Garth Arum/The Dawn Of A New Creation/Satanath Records/2013 CD Review

  Garth  Arum  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  a  symphonic  and  avant  garde  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "The  Dawn  Of  A  New  Creation"  which  was  released  by Satanath  Records.

    Classical  guitars  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  modern  prog  metal  direction  that  also  uses  clean  singing  male  and  female  vocals  along  with  a  great  amount  of  synths  and  the  music  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  folk  instruments  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  start  to  became  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording.

  At  times  the  music  can  be  very  avant  garde  and  experimental  while  there  is  always  a  great  amount  of  melody  present  throughout  the  recording  in  both  the  riffs  and  solos  while  some  of  the  vocals  also  add  in  black  metal  screams  and  spoken  word  parts  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  are  utilized.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  utilize  a  great  amount  of  symphonic  elements  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  later  songs  also  introduce  acoustic  guitars  and  female  vocals  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  electronic  music  into  some  parts  of  the  recording.

  Garth  Arum  take  doom  and  death  metal  and  mixes  it  with  atmospheric,  progressive  and  avant  music  along  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  to  create  a  very  original  sounding  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dreams,  unreality,  universe,  return  to  innocence  and  apocalypse  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Garth  Arum  are  a  very  great  sounding   progressive,  symphonic,  and  avant  garde  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  along  with  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shadows  Of  The  Past"  "Labyrinth  Of  Lies"  and  "Yearned  Freedom".  8  out  of  10.           

Enclave Of Dreams/"The Road To The Inevitable/Satanath Records/2013 CD Review

  Enclave  Of  Dreams  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  plays  a  gothic  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2013  album  "The  Road  To  The  Inevitable"  which  was  released  by  Satanath  Records.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  and  after  the  intro  violins  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound to  them  and  after  awhile  clean  singing  vocals  along  with  some  screams  that  have  a  black  metal  tinge  to  them  and  death  metal  growls.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  very  dark,  melodic  and  depressive  sounding  and  keyboards  are  also  used  on  a  regular  basis  and  they  also  give  the  music  more  of  a  tragic  feeling  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  style  of  goth  doom/death  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  either  to  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction.

  Enclave  In  Darkness  plays  a  style  of  melodic,  goth  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  atmospheric  and  rooted  in  the  90's  while  also  bringing  in  a touch  of  black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Russian  and  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Enclave  In  Darkness  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  goth,  doom,  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres, you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Doctor  For  Your  Soul"  "When  the  Idleness  Of  The  Hands"  and  "The  Illusion  Of  Color,  the  World".  8  out  of  10.   

Agoraphobic Nosebleed/Arc/Relapse Records/2016 EP Review

  Agoraphobic  Nosebleed  are  a  band  from  Maryland  that  are  more  known  for  playing  noise/grindcore  but take  that  genre  and  also  mix  in  elements  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  on  this  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  ep  "Arc"  which  will  be  released  by  Relapse  Records  in  the  year  of  2016.

  A very  distorted  noisy  reverb  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  melodic  doom  metal  riffing  that  goes  into  more  of  a  sludge  direction  a  few  seconds  later  as  well  as  introducing  high  pitched  screams  onto  the  recording  and  all  3  of  their  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  bring  in  a  stoner  vibe  at  times.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  some of t he  riffs  also  bring  in  a  Southern  metal  vibe  at  times  and  all  3  of  the  tracks  stick  to  a  very  slow  yet  heavy  musical  direction  and  death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  the  ep  closes  with  some  elements  of  harsh  noise.

  On  this  recording  Agoraphobic  Nosebleed  slows  everything  down  to  focus  more  on  a  slower  yet  heavy  doom/sludge  metal  direction  while  also  retaining  the  screaming  vocals,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  misnathropic  and  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Agoraphobic  Nosebleed  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band  or  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Deathbed".  8  out  of  10.

Restos Humanos/Cryptic Brood/Equinox Discos/2015 Split EP Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Columbia/Italy's  Restos  Humanos  and  Germany's  Cryptic  Brood  which  was  released  by  Equinox  Discos  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Restos  Humanos  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  death  metal,  grindcore  and  crust.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  clean  playing    and  horror  movie  style  keyboards  before  going  into  more  of  an  old  school  death  metal  direction  that  has  a  heavy  Swedish  vibe  to  it  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  blast  beats  and  growling  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  along  with  some  elements  of  crust  and  grind.

  All  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  and  the  other track  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  horror move  samples  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts, t he  production  sounds  very  old  school  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror,  death,  murder  and  zombies.

  In  my opinion  Restos  Humanos  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  death  metal,  crust  and  grind  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Muerte".

  Next  up  is  Cryptic  Brood  a  band  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  a  very  dark  guitar  riff  which  leads  to  a  doom  metal  direction  that  also  uses  both  growls  and  screams  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  early  90's  death  metal  and  also  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction  while  also  speeding  up  at  times  and  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Necromancy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  track  from  Cryptic  Brood  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.

  In  conclusion  i  feel  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  death,  doom  metal,  crust  and  grindcore.  8  out  of  10.

