Moonscape Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?
I formed the project in late February 2015, when I started writing what eventually became the "Entity" album,  and I decided early on that I wanted it to be a one man project. I've been in a few bands over the years, but I've always felt more comfortable working on my own rather than in the collective of a band. When I first formed MOONSCAPE I just wanted to make the best record I possibly could, without limiting myself to just one specific genre. That way you really never know what the end result will be until you get there. Basically, MOONSCAPE is just me writing lyrics, composing and recording music, and when it comes to guitar solos and certain other instrumental work, outsourcing is the key, haha!

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


It has a very varied expression, as you can probably tell from all the bands I mentioned as influences earlier, but I like to think it's a lush blend of melodic death metal, symphonic/progressive metal, a bit of doom, black metal and progressive rock mixed together in a nice atmosphere.


3.The lyrics on the album have a concept to them, can you tell us a little bit more about the song writing?

To begin with, I actually just wrote down words that I felt fit the music, both rhythmically and phonetically, so there really was no intention of making it a concept album. After a while I realized that you really don't just write words. They have to come from somewhere, so I knew I was writing something of a personal nature, though it's not based on real events.


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


It was actually a word that came to me. I thought it had a nice ring to it. The same thing as with my lyrics, really, sometimes you just come up with something that fits.


5.Currently the band is a solo project, are you open to working with a full line up?

As of right now, no. I enjoy working the way I do, and it gives me the freedom to make the music I want, without having to compromise. I'm open for collaborations, but it needs to feel right.


6.On the album you had a few guests, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and also their contributions to the recording?


Including myself there are actually 15 instrumentalists and singers on the album. I realized early on that I needed help to tackle lead and solo parts, so I got in touch with players that I felt could add something great to the music. Some of them didn't work out too well, but the ones that ended up on the album are simply magnificent. Given the fact that the concept featured three characters, I felt I had to have three different singers to give the story more credibility. I found Matthew Brown, who portrays the protagonist, Jim Brunaud who appears as the "Father" character, and Kent Are Sommerseth (Unspoken) who does the growling parts as the "Demon".
I had Andreas Jonsson (ex- Spiral Architect), John Kiernan, Leviathan (ex- Unspoken, Kvesta), Alex Campbell (Seek Irony), Simen Ådnøy Ellingsen (Shamblemaths), Noah Watts and Justin Hombach (AeoS) on guitar solos, Diego Palma and Jon Hunt on keyboards, David Russell on piano and Sean Winter on tenor saxophone.

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

I've actually received a few offers, but none of them felt right, really. I've only been looking for a label who'd might be interested in releasing the album on vinyl, but no luck so far.

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


I've actually just begun doing promotional work, but so far the reviews have been very good. I'm sure there'll be more feedback once the album is released.

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

I'll probably just keep on working the way I do. As I mentioned earlier, I feel very comfortable with my current situation, so I see no reason to change it. Musically I'd like to expand my expression in a bit more progressive direction, but we'll see.

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?


Edge of Sanity's "Crimson" was a huge inspiration when I started writing "Entity", alongside In Flames, Dark Tranquillity etc. I have always wanted to make an album similar to "Crimson", because it really made an impact in my musical development when it came out in 1996. Later on I discovered 70's progressive rock acts like Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Mike Oldfield etc. I wanted to keep the heavy, yet melodic guitars that all those Swedish melodic death metal bands did back in the 90's, and also incorporate elements and variations from the 70's prog scene.
I rarely get to sit down and listen to music anymore, since I am a single father, but when I find the time I tend to prefer older Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Helloween, Deep Purple, Yes, Black Sabbath etc.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?


I'm a big fan of old sci-fi, especially the old Star Trek series. Otherwise I collect vinyl records and coins.

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

If anyone would like to get a copy of the album, be it physical or digital, please visit my BandCamp page (moonscape.bandcamp.com) or contact me via my Facebook page (@MoonscapeNorway). At last, I'd like to thank you for the album review, and for showing interest in my project! 

Thera Roya/Masterful Universe/2017 EP Review

  Thera  Roya  are  a  band  from  Brooklyn,  New  York  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  ep  "Masterful  Universe"  which  will  be  released  in  September.

  Melodic riffing  starts  off  the  ep  before  adding  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  metal  along  with some  aggressive  sludge  style  screams  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  music  also  adds  in  the  fuzzy  stoner  rock style  at  times.

