Death Has Spoken Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?

At the end of 2018 we had to find a new drummer because Tomek had to go his own way. As usual - these are difficult moments when you have to say goodbye to a friend. Right now we are in the process of practicing old material with a new drummer. We want to be 100% ready for upcoming concerts. However, we remember that our main goal is to record the next album this year.


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

It was simple because when we were recording the album, we didn't plan to form a band. It was a difficult time with a lot of sadness and uncertainty. It came out naturally, we gave vent to our emotions. It’s certainly death doom metal, but you will also find black and funeral metal influences here. We are looking for inspiration wherever you find sadness, death and loneliness.


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?

You can’t think "I'm going to write a sad song" and start writing. It doesn’t work like that. These emotions must flow from the depths of your bleeding heart, if you want it to be really honest and true. If you are not frank in what you do, people will quickly realize that you are faking. During writing lyrics on "Fade" I was fighting with other demons than now. I was in the process of tearing down my roots and the future was foggy. That's why the songs tell about the end, loneliness and emptiness. There’s a lot of melancholy here. But the next album will touch other issues. That's all I can say now.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Death Has Spoken'?

Meaning ... well ... I would translate it to: "The end has come”. Try to think about all the emotions that come with ‘the end’. There's a lot of it, right? Everyone thinks first about sad and painful things. But sometimes the end brings a bit of hope. All I'm trying to say is that we wanted to include in band name all the topics we're talking about. I think we made it.


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

This is a very good question because I never thought about it. The author of this art is our guitarist Marcin and i think he could say more about it. Our first idea was a burned candle in the darkness of the tomb. After a few weeks Marcin brought a different project and we loved it. No one asked any questions, we just said “this is it”. Well, I need to ask him about it.


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

I think all performances were on an equal level. Of course, you can always have a bad day and the show may not give you as much pleasure as always, but we don’t have bad memories of any performance. We try to play the best we can and give it everything, no matter how many people will be at the concert.


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

Of course. However, I’m not allowed to talk about them yet. But be sure that we will soon inform you about the details.


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

Honestly - we don’t have any proposals and currently we don’t try to get them. Probably, if they appears, we will consider them. So far, we’re going on our own and everything is going well so we don’t make radical changes. We cooperate with The Hanged Man Booking Agency which has expanded our concert possibilities.


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

Very good so far. Positive reviews and opinions of the listeners have given us confidence and mobilizing us for further actions.


10.When can we expect another recording and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We truly believe that we will be able to record a new album this year. But you know how it is - life can surprise you. Saying to everyone that this will be in this year, we are putting pressure on ourselves but we are mobilizing ourselves at the same time. We hope we will not regret this.

About the new album - we will continue to follow the doom path. That's all I can say now.


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?

Oh man, there are so many bands that I don’t know where to start. Right now I’m waiting for the new Candlemass and Swallow The Sun albums. A few days ago I was on a great Draconian concert and I also bought a Doom:VS album "Dead Words Speak" - one of my favourites albums of all time.


12.What are some of your non musical interests?

I think the same as hundreds of thousands of other guys. Too obvious to waste time, too boring to talk about.


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

Thanks for your time. Stay tuned - Death will speak soon again.

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Sinister Downfall Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Sinister Downfall is a one-man project, which is rather atypical for this genre. It was founded in 2016. Since many ideas were already in mind at that time, it was possible to record a full album without first producing a demo.

2.In November you had released your first album with this project, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?
For the kind of emotions and thoughts that Sinister Downfall pursues, a very slow tempo is best, which is supposed to emphasize the ruin and the emptiness. Large variations were deliberately avoided. Through the monotony I tried to convey an infinite void. An emptiness, as it would arise if all life would leave the planet.

