Abysmal Growls Of Despair/Dark Days/Le Crepuscule du Soir Productions/Satanath Records/2014 Full Length Review

  Abysmal  Growls  Of  Despair  are  a  1  man  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  funeral  doom  metal  with  elements  of  drone  and  this  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2014  album  "Dark  Days"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Le Crepuscule du Soir Productions  and  Satanath Records.

  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  synth  sound  starts  off  the  album  which  also  brings  in  elements  of  ambient  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  a  more  heavy  funeral  doom  metal  sound  is  mixed  in  with  the  more  atmospheric  side  of  the  recording  along  with  some  deep  guttural  death  metal  growls  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  also  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  and  some  of  the  alter  tracks  also  bring  in  small  amounts  of  clean  playing  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow,  heavy  dark  and  atmospheric  sound  and  on  the  bonus  tracks  the  bass  guitars  start  adding  in  more  of  a  very  powerful  sounding  presence  while  on  a  later  song  a  small  amount  of  violins  are  added  onto  the  recording.

  On  this  album  Abysmal  Growls  Of  Despair  go  for  more  of  a  straight forward  and  atmospheric  approach  to  funeral  doom  metal  than  what  was  presented  on  later  recordings,  the  production  sounds  for  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  despair  themes.

  In  my  opinion this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Abysmal  Growls  Of  Despair  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  funeral  doom,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Darkest  Thought"  "Solitude"  and  "Lost  Dreams".  8  out  of  10.  

http://abysmalgrowlsofdespair.bandcamp.com/album/dark-days 



      

The Last Hour/Deadline/The White Room Netlabel/Seventh Crow Records/2014 Full Length Review

  The Last Hour  are  a  project  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  post  cold-darkwave  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2014  album  "Deadline"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  by  The  White  Room Netlabel  and  Seventh  Crow  Records.

  Electronic  music  beats  and  a  dark  ambient  sound  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  clean  singing  gothic  vocals  being  added  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later  which  leads  up  to  more  of  a  darkwave  direction  and  the  synths  have  a  very  dominating  presence  on  all  of  the  tracks  and  at  times  the  music  has  an  80's  feeling  to  it.

  As  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  experimental  and  also  brings  in  elements  of  alternative  music  to  the  old  darkwave  sound  that  is  present  on  the  recording  and  there  are  a  great  amount  of  programmed  drum  beats  throughout  all  of  the  tracks  along  with  one  song  being  an  instrumental  and  at  times  you  can  hear  elements  of  industrial  in  the  songs  along  with  some  bass  and  acoustic  guitars  being  added  into  the  music  briefly  later  on  during  the  album.

  The  Last  Hour  creates  a  very  tragic  and  melodic  style  of  post  cold-darkwave  on  this  recording  and  the  music  has  a  very  dark  and  tragic  sound  to  it,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  infinite,  the  unconceivable  worlds,  the  cosmic  space  and  the  nowhere.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  from  The  Last  Hour  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  coldwave  or  darkwave,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Everything  Fades  Away"  "Deadline"  "Utopia"  and  "Alpha  &  Omega".  8  out  of  10.

Buy CD: Seventh Crow Records
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Opium Dream Estate Interview

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

I am currently recording a new single with will be out in early 2015. With more dark and gothic rock influences and my new album, which sounds, will be a kind of mix of all I released this year, gothic, neofolk, dark blues….

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

The new ep, Shades, has a quiet but loud sound. Like a scream in a whisper. I tried to mix neofolk music with my “new influences and sounds” - something I already did though with the two previous releases, though the lyrical themes are more personal in “Shades” that in my other releases.

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

The most common topics and subjects I explored are death, love and madness… I also find inspiration in art, books and everyday life. In the last ep, the topics are lovelorn and sadness.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Opium Dream Estate’ ?

There are different meaning and inspiration. The very first one is from my favourite writer, Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry in which he sometimes wrote about opium dreams. I added “Estate”, to mix something that you can’t handle “opium dream” with something real, “Estate”. And when you pick every initial of each word, it makes ODE, which is my favourite form of poetry.

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

I have. I started playing my songs when I lived in England, in Brighton. But I really have started playing real live shows for 2 years. I mostly played in Paris but I also in other cities in France and was on a small European tour in last September which led me to the south of France, Switzerland and England. I plan to do another European tour and maybe play in the US, with a talented and very good friend, Autumn Shade.

6. On the ep you did covers of both Black Sabbath and Fields Of The Nephilim, what was the decision behind doing your own versions of these songs ?

