Monday, December 24, 2018

HellLight/As We Slowly Fade/Solitude Productions/2018 CD Review


  HellLight  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "As  We  Slowly  Fade"  which  was  released  by  Solitude  Productions.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  synths  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  depressive  atmosphere  and  the  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the songs  at  times  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  A  great  amount  of  melody  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  funeral  doom  metal  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used briefly and all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

 Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  clean  vocals  are  also  utilized  in  some  parts  along  with  some  blast  beats  also  being  utilized  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  and  the  music  also mixes  in  a  great  amount of 90's  era  atmospheric  doom/death  metal  influences  and  operatic  female  vocals  are  added  onto  the  closing  track  briefly.

  HellLight  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  atmospheric  style  of  funeral  doom/death  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sorrow,  loneliness,  death  and  paganism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  HellLight  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  atmospheric  funeral  doom/death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "As  We  Slowly  Fade"  "Bridge  Between  Life  And  Death"  and  "Ocean".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcU3gqYTp14

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Desiderii Marginis/Deadbeat/Cyclic Law/2018 CD Re-Issue Review


  Desiderii  Marginis  is  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  industrial  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2001  album  "Deadbeat"  which  was  re-issued  in  2018  by  Cyclic  Law.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  and  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  while  ambient  style  synths  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  music  along  with  some  harsh  noises  also  being  used  briefly  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  being  industrial  and  the  songs  also  incorporate  a  great  amount  of  industrial  elements.

  Programmed  beats  can  also  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  music  while  all  of  the  tracks  sound  very  different  from  each  other  along  with  one  song  also  introducing  spoken  word  parts  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  melodic  chants  as  the  album  progresses  and  on  of  the  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Desiderii  Marginis  plays  a  musical  style  that  takers  dark  ambient  and  industrial  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  while  also  keeping  most  of  the  music  in  an  instrumental  direction  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Desiderii  Marginis  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  industrial  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Deadbeat  I"  "Gods  Shadow  on  Earth"  "Beyond  Retrieval"  and  "Unclean".  8  out  of  10.

VIEW ON BANDCAMP

    

Monday, December 17, 2018

Cober Ord/Le Chant Des Ruines/Cyclic Law/2018 CD Review


  Cober  Ord  are  a  musical  project  from  France  that  has  had  an  album  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  blackened  mixture  of  ritual,  experimental  and  industrial  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Le  Chant  Des  Ruines"  which  will  be  reelased  on  December  21st  by  Cyclic  Law.

  Field  recordings  start  off  the  album  while  atmospheric  sounding  drones  are  added  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later  along  with  the  drum  beats  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  most  of  the  music  is  instrumental.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  sounding  while  the  grim  whispers  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  along  with  some  synths  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  elements  of  industrial  and  noise  also  being  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  ethnic  musical  instruments  can  also  be  heard  and  one  track  also  bring s in  guitar  and  ritualistic  chanting.

  Cober  Ord  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  blackened  mixture  of  ritual,  experimental  and  industrial,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  the  occult.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Cober  Ord  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  black  metal  influenced  ritual,  experimental,  and  industrial,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Spectres"  "Almageste"  and  "Le  Chant  Des Ruines".  8  out  of  10.

VIEW ON BANDCAMP


    

Friday, December 14, 2018

Deth Crvx/Mutant Flesh/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2018 Full Length Review


  Death Crvx  are a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that plays  a mixture of  horror  punk,  dark  goth  and  death  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Mutant  Flesh"  which  was released  by Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  Post  punk  style bass guitars  start  off  the  album along  with  some  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  an  80's  death  rock  style  as  well  as  the  music  also  utilizing  a  decent  amount  of  synths  and  the clean  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  goth  rock  direction.

  When  aggressive  vocals  are  utilized  they  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  while  also  giving  a  retro  style  of  music  more of  a  modern  touch  along  with  some  of  the  drumming  displaying  a  little  more  aggression  as  the  album  progresses  as  well  as  all  of  the  music  sticking  to  more  of  a  mid  tempo  style  and  saxophones  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Death  Crvx  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  horror  punk,  dark  goth  and  death  rock  and  mixes  it  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very professional  while the  lyrics  cover  horror,  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Death  Crvx  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  horror  punk,  dark  goth  and  death  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Phantom  Blood"  "Chrome  Lips"  "Lycanthropic  Possession"  and  "Yellow  Eye".  8  out  of  10.

 BANDCAMP PAGE

  

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Otavan Veret/Syvys/Cyclic Law/2018 CD Review


  Otavan  Veret  are  a  duo  from  Finland  that  plays  space  ambient  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Syvys"  which  will  be  released  on  December  21st  by  Cyclic  Law.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  synths  bring  in  elements  of  ambient  music  as  well  as the  music  also  bringing in  a  decent  amount  of  programmed  beats  and  all  of  the  music  is  done  in  an  instrumental  direction.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  atmospheric  and  ethereal  sounding  while  the  music  also  captures  a  good  mixture  of  electric  and  acoustic  sounds  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  and  the  synths  also  bring  in  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys.

