Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals/Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue/Housecore Records/2018 CD Review

 Philip  H.  Anselmo  &  The  Illegals  are  a  band  from  new  Orleans,  Louisiana  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  groove  metal  with  touches  of  black  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Choosing  Mental  Illness  As  A  Virtue"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Housecore  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  vocals  being  done  in  a  groove  metal  style  as well  as  a  high  screams  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  thrash  at  times.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to them  while the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  slower  sections  of the  songs  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  sludge  and  some  songs  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  and  death  metal  in  the  screams  and  growls  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads a r e added  into  the  music  they  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  extreme  metal  style  as  well  as  the  music also  mixing  in  elements  of  hardcore  punk  and  the  music  always  remains  heavy.

  Philip  H.  Anselmo  &  The  Illegals  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  the  singers  background  in  extreme  metal  and  you  can  hear  everything  from  thrash,  hardcore  punk,  sludge,  groove,  black  and  death  metal  throughout  all  of  these  tracks,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover violent  and  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Philip  H.  Anselmo  are a   very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  thrash,  groove,  black,  death  metal  and  hardcore  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Little  Fucking  Heroes"  "The  Ignorant  Point"  "Photographic  Taunts"  and  "Mixed  Lunatic  Results".  8  out  of  10.


http://www.facebook.com/philipanselmo

Bell Witch/Mirror Reaper/Profound Lore Records/2017 CD Review

  Bell  Witch  are  a  band  from  Seattle,  Washington  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  drone  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Mirror  Reaper"  which  was  released  by  Profound  Lore  Records.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  the  only  track  being  over  an  hour  and  twenty  three  minutes  in  length  and  after  a  couple of  minutes  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  funeral  doom  metal  direction  along  with  a  great  amount  of  dark  and  depressive  sounding  melodies.

  As  the  song  progresses  deep  death  metal  growls  are  added  into  the  music  while  the  tracks  also  gets  very  atmospheric  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  being  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion,  clean  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly  as  well as  the  music  also  mixing  in  elements  of  sludge  and  drone  and  later  on  during  the  song  a  brief  use  of  black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard.

  Bell  Witch  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  funeral  doom  metal,  sludge  and  drone  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Hermetic,  Ghosts  and  Life/Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Bell  Witch  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  drone,  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  8  out  of  10.

http://www.facebook.com/BellWitchDoom

Pissboiler/In The Lair Of Lucid Nightmares/Third-I-Rex/2017 CD Review

  Pissboiler  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  funeral  doom  metal,  sludge  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "In  The  Lair  Of  Lucid  Nightmares"  which  was  released  by  Third-I-Rex.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  captures  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  while t he  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  death  metal  growls  taking  the  music  into  more  of  a  funeral  doom  metal  direction.

  Most  of t he  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in a  brief  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  slow  direction  and  screams  are  added  on  the  closing  track.

  Pissboiler  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  funeral  doom  metal,  sludge  and  drone  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  death,  suicide  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Pissboiler  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  funeral  doom  metal,  sludge  and  drone  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those musical  genres,  you  should  check  out this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ruins  Of  the  Past"  and  "Cutters".  8  out  of  10. 

https://3rdirex.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-lair-of-lucid-nightmares-2 

Promethean Misery Interview

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

Sure. It's a solo project which came about out of years of composing and recording, until the day came when I thought I should probably do something with it all, so I started collating them into separate releases. Each release has its own identity, and has explored dark music through different timbres, from the piano based music featured in my first release “Before My Eyes”, to the distorted violin single “Bloodlet” released earlier this year. Basically, my main instruments are piano and violin, but I listen to metal (doom mostly), so Promethean Misery is my amalgamation of the two.



2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

This album (“Ghosts”), is my third release, but it’s kind of part two of my first EP "Before My Eyes". "Before My Eyes" was all piano, orchestral, and voice based, so was largely classical/ darkwave in its delivery. This release, "Ghosts", is the next progression bringing distorted elements, percussion, and even the odd death growl into the mix, hence adding the doom metal element. My next release (due for release Nov 2018) is heavier still, and is pretty much straight up doom, utilizing distorted violin (instead of guitars) as the main element driving the music; it will be much in the same vein as my single “Bloodlet”.



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

Well, there’s the usual suspects- death, depression etc, but aside from those, I draw from life experiences (mine or others), or interesting concepts or stories, or even paintings. One thing is certain though, all of my lyrics have a pretty bleak tinge to them; you won’t find me writing joyful, hopeful lyrics, or a love song.



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

Ah, good question, and one that I get asked a lot. In short, it stands for “Eternally Miserable”. But if you want the longer story… Promethean was derived from “Prometheus”- the Greek god. The (very brief) rundown is that he pissed off the gods, and so was cursed to be chained to a rock where an eagle would make lunch of his liver. Due to his immortality, his liver grew back over night, so the eagle had a daily feed. One happy bird, one miserable God- Promethean Misery. While none of the lyrics refer to the story of Prometheus, I thought the concept was fitting to convey the feel of the music- and ongoing tale of woe.