I am a big fan of Fields of the Nephilim, one of my favourite band ever and a great influence on my music. I played “Celebrate” live, and some people and friends told me that I should record my own version so I did it. As for the Black Sabbath cover, “Solitude”, when I first listened to the song, I was a kid and I was very touched by the song. I recorded different versions but I never was fully satisfied by them. For some personal reasons, I decided to record it again and that was the good one. Normally the song was not mean to be on any ep or single, but people liked it and I felt the lyrical topic and sound of the song fit well the atmosphere of the ep and of the four other songs so I included to the ep in the end.

7. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your newer music by fans of neo-folk and other underground music genres ?

My “newer music, newer sound” has been well received by fans/listeners from the US, Germany, France and England. I also received a nice messages and comments from bands like Karnnos, The Last Hour and Albireon. I know some fans will not like ODE’s new sound but some others will…. Every artist and band know that. And this new sound gave me the opportunity to play in Europe and some in the US asked me come and play there.

8. Are there any other musical projects going on these days that the band members are involved with?

I am also involved in two other projects. The first one is The Funeral Warehouse, an indie and post-punk band. We are three and I sing and play guitar in the band. We released three EPs and we played some gigs. We are currently mixing our new ep. The second one is Vostok Station, a synthpop duo. I play music and a friend, Emily R. sings (in French). We are currently working on our third ep and hope to play our first gig next year. I also was involved in the industrial and experimental rock band, Saison de Rouille, in which I played guitars and keys, but the band’s now on hiatus. We released two LPs.

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

The new album will be out in 2015, and be entitled Some Kinds Of Ghosts. For now the band’s heading into a kind of mix between neofolk, indie rock and blues. Like stuff by Nick Cave, Tom Waits or Wovenhand. And I feel comfortable with that sound on stage. Maybe it would change then for I do not like doing the same thing, release after release.

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 been influenced by many band and/or different genres for I like listening almost every kind of music style but, mostly it came form the gothic, neofolk and indie rock scene, with bands like The Cure, VAST, Fields of the Nephilim, Wovenhand/16 Horsepower, The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud or Sol Invictus. Another band that greatly influenced me is Autumn Shade. The singer, Jes Leneé is now a close friend. As for nowadays, I’m listening to blues music and bands like Sophie Jamieson, Tom Waits, Nick Cave or Swans and a new band from England called The Murder Act. Great band !!

11. How would you describe your views on occultism ?

I think mine are based on the love and worship of Nature and also influenced by art and literature. I don’t know if I’m right or wrong but I think occultism, I mean today, is a way to stay close to Nature, to know our real place on Earth and, in some kind of way, to stay free from what we call the modern world, full of boundaries and narrow-minded thoughts.


12. What are some of your non musical interests ?


Mostly Art and literature

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

Well thank you, it was a pleasure. And merry Xmas !!!

https://www.facebook.com/opiumdreamestate/

Tonttu/Der Human-Gnome Projektum 5/Panicmachine/2014 CD Review

  Finland's  Tonttu  have  returned  with  a  new  album  which  continues  their  martial  approach  to  neo-folk  and  industrial  metal  of  previous  recordings  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Der  Human-Gnome  Projektum  5"  which  was  released  by  Panicmachine.

  Hospital  noises  and  machine  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  whispers  a  few  seconds  later  which  leads  up  to  some  synths  that  bring  in  a  dark  ambient  and  neo-classical  feeling  to  the  album  and  there  are  also  some  spoken  word  parts  being  added  into  certain sections  of  the  recording  and  after  a  few  minutes  guitars  start  becoming  a  huge  part  of  the  recording.

  Industrial  sounds  are  a  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  you  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  martial  beats  throughout  most  of  the  tracks  and  with  the  synths  mixed  in  they  bring  a  war  like  atmosphere  to  the  recording  along  with  some  melodic  neo-folk  vocals  being  utilized  at  times  and  the  guitars  bring  in  an  extreme  metal  sound.

  At  times  the  music  can  be  very  experimental  and  they  also  bring  in  a  track t hat  is  over  13  minutes  in  length  and  all  of  the  songs  have  a  very  different  sound  to  them  which  also  makes  the  album  more  diverse  and  hard  to  classify  in  a  certain  category  and  as  the  album  progresses  more  elements  of  old  school  electronic  music  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  the  heavier  parts  showing  an  influence  of  black  metal.

  Tonttu  creates  a  very  diverse  recording  taking  metal,  industrial,  neo-folk,  martial,  ambient,  neo-classical  and  electronica  to  create  an  album  that does  not  fit  in  with  any  genre  or  catefgory,  th e production  sound s very  powerful  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Finnish  and  cover  anti-gnome  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Tonttu  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  martial,  neo-folk  and  industrial  metal,  you  should  check out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Infektoitu,  Possessoitu  Ja/Tai  Sympatiseerus"  and  "Se  On  Tonttusota  Nyt,  Perkele!".  8  out  of  10.

https://tonttu.bandcamp.com/album/der-human-gnome-projektum-5

Day Before Us/Crystal Sighs of A Broken Universe/Twilight Records/2014 CD Review

  Day  Before  Us  are  a  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  members  from  both  France  and  Greece  and  play  an  etherial  and  ritualistic  form  of  neo-classical  on  this  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Crystal  Sighs  Of  A  Broken  Universe"  which  was  released  by  Twilight  Records.