  Otavan  Veret  plays  a  style  of  space  ambient  music  that  is  very  atmospheric  and  dreamlike  sounding  while  keeping  everything  in  an  instrumental  direction  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Otavan  Veret  are  a  very  great  sounding  space  ambient  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "II"  and  "IV".  8  out  of  10.

VIEW ON BANDCAMP

 



  

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Undantagsfolk/Den ondes fingrar/Nordvis/2019 EP Review


  Undantagsfolk  are  a  duo  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  barren  form  of  folk  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  ep  "Den  ondes  fingrar"which  will  be  released  in  2019  by  Nordvis.

  Harmoniums  start  off  the  ep  while  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  ambient  while  female  vocals  are  also  a  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  the  nylon  string  guitars  bringing  in  elements  of  folk  music  as  well  as  using  a  good  mixture  of  both  finger  picking  and  full  chords  and  percussion's  are  added  on  the  second  track.

  Undantagsfolk  plays  a  style  of  folk  music  that  is  very  barren  and  melancholic  sounding  along  with  some  elements  of  ambient,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Swedish  and  cover  arcane  tales  originating  from  rural  Sweden.

  In  my  opinion  Undantagsfolk  are  a  very  great  sounding  barren  folk  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Da  All  Tid  Forsvinner".  8  out of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/undantagsfolk     

Ornstorpet/Hymmer fran snockulla/Nordvis/2019 CD Review


  Ornstorpet  are  a  solo  project  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture of  dungeon  synth  and  dark  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Hymmer  fran  Snockulla"  which  will  be  released  in 2019  by  Nordvis.

  Field  recordings  and  nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  ambient  style  synths  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  also mixes  in  elements  of  dungeon  synth  as  well  as  all  of  the  tracks  being  instrumental  and  the  music  also  captures  the  atmosphere  of  a  fantasy  movie  soundtrack.

  A  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  synths  also  add  in  a  variety  of  many  different  sounding  keys  along  with  the  music  also  going  back  to  the  90's  era  of  dungeon  synth  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  songs  start  getting  more  diverse  and  synths  are  the  only  musical  instrument  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  Ornatorpet  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  dungeon  synth  and  dark  ambient  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  while  also  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Ornatorpet  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture of  dark  ambient  and  dungeon  synth  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Over  Frusen  Mark  - I"  "Manen  Vandrar  Sin  Tysta  Ban"  "I  Glandsande  Skare  Kring  Knottriga  Enar"  and  "Postludium  -  Midnatt  Rader".  8  out  of  10. 

http://ornatorpet.bandcamp.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6kKRsj0RBBGMwXewQmBzkX?si=ZB_rPS3fQruNRmJ1qG9tuQ
https://nordvis.com/en/ornatorpet-a-28

Monday, December 10, 2018

Of Spire & Throne 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 Penance was completed we played some live gigs and we recently started recording our third album. We are currently working on promotion for Penance and completing the album to follow it.

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

Penance is our rawest release so far. Our first album, Sanctum in the Light, was produced and precise in comparison. We wanted to react to that and create something that had a live, first take kind of feel, and we wanted to incorporate improvisations within the main song structures. There’s a running contrast of chaos and clarity throughout, and songs shift from riffs and melody into noise and drone. This was our first main recording with our bass player Joe who uses a lot of electronics and effects, while we included some cleaner vocal styles. The vocals were all mostly taken from demo takes because we liked the rawness.  A big part of the album’s sound is the mix and ideas incorporated by Andrew Oswald at Secret Bathroom studio. Andrew did a lot of creative things with the vocals and balance to bring out different tones and atmospheres.

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

Penance is about failure, regret, atonement, and our relationship to time. It’s a reckoning and a coming to terms. What’s done, what’s to come, and what’s happening now. The lyrics explore themes of shame, guilt, and fear, and they ask questions about vision, fate, the self, and our ability to effect change. Everything I’ve ever written about in Of Spire & Throne has been very personal, but with Penance I really tried to get to the true heart of what I was feeling and thinking, and I tried to remove some of my usual veils and barriers. It’s the first time my lyrics have made me feel so exposed and uncomfortable, and that was very much the intention.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Of Spire & Throne'?

The name is meant to harness its associations with the personal while also presenting an opposition. My feeling has always been that the name conjures the idea of our personal beliefs and goals, vision and opposition, struggle and conflict, a dedication to something greater than the self – whatever it may be, and the sense of constant striving to reach or serve it.

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

The artwork was painted by a friend of ours, Sarah Green. Sarah is an amazing artist who captures a special human vulnerability in her work. I see a delicate beauty among chaos in what she produces, and I’m very grateful that she agreed to let us use her work and that she created some original pieces for us. The theme of eyes and the suggestion of wounds in the images along with her unique style really matches with Penance: beauty and clarity among chaos and pain.

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

I’d say our best shows have been more recent: supporting Godflesh in Edinburgh, playing Byker Grave in Newcastle, and playing with King Witch in Aberdeen, but we’ve had lots of great gigs across the UK, often in smaller venues and places that don’t get so many live gigs.

Our stage performance is brooding and brutal, but not aggressive or confrontational. It’s changed over the years. Since Joe joined we started to make specific decisions around lighting and stage set up, and we started to put on a more physical show and get more into it, but I think we tend to back off and put the music forward. We don’t want it to be about us on stage, we want the music to envelop the room.