     

The Lumberjack Feedback/Blackened Visions/Kaotoxin Records/2016 CD Review

  The  Lumberjack  Feedback  area  band  from  France  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  instrumental  mixture  of  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Blackened  Visions"  which  will  be  released  in  2016  by  Kaotoxin  Records.

  Distorted  reverb's  and  a  heavy  yet  melodic  guitar  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drums  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the music  is  mostly  rooted  in  sludge  and  stoner  metal  while  the  slow  riffs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  post  rock  at  times.

  All  of  the tracks  are  instrumental  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  very  melodic  and  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  modern  post  metal  style  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  you  can  also  hear  a  small  amount  of  nature  sounds  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  at  times  and  all  of  the  songs  remain  true  to  mostly  a  very  heavy  and  slow  musical  direction  while  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  some  riffs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  melody.

  The  Lumberjack  Feedback  creates  another  recording  that  mixes  the  heaviest  styles  of stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal  together  while  also  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  also  mixing  in  elements  of  progressive  and  post  rock  and  the  production  also  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  The  Lumberjack  Feedback  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Blackened  visions"  and  "Salvation". 8  out  of  10.  

 

Soliloquium/The Concept Of Escape/Symbol Of Domination Productions/2013 EP Review

  Soliloquium  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays a  melodic  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of their  2013  ep  "The  Concept  Of  Escape"  which  was  released  by  Symbol  Of  Domination  Records.

  A  very  dark,  heavy,  melodic  and  atmospheric  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  high  pitched  screams  that h ave  a  black  metal  feeling  to  them  as  well  as  some  depressive  sounding  guitar  solos  and  leads  and  the  vocals  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  death  metal  growls  and  all  3  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Clean  playing  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  vocals  also  get  melodic  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  add  in  a  touch  of  post  metal  at  times  which  also makes  the  tracks  have  more  of  a  modern  day feeling  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction.

  Soliloquim  plays  a  style of  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  melodic  and  also  adds  in a   touch  of  post  metal  and  depressive  rock  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  humanity,  depression,  and  personal  struggles.

  In  my  opinion  Soliloquim  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Remnants  Of  Dying  Dreams".  8  out of  10.

Inner Missing Interview

1.


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



Hello everybody! Now we are mapping out concerts in 2016: our participation in Metal Blast Festival (Cairo, Egypt) and Noise Metal Fest (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia) is announced and we are still looking for more shows! And, of course, we do not forget about working at new songs – some of them will be performed at the upcoming gigs.



2.In August you had released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?



On the new album we tried to make the structure of the tracks more complicated, the arrangements deeper and the sound more atmospheric – and we guess we’ve done it. Of course, betterment of the sound’s quality was also a very important part of the work and, thanks to our sound producer Max Morton who not only made his best to unlock our material’s potential, but also helped us with the arrangements, our album sound much more mature than any of our previous works. The Sentinel And The Murderer was as well the first album on which violin was used –a great thanks for it goes to Oleg Kalayda.





3.In the beginning the music was more doom/death metal, but the newer material has been more goth metal and depressive rock, what was the decision behind going into this musical direction?



I cannot say there was a decision at all – when I’m going to compose a new song, it is not like: “Well, now I want to write some funeral stuff – let’s do it slow then” or “OK, now gothic genre is more fashionable, so, I’ll add more lachrymose melodies”. I just write what comes to my mind and in most cases this process is uncontrolled. Maybe it’s not the way professionals do it but I suppose it’s the way to make sincere and original music.



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



As usual, in most cases lyrics are based on my own experience or on the stories which I face in my professional (as a forensic pathologist) life - for example, “Arrows” is about a man who shot himself with a crossbow. Sometimes I use works of literature for inspiration – it is the way “The Castle” was created. I never feel lack of inspiration for creating new lyrics – I just write words which claim it.



5.Originally the band was called 'Odium', what was the decision behind the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Inner Missing'?



The reason to change the band’s name was trivial – there were too many bands with exactly the same name (18 if to believe Encyclopaedia Metallum). The name 'Inner Missing' was invented by our drummer RF (left the band soon after the release of “All The Lifeless”)and I think that even for him the meaning of the band’s name is a riddle. We knowingly do not give any exact interpretation of the band’s name providing this opportunity to the listener.







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



In 2011 we supported Saturnus in Minsk (Belarus) and it was incredible! We haven’t seen such a passionate audience nor before, nor after this show – I hope, one day we will return to Belarus again. If to speak about our stage performance, I can honestly say that we’re not a professional band, and so, in most cases our performance depends on the public’s response and on our own mood as well. Another peculiarity is that in most cases on the concerts we play only the songs that are not recorded and released yet – we live through these songs until the album’s release and then they become independent and obtain their own separate life which does not need our participation.



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



As already stated we will visit Egypt and Mongolia in 2016 – and I hope, some other countries, but, of course, it depends on local promoters.



8.The new album was self released, are you open to working with another record label again in the future?



The new album is still not released at all – it’s just available for download. As all our previous works, it will be released on CDs by Darknagar Records – it’s just a matter of time.



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



As usual, we get a lot of positive comments and reviews from all over the world and a bunch of displeased grunts from Russia – local fans, obviously, cannot forgive us for betrayal of orthodox Doom\Death. I never take any of the comments seriously because I do not earn money by music, and so, I can afford doing whatever pleases me and nobody else.