  Operatic  female  vocals  which  are  also  a  huge  part  of  most  of  the  songs  start  off  the  album  and  after  a  minute  and  a  half  rain  sounds  and  keyboards  are  added  into  the  music  giving  the  album  an  avant  garde  feeling  while  still  having  a  touch  of  classical  and  at  times  you  can  hear  spoken  word  parts  being  utilized  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  which  also  give  the  tracks  a  ritualistic  feeling.

  A  good  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  at  time s the  vocals  give  the  music  a  very  etherial  and  medieval  feeling  and  at  time s the  music  also  brings  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  fantasy  movie  or  video  game  along  with  nature  sound s being  brought  in  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  band  also  brings  in  a  good  amount  of  experimental  elements  along  with  a  couple  of  instrumentals  and  towards  the  end  Gregorian  chants  can  be  heard  at  times.

  Day  Before  Us  creates  some  very  ritualistic  and  melancholic  sounding  neo-classical  with  this  recording  as  well  as  adding  in  a  very  etherial,  experimental  and  avant  garde  feeling  at  times,  the  production  sounds  very  dark,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Day  Before  Us  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  neo-classical,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Along  the  Innermost  Aisle"  "A  Message  To  The  Sea"  "Clytie,  the  oceanid"  and  "Orpheus  Lament".  8  out  of  10.

http://daybeforeus.tumblr.com/

https://daybeforeus1.bandcamp.com/      

Nienor Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
Well, it started in April 2014 when I called my younger brother to play with me some ideas I had. He plays saxophone and I play a little bit of guitar. The idea of joining forces was always on sight, so it was normal that someday I’d call him to play something.  I’m a black metal enthusiast and I’m very fond of the neofolk stuff that has been done in Europe for the last 15 years. I’m very influenced by the German band Darkwood, for instance – and Henryk Vogel is a very nice guy, by the way. Our project didn’t come up earlier, because I only had electric guitars, so when I bought an acoustic one, Nienör was created instantly. Gathering the things I’ve said, I think I’m able to label Nienör as an experimental neofolk band. The acoustic guitars are there, the melancholy is also there, but I decided to give it a try and add a saxophone giving it a more exotic and, once again, experimental sound.

2.Recently you have released an ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
Like I said, our sound’s base is neofolk with an experimental side delivered by the saxophone – an instrument that’s not usual in the genre. The songs are mostly melancholic and the saxophone acts like vocals. Firstly, we wanted to write only instrumental songs, but then I covered Pete Seeger’s “Which Side Are You On” and people liked it. So, I decided to include another song with vocals in the EP – the track called “Cleaned At Last”. The other songs are instrumentals in which the saxophone is the leading element in order to transmit sadness, loss and defeat. I think our songs are somehow spiritual since most of them don’t have lyrics.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Like I said, we try to explore sadness, loss and defeat. It’s hard to explain our lyrical topics since most of the songs are instrumentals, but I think I can do something about it. You have to read the songs’ titles and imagine a picture in your mind when the music starts. For instance, “A Elevação de Túrin” (meaning “Túrin’s Elevation) drives us into celestial canvas especially due to the choirs our friend Gonçalo L. Matias has inputted. So, without force a concept on the zine’s readers, I guess you can imagine someone who has died and now is entering the outer-world gates. It also helps if you have already read Tolkien’s “The Children Of Húrin”.

4.I know that the band name means tear and is also a character in Tolkien's "The Children of Húrin", how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?
That’s true, Nienör means tear and it’s also a character in that Tolkien’s book. When I’ve read it, I thought: “I will have a band with that name”. Neofolk, and folk itself, always was about the past and ancestral legends. You can either sing about palpable or historic things like your land, your folk’s superstitions, the hatred for modernity, or you can sing about legends and fiction. My brother and I are hardcore fans of Tolkien and we are very fond of “The Children Of Húrin”. It’s a catchy and tragic story. We spent days discussing the book and recalling some passages. It’s simply awesome. Less epic than “Lord Of The Rings”, but with a heavy amount of loss, love and tragedy. Maybe next time we write stuff about other characters or places that are part of the book, but I think we won’t always be stuck in this theme. There’s a whole world to explore, but of course Tolkien will always be a part of the project.