  A  great  amount  of  doom  metal  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in   a  very  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  first  track  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  spoken  word  parts  are  added  onto  the  second  song  to  give  the  music  more  of  a  drugged  out  atmosphere  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  slow  direction  along  with  some  elements  of  post  rock.

  Thera  Roya  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to t he  sludge  and  post  metal  mixture  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording,  while  the  lyrics  cover  hopeless,  confused  and  nihilistic  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Thera  Roya  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  sludge  and  post  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Static  Transmission".  8 out  of  10.

     

LMDA/II/2017 EP Review

  LMDA  are  a  band from France  that  has  had  music  reviewed  before  by  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  power  violence  and  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  ep  "II".

  A  very fast  and  brutal  sound  along  with  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  start  off  the  ep  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  the  vocals  are  a  mixture  of  grindcore  screams  and  aggressive  power  violence  and  hardcore  style  shouting  and  most  of t he  tracks  are  short  in  length.

  A  lot  of  sludge  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  slower  riffing  while  the  fast  riffs  also  use  a  great  amount  of  tremolo picking  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  and  the  music  always  remains  brutal.

  LMDA  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  power  violence  and  sludge  metal  mixture  of  previous releases,  the  production  sounds  very  heavy  and  powerful  while  the  lyrics  cover  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  LMDA  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  power  violence  and  sludge  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Self  Made  God"  and  "Epervier".  8  out  of  10.

    

I Klatus/Nagual Son/2017 Full Length Review

  I  Klatus  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  atmospheric mixture  of  sludge,  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their  self  released  2017  album  "Nagual  Son"  which  will  be  released  in  October.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  and  psychedelic  elements  start  off  the  album  before  adding  in  more  of  a  heavier  sludge  and  doom  metal  direction  which  also  utilizes  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  and  most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Vocals  are  done  in  a  very  aggressive  sludge  fashion  along  with  their  melodic  moments  and  a  few  growls  and  when  the  music speeds  up  a  small amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  clean  playing  also  gives  the  music  a  more  desert  and  stoner  rock  feeling  and  grim  black  metal  screams  are  also  used  briefly  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also used briefly.

  I  Klatus  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  mixture  of  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal  while  also  getting  more  psychedelic  this  time  around,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  Shamanism,  Occultism,  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  I  Klatus  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  psychedelic,  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Serpent  Cults"  "The  Alvinist"  and  "Funal  Communion".  8  out  of  10.

  

Uttertomb/Necrocentrism - The Necrocentrist/Caligari Records/2017 EP Review

 

  Uttertomb  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  a  necrological  form  of  death  metal  with  touches  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their 2017  ep  "Necrocentrism-  The  Necrocentrist"  which  was  released by  Claigari  Records.

  Thunder  and  rain  sounds  start  off  the  ep  before  going  into  more  of  a  darker  and  heavier  musical  direction  which  is  also  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  while  also  utilizing  a  small  amount  of  morbid  sounding  melodies  at  times  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  When  vocals  are  added  into  the  music  they  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  some  screams  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  have  their  brutal  moments  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  songs  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  also  stick  to  a  very  chaotic  yet  old  school  style  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  while t he  slower  sections  of  the  songs  are  very  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal.

  Uttertomb  plays  a  style  of  death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in t he  early  90's  while  also  mixing  in  the  raw  energy  of  the  South  American  style  along  with the  darkness  of  heaviness  of  doom  metal  to  create  a  very  dark  yet  heavy  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  death  and  darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Uttertomb  are  a  very  great  sounding  old  school  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ascension  Ritual"  and  "The  Necrocentrist".  8  out  of  10.

71TonMan/Earthwreck/Black Bow Records/2017 CD Review

  71TonMan  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Earthwreck"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Black  Bow  Records.

  Clean  yet  distorted  playing  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  musical  direction  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  make  their  presence  known  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  high  pitched  screams  are  also used quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.

  Dark  and  depressive  sounding  melodies  can  be  found  in  some  of  the  riffing  while  all  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  along  with  some  drones  being  added  into  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  on  a  couple  of  the  tracks  spoken  word  parts  are  used  briefly  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  and  on  the  last  track  the  music  speeds  up  a  little  bit  and  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  71TonMan  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  the  heaviest  forms  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  to  create a  very  heavy  recording,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  a  fictional  post  apocalyptic  world.