5.On the album you recorded everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to work by yourself?

For my solo work, I think I do prefer to work on my own; I like exploring an idea on my own, in my own time. This release is the only one where I included other artists (Lee Tassaker doing the death growls on two tracks, and Giovanni Gariano doing distorted guitar on track 4). If I really wanted an instrument featured on my work that I’m terrible at playing, I wouldn’t hesitate to request the help of someone that’s in the know. Outside my solo work, I do enjoy jamming with other musicians, particularly in the doom metal genre. And it’s not unusual for me to be in band, or doing a bunch of session work for other bands, or both.



6.The album was released on 'PRC Music' are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?

This is a new relationship, but one that I’m stoked to be part of. They are so passionate about what they do, and so passionate about the bands they promote, and that’s exactly what you want in a label. What’s more, they are really down to earth dudes, and all the bands on the label have each others back. They’ve been very welcoming.



7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of darkwave, neo-classical and doom metal?

Well, I keep throwing curve balls, with each release featuring different instruments. I was a bit concerned about that in the beginning, as people don’t usually like change, but I think it’s just kept things exciting. The feedback that I’ve had from fans has all been positive so far, and now that I have three releases under my belt, they are telling me which ones they like best. Aside from fans, I’ve had some great reviews for my work. As a solo artist, this has been a pretty intense experience. In a band, any comments get dissolved among the group, but as a solo artist you wear the badge on your own, so I’m very grateful that the experience so far has been a positive one.



8.What is going on with 'Myraeth' these days?

After six top years, unfortunately Myraeth has fizzled. We have a full-length album which was recorded to completion, and was due to be mixed, when our external lives took over and we could no longer sustain the band. But we’re all still mates and enjoy a beer together on the odd occasion.



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

I think I’ve had a pretty good run so far. I’ve been performing on the Aussie metal stage for, let’s just say a long time. Since Myraeth’s expiration, I’ve been able to focus on my Promethean Misery work, but also do a lot of session work (live and/or recorded) with a bunch of other bands (including Lycanthia, The Veil, Futility, Inclemency, Rise of Avernus) and projects (including Lost Salt Blood Purges), with more in the works. But I have most recently joined forces with the mighty Cruciform as their keyboardist, soon to support Paradise Lost. As for the future, I will be releasing a full-length album in around Nov next year through PRC music. Beyond that, who knows!



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 always wondered how I would answer this question if it ever came up, as I’m not really directly influenced by anything per se, I’ve always written what I felt like doing at the time. If I was to be influenced by something, it’s probable that it would be in a minor key, and maybe something that makes you feel a little uneasy, and likely to have a bit of grunt.



11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Studying. I don’t know what it is, but I have barely put the pen down since I left school. And I’m not sure I actually enjoy it. It’s some weird addiction thing. But aside from essays and assignments, as long as it’s creative, I’ll probably enjoy it/ give it a go. Camping and bushwalking are maybe my other interests, but I rarely have the time to do that… due to my studying :/



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

I’d just like to say a massive thanks for the interview! I also want to give a shout out to my fans. I wasn’t sure where this journey would lead, but I’ve met some pretty awesome people through it, so hopefully things will keep rolling in that direction.

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Psyclopean/The King In Yellow/2017 Full Length Review

  Psyclopean  are  a  solo  project  from  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin  that  plays  a  mixture  of  cinematic  dark  ambient  and  atmospheric  soundscapes  and  this  is  a review  of  his  self  released  2017  album  "The  King  In  Yellow".

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  40  minute track  along  with  some  dark  ambient  elements  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also  gets  very  diverse  and  cinematic  as  the  songs  progresses  as  well  as  adding  some  drones  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  music  is  an  instrumental  and  serves as  a  soundtrack  to  Richard  W.  Chambers story  "The  King  In  Yellow".

  Psyclopean  takes  a  classical  occult  horror  story  that  was  a  huge  influence  on  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft  and  create  a soundtrack  which  mixes  cinematic  dark  ambient  and  atmospheric  soundscapes  together  to  create  something  different.

  In  my  opinion  Psyclopean  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  mixture  of  cinematic  dark  ambient  and  atmospheric  soundscapes  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  8  out  of  10.

https://sleestak.bandcamp.com/album/the-king-in-yellow

Picture Ann/Still Perfection/Floodgate Moods Productions/201 Single Review

  Denmark's  Picture  Ann  have  returned  with  a  new  song  which  continues  the  ambient,  experimental  and  metal  style  of  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  single  "Still  Perfection"  which  was  released  by  Floodgate  Moods  Productions.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  along  with  some  clean  guitars  start  off  the  song  while  the  heavy  yet  melodic riffing  is  very  heavily  influenced  by  metal  and  the  music  is  all  instrumental  as  well  as  having  its  progressive  moments.