5.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you planning on expanding the line up in the future or do you chose to remain a duo?
We will remain as a duo. But we aren’t all alone. The songs are written by us and all initial ideas are ours, but we had some additional help like in the track “A Elevação de Túrin” in which our friend Gonçalo L. Matias has applied some choirs. It’s my favorite song in the EP, by the way.

6.Has the band done any live shows or is this strictly a studio project?
Not yet. We are in a very premature situation. Maybe in the feature we can perform some shows in our city or elaborate an intimate event to our closest friends. Right now we are focused in writing stuff, put it online and spread our word.

7.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
I’ve got in touch with some labels around Europe and got a cool feedback, but no signings. Most of them haven’t plans to release new stuff, because most of the old things they’ve released are stuck in the warehouse. Others said that they only work with Eastern Europe bands. Still, we’re doing our job by spreading our music by the means we have.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of neo-folk?
Generally good, I’m happy to say. The people who aren’t related with the underground always point the production as a downside, because it’s raw. We record live and with a headphone’s microphone – a thing that reminds me about Burzum’s Varg Vikernes in the 1990s. On the other hand, the underground enthusiasts like the raw production. I also want to add that the neofolk fans that have talked to us are very pleased with the fact that we have a saxophone – like I said, it’s an unusual instruments in the genre.

9.Are any of the band members also involved with any other musical projects?
My brother plays in a philharmonic band and with 16 years old he’s already a soloist. I’m very proud of him. About me, I’ve had a couple of metal bands, but nothing too serious. Right now, with 27, I’m focused in my main job, in the metal zines I publish and, of course, Nienör.

10.When can we expect a full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
I don’t know if we will release any full-length. If we do, I guess it will be in a far future. I prefer EPs, because the interval between releases isn’t so large and it makes us closer to the fans. Musically, we will keep doing our stuff, having fun writing about themes we like, exploring our instruments, exploring everyone’s senses.

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?
Darkwood are my main influence and inspiration regarding Nienör. But I can also point others, like King Dude – he’s just awesome and his way of playing have helped me a lot. Like I said, my background is all about black metal, so I’d point an infinite number of bands that I’m listening to nowadays.

12.What are some of your non-musical interests?
I’d say that music is the center of my life. I’d kill myself if I got deaf. But let’s not get pessimist! Like our band’s name suggests, my brother and I are bookworms. About myself, I’d like to point Tolkien (of course!), José Samarago (for me, the best Portuguese writer of all time), Fernando Pessoa, Jack Kerouac or Leon Trotsky. I also write for some metal websites and that’s something that pleases me a lot, because I’m able to listen to new stuff every day and even get in touch with the bands.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
We’d like to thank you for this interview. It means a lot for us and for the growing of our band. Underground is a very important element in music and we’re proud of being part of it. Cheers!

https://nienor.bandcamp.com/album/nien-r-ep

Letallis 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?

Since the release it's mainly been promotion. But overall the main focus/next big step is getting the band line up together so we can start playing live as much as possible. Hopefully even tour in the near future.

2.Recently you have released 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?

Overall I'd say most songs are about the journey. Where on the last album we weren't as adventurous with where the songs went, on Resonate a lot of it has sections that don't repeat often. Instead of having the song build up to one part its more about having multiple points of interest in the song and how they can mesh together. Also the production took a step up from the last record.

3.Originally the band played thrash, what was the decision behind adding in more of a melodic and brutal death metal sound?

I think just being younger with the influences at the time and wanting to play fast was the main drive. As time's gone by the music I've listened to has gotten heavier so thats definitely crept into the writing. Also wanting to have more memorable riffs/melodies to get stuck in someones head was more important this time around.

4.This is the first album to be released in 6 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

After releasing our first album, The World Awakened, all the members except myself went in different directions. Between then and now a lot has happened. Going to school for audio engineering, jobs, and life in general getting in the way. Building the album myself from start to finish was a great learning process, but it had a lot of moments of doubt and uncertainty of what to do next. Along with other things in my life keeping my busy that's what ultimately led to the album taking so long.

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

The concept behind Resonate was to create music that would hit home with people on a very fundamental level. Good or bad. Some are more positive like Within Reach/Resonate while others explore a darker side of what it means to be human (Idle Fears, The Darkness Of Mere Being). And a few others are just my adoration for certain aspects of nature/the universe (In All Forms/Viridian). The album explores many different topics all of which resonate deeply with me and reflect the aspects of myself during the making of the record.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Letallis'?

At the time the band chose a few normal english names but never felt we landed on something solid. One day at practice we just went on a latin dictionary site and messed around. We landed on Letallis and it seemed metal enough. It means "mortal, deadly, or fatal". Today I kind of like the idea of it being something mortal. Something human.