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



We share our drummer Albe with Karma Rassa, but I think that it will be more correct to ask Karma Rassa about their state of affairs – I simply do not have any actual data.



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



As practice shows, in planning of the band’s development and future I’m always wrong. In 2008, when it all began, I never imagined that I’ll use opera singing or that keyboards will become the leading instrument. Of course, the band’s evolution obeys some laws, but these laws are a mystery for me.



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



I still listen to Doom, Gothic metal and Darkwave, and even now I often find new original bands in these styles. My Dying Bride, Katatonia, Moonspell, Paradise Lost, Diary Of Dreams and Novembre are still my favorites and I do not think that time will change it. Besides, in recent years I become interested in Progressive metal and rock and post-rock music and bands like Agora Fidelio and Naïve had a great impact on me.



13.What are some of your non musical interests?



Literature, photography and tourism.



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



Listen to the music and support your favorite bands. Hope to see you soon!

Grime/Circle Of Molesters/Argento Records/2015 CD Review

 Grime  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  very  heavy  form  of  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2015  album  "Circle  of  Molesters"  which  was  released  by  Argento  Records.

  Dark  and  experimental  sound  effects  start  off  the  album  and  after  a  few  seconds  the  music  starts  getting  more  heavy  and  melodic adding  in  doom  metal  style  riffing  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  to  the  music  going  into  more  of  a  sludge  direction  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

   Vocals  are  mostly  high  pitched  screams  and  some  of  the  fast  parts  use  semi  blast  beats  and  also  add  a  touch  of  grindcore  to  the  music  while  they  are  not  rarely  used  with  the  music  being  mostly  sludge/doom  metal  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  crust  and  hardcore  style  shouting  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  used  briefly  they  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  one  song  also  brings  in  a  brief  use  of  growling  vocals.

  Grime  creates  another  album  that  remains  true to  the  sludge  and  doom metal  style  of  previous  recordings  and  keeps  everything  very  heavy  from  beginning  to  ending  of  the  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  hate,  drugs,  suicide  and  despair  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Grime  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  sludge  metal,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Get  Immortal"  "Sulphorous  Veins"  and  "Orgiastic  Rite". 8  out  of  10.

     

The King Is Blind/Our Father/Cacophonous Records/2016 CD Review

  The  King  Is  Blind  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Our  Father"  which  will  be  released  in  2016  by  Cacophonous  Records.

  A  very  heavy  and  aggressive  old  school  death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  blast  beats,  growls  and  screams  a  high  seconds  later  and  you  can  also  hear  a  lot  of  blast beats in  the  music  along  with  a  touch  of  grindcore  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  sound  very  dark  and  melodic.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  back  up  gang  shouts along  with  a  touch  of  d  beat  can  be  heard  in  the  music  at  time  while  some  of the  slower  riffs  bring  in  dark  sounding  melodies  and  doom  metal  elements  and  they  also  update  the  sound  by  adding  in  modern  metal  style  riffing.

  There  is  also  a  brief  use  of  Gregorian  chants  on  one  of  the  tracks  and  they  also  add  in  keyboards,  clean  playing  and  spoken  word  parts  at  times  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  throughout the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts and  you  can  also  hear  a  slight  black  metal  influence  at  times.

  The  King  Is  Blind  continue  the  old  school  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  from  previous  recordings  while  also  updating  the  style  and  adding  in  atmospheric  elements  and  a  touch  of  grindcore  to  evolve  into  a  different  style,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  care  a  concept  album  based  upon  Satan  from  John  Milton's  "Paeadise  Lost"  and  "Paradise Regained"  point  of  view.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  the  King  Is  Blind  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  doom  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Fragility  Becomes  Wrath"  "Mourning  Light"  "All  The  Daemons  Are  Here"  and  "Mesmeric  Furnace". 8  out  of  10.

Inner Missing/Defeat/Satanath Records/Darknagar Records/Niberu Productions/2014 CD Review

  Inner Missing  are  a  band  from  Russia  that  started  out  as  a  doom/death  metal  band  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  goth  and  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2014  album  "Defeat"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between   Satanath  Records,  Darknagar  Records  and  Niberu  Productions.

  Classical  guitars  start  of  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  elements  a  few  seconds  later  and  it  also  leads  up  to  a  heavier  and  atmospheric  direction  that  also  uses  a  lot  of  melodic  guitar  solos  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard at  times.

  Melodic  vocals  and  spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  at  times  along  with  elements  of  post  and  progressive  rock  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  starts  incorporating  more  gothic  doom  metal  elements  and  some  of  the  whispers  and  guitar  riffs  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  and  the  whole  album  also  sticks  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.


  Inner  Missing  moves  away  from  their  doom/death  metal  background  on  this  recording  and  goes  for  more  of  a  progressive  goth/post  metal  direction  on  this  recording  while  still  adding  in  a  touch  of  doom.  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  insanity,  suicide  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Inner  Missing  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive,  gothic/doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Secret"  "Defeat"  and  "The  Parting".  8  out  of  10. 