  Picture  Ann  creates  another  song that  remains  true  to  their  instrumental  mixture  of  ambient,  experimental  and  metal  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Picture  Ann  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  instrumental  ambient,  experimental  and  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  single.  8  out  of  10.

  https://floodgatemoodsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/still-perfection

Neratarrae Interview

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

Before I even start talking about NERATERRÆ, I gotta say that I’ve always been a huge music fan, especially if it’s rock and metal music, I’ve been following several bands since their very beginning, and one of those bands was (and actually still is) Ulver, from Norway. I’m saying so ‘cause their never-ending musical and conceptual evolution has always been inspiring to me. It was 17-18 years ago when Perdition City was released, and to me It was life-changer. After all these years I still do believe that no one has ever topped such a monster of crossover-Electronic album. I can say that that record really moved something inside of me, unconsciously It was the start of something that today I call NERATERRÆ.
As the years passed I explored the classic Electronic scene and the mainstream Electronic scene, but I quickly found myself digging deeper and deeper into the Ambient and Downtempo fields, It was at that very moment that I fell in love with the darker sides of such genres and styles. Since so, Dark Ambient, Drone, Industrial Ambient (and -related) have always been catching my attention. And that is what I’ve been doing as NERATERRÆ since 2009/2010: Drone/Industrial Ambient, and such, I suppose.


2. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?

I’d definitely say that the sound is industrialized, alienated, dynamic and multi-layered; I do that by interlacing and intertwining layers of sounds and atmospheres.
Each track has a its own ‘personality’, or a different ‘color’ if you wish, but there’s one thing that all of my tracks have in common: dynamics.
Due to the ‘digital era’ the industry has been compressing music for almost twenty years, and that has brought to a lack of dynamic music; It does not sound good and It’s not how It should sound at all.
At least, that is not how I want my music to sound like.
Music should be about nuances, colors, dynamics, and I do my best to keep that in mind.


3. Most of the musical released so far, has been instrumental, are you open to using vocals?

I recorded some vocal patterns for a couple of tracks so far, they were recorded and manipulated in order to get some kind of unusual effect and make them sound disturbing, you can hear something here and there…
Even though I’m not going to tell much about what the next record is gonna sound like, I can say that there will be some vocals on the next album too, but, not ‘vocals’ as the common sense may suggest.


4. Originally the solo project was known as 'NHART', what was the cause of the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Neratarrae'?

Even before ‘NHART’ was born, the project was running under another name: ‘NAART’. I started to look for another name when I realized that the material recorded as NAART/NHART would have been a stand-alone project, I already knew that I would have changed direction, musically. Just a matter of time.
I switched the name to NERATERRÆ when I cleared things up in my mind and decided which path I’d have followed next.
“Why did you release “The NHART Demo[n]s” under the NERATERRÆ name, then?” You might ask. Well, I did not want to release just one record under the ‘NHART’ name, and then abandon the project in order to start over again with NERATERRÆ. It looked disorganized to me.
Plus, I feel somehow affictionated to that music, I spent a lot of time on it and I wanted to do justice to those tracks, so I re-stored, edited, re-mixed them and gave them a new voice, in order to claim them under the NERATERRÆ name. That is the concealed meaning of the title “The NHART Demo[n]s”, those tracks are my demons that I’ve been struggling against for long time.
The battle might be over now.
About the meaning of NERATERRÆ: it is a word-play between “NERA” (black, in Italian) and “TERRÆ” (land/ground/earth, in Latin); I think it sounds pretty interesting and catchy, yet obscure, doomed and somehow lofty.


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

I also play the drums, so as a drummer I’ve always been playing music with people, as a whole band or as a trio, etc, but NERATERRÆ is way different, NERATERRÆ has been and will always be just one person, I’m open to collaborations, remixes, etc, but I need a lot of time and space in order to achieve what I have in mind.
Plus, I’d like NERATERRÆ to be stylistically ever-changing, It’s challenging, and this would make It kinda hard for someone else to stay on board.


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

Yes, I have, but right now I can’t say much about what’s going on label-wise; I was asked not to talk about it yet, but I can tell you that something’s moving, and I can’t wait.


7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death industrial or dark ambient?

It has been pretty good I gotta say, I wasn’t expecting such positive feedback so far! Magazines, websites, zines and blogs have been giving good ratings to my release and I got some really amazing reviews.


8. Are you also involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

I play drums and percussion (and I handle mixing and mastering duties too) in Alma Flua, my touring acoustic trio.


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

Man, I really do not know, I’m not going to preclude anything, but the future is always uncertain…I have some ideas about the future as NERATERRÆ, but we will see.


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?

Hard question. I’ve always been a big fan of music. I own a huge collection of albums and I have a “small” bunch of favourite ones: about 250 records, so that may give you an idea of how many albums I actually own.
Long story short, the bands that have had an influence on my music (and they still do have) are (alphabetical order): ASC, Atrium Carceri, Bass Communion, Biosphere, Carbon Based Lifeforms, Cities Last Broadcast, H.U.V.A. Network, Jon Hopkins, Kammarheit, Keosz, Lustmord, New Risen Throne, Northaunt, Phelios, Richard Barbieri, Solar Fields, Steven Wilson, Svartsinn, Ulver, and maybe a few more.


