Stygian Obsession/Form Is Void/Pacific Threnodies/2018 CD Review

  Stygian  Obsession  are  a  band  from  the  United  States  that  plays  a  very  old  school  and  atmospheric  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their  album  "Form  is  Void"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Pacific  Threnodies.

  Atmospheric  soundscapes  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later  which  leads  to  a  heavier  direction  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  being  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  and  the  riffs  also  mix  in a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

  Atmospheric  and  heavy  parts  mix  together  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while t he  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  as  well a s  the  music  also  bringing  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  at  times.

  Stygian  Obsession  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  more  darker  side  of  death  and  doom  metal  from  the  early  90's  while  also  mixing  in  an  atmospheric  edge,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  ritualistic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Stygian  Obsession  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  and  atmospheric  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  "Deep  In  The  Bonds  Of  Darkness"  and  "All That  Are  In  The  Graves  Shall  Hear  His  Voice".  8  out  of  10.

Hamferd/Tamsins Likam/Metal Blade Records/2018 Full Length Review

  Hamferd  are  a  band  from  the  Faroe  Islands  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Tamsins  Likam"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Metal  Blade  Records.

  Acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic vocals  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  heavy  guitar  riffs  takes  the  music  into  more  of  a  doom  metal  direction  as  well  as  introducing  death  metal  growls  onto  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When guitar  solos  and  leads  are utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  songs  also  bringing  in  clean vocals  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  small  amount  of  black  metal  elements  can  be  heard  as  well  as  having  acoustic  guitars  also  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  they  also  give  the  songs  a  more  progressive  feeling,  a  decent  amount  of  melody  can  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  and  the  music  also  speeds  up  briefly  and  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Hamferd  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  atmospheric  doom  and  melodic  death  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  Faroese  language  and  cover  a  concept  involving  the  history  and  folklore  of  their  culture.

  In  my  opinion  Hamferd  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  and  progressive  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  "Stygd"  and  "Vapn  I  Anda".  8  out  of  10.

Ocean Of Grief/Nightfall's Lament/Rain Without End Records/2018 CD Review

  Ocean  Of  Grief  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  plays  a  very  atmospheric  and  melodic  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Nightfall's  Lament"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Rain  Without  End  Records.

  Atmospheric  keyboards  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  depressive  yet  melodic  guitar  leads  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  you  can  also  hear  a  lot  of  doom  metal  elements  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on t he  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  clean  guitars  are  also  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in length  and  all  of t he  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  direction  as  well  as  updating  the  90's  doom/death  style  with  a  more  melodic  and  modern  approach.

  Ocean  Of  Grief  plays  a  musical  style t hat  takes  atmospheric  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  with  melodic  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  sorrow,  loneliness  and  depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ocean  Of  Grief  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  and  atmospheric  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  "In  Bleakness"  "Painting  My  Sorrow"  and  "The  Release  Of  The  Soul".  8  out  of  10. 

Bestialord Interview

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

Bestialord is a metal band from Wichita, Kansas.  We originally started as a recording project and evolved into a band.  We've all been in various other projects over the years.  Chris and I previously worked together in a band called Sanctus Infernum.



2.Recently you have released your first album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Our style is sort of a hybrid.  The foundation is Doom, however there is a good portion of  Death and Thrash in the mix as well.  We take more of an old school approach to things, both musically and sonically.



3.You refer to your music as being 'occult horror doom metal', can you tell us a little bit more about this term?

It's really just an overarching term to describe our sound and style.  We weren't sure how to describe ourselves because we didn't feel like we fit well into a specific genre.



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

H.P. Lovecraft is a major influence on this album.  I've always been fascinated with his work.  Other songs are inspired by Pinhead from Hellraiser, witchcraft, revenge, and Ingrid Pitt's portrayal of Carmilla Karnstein in The Vampire Lovers.  I'm a big fan of the old Hammer films.



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

It's open to interpretation, you can relate it to any number of things.  Cthulhu certainly comes to mind.  We had a another name for the project originally but as time went on we became less happy with it.  All of us submitted ideas for a new name and two of us had names that included "Bestial", but we didn't like the other half of either name.  I was just looking at "Bestial" on paper and out of nowhere wrote "ord" on the end.  Everyone liked it so we went with it.