   

Nexus Clandestine/Church Of The Poison Mind/Satanath Records/Rebirth The Metal Productions/2014 CD Review

  Nexus  Clandestine  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Church  Of  the  Poison  Mind"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath  Productions  and  Rebirth  The  Metal  Productions.

  Avant  garde  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  atmospheric elements  which  leads  up  to  a  more  heavy  sludge  metal  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  melodic  sounding  guitar  leads  and  after  awhile death  metal  growls  make  their  presence  known  on  the  recording  along  with  some rough  yet  melodic  vocals.

  Elements  of  post  metal  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  and  the  music  also  brings  in  the  energy  of  punk  at  times  along  with  some  of  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  dark  sounding  melodies  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  as  the  album  progresses  cello's  are  used  more  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while  some  songs  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing.  and  elements  of  traditional  doom  metal  can  be  heard  in  some  of  the  melodic  riffing  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction.

  Nexus  Clandestine  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  takes  the  heaviness  of  death  metal  and  the  experimental  yet  melodic  nature  of  post  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Nexus  Clandestine  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  doom,  sludge  and  post  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Descent"  "Church  Of  The  Poison  Mind"  and  "The  Coordinates  Of  Resurrection".  8  out  of  10.

Angakok/Self Titled/Satanath Records/Metallic Media/The Smoking Goat Records/2015 CD Review

  Angakok  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  drone  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2015  album  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Satanath Records,  Metallic Media  and  The Smoking Goat Records.

  Melodic  chanting  and  spoken  word  parts  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  distorted  amplifier  drones  and  guitar  noises  and  after  the  intro  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  slow  yet  heavy  doom/sludge  metal  direction  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  yet  melodic  shouts  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  very  distorted  yet  melodic  at  the  same  time  and  some  of  the  riffs  add  in  a  touch  of  post  metal  and  hardcore  as  well  as  the  vocals  adding  in  more  high  pitched  screams  at  times  and  spoken  word  parts  can  also be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording and  the  music  starts  incorporating  more  drones  as  the  album  progresses  while  all  of  the  heavy  riffs  remain  true  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  Angakok  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  that  is  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  and  also  adds  in  drones  to  create  a  style  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  Shamanism  and  Dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Angakok  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  drone  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sacrifice"  "Samsara"  "Dead  Birds"  and  "Empty  Cups".  8  out  of  10.  

     

Steak Number Eight/Kosmokoma/Indie Recordings/2015 CD Review

  Steak  Number  Eight  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric mixture  of  sludge  and  post  metal and  this is a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Kosmokoma"  which  was  released  by  Indie  Recordings.

  A  very  distorted  sound starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  and  melodic guitar  leads  which  leads  up  to  a  heavier  musical  direction  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  post  metal  and  after  awhile  high  pitched  sludge  screams  start  becoming  a  very  huge  part  of  the  recording  and  you  can  also  hear  a  touch  of  stoner  rock  at  times.

  Clean  singing  can  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the solos  and  leads  the  band  uses  are  done  in  a  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  spoken  word  samples  and  elements of  grunge  and  punk  rock  and  some  of  the  riffs  add  melodies and  grooves  to  the  recording.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  atmospheric  while  later  tracks  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars and  psychedelic  elements  along  with  a  brief  use  of  slide  guitar  leads  and  female  vocals  and  the  clean  guitars  when  they  are  utilized  gives  the  music  more  of  a  progressive  feeling  and  all  of  the  tracks  stick  either  to  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction.

  Steak  Number  Eight  creates  another  very  atmospheric  post  sludge  metal  album  with  this  recording  and  also  gets  a  bit more  experimental  and  melodic  this  time  around,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Steak  Number  Eight  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Your  Son  Deserves  To  Die  Twice"  "Knows,  Sees,  Tells  All"  "It  Might  be  The  Lights"  and  "Fruit  Punch".  8  out  of  10.   

Extreme Cold Winter/Paradise Ends Here/Vic Records/2015 CD Review

  Extreme  Cold  Winter  are  a  band  from  the  Netherlands  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Paradise  Ends  Here"  ehich  will  be  rleeased  on  November  30th  by  Vic  Records.

  a  very  distorted  amp sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later  that  also  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  doom/death  metal  direction  and  the  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  morbid  sounding  melodies  and  after  awhile  growling  vocals  start  becoming  a  huge  part  of  all  of  the  tracks.

  All  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  rooted  in  an  early  80's  style  of  doom/death  metal  and  all  of the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  a  very  melodic  and  depressive  feeling  to  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  high  pitched  screams  can  be  heard  at  times.

  Extreme  Cold  Winter  plays  a  style of  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  and  also  manages  to  keep  everything  in  a  very  slow  yet  always  heavy  musical  direction,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Extreme  Cold  Winter  are  a very  great  sounding  mixture of  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Warriors  Of  The  Wasteland"  and  "Once  Liquid  Waters".  8  out  of  10.   

Vastum/Hole Below/Sentinet Ruin Laboratories/2015 Full Length Review

  California's  Vastum  have  returned  with  a  new  album  that  continues  the  old  school  doom/death  metal  sound  of  previous  recordings  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Hole  below"  which  was  released  by  Sentinent  Ruin  Laboratories".