  In  my  opinion  71TonMan  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  "Negative"  and  "Spiral".  8  out  of  10.      

I, Forlorn Interview

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

I, Forlorn is my doom metal project, something i've been wanting to do for about 10 years now
This project focusses on the darker side of music  , i wanted to create something atmospheric and real.

2.So far you have released a demo and a full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on both of the recordings?

The demo was just an early preview to let people see what i was working on so it's basically a simpler version of whats going to be on the album.
I'd describe the album as dark, intense and haunting.

3.The lyrics have a concept to them, can you tell us a little bit more about the song writing?

I don't want to say too much about it, but the songs portray some personal stuff that happened to me in the past 2 years.
Every song has it's theme, and i hope people will give their own interpretation and feel drawn in without knowing the exact story

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'I, Forlorn'?

I wanted to convey that feeling of being lost, it kinda came to me instantly that this was the right name


5.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with any other musicians or do you prefer to remain solo?

I've had some guest offers, and i might look for live members at some point. But this album was way too personal for me to accept anything that wasnt done by me
Might have some fancy stuff lined up for next release though, although it's a bit early to say

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

Haven't received any interest, i only released 1 demo song really at this point so the reach is not quite there yet for such grand things


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

I'm anxiously awaiting the response to the entire album but the people that found this project so far have been nothing but fantastic.
Sold more pre-orders than i anticipated and im extremely grateful for how nice people have been about it


8.Are you also involved with any other bands or musical projects?

I am doing some guest work from time to time but my main other project is Algos, which is a Melodic Death Metal project.


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

I'd love to just keep doing this really, being able to write down your sorrows and have people get something out of it, is quite something
If it would financially support me that would be wonderful but that just seems incredibly unlikely

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?

Some of my main inspirations were Trees Of Eternity, Woods Of Ypres and old Swallow the sun.
As of late i've been listening to Aether Realm, The Chant and TPR

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

I'm very much into bodybuilding, it's probably my 2nd biggest passion next to music. And i play unhealthy amounts of PC games from time to time

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

Thank you for the interview and i hope you'll enjoy the album when it's released

Moonscape/Entity/2017 Full Length Review

  Moonscape  are  a  solo  project  from  Norway  that  plays  a  mixture  of  melodic  death,  doom  and  progressive  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  his  self  released  2017 album  "Entity".

  Melodic  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  doom  metal  riffing  and  symphonic  elements  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  riffing  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  after  awhile  clean  singing  starts  to  make  its  presence  known  on  the  recording  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful.

  Death  metal  growls  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  some  screams  that  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  while  piano's  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  when  saxophones  are  used  briefly  they  give  the  music  an  early  70's  progressive/folk  rock  feeling  and  some  of  the  guitar  leads  also  add  in  a  touch  of  80's  metal.

  There  is  only  one  track  on  the  album  and  it  is  40  minutes  in  length  and  also  divided  into  9  chapters  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  clean  playing  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  added  into  some  parts  of  the  song  and  whispers  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Moonscape  plays  musical  style  that  takes  melodic  death  and  atmospheric  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  with  progressive  rock  to  create  a  sound  of  his  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Moonscape  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  progressive,  doom  and  melodic  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  solo  project.  8  out  of  10.          

Menin Interview

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

Menin is a four-piece doom/stoner band from Portland, Oregon who writes songs based on science fiction novels.  We've got two drummers, guitar, and bass.  I'm Chris, the guitarist and vocalist.  I also write the material and I recorded the EP.

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

HEAVY!  I've been raising the level of my recording skills for a few years now, and Lord of Pain is definitely the most ambitious I've gotten in engineering/producing.  When a band has two drummers, it's a safe bet to assume that there will be a heavy rhythmic element to the music.  All four of us are drummers and multi-instrumentalists, so there are times where we're playing guitar and bass as percussion instruments more than anything else.

3.Your lyrics cover a lot of science fiction themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic and also some of the authors or films that have had an influence on your somg writing?

The Lord of Pain EP has songs about Dan Simmons's Hyperion Cantos, Roger Zelazny's Amber series, and an instrumental track inspired by Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.  The most important book I've ever read is Dune, it really changed my life.  I still think about Dune pretty much every day.

