Gnaw/Cutting Pieces/Translation Loss Records/2017 CD Review

 Gnaw  are  a  band  from  New  York  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  industrial,  harsh  noise  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Cutting  Pieces"  which  will  be  released  n  October  by  Translation  Loss  Records.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  and  experimental  elements  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  and  spoken  word  parts  as  well  as  some  elements  of  harsh  noise  are  also  utilized  at  times.

  Some  of  the  vocals  also  get  semi  melodic  briefly  before  adding  in  high  pitched  sludge  style  screams  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  bring  in  elements  of  noise  rock  onto  the  recording,  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  as  the  album  progresses  some  of  the  songs  get  more  avant  garde,  saxophones and stringed  instruments  are  also  used  briefly.

  Gnaw  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  their  mixture  of  industrial,  harsh  noise  and  doom  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  violence  and  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Gnaw  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  industrial,  harsh  noise,  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Septic"  "Extended  Suicide"  and  "Triptych".  8  out  of  10.

Painted Black/Ragin Light/WormHoleDeath Records/2017 CD Review

 

Painted  Black  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  mixture  of  goth  and  doom  metal  with  some  elements  of  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Ragin Light"  which  was  released  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

  Atmospheric  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  synths  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  awhile  heavy  yet  melodic  riffing  is  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  clean  goth  vocals  as  well  as  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  growls are  also  utilized  at  times.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  spoken  word  parts  and  whispers  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  as  well  as  some  black  metal  influences  and  as  the  album  progresses  touches  of  post  rock  can  be  heard.

  Painted  Black  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  goth  and  doom  metal  while  also  adding  in  some  death  and  black  metal  influences  into  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  life  and  emotional storm  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Painted  Black  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  goth  and  doom  metal  with  some  black  and  death  metal  elements  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Raging  Light"  "Chamber"  and  "Almagest".  8  out  of  10.

Unfold/Banshee Of A Beast/Division Records/2017 CD Review

  Unfold  are  a  band  from  Switzerland  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  metal  and  post  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Banshee  Of  A  Beast"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Division  Records.

  Angry  sludge  style  screams  along  with  some  heavy  post  metal  style  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  a  great  amount  of  hardcore  elements  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  all of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  at  times.

  Atmospheric  synths  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  the  slow  riffs  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard,  one  of  the  tracks  is  all  instrumental  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction.

  Unfold  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  sludge,  doom  metal  and  post  hardcore  mixture  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  philosophical themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Unfold  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  sludge,  doom  metal  and  post  hardcore,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "honor  The  Traitors"  "Hex  Heyday"  "Night  Ride,  Death  Touch"  and  "Havoc  Assemble".  8  out  of  10.

Horse Head Interview

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

We’ve primarily been focusing on getting our music out to the public for people to listen to. None of are trying to become rock stars, but we are artists and we would like it if we could ensure our music is available to as many folks as possible.

2.You have a new ep coming out in October, 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?

If you listen to the demo we released back in 2012 and then the EP, “Missionary”, that was released in 2015, there was a very clear shift in the writing style, especially as we changed a couple of members. When writing the content in “Missionary”, Wilson really hashed out the Horse Head “sound”, although some of the material contained remnants of collaboration with past guitarists. Finally, in this new EP, “Terminal”, the material is entirely Wilson’s creativity. He’s a weird guy, though, and his writing style is surprisingly spiritic. Every song sounds different from the next. For example, “Throne of Lies” is extremely simple and does an amazing job of bridging grunge and doom styles. In contrast, the song, “Price We Paid”, is much closer to death metal style, and again, it is well written. His writing style is very versatile and that really comes across in this EP.

3.So far all of your releases have been ep's, are there any plans on releasing a full length?

Nope. I think we have come to favor releasing shorter but crushing displays of our music rather than the exhaustive work of lengthy releases. We take that approach when we play live shows, too, rarely playing for more than 30 minutes. Not that lengthy releases are a bad thing; It’s just not our style.