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

Not right now. I recently moved to Canada to be with my wife, so live activities are on hold. We’re currently focusing on our next album, working long distance, but we will return to playing live in the future.

8.In 2017 you had also done a 'My Dying Bride' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?

We were approached by Doom-metal.com to take part in a tribute to My Dying Bride, A Lake of Ghosts. They wanted the tribute to have an unconventional approach, and they purposefully asked bands who didn’t necessarily match up with My Dying Bride’s style. I’d always felt that I didn’t want to do covers in Of Spire & Throne, but I was open to the idea because My Dying Bride aren’t a major influence on us or our sound, but they’re a band I respect, and I really like their Songs Of Darkness, Words of Light album. It gave us a chance to try some new territory, and it was our first time recording with Joe. I chose My Wine In Silence because I love the song, but I asked to change the lyrics because I felt I needed to find my own expression to do it justice.

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

We’ve found our own small following within that fanbase across the world, but we’ve never really fit either grouping very comfortably. A lot of fans want things to be more conventional, which is fine of course, but we’re often a bit too much outside of expected styles and people don’t take to what we do. We have a lot of fans from outside of recognizable doom, sludge, or metal communities, and that’s always been surprising but very welcome.

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

We’re getting more progressive, although not what I would call “prog”. It feels like unchartered territory to me, although I’m sure someone somewhere has done something like it before. We’ve already recorded most of our new album, and I would describe it as us trying to do an album in the style of King Crimson’s Discipline in one take. That’s a very loose interpretation.

11.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?

Thou’s Heathen was a big influence on Penance and I still find myself writing parts which remind me of its atmosphere. There’s also some obvious Bohren & Der Club of Gore in there, as well as some ideas taken from listening to Deicide and Ahab. I tend to be influenced by  whole albums, so King Crimson’s Discipline has been a big influence on what we’ve been writing recently, so has Magazine’s Secondhand Daylight, while I’ve been finding more of my death metal tastes creeping into things.

I’ve been listening to a lot of death metal recently: Disma, Dead Congregation, Morbid Angel, while I’m a sucker for all of the synthwave stuff that’s all the rage right now. Also a lot of Sumerlands, Speedwolf, Weedeater, and Scott Walker. I always listen to a lot of Judas Priest.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Music takes up most of my spare time, but I also like film (especially horror) and reading, while I keep meaning to start making board games and writing. I end up with long lists of creative projects that I don’t get round to starting or finishing.

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

I’d just like to say thanks for the interview and for the thoughtful questions, and we’d just like to say a sincere thanks to everyone who has been listening and supporting us.

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Sunday, December 9, 2018

Gandalf's Owl/Who's The Dreamer/Club Inferno Ent./2019 Full Length Review


  Gandalf's  Owl  are  a  solo  project  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  very  progressive  and  psychedelic  form  of  ambient  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "Who's  the  Dreamer"  which  will  be  released  in  2019  by  Club  Inferno  Ent..

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  while  guitar  leads  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  synths  and  ambient  elements  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  programmed  beats  into  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  instrumentals  while  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  at  times  along  with  a  great  amount  of  psychedelic  elements  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  clean  vocals,  as  the  album  progresses  spoke  word  parts,  water  and  nature  sounds  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  the  album  closes  with  a  cover  of  Le  Orme's  "II  Vento,  La  Notte,  II  Ciele".

  On  this  recording  Grandalf's  Owl  creates  more  of  a  progressive  and  psychedelic  style  of  ambient  rock  as  expanding  on  the  sound  he  introduced  on  the  ep  and  the  production  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Gandalf's  Owl  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  progressive  and  psychedelic  ambient  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Winterfell"  "Garmobozia"  and  "Coming  Home".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/gandalfsowl/

   

O Saala Sakraal/Etmaal/Cyclic Law/2018 CD Review


  O  Saala  Sakraal  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  an  improv  and  percussion  orientated  form  of  experimental  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Etmaal"  which  will  be  released  on  December 21st  by  Cyclic  Law.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  while  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  ambient  style  synths  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  the  music  also  having  its  avant  garde  moments  and  all  of  the  music  is  done  in  an  instrumental  direction.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  experimental  along  with  the  use of  5  different  percussion  players  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  an  improved  ritualistic  and  tribal  atmosphere  along  with  some  chants  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  power electronics  and  industrial  elements  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  on  the  closing  track.

  O  Saala  Sakraal  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  experimental,  ambient,  improv  and  percussion  music  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  O  Saala  Sakraal  are  a  very  great  sounding  improv  and  percussion  orientated  experimental  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Lilit".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGS9E6Bcp3Q&feature=youtu.be

Shrine/Celestial Fire/Cyclic Law/2018 CD Review


  Shrine  is  a  solo  project  from  Bulgaria that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  atmospheric  soundscapes  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Celestial  Fire"  will  be  released  on  December  21st  by  Cyclic Law.

  Dark  ambient  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric  sounding  drones  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  music  also  mixing  in  elements  of  a  more  underground  industrial  style  and  sci-fi  style  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Field  recordings  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  synths  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  music  along  with  most  of  the  songs  being  instrumental  as  well  as  all  of  the  tracks  sounding  very  different  from  each  other.  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  nature  and  water  sounds  can  be  heard.

