Slowly we rot #7

Issue 7 / 2015

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

After a long and tiresome process I have finally reached this point of writing the Editorial while the rest of the zine is all done, hell yeah, finally! This time I had a very limited amount of free time to spend on the zine and that reflected on the 2 months delay of this issue, but I hope to be able to release the next one in time, meaning sometime this fall of 2015. In the meantime, as you can see, Slowly We Rot comes together with the usual compilation CD and I want to thank all bands and labels that contributed to it, I hope that by adding a short interview with them in the Rising Demons or Fresh Assaults sections I managed to present them a bit better to you, the precious Slowly We Rot readers; if you like them, get in touch with them, email them or order their stuff, show them you care and they matter, this is the only way we can still have a healthy scene. Act personal, talk / write / show your appreciation to the bands you like, and I can assure you every email / order matters to the band, maybe or especially now more than ever.

Rising Demons and Merchants of Death are now traditional sections in Slowly We Rot, but Fresh Assaults is a new section, and in it I’ll offer bands the opportunity to present their most recent releases to you, my questions are again a template, and that’s because I feel the band’s answers are more important than the editor’s questions, the questions cover everything important about a release, now it’s time for the bands to present their work the best (or worst…) they can; the bands are the actual stars of a zine, or at least of this zine, not me, and that’s how it’s supposed to be.

As you can see, besides the usual compilation CD, this time the late Romanian Attack section turned into an actual bonus zine called Rotten Romania, where I will try to present you what happens on the local scene even if, to be honest, not much happens; there are less bands / labels / zines than in a country 10 times smaller than Romania and the amount of releases is absolutely insignificant. On a side note I have to again congratulate myself for running the only printed Metal zine in Romania (actually now there are 2, both mine) for a few years already, another element to give you an impression of how small is this local scene… Despite all that I feel there are a few bands inhere worth your time, and I will try to present them in the coming Rotten Romania issues. Feedback is always welcome.

In the meantime I have finally started my new label, Loud Rage Music, Front cover: Stefan Necroabyssious (Varathron) and have already released 2 CDs, with at least 3 more planned for the rest of the year, so if you want to support or just Compilation cover artwork by Arte Confusa check out my label’s activity head (facebook.com/arte.confusa) Contents: over to loudragemusic.com or All reviews, articles and unsigned interviews by Adrian loudragemusic.bandcamp.com. My 3. Editorial distro, Pest, is still alive and kicking, 4-5. Varathron All reviews also published in Pest Webzine at so if you’re interested in extreme www.pestwebzine.com 6. Azaghal metal merchandise at low prices and 8. LLOTH high quality customer service, check Slowly We Rot Contact: 10-12. Rat Skates (Overkill) out pestdistro.blogspot.com.

Finally www.facebook.com/swrzine 13. Esoteric Pest Webzine is active at swrzine@yahoo.com pestwebzine.com and you’ll find 14. Excimer Slowly We Rot Team: there lots and lots of new reviews and My Funeral Adrian (Romania) – editor – layout/interviews/reviews interviews every month. Thanks for Nex Carnis Leslie David (Hungary) – interviews your support!

15. Putrid Offal Sonia Fonseca (Portugal) – interviews As always I am sending Chris Forbes (USA) – interviews Regiment here my warmest regards and thanks Heather Williams (USA) - interviews 16.

Uzziel to my friends and contributors: Sonia 17. Whispering Woods Fonseca, Chris Forbes, Leslie 18-19. Nazxul Slowly We Rot Compilation CD #7 David and Heather Williams, I hope 20. Brutality to have them besides me for the 01. Arthedain - Visions of Fire upcoming Slowly We Rot issues, 22. Abhorrence 02. Decease - Global Annihilation too.

A huge Thank You goes out to 24-25. G.B.M.C. 03. Dehuman - Crypts of Blood all the bands, labels and zines 26. The Experiment 0 04. Department of Correction - Basement Show featured, advertisers and distributors, 05. Department of Correction - Uncle Jack Drives me to School Arthedain your support means a lot! The 06. Destroying Divinity - Defleshed Skeleton Department of Correction 07. Excimer - Thrash From Fire compilation cover artwork was 27.

Krampus 08. Garden of Grief - All Out provided this time by very talented Nightbreed 09. Gutted - Consuming Life artist Arte Confusa, check out her 10. Krampüs - Genetic Disorder 28. Skan works at: facebook.com/arte.confusa.

11. Krampüs - Humanophobic The Pete Flesh Deathtrip In the end I wish you a 12. My Funeral - Violence Academy pleasant lecture and hoe to have your Trivax 13. Nex Carnis - Abolishing Rancid Thrones of Deceit support for the next Slowly We Rot / 29. Vargafrost 14. Nightbreed - Satanized Rotten Romania issues as well! \m/ 15. Putrid Offal - Symptom (edit) Metal Race Records

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

16. Régiment - La mort du Négre 17. Škan - The Eye 18. The Experiment 0 - Demon 19. The Pete Flesh Deathtrip - Demons Nor Zarath 20. Trivax - Wormwood 21. Uzziel - Like a god 22. Vargafrost - Tivar

Yours truly, Adrian

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30. Nitroatmosfericum Records Pest Productions Rotten Music 32. Devourment 34. Shape of Despair 35-58. Reviews

was came. The label made so big economic proposals to great bands and musicians and the results are so poor. The sells are fallen and the label split-up after a year. So, Varathron look out for a new label. Then I received a proposal from a label - Die Todesrune Records - for one album and the guy give us money for the studio. I “catch” that proposal and we’re release our next full album “StygianF of Scorn”. The album was amazing but the label boycotted from the big magazines and distributions. In that chronicle period our bass-player left the band for studies in Spain. My guitarist Achilleas he found a great bass-player called Stratos. He enjoys the band and the result was perfect. We start to working for a new materials and we’re released some split-7” and a 3-way split album. That “move” was very good because the band is still alive and the same time is a great promotion to found a new label. Then Agonia Records he interest in our band - I was old friend with Filip of Agonia Records and my friend Sykelig from Den Saakaltde he talks, too- and the results was so perfect. Filip he sends us money for the studio and after the release he make so infernal work with promotion and distribution. So, we continue…..

The band was formed in 1989 which means it’s 26 years old. How excited is it being part of a project like this for so long?

Hail my friend! Well the band was “born” in 1988! Is one of the first black metal bands in Europe among the Mortuary Drape and Samael!

So, I think the feelings are so special, so infernal great for that. We’re alive and immortal and we will continue to spreading the unholy manifest eternal!

You’ve stated that the album “Untrodden Corridors of Hades” is a pure satanic manifest. What can you tell us about the creation of the album?

I think our new album is pure satanic opus. After the last full album “Stygian Forces of Scorn” I was think the next album. I want it more evil, darker and more abysmal than ever. I wrote some total dark lyrics and I think of the music like a eternal scream from the catacombs of underworld, a sadistic howling from hades! I think the new album makes my dream true. I’m total satisfied with it!!!!

Varathron have been around for many years… what has changed in the underground ever since then?

That is a question who they ask me so many times! When I “return” my thoughts back in time, I feel so nostalgic for these years! I think these glorious old years were so pure, so perfect with so powerful feelings. The most bands are so “tight” together, we’re help each other, we spreading our evil dark music via tape-trading, we’re so faithful! We had values and beliefs. We had desire and passion for our music, for creation and revolution against the simply metal music. But the “pollution” is coming! Year by year the marketing pollute our music with a pseudo-image and fake bands who they worshiped the god-money. The small true labels, great fanzine split-up through the years against the big labels and magazines.

So, day by day the underground scene hit from above and only a few scenes with some great bands are still remains faithful!

The future of the scene belongs to them!

You write all the lyrics but leave the melodies to be written by the other guys… why?

Yes, I wrote all the lyrics but I don’t know any instrument so well except a “little” bass who I played on my past bands. So, I think the other guys are so professional to make our dreams and nightmares a sick reality!

The cover was conceived by Mark Riddick and is extremely powerful… having great covers helps a band sell more?

First, Mark Riddick he’s a great brother of mine from the early years and one of the best painters around the world. He makes so infernal work for us and yes, I believe the cover – also, the first sight on any things in our life - is very important thing.

Of course a great cover helps a band to sell good. That is the first reason but the basic reason is the work of the band, the songs that they included on that album.

Other reasons are the name of the band and the “power” of label.

What’s Varathron’s current line up?

Our line-up is: Haris - drums, Achilleas guitars, Sotiris - guitars, Stratos - bass and me - vocals. This line up is the same after the release of “Stygian Forces of Scorn” in 2009.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

In the early years, Varathron’s main inspirations used to be the ancient legends and myths, wars and bloody battles and the mystical nature as well as the strange world of dreams and rotten reality. What inspires Varathron these days?

Varathron is still remains immortal about the lyrically part of the band. I still inspire me the same themes, any occult, bizarre and evil happen to our known world and beyond. I inspire me memories from travels beyond the grave and astral trips.

Pure stygian psalms!

The band has been part of a few split releases… why do a split and share the attention with other band?

The reasons for these split - releases was two: first, we make these split with some great bands who I have friendship through the years, the second reason was the opportunity to be my band alive until we signed for our next full album. We had new songs and we waits to sign with a label, to send us money for the studio and we’ll see our new songs total ready. So, i never want to see my band “frozen”.

There was a nine year gap between the release of “Crowsreign” in 2005 and “Untrodden Corridors of Hades” in 2014. What caused this gap?

The story is so long my friend, besides we had a full release in 2009, too. Anyway, let’s start from beginning. The “Crowsreign” released in 2005 from Black Lotus Records. The label was so great and the promotion was so amazing. But the dark clouds

Necroabyssious used to be extremely in the underground as a musician in more than one band, writing for a fanzine, managing metal bands… what did those experiences teach you as a musician? And as a person?

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Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

simply “copy” of the great bands, nothing new, nothing with a special musical personality. It’s so pity!

My dark metal music is a part of my life eternal. Through the years, I created bands, I was editor of great zines, I wrote on zines, I managing metal bands and I’m a musical producer of a metal radio show here in my hometown, Ioannina. Well I think was a great “voyage” in a sphere of extreme metal music, he gives so many great and bad moments and give some great “lessons” for my life. I received a lot of great moments like a musician and I think that moments given to my personality some new different “elements” than ever.

I feel so lucky who I “born” with Hellhammer / Celtic Frost, Bathory, Venom, Slayer, Morbid Angel, Mercyful Fate, Sodom and more!

What’s your opinion about the fact that metal bands are being broadcasted on national tvs and playing on radios and receiving music awards?

Well the metal music begun like music for outcasts but the labels “smells” money on that. So the marketing of the big labels – in the name of money - gives a great attention to metal music. So, a music that was “pollution” for the normal people now “walks” on a red carpet! Of course we talk for heavy metal music and alternative, too. The most extreme music is still outside and “rape” innocent souls in the name of absolute darkness! That is our fate… and I love it!

What’s the worst experience you had as a musician? And as a member of Varathron?

My worst experience who I had as a musician and as a member of Varathron is the same. I talk for the period who we released the great second demo “Genesis of Apocryphal Desire” and the first EP7” “One Step Beyond Dreams”. We released this amazing stuff and then I was going to obligatory army service. I still remember these days when I “left” a full five members band and I return after some months and I saw only Jim Mutilator. I ask him what happen and he told me ”just they left the band for personal reasons”. Can you imagine my huge surprise when I saw only one member? In that time Varathron was two members, me and Jim! So, I think was so bad situation my friend.

Later Jim Mutilator he found Jim Necroslaughter and we’re start to work for our first full album, the amazing “His Majesty at the Swamp”.

With so many bands making comebacks in order to earn some extra money, is there a band that you want to standout, either positively or negatively?

I like that situation, I mean I like the great comeback of the old metal bands. I like bands that played classic heavy metal or extreme metal and they return with some great releases. The “old” dogs have the knowledge because the new kids are still “clones” of them. Maybe that situation has a purpose to select money but in other case their releases are so great and so honest than the releases of the new bands. At last I prefer them against the new. I don’t check the reason but I worship the result who is total awesome! Many great bands are still alive and I feel so great for that! The names are thousands!!!!

What’s playing on your mp3 these days?

I’m a pure romantic metalhead, so I play Bathory, Venom, Celtic Frost, Morbid Angel, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Blasphemy, Archgoat, Black Witchery, Mortuary Drape, Grave Miasma, Sarcofago, Vital Remains, Autopsy, Angel Witch, Cloven Hoof, Demon and more!

Greece is facing some tough times right now… has the crisis had any impact on the underground scene at all?

Of course the economic crisis strikes the scene.

But we had two different results from that. We “saw” less money from labels and very difficult situation with them- sells, factory, promotion, and distribution - in one hand. On the other hand, we have a great motivation for creation. The bands gives all their passion and desire on creation and the results are perfect. You know is the two “face” of a coin; the positive and negative situation on anything in our life.

Thanx a lot my friend Sonia, I salute all my black metal soul brothers there. Embrace our darkness and walk into the paths of Hades!

Today’s music is overcrowded and only a few songs become real hits in comparison to the great 80’s and 90’s. Is there a modern song (metal or not) that really caught your attention?

Sorry not! The great decades of 80’s and 90’s was so great with many perfect songs who lives through the years! In our days, I saw that number on an article, we have almost 80 releases every month on international metal scene. The results of that, 4-5 releases are so good and the rest are a

Interview by Sónia Fonseca March 2015

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To be honest, I have no idea how many copies have been sold.

We are not selling these by ourselves and personally I don’t have any contact to the label who released it. All I know that it is still available.

Next year the band will celebrate the 20th anniversary of existence… how has the experience been? What have you learned in all these years?

I cannot speak on behalf of the original members of the band, but during my time in the band and after following the scene for 20+ years, I have learned that trends come and go, but True Black Metal lives!

The band seems to be very much appreciated in South America. What’s your opinion about the Southern American audience? Are they “more pure and true” than the European one?

At least they are more enthusiastic and truly grateful that we are going all the way there. We tour mostly in Europe, so perhaps the European audience is getting bored to see us every year, ha ha.

The band has been working on new material and you’ve shared some information online already. The new album will be titled “Madon Sanat”. What’s the meaning of it?

Madon Sanat is related to ancient Finnish witchcraft and could be translated as “Words of the The always controversial Finnish Black Metal Worm”. Worm actually means a serpent in this band Azaghal are returning with a brand new context.

album in 2015, the year which marks the 20th

The band has been somewhat active despite the fact that no new material has been released recently. How important are gigs for Azaghal?

Live rituals are important for this band. It is rewarding to go out there and spread the message and see the reactions of the people.

The title of the tracks has already been made anniversary of their existence. We interviewed available on facebook and it seems all the title Niflungr to find out more about what is going tracks are in Finnish. Do you express yourselves on in Azaghal’s camp and the “Madon Sanat” Tell us about a funny/strange situation that better in your own language?

On last album, we decided to do majority of the happened while you were playing live. opus…

Can’t say if it is funny or embarrassing, but all lyrics in English. This was just a test how it would work out, and besides, we wanted to try something new (as usual). We returned back to those technical difficulties in badly organized gigs might give a comic picture of the Finnish as it sounds more violent and naturally, as it is our native language, we can band. Playing with this speed is nearly impossible without stage monitors and a sound engineer who speaks a common language with us. These are considered as luxury. express things a bit deeper than in English.

What are the main themes explored in “Madon Sanat”?

The lyrics are dealing with various occult and satanic themes and even with historic and mythological topics.

The band has remained faithful to their black metal roots and hasn’t dropped the corpse paint. Has it been easy or difficult keeping true to your roots?

When you focus on your own thing and don’t go with trends, it is fairly easy.

Do you express your rage and hate through your lyrics? Who’s this hate and rage directed at?

Both, lyrics and music are a good way to channel the negative energy out of ourselves.

Not only that. It is also used to bring out a statement and a way of self-expression. We despise anyone who is part of the Abrahamic plague or other herd of mindless sheep.

How’s the black metal scene in Finland these days?

We are getting more and more potential bands, even in our hometown. More and more Black Metal events are organized, but sadly, not that much people attend to these.

People rather sit at home in front of the computer and watch Youtube.

Do you have an opinion on the Finnish bands that have managed to enter the music charts and achieve commercial appraisal?

Finnish metal music? Well, some bands have succeeded with hard work and I respect that. However, I don’t necessarily like their music. Usually you see bands on the charts that are commercial and easily approachable.

It’s amazing how most people don’t understand Finnish and yet you’re so grand in some countries… what do you think attracts people to your sound?

It is hard to say. Well, same thing we could say about Norwegian bands. Many ofthem in the scene sing in their native language and they seem to have followers globally.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

The band’s releases basically deal with anti-Christianity and blasphemy and Satanism. Most wars happening now are religious wars. What do you have to say about it?

I hope they kill each other and leave the earth to the people with reason. These idiots are worshipping the same god, and the only thing that differs, is their way to interpret their “sacred” scriptures.

What’s the strangest offer a fan has done to you?

Nothing bizarre, really. Sometimes someone wants to trade our merchandise to drugs or something.

What can fans expect from the new album?

We have gone a step further from Nemesis, production and musicianship-wise. We have a new drummer, Lima, in our ranks and he has brought well-needed power to the music.

Otherwise I can guarantee that people will recognize the sound.

All band members are involved in other projects… why do musicians often feel the need to be part of more than one project? How do you manage to keep all projects alive and kicking?

You cannot express everything you want, just under one name. The results would vary too much. There are different music genres and there are different kinds of poetry to make. My projects are session based; not all of them are active all the time. I rarely process many things simultaneously.

Are you very harassed by your female fans?

Our audience consists mainly of young men.

Have you already found a label to release it?

Hammer of Hate / KVLT will release it. We also have a resource to release this opus in vinyl format. It has been too long since our full-length albums were released in vinyl.

Do you have any idea where you might be/who you might be if you weren’t part of Azaghal? What have you learned as a member of this project?

I would do the same thing, pushing my solo project a bit harder than I do at the moment, if I weren’t part of the band. I have been travelling a lot, thanks to Azaghal, and met fantastic people on my journey.

What music do you listen to on a daily basis? What’s on your playlist now?

My music taste varies a lot, and it’s not only Black Metal. At this second I have with me: Abyssos, Burzum, Darkthrone, Ihsahn, Sepultura, Carpathian Forest, Thy Serpent, Thyrane, Guns n Roses, Keep of Kalessin and Michale Graves albums.

Are you a misanthrope?

I could consider myself as one. Most of the humanity is useless, only wasting natural resources. If I could decide, all people with less IQ score than 130 and with religious beliefs should be either killed or at least sterilized.

What music do you listen to when you are composing a new album?

I try not to listening to any of the new bands of the same genre. Well, this has been the case for the past 10-15 years now. At some point in the 2000’s I got tired of the million Darkthrone wannabebands and I lost my interest to new music completely.

Luckily, majority of these bands who did rise with the trend, died away in few years. Even to this date, I rather listen to the stuff I grew up with, when I was a teenager, during the 90’s.

What do you think about today’s society? Use one word to describe it.

Filth.

Please share a message our readers. Horns up! \m/ Let the light of Lucifer guide you!

The Anal Blasphemy / Azaghal 7’’ split “Baying of Lycanthropes” is out and limited to 300 copies.

How are the sales going?

Interview by Fonseca December 2014

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Sonia

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

while updates were being posted on the social media, many concerts were booked in order to help Tristessa facing the sadness and the medical bills… how touched were you?

It is very emotional to feel the support from all those people and the love that they gave to Maria. I will never forget their support to our family. All of them gave their time for us the Greek bands and the Warlord with Bill Tsamis.

The underground became sad when Maria Kolokouri passed away last August… but the spirit of Astarte is still alive and the promised album “Black Demonium” will finally be released this year, as the final chapter of this Greek awesome band. Nicolas Maiis had a conversation with us and shared his feelings and thoughts about Astarte, Lloth and Maria.

What worries you the most right now?

My son.

Maria will forever be an important part of the history of Black Metal… how proud are you?

Astarte with Tristessa as the leader was the first all-female black metal band worldwide, she is a part of the Black Metal History and I am proud that Maria was a pioneer and idol for women to get involved with the extreme metal scene.

Astarte were working on a new album “Black Demonium” in 2013… the album was supposed to be released in early 2014 but nothing has been released yet. Will it ever see the light of the day?

The “Blackdemonium” hopefully will be released within 2015 the mix and mastering will be done by Steve Lado, a personal friend of Maria and I and an excellent professional producer.

Lloth are supposed to be releasing new material soon. When exactly is that going to happen?

We are preparing two records at the same time but first we will release promo tracks from the upcoming album, the Athanati(Immortal) and the I (Dead Inside) songs.

The band was also looking for a label to release the album… if it is eventually released will it be under the monicker Astarte?

Yes, under the name of Astarte , the final chapter.

According to Lloth, the “T” in the middle of the new logo stands for Tristessa and the main reason for the reunion is to honor her memory and legacy. Is that really so?

We were preparing the songs of Lloth with Maria as the leader and bassist of the band but the illness of Maria stoped all activity. I feel that this way I am getting closer to her and to something that she loved very much, our band.

Lately Astarte only had one female member, Tristessa, but she was still the main core of the band. Do you think people recognise her as that?

Everybody know’s that Astarte was Tristessa and the opposite there are synonymous.

Tristessa was always the person who LEAD Astarte forward to recognition.

Your wife was a fighter and she battled a lot for Astarte to be recognised as a BM band to take in consideration… what else can you tell us about Tristessa as a musician?

She was a respectful person.

Everything she did was with her own abilities and will. She fought a lot to stand among men bands and she gained the respect of the metal community and of great musicians.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

How emotional is it for you to sing lyrics that were written by your wife or written thinking of her?

All Lloth lyrics there are speaking about all the things that I lived near Maria and all the feelings when I was with her.

The band Insected are currently active?

The only release was the demo in 2004… and once again your wife was a member.

No, they are not active anymore but hopefully we will release the material.

Can

The idea of recording a tribute album, either with bands or songs your wife loved, has ever crossed your mind?

There are a lot of things that will be done in Tristessa’s memory, in time, like a ASTARTE fest that will be organized every year and the money will go to a good cause in order to help some people. The greatest is the Blood Donation Bank under the name ASTARTE TRISTESSA (Maria Kolokouri) that Tristessa and I thought of during Maria’s hospital ization in order to help people in the same situatio n as we were and many other things that we will inform you in time.

the

fans

expect any further release from Insected?

Maybe when the time will be right, yes.

Nicolas, many thanks for your words and attention. Please share a final message with those who appreciate truly devoted musicians!

Be always yourself and don’t let anything get in your way, life is too short to waste your time with meaningless things.

I, I’M DEAD INSIDE WITHOUT YOUR FACE TO BURN THE SKY LLOTH

Interview by Sónia Fonseca January 2015

During her illness and

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Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

easily. The drums were much easier and natural to me: I could figure out parts very easily and I could definitely take out all of my aggressions on them. Plus I enjoy the physical motions of playing drums. I had grown up always playing sports: basketball, football, surfing and of course skateboarding. So the drums were definitely a natural fit for me!

What were your influences to become drummer?

Of course I really admired Peter Criss from Kiss. He was a very recognizable and of very musical player. I wanted that. I wanted people to like my drumming, and to also recognize me. Drummers were always kind of stuck in the back and hidden by everyone else, and no one knew they ever existed. I was out to change all of that. Drums are the most powerful component of a rock 'n roll band... drums are about a feeling more than anything else, and it was something that I always enjoyed the power from them.

So Rat, when and how did you get in touch with the metal music? What did you find so interesting in this music?

It really was a very long time ago. Over 30 years! The most significant record for me at that time was Kiss ’Alive!’ Where I grew up in suburbia, New Jersey, in 1975 the most popular record that everyone had was the Eagles ’Hotel California’... well the Kiss ’Alive’ record was out at that exact same time... so there was a very big contrast from what everyone else was listening to and what I loved, which were bands that were playing heavier rock like Kiss... and of course their show absolutely blew my mind. I continue to be attracted to heavier rock bands like Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Led Zeppelin, Foghat, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. Those bands really did change my entire life, because I had grown up listening to Elton John. So, my attraction to heavy metal goes way back really before it was even called ’Heavy Metal’, before Priest, Maiden, AC/DC etc. The bands we listened to were really just rock 'n roll bands playing a little faster and dirtier than everyone else, and they had energy and an attitude. Heavy rock, heavy metal or anything that is different from the mainstream will always stand out from the crowd. I think I was attracted to all of that because I was a skateboarder, not a football player. Skateboarders stood out from the mainstream crowd just like the bands did.

What kind of drum kit, cymbals and equipment did you have back then?

Well, I was lucky to have any drums or cymbals at all!

My parents didn't want to spend a lot of money on something that they thought I might not stay with. Most of the cymbals were always Zildjian’s, but they were used Zildjian's... I had about two drum kits before my Ludwig double bass drum kit. (the white one with Tama heads that I used towards the end of the Lubricunts and with Overkill. I had a Slingerland Marine pearl kit that was around for a while, I practiced all my Jazz stuff on that..

Did you gig a lot with this band?

Actually we did play quite a lot of gigs! We were all under the legal age to drink alcohol and play at nightclubs, which was 18 at that time. I was able to play at CBGB’s, Max's Kansas City, Great Gildersleeve's, The Mudd Club, Botany Talk House, The PlayPen and The Peppermint Lounge. And, all of these great underground clubs in New York were very small. And every one of them is gone. They are all legendary in their own right. It really was a lot of fun doing that because we were so young and we couldn’t play very well...we fit right in with all the other bands in that scene!

Why did you leave the band? Was your goal to form a more brutal and aggressive band or…?

Well DD and I had always been listening to the heavy rock bands that I spoke about earlier. We wanted to be more like that because punk wasn’t professional enough to go to an arena concert level...at least thats how we saw it.. But we wanted to be heavier. We were very attracted to Judas Priest and Iron Maiden and all of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands.

The original incarnation of Overkill was completed by ex-D.O.A. vocalist Bobby „Blitz” Ellsworth and guitarist Robert Pisarek, how did they get in the picture exactly? How did you hook with them?

I had to place a lot of the ads in the local music newspaper to find a guitar player and a vocalist that were into the heady music just like I was... DD stayed with me after splitting from the Lubricunts, he was into the exact same music that I was and we always thought about Were you self-taught or…?

No, I took lessons! I cannot stress enough how important everything the same way. DD was also very unsociable I think it is for a musician to take some lessons and and was not comfortable talking with other people, but I understand his instrument! A great musician is something was the opposite so by staying with me he knew that that will come from your heart, and it is a gift that some eventually he would get the chance to ’make it’ because people are blessed with. It is great to be self-taught, and he saw that I would never quit, and that I was going to every musician will be self-taught to some point. I think ’make it’! So it took quite a while, but eventually one of understanding your instrument makes it more fun to play my ads was answered by Robert, who brought the other and taking lessons helps everyone to understand what it is Robert (Ellsworth) with him. It was really Pisarek and I that they're doing, especially younger players. Taking who formed Overkill: DD was the partner with me and lessons for your instrument is the best thing that any blitz was the partner with Pisarek. I was the one who musician can do, it can only help you... it can never hurt always spoke with the other musicians and made the you! connections for DD and I, because he always had trouble talking with people and Ellsworth just didn't really have OVER KILL was formed in 1981 by you and bassist any iniative or opinions. I think it was just a beer and girls D. D. Verni after you left the hardcore/punk outfit that he liked about playing in a band during the very LUBRICUNTS, what about this act? Did you record beginning. several demos, rehearsals etc.?

First of all let me say that the Lubricunts was NOT a Would you say, that you found the best, the most hardcore band...’ hardcore’ was a word that didn't even suitable frontman for the band in the person of Blitz? exist yet! We were a punk rock band in every sense of the Well, at that time, and even to this day, singers and word...pure rock with the punk attitude. We recorded our frontmen are very hard to come by, you can find someone live shows, and I still have tapes of those shows, they are with a great voice, who is a terrible performer and not a absolutely great. We couldn't play very well, but that’s good entertainer. If took many years to develop this with what was so cool about it. We were funny and very blitz, he ended up doing his job very well. But it took a entertaining, and the songs were very good. We never while for him to get good in his position, just like all recorded any demos in any kind of recording studio. We musicians who are also learning to become professional never had any money to do anything like that! entertainers. I really had to had to help him a lot in the early days with his stage performance and learning how to connect to the crowd, and to be comfortable on the stage. We all got along very well and he was very agreeable to learning the songs that we wanted to play. He really didn't know much metal at all before he met Pisarek, who was the one who got him listening to Priest and Maiden and all the stuff we wanted to play!

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

Do you consider yourself a metal head or were you rather into punk?

Of course I'm a metal head. I grew up that way and I'll die that way. However, punk was more of an attitude.

Remember, heavy-metal started out as an exxagerated form of rock 'n roll, punk rock music is also rock 'n roll.

Hanging out with the punks in the late 70s is what gave me the attitude in playing heavy metal to help push it to a new extreme... it ended up being called Thrash Metal.

If I had to pick one or the other, I which choose punk without a doubt. Punks were real people...none of them were ’Rock Stars’ and the music was about real issues in the real world Heavy metal was all about fantasy things, and I did enjoy the imgination behind it.

All of the members did have punk roots or were they into metal as well?

Well DD and I had the exact same roots, meaning that we were listening to Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, The Damned, Sham 69, The Vibrators, The Sex Pistols, Iggy, The Ramones, and of course the Dead Boys.

Pisarek knew most of the same punk style music as well but Ellsworth really didn't know too much of it.

I think he knew just some

At which point did you pick playing drums and how did your choice fall on this instrument?

I was about 15 years old when I started taking drum lessons. I had originally played guitar and I still do, but I am a very basic player. However my hands are small, and I got frustrated with guitar very

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In the early days, playing covers was about the only thing that we could do! We didn't want to play covers, but we had to! If we never played covers we would never have had the chance to play anywhere.... so it was actually a good thing because we got our stage experience and learned a lot of things until we were ready to start writing originals with the right musicians in the band.

of The Clash, and not too much other real underground punk stuff.

How was the New York/New Jersey scene as a whole back then? What do you recall of those times?

The New York, New Jersey scene in the late 70s and early 80s was absolutely amazing! It was something that you really had to experience to understand how great it was. There were lots of clubs to play at, and they were packed almost every night.

We would go out to see a band in five nights a week and not have to drive that far to see a great band like Twisted Sister.

However, the difficult part for people like me was that I wanted to play original music and most of the nightclubs only booked cover bands to play. There were only a few very small clubs who didn't draw too many people that you could play original music at.

And of course we never made any money at all! But that really was a great time...there were always a lot of people out, bands to see and lots of girls around! Everything was very cool, and of course the bands who did play the cover songs were making a lot of money. They didn't have to work any day jobs, all they did was play at night, and that's it. The scene was absolutely thriving and it was a lot of fun. I really do miss it, and it sucks that it will never come back again.

Would you say that „Rotten to the core” was the most popular and most known OVER KILL tune?

Yeah, I guess so, aside from’Fuck You’, which we didn’t write...obviously the first two Overkill albums had all the classics on it, never to be repeated. If I had stayed in overkill, of course there would have been so many more, and much stronger too...hey, my songwriting was just getting started!

had this girlfriend who was brainwashing him into being a rock star. He got this white leather jacket, which was the exact opposite of our black leather jackets so obviously this was a big problem, our show and our image was very very important to us! So all of these things added up, and it was mutually agreed that he would not be in Overkill anymore. So, a friend of ours referred us to Danny Spitz and Anthony Ammendolo. They were both from Rockland County New York and had been playing the Which clubs did start opening their doors for the guitar together for quite a while. They were into most of the same music that we were like Judas Priest, Iron metal groups?

The main club that comes to mind was called The Maiden, etc. They were also pretty agreeable to do the Showplace. It was in Dover, New Jersey. It had a pretty theatrical showand make-up that we were doing. And that big stage. Almost no lights, but they let us play there and was important because it was very different than everyone that was the important thing. We always recorded our else, and that gave us our unique identity. shows from there and took a lot of pictures. Yes, the showplace was very important for bands like us. The They spent a short time in the ranks of the band, really cool thing to know is that a lot of national recording because in 1981 they left the band and they were acts played there, meaning that the Ramones played there repalced by Rich Conte and Mike Sherry, in which and the Plasmatics and the Dead Boys and bands that groups did they play earlier? already had records out and it was great because I would I don't remember what Bands they were in before they see all of those shows and stand in the front row. I never played with us but I'm pretty sure they were just small garage type bands who weren't very popular. missed out on seeing a good show!

Somewhere around this time Rich and Mike left the band and Bobby Gustaffson entered with Joe somebody on guitars, at which point did he get in the band exactly?

It was late 1982 or early 1983. We had just gone through so many players, and I was so tired of it.

Would you say that Bobby Gustaffson was a talented guitarist back then?

Yes, Bobby was a talented guitar player and he showed all lot of potential that's why we brought him in. He was very young and very shy, but he showed potential.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

You began gigging locally with a mainly cover dominated set, which covers did you play mostly? Did you choose mainly metal covers or rather punk ones?

We were playing covers of anything that was heavy, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, MSG, Accept, Y&T, Motorhead, very obscure stuff for that time. We did play some punk covers like Sonic Reducer from the Dead Boys of course, but Sonic Reducer is very much a metal song, isn't it? When Overkill first started playing the clubs we were definitely a heavy metal band.

It was mainly DD and I that carried our punk attitude, and of course some of those songs into what we were trying to do with Overkill.

Robert came up with the name of the band, did you like his idea? Did you choose the name on the base of the classic MOTÖRHEAD song?

We had to run around a lot of different names, one of them was ’Virgin Killer’ named after the Scorpions record, but the name ’Overkill’ was perfect, especially because it had the word ’kill’ in it. We thought that was cool, even though it was the name of the Motorhead album. And of course we knew that when we decided to take that name we didn't really care because at that time not too many people at all ever heard of Motorhead! Yep, it was Pisarek who really thought of that. We had thrown around the name of ’Overdose’ and ’Overdrive’, but they didn’t have the word ’kill’ in it!

Robert left the band and instead of him joined Dan Spitz and Anthony Ammendolo, what about their musical past? Why did Robert decide leaving the band?

Robert had left because he was very unhappy with the way the Ellsworth was acting, he was very unprofessional. A few of our shows were very embarrassing for us, he would drink too much before we played, and that made us sound very sloppy. Also, Robert

The band became a staple at New York and New Jersey clubs around 1982, and soon Bobby lived up to his "Blitz" nickname, earning an ejection from the band for a few days in 1983, did you gig a lot these days? Did you want to built up a strong fan base? Did you want to make a name for OVER KILL? Yes we gigged as much as possible. Actually that was the one thing that DD had usually taken care of, was booking the shows. I didn't do too much of that. It was very very hard for us to build up this fan base, but we slowly did it Did Dan leave the band because he joined ANTHRAX because the New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands like especially Iron Maiden became so popular, so there was a or…?

As I said, Danny and Anthony were a team: they stuck slowly-building market for Overkill, but it was a very together. So, they both left at the same time, and Danny very hard time for me. didn’t join Anthrax until probably at least one year later.

There were two reasons why they left, one of the reasons Around this time, the green logo was adopted - it was was that they were never really that comfortable with specifically chosen to stand out on a poster with lots of doing the leather and studs and makeup and all of the red logos of other bands on the bill, do you still theatrics that we were doing and I can completely remember who created the logo? understand that. But, without a doubt the single main Yes, I was the person who created the logo! I drew it by biggest reason is the fact that Danny especially wanted to hand and decided to make it green...Didn't you watch my be Eddie Van Halen! Back at that time, every single film’ BORN IN THE BASEMENT’? It is all explained guitar player in this area.... and I mean EVERY single one there very well. Go to http://www.ratskates.com wanted to be Eddie Van Halen. I can understand wanting immediately! to be like Eddie Van Halen, he was an innovative new guitarist and played better (technically) than everyone You recorded March-Sept, 1983 the „Power in black” else. But we were on a mission: DD and I had to focus on demo at two shitholes, Staten Island NY and Sterling being the heaviest band to ever exist, and Eddie Van NJ, do you still remember how was the demo Halen wasn't exactly the heaviest guitar player to ever recorded? Was it your first studio experience? exist. He was a very talented, and I respect him immensly Yes, none of us had ever been to a recording studio for what he does. However, we were about something before. Three songs were recorded in an 8-track, (or was else. Actually we were about the exact opposite thing: it 16-track?) studio in Sterling, New Jersey. But we had also recorded ’Theres No Tomorrow’, and the song Van Halen would smile. We would snarl. ’Overkill’ in a very small 4 track studio in someone's Would you say that you had so many member changes basement in Staten Island New York...I still have all those in the early days, because it was hard to find the original reels. It was all that we could afford to do. suitable members for the band?

Yes, of course! Finding suitable members is why band It was dedicated to all the false faggot poser wimps of members changes so frequently in any band of any genre! the clubs, stick this tape up your ass, would you say I spent many years in trying to find the right musicians for that made it your purposes clear?

Overkill. It was very difficult and I spent an awful lot of Yeah, I put all that ’stick it up your ass’ stuff on there because I really wanted to make a statement. I think I did! my time doing that.

Looking back at it now, it really makes me laugh, but at At this point, you started writing originals, including the time I really felt that I had said something that was so „Grave Robbers”, „Raise the Dead”, „Overkill”, and important and so rebellious! „Unleash the Beast Within” respectively more originals would follow, including „Rotten to the Core”, Did you shop around the demo to attract some label what about this early period of the band? interests?

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I did every single thing possible that I could with our demo! I sent it to magazines. I sent it to management companies. I sent it to record labels. I was on a mission to get this band signed, and because I persevered without ever stopping, I eventually did get us a record deal!

I recall that there was a lot of snow outside, and that it was really really hot inside!

„Feel the fire” appeared on Metal Blade’s famous „Metal Massacre V” compilation and „Death rider” included on the 2New York metal ’84” compilation, in Did you distribute it in the tapetrading scene as well? your opinion, were these records good opportunities to Did the demo draw the fans attention to the band? introduce more fans the band? ’Power in Black’ was very successful in the tape trading Yes, I had no choice but to have our songs appear where underground. It was probably the most heavily traded tape ever they could, meaning through the tape trading of the underground tape trading scene from the very early underground and the compilation records that were being 1980s. I was selling the tape, I was not trading it in the circulated. I had to take advantage of ANY opportunity underground, because of course I needed to try to recoup that I could! Plus, I thought it was so cool to finally have some of the money that was spent on it. So I sold it but I one of our songs appear on an actual vinyl record...that purposely did not trade it, but it was sure traded by was the ’Holy Grail’. By the way, you got the songs everyone else! messed up a little: ’Feel the Fire’ was on ’New York metal 84’ and ’Death Rider’ was on ’Metal Massacre A second demo was recorded in 1984 featuring „Feel Five’. the fire”, „Second son” and „Kill at command” (both live versions), did this tape sound much closer to what In November 1984 you recorded the „Over Kill” EP you want to achieve with OVER KILL? featuring „Rotten to the core”, „Fatal if swallowed”, Overkill never recorded a second demo! That cassette „The answer” and „Over kill” which was originally a tape that you are referring to was bootlegged from the demo, but you strapped for cash, sold the demo to tape trading underground. I actually thought it was very Azra/Metal Storm Records, who pressed it as a EP in cool because the tape traders would bring cassette 1985, how did you get in the touch with label? Did they recorders to all the shows and tape the entire concert, perhaps want you to sign? these guys were fanatics about doing this! Then the next No that's not exactly it.... those songs were recorded week it would appear in all of the underground magazines specifically for that EP. We had to take some money out and was being traded all over the world. When a band of our pockets, but we had also saved up some money played brand-new material everyone in the underground from the gigs to finance the whole project. As I said, I was hearing right away through the trading! was marketing the band and promoting the band anyway that I could. Azra was one of the labels that I had Did you spread this demo as well or was it done only approached because they had released some other heavy metal records. And I did sign a contract with them for that for labels and radio stations?

No, I knew that I was going to sell this demo before it was EP. It was a terrible contract, I knew that we would make even recorded! Because of the tape trading underground, no money at all, but I was finally able to get our songs on it gave us the opportunity for people to hear the music all vinyl...so it was a good thing and a bad thing. But, it was over the world. Back then, there was no internet, and something that was past the appearances on compilation there was no MySpace, no CD burning, downloads or records with all these other bands... now we’ll have our anything at all... this was the only way that I ccould get very own record. It was by Overkill! our music heard around the country and around the world.

The almost 9 minutes tune „The answer” became a The live tunes were recorded 1/13/84 (in the "fucking slow, epic one compared to the other songs, what made snow"), what do you recall of that show? you to write this track?

It's great that you mention this song ’The Answer’ because in my opinion it's the best that we've ever done.

This song was not written purposely to be an epic or anything like that. When we rehearsed. I always insisted on playing for a lot of extra time. The song just came about naturally, by having a lot of parts put together I would just start playing another part, because thats how I felt...and it would lead to another section of the song....it just went on and on, kind of like Merciful Fate, but that’s what I wanted!

It reminds me to BLACK SABBATH, do you agree with me?

Of course, it sounds like Black Sabbath, but that was one of my main influences, and the others as well.

They released a year later the first EP of JAG PANZER plus the classic „Ample Destruction” record in 1984, did you like these materials?

Sorry, but I can't say that I ever remember really hearing it.

Was Azra/Iron Works an independent, small underground label those times?

No, they weren’t a small underground independent label...they were a piece of shit. He was a man who had absolutely no intention of having any of the bands signed to his label make any money at all. He knew that he could take advantage of young musicians and he did just that.

To this very day, it disturbs me a great deal that someone can sleep at night knowing how badly they hurt the early careers of young musicians like myself. As I had talked about in my film BORN IN THE BASEMENT, I had supplied him with very detailed artwork that took me a lot of time and he never even used it. He tried to save money, and he did save money by using only black-and-white on the album with no printed sleeve. He destroyed my vision at that point, that is not the way I wanted Overkill to debut their record. But, he’ll get what he deserves one day, right?

- end of part I, part II in Slowly We Rot #8

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

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Interview by Leslie David September 2010

some others to a style they had not seen or heard before in the live environment.

Hi Greg, thank you for taking your time to chat with us! Birmingham has a huge name and tradition in the Metal scene, do you guys feel that in your daily lives?

Hi Adrian, thanks for the interview! Of course, we are aware of the history of the metal and rock bands coming from in or around Birmingham over the past decades, and there has even been an exhibition held here, titled “Home of metal”. But it is not something that really affects us in any way. We are not noted or supported very much in our own hometown. I am not sure why Birmingham should produce so many good bands, as it is just a dull and ugly city where it rains often. Possibly due to the large population, as it is around 3 million nowadays.

You've recently returned from Norway where you played Blastfest, how was it? How's the Norge public reacting to your music? How many days were you over there? Any special moments worth sharing with our readers?

Blastfest was good, thanks. We played the earliest show of our career there, starting at just 1pm. So it was a bit unusual for us in that respect, but the atmosphere and the audience were very good. We arrived quite late the evening before playing and left the morning after we played, so we were not there for too long, but got the chance to see Impaled Nazarene, Asphyx, Demilich and some other bands, which was cool.

How was it in Romania? You played November to Dismember last year, how was it?

The gig itself was good, the audience were great and there were some very good bands in the line-up. This is the second time we have played in Romania, the first being the Dark Bombastic Evening festival in 2013, which was perfect. We found the people and hospitality of your country to be very good. The experience with November to Dismember fest was not quite so great for us. Although the gig was good, the organization was poor. We were playing for our flight expenses only, and we didn’t receive any money for our flights until just 13 hours before we were due to leave the UK. So, the cost of the flights had escalated considerably and the festival organizer did not cover all of our costs, and has since ignored all correspondence from us, where we tried to recover our losses of around £250. Needless to say, we won’t be working with him again.

How hard is it for a band like yours to involve the audience, to captivate their attention?

Well, we usually use an electronic backdrop (where possible, depends on each venue), a projection of animated artwork and graphics to aid the atmosphere. I think that those who like our music deeply will feel the atmosphere and presence of our music and performance on stage and they will be attentive. If it is something that someone does not like or cannot stomach, then I think it would be difficult to appreciate. For first time listeners, I think it varies. The music is not that easy to listen to or decipher on the first listen, so it really depends on how receptive they are to what we do.

Do you also feel Doom Metal has a sort of revival nowadays, or it's just my impression? How has your fanbased changed during the years, or has it?

Doom metal has definitely grown its fan base over the years. Extreme doom now in 2015 is far more supported than it was when we started back in 1992, when only a handful of bands worldwide were playing in this style.

But I believe it is still the least popular genre of probably all the extreme metal genres of music. But there is certainly more support and opportunities to play live than there were 10 years ago or more.

You kept in touch with your first label, Aesthetic Death, and recently re-released a Triple Disc with them. Can you please tell us more about this release?

Yes, Stu from Aesthetic Death has remained a good friend to us since we first met him in 1993. He wanted to release all of the Esoteric albums on vinyl and eventually produce a box set of the whole edition. The Maniacal Vale was the fourth vinyl in the series to be released.

The Pernicious Enigma 3LP and Metamorphogenesis 2LP will follow, with the former due for release later this year. The Maniacal Vale was released as a 3LP on heavy weight vinyl (200g) with a gatefold sleeve design. The album was mastered for vinyl at Priory Recording Studios by myself, and cut to acetate from the high definition digital masters (88.2kHz/24bit) at Soundmaster studios in London, UK. It was pressed at the Vinyl Factory in the UK and the artwork was handled by GZ in Czech republic. We were very happy with the sound quality and appearance of the 3LP.

give too many details at this time, but it will be another double album. I never finalise the song titles until just before the album is completed. There are no major changes in the music, but the material is what I would call a natural progression and evolution with time. There isn’t a release date yet, we will complete the writing for the album by the end of 2015 and hopefully the album will be out sometime in 2016.

How important are the lyrics in Esoteric's overall atmosphere?

For me the lyrics are very important, because when you believe and feel what you are writing about on a personal level, it is something that is close to you and a part of you. So the performance of the music and lyrics is something that I can put a lot of passion and emotion into. The lyrics deal with past and present experiences, states of mind, thoughts, philosophies, and can be an introspective journey through the deeper recesses of the psyche.

I've seen you're using effects on vocals during live shows. How much time do you allocate to preparing your effects? Also is it easier for you to use head worn microphones instead of microphones with stands, does it make any difference?

We create and program effects for the vocals and all instruments when writing the music and rehearsing, experimenting with different sounds and atmospheres to enhance the music. This is an important part of the band and it can be quite time consuming. The effects are something we modulate, trigger and manipulate as part of the performance. It would be hard to put an exact time on how long we spend on the sounds, but I would say that on average, each vocal or guitar sound I create would take around an hour or so and then continue to be finetuned during rehearsals up until the point where we record the music. I only wear the headworn microphone because it is impossible for me to stand still at a mic stand with everything I have to do live. My guitar effects and vocal effects controllers/pedals span a few feet in width, and so I cannot stand still at a mic stand whilst changing effects on guitar and vocals (often at the same time) or standing on expression pedals. So, to prevent the vocal or guitar performance suffering I use a headset.

I don’t like using it particularly, but it enables me to be free with my hands and feet. I have received a lot of negative comments and insults because of this over the years. But I do it for practical reasons, not for anything else. I couldn’t really give a fuck about those that are obsessed with image and appearance or how I should look on stage. The music comes first for us.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

You rarely play live, correct? How come? Is it something you want or it just happens?

We play around 20 gigs or so per year, sometimes more, sometimes less. We all have to work full-time in daily jobs, since the band does not make a profit that we can use to help with our living costs. So, the time spent playing live has to be limited to what is a reasonable amount. We do not all get holiday pay in our work either, so time off to play is expensive for us, because we still have bills to pay back at home. Of course, we would like to play live more often, but when you read about situations such as the answer to your previous question, you can understand why it isn’t possible.

How often do you meet to rehearse new stuff and how hard is it to gather 6 persons for rehearsals especially now since you're not teenagers anymore?

The amount of rehearsal time varies, depending on what we are doing at the time. Usually we rehearse once a week together. Sometimes we might miss some weeks if we do not have any shows coming up, but it also depends on whether we are working on new material. It is not too difficult to rehearse together, since we always put aside the same evening for rehearsals and make sure we are free to attend. When in writing periods, such as now, myself and Gordon also get together to write music in addition to the usual rehearsals.

This year you've also confirmed for the Brutal Assault festival, not one that's particularly know for it's Doom Metal approach, so how do you think the crowd over there will react to your music?

We have played Brutal Assault back in 2008 also, and it was a great experience. Obviously the style of music we play is not commonly included in such big festivals, but Tomas Fiala, the organiser has been a fan of and supported Esoteric for many years now, also putting us on other shows in Czech republic. I think those with an interest in the music will appreciate it, and it may expose

How do you feel under Season of Mist now, after 2 albums already released by them? Do they support the band as much as you need? How important is for a band like yours to be under a label, there are multiple bands going on their own nowadays?

We have had a good working relationship with Season of Mist. We have been with them for over 10 years now and released 3 albums with them. The 7th album will be our fourth release with the label. We get better promotion and distribution than we had before we signed with Season of Mist, but obviously they are not going to support the band as much as their most popular, more active artists. That is just reality. The importance of being on a label for a band like us is simple. We do not have the time or the finances to do everything ourselves.