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

The shortest answer is that menin is the Ancient Greek word for "wrath".  It goes deeper than that, though.  Menin is the first word spoken in the Iliad: "Menin aeide, thea, Peleiadeo Achileos" or roughly "Sing, goddess, of the wrath of Achilles".  There is a science fiction connection too:  the name is a deep reference to the main character in the book Ilium by Dan Simmons.

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

Our stage performance is pretty relentless.  We don't pause between songs for very long, generally long enough to retune our guitars and get back to it.  Having two drummers brings out a unique heaviness, especially when combined with the rhythmic guitar and bass work.  Sometimes it's hard to distinguish individual instruments and everything is just a throbbing mass of sound.

One of the best shows we've played was a complete departure from what we normally do.  We played a release party for our friend Jason Richter's novel L.I.F.E. in the 23rd Century.  The event took place in a small bookstore, so we rewrote our material and adapted it for acoustic instruments.  It was a real challenge to rework such heavy material and try to convey the same power while keeping everything quiet.

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

We want to tour so much!  We don't have anything booked yet, but we're working in earnest on something big in 2018.  It can be difficult as a new band to make a tour work without disrupting our home lives too much.  Everybody has jobs, partners, pets, and family.  That just means we have to work a little harder to plan a tour, but everybody is on board to put in that work.

7.The ep is going to be released on 'Doom Stew Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Jordan Perkins-Lewis just started the label this year.  What a gem of a human being that man is!  He plays drums in Brume and is making smart moves to expand his influence.  I've been impressed at the level of professionalism he's keeping while also being totally honest and straightforward.  This is the most relaxed and efficient label experience I've ever had.  A big part of that is probably due to the fact that Jordan is a huge fan of metal.  He's always out at shows in the Bay Area.  He's at Psycho Las Vegas right now and I don't think he's even sleeping, judging from how many photos I'm seeing posted of band after band.  It's good to work with somebody who loves the music they put out.

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

When Jordan put out the first press release on Doom Stew's website I started noticing more website hits and Bandcamp plays from overseas.  I really appreciate music fandom in Europe, especially for metal.  Metal fans are broadly really cool people who are fun to be around, and in Europe the audiences seem to stay true to that while also showing a high level of appreciation for the music itself.

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

We've been discussing the process for recording a full-length album.  If we get everything we want, we'll find ourselves in an isolated cabin in Montana for a week in the middle of winter with nothing but our gear and microphones.  I think we could really make something profound in that environment.

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 think the seed for Menin was planted in my brain when I saw Yob for the first time in Portland.  They had the whole room doing a slow headbang at, like, 45bpm together.  It looked like a scene from Mecca or something, everybody bowing in reverie.  That feeling sticks with me, and I think we spend a lot of time trying to find the meditative transcendence in slow heavy music.

These days, I'm mostly listening to heavy music from Oregon, Washington, and California.  Something about the west coast seems to produce the best of the best.  This is the part of the world that gave us Melvins, Sleep, Neurosis, and Sunn O))) to name a few.  I really dig the Portland band Glasghote, they're like Burning Witch in 2017.  We played a show with them in Portland and my head nearly exploded.  They're talking about getting serious about recording soon, and I'm trying to get involved on the studio engineering/production side of that.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Living in Oregon is wonderful, because there's so much wilderness around.  From Portland you can drive 30-40 minutes in any direction and find yourself halfway up a mountain with empty trails to wander.  As unnatural and science-fiction-based as our music is, I'd like to think we get some inspiration from the immensity of nature.  Geological events in Oregon like the Missoula Flood are some of the most cataclysmic natural occurrences in history.  If you think about it, that's super fuckin metal!

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

One of the reasons why I read so much science fiction is to conceive of the future as something exciting and limitless in its possibilities.  Granted, some of my favorite books paint a very bleak picture of the future, like Octavia Butler's Earthseed books or Paolo Bacigalupi's The Windup Girl, but even within those dark worlds there is still a portrayal of the power of goodness in humanity.  I think that's important to hold onto with the world as volatile as it is currently.

I, Forlorn/My Kingdom Eclipsed/2017 Full Length Review

 

  I,  Forlorn  are  a  solo  project  from  the Netherlands  that  plays  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  his  self  released  2017  album  "My  Kingdom  Eclipsed"  which  will  be  released  on  August  31st.

