Graveyard Of Souls/Shadow Of Life/FDA Rekotz/2013 CD Review

  Graveyard  Of  Shadows  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  very  melodic  form  of  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Shadows  Of  Life"  which  was  released  by  FDA  Rekotz.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  synths  bring  a  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sound  to  the  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  doom/death  metal  riffs  that  utilize  a  good  amount  of  melody  as  well  as a   great  amount  of  early  90's  influences  in  the  riffing a s  well  as  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  doom  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads  with  some  slides  being  used  at  times.

  Vocals  are  mostly  early  sounding  doom/death  metal  growls  and  screams  that  have  a  black  metal  feeling  to  them  at  times  along  with  some  clean  singing  being  utilized  on  the  last  song,  while  the  lyrics cover  dark  and  depressing  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  dark  and  old  school  sound  to  it  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Graveyard  Of  Shadows  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  doom/death  metal b and and  if you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shadows  Of  Life"  "Follow  Me"  "Solitude's  My  Paradise"  and  "There  Will  Come  Soft  Rains".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Undergang Interview

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

We’re currently writing more new songs for our 3rd album. Wrote two new songs the summer of 2012 and have not written anything new till May 2013, so it feels good to play new songs again.
Other than that, we recently played a show in Copenhagen supporting US legends Repulsion, which was pretty cool. Sick performance from Repulsion, about all I could ask for.

We’ll play our next show in London on June 29th at something called Chimpyfest along with a ton of grind bands. Guess we’ll stand out a bit.
Guess that sums it up pretty good right now.


2. How would you describe the musical sound of the newer material and how it differs from previous efforts?

Without trying to force it, to me the newer songs sound like a blend of primitive heaviness of “Indhentet Af Døden” and the overall darkness of “Til Døden Os Skiller”. We don’t want to reproduce anything we’ve done before, but it feels like the next album will be a bit like a mixture of our previous outlets. Also, we’ll try to mix up the album a bit more and introduce shorter fast songs and longer dragging doom ridden ones thrown into the mix of what you’d already expect from Undergang. I’ve also lowered my voice a bit, so expect an overall more sickening and putrefactive continuation of what you already know from our side.


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

It’s going to sound all cliché, but it’s all about madness, blood obsession, decomposition, child murder, grave desecration, necrophilia, skin eating and everything you imagine as visual aspects if the music of Undergang was the sound track to a horror movie. The same as when we started out, only perhaps a bit more depraved for each written lyric sheet. Personally, I find the most fitting subject to Death Metal to be evolving around …DEATH! I just try to out gross my last lyric for each song we (de)compose. I love horror movies, so to me it’s the natural thing to fit to our music in the form of words hidden in low-end grunts and suffocating shrieks.


4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the band’s name?

Undergang is a Danish word that means something in the lines of “Demise” or “Downfall”. I usually describe the meaning as “World Downfall” to outlanders who ask into the meaning of the word, as that’s pretty much the feeling we wish to present with our music. Doomy, brutal, world destroying Death Metal putrefaction.


5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

I don’t really know about best shows…It’s hard for me to say if a show really went good, as we usually have an entire different feeling of how things sound and feels on stage compared to what it sounds and looks like out in front. Way too often we get bad sound because the sound engineer either doesn’t understand us and our music or the sound in the monitors on stage just suck. We usually leave the stage feeling like our performance sucked, but luckily it often seems like people attending liked it. Not so much in Denmark, as people don’t really give two shits about us, but when we play outside of Denmark we do get a better reaction from the attendees at the show.

The most memorable gig for me is probably the show we played in Brooklyn, NY, in 2012 with Autopsy, Funebrarum and Unearthly Trance. Autopsy has been my all-time favorite band since I was like 13, so it was a big deal for me to be invited to play with Undergang at that show.

Our stage performance goes something in the lines of us rocking out to the point of nearly passing out from exhaustion while trying to deliver the best possible versions of our songs. No bullshit Death Metal thrashing. I do like it at times when other bands put a lot of work into making a certain atmosphere for their shows, dressing up or whatever, but it’s not for Undergang. Just 3 dudes playing Death Metal extremity like there’s no tomorrow.


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

Both actually. We’re usually planning a lot of things all the time. As mentioned before, we’ll do our first UK performance in London on Saturday June 29th at Chimpyfest, followed by a show in Copenhagen with Coffins in August. Then in October 2013 we’ll do an 8 show long European tour with our friends in Anatomia. We’ll also have our shared ( long delayed) split 8” out in time  for the tour, thanks to the great Me Saco Un Ojo records.

We’ve already started talking about another US tour in July 2014. We’ll try hitting the East Coast this time and we’ve been talking with Funebrarum about sharing some of the tour with them again, as we did in Europe in 2012, and then end up with possibly recording our 3rd album in California when the tour is done. Might play a show or two around that while we’re there as well, if we can get a promoter interested.
So, there are always things brewing in the Undergang-pot.