Perhaps bands can make more profit per unit sold when going the DIY route, but in the current climate where sales of CD’s and LP’s are low compared to 10 years ago or more for every genre of music, it would take a lot of work from us to even get close to the sales figures of working with a good label. Plus, any profit made, compared to the high cost of living in the UK, wouldn’t be enough for one person to live on, let alone a whole band of 5 or 6 people. Personally, I prefer to work for my living and keep the band as something we do for the love of music alone.

Around the end of last year you mentioned on your social media sites that you were working on the 7th album, so how's the progress? Can you tell us some new song titles and if there's going to be any major change in your music? When should we expect this new album to drop?

Progress is being made with the writing of the 7th album.

I cannot

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What would you say distinguishes Esoteric from other similar bands? Do you have something unique listeners could recognize the band after?

I think we take a different approach to what is considered normal. We do not restrict ourselves with our song writing in order to stay in one genre, or write music with other’s opinions in mind. We just write from the heart and put a lot of time and energy into being creative with sounds and atmospheres, as well as the music itself. I think our extensive use of effects and building crescendos with sound is something that is quite rare in metal, the narcotic, harrowing, dream like influence of the music. A lot of bands will use basic effects here and there, but we take it to another level by creating complex sounds and modulating them in real time to morph and change with the music and intensity. The song writing is maybe a little different because we tend to use obscure chords and scales and enjoy creating dark, nightmarish music.

Thanks for your answers, the last words are yours.

Thank you for this interview, Adrian. Your support is much appreciated. Thanks also to the fans in Romania who have come to see us perform. We hope to return soon!

May 2015

FRESH ASSAULTS - FRESH ASSAULTS - FRESH ASSAULTS

01. Please tell us a few words about the new release, about the music on it as a whole or a few words on each track in part. How are you happy with the final release?

02. How would you describe/label the music on it? Does it sounds like anything we might have heard before?

03. Where was it recorded and how much time did it take you to record it? Any interesting stories from the recording/producing the material?

04. What can you tell us about the cover artwork? Is there a link between the artwork and the lyrics? What are the topics of your lyrics?

05. What do you expect to gain through this release? What are the band's aims at the moment?

06. Is there a special format the material is released in? Or is it released in multiple formats? How many copies were pressed?

07. Where and how will you promote this new release?

08. Where can we order it from?

EXCIMER – Thrash from Fire 01. Well, the new release is the "Thrash from Fire" LP and it's actual release was in 27/10/2014, but it was recently released physically through WITCHES BREW label including 2 bonus tracks in 15/3/2015. "Thrash from fire" is our first album, and as always the first must be perfect, so we put all our efforts, and we guess that we

achieved the thrash perfection in this, and hope people liked it, the whole songs are bonded somehow, all the songs are good and strong. We are happy about it, and we're looking forward for more and more.

he throws one in the toxic waste barrel, that’s the band view about wannabies and attention whores and faggots, that they should disappear from the life of heavy metal, because they ruined it already enough actually, So, I guess thrash is the solution.

02. I could label the music on it as raw, fast, loud and for directed for the thrashers not for anybody and only a true thrasher could fully understand it, and actually I couldn't recall anything similar to this record, but anyway let the people discuss this out, not us, and the could analyze what the listen too.

05. We expect attention in Europe’s and America’s thrash scenes, we expect that we could take our place with the other fellow thrash bands. The band's aims at the moment on writing new stuff for a summer release

03. It was recorded mostly in two places, Ramii's apartment for guitar and bass recording , mixing, mastering and drums arrangements, and Amr's apartment for the vocals recording, we took a full 6 months for both composing and recording. One of the interesting stories, that 6 out of 8 songs were recorded by the vocalist in just 2 hours, plus the background vocals too.

06. The album was released on a CD, and Digitally, and there's 700 copies available worldwide through WITCHES BREW, and a limited 200 copies available in Egypt only 07. Actually that’s the label's job, but we can both us and the label promote it together by sharing it worldwide on the internet, and letting people know about us

04. The artwork describe the song "Thrash from Fire", the artwork grabs the attention of people to think about which is true metal and false metal, and it shows the zombie thrasher in the middle tormenting 2 faggots, and

08. You can simply order it online from the WITCHES BREW official site

01. It's ours 3rd studio album named "Violence Academy". Nine tracks of pure aggressive and groovy Thrash Metal. It's our best record this far!

straight link between artwork and lyrics, but the main theme in the album is violence. Topic for the lyrics is mostly about violence, death, metal cliches, alcohol.

02. 90's influenced old school thrash metal, bands like Slayer, Motörhead, Kreator, Exodus, Pantera etc...

05. That more people found us, more gigs, more new friends. Aim at the moment is to play the rest of the gigs and then we need to think how we are gonna continue.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

MY FUNERAL – Violence Academy

03. We recorded the bass, drums and vocals in Electric Fox Studios. Guitars were recorded in our home studio and reamped in the studio. First time doing that and it was a nice way to do it! In total it took roughly two weeks plus the days to mix the material.

Special stories..? Hmm, not really anything special. The usual few technical issues with stuff braking. Drank one rum and coke after each guitar recording day. Felt especially nice after a long day in the balcony in the warm Finnish summer evening!

04. It's made by Alex Tartsus. Tt presents dark and gloomy place called Violence Academy. There's no

death metal and other forms of extreme music for many years and it was very important for me to be able to offer something that can stand out among many bands in today’s death metal scene.

Obscure Visions of Dark is a product of 21st century, but in many ways it keeps the feelings of 90s death metal. It has some fresh ideas and a dark atmosphere. Each track of the album is a musical journey inside the mind and beyond the realms of thoughts and logics.

Making this album took a long time and final result is almost completely what we wanted.

02. We are mainly inspired by 90s death metal as well as late 80s death/thrash metal, but we have tried to create our unique and original sound. Musical approach of some death metal bands in early 2000s has also been influential to us. Obscure Visions of Dark has everything an extreme NEX CARNIS – Obscure Visions of Dark metal fan might need: aggression, speed, feeling, complexity, variation, depth, heaviness, etc. We have 01. Nex Carnis’ new album ‘Obscure Visions of Dark’ is managed to create a balance between those elements. like our lifetime achievement. I have been listening to There is a good number of new ideas and creative

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06. Just CDs.. 500 pcs.

07. Through the Facebook promoting pages, metal forums etc.. We also made Euro tour on Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary and Poland 08. There's couple of places.

-Straight from us -Record shop X in Finland (www.recordshopx.com) -Metal Music Austria -End Records (usa)

moments in every song, that can make the album interesting even for those who think death metal has nothing new to offer. Each track has its own characteristics with specific set of ideas, while all the songs keep a more or less similar style with an old school vibe.

03. First of all, we could not find any drummer in our country that could play and record our music. We did not like to sacrifice our music for unsuitable drummers who could not handle high tempos. Therefore I composed the music with the basic drum patterns that I had in my mind.

Then I recorded two demo tracks in a good but small studio, and sent them for a few foreign drummers that had an appropriate style for our music. After negotiating with them, finally Jirka Zajic (from Heaving Earth, Ingrowing, …) announced his interest in working with us and we reached a good agreement on working together. Finally all drums were recorded in a studio near Prague which was his favorite studio. He did an astonishing drum work

the lyrics which provides more imaginary space for the listener.

First track of the album ‘Darkened Rites of Existence’ is about condition of human life and mentality in worldly existence, and finally reaches a point where a living human being becomes aware of the obscure voices from beyond and listens to them to follow a path outside the boundaries of this life to stand above the limits of an ordinary human.

Second track ‘Cryptic Depths of Unlight’ is actually new version of one of the songs in our 2012 demo. It’s about a dark and gruesome place where some hidden and unknown forces exist; forces that can end human life on earth. Gradually those forces come to life and untie to bring total darkness to the earth to finally end the existence of mankind on this planet.

Then, ‘Dissolution in Vortex of Sanity’ portrays a journey into the depths of mind, alongside the borders between sanity and insanity. While the person is lost in the labyrinth of mind and vortex of endless thoughts, internal symptoms of insanity reveal and take over the mental activities to the point where you cannot distinguish what is sanity and what is insanity.

Fourth track ‘Descent into Ethereal Realms’ is about an 04. Indeed. As the album title suggests, it’s about imaginary trip in astral realms and into the outer space darkness and obscurity. The front artwork generally which ends in transmission into unknown reflects a nightmarish existence and obscure visions that realms/dimensions, beyond the human boundaries, into can exist in the mind or beyond it, but it can certainly becoming an autonomous being in the universe. have many other implications depending on every ‘Abolishing Rancid Thrones of Deceit’ is our most hateful person’s imaginations and thoughts. Moreover, in each track which reflects our abomination of deceitful systems page of the booklet there is an exclusive artwork beside that have existed for many years and have controlled people’s lives by feeding them lies.

The final song ‘Murky Pits of Time’ is the only song that is not completely composed by me. Most of the riffs are composed by our bassist who had to leave the band before recording. This song has a more desolate feeling, but it maintains the overall style of Nex Carnis in song composition and serves as the best choice for ending the album. Its lyrics are co-written by me and the bassist and they’re a somehow poetic/nihilistic expression of mankind’s status in the universe and dimension of time.

Philippe Reinhalter, has been very precious for that. He brought his personal vision of the stuff and we are very, very satisfied of the final result.

05. We have reactivated Putrid Offal to become again a good underground band as we were in the beginning of the nineties. We hope to do a lot of gigs. We are working on our next studio EP and we rehearse a lot to prepare our future show.

in the album. It was a big honor for us to work with such a great person.

After receiving drum tracks, we started recording vocals, because demo versions of guitars were good for that purpose. After recording vocal lines, re-recording of guitar tracks started in the same small studio where the guitar demos were recorded. The owner of that studio provided us with a guitar sound that perfectly matched our music. Unfortunately our bassist left the band before recording, and we had to ask our good friend Sam (guitarist/bassist of Connate Exasperation) to join us as a session bassist.

Because we regarded guitar solos as an important part of metal music, we invited some of our favorite guitarist as guests to play solos in the songs: Jacek Hiro (Sceptic, Dies Irae, …), Rafael Barros (Nephasth, Burn the Mankind), Disguster (Gravecrusher, Morbid Carnage, …). Our session bassist also played solos in one of the songs.

Finally we spent a considerable amount of time on mixing and mastering with our sound engineer to reach a perfect sound that can manifest all the potentials and feelings of our music.

02. The idea of this project was to record our old songs with the actual technology. A technology that we haven't got at that time. So the songs are more brutal, dirtier than in the past with a very good production. When you hear this album, you have a team roller between your ears ! A lot of people told us that we sound like the early Carcass.

A pleasure for us!

05. It’s important that many extreme metal fans (not only death metal fans) from older and younger generations enjoy our music. Besides, music is a language for people who have similar thoughts and feelings. So our aim is to have our music listened by a vast majority of potential listeners everywhere in the world who can have the opportunity to enjoy our music.

06. It will only be released as jewel case with regular number of pressing.

07. Promotion of the album will be done both in old and new ways, through sending flyers/posters and physical/digital copies of the album for various paper zines, web zines, etc in the world, and through social media. Our friends and people who like our music will naturally recommend it to their friends.

08. Currently, you can order it from our label’s website (www.nightbreakerprod.com), but it will soon be available through various shops/distros all over the world.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com) PUTRID OFFAL - Mature Necropsy 01. After 25 years of lethargy, we have decided to record and rearrange our back catalog done at the beginning of the nineties. All the songs we did at this time have been rerecorded and rearranged. The new member of the band,

REGIMENT – On les Aura!

1. The release is called « On les Aura ! ». This is a word launched by the General Pétain in the First World War, it means « We’ll get ‘em ». It became a leitmotiv for all soldiers. So this album has a concept about First World War as well as the band, and this album is intended to sound like a brutal attack. We gave the best of ourselves to make this ambience misty and dim : like a very old memory coming back from the ages, like a story long time gone told by someone trying to gather his memories.

03. We record all this album in our studio. We took a long time to do it (six months) because we wanted the best possible sound of guitars, drums and vocals. The result is very, very good. We have very good feedback with this album. So we are very proud of it.

06. The album has been pressed at 500 copies in a double CD format with Mature necropsy on one hand and Premature necropsy in the other. Only a few copies left. A second press will be done in two distinct CDs, one with Mature necropsy and the second with Premature necropsy. By the way, you can buy this album in a digital format too.

07. We gonna do a lot of concert. This summer, we will be at the Obscene Extreme festival (Czech) and at the Death Feast (Germany). Other dates are in discussion. Go to our web site and you will know it.

04. The lyrics are about medical and gore stuff. The cover artwork is in perfect agreement with that! We wanted a cover that explain clearly what you gonna find on the CD. And we found it!

08. The better thing is to order it at Kaotoxin Records on the label shop.

We wanted to make visible the frustration of being the sons of those who fought so bravely for their land. After so many courageous men fell, how can we show us worth of their legacy ? It is hard to be a son, but it’s even more hard to be the son in some overwhelming, crushing heritance.

This album is not the look of soldiers in the Great War, how could it be ? It ‘s only our look on what their war was like, with everything that we tried to cling on, like moral values, like pride and sense of family. It is how we see their martyrdom and their suffering, and we do not pretend to know anything about it : this album is just the result of the stories we were told in our families, the letters from the front we read.

Le Kaiser l’emporte encore à l’Est This ambient introduction features one of the very first speeches on air ever recorded. The Kaiser William II. Speaks about the responsibility of all countries of the great Second Reich to enter war to protect civilisation. I find interesting the first speech recorded by the leader of a country was already full of lies and dishonesty. In french we kept the expression « querelle d’Allemand » (a German Argument) meaning searching dishonest points to justify the entering in a conflict.

The Eastern advance of Prussian troops was not something new in France, in 1870 the population had already suffered this. The invasion felt as some tidal wave : the Frenchmen could only drawback. We wanted

in the first track to make feel the impression of despair.

Like in 1870 and like in 1940.

Sauvagerie prussienne In France we long time kept some ideas about Prussian soldiers. It has been erased by European union and that kind of shit, but hell if our fathers considered them as barbarians. This song depicts how the Reich occuper made the best to weaken the country : the mines would be drowned, the bridges cut down as the roads, the fruit trees cut in Alsace !, the ruins of medieval castles and churches burnt or blow down (if you dont believe me, search about Coucy).

And that’s what they did to the Land. More was inflicted to women, and men as you guess. The end of the songs speaks about the gas which was diffused on whole regions, regardless of the civilian villages in the wind.

We wanted to make feel in this song the strong antiGermanic feeling that in the countryside some people even have today.

Frenchmen also committed crimes: the will of doing some patriotic album, very « blue white red », prevented us from talking about it.

But in the end, the brothers killed their brothers and Europe’s twin enemies commited the ultimate crime of rising one against another.

La sape It is the story of men mining a trap under the German lines to make them explode. But they soon discover the

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German have dug underneath to make them explode first.

They discover it in great distress on the last moment.

The counter mine was a common passive defense and resulted in the death of most valuable miners. It is dating back to crusades. It is curious to discover how men never gave up such genius ways to fight.

La mort du Nègre In this patriotic album, almost no lyrics to pardon and forgive, or to show compassion. The only one to show compassion will be an African, dying near a dying German trooper.

The first half of the songs depicts what the Africans were seen like : savages, almost no man, worshipping strange cults, eating strangely, behaving strangely.

In the second half, under this tropical riffing to remind him where he was born, he reminds who he is : « a poor old Nigger far from home ».

The reference here to Joseph Conrad of which a quote is in our booklet is intentional by far. …En dépit des assauts furieux du Kronprinz…

Another ambient pause, to rest before the final assaults.

The sample used here is a song created during the French Revolution for a regiment who resisted bravely against ostrichian troops.

En avant !

The last song’s title could be translated by « forward ! ».

It is the common word in french army to set the troops in motion. In such a position holding war as the first world war, it’s not obvious this kind of order could be given.

There, we wanted to give the impression of long walks interrupted by skirmishes. We wanted the song to be sound like « let’s go to it back again ». After an ambient interlude it was all about logic.

The speech in the beginning is this of a sergeant motivating his troops just before the assault. He says the goal to it is not death but martyrdom. I find it perfectly match of what we know today of soldiers : they were awaiting a hideous death which cloak was this of honour and pride.

Des Capotes à la popote The good men rest. The « capote » is a long coat, and the « popote » is slang for food. So we only see longcoats eating and they are like warriors, coming home brutally to eat. The swallow the curious food and the acid wine.

It is strange when one read tons of soldiers letters, how they use some common or anecdotic remarks to avoid speaking to families about combats.

Credo

In this last ambient to close the album, a poetry by a French Nationalist poet. Hissons were all 4 killed in the war. He never again carried on his monarchic fight.

The poetry only says « i believe in God ». In fact i found it quite ironic : how can someone still believing in God after all children have been butchered.. But in fac the says « i believe in God » because what he says about France are things long time gone, like pride, brotherhood, friendship, that only a miracle could bring back.

people believe. He was forced to the head of the country as all socialists in the government in 1940 did not want to assume these responsibilities.

This made him be hated AFTER the WWII, and made most cowards forget who he was in the WWI, when the German danger was at the doors of the country.

The link is that i don’t want to discuss about him in the WWII ; i dont concentrate on this period. As regards of the WWI, he was the man who made the conditions of soldiers improved and better, the man who stopped the 2. The music is heavy death metal with black-thrash exections for soldiers afraid to go to the assaults. And he influences with lyrics in French. also stopped the idiotic charges against well-protected I dont know if it sounds like anything made before, but it positions: it was a loss of men. sure sounds as we wanted it to sound.

Most of your readers are strangers, from all over the We simply got to record it and gave the best of ourselves world i guess, but you have to know that he was to deliver the most rage. considered as a «father » for most french. Because he was « in charge »: if something went wrong for a trooper, the 3. I (H.) recorded first the guitars during the winter of family would never lack anything. And most of all, to all 2011-2012 : I’m not lying, the kitchen of my house was - these kids who fought for our motherland, he was a father 4°C during the whole process. The conditions were in the trenches. Often he was WITH them: can you extremely hard. Water in a bowl near me froze, and i represent what a high-graded officer customs were? he recorded wrapped in a blanket the whole process. was all the opposite.

In the spring of 2013 we recorded the drums in Isarnos’ He spared them. He thought of them. And never he studio in Paris. despised the German soldiers: he knew who they were.

I re-recorded the right guitars because the take was bad due to red and frozen fingers in the winter takes. I kept 05. The band has no other aim than spreading our the left guitars as they were recorded in the first cold perception of the war through our family memories. We kitchen. do not pretend to know about war, we do not pretend to In the summer of 2014 Marc managed to record his bass talk or analyze it. We simply write down what we remind parts, he did it on the side of rehearsing concerts with our grandfather said. These humble yet tragic family Peste Noire. legends that about 30 million French people have.

The same summer we recorded the vocals that one could We want to say loud that we never forgot about our recognize hearing Borgia. GdW who performed the forefathers in the war. We admire them and will never let vocals is quite a tall guy and we were in a very small down the memory of their courage and bravery. room. We joked about the impression to become the very 06. It will be available for 1000 copies in CD format with characters of « La Sape ».

Sven of Vàn records got me in contact with Gnarl for the a luxurious 12 page booklet featuring patriotic illustrations of the great Nations of France and Germany. mix and master process.

Up to yet, no special edition is planned, but interested 4. The cover artwork represents a french general from the labels for vinyl or cassette issue can get in touch with our First World War who is known for winning the battle of label to antiq.label@gmail.com Verdun. He was probably the best chief the french armies ever had, because he was committed to the troopers’ 07. There will be promotion through usual medias, radios, conditions. He ate the same as them, drank the same and zines, webzines : reviews, selected interviews. But there often shared their conditions. Everyone should consider is no show planned so far. Propositions should be made to this and remind this man prevented France to be invaded the address below, but we would be very selective. and overcomed by German troops.

He is also known for ruling France from 1940 to 1945, 08. It can be ordered to antiq.label@gmail.com or to but he was not at all a dictator as most want to make www.antiqrecords.com.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com) 02. Yes sure. It´s pure old fucking Metal. There are no experiments on „Torn Apart“, no sampler , no keyboards or that stuff. Only pure Metal with drums, guitars, bass and Vocals.

It wasn´t our plan to invent a new music-style. I think in this time it´s good to reduce the music to its basics. There are so many bands who´d like to create new styles of music and so they mix it up with different styles, genres and/or different instruments.

And so they destroy the main statement of this special genre of dark old-school metal music.

UZZIEL – Torn Apart 01. Well, for us it´s not just a new release, it´s also our first release ever. We´ve put 4 years of our past band history in this album.

Much people say our style is Thrash Metal, but we have some fans that call our style Melodic Death Metal, I don´t know, find out for yourself.

It´s not important for us what the name of our style is. We like our music and love it to play our songs live. That´s what’s important. „Torn Apart“ is a cross- section of the last 4 years. There were a lot of bad influences, but also good times and we tryed to put our feelings in the songs. That´s the reason why there are so many different songs on „Torn Apart“ We love our release! Sure, it´s our first album we´ve released ever! So, yes we are thrilled. Every band in this situation will share this feeling of excitement.

„Torn Apart“ is a jouney through fears, anger, emotions and desicions that everyone will be able to relate.

The fear to be helpless and so you can only sit and watch to the things that will come.

05. More publicity. For „Uzziel“ it´s the first step to a bigger audience. We played so many shows in the last 4 years, but now our fans can take a little piece of us home.

And „Uzziel“ will play as many concerts as possible. We are a live band and you can´t beat our live vibes. Stage is a party!! And we celebrate it with our audience.

We are confirmed for big festivals in 2015 and so we´ll 03. We recorded the songs at the „Absorber-studios“ It´s play at „Kaltenbach Open Air“ 20 - 23.08. and on „Metal our own music studio and I recorded and mixed the songs Outbreak“ from 28.08 - 30.08. for our album. It was our first time that we recorded our There will be some smaller concerts also in 2015. Do you stuff, so we needed a very long time to finish the cd. I feel like you gotta see our concerts? So get your think it was nearly a year of recording and mixing. But I informations on our facebook page: loved the intence time! www.facebook.com/Uzzielmetal We worked so hard on „Torn Apart“ and as we finished the album 3 of my old bandmembers left „Uzziel“. Maybe 06. Well, we released our album on all kind of digital they realized that „Uzziel“ needs more energy they´d like platforms, so you can download our songs on ITunes, to give.

Spotify, Amazon,… but we will release „Torn Apart“ as And so I looked for some new people who were willing to physical CD also and printed about 5000 cds join a Metal Band with big intensions. Hahaha but my You can order the stuff directly on our facebook page. members now are a blast. You must hear them!

It was a real stressful time, the old Bandmembers left in 07. We have done our promo for ourselves. And we work March 2014,but at this time „Uzziel“ was already with a big german promo company called Dr. Music confirmed for some big festivals in Austria.

Promotion and our Sales- Company is called Membran.

So, it had only 3 months to get the party started ;-) 08. You can download the full album on ITiunes or 04. A friend of mine, Roman Baumschlager, did our Amazon. artwork. He gave us some different artwork- designs. But Physical cds you can get at big Sale- Stores like Media our „Torn Apart man“ was our first and only choice. Markt and Saturn or, I hope you can order it at EMP in There were no better suitable artworks for our present July 2015. So go get it!!!! album. And it describes the whole album in one picture.

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influence. Some might not see it, but I think it's there. I cannot point a finger to a specific band that we might resemble, but one might find influences from Therion, Flowing Tears, Swallow The Sun etc.

03. We started recording the album in April 2014. We did the guitars and bass at my home studio and from June to August we recorded the drums and acoustic parts at Luna Studios in Cluj. The mix and master, performed by Hiili Hiilesmaa (known for working with HIM, WHISPERING WOODS – Perditus et Dea Apocalyptica, Swallow the Sun, Lordi etc.) was done between 01. 'Perditus et Dea' is our 2nd full length release. It is a September and November. This final process had a shows. For example, we are currently collaborating with a concept album and its theme is about the myth of the special feel to it since we had a great interaction with group called Lamia (Fantasy Fire Show). Some of its Androgynous, as presented by Arisophanes in Plato's Hiili, who is just a wonderful person to work with. members will travel with us for the local gigs and they Dialogues. The story starts off just after the Androgynous will add to our shows theatrical and pyrotechnical was split and then it follows the two halves in their 04. The cover and entire artwork were done by Bogdan representations. We'll try to get to play at some of the journey of reunion until they are complete once again. Pop, a visual artist from Cluj. He usually deals with the bigger festivals because that's where these kind of shows The title is composed from the names of the two main darker side of things, so he got the concept perfectly from have a really great impact. characters which represent a personified version of the start. Since the album is based on a story, we had to feelings and ideas. depict this in the artwork as well. The two characters 06. For the moment the album is available in normal CD We are very happy of how this release turned out since represent the two halves of the Androgynous as they and digital formats. We printed 1000 physical copies. we learned a lot of things from making it, experimented become one. The first and last songs present and with some new musical aspects, met a great visual artist personify the two halves in their individual form. The 07. We are starting off with two release concerts in and had a chance to work with one of the industry's great other 10 songs have their own special thematic artwork Romania at the end of March and in April we'll have 5 figures :-) that tries to blend with the lyrics to offer a more complete concerts through Europe. After these we're preparing Last but not least, we have a video for the 3rd track called image of what they is trying to say. another series of shows, but we still have to finalize some Demon Blood.

Check it out here: Check out Bogdan's amazing work here: details. Stay in touch with our streams and find out the www.youtube.com/watch?v=taEJnmPPIj0! http://inkhale.com/ latest news!

02. Like most bands, I think you try to stand out and identify a sound of your own, but inevitably you end up borrowing things from music that is already out there.

People usually place our music in the symphonic/gothic genre and I like to always add the mention of a 'doom'

05. The only aim is to be better than ourselves really. We just want to make good music that we like and send it out into the world hoping that there are other people that might resonate with it. On the long run, we'll try to get more exposure through more gigs and more complex

08. 'Perditus et Dea' is available in all major digital stores.

For the physical CDs check out our official website www.the-whispering-woods.com or our label at http://loudragemusic.bandcamp.com.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

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good, and we appreciate people coming out to see us and it was good to catch up with old friends.

We must also thank Sanguis Imperum, and Iconoclast Contra for helping us when things didn't go according to plan.

The band has been around for 22 years… were you surprised to be around for so long?

Nazxul has existed in various forms for quite some time, but we aren't surprised at its longevity. There is no pressure or deadlines to adhere to. And as we are even more disconnected from the current black metal movement than even when we started, lets the band simply exist and concentrate on our own work.

After the release of “Iconoclast” the band promised new releases soon but nothing has been released in the past 5 years… what happened?

The material that was being composed for the next album that was quoted at the time has been put aside in favour of a slightly different direction. We are

Nazxul only has two founding members… how did you manage to put up with each other for so long?

There have been rough patches and pleased with the direction the new long periods of little to no When one thinks about Black Metal, Australia is definitely not material is heading. communication. Nazxul has a very the first country that springs to mind but Nazxul, a black metal volatile environment internally. A The band is influenced by Pendereki, group of very opinionated and, at cult band from the aforementioned island, are determined to Gorecki and other composers as well times, stubborn people working put the name of the country in the map. The band spoke to us such as religious and world music. towards the same goal is no small feat.

Quite strange that you don’t mention about the coming releases, international tours and, obviously, But over the years we have come to any BM bands! What influences you understand each other. The Nazxul Black Metal. when writing music for Nazxul? group dynamic in any of its line ups We listen to black metal old and new, but try to be conscious of its influence on Nazxul has had its chaos and brilliance. When the material calls all are brought together. when writing. Modern Classical composers such as the ones you have mentioned, It has always taken ages for Nazxul to release material… when can the fans expect religious music and some soundtracks for film seem to strike a chord and stylistically make more sense as a source of inspiration. An element of Nazxul’s style are slow to listen to new stuff?

Yes, perhaps the previous answers can shed some light on the less then prolific moving dissonant melodies, notes stumbling into one another as they clamber into the discography. But in saying that, we regret nothing. The material takes on a life of its abyss. These movements are closer to contemporary classical music than to metal. So own. So when it is ready, it is released into the world. We are writing new material at writing in this contemporary classical style helps us create unnerving moments, the moment which will be released in 2015. The first release for 2015 will be a four recording and performing this style in the context of Black Metal is where we find the track EP to commemorate 20 years since the original demo was released. This material fury and madness. was recorded in 2014 by the original demo line up. Stylistically we have written material that is more akin to the 1994 Demo. Later in the year will see a full length You got formed in 1993 when the second wave of Scandinavian Black Metal was at released. This features the current ongoing Nazxul line up. The album material is a mix its peak. Did Nazxul get influenced by any of those bands? If so, which ones?

The Norwegian movement did have an influence on us. Especially immortal, Emperor, between Black Seed material and the brutality and rawness of the demo.

Darkthrone and Satyricon. Also bands such as Throne of Ahaz and ofcourse Beherit.

The Deicide Amon demo also had a significant influence on us.

What’s the main cause for the long pauses of the band?

All members of Nazxul are involved in other projects. In and outside of the Black Metal world. The commitment and passion to create is there but unfortunately life gets in the It is normal for you to end an interview with the sentence “Nazxul is dead! Long live Nazxul!” What does it mean exactly? way.

As the Nazxul line up is in a state of constant flux, this slogan represents the idea that In order to promote your latest album, released in 2009 “Iconoclast”, you managed the entity that is Nazxul is eternal and the membership or components of any era of Nazxul are important yet fleeting. This also fits into the "more than the sum of its part" to tour in Europe… how was that experience?

Both international jaunts were both grueling and costly, but absolutely fantastic. The idea. opportunity to leave our island and travel to the other side of the world and perform to a receptive crowd was amazing. We had the opportunity to meet a lot of people we had Do you think BM has lost its essence? been in contact with for a long time. And also meet many complete lunatics. All the This is an ongoing and contentious issue. I think the lure of fame and fortune, and the European shows were good but The Russian and second Berlin shows were illusion of achievement and the false sense of importance that social media brings has extraordinary. The energy from the crowd fuelled a very aggressive performance. And become a motivating factor for many. Also the immediacy of everything online has taken some of the mystery away. The obsession and fad of portraying oneself as an we can't thank Eisenwald and Thou Shalt Kill enough for their support. occult mastermind is a little disingenuous.

About the appearance of Nazxul at the Maryland Death Fest, I read online that The real question is, was the "essence" of Black Metal actually ever there? And what Nazxul stated that “The people of the Americas are not ready for the power and does that actually mean?

The early to mid 90's have been romanticised and somehow symbolise an era of "truth". grandeur of the beast that is Nazxul.” Did it happen? Were they ready or not?

They were. We had a great response from the crowd and including a crazed old man, That time was exciting, and things were new, as a sub genre was finding its voice… But and surprisingly even the security guards which approached us afterwards to talk about one must also remember that these characters were young people, pushing the the band. The American tour although fraught with complications such as promoters boundaries of music and ideology . Some to be extreme for extremes sake, some to disappearing with our money, the guitarist of Dillinger Escape Plan breaking our rebel, some to simply be a metal band who wished they were Kiss or Merciful Fate.

Teen angst, guitarists alcoholism, finger in an mindless attempt to help vandalism and us claim a satanism as a guitar case gymmick seem from the to be the reality baggage of what is carousel. (The considered to road to Hell is be true. Racism paved with is the result of good the concept of intentions). elitism when And some portrayed by dismal crowd imbeciles for attendances the most part. but all in all it In the case of was a positive NSBM well experience and this is a touring with political long time statement and comrades an agenda of Nightbringer those types of was excellent. bands. If that is The gathering the philosophy of shadows or ideology show was they wish to amazing, and portray then so all the other be it. The shows were vibrancy of

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

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Who would have ever imagined black metal bands in Jamaica, Mongolia, India and Afghanistan.? So the positive side of social media and online presence makes the world smaller, like minded individuals can communicate and more interestingly collaborate with one another. So being from Australia is no longer a hindrance from a communication and promotional point of view, but when it comes to the idea of touring, well we couldn't be any further away from hive of activity.

black metal allows people to express extreme opinions no matter what political leaning.

And then have to justify their beliefs when the extreme criticism and forum backlash comes. Nazxul has never felt a need or conviction for political rhetoric.

So essence defined by the past or the "glory" days is a nostalgic myth, and We are glad it's dead. A lot of people created amazing music that to this day stands the test of time and will live on in many people's hearts. But as for ideology and actual integrity? We think these are two separate things.

Before an all too cynical picture is painted.

We must express that there are many modern bands with integrity that actually capture the so called essence. With the wealth of information available today bands can express and portray anything they want. Quite a few bands really do adhere to and further the cause so to speak of occult themed black metal with integrity and a religious fervour.

Nightbringer and Acherontas spring to mind. The modern Norwegian and Swedish scene have some very interesting bands. And Finland is a powerhouse. At risk of sounding cliche the ongoing journey of a band as it matures or adapts is the test of integrity. To maintain a vision and to always be honing ones work to better express the art and ideology without falling prey to the convenience and short sighted quick fix society we live in is the true essence. We hail our brothers and sisters in which the flames burn in their hearts for time immemorial!

Please share a final message with Nazxul fans.

Brothers and Sisters we will be offering you two releases this year. They will be available on SeanceRecords.com Nazxul is Dead! All Hail Nazxul!

IA Tiamatehom!

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com) Interview by Sonia Fonseca February 2015

What’s your opinion on bands that sell their soul and compromise ideals for some fame?

Everyone is on their own path. If people want fame and or money that badly and can justify and live with those decisions then good for them.

By stark contrast Nazxul will rather burn in flames before compromise.

Money, recognition, accolades, fame or infamy and most of all acceptance by peers or anyone else are not motivating factors. So fortunately for us we will never face this dilemma. We answer to no one but ourselves.

How’s the current Australian underground scene? Are there many offers in what concerns metal events?

The Australian scene has always been active and metal shows are very frequent. More and more international acts grace our shores every year.

The crowd has always been fanatical and, as some would say, Diehard.

Please name a few Australian bands that you think should be getting attention.

Nocturnes Mist, Pestilential Shadows, Drothnung, Spire, Midnight Odyssey, Ignis Gehenna, Tyrannic, I'll Omen, Drowning the Light, Crowned are to name a few. Your readers will be familiar with some of these names but we encourage you to look into the others.

Being from Australia might be a bit complicated for the band in what tours are concerned. Has this affected the recognition and divulgation of the band somehow?

In recent years Australia has had an international buzz. With the success of death metal, doom and Black Thrash bands touring Europe and America to rave reviews. So this has bridged the gap, with their success brings attention to the country as a whole. Hopefully inquisitive minds will look further and discover Australian Black Metal. Contrary to popular belief, Black Metal is border less. The fixation on the Scandinavian scene of the early 90's has done a disservice to the movement as a whole. South East Asia, Italy, Greece have always had strong scenes and a distinct unique sound. Sweden and especially Finland have also been involved from the beginning. South America, North America and Canada had and still do have groundbreaking black metal bands that are committed and complete zealots. Black metal has become truly global .

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As its name suggests Brutality is definitely a brutal band, one that I still remember had a huge mark on my musical tastes back in the ‘90’s. The band is still alive and kicking and founding member Scott gave us more details on what happens in the band’s camp lately. already written on our past releases. We’ve known Alex for years, I recently asked him about drummers here in Florida he might know to take Jim’s spot and of course he said “ME”. His style fits us perfect our sessions with him are intense full and of feeling.

Do you guys all live in Tampa? How often do you get to rehearse nowadays? Do you also rehearse old tracks or just work on new material when you get together?

All of us live in Tampa except Alex he lives in Miami. Lately we have only been working on new songs but usually warm up with a little classic Brutality.

Are there any new tracks that are not recorded but will be anytime soon? Can you please share some titles and some thoughts on what should we expect from them?

A new full length will be released later this year. The new music is all in the same vein as all of our music. Our fans will be very happy with what were writing. A few titles are “Seas Of Ignorance” “Permanent Solution” and “Black Death”

Hi Scott, thanks for taking your time to answer my questions. How's Brutality lately?

Brutality is doing well we have been currently working on new music for our fans!

Next year you'll celebrate 30 years of activity, but also 20 years since you released your latest full-length, so tell us, do you think there's any chance to celebrate by releasing a new album?

Yes we just finished writing our new album and start recording this month.

Do you have in mind a studio you plan on recording in or would like to record in?

What about producers, do you have any fave producer you'd like to work with for the new album?

We plan on using a few different studios and our own to do our new album. We have a old friend were using for the engineering but were keeping his name under the radar for now but will let everyone know when the time is right.

Even though there are 20 years of drought when it comes to albums, the band was active by releasing demos and compilations, especially lately. In 2014 you released 3 different compilations, how come?

After our return we realized how many new fans we had so we wanted them to have a chance to have our music since our older albums are hard to come by.

Since you have a new drummer, and he also has a fair share of other bands and projects, do you think there's any chance we'll see Brutality on tour this or the next year? Maybe in Europe too?

We plan on doing shows next year to support our new album but have no plans to do any lengthy tours. Of course Europe will be a destination for us.

Regarding your demos, why do you still need them? I mean, do you really need demos to find a label, or they were intended more for the public, to show them you're still alive and kicking?

They were for our fans we’re not interested in any labels these days.

How's the scene in Tampa lately? Do you still follow the underground Death Metal movement?

Tampa is full of all of us old school guys from the Glorious Days, the scene is not what it used to be but still a lot of great support here. I try to keep up with some of the bands but honestly I’m really busy with Brutality and our other businesses I don’t have much time to keep up with it all. It’s not like the old days now with internet and so many bands I don’t know how anyone could keep up with it. I’m sure there’s lots of great bands out there plowing away but Brutality is my only underground band I can keep up with.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

When it comes to music, Brutality is basically the same band since you started although you changed multiple members.

What else, beside your trademark vocals, keep Brutality's style intact?

Now we mainly have the original Screams line up with us four making the music it just happens naturally almost effortlessly.

And speaking about that you just announced your new collaboration with Alex Marquez on drums. How come you chose him and how's it going so far? Why do you change so many drummers?

Actually we have only recorded with one drummer Jim Coker. We have used other drummers to play shows but none of them really clicked with music we write and have

Well, thanks a lot for your time, hope to talk again soon. Best of luck with the new line-up!

Thank you for this interview, to all of our fans stay brutal and be expecting our sickest album to date this year!!!!!!!

April 2015

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Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

We decided to celebrate the release of our Completely Vulgar -compilation with a few gigs, even more so when we were offered to play our alltime favorite metal festival Tuska Open Air in Helsinki. Our plan was to only play few shows and that was it.

Abhorrence is one of my alltimes fave Death Metal bands from Finland, although they are/were not very productive.

Here‟s some more info on their recent activities directly from founding member Jukka.

What about now, 3 years after the reunion, what are the plans for the near future? Can we expect the "debut" album?

We have no plans. We are looking into writing new material, but nothing is decided or agreed to, just old friends looking to spend time together and see if something happens.

Everyone is very busy with their normal lives, so even finding the time is difficult. I‟d say do not expect an album of new music, but keep an eye just in case that might happen.

There is a quite real possibility of a live album, since our Tuska Festival show was professionally recorded.

Greetings and welcome to Slowly We Rot magazine. When was the last time you read a printed metal zine? Are there still any mainstream metal zines in Finland nowadays?

I (Jukka) read one just last week. Well, Inferno is a Finnish metal magazine, professionally printed and produced, so it‟s not quite the same thing. Before that it was the reprinting of all Isten „zines into a book, which I read and that was this year as well.

As far as mainstream goes… metal is not quite as mainstream anymore as it used to be, but yes, we have Inferno.

Speaking about that, do you have any new tracks? How do they sound?

No new tracks.

Recently Abhorrence celebrated the 25th anniversary with a gig, right? How was it? Were there only old friends/fans over there or also the new blood, young metal followers?

No. We did not play a show. We partied among ourselves, just the people who were part of the band at one point or the other. Only one member didn‟t manage to show up due to other commitments, who was our second drummer.

Tomi had and still has an amazing career with Amorphis, how come he's still into Death Metal and still interested in playing with Abhorrence? Or is it only because you're friends?

I don‟t think he is “into death metal” as much as he is into playing music. Also since Abhorrence was a group of friends, it is a laid back environment to play and we all think the songs really turned out like they were supposed to with a really good drummer.

I was always curious about the Amorphis cover of your Vulgar Necrolatry track, how did that happen?

When Abhorrence broke up, Tomi was already doing the vocals for Amorphis. When he decided to join full time, as a guitarist as well, they took Vulgar into their set, probably due to not having too many songs and Vulgar being such a cool track. So when they recorded it, they asked if Jukka would do the vocals and that ended up as the b-side to their first single.

Amorphis and Abhorrence members were friends way before any of this happened, it wasn‟t a big deal really.

What do you guys miss from your days ('89-'90)? What has changed for the best and what for the worst in the Metal scene in the meantime?

The feeling that everything is new, everyone wanted to be unique and no one felt the need to try sound like someone else. You would take influences and build your own thing on that foundation.

The whole scene is a lot more professional, musicians can concentrate on their craft and other people will take care of the business. But at the same time since there is a lot of business involved, it‟s also a lot more calculating and money oriented.

Last year you posted on your Facebook a picture from a Museum in Vantaa City, a picture of Abhorrence. That's awesome, do you know more about that exhibition? Do you guys feel respected in your home country?

That was in Vantaa City Museum and their exhibition on local culture. Vantaa is a municipality located in the greater metropolitan Helsinki area, which is where all band members originate from. They had a large collection of band pictures from 80‟s and 90‟s groups from that area.

I don‟t know about respect. Our status is very much “kvlt” and only a small group of people know we ever existed.

Svart Records released your latest material, the 2012 compilation Completely Vulgar. What was the impact of this release (and at the same time band come-back) over the local and international scene?

I really couldn‟t say. You will have to ask other people about that.

It‟s release was taken very well, a warm reception so to speak, but other than that, I don‟t know.

By the way, that release was _ALL_ of our material. Not just latest, which implies something was left out.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

Last year I found a lyric video on YouTube announcing the immediate release of the new Abhorrence album that same month and my heart stopped for a moment. But it was actually another band called Abhorrence.

Do you care there are lots of other bands with the same name elsewhere?

No, not really. All of the other bands I know of (at least 4 or 5) are younger and started years after we broke up. I think the Brazilian band is the one that confuses people the most, them also being a death metal group.

You never had the chance to record a fulllength album, what do you think you lacked in order to achieve this aim? What do you think you could have done differently for Abhorrence to have a more sustained activity?

I think it was more to do with the pace everything happened. We got a records deal (a lousy one, but an agreement nonetheless) really fast, we managed to do some great shows and after that it felt like nothing was happening. At the same time everyone was expanding their musical taste and death metal just felt very limiting.

We should have waited and taken our music to whatever direction we would have wanted to, but that is not what young people usually do.

Thanks so much for your time, your last words for our readers…

Thanks for the interview and keep it up. There are never too many old school „zines out there. Cheers!

In 2012 you regrouped, why? Was it only to play a few live gigs, or were you also thinking of releasing something new?

April 2015

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Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

memories about the earlier days in Black Metal. When I started to workout seriously I considered more and more the individuals around me. I noticed they were as weak as I was once and am sometimes. I hated some of them for this. And me too. There seems to be a serious issue with today’s Black Metal. It is full of weak minded and weak bodied people, who only violate the things that originally drew me to Black Metal ideology.

That is why I formed the GBMC, as I knew that many others longed for something like this too.

On said webpage, the members are using masks that cover up their faces. Why? Do you want to be anonymous? Does it add to the mystery?

Don't overemphasize these masks! We are not anonymous. The page provides also pictures of members and prospects without masks. It’s a part of our appearance and reflects our ability and our will to defend ourselves.

GBMC stands for German Black Metal Commando. Why have you opted for this monicker?

It already existed as slogan for the insert of the “Black Metal ist Krieg” album. So there is no need to mystify it.

What is GBMC after all?

A brotherhood of individuals that share the same points of view regarding Black Metal and have a sense of strong moral values and promote a healthy lifestyle. Many people think we see ourselves as better than others involved in Black Metal. I see us more as a group who tries a different way than the mainstream. And yes, that may reflect some elitist aspects. Almost all of our members know how it is to have their life turned to ashes in their mouth. To be totally broken and outcast, to be fucked up and lost – although it is not a requirement to join. We all were strong enough not to give up and fought back. That is what I call courage, that is what I admire, that is why we all respect each other and know the true value of such a brotherhood, because we all can see the old suffering and also the new strength in the other brothers in the G.B.M.C. and feel understood.

We just had our last meeting for 2014 and we met in Salzburg/Austria. I am usually an observer in a group and when I looked at the group and listened to the topics of their conversations, it made me damn proud to have built such a group. I was very pleased to see that we inspire each other to think different, provide help in life – might it be by discussing a problematic relationship or support for a member's new Metal label. The very strict terms of selection new members has perfectly selected the right individuals into the GBMC. Even though we had many new members attending the meeting, it worked from the very first minute. I sometimes truly wish that some of our critics would see or experience a similar thing so they could appreciate such community and brotherhood – instead of bitching against it like women.

Ash Nargaroth never intended to please the people around him and controversy seem to follow him everywhere. The founding member of Nargaroth has created the GBMC community that is causing quite a buzz online. In order to be enlightened about the ideals behind this community, we had a conversation with Ash. According to GBMC’s community on Facebook “The GBMC is a fellowship of ideology and comradeship. Its endeavor is to build a supporting community that feels obliged to the tradition of Black Metal.” Why did you feel the need to create this? Is is because you feel the Black Metal tradition fading away?

Within Black Metal music I see myself not as a traditional band. What I mean by this is that I do not promote traditional Satanism with NARGAROTH. I practice my own spirituality and express some of my thoughts within my music. I keep matters of religion and politics private and separate from my music. Too many people focus on are into this religion or those politics. It is my wish that people enjoy the music without trying to label it or me as anything other than a person that performs emotional Black Metal.

I personally never agreed with the general ideas in the popular mainstream of Black Metal music. Black Metal is not about being liberal, vegan, pedagogic valuable. Black Metal in my opinion is certainly not about being tolerant or having to be politically correct in the way you express yourself. Don’t get me wrong, with NARGAROTH I always crossed orthodox Black Metal borders, but I never tried to make a wolf become a sheep. But more to the point make the sheep in the world recognize a wolf amongst themselves.

There are already different communities within Metal in general, but most of them never appeal to me because of their attitudes. For me Black Metal always had the impression of something elite and raw. I wouldn’t say that all Black Metal bands were elite, but there was always a common understanding that the Black Metal scene considered themselves as something different to other genres of this art. May it be justified or not – I longed for something that gives me back what I only have left in my

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

GBMC have a black flag. Enlighten us about the elements (wolves, swords, etc) in it.

The chain maces symbolize the battle readiness of our community as well as the virtues of the times of their usage, which shall serve as an ideal for us. The inverted cross establishes the connection to the (old) Black Metal, its values and order. The wolves symbolize a codex of the wolf’s character, i.e. the strength of the individual and the supremacy (within) and the unyieldingness of the group and community in separation and isolation from today’s society.

Is GBMC somehow a continuation of Nargaroth?

Not musically, but maybe in attitude. It’s just something I missed for a long time in Black Metal and is highly needed. The GBMC is no NARGAROTH Fan club as some

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track. Do you actually think you’ll be able to change the scene by creating GBMC? Not the scene, but some individuals life – and it has already happened! But I want to point out that even though it was me that founded the GBMC, it’s not me alone that supports, helps or encourages the others. Every single member is there for the other. We all support each other. I by myself needed recently the help of the group and found shelter and support with a GBMC member who helped me to overcome one of the darkest weekends I ever had to prevail. So, it’s a community of many individuals who takes care of each other when needed.

babies want to point out. Yes, some members have been NARGAROTH fans before and NARGAROTH is a good way to put the GBMC into the minds of many people worldwide. But the GBMC supported live also other bands like ACHERONTAS at the “Kings of Black Metal Festival” 2014 etc, but this mainly isn’t so public than a NARGAROTH live support. Therefore the GBMC is much more than a “Sideproject”.

It is a stringent continuation of the message transported with and the spirituality of NARGAROTH: to develop as (hu)man; to accept your own past with all your mistakes as a part of yourself – just like the new way you try to walk now to make it better; to bring mind and body into harmony; to inspire your surroundings to think differently and try to make a change in a robot world, where inspirational thinking is not supported.

Every saint has a past and every sinner a future. That sums it up pretty well.

Can we say that GBMC is a kind of therapy group for tortured souls?

It’s more a hand in dark hours that can get you back on your feet when life knocks you on your knees and a fist on your side, when you're in danger and words have failed.

I heard that GBMC is being boycotted as well… why and where?

I never heard or saw any boycott of the GBMC aside some kids gossiping in Facebook especially after they cowardly said nothing during a GBMC appearance on NARGAROTH live gigs. Those weak people are the reason why Black Metal is so fucked up and the GBMC exists of course. Some people seem to not agree with our beliefs or they want to intentionally misunderstand them. Other people try to place false words and intentions of the G.B.M.C. but this is the nature of the world.