  Tragic  sounding  piano's  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  being  added  onto  the  recording  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  Vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  a  few  black  metal  screams  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  a  great  portion  of t he  tracks a re  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  a  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  as  the  album  progresses  symphonic  synths  can  also be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  I.  Forlorn  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  metal t hat  is  very  atmospheric  and  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  along  with  a  touch  of  black  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  depression  and  sadness.

  In  my  opinion  I  Forlorn  are  a  very  great  sounding  atmospheric  doom/death  metal  solo  project  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "House  Of  Glass"  "Spiral's  End"  and  "Embers".  8  out  of  10.  

Petrification/Summon Horrendous Destruction/Sentient Ruin Laboratories/2017 7 Inch Review

 

  Petrification  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  very  old  school  form  of death  metal  with  a  touch  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Summon  Horrendous  Destruction"  which  was  released  by  Sentient  Ruin  Laboratories.

  A  very  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  soundign  very  powerful  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  fashion  and  the  music  is  also  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  start  to  make  their  presence  known.

  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  the  riffing  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  sounding  like  they  could  of  easily  recorded  and  released  more  than  25  years  ago  and  elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  and  keyboards  are  also  added  onto  one  of  the  tracks.

  Petrification  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's tradition  and  mixing  the  Swedish,  Finnish  and  English  forms  of  the  genre  together,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover giant  man  eating  arachnids  and  other  horrors  that  lurk on  the  edge  of  the  void.

  In  my  opinion Petrification  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  "Stagnation  Of  Transmigration"  and  "Desecrators  Of  Conscious  Entropy".  8  out  of  10.

Menin/Lord Of Pain/Doom Stew Records/2017 EP Review

 Menin  are  a  band  from  Portland,  Oregon  that  plays  a  psychedelic  mixture  of  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep "Lord  Of  Pain"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Doom  Stew  Records.

  Heavy  doom  metal  riffs  and  drum  beats  start  off  the ep  along  with  some  aggressive  vocals  that  add  in  a  touch  of  sludge  as  well  as  some  growls  while  the  music  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  stoner  rock  elements  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a decent  amount  of  melody.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads a re  utilized  they  remain  very  true  to  a  stoner  rock  style  while  aggressive  screams  are  also  used  at  times  along  with  a  brief  use  of  clean  singing  and  all of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  psychedelic  elements  are  also  used  at  times  as  well  as  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  clean  playing  is  also  used  briefly  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction  and  the  last  track  is  an  instrumental.

  Menin  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  psychedelic,  stoner  rock,  doom  an  sludge  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  science  fiction  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Menin  are  a  very  great  sounding  psychedelic mixture  of  stoner,  doom  and sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Logrus".  8  out  of  10.

Hitwood/Detriti/2017 EP Review

  Hiitwood  are  a  band  from  Italy that  plays  a  mixture  of  post,  melodic  death  metal,  metalcore  and  shoegaze  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  ep  "Detriti".

  Acoustic  guitars  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  elements  of  post  rock  and  shoegaze  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  after  awhile  death  metal  growls  and  screams  start  to  make  their  presence  known.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  music  also  incorporates  elements  of  metalcore  at  times  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  being  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  touches  of  doom  and  goth  metal  are  also  used  in  some  of  the  tracks  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  as  well  as  female  vocals  also  being  utilized  briefly  and  one  song  is  all  instrumental.

  Hitwood  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  post  and melodic  death  metal  and  mixes  them with  shoegaze,  metalcore  and  a  touch  of  goth/doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dreams  and  sadness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Hitwood  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  post,  melodic  death  metal,  metalcore  and  shoegaze  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "My  Path  To  Nowhere"  and  "Venus  Of  My  Dreams".  8  out  of  10.

  

Apocalypse Orchestra Interview

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

After the release party we took a well deserved vacation for a few weeks, the recording process took over nine months so we were all a bit exhausted. The video for The Garden of Earthly Delights have skyrocketed and now has over 900 000 views which feels quite unreal. We have plans on doing another video and will soon launch a new website.

2.In May you had released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?

Doom flavoured medieval metal with a modern production. Many layers of sound and a multitude of instruments, hurdy gurdy, bagpipes and mandola on top of the electric guitars, bass and drums. Epic choirs mixed with church organs.

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

We're intrigued by historical oddities such as the flagellant movement and plague doctors as well as the little mans struggle in their everyday strife. Religious prosecution and at the same time the need for belief in eternal reward in the afterlife. The horrors of war, famine and the black death.