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

In general I’ll say that the feedback from outside of Denmark has been the best and most supportive ones. But I also know that our music isn’t for everyone, nor is it intended to be. Some people find it too primitive, lacking repetitive choruses, sloppy, or whatever. For those who enjoy it, that’s great, but we’re not aiming to please anyone in any way. We play severely down-tuned and crude Death Metal brutality, so I guess you kind of have to love that for what it is to enjoy Undergang. Join the Neanderthal slaughter or go suck a chode…If you don’t like it, fine by us, but don’t waste your time on badmouthing what we do or feel the need to express it to us. We couldn’t care less about those opinions.


8. Are there any other musical projects going on these days?

A ton, I’m sure. But regarding members of Undergang, Our drummer plays bass in a local punk band called Dårligt Selskab with some of his friends. Our bassist don’t have any other music projects right now, but he used to do some different electronic music some time ago We all listen to a lot of other genres than just Death Metal, that just being the passion we share.
Personally, I have several other bands going on. I have a side project with Takashi Tanaka from Anatomia, called Wormridden, where we play extremely down-tuned Doom Death Metal inspired by the Grave “Anatomia Corporis Humani” demo and Funebre’s second demo. Our second demo will be out this year on tape through my label Extremely Rotten and 7” through Me Saco Un Ojo. It’ll be entitled “Festering Glorification”.
I also play guitar with Kill-Town Death Militia newcomers Mold. It’s heavy and dark Death Metal, in the ancient Scandinavian tradition. Heavily influenced by the early Finnish Death Metal bands.
Lastly I have a fuzzed out stoned doom Death Metal band called Reefer. Started out as me and a friend trying to play some Sabbath like heavy rock, but because of down-tuning and not being able to find a proper singer and instead just having me handling the vocals, it ended up with a more deadly result.
Sooo…I’m keeping well busy, hehe.


9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

I don’t see much changing; we basically already play what we wanted to from the beginning. But one never knows. Maybe we’ll do the Carcass move?


10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

The influential bands for the music of Undergang is generally mixed metal genres and bands that we’ve listened to growing up. Be it Thrash, Doom or Death Metal…A lot of things have found its way into our heads and given ideas in one way or another. That and horror movies and the music from there at times. I love Goblin, so one might find a riff or two that have been inspired by some of their music as well.
At the moment I listen to a lot of different bands and genres, I guess. Lately the most played bands at home are probably Meat Puppets and Demilich.








11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Music does take up a good portion of my time in general. I rehearse with my bands 3 or 4 days a week, run a small Death Metal tape label and distribution, do illustrations for various projects and participate in the organizing of the Kill-Town Death Fest. When I’m not dealing with those matters, I have a full time job so after all I usually just enjoy sitting back with a movie and a Bob Marley cigarette. Horror movies and comics might be something I could describe as an interest to me as well, but other than what is mentioned already I spend my time with my friends hanging out or going to shows (we have a LOT of shows around here at the moment) and spend time with my girlfriend as much as I can. I guess I’m not any deeper than this.



12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

I think we’ve covered just about everything I can think of, hehe. Thanks for the interest in Undergang, I always appreciate answering a good interview.

Total support to Underground Death Metal!

In decay,
D. Torturdød / Undergang
May 2013.

Schwarzer Engel Interview

1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that never
heard of you before?

Our band is called “SCHWARZER ENGEL” (which means Black Angel in
English) and we are a Dark Metal/Gothic Metal Band from Germany. We
already released two fulltime-albums via our former Label “Trisol Music
Group”in the past. Our debut is called “Apokalypse” and the second one
is entitled “Träume einer Nacht”. Now we joined forces with the mighy
Massacre Records for the release of our third Fulltime-Album called “In
Brennenden Himmeln”, which means “In Burning Skies” in english.


2.How would you describe your musical sound ?

I describe our music genre with “Modern Dark Metal”. Our sound is a mix
of Melodic Death- & Black Metal, Dark Metal, Gothic Metal and
Industrial. As influences I would like to mention bands like Rammstein,
Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth and Amon Amarth. For the new record I
would also like to add the “old” In Flames as influence, because there
are a lot of Lead Guitars in it.

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

Our music is a soundtrack for the End of the World. Lyrical topics are
the Apocalypse, War, the failure of mankind but also old myths and
natural impressions. Our debut-album “Apokalypse” explores the concept
of the apocalypse on earth, on the second one “Träume einer Nacht”
(Dreams of a night), splitted in thirteen chapters, each song told one
dark dream. Now on the new record “In Brennenden Himmeln” the ultimate
collapse of this world is taking place once more. This collapse also
takes place in the music, which is more brutal than before. The album is
going to be a weapon.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?

