Spiracle/Ossiphage/Rope Or Guillotine/2025 FUll Length Review

 

  Spiracle  are  a  solo  project  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  mixture  of  harsh  noise,  drone  and  ambient  and  this  is  a  review  of  her  2025  album  "Ossiphage"  which  was  released  by  Rope  Or  Guillotine.

  Neo-classical  style  pianos  start  off  the  album  while  the  synths  also  add  in  elements  of  dark  ambient  when  they  are  utilized.  Programmed  beats  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  each  song  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  as  well  as  some  drones  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  Female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  album  which  also  gives  the  music  some  ethereal  and  alt-pop  touches  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic in  length.  Harsh  noises  and  heavy  soundscapes  are  also  added in  some  parts  of  the  music,  when  screams  are  utilized  they  add  in a   touch  of  black  metal.

  Spiracle  plays a  musical  style  that  takes  ambient,  neo-classical,  drone,  alt-pop  and  harsh  noise  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  her  own.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  while  the  lyrics  cover  melancholic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Spiracle  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  ambient,  drone  and  harsh  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of t hose  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Unmaking"  and  "Soma".  8  out  of  10.

https://spiracle.bandcamp.com/album/ossiphage-extended  

Gåte 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?

We have been able to do a couple of shows, but as for everyone else covid has put its limitations on our ability to tour and play concerts. 

So, we have put our time and focus into creating new material instead and are currently working towards a new album. 

 

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

Gåte is deeply rooted in folk music and folklore. It is in our Gåte´s DNA and has paved the way for all our musical outputs. We call ourselves folklorists, and see ourselves as vanguards of folk lore. Our mission is to convey and further this often forgotten folk tradition and show case the beauty and strength hidden in the stories, songs, ballads, legends and myths etc. of this tradition. 

Our music has always been innovative, groundbreaking and different - rooted in cultural heritage and out musical tradition, without following the traditional rules and formulas. 

With “Nord” Gåte too became creator in this tradition.  With the acoustic expression and through a cleaner and simpler soundscape, we have tried to create something we hope might seem even more authentic, beckoning people to join us in this journey back to the very roots of the vast Nordic folk tradition. 

Approaching a more acoustic sound for Gåte also opened new doors and helped us see the music from a different stance. We felt we got even closer to defining our musical DNA and dare to truly expose ourselves and our instruments. 

Gåte has always been a force - using all means possible, maximized the esthetics, and exaggerated everything. This time we wanted to peel everything down to the core and see what lay beneath all the extravagance. "Nord" is the result of this process. 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explores with the new album and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Most of Gåte´s songs are our take on traditional Norwegian folk songs from the early 18th century. In recent years we have also worked with the great Norwegian folk musician Knut Buen, whom must be considered a guru within the Norwegian folk music scene, and we have had the honor of being able to adapt and incorporate some of his work into the Gåte portfolio. 

As part of the folklorist tradition our goal has been to convey existing tradition in a way that resonates with a more people and to mew generations. As such few of our songs are originally written by Gåte. They are narrated, arranged, and reinterpreted by us. 

The themes of the songs vary, but some of the themes we often find repeated are the agony of forbidden and lost love, life and death, and old myths and legends.

 

 

4.The band was broken up for a hew years, what was the cause of the split and the decision to reform?

Gåte started up back in 1999. And had sudden and fast rise to national fame. 

At a point where the band, and especially I (Gunnhild) was very young. 

Turning into an adult whilst playing in a successful rock band, with all the work, focus, and media attention that entail, is heavy.  

At the age of 20 in 2005 I needed a break. I felt the need to figure out who I was outside of Gåte and explore my own path as an artist, and so we put Gåte on hold. 

I quickly got involved in acting, and built myself a career as a actress before we relaunched Gåte back in 2017. 

 

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name ‘Gåte’?

A direct translation would be “enigma”. 

It was actually the name of one of Sveinung Sundli’s musical projects back when he was in high school. 

When Sveinung and I were set to do our very first show with what would become what we know as Gåte today, we hadn’t really thought of a name. 

Right before we were to go on stage, they asked us what they should present us as and we just decided on Gåte right there and then, and the name stayed. 

It just felt right. We are Gåte, and our music and will always be genre-bending and enigmatic. 

 

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

The cover is designed by an amazing designer called Martin Kvamme. 