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

Playing a day spot at the Vans Warped Tour was a big highlight for us. We also had the chance to play at the Starland Ballroom which was amazing. Just being able to play the same places as your favorite bands and idols is a blast. We like to keep a tight sound live, and we always make sure to bring lots of energy and have fun. When the crowd see's us goofing around and rocking it out they want to join in.

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

It ultimately it depends on when the band comes together. Hopefully sooner rather than later. I'd like to have a full band for gigs and touring.

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

A label would definitely be good but going the DIY route has helped me learn a lot. It pushes one to figure out what steps to take and really hone in on a vision. Some albums have been sent to labels so hopefully that'll start a dialog between us.

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

It's been great. Thanks to the bandcamp analytics I've been able to see who's been checking out the music from all over the world. A lot of underground metal sites from places like Russia, Italy, Mexico and more. Places I would have never find out otherwise. So globally its looking pretty good.

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

I'd like to expand a bit of everything. Heavier, softer elements along while weaving in more diverse musical influences with  a lot of dynamics. Overall just exploring the different places I can go with it. Even expanding lyrical topics.

13.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?

During our first record Lamb of Gods Ashes of the Wake was a big influence on us. The guitar riffs and song structure played a big role. Lately the metal I listen to on a regular basis has gotten a bit heavier. Bands like The Black Dahlia Murder, Behemoth, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Revocation have been on a pretty regular rotation. Outside of metal its been a lot of movie soundtracks and a whole bunch of other things.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?

I'm pretty rusty but I love to skateboard. There are some pretty killer parks in NYC. That along with doing sound design for post in my spare time. Just exploring the city in general is always an adventure.

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

Don't forget to download a free copy of Resonate on bandcamp. It was a definitely journey for me and hope it is for everyone else out there!

https://www.facebook.com/Letallis/

Nienor/Self Titled/2014 EP Review

  Nienor  are  a  duo  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  very  experimental  form  of  neo  folk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2014  ep.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  ep  and  bring  in  a  neo  folk  sound  along  with  some saxophones  that  replace  flutes  as  well  as  making  the  music  more  experimental  sounding  and  the  acoustic  guitars  also  use  of  good  mixture  of  both  full  chords  and  clean  playing  and  after  a  few  instrumental  tracks  vocals  start  finding  their  way  into  the  music.

  At  times  the  music  sounds  very  medieval  and  has  the  ancient  pagan  middle  ages  feeling  while  the  saxophones  give  the  songs  more  of  an  updated  feeling  and  as  the  ep  progresses  a  small  amount  of  ritualistic  chants  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  outro  also  brings  in  electric  guitars  before  closing  with  a  bonus  track  that  shows  the  music  returning  back  to  an  acoustic  direction.

  Nienor  plays  a  very  experimental  style  of  neo  folk  that  brings  in  a  primitive  feeling  while  also  sounding  medieval  at  times,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Portuguese  and  English  and  cover  nature  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nienor  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  neo-folk  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cleaned  At  Last"  and  "Which  Side  Are  You  On".  8  out  of  10.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/nienorband?hc_location=timeline
BUY: http://nienor.bandcamp.com/album/nien-r-ep

      

Nelson P. Ferreira & Rui P. Andrade/Miklos/2014 Full Length Review

  Nelson  P.  Ferreira  &  Rui  P.  Andrade  are  a  duo  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  very  experimental  form  of   noise  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  album  "Miklos".

  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  ambient  drone  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  elements  of  noise  and  on  some  of  the  songs  they  also  bring  in  loop's  and  bass  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  short  in  length  while  others  are  very  long  and  epic  and  there  are  no  vocals  to  be  heard  anywhere  on  the  album  while  guitars  when  they  are  used  are  more  of  a  distorted  sound  with  no  rhythms  or  melodies.

  As  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  loud  and  harsh  at  times  along  with  a  small  amount  of  power  electronics  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  use  a  great  amount  of  synths  and  the  music  gets  more  experimental  with  each  track  as  well  as  adding  in  more  of  a  lo-fi  and  avant  garde  sound  on  a  good  amount  of  the  tracks

  Nelson  P.  Ferreira  &  Rui  P.  Andrade  creates  some  very  experimental  sounding  songs  with  their  music  mixing  in  soundscapes,  drones,  and  a  great  amount  of  ambient  elements  to  create  their  own  sound  along  with  a  very  dark  and  raw  sounding  production.

  In  my  opinion  Nelson  P.  Ferreira  &  Rui  P.  Andrade  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  noise  project  and  if  you  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Looper"  Spinola"  "3  Contact"  and  "Ambkey".  8  out  of  10.

https://hazenetlabel.bandcamp.com/album/nelson-p-ferreira-rui-p-andrade-mikl-s

Olam Ein Sof Interview

http://hatredmeanswarzine.blogspot.pt/

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?