11. What are some of your non musical interests?

I’m a graduated fitness instructor, so: fitness/nutrition/wellness in general. Then: photography; I love travelling; I like reading thriller/noir books. That’s pretty much it. Oh, I’m cymbals-addicted, such beautiful instruments, ha!


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

I do: I’d like to thank you for supporting the underground scene, your efforts are admirable and I appreciate that.
Then, please keep an eye on www.facebook.com/neraterrae for info and updates! Thank you.
-Alessio Antoni | NERATERRÆ

Sorrowful Land Interview

1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
1. Sorrowful Land was born in early 2014 as a collaboration act of  Peter Laustsen from Swedish band When Nothing Remains and me. Originally we planned to release a full-length album together but managed to record only one demo/promo song. Peter was too busy with his main band and abandoned Sorrowful Land, so I took control of all things and since then Sorrowful Land is my one-man project.

2. How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
2. I’d say it’s more like a mix of doom-death metal with some gothic aprroach and funeral doom-metal moments that appear here and there. Pretty atmospheric too I guess. And gloomy at times. Overall I tried to create good catchy songs. Did I succeed? Let the listeners decide J

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects that you explore with your music?
3. When it comes to lyrics – first of all I write about my own feelings and life situations I’ve experienced. Also I`m fond of classic English and American poetry and from times to times I use poems as the basis for my lyrics.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sorrowful Land'?
4. Oh, it’s the interesting one! When we started in 2014 before even recording a single note me and Peter wanted to come up with a cool-sounding name. And the name came to me while I was sleeping at night. It appeared in my dream actually. Pretty funny, huh? And so when I got up next morning – I already had this name in my mind. It was like “that’s it and I must keep it!”. As for the meaning: it may describe either the whole planet that is full of sorrows or our particular country. You may know that Ukraine is facing hard times now. So for me this name does include several meanings.

5. With this project you record everything by yourself. Are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to remain solo?
5. Let’s put it that way: I compose all the stuff and record it myself, that’s truth, but on the debut album I had two session musicians that actually recorded bass and drums parts. They did a great job and helped me a lot and I appreciate it. On the new record that’s called “Where The Sullen Waters Flow” – it’s all done by me. And yes, for the future records I’d love to have some special guests to work with! I even made a list already, but I won’t tell ya who’s in it, haha! J I do hope that this idea will come true.

6. The album was released on 'Solitude Productions, are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?
6. Totally! I’m with Solitude Productions for 5 years now and it goes well enough! They are easy to work with and open-minded guys.
7
. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of funeral doom and doom/death?
7. Quite well I’d say. The debut album’s average score is 8 of 10 due to the reviews from webzines and magazines throughout the world. I think it’s good enough to get such ratings for the debutee, not to forget that doom-metal (especially funeral doom) is still a very underground genre. As for the fans – some liked it, some didn’t. It’s normal and usual thing for you to read: “AWESOME” today and tomorrow you may see: “AWFUL”.

8. What is going on with your other band 'Edenian' these days?
8. It would be honest to say that Edenian is on hiatus. It’s been three years or even more since our drummer left. And still we can’t find the right person to fill in. Sad but true. All members of Edenian play in new bands now so I dare not to say if we ever will play or record something new under Edenian name again.

9. Where do you see yourself heading into musically during the future?
9. I’m planning to record new Sorrowful Land full-length album. And it’s gonna be heavier than previous. Also I’m not planning to get stuck in doom-metal only and recently I’ve started a new band called Resolution. We play thrash-metal. I can’t foresee what the future holds – time will show.

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?
10. Oh, tons of them in different genres! I won’t be original to say that my all-time favourite band is Metallica. Among the others (in no particular order) are: Slayer, Death Angel, Iced Earth, Kamelot, Trivium, Amon Amarth, Godsmack, Disturbed, Nickelback, and many others. As for the influences on Sorrowful Land music, it would be: Paradise Lost, Doom:VS, Saturnus, Katatonia, Swallow The Sun.

11. What are some of your non musical interests?
11. History, reading, uniformology and reenacting aka living history events.

12. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
12. First of all – go listen to the new Sorrowful Land EP “Where The Sullen Waters Flow” which is out on December, 15th and if you like it – support the project and label by buying the music! And of course – STAY DOOMY! \m/
Max Molodtsov
12.12.2017

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We Hate You Too Interview

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

Aimeric : We knew each other for many years before starting the project.
Both of us were playing instruments in many bands, and we wished to do something together to mix our preferences in one band.
For me, my main and favorite instrument is my voice.

Camille : My main instrument is the piano, but I also play a lot of wind instruments. I wanted to play with Aimeric because I was always fascinated by his music.

2.How would you describe your musical sound?

