Gridfailure/Irritum/2018 Full length Review

  New  York's  Gridfailure  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music going  into  more  of  a mixture  of  experimental  and  harsh  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2018  album  "Irritum"  which  will  be  released  in  February.

  Distorted  reverb's  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  growling  vocals  in  the  background  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  atmospheric  soundscapes  and  harsh  noises  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  experimental  and  avant  garde  elements  and  some  tracks  also  add  in    a  touch  of  death industrial.

  Acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  the  keyboards  when  they  are  utilized  bring  in  a  touch  of  psychedelia  and  when  theremin's  are  added  onto  the  recording  they  take  the  music  into  more  of  an  experimental  direction  along  with  the  bass  guitars  adding  in  more  of  an  extreme  metal  style,  one  of  the  later  tracks is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  harmonicas  and  drum  beats  can  also  be  heard briefly.

  On  this  recording  Gridfailure  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  avant  garde,  experimental  and  harsh  noise  and  mixes  them  together  while  elements  of  grindcore  and  extreme  metal  are  also  added  into  some  tracks  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark. 

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Gridfailure  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental, harsh  noise  and  underground  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Internalizing"  "Hatecompulse"  "Gid  The  Impaler"  and  "Decoration".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.facebook.com/gridfailure

http://www.gridfailure.bandcamp.com

https://twitter.com/GRIDFAILURE

https://www.instagram.com/gridfailure

Ulvesang/The Hunt/Nordvis Produktion/2018 CD Review

  Ulvesang  are  a  duo  from  Canada  that  plays  a  very  dark  form  of  neo-folk  and  this  is  a  review of  their  2018  album  "The  Hunt"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Nordvis  Produktion.

  Nature  orientated  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic feeling while  drones  and  synths  are  added  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later  along  with  some  ritualistic  yet  melodic  chanting  and  after  awhile  acoustic  guitars  are  added  onto the  recording.

  A  great  amount  of  folk  music elements  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  most  of  the  tracks  sound  different  from  each  other  along  with  the  guitars  also  bringing  in  a  good  mixture  of  both  finger  picking  and  full  chords  as well  as  the  vocals  being  done  in  a  clean  fashion  and  when  synths  are  used  in  the  background  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  an  atmospheric  feeling and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  instrumentals.

  Ulvesang  plays   a  style  of  neo-folk  that  is  very  dark  and  melancholic  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  Shamanism,  Nature  and  Melancholia.

  In  my  opinion  Ulvesang  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  neo-folk  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Invocation"  "The  End"  "The  Run"  and  "The  Truth".  8  out  of  10.

http://ulvesang.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/ulvesang

Khiral interview

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



Jouni: Since we got all of the recording done, I think we all suffered a some kind of studio hangover. Now things are looking good and we have been rehearsing and writing new material, so it’s been very exciting times in camp Khiral as the album got released couple weeks ago.



Tuomo: We’ll be having an album release gig in Germany, and after that we get to concentrate on new material. Gigs will be done if interesting opportunities should arise, so like Jouni said, exciting times are at hand.





2.Recently you have a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?



Jouni: Heavy and crushing! I think we sound... well, fresh and natural. Not overly produced and hopefully that is what people and audience will hear too!

I don’t think that our sound really differs from the past, just evolved and the results are now there for everyone to hear.





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



Jouni: Tuomo might give you a more detailed and insightful answer, but I think future topics could be anything between slaying dragons and what we feel and see around us, hahah! There could be more personal feelings too.



Tuomo: The lyrics on ’Chained’ involved mainly the downsides of modern society, and I see no reason why these subjects couldn’t be handled even further. If there’s one certainty in this world, it’s the fact that ignorance will never disappear. But personal feelings, experiences and individual situations (eg. getting stuck in airport safety inspection) make good stories too, so there’s really nothing keeping me from writing about whatever I feel like writing. ;)

In a nutshell, whatever I write lyrics about, I want the listener to be able to somehow relate to the subject.





4.Originally the band was known as 'Ivana Red' what was the cause of the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Khiral'?



Jouni: I think ‘Ivana Red’ was more of a “pop” oriented style of music, because of Mari (singer at that time).

And when Mari left the band, rest of the guys changed the name and style! And knowing the guys it’s only natural that they started to play more and more heavier stuff.