3.You have participated in both black and doom metal projects, how would you compare the 2 different styles?
Besides the two mentioned genres I'm also working on a death metal project with a very aggressive sound, which is stylistically on a completely different track. Each genre, with its characteristics is better or worse suited to express and convey certain emotions. That's why I'm not someone who bites into one genre and doesn't allow anything else. Every genre has its justification and I use them to express my thoughts.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your music?
The main theme is the end of all life on planet Earth. In my opinion humans are a misdevelopment, invading and destroying nature. This is of course known to everyone and can be seen daily in all its abnormal forms. No other living being develops such greed and unfounded destructiveness like man. Every phase of civilization comes to an end sometime, be it by a meteorite impact, an ice age or whatever. In my opinion, the era of the 'new' life, the era of the homo sapiens, will be ended by those sapiens themselves. And because the effects of human action bring about such serious destruction, the 'intelligent apes' will also drag all other living beings into damnation.
A theme that is included in almost all of my musical works is philosophical pessimism. This can also be found in Sinister Downfall.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sinister Downfall'?
I tried to describe the main theme of the music in two words. I am not someone who interprets too much into band names.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the album cover?
The cover was drawn by Paint-It Black Design and shows the main theme of the project in one picture, namely the humanized form of death. Man is the one who will bring about his own death, so it is the perfect personification.

7.On the album you had recorded everything by yourself, do you feel you are able to express yourself a lot more musically by working solo?
That's definitely the case. If I want to bring my own emotions into the music, then it inevitably only works individually. I can only make music by working alone. Why should it be any different than sculptors, painters, writers and other artists who always worked individually?

8.The new album was released on 'Funere', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?
Funere is a new label from Armenia, which is specialized in doom metal. The interesting and special thing about it is that it is run by a woman, which is rather an exception in metal. Sinister Downfall's 'Eremozoic' was the first album released on this label.  I really get along very well with the owner; the cooperation and support was excellent from the beginning and I don't care about the size of the label if everything else is good.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of funeral doom metal?
I'm afraid I can't judge that very well because I don't follow it. Since there are people who order the CD and purchase the album digitally, it shows me that there are people who like my music and even if it were just one person, that would be enough for me.

10.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that you are a part of?
I invest a lot of my free time in music and don't need long breaks of inspiration. Donarhall will release a new album in the near future. For Hexengrab a demo was released on CD just a few days ago and my death metal project is almost finished. Not long ago I released the album 'Ritual' by Dark Fields from the field of drone / dark ambient. In this project I work together with my wife, who makes the art for the releases. This work is a synthesis of art and music. But most of the time it takes a bit longer to release stuff, because a suitable label has to be found.  But all the other things are also permanently in work.

11.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
This is very difficult to answer and to be honest, I never look too far into the future. I will continue as before, learning from my previous works and trying to evolve. Music is a big part of my life and will remain so forever.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I can't name a particular band that has influenced me significantly. I think every song I've heard in my life has left a certain impression on me and had a certain influence on me. Of course that doesn't just include metal.
Currently I listen to many different things. I like many young blackened death metal bands, who currently make excellent music. Of course I listen to a lot of black metal but also rather unconventional things, sometimes also classical music. Dark ambient and all its dark and experimental offshoots have always fascinated me very much.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I would like to thank all the people who listen to my music and support me. Also a big thank you to the labels that make analog releases possible and of course to people like you who are committed to the music and keep it alive through reviews, interviews and other reports. Keep supporting metal!

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Autumn Tears/Colors Hidden Within The Gray/2019 CD Review

  Autumn  Tears  are  a  band  from  Billerica,  Massachusetts  that  plays  a  mixture of  neo-classical,  cinematic  score  and  world  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2019  album  "Colors  Hidden  Within  The  Gray".

  A  cinematic  orientated  intro  starts  off  the  album  while  also  introducing  stringed  and  ethnic  sounding  instruments  onto  the  recording.  On  the  second  track  operatic  female  vocals  are  also  introduced  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  mixing  in  elements  of  classical  music  and  the  first  3  songs  have  a  concept  to  them.