Aimeric : It is hard, even for us. We wanted something disturbing and uncommon, by mixing many things that are never together. We wanted to have overwhelming atmospheres, and to have lots of variation between the songs.

Camille : I’d say it’s jazz, played by classical instruments, with a growled voice. It is a little bit descriptive, but I feel it’s the most simple and accurate way to describe it.

3.According to the fb page you refer to your music as 'growled piano', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?

Aimeric : We started with only two instruments, the piano for Camille and my growled voices.
But we decided to add many other things.

Camille : And we had to “invent” a term for our music, because it wouldn’t fit in any existing category

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

Aimeric : Mostly the lyrics come from my own illness, I suffer from schizophrenia.
Only Relics of Restlessness is not about my feelings, but it is still linked with my mindworld.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'We Hate You Too'?

Aimeric : We wished to incorporate the idea that we are a duo, with a disturbed link to our disturbed songs.

Camille : When I proposed this, I thought that it might be an answer to some people coming to us saying “I hate your music”. Answering them in advance fits well with the ambience of the music : we are hateful, but defensively, not aggressively. Our music is rarely aggressive. If we had been named “We hate you”, it would have been different but here, it is an answer to an outer hate.

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

Aimeric : For me, I love that we are only two, and I wish to stay in this configuration.

Camille : I feel it would not make sense to be more. Now, if one day someone wants to pay us to play a gig with all the instruments of the album… We would need to be more. But I doubt it.

7.Has the band done any live shows or is this strictly a studio project?

Aimeric : We did a very little live show of 10 minutes, with only piano and voices.
For now we have not talked about other live shows.

Camille : This show was interesting but we have been able to play only because it was a totally free themed night. It’s every month, in a bar in our town, you can participate to the show and you get 10 minutes where you do whatever you want. The problem we had was that if we wanted to play in a bar for example, we would have to play with another band. But who ? Metal bands ? With our piano voice line-up, it wouldn’t fit. Jazz bands ? We are only two, and the metal aspect wouldn’t fit. We realized we can’t really play with other bands. Plus, we only had 30 minutes of set-list : the last track of the album is simply unplayable on a live show. So we focused on the studio.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of dark, underground and experimental music?

Aimeric : I didn't get many feedback.

Camille : I had some feedback. Many people I showed the music to liked it, more than what I expected actually. However, the majority disliked either the growled voice (well, it’s not for everyone I guess) or the fact that it’s rather calm (these people expect growled voice to be paired with violent music). We tried to mix very different things : some people can bear it, some people can’t.

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

Aimeric : To continue disturbing things.

Camille : For now, we are focusing on other projects : someday, we might find another idea and try to mix things again.

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?

Aimeric : I was influenced by Tom Waits, Louis Armstrong, old blues, funeral doom.
I listen mainly extreme metal as Funeral Doom, Drone Doom, Slam Death, Black and Death. But also many Dark Ambient, Dark Folk and Medieval and Pagan.

Camille : I’m extremely influenced by Magma for the piano, and Supersilent for the winds. The Residents are a great influence too. Currently, I’m listening to a lot of Frank Zappa and Radiohead ; in general, I listen to a lot of prog music (rock or metal) and also free jazz, noise, psychedelic rock and classical music (the modern one, not really a fan of Mozart here : I prefer Stravinsky, Messiaen, Poulenc or Holst).

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Aimeric : Ancient Civilizations, Astrophysics, Nuclear Physics, Wild Life, Paleontology.

Camille : Programmation and trolling.

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

We hate you too.

https://www.facebook.com/WeHateYouTooFrenchDuo/

Melankolia/Vividarium Intervigilium Viator/Hypnotic Dirge Records/2017 CD Review

  Melankolia  are  a  solo  project  from  Ohio  that  plays  a  mixture  of  neo-classical,  ethereal  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2017  album  "Vividarium  Intervigilium  Viator"  which  was  released  by  Hypnotic  Dirge  Records.

  Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  elements  of  neo-classical  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  ambient  style  atmosphere  as  well  as a  great  amount  of  programmed  beats  and  most  of  the  music  is  instrumental  and  always  sticks  to  an  instrumental  direction,  nature  sounds  are  also  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  can  also be  heard.

  Melankolia  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  neo-classical,  ethereal  and  dark  ambient  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  as  well  as  keeping  most  of  the  music  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Melankolia  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  neo-classical,  ethereal  and  dark  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those musical  genres,  you  should  check out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ambrosia"  "Between  Heaven  And  Hell"  "Melankolia"  and  "Annie,  Light  In  A  Dying  World".  8  out  of  10.

BANDCAMP   

Sorrowful Land/Where The Sullen Waters Flow/Solitude Productions/2017 EP Review

  Sorrowful  Land  are  a  solo  project  from  Ukraine  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  funeral doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2017  ep  "Where  The  Sullen  Waters  Flow"  which  was  released  by  Solitude  Productions.

  Atmospheric  synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  using  a  variety  of amny  different  sounding  keys  along  with  some  whispers  also  being  used  briefly  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  more  melodic  and  heavier  style  of  funeral  doom  metal as  well  as  the  vocals  being  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls.