  Shrine  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  dark  ambient,  drone,  soundscapes  and  filed  recordings  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  a  historical  fiction   story  based  in  Antarctica  and  some  discoveries  made  by  the  Polynesians  and  Charles  Darwin  mixing  in  some  non  fiction  elements.

  In  my  opinion  Shrine  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  atmospheric  soundscapes  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Infada  Stone"  and  "Celestial  Fire'.  8 out  of  10.

VIEW ON BANDCAMP 

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Picture Ann/Unison/Floodgate Moods Productions/2018 Single Review


  Norway's  Picture  Ann  have  returned  with  a  new  song  shows  the  music  going  into  more  of  an  isntrumental  ambient  direction  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  single  "Unison"  which  was  released  by  Floodgate  Moods  Productions.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  song  along  with  some  programmed  beats  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  music  is  instrumental  and  the  song  is  only  3 and  a  half  minutes  in  length  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

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

 https://floodgatemoodsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/unison-free-download   

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Shibalba/Stars Al-Med Hum/Agonia Records/2018 CD Review


  Shibalba  are  a  musical  project  with  members  from  Greece  and  Sweden  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  mixture  of  meditative,  ritual,  Shamanic  music,  ambient  and  dark  trance  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Stars  Al-Med  Hum"  which  was  released  by  Agonia  Records.

  Ambient  style  drones  start  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  programmed  beats  are  also  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  the  music  serving  as  a  soundtrack  for  a  sexual  Tantric  Magick  meditation  and  ritualistic  chants  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Synths  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  while  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  some  songs  also  bringing  in  elements  of  dark  trance  while  guitars  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  music  and  as  the  album  progresses  more  more  ethnic  instruments  and  shamanistic  and  Tibetan  music  touches  are  added  onto  the  recording  as  well  as  all  of  the  songs  sounding  very  different  from  each  other.

  On  this  recording  Shibalba  takes  meditative,  ritual,  Shamanic  music,  ambient  and  dark  trance  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  another  ritualistic  occult  album,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  song  themes  focus  on  Tibetan,  Shamanism,  Tantra  and  Eastern  Occultism.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Shibalba  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  meditative,  ritual,  Shamanic  music,  ambient  and  dark  trance,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Alignment  I  Fa  Ra  On" and  "Alignment  V  Egi  Pto".  8  out  of  10.

   

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Martin Dumais/Ferrochrome/Liberation Through Hearing/2018 Full Length Review


  Martin  Dumais  is  a  solo  project  from  Montreal.  Quebec,  Canada  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  techno  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Ferrochrome"  which  was  released  by  Liberation  Through  Hearing.

  Ambient  style  soundscapes  start  off  the album  along  with  some  programmed  beats  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  gets  very  experimental  and  avant  garde  at  times  as  well  as  synths  also  being  utilized  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  on  some  tracks  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  techno.

  Most  of  the  music  is  instrumental  while  most  of  the  songs  sound  very  different  from  each  other  along  with  some  post  rock  elements  also  being  used  briefly  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  vocals  can  also  be  heard  as  well  as  some  tracks  also  adding  in  some  atmospheric  sounding  drones.

  Martin  Dumais  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  ambient  and  techno  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own  while  keeping  most  of  the  music  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Martin  Dumais  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  ambient  and  techno  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hissed" "Spark  Up"  "Wintered"  and  "Chrome  Tape".  8  out  of  10.

https://martindumais.bandcamp.com/album/ferrochrome   

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Of Spire & Throne/Penance/Aesthetic Death/2018 CD Review


  Of  Spire  &  Throne  are  a  band  from  Scotland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  with  some  elements  of  drone,  experimental  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2018  album  "Penance"  which  was  released  by  Aesthetic  Death.

  Distorted  drones  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  drums  and  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  while  the  slow  riffs  bring  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  while  the  high  pitched  screams  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  along  with  the  music  also  capturing  an  improvised  atmosphere  as  well  as  the  music  also  incorporating  elements  of  noise  and  experimental  at  times, as  the  album progresses  a  brief  use  of  melodic  chants  can  also  be  heard  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  slower  direction  and  clean  playing  is  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Of  Spire  &  Throne  plays  a musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  sludge  and  doom  metal  while  also  adding  in  some  elements  of  experimental,  drone,  noise,  and  improv  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  life,  emotions  and  despair  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Of  Spire  &  Throne  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "From  Dust"  and  "Sorceror".  8  out  of  10.

https://ofspireandthrone.bandcamp.com/

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Comatose Vigil A.K Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
Well, we’ve returned to our usual life after the recording. We all have jobs, families, other projects, lots of things to do. But we apparently save our strength for future activities.

2.You have a new album coming out in December, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
I’d say it has no fundamental distinctions from our previous works. We wanted to make it as recognizable as early Comatose Vigil used to be. Musically it reminds our debut album but the songs are structured a bit more complicatedly. However, you can hear echoes from both early and later periods there.  I think this album sums up our previous releases. We also chose very heavy and low guitar tune that makes our music sound rougher than before. 

