Eczema/Proyecto 3k9 Darwin Reloaded/Icon Of Brutality Records/2016 CD Review

  Eczema  are  a  band  from Spain  that  plays  a  hybrid  form  of  death  metal  with  some  black  and  doom  metal  elements  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Proyecto  3k9  Darwin  Reloaded"  which  was  released  by  Icon  Of  Brutality  Records.

  Avant  garde  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  radio  samples  which  leads  up  to  a  heavier  yet  technical  musical  direction  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly.

  Most  of  the  vocals  are  deep  death  metal  growls  while  clean  singing  is  also  used  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  after  awhile  grim  black  metal  screams  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording while  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Some  songs  also  have  an  atmospheric  vibe  to  them  while  the  slower  riffing  is  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal and  they  also  mix  in  elements  of  non  metal  forms  of  music  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  and  traces  of  modern  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Eczema  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  death  metal  while  also  mixing  in  some  doom  and  black  metal  elements  as  well  as  also  being  very  experimental,  progressive  and  avant  garde  at  the  same  time,  the production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  and  cover  evolution  human  experimentation  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Eczema  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  death  metal  and  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something  very  original, you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "0073"  "0516"  "0137"  and  "0656".  8  out  of  10.

(www.facebook.com/Eczemaband

 

Tamerlan 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 album?
Let's call it standard stage of tricking as many unfortunate souls as possible into listening, or (gasp) buying the album. Also, working on Luciferian, kind of opened my third eye towards many different roads, where I can take Tamerlan from now on...so this is a good time to play cartographer.

2.Recently you have released a new album, how would you describe the sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
Think of it like this: Most of the older material was something of a view from above to what is happening below. This one changes such perspective, and places the point of view down, to the point where it's buried with all those things you thought were far enough to present any serious threat. So, instead of the view, we have a struggle for survival and existence, with "up", being the only goal. That's the differing point here.

3.You label your music as 'death folk', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?
This is the term I started using with creation of Luciferian, and represents the area I want to explore further with future endeavors. Pretty much, it presents using already existing formula of neofolk/dark folk music as a tool, to connect with more extreme and macabre styles in both musical and lyrical sense. I want to see to which extremes I can take the said formula, without breaking its back.

4.Your lyrics cover some Luciferian and Occult topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these subjects?
These subjects have been a part of me, throughout the majority of my life. I feel that the connection to the divine wisdom bringing energy embodied in the entity named Lucifer, is the main source of my inner strength, which helps me overcome the challenges this world puts in front of me, and walk forward with my head up high.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Tamerlan'?
My birth name, Timur, was given to me after the 14th century Central Asian conqueror Timur Lenk, or as he was known in Europe: Tamerlan. There was no other name I saw as fitting as this one, when I started with the musical project this personal.

6.On the new album you had a few quests can you tell us who they are and also their contributions to the recording?
Let's mention them in the order of appearance, shall we? First we have Bornyhake (Borgne) on drums. Wanted to work with him for a long time, to be honest, and what he did was nothing short of awesome. Then, we have mr Will Connor (Seesar) on percussions. If anyone in this world can awaken Cthulhu with nothing but a set of percussions, he is the guy. Also, there is one more drummer, Aleksandar Maksimovic, who is the drummer of the doom metal band The Father Of Serpents, where I do vocals. He is easily one of the best and most precise drummers I ever had the chance to work with. Let's see who else is there... Ah yes, Cecilia Bjargo (Sophia, Der Blaue Reiter), taking over the alto vocal duties. I already had the honors of working with her on the previous Tamerlan album (AIN), and I can assure you, we will work again. Her vocals take my mind to the most surreal places. Last, but definitely not least, we have my friend Khargash (Khargash, Obscured), on violin. Amazing musician all around, and a damn fine Mortal Kombat 2 player. Also, honorable mention (since he's not really a guest) goes to miKKa, the producer of this album. He's the one, who helped Tamerlan achieve the sound it always needed.

7.Over the years you have lived in many different countries, does this also have a huge influence on your music?
Of course. Just as everything I go through in my life.