Marcelo: Since we release the new album, we started to do some concerts to promote it. After done some concerts on our country, we went to Portugal for the first time and had some concerts there, it was amazing. We still promoting it with gigs, interviews, social networking...We are also preparing to record an album with some medievals songs from the 12th to 14th centuries, songs that we use to play on our shows.

2.In April you had released 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?

Marcelo: In this new album we used more instruments than the others one, it brings different color to the songs and also is the first that we did all the lyrics and named the songs in portuguese.  Even we keep our essential is natural that we got new influences between the recordings of the albums. Before we composed this last Cd we travelled to Chile and Colombia, so we could incorporate a bit of their culture and it appears on our new songs, not to play like them, but in the way that we felt and later mix their rhythm with our music. Also we used instruments from south America like charango and cuatro. I don´t think about any limit to create a music for Olam Ein Sof, so the music have elements from folk, contemporary, medieval, counterpoints, everything that we like and want to listen.

3.Your lyrics cover various types of mythologies, can you tell us a little bit more about which types you bring out with your songs?

Marcelo: Since last album we started to cover others mythologies and talk about cosmic stuff.  We had a contact with a writer that wrote about beings from 6th and 8th dimensions, and we identify ourselves with those contacts that He did, so some songs talks about it, the Felids and Uranian races. We mentioned about Vedas on our song Vimana. Some songs are about our realm, Reino de Cramfer, a cosmic and deep place with endless possibilities.

4.I know that the band name comes out of the Cabala, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this esoteric system?

Marcelo: The name was suggested by a friend, he gave a lot of names with simple meanings and there was one called Olam Ein Sof – World of Infinities. We liked and identified ourselves, even we didn´t knew much about Cabala, it touch us and know all this year I know that we choose the right name. Later studied a bit, like others system that we like to study, that brings knowledge for us and keep us connected with the universe. For us this name means what we think about art, it´s something infinity and transcendent.

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?

Marcelo: We had great shows over the years, each one was special and different from the other. Just to mention some i remember the first time that we played using A=432hz, people was very concentrated and connected, later related to us about their feelings it was in 2011 at São Tomé das Letras; other one was our first concert in Colombia at Teatro Matacandelas in Medellin, it was our first time outside our country, it was magical for us; in 2012 we did a show with 5 differents dancers from different styles, each one of them dance 2 or 3 songs from Olam, it was an excelent experience; of course our tour in Portugal was special for us, for the first time played in a place that we never been and that influenced us a lot about history and medieval times, and we had an opportunity to play in a Castle at Santa Maria da Feira, fantastic and magical experience.
We already had some musicians and dancers on our gigs, it is great, but most of our performance is just as a duo. We are very connected with our art, with cosmo and with ourselves, people can feel all the energy and tell us that travel through others dimensions and feel tranquility while we are playing. Sometimes  we use  candles, incense, chandeliers, some magical elements to have an extra energy for our music.


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

Marcelo: This week we are going to do our last show this year.  In february we have a show on a medieval gothic festival called Summer Wave Festival; in march will play at a medieval fair and we are planning concerts on other brazilians states. Also we are already planning to back to Portugal and would love to play on other country in Europe.

7.Currently you are unsigned, do you feel self releasing the albums gives you more freedom to do what you want with your musical style?

Marcelo: I agree with this, when we do everything for our band we have total freedom to do everything that want. I think that have some signed ones that have lot of freedom but no equal if you are an unsigned. On other hands is more exhausted to do everything and if we could have an equilibrium it should be perfect, but when someone outside get involved with the band most of the time is not about art and i think that nowadays the artist prefer to do everything by himself.


8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to the newer music by fans of neo folk?

Marcelo: Because of our activities sometimes could not follow how the things are going with the music that we like, and most of time just listen the music and new bands that we find or already known. Talk about our band, we are having a good feedback with our music, not many people already know us, but the ones who get in touch with us always said that like the way that we play and do our sort of folk music.


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

Marcelo: Connected with the universe, we really look for it with our music and is the way that we live. Doing something magical, cosmic and that bring people to other dimensions. Also exploring sounds and others instruments that cross our lives and our minds. And one of our dreams as a band is to play with an orchestra and I will do it someday with our music and of course with the dancers.


10.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?

Marcelo: I created Olam Ein Sof in 2001 and before it I played with lots of metal bands including my black metal band Arum that still alive. I always was influenced by 80’s metal, death, thrash and black metal, I like  a lot erudite music specially medieval, renaissance, baroque and contemporary from 20th century and also ethnic music from  around the world. We always studied music and played different kinds of style. There many bands and musicians that we like and it should be a big list to mention but to tell some are Iron Maiden, Emperor, Gentle Giant, Jethro Tull, Bach, John Dowland, Penderecki,…..and nowadays I am listen more atmospheric black metal bands, medieval/baroque stuffs and ethnic music from Andes, Middle east and India.