3.The band has split up a couple of times, what was the cause of the splits and also the decision to reform?
We had uneasy relationships between us. We all wanted to make music but couldn’t make it together for some reasons. We had different views of our future stuff, I guess. That classical line-up became entirely incapable, unfortunately.  New ideas seemed to be tedious and impersonal. We were wasting time disputing and drinking alcohol. One day that inner discord completely stopped the progress and it couldn’t be sustained anymore. We disbanded but then gathered to try again, without Zigr though. It looked pity, honestly. It made no sense to prolong that agony, and we disbanded again finally. The only thing I'm happy with is that we haven’t released the shit we composed at that time.
I understood we couldn’t record anything new by that line-up, but I believed we could do this by another one. Everything changed when I found David, famous in Georgian band Ennui. We have been long known each other. But that time I found him as a new composer of new comatose stuff. I decided to take a chance and try once again. And damn, it worked! He sent me his first samples and I had to admit they sounded like real Comatose Vigil. There wasn’t a shadow of doubt that we had to record this album.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
I’d like to observe that all lyrics were written in Russian in spite of their titles. Every song of this album allows you to gaze into a sort of “fictive reality”.  This is my subjective observation not applying for the truth, of course. “Evangelium Nihil” discloses how religion distorts present reality and creates fictive one instead. It also depicts the following disappointment and regret. ”Comatose Vigil” shows an invented world of coma, where the protagonist wanders self-reflecting. Confusion, uncertainty, a state of gloom and oppression... “Deus Sterilis” is about a civilization which considered itself god. It shows the whole humanity as an insane god. He commits suicide in a fit of anger but the Universe stays blind to such an unimportant event. It allegorizes our civilization and its probable end. I’m afraid that this scenario’s gonna come true soon. “The Day Heaven Fell” is a sequel of “The Day Heaven Wept”, presented on “Fuimus, non Sumus...”.  You may plunge into a world of personal mental disease, that I described in this dilogy. It can be also interpreted as a fictive reality.

5.Originally the band was known as 'Subhuman Abstract', what was the cause of the name change?
Our first name wasn’t well thought-out. I’d say we picked it out of the air. We definitely weren’t happy with that. We chose Comatose Vigil because it seemed to reflect the very essence of our art. It sounds like an existential paradox.

6.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
This album has two covers by the way. We placed the ancient christogram Chi Rho to digipak (read Wikipedia to learn more as needed). Some versions of this symbol include Alpha and Omega on their two sides, that define Jesus as the beginning and the end of everything. The difference is that our Chi Rho has two Omegas. I think there’s no need to explain the “hidden message”. The booklet picture shows a charred bible laying on the ground as a symbol of its own futility.

7.With the new line up all of the band members live in different parts of the world, can you tell us a little bit more about it?
As it turned out I couldn’t find local accomplices, so I found them abroad. David is the only man I know, who completely understands how it has to work. I see no problem that he’s from Georgia. It’s pretty possible even to play gigs together, I think. John joined us right before recording the album because that time I had some troubles with the studio and couldn’t work on drums. He did it much better than I could and joined the line-up as a regular member. John is known in American doom-death band Mesmur and a few other bands.

8.What have been some of the best shows that the band has played over the years?
The best one was Moscow Doom Festival pt. 3 in 2008, indeed. That year we shared the scene with such giants as Esoteric and Worship, and that was amazing. I’d also like to highlight our double set in Moscow and Saint Petersburg with Shape of Despair in January, 2015.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of funeral doom metal?
There was pretty positive reaction as far as I can judge. We got a lot of laudatory reviews.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
It’s hard to tell for now. I only can assure you that we’re gonna stay the same Comatose Vigil that you used to know.

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?
As I don’t compose music, I can’t answer the first part of your question. I’m responsible for lyrics only. Death and Black metal are always my favourite. But I also have other genres in my playlist, such as Sludge, Post-metal, Industrial, EBM, Dark Electro, Synth-pop and many others. The choice depends on my mood.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
I like traveling, riding bicycle, playing hockey, cooking yummies with my family and many other simple things that all average people like. Unfortunately, I can’t get enough time and money recently to do all I want. Reality often changes my plans.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
I’d like to thank all who believe in us and support us in our new beginning. Thank you, guys and see you soon!

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Doomcult/Life Must End/Loneravn Records/2018 Full Length Review


  Netherlands  solo  project  Doomcult  have  returned  with  a  new  album  which  continues  his  mixture  of  traditional,  atmospheric  and  funeral  doom  metal  with  some  dsbm  elements  and  the  recording  is  called  "Life  Must  End"  and  was  released  by  Loneravn  Records.

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  slow  and  heavy  doom  metal  riffing  while  the  vocals  bring  in  an  80's  influenced  style  which  also  adds  in  a  touch  of  first  wave  black  metal  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  A  great portion  of  the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  music  also adds  in  the  more  traditional  style  of  doom  metal  with  some  influences  from  the  more  atmospheric  and  funeral  orientated  styles  of  the  genre  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  more  of  an  atmospheric  style as  well  as  some  tracks  also  mixing  in  elements  of  dsbm  which  also  results  in  a  brief  use  of  grim  screams,  one  track  also  introduces  melodic  chants  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  slower  direction.