8.What are some of the best shows that you have played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
It's hard to name some of the shows "best", since, while Tamerlan doesn't perform very often, I try to make every show special in one way or another. The stage performances vary, depending on the environment, and the musicians, who are available to help me incarnate the music on stage. So the atmosphere goes from the more energetic, almost shamanic performances, to the ones where both we and the audience connect in the act of meditation.

9.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
I'd really love that. I'd love to present Tamerlan live around the world. However, getting a performance in different countries is quite difficult, with all the expenses involved. Nevertheless, I am open for all the possibilities, and will try my best to get more opportunities to perform, now that the new album is out. So, we'll just have to see what happens.

10.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
In today's world where cheap entertainment, artificial personalities and corporate mentality dictates what "art" should be, while the civilization, after all these centuries, still lives by the code of "bread and circuses"? I see myself heading straight into the ground, my friend. But damn it, if I'm going there, I'm going there kicking, biting, and creating as much music as I can.

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?
Too many to name, to be honest. I really have a vast interest in music, which goes from the most gentle ethereal ambient tunes, to the most extreme styles of metal, so my playlist is never the same. Obviously, all of that influences my work in one way or another, whether I want it or not. But with so many things I'm listening to, it's hard to point out what exactly influences me, and in what way.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
I like all those topics, that make average minds uncomfortable, and take the minds out of their comfort zones. Be it within cinema, literature, or whatever. Let's call it the limitless and tabooless ways of creativity in any area.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
 It's 10 PM right now, and I'm sitting here, in the half lit room, thinking about the next season of Twin Peaks. Looks promising, doesn't it?
Anyway, I appreciate your support. Thank you for an opportunity to present my work through your zine.

https://sombresoniks.com/tamerlan

Tamerlan/Luciferian/Casus Belli Musica/2016 CD Review

  Tamerlan  are  a  solo  project  from  Serbia  that  plays  a  musical  style  he  describes  as being  death  folk  and  this  is  a  review of  his  2016 album  "Luciferian"  which  was  released  by  Casus  Belli  Musica.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  and  they  give  the  music  more  of  a  goth  rock  feeling  along  with  some  melodic  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  and  the  grim  whispers  bring  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  a  great  amount  of  finger  picking  can  be  heard  and  when  drum  beats  are  utilized  they  give the  songs  a  ritualistic  feeling.

  Ambient  style  synths  can  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  psychedelic  elements  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  neo-folk  and  neo-classical  influences  and  there  is  a  great  amount  of  diversity  present  throughout  the  recording  and  the  vocals  also  get  demonic  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  more  traces of  occult  rock  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  when  spoken  word  parts  are  utilized  they  bring  in  even  more  of  a  ritualistic  atmosphere  and  electric  guitars  are  also  used  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  black  metal  screams  and  one  song  also  introduces  stringed  instruments  onto  the  recording.

  Tamerlan  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  neo-classical,  dark  folk, psychedelic,  industrial,  goth,  darkwave,  and  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  Occultism  and  Luciferian  themes.

  In  my  opinion Tamerlan  is  a  very  great  sounding  death  folk  solo  project  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something  original,  you should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Patricide"  "Until  Dreams  Are  All  That's  Left"  and  "Lucifer's  Son".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqQ0jLRUO9Y

    

   

Day Before Us/Nihil Intent/Rage In Eden/2016 Full Length Review

  France's  Day  Before  Us  have  returned  with  a  new  release  which  continues  the  neo-classical,  darkwave  and  cinematic  ambient  mixture  of  previous  releases and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Nihil  Intent"  which  was  released  by  Rage  In  Eden.

  Field  recordings  and  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  voices,  distorted  drones  and  atmospheric  synths  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  dark  ambient  feeling  a  few  seconds  later  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  the  music  also  has  a  soundtrack  film  atmosphere  at  times.

  On  later  tracks  the  music  starts  incorporating  more  neo-classical  elements  and  some  of  the  songs  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  ethereal  female  are  added  onto  the recording  along  with  a  small  amount  of  whispers  and  electric  guitars  and  most  of  the  songs  also  sound  very  different  from  each  other and  a  later  track also  introduce acoustic  guitars  onto  th album  briefly  and  nature  sounds  are  used  on  the  closing  track.