  Dark  sound  effects  start  off  the  album  giving  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  and  avant  garde  feeling  as  well  as  bringing  in  spoken  word  parts  which  slowly  leads  to  the  guitars  kicking  in  and  they  takes  the  recording  into  more  of  a  heavy  doom/death  metal  direction  along  with  some  growling  vocals.

  When t he  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  morbid  sounding  melodies  at  times  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  true  to  an  old  school  style  of  death  metal  while  some  of  the  vocals  utilize  high  pitched  screams.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts   along  with  acoustic  guitars  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Vastum  continues  the  old  school  doom/death  metal  tradition  of  previous  recordings  and  creates  an  album  that  is  very  heavy  and  faithful  to  the  early  90's  style,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  abjection,  erotism,  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Vastum  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sodomitic  Malevolence"  and  "Hole  below".  8  out  of  10.   

Grave Ritual/Morbid Throne/Dark Descent Records/2015 CD Review

  Grave  Ritual  are  a  band  from  Alabama  that  plays  a  very  dark,  blasphemous  and  old  school  form  of  doom/death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Morbid  Throne"  which  was  released  by  Dark  Descent  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  doom/death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  morbid  sounding  melodies  and  after  awhile  the  music  speeds  up  and  brings  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  some  deep  death  metal  growls  and  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's.

  Throughout  the  recording  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  also  has  more  of  a  primitive  approach  to  doom/death  metal  and  high  pitched  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them and  the  solos  and  leads  when  they  are  brought in  remain  true  to  a  very  old  school  style  of  death  metal.

  Grave  Ritual  goes  back  to a  very  dark  and  blasphemous  primitive  style of  doom/death  metal  that  is  more  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  and  they  manage  to  make  every  second  and  minute  of  the  recording  sound  very  heavy,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  graves,  blasphemy,  occultism,  and  insanity.

  In  my  opinion  Grave  Ritual  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  and  blasphemous  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Baleful  Aversion"  "Invoker  Of  Heathen  Gnosis"  "Masters  And  Slaves"  and  "Behind  The  Reign  Of  Gods".  8  out  of  10.

  

Tyrant's Kall/Gla'aki/Witches Brew/2015 CD Review

  Tyrant's  Kall  are  a  band  from  Belgium  that  has  been  featured  before  in  plays  a  mixture  of  doom,  death  and  heavy  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2015  album  "Gla'aki"  which  was released by  Witches  Brew.

  A  very  dark,  heavy  doom/death  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  speeding  up  and  adding  in  blast  beats  and  melodies  that  are  very  close  to  90's  Swedish  death  metal  before  adding  in  a  mixture  of  growls  and  screams  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  very  dark  and  melodic  sounding  and  when  clean  singing  is  utilized it  brings  in  a  feeling  of  80's  traditional  metal  to  the  songs  while  also  having  a  bit  of  a  rough  edge  to  them  at  times  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Elements of  70's  doom  metal  can  be  heard  in  some  parts  of  the  songs  and  some  of  the  riffs  and  vocals  also  add  in  a  touch  of  the  80's  epic  style  of  doom  and  some of  the  faster  riffs  also  add  in  a  touch  of  thrash  and  old  school  death  metal  and  one  of  the  tracks  also  bring  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  ritualistic  feeling  while  one  of  the  later  tracks  is  a  melodic instrumental.

  Tyrant's  Kall  creates  another  album  that  takes  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  with  death  and  traditional  metal  to  create  a  very heavy,  dark  and  melodic  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  H.P  Lovecraft  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Tyrant's  Kall  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  enjoy  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Medusa"  "Evil  Eye"  and  "Elixir  Of  Immortality".  8  out  of  10.  

  

      

Antagonist Zero Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new ep?

The No Tears release show was held at the Dark River Festival, Kotka, Finland on August 14th.
We toured the Baltics and Poland September 4th-12th together with Estonian progressive death metal band Paean. Now we are about to announce more live dates soon.
We´ve been also been working on a cover song for a Slayer tribute album and of course finalizing the new songs for our upcoming full-length album as well.

2.Recently you have released a new ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

No Tears consist of three teasers of our new material and two cover songs. The three new songs might differ a bit from our earlier material, but they are Antagonist Zero for sure. The new material is more intense, melodic, doomy, heavier and melancholic in AZ style. And yet we have added songs sang in our native language Finnish. We are really excited about the forthcoming album and material.
Can`t wait to hit the upcoming full-length for your ears!

3.You refer to your music as 'Catatonic Metal' can you tell us a little bit more about this term?

The term Catatonic Metal suites our music perfectly. It was invented by our former clean vocalist Ville. We all agreed that this is the name for our music style. We all hate to be categorized as something so made up our own term.

4.This is the first release to be put out in 3 years, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during that time frame?

After the Doomed album we toured a lot and promoted the album worldwide. And some of our band members also have other bands, so there were periods where we had total breaks from AZ. But we also had a creative break while composing new material for our upcoming album.

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

In AZ lyrics, the main theme is night, the beauty of the night and nighttime. But the lyrics deal with lots of things in life, like sadness and being lost, in a melancholic and metaphorical way.

6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Antagonist Zero'?