It is actually a collage taken from various nature photos. As Nord is an album taking us back to our roots it felt fitting to go to nature for the artwork. 

And just like the songs, the artwork turns into this half dreamscape half real imagery of something frozen in time but at the same time eternal.  

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?

We’ve played such a vast amount of shows that it is hard to pick favorites, and live show has always been paramount for us. One of the major elements of our breakthrough back in the early 00’s was our live performances. To this day we are perhaps best known for our grandiose, intense, and energetic live shows. 

If I have to choose though, I guess playing at the Roskilde festival back in 2003 stands out as a great and important moment for us. 

 

8.Are there any touring or show plans for the new album?

For 2022 & 2023 we are hoping to do more tours and concerts also outside of Norway again. So indeed, we hope so. 

 

9.The new album was released on 'Indie Recordings', how would you compare working with this label to other labels you have been a part of in the past?

It’s been great!

Indie Recording is an independent label based in Norway, and it has been great to work with someone that levels with us in the goals and visions for Gåte. 

Moving to an independent label felt like a natural decision when we decided to revive the band. Previous partnerships have been great, but we wanted to have more control and stay in closer contact with every person involved in our music and the realization of the actual album. That said our last album from 2018 was also on an independent label, but Indie Recordings is perhaps the Norwegian label with the deepest roots in the metal and alternative rock scene, where we also find most of our fans. When we were presented to the possibility of joining forces with them, it felt like the natural choice. 

 

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

We feel the reception has been great! 

People seem to be really open towards Gåte and our music, and we can se that our international fan base has grown and is growing with the release of Nord 

I think the average music fan in 2022 is more open to explore new bands and new music than ever before. Something that, in addition to music in general being so available, is a great asset for an alternative band like Gåte.  

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

This is kind of hard to verbalize, but our main goal is always to keep on growing and evolving. Through the making of Nord we opened up for a totally new way to find inspiration and explore music, and we are in phase now where we allow ourselves to experiment even more with the familiar Gåte sound.  

 

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are listening to nowadays?

As a band we have a very varied and broad taste in music across the group. But as for musical inspiration for Gåte we look towards bands like Garmarna, Wardruna, Gjallarhorn, Valravn, Heilung Kati Ran and Eivør. 

13.Does Paganism play any role in your music?

No, and we don’t consider ourselves pagan. That said we do find inspiration in the archaic, and in our cultural heritage, including elements from Norse culture and mythology. 

 

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

 

Thank you for the interview! And an even greater thank you to all the people who have listened to Gåte or are about to do so for the first time. 

I hope you will continue to follow us on our musical journey! 

https://www.facebook.com/Gaateband/

Gåte/Nord/Indie Recordings/2021 CD Review

 

  Gåte  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  plays  an  alternative  form  of  folk  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Nord"  which  was  released  by  Indie  Recordings.

  Folk  instruments  and  percussion  start  off  the  album  while  also  bringing  in  a  dark  ages  orientated  atmosphere.  Vocals  are  all  done  in  a  clean  style  along  with  some  organs  also  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  the  stringed  instruments  also  being  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  When  acoustic  guitars  are  utilized  they  also  enhance  the  folk  music  vibe  that  is  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.  Spoken  word  parts  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  each  song  also  sounding  very  different  from  each  other  and  the  songs  also  add  in  touches  of  alternative  and  modern  rock.

  Gåte  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  Nordic  folk  music  as  well  as  mixing  in  some  alternative  and  modern  rock  influences  to  update  the  style  for  modern  era.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Norwegian  and  cover  Folklore  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Gåte  are  a  very  great  sounding  alternative  folk  music  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Solfager  og  Ormekongen"  "Horpa"  "Kjærleik"  and  "Sjåaren". 8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/Gaateband/

  

Deeper Graves/The Colossal Sleep/Disoder Recordings/2022 Full Length Review

 

  Deeper  Graves  is  a  solo  project  of  Jeff  Wilson  best  known  for  his  work  in  Abigail  Williams,  Nachtmystium,  Wolvhammer,  Chrome  Waves  and  Contrition  and  on  this  recording  goes  for  more  of  a  mixture  of  post  punk,  shoegaze  and  alternative  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  album  "The Colossal  Sleep "  which  will  be  released  in  2022  by  Disorder  Recordings.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  post  rock  style  clean  playing  a  few  seconds  later.  All  of  the  drum  beats  are  programmed  while  the  bass  guitars  are  also  utilized  as  a  lead  instrument  at  times  along  with  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  shoegaze  style.