  Day Before  Us  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  neo-classical,  ethereal,  darkwave  and  ambient  mixture  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  French  and  English  and  cover  dark and  esoteric  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Day  Before  Us  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of   neo-classical,  darkwave  and  cinematic  ambient  and  if  you  are  a fan of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Saint  Of  Grief"  "Zatvornik"  and  "Nihil  Intent".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Daybeforeus/        

The Flight Of Sleipnir/Skadi/Eisenwald/2017 CD Review

  The  Flight Of  Sleipnir  are  a  band  from  Arvada,  Colorado  that  plays  a  mixture  of  folk,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Skadi"  which  will  be  released  in  2017  by  Eisenwald.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album and  after  awhile  clean  playing  is  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  guitar  slides  also  being  used  briefly which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  70's  feeling  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  used  at  times  and  the  vocals  also  mix  in  black  metal  screams.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on the recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  melodic  vocals  can  also be  heard  in some  parts  of  the  songs  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  add  in  more  of  an  atmospheric post  metal  feeling  while  on  other  tracks they go  for  more  of  a  retro  style  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  elements  of  stoner  and  sludge  metal  and  the  acoustic  guitars  add  in  touches of  folk  along  with  one  track  being  an  instrumental  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  style.

  The  Flight Of  Sleipnir  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  touches  of  folk  and  black  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Norse  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Flight Of  Sleipnir  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  folk,  stoner,  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Awaken"  and  "Falcon  White".  8  out  of  10.

@ facebook - https://www.facebook.com/THEFLIGHTOFSLEIPNIR
@ bandcamp - https://theflightofsleipnir.bandcamp.com

  

Realms Of Odoric/Second Age/MDD Records/2016 CD Review

  Realms  Of  Odoric  are  an  international  project  that  plays  a  mixture  of  neo-classical  and  soundtrack  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Second  Age"  which  was  released  by  MDD  Records.

  Symphonic  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  they  also  bring  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  fantasy  movie  soundtrack  and  violins  are  also  used  at  times  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  orchestras  while  all  of  the  songs  are  very  heavy  influenced  by  classical  music  and  touches  of  dungeon  synth can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  operatic  vocals  while  most  of  the  music is  instrumental.

  Realms  Of  Odoric plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  classical,  dungeon  synth  and  soundtrack  music  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  theme  of  the  album  focuses  on  a  huge  fantasy  world.

  In  my  opinion  Realms  Of  Odoric  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  neo-classical,  dungeon  synth  and  soundtrack  music  and  if  you  are a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  project. RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Lions  Oath"  "Pyramid  Of  Skulls"  "Return  To  Ankrath'  and  "Odoric  On  the  Serpent  throne".  8  out  of  10.

FACEBOOK
   

Pornostrokia Dadaifi/H ANATOAH TOY MINOYAYPOY/2016 Full Length Review

  Greece's  Pornostrokia Dadaifi  have  returned  with  a  new  recording that  continues  the   metal,  hardcore,  industrial  and  cyber punk  style  of  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of their  self  released 2016  album  "H  ANATOAH  TOY  MINOYAYPOY".

  Classical  guitars  start  off  the album  and  once  screams  are  added  onto  the  recording  the  music  gets  more  heavy  and  melodic  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  spoken  word  parts  are  used  at  times  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  a  touch  of  post  punk  and  goth  rock.

  Elements  of  extreme  metal  can  be  heard  in  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  the  vocals  getting  more  aggressive  while  the  songs  add  in  touches  of  industrial  and  acoustic  guitars  also  make  a  return  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  bring  in  a  cover  of  "Rawhide" from  the  50's  tv  series  as  well  as  a  covers  of  Nirvana's  "Territorial  Pissing's"  and  Dead  Kennedys  "Police  truck  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  diversity.

  Pornostrokia Dadaifi  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  metal,  hardcore,  industrial  and cyber  punk  mixtures  of  their  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  Dadaism  and  political  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Pornostrokia Dadaifi  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  metal,  hardcore,  industrial  and  cyber  punk,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "All  Is  None" "Dallos  Is  God"  "Police  Truck  and  "Territorial  Pissing's".  8  out  of  10.

