  also  hear  vocals  in  the  background.

  "Snowy  Dark  Forest"  starts  up  with  atmospheric  and  dark  ambient  synths  along  with  some  drones  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  loops  start  to  kick  in  and  the  song  sticks  to  a  dark  ambient  direction  with  no  elements of  noise.

  "Winter  Suicide"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  album  begins  with  dark  atmospheric  and  ambient  sounds  along  with  some  synths  and  halfway  through  the  song  you  can  hear  spoken  word  samples  in  the  background  as  well  as  elements  of  avant  garde  noise  kicking  in

  Song  themes,  cover  darkness  and  nature,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  with  all  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Earhead  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  ambient,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Crystal  Snowflakes"  and  "Snowy  Dark  Forest".  RECOMMENDED.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  dark  ambient  and  noise.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://www.etchedtraumas.net/discography/last-days-of-the-earth/



     

Caelicus Pagna/Earhead/Deja Vu/Dark Occult Records/2012 Split Album

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Netherlands  Caelicus  Pugna  and  Turkey's  Earhead  called  "Deja  Vu"  which  was  released  by  Dark  Occult  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Caelicus  Pugna  an  artist  that  plays  a  very  harsh  form of  noise.

  "Get  Going"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  opens  up  with  harsh  noise  sounds  and  brutal  power  electronics  and  as  the song  moves  on  it  gets  more  diverse  while  remaining  harsh  all  at  the  same  time.

  "Easy  On"  begins  with  harsh  power  electronics  and  loops  along  with  elements  of  dark  instrumental  and  Japanese  influenced  noise  sounds  and  the  song  is  very  short  and  under  3  minutes.

  Song  lyrics  are  all  absent  from  his  side  of  the  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  along  with  one  of  his  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Caelicus  Pugna  is  a  very  great  sounding  harsh  noise  artist  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Get  Going".  RECOMMENDED.

  Next  up  is  Earhead  who  continues  his  harsh  and  dark  approach  to noise.

  "Bleak"  which  is  also  his  first  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  opens  up  with  dark  ambient  style  synths  and  a  minute  alter  distorted  guitar  leads  and  drones  are  added  into  the  music  and  also  bring  in  harsh  noise  elements.

  "Satan's  Poem"  begins  with  harsh  noise  sounds  and  brutal  power  electronics  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  and  black  metal  screams  and  after  awhile  atmospheric  sounding  loops are  added  into  the  music.

  "Voices  From  Darkness"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  album  comes  in  with  distorted  sound  effects  and  harsh  noises  along  with  some  spoken  word  samples which  also  leads  up  to  some  brutal  power  electronics  and  loops.

  Song  themes  cover  Satanism  and  Darkness,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  along  with  one  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Earhead  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  and  harsh  noise,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Satan's  Poem".  RECOMMENDED.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  harsh  noise.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

http://www.etchedtraumas.net/discography/last-days-of-the-earth/

Lazarus Blackstar/Black Shape Of Nexus/Alerta Antifacistca/2013 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  England's'  Lazarus Blackstar  and  Germany's Black Shape Of Nexus  which  was  released  by  Alerta  Antifacistca  in  2013  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with   Lazarus Blackstar a  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  the  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of sludge and  doom  metal  with  some  elements  of  death  metal.

  "Commant  And  Control"  which  is  the  first  song  on  their  side  of  the  split  opens  up  with  slow,  heavy  and  melodic  sounding  doom  metal  guitar  riffs  along  with  some  drums  and  you  can  also  hear  synths  in  the  background  and  a  few  seconds  later  death  metal  growls  kick  in  along  with  some  shouts  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  clean  singing  and  black  metal  screams  and  there  is  also  a  small  amount  of  guitar  leads  in  the  song.

  "Whispering  Through  Broken  Teeth"  begins  with  dark  and  melodic  sounding  doom  metal  guitar  and  bass  riffs  along  with  some  drums  and  growls  a  few  seconds  later  and  as  the  song  moves  on  high  pitched  screams  are  added  into  certain  parts  of  the  music  and  towards  the  end  clean  singing  and  synths  are  added  into  the  song

  Song  lyrics  cover  dark  themes,  while the  production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful  and  heavy  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  their  side of  the  recording  as  well  as  both  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Lazarus  Blackstar  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  doom,  sludge  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Commant  And  Control:.  RECOMMENDED.

  Next  up  is  Black  Shape  of  Nexus  a  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  drone  and  doom  metal  with  some  black  metal  elements.