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

The word Apocalypse comes from the greek word”apokaluptein” which means to uncover or reveal. So apart from being the end of the world it also has a deeper meaning, that maybe something new will come after. This makes it quite ambiguos, gives it both a soft and a hard side. This suits our music.

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

One of our first gigs was with a symphonic orchestra and that was magical to say the least.
Our performances usually contain something more than just a band on a stage. We want to give the audience an experience beyond the music. Of course it depends on the venue but we've hade fire breathers and dancers, live choir and projected animations tailored for each song.

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

People ask us that a lot! If it was up to us we would love to do some tours, but then someone has to book us first. Since our album was released in may we missed all the summer festivals but perhaps some shows will be booked this fall and we have already been asked about playing festivals next year.

7.The new album was released on 'Despotz Records', can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Despotz Records is an indie label based in Stockholm but they're expanding quite fast. They have bands in all genres, from electronica to black metal. They've been absolutely awesome to work with. We've had complete freedom on all accounts, from music and lyrics to artwork. Check out their catalogue and give them some love!

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

The overall reception of the album has been overwhelming! People seem to really like what we do and we've been told several times that our music is different and unique which feels really good to hear. Our mix of slow metal and medieval music is rare, I honestly don't know anyone else who's done it before.

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

There's a lot of ideas for the next album already but it is to early to tell where it will take us. Though it will for certain be in the same vein as The End is Nigh.

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?

Everyone in the band listens to many different bands and genres but we have som common denominators. Type O Negative, Opeth, Myrkur and Amorphis to name a few. I personally listen to medieval music for inspiration.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

There isn't much time left for other things than the music since we all work full time jobs and some of us have families. But one cool thing to mention is that our bassist Rikard is a professional black smith and has made the burial cross we sometimes have on stage with us.

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

Take care and spread the plague!

Necrovorous/Plains Of Decay/Dark Descent Records/2017 CD Review

  Necrovorous  are  a  band  from  Greece  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  an  old  school  form  of  death  metal  with  touches  of  grindcore  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Plains  Of  Decay"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Dark  Descent  Records.

  A very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  and  spoken  word  parts  a  few  seconds  later  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.

  Most  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  while  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  d  beat  and  grindcore  elements  along  with  some  grim  screams  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  can  be  heard on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  they  also  bring  in  instrumental  and  a  couple  of  the  songs  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Necrovorous  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  old  school  death  metal  style  of  previous  releases  while  also  mixing  in  elements  of  grindcore  and  doom  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  gore themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  album  from  Necrovorous  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  death  metal  with  elements  of  grindcore  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  recording.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cherish  The  Sepulture"  "Psychedelic  Tribe  Of  Doom"  "Misery  Loves  Dead  Company"  and  "The  Noose  Tightens".  8  out  of  10.  

Incantation/Profane Nexus/Relapse Records/2017 CD Review

  Pennsylvania's  Incantation  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  that  continues  the  dark  doom/death  metal  style  of  previous  releases  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  2017  album  "Profane  Nexus"  which  was  released  by  Relapse  Records.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  brutal  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking  while t he  lyrics  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  A  great  amount  of  doom  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while t he  solos  and  leads  remain  very  true  to  a  dark  style  of  death  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  he  heard  briefly  and  they  also  bring in  a  brief  ritualistic  instrumental  before  returning  back  to  a  heavier  direction.

  Incantation  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  doom/death  metal  style  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  and  Darkness  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great sounding  recording  from  Incantation  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Muse"  "The  Horns  Of  Gefrin"  "Xipe  Totec" and  "Ancients  Arise".  8  out  of  10.  

Moonshiner/Self Titled/2017 Demo Review

 

  Moonshiner  are  a  band  from  Bangladesh  that  plays  a  mixture  of  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2017  demo.

  Drum  beats  and  heavy  doom  metal  riffs  start  off  the  ep  while  melodies  are  also  used  at  times  and  after  awhile  demonic  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  and  after  awhile  elements  of  stoner  rock  are  added  into t he  music  while  the  solos  and  leads  add  in  cry  retro  yet melodic  style.

  A  great  amount  of  groove  can  be  heard in  the  guitar  riffing  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  while  also  keeping  everything  very  heavy  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  this  recording.