     

Twinesuns/The Emperor Never Ended/Pelagic Records/2017 Double CD Review

  Twinesuns  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  ambient,  drone  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  double  album  "The  Emperor  Never  Ended"  which  will  be  released  in  2017  by  Pelagic  Records.

  Distorted  drones  start  of  the  album along  with  some  heavy  doom  metal  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  and  more  amp  noises  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  soundscapes  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  at  times.

  Elements  of  harsh  noise  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  later  tracks  also  start  mixing  in  more  traces  of  dark  ambient  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  guitar  leads  which  are  also  done  in  more  of  a  distorted  fashion  and  as  the  album  progresses  synths  can  be  heard  in  some  of  the  tracks  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a very  powerful  sound  to  them and  most  of  the  songs  are  instrumental  and  also  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction  and  when  vocals  are  finally  used  they  are  mostly  grim  black  metal  screams.

  Twinesuns  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  drone,  ambient  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  a touch  of  black  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  and  the  production  has  a  very  dark  and  raw  yet  heavy  sound.

 In  my  opinion  Twinesuns  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  ambient,  drone  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Simon  The  Magus"  and  "Going  through  The  Eyes  Closed".  8  out  of  10. 

https://youtu.be/dmAy8kYEQEU

FamishGod/Roots Of Darkness/Xtreem Music/2016 CD Review

  FamishGod  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  funeral  doom/death  metal and  this  is  a review  of  their  2016  album "Roots  Of  Darkness"  which  was  released  by  Xtreem  Music.

  Distorted  sounds  along  with  clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  which  also  leads  up  to  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  make  their  presence  known  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  and  grim  screams  can  also  he  heard  briefly  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  decent  amount  of morbid  sounding  melodies.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  they  also  mix  both  the  heavy  and  clean  parts  and  times  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a very dark  and  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction  and  synths  can  be  heard  in  the  background  briefly.

  FamishGod  plays  a  style  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  that  is  very heavily  rooted  in  the  90's,  the production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  doom,  desolation,  death  and  oblivion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  FamishGod  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  "Abyss  Of  The  Underworld"  "Chamber  of  Chaos"  and  "Mournful  Sounds  Of  Death".  8  out  of  10.

https://youtu.be/DYBMkPs7wRA

Miel Noir/Honey-Beat/Caustic Records/2016 Double CD Review

  Miel  Noir  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and plays  a  mixture  of  gothic  rock,  apocalyptic  wave,  dark  ambient,  and  industrial and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016 double  album  "Honey-Beat"  which  was  released  by  Caustic  Records  which  also  consists  of  their  ep "The  Temple  And  The  Trigger".

  Electro  industrial  sounds  along  with  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  and  a  few  seconds  later  clean  singing  goth  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  most  of  the  beats  are  programmed  and  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  at  times  and  on  later  tracks  electric  guitars  are  utilized.

  A  lot  of  80's  goth  rock  influences  can  be  heard  throughout  the  recording  and  melodic  guitar  leads  are  also  used  at  times  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  ambient  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  female  vocals  are  also  used  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  later  songs  also  add  in  touches  of  neo  folk  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  aggressive  screams  and  on  the  ep classical  guitars  are  added  onto  the  recording.

  Meil  Noir  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  dark wave,  goth,  dark  ambient  and  industrial  mixture  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  poetic  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Meil  Noir  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  gothic  rock,  apocalyptic  wave,  dark  ambient,  and  industrial,  you  should  check  out  this  double  album. RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Triggerwarning"  "What  I  Want"  "The  Legend  Of  St.  Ambrose"  and  "Honey-Apocalypse".  8  out  of  10. 

  

 

Never Presence Forever/Gridfailure/2016 Split EP Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Virginia's  Never  Presence  Forever  and  New  York's  Gridfailure  and  we  will  start off  the  review  with  Never  Presence  Forever  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  death  industrial.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  electronic  drones  and  elements  of  dark  ambient  can  be  heard  at  times  along  with one  of  their  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  their  music  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  soundscapes  and  after  awhile  elments  of  hardh  noise  and  death  industrial  are  added  into  the  music  and  you  can  also  hear  demonic  growls  and screams  in  the  background  briefly while  shouts  are  added  onto t he  last  track  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw.