  A  great  amount  of  90's  era  atmospheric  doom/death  metal  elements  can  also  be  heard  throughout the  recording  while  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  playing  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  being  very  long and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  Sorrowful  Land  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  funeral  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  with  90's  era  atmospheric  doom/death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  loneliness,  sorrow  and  grief  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Sorrowful  Land  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  funeral  doom/death  metal  solos  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Night  Is  Darkening  Around  Me".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/sorrowfulland/


  

Islaja/Tarrantulla/Svart Records/2017 CD Review

  Islaja  is  a  solo artist  originally  from  Finland  but  now  residing  in  Germany  and  plays  a  mixture  of  synth  pop,  experimental  and  neo-folk  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2017  album  "Tarrantulla"  which  was  released  by  Svart  Records.

  Female  vocals  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  synths  a  few  seconds  later  while  stringed  instruments  are  also  use  at  times  and  also  bring  elements  of  folk  music  onto  the  recording  along  with  a  brief  use  of  male  vocals  and  at  times  the  music  gets  very  avant  garde  and  experimental  sounding.

  All  of  the  tracks  sound  very  different  from  each  other  while  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  saxophone  solos  and  as  the  album  progresses  more  elements  of  80's  era  synth  pop  can  also  be heard.

  Islaja  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  experimental,  synth  pop  and  neo-folk  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a sound  of  her  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  English  and  Finnish  and  covers  themes  from the  Kalevala.

  In  my  opinion  Islaja  are  a  very  great sounding  mixture  of  synth  pop,  experimental  and neo-folk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ghost  From  The  Future"  "Peace  Pilot"  and  "Sun  Luona  Taas".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/islaja/

  

Kaukolampi/i/Svart Records/2017 CD Review

  Kaukolampi  is  a  solo  artist  from  Finland  that  plays  a mixture  of  techno,  space  rock,  krautrock,  experimental  and  electronica  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2017  album  "I"  which  was  released  by  Svart  Records.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the album  along  with  some  elements  of  ambient  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  techno  elements  as  well  as  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  programmed  beats.

 All  of  the  tracks  are  instrumentals  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  electronic,  kraut  and  space  rock  elements  as  well  as getting  very  experimental  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  songs  sounding  different  from  each  other  and  as  the  album  progresses  touches  of  noise  and  drone  can  also  be  heard.

  Kaukolampi  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes,  techno,  space,  kratrock,electronica  and  experimental  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  while  also  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Kaukolampi  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of   techno,  space,  kratrock,    electronica  and  experimental  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Three  Legged  Giant  Centipede"  and  "Public  Execution  Of  The  Nodding  lotus  Eater".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/timokaukolampi/




  

Shedir/Falling Time/Cyclic Law/2017 CD Review

  Shedir  are  a  solo  project  from Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  field  recordings  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2017  album  "Falling  Time"  which  will  be  released  by on  December  21st  by  Cyclic  Law.

  Field  recordings  and  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  drones  while  the  synths  bring  in  elements  of  dark  ambient  as  well  as making  the  music  sound  very  atmospheric  at  times  and  most  of  the  music  is  instrumental  except  for  the spoken  word  parts  that  are  used  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  electronic  music  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Shedir  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  dark  ambient  and  field  recordings  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  her  own  while  also  keeping  most  of  the  music  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Shedir  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  field  recordings  and  if  you  are a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Away"  "Outburst"  and  "Come  back".  8  out  of  10.

VIEW ON BANDCAMP
  

Machina Coeli/Gnosis/Masked Dead Records/2017 Full Length Review

 Machina  Coeli  is  a  solo  artist  from  Italy  that  plays  dungeon  synth  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2017  album  "Gnosis"  which  was  released  by  Masked  Dead  Records.

  Nature  orientated  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  middle  eastern  style  chanting  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also brings  in a  great  amount  of  dungeon  synth  style  synths  as  well  as  mixing  in  a  medieval  atmosphere  at  times  and  the  music  would  also  fit  in  either  a  fantasy  movie  or  video  game.

  Programmed  beats a re  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  elements  of  neo-classical  while t he  synths  also  bring  in a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  a s most  of  the  music  being  instrumental.

  Machina  Ceoli  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  dungeon  synth  while  elements  of  neo-classical and  kratrock  can  also  be  heard  at  times,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  focus on  Gnosticism  and  the  Nag  Hammadi  Codex.

  In  my  opinion  Machina  Ceoli  are  a  very  great  sounding  dungeon  synth  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Pleroma"  "Creation"  and  "Unity". 8  out  of  10.

https://machinacoeli.bandcamp.com/

  

Jack Maniak/Code 403/JST Records/2017 Full Length Review

  Jack  Maniak is  a  solo  project  from  France  who  also play  for  Omrade  and  Indensity  plays  a mixture  of  electronic,  synthwave  and  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2017  album  "Code  403"  which  was  released  by  JST  Records.