  Vocals  are  done  in  mostly  a  clean  style  as  well  as  showing  an  influence  of  goth  rock  at  times  while  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  post  punk  elements.  Melodies  are  also  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction  and  touches  of  alternative  rock  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Deeper  Graves  plays  a  musical  style  that  take s post  punk,  shoegaze  and  alternative  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  melancholic  themes.   

  In  my  opinion  Deeper  Graves  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post  punk,  shoegaze  and  alternative  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Feverish  Dreams"  and  "Distant  Fires".  8  out  of  10.

https://deeper-graves.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/deepergraves

https://www.facebook.com/deepergravespgh  

healthyliving/until/below/2021 EP Review

 

  healthyliving  are  an  international  trio  with  members  from  Germany  and  Scotland  which  also  consists  of  members  from  Falloch  and  Maud  The  Moth  and  plays  a  mixture  of  alternative,  drone  and  shoegaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2021  ep  "until/below".

  Distorted  amp  noises  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  heavier  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.  Clean  vocals  are  also  a very  huge  part  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  songs  also  adding  in a  good  amount  of  90's  era  alternative  rock  influences.

  Atmospheric  sounding  drones  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  recording  while  clean  playing  and  touches  of  shoegaze  are  also  added  onto  the  second  track  and  all  of  the  music  also  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction.

  healthyliving  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  alternative  rock,  drone  and  shoegaze  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  beauty  of  the  horror  and  mundane.

  In  my  opinion  healthyliving  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  alternative  rock,  drone  and  shoegaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Below".  8  out  of  10.

https://www.facebook.com/healthylivingband
https://www.instagram.com/healthylivingband
https://twitter.com/healthylivingb7 
https://healthylivingband.bandcamp.com

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1w3jO6u1En8_3vZI2UzIrQ  

    

Aisumasen 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?

It's been a while so we have mainly focused on perfecting our live performance, since 2 of our members no longer are among us. It's a world gone up side down for me, since I've played with these guys since fucking 2009! But we are definitely getting there regardless, grief or not. And what with all the streaming possibilities nowadays we get a lot of practice. We have been at it a long time all of us, so it's not really a problem, haha! Also, we do a lot of interviews, thank you <3

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

I have to be honest with you. Most of our songs are compiled with ideas we have had since the very start. The only little thing that would actually be the difference is that i am now the one arranging and organizing those ideas. We used to sit around and drone riff after riff for hours on end and that was the way we worked... Musically, I don't think that there is too big a difference from the first release really. Instead of 4 weird songs there are 8 of them, you know? Although, this time I personally tried to produce the album with "heavy" in mind instead of just pressing record on the tape recorder.

3.The band has been around since 2009 but waited until 2017 to release an album, can you tell us a little bit more about the earlier years?

The early years were chaotic to say the least. We were very productive, but had no focus, no plan, no deadline, just alcohol and weed. We loved to hang around and drink. It was when I realized that we were too good to just let things slip away that things began to happen and that alone took several years. Also, we all had problems in our relationships, job situations, social presence, what have you, and very few thing could change that in a sober manner. Personally, I am divorced so I am recovering, haha! The other guys are dead so they are okay. I guess we all had our various personal problems, which may be the reason we are musicians and why we worked so well together.

Musically, we always loved to experiment and that is where post metal comes in, we always loved heavy music, which is where doom comes in and we always regarded honesty as highly important, which is where sludge comes in, if you can understand that. 

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Musical progression is a boring topic in my world, since I consider myself being a better song writer and lyricist every year and it is so very difficult to explain it without sounding like a tedious and uptight bastard, haha! The only real change I can mention is where we put the bar on what we allow ourselves to show...you guys...you know? We experiment and allow ourselves to just let go of inhibitions and ideas about genres and all that crap. If I want to play the harmonica backwards accompanied by distant rumble along with Poxpandemic crying in a fetal position we do it! I'm not saying that we will, but having the freedom to do it is freedom enough!