  In  my  opinion  Never  Presence  Forever  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  death  industrial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of t he  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Unwell".

  Next  up  is  Gridfailure  a  solo  project  that h as  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  experimental,  industrial,  ambient  and  dark  hardcore.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  harsh  soundscapes  and  power  electronics  as  well  as  some  field  recordings  and  bass  can  also  be  heard  in  the  background  and  after  awhile  more  elments  of  noise  and  industrial  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  track  is  also  15  minutes  in  length  anf  there  is  also  a brief use  of  acoustic  guitars  and  as  the  song  progresses  high  pitched  screams  can also  be  heard  at  times and  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Gridfailure  and  if  you  are  a  fans  of industrial,  ambient  and  noise,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  In  conclusion  I  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  death  industrial,  harsh  noise  and  dark  ambient. 8  out of  10.

https://never-presence-forever.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/neverpresenceforever

https://www.facebook.com/gridfailure

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Sorrowful Land/Of Ruins/Solitude Productions/2016 CD Review

  Sorrowful  Land  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays an  atmospheric  form  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Of  Ruins"  which  was  released  by  Solitude  Productions.

  Clean  guitars  start  off  the  album before  going  into  a  heavier  and  atmospheric  direction  and  the riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  depressive  melodies along  with  a  great  amount  of  90's  influences  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  start  to  make  their  presence  known.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  high  pitched  screams  which  also  gives  the  music  a touch of  black  metal  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  atmospheric  synths  and  the  guitr  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  Sorrowful  Land  plays  a  style  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  slow,  atmospheric,  dark  and  melodic  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  based  upon  19th  century  English  poetry.

  In  my  opinion  Sorrowful  Land  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  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "On  Another's  Sorrow"  and  "Echoes  Of  Endless  Space".  8  out  of  10.

Official Sorrowful Land Bandcamp   

Suffer Yourself/Ectoplasm/Cimmerian Shade Recordings/2016 CD Review

  Suffer  Yourself  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Ectoplasm"  which  will  be  released  on  November  25th  by  Cimmerian  Shade  Recordings.

  A  very  dark  and  atmospheric  soundscape  along  with some  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  and  after  a  minute  the  music  gets  a  lot  more  heavy  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  and  depressive  black  metal  screams  while  the  slow  riffing  is  in  more  of  a  doom  metal  direction  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the recording.

  Synths  can  be  heard  mixed  in  with  the  heavy  parts  at  times  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  more  of  a  melodic  fashion  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  female  vocals  and  clean  male  singing clean  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  there  is  also  a  few  seconds  of  pig  squeals  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  on  one  of  the  tracks  the  music  starts  to  speed  up  for  a  few  seconds  and  also  introduces  blast  beats  onto  the  recording  while  the  main  focus  is  more  on  a  slow  funeral  doom  style  and  elements  of  ambient  are  added  onto  the  last  track.

  Suffer  Yourself  plays  a style  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  and  also  adds  in  some  90'  influences  while  also  updating  the  genre  for  the  modern  day,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Suffer  Yourself  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  "Abysmal  Emptiness"  and  "Dead  Visions".  8  out  of  10.. 

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Revelations Of Rain/Akrasia/Solitude Productions/2016 CD Review

  Revelations  Of  Rain  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  form  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2016  album  "Akrasia"  which  was  released  by  Solitude  Productions.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  leads  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  a  minutes  death  metal  growls  make  their  presence  known  on  the recording  and  the  music  also  starts  getting  more  atmospheric  while  also  mixing  both  clean  and  heavy parts  together  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  at  times.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  vocals  also  add  in  black  metal  screams  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  slow  riffing  is  mostly  in  a  doom  metal  direction  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  whispers.

  Revelations  Of  Rain  plays  a  style  of  funeral  doom  that  is  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  while  also  being  heavily  influenced  by  death  and  black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Revelations  Of  Rain  are a   very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  melodic  funeral  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Altar  Of  Whores"  "In  Joy  And  Sorrow"  and  "Root  Of  All  Evil".  8  out  of  10.