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 haven't played any shows yet.  We began as a recording project, thus writing and recording have been our primary focus to this point.



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

We're looking at that now.  There are a few things that need to be worked out but I'm sure we'll do some shows down the road.




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

We've had very limited feedback to this point but what we've received thus far has been very positive.




9.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

No, we're all dialed into this project at present..



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

We'll always be a mixture of styles and influences.  The music for this album came together very organically.  We didn't have a preconceived direction, we just went with what felt right.  The music more or less wrote itself to a great extent. I guess we'll just go where the music takes us.



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

Collectively we've been influenced by a pretty wide variety of bands and styles.  Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost, Manilla Road, Morbid Angel, Death, and Candlemass would probably be the mainstays.  Nowadays we still listen a lot of classic metal from various genres, however we're always looking for new stuff as well.  There are a lot of great new bands coming out all the time in every genre of metal.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Obviously we're all fans of horror movies and literature.  We're also sports fans as well, primarily baseball, football, and MMA.



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

Thank you for the interview and support, very much appreciated.  We'd also like to thank Alexsey at Satanath Records and David at Cimmerian Shade Recordings, they've been absolutely great to work with.  Cheers!\m/!

Drift Into Black/Shadow People/2017 EP Review

  Drift  Into  Black  are  a  solo  project  from  New  York  with  a  member  from  Grey Skies  Fallen  that  plays  a  mixture  of experimental,  dark  rock  and  atmospheric  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2017  ep  "Shadow  People".

   Tragic  sounding  keyboards  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  clean  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  melodic  riffing  also  takes  the music  into  more  of  a  heavier  musical  direction  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  capturing  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  atmospheric  while  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  dark  rock  as  well  as  some  depressive  melodies  along  with  the  music  also  bringing  in  influences  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  after  awhile  growls  and  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction  and  as  the  ep  progresses  a  brief  use  of stringed  instruments  can  also  be  heard.

  Drift  Into  Black  takes  experimental,  dark  rock  and  atmospheric  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released   recording  while t he  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Drift  Into Black  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  experimental,  dark  rock  and  atmospheric  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  f 

Ataraxy/Where All Hope Fades/Dark Descent Records/2018 CD Review

  Ataraxy  are  a  band  from  Spain  that  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "When  All  Hope  Fades"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Dark  Descent  Records.

  A  very  dark,  melodic  and  heavy  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  some  of  the  tracks  along  with  some  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  as  well  as  spoken  word  parts  also  being  used  briefly  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  mount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  as  the  album  progresses  atmospheric  synths  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Ataraxy  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  metal  that  goes  back  to  the  early  90's  while  also  having  its  atmospheric  moments,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  death  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ataraxy  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  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  "Matter  Lost  In  Time"  and  "The  Blackness  OF  Eternal  Night".  8  out  of  10.  

Malformity/The Rapturous Unraveling/Boris Records/2017 EP Review

  Malformity  are  a  band  from  Atlanta,  Georgia  that  plays  an  old  school  form  of  death  metal  with  elements  of  thrash,  grindcore  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  ep  "The  Rapturous  Unraveling"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by Boris  Records.

  A  very  fast,  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  as  well as  a  few  screams  and  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  and  the  faster  sections  mix  in  elements  of  grindcore  which  gives  the  songs  more  brutality.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  gear  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  while  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs a re  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  remaining  true  to  an  old  school  style  and  elements  of thrash  are  also  used  at  times,  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Malformity  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  while  the  thrash,  grindcore  and  doom  metal  elements  makes  the  music  stand  out  a  bit  more,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  death  and  apocalyptic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Malformity  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  death  metal  band  with  elements  of  thrash,  grindcore  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Raptorous  Damnation".  8  out  of  10.  

Druid Lord/Grotesque Offerings/Hells Headbangers/2018 CD Review

  Druid  Lord  are  a  band  from  Orlando,  Florida  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Grotesque  Offerings"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Hells  Headbangers.

  Horror  movie  style  synths  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  which  also  mixes  in  both  80's  and  90's  influences  as  well  as  capturing  in  a  modern  atmosphere  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark,  melodic  yet  old  school  direction.