  "Honor  Found  in  Delay"  which  is  the  first  song  on  their  side  of  the  split  opens  up  with  distorted  noises  and  sound  effects  and  a  minute  later  drums  along  with  some  dark,  heavy  and  melodic  doom  metal  guitar  riffs  kick  in  along  with  some  sludge  style  vocals  and  screams  a  few  seconds later  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  growls  and  halfway  through  the  song  bass  guitars  take  over  for  awhile  before  returning  to  heavier  guitars.

  "Always  And  Only"  begins  with  heavy  bass  guitars  along  with  noisy  distortion  before  adding  in  drums  and  a  few  seconds  later  doom  metal  guitar  riffs  and  sludge  screams  kick  in  and  after  awhile  the  bass  guitars  start  bringing  in  leads  as  well  as  psychedelic elements  which  also  leads  to  the  guitar  riffing  utilizing  more  melody  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  guitar  leads  and  during  the  last  minute  spoken  word  samples  and  elements  of  noise  kick  in.

  Song  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes,  while  the production  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  dark  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  their  side  of t he  recording  as  well  as  both  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Black  Shape  of  Nexus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  drone  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Honor  Found  in  Delay".  RECOMMENDED.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  sludge,  drone  and  doom  metal.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

https://alertaantifascistarecords.bandcamp.com/album/aa94-lazarus-blackstar-black-shape-of-nexus-split-lp



   


  

Projekt666:Satanoise/Willowbrook/Earhead/Iky Iky/Electronic Etiquette Netlabel/2012 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Malayasia's  Projekt666:Satanoise  U.S.A's  Willowbrook,  Turkey's  Earhead  and  Iky  Iky  which  was  released   by  Electronic  Etiquette  Netlabel  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Projekt666:Satanoise  a  project  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  that  plays  a  very  harsh  and  satanic  form  of  noise.

  "Cause  Of  Death"  which  is  the  first  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  opens  up  with  harsh  noise  sounds  and  the  song  is  very  short  and  under  20  seconds.

  "Crossfire"  begins  with  nature  sounds  before  adding  in  elements  of  harsh  noise  and  the  song  is  under  2   minutes.

  "Non-Music  Spectrum"  opens  up  with  harsh  noise  sounds  and  the  song  is  just  like  the  other  ones  very  short  and  under  2  minutes.

  "Shittiest  Than  Sin"  which is  also  the  last  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  begins  with  harsh  noise  sounds  and  brutal  power  electronics  as  well  as  being  and  under  2  minutes.

  Song  themes  cover  darkness  and  satanism,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Projekt666:Satanoise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  satanic  and  harsh  sounding  noise,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Non-Music  Spectrum".  RECOMMENDED.

  Next  up  is  Willowbrook  a  project  that  plays  a  very  dark  and  harsh  form  of  noise.

  "A:  To  Apprehend  The  Flesh"  opens  up  with  world  war  II  chanting  samples  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  harsh  and  dark  sounding  power  electronic  make  their  way  into  the music  as  well  as  an atmospheric  background.

  Song  themes  cover  darkness,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark, harsh, raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Willowbrook  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  dark  noise,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED.

  Next  up  is  Earhead  who  continues  his  harsh  approach  to  noise.

  "Please,   Delete  Me  From  This  Life!"  which  is  the  first  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  opens  up  with  dark  ambient  drones  which  leads  up to  harsh  noises  and  power  electronics  and  towards  the  end  there  is  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples.

  "And  Everything  Suddenly  Stops-  Version  2"  begins  with  spoken  word  samples  and  harsh  noise  power  electronic  sounds  and   as  the  song  moves  on  the  music  gets  more  harsh  and  brutal  sounding  as  well  as  closing after  5  minutes.

  "(no  edit,  just  raw  sounds,  no  return,  like  to  live,  like  suicide)'  which  is  the  last  song  on  his  side  of  the split  starts  up  with  dark  ambient  sounds  which  later  get  more  harsh  sounding  once  the  loops  and  power electronics  kick  in.

  Song  themes  cover,  darkness,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Earhead  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  and  harsh  sounding  noise,  you  should  check out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Please,   Delete  Me  From  This  Life!".  RECOMMENDED.

    Next  up  is  Iky  Iky  an  artist  that  plays  a  very  harsh  form  of  noise.