Official Revelations of Rain Bandcamp

Picture Ann/Blindness And Insight/Floodgate Moods Productions/2016 Single Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  recording  from  Picture  Ann  which  continues  the  experimental  metal  style  of  previous  releases  with  this  single  being  called  "Blindness  And  Insight"  which  was  also  released  by  Floodgate  Moods  Productions.

  Acoustic  guitars  and  synths  start  off  the  single  and  after  awhile  electric  guitars  along  with  some  solos  and  leads  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  gets  very  experimental  at  times  and  on  the  second  track  programmed  beats  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  and  the  whispers  on  the  second  song  have  a  black  metal  feeling.

  Picture  Ann  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  experimental  style  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  lo-fi while  the  music  focuses  on  dark  themes..

  In  my opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Picture  Ann  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  single.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Insight".  8  out  of  10.

http://floodgatemoodsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/blindness-and-insight

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf0lcLIard2NvslYtbfFzIrAn4VQ9oWG7

https://open.spotify.com/album/3FKF5gk36unu8uEsI3Frz7

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/blindness-and-insight-single/id1161681077

  

 

H.P. Lovecraft/Pickman's Model/Cadabra Records/2016 Vinyl Review

  This  is  a  review  of  another  reading  from  H.P  Lovecraft  this  time  with  S.T  Joshi  reading  "Pickman's  Model"  and  the  soundtrack  is  once  again  provided  by  Theologian  and  the  album  will  be  released  in  November  by  Cadabra  Records.

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  while  also  mixing  in  the  atmosphere  of  a  classic  horror  movie  before  adding  in  spoken  word  parts  which  starts  off  the  story  which  deals  with  the  problems  of  the  main  character  before  talking  about  Pickman  and  the  North  End  and  the  story  also  starts  taking  a  darker  turn.

  The  main  character  talks  about  how  he  dropped  off  Pickman  and  also  mentions  he  is  afraid  to  talk  to  the  place  about  it  while  also  mentioning  the  Pickman's  art  skills  which  also  has  an  esoteric  and  occult  touch  and  the  paintings  are  a  lot  more  different  and  supernatural  than  the  actual  paintings  while  also  comparing  it  to  the  Middle  Ages.

  After  awhile  the  story  starts  mentioning  Pickman  as  being  inhuman  while  also  mentioning  his  ancestors  being  witches  from  Salem  burning  the  17th  century  and  the  story  also  starts  getting  more  frightening  and  supernatural  and  the  stress  off  telling  his  story  also  leads  to  him  needing  more  alcoholic  drinks and  the  paintings  also  get  more  esoteric  and  forbidden  and  they  also  invoke  changeling  and  the  story  starts  taking  a  more  evil  turn.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  reading  from  H.P  Lovecraft  and  the  background  music  makes  the  story  sound  more  evil  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  author,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  8/5  out  of  10.   

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Doomcult Interview

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

At the moment I’m recording music for the second album. Seven new songs of doom-worship \\m//. Hopefully, the new album can be released somewhere this winter.

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

Doomcult is a doom band. I think you nailed it quite well in the review of the album. It’s a mixture of traditional doom, atmospheric doom and there’s some funeral stuff. It was the Peaceville three (Anathema, Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride) that raised my interest in doom back in the 90’s and I like to think of their early material as being quite influential.

3.I have also read that you have played other styles of metal before forming a doom metal band, what are some of the metal styles you have worked with in the past?

I would call it plain metal. A bit thrash, a bit stoner, a bit of everything. For those interested, we were named Bulldozer Breed.

4.The lyrics on the recording have a concept to them, can you tell us a little bit more about the song writing?

Well, uh, the concept is that we’re all going to die and there is nothing that we can do. Is that doomy enough? hahaha.
Basically, it’s a story of  a conspiracy. It’s a representation of the way that I look at the world. If you look at the amount of money that is being made in the weapon industry, then you start to realixe that some people are making huge profits on war. These people do not want world peace. They want fear. They want hate. They want a new cold war. And they have enough money to be influential... 
So from this scenario, I started writing about those people who buy power and who want to control our minds.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Doomcult'?

It’s a cool name and it fits the music and the lyrics.

6.Originally this band started out as a solo project but you have expressed interest in forming a full band, has this worked out yet and have you been able to find the right members?