Lyrics are nowadays some of the funny things! I never thought so, but I am getting better so I'm allowed to say that, haha! Aisumasen lyrics are almost without exceptions about the end of the world, the post apocalypse, a dead world, etcetera. I'm sorry, but there we are. Clichée no 1: "One Day Poff Gone" is basically inspired by the movie "The Divide". Clichée no 2: "Miasma" (from The Greater Good) is about stealing/robbing from other scavengers in a post apocalyptic world. Clichée no3: "Staring Into The Sun" is about people running from something in a post apocalyptic future. Actually, most of the bands I play in has something to do with a world gone nuts.

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

This is simple and interesting: We all love The Beatles and while we may hate John Lennon as a person (let's face it, he was a fucking asshole!), we love his music. So when we talked about how it could be a good idea to put a name on whatever it was we were doing and we loved the kind of freedom The Beatles had musically and the blissful ignorance of John Lennons musicallity. We decided to use one word from any of The Beatles titles or its members titles and I came up with the very bluesy song Aisumasen by John Lennon. This song is very heavy musically but not production wise, but I felt it straight away! Aisumasen means "I'm sorry" or "forgive me" in Japanese and he wrote it to Yoko after he cheated on her. This means it is honest, which is what we are 24/7, it also means that we are humble in our honesty (we bend for nothing, but we apologize in the process) and it also sound really cool and mysterious. It's a win/win/win. Also, it is a tribute to our heroes, needless to say.

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

Actually, that was me looking for film clips for a post humous The Preachers video way back. I was looking for atom bomb video clips, ran across a video thumbnail with this house being just brushed aside by an atom bomb blast wave and simply fell in love with it! It's a very strong image and being just a picture, I don't think it has the same impact. The film clip is very powerful and I believe there is a plan to make a video made out entirely of blast waves hitting buildings, vehicles, vegetation, and so on.

7.Has the band had any opportunities to do any live shows?

Never. We had plans, but 2019 killed 2 members and COVID 19 killed the rest of the plans. Let that be a lesson, kids: stay away from the number 19! It seems like we are stuck with online streaming, which is no where near as fun, but if we are going to practice, why not tape it?

8.The album was released on 'Social Blasphemy Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Social Blasphemy is a very small label, which I myself have been helping out with on and off. They try to stick to weird metal, as they call it, but I think sludge, noiserock and industrial metal is what they mean. It was founded when the mother company Preachers Cath (goth rock and alternative) was put on hiatus after almost all of their bands was disbanded or had some kind of problem. Today, Preachers Cath is flourishing with more releases every year and Social Blasphemy has 2 staff members plus me when they need help packaging cds and shit. I am happy to help out, since I see my own tees and cds go out to all corners of the world, haha! Happy happy joy joy!

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

Oh...I...don't think I've seen any statistics as such, but I hear Asia and the US are very keen on extremely heavy music. I like that! I always knew USA had a very good taste in music, but when I get 200 orders from Delphi, India, I get confused. Also, Arabic countries are fucking weird, which I like, because weird is good. I hate statistics until I receive fan mail from a country that I thought couldn't spell "metal". I love getting my prejudice crushed.

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

Well, "Ye Old Codgers" will release the debut album next year and that will be a blast. "Grate" will put out a few videos, but probably no new song as far as I have heard. "Windymills" is thriving and will release single after single and maybe an album next year. "RadioniRadion" will do the same, "The Last Of Us" will release videos, "Poxpandemic" will release an album, etcetera. "Aisumasen" will release videos and maaaaayyyyybe finish the second album.

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

More experimental stuff, I guess. No limitations, remember? I always thought jazz could be really heavy and you have seen proof of that on "The Greater Good", you can do some serious damage with electronics and anything that hurts you is good. We are still going to be above that bloke that throws shoes at a snare drums, or that park music person, or those cute screaming unplugged chicks (all Japanese, but no racism here), but we are going to do whatever we feel is necessary to accomplish our goals.

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?

This is probably going to sound very boring, but this is what we talked about the last time: The sense of musical freedom that we all felt from The Beatles, the epic feeling we got from semi-early Pink Floyd, the hippiesque absurdity of Hawkwind, the drony sense from old school Tangerine Dream, the heaviness of Bohren Und Der Club Of Gore and voila: There we have it! What we listen to has nothing to do with it however: We talk Bowie, New Model Army, electro, and so on. Also, my girlfriend is into old school goth and deathcore, but she is a pierced and tattooed goth model so I accept almost anything she says or does...