If the G.B.M.C. wants to address a issue as a group it will be made known in person as we are not a internet fan group or club. Our presence at shows is our strength as is our open honesty. We do not hide behind keyboards neither are we virtual weekend warriors.

As usual within the BM community hilarious intentions were added to the GBMC by others, probably fed by the own insufficient moral compass and personality. The most hilarious thing I ever read was by a left-winged baby who labeled the GBMC as Black Metal Biker Club and lied the shit out of his bitch mind. Real entertainment.

GBMC statements and values gets distorted and intentionally twisted. Our attitude to reject self-destruction by drugs, alcohol or self-mutilation gets used to put us into a straight edge position we never supported. Some of us drink beers here and then, some smoke cigarettes. Some do, some don’t. We just don’t participate on the self destructive behavior or consume any of these substances combined with self-pity, phlegmatism and externalization of responsibility. Although most all of us have made experiences with it during our life time. So, it is easy to twist our statements into a ridiculous direction, while the real truth is much more honest. It is true to life related and mature issues.

Maturity isn’t necessarily a quality of the BM scene.

Tell us more about the concept of the training camps. Who can join them?

We have about three big meetings a year and the meetings are just for members. They will preferably be held as bivouacs in the woods, at the coastline, in the mountains, or in stone quarries. Furthermore there is one international G.B.M.C. meeting planned when all different Chapters come together. The place of the meeting changes from year to year.

The main meetings serve the accounting and planning of enterprises and concerts.

Furthermore, they serve the acquaintance of the combatants and the promotion of togetherness and comradeship, thus the esprit de corps. The meetings also serve the physical training (early morning exercise, cross country run, „test of courage“, swimming, orienteering with map and compass, survival training and skills), the further education and the training of martial art skills. Some members also do things aside, like highland games.

GBMC have played live in some festivals but do you have any material of your own or do you play Nargaroth’s material? To clear all doubts, is GBMC a band or a kind of support group?

Here is a kind of misunderstanding. The GBMC is not a music group or band. It’s an independent community, but support NARGAROTH on stage once in a while.

Please share a final message with our readers.

If you join a comradeship or do it on your own, it doesn’t matter. Just try to get your life in order and running.

How’s the reaction to GBMC been so far?

50/50. As you mentioned we have strong supporters worldwide and we have critics. But most critics never looked seriously into the matter of the GBMC and are more juvenile or typical prejudices rather than real constructive dialogues. Interesting to mention might be, that I sometimes got into constructive conversations with some critics after they posted some crap about the GBMC. All of them changed their mind or attitude towards the GBMC after they listened into the meaning of the brotherhood.

Interview by Sónia Fonseca, pics by SunveMetal, January 2015

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

Your motto “Fortes soli, fortiores una” means “Strong Alone, Stronger Together”. How did you come up with this and why?

It reflects best what I thought about a group or a community I wanted to build. We all have the right to be weak sometimes, but it’s not right to use weak times as an excuse to stay in our misery, moaning about life or to blame others. We need men in our society, that are able to take care of themselves and be responsible for their actions, that can feed their family and have values as well as high moral standards. I personally support the traditional family image, with the man supporting his wife and children, the wife as a strong partner of the man. Within the group we support each other with all our abilities and with comradeship. So we want individuals who get back on their feet after being hit by the train wreck called life. A group of mature and strong individuals is a sum of their strength!

Ash once said “But I missed men in the BM scene.” What does this mean?

We have a strange change in gender roles in our nowadays times. I do disagree with it. I am for traditional family roles, Occidental values and a clear defined men ideal. I don't agree with the modern ideas of a family.

A man is a man and should stay a man and should not be softened by nowadays (artificial) demands. Our world is degenerated and will fall like all advanced civilizations when they overcame their level of progress and slid into decadence and perversion. We need order! Otherwise humanity will fail and a clear and defined picture of men (and women) can give orientation and stability. In BM I want to have such men.

GBMC seems to be very oriented for men. Can women take part of the community and training camps as well?

I discussed that a long time with the member board. I was highly interested into taking women into the GBMC, as I saw an enrichment in it considering that many women in BM have a similar, if not the same, need to separate from the popular BM movement and looking for challenges.

Regarding my own experience from being a member in a biker club as well as similar experiences of the other members of the GBMC, we decided not to include women. We want to avoid interpersonal tensions and discords because of active or broken up relationships that likely will occur then within male and female GBMC combatants. Most guys or girls don’t deal well when the Ex gets involved with others. When the others are a part of the same community, we will face unneeded complications.

But I somehow still regret this decision. But I don't see yet a solution to this problem.

You stated that you wanted to give an alternative to people and the dynamics within a group might be a good tool to keep them on their

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Rising Demons – Rising Demons – Rising Demons 1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.

2. How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?

3. Why should a metalhead buy your demos/albums?

4. What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?

5. Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?

6. What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?

7. What plans do you have for the near future as a band?

8. Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?

try to create a solo project that would form sound only with the instrument that I wanted to explore at any level.

2. What I actually want to do with 0 is to experiment in any possible direction I am interested in. If you take into consideration that I am only using a bass to do that, you can pretty much call it Extreme Experimental or something like that. The music I am interested in writing is dark, blackened at its core. I am basically using Blackened Drone – Black Metal elements, combined with Doom, Down-tempo, atmospheric styles. The problem I have while writing music for 0 is the lack of drums. So, I am trying to find bands that can create black soundscapes without drums, or without drums playing a main role in the atmosphere. Having said all these, I have reached to the conclusion that it pretty much doesn‟t matter either the style or the influences (as long as there are many things apart from music that may inspire someone). Music is a dream. Music must motivate.

0 The Experiment 1. First of all, 0 is an one-man project which creates sound, only with a bass and a throat. Few years ago, I wanted to form a serious band and I started writing music. After many tries to get the right people for the group, I ended up with nothing more than the music that I had written and that‟s when it occurred to me that I could

3. So far, I‟ve released two albums. Both of them are uploaded to my youtube account and can be downloaded for free from a link in the description. In the future, I will try to release some of the material in vinyl format, but apart from that I am not interested in asking anyone to pay for my music.

still see faults in these two works and I am still not sure about the quality of them. Doubt is something that I request from myself and as long as I am playing experimental music I am not very sure if there is, or even if there should be, a quality meter.

5. I don‟t play live and I don‟t intent to start doing it. 0 is not a project to listen to live and have fun with.

6. The project is something different. That‟s the only reason anyone should be interested in it. It‟s a try to push the boundaries and explore new soundscapes. Apart from that, if any label/zine/promoter wants to keep embracing the same masterpieces again and again, they should keep doing that.

7. I am close to complete the third album of the act. This album will be an extreme blackened drone – black metal release. I am from Greece, I live in Greece and the elements of the album are inspired from the place I live in. The sea that drowns you and the sun that burns you. I will try to release this album in vinyl format too.

8. You can listen to the two first albums on youtube and I am updating the facebook page of the act: www.facebook.com/pages/0-The-Experiment/191559844345029 with any news about the project.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com) 4. I‟ve received pretty many good reviews for the two albums. I have to admit that even after these reviews, I

2. I would describe it as Transcendental Black Metal in that it reaches beyond the traditional soundscapes of black metal to create something dark and unique. Some bands that have influenced my writing style include Dissection, Bathory, Vinterland, Sacramentum, and Dark Funeral.

3. If they are looking for a black metal album with additional influences and a clean but atmospheric production then they should check out "Arias Exalted" and our new album once it is released.

5. At the moment we are not playing live due to busy schedules outside of the band; I am hoping to begin playing live in the near future.

6. Arthedain combines the traditional black metal sound with other elements such as doom and death metal. We create a very unique atmosphere that is steeped in occult knowledge and topics of isolation and the pursuit of life in death.

7. In the near future I will be finishing the writing process for the new full length album and have it released by the 4. So far we have released one digital release, "By The end of 2015. I am also trying to put together a group of Arthedain Light of the Moon" and a physical release entitled "Arias live musicians so that Arthedain can do a mini tour in the 1. Arthedain was formed in mid-2014. I recorded the first Exalted" which was available on CD and cassette. They near future.

EP on my my own and played all the instruments. Later are now sold out. So far the public and media have had an 8. You can listen to our music and purchase merch at that year, Tobias Schuler (of Der Weg einer Freiheit and overall positive reaction. arthedain.bandcamp.com Fuck You And Die) joined the band in time to record "Arias Exalted".

bands play without bassist, mixing guitar and bass amp.

That's what we did for the live performances.

Now, we are again playing with a Bassist, that did his first show with us on our April 2015 Europe tour with Pyrrhon.

And it's good. We wanted to add someone that would not only play bass... but that share friendship and interests with us. He's now 100% member of Department of Correction.

2. Our style is described by a lot of people as "weird grindcore", "crust-punk-fast-grindcore", "french grindcore", "original and mental grindcore".... we call it "Grindcore de Qualité" (Quality Grindcore). This is a DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION joke, even if some people don't understand this sense of humour, well, i'm sorry for them haha.

1. Hi, Department of Correction started in 2008 as a 4 Our music is based on Pop, Rock, Punk and Classical pieces, Guitar, Bass, Drums and Vocals. Between 2012 music skills, played very fast, with ridiculous blast beats and 2015 we've been a 3 pieces, without Bass. It was not and crazy breaks, and pushed to the last extremity of really a big problem. We found a sound that fitted, and on brutality by the singer and his 2 microphones, singing a recordings, i played Guitars and Bass. A lot of Grindcore self-language of his own, with about zero lyrics. The

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listener can still hear words or sentences, but in fact it will be only his brain that will understand something coming from his profound mind. That is poetry.

About bands that influence us, maybe Brutal Truth, Converge, Pig Destroyer... i'm not even sure of that.

People better listen to our music and think what they want to think about it. Influence considerations is not really important.

3. Because we are very happy of what we record.

Everytime. And buying records is good. I buy a lot of records myself. I was a vinyle fan when vinyles where totally out of the business. Just because it was possible to buy second hand vinyls for the price of a soda can.

I've also bought a lot of CDs when it was the main way to get music. When the download sites appeared, i downloaded a lot also. There were no legal offers at this time. But i realized that it was not a gift to the band, and it was not a gift to me too. Now i buy only vinyles, because there is an object to get, to touch, to pay for, to carry..... and the artworks are big and real.

When i definitely don't find a vinyle in stores or at shows, i buy a digital version on Bandcamp or iTunes.

4. We've released a Ep first, in 2010. It was called "L'école du Gout". We promoted it by ourselves, pressed it by ourselves... totally DIY, and the public/media enjoyed a lot. Except some old deaf poney-metal fans, that just didn't understand what we played haha...

Then we've done a bunch of splits vinyle and CDs, with Noisear (USA/Grind fast and technical), Strong Intention (USA/Fastcore-hardcore), Total Fucking Destruction (USA/Grind n'Roll), Agathocles (BE/Mincecore), Proletar (Indonesia/Mincecore), and then a track featuring Kristian Tovainen of Rotten Sound on the bass.

Everybody felt happy with our records. There was good reviews and coverage, and they all sell good.

5. Yeah we tour 5 to 6 weeks a year. We already toured for 100.000km, and at the end of the year, probably we'll achieve 130.000km.

We toured in Europe and UK, in USA and in Russia several times, and played some very nice festivals (Obscene Extreme Trutnov, we'll play Obscene Extreme America in 2015, We've also played Bloodshed Fest, SWR Metal Fest....).

We have the chance to play in some famous places all around the world (Saint Vitus in NYC, Nouveau Casino in Paris, Plan B in Moscow, Theatre Tellus in Montreal...) and also it's a chance to play in squats, bars, houses, basements, all kind of venues, from total DIY to totally professional stages. It's good for the mind.

In February of 2011, with leading of Zoltán Varga in Supersize Recordings we recorded our first album 'Mental Holocaust'. We began the search for a label with theses material, the album were released in early March of 2012, by the Hungarian Terranis Productions and American Sevared Records. After that concerts again, we bit our name deeper into the flesh of public awarness. In cause of the debut album, we get positive responses again. In March of 2014, we recorded our second album 'Graveyard Blowjob' again in Törökbálint in Supersize, again with Zoli Varga. A month after the recordings Bálint bassist/singer announced his departure. Luckily, we found in a very short time new faces, Szabolcs Hernyák bassist (ex-Gutted, ex-Pure Tears of Dolori) and singer Norbert Molnár (Humugur), so now we are a 4 member band.

Under the sign of Terranis and Sevared in 16th July 2014 KRAMPUS was 'Graveyard Blowjob' released. We are currently 1. Krapmüs was formed with three members in august of working on the third album.

2009 in Veszprém, Hungary. In december we recorded our first demo called „Perverted and sadistic”, which 2. Our music is Grindcore/Death Metal. Our influences contains 8 songs, wherein 1,5-2 minutes long death/grind are Morbid Angel, early Carcass, early Napalm Death, madness. The reviews have all positive responses, what Death, Carnivore, S.O.D. gave a new impetus to continue. Since then, on drums was a change, but then our line-up looked like this: Bálint 3. Because it is awesome! Our music doesn‟t have idlings, Takács growlmachine (ex-Sutcliffe), Norbert Kiss it is intensive and kicks ass. drummer (Carcharias), and Tamás Kovács guitar (exParasite Crowd, ex-Corpus albicans ex-Celebrant, 4. Perverted and Sadistic (DEMO) (2009), Mental Sutcliffe ex-ex-Lunatic Asylum). So far, on our gigs, Holocaust (2012), Graveyard Blowjob (2014).

Krampüs could create total madness in front of the stage.

6. They should know that we love what we do, we love what we play, we love to work for it, we love to tour, we love to meet new peoples and to make new real friends on tour.

7. We'll record soon our first real full length album. We will also do our 3rd USA tour, and our maybe 6th or 7th Europe tour.

8. You can listen to all of our discography on http://www.departmentofcorrection.bandcamp.com and also buy CDs or digital at this same adress. We sell the vinyles at shows only, because we don't want to send it by postal mail.

Cheers, thank you, and see you on tour!!

Till now we had only positive reponses from the audience and from the media too.

5. We do live shows, yes. We don‟t undertake everything, only where we see it‟s meaning. Monthyl 1-2 shows.

6. Because we are awesome, if they will listen to our stuff, they also will recognize.

7. We‟d like to do more live shows in foreign coutries, find a new label, next spring we will record our third album.

8. - 16. May - SzegeDEATHfest II. (Szeged - LIVE Music Club) / + Gutted, Malediciton, Sin of God etc.

- 29. May - Putrid Bleed: Lead into the ear (Szombathely - Végállomás) / + Vulvathrone (Slo), Humugur, Fanatik Attack - 6. June - Palace of Blood: Blood Slaughter Massacre fest vol. I. (Várpalota - Alagsor) / + Angerseed, Embatheria, Nigromantia, Visioned Frailty - 11. July - Lividity 20th Anniversary Tour (Budapest ShowBarlang ) / + Lividty (Us), Lower Than Zero (Ger), Paediatrician - 25. July - Total War fest III. (Körmend) / + Sanatorium (Sk), Choked by Own Vomit (Cz), Disastrous Murmur (A), Age of Agony etc.

- 19. September - BRUTAL BIRTHDAY PARTY VOL.40. (Prague, Czech Republic – Exi us Club)

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com) 2. We would describe our music as classic Thrash Metal, fast and aggressive, and leaning a little bit more towards the German sound. We are all fans of this kind of music in the band and naturally that reflects on the songs. One could hear influences from Slayer, Kreator, Sodom and many more classic thrash bands, yet we try to capture their raw energy of their golden age, rather than just imitating music previously written before.

NIGHTBREED 1. The band was formed by George P (drums), Sofia (lead guitar) and Alex (bass) in 2010. A couple of months later, vocalist Dinos and rhythm guitarist George K. joined in.

After a couple of gigs, Sofia was replaced by Stelios on lead guitar and with that lineup in 2012 we released our first Demo entitled “From Yoggoth”. After some more gigs, Dinos left the band for personal reasons and that was when Nir took over the vocals. With this lineup we recorded our first self-titled album that was just released

by Witched Brew records.

used to play live often, until we made a break in order to record the album. We are now back in live action and looking for gigs to book!

6. Any help and support we can get to spread our material to metalheads is very much appreciated, we are putting all our efforts towards our music and working hard for it, we are looking forward to work with people that ( like us) have a cause and put passion in what they do!

3. Well if someone is into old-school Thrash metal and likes fast tempos, aggressive riffs, insane solos and hellish vocals, we would definitely recommend to check out our new album.

7. We like to take one step at a time, so currently we are promoting our album as much as possible, mainly by booking gigs, and maybe film a video clip for one of our new songs! Stay tuned!

4. One Demo titled “From Yuggoth” in 2012 and our selftitled debut album is just released. The demo drew a certain attention in the local scene and received some good reviews. About the album since it was just released this month we have very little feedback yet, but got a couple of good reviews and overall people seem to really like it. We like a lot the result too!

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There is our channel on youtube www.youtube.com/user/NightbreedBand where you can check us out, and buy our album or demo either via our label Witches Brew, or directly from us by contacting our email nightbreed_band@hotmail.com or facebook page www.facebook.com/NightbreedOfficial 100% Metal from thrashers, to thrashers! Thanks for the support and cheers!

5. Yes, playing live is an important aspect for us, we rehearse regularly and try to deliver as much energy as possible in our gigs. Until now we cannot complain, we

Pest Webzine Traditional and Extreme Metal Webzine www.pestwebzine.com 27

truth, its beauty in knowing that every sunrise, every sunset be the only one of its kind, every breath is fuller, every scent more fragrant, every sound more moving. All will come unto the one truth that cannot be argued by religion, science, or philosophy... that we all shall wear the crown of Death, and we shall enter its temple and sit upon it‟s throne. These are some of which influence the music of Škan.

3. Škan's aggressive force embraces the essence of darkness, and seeks to unchain the bonds of existence, join us and embrace the fire within it and within yourself.

1. Škan was conceived November 11th of 2011, originally as a studio / solo project. However things 4. The first EP, "The Old King", was released November progressed, and Škan was birthed as a live entity 11th 2013, which featured 3 songs Immortal Tyrant, Beyond Thrones and The Eye. The release was very well November 2nd of 2013. received quickly gaining us a loyal following of 2. Our style is raw, abrasive, primal, and committed. The supporters and also forging new alliances with fellow music is not so much influenced by bands but by the artists and musicians across the world. We are best known forces around and within us. Understanding, the pursuit for our uncompromising live performances and recently of it, to know, to unfold. Nature, its power and awe played at the Housecore Horror Festival in Texas hidden in plain sight, its never-ending change. Death, its

1. The ground was laid in 2005 when I decided to leave Maze of Torment after 12 years. I had started the project/band Flesh and Deceiver during this time. I kept going on and doing albums with both during a 5 years period. I also did a album with the band Thrown.

After some time I felt that it was to much, the music in all bands and projects came from the same source and in some ways captured the same atmosphere. I

simple wanted to gather it all into one thing. I decided to change the name Flesh into The Pete Flesh Deathtrip and only focus on that. The only full-time member is me, then I use a session drummer when I record something. On my debut album "Mortui Vivos Docent" I used Andreas Jonsson from Vinterland, Tyrant etc. on drums. Also Micke Broberg from Unanimated does guest vocals on half of the album.

2. Death, Doom, Blackened is the ground, but if I do something I think would fit to capture a special feeling or atmosphere I use it. I don´t try to think so much that it must be in a special genre, as long as it´s dark and cold.

I´m an old man, there is a lot of bands like Bathory, Celtic Frost, Candlemass, Mayhem, Possessed, Voivod, Black Sabbath, Masters Hammer, Pink Floyd, Death, Grotesque, Mercyful Fate, Sodom, 70ies Alice Cooper etc (just to give a picture) that are printed in my DNA. Not saying that I sound like them.

alongside bands like Danzig, Voivod and Portal. It is an honor to see so much enthusiasm for Škan‟s music.

5. We are known primarily as a live band. Our live activity has progressed with haste, and with much force.

Our live presentations are well received with much vigor.

6. The work of this Škan is dedicated to the destruction of illusions and boundaries. Those that are within and without. We oppose whatever form they may take. We strive for union with truth, the true divinity. Not that of which societies have articulated to enslave consciousness.

7. Tours within the U.S. Presentations in Europe. A new EP is on the way. As well as another release that will be available on vinyl.

Some video / moving art.

Collaborations with artists and promoters.

8. Visit our website www.WolvesofSkan.com which contains videos, music streaming, tour dates, links for Bandcamp, Facebook and contact information for exclusive merchandise.

was good I think both by the media and public. I´m in the studio right now working on the follow up, the title will be "Svartnad". Which label that will release it is not sure yet. I´m still looking for a new label.

5. So far no live shows. But as soon as the new album is out there will be a change in that.

6. The most important thing for me when it comes to TPFDT is the honest intention and respect towards the creativity in the music and lyrics. "Mortui Vivos Docent" is the start, "Svartnad" will lay a deeper ground. Then they will feed each other and will give people a wider perspective of what TPFDT is.

7. To finish the work of the new album and find a good solid label to release it on.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

8. The "Mortui Vivos Docent" CD can be found everywhere on the net. I hope to have it out later on vinyl 3. If you are a metalhead with a open sense towards the as well. The "Demons Nor Zarath" track can also be open field of metal music and the expression within found on the Critical Mass LP compilation volume 2. I personal darkness I´m sure TPFDT could be something think all I have done with TPFDT is up on Spotify as for you. well. Feel welcome to follow TPFDT on the youtube channel and facebook.com/peteflesh as well. Thanks for 4. I released the debut album of TPFDT - "Mortui Vivos the interview Adrian // Pete Flesh Docent" - in 2013 on Pulverised Records. The response

no family or friends except that I knew it was the birthplace of metal.

In 3 or 4 months since my first arrival to the UK I managed to reform the band with my English brothers who are still standing by my side after almost 4 years and we have been going strong since and everything that I ever dreamed of having back home has now pretty much taken place just that now we have to take over the world since there‟s no other choices left!

Thaw from Poland and In Solitude from Sweden that everyone knows by now but unfortunately have just broke up… but I happen to be listening to Empty by Gary Moore at the moment so it varies… also I got to hear the new Shining album earlier today which was fucking immense, I really liked it! The 3rd track was unpleasant.

3. Here are some examples, when you get physically abused and get beaten up by your step-father or a gang on the street you go to the gym and work out until you are ripped and no one can touch you again… when the person who is the true love of your life cheats on you with another person, you end up trying to fuck as many people as you can to try and get over it… the Jews had to be slaves so they ended up fucking up the entire world with their system… now in this case, I‟m an alive being in the shape of human form so Trivax needs to happen!

It‟s the natural order of all things for this cause to exists at this time of the world, it wouldn't be right if it didn't but this just happens to be an order to break all other orders and cause nothing but chaos… the whole thing is like a snake devouring its fucking tail!

So I don‟t know, you can stick to your friendly metal bands that don‟t have the desire to want to make any changes in this world and stick to the regular moshing and beer drinking at local shows with your horrible local Thrash metal gigs until all of our pioneers pass away and let this genre die with them… Or you can give bands like Trivax a chance and open the gates for more decades of destruction!

You don‟t really have much of a choice if you think about it.

2. A lot of the juice from our sound probably comes from the series of Black Metal bands like Mayhem and TRIVAX Dissection but the core and structure of it is perhaps something a bit unusual because of the extreme influence 1. Trivax was originally formed back in Tehran, Iran back that Iranian music (especially old and classical Iranian in 2009 and metal in general as all of you should know by music) has on me so it‟s in the lines of the same extreme now is banned in the country and if you‟re caught as a art form which is Black Metal except that it takes its heart Satanist (they don‟t care if it‟s Theistic or not) they can from two places and that is the Middle-East and pretty much kill you and if you have long hair they will Birmingham UK which is the home of Black Sabbath and take you in a van and then cut it for you and it‟s the worst the born of metal so a big fuck you all to everyone in kind of people to deal with, so at the beginning we were bands basically. formed in the heart of the underground… literally! It was usually in the band we listen and jam everything from a basement that we spend many hours and days there Fields of the Nephilim, early Metallica, the typical Left playing while being paranoid that the police was going to Hand Path kind of mixtapes and shit, we play a lot of break in any minute but we really had this urge to do this Dissection in rehearsals, we've done live covers of Celtic so we did it anyway. Originally the band started by Frost and GG Allin before, tried out some Nifelheim myself and I knew absolutely no one who even knew who tracks, some stuff from Pentagram, some Depeche Mode, Motorhead was so I was only writing the music on my a ton of Sabbath! A ton of Danzig, also some Type O own until eventually I formed a line-up together and we Negative and even some Rammstein so go ahead and call had some problems there with our drummer being an us posers you trve idiots. addict and the bass player being completely broke and the I personally really like the upcoming black metal scene surroundings of it so having found out much earlier on from Iceland as well and then all the kind of stuff like that this was what I was going to dedicate my whole Black Witchery and Archgoat and Conqueror that are existence to I left Iran when I was 16 on my own and similar to Blasphemy in terms of sound and the typical came to the UK where I knew absolutely no one and had old great ones like Bathory and Venom and King 4. Trivax has so far released only a limited section of its Diamond and newer shit like YAITW from the states and musical journey, we never even managed to record and

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release anything back in Iran which still really bothers me but at the end everything did come out in one way or another. our catalog consists of two EP's which is Set The Torch which had all the material written back in Iran but performed by the band in the UK 2 years later and The World Is Dead which is the worst and the longest fucking nightmare that ever happened in my life and was finally released on the 13th of August 2014, we've also released a single which is titled Chainbreaker which was done as a collaboration with another Iranian Black Metal band called Kmarykan and the track was actually recorded in Tehran by myself and the guys from the other band which took over 2 years to get it done.

All the releases so far have some kind of story and force that went behind them and I think judging by our past experiences we probably need to kill half of the line-up before we end up releasing our debut full-length that will cover everything from this 6 year jump in the void… which is already written by the way, but I‟m waiting for the signal to hit me and it hasn't done that yet so we wait for now.

As far as the responses people have given us I've heard everything from “this song almost made me want to kill myself” to “hey I like how the production is not like other Black Metal” to “I only understood the Outro but I think you will be a successful band in the future” and as far as the media goes I honestly have no clue, I really don‟t expect anyone to understand this (speaking about our most recent EP „The World Is Dead) but it‟s a very honest

1. Julian: Asken and I formed the band in early 2012.

James later joined in 2014 and Hrólfr in 2015.

eruption of emotions beyond what you see or hear so naturally I expect other humans to connect with it and I‟m sure it will wake something up in their empty hearts so hopefully your readers will be encouraged to check out more of Trivax.

5. Live performances are possibly the most important part of this band, if they weren't important I would have stayed back in Iran and released solo albums through shit Norwegian labels but no! our live shows are everything that we look forward to because it‟s the face to face meeting that we care about so we can deliver this horrid thing to the people while they are there and we've had some really interesting reactions too like people crying or screaming back the lyrics at us which I honestly thought all that stuff would only happen if the band was running for over 15-20 years but apparently not, I mean I‟m not surprise by it because it‟s very natural when you put out a monster like this that people will react to it but I just didn't expect it this early on. we‟re yet to expand outside of the UK or Iran but I know things will be coming very soon, in the Midlands however we have played a couple of other cities as tour or just singular shows but we would like to take this everywhere so if you are interested get in touch with us and we will bring to you our utter mayhem in the format of a “rock or metal concert”

devastating performance in the form of very well-written Extreme Metal music, many people have gotten hurt both physically and mentally for the band to be where it is and for it to even exist… I don‟t know I‟d feel weird if I was to keep on consisting on why this band is important at this point, guess the answer lies within my response to the other questions if they've been pain attention to, I hope that by now it would be crystal clear to anyone why they should be interested in Trivax…

7. Commit a mass murder or finally release a full-length album… to me both of them are just as easy as the other one. Whatever we do will always be Blood Fire Death 8. We have both CD's of our most recent EP with booklets and very high quality T-shirts in all sizes are available for sale. At the moment you can check out everything by us on our Facebook and Soundcloud and YouTube pages which contain the appropriate material for each one of them. We took down our merch store and website to work on a new one so by the time they are done you will find all the links on our Facebook so go there and also maybe leave a comment or a message so we know you've read this otherwise I will have to get some Iranian nuke sent to the Slowly We Rot office… that is a joke of course! I don‟t have the authority to make that happen. Spread Trivax.

Thank you for the interview, much appreciated!

6. This band was originally formed in a place where metal is forbidden yet it is fully capable of delivering a

music that focuses around nature and European mythology/culture.

6. We write music for fellow Heathens/Odinists who follow their European roots back to our pagan past. If that 3. If they like it and can relate to our music that is great. If is a message that you can stand behind then I feel we and many like minded bands should be accessible to those not, oh well. who can relate to our message and our music.

4. We released our first album titled "Warriors of the 2. I would say Dawn" back in 2014. We have received some positive 7. We plan to release our second album this year and hopefully play another gig or two. bands such as: feedback for the album and interest is slowly growing.

Bathory, Wardruna, Burzum, Kampfar, Enslaved, Ulver, Drudkh, Agalloch 5. We have played one gig back in 2014 after the release 8. The first album is up on Youtube and you can buy that and many more have influenced us musically. We feel we of our first album. We played in Wellington, our capital from Bandcamp for $5 NZD. can relate to early black metal/viking metal music and city and we feel we had some positive feedback from that as well.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

Merchants of Death – Merchants of Death – Merchants of Death 1. Please present your label, when and where was it started, who is involved in its activities and what genres are promoted by it.

2. Tell us a few words on each or the most important releases of your label, and which of them are still available for purchase.

3. What are the most important features you look for in a band that is or has the chance to be signed on your label?

4. How can a band get in touch with you? What should bands know before submitting their promos for your consideration?

5. What's the most important thing in the relationship between you and your bands? What is your label offering to its bands?

6. How does the future looks for your label? Any major projects you would like to share with us?

7. Is there anything you planned with your label and has not yet been completed?

8. How can anyone get in touch with you? Please list your website, webstore and/or social media links.

1. My name is Anatoly and I represent Metal Race label. Our main style is Thrash Metal. We also support some hard'n'heavy groups. We are planning to open subsidiary labels for Black Metal and Death Metal.

Basically we produce only the music of old school. But we support young bands which play in the spirit of old groups as well!

2. Today eight releases have been made. We issued four old school Russian bands Dai, Adolf Castle, Mortifer and Aspid. Some of them have a cult status. The Bonecracker are young guys from Omsk. The Grinder is a Teutonic cult of Thrash Metal. The Trashmachine and Detonator are the oldest Ukrainian Thrash groups. You could listen to the Trashmachine only on LP and a new album of the Detonator includes some remakes of the beginning of the 90s!

3. The main criterion we select groups is the spirit of old school music. Sounding, style, lyrics - everything must be in the good spirit of the end of the 80s - beginning of the 90s. We don't accept the modern "false" sounding that was made on the computer!

4. All bands are welcome to email me on metalracerecords@gmail.com or contact us in facebook www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008320603396 anytime! We always listen to any material which is sent.

But we have had to refuse so far because we haven‟t had any material which would be interesting to our label!

Anyway, any musician or any group can get in touch with us. We are ready for any adequate communication!

5. We offer different conditions to each group. For some reasons we almost never pay a royalty with money. But our CDs sell well worldwide.

There is no definite answer for this question as we haven‟t worked with modern groups yet. Our label hasn‟t dealt with promotion or producing. We are beginning to work on a new album of the Detonator which was written after twenty-year old silence. The CD is just coming into

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market and we haven‟t got a clear plan of action. If you play real Thrash, let us know and we will do something for you.

6. At the moment four releases are prepared for an issue.

First of all it is a long play album of Dai called Guilty Because Alive. This is the only album of the group besides two demos "Close Friend of Death" and Alcohol will be Turned by Us Into Urine". These demos were our first releases to issue. " Guilty Because Alive" album is quintessence of Russian Thrash Metal. Despite this album was written in the best traditions of Metallica and Megadeth style of the beginning of the 90s, it is quite selfcontained and original. This is real Russian Thrash where the deep of Russian reality in 90s is reflected. Perfect sound, design and clever lyrics and, of course, cool music!!

Our next releases are two lost demos of legendary Russian band Trizna and their famous EP “Songs for Radio” that was issued on split with another band on the types in 2000. Trizna, by rights, is called as “cheerful experimentalists and Thrash avant-gardists”! Their music combines standard Thrash base together with unusual jazz

elements. However their music isn‟t overloaded as sometimes progressive metal is and it is light and lively.

Arbitrator "Kill Their Religion" is a Russian way of Teutonic Thrash Metal of the beginning of the 80s. This album contains a lot of raw and hatred of Proto-black metal and Thrash technical skill! It is written in the spirit of early Sodom, Kreator and Destruction!

Aspid "Extravasation”, the gem of Russian Technical Thrash Metal, is popular with music lovers worldwide! At the beginning of 2015 our label will announce a presale for this legendary album reissue in digi pack and jewel.

As bonus you can hear two songs, one that was recorded

in 92 for the radio and wasn‟t mentioned before and one that was recorded in 2010 in the course of short reunion of the group for MetalRus compilation recording.

We hope all our Russian bands releases can give a fresh look at the music in our country both to our Russian fans who thinks, for some reason, Russia hasn‟t got anything worth and to the west audience who never happens to hear our Metal music.

Also, in 2015 our two subsidiary labels start working.

They will be Death/Doom and Black Metal oriented. The Death/Doom Metal label will introduce Russian metal traditions of the 80-90s to its fans. There will be a lot of

old school music bands. The Black Metal label will work both with old groups and modern groups playing Nordic music!

1. Lipetsk division of Nitroatmosphericum Records was founded in 2009 year, and always was independent and represented by one person – Alexander Lebed. Firstly, release format was Pro-Cdr, and only from 2012, year factorial releases appeared. In 2013 we released our own magazine “Requiem”, public welcomed it.

As for now, we are preparing the fourth number of this magazine.

The main label genres are Black, Death, Thrash Metal, different electronic styles (Dark Ambient, Noise), etc.

Stylistics varies very much; I do not see the matter to go in cycles with only one genre. There're must be a variety.

From this year, I‟ve started to work with foreign labels concerning some band‟s releases, and I‟m going to continue this work. It has had a sense both for labels and for bands, because it is widen the audience. In 2014 year, we appeared in Internet sources, so some of our releases could be bought for symbolic price in services like iTunes.

album of Monsalvat. This release has to be mentioned also because the band prepared this album more than 20 years. The music appeared to be of high quality, and you should not just listen to, but listen attentively, to become filled with it. That‟s why lyrics in this case plays particularly important role, and that‟s why this release is orientated more on Russian-speakers. Ukrainian threshers Zombie Attack showed high skill level and record quality, their album is very dynamic and interesting. To conclude with this little overview, I would like to say about the band from Nizhniy Novgorod, Gmork. Their music is greatly different and attractive to listen. Having their own spirit, the band experiments with genres and the results are very praiseworthy. Buy the way, they‟re preparing new material, which is to release in the beginning of 2015. Details will be later. 12/15 will be released the second full-format album of Dargonomel, you can listen few tracks on our site if you wish.

5. The dialogue between label and the band, new ideas, suggestions. Band's help with promotion instead of sitting in place is always welcome. For now, label can offer release and promotion in Russia and CIS. However, there are some exchanges with European countries, but they are not in wishful amounts. We are working on that.

Moreover, interviews and reviews in Russian and foreign magazines, both electronic and paper. Meanwhile all in the context of underground, but it is a deal of time – only wish is needed.

7. 8. www.metalrace.com www.vk.com/metal_race_rec www.facebook.com/groups/metalracerecords December 2014

6. From big plans, it is to widen promotion. Also to build up new communications with well-known bands and magazines. I think it is enough for now.

7. The future depends on listener. If disks are sold quite well, than the label will better find and release highskilled bands. From significant projects, Gmork‟s album is to mention. It will be released in different editions with 3. Of cause, the main requirement is the quality of a cover from very famous designer. More details will be material, its content. Material must be interesting to listen; closer to release date. I have in view some bands to work it is to hook the listener. Sometimes I had to refuse to deal with. The rest is like to cross the bridge when come to it. with some bands because of boring material. In addition, In fact, it's the way. One band ask for me with ready the design of release is important. It must attract the material, and if all is convenient and I have an listener, not to scare away (there were few cases). And the opportunity – release is to come in short term. last but not the least – people themselves. Sometimes I face up with inadequate musicians, and I lose all my wish 8. With all questions, bands must write on to work with them even if they have a very strong good diabolisinterriym@yandex.ru . The main information new releases, distribution and order: material. So, every of this requirements is very important about nitroatmosfericum.ru, for release. www.discogs.com/seller/NitroAtmosfericumRec, 2. Every release is important for me. I try to pay maximum attention to every band I am working with, 4. All info for communication you can find on the site and nitroatmosfericumrecords.bandcamp.com, either in publication issues or promotion. Let me say few social networks, I'm open for dialogue. If I don‟t like the www.facebook.com/nitroatmosfericum, words about new releases. 10/27/14 was released material, I always give recommendation for band where soundcloud.com/nitroatmosfericum Trigger‟s second full-format album, very strong and their material will be interesting, and this has the results.

December 2014 interesting to listen. Not long ago was released the debut

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

1. I was into some distribution during 2004-2005, then it turned to a label in 2006 because I wanted to help Be Persecuted‟s to release their 1st demo.

We‟re a black metal label and we release many sidegenres of black metal.

3. In fact Pest is a very personal label, my taste and approval decide everything.

7. Zuriaake‟s new album will be released on Aug/Sep, don‟t forget to pay close attention to it!

8. Our offical site is website.pest666.com, you can easily 4. Bands can contact us via email or social network, we find the store or information in it. accept digital promos.

March 2015 5. Respecting each other and being like-minded. We can let more people hear their pieces.

2. I recommend Zuriaake, Black Reaper and Skeketal Augury from China, and Thy Light from Brazil. By the 6. Not actually have a plan, just follow my mind. way Zuraake‟s upcoming new album will be astounding.

1. Hello, first of all I would like to thank you to give a chance to introduce my label in your magazine, I really appreciate it!!! OK, label was launched by me (Chris) in December 2013 in London, UK. I promote only brutal death metal, no black, thrash or heavy metal.

2. All my releases are important for me and my label and all of them they still available.

1st release: The Anal Treatment XXX-Perience / Aceptic Goitre - Gangrenous Mass from Axe and Hook Ejaculation. Both bands are from Greece, 1st play death metal/grindcore and 2nd brutal death metal.

2nd release: Vomit Your Brain - Beauty of Morgue (compilation). Official re-issue of the ultra-brutal incredible Demo & EP from Polish masters of slamming brutal death metal. The re-release will include a brand new cover art and layout. Band working on debut album.

3rd release: Facefuck - Domain of Perverted Pleasures.

Fucking sick brutal death metal debut EP, band come from Australia. Features member of CORPSEFLESH. Debut full-length will be out May/June 2015 under Rotten Music.

4th release: Demon Vomit - Brutal Blasphemy. Another band from Poland playing brutal satanic death metal.

Material was recorded by band in 2012 and has never been professionally released. Album contains 10 songs plus a cover of DEICIDE – “Dead by Down”. Band working on the new album.

5th release: Aceptic Goitre – The Graduation Frenzy.

Brutal death metal debut album.

3. I'm focused on brutal death metal only so if bands perform this kind of music they are welcome in my label.

4. They can contact with me by email rottenmusic@rottenmusic.net or by Facebook page www.facebook.com/rottenmusic.net. They should provide band info and send samples of their music (can be supplied as mp3, wave or a proper promo CD, but nothing from rehearsal, sounds should be clear)

30

5. Very important thing between my label and bands is “Loyalty”. When you sign a deal with band you promise them some free amounts of CD and some merchandise as a part of the contract, so they can sell them on local concerts, festivals or to friends. The idea of my label it promote bands worldwide as a part of the deal.

6. Oh yes!!! I would like to organize ROTTEN MUSIC death metal festival in London, UK and I would like to invite all the bands from my record label plus of course some other existing and new upcoming bands, but at the moment is only a dream hahaha….

7. Is very hard to tell you right now, at the moment everything going well but you never know what's gonna happen tomorrow. I am very happy that I was able to sign the deal with INFINITE DEFILEMENT from Australia.

I'm a fan of the band since 2008.

8. As I said to you before everybody can contact me by email, Facebook or bandcamp page, all links below: rottenmusic@rottenmusic.net, www.rottenmusic.net, rottenmusic.bandcamp.com, www.facebook.com/rottenmusic.net February 2015

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

they needed a bass player. I was originally going to join on drums but the band I was drumming for at the time got upset about that for some reason so I turned it down, only to get asked later to try out for bass.

How do you feel as guitarist? We know you as drummer from other previous bands, but I guess guitarist is a new position, right?

Practicing and songwriting is way better on guitar for me. Playing live is the only time I like the bass more, because there is so much adrenaline going, I can’t go nuts and just start hitting the instrument with my right hand like I could with the bass. Plus I am palm muting 90% of the time, so I have to stay in a pretty fixed position with my right arm. Guitar is actually the instrument I started with, but outside of my band Intestinal Fortitude, I haven’t played it in a live setting much.

Devourment, one of the most influential bands for the Brutal Death Metal movement, is celebrating its first 2 decades of activity. Chris, although his tight schedule, agreed to answer our questions. Enjoy!

How's Dave feeling in the band so far and how do you feel about him? How come you chose him to be a replacement for Mike Majewski, and why did Mike leave the band?

Dave probably likes it. He’s a good dude, though that’s what you think about most people until they turn on you, right? There were several reasons why Mike is no longer in the band, but the main thrust of it was we got offered a major tour that he couldn’t do because of work. The tour ended up not happening, but it resulted in switching Mike with Ruben on vocals.

Greetings Captain Chris, thanks for agreeing to answer my questions!

Devourment will celebrate 20 years of activity next year, how do you feel about that?

I feel nothing.

I saw in December you'll visit South Asia, it won't be your first time over there, right? Knowing South Asians as massive Brutal Death Metal supporters I guess you have a pretty die-hard following there, correct? Who was the most devoted Devourment fan you've ever seen?

We went to Japan in 2008, but none of these other countries. It’s a scene cliché that Indonesian people are crazy for metal, so we’ll get to see firsthand now. It’s hard to provide an answer for the “most devoted,” but people make stuff for us, travel long distances to see us, have huge merch collections, and get tattoos of our art.

How come you have released only 4 full-length albums during those years? Was that completely your choice or you'd have wanted to release more?

Most of that is due to the fact that we are busy other things. Sometimes the band breaks up for a while. Usually several of us live far away from each other and don’t get together unless we have to. It would be nice to release more, but only if we could change our style from album to album more. Since we have to stay as brutal as possible and relatively monotonous, it is probably better to release less.

Speaking about live shows, how was your August tour through South America?

Again a pretty brutal pack of supporters, right?

That was brutal. We had a little break during the week in Ecuador and Chile, but on the weekends it was nonstop travel. Lots of time in airports, planes, buses, and taxicabs.

Not much sleep, or time to see the places we were visiting for the first time. The fans were nuts, though, and that’s always cool to be around. We signed a lot of autographs, and posed for a lot of photos. I guess being from another continent makes you special.

"Conceived in Sewage", your latest album, was released last year. How did it do so far? Since it was your first real album on Relapse Records I guess your expectations were high, so how do you feel a year after its release?

It has done fine. Given the circumstances with the subgenre we play and how the recording industry is, our expectations weren’t that high. Being on Relapse is more appealing from the standpoint of they were my favorite label growing up as a young fan of extreme metal.

The US tour was back in July. Are you planning on hitting Europe, too, sometime soon? I know you were supposed to play Germany this Autumn, but that got cancelled. What happened?

We’ll be back for Neurotic Deathfest in April, and maybe more. I can’t reveal publicly why Germany got cancelled, but it wasn’t our decision. We know we have a lot of cancelations in the past and have been focused on making sure we play everything we say we’re going to play, so we hated to be involved in that.

Since we haven't had a chat before please present this album to our readers.

What's new on it? Which are its highlights in your opinion?

The production is the clearest we’ve ever had since we worked with Erik Rutan at Mana Studios. Making a death metal album in Tampa, Florida is pretty special, given the fact that all my favorite death metal albums were made at Morrisound. I like “Fucked with Rats,” “Heaving Acid,” and “Carved into Ecstasy” the most.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

Are you planning any special events for next year to celebrate the 20 years of activity as Devourment?

No

Are you still promoting this album? I guess you reached a wider audience being on Relapse now, so how did the new listeners react to your music?

We haven’t released anything else yet, so, yes, we are still promoting this album. But the line-up has changed since its release, so our work now is more focused on Brad Fincher being back on drums and Ruben being back on vocals, calling back to the Molesting the Decapitated days and appealing to fans of that record (i.e. most Devourment fans). People were pretty split in their reactions. A lot of people liked it, and a lot of people said it sucked and didn’t sound like Devourment enough for them, and then the people who liked it rebutted the people who said it sucked.

Regarding a new album, should we expect it sometime soon, or after a few years as until now? Do you have any new material in works?

It’ll be a while, but we’re working on it.

December 2014

You're considered to be one of the most influential bands in Brutal Death Metal, how does that make you feel? How do you think this particular scene evolved over time?

Were there any bands that totally blew your mind at first audition?

Since I didn’t conceive of the sound, I can’t really say it makes me feel anything. It’s cool to be in the band that’s considered the original, but I can’t take credit for any of that. I’m too pessimistic to ask about the scene.

I will say that I wish bands would go back to writing catchier riffs like Tomb of the Mutilated and stop having to rely on eschewing melody to be brutal. Of course, Devourment is just as guilty of that as anyone.

Abnormality blew my mind when I first saw them.

You've recently taken over the guitar parts and left the bass spot for a new member, Dave Spencer.

Why? I like the guitar more than the bass.

The way things worked out within the band, I was basically the last man standing at one point, so I was able to choose what I wanted to do. The only reason I played bass in the last line-up was because I knew how to play the instrument, and had gear, and

32

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

seems very interesting. All the photos and information i’ve got, shows a lot of dedication and lots of underground feeling in it. I will play there with both Shape of despair and Clouds, for which this will be the first show ever.. and so far the last one what i know. Might be a good chance for people to come and check this out.

What i’ll expect from this one? Hmm, lots of good food and good drinks maybe.. of course good atmosphere as well.

Hi Jarno, thanks a lot for agreeing to answer my questions. How are you? Waiting for Summer or rather sad that Winter is gone (well, almost)?

Actually, i like all four seasons we have here. Could’ve been better winter but so it’s been last few years already. But what comes to summer, we’ll have a new ”babymisery” then.

How were your recent shows in Russia? How are the maniacs over there? How were you treated?

Shows went really well. We didn’t had much time to visit the cities itself but it was very nice to see and talk to the fans itself.. Too bad we had a tight schedule to move on, would’ve been great to have more time after the shows. All the people seemed very enthusiastic.

You've just announced a new album, the first one in 11 years, are you excited?

What about your friends and fans, how's the atmosphere as you perceive it? Is the Doom Metal is on the rise recently all over the World, can you feel that? I guess material all recorded and mixed/mastered already? Could you please tell us some this is the perfect moment for the new album to be released, right? info about the recordings?

Well this wasn’t the reason to release our album this time hah.. Time was just about Yes, we’ve done all last year. There’s lots of things happening at Season of mist so the right to record this one out with new line-up.

Monotony fields -release got postponed until June. But at least it’s finally coming out.

But anyway as you said, doom metal is getting more exposure around media and such.

We recorded the album in few stages which took some time instead of laying them all in Of course it’s good since there are a lot of potential around and who doesn’t have much a scheduled time. This way we got the chance to start recordings earlier as two of us else than social media to spread themselves out. were touring with Finntroll. But working this way also has it’s up and downs. Downside is that the schedule, even we had none, went too far. I hope we are wiser next time and There's a nice video for the tracks ...To Live For My Death... on YouTube, is that book a studio with a tight schedule to get things done right. Saves a lot of nerves. an official video or a fan-video? Do you have plans for a video sometime soon?

But overall, i’m more than satisfied with what we did.. so far our best album for sure.

No it’s not official one.. i’ve seen there’s a lot of positive feedback for that video too.

Yesterday we premiered one of our tracks, We have had some plans for our first the title track, through social media and video but we’ll see what happens..

If you’re into Doom Metal you should have at least heard i’m surprised how well it’s been taken. If of this highly influential band. Shape of Despair recently people likes this song, they surely like the What are your expectations for the new rest of them too.. album, and what are your expectations released their 4th album, more than a decade distance from the band now, 20 years after its from the previous full-length and I had the honor to talk Monotony Fields is the final title? How foundation (if we include the Raven with Jarno earlier in the year about this come-back and many tracks will it feature? Could you years, too)? please share a few words about each of Truth is that my expectations are done other things. the tracks featured?

Yes this is the title. Monotony fields contains these tracks: 1. Reaching the Innermost 2. Monotony Fields 3. Descending Inner Night 4. The Distant Dream Of Life 5. Withdrawn 6. In Longing 7. The Blank Journey 8. Written in My Scars Basically all of these deal with misery and desperation. Somewhat normal issues, tired of living, tired of bonds in life. Henri made all these lyrics to this album and all i said that it would be great to describe the actual feeling about the actual moment since the music itself is slow and somewhat painting the surroundings.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

already, finishing the album mostly the way it should’ve been done. I’m very satisfied by the overall sound world, guitar sounds and vocalists arrangements, lyrics etc the whole package. And when we speak about all these years, it’s been way too long time..it’s been on my head ever since we finished Illusion’s -album but things got just postponed. Though, that’s what i’ve been telling myself that this album wouldn’t have sounded the same if we’d done it earlier.