Doomcult is still a solo project. I first want to finish the second album. From there, I’ll think of how to continue. If needed, my old band mates from Bulldozer Breed agreed to participate for live performances. 

7.Are you planning on doing any live shows with this band?

It would be really great to do some live shows. Hopefully, there will be some opportunities in the future.

8.The album was released on 'Morbid Syndicate', are you happy with the support they have given you so far?

It’s great that Morbid Syndicate showed interest in Doomcult and that they released the album. Of course, some more PR would be helpful, but still, they helped me out quite well.

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

The music that ended up on the album ‘End All Life’ had been haunting my brains for years, but since I was always occupied with bands with other styles, there was never an opportunity to do anything with that music. Eventually, I decided to record the songs by myself. When I finished the album and launched Doomcult, it felt awesome to share my ideas with the scene and to express my interest in dark and doomish music. Signing a deal and talking to metal webzines, it has all been more than I hoped for. Many hails to you hatredmeanswarzine for showing your interest for the underground!
Anyway, to answer you question : so far, reviews have been really positive, moreover Doomcult appeared on compilations in Portugal, France and Canada. The hardest part of course is to reach the right people: doomheads interested in plasphemous doom. There are so many great bands and they all want your attention.

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

I’m satisfied with the musical style of Doomcult. I’ll stick to the conspiracy / anti-religion lyrics as well. So these aspects will stay. As mentioned, I’m working on the second album. I think that there is maybe some more influence from DSBM music. Furthermore, the slow songs might be even more slow than they were on ‘End All Life’.

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?

I only listen to Manowar. Period.
Okay, and to old Anathema, Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride… and Urfaust… and Ggu:ll… and Worship… and Reverend Bizarre. And a lot more. Also, I’m very curious to hear the new 40 Watt Sun.

12.Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in your music?

I’m an atheist. I do not believe in some bearded guy that lives in the sky, nor do I believe in a goatlord living underneath my feet. Satanism and occultism do play an important role in my lyrics, since they provide for the right atmosphere and imagery. In think ‘welcome to God’s cremation’ sounds a lot better than ‘welcome to the era where all that you value as beautiful and nice is absent’.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Reading about music. I just finished ‘Louder that Hell’. I had some good laughs…

14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to introduce Doomcult! To all people reading this: if you’re into doom or other slow paced metal, check out Doomcult. If you like what you hear, give me a thumps up. For now, rock on!

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Devils Drunks/Self Titled/2016 Full Length Review

  Devils  Drunks  are  a  band  from  Argentina  that  plays  a  mixture  of  death metal  and  thrash  with  some  elements  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  and  self  titled  2016  album.

  A  very heavy  and  melodic  thrash  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  after  awhile  death/thrash  style  growls  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful.

 Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  guitars  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  some  of  the  riffing  rings  in  elements  of  black  metal  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  classical  guitars.

  Devils  Drunks  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  old  school  death  metal  and  thrash  while  also  bringing  in  some  black  and  doom  metal  influences,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Spanish  and  cover  violent  and  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Devils  Drunks  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  death  and  thrash  metal  with  some  elements  of  black  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Estigia"  "Abbadon"  and  'Otra  Cancion  Muerta".  8  out  of  10.

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John The Void/II/2016 Full Length Review

  John  The  Void  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  ambient,  post  metal  and  doom  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2016  album  "II".

  A  very  distorted  reverb  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  adding  in  clean  guitars  and  melodic  guitar  leads  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  post  metal  elements  and  after  awhile  the  riffs  get  more  heavy  and  bring  in  more  of  a  doom  metal  style.

  At  times  the  riffs  can  be  very  melodic and  the  vocals  are  mostly sludge style  screams  that  also  mixes  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  they  also  mix  the  clean  and  heavy  parts  together  in some  parts  of  the  songs  and  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  ambient  and  drone  along  with  synths  are  incorporated  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  John  The  Void  creates  another  recording  that  takes  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  mixes  them  with  touches  of  black  metal  and ambient  to  create  something  original,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  John  The  Void  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  sludge  and  post  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "John  Void"  and  "Neon  Forest". 8  out  of  10.   