If my memory serves me correctly, name Khiral came from chiralization, which means some kind of mirror effect, opposites!?!



Tuomo: Yeah, that’s pretty much the meaning of it, things having two sides.





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?



Jouni: Well, best show is always the one coming up, meaning all of our shows are just pure greatness and we always try to top the previous one. 😂

We’re just getting started and all shows so far have been great and we are always excited to play live. Of course there is always something to improve. I like to think our stage performance is energetic and fun, at least we have fun on stage and hopefully it shows to audience too!





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



Jouni: Well, there’s always something cooking in our Khiralpot, but they are more of long distance plans at the time.

As I’m writing this we all sit on a plane on our way to Germany to play a show in Munich.



Tuomo: Khiralpot, I like it! That’s a keeper! And yeah, there are plans, but we’ll see what happens. ;)





7.Originally the band played more of a hardcore style, what was the decision behind going into more of a metal direction?



Jouni: As I said above, I think that Mari leaving the band is the main reason that Khiral evolved into what it is today. Final touche-ups took place when Tuomo and I joined the band in  early 2016 and when Markus [drummer] started to give us heavier beat in spring 2017.





8.On a worldwide level how the feedback been to your music by fans of extreme metal?



Jouni: So far feedback has been great, I think people really like what we are doing! Of course we realize that we can’t please everyone and there’s always going to be someone who thinks we suck ass. That’s just the way it is!



Tuomo: There have been many positive reviews on ’Chained’ around the world, and great number of radio stations focusing on metal have played our music, and that’s absolutely wonderful. Many people have found us and expressed their liking towards what we’re doing, and it’s just amazing to see how Finnish metal is appreciated around the globe.





9.What is going on with the other bands or musical projects that some of the band members are a part of?



Tuomo: I do vocals in this Motörhead tribute band called Iron Wrist. We’re throwing gigs every now and then. Me and Jouni also have a project band called Bloodruin, which is a sort of an outing valve for all that music that Jouni has in his head but doesn’t quite fit in Khiral’s concept. Joni plays bass in a death/thrash band Sorrowed.





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



Jouni: Hopefully we evolve musically as a band. I don’t want to make ‘same’ album over and over! You got to grow to keep things interesting.

Luckily, our new “in writing” material seems to do just that, it’s very interesting period going on in Khiral. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love the older songs and our debut album ‘Chained’, but those songs are from the period when Tuomo wasn’t in the band, I wasn’t in the band and Markus wasn’t in the band so it’s a kind of coalition of ‘old’ Khiral and current Khiral. We all put our little stamps on the songs that made them what they are, and I’m proud of them, but now we have a whole new situation when there are ideas flying around and we’re starting to put them together and everyone is giving their 110% from the start!



Tuomo: Couldn’t have said it any better. We now have two guitarists with quite different approach to composing songs,  so it’ll be an adventure in itself to see what the new material will end up being like. But rest assured, it’ll be Khiral all the way!





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



Jouni: Wow, let’s try to keep it short, I think we all listen a bit different bands and only thing common I can think of is Metal, in general!

I know Matti got his kicks from Lamb Of God and Behemoth among others and Joni is our true old school death metal guy who got lost in delta blues a while ago!

Markus is a bit mystery to me on this subject and Tuomo just listens about everything from Battle Beast to Cradle Of Filth.

Personally my biggest influences were mainly in old school thrash, Metallica, Testament, Slayer, Exodus etc. but of course you gotta have some Kiss and W.A.S.P and Mötley Crue and Whitesnake in the mix and not forgetting Pantera!

Nowadays, it’s pretty much the same but also a lot of acoustic stuff like Blackmore’s Night and as a Finn you can’t forget Tapio Rautavaara!



Tuomo: Jouni summed it up pretty well there. As for myself, like JJ mentioned, I like to listen to many kinds of heavier stuff, perhaps mainly focusing on melodic death metal, folk metal, viking metal and symphonic black metal.





12.What are some of your non musical interests?



Jouni: Recently I started drawing again, I haven’t done it in years so it’s been really fun to try to draw something. I also like writing my feelings on paper, kind of like diary but more in a lyrical form or poem.



Tuomo: I read a lot. And I mean a lot, I have a book in reading all the time. I can’t even go to sleep without reading first! And I also study Japanese martial art tradition.