11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Marcelo: As a typical Brazilian I love soccer; also love to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi chuan and kung fu. Like to watch movies, go to theater and of course to concerts and shows. Astronomy, ufology and cosmic stuff really is one my main interests nowadays and also mystical stuffs. Walk and take a rest in nature like forest, mountains or beach, also animals I really like them specially our cat Brighid.

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

Marcelo: I would like to thank you,  for the opportunity to do this interview and for the support to Olam Ein Sof. If anyone would like to get in touch with us visit our site www.olameinsof.com and there will find link to our social networks and our contact for tour, buy albums and others. Hope that the readers could listen to our music, specially our last album Reino de Cramfer and invite you all to travel through our world of infinities.

https://www.facebook.com/olameinsof/info

Olam Ein Sof/Reino de Cramfer/2014 CD Review

  Olam  Ein  Sof  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  plays  a  very  medieval  style  of  neo-folk  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2014  album  "Reinno  de  Cramfer".

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  bringing  in  a  medieval  folk  music  feeling  and  after  awhile  a  variety  of  many  different  folk  music  instruments  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  they  give  the  songs  more  of  a  paganistic  atmosphere and  on  the  2nd  track  melodic  female  vocals  start  becoming  a  huge  part  of  the  album.

  The  acoustic  guitars  on  the  album  bring  in  a  good  mixture  of  finger  picking  and  full  chords  and  all  of  the  tracks  have  an  esoteric  feeling  to  them  and  there  is  a  good  mixture  of  both  vocal  and  instrumental  tracks  being  present  throughout  the  recording  while  one  of  the  songs  add  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  parts  which  also  brings  in  a  very  ritualistic  feeling  to  the  recording  and  towards  the  end  there  is  a  brief  use  of  distorted  and  melodic  sounding  guitar  leads.

  Olam  Ein  Sof  plays  a  style  of  medieval  neo-folk  music  that  captures  the  feeling  and  atmosphere  of  Europe's  pre  Christian  days  very  well,  the  production  has  a  very  dark  sound  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  the  bands  native  tongue  and  cover  Qabalah,  Occultism,  Myths  and  Ancient  Stories  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Olam  Ein  Sof  are  a  very  great  sounding  medieval  neo-folk  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Vimana"  "Murmurio  das  Aguas"  "Invocando  a  Lua  Azul"  and  "Danca  de  Floresta".  8  out  of  10.  

https://www.facebook.com/olameinsof/info

Opium Dream Estate/Shades/The White Room/2014 EP Review

  Opium  Dream  Estate  are  a  musical  project  from  France  that  plays  an  etherial  form  of  neo-folk  which  also  brings  in  elements  of  goth,  indie  and  neo-classical  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2014  ep  "Shades"  which  was  released  by  The  White  Room.

  Classical  guitars  start  off  the  ep  giving  the  music  a  neo-folk  feeling  along  with  some  clean  singing  vocals  and  after  awhile  psychedelic  sounding  synths  are  mixed  into  the  songs  and  you  can  also  hear  some  blues  influences  in  the  music  at  times  along  with  some  slide  guitars  which  also  adds  in  more  of  a  distorted  sound.

  You  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  the  more  depressing  side  of  goth  in  the  song  structures  at  times  and  on  the  third  track  a  cover  of  Black  Sabbath's  "Solitude"  is  added  on  the  recording  and  taking  this  70's  song  and  mixing  in  neo-folk  and  guitar  slides  makes  the  song  have  more  of  a  retro  feeling  and  the  following  track  is  another  original  that  also  mixes  in  more  of  an  indie  folk  rock  sound  while  the  ep  closes  with  a  cover  of   Fields  of  the  Nephillim's  "Celebrate".

  Opium  Dream  Estate  combines  a  variety  of  many  different  musical  genres  to  create  his  own  etherial  style  of  neo-folk  that  also  has  a  retro  70's  feeling  at  times,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressing  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Opium  Dream  Estate  are  a  very  great  sounding  etherial  neo-folk  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Comes  From  Heaven"  and  "Meanders".  8/5  out  of  10.  

bandcamp iTunes Spotify Google Play

Wardruna/Runaljord - Gap Var Ginnuga/Indie Recordings/2014 CD Review

  Wardruna  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  is  known  for  having  Gaahl  (Gorgoroth, Godseed)  as  the  vocalist  and  instead  of  the  black  metal  that  the  singer  is  known  for  this  band  goes  for  more  of  a  a  mixture  of  neo  -  folk,  ambient  and  world  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2009  album  "Runaljord - Gap Var Ginnuga"  which  was  re -  issued  by  Indie  Recordings.