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

In the past, I’ve mostly written about generally being pissed at popular culture for being materialistic and closed-minded. Although it maintains the same general tone, I get much more specific by writing about my personal experiences in “Terminal”. “Ghost Hunter”, for example, is about my experience in the US military in Afghanistan in 2004 - seeing people die and describing how it affected the living thereafter. Both the live and dead characters in the narrative have lyrics. “Price We Paid” is about a family that was murdered in Virginia back in 2005 that I was close with. I tell the story from multiple perspectives: the shooter who ended the killing spree with suicide, the mother who was murdered, and the group of friends who were close with the family and still live with the trauma. After the release of “Terminal”, I encourage people to check out the lyrics. They’ll be on our Bandcamp.

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

All of us have a history chock-full of substance abuse. If you’re familiar with the “Horse” reference as it pertains to substances, and terms like, “Meth head” or “Crack head”, you can probably figure it out. The grim imagery that one might imagine of a severed horse head is just a convenient coincidence.

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

We’ve played some bigger shows with some bigger bands that tour through the AZ area, but none of those have been our favorites. We actually stopped playing those shows as a result. The best experience was this: A few years back, we played two shows, back-to-back. The first was in Prescott, AZ, and the second was in Phoenix, AZ. Both were at crust-punk houses, both were super loud and intense, and both resulted in police being dispatched to the locations. The underground scene consisting of people who can barely pull together a few bucks and will enthusiastically pack into a sweaty room to get down to some sloppy metal is 1000 times better than a show at the most popular venue with the most popular bands. Those shows were packed and everyone there, band- and audience-members alike, were moved by the music. It is a magical moment for a musician when the feeling you are trying to communicate with your music is simultaneously being felt by those listening to it. Shout out to the crust scenes in Prescott and Phoenix who have supported Horse Head over the years. It’s been a pleasure rocking with you.

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

No. We’re really winding down our activity. Our main goal is to get people to listen to what we’re about to release.

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

We’re not interested in being signed. We’re content exactly as we are.

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

We’ve received plenty of excellent reviews from the US and abroad but it is difficult for us to appeal to a single genre because our sound fluctuates. Although certain parts in our songs definitely have a sludge/doom feel, some listeners get distracted when the song doesn’t immediately start out like that. We’re not bothered by it, though. We aren’t in the business of writing pop music for any genre. We’re in the business of creating music as an art.

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

Now that “Terminal” is complete, we are all taking a break from Horse Head. Some of us have other musical endeavors that we’re focusing on for now. We want to let “Terminal” simmer for a while.

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?

I probably have the darker taste in the group. Some of my favorites are Cough, Grime, Ilsa, Burning Witch – that sort of stuff. Both Norska and Usnea have recent releases that were excellent and they are getting a lot of time on my record player. There will never be a time when I am not regularly listening to Yob. Bell Witch is releasing an album soon that I am excited to receive in the mail unless it warps in the AZ heat on my front porch which will totally piss me off. As for the other guys, Andrew and Jonathan like a little more of the traditional stoner stuff like pretty much everything Matt Pike has ever participated in and all of the bands that have formed as a result of worshipping his music. Wilson grew up in the midst of the Champaign, IL grunge scene so he loves the Cranberries, Hum, and the Melvins… but he also has a tattoo that is a dedication to Paula Abdul’s album, “Forever Your Girl”, and thinks that Slayer is the best metal band that has ever existed. You never know what you’re going to get with him.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Wilson is a human weapon, I’m about to get a PhD in some obscure scientific stuff, Andrew really likes to wear Birkenstocks and enjoys a nice cool milkshake. Jonathan is probably way cooler than all of us, though. He makes guitar cabinets and pedal boards from scratch. His business is called, “Moon Custom Cabinetry”. Google it.

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

We hope that people give the new EP, “Terminal”, a listen. We’re impartial to whether it is liked or not but we put our hearts and souls into it so we’re excited for the release.

Rites Of Daath/Hexing Graves/Godz Of War Productions/2017 EP Review

  Rites  Of  Daath  are  a  band  from  Poland  that  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Hexing  Graves"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Godz  Of  War  Productions.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  along  with  some  distorted  amp  noises  start  off  the  ep  before  adding  in  some  yet  melodic  riffing  while  the  riffs  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  along  with  the  vocals  being  mostly  death  metal  as  well  as  the  music  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  era  of  the  genre.

  When  the music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  brutal  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  high  pitched  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  more  of  an  old  school  death  metal  style  along  with  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  the  music  always  remains  very  dark  and  heavy.