I chose the band’s name “SCHWARZER ENGEL” after I had a dream. In this
dream, I saw a big angel with powerful black wings flying over an
abandoned battlefield. Maybe I just watched too many horror and war
movies in these times…I don`t know. But fact is, that on the next
morning I wrote the first track for the debut album of SCHWARZER ENGEL.
The angel represents the bringer of justice and revenge!


5. I have read that the project is solo in the studio and you use a live
line up for shows, have you considered hiring a band for the albums?

No, cause if you can play all instruments that you need, you don`t need
to hire a studioband for the albums. With each note I do exactly what I
want. So I don`t have to do any compromises... But besides I´m writing
all music and lyrics on my own, I like to work with guest-musicians for
some special tracks on the albums. So in the past, I did collaborations
with members from metal-acts like LEAVES EYES, LIV KRISTINE, ATROCITY or
SAMSAS TRAUM as well as gothic acts like DIARY OF DREAMS or IN STRICT
CONFIDENCE. On the new record “In Brennenden Himmeln” also some
exceptionally gifted musicians, like “El Friede” from the german
industrial band OOMPH! or opera singer “Johanna von Orleans” (E NOMINE)
appear as guest-musicians. Besides drummer Stefan Dittrich (Ex-Mystic
Prophecy) recorded the drum-tracks. You see, I really like to work with
very talented guest-musicians on the records, but I really don`t need a
complete band in the studio. I like it to be autonomous.


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

One of our best shows was the show at the Center Stage of the
Wave-Gotik-Treffen (The biggest Gothic-Festival in Germany) in 2012. It
was fantastic for all of us. The crowd and the atmosphere were great.
Besides we also played some great shows on our 2010-Tour with THE VISION
BLEAK and AHAB. For this year we will play shows at the Mera Luna and
the Rockharz Open Air Festival. I`m really looking forward to these shows!

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

We will see…we have plans, but I´m not sure if they are realizable.

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans
of dark and gothic metal?

The feedback has been fantastic! And I’m really interested in hearing
what people outside of Germany think about our music, because it`s a
view just about the music and fades out the lyrics. That`s really
interesting for me. Besides it`s very interesting for me, to see that
music is able to built bridges besides the language differences.

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

We will continue the way we chose from the beginning. SCHWARZER ENGEL
stands for bombastic Gothic-Metal from Germany!

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your
music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

As I mentioned before, Rammstein, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth and Amon
Amarth can be seen as influences. Nowadays I´m listening to german
country music. No, that was a joke - It`s all about metal.

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

I like mountain-biking, fishing and enjoying the nature. But music is
the main part of my life, definitely. I play music, I hear music, I live
music. Music is life!

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?

Horns up, metalheads! ;-)

https://www.facebook.com/schwarzerengelband

Toscrew/Choices were made/Five By Five Records/2013 CD Review

  Toscrew  are  a  band  from  Hungary  that  has  been  featured  before in  this  zine  continuing  the  hybrid of  doom  metal  and  hard  rock  from  the  last  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Choices  were  made"  which  was  released  by  Five  By  Five  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being   present  on  this  recording,  while  the  keyboards  when  they  are  utilized  bring  a  very  dark  and  psychedelic  sound  to  the  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  traditional  doom   metal  with  hard  rock  together t o  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  a  good  amount  of  melody  in  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  doom  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  clean  singing  doom  metal/rock  vocals  to  deep  growls  and  high  pitched  sludge  screams  as  well  as  some  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  drug  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  recording  from  Toscrew  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  doom  metal  and  hard  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Humanoid"  "Bad  Trip"  "Slaughterhouse  Blues"  and  "Answer  Me".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.     

The Fifth Alliance/Unrevealed Secrets Of Ruin/Demons Run Amok/2013 CD review

  The  Fifth  Alliance  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  metal,  sludge  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Unrevealed  Secrets  Of  Ruin"  which  was  released  by  Demons  Run  Amok".

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  only  a  small  amount  of  fast  drumming  and  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,   mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  doom  metal,  sludge  and  hardcore  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  a  good  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  being thrown  into  the  riffing  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on t his  recording,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  a  post  rock  feeling  to  the  recording.

  Vocals  range  from  aggressive  sounding  hardcore/sludge  yells  to  deep  growls,  while  the  lyrics  cover    loss  and  isolation  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  The  Fifth  Alliance  are  a  very  great sounding  hybrid  of  doom  metal,  sludge  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Hollow"  "Seven  Seven  Seven"  and  "Standing  Tall".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Schwarzer Engel/Schwarze Sonne/Massacre Records/2013 EP Review

  Schwarzer  Engel  are  a  band  that  plays  a  very  dark  form  of  gothic  metal  with  some  doom  and  black  metal  influences  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  ep  "Schwarze  Sonne"  which  was  released  by  Massacre  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  drumming  with  no  fast  playing  or  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  synths  bring  a  very  dark,  atmospheric,  symphonic  and  gothic  sound  to  the  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  European  style  gothic  metal  riffs  that  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  gothic  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  all  clean  singing  male  and  female  gothic  metal  vocals,  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  German  and  cover  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Schwarzer  Engel  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  gothic  metal  band  and  if  you  are a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Schwarze  Sonne"  and  "Der  Faehrmann".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Crown/Psychurgy/Candlelight Records/2013 CD Review