  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  that  also  have  a  touch  of  early  Cathedral  to  them  along  with  some  screams  while  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  some  songs  also  bring  in  horror  movie  samples  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Druid  Lord  plays  a  style  of  doom/death metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  while  still  having  a  more  up to  date  take  on  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  horror  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Druid  Lord  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  "House  of  Dripping  Gore"  "Black  Candle  Seance"  and  "Last  Drop  Of  Blood".  8  out  of  10.



  

Rotting Kingdom/Self Titled/Godz Of War Productions/2018 EP Review

  Rotting  Kingdom  are  a  band  from  Kentucky  that  plays a  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  ep  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Godz  Of  War  Productions.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  also  bringing  in  the  heaviness of  doom  metal  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  all  of  the  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Screams  can  also  be heard  at  times  while  the  music  is  very  heavily rooted  in  the  90's  but  having  a  more  modern  edge  while  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  on  the  last  track  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  and  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  melodic  chants.

  Rotting  Kingdom  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  heavy,  melodic  and  rooted  in  the  90's,  the  production  sound s very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  demons and depression  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Rotting  Kingdom  are  a  very  great  sounding  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Demons  In  Stained  Glass".  8  out  of  10.

Shambles/Primitive Death Trance/Blood Harvest/2018 EP Review

  Shambles  are  a  band  from  Thailand  that  plays  a mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this is  a  review  of their  ep  "Primitive  Death  Trance"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Blood  Harvest.

  A  very  dark  yet  heavy  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  morbid  sounding  melodies  while some  of  the  tracks are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  can  be  heard  as  well  as  most  of  the  vocals  being  deep  death  metal  growls.

  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  while  some  of  the  riffing  also  captures  the  guitar  tone  of  sludge  metal  along  with  some  of  the  vocals  also  getting  very  guttural  at  times  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music always  remains  heavy.

  Shambles  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  era,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  and  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Darkness  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Shambles  are  a  very  great sounding  old  school  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  "Daemon"  and  "Primitive  Death  Trance'.  8  out  of  10.

  

Thrif Interview

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

Well we are a grind/crust band, influenced musically by bands like Drop Dead, Dystopia, Napalm Death, Rotten Sound, Nasum, A.C.D.C, ect…. We started the band as an extension of our other bands, playing material that wouldn’t go with our other bands style but material we really believe in and a direction we are really happy with. At the moment our other bands are either defunct or not doing anything anyway so we are putting everything into this band and making a run for it.



2.You have an ep coming out in January how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

In my opinion I would describe it as a bit raw, dirty, angry, and somewhat chaotic with some catchy rhythms and hooks in there. There isn’t a set style to pin point but it has elements of D-Beat, Grind, crust with a dash of metal maybe. I mean it’s hard to describe your sound but I think we should appeal a little to anyone into extreme music that like it a little raw and angry.



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

Lyrically we focus on topics that affect life. Anti-government for sure ha ha. We like to speak against other topics as well like Racism, Fascism, sexism, ect… sadly our world is not a pretty one, we have a long way to go as humans.



4.I know that the bands name is short for 'The Human Race Is Filth', can you tell us a little bit more about this b=name?

It’s a statement. I mean Humans, we are as a whole not very good. We are greedy, we are killing our planet at an alarming pace. We treat each other like shit, We don’t help our fellow man unless it benefits us, it’s quite sad.



5.Currently there are only 2 members in the band are you open to expanding your line up or do you prefer to remain a duo?

Nah we have no desire to remain a Duo, basically to get the band off the ground it was just easier to write material and get it recorded as a duo. Live and future recordings we are not a duo. Just sometimes if you want to get something down it’s much easier with less ha ha



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

This band is just now booking shows, we have played a lot of shows together under and with our other bands. This band shouldn’t be much different then those, you can expect chaos, anger, and a good time!



7.Do you have any touring or show plans once the ep is released?

Yes we have booked a few shows for February over here on the East Coast of the US. We are trying hard to get on some tours though worldwide but since this is a new project it’s hard so we’re just doing our best to get the name out there and knock on doors for opportunities.



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

We have some interest but nothing in writing anywhere or anything that fits at the moment. We are hoping to get with a label that will allow us to get our music out there good enough that we can Tour worldwide.