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



Jouni: Enjoy the album and see you on the gigs! Horns up!



Tuomo: Behave! ;)

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Insect Ark/Marrow Hymns/Profound Lore Records/2018 CD Review

  Insect  Ark  are  a  duo  with  members  from  New  York  and  Oregon  and  plays  an  instrumental  mixture  of  psychedelic,  horror  movie  soundtrack,  noise  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Marrow  Hymns"  which  will  be  released  in  February  by  profound  Lore  Records.

  Atmospheric  drones  and  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  as  well  as  mixing  steel  guitar  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  All  of  the  music  is  instrumental  while  some  songs  also  mix  in  elements  of  noise  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  distorted  yet  melodic  fashion  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  also  starts  getting  more  psychedelic  on  some  of  the  tracks,  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  slow  direction.

  Insect  Ark  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  doom  metal,  noise,  psychedelic  and  horror  soundtrack  music  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  while  also  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Insect  Ark  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  doom  metal,  noise,  psychedelic  and  horror  soundtrack  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  duo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Arp  9"  "Slow  Ray"  and  "Death".  8  out  of 10. 

http://www.insectark.com

http://www.facebook.com/InsectArk
http://www.insectark.bandcamp.com

Antichrist/Pax Moriendi/Iron Bonehead Productions/2018 CD Review

  Antichrist  are  a  band  from  Peru  that  plays  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Pax  Moriendi"  which  was  released  by  Iron  Bonehead  Productions.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  which  also  mixes in  with  the  heavier  funeral  doom  metal  riffing while  the  vocals are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  spoken  word  parts  also  gives  the  songs  a  more  ritualistic  feeling and  some  of  the  riffs also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  when  the  music speeds  up  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of black  metal  screams  and  clean  guitars can  also be  heard.

  Antichrist  plays  a  style  of  funeral  doom/death  metal that  is  very heavily  rooted  in  the  90'd  tradition, the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  melancholic  themes..

  In  my  opinion  Antichrist  are  a  very  great  sounding  funeral  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Forgotten  In  Nameless  Suffering"  and  "You'll  Never  See  Sunlight".  8  out  of  10.

http://soundcloud.com/iron-bonehead-productions/antichrist-in-the-dark-and-mournful-corner-of-memory/s-IQM7x  

Horizon On The Mute/Chiliad Rite/Anesthetize Productions/2018 CD Review

  Horizon  On  The  Mute  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a mixture  of  drone  and  doom  metal  with  some  elements  of  industrial,  noise  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Chiliad  Rite"  which  will  be  released  on  January  31st  by  Anesthetize  Productions.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  synths  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  side  of  the  music  while  the  riffs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  doom  metal  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  as well  as  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls.

  All  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  at  times  and  when  the  vocals  get  more  grim  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  black  metal  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  dark  and  melodic  while  some  of  the  tracks  also  show  the  music  bring  in  more  of  an  experimental  and  avant  garde  style  along  with  some  elements  of  noise  and  industrial  and  all  of  the  tracks  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction but  sounding  different  with  every  track.

  On  this  recording  Horizon  Of  The  Mute  keep  the  heaviness  of  doom  and  death  metal  while  also  expanding  on  the  drone  and  experimental  elements,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Eastern  Roman  Empire  and  exploring  the  unknown  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Horizon  On  The  Mute  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental,  drone,  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Reformation"  and  "Ars  Magna".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.horizonofthemute.net

https://horizonofthemute.bandcamp.com

Nihiltronix/Homesongs/La Nouvelle Alliance/OPN/2017 CD Review

  Nihiltronix  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  industrial,  noise  and  experimental  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Homesongs"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  LA  Nouvelle  Alliance  and  OPN.

  A  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  sound  starts  off  the album  along  with  some  loops  while spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  synths  and  programmed  beats  being  added  into the  music  after  awhile  as  well  as  some  industrial  style  screams.

  At  times  the  bass  guitars  are  used  as  a  lead  instrument  while  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  electronic  guitars  and  percussion'a  along  with  a  few  tracks  being instrumentals  as  well  as  most  of  the  songs  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  harsh  noise  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Nihiltronix  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  dark  industrial,  noise,  avant  garde  and  experimental  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  French  and  cover nihilism  themes.