  On  this  recording  Doomcult  remains  true  to  his  mixture  of  traditional,  atmospheric  and  funeral  doom  metal  while  also  expanding  on  the  elements  of  dsbm,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Doomcult  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  traditional, atmospheric,  funeral  doom  metal  and  dsbm,  you  should  check  out this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Suffering"  "King  Of  Bones"  and  "Deathwish'.  8  out  of  10.

bandcamp  |   facebook

Absent/Minded 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 recording of the new album “Raum” there was a time of a little rest and also time to work hard to let the world know that we will release our 4th album soon. Also we played a few shows and we are trying to establish our own concert series called Mt. Doom.
After this we’re not lazy but thinking about a new video shoot for one song from the new recording and of course starting slowly writing new songs.


2.Recently you have released a new album, what are some of the things the band has done different musically on this recording that you where not able to do on previous releases?

Musically we’ve tried to put in some faster stuff but also I am always on the search of more atmospheric and melancholic tunes what is a growing thing from album to album in my opinion. The faster stuff sound a bit black metal-ish sometimes what is new for us. Not that we never had some harder tunes in our songs but before this record we weren’t that fast. Atmospheric/melancholic-wise we’ve tried to play less notes but let these notes speak for itself. With some reverb, delay or chorus in the guitars... Also this isn’t that new for us but also a growing thing from song to song.
More important what we did different musically was what we did different in terms of recording. With our producer V.Santura we have had some freedom to record the instruments just like they sound in our rehearsal room. V.Santura found a room where we recorded the drums. A real big studio room with loads of natural room in the sound. Also my guitars was recorded a bit different to the last 2 albums. These seem to be just little changes but you can hear the difference in the albums. And as we all know: it is a never ending search for THE perfect sound…


3.Your lyrics cover astronomy and esoteric themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these subjects?

The lyrics our singer Steve writes by himself aren’t that far away from reality. It is about the whole thing, life, the world, may be the existence or the universe. So it may seems to be esoteric but it is close to reality all the time.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Absent/Minded'?

The name absent/minded just describes the way we go with our music. We try to be absent in our minds and just play whatever we feel in our hearts. And for us we try to have no boundaries in the way we should sound like. So if the last album was more Doom in it and this album contains more faster beats the next one could be different at all. Who knows how we feel the next months.


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

A friend of us, Ben, who is a good photographer (Golden Shot Photography) took this picture what actually isn’t more than a fence. And after 3 albums of more or less colorfull artworks we decided to go more black and white or grey and white and simple. But the fence and the album title “Raum” (space, room) do not match and despite all the freedoms we have, we are always within any boundaries that we cannot overcome.


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

We enjoy every show we play. Also when something bad happens there is a laugh at the end… I remember a show the former bassist had to play the gig without his pedals because I forgot those to pick up from the rehearsal room. This show was at a venue we never played before and so we couldn’t find the place immediately. There wasn’t a real backstage area but only an open room with a fence between the “backstage” and the audience. Yes, this BACK-stage was an IN-FRONT-OF-stage.
During the show my guitar stopped making noise because the singer accidently stepped on my cable. After all this the cable was plugged in again and we all started laughing on stage because it couldn’t come worse. And so the rest of the show was great and we have had a lot of fun and also the audience liked it. To name one show we like the most is not possible. But we have played shows that was special for us. My personal highlight was a show last year with the mighty Crowbar.


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

Of course we want to play some shows. On November 24 we release the album with a little release party but after this the next shows will come next year. May be somebody who reads this wants to see us playing then just don’t hesitate and get in touch with us. You can find us on facebook or here: www.aminded.com


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

We’re not in hurry to find a label but of course we’re interested in. We are a DIY band since the beginning and why changing a running system. All of our 4 albums and our demo before we released with no help from any label. If there is somebody hearing us and has interest in our work of course can contact us. But I think we are not searching that hard as other bands may do just to have a record deal.


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

Oh, what a “hard-to-answer” question. I don’t think that the reaction counts in the way that we hear then and then react to them. In my opinion we were all the time some kind of unique sounding and back in the days we sounded more “metal” what from album to album changed a bit. It is a come and go of musical styles, influences and preferences of every one of us. So maybe there’s a doom fan out there who likes the Earthtone album the most, no matter how much doom is in this album. Or there is the sludge fan out there who enjoys the Alight album that may has less sludgy tunes in it. And then there’s the metal fan out there who loves the new album knowing that the album contains more clean guitars. The resume would be that we do our music as we like it and we are glad to have supporters and fans who like the stuff we record.
Back to your question: we received lots of reviews and when I remember right there was one review out of ten that didn’t liked it that much but still we got 5 or 6 of 10 points in this review. So all we have heard is positive reactions.


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

Well, as I said: head off, heart on and lets go. We do not know what the next album will sound like. May be we have some crust punk influences may be we do have more Joy Division kinda post punk influences… It’ll be a surprise.
But one thing is for sure: it will have the same dynamic range. There will be quiet clean guitars and there will be some loud and heavy distorted guitars too. There will be a crisp snare ghost note and there will be some earth-shaking bass drum hits. There will be whispers and screams. And all together with a bass guitar that goes directly into your stomach with its overdriven tone before it will stroke your ear with a catchy melody.