  Moonshiner  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  stoner  and  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  powerful  for  being  a  demo  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.


  In  my  opinion  Moonshiner  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Demon  Sugar'.  8  out  of  10.  

Row Of Ashes/Let The Long Night Fade/Third I Rex/2017 CD Review

  Row  Of  Ashes  are  a  band  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  post  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "let  The  Long  Night  Fade"  which  was  released  by  Third  I  Rex.

  Clean  playing  and  atmospheric  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  female  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  while  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  and  the  music  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  stringed  instruments  but  also  mixing  in  a  great  amount  of  post  rock  elements.

  After  awhile  the  music  gets  more  heavier  while  the  vocals  start  mixing  in  more  sludge  style  screams  along  with  the  music  also  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  and  melodic  fashion  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly  and  some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  death  metal  growls  and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Row  Of  Ashes  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  sludge,  doom, and  post  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  some  touches  of  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  dystopian  themes  with  some  influences  from t he  writings  of  T.S  Eliot.

  In  my  opinion  Row  Of  Ashes  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  and  post  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Hunt  And  The  Herd"  "Mass  Strandings"  and "False  Teeth".  8 out  of  10.   

No Funeral/Livid/Live Fast Die Recordings/2017 Split Album Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  album  between  Minnesota's  No  Funeral  and  Livid  which  will  be  released on  August  15th  by  Live  Fast  Die  Recordings  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  no  Funeral  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  with  elements  of  crust.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  drone  style  clean  playing  and  after  awhile  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  along  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  after  awhile  high  pitched  screams  start  to  make  their  presence  known  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly.

  Both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length while  death  metal  growls  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  elements  of  crust  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  section, the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  death,  drug  addiction  and  misanthropy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  No  Funeral  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  crust,  sludge,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Infection".

  Next  up  is  Livid  a  band  that  plays  a  mixture  of  stoner  and  doom  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  clean  playing  and  after  a  couple  of  minutes  drum  beats  are  also  added  into  the  song  which  is  18  minutes  in  length  before  introducing  doom  metal  riffs  and  melodic  guitar  leads  into  the  track  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  clean  stoner  style  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  on  their  track  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Livid  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  stoner  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.

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

Cave Bastard Interview

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



  The band was fully formed by August 2014 in San Diego, CA with a changing of drummers the following year. We're heavy and LOUD, the way it should be.





2.So far you have released an ep and been a part of a split, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?



  The EP is actually an online demo that is of demo quality to get the point across. Our side of the split with BLK OPS was recorded by the mighty Billy Anderson, and he made it sound mighty indeed.





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



  Depression, societal violence, war, chaos, ignorance....most of our lyrics are written inspired by these topics from different views, but our writing won't exactly spell it out for you. You'll have to dig a little deeper and read between the lines.



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



  Originally, we just thought it was cool. After we chose the name, we realized we could create something from it. "Cave Bastard" is something of chaos incarnate; a twisted being deformed by all instances of malevolence, condemned to a life of suffering, and unleashing suffering upon a wretched humanity.



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



  Our top 4 would be with Author & Punisher, Genocide Skin, Nukem, and Necrot. All the bands on those bills were great with a great crowd. We're really fucking loud, with our sound rumbling through your body like a jet engine, and that energy projected from us to get it back from the crowd.



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



  We're embarking on an 8-day tour the last week of August that we're calling the "Chargrilled and Killed Southwest Tour" being joined by our splitmates BLK OPS a few days in. The Southwest in August packs a lot of heat.



7.You have a split coming out with 'Accident Prone Records', are you happy with the support they have given you so far?



  We're stoked on them and they're stoked on us. Couldn't be happier with their support, and we're honored they want us to have a release with the Accident Prone stamp.



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



  So far the feedback has been great, with differing opinions of what they like most of the band, but all positive.



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?



  Our drummer is going on a Southwest tour with his band, Age of Collapse in November to support their new album, "Transmissons."





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



  Ramping up the heaviness and speed while pushing ourselves musically.



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?



  We're fans of death metal and thrash, with some of us fans of black metal, hardcore punk, grind, and crossover. The newest Immolation and Asphyx have been in constant rotation in the disc player in my car. Best death metal of the year.



12.What are some of your non musical interests?



Comics, video games, movies, science, technology...too many to list!



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



Buy the record and come to a show. Wear earplugs. On second thought, earplugs won't help.