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

I try not to think: it hurts. However awkward it may seem: we love you more than you love us, keep listening and hear our doomy prayers. Until the 10" vinyl of "The Greater Good" and the cd of "Tunguska" comes along you just have to stick to Bandcamp and Spotify and we are SORRY! Okay?! Sorry!

Bandcamp

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Aisumasen/Tunguska/Social Blasphemy Records/2020 Full Length Review

 

  Aisumasen  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  funeral  doom,  death  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2020  album  "Tunguska"  which  was  released  by  Social  Blasphemy  Records.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  music  also  adds  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  funeral  doom  metal.  Death  metal  growls  are  also  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  one  of  the  songs  also  introduces  clean  playing  onto  the  album.  Most  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  dark sounding  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  riffing  as  well  as  some  elements  of  alternative  and  post  metal  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  One  of  the  tracks  also  shows  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  as  well  as  introducing  clean  vocals  onto  the  album.  Synths  can  also  be  heard  on  some  of  the  songs  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts  also being  utilized  at  times  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  slower  direction,  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  finally  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  dark  style.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  the  end  times.

  In  my  opinion  Aisumasen  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  funeral  doom,  death,  post  and  alternative  metal  and  if  you  are  a fan  of  those  musical  genres, you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "A  Ray  Of  Darkness"  "Ocean  Desert"  and  "One  Day  off  Gone".  8  out  of  10.

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Drontheim Interview

 1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a
little bit about the band?
Rune: We are Drontheim from Trondheim, Norway! We are a 6 piece
conceptual bandproject consisting of comrades and partners in crème from
other musical endeavors. We play a dark, melancholic- mixture of many
genres, but rooted in the industrial,cinematic metal landscape.
viNd: Drontheim is a strictly non-political output with no collective
agenda on any level except the artistic. Thematically it is rooted in a
strong interest in the second world war in general, and more
specifically the events, people and life as it were in Trondheim, Norway
in the early 1940'ies, and also the German vision for Neu Drontheim -
New Trondheim - the new capital for the Germanized Scandinavia.
Lyrically it can be considered part documental and part fiction, but as
a whole it is focused on the dark and dystopian union of audible,
lyrical and visual expressions that enables the artistic atmosphere
Drontheim seek to provide. Not easily defined by limiting genres, but at
times cinematic and atmospheric and at times distorted and strict; one
can find traces of industrial rock, metal and electronic music.

2.Recently you have released a new album, can you tell us a little bit
more about the musical style you went for on the album?
Rune: The album consists of a collection of tunes from the last 12-13
years. Something with Norwegian lyrics, pure studio-Jams,
improvisations, one instrumental, many soundscapes and a few tight
pieces on the harder side of the scale. It is a very varied album that
takes you on a roundtrip through moods, histories and sensations based
around our conceptual storytelling.
viNd: Well, 1st of all we could say that its heavily themed around a
naval WW2 concept. The title "down below" is a reference to submarine
naval warfare and the unmarked grave for many unlucky sailors during the
naval campaigns of WW2. Its like infernos and screams above, silence and
darkness down below. And on this album we dived into the ocean and got
pulled down below. I can also reveal that the next Drontheim album will
be "running into the infernos and screams above"...

3.The band has been around since 2006 but waited until this year to
release the first full length, can you tell us a little bit more about
the long wait?
Rune: All members of Drontheim are involved in other musical projects
and band settings, and the band has evolved slowly- finding new
directions and working methods along the way. We have never rushed
Drontheim, but had a steady production of finished tunes and ideas for
new material. As mentioned earlier- the tracks on the album are just a
collection of our material so far... There is, of course a lot of
patience needed within the band, for when members are busy elsewhere- we
need to keep the focus right, and just trust in the concept and hold a
steady course. But the patience has been worth it! We are happy with our
album "Down below " - and we hope to spend more time together presenting
our music.
viNd: It's about time, timing, not rushing and releasing something we
feel good about. It took us much longer time with down below than we
expected for many different reasons, but I think and hope we have
learned from that so the next one will run smoother in our music
factory.

4.Most of the band members have a background in black or extreme metal,
what was the decision behind going into the musical direction the band
went for on the recording?
viNd: Well, 1st of all I created Drontheim back in 2006 during a hiatus
in my other bands (Atrox and Manes). Back then I also started to watch a
lot of documentaries about the second world war and it inspired me to
write music. And its like when I write music I often feel where the
music belong, like what project this tune should be placed into;
sometimes its Atrox, others Manes. And after writing the 1st songs I
knew that this was not Atrox nor Manes, but something new. Thus a group
of comrades I knew were recruited to get the project off its feet and
Drontheim was established.