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

Oh maaaan… My first big love was the Florida death metal end of the 80/beginning of the 90s. But also this gothic and doom from the 90s, and Crowbar… Nowadays I would name such bands as Monarch! or Chelsea Wolfe or Implore or Amenra.

But this answer would change depending on who you ask.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?

I do not have other interests L Seriously: My daily job has to do with music and musicians, than I have a band and a second band (where I am just the live guitarist), I listen to music and I collect vinyl records and sometimes I do have the time to read some musicians biography.


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

BUY OUR RECORD! Hahahaa ;)
We would like to hear the thoughts of fans who really listened our new album (or also the old ones). So if you want to let us know your feelings while enjoying (or not) our album just send us a few lines.
Of course we have to say: stay peacefull, love each other and try not to destroy our earth further and further. Everyone can do a bit and may the world will become a better place!

Bandcamp
Facebook
Myspace
Official website

Friday, November 23, 2018

Sobaki Tabaka Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?  We have completed our new album, its Russian and English versions. In the later the vocals are done by Patrick Stevens (Hypnoskull) and Rachael Kozak (Hecate). We hope to release it in Europe or the USA.

2. Can you tell us a little bit more about the double compilation album that has been previously released which contains plenty of different bands and artists doing their own versions of your own songs?  Our project member Sergei Ulik has been living in Switzerland for many years. That’s him who suggested the musicians he’s friendly with working out their version of an  ST  song. The response was surprisingly high. It’s a big event for us as it was a completely new experience for Sobaki Tabaka  since most of our musicians are based in Russia.

3. Which your original material  (?) how would you describe your musical progress over the years? Initially the press and our audience identified our genre as ‘Industrial’ although it’s a very vague noon and phenomenon in music. I tend to think that all this me we have been working out our own music genre.

4. What are some of the themes you bring into your music? This is a very complicated question since the concepts are different from album to album, and the lyrics is prey abstract. I would suggest you listen to our new album, its English version, for beer understanding. We have plans to make French and German versions as well.

 5. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Sobaki Tabaka'?
Sobaki Tabaka  can be translated as ‘dogs grilled under heavy press’ (by analogy with ‘grilled flattened chicken’ dish which sounds in Russian like ‘tsyplionok tabaka’). ‘Dogs’ refer to all people while the press can be interpreted as politics, the state, propaganda, daily reality and all that is associated with it.

6. The band has a history that goes back to the 80's, what is it that motivates you to keep going after all of these years? The musical project  Sobaki Tabaka  started in 1996. That’s a project, I’d like to emphasize, as before each of us was playing another kind of music in his own band.

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?  One of the best shows we’ve had was about 3 years ago when we were joined by Kristof Hahn from  Swans . That was both unforgettable and unpredictable. On the stage we are a band of psychopaths. Kristof Hahn also joined us for our new album.
24/10/2018 interview - Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S7fVFmkpHNIl_aPUculddPTgH3z666McseQJFR4knuA/edit 2/2
hps://youtu.be/xM-IHJL6g2I

8. Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?  We had tours to Lausanne and Geneva. We wish and plan to come with a tour to Europe.

9. You have different line-ups for both Russia and Europe, can you tell us a little bit more about it?  As I mentioned before,  Sobaki Tabaka  is not a band but a musical project which allows musicians  to whom our whole idea sounds appealing  participate in it. Besides, it is good to be in contact with musicians in Europe since Russia being considered a rather dangerous country, many Russian citizens have a problematic visa issue to your wonderful dreamland.

10. On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your recordings by fans of industrial, noise and underground music? A booking agency we work with brings lots of European and American bands. Many of those musicians have been welcomed in my house. Aer having some vodka, they usually start asking for playing some of our music. As a rule, it makes them highly thrilled. As for our shows, we can only see people listening with their mouths open which we consider as a high compliment.

11. When can we expect new material and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?  We already have a freshly new album. It will be released in Europe in early 2019. It’s not that important  though. 20 years later the music from our new album will sound as relevant.  The same as our first album of 1996. Which musical direction in the future? – God knows…

12. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays? Personally for me, at different mes it was different music.  Voivod, Slayer  and other ‘heavy’ bands in the 80-s. In the early 90-s it was  Missing Foundation, God, Einstürzende Neubauten and  The The . Now I listen to new  Ulver  and Brazilian music,  Marcela Mangabeira (Sobregal)  as an example.

13. What are some of your non musical interests?  Fighting the Pun regime.

14. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts? Final words are usually said at funerals, hence no final words or thoughts. Just – to be continued

https://www.facebook.com/Sobaki.Tabaka/

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Iterum Nata Interview

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

I have been working quite closely with Jussi Pohjanen, the stellar artist who drew the cover art for the album. There will be a small batch of screen prints made out of the artwork available as soon as the album is out. Also, I've been quite busy writing press-releases, newsletters etc. Luckily the record label has helped me a lot with this stuff - kudos to Inverse Records! I have also written some new material, which is...let's call it Qliphothic!

2.In December you have a new album coming out, what are some of the things you feel you have done different musically with this recording that you where not able to do on your previous releases?