  Crown  are  a  band  from  France  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  with  a  musical  style  that  combines  drone,  sludge,  and  doom  metal  together  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Psychurgy"  which  was  released  by  Candlelight  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present  on t his  recording,  while t he  sound  effects  bring  elements  of  drone  and  experimental  to  the  recording  as  well  as  mixing  in  elements  of  electronic  music,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very   strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that   dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  sludge,  experimental  drone  and  doom  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  being thrown  into  the  riffing  as  well  as  some  soft  and  clean  playing  in  addition t here  is  a  brief  use  of  black  metal  influences,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  post  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  high  pitched  sludge  screams,  deep  growls  to  clean  singing  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  metaphysical  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful, heavy,  dark  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Crown  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  experimental,  drone,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Abyss"  "Serpents  And  Fire"  "We  Will  Crush  The  Sky"  and  "Alpha  Omega".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

      

The Lumberjack Feedback/Hand Of Glory/Kaotoxin Records/2013 EP Review

  The  Lumberjack  Feedback  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  an  instrumental  hybrid  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  ep  "Hand  Of  Glory"  which  was  released  by  Kaotxin  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording,  as  for  the  sound  effects  when  they  are  utilized  they  bring  elements  of  drone  to  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  heavy  doom  metal  and  sludge  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  along  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  being  thrown  into the  riffing  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  soft  and  clean  playing, while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  doom  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  and  song  writing  are  all  absent  from t his  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while  the  song  themes  cover  darkness  and  the  apocalypse,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  dark  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  with  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  The  Lumberjack  Feedback  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  hybrid  of  sludge  and  doom metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "A  Whisper  To  The  Thunder".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.    

Skeletal Spectre/Voodoo Dawn/Pulverised Records/2013 CD Review

  Skeletal  Spectre  are  a  band  with  members  from  both  Sweden  and  the  United  States  that  plays  a mixture  of  doom,  old  school  death  metal  and  d-beat  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "Voodoo  Dawn"  which  was  released  by  Pulverised  Records.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  not  much  in  the  way  of  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  old  school  death  metal,  doom  and  d-beat  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  being thrown  into  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  deep  death  metal  growls  to  high  pitched  screams  as  well  as  some  samples  along  with  some  clean  singing  being  utilized  on  the  last  song,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Voodoo,  Occultism,  and  Satanism,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  dark,  and  professional  sound  to  it.

  In  my  opinion  Skeletal  Spectre  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  doom  and  old  school  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Voodoo  Dawn"  "Altar  Of  Damballah"  "She Wolf  of  Devil's  River"  and  "The  Flip-Side  Of  Satan".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Morgan Freeman/Demo 13 Review

  Morgan  Freeman  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  an  instrumental  mixture  of  power  violence  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2013  demo.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  heavy  sludge/doom  metal  to create  a  sound  of  their  own.

 Vocals  and  song  writing  are  all  absent  from  this  recording  with  the  music  being  instrumental  except  in  some  parts,  while  the  song  themes  cover  hateful  and  everyday  topics,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful  and  heavy  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  demo.

  In  my  opinion  Morgan  Freedom a re  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  hybrid  of  power  violence  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Betrayal"  and  "Blind".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

https://mf-13.bandcamp.com/album/demo-13

  

Somnus Aeternus Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
We are currently settling things down after the arrival of our new drummer. I think delivering convincing and confident live performance is something that every band should strive for and fluctuations on the drummer seat are probably the most demanding in this respect. So we are making sure we can deliver that. New things are being written as well and we are kind of reinventing ourselves to align us with our visions of what the band should sound and look like in the future.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from previous releases?
So far, we have released just a 3-song demo and our debut album, so there is not much to compare with. We have been describing ourselves as doom/death-metal band (the debut reviews compared us to Swallow the Sun, Saturnus, My Dying Bride, but also Opeth, Arcturus and others), but I really feel that we are sowly drifting away from the genre (or stretching its boundaries, depending on the way you look at it).