Antagonist Zero is the vision of what we want the band image to be: zero enemies, zero opposites. Juho came up with the name and we instantly agreed with it.

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

Well I think some of the Chinese shows were spectacular but also the Hard Rock Laager 2013 show in Estonia was something to be remembered. AZ is a really intense and almost hypnotizing band live. It captures the audience into a beautiful world of melancholy and despair, while the sorrow parts purge out all the pain and anger to complete the experience.

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

Yes, for sure. We have booked some shows in Finland and Estonia for the end of this year. But in the beginning of 2016 we will start the recording of the new album and we’ll be focusing on that. But after the release of the album we´ll be touring a lot for sure.

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

It has been really good. We`ve been surprised especially how the audience reacts to our live shows by crying and feeling all the pain that we deliver through our music and performance. Also the media have noticed us worldwide and embraced our achievements.

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

My other band Coprolith released a new album in 2014 and toured a lot after that. So anytime now we are preparing to focus on the new album material. Cavus is also in the middle of the recording process for their new album and the Juhos have their new stoner band coming. We will see.

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

Well, No Tears makes a good point on this, but I also have an urge to do an acoustic album in the future too. So there will be a lot of things coming.

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

AZ is influenced by various elements of metal, such as Doom, Death, Black, Post and even Progressive Rock. Some obvious bands to name would include Katatonia, Opeth, Tiamat, Ghost Brigade and early Anathema.

13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Life?

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

Listen to Antagonist Zero`s Catatonic Metal, buy our cd´s, come to our shows and worship the nighttime harmony!

Ruin/Spread Plague Hell/Nero One Records/2015 EP Review

  Ruin  are  a  band  with  members  from  both  California  and  North Dakota  that  plays  a  brutal  and  old  school  form  of  death  metal  along  with  some  elements  of  doom  metal  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  ep  "Spread  Plague  Hell"  which  was released by  Nero  One  Records.

  A  very  dark,  atmospheric  and  ritualistic  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  Gregorian  chants  being  utilized  in  the  background  that  also  make  a  return  on  a  later  track  and  a  few  seconds  later  the  music  gets  a  lot  more  heavy  and  goes  for  a  doom/death  metal  sound  that  also  uses  deep  growls  and  dark  sounding  guitar  leads  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's.

  High  pitched  screams  can  be  heard  in  some  parts  off  the  songs  and  when  the music  speeds  up  brutal  blast  beats  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  elements  of  grindcore  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some of  the  songs  also  bring  in  horror  movie  samples  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording h ave  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Ruin  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  and  also  mixes  in  elements  of  grindcore  and  doom  to  create  some  very  dark  and  heavy  music,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  serial  killers,  murder,  destruction  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ruin  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  mixture  of  doom,  death  metal  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Perverted  Lunacy"  and  "And  Soon  The  Darkness".  8  out  of  10.

Postvorta Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what is going on with the musical project these days?
Hi, Well , i m currently rehearsing with the new line up. We are working on the new live set , with songs from Ægeria . I am also finishing to record the second chapter of the trilogy , armentis, which will be an Ep and will be totally instrumental , ambient , drone and oriented stuff. i am also rehearsing with a different drummer the material for the third Chapter called "Antevorta" , very dark stuff !! As you see i'm pretty busy right now !!

2.In September you had released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
I think , it s darker than "Beckoning lights " (first album) life can change a lot in one year , different feelings , different mind states, a lot of things have happened to me , and i have put all this dark and sadness on riffs. that's it! Every song is a different and single stage , even if it is a concept. I wanted to record a personal interpretation of a song that means a lot to me , it s " in the house in a heartbeat " by John Murphy , and it’s called Placenta, on the album. I am so proud about that. I got an email from John 's manager , telling me he (John) was impressed and excited when he heard that version. So glad and proud . I think it is a dark trip...yep a dark trip !!

3.The lyrics on the album are the start of a trilogy, can you tell us a little bit more about it?
The idea was to split an entire album in 3 parts, 3 Ep. ÆGERIA is based on birth and the rest is based in the cycle of life Lyrics has been always a pain in the ass to me , that’s why i let singers do it . I say what i Have to say with Music .

4.I know that the name 'Postvorta' comes from a Greek goddess, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play and also can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?
Postvorta is from the Roman mythology that as you know is taken , or better steeled from Greek culture. I have always been amazed by history , all the secrets and ancient Ways of living . I think our music fits well with this , all the shades of magic , of evil.

5.On the album you record everything by yourself but have a live band for shows, are you open to working with other musicians on the future ?
The first album and this Ep have been recorded as a band, even if i used to write all by my self, i don't need other people to compose nor in studio. i found my self re-record other old members lines because they were shit , pure shit , I don't need friends , i don't need band mates, i've never considered them like my family, i hate when i read about brotherhood within a band , because it’s not true. This band was like a factory, and I’ve always been the boss of that factory doing all the stuff , for everyone even if i was a worker, It all has been  on my shoulders,  always. I couldn't feel the band mates like brothers but like Co-workers, but if their job was shit, then go fuck yourself lazy bunch of bastards. i couldn't stand them anymore ! It s hard to put what you think into others heads, so fuck off the others. Only the old singer Nicola helped me, writing all the lyrics and some nice Guitar lines. For the upcoming new album , i'll record everything , no problem with that , i always did…And yes now there is a brand new live line up including Raffaele Who has been already 5 years in the band. Maybe I’ll let  the current live singer Malda sing on the album , maybe not . Still don't know .