9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of sludge, crust and grindcore?

It’s been pretty good, some great responses and a few not so good ha ha but that’s to be expected. Number one we do what we do for our selves and our enjoyment with the hopes that others may enjoy it as well so we aren’t going to complain  or cry about any negative responses but as a whole the responses have been very well. We hope we can experience that trend of responses.



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

Right now they are in Hiatus although our other band Bittered will probably put out Album number 3 at some point in 2018 if we can find the time to get it down. THRIF right now is really all we are doing and we are focused on getting new material completed and an album recorded before Summer with hopes of lots of shows and touring but we shall see.



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

I think we are just focused on what we are doing know and honing that and getting better at that, writing better riffs and songs. We’re always going to be a crusty grind band, that’s what we love and that’s what we will be doing. I’m sure there will be some experimentation and stuff mixed in but we have no plans to go into any other musical direction.  We are just focused on getting better.



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? Well personally I am Influenced by the older Grind/Crust bands, bands like early Napalm Death, Extreme Noise Terror, Repulsion ect, I also am influenced by bands like Impetigo, early Cannibal Corpse,D.R.I., The Crumbsuckers, Dead Brain Cells, Circle Jerks, Minor Threat ect ect.

And I still listen to these bands regularly as well as newer stuff like  Primitive Man (New one rips) , New Midnight is awesome, Full Of Hell, Origin, The Body, Exhumed, and a lot more I can’t think of at the moment lol….



13.What are some of your non musical interests?

Not many ha ha… I like to enjoy Beer, I do paintings when I get time, some photography ect but really Music is life.



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

Thanks for your time, and support, Really appreciate it! Everyone reading this, you have a voice , speak out against the filth in Society, support each other, stand up for those weak,  and don’t be little assholes!

http://www.thehumanraceisfilth.com

https://thrif.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/thehumanraceisfilth

Chaos Echoes/Mouvement/Nuclear War Now! Productions/2018 CD Review

  Chaos  Echoes  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  an  experimental  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their album  "Mouvement"  which  will  be  released  in  2018  by  Nuclear  War  Now!  Productions.

   Grim screams  start  off  the  album before  going  into  a  very  fast  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal.

  At  times  the  music  gets  very  experimental  along  with  some  elements  of  industrial  and  noise  rock  while  a  great  amount  of   the  music  brings  in  an  improv  feeling  as  well  as  being  mostly  instrumental,  non  metal  instruments  can  also  be  head  briefly  and  the last  2  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length and  the  death/doom  side  of  the  songs  are  mostly  rooted  in  the  90's  and  acoustic  guitars  and  ritualistic  chanting  are  added  onto  the  closing  track.

  Chaos  Echoes  creates  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  90's  era  of  doom/death  metal  and  takes  it  into  more  of  an  experimental  direction  as  well  as  keeping most  of  the  music  instrumental  to  create  something  different  and  the  production  sounds  very  dark.

  In  my  opinion  Chaos  Echoes  are  a  very  great  sounding  experimental  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  "As  an  Embraceable  Magma  Leadign  The  Subliminal"  and  "Alas!  Here  Is  The  Feebles'  Ascent,  Exalted  by  Your  Mouth  Full  Of  Flies".  8  out  of  10.

  

Throneless Interview

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

We've been jamming and taking things kind of slow.

2.You have a new album coming out in 2018, 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?

Soundwise the album is more melancholic than our previous release and has more of a bitter touch to it.
We've also tried to mix things up a bit, but still staying heavy and repetative.

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

We learn from history that we never learn from history"

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

There isn't a throne.

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

We often fuse our songs together as one long ongoing piece when we play live. This way the audience gets a chance to really sink into the music.

Usually the soundguy working at gigs goes " No way! Turn it down now! This isn't possible!" However, when we played in Berlin the soundguy went "JAAAA!". That night was one of our best ones for sure.
Also playing Rome (Heavy Psych Fest) and Babel (in our hometown Malmoe) with Conan was a great experience.


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

We've got a setlist ready and should be back on the road soon.

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

It's been overwhelming! The response has been really good. We're truly grateful that people listen to our music and we enjoy playing it.