  Rites  Of  Daath  plays  a  musical  style  that  goes  back  to  the  early  90's  era  of  death  and  doom  metal,  the  production  sounds  very  dark  yet  old  school  at  the  same  time  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  death  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Rites  Of  Daath  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  "Necromantic  Rites  Of  The  Underground"  and  "Most  Holy  Death".  8  out  of  10.

Lord Of The Lost/Swan Songs II/Napalm Records/2017 CD Review

  Lord  Of  The  Lost  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  goth  metal  and  dark  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Swan  Songs  II"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Napalm  Records.

  Melodic  vocals  and  acoustic  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  symphonic  and  classical  music  elements  a  few  seconds  later  while  the vocals  also  have  a  touch  of  goth  to  them  and  a  great  portion  of  these  tracks  are  done  with  a  lot  of  orchestra  style  arrangements  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly.

  While  heavy guitars  are  mostly  absent  you  can  still  hear  elements  of  goth  and  dark  metal  and  the  musical  style  while  cello's  and  piano's  are  also  used  at  times  along  with  a  brief  use  of  acoustic  guitars  and  the  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams  that  where  used  on  previous  albums  are  absent  from  this  recording.

  On  this  recording  Lord  Of  The  Lost  keep  some  of  the  darkness  of  goth  metal  and  dark  rock  and  mixes  it  with  classical  music  to create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lord  Of  The  Lost  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  goth  metal,  dark rock  and  classical  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Waiting  For  You  To  Die"  "My  Better  Me"  "We  Were  Divine"  and  "Fall  Asleep".  8  out  of  10.

Friendship/Hatred/Daymare Recordings/2017 LP Review

  Friendship  are  a  band  from  Japan  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  plays a  mixture  of  power  violence,  grindcore,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Hatred"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Daymare  Recordings.

  Brutal  blast  beats  and  distorted  amp  noise  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  very  fast  grindcore  direction  which  also  introduces  crust  style  growls  onto  the  recording  along  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  being  very  heavily  influenced  by  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  a  great  portion  of  the  tracks a re  very  short  in  length.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  hear a   great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  while  the  songs  also  mix  in  a  great  amount  of  power  violence  elements  along  with  the  riffs  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  music  always  remains  very  heavy  and  brutal.

  Friendship  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  grindcore,  power  violence,  sludge  and  doom  metal  mixture  of  previous  release,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent  and  angry  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Friendship  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  power  violence,  grindcore,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Rejected"  "Tortures"  "Life  Sentence"  and  "El  Chapo".  8  out  of  10.

  

71TonMan Interview

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

Lots of things happened since the 'Earthwreck' recording had started. We went through a line up change to begin with and KK is now the new dude behind the mic. We've played first few shows together and it all sounds great. We've also found some labels interested in releasing the record so now we're waiting for the digital release of 'EARTHWRECK' on 22nd of Septembervia Black Bow Records. Aim Down Sight Records will take care of tapes and we've prepared CD version which will be available on the premiere day.


2.You have a new album coming out in September, 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 thought that comes to my mind right now is that ‘Earthwreck’ sounds way more brutal and extreme in this beautifully ugly sludgy way. It's much more serious shit than our debut album recorded couple of years ago in our rehearsal room. The way we took this time is much more into doom and sludge than on previous one when some riffs and sound could make associations with stoner metal. Not this time my friends. At least it's what we think of it. You should probably check it by yourself anyway.

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

I'd say it's kind of stream of consciousness inspired by all the mess that takes place around us at the moment. The world is entering really grim period right now so driven by that we wrote some sentences that pretty much correspond with music and general atmosphere of desolation, destruction, anguish and sadness…


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name '71TONMAN'?

It's not much of a story to be honest. We were obviously looking for a really massive and heavy sounding name and 71 happens to be telephone prefix to our city - Wroclaw. And there goes 71TONMAN.

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?

Each show is a different story, therefore I can't really point out the best show. Probably last few shows in the new line up were the best so far, but in general we really enjoy playing squats and DIY venues. We've played at Kopi squat in Berlin, under the bridge near the Charles Bridge in Prague or in a DIY space at the foot of the Alps in Switzerland and more. These are the places run by people really passionate about music so it's always cool to visit such joints. As far as our stage performance is concerned nothing is planned. We just get on stage and play. That’s all.

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

Yeah, we would like to play as many gigs as our everyday lives will allow us. We're planning few weekends here and there. We will see.