For me, it’s most important that the band members are dedicated into this music as of course, we ain’t doing this for money or such..should be quite stupid to combine money and our way of doing things.

Thanks a lot for your answers and best of luck with Monotony Fields!

Thank you! We have only few shows this year so come by. Hellfest, DBE in Transylvania and Dutch doom days. Cheers!

Will there be any special surprises for your fans on this album? Are there any major changes in your music or lyrics?

I’m not sure. 11 years is quite a long time and people change, music tastes change and i’m sure the expectations towards music change during this time as well.

I like to think we’ve done everytime something different from our previous works and this time it’s the same thing here. But i’m sure there’s no major changes, still sounding like us but much better i think..

March 2015

This will be your first album on Season of Mist, do you see it as a step forward in regards to your previous deal with Spikefarm/Spinefarm?

Of course. Deal what we had on Spikefarm (Spinefarm’s sub label) was quite bad but also that wasn’t something we wanted to really think about. It’s been always most important to release an album and that’s it..

Nowadays, i like to think that when it seems there’s more people getting into our music, it’s great to have a label like Season of mist which has very good distribution and dedicated people in it. Nowadays Spinefarm is part of Universal and for me, that would’ve been quite surreal to be part of it, honestly.

You've also announced a couple of shows for 2015, one of them in Romania, will it be your first time here? What do you expect from this festival? Are you also planning a tour in support of the new release?

Yes, Romania’s Dark bombastic evening will be our first one there. The festival itself

34

REVIEWS – REVIEWS - REVIEWS 0XIST (Finland) - One Eon Death Shrine Offerings - 2015 - Dark Doom Metal Here's a band that, in my opinion, tries to focus more on the atmospheres they create rather than on creating intricate compositions, and intricate/complex is quite far from what they create, that's for sure. At first audition this second full-length album of theirs might even seem too simplistic and quite monotone, without much to offer to the listener, and at a certain level quite primitive especially on drumming and guitar riffs, but then if you're lucky enough you get involved in a bleak, apocalyptic and hopeless atmosphere that would make any Doom Metal maniac raise an eyebrow. The downside of this release is the fact that if you're not into depressive, somber Doom Metal you might find it really boring and colorless, so I would strongly recommend you to give it a listen on the net before buying it, it's not an easily accessible music. 6 tracks, 45 minutes playing time; CD comes with 8 pages booklet featuring all lyrics. 7

changes (or none at all) I think it's a clear case of lack of interest and desire to do something serious. This Montenegrin trio got together in 2006 and released this debut EP in 2014 by themselves and then as an official release split between three labels. The EP is made of 3 tracks and lasts for almost 20 minutes but unfortunately it fails to impress in any way: the drums sound is synthetic although not annoying, the guitar riffs are quite generic, the atmospheric keyboard background are too subtle and fail to deliver the heavy atmosphere they were intended to, and the growls are ok but without lyrics they fail to deliver anything, too. Maybe I'm too harsh with these guys, after all this release is not something to be ashamed of, it has it's good parts like the amount of riffs and ability to avoid monotony, t0he occasional good guitar leads, the heavy bass lines and the good sound quality, but that's simply not enough to impress nowadays, and also the band needs to start working harder if they want to achieve anything at all, 3 recorded tracks in 8 years is a shame... 6

6:33 (France) - Deadly Scenes Kaotoxin - 2015 - Avantgarde Metal Are you serious??? These guys are labeling their music simply as "Strange Music", and believe me, this really IS strange music, some of the strangest I've heard lately, one that has avant-garde written all over it. This is the first time I get in touch with their music, and actually the first time I hear about them (when signing to Kaotoxin) even though this is their third album, an the previous one was out on Season of Mist... But I'm really glad I got to meet their music, these (multiple already) auditions of their new album were a real joy for my senses, and by now I can clearly say I love this band. If you don't know their music just imagine a combination of Queen, Devin Townsend, cabaret music, cartoons soundtracks-like music, opera, French Hip Hop, Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock, Jazz, Electro, and Extreme Metal (whatever you can think of)... What? You can't? I don't blame you, these guys are insane, and their music is even more insane, but the interesting fact is that their insanity is joyous, funny and shiny but it doesn't fall in ridiculous, it keeps a certain level of respect. Amazing, real artists! If you're into deep avant-gardist music I suggest you give at least a spin to this album, you might not like all tracks at first, but you'll definitely find something you'll adore on this album, it's genius! 10

ABNORMAL SICKNESS (Poland) - Lepiej Idz Nazbierac Patyków Selfreleased - 2014 - Death Grind I'm not a fan of these joke Grindcore bands, but I was surprised to see Abnormal Sickness is actually a full lineup band, not a dorm one-man-band and they are actually heavily influenced by old-school Death Grind although adding the nowadays ever-present pig-squeals and fun themes. 12 tracks totaling not more than 25 minutes making this their debut album released in limited printrun of 200 copies on digipack with one of the least appealing cover artworks I've ever seen, you could easily mistake it with a low level Electro music cover from the '80's, so far, far away from the traditional Death Grind imagery. But as I already said, the music is way more traditional than the cover artwork or the sily band look, some of the guitar riffs are really catchy, but most of them, and the drums also, except for the times where they are grinding fast, are quite boring, and although the vocal part is versatile and offer the band's source of brutality, I think an old-schooler won't find this release brutal enough and a fan of the new scene will find it too traditional and not fun enough. Try it yourselves if you're into Death Grind or plain Grindcore. 6.5

debut full-length album released after only 1 year of band existence and 2 previous releases, a split and an EP, so we're dealing with a pretty productive duo (although they recently got a drummer, and so becoming a trio). This debut album is made of 10 tracks and clocks a bit over half an hour of music; mid-tempo to fast paced brutal and slamming Death Metal with incomprehensive vocals, US style heavy and slamming guitar riffs, low-tuned bass lines, drum machine, and a raw, unpolished sound that might turn down some of you and might be on the liking of others. It's not original, nor it will leave you mouth open, but for a debut album I find it pretty well executed, with interesting ideas (among which also the lyrics, each of them based on a horror movie) and entertaining enough for the fans of the genre. 7 ACHIOTE (Finland) - Deimos VR Label - 2014 - Melodic Metal This young Finnish band say they are "combining melodic heavy and grunge spiced with influences from the 70's" and I tend to agree with this description although the Grunge part is not that influent on the overall product, yes there are a couple of tracks that are Grungy, but I'd say Achiote is a melodic and emotional Melodic Rock & Metal influenced by the '70's. This is not what we usually feature here, but I'd still recommend it to fans of Anathema (newer Anathema that is) for example, so if you dig Anathema you'll certainly love Achiote, but all in all I think fans of Rock and fans of Metal can equally enjoy this material. 9 tracks, 45 minutes of music that's highlighted by a very good male vocalist (supported by choirs and female voice here and there), extremely versatile guitar lines, and a rhythm section that's both intense and subtle, depending on the needs. The music grows on you, opens itself to the listener and lets him/her in its beautiful world, the band can perfectly transmit their mood to the listener, but the unusual thing is how natural everything seems to flow. As a conclusion Achiote seems to be one of those bands that's able to fit both mainstream and underground, and that's quite rare. 9

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

ABATE MACABRO (Brazil) - Açougueiro Brutal Black Metal Nyarlathotep - 2014 Black Metal Brutal Black Metal it is, you've guessed it from this album's title; Abate Macabro are around since 2002 but this is only their debut album so we're not dealing with a productive band here. 9 tracks, almost 50 minutes of brutal and blasphemous Black Metal, fast, raw, devastating and highly offensive especially to religious people. The compositions are pretty generic, at least I cannot find anything that would remind me of this band after the audition, but their attitude, their hate and complete desire to annihilate everything, especially God, transpires throughout the whole album, this is a clear and definite declaration of war to everything saint. I'm impressed how well defined the bass lines are, and the guy is really a maniac, exactly like his band-mates, actually all of them are demented, and that's probably the highlight of this album: sublime and chaotic dementia, look at the cover artwork and imagine you're there - well, that's exactly how it sounds... I hate their childish face-paint, but love their honest and expressive attitude. 7.5

ABYSSGALE (Greece) Hegemon Immortal Frost 2014 - Black Metal The Greek Black Metal scene seems to be stronger than ever these days, with legends still active and productive, and hordes of newcomers attacking the scene each one with their own brand of Black Metal. Abyssgale isn't really a newcomer since although this is their debut album, they've been around since 2005, with a single more EP to be added to their discography so far, so basically they can be considered news on the scene at least on discographic level. The band plays a traditional fast paced Black Metal with highlights on the cruel vocals of Godium, a very good double guitars section, and starting from track 3, some of the fastest rhythms I've ever heard; at times they sound like swarms of bees, but I tell you, these are the angriest of bees. From start to finish these 8 tracks (40 minutes) are a continuous assault of ferocious Black Metal on all your senses, and except for the first track that I found a bit chaotic when the lead guitar kicks in, the rest is incredibly precise and wellthought. The rhythm section is like the most rigorous army, in both execution and accuracy. All these supported by a crystal clear sound quality I'd say make an excellent debut album from a band that might have a serious word on the scene pretty soon. 8

ABHOTH (Montenegro) Abhoth Darknagar / Satanath / Grotesque Sounds 2014 - Atmospheric Death Metal Having an EP released in 8 years of activity is a bit too scarse in my opinion and in this case when the band had no important line-up you,

ACEPTIC GOITRE (Greece) The Graduation Frenzy Rotten Music - 2014 Brutal Death Metal Brutal Death Metal is the name of the game here and if you're not into it Aceptic Goitre has nothing to offer that's for sure. This is the band's

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ACRIMONIA (Poland) - Resurrection Selfreleased - 2014 - Jazz Thrash Death Metal Yes, you read it well, Acrimonia is a Polish band playing a mix of Thrash, Death, Progressive and Jazz music! I remember in the '90's there were still lots of bands trying such mind-puzzling combinations, but I haven't heard something similar recently. Acrimonia's new EP (that means Extended Play not Extra Play as they mentioned on the cover) features 6 highly interesting compositions highlighted by a sound a la '80's, a weak production (these tracks would have deserved more) but good enough to enjoy whatever happens here, a constant desire to break the barriers and come up with something new and unusual and at the same time traditional and engaging. At times they sound like Death, at times like a Folk Rock band, and sometimes like a '70's Prog Rock machine, I tell you, these compositions are amazing and I can confirm that after more than 10 spins of this CD (and this rarely happens)! The violin is a excellent addition and also an excellent catalyst of their ideas. The only fault, actually there are 2: the weak, unpolished sound way closer to '70's Rock than to Metal, and a few parts on their tracks when you feel something's missing, they could have added something extra to fill all the empty spaces. But in the end I think Acrimonia is an amazing band, no doubt!

8.5 ADFAIL (Russia) - Unkindness...

Darknagar - 2012 - Gothic Doom Death This is the debut album of a band that has recently signed and released a follow-up full-length on BadMoodMann Music, so in a way Darknagar and this debut were a good stepping stone for them. 7 tracks, almost 40 minutes of playing time, unveiling a band that would like to offer deep, melancholic music based on melodic guitars, but unfortunately this debut album is not convincing. The guitar work and the vocals are actually not bad at all, but the problem is the band is relying too much on drums, and the drums programs are awful, the sound is so synthetic I'm amazed I made it to the end of the CD... The bass lines and keyboard background are quite subtle, so they

don't influence the whole that much, but they are a good tempo repetitive, simple, atmospheric Black Metal with addition to the heaviness and darkness of the record. As I cutting vocals you mihgt like it better. 5.5 was saying this album is not convincing, except for a few flashes of taste in composition the band need much more AEGORTON work to impress anyone, and hopefully the recent album (UK) - Demo 2015 on BMM is way better. 5 Selfreleased - 2015 - Black Metal ADFAIL (Russia) - Is It a Game?

One man project of probably a young guy named J. BadMoodMan - 2014 - Gothic Doom Death Turner who also probably started playing instruments last Hey, what do we have here? The second studio album year, together with the foundation of this project, at least from this Kaliningrad based band that failed to impress this recording sounds like something you'd come up after me with their debut. I'm quite curious to see if they have a few months of studying the first wave of Norwegian improved since I have reviewed their debut only a few Black Metal. And indeed this debut demo proves that it days ago and they are still fresh in my mind. Well, not wasn't done by a fellow with important experience sure why, but this new release didn't do it for me either, I underbelt; 3 tracks of its own, 2 covers (Absurd and lost interest multiple times during the audition and found Darkthrone), plus Intro and Outro, together clocking much of it too generic and way too repetitive. They have almost 20 minutes of raw, simple and unpretentious slow improved on drums, more complex and better sounding to mid-tempo Black Metal with the slow parts making this time, on the general production quality, heavier and Turner to label his music as Doom Black. This is all done clearer, but the addition of a viola to spice things up didn't on guitars and drums only, no bass, no vocals, so it bring that much diversity in their compositions as one becomes pretty dull after a spin, but for a debut demo at could expect, and the overall atmosphere is constantly least it's not awful and there's nothing to be ashamed of, disturbed by multiple influences from other genres and especially since the sound is pretty good, organic, and the multiple rhythm changes, it all feels like the band is still drums are not programmed as a lot of other bigger bands looking for a way of their own, for something to stick to do nowadays. The Absurd cover might haunt this project and follow for the future. Sorry, but this is not something from now on as many might label it as NS, so it's up to I'll listen to again in the future hence I wouldn't Turner how he continues, weather jump in the NSBM recommend it to you either. 5 boat or try to forget this cover. 5 ADOLF CASTLE (Russia) - Really Crazy Germans Metal Race - 2014 (re-release) - Heavy Speed Power Metal An album initially released in 1995, then re-released in 2004, and now re-released for the second time, this time by Metal Race, a label that's struggling to offer long forgotten metal gems, one that if it will keep marching on this niche, will have a huge success, I'm sure of that. Adolf Castle seems to have been quite popular in Russia in the '90's, or at least their music recommend them for being popular, but they only managed to release an album, this one. To tell you the truth I was quite bored listening to the first 2-3 tracks (generic Hard'n'Heavy including an equally generic ballad), but then things start getting serious, the music becomes faster and more aggressive (even Thrash Metal influenced at times), with a heavily ironic approach that I'm sure fans of Fun Metal will enjoy it immensely, especially because of the band's ability when it comes to technical skills. The music ranges from Hard'n'Heavy to traditional Heavy Power Metal to Speed Metal to Heavy Thrash Metal at times, with loads of solos (even a bass solo track that's great!), a very good vocalist (although he sound as he's aged before time, Manowar-like), incredible speed, and an organic sound that at times might not sound professional at all, even chaotic I must add. But the overall impression is great, a diverse album recommended to all fans of '80's Heavy Speed Metal. 8

AEONS OF ASHES (Austria) - Shutdown NoiseHead - 2014 Modern Melodic Death Metal Debut album from this band founded recently from the ashes of a few more or less known names of the Austrian Death Metal scene, Desiccated, Thrashcanned and Epsilon, album released only a year after their foundation. Although it's a debut album you soon understand you're dealing with good musicians with a certain experience under belt, but since we have been overwhelmed by the amount of bands playing this style, a Melodic and Modern Death Metal highly influenced by Dark Tranquility, In Flames or the Finnish Modern Death Metal scene, I'm afraid that's not enough to impress nowadays. And indeed you won't find much to complain about inhere, it's just that the genre became overcrowded a bit too soon and I think it didn't manage to build a stable horde of followers. Aeons of Ashes' music ranges from Melodic Death Metal a la above mentioned bands to groovy and technical Modern Death Metal with Deathcore influences and everything seems to be well thought so that it doesn't bore the listener. Not sure where this will lead the band further, but I appreciate their professionalism and their dedication shown on this debut, recommended to those into Modern Metal. 8

The Belgian kings of Mincecore present us here 3 of their earlier releases in one shoot; they were earlier released as splits during '89 and '93, so it's a good thing PIU decided to gather them on CD as I'm sure they were only released on tape or vinyl. 34 tracks, a bit over 51 minutes playing time, 8 pages booklet featuring the story of this compilation (better said of the three different recordings) told by Jan himself, and some lyrics as this part, as we all know, is very important to Agathocles. As you can easily guess, being recorded during different timeframes and in different studios, the three releases have their own sound each, and that's also interesting to hear on a compilation, to get that feeling from back in the days when internet didn't make us lazy as we are today. Fast, organic, brutal as hell, demented, with occasional doomy parts, that's how Agathocles sounded back then, that's how they sound today. There are also some live recorded tracks that are absolutely delicious, I can only imagine the chaos during their shows back then. Kick ass release!

ALL I COULD BLEED (Russia) - Burying the Past Darknagar - 2011 - Melodic Death Metal Well I was certainly not expecting this type of music from All I Could Bleed when I first saw the cover/booklet and especially their band pictures, I was actually expecting some kind of Gothic Metal, but instead what I got was a straight-up Melodic Death Metal, a mix of Arch Enemy and maybe Children of Bodom, so pretty technical stuff, too. The biggest surprise was Polina, the vocalist, a girl that looks like a successful super-model and has one hell of an aggressive and hoarse voice, that was actually a shock. Burying the Past is a 9 tracks effort totaling 38 minutes of guitar driven Melodic Death Metal highlighted as before said by the savage vocals of Polina, a good, technical and at the same time melodic guitar work, solid bass lines, and drums that are maybe mixed too in front of the other instruments; that won't be a problem as the band plays well, but the actual problem of this album seems to be its fluency, the instrumental part tries lots of different paths and seems to be not decided to move towards the same direction, when you feel like ok, they picked a good rhythm, they cut it and switch completely either with a bass solo or with guitar solos, and the drum patterns don't help here either. The only one convinced about how aggressive and straight-forward the band's music should be is Polina, but that's not enough... Released in CD format with nice 16 pages booklet featuring all lyrics. 6.5

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

AEGEON (Finland) Nocturnal Glorification Elegy - 2014 Black Metal After a debut EP out on Mortis Humanae in 2012, here's Lord Aegeon's debut album, now released by well-known Elegy Records from the States. 7 new tracks totaling almost 45 minutes of cold, misty, mysterious and ugly Black Metal highlighted by the razor-sharp horrifying and desperate screams of Lord Aegeon. The guitars are quite simple and repetitive, there are some good riffs here and there, but the overall impression is not very good, the drums program is very good, I wasn't annoyed one bit by them, and the occasional keyboard insertions are a good addition to the atmosphere. The last track has a totally different sound than the others, the vocals are more in front, more haunting, and the keyboards are more important in the overall sound, but the guitars are worse, too repetitive, too simple, with very little variation. All in all I don't think I'll give this CD another listen, sorry, it didn't grab my attention, exactly like the previous EP, not my type of Black Metal, but if you're into slow to mid-

AETHYR (Russia) Corpus Cimmerian Shade 2015 - Drone Doom Post Black Metal This mysterious quartet was founded back in 2009 and managed to release their debut album a year after. This is their second studio album, after a few EPs and Splits to keep things busy; Corpus features 7 long tracks and clocks 50 minutes of heavy, lazy, repetitive and mesmerizing, and at the same time quite complex mix of Drone and Doom Metal, plus some occasional Post Black Metal elements that sound extremely good in the overall concept of this album. Although mostly melancholic and hopeless, the general atmosphere has a slight positive approach too, but there are also some parts of ferocious, fast paced Post Black Metal. The production is organic to the bone creating a close connection with the listener and I think the listeners will feel comfortable during the audition, the whole flows nicely and is well thought. An interesting release recommended for fans of the modern Post Metal built on Doom and Black Metal structures, a band that has the potential to become a known name in the scene, keep an eye on them. 7.5 AGATHOCLES (Belgium) - The LP's 1989 - 1993 Power It Up! - 2015 - Mincecore

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ALNAMROOD (Saudi Arabia) - ??? ???? ?????

Shaytan - 2014 - Folk Black Metal Risking your life for Metal is something a lot of fanatics talk about but very few actually are in that situation, and from those very few here's a trio from Saudi Arabia that does just that, impressive. This is their third full-length album to date featuring 7 tracks totaling almost 40 minutes of playing time. Expect Oriental Metal with Black Metal influences and unfortunately very raw and abrasive sound quality, but understandable for the conditions these guys are recording in. The choice of singing in their native tongue and adding traditional instruments makes this album very interesting, the compositions are quite complex and original although based on repetitive ideas, but I say it again, it's unfortunate that the sound quality ruins it all for me, I'd listen to this stuff at full volume if recorded properly. If you think you can oversee the sound quality this is a highly recommended release, you won't hear such music everyday, that's for sure. 7 AMEDERIA (Russia) - Unheard Prayer BadMoodMan - 2014 - Gothic Doom Metal A rather long wait for the fans of this Russian band between their 2 albums since the debut was released in 2008 and the follow-up only in 2014, but since we're dealing here with a 7 piece band I guess is not that easy to come up with new tracks, rehearse and record, it must be a challenge. Unheard Prayer features 8 long tracks totaling a bit over an hour of Gothic Doom Metal, the '90's type. Amederia's music reminds me of the beginnings of Tristania, with the difference that it's not that symphonic and not that energetic, often falling into melancholic Doom parts that will tone things down.

Draconian is also a major influence in this band's music, but then again what current Gothic Doom band isn't influenced by the Swedish kings of Depressive, Melancholic Metal? Everything is done correctly, the two vocals (a sweet, warm female vocal and a demonic, male growling vocal) are getting along pretty well, the rhythm section is ok, the keyboards manage to add a deep dark atmosphere to the whole, and the guitars (both riffs and leads) are doing a good job too, but there's nothing to

stand out, nothing to surprise you or to make you come back after a listen, so I would only recommend this to diehard fans of the genre, they will most probably understand more of it. 7

AMONG GODS (Norway) - Monument PRC Music - 2014 Death Metal My first meeting with Among Gods' music and I'm impressed even from the first track.

The production is very weird, it's raw and organic to the core, but at the same time crystal clear, it's the first thing that impressed me. Then the mixing, having the drums and vocal in front of guitars and bass reminds me of a few Doom Death releases from the '90's, and the hoarse (but not to a growling point) vocals lead to that direction, too, and I have to admit I like this a lot, I like how strange and at the same time friendly (to an Extreme Metallers I mean) it is and I'm sure a lot of Doom Death fans will love it, too. Then there are a few guitar leads that sound more like Technical Thrash Death than anything else, groovy yet aggressive drums, and if I add that fact that the whole material feels like wrapped in a somehow dark space atmosphere, I think you'll have a good picture about it, a mix of elements that at first sound unprofessional (I thought I was about to listen to a rehearsal recording) but then open their full potential in front of your eyes (ears).

It's mostly slow to mid-tempo rhythmed, so if you're into fast Death metal be sure to avoid it. 9 ANARKHON (Brazil) - Welcome to the Gore Show Rotten Foetus 2013 - Death Metal I've seen this band's name in multiple circumstances, so it was about time for me to check out one of their releases.

This is their third full-length album, a collection of 10 tracks clocking only a bit more than 30 minutes.

Traditional splatter / gore infused Death Metal is the name of the game here, a slow-paced to mid-tempo Death Metal creating good horrifying atmospheres, without many other influences like it's done Today, so keeping it simple and old-school. The band likes to add repetitive and catchy choruses in their tracks and this might be in their advantage since the musicians are good but they are not separating themselves or their music from the crowd with nothing. It's well executed and catchy to a point Death Metal for fans of the '90's US scene, with probably Morbid Angel as the main influence. 7.5

incessant desire to explore as much as possible resulting in a very, very complex and "all over the place" material, and on the other hand you'll feel like they are a mature group, or at least very skilled and experienced musicians, as I was saying this is a very complex material displaying these guys' potential to range from "traditional" Progressive Metal to Metalcore, Alternative, Post Metal and even Jazz! I love the guitar work on this, and I totally dig the versatility of the vocal compartment, although I'm not necessarily a fan of this genre this album was such an easy listening and at the same time challenging experience that I have no doubt it will hit my player again in the future. Oh, and I shouldn't forget to mention this material was released on what seems to be a Digipack made of recycled cardboard and the 10 pages booklet made of some sort of oilcloth instead of simple paper, nice idea. A band you should take notice of if you're into Progressive Metal and Modern Metal! 9 APHONIC THRENODY (International) When Death Comes Doomentia - 2014 - Funeral Doom Death Metal Wow, this is some pretty hard to digest music made by musicians from different parts of the World: UK, Italy, Hungary and Belgium; if you're not Funeral Doomtrained yet I suggest you avoid it as this album will simply crush your spirit, it's soooo heavy you won't believe it. After the first track, which was kinda boring and uninteresting, I thought I will suffer a lot through this audition, but I was wrong. This is Aphonic Threnody's debut album, a follow up on the previously released 2 splits and an EP, and it's made of only 5 tracks while still clocking more than an hour total playing time. So as I was saying the first track was indeed emotional and as heavy (if not even more) as the rest of the material, but it lacked a few hooks to be on my taste. The following tracks, on the other side, are much more versatile, they bring in some additional instruments and display some more inventiveness while still keeping the repetitive, mesmerizing, depressing and absolutely soul-crushing atmosphere of the genre. I would compare it to Eye of Solitude, but that also because of the deep, guttural vocals of Roberto; still if you like the UK based Funeral Doom Death sensation, you should try Aphonic Threnody, too. 8

presenting us an ambitious band that will be probably signed by the next release. I like this album but as negative points I'd mention Manu's high-pitched vocals (the growls are great, and I understand also his intention to be more versatile, but it didn't work out very good), part of the guitar riffs that are way too generic and overused in this genre, and the synthetic sound of the drums (although not annoying), but these won't stop you from enjoying this solid Thrash Death Metal release. 7.5 ARMS OF WAR (Belgium) Legions of Steel Noizr - 2013 Melodic Thrash Death Metal Listening to such albums reminds me why I love so much the guitar solos and leads in Metal. Arms of War are a quartet from the capital of Belgium founded in 2010 and this is their debut album, a 9 tracks effort totaling 40 minutes of melodic and technical Thrash Death Metal.

When I say melodic think of long, intricate and at the same time catchy guitar riffs and leads, very expressive and impressive, but don't think of a mellow music, Arms of War are anything but mellow, this material is fast, aggressive, solid and very mature for a debut album; the excellent production helps a lot, too. Catchy guitar riffs, hoarse vocals but comprehensive and not abrasive at all, occasional subtle keyboard backgrounds, heavy bass lines, and above all good compositions and contagious enthusiasm. One of the best Thrash Death Metal albums I've heard lately, I'll spin this some more and that's what I'd suggest you, too. 9.5 VENEFICIUM (Belgium) The Abyss Immortal Frost 2014 - Black Metal New Black Metal band from Belgium lead by Immortal Frost's owner, Surtur, Ars Veneficium recently released this debut EP made of 4 tracks clocking 20 minutes of traditional ('90's type) Scandinavian Black Metal, nothing more, nothing less. At first I have to say the raw and somehow sloppy drums' sound annoyed me (the drummer is doing a good job, though, especially on the fast parts), but this changed on the 3rd and 4th track, especially the 3rd, Torment Feeds the Act of Satan, which I find the best inhere. The guitars are excellent, keeping it old-school and uncompromising but at the same time offering an epic aura to the songs, the vocals a maybe a bit too unpolished and in contrast with the guitars, none being complementary to the other. Ars Veneficium brings nothing new to the scene, but it's clear they are dedicated musicians and for a debut EP I'd say they did a good job, the listeners will be able to feel and understand their intentions and potential. For fans of Norwegian and maybe also Finnish Black Metal of the '90's. 7.5 ARS

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

ANDRALLS (Brazil) Breakneck Distro Rock - 2012 - Thrash Metal This is already an old release although it's the latest Andralls album to date, but since Distro Rock Records are still promoting it, it probably means there are still some CDs left for sale in its warehouse. Andralls is by now a pretty well-known name in the underground, not only in their home country, but also across the ponds, and this is their 5th album since they were formed back in 1998, not bad. Breakneck is made of 10 tracks totaling a bit more than half an hour of fast paced traditional Thrash Metal, a real invitation to break your neck headbanging. Full of good guitar riffs, unrelenting rhythm section and a powerful vocalist, not versatile but angry and leading the band well towards the aggressive level they seem to aim. Although there's not much to stand out, I'd say Breakneck is not a bad album, probably more suitable for fans of traditional Thrash than fans into innovative ideas, but it's definitely full of energy, aggressive, and precise as a Swiss clock. 7.5 ANGER AT DUSK (Italy) - Anger at Dusk Sliptrick - 2015 - Progressive Metal My first encounter with both this band and label, but since the band is only at its debut album this shouldn't surprise me at all, but the label has almost 100 bands in its roster and I haven't heard of it yet, shame on me (or on them?).

As I was saying this is this band's debut album and on one hand you can guess it from the band's enthusiasm and

APNEA (New Zealand) Ethereal Solitude Immortal Frost 2014 - Shoegaze

Post Black Metal This Shoegaze Post Black Metal movement nowadays perfectly reminds me of the Doom Death movement from the '90's, in those days Doom Death Metal was the territory of sorrow and sadness and at the same time a highly permissive genre, one that allowed its "disciples" to experiment with any type of influences, and I think the same characteristic apply to this new movement, too, even though the Doom Death scene is probably stronger than never now. Apnea follow-up their 2012 EP with a full- ATRA HORA (Russia) - Via Combusta length featuring 6 new tracks totaling 35 minutes of Darknagar - 2012 - Melodic music; most of the time ethereal and quite dreamy, the Black Death Metal compositions are also infused with aggressive parts of I've just reviewed Black Metal origins. Sad, nostalgic, and quite depressive, these guys' latest the music fits the album title perfectly, and I'd say the release, an EP, a overall outcome of this new Apnea release is not couple of months impressive but well done, with a solid impact on the back, but since listener, and one that leaves the impression these guys can Darknagar sent all their change something, can come up with something new. 8 releases for review I have to say a few words on this even if it's so old. This is the band second and latest full-length APONTOKATION album, an 8 tracks effort totaling 50 minutes of Oriental (Spain) - Conquerors Melodic Black Death Metal. The idea of combining oriental music and influences with Black Death is beyond the Stars Selfreleased - 2015 - excellent, at times I feel like in the Games of Thrones Thrash Death Metal series, but unfortunately the compositions are not as rich Spanish Death metal and modern as they could be, they sound more like the combo Apontokation are back, thsi time with their debut '90's Black Death mixed with the period Heavy Power full-length album, a self-financed and self-released album influences and the flow isn't exactly what I would call featuring 10 tracks in a bit over 45 minutes of playing successful. They prove the point they are very talented time. Apontokation continues of it's traditional and semi- musicians and have good ideas, but that's about it, the technical Death Metal with obvious Thrash Metal final result for this album is not convincing, it feels like a influences, to me this album reminded of my friend from display of their talent more than a unitary material. CD US based Rictus Grin, or better described a Thrashy kind comes with 12 pages booklet featuring all lyrics (some are of Six Feet Under / Bolt Thrower inspired Death Metal, in English, some in Greek!) 6.5 mostly mid-tempo, with occasional fast paced rhythms, quite complex, with loads of different ideas, some ATRA HORA (Russia) - Metahom interesting and also some (but luckily far less) really Darknagar - 2014 - Oriental Extreme Metal boring. Derfinitely a step up from the demo I reviewed a Oriental Extreme Metal sounds interesting, isn't it? And it year ago, Conquerors Beyond the Stars is a good release is, to a point. Atra Hora comes from Russia, was founded

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back in 2006 and released 2 full-length albums so far, this new material being an EP with 3 new tracks and 4 bonuses among which 2 covers (Daemonia Nymphe never heard of - and Dead Can Dance). The band is a quartet and it seems they have developed from their early days Black Metal to what they are doing at the moment: a melodic mix of Black and Death Metal with loads of Progressive Metal and Oriental music influences all over, and with a definite orientation towards the exit of Extreme Metal and entry into another territory, one that's easier to digest, more opened to a wider audience, actually closer to Progressive Metal rather than Extreme Metal. The guitars and keyboards come with the oriental touch in this mix, the guitar leads and solos are awesome, but the guitar riffs are quite unimpressive, and the same goes for the keyboard tones, quite '90's-ish if I may say so, although the composition is interesting. I like this release, it's entertaining and nice flowing, but as a conclusion I definitely feel there's something more about this band, thye can do better than this, I have no idea why as this is the first time I meet with their music. 7 ATTEN ASH (USA) The Hourglass Hypnotic Dirge - 2015 - Doom Death Metal Featuring Barre Gambling from Candlelight artist Daylight Dies, Atten Ash is a trio offering us here their debut album released in digital format by the band 3 years ago, in 2012, and picked up by Hypnotic Dirge and rereleased in Digipack CD format this year, a very good decision by the hardworking Canadian label. The 8 tracks featured here, totaling 50 minutes, are a deep, emotional, mesmerizing descent in a depressing and nostalgic atmosphere. Stylistically speaking Atten Ash reminds me of the UK Doom Death scene of the '90's, mid to end '90's that is, especially Anathema and Paradise Lost, but with a fresh edge to it, a fresh and interesting Melodic Doom Death Metal complete with excellent clean male vocals, comprehensive growling vocals, slow, doomy guitar riffs supported by melodic, ethereal leads, and a rhythm section that is both subtle and powerful. All in all I think I've listened to it at least 10 times already and I'm not bored yet, not even one bit, and that doesn't happen often nowadays, so it's my duty to recommend it to you, too, and to declare myself satisfied by this excellent, elegant debut album. 9

his memories and bringing them to life; an interesting, sad story that suits the music. Beyond Light continues to travel Depressive Black Metal paths its music being highlighted by slow to mid-tempo rhythms, acoustic interludes, and whispered or Burzum-like (full of effects) distant screams. Belfalas is also influenced by Doom Metal this time and his good technical skills on guitar/bass allow him to offer some pretty catchy soundscapes, but all in all I think its music needs something more to stand out and/or to keep the listener's attention high all the time. 7.5

traditional, versatile, energetic, expressive and technical, love it. 9

BLACK THERAPY (Italy) - The Final Outcome Revalve - 2014 Melodic Death Metal Perfect timing for an EP by Black Therapy, a year after the release of their debut album, these guys want to keep things fresh and keep the eyes on them. Two new tracks, a semi-acoustic, instrumental outro and a cover version of Gary Jules' Mad BEYOND THE DUST (France ) - Khepri World (no I had no idea who sang the original, had to Dooweet - 2014 - Progressive Metal Here's an interesting young band from France and their 10 google it, of course), 15 minutes of Melodic and tracks debut album clocking 55 minutes of Progressive Technical Death Metal the Gothemburg type with twin Metal, but not the one I'm used to. I usually say Djent Heavy Power Metal influenced guitar riffs, melodic guitar Metal bands will have a short life and this hype will leads, hoarse screams, catchy structures and fast rhythms. disappear very soon, but there are some bands taking Not sure if this style still has its loyal followers but the things a bit further than Djent and exploiting it as another band is good and this EP is a nice taste of things to come. influence between a myriar of others. Beyond the Dust are The cover version is very enjoyable but my fave part of successfully blending Djent with Alternative Metal, this CD was the instrumental track that reminded me of Metalcore, Nu Metal, and even (a few indeed) more brutal the instrumentals of '90's Doom Death (and not only) elements from Extreme Metal, having as common bands I grew up with. Such an intermezzo is like a breath denominator Progressive Metal, everything surrounds a fresh air placed somewhere in the middle of a recording, Progressive Metal structures and as a generic label one but as they listed it as last track it only gives the can easily say the band plays this genre of music. A very impression of an outro (although 4 minutes long...). 8 interesting, complex, demanding and at times even BLASFEMIA (Chile) chaotic release that sounds both fresh and traditional, so if you think a mix of the abovementioned genres sounds Ancient Occult interesting give them a try. I'd say they need some more Wisdom Hell - 2014 - Black hooks in their music, loose some of the too synthetic and Thrash Metal impersonal Djent riffs, and curdle their sound a bit more, This one man project and we might hear some good things about the band in the has almost everything future. 7 it needs to reach a Today so superfluous BITCH HAMMER status: blasphemic attitude, mix (Germany) - Raging Hell "kult" between Thrash and Black Metal, the old way, and simple Rivers Selfreleased - 2014 - Black yet effective black/white cover artworks for its releases.

Unfortunately that’s not enough to get a wider audience Thrash Metal Although old-school to and probably Alcoholizer (or Vicente Roa), the guy the bone, both in what behind this moniker, doesn't even aspire to anything more. concerns music and I have to admit that although I'm not a fan of such acts, on their look, Bitch Hammer this release Blasfemia came up with some pretty rad seem to be quite a guitar riffs and vocals, very catchy and evil at the same professional band, just check time. The rhythm section is not that great though, the their online presence and you'll discover a band drums are becoming annoying at times by being so that seems to know where, what and how to aim even if repetitive and synthetic sounding, not to mention the they might seem some punks. But that's also because they overused and abused traditional rhythms with no intention want to appear as some punks, that's how their at all to spice things up. So the real value of this release predecessors looked like, just think of Venom, Sodom, are the distant and hoarse Black Metal vocals of Disaster, Hellhammer and the likes; BitchHammer Alcoholizer, occasional outbursts of delicious memorable follows the same line, dirty, fast and uncompromising guitar riffs and leads among other generic ones. All in all old-school Black Thrash Metal with blasphemous I'd say this material has more positive points than attitude, perfectly fit for live shows where I'm sure these negative and it's quite nice to listen to such a guitar-driven guys can easily raise hell. Here we get 4 new tracks Thrash Black release once in a while; there are some (few totaling 18 minutes of mostly fast paced Black Thrash, and short though) really expressive parts filled with Black with occasional mid-tempo parts just to increase the Metal darkness and mysterious atmospheres here and tension, highlighted by good raspy vocals and a very there, and I think if he adds more of these he will get heavy and oppressing bass line, but on the other hand more from the upcoming releases. This CD features the quite generic guitar riffs and drums although fast and 2012 EP, Antichrist Assault, as a bonus, too. 6.5 enjoyable. Well, since I doubt fans of this genre are looking for innovative things, they will surely enjoy this BLEAK FLESH band, the Germans have all they need to become an (Chile) important name on the underground scene. 7 Transcendence Selfreleased - 2014 BITTERNESS - Progressive Death Metal (Germany) - Straight from Chile, this quartet was founded 5 years ago and it was about time for them to release their debut Resurrexodus G.U.C. - 2015 - album after a demo out in 2010 and an EP in 2013. Bleak Thrash Death Flesh are blending here all influences they can, and it's Metal pretty obvious they have all sorts of fave genres, from These guys must have an excellent distribution in the Alternative Metal to Black Death Metal, and the underground, I'm seeing their name everywhere lately and combination of all these elements into a Progressive, at least to me this give the impression that they are a Technical and Melodic Metal monolith is both interesting hyper-active band; not that they aren't, this is already their and risky. Interesting because they have the technical sixth studio album since their foundation in 2001. ability and capacity to deliver some seriously twisted Resurrexodus features 11 tracks clocking 39 minutes of tracks and do it in a manner the listener will always stay fast paced and melodic but at the same time very glued to this material in order to find out what's next, so aggressive Thrash Death Metal with excellent display of it's quite an unpredictable album, and risky because it musicianship and composition skills. All tracks are catchy ranges from calm, synth-driven parts to pure Progressive and have their own identity while still keeping the whole Metal parts to Epic and Majestic parts to aggressive Black curdled and unitary, the album flows well and its organic Death Metal parts, it might be too much for some. sounding production works like a charm with Bitterness' Anyway, Bleak Flesh prove to be a highly professional traditional type of Thrash Death. To me this album ensemble, and since this is only their debut album I'd say reminded of Kreator, but that doesn't mean the two bands they did a good job presenting themselves to the World, are similar, maybe Frank's vocals were a major factor in now it's time to take it one step further and melt every this feeling. Anyway, I think Biterness released probably influence they have in an own genre, technically they are their best opus to date and it's a damn solid release, one very capable of doing it. Don't miss the chance to that needs to be checked by all fans of this genre; discover probably one of the leading Chilean Extreme

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

BARABBAS (France) - Messe pour un chien Selfreleased - 2014 - Stoner Doom Metal Followup to a well-received debut album from 2011, Messe pour un chien is the new full-length release from these French Doom Metallers who are slowly but surely getting to the top of their niche not only in France but outside of it, too, although their choice of using French lyrics won't be the most popular in English or Spanish speaking territories. But in the end I think that's a major part of their originality, the French lyrics, apart, of course from a highly trained musicianship and good composition skills as well. This is how you do a Doom Metal album that is both traditional following and paying respect to the old monsters of the genre, and free of any borders or restraints, an album that sounds fresh and complex while maintaining most of the genre's patterns. The vocals are very expressive and even emotional at times, the guitar riffs dark and catchy, the leads and solos simply delicious and perfectly fit to each and every track, occasional keyboards in the background, and last but not least one of the heaviest and most oppressive rhythm sections I've heard recently, one that hits you right from the start and opens your appetite for more Barabbas. Definitely an album you should not miss if you're into either Doom or Stoner, there's plenty to enjoy and plenty to discover here.

9

BEYOND LIGHT (Holland) Paintings in the Hall Maa - 2014 - Depressive Black Metal Already 4 years passed since Beyond Light debuted on Sun & Moon Records, and here's Belfalas (the man behind this project) returning with a follow-up opus on Japanese Maa Productions. The album features 11 tracks, lasts for a bit more than an hour, and was released as CD format with 8 pages booklet featuring the lyrics. The lyrics in this case are quite important since this album is based on a concept story about an old blind man painting

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Metal newcomers and buy this album straight from the band since it's self-released. 8 BLOOD COVENANT (Armenia) - Sign of Time Darknagar - 2011 - Symphonic Black Metal Most probably the first Armenian band I have the chance to review, also one of the few Black Metal bands with declared Christian message, so I have to admit I was quite intrigued. This album, although old by the time I'm writing this review, celebrated the first decade of activity for the band, being their third official full-length. 12 tracks (3 of them instrumental) totaling 47 minutes of playing time displaying a highly capable ensemble lead by 2 composers that certainly know their way in this genre. The tracks are technical, melodic, dramatic, well curdled and well defined into a whole that presents us a story, a Christian story with profound moral message for those willing to listen, but I won't linger on this since it's not my cup of tea at all. As I was saying these guys treat us with excellent musicianship besides the already praised composition skills; the only things that didn't convince me were the screamed Black Metal vocals, but supported by King Diamond-like background vocals from time to time everything became much better, and the synthetic sounding (although not annoying) drums, but the fabulous guitar leads and solos, the excellent symphonic keyboard lines and the general atmosphere won me over. A great release by a great band, recommended! 8.5 BLOODSTAINED GROUND (Switzerland) - A Poem of Misery Czar of Crickets - 2014 Melodic Black Death Metal Followup to their 2011 self-released debut album, A Poem of Misery is the band's newest work, featuring 8 tracks in a bit more than 45 minutes. Their music style is so overcrowded nowadays that for me it's always a surprise when I see new bands still trying to break through the masses, not necessarily speaking about Bloodstained Ground who are not new at all being founded back in 2007. So we have here a Melodic Black Death Metal or if you want a Melodic Blackened Death Metal on the Behemoth / Fleshgod Apocalypse / Noctem alley, excellently performed and carefully built on twisted and complex structures that are always new and fresh throughout the audition, most of the time fast and hyperfast paced, but with occasional interludes where string instruments are a fantastic, probably the best addition to their music. There are lots and lots of good bands in this genre nowadays but the addition of violins, cello and sitar, give a unique flavor to Bloodstained Ground's music and I really think that's their chance to break through, like for Fleshgod Apocalypse was/is the piano... On the other hand everything from sound, to digipack quality, artwork, band image, really everything transpires professionalism, this band has huge potential. 8.5

delivering only a few interesting leads here and there; the sound quality is raw and unpolished. Not really much to praise here, but not a shameful release either. 6

parts to melodic, to fast and Thrashy, and fans of '90's Melodic Thrash Death might appreciate these tracks a lot.

The guitar leads (very few unfortunately) are delicious, and generally the guitar riffs are quite headbanging BONECRACKER (Russia) - Flaws friendly although generic. I think the band has potential, Wings of Destruction / Darzamadicus / Metal Race - 2014 but they need to step up a bit in order to impress. 6 - Thrash Metal By the time I'm writing this review the band relocated CANTUS BESTIAE from Omsk to Sankt Petersburg and became a duo after (France) - Cantus Bestiae Alex Diak remained the only original member still active Projekt'Ill - 2013 - Black in the band and was joined by Evgeniy on guitars and Metal vocals, all these happening this year, so the band's future, Not sure when this at least from the outside, seems uncertain. This is the band called it quits band's debut and so far only album, featuring 8 tracks or how known or with a total playing time of a bit more than 40 minutes. appreciated were Traditional Thrash Metal with occasional Death Metal they in the French riffs and some Progressive Metal elements here and there, underground during their career, but here's Project'Ill not overly impressive but solid and with good taste, releasing a compilation of previous released tracks: their crystal clear production and infecting energy. For Russian debut demo from '99, tracks from 2 previously released speaking metalheads this might be a real winner since all splits, plus 6 previously unreleased tracks from a split lyrics are in native tongue and the vocals are with Deathspell Omega that never happened, in total 18 comprehensive and quite expressive, but for the others it tracks in more than an hour of Cantus Bestiae. The demo may be a good audition and that's all, I doubt this would presents us 5 tracks (+ intro and outro) of primitive and become the fave band of someone from outside the bestial Black Metal with raw, rehearsal-like sound; Russian speaking territories. 7 extremely aggressive and brutal but not enough to make the band stand out. Next are 3 tracks from a split with BREAKDUST (France) - Baleful World Puritas Virginum, with the same raw sound quality, same Finisterian Dead End - 2013 - Thrash Death Metal brutality, but again nothing to stand out. Track 11 is from Fouinded in 1997, Beakdust released their debut album a their split with Christicidem but it has an even worse decade later, and sound quality, it's pure rehearsal madness, so fans of this follow-up Bestial Black Metal might enjoy it, but I can't listen to it second album in twice, sorry. And the last part of this compilation is made 2013 so we're of unreleased and unnamed tracks suffering from the dealing here with a same awful recording quality as the rest. As a conclusion band that likes to Cantus Bestiae might have had a better impact if at least take its time before offering their some of the tracks would have been recorded in a studio, fans new material, and although this might lead your they seem brutal and dedicated enough to impress the thoughts to a less serious act, Breakdust prove the nowadays fans of Bestial Black Metal and Black Thrash opposite with this album and also with their recent Metal. Sometimes they remind me of Hirilorn, some of Hellfest 2015 participation announcement. Baleful World their riffs I find pretty appealing, but this is definitely not offers us 12 tracks in an hour of Thrash Metal with lots of the type of recording I'd present my band with, well Death Metal elements too, heavily influences, as the band probably in the '80's when the conditions were primitive, says, by legends like Metallica, Sepultura, Pantera or but not in the 2000's...