When I started to record the first album I had no clue what kind of material I would end up with. With "The Course of Empire" it was much clearer; I already knew the studio and the equipment, and I had a certain musical style in my mind. One could say that this album continues where the first one ended.

Musically the material is a lot darker and not so serene. There are loads of percussion's, which gives the record a certain shamanistic twist. In the first album everything was played by me but in The Course of Empire there's also some featuring musicians (another kudos!).

3.The lyrics on the new album cover Hermetic Philosophy, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this Western Esoteric Path?

Every song in The Course of Empire has its own correspondence in the seven Hermetic Principles. Hermeticism itself is such a massive concept, that I like to use it as a hypernym which bends over several Western Esoteric schools; it has influenced Rosicrucians, Gnostics, Kabbalists, Freemasons and later for example Thelemites. So there are loads of influences from all of these traditions in the album as well.

4.On your previous album you also covered a lot of Crowley and Thelemic themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the works of Crowley and also do you have an interest in other occultists from the Golden Dawn era or others that expanded on Crowley's teachings such as Kenneth Grant or A.O Spare?

The first album revolved around Thelemic Qabbalah and indeed Crowley's work was heavily present in the lyrics. Crowley was, and still is, a very controversial man, but his influence in the modern Western Esotericism is worthy of respect. One could say that he brought the old traditions into the modern age - even if it was over a hundred years ago. Grant, A.O.S. and others have continued Crowley's work and renewed the Western Current with their own philosophies.

There are many other interesting people in the Western Esoteric field, like Dee, Levi, Blavatsky, Bardon, Jung etc., but in my esoteric studies I try to focus on the deeper philosophy behind these people instead of the people themselves. There's always a risk that one starts to worship another person, or finds himself following someone else's path.

5.What are some of the other esoteric paths that you have an interest in that you have not covered with your music yet?

Maybe some nature-related traditions or Eastern mysticism. You never know the theme of the next album!

We have to keep in mind, that in the end you can call the "Tao" with thousand different names, but it will always be the same!

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

It's Latin for "born again". Each moment we are born again, and hopefully as a better version than the previous. Also, these albums are kind of an initiations for me, and a true initiate is always born again after the ceremony.

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork on the new album cover?

As said before, it is drawn by Jussi Pohjanen who also made the artwork on the first album. In the cover picture there are references to practices such as Qabbalah, Goetia, Thelema, Tarot, Hermeticism and many more. You should explore it and see what you can find in it!

8.With this project you record everything by yourself but have also worked with full line ups in the past, how would you compare the two?

They are two totally different things. When I'm doing stuff alone, I don't need to care about the schedules or what other people think about the takes. Although at some point it would be better to have a producer who tells me when to stop; for example the vocals can be really hard for me to record by myself.

Also, in other line-ups I am mainly just a guitarist. So I just nail the guitar parts and that's it. In Iterum Nata I need to build everything from a scratch. When I look at the empty project on the computer, it feels like I have a goddamn mountain to climb. But once I get started, it's actually pretty painless!

9.The new album is coming out on 'Inverse Records' a record that is mostly known for metal, do you feel your adding something different music wise to this label?

Inverse has treated me really well and I'm super thankful for those guys about everything - I hope Iterum Nata gives them something in exchange! I'm sure The Course of Empire will also appeal on the metal audience because of the dark occult themes and the bleak aesthetics.

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your recordings by fans of folk and occult music?

It has been good, but I'm still just a small name in the scene. The first album was self-published and not well distributed at all, but now when there's a real label behind me, I'm sure lots of new people will hear my music. Hopefully the album gets lots of feedback and reviews!

11.Can you tell us a little bit more about the other bands or musical projects that you are a part of or where a part of in the past?

I have played in dozens of bands from children's music to extreme metal, but nowadays my main focus outside of Iterum Nata is in Hexvessel, The Aeon and King Satan.

I have been a fan of Hexvessel for years and I was so happy when they asked me to join them at the beginning of the year. It is kind of psychedelic folk-rock with a twist of nature mysticism. There's a beautiful new album coming out next year!

The Aeon is a 7-piece dark folk band from my previous hometown, Oulu. We have released one album, "The Songs of the Great Beast", where all the lyrics are by Aleister Crowley. We have been writing some new material and the second album is coming at some point.

King Satan is musically something totally different; it is super provocative and aggressive industrial metal. The lyrics are filled with dark occult themes, once again!

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

This is a question which only the reborn future-me can answer! I wouldn't want to become a huge mega-star - I'm happy as long as I can create and play music that feels like my own. For me music is the main way to express myself.

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?

There are so many of them. I literally grew up with music, for both of my parents are really musical and we had loads of recordings and instruments at home. I have always loved progressive music, as well as anything that's made with feeling. Unfortunately I don't listen to music that much anymore, guess I'm too busy with my own projects. Nevertheless, there are these old favourites, including Pink Floyd, Opeth, Ulver and Camel that I always seem to get back to. Also, the old jazz classics such as Miles Davis' Kind of Blue and Freddie Hubbard's Straight Life keep on appearing to my playlist.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?

I do taiji few times a week and then there are the esoteric studies and practices. I am a social counselor in my profession and I work with the disabled to earn a living.

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

Love is the law, love under will.

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