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
We had good shows and bad shows as every other band on the planet. We had the chance to play with Callisto, that is one of my fav band . So proud of it. When it’s possible i love to play with a minimal light set or also with no light at all on the stage.in the past there was a member Who didn't realize we were playing post metal , you know, he thought we were like limp biskit you know , his presence on stage was horrible , like his way to play by the way . This line up is more brutal , less static , i think it will be a more hardcore scenario on stage.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
No , not really. I'm planning a short Tour in Europe for spring 2016 , i hope to play as much as i can . Even if we are a ghost to Italian promoters, we have a lot of request outside italy. The old members have been a massive brake to me in the past. I had to say no tons of times when people requested us, because of them. Things are different now.

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of post metal?
Great , i mean within the post metal community the first album " Beckoning light " had a great buzz. Great words from all around the world have been spent on it . Also Aaron from Isis said he liked it , proud of it at max . I wouldn't change a thing on that album . Let see How things will be for Ægeria.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?
Doing soundtracks for movies and watch my son play with Postvorta Ahahahaha.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
I love Hendrix , Pink Floyd , Dire Straits , you know, old stuff . I Love Buckley, i love the grunge , nirvana above all. i am a Nin ultra fan and collector. I wish i could write my " ok computer " one day , love Radiohead, i wish i could play like Placebo, they are simply perfect. I don't listen to metal (pure heavy metal ) but i spend my time listen to isis , neurosis, cult of luna , Rosetta , Caspian and on and on and on...it means i m a post metal / post rock guy .

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
I love my family and i love to spend time with them , my son is my life. I love also my day job as audio and light services. I would love to be a light designer one day.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Oh , yes , thank you for your time . Thank for doing what you do and help people discover bands!! It s a great thing!! And keep Listening to Postvorta

Vhod Interview

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

Hello, man.  Basically, VHOD is a one-man act which is carrying on from a
few past projects (Morbid Darkness, Godcursed, Worms Of The Birth) with
the hopes that I can simultaneously stay true to my roots and branch out
into more progressive areas without watering down the product too much.

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

I would say it is rooted deeply in an old-school approach.  Musically, I
try not to limit myself to any one genre of metal, letting feel guide me
through the song writing process...mostly a brutal melodic death
metal/thrash metal sensibility with hints of doom.  Vocally, my approach
is nearly all in a death metal style, with exception to the odd song.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with your
music?

I write about what is current in my life or some current interest which is
compelling enough to inspire a lyric.  The album deals with everything
from Stephen King's 'Flagg' character to mental illness to extremist
religious sects.

4.Vhod is a  continuation of some sorts of your last 3 musical projects,
what was the decision behind breaking up those bands and moving on with a
solo project?

All of those projects were solo projects at the time of consolidation.  I
was feeling a bit overwhelmed by running 3 acts and in some ways I was
needing something new.  Rather than just create yet another new project I
decided to merge all the old ones into something new.

5.You have a musical history that goes back to the mid 80's and early
90's, what is it that motivates you to keep going after all of these
years?

It certainly is a labour of love.  1989 was when it really started for me
and I was 12 years old at the time.  I suppose when you take something so
serious at such a young age it really shows that it means something to
you.  Music has been my main drug all these years and the satisfaction of
writing and producing songs, EPs and albums is enough to never want to
stop.

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

Originally it was a working title for an album I was dreaming up in early
2012 which never came to be.  While working out the details of the merger
I really had to use something fitting to the whole concept.  Vhod is a
Slovenian word for 'entrance' or 'doorway', and what this project meant
most to me was that it was going to offer an entrance into something
personal in a much deeper way than before.

7.With this musical project you record everything by yourself, how would
you compare it to working with a full band?

There is much more work involved, obviously, but when you play back a mix
you have much more to be proud of if it all works out.  I've played in
bands that were at times super tight and at other times a complete train
wreck.  There really are pros and cons for both scenarios.

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

I've received great feedback in general.  Promotion has been minimal in
the past but the fans who are into the music really respond positively.

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

I intend to continue what I've been doing all these years, letting myself
evolve and experiment as I see fit, but ultimately I aim to keep it heavy
and sincere.

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

Back in the early days it was Metallica, Slayer, Possessed, Death,
Bathory, etc.  Every great metal band from every metal genre at the time,
no boundaries.  Whatever moved me made it into my own music in some way or
form.  These days, I'm still listening to all the old stuff, lots of new
stuff as well as other musical styles.  At this very moment: Sorcerer,
Ghost, White Lies, Horrendous, Slayer, Your New Pale Sun, Khemmis,
Barrows...

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I enjoy art and literature...been a bit busy for both lately.  I've been
tattooing for a little over a year and this has become quite a new
passion.


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


Thanks for your interview, man.  Check out vhod.ca for all necessary info
and take advantage of the free downloads available there.  Be sure to join
the mailing list for free stuff and future updates.  Keep your ears to the
ground for 'Dreamcleaver' coming in November and be sure to get your copy!
Keep it heavy!