3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Speaking of boundaries, I think it is, in a way, a strong lyrical topic as well (even a leitmotif, I’d say), although it surfaces in various ways. Majority of the album’s lyrics deal with the similarity of death and dreaming, unconsciousness and other liminal states of mind. However, being on the verge (or even beyond the point of no return) can be viewed from different perspectives – see the lyrics of Decrepitus for a fine example.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the band’s name?
We invented the name a long time ago. We thought it was an appropriate name for a doom metal band (you would not believe how difficult it is to come up with an interesting name that is not already taken). If I was inventing a band name nowadays, I would probably pick a different one, but we did not really feel it was necessary to change it. We like it and it matches the lyrical topics that our singer Insomnic, who joined the band later, comes up with.
Oh and by the way – our name is not a reference to Solitude Aeternus or Sopor Aeternus. I think we were aware of neither of them at the time.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
I think the best show we played was our debut album release show with our friends from Llyr and Morgue Son (check them out!) here in our hometown, Brno. We also played with Antagonist Zero and Fortid, who were really cool both as musicians and people to hang out with, but the crowd was rather smallish. Being a doom metal musician is not the best choice if you want to play for a packed club J
Our stage performance is nothing really experimental, as I am not very fond of setting up a great stage performance and making a grand visual show. Music should always be about music in the first place. It definitely works for some other artists and I can appreciate that, but it is simply not my cup of tea. Nevertheless, we do care about the stage appearance and we are planning to make some interesting additions to our live shows in the future. Everything you do on stage influences the way people perceive the music, so we definitely do think about that.

6. Do you have any touring plans for the future?
Not really, we had some shows in the Czech Republic following the album release and we will play in Vienna in autumn, but there are no set tour plans as of now. However, we would love to play more, especially abroad, so feel free to invite us!

7. Currently you are signed to Solitude Productions, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support they have given you so far?
We sent e-mails to a couple of labels a few weeks before the actual release, which is pretty late and we did not want to postpone the album anymore. Solitude was among those who were interested in releasing our album, so we went for it. We are happy with the choice because their support and promotion really helped to spread the word about us, with reviews of our debut being published all over the world.

8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of doom metal?
Pretty good! Actually, it seems to me that the reviews from abroad are much more positive in most cases than those written for the Czech magazines. Anyway, we are really stoked that so many people from various countries like our music. It makes the whole endeavor truly rewarding and it fills us with the energy to go on.

9. What is going on with the other musical projects these days?
At the moment, I do not have any projects or bands beside Somnus Aeternus, but our keyboardist Janča plays in a band called Arch of Hell, the drummer Indián has a heavy-metal band Remains of Force and our bassist Murk has just started his hard-rock/metal band Painting Memories.

10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
That is one of the things we have been discussing a lot lately. All we can say at the moment is that there will be a shift towards more unpredictable and slightly more experimental song-writing, with longer songs and some post-metal influences. But it does not mean we are abandoning doom metal altogether; on the contrary, we still want to play a kind of doom metal, but we are aiming for a slightly different musical repertoire for expressing our ideas.
Moreover, we have some neat plans for the concept of the upcoming album, which will not be limited to the lyrics or the artwork. But since we are still brainstorming and considering what is possible for an underground band like us with basically no budget, we won’t make any bold announcements yet J

11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Unfortunately, I do not have as much time to discover new bands or releases as I used to (and as I would like to), but I am still in love with Ahab’s last years The Giant and the new My Dying Bride was a pleasant surprise as well (Barghest O’Whitby set my expectations pretty high and in spite of that I was not disappointed). Aside from doom metal, I was really taken aback by Shining’s One One One, Steven Wilson’s Raven, Hexvessel’s Dawnbearer (which I discovered only recently) and Hidden Orchestra’s Archipelago. I listen to a great variety of stuff, so this is just a more-or-less random list from the top of my head… As for the influences – I do not have any idols that I would try to emulate, so consciously there are no really influential bands, but subconsciously there are loads of them – too many to list them here.

12. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
Reading, running, hanging out with friends and relaxing (which is a necessary survival strategy in our time).

13. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Thank you for the opportunity to make an interview. Fans, feel free to approach us with anything – criticism, praise, questions, gig offers… We are open to anything.
Last but not least (and this is to all fans and music-listeners in general): support the bands you like. The metal scene is mostly underground and an underground environment is literally made of and by supporters. It is one of the areas where even small actions can have great consequences, so take advantage of it!

Somnus Aeternus/2009 Demo Review

  Somnus  Aeturnus  are  a  band  from  the  Czech  Republic  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  form  of  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2009  demo.

  Drums  are  all  slow  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  keyboards  bring  a  very  dark  and  atmospheric  sound  to  the  recording,  as  for  the  bass  playing  it  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars.

  Rhythm  guitars  are  all  slow  and  heavy  doom/death  metal  riffs  that  utilize  some  dark  sounding  melodies  in  the  riffing  which  bring  back  the early  90's  sound,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  melodic  sounding  doom  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep doom/death  metal  growls  with  some  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  some  high  pitched  screams  which  brings  a  black  metal  feeling  to  the  recording,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressing  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  dark  and  professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Somnus  Aeturnus  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Purgatorium".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Assyrian/Self-Portrait/2011 Demo Review

  Assyrian  are  a  band  from  Mexico  that  plays  a  very  progressive  form  of  doom/death  metal  with  some  sludge  influences  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2011  demo  "Self-Portrait".