8.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Johan and Johan are currently working on a new project with guitarplayer Magnus (Satanic Surfers) and Mona (Vile Act) on Bass. Johan Burman also plays drums in the melodic Death/Black band Oberion.

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

Heavier and slower.

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

Electric Wizard's "Dopethrone" has definitely scarred us all, that's pretty much the start for us.
In Malmoe, we have a good Hardcore/Punk scene that's been giving us alot of great inspiring shows to attend.
Bandwise we also want to mention Hårda Tider and Suma from Malmoe. Boris and Entombed have also been important for all of us.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

We've know eachother for years before starting to play music together, all through skateboarding.

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

We like to express our gratitude to the people in Malmoe that's helped us from the start.

Now we begin a new chapter in our career. That wouldn't be possible without Jon Davis and Black Bow Rercords.
We're excited and grateful over the oppertunity to work with Jon and the crew at BB.

Last and certainly not least, we want to thank all the people that's been supporting us and heavy music!

Come To Grief/Fistula/PATAC Records/2017 Split EP Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  Massachusetts's  Come  To  Grief  and  Ohio's Fistula  which  was  released  by  PATAC  Records  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Come  To  Grief  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  slow  yet  heavy  doom  metal  riffing  while the  riffs  also bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  the  vocals  are  mostly  depressive  yet  grim  screams  as  well  as  the  music  always  remaining  slow  and when  guitar  leads are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion, t he  production  sound s very  dark  and  heavy  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  anxiety  and  misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Come  To  Grief  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of t hose  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band. 

  Next  up  is  Fistula  a  band  that  plays  a mixture  of  sludge,  doom  metal  and  hardcore.

  Their side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  dark  yet  melodic  riffing  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  angry  screams  and  the  music  always  remains  slow  and  heavy  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  drugs,  lies  and  death  themes.

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

  In  conclusion  I  fell  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  sludge  and  doom  metal.  8  out  of  10.    

Thrif/The Human Race Is Filth/2017 EP Review

  Thrif  are  a  band  from  Pennsylvania  that  plays  a mixture  of  sludge,  crust  and  grindcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  ep  "The  Human  Race  Is  Filth".

  Static  sounds  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  very  fast  grindcore  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  while the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  screams  and  death  metal  growls  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  elements  of  d  beat  and  crust  as well  as  most  of  the  tracks  being  short  in  length.

  Most  of  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  sludge  and  doom  metal  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  melodic  riffing  also  being  used  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  always  remaining  heavy.

  Thrif  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  crust,  grindcore  and  sludge  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  angry  themes.

 In  my  opinion  Thrif  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  crust  and  grindcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS INCLUDE  "Uncivilized  Pigs"  and  "Culture  Of  Guilt".  8  out  of  10.    

Bestialord/Law Of The Burning/Symbol Of Domination/Cimmerian Shade Recordings/2017 CD Review

  Bestialord  are  a  band  from  Kansas  that  plays  a  musical  style  they  describe  as  being  'occult  horror  doom  metal'  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  album  "Law  Of  The  Burning"  which  will b e  released  in  2018  by  Symbol  Of  Domination  and  Cimmerian  Shade  Recordings.

  A  horror  movie  orientated  sound  starts off t he  album before  gong  into  more  of  a  heavier,  old  school  and  melodic  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  80's  style  death  metal  growls  and  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  classic  metal style. 

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  clean  playing  is  also  added  into  certain  sections  of t he  recording  along  with  the  sower  riffing  being  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal  as  well  as  the  mid  tempo  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  thrash  elements and  the  music  sounds  like  it  could of easily  been  recorded and  released  more  than  25  years  ago  and  horror  movie  samples  can  be  heard  briefly.

  Bestialord  plays  a  musical style  that  takes  doom, death  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Horror  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Bestialord  are  a  very  great  sounding  horror  occult  doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Doom  That  Came"  "Marduk  Kurios"  "Loathed  Be  Thy  Name"  and  "What  Is  The  End".  8  out  of  10.

Obscene Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
We are Obscene, a death metal band from Indianapolis. We play traditional death metal running the gamut of influence from 80's/90's death metal from the UK, Scandinavia, US, and plenty more. Collectively, we've all been rummaging around in various underground metal bands for years as well as being fans of metal for decades.