  Tragic  sounding  orchestras  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  music  also  gets  very  symphonic  at  times.  Elements  of  world  music  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  female  vocals  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  goth.All  of  the  songs  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other  which  also  gives  the  music  more  diversity.

  As  the  album  progresses  some  of  the  tracks  also  start  getting  more  long  and  epic  in  length.  Later  songs  also  introducing  percussion  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  the  cinematic  elements  making  the  music  sound  more  epic  and  one  song  also  adds  a  small  amount  of  classical  guitars  onto  the  recording,  a  later  track  is  also  all  instrumental.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Autumn  Tears  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  neo-classical,  cinematic  score  and  world  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Day  Of  Wrath"  "Rainlight  Ascension"  "The  Earth  Song"  and  "Another  Day".  8/5  out  of  10.

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Seer Interview

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

Aside from preparing Vol. 6 for release, not a whole lot. Usually by this point we have a good chunk of the next release written, but not this time. It was nice to have a bit of a break after recording this one, but we’re gearing back up as release day approaches.

2.In February you have a new album coming out, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

Vol. 6 feels a bit faster than our previous releases, due in part to the black metal and traditional metal influences. We’ve been shifting away from the “stoner” thing since our last full length, although we never really embraced it.

3.The lyrics on the new recording are a concept album while all of the lyrics on your previous albums also follow a narrative, can you tell us a little bit more about the songwriting?

The narrative spans all of our releases, with a few thousand years separate Volumes 1-4 from 5 and 6. In the beginning, each new song would push the story along. We didn’t know exactly where it was going as we wrote it. The past few releases have been far more structured, with an outline laid out before the individual songs were written themselves.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Seer B.C'?

Well the “Seer” part is related to the narrative, although we haven’t explicitly stated how yet. “BC” isn’t really part of our name, but we tacked in on unofficially just in case another band comes for the Seer name.

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

The artwork was done by Cauê Piloto, a Brazilian painter. We like to find talented artists that are just beginning to break out, and at the time I think he had only painted one other album cover, for Jupiterian. He’s since done the new Un album and I’m sure we’ll see a lot more of him soon. The art depicts a few parts of the narrative brought together into a single piece. Our protagonist is present, as well as the entity he meets in the final act, and the monastery he belongs to is hiding in the back.

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

Our favourite gig so far was a year ago with Elder in Vancouver. It was one of those shows where the vibe was just right. Typically when things are going well, the members of the band fall into a trance and achieve maximum telepathic capacity, and the audience is pulled into the divine cosmic energy. You know?

7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

We have a gig lined up with Conan and Vancouver locals Bushwhacker in February. Aside from that we’re releasing the record and seeing what comes of it. We’re hoping to get on the road and play the new songs to fresh audiences.

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

Artoffact has their roots in electronic music but are no strangers to rock and metal. They’ve released records for some of the legendary industrial groups like FLA and Decree, and have a bunch of young artists putting out some great stuff as well.

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

To oversimplify: people who appreciate experimentation and genre-melding seem to appreciate what we do, and purists do not. That’s totally fine with us.

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

Peter plays in Empress and Kyle tours with Wormwitch. There are a number of side projects in the works that should surface in the near future featuring various members of the band.

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

We found ourselves a bit with Vol. 6. Things will continue to evolve, but at this point we at the very least have an idea of what we don’t want to do anymore.

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

I’ll just go ahead and list a bunch. For Vol. 6 we took inspiration from Candlemass, Blue Öyster Cult, King Crimson, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Godflesh, Queensrÿche, Taake, Bathory, The Ruins of Beverast, Dissection, Ennio Morricone, and many others. Currently we’re listening to a lot of Triptykon, Necrot, Idle Hands, Blood Incantation, Ascension, Bölzer, Jesu, Drab Majesty, Bohren & Der Club Of Gore, Daughters, Primordial, and the list goes on.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

We have a number of projects and businesses we are involved in. Josh has a studio in East Vancouver called Vintage Rigs, Bronson runs a Norse-inspired jewelry and apparel online shop called Hellrune, and Kyle has a screen printing business called Rite of Permanence and hosts a podcast called The Process.