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  and  progressive  sounding  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording,  as  for  the  keyboards  when  they  are  utilized t hey  bring  a  very  dark  and  avant  garde  sound  to the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  doom/death  metal  riffs  that  utilize  some  melody,  progressive  elements  and  sludge  influences  in  the  riffing  as  well  as  a  great  amount  of  heavy  distortion,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  progressive/post  rock  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  they  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  add  some  jazz  elements  to t he  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  doom/death  metal  growls  with  some  high  pitched  sludge  screams  being  utilized  at  times  as  well  as  some  clean  singing,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  dark  and  heavy  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on t his  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Assyrian  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  progressive,  doom/death  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of t his  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Grey"  "Colour  Me"  and  "Bright  Green  Light".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Doomchurch/Demo 2010 Review

  Doomchurch  are  a  1  man  band  from  the  U.K  that  plays  a  very  heavy  and  old  school  form  of  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2010  demo.

  Drum  programming  are  all  slow  beats  which  gives  the  music  a  minimalist  feeling,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  and  dark  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  are  all  slow  and  heavy  old  school  doom/death  metal  riffs  that  utilize  a lot  of  dark  sounding  melodies  in  the  riffing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  doom  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads,  as  for  the  classical  guitars  which  are  only  used  briefly  use  finger  picking  to  enhance  the  dark  atmosphere  of  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  all  absent  from  this  recording  with  the  music  being  all  instrumental,  while  the  song  themes  cover  darkness,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  dark  and  professional  sound  for  being  a  self  released  recording  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  with  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Doomchurch  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  melodic,  old  school  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  demo.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "

Dream Long Dead/Madness Dead Alive-Live Invocations To The ONES That Lurk At The Threshold/2013 Live EP Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  live  recording  from  Dream  Long  Dead  which  continues  their  hybrid  of  doom,  death  metal,  sludge  and  punk  which  was  released  in  2013  and  called  "Madness  Dead  Alive - Live Invocations to the ONES  That  Lurk  At  The  Threshold".

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

 Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  doom,  death  metal,  sludge  and  punk  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  being  thrown  into  the  riffing  at  times  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  soft  and  clean  playing  and  there  are  little  to  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  this  recording.

  Vocals  are  all  early  style  death  metal  vocals  that  go  back  to  the  roots  of  the  genre,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  H.P  Lovecraft  writings,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy,  raw  and  primitive  sound  to  it  while  you  can  still  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  with  the  songs  being  recorded  live  and  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Dream  Long  Dead  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  doom/death  and  sludge  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  live  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Madness  From  Above".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.  

Dream Long Dead/Madness Dead Grave - Invocations Three To The ONES That Lurk At The Threshold/2012 CD Review

  Dream  Long  Dead  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom/death,  punk  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2012  album  "Madness  Dead  Grave-Invocations  Three  to  the  ONES  That  Lurk  At  The  Threshold".

  Drums  are  all  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present  on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  are  all  slow  to  mid  paced  heavy  and  dark  riffs  that  combine  doom,  death  metal,  sludge  and  punk  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  along  with  some  distorted  effects  and  a  brief  use  of  soft  and  clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark  sounding  old  school  doom/death  metal  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  are  all  old  school  sounding  death  metal style  vocals  that  go  back  to  the origins  of  the  genre,  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  the  writings  of  H.P  Lovecraft,  as  for  the  production  it has  a  very  heavy,  dark,  raw  and  primitive  sound  while  you  can s till  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  with  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Dream  Long  Dead  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  doom,  death  metal,  punk  and  sludge  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should c heck  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "The  Dead  Dream  Under  Our  Skin".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Undergang/Til Doden Os Skiller/Xtreem Music/2012 CD Review

  This  is  another  review  of  an  album  from  Undergang  which  continues  their  heavy  and  brutal  doom/death  metal  sound  with  the  recording  being  called  "Til  Doden  Os  Skiller"  which  was  released  in  2012  by  Xtreem  Music.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  brutal  sounding  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of  the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  heavy  doom  with  brutal  death  metal  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  while  the  lead  guitars  which  are  only  used  briefly  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  death  metal  guitar  leads,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  are  only  used  on t he  last  song  and  they  use  finger  picking  to  enhance  the  dark  atmosphere  of  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  all  deep  death  metal  growls  with  some  spoken  word  samples  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Danish  and  cover  darkness  and  gore  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy  and  brutal  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Undergang  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  heavy  and  brutal  doom/death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Oploste  Adsler"  "Stranguleret"  and  "Til  Doden  Os  Skiller".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

  

Undergang/Indhentet Af Doden/Xtreem Music/2011 CD Review

  Undergang  are  a  band  from  Denmark  that  plays  a  very  heavy,  old  school  and  brutal  form  of  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2011  album  "Indehentet  Af  Doden"  which  was  released  by  Xtreem  Music.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  along  with  some  brutal  sounding  blast  beats,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  dark  tone  with  riffs  that  follow  the  riffing  that  are  coming  out  of the  guitars  and  at  times  they  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  old  school  brutal  death  metal  with  heavy  doom  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  with  some  grindcore  influences  and  there  are  no  guitar  solos  or  leads  present  on  this  recording,  as  for  the  acoustic  guitars  they  are  only  used  on  the  instrumental  and  use  finger  picking  and  full  chords  to  enhance  the  dark  atmosphere  of  the  music.