2.You have an ep coming out in 2018, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
Metal of death that with memorable songs, crushing riffs, dark melodies, and acid vocals. Some bands we revere and use influence to forge our trajectory is
Edge of Sanity, Asphyx, Demigod, Cianide, Bolt Thrower, Grave, and many more. In short, death...the brutal way.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
We follow the Cianide school of thought with themes regarding death, doom, and destruction. There are also topics regarding time and eternity as well as general misanthropy. Influences range lyrically from classic horror films and literature to Emily Dickinson to Kafka to Bukowski.

4.Originally the band was known as 'Blood Chasm', what was the cause of the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Obscene'?

Honestly, 'blood' in metal band names is getting a little excessive. We sort of rushed with the 'Blood Chasm' moniker, and after seeing that Obscene was fairly under utilized, we went forward due to our affinity for one word band names and Obscene being how we like our metal.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Well, we've only played a handful of gigs, and they've all been in Indianapolis. But the best show was probably opening for Incantation. It was a lineup with us, our friends in Legion from Muncie, and Shed the Skin. We've been fortunate and lucky not to have any real duds for live gigs, but that was a show we really felt we were where we truly belonged. Our performances are intense, tight, and maximum headbanging.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the ep is released?
We have a release show in Indy on Friday December 15th with our brethren in Shroud of Vulture and Legion. We plan on doing a brief Midwest trek in March, and potentially doing an east coast tour in late summer 2018.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of old school death metal?
Thus far, the reception has been extremely positive! We were confident in the material, but didn't expect anybody outside of the 20 people in our town to really give a shit. The fact that people were willing to give us a chance, and be supportive is equally humbling and flattering.

8.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?
Our drummer, Brandon, is active with Acheron until the end of 2018, as well as providing vocals for a technical death metal band Summon the Destroyer along with our guitarist Mike. It's somewhere between Suffocation and Immolation musically. Our other guitarist Josh, is playing in Photian Schism, a d-beat/thrash hybrid. Our bassist Roy ans myself are in Boddicker, a deathgrind/crust band that is pretty much on life support at this point.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
Thus far, some of the newer material being written is a little faster, but I don't forsee significant changes to our sound musically. It's only getting heavier and more gruesome from here.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Well, we touched on this previously, but we're influenced by bands like early Paradise Lost, Pungent Stench, Edge of Sanity, and Asphyx. I feel comfortable saying that fans of those bands would find something to appreciate with Obscene. Some bands I've been listening to as of late are Spectral Voice, Loss, Necrot, Impetuous Ritual, Phrenelith, Vallenfyre, Krypts, Interment, Deathevokation, Desultory, and others.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?
Horror films and literature, pro wrestling, comics, and video games.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Thanks for the interview and support! Stay death and hail and kill!

​https://obscenedeathmetal.bandcamp.com/album/sermon-to-the-snake​

Obscene/Sermon To The Snake/Horror Pain Gore Death Productions/2017 EP Review

  Obscene  are  a  band  from  Indiana  that  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their ep "Sermon  To  The  Snake"  which  will  be  released  in 2018  by  Horror  Pain  Gore  Death  Productions.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  doom  metal  sound  starts off  the  ep  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  along with  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as well  as  some  mid  80's  style  death  metal  growls.

  A  lot  of  the  music  sounds  like  it  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  more  than  25  years  ago  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  some  of  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  touch  of  thrash.

  Obscene  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  metal  that  goes  back  to  the  early  90's  day  of  the  genre,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  death,  doom  and  destruction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Obscene  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Shadow  Burial"  and  "Blood  Moon  Rats".  8  out  of  10.

  

Caelestia/Thantopsis/EMP Label Group/SPV/2017 CD Review

  Caelestia  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  goth  and  melodic  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Thantopsis"  which  will  be  released  on  December  8th  as  a  joint  effort  between  EMP  Label  Group  and  SPV.

  A  very  symphonic  sounding  intro  starts  off  the  album  and  they  also  give  the  symphonic  and  heavy  parts together  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  female  vocals  gives  the  songs  more  of  an  operatic  and  goth  feeling  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Death  metal  growls  are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  some  high  pitched  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  clean  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

 When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  brought  into  the  music  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  parts  and  doom  metal  influences  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  riffing  and  a  later  track  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars  onto  the  recording.