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

Doomcult/End All Life/Morbid Syndicate/2016 Full Length Review

 Doomcult  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  mixes  the  traditional,  atmospheric  and  funeral  styles  of  doom  metal  together  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2016  album  "End  Of  All  Life"  which  was  released  by  Morbid  Syndicate.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  use  a  great  amount  of  depressive  melodies  and  after  awhile  grim  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  they  also  mix  in  rough  style  clean  singing  at  times  and  as  the  album  progresses  the music  starts  getting  heavier.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  mix  in  influences  from  the  90's  United  Kingdom  atmospheric/doom  bands  while  also  mixing  in elements  of  funeral  doom  at  times  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  growls  are  also  used  at  times  while  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow musical  direction  and  one  track  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  classical  guitars.

  Doomcult  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  traditional,  atmospheric  and  funeral  styles  of  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  first  wave  black  metal  vocal  approach  to  create  something  very  different,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  are  a concept  album  based  upon  desperation  and  despair.

  In  my  opinion  Doomcult  are  a  very  great  sounding  doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Master"  "Wrath"  and  "End  All  Life".  8  out  of 10.

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Kindstod Interview

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

-Kindstod is a noise project that I, VX, founded back in 2013. It has no strict subgenre and mixes various forms of experimental genres (harsh noise, hnw, power electronics, danger music, drone, black noise, old school industrial,..). Almost all tracks are very misanthropic and deal with topics like murder, suicide, torture, war and stuff related to that, all with a sick black humour. Until now I released 3 albums, 3 splits, 2 mini-albums and over a dozend singles/EPs; I actually work on finishing the fourth (and first real) album, a compilation and more!
You can check most stuff out on: kindstod.bandcamp.com


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

-DANGERous ANTI muSICK


3.What are some of the themes and images you bring out with your music?

-Chaos, Death, Murder, Madness, Anti-Religion, Humour


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

-I don't has a real meaning, it just comes from "Plötzlicher Kindstod", what is a form of natural selection that affects you in a young age. 😉


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

-Well, I already recorded one release (Dedicated to Kip Kinkel) and some other tracks together with other (secret guest-) members, also I'm working on a collab like thing with Dark Ashley, I don't know yet if it will be under the Kindstod name tho.


6.You have also done a split with 'Radiation Geisha', what are your thoughts on the other musical project that had participated on the recording?

-I like it a lot of course, same for Enbilulugugal. I don't also collabrated with them for no reason. I like their sound, ideals and aesthetics and they fit to Kindstod.


7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of death industrial, harsh noise and power electronics?

-Well, I don't really know, I got pretty much mostly positive feedback yet from all over the world.


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

I'm a member of Per La Lumon, Hellhound666, Neoteric Cease and Enbilulugugal. I also have some own projects there I (mostly) do everything by myself but sometimes get help on certain instruments. To name some of the projects: Verwesung (raw vampyric black metal), Todesnacht (aggressive suicidal black metal), Verialttari (raw oldschool black metal), Teufelskopfstreitkolben (raw insane black metal), Jesus Hitler (seth putnam worship), Abgeschieden (ambient), Pestilential Coffin (vampyric dark ambient), Dead Whore House (harsh noise wall with also some other influences)


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

-Wherever I want, I don't wanna predict too much about the future yet but my main topic always will be "death".


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?

-For Kindstod mostly "famous" acts like Anal Cunt, Merzbow, Whitehouse, Weena Morloch and Vomir influenced me I guess. But also a lot of others.. Nowadays I listen the most to underground black metal, hip-hop and horrorcore from mostly Germany and Finland. But my ears can handle all kinds of different sounds so it can be that I listen to only one genre or artist for a week but some other day I mix 10 different genres and switch from russian hatecore to japanese black metal or swedish rap. It really depends on my mood and I discover new good artists daily, some of them I start to like so much that I listen to them for years.


11.What are some of your non musical interests?

-Love, Hate, Death, Darkness, Horror, Justice, Truth


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

-Big thanks to Emir from my label Merdümgiriz for helping and promoting me, if you ever visit me I will suck your hairy sandnigger cock.
Hail Nihil & buy my shit on kindstod.bandcamp.com so I can buy new and better equipment!

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