   In  my  opinion  Nihiltronix  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  industrial,  noise,  avant  garde  and  experimental  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "No  Excuse"  "Seul/Ex"  "Retex"  and  "Message  Universal".  8  out  of  10.

https://opnrecords.bandcamp.co m/

 

  

Monads/IVIIV/Aesthetic Death/2017 CD Review

  Monads  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  plays  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "IVIIV"  which  was  released  by  Aesthetic  Death.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  once  the  music  gets  heavy  death  metal  growls  and  screams  are  introduced  onto the  recording  as  well  as  the  screams  also  bringing  in  a touch  of  black  metal  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  while  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  brought  into  the  music  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  acoustic  guitars  also  returning on  some  of  the  later  tracks.

 As  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  psychedelic  elements  can  be  heard  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  tragic  sounding  keyboards  being  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track  as  well  as  closing  the  album.

  Monads  plays  a  style  of  funeral  doom  metal  that is  very  slow,  dark,  melodic  and  heavy  sounding  while  also  having  its  fast  and  brutal  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Monads  are  a  very  great  sounding  funeral  doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Leviathan  As  My  Lament"  and  "The  Despair  of  An  Aeon".  8  out  of  10.

https://monads.bandcamp.com/album/iviiv

  

Esoteric/Esoteric Emotions-The Death Of Ignorance/Aesthetic Death/2017 Demo Re-Issue Review

  Esoteric  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  1993  demo  "Esoteric  Emotions-The  Death  Of  Ignorance"  which  was  re-issued  in  2017  by  Aesthetic  Death.

  A  very  slow,  far  and  heavy  funeral  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  demo  along  with  some  guttural  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  screams  are  utilized  they  also  add  in a  touch  of  black  metal.

  All  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  along  with  some  clean  playing and  psychedelic  elements  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  guitar  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  as  the  album  progresses  some  of  the  music  also  gets  more  avant  garde  and  experimental  but  also  remaining  very  heavy  and  the  guitar  leads  also  have  their  chaotic  moments  and  a  later  track  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  demo.

  Esoteric  played  a  style  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  on  this  recording  that  was  very  heavy,  original  and  experimental  for  the  time  it  was  released,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  misanthropy,  infinite  space,  dreams,  isolation  and  psychedelic  experience  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Esoteric  are  a  very  great  sounding  funeral  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Esoteric"  "Eyes  Of  Darkness"  and  "The  Laughter  Of  The  Ignorant".  8  out  of  10.

https://esotericuk.bandcamp.com/album/esoteric-emotions-the-death-of-ignorance-1993-demo-re-release

Picture Ann/Metastasizing Angel/Floodgate Moods Productions/2018 Single Review

  Denmark's  Picture  Ann  have  returned  with  a  new  track  which  continues  the  ambient, experimental and metal  mixture  of  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  song  "Metastasizing  Angel'  which  was  released  by  Floodgate  Mood  productions.

  Acoustic  guitars  along  with  some  ambient  elements  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  vocals  in  the  background  which  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  while  the  riffs  are  very  heavy  and  melodic  sounding  as  well  as  some  melodic  guitar  leads  and  the  clean  guitars  also  add  in  a  touch  of  post  rock.

  On  this  track  Picture  Ann  creates  a  song  that  is  in  the  more  cinematic  ambient  rock/metal  direction  while  also  having  more  of  a  black  metal  touch  this  time  around  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  dark  ambient,  experimental  and  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  song.  8  out  of 10.

https://floodgatemoodsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/metastasizing-angel

  

Monolithe/Nebula Septum/Les Acteurs de I' Ombre Productions/2018 CD Review

  Monolithe  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Nebula  Septum"  which  will  be  released  on  January  26th  by  Les  Acteurs  de  I'  Ombre  Productions.

  Heavy  yet  melodic  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  and  epic  sounding  synths  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  slow  riffing  is  done  in  more  of  a  funeral  doom  metal  style  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  growls.

  When  screams  are  utilized  they  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal   while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  a  sci-fi  atmosphere  being  utilized  at  times,  one  track  also  introduces  clean  guitars  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  slow  direction  and  they  close  the  album  with  an  instrumental.