Loudblast, and I would throw in some Evile or The Haunted for that modern touch they manage to display; CARNAL AGONY (Sweden) - Preludes heavy and oppressive guitar riffs, melodic leads and solos, impressive rhythm section, and manly, rough vocals & Nocturnes delivering brutal but at the same time quite friendly music Sliptrick - 2014 - Power Thrash Metal that will certainly make a good impression on Hellfest. If Very interesting new name coming out of Sweden, Carnal you think a combination of Metallica, Loudblast, Evile Agony was founded in 2011 and this is their first studio and Testament with hints of the other above mentioned album; Preludes & Nocturnes is made of 11 tracks and bands would make your day don't hesitate, Breakdust clocks a bit more than 45 minutes of playing time, a fine deliver just that and they do it with style. Impressive display of vintage Power Thrash Metal as it was in fashion about 15 years ago, a genre I don't hear that often album. 9 nowadays I must admit. The album impresses through its BUCKSHOT FACELIFT (USA) - Living Ghosts of the excellent guitar work delivering catchy and highly metallic riffs and amazing leads and solos, a fine work of North Shore two guitarists who seem to get along pretty well. On Selfreleased - 2014 - Death Grind Powerviolence Never thought I'd say about a Grindcore release that some drums the band was joined by Uli Kusch of Helloween, of its passages are too slow to keep the overall steady Gamma Ray or Holy Moses fame, and what he did here is flow intact, but then again who says this or that is the a work of finesse, he's doing his thing without standing correct way to play music? Buckshot Facelift's new album out, letting the other musicians shine. The vocal part is the (I think it's an EP though) is made of 7 tracks and clocks most abrasive here, and you'll only like it if you're not 17 minutes of interesting music I would visualize as a looking for something melodic although the guy does his raging boar dying at a hunting trip, as angry and best and at times he succeeds to impress, but overall he menacing as it ever was just before its final breaths, and seems to struggle leveling with the rest. The compositions that means Buckshot Facelift combine fast, energetic and great, they will win you over in no time, and most of Powerviolence and Grindcore parts with slow, Death them have the potential to become hits. An excellent Metal ones heavily infused by Sludge elements, maybe a debut from Sweden, Carnal Agony is definitely a band to bit too much I'd say. Comprehensive, aggressive screams follow, their future might be bright, and in the meantime seconded by growls and disgusting, vomiting sounds here get this CD, you won't be disappointed. 8 and there, technical guitar riffs and leads, complex drumming, and very incisive bass lines all over on well- CHAOS SEARCH ENGINE (Poland) - The Legend thought compositions. Not at all a boring release, I'd say Written By An Anonymous Spirit Of Silence on the contrary, a very interesting music with high Metal Scrap - 2014 - Groove Metal I guess this is the debut full-length by these Polish guys, a potential of getting noted. 8 12 tracks effort totaling almost 50 minutes of Soulfly / BULLETSIZE (Sweden) - Numb Ektomorf heavily influenced Groove Metal, so one could normally mean they are quite uninteresting, but the good Sliptrick - 2013 - Thrash Death Metal Third album from this Sweden based band formed back in thing about them is that they don't resume to this path, 2006, Numb is made of 8 tracks and clocks 35 minutes of they also try to come up with their own ideas and Melodic Thrash Death Metal music. The tracks are good elements, for example there's also plenty of Alternative, but not impressive, there is nothing to stand out on this there are also some Progressive Metal and even Extreme album; the vocals are ok, hoarse to almost growls and to Metal elements thrown inhere, and the final result is almost Black Metal shrieks sometimes, but they give the pretty curdled, pretty well thought. Highlighted by 2 impression they cannot surprise you with anything, then vocals, a massive bass line, groovy and metallic guitar the instrumental part, when it gets to the mid-tempo parts riffs and quite complex drums, this album might be a very it gets really generic and mediocre, but that also because good choice for fans of the above-mentioned bands. The of the production that should have been way more CD comes with a nice 20 pages booklet featuring powerful. On the good side of things Bulletsize come up excellent artwork and all lyrics. 7.5 with quite complex compositions ranging from groovy

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

BONE ALLEY (Canada) Demo Cold Raw - 2014 - Black Metal Black Metal one-manband from the Far East of Canada, Bone Alley started its journey last year by self-releasing this debut demo, and an EP right after. Cold Raw Records seems to have enjoyed this demo and decided to re-release it in CD and I guess tape format, too. 4 tracks, a bit more than half an hour of playing, a good debut effort but marked by the lack of experience. The first track is actually a 3 minutes into so we won't count that in, but the 3 other tracks are very different one from another from playing type to sound quality, they seem to be released by 3 different bands, so this tells us Miasmas (the man behind this band) is in search for an identity, but after all that's normal on the first demo. The drum machine is awful, very simple and synthetic sounding, so I hope he'll decide to find a live drummer or at least someone with more experience in programming drums next time; the vocals are the most interesting part of this demo, very versatile and daring, the bring some good ideas and try to sound different everytime; the guitars are simple and very repetitive

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CHRIST AGONY (Poland) - Darkside Total Metal / A5 2012 - Melodic Black Death Metal Total Metal Records and A5 Productions teamed together to release one of the most challenging album in Christ Agony's history, their fourth full-length taking a step (or more) further in experimenting within the Melodic Black Death fields, now with important Electro and Goth influences that were so in fashion back then (1997) when bands like Sisters of Mercy and Laibach were becoming more and more influential for the Metal community. Still, despite these influences, Darkside keeps Christ Agony's Satanic core and their deep, contemplative lyrical side intact, the music is still aggressive and raw as their fans were used to. The only thing that's not on my taste here is the thin, synthetic programmed drums, but on the other hand Cezar, the main person behind Christ Agony, proves again he's an extremely talented musician and composer, plus his vocal performance on this album is highly impressive, too. One of the boldest and most challenging Christ Agony records, glad to see it re-released, don't miss it.

CHRONIC INFECT / SPUN IN DARKNESS (Brazil / USA) - Sickness Misery and Evoked Doom Rotten Foetus - 2011 - Death Metal / Death Metal Chronic Infect, the first band on this split, comes from Brazil and was formed back in 2006 but haven't released more than a demo and this split which at the time I'm writing this review it's already an old release, I'm not even sure the band is still active since the only contact I found was a Myspace page (well, in 2011 Myspace was still ok).

Their music is the perfect definition for old-school Death Metal: mid-tempo to fast paced rhythms, ugly, hoarse vocals close to growls, punk-ish drum lines with double bass pedal, catchy guitar riffs building a horror-like atmosphere, or better said "Death Metal a la carte" without any attempts of being modern or to impress anyone with anything else than sheer and brute metal of Death; organic production with live drums, of course.

Spun in Darkness are hailing from Las Vegas, and although being formed in 2006, too, they seem to have a bit more experience than Chronic Infect, being currently signed with Horror Pain Death Gore Productions and having 2 full-length albums under belt. They deliver 5 tracks for this split, 5 tracks of traditional Obituary-like Death Metal with a more polished sound but still sounding dusty and old-school as it should. Their range of rhythms is broader, from doomy slow rhythms highlighted by guitar solos, to groovy mid-tempo and even fast paced rhythms. Even the vocal remind me of John Tardy, but unfortunately the drum part sound a bit too synthetic, I think we're talking about a drum-machine though. Anyway, Spun in Darkness managed to build a heavy and dark atmosphere that should be perfect for any traditional Death Metal followers out there.

Excellent split, really recommended! 8 / 8

solos a bit more worked on, a bit less chaotic, but apart from that everything is great, I recommend this demo to all Swedish Death Metal nostalgics out there, but hurry up, it's almost sold out, only 50 copies were pressed. 9

music to the listener, don't know how else to explain it.

All in all a good release, I can see why Odium from Forgotten Path decided to sign them. 8

DARKENHOLD (France) Castellum Those Opposed - 2014 Medieval Black Scifi Melodic Death Metal Metal Second part of Craxo's trilogy of EPs talking about a story I was recently situated in the 25th century where humankind is at was asking myself with an invading nanomachine race, sounds like the script where did this of a movie my wife would really enjoy and I'd be kind of genre disappear all bored to death, haha, I'm stuck in my zombie flicks thing. of a sudden after a Anyway, the music these 3 Finns offer on this second EP '90's period when it was all over the place, even major doesn't certainly put me to sleep, but on the contrary it bands were influenced by Medieval themes, and intrigues and involves me, it's an awesome surprise, one I Darkenhold is the living proof that it still exists and has didn't expect at all from a band with this name (honestly I some proud and determined followers. Medieval Black thought they were some sort of Brazilian inspired Metal means, at least in Darkenhold's music, mostly midHardcore). The band reminds me of their fellow paced rhythms, and subtle but very important atmospheric countrymen Amorphis, and I'm not talking style here, but keyboards built on medieval themes, fierce and excellent rather the impact their music could have on the scene, sounding Black Metal shrieks supported by occasional their Scifi Melodic Death Metal is daring, bold and epic choirs, a few acoustic parts here and there and lots of mysterious just like for example Amorphis' Tales from the catchy, memorable elements, so definitely not a boring 1000 Lakes was at their time, it's not brutal, nor over- music. This album features 10 tracks and clocks a bit technical, it's based more on atmospheres and on more than 40 minutes of Medieval Black Metal, it sounds delivering and provoking emotions to the listener, and excellent for a nostalgic like I am, but I don't know if the they managed, at least in my case, to be spot on, to brind new generation still appreciates this. 9 something new and open-minded to a genre that's already suffering from lack of further horizons. Yes, big words, I DARKTIMES agree, but I'm sure these guys have the ability to change (Slovakia) - Triumph something. Dan Swano mastered the EP, just like he did ov Chaos the previous, and probably the next one, too, so there you Selfreleased - 2015 have a new proof of its quality. Excellent material, think Black Metal of a modern mix between old Nocturnus and Amorphis! 9 Interesting new act coming out of Slovakia, Darktimes was founded in DARGONOMEL (Russia) In 2013 and this year they managed to release their debut album in form of a 6 tracks effort totaling a bit over half Abyssum Diaboli NitroAtmosfericum an hour of playing time. I would have liked the booklet to / Cold Raw / feature the lyrics, too, as it seems this album has a Rebirth the Metal - concept story behind it and it seems interesting, but 2014 Black Metal nevertheless they did a good job releasing it in This band was founded back in 2006 as Subterra de Mort professional format by themselves in what seems to be a (as the band's FB link suggests, too), changed its name to limited edition CD. Talking about the music on this debut Sakkath in 2010 and a year later to Dargonomel finally. album I'm impressed how solid and curdled it all sounds, After a first successful album (I've reviewed it too and to a point where you start questioning if they are actually liked it pretty much) under this name, and second full- such a young band or if they've been active for years and length in the band's career, they are already back with a years. Darktimes are a traditional Black Metal (second follow-up, a 9 tracks effort totaling 35 minutes of intense, wave type) with a heavy and quite epic atmosphere fast paced, aggressive as hell and technical Black Death perfectly portraying their band name. Ranging from midMetal highlighted by excellent guitar leads and solos, paced to fast tempos, Triumph ov Chaos is a good effort symphonic-like keyboard backgrounds, intense bass lines, offering interesting semi-technical structures supported by and high-speed drumming all the way, a very a massive vocal line swinging from vicious shrieks to evil blasphemous sounding release like its predecessor. I'm a growls; an expressive release, again, much more big fan of their vocal type, abrasive and without too much professional that would have expected from such a young power although very aggressive, they give me the band. The future is very promising for this combo, mark impression of a home-made recording; I like the my words. 8.5 occasional addition of female vocals and hope they'll add DE PROFUNDIS (UK) more of it in the future, this might give them an edge, - Frequencies everyone in the scene avoids using operatic female vocals Selfreleased - 2014 nowadays. The overall impression on this new album, Progressive Extreme influenced mostly by the very good guitar work, is Metal positive, the band proves to deserve you attention. Album Good to see this released in form of a nice looking gatefold digipack London based quintet featuring all lyrics. 7.5 keeping it fresh with a new release every 2 DARK RAVAGE (Lithuania) this time even if it's only an EP, - Fall of Inner Sanctum years, and Forgotten Path - 2013 - Frequencies comes out when it should to show the band is still alive. 3 original compositions and a cover of Death's Black Metal Lead by GarLoq, also masterpiece "Crystal Mountain" will offer you a good 20 member in a few minutes of technical and progressive Extreme Metal with other bands among plenty of melodies occasional and subtle keyboard which Inquisitor who touches. The highlight is on their amazing technical skills also released their and how they manage to display them while keeping the latest album on track curdled; the guitars, the bass lines, the drums, all are Forgotten Path, Dark amazing and offering a real lesson in Progressive Extreme Ravage from Vilnius offer us Metal, the whole sounds highly professional and classy, here their second opus made of 8 tracks and clocking 50 but unfortunately the vocalist is not up to par with the rest minutes of traditional Black Metal with a hint of Pagan of these guys, he shows his lack of versatility especially Folk touch but not enough to change its course. This is on the Death cover, while I think such an experimental cold, mysterious, fierce Black Metal defined by semi- band would need at least a similar vocalist... Anyway, De technical compositions, intense and complex bass lines, Profundis are showing why Kolony Records keep them fast drumming, and razor-sharp, piercing Black Metal around as an important piece of their roster, probably a screams on high volume (even higher than the new album is in works and should see the light of the day instruments). Although we couldn't expect anything new next year, at least that's my guess... 8 from a traditional Black Metal band, they are capturing the listener's interest through a clean and honest de profundis (Hungary) - This Winter in My Heart production, I don't want to praise them for nothing but the Margin Art / Dark East - 2014 - Melodic Black Metal production on this album is really good, approaches the CORAXO (Finland) - Starlit Flame II Selfreleased - 2014 -

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

COFFIN CREEP (Sweden) - Enter the Creep Sound of Records 2014 - Death Metal Swedish Death Metal - some of us love it, some are bored by how much it has been promoted. I'm in the first category and I love its revival even though now, as back in the beginning of the '90's, there are some bands that simply don't have it and won't ever be capable of delivering good, memorable or at least entertaining Swedish Death Metal. Luckily what we have here is a band that seems to be determined to deliver good quality music, and this debut demo, although not a groundbreaking release, is an excellent proof of their potential. The guitar riffs are heavy as fuck, the rhythm section crystal clear and demolishing as it should be, devastating, although comprehensive growling vocals, excellent, disgusting lyrics and a war-like, brutal and sinister atmosphere overall, 4 tracks of intense, neckbreaking Swedish Death Metal with a subtle (or not?) hint of Groovy Death Metal a la Six Feet Under / Bolt Thrower, plus a bonus track, cover of Dismember's hymn "On Frozen Fields", I simply love this demo. My only observation would be that I would have liked the guitar

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If I were to believe their lyrics (basically the first track is a shitty chauvinist threat) I would throw this CD in the garbage right away, but since I've exchanged a few emails with half of this project, Zoltan, and I think he's a nice and hardworking person, I have enough respect for him to just listen to the music and ignore the shitty "superior race" lyrics. Musicwise the band is great, one of the best in the current Hungarian underground Black Metal, one that reminds me of Sear Bliss and not only because the use of trombone (well, in major part because of it, sure), but also because of their rich orchestrations and expressive compositions. Their music is capable of touching your heart, the intelligent use of keyboards, the fast and at the same time melodic guitar riffs, complex rhythms and versatile vocals (even some warm female vocals at times!) are far from being boring or generic. This Winter in My Heart is made of 11 tracks and clocks 50 minutes of Melodic Epic Black Metal; the CD comes with 12 pages booklet featuring all lyrics. Although the band was formed back in 2000, they started releasing stuff only after their reformation, in 2008, so this is basically a new beginning by a new, promising Hungarian act, hope to hear more from them soon. 8 DEAD CONGREGATION (Greece) - Promulgation of the Fall Martyrdoom - 2014 - Death Metal By now you probably already know this band and especially this release as it was designated among the best or THE best in almost all publications who had a Death Metal or an Extreme Metal top for 2014 and that's pretty huge, by now Dead Congregation is already a wellestablished name in the scene, and here an important role was played by their excellent debut album from 2008, too.

The quartet was already known for being kind of a supergroup of the Greek underground, but it seems what they succeeded with Dead Congregation might be their peak and probably they should devote more time for it, release more stuff, more often. But speaking about this second full-length album, if you don't have it in your collection already I suggest you start searching for it as it's almost sold-out as far as I know. 8 tracks, 40 full minutes of obscure, sinister, brutal and at the same time technical Death Metal without compromises, with a dense, almost claustrophobic atmosphere build by a low tuned, incisive bass line, tasty guitar riffs supported by occasional chaotic (old-school) solos and catchy leads, ultra-guttural, cavernous vocals and a fantastic drum line, all of this delivered with an organic production. Give it a listen and there's one thing I promise: even if you won't like it you'll respect it, it will gain and consolidate your respect, no doubts. Fantastic release, fantastic band! 9.5

with only 2 track featured but with a fair 16 minutes of playing time. Although self-released again, it's clear to me these guys are in for good as they are professional to the bone, even hiring the talented Costing Chioreanu to direct a lyrics video for one of their tracks, and now releasing this new EP on professional CD with 3 folds booklet featuring the lyrics, too. But the best proof for professional behavior is definitely their music, Deconstructing Sequence are definitely not afraid to let their imagination free at first sight (read audition) chaotic and without any real plan, but unveiling itself to the listener after a few spins. I'm most impressed this time by the excellent drummer, he's all over the place on this release and still manages to keep the whole curdled and on track, but that doesn't mean that the others in the band are less capable, both guitar and vocal parts are complex and expressive blending deep melodies with sci-fi atmospheres, aggressive Death Metal parts with space ambient ones. One of my favorite young Progressive Metal bands, I have no doubt they'll do well in 2015, too, when we expect their debut album to be released. 9

Greece and Haapoja from Finland, they exchanged guitarists and vocalists on one track each on this Split.

Dephosphorus' side is a mid-tempo to fast paced Astrogrind, or better said an atmospheric, mesmerizing, repetitive but at the same time highly technical Grindcore heavily influenced the the nowadays Post-Metal but also by the old-school US Death Metal and Hardcore scenes scene and with a very distinctive screaming vocal Black Metal type. Excellent music, and as far as I'm concerned, very original.

Haapoja from Finland are also highly influenced by the Post-Hardcore Metal music from nowadays, but their music is actually groovier and faster than Dephosphorus, highlighted by a ferocious vocalist that sounds like a rabid dog all the time, something like the Dutch '90's sensation Bluuurgh, or the Finnish Black Metallers I'm so fond of Uhriristi, so you can easily guess I love this guy's vocals, too. A mix of Grind, Hardcore, Death and Post-Hardcore with tremendous energy and a hint of Progressive in their compositions, too.

Excellent split, excellent bands, recommended! It comes in 180 grams black vinyl with lyrics insert. 8 / 8.5

DEHUMAN (Belgium) Graveyard of Eden Kaotoxin - 2015 -

DESERT NEAR THE END (Greece) - Hunt for the Sun Total Metal - 2014 Death Metal Power Thrash Metal Second full-length album from this Belgian quartet and as It seems this band was founded well second album out on Kaotoxin, so it seems both parts back in 1997 under a different name were pretty happy about the first attempt in order to and they are playing as Desert Near decide to continue their deal. This new assault features 8 the End only since 2010, and yet under this moniker they tracks and lasts for almost 40 minutes of intense, mostly managed to release 2 full-length albums already. This fast paced, technical to the bone '90's type of Death Metal one, the second, is made of 8 tracks and clocks almost 50 that reminds mostly of Suffocation, but it's in no way a minutes of Thrash Metal with massive Power Metal copycat; Dehuman actually have a strong Dutch Death influences but still keeping the aggression and patterns of Metal influence. I like the vocal tone, manly, aggressive traditional Thrash Metal. Although I like traditional and comprehensive shouts instead of growls, at least in Thrash a lot, I think these guys went too traditional I this case, where the rest of the band are giving their all on mean the guitar riffs are following lines that were used instruments, it works out perfectly and I wouldn't change over and over and over again in this genre and although it. The instrumental part is as technical and precise as delivered skillfully they still cannot impress the listener, possible and I'm sure this album, although not well at least a listener that wants something with an groundbreaking or highly memorable, will bring this band original flavor at least. The vocals are good but not a huge respect in the scene. The tracks have a natural flow impressive either in a genre that usually pushes ahead that makes this album a very enjoyable audition, but if some crazy frontmen. The rhythm section is ok, without you're looking for innovative stuff you won't find much much to stand out except for maybe a sideslip on Death here, yes, the music is highly technical and it all feels like Metal territory on a track, and that was unexpected and these guys are capable of anything, but that doesn't mean fresh at the same time. All in all this is a good band but they are innovative. If you're into '90's fast paced and for me their music didn't do anything, so try it yourselves technical Death Metal this is certainly a good pick for you might like it. 7 2015, you won't be disappointed, but I feel the next album will be even better. 8 DETONATOR (Ukraine) - Excelsior Metal Race - 2014 - Thrash Metal DEMON VOMIT This band was active between '91 and '93 when they (Poland) - Brutal released 2 demos and I guess had a lot of fun and I would presume success, too. It seems they decided to get back Blasphemy Rotten Music - together in 2012 when they started working on this 2012 - Brutal Death release, their debut full-length album; the 10 tracks Metal featured here are both old ones, taken from their second Until now this is demo (not sure if from the first, too), and new ones, but the one and only the material sounds damn curdled and powerful, and fresh full-length album from as the Spring, you wouldn't say these are the same guys Demon Vomit, a tri founded back in 2007. Brutal that were jamming almost 25 years ago. Excelsior, Blasphemy is a strange combination of old-school Brutal contrary to my expectations, is a very complex, tight, and Death and even old-school traditional Death Metal with traditional sounding material made of 10 tracks that will the new school of Brutal Slam Death Metal. 11 tracks, crush your brains; the rhythms are mostly fast but there's almost 50 minutes of playing time, not bad for a debut plenty of groove and also some American Power Metal album, but the material doesn't surprise too much on the here and there. The highlights of this album are the technical level, yes, it has some good moments, but it also excellent, catchy guitar riffs, the commanding bass lines, has some boring tracks (like the 5th, Anal Nun), so I'd say the complex drumming and the powerful vocals, all of it's quite balanced in the end. Demon Vomit impresses them skillfully blended and professionally delivered, be through it's highly blasphemic and anti-christian lyrical sure you're not going to get a generic Thrash Metal band content, and through its vocal part, Kazik, although not here. Most probably Detonator is the best surprise coming being versatile at all, has a very stable, organic, out of Ukraine for the first part of this year, at least for oppressive vocal tone I enjoyed a lot. The instrumental me, Excelsior is a wonderful material recommended to part, as said earlier is balanced, and I think it would have both traditional Thrash Metal followers and the new blood been way better if the tracks would have been shorter, that's into Modern Thrash. The only (very little) fault in some tracks (the ones I consider boring) are way too my opinion is that I would have liked a bit more guitar stretched and synthetically repetitive. The sound is raw solos, the few thrown inhere are delicious. 9 and organic but at the same time crystal clear, no complaints here. Curious to see if the band is still active DIMELESS and if they'll release something new in the near future. 6 (Germany) - White Lion DEPHOSPHORUS / HAAPOJA (Greece / Finland) - NoiseHead - 2014 - Groove Thrash Metal "Never judge a book by its cover" and yet I did it again, Collaboration LP 7degrees / Handshake Inc. / Nerve Altar - 2015 - honestly this band's name, the album title and especially Astrogrind / Black Hardcore Thrash Grind the simple cover artwork didn't inspire much in my head I've never heard of such a split although I'm almost sure before giving this second full-length album of theirs a there have been other such cases before, so here's what's spin, but once I did I was hooked. Well, maybe starting so impressive: even though the bands are from two with the second track only as on the first one Victor, the different and quite distant countries, Dephosphorus from vocalist, mostly screams like a madman and sounds

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

DEATHERAPY (Italy) - Look, We are Dying Revalve - 2014 - Melodic Deathcore Death Metal Here's a young band from Trieste offering us their debut EP, a collage of 6 tracks totaling a bit over 20 minutes. It's a pretty weird combination of Deathcore and Melodic Death Metal, more mid-tempo rhythmed as one might think when hearing this combination, and with more emphasis on the technical side of their compositions that on developing the fastest and most brutal music around; yes, an interesting approach. Also what I like about them is their mix of new ideas with old patterns, but I don't know if this is what they wanted or if it just happened by mistake, the result is that even if I'm usually not a big fan of Deathcore, I could also find elements on my taste on this EP, but I think Deathcore fans won't appreciate it because it's not as fast as it should or because it doesn't have as many breakdowns as it should (I only head a few attempts, but no real breakdown). Anyway, as a debut EP I find it pretty well curdled and presented quite professionally, so here we have the premises to grow, probably they need more hooks, more catchiness on the next release though. 7 DECONSTRUCTING SEQUENCE (UK) - Access Code Selfreleased - 2014 Progressive Death Metal This young act from UK that impressed me so much with their debut EP from 2013 is back with yet another EP, this time

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maybe a bit too excited, but starting with the second track he lets out that gorgeous voice reminding me of the Southern Groove Metal tree of bands that resulted from Pantera: Dawn, Damageplan or Superjoint Ritual, maybe a bit of Black Label Society, too. So yes, American type Groove Thrash Metal with excellent execution, excellent compositions and easily memorable, too, Dimeless should get much more attention and once with this deal with NoiseHead hopefully they'll get it (the attention). 11 tracks, almost an hour of Metal that can be tasted by both newcomers and old-school metalheads, one of those bands that could manage to reconcile fans of lots of different Metal subgenres. Good stuff! 8.5

the Russian scene, Doden Grotte's music sounds as enthusiastic as the Tampa Bay Death Metal scene at its beginnings, but the similarities with Death Metal end here although some influences are obvious in their compositions. I don't like the drums' sound, too synthetic at times and too raw at others, they are simply not mastered correctly, but overall the sound quality of this demo is quite ok, organic and clear, you'll have no problem with it. Nothing new under the sun (or the moon), but an enthusiastic band that has all potential to become a name on the scene. The material is released on Pro CDR with 4 pages booklet, limited to only 66 copies.

6.5

DISOLVO ANIMVS (Greece) - Aphesis Darknagar - 2012 - Black Death Metal Not sure if this mix of styles can come up with any more surprising elements in the near future unless it takes a break from the spotlight (like Death Metal did) and/or starts to encapsulate elements from other genres, too. Just check any review of a Black Death Metal release and in 90% you'll see references to the big names like Behemoth, Dissection, Hate and maybe Belphegor, and that's it.

Disolvo Animvs have the same style, the same kind of look, and even though they are impressively technical and their music sounds extremely tight, it will be quite impossible for them to get at the same table with Behemoth. They need to come up with something else in order to create their own path, and judging by how professional and well executed this album is, they have all chances to bring something of their own in the near future (hopefully they haven't given up, as it's already 3 years since the release of this album). Aphesis features 8 tracks in about 40 minutes of brutal and technical but at the same time melodic and mysterious Black Death Metal with complex compositions that won't bore you at all. The 4th track, Illumination has that "something" I was mentioning above, it has a slight Industrial or Progressive Thrash influence that I haven't heard before and that might just be what this genre needs to refresh. Overall the album is excellent, I have nothing to object, the music is tight and interesting, the lyrics are offensive as they should be, the production is perfect, and the cover/booklet artwork is amazing, if you're a fan of this genre you shouldn't miss it. 8.5

DOOMSTER REICH (Poland) - The League for Mental Distillation The End of Time - 2014 - Psychedelic Heavy Doom Metal Interesting new act from Poland formed by musicians already known from other bands, especially Extreme Metal bands like Architects of Disease, Iugulatus, or Deathlust, so I guess they needed something else in their career, they needed to experiment on other territories and that's why they brought this project to life in 2012; good decision, better than experimenting this way in their other bands. Doomster Reich sounds like the name suggest it, a combination of Heavy and Doom Metal with important Psychedelic ('70's type) and even Black Metal (!!!) influences. The sound is quite experimental as well, much rawer than I would have liked for this release, and that's probably my biggest complaint about this debut album of their. The compositions are complex, free of any boundaries, proving the band members have really good technical skills, I only think this music would have needed some more hooks in their tracks, or at least in some, so that at least one would stick to your mind after the audition. As a debut album I think it did what it was supposed to: showed us a new band full of potential in developing something more in a genre that's now considered vintage. 7 DRAGONSFIRE (Germany) - Metal X Selfreleased - 2014

aspect in the future, but for the moment this demo won't convince you. 5 EMBALMING THEATRE (Switzerland) - No Grind for Old Men Power It Up - 2014 - Death Grind Celebrating 15 years of activity here's No Grind for Old Men, a 19 minutes long release which on normal standards should be considered an EP, but I guess the band considers it a full-length especially since it features 15 tracks. Embalming Theatre are quite a well-known name, especially in the Grindcore scene, their trademark being that all their topics are based on true (mostly gory) events wrapping their music in a credible and sinister atmosphere. Even though I hate their type of joke live appearance (Obscene Extreme-like, all fun, party everywhere) their music is one of the most solid and disgusting Grind with Gore and Death influences I've heard lately; the guitar riffs are fat and chunky, drums are energetic swinging between Death and Punk rhythms, and the vocals are suffocating growls supported at times by ultra-low-tuned beastly sounds; all good, all horrifying and expressive reminding me of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre atmosphere, so if you're a fan of that or similar movies and Death, Gore and/or Grind, you should definitely check out the new Embalming Theatre CD. 8.5 ENDE (France) Whispers of a Dying Earth Obscure Abhorrence 2012 - Black Metal Ende's debut album was released in 2012, but most of the tracks were recorded earlier, in 2010, and 2 of them even earlier, in 2004, so we're being offered some pretty old material here. Ende is the project of I.Luciferia previously known from Osculum Infame. It seems he founded this project at the beginning of the 00's and after a while left it to rot until he decided to give it another try and recorded these track totaling 9 here and clocking a bit over 40 minutes of mid-tempo to fast paced Black Metal. Quite traditional compositions, with fast, double-pedal pounding drums (courtesy of Thomas Njodr from Gothic Metallers The Veil), repetitive and mesmerizing guitar riffs, melodic yet sharp guitar leads, low tuned bass lines that are not that distinguishable, and 2 overlapping layers of Black Metal shrieks, plus some occasional subtle keyboards in the background. Good stuff but far from groundbreaking, the sound is not as powerful as it should have been to fully express the music's atmosphere, and yet is not an album to ignore either. 7

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

DJEVELKULT (Norway) - I Djevelens Tegn Morbid Shrine - 2014 - Black Metal Djevelkult were formed back in 2009 but this is only their debut full-length album, released 3 years after their debut and only demo, and that could mean they've been working hard on these 8 tracks (clocking a total of 42 minutes). The music they offer here is a traditional Black Metal inspired by the second wave of Norwegian Black Metal and especially, in my opinion, by Mayhem, Immortal and early Isvind, but with less variations on vocals and drums. The guitars, both of them, are the best thing on this album, the bass lines are incisive and support the guitar well, but the drums are quite dull and even boring at times (although they have parts where the drummer show his real potential, too), and the worst element are the vocals, cold and abrasive at the beginning, they have no versatility whatsoever and quickly become annoying to a point where they singlehandedly could ruin the whole experience for most of the listeners. Dodsherre Xarim, the guy in charge of the vocals, and the founding member of this band, is also playing guitar, so I think he would do better to find a good vocalist or at least a second vocalist and concentrate on his guitar playing, he's doing it so well even now. 6.5 DODEN GROTTE (Russia) - Demo MMXIII Cold Raw - 2015 Black Metal As the title suggests, this dome was initially released in 2013, on tape format, by Dark East Productions, and picked up this year for a pro-CDR release by Cold Raw Records, an underground label that becomes more and more active as time goes by. This is the second demo from the Russia quartet, a 20 minutes effort featuring 3 original tracks and a cover of Archgoat's Angel of Sodomy. Fast paced, very aggressive, even ferocious at times, semi-technical, with occasional melodic guitars, expressive vocals typical to

- Heavy Metal With 2 full-length albums under belt and 2 follow-up EPs, Dragonsfire is not a new name for the scene anymore, but I have to admit for me this is the first meeting with the band's music, and after a few auditions I'd say I'm glad I've met it. Dragonsfire are, as the band name suggests a pure Traditional Heavy Metal band in vein of Accept, Grave Digger, Running Wild or Hammerfall, and although their music is clearly based on overused patterns they manage to keep things interesting and quite fresh sounding. Featuring 6 tracks and clocking almost 25 minutes of Heavy Metal, Metal X is an entertaining release with the first, "Young & Wild" (fast and proud Epic Heavy Metal), and the last track, Hell (Melodic Heavy Metal), being the highlights and the tracks with more potential to possibly become hits, and the rest being also good tracks but with less personality and less attraction to the listener. For me, being overwhelmed by Black and Death releases, this is like a breath of fresh air, but I'd be curious to get the opinion of a die-hard Heavy Metal fan who only listens to this typ of music. As a conclusion I'd say Dragonsfire definitely have the potential to become a well-known name in the scene. 8.5

ENDNAME (Russia) - Demetra Slow Burn - 2014 - Progressive Sludge Doom Metal These guys seems to have invented the Math-Doom subgenre, which is a bit pretentious statement, but when you listen to their latest effort, Demetra, their third studio album, you get what this term should mean and kind of agree with the band. Basically it's a Progressive and Psychedelic mix of Sludge and Doom Metal with all sort of breaks and twists and occasional technical passages ELEGOS (Greece) - that shouldn't normally be part of Doom. 4 tracks, almost To Those Lying in 45 minutes of playing, a nice flowing release delivered as instrumental music only (except for some shamanic the Fields of Glory Selfreleased - 2015 - vocals in the background at one point), quite relaxing and Black Metal even catchy here and there, but honestly I found it less 2 songs debut demo from this young Greek duo that complex and demanding as I would have thought at first, started its activity last year, a 14 minutes effort recorded and I also didn't like most of the guitar tones used here, most probably at home. The sound is quite bad especially but that's only my opinion. I'd say the band is on a good because of the weak mixing and mastering (or the lack of way to reach what they've intended but not quite there yet, it?), the guitar riffs are too in the back of drums and guitar I love the cover artwork of this release though. 7 leads, and that becomes annoying at times, the high pitched guitar leads are hard to listen to. The drums are ENTRAILS programmed and quite synthetic, but contrary to my usual MASSACRE repulsion towards programmed drums, this time I wasn't (Germany) annoyed by them, so these guys did a good job here. The Alienation compositions range from mid tempo to fast paced rhythms Anarchism and are introduced by a nice guitar based intro, another Power It Up! - 2014 element I liked. The second track is better than the first - Grindcore one here, but it gets almost ruined by a damn awful (read In wait of their 25th childish, dissonant, amateurish) keyboard line placed at (!!!) anniversary, Rostock's own Grindcore the end of it. Elegos' Black Metal has a certain melodic / machine Entrails Massacre released this fast and furious epic feeling to it and I think they should bet more on this little EP featuring 7 tracks in almost 10 minutes of pure

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angry as fuck Grindcore with deep social messages in the lyrics. These veterans prove once again they are dedicated to the core of the genre and won't lean towards new trends, so if you're into traditional Grindcore spiced up with a healthy dose of Crust and Powerviolence; meaty guitar riffs, crunchy rhythm section and a demented vocalist (supported by the deep vocals of bass player in the background). A bulldozer of violent sounds coming your way, so don't miss out on this EP released on 6" vinyl with lyrics insert included. 8 EOSPHORUS (Sweden) - Winds of Apep WormHoleDeath 2014 - Melodic Black Metal 4 years after their self-released debut album here's Eosphorus following up with a new fulllength album, this time released by a professional label, a bit of a surprise for me personally since I know WHD wasn't going to sign Black Metal bands... Oh well, here we have 11 tracks, almost 70 minutes of melodic and semi-technical Black Metal lead by the good vocals of Oliver Spetze, vicious and blasphemic but at the same time perfectly comprehensive. The guitars are also delivering a hell lot of interesting riffs and leads, the bass lines are perfectly differentiated, even underlined at times, and the drums part are also spot on, so all in all there's nothing to argue about here. What's quite intriguing is the fat, heavy production sound, not really typical of Black Metal, but it backs up the music perfectly, a good combination. The more I listen to it, the more I like it, so I'd recommend it to you too if you're into the second wave of '90's Scandinavian Black Metal. 9 ESOTERIC (UK) - The Maniacal Vale Aestetic Death - 2014 - Aesthetic Death Mega release by Esoteric and Aestetic Death, under license from Season of Mist, this Triple LP looks amazing and weights more than 1 kg, not an usual thing either. The Maniacal Vale was recorded back in 2008 and released by Season of Mist the same year in Double CD format, but in 2014 Aestethic Death released in Triple LP format limited to 850 hand-numbered copies, a massive, massive investment of finances and energy from the Worcestershire based underground band; just imagine that the total weight of the 850 copies was more than a freakin' ton (!!!), a ton guys! And that's about ho heavy Esoteric's music is anyway, if you're a follower of the Doom and/or Funeral Doom scenes you should know them already.

Coming out of Birmingham (what a good place for metal), Esoteric's music is especially highlighted by Greg's desperate and horrifying vocals ranging from deep growls to demented screams, with excellent versatility, but also by their ability to create fantastic dramatic tunes that manage to keep the listener glued from the start till the end of a release. Esoteric may appeal to both Funeral Doomsters and Black Metallers, but also to the new wave of Post Black Metal fanatics, it's such an open music that at times you can think they have created their own way, their own identity. This is such a collectible item from all points of view that it's useless to recommend it, not even sure if it's still available, but you can try at Aesthetic Death. 10

enjoy on this album, everything you might expect from such a release (well, maybe except for the female vocals, Et Moriemur works with male vocals exclusively), but in my opinion their best asset is the ability to express emotions; still I think there's more and better to come from these guys in the future. 9.5

fast paced Thrash Metal with nothing to stand out really, so it's made of quite generic riffs, simple rhythm section, and unpolished vocal section, plus a good but unpolished as well production, it reminds me of the '80's Thrash Metal demos as I think this is recorded live, each track in one take. Since at the time of this release the five members were in their teens I guess in the meantime they have improved a lot, but on this recording they sounded pretty generic and uninteresting, and although the compositions are not bad, they are not something to raise interest either, probably only for their Russian followers since all lyrics are in their native tongue and maybe they are more challenging than the music. 5.5

EVIL DOMAIN (Brazil) - Morbid Greed Forbidden Music - 2014 - Death Metal This is most probably the band's debut demo, a 4 tracks effort clocking 15 minutes of old-school mid-tempo to fast paced Death Metal. The compositions are quite generic sounding, brutal and heavy as this genre was done decades ago, but without anything to stand out really. Still what impressed me were: the great cover artwork in FATHER MERRIN greyscale, the mysterious intro and the bass sound, but (France) - All Is Well other than that this is just another demo in the big pile of That Ends in Hell traditional Death Metal that's being released Today, won't Selfreleased - 2014 - Doom Metal stand out with anything. 6 A bit surprised this band is not signed yet, but I'm sure this EP (the follow-up to their 2011 debut demo) will EVIL EMPEROR serve as bait for labels and the next release (hopefully (Brazil) Evil their debut full-length album) will be backed up with good distribution. Father Merrin were formed in 2009 in Emperor Rotten Foetus - 2011 - the small commune (!!!) of Ligny-en-Barrois, France, and Brutal Death Metal since 3 of them were part of a Doom Death Metal band Yes, Brutal Death Metal before, they are determined to continue of the same path, but the old-school maybe with more emphasis on the Doom part and less or way: ugly, fast, none on the Death Metal part of it. These 4 tracks are chaotic, heavy as awesome, they present us a fresh approach on Doom and fuck, and very, very open it to other types of Rock and Metal fans, too, while organic sounding, still keeping that old-school patina to the whole (starting That's how Evil Emperor's music on this debut album with the band name and excellent album title and ending could be described. Although it's an old release it seems with the influences in their music). At times they remind Rotten Foetus are still promoting it, that's why I got this me of Crowbar, at other times they remind me of Dutch promo at the end of 2014. After spinning it a couple of Threnody, and at others of Cathedral, but they are times I wouldn't say I was impressed by anything, I like certainly routing through a style of their own, I'm really the fact it's so organic that it becomes somehow closer to impressed by the potential this band has, so I'd the listener, I like the excellent guitar solos inspired by recommend you don't miss this EP, it might become the the '90's Tampa Bay Death Metal, and the whole brutality beginning of a beautiful friendship. :) 8.5 it emanates, but the rest doesn't stand out at all. At times there are some Thrash Metal influences, too, so I guess FEROSITY (Poland) they are open to improving and enriching their sound, but Blasphemous unfortunately they haven't released anything new since Verses this debut. 6 Let It Bleed - 2014 Death Metal FACADA (Brazil) Ferosity were formed back in 1999 and this is their third full-length release to date, a Nadir Black Hole - 2013 - 10 tracks effort clocking 35 minutes of brutal and Death Grindcore technical Death Metal, the traditional way. To me it Third full-length album released by this band on their sounds like a mix between Cannibal Corpse and 10th anniversary, a 20 tracks effort totaling 25 minutes of Immolation, maybe even Deicide, US type Death Metal extreme violence, a sonic assault on all your senses. Fast all the way, but unfortunately it sounds so typical and so and brutal and at the same time carefully structured and devoted to their niche of Death Metal that it offers no delivered so that you can feel all its complexity, an thrills, no surprises and as a conclusion, it fails to impress excellent album that will please many fans of Death and in originality and perspective. On the other hand the good Grind, it's hellishly fast, incredibly energetic and it also things about this album are the absolutely amazing benefits from a perfect production. The guitar riffs are tightness of their compositions, you'll feel like a wall of catchy and well executed, the rhythm section is bricks keeps falling and falling on you continuously, the devastating, and the vocals (double vocals) sound like a crystal clear sound quality, and the overall true and oldpack of rabid dogs aiming at you. For the ones of you school brutality this band emanates, so if you're looking who understand Portuguese it's even better, all lyrics are for something innovative look elsewhere, but if you're in their native language and I'm sure they are very into tasting some powerful traditional US type Death important in the overall product. Excellent, mature Death Metal, Ferosity will be a good choice. Hope they'll add Grind band, and probably this is their best effort to date! 9 more guitar leads and solos on the next release though. 7

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

ET MORIEMUR (Czech Republic) Ex Nihilo in Nihilum Solitude - 2014 - Doom Death Metal Wow, Solitude managed to secure the signing of this excellent Czech band, and that proves once again how serious this label is and how high they aim while still taking small steps one at a time. I have deeply enjoyed this band's debut album from 2011, and I'm glad they managed to come up with an even better (!) follow-up. Ex Nihilo in Nihilum is made of 9 tracks totaling an hour of sad, sorrowful, deep, emotional, complex and highly expressive Doom Death Metal; some could say this was the style of the '90's, and they would be right, but this music is made for expressing and inflicting emotions, and that's exactly what Et Moriemur are doing, their music is so deep and powerful you'll be astonished, especially if the '90's Doom Death movement was in your top at the time, especially the UK bands, of course. There's plenty to

FACEFUCK (Australia) Domain of Perverted Pleasures Rotten Music - 2014 - Brutal Death Grind Debut EP from this band hailing from Australia, Domain of Perverted Pleasures features 7 tracks and lasts only a bit over 11 minutes, but it's enough to understand what they are all about: fast paced, brutal, gory and perverted Death Grind with multiple movie cuts used as intros, from the goriest movies to the funniest ones (well, at least for some); ultra-fast programed drums, guttural vocals (no chance to understand anything at all, but they sound ok), Grind riffs, nothing out of the ordinary, but a good audition for fans of this genre. Comes with a 6 pages booklet featuring all lyrics. 7 FAT MONSTERS (Russia) - Stop the Terror Lazer Craft - 2007 - Thrash Metal Not sure why I have received this CD for review since this is the band's second album from a total of 4, and this is from way back 2007...not even sure if it's still available for purchase or where from. Anyway, Stop the Terror is made of 11 tracks totaling almost an hour of mid-tempo to

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FERRETT (USA) - Year of the Ferrett Selfreleased - 2012 - Glam Heavy Thrash Metal Holy shit, I can certainly understand a band having some fun by being a parody of whatever, but if your band is not able to synchronize their instruments and vocal on at least 1 track from 12 I think you have a problem. Ferrett sound like they met at rehearsals this morning and started recording their jam session with one of the worst vocalist I had the "pleasure" to hear, 2 guitarists that are undecided if they want to be Glammers or Thrashers, a drummer that can't do good but at least he tries, and a bassist.. wait, is there a bassist? I know, it's a mean comment, one of the worst I ever wrote, but when the best part of your music are a couple of keyboard and synth interventions that are not even by regular members of the band but by guests, it cannot be any different. Too bad, I liked the cover artwork and seriously thought they'd be a good old-school Heavy Metal band, once again appearances deceive, I feel sorry for them or whoever sent me this CD, a waste of money. 1 FHOI MYORE / WYRMS (France / France) - Les Limbes Pourpres / Mehx么horr - Les IV Dimensions Cosmogoniques Ossuaire - 2014 - Black Metal / Black Metal

This Split LP was released on vinyl limited to 300 copies but I have here the promo CD version that also looks very interesting and it's also limited to 47 hand-numbered copies but I have no idea why, haven't seen this practice before.

Opening are Fhoi Myore, a band I keep hearing about more and more in the last period, so a band that works hard or has the luck to work with hard-working labels such as Ossuaire. The band plays a mid-tempo to fast paced Black Metal based on excellent guitar work and ferocious double-bass driven drums, plus a fit vocal that screams his lungs out all the time. The compositions are really clever, well-thought and range from technical to emotional and even epic parts. The sound is raw and gets quite chaotic at times, but generally delivers the goods quite clear and understandable. Only two tracks, but totaling more than 20 minutes of playing time; good band, good tracks!

Wyrms from Orleans are again a Black Metal band that bases its compositions on carefully crafted guitar structures Twin guitars all the time), delivering something I'd call semi-technical and semi-melodic, reminding me of the mid and late '90's excellent Swedish Black Metal scene. Although it's not something overly impressive, Wyrms' music is very well executed and quite catchy, the production is very good, and it shows these guys have serious experience under belt.

Both bands are very good and deliver solid compositions, so all in all this is a successful split I'd like to recommend to you, too. 7.5 / 8 FINAL DAWN (Finland) - Become Death Selfreleased - 2014 - Melodic Black Death Metal 2 years after their previous release, the "The Crown of the Dead Eyes" EP that I quite liked at the time, Final Dawn are back with a 4 tracks demo recorded as a trio with Topi and Vesa as permanent members and Juuso from Throes of Dawn helping them on drums. To me it seems the band featured more Black Metal elements on this new release, and the final result is some sort of Melodic Black Death Metal very well structured and constructed in order to deliver an interesting blend; multiple layers of vicious (yet comprehensive) and brutal vocals, well defined bass lines, catchy guitar riffs and heavy and mostly fast paced drums. It also seems they have increased the pace a bit on these new tracks although all in all it's still a mid-paced Black Death Metal with good sound, and although this new demo is not ground-breaking in any way, it's still made of 4 good, enjoyable tracks and prefaces an interesting upcoming album (hopefully). 8

are capable of very good things, probably they are only suffocated by their daily live responsibilities all of them being in their 30s I think. A nice mix of Thrash and Heavy Metal highlighted by catchy guitar riffs, long and interesting solos and epic leads, good rhythm section, a vocal with powerful timbre and although not highly versatile, well fit to the music. If you think a fast paced mix of '80's Heavy Metal with '90's Epic Power Thrash Metal sounds good to you I suggest you give this band a listen, I've really enjoyed this EP and would have liked a few more tracks even if shorter, but hopefully they have in plan a debut album for sometime soon. 8

Metal. The vocals are Black Metal shrieks, but not the typical ones, they have their own sound, a strange originality. The 5th track "All out!" is a real killer, one that should be pushed more by the artist, could bring him at the top of the genre, no doubts. I shouldn't forget to mention the excellent cover and booklet artwork, these drawings express more than words could do and they are pretty much in tone with what happens on the album. If you like your Black Metal with lots of mysterious passages, a polished yet dark atmosphere and catchy parts, you shouldn't miss this new album by Garden of Grief. 9.5

GMORK (Russia) Death Spells Erotica NitroAtmosfericum 2013 Melodic Technical Black Death Metal This is not my first encounter with the Russian Gmork, I've actually reviewed them before a couple of times and every time they managed to surprise me with a new and even better approach. This time is no different, if previously they were playing a rather melodic and Ambient infused form of Black Metal, they are now offering a still melodic but much more technical form of Black Metal, this time with heavy Death Metal influences to a point where you can easily say they are a Black Death Metal band. What's exceptional on this second albums of theirs is their thirst for innovation, their desire to cover as many territories as possible and yet remain true to their GANG (France) - Inject roots (just listen to the 6th track, it has the Ambient Black roots but also throws in Progressive Metal elements...). the Venom Emanes Metal - 2014 The guitarists are great and they work well together, the - Heavy Thrash drummer makes no mistakes either, the keyboard background as equally important to the whole, but I think Metal Holy crap, here's a the real highlights of Gmork are the versatile vocalist band that celebrates (who can do even better than what's inhere, I'm sure) and 25 years of activity especially the excellent bass lines. I have to praise the this year! A band I haven't heard of until now although cover and booklet design, and at the same time mention they have released 5 previous albums (well, 4 were self- the crystal clear sound quality, too. What I don't get is released), but one the was seemingly active during all why the tracks were written between 2009 - 2011 and these years. The new album, their 6th attack, is made of released just now, in the meantime Gmork released a lot 12 tracks and lasts for over 50 minutes of traditional of other materials. Anyway, again an impressive material Heavy Thrash Metal, simple and to the point as it was from Gmork and I know they have already recorded their done during the '80's, the beginning of the '80's. third full-length which should be released sometime soon Unfortunately the drums are programmed and at times in 2015. 9 they sound really, really synthetic ('80's Pop-like), but that won't ruin your experience, the vocalist is excellent, the GORY BLISTER (Italy) - The Fifth Fury supporting vocal choirs and occasional effects are tasty as Sliptrick - 2014 - Technical Death Metal well, the guitars are simple, following '80's patterns but The Fifth Fury is actually the fifth full-length album from their sound makes their impact heavier, the bass lines are this long-lasting Italian band founded back in 1991, a real very well-defined, and the occasional keyboard veteran of their local scene. The new album features 9 backgrounds (also old-school) are all leaning towards the tracks into 35 minutes of playing time, a good audition of metal that was used to be forged even long before this fresh sounding Technical Death Metal played with an oldband started its journey. The production is excellent, school attitude, full of dedication and leaving more space you'll feel like the band plays in the next room and you're to melody and atmosphere instead of only cold able to hear absolutely everything, this makes the band mathematical structures. The guitarist and the drummer way closer to the listener and honestly I haven't heard seem to be the only remaining original members and that such a production in long time. Heavy and Thrash shows in their music as everything centers on their Metallers into mid-tempo traditional Metal will definitely performance. The vocalist is also very capable and enjoy this. 7 versatile giving the final (aggressive) touch to a very good release, and the bass lines are mostly subtle and GARDEN OF GRIEF supportive but with occasional individual outputs too.