  Caelestia  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to t he  symphonic  mixture  of  goth  and  melodic  death  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Caelestia  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic,  goth  and  melodic  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Thanatopsis"  "Devil's  Game"  "Travel  To  Eternity"  and  "Lament  Of  The  Sea".  8  out  of  10.

Rise Of Avernus Interview

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



     We have been following a busy touring schedule since we released Dramatis Personae in 2015. We also saw the departure of Dan Warrington, and our new bassist D'wayne Murray entered the fold. We are currently preparing for the release of Eigengrau and the subsequent tours.



2.You have a new album coming out in early 2018, 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?



With Rise of Avernus, we like to focus on making each release unique, while retaining some elements which can be recognised as 'our sound'. We hinted at this new direction with our last EP, stripping back a lot of the softer and more soporific moments to create something bigger, more aggressive and laden with grandiosity. Eigengrau is a solid step into darker and heavier territory.



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



Eigengrau explores the darker side of the human psyche, experiences at the point of death, religious indoctrination and its negative effects, neural phenomena, archetypes/dream motifs/symbols and the shadow self within Jungian psychology.



4.I know that the band name comes from Greek Mythology, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?



'Avernus' is a term for the entrance to the underworld, originating in Italy. The etymology can be traced back to Greece, roughly translating to 'no birds'. It held special significance as Avernus was a volcanic crater which emitted toxic fumes into the atmosphere... any bird which tried to fly overhead would be killed by the gases. As far as an interest in ancient Grecian culture goes, it's more of an interest in human projection, the 'rising of darkness' consciously or subconsciously within an individual and the psychological implications of encountering things we don't quite understand.



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



It's hard to pick a definitive list of our 'best shows' as every performance has its own feel. That said, our Japanese tour in support of Eternal Tears Of Sorrow held special significance as we were breaking new ground by playing in a foreign country for the first time. We strive to channel the same amount of aggression and theatrics into every show, creating a nightmarish, intense experience.


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



We have an extensive Australian tour throughout February and March alongside Once Human (USA), Hollow World and In Death. We're also exploring some options for international shows in 2018.



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



So far feedback has been quite good... We're continually taken aback by how many fans of different genres can find something to enjoy in our music. The interesting part of that for me personally, is staying true to the art and expression which comes from writing music.



8.Are any of the band embers currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?



None currently.



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



Each release from RoA is alway going to be a little different. We firmly believe that a band needs to continue developing and evolving their sound, or risk stagnating. This time we focused on darker sounds, dissonance, grandiosity and driving rhythms. What's coming next? Well... you will just have to wait and see.



10.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?



We all take musical influence from everything we listen to... As a collective, our tastes run from Pink Floyd to Mayhem, Billie Holiday to Infant Annihilator and most things in between.
A special mention goes to James Last's 'Trumpet A Gogo'. As far as current listening goes, In Becoming A Ghost by The Faceless, Brain Cycles by Radio Moscow, Relentless Mutation by Archspire and Hiss Spun by Chelsea Wolfe are all on high rotation.



11.What are some of your non musical interests?



We all enjoy physical activities, working out, travel and gaming. Ben has a penchant for war documentaries, and Mares is a coffee aficionado.


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



To the person reading this... Whoever you are, where ever you are. We hope you enjoy Eigengrau.

Heavydeath Interview

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

Right now we are doing some small-scale promotion. We are also waiting for the CD version to arrive from the manufacturer. Unfortunately, it has become slightly delayed. But LP and MC were released on time. In addition to this, we will try to make a few shows during the next year.
There is also work going on to release a compilation double CD with mostly demo material. It will probably be released next year. Then there is plans for a split 7” with Excruciation next year.
So the machinery rolls on so to speak.

2.Recently you have 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?

First of all, I would say that we are starting to get a good sound that suits our music. Do not think we've got it 100% before but now it feels like the whole sound package suits so to speak. As for the material, it's a mix of new and slightly older songs. But I feel that, on the whole, it feels more varied than previous albums.

3.Over the years you have released a great amount of material, do you spend a great amount of time writing and creating music?