  Horror  movie  style  synths  start  off  the  album  while  also  mixing  in  elements  of  electronic  music  and  80's  era  synth  pop  while  a  great  amount  of  programmed  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  the  guitar  riffs  bring  in  elements  of  hard  rock  and  heavy  metal  and  most  of the  music  is  instrumental  but  one  track  has  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  melodic  guitar  leads  can  also  be  heard. 

  Jack  Maniak  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  synth  pop,  electronic  music,  hard  rock  and  heavy  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  science  fiction.

 In  my  opinion  Jack  Maniak  is  a  very  great sounding  mixture  of  synth  pop,  electronic  music,  hard  rock  and  heavy  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Stripe  Is  Black  "Final  Departure"  "Space  Invaders"  and  "Glory".  8  out  of  10.

: https://youtu.be/40e4xEjbhcU

Noestalgya/Poetry Depresymphony/The Dark Thursday/2017 Full Length Review

  Indonesia's  solo  project  Noestalgya  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  they  music  being  a  mixture  of  dark/space  music  and  ambient  with  some  depressive  black  metal touches  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2017  album  "Poetry  Depresymphony"  which  was  released  by  The  Dark  Thursday.

  Avant  garde  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ambient  and  space  music  elements  while  also capturing  the  atmosphere  of  depressive  black  metal  and  after  awhile  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  a  great  portion  of   the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  synths  also  using  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  operatic  female  vocals  and  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard. 

  On  this  recording  Noestalgya  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  dark/space music  and  dark  ambient  and  mixes  it  with  some  elements  of  depressive  black  metal  to  create  something  very  different  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive  and  poetic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Noestalgya  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  space  music,  dark  ambient  and  depressive  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Aku  "Kebencian"  "Obsesi"  and  "Terjatuh".  8  out  of  10. 

https://thedarkthursday.bandcamp.com/album/poetry-depresymphony-2

Katarina Gubanova Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Let me start by saying that I think about myself as an artist and composer who breaks conventions of traditional approach to neo-classics and piano performances. I deliberately put ‘artist’ first in the definition of what I do because I don't limit myself to merely composing music and performing it on the stage. There are many artists that do this genre and are, frankly, fantastic at it: my inspiration here is Chilly Gonzales, Ludovico Einaudi, Carter Burwel to name a few.

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?
As I said, I don't like to limit myself with a certain style of music although, generally, what I play falls under the category of neoclassical and/or lounge performances. My recent work includes a couple of experiments of piano instrumental music, solo, violin and other classical instruments. When my fans tell me impressions about my music they say that through my music they can visualize their subtle dreams and fantasies.

3.You have also done some piano versions of metal songs, can you tell us a little bit more about the songs you have covered?
I’ve started my project #CoverKeys to
I like to transform beauty that surrounds us into music. But more than that I like challenges. So for this album of covers, which I called Replays by Miss Key, I chose compositions that could hardly fit the profile of piano music - famous brutal metal hits. It was a hard  task, but I am very happy with the result and hope you like my keys interpretation on your favorite and familiar tunes.

4.Some of your original songs have lyrics to them, can you tell us a little bit more about the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored with your music?
It was a collaboration with different singers, so i think better to exclude this question. Texts are not mine

5.On the albums you record mostly everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to remain solo?
The underlining difference in my style is that I participate in the original projects that are often a fusion of music, performance, and art where the lines are blurred and the categories are vague and undefined. This ambivalent creativity gives me a chance to explore my audience and myself while pushing the limits and conventions in music and in performance esthetics. For example, people say I am good at improvising on stage with my own work, and I also like to engage my audience during the performance.

6.Have you done any live shows with your musical project yet?
Sure, a lot. I perform alone or sometimes with singer, so I am also opened for new bookings.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
Yes. It’s a big part of work, but now I am ready to make this research and find a good label. Or to get interesting offer.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of metal, ambient or piano music?
Everything started with covers, which were made just for fun. I’m getting a lot of feedback. Some of me covers got about 50000 views in facebook

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
I have a plan to develop myself as a composer, arranger and for sure live artist, because i can’t  stay at one place for a while :)

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’ve started with black metal, and it’s still my favourite metal. This year was for me the year of two bands - Carach Angren and Antimatter.
Talking about influences - I think it’s totally impossible to identify. During my life tastes changed so many time… downloading all musical genres into the head, drawing inspiration from the universe - I create my own.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
Architecture.
Sometimes I paint pictures with oil and acrylic
Photography - from both sides, as a model and as a photograper

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
As I think that I found my way and feel total happiness about this, I wish to all readers to find their passion in life and don’t be scared to change yourself and world around.

https://www.facebook.com/katarinagubanova/

Vesperal/Conqueror Of Emptiness/Le Recours aux Forets/2017 CD Review

  Vesperal  are  a  trio  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  neo  folk  and  coldwave  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Conqueror  Of  Emptiness"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Le  Recours  aux  Forets.