(Austria) - Most of the time the pace is fast to hyperfast, but that doesn't mean the album is dull, it has its mid-tempo, Endstation Selfreleased - 2014 - atmospheric parts, too, and I also have to mention the Ambient Black Metal occasional Brutal Death Metal elements thrown inthere, Fifth studio album plus the delicious Heavy Metal guitar solos and from this Austrian Progressive Metal riffs they use to decorate the whole. A Black Metal one man very entertaining release, mature and catchy, a fine band, Endstation is also, by far, its best work to date and coronation for Gory Blister's fifth opus. I don't like the honestly I really hope this is not an endstation for the cover artwork though, something more mature would band. Boronian Sturmfels, the man behind this moniker, have been a better match. 9 took himself almost 4 years to compose, record and polish up this new effort, but it was all worth it in my opinion.

GRAPESHOT Endstation is made of 8 tracks totaling more than an hour (Spain) - The Scene of music; very expressive and even emotional mix of Selfreleased - 2014 Ambient and Black Metal produced without the use of Groove Thrash Metal keyboards or other "special" instruments (well, only Debut album from this acoustic guitar ar times), although the album has a second quintet founded back in 2009, The Scene is made of 8 version with all tracks having keyboards on them but I tracks and clocks 35 minutes of Southern influenced have no idea if that was released yet or where is / will be Groove Thrash Metal with an attitude similar to Pantera, available. The guitar riffs are so hypnotic, the bass lines Dawn, Lamb of God and the likes. What I noticed even so powerful and the drums so well programmed (I doubt from the first track is that even though the vocalist has not they were recorded live though) that this albums gives me the best skills when it comes to English pronunciation, he the chills, it reminds me of the best of the best from the tries and actually gives a fuck on this little drawback, he second wave of Scandinavian (Norge and Finnish) Black has something to say and says it all, his lyrics are really FRIGHT NIGHT (Russia) - Life Eternal Selfreleased - 2014 - Gothic Rock Metal Second album from this Gothic Rock Metal band from the capital of Russia. They were formed back in 2005 but changed a lot of members until now, I don't even know how come they're still alive as a band. Life Eternal is made of 9 tracks totaling 45 minutes of strange, melancholic music lead by a good, melodic and warm female voice supported by sombre male vocals here and there, generic guitars and generic rhythm section too, so beside the female vocals there's not much to get excited here, well probably a few bass lines and piano parts, too, but I found most of this album to be uninteresting, they didn't manage to create something to stand out this time.

Probably fans of this genre will have a different opinion then I do, but for my taste it lacks personality although they are not bad musicians at all, and the sound is pretty good, too. I guess it's a matter of taste, so I won't rate it.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

FOSCOR (Spain) - Those Horrors Wither Alone - 2014 - Progressive Post Black Metal I remember meeting these guys' music back in the early 2000's, but back then they were a straight up Black Metal band; there's a long time since then and the band went through a significant change in style to a point where now I'd say their music is a captivating combination of Post Black Metal and Progressive Metal, a highly interesting and expressive journey through weird soundscapes. This fourth album from Foscor features 8 tracks and clocks almost 50 minutes of playing; if you're into exploring new territories this is the perfect occasion, I haven't heard another release to sound like this one or at least similar to it, it shifts so well and so seamless between the nowadays so popular Post Black Metal and "traditional" Progressive Metal that I'd say this is almost the perfect blend between the two genres. The atmosphere generated by this release tends to transmit a horrifying experience, but at least in my case it failed, I guess they were too involved into delivering the perfect technical release that the effects were a bit left out; that doesn't mean it's a bad release, not by a mile, this is an excellent album, but I feel the next one will be their peak and one that will probably make history, not kidding. In terms of atmosphere the last track is perfect, if the next album will follow that path it will be a terrifying experience. In the meantime don't miss this masterpiece! 9 FREEDOMINATION (Finalnd) - The Stand Selfreleased - 2015 Heavy Thrash Metal Founded in 2008, Freedomination wasn't a particularly active band when it comes to discography managing to release only an EP in 2010 and a demo a year later, then silence until this year. The Stand is their new EP and is being made of only 3 tracks, long ones indeed, totaling 18 minutes, but still only 3 tracks in comparison with their debut EP which featured double the amount. Anyway, speaking about the music on it Freedomination prove they

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Metal, each of them with a strong message thrown right in your face without any compromise and without being cosmeticized at all. His vocals are not that easy to follow when he sings in English, I think he'd do a much better job in Spanish, but they are so expressive you won't need to understand every word anyway. The instrumental part is groovy, catchy, metallic to the bone, and complex enough not to fall in boredom, they seem to be all skilled musicians, so I guess fans of the above mentioned bands would enjoy this material without problems. The tracks are enjoyable, some even challenging, but I felt the need of more hooks, a few more memorable choruses and basically something of their own to stick to my mind after the audition in order for the second audition to be a "oh, I know these guys" type of meeting. All in all this is a strong debut introducing a band that seems to have high aims, and the good thing is they rove here the potential to reach the top of their game. I'm curious where time will lead this band... 7.5

GURTHANG (Poland) - I will not Serve Immortal Frost 2015 - Blackened Doom Metal For a band started in 2010, this one has a hell lot of releases, lots of compilations, singles, splits and EPs, plus four full-length albums.

Usually I am very skeptical about such bands, and so I was about Gurthang, too, especially since I haven't heard about them yet and they have 4 albums under belt (well, the underground is so vast nowadays...). These guys started out as a duo, and since this year they seem to have found their complete line-up, a quintet, although this album was recorded as a quartet. 12 tracks, almost 70 minutes of music, you would say this is what these guys are doing all day long, and still you'd be wrong since they have other bands and projects, too. Metal Archives lists the band as a mix of Funeral Doom and Black Metal, but honestly I don't see the Funeral Doom part at all, so that's maybe due to their past; I'd say Gurthang are an atmospheric, dark Black Metal with an obvious touch of Doom (not Funeral though), plenty of mysterious, expressive elements headed by a simple yet very effective layer of keyboards in the backgrounds, but what stands out is the powerful bass lines, maybe too emphasized for this genre. Gurthang do a good job mixing the fast and ferocious Black Metal parts with the slow and heavy Doom Black ones while maintaining high the level of interest, they managed to deliver a complex, interesting album despite my initial prejudice, I'll definitely spin this disk again in the future and also recommend it to you, too.

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GREY SKIES FALLEN (USA) - The Many Sides of Truth Paragon - 2014 - Melodic Progressive Death Metal Grey Skies Fallen were founded as a band back in 1997 under a different name, but soon changed to the actual moniker. During these almost 20 years of activity the band released 4 full-length albums, this one being their fourth at a distance of 8 years from its predecessor. GSF's music is a sort of Atmospheric, Melodic Death Metal quite depressive and intrinsic most of the time, with occasional energetic parts of Progressive Death Metal highlighted by a '70's Psychedelic type of keyboard. In the '90's this would have been a real blast, but nowadays it's not that special anymore, I mean the musicianship and the execution level are very good, but the compositions would have needed something of their own in order to stand out of the crowd. The 7 tracks featured here totaling almost 40 minutes of playing time are enjoyable and HEGEROTH constitute a relaxing (yes, even if it's derived from Death (Poland) - Three Metal, this is quite relaxing) audition but without much Emperors' Triangle personality in my opinion. 7 Selfreleased - 2014 - Melodic Black Metal Although the Black Metal scene in Poland is one of the GRINDER (Germany) - Sirens biggest in Europe at the moment, if not the biggest, I don't Metal Race - 1987 (re-released know that many bands following a Melodic Black Metal 2014) Speed path, most of them are playing Black Death, others Post Thrash Metal Black Metal, a few Pagan / Folk Black Metal and a few Back in the days these Traditional Black Metal, but less and less of them are guys had a real chance, boldly admitting they are throwing in some melody and they released 2 albums on that they are not the baddest or the most satanist around.

No Remorse Records (the Not that there's that much difference between what same time the label had also Running Wild under Hegeroth are playing a Traditional Black Metal for contract) and later one on the famous Noise Records, but example; they are as aggressive and piercing as any other, somehow they never made it big. The band is no longer but the addition of incisive and well-defined keyboard active, but Metal Race seems to have dealt with them the parts gives their music more atmosphere and more re-release on this demo on CD, and kudos for that; the mysticism. This debut album seems to be a concept first thing that strikes you about this record is the release around a place in Poland that used to be at the exceptional production, for those years, and for a self- border or 3 empires: German, Russian and Austrianreleased demo, these 6 tracks have an excellent crystal Hungarian, unfortunately the band decided not to attach a clear sound quality. The music follows a mid '80's Bay booklet with lyrics to this nice digipack release. The Area Thrash Metal pattern with a few Heavy Metal music is not overly original or memorable, but for a debut influences here and there; it's not bad, but it would have album the band proves they are professional and needed a bit more hooks in order to be considered great. dedicated to their craft, hopefully they'll be around for Anyway, the energetic fast paced parts, some good leads long time. If you're into Swedish Melodic Black Metal a and riffs, plus of course the excellent production make it la '90's try this out. 7 an enjoyable audition nowadays when the retro fashion is fully blossomed, and if I add the CD comes with a 12 HELEVORN panels booklet featuring all lyrics, caricatures of each (Spain) band member and their signatures, I think it makes a Compassion Forlorn worthy buy.

BadMoodMan Music - 2014 - Gothic Doom Metal I know Helevorn since their 2010 album, one that I GURD (Switzerland) - Fake remember had a good impact on me, so to tell you the truth I was eager to listen to their new material, and that's LC / Czar of Bullets - 2014 - Groove Thrash Metal Former Century Media champs Gurd celebrated 2 decades what I've been doing for the past few days, the last of of activity by releasing their 11th full-length album, so I 2014 and the first of 2015. I'd say Compassion Forlorn is have no doubt this right here is one of the most prolific a lot better than its predecessor, and I have no doubt this Swiss Metal bands, I have no doubt why they aren't more third album will finally bring the band the respect they well-known around the World yet. This new album is deserve. This is a proud continuation of what once was made of 13 tracks clocking 54 minutes of end of '90's - the Gothic Doom Death scene of UK, so if you're a fan of beginning of '00's type Groove-infused Thrash Metal with those '90's days and their melancholic music I suggest you occasional Hardcore and a few Punk influences, too. don't miss this album. Helevorn managed to deliver a Some might say this is outdated, but I can see a revival of highly melancholic and at the same time catchy and these groovy sounds pretty soon, I think there's plenty of entertaining album, just think of a combination of the '90's room for such sonorities, too; I can definitely hear Pantera and early '00's Paradise Lost and Anathema; melodic, and Machine Head influences in their music, but also very emotional, well-crafted and expressive music German-school Thrash Metal. Meaty riffs, double highlighted by a versatile vocalist ranging his tone from Hardcore-type vocals, mid-tempo to fast paced rhythm clean and melodic to dark and growling, catchy guitar section, plus some catchy hooks here and there, although leads, an excellent rhythm section and subtle but very there could have been lots of space for more. If you think important keyboard lines in the background. I love this a Machine Head / Pantera / German Thrash would be on album and I consider Helevorn as one of the best in this your liking, give this album a try, I bet you'll like it genre at the moment. 10 although it brings nothing new or exciting on the table. 7

HI-GH (Italy) - Till Death and After Metal on Metal - 2014 - Speed Metal Hard-working band here, these 4 oldschool affictionados from Rome were formed as a band in 2012 and so far they managed to release new material every year, 2 full-length albums and the debut EP. This is their second studio album made of 12 tracks of Speed Thrash Metal a la' '80's but very well produced, I wouldn't say modern but refreshing. the cover and booklet artwork is awesome, it's nice to see a band made out of fans playing for other fans, they are proudly displaying their Heavy and Thrash Metal t-shirts in all pics from the booklet. Anyway, back to the music HI-GH are a classic Speed Thrash Metal band with simple catchy guitar riffs, occasional leads and solos to spice things up, a vocalist that doesn't have a voice that stands out with anything but nonetheless he gives it all, a drummer that's like on Duracell batteries all the time, and a hard-hitting bass line you'll be able to follow easily throughout the whole material. Nothing out of the ordinary, so not a groundbreaking album for sure, but one that's played with passion and dedication, a fun release recommended for fans of the '80's headbanging masterpieces.

7.5 HOODED MENACE (Finland) - Gloom Immemorial Doomentia - 2014 Doom Death Metal No wonder why this band is so respected nowadays, during only 7 years they managed to release 3 full-length albums and a shitload of splits and EPs, all featuring very tasty and memorable Doom Death Metal hymns like it was done back in the '90's. All their releases are highly acclaimed for their ability to perfectly blend deep, sinister atmospheres with classy guitar leads and solos and at the same time delivering catchy tunes to stick to your mind long after the audition, and I think that's the whole point in doing music. This is a compilation of 11 tracks previously released on splits, EPs and compilations aimed at their fans that were not fortunate enough to grab copies of those releases when they were still available. On the other hand this is an excellent occasion for new metalheads to discover this band's music, also because the tracks inhere were recorded with four different line-ups, you can hear the differences and similarities between them, how the band evolved and at the same time kept its way.

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

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HOTEL GREULICH (Switzerland) - Demo '14 Meatgrinder - 2014 - Black Metal This is an impressive release from A to Z, it's as oldschool and as DIY as possible. At first this is a tape, nothing unusual nowadays when tapes are more in fashion than CDs, dubbed on simple bulk tape, as raw as possible, with a cover artwork that's a mix of hand-written track titles and hand-drawn naive art, cut & paste and old type color analog pictures of the band, such an '80's type release. Then we have the music, recorded live at their rehearsal room, in one take during multiple rehearsals between 2012 and 2014, and ending with the amount of tracks, 25 of them (!!!) totaling a full hour of Black Metal.

Hotel Greulich's music is a combination of anything you can imagine Black Metal-wise, from fast and raw type to depressive, hopeless, to Ambient Black, you got them all, and for my surprise I have enjoyed it a lot even though at first I thought this is certainly done in a hurry and without quality. This is a limited edition tape but I honestly suggest you get ahold of it, the sound is pretty clear and you'll have no problem enjoying the music. Hotel Greulich is a band I hope to meet again in the future. 8 HUMUT TABAL (USA) - The Dark Emperor ov the Shadow Realm Selfreleased - 2014 - Black Metal 5 years after the band's foundation and 5 years after their debut album, Humut Tabal are back with the follow-

up full-length made of 8 tracks totaling 45 minutes of fast paced, varied and interesting Black Metal. Their major influence is the second wave of Norwegian Black Metal, that's obvious, but they are also throwing in a lot of that technical, almost industrialized US style Black Metal.

This is my first encounter with the band's music so the extremely synthetic sound of drums (drums are either programmed or heavily triggered to a point they sound like Brutal Tech Death Metal) almost threw me off, but then I discovered a very imaginative, almost innovative band giving it all to sound original; they still have a lot to work on, but they are definitely on the right track. If you're not easily annoyed by synthetic sounding drums I suggest you give this album a try, it's like a combination of second wave Norse Black Metal with Technical Death Metal, a bit of Thrash Metal and even some Cradle of Filth-like Gothic Black at times, a fast paced, mysterious, varied and catchy release. 8.5 IAMI (Brazil) - Luz e Sombra Selfreleased - 2014 - Ambient Black Metal Debut album from this Brazilian one man band, a 6 tracks effort totaling a full hour of music. Iami offers a mix of Ambient and Black Metal a la '90's, heavily inspired by Burzum's first releases, with lyrics in Portuguese listed inside of this good looking self-released digipack CD. Except for the fact that the vocals are a bit too abrasive for my taste I pretty much liked this CD, the Black Metal part is represented by mid-tempo tracks with plenty of dark atmospheres and a hint of Depressive Black Metal too, and the Ambient part reminded me of Italian Evol's atmosphere, so of course I like it although some of you might consider these tracks too long (there even one that clocks 20 minutes!) and repetitive. It's clear the man behind this project offered his soul on this debut album, and he did well, it's a nice flowing and emotional release, but unfortunately it's nothing out of the ordinary nowadays, it's not something you'll remember for long time. Well, it's a debut, time will tell if this is a successful project or not. This was released in limited edition of 300 copies and a copy is only $3! 7

one. They definitely have the potential to create something of their own, and I hope they will, so getting this EP in your collection could prove to be a good decision. 7 INGLORIOUS (Poland) - Eternal Chaos Selfreleased - 2014 - Black Metal Followup to their already old debut album (Death Syndrome was released in 2010), Inglorious are offering here 10 new tracks clocking 40 minutes, a promo used as lure by Mythrone Promotions to find a suitable new label for the band. I'd say Inglorious play an old-school Black Metal, but definitely not the old-school you are thinking of, but rather a mix between old-school Technical (Swedish) Black Metal, new wave of Polish Black Metal, and '90's type guitar, keyboards and violin additions; it sounds weird but I love it, it's fresh, it has a soul, it's expressive and even emotional at times, but it certainly doesn't lack aggression and speed. The excellent production is also to be mentioned (for example if you want you can easily follow the bass lines from start to finish), but the band's highlight is their technical skills and their nonchalance in combining double-bass pounding bass drums lead aggressive parts with acoustic, epic moments and in doing so creating a dark and dense atmosphere throughout the whole album. A very good release, I have no doubt they'll score a good record deal soon. 8.5 INNER MISSING (Russia) - Perjury Darknagar - 2013 - Gothic Doom Metal Third full-length album from these quite active Russians, Perjury is made of 8 tracks totaling 45 minutes of Gothic Metal with heavy Doom influences all over. The band seems to evolve more towards the Gothic Metal scene since their beginnings when apparently they combined Doom and Death Metal elements. This one is an easy flowing, well-structured and even catchy material, but unfortunately it doesn't come with anything overly impressive to stand out from the crowd of similar bands.

The rhythms are mostly slow to mid-tempo, with occasional bursts of aggression here and there, but the overall impression is of a relaxing audition with plenty of guitar driven melodies. 7

some notes and a diary of what seems to have been a very intelligent and troubled person; it's not often I get impressed by a band's lyrics or concept, but this one is really interesting and artistic, well supported by the jazzy, progressive, dissonant at times, catchy at others, classy and extreme, hybrid of Black Metal. It's an impressive release and if you're searching for something to push your imagination and challenge your intellect but at the same time deliver some brute, barbaric aggression, you shouldn't miss this release, and if you get ahold of this Digipak CD don't rush the audition, take your time and enjoy discovering it. 9 INSURRECTION (Holland) Catatonic Big Bad Wolf 2015 - Melodic Thrash Death Metal 6 tracks, 26 minutes playing time, quite a good offer for a debut EP I'd say, but once I see the band was founded in 2010 I must change my opinion, it's a bit too little for a band that only had one line-up change during these years, yes, they changed their vocal, but still. Anyway, what these guys offer here is a mix of Thrash and Death Metal based on fast paced rhythms, quite generic riffs and, the highlight of the band, melodic guitar leads and a versatile vocalist.

Unfortunately this genre they chose is so burnt out at the moment that I think will be extremely difficult to stand out of the crowd, and this debut EP doesn't. The production is excellent, the guys are doing a good job, but still there's something missing from their music in order to leave marks on the listener, it catches his attention but soon after the audition is gets forgotten. There's full potential to get better, but they should come up with some more hooks in their compositions on the next release. 7 ISRATHOUM / CHALICE OF BLOOD / MONTE PENUMBRA / HALF VISIBLE PRESENCE (Holland / Sweden / Portugal / Holland) - Ascetic Temples / Sacrament of Death / Downwards Deathmarch / One Is the Alignment of Shrines S.A.R.S. - 2014 - Black Metal / Black Metal / Doom Black Metal / Funeral Doom Black Metal Dutch label S.A.R.S. Productions released this material in CDR format limited to only 30 copies, I guess used only for promotional purposes, and I guess the label owner is also member of at least one of these bands.

Opening the split are Israthoum from Holland, a band that's been active since 1992 (under a different name) and that has multiple splits, EPs and even 2 albums under belt, so a pretty experienced ensemble. Their track (each band is being featured with 1 track only) is a mystical, midtempo, dark and semi-technical Black Metal with occasional Death Metal influences, and pretty varied instrumental and vocal structures, a good composition from a band that has potential in delivering something different.

Next are Chalice of Blood, a Swedish trio offering fast paced, demonical and uncompromising Black Metal, very typical for their country scene, highlighted by disgusting vocals, very fast drumming and interesting guitar riffs and leads. Good stuff.

Monte Penumbra from Portugal offers the third track here, a mix of Doom and Black Metal: slow, tired rhythms, hopeless and suffocating vocals seconded by clean vocals at times, atmospheres based on the dark guitar leads. Good but not impressive except for the very oppressing atmospheres they manage to create.

Half Visible Presence ends this split with a long track (almost 8 minutes) that begins with a long and boring guitar intro that sounds more like the guy (one-man-band) is just tuning his guitar. When the drums kick in the track catches life, but the highlight here are the very desperate, disgusting and terrifying vocals placed somewhere in the back of the instrumental part making this a totally ugly and horrifying mix of Funeral Doom and Black Metal. I don't like the Funeral Doom part that much, I think the guy can do much more with his music if he just keeps the brutal stuff. 7 / 6.5 / 5.5 / 6

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

IMPALERS (Denmark) - God from the Machine Crime - 2015 Thrash Metal This band started its activity in 2007 but from the original line-up only Soren, the vocalist/guitarist is still in the band, that's why the band, if you look at their pictures, seems a very young one, the other guys were probably not even into Metal when the band started. Still the band opened its "official" discographic career in 2013 when they released their debut album, so basically this line-up is THE line-up for Impalers. God from the Machine (such a weird title) features 9 tracks in a bit more than 45 minutes of Thrash Metal, a mix of US (especially Metallica) and German Thrash Metal. Sometimes they are too similar to Metallica, but the raspy vocals (supported by growls at times) and the general speed are taken from the '80's Teutonic school, and that gives the whole atmosphere a more aggressive, in your face attitude fans will just love. I like the fact they are not afraid to use some pretty generic but very effective and catchy guitar riffs, and that they spice things up with loads of guitar solos, plus some choruses that are quite memorable, so all in all I like the album, it's not original but it's well thought and well delivered Speed Thrash Metal with excellent organic sound. 8 INCIPIENT CHAOS (France) - Sulphur Mortis Humanae - 2014 - Black Metal Debut EP from this quintet founded this year and made of musicians all naming themselves Chaos (Chaos 1, Chaos 2, etc), a 5 tracks effort totaling almost half an hour of aggressive, fast and uncompromising Black Metal with minor Death Metal influences here and there. The excellent production allows the listener to listen and understand each and every instrument in part, and that's a great thing since they are pretty skilled musicians; I found myself judging this material as if it was released by a highly experienced band, forgot they were founded only this year. Yes, they are quite skilled and their potential is excellent, but this debut EP is more impressive through its fine production than its music since I could find nothing original or out of the ordinary in order to tie this name, Incipient Chaos, with their own sound, their own music, they actually travel through lots of different aggressive Black Metal types without actually settling for a certain

INNER MISSING (Russia) - Defeat Darknagar / Satanath / Niberu 2014 - Gothic Metal Yes, here's the confirmation that Inner Missing are moving towards a Gothic Metal territory more and more, this new album has little traces of Doom Metal and the whole is graviting towards mid-tempo Gothic Metal lead by a somber vocal that you will either love or hate but for sure it won't leave you indifferent. The keyboards are more influential on this release, there are some synths parts also (although there's plenty of work still due in this area), and as on their previous release, the backbone of Inner Missing's music are the guitar riffs that unfortunately are way too generic and uninteresting to spark interest; the synthetic sounding drums are also quite generic to a point where some parts of IM's music are almost boring or annoying (read too synthetic for a band that depends on atmosphere and emotions). Not sure if this move towards Gothic Metal is a winner for this band, at least I don't find it better than the previous release, sorry. 6

INQUISITOR (Lithuania) Clinamen | Episteme Forgotten Path - 2014 - Avantgarde Black Metal Inquisitor come from Lithuania were formed as a band back in 2002. Not sure if they started out as a Progressive / Avantgarde band, but it's certain they are now travelling on such roads. This is their second fulllength album, a 6 tracks effort totaling almost 45 minutes of interesting Black Metal, but as I said earlier, not the traditional type, but one that tries and sometimes even succeeds to push the boundaries in any and every way possible. This is a real journey, a concept album based on

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ISTINA (Russia) Knowledge of Darkness Self-released - 2014 Depressive Black Metal Straight from Siberia, this 2 men band

apparently founded back in 2007 managed to release their debut album in 2014 in dorm of a self-released professional digipack including a 12 pages booklet with all lyrics listed, so they seem to do a pretty good job even without a label, and yet a label would offer them a better exposure, so hopefully this will also bring them a label deal soon. The album is made of 10 track totaling 70 minutes of Depressive Black Metal defined by mid-tempo rhythm section, almost continuous use of fast paced double bass pedal, slow, lethargic, and at the same time freezing-cold guitar riffs, well-defined bass lines, atmospheric keyboard backgrounds and razor-sharp shrieks to freeze the blood in your veins, although with a serious lack in versatility. Unfortunately the band lacks something of their own, and except for the fact they are good at playing this genre they bring nothing new to the table, you won't remember them much after the audition.

Anyway, since it's a debut album it's a good start, one that they absolutely shouldn't be ashamed of. 6.5 LACHRIMATORY (Brazil) - Transient Solitude - 2011 (2014 re-release) Doom Death Metal Is Solitude out of material to release or is this such a good album that it deserved a re-release?

This was my first question when I saw this was originally released by the band in 2011, and since this is their debut album (although the band has a 15 years existence now) and they are not some super-famous musicians, my question was legitimate. Transient is made of 6 tracks clocking more than an hour of depressive Doom Death Metal heavily influenced by My Dying Bride and Anathema, and indeed if this would have been released back in the '90's I'm sure it would have become one of the cult releases of this genre, it's as good as I thought but at the '90's level: slow and heavy tempos, depressive atmospheres, organic sound, comprehensive growling vocals supported by occasional clean ones, low tuned guitar riffs and bass lines, good Death Metal type drumming, and all of this highlighted and lead by very expressive and catchy cello lines. Both the cello and the overall atmosphere made me think of My Dying Bride so if you're into it you should definitely check out this band, this album is a great debut for Lachrimatory, but seeing how productive they are it may well be their one and only... 8

As far as I know Lelahell is one of the most representative African Extreme Metal bands, and being lead by one of the most known metalheads from over there, Redouane Aouameur, gives them a certain serious image. This is their debut album, a 10 tracks effort clocking 40 minutes of traditional and brutal Death Metal with a few ethnic influences here and there (although i would have liked to hear more of those to be honest). The band plays that Brutal Death Metal that can be labeled as old-school by now, the incipient Brutal Death with (almost) comprehensive growls, traditional twisted guitar riffs and intensive double-bass drumming (although parts of the drum lines seem programed to me, don't know if anyone would be able to play that fast live). The sound quality is very good yet maintaining a certain DIY feeling. This scene is very overcrowded nowadays, that's why I feel Lelahell could have added a bit more ethnic influences on this album, but the final result is still quite solid and mature for a debut album. 8

school patterns but at the same time trying out elements from the modern Metal, a crossover that needs more polishing in the future but it's headed the right way.

Interesting release, 11 tracks clocking an hour of music, released in digipack format (don't like how the lyrics are listed, very, very hard to read/follow). 6.5

MANTRA (France) - Into the Light Finisterian Dead End - 2013 - Progressive Thrash Metal These guys are labelling their music simply as Progressive Metal, that's why I wasn't expecting such a brutal release, and that's why I added the Thrash Metal in their style labeling, the first contact with their music was a real shock for me. The cover artwork is no helper either, you can at maximum think of a retro ('80's) Heavy Metal, but not of a full on aggressive Progressive Metal band with lots of elements from Thrash, Groove and even Death Metal! Into the Light features 8 tracks and clocks a bit over 50 minutes and it's damn interesting, ranging from fast and aggressive to melodic or jazzy to heavily LOST CONCEPTION (Russia) - Paroxysm of Despair intricate rhythms. The compositions are so complex and at the same time intelligently catchy that it's impossible to Darknagar - 2011 - Progressive Death Metal Another old release from Darknagar presenting us a remain numb throughout this album. The production is Russian Progressive Death Metal band this time. Lost top-notch, nothing to comment here, and all in all the Conception were founded back in 2008 and so far this is band gives the impression they all did their homework in their only full-length release, and they don't seem to be what concerns both the old and the new Progressive particularly active on a demo or EP level either. This Metal, they blend the influences so well that I think this young combo from Krasnoyarsk offers us here 9 tracks of album will easily appeal to any type of Progressive Rock / fresh and at the same time quite traditional Progressive Metal followers and not only. What impressed me mostly Death Metal heavily influenced by the Death legacy, but was the catchiness of all their tracks and how well they that doesn't mean they are a copycat, not at all, they have are thought on this album in what concerns the order, their own way of stirring things up, and after a few spins I heavy tracks are followed by more Ambient ones just to can say I like it a lot, or at least much more than after the regain composure and then to hit you again with brutality first audition. The album has a soul, has lots of intricate and intricate ideas. An amazing album! 9 technical displays, and it brutal and melodic at the same time, everything you need from such an album. The MARTIN BECK'S INDUCTION (Czech Rep.) - Far production is also crystal clear and there's nothing to Beyond the Horizon object there either, so I think all in all this is a quite Selfreleased - 2015 - Symphonic Power Metal successful album, too bad it's already 4 years since its Not sure how strong the Symphonic Power Metal scene release and the band seems to move so slowly announcing still is nowadays, but its die-hard fans should take into account a new, promising name to keep their eyes on: a follow-up. Recommended! 8.5 Martin Beck's Induction. As you guessed it, it's a project LUCIDITY (Finland) - The by Martin Beck, a Czech guitarist that doesn't ring a bell for me and I think you're in the same position, but one Oblivion Circle Inverse - 2015 - Melodic that demonstrates his ambitions with this debut Single, a physical release for a Single is not something that usual Death Metal I think labeling this nowadays, and if you'd see its classy look and band as Melodic presentation you'd bet it's a full-length. The young Death Metal won't do guitarist worked under the direct supervision of Roland justice to the band nor to Grapow, one more hint for us to take it seriously, plus a the genre, Lucidity are, indeed, handful of session musicians that all together managed to rooted in Melodic Death Metal but quite far from it on create a fantasy-like special atmosphere like the ones this debut full-length album released 10 years after the delivered by Rhapsody, Sonata Arctica, Kamelot or Blind band's foundation, so in the meantime they had plenty of Giardian, but without vocals (or main vocals better said), time to develop, to expand their style and reach a new and I tell you his ideas and potential are not below par dimension, melodic, atmospheric, emotional, alternative with these monsters of the genre, the whole sounds so and even progressive at times I'd say. 8 tracks, each one well structured and so professional you won't help craving with its own inprint on Lucidity's overall genre, unveiling for more. Excellent debut, I'm curious where it will lead a band with excellent potential, inclined to experiment as the young guitarist and his project. 9 much as possible and still be capable to curdle their compositions and offer a product that can be taken as a MARTYRVORE (USA) - Obliteration whole. Lucidity is both melodic, emotional and aggressive, heavy, with an emphasized atmospheric Die Todesrune - 2014 background that makes it not only easily digestible but - Death Metal also highly catchy and interesting. Although being their After more than a debut album, The Oblivion Circle proves Lucidity are a decade since their mature and capable band that deserves your attention, so foundation from my end I warmly recommend it to you, especially if Martyrvore manage to you're into Atmospheric Metal. 9 release their debut full-length album although in the meantime they were active releasing various splits, MALKAVIAN (France) - The Worshipping Mass compilations and EPs, except for the 2008-2013 period Finisterian Dead End - 2014 - Groove Hardcore Thrash when they were silent. This album is made of an Metal impressive amount of 19 tracks totaling 40 minutes of This might be a new standard: for a band to release its dark, brutal and putrefying Death Metal typical for this debut album only after around 10 years of activity. I've Spanish label (it especially reminds me of the US based seen this situation so many times lately that I really start Blaspherian), a horrifying assault on your senses with a thinking this is a real standard in many band's cases, for small dose of melody, but in this case it's a rotten, many because they focused on live shows, for others cemetery-born, sad and desolate melody to enhance the because of line-up problems, and for some simply general atmosphere. The technical part isn't that because of laziness or lack of proper conditions. In impressive, it's based on overused patterns all the way, Malkavian's case (founded in 2005) I think it's the line-up but the execution and especially the atmosphere these thing since they changed their line-up almost completely guys manage to create is amazing, exactly what you'd in 2009-2010 after they managed to release a demo and an expect from a death-inspired Death Metal band if I may EP, and since then they seem to have prepared for the say so. 8 release of this debut album. Musicwise the band plays a fast paced Thrash Metal with heavy old-school Hardcore M.D.K. / EXPURGO (Brazil / Brazil) - Sicko Brothers influences all over, plenty of Groove, even some Tasting and Eating Corpses Technical Death here and there, some elements that at Rotten Foetus - 2011 - Gore Grind / Grindcore first sight (audition) might seem dissonant, but they are A not so recent split from Rotten Foetus here featuring 2 blending quite well in the overall compositions. Their Grind-related bands from Brazil. Opening are the M.D.K. music is both brutal and groovy, keeping lots of old- trio with 12 tracks of GoreGrind I couldn't get into at all;

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

LATITUDE EGRESS (Germany) - To Take Up the Cross Art of Propaganda 2014 - Progressive Doom Metal This one-man-band used to be named Licht erlischt... until this year, but Niklas, the guy behind it, decided to change it to Latitude Egress "partially in order to dissociate from contemporary DSBM trends". What??? You'd change your band name (that has nothing to do with DSBM anyway) just to dissociate from a trend? That's a first, I've never heard of something similar and honestly I find it quite childish, but after all is his band, his decision, who cares? This is his first album under the new moniker and third full-length since the project started, and it's made of 7 long tracks totaling almost 50 minutes of melodic, melancholic and even mesmerizing Doom Black Metal structured mostly on slow to mid-tempo rhythms and highlighted by lots of melodic guitars and by a very versatile and interesting vocal approach, actually the vocals are the best element of this new album. The sound quality is crystal clear, the compositions are quite varied for this genre, but still have some too repetitive and boring parts at times, and the atmospheres he manages to create are rich and suggestive, similar with Bathory here and there. I'd say this is a good album that fans of '90's Doom Death and fans of more modern Doom Black will appreciate, I know I've been listening to it for a few hours already and I'm still not bored, maybe I have a few moments of attention-loss every audition, but not enough to ruin the overall experience. 8 LELAHELL (Algeria) - Al Insane... The (Re)Birth of Abderrahmane Horror Pain Gore Death - 2014 - Death Metal

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this music has nothing to offer to me, it's more childish and laughable than disgusting and horrifying as it's probably intended to be, the technical execution is as chaotic and unprofessional as possible, plus the multiple layers of vocals (except for a few, really few hardcore screams here and there) are awful, not to mention the horribly programed drums. M.D.K. is not at all my type of band.

Expurgo is not a new name here, I am familiar with their intensive, aggressive and brutal as fuck Grindcore with two types of vocals, catchy guitar riffs, real drummer and although the shit is recorded live they can actually transmit brutality without ever falling ridiculous. Huge difference between the two bands, and after spinning this CD for a few times I can say I like Expurgo's ultra-fast and animalic type of Grindcore more and more.

A sick split nonetheless, recommended only if you have a solid Gore and Grind background. 2 / 7.5 MINUTIAN (Finland) - Inwards Secret Ent. - 2014 - Progressive Rock Metal Unfortunately this band lost a guitarist (and friend I suppose) in 2012 but they decided to continue playing music and as a result this album is dedicated to his memory. Actually if you'll listen to this album you'll discover a music that's bursting with emotions, a highly melodic, hugely emotional and melancholic release that's the perfect tribute to the band's late guitarist. 9 tracks, 55 minutes, a mix of soft and calm Progressive Rock with energetic Progressive Metal, one of those Progressive albums where the band members' musicianship is defined by their ability to captivate and involve the listener's attention rather than by how fast, complex or mathematic they can make their instruments sound. Recommended for a night audition, meditating. Released as Digipak CD with 8 pages booklet featuring all lyrics. 8 MORBID INSULTER (Sweden) Funeral Mysticism I Hate - 2012 - Black Thrash Metal This release is a must have for all Morbid Insulter followers, and why not, for all Black Thrash Metal fans out there. It's made of 2 discs (although the content could have been easily fit on only one - a bit more than an hour of total playing time) featuring tracks from all this band's previous releases and even some unreleased goodies, too. Morbid Insulter are (or were, since they split up a few years ago) a very catchy raw and old-school combo playing fast paced hellish Thrash Metal with Black Metal attitude and a cruel attitude but at the same time fitting in some pretty rad guitar riffs and leads all over the place. Really, the guitars are definitely the highlight of this band, always on the move, always offering a new riff or a new lead on a repetitive riff, and everything reminds me of the '80's demo tapes, starting from the unpolished (but good though) sound and ending with the structures, patterns and attitude. A real pleasure listening to these guys' work and a real shame they broke up... Many of the nowadays bands should listen to these tracks, it's not enough to throw in 2-3 riffs, a bad sound, evil as fuck image, in order to be a successful old-school type of band, check out this band to see/hear what else is needed.

it's probably about time for some more Death Metallers to notice them, and I think Metal Scrap can do just that, bring their name into attention, at least in the underground, and I think the band realized that, too, since they stopped self-releasing albums and tried their luck on a serious label. What we get here from these 9 tracks clicking about half an hour, is a traditional Death Metal that lead my thoughts to the US scene of the '90's; generic guitar riffs, melodic guitar solos and leads at times and chaotic, demented at others, almost comprehensive growls supported by screams here and there, pounding drums (unfortunately programed, and their sound is synthetic to tears), low-tuned bass lines and rhythms varying from mid-tempo to fast and uncompromising. Not bad at all, but unfortunately I think it's too generic for nowadays' standards, and has nothing to stand out and confirm their identity (something one would expect from a band with 20+ years of experience); traditional Death Metal fans might enjoy it though. 6.5 MORZHOL (France) - MMXI Projekt'Ill - 2014 - Black Metal According to Metal Archives this band recently split up, and that's a shame since they just managed to release their debut album, this one I'm spinning right now.

MMXI is made of one 1 track clocking almost 45 minutes of raw, putrid, and extreme Black Metal with obvious old-school Death metal influences all over. Although the sound is quite unpolished, all the intruments are clear enough to offer a perfect audition, actually I can even praise this production for the way it blends with this rancid music. The long composition is like multiple tracks without pauses, so probably the lyrics are what made this trio present everything under a single track; multiple layers of vocals, mostly comprehensive screams, a very incisive and pronounced bass line, interesting and never boring guitar riffs and leads, US Death Metal styled solos, and good drumming, that's what you'll find on this debut album.

They seem pretty dedicated to this music, so I don't think the band split will drive them away from Black Metal.

Anyway, it's a shame for Morzhol. 8

annoyed by, especially by the synthetic sound of the drum machine, but all in all I must admit this EP has both a good old-school flavor to it and some interesting ideas, and fans of traditional Black Metal might enjoy it a lot. It was released in limited edition of olny 100 handnumbered pro CDRs with 4 pages booklet with lyrics listed. 7.5 NEBULA VII (Russia) - Dawn Of A New Era Kadaath / Area 51 - 2014 - Space Drone Ambient Nebula VII is a one man project from Russia founded probably around 2010 when it started releasing loads of stuff including Splits, Singles, EPs and albums. This one seems to be the only official release in 2014, but I'm not completely sure; it's made of 3 tracks + intro + outro + a bonus, a Drone version of a previously released track, although if you ask me I have no idea what is the difference between the intro/outro and the "normal" tracks, they all are Space Ambient soundscapes without vocals (except for some radio-station interceptions), I can only understand the difference between these and the last track, the bonus one, that's clearly something different.

I've recently seen a very nice video on YouTube called something like the planet's music, and made entirely of sounds captured around the planets. Well, if you know that video, or happen to find it, Nebula VII's music is something similar, maybe a bit more "melodic" and synthdriven, but it gives you the same open-space feeling, the same image of the vast universe, and I would say it's calm and relaxing and at the same time unsettling and quite scary. A different release than I'm used to nowadays, but I'm glad I had the chance to taste it.

NECRO NIHILIST NAUSEA (Italy) - Six Feet Over Your Body land of Fog - 2014 - Death Electronics Holy crap, it's 7 years since I reviewed these guys' debut EP (or was it a demo?) Six Feet Over Your Body, and I still remember how much I liked it at that time, how impressed I was of the atmospheres on that release. This time here's a new EP made of 7 tracks and totaling 24 minutes of Death Electronics with GoreGrind ultra-low tuned and very distorted vocals; Death Electronics because the whole is based on drum-machine (very synthetic, very far from my taste) and even the guitars sound computer generated, but this is by choice, I don't think they have any intention of getting a human drummer. Well, this time their music has less an impact MY SHAMEFUL on me and although I was eagerly expecting to listen to it (Finland) - Hollow I was kinda disappointed; yes, that horrifying, dark, MFL - 2014 - inhuman atmosphere is still there, but it wasn't taken to Funeral Doom the next level as I thought they are going to do, some Death Metal tracks are even boring falling into generic PC made Celebrating 15 years since the band's foundation, Hollow GoreGrind or simplistic Industrial sounds, and the only marks the 6th full-length album from My Shameful, an 8 ones that I thought to be good were the 3rd and the last, tracks effort clocking a bit over an hour of depressive and those were quite scary and that's what I want to hear from highly oppressive Funeral Doom Metal. The heavy, slow this duo in the future, scarry music, nothing else! 6 parts (major part of this album) are mixed at times with mid-tempo to fast paced Death Metal influenced NECROHERESY (Slovakia) - Divine Betrayal sequences that break the monotony but somehow manage Satanath / Grotesque Sounds / Darknagar / Wings of to still keep the overall atmosphere oppressive and Destruction - 2014 - Thrash Death Metal desperate. Although the band throws in some nice, Young Slovak band presenting us here their debut EP, a melodic guitar leads and tries to be as diverse as possible split release between 4 different labels but still limited to I would only recommend this album to die-hard fans of 500 copies. The CDs come with 4 pages booklet including this genre, it's not something you can digest so easily if lyrics. Music-wise Necroheresy are a straight on you're not already used to such sonorities. I have enjoyed traditional Death Metal with deep dark atmospheres, the Death Metal parts and would have liked even more of mostly fast paced rhythmed, with occasional Thrash them. 7 Metal parts (see the 3rd or 5th tracks for example). The sound quality is organic and quite clear although not very MYSTIC RITES polished, and actually this is the perfect sound for such (Poland) - Grin as the music. It's an ok debut that will please the fanatics of oldschool dark Thrash Death Metal, but I feel like Jewel Kingdom Falls Selfreleased - 2014 - something's missing and there's nothing to stand out in Black Metal their music (well, except maybe that ugliness in the One man band from overall atmosphere, perfectly fit with the deep growls); Poland (Gdynia) started the band proves to have good enthusiasm and good skills in 2012, Mystic Rites to deliver something better, something more memorable, present us here its second and that's why I'm not completely satisfied of this EP. EP to date, a 5 tracks Keep an eye on them and if you have the chance check effort totaling a bit more out this EP, it will only take 18 minutes of your life. 7 than half an hour so pretty long tracks I'd say, all dedicated to Quorthon. Nebiros, the guy behind NECROTIC EFFECT (Russia) - Black Box this project, has a good technique in what concerns guitar Darknagar - 2013 - Thrash Metal playing, he manages to create and deliver some pretty Darknagar offers us here the debut album of this band slick guitar riffs and acoustic interludes here and there, from Tula, a quintet that at first sight you'd say they are and his vocals are excellent, too, very ferocious and raw, youngsters, but when you look at their bio you change perfect for what he wants to transmit through its music. your opinion, the band was founded back in 2009. This Mystic Rites's compositions are made of 2 layers of debut album is made of 12 tracks and clocks a bit more guitars, raspy vocals, mostly mid-tempo rhythms, than 40 minutes of Thrash Metal; from traditional Thrash occasional crazy guitar solos (I would have liked them a to modern, groove infused Thrash, Progressive and even bit more emphasized), and a rhythm section I'm a bit to Thrash Death on some tracks, Necrotic Effect prove to

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

MORTIFER (Russia) Senseless War Metal Race - 2014 (re-release) - Thrash Metal This is the debut demo from Mortifer, a Russian Thrash Metal combo that seems to have disbanded back in 2008 after a 20 years career. Most probably they have lots of followers in Russia so re-mastering and re-releasing this debut demo might be a good choice for Metal Race, a label that's looking for old gems anyway. Fast paced Thrash Metal with Russian lyrics, fat-ass bass lines, catchy guitar riffs and choruses, headbanging-friendly attitude, and a few Heavy Thrash solos and leads to top the whole offering; not bad keeping in mind this was originally released in 1991 when I think it destroyed everything locally. For nostalgics.

MORTIS DEI (Poland) - Salvation Never Comes Metal Scrap - 2014 - Death Metal Mortis Dei, although not so well-known as some of their country-mates, are a Death Metal band founded back in 1992, and this is their fourth full-length album to date, so

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NERODIA (Italy) Prelude to Misery Revalve - 2014 Heavy Thrash Black Death Metal Nerodia have a 10 years’ experience under-belt although this is only their second official release after their 2010 debut album. They say these 4 new tracks (+ a cover of Mercyful Fate's The Uninvited Guest) are Thrashing Black Metal, but I'd say it's a good combination of Heavy, Thrash, Death and NEKRO RITUALISTIK DEATH NOIZE (France) - Black Metal, all in almost similar quantity, demonstrating an excellent potential in compositions and very good Pissed Off & Fucked Up! Projekt'Ill - 2013 - Black Death Metal technical skills in order to have everything sound complex This is the perfect example of a DIY release that's not and at the same time keep a catchy line throughout the necessary done in a hurry or just to be done, NRDN's whole EP. I love the guitar work, the rhythm section is debut EP is released on good quality digipack CD all also very competent, and the vocals are perfect for this glued and compiled by the label owner or band members type of music, raw, ferocious and comprehensive at the (although I think it's the same persons) and looks great. same time; Nerodia present themselves as a mature, From what I can see this is limited to only 24 copies skilled and enthusiastic group, and even though there's although I'd say the band deserves more. Although the little or no space at all in progression in a combination of recordings are raw and primitive, probably in one take, genres that was on top in the end of the '90's, I'd say they they fit the music and package (look) quite well; NRDN sound pretty fresh and interesting, mostly because of the plays a fast paced, chaotic but comprehensive and catchy guitar work (catchy riffs, excellent leads and inspired combination of Death and Black Metal (with occasional solos, a real delight). I see this band reaching higher Punk and Thrash influences) delivered by 7 tracks into 25 levels soon if they follow-up with a heavily promoted minutes of playing time. Two vocals completing each full-length album in a year at most. 8 other, supported by mid-tempo to fast paced riffs, exact rhythm section with clear bass lines, building a chaotic NERVOUS IMPULSE but still well-structured atmosphere that will satisfy fans (Canada) - Time to of Extreme Metal in its incipient form, just think of a Panic good Extreme Metal demo from the '80's with good Blast Head - 2015 organic sound quality. 8 Death Grind I have reviewed these guys' debut NEOLITH (Poland) album more than 4 years ago and I still Izi.Im.Kurnu-Ki Non Serviam - remember how impressed I was back then, so when I 2015 - Black Death received this follow-up full-length I was quite happy. And Metal indeed it didn't disappoint me one bit! The release is made We all know how many of 15 tracks and lasts for almost 40 minutes of groovy, Black Death Metal bands Poland has spawned along the brutal, hateful and technical Death Grind Metal based on years, some very good, some less impressive, and here's oppressive guitar riffs, occasional short leads, incisive another moniker that follows this path. Neolith were bass lines, groovy and technical drum lines and two types formed back in 1991, so we're dealing here with a mature of vocals, cuffed, inhuman, incomprehensive growls and band, one that released 3 full-length albums before this demented screams from time to time. It all feels like a mix new one, but the real proof is, of course, their music, and between a brutal fight and being eaten alive by piranhas, by all means, they don't fail to impress, that's for sure. it's complete and constant assault on your senses from This new album features 10 tracks in 40 minutes of brutal, start to finish. So as I was saying, I was impressed by mysterious, expressive and heavy as fuck Black Death their debut album, and this new one comes only to Metal with loads of good ideas and an overall extremely confirm my impression about Nervous Impulse, if you oppressive atmosphere, closer to Death than Black Metal, like Death Grind with groovy and technical touches this and I would suggest to don't miss it if you're into bands band is a must! 9 like Behemoth, Vader or Hate. Neolith are amazing, their technical skills are top-notch, their compositions catchy, NORILSK (Canada) - The Idea of North curdled and at the same time complex and even Hypnotic Dirge - 2015 - Post Doom Death Metal progressive (there are plenty of Electro influences, but Less than a year after the release of their debut EP, that doesn't mean it's less brutal or less Metal), and the Japetus, Norilsk signed with Hypnotic Dirge and already magnificent production on this album will only establish delivered their first full-length album. Two of the three their name among the best of their craft. I'm very EP tracks were kept for this debut album, together with 7 impressed by this band, and so I highly recommend it to new titles, so The Idea of North offers us 9 tracks in its 55 all of you, a perfect Black Death Metal release for my minutes of playing time, 9 tracks mixing slow, tormenting taste. 10 Doom rhythms almost touching Funeral Doom territories with some more energetic '90's type Doom Death, and NEROCAPRA (Italy) also some interesting Post Metal structures here and there - Mefisto Manna to spice things up a little. I have to admit I found a couple Justified Violence / of tracks quite boring, but as a general impression after Warhell - 2014 - spinning this a few times I'd say it's an interesting Black Death Metal material defined mostly by repetitive (quite generic at Here's the new, times) guitar riffs, very nice guitar leads, comprehensive second album of the growling vocals supported at times by clean vocals and Italian Primitive Metallers Nerocapra, an album featuring whispers, all sung in French (the band comes from 8 tracks in a bit more than half an hour of playing time Quebec), and a general Post atmosphere. The album and released as digipack including an 8 pages booklet comes in form of a digipak featuring a 12 pages booklet with all lyrics printed. Mirco's band is now a duo with with lyrics in both French and English (good idea) and him on guitars and vocals, and Beppe Mondini on drums, with an excellent artwork in perfect sync with the music. but the music is getting better and better. This new album 7 benefits of a good sound quality and although the music is primitive as they advertise it, it's a successful combination OATH (Finland) - Saatanan Myrsky Yllä Pyhän Maan of Black, Thrash and Death Metal highlighted by catchy Immortal Frost - 2014 - Black Metal and memorable guitar riffs, excellent solos, groovy drums Even before reading anything at all about the band, once and versatile vocals. I like this type of retro Metal more this CD popped in my player I knew I was dealing with a than what's on the market nowadays, as it seems most Finnish band, so as you can guess it, Oath are a band bands think old-school also means bad recording quality; playing Finnish Black Metal exclusively, the type Nerocapra's sound is organic to the bone, but crystal- featuring melodic but at the same time freezing cold clear, too. No track on this album has hit-potential, but the guitar riffs, demented vocals in the background, lyrics in overall impression is very good, I could and probably will native language, mysterious and quite subtle keyboard listen to this album a lot. 8 backgrounds and a fast paced, energetic as hell rhythm section. At times they seem influenced by the Post Black be quite complex in their approach on compositions, and all in all, although I wouldn't have said, sounds quite curdled and unitary. The band is highlighted by a very good vocalist that would fit in a Death Metal band anytime, too, and by a good guitar work complete with long and catchy solos, and well-thought leads, plus a rhythm section that makes its mark important in the overall game. By the end of the album the band will convince you they are quite serious about what they do and they also have a huge potential especially if they'll keep exploring and bringing new, fresh ideas to the table.