7.In 2015 you where a part of a 4 way split,can you tell us a little bit more about the other bands you had shared the recording?

We played a show in 2014 with V Rukou Osudu in Plzen in Czech Republic and after few months they mailed us to do 7 inch split together. We wanted our brothers in O.D.R.A to be part of this and later on Mushrooms of Yuggoth joined in. We did it as a cooperation of 4 bands so it's total DIY releaase. Mail us if you want a copy or buy it at our bandcamp site

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

We didn't get much attention to be honest. Maybe the new record will get wider feedback.

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

It feels like the direction we took on 'EARTHWRECK' is what we really wanted to achieve in a long time. It can only get heavier and more extreme. No compromise.

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?

As far as metal or hardcore music is concerned there are tons of great bands that have influence on us. Personally, I regularly spin bands like Primitive Man, Meth Drinker or Indian but also lots of grindcore and punk bands. We have death metallers in the band too so it's all a mixture. You should also check the underground music scene from Wroclaw – listen to bands like O.D.R.A, Legalize Crime, Spaceslug, Nonsanto or Ratflesh to name a few. These are real gems.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Nothing much to write about. I guess playing doom is the only interesting thing about us.

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

Buy records and come to shows. Fuck Youtube, social media and all that crap. There is life outside, trust me.

Purtenance/Paradox Of Existence/Xtreem Music/2017 EP Review

  Purtenance  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  an  old  school  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Paradox  Of  Existence"  which  was  released  by  Xtreem  Music.

  A  very  dark  and  heavy  sound  starts  off  the  ep  along  with  some  deep  yet  guttural  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  music  style  has  its  origins  in  the  early  90's  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  remaining  true  to  an  old  school  style  and  elements  of  doom  metal  can  be  heard  in  the  slower  riffing.

  When  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  the  riffing  also  brings  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  dark  and  heavy  sound.

  Purtenance  plays  a  style  of  doom/death  metal  that  is  played  by  veterans  instead  of  being  a  part  of  the  old  school  revival  and  also keeping  the  sound  that  was  established  more  than  20  years  ago,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  hatred,  suffering  and  emotions  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Purtenance  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  death  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "In  The  End  Only  Death  Will  Remain"  and  "Paradox  Of  Existence".  8  out  of  10.

    

Desecresy/The Motal Horizon/Xtreem Music/2017 CD Review

 

  Desecresy  are  a  band  from  Finland  that  plays  an  old  school form  of  death  metal  with  a  touch  of  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Mortal  Horizon"  which  was  released  by  Xtreem  Music.

  A  very  dark  and  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  death  metal  growls  a  few  seconds  later  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  music  also  being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  early  90's  as  well  as  the  solos  and  leads  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  dark  sounding  melodies.

 A  lot  of  doom  metal  elements  can  be  heard  in  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  a  lot  of  the  music  sounds  like  it  could  of  easily  been  recorded  and  released  more  than  20  years  ago.  and  the  music  always  remains  heavy.

  On  this  recording  Desecresy  expand  on  their  old  school  style  of  death  metal  by  adding  in  doom  metal  elements  this  time  around,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  afterlife,  darkness,  doom,  death,  chaos,  dark  beings  and  religion  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Desecresy  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  old  school  death  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Amidst"  "Percussive  Necromancy"  "Telekinetic  Ignition"  and  "Approaching  Infinity".  8  out  of  10.

  

Mettadone/Invisible Disease/Wolfshade Records/2015 CD Review

  Mettadone  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  mixture  of  goth,  doom  and  dark  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Invisible  Disease"  which  was  released  by  Wolfshade  Records.

  Epic  sounding  synths  start  off  the  album  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  doom  metal  riffing  and  after  awhile  deep  death  metal  growls  start  to  make  their  presence known  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  while  the  screams  add  in  touches  of  black  metal.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  synths  add  in  touches  of  goth  along  with  some  symphonic  touches,  clean  singing  and  whispers  are  also  utilized  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  when  guitar  leads a re  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  melodic  fashion  and  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  style.  

  Mettadone  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  goth,  doom,  death  and  dark  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  depressive  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Mettadone  are  a  very  great  sounding  dark  mixture  of  goth,  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Game  Around"  "Darkline"  and  "Sadness".  8  out  of  10.  