  "Sand  Moonshine"  opens  up  with  dark  ambient  drones  and  nature  sounds  as  well  as  some  harsh  sounding  power  electronics  and  noise  a  few  seconds  later

  Song  themes  cover  darkness,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,   harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Iky  Iky  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  harsh  noise  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  his  music.  RECOMMENDED.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  dark  and  harsh  sounding  noise.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://www.etchedtraumas.net/discography/last-days-of-the-earth/

    

Earhead/Projekt666:Satanoise/Voices From Darkness/Devil Noise Records/2012 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Turkey's  Earhead  and  Malaysia's  Projekt666:Satanoise  called  "Voices  From  Darkness"  which  was  released  by  Devil  Noise  Records  in  the  year  of  2012  and  we  will  start  off  the review  with  Earhead  which  continues  his  dark  approach  to  harsh  noise.


   "What  A  Beautiful  World"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  opens  up  with  harsh  noise  sounds  along  with  some  experimental  sounding  loops  and  dark  ambient  synths  and  the song  is  short  and  under  a  minutes.

  ''From  Hell  With  Love"  begins  with  harsh  and  brutal  sounding  noises  and  power  electronics  and  the  song  is  very  short  and  under  2  minutes.

  "Noise  Ist  Krieg"  begins  with  harsh  and  distorted  sounding noises  and  power  electronics  which  also  get  more  diverse  as  the  song  moves  on  which  sticking  to  a  harsh  noise  sound  and  the  song  is  under  3  minutes.

  "Hellish"  kicks  in  with  harsh  noise  sounds  along  with  a  mixture  oh  high  pitched  screams  and  deep  growls   which  also  lead  up  to  some  death  industrial  style  power  electronics  and  as  time  goes  on  by  the  music  gets  more  diverse   while  also  remaining  brutal  at  the  same  time.

  "Kill  The  Limb"  comes  in  with  natural  sounding  noises  along  with  some  sound  effects  and  after  awhile  power  electronics  start  making  their  way  in  and  the  song  is  short  and  under  3  minutes.

  "Voices  From  Darkness"  which  is  also  the  title  track  of  the  album as  well  as  the  last  song  on  this  side  of  the  split  begins  with  distorted sounding  noises  and  power  electronics  along  with  some  spoken  word  samples  before  getting  more  harsh  with  some  loops.

  Song  themes  cover  darkness,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Earhead  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  and  harsh  noise,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Noise  Ist  Krieg"  and  "Voices  From  Darkness".  RECOMMENDED.

  Next  up  is  Projekt666:Satanoise  a  project  that  plays  a  very  harsh  and  satanic  form  of  noise.

  "Dawn  Of  Apocalypse"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  opens  up  with  harsh  noise  and  power  electronic  sounds  and  the  song  is  very  short  and  under  2  minutes.

  "Before  All  Ends"  begins  with  harsh  noise  sounds  and  is  another  very  short  song.

  "Outlaw"  opens  up  with  more  ambient  orientated  noises  that  also  utilize  some  harsh  elements  and  the  song  is  short  and  under  2  minutes.  
   
  'Blaspheme"  kicks  in  with  dark  sounding  noises  that  also  utilize  some  harsh  power  electronics  and  being  under  a  minute.

  "Heaven's  Fall"  comes  in  with  harsh  sounding  power  electronics  and  noises  as  well  as  some  loops  and  the  song  is  under  2  minutes.

  "Diabolical  Electrocution"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  begins  with  harsh  noise  sounds  and  power  electronics  that  are  also  dark  at  the  same  time  and  the  song  is  under  2  minutes.

  Song  themes  cover  Satanism,  Darkness  And  Occultism,  while  the  production h as  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and primitive  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Projekt666:Satanoise  are  a  very  great  sounding  harsh  noise  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musicla  genre,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "'Blaspheme"  and  "Heaven's  Fall. RECOMMENDED.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  dark  and  evil  harsh  noise.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

http://www.etchedtraumas.net/discography/last-days-of-the-earth/



   

  

Earhead/Breast Implosion/Book Of Shadows/2012 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Turkey's  Earhead  and  Germany's  Breast  Implosion  which  was  self  released  in  2012  and  called  "Book Of  Shadow"  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Earhead  which  continues  his  dark  approach  to  noise.

  'Borderline  1"  which  is  also  his  first  song  on  his  side  of  the  album  opens  up  with  loud  power  electronics  and  loops  and  a  few  seconds  alter  it  adds  in  more  quiet  parts  while  also  remaining  dark  at  the  same  time  along  with  nature  samples  before  adding  back  in  louder  sounds  as  well  as  alternating  between  silence  and  loudness  along  with  elements  of  ambient.

  "Borderline  2"  begins  with  dark  ambient  and  experimental  sounds   and  after  awhile  noises  and  power  electronics  kick  in  and  make  the  music  a  little  bit  louder  as  well  as  bringing  in  more  harsh  elements  and  the  song  gets  more  diverse  as  time  goes  on  by.