  Vocals  are  all  deep  death  metal  growls,  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Danish  and  cover  darkness  and  gore  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  dark,  heavy,  brutal  and  old  school  sound  to  it  and  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  In  my  opinion  Undergang  are  a  very  great  sounding  heavy,  brutal  and  old  school  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Englemagersken"  "Evigt  Lidende" and  "Indhentent  Af  Doden".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

I Klatus Interview

1. Can you give us an update on what is going on with the band these days?
Tom: We are currently wrapping up the recording and mixing of our upcoming EP, “Vortex”, which we have been working on periodically for the last 2 years.  It is a noise-concept recording based on a person being ensnared within an energy vortex and their struggle against being torn asunder by it. It is intended to be a follow up conceptually to "Kether" in that, the listener is brought through a gateway from the fourth and fifth dimensions. The new recording again features many noteworthy collaborators and multi-cultural instrument usage. It is an expansion of the concept that the song Portals from our last album was written about. We are currently editing an epic video for that song (Portals) to put out with the follow up album.
John: Other than that, just perpetually writing, making cool art, and conceptualizing ideas for the band's forward progress.

2. How would you describe the musical sound of the new album and how it differs from previous releases?
John: With “Kether”, there was definitely a much more cohesive approach to the songwriting, where we all kind of knew where the others were coming from, and could therefore fill in the space and eliminate the chaff to make the songs feel like that they were "ours" rather than being created by each one of us separately and then brought to the table. We also had the addition of Tariq Ali (R.I.P) for some of the writing on bass which helped me to redirect some of my creative focus to vocals and the gongs & robots, which is kind of our blanket term for all the weird noises and effects that we are so fond of.   In truth, this is the first of our records that really felt like a band, rather than a studio project between Tom and me.

3. The song lyrics cover a lot of occult topics, how would you describe your views on Occultism and which areas of this subject do you find the most interesting?
Tom: We are openly referencing our own personal experiences with meditation, DMT, LSD, Kabbalah, The Old Testament, The Book of the Dead, The Bhagavad Gita, Kundalini practices, pan-dimensional psychic vampires and other entities, Atlantean culture, Blavatsky, Manly P. Hall, Malchezidek, Crowley, Egyptian culture, Dreams, and the Tarot. I believe that there is absolutely a series of symbols and word codes which can transmit states of being and activate parts of a human conscious that would otherwise lay dormant. This language has been called Occult because it has been knowledge long hidden from the awareness of the uninitiated. These are tools of consciousness. Just as one can use a hammer to build a house, you can also use it to strike a man down. It is all inherent to the intent of the wielder of these certain understandings. We find ourselves as a band employing ancient symbols and words along with tones and rhythmic patterns to generate specific intentional vibrational states within whatever space the music is played and especially within the listener. No matter what your vibration of consciousness, it will inevitably be altered right down to the way your molecules oscillate while listening to the pulsating wave patterns as they emanate from the speakers that the music is played through. We are using what keys we have found through our own paths of self-awareness and growth to convey our sense of uplifting and sound-tone healing vibrations. The music is very dark and aggressive, because it is so important to look at the shadow and the source of discomfort so that it may be exposed to the light for healing. Some get angered by looking into the speculum for fear of knowing truly what lies at the depths of the unfathomable abyss.  When you dive into the deepest darkest pit of that vortex, the Malkuth, you only discover more of yourself. In our own personal lives we have used these tools to grow through dark times and the result is reflected and spoken about in our music. Hopefully the listener can absorb this implementation of Occultism and take away their own sense of uplifting as we all make our sojourns through this life back into the light. That is the journey of Kether.

4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the band’s name?
 Tom: It references, firstly, the "I Spartacus" notion, in which a self-liberated slave rises up against his Roman oppressors. There is also a science fiction story where Klaatu is an alien from the future, weaponized with the power to destroy worlds and charged with the task to come to earth to judge mankind's worth against complete extermination. So I Klatus is the encoded principles of both of these notions.  This is why it is singular as well as plural; the many are the one. Awareness, rebellion, strength, the future, the past, potential executed, and unrealized all coalesce into a delicate balance of polarities in which chaos is the kept. Like how a judge interplays with the condemned. The oppressor as well as the abused.  How an electron dances with a proton.  In this dualism we realize that there are only two opposites of a single spectrum, of which there lies only a fulcrum of temperance to one whole.

5. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?

Tom: We have had a series of small shows in random cities at strange times over the years. We usually have projections of animations and video which go along with the themes of the music for our live performances.