Fabiant/Death Is Not The End/Wolfshade Records/2015 CD Review

  Fabiant  are  a  band  from  Belarus  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  doom,  death  and  goth  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2015  album  "Death  Is  Not  The  End"  which  was  released  by Wolfshade  Records.

    A  very  heavy  doom  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some melodic  guitar  leads  and  grim  screams  which  also  gives  the  music  a  touch  of  black  metal  as  well  as  some  female  vocals  that  are  done  in  more  of  a  goth  metal  style  while  death  metal  growls are  also  used  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful sound  to  them  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  as  well  as  some  clean  guitars  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  they  also  add  in  touches  of  folk  music,  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  as  the  album  progresses  some  tracks  also  add  in  small  amount  of  melodic  male  vocals.

  Fabiant  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  goth  and  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  dark  and  depressive  themes.

 In  my  opinion  Fabiant  are  a  very  great  sounding  melodic  mixture  of  doom,  death  and  goth  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Emptiness"  "Death  Is  Not  The  End"  "Evil  Never  Dies"  and  "Onward!".  8  out  of  10.  

Nudist/Bury My Innocence/WOOAAARGH/2017 EP Review

  Nudist  are  a  band  from  Italy  that h as  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  play  an  atmospheric  mixture  of  sludge,  doom,  post  metal,  hardcore  and  noise  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Bury  My  Innocence"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  WOOAAARGH.

  Distorted  am  noises  start  off  the  ep  before  adding  in  heavy  riffs  which  also  bring  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  aggressive  screams  and  clean  guitars  can  also be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done in  a  very  melodic  post  rock  fashion  while  a  great  amount  of  hardcore  and  noise  rock  influences  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording,  spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  atmospheric  drones  are  added  onto  the  closing track  which  also  mixes  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  plying

  On  this  recording  Nudist  keep  the  atmospheric  sludge/post  metal  style  of  previous  releases  while also  displaying  more  hardcore  and  noise  rock  influences  this  time  around,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Nudist  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  sludge,  post  metal,  hardcore  and  noise  rock,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Bury  My  Innocence"  and  "Dead  Leaves".  8  out  of  10.        

The Kahless Clone/Our Never-Ending Loneliness/2017 EP Review

  The  Kahless  Clone  are  a  band  from  Chicago,  Illinois  that  plays  an  instrumental  mixture  of  dark  metal  and  post  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  ep  "Our  Never-Ending  Loneliness"  which  will  be  released  in  October.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  ep  along  with  some  atmospheric  soundscapes  which  also  leads  to  acoustic  guitars  being  added  onto  the  recording  which  also  gives  the  music  a  more  progressive  feeling  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Synths  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  all  of  the  music  is  instrumental  along  with  the  riffs  bringing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  and  the  guitar  solos  and  leads  have  more  of  a  melodic  post  rock  vibe  to  them  and  elements  of  ambient  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction.

  The  Kahless  Code  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  dark  metal  but also  mixing  it  with  post  rock  and  keeping  everything  instrumental  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  and  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording.

  In  my  opinion  The  Kahless  Code  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  mixture  of  dark  metal  and  post  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "I  Can  Almost  Reach  You"  and  "Is  This  What  You  Wanted".  8  out  of  10.

  

Ophis/The Dismal Circle/F.D.A Records/2017 CD Review

  Ophis  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Dismal  Circle"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  F.D.A  Records.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  be  heard  briefly  before  going  into  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  along  with  some  dark  sounding  melodies  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  depressive  melodies  and  after  awhile  deep  death  metal  growls  start  to  make  their  presence  known.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  screams  are  also  utilized  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  clean  playing  is  also  utilized  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  but  done  with  a  more  modern  take  on  the  genre  and  on  the  last  track  the  music  speeds  up  briefly  and  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Ophis  plays   a  style  of  doom/death  metal  that  is  very  slow,  dark  and  heavy  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional while  the  lyrics  cover  depression,  suffering,  death  and  demonic  enchantment  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Ophis  are  a  very  great  sounding  doom/death  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Engulhed  In  White  Noise"  and  "Shrine Of  Humiliation".  8  out  of  10.