8.5

Metal scene, too, but overall this is traditional Finnish Black Metal to the bone, melodic and razor-sharp as they all are. The drummer was also member of other bands I liked a lot in the days (and still do): Hin Onde, Azaghal and Hellkult, all of them bands with a heavy influence in the local scene. If you're looking for Impaled Nazarene kind of Finnish Black, look elsewhere, but if you're keen on some mysterious, cold, entertaining and diverse Finnish Black Metal, Oath is a great choice, don't think twice. 8.5 ODIUM (Germany) The Science of Dying NoiseHead - 2014 Thrash Metal After 21 years of activity here's Odium's 7th full-length album, second under the Austrian label NoiseHead Records, and it's nice to see the band picking a pace of 1 album once every 2 years, hopefully in the meantime they are also hitting the scenes hard. The Science of Dying features 9 tracks in 41 minutes of Thrash Metal; fastpaced, aggressive as hell, intelligently crafted, and quite catchy, with lots of subtle influences from Power, Heavy and even Industrial Metal making it all highly interesting.

Some tracks are like a slice of Slayer while other are epic and melodic, and some weird like the Dutch Pyogenesys were, and there are plenty of hooks on both the instrumental part and the vocal part (just check the track War with its children choir). I wasn't expecting such a versatile, such a complex and at the same time simple and effective album from this band, I'm very impressed by their ability to explore new territories. I'd recommend this to every Thrash Metal fan who's looking for something new and fresh at the same time. 9 OFGHOST (Finland) - Eeva Selfreleased - 2014 - Experimental Extreme Metal Sami, the only musician behind this moniker, seems to slowly build a tradition for his project: to release a new album every new year; this is already his 3rd album under the Ofghost name, plus 1 more, in 2011 as File of Ghosts.

Made of 7 tracks and totaling a bit more than half an hour, Eeva continues where Audiocorpse left us in 2013, Sami keeps experimenting and ignoring any boundaries in composition, so yet again we have a very strange combination of Industrial Metal with Black Death Metal plus lots and lots of other influences from basically anywhere one can imagine (especially from the Alternative and Electro fields), blending melodic lines with fast and aggressive parts, angry (industrial) with clean vocals and choirs at times, solid guitar riffs with brutal programed drums. Not an easy to digest album, but definitely a material that will push your imagination, only recommended if you're open minded about Extreme Metal. Since I had the chance to listen and review all of Sami's albums I'd say he is slowly building his own genre, he is always improving and even if he tries to discover and incorporate new elements, his music is sounding more curdled than ever, can't wait for a new release. 8.5

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

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OKTOR (Poland) - Another Dimension of Pain Solitude - 2014 Doom Death Metal Man, one of my all times fave Doom Metal bands comes was Poland, a quite unknown act called Neolithic, and I have also enjoyed some other Polish Doom bands back in the '90's, and I guess that I still have that desire to find some new bands from that country to impress me. Oktor present us here their debut album released after more than a decade of activity; I'm not familiar with their previous released, but it seems they come from a Funeral Doom Metal background, and that's more clear when you start listening to the music on this debut. 8 tracks totaling 55 minutes of slow paced Funeral Doom Death Metal with not that much complexity or variety in order to impress; yes, some parts and elements (like the piano lines) are catchy, but the general impression is that they still have some work to do before offering an interesting audition, they tend to use and abuse classic Doom Death templates and even slowing down the tempo to reach a Funeral Doom atmosphere, but without coming up with something to compensate in originality. The production is great, the compositions are not bad, so fans of the above mentioned genres might find

the band intriguing, but I think they still need something more in this overcrowded scene. 6.5 ONDFODT (Finland) Hexkonst Immortal Frost 2014 - Black Metal Here's a new interesting release offered by Immortal Frost, a label that's slowly gaining a welldeserved respect in the European scene; Ondfodt is a Finnish band, but honestly I would better associate their music to the Norwegian Black Metal, its traditional, aggressive and straight-forward part and to the Swedish Black Metal the newer, more desperate one (a la Shining & co.), plus a healthy dose of the new wave of Thrashing Black Metal that's in fashion everywhere, but nothing that I would say follows the Finnish tradition, well maybe only the melodic acoustic parts. The band name and most track titles are in Swedish, again something I don't understand, but that makes this band even more interesting. The compositions are great, full of aggressive guitar riffs ranging from fast, traditional Black Metal, to headbanging-friendly old-school Thrash Metal, to most Punkish ones, the rhythm section is precise to the bone and both the drummer and the bass player deserve to be mentioned, and the vocals are very versatile and expressive; the band was founded only last year and this is their debut album, but I'd say they are certainly on the right (or left?) path, if they continue working, improving and polishing their own (unpolished) style, we might hear a lot of them in the near future. So in the meantime you should definitely check out this debut album, it successfully mixes parts from different types of Black Metal and swings from depressive, or better said nostalgic parts to aggressive and thrashy ones, and from traditional, old-school to majestic, epic ones, it's a real treat for any kind of Black Metaller out there. 9

band, and then picked up and released as Digipak CDR by Antiq label. The CD features 8 tracks clocking 45 minutes of raw, chaotic, fast and aggressive at times and melodic at others, with some heavy, crawling Doomy parts thrown inthere, too. The sound quality is organic indeed, but very raw, I think recorded live in the rehearsal room. Not sure if that was the intention but at times the music manages to create a ritualistic, dark and captivating atmosphere that reminds me of the best Burzum releases. From the technical point of view there's not much to impress, but the compositions are actually interesting and as I said earlier, if you're used to this type of necro / raw / unpolished sound quality you might discover something on your taste here. This digipak is limited to only 44 hand-numbered copies so I don't know if you'll be able to still find one, but the band seems to be very productive so I'm sure they'll have something available. 6

OUTRAGE (Germany) - We the Dead Metal on Metal 2014 Blackened Thrash Metal I had no idea Metal on Metal are into this type of music, too, I thought they were focusing on Hard'n'Heavy and Heavy Metal exclusively, but this proves me wrong. This is one of the countless other bands named Outrage, most probably one of the first that are still alive because they were formed back in 1983, so we're dealing here with a band that numbers more than 30 years of activity, that's damn impressive! Their 7th album is made of 12 tracks totaling almost 50 minutes of fast paced, '80's inspired (Venom, Sodom and the likes), headbanging-friendly mix of Thrash and Black Metal highlighted by a versatile, almost theatrical vocalist, excellent production, incisive bass lines, catchy guitar riffs supported by sharp leads and solos, plus a heavy drum line. Although they are clearly inspired by the '80's Metal, the sound is fresh and the compositions have their own attitude and feeling, and what I find the best feature about this album is that the ONE LAST SHOT (France) - First Gear Germans manage to create a spooky atmosphere through Just For Fun - 2014 - Dust Metal I guess this is the debut EP of this ambitious French band their music, reminding me of King Diamond. I cannot displaying a professional and ambitious image. 5 tracks, a help noticing the excellent, morbid cover and booklet bit more than 20 minutes and as I said earlier, a spot-on artwork, perfect for this music. 8.5 image of a winner band, hopefully they'll make it in this music world. Dust Metal in their case (I've heard this PASSION FOR SORROW (Czech Republic) - Rotting definition before but on a totally different style) means a Immortality combination of Rock'n'Roll, Southern Rock, WormHoleDeath - 2014 - Gothic Death Metal Hard'n'Heavy, Alternative Punk Rock and a softer Thrash I'm usually very intrigued by this mix between Gothic and Metal a la Metallica, it sounds ok but it lacks originality Death Metal, it can breed beautiful, beautiful things, and and a bit more catchy choruses in order to be memorable. the same happened when I received this CD. As a debut I think it turned out ok especially on the Unfortunately I was let down almost immediately, this instrumental part, the groovy, Southern-inspired guitars band, or better said this album is far from what I consider are an element to exploit for the future, the aggressive a good release; the drums are awfully synthetic, I feel like vocals are also something to bet on, but I would also listening to a video game soundtrack rather than Metal second them by some melodic vocals here and there. An music, the vocals doesn't sound natural either, and the enjoyable audition but without too much to keep in mind guitar riffs are uninspired and dull. If it wasn't for a few violin parts and especially their mix with acoustic guitars, after it. 7 the nice clean vocals and a few guitar leads this would have been a total waste of time. Sorry to be so harsh but I ORDER TO RUIN (Germany) - The Path to Atrocity don't like this release one bit... As technical details: it was Selfreleased - 2014 - Melodic Death Metal A few months after I've reviewed their second album, released by WHD as CD with 8 pages booklet including here I have their third opus... Two albums released in the lyrics and it actually has a nice cover and booklet 2014 is a bit odd, it means they are extremely productive artwork, too bad that's not enough. 4 but usually this also means a loss in compositions' quality.

Fortunately enough this is not the case for Order to Ruin, PATH OF DESOLATION (Switzerland) - Soaked they managed to deliver another good Melodic Death Jester Metal release highlighted by the way the two guitarists Selfreleased - 2014 - Melodic Death Metal manage to get along and at the same time involve the Young sextet from Switzerland featuring also a member listener. They are using a drum machine but I must admit of 3 Days of Silence, a band I recently met during my that even if I usually hate this, in this case it wasn't reviews and liked a lot, founded in 2013 and who released annoying, or at least not enough to ruin the overall its debut EP, the one I'm about to talk now, a year after. It experience. The Path of Atrocity is primarily Melodic features only 3 tracks and lasts for 13 minutes, but Death Metal but it also has multiple Groove, Heavy and unfortunately doesn’t strike a chord like 3DS did, Path of Thrash Metal influences so it sounds fresh and doesn't Desolation are following a Melodic and Modern Death exactly follow the Gothemburg patterns; I've also felt Metal path with abrasive and not at all appealing some Black Metal influences at times. Not sure if they screamed vocals (and occasional female backing vocals), play live, but on CD Order to Ruin sounds excellent, heavy guitar riffs with Power Metal influence, melodic probably they should think about finding a drummer, too. keyboard backgrounds, and organic production but not as 8 mature as I'd like. Anyway, since it their debut release it's not boring or uninteresting, not at all, it actually shows the ORDO BLASPHEMUS band has some potential, but the mastering could have (France) Orgasme been way better, a bit more polished and maybe a bit more metallic (heavy). The addition of Post-Metal-like Ossuaire Antiq - 2015 - guitars is something to be taken into consideration more Ambient Black on their upcoming release, who knows what might spring Metal from this mix of Post-Metal and Melodic Death Metal.

Not sure if this is 6.5 considered a proper full-length album or if it's made of 2 separate releases PHANTASMAL (USA) - The Reaper's Forge since it was originally released as a Double Tape by the Selfreleased - 2014 - Heavy Thrash Black Metal

There's not much info on this US based duo, but here we have their debut demo, a 3 tracks tape with simple cover and quite simple but effective cover artwork, too. From what I've previously read about it, I was expecting their music to be more aggressive, but I'd say it's aggressive only if you're looking at it as a beginning of the '80's release or if you're only used to Hard Rock, but nowadays this could be considered quite mellow among other Black Thrash outfits out there. The Reaper's Forge is a solid piece of '80's type Heavy Thrash Metal with some Black Metal influences here and there; it delivers quite crunchy and catchy riffs, organic bass and drums lines on midtempo to fast paced rhythms, old-school guitar solos, hoarse vocals that could have been way better and more powerful, and above all an analog, very familiar production that nostalgics will simply love. Not groundbreaking but definitely a solid debut recommended for fans of '80's Heavy Thrash Metal. 7 PHAZE I (France) - Uprising Trepan / WormHoleDeath 2014 - Progressive Extreme Metal Founded by members of Lyzanxia (Franck and David) and Soilwork (Dirk, the drummer), Phaze I released this new album 8 years after their debut saw the daylight. I think it was actually released by Trepan Records in 2013 and picked up by WHD and re-released in 2014. The 8 tracks clocking a bit more than 40 minutes are following a Modern Extreme Metal path as anyone can imagine highlighted by the amazing ability of Phaze I's drummer, Dirk Verbeuren, whom we know from Soilwork and lots (lots!) of other projects and bands, a human drum machine if I may say so. The vocals on this recording have a crusty, industrial effect that some might love, some might hate, and even though the instrumental part if tasteful, it might be a deal breaker for some. Although Phase I released an nice flowing album, to me it didn't do a thing, it left me numb and uninterested, starting from the weak cover and booklet artwork and ending with the music. It's a good music, don't get me wrong, but nowadays you really need something of your own, some innovative feature, in order to stand out among the crowd and a drummer alone won't do the thing. 6.5

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

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PICTURED (France) - The Strand of Time Finsterian Dead End / Grey - 2013 Heavy Thrash Death Metal Is this guitar-driven style getting back in fashion nowadays? I surely hope so because, no offense to anyone, Metal is all about guitars, the other instruments and vocals are of course mandatory, but guitars have that special place, especially if the musicians playing them have the ability and potential to make them sound catchy. Pictured has two guitarists that seem to complete each other very well, creating a highly entertaining and energetic Metal music that has no boundaries and should be enjoyed by fans of any Metal sub-genres. The Strand of Time is Pictured's debut album although they were formed as a band in 2007, and features 9 tracks in a bit more than 40 minutes playing time; mid-paced to fast rhythms, amazing guitar leads and solos on a comfy bed of metallic riffs, supported by a Swiss-clock-precise rhythm section, amazing keyboard touches here and there (I would have liked more of these) and a good vocalist that's not reaching or even trying to reach his potential (in my opinion), he sounds dull and monotonous after a while, in contrast with the rest of the instruments that manage to fully deliver high quality Metal music. I'm impressed by this band, they need more attention, that's why I recommend you to waste no more time and go grab this digipack CD right away. If the vocalist manages to have his vocals a bit more versatile we'll have a World-class act right here! 9

PLAGUE RAGES (Brazil) - Atos de Retaliação multiple - 2014 Grindcore Sao Paulo made Grindcore here by a band formed back in 1996, but whom I hear about only now; I guess they are know more in their niche, especially since they have been also part of the famous Obscene Extreme fest at a point in their career. This compilation (a release split between 9

different labels!) features 34 tracks and clocks only around 35 minutes, featuring tracks from 4 different split releases and an EP,. For my surprise Plague Rages is not 100% full-on speed and brutality, they also have some slower, doomy parts as an addition to the dark atmosphere of their music; traditional Grindcore with double vocals, a growling and a screaming one, low tuned bass lines, insane drumming and generic guitar work that doesn't impress that much. The sound is not impressive as well, quite raw and unpolished, but if you're into Grindcore you probably won't have a problem with it. As a conclusion I like the fact they keep it traditional while still experimenting with other genres. 7 PORTA INFERI (Czech Rep.) - Out of the Difference PIN - 2014 - Progressive Power Metal The reviews session from Today was amazing, I was blessed to listen to a lot of great releases, some surprised me and some I was expecting to be good. In Porta Inferi's case I didn't know what to expect since it's the first time I come across their music although they are active since 2006. This is their second studio album and I think it's self-released since PIN Records has only one band under contract, them, and PIN might mean Porta Inferi N...something Records. Anyway, the album is released as professional as possible with 8 pages booklet featuring the lyrics, and a nice cover artwork; featuring 12 tracks, it lasts for almost 45 minutes. The music featured here is some great quality Progressive Power Metal ranging from melodic hard Rock-like tracks to challenging Progressive Metal ones to epic and aggressive at the same time Power Metal. Norman Power's vocals are fantastic, I bet the guy can sing the phone book and still sound interesting, Mirek's keyboards are an excellent addition to the whole at times even leading the other instruments, the guitars are delivering juicy and catchy riffs, leads and solos all the time, that it's a real pleasure following them, and the rhythm section is spot on, too. I can't imagine why anyone into Progressive, Epic, Heavy and Power Metal wouldn't like this album, so I highly recommend it. 9.5 PREMORTAL BREATH (Germany) - They Selfreleased - 2014 - Heavy Thrash Metal Debut full-length album from this German band founded back in 2010, They is made of 8 tracks totaling 40 minutes of playing time, self-released by the band on pro CD with booklet featuring all lyrics, so they seem to be well intended and dedicated to their path. Unfortunately their compositions are not as convincing as they should be, it seems like the band wants to go in a Heavy Thrash Power Metal direction and the vocalist more in a US type Melodic Metal direction (although even trying some growling vocals here and there, but only trying, not succeeding), to me it seems they don't get well one with the other, they are not blending and definitely not curdling well together and that's a major problem they should work on for future releases. The instrumental part is quite ok: catchy guitar riffs ranging from Heavy to Thrash Metal, occasional melodic guitar leads, very good bass lines and precise drumming, promising stuff. Too bad, the overall impression is of a rushed material, not convincing at all. 5

time I'm sure if he'd use a real (good) drummer and a good vocal Pulvis et Umbra would reach higher quality standards, he should focus on his guitar as that's what he does best. 7

the CD version, not sure if this was released on vinyl too, but if you're into these bands I suggest you don't miss thsi split, the sound is very good and at the same time raw and organic, you'll definitely like it.

PURPLE NAIL (Sweden) - Embrace the Dark WormHoleDeath - 2014 - Gothic Metal Young band from Sweden who apparently decided to follow a Gothic Rock / Metal path, Purple Nail is a female-fronted act and this is their debut album. Counting 11 tracks and 50 minutes of playing, Embrace the Dark presents us a band that seems to rely heavily on the vocals of Lady Crow and that's about it; the instrumental part, except for the bass lines which are very powerful and well-crafted, impressive I'd say, the guitars, keyboards and the drums are quite dull and lack of any originality whatsoever. The production is excellent, I have nothing to argue about it, the presentation (cover, booklet) is refined as well, and all in all the music is not bad, but not something to impress either; on the other hand the female vocalist (reminding me of Xandria's vocals, and especially of a US band called Rain Fell Within) and the bassist are excellent. What can I say, a promising band that hasn't reached half of its potential here. 6

RED HILLS

PUTRID EVIL (Poland) - Massgrave Overtortures Terror from Hell - 2014 - Death Grind Metal Debut demo from this Gdansk based new band that seems to be made of three individuals with experience on the scene, so in conclusion a young band that already benefits from a certain respect. 8 short tracks, none reaching a 3 minutes mark, that honestly didn't impress me much most probably because of the extremely generic and overused guitar riffs that I've heard in countless bands before. The rest is quite good: fast and energic drums, heavy bass lines and angry vocals that I find to be the best part in this band. If you're into old-school Death Grind you might enjoy it, it has the right amount of energy and craziness, a combination of Master, Terrorizer and Repulsion I'd say, plus a good analog sound, but again, because of the generic riffs and lack of some good leads or solos to hide this somehow, I find this demo dull and unimpressive. 6

(Ukraine) - Pleasure of Destruction Total Metal - 2014 - Melodic Death

Metal Not sure if you'll agree with me, but it seems nowadays most bands release official material quite late in their career, most of them don't ever release demos before either, and that's the case of this Ukrainian band, too. 2 decades ago bands were releasing stuff weeks after their formation, they were eager to get noticed asap, but nowadays it seems everyone takes its time, not rushing anything and working hard to have it all nice and dandy by the official release time; probably that's why there are so many professional and talented bands out there, that's why this fierce competition. Getting back to Red Hills, this quintet was founded back in 2009 and this is their debut full-length album made of 8 tracks and totaling 25 minutes of Finnish inspired Melodic Death Metal, the Children of Bodom-like Metal based on Power Metal guitar leads and solos all over the place, and the same type of vocals I don't really like (they sound like the man is getting burnt while cooking breakfast: ya, yau, yau, ya), but I fully agree it's a nice piece of Metal, and if delivered by capable musicians its audition is a joy. Red Hills are skilled musicians and I'd say this is a very successful debut material (I'd say it's an EP rather than an LP), it's nice to see bands of this genre still standing tall even long time after the fashion. Fans of this genre will like it a lot, as for me I like the instrumental part but I can't listen to it anymore because of the vocals. 7 REGIMENT (France) - One les Aura Antiq - 2015 - Black Death Metal Featuring members of some important nowadays bands in the French Metal scene like Peste Noire, Borgia, Aorlhac or Hanternoz, and others I haven't heard before, Regiment is a new project that will probably want to continue as a real band and actually go live, too, and here we have their debut album, although I'd consider it an EP really, it's less than half an hour in playing time, too short for a fulllength if you ask me. On les Aura offer us 8 tracks building an interesting concept about what they actually feel when confronted to family artifacts (helmets, military gear, photos), and that's quite a personal and deep choice the band gained my respect for. Music wise I was expecting a bit more to tell you the truth, I was expecting a deeper atmosphere and a less rough production, but I was wrong, Regiment pretty much deliver raw, aggressive, mid-tempo to fast paced and semi-technical Black Death Metal with solid compositions but without much to stick to your mind after the audition. The occasional ambient/atmospheric interludes are great and if they'll manage to actually weld them with the music they'll have a winning idea I tell you. For the moment this is a good debut, but not as good as I was expecting, especially after I saw the classy cover artwork. Try it yourselves and form your own opinion. 6.5

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

PULVIS ET UMBRA (Italy) Implosion of Pain Pavement Ent. 2014 - Thrash Death Metal The legendary label Pavement Music is back and here they secured the deal with Italian Pulvis et Umbra, currently a one-man-band with Damiano Premoli behind all instruments and vocals, after many years (the band was formed in 2001) with line-up troubles. I have also reviewed Pulvis et Umbra's previous release, their debut album from 2012, but that was a massive disappointment as the sound quality, mix and master were horrible or even non-existent. Implosion of Pain features 10 tracks in 35 minutes of playing time, but this time everything seems to be better, even its general concept and delivery. I still hate the synthetic sound of the drum-machine, but I think that's the point, to give the music a certain Industrial touch; the same goes for the vocals that to me seem like inhaled vocals and I don't think inhaled vocals will ever have any power on live situations, they even sound funny instead of being manly and aggressive, but this is my opinion only. Damiano came up with some pretty rad guitar riffs touching Progressive Metal territories at times, also the compositions are not boring at all and they always keep your attention high. A general conclusion would be: Damiano acts better by himself rather than having a full line-up to back up his ideas, but at the same

PUTRID OFFAL (France) Mature Necropsy Kaotoxin - 2015 - Death Grind Putrid Offal are the perfect proof the kids from nowadays got it all wrong when it comes to Brutal Death Grind, that it's not enough to be the most disgusting, or to be the most technical, or the funniest, or the most stupid, you have to offer something more to be credible. Putrid Offal chose the gory, disgusting way of blending Death and Grind, but they are certainly doing it with style. Putrid Offal was founded back in 1991, but they disbanded after only 3 years of activity; last year they decided to give it another try and Kaotoxing picked them up right away. This is their debut album, a 15 tracks effort totaling half an hour of brutal Death Grind with excellent compositions, each with its own "face", a release that in my books makes Putrid Offal the European correspondents of Autopsy. Heavy as hell, groovy, technical, horrifying, expressive, catchy and well delivered, a real lesson in traditional brutality! The album comes as Double Digipack CD, the second CD featuring previous works of the band. This one will be one of the best of 2015! 9.5

REINO ERMITANO (Peru) - Conjuros de poder I Hate - 2014 - Doom Metal Almost 15 years of activity, 5 albums under belt, are making from Reino Ermitano a well-respected band from Peruvian soil, I'm sure about that even if I'm not sure if this is my first encounter with their music. This fifth album released last year by Sweden based I Hate Records is made of 9 tracks and clocks a bit over 50 minutes of traditional Doom Metal complete with everything you can RAZORS / YACOEPSAE (Germany / Germany) - Live think of springing from this genre: slow, punishing Power It Up! - 2015 - Punk / Powerviolence rhythms, heavy and demolishing bass lines, repetitive yet PIU! Records, as a strong promoter of Punk / Grind / catchy and fresh guitar riffs and a female vocalist that Hardcore, didn't miss the chance to release a live split sounds heavily influenced by the '70's Psychedelic scene, album with 2 of the most important names on the German with lyrics in Spanish, so a material targeted towards the underground scene, and so Razors, Punk band founded in Spanish speaking part of the world mostly. I've listened to '77, and Yacoepsae, Grind Powerviolence combo started this album for the past 2 days and I don't seem to get in '90, find themselves on this live split. The Razors part bored of it yet, I like its analog sound, honest attitude and features 4 tracks recorded during one of their 2013 gigs in I'm in love with the awesome guitar solos that support the Hamburg; traditional Punk with catchy choruses, music here and there. If you're into Doom Metal, the repetitive and energetic guitar lines, perfect soundtrack traditional way, you'll have to at least check this on the for a Punk party, for a good time. The first 2 tracks on the net, it's worth your while for sure. 8.5 Yacoepsae part are featuring extremely slow and groovy REPULSOR (Poland) drums, I almost thought they got the wrong band on these two tracks, they sound closer to Sludge than Trapped in a Nightmare Selfreleased - 2013 Powerviolence, but then the usual hyper-fast rhythms kick Thrash Metal in and the other 3 tracks featured here are a violent assault on your ears, the traditional Yacoepsae style. I have here With such a band name,

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such an album title and such a cover, what music would you expect the Polish trio to offer here? If you ask me I'd say either old-school Thrash or old-school Death Metal, and indeed Repulsor are an 80's Thrash Metal type of band complete with fast rhythms, simple but effective drums, horror movie cuts as track intros, and even a welldone acoustic guitar interlude. The vocals are comprehensive and fit well with this type of music, but I honestly don't like them as I see no real room for improvement there, and they lack versatility also. But the guitars I'd say are the real highlight of Repulsor, all riffs are catchy and complete with twin leads (although don't know how they manage to sustain this live) are the real deal on this EP. The drums and bass lines are also heavy and supportive, so nothing to comment there. All in all I have enjoyed this EP and think the band has a real chance to make it in the nowadays retro Thrash scene. 7.5 RICTUS GRIN (USA) - Townies Selfreleased - 2011 - Thrash Metal I've met Larry, the only original Rictus Grin member still active under this moniker, and his now wife and fellow band member Dez, during their 2014 Romania tour and they gave me this latest release, a live CD, so even if it's now 4 years old I'll still say some things about it; it's a free CD, so I guess you can ask the band to send you one at any time. It features some tracks I knew from before (from previous releases), a mid-tempo to fast paced Thrash Metal with Death Metal influences, plus some new compositions, on the same genre. What strikes you from the start is even though this is a fucking duo, their live music is so energetic and they are so charismatic that I bet after listening to these 11 tracks you'll definitely want to see them live, no doubt! Larry has an incredibly versatile voice ranging from clean to growls, to crazy screams, and at the same time he's delivering some pretty rad memorable guitar riffs, so I suggest if you're into traditional Thrash Metal played simple and effective you should check this band out, hopefully they'll bring out something new soon.

fact he started his musical career in the '80's with/in a Speed Metal then a Speed Thrash Metal band, so I guess age really tones you down.

What I have here is Sacro Sanctus' debut album, a 7 tracks effort totaling almost 50 minutes of Heavy Doom Metal with a somehow epic atmosphere surrounding it all.

Though this is not your typical slow Doom Metal release, it's mostly mid-paced, with occasional fast parts (especially on drums), but the atmosphere is Doomy, very suggestive, very oppressive and it reminds you of the major names of this genre. Since the release is also quite varied for this genre, I'd say it leaves the patterns aside, so all in all it's surprising to know this was done by a single person (well, actually three, as Albert also had 2 guests, but the whole concept is his), even the lyrics are impressive and they blend excellently with the cover and booklet artwork offering a part fictional, part mythical story, a concept album. Great! 9

at the same time keeping the whole atmosphere heavy and oppressive. 4 tracks, a bit over 45 minutes of playing time, highlighted by a deep growling vocal (supported by desperate screams here and there) and by the excellent guitar work, not quite typical for this style. If you're looking for a more accessible way to get to know Funeral Doom Metal you shouldn't miss this album. The production once again is flawless making this another success for the Tver based duo. 9

SERPENT SEED (Poland) - Debris of Faith The End of Time 2014 - Black Death Metal Former members of Iugulatus and Lugburz decided to form or join a new band and that's how Serpent Seed came to life in 2012. This is their debut album, featuring 7 long tracks totaling 37 SANGDRAGON (France) - Requiem for Apocalypse minutes of Black Death Metal. Since it's a polish band Wake Up Dead - 2015 - Symponic Black Death Metal Vincent Urbain, alias Lord V. Dragon, continues his saga we're talking about, it would be impossible not to mention started lots of years ago under the name Daemonium Behemoth as similar path, but I'd say Serpent Seed are between '93 and '95, then continued as Akhenaton from more influenced by old-school ('90's type European) '95 and now, since 2011 as Sangdragon, a successful saga Death Metal especially on the rhythm side, but also in if we keep in mind he released 2 full-length albums under their excellent guitar solos. There are plenty of dark the once very successful Adipocere Records. If until now atmospheres on this album, and the best thing about it is Vincent played by himself as one man projects, with its versatility, it delivers both brutal, blasphemous Sangdragon he took things further and now he's passages and melodic, mysterious parts managing to surrounded by 10 other people, musicians and staff, so I blend them in perfectly so that in the end you'll perceive think it's pretty clear he's in for a professional job. the material as a solid, unified stab of Black Death Metal.

Requiem for Apocalypse features 10 tracks (or acts) and It all sounds mature and well-curdled and even though clocks a bit over 45 minutes of symphonic, technical and this genre is overcrowded nowadays I'd say this band has at timesa bit chaotic, melodic at times, brutal at others, a real chance to becoming a new interesting Polish export, and even groovy kind of Black Death Metal, very they only need more hooks to their music, they have expressive and succeeding to build and offer a real everything else. 8 mysterious atmosphere and story. I think the lyrics are a bit auto-biographical where Vincent probably describes SERPENT SKIES (Sweden) - A Claim to Reality his journey, fails and successes in a fairy-tale like manner Sliptrick - 2014 - Melodic Death Metal about kings and dragons. Most of the time the music is This debut album from Serpent Skies was released exactly spot on, aggressive and well structured, but there are also a year ago, and unfortunately shortly after their drummer times when I feel like its falling into a chaotic state while left the band and that must have been a major blow for trying to be as intricate as possible. To a certain degree it them, not being able to promote your album live after you reminds me of Lux Occulta's My Guardian Anger, and just released it... Now it seems they have a new drummer since that's one of my all-time faves, I have to admit I like and I think they'll start building their name again and this one, too, but I'd suggest you to check a couple of its probably work on some new stuff, too. A Claim to Reality tracks before buying it, it's not your usual Black Death a is made of 11 tracks and lasts for a bit over 45 minutes, a Melodic Death Metal heavily based on guitar work, of la Behemoth. 8 course, but also very well lead by the vocal part, versatile, SARKRISTA / UNHUMAN DISEASE (Germany / professional, nice flowing and definitely above the average. The instrumental part is also interesting and well USA) - Those Who Preach Perdition curdled, fans of this genre will love it for sure, but the Immortal Frost - 2014 - Black Metal / Black Metal Opening this split are the German quartet Sarkrista with 2 problem is this genre is so very overpopulated nowadays freezing cold and at the same time quite mysterious and that it doesn't matter how well you play it, if you don't epic tracks. I don't like their type of drums sounding like a come up with something innovative (and Serpent Skies horde of chaotic galloping horses when they get on to don't) and/or if you don't play live everywhere on the faster rhythms and that's almost all the time, but I have to planet, you have scarse chances to stand out. At least appreciate they are recorded live. The guitars and vocals Serpent Skies delivered a promising and entertaining on the other side are exquisite; the vocals are cold as the debut album I recommend for a pleasant audition if you're harshest Winter, and the guitar riffs are really creating an a follower of the genre. 8 atmosphere here, so this is what I consider to be this band's highlight, they manage to create a proud and SEVEN SOLITUDES (USA) - Maxim And Missiles expressive Black Metal atmosphere.

Selfreleased - 2014 - Heavy Death Metal Unhuman Disease from the States is a one-man-band with One man band from USA with limited presence on the net 6 full-length albums under belt. Again a fast paced and so far, I was only able to find a SounCloud page with its mysterious sounding Black Metal with excellent shrieks, tracks and nothing more. Anyway, I think this is its debut brutal attitude, but a worse sound quality than Sarkrista's. demo made of 5 tracks clocking 20 minutes of music, If the drums are programed than Nocturnus Dominus, the quite fair and perfect to get to know this new name on the guy behind this moniker, did an excellent job, I'm not scene. The instrumental part has nothing to do with Death annoyed by their sound at all, I actually consider thema Metal, it's a mix of Heavy and Power Metal with catchy bit raw. The two tracks featured here and very catchy and but generic and overused riffs and '80's like Hard'n'Heavy present us a band that would deserve more attention, the solos, synthetic drum machine and weak sound, and the guitar riffs are quite epic and the atmosphere he manages only connection with Death Metal would be the raw to create is as cold and terrifying as Sarkrista's even if he's vocals a la Debauchery or even Amon Amarth. It's clear the only one in the band. this is just a start for the project so it would be useless to An excellent split, recommended to fans of '90's type judge its music too hard, but although this demo might Norwegian Black Metal, as traditional, distant, proud and prove the guy is capable of delivering some good razor-sharp as possible. 8.5 / 8 Hard'n'Heavy on guitar and Death Metal on vocals, he's having trouble mixing the two influences in something SEPTIC MIND that would be taken serious by the listeners. Nevertheless (Russia) - Rab I'm curious what will happen with this project in the Solitude - 2014 - future. 6 Funeral Doom Metal SHALLOW Nice of Solitude to keep supporting its bands, to offer RIVERS (Russia) them what they need in order to have both sides happy, The Leaden Ghost and here's the third albums of Septic Mind and at the BadMoodMan - 2015 - Doom Death Metal same time third released under this now famous label. The Second full-length album from this Russian duo, and also Russian duo continues its trip through Funeral Doom their second release on BadMoodMan, The Leaden Ghost Metal territories while leaving plenty of space to features 6 tracks and clocks almost an hour of Doom influences and basically to whatever floats their boat and Death Metal with a solid and interesting lyrical concept

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

SACRATUS (Russia) ...Paradise for Two Darknagar - 2010 Doom Death Metal Band of Armand Quenteres who also runs Darknagar Records, Sacratus released 2 albums so far, and although this one here is 5 years old now, it's their second and latest official release. I thought they were disbanded, but while checking their social media I saw they're on tour at this exact moment promoting what will be their third album. This one is made of 8 tracks and clocks 70 minutes of sad, slow tempoed, '90's type Doom Death Metal with occasional Folk elements, so an interesting and colorful release; the sound quality is also very good (well, maybe the drums' could have been less synthetic).

In the '90's there were plenty of such bands based on slow tempos, melodic guitar leads and sorrowful growling vocals and nowadays Solitude Productions present us more and more very month, so I think this band should develop their Folk influences as much as possible in order to be able to stand out from the crowd, and this album is just a proof I'm right, their music is ok, but not enough to keep the attention high for 70 minutes, and the elements I was talking about are like a breath of fresh air, you're continuously waiting for more of them to kick in.

Anyway, if you're into '90's melancholic and sad Doom Death Metal you might like this; the CD comes with 12 pages booklet featuring lyrics. 7.5 SACRO Metal on Metal It's not one-manHeavy

SANCTUS (Malta) - Deus Volt Metal - 2014 - Heavy Doom

every day you come across a band playing a combination of and Doom Metal, they are usually following a Black Metal and/or Ambient path, but Albert Bell, the man behind this project, is already known in this field through his work in Forsaken and Nomad Son, some of the best Metal exports from Malta, but he's probably more known for being the main organizer behind the Malta Doom Metal Fest, so yes, they guy is extremely dedicated and honest about what he does, kudos to him. What's curious is the

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behind. The album starts with a track that didn't impress me at all, and actually made me think I was about to listen to a boring and synthetic album, probably because of the generic guitar riffs. The guitar riffs will remain kinda generic throughout the whole album, but the whole (including atmospheres) will become increasingly captivating and borderless in what concerns the influences; it's still a pretty typical Doom Death Metal album, it's something makes it fresh, and probably it’s the progressive and atmospheric guitar leads and the occasional outbursts of ultra-fast rhythms on drums (drum machine that is). All in all The Leaden Ghost is definitely not a boring album and presents us a creative duo with potential to building their own style in the near future. 8 SISTEMA (Russia) - Losing Our Minds Selfreleased - 2005 - Heavy Metal Why would anyone send a 10 years old CD for a review? I have no idea, especially since this is not even a re-release as it's used to nowadays, no, this is the one decade old release by Sistema, a Heavy Metal band founded back in 1988. Unfortunately this is the band's one and only full-length effort to date although they seem to be still active, I guess without much plans for the future though. Losing Our Minds is a material made of 9 tracks totaling 45 minutes of modern (for those years) sounding Heavy Metal with quite a lot of Funk influences, a slight Thrash Metal inclination at times, overall energetic rhythms with occasional slow parts (even the customary ballad, of course) to get the attention of the most sensitive ones, too, plus lyrics in Russian that probably were a major advantage for the band in their home country. For a first meeting with the band they sound quite generic, but I'd recommend a listen if you know Russian, you might enjoy it. 6.5 SKYGGE (Norway) - Antiqua Ignis Immortal Frost - 2015 Black Metal This band was founded in 2011 as a one man project of Skyggemester, and after trying a vocal on the debut demo and debut album both in 2012, he ended up with another guy, Adramelech, who takes care of the vocal part on this new album, and boy what a good job he does, his screams are sharp and piercing like the Winter frost, and the atmospheric production benefits them, too, sending them somehow in the back of the instrumental part, in order to provoke a more haunting impression. Adramelech only needs a bit more versatility in order to avoid boredom, but he's definitely on the right track. Then I should mention the repetitive but very catchy and uncompromising guitar riffs plus the occasional leads that are the backbone of this release, very dark and expressive, just like the second wave of Norwegian Black Metal was; but still I think the guitars should have been brought a bit more in front, there are some short but interesting parts you can't fully enjoy.

The rhythm section is fast and furious, good job here, too, but without something to stand out. If you're looking for cold and traditional fast-paced Norwegian Black Metal with clever riffs and demented vocals look no further; CD comes with good old-school black/white cover artwork (done by a talented Romanian artist who I bet will become a name in the underground), and 12 pages featuring all lyrics. 7.5

razor-sharp and comprehensive vocals, whirlwinds over whirlwinds of guitar riffs and leads, a devastating rhythm section and an overall infernal speed in delivering catchy and well-structured compositions. If you're into Swedish Black a la Marduk, Lord Belial or Satarial, Sorghegard's debut album will make a hell of a great present for the holidays although it's evil and satanic to the bone, haha.

Violent and technical Black Metal (with a few Death Metal riffs sprinkled here and there) not to be missed! 8.5 SQUIDHEAD (Belgium) - Prohibition Selfreleased - 2014 - Instrumental Metal Squidhead is a one man band from Belgium with guitarist Pierre Minet as the man behind it, and this is its debut EP made of 5 tracks and totaling 22 minutes of music. If I say the man has on his official (Squidhead) website a stream to Meshuggah's Facebook Page embedded on the home page instead of his own band's Facebook page would you guess the music he's into? Thought so. I get that this is a new website, but it's awfully unprofessional to stream another band's feed instead of yours, and list your official contacts as www.facebook.com/theband, www.youtube.com/user/theband, twitter.com/theband.

WTF!?! On the other hand Pierre was really careful when creating his image, he wears a squid-mask and that's really cool, haven't seen this idea elsewhere. The music, fortunately, is very professional and well-thought as well, it's a mid-tempo to fast paced Technical Melodic Instrumental Death Metal with plenty of kick-ass guitar riff, leads and solos, groovy and well-defined bass lines, good drum programming, and complex compositions that leave space to some catchy hooks, too. Impressive debut EP I must say. Pierre is currently looking for a full line-up so if things will develop well we might see Squidhead live soon, and there's the real battle, but according to this release I'd say it definitely has potential to grow into something very interesting. 7.5 STENY LDA (Russia) - Beloe Bezmolvie Slow Burn - 2014 - Atmospheric Post Metal Second studio album from Steny Lda, 8 tracks in a bit less than an hour featuring tracks ranging from 3 minutes to 13, an escape in a world of their own, a vast, cold and somehow desolate but at the same time positive atmosphere in perfect tone with the cover and booklet pictures. The drummer and guitarists are very energetic, in contrast with the calm synths, and the vocals rarely appear as distant screams, but the overall result is a very good atmospheric soundscape with its ups and downs when it comes to intensity. It's too Post for my taste, but it's definitely a professional and interesting material for fans of more modern types of Rock and Metal, actually of what comes after Rock and Metal, the Post-thing. 7

more problems with them, they kinda sounded natural.

Although this genre was at its peak at least a decade ago, Stormhold prove to be a very solid outfit creating interesting and catchy compositions that will keep you glued to this album. I have to also mention the few but very intense US influenced parts of traditional and brutal Death Metal giving this album a bit more color if there was the need anymore. Recommended release, professional and mature band, excellent new release from the hard-working Ukrainian label. 9 STURMTIGER (Denmark) - World at War 1914-1918 Black Plague - 2014 Black Death Metal They call it War Metal and it's a combination of brutal and obscure sounding Black and Death Metal with topics about the first World war (obvious). After more than 10 years of activity and plenty of demos and EPs under belt Sturmtiger released this debut full-length album made of 5 studio-recorded tracks plus 2 bonus tracks that were once recorded for their debut EP back in 2007, tracks that offer a more Black Metal approach than the current style.

Speaking of the current style Sturmtiger evolved (yes, although it sounds like it's coming straight from the grave, their music improved a lot since their debut) into a more Death Metal inclined Extreme Metal with putrid, devastating, underground sounds highlighted by very catchy guitar riffs, short but efficient guitar solos, cavernous vocals (it will be impossible to understand anything, but they fit well in the overall music) and an overall (successful) warlike atmosphere that will blow you away. Not for you if you're into polished, professional Metal only, but highly recommended if you're looking for obscure-sounding Death Metal with a hint of Black Metal here and there, too. I'm impressed, and like it a lot! 9

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

SORGHEGARD (Sweden) Holocaust of the Holy Deathrune - 2011 Black Metal Not sure if this is a rerelease or the actual first print of this debut album since the cover artwork is different than the one from the first press, and also the label sent it recently for a review so I guess they are promoting it. Well, anyway, although this trio seems to have been around since 2000, this is the first time I hear their name and of course their music, too. Proud followers of the mighty Marduk, Sorghegard features 2 ex-members of Satarial and plays the purest traditional Swedish Black Metal complete with

SXUPERION (USA) - Through Cosmic Corridors Bloody Mountain - 2014 -

Black Death Metal One of my favorite bands from the new wave of US Extreme Metal scene, Sxuperion, finally released their debut album, although I thought Inverted Goat Orifice, the previous material I reviewed here, was an album, too, but according to Metal Archives, it was just an EP. So this debut album is made of 8 tracks of mostly Brutal Black Death Metal, with lo-fi sound quality, but well delivered so that it creates and expresses exactly what the man STILLBIRTH (Germany) - Global Error behind this moniker wants, a vast and extremely brutal Rising Nemesis - 2015 - Brutal Death Deathcore cosmic atmosphere, of course this with the support of the This one is totally for the new generation of Brutal Metal synths/keys part, too (2 tracks are fully synth/keys based). fans, not for old farts like me, that's for sure, or at least I The vocals are low-tuned, distanced but still well defined, find it to be waaaay too synthetic and computer-based for the drums are fast and devastating, the guitars are my taste although I like its level of brutality, some groovy characterized by low-tuned riffs and haunting leads all rhythms and some guitar leads and solos that are about all over, and the overall atmosphere is of a complete disaster that remains from how I remember the old Brutal Death in the universe passing from calm but terrifying states to sound. I agree there's always a need for innovation and chaotic and brutal parts. Still an amazing band although I that the scene must not remain at the same level, it must knew what to expect from this debut album, and probably improve and evolve in all directions, it's only that I don't expected a bit more, too. But if you haven't heard of particularly like certain directions and the current Sxuperion and its music so far and you like your Black Deathcore scene is something I don't understand and I've Death as atmospheric and dark as possible, don't miss this even stopped trying. On the other hand Stillbirth prove to release. 9 be a solid and experienced band, they tend to inhale all influences they can and spit them out as a brutal form of TACIT FURY Deathcore with multiple elements from Brutal Death, (Russia) - A Social Slam Death and even Grindcore; groovy, brutal and quite Berserker Racoon Slayer technical music for the young generation of circlepit2014 - Death Metal loving metalheads.

Wow, I can't believe this band was once a Symphonic STORMHOLD (Belarus) - The Lost World Doom Death Metal act, this fourth album of theirs is as Total Metal - 2014 - Melodic Death Metal far as possible from everything melodic, Tacit Fury are Excellent surprise from Belarus, Stormhold were formed now a solid Death Metal act heavily influenced by Thrash in 2003 and released their debut album by themselves in and Groove Metal, but not to the point of changing their 2006. Now, after what it seems a successful EP from style completely. This album is made of 11 fast and brutal 2013, they got picked up by Total Metal Records / Metal tracks clocking 50 minutes of modern, groovy, technical Scrap Records and the result is this second album and in your face Death Metal with excellent production featuring 7 long tracks and clocking 35 minutes of fast and delivered in form of a kick-ass digipack including a and melodic Death Metal, the Gothemburg type of Death 12 pages booklet featuring the lyrics, of course. Their Metal with intense Power and Heavy Metal influences all energy and heaviness reminds me of the '90's Sepultura, over. Stormhold's music is structured on a backbone of and the music is not very far away either, but imagine a amazing guitar riffs, solos and leads supported by a subtle faster and more brutal '90's Sepultura gone Death Metal to but atmospheric keyboards background and a brutal the bone (but not back to their '80's roots), with slight rhythm section. The only problem I could have with this Brutal Tech Death Metal influences. I'm not sure if the release would be the programmed drums that sound too band can deliver this energy and brutality on stage, too, synthetic, but once I got deeper into the album I had no being a trio, but as far as this album is concerned I'd say

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it's an excellent material and the first word stuck to my mind after the audition is: solid! 9 THAW (Poland) Earth Ground Witching Hour - 2014 Post Black Metal Second full-length album from this young avant-garde quartet from Poland, Earth Ground features 8 tracks in 40 minutes of playing time, an expose of mysterious, freezing cold, devastating at times - mesmerizing at other, oppressive Post Black Metal of the best quality around.

It's a mixture of Ambient Drone with really modern Post Black Metal, almost Shoegaze hinting, and although some of the parts seem artificially and unnecessary stretched and other way too improvised, the overall atmosphere is constantly tense and aggressive involving the listener.