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ritualistic  whispers  a  few  seconds  later  before  adding  folk  music  style  acoustic  guitars  and  coldwave  elements  while  a  lot  of the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  spoken  words  and  melodic  singing  and  at  times  the  music  gets  very  experimental  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  sounding  different  from  each  other.

  Vesperal  plays  a musical style  that  takes  a very dark  form  of  neo-folk  and  mixes  it  with  coldwave  to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Giallo's  cinematographic  universe  and  the  writings  of  Lautreamont.

  In  my  opinion  Vesperal  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  mixture  of  neo  folk  and  coldwave  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  trio.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I  AM  The  Silence"  "Solace"  and  "Conquerr  Of  Emptiness".  8  out  of  10. 

https://lerecoursauxforets.bandcamp.com/album/conqueror-of-emptiness

Kruksog/Foster Prudence/Le Recours aux Forêts Productions/2017 EP Review

  Kruksog  are  a  solo  project  from  Bulgaria  that  plays  a  very  dark  and  medieval  form of  neo-folk  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2017  ep  "Foster  Prudence  which  was  released  by  Le  Recoours  aux  Forets  Productions.

  Acoustic  guitars  which  also  bring  in  a  mixture  of  finger  picking  and  full  chords  start  off  the  ep  and  also  bring in  elements  of  folk  music  along  with  some  female  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  while  atmospheric  soundscapes  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  folk  instruments  and  all  of  the  tracks  sound  different  from  each  other.

  Kruksog  plays  a  style  of  neo-folk  that  is  very  dark  and  medieval  sounding,  the  production  sound s very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Nature  and  Slavic  Paganism  themes.

  In my  opinion  Kruksog  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  and  medieval  neo-folk  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Driftwood  Tavern"  and  "Perun".  8  out  of  10.

 https://solar-asceticists-productions.bandcamp.com/album/foster-prudence

Skinweaver/Gratification Eternal/Great Dane Records/2017 CD Review

  Skinweaver  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  death  metal  with  touches  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Gratification  Eternal"  which  was  released  by  Great  Dane  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  old  school  90's  influenced  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  screams  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  heavily  influenced  by  doom metal.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  dark yet  melodic  fashion  and  some  of  the  fast  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  the  music  always  remains  very  heavy.

  Skinweaver  plays  a musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  early  90's  death  metal  while  the  black  and  doom  metal  elements  gives  the  songs  more  originality,  the  production  sound s very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  death  and  gore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Skinweaver  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  death  metal  band  with  elements  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Skinweaver"  "Kneedeep  Into  Flesh"  "Suffer  Endless"  and  "Plague  Bearer".  8  out  of  10. 

 https://greatdanerecords.bandcamp.com/album/gratification-eternal

Katarina Gubanova/Replays By Miss Key # 1/2017 Full Length Review

  Katarina  Gubanova  is  a  solo  artist  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  ambient  and  piano  music  as  well  as  doing  metal  covers  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  self  released  2017  album  "Replays  By  Miss  Key  #  1"  and  consists  of  covers  from  Amon  Amarth,  Arch  Enemy,  Satyricon,  Slipjknot  and  Volbeat.

  Epic  sounding  pianos  start  off  the  album  while also  capturing  the  atmosphere  of  melodic  black/pagan  and  death  metal  and  all  of  the  music  is  instrumental  and  done  on  piano  alone  but  also  capturing t he  melody  of  the  original  metal  version  of  the  tracks  and  also  mixing  in  elements  of  ambient  and  classical  music.

  Katarina  Gubanova  takes  5  different  metal  tracks  that  sound  different  from  each  other  and  takes  into  into  more  of  a  mixture  of  pianos  music,  ambient  and  classical  music  to  create  something  very  original  as  well  as  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Katarina  Guboanova  is  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  mixture  of  metal,  ambient,  classical  and  piano  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Guardians  Of  Asgaard"  and  "Phoenix".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2ABJtHIlHI

Aires/Naturalismo/Collectivo Casa Amarela/2017 FULL Length Review

  Portugal's  Aires  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  a  mixture  of  harsh  noise  and  melancholy  yet  moody  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album "Naturalismo"  which  was  released  by  Collectivo  Casa Amarela.

  Field  recordings  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  nature  sounds  and  after  awhile  atmospheric  ambient  soundscapes  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  all  3  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  being  instrumental.

  Elements  of  harsh  noise  and  drone  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  a  great  amount  of  dark  ambient  style  synths  while  all  3  of  the  tracks  sound  very  different  from  each  other  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.

  Aires  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  mixture  of  field  recordings,  dark  ambient  and  harsh  noise  from  previous  releases  while  also  keeping  most  of  the  music  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  m  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Aires  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  ambient  and  harsh  noise,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Precisamos  De  Espelhos  2".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIJmShMMSe4&t=&utm_source=Colectivo+Casa+Amarela&utm_campaign=9748607d24-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_10_30&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5c31029d00-9748607d24-27455861