The Moth/Hysteria/The Charming Man Records/2017 CD Review

  The  Moth  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  with  some  touches  of  thrash,  death  metal  and  rock  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Hysteria"  which  will  be  released  in  November  by  The  Charming  Man  Records.

  Death  metal  growls  and  heavy  riffs  start  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  elements  of  thrash  and  first  wave  black  metal  which  is  done  with  a  modern  touch  along  with  some     melodic  vocals  also  being  utilized  on  some  of  the  tracks.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  while  the  slower  riffing  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  along  with  some  of  the  riffs  also  adding  in  the  melody  of  stoner  rock  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  the  music  getting  more  progressive  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction.

  The  Moth  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  elements  of  thrash,  death  metal  and  rock  music  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Moth  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  with  some  touches  of  thrash,  death  metal  and  rock  music  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Empty  Heart"  "Slow  Your  Pace"  "Loose"  and  "Jupiter".  8  out  of  10. 

Horse Head/Terminal/2017 EP Review

 

 Horse  Head  are  a  band  from Arizona  that  plays  sludge  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their   self  released  2017  ep  "Terminal"  which  will  be  released  in  October.

  Clean  playing  starts  off  the  ep  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  after  awhile  the  music  goes  into  more  of  a  heavier  sludge  metal  direction  along  with  some high  pitched  screams  and  death metal  growls  are  also  utilized  in  some  parts  of  the  songs.

  A  great  amount  of  guitar  amp  reverb  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  some  elements  of  doom  metal  while  half  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length  and  while  clean  playing  also  returns  briefly  and  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  melody  at  times.

  Horse  Head  plays  a  style  of  sludge  metal  that  is very  slow  and  heavy  sounding,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  for  being  a  self  released  recording  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Horse  Head  are  a  very  great  sounding  sludge  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Inferno"  and  "Price  We  Paid".  8  out  of  10.

Odradek Room/A Man Of Silt/Hypnotic Dirge Records/BadMoodMan Music/2017 Full Length Review

  Odradek  Room  are  a  band  from  Ukraine  that  plays  a  very  melodic  and  progressive  mixture of  doom  and  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "A  Man  Of  Silt"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Hypnotic  Dirge  Records  and  BadMoodMan  Music.

  A  jazz influenced  intro  starts  off  the  album  before  adding  in  some  symphonic  and  epic  sounding  keyboards  which  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  death  metal  growls  along  with  a  few  screams  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  progressive  edge  as  well  as  the  riffing  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  high  pitched  screams  also  add  in  a  touch  of  black  metal  along  with  most  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and epic  in  length  as  well  as some  tracks  also  add  in  a  small  amount  of  melodic  vocals  and  elements  of  post  rock  are  also  used  at  times  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  either  to  a  slow  or  mid  paced  musical  direction,  saxophones  and  female  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Odradek  Room  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  progressive,  melodic  death  and  atmospheric  doom  metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  thoughts,  feelings,  dreams  and  philosophy  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Odradek  Room  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  and  melodic  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  "Selfness"  "Rain  Trip"  and  "Divide".  8  out  of  10.

    

Forgotten Forests/Rebirth Beyond/Spirits Of The Ash MMX/Acclaim Records/2017 Compilation Album Review

  Forgotten  Forests  are  a  band  from  Bulgaria  that  plays  a  melodic  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  compilation  album  "Rebirth  Beyond/Spirits  Pf  The  Ash  MMX"  which  was  released  by  Acclaim  Records  and  consists  of  material  that  was  recorded  in  2010.

  Classical  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  compilation  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  up  to  some  heavier  riffs  and  melodic  guitar  leads  being  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  music  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Vocals  are  mostly  deep  death  metal  growls  while  the  acoustic  parts  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  at  times  along  with  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  being  heavily  influenced  by  doom  metal  as  well  as  the  music being  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's  and  the  main  focus  is  mostly  on  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced  direction  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Forgotten  Forests  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  melodic  death  metal  with  90's  era  doom/death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  old  school  while  the  lyrics  cover  spirit,  soul,  nature,  mind,  darkness,  and  eternity  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Forgotten  Forests  are  a  very  great  sounding melodic  mixture  of  doom  and  death  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Doomed  Blazing  Star"  "Fighting  In  The  Age  of  Midst"  "Final  Hope"  and  "Nameless  Face".  8  out  of  10.

 Also featured on http://aeafanzine.blogspot.com/