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

Spin Vol. 6! Check out Hellrune and The Process! If you need a print call ROP! If you want to record your band get at Vintage Rigs! Thanks!

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Raison D'Etere/Enthralled By The Wind Of Loneliness/Cyclic Law/Old Europa Cafe/2018 Vinyl Re-Issue Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Sweden's  Raison  D'Etere  which  continues  his  mixture  of  dark ambient and  drone  and  the  album  was  originally  released  in  1994  and  called  "Enthralled  By  The  Wind  Of  Loneliness"  with  the  re-issue  being  released  on  vinyl  in  2018  as  a  joint  effort  between  Cyclic  Law  and  Old  Europa  Cafe.

  Water  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ambient  style  soundscapes  a  few  seconds  later  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  synths  being  used  throughout  the  recording.  At  times  the  music  also  captures  a  shamanistic  atmosphere  while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  also  all  instrumental  along  with  the  synths  also  mixing  in  elements  of  neo-classical  at  times  while  also  using  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys.  Programmed  beats  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  martial  or  militant  feeling.

  One  track  also  introduces  monk  chants  into  the  music  along  with  all  of  the  songs  sounding  very  different  from  each  other.  Ethnic style instruments  are  also  added  onto  a  couple  of  tracks  and  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  atmosphere  and  atmospheric  sounding  drones  are  also  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  a touch  of  noise  being  added  in  at  times.  As  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  tribal  percussion  and  field  recordings  can  also  be  heard  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Raison  D'Etere  which  is  also  very  different  from  the  previous  albums  reviewed  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  dark  ambient  and  drone,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Awakening"  "The  Narrow  Gate"  "Pathaway"  adn  "Maze  Shrine".  8  out  of  10.

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Death Has Spoken/Fade/2017 CD Review

  Death  Has  Spoken  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  funeral  doom/death  metal  with  some  elements  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017 album  "Fade".

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  riffing  a  few  seconds  later.  Elements  of  funeral  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls.

  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  clean  guitars  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  At  times  the  music  also  captures  some  of  the  more  atmospheric  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  A  touch  of  melodic  doom/death  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  the  music  also  capturing  a  depressive  atmosphere  which  also  invokes  a  great  amount  of  sorrow  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  mourn,  despair,  hopelessness,  and  depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Death  Has  Spoken  are  a  very  great  sounding  funeral  doom/death  metal  band  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Respite  From  Tears"  and  "To  The  Darkness  of  The  North".  8  out  of  10.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Nr1XV5tV0

Raison D'Etere/Prospectus I/Cyclic Law/2018 CD Re-Issue Review

  Raison  D'Etere  are  a  musical  project  from  Sweden  that  has  recently  had  music  reviewed  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient, industrial  and  drone  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  1993  album  "Prospectus  I"  which  was  re-issued  in  2018  by  Cyclic  Law.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  bells  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling.  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  while  the  synths  also  add  in  elements  of  dark  ambient.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Gregorian  chants  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  as  well  as  some  programmed  beats  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  songs.  A  great  amount  of  industrial  elements  are  also  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  all  of  the  songs  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other  along  with  a  good  amount  of  diversity.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  sounding  along  with  the  synths  also  experimenting  more  with  different  sounding  keys  as  the  album  progresses.  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  all  instrumental  and  at  times  the  programmed  beats  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  militant  and  martial  feeling  and  some  tracks  while  some  tracks  also  sample  church  choirs.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  theology  and  religion  from  a  philosophical  perspective.

  In  my  opinion  this  was  a  very  great  sounding  recording  from  Raison  D'Etere  and  if  you  are a  fan  of  dark  ambient, industrial  and  drone,  you  should  check  out  this  re-issue.  RECOMMENDED TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Katharsis"  "Mesmerized  in  Sorrow"  "Penumbra"  and  "Inquest".  8  out  of  10.

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