5.A lot of the lyrics deal with WWII, History and Dystopian themes, can
you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?
viNd: I started to watch a lot of documentaries about the second world
war and it inspired me to write music. It just happened like; after
watching some WW2 stuff, I just had to write music. I was ful of stuff
from within, and after writing some songs I also think I (re)discovered
why, and that was due to my grandfathers. They were both in the war (on
the allies side), and I remember they used to tell me a lot of stories
about it (WW2) when I was a kid. The first time I got to hear the name
Drontheim was via my grandfathers when they were telling me about stuff
they experienced during the second world war here in Trondheim. They
also pointed me in the direction of the vision the Germans had for
creating «Neu Drontheim» (New Trondheim). So thats how I got interested
in the second world war history in the first place. And how I see it,
its like they made me start Drontheim and I´m grateful for that.
The alternative history, or what we call docu-fiction allows us to play
with the "what ifs" and parallel universes of a world at war. We dont
have to stay to the facts, and it also allows us to skip the use of
symbolism we dont want to be related to. Along with that we also get to
build our own universe inside a very well documented time period, and
also speculate in alternative after maths...

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Drontheim'?
viNd: Drontheim or «Neu Drontheim» (New Trondheim) was the vision the
Germans had for creating a new German metropolis in German-occupied
Norway, and it was planned to have a population of around
250,000–300,000 inhabitants. The building site of the city was located
15–20 km southwest of Trondheim. Because of the significant strategic
importance of the Trondheim Fjord to the German military, it was to be
constructed in conjunction with a major navy and military base that
would give Germany unprecedented maritime control over the North
Atlantic area. Hitler stated that the city was to become "a German
Singapore", and it eventually became one of his favorite architectural
projects. To organize and carry out the necessary planning for the new
project, Hitler appointed Albert Speer. The city was to house an
enormous art museum for the northern part of Germany′s empire,
containing "only works of German masters". An Autobahn was to be
constructed to Trondheim across the Little and Great Belts of Denmark
and further through southwest Sweden and Norway to connect the northern
outpost with Germany proper. The naval base itself was planned to
contain extensive shipyards, docks and U-Boat bases for the expected
post-war German navy that was to consist altogether of several hundred
submarines and dozens of super-battleships, as well as several aircraft
carriers. It would, in Hitler's words, render British Singapore "mere
child′s play" by comparison as a military stronghold.
In 1943, the first ground detonations were begun. To provide the
construction site with labor, a prisoner-of-war camp was built in
Øysand. A reserve landing strip for airplanes was also put in place.
Special maps were prepared for Hitler from which he studied the optimum
positions for the docks and accompanying structures. A metres-wide,
highly detailed miniature model was also built for him, which was
destroyed during an Allied bombardment in Berlin in 1945. During the war
itself, the port city was already turned into a major base for German
U-Boat submarines, Dora I.

7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented
on the album cover?
viNd: As we told earlier the title "down below" is a reference to
submarine naval warfare and the unmarked grave for many unlucky sailors
during the naval campaigns of WW2. Infernos and screams above, silence
and darkness down below. The design of the album is based around this,
and several of the other songs and videos also plays around this theme.

8.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and
also how would you describe your stage performance?
viNd: I will have to say that the best show is yet to come! With
Drontheim we can scale the stage performance from stripped (acoustic) to
full frontal attack. This also goes for the production we do, with the
gear, gadgets we use and what we´ll do on stage.

9.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
viNd: This is something we´re working on at the moment, but the dates
and cities are still not 100% set. We hope we can share some light on
this soon, as the band is ready for doing some great kick ass shows. So
I will just have to say; tune in on www.drontheim.no and stay informed
;)

10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your album by fans
of metal or other genres of music
viNd: It is to early to say, but from what we have seen so far, the
feedback has been good. We are crossing our fingers for that more people
we check us out and join us down below...

11.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects
these days that some of the band members are a part of?
Rune: Both Manes and Atrox are creating new material, and planning some
live shows the coming year. Endapartoo (Runes sideproject) has just
finished an experimental album, and is currently planning publishing.
Snorre is working on a project called Helsinki Horizon, Eivind on Atrox,
Drontheim, EoP and Manes, and Steffen is working on THP (The Heisenberg
Project) - pre-producing material for an album that will be recorded
later this year.