  Monolithe  plays  a  style  of  funeral  doom  metal  that  is  very  dark,  atmospheric  and  sci-fi  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  origin  of  mankind  and  science  fiction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mololithe  are  a  very  great  sounding  funeral  doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Burst  In  The  Event  Horizon"  and  "Fathom  The  Deep".  8  out of  10. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH847tkJZkI&feature=youtu.be 

Raison D'Etere/Alchymeia/Cyclic Law/2018 CD Review

  Raison  D' Etere  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient,  industrial  and  drone  and  this is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Alchymeia"  which  was  released  by  Cyclic  Law.

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  field  recordings  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  melodic  chants  also  gives  the  songs  a  more  ritualistic  feeling  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  avant  garde  and  experimental  at  times  and  the  synths  also  gives  the  songs  a  more  atmospheric  feeling.

  Elements  of  drone  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  one  song  also  bringing  in  a  brief  use  of  choir  vocals  and  all  of  the  songs  sound  different  from each  other  as  well  as  always  maintaining  a  ritualistic  atmosphere  and  percussion's  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  On  this  recording  Raison  D' Etere  go  for  more  of  a  ritualistic  mixture  of  drone  and  dark  ambient,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  the  paths  of  C.G  Jung's  notion  of  archetypes  and  the  individuation  process.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Raison  D'  Etere  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  ritualistic  dark  ambient  and  drone,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Negrido"  and  "Rubedo".  8  out  of  10.

VIEW ON BANDCAMP  

Khiral/Chained/Inverse Records/2018 CD Review

  Khiral  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  a mixture of  death  and  thrash  metal  along  with  some  elements  of  hardcore  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of their 2018  album  "Chained"  which  was  released  by  Inverse  Records.

  Clean  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  being  added  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  A  great  amount  of  thrash  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  a  few  black metal  screams  as  well  as  the  mid  tempo sections  also  adding  in  hardcore  style  breakdowns  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody,,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  a  couple  of  tracks  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  and  clean  singing.

  Khiral  plays  a musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  death  and  modern  thrash  metal  while  the  hardcore  and  black  metal  elements  makes  the  songs  stand  out  a  lot  more,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Khiral  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  with  some  elements  of  hardcore  and  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Stain"  "Narcissus  In  Your  Mirror"  and  "Lichen".  8  out  of  10. 

https://www.facebook.com/KhiralBand/

https://twitter.com/khiralband

https://khiralband.com/

Khiral @ Spotify

Inner Dawn Foundation/Saturnalia/2017 EP Review

  Inner  Dawn  Foundation  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  sludge,  death  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their self  released  2017  ep  "Saturnalia".

  Doom  metal  style  bass  guitars  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  drones  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  as  well  as  the  vocals  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  tortured  screams  and  at  times  the  music  gets  very  ritualistic  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in length.

  Blast  beats  from  the  drums  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  riffs  always  stick  to  a  very  slow  direction  along  with  the  music  also  getting  very  progressive  and  avant  garde  in  some  parts  of  the  songs as  well  as  the  riffing  also  mixing  in  elements  of  death  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  some  of  the  vocals  also  gives  the  songs  a  more  ritualistic  feeling

  Inner  Dawn  Foundation  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  that  is  very  progressive  while  also  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom metal,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  occultism  and  psychology.

  In  my  opinion  Inner  Dawn  Foundation  are  a  very  great sounding  progressive  mixture  of  sludge,  death  and  funeral  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Zatmenie".  8  out  of  10

https://idfband.bandcamp.com/album/saturnalia-17-2

  

Corbian Interview

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

Corbian was founded in 2014 in Offenbach, Germany. Our music combines elements of Melodic Death Metal with Black and Thrash Metal influences.



2.Recently you have released your first album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

  Thick. We have a dominant bass, brutal Guitars, brutal Drums and aggressive Vocals. It's a full slap in the face.



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

 Our Lyrics focus on aggression, hate, anger and loss."The Darkness" is our take against war. But it's not only the lyrics that transport the message, you can feel it in our music, too.



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

 The name "Corbian" was coined by our old guitarist. It's actually a non-sense word, that just sounds cool - it has no deeper meaning.



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

 We try to be as energetic as possible when playing live. It's great fun, because when you give 100%, the crowd will, too. Our best shows were in our home domain, like at the Hanauer Bürgerfest or in Frankfurt.