6. What are the touring plans for the new release?

7. The new album came out on Horse Drawn Records, how did you get in contact with this label and how would you describe the support they have given you so far?
John: I can answer both of these questions together. Firstly, Horse-Drawn Records is an extension of the recording company that we have been working and collaborating with for well over a decade. Horse-Drawn has always allowed us to take our time to refine and adapt our sound to create the heaviest and multi-faceted albums, so it just felt natural to put the albums out under the umbrella of their label. We maintain a DIY approach through all of this and that includes any touring or upcoming shows. We are currently searching for representation and tour management but until then we will continue to put shows and tours together ourselves and with budget and resources being what they are, our expectations for extended touring are low.

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

Tom: We generate our own feedback through our amps in large halls. Our sounds are atonal, as this is what affects the crown chakra, and is most pleasing at loud volumes. It is similar to the tones generated by a Tibetan singing bowl. The majority of our sales abroad have been in Europe so far.

9. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?

Tom: I would like to get heavier but with greater aesthetic song structure.  For example, if you combined Burning Witch with Genesis. This would be the most desirable result of future growth at this time. However, speaking fifth-dimensionally, all directions are not only possible and inevitable, but also already achieved in a single overlapping moment of pure awareness and cacophony. This is not recommended for third-dimensional listeners, for their access should be limited to whatever time line they are accessing in the present, otherwise severe psychosis and hyper-dementia schizophrenia could be incurred.

10. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

John: I would say the bands that most influence the decision making of I Klatus are Neurosis, Buried at Sea, Burzum, Warhorse, Drudkh, and Godflesh, as well as elements of Kundalini medatiation, Tibetan throat singing, and other chakra charging activities.

11. Outside of music what are some of your interests?

Tom: Personally I create a lot of art and designs as well as some video editing and experimental animation. You can find out more about this at www.tomdenney.com. I will have my second book of illustrations coming out early this summer.

Woz: I’m involved with numerous metal, folk, and rock bands.  During the day I’m enabling wind power for localities on every continent.  In my spare time I make beer, mead, gruit, wine, and pulque, and am constantly researching ancient brewing traditions and ways to reproduce these methods.

John: I produce and create many different styles of music but also enjoy building things with my hands. It is my dream to design and build a completely sustainable home and recording facility of recycled materials in the desert. This will be our compound where we will make our albums and art for the rest of the world to consume.

12. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Woz: We will continue to craft our art for the sake of art—not for fame or fortune.  If we continue to excel in being obscure, so be it.  I’m not sure if that’s completely selfless or selfish, but in our experience, the best results are derived when we make sounds for ourselves.

Noriega/Desolo/Viable Recordings/2009 EP Review

  Noriega  are  a  band  from  Los  Angeles,  California  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  doom,  death  metal  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2009  ep  "Desolo"  which  was  released  by  Viable  Recording.

  Drums  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  drumming  with  some  blast  beats  being  utilized  at  times,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow,  mid  paced  to  fast  riffs  that  combine  sludge  with  doom,  death  metal  and  hardcore  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  along  with  some  soft  and  clean  playing,  while  the  lead  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  sludge  style  screams,  hardcore  style  yells  and  deep  death  metal  vocals,  while  the  lyrics  cover  everyday  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy,  dark  and  professional  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on t his  recording  with  some  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Noriega  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  sludge,  doom,  death  metal  and  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bernard"  and  "Ballocaust".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.

Drunk Dad/Morbid Reality/Eolian Empire/2013 12 Inch Review

  Drunk  Dad  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  noise  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  12  inch  "Morbid  Reality"  which  was  released  by  Eolian  Empire.

  Drums  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  playing  with  no  fast  drumming  or  blast  beats  being  present on  this  recording,  while  the  bass  playing  has  a  very  strong  and  powerful  sound  with  heavy  riffing  that  dominates  throughout  the  recording,  as  for  the  sound  effects  when t hey  are  utilized  they  bring  elements  of  drone  and  noise  to  the recording.

  Rhythm  guitars  range  from  slow  to  mid  paced  riffs  that  combine  heavy  sludge  metal  and  noise  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  along  with  a  brief  use  of  soft  and  clean  playing which  brings  in  the  experimental  elements,  while  the  lead  guitars  are  very  dark  sounding  noise  rock  guitar solos  and  leads.

  Vocals  range  from  spoken  word  parts,  clean  singing  to  high  pitched  screams  which  has  a  crust/grind  feeling to them  as  well  as  some  deep  growls,  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  hateful  themes,  as  for  the  production  it  has  a  very  strong,  powerful,  heavy  and  dark  sound  where  you  can  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording  with  one  of  the  songs  being  long  and  epic  in  length.

  In  my  opinion  Drunk  Dad  are  a  very  great  sounding  hybrid  of  sludge  and  noise  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Guts"  and  "Scum  Fee".  RECOMMENDED  BUY.