Alongside Mord'A'Stigmata, Thaw prove Poland has a pretty heavy artillery in new Avantgarde Black Metal, a serious competition for the French effervescent scene. 9 THE ANAL TREATMENT XXXPERIENCE / ACEPTIC GOITRE (Greece / Greece) - Gangrenous Mass from Axe & Hook Ejaculation Rotten Music - 2014 - Death Grind / Brutal Death Metal A short split between 2 brutal Greek bands, Gangrenous Mass features 8 tracks from The TATX, and 5 from Aceptic Goitre, and the total playing time is 27 minutes.

Opening the split are The Anal Treatment XXXperience who, despite what the name suggests, are not a Gore Grind Noise type of band, but actually one that combines quite generic Death Metal with traditional Grind.

Unfortunately the guitar riffs are way too repetitive and simple in order to impress anyone, and they actually sound very synthetic, like generated on the PC... The drums are for sure generated on PC, but they are not annoying at all. The only element I find interesting in their music are the dual vocals, a screaming and desperate one and the other supporting it with deep growls, but all with a somehow industrial feel. Try it yourselves, maybe you'll find it more interesting than I did.

Aceptic Goitre offer us a Brutal Death Metal complete with slam-like guitar riffs, mid-tempo rhythms, deep piglike growls, and double bass drums, but like in the previous case the guitar riffs are again too repetitive and uninteresting. Their luck is that they manage to create good grooves and are quite brutal although they keep things at mid-tempo with a few occasional fast paced rhythms only. It's like good Brutal Death Metal but at half-speed, not sure how fans of this genre will react, but I think it's better suited to Slam Death Grind fans.

Not a very impressing split, sorry. Released on CD with 12 pages booklet featuring all lyrics and quite childish graphics. 5 / 6

Founded in 2008 and featuring the guitarist of Chile's own Thrash Metal heroes Criminal, Sergio Klein, The Outside offer us here their second full-length album, a 10 tracks effort totaling a bit over 35 minutes. The wow effect kicks in right after the first track starts, the crystal clear and powerful production of this album fits absolutely perfectly with its contents; Dawn of the Deaf offers an aggressive music, but at the same time being highly expressive, melodic and even catchy to a mainstream level if you ask me. Following a similar path as Testament or Nevermore, The Outside give the impression they have everything under control and they're ready to conquer the World; really, I see this album at par with the releases of above mentioned bands, easily. The music is catchy, semi-technical (with excellent guitar solos and tasty riffs and leads, a very effective and adventurous drum section, incisive and powerful bass lines and a vocalist that although not highly versatile manages to keep things interesting), melodic and sounds fresh while at the same time keeping traditional patterns in high regard. The cover artwork is also fit to such a good release, so what remains for me to do is to recommend it to you, too, it's no doubt one of the best Thrash Metal albums I've heard this year. 9.5 VEIL (France / UK) - An Sun Finisterian Dead End / Saint Voodoom - 2013 - Electro Gothic Darkwave Metal Interesting combination of styles coming from a band that was founded in 2004 but only managed to release their debut album last year, so not a very prolific group although they have previously released 3 EPs. An Electrical Sun is made of 10 tracks and clocks 45 minutes delivering what at first I didn't find so interesting, but it grew on me while progressing deeper and deeper into it and into its lyrics, it grew to a point where I can clearly say it's an interesting and complex material. If a combination of Electro, Gothic Rock, Metal guitars, a bit of Industrial and even Symphonic sounds good to you I'd recommend you to give this band a chance by listening to this album at least once, giving attention to only a track won't make justice for it. The female singer has a quite unique way of singing and with more emphasis on her sober tone, she should become a real highlight for the band; the guitar riffs, although quite generic, give the whole a bit of heaviness, an aggressive edge; the drums are ok even if usually I hate drum-programming, they sound somehow natural for such a band; the keys and synths are the driving force of this material but I would have liked a bit more involvement, even in the non-Electro parts. Interesting album, definitely not boring, and I think fans of the genre will appreciate it. 7.5 THE Electrical

awful, but that might have its own charm, too; even the band name I think it was misspelled, I think they wanted a Thrashmachine instead of a Trashmachine.The guitarists are very good and they come up with some catchy ideas for those times, they like to display their talent and the whole sounds like a Techno Thrash of the '80's so there's plenty to enjoy here if you're a fan of Traditional Thrash and if you think you can avoid reading the awful, childish lyrics (just an example: Hey, Dragon! / I'll kill you all right / I kill you every day / An' night). 6.5 TRIGGER (Russia) Under Hypnosis NitroAtmosfericum 2014 - Death Metal Not sure why, but I wasn't expecting Death Metal from this band, I was thinking of a Power Metal band. Anyway, the Russian Trigger were formed 10 years ago although this is only their second full-length album, follow-up to their 2012 debut.

To me they sound like a good mix between Six Feet Under and Debauchery, they are on the same path: groovy and oppressive guitar riffs, good leads and solos a la '90's, low-tuned but comprehensive growls, heavy bass lines and pounding drums, on a general mid-tempo rhythm with occasional fast parts. They are not particularly technical but they are delivering the good pretty well, nothing to object, and as a fan of the above-mentioned bands I also recommend this Russian quintet to likeminded maniacs, it's nothing that will blow you away, but it's definitely a good way to spend 36 minutes of your life.

8 TUNJUM (Peru) Sagrado Tiempo De Caos Dark Recollections - 2014 - Death Metal Lead

by Clara Herera (aka Kultarr) from the newly born Reign of Hecate fanzine, Tunjum is a trio that seems to be determined to grow a fanbase pretty quickly since they released no less than 2 demos and this EP in 2014, after a drought of over 7 years period during which they only released one other demo. 5 tracks, a bit over 25 minutes of playing time and a traditional Death Metal, dark, brutal, mid-tempo (mostly) to fast paced rhythmed, and highlighted by semi-technical guitars and the extremely dark and horrifying growling vocals of Clara. You know, most of the times you can easily guess when a growling vocals comes from a woman, but in Clara's case that's not true, you'd bet this is a pissed off guy. A good release if you're into traditional, ugly, dark Death Metal with a few doomier moments. 7.5

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

THE CRIMSON BRIGADE (UK) Blood Battalion Modern Artery - 2015 - Melodic Gothic Black Metal Here's a young band (founded in 2013) that actually cares about its image, too, they have created a real environment around the Crimson Brigade moniker, but it's clear this is still a project in its infancy, so I hope they'll keep developing it. To tell you the truth, this Melodic type of Black Metal with Gothic-like keyboards and atmospheres reminds me of a UK band from the beginning of the '00, Antigone, a huge promise of the scene back then that unfortunately died after only one demo. The Crimson Brigade offer us here their debut album, a 13 tracks effort totaling almost 80 minutes of playing time, something different than we're used to nowadays, an album that sounds like it's from 15 years ago. Pretty much everything is done by a single person, namely Anubis Dracul, who takes care of guitars, vocals, keys, recordings, engineering, helped by two guys on bass and lead guitars, but even the band pictures show only Anubis Dracul alone. The recordings are good but unpolished, underground fans might not have any problems with them; the vocals are good and well fit, but a bit less versatile than I would have liked, the drums are programmed but their sound is not annoying at all, the guitars are like flying under the radar, only at times you can enjoy some unusual riffs, but overall they are pretty dull, same for the bass lines. After a few spins I'm still not sure if I like it or not, so I'd suggest you check a couple of their songs and make your own ideas. 6.5 THE OUTSIDE (Germany) - Dawn of the Deaf Selfreleased - 2015 - Thrash Metal

TORRENS CONSCIENTIUM (Russia) - All Alone With the Thoughts Solitude - 2014 - Atmospheric Doom Death I was listening to this album while reading from a book and at a certain point I fell in a lethargic state, dreamy I might say, and let myself be carried away by this music.

Torrens Conscientium managed to release a great debut album here and kudos to Solitude for giving them a chance, I really think this band has potential and will soon evolve into a major name of the Doom Death scene. In the meantime this debut album is made of 7 tracks and lasts for almost 50 minutes of Atmospheric Doom Death, a perfect and relaxing mix of repetitive guitar leads with heavy guitar riffs and melodic solos, low tuned growls with a few screams here and there (although I'd like to hear more versatility on the vocals part), slow and oppressive rhythm section and a subtle but very important keyboard background. The album is very emotional, very involving and demanding, it would be a shame not to listen to it in the comfort of your solitude, live I think I'd be bored to death by it. 8.5

TWILIGHT (Greece) - ...and with the Twilight, They Return Selfreleased - 2014 (re-release) - Black Metal For a '90's teenager like me this album is an excellent treat and although this is a re-release of Twilight's album, I can still feel that atmosphere. The band was active between 1992 and 2002 and was a proud exponent of the Greek Black Metal scene alongside Varathron, Rotting Christ, Necromantia or Thou Art Lord, but it seems they disbanded after a gig opening for Marduk in 2002. This is their only full-length album to date and at the time it was released was quickly sold-out by the label, so this rerelease will have undoubtedly it's appraisers, and even more since the band decided to feature the original cover artwork, the one they first chose for the release but was replaced by the label later on. The music on it is that organic, majestic and mystic Black Metal we all know Greece for, with ferocious vocals, original riffs, drums sounding like they were recorded in a cave, occasional majestic keys and piano parts, offering a real frightening experience to the listener. I don't want to sound nostalgic so I won't praise this album that much, but I suggest you TRASHMACHINE (Ukraine) - Breaking through the don't miss this extraordinary piece of Greek Black Metal history, I love it. Hopefully the band got back together in Ranks 2013 to release something new, too, not only for a couple Metal Race - 2014 - Thrash Metal This band split-up a long time ago and this was their one of shows and re-releases, but we'll see. and only album, originally released in 1993 by Moroz UHRIRISTI (Finland) Records, and re-released now by Metal Race. I think it was remastered as it sounds excellent, crystal-clear sound Haudankylm채 but still with an old-school feeling. The band plays a Mortis Humanae - 2015 simple and fast paced Thrash Metal a la '80's with quite a - Melodic Black Metal lot of guitar hooks that stick to your mind, but Pretty much my fave unfortunately it's not powerful enough to make an band from Mortis impression nowadays. The lyrics and pronunciation are Humanae's roster (and I'm

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familiar with probably all their titles), Uhriristi are back with a follow-up to their 2013 excellent debut. The new album is made of only 8 tracks but lasts for almost 40 minutes of Melodic Black Metal, a combination of Finnish and Norse schools of Melodic Black, with highlights on the desperate and at the same time hateful vocals of Rutto, an element that will bring fame (oh well, some sort of fame) to this band, I'm sure of it. The compositions are quite technical reliyng on catchy Norwegian-like guitar riffs, fantastic melodic leads and solos, and at the same time very atmospheric, almost mystical, driven being by the keyboards (first period Dimmu Borgir-like). The drumming is also very tight and precise, and the overall impression is excellent again, a band that although bringing nothing new to the scene ('90's type Black Metal is their game), will stand out and become particular, speaking for myself I'm sure I'd be able to distinguish their music among 100 other bands, mostly because of those cruel vocals of Rutto. This one is limited to 666 copies and I'm sure will sell out pretty quick, so don't hesitate! 9 ULCEROUS PHLEGM (Germany) - Phlegm as a Last Consequence Power It Up! - 2014 Death Grind Excellent, I think I just read one of the best descriptions of a band ever, Power It Up (I guess) said about Ulcerous Phlegm: "when oldschool was young"; and by by adding something like "one of the most brutal bands at their time" you get what the band is all about in case you haven't heard about them yet (which would be pretty weird though). Ulcerous Phlegm were founded in 1989 and in the following years released 2 EPs and probably had a few other unreleased demos, too, so not a big deal of discography, but somehow they managed to capture the attention of the sickest Grinders out there in the underground. This release by Power It Up features most of their recorded stuff, from live gigs to studio sessions to the 2 EPs already released in the beginning of the '90's, and if you're into Brutal Death Grind from the '90's I suggest you don't miss this one, it's so brutal, so disgusting, so ahead of its time and at the same time so catchy and well delivered that you won't believe it, it's a real masterpiece of primitive Death Grind: ultra-low tuned guitars, bulldozer-like bass lines, vomiting vocals, excellent drumming and raw but still very clear sound quality. Ulcerous Phlegm was an awesome band and this release does them justice, brings their name back into attention, Power It Up released it in CD format with a booklet full of testimonies from other Death Gore Grind musicians like introductions to a book, an awesome idea, a CD to buy at all costs and guard with your life!

mesmerizing music; ultra-heavy riffs on repetitive structures emphasized by interesting leads, atmospheric, spacey synths seconded by classy piano, versatile rhythm section ranging from slow, dreamy pace to mid-tempo, more groovy tempos, and a vocal section involving 3 of the members, one of them being a girl, the piano player, who also has a lovely voice, and another having a raspy vocal tone that reminded me of Crowbar. This is a fabulous album, professionally crafted and delivered, very entertaining, very charming and emotional, give it a try! 9 USURPRESS (Sweden) Ordained Doomentia - 2014 Death Metal Sweden based quartet Usurpress prove once again they are a productive band on the scene, since their foundation in 2010 they have released a new material every year and this 2014 opus is their second full-length album to date.

Featuring 12 tracks and totaling 40 minutes of Crusty and Sludgy Old School Death Metal, Ordained is not actually following patterns and prefer to come up with their own additions to a somehow stagnant style. Their 2012 album Trenches of the Netherworld impressed the audience through its own way of combining Death Metal and DBeat Crust, but on this new one Usurpress offer a bit more; hell, you can even listen to an instrumental track that sounds more like a '70's Prog Rock track than Death Metal, then the stench of Sludge Doom Metal is everywhere. Fans of Retro Death Metal should check this out, it's much more than a simple copy & paste of those patterns, Usurpress prove they are not afraid to try new things, add new influences; still it's not as catchy as it's interesting but I guess they have all the time in the World to improve on that aspect, too. 8.5

UZZIEL (Austria) Torn Apart Darkspace Music 2014 - Melodic Groove Thrash Metal Debut full-length album from this Austrian combo, Torn Apart is made of 14 tracks and clocks less than 50 minutes, so short and concise tracks, exactly how this genre requires in order to keep its audience interested.

Unfortunately in my case I really hate 2 things on this album: the synthetic sound of the drum machine but this is actually a normal aspect in Today's scene, and the awful, faint backing vocals that would better suit an Alternative / Nu-Metal band from the States than an Austrian Thrash Metal act; probably those are the band's highlights and original touches (the backing vocals, not the sound of the drums), but I for one don't like them at all. On the other hand the main vocal has a powerful tone, much better for this style, with occasional Hardcore ULFBERHT (France) - L'aube d'une nouvelle ère influences, but that's cool since the instrumental part Ossuaire - 2015 - Black Metal comes up with lots of groovy parts along the way, too.

New blood from France's boiling Black Metal scene, Lots of Heavy Metal influences on the guitar part, and Ulfberht is a one man band with Fog as the only person that I like, too, although there's still room for behind this moniker, a very busy Black Metal musician I improvement in this area, too. Torn Apart is definitely not would say; he's involved in numerous other one-man a typical Thrash Metal album, not sure if it's correct to projects or bands like Aurvandil or Quintessence, so I'm label it as Thrash either, and it's one that you'll either hate not really sure why he had the need to come up with a or be intrigued by. Very good sound quality, professional new one though. Ulfberht was founded this year and production, CD comes with 8 pages booklet featuring all here's already its debut full-length album made of 8 tracks lyrics. 7 and clocking almost 50 minutes of playing time.

Traditional, freezing-cold, dark, atmospheric Black metal VENOMOUS played mostly on fast pace without compromises but with BREATH (Brazil) - Et some slow to mid-paced parts to increase the tension, with Viscera Sanguis Hell - 2014 - Death intelligently structured guitars (brilliant at times), a distant but still razor-sharp shrieking voice, organic sound on Metal drums, and an overall perfect atmosphere for Black Metal Young band especially if you're into the early Burzum work, this might apparently started by the 2 members of remind you of Burzum quite a lot and not only for the addition of a cover-version of Tomhet Part II. Good Thrash Metal band release, bringing nothing new to the table, but delivering Ataque Violento who probably some good quality Black Metal for the ones of you wanted to experiment with something more brutal and looking for raw but atmospheric Norwegian inspired expand their horizons. The band released 2 demos before Black Metal. 7 getting signed by the Thai label Hell Productions, and Et Viscera Sanguis is their debut full-length album, an 8 UNHOLD (Switzerland) - Towering tracks effort totaling a bit over 40 minutes of traditional Czar Of Bullets - 2015 - Progressive Sludge Metal Death Metal. Unfortunately their compositions are way Here's a band that has more than 2 decades of activity too generic in order to raise the interest of the scene, but under belt! Unhold were formed back in 1993, I think as a for a debut it's nothing to be ashamed of; mid-tempo to Hardcore band, and during the years evolved their music fast paced Death Metal with highlights in Thiago's vicious into a magnet of different influences and elements, to a vocals, and the good organic sound of the recordings. point where you'll have major problems in labeling what Unfortunately the guitar riffs are so generic they often they are playing now. Towering is their third full-length reach the "boring" point, especially when the band slows album to date and features 11 tracks in an hour of down to mid-paced rhythms, and the solos are nothing to

impress either. This album will make a good audition but nothing more, you'll forget everything about it in few minutes after spinning the disc. Hopefully the next one will show some original ides, too. 5.5 VISIONS OF WAR (Belgium) - Swine Parade Power It Up! - 2014 - Crust Grind This CD is not a new album from Visions of War, it actually features 2 previously released full-length albums that were seemingly released in very limited editions, so PIU! Records thought it was a good idea to press them together on a CD since the total playing time is only around 45 minutes, although featuring 22 tracks. Visions of War remind me of a combination of Extreme Noise Terror and Disrupt (but not as brutal) with Doom (but not as fast all the time), so you get crusty guitar riffs, heavy as fuck bass lines, demented drumming and crazy vocals the old-school way, with a Punk flavor overall. Not much to add except that the tracks were remastered and they all sound more than decent, the cover artwork is excellent, and the CD booklet features the lyrics, too. Good buy if you're into above-mentioned bands. 7 VOMIT YOUR BRAIN (Poland) Beauty of Morgue Rotten Music - 2014 - Brutal Death Grind Vomit Your Brain is a Polish band founded back in 2010, with 2 EPs under belt, and now with the 2 EPs released as a Compilation by Rotten Music, I guess for a lack of new recordings by the band. But all in all I'd say Rotten Music did a good choice as these tracks deserve to be listened to by as many fanatics as possible, Vomit Your Brain did a good job on both EPs. First is Slaughtered EP from 2011 with 3 brutal and groovy tracks, a mix of Death and Grindcore with Deathcore elements highlighted by catchy guitar riffs and inhuman vocals, supported by a fast paced rhythm section. Then comes From Morgue With love from their first year of activity, another 3 tracks release without much difference from the one that followed although I can feel a poorer recording on vocals (the guy sounds like he recorded cuffing his mic so that his neighbors won't hear him), but overall the compilation is quite ok. 7.5

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

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WARNUNGSTRAUM (Italy) Mirror Waters Nykta - 2014 Ambient Black Metal Warnungstraum is a new name to my ears although this is their third fulllength album; all albums were released on Nykta Records and I find this interesting and unusual nowadays, it means both the label and band are happy with the fruits of their labor. Warnungstraum, although their name would suggest something else, are a trio from Italy founded in 2009, but although they could play live I think they are still a studio project. This third album is made of only 4 tracks, but long ones, so the total playing time is almost 40 minutes. A mix of melodic, melancholic and sad Black Metal with Dark Ambient; comprehensive and expressive Black Metal screams all over, mostly mid-tempo rhythms, incisive and quite intricate bass lines, good but too repetitive guitar riffs, and subtle keyboard backgrounds with melodic outbursts at times falling into beautiful classical piano parts at times, that's how I could characterize Warnungstraum's music. If at first audition I found the debut track boring and unimpressive at all, the rest of this album falls in place and develops into a personal and dramatic experience. The CD comes with 4 pages booklet featuring all lyrics (2 tracks are instrumental). This brought me back to the end of the '90's when there were lots of similar bands, and from my point of view that not bad at all. 7.5 WARPATH (Brazil) Massacre Fabrica Sonora 2010 - Thrash Metal I get a lot of such old releases lately, and I'm not sure why someone would promote an old release instead of focusing on new stuff.

It's not the case here since these guys haven't released anything new since 2010, and as far as I know this is their only official release except for a 2007 demo, very scarse for a band founded in 2002... Massacre is made of 7 long

tracks totaling almost 35 minutes of traditional fast paced Thrash Metal. Quite enjoyable and I'd say very fit for a live gig, headbanging friendly music, but with a few major faults in my opinion: way too long tracks (I think the average is around 4.5 min), overuse of generic patterns of this style with no intention of coming up with something new, and the one take-like style of recording, with obvious execution mistakes at times. Apart for these faults I have to admit I have enjoyed this EP, it has that retro feeling, energy and enthusiasm, and I think these guys have potential, but they should try coming up with something more, the vocalist can lead them well. For fans of '80's Thrash Metal this might be a good pick, but since it's now more than 5 years since the release of this EP I'm not sure this band is actually interested in anything serious. 5.5 WHO DIES IN SIBERIAN SLUSH / MY SHAMEFUL (Russia / Finland) - The Symmetry of Grief MFL - 2014 - Funeral Doom Death / Funeral Doom Death If I say this split only features 2 tracks from each of these bands would you say it's not enough? Well, I doubt it since we're talking about Funeral Doom Death here, and the tracks are very long (well, medium length for this genre), and the total playing time is 35 minutes. 2 known names from the Russian and Finnish scenes are present here, WDISS and My Shameful, so I think it will be quite a successful release.

Opening are the Russians from WDISS who released 2 very well received albums on Solitude Productions before and I think this is just a one-time collaboration, they are still with Solitude, but I wouldn't bet on it either. Funeral Doom Death with heavy and slow rhythms lead by repetitive guitars furrowed by excellent flute, trombone and keyboard elements that increase the overall dramatic experience, and the final result is excellent. Here's a band that's thinking beyond the "let's make it as slow, deep and sad as possible" Funeral Doom pattern, probably that's why they are so respected.

My Shameful offers a more traditional form of Funeral Doom Death highlighted by desperate, hoarse, growling screams if this makes any sense, and a slow, mysterious atmosphere undisturbed by anything, a swift passage to meditation and/or depressive state. The guitar leads (a la old Paradise Lost) are the only elements that agitate the waters a bit. Good stuff but after listening to WDISS original work I feel the need for more novelty, more influences added in this nowadays so popular Funeral Doom style. 8 / 7

combo founded in 2010, and from how happy they seem from the cover's thanks list I guess this was a highly anticipated release following an EP and a Split with Violent Omen. I wouldn't say this is my favorite style, but I have to admit these guys know how to play it at good standards. Fast paced (with rare mid-tempo passages mostly used as intros) Thrash Metal with very energetic rhythm section, an impressive bass line, fast guitar riffs following '80's patterns, and a vocalist that from my point of view has no identity, nothing to impress or remain ZARDENS (Belgium) - Blackness Unfolds memorable; overall good execution but the compositions Satanath - 2015 - Black Death Metal Zardens are back 3 years after the release of their debut are not enough to remain in my memory long after the full-length album with the follow-up, a 10 tracks effort audition, and that's what I usually expect from a Thrash totaling a bit over 40 minutes of mid-tempo to fast paced Metal release, but at least they are full of energy, 100% Black Death Metal music. The band seemed to be on fire. I guess this is much better live than on CD, but if focusing more on the technical aspect at the moment, you're into fast '80's Thrash you might like this better. I without betting too much on aggression or atmosphere, have to mention the excellent sound quality and great but that doesn't mean we're dealing with a mellow or cover artwork, too. 7 mathematical release, not at all, it's just that they proud themselves of being honest (not using triggers and such) ZOMBIEFICATION (Mexico) and delivering exactly what they are able to produce without too much help from PC programs. The Procession instrumental part is very interesting, offering lots of Through rhythms, lots of different atmospheres, and being quite Infestation Doomentia - 2014 inventive, without ever falling onto overused Black Death Death Metal patterns and probably that will make it a weird release for This Mexican duo is the current fans, but it won't be labeled as a copycat, that's for sure. The vocals on the other hand are good but not moving very well in the underground since their versatile enough to be at the same level with the foundation in 2009. This is their third full-length album instrumental part, a bit more tones, maybe some backing and although they haven't found a stable home yet, vocals, would have been great, but this way they can they've been on quite well-known labels so far: become boring very fast. Fans of '90's Black Death Metal Asphyxiate, Chaos, Pulverized and now the Czech (Swedish school) will definitely enjoy this album, too, but Doomentia, so it seems everyone wants a piece of the keep in mind it's not spiced with keyboards or rich Zombiefication, but no one is interested in keeping them, orchestrations, it's as raw as possible while still or on the contrary, they are not interested in staying on a label longer than 1 release... This new album features 8 maintaining a certain degree of melody, too. 7.5 tracks of traditional, ugly, quite complex, with plenty of Doomy elements, and massive sounding Death Metal ZEPHYRA (Sweden) - Mental Absolution highlighted by comprehensive vocals, bulldozer-heavy WormHoleDeath - 2014 - Melodic Groove Metal 5 years after their foundation and after presenting bass lines, excellent drum parts, catchy guitar riffs and themselves with a debut demo and 2 EPs, Zephyra finally leads, and above all, a cryptic, oppressive atmosphere, release their debut album on WormHoleDeath. A melodic exactly what such a release needs. There are plenty of form of mid-tempo Groove Metal with quite important Swedish and UK Death Metal influences, too, but I influences from Melodic Death and Heavy Metal, all lead wouldn't say Zombiefication settles for one or another, by the good female vocalist Asa Netterbrant whose they are trying to create their own sound. Procession tonalities range from warm, enchanting clean vocals to Through Infestation is a very good slab of Death Metal, vicious hoarse, Angela Gossow-like screams, both it's not groundbreaking or anything, but it's damn well executed perfectly (!), but the combination sounds quite done and not boring at all. 8 weird at least to me. The instrumental part is not impressive, and follows overused patterns most of the Various Artists - Compendium of Metal Vol.7 time, but the versatility of their compositions is to be Metal on Metal - 2014 - Heavy Speed Power Thrash appreciated, the tracks are different one from another Doom giving the impression of a mature band. This is an album 7th volume of the traditional Metal on Metal compilation that could appreal to a large audience, especially to the featuring 14 tracks by 14 bands all presenting their ones that are not buried deep in a style or another, you traditional form of Metal from Heavy to Thrash and know the type of metalhead that considers Metallica, Doom Metal.

Death, and Slayer are playing something similar and like Meliah Rage - US Power Thrash mixing aggressive and melodic elements, a veteran band founded back in '87 that their music equally. 7 could have been ranked higher on the scene, but somehow ZNAFELRIFF missed their chance; not overly impressive but quite (Germany) - Ruin enjoyable though Selfreleased - 2015 Outrage - another veteran, this time from Germany, with - Black Metal an old-school (but really old, primitive even) type of German quartet Black Thrash the Black Metallers from Today might that states to have consider Pop Music. Kick-ass if you're into '80s Metal started out in Mortalicum - the label says they are recommended for Svalbard, Norway, but I have no idea if that's true, a joke, fans of Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Rainbow, Deep or a simple mockery. Anyway, I think it's quite pathetic Purple, Trouble, Thin Lizzy, and I have to agree with surrounding your band with such "mysteries", especially them, just mix all these bands and you get Mortalicum; if your music seems to be pretty sincere and serious. Oh excellent vocals, complex bass lines, organic drums, and well, who cares actually? This is the band's second EP, a groovy guitars completed with '70's like solos; man, what 5 tracks effort totaling a bit over 20 minutes and a band! delivering dark and razor-sharp Black Metal highlighted HI-GH - imagine a mix of Motorhead, early Metallica and

by Berbeth's vicious, raw and expressive vocals, and by Exciter, Speed Thrash Metal with impressive energy; the overall mysterious atmosphere. The instrumental part catchy stuff is ok, mostly fast rhythmed, with occasional mid-tempo Skelator - a live track sounding quite sloppy if you ask interludes, but it brings nothing impressive or memorable, me, but presenting a band with high potential (especially it's just that typical second wave of Black Metal type of the vocal and guitarists), a Heavy Metal a la Iron Maiden fast paced Black Metal without much of their own. The Arkham Witch - I've seen this band in multiple zines EP was released in CDR and limited (75 handnumbered lately, they take good care of promotion, so don't be copies) tape format. 6.5 surprised if you'll hear more and more about them in the future; primitive Heavy Doom Metal that reminds me of ZOMBIE ATTACK Manilla Road mostly, probably a bit heavier though (Ukraine) - Sacro Sanctus - Blackened Doom presented by Albert Through the Bell, leader of the more known Nomad Son and Forsaken; dark, vicious and heavy, a good track Circles of Hell NitroAtmosfericum - Skull Bastards - wow, Speed Thrash Metal on steroids 2014 - Thrash Metal like I've heard coming out of the '80's only; raw, fast and This is the debut furious album of Zombie Attacker - another band that reminds me of Iron Maiden, Attack, a young with a fantastic vocalist and exquisite work on guitars some Epic, excellent levels, and the fact that the vocal lines are so very versatile on this album gives it even more complexity, just try the debut track and you'll get what I'm saying. Overall the music on this EP is all over the place but somehow it sounds like a whole, I have enjoyed it and honestly speaking I think I've spinned it almost 10 times Today, and that doesn't happen very often. A strange album but recommended! 8.5

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

WITHOUT GOD (Russia) - Circus of Freaks Solitude - 2014 - Stoner Doom Metal Although this is the band's second full-length album and they were formed in 2008, these Russians look very, very young to me, they all look teenagers, but that's fine, they surely know how to do their thing. And their thing is called Stoner Doom Metal; ranging from slow to midtempo parts, the music flows naturally from start to finish and you won't even notice when 8 tracks and 48 minutes are gone, but that's due to not overusing repetitive elements of their music, keeping it quite catchy and varied. The drums are quite groovy, the guitars and bass low-tuned but well underlined, and the vocals have huge potential. The production is raw but well defined and crystal clear to give us an excellent experience. This album will definitely please fans of old-school Doom Metal, probably not the depressive ones too. 8 WOEBEGONE OBSCURED (Denmark) Deathscape MMXIV Solitude - 2014 Doom Death Metal After 2 previously released fulllength albums this Danish quartet follows with a new EP which although featuring 5 tracks and clocking more than 40 minutes, wasn't qualified by the band as full-length; this probably because only 3 tracks are originals, the other 2 are covers of Bathory (quite unexpected, hm?) and Dead Can Dance. Not sure why, but this EP struck me the right way, the mix of slow melodic acoustic parts with clean vocals, with Funeral Doom Metal, with Blackened Doom Death parts with DSBM-like vocals, and even some Shoegaze-like guitars sometime, is very interesting.

Although sometimes the clean vocals are quite weird, most of the time they are pushing their potential and reach

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Sacred Gate - Epic Traditional Heavy Metal highlighted by a very good vocalist and mid-tempo, solid rhythms Nomad Son - Maltese masters of Doom Metal, another side of Albert Bell; heavy, heavy, heavy!

Stonegriff - Traditional Doom a la Pentagram, Candlemass, Saint Vitus; slow and heavy as a bulldozer, lead by a very versatile vocalist Doomshine - another live track, but this time performed better; slow Traditional Epic Doom Metal a la Solitude Aeturnus, Candlemass Blood Atonement - fast and ferocious Speed Thrash Metal a la Sodom, Hellhammer, probably the most aggressive track on this compilation Various Artists - Russian Death Metal Vol. 2 Darknagar - 2015 - Death Metal Excellent, here's an overview of the current underground Death Metal scene presented to us by Darknagar Records.

I'm not familiar with the first volume of this compilation, but this second one features 19 bands, if you're into Death Metal you should waste no time and get this asap. Here's a few words on each band/track: Endless Gloom - they are labeling their style as Gangsta Death Metal, but that could be translated here as Technical Brutal Death Metal, good stuff, no doubt; Kraworath - one-man band from Saratov; ultra-fast Brutal Death Metal, clear and solid stuff with potential

Indeterminable - Hardcore infused Death Metal, fast, brutal and catchy; not original but very impressive and captivating, would love to hear more Denis Shvarts Project - Progressive Death Metal based on multiple layers of guitars; don't really like it to be honest, I hate the synthetic sounding drums, and don't like the vocals either, but on the other hand love the bass lines.

Dead Point - Traditional Brutal Death Metal with fast and mid paced rhythms, double vocal line, deep and brutal guitar riffs and unfortunately synthetic drum machine; not bad but not very impressive either Afterburner - Death Grind from Irkutsk with versatile vocals (squeals, growls, screams), technical guitar lines, and intricate rhythm section, quite a progressive edge to them Bloodshed - fast paced and quite technical Death Metal with high potential; a hint of Black Death in the atmospheres Brainteasers - Progressive Death Grind with intricate guitars, lots of rhythm breaks, incomprehensive growls that I don't really like; interesting approach but not enough to impress Proteus - Mid-paced Death Metal with different influences from Modern Death, Brutal Death and even Slam Death Metal; solid stuff but lacks something to impress Detesting - technical and fast as hell Brutal Death Metal, versatile and expressive, good stuff

Atra Hora - Dark Death Metal highlighted by the melodic and expressive guitar work; not a fan of the drums' sound, but the band delivers solid atmospheric Death Metal Dissociative Disorder - combination of Death Metal and Deathcore; not my fave type of music but I like the guitar work here Putrification - Technical Death Metal with deep dark atmosphere and good vocals; could have been better mastered but the composition is ok Gmork - I've met this band before and it seems they are slowly moving from an Ambient Symphonic Black Metal towards a technical and melodic blend of Black and Death Metal; solid and experienced band!

Miscreant - traditional Death Metal with good guitar leads and bass lines, but not overly impressive probably because of the mediocre mid-paced parts Zoebeast - Death Grind from Saint Petersburg that would fit perfectly at the Obscene Extreme Fest The Mutilator - very brutal and technical Death Metal, the traditional way, with melodic guitar leads, impressive bass lines and original vocals Aborted Fetus - the heaviest band on this compilation, Brutal Death Metal with dense atmosphere, technical guitars and complex rhythms; sick Warder - Death Metal from the capital, with heavy Brutal Death influences; sounds ok but not quite there yet Excellent exposure of the scene from Darknagar Records, all bands are good making it impossible not to respect the Russian Death Metal scene. Can't wait for volume 3.

ZINE REVIEWS – ZINE REVIEWS – ZINE REVIEWS Abhorrent Visions #2 / 2015 (Finland) English, 52 A4 pages If the zine name makes you think of a 100% Death Metal zine you're quite wrong (as I was, too), as the zine is released by a former Punk zine editor, and for the things to be even more confusing, he covers lots of different genres in A.V., from Hard Rock to Heavy Metal, and from Speed Metal to Black Metal or Death Metal, a very complex release crowned by interesting interviews with known and unknown bands, a continuous discovery for its readers, I have to say this second issue impressed very well. On the layout side A.V. is a mix between modern, classy style and old-school with hand-drawn art everywhere so also on this level Parkku, its editor, is spot-on. Features interviews with: Forced Kill, Condor, Vigilance, Iron Kobra, Revel in Flesh, Black Crucifixion, reviews, live reports and a few very interesting articles. A highly recommended zine, don't miss it! Contact: jpar.blogspot.fi

the interviews, the dedication and honesty when writing reviews and articles, and last but not least the underground but clean lay-out carefully crafted so that it will impress everyone, make this zine one of the best around. If you're a zine collector don't waste any more time and order this behemoth of a zine NOW! Black Metal is what it's all about and here are some bands featured: Necrohell, Saligia, Inquisitor, Darkened Cry of the Wolf #1 / 2014 (Germany) Nocturnal Slaughtercult, Nivlhel, Grave Miasma, Living English, 78 A4 pages Altar, Thorybos, and many others, plus chats with Oaken W.Wolf, editor of Garm zine, presents us his new Throne zine and Grom Records. WOW! Contact: offspring, Cry of the Wolf, a much more brutal zine than forgotten.path.mag@gmail.com its cover suggests. CotW features interviews with acts like: Asphyx, Acheron, Vociferian, The Equinox ov the Funeral Services #1 / 2015 (Bulgaria) Gods, Battlelore, Iron Youth (more interesting than I first English, 48 A5 pages thought), Balmog, and many more, Primitive Reaction Medarov, editor of Terozin, decided to release a new zine label, Bowel of Noise store, plus reviews and articles together with a friend, but as usually happens, the friend scattered all over. The layout is cut'n'paste but it features backed up. Fortunately Medarov took the idea further and mostly paintings and designs from the medieval times, released this new zine strictly dedicated to the Death almost no band pictures and although this is quite an Metal scene. Cut'n'paste, with lots of hand-drawn original approach, I find it very boring for a metalhead, artworks, and lo-fi pictures quality, Funeral Services and quite chaotic to read; luckily the interviews are wants to keep the old-school Death Metal flame burning. extremely long and very interesting touching lots of Features in depth chats with Rippikoulu, Old Old Chapel, topics. Recommended if you don't mind a metal zine Manipulator, Bones, Morpheus Descends (probably the layout that actually isn't metal; the content is worth all best), Nameless Tomb and others, some reviews with your effort. Contact: garm-magazin@hotmail.de brutally honest and fanatic attitude, plus some articles (football, human body decomposition, medieval torture Cult Mongers #5 / 2014 (USA) methods), good stuff for any old-school underground English, 30 A4 pages Death Metal maniac out there. Contact: terozin@abv.bg This zine is limited to only 50 hand-numbered copies, but at the moment I'm writing this, the issue is still available Headbangers #5 / 2015 (Holland) to purchase on their website, so hurry up. The layout is English, 214 A5 pages pretty poor and has a lot of unfilled space, but the If you're a SWR reader you probably know Headbangers contents are quite interesting for deep underground if one of my all times fave zines and you can easily guess fanatics: interviews (Irem, Scent of Death, Haemorrhage, my joy every time a new issue of this amazing zine Inverticrux, Dirigiri, Veligore plus some I haven't heard reaches my mailbox. Maniac Marco and his continuously of before), and some short and to the point reviews. growing team offer us a new open-minded and Nothing special, but nevertheless a good read. Contact: enthousiastic piece of literature that can be easily fritz@cultmongerszine.com, considered a book for any kind of Rock and Metal fan out adrian@cultmongerszine.com there. The contents are so diverse and so loose of any kind of borders that if you're a printed zines supporter it will be Forgotten Path #6 / impossible not to like it; let me just mention a few of the 2014 (Lithuania) bands featured to get an idea how wide the coverage area English, 134 A4 of Headbangers is: Autopsy, Nocturnal Witch, Warlord, pages Liege Lord, Arkham Witch, Cathedral, Warlust, Poison, The new, amazing Ugly Kid Joe (!), Darkness, Turbo, and many, many issue of Forgotten others, including loads of new blood too. One word: Path confirms once WOW! Marco, you're my idol!

Contact: again that this is most headbangerszinemarco@gmail.com probably the most professional Metal Horde #15 / 2014 (Portugal) underground Black English, 68 A5 pages Metal magazine Wow, Metal Horde reached its 15th issue, congrats to nowadays!

The Nuno for this achievement. The new issue comes with a amount of yellow cover and looks quite nice and old-school, information, the high although I don't really like the cover artwork. The content quality and is excellent, especially the interviews with Cheryl from documentation of all Witches Brew and Gerrit from Sacred Steel (the guy is with exceptional lay-out, professional print on glossy paper making it mighty heavy, and a very good choice of bands to be interviewed: Watain, Immolation, Necros Christos, Hatriot, Medico Peste, Domains, Sartegos and others, harsh reviews at medium length, and an overall professional approach, it shows that Maciek gave his best for this new issue. Congrats! Contact: b_abyss@interia.pl

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

Arch Vile #2 / 2014 (Hungary) English, 48 A5 pages An original piece of Powerviolence / Grindcore zine, a joint venture from two known editors of the Hungarian zines scene, Arch Vile's layout is, besides the fact that the zine is longer than taller (don't know exactly how else to explain it), like coming out of '80's and '90's arcade games, with lots of such elements including game heroes, armours, scores, etc, plus game reviews. The zine, as said before covers everything fast and disgusting, the Powerviolence Punk Grind Gore scenes, although in the reviews section you'll also find other genres covered like Black Metal. If you're into these genres here are some featured names: Gripe, Chiens, Boiling Point, Youth Violence, Shitnoise Bastards, Internal Excavation and others, plus reviews, articles; it's not an area I'm an expert of, but I love getting to know more about it so Arch Vile is a good guide. Contact: posthumanzine@gmail.com, kbtv@freemail.hu Burning Abyss #8 / 2015 (Poland) English, 68 A4 pages The 8th issue of the Polish Burning Abyss proves once again that Polish metalheads come up with some of the best zines in the World continuing their tradition as most probably the European country with most Metal zines dead and active. This new issue of Burning Abyss comes

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astonishingly blunt and honest and says it all exactly as it was/is), two of the best interviews I've read recently.

Apart from these you can read chats with Obituary (\m/), Terra Caput Mundi, Gang, Aggressive Mutilator, Speedtrap, Domains and others, reviews and live reports.

Another pleasant read, don't miss it. Contact: metalhordezine@gmail.com Necro Mortem Tormentor #2 / 2014 (Poland) English, 36 A4 pages The three warriors of the Polish zine underground PW, vonMortem and Skalpel, strike back with the second issue of NMT zine, withmuch more contents than the debut issue, but overall keeping the same path: very long interviews (Headhunted DC, Krow, Grave Miasma, Deathstorm, Nunslaughter, Eliminator and one with a Polish maniac zine collector who owns more than 1500 zines!), very long and thoughtful reviews, all written with good taste and impressive devotion. All interviews are interesting and highly informative, so once again these guys did a great job.

Contact: knokkelmann1@yahoo.com, pawlak666@poczta.onet.pl, necroscope1@wp.pl Necroscope #28 / 2014 (Poland) English, 136 A5 pages What more can I say about a zine that astonishes me every time with the amount of information offered?

Necroscope seems like a new book with every issue, and every new issue seems like the life's work of Adam, its editor.

The man eats, drinks, breathes, and lives for Metal, Underground Metal that is, and I can assure you if you're looking for loads and loads of Black Death Metal info in a printed zine Necroscope is the right choice, I wish I would have had such a zine back in my teenager years when internet was in its infancy, at least in my country.

This new issue features lots of in depth interviews with: Cianide, Deceased, Beast Conjurator, Incarceration, Formless Terror, Evil Machine, and lots of others, coverage of Polish Extreme Metal scene, reviews, reports, articles, a solid month's worth of reading material.

Contact: necroscope1@wp.pl

Metal. In this way, of open-minded but at the same time traditional contents, this zine reminds me of the Dutch Headbanges and that's of course cool. The two editors are so very entousiastic and documented in their venture, you can easily spot that from their interviews; bands featured: Dark Forest, Terminus, Wanderer, Arkham Witch, Queen Elephantine, Apostle of Solitude, Second Grave, and others, articles, an awesome coverage of the Portuguese scene (the incipient stage), reviews. Love it! Contact: pariahchild@yahoo.co.uk, hbfmzine@gmail.com Posthuman #7 / 2015 (Hungary) English, 56 A5 pages Mainly focused on Crust, Posthuman is in no way restraint to that only, David likes to feature basically anything he likes, from Punk Rock to Black Metal or Grindcore, and from interviews with bands to articles about the most uncommon things in such zines (iPhone 6, influence of technology, The Isolator mask), or from reviews of music releases to reviews of books or movies, basically anything. If you like such zines I suggest you try Posthuman, too, David has a nice way of writing, he makes different topics sound interesting even if at first sight they aren't. Contact: posthumanzine@gmail.com Reborn from Ashes #8 / 2014 (USA) English, 32 A4 pages I was expecting a bit more content from the new issue of this high profile (in the underground) and highly respected fanzine, but this new issue has 32 pages and features only 3 interviews (Into Darkness, Rude, R'Lyeh) and 14 pages of reviews.

The interviews are indeed very well documented and the reviews long and in depth, plus the lay-out is full of oldschool graphics, so fans of this zine won't be disapointed.

Tony, the editor already announced a new issue that will cover the Mexican scene from '84 to '94, that should be quite interesting. Contact: intheshadows96@aol.com

reviews written with low quality English but very high quality passion, Sangwitok comes with cut'n'paste chaotic layout with no space left to waste, for the old-schoolers out there. Contact: sangwitok@yahoo.com

Streetcleaner #25 / 2014 (Germany) German, 88 A4 pages Long-running German fanzine released in factory print, with clean lay-out, covering traditional as well as extreme metal, both short and long interviews, lots of reviews, no waste of space, too bad it's German written and I can't understand it, but if you know this language don't waste any more time and get it! Interviews with: Attic, Nocturnus AD, Saxon, Pungent Stench, Masters of Disguise and many, many more.

Contact: wolfgang.schmeer@gmx.de

Temple of Adoration #10 / 2014 (Germany) English, 48 A4 pages Philipp, editor of ToA, seems to be heavily interested and involved in the South American scene, as most of the interviewed bands in this anniversary issue of his zine, are from there, just to name a few: Necrodisseminator/Luvart, Bode Preto, Necrovomit, Nuctemeron, Insulter all from Brazil, plus bands from Colombia and Peru and a Colombian scene repot. Apart from that here are some other featured bands that will give you an hint of what ToA covers: Domains, Flegethon/Ereshkigal, Coronation or Demonomancy.

Clean and easy to read cut'n'paste layout, long and interesting interviews and reviews also covering the Noise fields, a good fanzine, glad it's in English, as the Germans mostly like to release their zines in their language.

Contact: evisc666@hotmail.com

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

Northern Darkness #2 / 2014 (UK) English, 40 A4 pages I know I say mostly good things about all zines, but about this one it's impossible not to say them. Northern Darkness features some very interesting and very relaxed interviews I was glued to for a whole day while browsing YouTube and teaming them with sound, too. This way I discovered lots of new bands, mostly from the UK, but also from elsewhere; the zine features lots and lots of interviews, from 3 questions short to 2 pages long, all interesting and all touching subjects outside the music field, too. Here are some bands featured: 1349, God Seed, Witch Mountain, Sadistik Forest, Centinex, Frostwork, Monumentomb, Amulet, plus many others covering Doom, Black and Death Metal.

Really recommended!

Contact: luke.hayhurst@outlook.com Pariah Child / Hell Bent for Metal #2 / 2014 (UK) English, 80 A5 pages Joint venture between Pariah Child and Hell Bent for Metal zines, actually the 7th issue of HBFM and 4th of PC in a single zine so you can guess it's quite an openminded, complex and free of boundaries zine featuring everything from Traditional Metal (especially) to Extreme

Reign of Hecate #1 / 2014 (Peru) English, 58 A4 pages It's not every day you run across a zine released by a lady, but here's a case. Reign of Hecate is a nice and old-school looking zine with glossy but hand-drawn and black/white covers, featuring everything taht's brutal and nasty in the Extreme Metal, underground, of course. Although the English level is not perfect, the enthousiasm and fanatism of Clara compensates so that this debut issue turned out pretty decent, actually towards very good. Some names featured: Acrostichon, Winds of Genocide, Profaner, Unholy Archangel, Funerus, Crucifier, Pagan Rites and many more, so as you can see Clara likes to cover mostly female fronted bands, and that might be just the niche she needs in order to make Reign of Hecate an original and really sought after rag. In the meantime try getting this first issue as it will go faaast! Contact: tunjum@hotmail.com

Virus #8 / 2014 (Malaysia) English, 70 A4 pages Virus zine's 8th issue comes with a nice hand-drawn, black on red cover with quite a massive visual impact, I'm sure if on a stand with other zine this one would get picked up at least for a browsing. The editor is heavily involved in the scene and that can be seen from the well documented interviews (average of 2 pages per interview) and the "short and to the point" reviews which I love.

Cut'n'paste rag with chaotic but at the same time easily readable lay-out the old-school way most fanzine fanatics know and support, and when it comes to the bands interviewed here are some names that will tell you exactly what this zine is all about: Grave Desecrator, Artillery, Graveyard, Interment, Master, Sorcery, Tormentor, Revel In Flesh, Morbid Perversion and many others. Its English is not the best but the high level of passion definitely compensates; a very good mag!

Contact: Sangwitok #11 / virus_zine@yahoo.com 2014 (Malaysia) English / Malay, Visao Underground #15 / 2014 (Brazil) 108 A5 pages If you know the Portuguese, 76 A4 pages Polish Necroscope Well respected Brazilian old-school zine released on zine, well, photocopied & stapled copies with cut&paste style, easy Sangwitok is the to read and pleasant to the eye if you're into old-school Necroscope of zines. Focused on Black and Death Metal Visao Malaysia. Released Underground features interviews with Deformity, by Mr. Ed, Mausoleum, Demonized Legion, Demonic Hate, Battalion Sangwitok is and others, lots of bios and reviews and lots of ads. extremely well Contact: visaoundergroundzine@gmail.com packed with information, lots of interviews, reviews, articles, everything about everyone, a deeply enthusiastic zine released by a deeply fanatic of the scene.

Featuring long and very well documented interview with Neftaraka, Maze of Terror, Manzer, Bifrost, Krigere Wolf, Virus zine, Witchtrap and many, many more, long

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Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)

Slowly We Rot (swrzine@yahoo.com)