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

 We always have shows planned. We'll be doing some around Frankfurt in the near future. As far as touring we're hoping to be able to hit the road through Germany and/or Europe this year.

 Organisation for that has already begun.



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

 We're not actively looking for a label, since we feel that you don't necesserly need a label these days anymore. We had offers, but none were attractive to us, yet.



8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of melodic and extreme metal?

   Feedback has been great. A lot of people from everywhere contacted us after the release and we're featured in a variation of Online Radios worldwide, it's amazing!



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

 With "Supremacy of Fire" we set a solid ground for our musical development. For the future we try to stay true to our Death and Black Metal roots, but we also try to write more challenging and slightly more complex stuff for your enjoyment.



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?

  Our biggest influence is definitely Amon Amarth. We have various other influences, to name a few: Black Sabbath, Slayer, Behemoth, Slipknot, Immortal,... We love those bands and still listen to them today.



11.What are some of your non musical interests?

We all share a mutual love for gaming, however we don't really have the time for great hobbies besides our commitment to music.



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

We want to thank all our fans and listeners for their overwhelming support this far. It's been a real blast!

https://www.facebook.com/Corbian/

Corbian/Supremacy Of Fire/2017 Full Length Review

  Corbian  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  melodic  form  of  death  metal  with  elements  of  hardcore,  thrash  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Supremacy  Of  Fire".

  Death  metal  growls  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  win  screams  are  utilized  they  add  in  a  touch  of  black  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  some  songs  also  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  classical  guitars,  spoken  word parts  can  also  be  heard briefly,  elements  of  hardcore  can  be  heard  in  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  synths  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  riffs  also  bring  in  more  elements  of  thrash  and  one  track  brings  in  clean  vocals.

  Corbian  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  melodic  death  metal  while  the  elements  of  black,  thrash  metal  and  hardcore  gives  the  songs  more  originality,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released recording while  the  lyrics  cover  loss,  hatred  and  pain  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Corbian  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  death  metal  band  with  elements  of  thrash,  black  metal  and  hardcore  and  if  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "Bloodborn"  "Spirit  Of  The  Mine"  "Time  TO  Serve  The  Pain"  and  "Death  by  Shopping  Cart".  8  out  of  10.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Corbian/
BACKSTAGE PRO: https://www.backstagepro.de/corbian
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPJwZbJUmTOj45e_m8gBqJw
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/corbian_official/

Towards Atlantis Lights/Dust Of Aeons/Transcending Obscurity Records/2018 CD Review

  Towards  Atlantis  Lights  are  a  band  with  members  from  Italy  and  the  United  Kingdom  and  plays  an   atmospheric  form  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Dust Of  Aeons"  which  will  be  released  in  March  by  Transcending  Obscurity  Records.

  Atmospheric  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  riffs  bringing  in  a  heavier  funeral  doom  metal  style  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length   as  well  as  some  melodic  vocals  also  being  used  at  times.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  synths  gives  the  music  more  of  a  funeral  style  atmosphere  as  well as  death  metal  growls  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  spoken  word  parts  can also  be  heard  briefly,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  most  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction  and  when  grim s creams  are  utilized  they  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard.

  Towards  Atlantis  Lights  plays  a  style  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism,  Esoteric  and  Ancient  Mystery  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Towards  Atlantis  Lights  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric funeral  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Bunker  Of  Life"  and  "Alexandria's  Library".  8  out  of  10.   

Official Bandcamp

Megalophobe/Self Titled/2018 EP Review

  Megalophobe  are  a  solo  project  from  New  York  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  and  self  titled  2018  ep.

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  start  off  the  ep  while  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  at  times  along  with  some programmed  beats  as  well  as  some  songs  also  bringing  in  drones  and  experimental  elements  and  the  music  always  remains  instrumental,  all  of  the  songs  sound  very  different  from  each  other  and  the  last  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  On  this  recording  Megalophobe  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  dark  ambient,  drone  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  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Megalophobe  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  and  dark  ambient,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  'A  Field  Of  Wind  Turbines  In  the  Foreground"  and  "Not  While  The  Ship Is  Docked".  8  out  of  10.

https://megalophobe.bandcamp.com

https://twitter.com/megalophobe