I personally think about and writing music daily. Often I write music in my head when I drive a car or am in the woods. It is not always the right time to sit with the guitar and compose. But it is clearly an ongoing process for me. We are also trying to make some simple demos and so on.

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

In general, there are some thoughts about the fate of our so-called civilization. There are things to see for those who can, for those who want to. There is ancient wisdom to learn from, both the warnings and the knowledge.

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

It's hard to find a new good band name these days. I tried to find something that suited the music and the lyrics and the first suggestions were in Swedish “Tung Död” or “Den Tunga Döden”. We had some other suggestions too but then the decision was made that it might be best to have a name in English. And HEAVYDEATH it became. Sure, it may sound a bit primitive and too “simple”. But if you "taste the word" a few times, I think it suits.

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 have not been so active when it comes to performing live. For various reasons. Best best gig so far was the first at Mörkaste Småland Festival 2015 and actually the only one with the entire current line-up without session members. We need to get more experience playing live together, especially with songs from the new album that fits good live. So I really hope we'll be able to get some more gigs in the next year. There is no “big show” or so, but we do what we do and sink into the music and hope the audience will accompany our musical journey in body and mind. A long obscure trip...

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

No, but I hope, as I said earlier, that we can get our calendars in sync in the next year and that there are some suitable offers from bookers.

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

As I see it, we play a rather “narrow” kind of underground music. Nothing for the big mass I think. But so far, I've only seen good response, from loyal fans to new ones. Also saw that some famous musicians have drawn attention to us which of course is nice. We create and play what we like ourselves and of course it's nice to get support and to hear that others like it too.

9.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?

I will surely record something with my other bands and projects next year. Nothing is 100% so we'll see what happens. Maybe Runemagick, maybe TFO, maybe Necrocurse, maybe Domedag... Time will tell. Johan is doing some other projects on and off. Daniel is quite busy with Katatonia.

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

As I can see and speculate right now, the next phase will go in the same direction as our new album “Sarcophagus In The Sky”.

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

I listen to various stuff. But as always, I think what you grow up with is the closest to the music heart. So old classic. Everything from old sabbath to early death metal, black metal and doom metal.
Check my personal website http://nicklas.rudolfsson.net for som current Spotify playlists etc.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Be with the family, be out in the woods, etc. But the music, primarily composing, is clearly the main interest and a big part of my life.

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

Thank you very much for the interview. I hope more people want to listen to our new album and support us!

Godless Angel/They Lurk/2017 EP Review

  Godless  Angel  are  a  solo  project  from  Kansas  that  plays  a  progressive  mixture  of  doom,  death,  thrash  and  groove  metal  on  this  recording  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2017  ep  "They  Lurk".

  Clean  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  ep  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  which  also  introduces  death  metal  growls  and  screams  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  melodic  guitar  leads  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  slow  riffs  are  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  music  also  brings  in  elements  of  thrash  and  groove  metal  as  well  as  some  of  the  vocals  also  taking  an  influence  from  the  later  mention  genre  along  with  all   of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  gets  very  progressive  at  times  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  ep  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks a re  long  and  epic  in  length.

   On  this  recording  Godless  Angel  expand  on  their  mixture  of  death, thrash  and  groove  metal  by  adding  in  elements  of  progressive  and  doom  metal, the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  on  some  grisly  murders  in  1973 era  of  Overbrook,  Kansas.

   In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Godless  Angel  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  doom,  death,  groove,  progressive  and  thrash  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Barn"  and  "The  Sacrifice".  8  out  of  10. 

 

  

Shadowmaster/Self Titled/Seeing Red Records/2017 CD Review

  Shadowmaster  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  2017  album  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Seeing  Red  Records.

  Spoken  word  samples  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  sludge  and  doom  metal  direction  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  riffing.

  Vocals  are  mostly  angry  yet  high  pitched  screams  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  some  songs  also  bringing  in  psychedelic  elements and  spoken  word  samples  also  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  acoustic  instrumental  can  be  heard  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier direction  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  style  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  touches  of  stoner  metal

  Shadowmaster  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together to  create  a  sound  of t heir  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Shadowmaster  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Seven  Witches"  "We  Won't  Be  Alive"  and  "Under  His  Black  Skies".  8  out  of  10.