Graveshadow Interview

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

Ben: We all have a lot of varied influences, and although we have some core influences, it’s the mix of backgrounds that really define our sound…plus weed.

2.       So far you have released an EP and have your first full length coming out in November, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings?

Valerie: The EP set the tone for the heavier elements that we draw influence from where as the album has a more dynamic and ethereal sound that lends itself much more to storytelling.

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

Will: The lyrics are very varied, but the core of our content is telling stories. I’m a very big nerd and took a lot of influence form Dr. Who, Game of Thrones and the Warcraft universe. At the same time though we like to share a bit of ourself in our lyrics as well. “Namesake” is about some of the emotional problems I dealt with after my grandfather died and living up to his name seeing as how I’m named after him.

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

Roman: Well, we got really drunk one Halloween in a cemetery. I passed out for a few hours and when I woke up the first thing I saw was a shadow from a nearby grave across my legs….I brought it up at the next rehearsal and the rest is history.

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

Matt: I would say for sure that out best show was opening for Apocalyptica at Ace of Spades. The crowd that night was nothing short of incredible. A smaller show we played at Blue Lamp where our sound was just so dialed in that it really came through well.

As far as our performance is concerned, it’s important that we have a lot of room haha. With so many people the room really allow us to go full bore and bring the crowd into the fold. In a word: electrifying.

6.       Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

Will: We will definitely be playing shows, focusing more on regional and select ones in our home town. Touring is on the horizon, we have some irons in the fire we aren’t at liberty to discuss right now, but if all goes well, next year is going to be amazing!

7.       On one of the tracks you have the singer of Primal Fear adding in some vocals, can you tell us a little bit more about his contribution to the recording?

    Heather: Ralf was a delight to work with. I did write the lyrics and melodies that he performed but he absolutely brought the power like only he is able to. All around a very kind and respectful individual, very happy that we had the chance to work with him

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

Matt: Overwhelmingly positive. It’s been an honor to be included on a varierty of radio programs both in the US and in Europe that have led to digital purchases of our EP. We’re looking forward to when we’re able to take this show across the pond.

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

Heather: Absolutely more vocal layering in recording. The guys have talked about incorporating more doomier elements while maintaining the melody we have now.  It’s hard to say, the symphonic element will always be there but we enjoy mixing various styles of metal. You can expect a healthy dose of both beauty and chaos in future material.

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

Valerie: The biggest influences for me have been Tori Amos and Nightwish. I still listen to them pretty frequently but I’m starting to branch out into slower and heavier music like Type O Negative.

Ben: I’ve always wanted to be in a band like Led Zeppelin, I really like how the had the freedom to do heavy riffs with softer melodies, which speaks to me on a deeply creative. I listen to a lot of modern metal like Epica and try to mix that with my early influences.

Heather: There are three vocalists that I have to give credit to as far as influence are concerned: Brittney Hayes of Unleash the Archers, Stu Block’s work with Into Eternity and Lizzy Hale of Halestorm. With out them, I wouldn’t be the vocalist I am today. Lately I’ve been listening to Devin Townsend and Disforia.

Matt: My two greatest influences are Metallica and Black Sabbath. Currently I’ve been listening to a lot of Anthrax and Rancid for rhythm ideas. While they’re not symphonic, it does help me hone into the symphonic sound of Graveshadow.

Roman: My greatest influences are Dave Lombardo, Johnny Kelly from Type O Negative, Bill Ward and Gas Lipstick from HIM. As far as what I’ve been listening I really dig on 80s metal. But really I bounce around between a lot of different genres from classic rock, black metal, doom….you know, random shit.

Will: My background is in punk and thrash. Early influences were bands like Extinction of Mankind, Toxic Narcotic, Iron Maiden and Amon Amarth. I’ve been listening to a lot of Opeth lately, as well as bands like Sabaton and Iced Earth.

11.   What are some of your non musical interests?

Heather: Kitties…um….I really love cats haha, but I love the Zelda games too. There’s also Netflix binges on Futurama, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed and Stark Trek.

Roman: I like to ride my motorcycle, skateboarding, I have an unhealthy obsession with Trailer Park Boys but I also really like to get outdoors and do things camp or go to the river.

Valerie: I really, really enjoy dogs, their honestly most of life. I also love travel and going to live shows.

Ben: The past few years I’ve gotten really into nutrition and fitness. Working at a nursery has allowed me to start getting into gardening, especially carnivorous plants.

Matt: Beer and my dog, traveling with my wife, horror movies, going to shows and just enjoying a night with my friends.

Will: I mentioned earlier that I’m a huge nerd, I love playing video games. Skyrim, Final Fantasy VII or IX, Dishonored and World of Warcraft have been my poison lately. I love mead and binging Netflix shows like Parks and Rec, Dr. Who, South Park and the X-Files. 

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

Will: First, thank you for taking the time to talk with us today. Honestly, just that we’re so thankful for the support that we’ve gotten from the metal community. Anyone who’s come to a show, bought an album or merch, you are the reason we do this and we can’t thank you enough. Keep an eye out for the album release and we’ll see you at the next show!