  "We  Need to  Talk  About  Noise,  Fuck  Kevin  !"  opens  up  with  nature  sounds  along  with  some  dark  ambient  synths  and  loops  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  up  to  harsh  noises  and  power  electronics  and  then  spoken  word  samples  are  added  into  the  song.

   "Storm"  starts  up  with  spoken  word  samples  and  fighting  and  as  a  minute  goes  on  by  loops  and  power  electronics  are  added  into  the  song  and  after  awhile  you  can  hear  some  dark  ambient  sounding  synths  in  certain  sections  of  the  song.

  "Distorted  Loneliness"  kicks  in  with  dark  ambient  and  experimental  sounds  before  adding  in  loops,  power  electronics  and  harsh  noise  elements  and  as  time  goes  on  by  the  music  gets  more  diverse  while  still  remaining  harsh  at  the  same  time.

  "And Everything  Suddenly  Stops"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  begins  with  harsh  noise  and  power  electronic  sounds  and  after  awhile  loops  are  added  into  the  song  along  with  programmed  drum  beats.

  Song  themes  cover  darkness  and  violence,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  with  most  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Earhead  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  harsh  and  dark  noise,  you  should  check  out  his  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Borderline  2"  and  "Distorted  Loneliness".  RECOMMENDED.

  Next  up  is  Breast  Implosion  a  project  that  plays  a  dark  ambient  form  of  noise.

  "Ancient  Chaotic"  which  is  also  the  first  song  on  his  side  of  the  split  opens  up  with  atmospheric  and  dark  ambient  style  synths  and  after  elements  elements  of  experimental  and  industrial  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  drum  programming  and  towards  the  end  of  the  song  harsh  noise  sounds  are  finally  added  into  the  music.

  "Book  Of  Shadows"  which  is  also  the  title  track  of  the  album  begins  with  spoken  word  samples  and  atmospheric  sounding  dark  ambient  synths  and  you  can  hear  some  Richard  Wagner  samples  in  the  background  as  well  as  elements  of  noise  coming  in  and  out  of  the  music  as  well  as  some  industrial  parts  kicking  in.

  "Creation"  opens  up  with  ambient  and  noise  sounds  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths  and  experimental  sound  effects  which  also  leads  up  to  some  drum  programming  and  harsh  noise  loops  and  halfway  through  the  song  spoken  word  parts  are  added  in.

  "Hell  Freezes  Over"  begins  with  harsh  sounding  loops  and  a  few  seconds  later  dark  ambient  sound  effects  are  added  into  the  music  which  also  leads  up  to  power  electronics  and  loud  distorted  noises  becoming  a  part  of  the  song.

  "Long  Way"  starts  up  with  dark  ambient  sounds  and  atmospheric  synths  and  after  awhile  avant  garde,  experimental  and  noise  elements  make  their  way  into  the  music  along  with  some  spoken  word  samples.

  "Mechbird"  kicks  in  with  nature  sounds  and  a  few  seconds  alter  industrial  and  harsh  noise  sounds  start  to  kick  in  along  with  some  drum  programming  a  minute  later  and  the  song  closes  with  the  sounds  of  nature.

  "Mindbender"  comes  in  with  dark  ambient  and  harsh  noise  sounds  and  as  the  song  moves  on  you  can  hear  some  power  electronics  and  loops  kicking  as  well  as  the  music  getting  more  diverse  in  sound.

  "Nebula"  hits  it  off  with  dark  ambient  and  drone  sounds  along  with  some  synths  and  atmospheric  elements  which  also  leads  up  to  some  spoken  word  samples  becoming  a  part  of  the  music  along  with  some  harsh  loops  and  power  electronics.

  "Nightcap"  is  introduced  by  avant  garde  sounds  and  drum  programming  as  well  as  nature  noises  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  spoken  word  samples  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  harsh  sounding  loops.

  "Regeneration"  which  is  also  the  last  song  on  the  album  begins  with  harsh  power  electronics  and  loops  as  well  as  bringing  in  elements  of  ambient  and  drone  as  well  as  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths.

  Song  themes  cover  occultism  and  Darkness,  while  the  production  has  a  very  dark,  harsh,  raw  and  primitive  sound  along  with  some  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Breast  Implosion  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  harsh  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Book  Of  Shadows"  and  "Nebula".

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  dark  and  harsh  noise.  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

http://www.etchedtraumas.net/discography/last-days-of-the-earth/