  A  very  shamanistic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  folk  instruments  that  also  bring  in  a  feeling  of  a  fantasy  movie  soundtrack  to  the  recording  and  you  can  also  hear  melodic  chanting  being  utilized  at  times  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  a  good  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  A  great  amount  of  the  music  on  the  recording  has  a  very  ritualistic  and  tribal  feeling  being  produced  in  most  of  the  songs  along  with  a  great  amount  of  percussion  beats  and  you  can  hear  a  great  amount  of  world  music  and  new  age  elements  in  the  bands  musical  sound  along  with  a  great  amount  of  fiddle  playing  and  some  of  the  whispers  that  are  utilized  bring  in  a  black  metal  influence  to  the  recording.  

  As  the  album  progresses  more  Nordic  style  instruments  are  brought  onto  the  recording  bringing  in  the  folk  music  sound  and  culture  of  the  country  which  they  also  mix  in  with  a  very  dark  and  atmospheric  ambient  sound  at  times  and  some  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  small  amounts  of  female  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts.

  Wardruna  creates  a  musical  style  that  brings  in  a  very  shamanistic  and  tribal  Nordic  pagan  folk  music  and  mixes  it  with  ambient  and  world  music  to  update  their   sound  for  the  modern  day,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  powerful  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian,  Old  Norse  and  Proto  Norse  and  cover  Paganism  themes  and  the  Futhark  alphabet.

  In  my  opinion  Wardruna  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk,  world  music  and  ambient  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hagal"  "Jara"  "Kauna"  and  Dagr".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.wardruna.com

Dreadlords/Death Angel/Not Just Religious Music/2014 CD Review

  Dreadlords  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that  plays  an  occult  mixture  of  blues  and  Americana  with  a  touch  of  psychedelic  black  metal  and  experimental  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Death  Angel"  which  was  released  by  Not  Just  Religious  Music.

  A  very  dark,  distorted  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  blues  rock  style  vocals  and  the  music  is  very  slow  and  also  brings  in  a  heavier  style  of  blues  rock  and  Americana  that  has  rarely  been  done  and  the  vocals  also  bring  in  black  metal  screams  at  times  along  with  a  great  amount  of  ritualistic  elements  being  added  into  the  tracks.

  At  times  the  music  speeds  up  a  bit  with  the  guitars  utilizing  tremolo  picking  while  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  darker  direction  as  well  as  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  clean  parts  that  bring  in  a  60's  sound  to  the  recording  while  the  lyrical  approach  is  much  more  darker  and  evil  than  what  was  attempted  during  that  time  era  and  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Dreadlords  takes  the  blues  rock  and  Americana  genres  and  make  them  more  distorted  with  electric  guitars  and  influences  from  black  metal  and  noise  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Satanism,  Occultism,  Necromancy,  Anti  Christian  and  Norse  Paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Dreadlords  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  heavy  occult  blues/metal  and  Americana  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Going  to  The  Will"  "Born  into  the  Arms"  "Thieves  in  Faith"  and  "Take  My  Soul".  8  out  of  10.    

http://www.dreadlords.bandcamp.com
http://www.dreadlordsband.com
https://www.facebook.com/dreadlords.band
http://instagram.com/dreadlords_tomb  

Hateful Abandon/Liar-Bastards/Candlelight Records/2015 CD Review

 

  Hateful  Abandon  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  industrial,  post  punk  and  gothic  rock  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Liars-Bastards"  which  will  be  released  in  2015  by  Candlelight  Records.

  A  very  dark  underground  style  industrial  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  spoken  word  samples  and  a  few  seconds  alter  aggressive  noise  rock  style  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  and  you  can  also  hear  a  lot  of  post  punk  in  the  bands  musical  style    along  with  some  programmed  beats  and  the synths  also  bring  in  an  80's  gothic  rock/synth  pop  feeling  to  the  recording.

  At  times  melodic  vocals  can  be  heard  in  the  tracks  along  with  a  very  distorted  and  old  school  death  rock  guitar  sound  and  on  one  of  the  tracks  ethnic  style  chants  are  brought  in  briefly  along  with  a  heavier  guitar  sound  that  are  influenced  by  metal  and  elements  of  noise  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  avant  garde  and  you  can  hear  a  small  amount  of  black  metal  elements  being  brought  in  briefly  along  with  a  few  tracks  that  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Hateful  Abandon  creates  a  style  that  is  very  hard  to  classify  and  you  can  hear  everything  from  industrial,  goth,  post  rock,  noise,  experimental  and  a  touch  of  black  metal  throughout  the  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hateful  Abandon  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  industrial,  noise  rock,  goth  and  post  punk  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Maze  of  Bastards"  "The  Test"  and  "December'.  8  out  of  10.


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hateful-Abandon/157979900925037