12.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Rune: More of the same. More of everything that sounds good.
viNd: I already gave some hits about the next Drontheim album, so I
would have to say that the next album will have the sound and mood that
fits more with running into the infernos and screams that you´ll find
above the sea surface during wartime. I think we have 8 songs ready now,
and we hope hit the studio to record the new album sometime later this
year.

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?
Rune: David Sylvian, Bowie, progressive bands, ambient soundscapes.
viNd: Documentary movies, soundscapes and for example BC, Black
Sabbath, Burzum, Ghost Brigade, Immortal, Katatonia, My Dying Bride,
Peeping Tom, Rammstein, Seigmen, Slagmaur just to mention some.

14.What are some of your non musical interests?
Rune: There are quite a diversity when it comes to our lives outside of
the musical box, and we use each others skills and knowledge within the
project. We have engineering people, visual artists, health workers,
sporty people, crazy people, fathers and family men- teachers and
inspirators, warehouse workers- and we like beer.

15.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or
thoughts?
viNd: I encourage you all to check out our new album - give it a spin
and join us down below! I'm pretty sure that if you are into industrial,
alternative  metal, post rock, cinematic and atmospheric music you will
enjoy down below.

http://www.drontheim.no/

Drontheim/Down Below/Wraith Productions/2019 CD Review

  Drontheim  are  a  band  from  Norway  that  consists  of  some  musicians  that  play  in  some  very  well  known  Norwegian  black  and  extreme  metal  bands  and  with  this  band  plays  a  mixture  of  industrial,  alternative  metal,  post rock,  cinematic  and  atmospheric  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2019  album  "Down  Below"  which  will  be  released  on   February  22nd  by  Wraith  Productions.

  Dark  yet  melodic riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  while  the  clean  vocals  add  in  a  touch  of  goth  rock.  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  the  music  also  adding  in  a  great  amount  of  metal  elements  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length.

  At  times  the  music  also  gets  very  atmospheric  sounding  while  clean  guitars  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  also  adds  in  elements  of  post  rock.  Some  of  the  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  keyboards  as  well  as the songs  also  mixing  in  influences  of  alternative  rock.

  Most  of  the  tracks  sounds  very  different  from  each  other  along  with  some  spoken  word  parts  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  an  instrumental  is  also  added  onto  the  recording  as  the  album  progresses.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  an  alternate  reality  regarding  World  War  II.

  In  my  opinion  Drontheim  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  industrial,  alternative  metal,  post rock,  cinematic  and  atmospheric  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Dark  Passage"  "House  Of  Horus"  and  "Fathom".  8  out  of  10.

http://www.wraithproductions.net/artists/drontheim
http://www.drontheim.no/
https://www.facebook.com/neudrontheim/

      

Martyr Lucifer/Gazing At The Flocks/Seahorse Recordings/2018 Full Length Review

  Martyr  Lucifer  better  known  for  his  work  in  progressive  black  metal  band  Hortus  Animae  is  a  solo  artist  from  Italy  that  plays  a  mixture  of  goth,  darkwave,  post  punk  and  alternative  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  2018  album  "Gazing  At  the  Flocks"  which  was  released  by  Seahorse  Recordings.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  synths  bring in  elements  of  darkwave  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  as  well  as  the  riffs  adding  in  influences  of  goth  metal  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  When  clean  vocals  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  more  o  a  goth  rock  style  while one  song  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well  as  some  female  vocals  also being  used  briefly, elements  of  alternative  rock  can  also  be  heard  in  a  great  portion  of  the  songs  and  as  the  album  progresses  an  instrumental  is  also  added  onto  the  recording  and  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  and  one  song  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  black  metal  screams.

  Martyr  Lucifer  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  goth,  darkwave,  post  punk,  alternative  rock  and  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  hos  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  metaphysical  and  poetic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Martyr  Lucifer  is  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  goth,  darkwave,  post  rock  and  alternative  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should check  out  this  solo  project.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bloodwaters"  "Wolf  of  The  Gods"  "Someone  Super  Like  You"  and  "Spider  Queen".  8  out  of  10.

http://martyrlucifer.net/

https://www.facebook.com/MartyrLucifer

https://www.instagram.com/martyrlucifer/